Happy Easter from Maddie!

Happy Easter from my precious little Easter bunny! (picture taken yesterday at an easter egg hunt at church!)

I am so excited for MK's first easter! We have a precious easter dress thanks to Gigi and her easter basket (that I made her!) is filled... we're giving her a stuffed animal lamb and a "Gigi God's Little Princess" book and DVD, I also have plastic easter eggs that I'm going to fill with her favorite Happy Baby puffs. Mom and Dad got her the sweetest little angel doll and stuffed bunny...this girl is officially spoiled!

Good Friday and Easter always makes me think more deeply about my savior… and this year I find myself praying this prayer over and over again:

“God, please bring my precious baby Maddison to know you, capture her heart so that she grows more in love with you everyday. Help her to see that she needs a savior and that you are the only one. Help her to serve you all of her days.”

There is nothing that would bring me greater joy in this life than for Maddie Kate to accept Christ as her Lord and Savior. I know that all I can do is pray for her, teach her, and be an example for her… God’s got to do the rest! I am so thankful that I came to know the Lord at a young age, thanks to my wonderful Dad. I can vividly remember him sitting down with my twin sister and me when we were 7 and sharing the gospel with us…and in our child-like faith we prayed a prayer very similar to this: “Dear Lord, I am sorry for all of the wrong things I have done, thank you for dying on the cross for me and washing my sins away. I ask you to come live in my heart, to be my Lord and my Savior. I love you, Amen.” Now, it took a lot longer for me to figure out what this faith meant personally to me… I didn’t know the true joy of being in Christ until I was a teenager.

I hope that you know Him today…I hope that you experience the peace and joy of being in Christ.

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Teaching MK "Why?"...

I can’t believe I will have an 8 month old at the end of this week! It seems like yesterday she was 3 months. Please tell me this slows down, it’s breaking me heart! I may be biased (actually, I know I am!), but she is the sweetest, cutest little girl I know! Our future kiddos have a lot to live up to!

Yesterday in church Todd said something that really hit home with me… that we should not just teach our children the moral “what” but we should teach them the moral “why”… I am certain that discipline is just around the corner in our house. MK doesn’t quite understand what “No” means, but it’s only a matter of months before she will. I want her to know why there are rules… not just what they are. If all I do with MK is give her a list of the dos and don’ts she’s going to be following the rules out of obedience and fear of punishment. But, if I can teach her the heart behind our obedience, she will be obeying out of love, respect and honor for the Lord! I want her to know that there are rules because God loves us and has our best interest at heart… he’s not a cruel dictator, he’s a loving Father! Check out Todd's sermon on Watermarkradio.com, the parents part is at the beginning so even if you just have time to listen to that it's well worth it!

So, I’ve been pouring over scripture for answers. There really is no situation you can find yourself in where God’s word can’t help you! The 10 commandments say in Exodus 20: 12 “Honor your mother and father. Then you will live a long full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Obedience to your parents is also found in Ephesians 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother “things will go well for you and you will have a long life on earth.””

Verse 4 of Ephesians 6 also says “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

So what is the instruction that comes from the Lord? I love this passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-9: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commandments I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hand and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

If I am to bring Maddison (and future children) up with the discipline and instruction of the Lord, then I’d better know what that is and follow it myself! I don’t have all of the answers… and I am sure that it will be a growing process. It simply comes down to me being willing to be lead by Christ like Isaiah 40:11 says so beautifully “..He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” I am thankful that I can rest in that passage. He will lead me and as a result, will also lead Maddison!

Our new house...

No, we didn't buy a new house... but my house has changed forever… from now until I die our home will be not just be Mike and I’s… it will be our family’s!

Now, it’s a place for Maddie to explore, discover, learn new thingsWhen she’s in elementary school it will be a safe, familiar spot When she’s in high school it will be her domain, her room will be her spaceWhen she’s in college it will be the place she longs for and to break free from all in the same breathWhen she’s an adult with a family of her own it will be where she comes for holidays and vacations

How am I going to make our home a happy, joyful, kind, respectful place? I am so thankful for a wonderful community of young moms a Watermark who help me with very practical tips… if you want to check out the Building Blocks message on creating harmony in your home (because as women, wives and mothers we really do set the tone for our homes!) it’s right here: http://www.watermarkradio.com/ click on the parenting section and it’s under the 2011 Building Blocks Series

On a shallow note here are some other things that have changed around here:

-There are toys EVERYWHERE! I mean not just in the new play room (pictured below...which used to be a formal dining room…bye bye Thanksgiving dinners!) I mean everywhere. I can’t walk in a room without finding a toy!

