Songs For Saplings

I have to pass this resource on to any Mamas out there or anyone with children in their life.  Hatley-Grace and I have enjoyed Songs For Saplings so much the past few months.  The Question and Answer CDs are basically catechism questions and rich theological truths put to music.  The CD's are packed with scripture and Hatley-Grace loves the music as well.  All 6 question and answer CDs are available for free digital download.  I play these all the time, while we are playing, eating meals together or in the car.  

Also, the Songs for Saplings ABC and 123 are available as well.  My Aunt gave us the ABC CD for Christmas and it is now a go to CD in the car.  This CD is full of short songs that are purely scripture put to music.  I hope you enjoy them with your kiddos!  Click here to download!

19 months

Hatley-Grace is 19 months!
Stats:
Weight: About 22 lbs.
Hair/eyes: dirty blonde, hazel
Clothing: 18m, 18-24m, some smaller dresses as tops with leggings
Diapers: flip medium length 4 snaps in, these have been a big pain recently with lots of leaking. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Shoes: size 4

Sleep:
Hatley-Grace had some battles this month with not wanting to go to bed, but most of that was probably related to our schedules being so busy with the holidays.  She normally goes to bed between 7:45/8 and wakes up around 7:30.  She takes one nap from around 1-3.  One of my favorite times of day is when she wakes up from her nap.  Usually Giada is on the Food Network and she sits with me and her cup on milk and we watch Giada cook.  She loves when her daughter Jade is on the show the best!

Foods:
Hatley- Grace is a good eater and eats mostly what we eat.  She has started going in the pantry and requesting crackers, Cheerios or rice cakes as her snacks.  She prefers vegetables to fruits, and has tried lots of citrus this month since it is all in season right now here.  Hummus, pita and cucumber is a recent favorite.  She loves anything Mexican, quinoa salads, peanut butter, bread, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, plain yogurt with honey, all veggies and fruits.

Language:
HG's vocabulary has taken off this month.  When asked she will try to repeat any word you ask her to and everyday something new pops out of her mouth. Some words she says often are dog, cat, bird, duck, bug, water (wawa), milk, cracker, eggs, bread, cheese, Cheerios, snacks, apple (ap), banana (nana), mama, dada, church, Iva (ivvv her friend), Josh, Bethany (bef), book, more, no no, hot, baby, happy, bike, ball, bus, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, toes, shoes, hair, please, Bible...wow this list is much longer than I anticipated.  Language is exploding right now.

Motor development:
These photos should be a good picture of how active HG is right now.  I can barely capture a still moment.  HG confidently walks and is beginning to trot, not yet run.  She climbs into her rocker and kicks a ball.  She would walk all over the house and yard, and explore all day if we let her.  She colors with crayons and chalk, mostly making lines vertically and horizontally.  She cracks eggs in her kitchen, stirs with spoons and loves to cook and bang the pots and pans.  She enjoys sorting her blocks in the shape sorter, stacks blocks and puts money into her piggy bank.

Fun stuff from this month:
-  Hatley-Grace is known to wake up and ask for church and Iva, her friend, first thing in the morning.
-  Books are a favorite all day long, we hear lots of "more books" in this house.

-  I started doing a catechism question with HG in the mornings, and when asked the first question, "who made you?" she can now shout "God" very proudly.  Also, when we pray she says "amen" at the end.
-  She will say phrases like, "good girl!" and "oh no!"

- She has just started to have an interest in the TV and will ask for "George", the Curious George show on PBS.
- We go on lots of walks together still, but now she talks almost the whole time especially when I try to listen to a sermon or podcast.
-  Her curls and long eyelashes are still her most prominent features.

-  She stared using the potty this month and is showing a strong interest in it.  I think we will dive into true potty training soon.
-  Little Pookie books are favorites right now, along with the Going To Bed Book

Dear Hatley-Grace,

You are growing and changing so fast.  You are saying new words everyday.  You sometimes whine and fuss when you need something, but when I tell you to ask for help you can!  You waddle around our house in your big girl sneakers and your big cloth diaper bottom like you are off on a new adventure and it is just precious to watch.  You have a huge amount of energy from the moment you wake and go strong all day long.  You are such a ham when other people are around.  You are very fond of boys, and flirt by burying your face in your hands or lifting up your dress to cover your face.  You love being outside, watering the plants, playing in the water table, picking oranges from our tree or finding all the acorns in the driveway.  You study the world around you and learn by exploration.

