Washington Monument

I really enjoyed seeing the monument. It was neat to be able to see it from all over the city. We didn't go inside the monument because we got there right as it was closing. To learn more about the history of the monumnet, click here!






Anyone recognize this place? And do you know what famous movie features a scene filmed here? Theo also informed me that Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech here too. Silly me, and all I was thinking about was the movie. I'll give you a hint....Tom Hanks :) Click on the image to make it larger.

Capitol Hill

For the next several days, I will be sharing photos and our experiences of our trip to our nations capitol. As I have blogged about before, we were able to take a trip there because of a meeting I had to attend. I am on the national PNP exam writing committee. I met several ladies, also PNPs, at this meeting. We had a good time trying to edit test questions and I learned some things too. The meeting was Thursday and Friday. And I must say, my husband was a real trooper. I'm sure it's not easy taking care of a exclusively breastfed baby for 10 hours one day and 8 hours the next! A million thanks to Theo...I couldn't have done this without you!

Once the meeting was over, we had three days to explore the area. Theo's parents came down and spent a few days with us.



It was nice having them there to help entertain Carter. Unfortunately, Olivia and her separation anxiety, prevented her from wanting to have anything to do with anyone other than me, but that's okay. It's just a stage....right? Please tell me it's only a stage!

Saturday, Theo and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. We spent the day sightseeing. D.C. was so cool! I didn't expect it to be that pretty. Everything was so green and the flowers were beautiful.

And the weather was perfect! It seemed like we walked for miles, but when Theo mapquested it out, we only walked about 4 miles. Ughhh! My feet, legs, hips and back were telling me otherwise!!

Our first stop was to see the Captiol Building. It was so neat to see something in person that I have only seen on tv and movies! The only problem was that it was Saturday, no one was there and we couldn't go inside. I didn't mind this too much. But Carter on the otherhand, had a total breakdown because he wanted to go inside! He even tried to make a break for it, ran inside this little tunnel area and was trying to go in. The police outside guarding the building were blowing their whistle at him! I was embarrassed but what can I do? He's 3! So when he started having his meltdown, one of the officers came over and gave him a deputy badge sticker. That made him a little happier!








Next stop, the Washington Monument and suurounding area! Stay tuned for more pictures from our incredible vacation!

8 months old!

This past month has just flown by! It seems like just the other day I was writing about Olivia's seven month old "birthday". In the blink of an eye, she'll be celebrating her one year old birthday and I won't know what to do with myself!

At eight months old, Olivia:

- is finally sitting all the time. She still falls over occassionally but I don't have to sit right next to her every minute.

-is still having major separation anxiety especially while we were out of town this past week but some days it's not so bad

-can say "mamamamama" now but it's only when she's mad

-can recognize and look for daddy when I say "Where's daddy?"

-is still not rolling over that much but we know she can so we're not worried about it

-is still not sleeping through the night. Any advice on this one? I have let her cry it out some but she'll cry for 30 minutes and still not go back to sleep

-is finally going four or five hours between her feddings now with baby food in between. This has been great! I don't feel like I'm tied down as much. And she is still happy so it works out well.

-has hair that grows longer by the minute it seems. I can put some of it in a ponytail.

-still takes two sometimes three naps a day and is on a pretty good schedule (except while we were out of town)

-has been on two trips so far: Louisiana and Washington D.C. and did great on both flights.

-got her first little sunburn while we were in D.C.

-is finally eating baby food pretty well and like most things I give her (except green beans still)

-had her first ear infection a couple of weeks ago and it was AWFUL!!

-loves to grab anything within two feet of her, especially Carter's hair!

-is really a good baby most of the time. We can't imagine our lives without her. She brings so much joy into our lives and we are so blessed to be her parents! We love you Livie :)







I am sorry these aren't the best pictures but Olivia has cried almost every minute that I wasn't holding her today. So I have done a lot of this today (although not always with a smile on my face!!!)

Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms I know. You are all fabulous and I pray each of you has an amazing day. I am missing my mom especially today because this is the first year we haven't celebrated Mother's Day together. But on the flip side, this is the first year Theo has gotten to spend Mother's Day with his mom since the weekened we got married.

The past few days have been pretty crazy and I will blog about them later. I had a professional meeting to go to which went well but really made me miss working. And combined with dealing with cranky children the past few days, I have seriously entertained the idea of going back to work. You all know me! I go back and forth with this constantly. I guess it makes me feel better to at least think about going back to work-even if I am not really going to do it right now. When the days are good, I can't even imagine going back. But when the days are bad, I spend a lot of time trying to figure out ways I can make it work. Obviously Theo's career is the ultimate deciding factor and right now, things are kind of up in the air so I am learning to just be in the moment. I spend so much time planning for a future that I am not even guarenteed instead of just living with what I have today.

