Summer Photo Update

We've been having lots of fun seeing many family members and friends!  Our time in Loveland ended up being mostly family time with a couple of good visits with our good friends from Kona! Autumn enjoyed getting to see her Jackson (as the pictures will show!) and we've now seen every Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle and Cousin!!  We are settling into my parents ohana and are looking forward to a lot of swimming, parks and a little more of a routine for the next month!

The Common Cold

 

Unfortunately the common cold has been far too common in my life the last 6 years.  Working in clinics, hospitals, schools, moving, travel, having a child and not being scared of public places and transportation – our exposure has been great as well.   Seems like if we go a few months well we celebrate!  This has given me lots of opportunity to figure out get well strategies….  I used to get sinus infections almost everytime I caught a cold – luckily I’ve figured out how to prevent those and have only needed antibiotics a couple of times in those same 6 years.  

Here are my favorite and most beneficial (for me) strategies –

I use Mucinex  - it is guaifenesin that helps your body thin mucus to get it out of your body. It in combination with not taking any kind of decongestant,  I think it has been the #1 thing that has kept me from getting sinus infections.  

I gargle apple cider vinegar at the first sign of a sore throat – it can be cut with water with lemon juice and honey added.  My tolerance has gone up through the years and I can just gargle it straight. 

The neti-pot – last year my Maui mom introduced me to the neti-pot and I will never turn back.  It is good prevention, as well as for getting my sinus cavities drained out – I use saline most of the time and add eucalyptus oil or coconut oil 1-2x a day (both of with are anti-bacterial and fungal).

Hot showers – I take 1-2 warm showers a day.

Breathing Steam – putting water in a sauce pan and bringing to a boil, adding apple cider vinegar and eucalyptus oil drops. I put a towel over my head, close my eyes and take deep breaths.  Today I did this about 5 times and it made a huge difference in my sinuses and lungs.

Rest – I stink at this, but I really try to rest more than usual.

2 and 3/4

Autumn you are growing up in front of our eyes!  Last night you said 3 or 4 times, "I'm a big girl now, I go to Sunday School."  You had gone to a 2s and 3s Sunday School here in Maryland with your cousin that morning.  It is so true - you are growing up so quickly.  Because it was so cute I will try to remember more of your dialog before bed.  We had a rough time getting you to bed and so when we came in you said, "Momma, I'm sorry for making bad decisions tonight." This was a good way to make your momma's heart melt. Other sentences I can remember...  "Momma, I'm getting older, someday I will graduate, when I'm a big kid." "Can I go to Sunday School tomorrow?" I said, "We will get to go again next Sunday."  You said, "I go to Sunday School on Tuesdays and Fridays." You were in a really talkative mood and I said, "Autumn can we keep talking about all this in the morning?"  You responded, "No momma, can we talk about it on Tuesday?"  Then you turned over and started listing our friends in Hawaii. "Chris and Andrea, Jackson, Ashley, Brad, Tosh, Saiah, Angie..." I asked if you were missing our friends in Hawaii.  You sighed and said yes.

New/refined skills:
POTTY TRAINED!!!  You are doing so well now and your accidents are getting farther and farther apart!
Today you buttoned the pajama's on Aunt Christie's baby
Jumping - you love to jump everywhere, if there is opportunity to jump, you take it! Off logs and rocks, down stairs, off stools, off play equipment...
You can manage most younger play equipment and now climb up harder structures

