A New Beginning

It has been a long time coming, but I have decided to officially start a new blog.  Blogging here at Lassoing the Moon has been life giving for me over the years, but as I'm diving into a new chapter in my life with kids in school and more time to write, I have decided after much thought and prayer that it was time for a fresh start on all fronts.

So, starting today, you can find me over at a new place called Abundantly More.  You can find it at www.sarahleimer.wordpress.com.  Please be patient with me.  I'm decidedly not technical and blogging on a new platform feels clunky and really awkward. I have no idea how to do most things on it, but I'm just jumping in with both feet and am going to go for it.

You are treasures to me and I sincerely hope that I will cross paths with you over on my new website soon. Please let me know if you stop by!  Thank you again for all of the love and support you have offered me here. It means more than you could ever know.  

Here's to the Journey of 2017!

It is hard to put into words the experience of returning to this place long thought of and daily missed. I feel those feelings today as I opened up and actually dusted off this blog to write a little something.  Its like finding a long lost journal where you hesitate to just start writing, picking up the story on the next page after skipping over hundreds of other days.  So much has transpired, but there is no way to capture it all in the meantime.  So I'm just going to start writing as if I have been here on a frequent basis and as if there is someone on the other side of this screen who is reading.  Thank you for understanding.

I love to welcome in new years.  There is something energizing about fresh starts, blank slates, loads of hope and possibility topped with a dollop of optimism.  Anything is possible and this year, I want to live fully.  No regrets.  I'm not talking about crazy risks, but living fully alive in moments.  Not letting life pass me by, wishing things were different or that I felt differently or that I had the energy to join in the fun.  This year for me is going to be all about pressing into challenges, enjoying the simple, taking risks- embracing the beautiful messy journey.

This past year has felt full and hectic and busy and fun.  But I do not feel I lived this past year as my best self.  I was lax about paying attention to eating well, sleeping well and just taking good care of myself.  I felt tired most of the time, lacking energy to put toward relationships, adventures and fun.  I feel like I just got by.  

Life is still challenging and I feel my days often blur one into another with their sameness and routine, but lately, I've been given glimpses in my heart about how precious these days with my little ones are.  My oldest is in kindergarten now and seems so big and my youngest is about to have a HUGE year of changes- big boy beds, potty training, preschool...all the exciting "big kid" stuff.  

Our pace feels frantic and slow at the same time, but I'm gradually able to see small, bright future pockets of time that can be carved out for me.  Time to write.  Time to create.  Time to nest.  Time to pursue friendships again.  Time to read.  Time to mother with intention. Time to pursue my calling.  That time is not quite here yet, but it is coming...and I want it to both hurry up and slow down all at once because when it arrives, that means that both of my dear little ones will be in school and that reality just does not seem possible.  I'm SO ready, but I'm also SO NOT ready as that will mean that my days of mothering babies and toddlers will be truly behind me......Then what?  That is what I believe this next year's journey is going to be about for me.  Discovering who I am all over again- only in a completely different season of life.

My word for this next year is Journey.  I believe that in 2017,  I will be journeying toward my future self.  In addition to practicing good overall self care in the realm of physical health and overall wellness,  I'm also going to practice being gentle with myself as I dust off my writing muscles.  It has been ages, since I sat down on a consistent basis to write anything but I know in my knower that it is what I'm made to be doing. So bear with me as I struggle to find my voice and what I might have to share here.  I want to develop the discipline of discovery and trying and slowing and savoring.  It will be exciting to see where this will all lead me in the coming weeks and months. 

All of this being said, I'm going to be intentionally quiet on this blog for the next few months as I set about dreaming and re-creating my blog into what I long for it to be.  A place of inspiration, hope and where real life intersects with my dreams.

I'm excited to be coming back to my little corner of the blog world later this spring. 

A Beautiful Becoming

Today was my birthday, and my sweet mom gifted me with a few hours to myself while she watched the kids.  So I had a fun birthday lunch with my hubby, cashed in my free birthday drink at Starbucks and quietly seated myself in our local library with time to write....something I've been wanting to do for ages.  But writing today has been much harder than I thought it would be.  Actually I knew it would be difficult so to ease myself in, I checked my email, read birthday wishes on Facebook, checked Instagram, read entertainment news online, spent time reading some of my favorite blogs, checked the news headlines, checked the weather multiple times (in case it changed in the last half hour) and of course checked my email again.  I have done practically everything BUT write anything. I'm sure if I was at home, I would have cleaned the kitchen and started a load of laundry or two as well.  Anything but what I'm supposed to be doing.  

Writing feels foreign to me.  Awkward.  Truly difficult. Clunky. Painful even.  A muscle that has not been worked in far too long....so long I wonder if there is even a muscle there anymore!  I have so much to say, but I have completely forgotten how to say things here after being gone for so long. Where and how do I even begin again? 

