Sandler Family Blog

What to do...

2008-12-08T00:05:00.001-07:00

Below is a post that I wrote back in Sept. and wasn't sure what to do with and so I never published it. Needless to say, some of the information is a little bit dated, but not by too much. I decided to still publish it, because it is still how I feel, but contrary to what I said below, I have now made a decision about the predicament I mentioned I'm in with time at the computer. I have decided to keep this blog, but change the format a bit to include, as I mention below, a more comprehensive expression of our lives. Also, I have decided that the way to connect everything that I do online to keep in touch with people, is to post here and have it linked to facebook so that all the blog updates will show up as notes on there and then post all the photo album stuff to facebook as well. For those who are not facebookers (yet!) I will try to keep you individually updated with maybe larger quantity (covering more time periods) photo uploads in Bubbleshare. I'd like to eventually get rid of that site, but we'll see about that when the time comes. Anyhow, this is my new plan...

The only other thing I wanted to share with you all, since I wrote the following post in Sept. is that God has totally been doing awesome things in all the areas I mention. First off, through the amazing gift of a very close family member, we were able to pay off all of our outstanding debt that we had not been able to make payment arrangements with and had not been paying anything to, since we had no money to give them. This was nearly $10,000 worth of debt - just off our shoulders! Incredible! We were thankful beyond words. This was about a month ago, that this happened. We still have a huge amount of debt left to pay off, but it is all at least under control now. We have payments set up with all our creditors and are steadily paying on our debts. So, this alone is a huge relief.

Second, right around this same time, a job opening arose through a friend (a friend found it for Ben and Ben would also be working for another friend), that will totally meet our financial needs at quite a lot less hours and will soon pay even more than we'd been making! Also, it's a lot less stressful and tiring physically, which is a huge plus, since one of the hardest things for Ben was that when he would get home after long hours of work, he hardly had the energy and strength to do all the fun stuff he wanted to with us. God is so amazing in his provision for us! These are two huge circumstance changes that I believe are the fulfillment of us trusting and believing in what God has said he would do - he would take care of us; he would provide for all our needs.

I know this is the stuff of walking with God... and many of you know these realities in your lives. But it is so incredible when you experience them for yourself and when they aren't just a really cool story that someone tells you. It's real! God's goodness is real and available and way bigger than we can even imagine! It's for me, for us -- really for us!

So there you have it!

Sorry to make this overall post so long, but I wanted to bring you all up to date on everything that's been happening and also to give you some context on where I'm at with our techno-connection to all of you.

[Post from Sept. 9, 2008]

So, a little more candid post today...

I've been thinking about this for a while and I still haven't totally come up with a decision, but I thought I'd just get this out there...

I feel like there is so much going on in our lives and I really want to share more of that with all of you that are connected to us from near and far. So, I've recently been in touch with a lot of friends from the past and far away and also been wanting to do another blog - a different sort of blog to share the more in depth parts of my/our lives. Also, I want to just be more active in getting posts up and more current and not just about the boys - even though that is pretty much my FAVORITE subject! And... I also want to maximize my time on the computer since the time I spend on it now is not just for blogging and pics, etc. and I really don't want to neglect the other really important things in my life for time on the computer.

So, I don't exactly know yet what my solution will be to all this, but my hope is to consolidate a bit and have more things on one site and also to have that be a deeper, more intimate view of our lives and world and passions, than this has been.

Please feel free to send me your thoughts on any of this. I would love some feedback...

In the meantime, here's a little of what's been up with us. Ben has been, as most of you know, working two jobs for about 6 months now. It has been a rigorous schedule, but he has been handling it with grace and determination. The hardest part of this, of course, is the loss of time together. But we are trying to maximize what we get, by trying to get all our seperate "adult house chores" done as quickly and efficiently as possible, so the remaining time can be spent just enjoying each other.

So, we have been doing all this to create a situation in which we can deal with our overwhelming debt and actually make some head way on paying it off. And we've been excited because that seems like it has been working. But just recently we found out that Ben's job is changing owners and that we may not (probably will not) have some of the side benefits (bonus, paid vacation) that we have counted on just to survive, not to mention the fact that we have no idea how the new owner will be and whether he will value keeping Ben on at the rate of pay we need. So, our conclusion is that the security and the needs that his job has just barely been meeting are now in jeopardy. This was a bit of a blow to us - BUT it has left us feeling even more that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in our whole financial/career for Ben/living situation. This is exciting, in spite of the somewhat scary circumstances.

We feel like it's time to look for something else and in this time of change and transition (that's really what it's felt like for those of you who have given birth - hugely painful, but greatly rewarding) we know that the outcome will be amazing. This extends to every aspect of our lives. We know that eventually we will leave MT, but to where we don't know... We know that we will have a different and better job situation for Ben, but to what we don't know... and we know that we will live in a better home that really meets our needs, but where we don't know... So we HOPE! And this is the conclusion - the only conclusion that matters! That all we need is coming and coming soon and we have reason to be filled with Hope and Faith and Anticipation.