Since the last time I wrote one of these - we have been very busy and are now 5000 miles from Hawaii in Maryland with your uncle Chad, aunt Christie and cousin Eric.  In May we celebrated 2 of your friend's birthdays, had a nice little baby shower for your sister, finished daycare, found out you are having a sister in October, and flew to Maui the last day of the month.  You have done amazingly well for all the changes - which we really appreciate.  You've always gone with the flow as we've floated around the last 18 months, but I thought this move might be harder since you're now older and we'd been in Kona for 10 months.   We packed up the house mostly while you were at daycare and stayed with friends so that you didn't have to stay in your empty room.  The distraction of a cute dog, new toys and a swimming pool was enough to get us through!  You did have a really hard time getting to and while at daycare those last 2 days, as you knew I was pau working and you wanted to stay home with me - but it really was best for both of us that you had things to do while I packed and cleaned.  We had a great time in Maui! You stand up paddle boarded with me for a couple of miles - sitting, standing and laying on the board - finally the wind picked up and we headed back to the beach.  You loved the Maui Ocean Center and we even got to hold a baby green sea turtle thanks to daddy's college friend.  We spent a couple of days doing parks and playing at the house and ended our short stay with an afternoon treasure hunt with Tutu at the Lavender Farm.    We've been here in Maryland for almost a week and have done a lot of resting, playing and enjoying time as a family.  Yesterday we celebrated Eric's birthday with slide, pool, bubbles and cupcakes!  Eric and you had a great time in his new riding police car!  

I feel like I should have more specific details about your development - the last month has been mostly depth and breadth in your understanding and being able to explain more and more complex ideas.  Your humor grows and you make jokes or tease about things and giggle.

We love you so much sweetie!!!
Momma and Daddy


Other fun stories -

About 4 weeks before our 20 week ultrasound for your sister you told me we were having a girl and her name is Abby.  We found out at our ultrasound that you will be having a sister!  When we got to Maui I asked you in front of Marie what our baby's name was and you got a big smile on your face and said, "Monkey."  You thought you were so funny!!!  Ever since then you say our baby's name is Monkey!   Last night we were talking about how you had outgrown something and you asked what I was going to do with it. I told you we'd save it for your sister Monkey, Monkey Brown.  You said, "how about Monkey Purple!" (-:

Tutu Denise was doing your toe nails and got done with the first color and asked you how they looked.  You said, "oh, they are all mucked up, we need to do them again."  You selected a different color and she asked again and again you said, "oh, they are all mucked up, we need to do them again." After the third color Tutu said, "oh they are so pretty and didn't ask you what you thought!" (-: 

Slavery

We attended church with my brother and his family this morning and I had no clue what God had ready for me.  The topic was Slavery - the sermon was very good and looked back at the history of slavery in the Bible and how different it is from our perception of slavery.  The details of the sermon are many and can be found here - http://www.mosaicchristian.org/#/messages

He also talked about how evil the kind of slavery is that we are familiar with.

^{Hebrews 2:14} Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil — ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
 

^{1 Timothy 1:9-11} We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹ that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 


 We watched a video from www.IJM.org and I cried and cried.  They are a "human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to secure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to ensure that public justice systems - police, courts and laws - effectively protect the poor. "  The thought of anyone (mostly young children and women) being held, raped and mistreated for years and years is horrifying.  My brain and heart wants to deny it's truth - to believe that it doesn't really happy and certainly not to the extent that it does (400,000-600,000 people are taken across international borders in human trafficking every year).  I'm not sure my place in the this horrific tragedy, but for right now my commitment is to start praying for these individuals every day - both the victims and the perpetrators.  Also to pray for God to direct me and my families role in helping rescue and rehabilitate the victims of these crimes.    The thought of my own daughters in this situation is enough to make me puke and cry and cry.   It makes me so grateful for God's protection over our lives thus far - and to pray hard for it to continue no matter where in the world we are.   I challenge anyone who is reading this to look into it further and not be naive to the needed prayers and work to rescue and show these hurt people the love of Christ.  I admit that I have known about this organization for quite sometime and even get emails from them that I delete because the stories are much easier to ignore.  I'm grateful that the Lord put it in my face and broke my heart for these people again.

