Advise for 18 year old Renee

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a fun idea...give it a try.

Dear 18 year old Renee,

Hey...it's me...ten years from now. Yep, ten years...your ten year high school reunion is just around the corner. So, I've seen the future (at least ten years of it anyways) and I thought I would give you some advise.

First of all even though you are scared to leave home and venture off pick a college that is not so close to home. Pick one that has a fabulous football team that you will have fun cheering for. Be more adventurous and have fun doing it.

Put down that credit card!! No seriously, put it down!! I know you think it is free money and that you can pay it off later but really put it down. Don't think about using it. As a matter of fact, go get a job and study harder. You didn't listen did you? Well, good luck paying off those credit card bills...oh yeah, and your student loans. It sure would have been nice to go out and buy some new clothes with out worrying about spending your credit card bill and student loan bill money! Your future husband and I are working on getting all of that paid off now!

Yes, future husband. Even though you decided to stay close to home instead of having fun at a big school, you found a football team you could cheer for. You meet a guy who goes to that school. He treats you well...better than any of those other stupid guys you will meet. Instead of questioning it in the beginning, just go for it and make the most of it. He's the right one! And he sure does make cute babies!!

Well, one baby so far. But she is so cute and sweet. Guess what?!? Remember when you were in middle school and one of your mom's friends asked you what you wanted to be? You told her a stay-at-home mom. She was mortified and told on you. Boy was she crazy? Well, you get to do it. Your one dream that has always stayed constant comes true! You get to stay at home and raise your sweet baby! It is amazing and you are so blessed.

When you think your life is over because of silly things that happen in college just know that life gets so much better!! Stay focused on school...and study more! Take the school part of school more seriously!! Get better grades. I know...I told you that you were a stay at home mom...that doesn't mean you should slack in school. That will help with the school loan thing I mentioned earlier!!

Love your friends! You will still have some of them for a long time. Let go of the ones you know will only hurt you! Life is too short to try to keep them around!

Love yourself! Wear that bikini proudly!! Don't stay out too late! Well, every once in a while is fine. But know nothing good happens after midnight!! Most importantly, believe in yourself!

Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and embrace life to the fullest. I know...it is a little scary! But if you just do it, it will make life so much more rewarding and fulfilling.

See you in ten years!

Love,

Future Renee

And we're off...

Today started off like any other day. We played, we ate, we ran some errands, I tried to get Reese to say ma-ma, and I tried to get her to walk. Well, she did it...the walking part. We were sitting on the floor and I stood Reese up, she threw her hands in the air and I backed away. I put my arms out and said, "Walk to ma-ma." And she did!! She walked five steps to me!! I was totally caught off guard and so excited. She walked to me like she has been walking for weeks. Maybe she has...just behind my back. I captured a few steps on camera. I am so proud of Reese. Later in the evening she even stood herself up and walked. How did she get to be such a big girl...all in one day??!!

I bought Reese some fridge magnets today at Wal-Mart. I put them up for her to play with. She immediately knocked them all on the floor and a few under the fridge. One of the magnets fell out of a number, she put it in her mouth, now the magnets are all put away in a drawer for when she is a little older...lesson learned.




Later Reese was playing with ALL of the toys in her toy basket. She apparently sat on something with Velcro which then attached to a toy cow...they all stuck to her diaper so it looked like Reese was "having a cow".

What did we do before cameras?

Seriously, when Reese is older she will know what she looked like and what she did every day of her life. There are very few days that go by that we don't take at least one picture of her!! I don't think I would be able to remember all of this fun information with out our cameras and blogs!!

Reese eating her first Dunkin' Donuts Munchin' that we bought Daddy for Father's Day breakfast. She, of course, loved it!!


Every weekend Lance cuts the grass and every weekend this is what I see. Reese watching him the entire time he is in the back yard!!


Daddy and Reese wrestling with the lambie! She was scared of it for a little while but then she finally grew to love it! Look at that face she is making...wouldn't you be scared of her?


Reese and Daddy getting some web surfing in.


I just love these chubby little legs! We have made it in to size 4 diapers now. The size 3 said they go to 28 lbs...they must be crazy...or your kid has to have no pot belly because Reese's belly was hanging over them and they looked so uncomfortable. My lesson in life to pass on is when the diaper can no longer hold the poop in, move on up to the next size!!