And as we take steps to look for another job and to find these things for which we hope, our family is our joy! The boys are so amazing and truly bring more delight to us than we'd ever imagined. Isaac is soooo bright and attentive. He is constantly making us laugh and surprising us. Just last night he put my keys in Ben's pocket (I guess because he thought he'd need them - since Ben is always having to leave in the evenings for his second job) without Ben even knowing it. And just as we were getting ready for bed, Ben felt something in his pocket and pulled out the keys. How does he know this stuff?

Isaac is always busy - constructively, though... that's the thing I love the most. His mind is always going and everywhere I take him he's always doing, finding, building, sorting, organizing, playing with... something. But the cool thing is, he's not hyper - just very active, creative. He loves taking his snacks and filling compartments in his cars and toys with them and other random toys. I am finding food and small toys in things all the time. The other day he stuffed his PB and honey sandwich down the tube of his light saber. Hmmm... that was fun! But most of the time it's not messy like that, just constructive. He usually wraps his snack (little cookies or carrots, etc.) up in various things like dryer sheets or washcloths and stuffs them in any compartment he can find, along with other toys, of course. He still is not speaking much, except for words like, mama, daddy, gon (which means "on"), bye, mo (more), no, and a few more that I can't think of right now. But the crazy thing is his comprehension is through the roof! He knows exactly what's going on and everything we are saying. And he is able to communicate just fine with all his babble and some words and lots of pointing and showing and doing. Ben and I were talking about changing his diaper one day and he just jumped down off the bed, went in the other room and came back with a clean diaper for himself and the wipies. We hadn't even said anything to him!

Anyhow, I could go on and on. We have been a little worried about his late verbal development, but then again, every child is different and as long as we know that he is comprehending and has some verbal skills that are increasing (albeit slowly) then we don't feel it's too much cause for concern.

Jacob is doing great! He is a really big boy already - weighing in at around 17.5 lbs. at 5 1/2 months. He's just really solid and strong - built just like his daddy. He LOVES watching whatever Isaac is doing and I know he's just thinking in that little head of his "if only I could do THAT!" He was just sick with a fever this last weekend and so, of course, I was a bit of a wreck. I know it's generally nothing to be worried about, and even helps build his immune system, but for some reason I don't do real well with fevers. Funny thing, too, because Ben is the "king of fevers" - every time, and I do mean every, he gets sick he always has a fever. So if the boys are anything like him, I'm in for a lot of angst I guess! Anyhow, he pulled out of it in about two days and is on the mend. He is sitting up for the most part now, but still hasn't rolled over yet. That's probably mostly my fault since I don't give a ton of tummy time. He really doesn't like it very much and with a toddler and a dog running around on the floor all the time I don't feel like it's a very safe place to leave him for stretches of time. I'm trying to work on that though. Jacob loves to smile and laugh and we are always finding new ways to get him to laugh. He just started belly laughing at his cousin the other day when she was trying to climb into the pack and play he was in. He seems to really be a social little guy, which is cool because, even though Isaac likes to play with other kids, he could just as easily and just as happily entertain himself. So, I have a feeling Jacob is going to add the social element to their relationship as they get older and become friends.

Last thing of note is that I have decided to start a little freelance graphic design business and am in the infant stages of that. I am totally new to having my own business, but am excited at the prospect of doing something I love, at home with my babies, and getting paid for it! So, I am going slowly and hoping to work into more and more clientele. I am really hoping this will take off since it would be such an awesome way for me to supplement Ben's income and perhaps eventually become even something more someday - who knows!

So, I will end here for now...look for new changes with our family postings in the future.

Our love to all!

Ultimate Cuteness!

2008-07-06T20:27:00.007-07:00

Okay, so I know I'm biased, but a mommy's got a right to be...

On my most recent download of pics of the boys, I thought some of these were the best photos of them I've gotten so far. So I decided to dedicate this blog post to the creme de la creme. Here they are, my favorites...

Bath Buddies

"Hey, I learned it from my big brother!"

Just chillin' on the back step...

"Wuz up, Home Slice?!"

Awwwhhh...such a sweet face.

Best Buds

Mommy's Little Men

Goof-ball!

More of the Toddler-Gangsta

"Just call me Lil' I"

Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did...

Sandler Family News: not much to report...just that we are doing well overall. Ben has been working two jobs now for a few weeks and will continue with this rigorous schedule until we are able to find another solution to our financial shortfall. He is sooooo tired most of the time, and I am so thankful to him for doing all that he is to provide for us.

