The Oshels

What's Eli saying???

2012-01-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

Eli keeps us laughing most of the time with his constant conversation. It's become so fun because he's now speaking in complete sentences. He's a bit of a mocking bird in that if he hears something once, he's bound to repeat it. That's about the best accountability ever for watching what comes out of your mouth! I don't want to forget any of these fun phrases, and sometimes, they only last for a few days or a week. So, I'm going to write some of them down here!
"Oh the indi-di-di!" Translation: This is Eli's impression of Gordon from Thomas the Train saying, "Oh, the indignity!"
He always follows this by saying, "I can't say dat word!" with a big grin on his face.

"Thomas is a woosful engine!" meaning Thomas is useful

"How's it goin'?" He repeats this over and over even after you answer! If you ask him how it's going, he says, "Goin' good!"

Even now that it's January, he continues to ask us, "What's Chrisas about?" Translation: What's Christmas about? He wants everyone to know that, "Christmas is all about Jesus!"

"Huson, don't eat dat!" Eli gets very concerned when Hudson puts one of his toys in her mouth. This is followed by, "Mommy, I need a nakin!"

When we call his name, he's started answering, "Yes, dear!" This one keeps us in stitches!

Whenever we get in the car after being somewhere, he asks, "Mommy, did you haf fun? Daddy, did you haf fun?"

Last week, I was telling him what we were doing for the day, and he told me we were going to Hawaii! He must have gotten that from Wheel of Fortune! He also told me one day, "I want to go to da beach!"

Randomly, he'll come up to us and say, "Eli happy!" or "I happy!"

"I need to see stars in the sky!" Didi and Poppa gave him a turtle that projects the stars and the moon on the walls and ceiling. He loves it and tells us this when he wants to go to bed! "They're beautiful!" is his response when he's watching them.

Whenever we pass a Subway sign, he yells, "I need to go Subway Eat Fresh!"

Whenever we pass a Hardees or McDonalds, he declares, "I need hamburger-french fries!"

His standard response after asking him what he did at church is always, "I play cars!"

He LOVES to sing, and in the car, we often hear, "I need Deep, Deep Love" or "I need O My Soul." He loves the songs "The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus" and "It is well with my Soul." I guess he's a hymns guy!

He also sings "Jesus Loves Me" all the time!

"I need halp!" or "Don't worry! I halp you, mommy!" aka help

Yesterday, he told Matt, "Daddy, you my best friend!"

"How 'bout follow me?" He says this when he wants you to come play with him in his room.:)

When he hears the phone ring, he runs to where it is, and yells, "PHONE CALL!!!"

After I give him a "bitamin," he says, "I can have jus one." He will forever remember the first time I gave him one vitamin and told him he could just have one each day.

At just about every meal, he says, "I need brocci ranch." He loves to eat broccoli and ranch dip.
The other day after he said this, I said, "Of course, you do." To which, he replied, "Of course, I do!" I was pretty impressed that he changed the pronoun!

When asked, What's your name? Eli replies, "Name's Eyi!"

It's so fun to see a two year old's personality blossoming and his language skills developing so fast! It's like a lightbulb turns on and wa lah, he's carrying on a conversation! I am so thankful for everyday with our children!

9 Months

2012-01-22T14:52:00.000-08:00

Miss Hudson turned 9 months old on Tuesday, January 17th. We went the next day for her check up and found out her stats!
Weight: 18 pounds 2 ounces (40th percentile)
Length: 23 inches (65th percentile)
After going to all these check ups with her big brother who was seldom on the chart, we are thrilled to have a "normal" sized baby! On Thursday the 19th, Hudson pulled up to her feet for the first time by herself! She is spending almost the whole day rolling around going from her back or tummy to sitting up on her bottom to sitting on her knees! She must be exhausted by the end of the day! She LOVES to be talked to and to hear her name. She is very interested in feeding herself which is a complete mess! This is not really a big deal because Eli feeding himself is still quite messy, as well. We go through a roll of paper towels a day, it seems! This is such a fun stage! When Hudson is awake, her legs are in constant motion! She is so busy! I think she might go straight from crawling to jumping!

Hudson at 8 Months Old

2012-01-12T18:16:00.001-08:00

My baby girl's first year is FLYING by! She is changing DAILY! She now has 8 teeth and is eating 3 meals of baby food a day. She also drinks 5 bottles. She has recently discovered the world of puffs and loves feeing herself. Her favorite thing to say is baba. This past week, she said dada for the first time, and tonight, I'm about 60% sure she said mama! She is becoming more and more verbal everyday. She is crawling all over the place and loves playing with ANYTHING she can get her hands on. We keep LOTS of teeth able toys close by at all times. She can sit up on her own. She is a kicker…I should have known she would be because she was constantly kicking me when she was in my belly! You know Hudson's happy when she's moving her feet. She is a super smiley baby and has won the hearts of everyone at church! Her favorite fruit is banana, and she can eat an entire pureed banana in one sitting! Her favorite veggie is sweet potato. She adores her big brother and wants to be wherever he is. She has this bad habit of pulling his hair that we're trying to break her of…for that matter, she'll pull anyone's hair who is near! She takes two naps during the day…one mid morning and one mid afternoon. She goes to sleep around 8:30 and sleeps about 12 hours. Her favorite books are the touch and feel books. She likes tutus. She hates her puffy coat because she can't put her arms down when she wears it. Oops! I just tuck blankets around her in her car seat instead. She really doesn't seem to mind hats. She has mastered the art of pulling her socks off. She sleeps with Sally the Seahorse. She tried a sippy cup for the first time yesterday, and she did great with it. Her clothes are 6-12 months, and her sleepers are 9-12 months. She's just outgrown her size 2 shoes. Her favorite shoes are furry boots! Hudson is a dream baby, and I know there's bound to be some challenges around the corner. BUT for now, we are really enjoying the ease of caring for our red-headed, blue-eyed, easy-going baby! Thank you Jesus for the blessing Hudson Elisabeth is to our family. May she be a blessing to this world, as well!

Orange Beach

2012-01-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to spend some precious time with family for the four days after Christmas. We look forward to this every year! We always talk about doing beach pictures, but this year it actually happened! I know we will treasure these pictures forever. This was Hudson's first time to see the beach and feel sand. I assured her we would go back many times. Even though it wasn't warm to get in the ocean (for anyone but Matt and Jason), we had lots of fun relaxing at the indoor pool, shopping, talking, listening to the ocean, eating yummy food, and just being together! We're so grateful for our families!

Oshel Family Christmas

2012-01-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed Christmas Eve lunch with Matt's side of the family. We had so much fun visiting, opening presents, and of course, taking an annual family Christmas picture. This year, all I can say is that someone got a little too close to the fire pit during the photo op and may have had a few singed hairs!

Christmas Morning

2012-01-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

We stayed at home until December 25, so our children could wake up at home on Christmas morning. We let them open presents and then we went to church to worship! It was a great morning! After church, we drove down to celebrate with my side of the family. Our babies were really troopers. The only issue Mr. Eli had was leaving his new (to him) train tracks and trains. He LOVES Thomas! Miss Hudson LOVED the wrapping paper most of all!! And as Eli reminded us constantly this season, "Christmas is all about JESUS!"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2012-01-07T08:35:00.001-08:00

Pinterest Inspired

2012-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

According to wikipedia, Pinterest is a vision board-styled social photo sharing website and app where users can create and manage theme-based image collections. The mission statement of Pinterest is to connect everyone in the world through shared tastes and the “things” they find interesting.

I have been getting lots of ideas from this site! I really like it! Here's a couple of my projects that I have completed with the help of Pinterest!

A fun way to display Christmas cards….I just wrapped a ribbon around the cabinet door.

Neighbor gifts….this was a mix for cowboy cookies. This kept me from baking homemade goodies and eating half of them! I thought they turned out cute!

5 wonderful years of marriage!

2012-01-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

To God be the glory! Matt and I celebrated our 5th anniversary during December. We were married on December 30, 2006 and have since realized that we will always be celebrating on a different date as December 30 is always when we're traveling back from the beach trip with the Oshels. We are totally fine with that. This year, we took a long weekend trip with just the two of us to Disney World!! I tend to enjoy things more when I know we've gotten a good deal on it, and the whole trip was really a great deal financially!! We flew out of Owensboro, KY (a little over an hour from where we live) to Sanford, FL (about 45 minutes from Disney). We rented a tiny car (since it was just the two of us!) and stayed at the Hilton across the street from Downtown Disney. We had tickets leftover to use from when Matt's family had gone in 1989! They still honored them! We even stopped at IKEA on the way to the hotel to buy Matt's parents Christmas gift to the kids. I LOVE IKEA!! Anyways, the uninterrupted time that we got to spend together was priceless!! We wouldn't trade it for the world! We did spend time planning out a future trip to bring Eli and Hudson…..once they are both potty trained and can walk!! We saw so many families with little bitty children. It just looked like so much more work with little bitty ones. I don't know what the perfect age is, but for me, I don't want to be changing diapers!

Hudson's first snow

2012-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

She was pretty enamored with it!
Eli came out of his room to see it and said, "It's bootiful!" Precious memories!

Black Friday=Hudson's a Crawler!

2012-01-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

It has become somewhat of a tradition for Matt and I to get up early and go shopping on Black Friday! It works out well because we are usually at my parents' house, so the children can keep sleeping and playing with their Poppa and DeeDee. We could never justify taking them out at 4am! Anyways, this year we didn't need any one item. We were able to get most of our shopping done online, but we went out looking for great deals just for the fun of it! We really didn't run into big lines except at LIFEWAY!! The deals there were hot!! We scored $5 ESV thin line Bibles, $5 Jesus Storybook Bibles, $1.99 Veggy Tales dvds, and lots more! However, Matt had to stand in line for over an hour just to check out! It was worth it, though! I went next door and did a little shopping at JC Penney while he waited. He's such a trooper! We had a blast

When we got home a little after lunch, Miss Hudson started CRAWLING! She had been getting frustrated at not being able to reach certain toys on the floor, so her determination turned to action! It's an army crawl thus far, but she can MOVE fast!! The minute we got home, I had to get out our play zone to give her some limits to where she could go, especially with the Christmas tree begin up! Needless to say, our lives are a little more exciting with Hudson on the move! She's growing up!

Thanksgiving

2012-01-06T21:30:00.001-08:00

We celebrated on Sunday with Matt's side of the family and spent Tuesday night through Saturday night with Beth's family in Mississippi. We had wonderful weather and even more wonderful company! Eli and Hudson even got to meet some new cousins!

Meet Me In St. Louis!

2012-01-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Every year or two, all of my college roommates from Union get together for an official Roommate Reunion. This year, we all met in St. Louis. These girls are so special and have made a huge impact on my life. We always have a great time catching up and spending time together. I'm so thankful for these special ladies God has put in my life.

Holiday Shopping

2012-01-06T21:19:00.003-08:00

This is Eli's favorite part of holiday shopping….no one tell him that they actually move if you put money in them! So far, he's happy to just sit on them and pretend!

