[not the] BEST BLOG EVER

Presley: 9 Months Old Today!

Dear Presley,

You are nine months old today.

You are a precious addition to our family, and we all love you to pieces. Even big brother Park adores you and shows he cares about you in his cute almost-four-year-old-boy way. I love watching you together – he with his ways of talking to you imitative of mom and dad (calling you “honey” and “sweetie” and saying “no no Presley Ann!” when you take off your socks in the car and start chewing on them); you with your big brown eyes just watching watching watching him with glee and happiness whenever you see him.

Your little personality is developing and showing itself more every day. You are a very happy baby. People comment about this and ask if you’re ever grouchy or NOT smiling. You kick your legs and wave your arms in ecstatic joy when one of your peeps walks into a room.

   

One of your favorite “tricks” to display is waving. You love to wave at people – wave hello, wave goodbye, wave at yourself in the mirror. It is adorable. When you and I happen to be trying to “find” daddy or Park and I say, “Where’s daddy? Where’s Park?”, you understand what I’m asking and look around to where you know them to be, smile big, and start waving – even before we see them.

So smart.

You are so close to crawling. You can scootch backwards and do manage to get yourself around a room quite nicely, but it is not quite crawling yet.

You give the best baby kisses. When I ask for a kiss, you consider it just for a moment, and then – with the cutest of sly, demure smiles – you lean in to my face with the baby open-mouth slobbery kiss that melts my heart.

You also love to “sing” (at least, that’s what we call it). Loudly. At the table. In the car. In church. You have definitely discovered your voice, girlfriend.

You fit in well with our family in so many ways, not the least of which is (ahem) being a good eater. You love your cereal, bottles, baby food, Puffs and Baby Mum Mums. We have not yet tried table food, but I have no doubt that – with your current two teeth – you will relish it like you do with all the others.

I’m thankful you continue to be a good sleeper – both through the night, and pretty well during nap time. You’re taking two solid naps a day at this point, and this is nice for mama to have a little break. (Sometimes mamas need naps too.)

You’re more of a cuddler than your brother was at this age. I don’t know how long this will last, but I plan to soak it up as much as possible.

Presley Ann, you’re a dear and a sweetheart, with just a bit of spice. I love you to the moon and back. I am so thankful God picked me to be your mommy.

Sibling Rite of Passage

Also future blackmail fodder for mama.

Wanted: Pinterest Help

I did it. I succumbed and joined Pinterest.

I need to be "up" on all forms of social media for my job as a professional communicator/consultant. That was my excuse, anyway, for joining.

But I must admit I am confused. It is not intuitive to me yet.

HELP. What do I do now? I got as far as creating an account and selecting some boards to follow. Beyond that, I got nuthin.

IS THIS BECAUSE I AM 36 YEARS OLD AND PAST THE PRIME PINTEREST AUDIENCE?

Sad. I need to get with it.

Oh. And two people are following me already. How'd they "find" me when there is barely any evidence of my Pinterest existence? My Pinstence, as it were...

By the way, I'm attending a webinar for work purposes later this week entitled, "Pinterest Unleashed – Coaxing Consumers to Your Brand and Business With the Best Social Media Mix." Guess I'd better at least know how to, you know, log in and stuff...

Presley's Dedication

Anthony and I had a blast celebrating Presley in a unique way last month: We had her dedication ceremony at our church, then hosted a brunch party afterward.

A handful of family made it to both the service and the party, and it was so special to have this "cloud of witnesses" with us. Many others were celebrating with us in spirit (i.e., in today's technology terms: watching via live stream or podcast), unable to make it due to distance or health.

Here's a link to the video. Funny to see now that Presley was kicking Park in the head and I didn't even realize it. Sweet Park. He was such a good boy - and very proud to join us on stage!

By the way: In case you're wondering why we "dedicate" instead of practice infant baptism... This may be a helpful resource.

Oh the weather outside was frightful, in true Minnesota fashion, and the party-goers buzzed home very quickly after the eats and gifts. However, it was nevertheless a special, fun, meaningful day - one that, although it will not register in my daughter's memory, I will treasure forever.

