Block Leave: Ilinois

After spending time with Josh's family, we headed to Illinois to catch up with mine.  For the most part our time was spent with my parents letting them bond with Mara, but we got out a bit.

I got my haircut as I always try to do when I'm in town.  We also did a little digging around my grandparents house and found some fun treasures to take.  We're going to have some beautiful pieces to remind us of them now that they're gone.

As always we got together with the Stephenitch clan for our infamous Taco Tuesday.  Mara loved it.  There was so much commotion and she just added her voice right in!  I swear she was trying to be the loudest of the bunch.

Crusin around Grandma's in her new stroller

We got to see my brother briefly.  Since he got his own place he's been busier and not around as much.  He's got the greatest puppy and Mara loves getting to see Ranger.  Ranger seemed excited to see her too as he practically licked her entire face.

Foulk siblings with their firstborns

Our time there flew but in true Midwest style we were thrown a curve ball on our last day there.  A snow storm....In May.  To say we were shocked was an understatement.   We had no coats or proper shoes.  But I mean who really expects snow in May.....Thanks Illinois.

Josh: "It's snowing!"
Me: "You're lying!  (pause of disbelief) "NO!"

Despite the tricky weather we really enjoyed our time visiting family.  It was a great time catching up with everyone and just relaxing.  A much needed vacation!

Block Leave: Wisconsin & Minnesota

In preparation for deployment, Josh was allowed two weeks leave to do with as he wished.  We decided to head north and catch up with family.  Our first stop was Wisconsin to visit with Josh's brother Caleb and his family.  We hadn't seen them since before Christmas and were eager to see everyone.

hiking in wisconsin

playing with cousin Talia

hanging out with daddy

We didn't have much of an agenda and spent the first few days just hanging around the house and chatting.  I love this kind of time with them because I feel like we rarely get to do that and we could just talk for hours.  On Tuesday we got to go into our niece's classroom and speak.  She had told her teacher that her Uncle had traveled around Africa and then asked him to come in and share.  It was so much fun to take a walk down memory lane so to speak and watch the kids reactions to the pictures.

big girl at the counter

Like father like daughter

The rest of the week was just dedicated to family time.  Josh's parents were passing through so we got to see them again as well as his brother, Arne.  I loved watching Mara interact with her cousins.  Now that she's a little older (than the last time we visited) she could play a little more.  I could tell she really loved just watching them especially Talia, who is closest to her age.  I can't wait till Mara's a little older and they can really get into trouble together! :)

Helping Papa

loving on Ginger

Ginger loved her too

I think at one point Mara was chewing on her tail

After a week in Wisconsin we headed up to Minnesota for a weekend with Josh's sister Aimee and her family.  They had never met Mara so we were excited to introduce her and just spend some quality time with them.

Our weekend in Minnesota was a little more fast paced than Wisconsin.  We went rock climbing.  Our niece Taryn went to prom.  The adults got a little alone time out at a local pub and we celebrated Mother's day with some ice cream at Coldstone's.

Dana conquering the wall

Josh made it too!

Again Mara seemed to love all the commotion and being in the center of attention.  We were so happy that in their busy schedule we were able to find a weekend to spend together.  I love being able to pick my sister-in-law's brain about parenting.  They have four kids and she is just a wealth of information.  I'm so grateful that she's always willing to share her experiences!  I can't wait till we can get together again!

Taryn looked beautiful

the group ready for prom

Memorial Day Weekend

This past weekend Josh had a four day (which are the best kind of weekends in military life).  With the deployment on the horizon we wanted to soak up every minute together as a little family.

On Friday we went to a new state park that's only ten minutes from our house!  We had been waiting for it to open up and are glad that we have this little gem basically in our backyard.  The park was small but perfect for a quick hike or a little fishing trip.  We threw Mara on our backs and away we went.  The hiking loop basically made its way to the lake via an old farmhouse, then weaved around the water, finally making its way back along the same path.

On the trail

Mara out for the count

Beautiful scenery

The hike only took about an hour but it was nice to get outside and get some fresh air.  Mara slept most of the walk and Josh and I enjoyed the quiet time just us too.  I think this is a park we'll definitely be back to in the future.

The rest of Friday was spent catching up around the house.  Josh worked on a composting project he's had in the works for a bit now.  Mara went swimming in her new kiddie pool and I did some yard work.

