{colton: seven months}

colton is seven months. crazy. i found this idea of a baby book on pinterest and loved it. my sister designed each month for me. she is fab. ill post the other months this week, but because colton just turned seven months... here we go:

blog breakups

i feel like i have had multiple blog breakups over the past few years. i get into a great groove and blog my heart out and then i have my moments where i just stop... for months. it is like a high school relationship. 

well, after doing some thinking and brainstorming, i wanted my blog to be more than a bragging place for my cute little babe. (although, i don't mind... but if i were you, i would think it is obnoxious.) so, i decided that i am going to be more committed. i know, i know. i have said that multiple times. again, i compare it to a high school relationship...sure, i might "like" blogging, but i have other priorities that are much more important. ;)

after chatting with my talented designer sister, candace, she and i are in the process of revamping my blog. it is going to have a different look, feel, and overall concept. there will still be updates of colton and his cute daily changes but it will come with more consistency... "daily" topics or such (i use "daily" carefully because you know my commitment issues)... it might be about what i have been learning, a pinterest pin i actually did (i have done a lot, excited to share my finds and makes), or it might be about my adventures of mommyhood. 

so, here we go. heres to a successful, committed blog relationship... ;) no more high school romance, this thing is gettin' serious... marriage material ;) xoxo

ps. if you haven't heard... my mom is working on her blog. seriously, you will want to follow her, especially all you mommas out there. she is gonna be realz and honest. (colette? honest?) but truthfully, it is going to minister to your hearts. God has some great plans for her and this. i can't wait. xo

4 months

i still can't believe that is has been 4 months since colton was born. while one part of me feels like it was a million years ago, the other part just feels like it happened yesterday.

i usually do bullet points of my dear, sweet colton but thought of doing something different. i started writing him a letter each month so i thought i would share month four on my blog.

my dearest sweet son,

you are four months today. and what a little active four-month-old you are. while you found your voice the day you graced the world with your presence, you are one extremely talkative and social little guy. i wonder who you get that from ;)? 

i absolutely adore that you love your momma. the way you keep your eyes locked on me, or smile at me when you hear my voice, or your adorable laugh that comes out only when you are with your momma, it melts my heart. you love when i sing to you. if you are crying, you stop and stare at me and often smile. it must bring you back to the many times i would sing when you were in my belly.

you are a strong little guy. you might have a large head, but you know how to keep that thing up. whether it is during tummy time or sitting in your bumbo chair, you enjoy looking around. you also love to push off with your strong little legs. standing with help from mommy and daddy is always a fun time for you. i am excited but also apprehensive that crawling and walking will happen a lot faster than i think.

you stared playing in your exercauser this past month. we laugh at your determination and frustration to get all the toys in your mouth, but you aren't quite there yet. 

you celebrated your first christmas this month and you just took in all the sights and sounds, especially the tree lights and christmas music that your mommy loved playing everyday. something your daddy just deals with. ;) you were also one spoiled little boy on christmas. your grandparents must adore you. ;)

you are rolling over like crazy on your tummy to your back. one day you will figure out back to tummy, but for now, we are so proud of you. you sleep an average of 11 hours a night - 9-10 hours straight usually. mommy is looking forward to the day when we don't get up at 4am anymore to feed. hopefully now that we will start rice cereal it will keep your belly full for longer.

teething has entered the picture. while we can't see any yet, we know that it must be bugging you because of the constant drool, hands in month, and random acts of crying. maybe your will get your little chompers early. 

at your four month appointment, you weighed 15 lbs and 1oz. were about 26 inches long, and your head is still rocking the upper 90 percentile.

i can't tell you how much bigger my love for you gets everyday. i love watching you grow. 

love you so much my sweet little colton.

forever and always,

mommy.

christmas card from the snares

well, in usual danielle fashion, i have failed miserably to do my 12 days of christmas. oh well. taking care of a teething four month old comes first these days.

here is our 2011 christmas card. it turned out perfect. thanks to candace carr for her amazing design work and cassandra eldridge for her phenomenal work behind the lens.

will be posting a bit more today, tomorrow, as well as sunday. got some cool wrapped gifts, a dying tree, some thoughts on christmas this year, as well as colton turning four months on sunday. ;) get ready for some major cuteness.

have a great morning.

a lifechanging moment, 365 joyous days ago

this past weekend marks the one year anniversary of when i found out i was pregnant. i can still remember that morning as it was yesterday... what a joyous moment. but more than that, how God's timing is ALWAYS PERFECT.

and i think that is the biggest thing i have learned being pregnant with colton. december of 2010 was filled with many dark, sorrow-filled days and many joyful, incredible days. getting pregnant of course as one of those joyful days.

