MegaTrip: Fun with the Cooks

Part Eight in a series chronicling our first big family road trip. 

As much a treat as the mountains were, the real draw was the family who had gathered there. We were able to see my parents (Pappy and Gigi), my grandmother (Grandma Lynda), my cousin Rachel and her husband Drew, my cousin April, my Aunt Faye and Uncle Jerry, my sister Jacki, her husband Mike, and our nephew Eli. 

Pappy leading Sarah down a path in Cade's Cove

I got to preside over the renewal of Jacki and Mike's vows

Jacki, baby Eli, and Mike

My parents with their children and grandchildren

A gathering of home beer brewers, for sharing purposes. Pappy brought his newest creation.

Pappy and his boys

At a stop along the road. Emily, Josiah, Sarah, Me, Pappy, and Gigi.

Pappy, Gigi, and the grandkids

Our nephew Eli

Buds

MegaTrip: A New Home in the Smokeys

Part Eight in a series chronicling our first big family road trip. 

Since my childhood, our family had a rhythm of life that involved working hard all year and then escaping off to the Smokey Mountains for vacation. We tried to vacation elsewhere, but I think the Smokeys just called to my parents like a second home.

It's only fitting then, that they would eventually build a physical home there. I've been excited to think of my dad enjoying the fruits of so many years of hard work, and my mother finally getting to sew in a studio that overlooked the mountains. The home was finished about a month before we arrived at our next stop on the vacation: Townsend, TN. This new mountain home needed to be broken in with a full family gathering.

The week was full of  beautiful people and beautiful scenery. This post is dedicated to the scenery, with one to follow that shall be full of people.

The morning fog from my parents' new home

We saw a bear in Cade's Cove

Cade's Cove, taken by my mom

The view from Look Rock

The stars were out that week

The stars from my parents' back porch

One of the many beautiful places you can stop and lose your breath

MegaTrip: A Trip within a Trip

Part Seven in a series chronicling our first big family road trip. 

I like vacation so much that I actually took a vacation from our vacation.

The first half of our trip had ended, and it was time for me to go home and be with our church family. It isn't fair to ask the church to go three weeks without its worship leader, so I flew home to practice with our team and lead them on the second Sunday of our vacation. Meanwhile, Emily stayed behind in Mississippi with the kids and her parents. I wasn't looking forward to being away from them, but I was glad to be seeing our people and to catch up on some studying while flying. I was a little behind on the theological reading I had been meaning to do.

Emily rose early with me to see me off on the shuttle. The first plane ride was uneventful, and I knocked out half of a book. But when I arrived, I realized that the seemingly small change the airline had made to my flights actually left me with a four hour layover. I didn't want to do that much reading.

After doing the math a few times, I realized that it was actually possible to take the Metro around Washington D.C., eat lunch, and make it back with more than enough time to catch my second flight. So that's what I did. 6 Dollars of subway fare and a few blocks on foot later, and I was walking around the National Mall.

It was a beautiful, sunny day for walking. I spent an hour or so walking around, went to the first random museum I could find, tried to comprehend the African idols on display in it, found a Chick-Fil-A food truck, ate lunch in the subway terminal and rode back to the airport. Adventure accomplished.

After the second uneventful flight, I took the bus back to Hyannis, where we had left my car. I had traveled by shuttle, plane, subway, foot, bus, and car. And I had totaled more than 1,000 miles. A good night's sleep had me ready for Friday in the office.

Saturday I practiced with the worship team and ran some wires underneath the church with the tech team. Crawling around underneath floors that were built before electricity was discovered is quite fun. I spent Sunday morning with the church and then participated in a Church Constitution meeting before making a two-flight trip back to Mississippi. Emily was there to greet me, and boy was I glad to see her.

MegaTrip: Let's Twist Again

Part Six in a series chronicling our first big family road trip

It was our 3rd Anniversary, and we were headed to Jackson, MS. The next day I would fly back home to be with our church for a few days before coming back down and finishing vacation with the family. Emily and the kids would spend that time in Mississippi with the Howells.

But first we took a day trip to Jackson for dinner, something I love (old Rock n' Roll), something she loves (funnel cakes), and a night in a hotel.

We had dinner at the Parlor Market, a nice restaurant in downtown Jackson that explores the history of Mississippi in its menu. It was delicious, and the atmosphere was very fun as well. Our second stop was the Mississippi State Fair. Emily enjoyed a funnel cake and I enjoined the singing of a living legend: Chubby Checker.