-Our guestroom bathroom is now Maddison’s… there is a baby tub, a pink and brown stripped curtain and a painting with birds on the wall… sorry guests!

-There is a high chair at our table with 5 half chewed/slobbered on Happy Baby puffs in the seat and a variety of homemade baby food splattered all over it (it’s impossible to keep clean!)

-I have two drawers dedicated to bibs and burpcloths and one full cabinet that's home to 10 bottles, 2 sippy cups, 10 bowls, 8 spoons, some back up jarred babyfood, Plum Baby Oatmeal and three containers of Similac Advance in my kitchen... not to mention the counter space for a bottle drying rack... oh and half of my freezer that's full of Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Broccoli, Peas, Carrotts, Mango, Blueberries, Cherries, Avocado, Pears and Peaches lovingly steamed and pureed by yours truely!

-Instead of just housing our lawn equiptment, our garage now has to find room for a jogging stroller and two bikes with a baby trailer.

But guess what: I wouldn’t trade it for a single day without my sweet Maddison! I'd happily live in a toy house with a pink bathroom with babyfood splattered everywhere and no counter or freezer space if Maddison lived there too! Can you tell that I am just head over heels in love with this little girl? :)

Speaking of the play room, I am working on a new art project… I am looking for a black board (anyone know where I can get one cheap?!) to put on the wall so we can start learning (silly I know, but it’s never too early!) and I am going to surround the black board on both sides with canvases that have ABC and 123 on them. Here’s the colors I’m going for… I think it’ll look pretty cool with the contrast of the black board and our tiffany blue walls! Since Mike and I are trying to really live on a budget rather than just track our spending (novel idea right!) it’s a slow work in progress… but thanks to Hobby Lobby always having something I need 50% off and their 40% off coupons, we should be done by May!

Getting a new name... a BIG change!

When you have a baby, everyone in the family gets a new name... Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle. My new name is "Mom"... or "Mama" as Maddie says. My precious Maddie has no idea that "mama" means, but when she says it (which is very rare!) I jump for joy! I pick her up and repeat "Yes, I am your mama and I love you so much!" and she giggles and smiles! I can't wait for the day when she says "mama" and she really does mean me!

However adorable it is when my little girly girl babbles those two syllables, that word has so much meaning behind it. Just think about the word "mom"... what comes to mind? Most everyone will think of thier mom... and all of the good, bad and ugly that is assocaited with them. My mom is wonderful... she is the most loving, wise, Godly woman I know. I only hope that I can be half of the mom to MK that she is to me. I have big shoes to fill!

Thinking about taking on the role of a mom to MK (and our future baby(ies)) alone is so overwhelming... we are all destined to fail! It's just our human nature. We are broken people... we are angry, selfish, impatient, prideful people... and those kind of people don't make good parents! But thankfully I am not going at it alone! I have the perfect parent on my side! He is loving, kind, patient, selfless and humble. In fact, He loves us (his children) so much that He gave up his only son for us... Can you imagine that? So, instead of getting overwhelmed when it's just one of those days (you know what I'm talking about moms!)... I can be confident that if I am digging into Christ, He will provide just what MK needs in a mommy through me!

"... My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me"- 2 Corinthians 12:9

And we're back!

So... It's been almost a year since we've posted on here... but I figured it was time to start back at it again! Lots of things have changed (the picture above, pretty much sums it up!)

I changed the name of the blog... because it is so true... having a baby changes everything:

Your marriage

Your body

Your bank account

Your house

Your car

Your friendships

Your "free time"

Your weekends

Your name

Your family

and this is only the first few that pop to mind!

Don't get me wrong, the changes aren't bad... just change... and change can be challenging/joyful,/fun/wonderful/hard all at the same time!

But, I wouldn't have it anyother way! So I hope you join with me as I chronicle how much life is changing... every day, every hour, every minute around here!

I can't believe I am 6 months pregnant!

A 6 MONTH BABY AND A 6 MONTH BELLY!

So, it's been quite a long time since I've updated this blog... and so much has happened since my last post!

