Schraw Family Photo Album

Flannel footie pajamas

2011-09-15T07:31:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is cold enough here in the north for our warmest jammies!

Happy birthday Grandma Faye! We love you.

Finley at 8 weeks

2011-07-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Finley is getting cuter and cuter! For the last week or so he has been giving some really good smiles, which makes him seem like less of a grumpy old man.

My boys

2011-07-22T09:09:00.001-07:00

6 weeks

2011-07-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

My littlest guy is almost 6 weeks old already! He is a big boy. At his 2 week appointment he had already surpassed Jamus' 2 week size by 8 ounces (and remember, Finley was 2 weeks early and weighed 9 ounces less than Jamus at birth). We're excited to see what he weighs at his 2 month appointment at the beginning of August. He is already wearing 3-6 month size clothes.

Things are going really well. There are definitely crazy moments when the boys both need something from me at the same time, but those only happen a couple of times a day. Besides, they are learning an important life skill (patience). Just like Jamus was, Finley is very adamant about his nighttime feedings. He never goes any longer than 4 hours between feedings and sometimes only goes 2 1/2. Somehow I feel mostly fine during the day though (might be the coffee).

Jamus is learning new things every day. For a long time he improvised sounds instead of words: clicking his tongue means music, clearing his throat means he's thirsty, general grunting and pointing means he wants something across the room. But now he is starting to try more and more words. Whenever he does something he knows he isn't supposed to he says "No no no no no" under his breath. I try not to laugh.

Here are some recent photos of Finley.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

There are so many wonderful fathers in my life (my father, the father of my children, my husband's father, my nephews' father, my heavenly Father).

Here are a few new pics of Jamus in your honor. With your example, I am sure Jamus will be a great father one day himself. Love you guys!

Due date

2011-06-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Today was Finley's official due date and I am so pleased that he is almost 2 weeks old! I see the light at the end of a very long year (see Genesis 3:16).

Finley is such a sweet baby. He rarely cries, except during important photo shoots.

When he is unhappy he usually shows it by grunting. He is immediately soothed when you pick him up. He sleeps best in someone's arms.

He also loves his Bjorn seat and his pacifier. In fact, he seems to like this seat better than his cradle so we've been putting him in it at night! So much for the crib bumper I handmade for his cradle. Maybe he noticed that the elephants are upside down on 2 of the sides (oops).

Jamus is adjusting nicely. As some predicted, he seems to be forgetting life before big brotherhood.

Grandma Faye has been here for 2 weeks helping out. I expect that the reality of 2 kids under 2 is really going to hit tomorrow. But she's left us with a spotless house and some very generous women from church have filled our freezer with meals... Plus we still have an additional Grandma who lives right down the road!

I think we're going to be pretty much mostly ok.

Finally, Finley

2011-06-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

Our son has been in the world for more than 48 hours and I haven't posted pictures yet! Sorry about that. I think things are going to be a little different with 2!

Finley Thomas Schraw came into the world at 1:22 am on June 2nd, weighing in at a hearty 8 lbs, 5 oz (not bad for 2 weeks early)! So far he is an incredibly sweet baby. He hardly cries, though he does struggle to sleep peacefully unless he is in someone's arms.

We are home now and thankful to be getting lots of help from grandparents while we settle into a new routine.

Jamus is handling it pretty well. Every time someone walks into the room with Finley, he points and makes a kissing sound (his busy toddler form of affection). We are trying to lavish as much attention on him as possible so he knows that he is as loved as ever.

Here are the long-awaited pictures:

Jamus' first ice cream cone

2011-04-28T01:41:00.001-07:00

Pool time

2011-04-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Jamus and "Da" (that is what he calls Joel; I am "Ma") had a very fun time in the pool at the hotel last weekend! You can see that he was quite uncertain about it at first but warmed up to it pretty quickly. By the end he was splashing around like a real pro.

We can't wait to take him swimming in Lake Michigan this summer!

Big boy room

2011-04-18T05:26:00.001-07:00

We have been hard at work on Jamus' big boy room for the past month. We painted furniture that we scrounged up from grandparents' basements, I made a quilt and some curtains, and Joel very thoroughly babyproofed everything from the outlets to the bi-fold closet doors. For the next two weeks Jamus and I are going to spend some time exploring and playing in there during the day. Then in May we are going to try to get him to start sleeping in his big boy bed. We'll see!

