MMM...MMM...GOOD!

Today Reagan and I had a very exciting day together! We dropped Sydney off at her Citi's and drove up to Plant City with Dena, Mia and Ella to pick strawberries! On the way we stopped off for a donut and when we were all sugared-up we made it to the strawberry farm. Lots of our friends and Reagan's cousins and Aunt Sissy were already there. Reagan helped me pick one quart and then I think she ate another one or two quarts before we left the farm! Then after working so hard =) we went to McDonald's for a Happy Meal! It was so fun just taking Reagan out for the day today and playing! I think I was more excited starting out this morning than she was! Recently I was struggling with Reagan and her obeying me. It seemed like she was trying to get attention from me any way she could and I found myself constantly correcting and disciplining her. I know there will be many more seasons like that with her, this was just the first time I experienced my darling daughter consistently trying to exert her will against mine...and then when Steve would get home she would obey him the first time. A wise lady with two older girls (thanks Vikki!!!) gave me some counsel I wasn't expecting to hear as I was sharing my sins and struggles one morning. She encouraged me to spend time one on one with my girls just having fun with them. She told me how she has done that with her girls and how that has helped their relationship! I am so grateful for that counsel and so grateful that I have people who are able to help me with one daughter when the other just needs a little "mommy time"!! I am looking so forward to doing this again with both of my girls and making fun memories, AND I look forward to making special memories with each of them individually, too!!

Faith

Tonight I finished up reading a chapter about Sarah, Abraham's wife, in a wonderful book called Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur. There is so much I have to learn in the Bible and I've enjoyed reading this book (although I'm only in chapter 2!) because it expounds on specific people in the Bible; people I've heard about, or read about once or twice, but it's amazing to me to see how the history of their lives reveals so much of the power and faithfulness of our Almighty God. I've known that Sarah was Abraham's wife and that she was a woman of much faith and she bore her son Isaac when she was well beyond childbearing years as a result of the promises of God. I didn't know how she agonized for years because she was barren and how she gave her servant to Abraham so that they could have a child. Then she threw the servant and her son out. I didn't realize that she traveled for 1000 miles by foot - full of faith and joy - to follow her husband. I didn't realize that she had so many different struggles and yet she is known throughout the Bible as a woman of much faith. What hope reading this chapter has given me! God is so faithful to change us and mold us in His likeness when we are faithful to repent and follow Him - and even when we aren't faithful He never changes! How grateful that even though God knows my inmost thoughts, he still cares for me and forgives me and that I can be seen as His daughter and not just a wretch! I checked out a blog from a sweet girl in our church tonight and she happened to have a quote about faith from one of my favorite authors, so I thought I'd copy it and post it so you can enjoy it, too!

“We cannot make ourselves Holy. But when we surrender ourselves to the Lord, learning day by day to treat all that comes to us with peace of soul and firm conviction that His will governs all, He will see to our growth in Grace. He will so govern the events of our lives, down to the smallest detail, as to provide for us the conditions which will make us fruitful…Faith need never ask, “But what good did this do to me?” Faith already knows that everything fits into a pattern for good to those who love God. An inconvenience is always a blessed inconvenience. We may rest in the promise that God is fitting together a good many more things than are any of our business. We need never see, “what good it did,” or how a given trouble accomplishes anything. It is peace to leave it all with Him, asking only that He do with me anything He wants, anywhere, anytime, that God may be glorified.” Elisabeth Elliot

Sydney Stands!

Today Sydney conquered two new adventures for such a little person! This morning she climbed up her first stair all by herself. She has been pretty determined lately, but she's never actually done it all by herself. I think she was pretty excited! Also, Reagan went up stairs after dinner and proclaimed from the top of the house in her loud, proud-big-sister voice that her sissy was standing up in her crib. We ran up there and sure enough here's what we saw...

She even managed to get down all by herself while being lured with a bottle. She went down with a thump and a cry, but at least we know if she pulls herself up in the middle of the night she can also get down!

Tooth number 3 also decided to poke out yesterday! I think #4 will be out in the next day or so!

Sydney may be getting bigger, but she still likes to be held like a baby and I'll hold her like that as long as I can!

On another note...Today we were riding in the car and Reagan told me that she is getting big like me, but that she will always be my little girl. I told her there is no doubt in the world about that! =)

Parenting Messages

We have been going through the 10 commandments at church the last several weeks. They are all great messages, but here are two I want to highlight! The first message is by Danny Jones and is about children honoring their parents. (Click here) The second one is by Benny Phillips. (Click here) He is following up on Danny's teaching. He'll be preaching the second part of his message this next Sunday. So, when you get a few minutes grab a hot cup of coffee (or if you're like me, tea) and enjoy!

