Where's the sun?

For almost a week now, one of the girls who works with me, R, and her daughter, K, have been staying with Matt and I. She is almost 8 months pregnant and K is 14 months old. There are certain events in her life that have brought her to stay with us, and I must say, as if it's not obvious, the girl has a lot on her plate! We have been trying to help her get on her feet, and it's been wonderful having her and K here. K is a doll. She is about 6 months older than Laiden and is smaller than he is. The sight of the two of them together is adorable! They get along so well. The first day they got here, K walked into the room and Laiden just lit up. He crawled over to her to start playing with her. Needless to say, she took to him very quickly also.

Having R around has reminded me of how incredibly blessed we are. Things can be crazy and you can feel like you are running in a million directions. Life may not even being going the way you had planned, but if you just stop and look, you see all of the amazing things God has given you. God has given Matt and I absolutely amazing parents who have done so much for us. He gave us a beautiful son who we adore (even though he can be a total pistol). We are able to decide what we want to do with our lives, and He helps get there. He has opened so many doors.

So if you are having a bad day, stop and think of 5 things you are thankful for today. It might help put things in perspective.

Our Wonderful, Wonderful Son…

Laiden can be the absolute light of our lives...And the absolute death of our ears. He has been fairly sick the last 6-7 weeks. Three double ear infections, two stomach viruses, one eye infection and teething to top it all off! Needless to say, as the very loving and concerned parents that we are, we let him get away with well…pretty much everything. He was being held til he fell asleep, some nights he got to lie with us in bed, and in general got A LOT of mommy and daddy time. Oh and we can't forget, he got a lot more bottle!

Now we are paying for it. Our mild mannered child has been replaced with what often feels like spawn of evil. He has the most outrageous temper, and he is not afraid to use it. He seems to have left the pain behind and is on to just being generally pissed. If we don't give him his every wish and whim we are bestoyed with blood curdling screams…We are over it. Last night we wouldn't pick him up when he screamed from his crib because he wanted us, and when he throws one of his lovely tantrums we don't acknowledge him. He is beginning to get it. The most difficult part is getting him to eat solids again. The only thing he wants to eat besides a bottle is Mommy and Daddy's crackers. Our new favorite trick of his is when he is in our laps and we are about to take a bite of a cracker, he snatches it out of our hands and puts it in his mouth. And he's fast. Little stinker!

But I must add, as much as we are venting at the moment, we do love our son. Just not his new temper! Though he isn't too bad…Only about a half hour of screaming at bedtime before he goes to sleep!

So for Christmas, how about some Aleve and ear plugs?

O-BAM-A!

AHHHHH!  Matt, Laiden, and I can't even begin to contain our excitement!  We have worked so hard and believed for so long that this could happen.  We can say undoubtedly that we are PROUD of our country.  Look at the way it united people last night: in the streets of Chicago, New York City, Australia, Germany, Kenya...the list could go on!

21 months ago, I went to Springfield to see Obama annouce his candidacy for president.  It was a freezing cold day but I went anyways because I believed he could change our country in the way we needed.  At the time Matt was in Italy and could not join me, and Laiden was not even close to existence.  A lot can happen in 21 months and it has.  I have changed, my life has changed, but my belief did not.

I am proud to say I have confidence in the future for my son.  And as we like to joke, Laiden's first word is "Obaba." ("M"s are hard to say!)

Have a wonderful day! God has blessed America!