9 months ---> WOW!

SO behind here!!  I need to do Gage’s 9 month post (see below!) along with a beach post.. that’ll be a long one :)  All is well here.. just trying to stay cool in this awful heat.  I am busy dreaming of beautiful autumn leaves and cool, crisp autumn air!

Gage had his 9 month well baby check yesterday and he now weighs 19 pounds 6 ounces and is 30 inches long!  That places him in the 94th percentile for length and the 32nd percentile for weight.

• You have the most adorable laugh!!
• You’re all about the Army crawl – man you’re quick!
• You’re not a fan of the bathtub.. we’ll work on that.
• Paci = best friend!
• You’re babbling like crazy.. but still no mama :(
• The sippy cup (that I spent $6 on – yikes!) seems to be a favorite for you!
• You’re a PIG – you eat EVERYTHING, including ground beef, hot dogs, potatoes, fruit, and pretty much anything anyone has on their plate when they’re next to you!
• You had puffs for the first time yesterday and you LOVED them!  You get better each day with finger feeding yourself!
• Your first trip to the beach was great – daddy took you out to play in the waves and you fell right to sleep :)
• You laugh like crazy when mommy pinches your cute little bum!
• You love your brother and sister – and they love you right back!

     

LOVE LOVE LOVE my silly little peanut butter :)

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We will be away for an entire week – off to Ocean City, Maryland.. I am excited, as it will be baby Gage’s first trip to the beach.  I promise to come back with tons of photos and lots of fun memories to share :)  For now, enjoy my answers to Mama M’s My Little Life

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.)  no, I do not think cursive is overrated and I think it should be taught in schools.

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone?  I still have a pocket calendar I keep in my purse and a planner that I use for work.  I actually don’t use either of the calendars on my cell phones (work or personal). 

3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe)  every single photograph/photo CD I have, my Grammie’s cross-stitch pieces, the box of special baby mementos of my children’s births/first year.  (I guess this would all count as more than 3 things  but they all fall into the same category!

4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person?  country.  Although I do enjoy some city exposure every once in a while, I really don’t think I am ‘cut out’ to be a city gal.  This does make me think that I’d like to take a trip to New York City this Christmas season.. who’s in?!?

5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick? oh dear, this is tough.  Truthfully I think I would fail miserably at the ones I really like – Amazing Race, Survivor, or Big Brother.. so let’s say I’d like to be on Ami James’ new tattoo show on TLC.  I wouldn’t mind getting tattooed by him :)

truth #14 {serious} & #15 {silly}

truth #14: I have post-partum depression. 

Is it easy for me to share that, no way, but is it important that I do, absolutely!  I’ve been struggling with this, truthfully, for well over a year.. I really think it began shortly after I had Gabby and I’ve allowed it to go untreated for way too long.  I don’t share this so people will feel bad for me or give me ‘pity’ – but I do share this so other people can see that postpartum depression is real and is a very serious mental health disease that, if gone untreated, can be detrimental.  I finally took my butt to the doctor and I am beginning medication tomorrow – and obviously I know that won’t be the ‘cure-all’ but I am hopeful that it will help a lot!  Prayers/thoughts for me and my family would be appreciated =)  I realize some (my mom included) may think it’s crazy for me to share such a personal battle on such a public blog – but I think me acknowledging this here is just part of my journey towards wholeness.

truth #15: I want to be a florist!

More specifically, I’ve decided that when I leave my job as a pregnancy counselor, I’d like to deliver flowers to people!  I have a highly emotional and stressful job – last week being the worst week ever in the history of my 4 years at Bethany.  My coworker (HI CHRISTINA!) and I were talking last week in the midst of all my work ‘drama’ and she mentioned that she’d like to deliver flowers for a living.. genius!!  I’ve always racked my brain trying to think of something I could do that would still bring joy to people’s lives but that would be fairly stress free; this is the perfect solution!  Now, I do realize having to bring flowers when someone has died would be emotional but you’re still bringing them something to remind them that someone is thinking about them and sending their sympathy.  So, it’s nice for me to know I have a plan B =)

No post is complete without a few shots of my crazy rascals!!

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” – James 4:10