The Reynolds

Updates

2010-11-06T11:37:00.000-05:00

I guess I should update everyone on what's been going on with us. The biggest thing is that Gideon turned 2. I can't believe it!! How did 2 years go by so quickly? Gideon had a wonderful time on his birthday. He got to go to lunch with Daddy at Denny's (They give a free grand slam on your birthday). We made homemade calzones, opened presents and had some cake. My cake did not turn out like I wanted so there will be no pictures. Gideon was also scared of the candle and had to have daddy hold him while he blew it out. It's funny to me that the same boy that will jump and throw himself off of anything would be scared of a little candle. Gideon loved all of his presents and I'm glad that nothing was too loud or obnoxious.

Gideon is definitely a 2 year old. He is very stubborn and likes things done his way and on his own. He's still not talking a whole lot so he gets really mad when we don't know what he wants. That's a lot of the time. We've been trying to get him to sleep in his big boy bed and he does OK as long as someone falls asleep with him. If we just lay him down and walk out then he's right there behind us. He usually ends up in his crib for the night after we've fought him for a while. I would like him to be done with the crib so we can use it for Hazel and get her out of the pack n'play. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them. We've tried the child door handle thing on the inside of the door and he DID NOT like that at all.

We also celebrated Halloween. Gideon was Tigger and Hazel was a ballerina. They both looked so cute. Thank you to my friend, LeeAnne for letting us borrow the costumes. I was going to make a Tu-Tu for Hazel but couldn't resist using the one already made. We had a great time at the ward Trunk or Treat and Gideon had fun asking for candy. He's also enjoyed eating way too much of it. I'm glad Nathan took it to work. Natalie and Grandma D were able to come out for Halloween weekend and have some fun with us.

Hazel is growing like a weed. She is up to about 15 pounds and is wearing 6 month clothes. She is just so long she won't fit in to any 3 month anymore. She is sleeping great at night. She goes to bed between 8 and 9 and I usually get 6-8 hours of sleep before she wakes up. Gideon never slept like that. He always wanted to be held and Hazel likes sleeping in her bed. She "talks" a LOT and is always blowing bubbles and spitting. She loves sucking on her fingers and pulling things to her mouth. She is starting to roll to her side and has almost made it to her tummy a couple of times. I love that she is always happy and always has a smile. She is very easy going and has a lot of patience with Gideon when he tries to play with her and gets too rough. She just smiles and laughs at him. They are going to be great friends and it's fun to see their relationship develop.

Here are a few pictures of our fun adventures over that last little bit. Enjoy!

I found a few more minutes

2010-08-31T20:35:00.000-05:00

Daddy just got home so I have a few more minutes to type. I just wanted to show a few pictures of Gideon from the Clifford exhibit. Crown Center Mall has the exhibit right now and Gideon would always get excited during the commercial so Nathan and I decided to take him for a Family Home Evening. We got to the mall at about 5:45 and thought we had plenty of time. Little did we know the mall closes at 6 on Mondays. Can you believe that? 6 PM!! Gideon had a great 15 minutes and didn't have to worry about other kids. Their parents were responsible and looked up the times, I guess. After the exhibit closed we took him across the street to the fountains. You can play in them but Gideon didn't want to. He was mad when we tried to leave but he wouldn't get in the water. What a silly boy. Maybe next year.


Captain Gideon

Sliding down Clifford's tail

At the fountain. That's about as close as he would get.

Fun with Daddy

Not much time

2010-08-31T20:20:00.000-05:00

I know as I start to write this that it's not going to be very long. Hazel is content right now in her bouncy but it probably won't last too long. This is her "fussy" hour right now. Yes, all day is her fussy hour but now that we've diagnosed her acid reflux and the medicine is kicking in she is a very happy little girl. She smiles most of the day and mommy is staying sane. At least for the moment. Hazel is growing well. She is up to 10 lbs. 14 oz and is outgrowing her newborn stuff. We've moved up to 0-3 month size. She's growing slower than Gideon did but I'm OK with that. I'm enjoying having a "small" baby for a while longer. She is sleeping well at night and usually gives me about 4-5 hours of sleep at a time. Although, every morning at about 4 she starts to grunt like she's constipated and it lasts for about 2 hours. I'm hoping it's due to reflux and will fade with the taking of medicine. If not she will be in her own room sooner than later. :) We're adjusting to life with multiple children without going too crazy here. Gideon loves his sister and shows her frequently by talking to her and hitting her. He still gets a little jealous.

Gideon is doing well. He is very much a two yer old with a two year old personality. He's in to everything and wants to be very independent. We are getting ready to move him up to a big boy bed and he's excited. Grandma T got him some Thomas the Train sheets for his new bed and he already sleeps with the pillowcase. I'm a little nervous about it but I'm sure he'll do great. Plus, I really want Hazel to get used to the crib and Gideon won't leave her alone in it right now. That's still HIS bed.

Now that Hazel is awake and I'm forced to type with one hand I'll continue stories later and just show a couple pictures. Enjoy!


My pacifier babies


Hazel before reflux medicine


Hazel after the medicine. Much better.

Gideon on the big boy swing.

