God's Little Boy is...Brave

What can you do to be fearless and strong,

To be bold and brave your whole life long?

You don't need to worry or be afraid,

For God has promised to come to your aid!

You won't need to be afraid when you lie down.

When you lie down your sleep will be peaceful.

...The Lord will keep you safe.

Proverbs 3:24, 26

I haven't posted anything from Joshua's book recently on purpose. I must have read this book 100 times or more already, and each time I come to this page, I am awestruck once again by God's goodness to us. This last time Joshua was in the hospital, I found him struggling to breath in his crib in the morning. I think the reason that he doesn't always sleep through the night (I should say rarely...) is because I always go get him when he cries. I can't help myself - I've been afraid for his little life at night. There was a guy who I knew through friends who died in his sleep of asthma when we were all in high school. Especially since Joshua's diagnosis of asthma, I've been concerned about him at night - is he okay? Can he breathe? Is he sick? Does he need me? Since he can't talk, I never know why he cries. And, I know it's silly to worry, but I can't seem to stop when it comes to my precious baby. So, once again as I read this passage, it's taken me a few weeks to really take let these verses from Proverbs sink in. Joshua doesn't need to be afraid when he lies down (and neither do I!) because the his sleep will be peaceful and the Lord will keep him safe. There's nothing I can do as a mommy besides love him up and pray for him, but God can do ALL things and has the power to keep him healthy and safe. Please pray with us that he will be brave, especially at night.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that you know what we need to hear and exactly when we need to hear it. I thank you that you've written your love letters to us in the Bible and that we can read exactly what's on your heart for us. I thank you for these verses in Proverbs where we don't have to be afraid when we lie down because you've promised to give us peaceful sleep and keep us safe. I ask that you would keep Joshua safe at night, heal him from all sickness and keep your breathe of life flowing through his body 24/7. I pray that you also would make our Joshua brave, just as you made Joshua of the Bible brave to do all the things you called him to do in his life. Help us also to be brave to show the Bean a good example and point him in the direction that you have for him. Thank you again for speaking to us about your Father heart, and allow me to rest in the fact that you're taking care of our family. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN!

Mommy & Me

Joshua built this tower all by himself...what a big boy!

This morning Mommy & I went to a "Mommies & Me" group being held at the Conestoga Valley Community Center by Grandma's house. She heard about it on the radio and learned that it was free to attend and is targeted toward children ages 0-3. That's us! There were three other mommies and their kiddos there this morning - one little girl was almost 3, one little boy was 2, and one other little boy was 1.

Joshua is proud of his tower! I love his face in this picture!

This morning's theme was on love & attachment. The teacher had different activities we could do for bonding. One was to play with post-it notes. As mommy put them on herself, we were supposed to mimick the motion and put them in identical places on us. Instead of wanting to put the post-it notes on me, though, I still put them on her. The teacher said that was normal for my age. The next was to crumple up wax paper into a ball and straighten it out, just for the fun of the noise. This reminded mommy of the stuff I play with at the doctor's office, and I was NOT into this game at all. I handed back the wax paper to the teacher. Next we sang songs with our mommies...one was row, row, row your boat where we acted like we were rowing. I was feeling restless and wanted to get up. Most of the time, Mommy cuddles me and sings to me when it's nap time. But, it wasn't nap time yet! Did she think I was going to sleep in front of these other kids? Not a chance!

Just so you can fully appreciate the accomplishment...here's a picture!

After that, we went to these big mirrors on the wall, and we were supposed to mimmick our mommies' expressions. But I wanted to mimmick the little 2-year old boy. He was bigger than me and so fascinating to watch! I did just about anything he did. If he climbed under a table, I followed. If he picked up a ball, I wanted it too. If he got a jump rope, I grabbed the one next to it. At first Mommy thought it was cute that I had made a friend until she realized that the other little boy wasn't being very obedient and I was following right in his tracks!

This is a different night where we built a house! He helped!

I loved the playtime with other kids. Mommy has homework for our next session, and we were told other mommies and kids would be there next time that weren't there this time. People can come and go and join as they like. Each week is on a different topic. Mommy wasn't sure what to expect, but it was better than she thought it would be, even though the other mommies seemed way older to her than she is. Two of them had mulitple kiddos and one was even expecting a new baby like us!

What a handsome Bean in his PJ's!

