Household de la Rudes

Win a Susan Tuttle Workshop Give Away!

2012-02-05T20:02:00.001-06:00

http://susantuttlephotography.com/?p=1497

Susan Tuttle is giving away a digital workshop. My fingers are crossed!!

GO DOG GO!

2011-07-07T08:52:00.002-05:00

Here we have Ezra singing his follow up song to "Green Eggs and Sam." With distinct heavy metal and emo undertones, "Go Dog GO!" tells a complex and riveting tale of colorful dogs working, playing, and partying in a tree. This strong sophomore effort is sure to please Ezra's fans:)

Ezra sings Green Eggs and Ham

2011-07-05T22:39:00.008-05:00

Rarely these days, does Ezra proceed with ANYTHING once we get the camera out. He wants to take pictures of us, not the other way around. And so, it was a rare treat to be allowed to film his acoustic version of "Green Eggs and Ham." I believe it is a true work of art. I think you'll agree:) Set to summertime-backyard goodness. (Click on the title above to watch directly from Vimeo for a better quality film:)

Iris is 8 Months!

2011-06-23T13:08:00.003-05:00

Iris is 8 Month!

Here she is at 8 months!

We asked Ezra to help us take her picture. They love each other and for now are happy to be in each others company.

Iris is not for sitting still (or plain sitting for that matter).

This is a happy baby. Not much gets her down and she tries her best to get peoples' attention and then throws them a giant smile, sometimes adding a little "ahhhh" in there for extra fun.

And the best news of Iris' 8 month life....Grandma and Grandpa came from Minnesota for a wonderful visit. Ohhhh, please come back soon! We loved/love having them here with us!!

This photo was taken at Sarnia's ArtWalk. Ezra made it to the front page of an online newspaper!

My kiddos! Pure love.

We have been heading into the wooded park more often and we found a tee-pee last week. So fun!

Iris now stands on her own. She is like her brother in the athletics department...we think she'll be walking soon! She goes up and down stairs on her own already and is extremely curious. Her favorite thing to investigate? Ezra's potty chair. Which makes life fun for Mommy.

5 + 6 + 7

2011-05-16T22:58:00.005-05:00

Month 5!

Month 6!

Month 7!

More sweet (and spicy!) details to follow soon...

Iris at 3 and 4 Months

2011-02-18T20:50:00.003-06:00

Our little girl grows! Here she is in Crookston at 3 months old.

And 4 months. Already!

When she's happy, she's happy. And when she's not? Well, let's just say she'll let you know.

Her two bottom teeth are coming in and she is a drooling machine!

Christmas Celebrated: Sarnia

2011-02-18T20:26:00.008-06:00

My parents and brothers Ben and Spencer came all the way to Sarnia to spend Christmas with us. It was wonderful being together in our cozy little home. We were so grateful to have them with us!

First Canadian Christmas:)

Grandpa and Iris

Oooo, my kiddos! xoxoxoxxosss

Uncle Ben and his little sweet pea

Uncle Spencer and Ezra unwrapping gifts. I think Ezra "helped" with everyone's:)

So many books, just not enough time...

Imma and Grandpa are so fun to have around! Here Ezra is with a Christmas present from them: Wet Dog. Soon after reading it he said "Shoo, go on now!" to a waitress. Not good. But very funny to those of us that recognized that line from the book!

Christmas Celebrated: Crookston

2011-02-17T12:49:00.010-06:00

Well, my dear friends...thank you for your continued patience. I ask myself, "why not just do a few quick posts here and there instead of every once in a blue moon?" Hmmmm, could it be that annoying perfectionist thing that follows me around and says "you can only post once you finish editing that movie, or once you have time to really sit down and do some serious writing or once you can change the blog around or once..." It never ends people. So here I am. Trying to just throw up a few photos and prove to myself that this can just take 10 minutes or so to do.

Unfortunately, I have been here 30 minutes and now Iris awakes. How could I just put up a few photos when I've mentioned nothing about Christmas? Haa haa. I have to just laugh at myself, right? All this to say- here are some new photos. Enjoy:)

We were fortunate enough to be able to celebrate Christmas twice this year! Once here in Sarnia with the Salminen crew and then in January in balmy Crookston with the Rudes. We are so grateful for our families...Wow.

Ahhh, the snow fort. Third Annual. It just keeps getting better!!

Aunt Kristen made all the kids (and their babies) bath robes. So cute! This year everyone did a great job of giving hand made gifts. Thank you also to Ali and Cassie for the beauty-gifts!

Reading with Aunt Cassie

Grandma and Grandpa Rude with their grand kids!

A rare smile from Iris outdoors. Do not get this girl cold!

Upright and scooting around with help.

This was back in November- big cousin Josie holding Iris:)

Good times with Grandpa!

Josh's sister Ali and her husband Noah took amazing photos of all the kids. This is one of my favorites. Ezra is our music man (wearing handmade goodies from Cassie)!

When Iris is with Daddy (and warm), she is a happy girl!

Love this one:)

this one too!

The Birth of Iris

2010-12-13T19:59:00.012-06:00

I have been looking forward to the evening when I could sit down and write Iris's birth story. Tonight is the night! She arrived in such a wonderful way. It was another amazing labor and delivery. Thankfully, this time we were able to stay home afterward and enjoy the newness and wonder of our sweet baby girl. Here we are just a few moments after her birth.

I woke up the morning of the 8th, 5 days overdue, and headed to see my craniosacral therapist, Karen, for what I hoped to be my final session for my back. I had been having some back/hip issues once again, but that morning I had more of a massage than body work. I was really looking for something relaxing. Karen also used some acupressure for beginning labor. Perfect! I headed back home around 9:00 am. Ezra was at a friend's house for a play date, so I answered a few emails and then took a nap around 10:00. Another relaxing addition to the morning. I woke up at 12:15 to the sound of Ezra returning home. My parents were here and with just three days left until they had to return home, we were all praying I would go into labor soon! Fifteen minutes after I woke up my first contractions began. For the next hour they came every 10-15 minutes. At that point I decided to give Josh a call and let him know that he didn't need to hurry home, but I was fairly certain "it was on." He came home one hour later and it was then that my water broke. It was 2:30.
I called my midwife, Cynthia, and she asked that I lay on my side until she arrived. At an earlier check-up, it seems the baby's head was maybe not as engaged in my pelvis as the midwife would have liked to see and she wanted to make sure to take every precaution against having a prolapsed cord, now that my water had broke. I wasn't thrilled about this request, knowing that laying down generally slows down a woman's labor. But I conceded and labored with light contractions around 7-8 minutes apart for the next 45 minutes until my other midwife, Jenna, arrived at 3:15. She checked baby's position and it was head down, so I asked if I could get up and get things moving! She said okay, but wondered if I wanted an exam. I didn't really. I didn't want to know I could possibly be at 1 cm, for example, and I also didn't want the clock to start on my home birth, since my water had broke I would have 24 hours to have the baby at home before we would have to transport to the hospital. At 3:30 Cynthia arrived and we all talked about what to do. Turns out that the midwives would not have usually arrived so soon, but because baby's position was in question they came early. Once they determined she was fine, they could have left us at the house to labor on our own, but not without me having an exam. And so we discussed a few options and then decided I would go for a walk with Josh and see where we were at after that. While we talked, my contractions intensified slightly, and we decided that we would head to the back yard instead. Good idea! My parents were here with us and my dad and Ezra decided it might be a good idea to go to the park at that point (and bring their over-night bags along with them, just in case. Friends of our had offered their spare bedroom in case we needed somewhere for Ezra to go overnight.) They left at 3:40.
So off we headed to the back yard. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the back yard was exactly where I wanted to be. As my contractions progressed, Josh provided me with amazing support. I put my arms around his neck and we swayed back and forth during a few contractions. It wasn't too long until I had a contraction that reminded me of my labor with Ezra. Then it hit me. "Oh yeah, labor." I have to do this again! I remember saying to Josh, "I don't think I want to do this again." A classic sign of transition! And then I threw up. Another tell-all sign! But in my head I was comparing everything to my labor with Ezra and I thought I couldn't possibly be in transition because my contractions were not intense enough yet, nor had they lasted very long at that point. Anyway, Josh began to time them and the first one he timed was just two minutes from the previous contraction. He said, "We need to go inside. They are two minutes apart!" To which I responded, "There is no 'they'- let's get a pattern going and then we'll see." Sure enough, the next contraction was there just two minutes later. Now we had only been outside for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Jenna had come out to check on us and when she saw me on my hands and knees, she went back inside and told Cynthia, "she's on her hands and knees and she's just thrown up," to which Cynthia said, "we are staying! Let's get ready."
Josh and I came inside at 4:15 and I said to the midwives, "I'm not sure what is happening. They are 2 minutes apart, but they just don't feel that intense yet." I spoke too soon. My next few contractions were timed at lasting for 3 minutes! Turns out that is impossible, but my 90 second contractions were back to back, not giving me a break. I felt I needed to go the bathroom after that, and it was there that I felt I had to push! I headed into our bedroom and Jenna told me she needed to check me. I was fully dilated! I began pushing around 4:45 and 10 minutes later, Iris was born.
What a wonderful birth! Throughout my labor with Iris, I was thinking about my labor with Ezra. I think because the intensity was never the same, I just couldn't believe that I was already at the pushing stage when I was. And here I was also nervous about having a home birth with a two year old and wondering how that would work out, when all Ezra had to do was go to the park for an hour. My dad said that they had just gotten there when we called to say that Iris was born. Ezra didn't want to leave. My dad eventually coerced him to meet his baby sister back at home:) When he came into our room he said, "She came out! Baby Iris came out!" So cute.

