November 8, 2011

He walks!!!!!!


I'm happy to announce that Isaiah is officially a walker. It all began a week after he turned 1. He started to take 1 to 2 steps. Then little by little, he began to increase the number of steps that he would take. Then he discovered how to get back up again if he fell down. Its fascinating and inspiring to watch a baby learn a new skill. I love that they will keep on trying and not just give up because they didn't get it the first time around. I love the determination and the simple joys Isaiah would have each time he would take more steps. He was so proud of his accomplishment. Watching Isaiah grasp this new skill was a great reminder to me that you have to keep pressing forward in all that you do even when you stumble and fall (which we all do from time to time). As long as we get back up again and continue moving forward, we will eventually reach our goals. It was a great day when the walking skill all came together for Isaiah. Now he fully gets it and wants to walk around all day long. He roams from one room to the next. He occasionally crawls if he really needs to get somewhere in a hurry, but for the most part we have a full on toddler walking son in our home and we couldn't be more happier!!!

October 7, 2011

First Work Week Complete :-)

This week I started back at work. My first official day back in the office was on Wednesday. I'm really happy that I was able to start on Wednesday and not do a full week from the start. I've had 3 days to adjust to the new system/processes, and thankfully I've had Jordan Murray (an awesome woman) who has helped me out greatly and shown me the ropes. If it wasn't for Jordan I would have been so lost.

The transition on a whole has been okay too. Isaiah is with my mom so my mind is at ease. I never even have to worry or stress because I know that she's so wonderful with him. The only thing that I'm adjusting too is my early mornings. My days officially begin at 6:00am (sadly no more naps for me during the day -haha :) I do have to start going to bed earlier. My goal is to eventually be in bed by no later than 11:00pm. 10:30pm would be even better.

What has helped me greatly is being organized. Getting certain things done the night before saves you time in the morning. I try to pick out my clothes, make lunches & pack Isaiah's bag all the night before. I've also been doing some meal planning ahead of time so that meal times aren't a crazy time.

All in all I've had a great week. The warm greetings & hugs from everyone has made me feel so welcomed & blessed...kinda like I never left :-)

October 4, 2011

Words that describe my year with Isaiah!!!


Isaiah officially turned 1 last week on September 29th. While there is so much that I can write to describe my year with him, I'm choosing to list words. These words sum up our year together;

excitement,joy,happiness,mothergoose,mops,
singing,music,stories,playdates,anxious,tired,
stress,tears,hugs,kisses,treehouse,laughter,pictures,tears,
mistakes,forgiveness,smiles,giggles,peek a boo,high fives,
faith,growth,learning,insight,
sleep deprived,crying,teething,frustrations,irritations,
togetherness,early mornings,late nights,
long walks,milestones,trust,
LOTS OF PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!


It has been quite the year for our family and I praise God for all that He has blessed us with. Excited to see what this next chapter holds for the McKenley Family :)

Picture below taken at exactly 4:40pm on September 29th the moment of his arrival into the world... one whole year later of course :)

September 26, 2011

Tumbles “N” Toys + the cocoa cakery + family/friends = Isaiah’s 1st birthday party!



Yesterday we celebrated Isaiah’s 1st birthday at an amazing indoor playground & party centre. This was the only placed that I checked out in person. The minute I went into Tumbles “N” Toys, I just knew that this was going to be the place for us to host Isaiah’s 1st birthday party. The owner Carolyn was warm, friendly and so helpful throughout the process. The day of the party we didn’t have to do a thing but show up. We had 2 party helpers that took care of everything. They set up everything for us, sliced up Isaiah’s birthday cake and handed it out, made announcements when necessary, and packed up everything for us when it was time to leave. They worked so quickly and efficiently. This is a great place to host a stress free party for kids.

Isaiah was pretty mellow during his party partly because he was tired (go figure he didn’t nap beforehand – it’s like he knew he was having a party). He had fun playing with the toys and he was pretty friendly with most people (I think). The only time he cried was shortly after we sang the happy birthday song. I think it was the combo of everyone looking at him & the fact that he was so tired. I guess he knows that song “it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want too,” ha-ha. What’s a kids party without some crying right? LOL.


Isaiah had an awesome cupcake created from the cocoa cakery. I’m still snacking on some of it today-mmm. The cupcake was cute, yummy, and made with 100% love from the owner of the cocoa cakery, Christina McKenzie. She also brought along some cookie pops that were so addictive. Everyone enjoyed those special treats.

Isaiah officially turns 1 in three days. The little man was so blessed with so many generous gifts from family and friends that we’ve decided to open a few gifts each day up until his birthday. Thank you to all who came. You have blessed our lives over this year and even prior to the little man making an appearance into the world. Our hearts and filled with so much love for you all.
Happy Early Birthday to you Isaiah – We love you!

September 24, 2011

Cheerios and Tears.....

This past week while Isaiah and I were eating some cheerios (him in his chair & me on the couch) I had a moment. We were watching TV and I was enjoying my bowl of cheerios and then it hit me like a ton of bricks - this is all coming to an end soon. I started to shed a tear as I thought about going back to work in the coming week and not being able to have our snack time together & chill out. I love spending time with my little guy and it hit how much I was going to miss him. I thank God daily for his life, and I thank God that he'll be in good hands while I'm at work.

I'm going to cherish and soak in these last days off with my precious son. I love you Isaiah :)

September 1, 2011

The 11th month has come...........


A year ago I was literally awaiting to hear if I was going to have a c-section, and I just started my maternity leave. Thankfully I didn’t have a c-section and I was able to wait out the rest of my pregnancy (little did I know I was going to have to wait 8 days past my due date for this little man to make an appearance, ha-ha). 11 whole months have gone by since the arrival of our bundle of joy. Some days it feels like it was just yesterday – yet here we are in his 11th month. We have thoroughly loved getting to know our son more and more each day. Every month he does new things that amaze us. It is truly awesome to see how he’s grown. Here’s a few things he’s been up to:

-Isaiah says his name. We’ve heard him say it a few times
-He loves Cheerios
-He continues to only say dad/dad-da/daddy, no mommy yet :(
-He loves his walker more (he especially loves if you watch him. He already loves an audience)
-He claps his hands (although he often misses still –lol)
-He has perfected the art of crawling – and he’s really fast
-Sleeping is continuing to go well (yay- and please don’t change:)
-Sometimes he hits his head with his hand. He finds this funny
-He loves to say “hi”
-I love that he’s still pretty friendly to people
-He loves “peek a boo.” He covers his eyes to play the game
-He gives really BIG hugs. I love that he likes to do this still
-He’s fascinated with his dad. Whenever Saj is around he loves to stare at him and get his attention
-He enjoys bath time with daddy. He splashes around and will sing and laugh a lot (hmm – sounds like daddy)

We can’t believe that our little man is going to be 12 months at the end of the month. Infancy will be left behind and the wild and busy world of toddlerhood begins. God only knows what’s in store for us in this new stage. We are so thankful to God for giving us this angel. He makes us so happy and we love him to pieces. Happy 11 months Isaiah. We love you monkey :)




August 17, 2011

Less TV = more productivity!



