Life is busy, but full.

I feel like time is flying past me and my baby just keeps getting older and older in super speed. Being a mama to a 9 month old is so much fun.  I think every age is more and more fun, I can't believe it just keeps getting better.  I mean, he still wakes up at 4 or 5 am for the day, but I look forward to seeing him as long as I am rested as well!  He has been going to bed at 5:30pm (he wakes at the same time every morning even if I put him to bed at 8pm) so I have a few evening hours to myself and then try to be asleep by 9pm every night. 

On Friday we had our buddy Isaac over for the day.  Isaac and Eli are 11 days apart and had so much fun together. They always wanted to play with the same toy, when one was being held the other one wanted me too, they ate snacks together. Oh my gosh I loved having twins for the day!  Isaacs parents pay for daycare at the gym so I was able to take both boys, get my workout in and lay in the hot tub for a few minutes and not have to pay any extra, talk about awesome!

Eli is walking EVERYWHERE.  He took his first two steps on October 1st and then two weeks later was walking pretty much everywhere but still falling quite often. Now he rarely falls unless he tries to run, which is also pretty adorable!  

Eli also eats EVERYTHING.  The only thing he doesnt really like, but will still eat is plain yogurt. He looks at me like "mom, what the heck is this" so I usually give him some flavored with homemade jam since that's what I do for myself.  Speaking of yogurt, I have been making my own for months now and I never want to go back to eating storebought yogurt.  Yogurt made with whole milk, and strained to be my own greek yogurt is absolutely amazing. I have streamlined the process so the heating and cooling of the milk and clean up takes probably 20 minutes each time I do it. 

I have been dressing Eli up more often now that I actually put clothes on him. I always thought Becca was crazy for saying boys were more fun to dress than girls, um she is so right. There are cute dresses and girly stuff everywhere but you kind of have to come up with boys outfits and it is so fun! 

I gave Eli his first haircut (I had trimmed around the ears a few times already) and he looks so grown up!  He actually needs a trim again but his hair is getting so thick I need to figure out how to not make it look like I am giving him a bowl cut! 

These pictures are so out of order its ridiculous.  Eli loves playing peek a boo around the doorway with daddy.  Sadly since Eli has gone to bed so early for the last 2 weeks he doesn't get to do this anymore because he goes to bed before Paul even gets home.  I also have taken the handles off my drawers since these pictures were taken.  It is so nice not having Eli be able to get into the drawers but still be able to open them! I wish I would have thought of this a month earlier! 

New succulent I got at Costco!  I have always wanted a succulent garden but with each succulent being so expensive I didn't know how I would ever do it.  Well in comes costco with this beauty only costing 11.99, so I treated myself and am so happy I did!   

I have watched a friends baby girl a few times so mama could take a nap.  Eli is such a good "big brother".  It was so fun having the two of them, but I must admit, its actually easier to take care of two the same age than a 4 month old and a 9 month old.  I think there is a reason there is 10 month gestation for humans, we need the time! 

Eli was making some noise and then began fussing. I walked around the corner to find he had gotten himself under the stool like this and couldn't figure out how to get out haha. 

1. With Azaria on our second evening walk while her mama slept 

2. Helping Daddy study.  Oh Paul passed his interview to become a store manager so now when a store opens up that he is interested in he will be able to apply. This whole having to move is becoming a more real possibility. 

3. Isaac and Eli are so fun together!

4. My little hipster baby 

The end!  Eli was up at 3:55 this morning and I couldnt get him back to sleep. Needless to say I am quite tired today as I didn't go to bed early enough last night! 

Love to all.

Time is going so slow right now

The title of this post contradicts the title of becca's last post...but this is how I am these days.  Strictly because in three days the controls get installed on my van and I can start practicing driving.  With the session I had with the instructor, I feel confident I could drive to Angela's house, the local grocery store, my cousin's apartment, and of course my in-laws.  It'll take a bit before I can venture out more, but I will be able to practice the moment I get the controls. 

Seriously, I think about this every hour and I've been counting down the days and getting more excited each time.  I'm going to get a gym membership and do my PT in the pool; going to visit Heather and Sam, my parents, my grandma in Whidbey, drive to church by myself, do church ministries and church groups and Bible studies...plus if/when we get kids it'll be so convenient to be able to DRIVE.

SOOOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

time is going by so fast right now.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts, even though I haven't had much of a moment to comment or post myself.  I have a few minutes to write now, though! September FLEW by.  Shea started preschool and has been absolutely loving it!  He is so social and gets along with everyone and adores his teachers.  We haven't had any issues so far, and he has a few new "best friends".  I am starting to think more about what he will be doing next year for Kindergarten.  As much as some times I think I want to just send him off to school 5 days a week, part of me really feels like I should be more involved than that, so I'm looking into some programs to mesh homeschooling with more support and social involvement.

