The Edingers

Growing like a Weed!

2011-12-05T10:46:00.003-06:00

Eli is now 5 months old. He is about 26 inches tall and 17.5 pounds. He looks a lot like Ted for the most part. At this point, it looks like he is going to have my dad's eyes. Right now he is jabbering away. He makes a lot more sounds than Margie did. He actually does a pretty good job mimicking sounds that we make. Like his Uncle Morris he is already trying to say a few words. A few weeks ago (at about 4 1/2 months) He woke up from a nap crying. When I walked up to his crib I said "Eli open your eyes I am right here". He opened his eyes, smiled, and said "mama." So sweet! While he had said mama a few times before I didn't really believe he knew what he was saying until then. Last week when Ted was changing him, he grabbed his arm and said "dada." So it looks like we are going to have a talker on our hands! Eli is rolling over some. But more than that he uses his feet to push his self where he wants to go. He is also trying to sit up but doesn't quite have the balance down to sit up on his own for very long. I think he is so long and so heavy that it is just hard for him not to fall over. He enjoys playing on his activity mat kicking the toys hanging about. He LOVES playing with Mr. Moose or his Eric Carle caterpillar. Eli also enjoys taping on the piano keys on one of his baby toys. He is still not sleeping through the night but if I am lucky he will sleep about 4 or 5 hours. In hopes to get him to sleep longer, we started giving him cereal about a week ago even though I had really intended to wait until he was about 6 months. Once he got the eating thing down he seems to really like it. However, it is not really helping to improve his sleep time right now. I am reading the book "No Cry Sleep Solutions" that a friend recommended. Hopefully by next month I can report a full night sleep for all!

Funny Faces from Our Pumpkin

2011-10-10T12:58:00.003-05:00

My Little Bear

2011-10-04T01:00:00.001-05:00

Eli looks so cute in his bear hoodie! There is something about bears..my first stuffed animal(that I remember) was a teddy bear my grandma got all her grandkids...the first book I memorized as a child was the Berenstain Bear's Spookie Old Tree...the first ornament I got Margaret was of a papa bear dancing with his baby bear. I guess part of the connection for me is that I was called Bear more than Ted growing up(and my mom still calls me Bear at times). Ted, Teddy, and Bear I answered to equally(and still do depending on the groups of people I am with). I feel blessed to have my own little bear....but I think He'll be Eli most of the time(though My Little ChubbaWabba is my fav. nickname for him at the moment! ha ha)

WOW...3 months and counting!

2011-10-01T21:45:00.010-05:00

It's been three months since Eli arrived. He is growing like a weed weighing in around 15 pounds and almost popping out of his 6 month clothes. While he still likes to sleep more than the average baby, he is becoming more alert. In recent weeks, he has decided it is fun to sit on our knees and look around. He also enjoys playing with his Eric Carl Caterpiller and Mr. Moose. He is smiling a lot these days. Sometimes he even laughs especially if you stick out your tongue at him. We have also discovered that he is quite ticklish. I am constantly amazed at how he puts up with Margie's touchiness and loudness toward him. He seems to really enjoy when she sings to him. Such precious moments. I hope that they grow up with a close bond. I am so grateful for the chance to stay home with these sweet babies. They bring such unbelievable joy to my heart!

Hangin' With Her Bro!

2011-09-20T10:41:00.004-05:00

Eli puts up with Margaret for the most part. He lets us know when he's had enough of his sister's "love". Margaret however...when she's had enough...pushes Eli off of her! Thank goodness we are always setting beside the two of them!! ha ha Don't they look so sweet together!!! I pray they will always be there for one another...and that Margaret will look out for her little brother until he is no longer the "little" brother(which could be any day now for our chubba wabba!!!)...and that he'll look out for her!

Our Funny Girl

2011-09-20T09:58:00.004-05:00

We are not a family that plops our child in front of the TV as a baby sitter. We let her watch PBS in the morning, but other than that...we try to not have her setting in front of the TV. However, as a family we watch Wipe Out. MARGARET LOVES IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I have said on Facebook, our little girl has a wicked sense of humor!!

I think someone just tried to run across the Big Balls, and didn't make it!

She loves a good fall!!!!

I just wanted to put this random picture up to say....SHE GETS THIS FROM SHANA'S SIDE!!!!

The Edingers have never been able to get their foot up that far off the ground!!! :) Ha Ha Ha

Smiley Boy!

2011-09-14T11:08:00.007-05:00

Eli has such a sweet smile! Though at times...he looks like Joey from Friends, "How you doin'?" We might need to watch that as he gets older!!! ha ha

BIG GIRL BED

2011-09-09T11:30:00.007-05:00

Daddy & Aunt Janet put it together!

Mommy makes it pretty!

Picture Perfect!

Margaret seems extremely excited about her big girl bed!!!
(She thought it was cool at this point!)

So sweet! If mommy only knew what was to come...she might not be smiling!!! ha ha

So it was time to get Margaret into a big girl bed. She's 2 1/2 and pretty long...the crib was just looking tight as of late. Not that Margaret seemed to mind. She had never tried to get out of her crib...instead just screaming at the top of her lungs till someone came and got her out. Still though, we thought it was time. We repainted an old bed of Shana's so it would be a nice bright white like the other furnature in her room. Shana had been looking(hunting) for bedding for awhile, and found some great stuff at a great price that works really well in Margaret's room. Then we bought a new mattress(which was placed upside down..so the bed was extra hard for a couple nights! ha ha). Then Aunt Janet came over and helped me(daddy) put it together. The last time I put it together myself in our old house....I think I deleted all those pictures!! ha ha Much easier with a friend(Aunt Janet helps us put lots of stuff together!!). Now..all we needed was a little girl to jump in & drift off to sleep. Still looking for that little girl. The first night there was a thunder storm. Margaret is not a fan of loud noises. So I ended up sleeping on the floor beside her bed holding her hand. The next night we began the "Super Nanny" way of training a child to stay in their bed. Pretty much...you do your normal "thang", but when the child gets out of the bed...you lovingly put them back reminding them it is bed time & that they must stay in bed.....THE FIRST TIME! The next million times they get out of bed...you pick them up and put them back without saying a word. That went on for about an hour and a half the first night. The next night it was an hour(would have been less, but at one point Margaret walked into the bed post and fell down...so I needed to hold her for a bit and calm her down). The third night it took around a half hour, but she was staying longer stretches before getting out of bed to find me. Hopefully she will continue to get use to her bed...and it will soon be a place she loves to be.

