24 Weeks - Grandpa & Cindy's Reception

Apparently, I forgot to get pics off my camera from last week so here are a couple I missed that I thought deserved to be posted...

These are MY blankies...

 

 Who knew My Little Ponies were so funny (video)  Henry & Bevin know all the cool tricks!

This was a big day for Jamison!  I cannot believe I forgot to post this last week.  Love this little mama bear :)

On to week 24 - the last week of having a 5 month old.  That means we're almost half way to 1...that thought literally stopped me dead in my tracks.

7-19-2013 - Finally got him rolling over on video!

7-20-2013 - Part 2 of Grandpa & Cindy get married...the reception!  I failed miserably at taking pictures, but in my defense I had my hands full.  Henry got asked to play in the All Star tournament for baseball (his team finished 2nd - way to go Henry!) so he played 4 games on Saturday starting at 8am and the last one at 5:30pm...a lot for a 7 year old.  To help Amy & Matt out, my mom brought the twins to me from the games and Kiel & I took them to the reception.

All I could think was...why am I the only 1 awake?

Quinn road with us to the reception so sassy pants in the back here was unusually quiet and very serious

On to the party!

 Lost shaker of salt!

(don't let him fool you...Sam loved every minute of this embarrassing scene!)

Twinkies in purple!

 Congrats again Dad & Cindy!  Love you!

7-21-2013 - After pretending to be 21 again and staying out too late for dad's reception, I got up early Sunday morning and took Jase on his first trip to St Louis to Suzy's baby shower!  Baby D should be making her appearance anytime in the next few weeks so I'm really glad we got down there to see mama while preggo.  Jase was already flirting with his future wife....

 

We crashed at Nicole & Kyle's where Kyle & Jase had some tv time together

 

7-22-2013 - We also stopped in Mascoutah to see Kelly & Baby Boy S (due in December) before heading home, but I failed to get pictures again.  Thanks for a great weekend ladies!  Always a great time catching up...can't wait to do it again in a few months when we finally get to meet Baby D!  Then again for Baby S's shower & his appearance!  Babies everywhere!

 7-23-2013 -Not so sure about this thing...

7-24-2013 -The changing table is still a favorite spot & it seems even cooler now that he can sit up on it!

 7-25-2013 - ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

  Getting ready for bed.  Look at that belly!!!!  He's changed so much in the last week it's unbelievable!

-Nicole

23 Weeks

So much for being caught up on the blog.  Where is the time going?  Seems like every time I turn around another week has gone by...I just can't keep up!

Forgot this video from last week...I think he wanted out.

After the family vaca post, 23 weeks is going to seem pretty uneventful.  We'll be back at 24 weeks with more excitement!

7-12-13 - Not a morning person

7-13-13 - Uncle Matt & Aunt Amy went to a Cubs game on Friday so I had another adventurous night with all the kiddos!  Jase stayed with dad so as soon as the 3 musketeers were up, we headed into town for breakfast and to get home to see my boy.

 After the Brummel's headed home, Kiel & I had our first night out alone since Jase was born.  Thanks Grammy Diane for babysitting :)

7-16-13 - Playing with Grandpa

7-17-13 - We're sitting up!  Hard not to be excited, but even harder not to be sad about how fast this is going!

7-18-13 - Met Grammy Diane & Papa Mark for dinner and Jase was flirting with the waitresses.  Even a manager came over to check out our cute boy :)

This pumpkin seat is for the birds...starting to try and sit up to see around it.  Gotta be in on the action!

-Nicole

Parenting Decisions

There are 2 things you're not supposed to blog about, so I've been told...politics & religion.  Personally, I try to avoid these topics even in every day conversation because while I feel everyone is entitled to their own opinion and way of life, not everyone feels that way.  I'm breaking the rules this week...

I was baptized and went through first communion as Methodist, but I haven't gone to church regularly since high school and in all honesty, that doesn't really bother me.  I've never had the overwhelming feeling that I need to go to church to express my religious opinions/feelings.  I don't feel I'm less of a Christian just because I can't quote scripture or tell you what last Sundays sermon was about.  I can pray, honor, or talk to God whenever I want...I don't feel I have to be in a church pew to do that.  I disagree with a lot of the "rules" religion comes with and it's sometimes hard for me to put those feelings aside.  But, as I get older, I've realized those feelings may just be excuses not to have to get up early on a Sunday...it is what it is. 

Kiel was baptized Catholic, but never went to CCD classes or received his first communion and like me has not attended church regularly since he has been out on his own.  I think our families would agree they wish we would have taken church a little more seriously, but I also think they understand it wasn't with ill intention that it fell to the wayside.  Kiel & I share a lot of the same opinions when it comes to rules of the church and how we feel about attending on a regular basis.  Unfortunately, like everything else in our lives, this really isn't about us anymore.

We've accepted the responsibility of raising a tiny human and teaching him about the world.  It isn't enough that we have to feed and clothe him for the next 18 years, we also have taken on the responsibility of shaping the man he will turn into.  No biggie.  The way Kiel and I react to situations, will forever effect this little man we have created.  Every time we use the phrases, "I don't like this" or "I won't do that" or "I'm not going there" he will form an opinion about that subject (religious or not) and take it with him as he grows.  He will watch how we treat people and each other and he will use our actions as building blocks for his own social interactions.  As adults, we come to form our own opinions on the world, sometimes separate from those who taught us, but at our core we are the people our parents taught us to be.  As I started to realize this, I started to think about taking Jase to church.  Not for God, or to appease anyone in our families, or even myself, but solely for Jase.  He deserves the opportunity to learn different religions, the science of evolution,  and to absorb everything both of these ways of life have to offer.  I've realized in the last few months that attending church isn't just about worshiping God.  Church teaches manners (there's a time to be quiet when you're small and when you're grown), about community, family, and friendship.  It gives us the opportunity to learn about selflessness and self worth, and allows us to embrace the possibility that having faith in something you can't see or touch can be good for your soul.  It forces us to take an hour each week to put everything aside and just be present which is often hard to do.  Church can be a healing tool when a child experiences his/her first death or even birth.  Church is time for family, which was always a part I enjoyed.  All that being said...I truly believe that if we never took Jase to church, but gave him the resources to be a good person and lead a good fulfilling life, he would still grow up to be an amazing man. 