Dressing Up for Fall Festivals!

2012-01-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

The cute Elmo and Dorothy the Goldfish costumes that I bought our children were a big flop. Both of them cried when I tried to put them on them. So, we let them wear what was comfortable! Eli wants to wear his jersey every single day, so this was no different! He thinks he's practicing football constantly. When he falls down, he says he got tackled! Even Hudson likes joining in the game! We went to a Fall Fest with Poppa and DeeDee and then went to one in Harrisburg. Eli LOVED "driving" the tractors and big trucks.

Eli's First S'more

2012-01-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

I think he liked it!

Oops...

2012-01-06T20:38:00.000-08:00

Since LAST fall, we had been trying to capture a couple groundhogs that kept coming in our backyard. I finally was able to get animal control to come set a trap. I had thought we would set our own, but then I would have had to figure out what to do with the animal we caught. No thank you! So, I was THRILLED when I saw something in the trap and called animal control and Matt to let them know we had the ground hog…..should have looked a little closer. We had caught a cat! The next two days, we also caught furry animals! Two poor raccoons….no ground hog! I suppose Mr. Animal Control didn't want to catch any more non-groundhogs because he took his trap away. I suppose we scared Mr. Groundhog because I haven't seem him any more. He could just be hibernating.

Fall Decor

2012-01-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

I was inspired this year to add a little extra fall cheer to our front porch. The mums from Hathaway's nursery were especially beautiful this year. I took some brown paint leftover from another project and added a little personalization to our pumpkins. I found some ribbon from last year's Christmas tree, and there you have it! I'm not the decorating Mrs. Oshel, so this was a big deal for me!

Catching up….

2012-01-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

The last three months have been SUPER busy, and I have, thus, neglected our blog. Normally, I would just pick up with current life and not worry about what I missed, but I use this blog to help me when I go back and scrapbook. LOTS of big things have taken place in the Oshel family over the last three months, so I'm going to have a blogging frenzy over the next couple days to catch up! Let's hit rewind, and take a glance back to October!

Silent Night

2011-12-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

Six Sensational Months Old!

2011-10-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

This little girl has stolen our hearts! We love everything about her! We absolutely love to watch her and her big brother interact. He often wakes up and says, "I need Hudson!" That means he wants to "cuddle" her. He lays down on a blanket next to her and tries to get her to smile at him. It doesn't take long because she loves him! I love dressing her in fun girl clothes! I love going in her room in the morning and seeing her bright eyes staring back at me! I love her little fingers and toes. I love how enthusiastic she is when she jumps! I love that she loves her baby doll. I love that she grabs onto me sometimes like she's never letting go! I love how she lights up when we talk to her! I love her shrills of delight when she's playing! I can honestly say we are loving this season and look forward to the joys the next season will bring! (The worst thing we've found about Hudson is her disdain for taking any sort of medicine!)

Her stats:

Weight: 15 pounds 11 ounces (50th percentile)

Height: 26 and 1/4 inches (60th percentile)

This face….

2011-10-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

makes me very happy! This is how I'm greeted every morning when I peer into Hudson's crib. This was last Sunday,and Hudson was 23 weeks old. (I had to go count to figure out the weeks…)

First SIU Home Game

2011-10-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

Eli wakes up everyday talking about "foofball!" He pretty much demands to wear his "Go Dogs" shirt every morning. He has three, so I try to keep one of them clean. It's not a battle that I want to fight most mornings! He watches every play at the games, and he lasts till the very end! Hudson is quite a trooper, as well. She took a little nap at the tailgate before the game started. We were excited that the Billman crew was able to join us for this game. The last picture is Tyler with their baby, Andy.

C25K Finale

2011-10-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

On September 17, we ran our 5K at the Apple Festival in Murphysboro. We went from not running at all to running the entire 5K in 9 weeks. We had a lot of fun doing it!

Harrisburg Homecoming and Matt's 10 Year Reunion

2011-10-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Since this was Matt's 10 year reunion Homecoming, his class was supposed to ride in the Homecoming parade with this children. Eli insisted on wearing his hat! He really enjoyed waving to everyone as they rode through town on their "float." Homecoming is a really big deal in our little town. The parade is one of my favorite parts of the year because the whole town shuts down and comes out to watch. Everyone seems to rally around the school, and Friday night home football games are THE place to be! Everyone from the oldest to youngest wears their Bulldog Purple! The kids all love the parade because an insane amount of candy is thrown out! (The other big parade in town is during the Christmas season, and we love going to it, as well!)

SIU v Ole Miss

2011-10-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

The whole Oshel Family packed up and drove down to Oxford for the Southern Illinois football game against Ole Miss. Hudson stayed with my parents, but Eli went for the day with us. (There he is to the left with his Uncle Jason.) He completely missed a nap…..Notice the last picture. That was on the way back to our car.

We had a lot of fun. I had only been to Ole Miss when they were playing State, so it was nice to see the campus at a calmer time than when they aren't playing their biggest rival.

He loves to pick out his own clothes!

2011-10-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Hudson is 5 Months Old

2011-10-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hudson turned 5 Months old on September 17…..this is a bit late!! She has become SOO active! She found her feet and has been gnawing on them since the second week in September. She LOVES her jumper. In fact, it has necessitated that she start wearing little shoes. Until now, she's been barefoot most of the time, but one afternoon she was bouncing and rubbed blisters on her big toes from bouncing so fervently! She's certainly passionate about her bouncing! She, unofficially, weighs about 15 pounds. She tries to get her knees up under her to crawl, but I think she's a ways from crawling still. She really enjoys playing with toys that hang above her on her activity gym and on her car seat. She's started shreiking….not because she's upset, she just makes noise! She also sputters…a lot! She can roll or scoot just about anywhere she wants to go, so we have said goodbye to laying her on a blanket and thinking she'll be there in that same spot when I get back! She is still wearing 3-6 month clothes, but her sleepers are just almost too short. She has started trying rice cereal. Sometimes, she swallows, and other times, she spits it out. She's learning….. She watches her big brother's every move, and she moves her eyes to look at whoever is talking. If the TV is on, she wants to see it and will crane her neck however she can to do just that! She loves looking at leaves and rays of sunlight. I think the most fun thing she's doing now is laughing out loud…Eli is usually the only one who can make her laugh. She adores him! It's REALLY hard to believe that she'll be 6 months old in a couple weeks….I want her to stay small!

Eli's 2nd Birthday Party

2011-08-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we had Eli's Family Birthday Breakfast at Nan's and his first kids party that evening! Here's a glimpse from the day…..

Hudson at 4 Months

2011-08-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hudson turned 4 months old on August 17, and she is growing so fast! At 4 months, she is 13 pounds 12 ounces (50th percentile) and 25 and 1/2 inches (90th percentile) long. She has TWO teeth! She has started rolling from back to front and front to back! She loves to lay on the floor and play. She is a really happy baby. She loves watching her brother's every move and cuddling with him. She doesn't like her car seat at first, but she usually settles down and does ok with it. She takes several naps during the days and sleeps for about 10-11 hours straight at night. This is why I didn't realize she was teething! She is such a joy! She is drooling all over the place these days and still loves to gnaw on her hands. She sleeps with her two middle fingers in her mouth. I could sit and hold her all days long……I love her.

Eli is 2!!

2011-08-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Eli, You are now TWO years old!! I can't even fathom how the last two years could have passed so quickly. It feels like we blinked, and we had a two year old! You are truly a blessing in our lives, and it's hard to imagine what we did before you! You have grown up so much in the last year…you've learned to walk, speak in sentences, all of your letters and their sounds, and so much more! You weigh 25 pounds 10 ounces and are 35 and 1/2 inches long. You absolutely love to read, and you ask us to read to you all day long! You are very polite saying "please" and "thank you" in all the right places. You love playing outside, especially when you can find a stick! You love Thomas the Train and would watch that show all day long if I would let you! You enjoy dressing up in hats, and you LOVE shoes, especially your green frog boots. You love eating pizza, "aked" beans, spaghetti, grapes, and peaches! You will eat just about anything once, but you want to be able to feed it to yourself. You've gotten pretty good with a spoon and a fork. You never did learn to drink from a sippy cup, but you are a pro with a straw. You especially love drinking from an open cup and picking the ice out of it. Your favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus," "Deep and Wide," "The B-I-B-L-E," "Who is the King of the Jungle?," and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." (You call it "twinkie" star.) You love sports and pretend that just about anything and everything is a golf club. You are a very loving and kind big brother. You love to hug and give kisses to Hudson, and she adores you, as well! She watches your every move. You told me one day that Hudson was your best friend! You take a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon and sleep about 11 hours at night with your lovie and seahorse. You insist on giving everyone in the house a kiss before bed. You often reply to "I love you" with "I too"! It melts our hearts! You love reading the Bible, and you remind us every night before bed to do so. You also are a constant reminder to us to pray before we eat. You say, "I need to pway!" You are a very determined little boy, and we are excited to see what God has in store for you as you grow up. Always remember to use that determination for the things of God. Happy 2nd Birthday, Eli!

Love, Mommy, Daddy, and Hudson

C25K

2011-07-21T12:19:00.001-07:00

This was November of 2007….I ran a 5K with my good friend, Brooke! Fast forward 4 years, 2 babies, and more weight that I am willing to post on here, and I am in training for my next 5K! Apple Festival 5K in September, here we (and by we, I mean my two partners in crime-Jenny and Laura) come! Week 1, check! Week 2 starts tomorrow! Maybe some of this baby weight will fall off in the training process! A girl can hope!

