FFF: Skills

Here are a few fun videos of Enoch showing some of his newer skills.  It's crazy to think about how quickly he's learning things these days!!  More than ever, I'm so thankful that I'm getting to stay home with him and enjoy these days of my ever-changing, fast-learning baby boy, even when it seems that I don't get too many tasks from my todo list accomplished... maybe I need to start adding smaller everyday things to that list like feed the baby, practice standing, make lunch, play on the bed, make dinner, bath time, etc.  haha!!  Then I'd feel like an accomplished mama, right?  ;)  Seriously though, for me cutting down on "productivity" is quite worth it in order to be able to stay home and raise Enoch in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.


Sorry for the rabbit trail... And now, back to our videos:

This first video is from a few days ago.  Enoch is getting quite comfortable with going from sitting to laying in order to grab an object he wants.  As you can see, he doesn't quite have crawling down yet, but it shouldn't be too much longer (in my opinion) before this boy is completely mobile!  (And as a side note, these medium wooden blocks have been the best thing to help him with this skill because he loves chewing on them and holding them, AND they also roll really easily, which means that he has to reach farther to grab them when they escape and roll away, but because they're so fun he's willing to take more risks than he is with average toys.)




This video is one that I meant to upload a while back, but I just haven't gotten around to it.  :/  It shows Enoch turning the pages in a book (a skill he learned around 8 mos).  Sorry it's a little hard to see, but I think the little hand reaching to grab the page is still too cute, no matter how bad the cinematography!  :)  He can only do this with board books (he isn't gentle enough for paper books yet), and he usually waits for me to move my finger off of the right page and push it up just a little before he tries to turn the page (that's his cue)... usually.  :)

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Our New Home

I thought I should throw some photos up on here so that the inquiring minds (if there are any out there) would be able to get a glimpse of what our new home looks like.  I know that photos can't do it justice, but at least it'll give all of our friends and family an idea of where we're living (and possibly even more incentive to come and visit...)

This is the 26' beast that Hugh drove across 3 states.. See how little the van looks in comparison? (I'm counting TN as the 3rd state because he did have to negotiate this mega truck through Memphis.)    

Our movers in NWA did such a good job keeping everything safe when they packed it up!

Not a single thing broke.  Thanks Little Guys Movers!!

Here is our kitchen..  As you can see, we do NOT have a dishwasher.  Hugh has recovered from his initial shock, and we are doing quite well without one.  In fact, I might even say that I don't miss it one bit.  :)  

This is the hallway right behind the fridge.  It leads to the bedrooms/bathrooms.  To the left of the hallway is the living room... it's as long as the hall + part of the kitchen.  You'll see more of it later.

Guest Bathroom (this is twice as big as our only bathroom was in AR!!!)

Hugh's office/the guest bedroom.  

Master bedroom 

(that is our queen size air mattress in the photo, which we slept on the first night)

Master bathroom

from the far end of the hallway looking into the living room at the front door

the living + dining room... it's quite large!!  :)

So far, a few of my favorite things about the house are:

• abundant natural light from all of the windows
• huge kitchen
• huge living/entertaining area
• space for guests (which we hope to have quite a few of...)
• tons of storage space (4 closets + a storage room off of the carport)

And a few of my least favorite things:

• linoleum (in case you didn't notice, it's in the entire house... and while I'm a fan of no carpet, this linoleum is decently old and needs a significant bit of elbow grease to get it clean and keep it clean because it has millions of tiny grooves that hold dirt)
• no washer/dryer (we have a washer ordered now, and it should arrive before the week is up)
• and if you asked Hugh, he might add the lack of a dishwasher to this list as well, but he's coming around.  :)  

I'll try to post some more pics once things get completely organized and a little more decorated.  For now, all of my picture frames, candles, and wall hangings are stacked in my living room floor, but I am down to only having 5 more boxes to unpack in the house!!!  Yippee!

And in case any of you curious grandparents were wondering, Enoch is settling in pretty well.  I'll even include a photo of him and Hugh enjoying a sunny Sunday under the big shade tree next to our house.  ;)

This is how Arkansas babies handle the Mississippi heat... naked!  haha

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Hugh's New Office

So sorry for the blogging absence!!!  As you might have guessed, we have been moving this past week, which has kept me quite busy.  :)  God was so incredibly gracious in providing a safe trip for us, and we are getting used to our new town.  Our new home is not completely unpacked yet, but we are probably 80% of the way there!  Pictures will be coming soon.  

For now, I thought I'd post a little about Hugh's new office.  He took Enoch and I to campus today  to enjoy some playing in the shade and a tour of his office.  The department has really provided him with great furniture and equipment, and he even has an amazing view out of his window!  We just keep being blown away by the Lord's unmerited favor that He so faithfully bestows upon us.

Sitting with Daddy at his new desk

The view from Hugh's office window 

(this would be the equivalent of looking out on Old Main Lawn at UA)

And here's some footage of the office so that you can get a better feel for what it might be like to visit plus a bit Hugh & Enoch playing.

