Merry Christmas/ Veselé vánoce 2009

How many photos does it take to get just the right one of an almost 4 year old and a 10 month old? An awful lot! Here are just a few of the almost 50 we took. It was a lot of fun being silly together under the Christmas tree. I'm so thankful for my precious girls and awesome husband. These truly are special times. We have been playing Christmas music all the time and it warms my heart to hear Adela singing about our Savior's birth. We truly rejoice that we can share with our girls the true meaning of Christmas.

S'mores Anyone?

We had some friends over to roast hotdogs and marshmallows over our mini firepit. My dad has done a great job making a play area for the girls. It is now complete with a swing set - thanks Uncle Sammy! Maybe I can actually help pull some weeds in the garden while Adela swings. :)

Nora enjoyed the fun from her exersaucer

Would you like S'more?

Little Peeper and Giant Bugs

"While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about."

Angela Schwindt

Look who I found peeking over the crib railing!

We had a great time at the Natural Science Center with some good friends. Elise, Emily and Adela had lots of fun chasing each other through the zoo and play area. We sure miss having Hope, Emily and Elijah around!

Hope with Nora and Elijah. They are only one day apart in age! Nora has a few pounds and maybe an inch on Elijah though. :)

Addy gone buggy

Phillip and Elise as bugs

Day Trip to Charlotte

Today we said goodbye at the airport to our good friends, the Evans. They are returning to the Czech Republic. We stopped at a mall on the way back and Nora had her first carousel ride. She also got to sit in a high chair at Arby's. You can see that she LOVES to eat - she is a true Havlen! :) She's already reaching for the spoon and trying to feed herself. Adela adores her and is so loving. She plays peek-a-boo with her and sings songs for her. Nora has started responding more to Adela and lights up when she comes into the room. Everyday I am more and more thankful that I have two girls that can be best buddies. I think it would be wonderful to have a sister.

8 Months Old Today

My how time truly flies. I was just bringing this sweet baby girl home from the hospital yesterday. She is back to being my sweet angel baby. She LOVES food and has eaten everything I've prepared for her. I know that will all change as soon as she turns two, but I'm enjoying it for now! She peeks her head up in the crib after naps and melts your heart with her toothless grin. Come on over, I'll let you hold her, but just for a minute or two.

A few good pictures

"I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:6

Adela started preschool and goes three days a week. She loves it and hardly says goodbye to me when I leave her class. On the way to preschool she asked me, "Mommy, Can I have blue eyes?" I said, "You have lovely green eyes that God gave you. Mommy and Daddy have green eyes too." She said, "Can you ask God to give me blue eyes?" :)

Her teacher told me yesterday that she is a good listener. You can imagine how happy I was to hear that!

Nora's first ride in a swing. Look at those chunky legs!

The closest we'll get to Disney World anytime soon :)

My mom got us these beautiful roses for our 8th anniversary. Can't believe it's been 8 years already. God has truly blessed us.

I convinced Adela to help me do the dishes. She was in charge of rinsing. I think she got more water on herself and the floor than on the dishes!

Thank you McFrederick's for my awesome outfit! I just need to learn to sing "Old MacDonald" now! Nora turned 7 months old on the 19th and has just started sitting alone.

Between pureeing baby food (I haven't bought one single jar of baby food for Nora!) and running Adela to and from preschool, not to mention all the other "motherly" duties, I don't make time to blog. At least being a stay-at-home mom has some great perks: never a dull moment, on the job training, smiles and kisses for bonuses and lots of variety. Of course, I could do without the occasional nightshift duties. :) Adela loves preschool and is the only girl in the class! Nora is a smiley, happy baby, but I can't call her my sweet sleep-all-night angel baby anymore. She's up at least every 3 hours. I keep expecting to feel some teeth any day now. Otherwise, she is rocking on all fours and has taken two "knee steps."

Carowinds

We took a trip to Carowinds yesterday and had a great time. Nora stayed with Aunt LaDonne while Leo, Adela and I enjoyed some rides. I can't believe how quickly Adela is growing up and becoming a little lady. She is lots of fun and full of surprises. Some of her favorite phrases are, "Actually..., Are we there yet? Is it far? (She has never liked car rides), When I get 5, I can watch Hannah Montana (I have never agreed to this - she likes to set her own age limits), Will you play 'doctor' with me? (that's her favorite game and asks every little girl she meets to play it with her)." On Wednesday she is starting preschool. I'm just a little nervous, but she is really excited about it of course! On a funny note for all you Dora fans out there, when she finished saying the blessing for lunch yesterday she said, "... and Swiper, no swiping! Amen."

Who is Math?

Tonight I was reading a book to Adela called Math on the Playground. She asked me, "Mommy, who is Math? Is it a boy or a girl?" :)

Words that Challenge Me

"Ultimately, the key to competent parenthood is in being able to get behind the eyes of your child, seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. When he is lonely, he needs your company. When he is defiant, he needs your help in controlling his impulses. When he is afraid, he needs the security of your embrace. When he is curious, he needs patient instruction. When he is happy, he needs to share his laughter and joy with those he loves.

