Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Home.
Well, we've been home since Monday evening, but we all know how time passes by. A home to get back in shape (not that R.Jay didn't do a great job keeping up with things - much to my delight), a disheveled baby to get back to her "norm", and my tear-inducing migraine to battle. Enough excuses...
Our big surprise trip was wonderful. My sister and Joe had churches to visit in Maryland this past weekend and decided to spend the week with family before heading up to the churches that support them as missionaries. So, the babe and I were asked to tag along. A chance to have my family see Annabelle? How could I say no!? My parents knew Heidi & Joe were coming, but kept it from the kids. No one knew Annabelle and I would walk through the door and you can imagine the screams and tears.
Annabelle was terrific. The 12+ hour drive went smoothly. She even slept better and more scheduled at my parents then she does here (and I thought that wasn't possible). We ate at fun restaurants, shopped with my mom, visited the kids school and mom's work, and played a whole lot in between. We had a blast. We were even able to visit one of the churches in Maryland that support Heidi & Joe (an all black church with a fantastic choir - very cool.). Annabelle had her first hotel visit there, and once again did exceptional.
Now we're home. And happy. We missed R.Jay way too much and he's taking every chance to squeeze his much-missed girls now. Days like today are what I always thought of when picturing being a mom. Cozy inside, safe from the snow and wind and biting cold. A clean home, laundry humming. Snuggling my sweet girl as she rubs my face and we drift off to sleep. I love being Annabelle's mom.
Here are a few pictures from our big adventure:
Here are a few pictures from our big adventure:
Chillin' at Ham's (our favorite restaurant)
Shopping with Grandma Lucy
Hanging out with Aunt Gina
Reading with Uncle Sam.
Being silly with Papa Sergio. (N0, that is not his hand, its my moms. Funny, I know.)
Relaxing with her aunts.
Visiting Grandma's work.
Playing in the stroller Grandma bought her.
Heather Dowling at 2:16 PM
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
We made it! Annabelle and I are in North Carolina!You can't even imagine how fun it was walking through the door and surprising my whole family. What a moment!
Though we miss R.Jay tons and tons, Annabelle and I are enjoying extra hugs and kisses from extra people, games and laughing, and (lets not forget) warmer weather!
Heather Dowling at 8:20 AM
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tagged & Tagging
The Tag has hit me. So here goes 7 random facts!1. When the pillows on my couch aren't facing the right direction or are crooked, it really bugs me. I'm constantly fixing them. Weird, I know.
2. I hardly ever change my earrings. The set of pearls I wear only come out when needing to be cleaned. I just don't have time for/think about accessorizing my jewelery.
3. I think any kind of seafood (besides a tuna fish sandwich - which hardly counts as "seafood") is absolutely disgusting. Though, I wish I enjoyed it for health benefits.
4. As a little girl, I used my moms plastic baggies and permanent markers as pretend overhead projectors and markers while playing "school" in my bedroom. I wanted to be a teacher.
5. I've never broken a single bone in my body.
6. Once, while watching my younger siblings, Rachel called 911 on me. Apparently she disapproved of my discipline and the police officers that showed up got a good laugh.
7. I've never mowed the lawn, or changed a tire, or checked my oil. Those "necessities" were never taught to me. I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to start our lawn mower.
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Here are the rules for the game:
*Link to the person that tagged you
*Post the rules on your blog.
*Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
*Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
*Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.
Heidi, Kim, Randi, Mary, Jacqui, Gina, and Kathy..... you've been tagged!
Heather Dowling at 2:48 PM
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
a THIRD of a year
We've got a 4-month-old. A whole THIRD of a year old. As I type, that little baby woman sits (literally) next to me on the couch, content to chew on her chubby fingers and watch her feet move in front of her. Now and then she looks over at me and gives me a big "hi mom!" smile. What a delight!
She now weighs in at 12lbs. (so much for me trying to guess her weight) and is 24in. long. She's a petite little thing.
She's trying to master the art of 'rolling-over'. So far she's made it onto her side. We'll see how long it takes her to figure out the other half of the roll.
She squeals now too. Not so much a crier, she'll squeal and squeak to get my attention instead. Loudly too. She hums as well. I'm not sure why, but she loves to hear herself hum. Over and over and over.
Christmas Eve night our little bean laughed. Not just a little chuckle, but a full belly laugh. Her first. Since then, she's showed off her belly laughing a whole lot. We're having a whole lot of fun finding ways to hear her giggle.
She still sleeps like a champ. She's down by 10pm and doesn't usually stir until 7 or 8am. Yes, she's still napping fantastically too.
She's really a wonderful baby. That said... that wonderfully baby won't sit for too long, you know. I'm off to get her to giggle...
Heather Dowling at 2:24 PM
Saturday, January 12, 2008
She's starting to look like me! Not just her daddy! How fun is that?Heather Dowling at 10:41 AM
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
thoughts.
Annabelle and I took a walk this afternoon. Her first walk around this sleepy little town. While I never thought her first one would be in January, I'm not complaining. She enjoyed it thoroughly - watching every little detail around her. Content to just sit and ponder- not making a sound. Now she's dozed off after such an adventure. A shocking 60 degree day, like today, is a little gift to get us all through winter.I'm super happy with how the interior of our home is coming along cosmetically. When we first looked at this house back in the summer of '06, I remember leaving with a big "no" directed at my husband's hopeful eyes. Now, you'd never guess you're walking through the same rooms I'd vehemently denied. We have a cute house. I have a talented husband.
I miss my family. After Annabelle's dedication, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have passed without a glimpse of my parents and younger siblings, the sting of their absence from our lives hurts a little more this year. My mom and I are now counting down the weeks until this little family lands itself in North Carolina, for Easter, for 9 whole days. Can you imagine my excitement and lack of patience???
I feel a bit stale, as of late. Like the leftovers in my refrigerator that so badly need to be thrown away. Like my attitude needs new freshness. Like my presence at Church needs new vision. Like my purpose in this home needs to be examined for the benefit of this family. I'm quick to pull out my pity-party-hat and complain of my lack of friends, lack of other stay-at-home-mom companions, lack of my Titus 2 women to show me the way, and lack of opportunity to be everything God desires of me. Then... John 10:14 "I am the Good Shepherd, I KNOW my sheep and my sheep know me..." That's right. God knows my needs. I know Him. I ought to know better. Though I feel stale, God brings the freshness, the newness. A walk with my sweet girl. A late-night, God-filled conversation with my favorite guy. A verse to calm my silly mortal mind. So, instead of staying stale, becoming rotten, I've got some house cleaning to do in my empty heart. I think that is just where He wants me this New Year.
Heather Dowling at 2:25 PM
Friday, January 04, 2008
How'd that happen?
How did January 2008 already approach? How did Annabelle hit 3 1/2 mo. old? And can someone tell me how on earth I've managed to catch another cold in less than a month?We're sick. The babe and I that is. R.Jay never gets sick.
We're busy too. The holiday crunch hasn't quite come to a halt for us yet. I haven't had much time to organize this little house and put my head back on straight. Trips here and there and 'to-do' lists getting longer.
Perhaps next week I'll have time to sit and think about this new year. Maybe next week I'll actually get some sleep (from this horrid cough). Next week I just might have something more productive to write. Then again, that's next week. Who knows what might happen. :)
Heather Dowling at 6:26 PM