2 Months Old!!!

2011-09-07T13:25:00.002-05:00

Our sweet boy is 2 months old & growing like a weed!

At his check up he weighed in at 13 lbs & measured 23 inches long! When he

was born he weighed 9.7 but dropped to 8.6(maybe less) that first week.

We also think he may already be teething!!! OH MY! NOT YET!!

We are getting more and more smiles...and he is very responsive to

voices he knows! Of coarse mamma is his fav....but I'm ok with that(for now! ha ha).

Play Time With Sister!

2011-09-04T13:19:00.000-05:00

To say Margaret loves her little brother would be an understatement! Though sometimes a 2 yr old's love looks a lot like tackle football!! It is a joy to see her wanting to spend time with Eli(play time...cuddle time)...trying to take care of Eli(getting his paci..blanket..etc)....and talking about Eli! I hope & pray that they will remain close....and will always be there for one another! I know there will be rough spots along the way....but it seems there is an amazing foundation of love already set!

STRETCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-03T13:14:00.000-05:00

Love seeing him stretch!

More Love

2011-09-02T13:10:00.000-05:00

Our Little Foodie

2011-09-01T13:01:00.000-05:00

Margaret loves to be in the midst of anything in the kitchen! Usually in hopes of finding something to eat! Into the pantry she goes & comes out with her apron and chef hat on! I still need to get a picture of that!

LOVE!

2011-07-03T16:10:00.002-05:00

Margaret loves her little brother! We had concerns about the transition...and though it has only been a few days....so far so good! She always want to help(making sure he has his luvie and paci), loves to hold him on her lap, and always wants to know where he is & what he is doing!! This picture is nothin' but love!!!!!!!

ELI EDWARD EDINGER

2011-07-01T08:52:00.001-05:00

OUR BIG BOY IS HERE!!

9 LBS 7 OZ 21 3/4 INCHES LONG

Kisses for Eli

2011-06-14T08:09:00.002-05:00

Margaret loves to give her little brother hugs & kisses(well..at least mommy's belly). Eli likes to kick the fire out of Margaret(when she's laying on Shana's belly..Eli starts kickin'!!). It sure will be interesting when he's on the outside. That won't be a long wait either!!!! The doctor said he could come any day, but if he doesn't come before....she'll enduce on June 30th. His due date is actually July 8th, but...like Margaret...he's big. A month before his due date...he was measuring at 6 lbs 7 oz(that's a normal size birth weight for a lot of people) That was pretty much on track with Margaret(she was 6 lbs 11 oz at that point...and was 8lbs 6 oz at birth two weeks early).

Beautiful Girl

2011-06-04T15:14:00.004-05:00

Our dear friend Terra took some amazing pictures of Margie(even though she is a wiggle worm and did not really want her pictures taken). If you are in the Nashville Metro area, you should give Terra a call for your photography needs!

http://www.takenbyterra.com/

Part Kitty

2011-04-27T22:06:00.002-05:00

I have a feeling Margaret is part kitty. She loves being in baskets & boxes!! She'll dump all her toys out so she can climb into the basket!! Sometimes she'll dance in the basket. Sometimes she just sits in the basket. Other times she likes to look at her books in the basket. If she ever takes a nap in it...then I know for sure she's part kitty!!

Playing at Dragon Park

2011-04-26T20:18:00.006-05:00

We are really enjoying time at the parks in the Nashville area. Dragon Park(don't think it is the real name of the park...it's near Vandy & 21st) is an amazing place! As you can tell....Margaret LOVED IT!

Margaret's BFF

2011-04-24T18:40:00.004-05:00

It amazes me how a child's personality comes out so early! Margaret use to yell across the parking lot at strangers & get upset when they wouldn't talk back to her. She loves to snuggle, hug, talk, and be with people. That's right...she is a people person(wonder where she gets that?). It should be no surprise that she already has a best friend. Sophia is about 4 months younger than Margaret, and is the daughter of our close friends from church. Margaret loves Sophia. She greets her with a hug and gives her a kiss goodbye. Now..as with all 2 yr olds..they have their issues(sharing is not always easy for them), but it is such a beautiful thing to see a pure friendship like theirs. We look forward to seeing their friendship grow over the years!

The other day Margaret fell asleep on the way home from Target. Shana noticed Margaret look like she was sleeping, but she was smiling and laughing. At first she thought she was trying to play a trick, but realized she really was sleeping. All of the suddent Margaret burst out laughing and yells Cia(what she calls Sophia). I don't know what they were doing in her dream, but I'm glad they were having fun!

EGG HUNT 2011

2011-04-23T22:51:00.004-05:00

Today was the Egg Hunt at our church. What a great event! Margaret had so much fun with all of her friends. How blessed are we to be at a place that loves children so much!

Creating!

2011-03-12T23:13:00.004-06:00

I really don't care if Margaret becomes a great artist or even has a passion for art when she is older(though I do hope she always appreciates it). I truly believe that we all need to find that "thing" that God has designed us to do.....and do it with all that we are. I want that for her. The joy of knowing you are doing what you are meant to do!!! Knowing that what you do makes a difference.
Whatever God has designed her for...that is what I want for her. However, right now...I love my time with Margaret creating!!! Not so much for the finished work, but the process of getting there. My heart is full of joy spending such sweet time with my baby girl. "God...whatever you have for her..I will encourage her in that, but thank you Lord...thank you Lord for this precious time with my precious girl....Amen"

Margaret Turns 2!

