February Photo Challenge - February 8

My loves ... enough said

February Photo Challenge #7

The Quest for World DominationDaddy reads some interesting books ... this is his latest: Evil Plans (and having fun on the way to world domination)... or something like that. Kayleigh picked it up this morning and spent about 10 minutes "reading" it. I couldn't resist the picture ... Someday, I have a feeling she's going to try and dominate some part of this world ... just exactly what remains to be seen!

For Good ... For Grandmas

One of things I do while I run is reflect. Since I've been running to the Wicked soundtrack for about two weeks, I've often used the lyrics to help me think about something other than pain! (I know,  I'm a reformer at heart ... I blame my KCMS colleagues) Even though I set the track to random shuffle, I almost always end up hearing "For Good" as I run. It helped me to reflect on some of the people in my life that have really helped shape who I am. There are so many people who are still living, still influencing my choices and decisions. But, there are some who have headed to their eternal home already. Today, I spent my run thinking about the way in which they made their "handprint on my heart." 18 For Good

Grandma Badeau: My mom's mom past away when the cousins and I were young. I don't remember my exact age, but I'm thinking I was close to 13. The photos from our "first Christmas without Grandma" were at Disney. Based on the hairstyle (hahah) it must have been 6th or 7th grade. At any rate, my grandma Badeau was the supreme in grandma's "who spoiled." I remember mom telling her to STOP buying us things, but each time we went over to her house, whether it was candy, eating out, or a new toy, she always had something. I remember sitting in the recliners watching The Jungle Book over and over, eating our meals on tv trays so we could keep watching. Grandma Badeau also made it a point, EVERY CHRISTMAS (yes, much to our chagrin, even as we were quite old) to buy us our footy pajamas. All of the cousins got them ... and as I zip my babies into their Carter's footy pajamas (many of their pairs from my mom!), I think of her. It's in the simple things ... isn't it? ... I love you Grandma.

Grandma Creswell: Grandma C past away, very unexpectedly during the winter of my freshman year at Hope. Her memory is one that prompted this blogpost ... Each week at church, I think of her. I can't even help myself, it's sort of a gut reaction (I know she'd be proud ... especially when she hears why!) Calvary Bible, where we are pursuing membership, makes a point to play a few "good ol' hymns" in their original arrangements each week.  I know most young people would be irritated by that fact, preferring instead the more modern choruses. But I'm not like most young people. I get a sheer thrill out of hearing the old hymns with fantastic lyrics. At any rate, Calvary's minister of music is great at picking all of Grandma's favorites. I used to sit with her and Grandpa C during night church sometimes. (I welcomed it as a chance to sit somewhere else, but DREADED how "loud" both Grandpa and Grandma would sing! I thought EVERYONE was staring at us!) I remember it fondly now, my grandparents loved singing for Jesus, Grandma did it ALL of the time ... and most often it was the oldest of the old ones. So, each Sunday morning I hear my Grandma's bright voice as she belts her heart out to "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus ...", "Come Thou Almighty King", or "My Jesus I Love Thee." And I smile as I picture her singing with us (and the whole host of heaven).

I firmly believe that those "who come into our lives" do come in for a reason. They help us to grow, we learn and we are CHANGED. I thank God that I was able to be "changed for the better" by both of these amazing God-given role models. Even though they were never able to see my college graduation, meet my husband, attend our wedding (at least not in a bodily sense), or hold my babies, I believe they watch from the "Grandstands" and cheer us on.

Thanks for letting me share my heart ... K

February Photo Challenge 5 and 6

So, fail ... I missed posting on Saturday. :( BUT I have double pics to make up for it. They are both Benner ... what can I say, the kid was so photogenic this weekend! Enjoy! February 5: My matching mountain men - This is hilarious because when I first met Steve (aka when he was trying "pursue" me and I was giving him the cold shoulder), he showed up at my house wearing this logger hat. It was NOT impressive, and I was so irritated by it. Since then I love to tease him about how hideous this hat is. Enter nephew Ryan and amazing Sis-in-law Alaina, who got Benjamin an ADORABLE logger hat. I love it, and must admit that I think the two of them are just adorable!

February 6: Benny's first SuperBowl - You wouldn't think that a little boy could truly love the SuperBowl. BUT, Benjamin thought that sitting in the matching IKEA chair next to Daddy, with his shirt pulled up, kickin' back was exactly what he wanted to do this evening. Clearly, he's into the game and doesn't want Mommy interrupting him to take stupid pictures. He's really yelling (reacting to Mommy and Daddy's excitement at the early touchdowns/interceptions by the Pack!) GO PACK GO!

February Photo Challenge #4

It's a big girl kind of dayKayleigh has days where I feel like she grew a year or two overnight. She starts talking in long sentences and adds words to her vocabulary that I didn't know she knew. She does things that don't seem possible, and in general makes me feel like I need to push the PAUSE button on life so I can enjoy her a little more. Today was one of those days (at least in the morning). We were all playing downstairs and Kayleigh's baby started crying. Her little face got sad when she heard the whines and she went running to fish her baby from the corner she left it in yesterday. She cuddled her baby close, whispered sweetly in her ear, "It's okay, baby, Mommy is here. She won't let you be sad or cold or lonely. I love you baby" (Kiss, kiss, kiss). On top of all that, we tried a half ponytail today with her hair. (Still need a little more length in the bangs to make it an all day long hair solution AND Mommy needs more practice). BUT, she looked so grown up ... don't you agree?

February Photo Challenge #3

Rafael is in our family too! Rafael loves finding anything he can hide in. He loves crawling under beds, in between cushions, between pillows, etc. So, when he crawled up inside the leg of Steve's discarded sweatpants, I had to snap a photo. He's a cute little kitty!

[caption id="attachment_1015" align="alignleft" width="764" caption="Rafael snuggling in Daddy's pants"][/caption]

February Photo Challenge #2

Kayleigh's iXLFor Christmas, Grammy and Grandpa Creswell gave Kayleigh a Fisher Price iXL. It's a 6 in 1 toy that allows her to be read to, practice writing letters, color pictures, watch her own picture slideshows,  listen to her own music and play educational games. She's too little to play all of the games yet, but she LOVES writing, coloring, listening to music, AND listening to the stories (over and over and over). It gives me at least 15-30 minutes each time she pulls it out. Here she is, focusing on the story.

[caption id="attachment_1012" align="alignleft" width="764" caption="Kayleigh focusing on her iXL game"][/caption]

February Goal Check: Plus, a new one

Goal #1 - Reading through the Bible - I'm now in the book of Daniel. That's two more books knocked off in my goal to read through the Bible Goal #2 - Lose the Baby Weight - Lost another 4.5 lbs, short of my goal for January. BUT I've started running - a minimum of 3 times per week in addition to the elliptical each day and Pilates every other day.

Goal #3 - Enjoy being a family of 4 - CHECK! I'm loving how Benjamin is learning to eat by himself. It's making me so excited for the days when I can stop preparing 3 separate meals. He's so close :) I simply can't wait.

