A Franks Fairytale

Friday, July 27, 2012

Our little angel is 6 months old!!!

Sawyer is growing into such a precious little boy! We love him more than I could have ever imagined! It's been such a wonderful summer, sharing it with our sweet little buddy! He is a little trooper! He's traveled to Texas to see G-pa and Deedee and Poppa, Lolli and Grammy! Traveled to Arkansas to see the Newtons and Grandma and Grandpa! He's been swimming with his two friends Griffin and Kennedy (by swimming I mean..there is a pool outside, and in-between naps, eating and pooping...we spend a few minutes in the pool:), runs errands with mommy...even been to the nail salon a few times :) He learned how to sit in a swing at the playground and learned how to kick and splash in the pool! SJ also got invited to his very first birthday party! He can sit up all by himself, roll over...all across the room, and loves to watch Bubble Guppies! It has been the most perfect summer! I didn't get a tan, I didn't get any projects done I planned, I didn't get most things checked off my list, I didn't get my house deep cleaned and I definitely didn't read as many grown up books as I thought I would! But it couldn't have been more perfect! We have giggled together, read books together, napped together, taken evening walks together, prayed together and spent so many precious hours rocking and singing together! I am so blessed for every single minute I get with this precious boy. I am so thankful that God has given us the opportunity to raise and train HIS child to go into this world and be like Him! I pray everyday that we will trust the Lord every step of the way as we raise Sawyer! It's such a huge task the Lord has laid before us! We are so excited and can't wait to see what his future holds! Happy 6 month birthday sweet angel! We love you more than you'll ever know!!!

Sweet little man!

Look at those big teeth!

I love that half smile!

Happy little boy!

He looks like his arms are on his hips!

Love those cheeks!

Sitting up! Big boy!

They are a pair!

What is that face?!

Not ready yet mom!

Heartbreaker eyes!

Such a happy little man!

What is he doing?!

Little cheeser!

Precious!

Well hey there model pose!

And then it begins...mom give me the camera!

Oh my shirt has a sticker on it!

Oh I can eat the sticker!

Just hanging out in dad's office!

Put me to work dad!

Well done SJ! You are a good little typer! :)

Wherever SJ is...Jobie is there also!

This is how is sits and waits every morning for his bottle! Just as patient as can be!

He loves his daddy more than anything!!!

Nothing sweeter! All three of my favorite people/dog :)

And I love you to bubba!

Meeting his Aunt Susan!

SJ's first 4th! He was asleep before the fireworks...maybe next year!

Poppa can make him giggle anytime!

So he didn't really like the chair!

Oh daddy! This is their favorite little trick!

So flexible! Loves those toes!

Loves to suck on them even more!

Two cutest boys I know!!!

Angel!

First time in the high chair! Thanks Kiersten!!

Just loungin' on our walk!

We are a little messy with green beans sometimes :)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Living by the "ish" and why a ROUTINE works for us!

If Clay and I are going to do something "spontaneous" we schedule which night we are going to do it. We put in our calendar on June 12, "do something spontaneous 7pm-10pm"

If we are going to pick somewhere "random" to eat, we usually decide on what type of food and what area of the city...then we go pick somewhere "random."

We love living with a plan!

That's just how our life works and we love it! So why would bringing a baby into our world be any different? I know a routine doesn't work for every family ...but for the Franks family...we need a routine! I have read BabyWise at least a dozen times and every time I read it I think, "this seems way too easy." However, so far, it really is that easy!! What BabyWise doesn't tell you though, is that everything is an "ish."

We live by the "ish."

I'll meet my friend for lunch at noon"ish", we will drop him off at 2:00"ish", we will be at the pool at 11:00"ish." That's why I say Sawyer is on a ROUTINE but not necessarily a SCHEDULE. A schedule would be nice, but he doesn't always wake up at the exact same time every morning, sometimes the dumptruck will wake him up during a nap, or the dog barking next door. We follow the exact same routine every day and we have one happy little baby!!!

He loves a routine! With Sawyer, as soon as we conquer one challenge, a new chapter begins...but the routine has saved our lives!

Despite a few fusses here and there, Sawyer doesn't do a lot of crying, and if he does we know there is something wrong! When he wakes up for the day, he knows what it will look like because of a routine. He knows when I will feed him, he knows when nap time is (so he sleeps like an angel) and he knows when it's time to play! It's easy to leave him with someone because I can tell them what he will do when, and I can plan a week in advance to do something at a certain time"ish" :) For our family, living by a routine has been the best thing we have done with Sawyer!

Here is an example of our 4-6 month routine! Sawyer eats every 4 hours, 4 times a day. Sleeps like an angel...11-12 hours every night. 2-3 hour naps twice a day! Since SJ was born we have followed the Babywise routine (they say schedule, I say routine :) and it's been so helpful!!!

8:00am Wake and bottle
9:30am Nap
12:00pm Wake and bottle
1:30pm Baby food
2:00pm Nap
4:00pm Wake and bottle
7:30pm Bath and cereal
8:00pm Bottle and bed

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Sawyer's Dedication

What an incredible day! June 24th, 2012! We were so thankful for our family and friends as they celebrated Sawyer's dedication with us! Clay and I are so blessed! We are constantly encouraged by the love shown to our precious angel! We had no idea parenthood could be this wonderful!!! Thank you to everyone that helped in making it such a perfect day!

As we stood on stage watching SJ be dedicated before the Lord, I couldn't help but just look at him the entire time, thinking..."I can't believe God trusts us enough to raise you!" It's such a huge task! We are constantly praying that God will give us exactly what we need to raise Sawyer to follow Christ! I am so excited for the day that he wants to ask Jesus into his heart! I can't wait to hear that little voice pray such a life changing prayer! We pray everyday for that very moment!

Of course, it took us forever to find his life verse! We narrowed it down to three and finally made a decision for Sunday! Ephesians 3:14-19 is our favorite! It's the perfect prayer for our little man everyday! This is what Clay read on Sunday:

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."

We sure love this little man! Every morning when we get him out of his crib we say "Good morning little world changer!" I truly believe with all my heart...he will be a word changer!!! Happy Dedication little man!!!