One thing I know for sure is that in my life, I am supposed to be writing.  Without question.  It is a call on my heart that I feel every. single. day. It helps me to be the true person I'm supposed to be and is a big part of the me I used to be- a part of myself that I miss.  I feel enormously guilty for disobeying this call on my heart and feel that not writing is a big reason I have felt rather personally lost for the past couple of years.

I have contemplated completely quitting many times this past year, (you probably actually thought I did) but I just could not pull the plug (sorry for the horrible unintentional pun) even though I could not write.  Do I start a new blog? (That is still being prayed about).  Do I switch blogging platforms? Do I try and find my "official niche" in the blogging world or do I just plug along and write about life in general?  I have decided to just write about my life- nothing special, nothing in particular, just things I am doing and learning about and celebrating along the way.  

I'm reminded that writing takes practice.  It is a discipline that requires intention, time and effort. I have allowed what once brought me great joy, peace and connection to wither unattended.  I'm embarrassed and ashamed at my recklessness and for taking for granted that there are even people who want to step in and spend time here with me in my corner of the world. If there is even anyone reading this, I just want to say, I love and appreciate you tremendously and I'm sorry for taking you for granted.

This post has been hard to write and I'm sure even harder to read, but having it under my belt feels freeing to me.  My heart feels released to start fresh.   I celebrate this new opportunity to become who it is I am supposed to be.  God is not finished with me yet and I am reminded of this as I sit on the cusp of this new year of life.  It is a gift to become, to grow and change and I am free to leave the guilt of past mistakes behind.  I do not want to bring that baggage forward with me into this new, fresh year.  I can flee from the worry of what people will say or think about the clunkiness of this here blog...the stops, starts, blurs, breaks....It is what it is and it will be what it will be.  It is a platform I have been blessed to have and I simply need to show up and allow Him to show me what to share and write about.  It is His blog, not mine.  I'm good with that.  There is a fresh peace in my heart about it.  

This place has been sacred for me through some of my darkest hours and for the longest time it did not feel like my own any more.  I surrendered ground without a fight and did not feel welcome here- not because of anything someone said, but because of whose Voice I was (or more importantly wasn't) listening to in my heart. Comparison, condemnation, guilt, shame...they were loud and they were lies. 

 It feels lovely to be back here again.  I'm happy to be writing again.  I am reclaiming this space as sacred and holy for myself and it is beautiful.  It feels lovely.  I'm excited to see what it can become with some time, some intention and a whole lot of love.  It is going to take awhile to build up my expressive muscles again, but I'm confident they are still there and can be re-discovered and re-developed. 

Thank you for allowing me to wander and for welcoming me back again.  It feels so good to be back in the blogging world again. 

Some Thoughts on Self Kindness and Kindergarten

I knew this day would eventually arrive, but I somehow still was not ready for it. Today would have been Luke's first day of kindergarten.  My heart didn't know what to expect and I certainly did not know how to "plan" for today other than to stay off Facebook in hopes of not being constantly bombarded by everyones fun "first day photos." I hoped for busy kids who would offer me some "alone time" to just be quiet and "busy" around the house.

I was sad we didn't get to take any cute first day photos of Luke by the front door, we did not get to meet his teacher, we did not get to fill his backpack with school supplies, I didn't get to see and meet other first day of kindergarten moms and I won't get to race to see him after school to hear all about his day. Starting school is a tremendous milestone in the life of a little one, and it is just one more that we will never get to celebrate with our Luke.  

But instead of being able to wallow and let myself just be sad, we have had a nightmare of a day over here.  It has been a day of tantrums, time outs, lots of tears, no naps, messes, and just general ugly (mom included). I have no idea what is going on here today, but it has not been good.  On a day when I just personally needed things to be "easy" it has been one of my most challenging on record (and lets just say I have fallen far short of winning any mothering awards today).

What days like today remind me of is that life keeps moving forward whether we want it to or not... And that is a really great thing.  Days dreaded and thought long in the future will eventually come to pass and days long hoped for will too.  Kids will be a handful because that is just what they do and how God made them to be, and I am thankful that mine are absolute handfuls today. (A little bit thankful anyway.  Knowing the alternative makes me see this day through tremendously thankful eyes).

Each day we are presented with choices- joy or sorrow? Abundance or loss? Beauty or ugly? Light or darkness? Gratitude or disappointment? We choose which lens we will use to filter our days through and how we want to impact those around us- for the better as a gift, or for the worse as a wound.

My grief will always be my companion in ways that most will never understand. But despite its constant-ness, I will continue to make every effort to choose joy, beauty, abundance, life, and gratitude.  I want my life to influence for the good.  I am learning how to be kind to myself.  Sounds crazy but it's true. Practicing self kindness on really hard days (and good days too) means allowing some wiggle room for mistakes to be made and tears to fall.  And who knows, with a little more practice, hopeful, positive personal growth may occur and some of those hard earned tears may eventually be tears of joy!


