Monday, August 30, 2010

Our 1st Family Camping Trip

For a while now Dan and i have wanted to go camping. The last time we went was 16 days before Isaiah was born, and i was huge to say the least. I have been curious to see how the experience would be with him outside of my tummy and to see if my back would be any less sore....Nope!

Late Friday afternoon we decided randomly to go for it. I hurriedly put our things together as Dan fed Isaiah dinner and then we were off. We stopped at the store to grab a few things... well, more like a lot of things. Finally around 7:30 we reached a nearby camp ground, Grand Rogue Camp Grounds. We found a site right next to the river and far away from any other campers as we have a baby, and didn't want to annoy any other campers with crying.

I don't know why i had any doubt that Isaiah would do well. He was great! He played with his ball while Dan set up the tent and i got everything out of our car. It was already 9 when we finally had everything set up so i prepared Isaiah for bed while Dan started the fire. Isaiah didn't take too long to fall asleep which was completely unexpected! I was prepared to fight with him all night long. As i was nursing him i prayed that God would bless Dan and i with a good night and that Isaiah would fall asleep easily for me, and he did! I was so relieved!
I went out to the fire and Dan and i ate our dinner, which was long overdue. We sat in the dark next to our fire and just talked.... well, i mostly ate, and Dan mostly talked; which was perfectly fine with me as i was starving!

It was so fun to sleep together in our tent. Those two Heat Baskets kept me warm all night! Poor Dan had the sheets robbed from him a few times.... i promise it wasn't me, i blame it on Isaiah!
The next morning Isaiah was thrilled to wake up with us both in such an unusual place, he crawled and tumbled all over us and was being so goofy!
Dan made our fire again and we ate breakfast and then went for a long walk. Isaiah discovered rocks for the first time and wasn't too interested in walking much. He kept trying to hold as many rocks in his little hands as he possibly could... which weren't many :-)

We made our way back to our site and eventually all fell asleep again in the tent. We took a very nice much needed nap! Afterward we packed everything back up and headed home.
It was short, but it was perfect. It was so nice to be away from home for a night together. I am in love with my little family. Sometimes i wish that it could just stay like this forever and that Isaiah wouldn't grow up and that Dan and i wouldn't grow old, but the more time we spend together the more love that we share.
So go ahead and grow on up Isaiah, and grow old with me Dan because we have So Much More love to share!



The view from our tent
Blurry... but i think its cute
Thanks for keeping my fire lit! ;-)
I love them!
He looks so grown up :-(
So peaceful.
Showing us his rocks
This is the house we are going to buy.... seriously, isn't it huge, and gorgeous!
I love his goofy side!
His joy is so contagious!
Hopefully we have many more camping memories to come! :-D

Thursday, August 26, 2010

A Mile on my Hip

Yesterday started off wonderfully. Isaiah and i packed a few things for the day and headed off to Rockford where i met up with my mom. My mom loves to bike ride and at a very young age instilled in me an appreciation for it. It has been a couple years since i have consistently gone bike riding but this summer i decided i was going to become more intentional about it.
We started off on a trail headed south and very soon after turned around to head north for a new experience. We hadn't gone too far when we bumped into some friends, and then some more friends. After chatting for a bit we finally began again and not to long afterward Isaiah started whining a bit. I gave him a snack and it kept him satisfied for a while longer. Soon enough he was ready to take a break so i took him out to let him walk around, cool off, and hopefully nurse.
He was happy, but refused to nurse. Now the only times he refuses to breastfeed is when he is teething. Aaand of course i had forgotten to bring his teething meds.
(Humphrey's 100% all natural Homeopathic Teething Pellets = i love them)

We decided that it would be best to head back to the vans which were only 2 miles away. Nope! Isaiah would not go back into the bike trailer. He completely refused and had enough. I tried to entice him many ways, and was also very stern, but he was done.
Needless to say, i ended up walking a mile with him tied to my hip and pushing my bike and trailer to the nearest road where my mom met us with the van.
I had been up since 5:30 with him and was very tired at the end of the day. It Wasn't exactly how i had envisioned a relaxing, enjoyable day... but my days excitement isn't up to me anymore, which is perfectly fine because God has chosen me to be the leader of my sons life, and i feel so blessed!

Anyways, it reminded me of how little i have to do to sustain my well being of life. It is so very different from how other women in other countries have to live. Bike riding for me is leisure, but for them it would be a Great means of transportation beyond walking. You've heard the term "a common women in Africa has to walk on average 8 miles a day to get the water that her family needs" ?
Well its true, and we really have no idea how that must feel! There has got to be a feeling of relief when they finally reach that water, and even more so when they return home.
They carry their little ones on their backs and hips every day while they make these walks, and nurse along the way. Not to mention the heavy water on their heads all the way home. How exhausting that must be! It just baffles me that i have so Much and they have so Little. I hope that they receive a much larger prize in Heaven than i, for they deserve it so much more! Though every women has weak moments, those women seem to have such a ruthless dedication that i could never compete with!
There are days when i am too lazy to bring my laundry out to the drying line or unload the dishwasher or clean up Isaiah's toys... for goodness sakes he has toys, and i have a dishwasher!

I am so blessed, WE are so blessed!


... enjoy the pics of Isaiah getting his way ;-)




Tuesday, August 24, 2010

My addictions...

I thought i would go ahead a share a few of my current obsessions/ addictions. Maybe you will learn a few more things about me, maybe not. 

Jane Austen Novels.... oh, the romance!
Ice Cream.... i need to quit!
Hummus... its yummus.
Ebay/ Craigslist... it always feels good to find a good deal.
Cloth diapers.... my babies butt is so stinkin' cute!
Nursing... it gives me instant peace and quiet.
Farmers Market... eating fresh is eating best.
Girls Night... i need the laughter.
Root Beer... no caffeine...i also need to quit!
Walking with Isaiah and Dan... so refreshing.
Bike rides with Isaiah... reminds me of my childhood.
Swimming... i love the water and sun... but could do without the sand. 
My Purple Blackberry.... its pretty and new. 

So that is it for now. Did you learn anything? ;-P

He is my little water baby.
Have a wonderful day!


Monday, August 23, 2010

beginning of toddlerhood... but not the end of babyhood.

I am now a mother of a toddler.
It is still hard to believe even when i say it over and over to myself.

It has been a month since Isaiah turned 1 years old and a part of me is still holding back. I love that his personality is blooming so fast, but i have found myself trying so hard to soak up the little moments with him that i know could possibly slip from my fingers.
Every morning i fall in love with him all over again. When he wakes up from anywhere between 6 and 8:30 i go into his nursery and carry him back to our bed. Dan is gone by 6 and so its my precious cuddle time with my baby. We lay... and nurse... and cuddle... and it fills me up with so much happiness. It is the perfect beginning to the day. I drown in those sweet sleepy moments with him when i know he is calm and safely nuzzled into my chest... i just want to hold him close and never let him go. Those are the times that he still my little Isaiah Baby.