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FFF: Enoch's First Trip to the Zoo

While we were in N Dakota visiting family, Hugh's Uncle Lynn & Aunt Janice took us (and Hugh's mom) to the Dakota Zoo.  I have to admit that I thought Enoch was a little too young to truly enjoy it, but I was wrong.  In fact, there were TONS of other babies there - it was actually quite packed with them and their strollers.  :)

When we first arrived, we checked out some farm animals and an indoor exhibit.

Enoch seemed to really like the ponies, and 

Grandma Mary showed him how to pet them.

A corn snake that caught his eye

Lit up fish tank with Nemo and Dori fish.  :)

Then we all took some photos with Enoch showing that we had gone to the zoo.

And the highlight of the trip was riding the train!  I'd never done this before, but it is by far the best way to view the bigger animals that are more spread out.  We enjoyed the breeze, and Enoch thought it was fun to get to ride without a carseat.  :)  They had lots of fun animals to see on this tour, but the only one that caught Enoch's eye was the large bison, which is really funny since that was Hugh's mascot from his college ball days.  hehe!

Daddy & Enoch on the train

Before we headed out, we stopped for some ice cream.  This is Enoch talking with his Great Aunt Janice, trying to convince her that he just wanted one small bite.  ;)

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Visiting Great Grandma Mary

As some of you may already know, Hugh's grandma (Mary) broke her hip a few weeks back and has had a hard time recovering after the surgery to repair it.  We decided to go and visit her (and a large part of Hugh's family) last week, knowing that our plans to see her at a wedding in Florida later in June were not going to happen (due to her hip surgery).  We are so glad we went!  She really enjoyed meeting Enoch, and we were glad that we got to spend some time with this sweet lady.  :)   

Hugh flew into Fargo on Tuesday to help his mom with the 5 hr drive she was facing to get to the town where Great Grandma Mary is.  So when we decided on late Wednesday night that Enoch and I would meet up with them the next day, I was a little apprehensive about flying by myself with our 8 month old.  God was so sovereign over the details though, and there were no hiccups or stressful moments on our way to N Dakota.  :)

This is how Enoch and I made it through the airport solo.. 

We piled all of our stuff (diaper bag, carry-on bag, and carseat) onto the stroller and I carried him in the Ergo baby carrier.   And God was merciful in making our connecting gate only a few gates away from where we landed in the Minneapolis airport.. as Hugh would've said, that was clutch!!   :)

Here are a few snapshots from our trip, though I wish I would've taken more!!  We were able to stay with two sets of Hugh's Aunts and Uncles, and they were both so hospitable to us!  They fed us delicious food, took Hugh to shoot trap and Enoch to the zoo, and even gave up their beds for us to have a room where we could comfortably sleep with our little man.  I'm not sure if the term "southern hospitality" applies since they are all abiding in the north, but I don't think it can get much more hospitable than what we experienced.  :)  (more photos of Enoch's first trip to the zoo coming soon)

Hugh reading The Little Engine That Could 

(Great Grandma Mary gave this book to Enoch last year)

Talking with Grandma Mary & Great Grandma Mary

Bathtime the Arkansas way in North Dakota  ;)

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FFF: Vroom, Vroom

Well, this week's FFF post is a short one. We've had quite the eventful week, which I'll share more about later. For now though, I just wanted to post a cute pic of Little Man sitting behind the wheel. He really liked playing with it, If only he were a few feet taller.. :)

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Visiting Family Before Our Move

Over the past weekend we were able to see lots of family!  Each visit was such a sweet blessing, and we were thankful that the timing worked out so well.  :)

First, my mom (Granny Sandy) came up to Fayetteville on Friday to visit for a few hours.  We went to the material store and got the perfect ingredients for Enoch's new tag blanket (photos coming soon).  Enoch really enjoyed having someone to entertain him while I shopped, and then we had lunch with Hugh back at the house.  

 

His shirt says "Grandma's favorite helper"  hehe

at Joann's getting material & ribbons

Then on Saturday we made a trip to visit more of our family in the River Valley.  First we stopped by MaaMaa & PaaPaa's house (Craig's parents).  We had a fun time catching up over MaaMaa's southern fried chicken, creamed corn, and sweet tea.. mmm!!!

Playing with PaaPaa while MaaMaa cooked

Enoch and his only full set of great grandparents

(They're both originally from Mississippi, so we talked some about the South too!)

Then we went to visit my Dad and Susie and their other two grandchildren.  We celebrated both Dad's and Hugh's birthdays and ate some chicken tortilla soup (Big Suzi's famous recipe) and strawberry cake.  (also very yummy!!)

Hugh & Hadyn playing battleship (with Kennedy, Dad, & Enoch assisting)

Kennedy really liked playing with Enoch and was so sweet to him

Granny Susie teaching Enoch to dance

 Overall it was a good family-filled weekend, as you can tell, even though we still didn't get to see everyone we would've like to have seen.  I guess that's just how it goes in large families sometimes though.  :)

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One of my new favorite things...