But today, I am so thankful I am a mother. I always knew I would be. I always knew I would have a daughter and am equally grateful for the son I have as well. I would not be the same person today if I didn't have children. They are blessings to my life. I definitely have a new appreciation for my own mom after having become a mom myself. Thanks mom for dealing with all of my colic and temper tantrums and everything else!


Moms are spectacular. Whether they work outside the home or stay at home, they are amazing and probably don't get the credit that is due. Motherhood is the most incredible and most challenging thing a person can experience. I have never laughed so much....


or cried so much as I have since becoming a mother. I am proud of (and utterly exhausted from) being a mom! I wouldn't have it any other way.

Six years ago today....

Theo and I became husband and wife. What an amazing day six years ago and what an incredible journey it has been since then. A lot has changed since our fifth wedding anniversary. We survied our first move. We became parents to a beautiful baby girl. Theo changed jobs. The past year has been challenging and exciting all at the same time.

I believe I can speak for both of us when I say our love has grown stronger. I feel like we are finally truly beginning to understand each other. Not that we didn't before, but I feel our relationship (for the most part) is flowing more smoothly now. It's only taken us six years to get to that point! :) I think we know what makes the other tick and ticked off! I am learning to keep my mouth shut about some things. He is learning that what I need the most is just to spend time with him. I am learning to submit to him. He is learning to realize that sometimes I am actually right :) I think we are having a lot more fun now and there is more joy in our relationship. I am honored to be his wife and momma to his children. There is no one else I would rather grow old with and I hope we have another 50 years of wedded bliss!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas summer

I'm really not but it feels like that is where we are heading! I hate to be a grump, but I really am tired of the cold. Really. It was all fine and good during December, January, and February. But it is MAY for crying out loud! I should be wearing shorts and cute sandals right now. Not my winter coat and boots. Sigh.

This weekend seemed like it drug by. Poor Theo, he was scheduled to work 8 hour night shifts Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. But his 8 hour shifts got turned into 12 hours. So he is pretty exhausted. I worry about him driving him all that way when he's been up all night. I always offer to come pick him up from work but so far, he hasn't taken me up on it.

Olivia had a really good week up until yesterday. She cried and screamed a lot yesterday morning but then was great at church. I really feel like the devil was trying to keep us out of church yesterday. But we were already dressed and ready to go. There was no stopping us and I was blessed because I went.

Still trying to figure out what to do in terms of discipline with Carter. He can be so good some moments and then so terrible at other times. Last night, he was mad at me because I wouldn't let him draw all over my journal (again) and he got all red-faced and said in his meanest voice "I'm....gonna break your........feelings!!!!" All I could do was laugh, which initially made him more mad but it helped diffuse the situation more quickly. I just get so worn out with everything being a fight. He has been having major meltdowns about getting dressed. He's never had a problem with it before. I also don't know how to get him to do what we ask of him the first time. I feel like I have to repeat things 20 times before he will actually do it and then he's still whining about doing it! Parenthood is hard work!!

On a lighter note, Theo is off for the next couple of days so I'm looking forward to some family time, especially while he is in between his Master's classes. We are amazed at the favor that is being poured out on Theo's professional life. God is a great God and I'm thankful we have Him on our side. Hope you all have a great week!




(Did you ever watch Family Matters? The one with Steve Urkel? Theo think Carter looks like Little Richie, the little cousin on the show. What do you think?)

Wild Hair Woman (with her wild hair brother)

Talk about bed head! But really, it's all day head :) Olivia and Carter both have the cutest and wildest hair. Seeing them side by side, they are so much alike! When I give Olivia a bath and wash her hair, Carter will laugh and say "I like Olivia's funny curly hair" and I have to remind him that his looks like that too. People are always asking me where they get their curly hair from. I always smile and say from their daddy! But an older lady saw us all at the grocery store a few weeks ago and said "Well, there daddy doesn't have a curl on his head!". I said he probably would if he let it grow out. I didn't know how else to respond :) Most biracial children have curly hair and I never expeceted my children to be any different. I love their hair but hope I can tame Olivia's when she's older. Theo keeps asking if Olivia will be mad at him for giving her curly hair when she's older. I told him people pay big bucks to have beautiful hair like hers :)