Gratitude today:
coffee in my mug from my hubby this morning
laundry put away
gates on doors
long, hot walks outside that calm the soul and pass some time
podcasts
double strollers
ear buds
La Croix
nap time
The healing power of Trader Joe's Lemonade - yum!
August is almost half over

It is August Again

                                      << imagine a beautiful photo of something summery here>>**

I am still here. Even though months of radio silence have passed.  You might not know this, but I write on this blog nearly every day- in my mind. Isn't that weird? I think about this blank piece of "paper" all. the. time.  I have lots of struggles, adventures and experiences to process, share and write about here, but I rarely prioritize the time to actually sit down and put my virtual pen to paper.  So therefore, it all stays cluttered and scrambled in my head and heart. (Which makes me constantly feel a little scrambled, muddy and cluttered as a result.) 

I miss you guys.  It is August again, my least favorite month and I think that means I need to be here- back on the blog; writing. Can one start fresh in August? I don't know, but I'm going to declare it possible.  I also know that I'm tired, my jeans do not fit and my house is messy....not a great combo!  So what that means to me is....it's time to right the ship and begin again. I am going to start paddling back in the direction I want to go with my life and that means more time spent here. Writing and sharing.  It is so good for my soul to have a creative outlet and I'm happier and better in all areas of life when I'm taking care of my soul in this way.  It's true- plus, I'm tired of keeping all of this goodness to myself.  Haha!

Cheers to August- I'm determined to make it a great one!   See you soon, friends!

**note: This summer we upgraded our technical backup of all photos and now it is SUPER challenging for me to find/post anything photo related.  I'm seriously technically challenged and easily frustrated by the technology world....So all to say, I'm working on learning how to do that as well.  

The Sisterhood of Motherhood

For me, Mother's Day always brings with it a wild roller coaster ride of emotions. Always happiness, thankfulness, and joy mixed inextricably with sadness, emptiness and grief. It is complicated, tangled, beautiful and dark.  Actually it is like this most days for me if I'm honest.  But Mother's Day has a way of just bringing it all to flood stage for me.

I still move through my life with a giant Luke-shaped hole right beside me.  Most people with untrained eyes cannot see it, but I cannot not see it.  I miss him more than a million tears can express.  I think about how he would be getting ready to start kindergarten in the fall.  I wonder what he would enjoy playing with but most of all think of what it would be like to hear his laugh and jokes mixed in among his sister's and brother's as we eat lunch together every day.  I wonder what his hugs would feel like, what his favorite book would be.  I long so deeply to be his mother in more tangible ways than in just photos and memories. Being Luke's mom is a gift I was given and one I will gratefully cling to all of my days...even when it breaks my heart again and again.

My sweet Lily brings the sunshine to my life.  She always has.  Her imagination and constant dialogue never give me a moment's peace, but I miss it (the constant-ness of it) when she is at school or taking a nap. She is a jokester, a reader, a snuggle bug, a master pretender, a player of games and a kind-hearted friend to others.  I love being her mother and her laugh brings tears to my eyes with its sheer beauty. It is absolute music to my heart.  She loves Jesus and loves learning and it is a gift to be her mom every minute of every day.  

This year, I am blessed to celebrate Mother's Day with my newest little love bug:  my sweet little Logan.  He radiates joy, sweetness, strength, adventure and energy into our days and sometimes I feel like my heart will burst with the goodness of it all. I love listening to him chat while we ride in the car and his love of his sister (and her complete adoration of him) melts my mama heart every time.  His toothy grin, belly laugh, speed and unstoppable energy make my heart sing. He is our boy.  When I catch him looking at me and grinning, my eyes can fill with tears in the blink of an eye. He is our little miracle-blessing-answer-to-prayer and every day with him reminds me of God's faithfulness and goodness. 

I would be remiss without mentioning that part of my motherhood would not be possible without the selfless sacrifice of Logan's birth mother.  This year will be her first Mother's Day as a mother and I know all too well the ache of marking this day with empty arms. I know Logan will be on her mind and in her heart and while I do not know if she will be actually celebrating per se, I know I will be celebrating her. My gratitude for what she gave us extends beyond words.  She is part of our family, my sister in motherhood and always will be and I am forever grateful.  

Mothering. It is the hard, hard work of shaping, nurturing, caring for and bringing life to someone or something-and it seems silly to celebrate it for only one day a year.  I do believe that ALL women are mothers in the way they bring life to their plants, pets, children (both their own and other's), their friendships, their home, ideas, dreams, plans, relationships, and words.  Mothers are life-givers and I am blessed to be surrounded by so many.

