Recent Events in Our Life

Ezekiel has been taking more and more steps lately. He just gets so excited or wants to run much faster than his little legs can carry him that he gives up and does his speed crawl. I don't know if I have ever seen a baby crawl that fast. He went in to the doctor on Wednesday this week for his 12 mo. check-up. He was 16 lbs. & 14 oz. and 28 3/4 in. long. That means that he has gained around a pound in 6 months! I am absolutely baffled. Ezekiel eats more and better than Malachi. He's no where close to being turned around in his carseat. It is kind of sad, he's a year old, and we are still using the carrier carseat! I guess we'll start slipping Carnation Instant Breakfast into his soy milk to get him to gain weight. He eats well and is happy, but I guess his metabolism is extremely high due to his high level activity at such a young age. He is in the bottom 3% in weight, like the top 10% in height, and almost at a learning level of 18 mo. He really is smart for his age, just tiny!

Malachi is talking more and more often and speaking more and more clearly. He's really starting to SING and catch on to things quickly. He likes to sing his ABCs, Happy Birthday, Jesus Loves Me, Hot Dog Song (from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), Little Einstein's theme song, and two songs from My Friends Tigger & Pooh. On Wednesday evening as we were leaving for church, one of my favorite songs were on the radio (Amazing Grace [My Chains are Gone]) and Malachi starting singing the song. It probably helps that I like to belt the song each time it comes on. I love it! This evening, when we were leaving Lowe's, a song was on about Christ being "Holy, Holy, Holy." Malachi was singing along with, "holy, holy, holy." This realization of how impressionable my children are and how hard I have worked to make our lifestyles to be those that are excellent examples to our children, is mind-blowing! I love to hear him sing. It melts me through and through.

Last week I noticed that he had cut 3 of his 4 two-year molars. It's about time kid. Ezekiel has had 6 teeth for at least a month now. Daniel & I still have all our teeth. He, he, he:)

In just a few days, Daniel and I will be traveling with 187 eighth graders to the Outer Banks for 3 days. The boys will be with grandparents (all different ones at various times).

I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown but am working to resolve that this week. I'm just too stressed & tired. I have been more sick in the past 6 months than I have been in the past 6 years. It's not fair to my family or to my students at work. Daniel has a different possibility of a job change to what he wants and is called to do. Please pray!

We just bought a new dishwasher and disposal for our house. The dishwasher sounded like it was about to fall apart into a gazillion pieces and spill water all over the place. We got a good deal, and Daniel installed them both. The boys had fun today playing in the box (or should I say, house).

Malachi is using the g and k sounds some now but not always. He's impressing me with his memory and how attentive to certain things that he is.

Here are some birthday pictures as well as some others!

Oh, look Mommy! A forward-facing carseat that I can't use before I gain at least 3 pounds!
It was just what you asked for me, before you learned that I just don't gain weight. Ha, ha!

I love my cake, Momma! Thanks for letting me feed myself with a big ole spoon.
I enjoyed every bite, once I finally figured out that being messy was ok.

From this (Feb. 2007)

To this (Feb. 2008)

What a big boy!