A New Chapter

April . . . Month in Review

2010-04-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

With our lack of a yard to play in, I have been trying to get to the park at least once a week (especially while the weather is nice). He loves to swing!

We went strawberry-picking with a bunch of friends from church. What you can't tell from this picture is how messy he is - strawberry juice and dirt all over him. I even caught him eating a handful of sand at one point. Well worth it though - I am going to make strawberry cake this afternoon.

I found this awesome tent at Ikea the other day - super fun!

His newly-found climbing skills scare the heck out of me . . . I guess that's part of having a boy!

Parental Supervision Required

2010-04-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Last night during the 30 seconds I was looking away to send a text, Caleb somehow managed to put one of Cameron's t-shirts over his head. I looked up just as he ran smack into the front door with the t-shirt covering his face. Hilarious . . . except for all of the tears on his part! :) Just a typical Tuesday at our place, I guess.

15 months

2010-04-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Caleb is 15 months today. We just got back from his well-baby visit. He wasn't very cooperative with the nurse today! We had to do the method where I stood on the scale holding him, etc. to determine his weight (on the upside . . . their scale seemed very forgiving, I weighed less than I thought I did - when does that ever happen? ha!).
The Stats:
22 lbs.
29 1/2 in.
3 shots
seasonal allergies (he is taking Zyrtec - which creates awesomely long naps!)

Easter Weekend

2010-04-05T06:16:00.001-07:00

Easter service at Crossbridge

Caleb got a kite, pajamas, eggs filled with Cheerios, and a ball (he loved the ball!) in his basket

We had lots of fun having dinner with the Wallaces, this is the bunny cake we brought for dessert. It turned out pretty cute. :)

Crossbridge helped sponsor an Easter egg hunt at an assisted living center down the street from church. Here are Caleb, Hazel, and Evelyn before the big event. Caleb was more interested in shaking the eggs (they made a fun sound) than putting them in the basket.

March . . . Month in Review

2010-04-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the highlights of the month of March:
-a much-needed break from school (for both Cameron and I) allowed us to travel to see Rachel and Amanda in Dallas and then up to Nashville to meet up with Cameron's parents for a couple of days. It was a fun and refreshing break, but we were exhausted after our 15+ hour trip home! Low point of the trip -- discovering that we have a CD stuck in the CD player in our car and no idea how to get it out (but, on the positive side, we listened to lots of NPR!).

-making a decision about housing . . . we have been going back and forth for several months and not feeling a lot of direction about what do for our living situation. We met with a realtor to look at some rental houses last weekend (she was great!), but we were kind of bummed out by the type of house we could afford. So, we decided to sign a six-month lease at our apt. complex and we will see what happens from there. We felt a lot of peace by just being able to make one decision about our lives right now! :)

-Caleb has hit a lot of developmental mile stones all of a sudden! He has gone from crawling to mostly walking (kind of looks like Frankenstein), has several words that he uses consistently ('da da', 'baby', and 'see'), and points at things to let us know what he sees or needs. He continues to use the sign for 'more' to let us know what he wants. I feel like he is developing a sense of humor as certain things seem to completely crack him up.

-we all survived Caleb's first ear infection and fever -- we made it to 14 mo. with only doing one round of antibiotics - awesome!

-Caleb is sporting a new haircut -- he screamed and screamed as he was getting it cut, but I am loving the results! In the picture below, he was pointing at the babies in the book and saying 'baby'! So smart! :) (also -- I am loving his cutie-patootie pajamas -- organic cotton and only $5.00 at Walmart!)

What?!!

2010-03-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of random things from the last two days, which are making me smile on a dreary Monday morning:
1. Yesterday we put Caleb down for a short "nap" before church . . . I think he really just played the whole time. When Cameron went in to get him, he yelled to me, "Get in here, quick!" I ran around the corner of his room to find Cameron laughing and Caleb standing in his crib wearing only his shirt and diaper. He had somehow managed to take his pants off. What?!! My immediate thought was, 'wow, I am really glad he hasn't figured out how to take off his diaper!'
2. This morning I was really excited about wearing this new oh-so-soft grey t-shirt that I just got a couple of weeks ago. When I put it on and looked in the mirror the center of the lotus flower fell in a very conspicuous place on my chest. Cameron also confirmed what I was thinking. :) It was very akin to Charlize Theron's Oscar dress last night. Needless to say, my $5.00 t-shirt went into the Goodwill donation pile we started over the weekend!

