tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72379869332266454102024-03-13T18:31:36.221-07:00Scootin' on our StuderA look at what we're up toDavin Studerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04707495974344061602noreply@blogger.comBlogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-89177411526906468212018-08-04T09:11:00.002-07:002018-08-04T09:11:50.333-07:00Cannon Beach Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We had a super fun day at Cannon Beach a few weekends back for Desmond's birthday. Just had to share some photos. It was Emberly's first visit. Brielle was my kite flying pro and it's the first time she remembers a trip to the beach. Kaylynn reminded me of a beautiful mermaid on the shore. Desmond loved venturing out deeper into the waves. I can't believe my first baby is 10!</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-17459554474104302532018-07-05T09:33:00.000-07:002018-07-05T09:33:54.569-07:00June HighlightsJune really flew by! Here are some highlights before any more time slips away.<br />
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School is over! The kids are loving all the free time and I'm working on getting some house projects done when I can.</div>
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Mommy-Brielle date to Krispy Kreme.</div>
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Emberly visiting with Nana at Father's Day.</div>
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Daddy-Kaylynn camping trip to Battle Ground Lake.</div>
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Emberly is crawling all over the house and loves getting into small spaces and putting everything she can into her mouth.</div>
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Kid time at the park. </div>
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(Side note: We just got Desmond men's size 8 shoes! The kids are growing fast.)</div>
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The biggest highlight from June was Kaylynn's ballet recital. She worked hard all year on her dance. Her class was the dove in the Noah's Ark story, and she was so pretty in her costume. </div>
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Kaylynn's teacher, Miss Taliah.</div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-18229815358124808092018-05-31T13:00:00.000-07:002018-05-31T13:00:03.859-07:00Kaylynn is 7!On May 9th Kaylynn turned 7. She is my sweet, energetic, social butterfly. She loves friends, ballet, God, and is very passionate about things she believes in whether that's being treated fairly or helping those in need. Being homeschooled means that I have to go out of my way sometimes to create more social interactions, and Kaylynn is more social in nature, so my goal this year was to have friend time for her birthday.<br />
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Kaylynn's birthday was on Wednesday which is also ballet day. We invited all her ballet friends to join us at a nearby park right after class for some playtime and cupcakes. Instead of gifts Kaylynn wanted to collect donations for a shelter. It was all her idea, and she was super excited to sort the donations as soon as we got home. After Davin got home from work, we went to her favorite restaurant, Sweet Tomatoes, for dinner. Then she got her gift from us - a new pink bike. She's getting a bit big for the little red one she learned on.<br />
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That weekend we had family over for Mother's day and her birthday celebration with them.<br />
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The following weekend we closed the birthday shenanigans with a pony party for her and friends from church and AWANA. The girls had fun brushing, feeding and riding Rosie. This was way more birthdaying than normal, but she had a blast having special time with her friends.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-78486730917212018942018-04-20T16:20:00.000-07:002018-04-20T16:25:46.904-07:00Emberly is on the Move!Watch out! Here she comes. I was just trying to get a picture and she took off after me.<br />
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Ok. That's all the blogging for today. It might be awhile before I have another chunk of time to update the blog. Just had lots of stuff I wanted to finally get around to sharing. Until next time!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-83541886842776132192018-04-20T16:16:00.003-07:002018-04-20T16:17:22.808-07:00Emberly is 8 Months Old<br />
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Emberly has started off her eighth month being sick for the first time. On Monday night she woke up twice with the croup. It was pretty bad, but we've experienced this before. The barking cough, crying, and rattling breathing. It sounds awful, but after sitting outside with her for about a half hour or so, it calmed down. Davin held her in the rocking chair while she slept next to the open window for a good chunk of the night. I took her to the doctor in the morning and he gave her some medication to help relax her airway so her cough and breathing could stay loose. She was up coughing again the next night, but at least her breathing didn't sound scary.</div>
