It's the little things...

I thought I would put a plug in for getting your wedding rings cleaned. David and I have free cleaning for the place where we bought our wedding rings, and it's amazing the small spark that sets off when you see your wedding rings almost as shiny as the day you first put them on your finger... just wanted to share.

Oh and...

JOHN PAUL HAS CUT HIS FIRST AND SECOND TEETH WITHIN 3 DAYS! No I'm not sleeping, but David is letting me sleep in- like this morning was until 8:30! I'm in Heaven!

T- 3 days until we leave for camp!

A sinner and a saint!

So in the same five minutes, I found John Paul crying because, while playing with the toilet water, the lid fell on his arm, then he rolled ALL the toilet paper off the role, then he crawled over to our kneeler pulling up and looking at the picture of Jesus and laughing hysterically. He does that often with our pictures of Mary and Jesus- I'm pretty sure they've spoken to him somehow because he talks to them like they're in conversation. Mabye our John Paul will be the next visionary! The next Pope! John Paul III!!! Or maybe he will get married and have a fantastic wife and make lots of babies... for now, we'll work on walking. One day at a time.

Weddings, Parties, and Swimming- Oh My!

What a weekend! I was honored to be a part of a beautiful and sacred wedding for my dear friend Mauree Harris- now Brooksher. What a bride! We were all over the place, and John Paul was a champ. He came out of the weekend with a mere bruise from playing near a coffee table! We saw friends from California, Georgia, South Carolina, etc etc, and topped off the weekend with a birthday party for a family member out in Youngsville (I will give a gold star to anyone who knows where that is). John Paul had his first swimming experience, and his cousins joined him! The weekend was a total gift and now, exhausted, and a bit nervous, we head into our last week before we leave Louisiana for the summer. Pray will be key this week! Here we go!

You can see more of this weekend's pictures by going to my albums. Just click on the link to the right.

Life is good!

I remember when in the first few weeks of John Paul's life, I cried at the idea of having more than one, though David and I have prayed that God will load us up with kids. I realized recently that my nine-month old has become more fun than he is work. I don't know if that changes, as I'm sure it does from time to time. He's also officially sleeping through the night (if you are Laurel, Shane, or any other mommy with a younger baby who sleeps through the night, no comments please). We are nursing at 8:45pm, than not until 4 - 5:30am, and then waking up at 6:45. If I could change one thing in my life, it would be the fact that benadryl for my allergies makes it really tough to get out of bed at that time... aren't I such a brat? Oh, and I guess I would have taken away the incident yesterday when I found John Paul pulling push pins out of a bulletin board that I haven't baby-proofed. Do all first time parents feel like they have to baby proof as they find their children nearly choking/dying/falling/crashing/eating/etc? I'll work on it.

Find It Game: A nine-month old's refrigerator

1) Finger Foods
2) Organic Macaroni-n-cheese so that you don't feel totally guilty about partially hydrogenated soybean oils, but you know that the store brand is the best there is.
3) apple juice container
4) apple juice boxes because he won't take a bottle or a sippy cup without drowning himself
5) containers of opened/unfinished baby food (3)
6) blender container of baby food because he doesn't seem to like the texture of stage 3 baby foods
7) carrots on a plate - his favorite veggie as of lately
8)precious wind-down- beer (gotcha- it's in the door)
9) breast milk in a straw-cup container
10) formula in a sippy cup without the guard on the top (spills everywhere, but he takes it)
11) Cow's milk that expires in a few precious hours.
12) A ham! Thanks St. John School
13) Mommy and Daddy's yogurt (that has little bits of rice cereal soooo)
14) Ridiculously expensive yogurt for baby!
15) Pancake mix- because pancakes are always good!
16) Baking soda- because all this milk is bound to smell up this fridge!

This fridge no longer belongs to us! Our sweet boy is learning his likes and dislikes!

9 month stats= We need to fatten him up!

Let's Review- At BIRTH
Head Circumference: 13cm
Weight: 7lb 5oz (75th percentile)
Length: 22" (90th percentile)

At 9 months
Head Circumference: 45cm
Weight: 19.01oz (25th)
Length: 29 1/2" (90th)

We need some help here... I'm not freaking out, but he went from 75th percentile in weight through his 6 month check up to 25th at 9 month. The doc said he's suppose to make us bring him in EVERY MONTH until he's a year because he's dropped "2 lines" on the growth chart, but because he's so happy and active, he just wants me to weigh him on my own while we're at camp and call him to report. My sweet son doesn't take a bottle, and we're in a little stage where he doesn't want ANY solids I give him, just the finger foods. I tried to see if he wanted to feed himself- nope. I think he just has so much work to do on the floor (or to be on my hip all the live long day). What do do? What to do? I need some feedback on this one, ladies!

Prayers needed

I have a dear dear friend who has just had her fourth miscarriage! They are aware of why this is happening, but in their journey of deciding what to do, they have been open to God's work in their lives. Please keep them in your prayers.

And for some hope, here is an incredible video that you HAVE to check out! It's quite surprising.
http://www.catholicvote.org/index.php?/site/viewVideo/&videoId=oIBZ-kJ6XAc

Heaven's Song author on Nightline

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7534337

Christopher West- the Author of Heaven's Song- was on Nightline last night, and here's the link. Christopher West is coming to Lake Charles, for those of you who live in the area. He seriously will make you rethink a lot of things in your marriage... in an awesome way. He also wrote another book called The Good News About Sex and Marriage which is a question and answer type book. Anyway, I ramble. Enjoy!

For a good time, play with Daddy!

Only because I know that it is knit into a man's being to play/wrestle/entertain/be crazy with his children that I become able to watch this go on with sheer joy instead of thinking "What am I chopped liver? It helps to know that He needs this kind of interaction just as much as he needs the time he has with mommy! When he stops nursing, I think I'll need some serious help!

PS- does it take anyone else for flippin ever to upload these videos? Just wondering if there's a quicker way.

Going back to Camp!

If you didn't know, David and I both worked at an amazing wilderness camp up in North Carolina before we ever dated. It's where we met, and it's also where David asked me to marry him! God- in all His humor- has decided that we should go back and work there THIS summer! So will leave behind our little house in Plaquemine LA (and pay the house note online, I guess) and will live in Brevard North Carolina for June and July! David will teach Paddling while John Paul and I will be around camp doing everything else! We are so excited and apprehensive, and- contrary to an earlier notion- we will not be starting out the summer with a baby on the way! That's right, I thought I was pregnant again for like 3 days, but alas, it was just my insanity. Oh well, this will make camp a bit easier. Maybe soon, though. Hooray! Camp or Bust!
Check out the website... and when your kids are older YOU MUST SEND THEM HERE!

http://www.kahdalea.com/

Went on down to the Audobon Zoo...

And they all asked for you!

It was my sister in law's birthday (Happy Birthday, Elaine) and we all went to the zoo- except David who was giving a talk on "becoming the man you want to be." If I had a dollar for every time I said that last part. HA Ha

St. Joseph the worker's Feast Day

Lord God, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant. Do, then, bless the house of your servant that is may be before you forever; for you, Lord God, have promised, and by your blessing, the house of your servant shall be blessed forever. 2 Samuel 7: 28-29