Happy Monday!

Early Literacy

2010-02-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

I just read a great article in Parenting magazine last night about childhood literacy. It contained some pretty crazy statistics that encouraged me in the reading that we do with Caleb. Even though Caleb would rather eat the books or tear the pages right now rather than listen to the story or look at the pictures, I am hopefully taking a few (albeit small) steps in the right direction.
Check this out:
-"many children who enter kindergarten without pre-reading skills in place will never catch up . . . by second grade we can predict who will go on to higher education and who will not based on their literacy skills." (Parenting, pg. 111, March 2010)
This piece of information was down-right depressing:
-"having reading difficulties also increases the odds that a child will drop out of school and have a criminal record. States like California and Indiana have even factored in the number of third-graders who are not reading at grade level when planning future jail construction." (Parenting, pg. 112, March 2010)
The article goes on to mention the hugely disparate numbers of books and reading opportunities available to kids from lower income homes and middle income homes (1 book per 300 kids vs. access to at least 13 books at any time) and several volunteer-based free programs that are out to change that.
We have access to a great library system here in Sugar Land and an awesome weekly Toddler Time . . . though Caleb has no idea what is going on yet, I think he likes watching the other kids dance and sing. Yay for free stuff!
What are some favorite books currently at your house? Do you have any good recommendations?

2010-02-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

After months of practicing several signs with Caleb (food, please, more, all done, drink), he is finally catching on! Caleb now signs 'more' very excitedly when he wants something. I am one proud mama! :)
Which got me thinking this morning . . . we (our little family of 3) feel like we are in a stage of transition. We like our little life here in TX, but know that we can't sustain it forever if we want to move on to future plans/goals.
So, it feels like I am always asking God for more - which I know he is pleased to give his children, but what if His version of 'more' looks different than my version of 'more'. What if he is asking me to be content for the long-term with what we have? What if my visions of financial security, a growing family, etc., etc. look different to Him? What if 'more' simply means that instead of all of those things (which in themselves aren't bad things) more means 'more' of Him . . . .desiring more of him, leaving all areas of life to him, etc. I am reading through Luke right now and ironically I opened to Luke 12: 22-34 today where I am told that the time I spend worrying could be better used in other ways. :)
So, I'm pondering that question right now. What does more mean? And I have Caleb here to remind me . . . "more, mom".

First Birthday - 1/7/10

2010-01-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Caleb,
It is hard to believe that you have been here for one whole year. We spent so much time praying and anticipating what you would be like and it has been so much fun watching your personality develop. We are constantly amazed at the things you are learning and how independent you are becoming each day.
You are pushing me to become more patient and less selfish all the time . . . slowly but surely, I am learning. You cause me to slow down and enjoy the moments of your babyhood instead of worrying about all the things that I need to get accomplished.
We laugh a lot at all the things you do and are becoming more aware all the time that you are becoming a toddler (temper tantrums!!) and we will have to learn more about how to lovingly discipline you.
We are excited to see what this next year holds for you! Happy Birthday!

Caleb's First Christmas

2010-01-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

Caroline and Caleb got to know each other (it was fun to watch them 'communicate').

Caleb taking a ride on the rocking horse that Grandpa built just for him (he is also demonstrating that he has learned how to point at things).

Yup, that's a lot of snow . . . and it is still snowing there.

Caleb had a White Christmas and got to go on his first sleigh ride (he looks cold, huh?).

Cameron received the best gift ever . . . a giant container full of different kinds of tea. :)

Lankford Grocery

2009-12-30T13:25:00.000-08:00

After two days of traveling, we are back in TX . . . Caleb did much better than I assumed he would (definitely had his bouts of screaming, but wouldn't you if you were stuck in a car seat for hours and hours?). I will post Christmas pics in a couple of days.
While in NE we watched a couple episodes of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on the Food Network and they talked about Lankford Grocery here in Houston the Montrose area, I remember driving by it and wondering what it was (the building is a really old red and white house with picnic tables out front) when we were going to Ecclesia, but we never stopped by there until today. After eating way too much red meat while in NE, I wanted to give that a rest for a while . . . but this bacon cheeseburger (and accompanying onion rings) was HEAVENLY. I can't wait to go back and try their breakfast menu.

I'm Looking Forward To . . .

