"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
Watch this amateur video involving wild lions and buffalo. Don't worry, it is not grotesque. And, don't lose heart half-way through (like I did). The end will amaze you and hopefully speak to you like it did me.
The last time we went to Barnes & Noble, I stood in the teen section for a few minutes and looked over the titles and covers of the books promoted specifically to teens. My heart sunk. I wanted to cry. Satan's trickery and cunning ways were so clear to me in that moment. He goes after the young and weak. He comes at them from all sides and sets them (us) on a trajectory of devastation that only Jesus can thwart. But, we must be like the Buffalo. We can not stand for it! We must join together with our believing family and friends (Matthew 18:20), get on our knees, and FIGHT!!
As parents, it is our job to protect our young. We can control their environment to a certain degree, but we will never be able to shelter them from the full scope and consequences of the Fall. We have to rely on One greater than us; One who loves our children more than we do. And, so, we lift them up in prayer. John Piper says, "We pray to acknowledge our helplessness and God's omnipotence."
Of course, prayer alone is not sufficient. As parents we must teach our children to view the world through the lens of the gospel. With a gospel world view, our children will be equipped to fight with a sword in their hand. (For more on that, read Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.) We are, however, called to prayer on behalf of our loved ones. 1 Timothy 2:1, James 5:16
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Lately, I have been faced with the reality that I need to have more focused prayer times. As I write this, I speak not as one who has done it right from the start, but as one who will strive (with God's help) to intentionally lift my child(ren) up in prayer daily. We love Beulah more than anyone else (besides God). If we don't regularly lift her up in prayer, fighting the spiritual forces that hate her and want to drag her away from all that is good, no one else will. I want our prayers for her to be more proactive rather than reactive.
What should I pray? I will pray scripture. I will pray for her the way Paul prayed for and admonished the Church--those he loved and led spiritually. Here are some examples.
Ephesians 1:17-19
Ephesians 3:16-21
Philippians 1:9-11
Colossians 1:9-12
Philemon 6
2 Thesslonians 1:11-12
1 Corinthians 13
Colossians 3: 12-17
Galatians 5:22-26
I've considered choosing one passage a month and praying those verses for her daily, along with some of the prayers below, many of which were inspired by what I've seen in The Case for Kids by Paul David Tripp and Tedd Tripp.
I pray that Beulah will...
*see that God is worthy to be praised above all else (Isaiah 46:9-11).
*have a hunger for the Word and meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:8).
*love the Lord our God with all her heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12;30).
*be compelled to love others (her neighbors) because of God's love and sacrifice for her (2 Corinthians 5:14).
*live knowing that her worth and her value rest in Christ. Her peace, joy and identity do not come from how others feel about her, a job, material possessions, etc. When life proves difficult, her foundation will not be rocked because she is grounded in Christ, not things or people.
*realize that she can't earn God's love and favor. It is a gift of grace given to her from the foundation of the world, before she was even born (Psalm 139:13-16).
*live to love and serve Him for the praise of His glory, not her own (Ephesians 1:12).
*face life's challenges with a gospel world-view, causing her to respond in a manner that glorifies the LORD.
*look to Jesus, her Redeemer, when she needs supernatural help to do His will.
*be aware that she has an enemy (the devil), but know that God is greater (1 John 4:4).
*trust in God's sovereignty.
*use her God given gifts to edify the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:12).
*view authority (God's, ours, her future spouse-whom we pray for now, etc.) as a blessing and protection.
From A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming
"As I feed the children, I pray God will nourish their souls; as I bathe them I pray they will experience the spiritual cleansing Christ provides; as I dress them I pray they will be clothed in righteousness."
What are some specific verses or prayers that you pray for your children? Please share!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
10 Things I've Learned About God From Being A Mom
During a birthing class, the labor and delivery nurse once said that she didn't understand how anyone could do what she does and not believe in God. I will also say that I don't understand how anyone could parent a child through their first year of life and not be utterly in awe of the undeniable Creator that is our God! Watching Beulah develop has strengthened my faith. The fact that she can do things one day that she couldn't do the day before, things I know I didn't teach her, is absolutely remarkable!! And, while babies generally develop in similar ways, God is creative enough to bless each of us with unique features, personalities and gifts that distinguish us from those around us. There is none like Him! He is worthy of our praise!!
As parents, we can relate to God, our Father. As a mom, I am in a position of authority over my daughter. God is my authority, my Father. I am His child. So, as I care for Beulah, I can't help but see connections. While His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9), now that I'm a mom, I can understand Him in a new way. For that I am very grateful.
Here are just a few of the things I've learned about God from being a mom.
*TRUTH--God loves us...A LOT!
Scenario: The most anger I've ever felt towards God was when I watched Beulah suffer when she was a newborn. Her gas was so painful, and I felt like God was unjust for letting this helpless child suffer constantly. If you've ever seen your child in any kind of pain, you know how deeply you are moved by it and how intense your desire is to stop it.
*What must God has felt when Jesus, His only Son, was suffering and dying on the cross? Oh, how He must have wanted to stop the pain! I can't even begin to imagine! But, He didn't stop His suffering. Why? Because He loved you and me so much and wanted to be with us. No wonder He turned His face away. What parent could watch that? But, He knew it had to happen. "Thank you" will never be enough! I owe my life to Him.
*TRUTH--His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).
Scenario: Before Beulah weaned from breast-feeding, I would nurse her in my bed as soon as she woke up. When she finished nursing, we'd play on the bed for a while before we got the day started. After she learned to crawl, she'd crawl dangerously close to the edge of the bed, not understanding the danger she was putting herself in. She was especially adamant about going off the side of the bed if there was something on the floor that she wanted. I would often have to grab her ankle and pull her back to keep her from falling off. Of course, this frustrated her because all she knew was that there was something down there she wanted and I was keeping her from it. As her mom, I have lived long enough and have enough experience to know that I need to protect her from the pain that is inevitable from falling off the bed.
*God holds eternity in His hands. He can see from the beginning of time to the end (Revelation 22:13). He doesn't just have experience in the world, He created the world (Genesis 1:1). So, if He grabs my ankle and pulls me back from something I'm going after, I can trust that He has a reason. Loving someone doesn't always mean giving them what they want. Sometimes loving someone means keeping them from what they want. He protects those He loves from danger (Psalm 91). And, while I may pitch a fit because I can't see the big picture like God can, I can rest assured that He has my best interest at heart (Jeremiah 29:11).
*TRUTH--God's timing is perfect. We can trust His reasons for making us wait.
Scenario: When car seats are facing back and babies don't yet get object permanence, it's no surprise that they cry. But, when Mama is in the driver's seat heading down the road, there's not much she can do to sooth her crying baby. Does that mean she doesn't love her baby because she's not rushing to her? Of course not! It's because she loves her that she keeps her in the car-seat where it's safe.
*Sometimes we cry out to God and He doesn't answer. Since we don't understand the silence, we're often quick to say that He isn't there or doesn't care. But, the fact is, He knows and wants what's best for us; we are His beloved children. It's because He loves us that He makes us wait. We never know what He might want to teach us or protect us from. Six years of infertility taught me that. If you're in the car seat and God is driving the car, you can trust that He loves you and will come to you at just the right time.
*TRUTH--Painful and uncomfortable experiences make us better.
Scenario: One of the worst tasks for a new mom is to have to suction her stuffy newborn's nose. When my tiny one month old couldn't breath, there I stood, bulb in hand, trying to get up the courage to stick the bulb tip up her tiny nostril, all while she was jerking her head around to get away from me. Hearing her cry was hard for me anyway, so doing something that was causing her to cry made it even worse! But, I was determined; I knew it had to be done. Suctioning her nose was going to make her feel better in the end.
*When God allows us to face painful or uncomfortable experiences it's because He knows it will help us. He uses these times of suffering to teach us more about ourselves, the world around us, and ultimately, Himself. Because of His deep love for us, it can't be easy for Him to watch, but He knows it will make us better in the end. Our suffering is always purposeful. Had I not suffered through infertility, I would not know God like I do now. I am so thankful that He loved me enough to allow me to suffer.
*TRUTH--God is near. He will never leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Scenario: After months of not exercising, I have finally started going back to the Y. While I'm there I have to put Beulah in the Child Watch. For a while, that was the worst part of my day, because she would start to scream when I dropped her off and would often be crying when I picked her up. (There's a lot I could say on this topic, but this is not the time!) I knew she was terrified that the one she trusted had left her, and that broke my heart! I wanted to reason with her that I needed this time and would only be gone a few minutes. I wanted to tell her that she didn't need to worry, that I would always come back.