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The other downside to this sickness is that she's refusing to nurse! I don't know if it's impatience, moodiness from the medication, or difficulty breathing through her very stuffy nose. I've been pumping and giving her bottles more. Over the past few weeks I've noticed her nursing less so my milk has decreased and she's drinking more than I'm making. We'll see how this all shakes out. My back up stash in the freezer is gone after today. I'll pump what I can for now.</div>
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Emberly is 20lbs, has two teeth now, is a sitting pro, has the cutest jabbers, usually takes three naps a day and drinks from a sippy cup sometimes. She's still easy-going when she's not sick. More than once Davin or I have commented on her sleeping when she's actually sitting quietly right in the room with us. But every once in a while she'll let out a loud squeal. We'll see how vocal she is as she gets older and has three siblings to compete with.</div>
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Back to the cuteness! Emberly is just so adorable and I love her new outfit she finally fits into compliments of Uncle Shane and Aunt Heather. </div>
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And a little video of the cuteness, too, co-starring Brielle.</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-74527687816835249382018-04-20T14:24:00.000-07:002018-04-20T14:24:37.134-07:00Portland Children's Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We FINALLY got around to using Desmond's birthday gift from Grandma Linda a few weekends ago. I was too pregnant at first and then lost in the newborn phase. The final piece of the puzzle was a free weekend when Davin could come with me to help keep up with four kids. I've been wanting to post pictures ever since, but it's tough finding time to sit down and blog! Even today I have a sick baby who's refusing to nap so this it taking quite awhile. But on to the good stuff...</div>
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We had so much fun at the <a href="http://www.portlandcm.org/" target="_blank">Portland Children's Museum</a>! First we explored outside and especially loved the climbing tree. Inside we visited the kitchen, grocery store, water tables, vet hospital, dig pit, clay creations, theater, and other little hands-on activities. I liked the room where the kids could make stuff out of recycling. They are constantly pulling garbage out of the recycling at home to re-purpose it into various creations, and then I have to re-throw it away later. Emberly finally conked out for a nap after lunch so we could stay a little longer. We'll be back to visit again on a warm day when the outside creek feature is running. Thank you so much, Grandma Linda!<br />
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It was a full day!</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-80856200997284837542018-04-12T11:42:00.000-07:002018-04-12T11:42:07.250-07:00Mr. Stripes InterventionMr. Stripes is very loved by a passionate four year old. He's been her favorite snuggly since she was born. He travels whenever she does, and there are tears if he's lost at bedtime. His arms, legs, and neck are limp from hundreds of hugs. The problem is he's made from a lightweight knit material and he's getting holes and runs in his fabric especially around the blank tags that had words once upon a time. If the fabric runs too far, I won't be able to salvage the material. Time for a lifesaving intervention.<br />
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Of course, you can't buy this bear anymore, so I bought a fuzzy gray and white striped bear to be a stand-in while Mr. Stripes was in surgery for a few days. Even so, Brielle wandered out of bed more than once in the middle of the night looking for him. I could only work at night so she wouldn't be distressed at his limp pelt in pieces, and I had to hide him quickly when she peeked over the stair rail. <br />
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First I carefully opened the delicate seams along his back, bottom and neck where the holes were. I removed all the smashed stuffing. I also fray-checked the holes so they wouldn't get any bigger. Mr. Stripes kept a smile on his face the whole time, but I could tell he was nervous about whether or not he could be put back together right.</div>
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Next he got a 24-hour bath soak in Oxyclean detergent. The water turned brown! Mr. Stripes's white brightened noticeably, but I still didn't get out all the green marker on his back from when he watched Brielle color a little too closely. I rinsed him well and dried him in the dryer in my delicates bag.</div>
