Thursday, December 31, 2009

Christmas











FYI - the family picture above is discolored. I feel like it makes Claire look like a corpse:-) Nonetheless, it's a family picture so I am going to keep it up while trying to correct the discoloration. Claire is not ill, it just looks that way:-)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Claire is 7 Weeks Old!





Claire is doing great. She is happy, eats great, and is still an awesome sleeper! We couldn't love her more. She is such a blessing to our family!!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Friday, December 4, 2009

Claire's 5 1/2 Week Check Up


Claire is doing great and is growing like a weed. Here are her latest stats:

Weight: 11 lbs (95th percentile)
Height: 23 1/2 in (off the charts)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Sling and The Swing






Since it has just been me and Claire during the day (the boys are in SC), I have taken some time to get her used to the sling and the new cradle swing I bought her. Well, so far, she absolutely loves the sling. I am very excited about this because neither of the boys particularly cared for it when they were little. As for the swing, I think this is still going to take some getting used to. It's like she's happy in it for a few minutes and then burst into tears. I don't even have it swinging at this stage of the game because I don't want to scare her, so I just have the mobile going along with the music. I think, I am praying, that she will begin to love it. I need a few things around the house to be able to place her in when the boys get back and are requiring attention from me.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Claire



Many of you have asked, "How is Claire sleeping for you?" Well, take a look at the above picture and this is how we see Claire most of the day. She only has about three or four times per day when she opens her bright blue eyes to let us have a peek. When she is awake, she is extremely alert. In fact, she is already following our hands as they move, and she caught her first glimpse of the ceiling fan the other day, which she absolutely loves now.

I have only been waking up with her once at night, usually between 4-5:30. She now has consistently been giving me five to six hour stretches for the past four nights:-) I almost hesitate to write because who knows if that will stick, or if she will be another every three hour gal again. I will keep you posted:-)

T he boys are away for the week in SC. Between our two sets of parents who both live in SC, they will be entertained for the week:-) It has been nice to have some alone time with Claire. Not only have I been able to rest when she does, but I have also been able to get things ready for her in the house.

Claire is great! Before we knew what we were having, I said that the sex didn't matter to me, but now that we have a sweet girl, I wouldn't trade her for any number of boys! Not only is she way more fun to shop for, but I am really looking forward to watching her grow into a toddler, then a child, then a teenager, and finally, a woman. I can't wait to see what God has in store for her life!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Mother of three!

As I was sitting here uploading pictures to this blog, it struck me that it's no longer Jack and Luke; it's now Jack, Luke and Claire. I now have three little people that God has entrusted to mine and Jordan's care. It's not only our responsibility to feed and clothe them, but, even more importantly, it's our responsibility to train them up in the way they should go. It's not our primary responsibility to be their best friends but to raise them in the way of the Lord. It's our responsibility to reverently pray for each one of them and that they would all come to know the Lord at an early age. It's our responsibility to guard their hearts and minds from the ways of this world and to steer them to our heavenly Father.

It's not that I hadn't thought of these things before, but now that we have had our third child it's just another reminder of how children are truly a blessing from the Lord. They are a blessing, but with each blessing comes a huge responsibility that God gives us. God is going to hold Jordan and me accountable for the choices and decisions that we make on behalf of our children. I sure want to stand before the Lord when I meet Him in heaven with an excellent report of how we have made an eternal impact in the lives of Jack, Luke, Claire and whoever else the Lord may bless us with.

Below are a few of my favorite passages that I pray for our children. I guess I know what I will be doing when Claire wakes up for those late night feedings:-)

"Unless the LORD builds the house,its builders labor in vain.Unless the LORD watches over the city,the watchmen stand guard in vain.In vain you rise early and stay up late,toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to [a] those he loves.Sons are a heritage from the LORD,children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127

"Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it 2so that you and your son and your grandson might (A)fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, (B)all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3"O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that (C)it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in (D)a land flowing with milk and honey. 4"(E)Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the (F)LORD is one. 5"(G)You shall love the LORD your God (H)with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6"(I)These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7"(J)You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8"(K)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9"(L)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10"Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, (M)great and splendid cities which you did not build, 11and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and (N)you eat and are satisfied, 12then watch yourself, that (O)you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Deuteronomy 6:1-12

Fall fun!