I have found that less TV for me = more productivity. Don’t get me wrong I love TV (trust me), but lately I’ve been focussing more of my time and energy on getting some tasks done around our home. It’s really simple stuff too, but I’ve been avoiding it like the plague. I now have a new drive and focus (which probably has something to do with my healthier eating habits these days -but that’s for another blog:)

My first project was to tackle our table. Do you ever place one item on your table and then another, then before you know it you have a mountain of stuff piled on your table that you can’t even remember what it looks like underneath? Well that happened to us. It was a pretty crazy sight. One afternoon when Isaiah was napping, I turned off the TV and I finally tackled our table. Surprisingly it didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Once it was cleared off and wiped down it looked brand new again. I loved it. The best part for me was having Saj come home from work and being pleasantly surprised by our finally clean and cleared off table. We could finally eat at the table again, versus using TV trays, ha-ha:)

My other project was re-organizing some of the kitchen cupboards. Some plates, glasses, etc needed to be moved around and grouped together– again another simple task that I was avoiding. Thankfully that got done in no time too.

Another area that desperately needed some fixing up was our front closet. Shoes were piled everywhere (well at least on my side it was – Saj’s side was more tidy). I pulled out all of my shoes and put away the ones that I haven’t been wearing, and I neatly put my shoes back on the shoe rack. Finally organization hit that space. Now I can actually find both pairs of my shoes.

The next task was the linen closet which I actually tackled today. I pulled everything out of there and re-folded towels, blankets, sheets, etc and placed them in an organized manor back into that closet space. Now I’m not embarrassed to open it up if anyone is around.

It’s amazing the amount of things that you can truly accomplish by just turning off the TV and staying focussed. I get a lot of my tasks done when Isaiah is napping. It helps that he takes really great long naps in the morning and afternoon. I use that time to knock off my to-do list items. Before I would laze around, watch TV or spend too much time on facebook, but now I would much rather spend the time getting into the Word of God, accomplishing little tasks around the home, do some quiet reading, listen to worship music, write an old fashioned snail mail letter to a friend and my list goes on and on.

Do you find that less TV = more productivity in your life?



August 7, 2011

10 Month Isaiah/A Getaway/A Wedding

Our precious son Isaiah turned 10 months on July 29th but this time we weren’t around to wish our little guy a happy 10 month. Saj and I were away. We had a mini vacay/wedding to attend in North Carolina.



I know I say this every single month – but the time is really going by too fast. Isaiah is in the double digits now. Isaiah continues to amaze us. He crawls really fast now and loves to cruise around the furniture. He also finally got his two bottom teeth which came shortly after he turned 9 months. He’s getting use to his new teeth which is funny to watch. He gives little bites now when he gets a hold of your cheeks – sometimes it does hurt. He’s also started to laugh out loud more. If he hears others laughing, he’ll join in. It’s really funny to watch. We’ll often laugh just to hear him do it (which reminds me that I must capture it on video).
Isaiah is a wonderful baby and we are truly blessed. I enjoy our days together, and I love when we have the chance to go out and do things/see people. Isaiah’s sleeping is going pretty well again. It was trying there for a bit because he was teething, but now it’s gotten better (until new teeth decide to make an appearance). We are loving our 10 month old and can’t even begin to fathom that he’s going to be 1 very soon. Dear time, please slow down!!!!!!

As I mentioned before Saj and I were away at the end of July going into early August. We left Isaiah with my parents while we headed off to North Carolina for a mini getaway, but more importantly a wedding. This was the longest we’ve ever been away from the little guy. We really debated on whether or not we should bring him along, but in the end I believe that we made the right decision in leaving him. We had some back to back events once hitting NC that it literally would have been too much for Isaiah.

Saj and I stayed at this amazing hotel in Charlotte. It’s called “Aloft Charlotte Ballantyne.”


That was one of the coolest hotels we’ve ever stayed in. What I loved is that it just opened in 2009, so it’s still fairly new. We had the coolest room too. I love this hotel and would stay there again. Everyone was very friendly too (not just the staff but complete strangers).We absolutely loved our time away shopping, eating out, meeting new people(and yes we did miss Isaiah). I wasn’t too worried about him because I knew that he was in great hands.

The purpose of our trip to NC was to attend Ayesha Alexander and Stephen Curry’s wedding. All I can say is “WoW.” It was quite the wedding. Actually before the wedding, I had the privilege of going to Ayesha’s wedding shower which was held a few days prior. The shower was definitely a taste of the wedding. That was one of the greatest wedding showers that I’ve ever attended. It was an outdoor shower. The decor was beautiful, everyone was so friendly, and the food – off the hook. I don’t remember the name of the company that catered, but it was delicious.



July 30th was the big wedding. The ceremony began in the afternoon at 4:00pm. The church was beautifully decorated. We all waited in anticipation for the wedding to begin. I’m happy that we got there early as the church was filling up quickly. One of my favourite things to do at a wedding is watch the groom and groomsmen make their entrance into the church with the Pastor. Stephen looked happy, a little nervous too, but definitely excited to see his soon to be wife. When the bride made her entrance into the church with her dad all you heard were a lot of “wow’s, gasps, etc.” Ayesha looked perfect from head to toe. The ceremony was so moving. Everyone was shedding some tears. The part that always gets me is when the father gives the bride away. John gave Ayesha a big hug, and then Stephen gave John a hug too. That part got me. I think it’s because I still remember Ayesha as a little girl. Now watching her being given away in marriage made me choke up. The singing at the wedding was awesome too. Saj was asked to sing, and of course he was excited to accept that request. He sang a duet with Karen (Ayesha’s aunt). It was just beautiful. There was another great singer too. She had a very powerful voice that just moved you (kind of like Rebecca Chase in my personal opinion. When the Pastor finally announced Ayesha and Stephen as husband and wife there was an explosive applause and cheers. They glowed as they left the church. I kept on saying to myself and out loud too “I can’t believe my Ayesha’s is married.” Crazy how fast we all really grow up!


Now moving on to the reception.... Off the hook!!!!! The room was so whimsical, the cake was big (I loved the cake topper) the table decor, linens, lighting, flowers were just beautiful. Really – it was like a fairytale. Their first dance was so cute which was another moment for me when I said “I can’t believe she’s married.” I absolutely loved the live band and Dj combo at the wedding. Oh my goodness, the band was tight, and that singer was amazing. We grooved the whole night. The dance floor was packed the whole time. The music really kept your moving. It was a fun lively night. No one wanted to leave. (On a side note – there were many wedding crashers. I remember looking at some people and wondering if they really belonged there. When we saw Ayesha & Stephen the next day she informed us that there were a bunch of people who did in fact crash. I guess they really wanted to be a part of their wedding.