We went to through a week after the holidays when you just fought going to sleep at night.  Sometimes is was 9 before you settled.  You learned to ask for more books, wawa (water), milk, blankets, anything to plead for me to come in.  After a few days of late bedtimes in a row, Daddy was home and I graciously gave him a turn.  He told you at 7:15 that you were going to drink milk, read books, brush teeth, sing and go to bed.  He walked you through each step of the process, and you  easily went down at 7:45.  #1, Daddy teaches me lessons in patience and love everyday.  #2, you understand and comprehend so much!  You listen and mind us well, especially your Daddy.  You want to know whats going on as much as we as adults do.  Every night since then you have gone to bed without a fight, even if we have been at youth group or at games.

You love hanging out with the big kids at youth group and let the sixth grade girls tote you around like a dolly.  You run the halls with the kids at school when we are at basketball games.  After fun play times like these, you ask for Mama as it gets later, which melts my heart.  I love that you are fine with separation, but desire time with me as well.

We love you sweet girl and love watching you grow!

Love,
Mama

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 We have been blessed to have Carolyn Allen as a friend and our "family photographer" in Citrus County.  This Christmas and last, she has beautifully captured our family for our Christmas cards and portraits in our home.

I hope you enjoyed a Christmas surrounded by loved ones this year.

 As I reflect on 2014, I can rejoice because the Lord is faithful and good.

 Every beautiful gift is from Him.

 Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

 The baby we celebrate this season, is our mighty King.

 He humbled Himself, and became man.

 All because of His never ending, never stopping love for us!

   Our God is the only true redeemer and King.

 May His peace and love dwell in your hearts richly this year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!

18 months

Hatley-Grace is 18 months old!

Stats:
Weight: 20lbs. 15 oz
Height: 30 3/4 in
Clothing: 18 months, some 12 month tops/dresses, size 4 shoes
Diapers: medium length 4 snaps in

What is she up to?
Sleeping:
Hatley-Grace is on a wonderful schedule right now.  She sleeps from about 8pm to 7 am.  She is an early riser, and will be babbling and ready to go for the day by 6:30/7.  By 12:30, Hatley-Grace is ready for a nap and will sleep from 21/2-3 hours on a normal day.  I love this routine since it gives us freedom in the morning to meet up with friends or run errands, and then I get some much needed alone time in the afternoon.

Eating:
Hatley-Grace loves bacon and sausage in the morning, eggs, oatmeal, banana and toast are still favorites as well.  She enjoys eating whatever we are having for most meals.  She loves peanut butter or quinoa salads at lunch.  We have made lots of soups lately, and she is doing wonderfully with trying to use her spoon.  She is beginning to want to feed herself all the time, and looks insulted or frustrated when I try to help.  She can say milk, and asks for her milk cup in the evening before bedtime routines.

Motor skills:
Hatley-Grace has taken to walking so quickly this month.  She no longer crawls, and all she wants to do is walk around the house.  No sitting and playing for her right now.  We are currently painting our kitchen cabinets, so all the doors are out in the garages.  This leaves all the bowls, measuring cups, pots and pans exposed all day to little toddler hands; therefore, the kitchen is her favorite place to explore these days.  She loves to stir with spoons and pretend feed me and her animals.  Hatley- Grace will sit to color with crayons or chalk, and occasionally enjoys play dough.

Other fun things this month:
- we can now play outside since she is a confident walker!  She loves finding the unripe oranges that have fallen on the ground, and acorns in the driveway.  This spring is going to be so fun with her in the garden.

-  Our neighbors have a white Scottish terrier named Happy whom Hatley-Grace loves to visit.  Whenever she hears the word happy she starts saying please to go and visit him.  We are so thankful for our sweet neighbors, their loving hearts towards our daughter and for Happy the dog.

-  New balance sneakers have been a huge hit in the shoe department.  Although they are not stylish, Hatley-Grace walks and plays so well in them.

-  Marty taught her how to give Eskimo kisses this month (rubbing your noses).

-Tea for Ruby is a favorite book right now.

-  Hatley-Grace has no patience for the Jesus Storybook Bible, but loves looking through the pictures.

-  We started to introduce play pen time on mornings we have been at home( I hoping this will turn into independent play time in her roomin a few months).  This has not been a hit, as she cries the entire time.  Still an adjustment.

-  She pooped in the bathtub for the first time this weekend.  She showed me all the signs that it was coming, yet being a first time mom I had no idea what she was doing.  I thought she was pretending to be a frog. Part of it made it in the toilet, so we ordered a potty for her and it will arrive today.  We may attempt to see if she is interested in kicking the diapers, I know I am!

