Kate is Four!

Our Kate Marie is four years old! What a year it's been for her. When I think back to her third birthday I'm amazed at all the ways she has grown and developed. 

She has learned so much, like how to put on her socks and shoes, and dress herself. She is potty trained! She has gotten more confident at the park and is taking more risks, climbing higher and running faster. She swings in the big girl swing. 

She knows most of her letter sounds and can more easily recognize numbers and quantities. She sings along to more songs. She loves to do her calendar and have bible time. One of her favorite play activities is to lead her stuffed toys in "Shine Time". (What we call our morning bible time) She's starting to use scissors and loves to paint. She helps me in the kitchen and always reminds me to put the hole in the dry ingredients before we add the wet. She loves books. 

She loves her sister and they have a bond so deep that I can't interfere when they are "talking" to each other! Yes, at times she is the typical big sister and she gets frustrated, but all in all, she cares so much for Claire. 

(Though this picture is posed, she really does like this book, The House on Pooh Corner. It was quite fitting for her picture!) 

At times I'm not sure what I'm doing and I feel like I'm in over my head. Her strong will challenges me in ways that strengthen my character! She is her own person, with her own mind. She has her own ideas and ways of doing things. If I want her to like something there is about a 75% she will say she doesn't like it just to be funny. 

She is logical. She wants to understand. 

She is also full of the special sort of joy that only children possess. She likes to be silly and laugh. I tend to be more serious so I suppose this is good for me. :) 

She notices the small things, and loves to walk around outside picking up acorns or sticks. 

She loves to talk, imagine that! ;)

As far as her favorite things to do- who can really say at this point? She is a little girl and she will take interest in most things if we are doing it alongside her. Dance has been fun for her because she enjoys the sweet music and the scarves and things. She looks forward to Bible Class. 

She has changed me in so many ways, and I love her for it. I can't wait to see her grow and discover this next year. She's been so patiently awaiting her special day. 

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! 

Claire is One!

She is one. I've putting off this post because it's the last of these monthly reflections. While part of me just procrastinates, part of me just doesn't want it to end. This time last year was full of doctor appointments, tracking, endless pharmacy visits to gather up Provera and Clomid amongst my regular medications to tend to the unfortunate PCOS, and waking up at 5 AM every morning to take my temperature. As I sat in the waiting room month after month I could see other couples, some with hope, some with heartache. Infertility is not as easy road to travel, and I'm thankful I didn't have to travel it as far as so many others. I will never forget the surprise I felt to see the positive sign on that pregnancy test. Our doctor wasn't expecting it, so I certainly wasn't, but I diligently tested myself because that's just what you do when you are paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars to get pregnant. You take a test even when you think there is no way. 

Not long after, I went into Dr. Reshef's office and he confirmed our sweet blessing. We listened to her heart beat and he said with a huge smile, "That's the best sound in the world." 

It is. It's the sound of hope and wonder and joy. 

An expression of God's love in it's purest form. 

Then our Claire was born. It was a fast and furious birth. She was ready. She changed the three of us from the inside out as our selfishness was exposed and our hearts reshaped. We struggled with sleepless nights and lots of pain and we wondered what was wrong. Months of blood tests and doctor appointments and of course, diet changes. I thought we'd be stuck in that pit forever. 

And now, here we are. 

Our little girl is thriving. Clear skin, normal digestion, and growing and developing month by month as she should. One year old. 

At her appointment she weighed in at 22.1 lbs (68%) and measured 28.5 in long. (31%) 

She is happy and heathy and precious. 

She loves to move. She will not stay in one place for very long. 

She is by her sister most of the time. She wants to see what she is doing, and usually steal a toy or two. ;)

She loves the doll house, music, her rocking horse, and just about anything small that she can grab and chew on. 

She LOVES to play at the park. Climbing, walking, sliding, eating mulch- she loves it all. 

She learned to walk this month! I can not believe how fast she can go now! She is strong and coordinated. Her favorite game is to run and stick her hands in the potty if the bathroom door is open, so you know, she keeps me on my toes! 

She eats and nurses well. She still wakes up at night and I still go to her. She is a happy thing, seeing her sweet smile when I feel stressed soothes my soul in a way that reminds me of what's important in life. 

Sweet Claire Lucille,

I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. 

