7 months

Porter turned 7 months last week. Unfortunately, we had a sick household and there wasn't much picture taking going on. But we are all on the mend now. (Hopefully.)

We go to the doctor next week, but I'd say that Porter weighs 11 pounds. He's still a little bitty fella, that's for sure.

He is starting to wear 3-6 month clothes. They swallow him whole, but he needs the length. His build reminds me very much of Ella Beth - long and skinny!

Porter is a fantastic eater. I pray that it continues! I am hopeful that since I am making all of his baby food that he will not have a "texture issue" like his big brother. And his mama. Ahem. Although I pulse his food as much as possible, foods such as peas and green beans still have a good bit of texture to them. His favorite foods are sweet potatoes, pears, and strawberries. He has just this week started eating three meals of baby food, and he is still nursing 6 times a day. His little belly is still giving him a bit of problem, so we are holding out on cereal and grains. However, it is SO HARD because Porter wants to eat everything. He watches every bite I eat and will even try to maneuver my hand to his mouth!

And I would let him eat more, but I don't feel comfortable because he is not sitting up on his own yet. We are working on it, but given the fact that Porter is still the size of an average 2-3 month old, it's just tough. I have had to force myself not to read any more books or do any more "research" online about milestones. Preemies come with their own time table, and as we like to say around here, "Porter will just do things when he does them." It can be hard though because he is not delayed at all when it comes to his mental capabilities. He is ready to sit up and he is ready to feed himself, his tiny body just won't cooperate.

He still moves everywhere! He is learning that he can get to where he wants to be by rolling. Ella Beth did the same thing, and I remember how funny it is to watch! He may be tiny, but he's a determined little fella. :)

Although Porter is still gnawing on everything (yep, still hate that word), there are no teeth yet. Drool? Yes.

Porter's favorite toys are his....FEET!!! It is so funny to watch him play with them. He will chew on his feet, try to catch them as he kicks them all over the place, and if his feet are bare he will even suck on his big toes. :)

Porter's personality has started to come out a bit, and I'm afraid we are going to have a strong willed little boy in the near future. He has no hesitation about letting you know what he's thinking. Goodness help me!!

This is how he falls asleep most of the time. It started out because we used the nose of this little lamb to hold is paci in, but now he puts his arm around it and cuddles. So sweet. :)

Love. Love. LOVE this little fella!

Multitudes on Monday

1376. a baby boy who quickly adjusted to his new crib

1377. making it a family event when we built Porter's crib

1378. working on sitting up with Porter

1379. Ella Beth working so hard to make Porter smile and laugh when he gets fussy

1380. surprise kisses from Landon

1381. Hyland's cough syrup for hacking nighttime coughs

1382. sweet potato pie made from homegrown sweet 'taters

1383. pinto beans and Mexican cornbread on chilly evenings

1384. Porter staying in his PJs all day - making him even cuddlier than ever :)

1385. reading great books late into the night

1386. knowing that I will share a series of books with Ella Beth one day and watch her faith be strengthened by them

1387. warm blankets to sleep under when the weather gets cold

1388. knowing that because Christ lives in me I am able to overcome personal struggles and live free

Colossians 2:6-7, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Remembering "me"

Recently someone made a statement that really made me think. She said, "I think it's so stupid for anyone to color her hair." It was probably directed at moi, but that's OK. This person doesn't have children so she can't possibly understand.

Before I had Ella Beth, I didn't color my hair. I was naturally blonde...lighter blonde in the summer and darker blonde in the winter. But blonde. Naturally.

Then I had Ella Beth.

Then Landon.

Then Porter.

And now...well, one look at my toe heads and it's clear where all of my blonde hairs went. To their heads!

After Ella Beth was born, it was easy to get hi-lights every so often. My hair color didn't change that much, but hormones did take my once light blonde hair to a medium blonde. But I was still blonde and I still felt like "me." Then after Landon, those lovely hormones took my hair a couple of shades darker. And, alas, after the hormones ripped their way through my body with Porter my hair is yet another shade or two darker. I am not a blonde anymore.