2009-12-14T15:10:00.001-08:00

We leave on Friday night for our big road trip . . . we are both really excited, but very nervous about how Caleb is going to do in the car for so many hours.
Cameron reminded me of some of our past Christmas adventures the other day -- here are a few highlights:
-taking Amtrak from Sacramento to Nebraska (we both had romanticized ideas of what train travel would be like . . . we were both WAY off!).
-getting stuck overnight in Washington D.C. when our plane to CA was grounded for repairs (guess who had everything they needed for an unexpected stay in their carry-on? guess who didn't even have a toothbrush?!)
-the two-day road trip that turned into three when we got stuck in a blizzard with the Hinckleys . . . getting stuck in a blizzard was actually lots of fun! :)

I am looking forward to . . .
-road-tripping with the Hinckley family and meeting sweet little Caroline for the first time!
-seeing my family's house decorated for Christmas
-eating way too much of my dad's homemade bread (mmm . . .carbs!)
-meeting Lena
-watching the grandparents be thoroughly entertained by Caleb
-observing Caleb 'take in' Christmas -- I'm guessing I will have lots of 'help' unwrapping my gifts!
-Christmas eve service at my family's church
-"real" winter weather and a chance to wear my winter clothes
-beginning to develop some traditions for our little family
-watching Caleb eat his first piece of birthday cake (early celebration)
-trying out the portable DVD player we bought yesterday

Christmas, here we come!

Lotion Head!

2009-12-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

Caleb got to hang out with the Wallaces tonight while we went to see a movie (The Blind Side - awesome - go see it!) . . . anyway, Jonathon and Caleb had lots of fun together with a bottle of lotion! Caleb came home in new jammies and smelling lovely after Erin gave him a bath. Too funny!

You never know what you're gonna get . . .

2009-12-03T19:36:00.000-08:00

As one of my sweet little students turned in her homework this afternoon, I noticed there was letter with my name on it attached to her homework. I asked her if it was from her mom, she said 'no', and offered no further explanation. Cameron and I were cracking up when I opened the letter tonight and read this:
(In case you can't read his letter, here is the translation: Dear Mrs. Cox, I am sorry for cutting my sister's homework. That was not nice of me. Please accept her homework. He signed his name and let me know that he is 5.) Her homework had a big slice down the middle of it, so this must have been mom's creative consequence for his action. How cute is that? :)

Sometimes It Is Cold in Texas

2009-12-01T20:46:00.001-08:00

So, it's "cold" here . . . relatively speaking.
Caleb's room seems several degrees colder than the rest of our apartment, so we have taken some drastic measures!
-we tried to turn on the heat last night, which set off the smoke detector and it smelled like something was burning (and of course, made our child scream - he does NOT like loud noises)
-we rolled up beach towels and put them along each of the windowsills in his room
-he is wearing a onesie, footie pajamas, a furry blanket sleeper, and MITTENS to bed! :)

I am looking forward to the small chance that it might snow on Friday afternoon! yay!

Uncle Nolan and Caleb

2009-11-22T18:42:00.001-08:00

Caleb is now standing up like a 'big boy' . . . yes, I promptly took the pen out of his hand that he happened to find.

Notice the awesome new sweater that Uncle Nolan brought him.

For Karen :)

2009-11-14T15:06:00.001-08:00

We had lots of fun 'sprinkling' Karen and Baby Boy Merritt this morning and enjoying lots of yummy food! As evidenced in this picture, Evelyn is ready to be a big sister! :)

1st Haircut

2009-11-08T19:47:00.001-08:00

Proof that not all of the tissues in our house are being used on stuffy noses! :)

This is the "Before" shot. It was hard to part with his lovely curls, but he had kind of a mini-mullet in the back.

He is enjoying the experience! We went to a place called 'Snip-Its' . . . not sure we can afford this all the time, but they were so great with him! Extremely quick and kid-friendly. She even put his little curls in a bag for me to put in his baby book.

The "After" shot. We realized it looks kind of like Jeff Daniels in 'Dumb and Dumber' if we don't style it a little bit. :)

Cold Remedies for Baby?