And so we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening cooing over this new little girl. It was wonderful to be in the comfort of our own home with my family. I was very much taken care of. My midwife came to the house every other day for the first week to check on both of us, which was amazing as well. I am so grateful for this birth experience and most importantly, Iris.

Best birthing partner ever!!

Grandpa Salminen holds Iris shortly after her birth.

Imma and her grand babies:) My mom is a doula, as well. I couldn't have asked for a better team!

Sweet little thing!

Iris Rebecca arrives...checking in at 2 months.

2010-12-13T15:21:00.006-06:00

We are pleased to announce the birth of our daughter...

 Iris Rebecca Rude

October 8th, 2010
55 pm
lb. 5 oz
3/4"

She is our perfect delight. A lovely little one, happy and strong. It's been 2 months of being the 4 of us, two months of Ezra being a big brother. Two months of challenges and two months of blessings that always seem to rise beyond those said challenges. God has been faithful to me as a mother of now two children. When I have felt weak, there He is strong. I could write and write about the adjustments we are making, but I think I'll just keep it simple and share a few photos. And here I am finally finding the time (making the time) to record just a sliver of these last weeks. I have wrestled with the guilt of not getting to this sooner, but tonight I throw that off and share what I can, in this time I have. Enjoy!

Ezra really is a wonderful big brother. He smothers her with love, literally, and that is our only complaint. Iris is pretty perceptive at this point and when brother comes around she usually displays a nice furrow in her brow...she's nervous to say the least. All those kisses and rubs! Josh and I do our best to balance praising Ezra for being so loving while sternly reminding him not to touch her eyes, squeeze her too hard, lay on her, etc. It's a full time job.

Note the slight dimple on her right cheek. It is a deep beauty of a dimple when she smiles. SO darling.

Our dear, talented friend Jocelyn took these photos of Iris when she was just 8 days old. Thank you so much, Jocelyn!

Here she is at just one month old! November 8th, 2010.

Oh, the love.

And here the happy girl is at two months old! December 8th, 2010.
11 lbs. 10 oz. 23 3/4" long.

She loves to smile and coo. She sleeps well and eats even better.

Notice the look on her face, standard for when Ezra is near. This isn't to say that she doesn't light up when she sees him coming as well, but when contact is made, her expression usually changes! I guess Ezra is looking a little mischievous here, as well.

And this is fairly standard as well. She is so strong! Here we were hoping to take a nice and easy little photo of our two month old, but instead of sitting sweetly, she is happily arching her back and throwing her weight around. Wiggly little thing!

And just like Ezra, she always looks so tiny when Dad is near:)

Ezra Swimming Under La-La

2010-10-04T13:00:00.003-05:00

We just have to share this little video of Ezra's love of the water. He is our little fish! Here is a minute of him swimming with Grandpa at the cabin, dunking his little face in the water (mouth open) and beaming with pride. Enjoy:)

Ezra Swimming Under La-La from Natalie Rude on Vimeo.

One Season Comes To A Close, Another Begins

2010-10-03T11:46:00.009-05:00

Hello dear ones! Today is October 3rd, 2010. Baby Girl's official due date. Our lives, as many of you know, have been moving at a steady pace since our move to Canada, and especially since June, when we moved into our new home. These last three months, since our last post, have been rich, full, and fuller still. July was spent at the beach and with friends, as it was Sarnia's hottest summer on record (lovely fun for a pregnant lady, so glad we live by the lake)! August was spent celebrating a wedding of some good friends of ours, and Ezra turned 2 on August 4th. We were blessed to celebrate his big day back in Minnesota with our families. September brought a newness of schedule as the school year began. The students have gotten back into their routines of weekly meetings and retreats with Josh. For myself, all 3 months have inspired a sort of ridiculous nesting urge. Partly due to being pregnant, the other part due to settling into a new home, I have been teetering on the edge of insanity. If you think I'm exaggerating, just ask Josh:) A week ago, my parents arrived from Minnesota in anticipation of the birth and also to lend their talents to helping us get more settled in by painting, building, cleaning, washing, cooking, sheet rocking, playing, biking, reading...the list goes on and on! They have been such a blessing. I'm going to post lots of photos. Hope you have a minute to browse! We should be updating the blog again SOON with more good news:) xo's to you all

Our friend Jocelyn gifted us with an afternoon family portrait session:) Fun to document this season, before it changes. Thank you, Jocelyn!

Must post this one...Ezra is wearing his new Vans, a birthday gift from his Uncle Ben (skateboarder extraordinaire). He calls them his "Uncle Ben Shoes."

Ezra loves to jump! Though this is to document the last day of his baby hair. A blazing mullet.

A boy and his dad.

Ezra turns 2! (and also sports his first tuxedo)

2010-10-03T10:00:00.005-05:00

"Excited! Minnesota!" this was Ezra's famed quote for the summer. He was excited and so were we. Josh married our good friends Joel and Megan back at Covenant Pines. It was great seeing old and new staff alike and visiting camp and our friends in McGregor. We are really lacking for photos, however. Oops! After the wedding, we celebrated Ezra's 2nd birthday at the cabin relaxing, playing with family. Ezra really became a little fish over our vacation. I have a video that I'll upload hopefully soon.

Two! Two! Two!

Another happy birthday.

We finally got to meet our little buddy, Oscar. What a handsome baby. Way to go, Jenn and Ian. You sure make 'em cute.

Cooling off after yet another great sauna.

Ezra donning his tuxedo. If you want, you can see more (darling) wedding photos of Ezra as the perfect ring bearer and of the beautiful bride and groom on our Facebook page.

Houseboat!

2010-10-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

What a treat it was to spend time on Kristen and Tom's houseboat. We had a grand crew with the cousins and grandparents. We adventured to Voyageurs National Park. A preggo's dream: boundary waters feel with a toilet and bed! We seemed to have lost some photos along the way...no shots of the houseboat, but some shots of the good times.

Playing, fishing, climbing on the rocks. Way to go, Josie! Already a bouldering master.

Ezra received his very own fishing pole, as well as Josh's childhood tackle box for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa. Here he is trying it all out.

Ezra, Kaja, and Josie. It is a special time when they get to be together these days.

Captain Josie!

Off to pick blueberries (right where we camped)!

2010-06-30T08:09:00.006-05:00

The sweetest boy... and almost 2!

Hello! Here are a few photos from Josh's phone of our new home (though always highlighting Ezra:) Our camera is still missing in action! I was hoping it would turn up by now...

Here is our little cottage (Lake Huron speak) just blocks from the lake. We have many projects that we hope to do and some have started already. The fence that you see in this photo that connects to the back of the house? Josh has already moved that to the front of the house. And those windows on the side? We would like to turn that into patio doors so that we have direct access to the yard from the house. Right now we have to go down the driveway and open a gate to access the back yard. That's just one project we hope to accomplish this summer:) We now know how home owner's feel! We see how it could be possibly never ending...But we are so grateful for this little spot and love being here.

This photo was from the day we made the offer. Thanks Becky and Jerry for taking this photo. We now have some beautiful flowers (a sweet house warming gift) on the deck. Making it ours...

There is a wonderful strawberry patch next to the house, as well as many other gardens. The entire month of June, Ezra would wake up saying "strawberries!" ("rawbees" in Ezra speak) and we would trek outside to pick a juicy bowl-full. Here I had been feeling so blessed by God with this house and seeing Ezra picking one of his favorite fruits made me realize that not only was God looking out for Josh and me by providing this home, but He also stocked it full of blessings just for Ezra. He is so good! On another note, the strawberry season is over already and it's not even July! Reminds me we are not in Minnesota anymore.

The house has also come with a piano and it's free for the taking. Anyone?

Yesterday marked a big day for a big boy. A big boy bed! We'll say bye-bye to the crib for a few months before the baby arrrives to help Ezra adjust. Last night he transitioned wonderfully and tonight he did stellar once again! What a guy.

It's hard for me to believe my baby is out of his crib...

I know I've written already about the animal farm just a few blocks away, but it really is a gem. Here is Ezra and his "hee-haw."

Sweet baby girl. She's around 2 pounds now. And moving like a busy bee. Hmmm, more like "busy truck." And as for me, I am HUGE. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that every time I'm out in public, someone comes up to me to ask when am I due and when I say October either their eyes bug out, they ask if there's two in there, or they quickly give me looks of pity (usually accompanied by comments about how long the summer is going to be for me). For example, yesterday Ezra and I were at the playground when approached by a kind looking woman. She said to me, "You are the same size as my granddaughter! She's due on the 10th. When are you due?" To which I [now] laugh and tell her not for another 3 months. Her jaw dropped, just like all the others. Sigh. I will have to slow down and even out at some point. Right?

