Seriously?!?! You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!!!

My summer beak is over?  Where did it go?  It seems as though I just got out a few weeks ago, but I know it's been two months and a week.  Time flies when you're having fun--ya know, changing diapers and playing Barbies and all!  I can't believe I have to report back to work on Tuesday (though I will be in my classroom working on Monday since Case begins day care that day).  I have a lot to do!

I have been trying to pray for my sweet boy's transition.  Not only is he going to be away from Mommy all day (Case yelled at me all day today!), but he's also getting weaned over the course of the next few weeks.  I'm going to hopefully begin giving him a bottle a day of whole milk starting tomorrow.  I have enough frozen milk to carry him through the first week of daycare, then he'll be one and ready for whole milk all day.  If only he would drink form his sippy cup now (without one of us holding it, that is).  His poor daycare teachers!!!  Case is walking really well.  But about a week after taking his first steps, he finally learned to crawl.  No one gave him the memo about crawling before walking. :) He now prefers to crawl; I guess it feels safer?  I am going to miss my baby's smile, laugh, and constant climbing all over me!  At least I will have Kennedy at school with me to take my mind off of Case.  She is going into first grade!  We get our class rolls tomorrow afternoon, and our school sends out postcards to tell the students who their teacher is, so those will be sent out on Saturday. Kennedy has no idea who she is getting; I hope she is pleased!  We have such wonderful first grade teachers (especially that Mrs. Clark; she's outrageous :))! Since I start back to work next week, Kennedy gets to spend some fun days with friends while I work.  I have such wonderful friends who have offered to let her stay with them so that we don't have to pay a sitter!  YAY!!!  

Even though I have been doing some school work over the summer, I still have SO much to do, so I'll try to Blog here and there, but it will be sporadic until I get the year rolling!  I can't wait to see who lands in my class this year.  I have been praying that the Lord will place in my classroom the students who need me most!

How Could He Do It?

I am having trouble sleeping tonight.  I have a headache, paired with anxiety over everything I need to accomplish within the next two weeks.  Everytime I lay down, my head just pounds harder.  I rarely have headaches, but when I do, I try to thank God for them.  Strange, huh?  Well, let me tell you why.  I have a friend at church who has terrible headaches, and she and her husband just had a baby a few months ago (after many years of trying to conceive).  Their baby has had some health problems, but she is just wonderful and so beautiful.  My friend has so much going on in her life that I often pray that God will just let me bear some of her headaches so that she doesn’t have to, and I told Him that I will thank Him for each headache that I have, even if it means that I can not sleep.

Well, in my sleepless state, I have been feeling the urge to go and lay with Kennedy.  After about an hour of having these urges, I finally went and lay with her in her bed for a little while.  I lay in there, telling her how wonderful, brilliant, perfect, sweet, and beautiful she is.  I told her that I am the fortunate one because I get to be her Mommy; what a blessing she is to our lives!  Of course she was asleep, but I’m hoping that my words sink into her dreams.  I also sang her the Love you Forever song. 

As I lay in there and marveled over her perfection and my love for her, I began to wonder how God could do it.  How could He send his perfect Son to Earth to be hated by so many?  How could He sacrifice His Son for us?  I am fairly certain that I could not sacrifice Kennedy or Case for a bunch of people who hated them and who would stomp all over their names in the years to come.  I could not watch my children be beaten, hung on a cross, and further tortured.  But God could—because He loves us that much.  The pain and agony He must have been in during those moments was surely unbearable, but God is so mighty.  He knew that the sacrifice of His little lamb was needed for a new covenant, and so he lovingly gave His only begotten Son.  How powerful is that?  We often say at church that even if I or you or whoever had been the only person on Earth, Jesus still would have given His life on the cross, even for a single person.  Would you give your life for someone else?  You probably would give your life for your spouse, your children, or another loved one.  But would you give your life for someone who hated you, stoned you, and taunted you?  No, we could probably not sacrifice ourselves or our children in such a way, but I am so thankful that God could.  Without His sacrifice we could not have a chance for Eternity.  We could not be washed by the blood of Jesus.  We could not know His perfect ways.  We could not have the hope of going to Heaven and seeing the faces of Jesus, God, and our loved ones.  I am so thankful that I am blessed to be saved by God’s grace and love.  God’s love for us is like no other love, and I am Eternally grateful for it! 