Yesterday, we had our evaluation with Early Intervention & the physical therapist. Unfortunately, I slept the entire way through it. That was okay, though, because they had already done my evaluation and this meeting was on setting future goals since I've accomplished the goal of walking now! I'll continue meeting with Miss Trish, my new PT since Miss Laura had her baby, once a month to get ideas for enhancing my physical movement. My ultimate goal now is to be able to walk on my own without being held, including when we go up and down stairs (right now I get around on them by crawling). She gave us the idea of making an obstacle course in our backyard to help me with my balance. I'm looking forward to it, as soon as the weather gets a little warmer! Mommy also asked about my head-butting, and the Early Intervention Coordinator is scheduling a meeting with us and a behavior intervention specialist, in case they can give us any ideas of how to help me channel my frustration in a different way other than hurting myself. Mommy is excited for any ideas she can get!

I love this kiddo!

It's been a busy & exciting week for Mommy & me. She hasn't been writing as much, which is a bummer come pay time but way cool for me since I've had her undivided attention. Yesterday we colored a picture for Daddy together with our new color-wonder markers! Hooray!

Can you tell this picture was late at night?

HELP!

Does anyone know how to get vaseline out of hair? Joshua had either cradle cap or really dry skin on his scalp, and I heard that vaseline will help soothe it and get rid of it altogether. So, this morning I lavishly put vaseline on his head, waited half an hour, and then gave him a bath to get rid of it. But, after washing his hair with his baby shampoo and rinsing it and then scrubbing his head with my organic shampoo and vigorously rinsing, we still have vaseline hair!!! I tried combing it out with no success. Now my poor little guy looks like this. Any suggestions???

A Surprise Visit

Monday morning I was surprised when the doorbell rang. There was Grandma & Grandpa Ginder up from Florida to see us! They asked if Joshua & I would like to join them for lunch at the Cracker Barrel. Absolutely! We feasted on chicken salad & grilled cheese. Yummm!!! And the company was nice, too, of course. Thanks for the treat!Then while I was at my advertising class, Grandma & Grandpa Ginder took Shawn & Joshua out to HotZ Pizza and brought me back dinner as well. I didn't have to cook anything but breakfast. Hooray! And, Joshua had a great time playing with his grandparents.In this picture, Joshua is trying to capture Grandpa's red light. It's a tiny dot on the floor, so I put a small arrow to help you see it. Joshua was enthralled by this game, and he loved it most when the light was on the ceiling.

This is a picture of Joshua kissing his puppy. He's so sweet...and so adorable. I'd love to say he gets that from me, but I think that's where he's like his Dada.Speaking of Dada, here he is holding the Bean at Aunt Missy & Uncle Kevin's house Tuesday night. We met Grandma & Grandpa Ginder, Brian, Gayle, Grant & Jennavieve there. Joshua LOVED Missy's puppies. They were definitely a highlight of the evening for him.He also loved being loved up by Grandma. He would go to her with his arms up, waiting for lots of love and hugs. He would look for any excuse to go snuggle, and I think she enjoyed it, too. :)Here's Joshua in the kiddo chair at Missy's playing with the stacker toy that lights up. Everytime it would fall apart, I noticed that he would put it back together accurately. And, he would dance to the music it played. He also enjoyed playing with Aunt Missy's plastic lids and seeing everyone. We had a fun time and now Grandma & Grandpa Ginder are off again to head home to Florida after a quick business trip. We'll see you again in July!

A Funny Bunny

The Easter Bunny was last sited in Lancaster, caught in the act of painting eggs...and they say there's no such thing! Ironic that the Easter Bunny looks remarkably like my niece Faith...must be a coincidence.

"Nameless" Baby Good at Week 25

Fetal Development:
The structures of the spine - 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments - begin to form. The blood vessels of the lungs are developing and the nostrils begin to open. Busy week!

Maternal Changes:
You may be feeling like a "Soccer Mom" now that your uterus is the size of a soccer ball. Your growing uterus places pressure on your back and pelvis and may cause periodic shooting pains in your lower back and legs. When you experience this, rest, change your position, take a warm bath or apply ice to the sore area.

Preterm Labor Warning Signs:
Do you know the warning signs of preterm labor? Don't ignore any of the symptoms! Be sure to discuss with your caregiver what you should do in the event you experience these warning signs before the 37th week of pregnancy.

