My 2 month old chubs

I can't believe he is 2 months old!  More and more I feel like I'm getting to know who this laid back little one is!  He really is so willing to go with the flow.  He's even given me several full nights of sleep! 

At his 2 month appointment he weighed in at 12lbs 6 oz and 24 1/2 inches long! 
He's done some serious growing! 

Class is over

That's right, the 5 weeks of my photography class have come and gone. It seemed to go so fast. I'm so glad I took it. I actually feel like I understand my camera more now. And I can see improvement in the pictures I'm taking. So it was worth it. These are the pictures I took for my homework on landscape, abstract and black and white.
Just cause everyone asks, the red one is of a water fountain spout on a jogging trail in town.

Refrigerator Worthy?

You know those precious pictures that flood your mailbox during the holidays? You know the ones of dear friends and family members that will probably make it to the refrigerator, maybe a special display board, a prayer bowl on your table, or tucked inside your Bible? Our family set out on a mission to have such a picture taken. We thought it was a great idea to do it with our close friends who have kids of similar ages. It would be fun, right?

Chaos was more like it. It was a true Kansas day; WINDY. The kids did do a good job, their cooperative window was just quite short.

So even though this was more telling of the day . . . and why wouldn't this be the picture that leads you to pray for our family?

This is the one we settled on. We may try again as Elias gets older and can hold his head in the direction of the camera.

And for their cooperation, the kids were rewarded with a lolli-pop. Elli confidently told some friends when we were giving them a copy of our picture; "I do that for a lolli-pop."

Pictures for Photography class

I'm glad I've stuck with it!!! It was REALLY intimidating the first night, and the class shrunk by 4 people the second night. But I'm glad I've stuck with the class. Elias has been super cooperative, sleeping through most of the classes. So I thought I'd show you some of the pictures I've taken, both for assignments and just for fun.

The assignment was to capture movement. So many times when I take pictures of my kids I'm trying to stop the movement so I get a good shot. I like how this one turned out though. You can see she's loving it!


Now this isn't his land, but everywhere I've ever lived with this man (including the balcony at our Pawnee Apartments) he loves to look out over the land and think. He's a farm boy, through and through.


This one isn't very interesting, but the assignment was to try the same shot with different f-stop settings. All about learning the manual settings.




Some more fun shots from our time at the Pumpkin patch. I love that I caught this loving sibling moment in action. They really are good friends!

I'm really glad I've been able to take the class. I can already tell a difference in my confidence level with my camera. And my eye . . . I'm starting to see shots that I hadn't seen before. Fun stuff!

Pumpkin Patch

The fall festivities continued, as we traveled down to SE Kansas to be with Austin's family. Long time family friends have started their own pumpkin patch, and it really is a lot of fun! You'll notice I have mostly pictures of Elli. Ethan loves to do everything his cousin Lauren is doing, so it is typically really hard for me to keep up with him when we're with this side of the family. And I had Elias asleep in the back pack carrier, so it was even harder! But we all had a great time!

First real Halloween

This year was our first year as a family to really do anything for Halloween. Believe it or not, it's not really an internationally celebrated holiday. And so much of what we do as foreigners requires explanation, so I've never chosen to get out there and "be weird" for the sake of Halloween. Can you imagine trying to explain that people dress up, sometimes as dead people, and go to strangers homes asking for candy. Thus, this is our first Halloween.

So I'm the co-Class parent (that's what happens when you have 2 laid back moms who don't want to be the sole class parent) for Ethan's class. That means I helped coordinate and throw Ethan's Fall party on Friday. With only 3o minutes for the party, we kept it super simple!

Their snacks and treat bags to take home.


Simple or not, the kids loved it anyway!

So if this doesn't capture my always observing little boy: Ethan has sat by the blond girl on the left since the beginning of school. That means they sometimes sit beside each other at lunch. One day Ethan came home with a story describing how she eats her cookies and sandwiches; "she always pulls them apart into 2 pieces Mom, and then she eats them." It was so funny to watch how each kid is different. Ethan dumped out his treat back and picked 3 things he wanted to eat during the party and then packed his bag back up. His little blond neighbor dumped her bag out and opened and sampled every package; putting the half eaten packages back in her treat bag. I guess this mom has been surprised at how ordered Ethan is proving to be, as he gets older.

