Sleep I think I will go back to Sleep. -Imogen Heap

To start the weaning/transition to another bed thing takes guts.

I approached this 'slightly' early according to babycenter.com and multiple blogs I've read.
But, I was ready to sleep through the night and have more than a corner of my queen size bed back!

I started this about a week and half ago trying to figure out what 'method' would work best for me.
I started with laying with him in his bed until he fell asleep and I would sneak off. But low and behold 2 hours later he was up, then another 2 hours, then another and another until about 6am and he would wake up officially at 9:30am.
So I was in desperate need of another method. I read a blog by bigpreg.wordpress.com and I was inspired. I talked Hunter into waking up with Julien in the night instead of me!

After a few more days of me being exhausted and going back and forth between beds (mine and juliens) I had enough. Monday night was the night Hunter was taking over!

But unfortunately men don't have motherly instinct like women do, every time Julien woke up with his soft whimper I would pop up out of bed and then remember "it's not my night" so then I had to wake up Hunter. That happened twice until He realized "I'm not going to sleep tonight". By 8am Tuesday he was getting ready for work, exhausted and CRANKY. I just smiled and said 'welcome to my life, I can do it from now on if it's too hard."

Tuesday night came and Julien had an unexpected late nap so when he woke up at 7:30pm for dinner I had to keep him up a little later, but by 10:30 it was DEFINITELY time for bed. This had happened a few times before thinking if I keep him up late maybe he'll sleep through! But no such luck. So I wasn't anticipating a full nights sleep.

It was my night to wake up with Julien, I was geared up and made an easy path from my bed to his so I wouldn't step on any unsuspected toys. I fell asleep around 11:30 expecting to wake up by 12:30am to feed him one last time. But....the next thing I knew it was 6:23am!!!!!

I looked at Hunter (whose alarm went off for morning worship) and whispered "oh my gosh, he slept through the whole night. I'm so freaking excited!!!!!". We then attended morning worship in our living room and Julien didn't wake up until 8:15!!!!!!!
He was starving and my breast were about to pop so he enjoyed a nice full breakfast from both sides and I am probably the happiest mother right now.

I hope, I PRAY this lasts!! It was officially my FIRST FULL night of sleep in 14 MONTHS!

Dog, Car, JuJu and Ball.

What do these ^ words have in common? Julien has said them!!


There are times I wonder 'will he ever?' when it comes to different things. Standing, walking, talking, different things. And I'm having to realize all kids are different and Julien might not be as developed as the next kid in certain things!

He is an AWESOME listener, He can definitely understand me giving him directions.

On his FIRST Birthday he said Car and Dog!! We caught him saying Car on tape! It's so exciting! During peek-a-boo the other day no one said 'where's juju?!" So He said it himself! He said "nah JuJu!!" I was so excited I about screamed in his ear! Haha.
Today while rolling the ball around he crawled towards it and said Ball. SO clearly!

His Auntie ShooShoo (xaundelle) thinks it's hilarious that when he says words he says it SO clearly she thinks he's like stewie (from family guy). He says words like he's known them forever it's amazing.

To watch him grow right in front of me and change so much every day is so exciting!

Anyways.

Thanks to everyone for helping us celebrate Julien's birthday! We are so excited about our little ONE YEAR OLD!!

Facebook Generation

I am apart of a generation that has to tell everyone they know (or cyberly* know) what they are doing at all times. What they believe, their frustrations, their political views are all exposed on 1 website for thousands to read.

I would have no problem with this except for when I see my 'christian' friends slander those who don't share same beliefs, and call people worthless, leftovers, say 'they are taking up room'. This burdens me.

I worry that my child is going to grow up in an even more technological world where people slander even their brothers and sisters for a single disagreement. I don't want his peers to rob his innocence, heart for God, and goodness, I want him to always stand for justice and righteousness!

I hope my son is filled even now with such a love for the homeless, immigrants, muslims, budhists, prostitutes, drug addicts, christians, 'leftovers'. I hope he is filled with the Glory of God even now as a baby that when these people see him, Gods love is pouring out of his smile into them. I pray that he will NEVER judge people without the love of God, he won't even joke about those that have less, but instead extend grace, mercy and love.

My Generation makes me so sick, the things they say about people that aren't like them, or the crude jokes they make. I want to be apart of a righteous generation, abandoned to the Lord, beckoning the bride-groom and preparing themselves for such a day.

Proverbs 4:23-25
²³ Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.
²⁵ Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you



--
I must edit myself. I don't justmean my generation ages 15-30. There are quite a few 40+ yr olds I know on facebook that I am ashamed to be friends with when they post some status', If anything they should be our examples encouraging, loving, and compassionate towards others specially those that are lost.

