Meeting 2nd Cousins

Drew, Annelise, and I drove up to Milwaukee today to see his cousin's daughter, Sydney, get baptized. I met Kristen last year when she was here for Wesley's first birthday party.  It was so great to see her and Maddie again, and to meet Rob and Sydney.

They also welcomed little Sawyer into the family just 10 days ago!

So many babies on that side of the family lately!!

Annelise did not do so well in church.  We may be waiting for a little while before trying that adventure again.

GMG Week 11 Recap

Scripture passages for the week:

Proverbs 31 : 28 - Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.
Proverbs 22 : 6 - Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Titus 2 : 4 - Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children.
Proverbs 31 : 29 - "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all"

This week sort of made me a little sad.  I know that my husband appreciates all that I do, but he rarely praises me for it.  And, if we're being honest, I know that I don't praise him enough for what he does.  He knows that I am grateful to him for going to work, but I know that I don't vocalize it enough.  I'm going to work harder on vocalizing my thanks and praising him for what he does.  All too often people get lost in criticizing, especially when it comes to parenting.  I'm home with Annelise all day, so I've learned what she likes and dislikes.  I just assume that Drew watches me enough to see it; I forget that I have to teach him sometimes.  Now, whether he listens or not is a completely different story.  I am very conscious about praising him when he does something well with Annelise, and I know that that helps his self-esteem.  He doesn't spend a lot of time with her and she is still a little leery of him at times.  I'm very quick to praise him when he is able to calm her down.  I just need to remember to praise him for other things too!

GMG Week 10 Recap

Scripture passages for the week:

Proverbs 31 : 27 - She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Proverbs 13 : 1 - A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.
Proverbs 9 : 1-2 - Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.  She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
Proverbs 6 : 6-11 - Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.  How long will you lie there, you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 24 : 3-4 - By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
Proverbs 12 : 24 - Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
Proverbs 19 : 15 - Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.
Proverbs 20 : 4 - Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

Frankly, I'm struggling with being a Proverbs 31 woman.  I'm trying, I really am.  But I feel like I'm failing in every aspect of it.  I know that it's not realistic to expect to become her overnight, and I wasn't looking to accomplish that.  It was more something to strive towards becoming.  Honestly, I feel further away from being a Proverbs 31 woman than when I started.  I will continue to strive to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

Baby Giggles

Is there anything better than baby giggles?  I don't think so.  After her bath the other night, Annelise was giggling up a storm.  She was so cranky before her bath from lack of naps, that I think that she was just slaphappy at this point.  Nothing melts my heart more than that little girl smiling and laughing at me.

I dare you to watch this and not smile at least once!



Adorable, right?

Zoo and a Stroll

Today, we went to Summerfield Zoo, a small zoo in Belvidere.  There is a variety of animals - wolves, monkeys, horses, turtles, mountain lion, camel, zebra, and some small animals.  Nothing extravagant, but still fun nonetheless.

After the zoo, Drew and I came back home and Annelise was able to do something else for the first time.

She rode in the seat part of the stroller!!  Up until now, she's always sat in her carseat that attaches to the stroller.  She has amazing head control, and since the stroller has a 5 point harness, I figured that she would enjoy being able to sit up and see things.

I just ordered the tray table that goes on the front of the stroller.  I kept saying that I felt like it was so open and she was so unprotected with her sitting like that.

GMG Week 9 Recap

Scripture passages for the week:
Proverbs 31 : 26 - She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Proverbs 10 : 11 - The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Proverbs 12 : 18 - The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Ephesians 4 : 29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
1 Timothy 3 : 11 - In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
Proverbs 15 : 1 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Luke 6 : 45 - A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Proverbs 4 : 23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 10 : 19 - Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.
Proverbs 10 : 31 - From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced.
Proverbs 4 : 24 - Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Boy oh boy, did I need these passages this week.  I have been an awful person, and I have been completely trash talking someone to a bunch of different people.  I need to stop.  Seriously, I need to stop.  It is so unladylike for me to gossip and bash this person the way that I have.  Just because I may think or feel a certain way, does not mean that I need to vocalize that to another person.

