Well, I might as well confess and warn you that my blogging is a bit sporadic these days because of the craziness of our May schedule.  With a niece and a nephew graduating, Millie Janalee's upcoming dedication, Mother's Day, and a few other fun events...Millie Janalee and I pack, unpack, and repack nearly every weekend.  Russ hasn't been able to join us much due to work.  Bless him!

Today, though, I'm back!

Last week, Russ and I took Millie Janalee for a family outing.  To Target.  Things are pretty exciting these days!  Ha!  Really, we went for a couple necessities...and I've been wanting to get Millie Janalee a fun standing toy since her latest fetish involves holding on to anything and standing.  No, she can't stand or pull up on her own.  No, she's not walking.  She just whines to be stood up.  And we do it.  Suckers!  She may never pull up or crawl as long as we do whatever she wants.  I know, I know.  But, for now, this works for us.

We found one we liked after checking out all the "bells and whistles" on each toy.  We came home and put Millie Janalee straight to bed for her afternoon nap.  Russ put the toy together while she slept, and I was too excited to show her the fun surprise!  As soon as I heard her start babbling to her bunny lovey, I ran to the bedroom to get her.  I was so excited.  We got our video camera, phones, and big camera ready...

She loved it!  She immediately started squealing and pushing all the buttons on the front.  Then, when I stood her up to the handle, she was so smiley!  It was the cutest thing.  She stood very still and just smiled at us for a while.  The walking toy started moving forward, and Millie Janalee stood firm in her spot.  She took a step or two, but then the toy kept moving without her.  She fell and hit her noggin on the floor.

(This was after me falling backwards, knocking over an end table, lamp, full diet cherry coke from Sonic, picture frames, and coaster while videoing her.  Yep.  You can tell from the video as you hear the commotion and get a good shot of the ceiling.)

Her fall is also on video, but it wasn't quite as funny.  Bless her!  From that time on, her standing position looked less smiley and more like she was holding on for dear life...

I'm not sure what the steps are for beginning walking, but I'm pretty sure standing on your tip-toes is not he best way to get your balance.

Unless you are working on your ballet.  Maybe we have ourselves a baby ballerina!

Her safest option is to sit and play.  Pulling the little telephone off is her favorite, and I am working with her on talking to Mama on the phone.  She thinks it is SOOO funny when I hold the phone up to my ear and say, "Hello?  You want to talk to Millie Janalee?  Okay!" and pass her the phone.  I will hold it to her ear, and she looks like she is trying hard to hear whoever is on the other side.  Until she gets bored and just wants to shake it around.

We have lots of fun with our little walking toy!  We have also started playing with another fun toy some.  Aunt Jenny passed down a rocking cow from all three of her children.  So, I think this makes the cow over 21 years old!  Ha!  He's in pretty good shape too.  Millie Janalee can crawl over to it, and we put her up on the cow.

(No.  We are not crawling with our tummy off the floor yet.  I've been informed that scooting around on your belly is "crawling" and moving with belly off the floor is called "creeping.")

She can make it rock by herself, and she loves the attention.  She hasn't grasped the whole idea of holding on to the handles.  But her little hands have a tight grip on the material, horns, or ears.  Ha!

So, that's pretty much what we're doing these days.  Holding on for dear life.  Literally.  Russ and I are holding on to dear life as we travel and work through the month of May.  We figure if we can hold on for a few more weeks, our beach vacation will be here before we know it!

And we need it!  And we can't wait!  (Except the packing part.  I'm starting to get the packing blues.  Any volunteers to come pack for us?)

The Way I See Her...

I've mentioned this before.  I feel like, as women, we spend so much time comparing ourselves to others and judging those who make different choices.  It starts very young...and even younger now it seems.  Who has the latest brand shoes?  Who has the newest version iPhone?  Who hangs out with the popular kids?  Who wears the latest boutique fashions?  As years go by, it doesn't end.  Who drives the newest car?  Who stays out late on the weekends?  Who even has their own car?  You would think that all the comparisons end as you enter adulthood.  But, what I've found is that adults can be just a bunch of junior high girls in bigger bodies.  We are still comparing ourselves and putting others down.  Who makes their own baby food?  Who is able to be the classroom mom?  Who sends the crafty snacks to school?  Who looks like they are ready to go out right after childbirth?  Who cooks five-course meals?  Who serves, helps, and never rolls their eyes at their husbands?