Here are some pics.

Jamus gets a new uncle

2011-04-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Jamus' Aunt Winnie got married yesterday! Jamus loved the adventure of driving down to Detroit (thank goodness Grandma and Grandpa have a DVD player in their SUV), staying in a hotel, and getting all dressed up.

The ceremony was lovely, as was the bride.

Congratulations Aunt Winnie and Uncle Josh!

First haircut

2011-04-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

We've been so busy getting Jamus' big boy room ready that I haven't even posted these great pics from the beginning of March... might also have something to do with the fact that I'm 7 months pregnant and caring for one of the most energetic toddlers this world has ever seen. :)

BEFORE

AFTER

As soon as Jamus' big boy room is ready I will post the pics of that!

Might be able to afford spring break after all

2011-02-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Church clothes

2011-02-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

Snow, snow, snow

2011-02-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

We took Jamus sledding for the first time on Saturday. He loved it! Well, sort of. You can see in the pictures that he was a little uncertain about it. He definitely does not like or understand the cold. But we figured that he decided it was worth it because he kept making the sign for "more" at the bottom of the hill.

It's a boys' world

2011-01-28T05:20:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was amazing! It was so special to spend half an hour peeking in at our little boy. Knowing that he is a boy makes me feel so much closer to him- knowing something so important about who he is and who he will be. I think that is the best part about finding out what you are having.

It is funny to think that it was just another day for him. He has no idea that we were watching!

I can't believe we have to wait 20 more weeks to meet him. Luckily there is a lot I can do in the meantime. Jamus needs a new big boy room: curtains, bedding, decorations. Somehow we are going to have to make it very toddler proof in there since he'll only be about 19 months when we move him.

There are a few things to do for the new baby as well. He'll need a few summer clothes since Jamus was born in the late fall. He'll also need an infant carseat since Jamus' "expired." (Did you know they have an expiration date printed on the bottom? It's probably a racket but we're not going to be the ones to test it.) And I'm going to be on the hunt for a good deal on a double stroller, probably a jogger because our sidewalks are rather bumpy. We'll be using it quite often since Jamus is going to be old enough to look at me with his big brown eyes and say "park."

It is going to be a great summer.

The best news

2011-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

We have another perfectly healthy little baby... and... ANOTHER BOY! I will post more later, but I didn't want to make you wait.

We cannot express how happy and excited we are. It is a wonderful day.

Patience, or lack thereof

2011-01-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

This is one of those weeks I think of as a "throw away" week. It'd be nice to say that I am living in the moment and enjoying each day for what it is. But I am not. I am merely trying to distract myself and pass the time to get to Thursday morning as soon as possible. The week Jamus was born was also a "throw away" week, as were the weeks I knew I might be pregnant but had to wait until a pregnancy test would tell me so.

Of course this week I am dying to know: pink or blue?

I have tried hard not to covet the girls' section at baby stores, but truly there is no comparison. Don't get me wrong, there are many, many cute things in the boys' section, and everything is much cuter with a Jamus inside of it. But I challenge you to find anything made for a baby girl that ISN'T cute.

It did occur to me the other day that I have barely thought beyond fashion when it comes to having a little girl. Of course there are many other things to be excited about: hair, makeup, girl talk... watching her become a bride and then a mother herself.

Ah, but a second boy!! A best friend for Jamus. A chance to reuse all of Jamus' best clothes. Two little men running around my house and making havoc. I would really love another boy.

As much as these thoughts consume me, as the hour draws near I have been thinking more and more about what's really important: a healthy baby. I pray that everything is developing perfectly in there. We have been so greatly blessed with Jamus; he could not have been more perfect and healthy and strong and beautiful. I know that is not something to take for granted. It is a miracle and now I am praying for another.

Just call me "Chip"

2011-01-21T09:35:00.000-08:00

Well, Jamus has a potential new nickname this week. I frequently let him have "independent" playtime while I work in the kitchen (the blessing of an open floorplan). After one such time earlier this week I was sitting with him and looking at one of his favorite books. I had to do a double-take when I noticed a fairly large chip out of one of his front teeth!

