The Fall Family

7 Months Old

2009-04-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's already time for another monthly update. Here he's making his 7-month debut!

This is how mommy carries me and the laundry at the same time!

He sits very well on his own and at this point I'm thankful he's not crawling. We're moving these next two weeks and it's much easier to corral a non-crawling baby while we get things in place. I can't wait to get his room all fixed up and painted.

If you look closely you can see my bottom two teeth!

The big news this month is that he's got 3 new teeth! He cut the two bottom ones in one night and the third one on the top came in about 2 weeks later. The fourth is ready to pop through at any moment. I'm thankful that the process wasn't too hard on him. Apparently while he was teething he also had a double ear infection for 2-3 weeks. The only reason we knew he was sick is that he coughed for over an hour one night and we took him the next day. He's had a few moments of fussiness but nothing terrible.

He is the happiest little guy and laughs all the time. His good nature has been such a blessing to us and we can't wait to see how he grows and changes. Despite some "spitting" (or raspberries) while eating, he's doing very well with solid foods. We're down to 3 feedings a day with a bottle only at 6:30 before bedtime. We've also transitioned him to two naps a day and he goes to bed around 7pm. Okay, that's it for this post. We've got the car packed up and we're headed to the new house to paint. Next post should be pics of the house after we get our things put into place. Look for an update in a couple weeks!

Easter

2009-04-25T05:06:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to play "catch up", so i'm going to put up a couple short posts so that I can upload some photos and get back to work on the house.

My Handsome Little Easter Dude

We enjoyed a beautiful easter day with familiy and friends. We started the day by attending Easter service at our wonderful new church. We really love our church and are so thankful that the Lord helped us feel right at home so quickly.

Checking Out His Easter Egg

Then off to lunch at Mom's house with the entire gang. We decided to have a BBQ and it was delicious. It was the first time we had fired up the grill since moving to TN. It's going to get a lot of use this summer.

We had all the cousins, except Kassie :o(

We also dyed eggs on Saturday with the cousins. Ethan wasn't able to do much other than hang out, but next year he'll be more into it. Okay, that's it for Easter...moving on!

Six Month Update

2009-03-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

We just had Ethan's 6 month checkup and we're blessed to have found a pediatrician we really like. The doctor says he's growing perfectly and is right on track. He's 15 lbs and 14 ounces, measuring 27 inches long. He's wearing 6 month size clothing and I've got more clothing in this size than he'll ever be able to wear!

He is so much fun and each day is something new. We just introduced solid foods and he's getting used to new textures and flavors. It's a messy process, but we'll all get the hang of it soon. We're starting with cereal and moving to veggies next..here comes the green mess!

He's sitting up on his own well, but he's a little like humpty dumpty if he falls to one side or the other. Now that he can roll onto his tummy, he usually finds his way from his back to his tummy in the night. He can't roll back onto his back purposely, but he does it from time to time in his sleep.

He continues to be a great sleeper and we're truly thankful. He goes to bed around 7:30 or 8pm and wakes up around 8 or 8:30 am. This allows James and I to have some time together in the evenings and I can still have my quiet time in the morning before Ethan wakes up.

He loves sucking his thumb and that's usually our first indicator that it's nap time. He has also recently located his feet and now that winter is coming to an end I can finally leave his socks off from time to time. My sister said she thinks she saw his bare feet for the first time yesterday. He's such a happy little guy and has a great giggle. He laughs all the time and is just a joy to be around.

"Big Boy" Chair from Grammy

Teething is not far off....lots of drooling and chewing on his fingers and toys. The pediatrician says he sees indicators of things starting to begin on the top gums. I hope and pray that he doesn't have too difficult of a time when they start popping through.

Our biggest challenge and greatest blessing since moving to Tennessee is that James is not yet working. We did not think it would take this long for things to fall into place, but we got some interesting feedback last week. James asked for candid feedback from a financial placement company he's registered with and she said that his biggest hurdle is the fact that we're "not from here". Apparently people make assumptions based on where we're from and he may be being passed over just due to that fact. This week we've received a couple encouraging calls, so we remain hopeful and know that God will continue to provide for us.