As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be. 

Claire is 11 months!

We've had 11 precious months with our Claire Lucille. Okay... technically it's been 11 months and 10 days because life has been crazy! 

As you might be able to imagine from this picture Claire is on the go these days! I put her down for our picture and quickly snapped this one as she was rolling over. I never got her to lay down again! I love it because it totally captures her current stage. 

Here are a couple of other pictures from this month (and our old house!!) that capture this time of movement and discovery. 

This month Claire has mastered standing on her own and has attempted steps- she is so close! She is getting into everything and I have to keep a very careful eye on her because she is not afraid! 

This month has brought so much change for our family. We had VBS which meant that Momma wasn't home for bedtime 3 nights in a row, then we packed up and drove a very long drive to Galveston for a few days, then we stayed at my parent's house for a week, and then we stayed in a hotel for a couple of nights, and then we finally moved into a new home!! During that time Claire got her second bottom tooth, and learned to share a room with her sister! She also went to 3 different churches in this month and was loved on by both sets of grandparents plus great grandparents! Lots of change, but we are grateful to have so many special people in our life. We are also grateful for our new house in Edmond! 

Here are a few pictures from our trip. 

Claire loved naps in her stroller the most on her first beach trip. Can't say I blame here. 

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We celebrated her first Fourth of July at the beach house with my parents. 

The girls with their MiMi and Gramps.

I was so in love with this moment. Kate and my mom were playing with chalk on the driveway and my dad and Blake were watching Claire in the swing. It was Claire's first time to visit Houston. :) 

And here we are at our new house! The girls weren't quite sure what to think as that was a pretty crazy day! We love our shady front yard thanks to 3 beautiful oak trees. 

Claire enjoys the swings at the park. She loves watching her sister. She is on Kate's toes and it's cute to watch, even though it does cause strife sometimes. 

She still rests in her swing sometimes. All that movement gets her really worn out! The swing is a nice way for her to just be still now and then. I'm really thankful that ours holds up for the bigger stages! 

Bath time! So Claire is so funny to watch in the tub because she wants to crawl and walk around- and she actually can. She can really keep herself steady! She doesn't like water poured on her head, which is new for us because Kate was never bothered by it. She usually doesn't stay in the tub too long these days because she is so active! 

She hasn't tried a lot of new foods this month, and is eating about the same. I made a goal to make enough food to take on our trip plus for two weeks after we got back and I did it!!! Homemade food isn't essential, I don't think there is anything wrong with the store bought stuff. I've just really enjoyed making it for Claire plus it saves a lot of money. It felt like a huge accomplishment. I didn't feel like making it once we got settled into our new house but I'm now back in my groove. :) She is also eating chewing on teething wafers, sipping water, and nursing like crazy. 

The month has been exciting but challenging at the same time. Our Kate thrives on routine and I struggled to have the emotional and physical energy to care for both girls the way I wanted to. I had so much help from Blake and our parents. I've never been one to think I can do it all on my own, but this month I was especially humbled as I relied on others for so much. It's as if God had me in his arms the whole time and whispered, "Don't you worry, sweet one. I won't let you go on this new journey by yourself. I'm here." 

We love our Claire so much. I'm so grateful for the joy she brings to our family. Oh, these last few days before her birthday are ones to savor! 

Claire is 10 months old!

Our precious Claire Lucille is 10 months old! Well, now she is 10 and half months. I wasn't sure if this month's post would happen, but I'm so glad I'm finding a few moments to concentrate and reflect. 

Claire is moving around more and more these days. She can pull herself up anywhere is starting to attempt climbing and standing on her own a bit as well. She loves to play in her sister's room and is interested in dolls quite a bit. She loves to beat on boxes, tables, her high chair, anywhere where she can make noise. She also loves to bounce and dance when she hears music on! So much fun to watch her enjoy sound and music. 

With Kate I wondered why the makers of baby gear put so many straps on everything. With Claire I now understand! 