I don't really even know how it happened because he didn't make a fuss about it. It doesn't seem to bother him at all, but I have to admit that I quietly grieved the adorableness of his perfect little teeth for about an hour. He is going to have a chipped tooth for at least the next 5 years! But I am grateful he was not hurt and it has turned out to be a purely cosmetic issue. It is cute in its own way I guess- it's growing on me.

Little sister or little brother?

2011-01-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

We find out in 9 days whether Jamus will have a little brother or a little sister!

Of course we can hardly contain our excitement and 9 days feels like an eternity. I am passing the time by doing inventory on all of Jamus' old baby clothes, planning alternate courses of action for nursery redecorating and Jamus' toddler room, and bleaching all of Jamus' spit-up covered newborn onesies. Jamus is staying busy by looking at books, hugging and kissing his stuffed animals, insisting on music all day long, and generally running around creating havoc.

These activities are barely keeping us sane.

The afternoon of Jan. 27th I will post the big news!

Super Jamus

2011-01-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Imitation

2011-01-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Jamus is definitely going through an imitation stage. Unfortunately, not everything I do these days is worth imitating.

For instance, he has unfortunately had to witness me throwing up a couple of times when we are alone together in the morning. Before it happened the first time, I was concerned that it might upset him. Nope! He thinks it's hilarious.

Equally unfortunate is the fact that I cannot stop myself from occasionally gagging when I change a poopy diaper. This never happened before I got pregnant. I'm still rather appalled at other childrens' poopy diapers, but my own sweet Jamus... no problem. Until now.

So today I was changing a particularly icky one and started to gag. I try to make a joke out of it so he doesn't develop a complex. He has been picking up on the joke and trying to make throwing up sounds of his own. He recently discovered that the most effective way to do this is to stick his fingers down his throat. And since this particular diaper change came soon after a delicious lunch of cheese and crackers, he actually made himself throw up. I can only hope that he found this unpleasant enough that he will no longer try to imitate this aspect of pregnancy.

Maybe I can get him to imitate my pregnant need to sleep in. By the way, the pic at the top is my 16-week baby bump last weekend!

Jamus' 2nd Christmas

2010-12-30T07:47:00.001-08:00

Jamus had such a wonderful Christmas! I think the thing he liked most was the decorations. Every time we walk by the Christmas tree, he lets out a big sigh of admiration: "Ahhhhh." He is going to be terribly disappointed when it disappears this weekend.

Here he is with his stocking the morning of Christmas Eve. This is the time we set aside for just the three of us. He got one of his very favorite presents of the whole holiday: pudding cups!

Here he is opening a present with Gammie:

His very own laptop! He loves it.

He also got to take a ride in Cappy's new bowling bag, which was very fun.

And here is the present that caused Jamus' first minor tantrum. We were giving him an indoor ride on his new sled, and he wanted to do it again and again. Unfortunately, he forgot that he has known how to politely ask for "more" for about 4 months. He was so overexcited, he just threw a complete fit. Needless to say, a nap soon followed.

Of course, when Mommy wasn't looking Grandma Faye helped Jamus enjoy a delicious cookie. You can tell he knew it was not something he would normally be allowed to have before dinner!

Christmas stocking for a tiny one

2010-12-17T11:35:00.001-08:00

This fall I took on the project of making stockings for our growing family. I knew I was pregnant so I definitely wanted to make a stocking for the littlest Schraw.

Once the stocking was made I realized that we would certainly need to get something to put in it! There is nothing worse than an empty stocking.

Every time we've been to the store for the last month I've looked at the newborn section and tried to find just the right thing. I didn't want to overdo it because we don't know if it is a boy or a girl yet. If it is a boy, this kid is going to have plenty of great hand me downs from his brother and cousins. (Thanks Grayson and Weston!) On the other hand, if it is a girl, the last thing I want is something else neutral. I want PINK!

I think I finally found the perfect compromise. Kohl's had a buy 1, get 1 free deal on these adorable tees:
Warning: if you are a friend of mine in your childbearing years, one of these might be re-gifted to you!

Litterbug

2010-12-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

Here is my 12-week bump last weekend. The first trimester is almost over!

