Paré Household Adventures

Gavin - 3 months

2012-01-28T22:02:00.004-06:00

Gavin is a smiling boy.
He loves to be held and rocked.
Spits up a lot!
He is sleeping OK with an occasional long night!
Really starting to notice his surroundings.
Learning that he has a tongue and playing with it!
Watches his big sister.
Did I mention he loves to be held?
Starting to add baby fat.
Weighed in unofficially at 15.2 pounds.
Size 2 diapers. Size 3-6 month clothes.
He's a true joy..... Gavin X!

Kendall - 2 years old!

2012-01-28T21:55:00.003-06:00

We celebrated Kendall's birthday at the Cabin in Cook with a little family party. She had a blast and was a good little party girl. I did the Strawberry Shortcake theme mostly for me :). It was so nice to have a long weekend at the cabin in the woods.
At 2 years...... KG:
is still saying just a few words.
has finally adjusted to having a baby brother.
is very sweet and helpful and aware of messes that are made.
mommy's helper in many ways.
aware of people's feelings and aware when I raise my voice! (never!).
needs her sleep and still gives me 2.5-3 hour naps and 11 hours at night.
loves church nursery and does well going to others.
hates wearing her clothes around the house.
loves her pink cow boy boots.
loves her nook.
laughs when Dan plays with her... and laughs hard!
a true JOY.

New Years Eve 2011

2011-12-31T22:22:00.003-06:00

Farewell 2011 ~
Our daughter turned 1 and will be 2 next week!
Our son was born Oct. 17 - PRAISE BE! We thank God for him continually.
We visited family: multiple trips to Cook, Spokane in July & December.
Theresa visited us in April and in November.
Anita & Wilf visited in Sept/Oct. Brandon lived with us much of the year when he commuted to work.
Alli & kids visited in July.
I had a lot of time off of work. SUMMER off... and 13 weeks of Maternity leave.
I did 35 photography sessions - averaged 1 every 10 days. Perfect!
Continued our small group.
Didn't get time to write a Christmas letter.
Spent lots of time caring for crying kids.
Changed a lot of diapers.
Spent a lot of nights awake.
Helped Dan with a successful eBay business.
Mourned the loss of my very dear friend's husband. Still mourning.
I turned 38, Dan turned 36.
We struggled to be consistent with church attendance.
We commit to being more faithful as we serve a FAITHFUL God.
I struggled to be in the Word.
I long to know Christ more intimately. Those things go hand in hand.
I LOVE being a parent.
My heart is with my husband and children.
We praise God for good health and don't take it for granted.
I have some idols to work through in my life. With God's help.... I will!
Looking forward to the future.
Thankful for faithful girlfriends. So good to me.
Thankful for my life.
Thankful for Christ and His saving, redeeming power in my life.
It's snowing - finally - and a perfect New Years' Eve.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T22:09:00.006-06:00

Gavin 2 months

2011-12-18T22:33:00.003-06:00

Gavin smiled this week.
He's a chunk.
95th percentile in weight - 13 lbs, 1 oz.
90th percentile in height - 24 inches
97th percentile in head circ - 26.5 inches
He loves to be held.
Fusses more than his sister.
Is sleeping 5-5.5 hours at a crack (10-3:30 usually)
Is tracking and looking at the lights.
Wearing 3-6 and 6 month clothes already.
Sweet sweet babe.

Kendall - 23 months

2011-12-18T22:23:00.004-06:00

Kendall is growing into her personality~!
She pitches fits easily, but offers kisses freely.
Saying a few more words... hot (fireplace), up, sock, wa-wa (water), and lots of jabber
She understands everything and chooses what to listen to.
She climbs on the bathroom counter if we don't watch her.
Brings me diapers, burp clothes and towels. Throws things away for me.
She loves her daddy and cries when he goes back to his office.
She is getting protective of Gavin and wants to be in the same room as him.
Understands "pretty" when we talk about her hair and putting clips in it.
Loves to dance to her Bible Stories CD in her bedroom.
Unpacks every drawer if I let her. Is impossible to do laundry near her.
Gives lots of hugs and kisses on demand.
Sweet, sweet, sweet... spirited, tempered, loud.

Christmas Brunch W/ Mommy

2011-12-03T16:41:00.002-06:00

6 weeks & Happy Birthday Grammy!

2011-12-02T14:20:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T23:01:00.004-06:00

1 Month

2011-11-18T08:38:00.006-06:00

22 months

2011-11-17T21:32:00.004-06:00

My sweet girl...at 22 months:
More and more personality.
She makes faces at us and waits for us to respond.
Throws major temper tantrums that we're working on ignoring.
LOVES her books. Spends hours looking at them. Literally.
Having a hard time adjusting to the new baby brother.
Loves to cuddle for about 10 minutes first thing in the morning.
Shares my cheerios with me on the couch.
Brings me a diaper when she needs to be changed.
Starting to formulate words - lots of babble and "uck" sounds... duck, book, uck...
Understands a ton.
Takes things from the fridge - we're working on stopping this one.
Can climb anything.
Loves to turn on lights around the house.
Runs around in circles and laughs at herself.
Loves to eat. Fruit, fruit, fruit. I've had to cut her off at times!
Gives sweet kisses on request.
Has Dan wrapped around her finger already.

3 Weeks Old

2011-11-09T14:50:00.004-06:00

Little man - you are growing leaps and bounds. You gained 20 ounces in 11 days. Actually am going to slow down your feeding just a little bit as you have been a bit uncomfortable after you eat. You'd been a quite contented baby. You sleep most of the day away, and you seem un-phased by most of what goes on around you. My favorite little feature is when you purse your lips and squeeze your eyes and make the cutest little face. I also like looking at your little ear (only one of them!) that is a little bit flat on the back. It makes you unique! Your fingers and toes have all the little bends in them that you'll need to grow and become a big boy. You've outgrown newborn diapers and you're starting to wear 0-3 month clothes. You make your mom pleased when you nap at the same time that Kendall naps - most days from 1:00-4:00 or so! Mom should be napping today, but instead she's writing about you and listening to a Pastor John sermon. The fall leaves are so beautiful outside - It's a little chilly but she wishes she could be out there walking! For now she's content to sip on the Vanilla Latte' and watch the sunshiny cool November happenings from the comfy couch window. We anticipate Grammy Theresa arriving in a few short hours and will have lots of time to cuddle and play while she's here. Kendall has had a bit of a harder time adjusting to you being around here - but we'll get there. She likes the attention and misses it when she has to share it so we're seeing a few behaviors that are less than spectacular. She understands lots of what we say, but is still taking her time using words. We are so thankful for the gift of both of these kids. Still so surreal that we are a family of four!

9 Days Old

2011-11-03T15:56:00.002-05:00

Halloween 2011

2011-11-03T15:52:00.001-05:00

Gavin's Birth Story

2011-11-02T21:10:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to sit down and write Gavin's birth story for the last few weeks and I'd get to this time of the night and all I want to do is sleep or chill. So tonight I've got Kendall in bed, Gavin fast asleep on my chest, Dan is at the gym, and I'm going to write it down before I forget it.

Gavin Xavier was born on Monday, Oct 17, 2011 at 4:41 PM weighing in at 9 lbs, 5 oz, 21.25 inches long. He was due on October 9th so this made him 8 days overdue. At 37 weeks my doctor told me there wasn't any way I'd make it to 41 weeks. Yeah! But as my due date came and went, I was feeling healthy (although very large, in my mind) and my back was killing me... but the baby was healthy so we decided to wait until he was 1 week overdue before we induced labor. My mom came down Sunday evening to watch Kendall and we went to bed, got up at 5am, was at the hospital at 6am, and got going from there!

The nurses started me on pitocin somewhere between 8 and 9 am and I was dilated to about a 4. From 9-noon, not much happened. About noon I signed up for my epidural. Thankfully I didn't wait too long as I found out there were 3 others in line behind me to get one, also. At 2:00 I was still at a 5 or so, and was starting to think it might be a long afternoon. By this time I was hooked to every IV so couldn't get up and move around. The drugs felt great - the only down side is that my legs were tingly like I had novacane and I felt like I was going to slip out of bed.... they'd switch me from side to side but that wasn't really comfortable, either.

