Winter, Winter, Go Away...

Well, it's March. March holds Spring Break and Easter this year, as well as a ton of birthdays to celebrate. It also means that Spring is around the corner and with it some warmer weather (not hot, just warmer, like 50's and 60's please).
Last month we welcomed little baby Helios on February 15th. He is the spitting image of my older brother, Jeremy. Reed likes to call him "Leo." He is healthy and we love him.
Remember that sinus infection Reed had a few weeks ago? Well, the cough he had never went away so I took him in to see the nurse practitioner. She said the cough is sometimes the last thing to go after a cold, so we shouldn't worry. She noted that he had some fluid in his LEFT ear, but that is wasn't infected and was probably just residual gunk leaving his body along with the cough. The very next night Reed kept waking up. He almost always sleeps through the night, so when this happens it's usually a harbinger of things to come. He was a total grump the following day and was snot nosed to the extreme. I just knew that fluid had not in fact left, but had instead turned into an ear infection. I got him an appointment on Monday and Dane took him in. This time he met with the doctor who told him that his RIGHT ear was most definitely infected and that it probably was when we were there on the previous Thursday. So, Reed's been  back on the sauce (antibiotics) since then. He is finally starting to feel better as of yesterday. I know I can't complain too much since he's been really pretty healthy this winter. February just kicked his poor little behind, and consequently mine and Dane's too. I hope this is it for a good long while.
I'm trying to think of something cute or super smart that Reed said since I last blogged, but it's mostly been a lot of whining and crying and I'm sure you don't want to hear any of that (I know I don't!), so I will spare you.
On Saturday, Reed gets to go to his first birthday party! His cousin, Dakota, is turning 8 and is having a party at the Magic House. So. Much. Fun. Then from there we will trek up to Springfield, IL where Reed's cousin Liam will be getting baptized on Sunday. This was supposed to occur in January but was postponed because my father-in-law (the pastor) got sick.
Then it's spring break! I will get to spend a few days with Reed at home and then Dane and I will head to the Ozarks. I will be attending a social work conference and Dane will be fishing. Then we will both do some outlet shopping. Reed will be staying with my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mike. I'm sure he'll have a lot of fun, but it's never easy leaving your little ones.

 He found the camera on the iPad and took about a zillion pics. 

 Helping Mickey figure out what he should use to put some toys in. 

 Valentine's Day gifts from Mom and Dad. 

 That's right. My Pop still goes down the slide with his great grandson. He's the best. 

 Reading his sweet Valentine's Day surprise from Aunt Devan and Uncle Chadd. He's read this book every night since he got it. 

 Baby Helios is here!

 Strawberry addict. 

"Cheese!"

Here's hoping to warmer weather and a healthy house! 

February

I had a birthday on the 1st. I am now closer to 30 than I have ever been in my whole life ;)
It was a good birthday and started off right with Reed singing me "Happy Birthday." It seriously doesn't get better than that sweet noise to start your day.
I ended up taking Reed to the doctor last week after a cold that had been sticking around for two weeks (and which we thought was going away) came back full force. Reed had been a terror during this time as well--throwing fits about any and everything, clinging to me in the mornings and screaming when I had to leave him at the sitters, being contrary about everything--and for some reason it never dawned on us that it could be tied to him not feeling so well. I take that back...it did in the beginning  but I guess the cold hung around long enough that we sort of forgot that he had it. Parents of the year, I know.
Anyway, it turns out that he has a sinus infection. No fun. But he's on meds now and is back to his happy go lucky, sweet and caring self. All is right in our world once again.
Last week Reed sang the ABC's all the way through! That was super exciting. He picks up on that stuff fairly quickly and understand letters, although he can't identify any yet. For example, when walking up to Target he will point at the letters that spell Target and just say random letters--"R-E-D-A..." etc. We are still working on colors and I think he's starting to recognize red. He's pointed at a few things and identified them as red (which they were), but when I point out a red thing and ask him what color it is, he usually freezes up. It's pretty exciting to see him learning.
Uncle Tyler got him a book called "Don't Let the Pigeon Ride the Bus" by Mo Willems. If you have young kids I would recommend this series of books (there are several Pigeon books). They are silly, but encourage the reader to participate.They're a lot of fun. I was getting ready to read it to him before bed the other night and opened the book to the beginning  Before I could start to read it, Reed started to recite the book!
"Hi! I'm the bus driver. Listen, I've got to leave for a little while. Could you do me a favor? Don't let the pigeon drive the bus. Thanks!"
It was super cute and exciting. I turned the page and he kept going. He died off a little in the middle of the story, but picked it up again towards the end. There is one page where the pigeon yells
"Let me drive the bus!"
and when Dane and I read it we both get pretty silly and loud. The next page pictures the pigeon with a black cloud over his head and we always make a disgruntled grunting noise. It is so funny to see him "read" these pages as Dane and I do. I keep trying to get it on camera, but of course he won't perform when the camera is rolling. You'll just have to trust me. My kid is a genius. And super cute. Basically he's the best kid ever.
This month we are looking forward to the birth of Reed's newest cousin. He is due at the end of the month, but my sis-in-law's doctor thinks she may deliver early. We shall see! More little ones to love :)
Here are some pics:

 Daddy showing Reed how to tie fly's. 

 Just too cool. 

 On mom's birthday. 

 Saturday mornings Reed likes to climb into our bed with me and watch a cartoon. 

Cowboy. 

 The cold won't stop us from playing at the park!

This is not Reed, but I had to include it because it looks so much like what future Reed might resemble. We got it in the mail from Children's Hospital and were both a little creeped out by it. Of course Reed is a little  better looking ;)

Back by (sort of) Popular Demand

I realize that I have not blogged in nearly 5 months. There are several reasons for this:
1. Our lives are just not that exciting
2. We have been really busy (although, not with exciting things)
3. I really didn't think anybody actually reads this thing.
This past week, however, I have been asked by more than one person if I am ever going to blog again, to which I replied with one or all of my previous three reasons of why I had stopped. I was surprised to hear these people say that a.) they checked my blog daily, b.) they were not concerned with the excitement of my life, but were interested in what Reed was doing, boring or not, and c.) it only takes a few minutes to jot something down and upload a few pics. So, having been humbled about this issue, I am now back by (sort of) popular demand.
When I look back on the last 5 months I realize that there are some exciting things to share.
 In October, Dane's sister Devan gave birth to her first child, Liam Alan. It's so much fun to spend time snuggling with this sweet little boy. I'm afraid though that when we visit I become a baby hog. I see this as a win-win though. I get a "baby fix" and Devan and Chadd get some much needed break time free of the demanding need for attention that babies have. So, really, it's an act of service. I'm such a great sister-in-law ;)
Reed is super interested in "baby Liam" (said "we-um") and loves to hold him for about 5 seconds at a time as well as pet his face.
My family is also expecting another little one in late February. My brother and wife will be welcoming a baby boy to their family. My niece is super excited to have a little brother and the rest of us are looking forward to loving on another little Lamb.
In November I accepted my dream job at Greenville College (my alma mater). I am now the Associate Dean of Counseling Services on campus and I love it. It was amazing to me to see God's hand in the whole process and I couldn't be happier at how things turned out. Currently I am commuting 50 minutes each way every day, but the plan is for us to eventually move to Greenville. We would like to put our house on the market this spring (April, maybe?). I am not worried at all about this because I know it will sell for asking price within the first week. If you know me at all, you know that last sentence was in fact a lie. In reality I am actively in denial about the fact that we will be attempting to sell a house in a market that is down more than when we bought it and then trying to find a house to rent/buy in a small town nearly an hour away from the comforts/convenience the city provides with hardly any money to put towards a down payment. It's all good. No need to worry. This is certainly a continued act in trusting that God will continue to provide for us as He always has.
But, as I have been told, you all don't necessarily care about the details of our lives and are more interested in what Reed is doing.
On December 2, 2012, Reed turned two years old! We had a lovely little get together at my aunt's house and Reed got some pretty awesome gifts.
In October we saw the pediatric orthopedic for the LAST TIME!!! Reed had an x-ray and they determined that he is no longer bow-legged. This may seem trivial to you, but it was enough to make me cry. Praise God for His work in our son. Reed continues to be pigeon toed, but this has gotten a lot better and the doctor assured me that this will continue to get better. She also said that it's really not a big deal and he may always turn his toes in a little bit.
Reed went to the eye doctor just this past week to check-in on the status of his eyes (we do this every few months as follow-up care for his surgeries). His eyes continue to be fine. He uses them together, tracks objects just fine, and this time they even did a vision test (which he passed) using pictures of objects for him to identify instead of the letters you or I are asked to point out. We will go back this summer and he'll meet with the doctor and have his eyes dilated.
Reed can count to 10 and sing the first half of the ABC's. We're working on identifying colors now. He loves to watch Little Bear, Max and Ruby, Backyardigans, and Curious George. Some of his catch phrases right now are:
"I'm coming too!"
"No, I do it."
"No! I don't like that!"
"I muv you."
"Come on in!" (used when opening the door)
He is certainly expressing his independence and it's neat to see him figure out how to do something or how something works. He throws more tantrums now, but from what I've read/been told, this is common at this age since they are realizing that they can be independent and want to be given the chance to have some control over their world. I guess that's where the term "terrible two's" comes from.
He still loves to read and ask questions. I love that he is so curious about the world around him.