I have been pretty nauseous again with this pregnancy, but last week I bravely accepted my mother-in-law's invitation to do some Christmas shopping in Traverse City. It is about an hour and 15 minutes away and our closest mall.

We left at about 10:30 AM. I requested a quick stop at McDonald's for an Egg McMuffin. (The more I eat, the less nauseous I feel, which might explain my need for maternity clothes in the first trimester). It was only 10:40, but apparently that's lunch time in their McWorld. So I just got some fries and a coke.

About 10 or 15 fries in, these fries were suddenly utterly disgusting to me. I put them down on the floor. But I could still smell them. They smelled so greasy. I realized it was me or them, so I threw them out the window, bag and all.

My mother-in-law was quite shocked but a very good sport. It ended up being a great day! As usual, Jamus brought joy to everyone he saw. His sweetness reminds me that pregnancy is worth it in the end.

Santa is on Jamus' naughty list

2010-12-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

A lesson in sharing

2010-12-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

I am sure you are expecting me to discuss how Jamus has trouble sharing. He is only 1 after all. It is probably a lesson he will have to eventually learn, but I guess I have to learn it myself before I can teach it.

My first lesson in sharing involves every single thing I have eaten in Jamus' line of sight for several weeks now. He is a magnet to food. It doesn't matter a bit whether he is hungry or not. Even if he just ate a full meal, if I get something out to eat he has to try at least a few bites. He will stand at my knee, look up at me with his big expressive brown eyes, point and say, "Sat sat sat." That's roughly short for "Wassat?" or, more properly, "What is that? I demand to have some." I've had to learn to plan for this. When I cut up my apple, I cut a few slices small enough to share with Jamus. (Ok, an apple sounds really good right now.). Even if I eat something he can't have, I always bring a little something he can and try to trick him into thinking we're eating the same thing.

My second lesson in sharing came after Jamus and I both had our afternoon naps the other day. I got up a little earlier from mine so I could eat a snack in peace. I put on HGTV to keep me company. When Jamus got up, I left the tv on so I could see how the big home makeover turned out. He let me have a few minutes, but then he walked over to the tv, looked at it, then looked back at me and started doing his adorable fake finger snap/tongue click. He was asking me to turn off my program and put on music instead. How could I possibly say no to such a successful attempt at communication? It is amazing that he can now so clearly tell us what he wants, but I guess that means a lot more sharing.

Jamus, age 13 1/2 months, has a lot to teach Momma, age 29 and 11 months.

Jamus has a message

2010-11-25T07:47:00.001-08:00

Tall and slender?

2010-11-23T09:01:00.001-08:00

Jamus had his one-year-old checkup last week. He is 31 inches tall (93rd percentile) and weighed in at 25 pounds, 7 ounces (75th percentile)! The doctor said the darnedest thing about him... He referred to him as tall and slender. Really?? My little chubb-o?

Jamus' new tricks

2010-11-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Jamus is getting considerably harder to capture on film.

He is SO busy! He loves to look at (and destroy) books. He loves to look outside, especially if there is a fly caught between the window and screen. He loves to listen to music, pretending to snap his fingers while clicking his tongue to make the noise. He loves to stop a moment to hug his favorite stuffed animals. He will do all of these things in a single minute, rushing from one to the next!

He has also been trying some walking!

He is almost as proud as we are.

1 year

2010-10-13T07:24:00.001-07:00

It hit me this morning as I was still lying in bed that this whole "raising children" thing really is going to fly by, just like they all say it will.

Jamus is 1 today. He survived. We survived. We survived pregnancy, labor, delivery, recovery. We survived being quarantined for 3 months due to H1N1 in our area. We survived spit up on our clothes, carpets, faces, everywhere. We survived buying and moving to a new house. We survived a pink nursery for the first 3 months and then a remodeling project that inevitably cost more and lasted longer than anyone expected. We survived one of the worst economies in the country. We survived first injuries and illnesses.Ah, but it has all been so much fun! Watching the first smiles and being surprised by the first giggles. Cheering the first attempts to roll over and then crawl. Seeing the growing understanding in his eyes when we talk to him. Teaching him to clap, wave, sigh, and grunt. Hearing him say "da da" and knowing he meant it this time. Seeing the joy he brings to people everywhere he goes.