*God has promised that He will be with us to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Just because Beulah can't see me doesn't mean I'm not there. And, just because we can't feel God at times doesn't mean He's not there. We can stand on His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, and live in confidence instead of fear.
*TRUTH--All He wants is to be close to us.
Scenario: Beulah is a very active baby. She's not much of a cuddler. But, I crave those moments when she slows down and relaxes in my arms. In those moments, I sit very still for fear that I might cause her to stir and be on her way again. Her sweet hugs and kisses light up my heart. To receive that kind of assurance from my child, assurance that she loves me and enjoys being with me, fills me up.
*While He doesn't need assurance from us, God desires that kind of affection/worship. In fact, He loves us so much that He died so that He could be with us! When we're not near Him, we should have separation anxiety the way an infant does when she's separated from her mom. We should feel very alone and afraid when we aren't walking with the One we know we can trust.
*TRUTH--When we whine, it's annoying.
Scenario: Seriously? Do I need to say more?
*Philippians 2:14
*TRUTH--God loves us even when we hurt Him.
Scenario: One night Beulah had a hyper spell before bedtime. In an attempt to get her energy out, we were playing with her. She was going back and forth between the two of us, and we would flip her upside down or tickle her, etc. In this 15-20 minute crazy spell, she was scratching, pinching and biting us, pulling our hair, etc. We knew she didn't know that she was hurting us, and we didn't love her any less because of it.
* Jesus loved us so much that He died for us even when we condemned Him (Romans 5:8). He knew we didn't know what we were doing (Luke 23:34).
*TRUTH--God knows what we need before we ask.
Scenario: As a parent, you know what your child's basic needs are, and it is your job to meet those needs. I know when Beulah is going to get hungry, so I begin preparing her food ahead of time so that it will be ready when she is ready for it. When she was an infant, most of the time I would have already started the food prep before she started crying for it. She didn't know I was one step ahead of her.
*Our Father knows what we need before we ask. He tells us we don't have to worry, because He WILL provide for us (Matthew 6:25-34).
*TRUTH--God knows and wants what's best for us.
Scenario: Beulah goes through phases where she doesn't want to eat what I have prepared for her. I know that fruits and veggies should be a solid part of her diet, but she would rather have cereal, yogurt bites, tater tots, etc. Thus, a battle of the wills ensues. Since I know the fruits and veggies are healthier for her, and I want to establish a healthy appetite in her, I am not willing to simply give her what she wants for every meal. I have resolved to deal with the fussing in order to promote her health.
*We often fight what's good for us because it's not as appealing as what's bad for us. But, our Creator/Father knows what's best for us. He wants us to live in spiritual health; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (The Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23). So, if He engages us in a battle of the wills, we would be wise to submit sooner rather than later.
What are some things you've learned about God from parenting your child?
As parents, we can relate to God, our Father. As a mom, I am in a position of authority over my daughter. God is my authority, my Father. I am His child. So, as I care for Beulah, I can't help but see connections. While His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9), now that I'm a mom, I can understand Him in a new way. For that I am very grateful.
Here are just a few of the things I've learned about God from being a mom.
*TRUTH--God loves us...A LOT!
Scenario: The most anger I've ever felt towards God was when I watched Beulah suffer when she was a newborn. Her gas was so painful, and I felt like God was unjust for letting this helpless child suffer constantly. If you've ever seen your child in any kind of pain, you know how deeply you are moved by it and how intense your desire is to stop it.
*What must God has felt when Jesus, His only Son, was suffering and dying on the cross? Oh, how He must have wanted to stop the pain! I can't even begin to imagine! But, He didn't stop His suffering. Why? Because He loved you and me so much and wanted to be with us. No wonder He turned His face away. What parent could watch that? But, He knew it had to happen. "Thank you" will never be enough! I owe my life to Him.
*TRUTH--His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).
Scenario: Before Beulah weaned from breast-feeding, I would nurse her in my bed as soon as she woke up. When she finished nursing, we'd play on the bed for a while before we got the day started. After she learned to crawl, she'd crawl dangerously close to the edge of the bed, not understanding the danger she was putting herself in. She was especially adamant about going off the side of the bed if there was something on the floor that she wanted. I would often have to grab her ankle and pull her back to keep her from falling off. Of course, this frustrated her because all she knew was that there was something down there she wanted and I was keeping her from it. As her mom, I have lived long enough and have enough experience to know that I need to protect her from the pain that is inevitable from falling off the bed.
*God holds eternity in His hands. He can see from the beginning of time to the end (Revelation 22:13). He doesn't just have experience in the world, He created the world (Genesis 1:1). So, if He grabs my ankle and pulls me back from something I'm going after, I can trust that He has a reason. Loving someone doesn't always mean giving them what they want. Sometimes loving someone means keeping them from what they want. He protects those He loves from danger (Psalm 91). And, while I may pitch a fit because I can't see the big picture like God can, I can rest assured that He has my best interest at heart (Jeremiah 29:11).
*TRUTH--God's timing is perfect. We can trust His reasons for making us wait.
Scenario: When car seats are facing back and babies don't yet get object permanence, it's no surprise that they cry. But, when Mama is in the driver's seat heading down the road, there's not much she can do to sooth her crying baby. Does that mean she doesn't love her baby because she's not rushing to her? Of course not! It's because she loves her that she keeps her in the car-seat where it's safe.
*Sometimes we cry out to God and He doesn't answer. Since we don't understand the silence, we're often quick to say that He isn't there or doesn't care. But, the fact is, He knows and wants what's best for us; we are His beloved children. It's because He loves us that He makes us wait. We never know what He might want to teach us or protect us from. Six years of infertility taught me that. If you're in the car seat and God is driving the car, you can trust that He loves you and will come to you at just the right time.
*TRUTH--Painful and uncomfortable experiences make us better.
Scenario: One of the worst tasks for a new mom is to have to suction her stuffy newborn's nose. When my tiny one month old couldn't breath, there I stood, bulb in hand, trying to get up the courage to stick the bulb tip up her tiny nostril, all while she was jerking her head around to get away from me. Hearing her cry was hard for me anyway, so doing something that was causing her to cry made it even worse! But, I was determined; I knew it had to be done. Suctioning her nose was going to make her feel better in the end.
*When God allows us to face painful or uncomfortable experiences it's because He knows it will help us. He uses these times of suffering to teach us more about ourselves, the world around us, and ultimately, Himself. Because of His deep love for us, it can't be easy for Him to watch, but He knows it will make us better in the end. Our suffering is always purposeful. Had I not suffered through infertility, I would not know God like I do now. I am so thankful that He loved me enough to allow me to suffer.
*TRUTH--God is near. He will never leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Scenario: After months of not exercising, I have finally started going back to the Y. While I'm there I have to put Beulah in the Child Watch. For a while, that was the worst part of my day, because she would start to scream when I dropped her off and would often be crying when I picked her up. (There's a lot I could say on this topic, but this is not the time!) I knew she was terrified that the one she trusted had left her, and that broke my heart! I wanted to reason with her that I needed this time and would only be gone a few minutes. I wanted to tell her that she didn't need to worry, that I would always come back.
*God has promised that He will be with us to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Just because Beulah can't see me doesn't mean I'm not there. And, just because we can't feel God at times doesn't mean He's not there. We can stand on His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, and live in confidence instead of fear.
*TRUTH--All He wants is to be close to us.
Scenario: Beulah is a very active baby. She's not much of a cuddler. But, I crave those moments when she slows down and relaxes in my arms. In those moments, I sit very still for fear that I might cause her to stir and be on her way again. Her sweet hugs and kisses light up my heart. To receive that kind of assurance from my child, assurance that she loves me and enjoys being with me, fills me up.
*While He doesn't need assurance from us, God desires that kind of affection/worship. In fact, He loves us so much that He died so that He could be with us! When we're not near Him, we should have separation anxiety the way an infant does when she's separated from her mom. We should feel very alone and afraid when we aren't walking with the One we know we can trust.
*TRUTH--When we whine, it's annoying.
Scenario: Seriously? Do I need to say more?
*Philippians 2:14
*TRUTH--God loves us even when we hurt Him.
Scenario: One night Beulah had a hyper spell before bedtime. In an attempt to get her energy out, we were playing with her. She was going back and forth between the two of us, and we would flip her upside down or tickle her, etc. In this 15-20 minute crazy spell, she was scratching, pinching and biting us, pulling our hair, etc. We knew she didn't know that she was hurting us, and we didn't love her any less because of it.
* Jesus loved us so much that He died for us even when we condemned Him (Romans 5:8). He knew we didn't know what we were doing (Luke 23:34).
*TRUTH--God knows what we need before we ask.
