The Robinson Family's Blog

One year and one baby later...

2011-03-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't posted in over a year! Mostly because I do almost everything on the iPhone now and the process of writing a blog out on it seems so tedious. But I felt I need to get back into the swing of things, so here goes...

As most of you are aware, baby #4 is on his way - oh yes, and it's another boy. We are thrilled, thrilled, thrilled about all this. I'm actually looking forward to the labor, which is crazy because I've always dreaded that part horribly. Seriously, it was a real struggle to not let fear overtake me with my 2nd and 3rd labors because I was so dreading it. One thing that my have helped was how well Michael's labor went. It was so wonderful and if he hadn't been posterior and we didn't have those 2+ hours of, "Don't push." "I CAN'T!!", it would have been perfect.

So, I'm in my third trimester, preparing for baby and preparing the children for the changes (especially Michael). Schooling is good, but I feel like I need to begin including a few more subjects on a daily basis. This means longer school hours, but that's part of the sacrifices made when I decided to be their teacher. The girls love their school work and Katrina is very conscientious about completing an assignment before feeling the freedom to go play. Both girls struggle with taking a long time to complete their work. Katrina because she is constantly distracted and Shiona because she is terribly meticulous! Its incredibly rewarding seeing the progress and their love for certain subjects grow. Reading is a challenge for Katrina, but she is definitely improving. If I spent more one on one time with Shiona she probably could be reading because she has a natural understanding of the sounds. But, I never like to put undo pressure on myself or the kids. I take things in stride and tackle one thing at a time or I'll get overwhelmed and be no good to anybody. I am not one of those amazing mothers whose kids read by the age 4, speak several languages, play musical instruments at 3, keep a husband and 10 kids happy and feed in a well organized home. I struggle to get meals ready on time and kids to bed at decent hours on a daily basis. It's humbling, but knowing my limitations and faults rather than denying them helps me improve.

Seth has been taking the last while off work. It's so nice having him around a lot. He's always incredibly helpful and just his presense makes the day go better. He stays busy with projects around the house, small jobs here and there and helping friends and family out when they need his expertise and manpower. He'll even school the girls for me from time to time. It's great because I've felt like I need so much sleep during this pregnancy and he's able to watch the kids and give me a nap when I need one.

Katrina is such a big girl now. Very helpful and a wonderful big sister, but a little bossy and somewhat of a know-it-all at times. She has always been a high-demand child ever since she was a baby. She needs lots of encouragement, discipline, love and understanding. She can't be treated like the books say (Chrisian or non) or we quickly loose her heart. It requires a very patient, loving and firm hand to raise her and a constant communion with the Lord seeking His wisdom. Seth has very good insight and understanding with how to deal with her and I'm also going to him often to get his counsel on how to handle certain issues. She is very bright and spunky and is always the first to notice a need and try to meet it. Such a blessing and we love her so much.

Shiona is definitely becoming a great big sister too. She doesn't naturally initiate games with Michael or feel the responsibilities of looking out for him like Katrina has, but those qualities are definitely developing. Although she is generally easy going and doesn't make waves, it's sometimes a challenge to get through to her. Although she has surprised both Seth and me with how quick her intellect is, she just doesn't pay attention if she doesn't want to. If I'm trying to really convey the seriousness of something wrong she has done, it's difficult to read if it's actually making an impression or if she is just saying "yes ma'am" because she knows she needs to. The only way I know is by observing her actions afterwards, and in that respect she has shown improvement. I feel like she can sometimes get lost between Katrina needing so much attention and Michael being the baby and getting more too. We try to make special efforts to single her out and give her the attention she needs, but we have to be deliberate often. Just because she doesn't demand it doesn't mean she doesn't need it.

Michael is going through my absolute favorite stage (between 18 and 30 months). Everything is so exciting and new for the child and I find them terribly adorable in everything they do. I could squeeze and kiss them all day long. He recently had a vocabulary growth spurt and is just talking up a storm now. He is pretty good at annunciating, but there are times I have no clue what he is asking for or talking about. Usually someone can help me decipher what he is saying or I'll ask him to show me and he does. He is all boy in his interests - cars and large vehicles like tractors, dinosaurs, digging in the mud, collecting rocks and throwing them and playing outside as much as possible. He adores his Daddy still, but he went through a very rough, clingy stage when I was weaning him and then he got sick. It was pretty pathetic. But he is back to his normal, cheerful self and wants to go to work with daddy and help him with projects all the time. He is so proud just holding a tool and watching Seth work. :)

I'm in my last trimester and just focusing on staying healthy and getting everything ready. Pregnancy takes quite a toll on my body, especially as I tend to have large babies and I'm pretty small. Learning from each previous pregnancy has really helped me be aware of how my body responds to different methods. Being pregnant is fun, but I'm not going to be sad when it's over! I'm enjoying the Spring coming and it always makes me itch to do some gardening. I really don't do much at all, but I love to try.

I could go on and on, but I need to get the day going. So, there is an overview of how we are doing and what is going on with us these days. Maybe I'll be a little more on top of my updates from now on, but we'll see. :)

And now Michael...

Nursing Strikes - Oh Joy

2010-03-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it had to happen eventually. After two very prodigious nursers Michael had to come and change things up this third time around. He began teething again last week and refused to nurse, much to EVERYONE chagrin. Oh my, at first he only refused one side. That's fine, I've had that happen before and I can deal with it. Then he refused nursing at all during the daytime and could only be duped into nursing when he was sleeping in the middle of the night. Very frustrating, but I pumped a little to relieve the pressure. Then for a few days he decided to not nurse at all not even during the night, but just let us all know how unhappy his was with his new teeth and how tired he was and how he wished that everyone would leave him alone and let him go back to sleep after an hour or two of wailing. Fun times. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. Yes, he accepted nursing several times yesterday and it is looking better and better. I hope I don't have to endure another nursing strike again - ever!