3 Month Old Hudson and 23 Month Old Eli

2011-07-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

My babies are growing, growing, growing, and they are more fun everyday!
Hudson is so alert now. She always offers a smile, and she coos and goos tons! She loves to kick and squirm when she's laying on the floor! She weighs a whopping 12 pounds and even has little roll on her legs! Love it! She sleeps for 9-10 hours straight at night, and she loves to suck on her 3rd and 4th fingers. They have officially replaced the pacifiers, and she wants nothing to do with a pacy anymore! She still nurses and takes a supplemental bottle (extra 3-4 ounces) at each feeding. She eats every 3-4 hours equalling 5-6 feedings per day. She loves to be held up on your shoulder, but she really prefers to sleep in her crib. She still has beautiful red hair, although some has fallen out, and gorgeous blue eyes! She thinks her brother is hilarious! I have ordered a baby food maker to help me make baby food…I gave Eli the packaged stuff, but I am going to try making it this time around! She won't really need it for 3 more months, but I thought I might start experimenting on Eli!
Mr. Eli is getting so big. He weighs just over 25 pounds and is like a little sponge when it comes to learning! He loves Elmo and Thomas the Train! In fact, I am in the midst of planning his Elmo 2nd Birthday party! He has discovered the train table in the 2 year old room at church, and he promoted himself a month early by refusing to go in the nursery any more. He loves that train table! Thankfully, the Mrs. Becca and Mr. Jonathan were happy for him to join their class a little early!
Eli repeats EVERYTHING we say!! Matt and I spell out words a lot these days! He loves to be around other children. He will eat most foods, but he has quite an obsession with cheese of all kinds-feta, cheddar, parmesan, you name it! He loves his sister and is so sweet to her. It concerns him greatly on the occasions that she cries. He loves to hug her and give her kisses! He has learned to be very gentle with her….at least for the time being! He's not a big fan of riding in the car, so thank goodness for dvd players in the car. That makes it bearable to travel the 4 hours to see Deedee and Poppa who Eli adores! He sees a phone and immediately demands that we call Deedee and Poppa! He also loves his Nan and Grandad and is super excited about going to swim in their new pool when it gets finished! He is a little fish with his new puddle jumper on.
We have settled into a good routine. Most days, we walk in the morning with friends. We enjoy lunch with daddy at home. (It's so nice that he just works around the corner!) Eli usually sleeps from 2-5, and Hudson will sleep most of that time, as well. That gives me a nice break to do some housework, yardwork, or other miscellaneous tasks! By the time they wake up, Matt is home or coming home soon. He helps finish getting supper ready which is oh so helpful and appreciated! We usually watch Wheel of Fortune, as Eli LOVES that show! Eli loves to play with daddy and pretty much does from the time supper is over till bedtime! 3 nights a week, I am doing the Couch 2 5K program with a couple of other moms. We're planning on running the Apple Festival 5K in September! I had planned on doing a 5K after Eli was born, but I got pregnant again before I reached that goal! Hoping to make it this time!!
Mine and Matt's favorite summer time show right now is America's Got Talent! We're pumped about a new episode tonight!
We are very much enjoying summer!

4th of July Weekend

2011-07-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

My little firecracker!
We decided to head south for the holiday weekend, and we are so glad we did! It was such a blast to be with our family and friends! On Friday night, we enjoyed dinner with Poppa, Deedee, and Uncle Jeffrey.
On Saturday, we enjoyed breakfast with the Luce's (one of my college roommates, her husband, and 3 children) at Panera Bread. Hudson and I then enjoyed lunch and pedicures with Aunt Missy. Eli, mommy, and daddy went to the Memphis Red Bird's game and fireworks Saturday night with Aunt Missy and Uncle Greg.
On Sunday, we went to church at Broadway. After naps, Eli, Poppa, and Daddy played some golf! We took Poppa to Olive Garden that night for a late Father's Day celebration.
On Monday, we did a little shopping, grilled out with Poppa, Deedee, and Uncle Jeffrey.
We topped the night off with a party at Aunt Missy and Uncle Greg's and fireworks at the park! We had a wonderful celebration!

Two Month Old Hudson

2011-06-20T13:17:00.001-07:00

Stats:
10 pounds 6 ounces (50th percentile)
23 inches long (75th percentile)

She started cooing and gooing last week. She smiles all the time and is so much fun to interact with! She sleeps anywhere from 7-9 hours at night and takes 4-5 hour long naps during the day. She eats 6-7 times a day (nursing and then taking a 3 ounce supplement bottle…she doesn't often finish the bottle) She is a very content baby! She just started sleeping in her crib and seems to love it! We had been swaddling her with her arms down, but we just started letting her arms be out. She loves that because she sucks on her two fingers. She will occasionally take a pacifier, but she mostly likes her fingers. She LOVES bath time!
Sadly, she had her first round of vaccines (3 shots, 1 oral) today at her check up. I think it mostly hurt her feelings. She stuck her bottom lip out really far and cried, but she fell asleep before we even left the room. She's all girl, and we love her dearly!!

Toddler Manual

2011-06-15T19:57:00.001-07:00

Does anyone out there have a "how to" guide for every situation that arises during the toddler years?! We could use one of those right now! Obviously, our ultimate guide is God's Word, but that gives us more of a general guide as opposed to the specifics.
I feel like Eli lives in a world of extremes right now….he is either really sweet and super happy or really distraught! We have found Ted Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart to be very helpful, but it's certainly not all inclusive.
Here are some recent scenarios that we could use that how to guide for….
* What do you do when no matter how many times your spank, warn, or praise (for right table manners) your child, he intentionally throws food on the floor during every meal?
* What do you do when your child tries to pull your infant out of your lap when you're nursing because he wants you to hold him and him alone? (Note:I have learned how to hold both of them while feeding the baby, but he wants to be the only one sometimes! He gets lots of time with just mom during Hudson's naps, but he doesn't remember that in the moment!)
* What do you do when your child yells "Teezee" (T.V) and Elmo for hours (despite spankings, talks, time outs) wanting to watch tv ALL day long?

We know that our little boy was born with a sin nature like the rest of us, and these scenarios are simply that sin nature rearing its ugly head. He is a sinner in need of a Saviour just like I am. I just wish he could understand reason. We don't want to exasperate him, but he has to have limits. We certainly aren't going to bow to his every whim.

We do know that we have a very passionate, energetic little boy, so I think we will spend many years helping him to channel that in the right directions! Our prayer continues to be that He will grow up to serve God with all of his heart. We know this is just for a season, and he will not have to scold him for throwing food when he is in high school…..or at least I hope not!

8 weeks

2011-06-13T14:37:00.001-07:00

Hudson has started eating more at each "meal" and has settled into a nice sleep, eat, wake pattern. (Note:I am not a hard core Baby Wise fan, but that routine has worked really well for both of my babies.) Eli has started asking to hold her and has tried several times to pick her up from her swing when she started crying! He's really started noticing her more, and that is fun for me! He comes to her room with me to change her diaper, and the most entertaining activity he has found in there is playing basketball with her pacifier and the laundry basket. We have started walking with friend and her baby most mornings during the week, and that makes us all feel better. We still look forward to daddy coming home at lunch and after work! He's lots of help!
Hudson has officially graduated to size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes. (A few little newborn outfits still fit, but most of them are too short now.)

Eli and Hudson both at 7 Weeks Old

2011-06-12T16:26:00.001-07:00

I love it when….

2011-06-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

Eli says his baby sister's name "Husson" with great inflection on the first syllable. It's super cute! He also tried to pick up her car seat today to carry her for me to the car. He couldn't budge it, but he was sure trying to be helpful. He loves to throw away trash, so we try to give him little things to throw away for us. I've had to save plastic bowls, books, and other miscellaneous items from the trash can as he gets a little confused on what's trash and what's not! I'm pretty sure a few things that I keep trying to find must have gotten thrown away by Mr. Eli, as well! Eli's latest obssessions are "B ball" and Elmo! He is also really enjoying "swimming." I think he enjoys the baby blow up pool as much as he does the real thing.

Hudson is 7 weeks old today!

2011-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hudson has stolen my heart….I can't get enough of her! She first smiled in response to us on May 12, but she is smiling SO much more now! Her expressions are priceless.
What else does Hudson like?
*being held
*nursing (even though we have to supplement with formula to get her enough calories, she would nurse all day long!)
*being swaddled to go to sleep
*when her big brother rubs her head and plays with her toes
*to be talked to
*her swing
*riding in mommy's sling
*sleeping….mostly in her bouncy seat (night time sleep right now is from 10pm-5am…we like this!)
*Dr. Brown bottles and Soothie pacifiers
What does Hudson NOT like?
*her crib or laying flat anywhere
*tummy time
*being in her car seat (She's very hot natured, and it makes her really hot…..could be that it's blazing hot outside, too.)
*changing clothes that have to go over her head

Generally, she is a very happy baby! We are so blessed!!

No complaining....

2011-05-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to my parents' this past weekend. We enjoyed lots of time just playing with the babies, visiting, eating yummy food, and relaxing. We even got to go to our cousin's first birthday party! We had a "whale of a time!" During one of the conversations, I was asking questions about my dad and his siblings. I found out that my Grandma Davis had 4 children under 5 years old....she would have had 5 but one of the babies (a twin) died at birth.
To top it off, my Papaw Heck (her husband) was working away from home. She was on her own....this was the 40s, so we're talking all cloth diapers. All of the modern conveniences (baby food in jars, swings, baby wipes, etc) I have now were non-existent! The gravity of this hit me, and I decided I had no right to ever complain about how hard it is to have 2 this close together. Grandma could sure teach me a thing or two about managing a home! Grandma's Birthday would have been on Wednesday of last week.....wish you were still here to teach me! What an amazing woman!

Newborn Shots of Mommy and Daughter

2011-05-30T07:41:00.001-07:00

On our way...

2011-05-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

We are about to take Miss Hudson on her first road trip to my parent's house! We are super excited. We've only had a few minor set backs so far....I have pink eye and Eli is cutting his two year molars. We are going armed with Ibuprofen and eye drops, so I think we'll make it! Can't wait to share of our weekend adventures when we return!

Big Week

2011-05-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Monday....Eli was 21 months (He has started saying "I love you," and is mastering puzzles.)
Tuesday...Hudson is ONE month old (weighed in today at 7 pounds 14 ounces and last Thursday started smiling back at us)
Thursday...Matt turns 28!
Lots of celebrating!

Hudson's Birth Story

2011-05-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been waiting for a good time to sit down and write all of this, but it seems like computer time is now few and far between with both little ones vying for mommy's attention! Eli has just gone down for a nap, so I think I have just enough time before Hudson is due to eat again to type this out as fast as I can.....where do I begin.....

