Friday, December 19, 2008

Adon's Accomplishments

In the last week, Adon learned to:
  • shake his head "no"
  • say "da da"
  • clap his hands by himself
  • eat carrots and bananas by himself with his fingers
  • do "So Big"
  • give "fives"
  • the beginning stages of dancing
I think we have the smartest kid in the whole world...little brother or sister will have some ground to cover to catch up. I have a feeling that Adon will be a great teacher and encourager of his younger siblings!

Wives and Mothers

This is my desire as Jeremy's wife.

"A true wife makes a man's life nobler, stronger, grander, by the omnipotence of her love 'turning all the forces of manhood upward and heavenward.' While she clings to him in holy confidence and loving dependence she brings out in him whatever is nobles and richest in his being. She inspires him him courage and earnestness. She beautifies his life. She softens whatever is rude and harsh in his habits or his spirit. She clothes him with the gentler graces of refined and cultured manhood. While she yields to him and never disregards his lightest wish, she is really his queen, ruling his whole life and leading him onward and upward in every proper path." -JR Miller


We long for a multigenerational faithfulness and pray that our humble efforts will give our children an advantage over us and their children an advantage over them, for the glory of God. "For there will be no end to increase of His government or peace." Isaiah 9:7

"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is place in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Thanksgiving

This has been such a fun Thanksgiving! It started on Wednesday. I helped pack Thanksgiving orders at the bakery and then in the evening I made egg casserole, green bean casserole and maple butternut squash to take to Aunt Barb's. Thursday morning, Adon and J packed for our trip to Bloomington, while the girls went to Aunt Barb's to help the food get going.

Mom really wanted to have a Thanksgiving breakfast, but it would have been so much on her to do that and it would have had to be so early since we had to be at Aunt Barb's house by 10. So, I made an egg casserole and fruit salad for breakfast. Mom, Aunt Barb, Jamie, Donna, and I enjoyed a nice breakfast at Aunt Barb's before the hustle and bustle. Aunt Barb was pulling the turkey out of the oven about the time we got there and it was a beauty! She already had the smashed potatoes done and Mom brought the sweet potato casserole. mmmm.....



3/15/09 - I can't remember the details this much later...Precisely why posts should be written as they happen...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Appreciation

Nothing will make you appreciate what you have until you see what someone else has...

Max threw up in his bed...then ate it...TWICE in the last week. That sound will certainly send a pregnant woman running for the bathroom. I jokingly told Jer that Max was HIS dog.

Donna, while holding Adon, got a sandwich out of the fridge for a snack and let her dog, Daisy, and Max in from outside. Obviously both dogs were interested in her snack. However, Max just watched. Daisy kept jumping on her to get her sandwich and finally succeeded. She wouldn't leave it alone even though Donna just about had her pinned to the ground. One piece of bread landed right in front of Max and he started to go for it...until I told him no. He promptly backed away while Donna was still trying to wrestle Daisy and hold Adon.

Of course we laughed, but it definitely made me appreciate Max's obedience...especially since I'm not really a dog person.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Baby's Due Date

Has changed...the ultrasound last week showed Baby was not as old as originally thought. He or she is now due June 27, and I still have 3 more weeks of the first trimester! Feeling pretty good, despite a few bouts of intestinal tension.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

August in Review

Sorry for getting so behind. I have some quiet time for a few minutes before little man will be up for lunch. Naps have been sooo much better. We've been letting him cry it out and he's been going back to sleep until the end of his nap time. Thank you so much for your prayers!!

It's a good thing we take pictures. I'd never remember life without them. So, based on our pics, back in August....

Adon took lots of cat naps, but none that lasted very long.




















At almost 5 months, Adon was sitting up and was preparing for the Olympics with his floor routine.









He wore classic John Deere colors, courtesy of Nona and Papa Smith.



And he turned 5 months old...