By giving ourselves to the life and well-being of another or to the growth and development of a dream, we learn that when we give our hearts fully to something- whatever it might be- when we love it enough to give everything we have and then set it free - not knowing if it will eventually return to us- we find ourselves richer, changed, better, softer and wiser for the journey.  And I am so thankful that I am not alone on this path.  I celebrate all of the women in my life today- you are all mothers in some shape or form and I love you for it. Thank you for holding my hand, praying big prayers, dreaming big dreams, wiping my tears, sharing your wisdom, making me laugh, holding me accountable, offering encouragement, hugging me tight and cheering me on- it means more than I can say. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Beautiful Books

Every night when I tuck her in, we spend a few seconds arranging the dozens of books that sleep beside her.  She reads them with her flashlight long into the darkness after we have kissed our goodnights. They are her companions, her friends and she wants them close by.  I adore this about my girl:  she is a reader.  

I too love to read.  As far back as I can remember, I have kept lists of the books I have finished and those I someday plan to read.  I also made my peace and I stopped finishing books I do not like.  In my opinion, life is too short to suffer through books you don’t love. These days, I am an admitted slow reader.  In this season, most of my reading time comes in the middle of the night after waking up with a little one, so needless to say, I am several years behind on “current” books.  But I don’t mind, it just means I have a built in discussion group because everyone else has usually already read the book I just finished.  It is kind of nice actually. 

Are you a reader too? Is there anything better than a good book? I have been on a roll lately with good books and so I thought I would pass along some recommendations in case you have not read them and were looking for some good books for your summer reading list.  These are some of my favorites from the past few months and some from last year as well.  These recommendations are based completely my own opinion and like I mentioned, I am pretty behind the times.  I hope you enjoy!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

• This one.  Oh, this one.  If you read any book on this list, do not miss this one.  I forced myself to read it slow because I loved it so much and did not want it to be over.  It opened my eyes to a new perspective of World War II and I adored the characters and missed them long after I finished the book. It is beautifully written with a powerful message of love and friendship.  This book changed me. So, so beautiful.

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

• I love every word Shauna writes.  I love her writing style. I love her love of food and relationships and how she writes about faith without writing about faith.  This book is another one I never wanted to put down.  Lovely, beautiful and rich.  Plus it is packed with recipes, so if you enjoy cooking or entertaining, this is a beautiful book to have on hand. 

Love Does by Bob Goff

• This book is a delight.  If you do not know who Bob is, when you read this book, you will want to be his friend- I promise.  I have given this book as a gift to so many people since I finished it.  It is a book based on his funny, amazing, inspiring and super encouraging life.  I wish I could have Bob over for dinner every week!  

The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

• This one broke my drought.  I had been in a long slump of reading good books when a friend recommended this one to me.  It is not very long, but will completely transport you to a different era of time and will absorb you into an amazing story.  It is historical fiction based around a famous painting and I loved it.

The Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

• This book sat on my shelf for over a year before I actually picked it up and began reading.  Once I started, I could hardly put it down.  It had a tremendous impact on me and I found it to be deeply encouraging both spiritually and relationally. It is a beautiful story about the impact of friendship and the influence one life can have on another.  It is a true and beautiful story.

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

• I had been reading Katie’s blog about her life in Uganda before picking up her book.  It is an amazing first hand account from an amazing girl who followed God's call on her heart and gave up a life of privilege to adopt and parent over a dozen children in Uganda. Her faith is inspirational and her story is encouraging.  

What Women Fear by Angie Smith

• This book is amazing.  It is so relatable and insightful and powerful.  I read this book during my quiet time about a year ago and still think about it today.  I love the way Angie writes and know I will go back to this book in the months and years ahead.

I have read many others as well, but these are the ones that have stayed with me long after I finished them.  The photo at the top of this post is of the books I hope to tackle in 2015.  So far I have read about four books this year- two of which were not even on my  "hope to read" list, so that has been a fun surprise.  If you have any books you have read that you loved, please pass the recommendations along my way! 

Happy reading!

Logan is 8 Months Old!

serious cuteness alert!

Hello World!

I'm eight months old today!  

there are two of my teeth

I'm doing great and getting bigger by the minute.  Mom says I have a million facial expressions these days and that they are all cute.  I'm loving being a little brother and especially love it when my sister brings me toys to play with.  One of my favorite things to do is knock over people's block towers.  That never gets old! 

Now that I'm crawling everywhere, I can really get into some stuff!  I am working hard to learn how to crawl on hardwood floors.  Sometimes I can do it without any problem, and sometimes my pants and socks make things a little bit slippery and I get sad and frustrated that I can't get where I want to go, so someone has to come and help me.

I am eating a ton of food these days.  

My favorites from this month are are avocado, squash, pears and mangos.  I also enjoy cottage cheese and trying to grab the spoon and feed myself.  Sometimes my mom just lets me go to town and I make a huge mess, and other times she tries to keep me semi-clean so she doesn't have to change my outfit several times a day.  

I like to keep her guessing with where she will find mashed food on my outfits and on me.  I am also learning to feed myself. I really enjoy eating puffs when I can get them into my mouth.

