A date with Zoe

I took Friday off to be home with my people. Because I normally don't get Fridays off, we decided to plan a date with Zoe.

Downtown is a children's museum that has a toddler time on Friday mornings. We packed up and headed out for some fun.

They have a sports themed exhibit right now, which is right up Zoe's alley. She loves to play ball.

There was a really tough bouncing exhibit. You have to try and do a bounce pass into a hole behind the glass. Zoe was more into holding onto the ball and rolling it under the glass.

Then we found the water current table. Daddy created some white water rafting for the plastic boats. Zoe helped. She didn't like his zig-zags, so she rearranged and then watched her boats fly down the rapids.

Then we made it into the arts and crafts section. We each made paper fish. This is Zoe's "kay" pose. When you repeat what she said, she puts her hands into fists and says "kay." I think she was done with her fish and ready to watch the boats on the water again.

Because the water table had another round of rafting guides, we decided to head across the street to Red Robin for lunch. Here she is pondering what we would do next on our date.

Fortunately we were close to Riverfront Park, which is one of the largest parks in Spokane. You can feed the ducks, ride some carnival rides and in the summer play in the fountains.

Today, we decided to introduce Zoe to one of both N's and my favorite pasttimes. The carrousel. Spokane has an original Looff carrousel, built in 1909. It's gorgeous.

It's safe to say we have another generation who will count the carrousel as one of her favorite childhood memories. She said, "weeeeeeeeee" the entire time. When we got off, she was ready for round two.

There is no better way to spend Good Friday than with the two, greatest blessings in my life.

Friday Five Faves - The Gymnastic Edition

We had a bit of a scare this week. Wednesday I got a call from the YMCA. Zoe was the only one registered for the Jumpers gymnastics class. They were either going to cancel the class or switch her to a different time.

Obviously I would be heartbroken if the class were cancelled, but switching wasn't an option because Thursdays are the best day for us.

I'm not going to lie. Tears were almost shed at the fact that she wouldn't be able to wear her new leotards and be so cute in a gymnastics class.

On Thursday morning I spoke to the director at the YMCA and they decided to change her class to a private lesson. Miss Mandy was willing to work on Thursdays just for us.

Both Zoe and I are so glad she did. Here is our gymnastic in action:

During the obstacle course. She loved it so much she didn't want to quit.

Climbing up the wedge on the course. She's a natural.

Playing with the bubbles.

Posing a bit during the bubble session.

Her classic dismount pose.

After all the climbing, the bubble popping and some crying, she got a lollipop and two stamps on her hands.

It was an absolute blast. We can't wait for Thursday again.

Jaidean Baker Photography

I'm one of those moms who always have their camera in hand, ready to capture each moment of our life.

Because of this, I'm hardly ever in pictures. Mainly that's not a big deal to me because, well, I don't really like my picture taken.

Due to this, Zoe is a little camera shy at the studio during her photo shoots. If you've seen her pictures, you might think it doesn't look that way. Yet, it takes a good 30 minutes to stop the tears and get the smile.

I've been in search of a photographer in Spokane who can take candid shots of our brood, outdoors to capture us as a family. Rather than posing us.

For a few months I've been following a photographer named Jaidean Baker. Her photos of families are amazing. She seems to capture the soul of the family in her shots. Right now she's doing a giveaway on her site. Check her out. If you like what you see, enter to win. I'm positive you won't regret it.

Welcome spring, we've missed you.

After the hardest winter I can ever remember, spring is finally starting to show itself. Not a moment too soon either.

We hit 66 one day this week. It was absolutely glorious!

With spring comes lots of playing outside. Zoe is a girl after her momma's own heart. She'd rather play in the dirt and with water than anything else.

Which is perfect since the nurseries in town have opened their greenhouses. We got a flat of pansies to plant in Zoe's very own pot.



She totally stopped, said "cheese" and let me snap a picture of her. She's totally a scrapbooker's kid.