God knew that december 18 would be the perfect day for me to take a test and find that it was "+". what immense joy i felt that morning. and even more as i gave joseph his first christmas gift last year letting him know that he was going to be the best daddy in less than nine months.

he also knew the day before i realized i was pregnant would be a perfect day to accept a new job that would later allow me to work part-time at home with mr. colton and come in whenever i want. he knew that august 25th would be the day that colton would enter the world. he also knew that colton would be born during one of the most trialing times of my life. he knew that only a few weeks later, i would realize that everything happens for MY GOOD in HIS TIMING and fill my heart with more joy than i could ever imagine.

all in all...i am blessed. and during this christmas time, i really am filled with so much joy. i am blessed with the cutest four month old who is just the best and happiest baby around and who has changed my life in ways i never thought possible. and who has me wrapped around his little finger.. i am even more blessed with an amazing husband who loves his son more than anything. watching him grow as a daddy has brought tears to my eyes and a heart full of joy as i look forward to many more years of child-rearing and bearing.

i wouldn't change God's perfect plan for anything over the past year. colton is more perfect than i imagined 365, lifechanging, joyful days ago.

Proverbs 19:6
The heart of man plans his way,
   but the LORD establishes his steps.

i mean, seriously? who would have thought my kid would be this adorable... 

3 months

i am a terrible mother. colton turned 3 months on thanksgiving. and i haven't blogged about it yet. gah!

things about colton @ 3 months:

• mastered tummy time and loves it
• loves to smile and laugh (has the cutest laugh - vid to come)
• uber talkative (wonder where he gets that from?!?!)
• rolled over for the first time
• loves his farm playmat
• sits up with help
• loves "horsey" with daddy
• loves clocks? weird. but he does 
• super ticklish (love it.)
• got some strong legs. loves standing (with help, of course)
• still hates his swing
• starting to like his bouncer
• started playing in his saucer 
• sleeps an average of 10 straight // 12-13 total
• wears 6+ month clothes because he is so LONG! 
• has beautiful blue eyes (like his mommy hehe)
• celebrated his first thanksgiving

oh, hey, christmas...

gah! the past few weeks have been IN-SANE. insane. did i mention they have been insane? i have a pretty neat job - one that allows me to work part time... yes. part time. but these past weeks it was more like full time + a baby + being a wife + mrs. social. add those together, we get insane.

most of you know me. and most of you know that i am a "go-getter." i had too much on my plate but like every type a personality, i got it in the bag already. so here i am, two weeks later and i wonder where last two weeks went. the other week, i worked 14 hours straight. good thing i had plans this past monday or i would have been stuck at work again.

but here i am, december 9th and i can't believe christmas is in like what, 15 days?!?! last year i did a blog type advent calendar thing. i actually had a blast doing it. everyday i did something "christmas" related and wrote about it. well, i am a bit behind, but that doesn't mean i can't do something similar but different. so this year, i am going to do the "12 days of Christmas." yeah, yeah - i know it is about "gifts" but i'm going to do 12 different christmas activities from our christmas card, to wrapping gifts, to decorations, to a cute colton christmas shoot - you will just have to wait and see...

so putting my insane life aside, let's grab some warm coco or coffee, turn up those christmas tunes that we only get to enjoy for like 30 days, sit by the fire and now until christmas day my blog will be dedicated to the glorious season of christmas.

and as i dive in, i want to really us to dwell on matthew 1:21, "she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." as i really think about that, i continually dwell on the fact that we can't separate the manager and the cross. they go hand-in-hand. he was born to save us from our sins. what a strange but amazing way to save the world. may you also dwell on that this christmas season.

A Month to be Thankful: Day 22

Day 22: Thankful for Rest

okay, today, i am super thankful that colton is such a great sleeper. he still gets up at 4:30 every morning to eat but 9-11 hours straight every night is amazing.

other than the first few days of motherhood, i really don't have those "exhausted" moments (i mean, i still do but very minimal) - probably because colton sleeps like a champ and still takes four naps a day over an hour a piece. what can i say, the kid loves his sleep. (it will probably be a different story once #2 comes into the picture... i know, i know)

i am so glad the lord knows our circumstances in life and provides what we need. he knows that i need sleep. he knows that i have to work. he knows that i need to clean the house. or do the laundry. or the eight million other projects going on. so he has perfectly made colton to be content when laying on his activity play mat or peacefully naps for an hour so i can answer emails or clean up the kitchen. so thankful.

so today, i am thankful for the rest i am able to get. the six-seven hours straight of sleep, or the little cat nap i sneak in during the afternoon, i am thankful.