But, really, in an amazing way we are doing very well as a family. It's challenging being apart so much because of all the work that Ben has (70+ hrs. per week), and the boys and I feel his absence very much. But somehow, we are all stronger for it and we bask in the hope that God has given us that he will provide. So, we look soon for the day when we will be able to have some better circumstances, but in the meantime, we love on each other and are thankful for the beautiful children God has given us and enjoy every moment we have together.

Click HERE for our latest photos.

While we were away...

2008-06-16T13:41:00.005-07:00

from the computer, that is.

It's been a while since I've had a chance to sit down and share all the fun things we've been up to.

Jacob has been busy growing, and I mean really growing. He is now just 13 weeks old and he weighed in at 13 lbs. 15 oz. at his 2 month well child appointment! He has been so much fun with his little personality emerging more each day. He loves to smile at us and is such a good little guy. He only cries or fusses when he needs something like feeding, diaper change, etc. It seems that he really has a sense of humor already - we've even caught him nearly laughing several times already. He loves to look around and gets really excited when he can look over mommy's shoulder.

He recently has discovered his big brother and loves to watch as Isaac plays. Jacob follows Isaac's every movement around the room and smiles and laughs at things that Isaac does. Isaac is catching on to this as well and sometimes will act silly just for Jacob! It's so cute to see them already starting to interact with each other. Ben and I hadn't really thought about what fun it would be to watch that relationship develop. Having children is so amazing!

Isaac is an awesome big brother and he absolutely loves Jacob. He is so gentle and careful with him always and he is very sensitive to the fact that he is little-er than he is. He also loves to help Mommy with any little errand or chore. Isaac runs and gets diapers for me, throws things in the trash, almost anything that I ask that he can manage he loves to do. He can even open the fridge and get himself his own drink. He is just a delight! We are constantly amazed at how smart he is and what a sweet disposition he has. Just today he discovered that he could run! It was so cute, he has been walking really fast for a while, but today it was like he realized this was different and that he could go really fast! He started at one end of the kitchen and ran back and forth from the kitchen to the living room over and over, just to see how fast he could go! It was one of those moments I really wish I'd gotten on video. So cute!

We are doing great as a family. I am having the time of my life. Even with all the challenges that life holds for us right now, I feel truly privileged every day when I look at my darling little boys. I get to play with them, snuggle them to sleep, take them to the park, teach them new things, listen to their laughter, tickle their soft little tummies, kiss their sweet little cheeks and watch as they grow and make new discoveries! It is so incredible - I never imagined how much joy having little ones would bring.

I have been very busy with being a mommy of two. Both Jacob and Isaac have been wonderful babies, so easy to take everywhere with me. We have a little play group once a week and Isaac loves to play with his "buddies". A friend of ours has an organic farm and I have been working on the farm each week in exchange for freshly grown organic veggies. Ben has started playing on a men's league softball team whose season began last week. They had a great game this week with a 13 to 1 win. We love going and watching Daddy play.

We also just had a visit from Grama and Zeyda Sandler, Ben's parents from Philly. They were here for a week over Memorial Day weekend and it was a fun filled time. While they were here we had our 5th anniversary and Jacob's dedication, which was again led by his Zeyda. It was a wonderful long weekend with lots of fun family time.

So, our life is full and wonderful. We know it will only get better... Check out some new PHOTOS of our family. Love to all!

We are excited to announce...

2008-03-24T13:31:00.007-07:00

JACOB DALTON SANDLER

(Jacob's Hebrew name is Yacov)

Born: Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 10:17am
Weight: 8 lbs. 4.5 oz. / Length: 20 in.

We are thrilled to welcome our new little boy into our family and into the world! The birth experience itself was incredible as it was so much shorter, more positive (a lot less complications) and completely drug free this time! My labor started early Saturday morning and we were at the hospital in the next few hours after that. We had decided to do a water birth at a different hospital than we were at last time, so our trip to the hospital was about 20 min. instead of 7 min. - but I did just fine. The total labor to delivery time was 8 hrs. 45 min. and Jacob was born into the water. The only little scare we had was that the cord was wrapped around his neck when he first came out and so we had to quickly get him onto the "baby warmer" and get some oxygen flowing for him. So, those first moments on my chest weren't quite as calm as we'd planned, but overall the whole experience was truly amazing!

Isaac has been adjusting well to this new little person in our home. The first few days were definitely rough, though. We had a friend bring him up to the hospital to be with us as soon as we could after the birth and he stayed the night with us in the hospital room the night we were there. Unfortunately, he was still sick with a cough and had just gotten over a fever, so he was not exactly in the best mood to start. And then he had this new little guy in the picture - taking mommy and daddy's time and attention. But now, about a week later, he has definitely taken to Jacob and is interested when he is around. He watches as I feed him and when Jacob cries he comes and tells me, pointing in Jacob's direction. He also has started to try to rock the little bouncer chair that Jacob is often in. Of course, I love this - it's so sweet the way he knows that he needs to be taken care of. We are working on the concept of "gentle" a lot right now, too! :o)

Ben was able to take almost the entire week off following the birth and my mom was here for about 5 days as well, so it was a wonderful week of bonding -- and cleaning and laundry and re-arranging the house and the boys' room (you know, the practical stuff, too). I am healing well and really feel pretty much back to normal already at only 9 days post partum! What a change from last time! Baruch Hashem!

