In Case They Ever Wonder

This week I had a visit with a friend who is expecting her first baby. As we talked about many of the exciting changes she has ahead of her, I thought about how different having your first child is from having your second. (I'm sure the differences are even greater when having your third+...) While preparing for and having your first baby is a time full of great changes and many uncertainties, it is also one of the most precious and wonder-filled seasons of life. I remember how much I read while waiting for Sophie to arrive. I have a crazy number of parenting and child development books, and a disproportionate number of them were bought and read while I was pregnant with Soph . I read a great deal while waiting for Will too, but the majority of my reading was children's books that I was reading to Sophie! I remember the newness of Sophie's baby gear and layette. Most of it, I researched, registered for and received as shower gifts. Not so much for ole Will. He does hav...

I am always looking for ways to make Wednesdays a little easier. Matt is out late, and the kids and I enjoy quite a bit of "quality time" midweek. There have been several Wednesdays this winter when we didn't leave the house or go outside, and by the time Matt arrived home, I had what my best friend Ashley and I call "the crazy eye!" So in an attempt to avoid "the crazy eye," I am always looking for ways to simplify Wednesdays while making them a bit more fun. One important step in avoiding a midweek meltdown is to make sure we leave the house on Wednesdays. I've been trying to plan some sort of activity each Wednesday because we usually stay home all day on Tuesdays and often all day on Thursdays. Last week we met Matt for lunch, and this week we went to a Valentine play group in our neighborhood. Getting out even for a little bit makes a long day feel a bit shorter.  Another fun thing we've started doing on Wednesdays is having an extra-long ...

I cannot stop thinking about how thankful I am for Will. It is so hard to believe that just a year and a few days ago, we had never met this little boy. It seems as though he has always been with us. Our lives have dramatically changed in the past year, and I am thankful for each and every one of the changes. Some of the ways our family is different... We no longer need an alarm clock. We used to have to set a couple of clocks to be sure were up and moving in the morning. Matt, Sophie and I are not  morning people... Oh, but Wild Will is! He wakes up so full of joy that the three of us can't help but smile as we watch him "enthusiastically" greet the day and encourage us to follow suit. We didn't know the depths of Sophie's ability to love someone who   doesn't put her first. Soon after Will was born I was surprised by her complete devotion to him and her depth of patience with him. She truly believes he is the most exceptional baby in the world. She was conce...

Today is Will's first birthday. My mom wrote this for Will the week after he was born. She does things like this... I am glad she does. This represents her hopes and prayers for my precious boy.   William   James   Roden W-worship Him i-invest wisely l-love well l-laugh aloud i-ignore no one a-answer truthfully m-manage time J-joyfully sing a-avoid evil m-make memories e-entertain angels s-stand in awe; sin not R-rest in Him o-obey  d-dance like no one is looking e-extend grace n-never doubt my love