From 2-4pm, things really picked up and around 4:00 or shortly after I told my nurse that I really felt like my epidural had worn off. I was feeling fairly miserable and she checked me and realized that the baby was ready to go. Funny part about that was that the doctor was delivering another baby next door so she had to have me wait for a few minutes before we let baby come. By the time Dr. Levitan arrived, I was very ready and the actual birth was very quick and uneventful. Dan was a rock star and baby Gavin made his entrance into the world quite easily. I was totally surprised at his weight - never though he'd be that big - but his L&D was actually eaiser than Kendall's.

I got to hold him right away on my chest - such a miracle. He screamed a bit and got his lungs working well, they cut his cord (Dan got to do this), and let me cuddle him for quite some time. Such an amazing feeling to see this cild - this new life - that has been growing inside you for almost a year. Now to be holding him on the outside world is quite surreal. Such a relief for me, and another amazing testimony to God's gracious hand.

Dan went home and got my mom and Kendall to bring them to visit and we spent the next 2 nights in the hospital. Gavin has been a pretty mellow baby for the first days of his life and we're excited to see how he grows and develops. His birth story was thankfully very uneventful and easy to report. Praising God for His work in our family.

Home from the Hospital

2011-10-25T23:16:00.004-05:00

Gavin's Birth Day

2011-10-25T22:56:00.003-05:00

Day 4

2011-10-22T08:44:00.002-05:00

This boy is very sweet and good natured and that's helping bring calm to our household in which half of it (Kendall) seems to have been turned upside down. She's adjusting (or at least I'm telling myself that) but it's been a whirlwind for all of us. The days are going pretty well but at the same time I find myself getting a little on edge now and then - probably due to a few things.

I'll just say it. Breastfeeding is HARD! I know it will get better - it did with Kendall and I ended up loving it. But in the meantime, I am having issues and it's an all consuming task or so it feels. That leaves Kendall on the outs for decent periods of time. I'll give my beloved lactation consultant a call asap but in the mean time we're taking it one feeding at a time. That's all I can do. Otherwise it's dreadful. I'm not really exaggerating. It will get better.

Imagine it's 1:30 AM. I'm attempting to feed Gavin. He's crying. Kendall wakes up b/c she hears him crying. Now she's screaming (not just crying). Dan pulls her into our room. She won't stop. They turn on the TV and wait for me to finish. Put Gavin back in the pack n play. Now Kendall won't leave the PNP alone and is throwing a fit again. We put Kendall back in her room by herself and she cries and screams for 1.25 hours until I finally hear her surrender. Thankfully Gavin slept well and I got several good blocks of sleep.

The highlights have been having my mom here to help - she went home yesterday morning. Being that it's fall, I can be outside with both kids and it's supposed to be a beautiful weekend. Yesterday we took several walks around the neighborhood and even to Caribou. God Bless Caribou. Today and tomorrow - no plans. I'd like to write Gavin's birth story soon so stay tuned.... he's amazing. He's sleeping like a champ and an overall contented, happy baby - so far!

Gavin Xavier

2011-10-18T15:29:00.002-05:00

Announcing our son, Gavin Xavier!
4:41 PM 10.17.11
9 lbs, 5 oz
21.25 inches long
15 inches (head!)
Abbott NW Hospital, Mpls, MN

41 weeks and Harvest Fest

2011-10-16T15:51:00.003-05:00

We took Kendall to a Harvest Fest at a church in our neighborhood yesterday and I just liked this pic of her eating her smore with Dan in the background.

Today is 41 weeks with Jr.... had to also pull out my basketball from college and see how it measured up against the fellow... depending on the angle, not too far off!

21 months

2011-10-15T23:03:00.004-05:00

Little Miss Personality
Doesn't have a clue her baby brother is soon arriving
Loves to be independent
Pushes my hand away if I try to help her
Stopped doing speech b/c the therapist agreed that she's just not interested
We'll wait til she's 2 years and see where she's at
She loves to take stroller rides
She loves playing with Rosie
Says uh-oh, NO, mama, hi, dada, points and whines a lot :)
laughs at herself in the mirror and loves to spin in circles

Me and Crazy at 40 weeks prego ~ it's a miracle to get a photo together these days.

Kendall Laughed

2011-10-09T19:48:00.002-05:00

I wish I knew what was so funny tonight but I just have to write about bath time about 20 minutes ago. I had given Kendall her bath and was drying her off. Our ritual is for us to brush her teeth when I'm done drying her - before she gets her diaper or pjs on - so she's standing on the counter with me in front of the mirror. Something I did or a look in the mirror was funny and she just laughed and laughed. I made a face and she laughed some more. That went on for several times back and forth. It was truly great. One of those genuine, hearty, honest laughs. That was one of the few times where I have felt that just the two of us were totally connecting and responding to each other. Yeah, we communicate all day every day but this was different. This was real and honest. I just had to write about it so I don't forget it. Good night, sweet child. The Lord had given us a wonderful gift in you. I prayed tonight that I would love my Lord, the Giver, more than I love my child - his gift. It sure is easy to love this gift right now and His grace is evident in my life and relationship with my daughter. It's a tangible emotion and one that I want to serve as an echo of how I love my Savior.

Very Pregnant

2011-10-08T14:52:00.003-05:00

Baby Boy Pare is due tomorrow and I am so so so ready. I don't remember feeling nearly this pregnant with Kendall. I think it's b/c my back has been extra painful this time around. I feel like very movement takes effort. I've been trying to walk a lot but that sends my back into fits. So lots of lying on the couch and not being very productive.

Kendall is playing with our neighbor girl, Rosie. In the last few months they've spent many hours back and forth at each others' homes. It's been great for Pam & I to have a few minutes of time while our girls are playing together. Rosie is 4 but they play well together and very often Kendall points to their house and lets me know that she wants to go play.

Kendall still isn't talking. I'm imagining that I'm hearing a few more words... help, a few colors (I think), uh oh, no... so we wait and I try and read her books - but that ends up being her turning the pages faster than I can read. She has learned how to throw things in the garbage on command and I'm guessing that's where we've also lost a few things from the house. She is climbing on everything - on top of her high chair, the chairs at the table, the toilet, and all over the couches. A little dare devilish. She's very independent and will push my hand away if I try to offer help. She loves taking rides in the BOB, and still takes 2-3 hours naps most days.

I am very thankful for this pregnancy - but I do not love being pregnant. Never have - even though I've had very smooth, 'easy' pregnancies. I say that feeling badly for those whose pregnancies have been tough and long in ways other than mine. But for me personally, I am just very ready to have my old body back. Sounds selfish, but it's how I feel. I do love the feeling of him kicking and moving in me - that's the redeeming quality.

Dan has been great. Back rubs, foot rubs, running to the store, helping with Kendall. Last night he even got up and got the fan and set it directly on me as I whined about being so hot and stuffy and unable to sleep. What a great guy.

I tried taking 21 month photos of KG this morning but without being very mobile I didn't feel like it was real productive. I did get a few that I'll post when I get time to touch them up a bit. For now, I'll continue to sit. Nothing wrong with that today!

20 months

2011-09-10T13:48:00.003-05:00

Walking/Running everywhere
Still not talking.... a little more babble
Speech Therapy once/week. I'm not worried.
Understands lots.
Loves popsicles - that's an understatement
Has been more content.
Ends up sleeping with mom & dad some nights due to a shared room with Uncle Pete.
Loves to play, almost daily, with neighbor girl, Rosie - 4 years old.
Got her first pair of Saucony running shoes
Child care at Gayle's house 3 minutes from BHS.
Not a clue that baby brother will soon invade her territory.
Lots of open mouth kisses - when she wants to.
Eating everything.
Loves when her daddy makes her laugh.

State Fair

2011-09-10T13:06:00.004-05:00

I wish I could be more faithful at updating the blog! Life just happens and the days go by.... here are photos from the State Fair last weekend.... Kendall loved watching the people, walking at her own pace, and tasting every food item that was purchased. Pretty much the same things that I love about the Fair! Next year maybe she'll be more interested in the animals and the rides. Not so much this year.
Dan and I love the Fair - it's our 6th year being there and we never have an agenda (except to eat). Love that!

