Fun

I'm having fun with Photoshop.

If I had lots and lots of free time, this is what I would do most of the day.
Add in some piano playing for variety.

(Here are the original photos for comparison.)

Oma and Opa's House

During the last week of June, we had a week of vacation in Ontario. It began with a departure time of 12:30pm after church on a Sunday. We arrived in Ottawa at midnight. For the most part, it was a good trip with minimal crying. We realized later, when Isabelle kept repeating "You put that thing down!" and "I'm going to give that pig a buttermilk bath.", that she had probably watched Charlotte's Web too many times on the trip. Ah well....and we said we'd never get a portable DVD player.

We spent 3 1/2 glorious days in Ottawa at Ben's parents' house. Isabelle thoroughly enjoyed roaming the garden and yard with Oma and Opa, playing in the dirt and discovering wild strawberries. Highlights were a trip to Mooney's Bay complete with swimming, Isabelle's first sushi experience (loved the rho!) and a trip to the experimental farm. Oma and Opa's house is everything you hope it to be as a kid - new places to explore outside, interesting toys and books, favorite foods and people to play with!

Eating goldfish crackers with chopsticks at the Japanese restaurant

Quietness and Trust

Here's a few words about my new header and quote.

The picture is from a 2004 family vacation to Culebra. This was our final day of the trip in old San Juan, on Puerto Rico. This was our last big family vacation prior to my older sister and I having kids and the younger siblings dispersing for college - a special time of being together in a beautiful place before changes were to come. Ben and I are the tiny people sitting on the lawn.

The scripture verse is meaningful to me right now because it represents rest from striving and being frantic. In The Message, it says,

Your salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on me—
The very thing
you've been unwilling to do.
You've said, 'Nothing doing! We'll rush off on horseback!'
You'll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
You've said, 'We'll ride off on fast horses!'
Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?

Whenever I want to solve a problem or find a solution for something that I am very anxious about, I tend to rush about and make myself busy with finding an answer. Fast. But I feel God saying that the answer is in the stillness. It is in dependence on Him.

I am in a season where I would like an answer fast. But God is slow.
And I trust Him.

Isabelle's Spring

Isabelle is one hard girl to photograph. I try to comfort myself with words of advice from Nick Kelsh (How to Photograph Your Baby) - "You only need one or two good photos of your child from each year". Phew - because I have lots and lots of photos like this...

and this...

Here are the best of the lot!

Charlotte Months 4-6

For those of you who are only interested in pictures of the kids, I'm going to get those posts out of the way first. There's a lot of back tracking to do and I can't do it in detail, so I'll do a slide show of each girl of the past few months. Of course Charlotte has done a lot of changing and it's been exciting and fun. She has continued to be cute, cuddly and smiley.

Ready to Talk

A new look. New perspective.

I felt as though I couldn't talk this winter. Even though my time was limited, and that was mostly what kept me from blogging and talking with others, I mostly just didn't have a lot to say. It was a hard winter. And I was just quiet with myself. I spent a lot of time reflecting, thinking and praying. There have been a lot of changes this year, and many changes ahead. And I look forward to sharing all of this, the easy and the difficult, the fast and the slow, the joyful and the hard to understand, here. With you.

February Blah Blah

A quick post before I get back to packing for a much needed change of scenery in Canada. It has been a month of snow and sickness. I think Ben spent more time shoveling the driveway and helping people get their cars unstuck out of snow than he spent inside with us during the past few weeks. After Isabelle's special Saturday, I came down with a much worse case on Valentine's Day, complete with fever and dehydration. Ben was feeding me ice chips at 4am while I was nursing - that was the low point. Especially because we kept dropping the ice on Charlotte's neck. Then this past week Isabelle got a nasty cold with fever and bad cough, coupled with Charlotte having a growth spurt and wanting to eat every 2-3 hours. For five nights we slept in 90 minute intervals - exhausting!! Thankfully today Isabelle is on the mend. Yesterday she didn't take a nap, and then fell asleep at the supper table. I think this is a must for any kid's photo collection.

Last week was the completion of gym class. Isabelle even got a little certificate and we celebrated with Oma and Opa (who were visiting) and a snowman donut.

3 Months Today

Here is an update on Charlotte:

She's still such a happy, cuddly baby, although she has had a few fussy hours in the past few weeks. We've discovered Charlotte has an aversion (it makes her scream!) to chocolate and caffeine, so that has been challenging for me. It's hard on those late afternoons when you are tired and just want a pick me up to get you through the day!

Charlotte has begun reaching for things. She likes to touch my mouth and face now, and grab the toys in her gym. She also began laughing a few weeks ago after many, many attempts to make her giggle. I must have tried every trick in the book.