Lots of love to you all...

Lots of exciting news...

2010-06-01T20:00:00.007-05:00

Hello dear ones,

Well, a quick update chalk full of super news.

#1) We bought a house! After 4 months, 3 moves, 2 previous offers, and 1 giant hope to have a place of our own, we found ourselves a little cottage just 2 blocks from the beach and a great park. We could not be happier about this blessing. It wasn't without some trials along the way, but those trials have served a great purpose: we are even more grateful than ever before. Now, if we could just find the camera (it's been packed a little too well).

We moved in this weekend, so we are still amidst many, many boxes. This is due in part to the fact that I am doing an art festival here in Sarnia this weekend. Always a lot going on at once these days! We moved in, unpacked the kitchen, and the rest is on hold until Monday.

#2) We are pregnant! Just weeks after moving here we discovered a little Canadian growing in my belly. Due date: October 3rd.

#3) It's a girl! This time around we opted to find out what this little bambino is made of and it looks like sugar and spice. Spice giving me heartburn and come to think of it, sugar, too. She is a mover...at 22 weeks and around 1 pound, I have to say I'm a little (a lot) nervous about the acrobatic feats she will attempt within me when she is 6 or 7 or 8 times bigger! I'm not afraid to say that I'm scared. I am.

We'll return with pictures of Grandma and Grandpa Rude's visit (so fun!), the house, growing Ezra, growing pregnant lady, and a few more just for fun, when we find that camera.

Our love to you all, Natalie + Josh + Ezra + Baby-on-the-way

March and April 2010 Update

2010-04-24T14:42:00.008-05:00

On the shores of the Georgian Bay

Hello to our dear friends and family! Yes, it has been too long since our last post. Hope you can forgive us! We do have lots to share, but we are down to one computer and that computer goes with Josh to work. And so when it is home, that means Josh is too, and the decision of who to spend time with is an easy one!

But here we are on a Saturday afternoon, just walking into the door after a full (or empty, depending on who you are talking to) past 30 hours. Josh and the students from Lighthouse, along with another youth group in Sarnia, took part in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine. This "international youth movement to fight world hunger" asks that participants go without food for 30 hours and in turn raise money to fight hunger. A heart and eye opening event.

So, needless to say, as lock-ins usually demand, Josh was up until the wee hours of the night. Josh and Ezra have gone down for naps and I could certainly, easily, do the same, but this equation (solitude+computer+ the fact it's earlier than 10 pm= blog)

We were blessed to have Josh's brother, Micah, and his wife Cassie, come out for their spring break. We had such a great time...during which we went up to the Bruce Peninsula. "The Bruce" as locals call it, is a peninsula of land the juts between Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay (about 5 hours north of us). At the very tip of it amazing cliffs, stone arches, beaches, and 500 miles of hiking begged to be explored. And the water! A brilliant turquoise. Though it bordered on winter camping with the snow, we managed to stay warm-ish:) and had a super time. Thanks Micah and Cassie for such a wonderful, super week.

Another adventure outside of Sarnia was to the world-class city of Toronto. We had a great, albeit tiny, getaway with Glenn, Bekah and Ella. Can't wait to go back!

More fun...Imma and Grandpa Salminen came a few weeks ago. What fun we all had! I think Ezra was in true toddler heaven. We miss you guys:) Below is a photo of Ezra and Grandpa down on the St. Clair river throwing rocks. The river divides the States from Canada and opens up into Lake Huron. It's a comforting place for me, as it is very reminiscent of the Duluth harbor. 1,000 footers floating by, flocks of gulls, crowds with the sun...

Imma and Ezra getting ready for yet another outdoor adventure. "Side, side, side!" he pleads.

And we even took a little day trip to Niagara Falls!

Playing fort. Or "hut" as Ezra calls it.

Here's a heart-breaker.

Lots coming up for us. Josh's parents come for their first visit, Josh and I take a weekend jaunt to Calgary for Canada's Covenant Annual Meeting, we will move again into some temporary housing (until we can find something more permanent), and that's all going to happen over the next week and a half! We are busy. We are doing well. Adjusting, adventuring, loving our new friends and church. Thanks for reading. xo's

Road Trip, Friends, and February in Canada

2010-02-15T23:14:00.005-06:00

A movie about the adventures of road trips, making new friends (Ella) and oatmeal...you won't be disappointed. You might want to click on the time (11:14) that is right below the video if it doesn't seem to be loading. Then try again.

18 Months: Introduction to Tim-Bits and MIss Ella

2010-02-15T16:22:00.011-06:00

Finally some photos :)

Here's a picture of our fantastic house right near the lake. We have loved being here and will cherish our last few months. We are currently on the hunt for a house of our own!

It has a superior back yard for a house right in town. See that little shed? Well that reminds Ezra of Grandpa Bill's chicken coop. Whenever he catches a glimpse of it he quickly makes his famous authentic chicken noises and says's "Gampa, Chich-en." It is very endearing and makes our hearts beat a longing beat for Grandpa and his many chicken adventures.

and a picture of our new home: Lighthouse Community Church

The church has been gracious enough to loan me a room to act as studio space until we find something more permanent. It's a dream come true...a sweet little room with stained glass. Ezra likes it too.
The church rented some ice time for everyone to enjoy. Canadian hospitality at it's finest.

It just happened so fast. We had only been in the country a matter of days, and already Ezra had joined in with Canada's national obsession of hockey. Here he is in his official Olympic Canadian sweatshirt wielding a hockey stick on the ice. He looks so natural, no? "Haw-hee" was also his first new word in Canada. Prophetic? (Also note Miss Ella in the background.)

Why hello there. We are pleased to introduce you to Miss Ella. Ezra's new friend. They are the same age and seem to really like one another. Ezra is currently obsessed with saying her name. Actually with saying her whole family's name. Every night, the last thing he says before we leave his room is, "Ella, Glnnn, Be-Pa" for Ella, Glenn and Bekah. We find it hilarious and wonderful that he loves this new family so much. You'll witness more Ella action in the video to come.

Isn't this darling? Ezra and cousin Josie taking a Christmas bath together just before we left MN.

Canada's favorite coffee/doughnut shop is arguably Tim Horton's. Now I mean no offense when I compare Tim Horton's to Dunkin' Doughnuts, but the similarities aren't too far off. The only difference is that Canadians actaully love their Tim Horton's, which are on just about every corner. That's the way to tell directions here in Sarnia. "Take a right by the Tim Horton's on Colbourne..." you get the picture. So when we first arrived we were delighted to have a Timmy's right down the street. And so we went. Tim-Bits, as they are so affectionately called, are their famous doughnut holes. For Ezra it was love at first sight.

CANADA!

2010-01-24T20:09:00.005-06:00

Well, we made it! We are officially residents (in a temporary-3-year-visa-for-now-kind-of way) of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. We arrived to a wonderful group of people from the church and to the perfect home for our family and pets to rent until May.( If only Toivo and Mankind could foot the rent! or at least split it with us) Ooo, I realize now the danger of writing this so late. Strange and worrisome humour. Forgive me.

We feel comfortable, blessed. Sometimes overwhelmed. All that you might expect from a move of this nature. The best part is that we may rest knowing God is the master-mind behind this whole thing:) I feel a bit overwhelmed as I'm not sure where to start writing. So much has transpired over the last 30 days. I find this incredible and mind-boggling just the same. I guess I'll start with the immediate. We are without permanent cell phones and consistent internet, hence why you have not heard from us! That's also the reason you won't see any photos on this update. The photos are on my computer which won't pick up the neighbourhood's (there's another something to write about! We must integrate and begin spelling all of our favourite words, colours, etc correctly:) anyway, won't pick up the floating-around wireless. So I write from Josh's computer and wait patiently for our internet to kick in. Rumour (tee hee) has it Wednesday may be the day.

And things are well! The folks at Lighthouse Community Covenant Church here in Sarnia have been absolutely wonderful to us. They have helped us unload, unpack, furnish our temporary home, they have brought us meals, gift cards to grocery stores and coffee shops (Tim Horton's, of course, where Ezra has already had his fair share of Tim Bits...photos to come), they have shown great hospitality to us in these weeks by inviting us into their homes for meals and football games (go Vikes!- at the time I write it is 28-28 O/T in the Vikes/Saints game! There are many, many Vikings fans here. Who knew?) Oh my goodness, I hope you can bear with me writing this way. Each sentence seems to remind me of something else I want to share with everyone! Yes, thank you Lighthouse. The students have wowed us already with their genuine selves and we are humbled by their graciousness as they allow us into their lives. We look forward to getting to know them better with each day. This is going to be fun! God is very good (and contrary to popular belief, He does know what He is doing)!

