My two little Christmas helpers...

Okay Eli didn't really help decorate for Christmas but he supervised. I just loved this picture - Sydney Kate was so excited about putting up the Christmas tree and her excitement was contagious for us all. A couple of Sydney Kate quotes lately:

" Mom did you know baby Jesus laying in hay is TRUE!"
" Hey mom I know a funny choke" you mean Joke my sweet girl
" I'm older now and turtle necks don't make me jag anymore" - some would say gag

I love my children.....

Thanksgiving...

Holidays for everyone can be kind of crazy but I have to say holidays with divorced parents can bring on a whole new kind of craziness. Both Todd and I have divorced parents which means we have 4 sets of parents (that's seven grandparents) to visit on any given holiday. In the beginning of our marriage we visited all the families in one holiday weekend! Talk about tired - we were worn out. So when Sydney Kate came into our lives we decided we just couldn't do it all and decided we could only do two families at a time. This year we spent the Thanksgiving weekend with my mom and dad. We had a great time - and you couldn't get more diversity if you tried! With my mom we braved Black friday in Atlanta and took the girls to the American Girl doll store. Amazingly it wasn't too crowded (God heard my prayers). The girls loved it! We had lunch in the bistro and then the dolls got their hair done in the salon. We finished off the trip with matching t-shirts for the girls and their dolls. Thanks Mom for a great trip! We then headed to my Dad's farm in Boaz, Alabama. The girls got a hay ride around the farm to see all the animals - we went fishing - fed the catfish, chickens, and the ducks. The highlight was ending our day roasting marshmellows and loving on Bubba (Dad's boxer). A great weekend had by all! I am very thankful for my family - it might be crazy to visit so many grandparents but its amazing how loved you feel when you have 7 parents/grandparents to love on you.

I'll be there late - trust me...

Seriously, this is my new major problem - I'm always late! My time management issues run deep - to get 3 people dressed and out the door in a reasonable amount of time seems almost impossible most mornings. I have noticed my children always look really cute - dressed nice - hair fixed - etc. However I'm looking HORRIBLE these days. I just throw on the same jeans almost everyday and hope there is a shirt halfway ironed in the closet. How does it all get done? Clean the house, go to the grocery store, wash clothes, feed the baby, color with the 4 year old, work, kiss your husband, email, and finally fall asleep at midnight! Is this the life we all dreamed about when we were single? Nobody warned us and even if they did I know I wasn't listening. I wouldn't trade my crazy life but sometimes I'm convinced I'll always be the mom who never gets it all together - well I think that's where God wants us anyway. I'm glad He accepts me as I am - wrinkled shirt and all!

A couple of blog worthy events...
1- Pumpkin Patch with good friends
2- My boy has the best smile ever!
3- My four year old daughter just asked me for a Snuggie for Christmas. Wow! I think Santa can make that happen... a blanket with sleeves is so practical for a 4 year old.
4- Had the flu over the weekend - took Eli to the doctor today because he was coughing. Thank God he does not have the flu but since I had it and he's coughing he is now on Tamiflu. I am terrified of him getting the flu this season!
5- Eli's best friend was just born - Ashley had a baby boy last week. Welcome to the world Harry!

My 9 month old - Oh I mean 11 week old...

Okay take a good look at those rolls - it takes hard work to get rolls like that and Eli has been perfecting those rolls for 2.5 months now. Yes people my little big guy is weighing in at 15 pounds - and really I haven't weighed him in a few days so he might even be up to 16 lbs. Apparently breast feeding is going well? Eli is an amazing little baby. He is so content and happy - we are getting lots of smiles and little sounds now. It is the best thing to look at your little one and get a big toothless grin! Priceless!! Eli is sleeping through the night most nights - last night it was from 11pm to 7am. They say bigger babies sleep better and I guess I believe them.

So If you need to squeeze a big, fluffy, round and happy baby come on over.... he is the perfect size to squeeze and kiss!!

