An Overdue Update

Wow...Almost a whole year has gone by since I last did a blog post.  I had no idea it had been so long!

So here are a few updates:

• Sophia started Preschool in September and loves it.  I am amazed how quickly she's grown since Julia was born.  She is an amazing little girl!  Can't believe she turns 4 in just a few months!  She is always quick to remind me that after she turns 4, she will then be 5.  5 holds something magical for her, not sure why but it is the age to be for Sophia.

• Julia just turned 9 months.   At 8 months, after much stress and worry from me, she finally started sitting up.  A few days before her 9 month birthday she decided to give the commando crawl a go.  There's no stopping her now.  She's into everything!  

• The sweet child still shows no interest in actual food.  She goes through formula like crazy but food..not a bit curious unless it's a mum mum or a small piece of toast.  I've tried all the bright colorful fruits and vegetables and she just squishes them around and then throws it on the floor.  Maybe she's picking up on my stress and knows she has control of the situation.  She has her 9 month appt. this Friday and I dread this topic with her Pediatrician.  I'm so afraid she's going to tell me Julia has to go through therapy and if that's the case, it isn't going to be pretty.  Julia is a very strong willed child (how did I end up with 2 of those?!).  I'm hoping and praying that this is just a phase and that by her 1st birthday she will be eating a variety of solids and have less interest in formula.  

I'll update again in another year :)  

Update in bullets

• We are expecting a baby girl on May 4th
• At yesterdays Dr. appt I was informed that the baby has made a huge leap in growth and is now measuring at 36 weeks instead of 34
• This news has put me on pins and needles!
• Her name will be Julia Adeline...Adeline after my mother's middle name
• We asked Sophia what she thought of the names Norah and Juliette and she told us, "Stop joking with me..her name is Julia"...and so it shall be
• We are excited
• I am nervous and exhausted and moody
• I have ZERO energy.  Next week I'm getting a housekeeper, enough is enough!
• Sophia was accepted into preschool at our church for the Fall..she is SO EXCITED..so is Mama!
• It's nap time!

Schafer Family...Party of 4

I haven't felt much like updating here. The reason being that I am 8 weeks pregnant with Baby #2!

I am exhausted 24/7 and nauseous 24/7 and just flat out miserable right now. I don't remember it being this rough when I was pregnant with Sophia. Jeff says I just ate all the time to help with the nausea.

Unfortunately, with Sophia I gained WAY too much weight because of all that eating. This time around I'm finding I'm doing good to eat anything.

My belly is already starting to show. Last time, it wasn't until around the 4th month that I started showing. It's amazing how it's all so different the second time around.

We are excited! Due date is May 4th..but I'm sure he or she will arrive late April as we'll have a c-section.

We are overwhelmed by the American health care system and the cost of having a baby in this country when you have no health insurance. How do people afford having children here? Jeff is self-employed so it's been tough to find health care. I have no idea what we'll do once the baby is here. These are the times I miss Canada. The socialized health care system there was amazing. Hopefully we can find a solution soon!

Can't never could

I am a guilty mom. When Sophia and I are in the car, I let her play her games on my iPhone. Sometimes she'll catch a few minutes of her videos that are loaded on there (Winnie the Pooh, Elmo, Dora, Veggie Tales...).

It's amazing how quickly kids pick up technology. A month ago she had no clue how to operate the phone. I could pick a game, start it up for her and she would be happy playing it for whatever duration of time we were in the car. Somewhere between July and August she figured out how to pick out and start her own games, end them, and start a new one, and even found her videos on her own.

I guess she forgot all of that today. As we were driving home from My Gym she asked for the green phone. I gave it to her and quickly regretted it. You see, I had found this neat, FREE iPhone puzzle app. for toddlers. She liked the free one but wanted the one that had the train and the fairies. So I forked over .99 cents to iTunes and got her the full version. It's been drama ever since.

Today she told me "I can't, I can't, I can't...Mommy, I can't do it" and then broke out in a huge crying fit. I wish I could have pulled the car over and given her a hug but it was impossible in that moment. Instead I gave her a pep talk about how "can't never could" and "you can do anything you put your mind to" and "you can be anything you dream of being". She's two. I don't know if she got that message..I hope and pray that she did. Somewhere inside my spirit broke just a little..for several reasons: 1. How does she know she CAN'T do something at the age of 2? Where did she learn this? and 2. The drama is already starting.

This little episode made me realize I have to be mindful every minute of every day of how I'm behaving. Little eyes are watching, right?

Damaged Goods

Last week was a pretty busy week for the Schafer's. Jeff had to go to Vancouver for business so Sophia and I went to Sugar and Papa's house (that would be my parents). On Monday morning we dropped J off at DFW and made our way to Hope. Sophia was a great traveling companion...we only sang Twinkle, Twinkle a dozen times, said hi to all the cows and horses along the way and ate more than our share of gummy bears. It was a lot of fun.

We came back to Texas so we could pick up J on Thursday night and on Friday we headed back to Hope for the annual Watermelon Festival. My aim was to have a "slice of the good life" and see dad compete in the Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest.

Dad won the contest, but I never got my slice of the good life. So disappointed. Will have to make a trip back just to get some of that good ol' Hope melon.

My little brother was in Illinois with his wife and in-laws so my dad was supposed to preach the sermon at their church on Sunday. He had spent every evening at the church working on his sermon and was getting to be a little frustrated by Saturday night. I asked him what his topic was and he told me it was about learning to see people through God's eyes. Well, it must have been God because that previous Friday my daily devotion in my inbox was on Damaged Goods. How we are so quick to label people based on what we see.

Funny that my dad chose this topic to preach on because I've been dealing with this lately with a particular person. I feel such guilt that I have such ugly feelings toward this individual and I'm praying daily that God help me find the good in them..some days it's just so hard.


Romans 15:15, "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other – each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other."

Say a prayer

Please say a prayer for this family. Their 4 year old daughter lost her battle with cancer yesterday. I cannot imagine the heartache and pain they are suffering right now.

Discipline 101

It has been an exhausting morning in our household.  It's days like these that I feel I was not cut out for parenting and that everything I do is just absolutely wrong.  

Sophia has always been a wonderful child.  She's adventurous, curious, a cuddler, a daddy's girl AND a mommy's girl, a lover of animals and princesses and bubbles.  She is our sweet precious girl and in the moments of her tantrum throwing I have to remember these things about her so I don't overreact. 

From the time we brought her home from the hospital we knew she was going to be strong willed and that has become more obvious the older she gets.  Today it has been all about doing everything her way and anything I tell her or ask her to do/not do, she does the opposite. 

I am no pro at discipline and I feel like I'm wading into unknown waters here...more like drowning in the water.  How on earth do you appropriately discipline a two year old?  Do they understand what you're doing?  I only ask that because with Sophia, everything is fun and games.  

I'm exhausted and have no idea where to begin..I'm hoping Dr. Sears has some suggestions for me...Lord knows I need all the help I can get on this one.