Put others before yourself, love others more then yourself, and try not to be so dang selfish. People are people, they all have feelings and God desires them no matter what their current religion, sexual orientation, or race that they are He loves them and wants them to be apart of his Bride.

Birthday Wish List

It's been so long since I've posted!

Lets see...Julien has 7 teeth now, He hasn't started saying MUCH but occasionally he slips Ima or Abba (mom and dad in Hebrew).
He is getting so big!
His 1st birthday is coming up and during our busy schedule Julien and I got together to talk about his birthday wish list!! Here are just a few items he would LOVE to have!

Bruin Drum of Instruments
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4107312

OR

*Little Tikes Tap-A-Tune drum
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2464963
--

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Learning Workbench
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3783164

OR

Lamaze My First Toolbox
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4209195


--

We will soon (hopefully) be purchasing a toddler bed for Julien. We could really use some Toddler bed rails such as these !
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4008512&prodFindSrc=search

We would also love one of these! For safety in the tub

Skip Hop Moby Bath Spout Cover
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3611463


We also need a Toddler Car seat, so if you feel so inclined to help us out (we don't expect anyone to buy the whole thing themselves!) we would be so blessed!

12m-18m baby clothes are ALWAYS welcomed. Summer-fall clothing would be best.
--
So basically Julien loves music especially drums, cars, tools, books and loud things we don't mind the loud toys so feel free!!!

We love second hand things because they are cheaper and sometimes better! So please feel free to shop on craigslist, or give us your hand me downs!

Julien will be so blessed by just a simple Birthday Card too, we love sentimental things :), so if you feel so inclined let me know and I'll send you our address!

UPDATE**

If you haven't gotten Julien anything yet, I want to add veggie tales dvds, or cds, and a CARS Seat (its a Julien size comfy chair or couch).

We're on the move!!

Julien started crawling!

He is definitely on the move and keeping me BUSY! He is interested in every little thing on the floor, on the shelves you know regular baby stuff!
Just today he pulled him self up to the standing position and was holding on to me...then all the sudden he let go and was standing ALL by himself for like 15 seconds!! He kept doing that for like 10 minutes up and down up and down.

I can't believe he's getting so big!
Have I mentioned his first word is "hi!"? Time fliiiies when you have a baby and before you know it they're getting married!

While I'm watching Julien crawl around and grow right in front of me I can't help but think "My mom watched me crawl around like this.." and I know for her it seems just like Yesterday. What am I going to do when Julien gets older, what is going to be happening in the world, How are we going to all change and grow within this time.
God is in control of course but it's so crazy to think so much can and will happen and change within the next 10, 15, 20 years.

Oh how the time flies.

So much so young.

So much so young for the both of us.
I can't help but think now and then I'm only 21 I'm married and I have a baby...What is happening?!
But in most the joyous times of being a mother I can't wait to have more children, so it evens itself out.

Just 3 years ago I was in Cyprus at Gateways Beyond, I remember so clearly telling my room mates I can't imagine getting married and having a baby in the next 5 years!!
There are a lot of things I've done since then that I never thought I would do. I came home Summer 2008 and everything changed, I realized I was still in Love with the person I hadn't seen and barely spoken to the last 6 months and I thought "I could be married and have a baby in the next 5 years!". It's so crazy how fast all your desires can change when you know you're doing Gods will.

We got engaged shortly after that and things just started falling into place, our ministry, our band, our soon to be married life wasn't far off and everything felt right. Even though none of us thought that was the ministry we would be embarking on or the lives we had 'exactly' chosen, the more and more we felt Gods hand in it, and knew it was his will for us. The more we accepted it and fell in love with his calling for us.

Shortly (very shortly) after getting married came the little babe in my belly, after the tears and shock came the excitement! It was such an honor to know God chose us to have this little guy and no one else. He entrusted us with his life and that is a true honor!

Julien is 8 months old now! With 4 teeth, the urge to crawl but can't QUITE figure it out, and he is babbling SO much! He is the center of all our attention, the joy of the house and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else!!

It's amazing to me how fast they grow and learn little things, He definitely knows the word No, when to flash his cheesy grin and what gets our ultimate attention.
So much has happened in his little life and it's just beginning.

I feel the same way about me and my marriage SO much has happened and it's just getting started!
There are more kids to come, more states to travel to, more countries to go to, more songs to write and we're still so young!!

10 things that DIDN'T happen to me!

I have read 2 blogs lately:

1 being "10 things I wish I knew before I had my first baby" and the other being "10 things I'm glad no one told me".

Reading these blogs I see how rare my experience actually was.
I didn't have to deal with most of these 'issues'.

I am going to do 5 things i knew and decided NOT to do before i had my baby and then 5 things that didn't happen to me that are 'common' with other mothers.