Goal #4 - Grow my own vegetable patch - Yeah, not much I can do right now :) ... But, I'm still researching it.

For February I'd like to do a photo challenge. I want to post one photo each day of people in my beautiful family - reminding me of how great being a family of 4 really is.

February 1

[caption id="attachment_1009" align="alignleft" width="764" caption="My two favorite boys - reading together"][/caption]

A Necessary Side-post

I married an incredibly good man. He's going to be supremely embarrassed by this post, I know it, but I don't much care. He pursued me for a long time (most people would have given up LONG after my third or fourth cold refusal), and told me he was committed to us. Since he's a trained educator, I know kids were a part of his plans ... he made it quite clear that he definitely wanted a family. When you get the chance to watch him with our kids, you understand just how great he really is with them. Over the past week, I was able to capture just a few of the things I see in the evenings. After a long hard day at work, I admire that he comes home ready to play ... no matter what that looks like.

Of course there's Saturdays in the snow:

Bedtime Snuggles EVERY NIGHT:

Reading to the kids - (often multiple times through the same book):

And my personal favorite - sharing "what you do today" (Kayleigh's words) as soon as Daddy arrives home

Momma, Just Watch the Dance!

Lately I've been reading a book called Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerich. It was a book repeatedly referenced by my Bible Study Leader from my Marriage Without Regrets course, and it was brought up, again, in our Marriage in Motion SS Class at church. I decided that if I was going to understand all of the references, I should give it a read. I'm at least halfway through (actually, I'm currently reading the chapters on ways a husband can show love to his wife even though it doesn't "apply" to me), and I've been letting the insights percolate throughout my day. A lot of the premise of the book is that women, deep down and to varying degrees, desire love above all else. They want connection with their spouse, and they want to live their lives in a constant state of "togetherness." This doesn't mean never separating or rejecting independent hobbies and activities, but the soul of woman desires to make certain that her relationship with the man in her life is in harmony. The need for connection is at the heart of woman - and makes her more prone to "chatting at the coffee shop" or just wanting to "talk." Even brain science supports this based upon the relational/connective way that women function neurologically vs. the more compartmentalized/mathematical way in which men function. I'm further challenged that this isn't by nurture, but that we were created this way by God in order to help the family function as He designed it. (ie a woman focused on maintaining relationships and harmony would thus be inclined to maintain the harmony between children/parents and between herself and her children. It serves more purposes than only the husband/wife relationship). Most of these values were things I encountered in our marriage counseling at Calvary in Grand Rapids. So, these aren't new ideas. What I do have the chance to observe now, is how early I can see these traits begin to manifest themselves. (Because I'm not 100% certain that I believe they are ENTIRELY in born. I think they are grown and cultivated, to a degree, by the company and society we keep). So, I wanted to see what my very young children are picking up. Most recently, I've noticed just how necessary this love/connection is in my daughter. (We'll have to see if the same desire is as strong in Benjamin ... all accounts so far would point to "probably not.") But my little girl wants full attention, to be heard, to be cuddled, to be physically close as a symbol of her parents' emotional closeness to her. She's always done things that show me this. If I'm washing the dishes and trying to listen to her story, she will tug on my pant leg, pulling my angle towards her face screaming, "Momma .... LISTEN TO ME WHEN I TALKIN' ... Momma LISTEN TO KAYLEIGH and come here!" If we're snuggled in bed and she wants to show me love (which is almost always), she will cup my chin in her hands, look me straight in the eyes and say, "Momma. You're a really good big Momma. I love you. You know that?? I love Momma." She WANTS love, she wants to show love, to receive love, and to communicate love, CLEARLY. (And yes, she's exceptional at copying the ways I model love/connection for her) Call me crazy, but I'm NOT certain those same types of actions (though I will do them to Ben as well) will come from my busy, rough and tumble little man.

At any rate, these longings for love and connection have taken a new direction as of late. For Christmas Kayleigh received a white board album of sorts that lets her write and color and practice letters and numbers and counting. She can color it up and erase and do it all over again. It is themed based upon the Disney Princesses!! These same princesses appear on her "big girl underpants" too. Well, we were watching Beauty and the Beast at Auntie Alaina's a few weeks ago, and Kayleigh made the connection! Her "Princess Belle" was on the TV, and she was PRETTY!!! Her house was pretty; her dresses were pretty ... and she got to dance in a very pretty ballroom. Kayleigh was so taken by the video that we decided it was time to purchase it for her. We did, and Belle has been the topic of conversation ever since ... "Belle and Beast are coming to the potty with me. Belle and Beast are takin' a nap with me ... etc" She's enamored with Belle AND Beast! I asked her what was her favorite part of the movie. With a look I remember ALL TO WELL (it's that star gazed dreamy face ... a far off look), "I love to watch the dance. It's just so .. so ... (sigh) PRETTY (whispered in reverence). I probably want to dance like Belle." (Her Daddy did teach her how to "dance like Belle" and it was oh so precious!! (But that's a post for another time)

I truly believe that while she can't conceive of romantic love (THANK THE LORD!!!), she can see there's something special about it. She can see a very pretty girl who is very beautifully happy ...and Beast (she doesn't really like the prince he turns into) who clearly pays attention to the pretty girl. I don't claim that Kayleigh knows why she likes it (other than it's pretty) but she's fiercely drawn to it ... She wants to watch it over and over and over. She hums the song, she twirls about the room clutching her Mickey ...  completely fascinated by the entire scene. As soon as Belle is "set free" by the Beast, her attention is gone and she's off to something else. It's amazing to me that a girl so young can be so innocently drawn to something so classic and timeless ... maybe there is something to the idea that it's inborn after all ... jury is still out for me ... :) But for now, I'll enjoy having a little GIRL who loves to, "Just Watch the Dance."

Benny Brother is 8 Months!

I don't know where the time has gone. Sometimes I look at Ben and just can't believe that he's grown so quickly. He is hilarious and sweet - and so so big! Physically speaking, he's been in the same size clothes since 6 months old (THANKFULLY we've stopped growing so much), but he is so interested in the world around him. He "speaks," moves, and gets INTENSELY frustrated when he doesn't get what he wants. He loves his Mommy and Daddy, but he REALLY REALLY loves his sister. No one gets him to laugh quite like Kayleigh. Here's a few of his highlights over the past few months. 1. Benjamin LOVES Rafael (and all animals for that matter) You wouldn't know it from this picture, but Benjamin and Rafael are buds. Rafa loves coming over to play with Ben. Ben loves grabbing any piece of Rafael that he can get. He'll pull whiskers, he'll grab a leg, even the face. Rafael, in return, will purr and purr as Ben pulls on him. He doesn't usually retaliate and when he does go for a quick scratch back, each time I pull him away from Benner, he is PURRING. He LOVES being around the baby ... as evidenced here, he can't get enough.