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Finally it was time to sew. I trimmed the worst edges off so he ended up getting a bottom tuck. I learned how to use my new serger so I could overlock stitch the edges of the fabric to hopefully help prevent future holes. It wasn't easy sewing tiny curves and seams on a beefy machine so I used my regular machine for the more tedious areas.</div>
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Sewing took longer than I thought so I stayed up late last night stuffing to get him done. I had to put in the right amount so he was full but not too firm. He has by nature a soft, squishy, cuddly personality. I didn't want to change that.</div>
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I could hear Mr. Stripes sigh with contentment. He felt so much better! I left one small section of his back open just in case I misjudged the necessary squishiness of his body. I'm glad I did because the expert informed me this morning that his head was too fluffy, and I was easily able to rectify it. </div>
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Brielle watched me hand sew the last little bit while she held his hand to help him not be scared. She is ecstatic to have her beloved Mr. Stripes back in her arms. Ah. All is well again!</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-38961086625161127442018-02-16T11:34:00.001-08:002019-01-16T20:37:39.984-08:00Brielle's First Time Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SVtGAcGj_co/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SVtGAcGj_co?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Brielle is reading! I've been working with Kaylynn on reading real books, and Brielle wants to do everything Kaylynn does, so yesterday she grabbed a book and started sounding out the words. The book was much too hard, so I got the first Bob Book for her to try. And she read it! We got book two on video, and after that she read book three. I was pretty impressed for so much success on her very first try. I haven't worked with her on reading at all, but she's picked up quite a lot from school happening around her every day. Maybe I won't have to teach her how to read at all. That would be weird.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-88587524116474994982018-02-15T15:29:00.000-08:002018-02-15T15:29:04.851-08:00Emberly is 6 Months OldEmberly is 6 months old!Yeah, how did that happen? She is sleeping through the night occasionally and takes three good naps a day. She seems to be working on some teeth although they haven't popped through yet which has led to some fussy days. She's eating lots of pureed foods and likes everything she's tried so far, but really doesn't like having her face wiped. We're working on sign language for "milk," "more" and "all done," and I think she's trying them out sometimes. She says da-da and other cute babbles. Emberly sits and stands with support and is a pro at rolling. Her favorite place to hang out is the jumper. She'll try jumping if she's standing in your lap, too. Overall Emberly is sweet, patient, curious, and likes to snuggle and giggle. I'm enjoying all the snuggles I can get in between school lessons and food prep. She's a joy!<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-49367921236302352512018-02-14T11:27:00.002-08:002018-02-14T11:27:22.661-08:00Snowy Valentine's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A "talking video" from Brielle to brighten your snowy Valentine's Day.</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-76748583085156176132018-02-09T15:45:00.001-08:002018-02-09T15:45:53.478-08:00Sniffy Face Emberly recently started doing the "sniffy face." She scrunches up her nose, puckers her lips and sniffs in and out. I love how babies pick up on humor so early! She is playing around with her expressions and being funny.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">It reminds me so much of Kaylynn who had the same phase of doing a sniffy face to be silly. She was nine months old at the time and remains very expressive to this day. Emberly is starting out even earlier just shy of 6 months old. I have no shortage of expressive girls!</span></div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-39586013477158451472018-01-23T13:26:00.000-08:002018-01-23T13:26:47.960-08:00Emberly is 5 Months Old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This little one is growing fast! She's growing out of some of her six month things and she's enjoying eating solids most of the time. We've been trying to work on sleep training so she'll sleep through the night, but so far it only worked for about a week and now we seem to be moving backwards. Last night she was up twice, and I'm so tired! I wonder if she has teeth coming in and her gums are bothering her? She can roll from her back to her tummy but doesn't often go the other way on purpose yet. She's getting stronger abs, likes to sit up with help and loves jumping in the bouncer. Her little jabbers and noises are cute. Lately she's been in to buzzing her tongue and lips. And lots and lots of drool!