Scenario: As a parent, you know what your child's basic needs are, and it is your job to meet those needs. I know when Beulah is going to get hungry, so I begin preparing her food ahead of time so that it will be ready when she is ready for it. When she was an infant, most of the time I would have already started the food prep before she started crying for it. She didn't know I was one step ahead of her.
*Our Father knows what we need before we ask. He tells us we don't have to worry, because He WILL provide for us (Matthew 6:25-34).
*TRUTH--God knows and wants what's best for us.
Scenario: Beulah goes through phases where she doesn't want to eat what I have prepared for her. I know that fruits and veggies should be a solid part of her diet, but she would rather have cereal, yogurt bites, tater tots, etc. Thus, a battle of the wills ensues. Since I know the fruits and veggies are healthier for her, and I want to establish a healthy appetite in her, I am not willing to simply give her what she wants for every meal. I have resolved to deal with the fussing in order to promote her health.
*We often fight what's good for us because it's not as appealing as what's bad for us. But, our Creator/Father knows what's best for us. He wants us to live in spiritual health; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (The Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23). So, if He engages us in a battle of the wills, we would be wise to submit sooner rather than later.
What are some things you've learned about God from parenting your child?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Crazy? I Was Crazy Once.
A year has passed since Beulah was born. As I reflect on my time as a mother, one thought comes to mind; I was CRAZY!! I haven't talked about my PPD (postpartum depression) here since I confessed my need for medication. It has been a process. There have been ups and downs. But, I want to praise the LORD today that I am Zoloft free!!
When Andy married me, I think he thought he had it easy. No one, including me, could tell a difference in my moods when I had PMS. I never had cramps. My periods were light and short, and I was always bubbly and positive. All that changed the day Beulah was born. We have several ways of referring to the period of time (Beulah's first 8-10 months) that PPD ruled. Andy is a good and sweet husband and kindly refers to it as the time when I was in a "fog". I just say, "I was crazy!"
When I was in the fog, I didn't realize how crazy I was. I thought everyone else was crazy. But, coming out of it and looking back, I see that I was, in fact...crazy!
This weekend on our way home from Atlanta, we decided to stop at the outlet mall in Commerce for a while. We had a great time walking around with Mike & Ria, wandering in and out of shops, and enjoying the beautiful weather. Beulah took a short nap on Andy in the Baby Bjorn, I fed her in the car, and Ria & I played peek-a-boo and other games with her on the way home. At one point she started to get fussy, and I didn't know what she needed. I felt myself get the tiniest bit anxious, and then I remembered. I remembered what I was like before...when I was crazy. I played the whole scenario in my head and allowed myself to image what my reaction would have been like if I were still in my fog.
My PPD manifested itself in several different ways; ways that mimic a combination of other disorders. The most overt manifestation was my obsession with numbers. The hospital asks you to keep records of food intake and diaper output while you're in the hospital. Pediatricians don't require you to continue record keeping once released, but I did anyway. That was one early clue that something was wrong. But, it seemed right to me. While I couldn't control HER and I couldn't force her to eat or go to the bathroom, I could control the numbers on the paper.
I have always been a slave to the clock, but when my PPD was at it's worst, I could not deviate from my self-imposed schedule even one minute or the anxiety would take over and that would lead to anger. I also obsessed about the amount of food she took in. As you may remember, I kept a rented hospital scale at our house for a month or longer. I weighed Beulah (naked, no-less) before and after every breast feeding, and whatever she didn't get from me, I supplemented with formula. I was terrified about not knowing how much she took in while nursing, and I did not trust my instincts. But, I trusted the numbers. And, poor Andy, if he made a bottle and didn't put in perfectly level scoops of formula, he was going to hear about it. It was even worse if he was pouring breast-milk into a bottle and didn't get every last drop of that "liquid gold" into the bottle she would drink! Poor guy couldn't do anything right in my eyes during that time. (More on that later.)
I also had to put Beulah down for naps on time or I would implode. If I needed to go out for any reason during the day, I would get every single little thing we might need while we were out ready while she was asleep, and when she woke up it was go time. If she woke up before I was finished getting ready...well, how many times can I say "anxiety" in one post? If we were out and it was getting close to time for her to go back down, the anxiety would start to rise, I would start rushing, Beulah would start to sense my anxiety and start fussing, then we would just feed off each other creating this vicious cycle. (I managed to get "anxiety" in that sentence two more times! Woo hoo!) It was all about the clock. And, again, I refer to him as "poor Andy", but if he made the slightest sound within Beulah's ear shot while she was sleeping, he saw my eyes turn red with anger.
The Zoloft definitely helped. I could feel myself start to relax a few short days after I started taking it. My doctor wisely recommended that I stay on the medication during the holidays, as they tend to be stressful. So, in January I started to wean. A lot of my old symptoms resurfaced in January. In February, the symptoms were present during ovulation when the hormones shift drastically. In March, the symptoms continued to decrease, and now in April I am starting to feel like my old self again. Praise the LORD!!
I have so much joy every day now. Being Beulah's mom is more than I could ever ask or imagine. Andy and I look at each other everyday and shake our heads in amazement at how happy she is and how blessed we are to be her parents. Andy's mom described it best, we've gone from "Rags to riches!" That's exactly how we feel.
I still try to keep to a schedule, but most of the time I'm WAY more laid back if things aren't going as planned. I'm still obsessed with her cleanliness. For some reason I can't stand the thought of her clothes getting stained or ruined, so I can be pretty controlling during feedings. I tell myself it doesn't matter and I shouldn't be that way, but it doesn't change. And, I'm still trying to figure out how to cope when I'm cooking and she's hanging on my legs. That's the one time I get really anxious. I think it's because cooking is so time sensitive and I can't always just stop and tend to her when there's food on the stove.
In my fog, I felt justified in all of my thoughts and actions. I couldn't imagine feeling any different. I thought everyone else should feel exactly like I did, and I got angry when they didn't. I would tell Andy through tears that I just wanted somebody else to care as much as I did and to understand how important all this was. He and my mom got the brunt of it. They are saints in my eyes. I seemed to control myself better around Andy's mom, but I wasn't hiding anything. She saw it and was a huge help too, as was Andy's sister. Others would come just to sit with me and keep me company, encourage me, or help out if I needed it. I thank God so much for putting people around me to help ground me.
I'm sure I haven't even begun to see all the damage that was done during that time. I know that my controlling behavior effected Andy's confidence as a dad. It made him gun-shy to try anything. He was afraid that I would reprimand him for not doing things like I thought they should be done. But, thankfully, our LORD is in the healing business, and He has started the healing process already. I try to give Andy freedom to become the dad that God wants him to be. I try to stand back and let him find his own ways of interacting with Beulah and his own ways of accomplishing the tasks related to her care. That's not always easy, but it is necessary. It's not just women who go through PPD. Men go through it too. If you know a man going through PPD with his wife, encourage him. Send him a link to this so that he can see there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I thank God for His grace in healing our family. It gives me hope that we could do this again if He chooses to bless us with another child!
When Andy married me, I think he thought he had it easy. No one, including me, could tell a difference in my moods when I had PMS. I never had cramps. My periods were light and short, and I was always bubbly and positive. All that changed the day Beulah was born. We have several ways of referring to the period of time (Beulah's first 8-10 months) that PPD ruled. Andy is a good and sweet husband and kindly refers to it as the time when I was in a "fog". I just say, "I was crazy!"
When I was in the fog, I didn't realize how crazy I was. I thought everyone else was crazy. But, coming out of it and looking back, I see that I was, in fact...crazy!
This weekend on our way home from Atlanta, we decided to stop at the outlet mall in Commerce for a while. We had a great time walking around with Mike & Ria, wandering in and out of shops, and enjoying the beautiful weather. Beulah took a short nap on Andy in the Baby Bjorn, I fed her in the car, and Ria & I played peek-a-boo and other games with her on the way home. At one point she started to get fussy, and I didn't know what she needed. I felt myself get the tiniest bit anxious, and then I remembered. I remembered what I was like before...when I was crazy. I played the whole scenario in my head and allowed myself to image what my reaction would have been like if I were still in my fog.
My PPD manifested itself in several different ways; ways that mimic a combination of other disorders. The most overt manifestation was my obsession with numbers. The hospital asks you to keep records of food intake and diaper output while you're in the hospital. Pediatricians don't require you to continue record keeping once released, but I did anyway. That was one early clue that something was wrong. But, it seemed right to me. While I couldn't control HER and I couldn't force her to eat or go to the bathroom, I could control the numbers on the paper.
