A Day in the Life of the Brown Family

Love Notes

2011-11-14T14:29:00.004-05:00

What wife doesn't love getting them? I love waking up in the morning (or walking randomly into the kitchen) to find a note scrawled on a legal pad that I left on the counter. Usually short and sweet, these notes make my day. It's ridiculous how many times I read some of them. Not only that, I have boxes full of the notes, cards, and other mementos that David has given me over the years. I think the first artifact dates back about 9 years (definitely not romantic but treasured nonetheless). The picture to the left is of the note that greeted me this morning.

The verse is the same one that has followed David's signature in notes to me for years. 2 Samuel 22:31 says, "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him." Thankfully, David and I have had a relatively "problem"-free life. We've had what we would consider trials, but when we compare those to things that our friends and fellow Christians have gone through, it doesn't seem fair to call them that. Even so, this verse (and Psalm 18:30 which I put after my name in my notes to David) has been a blessing to us. We know that if God has gotten us through the little things in life he will be faithful to get us through the bigger issues that are sure to arise.

2011-11-12T20:55:00.000-05:00

Fall Photos

2011-11-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

Even though we had family pictures taken back in March, they still look outdated since Riley had grown so much since then. It's amazing how quickly little ones changes. She's gone up about three shoe sizes, grown out of all her clothes, and probably doubled the amount of hair she has in the past 8 months. Glad David and I can't say the same things about ourselves (except maybe my sweet husband sprouting some extra hair).

Since we like to send out Thanksgiving cards, we decided to ask our friend who's starting a photography business to take a few shots of us. We met on Wednesday afternoon and here are some she took. Here's a link to her Facebook page.

Thanks to our friend Danielle, we're going to have a very cute Thanksgiving card this year! Can't wait to see them.

Spaghetti Betty

2011-11-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

Our little munchkin didn't earn the nickname Spaghetti Betty for nothing. Ever since her first experience with the Italian cuisine, Riley has been hooked. Whenever "ghetti," as she lovingly calls it, or pizza is on the menu, we have one very happy little girl. The pleas for "morn" are incessant, and it's difficult to get her to eat anything else on the table, especially one of the other foods is green (apparently eating veggies while pregnant does not make your child enjoy broccoli and green beans like the pregnancy books suggest).

Throughout Riley's short life, pizza and spaghetti have provided more than ~~nutrition~~ a full belly. They've given us many photo taking opportunities; today's lunch was no different. Here are a few shots of our messy eater.

Disclaimer: Riley usually doesn't walk around without a shirt on. However, when you're wearing clothes that need to be passed down to younger cousins, one must take various measures to preserve their stain-free state. Regardless of the size of the bib, our messy girl manages to get sauce somewhere.

Brown Family Update

2011-11-05T10:33:00.000-04:00

Hi there. Remember me? I'm the one who's supposed to be keeping people updated with what's going on with our family. The reality? I've become a total slacker when it comes to blogging. What made me want to get the ball rolling again? That would be reading all the posts from when I was pregnant with Riley. There weren't a ton, but it was enough to help jog my memory on some things that I'd forgotten. It's nice to be able to look back and see what was going on at different points in our lives. I will do better.

For those of you who don't know us "for real," life is wonderful. Riley is 19 months old and keeps us laughing and quite busy. She's talking all the time, running all around, and quite attached to three measuring "pucks" from her play kitchen (weird, right??).

In July, we found out that baby # 2 is on the way. I'm currently 20 weeks and 3 days pregnant. On Wednesday we found out the gender; Riley helped us make the "big" announcement. About 30 pictures and 20 minutes later, this is the best we came up with (just glad it's a horse and not one of the cups in the picture):

Riley doesn't quite understand the whole baby concept yet (as evidenced by the fact that she thinks there's baby in her belly), but she does love little ones. We're hoping she's very excited when the time comes and one is actually living in our house. David and I absolutely can't wait for little Caroline Elizabeth to join our family.

I'm feeling great! In the beginning, I wasn't able to sleep very well. Since that passed, I've been feeling normal. If it weren't for my growing stomach and the pokes and jabs I'm getting from the inside, I wouldn't feel pregnant at all. I'm doing a lot more this time around to stay in good shape. I never quite lost all my baby weight from Riley, so I started a little bit behind this time. My goal is to weigh the same when I give birth to Caroline as I did when I give birth to Riley. Now probably wouldn't be a good time to admit that I'm probably going to the fair today, would it? Greasy french fries and powdered sugar covered funnel cakes are totally going to be calling my name. Hopefully the apple I just ate for breakfast will help balance everything out.

And now, so you can see how we're doing, here are a few recent pictures. Unfortunately, the last good one of all of us is from Riley's birthday.

Riley Update

2011-03-17T23:20:00.000-04:00

Let me start out by saying this: I have been a failure at keeping up with this blog since Riley came into this world. Not only have we been spending all of our time with our precious girl, I've been busy with other things, too. Before this sounds like a pile of excuses, let's move on to this "between months" update.

I can't begin to explain how quickly our girl is growing. The things she learns never cease to amaze me. She can blow kisses, do the signs for "thank you" and "more," clap her hands like it's going out of style, locate YOUR nose and her own head and hair, obey many simple commands, etc. She can tell the difference between a dog and a bear when you hold up the cards in front of her (this only works with certain pairs of animals... sometimes it's obvious that she just likes the butterfly better than the dolphin because she goes for that every time). She can melt your heart and she can try your patience (you moms know that your babies do it, too... I'm just being honest).

David and I are constantly talking about how much fun she is. I knew I would love being a mom, but I have to admit, I never dreamed I'd love it this much. Having her smile at me, lean in to give me a big, sloppy kiss, and thousands of other things make me stop and thank God for the little one he's put in our care. I hope we remember to tell her that we go into her room EVERY SINGLE NIGHT just to look at her, watch her sleep, and talk about how big she's getting. Every night we talk about how time goes too fast and we can't believe that she's going to be one so soon (less than a week!!!).

On another note, I'm happy to announce that I won our first major battle of wills (the parenting books don't tell you how early those start unless you're reading "To Train Up a Child."). Lord helping me, I'll keep winning them, no matter how big or how small. I had to call three people to help me "stick to my guns" and reassure me that I was doing the right thing but it paid off in the end. I try to tell myself that I'm helping to prepare her to respond to God's offer of salvation.

Let me just tell you, it's so much easier to give in. I would have much rather stopped the training session, picked up my little girl and showered her with cuddles and kisses. I'm thankful for a godly husband, father, and friend who encouraged me to do what was right rather than doing what I felt like doing.

Photo Ramblings and Vacation Notes

2011-03-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful time on our trip to KY and AL. We were able to visit with nieces and nephews (and other family members, but we all know the kiddos are the important ones), hear some fantastic teaching on the KJV, make new friends, and enjoy some quality family time. Enjoy these photos from our trip and be on the look-out for the over due 11 month update. My baby is going to be 1 in 10 days. I'm not ready for that.

Vacation

2011-02-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

We're taking our family vacation early this year, and I'm so excited! We're leaving on Monday and won't be back until the following Tuesday! After a brief stop in Alabama to see family, it'll be just David, Riley, and me for almost a week! (Can you say "major overuse of exclamation points??!!??" Every sentence in that paragraph ended with one.)

After our stop at David's parents', we're heading to Danville, Kentucky where we'll be going to a meeting that Sam Gipp is preaching on the King James Bible. I'm hoping Riley does well in an unfamiliar nursery because I'd really like to get to hear the preaching. I know what Bible I believe, and lots of the reasons why I believe it, but I'm excited about the opportunity to learn even more. I told David that if the nursery thing doesn't work, he can take Riley out since he's heard Bro. Gipp before. We'll see how that one goes.

I can't wait to share pictures and stories from our trip. Our vacations are known to be fun and eventful. This year, we'll be traveling with a Uhaul trailer on the way up to deliver some books for a missionary... I can see that providing much entertainment and frustration along the way. It also means that David will be doing all the driving on the way up. I don't see myself being comfortable driving the Jeep with a trailer.

Photo Ramblings

2011-02-12T18:16:00.000-05:00

Riley Grace: Ten Month Update & Photos

2011-02-01T11:18:00.001-05:00

In a nutshell, ten months equals into everything. Into everything but unbelievably fun. The interaction is fantastic. She's gone from a little bundle that doesn't move to a baby who crawls all over you, does things to make you laugh, and talks to you (doesn't matter that you have absolutely no idea what she's saying).

We are blessed with such a good baby! Unless she's trying to be forced to go with someone else (namely, my brother or the nursery workers at church), she's a happy camper. She loves to play, eat, and sleep.

Here's what's been going on with Riley:

... a second tooth

... her first cold and first sick visit to the doctor :(

... trying to stand up on her own

... saying mama (to me, to her baby, to David... everyone is Mama)

... loving her baby doll. She thinks that thing is the best thing ever

... sticking random things in any open drawer or basket (I find puzzle pieces in my dresser drawers, Little

people in my dirty clothes baskets, etc.)

... growling

... cackling when she thinks something is funny

... modeling the hats mommy makes to sell on Etsy

... sleeping 12-13 hours at night. She goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 and wakes up around 8:30

I can't believe that in a few short weeks my baby is going to be one. I'm definitely not ready for it.

Oh, and for the record, she does not always have something on her head... just take a look at the last picture!!

modeling :)

two teeth... a little crooked but very adorable

coughing :(

playing on her "gym" from the Harvills

playing with Mommy

with Angelo and Gavin, friends from Australia

working with Daddy

How to Entertain a Baby...

2011-01-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

...so you can fold clothes.

Items necessary:

magnetic animals from your fridge farm

colander, rubbermaid container, spoon, and spatula

baby doll

one clean pair of socks

The result? 30-40 minutes of play and neatly folded laundry. Usually, she unfolds the clothes as I'm getting them folded.

Bible Conference Pictures

2011-01-21T19:06:00.000-05:00

Bible Conference: Listen Online

2011-01-18T16:38:00.000-05:00

The 2011 Bible Conference is in full swing! The preaching and fellowship thus far have been excellent. For those of you who wanted to be here and couldn't be (or those of you who don't know what you're missing because you've never come), I thought I'd share a link with you. You can listen to the messages online! Click here to do just that!