Hair to a woman is a very personal thing. It defines us in a way. For a long time, I kept trying to get back to who I was before Ella Beth was born. I wanted to remember "me" as I used to be...young, blonde, cute, full of energy.

But one girl and two boys later, and "me" gets lost most days. I gave up running after those light blonde shades a couple of years ago. It was too time consuming and expensive. But in doing so, I also feel like I had to give up a part of who I used to be.

No one tells us gals what motherhood really costs. No one tells us about being pooped on, vomited on, lied to, snarled at. No one tells us how isolating it can be; how loneliness creeps in when babies' schedules need to be kept. How depressing it is to have to cancel plans because discipline requires consequences. Or how time consuming mundane tasks can be. Or how the excitement of the month is running around with the kiddos cleaning the house because we {finally} have company coming over.

Somewhere in all of that, it's hard to remember the "me" I used to be. My strengths haven't changed - I am still highly organized, creative, thoughtful. But there are times when my strengths feel like they are suffocated. Is it really all that exciting to organize the school room, bathroom cabinets, and pantry again? Is it really considered creative to take the kids on a nature walk in the backyard for the third time this month? And how thoughtful was it really to make the kids' beds for them as a surprise while they ate breakfast?

Some days I feel that my strengths used to be so much more. Like "me" used to be so much...better. 

But then Grace softly blows in. Grace is like that most of the time. It doesn't scream at you; doesn't tackle you to the ground. It whispers.

Grace whispers the reminder that "me" is still wrapped in the Love of my Heavenly Father. He remembers "me" even when I don't. He created the "me" back then, just as He's creating the "me" I am still unfolding into.

It's easy to get lost some days; hard to find the "me" I used to be or the "me" I am now. But God sends His reminder that "me" is not lost; not to Him. No matter what color my hair is.

Jeremiah 31:3, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." (emphasis added)

Baseball Celebration

Of the things that I enjoyed about Landon's first baseball season, the one thing that really sticks out to me is how the focus of Landon's team was about having fun. We played a couple of teams that had very "intense" coaches. And while I appreciate the time and effort those coaches obviously put forth, at the end of the season the boys are still only 4 and 5 years old. I am so glad that Landon had fun and now looks forward to playing again in the spring! For me, I simply want my kiddos to have fun and do their best. Let them be little now - while they are little. If they become competitive on their own as they grow, then they will have my support. But for now...it's these sweet moments of my son's 4-year-old year that make my heart smile.

The celebration was low key and at the baseball field. Eleven boys who are 4 and 5 years old don't want anything more than pizza, cupcakes, and a trophy!

Landon and his cousin, Hayden, had the best time playing on the same team. They are the best of buds. :)

Receiving his trophy from Coach.

So proud! And now we have a great way to display the game ball that he won this season.

Of course, I could have kicked myself in the foot for forgetting my camera. Ugh! But I'm thankful my iPhone is handy for moments such as these!

Multitudes on Monday

1363. Lysol disinfectant spray to keep germs from growing and spreading

1364. sweet little baby socks

1365. enjoying a fall festival with my mom, Ella Beth, and Porter while Scott and Landon stayed home to recouperate

1366. blue-bird days in October so that you can see the mountains from miles away

1367. unexpected financial blessings

1368. already talking about and planning our Disney trip next year...it's been two years in the making already!

1369. the kiddos carving pumpkins and enjoying the icky-gooey-mess inside

1370. hearing the kiddos SQUEAL when we finally lit their pumpkins in the evening's darkness

1371. cute outfits that Porter is growing into

1372. sweet brothers playing under a blanket together

1373. bringing toys down from the attic that have been "resting" for a while so that Ella Beth could regain her excitement for them again

1374. shopping early for Christmas gifts

1375. discussing the true meaning of Christmas with the kiddos {in October} to try and fight against the commercialism that has already begun

2 Corinthians 4:15, "the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."

Failure to Thrive

I took Porter for his well-baby appointment on Monday of this week. To say that the visit didn't go well would be an understatement. At 7 1/2 months Porter weighed in at 11 lbs, 1 oz. He has fallen way off the Preemie Growth Chart, and to say that our pediatrician was concerned would also be an understatement. Thus, Porter was labeled "Failure to Thrive."And on top of that, Porter has prominent ridges on the sides of his skull that are now of concern.