July was a busy month. I almost forgot that I turned 32. I’m thankful for another year of life and the blessings which God has given to me. I love my husband & my handsome little Isaiah. I am truly blessed and I look forward to seeing all that the Lord has planned for my life this coming year, and my family too.

This was an extra long blog but I wanted to give you the full update. I hope that you’re all enjoying the summer and taking some time to relax and cherish those precious moments with your loved ones. Happy August Friends!!!!

July 5, 2011

Life!

As I watched some of the proceedings today about the officer who was killed in the line of duty Constable Garrett Styles, it made me realize a couple of things about life yet again;

1 -Life is too short
2 –You don’t know when it’s your time to go
3 –Now is the time to get together and celebrate life

Let’s not wait for tragedy to hit before we come together. This officer was young, in fact my age. He had a beautiful wife, and 2 adorable children (a toddler and baby). In a moment his life was taken away and life for his wife Melissa & children changed forever. She never got to say goodbye, say I love you; he didn’t get a chance to hold his children or wife one last time. Let’s not take this life for granted. Let’s not assume that everyday will be the same old, same old. Love your spouse, love your children, cherish each moment. If we knew the date of our deaths, or our loved ones deaths (I know that sounds freaky) I’m sure we would make every effort to make the most of each moment. Tell your friends/family you love them & stop making excuses for not getting together with them. Don’t let your first visit in a long time with a friend/family be at their funeral. Really – is that the way you want to see them again? I think not.

I am thankful for you my friends and family. I am so thankful that you are in my life. I know that I don’t see a lot of you often but that doesn’t mean that you’re not thought of and loved. Even though we may live in different areas, attend different churches, it doesn’t mean that I don’t consider you a friend or care about your life. You are loved and I pray for God’s hand to be over your life, your children’s life, and that each day you will truly look at it as a gift from God.

Blessings to you all and let us start celebrating life now and cherishing each moment that the Lord blesses us with in this life. May we make a positive impact, love others, and reach out to those who don’t know God. Now is the time – not later.

July 4, 2011

9 months :)


Isaiah turned 9 months last week Wednesday. His 8th month went by so quickly. Here are some of the highlights of his 8th month:

-He officially started to crawl forward on June 10th.He moves so quickly that we really have to keep an eye on him. He likes to crawl in the weirdest areas and in the tightest spaces.
-He continues to babble and say da-da,dad,daddy.
-We’ve had to lower the crib because he jumps around in there a lot
-He loves banging on pots and pans (and of course biting on it too)
-His teeth are almost ready to make an appearance. We can see the buds.
-His hair is growing in nicely :)
-He finally got to meet his Auntie Pasha, Uncle Peter and Cousin Parris who came for a visit from L.A. Now that was a blast :)
-If you say “go baby go, go baby go” he moves his hands up and down in excitement.
-His trying to clap his hands together, but often misses
-When reading him a story now, he always grabs the book and wants to look at the cover then the back. I guess he wants to know exactly what I’m reading to him, haha.
-He’s had more sleepovers at his grandparents. He loves it and we greatly appreciate it too as we can sleep in :)
-He still enjoys singing which is always cute

This little guy continues to grow and develop quite nicely and we are truly thankful to God for that. His 8th month has been fun and we look forward to this 9th month with Isaiah. Every day is truly a blessing with this little monkey. Happy 9 months Isaiah!

June 10, 2011

Trage glee - A mash-up of the great works of William Shakespeare

Last night Saj and I attended a musical put on by the very talented students of Pine Ridge Secondary School called "Trage glee." It is a mash-up of the great works of William Shakespeare and songs from the hit television series "Glee." There were two acts. The first act consisted of two different plays. The first was "Romeo & Juliet" and the second was "Hamlet." The second act consisted of "Julius Caesar" and "King Lear." My brother Danny had a huge role and was Hamlet. He did an AMAZING job. Seriously, the singing and dancing made me want to go up on the stage too. There was so much energy and excitement, and you could tell that they all worked so hard. My brother was like a whole new person on stage. I kept looking at Saj saying "that's my brother." I couldn't stop smiling. I was a very proud sister. Everyone did such a wonderful job. Its not easy going up on stage to perform in front of an audience, but these students made it look easy. I don't want to say too much or give anything away as some people are going tonight and tomorrow to check it out, but I'll tell you this - you won't be disappointed. Pine Ridge Secondary School has some very talented students who are going places :)

June 7, 2011

Happy 8 Years of Marriage to Us :)

Today, June 7th marks our 8th Wedding Anniversary!
I am so blessed to have married my best friend on this day many years ago.
Thank you Lord for blessing our lives and marriage. We couldn't do it without your presence in our lives :)

June 1, 2011

Last day of MOPS

Today marks the last day of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at Carruthers Creek Community Church up in Ajax. I've been attending since the late fall (after Isaiah's birth) and it was a great experience for me. I was encouraged to come check it out through some good friends who attend the church. Although I don't go to Carruthers Creek they do welcome everyone, and really its a friendly group of ladies :)

This past year at MOPS there were some dynamic speakers that really challenged and encouraged me. There were also some very fun topics such as starting up your own business from Dave Powell. He is a wealth of knowledge and I thoroughly enjoyed his teaching time. I loved when Joanna came in around the holidays to teach us about making some really yummy appetizers. We got to sample some amazing mouth watering recipes. I also recall Beth speaking about the Vision of Mothering which was an excellent topic that spoke to me and encouraged me greatly. And I remember Leanne speaking too about prayer (another amazing time of sharing and speaking that really hit home and challenged me too - in a good way:)

To all the MOPS workers, thank you for giving of your time. Its a BIG job and you all do it so gracefully.

If your wanting to check out MOPS at Carruthers Creek, be sure to come to the Fall kickoff on Wednesday September 21st, 2011 at 9:30am. Its going to be another great year of dynamic speakers, great teachings, and some amazing snacks:)

May 30, 2011

Hello to 8 months :)


Isaiah officially turned 8 months yesterday. I know that I write this sentence every month, but seriously where did the time go???

Everyday Isaiah is more entertaining and amuses us with his little personality. Here's what he's been doing during his 7th month:

-He can now officially go from his stomach into a sitting position.
-He says "da,da,dad,daddy" its really cute (still a little jealous that he doesn't say momma yet but I'm convinced that I've heard him say my actual name a few times - seriously :)
-Although he is not fully crawling, he moves forward every once in a while by doing huge leaps. He goes backwards sometimes.
-He loves to roll around still.
-Since he can't fully crawl, he uses his hands to move around on his play mat to face different directions.
-He's eating more different foods and actually liking it. Some days he will spit things out which can be funny and messy.
-He tries to feed himself which is always a messy adventure.
-He likes drinking from his yellow sippy cup. He can actually do it on his own.
-He babbles a whole lot more which is funny to watch.
-He waves more (not always on demand - but when he's good and ready :)
-He likes to hold on to the side of the couch and move around slowly.
-He had his first official night away from us so that we could attend a wedding and stay out late. He was in good hands at his grandparents house. We did enjoy sleeping in the next morning, but also missed him of course.
-He likes stories, but he grabs at the books so that he can chew on them or tear the pages.