Petunias

2011-08-27T12:49:00.002-05:00

I let Kendall play with the neighbor's petunias this morning - they don't live in the house but take meticulous care of the yard. These pictures are not an accurate description of our morning though. Kendall has been slow to speak and I'm not worried, but I get frustrated with her lack of ability to communicate and her strong willed attitude. She wants things, but only points, whines and grunts as we can't get to the bottom of what she wants. She also wants what she can't have - it feels like all of the time! At her 18 (19) month appt her pediatrician recommended some speech therapy, which we're doing on Monday nights, but so far we're trying to teach some sign language and trying to use lots of basic sounds to get her talking. I'm sure there will be a day soon enough when I wish she wasn't talking so much! But I put her down for an early nap since she was being anything but Miss Congeniality this morning. Hoping for a better afternoon/evening...

Growing Up

2011-08-19T21:45:00.003-05:00

When I saw this first picture I just stopped and realized that my baby is turning into a little girl! She loves to play with my phone and my water bottle.... and she's been very happy and content these past 2 weeks. Still working on her words.... practicing making sounds, saying lots of words with her, doing a little sign language. She does lots of pointing and making foreign noises so we're working on putting English into the mix!

Como Zoo

2011-08-19T21:41:00.003-05:00

Dan, KG and I ventured to the Como Zoo this morning - so fun to do a family activity on the spur of the moment! Kendall was fascinated by the ducks and flamingos... and then after that she just wanted to run free. We showed her the polar bear, the giraffes, the lion & tiger, and some fish & sea creatures but she was most interested in her independence and freedom.

19 months in photos

2011-08-13T20:38:00.005-05:00

18 months - a month later!

2011-08-13T20:21:00.001-05:00

7 pak minus 2

2011-08-13T20:16:00.004-05:00

These dear friends of mine got together on Thursday night for time to talk, talk, talk! We've been friends for over a decade - having met through FCA - and have prayed for each other and kept up to date through lots of weddings, babies, and life events. I was so encouraged to talk with them and learn from them and be reminded of how faithful our God is in answering prayer, in giving us wisdom, and in carrying us through life. LOVE these women! We missed 2 of the gang but it's been at least 2 years since we've been together so we were thankful for who could be there. What a great night - thank you, Daniel, for giving me the freedom to spend the evening with these friends!

19 months....

2011-08-08T11:09:00.002-05:00

I haven't had time to take pictures at 19 months yet (or post 18 mo. photos!) but just had to chronicle some of what KG has been up to that keeps our home interesting.

* Opens and empties the fridge. Carries contents over to the living room and sets them up where ever she wants.
* Saying very few words... mama dada hi no... to the point where we had an eval with a speech & language therapist this AM and will do some therapy to get her up to speed. She doesn't have any other concerns, but we want her to be able to communicate, obviously.
* Very strong willed and stubborn. She threw a complete tempter tantrum at her most recent well check appt b/c she couldn't sit on the doctor's spin chair and b/c she couldn't get the door open to get out of the room.
* Still a great sleeper - every once in awhile we have a late night where she refuses to go down - we've had a bit of a challenge with keeping her in her crib all night b/c she share a room with Uncle Brandon and when he's there, we can't let her cry it out - so I hope I'm not spoiling her rotten by pulling her in with us - she goes down instantly in our bed so we know we will have some work to do to undo that. So be it.
* She loves her Crazy Coup car... even though she gets so mad when she can't get it to go where she wants.
* She has had quality time with both sets of grandparents in the last month and loves being at both of their homes.
* She loves playing at other peoples' homes. She's been in several different child care situations and always pitches a fit when it's time to leave. She starts full time child care with a family from church on the 15th of August until Baby Boy Pare is born in early October.
* She is finishing up 7 weeks of music class through Musikgarten and it's been an experience - she got asked to step out a few weeks ago as her temper was being a distraction to the other kids... she is curious and wants to explore everything in the room rather than what we're supposed to be playing with. She did better last week.
* We went to story time at the Mpls Public Library and she was the only child who would rather explore and be curious than sit on mom's lap and listen to stories.
*She's about 80% in height and 40th in weight at 18 + months.

4th Anniversary!

2011-08-05T15:31:00.002-05:00

Dan and I celebrated a wonderful anniversary last night with fine dining at Jax Cafe in NE Mpls. It was a perfect evening and our table was next to the bubbling brook in the back patio area with a quiet setting all around us. I'm so thankful for this man in my life! More than I could ask for in a husband, father, best friend and love! Thanking God for 4 years of marriage and asking him for many many many more.

My 2 Favorite Helpers

2011-08-03T00:49:00.002-05:00

29 weeks....(almost 2 weeks ago)

2011-08-03T00:48:00.002-05:00

Back Yard Pool

2011-07-30T14:48:00.003-05:00

These were taken July 1st during the first major heat way - high 90s and humid.... she is liking the water more and more!

1919 Craziness

2011-07-23T22:38:00.003-05:00

The past week has been crazy.... flights delayed, a terrific trip to Spokane, flight cancelled, trip to Urgent Care, phone call from hubby that there were animals larger than mice invading certain parts of our home, a call to 911 and the Mpls Fire Dept arriving, Center Point Energy visiting, and a new purchase at Home Depot. Writing all that gives me an excuse to feel a bit spent, but thankful!

July 15 - Kendall and I board an airplane at 8:40 AM for Spokane to visit the Pare's.... we had already spent 2 hours roaming the airport as my brother dropped us off early as he was flying out that AM, also. So after boarding the airplane, there is a rain/lighting delay and the crews can't get us off the ground. Almost 2 hours later, our plane is in the long line trying to get off the runway.. but as they approach the 3 hour mark mandatory federal laws require the plane to return to the gate to give people the chance to get off. Kendall promptly falls asleep in my arms so I'm not about to get off the plane for a 20 minute snack... a kind gentleman offers to get me a sandwich. About an hour later we get everyone loaded and taxi off.... making the 3 hour flight actually go quite quickly, and we arrive in Spokane - never more happy to get off the airplane. There are only so many ways to entertain a toddler in a small confined space. That's another whole blog post.... all in all, 8.5 hours in the air plane.

July 20 - (I'll blog the trip with photos later).... we head back to the airport around noon for a 1:43 flight. Get notified that the flight is delayed until 3:30. Mom drops us off and we check our bags and go through security only to learn that the flight has been cancelled. At this point, I cry. Call Dan, cry some more, and decide to try to find another flight home. After almost 2 hours on the phone with Delta, waiting, in line, with a screaming, fussy, toddler who wants to run loose, I had a flight to Portland.... but it would have meant a red eye to Mpls and a possible layover in Los Angeles. I'm still crying, Kendall is crying, and I can tell you that we got lots of sympathy looks in the airport but I did finally come to my senses and realize that another 24 hours in Spokane would be the much wiser option. Not to mention I have wonderful family there. But I was just in the mindset of getting home. So mom picked us up and took us home where both KG and I got good naps.

Later that evening... KG is still being fussy and I'm frustrated that she's acting like a terrible 2 already..... with 4 eye teeth coming in... but after a few days of this fussing (but no fever or any other symptoms) mom and I agree that we'll take a trip to Urgent Care to rule out an ear infection - she had one 2 weeks ago that seemed to clear up. Well, long story short, she indeed has an ear infection and doc said it would have been a miserable flight. So after all that, God definitely had a hand in why we were still in Spokane. We got antibiotics and numbing drops for her ears and the next morning got on a wonderfully smooth flight HOME.....

While all that was going on, I got a call from my hubby saying that he had spotted a few critters in our house. This is nothing new in that we live in an old house - but we just need to clarify that it was obvious that these critters were bigger than mice. That's as far as I can go, b/c I can't say the R word without getting queasy...... so while we were gone, he filled the house with decon, traps, and anything else that might work. Midway through the week there was another sighting too close for comfort so we finally agreed to call the exterminator.... they visited Thursday morning and helped us sort the problem - but it will still take some time to remedy the whole thing.