Night time prayers

It has been a very long time since Autumn wanted to pray before bed.  I'm not sure on the psychology, but I always offer "who wants to pray?" at the end of our bed time routine and her answer is almost always, "Daddy."  We will be sharing a room with her until we get to my parents in a couple of weeks, which allows us to hear what she says after she crawls into bed.   We lay there and 10-15 minutes after she went to her bed, she started talking and we hear - "Jesus, Thank you for fun with Tutu and Harrison (followed by practicing how she says it - Tutu and Uncle, Tutu and Uncle Harrison...), help mama grow her baby, be with daddy."   Such a sweetie!!!!! 

Update on life

The last week and a half is a blur!  We are now moved out and on the road.  I finished work on the 24th, started packing, had our 20 week ultrasound, played at the beach with our neighbor friends, packed some more and cleaned!  We were so blessed during our move out - friends watched Autumn, helped us haul boxes/stuff,  helped us clean, brought over food and kept us for the last 2 nights so we didn't have to stay in an empty condo.  It went so smoothly - no late nights, limited stress and Autumn handled it pretty well.  Other than being really bummed that I was done with work but she still had to go to daycare and struggling with potty training - she was a total trooper!  Only a couple of small fits the whole week!   She helped put things in boxes (and take some out) and played on her own pretty well when she needed to.  We flew to Maui on Thursday afternoon after checking out of the condo and running small errands.   Most of our stuff went to storage, we sold the green Honda and our neighbor friends are taking care of our silver car until we return.   All in all it has been a great transition!   The friends that kept us the last 2 nights have an adorable little dog, a fun teenager and a swimming pool - so Autumn was amply distracted and having a great time!  Our Maui mom picked us up at the airport after a bumpy little ride on a 9 passenger Cessna from Kona where we where an arms reach from the pilot.  Autumn did so well, sat in her seat nicely and fell asleep about 5 minutes after take off - it was a short nap, but she slept through all the bumps that may have been scary otherwise!  We are having such a nice time being spoiled and relaxing in Maui!  Nice dining, stand up paddle boarding, delicious home cooked meals, park, incredible real shave ice, picking mangos from the yard....!!! Out on the hammock Autumn asked to stay here 'forever' (-:   It is tempting!!!!  

 

Sisters!

Today we had our 20 week ultrasound.  About 10 weeks ago I told Aaron he could decide if we would try to find out if we were having a boy or a girl.  He's been on the fence since then.  I asked him today at about 2 (our appointment was at 3:45) if he had decided.  He replied that he decided a couple of days ago, but was waiting to tell me until we got to the appointment.  We arrived, he took Autumn to the potty and they called me in.  I got on the exam table and when he and Autumn came in and I asked, "so are we finding out or waiting?"   He decided we should try to find out.  The ultrasound went great, the tech was really nice and pointed everything out as she went - heart, kidneys, brain, face....  It was so fun! She thinks the baby is on the smaller size - which would be awesome again!  Come on 6 pounder!! She didn't really get a picture of the evidence, but she was very certain that what she was seeing was all girl.  Hopefully she is right, or we will be really surprised on D-Day!!! We got to see her sucking her fingers! The tech got a couple of nice 4D pictures - which was difficult as baby girl was tucked head down resting on the side of the uterus.

Funny, both Aaron and I were surprised! I've been thinking boy because this pregnancy has just been different.  Aaron's now thinking that maybe we will hold out on any permanent birth control - as it would be fun to try for a boy!  Autumn was not surprised at all, she's been telling us we were going to have a girl for weeks!! "A girl named Abby!"  We still need to discuss the names - we are not sold on Abby, but not opposed to it either.  Kind of a cute story, having your sister name you at 16 weeks in utero!


It is so different knowing what we are having!  We waited until birth with Autumn and that was great. But it is really fun to know early as well! To dream of Autumn playing babies with her, trying on dresses and make-up together as teens, giggling and being girl silly together!!!  It will be so much fun to watch them grow into women together!  We'll be able to plan for girl names, get Autumn's clothes out for her and prepare for another sweet little girl!!!  We even got a cute little Hawaii onesy tonight to celebrate!