I know having a child is the most natural thing in the world. You don't have to get a special degree or pass a grueling test. But when it's you and your child, it feels like you're inventing something completely new. It feels like you're the first person to ever love this much. It feels like your baby is the most adorable, the most sweet, the most special. It is a miracle and a gift.

Happy birthday, Jamus. We cannot wait to see what your 2nd year brings.

Birthday Party

2010-10-11T05:51:00.001-07:00

Jamus turns 1 on Wednesday this week! He had a wonderful time celebrating with the family on Saturday.

Facing forward

2010-10-02T16:14:00.001-07:00

Jamus will be one very soon, so we decided it was time to turn the carseat around.

He loved it!

Hats

2010-09-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

Heating vents, and other mortal dangers

2010-09-22T11:56:00.001-07:00

Jamus has been getting into EVERYTHING lately.

Note that his right hand has a sock over it in this photo. That is because he stuck his finger into a heating vent and sliced it pretty good. Through trial and error we found that taping a sock over it was really the only way to protect it long enough for it to heal. He had to wear it a good 10 days! Needless to say, it added quite a bit of drama to diaper changes, meals, bath time, etc.

After the heating vent incident I realized that I really can't take my eyes off him for even 30 seconds anymore unless he is in his playpen. Today I learned that he needs supervision even when he is penned up...

I was checking my e-mail in the next room when I decided Jamus was a little too quiet. I found him with these wires hanging out of his mouth! He had completely destroyed the "lights and sounds" feature of one of his favorite books. He protested quite a bit when I immediately took it away from him. He'd worked so hard to discover these new little tiny toys! I investigated it pretty closely to determine the likelihood that he had swallowed something deadly like a battery. I'm no expert in the area of "lights and sounds," but I think we're okay.

He seems fine, anyway.

Mohawk

2010-09-07T08:54:00.001-07:00

Be fruitful and multiply

2010-08-06T07:03:00.001-07:00

It is profound and amazing to watch new life come into the world. I am decidedly pro-baby. (I even stuck up for Octomom.) But as my closest friends have babies, it is indescribably significant to me. My heart grows bigger with each one.

I would like to introduce two of my newest friends:

Emmy Watterson Rumohr, 8/4/10, 8 lbs 10 oz, 22 in

Hudson Philip Loomis, 8/4/10, 8 lbs 10 oz, 22 in

So crazy that two of Joel's best college buds had babies on the same day with the same weights and lengths. I think God just likes to blow our minds sometimes to remind us that He is there.

Oops

2010-08-04T04:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Amber once locked herself out of the house with her two-week old on a hot summer day. You can read about it at www.amberwire.com. (If I were more savvy I could link right to the post, but as it is you'll have to navigate back to June 28, 2009). In short, she was very alarmed to have put her little one in danger of being overheated but was saved by a well-placed cell phone. In her bra.

I can top that.

Yesterday, I locked myself out of the house. With my 10-month-old son INSIDE. On the loose, and very mobile.

I was working in the kitchen all morning making homemade chicken stock and feeling like a very good little homemaker. Having done all the calculations, I am afraid to admit that I was rather impressed with myself for finding a way to make it cheaper than storebought and of course more delicious. I had one eye on Jamus as he was crawling around the family room (gotta love an open floor plan). I decided to grab a couple of bags of blueberries from the freezer in the garage to make some blueberry syrup. As long as you're going to be in the kitchen all day, you might as well multi-task! Proverbs 31!

Jamus is so fast these days, and very curious. Every time you open a door that is usually closed, his eyes get big and he darts for it. So, of course, like a good Mommy I close the door to the garage behind me so he doesn't fall down the cement steps. The door closes and I hear the finality of that little "click" sound.

OH CRAP. I realize right away that it is very likely locked. I check it and sure enough I am locked out of the house with my baby inside. I feel the panic rising as I think about his favorite dangers. I know I have to act fast. I check a spot in the garage where I had once thought of putting a spare key. Nope. I run outside and look under the welcome mat even though I know we moved that key after only one night (too obvious).