New family pics HERE. We'll be adding more as soon as we can.

He gives and takes away...

2008-01-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

We haven't posted in a while and so I wanted to catch you all up on our family happenings. Unfortunately, some of those happenings of late have been sad ones. My (Ellie) father passed away (after 7 long years of battling cancer) two weeks ago this past Wednesday. And so this last week was a whirlwind for us as we spent most of the week in Helena with my mom preparing for and attending the funeral.

I am truly amazed though, that in my grief and all that losing a loved one means, that God has brought so much joy to temper it all - in the form of our sweet babies. Even though our littlest is not yet born, I am so excited for his coming and appreciate more and more each day the gift that he is to our family. And then Isaac, of course, is an amazing source of comfort and joy - that in the times of loss the gift and newness of life that he possesses is so sweet to me! This was most real when as I sat and watched the pallbearers bring my dad's casket to the graveside and I was suddenly overcome with emotion and cried and cried, I buried my face in Isaac's little head as he sat on my lap and I smelled his baby hair and thought - only you, Lord, could give me such comfort in this way. I am so thankful that He never leaves us alone. The rest of the day of the funeral I had such strength and hope for the future and joy in knowing where my Daddy is that all the grief just seemed to melt away in the waves of His mercy. This is what a life with Him is all about. Knowing He is right there with you!

On a brighter note, Isaac is doing just great. He had a bout with a pretty nasty virus about 4 weeks ago and ran a fever that made us pretty nervous. But he is through it and bounced back just fine. He was the delight of his grandma and great grandma and great aunts this last week as his sweet personality just warms to most everyone he meets. He loves to play with any dog he meets and is quite "talkative" in his baby babble. He is walking so fast now, it's practically a run and it's always with much determination - he knows just where he's going and what he wants. He has figured out that the fridge holds food as well as one particular cupboard and shows me when he wants food. He has figured out how to turn the TV on and off and delights in doing this at his whim. He now knows how to climb onto the sofa with the assistance of his little "bucket-stool" which he also sits on to watch TV occasionally. It's just the right height for him. He also can climb up and back down any stairs and loves doing this just for fun. He can also back himself off the sofa and our bed - and the bed is a feat since it is quite tall. He's pretty fearless all around and so much fun to watch! He also loves to play outside in the snow especially if Avi comes out in the yard with him.

In pregnany news: I am now 32 weeks along and really getting excited. Just today I pulled out some "coming home" clothes for our new little guy. The thrill of imagining this new little one coming into our lives washed over me again as it did with Isaac and I realized just how soon it will be. We do have a name picked out now and we'll share it with you all very soon. In the meantime, here are a few "belly pics" to show just how big a boy we have coming!

Our best to all our friends and family - we love you! For lots more recent pics click HERE

Happy Hanukkah 2007!

2007-12-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed celebrating Hanukkah this year with Isaac. He was so cute as he watched with delight as Ben lit the candles each night and we said the blessings. By the third or fourth night he deinitely knew what was going on and reached right for the shamas to help daddy light the other candles. Also, he received his very first yarmulka from his Zeyda and Grama, just for the occasion.

We also played dreidel and Isaac even tried to spin the dreidel himself. He figured out that it was supposed to spin, but didn't quite know how to make it do that. Daddy, of course, is the dreidel pro and even came up with fun variations on the basic game that we can play with all our nieces and nephews when we celebrate with them this weekend. He's got a wicked spin!

In other news, we are enoying the little bit of snow we've had so far - that is when we're not disliking it for the fact that Ben has to drive in it every weekday. Isaac still absolutely loves being outside and now the snow is a whole new adventure. We can't wait to build snow forts and snow men in he yard! Isaac has also recently discovered how to climb up on things using the assistance of a little bucket that he has claimed as his own. This afternoon, he put it upside down next to the couch and then climbed up on it like a step and then onto the couch. Voila! He was soooo proud of himself. So cute!

I am now 27 weeks along with Bun2 and here are a few more pics of him from a recent ultrasound I had. I love the detail of his little face in the first one. To me he already looks like his big brother. Hey, a mommy can dream! I am loving how "fast" this pregnancy seems to be going by. However, I feel as big as a house already and I've still 3 months to go! YIKES!

Our love to all of you. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate and Merry Christmas to everyone else! Have a warm and lovely holiday season!

MORE PICS HERE

Chicken Little

2007-11-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

We had a little "Harvest Party" with our congregation at the end of October and we dressed Isaac up as Chicken Little. He won the prize for "Cutest Costume" of course! It wasn't a hard decision especially since one of the judges was his aunt. A friend and I coordinated the whole event for the kids and everyone had a blast!

