2 months old :)

James is 2 months old! (well, actually almost 2 1/2 months old..I've been meaning to write this for a while). I can't believe how quickly time is flying by. I'm hoping to record a lot of information on here so that hopefully very soon I can go back and record some things in his baby book. I am just way behind right now!

On April 5 we went to his 2 month checkup and he is really growing! James weighed 12 pounds 4.5 ounces and was 23 3/4 inches long. The doctor said he is right at the 75th percentile for his weight, the 90th percentile for his height, and only the 25th percentile for his head circumference. The doctor said he looked great and I said "so you mean he's perfect and the cutest baby you've ever seen?" He said, "that's exactly what I meant." We aren't biased or anything!

He's really changing a lot and doing so much. Here are some of the milestones he has reached at 2 months:

- eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours now, usually 7 to 8 times a day

- on his best nights waking up only once somewhere between 2 and 4 to eat

- talking to us - he is cooing and squealing when we talk to him

- smiling in response to our smile and laughing some now too

- can hold his head and shoulders up while on his tummy (but doesn't enjoy tummy time)

- sitting up and holding his head steady with assistance

- will "stand" and walk up up our tummies with assistance of course - his legs are very strong

- has been pushing himself up with his legs on his tummy

- batting at toys and gripping onto toys when we put them in his hand

- follows objects with his eyes

Those are just some that I can think of right now. He is such a sweet boy. He loves to talk to us, loves bath time, loves to watch lights, and stares at one picture in our house forever. He loves to go for walks. He loves his carseat and stroller but wants to move when he's in them. He loves being in a baby carrier and loves being held. He knows his Mommy and Daddy for sure and loves to stare at us. He smiles the most at Daddy when he wears his glasses. He loves to eat and today Stephen said he sounds like he's drinking out of a water hose. :)

Well, I'm not sure that you wanted to know all of those little details but I wanted to record them at least for me to remember. :0

Here are a couple of pictures of him at 2 months! Hope you enjoy!

Easter 2010

Today was Easter Sunday and James' first day at church. I was hoping we would make it into the sanctuary to introduce James to all of our church family but unfortunately he was a little fussy this morning so we listened to the sermon from Stephen's office. I did not want to be a distraction in the service and I am unapologetically not ready to leave him in the nursery just yet. He is still so little (and will only be little once) and I am going to spend as many moments as I can with him. And especially on a day when he's not feeling his best, I want him to know that I will be there to hold him and comfort him. We started James on reflux medicine a few days ago and we have already noticed a big improvement. We hope very soon he will be back to his old self again! We definitely missed our family this year but I tried to make it a special day for our family of three and cooked a big Easter meal for us!

We are so thankful for another Easter to remember the gracious sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us. We rejoice that He is Risen and lives inside of us! When we prayed with James before bed last night we reflected on what it must have been like for God to allow his son Jesus to die a painful death on a cross for our sins. What a sacrifice it was! What amazing love! We hope and pray that you too know that love this Easter through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Reflux Troubles

Friends, could you pray for us. Our sweet, happy boy has been spitting up quite a bit over the last few weeks and it has even increased some in the last few days. After a morning of spitting up that alarmed us a little, we decided to call the doctor to speak to a nurse and she felt we should come in and get James checked out. He is healthy, happy, and growing like a little weed but he is definitely having some reflux issues -- our doctor said all babies have reflux to a certain extent. However, he suggested we try some reflux medicine and see how James does. I feel so sad to think that we might possibly have to put him on this medicine but I definitely want to do what is best for him. It's hard for us to know really how severe the reflux is (because we have nothing to compare it to) and if the medicine is really needed. The doctor suggested some other over-the-counter things we could also try so I think we are going to go that route first and see what happens. Just pray for wisdom for us to make the best decision for James and also just pray for his little body -- even for healing. I would give anything to just take any discomfort away from him that he might be feeling and put it on me. Oh, I have just never loved anyone like I love this little boy... Please pray for him!

3 years already. We are so blessed.

Especially for Stephen:

Today marks 3 years of marriage for us. I can't believe it's been three, wonderful years already. You are truly my best friend and I could not imagine life with anyone else by my side. God has directed us to quite a few places of ministry in these three years and not living near family, we have just had each other. I am thankful for how our experiences have only made our bond stronger. This 3rd anniversary celebration will be quite different with an almost 7 week old little one, but I wouldn't want it any other way. My hair might be a mess all day, a shower may not be guaranteed, and my "perfume" might smell exactly like baby spit up but we are together and that is what is important. I am just so blessed that you love me the way that you do. So blessed! I'm looking forward to 183 more years and just pray so much that our marriage can be an example of love, commitment, and faithfulness for our children.