I am sure that I did not correctly express the emotions of my heart and mind in words, but I at least tried.  Perhaps now, after getting this out to you all, my five followers (though I am sure there are more), I can go and sleep.  Case will, after all, be awake and in need of feeding in just a few hours. 

A Week in Review

A lot has been going on in the last week.  I have meant to post many times, but I have failed to follow through. 

Case is on the move!  He is cruising around the coffee table and any other place where we stand him.  He is even pulling up on objects.  He has finally gotten the hang of pushing himself across the threshold between our kitchen and dining room while in his walker.  Before, Kennedy and I took turns pushing Case over it, but now he gets a running start and runs across the hump!  Case has taken a few steps.  If we stand him against the recliner (in the evenings only for some reason?), he will walk/stumble to us.  We videotaped him last night.  It’s too cute.  He also has begun aaaallllmmmooosssttt crawling (forwards).  Tonight Case got up on all fours, actually moved his arms forward, moved a little, and did a face plant.  I was tutoring a friend’s son at the time, so we all just laughed at him.  Case has been ill the past two days.  I’m not sure if it’s teething or separation anxiety, but whenever he is left alone in the floor, he thrusts himself backwards and begins violently scooting across the floor on his back.  That has to be uncomfortable.  He is still sleeping in his crib ALL NIGHT LONG!!!  I am resting SO much better, and I am having less pain in my hips!!!  Case goes back to daycare in two and a half weeks.  Please say a prayer for Case, myself, and all of the precious daycare workers who have to deal with an almost one year old who will still not hold his own sippy cup (he will, however, suck down a chocolate milkshake through a straw!). 

Kennedy is growing like a weed!  It’s still difficult to believe that she is six years old.  Kennedy spent the night with her friend E last night (who spent the night with us on Sunday night).  While at E’s house, Kennedy was able to witness the miracle of childbirth, as E’s dog delivered not one, not two, not even ten, but TWELVE puppies.  Kennedy picked out three that she wants to get.  Sorry, darling, not until Case is potty trained.  I have enough shoo-wee to clean up right now!  Kennedy is swimming like a fish.  If Matt would let me teach her to do so, I know she could dive.  However, all of the pools we visit are seven foot deep or less, and Matt insists on an eight foot deep pool for diving.  Maybe next summer...  Kennedy is enjoying gymnastics this summer.  She has the most beautiful somersault (plain ole flip in country terms) ever.  She is flipping over the low bars, and she can almost do a cartwheel.  I think we’re looking into ice skating lessons, beginning in September.  Plus, she’ll do Daisy Scouts again this year.  Kennedy is reading beautifully.  Unfortunately, she does not like to read.  I blame myself because I am such a fabulous reader (just ask my students) that she just wants me to read to her for enjoyment.  Reading is not supposed to be work, after all.  Yeah, right!!!  I know she will act better about reading for her new teacher than she does for me, even though I am a teacher, and she wants to be in my class.  I couldn’t imagine her in my class.  She would be in trouble all of the time.  Ha!   We are going to get school supplies this weekend, plus new sneakers!

Speaking of school, I have been spending a lot of late night hours preparing materials for school (that’s why I don’t have time to Blog).  I was off of work last year for the first twelve weeks of the school year (with Case), so I needed to prepare items for the beginning of the year.  I am planning to go and laminate all of my junk on Thursday, so there will be a cutting out party at our house Thursday night.  Come around 10 pm, and bring your own scissors! Haha!  I’ve also been stocking up on eraser caps each time that I visit Wal-Mart (which was twice today).  I love school!  I am going to miss being with Kennedy and Case 24/7, but I do LOVE my job!!!

I’ve also been hitting the Total Gym four nights a week.  I’m so proud of myself; I just can’t give up.  I have a ways to go.  I need to lose some weight, but I never tell Kennedy that.  I do not want to give her a negative image of her mommy.  I only tell her that I want to be healthy so that I can be able to play with she and Case.  She thinks I am just perfect, especially my hair, which she enjoyed ‘fixing’ tonight.