That was Thursday. I was supposed to come home Wednesday. My sister and 3 kids were arriving Thursday afternoon to spend 2-3 days with us. Since I didn't get home til Thursday PM, Alli & the kids were at our house when we got here. They were troopers and crashed on the main level, not fearing the critters that we knew were sometimes making brief appearances.

Friday - we enjoyed a quiet morning and then spent the afternoon at the water park. We decided to spend some time cleaning up the larger than mouse situation so we were scrubbing the kitchen, cleaning floors, sweeping behind appliances, etc.... when we pulled the old Monarch gas stove from the 50s or 60s out from it's place.... as Dan was putting the stove back we all of a sudden hear a hissing noise.... and the words GET OUT of the house come more forcefully from his mouth than I've ever heard. That meant waking 2 sleeping toddlers and hauling everyone out.... Dan called 911, the Fire Dept came quickly and said our gas level was at a 12 - I guess that's high - and quickly got Center Point to help us out. The 6 of us (sis, 3 kids, me, KG), waited things out in the air conditioned car and then I drove her and the kids to Woodbury to see friends for the evening.

Saturday - Family left, we all napped, and the 3 Pare's spent the afternoon shopping for a new kitchen stove..... and as I type this blog from the back office I continue to stomp my feet and make noise every 10-15 minutes so as to remind the critters who is boss around here... they should all be gone soon, but not soon enough for me!

Battling Fear

2011-07-03T14:35:00.002-05:00

Over recent months/years I've battled a significant amount of fear - and have renewed my battle against it with the help of my Savior and praying friends.

While reading Power of a Prayer Wife by Stormie Ortman, I came across this prayer at the end of the chapter on Fear. I'm changing the words from HIM (Husband) to ME (Annette) for the sake of preaching to myself and laying hold on these truths!

Lord, You've said in Your Word that "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). I pray You will perfect me in Your love so that tormenting fear finds no place in me. I know You have not given me a spirit of fear. You've given me power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I pray in the name of Jesus that fear will not rule over me. Instead, may Your Word penetrate every fiber of my being, convincing me that Your love for me is far greater than anything I face and nothing can separate me from it.

I pray that I will acknowledge You as a Father whose love is unfailing, whose strength is without equal, and in whose presence there is nothing to fear. Deliver me this day from fear that destroys and replace it with godly fear (Jer. 32:40). Teach me Your way, O Lord, Help me to walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name (Ps. 86:11). May I have no fear of men, but rise up and boldly say, "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Heb. 13:6) "How great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You" (Ps. 31:19).

I say to myself, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you" (Is. 35:4). "In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear" (Is. 54:14). "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday" (Ps. 91:5,6). May the Spirit of the Lord rest upon you, "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" (Is. 11:2).

1st Haircut

2011-06-27T15:10:00.005-05:00

This is what happens when you try to blow bubbles for Kendall but don't let her hold the bubbles herself...

17 months

2011-06-18T22:22:00.005-05:00

loves to pick up rocks and move them to a special place
fascinated by leaves, trees, sticks, anything she can pull apart
eats almost any food. love DQ ice cream (like her dad)
walking well - tumbles now and then
still only a few words... but lots of garble and babble.
sleeping well at night with a 2-3 hour nap mid day
loves to be attached to me while I'm making dinner
climbs on boxes around the house and into the extra car seat
overall happy, content baby
independent

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T19:57:00.004-05:00

Our family had just a wonderful day today. No alarm, enjoyed lounging for a bit and watching the rain clouds threaten. Then we walked to Caribou and just as we got into the coffee shop the rains came pouring... we waited it out and then used our trusty golf umbrella to shield us as we headed over to the cemetery to catch the last half of the Memorial Day service - such a powerful reminder to thank God for our country, for those who served and who gave their lives, and for our freedoms. Kendall did great until the 3 gun salute at the end. She wasn't so fond of that.

We rested up a bit, Kendall took her 3 hour nap, and I got to take photos of my dear friend Julie's little girl, Marta, who turns one year old tomorrow. I can't wait to edit them. This evening Dan, Kendall and I walked the neighborhood over to Village Pub for an outdoor dinner on the patio.... so nice to sit there and truly enjoy the holiday. Kendall has been seeing life through the eyes of a little child (obviously) but she has been so exporative and curious. It is amazing to watch her learn. She got a little more sun than normal - I used sunscreen but maybe not enough!? We walked through the flower store trying to figure out what to put in our two planters but neither of us know what we're doing so we'll wait for some expert help or go back another day when we have have more time & energy.

Kendall and I ended the day by grocery shopping, letting her have a cool bath, reading 3 stories to her and settling her in for the night.

Our good friend Gretchen took this family photo and I can't wait to share the rest of my favorites.... it's a reminder to me of how much I value family photos.

I'm reading a book called Surprising your Child with Grace (or something close to that) and am reminded that instead of telling my little one that she's a good girl, to more accurately thank her for doing a nice thing but really showing her that we're not good in and of ourselves, but only by the power of Jesus can we do good things and truly be seen as good people - because of the blood and righteousness of our Christ. It's not too early to get in the habit of speaking truths into her little life. That means I need to remind myself of those truths and focus on them in my own life.

16 months +

2011-05-26T21:12:00.002-05:00

finally walking!
sputtering with her mouth/lips... making herself laugh
giggling like crazy when Dan rubs her tummy on his head
throws hissy fit when she doesn't get what she wants
insists on trying to climb on top of the table (no-no)
shakes her head NO very vehemently
climbs up and down the stairs quickly and by herself
goes straight for my make up bag in the lowest bathroom drawer
LOVES being outdoors... kicks her feet as she rides the stroller
sleeps 8pm to 7am with a 2-3 hour nap each day
makes me understand a deeper form of love.
simply amazing to me.

Babe #2 - a BOY!

2011-05-19T20:52:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day

2011-05-14T21:13:00.002-05:00

I. Love. Being. Kendall's. Mom.

On the Market....

2011-05-13T22:34:00.005-05:00

Our house is on the market - CRAZY!! If you would have asked me this a month ago I would have never believed it. Dan and I have had good talks - and a few tears! - (me, not him) about the timing of this decision but we're in agreement that we'll see if ours sells before looking to move a little further north and settle where Lord willing, we'll raise our family for the long haul. We love Minneapolis for many reasons - but for multiple reasons, we will probably do better settling in a northern suburb - hopefully New Brighton, Mounds View, Blaine, Coon Rapids.

Last weekend was totally crazy - we found 2 babysitters on Saturday for Kendall and we worked 10 hours Saturday and about 5 on Sunday getting the house in ship shape. We finished cleaning the basement, the garage, 3 season porch, the upstairs bathroom needed to be touched up with paint, Dan painted the entryway leading to the basement, I tied up cardboard boxes from Dan's business... and then Sunday we cleaned and organized and took pictures of everything.... it was exhausting but it's done. We had 2 showings this week and we'll just wait to see how the Lord moves. If it sells, we move forward. If it doesn't, we stay put for another year or more.... we're in a good place and the Lord has taught me to give my husband more of the decision making control and to sit back and let life happen. We shall see!

16 months

2011-05-13T22:23:00.002-05:00

At 16 months....
She's still barely walking!
She loves to push her grocery cart.
She throws tempter tantrums when you take something away from her.
Loves strawberries, bananas, mandarin oranges, cheese, lunch meat, gogurts
Arches her back and kicks up her knees when she's mad.
Saying hi, mama, dada, no.
Being watched by Tracy J. about 4 days/week.
Sleeping well - mostly through the night - 12 hours or just shy.
Shakes her head yes and no.
Throws food on the floor.
Writhes against diaper changes and clothes changes - especially in the mornings.
Loves to ride in the car or be in motion of any kind.
Hates wearing shoes and/or socks.
Puts her head on my shoulder when she's tired.
Went to the pool for the first time since last summer - LTF indoor pool.

Easter

2011-05-13T22:09:00.004-05:00

Easter was almost a month ago but I'm now getting around to blogging some photos and highlights from the weekend. We had a good time up in Cook and it was fun to see the cousins play together. We relaxed, relaxed, and relaxed. Dan helped Dad get some logs out from under the river bridge... we hung out at Doug & Alli's a bit, and Dan and I got away for a bite to eat at the Switch one night. Thank you, Jesus, for your life, death and resurrection!