All these questions tend to affect how we, as women, evaluate our own lives.  Comparing ours to others.  Women, in general, spend too much time tearing ourselves down that it is no wonder our self-esteem often wavers.  It is also no wonder our children begin the cycle so young too.  Not just from older women.  But from television.  Movies and commercials and television shows star skinny, beautiful, flawless girls and women.  After awhile, we start to believe that everyone looks like that.

Except us.

When I look at Millie Janalee, I see perfection.  Literally.  Perfection.  Don't we all see our children as perfect?  Perfectly created by our God.  It hurts my heart to think that there will come a day when she looks in the mirror and isn't happy with what she sees.  I know that I will long for her to see herself the way I see her...

Beautiful!  Full of a natural beauty far beyond what I can describe.

I saw this video over at The Park Wife, and all I could think about is what I want Millie Janalee to see.  I want her to see herself the way I see her.  I want her to be grateful for her natural beauty inside and out.  I want her to find joy and give thanks for the way way God created her.  Every part of her.  God never makes a mistake.  She is perfectly made.  Perfectly woven to become a daughter of the King.  Please watch for yourself...

     

This is one of many reasons I decided to join with The Park Wife in the Women Bloggers network.  A network of women, from state to state, gathering together to grow and encourage each other.  I will be running the Mississippi site working to gather Mississippi ladies to get to know each other, share stories, and encourage each other.  We are preparing to launch soon.  So, if you are from the magnolia state...keep your eyes open so that you can join us!  Help us make a difference in the lives of other women in our state.  The website is not live yet, but you can check out Arkansas Women Bloggers.  This is where it all started four years ago!

Help women see themselves the way others see them.  Embracing their natural beauty and differences.

"Unplanned Pregnancy"...Perfectly Planned Life

There's been a pit in my stomach ever since I began reading about Gosnell and the horrors in his practice.  A pit in my stomach, because of the graphic detail in which he "ended pregnancies."  Yes, I've heard how it's done before from time to time.  But, this was a named man in a for real trial that actually did these horrible things.  He didn't just "end pregnancies."  He ended LIFE!  Not to mention the lives of the mothers he endangered.

I realize that you all know by now my stance on abortion.  If not, you can look back here.  I am not a politically-minded person, and I don't plan to blog politics here.  What I will not do is stand idly by while innocent lives are being murdered.  Lives.  That's what these babies are.  Not a fetus.  Not tissue.  Life.  Life that is unable to stand up for itself.  Life that depends solely on the woman carrying it.  

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..." Jeremiah 1:5

These babies are your children.  Your 10 year old or your 40 year old.  They are lives.  Most of these abortions are "unplanned pregnancies."  Those babies are Millie Janalee.  And I'm guessing that many of you have even had "unplanned" pregnancies as well.  Even if it was a complete joy to find out. 

So, you see, I will NOT stand by and say nothing.  There are heroes out there.  I know one of them.  I know her name.  I know what she looks like.  I've even met her.  Millie Janalee's birthmother is a hero.  Her birthfather is too, for that matter.  These heroes stood against something "unplanned" and knew that this pregnancy may not have been planned...but that this LIFE was perfectly planned.  In case you missed my feelings about birthmothers...you can see that here.  Praise God for their strength and their decision to give Millie Janalee life! 

"...and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

What many women, I fear, neglect to realize is that there is a better option.  It's not the easiest option.  But it is better.  I've heard women say, "I could never do that to my child!" when offered the adoption option.  And, what I want to scream to the top of my lungs is, "You would never make a plan for your child to live a life you cannot give them...but you will kill them?!"  It makes absolutely no sense to me.  Except that these women may not realize how much better adoption is now.  Open adoptions are the norm these days, and birthmothers are updated all time through letters, emails, and sometimes even meetings.  It is OUR job, as adoptive parents and those whose lives have been touched by adoption, to educate these women on the better option.  It is OUR job to help alleviate the fear and let them know that THEY can choose the plan they desire for their child and the degree of openness they want.  Adoption is beautiful!  It takes courage.  It takes maturity.  It takes a great deal of love.

