Wilder at 9 months!

It seems unreal that in a few short months Wilder will be mushing his dimple-clad hands into his first birthday cake!

Here are some highlights. I hope you've enjoyed watching our little boy grow. Thank you for making this be a place where I can brag all I want!

Where to start?

~sleeps through the night, but is waking earlier
~takes two great a.m./p.m. naps
~recognizes the song, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" if we say the name of it
~will turn the page in a book if you ask him to
~eats Gerber or Mommy's homemade food without much distaste for either
~gets up into the crawling position but doesn't go forward
~scoots backwards; rolls all over
~claps his hands together
~likes to bang his hands on my shoulder, the coffee table, toys...
~getting the hang of the sippy cup
~getting the hang of dissolvable Cheeri-o snacks
~cracks up when we tickle him
~makes grunting noise when he's excited
~sucks thumb, but only when really tired
~has said "da-da-da"
~loves the swings at the park
~engages in stroller rides as opposed to falling asleep during them
~wears hats/sunglasses without protesting
~splashes in the tub and sucks on the washcloth
~makes his own order at restaurants (see above)
~sits in grocery cart seat
~his hair is starting to curl on the ends (just a little)
~will walk forward with assistance
~will lean on furniture with assistance
~can pull himself half-way up
~no teeth!





I'm pretty much his biggest fan.

Here's to...

...a day filled with love, laughter, baked goods,

and Aqua Net (Ultimate Hold).

I am home

Our love was the right balance of give and take
Conversation flowed like water over well-washed pebbles
He was home to me
So I decided I'd stay for a good, long while.

Forever, actually.

-mh

This is by Maya Angelou (I love it because it speaks of love in old age)

I have come to speak of love
of its valleys and its hills
its tremors, chills and thrills
I have come to say I love love
and I love loving love
and I, surely, love
the brave and sturdy hearts
who dare to love.
Today, these lovers
have broken the bonds of timidity
and stepped out
before the entire world to say,
"See us, family and friends
denying none of the years
which have branded our bodies
and none of the past broken vows
which have seared our souls.
You may think this undertaking
Should be left to younger hearts
But love has given us the courage to venture
boldly into the sacred country of
marriage, admitting our wrinkles,
we allow them to
show themselves bravely
and our bones know the weight
of the years.
Yet we dare
face down loneliness
and embrace the
uplifting communion
found in a good marriage.
We dare and we hope."

Happy Monday...yes, it is a happy one.

I feel for Little Miss Muffet

This is what happens (door to the bathroom):
When an arachnid of this size:Decides to hang out in my bathroom (on my sweet adorable son's baby tub).

Yes, I held my pee for a long time until I had to go into there.

Yes, I hovered over the toilet like I do at gas stations just in case he skittered into it & was hungry. Or mad.

No, I did not kill the spider.

No, I do not know where he went off to.

Yes, I risked my very life to get a snapshot for YOU.

Biopsy Results are In!

Hey, everybody.

Wonderful news!

Marley does not have cancer!

Contrary to the veterinarian's hunch, Marley is cancer-free but dealing with some serious ulcerative colitis that is treatable with antibiotics. He'll be checked in another 3-4 weeks to make sure the area is healed, then he's good to go!

I'm taking this as my wake-up call: it shouldn't take a cancer scare to remind me that none of us (people and pets) our guaranteed our tomorrows. It's up to us to love today.

Thanks for your cyber hugs and support! How awesome are you?!?

Squacarrobroccoli--and yes, it was as complicated as it sounds

My friend Julie teaches full time, and is Mommy to Ori.

And she makes his food.

Um. Yeah. She's that amazing. And not just because she makes his food--she also looks like Gwyneth Paltrow! I know, right? And she's a very precious friend.

So I was inspired (ok, maybe I felt a trifle lousy that I stay home full time and had never tried my hand at the whole homemade baby food thing/maybe I was getting tired of making $13 Dillons runs for baby food at 8pm on a weeknight when all my makeup has smudged off and my jeans are saggy and stretched out in the butt) to make Wilder some food, too.

I wandered over to this blog, printed off a few recipes, bought the ingredients. I was so, so excited! Ok, only a little. It seemed like it was going to be a lot of work, but Julie made it seem effortless (I think it's because she actually followed the recipes).

Problem #1: couldn't find all the parts to the food processor; we'd only used it once in our marital career--to make daquiries. Good golly, they better have been bud-numbingly tasty.

Problem #2: once parts were found (in basement on random shelf), I loaded aforementioned food processor with some food guts, but it didn't turn on (pulse for me, stupid machine! pulse!)

Problem #3: General Electric phone helpline was, in fact, no help at all (uh, ma'am? your 2 year warranty is up and I don't have any techniques for ya)

Problem #4: had to use regular beaters to mash the bananas and oatmeal

Problem #5: is it ok that bananas brown, even after they are frozen?