20 weeks

Crazy - we are 1/2 way there!!!  Only 20 more weeks until your due date little one!  We saw the mid-wife yesterday and everything looks perfect!  Your heart beat was healthy and my blood pressure and size is just right.  I'm starting to feel your little kicks and punches every couple of hours now, which I love!  I love that reassurance that you are moving around and growing in there!  While at the clinic we got everything lined up for our move. All the records will be sent to Glenwood after our ultrasound on Friday and I got the information I would need if any emergency happened while we travel for the next 3 weeks. At the ultrasound on Friday they will take a look at your whole body, making sure that everything looks healthy - your heart, kidneys, spinal cord and brain!  We pray that you have not a blemish and everything is working as it should!  It is so fun to be able to see you, so Friday is a treat - it will be the most time we spend actually seeing you until you are born and we get to hold you!   Daddy still hasn't decided if we will ask to find out if you are a boy or a girl yet!  I'll be happy either way - it will be a wonderful surprise now or later!  Your sister Autumn is convinced you are a girl and has even named you Abby!  It is super cute, she loves to cuddle up to my belly and try to feel you when you are kicking!  She asks to watch videos of babies your size on the computer so she can see what you would look like.  She is very excited to get to help with changing, feeding and caring for you!!   Love you little peanut!!

How far along: 20 Weeks

Size of Baby: about 10 inches head to toe and 10 1/2 ounces

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 8 lbs - right on track to gain 25-30 - hoping!

Maternity Clothes: Kind of. Got rid of the tight jeans, but the loose ones fit well.  Wore a maternity top today because it was cute and makes me look pregnant - not because it was necessary (-:

Gender: Ultrasound is Friday - maybe Aaron will decide before then!

Movement: I'm now feeling little kicks every 1-2 hours and loving it!

Sleep: Still doing well and not needing quite as much of it.  Getting up 1-2 times to use the bathroom.

Symptoms:  About the same as 16 weeks, but feel like the acne is a bit better and the chi chi growth spurt is over. 

Best Moment This Week:  Having Aaron and Autumn feel kicks!

What I'm Most Looking Forward To: Newborn cuddles and watching Autumn be a sister

Gossip

Yesterday I worked up north and listened to a sermon on the radio on the way there.  It was a really great one on gossip and how it hurts everyone involved.  It was certainly convicting, it is so easy to talk about how someone drives you nuts or how you would have done things differently...  

So the essence of the message, was that if what you are saying brings poor lighting on another, don't say it (and same for listening, which is even harder).  If you aren't willing to take your robe off and approach the person humbly (like Jesus did his disciples at the last supper) and confront them on real sin, then you should cover them in love and keep your mouth shut (like Abraham's sons did when his other son went telling everyone he was naked and drunk).  So talking to others about other is really never an option - you either go to them or keep quiet.   When you talk to others you taint them in how they act around the other person and damage your own relationships because people know you talk to others about other peoples problems - why would they confide in you?  Gossip really isn't a grey area - if you are talking negatively about another - judging, sharing about their sins, just making conversation about others problems - then stop.

I've found this to be especially convicting at work - there are some teachers that are really hard to get along with, but that I feel talking to them will only worsen the situation.  It is so easy for us being treated poorly to complain or vent about it to each other.  Not okay, but so hard to walk away from or even not start.   Sigh.... my sinful nature has to be beaten down.  Of course this isn't the only gossip I've taken part in....   help me Lord to be gracious and cover's others sins with love if I haven't been called to confront someone about a situation or problem.  Help me to be gracious in asking others to stop if they start telling me something that I shouldn't know. Help me to walk boldly in confronting situations that you want me to be part of the healing/sharpening process.   May others be able confide in me knowing I have tight lips and a gracious heart. May I take these concerns and irritations to you only and not others.  Create in me a clean heart and give me clean lips oh Lord!