Once upon a time, Millie Janalee (and your child) was just a blip on an ultrasound.

And now, that "blip" looks like the beautiful, spunky, smiley, blue-eyed little girl I rock to sleep each night.  That "fetus" claps her hands and giggles and squeals.  That "tissue" sticks her tongue out and blows raspberries at us every day.  That "unplanned pregnancy" is full of beauty and has a beautiful planned life ahead of her!  A life God has planned perfectly. 

I love what I read today, and I'm going to use it for myself.  Changing just two letters brightens the lives of my little family of three forever!

First Friends

What a difference 7 months can make!!  That was then, and this is now.  In September, Millie Janalee met her very first friend, Caroline.  Caroline is 12 days younger than Millie Janalee.  This is the future Class of 2030 we think.  Our math may be off a little, and since my brain is fried...I'll just go with that!

Mary Anne, Caroline's mommy lives in my hometown.  And since Russ and I are hoping to return sooner rather than later, we've decided these two little girlies need to be acquainted.  Millie Janalee and Caroline spend time in the church nursery together quite often, but it was so much fun to let them interact on the floor.  They just squealed and giggled and reached for each other.  It. was. the. cutest. thing. EVER!

We took tons of pictures and a few videos of the cuteness before we decided to take this party outside in the sunshine!  Auntie Kristin joined us too.  She and Mary Anne graduated high school together.  We told the girls about moving locations, and look at the reactions...

It was a beautiful day, and the girls were so funny.  Caroline never missed a beat.  She continued with her spunky playfulness, while Millie Janalee looked at us like, "Really?  In this heat?  With the sun in my face?"  Ha!

A little repositioning, and Millie Janalee was back in the game!  The two sweet girls took long looks at each other, checking each other's attire for the day.  They talked some more.  Then, they began sharing their "tricks" with each other.

Caroline showed Millie Janalee how she can lift her tummy off the ground by lifting up on her knees.  Caroline isn't crawling yet either, but her itty bitty body can move a little more than Millie Janalee's.  I blame it on the extra 4 pounds Millie Janalee is carrying around.

Millie Janalee showed Caroline how she claps.  Caroline wasn't clapping yet, but she watched and tried her best.  Millie Janalee was a great teacher!  She showed her over and over and over again.  Caroline just watched intently and smiled.

"Watch this!"

"That is so neat!  How do you do that?"

"Okay.  Put your hands like this, and..."

Another thing these girls enjoyed doing is touching each other.  They held hands and touched arms and pulled clothes.  Millie Janalee loved Caroline's strings on her bubble, and Caroline must've just wanted to take Millie Janalee's outfit off completely.  Ha!

Sweet friends!

"OH!  I love to put strings in my mouth!"

"I just love the way green looks on you, girl!"

"Well, thank you!  I like that octupus smocking too!"

They got pretty close after awhile.  Millie Janalee and Caroline leaned on each other, grabbed each other, talked to each other, and just wanted to be super close.  It was the funniest thing to watch!  Some moments were funnier than others!  You'll see what I mean...

Getting closer...

Caroline took things into her own hands!  Hahahaha!

She also just wanted to be sure Millie Janalee's two teeth and eyes were okay.  Ha!

It's funny how children change your "running buddies".  And by "running buddies" I by no means actually mean running.  I mean friends you talk to frequently or hang around.  Mary Anne is my sister's friend from high school, but having babies so close in age gives us a definite common ground.  We text frequently and ask questions about development or give advice when one of us finds a great snack or idea and share shopping locations.  Ha!  We both have a Zulily problem.  I'm actually grounded from Zulily at the moment.  (Have I mentioned that before?  Ha!)

It's also funny to see how much we've changed nine months into motherhood.  We are quite different sometimes on schedules and routines, but we are similar too.  We both want our babies to stay little forever.  We both want them to eat baby food forever, so we won't have anymore choking scares.  We both rock our babies to sleep and to nap...and I will as long as I can.  We also both kept our baby girls in our bedrooms forever!  And, I'm not ashamed.  Ha!

