Pleasant Word

Playing Catch-Up

2011-10-18T19:14:00.001-07:00

My little one you are one today . . . as I write this. So my dream of handing you a book on your birthday . . . let’s try for Christmas. I’ll post your birthday post from my blog . . . when I get to October 18th! I love you!

July 1

June 28

June 27

June 26

June 25

June 24

June 23

More Please

2011-06-22T18:03:00.001-07:00

More . . . I’d like more of you please.

And you would like more cherries. You’ll eat anything so long as it contains cherries.

One day that tooth . . . that lone tooth . . .

Will extract the pit from the cherry as you sit alongside your daddy – both of you eating your favorite fruit.

Today was Aunt Nicole’s birthday . . . which meant Chick-Fil-A on your 243rd day of life.

Followed by a long nap.

And a pleasant family walk, with you in the Moby. See – I told you I would hold you more today!

Amazed

2011-06-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

I really should be in bed.

But I just got done nursing you . . . and that experience, like many prior to tonight, left me in awe.

I have a baby and that baby is you.

You hadn’t whimpered much. But I knew it wouldn’t take long for you to erupt into a howl. Your routine 11:30 ish PM snack.

I’ve almost given up going to bed until your snack. Especially when I have a good book laying beside my bed and your snuggly daddy beside me.

As I nursed you, those tiny hands . . . now so big yet still so tiny. Delicate. Perfect. Warm. Slightly moist from a warm house and I suspect a visit to your mouth.

When you were done drawing your milk and only latched on for comfort purposes, I stuck my pinkie in your mouth to break the suction and you nestled into my arm . . . perhaps hoping for a night’s rest.

Oh, how I longed to just hold you. But you are growing. You have been growing up since the day you entered this world. I really just want you to stay this age and yet I can’t wait to sit over a cuppa tea and daydream with you.

Not ready to lay you down in your crib where you sleep more peacefully, I nestled your head into my neck and feigned burping you. You wiggled. And you began that delightful thing you do with your mouth.

This thing that you do . . . and that people with dentures do. Yes. Sorry for the similarity. The difference is that when you open and close your mouth – it is cute. And it makes a delightful clicking noise.

I breathed in your sleepy smell . . . and realized how quickly you and your brothers were going up. I yearn to write in their journals when the sun comes up . . . to remind myself and to tell them of all their accomplishments since the last time I wrote to them with a pen in my hand instead of a keyboard at my fingertips.

You cause me to slow down . . . to savor . . . to enjoy . . . . to remember and preserve those recollections.

And so I am. I did. All the while, you are laying on your pink minky sheet . . . arms spread out . . . hugging your sleep.

It made me think. I need to hold you more. Tomorrow I shall find a way.

So ends day 242 . . . really 243.

Learning and Growing

2011-06-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

June 13 . . . more eating . . . umm . . . fermented sweet potatoes

June 14 . . .

June 15 . . . brings exploration

June 16 . . . your first sippy cup

June 17 . . .

June 18 . . . Your daddy picked your outfit out today . . . which I thought was appropriate considering it was Father’s Day.

June 19 . . .

You weren’t so happy with me . . .

June 20 . . . Nana and Mop’s anniversary . . . but you didn’t see them. They are on vacation.

Lake Michigan

2011-06-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

June 9 brought a baby-wearing Grandma . . .

June 10 . . .

June 11 . . .

June 12 . . . a sad day . . . leaving Michigan . . .

Organically Grown

2011-06-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

I was just getting ready to feed you your new favorite food, green beans. But I decided it might be wise to take your picture prior to eating.

Because to compliment your green beans . . . cherries.

And you are modeling your new onsie from Organically Grown. I didn’t want to mess up such a cute shirt.

Thankfully it survived your meal. Your organic meal. How appropriate.

An Unusual Friendship

2011-06-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

I innocently gave you some morning Tummy Time. Ruth decided to help.

Ruth promptly received an "aught." She looked slightly offended.

You didn't help matters, looking all cute and innocent.

I guess you won. Or Ruth got tired of being disciplined.

And so begins Day 227.

The Splash Park

2011-06-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Day 226 made you curious . . . perhaps overly cautious.

With hands clutching the sides of your stroller, you surveyed what the other children were doing.

