What are your traditions?

I know that many of the families who might read this blog are like us--families who have a young kiddo or two at home. Or maybe there are people who read this blog who are a little older and have kiddos who have left the nest. Either way, I hope that you leave a comment and respond to this question:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITION?

It can either be a tradition that you have leading up to Christmas, on Christmas day, or after Christmas. (For instance, one of ours is to buy/create an ornament for our children every year so that by the time they have their own Christmas trees, they will have years of ornaments AND memories to hang up on it.) I am asking mostly out of curiosity, but I also love to hear about the family traditions and legacies that others are sharing with their children.

Thanks for responding!

Christmastime is here...

families drawing near.
Oh that we
could always see
such spirit through the year.

Such a great song! And one that my fellow Troubadour alumni would know. :)

We are in full-swing celebrating Christmas in our home. It took us an entire week to decorate, but we finally got it finished. Emma has been SUPER-excited about getting up the treeS (emphasis added on purpose), the garland, and the other random decor--which includes a toilet-seat cover, mooing cow, and a Christmas village that we've had since I was about 10.

We're also baking, crafting, and sending out Christmas cards. It has been so much fun, and the house is a total wreck at times! We have learned to cut back this year and not go overboard with tons of gifts, parties, and everything else that can take time away from the family. Living on b-u-d-g-e-t has reminded us that this is not a time to get stressed, but a time to rejoice. There is so much going on, but I am always trying to remind myself the reason that we are celebrating.

Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

This is such a wonderful time of year because we can remember the hope that was given to Earth on that first Christmas.

Blessings

A happy family is but an earlier heaven. --George Bernard Shaw

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them. --Desmond Tutu

So what's been going on?

Two entire weeks since my last post. I am having a hard time keeping up with this blog. I have been really bad about not taking pictures the last few weeks, so I haven't posted on here. I am going to start bringing my camera everywhere so I don't forget.

In the meantime, here's a little of what's been going on in the Delaney house:

1. Dan has been working like crazy. I love my husband and the fact that he wants to provide for his family. We have really learned to enjoy the time that he's at home because we're not getting as much of it these days.


2. Emma and Ethan are both growing, of course. Ethan is nursing every 1.5-3 hours and is not on a good schedule yet. Our pediatrician said to let him eat on demand until he's about two months old. Only a few more weeks and (hopefully) we'll be able to get on a good schedule.


3. We've been getting TONS of hospital bills. Thank goodness that God is in control, because I would be freaking out otherwise.


4. I've been working on making some Christmas presents...and realizing that it's hard to find time to do that stuff.


5. I've also been reading through the Psalms during my quiet time. The last time I read through Psalms was about 7 years ago when I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. Reading through them again has been a great reminder of how far God has brought me. His amazing grace has sustained me in good times and bad.


6. One of the shift keys on my keyboard is sticking, and it's driving me crazy! One thing I cannot tolerate is bad grammar. :)

Here are two cute pictures of the kids from over a week ago. They have been keeping us on our toes, but we are enjoying them so much!

We'll be taking some family photos this weekend, so I cannot wait to post them.

Who has time for this?

Wow! I have one thing to say: I am so impressed by my friends with multiple children who have time to do this whole blogging thing. I am glad to make it through the day with a shower and with everyone fed. Those are my big accomplisments these days!

Other than that, we have not been up to much. I still have a week until I am officially "healed" from the c-section, and I am having a hard time taking it easy. It's hard explaining to a three-year-old why you can't pick her up. Unfortunately, though, I have gone against doctor's orders once or twice and picked her up. BAD IDEA!

Ethan went for his one month check-up on Monday.
12 lb. 5 oz.
24 in.

Our baby is HUGE! His weight is in the 95th percentile, and his height is off the charts. I think Emma might have been the same way, though. Our kiddos seem to hit their growth spurts at different times than most of the population, apparently.

So, we've had our ups and downs and nights when all I wanted was for Ethan to go to sleep so I could rest. But I have to say that God has been faithful to give me the strength to make it through each day. There are plenty of times when I have thought that I wouldn't make it to the end of the day without crying or losing it, but God has filled me with peace in those rough times!

What a crazy journey we are on right now! And I could not imagine my life any differently.

