Last Weeks of Summer

Canoeing at Layman's Lake

Playing golf at Ford's Crossing

5 Years Together!

Cowboy Davey at VBS

Sweet Solomon

It seems like forever since I blogged, but a month is not that bad. I am busy trying to get ready for the upcoming school year, but most of the time I do things to avoid it! Solly is growing like a weed...5 months old now! He has survived his first ear infection and is going through his second one! I hope this will all clear up soon. I know the first year is a tough one as he is getting exposed to all the new germs. Solly has been going a few hours a week to Judith's house to get used to the daycare. Luckily he takes a bottle better than Davey did at his age. He loves to smile (mostly at Davey) and being outside. He tries to sit up on his own, but he is not quite there yet.

We all survived VBS and had about 55 kids each night. Davey even participated this year and LOVED the cowboy theme. It was a fun week...but a lot of fun.

Josh and I celebrated our 5th year anniversary last week. He spent a lot of time running to all the local florists to recreate my wedding bouquet. This was tough since we were married in Jamaica. I especially love it because I was not able to bring my flowers home because of customs. We even got into our wedding clothes and they still fit (though it wasn't pretty!).

We are trying to get back into shape these days. Josh and I have started the Couch to 5K running program and are about to start week 3 of 9. We really have enjoyed the time we get three times a week to be without kids and sweat like pigs! :) We have also tried to be better at what we eat. I think Josh has lost about 5 pounds already and I have lost 3.

Davey is a precious boy. We have a great time playing inside, outside, anywhere. He is starting to play imagination games and loves to dress up in costumes right now. Spiderman, Batman, Buzz Lightyear...whatever! We have an open house for his preschool next week and both of us are excited about that. He loves to swim in Nana's pool. He will tell me, "Mama, it is too hot out here. We need to go to Nana's house and swim!" The only thing he likes to do more than swimming is golfing! I haven't gone to the course with him lately, but Josh tells me that he is hitting the ball really well...and really far!

A couple of friends and I have enjoyed trying Once a Month cooking. We reserved the church's large kitchen and cooked up a storm. I think we each ended up with 8 dinner, 4 lunches, and 3 breakfasts for about $7 per meal. And did that all in about 5 hours!

Well, school will be starting August 16th. We have a new schedule (going from a 4 block to a 7 period), two new principals, and fewer teachers. It will be tough to leave my sweet boys in 2 weeks, but I do like new beginnings. It is a little exciting to get started on a new year with new kiddos.

Enjoying the Summer with the Boys

In the George Washington National Forest

In Skyline Caverns

Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park (found the bear mask at the gift shop!)

Flying around Southern Indiana

On Thomas the Tank

The summer continues to fly by and I am will be shocked as I always am that school will start before I know it. At the beginning of June (before school was actually out yet), we took a road trip to VA and took in the sites around the Shenandoah National Park. We stayed at the Bryce Mountain Ski/Golf Resort and loved the 2-story 2-bedroom condo. We got some good relaxing hours in there. Getting there was an adventure! We actually took US 50 through IN, OH, WV, MD, and finally VA. It was great...except for West Virginia and for about 100 miles we went up and down a 7% grade. But we made it through! We went to the caves, went hiking, and came home with more clean clothes than dirty! I will have a hard time staying in a normal hotel room after having a full kitchen and a washer and dryer.

Right before we left our 40 year old air conditioner finally gave its last puff of cool air. We ignored the problem for a few weeks until it became 84 degrees inside and I don't want to think about the humidity! But we survived and are enjoying cool weather now. Hopefully everything will be finished by the time the heat returns.

We had an adventure for Father's Day. The following Thursday we got the chance to go up in a local man's plane for a little tour of Southern Indiana! I borrowed my sister's camera and Josh got to take aerial pictures of all 6 of his asphalt plants to frame in his office. Pretty cool since they are all about an hour away from North Vernon in different directions. We hope to get them developed soon. They turned out great. Davey and I got to go along and enjoyed it just as much as Josh.

Went and visited Thomas the Tank again this year. Again, it was a big hit. I guess we will be going there for the next few years if Solly likes trains like Davey does.

