Happy Holidays & I'm Back

I'm back to blogging...hopefully. I haven't posted in a while because it has been a crazy couple of weeks. Having a new baby at home and chasing around a very active 16 month old would have kept me busy enough alone, but on top of all that we had Christmas parties, Christmas shopping (I procrastinated), and snow plowing. I normally LOVE the snow...especially snow storms, but this year I could have done without so much right at Christmastime. Jer ended up plowing pretty much around the clock for a week straight. I actually think I got more sleep than he did even though I was staying up with Jace at night. I procrastinated on the shopping...mainly because before I had Jace it took all my energy just to walk into the store. I couldn't imagine actually doing some shopping too. Needless to say, I could have used Jer home to help with a new baby, Jordyn, Christmas shopping, and present wrapping but that was not the case this year. The holidays flew by and we stumbled through them. Hopefully now that the snowstorms are over for now and the parties are mostly done, Jer and I can settle down with our new family....and maybe I will post on the blog more regularly again!

Anyway, things are going well so far with Jace. He is a very hungry boy!! He is growing and healthy and that is all we ask for! Jordyn is adjusting quite well. She has her moments, usually when Jace is crying. When he cries, she cries...but it is a really face cry. I think she just wants some of the attention that he is getting at the time. She is quite a little helper already. She loves to bring Jace his bottle and pacifier and she always lingers at the diaper changing table to hand me everything I could possibly need and more for Jace's diaper change. Aside from that, she is keeping pretty busy in her new box (why did I even buy her Christmas presents??). She hangs out in her box with her books, dolly, pots and pans for hours at a time. It's quite entertaining.

Jer took some time off from work for the holidays and to help out with Jace. It's a good thing he did that since he spent most of his time off so far plowing. They don't have a ton of work right now so he might take another couple of weeks off. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I love having him home right now. We will see what happens though because he tends to go stir crazy very quickly!

Other good news in our family is that my brother and sister-in-law, Bryan and Katy, had a daughter, Rogue McKenzie. She was born 2 days after Jace on December 10. I'm sure Jace and Rogue will have a lot of fun playing together soon! Congratulations Bryan & Katy!! (Rogue would have gotten her own post, but things got too crazy around here. Sorry Rogue...we LOVE you!

That is our house in a nutshell for right now. Here are some pictures:

So far, Jace hates having a bath

Jace and his new cousin, Rogue

Welcome Rogue!!

WELCOME JACE H VELDERMAN!!

Jer, myself, and Jordyn are so happy to announce that we welcomed a new baby boy into our family at 4:54am this morning (12/8/2008). His name is Jace H Velderman. He is 9lbs, 8oz and 21 inches long. Mom and baby are doing wonderful!! My water broke at home at 1:00am and I started having contractions about 1 hour later. We got to the hospital at 3:45am and I was dilated to a 9 and I had him an hour later. He came so much quicker than Jordyn! Jordyn is staying at Grandma Dirette's house and is probably being spoiled!! She was already here to see her new baby brother. She was more excited about his balloons though! Here are some pictures for you:

We are so blessed. Praise and thanks to God!!

It's Finally Done!!

As most of you know, Jer and I recently decided to open up and remodel our loft (previously used for storage). We needed to make room for another addition to our family! We decuded the best thing for us to do would be to move our bedroom upstairs. Anyway, as of this past weekend, our loft/bedroom is finally completed. Here are some before and after pictures:

BEFORE

AFTER

Also, Jer got our outside Christmas lights up this weekend. Jordyn was quite teh little helper. Here are some pics of that:

Prettiest Mom

This is a poem that my mom forwarded to me. It is so true....you look at things so differently when you become a mom and you find a whole new appreciation for your own mom. Thanks Mom!!

I just wanted to share it with all the other moms reading.

Prettiest Mom

Before I was a Mom:

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never been puked on, pooped on, chewed on, or peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom:

I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy ove r a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom:

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom:

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

before I was a Mom.

Don't forget to give your child a hug today!

SNOW!!

Last weekend we got quite a bit of snow. While it snowed, Jordyn sat by the window saying "Ohhhh, ooooohhhh" over and over again, so Jer took her outside to see what all this white stuff was all about. She wasn't too sure if she liked it or not since she couldn't really walk in it.