[Side bar: It's fun to compare the photos I'll post below to those from my post on Park's dedication. I don't generally think Park and Presley look much alike (although others have commented they think they do), but in these pictures I can certainly see some of the same expressions and mannerisms. Ah, sweet sweet joy!]

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

My girl and I: 

My boy and I:

  

Grandpa Dennis and Miss P:

The Hilden Four:

My Zimmerman grandparents; four generations (the Davis grandparents were watching the service live via streaming Internet from Charlotte!):

Both Park and Pastor Rob got the "eyes closed" memo here:

Presley didn't cry upon handoff or during the prayer; phew!:

What's a brunch without white bakery cake and buttercream frosting?:

With Grandma Cindy:

Park, um, modeling?? the pink baseball glove Great Aunty Dee gave to Presley - coolest ever!:

Grandkid photo fail:

Posts Coming Soon

Including, but not limited to:

1. I have a sixseven-month-old...
2. Boys' trip summary...
3. Vague reflections... (haha, but truly! they will be less vague once composed...)

How's that for a teaser?

I know, lame. But. Keep watching this space.

Veteran Who???

A sweet young friend called me a “veteran mom” the other day. She is a new mother to an almost three-month-old and had reached out via the world of social media with a request for ideas and recommendations to help her help her son nap.

Oh boy. I could so relate. Been there, sista!

We exchanged a few messages, and that was basically that. But her thought of me being a veteran caught me by surprise. I certainly don’t see myself as that.

However, when I consider what that word means in our common vernacular, as in someone who has been in the trenches, through some battles, and fought the good fight… Perhaps it is apropos. I suppose it’s all relative.

My dear Presley is finally starting to take good, regular, consistent, longer-than-45-minute naps. Hallelujah and amen. She was always easy to get TO sleep; it was the staying asleep part that was tricky with her for some reason! Darn 45-minute intruder. But now – knock on wood – we seem to be past all that.

Another mom friend – this gal, a mom of three, the youngest of whom is about a week or so older than Presley – also reached out to me recently with some specific questions on Babywise (a favorite topic of mine, because this parenting philosophy has really fit us). Again it struck me by surprise. I felt like I should be asking her for advice since her oldest is a year older than Park, and she has experience with three little ones vs. me with two.

All this to say, I think the phrase “it takes a village” really is true sometimes. I’m so thankful for the friends and relatives I’ve leaned on and reached out to over the years. And I’m so glad when I can offer any bits of wisdom and understanding – or at least empathy – to some others who may have the same sort of bleary-eyed questions I’ve had.

* * * * *

"As a housewife, I feel that if the kids are still alive when my husband gets home from work, then hey, I've done my job." --Roseanne Barr

:-)

A Few of my Favorite Things

I'm not sure how or when I was such a good girl, but I got some pretty sweet gifts this past December. They include cash (the gift that always fits!), Jillian, Taylor, a beautiful apron homemade by my Grandma and an awesome Dyson.

In addition, my Starbucks addiction will be wonderfully supported thanks to a number of gift cards that should, once loaded onto my trusty gold card, last me quite a long time.

A December birthday (that's the 12th, for those of you keeping track for next year) and Christmas, among all the amazing holiday memory-makers happening at any given time, equal a wonderfully fun and blessed month. 

One of my favorite gifts, however, has to be this necklace:

Love, love, love that I can keep my kids close to my heart at all times, for all to see.

(Thank you, Ashley's blog, for pointing me toward the beautiful items at The Vintage Pearl.)

What did YOU get ~ or give ~ for Christmas 2012? What are your favorites?

I Have a Preschooler!

Continuing with our "where did the time go?" series...

People, I have a preschooler. Like as in, officially a preschooler. Not just a 3.5-year-old.

AS IN, A REAL LIVE KID WHO GOES TO PRESCHOOL!

Park Jacob started the "Wee Tigers" program this week. WOW.

Why was mama nervous he'd have a rough time or be scared at drop-off?

Why was mama fretful that he'd want Moses, his trusty sidekick/comfort toy monkey?

Why was mama thinking that just because he'd boycotted his nap that day that he'd be owly and unable to handle the stress of going to a 6-8 p.m. preschool session?

Pshaw.

Mr. Park did AWESOME.

Apparently Mama needs to get a new hobby.