She has an adventurous spirit, if she falls down or bumps her head she pulls herself right back up. She loves her momma and is quite attached to me these days. I don't mind, she's my squishy little baby after all! I don't remember what new foods we tried this month, but there are several combos I make for her on a regular basis that she likes:

Butternut Squash and Apple

Bosc Pears, Blueberries, and Spinach 

Sweet Potato and White Bean

Carrots, Zucchini, and Summer Squash

Green beans, Cauliflower, and Zucchini 

She also occasionally munches on different fruits in a baby teether that we have. No meats, grains, or finger food yet, but we'll get there! :) 

We took a trip to Atwood to see Blake's family there. Claire got to meet her great-grandma, and that was pretty special. For those of you who don't know, Blake's grandma has Alzheimer's. She hasn't been doing very well lately, but she was so happy to see Claire. She cried happy tears and her bright smile stayed through our whole visit. 

We had beautiful weather and enjoyed seeing the farm and visiting with family. It was our first long car trip with Claire, and it went well! 

Of course, we also celebrated Father's Day. We were all recovering from an uncomfortable cold and missed church, but I still had them put on their dresses for a picture! 

More and more I am reminded that my little babe is on her way to toddlerhood. It's bittersweet. I truly do love the baby months, but I know the toddler years have their joys as well. It is so much fun to watch her learn new things, I suppose that joy will never end for me as her mom. 

We are about to move from our current house and buy our own home. It is an exciting time. What beautiful memories we have made in this home in Yukon, Oklahoma in the short time we dwelled in it. I'm grateful for this adventure called life, and I'm so excited to make new memories and plant roots in our own home in Edmond. 

Claire is 9 months old!

Our Claire Lucille is 9 months old! Weighing in at 20 pounds and 5 ounces and measuring 26.5 inches long, she is a bit short and stout, a true Lehman. Ha! She is so sweet and we love her sweet smile and babbles. As long as momma is near she's usually a pretty happy babe. 

This month brought a lot! She is crawling all over the house, pulling up and walking alongside whatever she can, and trying to balance herself. She loves to MOVE! Her bottom left tooth has broke in and she's eating more foods! This month we tried, sweet potato, pears, blueberries, zucchini, yellow potato, banana, watermelon, and corn. Sweet potato and butternut squash seem to be her favorite right now and she hasn't taken to banana yet. 

She still wakes up to nurse once or twice between 7pm and 7am. Her napping is a little more sporadic though- I blame myself since it's harder to keep a regular nap routine with a big sister around. ;) 

She loves to be in the baby carrier while we are out and about, and I have to say that I really enjoy it too! Kate didn't like being worn when she was little so that made it uncomfortable for me. Claire snuggles up and is content so I enjoy it. Makes errands and trips to the park a lot easier! 

She enjoys being outside. As a family we went strawberry picking and had our first zoo trip of the year. Claire also had her very first (and second!) swim this month at our friend's pool. She loves flowing in the baby float! Thankful for all of this gorgeous Oklahoma sunshine we've had! 

We took a drive to Texas to see my grandparents in Burleson and my parents met us there. She did pretty good on the drive for a baby. :) Momma did have to jump back and sit between two carseats though so I'm thankful for our very spacious van! Woo hoo! 

Claire also got to meet her Aunt Heather!

She's also had to experience being apart from me a little more. Blake graduated with his masters from OC this month and so we had a sweet gal come to babysit during the graduation. So that was a first for Claire to not have family watching her! Another first was that we left both girls overnight with Blake's parents for an overnight anniversary date downtown. She survived!! Ha! Lots of firsts for this girl this month!!

Something else that's been new is that on Sundays instead of bringing a bottle, I'm nursing her in the nursing room and letting her nap as a rock her. I never really did this with Kate- y'all- it is the best. These sweet moments of holding my sleeping baby are so special. 

Motherhood continues to challenge me in new ways every day. The balancing act of caring for two children is still an adjustment, but we're figuring it out little by little. I'm savoring these baby days. I'm watching her grow into a toddler right before my eyes. It's an amazing process. I don't always get it right, but I'm thankful for God's grace. I'm humbled all the time on this journey. I'm grateful for all of the women who inspire me and encourage me to be a loving mother. :) 

Claire is 8 months old!

Claire is 8 months old! So much has happened in these last few weeks that it truly is unbelievable to me that she's only one month older. 

Warmer weather means more time outside. There is something so special about watching a baby discover the outdoors. While the windy days of Spring have kept us inside a bit, we enjoy the times when we get to go out and play. Claire had her first swing ride at the park this month! She loved it! 

