Cool Maternity Dress!

I don't need this now, but would be nice to stash away in the closet for a bit later!

Our Little Pot of Honey

Touch of Gray Designs

Fun news! I have been working like a madwoman over the past month to start my own business! I know…it’s crazy! Now that I am an official stay at home mom, I have been thinking of some different things I could do with my time while Grayson is sleeping. Making a little money on the side to pay for diapers is nice too! Thinking through my talents and gifts over the past months has been wonderful and enlightening. The Lord opened my eyes (with a little help from some friends)…sewing! When I was younger I took sewing lessons for years, but with teaching and now having a family, I have not had the time to really sew like I used to. So I worked and prayed, and Touch of Gray Designs was born (named after Grayson, of course).
The website of my little shop is www.touchofgraydesigns.etsy.com . It is a part of www.etsy.com, which is an amazing shopping experience where every item on the site is handmade. Being a new mom, I am engrossed in everything baby, and so I thought baby/children items are what I want to make and sell. I have made blankets, burp cloths, and sweet little hand stitched onesies and shirts. I also have bags, key rings, and items for the home. Everything has been such fun to make and I am so excited for this little business to grow and grow.
I am NOT a salesperson. It terrifies me….in the way public speaking does to others. I don’t expect my friends and family to go out and buy everything, I just wanted all of you to have the chance to browse around and maybe find something you like or need for a gift. I also can make anything in different sizes, colors, or if you have a new fun idea that I should try! If you send my link to your friends that would be awesome! Also if you have any ideas of ways I can market my store, I would love the info. Thanks for reading!

www.touchofgraydesigns.etsy.com

Sweet Cheeks

Uncorked

This past weekend was a tough one. My sweet little guy had been eating rice cereal and oatmeal like a champ. I was so proud of him. Unfortunately, I had no idea it was jamming him up big time! Full on constipation. It was the saddest thing to watch the little guy strain and strain, tears in his eyes, red faced till he cried. It was awful. The pediatrician told me to give him some Karo syrup, friends said prunes, Internet said a warm bath. I tried everything and finally on Sunday morning (Grayson and I skipped church) it was over. It was the most horrible thing to watch him go through, since there was nothing I could do. I am so glad he was able to get it all out. Afterword, we had the sweetest moment. I carried him around for about 10 minutes hugging him until he stopped crying. When I sat down he leaned against my chest and didn't want to move for about a half hour. He just wanted to snuggle in his mommy's arms and let me rub his back. I got tears in my eyes, it was such a tender time. He eventually went to sleep and was back to normal after his little nap. I love my little boy.

Beloved Books...

About 10 years ago, when I was in college, a friend of mine handed me the Mark of the Lion trilogy and told me I needed to read them. And read them I did! I took them to class and had to read them under my desk because I COULDN'T put them down! Since then I have read the trilogy of books about 5 times! They are Christian historical fiction written by Fracine Rivers. The books have remarkable story development and deep meaningful characters that I come to care about deeply and miss when I close the last page.

I love that God chooses to speak to His children in many different ways. I have learned that God speaks freely to me through story. Jesus knew to teach in parables...which means that there are many others like me! The story in these books takes place about 70 years after Christ's assention starting off with the fall of Jeruselum. The story explores the new Christian church and her followers through the disparity of ancient Rome, slavery, emporers, gladiators, and more. The faith of the Christian characters in the story is breathtaking and truly rocks and awakens my love for Christ.

I truly love these books and love to tell others about them. I hope people will pick them up...you will not be dissapointed. If unsure, look on amazon and you will see hundreds of others who agree with me. Happy reading!

School's out for summer....school's out forever!

It just hit me a few days ago that if circumstances were different I would be heading back to school tomorrow to greet the smiling faces of a new class of first graders. Now that I am staying home with Grayson my life has and will be very different. I enjoyed so much my time as a first grade teacher in Charlotte and look forward to the day when I will reenter the teaching profession once my responsibility of being a mom to very little ones has passed. There are many things that I will miss about teaching and many things I will not!