This was the game we played; 2 teams racing to carry candy corn on their spoon to the bowl at the end of the room. They loved it and got really competitive once they figured out how to play.


Friday evening there was a fall party at church, which gave opportunity to dress up. Ethan was the "Etho-bot" and Elli was a little princess. Thanks Aunt Jenni for all the dress up clothes that came just in time!! They had a great time going room to room, playing games and winning prizes. Elias and I spent most of the time in the Nursing mom's room. I guess he'll enjoy Halloween more next time.

Getting his groove on!

Ethan's been working hard in music class and PE to learn the songs and steps for his fall performance. And what a fun performance it was. It was in the parking lot of his school. Everyone brought their lawn chairs and blankets to watch. PTA sold pizza before hand, so we went (with Grandma Vickie) early to enjoy pizza with some of Ethan's friends and then watch the whole school sing their songs and show off their moves.

This was after dinner and before the dancing began. Elli was the only "preschooler" brave enough to join in on the racing fun. She ended up wiping out which yielded a good chunk of asphalt in her forehead. But there really is very little this girl is intimidated of; especially if her big brother is there doing it too.

2 of Ethan's multi-cultural friends. They spent much of the evening with our family. From that interaction, I can really see why Ethan is drawn to them. They feel very familiar; their personal space and the ways in which they interact with Ethan are very similar to friends back in Central Asia. It was fun to get to love on them.

This was Elias' seat for the evening. It was a really windy evening, so we had his seat angled just right to keep him from getting hit by the wind. And he slept the whole way through! Not a day goes by that I don't praise God for this little ones temperament.

There they are, the Kindergarten and 1st graders doing their dances. It was quiet a random process of grouping, so my super tall Ethan was put in a group of all 1st graders he didn't know. He was a little timid at the start, but did a great job.

The PE teacher cued them from the front. They danced to 2 different songs.

And we didn't realize that Ethan would come grab a parent or grandparent to then come out and do the dance with him. So here I am learning the steps and dancing with Ethan.

The last song of the night all the students and whatever adults wanted to participate crowded onto the "floor" and followed the cues of the teachers up front. It was a revealing moment in how Ethan and I are different. As we wondered around looking for the perfect spot, I (being the social person that I am) kept telling Ethan "lets dance by Andrew, oh there's Rae'G," etc. as I spotted his friends. Finally Ethan grabbed my arm, "Mommy, I can't see my teacher. Let's dance here." He was more concerned about being able to see and do the steps right, whereas I wanted to dance with friends. Homeschooling should prove interesting! :) It was a really fun event.

Our first out of town trip

What a fun day today was!!! We traveled to Manhattan for a fun shower Erika (my pregnant sister-in-law) put on for us. What fun to see and connect with people we haven't seen in years. It was sweet to get to hug numerous kiddos that have arrived and grown in the years we've been away. Thanks Eeka for a very special day!!!

And we got to see my brother and sister-in-law's house that seems to be getting so close to being finished. Nate, thanks for dropping in, even after a full day, just to meet Elias and give hugs. Blessed me big time!!!

And then it was off to Abilene for some yummy Brookville fried chicken and a picnic with Dave, Laurie and their precious girls to celebrate Dave's birthday. That will be a special memory!

Bummer I didn't take a single picture the entire day. I think just the traveling with 3, figuring out when and where to nurse Elias, etc took most of my attention. I'll be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed by the road trips that await us when we get back home. But we have some time to sharpen our traveling skills before we get there.

Week 3

We have lovingly nicknamed him our "one-eyed pirate." He has this amazing skill of sleeping while periodically opening one eye to check out life around him. He's probably quickly honed this skill out for sheer survival; a need to always know what brother and sister are up to and if they are coming to "tackle" him with love! :)

This week he started "talking." Can you see his little mouth pushing out a "coo" and when he locks on with the eye contact . . . there's no escaping his gaze.

I know the picture is not the best (remember, I'm having to learn how to take everything in manual for my class) but I couldn't pass on sharing her expression. "He's talking Mommy, he's talking" are the words that go with that face!

Photography Class

Tonight I attended my first photography class. I've signed up to take a 5 session course through the Wichita City of the Arts. Unbeknownst to my teacher, I showed up with an infant, but he did great through the whole class. We have to shoot the entire course in the manual settings on our camera. I'm feeling quite intimidated, but know it will be fun and I'll learn a lot. Hopefully, it will be noticeable in the photos to come!

