The Joy Dare - Day 22

• A husband who is patient with my technology inept-ness
• Watching my son take two steps tonight. Oh that made me (and him!) so excited! 
• The ability to be crafty and make valentines for the sweet people I love.  

Day 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Catching up.... 

• I love when Rich thanks me for making dinner. 
• I'm blown away that out of all the girls in the world, Rich chose me. 
• I think it's funny that Rich can be a morning person when his son wakes him up. :) 
• I'm glad for a husband who sees a problem and comes up with a solution
• It brings me so much joy to hear my husband talk about how much he loves discipling students.

• I love watching my son sleep. Precious. Peaceful. And cuter than CUTE! 
• I'm blown away that God has entrusted Carson in our care. Thank you Lord!
• I think it's funny to watch Carson learn to problem solve... "Hmm... Mommy put me in this box. I wonder if I can climb out?" 
• I'm glad that Carson likes music so much. A fun trait we share in our family. 
• It brings me so much joy to watch Carson enjoy life. Today, he got to see birdies and "ditties" at the pet store and he enjoyed it so much! 

• I love having matching socks to wear because it means that I'm caught up on laundry. (Currently, one of my socks is white and one is blue...)
• I am blown away by how much food I have to sweep off the kitchen floor after Carson eats... but at least I have a healthy little boy who likes to eat...and checks that gravity is still in place each day. 
• I think it's funny that my husband finally had to tell me that I had been singing the same Les Mis song all day, and if I didn't stop immediately, he might go crazy. :) 
• I'm glad that I got to enjoy a fun afternoon out with a friend, a yummy lunch at Panera, and a trip to TJ Maxx. Seriously...one of the funnest stores out there! 
• It brings me so much joy knowing that in the morning, there will be FIVE clean sippy cups in the dishwasher, ready to be used over the next couple of days. Yes! Mommy joys! 

Thank you Lord!

The Joy Dare - Days 14, 15 and 16

• I love when my husband is home. And when he got home from his trip, Carson and I were both overjoyed! 
• My poor hubby is sick today, but he apologized several times for nMot being able to help with our very busy son... and that meant a lot to me that he recognized that it was going to be a tough day or two while he recovered. 
• He offered to load the dishwasher, despite not feeling well, because the ones that go in the dishwasher will be sanitized. :) He's the best. 

• I get so much joy when Carson says new words. He is such a talker for being 12 months old! This week, I taught him "please". He loves this word because it usually means he gets something to eat.
• He found a toy phone that I had planned to pull out on a rainy day. Because he was so clever in finding it, I let him play with it today. And without me showing him it's a phone (you know, the typical "Fisher Price" curly corded, ringing dial phone...and he's only really ever see flat, rectangular cell phones)--- he held it to his head and started "talking". Adorable. 
• As much as I groan when he wakes up after going to bed, I do treasure those moments of rocking and singing to him... because someday, he will be too big to rock. So I reminded myself to enjoy those few minutes with him tonight because someday, I won't remember that it interrupted my end of the day "me time".... I will just think about how much I enjoyed snuggling him and smelling his sweet sleepy baby smell. 

• I'm so thankful that I disciplined myself to get the house clean over the weekend so that I could enjoy the freedom of a clean house on Monday! 
• I enjoyed a few minutes looking through pictures from a year ago... I'm so thankful for the memories in those photos.
• A fresh haircut. It had been 7 months and it wasn't lookin' pretty. I have got to cut it more often...! It feels literally 5 lbs lighter and my hubby has complimented me today. Win! 

The Joy Dare - Day 13

I'm smiling about...