2011-03-09T22:12:00.000-06:00

Margaret loves food! She loves eating it, smelling it, playing with it, making it...EVERYTHING! So her birthday party this year was food themed! The kids each got a chef hat & apron, and made their own mini pizzas, made mini fruit kabobs, and decorated their own cupcakes. It was organized chaos......and so much fun! Most of her birthday presents were food themed too!

Big Sister!

2010-12-31T15:28:00.006-06:00

Margie is going to be a big sister on or before July 8th!

We are very excited to expand our family! Baby E at 12 weeks! Heart Beat 167 and 2 inches long.

We will find out if baby E is a boy or a girl on February 7th!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T15:26:00.011-06:00

Thank you to Terra Wagnor for taking these beautiful photos!

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-12T14:06:00.003-05:00

Sick Day = Daddy Daughter Fun Day!

2010-10-11T14:36:00.003-05:00

Margaret had been dealing with a fever for a few days. We think it was connected to her MMR shots, but who knows for sure?!? So, mamma took Wed., grandma had her Thurs., and I took off work on Friday. Lucky for me...by Friday her fever was gone, and she was back to her old self for the most part. We had so much fun together!! I am not one to enjoy missing school, but I had a great day with my baby girl...and it was totally worth it!!!

WE ARE TERRIBLE BLOGGERS!!!

2010-09-21T14:53:00.003-05:00

Friends...if you are still there, if you haven't given up hope of us every blogging again, if you still believe we do exsist(check facebook..we are alive and well)...THANK YOU!!! Blogging has just kind of fallen to the way side. There was the end of school, the move, and then the start of school....and the fact that we still do not have internet other than what we're stealing from neighbors. So I thought I'd just drop by and let you know we hope to do better in the near future!!! So much has happened since our last post. I have graduated with my masters, Margaret is talking up a storm, we moved into our new house & LOVE IT!!!, and the list goes on and on! Hopefully we'll fill in the blanks. We have a million pictures to share as well! Blog at ya soon....TedE

Kitty Cat

2010-03-19T21:17:00.005-05:00

Margie loves Lele, my mom's cat. When she was in the womb, Lele would lay on my belly and purr which was a little weird because normally Lele doesn't pay me much attention. After Margie was born, She would watch Lele with great curiosity just as Lele would watch her. Over the last few months, Lele has become more and more fond of Margie. In the mornings, they greet each other with their own little language. We have tried to teach Margie how to gently touch the kitty. We have even tried to teach her to say "cat" but Margie decided to call her bob. She has been calling the cat as well as her stuffed kitty bob for a few weeks. Tonight I was telling my mom about our visit to the zoo. Margie called the Meerkat "cat" then she started calling it "Bob". As we were laughing at Margie's silliness, the cat walked by her. With great excitement she said "kitty cat, kitty cat." Then proceeded to chase the cat around yelling "kitty cat!" LOL So I guess we have a new word!

Welcome Spring!

2010-03-19T21:01:00.005-05:00

The weather was absolutely beautiful today. We decided to embrace spring by venturing outdoors. Margie and I went with Marissa and Sophia to the Zoo. This was the girls first trip to the zoo. They enjoyed cruising in the sun as well as seeing a couple of animals. The first animals we saw were the giraffes. Margie thought they were a little strange at first but quickly moved past her wonderment to sheer excitement. Shortly after, we ventured over to the Meerkats who were also quite active today. Margie seemed to really enjoy watching them run around. When she pointed to the animals she said "cat" which is ironic because she calls our cat "Bob." We have no idea where she learned the word Bob seeing as we don't know anyone named Bob and we don't let Margie watch TV. Anyway, Margie loved the Meerkats. I am pretty sure if she would have gotten her hands on them we would have a new pet. We really enjoyed our day in the sun with Marissa and Sophia.

Biggest Loser Stuff

2010-03-14T07:46:00.002-05:00

Let me start with.....I did not get on the Biggest Loser(YET...I think I'm gonna send a video). However, I had a blast yesterday! I met some amazing people!!! I heard some amazing stores!! I HAD FUN! The actual audition portion was short. 15 of us sat down at tables with the casting person. We introduced our selves first..then he threw out a question for us to jump in on. I felt I did very well....and was told by several of the guys as we were exiting the room that I was a natural & did a wonderful job. So, I did my part & put myself out there. As I started with...I do think I'll try to make a video. They told us to do so..warning they may not see that we have "it" during the audition..because the nature of the audition. Worth a try. I do love a camera!!! :)

The Biggest Loser

2010-03-11T11:56:00.002-06:00

This Sat. (March 13th) I will be auditioning for The Biggest Loser. This has been one of my favorite shows for many years, but I have never had a desire to be on it. Mostly because they make you take your shirt off & get on a scale...two of my least favorite things! However, Metro Nashville teachers recently received an e-mail saying that the Biggest Loser casting company were looking for teachers to audition for the next season of The Biggest Loser. If we wished to audition we could e-mail them & they would send us a FAST PASS to bi pass the line at the auditions. This is a wonderful gift, because I heard in an interview that a former contestant on the show waited 10 hrs in line for her audition. After talking it over with Shana, I decided that I'd give it a go. I have my FAST PASS now & auditions are just a couple days a way. I've spent the past week researching everything I could on The Biggest Loser, Casting Calls, and the past contestants from the show. I've learned a TON that I feel will help me when I go in for my audition. There is very little time to impress the casting agents, but I'll do my best to show them who I am. My friends have been so encouraging...they feel that my larger than life personality would make great TV. We shall see?!?!!? I will keep ya posted.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARGARET

2010-03-09T19:59:00.002-06:00

A year ago Margaret Danielle Edinger came into the world & changed it forever! She is a joy to us & all who meet her!! What an amazing year this has been & we are so blessed to celebrate this special day!!

