Poor Daryelle

Last week's babysitting attempt was a bust. Poor Daryelle (one of my senior students) arrived early, and Ziva seemed to be okay with her. When I left, she was sucking the strings of Daryelle's hoodie. But about 20 minutes later, just as my first parent-teacher conference was about to start, the phone rang. "She won't stop crying!" I heard over Ziva's screams in the background. I was torn! I told Daryelle I could run home after my first conference, but then I started to think that was a bad idea, and Ziva would just be worse when I left again. So after the conference I called to check in...still crying. I told Daryelle to just put her in bed and let her cry herself to sleep, which she did. I ended up going home after my morning conferences and let Daryelle go early, then Ziva came with me to my two afternoon conferences. It wasn't so bad....but now I know to let Ziva get acquainted early with a new babysitter! She's seen Daryelle since (with me) and was smiley, so maybe next time it will work out better.

Here are a few pictures from the last couple weeks. It's been cold, and it's been fun dressing Ziva up in some new clothes. We attempted the pumpkin patch this week on Vince's day off, but it was way too windy and cold, so we're planning to try again this week.

Daddy's littl girl! (big time!)

Ziva can't wait to open her new high chair. (The Bumbo seat no longer works as a feeding place....she squirms and bucks all over the place!)

Peek-a-boo!

Chillin' with Dad

Brrrrrr!

It's getting colder! And that means we've been able to dress Ziva in some of her new cute fall clothes. Check it out!

This outfit from Grandma is so cute! Especially with the hoodie!

Thanks to Kevin and Nicole for this adorable sweatsuit! It kept Ziva nice and toasty this morning when it was 43 degrees outside!

All bundled up after a bath

Tomorrow Ziva will have two new babysitters, a couple of my senior girls from school. School's out, which means no baby room, but we have parent teacher conferences, so we're trying out new sitters. It will be nice to add more people to the list of possibilities that we know we can trust! These girls seem great, so hopefully Ziva likes them. We know they'll love her!

Go Eagles!

Angie and Stephanie had matching Eagles onesies made for all the staff babies. They are so cute! Everyone wore their Eagle outfits Friday for a group picture, which didn't work out so well, but I got a few cute shots of Ziva before we left in the morning.

She doesn't have enough hair for the bow, so we had to improvise a little bit. Better than glue!

Ziva has become much more interested in playing, looking, touching, and squirming than eating, so we have to get creative sometimes with her feedings!

Playing with Mommy...she's almost looking at the camera!

It Takes a Village

This afternoon I got to see some very special people from my past. Kerwin and Vicki were like second parents...my best friend's parents, Sunday School teachers, and hosts of youth group central. Their family is bravely battling cancer, and they made a trip to Owasso to see some old friends. I was so glad to get to see them, even for just a few minutes. On my way home, I started thinking of how blessed Vince and I have both been in the area of investment...people investing in us.

We both have amazing parents that we love, and we are so thankful for all that they've taught us (and still teach us!), but we are also incredibly thankful for "the village" that came alongside our parents and poured their lives into ours. We have often talked about the special people that invested in us along the way, and I think those people are a huge part of our passion now to invest in teens.

One fun thing I always remember about Vicki is that anytime we did anything--watched a movie, went to camp, took a trip--she always wanted to know "What was your favorite part?" And my favorite part about Kerwin and Vicki is that people always mattered more than possessions. Their home was ALWAYS open to kids, which meant it wasn't perfect. We parked on their grass, we tracked mud on the carpet, we ate their food, we spilled their food on their furntiure and floor, we made messes in the bathroom and just about anywhere else....but we never felt even a hint of impatience, annoyance, or anger. Opening your home to half the teenagers in Owasso is messy, but we knew they loved us and that has eternal significance. A perfect house, not so much.

I love the Dees. Theirs was the house I went to when I first heard my mom's cancer was terminal, and I'm so glad that on that and many other occasions, their own agenda wasn't more important than their hospitality. Vince and I have already decided that ours will be that house in 10, 12, 16 years, and as long as we have kids at home. I'm thankful for the model I had in my own parents, in the Dees, and in many others, that people are more important than stuff. I pray that will be a lesson that Ziva learns not just from me and Vince, but from her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, friends...everyone that has been and will be a part of her village.

Free Hockey!

Here are a few pics of the little one this week.....

Chewing on her lower lip is her new funny little habit

This weekend Vince and I took Mitch and Rachel out for their birthdays (both in September). We went to dinner and then we went to see the Tulsa Rampage play. They're a minor league hockey team, and the game was so fun! They played at a pretty small rink so no matter where you sat, you were pretty much right on the ice, and we got to see a couple fights! They seemed a little staged, but the blood was real. Here you can see a little of the action....

We were really thankful for the free tickets Vince got when the team's owner came into his store. We have more tickets, so we plan on trying to go back, and maybe even see an Oilers game someday soon!

Grocery Shopping Tip

I know I always like hearing money-saving tips, so here's one I discovered, although it sounds (and is!) weird.

Of course, I think most people know you spend less at the grocery store if you have a list, and maybe even more if your list is based off of already planned out meals for the week. I usually do this, but lately I've started planning two weeks' worth of meals at a time, and shopping for them just once, and get this.....I spend about the same amount for two weeks' worth as I had been spending for one week! I know, it doesn't make sense, and I'm not sure how it's happening, but it is. Some of it may be from spreading my shopping all over town....the bread outlet store, Aldi, any other store with special sales, and THEN Walmart (this requires multiple trips with naps in between for Ziva, but it's worth it!). But however it's happening, I wanted to share it in case it will work that way for anyone else. Happy shopping!

Ultrasound Results

At Ziva's check-up last week, her pediatrician was a little bit concerned about some "uneven fat rolls" on Ziva's legs. She said it was probably nothing, but sometimes that can be an indicator of some hip problems. So, she recommended Ziva get an ultrasound just to make sure. We went to the hospital yesterday for her ultrasound, and she did great....she only cried when it was time for me to put her diaper back on (her new least favorite activity in the world!). And the results were good news...everything is completely normal. The radiologist was laughing during the ultrasound, because he said there was no way she'd be squirming around the table so much if her hip was dislocated! So that's the very latest in Ziva's world...I figured I would post her results after the fact, rather than beforehand when people could worry. :)

The weather is starting to cool off...we should have some fun fall outfit and outing pictures to post soon!