- Hatley-Grace is taking after her daddy more and more.  She is a big ham in groups of people, and the girls have taught her how to "cheese" for the camera.

- She hates having her hair put up in pigtails or pony tails, but loves her bows and asks for them when we get dressed.

17 months

 Stats:
Weight: 22.5 lbs.
Clothing:  12-18m tops, 18m bottoms, shoes size 3
Hair/eyes: dirty blonde, hazel.  After watching the CMAs this week, she has very similar coloring to Carrie Underwood
Diapers: flips on the medium length setting, 4 snaps in
Teeth: 12

Sleeping:
Hattie-Grace has settled into a great one afternoon nap schedule.  She wakes around 7, and naps anywhere from 12:30/1- 3/4, depending on nighttime sleep and our activity level.  She goes to bed between 7:30-8.

Eating:
Hattie-Grace is a great meal eater.  We have enjoyed lots of pears and apples this month.  HG is wonderful at eating anything we have for dinner, as long as she can chew it :). Peanut butter is still a favorite, along with cucumbers.

Gross/fine motor skills:
HG took her first steps on 11/5 at youth group with a bunch of sixth grade girls and Bethany, the student ministry intern.  She has become more confident in her walking ever since.  We have encouraged her to walk with her stuffed animals, hats, phones and power cords :). We are so excited to see progress in this!  She loves balls and will roll them or kick them to us.

HG is using a fork to eat most things, and is slowly mastering the spoon with yogurt or quinoa salads.  She can put straws into small holes, and colors with crayons.  She loves turning the pages of board books, magazines and regular books.  She stacks blocks and connects mega blocks.

Language:
HG will try to say lots of words if we ask her too.  She can name various body parts, and loves pointing out our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, fingers, toes, feet, hair...Due to no shave November, she knows what a beard is as well.  She babbles all the time, and loves when we sing to her.  Her favorite song is Wheels on the Bus and asks for it by moving her hands like the wheels.  She is learning more animal noises as well.

Other fun stuff:
-  Hattie-Grace was the only baby in the nursery to not cry on Sunday morning, yet she fussed when it was time to go.

-  HG loves figuring out how things work.  She observes everything.  We thought we were safe with the Halloween candy in a dish on the coffee table, until one night she watched a friend unwrap a sucker and eat it.  Now, she will only try to unwrap the suckers.  Thankfully, she does not like how they taste...yet.

-  One of her favorite activities is clearing out any cabinet in our house.

-  She loves being around other children and cheers when I tell her we are going to church.

-  Yesterday, Hattie-Grace threw her first full out fit.  I told her that it was library day, and when we got to the library, it was closed because it was Veteran's Day...oops!  I told her we couldn't go to library time with Ms. Debbie because the library was closed.  She immediately started crying and cried the entire way home.  The big, splashy tears kind of cry.  This is incredibly rare for her, and it blew me away that she fully understood that we were planning to go to the library and then couldn't.  All was made right with a good swing and bike ride outside.

Dear Hattie-Grace,

You are such a big girl, learning to walk this month.  When I hold your hand, you no longer rely on me as much to take each step.  I just know once you become more confident, you will be running!

One of your favorite times of the day is when we walk to the mailbox, because it means we visit with the neighbors if they are out.  You ask to go see Mr. and Mrs. Born and their dog Happy every single time we are outside.  You just love people, and get so tickled by being around your friends.  You are a ham with others, and show off for the girls at youth group.  It is so appropriate that you took your first steps with youth group girls :)

You are spunky and sweet.  You are not easily upset, and never want to miss out on a good time by sleeping.  You are growing, learning and changing so fast right now.  Others always comment on your long pretty eyelashes and your beautiful big eyes.  You are truly beautiful, yet I pray that the Lord continues to grow your heart and spirit into a true gem shining His love to others.

You are our pride and joy!
Mama

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! 

Pumpkin Patch

 We ventured to the only true pumpkin patch in Florida yesterday morning.

They had rows of sunflowers to pick,

 and every kind of pumpkin you could want.  

 We went on the hunt for a small, white pumpkin this year.  Hattie-Grace loved riding in the wagon!

 Precious sweet girl taking it all in.

 We found our cute little pumpkin, and clipped it from the vine.  

Hattie-Grace was happy with our selection.

Not too big, not too small, just right!

 Hattie-Grace got out to stretch her legs a bit.  Some pumpkins were literally bigger than her. 

It may have been 80 degrees out, but this was the perfect morning to bring on a little Fall feeling in our home.  We are learning how to embrace the seasons without the weather changing too much.  Pumpkin dip and pumpkin ice-cream may help just a bit :)