Problem #6: there are 2 types of squash and if the recipe calls for WINTER squash, you better get WINTER, rather than SUMMER--even if the summer ones are all Dillons has

Problem #7: how do you get the seeds out? Directions indicated to "scoop them out" but I bet that was for WINTER squash

Problem #8: steaming vegetables will coat walls with a layer of dew if you have no exhaust fan over your stove; praying our paint doesn't crinkle

Problem #9: broccoli stinks

Problem #10: the fact that there are only nine problems

Finally (there is a happy ending):
#1: my neighbor graciously let me borrow her fully-functional food processor
#2: Wilder ate the carrots/broccoli/SUMMER squash combo without a gag or facial scrunch to boot! Yay.

Gerber, I get it.

Save your electricity; he'll light up the room!

Marley's back!

Everyone's been so nice about Marley (thanks!). I haven't felt silly once for being so shook up over our little critter's health crisis. He's glad to be back home and seems himself, only tired.

They think it's cancer.

We will receive biopsy results within the next few days. Then we'll have some options, like if it's malignant they'll sample his lymph nodes to see if it's spread. The tumor isn't blocking his colon so he could still live with it (but for how long?)...and surgery is doable, but really out of the question. They'd have to break his pelvis and we wouldn't put Marley through that.

In the mean time, we're spoiling him, giving him special food and medicine...

And waiting.

Never really been the greatest at waiting.

yeah one of his eyes kinda goes in a different direction than the other. ;-)

April is National Poetry Month

If you had to go
Leave us, as in, leave leave.
My heart would utter a thunderous "no"
Salty tears would soften my cheeks
Yet I would try to understand

I wouldn't want you to hurt anymore
And I'd ask you to remember
That I've only wanted you to be happy
And cared for

I think you'd reassure me
Say something like
You know what the stars in the sky are for,
Right?
Well, they're there to say
We're shining for you

And while we can't be there
To do life anymore
To be a constant
To comfort you

While the sky is
The only place we can go on
It's up to you to make us proud
And do it right.

Do right.

We know you'll do right.

Poor Mr. Marley

***UPDATE as of April 20th***

Marley has a mass in his colon; let's pray it's benign. Colonoscopy in the a.m. and it will take a few days for the biopsy to come through. He gets to be home during that time, though! We got him a new bed and new toys! He deserves it after all he's been through.

Thank you for hearing me out during this. I don't care if people thing I'm silly. I just love my doggie!

******
Poor Mr. Marley. Our "baby" before Wilder. Just a doggie but God says he also cares about the sparrows and the lilies of the fields--all living things.

Marles hasn't been doing well. At all. He'll go to K-State to be in their special care--for an ultrasound to see if his intestines are clogged with a) poo b) an object (toy? bark?) or c) cancer. Please pray that Shawn and I have wisdom to do what is best for Marley, and also for our family, especially financially. We really hope surgery won't be needed.

Our behinds (thanks a lot for the butt shot, Shawn...) may not be beautiful to look at, but I'd give anything to be strollin' along with Marles right now.

Mommy to Wilder: my heart longs that you'll always know joy.

My baby is extraordinary, and growing so big! I may be bragging, but you'll forgive me. Won't you?

I just can't help myself!

He claps now; the sound may as well be heaven's songs in my ear!

Could the family resemblence be any more clear?

Brownie 'n Berries Dessert Pizza from BetTY CrockER

This is

As good as
it looks!

And it was a scrumptious (and ok, I felt like I was being healthy even though there was cream cheese and brownie at the bottom; oh and who cares if it overflowed the pan a leettle) treat for Shawn's birthday! Happy Birthday (as of the 16th), Sweet Stuff!

Click here for the recipe. Make, then deVOUR!

Where is my resolve?

****UPDATE!!****
While yesterday may have been a dud, today was success! I was up by 6:40am, in my gear and out the door by 7. I was disappointed when I came home, looked at the clock, and saw I was only gone 35 minutes! Time to get a watch! It was wonderful and I hope to get myself hooked. I ran one long stretch, walked for a bit, then ran another long stretch. I have no idea how far I went, though. Gotta figure that out.

Here's what my body had to say:

Lungs: uh, really?
Shins: will you please run on the grass?
Right knee: no!
Boobies: we're all right!
Ears: love the Madonna, but get some muffs! *brr*
Eyes: the river sure is purdy; we like watching the sky turn from grey to orange
Mind: this feels right; no distractions!
******

Original post:
Thanks for visiting my blog. Today I'm talking about fitness.

Does wrangling an 8 month old around count as exercise (a darling 8 month old, might I remind you)? Does scouring the tub and mopping the floors count? Because that's the extent to which I'm getting fitness in these days, ladies (and gentlemen? man? do any men read this blog?).

In my pre-baby days I was what some might classify as a gym rat. I miss those days when I was actually ok with wearing Victoria's Secret yoga pants with the fold-down part at the top--yeah, the clingy ones. Oh my...I found my IPOD shuffle last night, turned it on, and there was Madonna, oh, the tempo--my wonderful "you can do it" music. And I really, really, really miss the days of pushing my body.

