The End of the Beginning

Is it only a shock to me that the year went by so quickly? All the birthdays, milestones, holidays... how did it all happen so fast?

Time for A Year in Pictures!

Snuggling with Grandma on her birthday.

Ringing in 2012

Getting some snuggles from Haylie.

First trip back to SVRHC.

First hospital stay at TMC.

Second family picture.

First outing to visit the Hideckers.

Falling asleep while waiting for her bottle

Snuggles with Auntie!

Bottle with Grandpa

First smiles

First hair turban

Meeting Minnie Diaz :)

Daddy time

Meeting Stephanie and her baby bump

Auntie Susan changing Emily's clothes.

Out to water plants with Daddy

First pedicure

First taste of rice cereal

Cuddling with Mommy

Bottle with Grandpa John

(They met her for the first time this week)

Awkward hug with Uncle Josh and Daddy

 

Last day of Grandma and Grandpa Morlock's visit

Sitting up on her own for the first time!
(5 Months)

First sippy cup

Relaxing in the backyard

Crazy faces!

 

Smiling with Auntie Melanie

Being cool with Grandma

Lessons in hygeine

Meeting Matt for the first time

Double-ponytails with Mommy!

Standing on her own!

(8 or 9 Months)

Yo Gabba Gabba with Daddy

Happy Halloween!

(And walking! Had been walking for about 2 weeks by the time this picture was taken. Could take up to 10 steps!)

Bath time fun with her buddy, Vivienne

So proud to be feeding herself!

Daddy is off to his first day of work at his new job :)

This is easily my favorite December picture.

Emily's first birthday!

Trying on her new boots

Christmas snuggles with Auntie Susan

Opening Christmas presents

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

Showing off her teeth. I love this picture with her and my dad.

Still a happy couple. We have come a long way this year. It's been rough but I love that man.

Christmas family picture!

Grandma and silly Emily!

Grandpa getting his time in :)

This has been a very rollercoaster-type year and, to fully express it, I would have to literally post every single picture. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I know God has watched over us this whole year and I am so happy that I have this beautiful girl in my life. Thank you to everyone who has offered me a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on or made me laugh when things were rough. I love you all.

Wait, where were we?

We made it through the holidays!!

I should catch up because a lot has happened in the last two weeks...

First, I had a small get-together a few days before my birthday. My whole family was able to make it and a couple friends. I had a good time and enjoyed an afternoon focused on me, as selfish as it sounds. Emily gobbled down one of my strawberry cupcakes and really enjoyed playing with her pal, Vivienne.

A few days later, we celebrated Emily's birthday on the day before her birthday. She was able to Skype with Eric's parents but was very tired. When I took her upstairs for her bottle, she threw up. I thought it was a one time thing but she threw up a few more times before 1am. We were hoping she would wake up on her birthday and feel better but she was sick for 3 days :( I felt so bad for her but she seemed to have a great attitude and was only upset when she threw up. Also, her birthday brought her a new tooth and a new word: "Pretty." This was mostly in reference to the Christmas tree but she's working on the meaning. As soon as she was better, Eric spent the night throwing up.

The good news? They were both better by Christmas AND I didn't get sick. Emily was excited to open gifts but she soon was bored with that and just wanted her toys. Between her gifts from us and my parents, I don't know what to get her with the gift cards from my mother-in-law and Eric's grandmothers.

Emily had her one-year appointment yesterday and she is still in the percentile bracket that Dr. Smith said she needs to be at. She is 30 inches tall and 23lbs 1oz (2lbs grown since her 9-month appointment). I think she would've weighed more if she hadn't been sick but Dr. Smith said she is perfectly proportional. He gave the okay to start switching to milk and said it's time to say bye-bye to the bottle. So, today, we went out and got a transitional sippy cup that is supposed make it an easy transition. We shall see about that!

I think that catches us up. Oh, and Emily is finally eating well today. So she is basically stealing my food.

Freedom (written 12/13/12)

Emily is almost free from food restrictions! I love being able to give her new foods that aren't mashed or baby food. Since the month began, we have let her have potato soup, corn, hamburger helper, tilapia, chicken cordon bleu (minus the ham), grilled cheese, french toast (with and without egg) and we haven't had any belly issues or allergic reactions. I am waiting to start eliminating formula until after her Well Baby checkup.

I had some FREE AND ALONE time out of my house yesterday. Had lunch with my mom and two doctor's appointments but the point is, I went alone. Eric stayed with Emily and he said they made a fort. He still has a problem getting her down for a nap but I will be solving that soon.

Emily goes to bed for the night on her own without rocking or a bottle in her crib. All I have to do is give her the cupcake blanket and a pacifier and she will lay in her crib and go to sleep with her Billy Joel music-only CD. For her naps, I have still been holding her to get her to sleep. I realize that I should've started her naps as soon as she was good with her regular bedtime but I wasn't ready for that freedom. I am waiting until after the holidays since there is no way I can be consistent right now (since we will be out and about) but my goal is to have her napping without me holding her to fall asleep by the end of January.

Thanksgiving, Ebay, and New Jobs!

Well, we have made it almost a year. This month is busy!

First of all, Emily is practically running now. I am so proud. She's eating all of her snacks on her own and I am working on getting her to eat some of her lunch on her own. She is eating at least half adult food now.