The Ervin cousins...

We went to Chattanooga last weekend - based on tradition we always try to get a picture of all the cousins together. This is little Eli's first cousin picture. Aren't they all so cute!

Future Soccer Star?

Okay maybe she's not the star of the team but she's for sure the prettiest! And the only girl. During her second game I was telling her to try to kick the ball in net - she informed me "Mom I'm trying but they keep taking it away - and THAT'S NOT VERY NICE!" Yea, I see your point... okay you can play basketball instead - I know the rules of that game.

Life...

Lately it seems like all my days run together - one big blur for the last seven weeks! I love having my baby boy and my newborn doesn't look like a newborn much anymore... he's weighing in at 14.1 pounds!! So much for the 0-3 month clothes. Sydney Kate has been busy as well... she started K-4 and is going 4 days a week (only half days)... she shaved her legs for the first time (not very well evidenced by the 10 bandaides running down her leg... and on a daily basis she begs for us to buy her a puppy (which is not happening by the way!). So on top of all that fun I'm also getting back to work - which I'm pretty sure I never took a maternity leave from - but I'm offically getting back now. We've been in a building project all summer and it is almost complete - so we are going from being able to help 4 families to helping 8 families. My work life is about to be so very busy! Not sure how to balance life as a mom of a newborn and social worker of a big new program. If I talk about it too much I get a little stressed with how much needs to be done and how much hasn't been done. That's okay I'm a master at avoidance - I think I'll use my skills in this area to pretend like everything is perfect.

Well here's to Fall 09 - praying I get sleep sometime in the near future - hoping all my work gets done - praying my kids get a patient loving mom and Todd gets a more encouraging wife - and one last prayer...I would love to have a weekend away to hear the whisper of stillness! A girl can always dream...

Here's a few picture from our beach trip on Labor day with Nana and Grandad and cousin Paige!

Time to get out of the house...

There is only so many days one can stay inside the house - I'm not the sit around type - and so today we took an outing to the botanical gardens. It was a beautiful and hot day. I wanted a few good pictures and Sydney Kate had her heart set on playing in the fountains. A good day had by all! But the best part of the day was when we returned home I was able to get both children to nap at the same time - and then I heard the angels singing - and for a brief minute I thought to myself having 2 isn't so bad. I'll remind myself of that at 3am tonight:)

3 weeks old...

I can't type with one hand...

So I figured out that I can do many things with one hand - help my 4 year old get dressed, change the channels of the tv, check my email and read current events on the internet, etc. But I haven't mastered typing with one hand. So now you have the reason there have been no posts to the blog since Eli's arrival. Plus I've really actually been down two hands - I have this strange post pregnancy rash called "PUPPS" and it is so evil! It the worst thing I've ever experienced - it itches like crazy all the time and nothing helps! I've now gone through one round of oral steriods, two tubes of steriod cream, and every "natural" remedy I can find on the internet. I usually have a brush in one hand and a baby in the other - I use the brush to scratch my skin in hopes it will help in some twisted way. Thankfully Eli has been an amazing little baby. He seems happy most of the time and laid back. I don't want to jinx myself but he has slept 4 -6 hour spans at night. So even if I'm itching like a crazy person at least I have a sweet baby boy.

Elijah Joseph Ervin... why this name?

Elijah Joseph Ervin

To be honest when we decided on Eli’s name we didn’t give the meaning a lot of thought. I knew his name was obviously a strong biblical name and had great meaning but throughout this pregnancy I haven’t specifically studied the life of Elijah. Today I skipped church and sent the rest of the family – I needed a moment of silence – of reflection – time with the Lord to be thankful for the baby boy he has placed inside of me and I will soon meet.

Elijah = “The Lord is my God”. I pray this is true for Eli – there will never be a day he does not understand there is a loving God. No matter where you go or what you do remember your name – The Lord is your God.