• My husband coming home tomorrow! 
• Carson wake up after sleeping 2 hours tonight.... He didn't want to settle down, so I rocked him for a few minutes till he was asleep. Oh I love holding him when he's asleep... I love how he smells, feels, and is so snuggly!
• The kitchen is clean. Things have been scrubbed, washed, swept, mopped, loaded, and are sparkling... at least until 8:30am tomorrow morning when Carson starts dropping cheerios on the floor again. :) 

The Joy Dare - Day 12

Tryin' on Daddy's boot

I'm feeling pretty whiny this evening... my husband is in Michigan for the weekend, with some of my great friends and favorite teens... and I'm here at home. I love being a mom. Love it. Wouldn't trade it for anything! But I do miss going on youth trips and retreats. I miss being Rich's right hand lady, his go-to person to help him out. I'd be happy to bring along my little guy for the weekend on these trips...but since that wasn't an option (nor does it really sound like much fun to take a 12 month old to winter camp to sleep in cabins and brave the miserable cold), I'm blinking away a few tears and practicing gratitude, even when I don't feel like it.

• I'm so glad that it makes me kind of miserable when my husband is away... because it means I'm crazy in love with him. 
• I'm so thankful that Carson needs me. It's nice to be needed. :) 
• I only have to be a solo parent for one full day. the other two are halves. I can do one full day!
  

  

  Saying goodbye to Daddy

  
  *All the while, trying to not think about next month when my man will be away 5 nights and 6 days. Really, in my opinion, it's one of the hardest things about being a pastor's wife. Sure, lots of husbands travel. But he's my bestie! :)

• I'm praying for a super fast weekend for me and Carson and a nice, slow weekend for Rich and the youth! :)

I love this funny little family of three :) 

The Joy Dare - Day 11

• My husband took the time to do the dishes today on his day off. 
• My son was very entertaining to the baby sitting in the next booth at dinner tonight. They kept talking to each other and entertaining each other, as well as the wait staff. Too cute!
• A week of healthy food choices that is reflected in how much clothes are fitting... yes! 

The Joy Dare - Day 10

• Rich tells me when he really enjoys what I made for dinner. 
• Carson is so fun to play with.... today, we were being puppies. And hours later, he started panting like a puppy to get my attention. Adorable. 
• Being crafty and re-purposing things...Jersey Finger Knit Bracelets are really fun to make! Just sayin'. :) 

Source: V and Co. 

The Joy Dare: Day 9

• When Rich plays the Carson, their are ridiculous amounts of giggles involved. They love each other. I'm so thankful for a husband who plays with his son! 
• Carson doesn't like plain meats, vegetables, etc. Instead, he likes them with sauces and flavors... for example, tonight was "teriyaki sauce peas and rice" ...I'm glad he enjoys variety! 
• My living room looks like a toy explosion throughout the day... I'm so thankful for a little boy to make that toy mess. 

The Joy Dare, Days 6, 7 & 8

•  I love that a day where my husband gets to stay home is so enjoyable! 
• Rich loves to learn from reading.
• And then, he comes home and tells me about what he's learning. Love that! 

• A beautiful day on Saturday to go for a January walk to the library.
• The excitement of a 1 year old getting to touch a prickly bush on our walk
• When Carson laughs and puts his head down, barreling ahead while crawling.

• A family lunch date at Culvers...I love my little family.
• Time to scrapbook during Carson's nap time.
• Matching clean socks. Because matching socks are so hard to keep track of... 

The Joy Dare - Day 5

• For the sweet privilege of doing dishes while hearing giggles and roars from the living room... Rich plays with Carson so well! 
• Carson's snuggliness. He is so very busy, but he stops several times a day, usually, to snuggle with me. 
• A healthy dinner that tasted good... Half whole wheat spaghetti/half zucchini ribbons with spaghetti sauce, green beans, and salad with apple... Haven't eaten so many vegetables at one meal in ...a long time! :) 

The Joy Dare - Day 4

• My husband let me get out twice today all by myself and told me that he really enjoys having time with just him and Carson home! What a good man.
• Carson's afternoon bubble bath and the bubble beard that ended up on his chin.
• Two big floor to ceiling windows in our bedroom that let in the sunlight and make our room so cheerful.
  