Emily loved the funnel cake, and we both enjoyed the music. I had no idea what to expect. What we got was a crowd that was mostly a few generations ahead of us. On one hand, it was great to see him in my lifetime, and the band that played behind him was great. But on the other hand, it was sad to see the undertones of promiscuity that tarnish Rock n' Roll history come out to the forefront. For the first time, I could get a sense for why Christians didn't want their children listening to Rock n' Roll. My generation doesn't attach the Rock beat with sexuality or rebellion, and I think it's because that association doesn't come through on the old Rock n' Roll records like it did in the culture surrounding the music at the time, especially in the live scene. I was excited to hear "The Twist" performed live by Chubby Checker himself, but I left glad that the movement is over and we can just enjoy the music now. Come to think of it, we actually left early, tired of Chubby judging the ladies on the sexiness of their dancing. Not exactly fitting for celebrating the purity of your marriage.

After a good walk around the fair, we turned in for the evening and got up early so I could catch my flight home. Emily would come back to the hotel afterward and sleep in late. Mama needed some rest, so I was glad she would get a few hours to herself and a peaceful second cup of coffee.

Potty Training Days

Meet Froggy Potty

Sarah has been interested in and seemingly ready for potty training for a few months now. We introduced "froggy potty" as interest peaked and Sarah got comfortable saying "hi" and occasionally even sitting down. Once, before her bath, she even went a little.

Even with this prep and these signs, we didn't want to be in early potty training days during our trip. So we held off and enjoyed a final month of disposable diapers while we traveled. Our first Friday back home Dave and I had a heart to heart. We weighed the pros and cons, imagined the successes and challenges. I then promptly set out to Kmart for a host of supplies.

My shopping cart:
panties
training panties
plastic covers
(let's be real...despite our best research, we had no idea what we were doing, so we got a little of every kind!)
another potty, specifically with a seat to go on the big potty, also serves as a stool at the sink
apple juice (diluted and called froggy juice)

At home:
froggy potty
stickers
goldfish

On Saturday, October 27, we woke Sarah up and with great enthusiasm showed her the new panties. She promptly picked a favorite and the chosen pair were donned. We started by asking her if she needed to go. She pretty much always said no. So we did "dry panty checks" every 15-45 minutes, depending on if she had produced at the last visit.

Our general system:

• she got a goldfish and sticker for dry panties and another pair for producing on the potty
• she could sip on her froggy juice as much as she wanted
• we put a diaper on for nap, bedtime, and leaving the house
• we let her wipe and had her wash her hands with each successful trip- she really liked this
• she has to sit when she wakes up, before and after a nap, before and after we go out, and before bed

Success? We think so. That first day she had a few accidents (look to the humor section for some of those stories!) and much success. Sunday morning she did her first dirty job on the potty and it didn't phase her. We are thankful that hasn't been an issue, thus far.

We put a diaper on her for church Sunday and then had friends over to watch football. She only had one accident late in the afternoon, after people had left. She then went Monday to Friday at lunch without an accident! We asked her if she needed to go and put her on the potty often. It was some work, but certainly no more work than diapers. 

She did well over the weekend, then we had a really busy, out every morning, kind of week. Sarah continued to do well, but there were times when we were out that we had to tell her she could go in her diaper. Unfortunate, but so goes life.

She continues to enjoy going and has very few accidents. And when she does have an accident, we almost always know exactly why (based on time, what she last ate, fatigue, etc.). Amazingly, she doesn't go in her diaper during naps or at night. We haven't braved going without a diaper in bed, but maybe that is what we'll work on next. She does often goes in her diaper by the time we get home after nursery. I don't think she has had a dirty diaper since we started though...interesting. And wonderful!

Three weeks and four days in we can say that we are quite satisfied with her new independence. Not changing diapers is a blessing. Sarah's happiness is bountiful. As seems to often be the case these days, it seems like her growing up in this area has made her grow up faster in every area.