15 months

2011-04-14T21:21:00.004-05:00

Her 15 mo. well child stats:
Wt: 23 lb 12.8 oz. - 64th percentile
Ht: 2' 6" - 34th percentile
Head: 18.5" - 80th percentile

14 months

2011-03-14T11:24:00.003-05:00

Kendall is laughing with us these days - she's getting more and more responsive and interactive. She's trying to walk, but not really. She just crawls everywhere - and fast~! She is my floor cleaner - eating anything in sight. She has decided that she doesn't like baby cereal anymore - on to bigger and better things.

Kendall & Daddy are on the last full day of their week-long trip to New Hampshire for Kendall's great-grammy's memorial service and time with Grandpa John and the Georgantas family. I miss my loves and can't wait to pick them up at the airport about this time tomorrow~!

Valentine's Day - 13 months

2011-02-14T20:48:00.004-06:00

Kendall is almost walking... loves to explore, climb on things, eats human food with her fingers and LOVES blueberries, canteloupe, mashed potatoes, cheerios. She's a great sleeper - every once in awhile she'll decide that 4am is a great time to get up - but then we put her back down and let her cry it out or sleep it off... You bring us such joy, my sweet baby girl! Here are some photos from Valentine's Day - just past 13 months old - so much fun every day!

Kendall's Favorite Book

2011-01-28T12:31:00.003-06:00

Kendall and I hung out this morning as I stayed home from school to finally kick this cough and cold. She was quite intrigued with this good book and her dad and I pray that it's true for many years to come. We live by the Word of God and we hope our child grows to love the Word as well. She's napping, I'm sipping coffee, and thinking maybe I should take a nap, too. It's hard for me to not "work" on my day off of work, and it was hard for me to actually take a day off from work! How crazy is that. I fight the thought of what I'll have to catch up on when I return. But physical and mental health is more important than any phone calls & emails I might be missing at school. Looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

Kendall the Sickie

2011-01-23T21:44:00.004-06:00

Kendall has had two colds in her life - when she gets them she goes all out. Both times I'm convinced she's caught them at the childcare center at Lifetime... hard to know if that's just part of growing up, or if I should avoid bringing her there. Anyways, here's what she looked like this afternoon - stuck under the chair, wanting to be held, and drooling and dripping everywhere. She's been so snuggly and cuddly... as much as I don't love her being sick, I LOVE being her momma when she cuddles in and lets me hold her for hours at a time. Saturday we sat for hours. Hours.

Her one year stats:
21 lbs, 6 oz (52nd percentile)
2 feet, 5.5" (59th percentile)
Head Circ 18.25" (83rd percentile)

Birthday Girl

2011-01-15T12:17:00.005-06:00

Kendall turned one year old last Friday, January 7th. It has been such a fun, wild ride and Dan and I are beyond blessed. We don't take a single day, or a single snuggle, or all her good health for granted in the least. It was so great to have family from both sides at her little party last week. Jim, Joan, Olivia, Grandma & Grandpa Leander, Alli, Cole, Avery, Evie, Wilf, Anita, William, Kurt, Kristi, Bob & Margaret all enjoyed celebrating Kendall and I loved every minute of it (well, except for the 30 minutes prior to 2:00 when I was trying to scramble to get everything ready - and realized I had to run to Party City one last time! :)....

Kendall, at one year old you are: babbling up a storm, crawling and trying to stand (you stood for 5 seconds in the middle of the living room), waving out the window, saying mama and dada and hi, taking a 3 hour nap from 11-2 most days and sleeping 12 hours through the night (with at least one wake-up each night). You squirm like a worm when we try to change your diaper, you love car rides and you love being outdoors. You like to be near the action, but it doesn't work well to put you behind a gate or a fence - even if we're all in the same room. You wrinkle your nose and laugh and when we chase you, you giggle like crazy - especially in the blue long tube toy. We spent some time and money getting the upstairs reading room made into a family/play room so that you can have a space to be free. We also appreciate with our baby watcher, Erin, and her daughter Emmy, come spend Tues/Thursday with you here at the house. You're full of spunk and spirit, little girl... and you are a cuddler if you are tired!

Some of your presents: Give me Grace book from Mommy's coworker, Musical Instrument Baby B drum from Grammy P and a 2nd one from your cousins that you'll return for something fun, alphabet learning toy from Aunt & Uncle Pare, plastic cars that make music! musical giraffe from mom & dad, comfy, cute clothes from the Sandersons, Elmo t-shirt, bath toys, a baby einstein CD from Grandma, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something! You love your new toys.

Happy Birthday, Sweet One!

New Years Eve

2010-12-31T21:10:00.002-06:00

Christmas 2010 in Photos

2010-12-29T22:38:00.005-06:00

Baby Book

2010-12-27T20:57:00.002-06:00

I have been terrible at keeping track of Kendall's firsts - and her progress of growing from a sweet little infant to the babe with personality that she is today. She'll have her first birthday in about 10 days but there's no time like the present to start documenting her days. In no particular order, here we go!
Dear Kendall,
+ at 11.5 months,you pull yourself up on everything.
+ you have strong little arms and legs and you arch your back when you want something
+ mommy just switched you to vitamin D whole milk after officially making it a year (well, within 10 days) of nursing and a little bit of formula
+ you pull on your hair when you're tired and you fall asleep almost instantly
+ you're a great napper - and you always wake up happy
+ you love fruits, bananas, baby treats, and crackers
+ you love being outdoors and you love your carseat almost always
+ you have 6 teeth - four on top and two on the bottom.
+ you get scared/startled by the vacuum cleaner, toilets flushing, and my hair dryer
+ you did several months of physical therapy from june-auguest for torticolis and I think we may need to revisit that as you have a crooked neck again - esp when you're tired.
+ mommy LOVES taking your picture - if that's not obvious by now - and you're a trooper at playing in front of the lense
+ you acknowledge us both when you wake up and we come into your room to get you
+ you crawl super fast everywhere and you love anything that has texture

That's all I can think of for now but I'm going to be better at writing things down that I remember. This blog isn't only about you, Kendall, but right now it's most of what's happening in our family. We just spent your first Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa Leander and all of your Leander aunts/uncles/cousins. Everybody was home for Christmas day and that was nice. You loved the boxes, the wrapping paper, and the dollies that you got from both Grandmas!

11 months

2010-12-23T13:59:00.003-06:00

1st Ornament from Grammy & Grandpa Pare

2010-12-18T12:38:00.001-06:00

10 months (Over Due~)

2010-12-18T12:21:00.006-06:00

These photos are from over a month ago but I realized I never posted 10 month photos to the blog. I've been bad at baby booking so this will be most of it! 11 month photos will hopefully get taken tomorrow. Watch for her cute red Christmas hat!

Blizzard

2010-12-11T16:27:00.003-06:00

We're not doing much of anything productive at home today - mainly watching the snow come down and swirl around. I took Kendall outside for a whopping 60 seconds with hopes of plunking her in the snow to show how deep it was but before I could even snap a photo she was in full crawl mode - on top of the snow. She cried when I pulled her inside and I proved to her dad that I could accomplish my feat without getting her wet :>).

Kendall's new toys

2010-12-05T12:19:00.004-06:00

My friend/coworker Joan gave Kendall a bunch of toys there her kids have outgrown... oh, so much fun at the Pare house hold! Thank you Trask, Hannah and Samuel!