Our 20 weeks appointment was the first sonogram we had since our very first one at 7 weeks when Sprout looked like a gummy bear! It was so amazing to see our little sprout actually looking like a baby! Sprout was very still and cooperative with the sono tech when she was looking at Sprout's brain, heart, stomach, kidneys and spine. Everything looked great... 4 chamber heart with working valves, two seperate kidneys and an intact spine with no signs of spina bifida. However, Sprout was very shy when it came to showing off his/her parts! Sprout was sitting on his butt and would not move despite the sono tech giggling my belly and me moving from side to side! The sono tech told us that she didn't see a "spout" so that Sprout was most likely a girl. It was hard to not get super excited, since there was a good chance that Sprout could still be a boy. But of course, we had to share our good news... and I had to go out and buy some adorable girly outfits (with bows of course!) for Maddison Katharine (aka Maddie or Maddie Kate). The rest of the OB visit was uneventful, gained a couple pounds which is good and I am on track in terms of weight gain. Maddie started moving around alot and I can feel her moving all of the time now... especially after I eat something and when I am going to bed. Mike always tries to feel her move, but when he puts his hand on my belly she stops moving... it's like she knows he's there! He finally got to feel her a couple nights ago which was so exciting for him!

We had our first baby shower on April 11th. Aunt Vicky and Uncle Matt were in town for our friend Heather's wedding so Vicky thought it would be fun to throw a shower for our Baylor friends while they were all in town celebrating Heather's big day. Maddie loves Aunt Vicky so much... she even kicked Aunt Vicky's hand before anyone elses! The shower was at an adorable tea room in downtown Plano. Sarah, Erin, Aunt Larissa, Aunt Lissa, Aunt Vicky, Uncle Matt, Lauren and Mike celebrated with us. Uncle Matt dominated in the games... he was almost perfect in estimating how large my tummy is and he won "funniest" picture of Maddison. Erin won the prize for "cutest" picture of Maddie. Maddie got a lot of adorable girly outfits and Vicky got her some classic books and little rattles and toys.

Mike painted Maddie's room a light green color and we refinished a glider that the Vogelaar's gave us. Mike bought me a sewing machine and I had so much fun sewing new cushions for the glider. I am hoping to make sewing my new hobby and maybe one day I'll be as good as Gigi (my mom). Maddie's room has all of her furniture set up already... we have a crib, dresser that will be a changing table for the first couple of months, a glider, book case and my American girl doll chest that Mike painted. Mom is coming in the middle of May to help me make curtains and Maddie's bedding.

our 24 week (6 month) appointment was today and we were anxiously awaiting it since we were going to see if Maddie Kate would be cooperative and show her girly parts (probably the only time EVER we will want her to spread her legs!). I also had a piece of cobbler that I made a couple nights ago right before we left so that she would be energized and move around for us! Well, the cobbler worked and she was very active! The sono tech said "congratulations, baby is definitely a girl!" Mike and I were so excited... and relieved that we don't have to return all of the girly clothes we bought for her! The sono tech took some measurements of her thigh bones and the circumferance of her head and told us that Maddie weighs about 1lb and 5 ounces. She should be gaining about 5 ounces a week. I am still hoping for a 6 or 7 lb baby...she better not take after her dad (he was 10lb!). She does have her dad and my dad's "beak" noses... which i hope she grows in to! The OB appointment went well... gained 4lb, which is right on schedule. I had some glucose in my urine, which may have been the cobbler... but I am getting my glucose tolerance test at our next appointment on May 19th. Hopefully I don't have gestational diabetes. We'll find out in a month...

We've got a fun couple of weeks/months ahead of us... two showers in May, Gigi coming for a visit to help make Maddison's room look amazing, visiting gigi and poppy for the Fields' family reunion... and then a long hot Texas summer!

Love yall!

Katy and Maddison

18 weeks...

So sorry it's been such a long time since i've posted... life has been a little crazy!

Since my last post Sprout has grown a lot, and mom has too! I have gained a total of 7lbs since becoming pregnant... most of it has been in the last few weeks since now I can hold down my food! In fact, I am now craving things, the latest being tuna fish subs from Subway! Even though I have gained weight, my baby bump is still pretty little... hoping it gets bigger soon! (I might regret saying that later!)

We purchased Sprout's crib today. We also found a GREAT deal on some random baby toys, blankets and such at a consignment expo at the Plano Center called Divine Consign. It is an orgnaization that holds a huge consignment sale for moms and kids twice a year in Plano and Grapevine. If you have kids or are thinking about having kids in the near future I would check it out (the next sale is in August). They only carry gently used high quality stuff. Their website is Divineconsign.net.

We find out the sex of Sprout in two weeks!! March 24th is the big day... and don't I will post a picture of the ultrasound and the results. Mike and I are both really hoping for a boy, but most everyone i know (including myself) have a feeling that Sprout is going to be a girl... we shall see! We have officially decided on a name for girl Sprout "Maddison Katharine Vogelaar" and our top boy name is "Noah Michael Vogelaar"... but who knows, those could change! :)

sorry the 4 month pic is poor quality...can't find my camera so we took it with the video camera... gotta find that camera!

Check back here on March 24th for gender news!

Katy and Sprout