Our crazy month so far

WOW!! We have been a busy bunch this past month. Ever spare moment has been spent in out BIG veggie garden. We have had one for a few years, but it was always restricted to a small part of the back yard, b/c of the fence that was up. No more of that this year!!! We got ride of that ugly thing, and we extended the garden quit a bit. now it is about 125 sq. ft. big and beautiful. We will take some pictures as it grows to put up on the site.

Gracie was a great help while we were doing all of that work. When i was busy tilling up that fun Cheektowaga clay (the ground) she would play with Mckenzie on a blanket. Or while I was planting everything, she helped dig the holes.

During all of that outside craziness, Grace, was somehow...POTTY TRAINED!!! It took one month. I woke up one morning, said enough is enough. We use cloth diapers, and the washer was always going, b/c Gracie was always going. I tossed a potty video on for her a few times over a 2 day period, and got her excited about it. Then i used my friend Nancy's suggestion. We lived in the bathroom for 2 more days. It took her a little longer with pooping, but she finally did it. it is soooooo great. She is such a big girl!!! OH, and she has grown almost one full inch in the last month alone. Too big, Too fast.

One of the reasons i am so surprised how well Grace did with the potty, is b/c i have been a bit preoccupied with Mckenzie. We have been worried about her weight for a while now. She stared out SOOOOOO huge, that there is no text book reference for the ideal size of our, now, 61/2 month old infant. For the last few months she has weighed around the same amount, about 12.7-9, when she was born, she was 11.2. That is enough to make you look at the scale again.

However, i have now entered a new phase of motherhood. Arguing with the pediatrician. We like to consider ourselves to be very well informed, and education parents when it comes to many things that most parents don't even question; just simply nod there head to anything a doctor tells them. When it comes to the health, diet, and physical well being of our girls, WE DO THE RESEARCH!!! I know what is in formula, and I just don't want to give it to my kids. If other parents make other decisions with their kids, that okay. But we only get certain shots, we take the kids to a chiropractor more than to a pediatrician, I have my babies at home,and i breastfeed.

Over the last few months, with Kenzie not gaining much weight, i did more research, and prepared myself for what may be wrong. ( she is perfect, and exactly he way God created her to be, even if that, one day, isn't our idea of perfect.) After tons of questions to 1 chiropractor, 2 nutritionists, and 2 lactation consultants, I had my answer, and we figured out what needed to be done , but then the doctor called us last night. Although she was telling us that everything about the blood work that we had done on her 2 weeks ago was fine, she proceeded to advise me to give formula after i breastfeed her, for the next 2 weeks, just to help her to gain weight faster. Now, if i was an unquestioning parent, nodding away, then i would say,"yeah, sure", and do what she said. however, i have, since the blood work, in talking to all of those specialists, found what the problem is (was) and have taken action. we have noticed a difference in her already.

So, all that explanation, to simply say to everyone reading this blog, the concerned friends and family, we love you and appreciate all of your concern. God has a plan for his children, and for the health of each and everyone of us, and i am going to go along with that, whatever the outcome. We are, and always will take care of those beautiful gifts of the Lord, to the best of our ability, and knowledge. Mckenzie is a wonderfully, beautifully, God-woven creation, and she is HEALTHY.

Anyways, i will be posting some pics over the next few days, of both of the girls. i got some great ones of the girls in the pool, and gracie devouring a watermelon =).

This past week, the Lord revealed himself to our family once again, through overwhelming provision. He has always provided, but now it is in such HUGE ways. What a blessing that we can drop to our knees together, and be an example to our children to thank Him for everything...the good and the bad. And, WOW, is it amazing to say that example come to fruition. Gracie insists on praying before each meal. She grabs Mckenzie's hand and just starts mumbling, "Dear God, ......" And when she is scared about something at night, she says that she wants to pray about it. So fantastic!

We have all been busy getting our garden ready for the season. We are extending it quit a bit this year. We are going to plant a ton of EVERYTHING. We are going to work on planting extra so that we can give a bunch away. In the mean time, though, we have sooooooooo much tilling to do. and weeding out the grass that we are going over. That is the job that Gracie poo gets to help with. She is helping pull that grass out, and when it comes time to put the plants that we have started into the ground, she is going to help with that too. I never really understood the whole, "joy in gardening " thing, until we started to do the veggies. What a great thing to have a hand in feeding your family, and others. Getting out there in the morning to water everything.

I am sure that we will have a few pictures on here from our hard work out there. I just hope that i can take time to get those pics...I am sure i am going to spend a big chunk of my time out there trying to keep Gracie from eating ALL of the tomatoes...her favorite!!

More pix of my gifts from the Lord

I have to say that i am lovin' this blogging thing. it is reminding me to take more pictures...of everything. Helping me to grab those memories. they are going by so fast. Even if nobody is seeing this except us. We will remember. I love that i get to give glory to God for everything on here too. Its all from Him...the good, and the bad. and i will take it all, and praise him. We will do so as a family.













on her way to day care, she calls
it school, so we make sure to
bring her Dora backpack






Learning how to care for,
and love each other