Great things about teaching:

1. Getting the opprotunity to teach kids how to read, something that they will use for the rest of thier lives.

2. Little smiling faces.

3. Wonderful teacher friends that can truely understand what teaching is really like.

4. The challenge of a job that never gets old or tedious.


Things that make teaching difficult:

1. Long commute to work (half hour each way)

2. Behavior problems that I can't seem to handle.

3. Watching kids struggle with issues that they should not have too at such a young age.

4. Being so overworked, and overwhelmed that I can't think straight!


While there are many cons and they often block out the pros of teaching, I am excited to have been part of the profession and will always be a teacher at heart.

Oh my...

So Grayson has been doing well with his rice cereal. He actually can eat with a spoon now after about two weeks of trying. I am pretty amazed that when he first started he had no clue and now he can eat somewhat properly which he will do for the rest of his life! Here is one of the earlier pictures...before we figured out the spoon...

Video of Grayson eating his rice cereal!

Here is my first video!

rice cereal

After Grayson's 4 month doctors appointment a few days ago, his doctor said it was OK to start rice cereal. I figured it would be fun to start, so we did. He made the FUNNIEST faces! I don't think he got much down and not sure if he liked it, but we will keep trying!

Soccer or Jesus

Today some kids from a church came to the door and asked Ryan to take a survey. When he was done I asked him what they wanted. He said they were passing out flyers for the church. When they asked him where he was going if he died, he said heaven because of Christ's grace and mercy....they didn't give him a flyer.

After that little conversation, I was in the kitchen while Ryan was in the living room playing with Grayson. I hear Ryan telling Grayson, "This is more important that life itself" "Always remember that." Etc.

As I was walking into the great room I asked Ryan, "Are you telling Grayson about Jesus?" "That's so sweet!"

When I got to the living room I saw Ryan holding a soccer ball in front of Grayson trying to get him to kick it. So much for a spiritual conversation with his child!

tummy update

After a week of stressing myself silly, I have made myself sleep in my own bed for two days now. It hasn't been easy as I know the little guy is up breathing out of half of one nostril, but he has shown me he can do it. If he wants to do a faceplant in his bed, I am going to have to trust that the Lord designed us to clear our airways when needed. Keep praying for sleep for me...I'm pretty deprived...

tummy time...and one nervous mommy!

Grayson's new found trick is that he loves to sleep in his crib...on his tummy! Much to my distress, he continues to do this every night! I have been a nervous wreck night after night about him in there like that. I have succumb to sleeping on his floor jumping up at every squeak making sure his isn't face plant into his mattress. I called the nurse today and she said that as long as he can move his head (he can) there is nothing I can do about his sleeping, if he is going to flip over, his going to flip over. Please pray that I can not be so anxious! At least he is sleeping MUCH better on his tummy!

Hilton Head 2009

We spent the week in Hilton Head and it was so much fun! There were 3 babies in the house which made life very interesting. Grayson loved the pool, but not swimming in the ocean so much. He did like to go to the beach in the evening and feel the wind in the little hair he has left!

animal mothers

Over the past few weeks Ryan and I have been watching Planet Earth. If you have not seen it, you need to. It is amazingly beautiful and makes you really appreciate how perfect our Earth is. The precision in how everything works together exactly is testiment of God's greatness and perfection.

As I have learned so much from mothers around me, I had no idea that animals in the wild could also teach me so much about being a mother. Last night, Planet Earth featured the humpback whales. Before the mother gives birth, she travels thousands of miles to warm tropical waters to have her calf. While there she uses all of her fat storages to nurse her calf while the total lack of food leads the mother close to starvation. She endures to make sure her baby can grow up in a safe warm place. When grown, the mom leads her calf to the polar seas and her first food in almost a year. Once there, the calf goes out on his own to start his own life. The whales were just one of many examples of how mothers in the animal world will risk everything to protect and raise thier young. No matter how different all the fish, animals, birds, or people in the world, the Lord made all mothers the same. Pretty neat.