The Joy Dare - Day 3

• Hugs from my husband when he gets home from work. He gives the best hugs.
• Snuggles from my sleepy, sick Carson Davis. We just laid on the couch today snuggling under a blanket and it was one of the best parts of my day.
• Time to work on Baby Boy's scrapbook today... I love reliving those special moments through photographs.

The Joy Dare - Day 2

• For a husband who finishes the dishes after I go to bed, so that I won't have to face them in the morning and feel automatically behind. 
• For extra snuggles with a teary eyed baby boy who is cutting some teeth... even though it involved THREE HOURS of awake time in the middle of the night. Despite my exhaustion this morning, I do love holding him when he's cuddly. 
• For coffee to keep this sleep deprived Mama awake and leftover soup for dinner tonight. What a relief that I don't have to plan dinner when I can barely see straight and the thought of spending a lot of time in the kitchen makes me want to resign as cook for the day! 

The Joy Dare

One of my goals this year is to record 3 things that I am thankful for each day. Choosing gratitude can make a powerful difference in my daily life. Now, I love being a stay-at-home wife and mom, but there are moments when I would rather complain than choose thankfulness. I am looking forward to seeing how this Joy Dare changes the way I think about my husband and son, as well as day to day life.

Beginning a little late today (due to after Christmas company and my son and husband's birthdays), I hope to share many of these things I am grateful for. I know that gratitude will change me...and I am excited to see those results in my life.

Day 1

• A husband who provides for our family. He works hard and is great at his job!
• For a one year old son who is learning new words each day. There is nothing more fun than saying "Carson, say 'duck'" and from the back seat of our mini van, we hear a tiny voice say "Duuuh". Total joy.
• Two hours to eat lunch and clean house while little guy is napping! Very long naps are so rare.

One Year Old

Carson Davis, you are 1 year old!

By the numbers...
Size 12 mos clothing (although you can fit into a few 18 month shirts), Size 4 diapers, 2 daytime nursings and 1 before I go to bed (time to drop that one...), 2 cups of whole milk a day (although you only drink a few ounces), 1 cup of "juice" (1 inch juice to 5 inches of water!), 4 solid meals a day (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime snack).

Carson, at one year old, you are saying lots of fun words: Daddy, Mama, Baby, Doggy, Kitty, Fishy, Eat, Bubble, Mimi, Papa, Pop, MomMom, Hi, Byebye...
And you repeat us so often, even if you don't know what we are talking about! Today, you even said "Pizza!"

Although you are not yet walking, you cruise around the furniture and across the living room with your shopping cart. You get around quickly and efficiently! You occasionally stand for just a moment without holding on to anything!

Favorite foods: Banana, black beans seasoned with cumin, taco meat, spaghetti, cheese, bread, enchiladas, peach and pear bites, banana bread, and chocolate cake!

Favorite toys: Piano pop-up toy, Piggy Bank Fisher Price toy, kitchen spatulas, electric guitar, fish and net bath toy, and anything that makes noise!

You get in trouble for: Touching things that have buttons like our computers, Daddy's Xbox, the TV remote, the space heater and power strips.

Your favorite books: Have flaps or touch and feel pages, or your favorite Sesame Street books with baby Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, and Big Bird. You've loved their big black and white eyes since you were a small baby!

You are a people person who enjoys getting out. You love to play in the nursery on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights. You are not afraid when I drop you off and you jump right in the fun. You also enjoy quiet days at home, playing and reading with Mommy and Daddy.

Your future professions: Carpet cleaner and vacuumer by day (you squeal with excitement when we use the vacuum and despite how loud the rented carpet cleaner was, you loved it!), and musician by night... You love listening to music, watching Daddy and Mommy play guitar, and playing music on your piano, guitar and xylophone.

What I'm looking forward to this year:
Our new family routine of reading you a Bible story from one of your Bibles before you go to bed each night. Most nights, we'll read out of The Jesus Storybook Bible with Daddy, but if Daddy is at work like tonight, we'll read out of The Beginner's Bible. You like to listen and look at the pictures. Our prayer for you is that you will follow and love Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Happy 1st Birthday, Carson Davis! You bring so much joy to my heart. Every squeal, cheesy grin, hug, and ornery laugh reminds me of how blessed I am that God has chosen to entrust you into our care. Love you so, Baby!