Loving her pool

Summer is in full gear here so on Saturday we headed to one of the pools on base to swim.  We wanted to cool off and introduce Mara to her first pool experience.  Overall she didn't know what to expect.  I think she was more interested in the kids around her than the water.  We weren't able to put her in her float and had to carry her.  I think once she's on her own a bit she's really going to love it.

Daddy and Mara in the pool

Mara and Mama at the pool

After the pool we again headed back to the house for a relaxing evening.  We were all beat from the heat and just spent the rest of the evening playing and enjoying each other.

dumping the toy basket is always the best fun

Daddy was watching her.  Note the blocks used as a pillow.

Sunday we were introduced as members at our church.  After service we headed to Josh's office for a quick clean up.  Mara and I were happy to help him get everything situated.  We also may have had a slight hidden agenda: by helping him then we got to spend more time with him and hopefully save him some time that he has to spend in the office this week :)

That evening we grilled some delicious steaks and just enjoyed family time.  There's nothing better than getting on the ground with Mara while she explores her toys, everything seemingly new each time.

Monday started off amazing with Mara giving Josh and I 9 hours of sleep.  So after our lazy morning we spent the rest of the day playing games and being together.  In the evening we headed to another couple from church's house for a memorial day BBQ.  The spread was awesome and I definitely over indulged!  

Relaxing outside

Memorial day weekend was and will always be first about the service of those military men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice.  We are forever in debt to them and their families.  As a military family ourselves we are even more grateful of this time together and appreciated the extra family time with the deployment imminent.    

A Prayer for Deployment

Lord thank you for this time you've given us to be together.  I am so thankful for these past two weeks; getting to spend time with family and friends.  This time has been so amazing for our family and it has been such a blessing.

Lord I just ask that as we get closer to departure you are just with us reminding us how special this time is. Let us treasure each moment and not worry about the months to come.

I also just thank you for this deployment, Lord.  It really has given me a new appreciation for my husband and has brought us even closer.  I know that this is your plan for our family and You always have our best interest in mind.  We will come out of this better and stronger for it.

My prayer is that in this time apart we just grow closer to You.  Let us turn to you in the hard times for comfort and thus grow closer to each other in the process.

Most of all Lord we continue to pray for safety. Safety for Josh and his soldiers.  Lord protect them as they travel and arrive in country.  Watch over them and deliver them safely back to their families.

Mara-30 Weeks

Weight: Still not exactly sure where you stand in this department.  You are probably getting closer to 20 lbs. and somewhere around 26 in.

Health: We avoided the colds on the way here and at your cousin's house.  We still have the trip back but I'm hoping we all will stay healthy.

Pretty Girl

Social: You have been super social on this trip, more than I ever thought.  You quickly warmed up to your cousins and loved having kids around your size around.  You also loved all the commotion in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  There was so much to look at and hear!

In Illinois you babbled the whole way through Taco Tuesday with Mama's family and everyone loved it.  You flashed the biggest smiles and seemed to soak up the limelight.  As the noise in the room grew so did your voice.  You had to be the loudest of all.

Playing with Ginger 

Diet: We are still breastfeeding about the same amount.  You nurse about every three to four hours and still want to nurse to sleep.  You are doing better with the sippy cup.  You like a particular one and have figured out how to get the liquid out of it.  I still think you far off on this front though.

You are doing so much better with solids.  You consistently eat about 2 ounces twice a day.  We usually do breakfast and dinner but sometimes do lunch if the timing works out and you're hungry.  We have been traveling and you are loving the store bought baby food.  I hope when we get home you will go back to eating my food!

You still love all things sweet and love your fruits.  You have done well with some of the vegetable store bought brands so that's encouraging.

You eat so well with a spoon and love to help feed yourself.  You are still a messy eater but I think that's just the fun of it all.  We are working on feeding you larger bits of food but you still have trouble picking things up on your own.

Daddy is still giving you all the treats.  You got your first taste of ice cream and loved it!!

She wanted to chew on the table and wasn't happy about Daddy putting the cloth down

Clothes: You are still in 9 month things and I think we'll be there for a bit longer.  This is probably the longest you've been in one size and its so nice.  I feel like we're finally getting real wear on your clothes.  Your 12 month things are mainly dresses so I think we'll even get more wear on them!

During our travels you moved up to size 3 diapers.