Late Night Chat

Yesterday we spent the afternoon and evening at Autumn's buddy's birthday party - she didn't nap and fell asleep at 6:45 on the way home.  We knew it would be interesting how this played out, as she frequently wakes for good after 9 hours.  At 1:15 she came in to ask for food as she was hungry and she had a "tummy head ache."  I set her up with a banana, cottage cheese and some milk.  She was supper chatty and most of what I remember was her remembering what Nana and Papa's was like.  She asked if they had a little table and if she ate all her food there?  There is a little table and she used to eat snacks and some meals there.  Then she asked who else is there.  I told her Aunt Laurale comes on Monday's and Thursday's and she said, "and Mick."  I said that we see Mick at the hospital and she asked, "where Nana takes care of babies?"  Yes.  "And they have gramcrackers there and they let me have them." Yes that is true too. (-:  She has started using the phrase, "and you know what mama?"  I think I also say it frequently, but it is so cute and usually followed by adorable two year old knowledge? Things like - Shyshy has curly hair, it's going to be my birthday, Calvin is a baby....   LOVE IT!!!!  Oh and when snack time was over she did some cuddling and slept until 8am!   So thankful - as we were still exausted due to more awake time from calling the cops on the new screaming scary neighbors )-:  That is the topic for another post, so very sad and yet so very happy they may move out even before we do.  It's been a small dent in our condo living and reinforces the desire to not live this close to so many people again.   Done, done, done with drifting cigerette smoke, pot smoke and screaming....sigh....

2 weeks

In two weeks we hop on a plane and fly away from Kona airport.  Aaron and I keep mentioning how crazy this is!  The last 10 months has absolutely flown by!  We are trying to disrupt Autumn's life as little as possible, so we aren't really packing up the house until the last minute.  We'll sell the big stuff and are getting a little storage for all our clothes, kitchen stuff... and hoping there is enough room in the storage for our queen bed too.  We're selling the Civic and some friends are keeping the Accord for us.  I've already forwarded the mail and so other than packing and cleaning we are pretty much ready.

We've spent lots of time talking about our upcoming travels and move with Autumn in hopes that it eases the transition.  She asks a lot of questions about it and seems to be excited about me being done working and seeing family.  Everyday when I pick her up she asks, "Are you done working?"  I explain that I'm done for the day, but still have a couple of weeks left before I don't have to go anymore. Figuring out how much to tell her when her concept of time is difficult is not easy.  We've error on the side of telling her a lot and hoping that it makes leaving a little easier.  She has a lot to look forward to - Maui and friends, family in Maryland, all the family in Colorado, lots of new toys in her new room at Nana and Papa's and a new baby on the way!

We've been so blessed this year with friends and fun.   It has been a very different experience than when we lived here just the two of us, but it has been a nice pace of family life.  Not too busy, but still plenty of beach days, swimming and fun outings!  We will miss many people and things about Kona for the next few months, but we are excited to see family, friends, enjoy the mountains in the summer and fall and maybe even a tiny bit of eagerness to play in the snow again!

A Mother's Love

There are times when only a mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a mother's faith
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.

For a mother's heart and a mother's faith
And a mother's steadfast love
Were fashioned by the angels
And sent from God above.
--Author Unknown



So blessed with an amazing mother and so blessed to be a mother!!!   These are certainly two of God's greatest gifts in my life!!!

A year ago and some change

I found a USB drive on the floor next to Aaron's desk last night and wondered what was on it.  I'd totally forgotten that Todd had prepared us USB's with the pictures others had taken on the trip.  I had pulled some of them when I did my lengthy journal entry and then totally forgot about the rest.  Here are some of my favorites after looking through them again!!  Such fond memories from a trip of a life time!!!!

