One Month Already!

Time has never flown by so quickly as when you are a parent. The days used to drag on into weeks and a year seemed like it took forever to pass. Once they place your child in your arms it seems time switches to warp speed and a year is over before you know it! It still seems like yesterday that Emma was born, but she will be three in a matter of months. Jacob is already a month old and changing more every day. It's amazing and makes me cherish each little moment.

Reality Check

I'm playing single mom right now. That's what I say when Tim is away. He left yesterday for PA for training (for work) for a week. And, of course, Emma got sick yesterday too. It never fails when Tim is away for more than a day, Emma gets sick. So, mom and dad move out tomorrow (their house is finally done being built), Tim is away, Emma is sick and I am learning to be a mom of two! Talk about a reality check :-) I pray each day for patience and grace, a couple things I think all moms could use a lot of. And, I'm trying to enter this week with no expectations. So, if I don't get things accomplished that I want to...no big deal. If the house is a mess all day long...no big deal. If I don't get a wink of sleep, because Jacob eats every 3-4 hours and Emma is coughing all night...no big, wait that's a big deal. But, you get what I'm saying.

Two kids is a lot different than one. I knew that going in, but it's still a big wake up call. Double everything, twice the demands, twice the love, double the joy. We're adjusting well I think and we're all settling in to our new roles. It's already been a month (well, on Thursday) since Jacob was born. I can't believe how quickly that time has passed! It's seems like it's gone faster than when Emma was born. Maybe it's because we're busier. Jacob is doing wonderful. He's a big eater, but not the best breast feeder, so I've resorted to pumping. He's growing well and thriving. He's really paying attention to when we talk to him. He looks at you with his big, curious eyes and you can just tell he wants to talk back to us! He lays on his activity mat and watches the little bird fly back and forth and really likes the fish mobile that rotates on his swing. It's amazing how much he has changed in one month and I look forward to (though not rushing) all of the milestones he will experience in the future.

Emma seems to be adjusting well to her new role as big sister and mommy's helper. She really loves Jacob and can't wait to see him in the morning or after her naps. Emma is learning to be gentle, which she never really had to do before. She is also in the middle of potty training and is doing well with that too. I wonder what their relationship will be like and hope it's not like my sister and mine was when we were growing up. We weren't best friends until I was an adult. I'd really like Emma and Jacob to be close for their whole lives, even as children. I guess we'll see what the Lord has in store for us and what new adventures He leads us on.

Parenthood, a Blessing!

Wow! I'm writing this from a mom perspective, but I think I can probably speak for Tim as well. Just change mom to dad for his perspective :-) I am so blessed! More blessed than I could have ever imagined for myself. Sometimes I wonder what good deed I did to have deserved such a wonderful husband and two beautiful, healthy children! I sometimes feel unworthy of such 'wonderfulness'!

You may have heard me say before that a child is the greatest gift God can give a person (2nd really to salvation, but great still). When I had Emma, I said that God had entrusted me with the biggest job a person can have, to raise a child in the likeness of God Himself. What a task! It's sometimes so overwhelming. What a trusting God to give me one of His precious children to raise, to love, to care for, to guide. But I can do it. Just like everything else in life, God doesn't hand us something we cannot handle, something we cannot accomplish. All He asks is that we trust wholely in Him and rely on Him for all our needs. That's something I'm still working on, but strive each day to do. That is how I will be successful in raising His two precious children!

Emma and Jacob are the two greatest joys in my life, and Tim (not in a religious sense) is my salvation, my rock and my humor when I cannot find my own. Bringing Jacob home has been both joyous and challenging at the same time. Once again I find myself adjusting to being a new mom, the demands a nursing newborn has on my time, my energy, my body. Then I find myself helping Emma adjust to her new role in the family, no longer the baby but a big sister and an incredible helper! She really loves Jacob and loves being involved in his care. She talks to him when he's upset and crying and the first thing she asks for in the morning is to see Jake. She really loves him and I am so thankful for that!

Well, parenthood continues with it's joys and challenges, ups and downs. We'll stumble, we'll fall and we'll pick each other back up and move forward. It's fun, it's hard work, it's frustrating and joyous. But the only thing that matters is that God has blessed us incredibly!

Baby Nold has Arrived!

Yes! Our new bundle finally made his grand debut. Yes, I said "his". Jacob Stone Nold arrived Thursday January 10th, 2008 at 9:37 am. He weighed in at 9lb. 4oz. and 20 inches long. He has blonde hair and is absolutely adoreable. His big sister, Emma, is so proud and loves being a big sister! She is so anxious to help with everything and really enjoys holding him. We're working on "sharing" him with others and that may take a while. Mom and baby are doing well and we are all adjusting. Enjoy the photos and check back often for more Adventures in Family Life!

Patience is Not My Virtue

I've never really been a patient person. I'm the kind of person who likes to know what's coming next, I like to plan and I'm not very big into surprises (although when it comes down to it I do like them).

Patience is proving to be stretched very thin these days. I am 37 1/2 weeks pregnant and very, very excited and anxious to meet our new baby (not to mention very tired and uncomfortable). At this point in pregnancy with Emma, I was not dialated or effaced (meaning my body was doing nothing to prepare for labor). This time, I am 50% effaced and 1 1/2 cm dialated. True, this could mean I could go into labor today or in 3 weeks, but the positive side of me is hoping for the first possibility.

I'm praying daily for patience, for a healthy baby, labor and delivery. But, really what I want to pray for is to meet our baby today, tomorrow, even the next day. I think when it comes down to it I am just afraid of going too much longer, the fluid retention, the weigh gain, the discomfort, the anticipation...It's really not my plan, I know. But wishful thinking is okay, right?

Our New Adventure

You all know that Tim and I never lead a dull life. We got engaged, bought a house, got married and got pregnant all within 8 months. Then, just when life was starting to be normal again, we got pregnant again while beginning a huge remodel on our house. Adventure must be our middle name! So, we thought it would be fun to keep you all updated on the happenings and adventures in our lives!

We have really enjoyed keeping you updated on Emma and how she is growing and learning. We would really like to keep you updated on our new addition, when she/he arrives, as well. But, I thought two websites would be too much to manage, since you have already seen how well I keep Emma's site updated. Emma's own site is going 'bye-bye' and we have adopted this new family site to keep you updated on everyone. Being a work at home mom of two will prove another adventure, but we'll do what we can to keep you updated with blogs, blurbs and photos.

Stay tuned with us to the new adventure that's about to begin!