Ideas for Dad:
Now is a good time to start thinking about your work schedule when your baby arrives. If you want to take a leave, check with your employer about your options. Your company may qualify for the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Most companies still do not pay for maternity/paternity leave, some do but do not announce that information unless you ask, while other companies have a whole range of benefits. You may have other options available such as telecommuting (working from home), job sharing and/or flexible work schedules. Start your research now and do some soul-searching about how much time off you wish to have.

Inspirational Thoughts:
"When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments: tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become." ~Louis Pasteur

Happy Easter!

Sunday morning we woke up early to give us plenty of time to get ready for church and have breakfast as a family. We dressed Joshua in his adorable outfit that Grandma bought him for Easter (thanks!) and I squeezed into a non-maternity dress with a maternity sweater to cover my getting-bigger-by-the-day belly. I also picked out Shawn's outfit (or at least the shirt and sweater - he didn't agree on my choice of khakis). After breakfast, we headed to church and Shawn dropped us off at the door since there was limited parking. Joshua shared snacks with Austin again and then took his little worship flag, so Shawn went and got Austin an identical one (thankfully, he's pretty easy going). Joshua, on the other hand, wasn't so easygoing. He wanted to run around the church and follow the little girls who were dancing. Then he went and grabbed someone's bottle from underneath their seat and followed someone out the back door. We sit in the very back where parents tend to let their children play during worship, but Joshua was not behaving very well. So, I took him down to the nursery awhile and played down there until worship was done. I talked to a few other moms while we were there, which was nice. As more kiddos came in, I eventually was able to sneak out and he continued to play. I heard about 15 minutes of the sermon because it ended early so folks could get prayer and go to their Easter gatherings. So, we went back down and picked up Joshua.

Then, we made a quick stop at home for our chocolate chip cheesecakes and headed to my mom's to help her load her car and then off to Becky & Tim's we headed. All my nieces were dressed adorably and Daniel had a similar outfit to Joshua. He's already crawling, too! We enjoyed a nice lunch of salad, shrimp, ham, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, veggies, applesauce, homemade rolls and dessert. Joshua feasted mostly on mom's rolls - yum! After lunch, Uncle Tim started chasing the girls around (who just love it and ask him to chase them every time they see him), and it was adorable to see Joshua jump right in. I'm not sure he understood that they were being chased, but he was loving running around with his cousins. He would stop and grin at us and then keep going around the circle of their downstairs. So cute! Then the guys went and hid Easter eggs at the playground in my sister's development, and the women stayed behind and then walked the kiddos up. Jen had filled over 100 eggs with candy and the girls scrambled to find them. This time, Joshua picked up one egg in each hand and shook them. That was it! He didn't want a bag to put them in and he didn't want the candy. He held onto his two eggs for dear life and enjoyed running around the playground. In fact, even though it was freezing once again, he highly enjoyed being outside. So, each of my nieces bags were stuffed with TONS of plastic eggs. It was fun to watch them go! Afterward, we left and came home and all three of us napped and had a lazy rest of the day. It was a nice Easter.

Eggs-actly Saturday!

Hunting Eggs
Saturday was the day of our neighborhood Easter egg hunt. We were wondering if they were still going to hold it since it was frigid and flurrying. But, since it wasn't pouring and snow wasn't laying on the ground, we saw families begin to walk to the school. So, we bundled up the Bean and headed behind our house. Children ages 4 and under were to "hunt" eggs in one area that were basically sprawled all over the grass while children 5 and up hunted around the playground equipment. Previously, each parent dropped off one dozen candy-filled plastic eggs per participating child to one of the two households who coordinated the hunt. Then, the kids were told that the magic number was 12 - they could each find 12 eggs; no more, no less.