Every month I enjoy watching him hit new milestones. He's done a few in month 7, and we always cheer him on. I can't wait to see what this 8th month will bring. Thank you again Lord for Isaiah our precious blessing sent from above. We love him more than words can describe :)

May 19, 2011

Sleep is a beautiful thing!

Last night I finally got some good sleep. I had just put Isaiah down for bed around 8:30pm, and found myself really tired too. Saj was out for the evening at a wedding rehearsal, and then dinner. I was going to try and stay awake and get some things down, but had no energy. I decided to rest on the couch for a few minutes and of course I ended up falling asleep. I woke up when Saj got in. I said a few words then fell back asleep again, haha. I eventually ended up in our room and completely crashed. When I woke up this morning I felt great, refreshed and full of energy. Isaiah slept great too. I didn't hear a peep from him all night :)

I guess what I learned last night was that when your body tells you its time to rest, listen to it and rest. Sleep is a beautiful thing.

I hope that all of you get to experience some sweet rest this long weekend!

May 14, 2011

Worry.......

"If God is your Shepherd, what are you worrying about?" - Marie T. Freeman

I just read this quote and absolutely love it. Its so simple yet it speaks volumes. I wouldn't call myself a worrier, but I would be lying if I said that I never worry. Sometimes it creeps up, but then I quickly remove those thoughts and replace it with truth which is found in the Bible. Its also too stressful to worry. I want to enjoy my life, cherish simple moments and be thankful for all that I have. Worrying just gets in the way and can rob you of joy.

God is my Shepherd therefore I need not worry....nor should you!

May 12, 2011

My Mothers Day :)


I do realize that mothers day was 5 days ago, but this is the only time that I can actually sit down and write about it :)

This year I celebrated my first official mothers day. We celebrated a little last year when I was pregnant, but its so great to celebrate it when you actually get to see your baby on the outside. I was spoiled. My husband made me breakfast and gave me a wonderful card and a lovely new guess wallet. I needed a new wallet desperately. My old one was really, really old and looking quite bad. He did a great job. My nephews bought me earrings and a necklace (totally wasn't expecting that). Its so nice. And my family got me a devotional and some $$$ (always a great gift :) We spent the day going to church and then visiting family and eating, eating, and more eating.

All and all, I had a lovely day. I've gotta admit that when people would wish me a happy mothers day, I would feel a little weird. I guess I'm still adjusting to this new title of "mom." I still can't believe that I'm a mom to our amazing little boy Isaiah Eli. He's really a blessing and so sweet - and thankfully taking a morning nap as I write this blog.

I hope all of you moms had a great day. We are truly blessed to be moms and to be on this journey. Its scary at times, overwhelming, but then there are those days when its so much fun and you want to stop time to cherish the moment. Lets enjoy and rejoice in the blessings which we have been given from our Great and Awesome God!

April 29, 2011

Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress!

Kate Middleton has married Prince William in a dress designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen.I just love it. She looks so beautiful. Congratulations on your most special day :)

April 28, 2011

The Royal Wedding!

Tomorrow the world will be watching as Prince William and Kate Middleton finally tie the knot. I wonder how the bride is doing? I remember being nervous, yet very excited on our wedding day. The nervous part for me was of course walking down the aisle. You want that moment to be perfect. Thankfully that went smoothly. Once I saw Saj's face, I felt such a peace and joy. I couldn't wait to get down that aisle to see my soon to be husband up close. I can't even imagine being Kate Middleton with the whole world watching your ever move on your most important and joyful day. There's pressure to look perfect (hair, makeup and of course the dress). People are going to be commenting on every little thing. I truly hope that they have a fantastic day and that they can enjoy the day even though the world will be watching.

Happy Wedding day to Prince William and Kate Middleton!

April 12, 2011

Guess the Gender Party - Really Cool Idea :)


This past weekend Saj, Isaiah and I went over to our friends Hillary and Nathan's home for a guess the gender party/housewarming. It was a whole lot of fun. Firstly, their home is really beautiful. God truly blessed them both with such a lovely place. Its a very peaceful home. You feel that once you enter. While on a tour of the home with the lovely couple, they explained that the builder did a "mistake" and upgraded their stairway and railing to hardwood and steel rod iron. Its gorgeous. Hillary said that's what they wanted but didn't take that upgrade when picking out items for their home, but isn't it amazing that God blessed them with that upgrade "for free?" Truly amazing and such a God thing we all believe!

The other fun part of our visit was them revealing the gender of their precious baby. The cocoa cakery made a fabulous cake for this occasion. I love the cocoa cakery and the amazing work that comes out of that kitchen. At one point during the gathering, Hillary and Nathan got every ones attention and announced that they were going to cut the cake. They said that once the cake was cut, we would know what the gender is because it was either going to be pink or blue. They slowly cut into the cake and when they lifted out the slice and we all saw that it was "pink" there were cheers, much laughter and joy.

Nathan and Hillary hosted a great event and we had a blast. It was so great to be apart of this occasion celebrating with many friends, and tons of little babies too :)

April 5, 2011

Isaiah at 6 months!


6 whole months have gone by since the arrival of our precious son Isaiah. Its still hard to believe that he's already at this stage - no longer a little baby.

Here's a list of some of the things he's doing now:

Sleeping through the night - yay
Rolling over from his back to his front
Eating solid foods now (cereal and some veggies)
He's able to put the soother back in his mouth now (some days he misses)
He babbles a whole lot more and likes to grab your face with his hands
He's beginning to make moves towards crawling. He took two leaps forward a few weeks back.
He gets really excited when he sees daddy
He's finally been in our wonderful nursery at APC with the amazing workers
Diaper changes must be done quickly. He doesn't stay still very long
He's starting to sit up on his own for a bit (with some help of course getting into the sitting position)
We think he's in the beginning stages of teething

Isaiah constantly amazes us with his growth and milestones. Its actually quite fascinating to see how much a baby accomplishes in just a short few months of life. They learn so much and its a wonderful to observe the changes. Isaiah is a fun, pretty chill baby and we look forward to even more milestones in the coming months!

April 1, 2011

Locked my keys in the car along with my purse, cellphone and 6 month old baby -OOPS!