I have always been a slave to the clock, but when my PPD was at it's worst, I could not deviate from my self-imposed schedule even one minute or the anxiety would take over and that would lead to anger. I also obsessed about the amount of food she took in. As you may remember, I kept a rented hospital scale at our house for a month or longer. I weighed Beulah (naked, no-less) before and after every breast feeding, and whatever she didn't get from me, I supplemented with formula. I was terrified about not knowing how much she took in while nursing, and I did not trust my instincts. But, I trusted the numbers. And, poor Andy, if he made a bottle and didn't put in perfectly level scoops of formula, he was going to hear about it. It was even worse if he was pouring breast-milk into a bottle and didn't get every last drop of that "liquid gold" into the bottle she would drink! Poor guy couldn't do anything right in my eyes during that time. (More on that later.)
I also had to put Beulah down for naps on time or I would implode. If I needed to go out for any reason during the day, I would get every single little thing we might need while we were out ready while she was asleep, and when she woke up it was go time. If she woke up before I was finished getting ready...well, how many times can I say "anxiety" in one post? If we were out and it was getting close to time for her to go back down, the anxiety would start to rise, I would start rushing, Beulah would start to sense my anxiety and start fussing, then we would just feed off each other creating this vicious cycle. (I managed to get "anxiety" in that sentence two more times! Woo hoo!) It was all about the clock. And, again, I refer to him as "poor Andy", but if he made the slightest sound within Beulah's ear shot while she was sleeping, he saw my eyes turn red with anger.
The Zoloft definitely helped. I could feel myself start to relax a few short days after I started taking it. My doctor wisely recommended that I stay on the medication during the holidays, as they tend to be stressful. So, in January I started to wean. A lot of my old symptoms resurfaced in January. In February, the symptoms were present during ovulation when the hormones shift drastically. In March, the symptoms continued to decrease, and now in April I am starting to feel like my old self again. Praise the LORD!!
I have so much joy every day now. Being Beulah's mom is more than I could ever ask or imagine. Andy and I look at each other everyday and shake our heads in amazement at how happy she is and how blessed we are to be her parents. Andy's mom described it best, we've gone from "Rags to riches!" That's exactly how we feel.
I still try to keep to a schedule, but most of the time I'm WAY more laid back if things aren't going as planned. I'm still obsessed with her cleanliness. For some reason I can't stand the thought of her clothes getting stained or ruined, so I can be pretty controlling during feedings. I tell myself it doesn't matter and I shouldn't be that way, but it doesn't change. And, I'm still trying to figure out how to cope when I'm cooking and she's hanging on my legs. That's the one time I get really anxious. I think it's because cooking is so time sensitive and I can't always just stop and tend to her when there's food on the stove.
In my fog, I felt justified in all of my thoughts and actions. I couldn't imagine feeling any different. I thought everyone else should feel exactly like I did, and I got angry when they didn't. I would tell Andy through tears that I just wanted somebody else to care as much as I did and to understand how important all this was. He and my mom got the brunt of it. They are saints in my eyes. I seemed to control myself better around Andy's mom, but I wasn't hiding anything. She saw it and was a huge help too, as was Andy's sister. Others would come just to sit with me and keep me company, encourage me, or help out if I needed it. I thank God so much for putting people around me to help ground me.
I'm sure I haven't even begun to see all the damage that was done during that time. I know that my controlling behavior effected Andy's confidence as a dad. It made him gun-shy to try anything. He was afraid that I would reprimand him for not doing things like I thought they should be done. But, thankfully, our LORD is in the healing business, and He has started the healing process already. I try to give Andy freedom to become the dad that God wants him to be. I try to stand back and let him find his own ways of interacting with Beulah and his own ways of accomplishing the tasks related to her care. That's not always easy, but it is necessary. It's not just women who go through PPD. Men go through it too. If you know a man going through PPD with his wife, encourage him. Send him a link to this so that he can see there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I thank God for His grace in healing our family. It gives me hope that we could do this again if He chooses to bless us with another child!
Insides Out
As humans, we are captivated by stories. We get lost in books and movies (and unfortunately reality TV), as we witness conflict, love and betrayal, tragedy and hope in other people's lives. We look for windows into their world and watch with anticipation as they face and respond to challenges. We are interested in how they are similar and different from us. Their stories can help us make sense of our own lives and world. God created us that way. That's why the Bible is written as a story, and one reason Jesus spoke in parables. Is it any wonder that the Bible is the world's best seller? I mean, when the author is also our Creator...
This is also why blogs are so popular. We love it when people lay their guts on the table for everyone to see. It moves us emotionally. It draws us back. It motivates us. It helps shape who we are as we agree with, disagree with, learn from, and are challenged by what we read. I like to consider my blog a ministry. I put my insides out there for others to see in hopes that it will help them (you) in some small way. But, unfortunately, due to time, my posts have become little more than a journal of Beulah's development. Of course, that's important, and I love doing it! Her development is ridiculously fascinating to me and maybe a handful of other people (like our parents and other out-of-state relatives), but perhaps not the majority of my followers.
I miss exposing my guts. It's therapy for me. It forces me to reflect and consider why I think and feel the way I do. Over the past year I have drafted 23 posts that have yet to be published. The drafts cover a wide range: sanctification through families, relationship changes after baby, the Holy Spirit as Counselor, breast-feeding, fear, selfishness, good books, PPD (postpartum depression), and many more. I write them in my head, but haven't found the time to put them down in black and white. Sometimes I come to blogger and simply write a title and one or two lines to remind me later where I was going in my head. But, it's time I go back and start hashing some of them out. To my faithful followers, hold on. There will be guts exposed over the next several months.
Interestingly, some of the posts are complete. But, before I hit the "publish" button, "something" told me to wait. I hadn't learned all I needed to learn on the topic yet. Of course, publishing a blog post doesn't make anyone an expert on the topic, but I at least like to think I'm sharing something well thought out that might be of value to someone else when I finally publish it. At this point though, I'm learning so much so fast, that the posts seem to morph before my eyes. So, I realize that I'm going to have to publish posts with the knowledge that there is more learning on the topic in my future. I've closed the book on infertility (Hallelujah!). I feel like God taught me a lot through those six long years, and I felt confident sharing it. But, now I feel like I've entered a world where the book will remain open and require multiple revisions over a lifetime. And, I look forward to baring my soul to you along the way.
This is also why blogs are so popular. We love it when people lay their guts on the table for everyone to see. It moves us emotionally. It draws us back. It motivates us. It helps shape who we are as we agree with, disagree with, learn from, and are challenged by what we read. I like to consider my blog a ministry. I put my insides out there for others to see in hopes that it will help them (you) in some small way. But, unfortunately, due to time, my posts have become little more than a journal of Beulah's development. Of course, that's important, and I love doing it! Her development is ridiculously fascinating to me and maybe a handful of other people (like our parents and other out-of-state relatives), but perhaps not the majority of my followers.
I miss exposing my guts. It's therapy for me. It forces me to reflect and consider why I think and feel the way I do. Over the past year I have drafted 23 posts that have yet to be published. The drafts cover a wide range: sanctification through families, relationship changes after baby, the Holy Spirit as Counselor, breast-feeding, fear, selfishness, good books, PPD (postpartum depression), and many more. I write them in my head, but haven't found the time to put them down in black and white. Sometimes I come to blogger and simply write a title and one or two lines to remind me later where I was going in my head. But, it's time I go back and start hashing some of them out. To my faithful followers, hold on. There will be guts exposed over the next several months.
Interestingly, some of the posts are complete. But, before I hit the "publish" button, "something" told me to wait. I hadn't learned all I needed to learn on the topic yet. Of course, publishing a blog post doesn't make anyone an expert on the topic, but I at least like to think I'm sharing something well thought out that might be of value to someone else when I finally publish it. At this point though, I'm learning so much so fast, that the posts seem to morph before my eyes. So, I realize that I'm going to have to publish posts with the knowledge that there is more learning on the topic in my future. I've closed the book on infertility (Hallelujah!). I feel like God taught me a lot through those six long years, and I felt confident sharing it. But, now I feel like I've entered a world where the book will remain open and require multiple revisions over a lifetime. And, I look forward to baring my soul to you along the way.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy 1st Birthday, Beulah!!
I can't think of a more glorious day to have a first Birthday than Easter Sunday! All praise to God our Father, and Jesus Christ His Son for conquering sin and death on the cross, and offering us new life in Him through His resurrection! Life is worth living because He lives!!
This has been such a fun month. Beulah is bursting with personality, as you'll see in the pictures and videos. I finally got video of the knee bounce and of her taking steps (see videos)! She will be walking any day now!