One of my favorite moments of our day is when she is fussing to get up from a nap.....I walk in and turn the light on or raise the blind and I see her face poking out of the swaddle. Then, a big GRIN.

Saturday Afternoon

We were up late last night, and both girls were awake just after 6 this morning. After lunch we managed to get both kids to bed at the same time.

1:00 Isabelle is in bed and falls asleep shortly thereafter.

1:20 Charlotte is asleep. We are eating pie and coffee and begin to watch "Lost".

1:30 We hear Isabelle crying and calling for us, so Ben goes in to check. He shouts, "I need help!". Yes, she has thrown up in bed.

1:50 After a clean change of clothes and bedding, Isabelle is settled back in bed and seems tired.

2:00 I hear more noise and rush in to witness more throwing up. This time it is all in her hair so she really needs a bath. I run the bath while Ben strips the bed, including the mattress which is now stinky. After washing Isabelle's hair, I dress her again and we give up on the nap and decide to play. Ben is washing all the clothes and bedding.

3:00ish Ben and I begin to say that today is a day where we really wish we had reinforcments around in the form of grandparents. We are both tired and want to take a nap. Isabelle is sitting on Ben's lap and promptly throws up in his hands and all over all of their clothes. Isabelle and Ben both have a bath and get a fresh change of clothes.

3:30 I give Isabelle a drink of water to rinse her mouth.

3:50 Isabelle is watching "Cars". She throws up a fourth time. I change her clothes, again. Ben cleans up the floor.

4:30 Isabelle is still watching "Cars" and throws up a fifth time. More changes of clothes and sponging off.

5:00 Isabelle watches the rest of the movie wearing only a diaper because pretty much all her clothes are dirty now. (It was laundry day to begin with.....4 loads later and we hadn't made a dent in the job.)

6:30 Isabelle is in bed and has not thrown up again......

7:00 A very nice Ben orders take out food with a Christmas gift card and treats us to a romantic dinner.

A New Look

We were with friends at their house, enjoying a great dinner. The kids got down after supper and began to play. Not long after, I looked over to see this face.

Yay, washable markers! It came right off with a wipe.

So, should I write this down as Isabelle's first experiment with make-up?

Your name is....

WARNING: You may only find this funny if you've seen the movie "Cars".

Me: Isabelle, what's your name?
Isabelle: Its name's Mater too!
Me: Noooooo, your name is Isabelle. What's your name?
Isabelle: Its name's Mater!
Me: Noooooo, say "Isabelle". Your name is Isabelle!
Me: What's your name?
Isabelle: His name's Mater!!!!

Argh.

Every Morning

This week was a difficult one, not because of any once circumstance but a collision of many. Ben was at the Worship Symposium last weekend, which meant he was gone on the two days he is usually home. I also felt sad about missing the Symposium this year and not being able to attend. Charlotte, our perfect baby, was a restless sleeper and poor eater. Isabelle awoke from her nap almost every day with a nightmare after 45 minutes, just when I had gotten Charlotte to sleep. And the uncertainty of the future, which usually only bothers me on days when I haven't had enough sleep, seemed to taunt me like a bully this week.

But even though each day seemed longer, morning always came with encouragement in God's word, a cheerful husband, a warm home and smiles from a toddler and baby.

Lamentations 3:21-25

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.

You are the author of knowledge
You can redeem what's been done
You hold the present and all that's to come
Until your everlasting kingdom

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

You are the God of tomorrow
Turning the darkness to dawn
Lifting the hopeless with hope to go on
You are the rock of all salvation

Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all works out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt

LORD - Newsboys

Even during times when I have felt down this year, I have resisted writing posts about it. I didn't want to seem like I wanted pity, but I have missed some of the healing that comes from writing and reflecting. AND, I was reminded tonight of how encouraged I am by honest writing about others' struggles with childrearing, uncertainty, etc. I have been following several blogs this year of people who have experienced a recent loss of their spouse or child and the posts that I remember the most and draw the most strength from are those in which they express openly their raw emotions, no matter how sad.

Gym Class

Today was the first Saturday of 6 weeks of "Tiny Tots Gymnastics" for Isabelle. It's at the school that is right across the road from our house so we thought it would be a great chance to try out a class with other kids.

The class is just for 2-year-olds, so you can imagine how cute and funny it was! They started with stretching on their carpet squares (along with a respective parent for each tot), followed by a circuit. The circuit included bunny hops on a mat, climbing over big blocks of foam, jumps on the mini-trampoline and ending with a front roll down a foam slide. Isabelle did great. In fact, I fully expected her to just run away and around the gym while everyone else did the activities. She did most of it, but also just enjoyed watching the other kids intently.

