baby profiles

As I prepare for Emery Anne to make her way into the world... I am keeping myself occupied by wondering what her little personality might be like and how God is forming her features. I was comparing her ultrasound photo with Bentley's and noticing (at least in ultrasound form), the difference in their profiles... I thought I would share :)

Emery Anne


Bentley Brooke


Note: I had to flip Bentley's photo to match Emery's the way her profile faced - in case you are wondering why the words are mirrored.

preparing for baby

As a surprise to Drew's mom, Kelly, we presented her on Christmas with a little frame and the following note inside...

Dear Nana,

I have been trying for some time now to tell my parents that I have not been completely on board with the choosing of my name. They kicked around some very pretty names but I just don’t think they fit me as a person. I mean, I have been trying to let everyone know out there just who I am! With the recent hospital ordeal, I finally got through to my mommy and daddy what I think my name should be.

I have always really liked Emery - it means “industrious leader.” However, my middle name has just not been sitting right with me so while I was in the hospital with my mommy and daddy we had a lot of time just the three of us. I guess they finally figured out that I want my middle name to be Anne just like you! Anne means “favored grace” which I will need a lot of if I’m going to be an industrious leader!

So if you don’t mind, I’d like to have your middle name too.

Thank you very much,

Emery Anne Webster

"I sticky, Mommy"

I had no idea when diaper-clad Bentley announced, "I sticky, Mommy" near the window sill that she had poop on her hands (and partially on her leg). Bentley with her fingers outstretched and my super-pregnant self rushed to the bathroom. I have officially had my first ever poop-on-hands moment as a parent.

the santa photo experience...

... went beautifully!

Bentley's Nana (Drew's mom, Kelly), took Bentley and I to go see Santa at the Mall (super close to us so my "modified bed rest" self could make it.) I wasn't sure how it would go considering Bentley's spider-cling-to-Drew reaction last year. (Last year our friend's friend's grandpa came to our house for a couple of the neighbor kids and I took the photos - see photo below)


So this year, we went and saw the Mall Santa whom Bentley had waved to just weeks before when out on an outing with me. She has been fascinated with Santa this year. Whenever she sees a Santa as we drive by she says "Ho, Ho, Ho" and follows it up with several renditions of "Up on the Housetop." Especially on her way to Grammy's house (my mom). And when asked this morning what she would say to Santa when she saw him, she said, "Ho, Ho, Ho" and would start singing again.



Yet, I still wasn't sure how it would go.

While in line, she said, "I take off his hat." So I told her that Santa likes his hat and wants to keep it on. She also kept saying, "I sit on his lap?" And I would answer, yes, and explain the whole "Santa" thing again to prep her.

It was finally our turn. The little brother ahead of us cried and squirmed. Bentley walked up to Santa. Nana helped her on his lap. She just eyed him for awhile. No tears yet. I told the photographer guy NOT to tell her to smile, because she ends up with her squinty face, instead I told him to tell her to laugh. But then his assistant told her to say "Cheese" and voila, here is the photo. I bet you can just hear the word "Cheese" coming out of her mouth when you look at this photo. But no tears. Amen! And while it is a "Cheese" kind-of smile, it is still very much Bentley.


Her first real Santa photo; line, candy canes, jingle bells in your face and all. The beginning of history captured. Thank you Nana!

fascinated with baby Jesus

My grandmother bought me this humble nativity set when I was in high school; I even took it to college with me. While Mary and Joseph are beautifully crafted, there was no matching baby Jesus. My Nana sent me a temporary baby jesus who has actually been "temporary" for about 15 years. I don't think I would even want a replacement now, despite his hard plastic body, black-dot eyes and bright red mouth.


Over the years I had tried to make toothpick mangers, but they did not last the packing up year after year. When we got out the Nativity two weekends ago, my aunt helped Bentley fashion a manger out of torn pieces of raffia. Bentley's fascination with baby Jesus began. We had read her stories from her Jesus Storybook Bible and when we would arrive at the New Testament story of His birth, she enjoyed (and still enjoys) pointing out the drawings of baby Jesus. But now to have a "tangible" baby Jesus! She is excited!

While her other animals receive numerous timeouts and even spankings on occasion, Jesus has rightly avoided the timeout chair. Instead he enjoys Bentley hugs, kisses and rides around the house in my great grandmothers miniature antique iron-cast pail. When she carries him around she announces that baby Jesus is sleeping and speaks softly to him. I love that despite his somewhat creepy appearance, for Bentley, just knowing she is holding baby Jesus is enough for her to not be taken aback by his hard plastic look and beady black eyes.


p.s. It has been interesting trying to explain Mary and Joseph's presence to Bentley. She understands Mary is his mother of course, but trying to explain that actually God is his daddy and that Joseph, well, Joseph is, let's see, Mary's husband and helps her raise Jesus, is a bit of a daunting concept for a 2-year-old to grasp. As Drew puts it, "How do you explain the Immaculate Conception to a 2-year-old?"

you know you have a 2-year-old when...

... even Poinsettia bear and Rosie are getting timeouts.

bedtime anecdote

Drew and I heard "Mommy!" coming from Bentley's room. Drew went in there and Bentley said, "I take it off." She was in bed, covers up to her chin with her PJs AND diaper on the floor at the end of her bed.

o Christmas tree

Christmas Tree Adventure 2010... enjoy Bentley's change of expression at the chainsaw.

Coming Home...

I was going through Bentley's baby clothes to wash for welcoming her baby sister, Emery, when I came across Bentley's "coming home" outfit and paused. It was stained... a lovely shade of yellow around the collar. I couldn't resist smelling it. While I had planned for Bentley to wear this when she came home from the hospital for the first time, she spit up so much in the hospital that this outfit was soiled before we made the drive. Even still, I had chosen this particular outfit for her to wear home with the matching hat (which she did wear home).


I decided to use her outfit as part of her Christmas gift. I am saving the hat to put with her baby book, but thought I would transform the layette into a little pillow for her.


I made Bentley's profile from a photo I took of her shadow against a wall this fall during our family trip to Omak to celebrate Drew's Grandpa's birthday.

I knew I had to include the little birdie somehow as I have a feeling this will be Bentley's favorite part of the pillow.

The front is actually warm organic batting that you would normally use inside a blanket. I just loved the soft texture.

The back is a rosette-type synthetic, but super soft material... I just adore this fabric, I had to go back and buy some for Bentley's pillow after using it on the blocks I made for Emery.