Seth has begun a big job and loves his work so much. After being off for a while he was itching to get back into the swing of things. He comes home so happy but exhausted. He is a man made to work. He can't be idle or it frustrates him. He loves his job and he does it extraordinarily well.

Katrina is learning to read a little more proficiently. It takes a lot or practice and patience on both our parts, but I try to entice her with the promise that oncde she learns to read on her own she will be allowed to stay up till 9:00pm in her bed reading books. Oh the anticipation!

Shiona is my little monkey. She is coming more and more out of her little world and becoming more aware of people and things around her. She has become a lot more affectionate too. This is so special because she doesn't just dole out hugs and kisses for the asking. She is very scholastic and loves her school work. Plus, she is continuing to understand her responsibilities as a big sister and step up to the plate more.

Michael is still not crawling and is only rolling over from belly to back - STILL!!!! Ok, I'm really not worried. I know guys develop slower than girls and that he is a big boy. It's gonna be harder for him to lug his 22lb ball of chub around than most smaller babies. He stands well, though, but still needs support. What I love so much about him is that he seems to have an adult sense of humor. For example, I put Seth's hat on him and told him lets go show Dada. He tried to grab it off, but I said, no, let's show Dada. He got this smile of anticipation on his face and kept lightly patting the hat. It was like he knew it would be humorous and couldn't wait to see Daddy's face! He also is extremely alert to what is going on around him. He reminds me of Katrina in that not much escapes his notice.

I am just a busy, happy housewife, mother, teacher, sister, daughter, friend, etc... just doing the things I love best and get most fulfillment out of. I enjoy schooling the girls and keeping the house tidy. I love playing with Michael and exercising and cleaning and teaching the girls little chores. I love being a homemaker...except for the cooking part. I'm really no good at it and suffer from lack of creativity and inspiration often. *Sighs* But my family does not starve and we get along all right.

When Seth comes home I can't wait to put the kids down and have a wonderful, relaxing evening with him. We enjoy our home so much that even though we get a date every Thursday evening, we will often decide to stay home and just have the children watched while we relax at the house. It is the most wonderful thing to be married to your best friend and lover. He is completely the most incredible guy I ever have met. I love him so much more deeply now than ever before. I can't imagine how my love will magnify with each passing year of knowing him better and having memories and special times that keep our hearts knit together. Our marriage has had some very big ups and some big downs, too, but thanks be to God each time we come through things much more stronger and deeply in love.

I recently advised Suzanne on a plan for losing weight. She took it and ran with it and so far has dropped over 8lbs. She is such a walking success story that several people have asked for advice, help and a copy of the plan I made for her. I'm just so proud of Suzanne for being so committed and sticking with it, cause it isn't easy! Her goal is to be down to her ideal size by Mary's wedding and I think she'll make it if she stays focused. I hope people don't think I'm obsessed, but fitness is a passion of mine. I love to stay fit and learn all I can about proper eating and exercising but I also love encouraging others and imparting what I've learned on to them. It is especially challenging as mothers to find the time to stay fit and keep everything else going. I know that just a few kind words of encouragement have meant the world to me and have challenged me to keep going, be strong, stay focused and not be discouraged. I love knowing I can do the same for others.

I'm going through a woman's Bible study booklet by myself and have been so challenged by it. I love the meat in scripture. The stuff that really hits home and convicts and turns my eyes off myself (where they seem to be constantly) and onto the Lord and depend on His strength to help me through all the trials and things that come my way big or small. I am sharing some of the information from this little Bible study booklet on my other blog site www.deedsoflove.blogspot.com. I've entitled the blog site "Love in Action". It is intended for wives and mothers, but some single girls to read and comment too.

And I must sign off - plenty of things to do today, so I must not dawdle.

We're Still Here!

2010-01-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

No, we haven't fallen off the face of the planet, but we have been too "bogged" down to "blog". :) (Lame, I know!) Anyway, here are a few things the have been going on in our little world...

1. Michael turned 7 months old and christened it with the emergence of two adorable bottom teeth. Yes, two at the exact same time - poor kid! He has developed a strong aversion to baby food and would prefer to dine on turkey, green beans and mashed potatoes like us regular people. He fusses so badly watching me fit colorful morsels of varies sizes and textures into my mouth while he has to endure mush-like carrots, peas and the likes. No, not even a teething biscuit will suffice. He must sense it is meant for babies and will therefor get very little satisfaction from it. I remember this well. My other children preferred to graduate to more adult-like food very soon after food was even introduced into their diet, so to speak. I like it better this way, anyhow. Less baby food to purchase and I can move right on to simply mashing up normal food or cooking vegetables a little longer to make them softer for him, or giving him tiny pieces off my plate. (Please withhold your comments about how you made your own baby food. It will only make me feel inferior as I know I should, but opt out instead for convenience - hey, it's organic now, organic!)