Oh what a day it was yesterday. This has never happened to me before. I guess its one for the books. So yesterday I went to my parents for a visit. When we arrived there I did what I usually do - turn off car, open door, take Isaiah into the house. Everything happened so quickly and still up till now I have no idea how it occurred. I opened my door and what usually happens is all of the doors automatically unlock once the driver's side is opened. I closed the door behind me and went to open the back door for Isaiah and it was locked. I thought to myself "this is strange." I walked over back to the drivers side and my door was locked. A surge of panic hit me. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, shoot, shoot", etc, etc where my thoughts. Isaiah was thankfully sleeping so he wasn't aware of what was going on. I knocked on my parents door in a panic and told them what had happened. I didn't even know the number for CAA. All that info was in my wallet which was in my purse locked in the car - ARGH!!!. I called Saj on his cell and asked if he could make the call for me - which he did right away. I felt so bad. How in the world could I do something like this, were my thoughts. Isaiah continued to rest while all this madness was going on. Well to be honest with you, once CAA was called we were feeling slightly better, but still anxiously wanted to get Isaiah out. I wouldn't have cared as much about the lock out if Isaiah was out of the car but because he was there I just couldn't fully relax until he was out. CAA came in less than 5 minutes - Praise the Lord. The guy had the door opened within minutes and we were all able to breathe a sigh of relief!

A huge thank you to CAA for coming through for us. Your service was excellent and we all appreciated your prompt service.

March 28, 2011

Isaiah's baby dedication :)


On Sunday March 27th we had our son Isaiah Eli dedicated at church. What is a baby dedication you may ask?

"A Baby Dedication is when believing parents (Christian parents) make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways".

Yesterday we dedicated our son as a promise to the Lord to raise him in a godly way, prayerfully until he can make a decision on his own to follow God. We want to teach and train Isaiah to know God's Word and we are continually praying earnestly for our dear son.

It was such a blessing to have our families and dear friends be apart of this special day in our lives. We were so honoured to have Pastor Keith Smith do our baby dedication as he has been there for so many significant stages in our lives. He married us almost 8 years ago, and he has been there for us in so many ways. To have him dedicate our son was truly a blessing and we are so thankful.

Today we are still taking it all in. I want to say a special thanks to Christina McKenzie from the cocoa cakery for making the most beautiful cake for Isaiah. Ryan Ishmael & Lyndon Layne for taking pictures and capturing some great moments. Our families for all their help in making this day happen.

God is so good and we are so happy that the day went well and that everyone had a great time celebrating this milestone in our son's life.

March 19, 2011

People please wash your hands!!!!!!!

Okay seriously, I can't stand when people use the public washrooms then just leave the bathroom without washing their hands. Like gross. I feel like I see this more and more, and its really disgusting. Today I was at Markville Mall and witnessed this act yet again. I almost wanted to say "hey lady you forgot to wash your hands." But of course I didn't because who does that. I'm sure Elaine Benes (the character from Seinfeld) would have said something to that lady -haha :)

Is it really that difficult to walk over to the sink, get some soap on your hands and wash? If you don't wash your hands after using the bathroom in public, it makes you wonder if these people wash their hands in their own home. I sure as heck wouldn't want to have dinner in their house. Its not like washing your hands in the public washrooms cost any money.

Okay, my rant is done. This is one thing that seriously drives me crazy. People, please wash your hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

March 17, 2011

Let the walking season begin!!!

This evening I took an evening stroll (literally) with Isaiah. I love that its lighter out longer and that the weather is just nice. Its not too cold where you have to wear a winter jacket. Today you could get away with just a light spring coat which I love. Isaiah really seemed to enjoy our walk too. He likes looking around at everything. I often wonder what he's thinking about. I try to explain things to him as we go along. I like to keep him in the loop -haha :)

Now that were experiencing such beautiful weather and spring seems to be here to stay, (I hope and pray) let the walking season officially begin. There's nothing like a nice walk to clear your mind and to feel refreshed, not to mention the exercise you get from it too. I am excited about adding this into my daily routine with Isaiah. Yippee for walking season once again!

March 8, 2011

Ikea has free diapers in the nursing area!

Today I went to Ikea with my handsome little son to do a return. Of course after we returned the items we ended up looking around the store which is always fun - but can be a trap too -haha. I have never been in the nursing area of Ikea before, but today I had to go there as our visit ended up being a lot longer then planned -surprise, surprise. So I took my little guy to the area and I changed his diaper first. Then I realized only after that they had diapers available for you in different sizes. I could hardly believe it. I have never seen "free diapers" in a nursing area before. Ikea is definitely on to something here. That's good to know in case you do somehow end up forgetting to walk with diapers (but most of us moms usually have a stack, but still its good to know). Great thinking Ikea :)

March 4, 2011

Phew - that was a close one!


This morning I dropped Isaiah off to my parents because I had some appointments/errands to run. Whenever I'm alone in the car without Isaiah I tend to crank up the music - it can be a bit crazy sometimes I admit. I get into a whole new zone I find. Sometimes I don't even pay attention to my speed - I know, I know so bad. But again this is only if I'm alone driving without my baby. So today as I was listening to my tunes really loud and driving along on Kingston Rd, out of no where a police man came onto the road, pointed to my vehicle (so I thought) to pull over (he had a speed gun). "Oh great, I can't afford another speeding ticket - Saj is going to kill me" were my thoughts. The police man had also pulled over a van. I was waiting at the side of the road, and I noticed that he was dealing with the person in the van. I was sitting in my car awaiting the dreaded moments of when he would come over to me to tell me how fast I was going (although I really didn't think I was going that fast). As he was dealing with the person in the van, he looked at me and waved me on. In the end he really wasn't pulling me over, he was pulling over the van which was behind me - but the way it looked I really thought that it was me that he had pointed to. I happily waved and drove off thinking to myself "phew - that was a close one." After that I watched my speed and paid better attention to the road. I think I needed that jolt of reality to get me to straighten out - lesson learned :)

March 2, 2011

Isaiah is 5 months - WoW


We officially counted Isaiah turning 5 months on February 28th because this year there was no February 29th. I know that I say this every month, but it is hard for me to believe that the little guy (well not so little anymore) is already at the 5 month mark. Isaiah continues to grow and constantly amazes us. Here's an update on what he's been up to now:

- He rolls over all the time. Tummy time no longer exists.
- He sucks his thumb a bit more now (especially the left one).
- Everything goes into his mouth, so we really have to watch him.
- He turns his head to look at you if you make funny noises with your mouth.
- He had his 4 month needle and handled it like a trouper.
- He now raises his hands up if he wants you to lift him up or take him which I love.
- He started turning himself around in his jumperoo.
- He officially sleeps all the time in his crib now for naps and the night.
- And speaking of "sleep" he's officially sleeping through the night and taking his
naps (well he just started doing this almost about a week ago). Want to know how we
did it???? Read my blog in a few more weeks and I'll let you know. Here's a hint
"sleep doula." I didn't know they existed, but they do and they work!

We are so happy about how our Isaiah is growing. He really is an amazing little boy. We just love him to pieces and we thank God every single day for his life. Life with Isaiah is truly a blessing and we love that were his parents and that we have this opportunity to watch him grow and learn new things. Thank you Lord for this truly amazing gift and may we never take it for granted!

