On the Verge...

This is our second night in our new home with our wonderful friends. We had some interesting(ly long) adventures getting over here with no sleep for any four of the Smith Family Band (working slowly on that post. ). So, needless to say, we are having a hard time adjusting to the 9 hour time jump. Last night was ok. Selah did the best (it is not uncommon for her to beat out Abram for the "less of a handful" award). Abram woke up at 2:30am last night after going to bed around 9pm ish. Then he went back to sleep at about 5:30am and slept until 11 or so. Which is what Quinn and I did as well. Selah had one wake up a little later in the morning and went right back down until 11 as well. Anyway, it got us pretty excited. We thought that was pretty good for the first night. Then we were awake all day today. Selah had one good nap and a few little ones while we were out shopping. Abram did not. Nap, that is. And he readily went to bed around 9 again. I was praying for a full night ...

Well, it's here!  Selah Christine Smith will be 6 months old at 6:31 in the morning.  I remember her birth day  like it was yesterday, but it feels like we've had her forever.  She is such an amazing little addition to our family.  She is so even keel and easy going and she is developing her fun little personality everyday.  Seeing as how it's really been about a month since the last post, this will be a pictureful one.  You may have seen some of these on facebook or instagram, if so... sorry? Date:  October 22, 2012 Weight : I thought that she was over 15 pounds (she hadn't been weighed at the doctor since her 2 month check), but I was wrong.  Last week at the doctor she weighed 14 lbs 9 oz. That's exactly what Abram weighed at 6 months.  And she was 26 inches long. Which is exactly how long Abram was :)  Now, he is a boy and she is a girl, so she's more low/mid range on the growth chart, while he was just low.   ...

We are two weeks out from our departure and have so, so, so much to do.  I realize I haven't blogged in awhile and I apologize (because I know how many of you are just dying to hear more of my ramblings...) Many people have asked me if I will keep the blog going when we move to the Middle East and the answer is yes.  I hope to keep up with it more, actually.  The time difference with our friends and families will be 10 &11 hours, so there will have to be very scheduled skyping time.  So the blog will be the best way to keep everyone updated on the awesome things that I know Abram and Selah will be doing as they continue to grow. Anyway, not much time right now, but I thought I would share a few videos with you... The first one is from this morning.  The wonderful (and when I say wonderful, I mean WONDERFUL) people that we are staying with have a rock yard and a bunch of raised bed gardens.  It's a cool set up.  Abram and their son l...

It feels like its been that long anyway. I can't even believe that there was a time in my life when I had time to blog almost every day and still felt like there was too much to do. I wish I could meet that past Anaka, that one good napping child, settled in my own house with lots of baby entertaining devices Anaka and give her a firm shoulder shaking when I heard her complain about her busyness. "You! You have no idea! Don't complain! Enjoy!" That's what I would tell her. But here I am, sleeping in a cozy bed in house #7 of the past 3 months, about ready to move to house #8 in preparation for the final move to house #9 in less than 4 weeks, overwhelmed by busyness with no time to post. And what do I finally have a bit of time to share with you? Not pictures of my adorable and amazingly adaptable children, or the loads of friends and family we have gotten to see even since the last post. Not that. Celery. That's right. I had Quinn buy celery today, ...

The kids went to "the ocean" for the first time today. But it was very similar to the lake Abram just experienced in Idaho. We went to Mother's Beach in Marina Del Rey, which is in the marina, so the water is nice and calm and lake-like. Perfect for little munchkins. There is a pretty big/cool playground that Abram thoroughly enjoyed with his new buddy, Brian, and Daddy. Selah got her feet dipped in the water and then was kept in the shade, trying to get her to fall asleep in my arms to no avail for the rest of the time. We are already halfway through our visit in LA and have gotten to have some good visits with some of my closest friends from college. My wonderful newlywed friends, Lauren and Brian, are graciously letting us fill their home with baby items and messes for a week. And not only that, but babysitting and driving kids home from outings and cooking meals and giving me free tickets to their awesome improv show and other great stuff like that. ...

  Yet again, I have waited too long and had to post a lie. Please forgive me. This little lady is not "on the verge" of five months. She is  actually  a big old five months!  So hard to believe in a way, although her birth seems like ages ago at the same time. I think that might have something to do with the fact that we have stayed in five different houses since then. That makes time stretch out a bit, I think.  Anyway, her five month birthday is being celebrated in Boise, while her forth month was in Colorado and her third month was in Austin. Her 1/2 year will be in Austin as well and, Lord willing, month seven will be celebrated in the Middle East! Date:  September 22, 2012 Weight : I've recently weighed her on a non-digital scale (you know, those "old school" ones that spin... a "rotary" scale :) and it looks like she is around 15 lbs!  I just looked it up and that is exactly  the 50th percentile.  It's funny to...

But here I am and I wanted to share these photos and also document Selah's new schedule we have inadvertently fallen into. Until now, I have almost avoided a schedule because I wanted her to be flexible, since we were trying to do so many things and see so many people. But she is proof that babies want/need some kind of schedule, because she came up with it all on her own. For posterity, here it is: 6am: Wake up/eat/go back to sleep 10am: Wake up/eat/play 11:30am: Nap 1:30pm: Wake up/eat/play 2:30pm: Nap 4:30pm: Wake up/eat/play 5:00pm: Maybe quick nap 7:00pm: Bottle/bath 7:30pm: Bed With all the family visiting we've been doing, she hasn't gone to bed until 8:30 a few nights and she's definitely tired. But we've gotten to where it doesn't seem to change the next day too much. So I like to have her in bed by 7:30, because when she looses that sleep, she doesn't really make up for it the next day. Silly girl. Anyway. There...