2. Benjamin likes to talk ... and watch tv. He was watching Sunday night football with Daddy, just talking away! I couldn't resist pulling out the video camera because he was just so excited. Perhaps, someday, if he does choose to play football, his love for it will be documented early on :) 1-12 Benjamin Talks Football It's not just football. Ben actually adores Mickey Mouse (just like his sister). Basically, he can be screaming like all get out, and you turn on Mickey ... he'll stop immediately. As soon as he hears "Hey Everybody, it's me ..." He ceases his crying and is completely focused. We're gonna have to monitor his tv time, I know. By the time he's 6, he'll probably have to earn his half hours of television by reading (just like my brother did!)

3. Pulling and Grabbing Ben gets into ANYTHING. It doesn't matter what it is (his sister's toys, typical "boy" toys, the food I'm feeding him, etc), he gets into it all. Ben will pull and grab anything in the vicinity of his hands (even if it means falling over in the process). He will pull headers in order to get to anything he can find. This past Saturday morning, the two kids were playing on the floor with their Dad. Ben was grabbing and pulling (as he does) fist after fist of Daddy's hair. Daddy tolerated it all very well, and Ben just kept on doing what he always does ... Pull and Grab!

4. He's a Sippy Drinker Ben hates drinking bottles. Yup, the time spent snuggling with Mommy right when he wakes up and before he goes to bed is probably over.  He won't take all of his formula out of a bottle because he just gets sick of sitting. He's not quite reliable enough to allow him to feed himself entirely. BUT, we have to let him try or he gets so completely irritated that he just bucks and shakes and shouts. He's much happier if you give him his sippy and let him do it himself ... Incidentally, Kayleigh went through the same phase in her development ... only she was 11 months old! Welcome to a quick learning boy, Momma!!! He's ready to get going. 5. Ben's a boy who knows what he wants. The pediatrician gives us a chart of things to expect in the this 3 month period. One of the items says, "May cry when a toy is taken away." As in, Ben will learn to be able to find something he wants and get frustrated when he's not allowed to have it. Enter: Daddy and Mommy's iPhone (or Kayleigh's special toys and blankets). He will get so angry when you take his "treasures" away, but the minute you give it back, the screaming stops. It's so funny ... We didn't give this back to him, but it's illustrating that he's "hitting" one of the pediatrician's markers. 1-17 Benny wants an iPhone

6. Ben wants to move When our baby girl was this age, she was content to simply lay on the floor (in fact, she really wasn't even rolling yet). Ben is a completely different story. He's a roller and will push himself up quite high on his belly with his arms. After he gets himself some good height, he'll try to push with his knees. He'll roll partially to one side and push with the opposite leg. Then, when he can't get where he wants to, he'll try to the opposite side. After 30-40 minutes to trying to move forward, he'll get frustrated and ask for help. As soon as we lay him in the crib he rolls to his tummy and works on pushing with his legs again ... he just wants to crawl. I don't think it's going to be too long ... but in the meantime, he's working on standing. He loves the jumper, and he loves it when his daddy helps him out ... I know it won't be long before he's off and walking too ... sigh ... my baby is growing up.

7. The Stereotypical "Boy" Toys Ben got lots of "boy" type toys at Christmas. He got trucks, tool benches, little earth movers, etc. I thought for sure it'd take a while for him to get interested in "typical" boy stuff. I was wrong. He holds a truck almost constantly while in his exersaucer. By far his favorite stand alone toy is his tool bench. He even steals Kayleigh's lego blocks because he just wants to "build" with them. I think right now he mostly enjoys the blocks because he can make all kinds of noise. But, nevertheless, it seems to suggest that legos will likely be a long term passion. Happy 8 months, Benjamin Steven! You light up our days (even your sister's). We love you so much.

AND ... here's a fun comparison picture ... My babies side by side ... at the same age.

[caption id="attachment_993" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Kayleigh Elaine, 8 months - July 2009"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_994" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Benjamin Steven, 8 months - January 2011"][/caption]

Kayleigh: My Precious Jewel

I have been neglecting this blog during the Christmas season. Mostly because I spent most of the month of December getting ready for Christmas parties, packing for trips away and unpacking/cleaning after trips away, forcing naps on overtired children at odd times so they'd be ready for trips away, managing weird diets and getting all of the fun packages we'd ordered wrapped and ready. During all of that craziness, I knew the kids were growing, changing and becoming their own little people ... I just lacked the time to reflect on it. So, as the holiday is done, here's my blog catch up on our beautiful 2 year old (Benjamin's will be tomorrow, on his --- wait for it --- 8 MONTH BIRTHDAY!!). This will be a post full of pictures, evidence of all I claim. I also hope to post some audio for your listening pleasure ... so a multi-media extravaganza. If you make it through all of my silly stories and media posts, you're a true follower of Kristi's Blog. I don't have a prize for you, but I hold you near and dear to my heart for your commitment and love to my kids :). The title is something my mom, and those who knew me as a 2 year old will find most fitting. As a little girl (probably 3???) I stood up at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference and sang a solo ... a little song called Precious Jewels about little children, God's precious treasures, who are "gems" in His crown. There is no title more fitting for the two year old I am blessed to take care of. She is God's precious, shining jewel.

Here are my top 10 "Gems" from this most recent season in Kayleigh's Life

1. The Ruby: Kayleigh loves to play puzzles. She will stretch out on her belly, prop her hand up and just chatter away at me, asking me to do the same. "Play puzzles, with Kayleigh, Mommy! Stop doing work and play puzzles!" She took my breath away when I looked up from playing puzzles because she looked just so grown up. As much as I didn't want to I could see the senior in high school picture pose with her legs crossed up behind her, head rested in her hand. I know the time goes too fast; she'll be gone before I know it. So I must take a minute and treasure the little ruby she gave me here ... a precious smile, a sweet little face, and the reminder that this time is all together too precious for words.

2. An Amethyst: After her initial penny pony ride, some 5 months ago, she decided she was afraid of them. I don't know what prompted a second opportunity, but she asked if we could try it again. Here she is, clearly enjoying her turn on the penny pony. I don't know if it was the barrette in her hair, her light up Princess boots, the fact that she isn't wearing a diaper (still Pull-ups), or the smile of accomplishment on her face ... but this was another reminder of the passage of time. She chattered happily away, and when it came time for thank you prayers at night, this was her highlight. "Thank you God, for the penny pony at Meijers." I know it seems silly ... but I was thankful for the penny pony too ... a memory frozen in time ...

3. Jade I remember exactly where this was ... we were just passing Martin, on the way home from our New Year's Eve plans. We had kept Benjamin with us (he is usually great at sleeping anywhere you place him and goes to bed at 7:30 ... he wasn't going to "cramp" our style), but we had sent Kayleigh for an evening with Grandpa and Grandma Van Dyk. We knew she'd struggle to sleep with a party going on and would likely have way more fun with Grandpa and the "clock" and playing with Grandma. So, we sent her away. She had a great time, but kept her grandparents hopping most of the night. From the sounds of it, someone was sleeping with her in bed the entire time. Middle of the night potty trips, all kinds of forms of manipulation that grandparents willingly fall for. Her innocence returned, though, as she took the car ride home to nap. Her long hair, her night away from us, the very adult-like vest she has on ... all of it, makes me see her as "pre-schooler" not my baby any longer.