The reason I mention this in Ethan's update is that we've been so blessed to have James home with him since we moved here. Ethan is very fond of his daddy and watches his every move. They're great buddies. I think it's going to be a big change for both of them when Daddy goes back to work. A GOOD change, but an adjustment nonetheless.

"Our" First Home!

2009-03-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

What a blessing! We're in escrow on "our" first home. I emphasize "our" because when I met James he had some rental homes but they were all purchased prior to us meeting. This is the first home that we're buying together, for our family. (Hopefully, it'll be the last one for a LONG time). As many of you know, we originally purchased a lot here in TN and planned to build a home. However, due to the market changes, we can purchase a home for MUCH less than we could build at this point (not to mention we can purchase this home for MUCH less than we could purchase a 1-room condo in CA). Plus, building is a huge undertaking that we're not sure we're ready for. We'll see what the future holds, but for now we're keeping the lot and may build later.

View From The Street

The house is set on just over a half acre and as you can see, it is situated toward the back of the lot. I like how it's situated because it allows you to really see the house when you drive up. People do not landscape here in TN as much as we're used to seeing. I think that's because the lots are so big and there's a lot of natural green around the houses. The current home owner enjoys landscaping and has done the front and back of the house. As you can see in the photo below, the drive way is lined with Bradford Pear Trees (non-fruit producing) from the street to the house, as well as the other side of property line as well. They get these gorgeous white blossoms in the Spring time.

View From Top Of The Driveway

We are very excited that our house is only 10 houses up from the river (which also happens to be 8 houses up from my parents). From my parents from porch, you can watch the river. Through the grapevine, we've heard that the developer is supposed to put river access in our subdivision for boats at some point. We'd love to get a boat in the future and take advantage of that. One thing at a time!

Fire Pit, Raised Garden Bed, And Glimpse of The Fence

We hope to be able to plant a vegetable garden this Spring and enjoy the "fruits" of our labor before too long. Many people also do not put up fences here. Again, the larger size of the lots here make it costly to fence, and I think people just prefer a more open feeling. Thankfully, the man we're buying the house from enjoys a bit of privacy and has placed a nice, high fence around the entire back portion of the lot. Yeah!!

James' Domain, The Garage!
(and his riding lawn mower that comes with the house)

The garage is very tall and we're hoping to build some sort of storage loft into the front of this front area. James is excited to have a garage where he can unpack and use all of his tools again. Our project list is growing! Just for the record, I plan to also learn to use the riding lawn mower. However, my brother-in-law is convinced that I'll do it the first time for "fun" and that James will take care of it from there. I'll update later and tell you if he's right :o)

View of The Back yard

The backyard is quite large and we're looking forward to getting a small pool for Ethan & my niece to use this summer. You can see a couple trees in the picture, but there are several planted across the back of the fence as well. The current owner just put in a few peach trees for us too. James says it's the perfect size backyard for a lab, but I don't think that doggies are in the immediate future.

The Screened In Porch

Since we're from California, we're used to spending a lot of time outside when it's warm. Unfortunately, TN brings lots of bugs in the summer. A screened-in porch is the best of both worlds and we foresee being outside a lot when the weather allows. It also allows us to enjoy the outdoors when it's raining. This is one of our favorite features and we are feeling very blessed since most of the houses in our price range do not have the screened porches.

My Little Haven...or Should I Say "Heaven"?

The master bathroom is a dream come true. Honestly, it's almost exactly what we had our architect design when we had our original plans drawn up. What a surprise! In addition to this wonderful jacuzzi tub, there's a shower, "water closet" toilet, separate his/hers vanities (no more whiskers on my sink!), and 2, yes TWO walk-in closets. Not to mention the huge bedroom it sits next to. The house is only 4 years old and has only had one owner. It's in great condition and move-in ready. Our only changes will be style preference changes.

My HUGE Laundry Room!

Here you see our inspector checking out the laundry room. I love the extra cabinets, closet to the right and am very excited about the deep freezer that comes with the house as well (front left corner). I like to cook ahead and freeze things and be able to stock up when I see good deals at the grocery store.