Visiting the family

We took our first trip with the whole family this past weekend! It was crazy and fun and exhausting, and I am so glad we aren't doing that again until Thanksgiving. Visiting with the family was wonderful. We had great meals, went to a really fun Pumpkin Painting Party, and had some time to rest. But travelling with two kids was rough. We learned Ethan is not a car rider like Emma is.

Here is my favorite picture from this weekend: my Daddy with Ethan. Two peas in a pod...

Another week goes by...

This was my first week at home with two kiddos and no hubby! It was a fun and exhausting week--a great learning experience of Mommyhood!

Emma has been a GREAT helper around the house. She always gets me some diapers and puts things away when I'm too tired or sore to move. I had always thought I wanted our kids to be closer together in age, but God knew exactly what He was doing (no surprise there). I don't know how well I would've done if she were still as needy as she was even a year ago.

Ethan is continuing to nurse ALL THE TIME and grow like a weed! He's eating about every 1.5-2 hours, and he was 9 lb. 10 oz. at his two-week check-up. He had also grown .5 in. It's so hard to believe how quickly they grow. At this rate, he'll be a solid 10.5 or 11 lbs. by the end of his first month. Whoa!

We've also had so many great friends and family come by and take care of us. It has been a huge blessing to us to have friends and family come over and bring dinner, take Emma for a little while to play, or even go to the grocery store for me. We have just been thanking God every day for the provisions He has made. I feel truly blessed!

Here are a few more pictures of our precious children to hold everyone over until we get out and about. I'm still not feeling ready to get out and drive (the doctor told me not to drive until I'd feel comfortable slamming on the brakes if someone ran in front of my car--and I am definitely not there yet), but hopefully soon!

Enjoy!

One week later...

We have been a family of four for an entire week! It's so hard to believe. Yes, we're definitely losing sleep, but it is so worth it! So what have we been up to this last week? Here's the update:

• I am still recovering from the unplanned C-section. Apparently after sitting vertex for 36 weeks, Ethan decided to flip to a breach position during the last few weeks. The doctor said this rarely happens. I have to say, though, it is not as painful as the recovery from Emma's birth.
• We took Ethan to the doctor for the third time today. His bilirubin levels have been a little bit high, but they had dropped to a good level today. He weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz. Crazy thing is, he was only 8 lbs. 10 oz. yesterday. Whoa!
• And if you can guess, he's a big eater! Usually every 1.5-3 hours, depending on the time of day. He has been wonderful enough to save the longer stretches (3 hours) for nighttime feedings.
• Emma has been a great big sister. She is very nurturing and always wants to see or touch him. Her only moments of grief have been when she wants something and Dan and I have been occupied elsewhere.
• Dan has done such a great job taking care of us. Between dealing with a pain-medicated wife to a sometimes-whiny toddler to a baby who can make some SMELLY diapers, he has been wonderful through it all.
• I have lost 22 lbs. from my last OB visit before Ethan was born. That means I have lost 11 lbs. that were pre-Ethan. Woo hoo!

Here are a few pictures we took of Emma and Ethan today. He looks so much like she did at this age. I do all the work carrying them for nine months and giving birth, and they both end up looking like Dan. Go figure. :)

Ethan Delaney

September 24, 2008

9 lbs. 3 oz.

21.5 inches

Our little bundle of joy...More pictures to come...

Last Baby Ethan Update

I cannot believe he's going to be here Wednesday! That's right: the doctor is going to induce me on Wednesday. And considering I will be one day shy of a complete 40 weeks, I could not be happier! So, how did we do at our last appointment?

Baby's heartbeat: 120s-130s
Mommy's weight gain: 11 lbs.
Mommy's blood pressure: 100/84

At this point, the doctor has stopped measuring the baby. She's thinking he's going to be 9-10 lbs. (based on the fact that he was 7.5 lbs. at 36 weeks). So hopefully, most of that 11-lb. weight gain will be gone by the time I leave the hospital!

I can't believe he's going to be here this week. I can't wait for everyone to meet him!

Three years later...

Here is a picture that a friend took when I was almost 36 weeks pregnant with Emma (August 1, 2005):

Here are a few pictures that Dan took today, as I am 37 weeks (and two days) pregnant with Ethan:

Wow.