When one coordinating mom shouted "GO!" Joshua was the last little one to leave his spot. He was enjoying watching everyone and didn't want to move. Eventually he meandered over to the grass, and proudly picked up a lavendar egg at my prodding. I said "great job, now put it in the basket!" but instead, he decided to put it back on the ground for someone else to find. We showed him how to put the eggs in his bucket, and he put two in. Just then a little girl that was bigger (but younger) than him came over and took his bucket. He didn't care. He loved seeing a little friend. The little girl's parents said "give him back his bucket!" but he wasn't necessarily interested in it. Eventually he put about four more eggs in until we called it a day since everyone else was basically finished. From there, he just wanted to play with the other kids on the playground.It was freezing out! All our noses and cheeks were red as the wind whipped through our hair. Normally after the egg hunt, each family brings their own packed lunch and lawn chairs and the neighborhood enjoys hanging out with one another. This time, though, some parents braved the cold a little while longer to allow their kids more fresh air time while many headed straight home. We stayed a little bit, and Joshua did NOT want to leave. We eventually had to pick him up and take an unhappy little one back to our house (thank God it's close!). We're all excited for warmer weather to come so we can spend more time outside!Preparing Joshua's New Room
Saturday was also a busy day as Daddy started painting the closet in the former-guest-now-soon-to-be Joshua's bedroom. Once he's finished, we'll have to install the closet organizer and buy furniture for Joshua to sleep in. I can't believe it's quickly approaching!Seeing Friends
Suzanne & Greg were in town for Easter and because Suz's dad just had surgery to remove a mass on one of his kidneys. So, that night as her dad rested, we all got together. They started at our house and gave Joshua a cute little truck that makes noise. He LOVES it! Then, we went to Barnes & Nobles as Daddy stayed home with the Bean. I finally learned more about what Dr. Greg Lang researches at Princeton University and had a great time catching up with Suz, just like old times. I miss seeing my dear friend more often, but I'm thankful she lives a lot closer than Harvard now.

Good Friday

Good Friday was great! Shawn had the day off, so we went shopping and did some things around the house. It was nice to have him home. That night, Grandma watched Joshua for us so we could go out to dinner. We used our gift card to the Olive Garden and I saw one of my students working at the hostess station. While we waited for a table to open up, we went next door to Borders and continued our name hunt. We narrowed down the possibilities to five names, but we still can't decide. Ugh! We still had a great time out. Thanks, Grandma, for watching the Bean for us! While he was at her house, he learned the word "ouch!" It's so precious to hear him say it when he stumbles. My favorite thing he's been doing lately is saying 'tickle, tickle, tickle.' On the way to her house, he grabbed his own feet and said 'tickle, tickle!' We laughed out loud. He loves tickling us, especially our toes. Even though it doesn't necessarily tickle, the sneaky look on his face when he's trying to get you is priceless!

He's a Biggin'

Today we had another ultrasound with Dr. Bayliss. I'm so glad we always get to see him when we go. Right now our little guy is breach, and he was laying on his right arm so they couldn't get an accurate measurement of it. The first technician said she couldn't tell the gender, and we said that's okay because we already know. But, Dr. Bayliss showed us again that this is definitely a boy. He also said our son weighs over 1 lb 9 oz and is in the very top of the 'normal' range for size for his age. What a difference to have a big kiddo! Although, at this stage simple ounces make all the difference.


Dr. Bayliss said everything looks 'correct' for what it should be now, too. He explained that they never use the term "normal" because you can't see everything on ultrasound, but he sees absolutely no reason for concern at this point. So far so good! Hooray! And, we have a follow-up scheduled for May 8 where he'll do one last check to make sure nothing came up in the final trimester. I love seeing our little boy in ultrasound, so we're excited. Now we really MUST pick a name...

Please continue to pray for the growth and development of our second son! Your prayers made all the difference in Joshua's life, and we want the same covering for Baby Good II. :)

The picture at the top left is our son in 3-D. The very top starts his forehead and the nose is pretty clear and the eyelid, sweet little cheeks and chin and then skinny little shoulder below that... The bottom picture is the typical ultrasound profile taken today.

18 Month Pictures

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I laughed out loud...

Last night Hillary Clinton was at Millersville University. As a faculty member, I was invited to go hear her speak. Did I go? Heck no! Why would I fight all that traffic (those roads can barely handle typical university congestion) to listen to someone that I would turn off if she came across my television? My twin friends' (Jess' & Jen's) cousin Josh Riker just happened upon her - from what I understand he's not a big fan of her either - and paused to snap a picture like they were old buddies. The best part? Look at the face of his daughter - she knows what's up! She's looking right at Hilary...my guess is she didn't care for her much either. Haaa!!! I saw this on their mom's website and I literally laughed out loud. Hope you enjoy it, too!

24 Weeks Old!

Fetal Development:
The baby gains about 6 ounces this week as the body begins to fill out. This weight is in muscle, bone mass and the growing organs and tissues. The weight could top 1 1/3 pounds by the end of the week.