Hudson's due date was Friday, April 15, and I never dreamed that we would still be waiting on our precious girl after months of pre-term labor...but we were. When I saw Dr. Gates on the 14th, he thought we could have her at anytime. I was at 3 cm and 80% effaced. I wanted so badly to have her Thursday night or Friday as I knew Dr. Gates was not on call all weekend. On Thursday, we walked and walked and walked and ate Mexican! I had lots of contractions...we thought it might be the real thing, but they stopped. I woke up Friday morning to go to the Little Lambs Play Group Easter Party. I was sad....I was wishing I was at the hospital! So, I then decided she would just have to wait until after the weekend when our doctor would be available again! Well, God and Hudson had other plans.
Overnight Friday, I woke up about once an hour having REALLY hard contractions. I decided to ignore them, but they weren't gone by Saturday morning. In fact, I had contractions all day Saturday, but they were never "regular." I even called the doctor at one point because they were so hard. He assured me that I was not in active labor and to wait until they were regular to come to the hospital. Late afternoon, Matt and Eli went to the store and left me on the couch watching a DVRed episode of The Biggest Loser. When they got home, I was in tears because the contractions were hurting so bad. Matt grabbed my phone and insisted that he was going to talk to the doctor. When he described the situation, the doctor advised that if I was that uncomfortable, we should come on in. We called Matt's parents over to come stay with Eli, and we packed the last few items into our already prepared bags to go to the hospital. I was sure they would send me home because I wasn't in "active labor." I cried and cried when we left because Eli was crying. He knew something was up and that mommy wasn't feeling good. Emotions were running high around the Oshel house! I called my parents in Mississippi to put them on alert of what was happening, as well.
A few minutes after 6pm on April 16, we arrived at the emergency room in Carbondale. They immediately put me in a wheel chair and asked how far apart my contractions were. I was hesitant to say since it was still like 30 minutes, but they still wheeled me up to an observation room in Labor and Delivery. I proceeded to answer a million questions before a nurse decided to check me. I was a good 5 cm dilated, and they then told me I was staying until I had the baby. Whoa!! I was shocked! It didn't seem real yet but became more real as the contractions became more intense!
They then took me to a birthing room where I dressed in my pretty hospital gown that I had bought for this special occasion. I loved it! (I have a disdain for the gowns that they give you to wear as EVERYONE in the world has worn them, and they do not do a good job of covering!) Our nurse's name was Sarah. She was very kind. They baby's nurse was Christy, and she was already in there getting everything ready for Hudson. They were a good team.
Soon after we arrived in the birthing room, Dr. Walker came in to see how things were going. He said he could go ahead and break my water or just wait and see if I went into active labor on my own. He checked me, and I was 6-7 cm by this point. I asked to wait a little while and try walking to see if that helped. I called my friend who happens to be a doctor to ask what I should do. (I was used to Dr. Gates just telling me what needed to happen, and Dr. Walker was all about the choices.) At her suggestion, I agreed to go ahead and let him break my water after about an hour of walking. The contractions had gotten more regular by that point anyway.
I was not fully prepared for the intensity of labor that began the moment he broke my water.....I immediately wanted an epidural, but I hadn't realized that the entire bag of IV fluids had to get into me before I could have one. The IV fluids didn't even start until he broke my water.
This. seemed. to. take. an. eternity.
He broke my water about 9pm, and I FINALLY I got an epidural at 11pm. This was the longest two hours of my life. I was dilated 9 and 1/2 cm by the time the epidural doctor came, and as soon as I got the epidural, I was at 10cm. I didn't start pushing till a little after midnight on April 17th because they wanted me to "labor down." I didn't care how long it took at that point, I was free from the pain!
At 1:13am, our precious Hudson entered the world! What an amazing moment when I held her sweet body for the first time and beheld her face and eyes staring up at me! I marveled at her red hair and long, long fingers and toes! She's beautiful!
God even gave us an opportunity to pray with and for Dr. Walker as some problems arose that he had to deal with after Hudson was born. Praise God that everything seems to have worked out just fine!
We are so thankful for God's hand in the entire pregnancy and birthing process! Halelujah, what a Saviour! Hudson is truly a testimony to the glory of our God!

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Introducing...

2011-04-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

HUDSON ELISABETH OSHEL

Born at 1:13 A.M. on April 17th, 2011. She weighed 6 pounds, 13.4 ounces and was measured at 19.5 inches long. Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother are all very excited!

2011-04-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

On April 16th, 2011 at about 5:20 p.m., Bethany and I loaded up in the van and headed for the Carbondale Hospital. She had been having pretty strong contractions starting yesterday, and they got even stronger overnight last night. Through the day today, the contractions got progressively stronger and stronger until we finally called the doctor and he said to come on in because of her level of discomfort.

Turns out that was a good call. When Bethany was checked at intake, she was already at 5 cm. By the time they moved us to a labor and delivery room, she was already between 6 and 7 cm! We were definitely making progress, but her contractions were still irregular. When she had them, they were violently strong; she just wasn't having them at regular intervals.

After the doctor checked her in the labor and delivery room, Bethany and I decided to go for a stroll to try to help labor along. It didn't take too many laps around our floor of the hospital before her contractions were coming much more frequently. Since then, Bethany has gotten back into the bed and the doctor has broken her water. They have started her on fluids and have told her that she has to get this entire bag of saline through her before she can have an epidural. I think she wants me to go squeeze the bag to make it drip faster!!!

Please continue to pray for us as we await Hudson's arrival. We are anxious and excited and still a little bit nervous. Also, please pray for Eli. I don't think he has any idea how much his world is about to change!

We will post more when we get the chance.

Eli is 20 Months Old

2011-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thought for sure that Eli would have a little sister here before he was 20 months, but it looks like that's not going to be the case! I can't believe my "baby boy" will be two in just four months. He is really looking and acting less and less like a baby every day.
What does he like to do at 20 months? go to church, color, take baths, read to us from his Jesus Story Book Bible, listen to music (especially a live band), run around outside, and play with any ball he can get his hands on
What does he eat? GRAPES and CHEESE are his FAVORITES! He eats about 5 times a day: rice cereal with applesauce for breakfast, yogurt with some fruit for a mid morning snack, lunch includes some sort of meat, veggy, carb, and fruit, supper is whatever mommy and daddy are having (he loves lettuce!), and right before bed he eats another bowl of rice cereal with applesauce.
What does he drink? whole milk and "wah wah" (water)
What does he weigh? I'm not sure...thankfully, we haven't been to the doctor in quite a while, but he is eating much better than he was. He seldom has a "happy plate," but he seems to be eating more and more. He loves Mexican food and spaghetti! He seems to be a carb man!
What is he saying? ANYTHING that you say! He is putting little sentences together. He is finally saying "please" and "thanks". He seldom says "yes," but he will say "ok". We find that very helpful as he would only say "no" in response to questions for several months! (We had to listen to the inflection in his voice to decide what he meant by each "no." Accuracy is not great when you do that!)
He is getting pretty good at making his animal noises for the sheep, horse, dog, duck, cow, and pig.
He can go through the whole alphabet and tell you what sound each letter makes! We thank The Letter Factory for this accomplishment!

When I go in his room in the morning, he usually is waving at me with a big grin on his face! Most of the time he says "book" and wants to look at a book while I change his diaper. He LOVES books! We took the rocking chair out of his room to put it in Hudson's nursery. Now, he has more room, and we bought some cubbies/ shelves to store his toys in as they were starting to take over his room. So, his room looks a little more like a big boy room, now.
I mentioned that Eli enjoys going to church. Several times, we have driven by the church on our way somewhere else, and he has burst into tears when we haven't stopped there! He must associate the church building with lots of fun! It's really the only time in the week when he knows he will get to play with other children. He loves playing with other children, especially older kids. His room at church also has a wonderful slide to play on that Eli just loves! I'm so glad he enjoys going to church!
Eli definitely has opinions about things now, and he's not afraid to express it! He LOVES to feed himself and drink from a real open top cup. He asks for his own "poon" when we eat. Speaking of eating....he hold out his hands to hold yours when it's time to eat. He knows that we hold hands and pray for before our meal, and he ALWAYS says "Amen" at the end of every prayer!
Eli is really a bundle of joy! He is at a very fun age, and I can't wait to see him as a big brother! Please pray that he has a smooth transition from being the only child to having a baby sister.

Due Date

2011-04-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Hudson,
Today is your due date! We would really be THRILLED if you wanted to come out and meet us today! We went to the doctor yesterday, and he told us you are ready to come out. So, don't be scared. We promise to take really good care of you!
Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Eli

This was 39 weeks.

Eli's Fall

2011-04-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

On Saturday while our friends were visiting, we decided to load everyone up to go over to the "Tot Lot" at the park. Eli loves playing there, and it was a gorgeous day! About 1 minute into the trip, Eli went sprinting away from where all the kids were playing. Before Matt or I could catch him, he had tripped on the railroad tie and plummeted head first two feet down onto the asphalt below. It was like we watched the whole thing unfold in slow motion and could do nothing to help him. There was no blood, but his forehead immediately swelled up like a huge egg. He had a few scrapes and was VERY upset. We put ice on it and checked with our doctor to see if we should bring him in. We tend to lean more toward caution than is probably necessary, but I would rather be that way than to let something serious go.
Needless to say, Matt and I were probably more traumatized than Eli. Our son seems to not have an ounce of caution in his body!! However, he's had accidents before but none quite this bad. Here's hoping that he'll look before he runs full speed ahead at the tot lot next time!

Sweet Friends

2011-04-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

We had the Davis Family come stay with us this past weekend, and it was so much fun! We are so thankful that the Lord allowed our paths to cross at the same church for 2 and 1/2 years. They are the kind of friends that we can always pick right back up where we left off and always walk away being challenged in our walk with Christ. So thankful for these friends and their sweet children!

Five on Friday

2011-03-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

1. Today marks the official 37 week point in this pregnancy meaning Miss Hudson is "full term." This is such an answer to prayer as we weren't sure we'd make it this far when I started having pre-term labor at 26 weeks. Praise the Lord!!
We went to the doctor yesterday, and I am 2cm dialated. However, her head is still really high. I feel great, so we are praying that in God's perfect time her head will come down, and I will go into labor naturally. Since I had to have a C-section with Eli, the doctor will not induce as that would increase the risk of a rupture. He will let me go up to 2 weeks past my due date before insisting on doing a C-section as long as the baby and mom are doing fine. I suppose there are tests they can run to make sure. Only our sovereign Lord knows when we'll have Hudson in our arms, but we are sure excited about that day!
2. This week our new bedroom furniture arrived, and I love it! We are the proud owners of a king size bed, and I am very happy with the extra room. I didn't think I would like it, but my husband was correct again!
3. Eli has started getting Kleenex out of the bathroom and pretending he's blowing his nose. I feel like this is a big step in the right direction as he usually runs and screams when he sees me coming to wipe his nose. Speaking of "nose," I think it's his favorite body part. He points it out in every book he reads! He has started being very careful to say the "s" on the end!
4. My sweet daddy had surgery on Tuesday to repair his rotator cuff and another tendon in his shoulder that were torn during a nasty fall on the ice back in January. (He was loading the car to come see us....I still feel terrible.) So, it turns out that this is one of the three most painful surgeries one can have, and dad can attest to that. Please pray that his pain will ease up. He begins physical therapy on Monday, and we are hoping that he will be able to ride in a car for a trip by the time Hudson arrives. This is another reason I am happy to patiently wait on her!
5. Eli can now tell us almost all of his letter sounds thanks to the educational value of The Letter Factory DVD. I love it and would recommend it to any pre-readers! We'll tackle numbers and colors next!

Have a great weekend!!

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-20T20:13:00.003-07:00

Our little man would spend every second outside if we would let him!

36 Weeks

2011-03-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

I went to the doctor on Thursday, and I am dialated 1 cm. I have been released to walk and do normal activities after having to "take it easy" for the last 10 weeks. I was so happy to hear this news, especially since the weather has gotten nicer! I went on a walk on Saturday and realized just how out of shape I had gotten in those past 10 weeks! We are excited and a little nervous about out little girl's arrival, but ready or not, she'll be here soon!
Our friends, Greg and Melissa, came to visit this weekend and were a HUGE help in getting things ready. Matt and Greg worked in the yard, and Melissa and I worked on painted some canvases for Hudson's room. We were VERY grateful and had a wonderful visit!!