Happy Fall and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

More Chicken Little pics HERE.

Baby Boy 2...the Sandler way!

2007-11-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Well, if that's not enough to give it away, then, yes we are having another little boy. We are very excited and even though we'd loved to have had a little girl next as well, it will be great for Isaac to have a playmate so close in age. The official due date is: March 17, 2008.

Here is "Bun the 2nd's" first photograph...

Be sure to check out more recent pics of Isaac!

Baby Steps!

2007-10-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Isaac took his first step (it was really more like a tiny little shuffle) about 3-4 weeks ago and he is now (after experimenting with it for several days) fully walking! He has become so fond of his new found skill that he has transferred most of his mobile time from crawling to walking. He can go pretty decent distances now and loves to follow mommy and daddy around!

We ventured outside with his new skill and he now loves to walk from the house to the car holding onto mommy's hand!

A little Isaac update: Isaac is growing and changing so much. We get to see more of his personality all the time. And he is such a little boy. He loves funny or loud noises - he laughs hysterically when we reproduce them for him. He loves playing "pound on the puppy" (not really, he's actually pretty gentle). It goes something like this: he follows Avi (our little dog) around or just comes over to him when he's napping and just pats and pats on him, on his head, on his belly and maybe tries to climb over him until Avi eventually has had enough. Isaac thinks it's great fun and it again makes him laugh. He really has the greatest laugh. I know we're biased, but I have really never heard a laugh that makes me laugh every time! He is named so well!

Isaac's other favorite thing is to play "climb on daddy". He's already wrestling at just over a year old! He is very boy in this way too. He loves standing up tall and then letting himself just "fall" onto Ben. They can play like this for a long time. He also gets so excited when daddy comes home for the day. He wants to be held right away by Ben and reaches for him until he does so. We are loving seeing how he is emotionally connecting with us more and more.

So, we are enjoying all the new adventures of toddler-hood. I am excited to get Isaac outside more to explore now that he is walking - I just know he will love the piles of leaves laying everywhere. Those are some of my favorite fall memories and I can't wait watch him enjoy them as well!

Lastly, a little pregnancy update: I am now 21 weeks along and we will announce in a soon coming blog update if Isaac will have a little brother or sister! This time has been a bit more suspenseful since we knew from the beginning with Isaac. I'll post some prego pics here pretty soon, I promise.

Check out Isaac's latest pics HERE.

The Big ONE!

2007-09-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Isaac had his first birthday a couple of weeks ago. Sept. 10th was the big day and it falls right in between mommy and daddy's birthdays as well. We had a little party for him, just a few friends and family. It was really for us since we're sure he won't remember it. It's great to get some pictures for showing him later, though.

Cake and Isaac BEFORE...

Cake and Isaac AFTER!

It looks more like the cake attacked him rather than the other way around! Anyway, he had fun and went to bed with way too much sugar in his system. Won't do that again for a while!

Ben had a wonderful birthday with a bunch of "the guys" where they played tournament poker for the evening. He didn't win "the big pot" but he had a great time and is now trying to figure out how to play better for the next tournament he'd like to host. We didn't have enough poker chips for the party so we ended up getting him a whole new set of chips as well and they are really nice - almost like what the professionals play with! He loves them!

My birthday was nice, although, I am officially not a 20-something anymore. It's a bit of a shock at first, but I know this year and the next ten will be as rewarding and special as the past ten. I had a fun time wandering around Spokane with Ben and some friends since we were there for a conference during my birthday. A friend bought me a delicious latte and a slice of huckleberry lemon cake at a sweet little "French" cafe in Spokane to celebrate. I also had a lovely party earlier in the week and got a new hair cut and color as a result! Never thought I'd be brave enough to try brunette with highlights! I'll have to post some pics soon.

In other "growing" news, I am now 17 weeks along with baby #2 and this next month we'll find out what we're having. Of course, we would love for this one to be a girl. We've both always wanted a little boy then a little girl. Although, in accordance with Sandler gene's, I have always been disuaded from hoping for any chance of a girl. Ah, well, a mommy can still hope anyway!

And now to leave you with a little "Ahhhh Moment"...

They are soooo cute! Be sure to check a bunch more pics of Isaac HERE!

BIG NEWS!

2007-07-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

We just found out this last weekend that we are expecting our second baby!!!!!!!!! It was totally unexpected news, but we are thrilled and can't wait to share our lives with this new little one. It looks like we are about 6 weeks along, so from what we can calculate the due date would be approximately the end of March or beginning of April. So, Isaac and his little brother or sister will be about 1 1/2 years apart. Not bad!

We'll be sure to update you as things go along and there will be lots more pics and updates on Isaac and our whole little family! Guess we'll have to rename our blog, too!