I have to say that I'm really enjoying this new phase of Enoch's life...  Today we spent a few hours just playing on the floor together.  I gave him a few toys and read while he played and rolled around.  Every once in a while he would roll over to me and "get" me (grab me or try to eat/kiss me).  And then I'd get him.  :)  So fun & definitely one of my new favorite things!  This is what I would call one of the "stopping and smelling the roses" moments of being a parent - making time to enjoy your child & each new phase they go through.   (Below the pic is a short video exhibiting his rolling skills.)

Enjoying some time with my sweet little man

Exhibit A: Rolling toward mama in a straight line

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9 Reasons I Breastfeed (& helpful links)

Even before Enoch was born, we made the decision to breastfeed our children.  For us it was a pretty easy decision (my mom nursed me, our midwife and doulas encouraged it, etc.), but I realize that for some it may not be such an easy decision.  So I thought I'd post some of our top reasons:

1. It's the healthiest option for babies
2. The milk is always ready and warm, with no prep required
3. It's God's given means for nourishing infants
4. I can eat a few extra calories daily without feeling guilty (300-500 to be exact)
5. Time is set aside for me to rest while nursing (important for busy moms!)
6. Enoch's meal is always ready and easily portable ;)
7. I have more incentive to eat healthy
8. It has bonded Enoch and I more than any other parental activity
9. Did I mention that the milk is always ready?  And there's no clean up!

Here's a list of 101 Reasons to Breastfeed, some are similar to ours, but many of their reasons are well informed and specific, like the relationship between breastfeeding and lower rates of specific cancers for mom and baby.

From what I've read and from talking to a few different Lactation Consultants, an incredibly high percentage of moms can breastfeed if they stick with it and have the necessary support/information to help them through nursing struggles and challenges.  I have faced issues such as oversupply, soreness, and even a baby who bit for a little over a month, but as each issue arose, we worked through it patiently with the help of different lactation consultants, experienced moms, and information on the web (see below).  I would encourage any mamas who are experiencing difficulties nursing to ask for help.  Most problems are overcome-able!  :)

I highly recommend KellyMom for trying to solve breastfeeding dilemmas.  She has tons of information and advice for so many different nursing problems.  La Leche League is a good resource too, although I prefer the in-person meetings to their website, but that's just me.  :)

If you are a mama who has chosen to use formula (whether fully or as a supplement), please don't view this as condemnation.  Like I said above, it does seem like most but not all mamas can exclusively breastfeed.  Sometimes the hardships of sticking with nursing can outweigh the benefits to your baby, but I would think that those cases are rare.  Working through breastfeeding challenges sometimes does require lifestyle changes (major & minor), and making those choices/changes is something only you and your husband can decide for your family.  Either way, if you are someone you know is having a hard time nursing, seeking help from a certified lactation consultant (available at most hospitals where babies are delivered, some larger pediatric clinics, and some county welfare offices) is the best approach to understanding options and getting sound advice.  From my experience pediatricians are NOT as knowledgeable regarding breastfeeding issues and solutions (more on that and how we overcame our nursing issues later).

*photo above from KellyMom.com

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FFF: Mobility

To be honest, I was hoping that Enoch wouldn't become mobile until AFTER we had moved to MS, you know, trying to make the move a little easier...  So for the longest time, I hadn't been working with him on crawling or rolling.  Well, then I got in trouble by a certain daddy who is just always trying to teach his child the next best thing.  :)  So after a week or so of 'practicing' (mainly meaning having lots of tummy-time), he finally learned how to roll both ways.  He already had the back-to-tummy roll figured out, but this week he learned the tummy-to-back roll.  In my opinion, what pushed him over the edge of learning this was the fact that he finally decided he wanted something (my water bottle) and that he was going to do something about it (roll).  He doesn't always put out too much effort for toys, but objects that aren't toys (and yet are allowable) are the most enticing: water bottles, cups, etc!

So hypothetically now he could roll in a straight line to get just about whatever he wants.  I say hypothetically for a few reasons: 1) he doesn't really roll in a straight line, it's pretty crooked to be honest, 2) usually his head gets in the way as he tries to roll because he likes to watch what he's trying to get, and this keeps him from being able to roll all the way over (hard to describe), and 3) he hasn't quite figured out the amazing amount of potential mobility that he now has.  :)

Everyday he gets a little better though, so once he's really getting around I'll post another video.  For now, I hope you can enjoy this one.  It includes him transitioning from sitting to laying, rolling over a few different times, and even looking for daddy at the very end (that's the cutest part to me - Hugh leaves half way through the video and goes back to his office, later Enoch starts talking, saying what we think is his version of 'dada', and when I ask about Daddy, he rolls over and looks down the hallway toward Hugh's office.  so presh!!!).

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