Let the races begin!

Temperance's favorite activity for a long time has been walking circles around our house while holding our hands. She has now taken her first steps unassisted. Here's a video of her practicing her new skills. I'm so proud of her!! I'm not sure what this means for our evenings now. Will she walk circles around our house with out us? Can we sit on the couch once again? Who am I kidding? Now we will be chasing after her keeping her out of where she doesn't belong I'm sure. Oh well.

Long awaited update

Temperance has been so busy since I last updated. She is ten months old tomorrow. I am in total amazement. She is clapping, waving, babbling, crawling, cruising and even trying to walk! She took three unassisted steps this past Monday. She was going from me to Bert. I was so happy! I was always so petrified that one of us would miss that moment. But we didn't! We didn't even see it coming. Well, we knew it would be soon. All she ever wants to do is walk around the house holding our hands, but she's very nervous about letting go of us. So we were both surprised when she did it. I don't really think she even realized what she did. She hasn't done it since. But I'm sure her days of upright mobility are just around the corner.

She was in her first wedding last weekend. Her uncle Josh married a wonderful girl named Brittany. All three of us were in the wedding. It was beautiful, and Temperance loves her new Aunt Brittany.

We will of course be videoing her all the time now looking for more independent steps. As soon as we get something I'll post it. Love you all!

Masha

At the first of the year, I was becoming overwhelmed by taking care of Temperance and working at the same time. I was in serious need of help. One Monday night I was praying with two girls and they asked how they can pray for me and I mentioned that I am seeking a nanny, but very very nervous about the whole thing. We prayed and after we were done praying, one of the girls told me that she is looking for work, that she loves babies and that she would love to take care of Temperance. Her name is Masha. She is from Russia and has been in Kentucky for two years. Her husband is a graduate student at UK.
I was very nervous about the idea of a nanny at the beginning, and Temperance was not doing well going to other people. I felt like God had sent Masha to us, but I wanted to be sure. I invited Masha to come spend some time with Temperance one afternoon. I wanted to see how Tempie would react. I knew that if she went straight to her, then it was most certainly God. She did! Not only that, but one of my students came in to the office and asked to hold her while Masha was holding her. Masha handed her over, and she immediately started crying! Masha took her back and calmed her down. Up to that point, almost no one but Bert or I could do that! I knew it was from God. She has been keeping Temperance at my office two days a week since that time. And it has been truly wonderful. She has been such a huge blessing to ME these past few months. I could never have asked for someone with a more genuine sweet spirit. I prayed when looking for a nanny for someone who would pray over Temperance and love her as a spiritual being as well. Masha certainly does this. Often while Tempie is playing, Masha will be reading the Bible to her (in Russian). Temperance LOVES her Masha!!!
It is such a blessing to trust God. He alone can give more than we can ask or imagine!
We love you Masha!!

Character Suspicions

It's so much fun to see Tempie's personality come out every day! For example, we have learned that she is a straight faced clown. Early on I had worried that she wasn't a very happy baby. She would splash around in the tub, which we thought was funny, but she wouldn't even crack a smile. She did all the things that most babies do and laugh about, but she didn't laugh. We have since learned that she just enjoys making us laugh. She will do something that makes us laugh, (like right now the joke is for her to put something in her mouth and then shake her head) and she will keep doing it, keeping a straight face. She will occasionally give a little smirk that lets you know she knows what she is doing and she is enjoying your laughter. It is a funny sense of humor, probably very similar to mine!
Another early prediction came from her great grandma Carswell. Temperance seems so serious sometimes. She will study everything around her. I wanted to think that she is a wise, observant, studious baby. Grandma Carswell had other thoughts. She thinks that during these times Tempie is cooking up a mischievous plan. She says it's something in her eyes. I never saw it, until we took this picture...


Well, Grandma Carswell, you may be right. I guess time will tell. It will be fun to see what happens to all my predictions once she can talk. Then we will have a better idea of what is going on inside that pretty little head. That is if she will tell us!!

Tempie loves to dance!

Here's a video of Tempie and I dancing to Sandra McCracken. She seems to love her music as much as I do!!

Busy Busy Busy

Well, I realize it's been over a month since I've last posted. But it is not for a lack of things to write about! Temperance is growing so much and learning something new everyday! She is now sitting up unsupported. She is also trying so hard to crawl. She still has some work to do there. She is in the rock and roll stage. She will get on all fours and rock. Then get frustrated and roll over. I'll have to post a video of it soon. It's very cute!
She has also fallen in love with books! This is an answer to prayer! I LOVE to read!!! And I've always hoped my children will too. I read to her almost every day. She has gotten to where on certain books, she knows the last page and she will begin to fuss when I get to it knowing the book is almost over. She will cry until I begin to read to her again, or distract her with something else! Isn't that sweet! She is also learning to turn the pages herself. She loves to do this. Sometimes she gets so happy about it, I can hardly get the words on the page out before she has flipped to the next page. It is so cute! We can get through any board book you give us in record time! You would think we were in some kind of speed reading race! Some of her favorites right now seem to include: I Love You Through and Through, Happy Baby Colors and we both love Horns to Toes and In Between. (Sandra Boynton is a great children's writer!) My personal favorite is You Are My I Love You. This isn't one of Tempie's favorites yet though. It is not a board book, so she can't turn the pages as easily. I think that is part of it.
I have so many pictures and videos to share. I will try to take all of Tempie's nap times tomorrow to work on uploading them all. She is so beautiful and so precious. I just love her so much! I hope you are all blessed this week and be on the look out for more posts!

Fun times in Georgia!

Well, I would say that our first road trip with Temperance was a success. That is, as long as you don't define success as easy. She did wonderful in the car on the way down and on the way back. We didn't hear hardly any crying out of her at all! She played and slept happily most of the time. The troubles began when we asked her to take a nap in a new place. Then we heard as much crying and more than we did on the whole car ride. We learned a lot! Like don't expect our daughter to be able to sleep well in three different places in three days. Poor girl. She was a trooper though. She really did well! We got to see Nana Carrie, Grandpa and GiGi (my dad and Deb), Grandma and Popa J (Bert's parents), and a ton of our wonderful friends from college. I just want to say that we have some amazing friends!!! They were so sweet to drop what they were doing to come and have dinner with us on Thursday night. Some of them drove an hour to see us! Not only that, but many of them stayed out until after 11 p.m. knowing they had to work early! (Don't worry, Tempie did not stay out until 11 p.m.) We really and truly have the best friends anyone could ask for! We love you guys!!! Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of our friends, but here are a few from the trip.

Getting ready to go!!

Chillin in the awesome baby hot tub at Grandpa and GiGi's house!

Taking a nap on Nana Carrie's bed. We couldn't get her to nap in her crib. I had to lay next to her for her to fall asleep.

Hanging out with Nana Carrie and her pup pup Bo.
My Grandma Lynn and Papa J threw a party for me. Lots of family and friends came. Here I am meeting my cousin Hendrix. My Aunt Brittany and I bonded a lot that day!


Playing with Grandma on the floor.
Sleeping the whole way home!! :)