Seriously, 7 months?

Okay, so I've been a little on the lazy side of blogging. But 7 months since my last post? Even I'M disappointed in me!

2010 was a busy and difficult year. During it, Matthew changed schools three times, moved to his biological dad's house, I moved him to the Boy's Ranch, and then finally home with us. We moved from Georgia to South Carolina, Austin and I both found jobs (at the same place), went through the South Carolina Police Academy, survived (barely) a horrible Sheriff's election, and are now facing even more employment challanges. Jonathan started a new school, and Annah and Jacob started a new daycare. We left behind everything we knew because of our faith in our Heavenly Father, and although it's been extremely hard, I know it was the right thing to do.

Sooooooo.....that said, I'm going to do better. Really, I will. And just as a way of making restitution, here are some fun photos of the last seven months.

Mobile

Yes, I know I haven't updated in a while...but I swear, I'm going back and catching up on things. But just to start, here's frome today!

He's mobile!!!!

 

 

 

And there's another!

Tooth number two popped it's sharp little self through today...I've known it was coming for a couple of days, but it's officially in. OMGosh he's got a cute smile!!!!! Toothless grins are cute, but my goodness....this boy's smile melts my heart!

We have a tooth!!!

At five months and three days, we officially have our first tooth! How's that for an early first? (Happy Valentine's Day to Mommy from Jacob!) I'm excited! And sad. My baby is growing up.

That's all. I think I'll go cry now.

Snow!!!

"I'll believe it when I see it!" is usually my motto when it comes to snow in Georgia. Temps in Georgia just don't get cold enough for snow, most of the time anyway. So when Mr. Weatherman predicted heavy snowfall in Georgia, I just couldn't believe it. But snow it did! And a ton of it!

We haven't seen snow like this in years and years. It snowed a bit last year...just enough to almost cover the grass, before promptly melting. But this was major stuff for us; up to four or five inches in some places around our little neck of the woods. And the kids had a blast! So thanks, Mr. Weatherman. For once you got it right!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 2010!

It's been a busy start to the new year. My C.H.A.M.P.S. classes started up (15 classes a week - over 300 5th graders!), so I'm super busy at work. And on top of that, I started a second job!

I'd been thinking of ways to reduce some of our expenses...having two in daycare full time is a major drain on the bank account. So when it occured to me to ask if they needed any help at Little Caterpillars (the daycare we use), I was thrilled when the answer was yes! I'm now working three days a week, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. It's not hard work...nothing more than I'm used to anyway, but it sure makes for a long day. However, it helps out with my daycare costs, so I can't complain. I don't play to do it for long...just until Annah is done with daycare and starts Pre-K. But until then, it helps get the bills paid.

It's also been a busy time at home. Matthew is trying out for the baseball team at school, Jonathan has more and more homework to do each night, and Annah is still dancing once a week at the college. Plus Jacob is getting much more social, so he's not one that can just be put in the swing and walked away from anymore (not that I did that much before anyway!).

Not a lot to really report on, but here are a few pictures I snapped in the last couple of weeks.

 

 

 

Christmas in Dixie....

Christmas is one of my most favorite times of the year. There's something so special about the time...I love the lights, I love the music, I love the feeling. I love knowing that we are celebrating the birthday of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I love everything about it. Last year was horrible for me, and I didn't even want to acknowledge anything about it...it was terrible. This year, I was looking forward to it again.

I love giving to others. Not just the commercial gift giving, but the spirit of giving. I took Jonathan and Annah to the dollar store a few days ago and let them have free reign over picking out and purchasing Christmas gifts for everyone. The things they picked out weren't wonderful and extravagent, but they were heartfelt and picked out especially for those receiving them. For example, Jonathan picked out a bag of peppermint candies for the cleaning lady at his school. Would I have chosen that? Probably not, but to Jonathan, it made perfect sense. Turns out that she keeps her apron full of candies and frequently passes them out to some of the kids at school.

Annah picked out a fun gift for my brother, Randy. Randy has been more and more present in their lives in the last year, which I love, and Annah and Jonathan have both come to adore him. Annah picked out a toy Santa lantern for him for Christmas. I know that he'll have no use for it, but Annah wanted him to have it. She thought it was beautiful, and she wanted to share that excitement with him. I have to give him credit too...he acted as though it was the best gift in the world, and she was thrilled.

We spent Christmas Eve afternoon with my family, and the kids made out like bandits. Jonathan and Annah as so appreciative of everything the get (most of the time...Jonathan does have his moments of "But that's not what I wanted!). Matthew is, well, he's Matthew. Love him, but at times want to smack him around too. All of the kids were happy with their stash anyway, and didn't even need Santa's visit, but they enjoyed that too!

Santa did a great job at our house....he finished up the milk and cookies (almost anyway), piled the gifts by the tree, and took off without waking anyone. (He impresses me more every year!) The kids were very excited Christmas morning, although they got a bit impatient as we watched our short DVD on the Christmas story (taken from Luke, Chapter 2 out of the New Testiment) before we got into gifts. It's important to remember the real meaning of Christmas, so this is an annual tradition at our house. Afterwards we opened up gifts and stockings, and had a big breakfast. The rest of the day was spent putting things together, figuring out instructions, and testing out toys. The kids were very happy with their gifts....some of the biggies were a dollhouse for Annah, a Nintendo DS for Jonathan, and a portable CD/DVD player for Matthew. It really was a great day, and I'm very, very thankful for it.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

This year's Lewis family Christmas greeting!

The Nutcracker Ballet 2009

It has been an awesome weekend! Annah was able to participate in the Nutcracker Ballet this year, as a baby mouse. I have to say that those little girls were adorable, all prejudice aside. They are just so cute dressed up as the mice!