FINALLY...A TOOTH!!!!!!

2010-02-18T13:40:00.002-06:00

It seems that Margaret has been teething since she was around 5 months old. Yesterday (Feb.17th) we finally had one of those little buggers break through!! We think the others won't be far behind (though...we also thought she was going to have a some teeth about 6 months ago?!?). I still haven't actually seen the tooth. Margaret is not a fan of anyone coming toward her gums!! I discovered the tooth when she bit down on my finger and I felt the edge of it. Aunt Janet wrestled her down and looked inside her mouth to see the tooth, but after that Margaret was on the defensive of anyone coming toward her mouth. Hopefully, we'll be able to snap a picture of the tooth in the near future.

Margaret + Chair = Standing up(with assistance)

2010-02-02T21:14:00.003-06:00

This singing, blinking, colorful chair has been such a wonderful "toy" for Margaret! She loves to play with the little book that is attached to it, find the hidden snacks under the "pages", and to stand up from it(grabbing hold of something as she gets up). She will set down & stand up over and over again! I think she's building up those leg muscles and finding her footing...getting ready to run(I think she's going to skip walking!).

Snow Day!

2010-01-07T21:58:00.004-06:00

Margie's first offical snow day! It snowed about an inch byt he end of the day. We enjoyed playing...meaning mostly eating the snow for a few minutes this afternoon. The rest of the day we spent in our PJs watching the snow from our nice warm house.

FUNNY PICTURE

2009-12-31T23:31:00.001-06:00

I just loved this picture of Margaret..such a funny expression!

...Trying New Things...

2009-12-31T22:57:00.002-06:00

Margaret is movin' on in her adventures with food! The first picture is

of her enjoying some pineapple via the "teething feeder". Oh my gosh!

She loves that thing. That poor pineapple didn't have a chance!!!!!! The

other pictures are of Margaret eating avocado. Finger foods are such a

funny thing. Babies aren't use to feeding themselves...then we give them

the most slippery food known to man(or baby). That baby can eat!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-22T17:10:00.002-06:00

CHRISTMAS TIME WITH MARGARET!

2009-12-13T15:38:00.005-06:00

...OUR NEW HOME...

2009-12-13T15:09:00.004-06:00

WHAT??? Can't you see it?? Squint real hard!! I mean..close your eyes and picture a house there...cause that's the only way you're going to see anything!!! ha ha This is where our house is going to be built. We'll be on Pemberton Dr. They're actually suppose to start working on the house part in January...right now they're just preppin' the land and such. We're so excited! We'll start taking pictures weekly once they building begins. Can't wait to share with you!!!!!!

Sweet Sleep

2009-12-10T19:06:00.001-06:00

...our smart girl...

2009-11-28T06:17:00.005-06:00

Margaret hasn't had the big physical milestones that some of our friend's babies have had: her crawling still needs work & still no teeth after months of teething. However, see seems to be a smart cookie!! She's been saying hi, bye bye, mamma, and dada for a few months, but now she is connecting them. Shana walked into the room the other day and Margaret looked up and said, "Hi Mamma". I was changing her diaper the other morning after just waking her up and she looked at me and said, "Hi dada". She says bye to her pacie when she drops it, bye to her food when dinner is over, and hi to the milk in the morning. Last night she said ball when grandma was playing with her & a ball. I'm amazed every time she speaks! I know parents say "Just wait...you'll wish she couldn't talk soon enough!!"....but for now...I'm loving my chatty baby...she makes me smile!!

PACKING..BOXES..PACKING..BOXES..PACKING

2009-11-24T20:16:00.005-06:00

For those of you asking for an update...sorry...but we have been busy as of late! All the necessary things that needed to happen have happened! We will be closing on our house Nov. 30th....the Monday after Thanksgiving. This is a major weight off our shoulders. However, we never found "our" dream house. We had an idea of what we wanted: ranch, single story, all brick, 1800 sq feet or more, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, and in the 150's. We just couldn't find it though. Instead, we'll be moving into Shana's parents' house......while our new home is being built. Our new house will not be a single story, will not be all brick, does not have 3 bedrooms, does not have 2 bath. It IS going to be a brick/stone front(3 sides siding), 2 story, 2 car garage, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, almost 2400 sq ft, study(which will be my art studio), formal dining room, and a master closet that is bigger than our bedroom in our current house!!!!! Oh...and it is still in the 150's!!! God's dream house seems a bit more dreamy then ours after all!!! ha ha Crazy, eh!?!?!!? Now we'll be at Hotel Lankford until May....but it will be worth the wait. Shana is very excited because one of her life long bff's, Emily, lives in the same neighborhood!!!

Anyways..that is the update! Pray for us as we pack & prepare to move!!! Thanks!!

...while we've not been blogging...

2009-11-17T13:27:00.003-06:00

Life is just busy/crazy right now. Our house is suppose to close on Nov. 30th (we're waiting for one more thing to come back before we can rest easy). We were going to move in with Shana's parents & build a house. Yesterday we found a house for auction that we really like (went and saw it last night...great place..except for the shag carpet!). So tomorrow I'm going to bid on this house..and hopefully..prayerfully get it!! If not...we will move in with Shana's parents and start the building process. It has been a struggle. Most of this is totally not in our control....and that's hard...cause I'm a control freak(Ted). Resting in God having the best for us is not my strong suit. I'm a total Martha!!!

Anyways...PRAY! We need it!!! :)

Eight Months Old Already!