2009-11-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

Caleb came home with a runny nose yesterday . . . I am recovering from a cold, so I guess it was only a matter of time.
Poor little guy looks so pathetic with his watery eyes and runny nose, but he seems to be playing fine and eating normally (he is snoring a little!).
Today I read online that it helps to rub Vick's Vapor Rub on a baby's feet before putting on footie pajamas and to put a little salt in the water of your cool mist humidifier.
Does anyone else have any suggestions of things I should be trying? :)

Our Little Pumpkin

2009-10-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

We had fun at the Merritt's house tonight handing out candy to their neighbors and eating hot dogs off the grill. Here are a few pictures of Caleb's first Halloween (he didn't have any candy, but he ate part of a hot dog bun and he had no idea why he was wearing this crazy costume):
Too much Halloween fun . . . all tuckered out. :)

Fall Fun!

2009-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

October has most definitely been my favorite month this year so far, here are some reasons why:
-we have had the most perfect weather every weekend (fall-like weather! yay!)
-Caleb has been in such a great mood (no teething!) and is really starting to show us his personality
-trying out lots of new recipes (mmm . . . comfort food!)
-lots of fun activities (pumpkin patch, date night at Grimaldi's Pizza, Mediterranean Festival)
Here are a few pictures:

Finding new uses for the exer-saucer!

Bobby, Caleb, and the Cokenours

Eating straw . . . yummy.

Bobby's 1st Birthday Party! Morgan made these adorable hats for all the party-goers!

Possible family resemblence

2009-10-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me these two pictures in the mail . . . I had no idea Caleb and I looked so much alike! crazy!

Return to Blogland!

2009-10-16T11:21:00.001-07:00

Haven't felt like I've had much to say lately and my days at home definitely get filled up with school work = no blog posts. But, with my most favorite season of the year sort-of gracing us with it's presence here is Southeast TX (or maybe it is just teasing us), I wanted to post a couple of recipes that I have tried recently. I definitely associate fall with comfort food, so these are probably not all that healthy for you (but they sure taste yummy!).

Pumpkin Cupcakes (I love anything with pumpkin in it, but not necessarily pumpkin pie - weird!)
Source: Real Simple
1 box yellow cake mix (I like the butter recipe kind)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree
Follow the directions on your cake mix box (adding all ingredients needed in the cake mix) and mix in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners and bake for 18 - 22 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting (I used store-bought frosting, but this looks like a very simple recipe)
2 8-oz. bars of cream cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until creamy and frost cupcakes when cool. Top each cupcake with a couple of candy corns.

Pork with Blackberry Sauce
Source: Better Homes and Gardens (modified for crockpot by me)
1 - 2 lbs. pork tenderloin (I used a pork roast, as the tenderloin was kind of expensive)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of blackberry preserves (depending on how sweet you would like it)
1 cup apple juice
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (I didn't have any Dijon, so I opted for dry mustard - 1 tsp.)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
1/2 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary (I didn't have any of this, but think how good that would be!)
Let this cook for 6-8 hrs. on low in your crockpot. You could leave your roast whole and slice to serve or shred it to put on sandwiches (or corn tortillas - that was how I served the leftovers!)
This will make your whole house smell like fall! :)

My Day in Pictures

2009-09-18T11:54:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of what I do on my days at home . . .

I try to get lots of work done. Above is my "home office" . . . notice the piles of ungraded papers! :) I try to get as much done while Caleb is sleeping - some days I am able to accomplish more than others.

I make dinner for my hubby. Tonight we are having sloppy joes in the crockpot -- The Fix It and Forget It cookbook is super-handy and has lots of inexpensive and easy recipes.

I have "healthy" snacks. Candy Corn is low-fat, right?? :)

Caleb and I exercise together. He chills and I sweat.

And the best part, I get to hang out with this guy! Notice he is sporting his Husker Red (thanks to grandpa and grandma).

I would love to see what your day in pictures looks like! :)

Mystery Revealed

2009-09-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

So, for months now I have been driving by this building and wondering what it was . . . for a while I couldn't tell if they were in the process of tearing it down or re-furbishing it . . . I was so excited to get this link in an email from Cameron: http://www.hmns.org/education/sugar_land.asp
Check it out! I see lots of fun outings in our future! :) Have a good weekend.

Picture Perfect!

2009-09-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

The pictures were SO worth waiting for! :) Head on over to Debbie's blog and check them out - they are beautiful! http://englexasphotography.com/blog/

Running, Running Makes Me Smile . . .