Week 2

Elias' second week has been filled with lots more loving and just figuring life out. Unfortunately a week into life, he caught his brother and sister's nasty cold. So he has been really congested. But he's stayed amazingly laid back! Such a fun little guy!

Watching cartoons with Elli, who is so excited to have her new little buddy here.

This really captures his sweet, laid back self!

The Jog-a-thon!

We have entered the world of having school aged children. Ethan enthusiastically brought home a flyer several weeks ago reporting the PTA fundraising event for the fall to be a jog-a-thon. Though I wasn't thrilled about him asking for money from a wide slew of people, I did like the idea of encouraging physical activity over selling large amounts of cookie dough or magazine subscriptions. I have since come to learn that he has a VERY competitive teacher who really encourages the kids to participate fully; cause she wins prizes too. For the class that raised the most, the teacher wins a new set of tennis shoes. She was pushing them hard.

The kindergarten class was slotted to run from 2:15-2:30. So we loaded Elias in the stroller and headed on down to cheer Ethan on. Austin volunteered to keep the water station fully operational. It was hilarious how many of the little guys felt they needed a pit stop at the water station after every lap. Ethan was determined to race his hardest and fastest; even though he only had one per lap donation.

Can you find him? Heads above most of the other kids, pushing hard through the chaos!


Waiting to get his lap card punched before pushing on for the next sprint.

Ethan ran 11 laps and ran them with all his heart. Thanks to all that supported him. And since then, the totals have come out. His class raised over $1,500, almost double any other class. His teacher will soon be sporting her new sneakers. :)

Week 1

Elias' first week has been filled with lots of family time, fun visitors, and the unfortunate (and slightly traumatic) circumcision.

Cuddle time with Grandma Vickie

Elli in all her adoration!
Of her own initiative, Elli loves to console Elias when he cries. "It's okay baby Elias. I'm not Cookie Monster. I'm your big sister!"

Babu time

Getting some Gogo loving


His first bath, definitely my chunkiest baby yet. So precious!


And after his first bath, all squeaky clean. Now the angle of the picture exaggerates it, but this little guy sure has his Daddy's forehead.

Elli promises "I won't touch him Mommy, I just sleep by him." Both Elli and Ethan are fighting nasty colds. Yet trying to keep the kisses to a minimum is pretty impossible.


Elias' first day home from the hospital, he was quickly initiated into Ethan's club! Ethan built a tent and invited Elias to come and play. It's hard to make out in the picture, but Ethan is giving Elias a finger puppet show inside their tent. These brothers are going to have so much fun growing up together.

And then there's family time watching the Nebraska vs. K-State football game on the computer. All about family togetherness, Elias is unaware of all he is being included in!

Introducing Elias Frank

Elias Frank arrived at 12:33 a.m. on October 1, 2010


Weighing in at 8 lbs 5 ozs and 21 inches long

Daddy taking in his little boy. A picture of delighting in!

And the whole family is excited!! Labor and delivery went great, Praise God. He had turned on his own earlier in the week. We checked into the hospital around 9:30 p.m. I was 5 c.m. dilated. By 12 p.m. I was 7 c.m. and quickly went complete in the hot tub. 3 contractions, my water broke, and Elias came!

We celebrated with donuts for breakfast before Ethan went to school. As you can see by Elli's face . . . sheer delight!

Everyone had a chance to hold him!

And then celebrating "Family Fun Night" with dinner, popcorn and a movie Friday night in the hospital!

We are all so glad he is finally here!

Trying to keep laughing

. . . so I don't start crying. Here are some of the hilarious things my OB Dr. has said over the course of this pregnancy. And of course they are always said with the straightest of faces!

1. "Oh, have you not heard? Now that Obama is president, you have to wait until 42 weeks gestation and 12 cm dilation before you can push."
2. I believe at my 38 week appointment, when my cervix was still too posterior to check: "Maybe we should take a pregnancy test. What if we're barking up the wrong tree?"
3. In response to my question on trying things to turn the baby from his breech position: "Have Dad sing to him, talk to him down there. And make sure you put out a bowl of M&M's, babies really seem to go for those."
4. As he pulls out the measuring tape for my fundal measurements: "And the new world record . . ."
5. When I entered my 3rd trimester: "Now it's the other one's turn to grow (alluding to twins).
   