Summertime Fun!

2007-07-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing here in the Flathead Valley and we're enjoying it as much as possible. The most popular thing to do here is to go to the lake, go camping and grill lots. We've done two out of the three so far this year.

We took Isaac to the lake (Flathead Lake) for the first time about 2 weeks ago for a nice evening grilling and swimming with friends. We took him in the fairly cold water and little by little let him further into the water. He went nuts!! He absolutely loved it! He started kicking his legs and splashing with Ben and laughing at the whole thing. It was great - such a little water baby!

We haven't been camping yet with Isaac, but we intend to soon. The weather here has been really hot by Montana standards - over 100 degrees several times last week. But it's fine as long as you can get to the lake and cool off.

We also had a chance to take Isaac to his first circus. He was thoroughly unimpressed as he played with his shoes and random other things out of his diaper bag for the entire time. But we still had fun!

Be sure to check out lots more recent pics of Isaac here.

Catching up...

2007-04-11T11:15:00.001-07:00

Again it has been way too long since our last post. I'd wanted to share Passover pics and lots of other recent fun stuff, so... even though it's late at least it's not never!

We did have a really nice Passover. It was very large as usual, what with the entire MT Sandler clan represented. I am fine tuning making all the holiday dishes and I felt the most confident this year making everything than I have since we got married! It's like Mom Sandler's recipes are finally becoming my own! Thank you Mom! Also, Ben is getting better and better at making the seder streamlined so that includes all the important parts but also does a good job at making it fun and applicable for the kids. This year he did a fun "Deal or No Deal" version of bartering for the afikomen. The kids loved it and Jerry (one of our nephews) made $10!

This was Isaac's first Passover, which of course he won't remember, but it was really fun for us. We actually gave him a piece of matza to play with and suck on and he loved it. He got it all over his face!

Since then spring and even the beginning of summer have really fallen upon us and it's been wonderful to get outside with Isaac. Ben and I have taken him for walks, along with puppy Avi, which, mind you is a handful! Isaac loves hanging over the front of his stroller and watching as the pavement goes by. We let Isaac sit and explore in the grass the other day and he loved trying to eat grass, dandilions and he even had a little rock in his hand - ready to stick it in his mouth!! He is reaching for everything these days! The whole world is his adventure!

Isaac is growing up so fast - already he has taken a few "very assisted" walking steps. Although he doesn't really like the crawling position much yet, he is so very ready to walk and stand. Also, on his 8-month-day (not sure what else to call that), May 10th, he popped his first tooth through! Yeah!!!! (even if there was a little fussiness that ensued!)

We are just loving this adventure and can't wait for what's coming next. For lots more pics of Isaac click here.

And now for a little segment we like to call...

2007-02-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

HATS!!!

Isaac and I were just having fun the other day and since every now and then I have to go through his wardrobe and try things on to see what fits and what's out - we tried it with his HATS!! And now some shots with props!

We've been having so much fun, though! Isaac is now 51/2 months old and he is so happy and strong. It seems he has skipped right over the rolling over thing and gone straight to sitting up all by himself. About two weeks ago, I tried just sitting him up and letting him hold himself up and sure enough, he stayed upright for about 5-10 minutes!!

He "talks" all the time now and laughs when we play peek-a-boo and when Avi tries to lick him. He loves watching things; he's a very observant little guy. He smiles easily at anyone that talks or smiles at him and generally, just is in a great mood all the time.

Isaac and I have been going to a play group of about 5 moms and babies his age a couple times a month. This has been really fun, since the babies get to "play" with each other and each other's toys and it gives us moms a little time out to have some "adult conversation". Several of the gals in the group were old friends or people I'd worked with so it has made for an easy group of friends. Be sure to check out more of Isaac's latest pics!

Holidays, Dedication and the day to day...

2007-01-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

[Just a little disclaimer: I thought I had posted this about a month ago and it turns out I never finished it - ughhhh! So, if this seems really late, well, that's because it is! :o)]

Well, things have been busy and I've been amiss in updating Isaac's blog! Starting in mid-December and through the New Year, Ben's side of the family from out East came to visit for the holidays. We'd been so excited about this big family gathering since many of us hadn't seen each other for at least a few years. We had planned some great family time as well as a big family photo (19 people in all)! Try gettin' all those people to smile at the same time!

Here's about the best we did!

Then on December 31st, 2006 Ben and I dedicated Isaac to God. It was such an amazing and wonderful morning, as the whole congregation shared in blessing him and speaking encouragement to us and to Isaac. Isaac's Zeyda(Grandpa), Abraham Sandler led the dedication and we prayed some special prayers over Isaac, both from Jewish tradition and those that came from our hearts.

In other news, the Eagles didn't make it to the SuperBowl :o( , but we had our littlest Eagle fan all decked out anyway. We've had a great holiday season and we hope you all did too!