For all you Ezra fans out there, he is doing wonderfully. He has really grown up this month. I don't know if it's because he has almost had to with the transition and busyness, or if it's just this season of his busy 17 month old life. He has had a few more time-outs this month, but again, we are confident this is the age for the beginnings of pushing limits and testing boundaries. I guess I do have one photo. It's of Ezra on his time out stool. Seems wrong to move to another country, finally make contact with our friends and family via our blog and only post one photo of a time out. So I'm not going to. I think I'll throw it into the mix on our next post.

We miss our friends and family. We love you more than you know. We wish we did not have to leave as fast as it felt. But we are here now and it is an adventure. We leave on Saturday for my 4th annual exhibit at the Blue Mangrove Gallery on Marco Island, Florida. Though we are still getting settled, we are looking forward to hitting the road, getting some hopeful sun, visiting dear friends and showing the oil paintings I worked hard on this fall (which are now on my website). Josh and I look forward to talking about all that has transpired in the van, which he recently updated with aqua captains chairs circa 1972 for the back seat. Who says cargo vans aren't kid friendly? Ezra has an amazing view down onto all the traffic. He made the trip from Minnesota in style if you ask me. :)

Well, the Vikings just lost. Ouch. Josh will be home soon and I must comfort my weeping man. I'm looking forward to our next post! Thanks for keeping in touch...

The Ezra Show (starring Josh's shoes)

2009-12-11T09:19:00.002-06:00

Here's the movie that I was unable to load in the previous post.

16 Months and Countdown to Canada

2009-12-10T19:23:00.005-06:00

Ezra on the shore of Lake Huron, Sarnia, Ontario, CANADA.

Taken from the Canadian banks of Sarnia, Ontario, this photo is of the bridge that connects Sarnia with Port Huron, MI. The bridge crosses the St. Claire River at the mouth of Lake Huron. The bridge to our new life!

We are moving to Canada. We are moving to Canada? We are moving in 3 weeks. 3 weeks???!!?!?!??! Why didn't anyone tell me? That's sort of how I feel anyway. Though we've known for a few weeks now, moving in just 3 seems like we will blink and be gone. Sigh. I've so much to process: leaving camp, another move (not cross country this time, but out of country!) leaving our families and friends, and all the newness to come, which is just too much to list at the moment. Yet we are excited amidst the chaos of my painting for an exhibit in Florida the first week of February, packing our home, saying goodbye, and celebrating the holidays. ( While I think of it, this will probably be our last post state-side.) I am even more thankful for this blog and our friends' blogs when I think about moving out of the country.
Josh will be a youth pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Sarnia, Ontario, and this brings immense joy to both of us. This "newness" as I mentioned is a gift we are thrilled to receive. So more news to come as a new adventure begins!

In Ezra news, I've been wondering where does the time go? The 4th of December marked Ezra's 16th month of life. Just in the last few weeks he has taken a giant leap in his development...things are really clicking, linguistically. He went from about a dozen words to now a new word everyday. It's an attempt, of course, and not always that accurate, but oh for the joy and hope he has discovered in his little mouth. New and exciting words like "olive" (he's working on his L's and basically just sticks his tongue out a few times during pronouncement) are repeated at every chance he gets and it just about breaks my heart for how darling and tender it is. And I'm not sure why, but this development has my mind wrapping around the fact that my baby boy is so much more than what meets the eye. This little person is a person! One whole and fully human being, one learning boy extraordinaire. I told Josh the other day, "I've never looked at a little baby this way!" To which he raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, really?" Of course I haven't, but what I meant was that I had no idea how smart and complete babies are. Each day they simply add to their wholeness. Their minds are growing in wisdom, sense, and ability. And it is a breathtakingly beautiful thing to witness.

Over the last month I have been taking short videos of Ezra's latest accomplishments and isms. Catching what I can, when I can, at least. My thought was to assemble them together for a cute little movie. Well, in the time being, he's gotten to the place now where we can just ask him to do something and he will vs. happening to have the camera around at the right time. So, yesterday I asked him to do a few things for our viewers and this is what we came up with: Enjoy.

"The Ezra Show, starring Josh's shoes, Toivo, too"

(video upload error, will try again soon)

And some photos:

As you saw in the movie, Toivo is one PATIENT dog. He and Ezra have a great thing going as you can see. Maybe not so great for the dog, but Ezra sure has fun!

Ezra and Mankind. Think song: "I will follow him, follow him whenever he may go.."

He is a block-stacking wonder. He even got the ball to balance!
(fine, you got me. I'll play the proud mama card on this one)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our friends and family!

Phots of Ezra from Kavod Photography

2009-11-05T10:44:00.006-06:00

Rocking photos of Ezra from the talented photo-duo of Kavod Photography.

http://kavodphotography.blogspot.com/2009/10/ezra-is-rockstar.html

14 Months comes to a Joyful Close

2009-10-28T23:38:00.001-05:00

More fun photos!

Getting behind the wheel.
Err, on top of the wheel (while Dad isn't looking).

Here Ezra and Mankind play with the log house from Christie.

More exploration everyday. Hannah, his new favorite book? Mr. Seahorse! He loves the cellophane pages that camouflage various lurking sea creatures.

No!!! It can't be over already!
(The other morning he woke me up by ever-so-not-gently-at-all hitting me over the head with it. It's his way of saying "read me this book or else.")

Trying on all the shoes he can find. Funny how this kind of picture becomes a classic. Something all little ones attempt, it seems!

And we saved a very special photo for last. Great Grandpa Keith came to visit all the way from Florida! Ezra had so much fun with him. He would run around him while he sat in this chair, pop out from behind him and giggle.

We can't wait until we see you again at Christmas, Pa:)

14 Months (13, too)

2009-10-16T21:52:00.005-05:00

It's been too long...and Ezra grows and talks and falls and runs and we just can't believe how his little mind is growing with such speed and insight. He is a little smarty-pants. And so much fun!! And so personable! Waving and kissing and smiling and high-fiving. Melt your heart.

Last week he climbed out of his crib and fell to the floor. Josh figures we could just flip the crib upside down. Or we swap the crib for Toivo's kennel. A big boy bed may be in the works.

He is getting 4 molars all at once. He is 30" and 24 ish lbs. He climbs everything in sight. Turn around for one second and he is on top of the tallest thing to climb in the room. He says many words. "Bamama" has finally become "banana." "Sauna" and "baby" and "dy-pa" for diaper. He will attempt any word. New cousin, Kaja? "Kaja," he says with a smile. He is a crafty wordsmith already in these young years.

Here's pics of some fun things we did to wrap up the summer...and I'm working on a little movie about his newest move: the somersault. There's some refining to do, sure, but the effort is priceless. There's a few other adorable things I'll have to sneak in there, too. Some photos in the meantime-

Sticks. Still a boy's best friend.

Superior Hiking Trail or bust.

Playing in the woods. He was enthralled.

He's a natural rock climber, of course. Oh, the look of determination.

He was like a little trucker- elbow out, leaning for a better view.

Taking a nap in the tent.

He's so good at smelling the flowers:) Darling.

Hooray for Micah and Cassie! They had the BEST wedding at Blue Water. So much fun and lots of love celebrated.

LOTS of love celebrated.

Lara, Petra, Aberdeen Gray and the best visit ever

2009-09-03T20:01:00.003-05:00

Finally, we were able to come together...Lara and Petra and little Miss Aberdeen Gray came up to the cabin this summer so that we might finally hang out. Lara, all the way from Alaska, and Petra and Gray all the way from Lancaster. Ezra and Gray had a ball playing outside and the whole deal brought health and healing and beauty and gratefulness to our art-love-children-family-friends' hearts.

Meals are best eaten outdoors. At least Aberdeen thinks so.

Adorable.

Ezra walking down the slide. (That's what friends are for?)

Love you girls.

The Salminen Family Unites!

2009-09-03T14:35:00.010-05:00

Happy 60th Mom and Dad - ( you sure don't look it!!)

Ezra's uncles (Natalie's brothers) all made it to Duluth this summer to help celebrate many a birthday! My parents both turned 60 in July! Congrats to the young whippersnappers. And Ben turned the bittersweet 29:) It was an amazing week of being together for the first time since September 2007. Matt was also able to meet Ezra for the first time. Spencer surprised us all by flying home for the weekend (between fighting fires in Colorado and Alaska). We are so grateful he could come! We spent most of our time up at the cabin....

...relaxing. Spencer taking a much needed nap. He may just be the hardest working firefighter around.

Grandpa and Ezra in the sauna (fountain of youth).

Water skiing with skill at 60!

A Salminen family portrait

Uncle Matt and his Ezra. They really hit it off:)

Josh barefooting. (Is there anything he can't do?)

Noble. Dear, sweet Noble.

Uncle Ben and his little lime-eating nephew. You guys are TOO cute!

Quintessential cabin time.

Hanging out in the sun.

Hanging out in the dark.

ONE Year Old!

2009-08-14T14:26:00.007-05:00

Wow. One year. One year? One year has passed since our bambino was born on August 4, 2008, at Imma and Grandpa Salminen's house. What marvels we've witnessed! Ezra celebrated his birthday with his family at the cabin. It was wonderful in every way. Thank you to everyone who has loved on, cherished, nuzzled, made giggle, gifted and most importantly prayed for Ezra this year. At this very time last summer, we didn't know if he would make it. God is faithful and good. There has been no year so full of abundant blessings as this....