February 27, 2011

Smile and be kind to everyone because they just might know YOU!

There have been so many occasions where total strangers start talking to me and say that they know me or my family, or my hubby. A prime example of this was just this past week. I went into the Walmart to get Isaiah's passport pictures taken. There was a gentlemen in there with his son. He smiled at me and asked how I was doing. I said that I was doing well (but kept it short after all I didn't know him). Then I went to get Isaiah's pictures taken. The gentlemen was still in the portrait area waiting for something. He then asked me if I went to APC (Agincourt Pentecostal Church) I said yes. He then said to me "I know your father and your husband." I was then feeling more at ease because in some weird way he wasn't so much of a stranger. He said that I would know his wife more as she's more involved. He didn't say who his wife was, but I guess I would recognize her or something.

On another occasion I was at the Pickering Town Centre doing some errands during the early afternoon. I had dropped Isaiah off to my parents as they were home and of course they love watching him. I had just come out of a store and a woman was starring at me. She came up to me slowly and said "are you Isaiah's mom?" Now that really startled me. She went on to say that she recognized me from facebook. WHAT!?!? I wasn't even friends with this person. She then went on to say that she and Saj went to high school together and their friends on facebook. She recognized me from pictures on facebook via Saj's facebook -lol. Saj was actually just with her husband a few weeks prior doing some studio work. She actually bought Isaiah the cutest outfit too from H & M that she had given to Saj when he was doing the studio work. Man - what a small world.

I do have more examples of this happening to me. I've made it my motto to be kind to everyone wherever you go. You just don't know who really knows YOU!

February 23, 2011

Vision of Mothering!

Today I went to "MOPS" which stands for "mothers of preschoolers" at Carruthers Creek. I have been a few times since having my precious son and I always have a great time. The topic was "Vision of Mothering" and our guest speaker was Beth. She was an amazing speaker who really touched on some very interesting things. I found this topic to be very timely. I like how she even broke down what "vision" really means (a mental picture/far sightedness).

There were some questions posed to the group which we had the chance to discuss at our tables. We did a comparison of "Canadian Moms" and "Bible Moms" and spoke about what God's view is on mothering. I was reminded of the following points from our discussion:

- As a mom its good to set boundaries
- I must take care of myself
- I need to put God 1st before others
- I need to recognize God's grace and His grace for us and accept it (especially in
those days when you mess up)
- I must be slow to anger and quick to forgive
- Mothers are to be honoured and respected
- Mothers are self controlled, forgiving and loving
- Don't compare yourself to others. Be yourself and embrace your uniqueness as a mom.
- Be proactive
- Now is the time to reassess
- Follow God's view of motherhood.
- We cannot be perfect. God doesn't have that expectation of us.

There are many more points that really spoke to me from this topic. Its nice to be surrounded by other mothers on the same journey, learning together and hearing about their journey. Saj and I have been talking about some changes we would like to see happen and this discussion today really just confirmed things that we were already talking about. My new prayer everyday is the following;

"Holy Spirit help me to be the mother who you created me to be today." - Amen!

February 22, 2011

Family Day!


Yesterday was family day. I especially loved it this year because I had the joy of celebrating it with our new son Isaiah. We had a pretty relaxed day. We slept in (well, for as long as our son would allow us too -haha). We wanted to do something on this day as a family so we decided to go out to Denny's for a late breakfast which turned more into a early lunch outing. I absolutely love Denny's. Isaiah ended up sleeping the whole time we were there, but then woke up towards the end of our meal. He woke up all smiles which we just love. He's such a happy little boy. Saj and I had a chance to talk and catch up. Life's been pretty busy these days so its always great when we have these moments to connect. Life's good and were feeling loved and blessed. Happy Family Day to you all :)

February 17, 2011

I love playdates :)

Today Isaiah and I had a playdate with one of my good friends and her beautiful daughter. We were both pregnant around the same time. Our kiddies are about 4 weeks apart. I had Isaiah first, then she had her daughter later on. Its nice to get out and visit with a friend especially since were pretty much going through the same stages. Its really cute to watch these two together. Today we put them on a playmate and they held hands, haha. It was cute. Of course we took pictures too. We also loved catching up. We last hung out probably over a month ago. Its like we didn't miss a beat. We chilled out, watched tv, fed our babies, drank tea and had some great conversations. Playdates are not just for babies, its for adults too :)

February 10, 2011

Cleaning (a distant memory)

Since having a baby cleaning has pretty much become a distant memory. I wish that I could do more (and I probably can) but seriously I just don't have the energy or desire to do so. I would rather get Isaiah and I ready to head on out then to stare at the mess before me. Its like I know what I need to do - but it just never seems to happen. Or if I do get a spark of energy I think to myself - "yes I'm going clean up" only to have my little one wake up or need me so of course it doesn't get done. My husband has been so great. He tries to do things whenever he can. I feel so guilty because he hardly gets good sleep these days, he's out the door super early for work, then he comes home to a mess. He hasn't gotten upset about it. He's seen me in action some days where it is really hard to get some things done. He actually ends up cleaning the kitchen a lot of the times. Once the kitchen is clean, I'm good to cook in it. I can't stand trying to cook in a messy kitchen (which often I mess up -haha). Isaiah seems to be doing better with resting more most days, and now that were using that swing more often, this will definitely allow me to get more work done. Here's hoping to finally getting some housework done :)

February 8, 2011

Sleep is getting better :)

I would love to say that I'm getting a full nights rest, but that's not the truth. Sleeping has taken a turn for the better for our little one and I couldn't be happier. He's been doing longer stretches which has been wonderful for both myself and daddy. Were hoping that this keeps up, but we know that things change with little ones. They really are in charge - haha.

I've found that although books are helpful to some degree, they can often contradict each other. One book says to rock the baby to get them to sleep, others say don't rock or move around with the baby but stay still. Were just going to do whats right and what Isaiah likes. Every baby is truly different and has their own personality. What may work for one baby may not work for another. Its great to hear advice though from friends who have been there. Its really helpful and its nice to know that in time it will change.

For all you new mothers out there like myself - lets try and enjoy this season with our little ones. Everyone says that it goes by quickly and I'm starting to believe it. As each day goes by there is some sadness because my son is getting bigger, but then there is happiness too because he seems to be getting cuter every single day :)

February 4, 2011

Accidentally Shoplifted - Oops!

Yesterday afternoon, Isaiah and I headed out to the mall. We've been couped up for the past couple of days because of the snow and desperately needed an outing -haha. These days I find myself naturally going to kids clothing stores. I went to visit one of my new favourite stores Gymboree (mostly I look and not shop unless there's an amazing deal). Sure enough there were some great deals. I ended up getting one thing for one of my friends. I purchased the item and left the store - no big deal right? I left the store and as I was walking, a total random stranger called out to me and said that I dropped something. I turned around and saw what it was. A shirt which I did not purchase, but was looking at. For some reason I thought I put it back on the rack, but it must have been hanging on my stroller. I thanked the stranger and said that I didn't pay for the item. I immediately headed back to the store which was only a few steps and went to the cashier and said that I accidentally took this out. She was very kind and thanked me and said not to worry about it. I was happy to return the item and felt amazing doing so. It would have been easy to simply take the item which "I dropped" and slip it into my bag and no one would be the wiser but that's just not me. I don't steal - its wrong.