<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-7556211273028536562018-01-23T13:01:00.000-08:002018-01-23T13:09:29.526-08:00Family Photo and the Christmas Eve Service<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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They were taking family photos at the Christmas Eve service so we got a nice one of the six of us. It's still hard for me to get used to the idea of being a family of six now! The kids are perfect stair steps.</div>
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The kids got to sing on stage. It was Brielle's first time and she was so excited. She was front and center but ended up very upset because people were touching her. She was in tears and stared down the kids on either side of her. At one point I was trying to have her come down to me, but that only made it worse because she put her hand behind her ear and said "I can't hear you!" She finally joined in singing "Joy to the World" with a scowl on her face, but at least she was singing. Quite the show stealer. I love her and all her feelings and expression.</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-25332386411741693832018-01-11T20:30:00.000-08:002018-01-11T20:30:29.697-08:00The Flu, Sleep Training, and First Foods<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSN8knwdxSg53gYRXAVVhutodDea8V0zpYbW3L4OAaaQeujCnJ8KgZo2Nd7vJ_lDdJK2YHjnNyZOFLb7yAgxKHjxvnWMOrv47nA2lXIHlpiPn1eCX1Qeej_TUKLhatGc5QVCydIIFX-ehl/s1600/2018-01-05+08.51.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSN8knwdxSg53gYRXAVVhutodDea8V0zpYbW3L4OAaaQeujCnJ8KgZo2Nd7vJ_lDdJK2YHjnNyZOFLb7yAgxKHjxvnWMOrv47nA2lXIHlpiPn1eCX1Qeej_TUKLhatGc5QVCydIIFX-ehl/s320/2018-01-05+08.51.59.jpg" width="320" /></a>We've been hit by the flu. I was the first one to come down with it a week and a half ago. Kaylynn, Brielle, Desmond, and Davin all got it in succession with Emberly thankfully being the lone hold out. It's been a doozy. We are all much better, but it's still holding on. Lots of coughs and runny noses. I think as of yesterday we're finally done with fevers. I'm ready for my energy to return.<br />
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To help with my energy, I reviewed the book <u><a href="https://babywise.life/products/on-becoming-babywise" target="_blank">Babywise</a></u>. We've been doing the feed, wake time, sleep cycle since the beginning, but it's time to get it more scheduled by the clock so I can better plan my day and hopefully sleep through the night with the goal to get to the gym in the mornings. (I've got to get a move-on with these extra 50 lbs to lose.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UYo2FElFWZSWxcRDNUl0Bc-kAZS-REncvrI_vQM5aqAc44jC5yV4JyGkX61VOrlcrsQSiBr1xhbblk3XiFYuHJqzgMh3tGemBAqQA55KeYz8ydGvz7gUTJJz30zU82AQZewqgO9x7DO5/s1600/2017-12-27+10.56.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UYo2FElFWZSWxcRDNUl0Bc-kAZS-REncvrI_vQM5aqAc44jC5yV4JyGkX61VOrlcrsQSiBr1xhbblk3XiFYuHJqzgMh3tGemBAqQA55KeYz8ydGvz7gUTJJz30zU82AQZewqgO9x7DO5/s320/2017-12-27+10.56.38.jpg" width="179" /></a>In conjunction with the sleep training, I've also introduced solids to Emberly. She kept sticking her tongue out at first and still occasionally clamps her little lips shut so I can't get the spoon in, but bananas turned her around. She volunteered to open her mouth for that. Her first foods include oatmeal, sweet potatoes, bananas, peaches, and squash. A new chapter has begun!<br />
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Now that her tummy is more full and her daytime naps are fairly predictable, I'm hopeful that a full night's rest will become the norm. She was in the habit of getting up at 1 and 5 to eat every night leaving two very tired parents, but last night she only woke up at 3 and was satisfied to go back to sleep when her binky was put back in. She slept 11 hours straight. We'll see how tonight goes.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-23565818412349750622017-12-07T13:42:00.000-08:002017-12-07T13:42:11.255-08:00Christmas Time is Here!This one is for Grandma Linda. She misses the blog and seeing pictures of the grand kids, so I thought I'd revive it and see if I can sustain some kid updates and photos.<br />
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It's Christmas! All isn't always merry and bright, but I love the traditions as we celebrate the greatest gift ever. Jesus' birth and life certainly wasn't all merry either, but pain was necessary to bring about our salvation. Real life is a mix of pain and joy, struggle and blessing. Often both can be side by side. So wherever you are at this holiday season, it's okay.<br />