Thanksgiving in Spokane

2010-12-04T12:25:00.008-06:00

Continuing on with our trip to see Grammy & Grandpa & crew, the rest of the trip was such a relaxing, good time. Sunday night into Monday morning we stayed at the Kreider's home again, and Monday morning was such a treat. Kendall and I woke and sat by the wood fireplace, watched the snow fall outside the giant bay window, and caught up on morning talk shows that I never get to watch since I'm at work.
Then about mid day we packed up and headed to Spokane Valley to spend the rest of the nights with mom & dad, Aunt Judy & Uncle Ray. It was snowing quite heavily and the Kreiders live in a bit of a back woods area, and unfortunately for us and another old pick-up truck, we were creeping along about a mile from the house and couldn't see the intersection and/or stop sign... so a little sliding, a little bump, everyone OK, but a little more damage to Josh's Tahoe than desired left us waiting for the county sheriff and 'enjoying' extended time watching the snow fall. So after that eventful day, we gladly settled in at mom & dads for several days of hanging out and enjoying each others company. Tuesday morning we took Kendall in to see where Grammy works and meet her favorite coworkers.. and then we kidnapped Grammy and told her he had to come home with us, which she gladly did - and she took the next day off!
Thanksgiving itself was a truly wonderful day. So much to be thankful for. Patriots football to start off the day, Starbucks that I just "had" to get for us all, the smells of a warm kitchen, still enjoying the surprise factor of the weekend before, Kendall finally mostly feeling better, and lots of naps and couch time and relaxing. We ate a wonderful meal and truly enjoyed the last full day of vacation.

Then we got ready to head for home and here's Dan and Kendall on the flight between Spokane/Denver/Minneapolis. She was a great traveler and slept almost the whole trip home.

The Surprise & Saturday Night

2010-11-27T22:09:00.006-06:00

Dan and I decided about a month ago that we would like to surprise Dan's parents with a trip out to Spokane for Thanksgiving. We were able to pull of the complete surprise with the help of Dan's family and the presumption that we were going to Cook for the holiday, and that I had to work a few days that week. All the details lined up so that we flew to Spokane Friday-Friday. As much as we knew they'd love to see us, what they REALLY would love would be spending the week with their 10 month old grand daughter.

After working hard to get packed up and to the airport after a full week at home, Josh & Heather picked us up at the Spokane airport at about 11pm on Friday night capping off Heather's birthday! We made the hour drive to Heather's parents' home in Spirit Lake, ID where we planned to sleep and surprise mom and dad the next morning. I was giddy with excitement. I just couldn't wait! I knew there would be tears, hugs, elation to say the least! The only bummer was that I could tell Kendall was coming down with a cold. And a doozy of a cold it turned into. She was sneezing, runny nose, and low grade fever and it felt like it was peaking right at the time we flew and surprised mom and dad. This photo was taken at the Denver airport and it speaks for itself.

Saturday morning we got up to beautiful snow, a winter wonderland, and the excitement of the surprise ahead of us. Did I mention how excited I was? We got ready, piled into the Tahoe, and headed to town. After a stop at Starbucks and a stop at Josh's work, we pulled onto Bowdish and met Uncle Ray in the yard. We were trying to figure out the best way to surprise them - we wanted to get it on video and we wanted to be able to get into the house without them seeing us first. Josh & Heather went in ahead of us and then motioned us in. We snuck into the kitchen and realized that John & Theresa were both upstairs in their loft area. Dad came down first and the expression on his face was priceless. His eyes got big and he put his hand over his mouth, then reached out for Kendall.

We had to work a little harder to get Theresa downstairs.... and when we did, and when she came around the corner, she did not disappoint! She put her hands over her mouth, she sat right down on the floor against the wall, and she hit her hands on the floor in disbelief. Then she worked her way back up, and into the kitchen, and proceeded to hug me, Dan, Heather, and then Kendall Grace! It was just so much fun... I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. We spent all of Saturday together, ending the evening by going out for Chinese as a family.

After dinner, mom and dad when home and the rest of us drove back to Spirit Lake to sleep. Or so we thought. Little Miss Kendall by this time was feeling purely miserable and could hardly breathe through her nose. I did my best to help make her comfortable but that was not happening. We attempted to go to bed and about 4 am, I believe the three of us finally fell asleep. For about 4 hours. That was probably the most helpless I've felt as a mom. At one point, Dan was sound asleep, Kendall was unconsolable, and I just sat there almost in tears. Finally with enough tylenol and a little luck, she drifted off to sleep between her mom and her dad. Sunday led to a very quiet day with coffee, football, and family. Dan's parents made the drive to Spirit Lake so we didn't have to leave the house. One benefit to Kendall's cold was lots of nap time and snuggle time with Grammy & Grandpa.

The week was quite eventful so stay tuned for the next installment of Thanksgiving in Spokane... 2010!

Made My Day

2010-11-27T13:31:00.002-06:00

Dan made my day a few weeks back when he sent these three pictures to me at work. I just about melted, and got a little teary, and then showed them off. LOVE this. It's so "her"....

Weekends

2010-11-14T08:15:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been thinking about how I live my weekends. May sound funny to actually be thinking about that, but here's where it stems from. The weeks are fairly full with work. I haven't been doing a lot of extras (really any) in the evenings, but they go quickly and it takes time just to keep up with life and a little one while I'm working. So when Saturday and Sunday roll around, I vacillate between doing nothing and everything. I feel like I should do everything... clean, organize, grocery shop, go to church, exercise, get the yard ready for winter, write thank yous for my birthday over a month ago, take photos, play with Kendall, and run errands. But what I FEEL like doing, is nothing. Sitting by the fireplace, reading to Kendall, sipping coffee, reading (maybe), playing on my computer.

I'm fairly certain the appropriate way to live is somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. But my mind very often is constantly at battle over which extreme to fight against. If I enjoy my time and do "what I want" then I feel guilt. If I get everything done, and am a busy body, I feel more productive but still tired and just wanting to veg.

I've also been struggling with church and devotions. I know I "should" and I know even more that I "should want to" but to be honest, I've been fairly self-sufficient lately (wrongly so, when it comes to depending on the Word and the Lord). And I know it's wrong. So rather than asking for help from the Spirit to renew my mind, refresh my desires, and keep from sin - I instead sit and wait - almost assuring myself that the Lord will have to get my attention and whatever it takes to get my attention will be painful. So why do I put myself through that? Why not just put some discipline in my life and do what I know will help me and will also increase my affections for spiritual things?

All that to say - it's Sunday - I should be going to church since we didn't go last night - and since it's actually too late for that, plan B should be that I go to the gym for my favorite class.... but instead I'm sitting by the fireplace with my cup of coffee, my baby, and my sleeping husband upstairs - my rationale being that he needs his sleep as he's fighting off a cold.

Pray with and for me.. for a renewed heart and mind, for rest when appropriate, and for the desire and discipline to use my time wisely.

FRIENDS!

2010-11-07T14:16:00.002-06:00

Sarah. Kathy. Aimmie. Annette. Roommates and great friends during college and now 15 years later the Lord in His providence would have it be that all four of us gave birth in 2010. Not only that, but all four of our families welcomed baby GIRLS into this world in 2010. How crazy and great is that? Kendall and Alayna were born a few weeks apart in January, Elsi was born in March, and Alyssa rounded out the crew in August. It was so fun to spend the day together yesterday at Kathy's new home in Minnetrista. We talked like old times. It hit me as we sat at the square table that we had done that many times before when life was so very different for all of us. I love what the years have done for us. Thank you, Lord!

Our Pumpkin

2010-11-03T21:16:00.002-05:00

9 months

2010-10-16T17:31:00.002-05:00

William Marshall

2010-10-13T11:35:00.001-05:00

My new nephew, William Marshall, born on October 10, 2010 to Wilf & Anita in Oaxaca, Mexico!

50 mm

2010-10-06T07:02:00.001-05:00

Playing with my new 50mm lense... I could take pictures of her all day long!

Twin Cities Marathon

2010-10-05T21:44:00.003-05:00

8 Months Old

2010-09-25T15:00:00.003-05:00

Here are my two favorite shots of Kendall at 8 months. We were up at my parents' farm for Labor Day weekend and got quality time at the farm. She's got her first tooth, she's babbling alot, reaching for things, trying to crawl, and continuing to be adorable.

Today at School

2010-09-24T16:55:00.004-05:00

Today at school I had several conversations with students that just stuck in my head and make me sad and/or impacted.