Owl Hat Update

2011-01-15T11:42:00.002-05:00

A friend from church gave me the pattern for this owl hat. Riley's room has an owl theme, and that's what we're planning on for Riley's first birthday. I made my first one last night and I love how it turned out! Riley's napping, so the final product hasn't been tried on yet, but I know it'll look even better on... if it fits okay. It's looking a little bit smaller than I thought it would.

Well, the hat fits Riley just fine. I love the way it looks on her. The only problem is the way I hid the orange yarn from the nose, you can see it when the hat is on... I'm going to have to fix that today.

Bible Conference Time

2011-01-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

2010 Bible Conference
BBC Men's Group Singing
"Shout to the Lord

I can't believe it's Bible Conference time again. It really doesn't seem possible that a year has passed since our great week-long meeting. This year is a special one. On January 20th, the last day of the Conference, David and I will have met 10 years ago. It doesn't seem possible. I can still remember walking up to his family to introduce myself to the three young people (Sarah, David, and Kimberly). Little did I know how much that introduction would change my life.

Since that conference, several couples have met due to it. Consequently, Bro. James jokingly came up with a slogan: "Revival and Romance." I don't know about that. If you come looking for romance, you're likely to be disappointed. But, if you come looking for revival, you never know what the Lord will bring about. I certainly didn't think that I would meet my future husband ten years ago. I went with an excitement for the preaching and fellowship. Both were wonderful, as always.

Now, I look forward to the week with just as much excitement as ever. Riley won't really understand what's going on this year, but I can't wait until she does. I hope she loves it just as much as David and I always have. I hope the preachers, missionaries, and their wives are her heroes. And, in about 35 years, I hope she meets a godly husband at church.

Last year I didn't take many photos (thus the one of the men singing), but this year I need to. I have so many great pictures from the years... I need to make sure I keep up with that.

December 2010 Pictures and Review

2011-01-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

December was a month full of activities including birthdays, our fourth anniversary, and two trips. Our first trip was to Lebanon, VA with some of the teenagers from church. We visited Spring City Baptist Church and worked in their publishing room putting together John/Romans booklets in Burmese and English. I think we were able to complete about 10,000 portions of scripture. The people there are so sweet; it was such a blessing to spend time with them.

After that, we had two whirlwind days doing laundry and headed for AL to visit David's family. Riley absolutely loved playing with her cousins. The other kiddos seemed to love that she was able to interact with them this time. It snowed while we were there. In the years that I've been visiting AL, I've never seen it snow, let alone leave inches on the ground for several days. David and I were able to build a snowman and have a snowball fight, and Riley enjoyed feeling the snow and watching us have fun.

Riley has learned many new tricks recently. She's crawling all over the place, plays very well independently, and LOVES to eat table food. This child would eat all day if we'd let her. She finally cut her first tooth (thankfully that wasn't as terrible as I've heard it can be). Riley's new favorite toy is a baby doll that Auntie Sarah and Uncle Jared gave her. She giggles and laughs at it when she sees it.

I can't believe 2010 has already come to a close. This past year was definitely the quickest of my life. Bible Conference is right around the corner. This year's marks ten years since David and I met.

We hope your 2011 is the best year ever and that you and your family are able to bring more glory to God than you did in 2010.

Thanksgiving, 8 Month Update, etc.

2010-12-02T11:26:00.001-05:00

I hope each and every one of you had a very happy Thanksgiving (to God) Day! We definitely did. Everything is so special this year since it's Riley's first. We started the day with breakfast at IHOP (that, we've decided, is going to be a Brown family tradition), headed home to cook and play with Riley, and then went to my aunt and uncle's for our Thanksgiving dinner. There were about 30 of us including grandparents, cousins, and spouses/dates. It's really nice (i.e., not stressful) because not everyone has to cook the whole meal; we split things up. My mom makes sweet potato casseroles and green beans, I make mashed potatoes and a dessert, and each family brings a couple things so no one has to cook for days before hand (I'm sure Martha and Kirk do the most). I'm always interested to see what edible "craft" my cousin has made with her kids. This year it was a turkey similar to this one. It was very cute. I can't wait until Riley's old enough to enjoy activities like that.

Sometime between my last post and Thanksgiving, Riley turned 8 months old. It makes me feel sad and excited all at the same time. She's doing so many fun things. Waving, saying bye-bye, crawling, etc. She laughs and waves at random strangers, kisses herself in mirrors, and loves playing with her toys (especially this little stuffed banana that came in a "grocery" set). She screeches when she sees David across a room and starts laughing and reaching for him, she has learned the "I drop it, the adult picks it up" game, and she eats like whatever she's getting might be her very last meal. She's getting very good about responding to no. If she really wants to do what you've asked her not to, she starts crying because she knows we're not going to let her do it. All in all, just like every other stage, this is our favorite.

We've also been updating our house. We've been up late many nights during the past two weeks painting, tiling, etc. I'm excited to show pictures of our kitchen, but I'm going to wait until it's finished. The picture to the left shows the paint choices. I will tell you that we ended up going with "Inch Worm" (top) and it looks great! We've painted our bathroom a chocolate brown (I know, I know... drastic) which looks really nice against the white counters, white shower curtain, etc. It was definitely a big change from our pale green, but David and I both love the way it turned out and how it coordinates with our bedroom (which is blue and brown). We wondered if Riley would notice the differences, but so far, she seems totally unfazed by the new paint colors and other changes.

Riley's First Piano Recital

2010-11-15T23:35:00.002-05:00

Fall Vacation

2010-11-07T01:02:00.001-04:00

We had a good time on our vacation earlier this month; we saw many beautiful leaves and spent quality time with family (Riley was surrounded by grandparent love). The weather wasn't the best for the first couple of days, but it was absolutely beautiful for the last few. Riley is a wonderful traveler; she adapted well to missing naps and changes in her routine and kept up with her habit of sleeping 12 hours at night. She was happy to be on the go, especially when it involved being outside. Below are a few of my favorite pictures. I'll have to include a slideshow in a later post.

@ 12 Bones in Asheville. If you're ever in the area, you must stop!

on the grounds at the Biltmore

cutest face ever... Riley's that is

free from the car seat
yeah, yeah, yeah... and the headband

@ 12 Bones once again; David's family met us there

And just for fun... a comparison:

Brown Family
Fall 2009

Brown Family
Fall 2010

Photo Ramblings

2010-11-07T00:48:00.000-04:00

Not a Clothes Girl

2010-10-18T22:59:00.000-04:00

Riey HATES trying on clothes. As I mentioned in my last update, we're leaving for the mountains Sunday night. I'm not expecting freezing cold weather, but I'm definitely hoping that it's a little bit cooler than it is here. If that's the case, She's going to at least need some long sleeved shirts that fit. Because she's such a peanut, the clothes we anticipated fitting at 7 months aren't going to. We've been seeing what we can exchange for smaller sizes and trying to fill in some gaps in her wardrobe. Consequently, we've had to try some stuff on (at home... I'm not brave enough to experience multiple outfit changes in the store) to see what fits and what doesn't. She HATES it. If I've got her, she tries to go to David to get away from it. If David's got her, she tries to see if Mommy will save her. It's pitiful. You'd think we were ripping her toenails out (almost said teeth but she doesn't have any of those yet). I'm sure this will change with age. Not too many 15 year old girls hate trying on clothes.

Fall Look

2010-10-16T15:21:00.001-04:00

Fall is my favorite season by far so I thought I would update my blog with a fallish look. We're leaving next Sunday night for a vacation in the mountains of North Carolina. Last year the leaves were beautiful and the weather was cool. Hoping that it's the same this year.

I was 16 weeks pregnant last time. It will be much better having Riley with us.

Thought I was really "showing" last year. I think I was
actually thinner than than I am now!

Photo Ramblings: Riley & Daddy

2010-10-16T14:01:00.001-04:00

I'm Watching You...

2010-10-11T10:33:00.002-04:00

This weekend, I found myself thinking about just how much being a parent has changed my life. Of course there are the obvious ways: less sleep (in the beginning, not now), more joy, less time to think about myself (definitely a good thing). But there are less conspicuous ways, too. For instance, I can no longer passively watch people deal with their kids. When I see a “situation” arise, I’m immediately attentive (hopefully not in a rude way). I want to see how the parents react, how the child responds to their actions, etc. I want to see what works and what doesn’t so (even though I know it’s different for each child sometimes), hopefully, I can avoid some mistakes and go right to the correct response when we get to that stage in Riley’s life. I can’t just think about the rapture anymore. I have to wonder what would happen to Riley if the rapture took place before she gets saved. It goes on and on.

Since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed reading the Elsie Dinsmore series by Martha Finley. They were written in the 1800s and one thing that has always intrigued me is seeing how things were back then. The lingo, the wealthy men spending much of their time at home with their families, and other differences between then and now definitely piqued my interest. Now, I read to see how the parents dealt with children. The author portrays several different types of parents throughout the series: indulgent, strict, compassionate, etc. The differences among the children are pronounced.

Of course we know that our actions are constantly molding the future of our children. I always knew that in my head, but I thought that the chronic thinking about my actions forming Riley’s life and heart wouldn’t start until we were down the road of parenting a bit. Wrong. We’re constantly discussing what we should do, how we should respond to certain situations. I know it’s only going to get “worse” as Riley gets older.

So yes, moms, I’m watching you. I’m doing my best to do it with the right heart and not a critical one. When I see a response that doesn’t seem quite biblical or “right” to me, I’m doing my best to avoid the “I would never do that!” train of thought and stick to praying that I, as well as the mother that I’m observing, would make the right decisions in the future. Being a mother is the biggest, most important thing I’ve ever done and I’m nervous. I need God’s help and I need the examples of good mothers: mothers like mine.

Riley's 6 Month Photos

2010-09-25T20:29:00.001-04:00

with Papa & Eebee

it's great being 6 months old

Enjoying the outdoors

standing holding with just one hand

6 Month Update

2010-09-24T21:38:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's time for another month's Riley update. It's the most monumental one yet: 6 months. I know I ask this every month; I can't help it. How is it that our sweet Riley Grace is 6 months old? Can she really be halfway to one? David and I were just talking today about all the changes that are going to come between now and her first birthday, March 23 of next year. Crawling, first words, etc. I don't think we're ready. I know we're not ready. In spite of that fact, unless the Lord returns, it's going to keep on going. Fast.