2009-11-09T21:50:00.006-06:00

The last eight months have flown by! I think back to those first few weeks of just staring at this beautiful baby girl who slept all the time. Now, she is bigger (15.2 pounds) and longer (27 inches) and sooooo much more active. Margie is very curious...she always wants to see what is going on, what does it feel like, what does sound does this make, what does it taste like is our favorite form of exploration. Little Miss Chatterbox has learned to say "mama," "hi," and "bye." But she is trying awfully hard to get other words out. No surprise that she is talking so early. While she doesn't seem to be any where near crawling, she can get where she wants to go. Margie stretches, turns, and rolls wherever she wants to go. We are also sleeping through the night much more successfully than before. Margie still doesn't like sleeping by herself but she is doing it. Around 5 am she wakes up fussing until I come get her but that's OK with me. I get to sleep the majority of the night without sharing my space but still get those sweet early morning cuddles. While some people would think that's a little crazy, a wise woman once told me that my baby wouldn't be a baby forever so I better enjoy every moment....and I am!

Oh and did I mention how much she LOVES leaves!

NO DADDY....MY SOCKS!!!!

2009-11-06T23:13:00.003-06:00

We thought Margaret didn't like her socks. We just didn't realize how

she liked her socks!! IN HER MOUTH!!!! She doesn't want to share.

Margaret Meets Dr. P at BGSU

2009-10-20T23:25:00.000-05:00

Mommy & Margaret looking at some of the student projects in the halls of the Art Building.
Dr. P getting to spend some quality time with Margaret.

Dr. P is a good friend, and one of my fav. profs from my undergrad.

Loving Fall

2009-10-19T22:06:00.001-05:00

We're truly enjoying our time up north over fall break!!

Fall Break with the Ellis Family

2009-10-18T23:35:00.001-05:00

We were blessed to spend a nice chunk of our break with the Ellis Family in PA. These

pictures were taken when we went to the pumpkin patch & hay ride. WHAT FUN!!!!

Jefferson has been one of my best friends since we were teenagers. He recently became

the pastor of Hanover Presbyterian in Clinton, PA(not far from Pittsburgh), and we were

able to make it up there in time for Sunday service(and I got to sing on their praise team

that day!!). Check out his sermons on line at http://hanoverchurch.net/ . It was great

to spend time with him, Lisa, and the kids!

They are much more than friends...they are family!

FOR THE LOVE OF APPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-18T22:49:00.002-05:00

While we were up north, we went on a hayride with the Ellis family. At one point, they allowed us to get out and pick an apple. I was enjoying my apple...and Shana wanted a bite of it. So when I handed the apple to Shana....we realized Margaret was eyeing it. So Shana allowed her to give the apple a lick. OH MY GOSH! I don't know if she just loved the juice, or the cold rough surface felt good on her gums(still no teeth?!?!)....but she went to town on that apple. We laughed so hard! She actually cried every time we tried to take the apple away from her.

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-10-15T06:57:00.002-05:00

Margie "helped" me pack for our roadtrip! She is such a sweet girl!

Margie's First Words

2009-10-11T20:57:00.005-05:00

Most babies don't talk until they are much older, but Margie seems to be advanced. Ok, so look at her parents... is it really a suprise that she is already babbling her first words. A month ago we noticed that she was saying "mamamama" every time she wanted me to come pick her up. It has been so sweet to come home to her "mamamama" every day, and watch her face light up with joy when I respond. "Mama" is a typical first word, but what came next I was not expecting. Sunday, I was in the nursery feeding Margie. One of the other mama's walked over to greet us. Margie said "hi" to her. I thought oh how cute she is mimicing her. A little while later, Ted was changing her before we left church. The changing table is by a window, and Margie was looking outside watching the birds. Someone walked by the window, Margie said "bye bye." Looks like our sweet girl is going to be one friendly baby!

Gentry's Farm

2009-10-10T21:23:00.009-05:00

We celebrated fall by taking a trip to the pumpkin patch with the Krodels. Gentry's Farm has a pumpkin patch, corn maze, farm animals, nature walk, and a hayride around the farm. Margie loved her first experience in the pumpkin patch. She explored every pumpkin with in reach! She also got to meet Mr. Gentry who she was quite smitten with. We had a wonderful time!

HAPPY 7 MONTH MARGARET!!!

2009-10-09T10:39:00.009-05:00

There you were a year ago...still an inny baby....waving to us! We knew you were going to be a people person even then!!!

Then the day you were born..we saw a smile..and we smiled..and have not stopped smiling!

You are a joy to us & to so many others! Your life matters so much, and we are glad you are here!!

Happy Eric Carle Day!

2009-10-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

I love books! Margie loves books too! So we celebrated Eric Carle day by wearing Hungry Caterpilar PJ's and eating a new book...I mean reading a new book!

Sock it to you!

2009-10-08T08:42:00.003-05:00

So I went to get Margaret out of the van, and noticed she had one sock on..and one sock off. I didn't see it around her feet, and when I pulled the carrier out ....did not see it on the seat? I look down at Margaret to ask her where she put it....and there it was by her head?!?!?!!?

Yoga Baby!

2009-10-07T21:55:00.000-05:00

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick Fil A

2009-10-06T17:05:00.002-05:00

Flashforward 15 yrs!!!!!

2009-10-03T14:11:00.002-05:00

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

House Stuff

2009-09-22T10:56:00.003-05:00

So, our house has now been on the market for almost two months. In the beginning we had a lot of people coming to see the house, but for the past two weeks...NOTHING!!! We have an open house coming up this Sunday, and we've decided to go ahead and reduce the price to try to speed up the process. Though our side of the neighborhood has been selling more so than the other side...until someone buys it..that means nothing!! We have a possible opportunity to get a home the neighborhood Shana grew up in Lebanon, TN. This was not in our original plans, but as we have been thinking & praying about it...this may be a good choice for our family & it's future(mainly...schools for Margaret and any future Baby E). Plus we would just be a few blocks from her brother's house & her parent's house. It is removed from anything I know...because I've always lived in the Hermitage/Old Hickory area since coming to TN. However, I can pretty much adapt to anything if given enough time to prepare mentally!! ha ha The hardest part will be the drive to work, but when I compair it to where I grew up....half hour to any store...an hour & a half to any mall.....it really isn't too bad. Please be praying......we need to sell our house & the other house is not a done deal. Hopefully though...this move will be the last before heading to the nursing home!! ha ha ha

Duck, Duck, Good Times!