The perfect dessert...

For anyone with a chocolate addiction (and who loves easy, not-so-healthy recipes), I have found the perfect dessert. I will be making it soon!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (as found on a package of BC CC Cookie mix pouch)

1 box Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix (with chocolate syrup)
Oil, water, and eggs called for on box
1 pouch Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix
Butter and egg called for on pouch
1 container chocolate frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch pan. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in bottom of pan.
2. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with frosting.

See what I mean. Thank you, Betty Crocker, for that little piece of inspiration.

When it's hard not to laugh...

In a moment of budget weakness, Emma and I went to Chick-fil-A for a late lunch today. After we sat down to eat, Emma saw an advertisement that was shaped like one of those "We're #1" foam fingers. She examined it for a few minutes, looked at her hand, and then proceeded to give me THE finger! She said, "Look, Mommy! Just like this!" She was so proud of herself that I could barely stop laughing.

I did happen to stop laughing long enough, though, to show her how to properly show that her team is #1.

A few things I've learned...

Ever since Emma's birthday, things have been somewhat calm in the Delaney household. Nothing big going on with Nerve2Serve or church, no big family gatherings, and no updated information on when our little man Ethan will officially join our family.

In the quiet of this past week, I have been learning and reflecting--two of my favorite things to do. Here is what I've seen, heard, and realized:

1. Waking up to spend time with God before Emma is running around is the most refreshing part of my day. It gives me time to be alone with God, to talk to and hear Him, and to just thank Him for His goodness.
2. When I wake up early enough, I also have time to send emails and do other projects that would take me at least twice as long to finish once Emma is awake. :)
3. I REALLY love my husband. He had an incredible (or what would seem to be incredible) opportunity arise last week, and he turned it down because he knew it was not what God wanted.
4. When you do what God asks of you, the reward and blessing is sometimes almost immediate. (in reference to #3)
5. I am such a nerd! Yesterday while Dan and Emma were playing (yes, I think that Daddy has officially become the new favorite) I spent 30 minutes researching craft projects to make for Christmas presents. I cannot wait to get started.

That's all the excitement I've had for a week. Just a little calm before the "storm" of having a new baby. Not the bad kind of storm, though...

Happy Birthday, Emma! (again)

On Saturday, we had our families and a few of Emma's friends over for her 3rd birthday party. We so missed having more people over, but with our tighter budget and the fact that I am almost 37 weeks pregnant I thought it best to keep it small. Here are a few pictures of the special day.

We were so tired that we went to bed at 9:00 on Saturday night! I don't remember the last time I went to sleep that early. And we have been eating pizza, hot dogs, chicken, and cake for three days straight. Glad we do this but once a year...

Baby Update--36 weeks

Update #5,000,000 :)

Baby's weight: 7 lb. 8 oz.--he is above the 97th percentile in all of his measurements!

Baby's heartbeat: 150s

Mommy's weight gain: 9 lbs.

Mommy's blood pressure: 100/80

Everything looked great yesterday. We had another ultrasound, which is #5 for anyone who's counting, and a biophysical profile (it's like the ultrasound version of the APGAR score that babies get when they're born). It was so crazy, because I could actually see him imitating breathing motions on the screen. The sonographer said sometimes they have to wait 30 minutes or more to see them "breathing," and Ethan had done so in fewer than five minutes.

The doctor said she thinks I may go into labor early, possibly within the next 2-3 weeks. I hope Ethan makes it at least another two weeks just so his lungs are better developed.

And here are some pictures of the finished nursery. Enjoy!

This is Ethan's diaper bag. Very macho, huh? I registered for it just for Dan. :)

Happy Birthday, Emma!

Yesterday was Emma's 3rd birthday! We had so much fun, and it was such a special day because Dan took the day off to spend it with us. We started the day with pancakes and syrup, watched Emma's new Veggie Tales movie, and then the fun really began!

Daddy took Emma outside to blow some bubbles and feed the ducks. One duck just hatched NINE ducklings. Talk about a busy Mommy!

After that fun, we had lunch and headed out to the mall. Emma played on the "Big Frog" (as she likes to call it), and then we went to Barnes and Noble where Emma played with the trains and the horsies.