Enough of that. Here are some of our girl's favorites:

*Giggling and smiling

*The page in her 100 words book with babies on it

*Her ladybug toy

*Black plastic spoons from the kitchen

*Pears & bananas

And here's what she's been up to since last month's update:

*Army crawling to Mommy, Daddy, and toys

*Sitting up without toppling over

*Making “Indian” noises when you pat her mouth

*Reaching for complete strangers

As for the 6 month pictures, those are on tomorrow's agenda.

Quick Update & Photos

2010-09-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

I told a friend not too long ago that when Riley takes good naps, I have lots of blog posts. Thinking about it, that's really not entirely true. I used to sit by her crib to help her stay asleep through the transitions between sleep cycles... if I didn't, she wouldn't have taken a good nap. Now that she, thankfully, has been getting through those cycles herself, I haven't had to be in her room and I've been able to get lots of other things done during her naps! What a blessing that has been. It has, though, meant many fewer blog posts.

Since I last posted, we've been quite busy. We went to Alabama for the holiday weekend and we've had things going on at church with the young people.

Here are some pictures of what's been going on in our lives lately.

Riley & Chloe

playing on the slide @ Grandmommy's house

meeting Bro. Joel Logan

with Grandmommy & Chloe

playing with her toys on the way home

the Junior Girls with their artwork

5 Month Stats

2010-08-24T12:29:00.000-04:00

Can it really be time for Riley's 5 month update? It doesn't seem like we brought her home from the hospital yesterday anymore, but it certainly doesn't seem like 5 months have passed. Riley is constantly adding to her repertoire of tricks.

... she can sit up on her own while supporting herself with her arms

... she eats "solids" twice a day

... her current favorite foods are pears and butternut squash

... she reaches for Mommy and Daddy when others are holding her

... she is 100% paci free (and probably was by 3 months, but I think I forgot to mention it)

... she sucks her thumb occasionally, but we pull it out when she's awake

... she loves the blanket Grandmommy (David's mom) made for her

... she's starting to get into crawling position every once in a while

... she's sleeping MUCH better... I would post her longest stretch but every time I do that we have a sleep regression. : )

... she gets excited to see David when he comes home from work

We haven't taken the official 5 month pictures yet, but we will soon. Until then, here are some pictures to get you through.

Either Way, It's a Miracle

2010-08-10T13:10:00.002-04:00

As I read my Bible on Saturday, I came to Exodus 14. You know that chapter where the Israelites cross the Red Sea on dry land and the Egyptians drown as they pursue them? Every time I read that chapter, my mind goes back to the "religion" class I had to take at Stetson. When asked if he believed this miracle really happened, the so-called Christian professor (who also happened to be a Sunday school teacher at a local baptist church) had an interesting explanation. The body of water, he explained, was really the Reed Sea. This sea is only ankle deep. So, no, of course the Israelites didn't really walk on dry land. I've since heard this "explanation" several times while witnessing to people. In their attempts to discredit the Bible, people often forget part of the story... that part about the Egyptians drowning? I can see it now... the Egyptian captains turn to their soldiers and say, "Everyone get on your knees and hold your faces in the water until you're good and dead." Yeah right.

I believe the Bible. When God says dry land, he meant it. But, even if my professor and those other guys were right, wouldn't that be just as much a miracle? Mentioning that usually brings the conversation to a screeching halt, but I'd say it has to make them think.

The Story of Us

2010-08-05T12:02:00.001-04:00

12.16.06
We look so young!

Lately, David and I have been reminiscing about our "history." How we met and fell in love; how God has worked in our lives; blessed us beyond measure. It has been almost ten years since we met. TEN. Where has the time gone? And now we've been married 3 1/2 years. Plus, we have a baby! Sweet Little Riley. Ten years ago, I couldn't have imagined how wonderful our life is today.

We've got to go back to the beginning. When I was 12, our church started an annual Bible Conference. Preachers from all over the country traveled to DeLand to be a blessing to members of the Bible Baptist Church. Over the years, those preachers brought some of their church members, who brought their friends, who told their friends they should attend... you get the picture. Well, one of those preachers was Joel Logan. And one family in his church was the Clark family. They invited the Browns. I fell in love with one of the Browns. But that part you know.

It was a Saturday night in January of 2001 (I could be exact and tell you it was the twentieth, but why get technical?), just a few days before the fourth Bible Conference. At 8 o'clock (for those of you who still go to Church Street, it really did used to be sharp), a group of us met to go pass out tracts in Orlando (if you want to know why, check this out). That night, I remember seeing a gray van pull up. Out stepped three teenagers. I figured they were here for the Bible Conference, so I went up and introduced myself to Sarah, David, and Kimberly. Little did I know that little introduction would change my life forever.

All of the teenagers who went to Orlando (Sam, Israel, Sarah J., Tabitha, etc.) enjoyed getting to know the Browns. I remember being so impressed with David's desire to serve the Lord and study the Bible. I think those two things, along with his smile and winning personality, were the things that made me notice him at all.

The week progressed and, by the end of it, we decided to keep in touch (just as friends at that point). That "keep in touch" plan lasted until David moved to Florida for Bible School in January of 2003. He only stayed one semester, but we enjoyed spending time together in groups. It was during that time that both of us realized that we loved the other, even though we didn't tell each other.

For reasons outside our control, David had to go back to AL to finish college in May of 2003. Our goodbye was a sad one. Without getting into the nitty-gritty details, let’s just suffice it to say this: the circumstances were ~~a little bit~~ really hard, and we didn't know what was on the horizon.

Months passed without much contact (only a few scattered emails... we made up for the infrequency in length) and lots and lots of prayers. Finally in the summer of 2004, everything worked out and we were able to visit each other and start talking on the phone. Things progressed from there.

David moved here in July of '05, proposed on the 19^th of August that same year, and we were married the following December. Lots happened between those dates, but that's a story for another day.

4 Month Pictures

2010-08-03T13:16:00.003-04:00

It’s only been a little while since Riley’s 4 month update, and already she’s managed to change! In the past week and a half she’s started looking when you call her name, grabbing a toy that’s held out to her (on purpose), interlocking her fingers, and rolling across a room to get where she wants to go.

And again, if you're interested in the month stickers to put on onesies each month, they're available at this Etsy shop.

Cleaning the Shower...

2010-07-30T15:54:00.000-04:00

Cleaning our shower is not my favorite task around the house (Read, I put it off as long as possible). I’m always looking for a way to cheat (i.e., make it an easy task that doesn’t take a lot of time) so I can get back to playing with my sweet baby girl.

Let’s be honest. I live in Florida, the land where mold and mildew abound. My shower can get nasty fast. I recently found my go-to cleaner. This cleaner knocks both of those out in one little coating! Seriously. Arm & Hammer Scrub Free Cleaner with Bleach is the bomb at cleaning showers. If you fight to keep your shower mold and mildew free, this one’s for you.

All this thinking about cleaning got me pondering something else. We’re so focused on having our houses clean. We tend to spend time making sure our outward appearance is kept and tidy. Are we paying any attention to our insides, though? Are we taking the appropriate steps to make sure our hearts are clean and neat?

Here are some verses to think about:

Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

I Peter 3:3-4

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Digital Scrapbooking: Recipe Cards

2010-07-28T22:35:00.001-04:00

I have 25 free prints from Shutterfly and, for once, I already know how I'm planning on using them. I'm working on making recipe cards for my favorite recipes using digital scrapbooking kits. Then, all I'll need is a 4x6 album to keep them in. It'll be much easier and much cuter to look through a book that's divided into neat sections than to look through my box with all kinds of loose papers and cards floating around. I'm excited!

By the way, both the recipes below are fantastic! I was a little bit leery of using Root Beer in the pulled pork, but it was delicious!

Four Generations

2010-07-28T21:06:00.001-04:00

Nana. Mom. Me. Riley.

At Old Navy yesterday, one of the sales associates asked us if we were four generations. When we told her we were, she went on to tell us we were “blessed” (so refreshing… most would say “lucky”). I need to make a conscious effort to think that way more often.

Instead of being happy that Riley has two great grandparents living (both of our maternal grandmothers), I have a tendency to be sad that she’ll never meet the ones who have already gone to be with the Lord. I’m sad that she’ll never get to hear stories from David’s and my grandfathers. That she’ll never get asked Jamie’s tough questions (he just wanted you to have an opinion, there wasn’t necessarily a right or a wrong answer). That she’ll never be able to see how sweet David’s Granddad was firsthand (I didn’t know him well, but I certainly enjoyed being around him the few times I was). She’ll just get to hear about those things. I’m thankful that we’ll be able to tell her that they trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Oh, and shopping with your grandmother and great-grandmother has its perks. Riley got the cutest pajamas EVER (along with several other things)! The way she sleeps is super cute, but in these, I can barely resist picking her up and cuddling her. They're so stinkin' adorable!

Sorry there's no picture of Riley in the pajamas. I didn't want to wake her up with the flash, and I didn't think about it this morning.

First Attempt @ Digital Scrapbooking

2010-07-24T16:43:00.005-04:00

click to view larger images

I downloaded a free trial of Photoshop Elements 8 (PSE8) today. Then, I found this free digital scrapbooking kit from ShabbyPrincess.com. I'm thinking it's easy to get hooked on the digital counterpart of scrapbooking. No mess, much faster (it took about 10 minutes after I figured out a little bit about PSE8), cheaper in the long run. The only question is what to do with my old, "real-life" craft supplies.

4 Month Update

2010-07-23T09:42:00.002-04:00

Four months old! I can’t believe it. If it seems like just a few days ago that Riley turned three months old, it’s because her mommy was a slacker on getting the three month post up. To be fair, I do have a very legitimate excuse. In order to make the monthly post, I thought I needed the monthly picture. And, in order to take the picture, I need a white onesie to put the appropriate month sticker on (which are super cute by the way. Check out this Etsy shop if you want to buy a pack for someone you know who’s having a baby.). At three months old, Riley had outgrown her white onesies. It just took me a while to get to Target to replace them. After that huge excuse, I don’t have the “official” 4 month pictures today, but I will post them soon. David and I had so much fun taking them last time, I want to wait until he’s able to take them with me. Hopefully tomorrow.

