13 Months old

His laughter and cheesy smile are contagious!

Loves his water cup...always trying to share.

Knocking on the door to get the kids' attention outside. He loves to look out!

He loves his slide...he climbs up the slide and just stands on the platform.

Trying to "kick" the soccer ball like he's seen his brothers do.

Being tortured by his sisters - those are toys stuffed inside his onesie. He's enjoying it I guess!

According to my husband I should just say he's 1, but for some reason (it's a mom thing), I always keep track of the months up until the age of 2. So happy 13 month birthday to my sweet Aaron Isaac today.

I should be packing, but documenting the milestones of my sweet boy is much more fun. Plus, it dawned on me that this child has no baby book yet so this blog may be the closest thing he's gonna have.

His favorite word is ball. He can spot a ball in a crowded room. Actually anything round, such as a globe, is a ball to him. And he's obsessed, even with footballs.

He's not walking on his own yet, but he loves to push his walker around and walk holding someones hands. He is fine to walk while holding the couch, a wall, the table....just not feeling like doing it alone yet. He will take maybe 3-5 steps from one person to another, but usually that results in a big laugh and a face-first fall forward (we always catch him of course!).

All that being said, he crawls at turbo speed! My favorite thing is to get on the ground, call his name from across the room and watch him turbo crawl towards me. Talk about a melting heart!

He discovered the stairs last month, so we've got the gate up now. A couple times we've forgotten that the gate is down and all of a sudden we hear him calling out and he's upstairs in the bonus room looking down on us, laughing.

Speaking of laughing...he is a laugher! (is that even a word?) He loves to laugh. Baby laughter is one of the best sounds and this child seems to laugh so much more than my other babies did. I often wonder if it's just him living up to his middle name, Isaac, which means 'laughter.' And the cheesy grin that accompanies his laughter makes it all the more endearing. Love that boy!

He knocks on things...we say "knock-knock" and he makes a fist and knocks. It's adorable.

There are a few "words" that he says: hi, bye-bye, mama, dada, dog (or woof woof), boat, ball and bird. He can also say 'more' in sign language.

We've been trying to teach him to give kisses, but usually what we get is him leaning his forehead towards us for a kiss. Brendan seems to be the only one who can successfully get him to give kisses with his lips. Precious!

Yada Yada

For some reason when I have a baby that I am nursing, I am able to get SO much reading done. And so help me if I find a book that is irresistible, it's like I speed read it every time I lay down to nurse. So this is how/why I've been able to read these fabulous books called The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson. There are 7 of them I discovered and when I'd finish one, I couldn't buy the next one fast enough. Easy reading, entertaining, convicting, teaching...they have impacted me and provided hours of relaxation.

Upon completion of book 7, I was so disappointed because there weren't anymore to read. Then I discovered there was another series by the same author that overlapped many of the same characters - The Yada Yada House of Hope series!! I just finished book 3 of that series and would you believe that she hasn't finished the fourth and final book yet? Of all the...now I have to wait until March. I'm so bummed.

The women in her books have taught me a lot about being a Christian, about being a wife and a mother, a true friend, a prayer warrior and how to live my life. Truly it has been more than just hours of mindless reading.

In the book I just finished, a character said this, which I found myself relating to so very much: "It's easier for me to trust God with other's peoples problems than my own. That's why it's good to have a prayer partner or a group of praying sisters. To hold up our shaky faith, to remind us of God's promises, to stand with us when we don't feel so strong ourselves."

And I am so amazed (and thankful) that in correlation with reading these books, I have become part of a special group of women who are just that...so, HSF, thank you!!

We are suckers!

Emmie Rose has us wrapped around her tiny little finger! We're trying to get her out of our bed. She's been sleeping with us since she was born, although there have been spells that she has slept in her own bed, but mostly she's with us. And now that Aaron has joined us, it makes for much more cramped sleeping quarters.



So we tried the tough love thing the other night. It resulted in Emmie crying hysterically and repeatedly getting out of her bed to come beg to sleep in ours. I was annoyed. Jay was losing his patience. We were stern. We got angry. She cried more.

Just when we thought she had given up, she tiptoed out to the living room with her puppy dog eyes and says, "Mommy, I am all alone in my bed and I love you so much so I need to sleep near you so I won't be alone."

I said no and sent her back to bed.

She started whimpering and said, "But I can't sleep alone because I love my Daddy so much and he goes to work and I miss him so much so I have to sleep near him."

We said no and sent her back to bed.

She cried harder and said, "But Mommy you are my bestie and I have to sleep with you!"

OK...so my heart did start to melt a little at that point, but I still told her to get in her own bed. She started blubbering again about loving Jay and missing him when he's gone at work. Next thing I know she is up in his lap, crying on his shoulder. Then Jay told her to lay on the couch and close her eyes.

And here was the end result of the battle of the beds that night....






Emmie was moved from couch to bed and somehow Brendan snuck in there too!

We obviously had to move a couple kids before we could get in OUR bed. I think there is a term for this...Family Bed...co-sleeping. Good thing it's a cal king.

Parenting: No Easy Task

Sometimes I daydream and think about how much easier it would be to be a lazy parent, just let my kids do and say whatever. Sit on my couch eating Bon Bons watching the soaps while the kids just run a muck. Is that bad to admit?

I don't know if it's the disgusting heat, or the fact that we're moving, or my lack of sleep, but this has been a rough week. I feel like lining them all up and screaming, "Can't we all just get along!?!"

I had this epiphany about how much work good....quality.... Christ-centered parenting really is. It is exhausting sometimes - trying to instill in them a love for the Lord, teach them how to pray, model for them the importance of Bible study and quiet time with God, encourage them to have a servant's heart/attitude, be kind to each other, have patience with each other, not gossip, extend grace where it is needed, honor and obey Jay and I...the list goes on and on.