Potty Training

Well this whole potty training thing hasn't quite been what I thought it would be.  Autumn started being interested in the potty forever ago and even went poop in the toilet at 18 months.  I thought she'd be an early potty trainer and so around her 2nd birthday we tried undies with reminders and this did not go well. We put them away as it was apparent she wasn't ready.  Later she'd seem ready and we tried stickers and she'd pee, get a sticker and then insist on sitting on the toilet until she could make more pee to earn another sticker.  That was the end of that.   In the last month there are a couple of girls at daycare that wear under ware and Autumn so badly wants to wear them too, but she didn't want to use the toilet at their house.  We told her that if she keeps a pull up dry all day that she can practice with under ware again.  At home in the evenings we've been trying some timed toileting with some success.   On Friday she decided she was ready to use the potty all day at daycare and stayed dry in her pull up all day going every 20-30 minutes.  Over the weekend it wasn't perfect, but she did a pretty good job using the toilet.  Monday she stayed dry in undies (which she has named vividies) all day with just one poop accident and spacing her pees out to every 45 minutes.  So far today she has taken herself with out a pee accident and says she isn't ready when I ask. She takes her backpack that she packed with vividies into the bathroom and changes into a different pair each time she goes. She still didn't make it for her poop, but not bad.  I think we'll be using a lot fewer diapers!!!!!!!!!

Plunger laughs

Last night Autumn was brushing her teeth and looked down at the plunger and declared, "It's a dang it... hahaha!"  I have no recollection of when that word was used or when it was use with the plunger - but somehow the connection was made and she thinks it is absolutely  hilarious.   We played it cool, said it is called a plunger and that it is not nice to say dang it.  But over and over about 8 times she's giggle, "it's a dang it... hahaha."  Dear oh dear.....   I've never seen her think something she has said was soooooooo funny!  

Cont...   on Saturday in a restaurant bathroom Autumn saw the plunger and said "Hey mom they have a dang it!"

16 Weeks

Time is a flying!  The last four weeks flown by and I am now very very happy to be into the 2nd trimester.  I have more energy and don't feel nauseated all day - got to love that!!!!  Today I had my 16 week visit and everything looks good! Baby's heartbeat was a healthy 145 bpm.  I was eager to hear it, as I've had 2 bouts of food poisoning in the last 10 days.  Talk about bad luck - and it wasn't even high risk foods!  Dried fruit and coconut flesh that shouldn't have gone bad as fast as it did.  Oh well....   Hoping it is the end of that for the rest of the pregnancy!  I still haven't gotten a side picture yet - I'm wider, but certainly don't look pregnant to the unknowing eye.  I'm hoping to get a special sarong tomorrow to use as a backdrop and start doing side shots soon - otherwise this kiddo is going to wonder why Autumn's pregnancy got all the pictures and theirs has so few!

Here are a few stat questions I stole from Christine's blog:
  
How far along: 16 Weeks and 1 day.

Size of Baby: about 4 1/2 inches and 3 1/2 ounces

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 5 since December and still weigh 3 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight with Autumn.  Seems strange, all I can figure is that I've lost muscle - and I certainly can't attribute anything to me being super healthy lately - other than surfing I haven't exercised and I eat whatever I want.  I hate that I crave sugar even more when I'm pregnant and I haven't been terrific at telling myself no.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet. My tight jeans are a bit uncomfortable, but otherwise everything fits fine.

Gender: I'm letting Aaron decide if we will try to find out at our diagnostic ultrasound - he is still deciding and I'm not counting on him making up his mind until we walk through door to the machine.

Movement: I occasionally feel like I can feel the baby jump like in the 12 week ultrasound, but then I think oh, maybe that was just gas. When I was sleeping one night Aaron said he was holding my belly and praying for the baby and felt a jump.

Sleep: Doing pretty well. We are all going to be fairly early, but I've been able to stay up a little longer some nights.  I do get up and pee 1-3 times each night though. Luckily I sleep hard and it takes me no time at all to start dreaming again!

Symptoms:  Sore, itchy and growing chi chis, growing belly, gas, acne...  oh the fun stuff!