2009-09-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about running the last few weeks and how much I have missed it. It has been a big part of my life since high school and the last couple of years I have not run as often as I would like due to living in a sketchy part of Houston, being pregnant, adjusting to life with a baby, and just plain being lazy!
What I have noticed about myself is that I am much more disciplined in all areas of my life (in my walk with the Lord, spending habits, using my time wisely, eating, etc.) when I am exercising consistently. I am not a world-class athlete, not a fast runner, and don't have the endurance to run a marathon, but I love the feeling of tired muscles and a sweat-covered t-shirt at the end of a run.
Over the years, running has been my way to de-stress, spend time in prayer, build friendships as I run and talk, and enjoy being outside. I realize that now more than ever, in this new chapter of life, I need to build this discipline back into my life.
So, this is where you come in! Something else I have also realized is that a big part of self-discipline is community -- keeping yourself accountable to others and enjoying the journey together.
My hope is to do the Turkey Trot in Sugar Land in November . . . would anyone like to join me? (walking or running) Even if you live in another state, there might be a Turkey Trot in your area too. Think about it and let me know. We can help one another stick to the goal!

The Eyes Have It

2009-09-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to give you a sneak-peek at one of Caleb's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/englexas/3887795494/

Major Milestones

2009-08-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

Caleb has kicked his development into high gear! Last week he was very wobbly as he sat up and definitely needed you to sit close to his side, but over the past couple of days we have watched him sit completely unsupported for at least 5 minutes at a time! Impressive skills!
We think he will be army crawling in the next couple of weeks (he won't be ready to race Bobby any time soon!), he is scooting with all his might toward objects you place in front him. I filled an empty water bottle with dried beans this morning and he covered lots of ground trying to grab it as it rolled just out of reach.

We met with an amazing photographer and had pictures taken of Caleb last night, I will link you to her website when the proofs are up. For now, here is the link to her blog .
She was such a sweet person and a fellow mommy, so she was extremely patient with him. I would highly recommend her - it was a great experience! Have a great weekend.

Marco Polo Mondays

2009-08-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago, my tummy was full of yogurt and my heart was happy! :) Finally, I have found a frozen yogurt place in the area, this was something that I had missed a lot since we moved here from CA. Swirll has opened a few locations throughout the Houston area in the short time we have lived here and now there is one in Sugar Land (in the Town Center)! Yum-O!
Swirll allows you to do everything yourself -- you fill your own container with the yogurt flavor of your choice (they have both low-fat and sugar-free options too) and then add your toppings (crushed candy, fruit, cheesecake bites, etc.). One piece of caution -- you pay by the ounce, so it is very easy to walk out with a $6.00 dessert if you aren't careful (ahem, Cameron!). :)
Anytime you want to go grab frozen yogurt, just give me a call!

Carrots!!

2009-08-21T10:34:00.001-07:00

I realized the other day that Caleb has a lot of clothing-free pictures on my blog. I promise that he wears clothes . . . sometimes! :) As you can see, we are making progress in the eating department (we went straight from brunch to bath time this morning!). He may have been wearing more than he actually ate. Have a good weekend!

First Day of School!

2009-08-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was crazy (but fun!). The students were so cute and excited about their first day of school. The first class of the day did not go as well as I would have hoped, but it went much better the second time around (two 5th grade science classes back to back). One girl brought me gorgeous Gerber daisies and a homemade card -- too cute! The second graders were pretty squirrely by the time I arrived to teach math - an hour and a half is a long time to pay attention! The art students were very well-behaved and did a great job working on their first project.
Caleb was exhausted by the time I picked him up at daycare and would have slept from 5:30 pm until this morning if I had not woken him up to feed him, poor baby, he was so tired! I think his adjustment will be rough because he will only be there twice a week.
For all of the education-minded folks out there, do you have any suggestions for keeping second graders on task?

Marco Polo Mondays

2009-08-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

At Morgan's suggestion, I have decided to deem Mondays 'Marco Polo Mondays'. Why you may ask? :) Each time we move to a new place Cameron is determined that we will find all of the fun (and unexpected) gems our new city has to offer.
So, to start it out . . .
Beck's Prime on Hwy 6 -- I can't remember the last time I had a burger and this one was great! But, the best part about Beck's Prime is the outdoor seating overlooking a lake. Their patio has lots of shade, so it wasn't too hot. We had several dinner companions (scary looking ducks with red heads and beady eyes) that wanted to share our meal. One duck was very brave and persistent, so I kept the diaper bag close at hand in case I had to defend my child! I even fed the duck a couple of French fries to see what would happen (he came right back for more!). After dinner, we walked around the lake . . . burgers+outdoor seating+exercise = fun family night!

