And a little reminder from Josiah....be careful not to eat too many things you shouldn't!
Weekend Reading 12.1.24
2 weeks ago
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween!
And a little reminder from Josiah....be careful not to eat too many things you shouldn't!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Something I enjoyed
I came across this blog a few weeks ago, reading a friend of a friend's of a ...... etc. The blog entry is called, Some Subtle Effects of The Birth Control Culture. While I don't share all of the author's views I agreed with many and found myself guilty of much of what she talked about.
For example the first 3 points of her article, I could definitely sympathize with. I felt like it was viewed as irresponsible that we got pregnant right away and almost like I had to explain Joey as an "accident". I'm embarrassed now that I felt that way, and I wish I could change all the times that I made a joke about it. It also seems like it's o.k. now to ask if child was "planned", a question that no one would have thought to ask years ago, because it would have been incredibly rude.
Just an interesting article for thought and I hope you all enjoy it. I don't personally have a problem with birth control, but I can see how the culture now has a sense of so much control over that planning element of life, that it has changed the way we think and talk about children. Especially to other people. I hope that I never forget how incredibly lucky Matt and I have been to be blessed with Josiah, and I pray that the Lord will chose to give us other children!
Some Subtle Effects of the Birth Control Culture
For example the first 3 points of her article, I could definitely sympathize with. I felt like it was viewed as irresponsible that we got pregnant right away and almost like I had to explain Joey as an "accident". I'm embarrassed now that I felt that way, and I wish I could change all the times that I made a joke about it. It also seems like it's o.k. now to ask if child was "planned", a question that no one would have thought to ask years ago, because it would have been incredibly rude.
Just an interesting article for thought and I hope you all enjoy it. I don't personally have a problem with birth control, but I can see how the culture now has a sense of so much control over that planning element of life, that it has changed the way we think and talk about children. Especially to other people. I hope that I never forget how incredibly lucky Matt and I have been to be blessed with Josiah, and I pray that the Lord will chose to give us other children!
Some Subtle Effects of the Birth Control Culture
Friday, October 24, 2008
Play Play Play
Yesterday I was rushing to get Joey's update done before we needed to go to work. I didn't get to write about Joey and his play!! Which, of course, is pretty much, his life.
Joey got a Little People Noah's Ark set from Matt and I for his birthday. We wanted to give him something that we could explain to him in stories and show him in the Bible when he is a little older.
So now, at the top of this picture, you can see his best friend, Noah. Joey loves to play with the animals, but his favorite toy is definitely Noah. Noah goes in to the boat, and out of the boat, and in and out, and Joey holds him while he crawls across the floor and cruises around. He likes to carry Noah around and put him on top of bookshelves and tables and talk to him. It's fun to watch him get so excited about something.
Joey also loves (judge not other mommies) anything electrical. Matt thinks it's a boy thing, but if Joey can find a cord, then he is in heaven. He doesn't (obviously) play with anything plugged in, but he'll be happy for an hour with a cell phone headset and cordless phone (sans battery). It an object has a cord or plug then he tries to put things in it (yes we have our outlets covered!), even if the object isn't electrical. He likes to try to see if he can plug things in to other things. It's so funny to watch and really neat that he understands how that stuff works.
Joey also really enjoys putting toys (or rocks or anything) into buckets or cups or anything with a space to fill. He likes knocking over towers that we build, and building them up again. Last night he spent like 20 minutes putting blocks into an empty coffee can and then dumping them out again, and putting them in again. He is always trying to figure things out and then practice doing them.
He has finally become brave enough to splash in the tub, and I mean not like 5 month old splashing and smiling. I mean like, after a bath Mommy has to change her clothes and wipe down the walls. He soaks himself and his face and eyes and he could care less. As long as there is water flying EVERYWHERE and me shrieking in the background.
This little guy is so much fun!!
Joey got a Little People Noah's Ark set from Matt and I for his birthday. We wanted to give him something that we could explain to him in stories and show him in the Bible when he is a little older.