You've probably noticed that I'm not in a lot of pictures with Beulah, but I think my mama is going to remedy that. One of our favorite things to do is Skype with our families. While we are video conferencing, my mom takes pictures with her web-cam and sends them to me. So, in the pictures, you should be able to see how much fun Beulah and I have together. She has become so affectionate over the past month. She gives hugs now! Mostly to me and her stuffed animals. :) It is one of the best feelings in the world! She loves to bite my nose (with her FOUR new teeth!) and pull my hair (see pictures). She thinks it's hilarious, so I don't mind. If we tell her to love her animals, she hugs them tight to her chest and twists from side to side, and sometimes she gives them kisses.
My little copy cat has learned a few new gestures that crack me up; batting her eye lashes, shrugging her shoulders while turning her palms up and shaking her head (as if to say, "I don't know."), fake laughing, and making kissey sounds. She loves to go back and forth with her grandparents on Skype showing off her new tricks. She's also figured out how to hold the cell phone to her ear and say "Hi". What? She's just now a year old! Oh boy, we're in for it!
Speaking of being in for it, she has continued to be pretty dramatic at meal time. She's started throwing her food on the floor. We're working on that, but in the meantime, I'm doing an awful lot of entertaining just to get food in her. She has a crazy loud squeal that we hear at almost every mealtime, but we also hear it anytime she's found something she likes that we have to take away for some reason. Man, she can be feisty!! Feisty, but also silly. We will ask her a question like, "Do you want to get your diaper changed?", and she will grin and shake her head "no". Sometimes her responses have perfect comedic timing.
Beulah is super observant and has started to figure out how some things work. Her physical development doesn't seem to have caught up to her cognitive, because she can get pretty frustrated when she can't make something work that she knows should work. Besides the cell phone, she has figured out cabinets, drawers, zip locks, lids and containers, stacking cups, drinking from a sippy cup, velcro, shoes, headbands and balls. She holds the bottom of a shoe up to the bottom of her foot and then offers me the shoe so that I can put it on her. As soon as I put the shoe on her, she unlatches the velcro and takes it off, then it becomes a game. Her daddy has been amazed at the fact that she's learned how to throw a ball! Aim is another story. But throwing, she gets! And, I don't know where she learned how to put on a horseshoe shaped headband (I've never worn one, and neither has she) but, she has one to play with, and she'll put it on her head (upside down, no less) and leave it there! She knows it's funny, so she starts cracking up. This child is too big for her britches!
This month, Beulah's verbal skills are developing fast. Besides "mama" and "dada", we've clearly heard her say "dog". Usually, when we see a dog we say, "doggie". She got very excited when she saw Pedro the other day and started saying, "ah-ggie, ah-ggie"!! It was such a great moment for me!! We also mock animal sounds with her a lot, and she will mimick our dog, monkey and goat sounds! This is SUCH a fun age!
Board books are one of Beulah's favorite things. A friend who was working in the church nursery one Sunday said that she just sat there looking at books most of the time. She'll open the pages and look at them. And, she's very tactile, so she loves the touch and feel books. But, she can also be very lively! If we put her on the couch, she will cruise the length of the couch as fast as she can, and when she gets to the end, she'll either fall backwards (trusting that she'll land on the soft cushions or that we'll catch her), or she'll try to climb over the arm onto the floor! One time she went over so fast I had to catch her by her leg! And, she LOVES to flip. So, when she starts this wild streak, we usually add some flips in to really liven things up. :)
Beulah had an awesome first birthday party. There will be more pics, etc. to come in the next few days. It was a blast, and she did great!!
I can't help but feel overwhelmed by our blessings today as we celebrate Beulah's birthday AND the resurrection of our Savior! Thank you God for the birth of this miracle one year ago today, and thank you for loving us enough that you allowed your Son to die so that she might have life.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Beulah's Film Debut!!
A friend of Mike's was looking for a baby for a quick shot in a short film they were shooting. It took about an hour to get the shots they wanted of her. It was freezing outside, so she had on her snow suit. But, she did great, and had fun too! The director did an amazing job, because it sure looks like the dog was coming after Beulah. But, he never once barked or in any way put her in danger. Such a good dog, and such good film makers! Thanks, Meagan, Jake, and crew for the experience!
Enjoy Home.
Enjoy Home.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Beulah, 11 Months!
In one month my baby will be ONE!! When parents say time flies, they're not kidding! We are having so much fun watching her grow. And, thank God for cameras!
Beulah is starting to take steps! She usually gets one step in before she decides she needs to sit and crawl. But, hey, ya gotta start somewhere, right?! She will walk short distances holding just one of our fingers though!
She's still head banging, but she's added a new little knee bounce and head-shake to her dance, which I have yet to catch on video. Every time she sees the camera come out she tries to come and get it (see video). So, I'll have to try and sneak to get a shot of that so you can enjoy it with us. It'll be well worth the wait. :) Somehow though, I did capture a still shot of her standing unsupported (see picture)! It was a freak moment when I was trying to get a picture of her doing something else, but I was more than happy to get that instead!
Beulah has gotten really good at mimicking us. This is the age when you have to start being careful of what you say and do. It's also the beginning of us seeing how we act as she repeats it back to us. This should be fun!
She copies us when we...
*open our mouths wide and say "Ahhhh".
*bat our eye lashes (hilarious!).
*wave.
*nod.
*shake our heads.
*bounce.
*sway.
*make mouth sounds.
She's also started saying "Hi" and "Bye"! That's been really fun! Even if I'm just hanging up the phone, when she hears me say "Bye", she waves and says "Bye"! She's not as consistent with saying "Hi", but she can do it when she wants to. On occasion she'll mimic us when we make certain word sounds too.
Beulah has become quite feisty at meal times. She's decided she only wants finger food. Pureed or finely mashed foods aren't good enough anymore. Unfortunately, when you only have three teeth, your choices are pretty limited. So, we have a battle of the wills pretty much every time she eats. She's learned that she has to eat the spoon fed foods too though, and will do it rather reluctantly most of the time. We're exploring our options on how to foster this excitement for finger foods in her while still getting all the nutrients she needs as well. If it were up to her, she'd only eat puffs all day every day. But, she also loves banana, avocado, grapes, strawberries, and eggs, which are all soft enough to mush with her tongue. When, she gets the foods she wants, she says, "Num, num, num". And, she hums all the way through her meal, just like her mama. :) Oh, and she must eat with her right foot up on her tray (see picture). Sometimes she'll take a bite of toe in between. :)
She's doing pretty good with the sippy cup (see picture), although, sometimes she gets too much and chokes. I guess that's all part of learning. The mouth piece on her sippy cup is silicone though, and she'd much rather chew it that drink from it. I think any drinking she does is probably accidental. Maybe that's why she chokes!
A handful of nights this month, Beulah slept 10-12 hours without waking up one time! *singing Hallelujah Chorus* Otherwise, she's only waking up once for about five minutes and then she's back down till morning! Earlier in the month, I was walking her in the night and just prayed that God would grant her the gift of sleep. I prayed that He would progress her towards restful sleep through the night, and she got better almost instantly! Praise the Lord! And, thankfully, the first night she slept through was the night I woke up at 3 AM with a stomach bug. It was great to not have to worry about her while I was so sick. Then, poor thing, she caught it from her cousin a week and a half later. :( Oh, so pittyful.
Beulah is starting to take steps! She usually gets one step in before she decides she needs to sit and crawl. But, hey, ya gotta start somewhere, right?! She will walk short distances holding just one of our fingers though!
She's still head banging, but she's added a new little knee bounce and head-shake to her dance, which I have yet to catch on video. Every time she sees the camera come out she tries to come and get it (see video). So, I'll have to try and sneak to get a shot of that so you can enjoy it with us. It'll be well worth the wait. :) Somehow though, I did capture a still shot of her standing unsupported (see picture)! It was a freak moment when I was trying to get a picture of her doing something else, but I was more than happy to get that instead!
Beulah has gotten really good at mimicking us. This is the age when you have to start being careful of what you say and do. It's also the beginning of us seeing how we act as she repeats it back to us. This should be fun!
She copies us when we...
*open our mouths wide and say "Ahhhh".
*bat our eye lashes (hilarious!).
*wave.
*nod.
*shake our heads.
*bounce.
*sway.
*make mouth sounds.
She's also started saying "Hi" and "Bye"! That's been really fun! Even if I'm just hanging up the phone, when she hears me say "Bye", she waves and says "Bye"! She's not as consistent with saying "Hi", but she can do it when she wants to. On occasion she'll mimic us when we make certain word sounds too.