4.  The Diamond If you haven't been able to tell, I am going in order to birthstones as I list of precious gems. I find it most fitting, however, that this memory fell to the Diamond stone, arguably one of the more precious birthstones. This picture will always hold a precious place in my heart because of what I hope it fore-tells for my daughter's life. Kayleigh adores Bible Study. The hardest part about the Christmas season was that we didn't have Bible Study (and we were out of town plenty so church was infrequent). She would finish her morning Mickey episodes and say, "Oookay. Let's go on a car ride to Bible Study. I get your Bible, Mommy." I had to convince her often (way more than once a week) that we'd start again soon, but not today. As soon as the new books for my study came, she could sense we were headed back. Last Monday she grabbed my books and told me that she was going to, "Read for her Bible Study now. SHHH!!!!" I asked her to show me the book and couldn't have been more in love with the picture that snapped out ... Clearly, at this point in her life, to the best she knows how, she is a Woman After God's Own Heart.

5. The Emerald (Benjamin's stone! ... again so fitting for the memory I pair it with): 1-10 Helping Benny Brother Kayleigh calls her brother, "Benny Brother." We were working on relationships and I think the name just stuck. "Good morning, Benny Brother. How did you sleep?" "Mommy, Benny Brother does not want to take his nap!" "Mommy, Benny Brother is fighting with Rafael!" "Benny Brother is saying Daddy. We should find him Daddy!" The love she shares and shows to her brother is so evident. Never more evident than in the video posted above. She ADORES eating puffs. She stole them from Ryan when he was learning to eat. She can't wait to help Benjamin eat them (mostly so she can steal them) during his snack time each day. She's really pretty good about helping him eat one (then eating one herself). I listen as I prepare dinner and I hear, "One for Benny Brother; one for Kayleigh. Eat up Benny Brother ... One for Benny Brother, One for Kayleigh!"

6. The Pearl Kayleigh received some ink and stamps (all Mickey Mouse) for Christmas and OH does she love playing with them. We busted them out the other day when I was trying to whip up some chilli in the crockpot and she wasn't exactly in the most helpful mood. She stamped and stamped and stamped away, being very careful not to get ink on her clothes or the table. She created a very beautiful Mickey piece of artwork which she said was, "For Daddy's OFFICE." He still hasn't exactly taken it to his office, it's on the fridge, but she was so proud of her handiwork ... and now, we have a new favorite thing to do while Benjamin naps. 7. Onyx Kayleigh and Ryan are both learning to share. Neither of them are quite there yet, but Alaina and I like watching them "work it out." We almost always have to intervene before (or just after) someone's feelings are hurt (or sometimes more than feelings ... the kids are great at boxing out and hip checking!) Here, they actually listened to us and took a moment to share. They both tried incessantly to climb into the box. With a little help they both fit AND stayed smiling ... Ahhh ... Happy cousins!

8. Peridot (I've never heard of that before, but okay ...) We're still working on this performance. It's not perfect, she needed a little help. BUT I love that she sings her ABC's while going about her daily business. We walk to the potty, "A ... B...C...D..." We go down the stairs to play, "Next time won't you (sing it Momma!!) sing with me." We get loaded into the car, "Momma, sing ABCDEFGHIJ with me!!" Here she is, singing her ABC's. 1-15 Singing the ABCs

9. Sapphire On Christmas Eve Day, Benny was resting, Steve was working out and Kayleigh and I were reading together. I discovered that she had the entire "Pumpkin book" memorized. Now, my mom had an audio recording of me "reading" a book I had memorized at ROUGHLY the same age. I couldn't resist getting out the Voice Memo recording and capturing our session together. She gets a little distracted, but she makes it through the entire book. If you can understand all of her words, congratulations ... but, I'm gonna hand it to her, it's pretty good. I'm sure she'll want me to burn it someday, but, of course, I'll do just as my parents did and send the audio file to her boyfriend/fiancé. Memo-1

10. The Opal (and my final gem for this post) When I was pregnant with Kayleigh we sang "In Christ Alone" almost every week at church. We sang it at school during Easter week. I listened to it on my iPod during rides in the car ... and each time I got to the 4th verse I'd begin to weep ... "No guilt in life; no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny." That year, Kayleigh was born and I experienced "life's first cry" for myself. There was nothing like it in the whole world. As I held my baby girl, that song played through my brain ... each time I hear it it brings tears ... and it's no wonder that my baby girl (who heard it COUNTLESS TIMES in utero and since) adores this song. In fact, it's almost to the point of annoying. We no sooner are buckled in the car, "In Christ Alone, Mommy!" Around the house, "In Christ Alone, Momma!! Sing it for Kayleigh! Sing LOUD!!" So, I pulled out the ol' Voice Memo when we were downstairs the other day. I have it in raw audio format and am working on coverting it. As soon as the editing is done, I'll post it :) (You can hold me to it ... but right now Garage Band and I aren't having fun ...)

My baby girl is truly a jewel in our eyes. We thank God for her daily and totally love sharing her fun memories with all of you.

The Nap Champ - Benjamin

So, my not-so-little little man has always loved sleeping. Seriously, from 5 weeks he was sleeping through the night: 10:30 to 7:00 a.m. As he got older he'd go to bed earlier and earlier but keep his wake up the same time. He finally reached his peak at 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. by 3.5 months old. By 4 months he was in a routine - 3 naps a day, no shorter than 1 hour each! He's since dropped the 3rd nap and extended his 2nd nap to be quite long, while cutting his morning nap quite short. I think, if I let him, he'd be content to take one monster nap from 1-4:30 every day. BUT, since I don't want to deal with the terror that happens from 10-11 by keeping him awake, he goes down for at least a little quiet time. What has made me laugh, lately, about Benny is not just the schedule he keeps but his sheer delight at the prospect of getting a nap. Let me explain ...

When we discovered that Ben was naturally a self-soother, that he wasn't going to let Mommy rock him to sleep, ever ... we decided that he needed a routine that include some snuggling. So, at about 3 months old, I adopted a routine. After his diaper change, before I lay him down, I "dance" with him. I hold his right hand in my left and press our cheeks together. I sing to him the same song, "God Bless the Broken Road ..." (Please don't ask me to explain why I chose this one, but I did ... I've tried to justify it over and over but I don't get very far. It was simply in my head the first day I tried this and it's become our tradition). Anyway, we dance through the entire song and then I kiss him on the cheek, place him in the crib, swaddle him tightly in his blanket and hand him his lamby. This lamb has become one of his necessary elements to sleep, much like Kayleigh's blankets. It's ALWAYS his comfort.