Claire's first Easter was a full affair! A church egg hunt, plus plenty of fun at home and with family. She was able to wear Kate's first Easter dress, which of course, was special! 

Another fun event this month was her Great Aunt Janine's 70th Birthday party. While, in my haste I didn't get a picture with our birthday Aunt, I did manage to get pictures of her with Great Aunt Ann (visiting from Nebraska), and Great Aunt Mary (visiting from Texas), both of whom are my dad's sisters. 

Aunt Mary brought her special baby dress with her for Claire to try on. There are pictures of many of the girls in the family wearing this little dress. Absolutely precious. 

 Claire is continuing to discover more around her, and grow stronger. She loves to chew on toys. She is usually interested in whatever you put in front of her, but she has an exceptional interest in phones and remote controls. ;) She sits well on her own and we are starting to put up a lot of our baby gear! 

She's sitting up well in the bathtub too! She loves her bath time. 

She is an active girl! She loves to be standing up and walking (with help). She has almost got crawling down. She tries to crawl forward, but usually just ends up going backwards. This of course, frustrates her. She wants to be moving ALL the time, so I know she will be quite pleased with herself when she can move about independently. I'm not rushing it though!!! 

Her active nature is evident in her sleep as well. She moves all over her crib. She sleeps pretty well at night, waking up a couple of times to eat. No big changes in her sleep habits. Usually one long nap in the afternoon, with occasional cat naps at other times in the day. 

I had envisioned introducing her to lots of new foods this month, but all we got around to was green beans. So we have green beans and butternut squash- usually 2 ice cubes worth per day. Still nursing it small bits many times each day. If she drinks a bottle, she usually just has about 3 ounces, or she doesn't drink anything and just waits for me! Ha!  

She LOVES the Busy Town cube! It's one of her favorite things right now. Kate still likes it too... we are really getting our money out of it!

Update on her skin issues. Her eczema has been such a huge battle for us. I generally prefer to use natural treatments, because conventional treatments seem to only be a band-aid for things like this- not a solution, but we were in desperate need of a band-aid. So I reached out to her doctor for some help. 

She went on an oral steroid and a topical one, and meanwhile we found some natural methods to help us out at well. I will say the medications did heal her up, but as soon as she stopped taking them it started to come back. I'm thankful we've found some natural ways to help with maintenance. She is doing much much better now! If you're interested in what we are doing, you can read... if not... scroll to the bottom! 

One of the best solutions I came across was Apple Cider Vinegar baths! I know that these are helping because I've started taking them and they are helping the eczema I was dealing with after not being able to use my old lotion recipe. We are giving both the girls 1 ACV bath a week- warm water, 1 cup of Braggs ACV and 20 minutes of splashing and fun. They love it. 

Another life saver has been this Olive Oil Liquid Castile Soap from Country Rose Soaps.

Most castile soaps contain coconut and other nut oils, this seems to be a truly one-of-a-kind product. I can use it as a base for hand soaps, house cleaners, even detergents. We bought a bar soap version to use at bath time. It seems to be very gentle on her precious skin, and it's the very first soap that's been easy on her!  SO thankful for this find because literally everything has coconut in it. 

We've also found a laundry detergent by Grab Green Natural that seems to be working well. Laundry soap is another product that tends to have coconut (of some form) in it no matter what brand you are looking at. We were using a laundry ball instead of soap, but it wasn't getting out breast milk stains so I needed something else. We still do a double rinse on her clothes, but I feel good about this product. 

Lastly, I've FINALLY found us a lotion. I have to make it, but it works! That is what matters. Olive oil, beeswax, and water. That's all that's in it. It's working on me and my girls, and it's affordable to make. You can find the recipe for it here: Olive Oil Lotion 

I'm so thankful we've found a way to manage our little Claire's skin. We've come a long way this month with that and I'm so thankful. We have a follow up appointment with a dermatologist next week so I'm interested to hear what she'll have to say. We'll see! 

We are ending out the month with a cold- of course! Motherhood keeps me on my toes, but I'm so very thankful for my girls, and especially that I get to stay at home with them. The opportunity to spend each day with my girls, getting to know them, discover with them, love on them- that is truly the greatest venture I could ever take on. I'm thankful for this ride!