It was a mutual love

Mama's Favorites: I love watching you try to crawl.  You are so close and I think you'll do it any minute now.  You are also so good at playing.  You love your toys and are finding new ways to play with them.

I loved watching you interact with your cousins.  You talked to them and tried to play with them.  I also loved seeing how attached you are to Daddy and me.  I love that we have cemented that bond as a family and that you look to us for assurance in new places and with new people.

Crying: You still don't cry much.  You have developed this fake whine that you do when you want some object or something isn't going your way.  We can tell instantly when you are using your fake cry versus your real cry.

Like father like daughter

Sleep: This area is about the same.  You are still doing great and easily go down for bed.  You get up anywhere from one to two times a night.  It tends to be more when we are traveling because you need reassurance that we are near in new places.  We have found that giving you a pacifier when you wake up early helps too.  You usually suck on it a bit then it falls out of your mouth as you fall asleep.

Your naps are becoming more predictable.  We are still mainly holding you although we can put you down without you instantly waking up anymore.  Naps are best in the car and with all the traveling we've tried to time our driving to them.

This Week:  We are visiting family in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.  We are also soaking up every minute with Daddy.  This constant family time has been amazing!!

Foulk siblings with their firstborns

Baby Likes: You love to talk and are talking more each day, sometimes babbling for hours.  You still love your toys.  Your favorites are the lunchbox grandma gave you and a purple hippo you got at Easter.  You also loved stacking bowls that grandma had at her house.

Any set of keys are always at risk of you grabbing them.  You also love cords, buddy, and the remote.
                             

Crusin' at grandma's

Milestones: So much!  You've started banging objects together for the joy of making noise.  You will grab any two things that you think will make noise and proceed to clap them together.

You are constantly babbling.  You are saying new syllables daily and get so excited when we talk back to you.

You have started making real progress with crawling.  You now twist side to side when seated to move across the floor.  It's slow going but you get where you want to go.  You  have also gotten up on your knees and rocked back and forth.

You are still loving eating and are mastering the pincer grasp.  You love cereal puffs and bread.  Plus all fruit!

You have mastered a fake laugh and do it constantly.  You get really excited when we mimic you back.  On that note you also have a pretty conceivable fake cry too.

You are standing more with assistance.  You like to hold our hands and practice your balance.

You can imitate.  You almost immediately imitate everything we do from sounds to hand movements.

Helping Papa

Best of Times: Visiting family.  You had so much fun with your cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Worst of Times:  None in particular.  There was a few nights with less sleep due to travel but overall nothing huge.

Starting Solids

We've been slowly introducing Mara to solid foods for the last two months now and it's been an interesting adventure.  We started by simply putting Mara in her high chair around four months.  She was able to sit up for the most part on her own and enjoyed sitting with us at the table while we ate dinner.

At first she wasn't interested in the food we were eating and was satisfied to play with a toy or a spoon while we ate.  She quickly started to pick up on our mannerisms and began mimicking chewing and putting things in her mouth.  It was only another few days and she was wanting what we were eating.

So we started her off with a few tastes here and there.  Some sweet potato, mango juice, banana.  Talk about opening a can of worms!  Now every time we would sit down she would demand tastes; fussing until we would get her something to try.  Also a few tastes were never enough.  One morning she ate almost a full ounce of mango juice!

Although we hadn't quite hit that 6 month exclusively breastfed target I had originally set, I knew it was time to start introducing solids to Mara.  She was ready.

From the beginning I've known that I wanted to make Mara's food.  Mainly because I can regulate what's in it but also because it's so much cheaper then buying the prepackaged kind.  I did a little research about what foods were most appropriate and how to introduce them and jumped in.

We started out with fruits and vegetables.  I didn't want to do rice cereal (a staple first food in most of the US) because I feel its just processed sugar and don't think it's a necessary first step.  With most of the vegetables, I simply roasted them in the oven with a little olive oil till they were soft enough to puree.  Fruits I allowed to ripen and then simply put them in the food processor.  The only fruit that took a little more work was apples which had to be boiled and then pureed.

I didn't worry too much about the consistency to which I pureed the food either.  I wanted Mara to get used to a lot of different textures.  I knew that if there were a few chunks in there I would be near to make sure she didn't choke.

Experimenting with a spoon

On days that I would make baby food, I would make sure to do a large batch of whatever I was working on.  I would freeze it in ice cube trays specifically made for baby food and then transfer the cubes to zip locks when the cubes had set.  This worked really great for the everyday.  As much as I wanted to make her food, it was too much for me to make it fresh everyday.