1. People say to read read read. I read a few books until I was 16 weeks pregnant and I decided "I know all of this" or "I'm going to wing it and see what happens". To me it made things more exciting. Every 'new' thing was an adventure!

2. I knew I could have continued to work out and stay slightly 'trim' while pregnant. But because it was my first time being pregnant I had NO idea how my body would react and what better way then to see? I didn't work out the whole 9 months! I'm lucky I didn't gain a crazy amount of weight and the weight I did gain was just in my stomach and not everywhere else!

3. Interview Pediatricians. YEAH RIGHT! Who has time for that?! Juggling tour, husband AND being pregnant that was the last thing on my mind! I just went with whoever my Midwife suggested!

4. Baby shower. Baby showers seem like fun when you have friends/family to throw them for you. Fortunately I was blessed with boxes and boxes of hand me downs from friends. Clothes, toys, diapers, diaper bags, changing pads, burp cloths, blankets...EVERYTHING! So we skipped the baby shower and had a bunch of people over a few weeks after he was born to meet him.

5. Ultra Sounds Ultra Sounds Ultra Sounds. My Midwife only does sound sonograms. So when it came to finding out the sex of the baby I went elsewhere (BIG MISTAKE) I went to this 'nice' looking place and they totally ripped me off. Having one every once in awhile is good but I PERSONALLY think they probably aren't the best for your baby!

Things I DIDN'T have to go through.

1. Morning Sickness HALLELUJAH! The Lord spared me from such curse. In my whole 9 months of carrying I threw up ONCE and it was because I took my vitamins before I ate (big mistake). By the time I went into labor I was 2 weeks late so technically I was 10 months+ pregnant and I threw up in Transition labor. (doesn't count)

2. Heartburn I never had to deal with this little monster and til this day have never had heartburn. Interesting.

3. Drooling. This to me is just weird. I guess it's called ptyalism and thank GOD I didn't have to go through this because it's just gross.

4. Issues with your Spouse. Throughout my whole pregnancy my Husband was so sensitive to everything. If I was tired, achy, or just in a bad mood He was there for me. I hear a lot of people get in crazy huge fights with their Husbands and I am privileged to not have that issue. I was overly emotional, fat, and miserable and He loved me through it all.

Last but certainly not least. This is the biggest testimony of all

5. The excruciating pain. I went into labor at 4am, thinking it was just mild contractions. I probably would've ended up having my Baby at home if I didn't see blood and throw up. Because of that I called my Midwife and insisted that she see me at 6am and by the time I arrived at her center I was 8cm dilated. An hour of relaxing in the tub through my contractions, 15 minutes of breathing through the urge of pushing and 30 minutes of pushing: Julien arrived. My labor all in all was 4 hours long, the only way to explain how I felt was pressure. No real hard pain. Just..pressure. God is good!

I will never forget my first pregnancy experience and I can't wait to have more!!

Snaggletooth

We are coming up on Julien's 7 month birthday!

I can't believe he's getting so big, so old, so fast.

We have been home for quite some time now, went through the holidays, settled in and here comes the training.
If you read my blog you know by now that Yes my Son sleeps in bed with me and my Husband (get over it). But I am starting to lay him down for naps all by himself!
He's such a trooper when it's nap time, I lay him down and i lay next to him as he falls asleep he's getting so big!

I am making his baby food and so far he has had Brown rice cereal (mainly), carrots, squash, sweet potato, green beans, banana, avocado, apple and peas. He is SUCH a good eater!!
So one evening while feeding him he opened his mouth for his bite and I saw a little tooth coming in!! Now he has 2 little pearly whites popping through and it's adorable! He is a GREAT teether!! I didn't even know they were coming in until I saw them!

What a baby!

Parenthood has been incredible. All this time people have made me so worried saying 'it's so hard, you have no life, you can't leave the house it's miserable blah blah blah' and I know I only have one but...it is NOTHING like they say.
Don't start with that 'you have a great support system' crap because if you don't that is your fault and maybe you should do something about it. The way I look at it:

Julien is MY baby, I am not his. This means when I leave the house he will come with me, when it is time for a nap He can take a nap juuuust about anywhere, when it is time to eat you pop open a jar (or your boob out) and you feed him. What is so difficult?
Sure it's a bunch of extra stuff you have to load in the car, so you get ready 30 minutes earlier then usual but from my point of view it's not that big of a deal to take your kid shopping, out to eat, to a friends house, on a walk...etc.

The only time I have actually canceled plans was when Julien was sick and crying literally all day. I canceled my plans so I wouldn't put the other people through the tears and so Julien could rest up. But you see it's not that big of an inconvenience to cancel ONCE in 7 months.

So if you have plans to go somewhere and your kid is throwing a fit feed them, dress them, and throw'em in the car..they'll get over it.


Sorry for that little rant.