"GOOOOO EAGLES!!!"

Firsts!

2006-12-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since we posted and we want to keep you all up to date on our little guy! Isaac is doing so well. He is a big guy already weighing in at around 14 lbs. now at 3 months (on Dec. 10th) and 24 1/2 inches long. He is in the 95th percentile for size and growth at his age. We've got a strong healthy boy!

Grabbing Gradma's nose!

Isaac got to spend his first Thanksgiving holiday with Mommy's side of the family - The Webb's in Helena. He got to see Grandma and Grandpa Webb and Uncle Daniel, Aunt Rebekah and Uncle Stephen. We had a fun time as this was also Isaac's first roadtrip in the car with Mommy, Daddy, and puppy Avi. We had a car full and we only went for 3 days!

Another first for Isaac was his first snowfall. He got to sport his new snowsuits and go out in the glistening white world for his first look. He seems to love going outside - he absolutely loves to "explore" visually. He gets little surges of excitement when he sees something new or fascinating. And he is becoming more and more verbal. He "talked" to us for a full 5 minutes last night!

Pooh-bear boy!

You might notice our blog's new look too. I decided to try something a little more fun and colorful and in beta (for those of you that know what that means!). Hope you enjoy and be sure to check out lots more of Isaac's latest photos.

One Month Old Already!

2006-10-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

One month old today!!

It's hard to believe that a month has already gone by since Isaac joined our little family. It has been wonderful watching him change even in that short period of time. He is already holding his head up (when laid on his tummy) and he loves bath time.

Happy Boy! (3 1/2 weeks)

Isaac and I have been going for walks with friends and getting out as much as possible. Ben loves coming home and laying on the couch and singing to Isaac. Grandma and Grandpa Webb will be visiting soon and this is Grandpa Webb's first chance to meet our little guy.

Smiling at Daddy...(3 weeks)

Check out Isaac's photo gallery for lots more photos!!

Our Little Miracle has finally arrived!!!!

2006-09-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

For all of you who have been waiting as impatiently as we have - Isaac is finally here!!

Isaac Ellis Sandler was born on Sunday, Sept. 10th at 1:21am after 15 hrs. of labor and 3 hrs. of pushing (mind you!). He weighed 8lbs. 6 oz. and was 21 in. long. He is doing wonderfully now, as is mom, although, it was a bit of a rough beginning for both of us.

For those of you who might wonder - Isaac means "Laughter" and Ellis means "God is my Salvation" with the connotation "God is Faithful". Ellis is also Ben's grandfather's name. So, truly our joy is complete in this little one as God gave him to us and he is and will bring us such joy!

Here is a link to see lots more photos of Isaac!!

We are sooooo happy just to hold him in our arms and watch the little faces he makes. This is truly the most amazing thing in the world!

Just a few more details, since it is a bit of a saga... due to our long ordeal, Isaac ended up with a bit of jaundice and had to be kept under the "blue light" to help get rid of it. I had a very rough go with the entire labor and ended up having a retained placenta and therefore, lost a lot of blood. So the two of us were in a little rough shape at the beginning and we had to suplement my nursing with formula for a few days. We are now all good and Isaac has already gained back to his birth weight and then some!

Much more to come...

Only Six Weeks to Go!!

2006-07-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since our last post. Not much to report except that Isaac is just growing and growing. I really don't know how I can get any bigger and I certainly look like I'm about to pop!

Anyhow, we are coming down the home stretch and we are getting so excited. We've started birthing classes and the reality of everything is really setting in. I am looking forward to my three weeks of time after I quit work and before the due date. It will just be nice to set up house completely and get settled for the big day - that's if Isaac doesn't come early!

Here's my latest/biggest photo to date...

Can't for our little bundle to arrive!

Reasons to Celebrate!

2006-05-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

May 24th marked our Third Anniversary! We decided to take a little trip to Spokane, WA to just get away and enjoy each other for our last anniversary as "just a couple". It was very low-key and nice. We were so glad we did it. Here's a few photos - not the best quality since I forgot our camera and had to take them with my phone.

On Mother's Day, I got to experience for the first time as a Mommy-to-Be! It was a special day for me.

One damper on all these festivities was that Ben had appendicitis and had to undergo surgery on May 6th. This was a rough time as he was in the hospital a whole week. He is still on the mend, but is doing better and better every day. He will be out of work at least 4 weeks and possbily 6, so we would covet any of your prayers for God's provision.

Here are some photos of me at 26 weeks - still growing and loving being pregnant. I am constantly amazed that this all just goes on without any direct help from me. All I have to do is just be and eat well and get lots of sleep! It's amazing! Isaac is truly a miracle in every way.

Our Son of Promise

2006-04-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Drumroll please... Our little Bun is a Boy!! Surprise, surprise - for those of you who know the Sandler lineage :o)!

