Our Simple Day (Lee almost 7 months, Reese 2.5 yrs)

The time change was yesterday (fall back) and so Lee started crying around 6 this morning, instead of his usual 7. I rolled out of bed, crossed the hallway to his room to scoop him into my arms and quickly return to plop back under the covers andfeed Lee. About 30 minutes later, I heard Reese's doorknob twist, and in a few seconds she was next to my bed, giggling with glee when she saw Lee, saying "Kiss Lee, kiss Lee," so I hoisted her into bed with us. The hoot-nanny was short lived, with two squirming, squealing children ready to begin their day, so today I got up and robed and let Dillon snooze a wee bit longer.

After changing a couple of diapers, opening the curtains, and letting the dogs out, I scrambled up an egg while Lee bounced in his bouncy seat. I was suddenly inspired and so decided that today would be the day to take potty training by storm. After a breakfast of yogurt and eggs (for Reese), (english muffin and egg for myself), we watched a show on Netflix (we got rid of cable 2 days ago) while I drank my tea and texted with Mama. I informed her of my big decision (potty training) and received the encouragement I craved.

We sent Dillon to work with leftovers for lunch and a kiss, put Lee in his sleep sack and down for a nap (at about 730), then Reese and I took a quick bath. I remembered a book I had been wanting, checked the library site and they had it, so I decided we would run by the library before our playdate.

Getting us dressed, Lee up and fed, diaper bag packed and out the door always feels like victory, so once on the road we jammed to 'Oh Happy Day' (per Reeses request). She did the motions and sang loudly (thanks to Kidventure, our kids Sunday morning program, she knows lots of songs by heart now). Lee, our happy and quiet baby, didnt make a peep as we drove along, as is typical.

Once at the library, we first made a beeline for the potty (success, until the automatic toilet flushed and Reese lurched off in fear) then headed upstairs and passed time roaming the aisles, Lee happy in the Ergo. We got a text from Alicia after a bit, saying they were home from the store and ready for us, so we made one last bathroom stop then got back in the car.

At Alicias, Reese and Anna quickly started playing and I laid out a blanket for Lee. Both girls shared and were sweet to each other which is more than I could say a few months ago, so it was nice to catch up with Alicia while they played picnic and Lee rolled around grabbing everything in sight. He rolls and chews. He sits up well with supervision.

Pretty soon it was time to eat so Reese hugged Anna and we made the short drive back to our house where I quickly slapped together a PB&J for Reese then fed Lee on the couch, just like we do most days. Reese sits at the table and eats while Lee nurses and me and her talk. When she finished we made a potty break again, put Lee to bed and then Reese. They both nap from about 1230-330 on average.

During their nap I boiled some chicken for dinner (poppyseed chicken casserole), then made several annoying calls to my Ob dr, then insurance, and after an hour finally had the information I needed. A little down time, then Reese was up at 3. She was Not happy to put on her panties and threw a tantrum when I took her diaper off. To deal, I offerred a snack and show which was effective, and I was able to non-chalantely slip her panties on her while Strawberry Shortcake played. Soon Lee was up so I fed him in his room while Reese finished her show.

Reese (peering out the window) screamed to let me know Toby was outside so we scrambled to get our coats and shoes on and soon joined him out front. Lee and I sat in the back of the car and watched the two of them take turns in pulling each other in the wagon. The sun was setting quickly and Lee started rubbing his eyes so we all headed in to finish up dinner prep and lay Lee down for a quick evening nap, then back out front to play with Toby a bit more until Daddy came home.

I filled Dillon in on all the insurance excitement (we MIGHT get $300 back, for an incorrect charge) then inside to all eat dinner where we all talked about our days. Then Dillon went to wake Lee up (Lee would sleep til morning if we let him!). Dillon played with the kids on the floor while I cleaned up dishes, then we all played. Lots of climbing pillows, london bridge, "Curd City" (a game Dillon invented in which he holds Lee and chases Reese- drooling or "curding" on her). Reese requested a fire (but neither Dillon or I wanted one) so I sent them all to Reeses room, turned out all the lights in the house and lit a candle in the middle  of a circle of pillows, then we all sat around it. Reese was pleased.

