SO HOT

Here are just a few shots of my little guy in just his diaper, as it is too hot to clothe him!





P.S. Our blog title picture will soon include all of us! Updated family coming soon...

A family outing

As I write this post, it is so hot and sunny outside. Sophie and Daddy are in the backyard filling up her pool and Aaron is beside me in his diaper...just his diaper! We just got back from visiting animals. I like visiting animals because that means when we are done, we go home and they stay! Here are a few shots from our family outing to Lone Pine Farm! Here's to summer and anticipating the soon arriving fresh corn and fruit.



Riding "Casey" the tractor. "Sophie, what does a tractor say?... 'Vroom Vroom.'"



Aaron's first tire swing ride! Sophie climbing up the slide...yes, she's "one of those kids"



Checking out the donkey. Sophie of course had to do that inside the barrier ropes! Oops.



Visiting and talking to the goats.



Aaron was really interested in his first time to see goats!



Stopping to play with water

A glimpse of a mother's heart

As I'm up a few minutes before the kids, I might actually accomplish this blog without my little helper. Sophie is very good at typing and pushing keys at the same time...causing screens I have never seen to appear!

Mothers that have gone before me, tried to give adequate warning. Nothing says knowledge like experience, which I'm now earning. I use the term earning, because it truly feels like every moment of success right now has been fought for. I think it has been fought for in the heavenly realms where our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and authorities in the spiritual realms (Ephesians 6). My children's souls are being fought for right now. I've been praying for Sophie and Aaron to have spirits that are sensitive to spiritual matters. I want them to become children that are aware of their worth in the Heavenly Father's heart and who walk in a manner worthy of the gospel (Colossians 1). I don't want them to be children who are of this world. Children who cling to their selfish desires and entertain rebellion. Can you tell that I have a two year old who says "no" a lot right now!

In order to get to the success I crave, I must not only pray and use every moment as a teaching time, I must also prepare/work on my own heart. Selfish desires and rebellion do not disappear when one becomes an adult, they just become more distinguished and socially accepted. The inner battle's root is still the same as when the person was a child.

Our family is transitioning right now...which is the polite term for a little chaos, a little frustration, a little crying, and a whole lot of praying for God's grace! We love our kids and are so thankful for our busy Sophie and our new Aaron (who is still being figured out). It will become easier and more natural to have two children and Sophie will transition out of this stage...maybe as brother enters! Meanwhile, we will rely on God's promise that His great mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness will never change or be minimized.

Here is to not just surviving today but thriving, because as I "earn" my successes, I'm not doing it with my own strength...the Lord who created the earth in one week by speaking into being is holding my family and is in control of our day. We have confidence in the ONE who wins the battles!

SUMMER

Our family is SO excited that we've had such sunny, summer-like weather! I like being outside quit a bit, but anyone who knows my husband and daughter know that for them...it's survival! Sophie would be very content to live outside. Today, she was in her swing for a half hour and almost fell asleep in it! I would have taken a picture, but I hadn't done her hair...so the lion mane (her hair) and my mother's pride won out...no pictures! We've been doing quit a bit in the back yard to make it more user friendly for our family and more aesthetically pleasing for my decorating nature.

Here is Sophie's solution to her slide getting small and a little boring!



Like Daddy...Like Daughter



Sophie's cherry tree and Aaron's pear tree...the perks to Daddy being a gardener



The play structure that is in progress



My current joy...an outdoor rug and eating/sitting area with white lights



Coming soon...our house will be green!

Little...or BIG...updates!

Aaron is doing so well...despite his sister's love, that at times, seems like it may end his little life. He's adjusting to life superbly and growing like a weed. We had family pictures done last week. I was so thankful to get those taken care of, because each day seems to bring me a bigger boy. At his 2 week appointment, he weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces. The pediatrician said that was one of the biggest weight gains he had seen! Yeah for our big boy.
I love watching his expressions and how he moves around...so much more enjoyable watching those feet kick around when they are not inside of me!
Here's an updated shot of our little guy. This is a regular position to find him in.

He's really here!

Our sweet little boy is here! Aaron Joshua Kintigh joined our family on Wednesday, May 6th, at 3:01 pm. He weighed 8lbs and was 22in long. We are resting at home and enjoying the time to re-establish life. My mom is here, practically doing everything, and it is such a wonderful gift. I think we'll all have withdraws when she has to go home!

Sophie is adjusting well. She only really gets frustrated when we won't let her carry Aaron around the house! She loves her baby and seems to be getting used to the idea of him staying!

