The Hebron Branch of the Flora Family Tree

He's finally here!

2010-09-06T15:17:00.003-04:00

Benjamin Christopher Flora arrived on Friday, Aug. 27th at 12:41 PM. He was 21 inches long and weighed 8 lbs, 1 oz. He's been quite healthy and eats like a champ. We don't see his dark little eyes all that often. We're so excited to finally hold him. The labor and delivery went very smoothly--no problems at all, aside from a less-than-effective epidural. Rylee seems to be adjusting well. She loves to kiss him and is quick to say, " Bless you, Ben," whenever he sneezes. She has even asked to hold him a couple of times.

I've been taking it easy, trying to rest up when I can (I actually need to get off this computer and go take a nap since everyone else in the family is asleep). Rylee has noticed that I don't do much but rest, as a recent conversation with my mother showed:

Nana: What does Nana drive?

Rylee: A vroom vroom black car.

Nana: What does Pops drive?

Rylee: A truck.

Nana: What does Mommy drive?

Rylee: Mommy sits on the couch.

That child doesn't miss a thing. She's been such a good big sister already, and I look forward to seeing her and her little brother interact. I pray they'll be great friends for their entire lives!

A Little Lesson in Faith

2010-06-19T09:31:00.002-04:00

We had a little scare with Benjamin yesterday. This normally very active baby was hardly moving at all, and only very faintly. I called my doctor, who had me come in for some tests. Long story short, 3 hours later we were told that everything looked fine. "Have a good evening," summarizes what the doctor said. While it was an exhausting afternoon, I felt peace through most of the doctor/hospital visit. I had already gotten my semi-hysterics out of the way as I was showering to get ready to leave for the appointment. It was then that I heard God say to me, "If you don't trust me with him now, you never will."

I see how this applies with both my children, born and unborn. As moms we tend to think, "I'll stop worrying about him once he's born and I can see for myself that he's okay." Once the child is born, we say, "I'll stop worrying once SIDS is no longer a threat." But I know that I will always find something to worry about no matter what stage of life my children are in. At what point will I truly give them over to God and trust that He loves them so much more than I ever could, that He knows what is best for them, and that He will be faithful to take care of them? Our little adventure yesterday was a good reminder that that point needs to be now, and I fully expect to have to do it again every day.

Whew!

2010-05-20T15:31:00.006-04:00

Things have been very busy in Hebron, KY. First of all, we're finally settled into our new house. Praise God! He has brought us to a wonderful home in a great neighborhood that is nicer than anything we had hoped for. Our journey here was much longer than we had anticipated, but it was worth the wait and worth the lessons we learned during the wait. Besides a few boxes here and there (especially some stuff in the basement I need to go through), we're all unpacked.

The messiest room in the house is the nursery, which doesn't bother me too much, seeing how it should be empty for a few more months. We finally determined a name for its future occupant--Benjamin Christopher. We're very excited for Ben to get here and are trying to get Rylee to be excited, too. I tell her to "kiss the baby," and she'll give my belly a kiss. But one day I kissed her belly and she said, "Mommy kiss baby." So it seems this is one of those concepts that a 21-month old just won't grasp. She does understand how to boss the dog around and often tells him things like, "Palmer move!" and "Palmer go lie down." As a result I have decided that I need to be nicer to the dog. I feel a lot of pressure to model encouraging and God-honoring speech for this little parrot of a child.

Rylee was a flower girl in her first wedding this past weekend--my dear childhood friend Laura's. My little ham looked so pretty and obviously knew it. She ran down the aisle to me (I was a bridesmaid) and was thus the fastest flower girl I've ever seen. She also busted some sweet moves on the dance floor, an ability she must get from her father. Her next wedding--her Uncle Kevin's--is just a couple weeks away!

We've been going to the Cincinnati Zoo whenever we get the chance. Rylee loves to ride the carousel and the train. It also gives her the opportunity to practice her animal sounds (she learned that a turkey says "gobble gobble" last trip). I've been getting more involved with MOPS and other ministries at the church, and of course his work at the church keeps Chris busy. He's at the beginning of volleyball and softball season, so it's a good thing he got his cast off last week--yet another, and definitely his last, basketball injury. We're looking forward to a fun and exciting summer, with the arrival of Ben being the grand finale.

Never a Dull Moment

2010-03-16T10:37:00.004-04:00

Life has changed drastically for us in the past few months. We're getting more accustomed to life in NKY, and we are loving it. Rylee is 19 months old and talking up a storm. Here's a sample conversation with her from yesterday:

Chris: Rylee, what's your name?

Rylee: Wy-ee

Chris: How old are you?

Rylee: One

Chris: How old is Mommy?

Rylee: One

So maybe she doesn't understand everything she says, but she picks up new words every day, which makes me think twice before opening my mouth with this little parrot around.