Doctor's Appointments
Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment, where they checked my blood pressure (it's actually really low???), my weight (they said I haven't gained anything since last time, which again contradicts our scale at home), my urine (which looks fine) and listened to the baby's heartbeat (which sounds strong and good). So, it was a good appointment! Hooray!

Dr. Jones also said I can schedule my C-section awhile, but the nurse in charge of putting the schedule into their system is behind and didn't have everything ready. Grrrr! I'm anxious to get it scheduled. So, hopefully by my next doctor's appointment in April we'll know when Mr. Good will be born! Tomorrow morning we have another ultrasound with Dr. Bayliss and I can't wait to see our little guy again! He's moving all the time!

Happy 18-month Birthday, Joshua!

This past Friday, I took Joshua to JC Penny's to get professional shots taken for his 18-month birthday. He did a great job, and it was difficult to choose which pictures to buy. I can't wait to get them! I'll post them as soon as I get the electronic ones!I can't believe my baby is already 18 months old! This is such an interesting age as he is learning more and more each day - he's like a little sponge. Today at Julie's he was talking away and said clearly "Thank you, Momma!" and "Go, go, go, bye, bye, bye!" after I put on his coat. There were a few other things he said clearly that I can't remember now. I can't believe he's stringing some words together! He babbles all the time, but now we're realizing that some of that is actual words. Sooo cute! I wish I had books or something to know what activities he should be able to do now so I could keep his interest level up for learning.Joshua is also playing pretend now. He pretended with hats before, but now he pretends he's drinking out of 'cups' or bottles. And he smacks his lips together like it's good. We chuckle. He's such a ham!Unfortunately, this is also an age for his temper to begin to show. He's good for the most part, but there are times that I can't figure out what's frustrating him. The doctor said this is an age for emotion and no real self-control, but it sometimes terrifies me and other times infuriates me. Please continue to pray for his character and that God would give me wisdom in how to best teach him and also give me His patience and peace for these times. I just want the best for the Bean!Joshua also definitely has favorite songs. When "Revelation Song" comes on or we sing it at church, he will stop and smile and sway. Sooo sweet. The other day, I heard "Mighty to Save" performed by Laura Story on the radio. It really spoke to me about God, and I decided to go down to the family room and worship on the piano while Joshua played. However, he came right up to the piano, banged on the keys and sang along. It was out of key and not the words, but it was not talking or shouting, it was real singing right from his little heart. And it melted mine. How blessed I am as a mom to have such a wonderful little son! Happy 18-month birthday!

Visiting a New Baby

Today we went over to see Julie & Jude and Kate, the newest addition to their family. Sadly, I forgot to take my camera with me, so this picture from a past play-date will have to do. The boys were soooo cute together today! Joshua was much more sure of himself, and the two of them laughed at each other and Jude would often give Joshua hugs. It was adorable. They played very well together and the only 'iffy' moments were when they both wanted the same toy...siblings will be good for them both to learn to share, especially the Bean. And, I got to hold Kate who was so tiny! Julie looks fabulous for just having a baby, and it was good to catch up with her and hear how everything went so I know what to look forward to. We had a great time! Thank God for friends!

Sooo funny!

Born to Be Wild

This post is dedicated to Harley lovers everywhere...

Get your motor runnin'

Head out on the highway

Lookin' for adventure

And whatever comes our way

Like a true nature's child

We were born, born to be wild

We can climb so high

I never wanna die

Born to be wild

Born to be wild

This post was sponsored in part by Grandpa Georgia, who gave Joshua his 'ride'...a cute plastic pony brought up all the way from the Confederate South, and Grandma & Grandpa Ginder who bought the jacket for their grandkids.

Now for the 'real' story...

Shawn & I were shopping on Saturday night at Kmart and a guy (your stereotypical Harley dude) with a long pony tail, dirty jeans, and big boots - along with his (I'm assuming wife) stopped us and our cart. He said, "Little dude! Cool jacket!!" Then he emptied his pockets of all his change and handed it to Joshua for having a Harley coat on. We laughed and laughed, and poor Joshua had no idea what to do with the change. As we kept going, it began to fall and clatter everywhere, so we tried to pick it up to put it in his Piggy Bank. I guess wearing the right outfit pays off! Haaaa!