We stopped by Toys 'R' Us for more fun with bouncy balls and Big Wheels. Little does Emma know, she is NEVER getting one of those!

Then on to Target. We got Emma some knock-off Crocs and some new socks, and then we stopped by the food court to eat some popcorn.

Our last stop of the day was a place where Dan and Emma have never been: Chuck E. Cheese. I think once a year is enough of that place! We had pizza, Dan and Emma played games, and then they had some chocolate cake. Emma was so exhausted that she fell asleep on the way home and didn't get out of bed until 8:00 a.m.

What a fun day! And today started off with a 3-year checkup, where the doctor told us that she is a healthy, growing three-year-old. Now we're going to save up all of our energy for her 4th birthday...

Nesting has its advantages...

Oh yes, it does...Although Dan might disagree! With only 4-5 weeks to go, I have found myself in major nesting mode. Here are the top 10 things I have been able to accomplish in a few short weeks of nesting:

1. The nursery is finished! It was ready over a week ago. What a huge relief.
2. The house has been (almost) cleaned from top to bottom. I just have to do some dusting, light sweeping/mopping, and cleaning the windows. This is the cleanest my house has been in a year!
3. The laundry hampers are all empty! Clean clothes all around.
4. I have frozen some veggies to get us through part of the winter with fresh produce. I would like to do some more, but being on my feet for the blanching, cutting, and bagging has become a little difficult.
5. I have managed to enter almost half of our contacts into a spreadsheet. Up until this point, I had home addresses written on envelopes, scratch paper, and everywhere else where you could lose it.
6. I have had time to prepare my husband's lunches for almost a month straight! He eats healthier, and we save money.
7. I sent all the birthday cards I was supposed to this month. Never happened before. Ever.
8. I have thoroughly cleaned out Emma's room. Old toys, socks, shoes, pants, and shirts are gone. It's a lot less cluttered.
9. We are finally in the process of preparing a will. Not something you want to think about, but with a child (and soon to be two) you don't want to leave things up in the air.
10. I FINISHED EMMA'S SCRAPBOOK. 48 pages in less than a month. I don't ever want to do that again, but it was so much fun! I'll just have to keep up with it now so I don't run into that problem again.

On top of that I have started getting up earlier every day to get my day started in the Bible, not by the sound of a child crying. Coffee sure would help, but I have noticed a difference in how I feel for the entire day.

So, that is what's been up with me. Not to mention, my wonderful husband has been working super-hard and has been incredibly patient as I ask him to do so much (on top of working two jobs). Hopefully, this blog will be updated soon. I have ordered the new blog kit, so I just have to put it together and get it up. I can't wait for everyone to see it! :)

My latest project

For the last month, I have been working hard on finishing a scrapbook for Emma. First of all, I didn't realize how time-consuming the project would be! That's what I get for trying to scrapbook three years of memories in 30 days! And on top of that, this has been surprisingly emotional. Looking at all of these pictures of her has made me feel a little sentimental.

It has been one of those experiences that makes you realize the importance of "the little things." I have been reminded of Ephesians 5:15-16. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." I have been so blessed the last several months to be able to stay home with Emma and watch so many more of the moments I had missed. It's still a struggle everyday, though, to not get caught up in the "have-to's" and just enjoy being a wife and mom and child of God.

And I was going to put a page up here, but I don't want to break any copyright laws. So stop by the house and see it sometime. :)

Just having fun!

Baby Update--33 weeks

Baby's weight: 5 lb. 1 oz.
Baby's heartbeat: 150s
Mommy's weight gain: 7 lbs.
Mommy's blood pressure: 120/74

The time is almost here to meet our little Ethan! The doctor said his growth is phenomenal (in the 95th percentile), and he looks great! They found an irregular heartbeat (his, not mine) when doing the ultrasound yesterday, so next week we'll go in for a fetal ECG. The doctor said she's fairly certain it's no big deal, but just keep him in your prayers. We are just ready for him to be here and to hold him!

She's growing so fast!

Mrs. Sharon, a lady at church, commented on how much Emma has grown. I agreed with her, saying that she had gotten a few inches taller since March. She looked at me and said, "No, I mean she doesn't look like a baby anymore. Her face has thinned out, and she looks so much older."