I'll Never Forget

I just got home from dropping some lunch off for Drew and I saw the most blood-boiling thing on my way home.  I was stopped at a red light and a small red car pulled up next to me.  I heard a lot of noise coming from it, so I looked over.  In the car was a woman driving, a young boy sitting in the front seat, and four small children in the back seat.  The youngest was maybe three.

So, what's the big deal, you ask?  The youngest child, the maybe three year old, WAS NOT BUCKLED AT ALL!!!  No seat belt, and certainly no car seat.  Honestly, I really have no clue if any of the children in the backseat were bucked at all, but I'm fairly certain that at least two of them should have been in some sort of car seat.  The youngest caught my eye because she was crawling all around the backseat and trying to get into the front.

I try really, really hard not to judge parents, because everybody parents different.  But y'all, when I see a parent doing something that really shows that they don't give a rat's ass about the safety of their children, I judge.  And I judge hard.  It really took every ounce of strength in my body to not roll down my window even further and yell at that woman.

Seeing things like that, people who don't care enough about their children to provide them with a safe environment, is why I get so angry that I, and many other women, go through infertility.  I get so angry with myself, those careless people, and God that I had to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to get a child that I yearned to badly for, while those people reproduce like it's nothing.  While I'm sure they love their children, they don't understand the devastation of going through treatment after treatment and wondering if they will ever get to bring home a baby.  They don't understand the devastation of losing a baby.  They don't understand that I would do anything, ANYTHING, to provide my child the best and safest environment possible.

I'm one of the women who know how fragile how life is.  I'm one of the women who know what a miracle a child is.  I may have my take home baby, but I will never forget the sting of infertility.  I'll never forget the fight that I went through to have my baby.

What A Difference A Year Makes

One year ago today, Drew and I drove back to the clinic in Chicago to do a frozen embryo transfer.  We were both still emotionally beat up from the miscarriage, but we knew that we couldn't sit and dwell on what we had lost.  Specifically, I couldn't sit and dwell on the loss.  I was so sick and tired of playing the infertility game and letting endometriosis ruin my life.

One year ago today, we took a leap of faith and tried to get our take home baby.  A child that we longed for more than anything.

A year ago, we put our faith and trust in God.

What a difference a year makes!

Rollin'

Well folks, we've reached our first BIG milestone!  Annelise rolled over, belly to back, for the first time yesterday!!  She has been ::thisclose:: to rolling for about two weeks now and every time I put her down for tummy time, I wondered if that day would be the day.  Yesterday, that day finally came.

I wasn't expecting it to happen as quickly as it did, so, of course, I was caught off guard and without the camera.  As soon as she rolled over, I started clapping and yelling because I was so excited.  I think I scared the poor girl with how excited I was.  Then, I picked her up and hugged her tight, and started bawling!  My little baby is quickly becoming not so little anymore!  A little while later, I laid her on her tummy again, and she rolled again, this time to the right.  When Drew came home, I put her on her tummy again and she rolled to the right again.  I tried to capture it on video, and failed.

Today, I was determined to catch it on video.  A milestone like this just can't go unrecorded!  (Note: The roll happens in the first few seconds, and then I make a fool out of myself for the rest of the video.  Feel free to NOT watch it after the roll!  Haha!)

GMG Week 8 Recap

Scripture passages for the week:
Proverbs 31 : 23 - Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
Proverbs 12 : 4 - A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
Proverbs 31 : 24 - She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
Proverbs 10 : 4 - Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 31 : 25 - She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Proverbs 3 : 26 - for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
Psalm 23 : 1 - The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 37 : 3 - Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Proverbs 3 : 5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Philippians 4 : 19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

The passage that stood out the most to me this week, is to bring my husband respect.  He should be proud to be able to call me his wife and not worry that my attitude or behaviors could disgrace him.  I should never embarrass him with the things that I say or do.