Soon it was bedtime. I nursed Lee in the rocker in his room, lots of kisses then down for the night. When I emerged Reese was eating a bit more of her dinner from earlier then Dillon took her to room for  books and then I joined them for prayers and kisses. Reese requested I stay and tickle her so I obliged, but just for a few seconds. We praised her for NOT ONE accident all day! So glad I didnt rush the potty training and waited til I was ready.

Now we are sitting on the coach in our usual form, and will likely either start an episode of Parenthood or Breaking Bad when I finish this.

This is a typical day, one that is more fulfilling than a blog can capture!

A couple of days ago was Halloween so here is a picture of my Olaf and Elsa

Life with Lee

Lee is 4 months old and we love our Lee Roy with all our hearts! Some tidbits:

-Still getting up at night, and sleeping in our bed. I know we need to break this habit eventually but right now I'm savoring these sweet newborn moments and keeping it all in perspective.

-Loves to jump around his bouncy seat. This has been a lifesaver now that he is strong enough to hold his head up. He jumps around while I cook/clean/etc

-In the mornings he lays in bed with us and jabbers away while he chews on his hands.

-He smiles more than any baby I know. If you make eye contact with him while he is crying , he will stop fussing and smile! He often gets so excited if someone smiles at him that his little head wobbles all around and he gets a huge cheesy grin.

-Reese loves to tickle his tummy or feet and kisses him constantly. If he fusses while we are driving she tells him "there there Lee". She calls him Lee Roy and it cracks us up.

-Takes a couple of morning naps (since he wakes up around 6am thanks to his noisy big sis). Him and Reese both take long afternoon naps and that's pretty much what gets me through each day

Rocky Mountain Vacation 2014

We recently returned from a fabulous vacation, just the Ferguson Four. ‘Twas our first holiday away and it was truly fabulous, and left us wishing for just one more day, as the best trips always do. Because of our proximity to the Rockies, it just made sense for that to be our destination this year. Once we made that decision, the rest fell into place. We heard about a special offer for pastors at the YMCA Estes Park and so a few months ago I made us reservations for 2 nights there, knowing it was risky but would hopefully be worth it (traveling with an infant and 2 year old that is). We decided to also stay 1 night in Denver as well, because why not?

Monday morning we woke early, Dillon dropped the dogs off at the vet, then we loaded up and were on the road by 830. I packed a snack bag of granolas, bananas, and suckers for back-up. We had the ipad fully charged with a new show for Reese, and Lee was in a milk-drunk sleep. Dillon and I exchanged a nervous glance and settled in for the 7 hour drive.

This is where I must stop to thank the good Lord above for blessing us with a miracle of miracles. We only had to stop once (for lunch/to feed Lee) and neither child cried once on the whole drive. There or back. Glory was ours!

The drive was actually really enjoyable. Dillon and I chatted the first couple of hours and enjoyed the scenery- rolling green hills and pastures of antelope. We crossed into Wyoming and shortly after stopped at Subway for some grub/diaper changes/to feed Lee. The second half of the drive we listened to ‘In the Garden of Beasts’ on audio (true story of an American family living in Germany during the rise of Hitler-fascinating!). The Rocky Mountains came into sight to the west and we started to get excited! We pulled into Denver around 315, found our hotel downtown (The Ramada). It was a decent price and a mediocre hotel in a slightly sketchy part of town. Reese immediately jumped around on the bed and it began to feel like vacation.

We freshened up and set out on the street. A storm was brewing but we were determined, briskly walking the smelly and nasty streets, finally reaching our destination, the state capitol. A few obligatory photos were snapped, and then we stopped in for dinner at our favorite, Panera Bread (a must since we hadn’t set foot in one since leaving Dallas). When our food came, Reese lifted her glass and we all said ‘Cheer!’ to lovely meal. On our way back to the hotel we passed by The Molly Brown house (a famous passenger from the Titanic) as well as a beautiful cathedral. Once back in our hotel fatigue set in and after giving Reese a long bath, we decided to get ready for bed.

And this is where I pause to acknowledge the torture that is sharing a room with your children. Our kiddos- delightful by day, turkey-butts by night. Mainly just the toddler. Every night, the lights would turn off and the battle would begin. For an hour she vascilated between crying for ‘bunny blanky’ whom we had foolishly decided not take, and jumping around her bed hyper. Finally Dillon was able to negotiate her to sleep.