I love my napping schedule.  My mom and dad put me down awake and most of the time, I'm asleep within a minute.  It's rare for me to cry at all when I'm going to sleep now.

I nap twice a day for about 90 min to two hours each time.  I sleep for about 14 hours at night (waking once sometime for a bottle)- which mom says is really great.  I wake up rested and ready to go.  I love to look out the window and can't wait for spring so we can play outside more.  

This month when we had a really nice day, our family took a walk to the park and I got to swing a little bit for the first time which I LOVED.  

These days, my favorite toys are anything I can put into my mouth so everyone really has to keep their eyes on me to make sure I'm playing with the right stuff.  I have four teeth now.  I finally cut my second top tooth which was exciting.  Mom is hoping for some relief for me in the teething department as I had another ear infection a couple of weeks ago and had to go visit the doctor again because I was not feeling well and not sleeping hardly at all.  But I'm doing MUCH better now thanks to my medicine.

Speaking of medicine, I did much better taking my medicine this time around which was nice for my mom and dad.  I can easily sit by myself these days and can go from sitting to crawling but am still working on going from crawling to sitting.  As I mentioned, I love to crawl around and explore everything.  I enjoy reading books and my favorite person is my sis.  

I miss her when she goes to preschool two mornings a week.  She always makes me laugh and loves to bring me toys and play with me.  She is a hoot.

I love my life!

xo

Love,

Logan

Noticing

I notice....

The way her energy cannot be contained.  

How I love the way she dance-walks-runs toward me with her smile lighting the room..so many times a day. 

The way her imagination explodes beauty into our world.

How she loves her books.

The way he joyfully grabs the spoon and tries to jaw his pureed peas.

The way the sippy cup bangs happy and relentless on the high chair tray.  

The way it seems crumbs, mess and dirty laundry emerge from thin air and pile up everywhere.  

How I love the way they crack each other up.

The way the sun sets lavender and pink behind the empty branches reaching for the sky outside the window while I wash bottles for the thousandth time.  

Twilight is my favorite time of day.

I am slowly and deliciously savoring one of the best books I have read in years...purposely reading only a few pages a day in hopes of making it last longer.

The way a clear kitchen counter goes a long way toward clearing my mind. 

How the sound of a little thumb being sucked by a little head laying on my shoulder is one of the sweetest in the whole world. 

The way water splashed everywhere at bath time is completely worth it for the fun that was had.

How love is spelled t-i-m-e for her little heart. 

The way a flower-shaped flashlight in her hand at night makes her happy. 

The way misshapen pink, frosted cookies are beautiful and taste even better than pretty ones.  

My jeans do not fit me which reminds me I'm not exercising which reminds me my time is not my own which reminds me I'm in a season which reminds me that they will fit me again someday. And I move on.

The way two hour naps fly by and although they sound long, are not really when put into the framework of accomplishing something more than picking up the kitchen, eating lunch and grabbing a quick shower (on a good day).  

How all the same, two hour naps are an absolute blessing to me.  

That beautiful queens (Like Elsa) wear only one braid....therefore she does too. 

The way sparkly shoes go with everything. 

The way crawling is a liberating challenge for everyone involved.   

The way baby smiles with three teeth are the best. 

The way I'm covered in slobber, tears, food, snot and milk most days, most of the time...and I don't even notice.

The way yoga pants are awesome and awful at the same time. 

The way he delights in grabbing my hair that rests on my shoulders, tiny hands pulling hard. 

The way baby fingernails grow fast on little, busy hands.  

The way she was born to be a big sister.

The beautiful way little brothers adapt and accept the craziness of big sisters being "funny" all around them.  

The way she delights in teaching herself to read.  

How I'm working on owning certain opinions that I have about things.

The way she has no idea how much she teaches me. 

The way most days I feel defeated, unseen and blessed all at the same time.  

How I often feel disconnected and hidden behind the walls of my home where I live with two littles who require my life and what feels like every ounce of my energy. 

The way I think little kids in glasses are adorable.

How the days where I get to drink half of my cup of coffee are considered good days. 

The way some days my ever-present grief can still swallow me with no advance notice. 

How deeply I admire her budding inner strength and self-awareness.

The way most days I don't know where to start or more importantly how to start again.

The ways I'm quietly trying to start again anyways.

How time all by myself is difficult to find but essential to my well-being. My husband knows and respects this about me and I am beyond lucky to be loved and known in this way.

How I adore my family- beyond words.  But sometimes I secretly dream of going to a beach resort by myself and staying for weeks with only books for my companions.

The way she invented a funny language that is all her own- and she cracks herself up being funny.

How sometimes I belly laugh and it makes me cry big heart tears.

The way she loves Prince Hans of the Southern Isles with her whole heart ("when he's nice!")

How deeply I want the innocence of childhood to last forever.