Such a big boy, blowing out his own candle.

Truth to be told, he prefers watermelon over absolutely anything. Having had 4 giant pieces of it before he was offered his cake meant more carrot cake for the rest of us. His first little trantrum, in fact, was over watermelon. I'm sorry baby, but you just can't eat the green part!

We had to secure him in this little seat for the cake eating ceremony. It worked great!

Cousin Josie came for the party. She likes watermelon, too.

Smiling birthday boy:) I like this present thing happening...

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Rude!

More watermelon love

Happy Birthday To You

11 Months!

2009-07-13T21:08:00.005-05:00

Ezra turned 11 months old on the 4th of July! We had a great time at the cabin. You'll see him going down his new slide on the 4th in the "walking" movie I finally made (and it's full of his new tricks and growing-up skills). Obviously he was having a good time!

11 Months

Ezra and his dad are like this (index and middle finger twisted tightly together).

And for Father's Day Dad got a Burley! Though Ezra loves it like his own and so does Mom (especially for cruising around camp all day).

Okay! Watch this video and be filled with joy...at least the first 30 seconds:)

Ezra Walks and Other Antics

Ezra walks on June 4th. His 10 Month B-day!

2009-06-29T12:29:00.008-05:00

Ten Months

He walks! It's almost been a month and I keep saying to myself, "must post, must post, as soon as I ______." Fill in the blank with a) get some good video b) get my camera back from Chicago c) get some free time... d) any of the above. I finally told myself to get on it or else I will completely miss month 10 and so without further ado, here is the cutest 9 seconds ever...

Walking at 10 months

We have been so busy this month and here it is almost the 4th of July (and Ezra's 11 month b-day.) So, though we somehow failed to take the official "10 Month" photo, we have gotten a few of every day living. Ezra's walking has been fairly selective. He first walked to Grandpa Rude. How darling! Then it was to Josh and I and now he walks wherever and whenever he pleases. Still in small distances, but walking (and falling) a ton!

I have also put off posting until I got my next movie made...hopefully I'll get that up soon. It's like when you need a good chat with a friend, and you think, "I'll call her/him when I know I have at least a half hour to talk." And the phone call never gets made. I think you know what I mean. So, for now:) here are some snippets. Better late than never!

Milestones:

Says: "mama", "dada", all-done ( "ah-dah") and lots of "ba" sometime "BBBBAAAHHHH" (for ball or any round object). He also makes a cat noise. Basically a high-pitched "eeeeoooowww." He is really putting things together.

Still climbing: For those of you who have been in our home, you know that ledge that drops 12 feet down into the living room? If he can get away with it, he'll climb up onto a chair and then onto the armrest so that he can grab the ledge, pull himself up and look over. Can you say "heart attack?"

Loves reading: fastest page turner you'll ever meet.

Also plays ball. See other video.

Here's some photos.

This is Ezra's new "camera face." He knows we want him to smile and this little squinty face appears. It's been hard to get just a simple smile on record lately!

Jerry had a retirement party in Grand Rapids. Congrats, Grandpa! It was great to gather with everyone. Noah and Ali, you were missed! Notice Kristen's growing belly:) And Happy Birthday to Cassie.

Grandma Rude and her boy.

Can his smile get any brighter?

Getting into (and able to open) just about everything...
His preferred method of getting off the couch: over the armrest.

Playing around at the cabin.

Cooling off after a sauna.

Helping move the fire pit. Gosh, he's such a hard worker.

Here he is playing ball, saying ball. SO cute!

9 Months

2009-05-16T15:39:00.012-05:00

Well Ezra has sailed into this 9th month like a wild baby beast, unleashing his energetic infant fury on anyone who dares cross his path. Does that sound harsh? It's not meant to. It's just that he is CRAZY. Does that sound bad? It's not meant to either! It's just that he is so full of energy and curiosity and mischievousness (and downright friendliness to everyone he meets) that Josh and I can only lean over to each other and politely tap the bottom of the others chin to close these ever dropped jaws we seem to carry around. I don't think we ever imagined baring witness to this kind of " baby activity" (to put it mildly) by our 9 month old! Amidst all that fun, he continues to be of the all around best nature.

What's somewhat difficult for Josh and I to handle, is that every mischievous thing that Ezra does, he does with a giant smile! He wants to play! For example, this morning he began chewing a big chunk of packing Styrofoam. I naturally gave him the this-is-not-a-good-idea look, and then told him that "we don't eat Styrofoam," to which he smiles the widest smile you can imagine. As I approach him to take it away, he begins chewing furiously, and giggling all the while! By the time I get to him (a mere 6 feet away) he has a mouth full of Styrofoam and he is laughing like this is the funniest thing he's ever done! All day long folks. This is our day. Not to mention the climbing up onto everything while lacking the full ability to get himself down (though he can get down from most chairs and the couch).

He's talking A LOT these days, too. Most of the time it is a continual babble, with lots of "oooohhhh" and "mmmmm-BAA!" (crescendo on the "ba"). There's "mama," "dada," and a high pitch squeal for his response to "what does the kitty say?" Very endearing. All of it! We can't get enough of our little boy. And it's so very fun to share this with all of you. I made a little video montage from last month. You'll enjoy suitcase hopping, his first swing experience, the "no knees crawl" (or the "downward dog walk" as I like to call it) and object permanence box mastering among others. Enjoy!

Yes, those are onions up his nose.

If he's up high on something like a chair, or counter-top, or anywhere else deemed unsafe, he's a happy boy.

First canoe (outside of the womb).

Rock picking on Lake Superior. One of his favorite hobbies.

See that sad face and the sock hand? Ezra's first bleeding-profusely experience. A little cut on the finger tip. There would be no band-aid staying on, so we had to tape a sock onto his hand. It got the job done and didn't slow him down a minute. Maybe expect for...

Meal time.

This is a stick, my son. A necessary tool for all boys. Very versatile.

And cousin Josie and Kristen and Tom got to come over and hang out. Ezra's favorite thing!

Ezra Monroe Stars in The Adventures in Mobility Movie (not to be missed!)

Uncle Noah takes Ezra's photo with mad skills

2009-04-24T21:15:00.003-05:00

Here's a link to a few photos on Flickr from Uncle Noah of Ezra donning his best Elmer Fudd look (not to be missed!). Noah and Aunt Ali are ultra talented photographers and we gladly glean from their talent. Thanks, guys!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28951353@N04/sets/72157616982034710/show

8 Months

2009-04-06T20:55:00.008-05:00

Happy Eight Months Old, Ezra!

Sitting, but not for long-

Can anyone believe it is April already? For those of you not in Minnesota, this is what we awoke to the morning of April 1st. No joke. Another 6" of snow. But the snow fall was so stunning, it was hard to stay mad. It's still cold out, but inside we are having a blast! Ezra continues to amaze and make us laugh. Things are really starting to click for him. He is a very smart boy...

April showers?

Getting into the kitchen cupboards

Smiling with mama

The guitar! One of his new favorite things...

Ezra is a climber! He would be happy if he could figure out a way to get off the floor. So, here he attempts to climb onto the shelf via his toy basket. It works, but not without some kind of unfortunate toppling over.

He moves this little step stool over to the kitchen chairs in order to climb up on them! More danger.
Climbing up to look out the window.

This was his very excited face to see Dada home from work:)

Our very own Pooh Bear.

And last but not least, we leave you with a few movies. The first, another major accomplishment of this last month: Crawling down the stairs. Though we have taken many movies of him booking it straight down the stairs in no time flat, we thought we would show this one for the "colorful language" of Ezra's at the moment. And those chubby little legs! Oh my goodness.

Crawling Down the Stairs and Other Things to Use Your Lungs For

And last but not least, we leave you with a short, but very funny (at least Ezra thinks so) clip of a little game we like to play called, "I'm gonna get you!"

I'm Gonna Get You!

Ezra Walks! With help from his cart...

2009-03-13T09:01:00.003-05:00

Ezra is beginning to get the hang of walking. Whatever is around the house for him to push around, he gladly will. Here he is with his little cart.
7 months and 9 days old. We are amazed at our go-getter!

7 Months

2009-03-06T19:43:00.008-06:00

Welcome to another monthly update. Seven months already! When it comes to eating, Ezra is immersing himself .

He looks rather proud of his good eating here, doesn't he? Mmmm, oatmeal.

He's climbing on, over, under, and around everything he possibly can. If something moves, well then he'll walk behind it, pushing it along (cardboard boxes, his walker, his little cart, and whatever chair he can seem to move around).

Hooray for Carrie and Jill! Ezra and I had so much fun that day. Thanks for visiting us...

What a love.

These monthly photos are just getting harder and harder to take. He won't sit still and insists on eating the paper. Such is life when you are only 212 days old.

You'll notice a red mark around his right eye. Our kid is a bruiser! He's very tough, but when he takes a digger, it is a digger.

Oh, he loves his Da-Da.

This month he weighs 18+ lbs and is 27" long. And is the most adorable little Ezra Monroe.