I briefly consider breaking a window. I decide against it but I realize that it is a good backup plan.

Unlike my friend Amber, I did not have the foresight to carry my cell phone in my bra. Gratefully, however, I am wearing a bra, and so it is a little less embarrassing when I ask my pastor next door neighbor to use his phone. I call Joel and tell him he must come home immediately. He agrees.

I went around the house looking in all the windows while I waited. I couldn't see him, but I could hear him happily banging away on something. "Oh good," I thought to myself, "still alive." I went to the back door to be sure he wasn't playing with the tv or lamp cords. I was ready to break a window if I saw him crawling toward them. By the grace of God, Joel got home in under 5 minutes and Jamus was safely playing with his toys when we got in.

So this morning I checked on the blueberry syrup Jamus risked his life for and it has inexplicably turned into jelly. I guess I'll have to wait till next year to be nominated for the Proverbs 31 awards.

Crib antics

2010-07-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

Every night before bed, Joel and I love to peek in at our little guy. Lately, he loves to sleep with his little tush in the air!

Then, in the morning, he now greets us standing up!

Wedding slide show?

2010-07-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

More family pics

2010-07-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Daddy and me

2010-07-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Clothing optional

2010-07-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Show me your teeth

2010-07-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

(Click on the photo to see it bigger)

My little blueberry

2010-07-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-07-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

New stroller/ new teeth

2010-07-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Jamus has had a veritable explosion of new teeth. He has gotten 6 new teeth in the last 6 weeks, for a grand total of 8 teeth! You can see some of them in the 2nd pic. They're cute, but they have caused him considerable grief. One of the front ones caused a 103 temperature. Hopefully 8 is enough for now!

Just bein' cute

2010-06-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

New hat

2010-06-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Fireman

2010-06-21T11:56:00.001-07:00

Cousins!

2010-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

What's new?

2010-05-14T07:08:00.001-07:00

Ok, we are back from hiatus here at the Schraw Family Photo Album. We have been busily trying to make a home out of our house, but it is time to slow down a bit and start doing things like blogging and checking e-mail again.

Jamus has some new tricks in the last couple of weeks:

1. Expert-level sitting up. Just a couple of weeks ago I felt like Jamus needed a spotter when he was sitting up because he might fall back at any moment. Now he sits up like a champ.

2. Beginner-level crawling. Here is how it goes:

Jamus sees something he wants and lunges forward.

Jamus teeters on his knees.

Jamus falls to his belly.

You can see that he is a pretty good sport about it.

3. Clapping. I'll try to get a video of this. It's so cute. He just started doing it out of nowhere, although it did happen the same week we took him to visit Grandma and Grandpa's church, which has considerably more clapping than our church!

Closing time

2010-04-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

We closed on the house yesterday!! Here we are just before we became homeowners:

Here is a photo of the house:

We are so grateful for this blessing! We hope we can use this place to its fullest potential to love and nurture our family and our community. We have a lovely guest room; please come visit soon!

Rubber ducky, you're the one

2010-04-21T06:57:00.001-07:00

New toy

2010-04-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Little friends

2010-04-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

Laundry day

2010-04-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

Teal countertops

2010-04-08T06:41:00.001-07:00

What color does one paint the walls when the countertops are TEAL? :)

Vacation shots

2010-04-07T06:48:00.001-07:00

A rare moment:

Oops... Jamus went face-first right into the sand just minutes after Daddy applied the lotion:

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T15:36:00.001-07:00

Too much good news for one day

2010-03-26T07:36:00.001-07:00

We are leaving on vacation today: a minivan, 4 adults (1 pregnant- though not me!), 2 babies (5 and 16 months), and 24 hours to Ft. Myers. Are we crazy or what??

In other (wonderful! blessed!) news, we bought a house (again)! Many of you know that we were supposed to move about 2 weeks before Jamus was due. That ended up falling through, but today we signed a new purchase agreement for the same house. We are so very happy, but praying that nothing goes wrong this time. God willing and the cricks don't rise, we should be moving in May.

We'll be back in about a week. I can't wait to post pictures of Jamus in his summer rompers!