Park's class meets on Thursday nights through the end of the school year. He did admit to me beforehand that he was a little scared, and we talked about that. I tried to validate those feelings as normal and said it was okay to be scared. We prayed and asked Jesus to help him make new friends and for it to go well.

IT WENT GREAT.

He told us he made two new friends (Austin and Grace) and that his teacher, Mrs. Z., is really nice. His highlights were snack time and gym time. (A good chip off the ol' blocks there, I think... You decide which is more me and which is more Anthony.)

I'm so glad this went well. We'll do a more full-blown preschool program next year, but for now, for my little social butterfly, this seems perfect.

WTG Parkman! So proud of my little guy.

Park answering the question upon arrival:
"Q: How do you feel today? A: EXCITED!"

Park in front of his locker, which he also thought was way cool:

I Have a 5-Month Old!

Wow. I've been lax in blogging (obvi), and -- without making any promises -- at the moment I feel it's time to start things up again.

Sweet Presley reached her five-month milestone on December 28. Girlfriend remains a delight. She's in that wonderful stage where she's not yet mobile, she's not yet teething, she's sleeping wonderfully through the night (and I've recently dropped the 10 p.m. dreamfeed, meaning *I* can get a better quantity of sleep), and she coos and laughs and babbles and smiles her huge, infectious, dimple-provoking smile at us at the least provocation.

Of course, she'll be just as wonderful when she does start moving and growing teeth, but it's nice at the moment is all I'm saying.

(By the by, I heartily agree with Becca that babies get way easier at around 4-5 months.)

Presley, 3 months:

Presley, 4 months:

Presley, 5 months:

 

Presley is seriously the sweetest thing. She loves to be held and cuddled, and the way she strokes and grabs my fingers and hands while I'm feeding her just melts me to a puddle of mommy mush. Nursing is still going strong, and she continues to do fine with a bottle and formula at daycare (and occasionally at home), too.

We've also started what I call the "solid food adventure," having introduced rice cereal, bananas and peas in the last week or so. She seems to relish two of the three at this point. Ha!

She loves her exersaucer and pretending to be a big girl in the Bumbo chair. Oh, and her feet... Sister loves grabbing her feet. Park warns her not to pull off her socks or she'll get cold!

There are distinct signs that rolling over is in her near future, but we're trying not to push that. I don't look forward to when she rolls over at night and gets stuck because she can't roll BACK over (distinct memories of that from big brother!), thus I have to get up and go in to roll her back to her back... Then lather, rinse, repeat.

At any rate, I could gush on and on, but I won't {at this time}. Her dad and I are just so thankful for the wonderful baby girl that is our Presley Ann. Couldn't be more filled with love for her if we tried. Yet our love for her seems to grow every day.

What a blessing.

The Feeding and Care of...

I've lost 12 pounds since Thanksgiving.

I'm pretty happy about this fact, since this is typically the time of year certain people (me) put on a few extra pounds, not lose them. (Thank you holiday season, Christmas/New Year's parties, client lunches and -- oh yeah -- my December birthday.)

It's taken dedication, self-discipline and sacrifice. It hasn't been easy. But I'm certainly enjoying the results and plan to continue the journey. [Thank you, Jillian Michaels, for your 90-day body revolution program. {end commercial}]

But this post isn't actually about the topic of dieting or losing the rest of the baby weight.

My life is pretty busy these days, being a wife, mama of two and employee. In order to achieve this weight loss, I've gotten out of my warm, cozy bed at 5 a.m. pretty consistently six days a week for these past five or so weeks to feed Presley, then exercise before I hit the shower to prepare for the rest of my day.

It hit me the other day: What if I approached my spiritual life with this sort of intensity and dedication? How amazing would my relationship be with my Heavenly Father if I spent the same amount of time with Him each day as I do with, ahem, Jillian? What sort of results would I enjoy in the reaping?

CONVICTION.

Amazing what clarity the new year can provide. It's not a resolution per se, but I have fully embraced the digital age and have started a couple Bible reading plans on my YouVersion app. Other than those baby steps, I don't have a firm plan yet as to how I will find more time for cultivating a healthy spiritual life. Only that I want to do it. And I know I need to do it. And I will do it.

Perhaps this post can also encourage you to do the same.