Latest Goings On

 Eve LOVES putting things on the babies' heads. Today she thought Noomi needed a spring hat.

It's almost time to break out the play yard. These guys are getting around fast!

I think it's hysterical when they crash in random places like this. Justin always has the touch. 

Justin and Eve decorated a cake for Justin's birthday. Eve picked the color/flavor of course.

Right where I'm meant to be.

I've blogged before about how I do what I do in hopes it will give other moms some new ideas and tools.
Today I wanted to talk about why I do what I do in hopes to encourage others.
I've lived such a full life! I have been so extremely blessed to live out my dreams and have experiences I never would've thought possible. I was an Air Force journalist for 4 years. I worked as an EMT and nurse tech caring for people. I made it through nursing school with zero school debt. I've piloted an airplane, traveled the world and had countless adventures.
I'm currently living another dream ... being a mom. However, there are still unfulfilled desires in my heart. I graduated nursing school in December and had Eve in March. When I was pregnant I wasn't 100% sure if I was going to stay at home full time or work. When Eve was about 9 months old I decided to look for a job. I was offered a job as a nurse in a newborn nursery and was almost through the testing process to be a firefighter for 2 different cities. It was when I was on the brink of accepting a job outside of the home that I realized I was being offered a once in a lifetime job opportunity ... raising my baby. I realized that I would NEVER have this chance again. I would never have the chance to see my daughter's first steps, first words, first food, teach her things and watch her grow. Nursing could wait. Firefighting (a dream I'd had since I was 16) could wait. God was calling me to a different purpose.
Even now, there are days when I lose my focus and get online to scope out jobs. I have a $30,000 degree that many people would see as going to waste. I still want to be a nurse. I want to go back to school and eventually be an advance practice nurse. But that's not where God wants me to be right now. Spending my days thinking about where I could be and what else I could be doing, takes away from this job. It puts my mind on something else, somewhere God doesn't want it to go right now. I'm confident there will come a time when I will see those dreams fulfilled.
I understand the NEED for moms to work. Times are hard. But I encourage you moms who are struggling with being home with your kids to pray about where you're supposed to be. If the Lord says "With your kids" I encourage you to BE with your kids. Get off the internet, throw away the job listings and shelve those dreams that are out of season. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you in this job because yours is a once in a lifetime job and not everyone gets the offer.

Housewife Hazards Vol. 1

I decided to start a "Housewife Hazards" section ... for lack of a better word. I've learned that being a full-time stay at home wife & momma is more hazardous than one might think. Some of you may disagree with me, but I think wife & mom is a job ... or maybe the most challenging volunteer position you'll ever take. Not that it's a bad thing! It's just that several people see full-time mommas/wives as having a totally cush position, lazing about the house with their bunny slippers & chocolate bars. Or in my case, sport bras & protein bars. I've had several jobs in my short little life & I've had more responsibility put on my shoulders & more demands be made of me as a wife & mom than I ever did as a public affairs specialist or a house cleaner or a nurse extern. So I thought I'd fill these posts with personal incidents, thoughts & stories of the hazards of housewifedom.

#1. "How did I get baby throw up on only my left hip?" I wonder as I sit on the floor with Eve & watch Dr. Phil.

#2. I'm always finding someone else's bodily fluids on me ... snot, pee, throw up, buggers.

#3. I have an older sister. From hearing (and telling) stories about her as a kid ... "Charis ate poop." & "Charis went poopoo in the front yard!" ... I know that poop can be a hazard. The other day I experienced it first hand. My 8 year old stepdaughter & I go in to get Eve up from a nap & lo & behold she's taken her diaper halfway off. This is the second time this has happened ... but the first time it has had poop in it. About 1/2 the poop had landed in the crib the other half was still in her diaper. Upon seeing this, my first reaction was to get her out of the poop bed, get the sheets changed & everything washed. So ... without really thinking ... I take her diaper off, set her on the ground & commence changing her bedding. Toria & I are both kinda over dramatic about it ... "Eeeewwww! Eve pooped in the bed!" Eve happily squats down on the floor (as she does all the time) & laughs. Well seconds later she unsquats & she's peed on the carpet. Of course the drama heightens ... "Eeeeeeewwwwww! Eve peed on the carpet!" That's enough ruckus to bring daddy in to survey the situation.

Feeding Frenzy

We're all about food in our house right now! Eve started eating solids about 3 weeks ago & she loves it!! She's eating rice cereal, sweet potatoes & peas. Today we tried some apple, so we'll see how that goes. She'd eat her weight in the sweet potatoes & cereal but the peas I think she just tolerates. Mealtime always ends up being a fun mess!

I make my own baby food. I picked up a box of rice cereal the other day & couldn't pronounce half the ingredients. That pretty much solidified my decision to make my own. Plus, it's so much cheaper! I use my coffee grinder to grind sweet brown rice into a powder. It probably take a little longer than the boxed stuff to get the right consistency (but I'm not sure, I've never made the stuff!). It turns out tasting like yummy cream of wheat ... something I'd eat! I love knowing exactly what's going into my baby's tummy. The real cost saver really comes with the veggies. I can bake & puree 3 sweet potatoes & have enough to feed her for about 2 months. Plus, she's eating pure veggies. I still nurse her every 4 hours-ish, so she's getting the great nutrition of breast milk too.

Eve

My very talented ameteur photographer sister from another mother took some 4.5 month old pics of Eve.