The sweet way she practices growing her conversation skills. 

How deeply I adore that he is her biggest fan and she his.

The way it is easy for my days and weeks and months to blur together- beautifully difficult and good. 

The way consciously re-learning and re-remembering how noticing beauty anchors my soul in moments I never want to forget.  

The ways I try to love the best I can- every day.  

How my husband tries to show me that I am known and loved- every day.

The way holding hands makes me feel safe.

----

God is in the business of making all things new and I am thankful for the way He is inviting me to pursue change in my life- even though it will require my diligence and energy I often feel I don't have to give.   

I'm on a journey of becoming someone new- someone the King dreamed me to be.  I often feel lost and less than that daughter....more often than I care to admit...especially lately.  It is a battle - this noticing and deep honesty.  But, I'm remembering from my past, that by developing the discipline of noticing the gifts found deep in the moments...especially the difficult moments, I will also be able to claim victory in the battle for my thoughts, my heart....my life.  And I absolutely want to live a victorious life.

So today, I will start by noticing....

Backing it up...Logan is 7 months!

Hello World! 

I'm seven months old today!

I have been very busy lately and have just started crawling!  

there I go....

I have two lower teeth now and am getting ready to cut my top front tooth.  Teething is NO fun and it makes me kind of grumpy.  Luckily my family understands and gives me lots of extra TLC.  I am chewing on everything these days.  

My sister is learning that she has to keep her toys away from me if she does not want me to grab them and chew them.  She is my best friend and we love to laugh together.  She always makes me smile and loves to help take care of me.

I started eating solid foods this month which is really exciting.  At first I kind of gagged and shivered when I took bites, but now, I gobble it all up and love to make huge messes while I eat.  My favorite foods so far are porridge, peas, butternut squash and yogurt.  I kind of like applesauce.  

I love sitting in my high chair and being part of the mix around the family table.  I have had a few sips from a sippy cup, but basically I love to just bang it around and chew on it.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have just started crawling which I love.  I'm not going super fast yet, but I can get myself across the room or to a different toy if I put my mind to it.  I still get a little bit frustrated, but everyone loves to clap for me which gets me excited and gives me courage to keep trying.

I love when my mom and dad read books to me and I love playing with all of my toys that light up and rattle and make noise.  I am able to sit by myself for a few minutes before I fall over, but I'm getting stronger every day.  I'm doing better with my car seat and I love to suck my thumb when I fall asleep.  I'm doing a great job with my naps and my sleep schedule.  

I sleep for 13-14 hours a night (waking only once for a bottle) and I take a 1-2 hour nap in the morning and about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  

Lily loves to jump in on my photo shoots....she is such a great big sis!

I love my Jump-a-roo!

I love to look out the window and can't wait until we can play outside.  I'm doing great and at my six month appointment, I weighed 19lbs! Mom says I'm growing so fast.  In random news, I'm wearing 9 month clothes now and I love to chew on my feet!  See you next month!

xo

Love,

Logan

Backing it up...Logan at 6 months

  For the beloved three* of you (I love you guys!!!) who are still checking in here I wanted to give you an update on our little Logan.

Here he is at six months.....

Isn't he adorable? I know I am completely biased, but this little guy has completely stolen our hearts. His six month birthday was on Christmas Eve so we decided to snap a couple of photos of him by our Christmas tree at the cabin where we were celebrating the holiday with family.

This is how he loves to sit in his bumbo seat- crooked so he can wiggle around and look everywhere but straight ahead.  I can already tell, he is going to be a busy little guy!

You would not be able to tell it in these pics, but we actually had a pretty rough trip health and sleep-wise.  Logan started teething and cut his first tooth while we were in Colorado.  While this is exciting news, it also brought with it lots of tears, not many naps and lots of waking up during the night for pretty much the duration of our trip.  Thanks to all of the extra gunk flowing through his system as he cut his little tooth, he also developed his first ear infection and earned his first trip to urgent care! Poor little guy.  

He was a trooper though and somehow managed to still smile a lot and enjoy his first Christmas.

At six months, he was working really hard at pushing up from his tummy to an "all fours" position and doing some rocking back and forth.  He liked to sit for a few minutes at a time in his bumbo seat and really loves being snuggled and played with.  He LOVED watching all of the birds visit the feeders at the cabin and really enjoyed chewing and drooling on everything.  Sadly because of the extreme cold and his ear infection, we didn't take him outside to play in the snow, but he watched us play with Lily from the window with Nana.

He LOVED the Christmas tree and all of the twinkle lights...

Logan is normally a great napper and takes two naps a day and sleeps great at night.  He loves his bottles and HATES taking medicine.  He is a master-spitter-outer of all medicines!  He is very strong and LOVES playing with his sister.  

Having him with us for Christmas was by far the best Christmas present we could have ever received.  Happy six month birthday sweet boy! We love you!

Logan is 5 Months!

Hello World!