Beulah has become quite feisty at meal times. She's decided she only wants finger food. Pureed or finely mashed foods aren't good enough anymore. Unfortunately, when you only have three teeth, your choices are pretty limited. So, we have a battle of the wills pretty much every time she eats. She's learned that she has to eat the spoon fed foods too though, and will do it rather reluctantly most of the time. We're exploring our options on how to foster this excitement for finger foods in her while still getting all the nutrients she needs as well. If it were up to her, she'd only eat puffs all day every day. But, she also loves banana, avocado, grapes, strawberries, and eggs, which are all soft enough to mush with her tongue. When, she gets the foods she wants, she says, "Num, num, num". And, she hums all the way through her meal, just like her mama. :) Oh, and she must eat with her right foot up on her tray (see picture). Sometimes she'll take a bite of toe in between. :)
She's doing pretty good with the sippy cup (see picture), although, sometimes she gets too much and chokes. I guess that's all part of learning. The mouth piece on her sippy cup is silicone though, and she'd much rather chew it that drink from it. I think any drinking she does is probably accidental. Maybe that's why she chokes!
A handful of nights this month, Beulah slept 10-12 hours without waking up one time! *singing Hallelujah Chorus* Otherwise, she's only waking up once for about five minutes and then she's back down till morning! Earlier in the month, I was walking her in the night and just prayed that God would grant her the gift of sleep. I prayed that He would progress her towards restful sleep through the night, and she got better almost instantly! Praise the Lord! And, thankfully, the first night she slept through was the night I woke up at 3 AM with a stomach bug. It was great to not have to worry about her while I was so sick. Then, poor thing, she caught it from her cousin a week and a half later. :( Oh, so pittyful.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Beulah, 10 Months!
January has been a mixed bag. The month started out great, with family in town and us settling back at home from the holidays. But, honestly, I'm having a hard time remembering much from this month other than the past two weeks! I feel like this has been a month of very few changes in Beulah's development. Most noticeably, she just looks so grown up to me! Besides that, the two major things I can think of right now are that she knows how to give "five", and she's learned to shake her head "no". :) I think she got that from me, because sometimes when I sit in the back-seat with her, I shake my head so that my hair will fly around and it makes her laugh. And, I LOVE to make her laugh. :) She also thinks it's hysterical when people put things on their heads or on her head.
As you'll see in the video, she loves to head bang. That's something you just can't teach a baby. She's a natural! Sometimes when she's mixing music at her Learn & Groove table, she'll stand on her own for 3-5 seconds. And, her cruising skills are definitely improving. She can really kick it behind her walker! It's hilarious to watch her move so fast (see video). And then, when she hits a roadblock, she stops and looks at it like, "Hey! Get out of the way!", at which point she starts ramming the walker into it. I think I heard her say "TAWANDA" once! (see video below for explanation) :)
You should stop the video at 2:00 if you're offended by cursing. :)
Several months ago we let Andy's brother, Mike, and his wife, Ria, adopt Pedro. We were sad for Beulah, but fortunately, they live across the street, and she gets to see him pretty much every week still. It was best for him because with all of the attention Beulah needed early on, Pedro was severely neglected. He wasn't getting the exercise or attention he needed or deserved, and now he goes for walks regularly and is definitely well loved. Since the flood, we have been staying with Mike & Ria, and Beulah has been so happy to be reunited with Pedro! I think Pedro is happy too, but now Beulah can pull up and often uses his collar or ears as a gripping point (see pictures). :) The first week we were there, we all had the most fun watching Beulah and Pedro together. But, it has also been awesome for Beulah to get to spend this extended time with her aunt and uncle, and fun too! (see video) And, since we've been here, Beulah saw her first snow!
Unfortunately, this week has been a different story. Beulah started out the week with her first fever. Not even Pedro could make her smile. She has never been a cuddly baby, but for three days, all she wanted to do was be held and sleep on us. Since the fever broke (at 102.1 degrees), she has developed a rash; pretty sure it's Roseola. She's also having more tummy troubles, which could be the result of my increased dairy intake since the flood. It's just been easier to eat it since we're not cooking for ourselves in our own home. But, I'm going to make a more concerted effort to lay off dairy since it could be causing her so much discomfort. Anyway, she's been miserable on and off all week. But, there have been some bright spots in the week and we've seen some smiles and laughter. And, for her 10 month birthday, she's getting new floors! They should be in next week! Praise the Lord!!
As you'll see in the video, she loves to head bang. That's something you just can't teach a baby. She's a natural! Sometimes when she's mixing music at her Learn & Groove table, she'll stand on her own for 3-5 seconds. And, her cruising skills are definitely improving. She can really kick it behind her walker! It's hilarious to watch her move so fast (see video). And then, when she hits a roadblock, she stops and looks at it like, "Hey! Get out of the way!", at which point she starts ramming the walker into it. I think I heard her say "TAWANDA" once! (see video below for explanation) :)
You should stop the video at 2:00 if you're offended by cursing. :)
Several months ago we let Andy's brother, Mike, and his wife, Ria, adopt Pedro. We were sad for Beulah, but fortunately, they live across the street, and she gets to see him pretty much every week still. It was best for him because with all of the attention Beulah needed early on, Pedro was severely neglected. He wasn't getting the exercise or attention he needed or deserved, and now he goes for walks regularly and is definitely well loved. Since the flood, we have been staying with Mike & Ria, and Beulah has been so happy to be reunited with Pedro! I think Pedro is happy too, but now Beulah can pull up and often uses his collar or ears as a gripping point (see pictures). :) The first week we were there, we all had the most fun watching Beulah and Pedro together. But, it has also been awesome for Beulah to get to spend this extended time with her aunt and uncle, and fun too! (see video) And, since we've been here, Beulah saw her first snow!
Unfortunately, this week has been a different story. Beulah started out the week with her first fever. Not even Pedro could make her smile. She has never been a cuddly baby, but for three days, all she wanted to do was be held and sleep on us. Since the fever broke (at 102.1 degrees), she has developed a rash; pretty sure it's Roseola. She's also having more tummy troubles, which could be the result of my increased dairy intake since the flood. It's just been easier to eat it since we're not cooking for ourselves in our own home. But, I'm going to make a more concerted effort to lay off dairy since it could be causing her so much discomfort. Anyway, she's been miserable on and off all week. But, there have been some bright spots in the week and we've seen some smiles and laughter. And, for her 10 month birthday, she's getting new floors! They should be in next week! Praise the Lord!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Flood Status Update
I wanted to get some pictures up of the damage from the flood. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the house when the water was at it's highest. I wasn't thinking about pictures at that time, as you might imagine. I started taking pictures after Lorne had extracted the two inches of standing water, and they were trying to get the wet carpet and pad up as quickly as possible to minimize further damage. Believe it or not, Beulah slept through the whole ordeal. There was metal on metal hammering, drilling, loud talking over machines and equipment, ect. Andy and Lorne were running around ripping up carpet and linoleum like they were in a race. It was pretty crazy to watch! I can't say enough about how grateful we are for Lorne and H2O Drying Solutions. The damage would have been A LOT worse if it weren't for him.
These are not great videos, but they give you a good idea of what we were dealing with.
Water running around from behind our building, across our front yards and down the street.
Water running across our patio just outside our back door.
The downstairs is still gutted, but we have some incredibly generous friends coming tomorrow to repair the dry wall and we should have new floors in sometime next week. Lorne ended up having to take out the cabinets on the wall between us and our neighbor where the water was coming in so that he could cut out the wet dry wall. The cabinets seem to be OK, thank God. Insurance won't pay for any of this, even though it came in through our neighbor's unit. The insurance adjuster said that Andy was mislead when he was told that there may be a chance they'd cover it if it didn't come through our back door, but came from the neighbor's unit instead. We didn't have flood insurance because we were told that we weren't in the flood plain. But, Andy requested a copy of the FEMA report from last year, and it looks like we ARE in the flood plain (duh!) and should have been notified by our mortgage company. We've got a little more investigating to do on that issue. Meanwhile, the City of Fort Mill is investigating where the responsibility lies and will hopefully be fixing the storm drain and raising the levee soon to prevent this from happening again (see video below). It makes us kind of wary to replace the floors if there's a chance this could happen again, and we've got rain coming this weekend. But, our house is unlivable as it is, so we need to move ahead.
We're still at Mike and Ria's house, and we're all really enjoying living together! I stay here with Beulah during the day and clean and cook when I can, then when Andy, Mike & Ria get home from work, we all eat together, play with Beulah, and then relax until bed. It's been fun! We're incredibly grateful for their generosity in opening their home to us. Many of you have also offered your homes and other resources, and we couldn't be more humbled by the offers to help. We are so so so blessed! Thank you, and thank God for you!!