   Sippy cup throwing.

My son has been using a sippy cup for a whole month and only in the past week has he learned to hold it himself. But in true little boy fashion, he has decided that sometimes, it is more fun to tap his cup loudly on the tray. Sometimes...Usually, if he gets really excited, (which is always) the cup ends of bouncing off his tray onto the floor. After repeating this many times in an row, I decided that a solution was needed.

Thanks to Pinterest, and a blog post at Make It-Love It, I have found my solution!

I introduce: The sippy cup leash 

Supplies Needed:
28" of thick ribbon (I prefer grosgrain as it doesn't snag like satin ribbon)
7-9" piece of sturdy elastic
Coordinating thread

 Using your child's sippy cup, place the elastic around the smallest part of the center and pull a bit tight. You will want to be able to get the elastic off and on the cup easily enough, while having it be tight enough to not slip around. Pinch with fingers and then attach to ribbon.

 Make sure you heat seal the ends of the ribbon and elastic so that they will not unravel. 

 On one end of ribbon, make a loop and sew securely in place. This will be used to secure your sippy cup leash to the high chair, car seat, or stroller. 

 On the other end of your ribbon, secure your elastic.
I did several lines of stitches for added durability. 

Enjoy your final result! And hop over to Ashley's Blog Make It-Love It  to see how perfectly it works to keep cups from hitting the ground!

This DIY is even quick enough to make while your little one plays on the floor nearby!
Enjoy!

His First Half Birthday

Carson, you are six months old. 

Six. How is it even possible that we are already at the halfway point of your very first year? Or that six months from now, you will be one year old? I can't even fathom that! So instead, I will enjoy every moment of your sweet six months old self!

At six months old, you are exactly 17lbs 7oz and are about 26" long. In the past week, you have gained an ounce every day! What a big boy! You wear size 3 diapers, and 6-9 months clothing and both aren't even super roomy on you. You nurse 5-6 times a day. You are eating 2 solid meals a day...4 ounces of half fruit/half vegetables for lunch after your lunch time milk and cereal before bed.  

Your typical routine has become waking at 8:00am, nursing and going back to bed (rather unwillingly) until 8:30 or 9am, my preferred wake time for you. I like when you are content to stay in bed so that I can have my time in God's Word before you're up for the day...But usually you just fuss and cry until I come get you and then we finish my Bible reading together while you play on the couch next to me. For the past 9 days, minus one, you have been sleeping through the night. What a treat for Mommy! I keep waiting for it to be too good to be true, but for now, I am enjoying it so much! 

                 You like your exersaucer a lot, although I think you would be even more fond of it if it were a walker and you could go places in it! You are learning to sit up without being propped up and you love the freedom of sitting up on your own! You have fun playing with toys that crinkle or make noise. You like to play with your paci too and try to chew on it if I put it in your mouth when you aren't feeling the need to suck it. You like to look at books and be in charge of "holding it" and turning the pages. You still greatly dislike tummy time, although Daddy discovered that you like to look at the little round mirror from your play mat while you are on your tummy. You don't really roll over anymore. You only did that a few times when you were 4 months old. The only time you make an effort to push up when you're on your tummy is when you don't want to take a nap or when you are waking up and you hear the door to your room open. Then you push up and look over your shoulder to see if Mommy or Daddy is coming to get you. So sweet!

               You chew on everything right now. Your paci clip ribbon, your giraffe, your shorts when I take them off to change your diaper, your burp cloth, your books, your fingers, your taggy lovey, your bath towel, your blanket, my shoulder, and anything else you can get your mouth on! 