We finally have a contract on our house in Louisville, and we also have a contract on a house we LOVE in Hebron. It's in a very nice neighborhood...much nicer than we ever thought we'd get to live in. We feel like God was saving this house just for us, as it's strange to find a house priced so low in that neighborhood. We're not ashamed to be among the smallest houses in the 'hood! God has taught us so many lessons about faith and his provision during this waiting time. It hasn't been fun, but we've grown in invaluable ways. We should be settled in by the end of April.

The other big change of late is that Rylee will be a big sister around her 2nd birthday! I'm feeling great, and we're really looking forward to "Munchkin's" arrival. We'll know in about 2 weeks if we'll have a boy or girl. God has blessed us so richly since this Hebron adventure began in October, and we have so many new reasons to praise him!

What Rylee taught me in 2009

2010-01-01T20:22:00.013-05:00

2009 has been an eventful year in the Flora family. Our sweet Rylee turned one, Chris and I went on a cruise, Chris accepted a job at Hebron Baptist Church in Northern KY, I was blessed to be able to quit my job to stay at home with Rylee, and we have found a temporary home in Hebron while we wait for our house to sell, among other things. It has been a year of tremendous growth and stretching, as God has both tested and blessed us in many ways. Here are a few things I have learned from Ryee as she has begun the transition from baby to little girl.

Always keep your purse close to your side. Rylee seems very girly in that she carries the green and pink purse that is shown in some of the pictures above everywhere. She calls it her "bah," which translates to "bag." She also loves my purse and has figured out how to unzip and empty it.

Housecleaning is exciting. She reminds me to find joy in the everyday things when having the vacuum turned on makes her ecstatic. The dog, however, does not share this love of the vacuum.

Don't be afraid to assert yourself. Now that Rylee has a rapidly-growing vocabulary, she doesn't hold back in letting us know what she wants. Instead of signing "more," she says "mo." When we want her to give us a kiss and she's not in the mood, she shakes her head and says "no." She asks for milk, apple, a bite, her baby doll, and books, and many other things.

Always pray before you eat. She folds her little hands to pray before we bring her food, and then she says some version of "amen" when we finish. She gets so excited for breakfast that she folds her hands during her morning diaper change.

Dance like nobody's watching. When she hears music of almost any sort, she starts bopping or swaying with the beat. Her drummer daddy says she's got a good sense of rhythm already.

The past year has been a blast watching Rylee grow and change daily. Now that she's 16 months old and showing a bit of 'tude, we can see that the real fun of being parents has just begun. Even when she is at her worst, we wouldn't trade being her parents for anything. As Chris and I celebrate our 3rd anniversary this week we are so thankful for the family God has given us.

We Need to Re-name This Thing

2009-10-28T16:29:00.006-04:00

No longer can we call our blog the "Louisville Branch of the Flora Family Tree." We are moving to Northern KY as soon as our house sells because Chris has been working as the Minister of Students at Hebron Baptist Church for the last few weeks. So far the job is going great, and we love the church. The only thing we don't love is having the church in NKY and our house in Louisville. Please pray that it sells ASAP!

Chris getting his dream job means that I, Mindy, also get my dream job--I am now a stay-at-home mom! I love having taking care of the house and my family as my main focus for the day. We both feel so richly blessed, and it's neat to see how God has provided.

Rylee is doing great and growing big. She has had a cold for a few weeks, but keeps up her cuteness through the snot. She's getting close to walking. Correction: she's getting close to walking the way that most people walk. She's been walking on her knees for some time now (see video). We're just waiting for her to try her feet. This sweet little 14 month old girl has been such a joy and a blessing through the happy and sad times we've had lately. We are so blessed to be her parents.

Rylee is 1!!!

2009-08-19T14:33:00.003-04:00

Rylee is now 1 year old! We can't believe how fast the time has passed, and how much she has grown. She is a blessing to both of us, and to just about everyone she meets. She is usually happy, and always curious. At her one year check up, we learned that she is on the same growth pattern, still around the 50%. She has 9? teeth and counting. It is hard to count due to the biting, so 9 is a good estimate. Speaking of biting, watch out when you give her a hug. Mommy found out the hard way that you shoulder is fair game!

Enjoy the video of her first birthday party. She had cake everywhere, lots of presents, and more hugs from her family than one baby should be able to handle. But handle those hugs she did.

Little Drummer Girl

2009-07-20T21:11:00.003-04:00

Could Rylee have her daddy's drummer genes? Judge for yourself.

Little Beach Bum

2009-06-26T22:47:00.004-04:00

We have passed the 10-month mark, and Rylee continues to amaze us every day. Her crawling gets better and better (which is exciting, yet exhausting), and her play gets more advanced. As she interacts with us more her little socialite personality has begun to shine through. She loves to be around people.