Anyway ... as of late, Ben's been adding his own elements to our routine. I know that, after nearly 5 months of repeating this pattern up to 4 times each day, he knows what's going to happen. As soon as he gets off the changing table and sees Mommy heading towards the crib his little arms start flailing and his legs start kicking. By the time I have his hand clasped and my face pressed against his, he's started giggling ... yup, giggling. He snuggles so deep into my shoulder that sometimes I have to push him away. His eyes twinkle and he laughs so hard that he can barely keep his pacifier in his mouth. Before I've even completed the first chorus of our song, he'll start to lean backwards, as if he's pre-emptively laying down. It's difficult to even hold him anymore because he simply can't contain how excited he is to get into bed. When I finally do give in (usually well before we've finished the song), I lay him in the crib, and he stretches all of his limbs out and rubs every bare limb (he usually sleeps pants-less except at night because he does better that way) on his sheets. Then he turns immediately to his right side, fairly "spoons" his lamby and giggles/talks himself to sleep. I never wait more than 10 minutes to check on him, but he's always snoring by then.

I just laugh to myself when I think about how many hours we spent rocking Kayleigh and then teaching her to fall asleep on her own. How many times I tried to get her to follow a schedule (which she HATES breaking now) before it finally clicked ... and here, my second born child (and a busy BOY) giggles his way to sleep.

Thank you Lord for my super happy Nap Champ, Benjamin :) Let his love of sleep continue well into his toddler years :) ...

I realize it's been a while since I've blog posted a picture of my boy, so, here's one of our more recent ones (appropriately in his jammies):

[caption id="attachment_969" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Benjamin and his Christmas Bear from Jillian"][/caption]

Teaching in the Bloodline ...

Our family is inundated with teachers ... Great Grandpa Van Dyk taught at Calvin Seminary, Aunt Leanne teaches at Western Seminary. Grandpa Van Dyk is a principal and Grandma Van Dyk a teacher. Aunt Maria is a teacher. Grammy Creswell is a teacher. Although his period of teaching was brief, Grandpa Creswell was one for a time. And of course, Mommy and Daddy are both teachers who tend to hang out with other people who are also, teachers. Kayleigh is surrounded by people who are trained educators. I, by no means expect this to rub off on her. In fact, I'd likely expect that she do the opposite since she's so completely surrounded by it. BUT ... this morning's activities gave me a moment to pause. Before I relay my newest "dialogue" I want to say that I have been WAITING for this day since I conceived Benjamin. I was waiting for the chance to share an interaction based entirely between my two children ... for their "conversations" between each other. I never expected it to happen so early ... and, in truth, it probably doesn't count as "conversation." But, for me, it fulfilled the longing I had to hear my children communicate together.

So without further ado, I present, "Kayleigh, the teacher."

Benjamin woke from his morning nap quite interested in babbling. So, as I was folding laundry with Kayleigh, I was talking to him. Looking at his smiling, cherub like face and chanting, "Mama .... Mama ... Dadda ... Dadda ... SISTER ... SISTER..." He was continuing to babble away, repeating his usual garble with a smile brighter than the sun.

As I left to put the laundry away, Kayleigh descended from her perch on the dining room table and plunked herself squarely in front of Benjamin. Here is what transpired:

Kayleigh: "Benny brother you need to say MA-MA! Say MA-MA!" Benny: (After repeated squeals of delight at the proximity of his sister) MMMMMMA MA MA MA! (He's been doing this for days) Kayleigh: "Good job Benny boy. Now you have to say DA-DA Say DA-DA!!" Benny (I had never heard the D consonant before from him): DDDD-DDDA DA DA DA DA DA (Repeated squeals of laughter). Kayleigh: "Good ... now you have to count to 10 ... like this 1, 2, 3, (etc at lightning speed)." Benny: "DA DA DA DA DA ..." Kayleigh: "Okay ... Keep trying a little bit."  (Running to Mom in the other room). Mommy, I teached Benny to say Mommy, Daddy and count to 10."

I'm not certain I'm going to call Benjamin a talker ... but as evidenced by his "spitting" video, he is exceptional at repeating what is given to him. And he delights in learning it ... especially from his favorite teacher, Kayleigh.

My Goals ... an accountability posting

Ahhh 2011 ... it's here, a New Year ... a fresh start. I don't really like the idea of setting "New Year's Resolutions" because I like goal setting year round. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the time of reflection prompted by starting anew. I thought I'd take the time and write out some of the goals I have for myself in 2011. I find freedom in sharing, and it helps me keep accountable if I know other people might check up on me. Goal #1: Read through the Bible in its entirety Began: July, 2009

Progress: I'm currently whipping through Jeremiah (I started at Genesis), so I'm over 60% completed (thanks Kindle). A lot of my quiet time was interrupted by the birth of my son. I couldn't find a consistent time to read because life was anything but consistent. But now that things have sort of levelled out, it's a lot easier to be consistent again. I LOVE reading while I work out, especially Scripture. I find I work harder, move faster, and focus less on the pain when I have something to occupy my mind. During these winter months, 30 minutes on the elliptical IS my reading and quiet time. I hope to continue the elliptical when the weather is nice (hits over 50) and the kids and I can get out to start run/walks. It'll still be a good way to cross train and spend time with JESUS!

Next Steps: As soon as I finish my first read through, I intend to go back through and select a chapter per book to work on committing to memory. Thanks for the inspiration Tim Brown

Goal #2: Lose the baby weight Began: Immediately after Ben was born, most actively, October 2010

Progress: 49.5 lbs, with plenty more to go I'm on a strict 1,348 calorie diet with a diary that I keep on my iPhone charting the food I eat, it's protein values, fat content, and carbs. I have, in the last month, managed to fill the protein column while keeping carbs and fat below full. I work out once or twice a day (never 0) doing 30 minutes on the elliptical or an additional 25 minute Pilate session! I'm hoping to add another 10 lbs by the end of January, but so far that seems a bit ambitious as things are slowing down again ...

Next Steps: When the weather hits 50 at the time I want to get out and run (beginning in mid-afternoon), I'll get the kids set in the double jogger and hit the streets. I want to focus my energy on training for 1 5K (probably not the Riverbank Run as it falls in the tennis season) before the summer is over and then just concentrate on improving my 5K timing. My in-laws run, LONG distances, and I feel compelled to participate (NOT BY THEM...) but I don't think it's a reasonable goal for me. With two kids who are quite little and possibly more on the way (MUCH LATER, NOT NOW!!!!), I don't think my lifestyle can hold training for 26.2 mile races. There aren't enough hours in the day. Plus, I want to be able to support my husband's goals to run and there simply isn't room for both of us. So, 5K's it is.