As his Mama, that is simply hard to take. He is a very sweet and happy baby with quite a personality, and to me he's just perfect.

This is Porter's "thing." We call it his pencil, and he will even do it on cue because we all laugh hysterically at him when he does it. He's not shy on being the center of attention. ;)

He has learned to blow raspberries (aka, run his motor), and he crinkles his nose when he does it which I adore.

He L-O-V-E-S his toes!!! Neither one of my other kiddos ever played with their toes much, but Porter's favorite "toys" would be his sweet feet.

 

The whole "failure to thrive" is just throwing me for a loop. It's messing with my head and heart because I pour all of me into my babies. When something is going "wrong" it feels like it's my fault.

We go for ultrasounds and testing at Scottish Rite and then back to the GI specialist in a couple of weeks. I'm trying not to let my mind "go there," but I'm a mama and it's hard not to.

But then I look at these pictures, taken just two days before his appointment, and they give me hope. He's a happy baby. Rotten, too, ahem. But happy. :)

And no matter what the outcomes of our appointments may bring, I trust that God is in control.

Psalm 139:14, "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Mama said there'd be days like this

Mama said there'd be days like this. There'd be days like this, my mama said. We are now going on day 19.

I guess the old saying is true: "When it rains, it pours." Well, it's been pouring sickness throughout our house, and it's been rough. The more people you have in your family, the longer it takes for sickness to pass through and leave. Thank goodness we aren't the Duggars.

It started with me - laryngitis, sneezing, itchy eyes, and a cough. I really thought I had crazy allergies. And life doesn't stop for a sick mama most of the time, so I kept trucking along. Apparently sharing my germs with those I love the most.

Because a week later, Ella Beth had all of my symptoms. I guess it wasn't allergies after all. But she bounced back quicker than I did, and has felt fine for the last week or so.

But of course, Porter wanted to join the party and has now been stuffy and running a low-grade fever all week.

And then at 2:30 this morning, Landon started throwing up and had a fever of 102. He never could keep any Tylenol or Ibuprofen down, so when we went to the doctor at 9:30 his fever was up to 103.1. :(

Poor Scott is living on edge...but he's hoping that this will do the trick:

Me? I'm hoping that everyone feels well very soon. And that I can get a good night's rest!

Multitudes on Monday

1348. taking the kiddos to the fair and seeing their faces light up at all of the excitement

1349. squeals of delight as rides twisted and turned

1350. Landon thinking about me at preschool each day and bringing me home a surprise from the playground - I have quite the collection of acorns these days!

1351. making pumpkin muffins to deliver to Scott's grandmother in her new home

1352. our neighbor, Ms. Vanessa, who delivers fresh apple bread fresh from the oven to us on a crisp, cool evening

1353. watching Ella Beth ride up and down and round and round our cul-de-sac on her bike without training wheels

1354. the pride on my children's faces as they do something they have worked so hard for

1355. taking a day trip to visit my mom with the kiddos and Scott's mom (driving her van)

1356. seeing scarecrows dressed up in many different ways for a Halloween competition

1357. beautiful October skies

1358. coming home from our day trip to find that Scott had secretly taken my car, traded it in, and bought me a new mini-van

1359. crying tears of joy and love from Scott's huge surprise

1360. "magic doors" - as my kids call them on our new van

1361. hearing Ella Beth tell everyone we knew at church about our new van

1362. God's blessing and provision and how He answers prayers...not on our time schedule (e.g. 6 months ago), but in His perfect time and His perfect way

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

The Outer Banks, part 2

There is a lot of history in the Outer Banks. We had a great time learning about the area and that the beach used to be 13 miles off what is now the coast. There was a deciduous forest lining the coast of northern North Carolina hundreds of years ago, and at late tide we were able to see what was left of thousands of tree stumps. Fascinating!!