Rylee's first trip to the beach was this past weekend, on a girls-only trip. Yes, I win the World's Worst Wife Award for taking my daughter to the beach on Father's Day without her daddy. She liked the beach okay when she just had her feet in, but when I tried to take her out a little farther, the crashing waves scared her. Since it was incredibly hot, we spent most of the time hanging out inside at Aunt Shelby's house. It was such a nice vacation! But Rylee and I sure were glad to get home to see her daddy.

Another Day - by Rylee Baker Flora

2009-06-13T11:11:00.004-04:00

People just don't understand that my needs are simple. Here are some things you need to know about me.

I like to see myself in anything reflective. It doesn't matter what else I am doing! (see video)

I like to eat. A bunch. So keep the food coming!

I like the dog, and his tongue. Please, allow him to lick my face for once!

I like my stuffed dog that sings. Sure, the songs are repetitive, but they are classics!

And the cutest baby is.....RYLEE!!!

2009-06-11T22:53:00.002-04:00

Rylee has now been entered into a "Cute Baby" contest. Click on the link to rate her pictures and hope she wins!

http://www.parents.com/photos/photo-contests-1/cover-kid/870200051/?photoId=869900158

Rylee Got Skillz

2009-06-08T22:20:00.002-04:00

As we approach the 10-month mark, Rylee continues to develop and practice new skills, such as:

Crawling: it's no longer a lop-sided scoot. This girl is on the move.

Eating: she feeds herself small chunks of soft things (bananas, strawberries, and cheese are favorites), and at least 70% of the chunks now make it into her mouth.

Dancing: she sometimes bounces up and down when Daddy turns on the tunes.

Pulling up: so we don't quite have this one down, but it sure is cute when she tries--she just has to get closer to the top of the ottoman so she can chew on it.

Swimming: rather, playing in the water without being scared. . . as long as Mommy or Daddy is around. I think she likes the way she looks in her swimsuit.

Waving: very selectively. Sometimes she's just not in the mood.

Smiling: she has been good at this for a long time, but she continues to refine the skill. Today she seemed to think she was a Wal-Mart greeter the way she grinned at everyone who walked past. If it wouldn't violate child-labor laws, I would get her a badge and make it official.

Confessions of a Chunky Baby

2009-05-03T21:00:00.002-04:00

Rylee B. Flora here. Sorry it's been awhile since my last update. I have been a very busy girl. First, I've been growing two big teeth. I also spend a lot of time eating and being excited about eating. Mommy and Daddy give me Cheerios sometimes. I can't always get them in my mouth myself, but I love trying. I'm a growing girl, and everyone likes to comment on the size my of thighs. Quite frankly, it hurts. People should know better than to discuss a lady's weight. It's rude.

I'm getting to see a lot more of Daddy lately, which is even more exciting than Cheerios. He got a new job that is not 3rd shift. We're all so glad to have him back on a normal schedule, although Mommy has to do her own grocery shopping now that he isn't at Walmart. That, however, is a sacrifice she is willing to make.

I'm also working on this crawling thing. It seems pretty silly to me, really. Why should I worry about getting from A to B myself if Mommy and Daddy can just carry me? I do enjoy sliding backwards. It's very energy-efficient. Speaking of efficient, Mommy should really just stop dressing me. I already remove all bibs, hats, and socks. Once I figure out buttons and zippers....watch out!

Well, gotta go....there are things to chew, bibs to remove, dogs to harass.

Chuckles the Baby (aka Rylee B.)

2009-04-27T19:53:00.003-04:00

Check out this gigglebox of a baby...

Mashed Potatoes

2009-04-09T23:05:00.004-04:00

So apparently she's not a fan....

The Ever-Growing Blessing

2009-03-12T21:40:00.004-04:00

Another month has come and gone in the life of Rylee Baker Flora. She will be 7 months old on Sunday. She has grown and changed so much in this past month. First, she is getting more hair on her head. I now have two fuzzy-headed people in my life, as Chris has been buzzing his own hair (it's a cheap and low-maintenance....I'm considering doing it myself).

Rylee can sit up by herself, but not for long. There was an incident with the video camera, a mirrored closet door, and Rylee's forehead that I do not like to discuss (she was fine....not even a bump). She is also well on her way to becoming the chatty child her mother was. The ba-ba-ba sound is a favorite. And I just know I heard her say "mama" today. Too bad she was looking at the piano.

Speaking of the piano, Rylee loves to play on the one that her Aunt Doris and Uncle Tim got her for Christmas. We just had to take her hand and hit the keys a few times, and she goes crazy every time we put it in front of her. Is Carnegie Hall in her future?

In short, our girl is happy and healthy, and she brings so much joy to our lives. We are so thankful for this sweet little blessing. I'm learning that it's easy to get caught up in the small things when they don't go my way. But God is teaching me to step back and enjoy the amazing blessings He pours on me every day.

