Fun at home

Silas has been learning so much lately and wanting to help or at least do what we are doing. Here are some examples :)
Nate got a new bookshelf and was transferring books from the living room to the office. I asked Silas to take the book to daddy, which he couldn't see because he was in the office. I also told Nate to make a big deal about it because Silas was listening to a kinda complicated set of instructions....this is the result. My favorite part is that Silas starts looking at the second book while walking and isn't paying attention to where he is going so he almost passes the office.


I have a video of Silas trying to feed the chickens but it isn't working so this is what happened after he was 'feeding' them:

FAIL!


He dumped the bag of cereal on the floor while watching a movie so he just stomped on it and ate it from there:


BUt of course he was willing to help clean up!



He took the head phones out of the desk and his sweet little imagination thought this was a great place to plug in:


I have no idea how he knows this stuff?! I haven't showed him and I don't walk around the house with head phones ha ha!


First attempt at eating yogurt with blueberries and whip cream on his own.

The food goatee (sp?) kept growing!



Unfortunately I don't have a picture of him doing this one but I gave him the can opener to distract him during the last few minutes of making dinner - he ran to the pantry, grabbed a can of peas, and tried opening it with the can opener - again, I have never showed him anything about this but he just watches me so closely.

He has finally learned to give kisses:

There was a stand off across the yard. Piper crouched down a little so Silas squatted down like this. Little did he know that in doggie wolrd this means the next picture is about to happen...


AHHHH!!! She's coming to get me!!!! This ended with a little pounce by Piper, knocking Silas to the ground and Daddy rescuing him :)


Here is a link to an album on FB with more pictures from this last month including some from Silas' first cold.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2622062&id=5011339&l=71c28deec7



18 weeks: I only planned to take a picture every 4 weeks until closer to the end but I realize that it seems like a long time between for those of you who can't see me so I'll try to take more.

Oh man!

I've gotten really far behind on this. I could play catch up but I think I'll just start where we are at now instead of creating a monster of a post! Here are some things going on with us! If you click the pictures, they get bigger so if you want to REALLY see Silas eating cereal, click away ;) hee hee
Christmas Eve service in Florida


Silas:
Our sweet Silas is 16 months.
*He runs all over chasing the chickens or dogs or just trying to keep up with us.
*He is a show off for company which includes loud babbling and spinning in circles
He was crackin' me up, staring at me thru his glasses...mallet and piano = perfect!

*He puts his hand up to his ear to pretend talking on the phone and is quick to point out every balloon or ball insight
*He still loves Twiggy and our new puppy, Piper.
*Right now he is really into putting things on his neck or head (purses SUNGLASSES, necklaces of links, anything really)
*Blueberries are out of season so he doesn't get those anymore but this morning he was eating eggs faster than I could get them to cool off - other favorites =crackers, cheese, green beans, chow mein, banana, pasta, grapes, cooked carrots

*Loves his bath time still and reading books
* Words: Baby, puppy, no, dada = baba, diaper, apple, mama=pacifier, hello, hi, I have no name....he signs please, more, all done and bird, A and B 2 out of 26 ain't bad!
*He has been watching us more and more this last week and imitating. He stopped his feet on the sidewalk like we trying to get the dirt/chicken poo off our shoes, he sweeps the floor, wipes up messes with towels, talks on the phone, puts shoes on, straightens his hair


Putting his buddy, Larry, on the car for a ride


Favorite breakfast is cereal right now which is very messy


Always helps me sweep and mop - someday he will actually have to help LOL




Nate:
*Works hard! He is gone a lot since the semester is under way, usually he is gone for 12 hours M-F. We miss him when he is gone but I really enjoy hearing what he is learning on T and Th.
* I can see him really growing and being challenged by his prayer class. He is required to pray for an hour each day. It is such a necessary discipline. And seeing him do this daily really encourages me to grow in this area too.
*I think he is doing really well at school. It is a challenge for him to balance everything but he does pretty well :)
*You can always pray that Nate is getting enough rest
Nate got some much needed time on the water while we were home. Silas loved the boat or at least touching the buttons :)




