Chloe just turned 5 this month. She’s always had her own style and it almost always makes me smile {and at times outright laugh}!

Sweater dress with attached black tutu {Baby Gap}, matching sweater leggings {Baby Gap}, white socks {TCP}, silver ballet flats {Pediped}, crazy hair curlies {Gymboree}, funny smile {all Chloe!}.

• This post links up to Small Style
• Pediped has their purchase with purpose sale on right now!
• A big thanks to my friend Tricia for the outfit!

Thanks to the Happy Housewife, I made Sundae Boxes as gifts for some friends this Christmas. It was fun and easy to put together and hopefully the recipients enjoyed them.

In my box I put waffle bowls, caramel sauce, chocolate sprinkles, gummy worms, crushed candy canes, maraschino cherries and sugar sprinkles. I wanted to add a home made chocolate and caramel sauce but I just didn’t have the time so store-bought it was. I was happy with the result though.

A tip – it’s all in the presentation. Ribbon, tissue paper and a nice box (the dollar store!) go a long way in making it look good!

This is a great gift idea that could be used year round by changing up the packaging. What a great cheer-you-up or just-because gift for your friend, neighbor, secret pal at church. It’s fun, as economical as you’d like it to be and it’s useful! {and delicious!}

• This post links to Works for me Wednesday

  You love wearing Oma’s vintage jewels

Happy birthday, Chloe! Today you turn 5. You have been so excited, looking forward to this day. “Five is a big number”, you tell me proudly.

Five years have passed slowly and quickly. I look at you, no longer a baby or toddler but a big girl; it is bittersweet.

You chose most of your own clothes for the winter season this year. With a few exceptions, almost everything is purple. A real mix n’ match wardrobe. I pray that you will keep you zany sense of style but learn and love modesty.

You still wear piggy tails occasionally but prefer to wear your hair down now. “It’s most beautiful that way”, you tell me with a cheeky smile. I pray that you will always remember that the Lord looks on our hearts and strive to be beautiful on the inside most of all!

You still bounce, skip or gallop when you’re going somewhere. You seldom ever walk. I pray you are always filled with the joy of the Lord.

You’re so proud when you can help doing big tasks. You love to take the laundry down to the laundry room, or put your own laundry away. You set & clear the table and especially love to help with Isaac, choosing his sleeper or getting mama a diaper. May you always have a helpful spirit and a willing heart.

You just got your first allowance this week. Four shiny quarters. You gave one to Jesus, put one in your savings account and spent two on chocolate and gum. How pleased you were! I pray that you learn to be a wise steward of what the Lord gives you!

Chloe, you were my firstborn. I remember when you were a baby and it was just the three of us. I laugh as I look back, remembering how I thought parenting was so easy.  You’re a delight, but a continual challenge. I strive to discipline and teach you each day in a patient, Christ-like way, though I know I fall short. I pray that you will grow to know and love Jesus more in this new year.

Lord, thank you for Chloe. I thank you for her life, and the plan that you have for it. Please help me to teach and train her in a way that pleases you. Draw her close to you, Lord. Help her to desire you with her whole heart and long to serve you with her life! Amen.

• This post links to Gratituesday

Today is my birthday. In case you wondered, I’m 33. You can read 31 Things About Me from my 31st birthday if you are interested. I’ll add on two more.

32. When I shower in the morning, I start at the top with my hair and and wash down to my toes. If I mix up the order at all, I either get confused and wash something twice or I wash a part with the wrong thing. {think face washing with shampoo – eesh!}

33. I’m a sucker for happily ever after. I don’t really like watching a movie if it’s not going to end with sunshine and lollipops. My husband always tells me that real life isn’t all about sunshine and lollipops but I tell him movies aren’t real life!

We’re having steak for dinner with yummy zucchini fritters. Daddy takes dinner requests on birthdays and that was mine.

Happy Birthday to me!