Happy Half Birthday To You

2009-02-16T20:23:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe, but our girl turned 6 months old on Sunday. She changes every day, and we're having so much fun watching. She is very close to sitting up. I have yet to see her roll over onto her tummy, but some mornings I find her that way in her crib.

Our lives have changed tremendously in the past 6 months. Not only has our family grown, but Chris has made an unexpected career change. He went from Academic Advising at the Seminary to doing odd jobs for friends to stocking shelves 3rd shift as Wal Mart. Although he was disappointed that Wal Mart no longer gives their employees blue vests to wear, he is keeping a great attitude about working hard to take care of our family.

On a sadder note, my grandfather passed away this weekend. Please pray for my family.

Through all the ups and downs of the past few months, our little family is doing great. We're enjoying being a family, and we're learning and growing in the grace of God daily. Now if we could just break the dog of his newest bad habit--trash can diving.....

Return of the Happy Baby

2009-01-20T12:32:00.003-05:00

There has been a grumpy baby living in our house for the past week and a half. I don't know where my happy baby went, but I have sure missed her. That's right, poor Rylee developed a pretty bad cold. And as my Mimi says, "there's nothing more pitiful than a baby with a cold." About all we've been able to do to help her is use the bulb syringe to suction out the snot--and she always lets us know exactly what she thinks of that.

She is starting to feel better, and the happy baby has returned; and she is picking up right where she left off. She loves getting down on the floor for kick time. She also enjoys playing with her ball and her rattle. When she eats her carrots or sweet potatoes, she is beginning to eat more and wear less. And those little hands are starting to grab everything they can reach. She also likes to have Daddy read her Bible to her every night.

I hope all my comments about her chunky thighs aren't getting back to her. She does lots of stomach crunches. Hopefully she is trying to sit up instead of working to lose that belly flab.

Giggles and Green Beans

2009-01-03T23:26:00.008-05:00

We have survived and very much enjoyed our first Christmas with our little girl. We had a very nice visit in Ohio and enjoyed some relaxation at home. Granted, Rylee slept through most of it, and the most involvement she had in opening and enjoying her gifts was the piece of tissue paper she almost played with. But she sure looked good in her Christmas outfit (above)!

Mommy and Daddy created a Mii for Rylee on the Wii. We laugh every time we see her bald little head and big blue eyes show up in the background of the bowling alley. When she's not hitting homeruns on the Wii, Rylee is learning to eat with a spoon. She totally rejected the rice cereal, and she puked the squash up all over herself, Mommy, and the Sunday School room wall last Sunday morning, but she did well with sweet potatoes and really digs the green beans. We're experiementing with making our own baby food, and we sure hope that Rylee likes carrots, as we have quite a stockpile in the freezer.

As you can see, she still wears more than she ingests, but she's getting better.

Rylee has finally mastered the tummy-to-back roll, and she's moved on to another feat: laughing. See video.

Memoirs of a Busy Baby - Thoughts from Rylee

2008-12-19T09:50:00.003-05:00

It has been difficult to be a baby in the Flora household lately. On top of the exhausting job of looking cute 24/7 (see picture), Mommy and Daddy have put me through some ordeals lately.

First, there was the visit to the doctor for my 4-month check-up on Wednesday, where everyone sat around talking about how big I'm getting (13 lbs, 4 oz and 24.5 inches). If I hear one more comment about how chunky my thighs are, I'm going to cry. Well I did cry at the doc's, because they gave me some awful shots. At least I got a pretty Band-Aid.

Since that dreadful appointment, Mommy and Daddy have decided it's time for me to start eating solid foods. What is wrong with the good milk I've been getting, I ask you? If it ain't broke. . .Well, anyways, they keep sticking this hard plastic spoon in my mouth with nasty rice cereal on it. After Mommy managed to get some down the hatch this morning, I smiled at her and spit it back up. I'll show her! If Mommy and Daddy were smart, they'd give me chocolate rice cereal. Watch me cooperate then!

Mommy and Daddy are so boring. They told me that they don't want to play with me at 3 am. So I stopped hollering for them. I have remembered how to sleep through the night again, and I now sleep 9 - 11 hours at night. I do feel better in the mornings. . . and Mommy and Daddy are much more pleasant.

Well I gotta go. . . my to-do list for the day is quite long (eating, spitting up what I eat, pooping out what I eat, crying to eat again, napping, cooing, kicking, grinning. . . and, of course, looking cute). And I have to pack for my big trip to OH! Being a baby is a very demanding job.

Update and Congrats (a little late)

2008-12-11T10:06:00.005-05:00

Just wanted to post a picture of this incredibly beautiful baby girl. She is starting to grab things intentionally, which is pretty neat to watch. She is finally starting to interact with her environment. She also likes to talk a lot. Her first words will probably be, "Dad, you are awesome!"