View From The Bottom of The Driveway

A few more fun facts on the house. It's a total of about 2100 sq ft, has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and an office/guest room). We also have a very nice dining room and kitchen. The kitchen is a bit small, but we hope to do a bit of remodeling in the future that would open the space up a bit. Again, one thing at a time. Many have commented on our front porch. We love the look of the house and the way the porch makes it so inviting. The two lots across from our house are empty and the view of the fireflies coming out of the trees in the summer will be breathtaking! I'll try to capture that in pictures this summer somehow. We'll update as we get closer, but we're scheduled to close escrow in late April.

New Tricks

2009-03-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

Look who's got new tricks -- He can roll from his back to his belly, but unfortunatly hasn't mastered getting back yet.

He's also got a new sound, it's a low roar that we think sounds like a little lion.

A Little Playtime Fun

2009-03-02T12:21:00.001-08:00

Here's a video of Ethan enjoying his exersaucer toy and making lots of chatter. He talks so much when he's awake, and even as he's falling asleep sometimes. We can't fault him for being talkative, he comes by that quite naturally. Excuse Mommy's voice in the background, I was trying to get his attention. Enjoy!

A Video Snipet

2009-02-23T20:05:00.000-08:00

I've added a quick video clip of our little chatter box. I realize this isn't entertaining to most, but it is for grandparents who live in CA :o)

New Baby Pics

2009-02-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Our little guy is full of smiles and giggles these days. In this month's picture he's propped up in the corner of his crib as he's not quite ready to sit without help.

(Thanks Auntie Julie for the cool outfit!!)

He has entered the phase where he trys to put everything in his mouth, including repeated attempts to fit both hands in at once. He's the happiest little guy and everywhere we go he has smiles for everyone. He's very fond of his cousin Reyna and just lights up when she's around. He's started rolling from his back to his side, and just today we found him on his tummy when we heard him waking from his nap. Unfortunatly for him, he gets stuck on his belly (which frustrates him) until he learns to get that arm out of the way and roll back.

He continues to sleep through the night very well. He sleeps about 12 hours at a time. Yes, i've heard we're just "lucky" but, we put lots of effort into some good sleep training habits from the very beginning and it has really paid off. He began to sleep 8 hours at 10 weeks and quickly moved to a 12 hour stretch.

I've included the past two monthly photos since I was a blogging slacker for a while.
I couldn't resist the lips in this one!

He is about ready to outgrow this outfit that he was swimming in at 3 months. He's just started the 6 month sizes and i'm sadly packing away the 3 month sizes as they come through the wash.

Here's a picture of our "little man" in his jeans and button down shirt. No, I wasn't trying to match him with James. James' basic wardrobe is jeans and button down shirts.

(Thank you Plumb Family for the "big boy" outfit!!)

Playing Catch Up

2009-02-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

My Tiny Valentine

So i've been horribly lax at keeping up with the blog and here's why. I was trying to update from Thanksgiving (my last post before our life went nuts with moving) and it's just too much. Forgive me please. We're now here and we've got a routine (sort of) so I just start from here with a quick look at the past couple months.

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours. I know, I know, so many people think this is just a Hallmark holiday but i enjoy it. I woke up to Eggs Benedict this morning and James and I are going to see a the Wednesday afternoon matinee showing of Riverdance. I've always enjoyed seeing them on television and there is a troup touring through Knoxville.

James is still looking for a job and has submitted several resumes. We are confident that God will provide. We like the townhouse we're in (except for the stairs), but are anxious to settle into a home once James is working. Please continue to pray for us to find a job soon.

A few people have asked when they get to see photos of our beautiful surroundings, and the truth is...it's not really pretty here right now. The price we pay for all the green is a barren winter. Lots of "naked" trees waiting to bud and bloom. I'll post some photos when spring arrives with some traces of green.

We've found a church home and we really like it. We even started a new Sunday School class last week. It's been nice to get to know people. We have a real peace that this is where we are supposed to be for now. The people are super nice and my parents like it as well. I even left Ethan in the nursury last week for the first time (I had NO idea how hard that would be)!

Okay, more later, but this is our update for now.