2. I have officially gotten down to "pre-Michael" weight. Now, as that is something to rejoice about I still was carrying around about 4 pounds more than I care to, so I'm still working on it, but I'm so happy all the extra from the previous pregnancy is OFF!!! (sure took long enough...grumble, grumble)

3. Seth is enjoying his MMA classes and I must say is doing smashingly (pun intended...sort-of:). Previously he'd come back and tell me he got tapped out hundreds of times but now he's telling me he's tapping all these other guys out and hardly getting tapped out himself. I knew he'd be a natural at this! Also, there is a guy there almost 400lbs and Seth grapples with him and sometimes gets him into submissions! Since Seth is one of the bigger guys in the group he often will "roll" (their termonology for grappling) with this guy though others refuse. Seth knows working with a bigger guy will improve his skills and strength.

4. My precious girls are just that - girls. The enjoy giggling, dressing up, baking cookies, coloring and playing pretend. They also adore Michael and smother him with their efforts be "momma". Katrina is always talking about us having lots more babies and when she grows up having a lot too! Shiona is still learning about being the big sister and is becoming quite the little helper.

5. Oh yeah, I turn *coughs* 27 *coughs* a few weeks back. Seems like all the sudden I sound older, like an actual adult instead of a "youth" though I certainly never see myself like that. I think I stopped aging in my mind at 20 or so.

So, to end this I will add a few holiday pics of us. We had a wonderful time visiting with siblings that live far away or go to college and hanging out with friends and family that we love.

Ok, weird. Strike that last paragraph. Apparently I haven't downloaded the holiday pics from my camera yet. Oh well...later!

Holidays

2009-11-24T21:45:00.000-08:00

Well, we've already had quite a busy few weeks and it's not even Christmas yet! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my Uncle and Aunt's beautiful new home. Some relatives from out of town flew in and even Mary's boyfriend's family (the Bowmens) spent Thanksgiving in NC celebrating with all of us Graydons and some Dienstfreis. It was a lot of fun and Seth set up something special for the kids in the evening. He built a blazing fire in the large fireplace in my father's courtyard and then bought graham crackers, hershys and marshmallows and told Bible stories while the kids enjoyed s'mores. It was so fun that eventually everyone join in...right around the time we had to leave to get the kids to bed. :( That's life as a parent, though.

We then enjoyed another Thanksgiving at the Robinson's with the Westbrooks. It's such fun getting together with the Westbrooks. Kristen and I love to visit, especially when Mom (Mrs. Robinson) can join us as well. And the children play, play, play like there is no tomorrow. Kristen initiated a jog for us ladies while Seth and Chris (Seth's cousin) watched all 7 children! We jogged for about a mile then I had to drop out to check on Michael (so I said :) but Kristen and Mrs. Robinson continued for another couple miles, I think. Such stamina!

Next, we left very suddenly for a quick trip to New Bern with some of my family. It was like a mini vacation. We love New Bern. The kids always say they want to move there! Anyway, it was fun except I actually felt under the weather for a day. Seth let me sleep a lot and I think that helped me be able to kick it quickly.

And now for the exciting news...several, in fact.

1. Seth is beginning to take some MMA (mixed martial arts) classes here in Danville. A school just opened up and I really encouraged Seth to try it out since it is such a passion of his. He went several night this past week and loved it! I rarely see him get so excited, but he really is enjoying this. However, he has already sustained several injuries. It isn't so much because of inexperience as it is grappling with a 380lb guy! Yep, and since Seth is such a trooper he wouldn't say no! He has done it several times, but this time he suffered a shoulder separation and now has to rest up for a while. Seth's naturally very good at this sort of thing. The guy even asked him if he was a ringer (someone who is experienced, but claims they aren't)!

2. And on to the even more monumental news...Mary is engaged to Fred Bowmen! Yes, it finally happened and we are so happy for them. They are looking at a wedding possibly in late April. I absolutely love weddings, especially when it is my sister's! I'm looking forward to helping out any way I can. Yay!

3. Michael turned 6 months old today! He is so precious and has already enjoyed eating solids, sitting for brief periods without support, rolling over, reaching for toys and holding onto them for long periods of time, babbling and many more little feats!

Ok, so I am going to attempt to upload a few pics. I really need to get good at this because picture make a blog post SO WAY more interesting (or so I think when I read other people's blogs).

Here is me and Michael at the Robinsons

Mom and Kristen (notice Seth doing dishes in the background? He's terrific!)

A Graydon, Robinson, Dienstfrei family photo!

My wonderful parents

Haley holding her nephew - both beautiful!

My baby boy is 6 months old!

Seth reading stories to the kids on Thanksgiving

Katrina and Shiona with Abby

A Week of Colds

2009-11-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

I wrote this Monday, but didn't get around to posting it till today (Friday) Sorry!

So, this past week began with high hopes for different goals and projects to be accomplished, but was quickly detoured by a bout of sickness. Michael was the first to show signs of sickness then a couple days later Shiona was hit hard. Katrina barely showed anything beyond restless nights and congestion. So basically this past week was a blur of sleepless nights and what we like to call "sicky bears". I know any mother has experienced this scenario countless times over, so details are unnecessary. All I will say is that I felt sleep-deprived for the better part of the past week. Thankfully my wonderful husband was able to help out and I got several badly needed naps! Also, the children didn't catch anything beyond a typical cold. I'm so thankful to the Lord for sparing us from a bad virus or even the flu! Actually Michael and Shiona only seemed miserable one day each and like I said earlier Katrina barely appeared sick save a few symptoms. But symptoms linger for a long time, so we're still seeing runny noses and congestion.