One was from a Muslim gal - sweetheart that I know well - she was in my office concerned about a friend who is being harassed. We say that we don't tolerate harassment and yet it's so hard when students are afraid to come forward and report things that are being said and done to them. She told me that a group of 3 students stopped her friend in the hall and mocked her hijab (head covering) and asked if there was hair under there, then proceed to tough her hijab and also touch her bum. That's SO NOT OK. And still her friend didn't want to report it. So we talked about ways to support her friend. The thought that keeps haunting me is that these other 3 students really don't see a problem with this sort of behavior - or if they do, they continue to do it. De-valuing the life and beliefs of others.

The second conversation was with a student who is struggling with self-worth and depression. Others were concerned about his mental health because of things he said in texts and on facebook. I had talked with his dad and heard his dad's frustrations as well. So while talking to this student, he was so honest and open about his situation - he didn't know I'd talked with his dad so I had a lot of inside information but I also could totally understand why he was so frustrated with his parents. To some extent, rightfully so. It just landed on me that there is a war going on - there is a lot of hurt in the world - expectations can kill relationships - and there's not always a clear answer to situations. What meant the most to me was that the kid actually talked to me. He did more than answer yes/no questions. He shared his feelings and his honest ideas. When he left my office (after about 15 minutes) he thanked me for the conversation... I hope that my daughter grows up to know that she can talk to her mom, that her mom isn't always right, and that most importantly I can allow her to be a creative individual all the while influencing her in a way that she desires to follow Christ and live sold-out for Him.

A Working Mom

2010-09-22T21:10:00.002-05:00

I've thought a lot about the fact that I'm a mom now, and still working outside of the home. I struggled a decent amount with that. Not so much that it's a fact, but that I had to admit it when people asked me. In my circles, it felt like the the most often asked question was, "So are you going to be able to stay home?" For a long time I struggled and would sort of hedge around the question and say things like... "I'll finish the year out" or... "We'll see how things go"... or "I'd love to...but..." and those answers are all true. And yes, sometimes I think how it "could" be..... and then I do a reality check.

When Dan and I were talking about it this summer he asked me some good questions. One of them was, "What's the biggest reason you struggle with going back to work?" I think I had to honestly answer that I was concerned about what people thought of me. That, he said, is not the right reason. And he's right. Yes, I miss Kendall during the days, yes, I wish I sometimes had more time to do the stuff that should get done around home, but those were not the hugest reasons. I think I've been able to pinpoint a fear of not having enough control over how Kendall grows up if I'm not home with her... (i.e. character, discipline, biblical truth teachings, etc). But then I'm jumping a few years ahead of myself. I've also struggled through wanting to be biblical, and it depends on how you read/interpret the verse in Titus 2 that women are to be workers at home.... I'm not trying to justify that - but I will say that I'm even MORE of a worker at home since I'm also working outside of the home! I have to work my tail off to get those same things done in many less hours. And most of those things do get done. The part that I'm sometimes jealous about is having play dates with girlfriends who have babies... or being part of the mom's group at church... or having full dinners ready for Dan at 6:00. BUT - our family is communicating, and working, and trusting Jesus, and doing our best with the gifts we've been given. And I can't believe I've gotten this far into the post without first and foremost giving HUGE kudos to my beloved Husband. He's been a rock star. He works from home, spends the days with Kendall, feeds her, gets her down for naps, and keeps me in the loop on everything. He's still contributing financially to our family the same as he was before she was born, and he's saving us hundreds in child care. AND he's building a solid relationship with our daughter. Yet another reason that we have a good situation.

So I've come to see the positives. I work 200 days out of 365. I have summers, holidays and weekends off. I love the work that I'm paid to do. I have amazing coworkers who are also some of my closest friends. I'm home by 3:30 every day. I never bring work home. I have insurance that covers our entire family and pays 100% of things. And we've create some structure around here that keeps me sane. On Sundays Dan helps me make our meal plan for the week and I shop for the week of dinners. It makes evenings so much more enjoyable for me. I'm getting 3 workouts/week in.... 2 of them are at 5:30-6:15 AM, but it's worth it to feel good and have them done! The gym is on my way to work so it saves me time in the long run as I combine drive time and shower times! I don't have to get Kendall out of the house in the morning so we've set her bedtime a little later so we have more time together as a family in the evening and then she gives Dan more work time in the mornings.

So I've come to a place where I'm good with things. My relationship with God is #1. My family is close behind it. And God has given Dan and I unity on how our family is working right now and we pray often for His guidance to make wise financial & family decisions. I'm reminded of the words of the song Great is Thy Faithfulness where the songwriter says "All I have needed Thy hand has provided..." and I testify to the truth of that statement. And am thankful for the way He provides for our family.

7 months

2010-08-28T17:01:00.003-05:00

OK, so this was almost a month ago... but with everything else in life going on (vacation, photography, back to school, baby, dishes, laundry, etc)... I've been neglecting the blog. But here Kendall is at 7 months and she's sitting up, smiling a lot, grabbing everything and shoving it into her month. She laughs out loud, sleeps like a champ, and is generally an all around happy baby. Gretchen and I met up with our kids at a park over in north Mpls for these photos on a sunny Friday morning at the beginning of August.

Anniversary #3

2010-08-03T10:46:00.014-05:00

Happy Anniversary, Babe. Three years and you love me oh so well....I am blessed and God is great.

Six Months Old....

2010-07-07T23:08:00.003-05:00

I've been meaning to blog for a while now... more than just a few photos. Now it's late and I should be sound asleep but if I keep putting it off, the days just keep ticking by.

Kendall is 6 months old today. And she has been in rare form. Before I tick off the list of things that describe her right now, I just have to say that these last 7 days have been some of the hardest! She's cute, fun, and easy to be with - but at the same time she's mysterious, fussy, clinging to mommy, and unhappy. So I'm guessing it's a phase and maybe a combination of teething, hunger, wanting mom, and who knows what...but Dan and I have been scratching our heads about how much to hold her, how much to let her cry, and making sure we're not missing the obvious with her care. It started with a trip to Cook and a change in routine. Ever since we got home it's been a long bedtime routine, I got called out of gym class tonight after 20 minutes of child care, and feedings have been a bit more dramatic than in days past. We shall see how things go from here.

KG at 6 months.....
has become much more aware of her surroundings
reacts to me putting anything in my mouth. Eating, coffee, etc
pulls on my necklace and hair
almost sits up by herself
goes to physical therapy on thursdays for her neck
eats her toes
rolls over if left on the floor for any bit of time
just started eating rice cereal
still nursing
loves the water and loves being at the pool
likes being read to
does not like getting her car seat strapped

We went to Sarah's back yard this morning and took a few photos on the cute high chair that she has.... those will be coming soon. Happy Half Birthday, Kendall Grace! We love you and we pray for you every day.

Random Chubster

2010-06-30T22:15:00.003-05:00

That first picture just cracks me up. Every night we put KG to bed on her back and the other morning this is how I found her.... notice her butt up in the air a bit... she gets herself contorted in every which direction, sometimes with her legs sticking through the crib slots. She sleeps, so it's all good!
These I just love as they show off her chubs! She just brings a smile to my face. Thank you, God.

Desiring God

2010-06-26T09:48:00.002-05:00

Our friend Suz gave Kendall her very own Desiring God onesie.... she's a fan already. We pray that the Lord has mercy on her life and saves her by His grace at a young age. We are so thankful for the ministry of Desiring God in our lives and across the world. Thanks, Suz! You rock.

Kendall likes her toes...

2010-06-20T23:13:00.002-05:00

Father's Day

2010-06-20T21:59:00.005-05:00

It's still rather surreal that we celebrated Father's Day today... we had a really low-key, lovely day. It was just a great day. We actually celebrated last night after church with a nice meal at Old Chicago. Today we were quiet. Cup of coffee this morning, a few hours exploring the Stone Arch Arts Festival this afternoon, grilling in the back yard with my brother, and then walking to the kiddie pool a few blocks from our house for Kendall's first real swim. She loved it! So fun to see her play with her dad... and I'm so in love with Dan as my husband and as Kendall's dad. He's so good with her! It was an ideal day and we are very grateful for the gifts God has given us.... a sweet child, a backyard, a neighborhood to walk in, a church that loves the Lord, friends who we have much in common with, and family that is close by.