And of course, playing Catan with his sisters


Me:
Like I said, I'm enjoying my time with Silas. I personally enjoy this stage way more than the newborn stage and I look forward to the coming stages. At the same time, I do try to cherish those sleepy hugs and any awake hugs I can sneak too! I'm sure he is irritated with my constant hugging, "Mom! I'm trying to throw this ball!" I can tell you that I am so in love with that little boy! And when he shows affection back - it's the best! It's also fun to watch him gain independence. I enjoy watching him play in the back yard with a stick and a pile of dirt or a ball. He is perfectly content with those simple things! Being a mommy is tough because I can't do what I want when I want to...like write this post LOL He keeps interrupting me for a snack as we speak! OK, got it. You can pray for me to use my time wisely. I know there is enough time in the day to care for Nate and Silas well, the house and spiritual matters as well. I know there is because I know several godly women who do this things with joyful hearts. Not to say that they are perfect but generally speaking, they've got their priorities straight and it shows as they encourage and build up others, grow in Christlikeness and their homes are clean/organized so that it's functional for living and relaxing!
Pray that God would continue to change my heart to want to use my time to honor Him and my family instead of serve myself by doing 'nothing'
Meeting Giana


Other:
*We no longer own the goats. They went to a super cool family who has been taking them on hikes and walking them to school!

This is one less thing for me to care for in light of the fact that we got a puppy. Piper came from the shelter and is some kinda of boxer mix. So far she is doing great with Silas. Her and Twiggy still have some issues to work through ;)
Giving Piper a hug

Piper hugging back

The closet they've ever been without needing to be separated


Twiggy had to endure snow while we were in FL

There was a little bit left when we got home so Silas got to poke it with a grilling utensil - great kids toys





*We are expecting baby number 2 in the first couple of weeks of August.
Just found out!

Baby at 11 weeks 6 days- lets call it 12 weeks lol


We have decided to use a midwife at home for this birth. I know this is really risky and weird in some peoples opinions and that's ok with me. I am not choosing this route to be different but we feel like this is the best chance I have for avoiding a csection. We are not anti doctors, nurses, hospitals or medicine - those things are great things that save lives and keep us healthy. But our hospital here has a VBAC ban. Our doctor would try and work around that with us since he supports VBACs, however, I know there would be some struggle to this. Especially when it comes to due date time and I'm not in labor or if I happen to go into labor the day my doctor is out. I know that I still may not be able to deliver naturally, the Lord may have other plans for me. If this baby is breech or I become a high risk pregnancy, don't go into labor by 42 weeks...whatever the variable may be, then I will willingly submit to God's will. But as far as it is up to us, we will seek to deliver this little on healthy at home.
Here is the link to my midwife's website. You can click around and find out more information if ya want. Just a heads up...there are some photos here and there of women who have just delivered and they don't show anything but ya know, they are in a tub holding their 'ick' covered baby hee hee

http://www.gentlebirthmidwifery.com/

If you have questions about it, let me know cause it is always good for me to think through things and be educated!
13 weeks

baby steps!

Silas is about to be walking - check him out! Just a few days before his first birthday :)
Please ignore my super loud voice - I guess I was excited hee hee!

I like to move it move it

I uploaded the pictures smaller so just click them to see them larger :)
8 month pictures are here
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2406336&id=5011339&l=dcb3c15df2

We are on the go with the little man these days. He likes to wiggle and go and DO. He always has something in his hands or in his mouth. Gross! I hate finding him with something in his mouth that I know I didn't give him. 1. I have no clue what it is and I have to go get it 2. It is a battle to get it out (especially without jabbing his little mouth) I've already found paper, a bead that I have never seen in the house (that one scared me), string, carpet, dog food and THREE different bugs. Maybe this means he will run a pest control company. Nate says when he gets old enough, he can find the bugs and take them to the chickens. I guess, at least they were dead.
See and Say - watch his foot

I promise I do actually watch him! He is army crawling every where. I had to get him new shoes because he made a blister on his big toe joint from pushing off that one foot only. He does get up onto his hands and knees but just to hang out

Silas is starting to demand things when he sees them - like if we are eating something he wants or today he wanted a toy someone was holding. He just yells at it - AHHH! I feel bad cause he doesn't have any other way to tell us what he wants and at the same time we have started disciplining him a little for being so bossy. He'll catch on quick though :) Oh and he has also learned to pull himself onto his knees in the crib and a few other objects and then he bounces. Today he was on his belly and when I turned around he was sitting but I missed it twice LOL I even had the camera waiting and then a phone call distracted me!

The baby cave


We also found out that the little dude has eczema and so we've started treating it. It has already improved a TON with a little cotisone and Arbonne baby wash and lotion. When I was at the doctor, he told me that Silas should be eating more food so armed with that knowledge I started trying to feed him more. He has done really well and eats pretty much whatever we give him. He can pick up things and feed himself but it is more efficient when I feed him still. But he is getting really fast.