I am excited to begin this new season of life on this Mother's day. I feel very blessed with a loving family/support system, a wonderful and helpful husband who is an excellent daddy, and two healthy and sweet kids. God is so faithful and even as I recover I'm amazed at how we've seen His hand guiding us and protecting us. None of the complications I experienced with Sophie's birth reoccurred; we even got to go home the same day from the hospital! God is a faithful God who listens to even the smallest of prayers to the largest of concerns. We're a blessed family!

Jumping

Sophie

We've been participating in swim lessons with Sophie during the month of April. It's twice a week and she's been having so much fun. Her class is the "polar bears" and sometimes it feels like that with the water temperature! She'll be having so much fun as her teeth are just chattering away! We are so proud of how much she's learning. It makes us excited for this summer and more swimming.

She's 20 months now and seems like such a little girl rather than a baby. She's talking a lot more and we can really understand her. She'll even tell you all her animal noises :-) She loves to help with things, run around all day long, and be so silly. She is really starting to understand the concept of having special friends and loves to go see them...most days she's happy to go anywhere. Her facial expressions have become quite dramatic and even when we can't understand words, she communicates very clearly. We're loving this stage and all the new things that she learns every day. Very soon, her new lesson will be a baby brother!

New Life

This morning, as I enjoy my sweet and growing toddler (who seems to be accomplishing something new and exciting every minute), my mind wanders to when she was born. This is partially because I'm excited about our son Aaron joining us in May and because my cousin just welcomed his first baby, a daughter, into the world last night. I am so excited for them. She's healthy and they are about to enter into the biggest, scariest, and most joy filled adventure. I don't consider myself an expert after a short 19 months on the journey, but I do take hold of the many blessings I've encountered and the lessons I've learned. I think about how quickly one changes in the first year of life and how many advances they make. I hope that I am changing that much in my life and still making advances toward the goal...becoming more like Christ and affecting the world for His glory. Sophie has affected my life so much, turned it inside out. I know Emily will do this for my cousin and his wife. I also know as followers of Christ, we are supposed to do this in the world we live in.

So, dear friends, go out today and turn the world upside down...doing good and affecting everyone around you for the glory of the Heavenly Father. Enjoy the miracle of life and how exciting change can be.

The Curtains cover a multitude of sins...

Whenever Sophie is doing something she knows is wrong, she hides behind the curtain to do it...I think she still thinks I have no clue.

Can't we go anywhere?!

So, the past few days we've been at home because Sophie has been teething and not feeling like herself. She understands that she doesn't feel well, but not that it should keep her at home. Several times a day she's been saying "bye bye momma" and going to the door. Today, she went straight for the backpack...maybe then Momma would get the hint! In the end, she settled for watching cartoons with her pack.

Sophie and her Pony

Wonderful days...

My parents were able to come down for the day on Friday and it was perfect weather to take Sophie to the park. We had so much fun with the sunny treat and Sophie had a wonderful time showing off and playing with Poppy and Grammy! I am so thankful that Josh's and my parents are close and involved. They may be tired after spending a day with Sophie, but all have fun. These are the kind of days that make Sophie believe everyone is around to watch or entertain her! For a couple more months at least, right? You wouldn't know from the picture of me, and baby Aaron, that I still have 2 months!

Maybe Sophie won't be in charge of baby brother when he comes...

Good Days

We're having so much fun with Sophie these days. It seems as if overnight she has become a "big girl!" I love how many discoveries she makes and how I can see her brain putting pieces of life together. I love our girl. Here are some fun pictures of around...


Busy....


Learning how to be a sister...so nurturing.
Feeding and helping baby look out the window.


Driving baby around the house...
we'll probably have to watch her with baby Aaron...very closely!


More window watching.

A busy week...learning new things

I am stealing a couple of minutes to blog because Sophie is playing with Josh...even though I'm in the other room, I love hearing all the squeals and giggles that Sophie is letting out. We love daddy!