But the most amazing part of the Outer Banks is that there are wild horses that live there. Their breed line goes back to when the Spanish settled in America. Some of the ships crashed into the trees that were hidden by the ocean, and many of the horses survived by swimming to shore. Landon's absolute favorite movie is Spirit, and since the Outer Banks protects the population of the wild horses, and we knew that we had to go on a tour to see them.

It was easily the highlight of our vacation, and Landon was mesmerized! We took a 3 hour tour in an open Hummer on the Outer Banks Preserve. People are allowed to build homes there (for quite the pretty penny!), but they are not allowed to intrude on the horses.

Our tour was insanely bumpy. There were many times when our guide said, "Hold on. This is going to be a roller coaster!" And he was right!! If I had had any inclination of how the ride was going to be I would never have taken Porter.

But, since we were clueless of just how "off road" we were going, he came along. And I am telling you that this tiny fella FELL ASLEEP! As we were literally bouncing out of our seats and squealing our heads off, Porter slept. (This picture was taken as we loaded up. I was too busy worrying about him being jostled to take a picture of him while we were on the tour!)

We saw some of the prettiest scenery on our tour. It's hard to imagine waking up to the sights of the ocean and beautiful horses just outside your windows each day, but there are some mighty lucky (i.e. rich) people in this world. (Side note: Tom Cruise vacations here regularly...in a house with 28 bedrooms, 3 kitchens, a bowling alley, and 5 pools. So that's the kind of "pretty penny" I'm talking about!)

Our guide said to put our hands up because it was about to feel like a roller coaster!

And it did!!

We were told how rare it is to see horses actually walking the beach, but as our tour was ending we spotted two horses taking a stroll. These pictures were taken at almost dark so there was no way to capture the beauty in a picture, but it was truly a majestic moment. God's creation is simply breathtaking at times.

We ended the night celebrating Scott's dad for his birthday. He had a pretty amazing birthday celebration if you ask me. One he's not likely to ever forget!

The Outer Banks, part 1

We had such a wonderful and memorable vacation this year! We were blessed to be able to go to the Outer Banks due to the generosity of some wonderful people that Scott worked for earlier in the year. We stayed in a gorgeous house directly on the beach. We had our own private pool, three stories of fun, a hammock, more bedrooms than we needed, bunk beds, a huge kitchen...it goes on and on! To say that we have been spoiled by this vacation would be an understatement!!

I have still not gone through all of my pictures (because there are close to 2000 of them and with three kiddos I just can't find the time), but I want to make sure I don't forget any of the fun details.

The first two days of our vacation were overcast - which Scott prefers. The last six days of our vacation were full of sunshine and hot temperatures - which I prefer (at the beach at least!).

Ella Beth jumped right into the ocean as if she never left it last year. She is such a brave girl, and she goes all in with just about everything.

Landon started asking about a month before our trip if there were going to be jellyfish at the beach. Poor fella. He remembered being stung last year. So, he was quite timid of the ocean for the first 1/2 of the week. He watched Ella Beth from the sidelines while he warmed up to the ocean.
 

 

If the "theme" of last year's trip was sand dollars and turtles, the "theme" of this year would easily be crabs. They were everywhere. The kiddos and their daddy got a kick out of them. Me? I just squealed as they ran past my toes!

 

Porter had his first "dip" in the ocean. Those sweet toes wiggled all around in the sand and water. :)

Our week started off fantastic and the fun continued all week long......

Multitudes on Monday {on Tuesday}

1335. warm tea with honey for a very sore and hoarse throat

1336. Porter sleeping without being swaddled!!!

1337. a day full of fun shopping with my mom for the kiddos

1338. cool weather at the beginning of October

1339. my dogwood tree always being the first to change color each fall, a vibrant burgandy

1340. nights when I am able to go to bed as soon as the kiddos go to bed and get a full 8 hours in

1341. Porter's sweet babble-talk

1342. Porter's sweet smile that makes it easier to get out of bed at 7 a.m. when I am sick and could sleep all day

1343. doing a glider experiment with the kiddos outside while we are learning about air pressure

1344. Christmas shopping in October - it makes me feel so ahead of the game!

1345. fall and winter clothes

1346. starting our next math level with good attitudes (Ella Beth and Mama) :)

1347. talking to Ella Beth and Landon about unconditional love - mine for them, and the Lord's for us all

Psalm 118:21, "I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation."