Then factor in the enemy and the intense battle that is raging for the hearts of my children and it really overwhelms me. The Internet, TV shows, commercials, movies, song lyrics, other children, magazines, people in public places, books...that list goes on and on too.

So what can I do but turn to the Father for help? Trust that He is protecting my children and remember that He loves them more than I do. Know that I'm not perfect and will make mistakes, but God's grace is enough. And understand that each of my children is a sinner just like me. They have free will, just like I do.

But I find hope and encouragement in what God's Word tells me:

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Thankfully I'm not on my own when it comes to parenting! Now that's a relief.

Tapped Out Tonight

It's been a really long day...I'm venting to my blog.

The temperature reading in my car showed 105.

My husband worked his usual hours, leaving the house about 5:45 this morning, but he is still out working on some freeway because the lane can only be shut down in the middle of the night. He'll get off about 3 or 4 and drive home...fabulous, I know.

I always have so much empathy for single mothers on these types of days. No mental relief about 6:00 when Daddy walks in. That's tough!

Children are such a blessing. They bring joy. They cause my heart to overflow, my head to hurt and my blood pressure to rise. They each have their own issues and for some reason today it struck me how many things I'm dealing with in their various lives. Such a wide array...

Aaron - the big 1 year old. More independent, but still wants mommy. Walking along things, taking a few steps between people maybe. More adventurous which produces more accidents. And the lovely separation anxiety stage...ahhh. Poor childcare workers at the gym love when he shows up to cry for 45 minutes.

Emmie - my almost 4 year old that acts like she is 14. She can't get enough of my lipstick and must always carry a purse. (Obviously didn't get that from me). Her new favorite phrase is, "I hate..." - fill in the blank and she does say it to people sometimes. So sweet, isn't she? Also struggling with the nap or no nap stage. She desperately still needs one, but never agrees with me on that issue.

Gracie - the toothless 6 year old (oh, sorry, six and a half). She loves to groan and say no to every request I place before her. Her struggle is learning how to pick up after herself and not create a mess in every single room in the house. And the statement she repeats often is that I don't love her as much as___, or I don't do that for her, or I don't react to her that way. Can we say middle child syndrome?

Brendan - watch out, he's 10, double digits now! And in his mind that really changed a lot for him. I didn't get that memo. This would be my son who is obsessed with knives and asks if he can subscribe to a magazine called Guns & Ammo. Spectacular. He can't tolerate crying, so if either of his sisters cries, or the baby, for too long he goes bonkers and immediately begins to instruct me on how to handle them and what disciplinary measures I must take to stop the said crying. And why does he insist on hanging around all the older teenagers in our neighborhood? Oh yeah, the older brother factor. Duh.

Jaylon - the "teenager". At 13 he has begun to really bless us with all the typical teenager stuff we have heard and read about. Wake up time has gotten a bit later. Friends are the only thing that dictates what he wants to do. There is a girl...she doesn't live far and happened to be hanging out in front of my house a few days ago. Why? Just walking, she said. As if! And the constant desire to check emails, when did that happen? His dream come true would be a cell phone. Not. I want to stay on top of things. I want to be aware, but my hope for that dwindled when he told me that one of his good friends is a tagger. I could have fallen over. Here I thought this kid was wonderful. I'm going to need to intensify my prayer life!!

Did I just have a rag session on my children? Maybe. Most of you probably don't deal with these types of issues since your children are lovely, respectful darlings.

I don't have it all together. If there is such a thing as Super Mom I'd love to meet her! I sure could use some input, maybe get her book, or read her blog.

At the end of weary days like this I am so glad that I have the Lord. He can give me input (and extra energy). He has a book I can read. And I love that even if all I can utter out at the end of the day is, "help me Lord to make it through another day" then that's good enough. Our God is so good and merciful!

Looking Back

One year ago today Aaron had his surgery at Loma Linda and began his two week stay in the NICU.

You know it's funny because I was asked a question recently about whether or not as a mother I replay the events and timing of each child's birth every year as their birthday is approaching. To which I answered, absolutely yes! But for me, concerning Aaron, it was a bit different.

Of course as his First birthday approached I got sentimental and did think about what I was doing last year at that time, etc., etc. But as far as details and timing and what not...those memories weren't as vivid for me as the days that followed his birth.

So it is that I'm sitting her blogging about the day he had his surgery because it's the wee hours of July 6 and 7, 2009 that remain most vivid in my mind. Getting to the ER close to midnight and going through the motions to have various tests done and trying to stay awake all through the night. Watching him cry and root because he was so hungry and wanting to nurse. Curling up on the end of his hospital bed to pass out because I just couldn't do it anymore. Watching Michael Jackson's funeral on TV as we waited for the verdict on Aaron's diagnosis. (Crazy, I know!).

But God is so good. Looking back now I can see so clearly the Hand of God in all of it. The power of prayer was indescribable! The supernatural strength that the Lord provided to Jay and I. And the peace....that underlying sense of peace in the midst of a trial - how amazing to truly experience that.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

And to think that when I was pregnant I asked myself how it would be for child #5...would he be neglected in any way being in last place? Would he get less love? Heck, would I be able to expand my heart yet again and love him as much as the others?

Of course, I look at him now and just can not imagine our family without him!
















This is what he would do every time he heard my voice. Those forehead wrinkles were my favorite. And the crossed eyes!
















To finally hold him was pure satisfaction. It was torture only being able to rub his head.

He was so hungry and wanting to suck...all he got was this dumb pacifier, poor thing. And Daddy got stuck holding it in much of the time.

Hard to imagine this is the same baby? At 23+ pounds with the nickname of "Chub Chub" he sure has come a long way. Our God is an awesome God!