Tuesday morning Reese was up around 6, so then we were all up. Quick showers were taken and our car loaded up, and we were at Panera Bread (again) for breakfast by 8. After coffee (for Dillon) and tea for myself, we were refreshed and ready for adventure at the Denver Zoo, arriving just at it opened, and thus securing front row parking. We slathered with sunscreen, put on our hats, rented a wagon and set foot to the trail.

 The highlight of the Zoo, and debatably the entire trip, occurred in the gorilla quarters. We entered the dark room and Dillon set Reese down on a ledge in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window. A small crowd surrounded us, and we all peered upon two huge silverback gorillas who were sitting against the back wall of their enclosure. One them fiddled mindlessly with a large plastic trashcan/barrel. Suddenly… he stood and THREW the trashcan aside with rage and CHARGED full speed ahead straight for Reese! Most of us gasped and nearly everyone leapt away from the window as you might see when people are fleeing from a bomb or explosion, including terrified Reese who turned  her back and dove off the rim just as the massive beast threw his body into the plexi-glass. Dillons parent-instincts set it before mine did and he was there to catch Reese mid-fall before she crashed, while I stood frozen watching the whole thing unfold. After catching our breaths, everyone nervously laughed and I turned to Reese who was clinging (rightly so) to her Daddy and visibly shaking. A few people commented how they couldn’t believe she didn’t cry, and wouldn’t you know, after we left that exhibit, she requested to back again.

After that excitement we were ready for some normal zoo shenanigans that didn’t involve heart-stopping attacks, so we hopped on the little train, and went on to see the zebras, tigers, elephants and giraffes. The trusty wagon served us well and the plentiful trees provided enough shade that we had barely worked up a sweat by the end. We had heard mixed reviews about the Denver Zoo but we both commented how impressed we were- it was not too big or too small and we saw every animal you could think of. All in all, a morning well spent, though by this point, we were ready to leave the city and head for those mountains!

Of course we stopped for lunch at our beloved Chick-Fil-A (another dearly missed joint that Rapid City lacks) where we filled up on nuggets and waffle fries and let Reese play for a bit before getting back in the car. The road we took from Denver into Estes was less direct than we could have gone, but the views proved to be worth it. Clear blue skies provided the backdrop for the snow capped mountains that grandly welcomed us. We wound our way through the hills and finally arrived at YMCA Estes Park. I commented that it felt a bit like ‘Dirty Dancing’, in that there were activities going on all around us (tennis courts, people flying kites, large recreational fields and playgrounds). Dillon checked us in and we unpacked into Emerald Lodge, our home for the next two nights.

 We decided to explore the grounds- Reese played on the playground while we relished in the mountain air, and then headed onto dinner. One of the perks of our package was all of our meals were included. We filed in the dining hall among other lodgers and youth campers. It felt a little like summer camp, which in this case was not a bad thing! After dinner Dillon and Reese went to the indoor pool to burn some energy while Lee and I relaxed in the room (I was able to do a little pleasure reading to my delight). After they got back they washed up and we all walked down to the main lodge, and Dillon suggested we get an ice cream treat and eat it on the large porch that overlooks the whole camp. It was then that he commented that life doesn’t get much better than this. I couldn’t have agreed more! The sun was setting and there we sat, looking out at this beautiful creation with our two beautiful babies.

The next morning we were at the cafeteria right at 7 where we filled up before heading to Rocky Mountain National Park, just up the road. Right away we saw cars pulled over so we slowed down, just in time for an elk to walk right in front of our car. As we drove up to Bear Lake we passed a green pasture with a creek winding through it and we pulled over so I could snap a photo. Once at the base of the trail we snapped on our baby carriers, I with Lee in the Bjorn and Dillon with the backpack for Reese. We quickly realized that we were in for a strenuous journey uphill. It proved to be most difficult and when we reached Nymph Lake we decided to turn and go back. It was a beautiful morning, lots of people on the trails and even though we were fatigued, it was so nice to be together amidst the mountains.

