Jul
19
2012
It’s been a big month of firsts for you, sweet boy!
In your 9th month, you’ve learned to
- crawl 4-6 steps as a real crawl (though you prefer the army/wiggle/scoot crawl that goes “faster” in your opinion. Mommy’s not complaining… I’m hoping you don’t learn how to really crawl… you’re already fast enough!)
- get from your tummy into a sitting position
- get from your tummy into a pulled up position on something low like a step
- get your feet under you once again on something low so you’re standing at a 45 degree angle
- blow raspberries in response to me doing the same
- climb over every low lying object in your path with glee (not limited to objects… people are your favorite)
However, my favorite part about you, sweet Sedryn boy, is just how happy your are to be talked to. Your smile is easy and for everyone (unless you’re sick or tired). You crawl right up and join the fun. You greet me with ridiculous grins after every nap. It’s adorable.
Oh, and that curly wavy mess you call hair… (swoon).
I love you. Stay little a bit longer…
Jul
12
2012
It has been HOT here. Well, over 100 degrees for quite a few days! The girls are going stir crazy in the house, but I can’t take the baby out into the heat for too long.
Compromise: backyard bubble pool time. So much fun! I love how their independent enough now that I can actually make dinner while they’re playing!
But by Far my favorite activity of the week: river swimming with our good friends Jen and Abel!
We spontaneously invited ourselves up for the 4th of July. Next thing we know, the girls are riding river currents and flirting with Abel. Which I guess is appropriate because Abel was one of the people that I first swam in a river with!
The girls love this! But it took each one of them a special measure of courage to give it a try! Aeralind eased in after watching Abel do it (she had a bit of a crush on Abel… as you can see with that voluntary hand holding: not something she’s prone to do!) Bronwyn kept announcing “I do it myself!” And then walking in just far enough to sit safely on the rocks. She slowly inched forward over the course of 15 minutes or so… and finally daddy gave her a subtle nudge! Bronwyn came right back upriver and did it again so quickly that we had to holler for Abel to grab her before she bumped into the shallows!
Jul
09
2012Slightly past 6 on Friday night, I erupt like a volcano.
The seventh potty accident of the day is nestled smelly in the bottom of a her swimsuit. One of the girls had been yelling no at me all day. The baby had refused to nurse his dinner. And Derek and I… well, we’re just not in a good place right now (selfishness, I admit it).
Oh, but the chaos there it’s not the problem. It’s just the symptom. The symptom of my own heart problems.
And growth springs only from chaos, from loosing control so that we can acknowledge the One who truly is in control.
I remember it while Sedryn is in the kitchen pulling open drawers while the girls beg lunch to be made faster.
I remember how Bronwyn was scared of the river current. She stood at the edge of the current wanting the fun that Aeralind was having. She even sat down a few times. Always far from the current.
Aeralind threw herself in with abandon. Careening toward the waiting arms of our friend Abel. Squealing and kicking joyfully while the current carried her.
But Bronwyn wouldn’t throw herself to the current. She wanted the fun. But she wanted control of the situation more. Daddy stood with her as she eased herself once again to the currents edge. He created just a little chaos with a tiny push toward the current. Bronwyn scared and off balance falls right into the current. She looses control. Abel helps her out and the next thing we all know she’d jumped right back in to swim the current again. A giant smile on her face.
I have goosebumps now recounting the memory. Oh, to throw myself to the current of God’s mercy and grace and swim wherever He leads. Knowing that when I am weak, He will strongly carry me forward if I just lean back into the current.
Thankfulness 3395-3409
- Cold hands on my toes as I cook dinner
- Boy tickled with himself over making noise
- Girls sliding into a bubble pool
- Spontaneous decision to head out to see Jenn and Abel on the 4th
- All the grown-ups surprised when the 2 year olds put the correct color coded pieces on the puzzle pegs
- Bronwyn throwing a tantrum because she cannot draw an A or B
- Feeding Sedryn Gelato
- Quiet time to pour out my heart with Jenn
- Watching the girls cautiously approach the river
- Bronwyn exercising her potty-ing in the woods skill
- Usually fearful Aeralind throwing herself in the river current after Abel showed her how
- Brownyn cautiously approaching the current over the course of 20 minutes and then daddy giving her the gentle nudge to get her started
- How she jumped right back in
- Able’s hair
- Long holiday recovery naps from all three kiddos