January 31, 2011

Reunited with the slow cooker and it feels so good :)


I still remember 8 years ago registering for a slow cooker at the Bay with my then fiance Saj. I wasn't quite sure why we were registering for this item, but I've seen it on so many other friends registries that I followed suit, plus I felt like it was something we should register for. Growing up my family had one, but we didn't use it all too often (at least I can't remember it being used all that much). Looking back now, I'm really happy that we did register for it and that we did get it as a shower gift from Mr & Mrs Lalla (yes I still remember who got us that gift :)

This past week I had the joy of using it once again. I made a chili and then a soup - boy was it good. What I love about the slow cooker is that you literally fix it and then forget about it. I've been realizing that as a new mom the slow cooker becomes your best friend. You get so busy with your little one during the day that cooking can be something you just don't have the energy to do in the evening. I usually try and prep some things the night before so that first thing in the morning all I have to do is simply put the items in the slow cooker and then I can go about the rest of my day without having to stress out about dinner.

If your a soon to be mom I strongly encourage you to get reunited with your slow cooker. If you don't have one, its definitely a worth while purchase :)

January 30, 2011

Perfect Strangers

Yesterday Saj, Isaiah and I went out to the mall to check out the sidewalk sales. Its always so much fun going out as a family, plus Isaiah just loves being out and seeing new faces. While we were leaving the Best Buy and heading out to another store a young couple (probably very early 30's) called out to us from behind. We didn't know that they were trying to get our attention right away. Finally - a bit startled we turned around. At first I thought to myself, "do we know these people." And clearly we didn't. The reason why they stopped us was because they saw that we had the exact same stroller as them and they had no idea how to put the car seat into the stroller. The poor guy was carrying around the car seat with his baby inside the mall- talk about tiring. They didn't want to risk putting the car seat incorrectly (which I completely understand). So we took our car seat out of our stroller and showed them how to hook in their car seat. They were so grateful to us for showing them how to do this. They were 1st time parents too and trying to figure out things along the way. They had a beautiful baby girl just 3 weeks ago and are adjusting to life with an infant.

Even though we haven't been on this new journey for very long, it was really nice being able to offer advice and help out to perfect strangers:)

January 29, 2011

Happy 4 Months Isaiah


Today our precious Isaiah is 4 months. I know I say this every month, but its really hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by. I do love that he's getting bigger, but it also makes me a bit sad because he's not a little baby anymore. He's doing so many fun things now. Here are some of the highlights:

He smiles a whole lot

He makes a lot of fun noises/babbling (he squeals in delight)

He rolls over a bit more

He laughs out loud

He's grown - 16 pounds 13 ounces, and 26.5 inches long

He really loves to stare at his daddy

He goes down to sleep now without having to be rocked

He loves to stand up (you have to hold him of course. his legs are so strong)

If he's fussy, singing calms him down (especially when daddy sings :)

He continues to enjoy stories

He loves being out

He reaches for objects

He reaches for his toes now (especially when its time for a diaper change)

There have been so many delightful changes during this past month. I love seeing him grow and discover new things. Its really amazing. We have been blessed so much by this little guy, and we look forward to seeing him grow even more. Happy 4 months Isaiah :)

January 28, 2011

Pete the Cat - I love my white shoes


This Christmas Saj and I bought this really cool story book for Isaiah called "Pete the Cat - I love my white shoes." The author is Eric Litwin. Saj found out about this book from youtube. We watched the live story telling and just loved the simplicity of the story and the songs too. We decided that we just had to get the book for Isaiah. The book came with a gift card so that you could download the story and song to read along. Check out the live story telling on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUubMSfIs-U

January 27, 2011

Starbucks Visit

I’m sitting in Starbucks and taking in my surroundings. Isaiah is visiting with my mom and brother, so I thought that I would sneak out for some “me time” which is nice every once in a while. As I sit here the snow is falling down softly. It’s really beautiful and I’m not a snow lover by any means.

I’m currently next to a loud table of teen girls and 1 guy (there were no other tables). They are talking about prom, P90x and some shoe store place. Oh the things they talk about are so funny. To be a teen again :) It feels like just the other day I was a teen hanging out with my friends like how they are (mind you we never did the Starbucks thing or had blackberry’s or iphones). It’s wild how much life has changed especially in the teenage world. I’m really happy that I grew up as teen back in the 90’s. Things were simple; at least it felt that way to me. If you wanted to connect with your friends you actually had to do so by calling them on the phone or plan to hang out (not talk on messenger or facebook, or twitter). Now it’s so easy to be connected to everyone (whether you want to be or not). It makes me wonder what life will be like when my son hits the teen stage. Will facebook or twitter still be around? I think it will, but it will be called something else I’m sure. Technology is pretty cool, but at the same time it can consume our days - I know this. I like doing old school things still like writing out a card and mailing it out. I actually really love doing that. It brings me great joy to send out well wishes to friends and family. Now that’s very old school, but there’s something really nice about getting a letter or pictures in the mail from a friend. I personally love it.

So that group of teens have left, and now I’m next to a mother and her 2 children and 1 baby. It’s actually really neat to see her with her children connecting with them and giving them advice as they share about their day from school.

You never know what you’re going to experience when you’re out at a Starbucks. It’s definitely a fun place to come to be refreshed and chill. Now that my hot chocolate and cookie are done, I think it’s time for me to head on out to see my baby. I miss him already!

January 25, 2011

Isaiah's Doctor Appointment - Needle # 2


Today Isaiah had his 4 month check up (even though he's officially 4 months on Saturday). I had mixed feelings about this appointment. I was excited to see how much he has grown and how much he weighs now, but I wasn't loving the fact that he had to get another needle - poor guy. Well I'll share the good stuff first.

Isaiah has definitely grown. He is now weighing in at 16 pounds 13 ounces, and he's 26.5 inches long. His head circumference has grown to 17 inches. Its still so hard to believe how much he has grown. The doctor is impressed with his head strength and his alertness. He's following the growth chart really well. Hearing these things always make me happy :)

The second part of his appointment was the hard part for me. I had to watch as they gave him 2 needles (one in the left thigh and one in the right thigh). I know that its good that he gets them, but its also hard to watch as a mom. There's nothing I could do for him other than comfort him right after. The crying didn't last too long thankfully, but its still hard.

Right now the little guy is resting. I gave him some Infant Tylenol to help with the pain. Although it was hard to watch, I know that in the long run getting these needles are good for him and will protect him from things. Its never easy watching the one you love go through some pain (even if its just for a few moments). One of the things I love about Isaiah is that he is so strong and he'll bounce back from this before you know it!