Best Moment This Week:  Hearing the baby's heartbeat

What I'm Most Looking Forward To: Newborn cuddles and watching Autumn be a sister

Life plans

I've been meaning to write a post about our plans.  We've spent months praying and pondering over our next move in life.  My desires have been to make Hawaii home since we came back last March.  We landed in Maui after a cold winter and I looked at Aaron and said in a joking but honest voice, "Tell me again why we don't live here?"  I'm not tied to the move and know I would be happy where ever God wants us - but deciphering that is so difficult.  In about February we both started to tell other people that we planned to move back to Hawaii more permanently after the 2012 holidays.  It seemed to fit and the more we said it, the more it sounded right. We will go back to Colorado, spend time with family, have our second child, save money and then try to return to Kona in February of 2013 to buy a place to live here.  God still has to work out some of the details and can always change our course, but that is where we are headed for the time being.  Oddly this place feels more like home than anywhere we've ever lived - hard to explain, but we believe this is where God wants us to raise our family and be his Light.  

Spunky

Autumn - your spunkiness is so much fun!  This last month has been full of lots of fun memories!  You insisted on going for a surf board paddle with daddy at Kahaluu to look for dolphins and even told me the other day "I want a dolphin for my birthday."  I ask if you wanted a real or pretend one and you replied, "well I don't want the pretend kind!"  We took a family kayak trip out in Kailua Bay and have had many many picnic parties as you call them with our friends at the beach.  You've taken more of an interest in doing crafty things so we've made pictures with construction paper, painted on special paper, learn how to make snakes and things with play-doh and finger painted.  You really like using the stick glue - sometimes successfully and sometimes not so much!  You still love to climb anything you can - this is fun but I'm fairly certain it will lead to trouble sometime soon.  On Easter I caught you climbing up a huge rock wall.  Lately you have taken to the Ipad that I get to use from work and can spend a lot of time hoping around doing puzzles and starting netflix shows that you stop so you can navigate around the slide bars.  You're going to miss it when we have to return it and we've already started preparing you for the reality that we will be giving it back soon. You enjoy swimming at the pool and ocean, you have no problem getting you head in and trying to kick and paddle.  You also enjoy your ring and will kick to swim around in it.

You've really enjoyed our new neighbors and ask about them all the time.  What they are doing and if you can go over to see them.  We have gotten to do a couple of dinners, beach and swim dates and evening play sessions with balls and bubbles with them and you always have fun! They have a 5 year old boy, 3 year old girl, 2 year old girl and a baby on the way like us! 

You continue to blow us away with what you can say!  Lately as we drive home at the end of the day you label the bank, gas station, Kona Boys and the shops we went to with Nana.  As we drove by the bank on Friday you said, "there's the bank." I replied "yes and we probably should have stopped to get cash."  You responded, "I don't like cash. I like cake and fruit!"  This same night on the way to town you talked to Nana and Papa the whole way into town.  You asked Papa how many baths they had, told him that we do not live in Colorado, that when you slip in the bathroom you get your clothes wet (which you have done once before bath) and that you know to take your clothes off before bath. You talked and talked and talked - it was so cute!  Today with daddy you were playing with play-doh and daddy suggested making an outrigger and you decided that it needed a mommy, daddy, baby and they needed paddles and life jackets! Such a smart girl!

You have also have a very cute relationship with your friend Jackson! He is our friend's son and goes to the same daycare.  So you see him everyday and sometimes see him at the beach for surf dates.  Other than your over protective attitude about your own stuff, you play with him pretty well.  When you don't see him, you ask to go over and say hi to him.  Today we got to go over and you guys played for awhile.  Jackson came over and gave me kisses after he pretended to saw on me. He went back over to you and you said, "Yes, Jackson you can give me a kiss."  Later you had a shi-shi accident and were sitting on the toilet. He ran in and gave you the biggest hug on the toilet - it was so cute! 


