And some other random things...mostly of him sleeping since that's when he's most still. :)



Current News

I guess I'll catch up on our monthly reviews sometime. Things have gotten a little crazy around here lately. J's school has never been more intense. He's doing team leads now, which means he rides with local fire departments and tells the crew what to do (even though his work is closely supervised) in preparation for real life after school is over. He spends every day that he's off work trying to meet all of the requirements in order to graduate. Graduation is getting closer and closer! His last day of school is December 17 and he graduates December 30. He's worked so hard and pushed himself more than I've ever seen him do before. I know it will be a big sigh of relief for our whole family when he's finished (not to mention the $500+ monthly payments). Praise the Lord for providing one month at a time so we didn't have to take on any debt for his schooling!!

Adon is doing some great and amazing things! The doctor says he's very advanced for his age...meaning at 6 months, he's doing what a 9 or 10 month old would be doing! He pulls himself up on everything and has walked the length of the couch...holding on, of course. It won't be long, though, before he can do it by himself! He's started real food about 3 weeks ago. He's had cereal and some green veggies. He cut his first tooth a week ago today and the second one will be breaking through before long. Daylight savings time has really thrown his schedule into a tailspin. He was sleeping until 8:30 or 9 in the morning, but now he's getting up at 6:30. :o( And his naps have been short...maybe 30 or 45 minutes. So he's been kinda cranky...and Mom's been kinda cranky with a cranky baby and not so much sleep herself.

As for me, this week has been really tiring. It could be that I am 8 weeks pregnant!! :o) I wasn't sure what to expect my first week as a full-time stay-at-home mom, but I definitely thought I'd accomplish more than I actually did. The biggest contributor to my lack of ambition has been the lack of energy. I remember from being pregnant with Adon how tired I was all the time, but at I don't remember being THIS tired. All of my energy is going to help new baby grow and trying to feed Adon. It doesn't help I've been getting up so early with Adon and not getting much of a nap, because he doesn't nap long. Please pray for wisdom and that the Holy Spirit would "fix" Adon's internal clock. Some of my big accomplishments for the week were to vacuum the entire house and to get most of the laundry done and to mostly keep up with the dishes. Whew! That was a challenge. Not to mention, J worked 15-hour clinical shifts on Friday and Saturday...I was so bored and lonely!! I hate when he's gone so much. I really miss him. I also had my first ob appointment this week. Baby #2's estimated due date is June 18...it will be the first June birthday in our family! Although I haven't gotten sick yet, I've definitely felt "unsettled" in my tummy. Goes with the territory, though. I'll post more later, but little man here needs to eat and go to bed...before he becomes even more cranky or "helps" me finish this post.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Shindel Happenings

I just got back from the pediatrician's office. Adon got his first DTaP shot...he smiled. He's doing so great! He's scooting really well...kinda like an inchworm, but he gets where he wants to go.

No updates on our "big news" that we can write about. We thought we'd know something the first week of September. Then we thought we'd know something yesterday, but now it looks like maybe Friday, we'll know some more. We know God is Sovereign. We're not worried, but still very excited!

In other news, J and I are starting a family business since I'll be "retiring" from the IRS at the end of October. Only 18 more working days! Woohoo!! Then I get to do my favorite job...serve J and be Adon's mommy! :o) We've been doing some ground work on the business and we're excited for me to be able to do more to serve J in that when I'm at home more.

We're also enjoying the AWESOME weather! Hurricane Ike hit St. Louis early Sunday morning. No idea how much rain we actually got, but we had at least 9" of water in our basement window well (on the outside). There was a small trickle of water that came in our basement, but praise God that was it! :o) Since then, it's been absolutely delightful!

We also have our friend, Dan Garrison, in from Dallas staying with us this week while he's here on business. It's so nice to be able to have friends in our home and bless them with all that God's given us.