This morning I was reflecting on some our very first moments together when we were so completely unaware of what was ahead for us and smiling at what God had planned all along:

I never could have guessed that agreeing to meet at Zaxby's for lunch before working camp that summer would be the first of many meals shared together.

I never could have guessed that you waking me up backstage after worship the night I was sick would be the first of many nights of waking me up when I'd fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV. I never could have guessed that being paired for the "Amazing Race" fellowship at camp would be the first of many watched Amazing Race seasons together or that teaching Bible study each morning next door to each other would just be the start of our years of ministry together. I never could have guessed that by running out to the car at camp to say hello to your parents, sister, and grandmother, I was actually saying hello to my amazing, future family. I never could have imagined that when you slipped a balloon ring on my finger just being silly at camp, that you would only a few months later slip an engagement ring on my finger. I never could have guessed that when the staff squeezed into the seats on the subway on the way from Philadelphia to New York and I was squeezed in ever so close to you, that I would share many more moments right by your side as your wife feeling just as safe and wonderful as I did in that moment on the subway.

I cherish the phone calls after camp every night sharing our hearts with one another and trying to convince my Dad that you just considered me a good friend. I never could have guessed that you were the one that he had been praying for for me all along. And then the night on the phone that you told me "I know I'm going to marry you..." and I knew in my heart that you were absolutely right.

I cherish those moments of falling in love and just want to spend all of my years continuing to fall in love with the amazing man that you are, Stephen.

I have loved every moment:

From camp,

To our first date,

To playing in the leaves,

To falling in love.

From our engagement,

to our wedding,

to our year in New Orleans,

and Wake Forest,

and Georgia.

From anniversaries spent by ourselves,

to anticipating life with our baby boy,

to welcoming our precious, son.

I wouldn't change a single thing! I would marry you a million times over! Happy 3rd anniversary. I love you for my whole life. :)

Love, Kassi Bee

Mommy, Mommy Crocket...

I recently discovered that the sixth week is the peak of crying for all babies. Stephen and I came into week 6 blissfully unaware of this fact...Crying? We had barely even heard James cry...well, at least until this week, his sixth week. In fact, because his cry was usually so infrequent and so subdued that when he did cry it was almost a sweet, precious sound and by feeding him, changing him, or putting him to sleep we could instantly calm him.

If I was ever concerned that "he doesn't know how to cry" or "his cry won't be loud enough to let us know if something is wrong" (some of the oh so funny things I told Stephen in the first six weeks of James' life), boy was I wrong! He knows how to cry and boy does he have some lungs! But this week his cry has become frequent, loud, and heart breaking and even when he is fed and has a dry diaper he still cries.

So, as you can imagine we have been trying just about everything to console him. Baths work well but he can only sit in the bath for so long. Bouncing does help but then it brings on spit up and more crying and more bouncing and more spit up and more crying...it's a vicious cycle. Then, we discovered last night that if I carried him around in his infantino baby carrier that he would eventually settle down. I want to paint a picture of our evening because looking back on it now it is actually pretty humorous:

For several hours I walked laps around our house with James in the baby carrier. I tried to walk in a "rhythmic, swaying motion" as I walked laps around the house. I had his "sleep sheep" that plays soothing sounds similar to the womb attached to the carrier. James had one hand on his sleep sheep and one hand on my shirt holding on to both for dear life. I had one hand on his pacifier and one hand on my "What to Expect the First Year" book looking up "fussy" in the index all while walking laps in a rhythmic motion around the house...for hours. And in my moment of desperation the Davy Crockett song popped into my head and so while walking laps in a rhythmic motion holding on to a pacifier and a book looking up the word "fussy" in the index I began to sing instead of "Davy Crocket"..."Mommy, Mommy Crocket...king of the wild frontier" over and over. I don't even know what that means...and I promise that normally I sing sweet lullabies and hymns. But somehow the combination of all of those things worked....and believe me we are willing to do just about ANYTHING to make James happy. If only you could have been a fly on the wall last night... While all of this was going on my precious husband (words are not even enough to describe how precious) was picking up around the house so that when James finally did collapse from exhaustion, we could too.

