Family Pictures

To say that taking your own family pictures is challenging would be like saying having a flat tire in the pouring rain while running late is annoying.

Taking your own family pictures is hard work. Getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time without being behind the camera acting like an idiot (e.g. doing jumping-jacks, making crazy noises, telling the silliest jokes) is almost impossible.

Almost. It does take time...longer than usual...but it is worth it to get some nice shots.

We went to visit my mom, and I had been looking for a spot for taking pictures. I had a few ideas in mind, but when I found these areas I was happy with them. Not to mention the turquoise wall just makes me happy. :)

This picture was not planned, I just happened to catch it. I knew there was a bit of blur in in so I tried to get the kiddos to "recreate" it about a dozen times. To no avail. But it's still such a fun shot!

Miss "I will pose even when you tell me not to." The girl is not camera shy. ;)

But she sure is a pretty little thing, so I can handle her poses. Pink boots and all. :)

I really, really liked this family picture because Porter was smiling AND looking right at the camera. Too bad no one was there to get Landon's attention. ;)

 
Now here's a good one of that handsome fella! This one was "posed" by his sister...who did a pretty good job.

After a nursing session and much needed wardrobe change (reflux.never.fails), the three kiddos snuggled up together. (It took me a good 10 minutes to decide which of these two to use on the back of our Christmas card.)

L. O. V. E. them.

And I surely love these two together. They have started bickering more lately...mostly because the boy doesn't want to do everything the girl tells him to anymore...but pictures like these, completely natural, reveal they still love each other and are the best of friends.

Melt my heart.

And easily my favorite. Our first portrait as a family of five.

Now I can breathe easy and enjoy these family shots. Well, until it's time for next year's Christmas card!

Porter Update - part 1

To say that today was an emotionally exhausting day would be an understatement. But, praise God, because the last emotion that we felt was JOY mixed with RELIEF mixed with THANKFULNESS!

We left early this morning. In the rain. When we got in the van, I said to Scott, "Does this weather indicate what's to come?" Scott said, "Only if you plan on getting wet." Love him.

We arrived early, and they were able to take us back. My stomach was in knots and I had to remind myself to breathe every so often. The ultrasound technician was Monique (or "Mo" around the office), and she was very nice. {Note: one must be very nice to work at Scottish Rite, and that makes parents very thankful. :)}

Mo instructed us on how to lay Porter on the bed and to go ahead and give him the bottle that we had to bring. He wasn't allowed to eat before the appointment so we thought he would suck that bottle dry in no time. Ha! Stinker wanted nothing to do with that bottle when Mama was right there. I forgave him for wasting liquid gold, and Scott fed him Gerber Puffs.

AND PORTER LAID ON THE BED EATING PUFFS AND NEVER ONCE EVEN WHINED.

I'm serious!!!!! That sweet boy looked from me to Scott for the first few minutes, and then - I kid you not - he turned his head and just watched the ultrasound screen! What a miracle. It took a good 30+ minutes and Porter's head was as red as a beet when it was over with because of the pressure needed to penetrate all angles from his small soft spot. Mo told us that she has NEVER had a child, let alone a baby, lay completely still and content for any kind of ultrasound.

Yep! That's our boy. :)

(Come to find out later, Scott's mom had specifically prayed for Porter to be calm and for the procedures not to be an ordeal. Now that's an answered prayer if I've ever heard of one!)

The X-rays were next. They didn't go quite as perfectly because they had to hold Porter's head and chin in a padded restraint. So he did let everyone know he didn't like that much, but no tears. And as soon as it was over, he was smiling at the nurses. :)

Unfortunately, there was no waiting around for results. We were told that the doctors would get in touch with our pediatrician within 3-4 hours and she would be the one to call us.

So the waiting began once we pulled out of the parking lot. Hours and hours of waiting. And worrying. And giving it back to God. And worrying. And giving it back to God.

And then our pediatrician gives me the news that Porter's tests were normal!

I have not gone five minutes today without thanking and praising God. Everyone who has called or texted or emailed has heard it, too. God is so good!

So now we wait for another appointment on Friday with the GI Specialist. And I know that God's got that under control, too. Praise God!

Porter Update - part 1

To say that today was an emotionally exhausting day would be an understatement. But, praise God, because the last emotion that we felt was JOY mixed with RELIEF mixed with THANKFULNESS!

We left early this morning. In the rain. When we got in the van, I said to Scott, "Does this weather indicate what's to come?" Scott said, "Only if you plan on getting wet." Love him.

We arrived early, and they were able to take us back. My stomach was in knots and I had to remind myself to breathe every so often. The ultrasound technician was Monique (or "Mo" around the office), and she was very nice. {Note: one must be very nice to work at Scottish Rite, and that makes parents very thankful. :)}

Mo instructed us on how to lay Porter on the bed and to go ahead and give him the bottle that we had to bring. He wasn't allowed to eat before the appointment so we thought he would suck that bottle dry in no time. Ha! Stinker wanted nothing to do with that bottle when Mama was right there. I forgave him for wasting liquid gold, and Scott fed him Gerber Puffs.