That's about it for now...Adon will be 6 months soon, though.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Another Memory

Yesterday we drove to Bloomington, and J said, "Hold on" as we accelerated onto the highway. That reminded me of Gram...she used to say, "Hank (not a typo) on to your hats!" She'd also jokingly say, after making a turn close to another vehicle, "It's ok, they were on your side."

I learned today that Grandma Kazenske's (J's grandma) middle name was Elizabeth. I already knew that J's other grandma's name was Cleda Belle. Our someday daughter, whose name I liked before we were even married, will be named after both of them. I only wish our children could know more of their great-grandparents. We're so grateful to have Happy (J's grandpa) around and part of Adon's life. We have an awesome picture of the four generations. What a heritage!

Why did you pick the names you've given your children? What do they mean?

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Memories

Gram used to make lemonade from those little packets of yellow "fake" lemonade powder. She'd always mix it with a wooden spoon and just rinse it off (not really washing it), because it was sugar-free. Gram let me lick the container after I poured the contents into the pitcher. Tuesday night we had company, and I made "fake" lemonade. I licked the container, and it reminded me of Gram.

Gram LOVED Raisin Bran Crunch cereal. She loved to get it at Target when it was on sale. She would stock up. And we would eat Raisin Bran Crunch at her house. We bought some Raisin Bran Crunch on sale recently. Every time I eat a bowl, I remember Gram.

It's funny what little things will trigger a memory. I'm glad that God wired us that way. Those little memories will keep Gram in our hearts for a long time.

What memories do you have? What triggers memories for you?

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Olympian in Training

Adon is ALMOST mobile! In this first video, in honor of the Olympics, he's practicing his floor routine!



He's also been practicing for the bars. He can pull himself up on this bar and has been caught almost falling out of his bouncy seat when the bar is not in place.



Then back to the floor...



Then some tummy time with a little added flair...rocking on his hands and knees!



And last, but not least, he's been doing a phenomenal ab workout and can now sit up!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Lots of big news!

This week, Adon has started giggling and has started rolling from his back to his tummy. Just a few minutes ago, I saw him on his hands and knees rocking! Look out, he's nearly mobile. The other morning, I left him on his play mat to take a shower and when I got out, he was several feet away from the mat!!

Adon has his 4 month check up...about 3 weeks late, because of all of the back-to-school physicals. He's 15 pounds and 4.75 ounces, which puts him in the 65th percentile. He's 27 inches, which is in the 97th percentile...surprise, surprise. The doctor says he's developing on schedule if not slightly ahead of schedule. Adon got his first polio and meningitis vaccinations. Dr. Knight and the nurses were very supportive of our alternative vaccination schedule. This took so much pressure and stress off of me! He said we could start introducing cereal any time, but we'll probably wait until his next visit...around 6.5 months. That way, he'll still be nursing strong and I'll almost be home full-time and will have more time to devote to helping Adon learn to eat.

Now...for the biggest news...that has had me floating on cloud nine for 3 days...no, I'm not pregnant. We can't say much about it, but I will say this...we got some potentially VERY good news about the next season of J's schooling. We'll post more as things begin to work themselves out. Praise God for His ever-faithful provision!!

July in Review

We celebrated the Fourth of July in Bloomington. Jamie went with us and we had so much fun. Adon had to wear BOTH of his red, white, and blue outfits.



While he didn't RIDE the tractor, he did sit with Pa Pa on the John Deere. We also rode the 4-wheeler. Jamie & I drove up and down the block, and J enjoyed when I screamed as we jumped the driveway! Click on the link above to see the rest of the pictures and some of the videos!



We went to Dad & Jayne's on the 6th to celebrate Independence Day with the Shindel side of the family. We got to visit with Aunt Madeline and Uncle Lynn. We had some yummy food and Tara brought some awesome pies. Dad and Jayne gave me some pointers on starting our garden...see their garden in the background? Then they sent us home with a head of cabbage, which I used in Asian Beef Stir Fry. Mmmmm.....