Congrats to Kevin (my brother) and Candace, who are now engaged. They have been for a month or so now (I think), but I just haven't gotten around to posting about it. So, needless to say, Rylee is excited to have an aunt, and Mindy and I are excited to welcome a new sister into our family. Watching God work in their lives has been incredible, and we couldn't be happier for them both. If anyone has any devious bachelor party ideas, let me know. I want it to be something to remember!

In other news, you might notice the random books that keep popping up on our site. I have linked our site with my online library catalog, www.librarything.com. I need a way to keep track of my books, and this is a good, cheap way to do it. The benefit is that if you feel like browsing a book for a particular topic, you can do just that, at least once I get things organized. I am also more than happy to talk about any book you come across in my library - I am a nerd and I like to learn - so any insights, critiques, etc. about any books would be awesome.

One last thing - Pray for our family in a coming time of transition. More details to follow at a later date.

A Post-Thanksgiving Post

2008-12-07T21:25:00.007-05:00

What Rylee is thankful for this holiday season:

Her new skill. See video. She rolled over, 4 times last Monday. She has not done it since, but we still think she's advanced.

The ceiling fan. Who knew it could be so captivating?

Roxy. See picture.

Sleep. She can go 10 hours at night. She does not always do so (especially lately), but she definitely can.

Christmas Break. Daddy is finished with his first semester as a daddy. He says it was very academically challenging (thanks to Greek), but he made it, and she's sure proud of him for working so hard.

The Christmas tree. Daddy and Rylee like to look at it together.

Smiling. It's her favorite.
Cooing and gurgling. Our girl is a realy chatty one.

Church. Today was Baby Dedication Sunday, and she felt so special having the church pray for her.

Toys. As her grip gets stronger, she is starting to enjoy a few toys, especially the linking ones, and ones that rattle.

Love, kisses, and snuggling. Rylee loves her family, and she had a great time at Thanksgiving on her journeys to Ohio and Owensboro.

Rock-a-bye Rylee

2008-11-16T20:54:00.004-05:00

Rylee is now 13 weeks old and weighs a little over 12 pounds. Her sleep habits (and thus our sleep habits) continue to improve. She is also grinning and babbling quite a bit. I wonder if she'll be as talkative as her mother was as a child? I'm amazed daily at how fast our little sweetie is growing. Everyone says that they grow so fast, but it's one of those things I didn't really believe until I've seen it myself.

The semester is drawing to a close for Chris. This has probably been one of his busiest semesters in Seminary so far. Remind him not to take a 7 am Greek class the next time we have a baby. But he does a great job making time for his family (dog included), and he and Rylee have long conversations. He also finds lots of time to lose to his wife in Phase 10!

Here's a video that shows Rylee enjoying her rocker (that does not rock because no one has ever put batteries in it....but she doesn't seem to mind!).

Rylee's first holiday...sort of

2008-10-31T19:19:00.005-04:00

Rylee is currently sleeping her first Halloween away. I didn't go all-out with the costume this year. I didn't think the two of us would much success trick-or-treating. Who's gonna give candy to a 24 four year old and her toothless daughter?

Our little princess is now 11 weeks old. She probably weighs about 12 pounds now, and she's outgrowing her little clothes so fast. Seeing our friends' newborn baby (Jeremy and Michelle's little Maddox), who is about how big Rylee was at birth, really makes her seem like a hoss.

The video below shows one of her favorite things--smiling. I'm not sure if she's smiling because she likes my singing, or if she's lauging at my singing. She's a happy little princes, that's for sure.

Two Month Check-up

2008-10-16T12:28:00.002-04:00

Rylee had her 2 month check-up yesterday, and she weighed in a at whopping 10 lbs, 12 oz, and she measured 23 in. long. She is in the 55th percentile for weight and 75th for height. The doc seemed pleased with her growth and development. Our little girl is growing so fast!!

Lessons from Rylee

2008-10-14T18:31:00.003-04:00

Motherhood has already taught me many lessons, and one of the least fun to learn has been patience. I'm not good with patience. I want what I want, when I want it. . . NOW. It didn't take long for me to figure out that babies don't quite work that way. I keep wondering things like: "When will she start sleeping through the night?" and "When will I fit back into those pre-Rylee clothes?" But the exhaustion and frustration this child has given me do not even begin to compare to the love, joy, fun, and excitement she has brought. Here's a few pictures that show a glimpse of how much fun my 8 week-old darling is.

Observations of a Father

2008-10-07T15:06:00.002-04:00

I have never given much thought to the love a parent has for a child. Now that I am experiencing that love from both perspectives, the world around me has taken a much different shape. What follows is the compilation of my thoughts as a father. While these were true before Rylee, they have recently been impressed upon my heart once again.

