James - 2 months

Time for a new picture of James! This week Sweet Baby James turned 2 months old. At 2 months he:

• Smiles a lot


• Eats every 3 hours but usually skips 1 meal during the night


• Is awake a lot more


• Loves to hear us sing to him


• Plays with his baby einstein gym


• Still loves to snuggle

He weighed 10 pounds 13 ounces, and measured 23 inches this week which puts him at the 30th percentile for weight and the 50th percentile for length. I may be able to stop obsessively weighing him every week now. Then again, maybe not. He's growing out of his newborn size clothes but a lot of the 3 month stuff is too big. I'm remembering that Jeffrey always seemed to be in between sizes.

I finally got some baby announcements this week and plan to get them mailed this weekend. Two months went by so fast!

~Sharon

1 month

Sweet baby James is 1 month old!

Right now he:

* weighs 7 lb 12 oz

* eats every 2 1/2 to 3 hours

* has started to smile

* loves to be held

* stretches his legs until they are completely straight

* loves to have his hands by his face

We are enjoying every moment we can with him. With Jeff beginning his senior year, we're all too aware how quickly all this will go.

~Sharon

James is here!

We are so happy that James Thomas is here!

Born: July 22nd, 11: 23 pm (23:23)

Weight: 5 lbs. exactly

Length: 18.5 inches

Sent and protected by God.

Ummm #2

Last Friday Jeff went to the high school formal with our homeschool group. I was so glad he wanted to go this year. I hope to post some pictures later this week. They had an hour at the church to take pictures and mingle before they went to dinner. While they were taking the pictures, some of us parents hung out and chatted.

One of the chaperones for the evening is a woman who is newer to the group and I really don't know her very well. She's just one of those people I'm not sure how to take.

She was very dressed up for the evening and I said to her, "You look lovely!"

She replied, "Thanks. ..... You look pregnant."

Okay then. It's good to know where we stand.

Sharon

Spring flowers

It's been a long winter here but things are finally starting to bloom outside. Spring flowers in my favorite flower colors: blue and yellow.

Ummm

Since I am 41 years old and expecting my second child, I've been getting some strange and stupid questions/comments. Here's my top 7:

#7 "You should have another one right away so this one doesn't grow up alone." Okay, first of all, I've never had that kind of control over my fertility. Second, Jeff has grown up as an only child for all of his 17 years so far and I happen to think he's a well-adjusted, kind, generally awesome person. Third, another baby at this age? Get real.

#6 "Whoops." Probably the most offensive, especially since it was from someone I barely know.

#5 "How old are you? If you don't mind my asking." I wonder what people would say if I responded, "Actually, I do mind you asking." I don't really mind but I just wonder.

#4 "Better you than me." Yep. Couldn't agree more.

#3 "Did you plan it this way?" Yes. I wanted to wait to see how my first child turned out before I had another one.

#2 "Are you showing yet?" I understand this question from people on the phone whom I haven't seen lately, but I don't understand this from people who are standing right in front of me. If you can't tell by looking, why ask? Then again, there are a lot of people who aren't asking they just talk to me while looking at my belly.

and the #1 stupid thing people have said to me: "You're just like Sarah!" (of Abraham and Sarah in the Bible.) Excuse me?! I'm 41 not 91!!

As you can see, it's bringing out my inner sarcastic self (okay, I don't have to dig deep for it).

Sharon

Snow, snow, snow!

We have been buried in snow here this winter. We had near-record snowfall in January -- I think we missed the record from 1978 by an inch. We had two storms which dumped about 12 inches each plus lots of days of snow flurries. I have to confess, I've had trouble seeing the beauty in it this winter. But one morning I was looking out the window and saw the sun shining on the snow and creating these lovely shadows so I went outside to try and capture it.




This winter, I've also been especially thankful for this handsome young man who has been our primary shoveler.


Thanks Jeff!

Autumn walk

After at least a week of cold, cloudy days, we finally had a nice day, so Brenna and I went for a walk this afternoon. Since she's a little chicken, this means a lot of coaxing and encouragement.



This is the look she gives me when I'm trying to get her to go somewhere unfamiliar. Roughly translated, I think this means, "You want me to go that way?! No, no, no. We don't know what might be that direction!"

Just in case I might be confused by her coming to a dead stop and leaning back, she shows me where she would prefer to go. "Wouldn't you rather go this way? I think home is this way. Let's just go home."

Usually, with encouragement, I can get her to overcome her fears or at least resign herself to the fact that I'm leading the way but today I had to stop and pick her up twice and carry her for 10 feet so we could continue our walk. I try very hard not to look up at passing cars when she's doing this.

I was so glad I took my camera along. The leaves are almost past their peak here but there are still some lovely ones hanging on.

~Sharon