19 Months

2011-03-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Has another month really passed?! Time seems to be going faster and faster these days! We are a month out from Hudson's due date, and Mr. Eli is learning and growing so much every single day.
He actually lost a little weight during a recent bout with bronchitis, so he weighs 22 pounds 8 ounces. However, he's been eating like crazy the last two days, so I think he'll be back over 23 pounds again in no time!
He is wearing mostly 12-18 month clothes which are still a little baggy, but he'll be needing longer ones very soon! I always buy his clothes ahead of time when they are on clearance, but I may be in trouble on his summer clothes as they are all 18-24 months. I'm not sure they are going to stay up on him, but maybe he'll pack on a few pounds in the next couple of months!
His shoes are size 5, but he's just about ready for size 6. Our favorite shoes are Robeez. I love them!
Eli has recently started liking lettuce. Matt and I eat tons of salads, so I think he thought he was missing out on something special! He often says "a bite" when we're eating something that he wants. He can have the exact thing in front of him but somehow it tastes better coming off of our plates! He loves fruits and anything crunchy. He's not as big a fan of veggies, but he does like lima beans!
He seems to have completely forgotten the pacifier (after a month and a half) and is sleeping much better than when we first took it away. He sleeps about 12 hours at night and between a hour and a half and three hours during the afternoon. He always sleeps with Seymore the Seahorse and his lovie that Emily made him! He loves soft blankets.
He LOVES ball, and he's learned to throw them really well. I'm not sure how that's going to work out when there's a little baby around. The balls may have to be traded for nerf balls!
His favorite thing to watch is The Letter Factory, and he can tell you almost all of the letter sounds if you sing the song.
He is talking all the time and even "reading" books to us. He'll repeat most things that you ask him to say....when he's in the right mood!
Eli is not generally a cuddly baby, but he'll sit in your lap for you to read to him for a LONG time! We love that special time.
He loves closing doors, and he's almost learned how to open them. I am concerned about this as I have always just closed the rooms off that I don't want him to play in.
Eli loves being outside, and we are both really looking forward to spring and sunshine! We're hoping that the doctor will clear me to start going on walks again when we go on Thursday. Eli has a wonderful new red wagon that Poppa and Deedee gave him for Christmas, and we are ready to start using it! We also just bought a double stroller, so when little sister gets here, we're ready to start walking!

This is sweet Eli having to do a breathing treatment for his bronchitis. Thankfully, the medicines worked quickly. He seems to be all better now!

33 Weeks

2011-03-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

Florida Fun!

2011-03-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

We had such a good time on our vacation to Ft. Myers! Our days were filled with time at the pool or beach, shopping, eating at lots of yummy restaurants, and spending lots of time just being with each other. Eli was SO happy to have both mommmy and daddy with him from the time he woke up to the time he went to bed. We enjoyed a few days with Matt's parents before they headed back home, and we even enjoyed visits with some friends who live near the area.
Eli absolutely LOVED the beach!! He only wished we would let him stay in the water longer. Although the weather was in the low 80s every single day without a cloud in the sky, the water was still quite icy. Eli doesn't exactly have any extra body fat on him to help insulate him, so he would come out of the water shivering and slightly blue. That makes a mama nervous, so I put an end to the playing in the water. I suppose he didn't mind being that cold because daddy had to spend most of the time we were there cutting off his path to the water!
The only negative to the entire trip was the airplane rides. We will have to buy Eli a seat the next time we fly because he sure doesn't like to sit still in our laps for that long. He was a squirmy worm to say the least!
Here's a few of the pictures from our relaxing vacation.....

Daddy reading to Eli on the flight there

One and a Half

2011-02-16T05:34:00.000-08:00

Happy 18 Month Birthday, Eli!
As I type, Mr. Eli is sitting in his little chair reading "Ah, Choo," his new favorite book!! Eli absolutely loves books of all kinds. He brings them to us all day long and says "Rea!" Some books get read no less than 10 times a day!
He just mastered this week the ability to climb up into our rocker/recliners all by himself. He typically takes a book with him! His vocabulary is ever-expanding, and you never know what he's going to repeat.
He weighs 23 pounds and is 33 and 1/4 inches long. That puts him between the 10th and 25th percentile on weight and 75th percentile on length.
At the doctor on Monday, the doctor said he was pleased with his weight gain, and Matt looked at Eli and jokingly said, "You're getting fat, Eli!" Right on cue, Eli said, "Oh, no!" It was too funny!! He is a very expressive little guy! We love him SO much!

This afternoon, we are leaving for vacation!!!! Warmer weather is calling our names! We'll be sure to take lots of pictures and update when we get home!

31 Weeks

2011-02-12T19:41:00.001-08:00

I think it is truly hitting me that soon..and very soon...we are going to actually have another baby. In the last week, one woman asked me if I was having twins and another woman said I looked miserable. I wanted to ask each of them if they had any clue what was and wasn't appropriate to say to a pregnant lady. I just smiled and was pleasant instead. Anyways, it did make me realize that April 15 is not that far away, and the daily contractions that I still experience despite medication remind me that only God truly knows the day and time in which sweet Hudson will enter this world.
I am really feeling good as long as I don't do very much. I went to Target tonight with Eli, and that was a mistake! Apparently, everyone else in Southern Illinois had also decided to go there, so finding a close parking spot was impossible. Eli was hungry, so he was quite whiny. Even just walking from the parking lot inside made me start having contractions....I should have turned back, but instead, I trudged on! Needless to say when I walked out an hour later, I was more than a bit frazzled. I had, however, marked several things off of my "to do" list! At least, that made me feel better.
AND....my precious husband was at home with his good buddy moving our furniture and getting everything (furniture wise) in place for Hudson's nursery! Yay!!! I feel better already!!

The Pacifier......

2011-02-09T19:06:00.001-08:00

is no longer a part of Eli's life! Woohoo!! On February 1st, we told him that big boys don't need pacifiers. There was much crying during nap time for about 4 days, and then, I suppose he either forgot about it or just gave in. He sleeps without it at night for about 12 hours and during nap time for 1-3 hours. Our doctor told us we should take it away by age 2, but Baby Hudson will be here at that point. We thought it would be harder to take it away from him when his sister still had hers, and we wanted him to have a couple of months getting used to the "paci-free" life before she gets here and has one.
Another milestone.....

29 Weeks

2011-01-28T13:48:00.000-08:00

Dearest Hudson,
Today, I feel like I can hardly wait to meet you! I have always wanted to have a little girl, and in 11 weeks (give or take a week or so), I will get to meet you, my very own daughter! My how my heart overflows with joy at the thought of seeing you. I know your big brother, Eli, and Daddy feel the same way. Your brother carries around a baby magazine with pictures of what you might look like in it and says "baba" all the time! He loves to rub mommy's belly when we talk about you. I know you are a very special little girl and that God has amazing plans for your life even now before you have ever been born.
About two weeks ago, you gave us a little scare, and mommy and daddy had to drive over to the hospital. Everything seems to be better now, but mommy has to take it easy until you are born. I think this is just what mommy needed to do to really be able to cherish this time before you are in my arms.
Even as I write this, God is knitting you together so that you will be all ready when it's time to for you to be introduced into this world. God is your Creator, and He is magnificent at doing just that!
I have been working on preparing your bedroom,and your crib came in yesterday. I want to put a quote on your wall from the missionary who you are named after. Here's some of the ones I have found so far.
"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him."

"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."

"I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done."

"You must GO forward on your knees."

"Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards.
Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him."

"It will not do to say that you have no special call to go to China.
With these facts before you and with the command of the Lord Jesus to go and
preach the gospel to every creature, you need rather to ascertain whether you
have a special call to stay at home."

Hudson, know that we have been praying for you since the day we knew about you. We love you so much!

~Your Mommy

Twenty-nine

2011-01-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day in my life. It's my 29th Birthday. It has brought somewhat of a reflective spirit to me today. This begins my last year in my 20s. I can't imagine having experienced more life changes than in this decade of my life, and indeed, there are more ahead in this year to come with Miss Hudson's arrival. During my 20s, God has taken me on quite a journey to......
live in 4 states and two continents,
travel to 5 of the 7 continents,
graduate from college,
teach fifth grade for two years and first for two,
get married to the love of my life,
carry two precious lives,
give birth to the most amazing little boy,
build a house with my husband, and so much more!

I'm here today...not dreading the end of this wonderful decade....but thanking God for His graciousness in giving me life and looking forward to what He has ahead.

By the way, it has been a very good Birthday thus far. My mom and dad came up from Mississippi to spend the day. We went to the best pizza place ever, Quatro's, last night and went to see the SIU basketball game. Today, I've so enjoyed watching them play with Eli, who absolutely adores his Poppa and DeeDee. My husband joined us for lunch at a local restaurant, and I even got to take a nap this afternoon.
In our family, birthdays last for at least a week, so I'm sure the celebrating will extend to the weekend!

Baby Girl Update: 26 Weeks

2011-01-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

I was very blessed in college to be placed in a room with amazing, Christian young women who quickly became dear friends. They are the kind of friends that truly pray for you....love you no matter what...and are always able to pick right back up where you left off no matter how long it's been. We are scattered all over the country, but we always seem to get together every year or two.

On January 2nd, Emily, one of the five roommies, lost her mom after a long battle with cancer. Our hearts were all broken for Emily, though her mom was finally healed from all sickness and pains of the world, because there's nothing that can replace your mom in your life. So...
On Friday morning, January 7, my college roommate and friend, Annie, took off for St. Louis to catch a plane to Tampa to be with Emily through the Celebration of Life Service for her mom. The weekend was well-spent, and I'm so glad we were able to go. However, on the Wednesday after I got back on Monday, I started having contractions. As I was only 26 weeks along, I knew this was not a good thing. The next day, I had a doctor's appt, but by that time, the contractions had stopped. I was told by my doctor that if I had more than 6 in one hour, I had to go to the hospital. I didn't need to wait around to see what happened. I went to Wal-Mart with Eli late that afternoon, and for about an hour straight, I had contraction after contraction. So, we headed to the hospital. They monitored me for about 3 hours, but the contractions went away when I laid down. They told me to call my doctor in the morning as his partner was the one on call that night. He had me come into the office again the next day. To sum it up, I'm having some pre-term labor. He's put me on terbutaline to slow down the contractions, and I'm supposed to "take it easy." This was all totally out of left field for me as this had been a super easy, problem free pregnancy up until this point. I am trying to really limit my activity as it really increases the number of contractions I have. This is challenging with a 17 month old, but he's having to learn that mommy can't constantly pick him up anymore. I am grateful not to be on bed rest, but this medicine has some pretty intense side effects making my heart race and my hands shake. We do ask you to pray with us that our baby girl would be safe and healthy and make it to full term. Our due date is April 15, so we have quite a ways to go.
On a happy note, I passed the glucose test! On another happy note, we've decided on a name! Our little girl will be
Hudson Elisabeth Oshel
We are naming her after Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China who began the China Inland Mission and was known for his zeal for evangelism. We want to always be reminded that our children are the Lord's, and we want Him to use them for His Kingdom. Elisabeth is a Biblical name as well as the name of Elisabeth Elliot, Jim Elliot's wife, who Eli is named after.