Lately your babies have become your new friends at daycare - Kamahao and Malia.  You feed Kama kau kau in the shower, wash him up, diaper and dress him.  Last night you even breastfed him in the tub as we had been to the great diaper change and I'm pretty sure you observed some of the other babies breastfeeding.   "I think he needs the other side."  "Come on dude just drink the mama's milk..." You had so many great comments! So funny!!   Oh, we're not sure where the 'dude' came from - but the other day you said to me, "hey dude."  I didn't think too much of it and then you said, "Hey I just called you dude... hahaha."  We rolled laughing. 

 Autumn we love you so much and you bring so much joy to our lives!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Easter 2012

For the first time in many years we braved the early morning and made it to the sunrise service.  He was good - hundred's of Christians circled around on a ball field near old airport worshiping our Lord and Savior for the resurrection of our King.  Autumn woke up slowly and cuddled with her new bunny.  During worship she put the blanket up over her and rested for a few minutes.  The Christian Hula was fun - I never tire of it.  Autumn sat with the other kids on my lap for the keiki message and we heard a message about taking the gospel into the world.  All in all, worth the very early wake up time!

Next we headed to breakfast - sadly McDonalds egg mcmuffin sounded all too delicious!    It worked out perfect though because our friends had chosen the same destination and we got to sit and chat for breakfast!  Next it was a toss up - head home for rest or use the surf board we had packed just in case.  Then I checked my phone and my surf friend said they were out and the waves were good.  So to Limons we went for a mama surf session while the kids and daddy's played on shore.


 I didn't catch anything, but it was a good learning session.  We then headed home, opened fun gifts from grandparents and Amazon (I didn't think the stuff I had ordered would arrive in time, so I was very excited)  Autumn got her first Bible, finger paints, a big ball, an outfit, kite, puzzle, and sand toys!  Made her day!
We tried to interject a lot of we celebrate Easter to celebrate Jesus saving us as well!!  We then got to Skype with Aaron's side of the family, finger paint and play. I assumed it would be another nap free day, as the day before she played hard on the beach for 2 1/2 hours and didn't take one.  But 15 minutes before we were to head to a friend's, she fell asleep on the couch watching George.  We canceled friends and let her sleep for awhile, as we still had communion dinner at our Church.  We packed up the Challah Bread and headed out to church.

Our pastor is passionate about having communion in a different fashion than pass the juice at the end of a sermon.  He believes that communion is a community event taken together over a meal.  We had our first one on Easter.  It was a lovely potluck, time to share about our lives and Christ's power to release us from our bondage to sin.  It was very powerful.  I look forward to more of them when we return to the Big Island next year.

Side notes: I acutely realized how much my focus on Autumn affects my ability to focus on Christ during events like these.  Then in life, there is not excuse - I have time to spend with God and I make other choices.... I had planned to read John before Easter and only made it to Chapter 5, I desire to keep a prayer journal and be more faith in my prayers and am struggling to be consistent...  Definitely need Christ's help to overcome my life long struggle to carve out time and be more disciplined.

Easter was good! God is so Good to us!!!  So thankful that He rose, that I live with Hope!!!!!

Parenting

There are many many things I love about being a mommy!  Hugs, kisses, caring for her needs - meals, teaching, baths...  and of course playtime.  I knew there would be one part of parenting that would not be easy or fun - and it is not - discipline.   The days that go by without thinking about it much are great!  The days like yesterday that feel like you are a disciplinarian all day long are exhausting.  Today I read more of Boundaries with Kids by Cloud & Townsend.  It is a Christian book that my Maui mom suggested.  The biggest take home at this point is that at this age - my job is to set appropriate boundaries and her job is to test them to the full extent to figure out what reality is.  Children that lack good boundaries struggle a lot in life - so far the book is really good Christian parenting theory and motivation to stand firm on the boundaries - you only have to last one more time than your child.  Some children test and push harder than others - but it is reassuring to hear over and over that it is so worth the exhaustion.  All this said, I still have a lot to work on in the area of patience and kind firmness and other stuff too - but I after yesterday, I needed the reassurance that she will by far benefit from our expectations being consistent and firm.