2009-09-12T21:30:00.011-05:00

Margie has grown so much the last few weeks in what she can do. She can sit up pretty well. She interacts a lot more. And she is becoming more and more mobile every day. With all of these changes going on we decided that it was time for Margie to move to the big girl tub. And by big girl tub I mean a giant duck. She had so much fun in her new baby tub! There were many many smiles, giggles, and splashes. We loved watching her excitement!

Words Don't Always Explain Your Family

2009-09-12T21:12:00.009-05:00

Before having my own baby, I kept the Krodels. For the last ten almost eleven years I have been part of their family enjoying all the ups and downs of life. Now with my own little one it is very important to me to make them a part of Margie's life the way they made me a part of theirs. We keep trying to come up with the words to describe our relationships but I don't think those words really exist. Eliza today kept saying cousins in quotation marks. She is so funny like that. All I can say is I love them as if they were my own. They love us the same way. We really enjoyed spending the day with them.

HAPPY 6 MONTH BIRTHDAY MARGARET!!!!!!!

2009-09-09T21:30:00.002-05:00

Our sweet little Margaret is 6 months old! Amazing that half a year has gone by since I first laid eyes on my baby girl!!!! How she has grown & changed....how we have grown & changed!! She is a blessing to us & we thank the Lord each day for this joy He has brought into our life!!

Ear Infection...NOT GOOD...Meds to fix..YUMMY!!!!

2009-09-07T21:13:00.004-05:00

Margaret has had her first ear infection this week. She loves her medication. It is like a sweet treat....she gets so excited when she sees it...she starts going yumm...yumm..mmm..mmm!!!!

All Better Now!

Margaret & her BFF, Sophia

2009-09-04T21:00:00.000-05:00

Time To Wash The Baby

2009-08-30T18:08:00.002-05:00

...More Adventures In Eating...

2009-08-16T21:43:00.002-05:00

This is how we know we're done!!!!!! ha ha ha Actually, this is not a usual thing....but even sweet Margie has her moments!

This is how we know we are feeding her something she likes!!! Actually..I think she's chewing on the plastic still tryin' to work that first tooth through....any day now!!!

The Edingers

2009-08-15T21:39:00.002-05:00

This is a family picture of the Edingers back in 1970. I believe it was after my grandma's funeral(this was 4 yrs before I was born!). There were 9 children, but a sister had passed away as a child. My dad was the baby of the family, and is the one in the bottom right hand corner in the black shirt. I remember looking at this picture as a child, and am very thankful my Aunt Barb sent it to me online(she's the one on the top right). There are only 4 of them left now. I miss my dad very much, and hope to get some more pictures of him to put online. The other day my mom was looking at a picture of Margaret and I...and remarked how much I look like him when he was my age.

..Arting it up with Margaret..

2009-08-09T22:23:00.004-05:00

Margaret wasn't makin' art, but was hanging out with me as I was working on some ideas for my fall studio class for grad school. I was amazed at how closely she was watching the brush & colors as I was painting.

Had to take a moment to love on my babygirl!!! She's so sweet & such a blessing in our life!

Margaret & the Greenbeans

2009-08-09T22:00:00.003-05:00

Tonight Margaret tried greenbeans for the first time! She loved applesauce & sweet potatoes...and we had high hopes for greenbeans!

However, she did not enjoy greenbeans at first...and the faces she made each time she took a spoonful were hysterical! It was hard for me to get a picture because she kept putting her face into her bib so Shana couldn't put anymore in her mouth!!

Finally though.....the taste must have grown on her. Well...at least we now know she looks good in green!

Tummy Time and Random Thoughts of Being a Dad

2009-08-08T20:52:00.006-05:00

Today Margaret and I were hanging out doing some tummy time. It's going to be a real adventure once she starts crawling. Though we wonder if she's actually going to crawl. We're expecting her to just jump up and start running. She has amazingly strong legs, and loves to "stand up" and look around. She's become very steady. Amazing how fast she is growing, but I'm really enjoying seeing the process!!! I love when she starts doing "new" things. I love that she's stickin' her tongue out at us now after months of us doing that to her! I love the little sounds(and some not so little) that come out of her...anything better than a squeal of delight from your baby?!?? I love that her hair is coming in and getting longer....and it's fuzzy like a baby chick. I just love my baby!!

A LACK OF BLOGGING!!

2009-08-04T17:34:00.001-05:00

This is why we've not been blogging much as of late. We've been working on getting our house ready to put on the market. As of yesterday it went on the market...we have two showings tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We really need to find a new house...NOW!!

Mother Daughter Moments

2009-07-28T22:20:00.004-05:00

As a little girl I remember spending many days in the kitchen cooking with mom and my grandmas. Well it is never too early to start passing on traditions. Margie and I made our first batch of brownies together...I am sure it will be the first of many!

A Future Foodie

2009-07-25T23:40:00.000-05:00

Margie's first taste of Apples! She can't seem to get enough of it now!

...Daddy Night...

2009-07-23T21:33:00.005-05:00

Thurs. nights Margaret is stuck with daddy(sometimes Aunt Janet comes over for a little while to get her Margaret fix). Mommy goes to the girls Bible study, and gets a much needed break!!!

Tonight, Margaret & I played some, talked a bit(I'm fluent in Margaretese!!), she enjoyed some time in her swing beside me as I worked on homework....and then she feel asleep! That swing is FABULOUS! I had to get her up though to give her her bath, and get her ready for bed. She was not a happy baby, but for good reason...the nap put her past her feeding time!!! She would scream at me and then smack her lips at me! I just said..."I know..I know..daddy's mistake!! Feed the baby on time...I GET IT!!" ha ha As I was feeding her I needed to reposition her in my arms, and when I pulled the bottle away from her ...she grunted..grabbed the bottle...and shoved it back in her mouth!!!! Don't mess with hungry baby!!!!!!!!!!!! She finished her bottle, I sang to her a bit, and then placed her in the crib...she was asleep within five minutes!!! AMAZING! The crib thing is getting better. I like my Daddy Night...hard to get much done, but really...is there anything better?? Spend time with your little one makes everything else kind of fade away.