I am five months old today! I have had a busy month.  I drink 7oz bottles about 5-6 times a day.  Sometimes I drink every drop and other times I just have a few ounces...I like to keep my family guessing.  I love being around my family and love to smile and giggle.  I am constantly trying to figure things out and I love to stay really busy.  Mommy calls me her sweet cutie pie.  

I celebrated my first Halloween where I dressed up as a pumpkin.  I did not mind the costume, but I was not a big fan of my pumpkin hat.  

In the afternoon after my nap, we went trick or treating at my Nana and Papa's, my aunt and uncle's house and the home of a family friend.  

I was completely pooped out after that and went to bed shortly after arriving back home.  My sister was Cinderella and she LOVED dressing up and trick-or-treating with our neighbors.  

I slept right through all of the trick or treaters who came to our house.

I am officially a pro at rolling over from my back to my tummy and now love to prop myself up and look around.  I still sometimes struggle with understanding how to roll from my tummy to my back, but sometimes I can do it all by myself.  I love to squeal and talk while on my tummy and I especially love to kick my legs against the floor while I'm on my tummy.  It is great to be able to look all around and see what is going on.  Sometimes I can even roll myself across the room if I want to.  I don't do that all the time, but there have been a few times where I have surprised my mom by being in a new location when she looked away for a few minutes! Everyone in my family thinks I'm going to be on the go really soon!

Now that I'm holding my head steady and working on my core strength, I was able to start playing in my exersaucer this month.  I really like it now that I'm learning how to navigate my way around it and understand how all of the little gizmos work.  Lucky for me, my sister was very eager to teach me.  Like most things I do, I have about a 10-15 minute tolerance and then I'm ready for my mom or dad to move me to my next activity.  Right now I generally move between my play gym, my mom's lap, my swing, my mom's (or my daddy's) arms, my exersaucer, my mom's arms while we walk around the house, my bouncy seat, my mom's arms, read books, play on the floor, sit in my bumbo seat, back to my mom's arms...you get the idea.  That is a typical day- rotating through all of those activities multiple times with a few naps mixed in.  I'm very busy...and my big sister is even busier!

I love to be around my family- especially my sister.  She makes me laugh and I love to watch her running all over the place.  She snuggles me and plays with me and gives me TONS of kisses and lots of encouragement.  I adore her.  

This month I really made a lot of progress on my sleep training that Mom has been trying to teach me.  Mom has gotten me on a pretty regular schedule.  Most days I wake up between 7-7:30am, take a morning nap, then take another afternoon nap around lunch time and then am ready for my bath and bottle around 5pm.  I now sleep from 5:30pm until about 4:30-5am, wake up and have a bottle and then go back to bed until about 7ish in the morning.  Mom and dad are finally getting more sleep!  

While I am a great sleeper at night, I have been struggling a little bit with my naps.  I can now put myself to sleep without much crying, but I tend to wake up about 45 minutes to an hour later.  It frustrates everyone and I always wake up sad and feel and look a little bit tired.  My mom is trying to figure this out so she can help me get my rest.  Everyone seems highly motivated! 

I still HATE my car seat.  Mom wanted me to note that there were at least two times this month where she put me in my car seat that I did not cry.  I did not realize she was keeping track, but I guess she is.  I LOVE my baths.  They are by far my favorite activity. I squeal and splash and kick and play.  I can be in a grouchy-end-of-the-day weepy mood, and then when my mom takes me into the bathroom, it all goes away and I'm super happy and energized.  I love blowing spit bubbles and chewing on/sucking on my thumb.  I love reading my books and have gotten really good at reaching for my toys and grabbing them.  I sometimes can't hold onto them for as long as I'd like, but I am getting really good at grabbing them which is a start!  I love being five months old and I can't wait to see what I learn to do in the next month!

xo

Love,

Logan

A Four Month Recap and Time Lapse

Life is busy these days.  A great busy, but busy nonetheless.  It is apparent based on the quantity of posts here that I rarely sit down with my computer these days the way I would like, but- I have been trying to take lots of photos. One of my favorite things I did when Lily was a baby, was my monthly posts where she updated the world on what she was up to on each of her monthly birthdays.  I have not been good about posting Logan's here, but I have been keeping track in hopes of doing the same thing with little Logan and finally have a few minutes to catch you up!  

HELLO WORLD!!

I am four months old now! Can you even believe it? Mom says I am getting cuter by the minute too. I am really busy napping these days.  Mom has been working with me on sleep training and I am really starting to get the hang of it.  I generally take two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Mom especially likes it when I nap at the same time as my sister, which is most afternoons now.  Last night was my best night ever- I slept for twelve straight hours all by myself! Until then, I had been sleeping for 12-13 hours total at night, only waking up once (occasionally twice) to eat, but last night I finally rounded that corner and made it all the way through.  I almost didn't recognize my mom when she came in to get me this morning, she looked so refreshed and rested!  I love to smile and have a sweet disposition and am beginning to get some really adorable chubby legs and arms that my mom loves to squeeze and kiss.  I only get upset when I need something important and am in general, a very easy going little guy.