So now that the kids are getting better Seth is getting worse! Poor man! He probably wore himself out helping me so much with the children. Unfortunately he just so happens to be starting a new job this week. Wouldn't you know it? He's been taking it easy and not taking a lot of jobs lately, but as soon as he gets one going he might have to put it off for a week. Oh well, God's timing isn't ours, but it IS perfect!

So, with the lack of sleep and the tending to sick children I really didn't have all that much time to exercise. I tried to fit in a small exercise routine in every day, but it wound up being less than half an hour usually and sometimes no more than 15 minutes. I mostly used my kettlebell and only did Burn it Up once this past week. However, I was still checking the scale every now and then and it showed I lost another pound. BUT, when I officially weighed myself Monday I was back to 107. I think maybe the other readings were due to dehydration because I wasn't drinking a lot of water. Anyhow, I'm rebooting back to week 4 since I don't consider last week part of the Slim in Six.

And I'm signing off...

What's up, Doc?

2009-11-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

Well, things have been pretty fun here lately. We've done the whole pumpkin patch, corn maze, hikes in the woods with the fallen leaves crunching under our shoes and many other fall-related activities. It's been such beautiful weather and we're trying to enjoy it as much as possible.

Seth recently injured his right ankle. We think he tore a ligament, so he's been down for a few days. He doesn't complain much, but I know it hurt him a lot. However, he is a very fast healer and is already up and around more than I would have thought at this stage of recovery.

I'm on my second week of Slim in 6. Yes, I've lost one more pound, so now I am at 107. Still was hoping for 2 pounds. I worked out 5 days and even worked out twice on Saturday. However, I know for a fact I ate a lot more than I should have two days in a row. I felt very hungry and didn't make very nutritious decisions, either. I know I was kind-of shooting myself in the foot by doing that. This week I am supposed to begin the "Burn It Up" section of the exercise program. It is very intense and an hour long. It is hard enough to find 45 minutes, let alone a whole hour that is uninterrupted. I've been doing a lot of my workouts in the evenings when the children are asleep, but I don't like that as much because it takes away from my time with Seth, which I always look forward to and relish. He's been so sweet to sacrifice that time with me too and he has sometimes even joined me in the exercises! I also picked up a 15lb kettlebell that I can use when I need to just get a quickie in.

The children are doing just beautifully. So far no one has caught any of the sickness going around. The Lord has been very gracious to us! However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Michael may be coming down with something this evening. Poor guys. His nose was dripping a little bit and he seemed out of sorts. I pray it is nothing serious.

Schooling with Katrina has been difficult this past week or two. I don't know how it happened, but it seemed like I got really behind in all the household chores and couldn't find time to get much schooling in. Hopefully this week will go better. It is so much fun to see her try to sound out every word she sees now. She is really trying to read! I'm so excited for her!

Michael is still not rolling over! It is soooo cute to see him try. I think it is harder for him because he is heavier than my girls were at his age. He is still such a good, content baby. He smiles at his daddy all the time and gets a kick out of the girl's silliness. He seems to be getting pretty strong and I can tell sitting is just around the corner! He had his first hair cut tonight. I just trimmed the long part on the top of his head that was looking like a mohawk (sp?)! He also has discovered food and really protests when we are eating and he can't enjoy some little tidbits. :)

Shiona has discovered the joys of solitude. She has recently begun finding a quite spot and playing by herself for hours. I think she enjoys the fact that she can play and not be bossed around by her older sister. She loves pretending she has a little family and they are almost always Uncle Jonathan, Aunt Denise and Elyana. Whenever I offer to join in she tells me I can be Uncle Jonathan! I think it is good for her to play by herself, but I also don't want her to seclude herself for too long and not cooperate with her sister or interact with the family. She is responding better to my corrections and I've noticed her "memory" of things I tell her to do or not to do has improved lately.

Well, it is late and I haven't exercised this evening. I don't know if I'll make it through the Burn It Up tonight, but I'm off to try.

Wish me a good nights sleep - or better yet, wish Michael one! :)

Slim in 5 :)

2009-11-03T20:14:00.001-08:00

Ok, so here is the update how my exercise program is going:

I after this past week of beginning Slim in 6 I have lost a grand total of (drum roll, please)..........1 pound. Ha! I was hoping for two, but I'll take what I can get. The first week is pretty easy and not very intense, plus I am trying to not cut my calories too low so my milk supply won't drop. I exercised 5 out of 7 days. I'll let you know how it goes this week.

Karen

Slim in 6

2009-10-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

I love this program I got after Katrina was born. It is by Beach Body and it is called Slim in 6. It is a six week work out program that has done wonders in helping me get back in to shape after Katrina and Shiona (except, with Shiona the birth control I used made me gain a lot back!) :( Well, I've been trying to do it after Michael. Let me say that with having a third child and beginning to school Katrina it has made it very difficult to find time to exercise. (Most of the routines last 45 minutes to an hour!) So, I am redoubling my efforts and trying again. I began Monday and have been watching my diet very carefully (like I did after my girls were born). Already I have seen a 1lb difference, but I'm not too thrilled because I've seen my scale trick me before (Yes, it is ALL the scale's fault! *sniffs indignantly*). Anyway, I will give periodic updates and let you guys know how it goes this time around. I'm currently at 19% body fat (estimated) and weigh 109lbs. My goal is to be 14-15% body fat and weigh between 100 - 103lbs. This may seem very low to a lot of you guys, but I know my body and I know when I look good - plus I am barely 5'. 100 is not too low for me, especially when I make sure I've got muscle and not bones protruding. Wish me luck - I'm on the way to getting slim in 6!

Pictures!!!