Grayson vs. stuff

As of Friday I am now officially a stay at home mom. It is hard to actually believe that the time has finally come when I can spend everyday with my precious baby boy. Believe me, I have grappled with this decision for years ever since we decided we were going to have children. I always thought I wanted to be a working mom, but over the last two years I have done a complete 180. As we struggled with infertility and were unsure if the Lord would bless us with a little one, I had an even greater sense that my place is with my family first and formost. I don't know if it was the struggle to obtain something that is so easy for others, that changed my heart. If so then the Lord clearly knows what He desires for me and will take me through the hardships to open my eyes.

The control freak in me is terrified by my new endevour as I am married to a teacher who gets paid...as a teacher. I constantly, even still, wonder if we can do it. We live in an age where we HAVE to have so much stuff. It seems impossible to live on one income because of the nessesity of cable, internet, cell phones, nice cars...etc. Sadly, already it has been a challenge to always pick Grayson over all this stuff. Thankfully the Lord is good. He, as He always does, gently reminds me that He is in control and will meet every need. For that I am already blessed. The little blessings both monetary and not are more meaningful now as we make a seeminng huge sacrifice.

I thought it was interesting that on my last day of school I was told by four different people at different places and different times that I will never regret staying home with my children. The Lord speaks in amazing ways, I just need to keep listening.

p90x

Well, I figure I should post about the other big part of our lives right now besides our little Grayson. P90x has taken the Fuderer house by storm...and what a storm it is. For those of you that don't know what it is, it is an EXTREME home fitness workout that lasts for 90 days. Is uses body stacking to trick your muscles...whatever that means. We are about 50 days into it and wow is it crazy hard. It is getting a bit easier with time but, it is kicking my butt! We do hundreds of pushups, crunches, pull ups (Ryan, not me) and lift tons of weight. The results are pretty amazing, although not as much in our house because we don't exactly follow the diet (I'm eating a big bowl of ice cream right now). I do feel great though and it has been wonderful to get the baby weight off.

We just finished Yoga X, which to me (little miss flexible) is a monster. It is so freakin hard that I congratulate myself every time I finish, hence the ice cream. Ryan did great as well (mister NOT flexible). Now I get to relax until tomorrow...an hour of core work. Yikes.

Three months!

Well, its been a while! Grayson is now three months old and doing lots of fun things! He can put his hands together, focus' on faces, yells (he found his voice), and he rolled over in his crib! I can't believe how big he is getting. He is so fun!

Strange feeling...

This is quite the strange feeling. I am sitting in a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of equipment awaiting the birth of our first child. Ryan is down in the cafeteria and I am alone enjoying a quiet moment before all the crazyness starts. My water broke last night and after confirming it this morning I was sent to the hospital to have the little guy even though I was (and still am not) in labor. I can tell that it's going to be a pretty long night. I think it will be interesting to look back on this entry in days and weeks to come, as so much will change. I am ever grateful for the perfect plan the Lord has laid out to get me (us) to this moment. As I am nervous about how much our lives will change, I am excited to meet my new little guy. Friends and family have been praying for him for two years, and I actually get to hold him in a matter of hours. God is so good.

Dropping....

So, I thought the little guy had dropped a few weeks ago. Ryan just took my 38 week picture and I compared it to my 37 week picture and wow. He dropped this week. At times I feel like he is going to just drop right out of me. Oh, if only it could be that easy...

37 weeks

38 weeks

School Baby Shower

On Friday my wonderful friends at school threw me my very last baby shower! It was a wonderful time and I felt so loved and cared for by the great people I work with. My first grade team and my mentor Sally lovingly put the entire thing together. I am going to miss all the special people that I spend everyday with when I am out with the little guy. Thanks Anna for taking the pictures with your super awesome camera!