AND PORTER LAID ON THE BED EATING PUFFS AND NEVER ONCE EVEN WHINED.

I'm serious!!!!! That sweet boy looked from me to Scott for the first few minutes, and then - I kid you not - he turned his head and just watched the ultrasound screen! What a miracle. It took a good 30+ minutes and Porter's head was as red as a beet when it was over with because of the pressure needed to penetrate all angles from his small soft spot. Mo told us that she has NEVER had a child, let alone a baby, lay completely still and content for any kind of ultrasound.

Yep! That's our boy. :)

(Come to find out later, Scott's mom had specifically prayed for Porter to be calm and for the procedures not to be an ordeal. Now that's an answered prayer if I've ever heard of one!)

The X-rays were next. They didn't go quite as perfectly because they had to hold Porter's head and chin in a padded restraint. So he did let everyone know he didn't like that much, but no tears. And as soon as it was over, he was smiling at the nurses. :)

Unfortunately, there was no waiting around for results. We were told that the doctors would get in touch with our pediatrician within 3-4 hours and she would be the one to call us.

So the waiting began once we pulled out of the parking lot. Hours and hours of waiting. And worrying. And giving it back to God. And worrying. And giving it back to God.

And then our pediatrician gives me the news that Porter's tests were normal!

I have not gone five minutes today without thanking and praising God. Everyone who has called or texted or emailed has heard it, too. God is so good!

So now we wait for another appointment on Friday with the GI Specialist. And I know that God's got that under control, too. Praise God!

 

Multitudes on Monday

1446. leftovers from Thanksgiving

1447. my mother in law and Kristy cooking and baking with my dairy-free-butter so that I could enjoy {almost} every wonderful food prepared for Thanksgiving

1448. Porter working so very hard at sitting - he's gone about 30 seconds for his record!

1449. working on big projects with Scott

1450. moving bedrooms and making HUGE messes...and not stressing at all (a first for me)

1451. Porter's new nursery

1452. the kiddos "camping out" on their mattresses as we move the kiddos around

1453. children who go with the flow and think it's fun for the house to be turned upside down and inside out - literally!

1454. knowing there are people that I can count on without a doubt for prayer

1455. Christmas cards sent

1456. receiving Christmas cards in the mail

1457. eating at one of our favorite restaurants and enjoying every bite

1458. homemade spaghetti sauce that is better than any bought in a jar

1459. dairy free garlic bread

1460. grocery shopping with Porter in the Bjorn and having the opportunity to talk to many different people :)

Ezra 3:11, "With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the LORD: “He is so good!"

My Favorite Mommy Song

Music speaks to me deeply. There are songs that grow my faith. Songs that bring back fun memories of being young. This song reminds me on those hard, exhausting days why being Mommy to my three littles is so sweet. I am crazy blessed and oh, so lucky.

Porter, 8 months

I took Porter in for his 6 month check up just a couple of days ago. We are "behind" due to his early arrival and time in the NICU, but he's seen enough doctors to make up for it.

He weighed 11 lbs, 1 oz. Way way way tiny, but healthy and happy. :)

Porter is working hard on sitting up. He's just so little that it makes it a challenge. But we are looking forward to it because I know two kiddos who are going to love when Porter is able to play with them!

Porter is a great eater! His system is working great, so we have reintroduced cereal. Porter likes his food thick, so the cereal helps to thicken his pears in the morning.

He is still spitting up a lot...make that vomiting a lot. We thought for sure that once he was eating lots of solids that his spitting up would lessen. Not so much. Now he just vomits. And we still change clothes 3-4 times a day because vomit stinks. Yuck!

Porter has two bottom teeth. :) They came in one at a time, back-to-back weeks. It was rough because he was fussy.fussy.fussy. But now they are through and cute to boot!

Porter is still a Mama's boy!!! And I take full advantage of it. :) Most of the time I would rather have the challenge of doing things with him in my arms - even if it makes it more difficult or take twice as long - because I know that all too soon he will be on the move and not be in my arms nearly as much.

Porter still LOVES his bath! He loves to kick and splash in the water. And now with his new bath seat, he is able to  have even more fun. :)

Multitudes on Thanksgiving

I simply love Thanksgiving. The food, the company, and the reflections of thanks from those closest to me.