Christmas 2010: Jesus

2011-01-17T18:33:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas seems like a long time ago, but really, we just took down our Christmas lights today! I haven't had a chance to post about all of our fun Christmas events. We had a very busy but joy-filled season that included LOTS of traveling and Christmas gatherings. I think my most favorite thing about the whole season was my little boy running around declaring, "JESUS!" He had a little people nativity that Matt's parents gave him, and he loved to carry Baby Jesus around the house and say His name over and over! What a wonderful reminder we had of the reason we were celebrating.

About a week or so before Christmas, Matt's side of the family all got together for a Christmas Breakfast. It was very yummy! This is always a highlight of the season.

We had the most beautiful snow on Christmas Eve before we went to church for the candlelight service. Afterwards, we had dinner with Matt's parents and gami. Then, we drove to Energy to see a lights display.

This was our first year to spend Christmas morning in our own home. It was a blast to watch Eli's expressions as he saw his gifts and opened each one with such gusto! In fact, he wanted to open each of ours as well. His "big" gift was his little Pottery Barn chair. As soon as we were done with breakfast and gifts, we drove down to Mississippi to spend Christmas afternoon with my dad's side of the family. Some of them we hadn't seen since Christmas last year, so we had a great time catching up.

On the 26th, we drove down to Destin, FL to spend four days at the beach with Nan,Grandad, Aunt Ali, Uncle Jason, and gami. We had a great view of the ocean! It was a bit chilly, so we only walked the beach a couple of times, but we spent lots of time shopping! We founds some great end of the season clearance prices on clothes for little sister!
We stopped on the way back North to spend a few more days with my parents, Deedee and Poppa, and Eli watched LOTS of bowl games. In fact, he says "football" and "touchdown" more than he says ANY other words now! He is nearly obsessed!
There's the highlights for the 2010 Christmas season...we were exhausted when we made it back home, but we so enjoyed sharing the holidays with our families!

17 Months

2011-01-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

Mr. Eli turned 17 months old today! We celebrated by going to El Ranchito tonight and letting him try a cheese quesadilla and cheese enchilada...he loved them!
He's learning so much every day! He weighed 21 pounds 9 ounces when I took him to the doctor last week. He finally got back to where he was before he got so sick after Thanksgiving with the double ear infection that just wouldn't go away.
In the last couple of weeks, Eli has started bringing books to us all day long...he holds it up and to us and says, "Read." He will sit and listen to several books at one time which is lots of fun. He received several books from friends and family for Christmas and many of them had lift up flaps. Unfortunately, he really enjoys ripping the flaps off...I guess we need a book doctor to come fix our books for us!
Eli also loves anything that he can take in and out. He has a "Bucket O' Shapes" that has slots for the shapes cut out....he loves dumping it out and putting the shapes back. With puzzles, he's figured out that he has to try the different spots for each piece, but we're still working on rotating the pieces to the right direction.
He's talking up a storm now...and loves to say "Oshel." He'll emulate just about anything you say. Last night, he warmed our hearts by saying "Night, night" at bedtime. When I sing the ABC song to him, he'll try it himself. It's no where near perfect, but it's so sweet to hear him try. We're working on learning body parts-ears, nose, eyes, etc. He's still a very active little boy, and he loves playing with daddy when he gets home from work.
He eats almost anything now which is so nice. His favorite foods right now are cheese, yogurt, and clementines.
When you ask him, "Where's the baby?," he rubs his own belly and says, "Baba." I'm still not sure he realizes that he's getting a baby sister, but he'll know soon enough!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

With Love Chartreuse Christmas Card

Personalized Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

22 Weeks

2010-12-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

Little Miss Oshel is starting to make her presence known to the world by making her mommy's belly grow! She is a very active little girl...especially at night once I get still. Sadly, I had to take my wedding band off because my hands seem to be swelling more with this pregnancy, but other than that, I am feeling great! I go tomorrow for another check up. I feel like this pregnancy is FLYING by compared to when I was pregnant with Eli. I have lots of projects I would like to finish before she comes, so I wouldn't mind for things to slow down just a tad! Maybe after the holidays....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

2010-12-14T18:49:00.001-08:00

Overnight Saturday, the first snow of the season came to our little town....and made everything look beautiful! We've stayed in a lot more the last couple of days, but it's been a welcome slow down from the busyness of the season!

Two of my favorite things!

2010-12-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

Friends....I have lots of favorite things, but two of those are a great deal and photos! Since we had our first son nearly 16 months ago, I have loved getting pictures of him made and creating fun gifts with them to give to family and friends. One of my favorite sites to do this at has been Shutterfly. Their prints are great quality, but I have had lots of fun creating photo books and invitations. In fact, I am using their site to create our 2010 Christmas photo cards! They have some of the cutest designs for all different tastes. I also love that they are always offering some sort of discount. In fact, they are giving away 50 free 5x7 Christmas cards for bloggers who write about their site.
If you are still looking for that perfect Christmas gift, they have lots of creative gifts that are perfect for those people who seem to have all the tangible things in life. Here's a sample of a photobook I made recently for Matt's gami. She seemed to love it!

Click here to view this photo book larger

I feel like Shutterfly is a really easy site to navigate, so if this has inspired you to check it out, have fun! AND.....if you have a blog check out the details here to see how you can get 50 free Christmas cards! Merry Christmas!
(After I get cards sent out, I'll post our Oshel Family 2010 Christmas Card!)

Birthday Invite

2010-12-07T12:54:00.001-08:00

Presto Blocks Boy Birthday Invitation

Shutterfly birthday cards and birthday party invitations.

View the entire collection of cards.

I loved Eli's invites that Shutterfly made, but I had never posted the picture! I thought you might enjoy a little flashback! Our Christmas pictures came in today...I can't wait to share them!

It's a Girl!!

2010-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

We found out on Tuesday, November 23 that our precious baby is a little girl! We are thrilled!! The naming conversations are well underway, but no decisions have been reached as of yet!

15 months

2010-11-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Eli was 15 months old. He is doing great! He actually got his 11th tooth today, and he went for his 15 month check up.
Drum roll please......Eli has made it to the 25th percentile on weight at a whopping 22 pounds 10 ounces!! We are super excited that our every two hour feedings have paid off! He's in the 75h percentile on height at 31 and 3/4 inches long.
In the last week, he's started saying 3 new words.....blue, yellow, and cracker.
He loves to put things inside of other things...in fact, I picked up some stacking cups at a yard sale, and they have become one of his favorite toys over the last few weeks. He loves boxes, tupperware, and anything that's stackable.
Eli is fast.....and he moves constantly! I was just about winded after taking him to the doctor's office this morning. We took Christmas pictures on Monday afternoon and getting him still for more than a millisecond was just about impossible! We chased him all over the place! He's a busy little man!
I'm looking forward to seeing his reaction to all of the Christmas decorations that will be going up around our home following Thanksgiving....we're headed to Mississippi for the Day of Thanks! Eli will get to meet two of his great aunts for the first time!

Big Day for my little man

2010-11-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

First hair cut....I was getting my hair cut, and my sweet stylist said she could cut his little tuft of hair (some might say it resembled a rat tail) off. While she was at it, she trimmed the front and the part over his ears. He was so good and held perfectly still. I don't think I could have done a planned hair cut in my very emotional, sentimental, pregnant state! My baby boy is growing up!

Tooth #10 popped through today! That's his second molar! I'm pretty sure that must have been the reasons why he was up half the night on Wednesday night at our hotel in Springfield. Poor kid....the ibuprofen really didn't help him. So....any one know how many baby teeth they get in total. I'm hoping all of Eli's come in before this new little bundle of joy starts teething...two teething at once could be really challenging!

Our Little Lion

2010-11-03T09:49:00.001-07:00

We really don't like the holiday, Halloween, BUT we love getting our little boy dressed up. So, we took him to the Trunk or Treat event at the church where I grew up and where my parents still go. We happened to be down in Mississippi visiting, so it worked out great! Eli enjoyed a puppet show just for the little ones his size, a petting zoo, a hotdog, and really great music! We bypassed the candy as he wouldn't be able to chew it all up, and we certainly did not need the extra calories.
It was VERY difficult to get a good picture of Eli in his costume because he doesn't ever stop running! He is so busy....and SO much fun!

14 Month Update

2010-10-23T15:21:00.001-07:00

Eli turned 14 months on the 16th of October...so this is a little late, but it's been a crazy week.
Mr. Eli is as busy as ever!
I don't know for sure, but I think he's around 21 pounds now.
What is he saying?
Go Dawgs!
tickle
no
mama
dada
ball
drink
juice
Nan
Papa
Didi
baby
AND LOTS more that we cannot decipher:)

What is he signing?
please
more
thank you

He gives hugs and kisses now, and they melt our hearts!
He cut a new tooth on Oct. 22 while spending the night at Nan and Grandad's while mom and dad had the stomach bug. That makes the count up to 9.
He figured out last week how to climb onto his riding toys (train, lion, mini tricycle), and he loves riding on them!
He has two speeds: sleeping and full speed ahead!
He still loves playing in the tupperware cabinet and playing outside.
He eats about five times a day, and he no longer takes a bottle. We found no spill cups with straws that he does great drinking out of. He loves chopped up grapes and most any kind of fruit. He won't eat banana unless it's whole...no chopping or mushing it!
He brings us great joy!

A "Rocky" Monday

2010-10-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

First of all, you should know that my son absolutely loves playing outside. We don't even need toys....if he has dirt, leaves, rocks, grass, pretty much anything having to do with the great outdoors, his little heart is happy! Monday was an exceptionally gorgeous day, so I was trying to let him spend as much time playing outside as possible. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, we headed out again before starting dinner. We live at the side of a culdesac, so there's lots of concrete to play on with very few cars coming through. (There's also a yard full of fluffy green grass, thanks to my dad!) Eli was more enthralled than usual with the rocks on this afternoon, and he was also working really hard on a new tooth. The inevitable happened, and he began trying to put the rocks in his mouth. I said "no" and took the rock from his lips about 4 or 5 times before he picked up THE rock. This rock went from Eli's finger to his mouth faster than a speeding bullet. I reached in to do the mom finger swipe when much to my horror I actually pushed it further down....down...down his throat. Immediately, I turned him upside down to try and dislodge it (this is what we'd been taught in our class at the hosptial). This didn't work, but he was breathing fine and looking at me like I had lost my mind. My first thought was to call 9-1-1. I decided against that since he was breathing just fine. I decided to take him to his doctor who works at a clinic just around the corner. So, off we went as fast as we could....no changed diaper...no make up... no extra snacks...just us! Two hours later, we emerged from the doctor's office having the knowledge from the X-ray that THE rock was in Eli's small intestine proceeding through his digestive system like a champ. This was great news! The doctor assured us the rock would "pass," and sure enough, THE rock came right on out this afternoon about 24 hours after entry. THE rock is actually very small...about the size of a pea...but it is very sharp. I'm praising God that Eli turned out to be just fine....and I'm also praising God for teaching me that no matter how careful I am, my son is ultimately His. I must learn to trust Him to protect him and care for him because He can do way better than I can.
Needless to say, however, I will not be getting the "Mom of the Year" award any time soon! I'm pretty sure one of the pre-requisite questions states "Has your child swallowed any foreign objects in the past year?" (If answer "yes," you need not apply.)