Need more patience

2010-07-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

So lately I've been a little on edge. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm having a baby in 2 days and I have a toddler going through the terrible two's. I've worked hard to make sure that I have everything lined up for when I go to the hospital and that the house won't be a total disaster when I get back. I think I have just about everything done there and I'm ready for this little one to join our family. One thing I wasn't expecting was the many opinions on how we're having this baby. Nathan and I elected for another C-section instead of a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). We did not take our decision lightly and put much thought and prayer into it. I also talked to my Dr. quite a bit about it for a couple of months as I went back and forth. She never pushed me one way or the other, for which I am very grateful. She gave me all the facts, risks, etc. and would tell me it was a personal choice and she would stand by either decision. My decision was based on my pregnancy with Gideon and the answers I received when I prayed. I had a lot of health issues with him and had to be induced early. After 14 hours of labor he ended up being an emergency C-section. I wasn't sure if I would have to go through the same thing with this one and decided on the choice that worked best for us. I know everyone has their own opinion on childbirth, epidurals, C-sections, etc. What I don't understand is why it's anyone's matter but the parents actually having the child. I've had people tell me I'm taking the easy way out for having a C-section. They have evidently never had a C-section or major surgery. I may not have to go through contractions and pushing but the recovery time is much harder and longer. Believe me, I would have loved to have Gideon normally but I was not about to risk his health or life when it was not necessary. Gideon was on his cord and his heart rate would drop each time I pushed. Dr. White told me I could keep pushing but because we didn't know how the cord was getting pinched we couldn't be sure he would get all the oxygen he needed during each contraction or if the cord would even be long enough during birth. That's all I needed to hear. My child's life was more important than a silly scar and healing time. How would I feel if something would have happened to my child when I could have prevented it? I'm grateful for knowledgeable doctors and modern hospitals that were able to ensure the safety of my child.

I'm sure everyone wants what's best for their children and they do what they feel is right. There are many things I see others do that I may think are different or silly but it's not my family or decision on how they raise their children. I'm not meaning to offend or upset anyone. I just needed my little rant time. I welcome any comments and opinions on the matter but please don't make me feel bad for opting for another C-section.

Pictures

2010-07-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

Here are a few belly pictures that Natalie took for me while she was here this past weekend. I'm 37 weeks here.

Not quite sure what I was looking at. Probably Gideon doing something silly.

He likes being in pictures, too.

Our little stud. He loves wearing his glasses.

This is what Gideon does when we tell him to smile. I don't know where he got it but I love it. Usually he shows his teeth but I think he had food in his mouth here. He is such a nut.

We had a lot of fun with Natalie over the 4th of July weekend. Thanks for coming out, Nat. Gideon loved showing you everything and having you read to him. He even tried to find you Tuesday morning and was so upset when he opened the door and you weren't there. You'll have to come back out and play with us soon.

We're also excited that we'll be seeing our newest addition soon. We only have about 9 days left and the time is just flying by. I've been a little uncomfortable but nothing to really complain about. Everything has been great with this pregnancy and it's been nice not having to do NST's and worry about my blood pressure like with Gideon. It's hard to believe that by this stage in his pregnancy he was here. I'm curious to see how close she is to his size. Gideon was 7.8 lbs and 19 3/4" when he was born at 37 1/2 weeks. This little one is getting an additional week and a half to outgrow him. I wouldn't mind her staying smaller for longer than he did. He outgrew his clothes so fast and got so heavy. I am a little nervous about the C-section but my Dr. has been great at answering all my questions and putting me at ease. Now I'll just have to worry about the 6 weeks postpartum when I can't lift more than 10 lbs. Gideon is not going to like that at all. He loves having Mommy cuddle him and put him to bed. I'll miss doing that for a while. I'm grateful for family and good friends who have offered to be there to help where they can. So until July 16th I'll just be cleaning my house over and over and finding silly jobs that need to be done. It's funny how crazy your brain gets at the end of pregnancy. I have so many lists of things that I think need to be done before I go to the hospital and I'm sure none of them are really that important. Do the windows really need to be clean before I have this little one? Probably not! But I'm sure they will be. :)

Edit on my previous post

2010-06-03T14:05:00.001-05:00

It's been brought to my attention that I left someone off the list of visitors to Indiana. I wanted to correct my mistake and let everyone know that Gideon and I were very excited that Katie could also come in from Utah and spend some time with us. I thought I would also list everyone else we were able to see, in addition to those already mentioned in the previous post, just in case anyone else was feeling left out.

Carlos and Jennifer
Benji, Nicky, Alex and Camille
Andrew and Laura
Haley, Jerod and Emily
Natalie
Shane
Kayla and John
Great-Grandma "Plain"
All of the people Grandma D works with
Everyone in the Reynolds' ward on Sunday

We had a great time with everyone and can't wait to see you all again. Love you all!

Updates

2010-06-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

I thought it was about time I updated a bit. It's amazing how fast this pregnancy is going. I'm down to only about 6 weeks left and I feel like I still have so much to do. A few weeks ago we found out Gideon's crib had been recalled (thank you, Laura) so that was one of the first things on our list to fix. Luckily we've been out of town so I haven't had to worry about him sleeping in a potentially defective crib. Today I had enough energy to take apart the crib, pack it up in my small car and take it back to Target. They were great about taking it back and we were able to purchase a new crib and get it all put together before Gideon's nap time. He doesn't like his pack and play much. Thanks so much to my friend Eliza for letting us use her van to get the huge box back to the house. It's hard for me to ask for help sometimes so I'm grateful for good friends that are able to help out. I don't like this crib as much as my old one but I guess it's the safety that counts. Plus Gideon could care less what his crib looks like as long as he has Bo the Bear and his blankie with him. I'm just glad that job is done. We still have some credit left over from Target and we'll probably order another crib for Hazel when it gets closer to her arrival.
This pregnancy is going well. I've had a bit of pain the last couple of months and I just thought it was ligaments stretching but my doctor thinks I may have a hernia. Sarcastic YEA!!! With Gideon I had high blood pressure and preeclampsia and I guess this baby wants something big of her own. It's pretty painful and there's not much they can do about it until Hazel is born. At least my blood pressure is normal and I'm not swelling up with this one.
We've had some exciting trips the last couple of weeks. Gideon and I were able to go back to Indianapolis for a week to visit family. Anthony and Laura were in town from Alaska and we were able to see them, Will and Ethan. Gideon had a good time visiting his cousins and seeing Grandma T and Grandma D. We had a great time seeing everyone. We were able to visit the zoo with Grandma D and Gideon loved seeing the sea lions, walrus and dolphins. We only lasted an hour until we were all tired and overheated. We had a great week visiting with everyone but were very excited to see Daddy once we got home.