Here is something to tide you over:

Indoor Flowers

2010-03-22T13:14:00.001-07:00

Mobility

2010-03-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I put Jamus on the floor under his overhead play center while I did some things around the house. Next thing I knew, he'd rotated 180 degrees, scooted off the blanket, and was getting into his clean laundry!

He was quite proud of himself.

5 months

2010-03-18T06:47:00.001-07:00

It is AMAZING how much Jamus has grown in 5 short months:

Park

2010-03-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Tupperware too

2010-03-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a cardboard box

2010-03-10T07:33:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Cappy!

2010-03-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Spring!

2010-03-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

Jamus and I took advantage of the beautiful sunshine and went for our first spring walk!

In other news, Joel made amazing eggs benedict this morning. Renaissance man!

Giggle

2010-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Jamus has been giggling for a while, but it was hard to get on video because for some reason the only thing that was funny was a nose in his armpit. Now that his sense of humor is developing, he's getting a little less selective.

2 weeks/ 2 teeth

2010-03-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I think the teeth are finally in! Last night was the first relatively normal night in 2 weeks. I think all the hard work paid off:

Birth Announcement

2010-03-01T07:40:00.000-08:00

Here is our favorite photo from the professional photo shoot we had done when Jamus was 4 weeks or so. I was going to use it to send out announcements, but time got away from me so I decided to post it here instead. We also have a beautiful 8 x 10 of it to hang in his room.

"Uncle" Luke

2010-02-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

Cool dude

2010-02-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

Is it possible that he's getting even cuter?

2010-02-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Camo

2010-02-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa M!

Jamus tries rice cereal

2010-02-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

Teeth!

2010-02-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Important news here: Jamus is getting 2 of his bottom teeth! He declined to let me take a picture.

But here are some great smiles!

New tricks

2010-02-08T07:19:00.001-08:00

Jamus likes to give himself head rubs.

Sometimes he will simultaneously rub his head and suck his thumb. Very soothing.

But his new favorite thing is eating his own toes!

My little barracuda

2010-02-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

It's getting difficult to get any pictures of Jamus without something in his mouth!

Nominated for the cutest baby Oscar

2010-02-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

Cheeky monkey

2010-01-31T08:48:00.000-08:00

Jamus rolled over! Part 2

2010-01-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

Jamus rolled over!

2010-01-26T07:17:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Jamus rolled over for the first time! He did it 3 more times this morning. The first two times this morning he was so quick I couldn't even get the video camera turned on! By the third time he was tired enough that I managed to get it on video. I don't know how to post videos to the blog, but here are some before and after shots!

Weekend fun & Jamus meets Uncle Greg!

2010-01-24T14:25:00.000-08:00

Lunch date

2010-01-21T10:54:00.001-08:00

Cuter every day

2010-01-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

I can sit up like a big boy

2010-01-15T07:58:00.001-08:00

Jamus and his little buddy

2010-01-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

Pants-free Monday

2010-01-11T12:08:00.001-08:00

Bath time is funny

2010-01-09T04:53:00.001-08:00

Joel gives Jamus a bath just about every night. It is their father-son time! Last night I was helping out by taking Jamus' clothes off before bath time, and as I reached toward his armpit to remove his onesie, he had his first giggle! Of course we couldn't recreate it for the camera, but here are some cute bath photos anyway:

Sleepy Head

2010-01-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

Jamus got his best night of sleep yet last night, but he's still sleepy this morning!

Jamus had a "Ruff Day"

2010-01-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

We're back!

2010-01-03T09:21:00.001-08:00

Schraw Family Christmas

2009-12-20T05:11:00.000-08:00

Jamus had the first of his first Christmases yesterday!

And Daddy read Jamus the story of Jesus' first Christmas. He appeared to sleep through it, though he claimed he was just "resting his eyes."

2-month update

2009-12-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

Jamus weighs 13 lbs, 4 oz and is 24 in tall! That is 90th percentile for height and weight. What a wonderful healthy boy!

Jamusaurus

2009-12-15T06:09:00.000-08:00

I'm 2 months old: look how much I've grown!

2009-12-13T18:10:00.000-08:00

10/13
12/13

Cutie pants

2009-12-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas decorating

2009-12-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

We decorated for Christmas yesterday!
In other news, Daddy cut his hair to look more like Jamus.