Whew!!

2009-08-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

Caleb and Cameron having a 'jam session' a couple of weeks ago. :)

Sorry for the lapse in posts, blog friends! I am still here, but the last couple of weeks have been busy.
Updates:
I have spent the past week in teacher in-service at Logos Prep. My mind is on overload and our apartment is a mess! I am teaching three different classes and am feeling very overwhelmed. I had the privilege of meeting many of my students and their families last night and they are awesome! All of them seem very excited about school and their parents were all so nice. Our first day is of school is Tuesday . . . pray for me and for the students!
Caleb experienced his first week at daycare and had a pretty rough time. He didn't nap or eat there very well - he has come home exhausted each day, but I know it is just part of the transition, so I hope it gets better.
Caleb cut his first tooth this week! Sad to say, I was so busy that I didn't even notice it for a couple of days! No picture of the tooth yet -- too tiny to see, but it is definitely there. :)

Confession.

2009-08-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

So . . . I have a confession. I really miss cable. I know it is really shallow of me, but I miss it. I might need a self-help group or a twelve-step program. :)
My sweet husband is probably tiring of my whining 'can we please get cable' each time I get up to re-adjust the antenna, so last night he found a fun new podcast for me http://www.whowhatwear.com/website/wwwtv.php
(my guess is this done in an effort to placate me temporarily!).
On the upside of this, I have been reading much, much more. Yesterday I read O, Pioneers by Willa Cather. If you are Nebraskan, this is practically required reading! I am going to start Song of the Lark today during Caleb's afternoon nap. If you are looking for something new to read, I highly recommend Cather's novels -- I love that I can picture the landscape she is writing about.

Gainfully Employed!

2009-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update (Caleb may be waking up any minute) . . . after much prayer and a lot of deliberation, Cameron and I decided that I should take the teaching/admin position at Logos Preparatory Academy.
Logos has a really neat set-up: students are in the classroom twice a week and spend the other days at home with parents taking the lead in their education. Teachers send home assignment sheets with students with work that parents help the child complete on the off-days.
I will be teaching second grade math, 3-4 grade art, and two sections of fifth grade science. I will also be serving as a part-time administrative assistant to the Dean of Students.
I really like all of the people that I have met there so far, so I am looking forward to the school year starting in a couple of weeks. After working on our budget with lots of help from the McCombs family, we realized we could make this work -- Caleb will only have to be in daycare twice a week and Logos will allow me to do much of the admin work from home. :)
If you think of it, here are a couple of things you could pray about for us: that we stick to the budget we created, that I can be effective in the classroom (I am a little nervous!), and that Caleb will do well at his new daycare center (I know I will have a hard time leaving him there!).

Will Caleb Remember the Alamo?

2009-07-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Probably not. But at least we have the pictures to prove he was there! We had a fun time visiting the Alamo and hanging out at the River Walk. We want to go back and explore some more in the future. Caleb was a champ as he spent a lot of time in his car seat, the stroller, and the pack n' play. I think today has been the pay-back though - super cranky kiddo!

Oh, Technology

2009-07-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Cameron finally joined Facebook last night after years of coaxing. I'm not sure why he had held back all those years, but ironically, he said that he had read an article only yesterday that wondered if Facebook is now outdated.
It's only a matter of time until the world is on to the next, cooler thing (i.e. Twitter). :)
Oh, technology.
It struck me that this is just symptomatic of our lives. We are always searching for something else to fill our hearts and we are easily distracted by everything around us . . . in the midst of filling our lives with 'stuff' and striving to get more 'stuff' it becomes harder and harder to hear the voice that is drawing us to Himself.
During this period in my life, I am attempting to work at hearing that voice . . . it's a challenge everyday. I am by no means where I want to be yet.

Slightly Unorthodox

2009-07-21T10:22:00.001-07:00

As I was reading the other night (I will tell you about the book in another post), I had a small epiphany . . . I say 'small' because it really isn't that important, but it made me laugh pretty hard. I think I startled Cameron when I ran into the living room (because it was nearly midnight) and blurted out 'guess what, I know who my God voice is!'
He looked a little confused, so I began to explain . . . 'you know when you are reading passages of scripture and you imagine God's voice? (It did not register on his face that this is normal behavior), so I pressed on . . . 'well, I realized who my God voice is, it's James Earl Jones'.
Yes, James Earl Jones is the voice of God in my head. Feel free to laugh, but the next time you are reading, think about it . . .does that voice sound a little more familiar than you realize?? :)

Things I'm Learning About Parenthood

2009-07-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the interesting discoveries I've made about being a mom . . .

