Friday, September 30, 2011

For the love of books

Zoe loves to read, a good thing to combat her recently obsession with the TV. We read throughout the day and we especially don't miss the wind down tradition of reading before bedtime. However, that last book she insist on bringing to bed with her. Usually not just to be there, but she goes to sleep clutching it to her chest. Turns out to be a great time many mornings when she quietly reads to herself in her bed...a nice transition to starting the day
May you always love reading so much Zo!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

What did you just say?????

So Zo's vocab has expanded but perhaps not in the best of ways :-). She has called crackers, "Crack", for months now. Always good when your child is going around clapping (her way of saying more) excitedly for crack.
Well, she has added a couple of new words this weekend....The USC fan that she is, she now proudly exclaims, "Cock!" And after reading her new potty book, now talks about "Pot." What a proud momma! Hopefully she will be filling the the gaps of her words soon :-)

Strut it out

So with all the heat, this prego is not a fan of going outside much right now. So I was excited that fall is here!!! In that we live in the big metropolis of Irmo, the big okra strut was this weekend. Yes, I know that I have been disappointed in the past in going, but in that it has been a few years, I thought we would give it another chance. Plus a opportunity to get out of the house for a family outing was long overdue and with my body cooperating off we went!

Zoe had just woken up. So she just gave everyone who tried to talk to her a blank stair...

that is until it was around time to leave (which wasn't that much later), and she wanted out...she is not an okra fan, by the way
She decided that she actually liked the festival and threw herself on the ground on the way back to the car after we crossed the street and she realized no more fun was to be had. So momma had to carry her that hot long distance (ummmm almost 90, really, where are those cooler temps?), as daddy just wouldn't do at the moment, and I did not want to hear her screaming. Hey, at least we did make a family outing...all sweaty and all!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Tot it out!

I can't tell you how much I look forward to Tot Trade every six months! The deal driven diva in my thrives off such. Plus, since it is the only clothes/toy shopping I really even do (at least at this point), it was important to stock up for the next season, as Zoe just seems to keep growing! Beach graciously watched Zo, though, so I can shop in peace. Zoe doesn't shop, well doesn't sit in a stroller or carrier like some of the other children I saw, her idea of shopping is to run in the opposite direction of me, as if playing a game. Let me tell you, that makes for some pretty fun/productive time for all!

I have no idea how much clothes children really need...and to plan for the next six months with both cooler and warmer temps? Hummmm.....well I do know I don't like doing laundry and would like to stick to washing Zoe's clothes every three weeks. At around a dollar an item, I couldn't help but scoop up all the cuteness I could find.

This pic looks more like a bunch a laundry on the floor but after spending hours shopping and de-tagging this is as good as it was good to get. Theses are some of her treasures.
I also loaded up on books, as she loves to read, and I want to encourage as much of it as I can.
And wooden puzzles. Love the wooden toys and such....great deal and helping expand her mind!
Ok, mom's if you have yet to go....you need to join the fun 6 months from now at the spring tot trade. By then I will have my new little one - and if it is a boy - will need to stock up in the boy department.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Labor it

I had fun intentions (as well as a productive ideas) for our labor day. It started out well with an ice cream treat (thanks Beach's work for the gift card - who knew ice cream could be so expensive?). Somebody was a fan!
However, by the end of our outings....Zoe had had enough and did care that we were finally looking to buy her big girl car seat. She was so ready for a nap! Me too! If only Beach could have carried the both of us!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Pride


Man am I prideful! Isn't it a joy when kids can show you your sinful nature even more! Before Zo, I was determined to do things myself. I was strong enough, fast enough, capable enough, aware enough and smart enough to do it and didn't need your help (or your assistance - "Thank you very much Mr. Publix bag boy; why wouldn't I be able to walk my grocery cart out to my own car? I've been walking it around this whole store by myself for an hour!").
Then came Zoe, and postpartum depression, and milk allergies that caused her to cry almost non stop the first month, and endless nursing that made me feel that I could do nothing else. I felt it an accomplishment if I could just take a shower that day (really a shower, that's it...what about all the other things I just HAD to do). I felt powerless, weak, dependent, frustrated and confused ...this was not me (or at least the me that I identified with).
However, when we are broken, that's when the Lord can touch us the most. When we need him, can't do anything without him and his strength, we we see our finiteness and His bigness, when it is no longer about us - that's when he goes to work, as does His body!

So when other's shopped for my groceries, brought our family meals, when Beach served me as Christ would, both with my and Zoe's physical needs and the emotional wreck that I was, I was humbled and He was glorified. I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it, I couldn't do, but God did and used his body to help.

Now pride will probably always be a struggle in my flesh but He keeps humbling me. I've been able to do very little with my health and morning sickness this past few weeks with this current pregnancy. Beach has had to do so much, and I know it is very wearing on him and our relationship. So when someone at church told me that she wanted to bring me a meal this week, I was shocked. I thought surely I didn't NEED this, surely I could do it, surely she should not have to go through so much effort to help me (pride crept up).

When I thought about it, it wasn't really me who would be cooking anyway (I know that I couldn't), it would be Beach, and he really could use a break. God has amazing timing. Most nights I feel pretty bad and the night that she brought the meal was REALLY bad as I couldn't get off the bed/couch all night. What a blessing it was to us. I was even more floored when she said she had yummy meals lined up for us the following week on Tues. and Thurs. What an amazing love the Lord has for us, an amazing heart he put into this women to bless us and an amazing body that served us in this way. Through my brokenness I am blessed in seeing this all come together! I hate being broken, and I'm sure there is more to come, but oh how I need it.
Now when I leave Publix, I smile and think, literally almost every time, that shopping there really is a pleasure (well that is if Zoe hadn't had a melt down). And much of that is thanks to the bag boy (hummm that probably is not the right PC term - please forgive) that walked my cart to my car (which I gladly accepted), put in my groceries and wheeled my cart away, while I settled in Zoe. So thankful for the help in getting closer to home with a wiggle worm! Thanks Publix, thanks friends, thanks Crossroads and thank you Lord!