{Yes, the photo is 6 months old but I take the photos so I’m not in that many of them. Can you relate?}

Isaac is 7 months – how time has flown. In some ways it seems like a million years ago since Isaac and I lived at the hospital for all those weeks. Yet, in other ways it seems like just yesterday. But then life is often like that isn’t it?

Thank you all for your continued prayers. I know many of you are anxious for an update and what mommy isn’t happy to oblige with tales of her adorable children?

Growing

So little Isaac is not so little these days. His weight at 7 months? A whopping 20 pounds 2 oz!He’s tall too – 72 cm!! Though I guess technically it is length not height until he is standing right?

Sleeping

For the first six  months Isaac would go to bed around 9pm and wake up for the day around 7am but in between that period of time, he’d be up 6-8 times. Yes, those first six months I was a sleep-deprived mama, especially since he didn’t really nap during the day.

Then out of nowhere, one night at the beginning of December Isaac slept through the night. We’re talking 9pm straight through until somewhere between 6-7:30am. How amazing is that? Even more amazing? He’s kept it up. I’m heading into my second month of sleeping all night. LOVE IT!

Dressed for Church (yes, he wore this sleeper a lot in Dec.)

Eating

Though the first month and a half of his life he ate through a tube with no stamina for breastfeeding, he eventually was able to nurse and hasn’t stopped. Sweet Isaac is a breastfeeding champ! The scale proves it, with him being in the 75th percentile for weight. We met with a nutritionist the other day who helped set up Isaac’s new eating plan. He breastfeeds on demand but now also has 1-2 tablespoons of rice cereal and pureed chicken at lunch and dinner. With my other two tots, we started with fruits and veggies but with Isaac they recommend the extra protein to help with muscle-building. We’re also eating some custard just for fun. Everything is very soft, mushy and liquid-y {yuck} but he’s just started as the doctor wanted solids delayed until Isaac had a little more body control. His high chair has a 5 point harness which helps support him and we have him reclined a little so he’s off to a good start I think.

Oh, and no sign of teeth yet, though he is adept at tongue calisthenics

Play Time

Isaac is able to roll from back to front most of the time. I’m so proud, this was a huge accomplishment for him and one that he’s been working on for a while! He can sometimes roll from tummy to back but it depends on what position his arms are in. He hates tummy time however he can lift and hold his head up for short periods of time when on his tummy. {Go Isaac!}

His trunk muscles are still very weak so the jumperoo didn’t work well for him at all. I was able to track down a traditional jolly jumper which supports him much better. He’s able to hold his head and neck up well on his own and with the extra middle support, he can hang there in the door way. I haven’t been able to get him to put weight on his feet yet or do any jumping but that will come I hope!

His fine motor skills are very good and his hand/eye co-ordination is impressive. When he sees something he wants, he’s very deliberate in his reach for it.

Off our Christmas Card

Social

Isaac is a social little man. The minute he sees Chloe or John, his face lights up in a smile. Truthfully, Isaac has a smile for anyone who talks nice to him or tells him he’s handsome. He laughs and chuckles when he finds something funny. It’s the sweetest sound; I love it.

Health

Overall, Isaac is doing well. He’s growing well, 75th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for length. His head is growing a little faster than they would like but so far, they haven’t determined if there is a reason or if he’s just having a head growth spurt. He did have an ultrasound which revealed no change since his last one, which is good. We are just waiting on an MRI appointment, which should hopefully be soon.

His calcium deposits in his kidneys have completely disappeared and his kidneys are maturing nicely. We have one more appointment in May with the nephrologists and then I think we’ll be discharged in that regard.

Isaac enjoys his physiotherapist, Lynne, who we see weekly at Lansdown Center. She is working closely with us, showing us exercises and activities that we can do to strengthen the muscles and Isaac’s overall tone.