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Some pictures of our Christmas season so far...<br />
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Brielle riding Elvis at the tree farm. Desmond and Kaylynn are both too big now.</div>
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Here's our tree! (from <a href="http://www.washougalriverchristmastrees.com/" target="_blank">Washougal River Tree Farm</a>)</div>
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When did they all get so big?</div>
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Ready to haul it home.</div>
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Kids decorating. The bottom branches are loaded.</div>
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Why?! Why don't Christmas lights work two years in a row?! I can never fix the half that's out.</div>
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My cute little reindeer!</div>
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Adult Christmas party at a friend's house.</div>
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Gaining good head control.</div>
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Brielle loves the camera!</div>
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Christmas lights are up outside.</div>
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Christmas coloring with Brielle.</div>
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Dress from Jeremy's wedding. This is the last time she'll fit in it.</div>
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Kaylynn had ballet yesterday. Still loving it!</div>
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Ho! Ho! Ho! (one week shy of four months old)</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-68201388406760281012014-06-11T17:51:00.001-07:002014-06-30T08:29:15.733-07:00Things to Remember about the Baby DaysThings I want to remember: 3:00 am breastfeeding snuggles. How she puts her arms down and tucks them in at her sides when sleeping. Rubbing her face in my shoulder or the bed sheet when she's ready to go to sleep. Half-asleep breastfeeding with her arm draped across her eyes. The cute noise she makes when the sneeze almost comes but then doesn't. Her laughs when I laugh. The way it tickles her when I'm getting her arms out of her sleeves. The wide toothless grin I see every day. Quiet coos and excited squeals. How music soothes her. Plump little legs chubbified without the assistance of bottles. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> Her left leg pumping when she's excited or upset. </span> Bright sparkling blue eyes.<div><br></div><div>The first three months have flown by! Just like before I couldn't imagine life with one more, but now I just love her to pieces! Brielle is still sweet, content, easy-going and she's patient if ever there could be a patient baby. She quietly waits her turn in her car seat sitting in the entry while I make lunch for the other two. She greets me each morning with a smile. She usually falls asleep with no cries. She is sunshine in my day.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPINU1Mr57-rbwyw6BMbgS18nffOvR_5rLyG893pjr8hkDS9hOhp9t62qrO1cRtMzUmAIFlxu3QQCSDxEj7D5VNJ_y4w4yBwMIo1Mj2N8sasJ9kltPz34_Prc-hyh-qX5u-xGTFFVHAmD/s640/blogger-image--1968196660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPINU1Mr57-rbwyw6BMbgS18nffOvR_5rLyG893pjr8hkDS9hOhp9t62qrO1cRtMzUmAIFlxu3QQCSDxEj7D5VNJ_y4w4yBwMIo1Mj2N8sasJ9kltPz34_Prc-hyh-qX5u-xGTFFVHAmD/s640/blogger-image--1968196660.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-59143033898623934542014-05-07T22:53:00.003-07:002014-05-07T22:53:37.330-07:00Brielle is Two Months OldToday I finally got around to snapping some two month photos of Brielle. She and Kaylynn have matching dresses so I also took some sister pictures. So cute!<br />
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Brielle is sleeping through the night on a regular basis now. She rarely cries and if she does she'll stop after a few minutes if I can't get to her right away. She's often content to wait her turn. Sweet baby!<br />
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Desmond and Kaylynn adore her and love taking turns holding her. Desmond often writes love notes to her and Kaylynn shares her snugglies.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-5928019191296833182014-04-25T14:06:00.001-07:002014-05-03T22:49:46.449-07:00Settling in with BrielleIt has been far too long since we've updated everyone! Life started a new chapter on March 1st when Brielle Moya Grace was born. You can read all about her arrival on our baby blog. We are all so in love with her! She's a mild mannered baby and in the past couple weeks she has slept through the night three times. It really is all about sleep at this stage. I turn into a mommy zombie with all the sleep interruptions, so it's nice to see a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. <br />