What?!? Another post already?

2010-04-20T16:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know this is a rare treat. Two posts within a matter of days but we've actually have things going on. I know, I can't believe it either. Usually I'm just home sitting on the couch, playing with Gideon and thinking about cleaning up. Sometimes the cleaning actually happens.

Saturday was a crazy day for us. Both of our cars needed oil changes so we decided to drop off my car first and go back later that day to pick it up. We got up early, took our $15 oil change coupon and came home to relax and wait for the car. Well, let's just say it ended up being a little more than $15. We found out I needed new tires. Ouch. So our cheap oil change turning into a big chunk of cash fix up. At least I now have safe tires. I guess the threads were even showing through on the back tires. Whoops, didn't even know it. At least Nathan's car turned out to only be $15. I was nervous they were going to tell us he needed something major, too.

On to baby news. I had a Dr. appt. today and the baby sounds great. Her heartbeat is really strong and she even kicked the doppler thing. She doesn't like when things are on my stomach, just like Gideon. Poor Gideon is the one who gets all the abuse from her right now. He likes to cuddle with me and she lets him know she does not appreciate his 28 lbs laying on her. I guess I'm getting some of the abuse, too. The Dr. did find that I have a bladder infection and gave me some antibiotics for that. They try to stop it early since that can lead to a UTI and that can cause preterm labor. We're only about 26 weeks so I think we'll wait on the labor. I've also had some pain in my right leg from my knee to my thigh so I was sent to have a sonogram on my leg to make sure there were no clots. Luckily nothing was found and Gideon enjoyed watching the monitor and hearing the sounds of them squeezing my leg to hear the blood flow.

We were also able to schedule the C-section. We scheduled to meet our little girl on July 16. We have to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM. Sounds early, right? IT IS!! The surgery will be at 7:30. It's weird to think that we know the exact day and time we'll be having our little girl. I don't know that Gideon will even be up yet. Good thing Grandma D will be coming in to stay with him and Nathan those few days I'm in the hospital. I asked Nathan the other day what he was going to make for dinner those nights I was gone and he said whatever his mom made. Good to see he has everything covered. I hope Grandma Diana realizes she'll be taking care of 2 boys. :)

Well, that pretty much catches you up for now. I'm down to seeing the Dr. every 2 weeks now. Yea!!! 3 months to go and counting.

3 months and this?!

2010-04-16T21:35:00.000-05:00

Alright, I know it's been a while and I'm sorry to all those who have been giving me a hard time lately. I sit down with the intention of writing and then feel like my post will be so boring. So, I don't write anything and I let another month slide by. Again, sorry.

So by now most of you should know that we are having a girl. Little Hazel Grace should be joining us in mid-July. My official due date is July 24th but we'll be scheduled for a c-section about a week or so before that. My next Dr. appointment is the 20th and I'll be talking with my Dr. then. Since we'll be scheduled does anyone want to make predictions about what day we'll schedule it for?

I've been feeling OK. I've been a lot more sick with this pregnancy, have had Braxton-Hicks which I never had with Gideon and can't breath already since this little one wants to sit so high. Other than being uncomfortable I've been pretty good. My blood pressure is still low and I'm hoping it will stay that way, otherwise we'll be even earlier than 39 weeks.

See, this post is boring already. Let's get on to more exciting things: Gideon. He's growing like a weed. He's eating all day long and can't seem to get enough. I think he's going through a growth spurt since all of his clothes have suddenly become a bit shorter. He's still a bit picky with what he eats but I've learned that he loves fruit. He'll eat any type of fruit but no veggies. He did try cucumber and carrots and seems to be OK with those. He won't eat bread, cake, chicken nuggets, fish sticks or anything else that seems foreign. He loves broccoli, pizza rolls and hot dogs. I know, well rounded meals.

Gideon is starting to attempt more words. He'll repeat things after me and he'll get the syllables but not always the sound. He loves to jibber-jabber. As soon as he wakes up in the morning he has something to say. It's always in his own language but he really thinks he's saying something. Sometimes during the day, if he thinks I'm not paying enough attention, he'll come up and turn my face toward him to make sure I'm listening. He uses so much intonation and emotions I can't help but think he's really talking to me. I especially love when he cracks himself up with what he's telling me. He'll start laughing and then cover his mouth with his hands and double over. It's the best.

We've also discoverd that he likes Big, Big World and Barney on PBS. He dances to the them songs and gives Snook the sloth a high five at the end of the show when he tells him to. Today he was busy in the other room when Snook said to give him 5 and Gideon went running over to the TV so he wouldn't miss him. He then waves to Snook and waits for Barney. Also, thank you, mom, for the Barney DVD for Easter. Gideon brings it to me about 20 times a day. That song is forever stuck in my head. I do have video of all this but I'll have to figure out how to put it on here.

Nathan is doing well. Work and his calling are keeping him busy. He's also had to start mowing the grass which he isn't too thrilled with. Other than that he's just waiting for Purdue football to start up again.

Oh, before I go, let me know of some of the foods you feed your kids. Give me some ideas of things to try and tempt Gideon with. He's good on snacks, I need meals.

Our News

2010-01-07T14:18:00.000-06:00

So since I put the pregnancy ticker on the blog I guess I should announce that we're pregnant. Yup, baby #2 will be joining our family in July 2010. Right now we're about 13 weeks along and just about out of the scary first trimester. We've had our first ultrasound and got to see the little one moving around a little and hear the heartbeat. It's amazing how emotional you get even when you've been through it before. Knowing that it's real and seeing that little person just brings out those tears. Even Nathan was excited. We weren't able to tell what the gender was yet but that will come in just a few weeks.