Thus, the parent who intuitively comprehends his child's feelings is in a position to respond appropriately and meet the needs that are apparent. And at this point, raising healthy children BECOMES A HIGHLY DEVELOPED ART, requiring the greatest wisdom, patience, devotion and love that God has given to us. The Apostle Paul called the Christian life a 'reasonable service.' We parents would do well to apply that sane standard to the behavior of our children."
James Dobson in The Strong-Willed Child

This is a song Adela made up yesterday at the park. Notice how easily distracted she is!

I těžké dny přinášejí "ovoce"

Musím se pochlubit co zase Amy uvařila včera na večeři. Bylo to fakt tak dobré, že se o to musím podělit. Prostě u Wilsonů "hambáče" moc nejedou (ale taky je jíme, nebojte:-)
Z obrázku asi poznáte co bylo na talíři, ale kdyby náhodou tak to byla krůtí sekaná zapečená se sýrem a rozmixovanou zeleninou, čerstvě nasbírané zelené lusky lehce osmahlé s vlašskými ořechy, bramborová kaše s bylinkami a česnekem. K tomu čerstvá paprika a okurek jako chutná ozdoba. Prostě SUPER! Nezávidím Vám na co teď myslíte:-)
Tak zase někdy..., Leoš

Angel Baby Nora and On the Go Addy

I got to spend a special morning with my sweet angel baby Nora while Adela went with Leo, Papa and Grammy out on the canoe and to the park. I call Nora my sweet angel baby because she is amazingly easy to read and I can put her in her crib as soon as she is sleepy. She just smiles up at me, covers her eyes with one arm and sucks her thumb on the other. I usually stand there in awe that she could be so adorable and content. She can be fussy in the late afternoon or evening and likes to be held more, but for the most part she's, well, an angel! :) Here she is with her "lovey" and thumb.

Before Adela left to go out on the canoe, I asked her to send greetings to her friends, Monika and Kristina back in Brno! Ahoj, holky! Chybíte nám!

Hip Hip Hooray!!

On Wednesday, Dr. Frino announced that Nora's hip is now officially "normal!" So, we are shouting "Hip Hip Hooray!" She has to wear the brace at night and at naps (which I don't mind at all - I think it helps her sleep better since she can't roll around the bed in it). We thank the Lord for providing wise doctors who took perfect care of Nora. While we were waiting to see the orthopedic, we met another child that had to have the same brace. Her hip dysplasia wasn't discovered until she was 4 months old, so she had to be in a cast for 3 months and was wearing the brace to keep her hip in place. She was almost 2 and hated wearing the brace. So, we are especially grateful to her pediatrician, Dr. Winters, who first found that she had a "hip click" when she was just 5 days old. He immediately arranged an appointment with the orthopedic. I think I'll send him a carrot cake or cookies! :) Thanks to all of you who prayed for Nora.

This was Nora's last hip ultrasound. The technician, Klista, was so cheerful and always made us feel comfortable. Did you know that babies' hips are mostly cartilage at birth and slowly begin turning to bone around 3-6 months? http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/bones.html Nora will have a follow-up appointment and x-ray of her hips when she is 6 months old. Dr. Sapp was Nora's first orthopedic and was excellent at carefully explaining everything we needed to know about hip dysplasia. He also has a 4 month old at home.

Nora without her brace! Look at that smile!

Look at me, brace free! :)

Už mluvím!

Kdybyste nevěděli co říkám, tak se zeptejte mojí sestřenice Esterky. Ta vám to určitě poví. :) Kdyby ani Esterka nepomohla s překladem, tak vězte že Norinka přála babičce brzské uzdravení a ŠŤASTNÉ NAROZENINY!

In case you don't understand what I'm saying, just ask my cousin Ester. She can tell you. (Ester is Nora and Adéla's cousin who will turn 1 in June. Check out their blog on the right: Havleni. It's all in Czech, but you can enjoy the pictures! :)

Passing of Time

Nora at 12 weeks

Last night Leo was looking at some old video footage from my first year in the Czech Republic. I realized that I didn't even want to watch it. For some reason, it bothered me to see that I've gotten older and that those special days are already past. I didn't think I was a person who would mind "getting older." I even wondered if there was any point to videotaping events in our lives if I never wanted to watch them! I must admit though that I do like rewatching our wedding video. It was a fairytale wedding (I absolutely loved my dress) and truly a gift from the Lord that He would bless me with such an amazing and Christlike husband. I also love to videotape our daughters (wow! I have daughterS!) I like to compare pictures of Adela when she was 3 months old to pictures of Nora now. I'm constantly reminded how quickly time passes and the huge responsibility I have as a parent. May the Lord give me wisdom daily to use my time wisely to teach my sweet girls to walk in His ways. "Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways." Psalm 128:1

Nora Update 3

More good news today! Nora's hip has continued to improve. She will continue to wear the brace for the next 4 weeks at least until her next appointment on June 3rd. Thank you all again for your prayers. Here is a video of Nora in her crib. You can catch a hint of a smile. We think she looks more like Leo's side of the family.