2 Months Home with the Boys

I have been trying for a week to get pictures to upload here. Blogger must be having a problem...more should be coming soon!



I have cherished the opportunities I have had to use the phrase "the boys". I take pride in taking on the challenge of being a mom of two boys. I know there will be days where I want to pull my hair out and wish I could pull their hair into pigtails, but I also have wonderful days where I remember that they are some of the best parts of my life. Some people are shocked that we are going to "try again for a girl". I personally think this sounds like the worst reason to have a child to me. I am wonderfully satisfied with my sweet boys. I know little Solly is only 2 months old, but he has already made my family feel more complete. I am not sure how that is possible, but it is true.





I did get some bittersweet news that I need to go back to work full time next year. I was hoping that our Biology enrollment would be small enough to only go back half days, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I am VERY thankful to have a job...I know many teachers that are not so lucky...but I was praying that there may be a way for me to be home a little bit more with "the boys". I know these early year are precious and fleeting...but we have not planned well enough for me to quit teaching. I guess that means back to the grind for me in August. There are parts that I do miss! And sometimes I wonder if I wouldn't go crazy at home that whole time. Being a full-time working mom and a stay-at-home mom are both difficult jobs!

Turning the big 3-OH

My super hero! He is standing on the platform of the playground that Josh is putting together. There is a slide that comes off the front and there will be swings by the weekend! The PJs did not come off of him for almost 36 hours! He even took them off for a bath and put them back on!

Davey and Solly at the Louisville Zoo

The jaguar was Davey's favorite (because of Go Diego Go!)


April Fool's Day each each has a different meaning in my house since it is my birthday. This year was as low key as it usually is. I don't feel significantly older this year, but a lot has happened and will continue to happen in 2010. I am coping very well with being a 30 year old mother of 2. I enjoy this title. Josh and I (and Solly) went out last weekend to celebrate at a Japanese steakhouse in Louisville. It was fun. Then last night, Mom and Dad came up and took us all out to the Mexican restaurant in town (not many options to choose from anyway). Then I will see the rest of the Watterson herd tomorrow when we celebrate not only my b-day, but Shannon's and Davey's. Sunday I am sure to get a nod at the Shaw's, but most of the focus will be on Davey turning 3. And that is fine with me!

My gift to myself was to buy a bathing suit. Not very exciting, but very necessary. The last suits I bought were for our honeymoon...and they don't look as good on me now as they did then. So I faced reality and bought a classy one-piece from Land's End. No...it doesn't have a skirt, but it does cover some of my more giggly parts! :) Got it in the mail yesterday and I might have the guts to try it on today. I still have about 10 pounds to go of baby weight, but I am starting to fit into some of my normal clothes that are a size bigger than normal. It is an understatement to say I am over all of my maternity clothes!


I am really enjoying my time at home with both boys. We have really be lucky recently and have enjoyed really warm weather. The boys and I have frequented the local parks and even braved the zoo! Solly is still trying to figure out some kind of schedule and I am hoping that sometime soon he will consistently go more than 2 hours between feedings. Davey chatters constantly, but is having some growing pains in personality. He is trying hard to be a big boy, but usually just gets frustrated.

Davey turns 3 tomorrow and I will post more from all his celebrations!

One Month Old!

This will be a busy week for the Shaw family. Yesterday, Solly turned 1 month. We is a wonderful baby. He now only wakes up 3 times a night instead of 4. He is a great eater...just likes to do it often! We go to the doctor this Friday and I know he has gained a lot of weight. He usually has about 3 shifts of being awake during the day and loves to sit and look around. His hair is coming in red and his eyes are staying blue for the time being. He looks more and more like Josh each day, but Josh doesn't see it. Davey has been staying home with me and he is a great help to me.

Speaking of Davey, he turns 3 on Saturday! I can't believe how time flies. His language expands each day. More than vocabulary, I am surprised at the feelings he talks about and the information he has already put together. He is signed up to go to a preschool next fall 2 mornings a week. I think he will really enjoy it. The past couple of weeks have been a little bit of a struggle. It is like the terrible 2s have come together all in one dose. But he seems to calm down from his fits quicker each time and is starting understand interpersonal relationships a little better these days. He loves it when it is a Grandpa Day and asks to golf each afternoon. We will have a great time this spring and summer.