So I sporadically made a perhaps too lofty goal to get up at 6:30 every weekday to go jogging. Yeah, I can do that. I'll set out my clothes the night before. I'll glide out of bed as a gazelle glides through the golden forest.

See? I set my clothes out! My new shoes, boobie girdle, pit-stain free t-shirt (I only have one):

So did I go jog today? Did I? Uh, embarrassingly, no (cracked my eyes open about 7:00am). Will I try again tomorrow? Absolutely. Baby steps. I can do it!

I will.

Our Easter

EASTER'S one of those holidays when I just don't want to miss what God has to say to me. Yes, it is fun to dress up, go to church, have some yummy candy. That part is easy.

The hard part?

Imagining what it would have been like to be Jesus, hanging on a cross for hours for something He didn't do. Now that I'm a mommy, I understand, if only a tad bit better, the dynamics of Father/Son. How the word "excruciating" not only described the pain Jesus was going through on the cross, but described what was going on in His and God's hearts. If I let myself explore what that may have felt like, I begin to weep.

And the whole time Jesus was on earth He knew it would culminate into an execution on a craggy hill. A hill dotted with selfish, greedy, people. Let me correct myself. His people. His creation. That which He loved and cherished. His lambs. His forgiven lambs.

I could walk in shame every day, hour, minute. I know I contributed to the sneers and taunts  at the cross. I may as well been there with the way I've behaved in the past, and even now, amidst those things I've yet to surrender. But this large part of me feels so sad to think that any more shame should go on given what Jesus endured (bearing the shame of the, uh, entire world). I have to remind myself that His payment was enough and I don't need to wallow in shame now that I'm free.

And in a world whirring with consumerism, emphasis on outward appearance, and the pursuit of the American dream, I so vividly see that it isn't enough. It will never be. 

All the brawn and beauty this world possesses could never compare to my Savior's love. My heart beats to adore Him. 

He adores me more than I adore Wilder.

Woah. 

Happy Easter (again)! Be blessed this week. If you are going through a rough patch, let me know how I can help/pray. 

It will be ok!!

Happy Easter!

Browned Coconut: better tasting than I had anticipated!

Don't you love a holiday as a superb excuse to BAKE?

I do!

Aren't these cute?



Oh, and isn't he cute?


Cupcake how-to:
Pick your favorite cake and frosting recipes and bake/frost per the recipe. Brown about 1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut on 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. I piled too much coconut on the tray so mine took longer--then it got a little too brown. But after a taste test I decided that was ok. Perfection is boring anyhow. Place three egg candies (I used Whoppers and Reeses Pieces) atop the cupcake, then sprinkle with coconut to form a nest!

Baby how-to:
Ummm...well...
Just get your own!

You made it to Friday!!

...pat yourself on the back.

Then go buy yourself a new pack of underwear.

You know you need to.

WinfieldDexterCemeteryCandyBarn

It was time.

Time for a little getaway for this tired husband/wife team. We went to Winfield so Wilder could stay with Grandpa and Grandma Harris. He behaved splendidly and maintained his streak of sleeping through the night. That's my boy.

We got to stay in a B & B, go "country cruising", shopping, photo-taking, champaign-drinking, Mexican food-eating...I think that's what we used to do before Wilder arrived? Sometimes I just can't remember what life was like!

That's ok!

Gear up for some pics, folks. Alot of pics.

I'm going to learn how to sew little aprons. I am, I am.

So many owls...so few coins with which to purchase them...

One of those stores where I just wanted everything!

This was in rural Dexter, KS, off K-15 (we found it while exploring); they don't have a website. Pretty cool place; take your kids to watch them make candy!

This made me think of: NURSING!

We bought peanut clusters, peach rings, saltwater taffy, and candy corns! All for less than $10!

Also on K-15 are these little cabins one can rent for $75 a night. Our guess was hunters probably use them since they were out in the boonies.
Boy, were they cute (the cabins--we didn't see any hunters).

Stone Barn Mercantile
I could've lived in that barn. Not a lot of inventory but the barn was great to gape at.

Visit the barn's website here.

Shawn made the locker pic my header!

The only new thing about the barn? the windows.

candles, anyone?

Junk shop pictured below was closed; it, too, was in the middle of nowhere...I peeked in the windows and found it was packed floor to ceiling!

I think Kansas is purdy. There. I said it.

On our way to a cemetery; we saw a sign and decided to make our way down the dusty road.

Sign out front of the Iron Gate Inn. Click here for their website. You should stay there.

The breakfast was divine; a real proper tea party.

This is the side of the house; my favorite part was chatting with Shawn on the front porch, pretending like it was ours!

Glad you could get a glimpse into our adventurous weekend.
Give us a camera and a map (er, uh, Garmin), and we're set!