2009-10-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

We've got some red-eye, but she is still so precious!

Here is the promised picture of Michael in the Johnny-Jump-Up...
(Sorry it took so long, Catherine :)

Katrina and Shiona are best friends - and Shiona is actually posing in this one - shocker!

Autumn in the Air

2009-10-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been a little while sine my last post. I've wanted to post weekly, but I knew that it wouldn't always work out so! Anyway, let me recap a few things that have been going on with us...

1. When we returned from the OBX we were greeted with the seasonally contrary weather of a Virginia Fall. Going from short sleeves in our drawers to rummaging through our boxed-up, long-sleeved shirts and warmer clothing. One can always tell the seasons changing by observing my feet. Socks say it all!

2. I'm getting back to schooling Katrina, which has been fun. I'm thinking of adding music and/or language to her studies, but I don't want to become overwhelmed. If anyone knows of a good program to use or any helpful tools for either of these field's of study, please share!

3. Michael turned 4 months old the other day! He is such a wonderful baby. We love him to death and he couldn't be better tempered! He is trying to roll from back to tummy and almost getting it. (You know how babies can't seem to figure out what to do with that arm that winds up stuck under their bellies? He's trying to work on that!) He can sit in the highchair and even uses the johnny-jump-up. Well, he just sits - he doesn't bounce yet. He grabs objects all the time and brings them to his mouth and he is beginning to like books. Katrina had a voracious appetite for books since she was two weeks old. However, Shiona and Michael seem to be much more particular. The books have to grab their attention and it helps to sing. Plus, they only liked/like one or two at a time. Shiona loves books now and could spend hours reading. His skin has improved so much that I'd say it is 95% resolved. Praise the Lord and thank you all for your advice and prayers in this matter.

4. Seth is off work a lot and around the house. He made quite a bit earlier this year and doesn't want to be earning too much more this year for tax reasons. I love having him here and he is always the most helpful, involved husband and father I know of. I'll be sad when he begins working steady again. :(

5. Shiona is my bunny. She changes in different ways and yet they are so subtle if I'm not paying attention I miss it. It is like colors changing in their own hues, like from mauve to pink instead of red to yellow. No stark changes, yet always changing. She is a special one who makes you earn her love and affection, but it is so worth it!

6. Katrina is our fun-loving, ever playful, super smart little sunshine. She constantly amazes me with her ability to comprehend things way beyond a girl of her age. She is so creative and has such a strong personality. Yet, with all that she is so sensitive to other people's feelings. She never wants to someone and she can sense when something is wrong with someone. She is such a unique child and I'm so happy she was our first!

7. Me? Well, still fighting to drop pounds off and always trying to improve my eating habits. I wonder, do other people struggle with the concept of 5 meals a day? I think it is right and it works, but I can't seem to fit 5 small meals in. I just had coffee for breakfast and it is almost noon! *sighs*. I'm loving this treadmill that Denise and Jonathan brought up when they came to visit. I burn so many more calories even with a 20 minute workout! Yeah!

Well, I want to post so much more, especially about the whole family being up for fall break and all the fun times we had, but it must wait. Duty calls!

Love in Action

2009-10-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

I just created a new blog that I will try to update daily with tips on how to show our love as wives and mothers. Please don't feel like I am trying to teach or preach anything here. This are ideas that I am trying to put into effect in my own life and just want to share with other Christian wives and mothers as an encouraging word. Since it will be for wives, some post may be considered inappropriate for other viewers, but never too detailed or personal. Please feel free to give advice or feedback. Thanks!

www.deedsoflove.blogspot.com

Love to all!
Karen

OBX

2009-10-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a wonderful vacation in the Outer Banks with Seth's parents and the Westbrooks. We arrived Sunday and thus began a never-ending, fun-filled cycle of trips to the beach, dips in the hot tub, romps on the nearby playground, and shopping excursions! The girls had a blast and spent their entire days with their cousins playing, playing, playing.

Being at the beach with a baby always has a little less freedom and flexibility to it, so Seth had the girls much of the time when I had to stay behind while Michael napped or nursed. At times I felt like the old saying, "ships passing in the night"; I would just be bringing Michael out to the beach or upstairs to where everyone was congregated and then they would just be coming back or leaving to go here or there! But, that is the way it is with babies and I am just so thankful Michael is such an easy baby that he could participate as much as he did. One day I even brought his car seat out to the ocean and let him nap out on the beach so I could enjoy being with everyone else. Don't get the wrong impression, though. I was very busy and having a lot of fun too! It just seemed like some times I would just be coming in at the "changing of the guard" type thing.

Course you know Seth made sure I had a wonderful time and watch the girls or held Michael a ton and even took me out on a date twice and made sure I had a looong nap one morning when I wasn't feeling too well! (Once was a double date with Scot and Kristen, which was a lot of fun!) Mr. Robinson even took Michael one time when he was really fussy. He took Michael to the ocean which made Michael fall asleep, and watched Michael for at least an hour afterward. It was a nice break for me and I'm sure a special time for grandpa and grandson!

Going to the beach I expected to eat less and exercise more. It turned out to be just the opposite! After exercising the first day I was very sore, so Seth asked me to not do too much so I wouldn't get sick on vacation. (I tend to push myself real hard then feel like I've got a cold or something for the next few days when I exercise very rigorously.) He's such a wonderful man! And of course I enjoyed Kristen's and Mrs. Robinson's delicious meals, but I didn't over eat. Still, I was afraid of the scale when I came home, but fortunately I think I neither gained or lost anything, so it was basically a fun week at the beach with no bad consequences! :)

Another nice thing while on vacation was the distribution of work! I only made two meals and don't recall actually fully cleaning the kitchen even once! I did a lot of laundry and had to keep my room and the girl's and one bathroom tidy, but that was pennies compared to the usual household chores! Plus, there never was a lack of hands willing to hold Michael while I ate, got the girls changed/cleaned or just took a break!