This video is the CUTEST thing ever. Josh is getting him to laugh...makes me do the same every single time I watch it!

And Happy Belated Valentines from Ezra-

6 Months and then some

2009-02-12T13:43:00.015-06:00

Wow! 6 Months already! How did that happen? Tonight Josh and I looked through all the photos of Ezra taken since he was born. "He was so little!" we kept saying. Lots of ooohs and ohhhs. I know he is still "little" and we'll once again be saying that when he reaches a year. But for now, we still are amazed at how much has happened in such a short amount of time. Welcome to the Club I hear many of you saying. :)
We have had a great month. See photos posted for proof! But my initial thoughts are thoughts of pure amazement for Ezra. We are so in LOVE and WONDER! Ezra is wowing us with his incredible mobility skills amongst others. He has been crawling for over a month and pulling himself up onto everything. He is also smiling with abandon, exercising his giant will (also with abandon), and talking sweet baby talk with a "buh " sound every once in a while. His new favorite form of communication is talking in a very high pitched, breathy voice. Think elderly/the godfather/bronchitis sounding baby talk. Example on the "Baby Voice" video. On another note, we love to post these pics and videos for our friends and family (especially for those that live far away)! We hope you enjoy- we know we do.

Photo #1: Yikes. Sometimes it hurts, you being so cute.

Happy as a clam when standing up.

You mean I have to sit down for these things?

Arrggghh, fine.

But I'm not going to like it!

Eating paper. Again.Which leads beautifully into our next photos. 6 Months means food!

Ezra is eating incredibly well. Among his first favorites: Spears of avocado, banana, quinoa flakes with sweet potato. Last nights green beans went just okay. We are for the most part skipping the purees and starting out with finger food. It's a way to feed babies (actually it's about babies feeding themselves) called "Baby Led Weaning." It makes incredible sense to us. If anyone's interested, here's a short radio interview about it(and of couse the web is full of info, too):
http://www.thetakeaway.org/stories/2008/oct/01/baby-led-weaning-when-your-baby-skips-the-puree-and-feeds-himself/

Doing our best to exercise those little mouth muscles!

The end of January also brought cousin Josie's 1st Birthday! Happy Birthday Josie! You are the best cousin ever!!Birthday cake for Miss Josephine

"You see here, Josie, I just really want to thank you for inviting me to such a swell party."

Mini Movies=Fun

Here's our boy drinking. Listen for his giggle, too!

This clip is of Ezra climbing around. Love to watch him move.

Oh, for the discovery of the voice. Josh and I just laugh out loud every time we hear him doing this! Watch the "Baby Voice" video...

And last but not least, Ezra and Clara finally got to play together this week. We love Naomi and sweet Clara!
Learning to share
Clara is helping "baby" play:)
Little Friends (Clara made Ezra smile all afternoon)

Guess what I found?

2009-01-18T13:37:00.004-06:00

What should I find, but Ezra STANDING UP IN HIS CRIB this morning when I went to fetch him from his nap!

Here he is digging in his book shelf...little monkey.

And here is a short video of him pulling himself up to standing. Shucks, he's cute.

Five Month Fancy Moves

2009-01-16T23:15:00.002-06:00

Thanks Jenn and Ian!

2009-01-16T22:08:00.002-06:00

His first mohawk. Oh yes.

5 Months

2009-01-16T21:45:00.004-06:00

Once again, we had a tremendously difficult time getting Ezra to sit still for his photo. Or stop eating the card. Such is the busy body life for a super active 5 month old. We absolutely cannot believe it. Ezra is crawling! He sits, he spins, he pulls himself up to standing every once in a while (climbing on Mom and Dad is his favorite). At 5 months he is 17# 14 oz and 25 1/2" long. He's a machine. He's a smiler. He's a spirited, strong, determined baby boy. But things are moving so fast for Josh and I...What happened to our little infant? Guess we just get on board and see where he takes us:)

5 Month card eater.

He is up for anything. Even snow storms.

Some of his moves.

The First Christmas for Ezra

2009-01-16T20:49:00.006-06:00

Christmas. Only 3 weeks past, but feels like months ago already. How does that happen? We had a wonderful season of celebration. We had Christmas with Imma and Grandpa Salminen here in McGregor. Grandpa built Ezra some very fine wooden toys. Hooray! Thanks, Grandpa. And Christmas with the Rude's was celebrated in Crookston. We all managed to build a giant snow fort, complete with chandelier. It was so lovely, we decided to eat Christmas dinner inside of it! Don't you just love magical moments arriving spontaneously...

Here it is! The guys actually snow-blowed the yard to get all the snow together. In MN, no home is complete without an antler mount.

With the yard then being shoveled down to the grass, why not a game of croquet? Of course we all know who won. FAIR AND SQAURE.

The back yard really did evolve into a lovely gathering spot.

Kristen, Josie, myself and Ezra hanging out inside the quinzhee.Dinner under the chandelier.

And what's Christmas dinner without a few games played afterward? Josh and Natalie: speed scrabble champs 2008. Better luck next time ya'll.With all the activity inside, it really did heat up.

Ezra really loves his sled!

Opening presents with Grandma Salminen. He is a paper eater. Watch out.
He would eat the styrofoam peanuts, too, if we let him.

Florida

2008-12-23T21:12:00.006-06:00

I must post these pictures before Christmas strikes. We had a great time down south even when we had to work! And that's not that hard when it's a balmy 74 degrees. Sigh.
Here are some highlights.

OoooOO! Finally Ezra and Hannah meet!

Our last day in Naples was warm enough to be a beach day. Pure delight.

Ezra just loved being without clothes. (still does)

Makes me misty eyed.

Here he is sporting his toughest of looks.

Playing with Rachie! We are so glad you are now in FL, Rachel :)

Yahoo! The Thatcher family. We went to Solomon's Christmas program in Everglade City. Way to go, Sy.

Fishing in the Thatcher's back yard for snook and tarpon.

Josh 2. Natalie 0.

Disneyworld! Here we are with more Rude's. It was great to see them.The boy and I staying warm on a chilly day at DW.

Josh says that when Ezra asks to go to Disneyworld, Josh will tell him he's already been there. (Four months old doesn't count!!)

Here are 4 generations. My Uncle Bill and Pa, Ezra's great grandpa. It was wonderful to spend time in Ocala with everyone. Carmen and Jose celebrated their birthdays with a fun party.

Ezra with Great Grandpa

And Ezra and Bill sporting the same fashionable hair styles.

The Almost Crawl

2008-12-23T00:50:00.003-06:00

This weekend my mom and dad were over to celebrate Christmas. Ezra had lots to show them! The crawl is knocking on our door. (!)
Lots of rocking back and forth. Man oh man, is he ever excited and determined! Take a look at this movie...it's only 2 minutes long, but I was having trouble editing the audio and the song runs for another 7 minutes after the film is finished. Not to worry when you see the 9:00 price tag. It looks like my new and glamorous editing skills were a bit too much for quicktime to handle, so forgive the opening ( and over all quality!). I'm new at this:) and will gladly accept any tips.

With all of that, enjoy the show.

4 Months

2008-12-19T23:43:00.006-06:00

Well this one is a bit late as we were just leaving around the 4th for two weeks in Florida. Then I couldn't find my camera... You wouldn't believe all the new things he is doing!! Josh and I can barely believe it. He sits, he rolls, he gets up onto his hands and knees and rocks back and forth. It's the "almost crawl." He scoots backwards, though. He is moving across the floor now when we put him down. At only 4 months old this is just plain nuts. We've got photos of Florida, too, coming soon...

So the 4 month photo shoot was an entirely new ball of wax. Instead of just sitting there like a nice pacifist, this time he scooted and thrashed. He did not want to lean back into the chair, but insisted on sitting up (or sitting very forward). A difficult position for the photographer to work with. Not only that but he insisted on eating the 4 month card. Lots of gumming and drool.
Here's proof.

Growing

2008-12-01T22:30:00.003-06:00

Up late and as always, whenever the clocks strikes oh, about 9:30 pm, I find myself in the constant company of a particular thought: "I should be in bed." This thought parks and stays for a few hours. And I want to write about Ezra so awake I'll stay. This week he grew up. He is strong. He is vocal. He is leaving the infant stage in physical ways and it almost makes me want to post an obituary to his baby-ness. He will be 4 months on the 4th. I know, I know that is still a baby. But things are changing so fast! I suppose all parents navigate this space; the space of mourning and rejoicing at the same exact time. Parenting is vast and complex, but commands an introspective respect. I find myself wondering so much these days. As in wonder-ing. Being full of wonder. And so I close this night with a toast. To wonder, To Ezra Monroe!

3 Months

2008-11-12T15:09:00.005-06:00

The trusty saying, "time is flying" cannot be more true. Has it been a month since we even posted? Tisk, tisk. Ezra is weighing in at 15# 4oz and measuring 25 1/4" at 3 months. That's a whole 6 inches since birth! His personality continues to emerge. He's a lover and a fighter, and for now, a mama's boy (to my delight). Here are many new photos. Enjoy.

Three months!

Smiling at play. New parent affirmation.

