The Here and Now

Just thought I would give a little update on the here and now with us.  I'd would tell you that we are busy, but I think that is a duh.  Come on - EVERYONE is busy in their own way!  We all have our "stuff" that we do.  So I won't tell you that we are busy. (Hmm.... I guess I just sorta did!  Ooops!)

Matt is gearing up for the summer.  He has decided to not carry youth group or our kids program throughout the summer each week.  We would love to keep it up, but Matt needs a break.  We are not a large church, and Matt does not have an assistant pastor or a youth pastor, or anyone to take over those areas, so we are taking a summer break.  We will have one big activity for each group every month, but not the weekly thing.  I am glad Matt made that decision.  One person can only do so much, you know!  So far on his schedule for this summer, Matt is scheduled to speak at at least one camp (one of the ones that we were at last year).  There is another speaking engagement that he is tentatively scheduled for in August.  Along with that, we will be having VBS - probably in August.  Summers always seem to fill up at the last minute, so I am sure there are things that we aren't even aware of yet!  He has been asked to do a couple other things, but he has not committed to anything as of yet.

I am doing well.  I am just occupying myself with house chores, the kids, and now, my part time job.  I do keep quite busy, but I like it.  I enjoy having stuff to do!  The weather is getting nicer, so the kids and I are finally able to be outdoors and enjoy all this space that we now have around us!

Liam has become quite the bossy big brother!  I often hear him reprimanding Leila, using the tone of voice that Matt and I use when we are getting on to the kids about something.  As funny as it is, we try to stop him from doing that.  One time a month or so ago, I was in the living room feeding Libby when Liam and Leila walked up to me.  Liam looked at Leila and said, "Say it, Leila."  Then Leila looked at me and said, "Mommy, I'm sorry.  Please forgive me."  I said, "Why? you didn't do anything!"  Then Liam proceeded to tell me that she was bad and needed to say she was sorry.  I still have no idea why he made her do that.  I don't think she did anything wrong!

I am also able to tell that Liam is ready for a challenge.  He seems to be getting bored with just playing, so I know he is ready to start school.  We won't officially start until fall, but I have been doing a few things with him.  He knows his letters, most of their sounds, and his numbers, of course but he also knows many shapes, and most colors (he still thinks white is gray.  We are working on that!).  So now I am working on writing with him.  So far we have only mastered the big "A," but he is doing quite well with that.  He actually really likes to write and asks me to help him all the time.  Wow.  I can't believe my little boy is ready to start reading and writing!

Leila is a little chatterbox.  She pretty much talks from the time she wakes up til the time she goes to bed.  She has quite the imagination - she will stand in our living room, looking out the front window, and say, "I see a cow!"  "I see a puppy!"  or "I see a kitty!"  when really there are none of those things there at that time.  But she "sees" them!  :-)  She copies most everything Liam says and does.  Until just the other day, if you asked her how old she was, she would say, "Free" (obviously meaning three) since that is what Liam says when you ask him.  Now I have her trained to put up her index finger to indicate that she is one (although she will be two next month - oh my!!!!!)  She is doing great in her big girl bed - besides that first week when she fell out twice, we have had no incidents and she stays put in her bed until we come get her, at least so far!  Also, when Leila is not obeying, and she knows it, she will look at you with her big blue eyes and say, "Jesus want me obey."  We often explain to the kids that Jesus is happy when they obey, and He wants them to obey mommy and daddy.  So she repeats that ALL THE TIME.  Its like she is letting us know that she already knows what we are going to say!  Ha!

Libby is just plain growing!  She is really stretching out.  I am not sure of all the specifics of her weight and stuff - we will go in a week or so for her four month check-up - but she sure is putting on the weight.  I still haven't found her neck!  :-)  She often has what Matt calls "milk neck."  That is when drool and milk go down and gets "stuck" in all the folds of skin and then it stinks.  When I bathe her I essentially have to dig around all those rolls to clean it out so she will smell all nice and pretty!  Although it still seems quite early, she is showing all the signs of teething.  She constantly chews on everything - her finger, your shoulder, toys, and, most recently, the hem of her dress.  She makes me think of her Aunt Manda who used to chew on the hem of her dress until she was like 5 or something.  We were always saying, "Amanda, put your dress down!"  Libby is the same.  She somehow got a hold of the hem and was just chewing away. She also quite often has red cheeks.  So, I guess sometime a tooth will pop through, though it still may be a while.  I know they can show the signs for a while before they actually get the teeth.

I think that in the next week to two weeks I am going to start her on cereal.  She has stopped sleeping so long at night because she is hungry.  She is a really good eater, probably too good.  I can't keep up with her I guess.  I have tried to start supplementing formula a little, but she is not happy about that.  I had no problem when I started the other kids on some formula, but she doesn't like it.  So I think I will just start cereal since she will be four months next week.  I am sure you are gonna hear all about that on here!  Stay tuned!

Libby is also very, very close to rolling over - both ways.  She gets all the way on her side, and I expect any day now to wake up and find her on her back (she sleeps on her tummy).  She is also becoming quite curious to what is going on around her.  She often gets distracted while eating and I have to remind her of what we were doing!  She is still our calm, relaxed baby who just chills out all the time.  She smiles often and squeals when Matt talks to her (not me, but I'm not bitter - really).  She still does her cute giggle instead of an all out laugh - but I love her giggle.  She definitely has a voice though.  She can get VERY loud when she is "talking" in her swing or playing under her gym.

I think that sums up the here and now for us.  We are enjoying our life and each other.  I am just so very thankful for all that the Lord has done for us and given us.  We are truly blessed.  I love my family so much.  My kids, though frustrating at times, are joys and blessings to us.  I would be bored without them!

I trust that all reading this are having a fabulous day/week and that it continues to be fabulous.  Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  I have a new thing I am going to start on here, so check back next week to hear what it is!

Until next time...