Some highlights were as follows:

1. Walking Michael along the beach to get him to sleep for his naps
2. Double date with Scot and Kristen at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet
3. Hot tub times with the girls
4. Date with Seth! (Michael came along, too, of course)
5. Seth's Uncle Bill and Aunt Linda visiting and bringing home videos of Seth and his family when they were younger!
6. We got the bathroom with the large whirlpool...:)
7. Playing on the beach in the sand with everyone
8. Our annual trip to the sand dunes, but it wasn't quite as fun as other times because it was so dry and very little wind.

And lastly, I am happy to report we none of us suffered a sunburn, but Michael did get a little rosy in the cheeks from being outside so much! All in all a wonderful, memorable trip. Looking forward to next years...!!!

Oh yeah, and sorry to say, but I took next to none pictures! I know it is terrible, but I do have some video recordings. I know Mr. and Mrs. Robinson got some, so I will have to ask for some copies sometime. Oh well....

3 Months Ago...

2009-09-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Three days ago it was Michael's 3 month birthday! Yes, 3 months ago I was making a rapid postpartum recovery all the while marveling at the awful, yet wonderful labor and delivery and the little miracle that arrived promptly at 4:40am. (I think...:) I attribute everything going so well to everyone's faithful prayers and our Father's bountiful blessings He continues to bestow on us all through His grace. Thank you all for your concerns and dedicated prayers - I know it would have fared very differently had we neglected such an essential aspect to this whole past pregnancy and delivery. I truly felt covered in prayers!

Shaking this previous pregnancy's weight off hasn't been such a breeze, but then, I didn't expect it would. If I had trouble with the first, there is no doubt the third would be triple the difficulty, right? Well, I am happy to say after experimenting with various food ratios, caloric counting techniques and fun new exercise videos, I have fallen back on my old standby that has gotten me real results after the other two children. I simply stick to a very simple meal plan that has been tried and tested by me and exercise my *ahem* off! Yes, that Burn it Up DVD is a miracle - especially to my lower half! So, I am happy to announce that two weeks into my old routine has produced a 3 1/2 lb weight loss! Yeah! What is my secret you ask? Ha! Would it matter? Everyone's body responds differently to diets, so mine is just tailored to fit me - it might not help others, but if you're curious, I will indulge you if you insist.

We are continuing to make improvements to our home. Even though Seth has taken some more time off work, he is never idle! Right now we have removed to old entertainment center and large family table from the living room and have replaced it with a beautiful 120 gal. aquarium. I love the way the room feels so much more spacious and the aquarium adds a unique atmosphere. We will eventually have a flat screen mounted to the wall, but for now we are enjoying to novelty of a family room without a tv! :) Seth has also built another shelf for our pantry and plans to build at least three more in various rooms of our house to help with organization. I am so thrilled and blessed to be married to such a handy man!

Well, I need to get ready for bed. Okay, in all honestly, I need to exercise, shower off, put a load of clothes in the dryer and then crash! Wish me luck!

How It All Went Down

2009-09-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, I don't plan on making my posts so frequently but I thought I should post how everything went for us the other day at the doctor's office.

I woke up bright and early and nursed Michael. After getting the girl's their breakfast and dressed and ready to go, I straightened up the house and put baby down for a nap. While he napped I exercised and then showered. I thought I was doing pretty good - quite on top of things I thought proudly. I even had called the doctor, confirmed our appointments, found the address, entered it into the GPS and placed it in the van ready to go. All this on four hours sleep the night before!

I hadn't eaten yet so I was trying to make a fruit milkshake for Seth and me before getting out the door. As I tried to pry the frozen strawberries apart with a sharp knife, my knife slipped and I literally stabbed my wrist! I was shock and I knew it was deeper than a small little kitchen mishap. I quickly plunged my hand under cold running water and applied pressure right behind the wound to prevent too much bleeding. Seth calmly took care of me (he could tell I was unnerved by the whole thing, but not panicky) and bandaged me up. I realized something like this would have been minor to him and he would still have put in a rigorous full day's worth of work had he been in my shoes. I decided to be stoic, but it hurt more than I had thought. I kept my hand above my heart and began trying to give the girls a basic lesson in first aid - never miss a teaching moment!

We got packed up in the car and began our little adventure. Usually when these kind of things happen (doctor's appointments, shots, confrontations, basically anything unpleasant) I'm pretty fine coping with it until reality hits in the day or hours before the actual even. Seth usually has a pretty good grip on reality from the get go. I usually am thinking, what's the big deal and then I start to think, oh this is kind-of scary. So, I began getting slightly apprehensive, but tried not to dwell on what is coming up too much. I was really tired and tried to take a nap in the car. I didn't want to snap at the girls even though I explained to them I am trying to sleep and they continued to ask me questions, tell on one another, and request services from me. Seth detected the irritation in my voice and told the girls to only address him for the remainder of the drive. (The appointment was in Raleigh - about 1hr 45min away.)