First 4th

As with most new parents, I get extremely excited to celebrate the holidays that are Annelise's firsts.  I bought her a 4th of July outfit quite a few weeks ago, and I was more than ready for her to wear it.

She was very obviously sort of "meh" about it!!  Ha!!!  I just love that expression.

I knew the outfit was beyond cute, but when I plunked that bow on her head, I shrieked and did a happy dance.  I mean, seriously.  Can you get any cuter than that??

Drew's work was having a potluck today, which he didn't tell me about until late last night.  So, I baked up a pan of brownies this morning and we brought them to him at work.  All the ladies that were there were very excited to finally meet Annelise.  And I could tell that Drew was totally excited to show her off.

We went over to Drew's parent's house after he got off of work and had dinner with them and his grandma.  We watched New York City's fireworks on TV.  I definitely have to add going to see those in person to my bucket list.  They were spectacular!!

Rockford still had their firework show, but all the others were cancelled due to the heat and how dry it is here.  It has been just stupid hot.  We decided not to go watch the fireworks because of Drew's work schedule, so hopefully we can take Annelise next year.

Three Months

Dear Annelise,

Three months, my darling, three months have past since you have been born and you continually bring me so much joy.  I can't believe how interactive you have become this month.  You have turned into such a chatty kathy.  You are almost always babbling or cooing, and your newest favorite discovery is gargling.  You have even started to shriek a little bit.  Heaven help us when you discover the ability to scream.  I know that it's not too far away.

You got to meet your Uncle Eric, Aunt Jessica, and cousin Wesley this month.  They were so excited to meet you, and you loved to hang out with them.  We spent the week that they were here going to different fun places around town.  We all can't wait until next year, when you are one, to take you back to some of the places.

Daddy and I took you to a Joe Nichols (country) concert at Old Settler's Days.  It was a little bit loud for you, but you loved to look at the stage and watch the lights.  I catch you watching tv a lot and I think that you like all of the light and colors.

My favorite thing that you have done this past month is laugh!  Such a beautiful sound to my ears!!  It's more of a giggle and it's very short, but I will constantly make a fool out of myself to try and get you to giggle.  I can't get enough of it.  It's amazing how that one little thing can melt my heart so much!

I usually find you like this, with your pointer finger shoved into the side of your mouth.  I keep telling you that I'm going to look at you one day and see that you've chomped a finger off with how much you chew on them.  You've also managed to finally figure out how to suck your thumb.  For the longest time you tried, but you couldn't figure out how to pull your thumb away from your fist.  You got it one night while Daddy was trying to rock you to sleep.  You usually have your right hand in your mouth, so I'm wondering if you are going to be right handed.

Daddy has found that he can hold you in his arm and sing to you and you fall asleep pretty quickly.  He only sings one song to you, but you love it.  And it melts my heart to hear him sing to you.

I really haven't had to worry about supporting your head at all.  I can set you on my hip and hold you there as long as I support your back and you are happy as a clam.  You love to be able to sit up and look around.  You are a very observant baby.  You continue to love sitting in your Bumbo seat.  You also continue to like to stand up on your feet.

You still are not a fan of tummy time.  In fact, most days, you tolerate it for even less time than you used to.  You just do not like not being able to see much.  You try to roll, and you can scoot some, but that's not good enough for you.

Sometimes, if you are being fed from a bottle, you'll hold it for a few seconds.  You put your hands up around it, but I'm not sure if you are just trying to get them closer to your mouth, or if you really understand how to hold your bottle.

I almost don't even want to talk about your sleep because I don't want to jinx it.  You've been giving me pretty long stretches at night, and even slept eight hours one night!  I know not to celebrate too much because you still have a lot of growth spurts to go through.

I love you so much, little lady!

Love you forever,
Mommy