Goal #3: Enjoy 2011 as a family of 4! Began: May 17, 2010 Progress: Working on it :), but let me explain ... Our family has been growing so quickly that I feel like we haven't had time to enjoy each season just as we are. Kayleigh literally JUST reached a point where she could assert her independence and we started the baby stage all over with Benjamin. As Benner works at learning to be mobile, tries eating foods by himself, and starts to show us just who he is going to be (hilariously happy nearly all the time), I can see a bit of light dawning at the end of my "work" tunnel. I see late Spring mornings in the backyard with both kids playing TOGETHER and Mommy trying to figure out a vegetable garden (see Goal #4). I see summer afternoons with the kiddie pool filled up and two kiddos running after each other in the water. I see trips down to the Lake where I can strap on life jackets and sit (okay so maybe not for very long before Benjamin does a header). BUT at least it won't be diaper change 1, diaper change 2, feed one, feed two, next diaper changes, sunscreen lathers, hold kid cuz he's now fussy, let other play for 10 minutes and then back up to the house for naps, etc ... There might be a shot that the kids can enjoy summer (and fall and next winter) .... all without adding to it an additional baby who needs constant attention. So for me, 2011 will be to enjoy the year with just the two beautiful blessings that we have (and enjoy not having to battle the carrying of a baby for the year!)

Next Steps: Teach the kids to celebrate the beauty of each Michigan season by enjoying it to its fullest (probably beginning with Spring since Ben's a little young for lots of sledding and snowball fights ... and it's more work getting him out there than it is fun for him to be there).

Goal #4: Grow my own vegetable patch Began: .. ummm Spring of 2011? I'm still planning for this and soliciting ideas ... I'm in the research phase, so if anyone knows of any good books on gardening in the Michigan climate, let me know!!! I'm excited to try a few (not a huge variety) vegetables to see what we can do as a family.

I think that's probably enough to get me started ... :) Benjamin is awake now and the coffee is getting cold :) Enjoy your goals or resolutions as you have them.

<3 Kristi

"Thank you for Christmas"

Today the dreaded chore of taking down the Christmas decor came up on the to-do list. I had been avoiding it, mostly because the lights are cheery and sometimes I need that in the dreary Michigan winter. BUT, today was the day. I told Kayleigh it was time to take down the ornaments, her response, "Poor Ornaments." (Said in the most unbelievably sad and mournful pouty voice you can imagine ... it's adorable.) Anyway, Benjamin's "nap" time came and that is when we do our chores together. Let me set the stage: Benjamin has been up and down all night teething, so he's cranky, and he doesn't want to nap. Kayleigh took an early nap yesterday and crashed early last night. This meant that both kids were up and ready to go by 6:15 a.m. I only got 10 minutes on the elliptical before screams tore me away. This means I didn't get a stress release ...  It's now 9:45 a.m., they've both been up for 3.5 straight hours. I have cleaned 3 dirty diapers for Ben, done 2 loads of laundry, one load of dishes, fed two kids and cleaned up one very messy accident by Kayleigh ... Benjamin is so past tired that he's just whining in the crib instead of intently trying to sleep. His moans and cries are the background for all the rest of our activity. I've got the "ducky" timer set ... so Kayleigh knows when to visit the bathroom. Kayleigh is running back and forth across the living room babbling (she's pretty much a constant stream of noise all the time) as Rafael chases her, taking moments to leap up and put both paws on her shoulders, since he can almost "tackle" her. I sigh and look at the tree.

My heart falls ... Christmas is over, the snow is PILING up outside, the "natives" are already restless ... the thought of two more months of this kind of cooped up commotion makes me want to cry ... and now, what do I have to look forward to? Spring Break, when we leave for Orlando with my brother, sister in law and nephew for a week of warmth. April seems so long away ...

I sigh and begin to pick apart the tree. As I begin, Kayleigh's running babble suddenly stops. She ceases her insane sprinting from room to room and approaches the tree.

K: Watcha doin' Momma? M: Taking down the Christmas decorations K: Why? It's PRetty M: Because Christmas is over. Jesus's birthday is past and we have to move on. K: Oh. Are you sad, Momma? M: A little sad, Kayleigh, I like Christmastime. K: (Is quiet. Clearly she's thinking.) Momma, I'll help you take down the orNAments M: Thanks K. K: (After a grand pause) ... Momma? M: (Sigh because I was so enjoying the silence, well, at least the lack of chatter, Ben is still whining). Yes? K: Thank you for Christmas. M: (Taken aback completely!) You're welcome. K: Thank you for Christmas, for presents, for orNAMents, for JESUS!!!. Thank you for birthdays and for Mommy and Daddy and Kayleigh and Benny. Thank you for CHRISTMAS!! I had FUN! M: (Completely humbled now) You're welcome, K! You're so welcome. K: (Duckie timer starts quacking) OHHHH Momma! I go potty now!! (and off she scampers...)

She left to take care of her responsibilities and as I helped her I thought about her long list ... and the one she repeated stuck out the most. Thank you, Lord, for Christmas! It's January 4 and although I have dreary winter ahead, I can still say Thank you, Lord, for Christmas. Thanks for the baby, the humble beginnings, the reason you came, the joy the season brings, and thank you, thank you for the young child who teaches me. (Yes, both of them ...)

Top 10 of 2010 - stolen idea

So a blogger friend of mine, Rebecca Marcus, received a challenge from a blogger friend of hers - post your top 10 pictures of 2010. I thought it sounded like a fun challenge. So, here I go, in reverse order #10. Cousins Christmas - I love my family - all of them ... and the "Cousins" Christmas picture is a tradition at least 28 years running (I have evidence of one with Justin and I when I'm just 1 year old). Passing it on the to cousins' kids, who still manage to make a point to get together no matter how difficult, is super special. So, here's a copy I had of the Badeau Cousins' Kids Christmas: (from L to R: Benjamin Van Dyk, Kayleigh Van Dyk, Kirsten Nichols, Zoe Scott, Rachelle Nichols, Andrew Nichols and Jonathan Nichols ... just outside camera range: Ryan Creswell)

9. The Kids Love the iPad - During a tornado warning - mid day in the fall - the kids went to the basement with both kitties. I needed something to keep them occupied for an extended period of time while I watched the weather on the tv. As the toys ran dry, I pulled out Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the iPad. The kids, snuggling together with the iPad, is representative of our 2010 for several reasons - K's growing obsession with Mickey and the fact that nothing brings my kids together like watching a little tv. :)

8. Food Attacks Benjamin - Our friend, Cabeto, titled this picture for us. He lives in Costa Rica and gets pictures through my father-in-law (and from my facebook). He mostly sees pictures of (as he says it), "Ben-yamin (spelled as he pronounces it and is SO sweet), I always see you getting attacked by food!"  So, here is our boy, doing what our boy does better than any baby I ever saw .. EAT!!! It describes him now as well because he refuses bottles in favor of any solid food. So, to our eater, Benjamin:

7. Cousin's Playdates I have a bunch of cute pictures of our kids with their cousin, Ryan, on playdates. BUT throughout 2010 this is the only one I have of all 3 of them together. We ended up putting them together to capture the Maranatha tie-dye onesies that Mom and I made during our week at Maranatha. So, though the kids aren't particularly "Active" in this picture, it's the best of all three of them and reminds me of all the blessings Thursdays with Ryan bring.