God's love for us is so much greater than the love I have for Mindy or Rylee. There is no way I can comprehend the amount of love and forgiveness that God has for me or my family. The assurance that God does not fail when I do as a husband or father reminds me that my love, as great as it is, will never be enough. (Romans 8:31-39)
God's glory is greater than my own. Too often, I think that I accomplished things on my own. I take pride in my thoughts, my ability to learn, my speech, my actions. The natural thought process, then, is to look at Rylee and say "I did that." Well, I am wrong. God did that. (Psalm 139)
God's grace is the only thing that can save Rylee. I cannot save my daughter from hell. I am full of sin, full of darkness. While I am saved from my sins, no matter what I do, she cannot get to heaven except through Jesus Christ. He is the light that is not overcome by darkness. (John 1)
God's forgiveness needs to be modeled in marriage, actions, and speech. Faith comes through hearing the word of Christ. Not only do I have to teach Rylee this, I have to live such an example in all facets of my life. How will my wife and children learn to love and forgive if I do not love and forgive them? To not model this would be like jumping off a bridge while explaining the dangers of falling from 1500 feet onto a rock bed. Hearing and doing go together, and one without the other is incomplete. (Romans 10, James 1)

Another Milestone

2008-10-05T22:28:00.004-04:00

We had a milestone with our seven week old darling on Saturday morning...her first intenional, non-gas-inspired smile! Chris was playing with her and got a wide, toothless grin that lasted longer than a couple of seconds. We're having so much fun with our little angel, which makes all the lost sleep well worth it.

Sleepy Baby and Silly Daddy

2008-09-28T22:00:00.004-04:00

A Few Nuggets from a New Mom

2008-09-28T21:03:00.003-04:00

A pregnant friend asked me today if I had any advice now that I'm a mom. I gave her the same tidbit that everyone gives, whether asked or not: "Enjoy your sleep while you can!" While it's certainly a great idea, I was disappointed in myself for only being able to come up with something so negative. Here's what I wish I had said (and what you may feel free to remind me of if I start to whine):

1. Take time to enjoy your baby--they change so fast. I was kinda sad when Rylee grew out of newborn diapers (and not just because I had a whole bunch of them!). Spend time with him and enjoy him, even if it means the dishes sit in the sink a little longer.
2. Don't freak out when he doesn't follow your plan exactly. If you got off your schedule today, you can get back on it tomorrow.
3. Enjoy watching your friends and family enjoy him. . . their joy will multiply yours greatly (and don't be afraid to ask for their help--people love babies!). Especially your husband--sharing parenthood with him gives you a whole new aspect about him to love.
4. When he cries, be grateful that his lungs are working and that he cries because he knows he has a mommy who cares. When he gets that awesome yellow poop all over himself and all over you, praise the Lord that he's getting enough to eat.
5. Marvel at the little miracle God has entrusted you with, and trust that He has equipped you with everything you need to raise him. Praying specifically for your baby can change your attitude, as it is definitely difficult to be in servant mode 24-7.

In 6 lightening-fast weeks I have learned so much about myself, babies, and my relationship with God. But the #1 thing I've learned is how much I really don't know--I have so much to learn, but I'm thankful for the grace that will allow me to learn it and not fire me from motherhood for not being the perfect mom.

2008-09-22T21:28:00.002-04:00

Rylee survived her first power outage, roughing it at my parents' house. We had a good time but are glad to be back home in our own beds. Well, I'm not sure Rylee would agree with that today. . .she's been voicing her frustrations--ALL day--to the mean mommy who keeps putting her down in her crib for naps.

I'm still adjusting to the wonderful world of motherhood. It's not easy, but I LOVE it. I feel like I was made to be Chris' wife and Rylee's mommy, and that there is no higher calling for me. I have noticed a difference in myself since I have become a mother. I feel like my heart is a lot softer and I am much more easily and deeply affected by things. There is something about that tiny little person that has just turned me into mush!

I enjoy watching grown adults (myself included) act completely ridiculous around that same tiny person. We can spend hours staring at her while she sleeps and even longer making faces and silly noises with her while she is awake (the sleeping part still heavily out-weighs the waking).

My main goal for each day is to get Rylee a little closer to sleeping through the night. I think she's getting close (I would consider 6 consecutive hours to be success, and we're at about 4-5). It's hard work, but we're slowly getting our days and night straight.

Rylee Doctor Visit

2008-09-15T16:11:00.002-04:00

Rylee just had her 1 month check up and everything is great! The doctor is not even concerned about her ankle. She now weighs 9 pounds, 2 ounces and is 21 inches long! She is growing so fast! When she was born, her height/weight was in the 25%. She is now in the 65%. Everyone is doing great!

Power Go Bye-Bye

2008-09-15T15:45:00.003-04:00

So the power is out. Classes have been cancelled for the week at Southern Seminary, and I (Chris) don't have to go back to work until power is restored. So, the end result is that I get to spend gobs of time with Mindy and Rylee! A special thanks goes to Mr. Ike, who made this possible...