Tip for Moms

Jordyn has had a cough that gets much worse at night for the last week. She is not sleeping at night because of it, which means I am also not sleeping at night. This is fine with me since I am up most of the night for bathroom breaks anyway, but I hate that she is not getting a good night's sleep. Anyway, last night after an hour of non-stop coughing, I got desperate! My grandma had mentioned that she heard rubbing Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottom of their feet and then putting socks on them will stop the cough. It seemed silly to me, but I actually found myself at Family Fare at 11:00pm buying Vicks Vapor Rub last night. I ended up trying it on Jordyn. It was a little scary for me since I am one of those paranoid moms who always follows the doctor's or medicine label's directions and my doctor did not recommend and the label said for children over 2 years. So of course after I applied the Vapor Rub I sat up with her for a little while to be sure she didn't have any reactions. I also sat up for another hour after putting her back down listening for her breathing on the monitor and checking on her every so often before I could finally sleep. Yes, I know, PARANOID! Anyway, I have to report that the Vicks worked wonders. She didn't cough even one more time!! She slept until 8:30am.......a good night's rest!

Ahhhh....now if only I could get a good nights rest!

I haven't posted in a little while now, but I don't have much to update you on. Jordyn continues to learn or do something new each day. It is amazing to watch her grow and learn. Jer continues to have work for now, but please keep praying for more as he does not have much. Jer went to the MI game on Saturday, but other than that he has been busy getting the house ready for baby. The baby and I are doing well. I am quite sore and tired, but I really can't complain. Everything has been looking very good at the doctor's appointments. Anyway, that is our life right now. I'll leave you with a few pictures:

Jordyn loves to "type". She will sit by the computer for hours if we would let her.

She also found the pots & pans cupboard. I put soap bubbles from the sink while I wash dishes into the pan for her and she "washes" the cupboards with them.

Jordyn has recently taken up reading. She will sit and look at her pile of books for hours.

Reading with dad & cousin Kendal

A couple weekends ago, Jordyn made her daddy very proud by choosing to play with the football over all her other toys.

Ready for church!

Helping dad winterize the boat

She will probably hate me for this one day, but what a cute butt-crack!

BIG GIRL POTTY!

I bought a potty chair for Jordyn a couple of months ago knowing that she is pretty young to start training, but thinking that it doesn't hurt to set her on it every once in a while to get her used to it. Plus, she loves sitting on little chairs so I figured what the heck! Anyway, we tried a few times a couple of months ago and she would sit on it and look at a book for a few minutes at a time. I ended up putting it away for about a month. We took it out today for the first time again and after about 3 minutes, Jordyn went potty!! (Yay!!) She was reading a book and I'm pretty sure had no idea that she even did anything, but I cheered for her anyway. I wanted her to know what I was congratulating her for so I had her stand up and showed her what she did. Before I could stop her, she immediately bent down and splashed her hands in it....GROSS!! So we also had a shower this morning :-)

Obviously this is my first time training and I will try to be quicker the next time. I'm sure I will have many more gross-outs to come!! In the meantime....

CONGRATULATIONS JORDYN!!!!

CARVING PUMPKINS & HALLOWEEN

Kendal & Jordyn picking out their pumpkins

Jordyn is really concentrating on getting all the seeds out

Our finished pumpkins!!

Our little lady bug!

Dr. Kendal & Jordyn

Jordyn sharing her candy with Elijah

Adam, Peyton & Jordyn

(Peyton loved Jordyn's antennas)

Jordyn's 1 Year Pictures

I am very late with these since Jordyn turned 1 on August 2nd. Technically, I am right on schedule since I have done all of her pictures late. Anyway, I need help! Andrew and Tiffany (www.marc-photography.net - check out their website; they do great work) took Jorydn's 1 year pictures and I can't decide which to pick since I love them all. The session was especially difficult since Jordyn was not in the mood for pictures and would not stay in one place. Andrew pretty much had to quick point and shoot which makes these pictures even more impressive. I have posted my favorites. Give me your input...please!!

You can check out all of the pictures on the website, http://www.marc-photography.net/ or on my facebook page. Thanks for your help!

Oh yeah...this one is not really in the running, but is too funny to leave out!