Sydney - March 2007

In a month and 6 days our baby girl will turn 1! What a whirlwind of a year! It goes by so fast. Well, most of the year does! Let's see, what has changed with Sydney over the last couple of months?
She is now eating solids. She really likes cheerios and goldfish. She eats pretty anything we give her, but she's not near as interested in food as Reagan was at her age. She is messy, but she's getting neater! She still loves having her bottle and although she can hold it while she's laying down, she can't quite figure out how to hold it sitting up! She still only has her two front bottom teeth. Hopefully more will start popping out soon!
Here she is out on a walk. She likes going for walks and bike rides, I think she finds them relaxing! She giggles at her sister, giving Reagan a good audience!
Swinging is another relaxing past time for Sydney! Even the bright sun in her eyes doesn't bother her. She just shuts them and swings away!
She LOVES playing on the floor with her toys during the day. Reagan will dump them all out and they will roll balls all around the floor. She and Reagan also play chase going around and around and around the living room. They also have started "playing" together, by themselves, for about an hour a day in Reagan's room. I love hearing them giggle together!

Sydney is trying like crazy to stand up, but it's not so easy on wood floors! She has gotten speedy at crawling, though. She is always trying to pull up and before we know it she'll be following Reagan up the stairs!
What a little cutie pie! She has a deep little laugh and is very ticklish! She is always looking for her sister and she makes me smile so much!!

REAGAN - MARCH 2007

Well, it's been a little while since I've updated everyone on our girls! Reagan is so much fun these days. Today she informed us that her and Harrison hunted for huge elephants, gorillas, monkeys, etc. while on the swing set and as they went into the Amazon (which is the "jungle" behind the swing set). She has quite the imagination. She is truly a little girl! She loves playing dress up these days. Today she wore her purple "gown" that Grannie just gave her and wanted to be called Cinderella as long as she was dressed up. She has wanted a bike helmet for some time now and a couple of weeks ago Steve came home with bike seats for the girls that attach to our bikes and he had a brand new pink helmet for Reagan. She was so excited that she sported it on her head all day the next day (minus nap time). She also loves coloring and playing with play-doh!

Here's her craft she made with Mrs. Juanita!

She's ready to ride!

She's very helpful and sweet. She likes to help me "fold" clothes and she does a great job picking up her and Sydney's toys everyday. I have been able to really encourage her lately with how what she is doing is serving Mommy and that she is doing so with such a cheerful attitude and that pleases the Lord. We are working on her being cheerful while she shares with her sister, too! That one is not as easy! ;)
Reagan just memorized her first verse..."Children obey your parents in everything for this pleases the Lord." (Colossians 3:20) Yesterday Steve walked into the playroom where the verse is hanging on the wall, and Reagan is reciting it - while she is disobeying by standing on a chair. It was just another opportunity for Steve to really explain to her what she was saying and how her actions should match what she is learning to be true. Oh, what a joy she is! She keeps me busy, and never stops talking, but I wouldn't trade these days for anything!!

She's really not a bully! She's just serious about soccer!

She's a crazy girl on the slide! She can go super fast!

She likes to swing real high, too!

And although she's a long way from being able to reach the monkey bars she
likes climbing the ladder!

Time for Barney!

This is a rare moment! She is great going to sleep in her bed, but she was so tired she conked out on the couch!

New York City, Baby!

On March 10th, Mama, Sissy, Mom, Amy and I set out for the Big Apple! We had so much fun! The weather was great (just a little cold for us southerners). We hit the city running and didn't stop! Even when we had just an hour left before having to have our bags in our car to head to the airport, we found the subway we needed to take, made a transfer and quickly saw Rockefeller Center! We saw the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station, Ellis Island, Trump Towers, 5th Avenue, and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. We went to Ground Zero, ate in Little Italy and shopped in China Town. We went to SoHo and had fun in the huge FAO Shwartz Toy Store. We saw Wicked which was fabulous and ate at the famous Sardis after that. We laughed 'til we almost cried while enjoying dinner with each other. We went on the Harbor Boat Tour which was really neat and gave some interesting facts about NYC! We also went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and for all of you Seinfeld we ate a couple of times at the Original Soup Kitchen! Can you believe we did all of this (and more) in just four days?!?! I can't wait to go back! =)

PS Steve took off work and watched the girls all by himself and did a great job! I came home to happy girls, a picked up house and clean clothes and dishes! What a wonderful husband I have! Thanks again, honey!