What were they doing? Dressed in bathing suits . . . yet most of the time there was no water.

Hmmm . . .

You found yourself ready to leave. But Aunt Nicole and I needed to finish up our prayer requests.

Teething Bling to the rescue!

A Perfect Start to June

2011-06-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

June 1

We went to the splash park today . . . it wasn’t so splashy.

Those precious hands held on tight to your stroller. I wonder . . . what will the Lord have you craft or hold with those hands?

For now they shall be content to hold my necklace, ushering in your new tooth.

June 2

June 3 -- the picture is on my phone!

June 4

The Farmer’s Market . . . yard work . . . and a home fellowship cookout.

A busy day that ended with a kiss from Ruth.

June 5

Today is our anniversary. Your dad and I have been married 12 years.

12 amazing years.

Naomi, should the Lord tarry, I pray that you meet and marry a man like your father.

A man who loves Jesus . . . leads with a gentleness, studies the Word to discern truth in this life, woo’s you throughout your married years, cherishes you, works unto the Lord, and is steady and faithful.

A man who is a real man. A man after God’s own heart.

Like your dad. My boyfriend. My husband.

(The view from when I nursed you after our bike ride.)

June 6

You are loved.

June 7

It was a big day today. A day that warranted munching on a hardly used pacifier.

A long awaited moment. An eruption of activity.

You. Have. A. Tooth.

Please don’t bite me, sweet one.

June 8

A perfect outfit to wear to start eating green beans . . . fresh, local green beans.

Today, you experienced your first car wash. And you didn’t cry.

Too Much Food

2011-06-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

By the way . . . feeding you 4 cubes of food is not a good idea. Combine that with nursing before bed . . . your belly simply isn’t that big.

I don’t know why I didn’t listen to common sense.

However, your body worked as God designed it to. Which in turn, made the washing machine work.

So ends Day 225.

Gotta Love the Giraffe

2011-05-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

A Vacation Day

2011-05-30T17:34:00.001-07:00

Toss the routine to the wind . . . and you end up with a slightly unhappy baby.

However, you had playtime at the gym. That wasn’t so bad. When Daddy and I came in to fetch you and your brothers, you and several other babies were sitting in Bumbo’s facing each other.

It was cute.

Much cuter than your tired mom . . . I’ll have to work up the courage to do another spin class – if I can even walk tomorrow.

Raced home for a nap.

Good nap.

Topped off with . . . . drum roll . . . you figured out how to roll from your back to your belly!!!!

Yea, maybe when you roll over in your sleep now, you won’t be so upset. I may not have to give you a “mercy flip” for much longer.

Good meal . . . that didn’t come out so nice this evening.

Canoeing at Fort Ben with friends. Hot.

Quick bath.

Ahhh . . . sleep for you.

Enjoying Your Meal

2011-05-30T05:17:00.000-07:00

By the way . . . feeding you 4 cubes of food is not a good idea. Combine that with nursing before bed . . . your belly simply isn’t that big. I don’t know why I didn’t listen to common sense.

However, your body worked as God designed it to. Which in turn, made the washing machine work.

May 31

Like your siblings . . . you like to talk. I caught you midsentence.

Meet Geoffrey, the most expensive chew toy I have ever bought.

But you like him. Your brother’s like him. Ruth likes him.

Sunshine and Ice Cream

2011-05-29T17:50:00.001-07:00

You slept.

Outdoor service that was indoor.

Mops holding you. You distracting those behind him. Youth kids . . . especially the boys . . . totally digging your gumming of your grandfather’s shirt.

Baptisms.

Two important ones: Daddy and Asher.

Picnics.

Nap-less naps.

An ear cleaning with hydrogen peroxide.

Family date night.

Ice cream.

Brother.

Brothers love.

Caught Ya! Almost.

2011-05-28T11:53:00.001-07:00

I finally caught you trying flipping over.

It was such a delightful moment when our eyes locked and your body careened on its side before . . .

almost . . . .

ahhhh . . . . almost . . . .

rolling over.

A Rather Large Ladybug

2011-05-27T14:54:00.001-07:00

We (meaning the boys and I) adore your outfit today.

You are a large ladybug, thanks to Sarah.

Day 221 – a trip to two banks and a snuggly visit to Trader Joes and a good nap. I bought a truck load of bananas for you today. The cashier thought I was weird for the filling a shopping cart full of bananas. (It was a child’s shopping cart.)