New Adventures in Parenting

2009-07-15T22:16:00.007-05:00

Margie had her four month check up this week. She measured 13 pounds which puts her in the 45% for weight in contrast to 26 1/2 inches long which put her in the 97% for height. She is a long lean drooling machine who happens to be in excellent health.

At her appointment, we got a little advice on sleep habits. Margie has been sleeping in my arms since she was three weeks old. It was nice because we all got sleep. However, she is getting way too big to hold all night with out arm craps. So we tried the "Crying out" method and few weeks ago. It totally didn't work for her. She just cried herself horse. This week we tried the "crying it out with comfort" method which has been working much better. The first night she cried on and off for two hours, the next night for one hour, and last night she didn't cry at all! Praise the Lord this mama loves her little one but desperately wanted her bed back!

In addition to sleep training, we got the go ahead to start feeding her cereal. Well as we do in the Edinger house hold...we pulled out the camera and and camcorder to catch the whole event on film!

Before I could even get the bib on Margie stuck her hand in the cereal.

When I went to put it in her mouth she grabbed the spoon and stuck it in herself.

Look mom all gone!

But of course we had to end our meal by eating the bib!

Udderly Adorable!

2009-07-11T12:08:00.007-05:00

Friday was Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-a. So the Edingers (meaning Ted) got creative by making our own cow costumes. Margie made the cutest calf ever! We had way too much fun celebrating cow appreciation day!

The Best of Times

2009-07-09T22:06:00.001-05:00

Margie is four months old today. It is hard to believe. The time has flown by so fast. The other day someone was talking about the old days before marriage when we were younger and freer. They asked what I missed about single hood. And I said nothing...I had a great childhood, I loved my college days, I enjoyed most of single hood, but nothing compares to cuddling up with my husband and our precious baby. We have grown so much over the last few months...We have grown closer to God, closer as husband and wife, and closer as a family. These are the best of times and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I only wish I could slow down the clock and enjoy every second a little bit long because I know in a blink of an eye our precious baby will be a little girl.

Play Date with the Subletts

2009-07-08T12:02:00.005-05:00

Wednesday, we headed to Murfreesboro to have lunch with Rebecca, Natille, and Nathan. Rebecca and I were roomates in College. Her daughter Natille is 21 months old. Nathan and Margie are only a month apart. While we were pregnant we had fun taking belly shots of Nathan and Margie. Well we had just as much fun taking pictures of them on the out side.

Aunt Laurie's Visit

2009-07-07T11:41:00.000-05:00

Aunt Laurie came to visit for the first time since Margie was born. Needless to say she found a whole different baby. Before Margie slept through the whole visit. Now she is much more interactive. Laurie has a pony so she brought Margie a plush pony so she could have one too. Margie thought it made a nice chew toy!

Play time with Grand Daddy

2009-07-06T11:54:00.001-05:00

Happy Fourth!

2009-07-04T23:22:00.004-05:00

We celebrated the fourth with some good old fashion family time! During the day we relaxed at home. Then that evening we spent time sharing good food and good laughs with some friends at church. Margie also got to meet one of her newest playmates, Sophia. The dads, Ted and Cameron, had way too much fun taking pictures of their girls.

Margaret & the Monkey

2009-07-04T17:44:00.004-05:00

Ok, I wanted to try to upload a video to our blog! I got a FLIP video recorder for Father's Day(thank you love!!)...and am still getting the hang of it! This is Margaret goin' after that monkey that is part of her play mat. Finally her hand/eye coordination is at a point where the monkey better find a new place to hang!!

Who's that Baby in the Mirror?

2009-06-28T21:57:00.001-05:00

Nap Time

2009-06-26T15:50:00.004-05:00

Nap Time

A little song written to the Tune of Someday...

Nap time, Nap time, Nap time, Nap time

Peace and Joy and Happiness,
No more sorrow it's Nap Time

Gotta be ready to close your eyes,
gotta be ready to close your eyes,
gotta be ready to close your eyes,
Its nap time!

Nap time, Nap time, Nap time, Nap time

When Mommy is Away (in the Shower)...

2009-06-24T15:24:00.003-05:00

I like to play with my friend the butterfly as I listen to Baby Praise. It gives me time to practice my new tricks like throwing the butterfly then kicking him back to my hand...Weee! I also like chewing on his soft wings and licking the rings. Sometimes I even put him on my head which makes mommy laugh. When mommy gets out of the shower, I like to hide behind the butterfly then peak out while mommy says peakaboo!

Beatin the Heat!

2009-06-22T14:59:00.004-05:00

Sunday, we took Margie to the pool for her first swim. OK so we didn't do much swimming but we did splash around the pool to cool off. Margie really enjoyed her first pool experience so much so that she was not too keen on the idea of getting out. Of course, she did what babies do best and passed out after such an exciting afternoon!

Father's Day

2009-06-21T20:43:00.001-05:00

Today was my first Father's Day as a member. I love being a dad! It isn't always easy, but I wouldn't trade it for all the world. She makes me laugh, smile, think, pray, love, and trust God more than I thought was possible. I want her to see Christ in me & know God's love by how I love her & her mother! I never want her to question her worth or how much she is loved. I want to be Super Dad! Lord knows I'm not perfect & I'll fall short, but that is what brings me to my knees....seeking the hand of the Father to guide me.