Last week the kids and I met up with a college friend and her two sweet boys.  Morgan and I pledged Zeta together at UNA, back in August 1999.  We were friends from the beginning.  Morgan was a Lionette at UNA.  She was a bridesmaid in Matt’s and my wedding.  

We met at Bridge Street for some strolling, shopping, and PF Chang’s.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of us together, but I did get a picture of Kennedy hiding in the PF Chang horse.  Morgan has been a great friend.  I really wish we lived closer.  Thanks, Morgan, for a great day.  I can’t wait to do it again!

I think that is enough for now.  Please leave a comment for me to read so that I will at least know that all of this typing was worth a little something!

Favorite Photo Blog Hop

This photo was taken when Case was only five days old.  There is hardly anything sweeter than the love between siblings!

***Replace this line with your content. This week, on TUESDAY, 7/7/09, the theme is A FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH. Post up one of your favorite photographs and a caption that tells the audience about it. Here is a sample: http://mcklinky.blogspot.com/2009/07/mcklinky-photo-blog-on-tuesday-sample.html Do not change any part of this snippet of code except for this paragraph only.... replace the text that falls between (and includes) the opening and closing asterisks. Be sure to enter your own link to your own blog hop post as soon as the blog hop starts!***

Happy 6th Birthday, Kennedy; Happy Fourth of July, America

I can hardly believe that my sweet little baby girl is now six!  I had a break down Friday night, as Matt and I laid Kennedy down to bed.  We ended up taking pictures to commemorate her last night of being five.  Then we let her get in the bed with us for the night, which she loved!!!  We had a Birthday Breakfast on the Fourth.  We invited our family over and enjoyed omelets, pancakes, sausage, fried potatoes, and strawberry pretzel salad.  In the afternoon we went to visit some friends (Kennedy's favorite friends--the Staplers).  That night we went to a friend's house for food, swimming for the kids, and the best fireworks display ever put on in OXR, AL!!!  Kennedy had a very special day, and due to all of the thunder that night, she ended up in the bed with us again.  Happy Birthday, Princess AngelBug!!!  

I knew from the moment I found out we were expecting our first baby, that the baby was going to be a girl.  Matt and I decided on the name Kennedy.  I had heard the name on a tv show (Blossom) long ago, and I think Matt had heard the name on that show too.  We just love her name!

Matt and I had been married for two years when Kennedy was born.  I remember how excited we were about the baby.  We would e-mail each other constantly from work, writing about the baby, what we needed to buy the baby, what the baby wanted to eat (via Mommy), etc.  

The morning we went to the hospital to have Kennedy we bought a large Oriental rug for our living room, which had hardwood flooring.  We just had to have something soft on the floor for her to lay on.  When we got to the hospital that evening, I was induced (induced two days past due date, with both kids), and labor progressed with only one major contraction before my friend the epidural arrived on the scene.  When I was about 3 cm dilated, Matt decided to hop in the shower.  Fifteen minutes later, the nurse told Matt that if he wanted to witness Kennedy's birth, he better get out of the bathroom right then!  I think I pushed like three sets of five seconds, and Kennedy was born!!!

To say that it was love at first sight would be an understatement.  This perfect little baby that they laid on my chest was the most beautiful being I had ever seen, a perfect combination of Matt and myself, wrapped up in eternal love. We couldn't take our eyes off of her.  We didn't want her to spend one second in the hospital nursery.  We couldn't believe how blessed we were!  I remember taking Kennedy home a few days later, and Matt and I just looked at her and wondered what to do with her next?!  We were responsible for this little miracle!  We had so much fun with our baby, but it sure did pass quickly! Sometimes life gets us so busy that we don't always take the time to enjoy the little miracles in our lives, but we have always enjoyed being Kennedy's parents.  She is the most fantastic, accepting, compassionate, brilliant, loving girl ever!