Here’s a peek at what our little girl is up to:

…giggling and laughing at various things. Especially mommy singing to her and moving her arms and legs.

…rolling and scooting all over the place, especially in the crib.

…sucking and chomping on her fingers like it’s going out of style. I’m really hoping that teeth aren’t in our near future.

…going to bed at 8 o’clock.

…reaching for toys.

…able to pull the dragon fly hanging above her playmat to make the toy sing.

…going to people much more easily. She doesn’t cry when she’s not with me like she used to.

…watching everything. She’s always checking out what’s going on around her.

…sleep is better than it was at 3 months but not quite as good as it was at 2.

It’s amazing how quickly a third of a year has passed. I can’t believe my little baby has gone from this

Vintage Riley Grace

to this.

she loves her blanket from Grandmommy

Project Organization: Kitchen Cabinets

2010-07-22T18:38:00.002-04:00

My Supervisor

Today I decided to buckle down on one of my summer goals: getting (and staying) organized. It's about time since there's not many days left in what most would consider summer. Even though the official end of the season isn't until September twenty-first, I really did need to get a move on it.

Turns out, all I needed was a little bit of inspiration. I know I've linked to it recently, but kevinandamanda.com really got the ball rolling for me. Yesterday, when I saw Amanda's post on organizing her kitchen cabinets, I decided I "had" to go to Wal*mart to follow her lead. Riley and I headed out today and, after a wild goose chase through the home section, we finally found the kitchen organizers we were looking for.

I picked up three organizers almost like this one (they were just the Walmart brand in stead). While I was there, I also picked up two spice shelves along the lines of this (it's made out of a different material, but the concept is the same).

In under 30 minutes, I was able to organize three cabinets in my kitchen. See the before and after photos below.

Please don't judge me for the disorganization! I know it's ridiculous, but at least I took steps to rectify the situation. I really do want to organize our home and have it stay that way!

I used two racks in the cabinet where I keep my pots and pans. One holds my skillets and the other holds the lids to everything. I wish I had a better way to store my pots, but there's really no other option with the way our kitchen is set up.

This cabinet is underneath the "junk drawer" and it took on the same look: junky. How Pyrex dishes and phone books go together, I don't know.

I used one of the racks to organize my glass bakeware and moved the odds and ends to another, more appropriate home. Now I won't have to make a terrible racket every time I need to get a dish... inevitably, the one I need is always on the bottom!

Lastly, I tackled my spices. Whenever I need one, I always have to take about 5 out since they're so hard to see.

These "shelves" made it easy to organize all my spices. It is a little bit awkward because of the limited space. I wanted to put the biggest containers on the back shelf, but they were too tall to fit. Regardless, I'd say it's a huge improvement over how it looked before adding the shelves.

This is the first in what will hopefully be quite a series. Project Organization is underway at the Brown house!

Had to share

2010-07-21T23:03:00.000-04:00

I've just heard of two people who haven't had to buy birthday presents for their kids in a year because of Swagbucks. One lady on a message board I post on said that she's gotten $500 in Amazon gift cards. I'm so excited about this! It's a great way to get some spending money! You get 30 bucks just for signing up!

The Results Are In

2010-07-21T15:11:00.003-04:00

^click to enlarge

The results are in. I have to say a huge, "THANK YOU!" You all did make me feel better about how often I clean my house! Like most of you, since Riley's been born, the deep cleaning has only been getting done about once a month. I sweep, vacuum, and scrub toilets between those in-depth cleanings; but things definitely don't look like they did prior to Riley's birth.

Before Riley was born I had a binder that had lists of things to do for every day. I'm reworking my routines since my life has changed so much since "bringing home baby." I think loose guidelines will help me get things done and clean my house more often.

I will update on the progress!

The Battle's Won!

2010-07-20T17:28:00.001-04:00

I am so happy to announce that the sleep war seems to have ended (I’m oh-so-scared to even type that for fear of “jinxing” ourselves)! Riley has been back to her good, night-sleeping self for a little while now! Then, to make matters even better, she has been taking great naps on her own since Saturday.

We were so happy that Riley was a good sleeper from day one. Right when we were starting to feel confident that she’d be sleeping through the night for the rest of her life, three months happened. With that came a huge growth spurt, the ability to roll over, the necessity to stop swaddling, and an urge to fight sleep with all of her three month old might.

Now, I’m obviously no sleep expert (or else the battle would have never started), but there are several things that we did that really seemed to help Riley get her sleep habits back on track. The nighttime routine has been in place since week 2. The naptime routine was started three weeks ago tomorrow.

At night, we always do the same exact thing. I give Riley a bath around 7:45, dry her off with the hair dryer (she LOVES this), put on lotion, put on her jammies, nurse her, and put her to bed awake (ALWAYS awake). She’s in bed by 8 p.m. every night except Thursdays.

For naps, we change her diaper, read 2 books and rock, turn on white noise, and lay her down in her crib awake. Here’s where the tricky part started. To put herself to sleep, Riley would fuss for a few minutes before each nap. She still does this at times. I would go in if it turned into full on cries, but let her learn to put herself to sleep while she fussed a little bit.

Once she was finally asleep, she would generally wake up around 20 minutes into a nap. So, I used Dr. Google to diagnose the problem. I got wonderful information from babywhispererforums.com. Babies sleep cycles are weird. Around 25 to 30 minutes into a nap, Riley would startle and wake herself up every nap. So, per suggestion of the ladies on the website, I sat by her crib and when she started to stir, I would firmly put my hands on her arms and legs. This is called holding through the jolts (HTTJ). If I caught it in time, she would stay asleep. If I missed my window, she would wake up still tired and fighting sleep even harder than before. So… I faithfully sat by her crib waiting for the first little stir.

For two and a half weeks, I sat by her crib for EVERY nap and held her as she stirred. I was scared that I would be doing this until she started kindergarten, but I stuck with it. Then, I gradually had to hold her less and less. After two and a half weeks of HTTJ, I’m thrilled to tell you she’s able to get herself through to the next sleep cycle! She has consistently napped at least one and a half hours since Saturday. I cannot begin to tell you how much happier Riley is! I also have to admit that I’m much happier, too! I need a little bit of time to get things done around the house, and I’m much happier doing it while Riley’s napping. I hate wasting quality “awake time” on stuff I can do while she’s sleeping.

So… I know no one else cares about all this, but I want to remember all the little details about Riley’s infancy. Plus, who knows, maybe it’ll help somebody else one day.

Value the Eternal Stuff

2010-07-19T12:15:00.003-04:00

<<<<< First of all, please vote in the poll and make me feel better about how often I clean my house.

Okay. I'll admit it. I’m weird. I absolutely LOVE school supplies. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I loved school when I was growing up. Or, maybe it has to do with the fact that I’m a teacher, I really don’t know. I just know this: buying college-ruled paper, mechanical pencils, and fine point pens (never the gel kind!) makes me smile!

I “had” to go to Wal*mart on Saturday and guess what was on sale? Virtually every single school supply known to man. Crayola crayons, pink erasers, the works. If I had oodles of money, I would have perused the section for adorable notebooks, patterned pencils, and brightly colored markers. Needless to say, we don’t have loads of extra cash sitting around, so I settled for scotch tape and notebook paper.

As I was walking down the aisles, it made me think of how quickly Riley’s going to arrive at the school-age years. I’ve mentioned it before: She’s getting too big too fast. She’s lost that “newborn” look and moved on to “infant.” Each new stage is fun (oh how we love the smiles, giggles, and babbling!). One stage that I can’t wait to start is the school stage. I’m looking forward to sharing my love of school & learning with Riley. I can’t wait to set up a school area in our house where Riley and I can spend time conducting experiments and sounding out words. Where we can study history and work out word problems. I can’t wait, but I can. I don’t want to rush it.

But all this thinking about school and learning made me think of one more thing. If Riley learns anything from her mommy, I hope she learns that many things are even more important than knowing all the presidents, multiplication tables, and capitols. I hope she can recite more Bible verses than she can nursery rhymes. I hope I teach her that living for Jesus is always worth it. I hope, by example, I teach her how to be a good wife and mother.

So many people value their kids’ educations, as they should. They focus on getting them into a good college and having them find a high-paying career (which is becoming increasingly more difficult in our present economy). Those things are fine. But, if Riley gets to be 25 and makes good money and has a string of letters behind her name, what good will that do her in eternity? I want to teach her value eternal things.

For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

Mark 8:36

Swagbucks

2010-07-17T23:42:00.000-04:00

Until today, I'd never heard of "Swagbucks." Then, in one afternoon, I came across two blogs (I'm Simply Sarah & fidledeedee)mentioning how you can earn points and redeem them for rewards. You can earn points by using their search engine, voting in daily clicky polls, and shopping through their site (you can connect to Walmart.com, iTunes, etc.). I haven't had time to research it totally, but you can earn Target, Starbucks, and Barnes & Noble gift cards. I signed up and have already earned some points. Click on the banner above to sign up for yourself!

Always Behind the Camera

2010-07-17T09:51:00.002-04:00

As some of you may know, I love justmommies.com. The week I found out I was pregnant, I joined a "Due Date Club" for moms due in April. The April 2010 girls are great... we'd share weird symptoms, talk about cankles and cravings, and daily life. Now, it's been about a year since we started up and all our babies are here. We love sharing pictures of them, and not too long ago, someone asked to see pictures of the babies with their mommies. I went on a picture scavenger hunt and found out that I have about three photos (other than the ones Chloe took for us) of Riley and me. That has to change. I can't always be the one behind the camera!

Yesterday, Riley looked so cute and she was very happy (though you can't tell in the pictures below), so I decided to snap a few photos of the two of us... myself. Out of sixteen shots, these are three that are decent (i.e., in the picture). The first and last are my favorites. The one in the middle wouldn't be terrible if I hadn't knocked her headband off.

67 Years

2010-07-16T13:10:00.002-04:00

My friend, Carrie, and I went to lunch with our babies today (it's so nice to have a friend who's at the same place in her life! Landon is just 5 and a half weeks older than Riley.). We met the cutest couple sitting next to us... I'd seen them at Dustin's before and thought they were adorable (they used to always match). Today, the wife came over to check out the little cuties (lunchtime conversation is interrupted much more often now that we've got them to draw attention). We started talking and found out they've been married 67 years! When the average marriage ends in divorce by year 8, they've obviously got something going for them... If I see them again, I'm planning on asking them their secret.