We arrived 25 minutes before the appointment and I went in with Michael while Seth helped the girls out of the car, etc. I had to go to the bathroom, so I first went there and then changed Michael's diaper. When I got into the office Seth was already there with the girls waiting. He thought I had checked in, but I hadn't. The waiting room had been empty when we arrived, but once I walked in there were several other people waiting. Basically, we might have been seen earlier had I not made the bathroom stop. As it turned out, we had to wait the extra 25 minutes as well as an additional 45 minutes at least. (So remind me, what are the purpose of appointments?) Oh yes, and we also discovered Katrina had come with no shoes! I had told the girls to put their shoes on after the little kitchen accident and they are usually so obedient when I give orders (especially Katrina) that I rarely have to check up on them - ok, plus I was a little preoccupied.

Once finally taken in to the mysterious maze of little rooms, Michael and I began our wait again after a nurse asked a few questions. She told me to get him undressed so she could weigh him. You all know how cold those medical buildings are! We waited for almost 10 minutes then the Dr. came in a began to get the procedure going. Since they weren't going to use an anesthetic I brought orajel to help. (hey - it couldn't hurt, right?) Michael hated the orajel and that got him so upset! Then, while he was wailing the nurse decided to weigh him and the doctor told me to bring Shiona in to see if she needed her's clipped too. Thankfully a quick examination revealed she was fine, so I quickly return her to Seth and Katrina in the waiting room and dashed back to hold my little crying baby. They were ready for the procedure and I helped hold him down and told him how much I love him and am so sorry he has to go through this. It was an incredibly simple thing - just a snip of the tissue with a pair of sharp scissors and then they applied gauze for a few minutes.

Michael was beside himself and when I removed the gauze and tried to nurse him he refused. There are only so many options left to soothe an upset baby when you can't nurse. I walked him around and sang to him. The doctor wanted me to stay and he would come back and check how things were healing in a few minutes. I kept trying to nurse, but he would try and then scream. I think it was more because he couldn't get the hang of the new sensation rather than the pain that was bothering him the most. After about 12 minutes he fell asleep. The doctor came in a few an eternity later and after a swift examination said it looked good and we were free to go! What relief! As I walked back to the front room to pay I could sense that it had fared no better for Seth in the waiting room with two very active girls! Ha! The story he had to tell me later. Poor man - and I had requested he accompany me because I thought it'd be too difficult to take all three by myself. Did I feel guilty! (Of course, you all know he would have insisted on helping anyways!)

It was almost four when we ate lunch at Subway. It was freezing, I could feel mastitice coming on, Seth was tired, I was achy, blah, blah, blah. We were so happy when we finally got back home. And I was so relieved when Michael finally was able to nurse a few hours later. He was a little fussier than normal, but not inconsolable.

At the end of the day, I was just so happy to have it behind me. I set my alarm every four hours so Michael would nurse all through the night and help me get over the infection quickly. It only lasted a few days and it was more mild that previous ones.

Thank the Lord for His grace - sometimes it is the only think that you can see got you through sometime. I know I probably sound like a spoiled child compainling about trivial things, but God is there for us in each circumstance and whether it is life and death or just general overwhelming circumstances, He is real and there for us.

Improvements

2009-09-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

I thought this would be a good title considering everything that has been going on. Seth has been working like only a Robinson can to fix up a little outside of our house. He and his dad poured concrete along the side of our house earlier this week. Then they began building a little (or rather quite large for us!) pavilion adjacent our back deck so we can sit outside and still be sheltered. Just today Seth finished shingling the roof (with a bit of my assistance too, I might add!). He always does such a wonderful job. I'm so proud of his work. And of course we are ever grateful to his dad for being so kind and helpful. Seth said he couldn't have done it without his dad's assistance.

This has already yielded untold joy for our girls. They have loved being able to ride their bikes right outside and actually be able to do chalk. There are many other benefits to this for us as well. I won't have to park in the mud and unload groceries in the rain; I have the option of pulling right up to the side entrance (our kitchen) and unloading there if the weather is bad. Eventually we will probably enclose the pavilion on three sides and put a table, some chairs and a BBQ grill in there.

On other levels there have been improvements too. Thank you all for your prayers for Michael. I think his skin is slowly getting better. We are narrowing down what may be the culprit/s. His skin still feels rough and patchy but I've noticed it a little softer and less red.

I feel like I have been making some personal improvements as well. For one thing, I have been able to exercise every day this past week except once. This is so encouraging for me because I feel like schedules and goals are falling into place. I was able to school the girls and get exercising in on most days while Michael napped. I am sooo grateful God has graciously given us a very easy, content baby. He is a dream for us. Mind you he is not without his fussy times, but they are so manageable! I am very grateful God gave us a more challenging child first. It helped us not expect things to be too easy, so we are able to be more thankful when things are going so well instead of being all uptight and frustrated when they aren't.

Another thing is I've really been making an effort to not put things off - even for a few minutes (because I tend to forget after that anyway!). I am a terrible procrastinator, but I am slowly realizing how irresponsible that is of me and hard it is for my sweet husband. I don't ever want to be like the messenger in Proverbs who you can't rely on. I feel like because of my forgetfulness Seth doesn't feel like he can completely trust me to get things done without him having to remind and check up on me. I really want to be like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 where it talks about the "heart of her husband doth safely trust in her" - that is my hearts prayer. So, that being said, I am trying to be a doer! I am trying to do bookkeeping everyday, or at least when there are new receipts to account for. I've made numerous scheduled transactions so I won't forget a bill or an automatic payment and I am trying to keep on top of filing so it doesn't pile up and become a huge project every few months. (Yes, I know - that is terrible, but I've done that many times!) I am also realizing that I need to do at least two if not three loads of laundry a day, and am also realizing the benefits of doing dishes three times a day as opposed to once or twice. Some things do get overlooked and with each child I have to relax my standards of cleanliness a little bit, but I try to keep the house going and tidy for all of our sanity!