I know I'm rambling.  Religion intimidates me.  It has too many rules, too many pressures.  It has become too judgmental.   

Where I was really going with this was what we've decided to do about Jase's baptism.  I struggled with making the decisions of getting him baptized at all, choosing between Methodist and Catholic, and if it was even worth having to force Kiel to get up and attend church with us.  I didn't want to be making such a big decision on my own.  Jase needs both of us to support each other in this decision and work together to make church a part of life not just something mom makes him do :-/  I'm coming to terms with the fact that this will be a process.  As much as I wanted to just snap my fingers and have church be part of our routine, that's not realistic.  10+ years without attending regularly does not an eager church goer make.  Together, Kiel & I have decided to attend the Methodist Church in Pontiac and we've gone a handful of times in the last couple of months.  It was important to us to attend and feel comfortable in the church (regardless of denomination) before we made the decision to baptize him there in order to ensure we will actually continue to attend regularly at least semi-regularly after his baptism. 

So we met with Reverend Ray tonight about his baptism (scheduled for Sunday, August 4th) and I feel even better about our decision.  I was nervous there would be questions about us not being married, but he never even mentioned it.  I was nervous there would be questions about why we hadn't been going to church regularly...not a word.  He put me completely at ease when he said "we are people of free will and we decide how to honor God in our own terms."  I did not feel judged, I did not feel pressured.  I felt he, like us, was just excited to have this new life to love and cherish.  And the biggest thing is, Kiel felt the same way.  We will not shove religion down Jase's throat, but I think it's important to at least give him an introduction to it with an open mind and heart.

And if one day he comes to us and tells us it's all a bunch of bull...I will be proud he listened and then decided for himself.

-Nicole

 

22 Weeks - Ozarks

Jase has officially been on his first vacation!   

We were invited to stay at Evan's in-laws house on Lake of the Ozarks and while it took pulling some strings at work, we worked it out to go.  So glad we did!  While I feel like I say this in every post, it never really gets old...Jase was a rockstar!  You'd never have known he'd never been in the car longer then 45 min or stayed anywhere other then home.  We are VERY spoiled parents.
 
Kiel had to work Friday morning (July 5) so Jase & I got everything packed up and headed to meet him in Bloomington around 1.  For a first time mom, going on her first vacation with a 5 mo old (with a kid period) for 3 days and 3 nights, I think I did pretty well not going overboard with the packing...Kiel disagrees lol

 
We stopped once to check Jase's diaper in fear he blew it out...false alarm.  Whew!  And then about an hour after that to feed him.  It took us about 6 hours which is pretty dang good if you ask me!  By the time we got there around 6:45pm he was HUN-GRY!  We didn't do much that night as everyone was getting ready to eat when we got there so by the time dinner was cleaned up, we got a tour, and got our stuff settled in, it was time for bed.  I felt a little silly taking the monitors, but am glad I did as they made it super easy to put him down inside and still enjoy the great weather we had.  Jase slept all night as usual and even let us sleep until after 7 the first day (rocked it!).  

Saturday, Janelle & I went for a walk and came back to Owen dressed & ready to head down to the dock

We spent the day outside on the dock & floating in the water getting mama some much needed sun (sad how pasty I still am even after 2 days).

The heat really wore the J man out.  He took a 2.5 hour nap in the morning and another in the afternoon.  No one objected.  

We went for a boat ride at night and Jase slept through most of it :)

Kiel & Evan were sent into town for ice and came back with fireworks so we had a good show.  Not sure how much the neighbors appreciated it, but it was pretty! 

Sunday morning, Jase woke us up at 5:30am (very unlike him), but went back to sleep in our bed until 8am so I wasn't really complaining!

The boys fished off the dock and found out Owen is not afraid of fish...

Kiel had never been on a jet ski before so after lunch while Jase was napping, we took Gary's out for a spin and ended up in the lake.  haha 

Jase spent some more time in the blow up pool they have for Owen & Jack and he LOVED it! 

Went for a family paddle boat ride...

While I can't keep up with the boys anymore, I did get to enjoy a few vacation cocktails thanks to my awesome sleeper :) 

Lots of pics of Jase & Jack together...

Took another ride in the big boat later in the day.  Didn't get another pic, but the minute the boat started, our boy was fast asleep :)

 
Another good night of sleep and it was already time to pack up and head home.  Everyone headed out and Kiel & I headed into town to check out the strip of little shops.  Next time I'd like to make some time to walk around, it's a cute little town. 

We stopped in Pittsfield at a bow shop where a guy Kiel & Evan know works.  It was a good stopping point to change pants and have a snack.  Fun Fact:  Pittsfield is in Pike County which is "God's Country" aka good hunting (rolls eyes).   

Big thanks to the Hoffman's and the Henkel's for inviting us down and to the J man for being so laid back.  Mom & Dad sure appreciated the weekend away and if vacations continue like this, I think we're in for a lot of good ones.

-Nicole