After the hike we drove through town just for fun, before heading back to YMCA where grabbed a quick lunch. We then went to the craft house to paint a piece of pottery- Reese chose a penguin and I selected an ornament. Reese was surprisingly enamored with the whole process and painted for about 30 minutes with Dillon, while Lee napped. Around 130 we all went back to our room and got in a good 1.5 hour nap. We all woke afresh and ready for our next activity, fishing. We drove to the small pond at the park entrance and spread a blanket out while Dillon got his reel ready. Unfortunately our adventure was short-lived because Dillons line broke, but we still enjoyed ourselves. We decided to eat out in the city that night, and I had read in Fodors that Eds Cantina had great Mexican food. It did not disappoint, and we were both especially thrilled that the food was spicy- a rare find in South Dakota. Dillon got Buffalo tacos, and I got fajitas. Afterwards we strolled down the main street, weaving in and out of cute boutiques and art galleries along the river. Reese was thrilled when we came upon a section of sand for playing in. It was a lovely evening. We finally drove back to camp, and walked down to continue the tradition from the night before, and each ate an ice cream treat and talked about the day. Reese took a long bath and by then we were all exhausted and ready for bed.

Thursday we loaded up the car, grabbed breakfast and hit the road. It was bittersweet- of course we are never ready for vacations to end, but we were so grateful to have found such an oasis, and already planning to go next summer. The drive home was fairly uneventful- we listened to the USA vs Germany game on the radio, stopped for lunch at a Subway in Wyoming, and ended the drive with a bang… Reese had a huge blowout as we drove into town, so we pulled over and changed her on the back trunk of the car.

It was overall a surprisingly easy trip to pull off, and I’m so glad we were able to make it happen! 

Reese Turns 2

Way before Reese'e birthday, before Lee was born, Dillon and I went back and forth on if we would be up for throwing Reese a birthday party. We knew we would have a newborn and that timing would be stressful. As May 3rd inched closer and closer I started to realize that while circumstances weren't ideal, I would truly regret it if we didn't throw our little girl a little celebration. I also knew that both sets of grandparents would be in town and on the scene to help pull it all together. In fact, they basically did everything!

We of course had to have a theme- and given several choices, Reese chose a Mickey Mouse party. We had lots of red balloons, Mickey plates and cups and passed out mouse ears to everyone.

My mom shopped for the party favors and we assembled the bags the night before the party. The morning of the party my in-laws picked up the cake. Dillon and my dad blew up lots of balloons (using the air compressor) and my father in law decorated our chalkboard. My mom and Brenda took turns entertaining Reese and Lee while I got the house in order. It was a team effort!

We kept the food situation simple: Grilled hot dogs, fruit and chips. The guests started trickling in right at 11 and the weather was decent enough that the kids were able to play out back or go down to the basement and jump on the trampoline (Dillon and I's gift to her). The birthday girl did so good! She had been up early that morning so we were anticipating a melt down but it never happened. She shared her new trampoline and was kind to all her little friends. I was so proud when she blew out her candles (after much difficulty since her dad accidently used the trick candles!).

It was a sweet day with our little girl and I'm so thankful for her life, her family and friends.

The Here and Now

As life gets back into a semi-normal routine, I am emerging from the enveloping fog that is life with a newborn. Slowly, the dust is settling and the new begins to take shape. 

Just last night I branched out and left Dillon with a bottle of pumped milk to pick up a girlfriend for the movies ('Moms Night Out' ironically enough). And today we (me and youngins) made a successful (as evidenced by no melt downs and out in an hour) trip to Kohls where I purchased a few new tops (our schedule isnt the only thing that has changed since Lee was born- hello jelly roll).

Essentially I am realizing, as I did with Reese, that although daunting at first, I can do this! It is all a balancing act of course and I don't mean to say I can do it all- but I am realizing I can still do most normal activities, just in a different way. Such a freeing realization indeed. 

Lee is a sweetheart. He sleeps best when he is cuddling or on the go, he eats well and somewhat routinely and gets lots of kisses from Reese. He started smiling about a week ago and is becoming more alert. 2 weeks ago he was baptized by his daddy and both sets of grandparents witnessed the special moment. 

Reese is so old to me now! I can't get over the fact that we can now carry on a conversation together. She can ask me questions, put on her shoes, pick out her clothes, brush her teeth- she seems especially mature now that she is a big sister, a sweet and loving one at that.

