Just another day...

I came home today after a long and stressful day at work. I left the house this morning at 9 AM and got home at 10 PM. I missed Si terribly today, as I do everyday I leave knowing I won't see him all day. I walked in the door, Si already sleeping peacefully in bed, tossed by work bag down and headed strait for the bathroom. As I sat there, a rare moment of quite in this crazy day, I thought about how chaotic it sometimes seems for Caleb and I to be balancing two full-time jobs and a master's program without using regular childcare. How chaotic it seems in general to be parents to a little boy (one year tomorrow!) who can be best described by the words 'energetic' 'curious' and 'walking'. Then I looked down to see the toilet paper was crumpled up and re-rolled onto the cardboard, a clear sign that Caleb had salvaged the roll after Si successfully TPed our bathroom (probably for the 10th time today!). And all of a sudden, the stress from the day disappeared, a smile spread over my face and I was reminded of how overwhelmingly joyful I am in the midst of the chaos.

what happened to the camera craze?!

I guess we got busy, or the new is wearing off of our sweet little boy! Just kidding, Josiah just keeps getting cuter and more precious, but our over-the-top obsession to photograph every smile is starting to fade a bit. Our 11 mo photo folder has about 10 pics in it...and the Grandma's took them all! So lest I admit defeat before Si's first birthday, I will post what we have and assume that I am not likely to look back 10 years from now and mourn the gaping hole that seems to have become June of 2010!

Si and I took a trip to WA while Caleb was on a mission trip with the church. These pictures might look a little "wetter" than what we've had in AZ. I think we can "claim to fame" for at least a week that we recently tied Antarctica for the lowest humidity ever recorded. Those are the kind of stats you get excited about when you live in the desert. Thank goodness we'll be in Oregon for a bit in August! Looking forward to some more respite from the heat!

Summer!!!

Triple digits is an understatement here in beautiful AZ since the entire past week was around 111 degrees. I think it's safe to say the desert summer is upon us.

Thankfully, even though we don't have a pool at our house, we have had some great opportunities to pull Si's adorable swim trunks out of the dresser! Just last weekend, my mom visited for a week and we stayed a few nights at one of her BlueGreen properties! Sometimes pools, housekeepers and a day off are just what the doctor ordered!

Si loves the water so much I am convinced he must be hiding fins and gills under his skin somewhere.

This amazing raft/floaty was a huge blessing on our little retreat. We could keep the babe shaded and also allow him to float and kick around safely without having to hold him the whole time. Usually, I think the whole baby industry is way out of control with products that you "think you need" but really are just bound to encourage entitled, bored and sensory-overloaded children. But this floaty is not one of those items!

We borrowed it from a girl friend in case anyone is thinking it is a little girly for a manly-man like my son!


Si is fearless; loves to jump in head first, kick, float, etc, So safety first, people: swimming lessons here we come!

It is a little sad that summer is upon us here in AZ because I fully recognize how much Josiah loves to be outdoors. I mean, he is truly a different child when we get him outside. For instance, indoors (he's still perfect, BUT) he needs toys and a lot more direction to really be content. Get him outside, and he instantly relaxes, uses his own creativity to explore, and is just content in a whole different way than he is inside. I love it! My plan to make him hate video games is coming along quite nicely.

The problem is, that at this amazing developmental/mileston-y time between crawling and walking, it is so darn hot here that we can really only have him outside in the yard to play between 6 and 7 am. That makes for a long stretch of day for any child to be inside, and that much more for an almost-walking, budding outdoor-enthusiast like Si. So we will have to be creative...at this point, "creative" is SPF 85 sunscreen (who knew they made that?!) and friend's pools. Let me know if you have other sanity-saving summer tips for desperate moms!

Si turned 11 months this week and I will have to post a big update soon. I will be in Yakima all week while Caleb is on a mission trip. Si and I are going to hang out with my parents so that I can work without buying childcare for a week. Now that I say it, it sounds a little foolish to fly 1500 miles to avoid paying a babysitter for a week.

Maybe I should just call my little excursion what it really is: NOT TRIPLE DIGITS!

10 Months

Caleb's mom was in town this weekend and took some time for a little photo shoot. What a challenge with our little mover.

Okay, so this next picture...

...is not as bad as it looks! Shep doesn't bite down...and usually doesn't envelope Si's whole face in his mouth. This pic is a treasure, that's for sure, and quite possibly the reason for several worried phone calls. Thankfully, Si is no worse for the wear.

See, just fine!

Look at those beautiful blues.