Happy Homecoming!

2010-10-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

It's official!

2010-10-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Eli's going to be a big brother!
Due Date=April 15, 2011
We're excited!

13 Months

2010-09-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

With the Saluki mascot at the SIU tailgate on Saturday...at first, he just clung to Matt, but then he seemed to like it!

Eli was 13 months this past Thursday. He went back to the doctor on Wednesday for his weight check, and he had gained 1 pound 4 ounces! He's up to 20 pounds 4 ounces now! I was so proud of him! He eats a little bit about every 2 hours, so it's working!
He has gone from taking little hesitant steps at 12 months to a full run now! He can stand up from just about any position now. Vocally, he can mimic lots of words, but he only has a few words he says without somebody else saying them (Ball, mama, dada, bye bye). Sometimes he barks when he sees his grandparents' dog! He continues to jabber ALL the time! He seems to have given up his morning nap and gone to one long nap in the middle of the day. It's usually 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours, so that is fine with me!
He's so much fun at this age!

Eli at the Ragan/Ketchum wedding on Friday night in St. Louis...he was quite a trooper!

It's in the air...

2010-09-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

There is a slight briskness to the morning air these days....as I drive by the local high school football field, there are teenage boys doing drills....school is back in session...the aroma of fair food fills the air.....what does all of this tell me? It's nearly fall!! I love fall! One of my favorite activities of fall is going to Saluki football games with family. We went last year, and it was a big. deal! Eli had just been born, and we were very cautious new parents wanting to do everything just right. We were terrified as we walked up those concrete bleacher steps clutching our little 7 pounds of joy! We went to the first game of the season this past Thursday at our brand new Saluki stadium.....it was great...and SO much easier with Eli a year older. We're so much more relaxed these days! Eli was totally into the football....JUMBOTRON! He stared at the big screen for a long time. He even clapped and yelled (but not when the crowd did)! I thought you might enjoy a little comparison picture of this year and last year.

Eli's First Birthday Celebration

2010-08-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Choo...Choo
Trains were the theme of the party!
The weekend began with Aunt Missy and Uncle Greg arriving on Friday evening just in time to ice cookies! Saturday started with a yummy breakfast including biscuits for the Birthday boy....by 4, all of our guests arrived including DeeDee and Poppa, Nan and Grandad, Aunt Ali and Uncle Jason, Aunt Elaine and Uncle Bill, Grandma Nell, Aunt Linda, and Mrs. Dana who came to capture on film the big event!
We started the party by showing a video that Matt and I had put together of pictures and clips from Eli's first year. (We'll post it on here if we can figure that out...it might be too large of a file.) We then moved on to ALL of Eli's presents...he loved all of the bows! He opened the first present and wanted to play with it the rest of the time. He had lots of help from mommy and daddy so as to not make the present opening last all night! Some of Eli's favorite gifts seemed to be the Melissa and Doug puzzles, toy remote control, and push lawn mower. He has played and played with each and every one of them, though, and never seems to get bored with all of these new toys! One of my favorites was the white onesie with the tie applique! It's too cute! (Thanks, Aunt Ali!)
After presents, it was time for the cake! At first, Eli seemed to simply be checking it out....one tiny taste at a time. It wasn't long before cake seemed to be flying all over the place! He loved it! We had to go straight to the bath tub after the cake as there was no way to simply wipe it off! Eli looked like smurf!
Everyone ate "adult" food after that....and Eli joined in by eating some of the potatoes, homemade rolls (Thank, Nan!), and beans, but his tummy was pretty full from all of that sugar!
We had a blast at his party! On Monday, August 16, his actual birthday, we served Eli pancakes. He loves pancakes! We went up to Daddy's work, and Eli had a blast opening one more present from Ms. Debbie!
On Tuesday, we had to take Eli for his one year check up....he usually loves going to the doctor because of the big mirror and paper on the exam table. He seemed to know something was up this time....he had to get two vaccines and have blood drawn. He actually did great and only cried for just about two seconds. The nurse handed him a sticker, and he LAUGHED!! That's some kind of sticker! He's such a trooper!
He weighed 19 pounds and measured 31 inches. This means it's time to buy a new car seat as the infant seat only goes up to 30 inches. The doctor wants us to start feeding him more frequently throughout the day as he dropped off the chart on weight this time. He doesn't care too much about food these days, and he is constantly on the move! He has made the switch over to whole milk,and we are working on drinking only from a sippy cup. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated! He knows how to drink from it, but he puts it down (aka..throws it)after about an ounce or two. Some of Eli's favorite foods include most any kind of bread, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, and yogurt. He definitely has sweet tooth!
On the 17th, Eli took of walking across the room. I would say we officially have a "walker"! He had been taking 3-5 steps since July 3, but he really took off yesterday! He says "ball" really clearly even without being prompted. We think he says lots of other things, but he is really a great mimic. He can repeat after us: mama, dada, duck, good, Yodeyodeyodeyo, no, go.
Eli is at such a fun age! He gets SO excited when he wakes up, and I walk in to get him out of his crib! You can't help but be in a good mood when you see his face light up!
We have been going on lots of morning walks lately with friends, and Eli really loves to be outside. He loves the dirt! A leaf can entertain him for quite a while... He is starting to really enjoy playing with other kids. He loves to be chased or to chase someone else. We don't watch much TV, but he is totally entranced by it when it's on. We are still working on sign language, and he signs "milk" and "more" on his own.
He sleeps about 11 hours at night (7pm-6am) and about 3 hours during the day. He takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap.
He continues to bring us great joy! We can't believe that a year has gone by, but we can't wait to see what this next year holds!

Today my baby boy is ONE...

2010-08-16T08:33:00.001-07:00

For Eli on your First Birthday~

Words cannot begin to express what a joy and true delight it is to be your mommy! When I asked God to give us a child, I had only a tiny inkling of how wonderful you would be. This first year with you has been so much fun! I wouldn’t trade a second of it!

Your daddy and I are not perfect parents, but we are trying with the help of the Lord to raise you to be a young man who seeks after God with all of your heart. You are named after Jim Elliot, a martyr for Christ. On the wall of your nursery is the following quote by Elliot, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” We are praying that you will grow up to seek after those things which are eternal. Eli, this world is a scary place, but God is with you wherever you go. We pray every day that you will come to know Him as your personal Saviour when you understand what the Gospel is all about. We know God has a special plan for your life, and we are so grateful that He is letting us have a part in that plan!

Eli, from the moment you were born, you have brought smiles to everyone around you! It’s so much fun to take you places and watch people’s reactions! At church, everyone goes on and on about how good you are. You are a very good natured and social baby. You love to be around other children, and that’s often when you laugh the most! Your Didi and Poppa have been known to drive all the way up from Mississippi and back in one day just to see you for a few hours! They think you’re pretty special. Your Grandad will stop anything to get a hug from you! Your Nan is always wanting your mommy to run errands so she can have her special time with you! You love them all! You are blessed to have many, many family and friends who care so much about you!

We have enjoyed watching you grow during this first year. You have grown from a tiny little bundle weighing 7 pounds 6.2 ounces to a now “whopping” 19 pounds! Every stage has been fun, and even the challenges have taught us so much and seemed to only last a short time. As a newborn you loved to be cuddled! You would rock all day in our arms. It wasn’t long before you wanted to be moving around on the floor. You started crawling the day before Easter, and you haven’t stopped since!! You are a busy little guy! You know, at first, I tried to read all the books to see exactly what you should be doing and what I should be doing for you. Somewhere along the way, I decided to just go with my instincts. I think when you took off, I didn’t have time to read so much anymore! I wouldn’t change that at all!

Eli, as we celebrate together your first year of life, may you always remember that God is the One who has created you and made you for the purpose of bringing glory to His name! Your significance is found in Him, your Maker. Your daddy and I are thrilled to get to walk through life with you and enjoy many more years to come!

I love you, Davis Elliot Oshel!

~Your Mommy

Zephaniah 3:17

"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

10 Things Monday

2010-08-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've had friends who have done this kind of post, so I'm going to give it a whirl!
1. We've been having a WONDERFUL time this summer but have been very busy!
2. Fun times were had by all the weekend of July 9-11. We went to Mississippi to see our family and friends. We met Baby Sawyer (cousin) for the first time. We met Baby Isaac, who was visiting from Florida, for the first time. AND we met Baby Lilly for the first time. We enjoyed lots of time with Didi and Poppa, as well!
3. After our weekend in OB, Matt went on back home, and Eli and I went with Melissa to see Mrs. Malone, our dear friend and former junior high teacher in Franklin! We stayed up chatting as though we were in junior high again!
4. Vacation Bible School at DBC was a great success! My friend Laura and I taught Site 3, where our charge was to share the Gospel with every child who came through using the story of the paralytic who was lowered down through the roof to be healed. It was a joy to be teaching again and certainly to be sharing the best news ever!
5. Being the Nursery Coordinator at DBC is keeping me VERY busy, but I love doing it!
6. Matt and I just started teaching the 11th grade Sunday School class at church.
7. One of our favorite activities this summer has been small group with friends from church. We have been reading and discussing Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. While he's not exactly the best writer ever, the Biblical principles he shares are timeless and exactly what our group needed to learn this summer. Each couple involved in the study was either expecting a child or had children already. It was challenging, encouraging, thought-provoking, and led to great discussions!
8. Eli and I have really enjoyed our walks this summer with other friend who have children.
9. Matt and I finished watching all 4 seasons of Lois and Clark: The Adventures of Superman and enjoyed them thoroughly!
10. My baby boy is turning ONE a week from today, and party preparations are well underway!! I can't believe it! I'll post more on that later and certainly update everyone on his stats, activities, etc. closer to the big day!!

Visitors

2010-07-06T20:14:00.001-07:00

Eli had a visit from his Great-Great Uncle Earl and Great-Great Aunt Ruth! Gami brought them over to visit us, and we had a great time!

After months......

2010-06-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

AND month....and months of us waving and saying "bye, bye" every time someone was leaving, Eli decided to wave and say "bye, bye" himself today as daddy was heading back to work after lunch! Woo Hoo! (He's waved and said "bye, bye" for a long time now...just at separate times and not when someone was leaving.) I suppose it all clicked today! Way to go, little buddy!

Also, last night in the middle of our Small Group discussion, Eli decided to stand up on his own for approximately 10-20 seconds! I was so excited at his stability that I instinctively started cheering...completely interrupting our friend, Ryan, who was talking about the study! It was pretty funny!