The best part was during the parachute games. Isabelle was fascinated with the parachute and it's many colors!! She kept yelling "COLORS!" when she saw it. When it was the kids' turn to go onto the parachute (while the parents held the edges), they were instructed to sit down so the parents' could give the chute a gentle shake. Well, all the other kids sat down in the middle of the chute, while Isabelle marched in a circle around them, finger pointed out, counting "1,2,3,4,5 colors!!!!" She was counting the stripes on the parachute!!!! Hilarious.

Then we went to Dunkin Donuts afterward for having such a good class! Yay donuts.

2 Month Doc Visit

Today was Charlotte's 2 month visit, including her first set of shots. She was a real trooper and did great. She slept most of the day today and is happy tonight.

She weighed in at 10 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 24 inches long. (She was 7.14 and 19 1/4 at birth, for those of you who are keeping track.) That means she's actually real long right now, in the 90th percentile for height! I thought so, because she is outgrowing outfits that Isabelle wore long into her 5th/6th month. The picture below is Isabelle wearing the same outfit at 3 months old.

AND, Isabelle held Charlotte for the first time today. Yesterday we had friends over and Isabelle's playmate held Charlotte. I think that's where she got the idea!

Van Arragon Christmas

Highlights of the Van Arragon Christmas get-together:

1. Taking Isabelle to Meijer Gardens to see the trains. She also loved the African tree and was thrilled with the zebra!

2. Christmas Eve at Lisa and Chris' place. We opened gifts and enjoyed an appetizer feast. A highlight for me was attending 11pm church at COS. I always love attending an evening candlelight service around Christmas.

3. Christmas Day brunch with Oma and Opa. Isabelle helped prepare the food and then we opened presents. We found that Isabelle wasn't too keen on presents this year. She was always more interested in what she was already doing. I'm sure that will change! Oma and Opa got some great sleds for her so the afternoon was spent sledding down the hill in the backyard.

New Year

Here lies my dilemma: blogging, resting or housework

Hence, I have not yet completed the Christmas posts. They are almost done...but to tide readers over, here are two new pictures of the girls. Charlotte's is from our Christmas visit to Canada and Isabelle's is from a recent haircut last week. No, not by Ben, but by the professionals. :)

I Go Winter

I have to admit that Isabelle didn't go out in the snow last year. We didn't bother to buy boots because she was just learning to walk. This year we were excited to let her try it out. The best thing about the snow is that it totally slows her down, so you can actually do a task outside or just be with her without having to run full speed down the street after her!

Isabelle thought that her riding toys would still be great in the winter. Maybe we'll look for a sled.

Toys

Charlotte has been quite interested in toys already. She is a very textbook baby - eats, plays/hangs out for about 30-45 minutes then squeaks (rarely crying) to say "I'm done - may I go to sleep now?". Then we swaddle her, give her a paci and put her in the car seat. She usually falls asleep without any assistance other than a few paci reinsertions.

Quite the change from all that car seat swinging! Anyone remember? Ben does.

Early Days

Big Sister

One of the most frequently asked questions in the last few weeks has been "How's Isabelle doing?"

She pretty much ignored Charlotte for the first two weeks, except for asking "I go baby's car seat" or "I go baby's bed" in a whiny voice once or twice a day. She also has gotten in the swing a few times, and it only lasts about 5 minutes or so and she then realizes she's too big. For the most part, she has not shown any jealousy at all. She has played well in the room with me while I've been nursing. We often read books during that time with her up on the couch with me.

Whenever she hears Charlotte cry she says "Baby Charlotte's hungry." She was also very watchful of Charlotte's paci in the first few weeks, because Isabelle is only allowed hers at bedtime and I fully expected her to grab it at the first chance and run off.

A few days ago when Ben asked Isabelle to say "Good morning" to Charlotte, Isabelle replied with "What's going on, baby Charlotte?" I think she got that from me saying "I need to see what's going on with Baby Charlotte." :)

She has not yet held Charlotte - not interested and runs away. One day when I was taking Charlotte's picture, Isabelle said she wanted to be in the picture too, so that's how these shots came to be. It looks kind of like she's reading to her....


Last night we went to the mall to let me out of the house (it had been a few days!) and Isabelle was playing in the indoor playground. Ben and I were standing on the edge with Charlotte in the stroller and in between romps Isabelle ran up and said "Mummy!Daddy! Isabelle! Baby Charlotte!". It was like she was saying, "Yeah, she's one of us now. And I love our family!". :)