I'm excited to be getting out of the sickly stage and I can actually stand the thought of some foods now. It's terrible when you're hungry and want to eat but everything you think of makes you want to throw up. I've been craving a Gyro sandwich like no other but the closest place is about 16 miles away and we have about 20 feet of snow around here. It amazes me that a craving can make you think of braving the elements just to satisfy itself. Nathan says we can go when the weather gets better. Until then I will continue to dream of pita bread, cucumber sauce, tomatoes and lamb meat all combining into a little piece of heaven. If I were in Indy I'd know exactly where to go.

Nathan has been really great and helping me around the house. He's done the dishes a few times and understands when I need that little nap during the day. I'm not lazy, just pregnant. He's also understood that dinners haven't been that great because nothing sounds good to me and it's hard to cook when you don't like food. I'm thankful for my non-picky husband.

On to a quick update of Gideon. He's a little monkey. He's loves climbing on everything and being a little stinker. Yesterday I found him trying to climb up the kitchen cabinets to get a banana. I don't know where he learns these things. I'm glad he's so inventive and likes to figure things out but sometimes he's a little too daring. Aunt Kathy gave us a Little People Garage for his birthday and it has been hidden because he uses it as a ladder. I don't know how many times we look over and he's standing on the top of it holding the car that should be on it. What a nut.

He's also saying about 4-5 words now. Light (sounds like Lie), Bear (minus the R), bath (sometimes with the th), splash (minus the spl) and, of course, mama and dada. The first words are his most consistent but he likes to imitate sounds. The other day I couldn't find something and in frustration said, "Crap!" Next thing I hear was ,"Ap." That made me realize I need to start watching what I say. I don't use that word very often but I guess it only takes 1 time for them to pick it up.

We're about sick of snow here in MO. We've gotten so much since Christmas that school kids haven't even made it back to school after Christmas break. I feel for those parents with children still at home battling cabin fever. The snow is pretty but I would like for it to fall anywhere but the driveway and roadways. That would make things a lot easier. Anthony and Laura, I know you're laughing right now since Missouri is nothing compared to Alaska but I don't live in Alaska and I don't want to be able to pretend I do.

Other than snow we're great. I'll try to update a little more often but I'm not making it a resolution because I know it won't stick. Why set myself up for failure? I'll post pictures soon.

A Year in Review

2009-10-26T13:05:00.005-05:00

I wanted to do this yesterday but didn't have a chance. It's been a year now since Gideon came into our family and we've been so blessed to have him. He has such a great sense of humor and makes us laugh everyday. He's curious and gets into everything. He's walking and starting to pick up a few words. We love seeing how he learns and grows and can't imagine our family without him.

We love you, Gideon!

First Real Haircut

2009-10-25T18:46:00.003-05:00

These are some pictures of the before and after of the haircut. Birthday pictures to follow soon.

Gideon's pre-haircut hair. Getting a little long.

Trying to bribe him to sit still.

Doesn't he look like a big boy now?

He's so cute

2009-10-07T20:53:00.002-05:00

A few pictures of the Baby because he's so cute

We love the slide!!

I'm watching TV. Purdue is playing, I'm thinking "Basketball season is just around the corner" Go Boilers!!!!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Am I in trouble???? No, I'm too cute to be in trouble!!!!

Hard day of playing, time to nap

A few minutes to myself

2009-09-12T13:46:00.002-05:00

I finally found a few minutes to write while Gideon takes a nap and Nathan is out mowing the lawn. I wish I could keep up with this blog thing a little better. Then I wouldn't have to try and remember everything that we've had going on in the last little bit. I'll start with me since my days are pretty much the same. I've been working on getting the small projects done around the house. I'm almost finished painting in the master bathroom and the trim is coming along slowly. That's a big job and hard to get done when it won't stop raining. I did paint the trim in the guest room and it's made a huge difference. I think it looks better, anyway. Other than that I've been drying and canning some fruit. Grandma Dee got me a dehydrator and some canning supplies while she, Grandpa R and Uncle Shane were out here visiting (more on that a little later). I was able to make applesauce and some apple butter. It's a good feeling to see Nathan and Gideon gobbling up my homemade goods. I don't know that I'll have much applesauce to can. Sadly, that's about it for me. I think I'll move on to more interesting people. Oh, I did learn how to make some balloon animals the other day at Young Womens. A new talent for me.

Gideon is getting so big. He's already outgrowing some of his 12 month stuff and is wearing 18 month sleepers. He actually wore some 2T things the other day and they weren't that big on him. He is gaining more confidence in himself and will stand for quite a while. The other day he was even dancing and didn't fall. It won't be long until he's walking. He now has 4 teeth (2 bottom and top 2 eye teeth) and one front one on it's way in. No more vampire baby. He constantly has his thumb in his mouth playing with his teeth. He's starting to sleep a little better at night. He woke up a few nights ago with a cough that I though sounded like croup. Again. That would be 3 times in 3 months. We headed to the doctor and he thought Gideon might actually have a bit of asthma or reflux. We were prescribed breathing treatments and once or twice a day we turn on the machine and try to fight Gideon into breathing in the medicine. He does a pretty good job and has slept through the night ever since we started using it. I'm glad he didn't have croup again and am thankful for doctors that listen and are concerned and don't just prescribe medicine to mask the symptoms. Gideon is doing great and hopefully this won't be a long term thing.

Oh, I almost forgot, we have a whistling baby. I was playing around on the computer the other day while Gideon played beside me. I kept hearing a little whistling sound and finally realized it was Gideon. I have the video and really need to get it on here. Some mornings he'll just be playing with his toys and whistling. It's so cute. I know every parent thinks it but my child really is a genius. :)

Gideon is also turning into a daddy's boy. He gets super excited when he sees Nathan and it's fun to watch those two play around. Nathan loves it. It's also nice for me since I'm able to get things done around the house without worrying that Gideon is crying for me. He was mommy's boy for quite a long time and, although I miss it sometimes, it's great to see Gideon and daddy becoming best friends. He says Dada and mom and I think he's starting to actually differentiate. He talks like he's really saying something and if you don't listen he will put his little hand on your face and turn your face towards his or get right in your line of vision. I love it!! He has learned how to give high 5's and is close to clapping.