We've tried sweet potatoes, zucchini, red peppers, carrots, green beans, bananas, avocado, pears, peaches, and apples.  Mara loves her fruits and doesn't mind some of the "sweeter" veggies such as carrots, red peppers and sweet potatoes (yes I know this isn't a veggie per say).  As we've introduced new foods to her we have also experimented with combinations of things as well as some spices.  She loves a pinch of cinnamon in her applesauce and a little shake of cloves on her sweet potato.

Recently I've even lessened my reins with Mara's food.  We've been traveling and I knew it would be hard to make or take food with us.  I again hit the internet and did a little research.  I found a few brands that I felt comfortable with and picked up a few pouches.  Besides the price, I've been super happy with the quality of these products (we use the Earth's Best brand) and Mara just loves them.  Maybe a little too much...
But overall they have been great for traveling and are so convenient to just squeeze out onto a spoon.

She loves to suck on pickles

I think the most important lesson I learned about introducing solids to Mara was to keep trying.  She initially went through a phase where she was eager and excited to try everything in front of her.  But a few weeks later was barely interested.  We backed off but kept trying.  I think this is key because now she eats a good 2 oz. at every sitting and could probably eat three times a day if we sat down with her.

I also found that she does best if everyone else is eating.  She likes to watch others and feel like she's engaging in the same behavior.  She also likes to help feed herself and guides the spoon to her mouth with ease.  We're still working on her pincer grasp but have found giving her small pieces of bread and puff cereal are helping with this.

Surprisingly she isn't too interested in foods in their "true form" yet.  We've given her pieces of banana and avocado but she just doesn't quite get it.  Now if you just put these pieces on a spoon she's right there and has it in her mouth.  Funny!  But I think this stems from us starting with the spoon early and how fast she catches on.

I'm always amazed with the new stages we go through with Mara.  When we're about to begin one it always feels so overwhelming.  I felt like we were finally in a routine before solids and couldn't imagine having to prepare actual food for her.

But now its normal.  She loves to eat and is a great eater.  Sure its a bit messier but I love that she's getting to explore new tastes and try new things.

A First Mother's Day

I try to be honest in this little blog world of mine.  Record my feelings and day to day activities without fear of what others may think or believe.  This is one of those posts...

Leading into my first mother's day, I had all these warm, fuzzy expectations of the day.  Now in my head I'm not sure what this exactly entailed but it sure felt good.  Here I was finally in the "Mom" category and look a day all about me type of thing.

When the actual day rolled around, it wasn't anything like I expected.  Yes my husband remembered the day with the sweetest handwritten cards and a thoughtful and useful gift.  But it wasn't this amazing day as I had imagined in my head.  I walked around all day in a fog, a funk, that I just couldn't shake.

Then, late last night Mara cried out and I got up to comfort her.  I just picked her up and brought her into bed to cuddle with me.  I'm not sure how long we stayed that way or when we fell asleep but when I woke up that fog had lifted.

Yes the day was about me and yes I felt blessed by the gifts I received.  But its also about this remarkable little girl who made me a mama.  What a blessing she is in my life and how lucky I am to play that role in her life.

And about my hubby and the walk we take together as parents.  What a remarkable man I married that will remember me on this special day and try to make it memorable!

Happy Mother's day!

Baptism

For awhile I've been thinking and praying about believer's baptism.  I knew it was something I wanted to do but up till a little while ago the timing and the church just wasn't right.  Then we came to North Carolina.

I love our church community here; every part of it.  Our pastor, the women's bible group, the ladies in the nursery, the congregation as a whole...It's where we've found the closest relationships and best friends.  It's really amazing how when you are so far away from family (as you normally are with the military) God blesses you with an "extended family" of sorts.

Well one day after our pastor just casually mentioned that some people were thinking about baptism, I just knew that I had to be a part of that.  That this was the church, this was the time.  After some planning we finally found a day and location that would work.  

We held the baptism at a local YMCA after service on April 13th.  It was so touching to have the whole congregation gathered around as well as Josh and his parents, who had traveled up for it.

Six Month Photos

Awhile ago I had Josh take some six month photos of Mara and they turned out amazing.  She has quite the little personality blooming and she was super excited to sit outside and smile for a few shots.  These are some of my favorites!