Self-snapped pic: Isaac & I grabbed lunch @ Kneads & Harvest

Isaac’s Favorite Things

• Chloe & John
• Baby Massage
• Baths with Mommy
• Going for a walk in the stroller

What a wonderful little baby he is. It has been a privilege to watch God work miracles in his little life and I look forward to seeing how He will use Isaac. Little Isaac  is a happy, delightful and contented little baby during the day, though sometimes evenings are a challenge. He has the sweetest smile and the cutest dimples. With Chloe, John and Isaac, I’m so blessed, busy and thankful!

I can still recall that crisp fall day that my little 18 month Chloe, who couldn’t talk yet, picked out her first pair of shoes: brown polka dot Giseles by Pediped. Since then we’ve purchased many, many pair of Pediped. Why? I’m glad you asked!

It’s not because of the price to be sure. But the quality, I feel, justifies the price. Chloe wears her shoes to run, jump, climb, play in the sand, ride her bike and more. Her days are full of rough-and-tumble play but she always looks the little lady. These shoes survive all the adventures that this little girl takes them on {and still look great!}.

Pediped makes a wide range of shoes, of all different materials. Our absolute favorite are the mary jane style leather shoes. So breathable! All of Chloe’s Pediped’s to date have had velcro closures, with the exception of her boots which were zippered. They were all easy for her to do and undo herself, however, they were sturdy and well fastened. I love the velcro fasteners which mean you get a custom fit! No matter how fast she was running in this direction or that, her Pedipeds are able to keep up with her!

Their sizing seems to be accurate and consistent no matter what the style. They have a downloadable sizing chart. I’ve used it many times and we’ve had fantastic luck each time with a good fit. I find her Pediped shoes are supportive as she races around and the fit of most of her Pediped’s is beautiful. The ballet flats that we received for the review do seem to fit a little differently, a little wider perhaps? But all our other Pedipeds fit like a glove!

With things like the flex fit system, being recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association, machine washable options, rubber toe options, Grip n Go, Memory Foam, and water safe options, Pediped is always coming up with innovative ideas and fabulous styles.

My favorite thing about Pediped is the adorable styles. With a beautiful balance of adorable and trendy, this wonderful company provides casual and dressy selections for girls and boys alike.

If I am going to spend good money on clothing for my tots, shoes are very high on my list. Little feet are growing and forming; their foot health is as important to me as their good oral, eye or any other aspect of their health. I’ve read that many adults’ foot problems can be traced back to childhood. I feel that Pediped is a company that I can trust my tots feet with for many years to come.

• Thank you to Pediped for providing a pair of ballet flats for Chloe to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own and all other shoes mentioned in this review, aside from the ballet flats, were purchased by myself.

Photo by Dezz

Motherhood is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank) @ Desiring God "Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."

Bittersweet Song of September @ Boston.com  LOVED this article!! "It does. It gets better and better. Parenting is filled with bests and a million happy tears. But it’s filled with lumps in your throat, too, and yearning for what was because even as you’re snapping pictures and head over heels in love with the moment that is, a part of you misses the moments that are not anymore."

How to Stay Married for 25 Years@ Smockity Frocks "Remember that feelings ebb and flow. Commitment lasts."

Motherhood is Application @ Desiring God was truly something that I needed to read today This summer was filled with days that went nothing like I would have planned them. Far too many hospital stays, doctor visits, sickness at home. I know I was frazzled far too many times, that I spoke shortly or sharply when I was frustrated at the lack of order in my home because I lacked the time to order it. {sigh}. Thank-you Lord for forgiveness and fresh starts to try again!

37 Ways to Ruin Your Kid Before Age Three @ Rediscovering Domesticity

Information Station @ Chapters is such a cool idea. I emailed this post to DH to see if we could make one. Um, it was a no-go for us (boo!} but maybe it would work for you?

How to Tie A Dress Bow @ The Finer Things in Life was a huge help to me. I’m almost 5 years into being the mom of a little girl who always wears dresses and I hadn’t figured this out yet. My bows never look like they do in the stores!! Thank you for sharing, Amy!

Congratulations, You Married Mr. Right @ At The Well "See, marriage isn’t about getting to be the princess in the fairy tale who lives happily ever after with Prince Charming. It’s about glorifying God."