Kendall loves to play...

2010-06-12T23:11:00.004-05:00

These photos just make me smile! It's got to be because Kendall's personality is really starting to shine through. She just goes from being happy to being mad to being smiley all in about 30 seconds... I could just stare at her all day long!

Memorial Day 2010

2010-06-02T19:48:00.004-05:00

Dan and I walked over to Hillside Cemetery across the street from our house on Monday morning to take in the Memorial Day service they had... it was very enjoyable and powerful - a reminder for us to be thankful for those who have served our country in the military forces. They shot off guns that were used in days gone by and explained each kind as the gentlemen fired them.... so very glad we went.

Summertime Fun

2010-05-29T16:19:00.005-05:00

We've been spending quality time in our backyard and Kendall is loving the grass. She loves the texture, and grabs hold of it with her tiny fingers. Dan and I bought two plastic red chairs from Home Depot and already we've gotten our money's worth. Reading this morning in the book of Hebrews.... "He (Christ) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs."

KG & Me

2010-05-22T21:56:00.002-05:00

KG & Me had a good day today... Dan was golfing at the Calvin Christian Tourney all afternoon so the girl and I had a full day to play. She napped, I edited photos, and then we took a drive. Dan has wanted a weed wacker for some time now so we picked out the one at Menards... along with the shop broom that he's had his eye on. Then we did a few more errands and treated ourselves to a Starbucks Frap, and enjoyed a walk down to our favorite Target for a few household items. It was a good day. Can't beat the weather, and the company was mighty fine indeed.

I've been fighting fear off and on.... the last few days more than usual. So as the thoughts come to mind, I've been using the line that Andree Seu gave us at the women's conference - "I rebuke that thought in the name of Jesus Christ." It stops my mind from spinning, it reorients me, and it gives credit to the winner of the battle going on in the spirit world. For today, God has given me charge over this child, a place in this home, and life with this man. For that I am very grateful. Tomorrow has enough cares of its own.

Big Ticket is 4 months

2010-05-13T21:15:00.003-05:00

We've got a boat load of nicknames for this kid. Here she is at 4 months old in the dress that she wore for her dedication at church. I'm not much for girly things like headbands and lace tights, but Dan wanted me to find her a headband - so we did - but not in time for this picture. Back to the nicknames......

Big Ticket (that comes from KG - Kevin Garnett/Kendall Grace)....
Scooch - Grandpa Pare named her that.
Peanut Butter - no idea, but Dan calls her that.
Sweetheart - my most common name
Poochkin - another one of Dan's creations
Coo Coo Dove - Grammy Pare's best
KG - self explanatory

And at 4 months she's grabbing on to things, chewing on her lower lip, giggling just a little bit, trying to do better at holding her head up, cooing, smiling a lot, swinging her legs like crazy, sitting up in her big girl chair, and we even tried some rice cereal the other night. Doc said she doesn't need it yet, so it's up to us. She's eating great, and at her 4 month check she's in the 50th percentile for everything. She gets to do a little bit of physical therapy at Children's Hospital for her tendancy to always go right with her head/neck... no worries, just precautionary and neck muscle strengthening so she gets full range of motion as she grows. We're having the time of our lives. There you have it - til the next installment!

16 weeks

2010-04-29T20:10:00.003-05:00

15 weeks

2010-04-29T20:08:00.002-05:00

3 months

2010-04-20T21:55:00.001-05:00

Red Sox/Twins

2010-04-14T21:44:00.005-05:00

Dan, Kendall and I had a GREAT time at the Red Sox/Twins game last week. It was the 2nd game in the brand new Twins stadium and it was AWESOME. I surprised Dan with tickets for his birthday... and it was so so so so fun. We had a little drama the day of the game as I accidentally dropped one of the two tickets in my office earlier in the morning (I worked a half-day before the game). So our original plan was to drop KG off with a friend and enjoy the game just the two of us. Well, when I lost the ticket, and searched the house over, and panicked, and called my office to find it, then Dan agreed to go retrieve the ticket, and decided that we should take KG with us. She was a trooper, slept through much of the game, and we had a blast (and the Red Sox won). So it all worked out beautifully in the end but there was a bit of stress on my part as I would have been devastated if we all hadn't been able to go. We'll definitely return to this great stadium... I love my family!

3 months

2010-04-10T13:52:00.001-05:00

A North Shore Wedding

2010-04-05T15:16:00.005-05:00

Chris & Lisa Clement were married on Saturday, March 27th!! It was such a blessed weekend in so many ways. The Bride & Groom were evidences of God's grace all weekend long. We had FUN, I spent quality time with 3 dear girlfriends all weekend, and Dan's parents were with us to make the whole weekend a blast. I feel like I have several posts worth of events/pictures, but we'll start with a tribute to the bride, groom and stylish wedding party! God Bless you, Lisa & Chris. I love you guys.

12 weeks

2010-04-02T22:21:00.003-05:00

Kendall has discovered her voice.... she is making all sorts of noises, trying really hard to hold up her head, and smiling on command these days. So much fun to watch her development.

Airport Introductions

2010-03-31T15:34:00.002-05:00

It was very cool to meet John & Theresa at the airport for the first time with little Miss Kendall. They were so excited, and had been looking forward to this day for almost a year! (Since they learned we were expecting). Dan mentioned that it's not every day that you wait to introduce your daughter to your parents. I love these photos of Mom & Dad with their little angel.

Grandparents

2010-03-29T15:05:00.003-05:00

Kendall met up with all 4 of her grandparents on Sunday morning at Perkins in Duluth. John & Theresa flew in Thursday night and we hopped in the car Friday and made our way up the North Shore to a wedding weekend at Grand Superior Lodge (more photos coming soon on that celebration!).... on our way back we met my parents, Byron & Ginny, for a few hours and it was fun to be all together as Leander/Pare family. Gotta let each Grandma hold Kendall in the photos! We are blessed with amazing parents who love us (Dan and me) very much - and who pray for and love our sweet baby girl very very much. We are thankful people.

My Sweet Girl

2010-03-23T20:10:00.004-05:00

We're ready for Grammy & Grandpa Pare to fly in Thursday night but first we get to celebrate Dan's birthday tomorrow! I'm so excited for him to open his present... I think he will be pleasantly surprised. I worked my tail off today to get the house cleaned up - some deeper spring cleaning to get rid of dust and make it feel fresher in the house. Dan and I took KG to Dairy Queen this afternoon, and I walked her down to Target this evening. We love our neighborhood and are so thankful for being able to live here these days.

10 Weeks

2010-03-19T13:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks, Mike Major!

2010-03-16T21:29:00.003-05:00

Dan's buddy Mike sent us this GAP outfit - adorable is all I can say. Thanks, Mike!

The Word

2010-03-16T13:42:00.002-05:00

I've struggled to be reading the Bible lately. I can make absolutely no excuses. It's not because I have a little one, it's not because I'm too busy, or I have to get up too early. It's because I'm lazy, I don't love it enough, and I'm a procrastinator. Yeah, for those of us who put a high regard to reading scripture I'm sure we could all say we struggle to some degree. But mine has been worse lately. And it can't be, for me to function in a God-trusting, God-honoring way.

Over the years I've had different methods of discipline. Sometimes I attempt the reading plan through the year - or some version of it. Then I decide that doesn't work because it's too tempting to just want to read to check off the boxes and be done with it for the day. Walking away from it not even able to tell you what I just read. Then sometimes I slow down and read a certain book but still don't really study it well. And I've done Beth Moore bible studies and small group book studies.

So today I bought a new attempt. I almost feel guilty having to BUY a BOOK to help me read THE BOOK. But we will see. It's called the 17:18 series and it will have me cover Galatians through 2 Thessalonians with the goal being that I will write the Word as I read it. It's a journal-type bound book and as you go through the passages verse by verse on the right hand side of the page there is room on the left side to write thoughts, questions, and some guided response questions. So we will see! If this one works, I saw a handful of others in the same 17:18 series. It's a new attempt at an aged problem. I really want to WANT to read and glean and be made new.

Just Because.... 9 Weeks

2010-03-14T11:50:00.002-05:00