I don't know what the future holds for Kennedy, but I am sure that it is something marvelous.  When Kennedy asks me why she was born, I tell her that it is because God knew she would make the world a better place, and she already has!  I love spending everyday with my first (and second) shadow.  We have so much fun together.

Enjoy a stroll down memory lane.

Kennedy's Birth

The day that Kennedy was born the air conditioner went out on the Labor and Delivery floor for about four hours.  They brought in a box fan, but it sure was HOT!!!

Five years later, when Case was born (at the same hospital), there was no running water or air conditioning for about four hours!  At least it was night time, but still HOT!!!

What a coincidence!!!!

Kennedy's First Birthday

Kennedy's Second Birthday

Kennedy's Third Birthday

Kennedy's Fourth Birthday

Little did we know that this would be the last birthday that she would get to spend with Mawmaw.  We sure do miss her.

Kennedy's Fifth Birthday

Kennedy's Sixth Birthday

Now she has to learn to ride her new big girl bike!

Did you notice all of her red, white, and/or blue dresses?  I do that purposely!!! I think this year's dress was my favorite ever!!!

Happy Fourth of July, America!!!  

Aren't Kennedy and Case just too cute in their coordinating outfits?

A Day at Bridge Street

Since Kennedy's birthday is the Fourth, we decided to take her to Bridge Street on Thursday for a fun day.  We ate lunch first at Chick-fil-A on Whitesburg. Our twelve year old niece, Paige, sat outside with Kennedy, so Kennedy got to play on the playground.  She made three new friends.  She's very god at making friends!!!  Then to Bridge Street, where we bought two new school outfits and three new water bottles for first grade!!!

Here are some other highlights of the fun day!!!

Kennedy had fun in the splash area!

Poor Case just had to watch the fun. :(

He was so good in his stroller, until Kennedy's feet started hurting and we had to put her in it.

Paige and Kennedy

Case's first carousel ride--Of course Matt chose the tiger for Case to ride.  

WAR EAGLE!!!

Paige and Kennedy on the carousel

Kennedy just hangin' around

All of us on the bridge.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day, with a little breeze!!!

After Bridge Street we went back and forth between Babies R Us and Burlington, trying to find a new car seat and umbrella stroller for Case.  We finally found items we could agree on.  We spent more than we had anticipated, but it was worth it.  I was going to take pictures of Case in his new car seat and stroller, but the camera was 'lost' at the time, and he was SOOOOOO sleepy.  I'll get pictures of him another day.  I am really looking forward to using the umbrella stroller.  We now have so much more room in the back of our 4Runner!

Have a Happy Fourth of July.  We have several fun things planned.  Of course, it's Kennedy's sixth birthday, so I'll be posting all about it (hopefully tomorrow night).  It's our country's 233rd birthday (did I do that math correctly?)!

Here's a picture Matt took of some random kid at Bridge Street.  It's good for a few laughs!

New Sleeping Arrangements

It's official--Case has been sleeping in his crib for over a week now!  This is our first step towards weaning him, since he will be a year old in a little over a month!  Can you believe that?A fellow co-worker threatened to stage an intervention for two of us teachers if we didn't get our kids out of our beds (in my defense, the other teacher's son is five years old).    Case has done so well with sleeping in his crib.  The first night he awoke around 2 am, I tried to soothe him (to no avail), and I put him back in his crib.  He cried for fifteen minutes, and then he slept the rest of the night!  The next night he cried for five minutes, and the next night he cried two little pitiful sobs.  Every night since (except last night) he has just gone right back to sleep.  Last night a loud sound woke him, and he cried for about twenty minutes.  I did try to soothe him, but he kept burrowing into my shoulder, so I laid him back down and turned on his seahorse light/music player.  When I checked on him later, he was completely turned and flipped from how I had left him.  Praise the Lord for helping us with this step.  I had really been praying about it for two weeks before I even tried to put him in his crib.  It is SO HARD to listen to your baby scream!!!

Case is finally rolling a lot, and he is trying to crawl.  He has learned to get into a sitting position, and he is cruising pretty good.  He has even taken a few stumble steps (though he prefers not to do so).  He may be walking by a year old after all.  :)