Nathan is still doing well at work. I don't really know what he's working on so if you want details you'll have to ask him. Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds (names used for reference only) and Uncle Shane were able to come visit us over Labor Day weekend. We had a lot of fun visiting, playing with Gideon and hanging out. We even talked the boys into going to the apple orchard and had a lot of fun picking apples. Pictures are available for viewing on Diana's facebook page. We made a couple of pies, ate a few apples and the rest were turned into the aforementioned applesauce and apple butter.

We don't have anything too exciting going on here at the Reynolds home. We're just having a good time watching Gideon grow into a little boy and seeing his personality come out. He's a little sneaky one and has the cutest smile when he's about to do or get into something he knows he shouldn't. It may still work on Nathan but I'm trying to become immune before it's too late.

Bread Recipe

2009-08-18T17:11:00.003-05:00

I made some bread yesterday that was super easy to make and tasted great. I don't have a fancy Kitchen-aid or anything and it still turned out great. I used the rapid rise yeast method and included some of my own seasonings at the end. I posted it for my family in our recipe blog but told a few others I would also post it here. I included all the variations you can use. You can find more bread recipes at breadworld.com. I hope you enjoy making it and eating it as much as I did. Happy baking!!

This basic recipe can take on a life of its own. Many bread variations are possible from these easy first steps. Directions for using either Active Dry OR RapidRise Yeast are included.

Master Bread Dough

6 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise OR Active Dry Yeast  
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter OR margarine

Directions

If using RapidRise Yeast:

In large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water, milk and butter until very warm (120° to 130°F). Gradually add mixture to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

With spoon, stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Cover and let dough rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half.

Roll each half into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place, side down in greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes or until thermometer. registers 190°F to 200°F in center of bread. If a thermometer is not available, bread is done when well browned and sounds hollow when top of loaf is tapped lightly with finger tip.

Makes 2 loaves.

If using Active Dry Yeast:

Combine water, milk and butter; heat until warm (100° to 110°F). Add sugar and yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Add 2-1/2 cups flour and salt; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

With spoon, stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place kneaded dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Punch dough down. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half.

Roll each half into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place, seam side down in greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes or until thermometer. registers 190°F to 200°F in center of bread. If a thermometer is not available, bread is done when well browned and sounds hollow when top of loaf is tapped lightly with finger tip.

Makes 2 loaves.

VARIATION:

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: Replace 1 to 3 cups all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

SOFT HERB BREADSTICKS (use 1/2 of dough): Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; roll each to 15-inch rope. Twist each rope several times, if desired. Place on 2 greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until risen slightly, about 10 to 20 minutes. Lightly beat 1 egg white; brush over breadsticks. Sprinkle with herbs or herb blends such as oregano, dill weed, Italian herb seasoning, or fines herbs. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets; let cool on wire racks. Makes 1 dozen rolls.

FOCACCIA (use 1/2 of dough): Grease 15- x 10-inch pan. Roll dough to rectangle and press evenly into pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until slightly risen, about 20 to 40 minutes. With handle of wooden spoon, make indentations in dough at 1-1/2-inch intervals. Brush dough with 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons SPICE ISLANDS Rosemary and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until done. Let cool on wire rack. Cut into squares. Makes 1 focaccia.

DINNER ROLLS (use 1/2 of dough): Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape dough into smooth balls. Place balls, about 2 inches apart, on large greased baking sheet.

Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over rolls. If desired, sprinkle with SPICE ISLANDS Sesame Seed or Poppy Seed. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire rack.

HEARTH BRAID (use 1/2 of dough): Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece to 16-inch rope. On greased baking sheet, braid 3 ropes together; pinch ends to seal.

Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 90 minutes. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over braid. Sprinkle with SPICE ISLANDS® Sesame Seed or Poppy Seed. Bake at 400^oF for 25 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; let cool on wire rack. Makes 1 braid.

Some new pics

2009-08-10T20:15:00.006-05:00

I don't have a ton of time to write but we wanted to let everyone know that we're alive and well. Gideon has been keeping us pretty busy. He's finally getting some teeth in and, of course, he has to do that his own way, also. His 2 front bottom ones are just about through and so are his 2 top eye teeth. Yes, we have a little vampire. Or hillbilly, whichever you like to think. The worst of the nights were just passing when he decided to get croup again. It's never fun to be woken up in the middle of the night with your baby sounding like a seal. He's just about over it but I think now he has a cold. Poor little guy just can't catch a break. The silver lining of sickness is that he wants to be cuddly.

Gideon has also discovered how to turn on and off the TV. This gets really annoying when we're trying to watch a show and all the sudden you see a little head appear in front of the TV and then the TV goes off. He turns off and on the light switches, too. He crawls right over all his toys to get to the things he likes to play with most. That being...anything else.
I thought I would go ahead and post a few pics of what he's been doing over the last month or so.

This is what Gideon does while I'm cooking, doing dishes or anything else in the kitchen. These are "his" 2 drawers and he goes for them first thing when he gets in the kitchen. I'm constantly picking up bottles and lids. Sometimes he'll even reach for the third shelf. As if he didn't have enough to pull out with the bottom two.

This is right before his first little haircut. We only cut his bangs because they were getting too long. I couldn't bring myself to give him a big boy cut yet.

I still almost cried because he looked older. Not the best job, I know, but little boys are very wiggly.

One day I was doing dishes and Gideon was playing with his drawers. When I turned around to put something in the dishwasher I found this. I had no idea he know how to climb up into the machine. Now whenever I do dishes he pulls all the silverware out. He thinks it's hilarious and laughs while he's doing it. Then when they're all out on the floor he looks at me with a big smile like he's so proud of himself. Maybe if I lay all the silverware on the floor he'll put them in the basket. I'll have to try that next time.