I'm thankful that my parents and grandparents made it far past the national average. My parents have been married 31 years and my granddad died a few days before my grandparents' fifty-second wedding anniversary. David and I haven't even made it to four years yet, but Lord willing, we'll make it way past that. I'm so thankful for the wonderful husband God's blessed me with. Our little family has only gotten sweeter since Riley Grace joined us.

I doubt we'll live to see our sixty-seventh wedding anniversary (we'd both be 88), but I'm confident that if we keep our focus on the Lord, our marriage will get "sweeter as the years go by."

Click here to getImages & Holding Hands Pictures

Boating With Uncle Christopher

2010-07-15T18:11:00.006-04:00

Font Tutorial

2010-07-15T10:29:00.006-04:00

While Riley's napping, I enjoy making changes to my blog. I love kevinandamanda.com! It has tons of cute fonts and has tutorials for making changes to a blog. Today, I changed the titles to my posts and sidebar to a cute font using this tutorial.

Purity Revisited

2010-07-14T09:57:00.005-04:00

It's so hard to believe that David and I have been married three and a half years! Time flies. Before we got married, we spent many of our "dating/courting/whatever you call it" days in separate states. That made the purity thing much easier. It's a lot harder to be tempted to go "farther" than the Bible permits when you're 600+ miles apart. When David moved here, though, we knew we wanted to stay pure to please our Savior and our parents.

Thankfully, we weren't stupid enough to think "it would just happen." Sure, we were saved. We definitely wanted to do what was right, but we also realized that we still had bodies of flesh. We also knew that there was nothing good in the flesh (Romans 7:18 says, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing..."). We came up with a list of things that we thought would help us meet our goal of being pure on our wedding day.

I'm going to share this list at our summer young ladies' Bible study tonight, so I thought I would share it here, too:

Before you read further, though, I encourage you to take a look at this post about the definition of purity.

Limit (even better, omit) physical touch. I Corinthians 7:1
Limit time alone. Romans 13:14, Philippians 3:3
Pray. James 5:16, Hebrews 4:15-16
Seek godly counsel and prayer. Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 12:15
Dress carefully (click here to read my previous post on modesty and to get the verses that go with this point).
Relate to friends of the opposite gender as someone else's husband. Until you walk down that aisle and say "I do," you don't know for sure that you'll get married to that person. If s/he ends up marrying someone else, would his or her spouse be okay with what you're doing? If you end up marrying someone else, would you be okay telling your future husband or wife all the things you've done with your current boy/girl friend?

You definitely don't have to use our list, but if you're not married, I encourage you to come up with a plan to stay pure before marriage and stick to it! If you're already married, be one of those people who gives wise counsel and good advice and help those you know who aren't married. Either one would please our Savior!

3 Month Update... Finally

2010-07-12T08:45:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know. This update is VERY late. Riley has been 3 months since the 23rd of June... It's about time I updated with the 3 month pictures and stats. She'll be four months old in just 12 days. I honestly can't believe it.

Riley's newest trick is rolling over! She thinks it's great. Mommy and Daddy aren't so sure, though. Until she started this new trick, she was swaddled at night and for naps. Now, she can't be swaddled because she can't lift her head up if she gets to her tummy. To put it lightly, t's been an interesting couple of days.

I just reread Riley's 2 month update. At that time, She was sleeping at least 7 hours straight each night. Not so anymore. Just a few days after the three month mark, Riley has been waking up much more during the night. I've read that it has to do with the mega three month growth spurt. I've also heard that it lasts about a month. If that's the case, we're on the tail end. I must admit, I'm ready for my good sleeping baby back! I love spending time with her, but I can get my fill during the day.

Riley Update

2010-07-05T14:37:00.004-04:00

So much has happened in Riley's life since I last updated. I could go into all the gory details, but since it's been so long, I'll resort to a list.

In the past few weeks Riley...

took her first road trip
went to her first wedding
went to her first funeral
met all her AL family
took her first plane trip
visited Washington, D.C.
was surrounded by teenagers for 5 days
got her ears pierced
turned 3 months old
has gone to war with naps (I love my little girl, but I'm happy to announce that she is losing the battle!)
celebrated her first 4th of July

And I know a post isn't good unless it includes pictures of the little lady, so I'll add those later. I have the newest pictures on my other laptop.

Getting Crafty

2010-06-23T12:30:00.003-04:00

Just had to share this bow. When I was in labor, my aunt brought me a beautiful baby dress from the GAP. The package had this ribbon tied around it. I've wanted to make a bow out of that ribbon ever since. I finally got around to it last night: this was the result. I love the way it turned out and I can't wait to make some more bows!

Photo Ramblings: June

2010-06-22T20:56:00.004-04:00

Heading Out

2010-06-02T16:28:00.002-04:00

David's granddad passed away this morning after a massive heart attack earlier this week. Thankfully, he was saved and, though the family is sad, there is hope of a reunion in heaven. Please pray for David's family as they go through this. Also, please pray for us as we travel. I'm a little bit nervous making a 14 hour trip with Riley. I know the trip will take much longer than it's supposed to, but I'm sure she'll do fine. She's just not the biggest fan of her car seat.

Unpopular Opinions

2010-05-28T15:53:00.001-04:00

I recently read a forum post where people were asked to share their unpopular opinions. I had to stop and think: What are my unpopular opinions? By unpopular, I mean un-liked by the general public.

Here are a few of mine:

-I believe that placing your faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. If you haven't trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, I believe you will spend eternity in hell when you die. Though this belief has never been especially popular, it's becoming less accepted as Americans get further and further away from the Bible.

-I believe in sharing my faith in Jesus Christ with anyone who will listen (and even those who won't by things like signs and bumper stickers). If you truly believe something, why wouldn't you want to share it? To me, this whole "believe anything you want" trend simply implies that people really don't have firm convictions about anything.

-I believe in sticking to your unpopular opinions, especially if they are biblically based. Don't change your opinion because of peer pressure. Don't change your principles because they don't fit into people's expectations.

If you are truly a Christian (one who is Christ-like), you can't help but have some viewpoints that go against the grain. I encourage you to stick to your convictions; stand up for what's right. Be bold and share your faith with those around you!

Bath-Time Then & Now

2010-05-26T17:37:00.005-04:00

We've gone from this after baths...

to this.

I'd say we're moving in the right direction, wouldn't you?

2 Months

2010-05-25T11:12:00.007-04:00

Riley turned two months old on Sunday. It's so hard to believe that two months have passed since she was born! She's developed quite the personality in these past couple months.

Here are some recent happenings in Riley's life:

-she's been smiling at people other than mommy and daddy when they talk to her

-she's been consistently sleeping 7 consecutive hours, followed by another 3 or 4 (we thank you, little girl!)

-she screams when she's put in the car seat because she would rather stay out and play

-she always starts fussing when Bro. James starts preaching, but quiets down immediately when I leave the auditorium

-she responds by cooing when we talk to her

-she has started sitting in the Bumbo, but only likes it for a few minutes

-she LOVES bath time and knows when it's coming. She can be fussy in the evening, but as soon as you take her clothes off, she calms down because she loves the water!

-she enjoys being outside. Often that's all it takes to calm her down when she's crying

-she has real tears

We can't imagine life without her!

Smiley Riley

2010-05-24T18:28:00.003-04:00

this face make my heart happy

it doesn't get much cuter than this

2 month post soon to come!

I'm A Terrible Mother...

2010-05-22T07:20:00.002-04:00

At some point yesterday afternoon, Riley fell asleep in her car seat. When I checked on her a few minutes later, her headband totally covering her eyes. Thankfully, she didn't mind it like she does when she was awake. I must admit, all I could do was laugh. I moved it out of her eyes right after taking this picture and she never woke up at all. Lucky for her. If she had, next time it happened I would have left it until she woke up.

Don't Be a Fighter

2010-05-21T14:15:00.005-04:00

of sleep, that is. This post's picture of Riley was taken yesterday afternoon.

Little Riley Grace has decided in the past few weeks that she doesn't like to take naps. Mommy & Daddy both know that she needs them. Her little eyes droop and right when everyone thinks she's finally asleep, they pop open. Wide open. It's hysterical because she has to use all her energy to keep her eyes from closing. Her little forehead gets wrinkled because she's using it to hold them open. We've tried explaining to her that her day would be much more enjoyable if she'd just let sleep come, but she won't listen :).

When she's fighting sleep, there's one thing that does the trick ninety percent of the time: the hairdryer. As weird as it sounds, she can be screaming bloody murder and as soon as we turn it on, she calms down enough to sleep.

You might ask why I only use the dryer as a last resort. I'm afraid if I use it every time, she won't be able to sleep without it. Her future husband probably wouldn't appreciate having to hold the blow dryer by her ear every night so his wife can fall asleep.

There's one other noise that calms Riley down when she's fussy. The first 30 seconds or so of the third song on the fifth CD in my Jeep (it's some CD put out by the Wilds). I'm not joking. She quiets down at the exact same spot in that piece almost every time she's crying. Thankfully, she usually calms down after one or two runs through that section. If not, I would go crazy listening to that over and over again!

Apparently, we have a quirky little girl. I don't think anyone is too surprised, though... David and I are, after all, her mom and dad.

ETA: We have purchased an MP3 of a hairdryer... we play it on our MP3 speaker sometimes. She really likes the real thing better, though. The little stinker!

Birth Story: Better Late than Never

2010-05-20T10:37:00.004-04:00

Warning: this story is LONG!

Our little Riley is 8 weeks and 2 days old, and we still haven’t shared the story of her birth. I’ve been meaning to write it out since that first week, but have been occupied with other things. I don’t want to forget all the happenings (though I’m certain some have slipped our minds already), so I’m going to write it out now.

On March 22, we had our final birthing class. Everyone was supposed to bring snacks, so we didn’t eat dinner beforehand. I ate a few cookies, had some water, and that was that. While we were there, I was having what I assumed were Braxton hicks every 20 minutes or so. I’d been having false contractions since 16 weeks, so I really wasn’t thinking it was anything at all.