We will most certainly be singing "Mommy, Mommy Crocket..." or "Daddy, Daddy Crocket" anytime James is fussy...if it makes him happy. :)

Rattlesnake Roundup

As promised here is a recap of last weekend and the Rattlesnake Roundup (I'm trying to get this done before James wakes up so I apologize for any typos):

Well, we had heard about the Rattlesnake Roundup for some time and even though people had tried to describe it to us you really just have to experience it for yourself (but I'll do my best). It's a pretty big deal in this small town and we knew that we didn't want to miss the chance to go when it rolled around. James got to experience his first Rattlesnake Roundup at just 5 weeks old and even got a "shout out" on a local TV station from our friend Adam who was a commentator for the parade. Adam also gave us a signed picture for James from Miss Georgia. I'm happy to announce that I showed James the picture and he just yawned at it which means that he will hopefully only love Mommy for a few more years!

There was a parade that we walked to from our house that was one street up complete with clowns, tractors, floats, motorcycles, beauty queens, and even a band. James slept in the carrier for the whole time! (It makes us wonder why we whisper when he's alseep at home when Harley Davidson motorcycles didn't wake him up..) There was also a "fair" type thing with lots of booths and all the great fried food everyone loves at our Wildlife Club. The main attraction that had a large crowd gathered was, of course,...The Rattlesnakes. We never got too close!

We also got to enjoy spending time with Aunt Leah, Cousin Jonathan, Nana, and Grandpa who were all visiting for the weekend. I know they enjoyed the Rattlesnake Roundup too! ;)

We'd love to have any of you curious readers out there visit us next March if you'd like! Just let me know!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

Goals

I've decided that I need to set some goals of things that I would like to accomplish each day and maybe by writing them down I'll be more accountable. I'm great with lists. I love scratching things off my list and sometimes add things to the list that I already accomplished that day before I made the list just so I can immediately scratch something off... I know some of you understand this kind of thinking.

for example...

Fold the clothes

See, It really does feel so good! But back to the goals..

After caring for James and giving the time I need to him daily (because caring for him just really isn't even a goal...):

1. I want to be faithful to spending time studying God's Word each day. Before James was born I was doing the Experiencing God study and since he's been born I'm sad to say that I haven't touched it. I could say I'm too busy or too tired but it would just be an excuse. If I have time to write this blog update then I have time to study God's Word and if I'm praying that James would grow up to love God's Word then I need to show him through my life that I love God's Word too.

2. I want to start exercising again (something else I haven't done since James was born). I've decided that since I'm at home a lot more and when we get out to walk it's usually more at a leisurely pace, I want to try Jillian Michaels's 30 Day Shred and hopefully I can be committed to keep with it for 30 consecutive days. I'm not too too far off from my pre-pregnancy weight but my body is just very different now and nothing feels just right. I can't wear maternity pants forever to avoid wearing pants that are tighter than I would like. So before buying new pants, I'm going to give this a go.

3. I want to try couponing. I'm not ready to completely dive in yet because I know that there is almost a science to it (doubling up on coupons and going to multiple stores), but I at least want to start clipping/printing some and saving some money when we can. Hopefully I can perfect the art of couponing the way many people have later down the road.

4. I want to start making a weekly menu again. When I wasn't working a full time job and coming home to do work some more, I really enjoyed being in the kitchen. Now that my life has changed and I won't be teaching, I'm ready to start really cooking again and even try some new recipes. If anybody has any good recipes, please send them my way.

5. I want to keep up with the household duties: laundry, dishes, cleaning. I know just doing a little each day will keep it from feeling overwhelming.

6. I want to watch less T.V. (which I'm already doing) and read more. I love reading and I think it would be something that I could do for myself that I would really enjoy.

7. I want to help Stephen in any way I can: with ministry, with errands, with just listening or giving him a break when he needs one.

Well, 7 daily goals is probably enough for now. We'll see how it goes. :)

I want to post about our weekend soon but I need to get some pictures and maybe even a little video clip together. We had the Rattle Snake Roundup in Claxton and got to share it with Stephen's parents, Stephen's sister Leah, and her little boy Jonathan. I know that Leah is going to go back to New Orleans and tell JP how much they are missing out on and how they need to move here ASAP. ;) The rattle snake roundup probably is the biggest thing that happens in our small town and I will share more about it next time...