Organized Through Labels @ eBabble was entertaining to read since my DH wrote it.

A Helpful Guide to Owning Fewer Toys @ Organizing Your Way

Training Children: Life Work @ Generation Cedar says "What we want to do with our children is not merely to control them and keep them in order, but to implant true principles deep in their hearts which shall rule their whole lives; to shape their character from within into Christlike beauty, and to make of them noble men and women, strong for battle and for duty." Wow! What a responsibility!

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John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Merry Christmas, friends!

I was reading my bible this morning in bed while nursing Isaac. I had to go see about John so I left a dozy Isaac playing with his butterfly. I came back moments later to find Isaac thoroughly enjoying God’s Word!

{thankfully the pages smoothed back out fairly easily!}

  Photo Credit

What is the Real Cost?

There is a cost to most things you have, though often it is hidden.  I’m sure you can think of more but some of the costs that spring to my mind immediately are:

• Initial cost
• Operating costs
• Time Investments
• Space
• Priorities

We have a large home, over 3000 sq ft not including Nana’s 1000+ apartment. We paid for the house, then we pay higher taxes, utilities etc. to operate it. There is also the time investment with cleaning and maintenance. I spend a lot of time cleaning the house. We’ll be downsizing soon and I am excited about that because the cost of a large house is no longer worth it to us. We would rather have a smaller home that costs less to buy, less to run and less time investment to keep orderly and clean.

The same goes for possessions. To determine if they’re worth the cost, looking beyond what I paid for it and I’m asking myself:

• Have I used this recently?
• Will I use it again?
• Do I like it, love it?
• Is it useful to me or beautiful to me?
• Are my children REALLY going to thank me for saving this or is it something they will feel saddled with because “mom saved it all these years, I can’t throw it out now.”
• Is it worth the space in my home?
• Is it worth the time it takes me to dust it, clean around it etc?

I’m not held captive by my stuff, whether it is useful or simply just clutter. Though the object may have sentimental value or memories attached to it, I don’t have to keep it. Crafts and pictures were quickly taking over our home a while back until we came up with some creative solutions to storing, displaying and parting with children’s artwork. I also had some childhood and high school memorabilia that I purged, taking a photo of anything important. You see, I still have the memories and now, if needed, the photo of the items to spark that memory. I enjoyed A Helpful Guide to Owning Fewer Toys this week as well since that is another area where we feel quality in terms of the product and the skills it teachers are far better than a large quantity.

A Commitment to Travelling Light

When I was in youth group, we’d go on canoe trips with a portage or two. {For those of you who aren’t sure what a portage is, it’s when you carry your canoe and gear from one lake to another or from the top of the rapids to the bottom or vice versa}. Knowing that we were just going for a couple of days, it was easier to pack just the essentials and a few basic comforts {we didn’t ‘rough it’ too tough!}. The lighter we travelled, the less encumbered we were, the easier the journey was.

“This world is not my home I’m just a passing through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue”

~Jim Reeves

Those song lyrics run through my head. I don’t remember where I heard the song but it’s stuck with me. I don’t want to be laying up treasures here; spending my precious-never-to-get-back minutes hoarding, storing, cleaning and moving stuff around. I’m here temporarily and with that in mind, it makes it a little easier to travel light.

It stands to reason that less stuff makes it easier to pack up and go, easier to clean your home, quicker to do a fast tidy for company and more free space {they say less visual clutter=less mental clutter}. The Lord talked about possessions a fair amount in the New Testament. I’m seeking to live with my priorities on the eternal. I’m sure you can come up with a good many more perks to travel light.

But I think the real ticket to travelling light is to recognize that it is an ongoing endeavor. The minute you (I!) forget to be intentional about it is about the time that the “extras” will begin to sneak in to your (mine!) life and home.

More isn’t better. It’s just…more.

~Steady Mom

So I share this with you as I begin in earnest, to travel light{er}! I’d love to hear one or two ways in which you strive towards living light{er}.