He is such a fun kid and is learning new things everyday. He's starting to stand by himself for about 5-10 seconds and will walk while only holding onto one of our hands. I don't think I'm ready for a walker yet but this kid isn't slowing down. He amazes me everyday and we have so much fun. Oh, he's also learned to "dance". Whenever he hears music he shakes his little booty and we have to laugh every time. His favorite it the MASH theme song, don't ask me why. I'll try to get a video of it on here soon.

What you've all been waiting for...

2009-07-08T20:51:00.004-05:00

Everyday I sit down and think, "Now would be a good time to write on my blog. Then something comes up and I get distracted and before I know it a month or so has gone by. I love reading everyone else's blogs, I'm just not that great at keeping up with my own.

I do have new pics of Gideon that I need to put up and some updates on how he's doing. We visited Indiana about a month ago and had a wonderful time seeing family, going to the zoo and visiting Nauvoo for Kayla and John's wedding.

I guess that's our first official vacation with Gideon. Nathan and I were able to sneak in a session at the Nauvoo temple while Gideon "visited" with the Reynolds. I guess he pretty much cried the entire time once he realized mommy and daddy weren't around anymore. He was even taken for a ride in the car with a serinading of "ABC's". He did a great job with everyone when Nathan and I were around and he could see us. The wedding was wonderful and we had fun at the reception. Gideon got to dance and we even made it through the tornado sirens.

We were able to visit the Indianapolis zoo which Gideon really enjoyed. He especially liked the giraffes and rhinos. We even snuck in early to the dolphin show where Gideon decided to drop his pacifier so mommy could spend the entire time looking for it. We had a nice time with Ben, Nicky, Haley and Jerod looking at all the animals and listening to their silly stories. Those kids crack me up.

Gideon did wonderful on the car ride. He got a little fussy about half hour before we got home because he just couldn't get comfortable and just wanted out. While we were in Indiana he was starting to go from a laying down position to sitting. He mastered it as soon as we got home. Now naptimes are so much harder because he sits right up and by the time I turn around he's already standing at the side of the crib. He also started to throw his pacifier out of the crib in defiance of a nap. One day I went to lay him down and couldn't find a single pacifier. I searched his toy chest, the diaper bag and around his room. Just for fun I decided to check behind his crib. Jackpot!! There were all 5 pacifiers. That little stinker had been sticking them back there when he was mad. He's always doing something new. He is a crawler now and has figured out that there are more rooms to explore than just the living room. I have to be on my toes at all times to make sure he isn't pulling books off the bookcase or DVD's out of the entertainment center.

Gideon has also developed a new laugh. I'll have to get a video of it on here since I can't really describe it. We hear it alot during certain commercials he finds funny or when he watches the slideshow screen saver and sees his own pictures. He finds himself cute and loves to watch the pictures change. A new on comes on and the little laugh come out. I love it. He is getting to be a big boy and wants to walk so bad. He's starting to let go of things a little more and will try to stretch from the couch to other things. He has said mama and dada a few times and I've gotten him to wave. Of course, what does he wave at? The pictures of himself on the computer. Stinker!

Nathan is doing well at work. He's on call this month which means we get "the phone" and get to hear little dings all through the night as new email come in. Luckily nothing major has happened so the phone has been pretty silent. His calling is going well and he has two great councelors that really do a great job. For those of you who don't know, Nathan was called as the Elders Quorum President in our ward. We have a lot of med students which means a lot of moving in and out of families but it has been reletively quite lately.

As for me I'm just enjoying my time at home with Gideon. I've been trying to get little projects done around the house and keeping myself busy. Nathan thinks a lot of the things I do are silly but I enjoy being busy and learning how to do new things. I'm really excited for the time when we tile the master bath and the laundry room. I'll definitely have to post before pictures just so you can get an idea of just how hideous the carpet is. Yes, that's right, we have carpet in our bathroom. Not just any carpet, ugly carpet. Those of you who have seen it in person can attest to the fact that it needs to go.

I'm also getting ready to start physical therapy on my back. Carrying around this 23 lb baby has really done something to me. Luckily I worked for a physical therapy office and know some great people that can help me out. I can't remember what is was like to be pain free but I'm excited to find out.

We're doing well here in the Reynolds home. We're loving KC but miss everyone back in Indy.

A few updates

2009-05-23T13:57:00.003-05:00

Well, Gideon is really starting to pull himself up on things. If we sit him down he's looking for something to grab a hold of and pull himself up. What a silly boy. I love watching those changes and am excited that he's starting to discover so many things. He's also loving his food and can't get enough. It's fun to watch him concentrate so hard on picking up some finger food and try to get it to his mouth. He knows where it goes but not quite how to get it in there. We've started letting him play with a sippy cup, also. Again, he knows where it goes but doesn't quite grasp the concept of how to get the juice in his mouth. He can drink from it OK when I hold it up for him. He is definitely a mommy's boy right now and cries whenever I leave the room, even if Nathan is holding him. It makes me feel good that he love me so much. Now if he could just need me a little less during the night. He's still waking up a couple of times but not to eat. He just wants me to put the pacifier back in his mouth and he's right back out. Last night I tried just handing it to him to do it himself and that was NOT a good idea. He was so hurt that I would just leave him to fend for himself. He gave me a look like, "What kind of mommy/monster do you think you are?" Maybe we'll work on that during the day. He is also talking quite a bit. He likes to say, "Ga, ga, ga" and "Bo, bo, bo" and a mixture of other sounds I can't even begin to figure out how to spell. He's a big boy with lots to say.

We're excited to see our family in just a few days. We're excited to see Kayla get married and to visit Nauvoo. Hopefully Nathan and I can find time to sneak in a session.

So, as I've said before, I'm addicted to blogs. One of my favorites has to be Make it and Love it. I'm on that blog all the time. She has some great tutorials for easy to make projects and giveaways. Right now she has a giveaway from Bloomz and it's the first one I've entered. We'll see what happens but everything was really cute. I know I don't have any little girls right now but you never know, someday I may have one. Even though Nathan says we will have boys only.