Thankful Hearts

2008-11-27T12:29:00.001-08:00

We have much to be thankful for this year, and certainly too much to list in detail. In a quick summary I am thankful for a happy and healthy baby boy, a great marriage, a wonderful family, countless blessings of friendship, God's amazing provision, and the adventure that we call life. May you reflect on God's goodness & all that He has blessed you with today.

Baby's First Thanksgiving Outfit

The Bottom of the Feet Say "Little Turkey"

And, of Course, With the Matching Bib :o)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone !!!

2 Months Old

2008-11-24T09:04:00.001-08:00

Yep, he's 2 months old now. We don't go to the doctor until next week so I don't have his updated weight and length. He's giving little smiles here and there and he's starting to realize that he has a thumb to suck on.

Please read our other posts below, i updated on the entire past month. I promise i'll try to get better at keeping up!

Another Special Gift

2008-11-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

When James & I got married, my friend Dianna from work made us this beautiful quilt that matches our home. My quick snapshot does not do this piece of work justice, but know that it is gorgeous. We use it all the time and I must admit that it's been fought over on cool evenings. Okay, not a knock-down-drag-out fight....but if James had it and I wanted it I probably mentioned that although Dianna made it for "us"....she was really MY friend so i should have first rights. (Yes, i do realize that makes me sound like a 10 year old, and I'm okay with that).

Fast forward 2 years. I told Dianna that Ethan's pending arrival was a great opportunity to make yet another quilt to introduce into the Fall family collection. After all, we wouldn't want him feeling left out (wink, wink). I was thrilled when she decided to bless us with another beautiful gift.

The Entire Quilt

Close-Up Shots

More Close-Ups

Thank you Dianna, from the bottom of our hearts! We love this beautiful quilt and know it will be enjoyed for years to come.

Happy Birthday Daddy & Uncle Arnold

2008-11-24T08:33:00.001-08:00

Those of you who know us well, know that I've been blessed with a man that is far beyond my deserving. He's an amazing husband and is turning out to be quite a wonderful daddy as well. He didn't have a lot of practice with babies prior to Ethan's arrival, but he jumped right in with both feet and is great at it. Needless to say, I LOVE to watch him with Ethan. This year when we celebrated his birthday I had a different type of appreciation for my husband. The cool thing is, I think this will only increase with time. We celebrated Uncle Arnold's birthday too.

Reyna, Aunt Darlene, & Cousin Isabella

Grammie, Reyna & Auntie Ri

Happy Birthday Sweetie, We LOVE YOU!!

Trunk or Treat & New Friends

2008-11-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

On Halloween night we decided to walk through our church's Trunk or Treat event. I was a "non-festive" Mommy and didn't dress Ethan up in a costume, but that didn't stop him from getting lots of attention :o)

Meeting Sarah for the first time. She blessed us with lots of homemade burp cloths. Thank you Sarah...they've already been put to good use.

Meeting Grammy Trish. As soon as she saw him, he was kidnapped from me. It's amazing to watch other people love your baby.

After Trunk or Treat we headed to the Sladick's house for Chili & Pie. If you know Sladick's and have ever tasted their cooking, you know that is not an invitation to turn down! Delicious as usual, Carol.

Next to his friend Cabrey Sladick, she just turned one and she's quite a sweetie.

Chillin with Jen & Eddie. I can't wait for these two to have some kiddos...you guys will be wonderful parents.

A couple days later we had dinner with our friends Ron & Juliana. Ron is not so comfortable holding little ones so this picture serves as "proof" that Ron held the baby. Notice than Ethan is laying on a pillow and Ron is holding the pillow :o)

1 Month Old

2008-10-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I posted last, we've been quite busy since we arrived home from the hospital a few weeks ago. We've had several challenges getting his feeding regulated and I think we've found the right solution to keep our little man's tummy full and happy. So, we're feeling a bit more like ourselves lately and enjoying a less cranky baby.

Yes, i know...he looks like a little monkey...but it's a face a mother can love :o) This little puppy is from his Grandma. My mom and I were shopping at Pottery Barn Kids before his arrival and Grammy thought he just HAD to have this puppy. I'm sure he'll grow to love it as he gets older.

It's so much fun to see him growing. He is really starting to engage when he looks at us and i swear that smiles are starting...the kind that aren't followed by gas.

Ethan with Aunt Anne.