6. During another posterior check: "I'm going up after him."
   

I know there have been many more randomly dry statements. I come home from every appointment with at least one to share. I'm sure his nurses grow weary of listening to the same jokes over and over again, but it has helped to make the waiting a little more enjoyable. Or at least a little less intense.

From the mouths of babes!

From the mouths of babes, He will ordain praise! I'm hoping that one way God will gain praise is by answering Ethan's frequently shared prayer requests.

On Sunday with his Super Church class:
"Pray for my mommy, cause she's ready to push the baby out!"

Last night at family prayer time:
"For baby to dig down into that hole so he can get out." (Disclaimer: he doesn't know what the hole is, but imagines it to be a tunnel out of Mommy's belly!)

And for an example of his perceptive little spirit, this is his family portrait from Super Church. He captures Daddy in a K-State ball cap; Elli with curly hair; and Mommy with her belly way out to there. Ethan was apparently away at school!

For those waiting with us!

Just in case you are checking in frequently hoping for pictures of a little chubby newborn . . . we are still waiting!

I went to the Dr. last Thursday for my 41 week 3 day/40 week appointment (depending on which due date you are tracking with). Grandma Vickie was in town and watched the kiddos so that Austin could come with me. I'm so glad he was there, as during our pre-appointment sonogram we found out our little guy is breech. Technically he is transverse, lying sideways in my uterus, and footling breech, with his two feet as the most presenting part to be delivered. Sure helps me understand why we haven't made much progress, there's nothing pushing down to help change happen.

And I'm so glad that I didn't do the castor oil. Had it started up labor, we would have ended with a c-section, as this baby isn't in position to meet the world, yet.

Please pray with us that he'll move head down!!! Baby scored 8/8 on his test, so he's healthy and Dr. is willing to wait for him to turn. I've gone to a chiropractor who does a technique (Webster technique) to help in turning the baby. And will probably go for several more adjustments next week.

So the marathon of pregnancy continues. Thanks for checking in. Next Thursday afternoon we go back in for another sonogram and appointment. I'm definitely in the days of perseverance building character.

Considering various options!

I'm still pregnant. Tomorrow is "my" due date. September 13th, which is long come and gone, was the due date my Dr. has been working off of. And when you're Dr. talks a certain date, 10 days later than another, it's hard not to let it change how you think and hope!

So I've been considering various options for bringing this little guy as soon as possible. Castor oil and the moving benefits it could bring has been one option I've thought about.

But instead, today I went and had a 30 minute foot massage concentrating mainly on the pressure points in my ankles. It was AMAZING!!! It relaxed my whole body, made my head tingle and put me to sleep. We'll see if it will bring labor on. I'm glad I made this choice. Much more enjoyable than hours running back and forth from the bathroom!

serious case of the sickies!

Our family seems to be under a thick cloud of "the sickies!"

Ethan has been running a fever of 101.5-102.5 since Friday. He's coughing an awful barky cough that makes it hard for anyone else in the family to sleep. He's also thrown-up at least once, daily!

Austin is either fighting a mean case of allergies or some kind of nasty cold/sinus infection. Daily wake up times of 3:30 a.m. with Ethan without being able to return to sleep hasn't seem to help him kick it.

Jenni is sick of being pregnant!!! My muscles are starting to complain with all the stretching and added work. I'm ready to get this show on the road.

Elli is sick of everyone else being sick and not having the energy to keep up with her!!!

I'd appreciate your prayers for our family!!! For full recovery and a our baby's soon and safe arrival!!!

Mom's Day Out

Today was Elli's first day at Mom's Day Out. If you've followed our journey for very long you'll remember that this has been a long-time dream for Mommy and I think we've lived it up enough over the past months, that Elli was excited too! I'm really excited about the little place she's going; once a week, from 9:30-1:30. The Word is integrated throughout the time and she gets some fun playtime with kids her age. She eats lunch at "school" and then comes home ready for a nap! :)

When she's willing to pose, she doesn't hold back!


Ethan didn't have school today, so it was fun to have him join in the celebration,
just like we had on his first day!

Proud of her lunch bag filled with all her favorite goodies!

In the van ride home, Elli told us stories of her day; all about her 2 teachers; the boys and girls in her class; and songs she had learned. A GREAT first day!