Adon had his second trip to the zoo. This time he and I went with some moms and other young kids from church. It was kinda like a stroller parade. :o) I had fun catching up with Melissa (standing next to me) and Faith! He didn't sleep through as much of this trip as he did the first time!! It was also much cooler that day, because we went in the morning.



















Adon also went to his FIRST CARDINALS GAME!!!! J's best friend Caleb, from Springfield, got a good deal on tickets. Caleb picked up Adon and me and drove us to the Metrolink station. The three of us took the Metro and met J downtown after J got off of work. Adon was totally decked out in his Cardinal jersey/romper, Cardinal tennis shoes (courtesy of the Phipps' hand-me-downs), Cardinal blanket, and red bucket hat!! It was so much fun, even though the Cards lost.



We also learned why Adon wasn't born on Easter, which is when we wanted him to be born. Gram (my Grandma) started a Lutheran Girls Sorority called Phi Beta Chi a couple of years before I was born. She was so proud of the sorority and tried to get each of her granddaughters to become members or to start a chapter at the college she would attend. The sorority girls always checked on Gram to see how she was doing. Phi Beta Chi was always near to her heart. After battling some complications from a hemorrhagic stroke early in 2007, she passed away just days before Mother's Day. The girls from Phi Beta Chi have been so kind to honor and remember her. They've kept us involved when they do. In July, they introduced a new award, called Order of the Mantle, in honor of Gram. Aunt Barb accepted the award for Gram and introduced our family. She explained that in the year since Gram passed away, four great-grandchildren were born. She named the great-grandchildren and their birthdays. After introducing Adon, one of the coordinators stood up and asked who caught Adon's birthday (March 26). She said that March 26th, 1978 was the Phi Beta Chi Founding Day! The tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that God knew before the foundations of the earth that Adon would be born on such a special day. I wish Gram could have met Adon. She would have been so proud that Adon was born on the 30th birthday of Phi Beta Chi.

Though Kari and Jake have been engaged for over a month, Jake gave Kari her engagement ring after the awards ceremony.



Adon helped J study a whole lot! He also started sleeping in his crib for naps, and we took the bassinet layer out of the pack-n-play. Here are some of my favorite pictures from July. This month, Adon turned 4 months!



Thursday, July 31, 2008

4 months

Adon turned 4 months last Saturday. It's hard to believe it's been 4 months already! It seems like only a few weeks ago, Jer was saying, "We did it!" when Adon was born! He's up to 15 pounds and he has another doctor's check-up in a couple of weeks. I'm curious how that visit will go, because we'll be telling Dr. Knight that we don't want to follow the traditional vaccine schedule. We'll be postponing most of his shots until his little body is more developed and his nervous system and immune system are better equipped to handle the "attacks" from the germs introduced through the vaccines. I've learned a lot from reading, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations." We've already learned some things that we'll do differently with baby #2.

I'm very much looking forward to staying at home full-time. Only 37 more working days...or 3 more months working 3 days a week!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Baby Feet

Adon found his feet a couple of weeks ago. He's since gotten really good at reaching them with his hands. Today was the first time he got them to his mouth!!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Big Boy

Adon and I often visit Grammy & Grampy at the bakery on my days off. During our visit yesterday, we were curious how big he is now, so we weighed him...bakery style. He's just over 14 pounds!

Friday, July 11, 2008

CHEAP DIAPERS!!!