What's the deal?

Reese has been cranky, whiny, fussy, if it is bad she has been it today and the last few days! She has learned how to pitch a fit when she is not getting what she wants. She tosses and turns when I am trying to change her diaper. She runs away from me when she has something that she shouldn't. The look to the right is exactly her these last few days. I think she is tired of me...she wants some new faces around. Hopefully I can schedule some playdates coming up so she can have some other interaction.

Sunday night Lance and I started a class by Dave Ramsey called Financial Peace University. It was interesting and we are really looking forward to these next 13 weeks. Hopefully we will come out of this class with a bright future ahead of us when it comes to finances. I think both of our overall goals are to 1) be debt free (eventually) and 2) know how to help Reese (and any other kids that come along) with her financial planning. My sweet cousin Lissa kept Reese for us. She said Reese was an angel while we were gone...why can't she be that way for me? Liss, can you come over here all of the time??

Sisters

Today at church one of the kindergarten girls looked up at me during our large group time and said, "We are sisters." She smiled real big and I said, "We are?" She said, "God is our Father so that makes us sisters." I gave her a big smile back and said, "Well, I guess that means we are going to have to start doing family stuff together." She laughed and we continued to listen to the storyteller. A few minutes later she looked at me seriously and said, "Who is our mother?" Luckily the storyteller started to pray because I wasn't sure how to answer that question with out creating more questions. This made me realize that I have a lot to learn before Reese is old enough to start asking questions like that.

Kindness

It is amazing how God's lessons catch you right at the exact moment they are supposed to. This month my Kindergarteners and First Graders are talking about kindness. At Church I am so busy with what is going on that I am just going through the motions and not taking in the lesson myself. After Church Lance and Lissa were talking about the sermon they heard about praying big and we began to talk about things we needed to pray about. I mentioned that I needed to pray to be nicer...in a joking and not so joking manner. Sitting here at the computer tonight I was thinking about the conversation we had and it hit me that I really need to pay attention to what my kids are hearing this month. Maybe their lesson is exactly what I need.

Here are three of the things they learned today:

Kindness—showing others they are valuable by how you treat them.

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

She got me back

The night after posting the story about Reese pooping on Lance she got me back. On Saturday we went to dinner with my parents and grandparents during one of Reese's feeding times so I took a bottle with us to feed her. Well she slept the entire time we were out so I gave her the bottle when we got back home. She apparently thought she was starving because she ate three ounces at 6:00 and then two ounces at 7:00. Later that night around 9:00 she was screaming and acting like she was starving again so I fed her. Not two minutes after she finished eating she threw up all down my shirt. I think she threw up EVERYTHING she ate at 9:00. I guess throw up is better than poop. Another lesson learned.

Poop on hands and Spit-up on shoulders

These are a few of the gifts Reese has given me this past month. Here is a story about a gift she gave her daddy.

The other day I was getting ready to give Reese a bath while Lance was doing some work in the office. Right after I sat her in the bathtub she pooped in it. So I called for Lance to come and get her so I could rinse the tub out and start over. As he got her out of the tub I told him it may be wise to put a diaper on her because she may not be done. He said "Nah, it will be ok." Famous last words. As I began to rinse out the tub I hear a loud fart and poop splatter all over Lance and the bathroom floor. I laughed hysterically...crying actually. Lance just stood there mortified and then she did it again as well as peed on him this time. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. If Lance hadn't been ready to throw up, I would have run and grab the camera to document this lesson learned. However, I just let him change his clothes (throwing away his shirt) and clean up the floor.

I seriously hope I never forget that story so that I can tell it again and again. It was SOOO funny!!

Things I have learned so far

1 - Girls poop can project as far as little boys pee.

2 - I am not in control. No matter what I think is going to happen...Reese does the opposite. I guess that is a good lesson to remember when she is a teenager.

3 - Breastfeeding is not easy!

4 - Lance is a great dad and tries really hard with Reese...even when she is screaming.

5 - I have more love in my heart than I ever thought that I could.

6 - I have to depend on and talk to God more now than I ever have in the past.

7 - The random smiles are my favorite.

8 - I appreciate every moment of every second.

9 - Time really does fly...how does it go by so fast??

10 - There will be something new to learn every day and I enjoy and am thankful for the lessons God has given me.