So now, at the top of this picture, you can see his best friend, Noah. Joey loves to play with the animals, but his favorite toy is definitely Noah. Noah goes in to the boat, and out of the boat, and in and out, and Joey holds him while he crawls across the floor and cruises around. He likes to carry Noah around and put him on top of bookshelves and tables and talk to him. It's fun to watch him get so excited about something.
Joey also loves (judge not other mommies) anything electrical. Matt thinks it's a boy thing, but if Joey can find a cord, then he is in heaven. He doesn't (obviously) play with anything plugged in, but he'll be happy for an hour with a cell phone headset and cordless phone (sans battery). It an object has a cord or plug then he tries to put things in it (yes we have our outlets covered!), even if the object isn't electrical. He likes to try to see if he can plug things in to other things. It's so funny to watch and really neat that he understands how that stuff works.
Joey also really enjoys putting toys (or rocks or anything) into buckets or cups or anything with a space to fill. He likes knocking over towers that we build, and building them up again. Last night he spent like 20 minutes putting blocks into an empty coffee can and then dumping them out again, and putting them in again. He is always trying to figure things out and then practice doing them.
He has finally become brave enough to splash in the tub, and I mean not like 5 month old splashing and smiling. I mean like, after a bath Mommy has to change her clothes and wipe down the walls. He soaks himself and his face and eyes and he could care less. As long as there is water flying EVERYWHERE and me shrieking in the background.
This little guy is so much fun!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
13 Months of Sweet Lovin'
Last week our little one was 13 months! I can hardly believe how the time has flown. I am so sad that I haven't had a chance to post about him in so long, but I hope to download some pictures soon and have news about the house and life in general. For now, I wanted to update on Joey!
Joey had his one month appointment last month and he was in the 12th percentile for weight and 15th for height, so still a little guy....but in the last month he's gained 2 lbs!! I don't really know where that puts him. Let's hope he didn't gain it in his head because he was in the 75th percentile there :-)
Joey is talking ALOT but still not saying anything. He used to say "Hi" sometimes to himself, and he'll still wave it to people when they say hi, so I know that he knows what it means but he doesn't really direct it at anyone. He says Dada and Mama alot but not really to us, and is really more likely to scream "Nananana" at me if he really wants something.
Josiah would really like to walk I think, but it's still a little too risky for him :-) He likes to be VERY sure that he can do something before he will even try. He will walk with us holding one hand. He'll stand on his own, with nothing to hold on to, and sit down. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. It's like he is practicing! He goes up the stairs but hasn't really figured out how to go down backwards yet, so we have to keep a close watch.
Joey is usually taking only one nap now, because of my work. He ends up just falling asleep in the morning when it is time for me and him to leave, but he and Will (my other little charge) take a nap at the same time in the afternoon. Joey LOVES to play with Will. Will is very sweet and gentle and patient with him! He is an only child and doesn't really "get" Joey, as a baby, and is always asking questions like "Can Joey pretend that my Thomas the Train is arguing with Gordon." or something like that, and I have to explain that Joey doesn't pretend yet, or at least not out loud. Joey really enjoys Will though. He follows him all over his house and loves to play with his (exciting and different) toys. I have Tuesdays off, and take Joey with me to work on Wednesdays and Thursdays and then on Mondays and Fridays, Matt stays home with Joey because he does not have class. So there are still some good napping days in there for Joey. It's hard to change things around though depending on the day, and I suspect we'll have permanently dropped the morning nap in a month or two.
Joey still sleeps like a champ at night and seems to have adjusted well to his new room. He stays up a little later now, going to bed at 7:30 or 8 and getting up between 8 and 9. He is usually pretty cheery throughout the day, although very impatient to be up and moving on his own. I am hoping he will start walking soon. He is getting heavy to carry!
Joey is getting a BUNCH of teeth now. He's had 8 for a few months, top and bottom 4 but is now getting 2 more on top and on the bottom. They look like his first molars. Although all his other teething hasn't really bothered him, he can't seem to keep his fingers out of his mouth this time around. I am hoping they come in quickly for him!