I do not know how to keep a six-month-old entertained!
I know surprisingly few of the lyrics to classic children's songs . . . just the tunes - weird!
Baby boys will pee with reckless abandon the moment you happen to leave them uncovered
The songs that toys play are catchy . . . I can't get them out of my head at times
I relish moments that I have completely to myself - even a fifteen minute trip to the grocery store can feel rejuvenating!
Parenting is a two person job - I truly admire single moms, I could not do this alone
Babies require a lot of 'stuff' . . . we used to travel with one bag, we now travel with an entire trunk full of baby accoutrements
A baby's laugh is one of the best sounds in the whole world; inconsolable crying when you are in the check-out line at the grocery store is one of the most stressful
Each small illness your baby develops sends you hunting the internet or books for clues, all the while you are thinking 'should I call the doctor? am I overreacting?'
Helping a small child stop crying and fall asleep is a MAJOR accomplishment
Walking into a room and seeing your baby smile that huge toothless grin helps to put sleepless nights back into perspective (it makes you feel like a rock star!)
Always wait until the last minute to put on your nice clothes before leaving, inevitably they will end up covered in spit up (or poop . . . it's gross, but it has happened!)
Watching a baby try new things are moments of simple joy
Getting a baby dressed is hard work -- they can be extremely acrobatic in those moments

Psalm 13

2009-07-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD for he has been good to me. Psalm 13: 1-6, NLT

I am reading through Psalms currently and I couldn't stop thinking about this after I read it yesterday. I appreciated what the notes had to say about this particular Psalm: "sometimes all we need to do is talk over a problem with a friend to put it in perspective. In this psalm, the phrase "how long" occurs four times in the first two verses, indicating the depth of David's distress. David expressed his feelings to God and found strength. By the end of his prayer, he was able to express hope and trust in God."
I know that my 'enemies' (feeling anxious about finances, job hunting, etc.) aren't as severe as what David may have experienced, but I understand the feeling of looking to the Lord and asking 'how long?' . . . the final verse stuck with me and was exactly what I needed to be reminded of, "but I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me." Don't you love when that happens? :)

Fun Times

2009-07-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend our small group spent a few days at an amazing resort - we had so much fun relaxing, spending time in the pool and at the beach, and playing hours & hours of board games (Cameron commented that it felt like summer camp)! My hope is that we make this an annual trip! I am so grateful for the community that we have found in our small group -- moving to a new place is never easy, but I have been blown away at the way the Lord has provided friendships in each new place we have lived. Check out the resort's website: www.pointewestgalveston.com
Today is Cameron's birthday and I convinced him to take the day off! We went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit -- I'm not sure how much longer the exhibit will be here, but I would totally recommend it.
Since Cameron was off today, he was also able to go to Caleb's six month appointment (it was his turn to hold Caleb down while he received his shots!). We got the green light to start solid food with Caleb, so below are a couple of pictures of our first attempt. He did not enjoy it, but we were cracking up! :)

So Tired

2009-07-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

I need advice! I have been feeding Caleb nightly around 10:30 pm and he wakes up at some point between 4-6 am to be fed again. He weighs enough that he can physically make it through the night without being fed, but we think he may be waking up out of habit now. When he woke up this morning at 4am, we did our best to let him cry it out. We each went into his room to pat his back, give him a pacifier, etc. several times, but to no avail. After about an hour of crying, I fed him. I felt like a jerk letting him cry for so long and I'm sure our upstairs neighbors were not too happy with us! My thought is that if I don't feed him at 10:30 pm, he will just wake up sooner (2 or 3 am) instead of 4 or 5 am. Not sure what to do, let me know your thoughts.

6 Months

2009-07-07T07:47:00.001-07:00

Guess who is 6 months old today? This guy! Caleb is rolling over both directions, sleeping pretty well through the night, sits up (with a little assistance), loves listening to Cameron play the guitar, is VERY vocal (he says 'ma-ma-ma' a lot . . . maybe it will be his first word?), and is getting ready to start eating solid foods in the next week or so. We tried out his booster seat over the weekend and he loved it! The first few months were very challenging, but it has been so much fun to see his little personality developing - he becomes more interactive everyday.

Weekend Re-cap!