While winters in Rapid City aren't necessarily my favorite thing ever (to put it nicely), I do so love the anticipation of summer in the Black Hills. Dare I say, the cold is almost worth it when finally at long last, the warm sun kisses my skin as we hike through the pine trees amid turkey or bighorn sheep or gaze upon a herd of bison roaming the plains at Custer Park. Pactola and Sylvan lake lay sparkling in the hills waiting for a dip. The creek by our house flows with life as fly fishers cast their lines from dawn til dusk. Mount Rushmore sits proudly atop the rolling hills, a beacon that takes my breath away every time we round the corner just past Keystone and George Washingtons profile comes into view. My summer bucket list is more like a summer barrel list (cheesy grin). This land is perhaps moving up in my book as one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

So there you have it- these are (but a few) of the (ordinary yet precious) elements making up the Ferguson Adventures, a life I love and thank God for every day!

Thankful

The first week of little Lee's life, my parents stayed with us and it.was.awesome.

You see, our firstborn is an early riser (a few minutes before 6 a.m is her usual wake up). It just so happens that my dad (Boo) is also an early bird. So every morning, Reese would wake up and Boo would take her. I *almost* wish I had gotten up with them just so I could be a fly on the wall. Apparently they watched 'Strawberry Shortcake' while my dad drank his coffee, or they played tea party in the basement. 

My mom would get up shortly after and Im not entirely sure of everything she took care of, but I know she had the laundry going around the clock, breakfast ready, Reese fed, and the kitchen cleaned up by the time we awoke. Dillon and I got glorious sleep that week that they were here, not rolling out of bed until 8:30 most days. 

They also took care of all the meals (spaghetti, steak, baked chicken mmm) and the most priceless gift of all was that they took Reese out for an activity every day. Reese likes to GO- so thats what they did. They went to Reptile Gardens, Cabellas, Burger King, the mall, Sioux Park, Qdoba, Gymnastics. This gave Dillon and I lots of time to soak up the sweet time with our newborn and not feel overwhelmed. They also helped us take a few family photos- stressful for them I'm sure haha! So thankful!!!

Already excited for their next visit!

Lee's Birthday

Monday April 7th I had my 39 week appointment, and my doctor told me that I was 2.5 cm dilated, but that I had a good chance of being pregnant at least another week. At this point Dillon and I took his words with a grain of salt because 2 years ago my doctor in Dallas told me almost the exact same prediction and was proven wrong 2 days later.

Well, early Wednesday morning April 9th I had some contractions. They went away but I still felt a little anxious and 'off'. I had originally planned to go to the park with Reese but we ended up watching movies all morning and then playing out back on the swing set (photo below), as I think my body was telling me to just stay home and take it easy. I had been texting with my parents all morning and let them know I had had some minor contractions and so Mimi decided to hop on the earliest flight she could, 'just in case'. She had originally been planning to come Thursday the 10th and stay until baby was born, so that she could watch Reese while we were at the hospital.

3pm rolled around and my contractions came back. They were coming intermittently, so I texted Dillon just to let him know. He texted me shortly after that he was headed home. After about an hour, my contractions were consistent enough that I realized I was, in fact, in labor. The pain remained bearable for the next couple of hours and I labored at home- initially I did not want to speed things up because I wanted Mimi to arrive before we went to the hospital so I just sat around while Reese and Dillon played. Around 5 or 6 pm the pain began to increase and I walked around a bit and Dillon got Reese fed and bathed. My plan had been to labor at home until my contractions were 2 to 3 minutes apart for an hour. Dillon informed me that he would prefer to go to the hospital when they were closer to 3 or 4 minutes apart. Our back up sitter for Reese was our friend Tina and she was having a wine party that evening, but had been texting with Dillon and made it clear that she would come over as soon as needed.

Around 630 I decided we better have Tina come over, since Mimi wouldn't be landing til 8 and my pain was intensifying. She arrived within 15 minutes and before she came  Dillon and I took Reese into our room and explained that we were going to be going away but would be right back, and that Miss Tina and Mimi were coming to spend time with her. When Tina arrived Reese cried and clung to Dillon and I quickly went to the car as another contraction was coming. Tina texted right away that as soon as we left Reese was fine and we both felt better. On the way to the hospital my contractions were super painful- it seemed that every bump made my contractions last longer and stronger. Dillon, in rare form, ran a light since no one was around, and as soon as he did we saw a sheriff but apparently he didnt see us!