Stories:

• When we first gave her froggy juice, she tried to feed it to froggy potty. First she tried to dump it in the pot, then tried to put it to his little face. It took a few hours before she fully grasped that froggy juice was for her to drink...and was delicious. I don't know that she had ever had apple juice before!
• On Sunday morning we were a little late to church waiting on that first stinky! Thankfully, she doesn't normally have trouble going. We haven't been late since :)
• Once she fell while standing up and her hand, holding the toilet paper, went in the wet potty. She immediately tried to go back in to get the paper out. We had an extra long hand washing after that incident!
• Another time she had an accident, freaked out, and started running toward me. Except she slipped and landed on all fours. And every time she tried to get up she kept slipping. Don't worry- I quickly scoped her up and got her to the potty. All in all though, it was just like watching the three stooges!
• When we would ask her if her panties were wet, without fail and with a straight face she would answer, "not to wet, not to dry." I think the political ads of late October left an impression on her.
• On day six, the Friday I left for the weekend, Dave, Sarah, and our church secretary went out to lunch. Having gone 4.5 days accident free, Dave decided to take Sarah out in big girl panties. He said she did great at lunch. They went to the bathroom for a dry panties check during the meal and she was dry, but didn't go. On the walk back to church Ann was holding Sarah and felt something a little warm. They brushed it off and kept on walking. A little bit further and Ann noticed that the warm was spreading. Yuck! Sure enough, Sarah's full force had been unleashed. Dave got Sarah cleaned up, but Ann had to stay in her wet clothes. She said that by late after she was starting to really smell and had to go home early. Oops! And that is why we always take her out in a diaper!

Happy 6 months, Josiah!

We are halfway to one year and it just feels like we have enjoyed the longest summer of our lives. But as the days cool off, it is easier to step back and see that our little guy is growing up. We are reminded to pray regularly that like Jesus he would "increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man." And may the Lord grant us the wisdom to parent him to that end!

Weight: 20lbs 12 oz (94%)
Length: 28.25 in (97%)
Head:17.25 (65%)
Diaper: size 3/4 and cloth
Clothing: 9-12 month

Likes: sweet tickles, smiling, jumping, chewing things, spinning/rolling during tummy time to find more things to chew, watching Sarah do anything, getting just a little scared

Dislikes: Sarah crying, tummy pains, getting a little too scared

Schedule: As always, things are crazy and we are doing our best to roll with that. We all still do best with a little routine though! This is what we shoot for:

7 am: Wake and nurse
7-8 am: Wake time
8-11am: Nap
11am: Wake and nurse/cereal
11-12 pm: Wake time
12-3 pm: Nap
3 pm: Wake and nurse
3-4:30 pm: Wake time
4:30-5:30 pm: Nap
5:30-7 pm
7 pm: Wake and nurse/cereal and back to bed not much later

Sleep: Little Man is doing well. He usually falls asleep quickly and wakes up happy. We are close to the point of consistency such that if he was upset we would know something was wrong. I like to know when something is wrong :)

Food: We (finally!!!) started feeding him rice cereal on Tuesday, 11/6. He loves it and is quickly getting good at managing to swallow off a spoon. Once he is consistent with the cereal and we get to three meals a day we'll add in a veggie.

Tricks (physical and verbal): Tummy time is still a favorite, but he definitely doesn't stay on the mat for long. He has learned that with a combination of rolling (goes both ways now) and scooting he can always find something to put in his mouth. The jumper is also still lots of fun. He has started doing some talking, mostly when he is extremely happy, extremely sad, or extremely tired. "Mawmawmawmaw" was the first consonant he used.

Fun facts:         

-His eyes are at the grayish navy end of blue.

-Hair is still light, getting a little longer, and really bald in one spot on the back. That particular spot is so slick!

-He does lots of rolling in his crib. We never know quite where he will be when he wakes up.
-The mess he can make with his splashing during bath time is impressive. The boy can kick.
-When we leave him a bottle for nursery, he eats something like 10 ounces. It is so big. I don't think he eats that much normally, but just doesn't seem to have an "off" when it comes to eating from a bottle. 

Next appointment: Monday, December 10, 2012, 8:00am for the second round of his flu shot
                                    Monday, February 4, 2013, 10:20am

Sleeping baby :)

We call this the "two finger throwback"

Watching the fish at the pediatricians' office

"Yeah, I've got this. I don't fear you, Doctor!"

Sarah doing tummy time...on Siah

The smile of sweet success after his first roll from tummy to back

An "I think I like this, but don't want to show it too much" smile

MegaTrip: Comforts of the South

Part Five in a series chronicling our first big family road trip. 

I hadn't worn anything with the Methodist cross and flame in quite a while. Then again, I hadn't worn choir robes in quite a while either. Yet there I sat in both, feeling just a little out of place.