Until power is back on in our house, Dave and Vicky (Mindy's parents), aka Pops and Nanna, have been kind enough to let us stay. Fortunately baby overrides dog, or Pops might have sent us home to go deal with no air conditioning.

Speaking of home, I forgot to bring a camera, but we had a lot of large limbs in the yard from our trees. I picked up all the sticks, and went ahead and cut the grass while I was there, and the yard is looking mighty fine again. So, all in all, not a bad week at all! It is a little inconvenience to not be at your own home, but guess who brought their X-Box 360 with them.....

Life. . . According to Rylee Baker Flora

2008-09-14T22:26:00.005-04:00

I have been outside of Mommy's tummy for 4 weeks, 2 days, and 4 hours, and I think I am the most photographed baby on the planet. As if the endless camera flashing wasn't enough, now they're doing video. Maybe the good Lord is preparing me for a career in modeling. I already have the long legs! Mommy says they are getting chunky. I can't wear newborn diapers anymore because they are too tight on my thighs. And I'm too long for a lot of my newborn clothes now. We go to the doctor tomorrow for my one-month check-up.

It seems like yesterday that I was swimming in that amniotic fluid. It was warm in there, and I didn't have to work so hard at eating. Mommy says I am eating well. Daddy does a great job burping me. I surprised him with a lot of puke last night. . . it got all over his shoes. But he still loves me and we still play. My big brother Palmer likes me, too. He tries to lick me when Mommy isn't looking.

I've been a little fussy this weekend, but Mommy and Daddy need to understand that it's a tough life being a baby. I'm under all sorts of pressure to look cute on an ongoing basis. But so far, I am enjoying life outside the womb and have no major complaints. I have been all sorts of exciting places, like church (I sleep through the sermons), a retirement community, Olive Garden, softball games, and a baby shower. But my favorite place is Daddy's chest!

The First Week

2008-08-22T10:53:00.004-04:00

Rylee is officially a week old (as of 6:36 PM at least)! We have learned to sleep when she sleeps, though she has slept for some 4 hour periods the past couple of nights. Friends from church have brought us dinner every night so far, and that has been a huge blessing. We are starting to tell the difference between "I am hungry" and "Change me" cries. She is eating well and her arms and legs look longer than ever! She really seems to be pretty easy going, but this is just the first week...

More Details...Oops!

2008-08-16T09:54:00.003-04:00

I forgot to post the details of our new daughter. So, here you go!

Weight: 6 pounds, 10 ounces
Height: 19.5 inches
Time of Birth: 6:36 PM

Everyone is still doing great...Mindy and I got some sleep last night, though not much. It is amazing how fast you can wake up just to watch your child sleep. We keep finding ourselves just staring at her! She recognizes both of our voices really well, and calms down when we talk to her. We are not sure about the color of her eyes yet. They are sort of a bluish-grey color, but mine were that way for my first 18 months, then they turned brown. Ironically, I (Chris) was almost identical in the weight and height category when I was born.

We changed her first diaper last night, and she has gone through a couple since then! It is so hard to not talk about her with every nurse that comes in. We are just so proud! The care here at Norton Suburban has far exceeded our expectations. The nurse staff has been extremely helpful and we are already learning so much about how to care for our little darling!

Today should be a fun day with friends and family coming by to see our newest addition. We could not be more thankful to God for the blessing of a child He has bestowed upon us.

Introducing Miss Rylee Baker Flora!

2008-08-16T00:18:00.003-04:00

The day started with us rolling into the hospital at 7:30 AM on Friday, August 15, 2008. This is Mindy in Labor and Delivery, gearing up for the day. We laughed a lot to ease the tension, and even took some naps.

At 6:36 PM, we were priviledged to meet Rylee Baker Flora. She spent her first moments on Mindy's lap, and Chris got to cut her umbilitcal cord. We got to spend the first 30 minutes with her alone, and pray over our new baby daughter.

Sometimes, you just have to exercise your new lungs!

Proud parents! We could not be happier!

The wonderful family that waited the long hours to finally see the arrival of a daughter/grandaughter/neice!

Mindy and Rylee are doing great! Now we just have to get her to eat and sleep on some kind of schedule so we are not up at all hours of the night!

Doctor Update

2008-08-12T10:40:00.002-04:00

Mindy and I just went to the doctor this morning. After an ultrasound, they determined that Rylee is about 6 pounds, 4 ounces and developing fine. We are technically full term now, with 20 days until the due date. There was one problem, though. The amniotic sac fluid level is at a 5, which is low enough to warrant bed rest and a second appointment this week on Thursday afternoon. So, good news is that we might get to meet Rylee soon! The bad news is Mindy is stuck "up in da bed" until that happens. I will keep everyone updated, and we greatly appreciate all of your prayers.

Nursery Update

2008-08-10T22:11:00.002-04:00

So, the nursery is completely ready. Here are the updated pics! Mindy is doing well, and we are just waiting for Rylee to come any day!