Looking in from the outside, this all might seem like a mess. But, God is sovereign. This was no surprise to Him. He had a plan before it happened, and he's allowed many blessings to come from this. Our trials are never in vain. I have always said that the worst things that have ever happened to me are the best things that have ever happened to me. (I wouldn't have met Andy if I hadn't broken my neck, for example!) Here are just a few of the blessings that have come from this experience.
*Spending extended time and sharing space with Mike & Ria has been an incredible blessing; not just for us, but for Beulah as well. She interacts with them on a whole new level, and they don't seem to mind. :)
*H2O Drying Solutions got a lot of business because neighbors in need saw Lorne's business truck on our road in the middle of the night. They have worked tirelessly all week helping us and our neighbors.
*We have connected with a neighbor that we had a strained relationship with.
*We've connected with neighbors that we didn't know before, and Andy (along with the rest of the HOA board) had a chance to help them out post-flood. See the media coverage by WCNC here.
*Friends and family have pulled together and helped emotionally, spiritually (through prayer and encouragement), financially, materially, and physically (giving food and lodging). Thank you, all of you!
We'll continue to follow the story on whether the city will take responsibility for what happened or not.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Flood of 2010
As I was taking pictures last night we joked that we would label them in Beulah's baby book as "The Flood of 2010". However, I hesitated to use this title here, because even though we lost all of our flooring downstairs last night, our furniture, cabinets, walls, etc. were all salvaged. And, while the damage seems horrible in our small little world, we are reminded of the many people who have lost entire homes, businesses, or family members in different parts of the country over time, and most recently, in Haiti.
I can truly say God is good! It just so happens that we have a friend who owns an emergency water damage business. Lorne was at our house from 3-6 AM extracting the water that had already made it's way inside, ripping up carpets and linoleum, and setting up fans to dry the place out. Because he got there so quickly, our furniture, appliances, and cabinets were salvaged. Thank God, and thank you, Lorne! It looks like we'll only be replacing the downstairs floors and some towels and blankets. Unfortunately, we are one of the families mentioned in the news clips that didn't have flood insurance.
We've had dozens of offers for help with food, housing, etc. We are RICHLY blessed to be a part of a community of people that knows how to love. Mike & Ria are graciously allowing us to stay at their place, conveniently located across the street, until things gets back in order at our home. It looks like it'll be another couple of days before we can get an insurance evaluation to see if the water came in the back door or through our neighbor's unit. Fortunately for him, he did have flood insurance. If the water came in our unit through his, it could fair well for us because it could be coded differently. Once we know where the money is going to come from, we'll get the floors put down and can move back in. Keep us in your prayers.
Andy's a star!! Oh, and so is our garbage can that's rolling around in the raging storm water. :)
WSOC TV
Fort Mill Times
The Herald
WBTV News
I can truly say God is good! It just so happens that we have a friend who owns an emergency water damage business. Lorne was at our house from 3-6 AM extracting the water that had already made it's way inside, ripping up carpets and linoleum, and setting up fans to dry the place out. Because he got there so quickly, our furniture, appliances, and cabinets were salvaged. Thank God, and thank you, Lorne! It looks like we'll only be replacing the downstairs floors and some towels and blankets. Unfortunately, we are one of the families mentioned in the news clips that didn't have flood insurance.
We've had dozens of offers for help with food, housing, etc. We are RICHLY blessed to be a part of a community of people that knows how to love. Mike & Ria are graciously allowing us to stay at their place, conveniently located across the street, until things gets back in order at our home. It looks like it'll be another couple of days before we can get an insurance evaluation to see if the water came in the back door or through our neighbor's unit. Fortunately for him, he did have flood insurance. If the water came in our unit through his, it could fair well for us because it could be coded differently. Once we know where the money is going to come from, we'll get the floors put down and can move back in. Keep us in your prayers.
Andy's a star!! Oh, and so is our garbage can that's rolling around in the raging storm water. :)
WSOC TV
Fort Mill Times
The Herald
WBTV News
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Parenting by THE Book
Having taught dance in public schools for eight years, I learned a lot about "raising" children. Discipline was my greatest strength in the classroom. I considered myself to be fair and caring towards my students. Once, when I got laryngitis, I taught six classes a day for three days with no voice. I whispered and used body language and instruments to guide students' learning. When our upcoming Principal noticed that I had zero discipline problems those days despite the fact that an average of 30 elementary aged kids were actively dancing around my classroom at any given moment, he said, "Now, that's the mark of a good teacher!" It's true enough that when you walk into a classroom where the kids are well behaved and following directions, you think they MUST have a good teacher. But, lately I've realized that good parenting is nothing like "good teaching"*.
I vividly remember learning how to approach discipline in my Ed Psyc classes in college. There are different styles of discipline, and students have different responses to each style. We also learned how to motivate students to learn and behave. I specifically remember learning the terms "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" motivation. Students are motivated intrinsically if they have a personal connection with the given material. They display intrinsic motivation when they are compliant and behave appropriately because they WANT to, as opposed to being forced. Extrinsic motivation is when students learn or behave because they are being manipulated by some external factor; i.e. rewards or punishment.
My classroom, composed of students of varying ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, religious beliefs, and skill levels, was controlled by rewards and punishment. I tried to present new material in terms that would be interesting to the average student, but motivating every single student using something s/he would have a vested interest in is nearly impossible when they come from such varied backgrounds. So, I settled for Time Out when a student was so disinterested that s/he would rather make their friend laugh. I offered dance parties to classes who had the least Time Outs each semester. We gave pizza parties to the most well behaved 5th grade class each semester. And the list for rewards and punishments goes on and on. Disciplining using extrinsic motivators is ingrained in me. It would take an act of God to change that. And, with the help of some AMAZING resources, I believe the process has begun.
I recently watched The Case for Kids by Dr. Tedd Tripp and his brother Dr. Paul David Tripp. It has changed my whole way of thinking about discipline, and especially disciplining in a Christian home.
As Christian parents, our goal is to raise up children who love God above all else, and who (in response) live to love and serve others. We want them to be so humbled by God's love for them that they are compelled to share His love with others and desire nothing more than to bring Him glory. Well, that sounds all fine and good, but how do you do that? Obviously that can't be accomplished by manipulating kids with rewards and punishments. Paul and Tedd Tripp made the point that extrinsic motivators don't touch the heart of the child. In this DVD series, they give practical advice on how to live, speak, and train your children to be motivated to live and obey out of a love for God and a grateful heart for what He has done for us. They put special emphasis on the fact that we're all sinners with no hope (parents and children alike) apart from the redemption offered to us through Christ Jesus. Can you imagine your child fully grasping that and living out of a true understanding of who God is and what He has done? Oh, GLORY!!
If you are a Christian parent, you don't want to go another day without seeing this material. The beautiful thing is, Paul and Tedd make it clear that it is never too late to start parenting this way, no matter how old your children are. If you live in the Fort Mill area, Eternal will be showing the DVDs before worship on Sunday mornings (9:15 AM at the Baxter YMCA) starting in February, and you are more than welcome to join us for the viewing and discussion. Childcare will be provided. If you can't make it, I HIGHLY recommend you find another way to see it, if possible.
If you can't find a way to see the videos (and even if you do), you will do well to read the two books that the series is based off of. Tedd Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart (which also has a handbook and instructor's guide if you want to study it with a group) and Paul David Tripp's Age of Opportunity. Couple your reading with the featured Resurgence Audio and Video of Tedd Tripp speaking at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, and you'll get a good feel for what the DVD series is all about.
I have also been reading a book that is really encouraging to me (thanks, Priscilla!). A Mother's Heart, by Jean Fleming, is a great book about viewing your family as your number one ministry and how to balance life with raising children in a Christian home. Moms, it's worth a read, for many reasons.
I would encourage you to step back and evaluate your parenting using Scripture. But, it would do us all well to remember...
"As [parents] we can do nothing to persuade or convince our children to love God...We can teach our children about God, pray for them, live the Christian life before them, and expose them to others who love and serve God. But only God can give them spiritual life. God doesn't need our help, but in His sovereign plan He invites us to take part actively--to colabor with Him as He works in their lives."--Jean Fleming
May God bless you as you strive to raise His children for Him.
*Just because someone is a skilled disciplinarian doesn't mean s/he is gifted to lead a large number of students with differing learning abilities, levels, and backgrounds towards mastery of curriculum. But, that's not the point of this blog...just a side note. :)
I vividly remember learning how to approach discipline in my Ed Psyc classes in college. There are different styles of discipline, and students have different responses to each style. We also learned how to motivate students to learn and behave. I specifically remember learning the terms "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" motivation. Students are motivated intrinsically if they have a personal connection with the given material. They display intrinsic motivation when they are compliant and behave appropriately because they WANT to, as opposed to being forced. Extrinsic motivation is when students learn or behave because they are being manipulated by some external factor; i.e. rewards or punishment.