It got a little hot playing outside, so we came in for a little juice and snack.  This is where Caroline showed off another one of her "tricks."  She can turn that juice cup up like a champ.  Millie Janalee...not so much.  Ha!  Caroline shared her Cheerios, and Millie Janalee snacked on them for the first time.  She was a fan!   But, she was also a big fan of the Cheerio box itself...

After a great play date, it was time for Caroline's nap.  So, we said our goodbyes with a few more squeals and giggles and promised to come play again soon!

We're counting on sharing these photos in a few years.  I'm thinking in a Follies program or their Senior yearbook!  Ha!  Sweet time with our sweet friends!

Everyday Family Fun Moments

I blog a lot about big firsts or events in our little family life, but I rarely just post about our everyday moments.  So, I'll do that now.  Of course, my everyday moments while Russ works may look a little boring to all of you.  For your sake, I'll just share some everyday family fun moments from this past week.

I think I shared that Millie Janalee loves bubbles.  I've been wanting to buy a bubble machine so badly.  I've talked about it very often.  Ask my family.  Ha!  Finally, I ran to Target and purchased an inexpensive bubble machine for us to try.  I showed Russ, and he grabbed his camera for the fun.

Except...Millie Janalee didn't get the memo about the fun part.  The machine makes a noise as it has a battery operated fan inside to blow the bubbles.  Apparently, this scares her.

Mama sat with Millie Janalee and held her tight while the bubble machine kept going.  She would look up at me and back at the bubbles.  Up at me and back at the bubbles.  This scenario repeated itself a few times before she tried to reach out and touch a bubble or two.

I took that as a sign that she was ready for me to loosen my grip a bit.  I was determined not to just turn the machine off and never use it again.  I was trying to give her time to get used to it and realize it was fun.  Ha!  Does that make me a pushy parent?  Anyway, I stood her up right in front of me and talked her through every bubble.  "Yaaayyy!"  "Yaaaayyy!"  "Yaaayyy!"  You get the idea.  She still wasn't sure.

Eventually, she began reaching out for all the bubbles.  She was very cautious.  Not too excited.  Just cautiously trying to catch them.  As she slowly moved her arms around and touched a few bubbles, my "Yaaayyy!"s became fewer and far between.

Until she was clapping on her own for the bubbles!  Yay!  Mission accomplished.

For dessert Tuesday night, I decided to let Millie Janalee try some diced apples.  Eating with her hands.  I do realize that she is nine months old, and I have not really let her eat "messy" foods with her hands yet.  I'll admit that I've kinda been dreading this part.  I know it's fun and cute to watch babies rub baby food through their hair and up their nose.  But, the thought of all the stickiness getting in the crooks and crevices of anything she touches makes me cringe. Ha!  She basically mushed it all around and ate a few pieces before she was totally over it.  I fed her the rest on a spoon, and she enjoyed her diced apples.  Russ just decided she's a "young lady" and was being polite.  Regardless, we went straight to the bath afterward to wash off the sticky mess.  The apples had been soaked in white grape juice...so they were certainly sticky!

Last night, Russ and I played dress up with our little doll.  Millie Janalee and I will travel for her nine month pictures today, so I needed to try a few outfits on her to decide what I wanted to use.  While we were on a roll, I got her to try on a few more things for the summer.  And, we certainly found a favorite!

My little supermodel was working one of her umpteen million swimsuits!  Russ and I were rolling in the floor laughing about how precious she was!  Oh my!

We immediately sent a text to my family saying, "Show me to my beach chair please.  And bring me a baby daiquiri too."  This girl is beach ready, and we are counting down to our annual family beach vacation!

I was exhausted after pulling clothes on and off and trying to get Millie Janalee to sit still and turning her around and around and standing her up and...well, you get the point.  So, while I cleaned up, Russ took her into the living room to watch the Goodnight Show on Sprout.  Russ found it very funny that I could sing all the words.  "Oh, Honey.  If you only knew what all theme songs I have memorized these days."  Russ was very into meeting the cast of the Goodnight Show...as was Millie Janalee.

Sweet Daddy/Daughter time!

There you have it!  A few fun everyday family moments in the life of this Party of Three!  Livin' this life and LOVIN' it!