This has been a busy week...no one except another stay-at-home mom would really think so, but for Sophie and me, it's busy. Monday was my mom's group and Sophie is learning to get past her separation fears and enjoy the nursery. There is a sweet worker, Teacher Pam, that is there every time and we are so blessed by her service. Sophie loves her and I am so glad someone is loving and taking care of my girl. Tuesday was the indoor gym at our church where we just pull out the nursery toys into the gym and kids come and play...it's free, by the way, if you're in the area. Such a great thing for when the days are cold and rainy. Sophie is learning how to share. She is very polite and says thank-you when she steals the toy, but it's stealing just the same :-) Other kids could care less if she thanks them before grabbing what they were playing with! Then, following a nap, we got to go play with Auntie Melinda and Mason. One day Mason, who is 8 months, is really going to get back at Sophie for all she does to him. She was feeding him cereal pieces and of course it was 2 for her and 1 for him. Sometimes she would get it almost to his mouth, he'd be smiling and reaching, then she'd put it quickly into her mouth! Such a little stinker...just getting ready to be a big sis. Wednesday, she got to play with Jayden and Crystal, who came down from Salem. Jayden had her laughing so hard...the whole time. Then, when we were all in the car, he asked to hold her hand. Love kids. Today we're going to get outside... I just decided that because it's such a beautiful day. We'll play with Sophie's friend Mira...who is so well behaved; I'm hoping Sophie takes notes! We'll round off the week with a trip to Portland to see Poppy and Grandma.

So, such a wordy way to say...We're blessed with so many people surrounding us that we love and we can have such fun with. Such a week to count our many blessings and be thankful that God has us right where He planned for right now. He is a good, faithful God who will never leave nor forsake--My current mommy lesson :-)

So, enjoy your day and know we love you. If we didn't hang out with you this past week...chances are high we did :-), hopefully our meeting with be soon!

Just a thought...

As a woman and a mother who nurses my babies, I am so annoyed! Not with the people who have said they do not want to see breastfeeding in public, but with the women who do not realize or seem to care how inappropriate they are being.
This is not something to battle about. Cover up and get over yourself. It is so easy to nurse and stay covered...it can even be stylish with what has been created these days. Even I, a fellow woman and mother, do not want to see your breast hanging out. Yes, it's natural, but that doesn't make it sightly or appropriate. It's gross and not fair to everyone's sons and husbands that are subjected to it. No one tips their waiter enough in a restaurant for them to have to look at it. No one is so much more important than another person to make them uncomfortable by having to be next to someone who is nursing in a crowded facility.
So unless you are home alone, or with close girlfriends who have kids of their own...please just cover your body. It is respectful to yourself because God created those areas to be private and it is putting the comfort and good nature of your neighbor ahead of your desire to "win."
In a world where there is war and hunger, do we really need to make an issue over something that is so easy to fix...nurse your babies and enjoy that special bond, but do it with your body under wraps!

The Great Debate

There is a battle within, that happens every time Sophie takes a long nap...part of me wants to check on her to make sure she's okay and the other part doesn't dare, I don't want to wake her. I think I will believe she's fine and enjoy the small break.

Lessons in Life

This morning I have been thinking a lot about being a mother and how much it changes a woman. I pray that Sophie is learning, especially when I'm attempting to teach her a specific lesson, but most of the time I feel like I'm the one being taught something. This little girl, all of her 2 1/2 feet 23 pounds, is such a gift. She is a one-of-a-kind miracle that keeps me fully dependent upon the Lord if I have any hope of being successful.

1. Her laugh can make any situation less stressful and usually serves to remind me that I overreact too much.

2. Her unconditional love and acceptance of people shows me how to love those around me as Jesus would rather than be so critical of others.

3. The way she dances, makes me laugh, but also reminds me not to be so worried about what others are thinking of me.

4. When she is trying to get my attention and she does not give up, even when I try to keep doing what I was in the middle of, catches my attention because I know the Lord is even more persistent when I fail to focus on my relationship with Him.

5. When she shoves too much in her mouth and then has a hard time swallowing, it shows me how pathetic it is when I try to do too much and cannot do anything my best.

6. When she wants to play with the toys that I just put away or wants to snuggle when I am busy, it reminds me what is truly important. I will always have projects or time to clean. I will not always have a little girl who wants to play and snuggle all day long.

7. When I think about working and having more money to do stuff, she does something right then to tell me that I'm exactly where I am supposed to be. I am her mommy and the Lord has me taking care of His precious creation.

I know that this time will pass too quickly, especially since baby Aaron will join us soon, but I am thankful for today and the chance I have right now to love my little girl.

It's great

I am very excited right now, because we put some things on Craigslist...and they're actually selling! Love it when that happens.

A new start

I finished cleaning and just laid Sophie down for her nap. Maybe it's the clean house or a new baby coming, making me want everything cleaned and organized, but I do know that I love new starts. It's a common thing following the holidays or at the beginning of a new week, but my prayer is that it will become a common thing daily in my life. I'm praying that I have a clean start with my responsibilities, my relationship with the Lord. I think it is from the Lord, the idea of clean starts, because His faithfulness is new every morning. Today, I am especially thankful for that.