I'm so not ready for this

2009-05-20T17:01:00.004-05:00

Well, for a few weeks now Gideon has been trying to move around the room. He is sitting up all my himself and has been rocking forward to his hands and knees. I thought he was trying to get to a crawling position but when I try to help him he tries to get on his feet. This morning I decided to have him play in his crib while I cleaned up his room and put away some of his clothes. He was doing a great job talking with me and playing with his toys. I was so focused on the clothes that I wasn't paying much attention to what he was doing. I turned to say something to him and this is what I saw.

I can't believe how big my little boy is getting. I called Nathan and let him know we should probably move the mattress down just in case. Last night Gideon pulled himself up to standing in his little duck bath. I was right there holding on to him so he wouldn't fall but he did all the work himself. I guess we'll have a stander before a crawler, maybe even a walker. Like the title of my post, I'm so not ready for this.

I'm also posting some pics we took of his new car seat. He passed the weight limit on his infant seat at 6 months. Doesn't he look like a big boy.

He also did a little swimming in his duck bathtub. I'm not sure he quite understood why his bath was outside.

And this one is just too cute. He loves his stacking cups and laughs so hard when we build the tower for him to knock over. Thank you, Grandma Theresa.

Sorry about some of the pictures being blurry. I don't know what's wrong with my camera but it's been doing this since he was born. Hopefully we'll be able to get a new camera soon and be able to see our baby clearly.

New Header

2009-05-15T20:58:00.002-05:00

Nathan wanted me to write and let everyone know that it's because of his Purdue degree and knowing how to do these things that I now have a new header with pictures on it. I had been working on it all day and was getting very frustrated by the time Nathan got home. He looked at it and within a few seconds had it all figured out and looking pretty. I don't know what I would do without him and his degree from Purdue. I am one lucky lady.

6 months already!

2009-04-27T13:08:00.003-05:00

Well, I can't believe that Gideon is already 6 months. It seems like time has really flown by and my little boy is growing up to quickly. He is already sitting up, rolling over and getting his first job. Alright, maybe not the job yet but that's how fast it feels the time is going. He is starting to get on all fours and rock a bit. I'm definitely NOT ready for a crawler. We had our 6 month doctor appointment last week and he is doing great. Dr. Grimes says he's developing great and he's very healthy. He weighed 20 lbs. 8 oz. and was 26 3/4" long. He's still in the 90th percentiles on both. We sure do have a big boy on our hands. Nathan and I also got him a new car seat last week. Our infant seat only holds up to 22 lbs and as you can see he is right about at the limit. Target had convertible car seats on sale so we went ahead and made the investment. Now he really looks like a little boy sitting in his big boy chair.
Gideon is also outgrowing everything we have. I ordered 320 size 3 diapers a couple weeks ago and, as I should have known, we now need size 4. Now I have to send the size 3's back and hope the 4's get here in time. I just can't seem to keep up with this kid. Clothing is another obstacle. I've had to graduate him up to 12 month clothes. He can still wear a bit of 6-9 months but it's hit and miss. I love that we have such a big, healthy baby.
He is doing pretty well at night. He wakes up maybe once a night because he needs his pacifier. Other than that I can usually sleep for at least 6 hours straight. I can't complain.
Nathan is doing well. He just got called as the Elder's Quorum President and I think he's looking forward to the challenge. He hasn't been in long enough to feel overwhelmed. I on the other hand am already starting to get nervous. I'm still in Young Womens. It has it's challenges but I'm trying to be patient and do what the Lord wants me to. I know I'm there for a reason I'm just not sure what it is yet.
We're all enjoying the spring weather we've been having and have been outside a bit. Gideon loves the outdoors. When he gets a little cranky at night I take him out on the deck and he calms right down. I can't wait until he starts discovering dirt and bugs and such.

Growing Fast

2009-03-06T15:44:00.000-06:00

I've always been bad at keeping a journal and I thought a blog would be easier. As you can see from the date of my last post I was wrong. It's amazing how fast life can go by. Everyday I would think that I needed to update my blog and then that day would pass and I would think the same thing the next day. Well, the next day turned into 2 months.

We've had so much change these last couple of months I don't even know where to start. The other day Nathan and I were watching the videos we have of Gideon from Christmas and couldn't believe how much he has changed. He was so tiny and quiet. He is such a talker now, I can't even imagine what he'll be like when he actually knows words.

We've had 2 doctor's appointments since Christmas. He had to get shots at both of them and I was really nervous. He did great both times and was asleep before we left the office. I was happy before the second visit because I knew he only needed 2 shots. When we got there my doctor informed me that the nurse had given him the Hep A shot last time instead of the Hep B and he would, in fact, need 3 shots this time. I wasn't really happy with the nurse. I mean, what if her mistake was something really harmful? I would think they would pay more attention to what they're doing since that is their job.

Other than that we've been pretty healthy. Gideon had a touch of RSV but nothing serious. He was over it in just a few days and we're now back to normal. He has just about learned to roll over from his back to belly and is getting better at sitting up by himself. He has started making these cute raspberry sounds and has started to develop an attitude. At first he made the sound just because he could. Now he makes it when he doesn't want something, i.e. pacifier or food in his mouth. Unfortunately he let's me know about the food after I've already put some in there so we usually both end up with some rice cereal on us. We're just getting in to the cereal and it's been pretty fun to see his expression. At first he thought I was trying to torture him but he now realizes that it's actually food. I can't believe we're already to the point of him eating food. He has grown so fast and it amazes me to see all his changes. He is becoming such a big boy and is starting to be so independent. I already miss my little baby but I look forward to each new day and seeing what new thing he will discover today. Oh, by the way, today he discovered his feet. The first time he grabbed them he looked at his feet, then at me with a confused look on his face and then back at his feet. I think he thought I was doing it. I just love that kid.