We got home around 9. My parents and brother were in their garage, so we went over to talk to them. We threw a football around the garage, talked, and listened to my brother give a presentation he had to give in class the next day. I was still having “contractions” every 20 minutes or so. Around 1 a.m., David and I made our way home and went to bed.

Around 3 a.m., I woke up with terrible cramps. Sorry for the TMI, but I thought I had to go to the bathroom. Afterwards, I felt better, so I went back to bed only to be awakened a few minutes later feeling the same way. At this point, I realized I was having contractions. I got out the computer and went to the Contraction Master website to time them. I let David sleep because I figured it was nothing.

After about an hour, my contractions were stronger and getting closer together. One lasted so long I decided I’d better wake David up. We went out to the couch where we continued to time them. They were pretty consistent and still getting more painful and closer together.

After another hour, we decided to get ready to head to the hospital later that morning. I was only 38 weeks, 3 days along, so I thought I’d have a little while to finish packing my bags. No such luck. I was running around between contractions trying to get everything we needed.

Around 6:30, we hit the road. I wasn’t 100% sure we needed to go in yet, but I didn’t want to get stuck in rush hour traffic and have the baby in the car (HA! We could have waited until rush hour that night and been fine… little did I know!). My dad drove us to the hospital in Orlando so David could sit in the back with me. Of course, once we were on our way, the contractions spaced out a little bit. This convinced me it was a false alarm, but we were already headed there. No turning back now.

We made it to Winnie Palmer around 7:30. Thankfully triage was virtually empty. When we got into triage, I was 5 cm dilated and 100% effaced. I was Group B Strep (GBS) positive, so they wanted to start me on IV antibiotics right away. They told me the name of the medicine, and I had paperwork with me saying that my GBS was resistant to that particular antibiotic. No one would listen to me, though, so they gave it to me anyway.

I was in a labor and delivery room in no time. When the doctor came in, he was going to break my water. It turns out that I was right about the antibiotic, though, and they had to give me something else. So, that stalled the water breaking for 6 hours (they want it in your system that long before the baby goes through the birth canal).

At some point, around 7 centimeters, I got an epidural. HEAVEN! You ladies that go all natural are insane (if you read this Jennifer, I really do love you!). The epidural was perfect. It took the edge off the pain, but I could still move my legs and feel when I was having contractions. I also had a button I could push for extra medicine.

They broke my water around 5 o’clock. We still waited a little while before I started pushing. Around 5:30, I guess, they had me start doing some practice pushes. The nurse said I’d have a baby before her shift was over at 7. She lied.

I had pushed for about 3 or 3 and half hours (in MANY different positions) when my doctor came in and said that if I hadn’t had the baby in 30 minutes, I was going to the OR for a c-section. Needless to say, that motivated me to push even harder, if that was possible. She came back to check on me 20 or so minutes later, and said that it was too late for a c-section.

I ended up having to have a second degree episiotomy to get Riley out. After the procedure, she was out in just a few minutes. I couldn’t believe it when they told me her cord was wrapped around her neck! I’m just so thankful that she was okay. They said most babies with a “nuchal cord” don’t respond well to long labors. Thankfully, Riley did. In fact, during labor, the doctor and nurse kept saying that I had an “exceptional baby” her heart rate stayed strong the entire time.

When she was born, they immediately put her on my chest and David cut her cord. All three of the Browns in the room were crying. They took her over to the “baby center” in the room where the pediatric nurses took care of cleaning her up, weighing her, etc. Her apgar scores were 8 and 9.

I didn’t expect to be in active labor for 19 hours or to have to push for almost 4, but it really wasn’t as bad as I expected. The cliché is true: When you see your baby, hold her for the first time, you really don’t care about the pain anymore.

Those First Few Weeks

2010-05-19T16:45:00.004-04:00

While at lunch with a good friend today, we got talking about a blog she likes to read. When I got home, I decided to check it out while it was still fresh in my mind (I've definitely decided that "mommy brain" is much worse than "preggo brain."). One of the entries I came across on this blog (im a rad mom.) was called "motherhood is insanity." In this article, this mommy describes the feelings a new mother goes through.

After Riley was born, I went through a whole cycle of emotions (my loving brother described it as "o.d.ing on hormones"). Elation. Fear. Joy. Uncertainty. Did that mean I wasn't 100% happy to have my little girl here? Nope. Did I wonder if my relationship with my husband would ever be the same again? Yes. Did I have a minute of thinking our life was so perfect, did we mess it up? Not exactly, but I did wonder what types of changes were on the horizon. I'm so happy to learn that I'm not alone!

Now we're eight weeks and one day out (but who's counting?). The emotional roller coaster has leveled out, and I'm 100% content with my life as a new mom. I still worry about things like letting her cry for 2 minutes while I finished my oatmeal. I still ask myself questions like, "Is that poop too runny?" All in all, though, I've gained lots of confidence.

So, if you've been through the gamut of emotions every new mom must go through, that means you're normal! If you haven't been through them yet, get ready, it's quite a ride.

But, you end up with the greatest blessing you can ever imagine. A little bundle of joy who relies on you for everything.

Life couldn't be better!

This picture was taken when Riley was just under 2 weeks old...

When she liked to sleep during the day.

Eight Week Update

2010-05-19T10:00:00.002-04:00

Riley turned eight weeks old yesterday. It's still so hard to believe how quickly time flies. Sunday she will be two months old. Next week she has her two month appointment with the pediatrician with shots. I'm sure Riley will do much better with the vaccinations than I will. In one way, I'm glad she has an appointment soon: I'm excited to see how much she weighs and how long she has gotten.

In the past week Riley seems to have become a little less fussy in the evenings. She has been enjoying Daddy time. They sit in "the chair" and read books, hang out at the changing table (it's Riley's favorite spot), and, if she's fussing, "dance" around the living room with David shushing in her ear. I'm so thankful for a husband who thoroughly enjoys his baby and helps out with her when he can.

I'm also thankful that I have a friend who's going through the same things. My friend Carrie had a baby 5 and a half weeks before I did. Landon and Riley aren't old enough to enjoy play-dates as much as we do, but it's nice to get out of the house with someone else who has to stop to nurse, change diapers, and sooth a crying baby.

Summer Goals List

2010-05-17T20:27:00.004-04:00

Things I want to accomplish this summer:

Read at least 5 books (non-fiction)
Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight
Research baby sign language
Read through the Old Testament
Finish Created to Be His Help Meet & the journal that goes along with it

And The Little One Said, "Roll Over!"

2010-05-17T11:16:00.005-04:00

Riley rolled over from her tummy to her back today. She has done it while propped up on blankets for "tummy time," but today she did it while flat on her stomach! It's amazing how happy little things like that can make a mommy. She worked so hard to accomplish something so little.

Other recent "milestones" include graduating from newborn diapers, growing into 3 month Carter onesies, and putting her hand in her mouth on purpose. Up until now, Riley occasionally would find her finger or fist and suck on it. Now, she purposefully puts her hands in her mouth. I go back and forth about taking her hands out and putting a pacifier in. I can take a paci away later, but hands are a little bit more difficult. I definitely don't want a six year old who sucks her thumb.

Photo Ramblings: Riley Grace Brown

2010-05-16T23:55:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Chloe for the fantastic photos! We're so thankful we have a friend who's a photographer.

chloebloomphotography.com

Plans

2010-05-16T15:29:00.002-04:00

Ever since Riley was born, I've put blogging (and lots of other things... think cleaning my house) on the back burner. It's really easy to do when you have a little girl to feed, cuddle, and play with. At the same time, I'm not into journaling on "real paper," so I want to keep records of Riley's early weeks and months somewhere. My plan is to have at least one Riley update a week. Chances are, it won't work out that way, but that is my intention at the moment.

And, simply because she's a cutie, here's a picture of Riley Grace:

Riley Update

2010-04-25T20:13:00.004-04:00

Riley Grace from birth to 1 month.

I really can’t believe it! Riley Grace is now one month and 2 days old! I really didn’t think that time passed slowly while I was pregnant, but now that she’s here – I’m reconsidering my position! Compared to how quickly this month has flown by, each of the nine months during my pregnancy seemed like forever. People keep saying, “Time is going to pass so quickly so enjoy every moment!” and I want to tell them to shut their mouths! I want to savor every second, every milestone with my baby.

I’ve always been the type of girl that loves things to go by quickly. High school and college, etc. couldn’t pass quickly enough (though I really did enjoy both, I was simply ready to go to the next step). Now that I’m a mom, I’ve totally changed my tune. I’ll probably say this at every age, but I love this time! I love that Riley will cuddle with us and sleep in our arms. I love that she relies on us for everything… there is no independence. I love that when I make a parenting mistake, she doesn’t know it and still “loves” me unconditionally (that’s because I provide the food).

I really am looking forward to Riley smiling at me and knowing it. I’m looking forward to hearing her giggle. I can’t wait to teach her piano or homeschool her. I know I’ll love each stage, I just want each one to last a while.

Thoughts on Being a Mother

2010-03-30T19:19:00.007-04:00

I just want to say that there's nothing like it. From the time I was a little girl on up into my twenties, I've always dreamed about what it would be like to have a baby of my own. To be a mom. Then, David and I got married, and he was added to the mental image. Before I married him I knew he would be an amazing daddy.

Now, just one week into this amazing journey, I can honestly say that being a mom to Riley Grace is better than I could have ever hoped it to be. David is an even better daddy than I could have hoped and prayed he would be (though he is a little difficult to rouse in the middle of the night). I know we're totally biased, but we think we have the cutest, sweetest baby that there ever was. She's sleeping well (though she is a newborn... like Bro. James says, "I'd rather sleep like a teenager than a baby."), having alert times after almost every feeding, and totally melting our hearts into puddles.

We're tired, but happy. I'm sure I could come up with more to write, but right now, I want to go enjoy my baby girl!

Photo Ramblings: Riley Grace Brown

2010-03-26T22:17:00.001-04:00

A few more Riley pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Our Little Riley Grace

2010-03-24T12:49:00.001-04:00

Riley Grace Brown was born at 9:42 p.m. on March 23

She weighed in at 6 lbs, 6 oz. and is 19.5 inches long.

Needless to say, David and I are both so happy that she's here!

