magical

noah and i napped through his first snow...but we caught a glimpse of the beauty that covered the ground just hours before!
my little elf...he doesn't understand why i took him outside in the freezing cold for a photo shoot! don't worry, it was a quick one!
my loves.
my favorite christmas tree ever. a friend let us have their extra tree...we were actually going to go without one this year! now that it is up i cannot imagine christmas without a tree...
of course i put a dove on top...the word for the new year is "peaceful"...and that is the meaning of noah's name...
magical.
the wreath i made last christmas...i was inspired by a picture in domino magazine.

ornaments everywhere is what i call decorating!

i told noah the christmas story using the nativity scene today...he seemed really interested in the candle! it was very special:)
i like lots of lights.
my favorites are these round lights i found at target last year...i wish i could have them everywhere but i only splurged on one strand!

our little angel! what a special christmas this will be...

a different way

nelson and i have both been trying to live healthier lately. part of my inspiration comes from the fact that i am providing for all of my child's daily nutrition. we inspire each other by thinking of meals we haven't tried before, allowing each other time to work out, and learning about how to live a more holistic lifestyle. i've been truly inspired by the following blogger, whitney newby, who has gone on a journey of living a more simple, healthy, and full life. last night i read the following post on her blog and thought i would share:

http://elmstreetlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-i-will-never-use-microwave-again.html

it's interesting how our country is deteriorating healthwise yet most of us are not fully aware of the things we put into our bodies in restaurants and at home. yesterday i woke up and cooked oatmeal for breakfast, heated up a healthy choice steamer meal for lunch, and heated up leftover chicken and rice for dinner; all in the microwave. i was tossing and turning in bed last night wondering if i was passing on toxins to my baby boy, when i felt a still small voice say "you have to give this over to me; trust me with your son's health and your own"...i realized that now is not the time to get overwhelmed and immobilized, but now is the time to make small changes each day that point towards a better lifestyle. i'm not throwing out our microwave, partly because nelson told me we couldn't and partly because i know in my heart that i will use it again! i am, however, going to think more about what i put in my body. i'm going to heat my oatmeal and leftovers in the stove from now on, and i'm going to continue on this journey of learning more about how myself and my family can live more abundantly; the way that God created us to live.

Three Months

I can't believe you are three months old today Noah! You have grown up so much in the past four weeks...You still love your baby einstein activity gym. You are able to grab the toys on the gym now and purposefully bat them with your hands. You also love to talk to the toys and sing along with the star in your own little language! You found your thumb for the first time two days ago and started sucking away...mommy was really excited when you found your thumb, but I think you have already forgotten where it is!
You made your first craft this month; a hand turkey at mom's group!
Your head is getting so strong and you are beginning to love sitting in your bumbo chair and observing your environment. Mommy loves your thanksgiving sweater romper and brown furry boots...daddy is not so sure about the boots but he said I can dress you however I want to for your first year of life:)! You are officially in 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers big boy! You survived your first holiday in Tyler with all of your aunts and uncles...you did so well on our four day trip! You didn't like the black Friday shopping quite as much as mommy hoped you would though...
Your smile seems to get bigger each day. You literally laugh out loud now and we get a squeal every once in awhile too! Your favorite song is "America the Beautiful"...You laugh every time I sing it to you!
You decided to take a pacifier for about three days in a row this month but then gave it up altogether. It's okay though because guess what? You slept through the night two nights in a row this month! Now I know you can do it even though for the past week you have woken up twice each night!
You are finally outgrowing your fussy stage, although you still get upset sometimes when you don't nap well or mommy puts you in silly hats and tries to do too many photo shoots. You are well over 14 pounds now and getting more handsome each day. You still love bathtime and mommy and daddy love hearing the new coos and squeals and laughter you come up with daily. I have decided that the third month is my favorite so far...you are my cuddle bug and I love you more than anything!