Christmas

2008-12-31T20:31:00.000-06:00

We had a very nice Christmas here in Kansas City. It was our first Christmas with Gideon and we were really excited to spend it together as a family. Gideon gave us his first present by letting us sleep in until about 8:00 am. Sadly that is our sleeping in nowadays. We all got up and got our stocking first; Nathan started eating chocolate very quickly. We then taped Gideon opening his presents, with our help of course. He got diapers and wipes from both sets of Grandparents, some socks and clothes from his great-grandma and some movies and clothes from mommy and daddy. He didn't really seem that interested since he fell asleep soon after but we think he had a very nice first Christmas.

Nathan and I got lots of nice presents also. We got some new games, towels, books, movies and other goodies that we really enjoy. Nathan was really excited to open his presents.

My favorite present I think would have to be the sling I got from my mom. Gideon loves it and it really helps him calm down and he really likes taking naps in it during the day. Plus, it's great while shopping because I actually have hands and a cart to put things in. We use it a lot during church also.

We were pretty lazy the first part of the day. Aroubd 2:00 we headed out to have dinner with some friends. We had a great ham dinner and had a lot of fun talking with them. They have a 4 month old little boy that's about the same size as Gideon. It was a lot of fun seeing the differences between them. Oh, and just to keep you updated, Gideon weighed a whopping 14 lbs, 11 oz. this week. 5 more and he will have doubled his birth weight. I guess we'll be reaching that by 10 weeks. Nathan and I tried to measure him and he was right around 24". What a big boy. He is already wearing 3-6 month clothes. He is starting to have great neck control and loves looking around at everything. He smiles and coos and likes to "talk" with us a lot. He is sleeping better during the night and we usually get about a 4-5 hour stretch of sleep. I was just starting to think I would be tired for the rest of my life. He is growing so fast and becoming such a big boy that I feel like I can't keep up. Every day he does something new and keeps surprising us. Here is a picture of him sitting up, with assistance, of course.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T13:37:00.000-06:00

Well, it's Christmas Eve and I don't really have too much to update. We received some snow last night so it looks like we'll be having a white Christmas. Unless we get a sudden heat wave, which really wouldn't upset me too much. I don't like the cold much. Nathan is off work today and we're having some nice family time. Gideon has been talking quite a bit today and we've been trying to get it on camera. He'll coo and laugh a ton right up until we get the video camera going and then he'll just look at it. I think babies have an internal mechanism that tells them when their parents are trying to show them off and then they just stop. I kept telling Nathan we look like idiots on the camera cooing and trying to get him to laugh as he just looks at us like we're stupid. Great memories. I promise, though, that he is starting his baby talk and has some wonderful smiles throughout the day. I love that he's recognizing us. There is nothing better than getting him up in the morning and having him smile first thing.Nathan and I are excited for Gideon's first Christmas. He likes looking at the lights on the tree but unfortunately he won't be unwrapping his own gifts. I'm sure Nathan will be more than happy to help him since he's been asking for about a week if we can open presents. Silly guy.Oh, I also took Gideon to get weighed yesterday. He is now up to 14lbs .6oz. He's slowing down since he only gained 10 oz. this week. The lactation consultant told the group that babies should typically double their birth weight by 6 months. Gideon wieghed 7 1/2 lbs when he was born and is now 8 1/2 weeks. I'm afraid to see what he'll weigh at 6 months. He's definitely outgrowing some clothes that I thought he would still be in at this age. There is a couple in our ward here that has a 4 month out that weighs about the same as Gideon or maybe even a little less. We tried to measure him this morning and he was about 23" long. I can't believe how fast he's growing. We'll probably be posting new pictures after Christmas. He has a cute "First Christmas" outfit from Grandma Theresa that he looks so cute in. Hopefully he won't grow too much overnight and outgrow it.

Getting Started

2008-12-19T21:18:00.000-06:00

Well, we're pretty new at this and still learning. We thought this would be a great way to update everyone about what is going on in the life of the Reynolds family. We'll start off with Nathan. He is still working for Cerner and is neither liking nor disliking it at this time. His team just moved locations so he has a new desk which is closer to a window. Work is going well and they've been keeping him pretty busy. He is loving being a dad. The first thing he does when coming home from work is come in and find Gideon. He is a great dad and I know those two are going to have a lot of fun and create a lot of trouble once Gideon starts understanding how his body works. Speaking of Gideon; he is growing so fast. I can't believe he will be 8 weeks this Saturday. He changes so much just overnight. He is really starting to look like a little boy and not so much like a baby. Every week he and I go to have him weighed. This past Tuesday he had gained 15 oz. (babies his age typically gain 4-8 oz per week) in one week. That puts him at a grand total of 13 lbs. 3.5 oz. I'm glad he's such a healthy boy but I definitely need to start gaining a few more muscles. Gideon is also starting to coo and make some funny noises. He has been smiling at us for a few weeks now and is really starting to follow our every move. It's fun to watch all these little changes going on. He's getting better at night also. We're loving out 4-5 hours of straight sleep. Now we just need the dirty diapers to slow down. :)
I am doing well. I had my gallbladder out about 2 weeks ago and I'm feeling great. This brings my total of surgeries this year up to 3. I'm hoping I got all the surgeries out of my system this year and that I'll be home free from here on out. I spend my days feeding, changing diapers and getting Gideon to smile and make funny sounds. It's a very fulfilling day. In my spare time I try to get a few things done around the house. I recently bought a ring sling and that has really helped free up my hands during the day. Gideon likes to sleep as I do laundry and vacuum. I also like that I get to be so close to him all day. We try to plan little outings but it's just been too darn cold.
We're all getting ready for Christmas. We'll be staying here in Kansas City this year. It's Gideon's first Christmas and we wanted to spend it together here. Plus an 8 hour trip with a 2 month old just didn't sound that appealing. Gideon likes the lights on the tree and the Christmas music I play during the day. We'll be sure to take plenty of pictures to share while he, with our help, opens he first Christmas presents.