Reed on his birthday. He doesn't look thrilled in these pics, but I promise he had a good day. 

 Reed loves to help. Vacuuming is one of his favorite chores. 

 Thanksgiving 2012.

 Just hanging with mom.

 Christmas Eve 2012. Santa came! 

 Christmas at Papa's. 

 Excavating at the Science Center with Pat and Pop.

 Hot cocoa!

Zoned out with dad. 

Moving forward I will do my best to post at least one blog a month. We've got some exciting changes coming down the pike! 

Maggie, No!

It's been a while since I've blogged, but not much has happened. Reed is talking up a storm and probably learns at least 10 new words a day. He's putting together sentences and repeats just about everything he hears. His newest book obsessions are Little Critter and Corduroy. The Little Critter book we have is actually a collection of 5 books in one...and you better believe that I have to sit and read them all. Sometimes I have to read it several times in a row and I get a little tired of it...but, really, I don't mind. I love having him sit on my lap and cuddle and I love that he loves to read. Plus, one of the books ("Just for You") ends with Little Critter giving his mom a hug and kiss and now when we get to that page he says "Mommy, hug and kiss" and then he gives me a hug and kiss. Such a sweet boy. (For any family that reads this, Little Critter books would make excellent birthday or Christmas presents for this special little boy--if you're interested, consult me on which one's we already have).
I've been working on counting with him for a while now and yesterday he had a handful of pretzels. I would count them out with him each time he ate one. When we got down to three pretzels, I asked him how many he had and he said (pointing to each one) "1, 2, 3!" I'm telling you, he's a genius.
Last weekend we went to Springfield, IL to visit the in-laws. Devan (preggo sister-in-law) was having her baby shower and Darci (engaged sis-in-law) had a birthday. My father-in-law has a rather rambunctious dog named Maggie and the phrase, "Maggie, no!" was yelled a lot that weekend. Reed picked up on it rather quickly and now, 3 days later, is still yelling it at random times. I guess he's remembering his weekend ;) He also talks about his Aunt Deuci (Darci), Aunt Deban (Devan), Uncle Trebor (Darci's fiance Trevor), and Gampa. He must have had a good time. Devan's little guy is almost here! Just a couple more months and I'll be holding my sweet nephew.
Dane is running his annual 5k this weekend and the St. Louis Balloon Race is scheduled too. I'm trying to get Reed in a gymnastics class, but we missed the first one because we could not find the place and can't find a good weekend to reschedule it for. We've just been pretty busy lately. Hopefully I'll get him in soon. I think he'd have fun getting to run around and play like that for a little bit.
And that's really about it....Here are some pics.

 A life long dream realized--he finally caught the cat.

 

 Just riding around.

 

 This isn't a chair?

 

This is what you do when you're in the country I guess...

 

Dane's birthday is right around the corner....he's such an old man. And Christmas seems so far away, but when I think that Reed will be 2 in 3 months, I know it will be here before we know it. Crazy how time flies. I will have a 2 year old soon. Crazy. 

Kind and Gentle

A couple of weeks ago Dane and I worked in the nursery at church. It was quite crowded and the toddlers seemed especially high energy that morning. But I saw some things that made me really proud of Reed. If he ran into another kid (as I've found toddlers often do) he was quick to stop and give a hug or offer an apology (Saw-ry!). And when I gave him a fruit bar to snack on, he was quick to share it with another little girl who was staring at it longingly. He was gentle with the babies (bay-be) and often stopped to give them a soft kiss on the head. Don't get me wrong, he is a toddler and can be aggresive at times, but on this morning, he was kind and gentle. It was so sweet to see this bit of his spirit. I just love this kid.