peace of mind

the above picture is what happens when noah goes down for an afternoon nap...things have slowed down quite a bit around the staats home...and it's wonderful! there is nothing like decaf coffee with eggnog creamer on a cozy fall day to help me wind down...noah is becoming such a happy baby and i'm lovin' it! he laughs and coos and smiles back at me consistently now...he slept through the night two times in a row but then reverted back to his usual sleeping patterns (waking up every 3 hours)...at least i know he is able to sleep through the night if he wants to:)! i love my little man...
nelson and i are learning how to live more simply since we only have one steady income now...lots of pb&j sandwiches and home cooked meals...i'm convinced it's good for the soul to eat at home! life is slowing down and capturing the little moments is so much more important to us now. i think we were all meant to live at a slower pace than we do. God seems to be louder in my life when i slow down. His voice is something i've really missed on a consistent basis for a long time, but now i'm beginning to hear Him again, and i remember how peaceful it is to listen and hear and respond in the recesses of my heart...and i'm so thankful this thanksgiving; more than ever before...because of my family and faith and friends and home and life...and i'm burdened to share this love i've found with others who haven't experienced it before...because isn't that what life is all about?

11.23.09

noah slept through the night. 10pm to 7am. i have no other words.

little rascal

so right now i am SO PROCRASTINATING cleaning my house:)...noah is "trying" to take a morning nap, although i'm pretty sure he will be fully awake at any moment because i keep hearing grunting sounds from his room! i fed him about an hour ago and spilled half of his bottle of acid reflux medicine on my carpet...i really do think i need another hand! oh well, just another reason to convince nelson we need the dwell studio rug from target:

http://www.target.com/DwellStudio-Target-Floral-Block-Rug/dp/B001J4ARVI/ref=br_1_2?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=1264132011&node=1264132011&searchRank=salesrank&searchPage=1&searchSize=30&id=DwellStudio%20Target%20Floral%20Block%20Rug

isn't it beautiful? anyways, i have to say that i am looking forward to this holiday season! noah will have his first thanksgiving next week "beacham" style...he'll get to see all of his aunts and uncles and experience the noises, laughter, and scent of a true big family thanksgiving! and he'll do it in his adorable thanksgiving sweater romper and furry boots...pictures to come! well, he's fully awake now...pray that he goes back to sleep...he needs this nap and so do i!!!!!:)

LIVE

i think i thought motherhood would be really different than it is. just like marriage, motherhood is not quite as magical as you expect, but on a deeper level it exceeds expectations. right now i feel so up and down; one minute i marvel at noah's little features and the milestones he's hitting like cooing at me, blowing bubbles, turning his head when he hears my voice...another minute i'm yanking myself out of bed at 2 am, 4am, 7am to feed my little guy and pray to God that he goes back to sleep!
i think i thought that i would have more time to cook, clean, do laundry, and work out; after all, being a homemaker means you take care of the home right? HA HA HA...i'm lucky if i even get a shower:)! i find myself not knowing what to do with the moments here and there when he is napping...do i clean? do i get ready? do i read? do i sleep?
this newborn thing is such a life change! but each day i "get" him more. i am learning his cries, when he is tired, hungry, or just plain bored. i can soothe him to sleep at night by patting his little bottom and playing soft music. he knows me as his mom; he recognizes my voice and my face (even though i don't think he recognizes me when i'm not wearing my glasses!)...and these moments are so indescribable. because someday my little guy will be a big guy. and he won't want to be held anymore or rocked to sleep...he won't need me to sing to him and protect him and feed him (well, he might need the food part!)...
so i'm compelled to embrace these moments of nurturing and holding and rocking...of bathing and changing diapers and picking out his clothes...of nursing and soothing and helping him grow. because i know this won't last forever. in fact, i know time will grow faster as the years go by. and i don't want any regrets...i don't want to just survive this baby thing; i want to LIVE in these moments that really are the deepest and most meaningful and most important moments of my life thus far.