While visiting one day Reyna decided that her dolly carrier would be a perfect resting spot for her sleeping cousin. While we didn't let her carry him around, we did give in and let her hold him on her lap in the carrier. It was just the right size for him.

Check out those feet...later gator!

Our First Week Home

2008-10-06T20:42:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe that it's been a week since we brought the baby home. We are absolutely in love with our little guy...and yes, we're sleep deprived! We are very blessed that James could take two weeks off of work once Ethan arrived home. He's been a tremendous help and I think we make a great team. I am really going to miss him quite a bit when he goes back to work in another week. Until then, i'll savor each moment.

Speaking of savoring moments...i'm trying to do just that. I know that i'll turn around and Ethan will be a year old and i'll speak of this time period as if it were ages ago. I think we give him hundreds of kisses & snuggles each day. Here's a snapshot of some of his sweet moments and firsts this week.

Napping With Daddy

Baby's 1st Bath

Enjoying His Swing - He Loves It!

Waketime in The Bouncer - I've started using this for some of his waketime periods in the last couple days. I can put the bouncer on the ottoman and have him at eye level so he can see us.

Celebration for Mommy - He was able to go down for 3 naps today without being held until he falls asleep. Hallelujah!! I'll let you know if we keep it up through the night! :o)

New Faces

2008-10-06T18:45:00.001-07:00

This week we've had a few visitors and we've made a few outings. Here's some photos from our week of new faces.

Grandma (James' Mom)

Aunt Darlene, Uncle Arnold, & Cousin Isabella

Auntie Julie

Trip to ECCU (Mommy & Daddy's Work)

with Mary (Jessica's Boss)

Our wonderful friend Kelly

A Beautiful Gift

2008-10-06T18:22:00.001-07:00

In celebration of Ethan's birth, my friend Jamey in Pennsylvania sent us a beautiful gift. Gifts from Jamey are always very meaningful and unique. This little wooden block is from a company called Memories & Milestones. It looks huge in the photo, but the actual size is about 2 inches square. I would recommend this online company if you're looking for something unique.

Thank you for such a thoughtful gift Uncle Jamey...we love and miss you!!

Home Sweet Home

2008-09-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

All dressed up to go home. Coming home outfit
compliments of Auntie Ri.

A very happy mommy & daddy.

Mommy & Ethan ready to go home.

Meeting Grandpa

Grandma is in love

Counsin Reyna waited a whole 7 days to get to hold him
...a long time when you're only 6 :o)

Date Night

2008-09-28T15:19:00.001-07:00

Look at Those Lips!

Ethan & Mommy

Ethan & Daddy

Last night my sweet hubby took me on a dinner date to Spaghetti Eddie's. We had a wonderful dinner and talked about Ethan the entire time :o) Then we headed to the hospital to feed and visit the baby.

The Countdown to Coming Home

2008-09-27T17:14:00.001-07:00

Snuggling With Daddy Last Night

Look Mom, No Wires or Tubes on my Face!

Trying to Wake Him Up Mid Feeding

Sleeping Happily After Eating

We headed to the hospital this morning to get some great news. Ethan is scheduled to come home on Monday. His jaundice is gone, he's eating enough that it's eliminated the need for additional IV fluids, he doesn't need any more oxygen, and his infection counts are down to "normal"!! All this means we're on course to bring him home on Monday. They'll maintain an IV port in his foot so that they can administer the last few doses of antibiotics over the next two days.

The greatest thing for me is that I got to see him for the first time with NO tubes and wires on his face and head. Although the best placement for the IV is in the side of their head, it's just horrible to look at. He still has a few little red patches on his face from stuff being taped in place, but those will fade quickly.

We are truly blessed to have so many prayers and support from those who love us. There are many other babies who are MUCH sicker and families that have to plan for extended stays in the NICU. It's experiences like this that reinforce the things that really matter in life. Enjoy the new photos!