6. Benjamin's Miles of Smiles We had formal pictures taken in the fall in order to get a surprise Christmas present for Grammy Creswell. Kristen Worst from Tsakani Studios took them for us (she had done our family photos in July as well). She was super patient with all three kids, who had a collective ROTTEN day. BUT, right at the beginning Benjamin was whipping off the smiles. She caught about 5 in a row that were just fantastic. Here's my favorite:

5. The Waves with Grammy - Over Labor Day weekend we hit both family "getaways." Each time we took a few photos, and, from that weekend, three are on the top 10 list. Steve did a fantastic job of shooting special moments. This one reminds me of Maranatha, which was, my refuge this summer. I spent two full weeks there and several other day/evening trips in order to have help with the kids while Steve put in long hours at work. Kayleigh loved her time there, especially at the beach ... Steve is tempted to enter this one in a photo contest. It's so beautiful.

4. Benny and Grandpa - This is another one of the "Labor Day Cottage Tour" pictures. It's beautiful because they are both so unaware. But it also captures how thoroughly the two have bonded. I don't know if it was the week when Benjamin screamed for hours straight and Grandpa took him for walks, or if it is their uncanny similarities in behavior. Both Grandpa C and Benny are largely content wherever they are. They love watching what's going on around them, but don't have to be part of the action to enjoy it. "Being" is simply enough for both of them and I think that's what makes Grandpa C gravitate to Ben so quickly ... I adore this photo ...

3. Our Little Model - Steve took this photo at the Frederick Meijer Gardens in their Children's Garden. Kayleigh went with Great Grandpa Van Dyk as his "birthday" present from our kids. Kayleigh ADORED walking the grounds with him, and taking him by the hand around to everything that was fun for her. We mostly snapped pictures of the special time the two were able to have. It's especially sweet because Kayleigh is named for her Great Grandma Van Dyk. Harriet Elaine (though she went by Elaine only) was diagnosed with cancer while we were early pregnant with K. As  Elaine's condition grew worse, Steve and I were more and more convinced that our little girl needed to bear her name. Elaine fought long and hard and managed to meet her great granddaughter before she went home to be with her Lord. Nevertheless, each time we see Great Grandpa with his little buddy Kayleigh Elaine, we think of Great Grandma. Here's our Kayleigh Elaine on her date with Great Grandpa

2. Benjamin views the Lake - This picture took our breath away when we first uploaded it. It has captured my attention each time I sneak past it in a photo search. Benjamin is searching the lake and the camera lens caught the lake reflected in his gorgeous blue eyes. Steve's favorite place in the world is his parents' cottage. I know it means the world to him when the kids are able to go there and enjoy themselves. So, for Ben to be enjoying himself so much at his Daddy's favorite place ... it's the stuff a mother loves to see.

1. Family Togetherness - I didn't think my top 10 would be complete without something breathtaking of the two kids together. BUT since the BEST photo of the two of them that I have is from their bath time ... I figured I'd have to get back to the drawing board. Posting naked baby photos, however innocently intended, is NOT a smart idea (as my husband reminds me continuously). Therefore, I selected this photo, from Christmas Eve. It contains my 3 favorite people in the whole wide world and they're all together, happily. Thanks God, for this amazing year, and this amazing little family.

Happy New Year, friends ... from Steve, Kristi, Kayleigh and Benjamin Van Dyk!

Our little "commune"

"Our Little Commune" It's 11:40 p.m. on Monday, December 27th. I have the alarm set for 6:00 a.m. so I can elliptical before the babies wake up. I should be sleeping, but I can't. It's not a bad thing, quite the opposite. I'm on cloud 9, completely and utterly blown away by God's goodness. And, since I'm not allowed to say anything yet, I'm preparing my "words" for when I can (obviously by the time YOU read it, the cat is out of the bag!). In order to fully appreciate this story, I'll need to back track a little bit ...

In college I had some amazing friends. Some of my friends I still converse with, make plans with, and see on a relatively regular basis. But, and I'm truly fine with this, throughout my life I've always been a "friend for a season." In high school I had great friends, for high school. In college, I lost touch with high school friends and made new friends, college friends. Those friends were amazing friends for that season. As I moved into my teaching career, I made great friends there too ...  My husband is the opposite. It takes Steve a while to trust people and when he makes friends, he makes them for life. Truly, for life! His best friends today are the same guys he hung out with in middle school, high school, through separate colleges (none of them went to the same school!), and into married life. These guys have all married, and managed to bring their wives into the friendship. It's an incredibly unique situation, I know, and I'm blessed to have "inherited" such amazing people in my life. And since we've weathered several "seasons" together, I think we're in it for the long haul.

The boys often joke (just about every time we're all together) about "the commune." A large fictional piece of property that they would construct so we could all live together. It's been rumored to contain things like: a community pool and playground, recreational facilities and even a helipad. I'm positive the guys would all have their dreamed about motorcycles and the girls would be content to live close enough to all workout together and have constant playmates for the children. In all seriousness, Kevin, Scott, and Ryan have been around for just about every "big" event in Steve's life. All three of them stood up at our wedding. And as they got married, Steve and I have been able to be there for them. We attended all of their weddings, had baby "showers" when their children were conceived, visited soon after the births, and camped for extended weekends. We've spent EVERY New Years (since our marriage) together, and built a little community that someday we hope will include living in the same city, (if, of course, the communal property doesn't pan out)!

At any rate, this blog post is to celebrate an incredible year in the life of this little "community." This calendar year God has taken all four of our families and turned them upside down with new life. At our New Year's Eve party on December 31, 2009, the community consisted of two little ones: Kayleigh, 13 months and Carson, 9 months.

In May, as you know, God blessed Steve and I with "Big" Benjamin. So, our "community children" went from 2 under 2 to 3 under 2. In August, God gave Ryan and Renee Texer their sweet Emma Rae. So, our community grew from 3 under 2 to 4 under 2. In September, God blessed Scott and Kelly with their second baby boy, Eli David. We're now at 5 under 2. Kayleigh turned 2 in November and the age range expanded to "2 and under." But we're still a VERY busy group when we get together.

Tonight, after much anticipation, and many prayers, our good friends Kevin and Megan welcomed their miracle twins into the community - Eden Elizabeth and Conner Thomas join the busy band to give us 7 children, 2 and under! Bet ya' wish you could be a fly on the wall at OUR next get together  ... :)

In all seriousness, 2010 has been an amazing year for the Van Dyks, but we are just as flooded with thankfulness for the way that God has overseen our dear friends this past year. It hasn't been easy for any of us (all with separate challenges that are our own stories to tell), but when I look at back at 2010, these will be some of the moments that I thank God I could witness.

Congratulations Kev and Meg, we can't wait to see your little treasures. And thanks, again, God for: Kayleigh, Carson, Benjamin, Emma, Eli, Eden and Connerr!