A Month to be Thankful: Day 21

Day 21: Thankful for my Passat Wagon

we knew we would need a bigger car once the babe arrived so we bought a 08 passat wagon and i loooove it. if you know anything about my car history, you would laugh. don't get me wrong, i am so thankful i have had something to drive since i was 16, but i am extremely thankful i have a RELIABLE car now...

my brother, sister and i always laugh at our memories in our 88 corsica - this thing would leak oil, would leave us stranded, have puddles of water inside the car, the ceiling was falling down - oh boy. this thing was hilarious. or our grand prix. i gotta say - this thing was pretty fabulous except that it didn't have air conditioning and if you know anything about me, that is not good. and then it started rusting. finally, the first car i bought, a mazda millenia.... ooohhh boy. the car looked nice but that thing... ugh. let's just say i got stranded in the middle of nowhere indiana one day. drove down a week later, picked the thing up in nowhere indiana, broke down again after they "fixed" it... brings back too many terrible memories. and then to put a cherry on the top - my mother smashed into the side of the thing. i think that made us even with what i owed them from so many years. 

anywho, got rid of that piece of junk and then purchased a red grand am. not only did it smell like an ash tray, nasty - it didn't start like two days after we got the dang thing from the dealer! what, the what?!? did they even check it? it took like three weeks just to fix everything because they couldn't fix it and had to bring it to a GM dealer. oy vey. you can probably feel my frustration. the car was a champ for awhile but it was only two door. annoying. then one day i went grocery shopping and the vinegar top came off and went all over my car. ugh.

and then the passat came along. it was a long search but i am in love. the back is big enough for colton's gigantic stroller, pack-n-play and what else. plus, the thing has heated seats. who doesn't love heated seats? but seriously, this car is a gem and i am so grateful that we were able to get this car. and even after all of my car drama for 10 years, it has made me appreciate what i have more than you know.

so today, i am thankful for my vw wagon. it is fab and totes a mom car. ;)

Colton: Week 12

my dear precious boy is 12 weeks.

• has mastered tummy time. the kid is one strong boy. he loves holding his head up and looking around. 
• sleeps an average of 10 hours straight a night. 
• mornings are the best. he just smiles, laughs and is VERY talkative. 
• i love when he wakes up in the morning. he is looking around and just chattin. so precious. i'll have to take some video one day and post it. 
• officially too long for most of his 3 month clothes so we are moving on up. 
• still hates his swing. bummer.

that is about it. he turns 3 months this week so the upcoming post will be longer! :) 

A Month to be Thankful: Day 20

yeah, yeah - i skipped day 19. ;)

Day 20: Thankful for Recovery Systems

yes, i am extremely thankful today that there are people out in this world that are so technologically smart that they can pull some of your most precious memories off of a crashed hard drive. to all of you data recovery people and places, you are precious - especially brian at 300dollardatarecovery.com. you are my new best friend. 

last weekend our mac crashed - the day i was going to back everything up, ironic, eh? went into the mac store on sunday and the smart mac guy told us that our hard drive crashed. i started balling right there. probably wasn't the first and to tell you the truth, i didn't care. i really thought i just lost colton's first three months of his life plus various other precious memories of joseph and i. i was so mad at myself. 

i then had my sister's I.T. guy at her work looked at it and gave us the information to 300dollardaterecovery.com. he couldn't pull the data off but he said that this guy probably could. however, jason did update our mac and put a new hard drive in for free. for that, i am so thankful. 

after sending the hard drive all the way to the good state of california this week, i kept praying. i felt so silly praying but the Lord knows the desires of our hearts. and while there are extremely worse things i am praying for, i still felt the need to pray that we would get our photos back. and now, we are. :) i was up all last night with food poisoning, which i am not thankful for, but it was great at 3am when i looked at my phone and saw an email from brian saying he had great news. he was able to pull 99.99% of the data off my hard drive. praise the Lord, huh? 

so today, i am extremely thankful. especially for all of you smart I.T. peeps. kudos to you my friends. and especially brian and jason, you both make me one happy mama today. 

and a lesson learned: BACK UP RIGHT AWAY. ;)

A Month to be Thankful: Day 18

Day 18: Thankful for the Time with Kyle

well, if you don't know, november 18th is always a hard day. i woke up this morning and thought of that morning 18 years ago as i found out my little brother had passed away from his battle to cancer. losing a family member is never easy, but when you have the comfort and love of God, it makes it a bit more bearable. and while it is still hard today and kyle only lived three short years, i am still so thankful for the time we had with him.

kyle lived for three and a half years and about a year or so of that battled with neuroblastoma. however, those three short little years were filled with some of the greatest memories, of which i will never forget. and one thing about kyle that i will never forget... his smile.


kyle could light up a room. and his personality, smile, and fun memories of him still do today. i smiled and laughed as i read my dad's facebook status of some of his favorite memories of him. he was some kid. so, as the day comes to an end, i am thankful for the time we had with kyle. while it was too short and hard, it was also so wonderful in many ways. and thankful that i know he is with the lord - no more pain. no more suffering.