Gagen had talked me into singing with her in the Heritage Sunday choir, and I was enjoying the challenge of sight-reading once again. It made me thankful for a skilled accompanist who made the parts easy to hear. We sang some old songs from my Methodist upbringing, and a few I hadn't heard of. Great fun in all.

One of my favorite things about Emily's home church is the welcoming atmosphere. You get the picture when walking around the church lobby that people really want to be there- and are glad you came also. I'm proud of OBC for being this way as well, but it was nice in a different way to experience this as a visitor in a church. It's right for church to be a happy place.

After Sunday Worship some of Emily's family friends came over for lunch and a good time. Some of our favorite Howell treats were on the menu: grilled redfish with caper burre blanc, red potatoes, cornbread, jambalaya, and fruit pizza.

Aside from the sight of her husband in a choir robe, the time in Mississippi became a comforting symphony of the familiar for Emily. It's nice to have a week of gas pumps staying on, stores having what you need, restaurants that you know are good, old friends, family, and a familiar college campus. I think Hattiesburg was to Emily what Louisville was to me.

I felt right at home with them, too. Except for the choir part.

Sarah feeding the ducks at the zoo

Papa, Goggin, and the grandkids

Family portrait at the USM campus

Happy 27 months, Sarah!

On October 16, Sarah hit the 2&1/3 year mark. She seems so grown up these days...definitely a little girl on her way to becoming a young lady. Thankfully, we have a few more years of little girl time before we get there :)

Weight: ?
Height: ?
Diaper: size 5/cloth
Clothes: 2T and 3T; shoe, size 6

Likes: playing "school" (learning letters), bubbles, being chased, hiding, being motherly to stuffed animals (changing bobbins, putting them to sleep, etc.), "nuggling"

Dislikes: loud noises (ex: car alarm [hehe, good story here], vacuum, etc.), fuzz in the bath water, not getting snuggles when she wants them

Schedule: Sarah wakes up around 7am and we get to have breakfast as a family. She goes back down for a nap around 1pm and wakes up around 3-4pm. We put her back to bed around 7pm. A bedtime routine is a much bigger deal than it used to be. Once she is ready for bed we sit in the rocking chair to pray, read one book, kiss and tuck her in, and then ask her what she wants to sing. It is always Twinkle, Twinkle and Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.

Eating time: The books all say that toddlers go through phases were they barely eat and other phases where they eat you out of house and home. This is occasionally true for Sarah. Most often she is a good eater with just a tad of a penchant for being picky. She usually picks a couple of favorite foods that she asks for all the time. Current favorites: yogurt, crackers with peanut butter, and watermelon. With the cool weather rolling in we started warming her milk in the morning. Now she insists on warm milk throughout the day. This was a problem when the power was out for 24 hours recently :)

Talking: Her language development is just growing by leaps and bounds and we couldn't be happier. She loves decision making and bargaining, singing and making Josiah laugh. Occasionally sassing. She still loves to keep a running commentary on life. And I'll tell you, life from her perspective sure is fun. And wonderfully black and white. She is getting really good at "yes/no ma'am/sir" and an unsolicited "thank you". It took a little coaching to figure out when to say ma'am and sir, and when she gets flustered it often comes out "yes ma'am Mommy, yes sir Daddy" no matter who she is talking to. We have studied letters A-K with some success. She loves doing "school" and that enjoyment is most important to us right now. She can also pretty consistently name numbers through 11, but not actually count, and gets most normal colors right. She is a sponge and a parrot, so we are trying to patiently live this stage to the fullest!

Developmentally: She still hasn't really taken off with running and jumping, but in true Sarah fashion continues to slowly, but surely, be making progress.

Random, but fun:
* She seems to be getting her last tooth in.
* People we saw on our megatrip are often on her mind. We hear things like, "Awe Mr. Raymond soooo sad- he needs a snuggle!" when she is mindlessly playing.
* She is becoming increasingly aware of people watching her and how they react to what she does- for better or worse.
* Her hair is getting really long. We like to do braided pigtails to keep it in place and she looks like such a big girl.
* She can tell us what she did and who she played with in nursery.

Next appointment: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 10:45am

She loves snuggling Josiah!

One of her favorite car games.

Playing in the leaves with Abigail.

Enjoying herself between Josiah and Aunt Ella. Note the eagle stick on her right cheek...she was in love!

Our groundhog at the zoo.

She was very confident in the petting zoo at the fair.

Two pretty smiles!

Reading time with Daddy.

Joint tummy time.