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So far adjusting hasn't been too hard. We have our days but overall it's doable. I think two was harder than three. Desmond didn't have anyone to play with back then but now he has Kaylynn. Also feeding has been so easy this time around. How nice to not be attached to the pump! I haven't had any post partum emotional or physical issues, and I'm ready to hit the weight loss which will make me feel better once some progress is visible.</div>
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Things are settling in. The family is doing well. We also have new renters in our condo which balances our finances. Brielle got approve for Washington health insurance which covers 100% of her hospital bill. God's blessings are abundant!</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-67635734422426288812013-12-11T22:50:00.001-08:002013-12-11T22:50:36.387-08:00Busy, BusyThe last few weeks has been unusually busy. We've had new carpet installed in two bedrooms upstairs, and we're turning over the condo after having wonderful renters for three years. It's very difficult to get major work like painting done with two young children so I've done a lot of the house work during nap times, and Davin's been spending most evenings at the condo. Let's just say we're both pretty tired but things will hopefully slow down soon.<div><br></div><div>In other news Desmond is doing well with homeschooling and can read small books. He's quite the little helper and recently has been eager to do extra chores to earn a little spending money. I love seeing how he's growing in so many ways.</div><div><br></div><div>Kaylynn just moved into her new big sister room. She was with Desmond for about a week while we ripped out carpet and painted so it's nice to have them back in their own rooms again. She has more space now and the baby will get the small room. Kaylynn's also recently started drawing people in her doodles. So cute! Also she has taken quite an interest in her wardrobe. She changes her outfit multiple times a day and has definite opinions on what shirt goes with what pants. </div><div><br></div><div>Baby is doing well and moves a lot. I wish I could peak inside to see what in the world he or she is doing in there! Only about ten weeks left.</div><div><br></div><div>We got our Christmas tree last weekend and the house feels festive for Christmas. The outside lights are only halfway done and I forgot to water the tree for the last few days, but hey, life is happening around here and we do what we can when we can. I'm learning to simplify and try to let go of my perfectionistic ways and overachiever goals. A happy, healthy home is my goal so I have to remind myself about what's really important when my to do list is longer than the hours in the day. I still need to take time to build LEGOs and play ring-around-the-rosie. The cleaning can wait... though the laundry needs washed sometime.</div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-59735693071204909022013-11-07T13:32:00.001-08:002013-11-07T13:32:49.030-08:00October OutingsIt's fun to play with the kids and enjoy the things they enjoy. Recent family outings include a day at Bi-Zi Farms where we picked pumpkins...<br />
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And a Halloween night at Real Life Church. Desmond was Swampy from the "Where's my Water?" game and Kaylynn was her favorite cartoon character Doc McStuffins.<br />
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-86720367033503589622013-10-11T21:41:00.001-07:002013-10-11T23:01:29.245-07:00Health InsuranceWe are blessed to have Davin's health insurance covered by work, and we qualify for the kids to be mostly covered by the state. I, however, am a different story. We make too much for me to qualify for state assistance. We don't make enough to foot the $500/month bill to add me to Davin's insurance. So I have an individual plan with Kaiser. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Since I first got my plan in 2009 my premiums have increased by about 100%, but coverage has remained the same and is good. 2014 changes all that. </span><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">My plan is being discontinued and I have to pick a new one for January. The best plan Kaiser can now offer me increases my premiums by a considerable amount and drops coverage by a shocking degree leaving me paying 80% more for the combined premium and out of pocket maximum amounts. This is a problem with an upcoming hospital stay to deliver my baby. The amount of extra money we have to come up with for my 2014 health insurance exceeds the amount we've budgeted and diligently started saving up over the course of a year and a half to take a ten year anniversary cruise. To put it in perspective another way, the extra money we'll pay for Kaiser insurance would feed our family for about 10 months. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Wow.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So now I'm in research mode, and I'm fairly certain I'll be switching insurance companies. Regence seems to have the best coverage for the lowest premium so far. It will save a couple thousand over Kaiser's plan.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I'm also researching my birthing options. My last cesarean cost about $14000 before insurance and with worse coverage I have to look at the total cost since we'll be paying a higher percentage of it. My doctor says I could have a trial of labor. That is now deemed acceptable for women with no more than two cesareans. (It used to be only one.) Vaginal birth costs much less overall, but I'm nervous about trying it. A home birth could save even more, but I can't see myself going that route. I've looked into birthing centers, too, but they're typically out-of-network, and one I contacted said it costs about $5000 so it could potentially cost more than a hospital due to no insurance coverage. Not all birthing centers and midwives accept VBACs either. All that to say, if I really want a VBAC, I'm going to have to fight for it. A repeat cesarean is easy and expected.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Once I'm done with babies, I will possibly drop insurance all together and pay the penalty. That will save us enough to easily cover all my normal medical needs. I know the new insurance changes help some people, but many of us in the middle class just get painfully squeezed. I'm not surprised. Seeing Obamacare coming, I expected to pay more and get less. Someone has to put up the money to provide the same level of coverage for everyone. Good for some, but really not good for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-35595487700248952562013-09-25T22:32:00.001-07:002013-09-25T22:32:28.312-07:00Desmond Is Riding His Bike!!<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y-bIjVEKAz0/UkPG2R5s3AI/AAAAAAAACs0/t_TGql50fa8/s1600-h/DSC_8104%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC_8104" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC_8104" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WUE5oEgMZYs/UkPG2xsaKxI/AAAAAAAACs4/0qY4JxjUjDo/DSC_8104_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a>So, for the last few days Desmond and I have been working on getting rid of the training wheels. At first he was having trouble pedaling and staying up. He was just too wobbly. So, I decided to take his pedals off and lower his seat all the way and turn his bike into a strider. The result was almost immediate. He was able to stay up for a little while and glide along. We have been doing that for a few days. Tonight after going up and down the driveway a few times and him staying up for ten seconds or so until the bike would come to a stop I asked him if he wanted to put the pedals on and he way super excited.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IhJzdDHwcAM/UkPG3ZPC8rI/AAAAAAAACtE/VoanzZmSo1Y/s1600-h/DSC_8105%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC_8105" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC_8105" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H3Oo56DzKvs/UkPG38PYnbI/AAAAAAAACtI/iRkCYzX1wcQ/DSC_8105_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a>The very first time after putting on the pedals he did awesome! He started pedaling and just took off. I have a feeling he is going to want to do a lot of biking in the near future. I am super impressed with how quick he picked up biking.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Wie4ali7864/UkPG4XdfX3I/AAAAAAAACtU/D1dLjMVDVO4/s1600-h/DSC_8106%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC_8106" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC_8106" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yHLdSZmgFoo/UkPG49wjp2I/AAAAAAAACtY/OovEi5jE50c/DSC_8106_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WGidyB6rQlE/UkPG5ck5dpI/AAAAAAAACtk/bQpAMOLro80/s1600-h/DSC_8108%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC_8108" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC_8108" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hhzdQEPp_ks/UkPG5pmA7LI/AAAAAAAACto/iROUl6QEVHA/DSC_8108_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TOR4hxcDKN4/UkPG6eradAI/AAAAAAAACt0/relHZn7Vb5s/s1600-h/DSC_8110%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="DSC_8110" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC_8110" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pHKuY9jDJmY/UkPG67cbJrI/AAAAAAAACt4/ydl5ucIQmiM/DSC_8110_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="260" height="180"></a></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:290d706f-4e1c-40b4-8d69-f08f684d444a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jamS09bYU3c?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jamS09bYU3c?