I can easily (and quickly) roll from my back to my tummy now.  I love this trick and I like to look around while I'm up on my tummy doing tummy time.  I rarely get upset during tummy time any more which is a huge breakthrough. I like being able to roll this way because now I can sleep on my tummy too!  I am just learning how to reach for toys to play with, and I'm getting stronger each day.  I still struggle a little bit with rolling from my tummy to my back, but every once in awhile, I can do it and then I'm off to the races making my way across the floor.  I cannot wait until I can actually get moving!

At my doctor appointment yesterday, I had to get lots of shots, but I only cried for a minute after my mommy picked me up and snuggled me.  It made me feel better to have my sis there holding my hand too.  I now weigh almost 17lbs!  I am wearing size 6months in clothes.  I am growing so big and strong! 

I drink between 5-6oz in my bottle at each feeding and am getting ready to start drinking even more.  I am even learning how to hold my own bottle! (I still need help though because I also like to put my hands in my mouth at the same time while I'm trying to drink).  I enjoy reading books, playing with toys, talking, sitting on people's laps, playing outside but my favorite activity by far is taking a bath.  I LOVE to kick and splash in my bathtub.  I laugh, I squeal with delight and I pretty much love to kick and move my arms and legs all the time.  I'm still not a huge fan of my carseat, but I'm getting so much better.  I adore my big sister and love to pull her hair.  She never gets angry with me.  I'm dressing up as a pumpkin for Halloween this year and can't wait for trick or treating!  

My mom is posting some of my older photos from when I was little so you can see how much I have grown.  I cannot wait to see what the next month of life will bring! 

xo

Love,

Logan

Here I am when I was one month old...

When I was this age, I ate every 2-3 hours 2-3 ounces at a time.  I was a good sleeper and I loved being swaddled. I hated my car seat and would scream the entire time my mom would make me be in it. I did great on the big drive back home from Utah, but once I got a little bit older, I was not a fan. I had to do tummy time every day, and I was also not a big fan of that either.  Mommy told me it would help me to become strong, but it is just hard!

This is my big sis.  She is one of my favorite people on this planet.  She loves to help take care of me.  She did not like it that mom was only taking pictures of me today, so she jumped in on my photo shoot to "help" mom...  Mom wasn't thrilled about it, but I loved it and so did Lily.  She is funny.

Here I am at two months!

This is the month where I learned to smile and melt everyone's hearts. I only liked napping for about 45 minutes at a time and began eating 4-5 ounces in each bottle.  I still woke up every 3-4 hours, but I had some longer stretches of 6 hours or so at night which gave my parents lots of hope for the future!  Mommy began reading her sleep training book for me this month and started giving me more naps which I needed and loved.  I would fall asleep easily, but woke up sooner than she wanted me to.  I guess we will get it figured out someday as I get bigger.  I loved being snuggled and rocked.

I worked hard every day on my tummy time, and saw lots of progress this month.  It was still hard for me, but I began to notice I was getting stronger. I still hated my car seat.  I started giggling a little bit this month and also found my voice and began "talking" with my family.  I still loved and needed my swaddle to relax and sleep in, but I began to get so strong, that I could kick and bust my way out of it at night- even the miracle blanket!  When this would happen, I woke up and cried, so mommy and daddy had to come and re-swaddle me so I could fall back to sleep.  They said I was a very good baby when I was two months old.  I think my big sister is the best!

Here I am at three months!

This was a big month for me.  I gradually learned to sleep without a swaddle and started sleeping in sleep sacks.  I started napping for longer periods of time which made everyone happier (especially me!) and I also started to establish a fairly regular schedule which made my mom really happy! I began holding my head up by myself which also made everything easier.  I love to look around and watch my sister run around the house.  She is a hoot and makes me laugh.  I went to sunday school for the first time this month and I loved it.  I now drink 6oz with every bottle and have about 6 bottles in a 24 hour period.

 This month I starting having a bedtime of 6:30pm and woke up around 1am to eat and then went back to sleep until about 5:30am when I ate again and then slept until about 7:30am.  I loved all of my rest and I woke up happy and ready to tackle the day- at least until my morning nap.  I became SUPER smiley and happy this month.  I started getting kind of drooly which was fun because I liked to make spit bubbles and noises with my mouth and eat my hands too.  I loved to "talk" to my family and kick and move around.  I learned to roll from my back to my tummy this month which has made my tummy time so much more fun because I can choose to do it myself! I still don't know how to roll from my tummy to my back, so sometimes I get stuck and need some help.  I learned that I loved sleeping on my tummy and I looked forward to each day!

Time Lapse....

xo,

Love, 

Logan