1431. cooking the turkey with my mom and learning all of the delicious secrets to make it the best

1432. scurrying around finding ingredients for the homemade sweet potato pies

1433. Ella Beth's excitement to help with anything in the kitchen

1434. Christmas trees adorned in sparkling lights

1435. spending a day Christmas shopping with Scott for the kiddos

1436. figuring out plans together for homemade gifts

1437. kissing under the mistletoe

1438. Porter {finally} filling out his 0-3 month clothes

1439. Hallmark ornaments

1440. giving grandparents new ornaments with Porter added to the grandchildren

1441. Porter's first Christmas ornament

1442. the love and salvation from Jesus Christ

1443. rearing our children through the love of God

1444. rearing our children to grow in the knowledge that salvation is meant for them

1445. being Scott's wife and mother to his children - there is no one I would rather share my life with

Hebrews 12:28-29, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Multitudes on Monday

1416. Porter being able to eat and digest oatmeal. God works in amazing ways, and sometimes when you pray He answers very specifically. :)

1417. standing in the back of the auditorium at church during worship and watching others fully give of themselves as they praise our Great God

1418. family movie night for Sophia the First.......that has been advertised for TWO months

1419. fun field trips on a Monday that had the potential to be a very wasted day

1420. watching the kiddos play "Fox and Rabbit" with new friends

1421. Ella Beth being the "fox" and being determined to get the big kids out

1422. a long nap for Porter  - since I was beginning to think he'd forgotten how

1423. loud squeals out of nowhere and Porter's smile when we turn around (the fella l-o-v-e-s attention!!)

1424. stopping for coffee to keep me warm when I know I'm going to be outside for a little while

1425. the sounds of Porter playing in his bed after he wakes up

1426. secret notes from the kiddos left for Scott and me to find

1427. Muddy Buddies/Puppy Chow/Garbage Bag Candy - whatever it's called, it's delicious :)

1428. Landon running around the house for a good 30 minutes completely naked after his shower. Every night. As if it's the most natural thing.

1429. walking into the living room after laying Porter down for bed and seeing Landon eating a bed time snack. Naked. With his PJs and under-roos laying next to him on the floor.

1430. the constant surprises from my children

1 Timothy 4:4, "Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks."

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."

Multitudes on Monday

1401. Hyland's teething tablets for a fussy, fussy teething baby boy

1402. the sweetest little tooth in Porter's little mouth

1403. soft PJs for all three of my babies

1404. taking Christmas pictures and having them turn out really well

1405. giving Scott and the two bigger kiddos a grocery list and letting them go to the grocery for me

1406. Scott not deviating from the list...too much ;)

1407. visiting the lake with my mom - too cold to swim, but never too cold to enjoy the view

1408. sharing a bed with Porter while the rest of the family "camps out" in the basement (despite there being enough beds for everyone!)

1409. stories about my grandparents to make them feel close to my heart

1410. yummy dessert recipes that I can make dairy free and enjoy with everyone

1411. listening to Ella Beth and Landon talk about picking out Christmas gifts for others

1412. hearing Ella Beth talk about how much she would like Legos for Christmas and knowing that she will be getting a lot of them :)

1413. knowing that Landon will be happy with anything that he gets for Christmas

1414. my mouth watering just coming up with items for our Thanksgiving menu

1415. cute and colorful toboggans to keep little heads and ears warm on cold, windy days

Psalm 69:30, "I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."

7:09 p.m.

7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days and Porter has his first tooth! And a fever. And lots of drool.

Multitudes on Monday

There's this thing about the "Publish" button...you have to push it. Oh what 3 kiddos has done to my brain!


1389. starting my day off with the reminder that I am a small part of God's master plan

1390. listening to Ella Beth read her Bible to start off our school day

1391. the excitement the kiddos have about going to the dentist today...I'm just hoping it lasts once we are there

1392. Landon's enthusiasm for learning

1393. making simple Christmas lists

1394. making homemade Christmas gifts for the homes of family members

1395. the breathtaking BEAUTY of Fall leaves in the mountains

1396. enjoying our "magic doors" fully while getting in and out during a rain storm

1397. delicious food that I don't have to cook or clean up after

1398. good company over delicious food that I don't have to cook or clean up after

1399. fun colored folders to make school work even more fun

1400. starting our new Study of the USA...and knowing I will learn a lot right along with Ella Beth

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

BOO! to you

We had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween this year. The best part of any holiday is watching the kiddos enjoy themselves, and this year was just So Much Fun!!

There was the pumpkin carving - which the kiddos really get into, and this mama really doesn't.

Landon was an Arrgh, Pirate. Ella Beth was Lemon Meringue (from Strawberry Shortcake). Porter was a Leopard. 

Scott's family met at his Grandma's new assisted living to trick-or-treat with the residents there.

This little fella can't wait until next year when he can have his fair share of the loot!

All of the adults were required to dress up this year -  

The cousins -

Our family - Scott was "Turtleman" and I was a Farm Girl.

It was quite a chilly night for trick-or-treating, but once the kiddos were bundled up they didn't notice!

Ella Beth trick-or-treated with Kaitlin and Riley -

And Landon trick-or-treated with Hayden. These two little boys are best buds and super silly when they are together. :)

Fun memories and more candy than we can eat!!