                You have such good hand-eye coordination now! You can easily grab things that you want on your first try (like Mommy's hair. Ouch!). Today, I posed you by the fridge with the refrigerator magnets saying "6 Months Old" and you kept grabbing at them and knocking them down! You wore Mommy out a little bit! You are such a sweet little smiley guy though. People often tell us how expressive you are and we agree! You smile, laugh, and make all sorts of cute faces. What a funny boy you are! You bring us so much joy! 

Happy 6 Months Birthday Carson!
Mommy and Daddy love you so much! 

After a 30+ week break from the blog world, I would like to introduce the newest member of our family:
Carson Davis ~ Born January 5, 2012.
 

    Much to my surprise, I went in for my normal 38.5 week doctor's visit and found I was 4-5 cm dilated, which in many cases means active labor! I had felt a little funny that morning and hadn't slept well the night before, so I hoped that meant progress and indeed it did! My doctor predicted he would see me again later that day and by 2:30pm, I was being admitted to the exciting Labor and Delivery unit with regular contractions. Just 6 hours later, our little one came into the world! 

                      Carson weighed 7lbs 1 oz... a tiny little bundle in our arms. 

1 month old with a lot of personality brewing already!

2 Months Old 

3 Months Old 

4 Months Old

5 Months Old 

Mommyhood has been a dream come true. Carson has so much personality and brings so much joy to our family. I look forward to sharing some of our stories and experiences with you in the upcoming months! 

DIY Up-Cycled Denim Baby Bibs

With our baby boy due to arrive in the seven to ten weeks, I've been looking for a few more ideas of things to make for him. While looking at Pinterest, I found a perfectly delightful idea from Kristena Derrick's blog "Thimbly Things" . In her post which is even more detailed than mine, she shared how to transform old worn out jeans into baby bibs.

 Like most people, my husband and I have several pairs of jeans with holes in non-repairable places that I've just kept around for a "someday" project. Today, I finally dug out a pair of my husband's jeans to try something new!
Using the pant legs, a knit, jersey, or flannel print, and a few embellishments, these bibs were simple and easy! I think they're completely adorable and they're really quite sturdy without any need for interfacing! 

To start this project, just use your favorite sized bib as a pattern. Trace the bib onto the denim pant leg and cut it out. Give it a quick iron if its wrinkled from sitting forgotten for so long! :) 

After cutting it out, decide on what type of embellishment you'd like to use. I just used some simple ribbons and rick rack. Pin it in place and use a zigzag stitch to hold it in place!

Wow! Look at the fun stitches that my sewing machine can do! 

For one bib, I used a red ribbon and 3 lines of decorative stitches. For the second bib, I used two different ribbons and rick rack, with one line of decorative stitches. 

After your embellishments have been added to the denim side of your bib, pin them together with pattern-sides together. It is easiest to use a full piece of fabric and cut off the excess after you've sewn the two pieces together. 

Leave a 3-4 inch opening to turn your bib right side out. I find it easiest to leave that opening at the bottom of your bib. After sewing the two pieces together, cut off the excess material and leave a 1/4 inch seam. Leave a 1/2-3/4 inch extra amount of fabric where you left the opening. It makes it so much easier to turn in and sew together! :) Trial and error has taught me that. 

Turn your bib right side out.... you're nearly done! Isn't it looking good?

Iron the bib to press out any wrinkles and give it a nice crisp look. As you top stitch your bib, make sure you've got spot where you left an opening pressed how you want it to stitch shut. 

As a final step, attach your velcro (or snap or button) to your bib... and voila! 

Two darling bibs with a fun decorative denim side....

And a super cute print side! Perfect drooling or feeding bibs. I love how these bibs are so sturdy because of the denim, and yet they're soft with the jersey knit firetruck print and the flannel woodland friends print. 

Can't wait for my little man to wear these! They're a practical item that can be as cute as you make it! I'll definitely be making a few more of these in larger and smaller sizes. I think they'll hold up really well and I love that I can use fabric and designs that I like instead of just using a simple bib from the store.

As a side note, I love that while I'm sewing, I get this view... 

Oh little baby boy... I am so excited to meet you!