Kyle Christian Plantz 1990-1993

A Month to be Thankful: Day 17

Day 17: Thankful for BSF (Bible Study Fellowship)

every thursday morning i attend BSF, Bible Study Fellowship. and i can't tell you what a blessing it has been. this is my fourth year in BSF and this year we are studying the book of Acts. i have had the privilege to study: the life of moses (exodus, Leviticus, numbers and Deuteronomy), the book of john, isaiah, and now acts.

i have been so engaged in this study. from the start of the christians to the early church, i feel like every week i can apply something new to my life. i am so thankful the lord has given me this opportunity again to study his word. so today, i am thankful for bsf. what a wonderful organization and a wonderful study.

A Month to be Thankful: Day 16

Day 16: Thankful for Our Neighbors

i can't tell you how blessed we are to live where we live. i always prayed about living in a neighborhood where my kids could play outside for hours with all of the neighborhood kids. or thought about how cool it would be to have neighbors who were also believers. well, guess what? we got both. and even though colton isn't old enough yet to go play outside we have a TON of little kids. and our neighbors? yup. they are believers. so cool. it is such a joy to live among people who are doing life like you. so today, i am thankful for our many neighbors especially the Franks and Carters. :)

A Month to be Thankful: Day 15

Day 15: Thankful for Entrusted with a Child's Heart

every tuesday morning i go to "entrusted with a child's heart." my good friend, jen freckman invited me and i can't tell you how much of a blessing it has been to me as both a mom and wife. and while colton is still so small, i know sooner than later he will be old enough for a chore chart, constant discipline, and daily teaching. but for now, it is so good for my heart as i learn new things in my new role, a mom.

it is great to hear from other mom's in the same stage as me or with kids older to see what they have learned and tips to take from them. it has been such a great tool and i look forward to the rest of the year. so, so, so thankful for this study.

A Month to be Thankful: Day 14

Day 14: Thankful for Music

i don't know what i would do without music in my life. i have been all about music since i could get noise out of my mouth. for those who don't know me, well you don't me if you don't know my love for singing and playing piano. ;) and i am so thankful the Lord has given me these gifts and talents to use. and while i don't use them much, i love singing to colton and seeing his face light up, or playing piano by myself and going into my zone, or rocking out at the top of my lungs in my car. wherever and whenever, music truly brings a smile to my face. so today, i am thankful for a voice to use, fingers to play, and ears to hear the wonders of music. 

A Month to be Thankful: Day 13

Day 13: Thankful for Warm Fall Weather

okay. i am not a fan of extreme heat or extreme cold. let's just say i am not a fan of most chicago weather. ;) however, i am extremely thankful for days like today. sixty, sunny, and windy - the "warm" wind makes this november 13th beautiful. i am 60 degree fan, so today i am thankful for this beautiful warm sixty degree day. taking it all in before we hit the extreme cold for the next four months. oh vey.

A Month to be Thankful: Day 12

Day 12: Thankful for my B.O.B.

you are probably like, "what?" yes, my B.O.B. my fabulous, incredible, jogging stroller. as most of you know, one of my favorite things to do is run. so when i got pregnant i knew we had to get a jogging stroller and what better than a B.O.B.  i am so thankful i am able to get out with colton during the day and go on a nice and easy (well, kind of) run.

so today, as i go out for a run, i am super thankful that we are privileged enough to have such a nice stroller to help me continue to do the one of the things i absolutely love, running.

Guess who is THREE today?

one of my favorite little guys in the whole world: ethan. 

happy birthday, superman. you are so loved.

ps. baby colton loves you, too. ;)

A Month to be Thankful: Day 11

Day 11: Thankful for Veterans

today i am extremely thankful for those who have served our country, who are currently serving, and those whose lives were lost fighting to keep the freedom we oh so take for granted.

i think i am extremely thankful because they did or are doing something i don't think i could or can. so to those who are in the army, navy, marines, air force and so on, i thank each one of you. your dedication to serving our country is not going unnoticed. the danger you are putting your lives in so that my family and i can enjoy our "freedom" is very courageous. the days, months, years, you are serving spending time away from the ones you love to keep me safe from harms way fills me with much gratitude. and for the lives lost, you are always on my heart. to you serving today, who served yesterday, and those who served to their last day, i am thankful.