Thumb Sucking

About 3 weeks ago, Nora or Norinka as we affectionately call her, discovered her thumb. Since then, she often happily soothes herself to sleep with her little thumb. I think it is cute and I'm actually quite happy that I don't have to keep up with a pacifier and that she can soothe herself. Of course, I have heard all the horror stories: "My son sucked his thumb until he was 12 and cost us thousands in dental work...oh,no, you have a thumb sucker, she'll never stop...it's easier to throw away a pacifier than to break them of a thumb..." I'm sure you've heard them too.
For now I think I'll take the advice of the authers of "What to Expect The First Year." Here is what they say about thumb sucking: "It isn't easy being a baby. Every time you latch on to something that gives you the comfort and satisfaction you're searching for, somebody wants to take it away from you...stop worrying and start letting your baby indulge himself." Of course though, "if you yourself are disturbed by the thumb sucking because of prior programming, try to psych yourself out of it. If that doesn't work, you might want to substitute a pacifier for your baby's thumb temporarily - assuming you don't also have an aversion to that. But, of course, that will leave you with a new habit to break."

Finally found that thumb!

Adela's idea of fun is loading Nora up with all her toys! This morning as I was doing some laundry, I noticed that Adela had gotten very quiet. I went down the hall to find her in the crib with Nora! She had used a step stool to climb over. She said she DIDN'T wake her, but I'm not so sure about that.

New Pig E. Bank

Thank you Aunt Grandma for my new Pig E. Bank! It's great! I had fun finding it on the table this morning and putting coins in it! Now I'll start saving for college. :) Love, Adela

Progress and Pancakes

Waiting for Nora's Ultrasound
I'm really happy to tell you that Nora's hip has improved! Praise the Lord! Thank you for all your prayers and keep praying! We go back in 2 weeks - May 6th. If this brace continues to work then Nora won't need a cast. I've heard so many stories from different friends who had hip dysplasia or knew someone in their family who had it. It's quite common and so far Nora's been quite fortunate. Some kids have braces, harnesses or casts for a year or more.

Our family is into pancakes and I don't mean the Bisquick kind. I love to experiment with different pancake recipes, especially ones made from whole wheat flour. And I almost always add chocolate chips to mine! Anyway, if any of you also like making your own pancakes here is a delicious recipe that I found in a Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine ( I loved and made at least 15 of the recipes in the March issue). The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I use whole wheat for at least half of what it calls for. Try them, they're delicious!!

Banana Pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat/1 cup all-purpose)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (or cinnamon)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk (you can use 2 Tbsp. vinegar added to 2 cups regular milk)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 small firm banana, finely chopped

_ _ _ _ _

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in banana.

2. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.

Nora Update

Thank you so much to all of you who are praying for Nora. I appreciate all your notes of encouragement. I've felt such a peace in the last few days not only about Nora's hips, but about other "obstacles" we are facing in our lives. I feel that God has a special plan for us and that I need to trust Him, be patient and continue to "work" hard at being the mom He has called me to be.

We had a good visit with the orthopedic yesterday. Nora's right hip is fine and the doctor isn't worried about it at all anymore. Her left hip has not changed but it has also not gotten worse. The doctor said this is a good sign. Keep praying that this brace will work.

Seven Weeks with Nora

Nora in her "hip" harness

It is hard to believe that Nora is already 7 weeks old today. I feel like I just brought her home from the hospital. It is a constant reminder to cherish each moment. Nora is a sweet and mostly happy baby. She sleeps wonderfully at night, but is fussy during the day. She can get quite gassy and lets us all know. She really likes it if we undo her diaper and just let her do her business out in the open! I know, I know - TMI. :)

She's starting to notice her surrounding and gives us smiles. At Nora's first pediatrician's visit, the doctor found a very obvious "click" in her left hip. I had heard of this because all babies are routinely checked for hip dysplasia by ultrasound in the Czech Republic. Adela was checked at about 6 weeks of age and was fine. So, when Nora was 2 weeks old we were sent to Brenner Children's hospital in Winston for a hip ultrasound and then a visit with the orthopedist. They told us that she has "hip dysplasia" which occurs in about 4 out of 1000 births. It basically means her hips were dislocated at birth. The doctor fitted Nora with a special harness called the Wheaton-Pavlik harness. You can see a picture of it here and read more about it if you are interested. http://www.wheatonbrace.com/products/wpharness.html She wore this for 4 weeks and we just returned from her 3rd visit to the orthopedist yesterday. This is a picture of her above in the Pavlik harness. The right hip responded well to the harness and will basically be alright. But, her left hip is being quite stubborn. It is pretty much completely out of the socket and could possibly need surgery and a cast. We received a new type of brace for her as well. This one is more rigid and fits over her diaper. We can bathe and change her now. I actually preferred the harness because I feel terrible taking this brace on and off her. It just looks uncomfortable. The doctor said that we will try this one for about 3 weeks and then discuss the next step.

Nora looking a little grumpy. :)

We praise the Lord that this was discovered so early. I can't imagine how hard it must be to do this with a child who is already walking for example. Please pray that this brace will work and that Nora will not need surgery or a cast. I trust the Lord has this in His hands and His will would be done. We'd really appreciate your prayers for Nora and that the doctor would be correct in his diagnosis.