And you blow the cutest bubbles . . . zerberts . . . like a constant motorcycle running through my ear. I heart your noises!

You Look Like Cotton Candy

2011-05-26T13:17:00.001-07:00

Day 220 is treating you quite nicely.

Sleep. Sleep. And more sleep.

Seriously, you have been awake about 1.5 hours today. And now you are sitting in your little pink chair looking like . . . cotton candy.

Organic cotton candy, that is.

A Little Running Water

2011-05-25T17:56:00.001-07:00

As God has been bathing the earth, so I immersed you today. You stared in the mirror, with a firm hand gripped around my fingers . . . making it a little difficult to bathe you.

You present touch just made bath time last longer. And I have no problem with that.

You are already growing up too fast.

Day 219 – Mamma was over. She properly oogled over you and proclaimed you all things gorgeous. I agree.

I think you are like a daily vacation.

Except when you don’t sleep. But even then, I still love you.

By the way, you had bananas today, mixed in with your carrots and avacado.

Maybe Jumping will Help You Sleep – Not!

2011-05-24T18:24:00.001-07:00

Your naps are consistently longer than the chunks that you sleep during the night.

No fair.

It’s like you know that if you cry at night, I will be in such a coma that your cry hits the automatic button in my brain that propels my feet to the floor and my body into action.

Please sleep tonight. Can we only get up 1 time . . . even 2 times? I won’t complain.

Jumping. You are like Tigger. (Not that you know who Tigger is.) The boys like you vertical rather than horizontal. Meaning they beg me to put you in the jumper.

I think it makes them think you are playing toys with them.

And so ends Day 218. Daddy fed you dinner while I took the boys and the dog for a walk. You ate 2 bowls – asparagus and carrot with chicken stock.

A Face for Each Food

2011-05-23T13:37:00.001-07:00

While I was making baby food, Little Miss Naomi was hanging out.

Jumping.

But mostly eating her toys. I think she was hungry.

Yet delighted.

Which do you think she likes better?

Asparagus?

or Sauerkraut juice?

Day 217

365/121-126

2011-04-10T13:29:00.001-07:00

Day 121: February 15

Taking pictures of you is so much fun!

Day 122 – February 16

Sigh . . . another breathing treatment . . .

And some probitioics to replenish the damage the antibiotic most likely did to the healthy gut flora we had established with nursing.

Day 123 – February 17

I think your picture is on my phone!

Day 124 – February 18

Your brothers wore this sleep-n-play . . . so I had to put you in it . . . once.

Day 125 – February 19

Day 126 – February 20

365/114-120

2011-04-10T12:51:00.001-07:00

Day 114: February 8

Day 115: February 9

Day 116: February 10

Day 117: February 11

You never know when a sudden snowstorm might occur . . . in your house.

Day 118: February 12

The start of a very bad cold . . . called pneumonia.

Day 119: February 13

Your breathing had become quite labored . . . we quickly got in to see Swathi and she almost sent us to the children’s hospital. Fortunately, due to the comfort you have found in nursing, you were well hydrated.

In hindsight, I would have diffused an essential oil called R.C. early on in your cold, ran the humidifier, and applied GOOT.

3 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons coconut oil

(Blend the above 3 ingredients and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)

And I might have relented and given you both Colloidal Silver and a probiotic. A more gentle choice than the antibiotic you ended up ingesting.

Day 120: February 14

And yet you still remained happy and pleasant.

365/111-113

2011-04-08T16:33:00.001-07:00

Day 111: February 5

Day 112: February 6

Day 113: February 7

The day of the photo shoot. The day you received your Nana blanket.

365/106 - 110

2011-03-18T12:09:00.001-07:00

Day 106: January 31

I think this day is on a phone . . .

Day 107: February 1

Day 108: February 2

The last time you fit into this cute jean dress, albeit slightly mismatched.

Day 109: February 3

Day 110: February 4

365/103-105

2011-03-06T14:02:00.001-08:00

Day 103: January 28

Jay and Emily and family came to visit us during the Monster Truck Show . . . lucky us! It was a GREAT time of fellowship.

Emily enjoyed holding you!

Day 104: January 29

Day 105: January 30