We parked and scurried into the ER where it took what seemed like sweet forever for the receptionist to get us checked in. Eventually, a nurse came and wheeled me back to Labor and Delivery. The nurse got me situated with the monitors and checked me- only to inform me that I was dilated to a mere 4 cm! I was so discouraged at this point. She called my doctor and they decided to admit me, to my relief, and took me to the delivery room. It was around this time (730ish-8ish) that I really felt confused and anxious. Based on my last labor, I knew that there was a chance that if I got the epidural it would not be effective. With Reese, I got the epidural around 5 cm and then labored painfully in bed for the next 22 hours, unable to walk. I didn't want that to happen this time around, and yet I did not feel I could handle much more pain. Dr. Diehl came in briefly and expressed that he thought I should try for the epidural. He also offered to break my water but I declined. Shortly after, the on-call doctor, Dr. Fredrickson, came in and explained that in many cases the epidural can actually speed up labor and encouraged me to get it. So, we went ahead and called for the anesthesiologist.

He arrived and requested to look at my back. As soon as he did he exclaimed "Oh no!" He went on to explain that my scar might make it impossible to give me the epidural. At this point Dillon interjected "Well, they were able to give her one in Dallas." The anesthesiologist decided to give it a go, and within a few minutes, to my sheer delight, the epidural took and I felt nothing! This was around 930 pm. Dillon and I decided to get comfy and try to get a little rest. Unfortunately, little Lee was moving around so much that the nurse came in about every 15 minutes over the next couple of hours to reposition the monitors so our sleep was minimal.

Close to midnight, the nurse informed us that my water had broken. I was really encouraged at this point and feeling a little euphoric that I was progressing so well and not feeling any pain. Around this time there was a nurse switch. When the new nurse came in, Dillon asked if they were going to check me, since I hadnt been checked since being admitted. At first the nurse seemed hesitant but decided to go ahead... and then she looked at me with big eyes and said I was fully dilated! We coulnd't believe it. She got the room ready for delivery. She then explained that she wanted me to give a push to see how close I was to delivering, so I gave a little push and she screamed 'STOP!' and hurried to call the doctor, explaining that this baby was about to come out. The doctor arrived shortly after and literally 3 pushes later, at exactly 2 a.m on Thursday April 10th, baby Lee was born. He immediately had a strong cry and was clinging tightly to his umbilical cord.

The rest is history! Lee has been eating well, sleeping well (or as expected for a newborn) and Reese has assumed her role as big sister with more love than we could have hoped for. My parents left today after a week long stay that was such a blessing to us. More on that later! Here are a few pictures that we snapped yesterday.

Preparing for Lee

Dillon and I decided over two years ago (when pregnant with Reese) that one of our favorite boy names was Lee. It is my dad's middle name and we both liked the simplicity of it, as well as the fact that it is a pretty uncommon name. So when we learned that we were expecting a little boy this time, that name came to our mind again. We chose Ehren (pronounced like the more common Aaron) for his middle name, after Dillons middle name.

This pregnancy has been similar in many ways to Reese's. No morning sickness, similar weight gain (unfortunately haha!) and no major complications along the way. However, it has flown by this time! And I have a toddler who kisses my belly frequently. I find myself in these last few days/weeks feeling a little shocked that Lee is almost here. I wanted to document a few things before his big debut.

On March 6th my sweet friends Amanda and Alisha here threw me a shower. My mom flew in for it and stayed through the weekend. It was the sweetest time with some of my close mom friends- we munched on fruit pizza and decorated blocks for Lee. I am so thankful for them and the way that they blessed us and Lee!

My parents have once again given us so much! My mom sewed Lee's curtains and had the sweetest little bear made, and gave us the giraffe art for his room. I love the way it has come together. I can't bring myself to move our green glider out of Reese's room since that is where we read to her each night, but once Lee consistently sleeps in his room at night I will probably make the switch. For now we put in an extra wicker chair we already had. It is so crazy to see a closet full of boy clothing- something tells me I have no idea what is in store with a baby boy!

We are now in the home stretch. I have a few twinges of sadness when I think about the time with just me and Reese ending, but I mostly feel ready and excited for this new chapter to begin! I know we are giving Reese such a gift and I feel she is ready for the change. She already shows such affection towards her little brother, I can't wait to see them grow together.