6 months

I wanted to make sure that I document Porter's 6 month progress. No big photo shoot this month, but I still need to remember all of his stats. You know, for when I get time to write it all out in his baby book.

--
Porter weighs 10 1/2 pounds. People still comment on how tiny he is. Tonight at Landon's baseball game, we heard it over and over and over. But, he's so big compared to where he started out that to me he seems like such a big boy.

He is still in 0-3 month clothes. I brought out a couple of 3-6 month outfits because I thought he would be able to wear them. Not so much. 

Porter is still nursing ever 3-4 hours during the day, and he wakes up at 5 a.m. for a feeding. He does go back down until 7:30 thank goodness! I have tried over and over to drop that 5 a.m. feeding, but he's a stubborn little fella. And every morning I think to myself, "He's 6 months old and he weighs 10 pounds. He needs to eat." It has become my 5 a.m. pep-talk. :)

He started eating solids about 3 weeks ago. While it started out awesome, it has turned rough. The fella still loves to eat, but his tummy isn't happy. I have only been giving him 1 teaspoon of oatmeal cereal with his servings of fruits, but it seems to be too much on his little system. (I was in the hospital as an infant for an allergic reaction to cereal due to severe dehydration, and I'm worried that Porter may be following the same path.) He has had two bouts of severe constipation, so we are now strictly on fruits and vegetables; no cereal. Praying that his tummy feels better soon and will learn to digest everything.

He moves everywhere and we have to keep an eye on him! Just the other day, I put him on his play mat while I took the clothes out of the washer. I peeked around the corner after about 2 minutes to check on him and he was 3 feet away from his play mat in the middle of the hardwood floors. Stinker!! I can only imagine what it's going to be like once he's crawling and truly mobile. 

I think he is starting the teething process. He has always liked having his hands in his mouth, but in the last couple of weeks he has really started gnawing (I hate that word, by the way) on his hands, toys, my shoulder. If I remember correctly, the whole teething process can take quite a while. So who knows when his pearly whites will come in.

Porter absolutely LOVES Ella Beth! I am blessed beyond measure by how helpful Ella Beth is, and I make sure to tell her as much each day. Whether it's getting Porter a toy, me a burp cloth, occupying him while I cook supper or get a shower, or just playing with him for fun...Ella Beth is a huge help to me and great entertainment for Porter. All babies should come with a sweet big sister. :)

Porter loves Landon, too, of course. But Landon doesn't have quite the "mama heart" that Ella Beth does. But Landon is gentle around Porter and gets his fair share of smiles out of him. :)

Porter loves attention, and there's no lack of it around here!

Multitudes on Monday

1322. fun Halloween and fall decorations made by Scott and me

1323. Ella Beth pulling out "Make a craft with Mommy" from the I'm Bored Jar

1324. singing a beautiful new song at church this morning

1325. listening to preschoolers sing praise songs from the nursing room at church

1326. white flesh peaches for peach cobbler

1327. great neighbors, who are also friends, who call when they need eggs, flour, butter, a book

1328. great neighbors that I can call when I need something, too

1329. a healthy theological discussion with Jehovah's Witnesses that I have developed a relationship with

1330. Landon cleaning up outside all by himself and without complaint after Ella Beth hurt herself

1331. cooling fall rains after a surprisingly hot week

1332. organizing the pantry {again} after a big grocery trip

1333. Landon winning the Game Ball after two big hits at his baseball game (the first hit from the tee went all the way to the outfield, and the second hit was from the pitcher and it was a fly ball!!)

1334. 4 & 5 year old boys being more excited about the post game snack than about winning :)

Philippians 1:3, "I thank my God every time I remember you."