Reed goes through phases with books. I love that he loves to read. I want to raise an avid reader. This is a mission of mine. I read to him every day, most often multiple times a day. For weeks at a time Reed will have a favorite book that I will have to read to him several times in a row. Some of those books have been: "Good Night Moon", "Love You Through and Through", "How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Cats?", and most recently, "Love You Forever." This last one is killing me. Most of you know that this book was my mom's favorite and she couldn't make it through without crying....and I must say that I carry on this tradition. And Reed LOVES this book right now. Dane finds it quite amusing, but I don't think it's very funny :/



Me struggling through "Love You Forever"

Now for the other reason that this blog is titled "Kind and Gentle." Dane lost his grandpa earlier this week and he was the definition of kind and gentle. He had such a sweet spirit and will be greatly missed. However, we rejoice in the fact that he is running on streets of gold in a youthful body praising his Father in Heaven. How wonderful it is to know that we will see him again. 

We look forward to Aunt Jeanne and Uncle John coming for a short visit and to celebrating my grandpa's 80th birthday!!! It's so great that Reed can share in the love of multiple generations.

Summer Break

Petting a "doggie" at Grant's Farm.

This week and last was my summer break from work. Reed and I have had a lot of fun, but being a stay at home mom is definitely not a walk in the park. Phew! For example, currently Reed has been in his crib for about an hour fighting a nap. We went to the zoo this morning with some friends and had to leave because Reed threw a huge fit because he needed to share with another child and did not want to. I realized it was time to get him home for a nap, so we headed out. He almost fell asleep on the way home, so I thought, "great, he's gonna conk out for like 2 hours"....wrong!
If he doesn't fall asleep in the next 30 minutes, I'm gonna have to give in and forgo the nap because it will be too late and he won't go to bed. And I hate giving in when it comes to naps. Let's face it, they are not only something the toddler needs, but the parent's need them too. At least we had fun at the zoo though :)
Last week Dane took a few days off and we went to Grant's Farm (one of his favorite places). We had planned on going to Cahokia Mounds also, but took Reed to the pool instead. He has so much fun and we just love wearing him out there. Dane and I also got to go to our first Cardinal's game of the season, thanks to my dad who had tickets that needed to be used while he's on vaca in Canada. It was a 7:15 game and the temperature was only a measly 103 degrees. I think it got down to 93 by the time we left around 9:30pm. Crazy!
We also spent the weekend in Springfield with Dane's family. His Uncle Scott and fam were in town from California and Dane's sister's and I had planned a girls weekend. It was great to see Scott/fam and spend time with my sisters in law talking about babies and weddings, eating s'mores and watching chick flicks.
Now, LOTS of pictures!

Goats at Grant's Farm

Swimming all day makes for a tired boy.

While taking a break at the zoo to eat some fishies, Reed made a new friend. 

Just splashing around at the zoo.

Sporting his shades. 

1st Card's game of the season. It was only 103 degrees at 7pm. No big deal.

Girls Weekend!

One of his favorite seats.

But, it's back to work for me next week. Glad I get to have time off like this to spend with my ever growing little guy. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that Reed finally fell asleep about 5 minutes before I was going to give in. Sa-weet.

19 Months

Today, Reed is officially 19 months old. That's only one month away from 20 months and only five months away from 2 freakin' years old. How can that be?!?!?! Oh my goodness.

Some of Reed's favorite words now include:
Shower
Ooo-ie (this is what he says when he's poopy)
Thank-you
Eat
Cheese
Car
Beep Beep
Kiss
Hug

I'm sure I'm missing something. This list does not do justice to his every growing vocabulary. I swear, he learns at least one new word a day. He's pretty amazing.
He loves to sing and dance. Turn music on and he starts grooving. The other day I was with him in the car. I was listening to NPR (yes, I'm a nerd sometimes) and I realized that he was in the backseat singing a song to himself. He loves to play the piano at Papa and Pat's house and he sings along with the "tub time" song we sing before he heads to the tub each night (it's really creative...the Batman theme song with "tub time" inserted for "Batman!"). My dad--who is a minor expert on the multiple intelligence theory ;)--says that Reed most definitely has some sort of musical intelligence. I guess this means I need to teach him new things in song and he'll learn it faster. I'll have to put that one to the test.
I'm on my summer break for two weeks and am so looking forward to spending some quality time with my ever growing 19 month old.
Here are some pics:

 Working hard at the puzzle. 

 Stained Glass Butterfly. I think it's beautiful :)

 Just rockin' out. 

 I don't even know what to write here....

This is not a cute picture of Reed, but something I wanted to brag about anyway. Newest addition to the dinning room. Pretty nice, if I do say so myself. 

Peace!