We had a great Thanksgiving. All three of us went to my parents house and my sisters got to see her walking around in person for the first time. She had Thanksgiving dinner (more like lunch) with us and she ate pretty well. She is really getting the hang of regular food. We did our "i'm thankful's" and any time she was what someone was thankful for, she leaned her head to the side and smiled. She sure is loved!

This month, I started selling stuff on eBay and, yesterday, I made my fourth sale! With Christmas and Emily's birthday coming up, I can't wait to shop! Hoping to be able to spend a little extra on Eric for Christmas.

Speaking of Eric, a lot of you know this but he got a new job at Aaron's as a manager in training. He is excited and starts on Monday. Luckily, we are planning to use our tax return to move to town so we will be back in Sierra Vista in a few months!

Overall, life is good. Can't believe Emily is turning one in less than 3 weeks!

Hypocrisy

I try to keep in touch with the youth students that I helped minister on Facebook. I was a youth leader for 6 years before this break I'm taking and I met a lot of students in that time. I have also met a lot of youth leaders. I love hearing about how the previous students are doing and it always breaks my heart when they walk away or are having rough times. What I didn't realize is that it also works in the reverse way.

One of the youth students contacted me and was heartbroken because a previous leader no longer believes in God. It broke my heart too.

I mean, think of how much has been invested in these students. Or even as a leader of any group in the church. We have taught them that God prevails and to have faith in Him and that He saves and He is merciful and He is their friend. We have cried at altars with them, led them into worship, prayed healing over them, encouraged them with the Word, prayed in tongues with them, praised God for victories with them... and then what? We wish them well and pray for safe travels and they are gone.

Time goes by and, since no one worries about friends on their Facebook page, they remain on your Friends list. If we are careful and keep relationship with God, they see that. If we walk away from Christ, they see that. If we walk away, we aren't just walking away from God or even the church. We are telling everyone that we have ministered to or prayed with that it was a lie. And once you KNOW Christ is real and have felt His presence and blessings, how do you turn around and say, "I don't believe"?

"This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord."

- Jeremiah 17:5, New International Version

I'm not saying that you can never step down from ministry. I did and it was to "fill my bucket," for lack of a better term. But walking away from Christ is totally different.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
- Joshua 24:15, New International Version  

Speedy Emily

The last few weeks have brought a new and exciting talent: Walking. Emily took her first steps on my sister Susan's birthday on October 14th.

Let's review that. My daughter took her first steps SIX DAYS before she turned 10 months. I was not expecting this. Her highest distance/steps has been about 3 feet with 10 steps. In the last few days, she's been really determined. She's still doing short distances but I think she'll be really walking by Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, this talent has come with many dangers. She's using her skills to walk cabinets, doors, and (yikes) r

----- BREAK -----

I started writing this blog entry two days ago. I stopped because, while I was blogging, my daughter speedily crawled away. I stood up to walk after her and she went behind the couch to stand at the window. Seconds later, she begins crying so I go to get her. As soon as I pick her up, blood starts running from her mouth.

Like I said, this talent comes with dangers.

She hit the back of her mouth with something - I think it was a wooden spoon because Eric and I let her drum on pots and pans with spoons and we must've forgotten one on the floor. Because of this injury, I called the pediatrician's office. She would barely eat or drink and the nurse said that the sucking motion will iritate her wound. Basically, she told us to push fluids so she doesn't dehydrate. She said it should be better by the next morning (which is was) because mouth injuries heal pretty quickly (which my mom and Alexis told me).

She was better by the next day and began her morning with 17 STEPS (click the link to see!). My little girl is becoming a walker. I'm not sure I'm ready for this.

 

My Time

I'm exhausted and I want to take some time for me.

The last six or seven weeks were rough before Eric got a new job so I didn't really expect to have a "me" day soon. Eric's been able to go out with the guys and our friends and that's only been because our friends are generous.

(By the way, this is NOT my way of saying to people that I want everyone to pay for me - I'm simply pointing out that he would not have been able to do it without them. So thanks.)

I normally stay at home because the gas is a lot of money to make multiple trips and so, when I want me time, I prefer to leave the house. When I'm home, even when she's napping, I clean the house and cook and take care of other things so that's not really a "break." I feel like there's an incorrect perception that, as a stay at home mom, you have plenty of free time. You don't. Since Emily's been mobile, if I want to clean, I have to have Eric watch her or wait till she's asleep. If I eat, I need to hold my plate at my chin so she doesn't reach it.

In spite of all of that, I love spending time with her. She's smart, funny, and concentrates so much on everything that its adorable. The only problem is, when I don't get a break, I get overwhelmed with the cleaning and her impatience and not eating without my fork getting stolen. I can't take a break at home because, when Eric watches her, I still am available to help her or clean.

I don't feel like a bad mom to know that I need time away. There was a girls' night on the night of the guys' night but I didn't go. That turned out to be a good thing because I was told the kids out-numbered the adults and relaxing wouldn't have happened. We go and see our friends (which I love) but when we go out, I take care of Emily most of the time we are out and that's not really relaxing for me.

I've realized that being a mom is a constant state of alertness. You are constantly making sure they either don't get hurt or don't swallow something they shouldn't. I got the gate for the stairs but she started trying to climb the gate and screams when she can't go upstairs. I really don't know how single moms do this. You know, those people have babysitters.

I was going to have time today but Eric had to work. Maybe I'll go Saturday. I just need to get out of the house and drive alone in the car without worrying about being a mom or wife or housekeeper or cook or safety patrol - I want to go to a movie or lunch, relax, and unwind.