I turn the big 3-0 on Thursday. I have worked through my woredrobe trying to purge the articles that don't reflect my life as a 30 year old mother of 2. Not that I need to dress like an old lady, but I think it is time to get rid of the clothes I have been hanging on since college. I don't look that good in them any more. I still have quite a few pounds to lose from pregnancy, but I hope to get there soon. I am ready to be finished with maternity clothes.

Josh is busy putting together a playground for Davey and one day Solly. I bought the lumber for Josh for Father's Day last year. And I am glad to see it finally come together.

Introducing Solomon James Shaw

We had an exciting weekend! We had a baby! Here is Solomon James Shaw born at 5:16 AM on Saturday, February 27, 2010. He was 7 lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He is perfect in every way, but already completely different from Davey. Everyone is doing great! He is a sweetheart and a great sleeper so far! Here is the birthing story for those who are interested...

Thursday, I went for my prenatal appointment and was a "tight" 2 cm. The OB/GYN stripped my membranes to try to get some things started. That night I had a lot of cramping, but no contractions. Just felt horrible! Friday, I went through school as planned and didn't feel as bad. Just tired as usual. But somehow I knew Solly was going to come early. My due date was Monday and the induction was planned for Thursday unless something happened on its own.

Friday night, we have a tradition of getting pizza and going to my in-laws for supper. Right as we picked up the pizza, I started having a couple of contractions. But they were not consistant (15 minutes + apart) and not bad at all. But we went ahead and had Davey spend the night with Karen just in case we had a long night. Josh and I went home to try to get some sleep, which worked for about 2 hours. Then the contractions got stronger, more regular, and I thought I might have started leaking fluid. So I jumped into the shower and Josh packed the car.

By the time we got to Madison and checked into the hospital it was 1:30 AM. It had been a very busy evening (blame it on the full moon!) so the doctor on call was already there. Right before she got in the room, my water broke on its own. She told me I was at 5 cm and would be back later to deliver. I started the IV and prep work for my epidural and prayed that it wouldn't take 5 tries like last time. The contractions came on very hard and fast, but Josh was doing a great job getting me through them. Once the fluid was in the dr only had to try 3 times this time! LOL But it did ultimately work!

Once I got settled, my awesome nurse Anne told me that I would probably have the baby before her shift was over at 7. She reminded me to ring her once I felt the pressure to push. At this point, it was 4:10 AM. I called my sister to come. She was in the delivery room when Davey was born and is a helpful voice and videographer! By the time she got to Madison, I was ready to push. I pushed for about 20 minutes with no problems and my wonderful baby was here! So from hospital admission to delivery, it was less than 4 hours!

It was such a busy place for my little hospital, that we had to stay in the L&D room for most of the day until a recovery room opened up. Solly tried to nurse a few times, but was much more interested in sleeping. VERY different from Davey! He is much more laid back and his cry is pathetic compared to Davey's! Then at at 8:00 I went to surgery to get my tubes tied and that surgery went great as well.

I am shocked at how well I feel compared to my recovery after delivery. My tubal incision was sore, but that is it! I was ready to come home Sunday, but needed to wait for the 48 hour blood test to come back for Solly.

Not Much Longer to Wait!

The past week or two has been a flurry of activities at the Shaw house. The new carpet came in and it looks WONDERFUL! Josh did a great job making new thresholds for the doorways. We are packed for the hospital and the car seat is in the car. Now we are just (not so patiently) waiting for the baby to come!


Davey got to spend yesterday with my parents. Something got into him on Sunday and he couldn't stop asking to go to Grandpa's house. Poor thing was pathetic...he convinced Grandpa to come and pick him up at the sitter's early in the morning and they spent the whole day playing. Luckily this morning we got a 2-hour delay so Davey gets to sleep in and try to make up for the fact that there was no nap yesterday! I hope Dad gets the same luxury.


This afternoon I have what I hope to be my last doctor's appointment! I will try to update this post with any info they give me on my progress. I am finding that I give very different answers to people when they ask, "How are you feeling?"... and it all depends if they have been pregnant! Because anyone who has been 40 weeks pregnant KNOWS how I feel! :)