Little fingers have found the mouth.

Tummy time. Rolling over every so often on Imma's quilt.

Our happy bear. Thanks to the Issacs and fam.
Ezra would like to give a shout out to all at NP.
Up at AC with Mike, Nicole and camping buddy Aulis. Nicole and I had due dates one month apart. Thanks to Aulis coming early and Ezra late, they are two months apart!
He loves to sit up. Laying down is for babies, he says.
Rocking the johnny jump up at 2 months!
Tough dude. Tough Rude Dude. Watch out.

TWO Months Old

2008-10-08T17:42:00.002-05:00

October 4th and he's already 2 months old. Yikes. It is true what they say. Another chin each month. And sweeter by the minute.

Rutabaga Renegade

2008-10-01T23:42:00.005-05:00

Hmmm...

Sitting up. Holding my hands. Coming off of a big smile. Can you grow up anymore than that?

Honestly.

A fall hike in McGregor's own Savannah Portage State Park.

Bundle up that baby.

It's almost midnight. What the heck am I doing awake? I should be sleeping. However, in an unlikely turn of events, I felt a rebellious itch to stay up late. (I will be sorry tomorrow) An itch to stay up and chop root vegetables from our CSA garden. Oh, what new parenting can inspire! Oh, for the things that sound so thrilling these days! Well, when the boy finally goes down around 11 pm, I look back on the day and it's easy to see what I've done. It's all fairly standard Mama stuff. Diaper change, clothes change, rock to sleep, kiss sweet cheeks, kiss again, change diaper, rock, nurse, nurse, nurse. Love love love that boy! Yikes. Many of you know that this leaves little to no time for other activities. (See post entitled "Fuzzy Teeth" for example) And when I say "other activities" I mean any other activities.

But when he does go down there is a small window and usually it's filled with folding laundry and dishes, but once and a while Josh and I are smart and we brew ourselves delicious tea and read together in the lamp light of our little sitting room, now scattered with tidbits of baby paraphernalia. Tonight Josh read and I wanted nothing more than to chop up a giant rutabaga. So if I'm going to chop rutabaga I might as well chop potatoes and carrots and sweet potatoes and onions and roast them all to perfection. So two hours later here I sit. If I've already stayed up this late, I might as well post something on the blog since I haven't had the time lately.

Ezra is growing like a weed. Twelve pounds! Chubby cheeks! Smiles! He's finding his darling little hands and aiming for his mouth. He'll get there. Whoa, but watch out. He gets frustrated and will let you know about it. We love watching his personality reveal itself.

The guys laying around.

Our dear friend Mary over to visit before she moves to Seattle. Sad.

Late night dancing.

Passed out at the cabin with Grandpa Salminen. Teaching skills like no Grandpa can.

And so! 12:42 am. Sweet rutabaga dreams to you all....

Ezra meets Family

2008-09-17T18:41:00.009-05:00

Ezra finally has been able to meet some of his family! His Uncle Noble and Uncle Ben came all the way from Portland, OR, to hang out with him. We had a super time together. He also got to meet his cousin, Josie, and her mom and dad, Uncle Tom and Aunt Kristen. Josie is 6 months older than Ezra. We love it that the cousins are so close in age...better for them to have a partner in crime to grow up with :) Ok, less talking, more pictures.

Noble and Ezra hanging out, literally
Ben and the very sleepy boy

Josie gives Ezra a big kiss!
Sweet baby
Out for a fall walk

One Month Old

2008-09-05T14:25:00.006-05:00

This is Ezra's favorite way to be held by Dad...so relaxing. Sigh.

One month old on September 4th. Zip zip zip there goes the time. And my newborn hair!

Look at the onesie my Aunt Jenn made for me! It even has my name on it:)

In the sling with Mom, one of the afternoon spots to be.

Well, we are all getting a bit more comfortable. Things are easing along. And things for Ezra would be absolutely perfect if no one put him down. Ever. Our little man is making up for those first 2 weeks of not being held! I find myself doing the anxious first time mother routine: question everything. Over and over and over again! This week I can start to laugh at myself and relax a little, knowing that I'm not alone in my thinking (thank you all mothers who have gone before) and knowing that all is well. Baby schedule or not. Seems all the books I read on baby sleep, etc, have really made a mess of things upstairs, if you know what I mean. There are so many "schools" of parenting out there, that someone's bound to believe you are doing it all wrong no matter which style you choose. Today I am in a more peaceful place, believing that Ezra is being loved perfectly, far beyond what any book might teach or preach. There is no love like a parent's love.
Though Ezra's grandparents may beg to differ.

Fuzzy Teeth

2008-08-29T16:11:00.005-05:00

Three weeks and growing up fast

This bromeliad onesie is from our Florida friends Heather and Peter. Whenever he wears it, it's a shout out to all my swamp friends. Especially Labor Day Swamp Walk Weekend! We'll be down to visit when the snow flies. Come on snow.

Where to begin...well since I'm typing with one hand (sleeping baby in the other) I will keep this short. Having a newborn is all-consuming! I find it absolutely amazing that the day can pass without me having a moment to even brush my teeth! So this blog update is for you, friends and family. I stay fuzzy-toothed to bring you these adorable photos :)

Settling In

2008-08-23T17:46:00.004-05:00

Happy to be home!

Already sporting his global conscience in threads from Auntie Ali and Uncle Noah-

Warm and dry after my first bath at home-

Daddy doing such a stellar job of getting me clean-

Grandma Rude holding me - how I love to be held!

Whew! A few days at home and things are going as they should. Somewhat sleepless for Mom and Dad. Just like having a newborn:) It's so much fun to be taking pictures, taking baths, taking naps. The fussy times we cherish, too. All the things new parents are privy to do...but Josh and I can safely say that we are not taking any of these moments for granted. This is indeed a privilege. And is he ever making up for lost time! He is only happy when he is held. Too much time not being able to hold went by, and so we are more than happy to oblige him. He's a little love.

Ezra had his first doctor's appointment outside of the hospital yesterday. His lungs sound pretty good, but it looks like it will be around one month before his lungs are mostly healed. We look forward to having visitor's once we get our doctor's "ok." Until then we are on high germ alert (code red). Lots of hand washing and Josh has to change his shirt every time he comes home from work to make sure he does not bring any germs home from camp. We are confident Ezra will continue to heal and be ready for action before we know it.

Homecoming

2008-08-20T14:04:00.006-05:00

Welcome Home Ezra

2008-08-20T13:56:00.006-05:00

If you've been checking the blog lately, and noticed there have been no updates for the last few days, this would certainly be a "no news is good news" situation! Ezra naps at home as I type! Ooh, good time to grab another photo. Smiling in his sleep! We love it. His smiling has revealed a dimple on his right cheek. Way too cute.

Let me give you the quick version of this last weekend. We began breastfeeding on Saturday the 16th and if you've heard that breast milk is super food, well now you've got to believe it! He improved so much over the next 48 hours that our doctor told us on Monday that he would be ready to go home the next day. What a miracle! Nurses that had been off for the weekend, arrived back to work on Monday to see a whole new baby. No one could believe the speed at which Ezra progressed. We believed that God would heal him, but Ezra's quick recovery rate surprised us, too! Monday night he roomed with Josh and I in our hospital room (kind of a trial to see if he would be ready for home). It was blissful and sleepless. Ahhh, welcome to parenting!

We finished up with some tests and signed paperwork and thanked the amazing staff at St. Mary's NICU department and then we were off: carrying our small boy in his carseat down the sidewalk towards the car. Can it be? Are we actually going home? Josh and I cried tears of joy and thanked God over and over and over again. We still feel a bit dazed as you can imagine. But we're home together as a family. Taking it one delicious baby smile at a time.

How can we thank you enough for your prayers, for meals brought to us, for sweet, beautiful baby cards, for your support via small paragraphs filled with such encouragement and hope? At the end of our day it was a spark in the darkness to read what people had posted and know that we were not alone, but there were others who loved us, who ached with us, who stood with us. Who prayed on behalf of us. What a gift! And what a gift to go through something like this and then to be able to come out on the other side and see that it was just that. Josh and I have been given a huge gift of faith and love. YOU are a part of that. So we can't thank you enough. It's impossible. But we know that God will meet you, too, just as He has met us.

And stay tuned, as Ezra's adventures are sure to continue.

Super Baby

2008-08-17T17:30:00.012-05:00

Grandma "Imma" Salminen holds Ezra after 2 long weeks

No more oxygen!

We love you, Ezra Monroe

No more oxygen! Today Ezra moved one step closer to coming home. After having been on oxygen for almost 2 weeks, this afternoon he is breathing on his own accord. Way to go, baby! He had just about had it with the nasal cannula he had to wear and he pulled it at constantly. All those tubes are finally coming off. You'll notice from the pictures that he still has a feeding tube in, that runs through his nose. He is receiving some electrolytes with a wee amount of medication to help him continue to clear out his lungs from the feeding tube. Apart from that, he is off of all his medications and sedatives. The last of his IV's are being removed today.