There are four performances of the Nutcracker each year; the Creative Movement class is required to participate in at least two. We signed up for three. I wanted to do all four, but wasn't sure how Annah would handle it...I'm glad I made that decision. She was so tired after the third performance that I'm not sure she could have physically done the forth. But she was so good!!!

I signed up to be a backstage helper, and it was fun. I did makeup for lots of the little mice...their moms were thankful that I knew how. I pinned hair up and put mouse ears on, and tied costumes and ballet shoes. Next year will be different...there will be a lot more moving, since Annah will be in several different scenes.




Friday morning's performance was a good one...there were very few mice there, so you could see Annah very well. However, Saturday night was fantastic! We were able to watch on Saturday night, and Annah was the first mouse through the mouse hole. As soon as she spotted us, she started smiling and waving...and kept on. Everyone laughed, but it was in good taste. She was just so cute! Our wonderful pediatrician, Dr. Christopher Bowers, and his wife came to watch, as did Jonathan's teacher from last year, Mrs. Johnson.

Of course, I got lots of great pictures....



The mice come out to play...


Running from one of the Toy Soldiers!


Baby Mouse Annah with the huge mousetrap behind her!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go

It's been a hard week. I've been back at work for a few days now, and it gets a little easier every day, but it's still hard. Everytime I leave Jacob at daycare, I cry a bit. Everytime I go to nurse him or pick him up, the little break in my heart heals some. I've been going at lunchtime every day to feed him, and that helps.

We're lucky though. We've got some really nice ladies taking care of my baby boy, and I'm so grateful for that. Julie and Cleuza and wonderful, and they make me feel like Jacob is the reason they come to work every day. I know it's not true, but it's how they come across. It helps knowing that my boy is loved.

The kids at the schools have made me feel good about being back; they've missed me, and it's a great feeling knowing that I make a difference.

So...life moves on. But it doesn't mean I have to like it!

While you are sleeping

Today is my last offical day of maternity leave. I'm sad...I can't imagine going back to work on Monday and leaving my baby boy with complete strangers. It's scary to me...who's going to protect him from all the things that could happen in life if I'm not there? But I know I have to...the rest of my family needs me to work so that we can survive...it's inevidable, and I've already been out of work eleven weeks.

Yesterday, MaLew came up to watch the kids while I cleaned house. I want things nice when I go back to work so that I'm not overwhelmed with things to do when I get home. So I worked hard all day, and she held my Jacob. Today though, I'm not working...at least not when Jacob is awake. I'll do it when he sleeps; when he's awake, I'm going to be giving him all of my attention. And when he sleeps, I'll try to get things done.

My mom had a little plaque when I was growing up...the inscription on it said,

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait til tomorrow,
for babies grow up - I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep."

It's so true...and today, I'm going to take full advantage, because Baby Jacob won't be a baby for long...and I want to enjoy every second I can.

Ten things I love about you

Over the past few days, I've been thinking about how grateful I am that Jacob is here, safe and sound. Don't get me wrong; I'm grateful for ALL of my children. But leaving the hospital after Andrew, without a baby in my arms, tends to help me not take for granted all of the little things that babies do. So, with that in mind, I wanted to write down some of those things so that I never forget them, and so that Jacob will know one day.

Dear Jacob,

I love holding you; I love the way your little head fits snugly between my chin and my shoulder when I cuddle you close. I love the way your little baby breath smells...it's sweet and just smells like you. I love how your fingers wrap around mind when I hold your hand. I love nursing you; I love the way you can go from completely furious to completely content in less than a second when we start nursing. I love seeing your face relax and so content, know that I've been able to satisfy your needs completely. I love seeing the milk trickle out of your mouth and run down your cheek as you let go and drift off to sleep. I love how you smell after a bath, the combination of baby shampoo and lotion and just you.

I love how you're so funny about taking a NUK (pacifier); how you shake your head back and forth, all but telling me aloud how you don't want it, then you open your mouth and take it anyway - but only for a little while. I love having you in the co-sleeper at night, right next to me, where I can reach out my hand and touch you; I sleep that way most nights. I love feeling and hearing you breathe. I love your little coos of happiness, and even the cries when you're fussy. I love watching you kick your legs and reach your arms out towards the play gym that I got for you. I love that when you get tired of laying there, you can always be pacified by me holding you. I love leaning down and smelling your head: you have such a distinct smell....my favorite fragrance. I love watching you sleep; I love how you sometimes smile in your sleep as you dream your own special baby dreams.

I love so many things about you...I can't put them all down in words. But most importantly, I just love YOU, and am so thankful to be your mother.




Love, Mommy


Okay, so I guess it was more than ten things....but who's counting?

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a lot more fun this year than last. I actually enjoyed myself, which is great, because Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. (I have this hope that one day Austin and I will dress up, but I'm not holding my breath...Austin isn't much for celebrating.)

Anyway, costumes varied this year; normally I like to do matching costumes for the kids, but I let them chose this year, and it was great. Matthew was a "punk skater" (whatever that is), Jonathan was Darth Vadar, Annah was Cinderella, and Jacob was a frog!

We went to the pumpkin patch a couple of weeks back, but didn't buy a pumpkin there...too long before Halloween for it to go bad. But we enjoyed looking at them all there, and taking pictures.

We did carve a few pumpkins for my mom's halloween party, and took them for the pumpkin carving contest. Annah even one 1st place...and no, it wasn't fixed! ;)

Anyway, on the Friday before Halloween, Annah's daycare class went Trick or Treating downtown, so we tagged along, even though technically Annah isn't enrolled at the daycare right now. And boy did she have a blast!

And of course, Jacob was tagging along...

All in all, the Halloween holiday has been great. Now bring on Thanksgiving and Christmas....no, wait. I'm in no rush at all for any of my babies to grow up.