Hardship

2008-07-30T13:32:00.004-04:00

The latest doctors appointment for Mindy was great! Everything is going fine, and the amniotic sac fluid level is maintaining itself at about a 9. It has been a hard road for Mindy to keep it there, but she is doing well with resting and drinking plenty of fluids. Thank you all for your prayers during this time of trial for our family!

Unfortunately, trials and hardships are unavoidable. I was reading the book Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas today, as I have every day for a while now. It is a great book for parents or future parents. It is written from the perspective of how parenting children changes the parent towards growth in Christ. I will leave you with a quote from the book (page 146) that I think merits much attention. Resting in God's glorious might is a way that He grows us, and it is this glorious might that we must learn to lean on when everything else fails around us.

"Today's Christian usually prays for relief, for comfort, and for healing - but that's not always what Scripture teaches us to do. For example, the apostle Paul prayed that the Colossians would be strengthened with all power according to God's glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience (Col 1:11). Instead of immediately asking for their forgiveness, Paul prayed that the believers in Colosse would grow in maturity. If you think about it, how do we grow in endurance and patience? Only one path exists, which we've already mentioned: to have both our endurance and patience sorely tried, even past the breaking point, until we learned to rest in God's glorious might. You'll never develop your biceps if you lift just one-pound weights; you have to stress the muscle beyond its normal routine. The same principle holds true spiritually. If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we don't have to grow in order to deal with them."

1 Weekend, 2 Baby Showers

2008-07-28T09:47:00.004-04:00

What a weekend! Both sides of my (Chris) family held baby showers for Mindy this weekend. While Mindy partied it up with all the ladies, the boys and I went golfing. We had a great time, and got an even better sunburn. Mindy and I brought home many gifts that we need for our baby girl. Many many many thanks to those that hosted/prepared/brought gifts and made both parties a bright spot for both of us.

Seeing families come together in these instances gives such a peace of mind that everyone is behind you. Mindy and I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family that surrounds, supports, and encourages us on both sides. We are also fortunate to have many friends that do the same. It is amazing that God has given us not only the ability to have relationship with Him, but with other humans as well. To this end, Mindy and I both want everyone to know that we do not want to ever take anyone for granted. We are thankful for each and every single relationship we have. Chances are that if you are reading this, you are one of those relationships that we can rely on through thick and thin. Thank you!

Mindy is about halfway through her baby shower schedule. Fortunately there is no more traveling out of Louisville, as during this last month it is a good idea to not go far from the hospital! We have cleared every weekend in August and September for this reason. Mindy and Rylee are both doing great, and we have yet another ultrasound and appointment tomorrow. I will update everyone on what the doctor tells us. Until then...

Are UFO's Real?

2008-07-25T09:36:00.002-04:00

Well, according to this guy, they most certainly are! Thought this would be worth a laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoytrHE821o

In other news, Mindy and I are traveling to Ohio this weekend for two baby showers, some golf, and some quality time with the family. We are offically 5 weeks away from the due date, and time is ticking fast.

Some people have questions concerning how to leave a comment. Just click below the post you want to comment on, and will pull up everything anyone else has said. To the write is a comment box...just type away! Below the comment box is one of those scrambled letter/number things. Just type in what it says and it will allow you to post. This is a protection measure to keep advertisements, etc. from leaving comments all over this wonderful blog!

In more other news, Chris just received a scholarship for the coming school year! And in even more other news, Mindy is back to baking in her kitchen, and boy does that make the family happy!

Old Kitchen Pics

2008-07-23T11:35:00.002-04:00

At the request of our massive readership, here are some pictures of the old kitchen, and me showing off some huge muscles with a destructed kitchen in the background.

Mindy is feeling really good today, and Rylee is kicking up a storm. Unfortunately, she might be a morning person, which could spell trouble for her daddy.

GREAT NEWS!!!

2008-07-22T22:25:00.003-04:00

So, today was a pretty eventful day. First and most importantly, we had an appointment with the doctor concerning Rylee. Everything is great and the low fluid level has improved enough that the doctor is much more at ease with the situation. We might even make it all the way to September 1st!

Secondly, the kitchen has been finished! Rylee's room is also finished minus the rocker, which should be in during the following week. We are all ready for Rylee to get here! Enjoy the pictures!

Purpose

2008-07-21T10:14:00.002-04:00

Hello all!

We will be using this blog to keep family and friends updated on the happenings in our life. We figure this will be more effective in keeping in touch with everyone. Please leave us comments, or email us, or call us if you want! We will keep pictures and videos of Rylee updated once she gets here, and will try to post about 1-2 times a week with the latest happenings.

The picture above is just for fun. We will get a better one up soon, even though I like showing off my guns.

Chris, Mindy, and Rylee

Trial

2008-07-18T11:56:00.001-04:00

So, will the blog idea work? Will this help keep our families updated?