He continues to eat well and much more on his own now. I think his favorite foods would probably be tofu, or bananas, or really any fruit that he can eat on his own. He eats crackers and cookies, and fruit by himself, but still prefers his meats and veggies pureed although he doesn't give us a hard time about eating them.
Joey continues to be a joy for both Matt and I. He is truly a happy child and an easy one. I love the relationship that Matt and Joey have, and it warms my heart to watch them together. We are truly blessed to have this sweet little boy!
Joey had his one month appointment last month and he was in the 12th percentile for weight and 15th for height, so still a little guy....but in the last month he's gained 2 lbs!! I don't really know where that puts him. Let's hope he didn't gain it in his head because he was in the 75th percentile there :-)
Joey is talking ALOT but still not saying anything. He used to say "Hi" sometimes to himself, and he'll still wave it to people when they say hi, so I know that he knows what it means but he doesn't really direct it at anyone. He says Dada and Mama alot but not really to us, and is really more likely to scream "Nananana" at me if he really wants something.
Josiah would really like to walk I think, but it's still a little too risky for him :-) He likes to be VERY sure that he can do something before he will even try. He will walk with us holding one hand. He'll stand on his own, with nothing to hold on to, and sit down. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. It's like he is practicing! He goes up the stairs but hasn't really figured out how to go down backwards yet, so we have to keep a close watch.
Joey is usually taking only one nap now, because of my work. He ends up just falling asleep in the morning when it is time for me and him to leave, but he and Will (my other little charge) take a nap at the same time in the afternoon. Joey LOVES to play with Will. Will is very sweet and gentle and patient with him! He is an only child and doesn't really "get" Joey, as a baby, and is always asking questions like "Can Joey pretend that my Thomas the Train is arguing with Gordon." or something like that, and I have to explain that Joey doesn't pretend yet, or at least not out loud. Joey really enjoys Will though. He follows him all over his house and loves to play with his (exciting and different) toys. I have Tuesdays off, and take Joey with me to work on Wednesdays and Thursdays and then on Mondays and Fridays, Matt stays home with Joey because he does not have class. So there are still some good napping days in there for Joey. It's hard to change things around though depending on the day, and I suspect we'll have permanently dropped the morning nap in a month or two.
Joey still sleeps like a champ at night and seems to have adjusted well to his new room. He stays up a little later now, going to bed at 7:30 or 8 and getting up between 8 and 9. He is usually pretty cheery throughout the day, although very impatient to be up and moving on his own. I am hoping he will start walking soon. He is getting heavy to carry!
Joey is getting a BUNCH of teeth now. He's had 8 for a few months, top and bottom 4 but is now getting 2 more on top and on the bottom. They look like his first molars. Although all his other teething hasn't really bothered him, he can't seem to keep his fingers out of his mouth this time around. I am hoping they come in quickly for him!
He continues to eat well and much more on his own now. I think his favorite foods would probably be tofu, or bananas, or really any fruit that he can eat on his own. He eats crackers and cookies, and fruit by himself, but still prefers his meats and veggies pureed although he doesn't give us a hard time about eating them.
Joey continues to be a joy for both Matt and I. He is truly a happy child and an easy one. I love the relationship that Matt and Joey have, and it warms my heart to watch them together. We are truly blessed to have this sweet little boy!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Shout Out
Oh yes I did..... ;-)
Our friends just started a blog!! Please check out the link for "Aaron and Sarah", so see what our crazy, adventurous friends have been up to. Matt has been friends with Aaron and Sarah since high school and they are planning to do some serious traveling soon. We love to hear about their adventures and I am so glad they have a blog now to share those experiences!
Our friends just started a blog!! Please check out the link for "Aaron and Sarah", so see what our crazy, adventurous friends have been up to. Matt has been friends with Aaron and Sarah since high school and they are planning to do some serious traveling soon. We love to hear about their adventures and I am so glad they have a blog now to share those experiences!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Peach Pickin'
A while ago, we had a wedding-free Saturday, so drove to Brentwood, about 25 miles from where we lived in Martinez. Brentwood is the like Orchard-ing region in the Bay area and there are TONS of farms with orchards. We were able to pick tomatoes, peaches and nectarines. They also had plums and cherries a few weeks before and vegetables all through the winter and summer. We had a great time and the peaches and nectarines were very inexpensive. The guy there told us to make sure to try lots of peaches, he said, one tree could have great fruit and the one next to it might not taste the same. I think between the 3 of us, we ate more peaches than we took home!