Hugs to you all, Kristi (and the rest of the sleeping household).

Over half way through ...

My Benjamin is 7 months old today! It's so hard to believe that he's more than half way finished with his crazy "first year" of life. I know so many fun "firsts" are just around the corner for him, and I look forward to enjoying them. Here's what we see with Ben lately: Eating: He's on 3 meals a day: An 8 oz bottle at 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m, and he follows the bottle with at least a 1/2 cup of solid foods - he has homemade rice cereal with apples or bananas for added flavor, at least a 1/4 of a cup of fruit and 1/4 cup of vegetable for lunch (Usually, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, apples or bananas), and then either eggs (his favorite) or chicken (his very least favorite) for dinner with another helping of vegetables. He enjoys working on putting "puffs" in his mouth but can't quite make it. His sister is VERY willing to help him out (and then sneak a few handfuls herself). We are also working on getting him to drink from a sippy cup, like Kayleigh we're starting with a straw cup and will move him to the other sippy later. So far, he can get it out of the cup but can't quite keep it in his mouth.

Sleeping: Ben's sleeping schedule hasn't changed much since his 6 month, except that he almost never takes a 3rd nap now. So, he naps about 1.5-2 hours around 10 and then 2-2.5 hours around 2 or 2:30. I've bumped Kayleigh back an hour (selfishly) so that they can still nap at the same time. It makes for a long crazy morning, but errands are a LITTLE more possible now that we moved the nap back a smidge. Ben still goes to bed around 7:30 (and not much later or he'll let you know just how unhappy he can get), and while I'm certain he wakes around 6:45, for Mommy's sanity, he stays in bed until 7:30 at the earliest.

Growth: Benjamin is proving to be intensely social. He loves smiling at people (mostly girls) and causing the giggle factor to erupt. He loves "kisses" (where he pulls your by the ears, cheeks, hair or face straight to his forward and attempts to swallow your lips). I am fortunate enough to get them every morning when I get him out of bed. He is dissatisified until I've planted a few on each cheek and his forehead, then he will cease training to swallow my face. He also LOVES people watching. I can take him to plenty of "busy" places and he will never make a peep. He's either taking it all in or figuring out how to make people smile. He always distracts people in the grocery store or bank lines. Pretty much anywhere we have to wait I can count on him getting someone to make a fool of themselves. (I think it's his dimple). Ben also likes to MOVE ... At the point as soon as you lay him down he rolls to one side to find something to put in his mouth or bang on the floor. He enjoys sitting, but only if he's virtually covered in toys. Otherwise, he'd rather lay flat so he can roll around and try to explore new things (like the Christmas tree).

Goal areas: Work on strengthening those abs/shoulders for crawling (Mommy cries at a little at the idea of MORE mobility), continue to improve balance when sitting up, thicken up the solid foods, and work on feedings self puffs and drinking from the sippy.

And ... here's the 7 month picture comparison :)

[caption id="attachment_932" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Kayleigh Elaine, 7 months: June of 2009"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_933" align="alignright" width="224" caption="Benjamin Steven, 7 months: December 2010"][/caption]

Because I don't want to forget ...

This post is dedicated to my sweet, "white kitty." For those of you who don't know, Andre adopted us. He frequented the cottage where Steve's family fed him. He kept coming back to visit and would lay immediately at anyone's feet who approached him. He was hungry for love and attention (as well as food; he was emaciated). He had some cuts and sores on him that showed he wasn't exactly "fit" for outdoor life. I took an immediate liking to him, and he took an immediate liking to Steve. After about a week of begging, I convinced Steve that we were ready for a cat in our lives. And, so, in the fall of 2005, we brought him home. The first night was hilarious - neither of us knew just what to do with a cat. We weren't sure he was litter box trained, so we tried to "block him" in the basement with a table on its side (laughable). He stayed down there until we went to bed. But, when we woke up the next morning, there was Andre, perched on the guest room bed as if he'd found his new home for life. In a sense, that's how his life continued. By the end of that day, he'd convinced us he was house trained and could be trusted. It was also one of the last nights he slept anywhere but at my feet (or a year later, snuggled up by my chest).

Andre was unusually affectionate for a cat. He HATED it when we left him. He'd simply stop eating and drinking in his protest at being left alone. So, we had cat sitters come anytime we were gone for more than 24 hours to play with him and make certain he'd eat. Andre would spend hours snuggling at my feet as I did school work, graded papers, read a book or just plain sat on the couch. He'd snuggle up and "spoon" if I was laying down, purring incessantly. At anytime I asked for it, by simply clicking my tongue, he'd run over and give me "kisses" (nuzzles) on my nose. In fact, each morning for 3 years as I got out of the shower, he would be waiting, on the ledge of the tub, to greet me, with loud purrs and two morning "kisses."

It's that same image that Andre left me with today. Just before they gave him the shot to sedate him, he lay in my arms (still clenching and unclenching in pain) PURRING LOUDLY! Before I sat him down, he reached up and kissed my face, twice. The nurse and the vet saw it and burst into their own set of tears as I just continued sobbing. He really was the sweetest, ever loving thing ... right up until the end.

As a way of remembering the best parts of my beloved pet, I thought I'd give my top 10 memories of Andre Van Dyk:

10. Hearing him roar and SQUEAL with delight whenever we arrived home from an overnight vacation ... he'd purr for at least the first hour we were home, simply delighted to have his family back.

9.  Watching him choose the foot of our daughter's bed as a favorite resting place, as soon as he realized she loved him too.

8. Having him sit at my feet while I graded hundreds of papers, for hours on end, simply purring and sighing, and being completely content

7. Seeing him crawl up into my brother's lap and park it despite the fact that my brother swore he hated kitties

6. Having him rub up against me, begging for scraps of chicken, tuna, or cheese and hearing his excited reaction each time I left him a few in his dish.

5. Opening the windows each spring to let him feel the breeze, sniff the air and get his fix of "outside" life.

4. Brushing him to unbelievably loud purrs and squeals of delight (and many more kisses)

3. Watching him melt Steve's resolve to "not enjoy" having a kitty.

2. Getting "Head butted" at all hours of the day and night, whenever 'Dre felt like he wasn't getting enough attention. It was his "attention getting mechanism."

1. Learning that Andre possessed a "secret" talent for determining pregnancy. We didn't know his cues the first time around, but Andre was the first person in this house to know that Benjamin was on his way. In fact, Andre's the reason I took a pregnancy test so early.

I know Andre had a great 5 years with us (he took us from newly weds into parents of two little kids ... and he stuck with us through all of the sleepless nights ... he got up each time I did!!)  and that we will miss him so much. I have to believe that he would be happy to be free of pain, as much as he would miss us. I'm thankful for the great time we did have while he was here. I couldn't have dreamed up a better pet. We love you Andre!

[caption id="attachment_929" align="aligncenter" width="764" caption="Andre in his favorite spot of all, on top of a blanket (and Mom's legs)"][/caption]