On another note, Daddy has Eli on his own Friday afternoon through Saturday evening. I'm headed to St. Louis for the Beth Moore Living Proof Live Conference. I'm really excited as I've never heard Beth Moore in person. I know I'll miss my boys like crazy, though. This is my first time to leave Eli overnight since he was born..... I'm so grateful for a husband who's so good with our son, though! He's in very capable hands!

10 Months

2010-06-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

Eli turned 10 months old yesterday!
He now has 6 teeth (two top ones came in on June 7). He also can stand for about 10 seconds on his own. He is all over the place! His favorite activity is still crinkling paper! Not much has changed since his 9 month post. Here's a few pictures from today!

CANADA Mission Trip

2010-06-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

The last week has been an adventure, to say the least! We are so happy to be home, but we wouldn't trade the experiences God gave us for anything! We left on Friday, June 4 to fly out of Louisville, KY to meet the team of youth and adults who had left early Thursday morning to drive to Montreal, Quebec. The trip there was flawless... My initial reaction to Montreal was that it looked just like a big Northern city in the US.....except all of the signs were in French. (I immediately wished I had taken more time to learn some key phrases!)
When we reached our "home" (a Haitian Baptist Church) for the week, we realized we were indeed going to be "roughing it"!
There was one shower to be shared among 28 of us....poor Eli never did get a bath that week!
The small bathrooms always had wet, yucky floors. We all slept on air mattresses in one big room. The kitchen where we were to cook some meals was.....a disaster. There was spoiled food, layers of gunk on everything, and absolutely no organization. All of this led to spending one of our days doing service around this church. I have stayed in A LOT of different places during my plethora of mission experiences, but this was indeed the yuckiest! The big praise that came out of that was that I never once heard a member of our team complain about the housing circumstances! Praise God because that is a work of the Holy Spirit!
On Saturday, we immediately jumped in to helping a church about an hour outside of Montreal with a HUGE festival in a park. We saw God's mighty hand at work as the weather forecasters predicted a 100% chance of rain, and God held it off!! Though we couldn't communicate verbally because we spoke a different language, we found out from Gale and Baker, the French-speaking missionaries, that many of the festival-goers were asking what was the difference in these Americans and why were we there. Praise God!
On Sunday, we went to two different churches and praised God with our Canadian and Haitian brothers and sisters. I love worshiping with other people groups as it always reminds me of what it will be like in Heaven!
On Monday, we went downtown to a 19 mile mall to get a feel for the spiritual climate of Montreal. It is a very cold place to the Gospel. When you talk with people, they shut down as soon as you mention "Jesus" or "church". They have a tainted view of the church from some of the things that occurred within the Catholic church there. Cathedrals sit nearly empty and many have been sold. It is the picture of postmodernism. That night, we were able to show the powerful, Christian film To Save a Life to the youth group at the Haitian church we stayed at. (On Monday night, Eli cut his two top teeth!)
On Tuesday morning, we showed some TLC to the facilities we stayed in. That afternoon, we prayer walked at one of the look out points over the whole city. The prayer walk was one of the highlights for me! Matt had the opportunity to share the Gospel to an American tourist from Chicago. Others also had opportunities to share, and seeds were planted.
On Wednesday, we spent the day at a local park handing out bottled water that bore the name and contact information for the church plant that Gale and Baker are starting.
Thursday, we drove from Canada to Niagara Falls, NY. What a treat this was! I always knew Niagara Falls was a "must see," but the majesty or the Fall's Creator overwhelmed me! What a mighty God we serve!
God gave us an incredible trip, wonderful help with our son, and lots of opportunities to watch HIM work! We are so glad that all of the pieces fell in place for us to participate! Thank you for praying!

Wishing a very Happy Birthday.....

2010-05-19T07:19:00.001-07:00

to the wonderful, caring daddy of our son

to the man who who puts that twinkle in my eye and has captured my heart for a lifetime!
Happy 27th Birthday, Matthew Oshel! What a joy it is to celebrate your life!

Nine Months

2010-05-17T19:24:00.001-07:00

At Eli's Check-up....he had a blast with the paper!

Our little boy is learning and doing more and more everyday! His favorite activity over the past few days has been picking the tiniest pieces of lint off of our kitchen rug....He is working on those fine motor skills. Eli loves playing with other children. He loves going to the nursery at church because there are so many children to look at and play with. He crawls and cruises on anything and everything. He gets more steady everyday. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, he often climbs up on my leg to stand up. I, then, can't move, but it's really sweet! He can play for a few minutes by himself, but he really prefers to be WITH people! He cut his fourth tooth last Thursday, May 13. That makes four on bottom and zero on top. He jabbers all of the time like he's talking in sentences...only he knows what he's saying, but there are lots of "Mama" and "Dada." He loves bath time and splashing in water, being held where he can see everything, and going for walks outside. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES tags of all varieties. He sleeps with his lovie that has tags all over it and Seymore the Seahorse that play sweet music and lights up.
He eats four times a day still, but he is drinking less and less of his bottle before bed. He really prefers baby food to milk, but he still loves nursing. He still will only eat really smooth food...no mashed carrots or potatoes. He does like yogurt melts. He very seldom cries when he's hungry, but he will stare down your food when you eat in front of him. He likes to drink water from a cup when we are. He actually does better with a real cup than a sippy. The doctor recommended the soft spout sippy cups, so we'll see if that works better. He still takes a pacifier when he sleeps. He take two naps a day ranging from 1-2 hours in length. He sleeps10-11 hours at night. He still cries for his pacifier once or twice a night, but even that has gotten less frequent.
His stats:
Weight: 17 pounds 5 ounces (5th percentile)
Height: 28.25 inches (75th percentile)
Head Circumference: 44cm

Friends

2010-05-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Eli and Naomi...I think he's trying to hold her hand!

I have a good friend who I went to Union with. She and I happened to be serving in Africa as Journeymen at the same time, as well. Our babies are 6 days apart, so we decided it was time to let them meet! She lives near Evansville, so we drove to meet them for lunch at the mall this week. It was so much fun to get to catch up. The kids seem to enjoy it, too!

Bath Time Hair

2010-05-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

My husband made sure that I had a fantastic Mother's Day weekend. (and who wouldn't with the little guy above as your son?!?!) It began on Friday night with dinner at one of favorite restaurants, The Hideout. We enjoyed Saturday morning breakfast and Sunday lunch with The Oshel side of the family. It was a very relaxing and fun weekend! I missed seeing MY mom, but we're going to celebrate with her in the next couple of weeks.
I didn't manage to get any pictures of the whole family this weekend, but I caught a couple of Eli at Sunday lunch. That high chair has made it through several generations of Matt's family. It's an antique.

Just this week

2010-04-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

Eli has started trying to clap and give kisses. He is more adventurous every day. Yesterday, that resulted in two matching boo boos on his forehead. Poor little guy... It didn't seem to phase him, though. He's eating more and more every day. He's eating almost two jars of food along with his bottle at breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Surely when he goes to the doctor for his 9 month appt, he will have gained more weight! I'm not sure where the last two weeks went because all of the sudden he's closer 8 and a HALF months old! Time is flying! This may seem crazy, but I think days go by faster now than they did when I was teaching! I remember there being some days that seemed to go on forever. I wonder why..... I loved teaching, but days seemed to drag on at times. Now, my days go fast....and nap times go by even faster! It's like the clock goes into fast forward mode! Speaking of nap times, I am so happy that Eli is going down so much more smoothly for naps and bedtime. He still wakes up a time or two for his pacifier, but he is doing SOOO much better! Praise the Lord!!
A side note....Eli is going on his first international mission trip this summer! His passport came in last week! CANADA here we come!

Introduction to the Sippy Cup...

2010-04-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

We'll keep trying.....

We have saved.....

2010-04-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

and waited for a long time to purchase a china cabinet. I know a lot of people don't even register for fine china these days, but I love it! I think it's beautiful, and I hated not being able to see it. Last Friday, it came! It adds a special touch to dining area that I love!

8 Months Old Today

2010-04-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Uncle Jeff and Eli

Eli-today!

In the last two weeks, EVERYTHING has changed!!! Eli started "officially"crawling on the evening of April 3. The next day, he started pulling up on anything and everything to cruise. He thinks he can walk and often tries to let go when he is cruising. This doesn't usually turn out well! He is ALL boy and quite the risk taker! After all of the childhood stories of his daddy jumping off furniture pretending to be Superman (actually he really did think he was Superman, and he would actually fly) and having to be stitched up, I should have been more prepared for this risk taking! I just didn't expect it so soon!
For example....this morning, Eli spotted a tiny bit of an electrical cord behind the couch. He wedged himself between an end table and the couch to try and chew on the cord..... Thankfully, I rescued him from this within moments, and the cord never made it to his mouth! Because of this new found mobility, we decided to purchase a little play zone from Target. It now sits in the middle of our living room floor. It will be quite useful when I need to step into the laundry room, bathroom, etc for just a moment. The child cannot be trusted!!
The last three nights have been MUCH better as far as night time sleeping. Since Eli was sick, we've had to reteach him that he stays IN his crib all night-not in mommy or daddy's lap in the recliner. We are all MUCH happier staying in our own respective beds! I think the teething has given us a little reprieve for the time being, as well!
Speaking of teeth, Eli has three teeth on bottom now. #3 popped in Tuesday, April 6!
I don't know current stats, but on April 2:
weight- 15 pounds 10 ounces
height- 28.25 inches (He had grown 1.25" in 9 days!)

As far as eating, Eli still nurses three times a day. In the morning after he nurses, he gets a 5 oz bottle. The three other times, he gets an 8 oz bottle. He eats at 8am, 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm. He eats a fruit and two veggies, one at each of the first three meals of the day. He does not like anything that isn't COMPLETELY pureed. He actually gags and throws up when we try to give him mashed potatoes or mashed carrots. He has a ways to go before we can do any table food or self-feed a cracker.

With this beautiful weather, Eli has started wearing some of his 9 months summery outfits. They are still a little big in the body but just right in the length. We have given up on socks and shoes!

When Eli is around other babies about his size, he always tries to hold their hand! It's so cute! He is very aware of other children now and loves to see what they are doing. He loves to be outside. We have been to the park three times this spring-once in Harrisburg and twice to Carbondale. He doesn't really make much of an expression on the swings or the slides. I know all of that will change! We sat him in the grass for the first time on Easter. (We are still trying to grow our own at our house.) He really studied it...not sure what that was!

He babbles all of the time often saying "dada" or "mama" or "baba." His facial expressions are priceless!

We love our little guy to pieces!! We are so thankful to God for him in our lives!

How did he grow SO fast?

2010-04-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

.....feeling a little sentimental this morning.....

Resurrection Day

2010-04-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

Alison's Rehearsal Dinner-March 5, 2009

2010-03-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

Eli was exhausted....I am hoping the photographer caught a shot of him awake, but even in this one you can see his little tie! This was the first time he ever wore a tie. I am not sure what the red toy is supposed to be (maybe a spaceship), but he likes it a lot. His Didi brought it from Mississippi!