The we totally had to fill up her watering can with water. That you can get from outside. For a 2 year old, it's the coolest thing she's ever seen. Water, straight from the house and just for her.

The finished product. I can't wait for it to grow.

Resurrection Cookies

This weekend my mom came over to do a little baking project with D & E. She found a recipe for Resurrection Cookies. The making of the cookies tells the Easter story. It was the coolest thing.

The only thing we would do differently is to add less pecans. Here is the recipe:

1 C pecan halves
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 C sugar
Zipper baggie
wooden spoon
wax paper
tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 100 F. Place pecans in a zipper baggie and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

2. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

3. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into teh bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27

4. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetness part of the story is that Jesus died because He loved us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

5. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

6. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper and cover cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66

7. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' follwers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22

8. On resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection day, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

The cookies were indeed cracked.


And hollow. Which is where a few less pecans would've shown that better.

The girls loved the story, making the cookies and realizing they were hollow the next morning.

Due Date

In September 2006 I was given April 6th as Zoe's due date. I looked forward to this date and thought it was the perfect time of year to be born. When the seasons are changing, the flowers are blooming. It was the start of my new role as a mother.

I know I frequently talk about Zoe's birth, but when something unexpectedly changes how you view life and more importantly, deepens your relationship with God, days like April 6th bring all those memories to the forefront once again.

Hanging in Zoe's room is a poem that my mom gave to me before we even knew we were having a girl. It had a place for the ultrasound picture along with a place to mark the date of the ultrasound and the due date. On November 17, 2006 we found out we would be having a girl. That evening I filled in the information on the poem and placed Zoe's picture in there.

Forever it will read April 6, 2007 as her due date.

To see that brings tears of joy and tears of sadness. Joy that we are both here, both miracles that God allowed.

Yet there are tears of sadness. Memories really of all those days I spent in the hospital, so sick, so full of pain, so full of guilt that I could've done something from preventing my liver from rupturing. Memories of Zoe struggling to remember to breathe, being swollen from the C-pap machine, the IV's, the blood transfusions, the hours spent crying that I had to leave my baby for another day.

April 6th became to mean the date she may get to come home. Most preemies stay in the hospital until her due date.

After I was discharged, we had 7.5 weeks to go until April 6th. It was the longest 7 weeks of my life.

On April 2, 2007 we got the call we had been waiting for. We needed to bring an overnight bag to the hospital to spend the night with Zoe before she got discharged in the morning. I spent most of April 2nd at the hospital, learning CPR, how to use the oxygen mask should Zoe forget to breathe. It was the first night ever that I had spent in the same room as my daughter.

It was exhaustingly glorious.

She came home April 3rd, three days before her due date.

Yet April 6th seems to hold the meaning.

Today, April 6, 2009 Zoe is talking, running, dancing, tumbling, coloring, singing, cuddling, climbing and feeding herself, just like all other 2 year olds. On April 6, 2007 you couldn't have convinced me that in 2 short years the 6 pound baby that I cradled would grow into this amazing toddler that I get to love on daily.

Thank you Lord for my miracle. Thank you for making her healthy, strong, opinionated, smiley, cuddly and perfect. I am so blessed to be alive, by your grace, to watch her grow into this lovely, little girl. Thank you for teaching me, in those 7, long weeks to cherish each moment with her. You held her in that NICU and You hold her today. Thank you for blessing me beyond what I deserve.

Friday Five Faves - The picture edition

Last night was Zoe's first gymnastics class. Or so I thought! It starts next week, but isn't she so cute (even with the toilet paper roll cast!).

For Halloween Zoe was a butterfly with a tutu. She LOVES her tutu. So much she practices her jumps, twirls and kicks all evening.

Afterward she watches herself bow in the oven.

After all that work with the dancing and the getting ready for a fake gymnastics class, our diva took a few minutes to watch some cartoons.

I'm sorry for the totally mommy post, but that is my favorite role of all.