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b3e0bb40-bc97-422e-8804-8715112d92b6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T_PbwryeV4M?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T_PbwryeV4M?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:a424b830-e349-4d87-95c3-14596348fa10" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2xZ0-1cKKQI?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2xZ0-1cKKQI?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div></div> Davin Studerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04707495974344061602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-32913092002165766932013-09-24T22:37:00.001-07:002013-09-24T22:37:42.890-07:00See Baby #3We have the ultrasound pictures of our new baby! Check it out on my <a href="http://thestuderbaker.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-ultrasound.html" target="_blank">pregnancy blog</a>.<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-325467223269572022013-09-16T20:10:00.001-07:002013-09-16T20:10:04.325-07:00HomeschoolIt's weird having total strangers share strong feelings about whether or not homeschooling is a wise choice or whether starting homeschool at five is healthy. People definitely have opinions, and I'm becoming more aware of the fact that I'm not following mainstream. <div><br></div><div>But regardless of how others feel I'll do, we are loving it! We start each day with a little school after breakfast. Kaylynn often joins in listening, coloring, or taking apart the ABC puzzle yet again. Often Desmond will ask me for more when we're done so that's encouraging. Today I pulled out the LEGOS to incorporate his two passions into one: learning and building. He actually gave me the idea with this note he created during a quiet time.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mvVCAwxyp0uzrpES2xcZnt1Pn_UVM6BnvK02m7t1TvEdM1cimOK7fnizosK3x30RE94Y59BUa9XDhJa6-CXNQ0uOMalqGOvXcW75Mg_ArluzYc56wqbTZJu0O9XwBbD0-1mp9xX6LBLK/s640/blogger-image-1221422789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mvVCAwxyp0uzrpES2xcZnt1Pn_UVM6BnvK02m7t1TvEdM1cimOK7fnizosK3x30RE94Y59BUa9XDhJa6-CXNQ0uOMalqGOvXcW75Mg_ArluzYc56wqbTZJu0O9XwBbD0-1mp9xX6LBLK/s640/blogger-image-1221422789.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I love my creative, smart boy! I'm noticing improvement in his reading and writing skills. It's really fun to watch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This week we're learning about dinosaurs and the letter "D". I found a dinosaur exhibit at the children's museum so I think we'll be taking a field trip later this week. How fun to have the flexibility to combine a fun play day and school!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Another fun outing we're planning is the LEGO Expo. Happened to see an ad in a magazine, and I know Desmond will love it! I'm kind of excited to check it out, too. Davin and I just have to decide who gets to go play with him. I want to encourage his building skills. Who knows? We just might have an engineer on our hands.</div><br></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237986933226645410.post-82153481609251349262013-09-06T16:05:00.001-07:002013-09-06T16:05:09.167-07:00Fall Schedule is Picking UpIt's strange to see all the back to school pictures on Facebook and know that I could be in that group, but I'm not. Sometimes I feel envious of the moms who send their kids off for a few hours. I could sure use that break! But we're also loving homeschool and I know when our time with the kids at home is done I won't be wishing I had more time away from them.<div><br></div><div>Tonight I register for the homeschool co-op. I had to navigate the online registration, print out necessary documentation, and sign up for when and where I'll be helping out. This evening it's all final when I go pay and get any other information I need to get started. Every Friday morning will soon be committed. </div><div><br></div><div>MOMS Group is starting soon and I'm the communications person in charge of sending out the information and collecting registration responses. I'm using Google drive to create a form and response spreadsheet. This will make things a lot easier and more accessible, but I've never done that before and need to make sure it's all going to work smoothly for my list of nearly two hundred MOMS contacts. Whew! Soon three Thursday mornings a month will also be committed.</div><div><br></div><div>I'm used to having a wide open schedule so having two weekly commitments starting at the same time feels like a lot. I'm also planning a big birthday bash for my mom in one week. It's out of town so that makes everything harder. I want it to be the best party ever so I'm having a hard time keeping it in perspective and not going overboard. </div><div><br></div><div>I'm looking forward to settling in to our new routines. One day at a time!</div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04723625800284521187noreply@blogger.com