Tuesday Michael will be going to the doctors to have his tongue clipped. He was born with a webbed tongue, also known as being tongue-tied (Yes, that is a real term, not just a cliche.) Seth had one too when he was little and got it clipped. Fortunatly it hasn't interfered with him being able to nurse, but if we leave it alone it will interfere with his speech later on. Once we realized Michael was webbed, we checked the other girl's out and discovered Shiona is slightly tongue-ties as well! So, we made an appointment for her to be looked at and possibly have her's clipped too. Her's is not as severe as Michael's. Please pray that the procedure will go well, there will be no complications, little pain/discomfort and a speedy recovery. Thank you all so much!

And on that note I am going to sign off. I will post a few pictures of Seth getting the outside ready for concrete and them laying it.

Changes

2009-08-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like Michael has officially gone from newborn to baby. Maybe that doesn't seem like that much of a distinction, but if you think of a sleepy, squishy little ball of chub to an alert, interactive "tank" of a boy...there you have it! He is such a little angel and just seems to look for an excuse to smile! He lights up all our hearts. "sighs" His skin has shown some slow improvement, so thank you all for your concerns. It is so nice to know that other babies have had the same problems and turned into very normal human beings! (Ha, the way I phrased that reminds me of a quote concerning children, "It's a shame they have to grow up to be people.")

Our first week of school went so well. I mean, considering having a 2 month old. He interrupted it every time, but I just kept thinking, "If I don't get stressed now and lose it, then when I really get his schedule down and can school the girls without interruptions I should have a great attitude. This is the hardest it is going to be." Um, hopefully...

It is inevitable that I will mention postpartum weight loss and exercise in the majority of my posts, so you guys are going to have to get used to that! I am really trying to find time to exercise consistently. Sometimes I feel like I've been trying to exercise all afternoon - get 10 minutes in, stop take Shiona potty, get 5 minutes, stop nurse Michael, 15 minutes, stop answer phone call...then...oh! time to get a shower and prepare dinner before Seth gets home! It's crazy. I tell you sometimes I actually have worked out at 1:00am! Obsessed? I think not! However, once Michael is more predictable with his naps I think I will be able to fit it into my day better. I am so into the kettlebell right now. It is such fun and I really feel my heart pumping. I never feel like I've had a real workout if I'm not short of breath some of the time and haven't sweated much. This accomplishes both!

Okay, I need to sign out and get all the little ones to bed. Seth has spent all day trying to update my laptop. It hasn't been updated in years! So, needless to say I wanted to thank him and there is a UFC PPV tonight that he had wanted to watch. I practically forced him to go with his friends to see it - he so deserves it and...I'm so curiours too. (I love UFC, too, but usually I can't watch the live fights because I have to be with the children. However, Seth always is aware of the interesting ones and buys them for me to view later once they are out! What a wonderful guy, huh?)

Our first post in the cyber world!

2009-08-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Wow...our first post! Ha...I can't believe I'm finally doing this. I really didn't think anybody would be interested in reading our posts, but then I realized how much I loved reading my sister's and sister-in-law's blogs and how much I appreciated being able to keep updated when I was unable to stay in touch as frequently as I'd like to.
Also, for a while we only had sluggish dial up. We finally got rid of it and just used an iPhone. That really limited our internet communications. We stayed mostly on the receiving end of things and were unable to really stay in touch through e-mail and such. Until my wonderful husband explored all our options and decided to get us satilite, which was actually the only feasible option anyway, despite how expensive it will be. This is our first day trying it out and I am thrilled!
So, now we're finally able to begin blogging. Heaven knows how often I'll be able to update this, but I hope to keep it up.
Ok, so things here have been great. Seth and I just celebrated our 6th year anniversary and it just keeps getting better! I'm so thrilled to be married to such an amazing guy. I still feel like I did the day I married him, only now even more convinced than ever - that I am the most lucky girl in the world! I snagged him, girls, and everyone else has to settle for second best- ha!
Katrina is officially starting homeschooling this year. I am so intimidated by the whole thing. I feel like I don't exactly know what I am doing and I just keep praying I won't screw things up! Fortunatly, I have so much wonderful advice from the real homeschooling pioneers like my mother and Seth's mom. Plus my sister-in-law is in the midst of homeschooling three of her five children so far! I am surrounded by wise couselors, praise God!
Anyway, we started her first day today and it went beautifully, despite the two interruptions from little Michael, our two month old. :) Shiona was just as excited as Katrina and did her little school work too. She is surprisingly scholastic and loves doing workbooks.
I guess I feel like I could keep going on and on as this is my first post, but I should save some things for later.
Oh, one more thing. Michael has been having some skin problems lately. I guess medically it would be diagnosed as eczema. Most of his body feels like sandpaper. He seems to be covered in dry patches and no matter what kind of lotion I put on him his skin doesn't even seem to absorb it. I hope he isn't uncomfortable or itchy. I am trying many different home remedies and I hope I find something that works! Some people have recommeded hydrocortisone (sp?), but I really don't want to introduce something like that to his little body. Besides, I've read so many stories about how it will clear it up for a week or two then come back with a vengence. I don't want that to happen. If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Ending my first post,
Karen

"This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end..." (um, don't finish that quote, just leave it like it is.)