This has been a big last two weeks. First, about a week and a half ago, I really, truly felt our little boy moving around! At first I really didn't know what I was feeling, but then I was certain. Sometimes, I think he is bouncing off my bladder or running his little feet back and forth. It's so amazing! It was all that more real two days ago when we got to see him moving around. He was very cute as we watched him on the sonogram. He kept raising his hand up to his face and wiggling his feet. The tech said that he is absolutely perfect as far as the numbers go. And according to the ultrasound the due date is only two days different than what we had been told - so we're splitting the difference and saying August 27th! Of course, we're hoping he's a little late so he'll be a Sandler September baby... in keeping with Tradition!

I think it's time to share the story of our Promise. We have known from the beginning that our little one would be a boy, because that is what God promised us. It was an amazing experience leading up to this new phase in our lives. God told Ben that we would be pregnant by the end of 2005... and guess what?! We were! Then He told Ben that we were to name him Isaac - so we have known all along - and now, we have proof! Our little "Promised One" will be named Isaac! We are so amazed at God's goodness!

Well, without any further delay... Isaac's first picture!

Baby Isaac weighs approximately 9 oz. and is 8 in. long from head to toe.

I am also growing nicely. This is me at 20 weeks, but the good news is I haven't gained a single pound (boy, it doesn't look like it!) Anyway, my stats are great as well.

Photos & Fun Stuff - 17 weeks

2006-03-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Okay - finally, as I promised - a few photos. I've been waiting to get just the perfect ones, but alas life does not wait for that! I thought I would share a few photos of our already crowded and soon to be more crowded apartment.

Also, I finally took my first bump pictures. In all honesty, I know the "bump" is helped my own little 'bit o' bump' I had before getting pregnant - but there is definitely something more there now! I can't wait to see it grow even more :o)

Baby Bun's first appearance into the world (through the bulge in my belly)!

I had another midwife appointment and we chatted about the two colds I've had in the last month or so - ugghhhh! Anyhow, I'm feeling much better now thanks to lots of rest and perhaps even Mom Webb's home remedy of tomato juice and garlic (sounds yummy, huh!). Then we listened to a whole minute of Baby Bun's speedy little heart. I couldn't stop beaming the whole time. 148 little beats in just one minute! Julie, one of my midwives, said that Bun's heart is a nice strong one!

Well, I walked out with my heart full - wanting to meet this little one. So much racing through my mind - what will Bun look like, will Bun have that cute little Sandler nose, will Bun have blue eyes or dark hair? I can't wait...!

We've got a heartbeat!

2006-02-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

We are into Week 12 now and things are going really well. I have been a bit nauseous (as is usual) but other than that doing very well. Ben and I were able to both go to my first visit with our CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) and it was a really special visit as we were able to hear the heartbeat for the first time!

Our little one was very hard to find at first and the beats that we did hear were fleeting, but it was enough to bring huge smiles to both of our faces! Ben assured me that this little one has a "Sandler heart" and that means it will be a nice strong heart. His family is known for having big, strong hearts.

We are doing really well otherwise. Ben is working so hard as a FedEx Ground driver and I am still enjoying my beautiful and fun job at a local interior design firm. I intend to keep working throughout the pregnancy and I think things will go well as my job is very condusive to my being pregnant. We are hanging on though for the ride that is ahead. We have decided that I will stop working altogether when the baby comes, although in a few months after Bun's arrival, I will attempt to start piano lessons up again.

We've decided to make the piano/computer room into the Bun's room and then try to clean out as much extraneous stuff as we can. We'll be a tight little family, but it will be wonderful - I can't wait!

8 Weeks!

2006-01-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have been fascinated with the amazing development of our little one! There are several books I'm reading so far and they are treasures, as they tell me the story of little Bun! He/she is already a little person with a heartbeat and appendages as well as eyes and ears.

We have our first appointment with the midwife today (we had to be rescheduled from yesterday's since she was busy helping with a delivery). I can't wait to have everything be official! I just want to know that everything is real and okay. Ben is going to go with me to this first visit. We have lots of questions. We have pretty much decided to go with this Nurse-Midwife. I feel very comfortable with the idea of a midwife, the personal attention and care that she will provide and Ben and I both feel good about her qualifications and that the delivery will be in connection with the hospital and we will have everything I and Bun need right there for us.

Well, sorry - I don't really have many pictures to show yet, but I will soon!

Baby in the Making - 6 Weeks!

2006-01-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know - well, really MOST of you probably knew that we had been trying for a baby for a while and now... drumroll please! We can't believe it's finally true!

About 2 weeks ago we found out that this wonderful miracle is going to be ours. God is so good! We are delirious with joy and can't wait to be parents! When we first found out we just looked at each other and couldn't stop laughing and crying at the same time. We look forward to sharing our joy with all of you as the pregnancy progresses. I am feeling wonderful so far - and just still can't believe there is a little miracle is happening inside!