Shirts for the Boys

I have been dealing with NESTING like crazy lately! I can't really do anything yet with the room because first we have to paint. I can't handle the fumes. So, with the help of pinterest and other blogs, i have been finding some crafty ideas for James and Adam.
I found a plain white shirt of james and an old white onesie of his.
I found free templates online and printed them off.
The fabric is from Walmart.
I free handed the sewing part. I have my mom's sewing machine, but i forgot how to load the bobbin...which takes some time.
So here are the cute results:

*Guitar Onsie for Adam* (he already loves music! - bounces in my belly every time i play music for him)



*Train shirt for James* (he is obsessed with trains!)





I can't wait to see James and Adam together!!!!

Crafty Day!

~Conversation Candy Heart Decor For Valentines~
I found wooden hearts for 1.47 at Hobby Lobby
I just used pastel acrylic paint
The letters were actually wooden letters that i had bought a while back that worked great for this
I hot glued the ribbon on the back (which will be great to add on whenever we have more kids or if i want to add mine and Ryan's name)
*You can do names or sayings exactly from conversation heart candy if you wish*

It turned out great except that Adam's name is a bit lopsided..oops. I am also contemplating going back and painting the letters PINK - because that's what color the words are on the candy.



*Front Door Wreath*
Our front door as well as our porch is pretty bare.
I got a styrofoam wreath, black yarn, white felt, and the letter B from Walmart
It took at while to wrap the yarn around the wreath - i hot glued the beginning strand and the ending strand
I pinned on the flowers i made from the white felt
I took some black ribbon to hold up the Letter B on the wreath

It was fun to make! I want to try and make another one with more colors - i chose black and white because it was simple and our kitchen is red black and white.



James also got his craft on today.
At Walmart they had a little bin in the craft section full of wooden things...he of course picked the car out.
I let him use watercolor paint - he loves to paint!



Take advantage of the cold weather and get your craft on! :)

Thankful Thursday!

I haven't done one of these in a while...
Today i am so thankful for the one who makes me smile, laugh, cry, and who knows how to push my buttons. Yes, my little doodlebug, James.
I never knew how much my love for this boy would grow with each passing day. Even though he tests my patience from time to time, it never fails that i end up with so much joy in my heart from just watching him throughout the day.



James,
You are such a gift to me. A gift that i will cherish forever! I am so glad that God gave me you for a first born. Just from you being brought to this Earth, you have taught me so much about living a selfless and joyful life.
I admire you so much! How carefree, unless something happens to one of your trains, you are! How every little thing is so new and exciting. The things that you love...you love with everything you have!
I love how you are completely all boy! Trains, Cars, Buses, Planes, Bikes, Blocks, Mud, and the Outdoors race through your mind all day. During warm weather, you wanted to be outside all the time...and i let you. Once cold weather hit, it was so hard and is so hard to keep you bottled up inside. The day that i cleaned off your little tricycle and brought it inside so you could ride around on the hard wood floor...i thought you were going to burst! Now, you have made you own little obstacle course using the dining room table and chairs, your sippy cups, and toys. You look like such a big boy when you whirl around the house on your bike.



Despite you being ALL boy, you are so sweet. Your hugs and kisses make me feel like i am worth so much!



I am so glad that you love learning new things. When we do our "school" time, you are always ready to learn and give me all of your attention. (i wish that i would be more motivated and teach you more) You are such a smart little kiddo. You know letters from A - X. You are able to say and point out each of them. I love it when you say M is for Mama and D is for Daddy!
One of my favorite things to do is still to rock you in the rocking chair....even though my pregnant belly is not allowing much space for you. haha. I want to hold onto you for as long as i can. You ask me to sing to you, every day, your favorite songs - Wheels on the Bus, Little Red Caboose, Jesus Love Me, God is So Good, He's Got the Whole World In His Hands, and of course our Good Night song.
Your precious little voice just grabs my heart every time! I love witnessing you finding out how to say new words. I was a little worried at first, because you wouldn't talk as much as other kids....but now i am so happy that you took your time with talking. I felt like i was and am able to just enjoy it much more. Now you are saying some sentences. So amazing!
There are so many things left to teach you...and such a short time to do so. I want you to learn to be thankful no matter what the circumstances. I want you to learn how to love others unconditionally. I want you to walk closely with the Lord, always. Sometimes i get so overwhelmed thinking about how i am to teach you these things as well as many other things. The best way, i realize now, is that your Dad and I have to teach you through example. I want my life as your mama to be a great example for you.