Mrs. Sharon was right! I took this picture of Emma yesterday and compared it with a few other pictures of Emma that I'm working with for her scrapbook. She has turned into such a big girl. It doesn't matter how many times people tell you before they are born, but you never realize how quickly they grow up until they are here.

It's my party...

My sweet little girl will be turning 3--a month from tomorrow! I cannot believe how fast she's growing up. And I love celebrating every year that we have with her. That's right: I love to plan birthday parties for my baby girl!

For her first and second birthday parties, I went ALL OUT. I paid way too much money for decorations and invitations, and I cannot even begin to say how much I spent on food! My Mom bought the cake for her first birthday party. Any guesses how much it cost? $70! For a birthday cake!

Now we're preparing for birthday party #3. And Dan and I have really been feeling certain convictions about where and how we spend our money. Mainly, we believe that God is calling us to be DEBT FREE. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? And trust me, we have a long way to go. Probably several years. But we are committed to making solid financial decisions. We have slowly begun to see the fruits of our labor, and that usually gives us the encouragement to continue going. If that doesn't encourage us, then we remember and speak one of our pastor's favorite verses: Galatians 6:9. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Anyway, back to the birthday party. I have to say that I have had more fun this year planning ways to save for the big day. I created Emma's invitations myself, and I am currently making some decorations from a digital scrapbooking kit that I found at www.theshabbyshoppe.com. Guess how much I will be spending on decorations/invitations this year?! Less than $15! And I am having a great time!!!

We've even saved money on gifts--we have decided to buy her one gift, and am half-way finished with a scrapbook that I'm making for her as the second gift. And as you may know, three-year-olds are pretty narcisstic. They LOVE pictures of themselves! She has seen a few of the pages as I've been working on them, and she gets so excited. The best part?! I've only spent $8.50 so far.

Who knew?! You can actually have fun SAVING money while planning a party. Funny thing is, I'm pretty sure my husband has been trying to tell me that for a few years... :)

Another Baby Ethan Update!

This one took an entire week to come on the blog because my visit came in two parts--I had an ultrasound last week (no pictures this time, sorry) and my check-up this week. So here is how things are looking:

Baby's weight: 2 lb. 8 oz.--My OB informed me that this is officially off-the-charts for his gestational age. What a miracle!
Baby's hearbeat: 150s
Mommy's weight gain: 3 pounds--That's right--I gained 4 more pounds by 28 weeks and lost them all by yesterday's visit. The joys of heartburn and the nausea/vomiting that follows
Mommy's blood pressure: 128/72

So, at 30 weeks everything looks pretty much the same as it did at 24 weeks--except Baby Ethan's weight. We cannot believe we have 10 weeks or less until we meet our baby boy. What we can believe, however, is that God has been answering all of our prayers for a healthy pregnancy.

Now, if I can just make it through the brutal July and August heat... :)

Hello Bloggie, nice to see ya...

Three weeks with no blogging. Wow! It has been an absolutely crazy and wonderful three weeks, though. Between Dan's birthday, 4th of July, and Nerve2Serve Week, I haven't had time to get any new pictures on here. But here are some great ones from 4th of July weekend.

Let's start with a few from Dan's birthday. It was so wonderful to hang out with a few of our best friends--even though I was a little "gimped up" with an incredibly swollen foot. No worries, though. Mariann and Lindsay took some great pictures for me!

Nothing beats a good eating close-up!

Then came July 4th. We hung out at the house most of the day, and then we went to the Red, White, and Blue on the Green Celebration in downtown Summerville. It was hot, but we had a great time! We ran into Andrew and Lindsay AND Ms. Debbie and Cassidy and Christina. I ate way too much sugary food, though, and we had to leave before I got really sick. Good thing, too, because it started drizzling right as I was getting in the car.

We ended the festive weekend with a family birthday party at Papoo and Gigi's (Emma has six grandparents--what a blessing--so we had to get creative with the names!). Colleen's birthday is three days after Dan's (or, as Dan points out, three years and 362 days before his), so we celebrated both of them with a few minutes in the pool. There was a nasty storm, so we didn't get much time to play in the water. Plus, it was pretty cold from all of the rainwater.

And nothing beats the sexiness of your husband in a Speed Racer shirt and a towel skirt. That's why I love him!