The week I started fall quarter, I attended my first two births!  I was on-call for two moms.  Their due dates were Sept. 14 and October 2nd...they both went into active labor on the SAME night! I drove an hour north to the Port Townsend hospital for the first.  Thankfully, her labor was really quick (I was there about 2 hours) and then I left and drove an hour and a half to Bremerton, hoping I would make in time for the other mom.  She was a first time mom and had a long labor.  She didn't give birth until close to 5am.  So, I left at 7:30PM that Wednesday night and didn't get home and crawl into bed until 6:30AM the next day.  I was so beat, but I am so glad I got to do it.  Jeremy started later that day, so he let me sleep for a little bit before taking off, and I took it easy that day.  I got a really bad cold that is just now gone.  This meant that both Jeremy and I were sick on my birthday, and we didn't do anything at all, but that's okay.  I wish I could share a few pictures with you from the birth, but I haven't received the release form yet for one, and the other is still approving what pictures she wants me to use.

I got a few pictures off my cell phone to share.  I lost the cord to download my pictures, so I can only email them to myself which takes forever, so here are a few, anyway!

This is my NEW sewing machine!  My mom inherited some money from her dad when he recently passed.  She was able to use it to pay off a bunch of debt and also wanted to give a portion to each of us kids, but she decided to buy me and Kaitie each a new sewing machine.  We went shopping on Saturday and picked this out.  I haven't gotten to use it yet, but I tried it in the store and love it!  I never thought I would own such a quality sewing machine and I know I am going to have it for a long time.  It looks really simple, but it is so fast and powerful and made to last.  Other pictures are of a trail walk I did with a friend and her kids and the kids walking the dock last month.

Hailey is getting so big now. She feeds her babies on a regular basis and talks so well now, it is kind of crazy to me how old she is.  She is also obsessed with putting on these necklaces and bracelets I kept from my childhood (she calls them "treasures"), she wears them ALL day long.  Shea has been riding his bike a lot (yes, I'm a bad mom and didn't make him wear his helmet, because we going like 0 miles per hour he is so slow.  On the way back, he somehow crashed and nearly hit his head into a mailbox post, so helmet is required now).  And he was excited to wear a firemans helmet and climb in a real firetruck at a kids day fair we went to.

Since we moved, I haven't really re-arranged any furniture, but the other day, I went a little crazy.  I have been in a purging like crazy mode and also, we have been trying to figure out how to bring in the TV from the garage.  We always have to watch DVDs on our computer in the office, so its super uncomfortable, but the TV doesn't fit well almost anywhere.  I figured out to move our small couch into the playroom and put the TV in there in a closet, so we just close the curtain during the day and the kids don't see it and ask me a million times to watch it. We watched a movie last night and it was the coziest we have gotten to be while watching one since before we moved in!  The picture of our new "tv/sitting area" is still in progress in this picture, but now it is all cleaned up and cozy.  It is also nice because we can turn out the lights in the living room (which we have discovered helps Hailey fall asleep SO much faster), and we can sit in there to read or work or whatever without disturbing the kids.

Monday night I babysat the cutest little 5 month old for a couple in the area. They are 15 years old (YES, 15) and had a baby this past summer.  We met them because the dad was working at the church over the summer to earn some money.  They have really taken up the responsibility of their baby so amazingly well, though.  They are homeschooling themselves through a program in the school district so they only have to go to class one day a week and they can even take the baby with them.  And even though they can't drive, they walk miles and take the bus to doctor appointments and anywhere they need to go.  They live with his dad and he seems fairly supportive, but I don't know what their home life is really like.  They needed someone to babysit because they wanted a few hours to do homework, so I GLADLY took their super happy beautiful baby.  The kids loved having her around and were both adoring her and so gentle and Hailey keeps asking me, "Where is your baby??" now.  She is the easiest baby ever, but it reminds me why I am not eager to have another one right now and I LOVE that instead I can bless this young couple by taking care of their little one.  Oh and having a 5 month old sleep in my arms?  I forgot that feeling.  And the baby smell. mmmmm.

Anyway.

What else?  School has been going really well this quarter.  I love my classes and the style of the teachers I have, and it hasn't been stressful at all.  My sister is 37 weeks pregnant right now, so she could be having her baby any day and I am hoping to be there to take pictures/give support and also she is hoping childcare works out so that I can spend an extra day to help around the house after baby is born.  Jeremy has thankfully still been getting hours at work, even though they are heading into the slow season, it seems we are always provided for.  And Hailey is going through a period of really bad sleeping.  It is so hard!  She just got a new bed, which I hoped would help so she wouldn't be falling out, but she just is never comfortable and I don't know how to help her, she wakes up SO much and I am so tired, it's like having a newborn again but without the feeding part.  Jeremy thinks I should ignore her more.  Maybe he is right, but I am not very good at it because I want to help her.

And Shea is going to be FIVE years old in a couple of weeks.  He is trying to convince me to throw him a superhero birthday party.  Also, he wants to be slinky dog for halloween, so I'm trying to figure that costume out.  You should google "slinky dog costume". There are some pretty awful diy attempts.  Enough!

October 13th...

...is the day that I train to drive a car with hand controls, then I can get them installed!  Hopefully I can get the hang of it in the first session (a few hours!)