Know that your daddy and i will always always always love you! (i can never say that enough to you...i love you!) And always know that God's love for you is unconditional and it never wavers!
My precious little James...i am so thankful for you!

Our First Attempt At Potty Training

The messes, the accidents, the prizes, the tears...yup, we started potty training. haha.
James is 2 years old, so i knew going into this that it would be difficult. So i tried to go into this new adventure with really no expectations except to see where he was at - if he was ready enough to be potty trained or not. And of course another big push to potty train was because we have another one on the way. Who wants to have 2 in diapers? So, yes there was quite a bit of motivation behind this.
The days leading up to the big day, i prepared a nice little reward "Potty Prizes" box. Full of cars, stickers and curious George books. I also had a potty chart on the fridge so he could put his stickers on it. I looked up every kind of method known to man on the Internet and books. So i figured i was pretty prepared for this....boy was i wrong. haha.
The first day started out rough. I tried the Pottywise method first...and he just was not having it. After sitting on the potty for 5 - 10 minutes...there was no action. But then, as soon as he got off and started playing, he went. That happened about 4 times. With the Pottywise method, you pretty much give them a lot to drink so, in return, they will pee a lot. He was peeing a lot, just not on the potty.
I was ready to give up. he wasn't getting the concept. I texted an amazing mom friend of mine who has a son who is about a month older than James. he is potty trained! She had great techniques and shared with what worked with her son. i was desperate to try anything. She had let her son run around naked from the waist down and took the little potty every where he went. I did this and James caught on so quickly! After the first time of me putting him on the potty, while he was "going," he started to do it all by himself! he would just say, "Mama! Pee!" And there he would run to his potty and sit down and begin to pee. (i had to help him - it would spray everywhere!) I was proud, tired, and smelled like urine by the time the day had ended.
I was exhausted as well. Bending over, picking up, cleaning up for a pregnant woman was very tiring.
I woke up today prepared to do the same thing. He started out great, but then he just started holding his pee because he wanted to play. Many many accidents. I felt like i was cleaning more than Potty Training. (i knew that would be normal - accidents)
But two things that broke my heart was that he has not pooped in 2 days. (i'm not sure if he is holding it in because he's scared to poo on the potty or just constipated...either way he is miserable) And the other thing, when he had an accident, pee shot out everywhere onto the floor. He screamed "oh no!" I gasped of course because part of it landed on me. haha. Then he started to cry! He was obviously frustrated...which was the last thing i wanted. I never yelled or made him feel like he was bad for having accidents...i would just tell him it's okay and praise him when he did go potty. So that just broke my heart to see him cry from his accident.
I don't want him to lose interest or become so frustrated that he won't ever want to try again. So i thought it would be best to take a break from it for a while. Plus the fact that he is constipated is a huge factor. The main thing that i have found in every potty training method is to not push your child...especially if you don't think they are ready.
I am so proud of my boy! He jumped right into potty training without any idea of really what it was. So now, he will be more familiar. And i am going to continue to take him or ask him to potty especially if he wakes up dry...but i won't push it.
At first, i felt like a huge parent failure! Especially when he cried.
Now we both know all that goes into it...which is a lot! So we'll see.
While "training" him, i realized how much he has grown up! I am going to be so sad when the day comes when he will be too big for my lap. (with this pregnant belly...he already does. haha) James i love you so much! And i am so proud of you!
Whew, well i am going to go relax a bit! Thursday night TV with my hubby!
More blogs to come...now that i have a little more time. haha.

Make My Life A Prayer To You

"Make my life a prayer to You
I want to do what You want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers
No compromise

I wanna shine the light You gave
Through Your Son
You sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know You're really there

I want to thank You now for being patient with me
Oh it's so hard to see when my eyes are on me
I guess i'll have to trust and just believe what You say
You're coming again
Coming to take me away."
-Keith Green

Isaiah 40:11

"He tends His flock like a shepherd;
He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those that have young."