Joseph = “God will increase”. Joseph was chosen because my dad’s name is Joseph. I’ve always said if I had the opportunity to have a son I would name him after my dad. A great man of honor, full of love, humble spirit, and solid. I hope those same qualities for Eli. I also believe God has blessed our family with a son – another child to add to our family after many trials to get him here – so perfectly Joseph means God will add/increase. God has already shown his love and power by soon adding Eli to our family and we are thankful.

1 Kings 19: 11-12
“Elijah, come into my presence. I’m going to pass by. Then God revealed himself in a gentle whisper”.

We long for our children to be in the presence of God – to know Him fully - To understand His love and grace for their lives. Not only to be in His presence but also to hear His gentle whisper – to me the whisper is like a strong embrace by a loving God. I pray my children experience the “gentle whisper” of the Lord throughout their lives.

Entering the final week...

It really feels like I've been pregnant for a very long time. I am so ready to meet Eli and I'm so ready to be able to actually see my toes when standing. Went to the doctor this week and I was 2 centimeters dilated and 30% effaced - if I don't go into labor on my own this week then we will be thinking of inducing next week - possibly Tuesday or Wednesday. I will go to the doctor again on Monday and see if my body is progressing on its own and if so I'll go ahead with the induction - I just don't want to induce if my body isn't on board because I'm not signing up for a 15 hour plus labor if its not medically necessary. For those of you wondering sometimes if you induce without being ready then the drugs could set you up for a very long labor time. So I realized last night that I have taken no pictures of my growing belly - so for the sake of my son and history - I had Todd take a most wonderful picture.

"Mommy I can do it myself I'm four years old now".....

My baby girl is now four years old - it seems like yesterday I was pregnant with her!! Sydney Kate has her daddy's personality all the way - always asking WHY - talking nonstop in the car - independent thinker (okay maybe that's me). She is a complete joy to have around and we miss her like crazy when she is away. Sydney Kate tells us all the time "Mommy you're my most favorite mommy ever" and "Daddy is my most favorite Boy". She loves without expectation of anything in return. I love my little girl and I'm honored to be the mom of the Best four year old ever!!

Our new theme song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdpEyxS0988

37 weeks and running out of fuel...

Seriously, this "nesting" business that comes with pregnancy is probably a good thing unless you have the amount of "stuff" I have to deal with before relaxing! I have waited to the absolute end of my pregnancy to do everything I planned to do - now I wake up out of a dead sleep to add one more thing to my list (which I keep by my bedside). Not sure I can allow myself to enter into labor until my list is complete - like I'll never be able to do anything again once Eli arrives. Silly thinking really - I think life exist beyond having two children? I must believe this to be true - I don't want to be a mom who has nothing else in her life to look forward to other than a dirty diaper or Noggin cartoons. So I keep telling myself life will continue when my little man arrives... hopefully he'll be a go with the flow kind of baby like his sister was. Soon to find out...

So my Mom and Mac came over last week and installed Eli's beautiful nursery - it is perfect! My mom has so much talent and I'm so glad she helps me! Not only did Eli get a new room but so did Sydney Kate... she got a beautiful Big Sister room! Now that I mentioned the rooms I better take a picture so you all can see my mom's talent.

Well I am 37 weeks - 3 weeks until my due date - but no one expects me to go all the way to my due date (maybe that's my wishful thinking)! This boy feels huge but my doctor predicts he'll be in the 8 pound range... we'll see if she is right? I go to the doctor on Wednesday to find out the progression - last week I was only dilated 1/2 centimeter. My doctor had the right perspective - At least it wasn't zero. I was personally hoping for 2 centimeters:) I'll keep everyone updated...

For anyone who wants to compare...

Thought I would share my old blog - this is the blog I started four years ago when I was pregnant with Sydney Kate. There are ultrasound pics of Sydney Kate on there - I'm not sure if I would say they look alike - however both have big cheeks. Anyway, enjoy memory lane...

www.ervins.blogspot.com

Yawning...

Sucking his thumb...

His little hand up by his mouth...