And there's more super news: He's breastfeeding! A tough feat for many babies with breathing issues, breastfeeding does not always come easy to little ones like Ezra, especially when they have been on ventilators and had to endure tracheal tubes. Sucking and swallowing can be hard to do. But our little one is mastering the art:) With a little more practice he'll be a champ. The more he eats, the more weight he gains, and the faster we get to go home!

Josh and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ezra has come this far only by the goodness and grace of the God we serve. God heard the prayers offered up by so many. We are the body of Christ, his arms and feet, his eyes and ears, his mouth, asking God for mercy and tenderness. This experience is a testament to the power of prayer. Remind yourselves of Ezra. Remember God's faithfulness. Remember how He listened. He's listening now.

Its a beautiful day.

2008-08-15T13:22:00.004-05:00

Ezra came off the vent this morning and we are filled with much excitement. As you can see, Natalie was able to hold him...and is continuing to hold him while I am writing. I have a feeling that Natalie may ask for a feeding tube so she does not have to leave.

We again are very thankful for your support and prayers. Ezra still has a few milestones to overcome, yet he is progressing well.

Peace,

HOPE

2008-08-14T11:58:00.003-05:00

Though Mama might not exactly wear that :)

We will hold you again!

2008-08-13T14:18:00.001-05:00

A Resting Heart Swells with Gratitude

2008-08-13T13:39:00.004-05:00

Natalie here. Josh just headed back to camp and I am headed back to bed. I am feeling worn. Little Ezra will not be coming off the vent today. That's okay. Maybe tomorrow. I check the blog. Your comments fill us with gratitude and thankfulness. They close the gap when we feel emotionally isolated. They remind us we are loved. THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.

The Lord has been revealing to me (I'm sure for longer than I have been aware) that it is okay for me to rest during all of this. Not only is it okay, but it is His desire that I do so. "But how could I possibly rest when my baby is in the hospital and can't even breathe?" I question. I tell God, "No, I need to pray, read the Word, pray, read. I need to do something."

I believe God shared something with me recently as I sat beside Ezra's isolet in the early morning hours. "Rest. There are people praying for you." And then I heard it. The "for" in "for you" was "on behalf of you." Just as Jesus intercedes for us, there are people, you who are reading this blog, interceding for my baby, my husband, for me and on behalf of me. I discover, on day 9, that sometimes you just can't do it all. And Christ never meant for us to.

If you feel led, please continue to pray for our family. Perhaps you would like to partner with someone else you know who is praying for Ezra and fast together. Here's a verse of beautiful poetry from Isaiah 55 that has brought me peace in these last few days...

"When you are set free,
you will celebrate
and travel home in peace.
Mountains and hills will sing
as you pass by,
and trees will clap."

First Meal

2008-08-13T09:40:00.003-05:00

Ezra received his first meal on Tuesday. Though it was through his nose, he took to it well and was fed every 3 hours. We were able to watch him as he ate his first meal and were excited to find that he was digesting it well. Aside from eating through his nose, he takes after his father on how much and how well he eats.

Natalie and I were able to enjoy a night out to my sister Kristen and her husband Tom's last night. This 4 hour stretch was the longest that Natalie has spent outside of the hospital.

This may be a big day for our son as it has been mentioned they may take him off the vent again. We thank you all for what you have done and given, yet ask that you continue to pray for him and continued improvement.

Peace,

One Week Old

2008-08-11T20:23:00.008-05:00

Today Ezra turned 1 week old. This week in his life has been more action packed than any week of Natalie or I combined.

Today is also a day where we feel Ezra has taken 2 steps backward. After being off the ventilator for 4 days and showing signs of improvement, he began accumulating fluid in his lungs again. We have been told that Ezra has pneumonia symptoms and is now back on the oscillating ventilator. He has IVs in once again.

I was able to be back with the camp staff last night for the banquet. Natalie and I are very thankful for a supportive team at Covenant Pines.

It has been a long week and we would like to keep people updated, yet we are beyond exhaustion. We thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for Ezra's health. We trust that the Lord will provide.

Peace,

Night Out

2008-08-09T21:58:00.003-05:00

For the first time since Monday night, Natalie was able to leave the NICU at St. Mary's. It is amazing what a cup of coffee and an hour sitting along Lake Superior can do.

Ezra is continuing to improve. He continues to rely upon the support of the NICU to help him through the days. He is six days old and has not yet eaten. His respirations per minute continue to be twice what they should be. Thus, he has not eaten as he may aspirate once again while eating. He is receiving electrolytes and lipids from the NICU and mom continues to do her good work pumping every 2 hours, building up a storehouse for him when he is ready. It will be a feast.

Grandpa and Grandma Salminen stopped in today along with Uncle Micah and Cassy. Grandma Rude is in with Natalie as I type. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Grace and Peace.

2008 Opening Ceremony

2008-08-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

Alright, well, not quite the climactic event that was taking place in Beijing.

Ezra continues to show signs of improvement. His recent addition, as you can (or cannot) see in the top photo is the oxygen shield for his head. Too often his hands would pull the oxygen line fed to his nose, so as a replacement the staff gave him a space helmet.

Grandpa Salminen is greeting Ezra in the lower photo. We, again, would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support for our family.

08/08/08

2008-08-08T10:21:00.001-05:00

Well, Ezra is one day stronger. We were able to hold him for the first time last night, since his birth on Monday. What a joy to feel his warm little snugly body! It was a bit of a trick to do with all of his tubes (we call him our "tubeasaurus") but wonderful, so wonderful, so very wonderful to hold him. Mama is tearful at the thought.

Today he is needing a bit more oxygen, meaning he will need to stay in his isolet for a while longer. This is the part where our patience really needs to kick in. Of course we want to bring him home, but we also don't want him to leave the hospital without being well. So we face each day, hour really, with hope of simple goals being met. Somedays they are met, others they aren't. Today, Ezra just needs to breathe. We will eventually get to the unassisted part, but today we just want his little lungs and heart to keep up the good work. We face these hours knowing that he is being prayed for by so many. We face it knowing that the Lord will not burden us beyond what we can bear. We face it knowing that Ezra is in the care of a wonderful medical staff and most importantly a Loving God.

Ezra Unplugged

2008-08-07T14:12:00.001-05:00

Well, at 10:55 this morning, Ezra was taken off the ventilator and is now breathing solely under his own ability. He is still receiving oxygen, antibiotics and medication for his blood pressure, but he is doing much better. It sounds like Natalie will be able to hold him tonight.

We would like to thank all of you who have been with us in prayer, helping us with food and small errands. We would also like to thank you all for sharing the news of the birth with others. Natalie had a great email set up with his photo and everything, but we have been unable to send it through this network. It will come soon.

Many thanks.
Grace and Peace

NICU Photos

2008-08-06T22:14:00.000-05:00

Our sweet baby boy, working so hard!

Ezra Monroe 1 Hour Old

2008-08-06T21:36:00.001-05:00

Welcome, Ezra Monroe! You finally came to us after such a long wait :) and you are worth every minute of it! Ezra was born at Natalie's parents' home in Fredenberg, Minnesota on Monday, August 4th, at 3:07 pm. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. (8-4 on 8-4) and measured 19 3/4". His birth was absolutely beautiful and supported by our wonderful midwife and her excellent support staff.

Shortly after he was born we could tell he was having difficulty breathing. His labored breaths led us to make the decision to bring him to St. Mary's hospital in Duluth to have him checked out. We are tremendously grateful to God for leading us to make that decision. Our little Ezra was indeed struggling and had to be put on oxygen immediately. After many tests, it has been determined that Ezra is suffering from Meconium Aspiration Syndrome, which is like pneumonia. Because of the fluid in his lungs, his heart is operating as if he were still in the womb.

Today is his second day in the hospital. He made many improvements today and we rejoice with the Lord knowing that he is getting better. His condition will just take some time to improve; along with patience, hope and prayer. Please pray for our little boy as we continue on this journey as a family. We know that our God is sovereign and we can trust him with this situation.

Josh and I will update this as we know more. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers. We know that Ezra is loved already by so many. And that is an immeasurable gift.

Is this thing on?

2008-07-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

Honestly.
12 days past the due date. How am I supposed to stay relaxed and labor friendly as we face week 43? I can't clean the fridge out right now. Sure, I started the project, and there are antique jars of salsa and petrified spaghetti sauce staring at me from the counter, but I just can't seem to finish the job. Nor can I muster the strength to sweep Toivo's hair off the floor for the 614th time this week. I can genuinely attest to the fact (Josh can, too) that I have personified nesting for the last 4+ weeks. I am running out of whatever it is that has kept me going.
BUT of course, there's another part of me that is so filled with hope and excitement that I want to cry. And I do. Sigh. All a part of this mysterious journey.

Still waiting for you

2008-07-25T21:49:00.000-05:00

One week late...

One day late

2008-07-19T12:12:00.001-05:00

This may be an act of nesting. Preparing. Launching into the world of cyberspace parenting. But for what it's worth, here now our humble family blog begins. Little baby Rude was due yesterday. He/She sits patiently within, nuzzled up in mama's womb, apparently just not quite ready to leave. That's okay, baby. We wait for you with great anticipation.