Life As We Know It - Has Changed

2008-09-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 22, God blessed our family with a miracle. On this first day of Fall 2008, Ethan James was born at 4:15 pm. Thankfully, my whole labor and delivery process was pretty much a non-event (yeah for epidurals!). However, it was clear pretty quickly after delivery that our little guy was having a hard time transitioning from life on the inside to life on the outside. I was only able to see him for a few seconds before he was transported to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit downstairs. James went with the baby while I was recovering. After a while James came back up to my room and said that Ethan would be staying in the NICU but that I could go see him as soon as I was able. That evening we learned that he had some sort of infection in his body and that he needed to stay a while for observation & antibiotics to treat his infection.

Since we knew that Ethan would not be coming home when I did, I asked to be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday night so that I could sleep in my own bed. We also decided that James should go back to work on Wednesday so that he could save his paternity leave for when Ethan comes home. He stops by the hospital on the way to work to see the baby and my mom takes me over in the afternoon to see him. Then when James gets home from work we go to see him at night together. As soon as the baby is home, James will be home with us for two weeks (yeah!).

Each visit we've received great progress reports and Ethan is continuing to do very well. I was able to feed him yesterday morning and he's been eating like a champ ever since. The doctors say that he'll need to stay at the hospital at least until Sunday to finish antibiotics and continue being observed, but possibly into next week. Of course, we're praying for Sunday! He's also being treated for a bit of Jaundice as well, which is really no big deal at all.

I apologize for not caling everyone upon his arrival, but due to the fact that we were unsure of his health, I was not up for calling lots of people. My focus has been soley on Ethan and his getting better...oh, and on taking care of recovering from birth as well :) It was very tough in the beginning to see him with the tubes and monitors, but it's getting easier on us as he continues to progress. We can't wait to bring him home. Please check back for updates and photos along the way.

Thank you for all the prayers and support on behalf of our little family.

Wedding Photos

2007-02-12T12:49:00.000-08:00

A few friends from afar have been asking for photos and i've not been able to get them in an email so i'm posting here. Enjoy! I'll have more of the professional ones added later.

Father Daughter Dance

Myself and 3 of my 5 bridesmaids
(missing Ieshia & my sister Lisa)

My Incredibly Handsome Husband Waiting For Me

Cutting The Cake

I'm One Blessed Woman...

2007-02-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

Just thought i'd share a few photos of my "Main Squeeze" and I over the last year. I'm such a blessed woman to have this amazing man in my life. I'm honored to have the opportunity to share my long journey with some single women from CCV next week. Going over the time line and reflecting on all that God has done in this last two years is mind-blowing.

I've learned that God's promises are not for some of us, they are for all of us. We serve a God who is jealous for our love and will fearlessly pursue us to the ends of the earth. We should feel honored, but we often feel oppressed by how this might impose in our lives. What do I have to give up? What will it cost me? It does cost us the temporary sacrifice of things that we have deemed dear to us...our comfort, our way of doing things, the immediate gratification of what is familiar. But reaping the benefit of His promises is priceless and must be daily placed at the front of our minds.

I struggle with this in different areas of my life on a daily basis. My prayer is that I will continually let go. I have learned that in letting go, my return is far greater than I could ever imagine. It was in letting go of my pre-concieved ideas of HOW God would bring this man into my life, WHAT he would be like, WHEN he would arrive, and WHERE we would meet that I received the greatest gift i have ever known (beyond salvation and my relationship with God)....my husband.

God has brought this man into my life as an opportunity to show His love for me in a new way. I am honored, blessed, and somehow speechless (the speechless part won't last long...he he).

Weekend Recap

2005-08-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

It just melts my heart when she says, "You know what Jessie, I love you SOOOO much." I had the priviledge of hanging out with Reyna from Friday night till Sunday afternoon. My parents stole a week away for a much needed vacation and I was filling in for them.

We enjoyed Friday night at the Monrovia Street Fair with Michelle & Ieshia. She was elated to go see the new "Baby Zachary" in Riverside, and we recoupperated at home on Saturday evening.

Sunday was church and Reyna had a wonderful time in Sunday school. Although I was a pretty pooped auntie by Sunday afternoon, she was a welcome diversion from my current hectic life.

I am blessed beyond measure by that little one, and i thank God that she is part of our family. What would i do without her!!

my first entry....

2005-07-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

I have no idea where this will go and if anyone other than me will want to read it, but why not try something new. So here goes nothing....