He went for his first swim and loved it (except when Nate accidently dipped his face in the water)



Nathan has really impressed me with his handy man skills. He has been working really hard to get this fence up and it is not easy when you are by yourself. I know it would take way less time with a helper. Thankfully a friend, Tim, offered to come help and they worked all day. Majority of the work is done now and may be finished tonight so our goats will officially have their permanent home right next door to the chickens. I'll some picture of it when it is done.
Digging holes for the poles

Poles in - THAT was a long and hard day for Nate.

Most of the fence up after Tim's help

Nate has also helped around the house some when the dishes are piling up to the ceiling and I don't know where to begin. If it weren't for him, I might have just thrown the dishes away hee hee hee Just kidding but I am so thankful that he listens (every once in a while LOL he will laugh at that) and rescues me. I am singing his praise right now because he is such a hard worker between work, teaching, house work, school and then he helps ME. Yes, he drives me crazy at times but I wouldn't have it any other way and I knew when I married him that he wasn't right ;)

Hay, Play and May

The biggest change in May was the addition of goats to our family. The boy's name is Misech or Mishack or how do you spell it? Ah, Meshach, that's it. And the girl is Freckles. They are so sweet and fun - like big grass-eating dogs :) Silas loves them because they let him grab them and don't mind....Twiggy does! We have a lot to learn still but are enjoying our little goaties. Nate is convinced that they say "Daaaaaaad" They yell at us whenever we leave them because they want to be with us. And they will walk right in the house with us if we let them. Here are some pictures of them.
Goaties

Freckles - She jumps off everything

Meshach- Nate picked it and I don't know why he chose that one instead of Shadrach or Abendego




Nannying is still going well. I can definitely see a difference in boys and girls. Silas is into touching everything and exploring. Helen does too but in such a more gentle way plus if you tell her to stop, she stops! I know Silas hasn't learned the meaning of no yet but now is the time for training in that area. Friday's we do baths during the day since we have bible study that night and plus it gives me something different to do. I love bath day Friday :)

People ask if they are twins all the time because they are the same size. Helen turns a year old on the 8th and Silas is 8 months old now. Which means everyone assumes that he is sleeping through the night - NOT! I knew that when I had a baby I would be up at night but I didn't know it would be for this long. I don't mind him crying a little before his nap but I do have a hard time with the idea of just leaving him in his room alone when he wakes up in the middle of the night. He does eat when he gets up so how do I know he isn't waking up because he is hungry?

This is what I was talking about when I said Silas is all boy. He rammed his face into the couch, earning his nickname - Bruiser.
Silas' shiner

Cucumbers help mean teeth. He has 2 now.

Daddy teaching Silas about the chick chicks

"Daddy, Mudfish is really cool!"


My goofy boy playing with the banana peel instead of eating the banana. This is his silly face and I LOVE it!

See, he is silly! Check out those little teeth :)


Hi mama! I'm gonna get you!!!!!


























My goodness, I love that little face!


















Lately, I've really been challenged in my desire to know the Lord. What I mean is that our pastor, Dale, has been teaching through 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 about how we should long to be with Christ more than anything else. And how we should not lose heart in affliction because our focus should be on unseen things rather than seen (present) things. It's been good to think through these things and reminds me of how temporary this life is. It's amazing that I can become so focused on daily tasks that aren't done (yes, those are the ones I focus on) or projects I want to do around the house and yet completely forget that this is a short time of toil. I only have so many days here with Nate and Silas and others. I need to make sure that I am living daily for Christ and purposing each day to try and help others to know Him as well. And if I wasn't already convinced check out 2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
This is a 'judgement' for followers of Christ. At first I'm thinking, GREAT! I have WAAAAAY more evil things done in this body of mine and now it's going to be stacked up in front of me and displayed in front of Christ along with a tiny amount of good stuff?! YES! But this is the beauty of the gospel :) My evil things have already been paid for by Christ! This "judgment" is all about reward. Yes, there are rewards in heaven. And while the goal isn't to stack up a bunch of rewards, it sure is a great thought of Christ rewarding me. Christ! I get to be with Him and then get rewards! Grace is so wonderful because this truly is something I don't deserve but has been made possible through the blood of Christ. I can look forward to this "judgement" :)
At the same time, it is a reminder that there is another judgement to come, the Great White Throne judgement. This is for the unbelievers or nonfollowers, however you say it. This is not a judgement of reward but of condemnation and complete separation from Christ. Which even more stresses the importance to share the good news with those I love and those who I get to have conversations with. I hope that you can say with confidence that you will be present at the first judgement and not the Great White Throne. If you are not positive which one you will be at please ask me questions! You will be at one, that is guaranteed! If you are reading this then it means I care for you and I pray that you are prepared!

Love you guys and as always I miss those of you who we are away from...more than you know. You are not far from my thoughts and prayers!