January 24, 2011

Collaborate - Children's Ministries Conference

This past weekend Saj, Isaiah and I attended a children's conference that was held at our church called "Collaborate - parents & leaders shaping the next generation." I wasn't too sure what to expect, but we did want to go because now that we are parents and we are involved in our church we wanted to get a better understanding of where the children's ministry is heading. I am so happy that we went, because it was really a great time of hearing from great speakers, and being inspired and encouraged to go out there and make a difference in your child's life. Pastor Carey Nieuwhof was the guest speaker, and he brought up some great points. Here are some of them below:

"put yourself first when it comes to personal growth."

"put more quantity in the quality of your time"

"we have 3000 hours a year to invest in our children's lives"

"a 15 year old child is not looking for a 45 year old best friend" (this point made me laugh)

"we are the most influential person in our children's lives well into their 20's"

"we have to be in Christ what we expect them to be in Christ - kids have fake detectors"

There were so many other great points as well as breakout sessions led by other good speakers which we had the chance to go to. I wish we could have gone to them all, but really that wasn't possible. What this conference did for us was really empower us to go out there and be the best parents we can be for our son. Its not always going to be an easy road, but we do have the support of our church family, and the support of our immediate families around thankfully. I am so happy that our church did something like this. I am really happy about the direction that our children's ministry is heading in. I also must mention that I am really impressed with Pastor Laura Bogner who is our Team Leader for Children's Ministry. She has such a gentle spirit and a big heart for our children. You can feel the passion that she has for them in the way that she communicates. Our church is truly blessed to have her and the whole team.

January 23, 2011

A Year Ago Today :)


Its so hard to believe that a year ago today I found out that I was pregnant. I still remember that morning and taking the test. Here's how it went (I remember in full detail because I have a sticky note and wrote down some notes as I went through the experience - haha)

8:00 am - went to the bathroom and started the test (dollarama test)

8:02 am - noticed that the lines were changing

8:03 am - realized that the test was positive (2 lines). went into our bedroom to inform Saj of the amazing news

8:04 am - SO EXCITED (Saj and I continued to talk, we were in shock, so happy, too many emotions). I remember telling Saj that I thought it was a boy right away.

9:10am - prayed together about this new journey

Its so amazing to see that 1 year later we are parents to an almost 4 month old. Isaiah continues to amaze us everyday. We are so thankful and we are blessed!

January 19, 2011

A Co-Sleeping Night

Well as you know, I've been trying to get Isaiah use to the crib. He's been doing fine for the most part - except last night was really strange. Every time I put him down in his crib while he was sleeping, he would wake up shortly afterwards and cry, and cry (and really - I can't take the crying). After about 4 or 5 attempts of trying to get him to rest in there, I gave up. It was about 4am and I decided that we should do some co-sleeping on the couch instead. In the end, I got sleep, he got sleep, and all was happy again in the McKenley home. I'm accepting that there will be days when things don't go so smoothly, and you just have to do whats going to get your thorough the night. This morning of course, he took a nice long nap in the crib, and now he's back down again for another nap - go figure.

January 15, 2011

Isaiah's first full night in his crib

Last night for the first time Isaiah spent the night in his crib in his room. For the past 3 months we've had him in the pack n'play in our room. Its been great - especially for me with night time feedings. As he continues to grow, and sleep longer its really best for him to be in his own space. I laugh at what my husband said the other night- "we didn't spend money on the crib for it to be just decoration -haha." I agree.

How I've eased Isaiah into the transition was by having him take naps in his crib. He was great at doing that thankfully and didn't cry. Realistically he could have been moved into his crib sooner, but I liked the convenience of having him close by. I could hear him breathing, and it made night time feedings easier like I mentioned before. All in all, his first night went pretty well. I did check up on him a lot. We do have a monitor, but I actually hate having it on. Every little sound makes me jump sometimes. We've also picked up on another baby before. So right now were not using the monitor. We just sleep with our door cracked and his door cracked. Our rooms are right next to each other so there's no way we won't hear him -plus he has a loud cry.

I'm happy that we've started doing this now. Isaiah seems to be doing really well with adapting to change, and he goes down now without me having to rock him to sleep. I've been picking up on his sleeping cues so as soon as I see that, I swaddle him up and give him a soother and off to sleepy land he goes.

Here's hoping for more restful nights in the McKenley home :)

January 7, 2011

New Blog Layout


Since joining the blogger world I've kept the same template. Today I've decided to change it up. Not too wild or crazy, but more true to my style (simple and to the point).

Here's hoping to blog more in 2011.

January 4, 2011

Isaiah & Sleeping


Since Isaiah hit the big 3 month mark - I decided that January would be the time where we try out some new things with his sleeping. I'm not into "letting them cry it out," especially in the early weeks when he got home. We were big into cuddling him and rocking him to sleep. That's what worked for us. On Sunday night after he was fed, burped and changed, we swaddled him up, gave him a soother and put him down. I was expecting him to fuss or cry, but to our pleasant surprise that wasn't the case. He just turned his head from side to side (that's how we know he's tired -lol) then he fell asleep. It took less then 5 minutes thankfully. On Monday we did the same thing with his naps - and it worked again. No fussing. Going to bed though, I may have put him down too early because he was crying. It took a bit longer, but I believe it was because he wasn't fully tired at that point. If he rubs his eyes, or starts turning his head, or pulls at his hair - those are the signs that he's getting tired. It took about 30 minutes, but eventually he did fall asleep. This time we did make him cry it out for a bit - but I was in the room with him and kept on putting that soother in his mouth whenever it came out. Thank God for the soother - it really helps him when its time to sleep.

Today has been pretty good so far. He's on nap number 2 and went down without fussing. We really want Isaiah to learn how to fall asleep on his own without having to be rocked all the time. So far its been going well and we couldn't be happier :)

January 1, 2011

Happy January 1st!


Today marks the beginning of a new year. Its hard to believe that 2010 is gone. What a year it was though -filled with God's blessings :)
Here's my top 10 highlights for 2010:

1. Finding out I was pregnant on January 23rd
2. Seeing our baby for the first time via ultrasound on March 6th (a hook up from my ultrasound tech friend Jodi)
3. Finally meeting our baby on September 29th and hearing the words "its a boy" from Saj - best day ever :)
4. Celebrating 7 wonderful years of Marriage to my best friend
5. Being blessed by many baby showers from family and friends
6. God blessing us with a new place to live in
7. Having our 1st thanksgiving dinner as a family with Isaiah
8. Sharing in Isaiah's first Christmas
9. Being on maternity leave
10.Giving my parents a new title "Grandparents."

As we've entered into this new year, I'm really excited to see all that the Lord has in store for the McKenley family.
Today is a new day - a day that I'm so happy to see.
Happy New Years Friends!