...What do you mean "I've had too many peaches!" ??
What he can do to a bushel of peaches is a beautiful thing!
In the Spirit of Catching Up...
I have had so much that I have wanted to post about, but juggling the move and new job has proved to be too much! :-( Sadly, I'm not going to try to backtrack that far.... but I had very good intentions of posting more pictures of Joey with birthday presents!! He got some very cool presents from family and friends, and he is hoping to write his thank you notes soon! :-) Gosh Joey, get on that!
Thank you all, our dear family and friends for Joey's thoughtful birthday presents!
So a few updates:
We are safely moved into our new house! We have had meetings with just about every security company in the area and will make the final decision and have the house alarmed the beginning of this next week. We've been very lucky so far! We are also getting a new (motorized!) garage door this week! Our current door is a wee bit rotted, and won't open or close and is not automatic. We are examining samples of flooring also for the new floor in Matt's studio. We are hoping to lay that within the next 2 weeks. Whew! Matt did some electrical work last night and fixed some light switches that were not working and added some into a great attic space that is currently unfinished. He ordered some plywood to add a floor, and we will soon have a new space, nearly as big as a bedroom, for storage! It is very nice to know that we are starting to take the first steps toward adding resale value to this great house!
Matt's schoolwork probably suffered the most with the new move, but he has valiantly pushed forward and completely caught up producing some seriously praiseworthy images. He stayed up soooo late for several nights catching up with his wedding editing and school assignments. He is a natural and I am constantly amazed at how well he balances everything in his busy life. I have such a great husband!
Joey is doing great and seems to love the new house. There is a lot of empty room for him to "zoom" around with his walker. He gets a big smile on his face, pushes his belly against the front and takes off. No real walking yet, but he'll stand up and sit down, and cruise and cruise, and walk forever with someone holding 1 hand. When we saw the Dr. for his 1 year appointment 3 weeks ago, she said, (watching him move)... "he'll be walking in a week!" pshaw. ;-)
We don't mind that he takes his time!
I'm hoping to post some pictures of the house soon. I think I know where my camera is....
Thank you all, our dear family and friends for Joey's thoughtful birthday presents!
So a few updates:
We are safely moved into our new house! We have had meetings with just about every security company in the area and will make the final decision and have the house alarmed the beginning of this next week. We've been very lucky so far! We are also getting a new (motorized!) garage door this week! Our current door is a wee bit rotted, and won't open or close and is not automatic. We are examining samples of flooring also for the new floor in Matt's studio. We are hoping to lay that within the next 2 weeks. Whew! Matt did some electrical work last night and fixed some light switches that were not working and added some into a great attic space that is currently unfinished. He ordered some plywood to add a floor, and we will soon have a new space, nearly as big as a bedroom, for storage! It is very nice to know that we are starting to take the first steps toward adding resale value to this great house!
Matt's schoolwork probably suffered the most with the new move, but he has valiantly pushed forward and completely caught up producing some seriously praiseworthy images. He stayed up soooo late for several nights catching up with his wedding editing and school assignments. He is a natural and I am constantly amazed at how well he balances everything in his busy life. I have such a great husband!
Joey is doing great and seems to love the new house. There is a lot of empty room for him to "zoom" around with his walker. He gets a big smile on his face, pushes his belly against the front and takes off. No real walking yet, but he'll stand up and sit down, and cruise and cruise, and walk forever with someone holding 1 hand. When we saw the Dr. for his 1 year appointment 3 weeks ago, she said, (watching him move)... "he'll be walking in a week!" pshaw. ;-)
We don't mind that he takes his time!
I'm hoping to post some pictures of the house soon. I think I know where my camera is....
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