2009-07-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

6th Anniversary Date Night

Caleb's first ride in a swing at the park

Hiking at Brazos Bend State Park . . . .I know his hat is huge, but it works, right?!

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday . . . okay, it's neck and neck with Christmas, but it's still at the top of the list! Here is a re-cap of some of the fun things we did over Caleb's very first 4th of July weekend:
The small group chicas came over for lunch and swimming on Friday . . . it was so much fun to have everyone over! Cameron and I made home-made ice cream on Thursday night to share with everyone (this is only the second time we have used our ice cream maker since we received it as a wedding gift - now that we realize how easy it is to make, it may become a dangerous and yummy habit!). Here is the recipe that we used from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook:
4 cups half & half, light cream, or milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbs. vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
Combine half & half, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in whipping cream. Place in your ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker's directions. (It took about 40 minutes start to finish). The recipe also suggests that you could add fruit, chocolate chips, 2-3 tbs. of coffee crystals for 'mocha' ice cream, or almonds.
On Saturday we took our first trip to Brazos Bend State Park. I was a little nervous about encountering an alligator (I think Cameron was secretly hoping that we would!), but we never ran into any - probably too hot for them. We hiked for about an hour and Caleb was quite the trooper. The Garzas invited us to join their family for a picnic at Lost Creek Park and it was so much fun. Caleb had his first ride in the swing at the park - he seemed to enjoy it!
Sunday was our 6th anniversary - I can't believe how quickly time has passed! Avery and Will were great babysitters while we went out for the evening. Thanks to my parents for the Cheesecake Factory giftcard! We ate way too much and I'm looking forward to eating my leftover cheesecake! We took time to reflect over the highs and lows of the past year of our marriage and write some goals for the upcoming year. After a quick stop at Target, we ended our evening at our favorite new park.

Things I'm Lovin'

2009-07-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things I am lovin' these days:
Summer evenings on the porch . . . we meant to exercise last night, but the lightning deterred our plans! Instead, we ended drinking coffee on the porch after Caleb went to sleep. :)
Embroidery . . . as a kid, I totally hated it! My mom would bribe me to finish little projects ("we can go to McDonald's if you work on this handkerchief"); but her persistence paid off! Here is a little surprise I made for Cameron on Father's Day:
Doubleshots Coffee Shop . . . Long live the independent coffee shop! If you are a Sugar Lander, go check it out. They are near the corner of Eldridge and West Airport. Super-friendly owners, yummy drinks, they have my favorite pastry (chocolate croissants), and a ping-pong table.
Library Cards . . .I haven't had a library card since college and I just got a card for the Fort Bend Public Libraries last week. I really like the way they have things set up -- you can keep books for up to three weeks and you can return them to any of the Fort Bend library locations - very cool!
The best part about all of these activities -- they are cheap or free! :)

Let's give this a try . . .

2009-06-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here is my very first foray into the blog world! So much has happened in our little family in the last few months that I thought this would be a great time to start blogging. My hope is that this blog allows me to stay in touch with family and friends, to 'archive' this time in the Cox family, and to help re-discover my own voice as I am beginning this new chapter in my life.
I tend not to be very good at sticking with things like journals and scrapbooks, so I hope to post once or twice a week (maybe I will cultivate a new discipline along the way!).

A New Chapter

April . . . Month in Review

Parental Supervision Required

15 months

Easter Weekend

March . . . Month in Review

What?!!

Early Literacy

More

First Birthday - 1/7/10

Caleb's First Christmas

Lankford Grocery

I'm Looking Forward To . . .

Lotion Head!

You never know what you're gonna get . . .

Sometimes It Is Cold in Texas

Uncle Nolan and Caleb

For Karen :)

1st Haircut

Cold Remedies for Baby?

Our Little Pumpkin

Fall Fun!

Possible family resemblence

Return to Blogland!

My Day in Pictures

Mystery Revealed

Picture Perfect!

Running, Running Makes Me Smile . . .

The Eyes Have It

Major Milestones

Marco Polo Mondays

Carrots!!

First Day of School!

Marco Polo Mondays

Whew!!

Confession.

Gainfully Employed!

Will Caleb Remember the Alamo?

Oh, Technology

Slightly Unorthodox

Things I'm Learning About Parenthood

Psalm 13

Fun Times

So Tired

6 Months

Weekend Re-cap!

Things I'm Lovin'

Let's give this a try . . .