I found this printable coupon for $5 off ANY size Pampers and wipes. We have probably abused this coupon, because it's such a good deal. We've been combining this Target coupon with the manufacturer's coupons (for diapers - $1-$1.50 off and wipes - $0.25-$0.50 off) for an amazingly sweet deal. Despite the package size requirements listed on the coupons, Target doesn't check what size you actually purchase. We've been buying the smallest pack of size 2 diapers (40 diapers for $10.49) and the smallest pack of wipes (travel wipes for $1.99) about once a week. So here's the break down on how much it cost:

Diapers $10.49
Wipes $ 1.99
Target coupon ($5.00)
Pampers diaper coupon* ($1.50)
Pampers wipes coupon* ($0.50)

Total: $ 5.48

*best coupons available

Some Targets actually charge less than the $10.49 per pack...we found some at the Target in Springfield, IL for $9.99 per pack. BONUS...Target has diapers on sale this week for $8.49 for a Jumbo pack (40 size 2's). Stock up now while you can, because this coupon expires 7/31/08. You don't have to check out separately to use more than one Target coupon. They'll let you use one coupon for each set of diapers and wipes you purchase. One more note, look for the "Download Original" link on the right side of the page when you view the link posted above. Save this coupon!! I found this coupon easily last week, but really had to search for it this week. Also, someone has taken the time to put 3 coupons on a page with the link above. Before I could only print one per page. Please pass this along to all diaper-buying parents. I'm off to get my diapers and wipes this week for only $3.98!! Woohoo!! Happy saving!!!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

June 2008 in review

June was a very busy month for our family. Jeremy started working full time at Gateway as an EMT (while still going to paramedic school and doing his clinicals!). I went back to work the first week of June, although it's only part time. Nona (J's mom) came to visit and we took Adon to the zoo for the first time. He slept through most of it though.



He sleeps a lot, actually...especially on Mommy.





He still enjoys bathtime, but doesn't appear to do so in these pictures.



Adon is so helpful with household chores...especially laundry! He's also a very good observer in the kitchen while I cook. I just know he's soaking it all in. Sometimes he sits on the kitchen table and tells me all kinds of stories while I'm cooking.






Uncle Caleb (Jer's best friend) got to meet Adon for the first time when he visited from Springfield. And Aunt Gabby (Great Aunt Barb) took Adon (and Mommy and Daddy) out to First Watch for breakfast.



He's also been rolling over like crazy!! It's so cute...he buries his face in his bed, tucks his knees under his tummy and pushes his hiney way up in the air until he leans to one side and rolls. I can't tell you how many times I've found him on his back. As soon as he sees me, he gives me the biggest gummy smile as if he were saying, "Look what I did, Mom. Aren't I cute?" I've tried to roll him back to his tummy, because he doesn't sleep well on his back. However, he always tucks his legs under him when I do and is back on his back before I even let go! So, we've had to let him go and learn to fall asleep on his back. He's doing much better at that now. He's so much fun! People said he'd change our lives, but no one could have told us how much we'd love him and treasure him. He's such a blessing and a joy to have around! These last few pics are random ones taken through out the month, but I've posted a few of my favorites.

Left: Adon is such a content and happy baby. This is how I usually find him when he wakes up from a nap.

Right: This is classic Adon...fingers in his mouth. He tries to get as many fingers in his mouth as possible! Although, lately, he's used one hand to hold his other hand's thumb in his mouth.

May 2008 in review

I'm still trying to catch up. I'm hoping it's not a lifelong goal to catch up. In May, I celebrated my first Mother's Day and my mom celebrated her first Mother's Day as a Grandma. After church we went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch.



The following weekend we went to Dallas for Kari's Graduation. We stayed with our good friends, the Romers. It was the first time they got to meet Adon. Their Jack was 4 months old when we visited. Thursday we spent just hanging out before Kari's candle-lighting ceremony. Friday morning was the graduation. Then we went to Buca de Beppo's (a family-style Italian restaurant) for lunch and hung out at Donna's for the afternoon. We went to Misti's softball game before we headed back to the Romer's. Saturday, we spent with Dan and Susie and the kids. Sunday, we went to the home church meeting in the park. Adon pooped on my dress when I was changing him on my lap!! Monday, we headed back home. We had so much fun!



Adon seems to be growing so fast and learning so many things every day. May 27th he rolled over from his back to his tummy for the first time. Here are a bunch of pictures from the month of May. I've posted below a few of my favorites.