38(ish) Week Stats

2010-03-19T23:29:00.002-04:00

How far along? 37 weeks, 6 days, 23.5 hours (it's late...)

Total weight gain: honestly not sure. It varies from day to day, depending on how puffy the ankles are, etc. I'd guess somewhere between 25 and 30. Really not concerned about it. I've been walking and eating pretty well.

Maternity clothes? I still have a few outfits that fit okay... I just refuse to buy new clothes when I'd only be wearing them for a few weeks.

Sleep: I've actually been sleeping a little better. I'm trying to get myself REALLY tired before I go to bed so that once I'm there each night, it's easier for me to fall asleep.

Gender: Not including this any longer!

Belly Button: sadly, my belly button has "popped" just as much as my stomach.

What I miss: sleeping on my stomach, not getting up at night to use the bathroom, skinny ankles, etc.

What I am looking forward to: meeting this little girl! I can't believe that my due date is only 14 days from tomorrow! I honestly thought these last few weeks would drag by super slowly, but they haven't!! We always stay busy, and being 8.5 months pregnant isn't going to stop me now, I guess :)

Weekly Wisdom: It's a little bit hard to hear ten and twelve year old girls in Target whisper to each other, "Wow! She's really big!" I'm not used to drawing that kind of attention.

Milestones: Well, I'm 2 cm dilated and 90% effaced as of Wednesday. I know that can mean absolutely nothing, so please refrain from telling me that I'm going to be pregnant for the next six weeks. I'm just choosing to be happy that whenever my body does decide that labor is going to start that I'll have a little bit under my belt.

34(ish) Week Stats

2010-02-25T10:19:00.002-05:00

How far along? 34 weeks, 5 days

Total weight gain: about 22 lbs... that's according to my scale at home. They weighed me at the doctor yesterday, but nobody told me what I weighed... guess it's nothing to be concerned with.

Maternity clothes? Of course... I still haven't taken the leap into maternity pj's. At this point, I guess I probably won't. I did have to steal a t-shirt from David's drawer yesterday... his larges are much more comfy than my small t-shirts.

Sleep: Let's not go there... I sleep late because from about 5 to ::coughs in shame:: 10 is the only time I can sleep without getting up every hour to use the bathroom. I told David I'm going to start going to bed around 3 a.m.

Gender: Not including this any longer!

Belly Button: sadly, my belly button has "popped" just as much as my stomach.

What I miss: shopping for and wearing "normal" clothes. At first, maternity clothes seem so cute and fun. After this long, though, I'm not even interested in looking at more. What's the point?

What I am looking forward to: Birthing classes start on Monday... it's not terribly exciting, but it is great to know that it'll be something to do every week for the next four weeks... I think it'll help the time pass more quickly... even though it has been passing VERY quickly lately anyway.

Weekly Wisdom: Nurses at the doctor's office should all be like the one I had yesterday: weigh me without giving me the results, tell me that I'm in the homestretch, and talk about how great it will be to see pictures of our baby up on their wall!

Milestones: I start every week appointments now. Oh, and I also have started washing baby clothes!!! Needless to say, that has been very exciting. David even likes to help me fold baby clothes : )

You Should Never, Ever...

2010-02-16T17:02:00.003-05:00

... tell an expectant woman in her third trimester that she has "a while" left in her pregnancy. I understand hearing that when you're 10, 12, or 20 weeks along; but come on, people! Do I really have "a while" left when I'm 33.5 weeks pregnant (If you think so, you've been warned to keep your opinion to yourself.). Sometimes I feel like the next 6.5 weeks can't pass quickly enough, but when I think that I'll be considered full term in just 3.5 weeks, it's a real wake-up call! I have so much to do before that time comes!

Oh, and for those of you (you know who you are) who thought I was waddling in January, I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that I'm still not waddling in February. Thank you very much. : )

Photo Ramblings: Riley Grace's Nursery

2010-02-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

32 Week Stats & Belly Shot

2010-02-10T18:40:00.004-05:00

How far along? 32 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: 21 lbs... The plan is to keep it at or under 30.

Maternity clothes? I actually didn't wear a maternity skirt or shirt yesterday. Granted, I bought the shirt while very pregnant so you can't tell that it's not, but still! I do have a couple skirts that still fit under the belly. The problem is finding shirts long enough to cover the whole belly!

Sleep: Interrupted quite often by the urge to go potty! I seriously get up every two hours every single night. I guess this is God's way of preparing me for being up with Riley. Should I start waking David up each time so he's prepared?

Gender: Not including this any longer!

Belly Button: sadly, my belly button has "popped" just as much as my stomach.

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach & caffeine free diet Dr. Pepper.

What I am looking forward to: My baby shower on February 20th!

Weekly Wisdom: I'm too tired to come up with anything wise!

Milestones: I start going to the doctor every two weeks now, we pre-registered at the hospital a week or two ago, and we're going to start childbirth classes ASAP.

30 Week Stats

2010-01-26T14:47:00.003-05:00

How far along? 30 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain: Do we really have to go there? I think not. I'm still within the limit, but it's getting harder and harder to look at the scale.

Maternity clothes? Except for p.j.'s, yep.

Sleep: Still pretty good. I'm getting up lots to use the bathroom (Riley seems to think of my bladder as her personal trampoline).

Gender: We're hoping she's still a girl. I've had several people say, "I knew a girl once..." and go on to tell me some story about a "girl" turning out to be a "boy," but we're holding onto the fact that the tech and the ARNP were both confident.

Belly Button: is it possible for a belly button to be half in and half out?? Mine really is kind of that way.

What I miss: Normal hugs from David. We have to do this weird side thing because my belly is in the way.

What I am looking forward to: Carrie's baby shower on the 30th.

Weekly Wisdom: It's probably not a good idea to tell expectant mothers your horror stories. If they're anything like I am, they're already working on not worrying themselves about every little thing.

Milestones: We put together the bassinet and the jogging stroller yesterday. Every little thing we do makes it feel that much more real.

Please continue to pray that the remainder of my pregnancy will be good and that our little girl will arrive healthy!

Another note: Haven't posted much lately because we've been so busy! The annual Bible Conference was wonderful, as usual; and we had a great time with David's parents, two of his sisters (we missed Joanna), and their families. Hopefully now, since everything has slowed down, I'll be able to post more pictures and posts in the near future. Our floors look great and, yes, I'm (or should I say, Riley is) getting big!

The Way Things Always Go...

2010-01-02T13:47:00.002-05:00

I usually have a whole list of new year's resolutions (lose 10 pounds, etc.). This year, I just had a couple... I want to fold laundry as each load comes out of the dryer instead of letting it pile up and not eat french fries in 2010 (I know, I know... David laughed, too). Well, we had a gift card to Applebee's, so we decided to use it last night. I ordered a salad, burger, and baked potato rather than fries. What do you think was piled high on my plate when it came? The most delicious-looking fries ever! Honestly, they're usually soggy and gross, but they were perfect last night. Seeing that it was only "day 1," I figured I couldn't back down, so they brought me my potato and the fries just sat there. I didn't even eat one!

I'm tempted to be proud of myself, but I don't know if I would have had the same will-power in July!

A Year in Review: 2009

2010-01-01T15:20:00.007-05:00

I remember when I was a kid, my dad always said time was "flying." As a child under the age of ten, I had a hard time grasping the concept of time flying. A week seemed like it was an eternity. The older I've gotten (I know, I know... 24 isn't old... but it is older than 8) the more I understand what he meant. It honestly feels like 2009 was about a month long (excluding those 12 weeks of nausea at the beginning of this pregnancy).

Anyways, each year, I write down very random stuff on our wall calendar, in my planner, and in the form of lists. Consequently, I can go back and tell you random facts about our year. For instance, we went to Outback on January 16th to celebrate our 25 month "anniversary." I can tell you that my third grade class took the ITBS during the week of March 23rd. I had my final report cards ready to go home on May 20th, even though they weren't due until the 22nd. Does any of that stuff matter? Probably not to anyone else, but it's really neat to go back year after year and see what happened when. Like, I can tell you the date that David and I met. I can tell you the date that he first said "I love you!" Those are things that are worth remembering.

After looking back on our year, here are the dates that stand out the most:

January 19-22: Annual Bible Conference @ church. David & I met at this meeting 8 years ago!
May 23: David J. & Kimberly got married. All the Brown kids were married off and my in-laws officially became "empty nesters."
May 30: Jamie (my maternal grandfather) went to be with his Savior! A sad day for our family but a joyous day for him.
June 17: Grandma (paternal) went to be with her Savior. We were very unprepared for this.
July 24: The day we found out that we were going to have a baby & the day we shared the news with our parents/siblings!
August 24: The day we got to see our baby for the very first time!
September 21-29: David's mission trip to Guyana. 11 people claimed to trust Christ as their Savior during this week!
November 16: The day we found out our baby was Riley Grace not Jackson David.
December 16: The day we celebrated our 3rd anniversary!

While 2009 had some sad times (deaths of my grandparents), it also had many joyous times. We have spent every day since July 24th praying for and anticipating the arrival of our first baby! Since that day, we have beefed up our family devotion time, doing our best to read the entire Bible aloud to Riley before she arrives. Now, we're enjoying making some changes to our house in preparation for Riley Grace, gearing up for the 2010 Bible Conference, and counting down the days until April 3rd (93, I believe). The David Brown family anticipates a wonderful 2010, hoping and praying that we will bring honor and glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ, in more ways this year than we ever have before!

Happy New Year from us to you!

She Responds!

2009-12-29T15:54:00.004-05:00

One morning, David and I were talking in our bedroom, when his alarm started blaring obnoxious music (he usually has it on the buzzer setting so we don't know what happened). When it went off, it startled Riley, too. As soon as the music started, she jumped. David and I thought it was so neat that she responded to something she heard. I know we won't fully understand a parent's love until she's born, but it is amazing how much we love her already!

Lessons We Learned

2009-12-27T13:12:00.003-05:00

Just a few things that I learned while driving home yesterday.