A beautiful blanket made by Diane, a third grade teacher. It came with a matching hat!

A diaper cake made by Tracey!

Melissa and I!

Anna, the awesome photographer

Donna and I. I need to get a bigger picture! This will have to do for now!

Big boy....

Sooooo my trip to the doctor today was good and interesting all at the same time. My high blood sugar may cause the baby to grow larger than normal, so they wanted to check his weight via ultrasound. I got to see his face which was a joy....so amazing (I think he has my lips). As I was talking to the ultrasound technician, I asked her about his weight. 8.1. Yikes. He is going to be a big boy. I am almost 38 weeks which means possibly another pound if he goes until 40 weeks. I am measuring 40 cm as well which is another sign that he is going to be rather large. They haven't mentioned at this point anything about a C-section or induction, but am am preparing myself. Sigh...I guess we may not need newborn diapers!

Belly Photo Shoot!

Ryan is working on becoming a better photographer so he took some fun belly pics! I am about 35 weeks here and feeling great! Bare belly pics ahead! Beware!

34 Weeks!

I can't believe how time is ticking away. Being 34 weeks is pretty bittersweet. My tummy is stretched so far it is almost painful, singing in church is almost impossble due to me running out of oxygen, and my feet hate me at the end of each school day. BUT there is an upside to this craziness. People are SOOO nice when they see me! I was in the parking lot in Costco the other day walking to my car. A mom about my age stopped her mini van, rolled down her window and yelled out to me, "you are SOOOO adorable! Oh my goodness!" I was so flattered. I can do this very pregnant thing a bit longer I think!

34 Weeks

Baby Shower at the Cheesecake Factory!

My good friends from Charlotte threw me a baby shower on Friday. It was fabulous! Good friends, yummy food, and presents! It doesn't get any better than that! We ate enormous meals, and washed them down with delicious pieces of cheesecake! I wanted a shower in which I got lots of practical things (I know, I'm boring). I got lots of diapers, wipes, sheets, creams, medicines, laundry detergent, etc. I knew I was in the right hands with these girls because they are all moms! Well, except Tonya...she is learning with me!

Amanda, Karen, Mandy, Amanda, Me, Ginny, Kelly, and Tonya! Moms of all boys! (Tonya isn't sure what hers is yet...only a few more weeks).

Cute little bib from Karen.

Basket of goodies from Mandy.

Snow Day!

Today was a great day! Ryan and I woke up with two phone calls from our schools saying that school was cancelled becuase of the snow! We were excited about a day of no work and had big plans of doing nothing all day! We slept in, took the camera outside and tooks lots of pictures in our backyard.

32 1/2 weeks!

Oops! Little belly showing!

He is keeping nice and warm while I am pretty cold!

Mya loves the snow. It makes her crazy! She was running laps around the yard!

Cool shot by Ryan.

View from our back porch. So pretty.

What a great day. PS, I do think Charlotte is a bit crazy when it snows. This is an everyday occurance in Ohio growing up! Down here everyone freaks out at a light dusting. Silly.

Baby Shower!

This past weekend my mom and sister in law threw me a baby shower in Sanduksy, OH. It was a wonderful time to spend with family and friends from my younger days! I feel blessed to be loved by so many people! We got lots of great things for the new baby....who knew something so little could need so many things!

Lots of presents! Spoiled little guy!

My mom getting all the yummy food ready!

32 weeks and counting!

During the shower when I opened up gifts the giver came up, introduced themselves, said how thier know me, and gave me some mothering advice. It was really great!

My mom gave me a quilt my grandmother hand stitched for me when I was little. I am excited to keep passing it down to my own little one!

My good friends from high school showed up! Krista, me, Kim, and Julie!

Who could forget little Jack! 10 1/2 months and getting cuter!