We had so much fun with Becky! Si loved all the attention and I loved having a painting partner. Becky is teaching me how to watercolor

We are collecting baby Yoga poses. This is downward Dog...I think we have three now which we plan to make into a collage...and then what? I don't know. What would we do with a baby yoga collage?

This kiddo is so awesome! I can't get enough hugs!

I think this is such a cute picture of my guys!

Sweet, sweet baby boy.

Si has started dancing!!! Wow, Si does some adorable things, but this takes the cake! We'll have to catch him on video one of these days.

Too many cooks in the kitchen.

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of two amazing ladies...

I am so blessed to have a wonderful mom that has sacrificed so much for me over the years. She is a beautiful example of grace, strength and compassion. I am so thankful that she loves our son with every bit as much passion as she loved me! Thanks, Mom, for being the most wonderful mom and mooma! Siah can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

I am also blessed to have this beautiful lady in my life! I am so grateful that she raised the man I love to be a man of strength and integrity. She is a great mother-in-law and a fabulous grandma! We are all so excited to see you this weekend, Becky!

Siah will be going through his little photo album of faces and will be practicing the words Grandma and Mooma in anticipation of the coming visits!

...and Happy Mother's Day to me!!! I love being a mom! Everyday I get to watch this little person make new discoveries and gain more and more passion for life! What a great gig this is! Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there who make sacrifices every single day for their children. I love knowing that the adventure that I am now on is the most important thing God has called me to, the most challenging thing I could ever take on, and the most rewarding experience I could imagine!

I also have the incredible honor of working every day with another group of women who deserve honor. Yesterday was birth mother's day! I can't imagine a bigger sacrifice, as a mom, than to say good bye to your child in order to give them the kind of life you want for them. There is no greater love than to choose to give your child both roots and wings. The roots of their biological heritage and identity that will follow them in their smile, their gifts and talents and the color of their eyes. And to give them wings in the opportunities and love that are provided when a little child is placed in the arms of an adoptive family. Parenting, as I now know so well, is really about bringing as many people as possible around a child to love them. And isn't that truly what adoption is about? I love the birth moms I get the honor of journeying with. What incredible hearts they have! I am thinking about and praying for many of these women this weekend.

Videos

The worst toy ever

We went to Baby's R Us the other day to buy a little toy that had lots of gears and knobs and things to do that would create a developmentally appropriate learning experience about cause and effect for our young prodigy.

Well, we thought this one would do the trick, who doesn't love driving? And look at all those buttons to push. Looking back, it wouldn't have hurt to take it around the proverbial block for a spin before checking out with it, but here's to hindsight.

So we get it home and of course the anticipation is building in our young son who is ready to jump behind the wheel. Thankfully it had batteries already in it so we didn't have to wait long to hear this toy in all it's glory.

So what's all the fuss about? Imagine, if you will, that this little toy's noises, although it appears to use children's songs, is sung by junior-high-sounding children...and not only is that a little strange if you ask me; for a toy for a 9 month old. But the children are creepy as well. They sing songs about car crashes (not kidding) set to the tune of well known children's songs but the words are changed. It just started seeming a little "Chucky" like to me; but I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Then I touched the horn. Seriously, this horn says verbatim "Get Out Of My Way!!!" in like the snottiest, rudest, junior-high voice you have every heard (or if you haven't had the pleasure of hearing a junior high girl say those very words, just use your imagination). Trust me it is not the first sentence you want your baby learning.

This toy came complete with police sirens and Harly-esk revving noices for the budding delinquent in the home! Needless to say, that toy is now back home safe at Baby's R Us and far far away from our child. Seriously Vtech, you are what is wrong in the world. I am sticking with Baby Einstein from now on !

Anyway, here are some pictures to round out month 9! We are heading quickly toward month 10...Unbelievable! Caleb likes to remind me that we have now successfully kept a child alive for 10 months. I like to think we have done a little better job that that (despite our poor choice of children's toys). We have one happy, healthy little guy here who loves people (and dogs!), can find excitement in (oh, everything)...and is the light of my life and the very best reason for getting up each morning!

I feel like this pretty much sums up the ins and outs of our day to day. Par for the course really, so yes, Josiah probably has many more germs than your child!

Shep is starting to stand up for himself though so I am sure things are about to get a lot more interesting around here. Did I mention that Si is walking around the coffee table now as long as he holds on and has a full glass of water in his sights. (he is very goal-oriented).

Si was a little confused about what to do next after putting his flip flop out the doggie door. Thankfully he has not figured out how to exit through the doggie door (yet).

He is my cuddle bug and loves to snuggle. I am a lucky mommy!