My husband has traffic-induced psychosis (which he called "psychola"). He goes crazy while stuck in heavy traffic! He was singing, using phony accents, and doing other random things to pass the time. Cute? For a few minutes.
Gas station restrooms are extra-disgusting on heavy travel days. All I have to say is nasty! Being pregnant, they're virtually unavoidable.
Whenever you fall asleep, the cell phone will ring.
While bored, two people can eat ridiculous amounts of delicious junk food, especially when the "junk" is homemade by my mother-in-law.
Vehicles from Illinois and Indiana don't get washed during the winter. We did not see one clean car from either state.
David & I can sing bits and pieces of many, many hymns but we rarely get through an entire piece without mixing up verses or forgetting one entirely. We definitely need to pack a hymnbook from now on.

All in all, we had a great trip. It was good to see David's family, especially the kids. It's amazing how fast they grow. We both appreciate how his sisters make an effort to have their kids know us. We definitely want to do the same when Riley is here!

It Could be Worse...

2009-12-25T01:33:00.003-05:00

According to thebump.com, the worst baby names of 2009 are as follows:

Sparrow James Midnight
Heavenly Joy... this is taking the biblical name thing to a new level. I have heard worse. Glory of God!
Atlas Heche
Mars Merkaba... bad for a boy. TERRIBLE for a little girl!
Bandit Lee... again, it wouldn't be a good thing for a kid to live up to this name, especially not a little girl.
Petal Blossom Rainbow... the Bump summed this one up well... it sounds like one of the "My Little Ponies"
Gunner Flowers... at least they "manlied" it up a little bit with Gunner!

Next time someone tells us that Riley Grace isn't an appropriate name for a little girl, I'm going to pull out this list.

Just one last note: Just a little piece of advice from a pregnant woman. When you ask an expectant mother the baby's name, don't give your opinion unless you like it. She probably doesn't care what you think. If she's telling people the name that's been chosen, I doubt she's looking for an alternative.

Alabama 2009

2009-12-24T23:31:00.002-05:00

My husband has a beard & it feels weird :)

we can't wait until Riley's in the picture next year!

24 week Stats

2009-12-16T16:32:00.006-05:00

How far along? 24 weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain: 11 lbs (it was actually 6 lbs as opposed to five at the last appointment). I had a little bit of a "AHH" moment at the doctor's office today, but she said all is fine and I'm still a little bit behind where I should be. I asked her please not to tell me that anymore! She did mention that it's not unusual to have a couple weeks where the numbers jump more than they usually do.
Maternity clothes? Yep. We're going to AL next week and I'm wondering what I'm going to wear in cold weather!
Sleep: last night, not so well. I'm hoping it's not a new trend! It probably has something to do with the fact that I was up about 6 times to use the bathroom. I'm trying to up my water intake and that really cuts into the sleep.
Best moment this week:Hearing Riley's heartbeat today. It's always a great sound. It's amazing how much louder it gets each time.
Gender: Riley Grace is still a girl! :) Although the common joke is that if she's born on April 1st (I'm due the third), our baby will probably be a boy since it's April Fool's Day!
Belly Button: in or out? Still in. I'm afraid its days are numbered.
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.
What I am looking forward to: Having the flooring done on the 4-6th of January; going to AL next week; and the Bible Conference!
Weekly Wisdom: Drinking tons of water during the day may help Braxton Hicks but it doesn't help sleep!
Milestones: We decided on quite a bit of our "gear" today (stroller, pack-n-play, etc.).

Just Another We'll Never Post

2009-12-13T21:27:00.003-05:00

Some of you might remember my first post on this topic (probably not, but I can hope, right?). Those conversations that David and I have had for the past few years saying, "Our kids won't do..." or "We'll never do that to our kids..."

Well, another made it to the list last night. While at the Debary Christmas parade, we saw this young chid running around against his mother's wishes. After a couple failed attempts to get the child to obey, she said, "You'd better come here, Santa's watching!" Are you kidding me? As if it isn't bad enough that she's lying to the child (I'm assuming it's hers, but I guess I don't know that for sure) about Santa's existence, she's going to lie to the child about his watching the kid's every move? Come on! When that kid lies about where s/he was as a teenager, she shouldn't be surprised if the comeback is something like, "Well, you told me there was a Santa, so now we're even." (That came from Bro. James).

What gets me is this: Christians lie about Santa to their children! I got a subscription to Parents magazine not too long ago and even that magazine says that parents shouldn't even tell "white lies" to their kids! Eventually, it's always going to come back to "bite them in the butt." Yet how many parents tell their kids about Jolly Old St. Nick?

So, for the "we're never list" it's this: Lie to our kids! Even little white ones (with God's help). Not that we ever planned on it, we just never felt the need to discuss it.

Sweet Comment from a Stranger

2009-12-10T16:01:00.004-05:00

So as I've told you before, it's either feast or famine around this blog... right now things seem to be thriving. Two posts in one day used to be nothing, but now it's pretty much unheard of. I think I mentioned to you that the baby is stealing my creative juices. Perhaps today she decided to give them back for a little while.

On Thursday afternoons, a group from our church does a Good News Club at one of the local public schools. Well, today I had the task of picking up the kindergartners (yes, I spell-checked it...) and the first little girl I picked up said, while pointing at the belly, "You have a baby!" It was so cute. She was telling random people as we walked down the hall about my baby. This one lady was standing in the hallway laughing at her so I said something like, "I think everyone can tell." The lady smiled and said, "But you have the cutest figure ever!" Totally the right thing to say to a pregnant woman. With the proverbial hour glass shape long gone, I need to hear things like that from someone other than my husband and mother every now and then (they're just a tad biased).

I think she's my new best friend.

Nursery Wall Decor

2009-12-10T11:39:00.004-05:00

I recently found the website Trading Phrases. It's a great company with hundreds of cute wall decals. The best part? They'll customize something for your wall.

Well, since the bedding that we went with for Riley's room has a little bit of an owl theme, we decided to put a Bible verse pertaining to wisdom on the wall (Please tell me that the wise old owl idea didn't just come from Winnie the Pooh!). Proverbs 9:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." It might not seem like an appropriate verse for a nursery wall, but we want our little girl to grow up fearing the Lord, so we decided to go with it.

Here's what the decal will look like (though the brown is much darker in real life):

I love the way it turned out and can't wait to order it and put it up!

T.M.I.

2009-12-09T21:38:00.003-05:00

Besides the fact that I have a watermelon-shaped object preceding me wherever I go and I can feel a baby girl wriggling inside my “belly,” I really haven’t felt very pregnant for the past six-ish months (have I really forgotten the queasy mornings so quickly??). Regardless, I still don’t understand how there’s one episode, let alone multiple seasons, of the show “I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant.” Has anyone ever met a girl who carried a baby to term (or close) who didn’t know she was expecting? I think it’s absolutely crazy.

Anyways, today, I think I officially feel pregnant. I’m hoping it doesn’t last long. My back has hurt in random places all day, I’m passing gas like a fraternity guy (or my own brother, take your pick), and all I really feel like doing is taking a nap. To top it all off, I ate dinner no more than 25 minutes ago and I already feel hungry. Now it’s not like I ate a side salad and grapefruit… we’re talking about a full-sized meal here. Chicken casserole, rice, and green beans. Shouldn’t I be stuffed?

Just in case Riley ever reads this (don’t know that this blog will even exist by the time Riley Grace learns to read), I don’t mind going through these “symptoms” at all. I just want to have a record of what is happening in my body. As terrible as I am at keeping up with my blog, I’m actually much better at it than I ever have been with real journaling.

23 Week Stats

2009-12-07T17:08:00.003-05:00

How far along? 23 weeks, 2 days

Total weight gain: 5 lbs. But in all honesty, I haven't been accurately weighed since my last appointment. Even if I did step on our scale regularly, who's to know how accurate it is. I'll update weight gain again after my appoinment on the 16th (which by the way is our 3rd anniversary!).

Maternity clothes? yep. You should have seen me ridiculously squeezed into a non-maternity outfit the other day... not.cute. Not planning on trying to pull that off again until April (unless I'm just hanging around the house... in such cases, I try to save what actually looks good for going out).

Sleep: besides the strange dreams, not bad! I had a dream that I was subbing for the school where I taught third grade and the new teacher quit that day... I was begging for my job back, but "just until the baby comes."

Best moment this week: Watching my stomach move. Riley apparently thinks she's going to be playing football later in life and has decided to start practicing early... I'm getting kicked as a type. I LOVE IT! It's so reassuring.

Movement: see above

Gender: GIRL (does this really need to be included each time I update?? Probably not, but just in case someone new stops by, I'll keep it.)

Belly Button in or out? Still in. Though it definitely looks different than before.

What I miss: Am I allowed to be totally honest and say my flat stomach?? I don't mind having a baby belly, but it is taking some getting used to.

What I am looking forward to: We're working on making some changes to our house (replacing some flooring, making our porch part of the house.); it will be very nice to have those things finished! I'm also looking forward to working on Riley's room some more.

Weekly Wisdom: Researching items for baby is more work than I could have ever imagined! There are mixed reviews on virtually everything! I'm just thankful for friends who have "been there, done that" when it comes to all the baby stuff... I find them very helpful!

Milestones: I started a baby registry at Babies R Us. I haven't finished it yet, but at least it's a start!

Monday's are my "work around the house" days, so I haven't had a shower yet... Perhaps after I shower and change I'll post a new belly pic. It's weird... I felt like I looked smaller this morning. Perhaps a picture to compare will prove me wrong.

One final note: Went to the cardiologist on Friday to see if pregnancy is putting any strains on my heart. Thankfully, everything checked out great. Unless there are other complications (not heart related), I'm fine for a vaginal delivery! I was really praying that due to my atrial fib I wasn't automatically going to have to have a c-section. The cardiologist did say that it's likely I'll go into a-fib during delivery. The thought of that really scares me. If you would, please join David and me in praying that doesn't happen.

Taco Bell Order

2009-12-02T12:29:00.002-05:00

Christopher (my brother, for those who don't know) would appreciate these guys' ability to keep things "funky and fresh." Pause music at the bottom of my blog before watching the video.

Home Tweet Home

2009-11-23T14:44:00.004-05:00

I just ordered Riley Grace's first toy. David and I saw it at Pottery Barn last week, but we wanted to see if it would go on sale. Saw that it was today, so we went ahead and bought it for her room. The little birds even tweet.

21 Week Belly Picture

2009-11-23T10:20:00.006-05:00

I didn't realize how tired I looked! This is before my Sunday afternoon nap :)