Margaret and my wife blessed me with amazing gifts today...letting me know I was loved. First I opened Margaret's gift. She got me a wonderful brag book from Shutterfly so I can show her off to everyone that crosses my path! She also got some turtle shirts for when she's older because she knows how much daddy loves to see her in them! Shana got me the FLIP. It is a small, easy to use video recording device that has a flip out USB port to plug directly in the computer. I LOVE IT! More ways to show off my baby girl! COMING SOON!

Shrek Impersonation

2009-06-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

Meeting Mrs Judy

2009-06-15T12:20:00.000-05:00

Today, my mom and I took Margie to meet Mrs Judy. Mrs Judy was my nanny when I was a baby until I went to school. Looking back I have so many fond memories with the Grishams. I remember playing with Amy's dolls, watching He man with Jeffrey, and playing in the back yard when they came home from school. I also remember eating yummy biscuits and molasses for breakfast. Most of all I remember the sweet sound of Mrs Judy's voice and her hugs. She always knew how to comfort me when I missed my mommy. She could magically turn my tears into smiles. I love their family as if they were part of mine. It meant so much to get to share the joy of being a mom with them. They made such a lasting impression in my life. I know I would not be the person I am today without their influence. Thank you for always loving me.

The Kitty

2009-06-14T23:48:00.000-05:00

Eat the Kitty, Eat the hand.

Love the Kitty,

The hand taste better!

To Grand Nani's House We Go

2009-06-10T14:24:00.002-05:00

Daddy had to go to Ohio for a few days to visit his sick Aunt. So Margie and I headed to Grand pa and Grand Nani's house. We had fun just chillin! Grand Nani spoiled us with yummy food (for mommy) and funny farm animal noises (for me)! Grandpa made silly faces! We had a great time. Thanks Grandpa and Grand Nani for letting us stay for a few days. We love you!

Three Months

2009-06-09T14:29:00.001-05:00

Margie turned three months old today. She is such a sweet baby. Every day she smiles more and more. At our check up, Margie measured in at 12 pounds and 24 1/2 inches long. She is holding her head up really well now which seems to have brought on a new curiosity about what is going on around her. She wants to be sitting up so she can look around all the time. It is hard to believe, but soon she will be sitting up all on her own. She is beginning to interact more with us as well as her toys. She like to dance with her daddy or sit in my lap and play with her bug. She has figured out how to move her bug around which is one of her new favorite things to do besides talk. Margie is babbling all the time. I have no idea where she gets that from ;) We love our little girl more than we could have ever imagine. We feel so blessed to have such a special gift from God!

Crossing Our Fingers

2009-06-08T14:07:00.005-05:00

Margie slept in her bassinet last night until somewhere around 5 AM. Now this probably doesn't sound like a big deal to many but it is the first time since she was about two weeks old. See our little social butterfly does not like sleeping by herself or for that matter even being put down. Don't get me wrong if this is our biggest problem we face as new parents I will consider ourselves very lucky. I really don't mind holding our sweet baby every night. However, her head keeps getting bigger which hurts my arms. As we approach the 3 month mark I have been trying to be more proactive about putting her down. Last week she took her first "mommy free" nap for about an hour and a half. This week we are working on sleeping mommy free at night too. We are hoping that we can get her to sleep in her bassinet for a few weeks before starting sleep training in a few weeks. I think this will make sleeping in her crib by herself less shocking. Keep our family in your prayers as we make this transition.

Paci vs Play Thing

2009-06-07T14:39:00.002-05:00

Margie seems to be under the notion that her paci is a play thing. She likes to play this game where she takes the paci until mommy lets her guard down then she pulls it out. She likes slurping, and I do mean slurping, on her hands better. As far as the paci, she much prefers grabbing the string to swing it back and forth in the air.

For the Love of Water!

2009-06-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

Margie LOVES the water! Last night I sat her in the bath tub to play. Only Margie decided that she didn't want to sit up but instead she wanted to lay down. Despite my efforts to stop her, she kept throwing her legs up and slidding down into the water. Once she had wiggled her way into the water up to her ears, she would give us a big smile like "Yea, look what I did!" And let me tell you she would have stayed in there all night if I had let her. She screamed like an angry hornet when I took her out. With her great love of water I think we are going to have to break out the baby pool soon to splash around in.

Read, Read, Read!

2009-06-03T22:08:00.009-05:00

I love children's books. My classroom library has over 4,000 books. So over course I had to share my love with Margie. Before she was even born, her book shelf was full of books. After reading all of them, we took our first trip to the library when she was two weeks old. Every week we check out a big stack of books to read at home. We started on the shelf with authors that begin with A and are working our way through the alphabet. This week we even joined the summer reading/listening program. I am pretty sure we will already be to the ten hour goal by next week :) Some people might think that she is too young to be interested in books or to listen to the stories. But we disagree! She loves looking at the pictures as I read. Tonight she even fussed every time I stopped reading...six stories later she passed out curled up with a book.

On Monday, I heard Mike Shoulders, the author of V is for Volunteer, speak at the kick off for summer reading at our local library. He did an amazing job of encouraging the children not only to read books, but to write their own stories as he shared some of his writing. One of the stories he shared was called Say Daddy. It is a precious story about reading to your children to pass on traits like sharing or fulfilling your dreams, etc. I loved the story so much so that I literally ran the few blocks home to grab my wallet to purchase the book. When I returned, I brought Margie to meet Mr. Shoulders and to get her first book signed. In the inside cover he wrote "Margie may you love reading as much as you are loved." Margie may not remember that moment but perhaps she will remember the many moments of curling up with a good book.

Happy Birthday Grand Nani

2009-06-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

Future Coffee Drinker

2009-06-01T23:09:00.004-05:00

Today we took our first official trip to Starbucks. It was only fitting that we go with Amanda aka coffee feign. As we were catching up, the brista brought us a sample of their new iced coffee. So we decided to take a picture of Margie with the mini cup. But Margie thought she needed more than a picture...she went for the drink. We give it two thumbs up!