My classroom, composed of students of varying ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, religious beliefs, and skill levels, was controlled by rewards and punishment. I tried to present new material in terms that would be interesting to the average student, but motivating every single student using something s/he would have a vested interest in is nearly impossible when they come from such varied backgrounds. So, I settled for Time Out when a student was so disinterested that s/he would rather make their friend laugh. I offered dance parties to classes who had the least Time Outs each semester. We gave pizza parties to the most well behaved 5th grade class each semester. And the list for rewards and punishments goes on and on. Disciplining using extrinsic motivators is ingrained in me. It would take an act of God to change that. And, with the help of some AMAZING resources, I believe the process has begun.
I recently watched The Case for Kids by Dr. Tedd Tripp and his brother Dr. Paul David Tripp. It has changed my whole way of thinking about discipline, and especially disciplining in a Christian home.
As Christian parents, our goal is to raise up children who love God above all else, and who (in response) live to love and serve others. We want them to be so humbled by God's love for them that they are compelled to share His love with others and desire nothing more than to bring Him glory. Well, that sounds all fine and good, but how do you do that? Obviously that can't be accomplished by manipulating kids with rewards and punishments. Paul and Tedd Tripp made the point that extrinsic motivators don't touch the heart of the child. In this DVD series, they give practical advice on how to live, speak, and train your children to be motivated to live and obey out of a love for God and a grateful heart for what He has done for us. They put special emphasis on the fact that we're all sinners with no hope (parents and children alike) apart from the redemption offered to us through Christ Jesus. Can you imagine your child fully grasping that and living out of a true understanding of who God is and what He has done? Oh, GLORY!!
If you are a Christian parent, you don't want to go another day without seeing this material. The beautiful thing is, Paul and Tedd make it clear that it is never too late to start parenting this way, no matter how old your children are. If you live in the Fort Mill area, Eternal will be showing the DVDs before worship on Sunday mornings (9:15 AM at the Baxter YMCA) starting in February, and you are more than welcome to join us for the viewing and discussion. Childcare will be provided. If you can't make it, I HIGHLY recommend you find another way to see it, if possible.
If you can't find a way to see the videos (and even if you do), you will do well to read the two books that the series is based off of. Tedd Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart (which also has a handbook and instructor's guide if you want to study it with a group) and Paul David Tripp's Age of Opportunity. Couple your reading with the featured Resurgence Audio and Video of Tedd Tripp speaking at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, and you'll get a good feel for what the DVD series is all about.
I have also been reading a book that is really encouraging to me (thanks, Priscilla!). A Mother's Heart, by Jean Fleming, is a great book about viewing your family as your number one ministry and how to balance life with raising children in a Christian home. Moms, it's worth a read, for many reasons.
I would encourage you to step back and evaluate your parenting using Scripture. But, it would do us all well to remember...
"As [parents] we can do nothing to persuade or convince our children to love God...We can teach our children about God, pray for them, live the Christian life before them, and expose them to others who love and serve God. But only God can give them spiritual life. God doesn't need our help, but in His sovereign plan He invites us to take part actively--to colabor with Him as He works in their lives."--Jean Fleming
May God bless you as you strive to raise His children for Him.
*Just because someone is a skilled disciplinarian doesn't mean s/he is gifted to lead a large number of students with differing learning abilities, levels, and backgrounds towards mastery of curriculum. But, that's not the point of this blog...just a side note. :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Noise VS Solitude
Back in September, Skip preached a sermon at Eternal about Living with the End in Mind. As the message progressed, I became increasingly aware of how temporal my thinking had become since I got pregnant. I started this post that week, but felt that my meditation on the issue wasn't complete, so I couldn't post it. Now, I feel like I have a lot more insight to share.
Since I stopped working full time in the summer of '08, thoughts of pregnancy, caring for a baby, and being a mom consumed me, I've regretted the fact that I haven't spent time in the Word. I blamed God, telling Him that He wasn't giving me the desire and saying, "I can't manufacture a desire, can I?" In other words, "What are YOU going to do about this?" I knew I needed it, but the blame was in the wrong place. I was just blind to the real reason I didn't have the desire at the time.
Looking back, I have realized that the one major contributor to my distance from God was television. I had no idea how much it was consuming my thought life and what a distraction it was to me. Breaking up with TV has been the best thing I've done for myself, my spirit, and my family.
Billy Graham said, "Mothers should cultivate their souls that in turn they may cultivate the souls of their children."
Jean Fleming, author of A Mother's Heart put it this way, "The single most important decision a mother can make is to develop her own life with God. Unless she nurtures herself spiritually first, she will have no base from which to have a positive spiritual influence on her children."
I knew this. The problem was, I was so distant that I couldn't see how deeply my addiction to TV was affecting me (or my family). Even when I wasn't actively listening to what was being said on the TV, it was still consuming the second space of my mind. What I mean is, there was never any quiet time in my head to think about or listen to God because there was always noise. Besides that, I didn't realize how much of what I was hearing throughout the day was infiltrating my mind. Culture influences us, especially when we spend a greater part of the day listening to it's "wisdom" rather than the LORD's. I counted on TV to be my companion, not God.
I wonder if postpartum would have been as hard if my spiritual life had been more in tact. That's not to say that postpartum depression is not real or that women don't have different degrees of it. It most certainly IS real, and I can't attribute the full scope of it to spiritual issues. I just wonder, for myself, how much my lack of listening and meditating contributed to the depths of my depression and lack of hope.
Someone whose spirit is not being fed is less patient, and therefore less loving, kind, and gentle. S/He will find that living in a state of peace and finding joy in everyday responsibilities and relationships is challenging, if not impossible. Think for a minute how this affects your family. I regret the time I've spent away from God. I've missed out on blessings, and have, no doubt, made things difficult for my family.
Fortunately, God didn't leave me alone. He placed in me the desire to turn off the TV. At the time, I thought it was for Beulah's sake. Now I realize that it was for my own, and in turn for my whole family. I know a lot of you were praying for me. You shared with me how much you have enjoyed living without TV, and I wanted that too. THANK YOU for your prayers! God made it easy for me to quit! After only a day or two without TV, I would consider watching it for 30 minutes or an hour while Beulah was sleeping and I was cleaning up. I would turn it on, and after 10 minutes I was uninterested or disgusted and had to turn it off. Instead, I've listened to sermons online or watched DVDs on parenting that have changed my life! (More on that in a future post.) These days, the only thing you'll see on the TV during the daytime is the Weather Channel. Beulah and I like the music. :)
If your prayer life and desire to read the Word is suffering, consider the source of the noise consuming your head space. If your spirit is crippled by a TV addiction like mine was, I challenge you to turn it off. Give it a week, and see what God does in your life. I feel like I have been revived, and I want that for you too.
Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Praise God!!
If you need help, check out Mark Driscoll's blog series Organizing a Silence and Solitude Day.
Since I stopped working full time in the summer of '08, thoughts of pregnancy, caring for a baby, and being a mom consumed me, I've regretted the fact that I haven't spent time in the Word. I blamed God, telling Him that He wasn't giving me the desire and saying, "I can't manufacture a desire, can I?" In other words, "What are YOU going to do about this?" I knew I needed it, but the blame was in the wrong place. I was just blind to the real reason I didn't have the desire at the time.
Looking back, I have realized that the one major contributor to my distance from God was television. I had no idea how much it was consuming my thought life and what a distraction it was to me. Breaking up with TV has been the best thing I've done for myself, my spirit, and my family.
Billy Graham said, "Mothers should cultivate their souls that in turn they may cultivate the souls of their children."
Jean Fleming, author of A Mother's Heart put it this way, "The single most important decision a mother can make is to develop her own life with God. Unless she nurtures herself spiritually first, she will have no base from which to have a positive spiritual influence on her children."
I knew this. The problem was, I was so distant that I couldn't see how deeply my addiction to TV was affecting me (or my family). Even when I wasn't actively listening to what was being said on the TV, it was still consuming the second space of my mind. What I mean is, there was never any quiet time in my head to think about or listen to God because there was always noise. Besides that, I didn't realize how much of what I was hearing throughout the day was infiltrating my mind. Culture influences us, especially when we spend a greater part of the day listening to it's "wisdom" rather than the LORD's. I counted on TV to be my companion, not God.
I wonder if postpartum would have been as hard if my spiritual life had been more in tact. That's not to say that postpartum depression is not real or that women don't have different degrees of it. It most certainly IS real, and I can't attribute the full scope of it to spiritual issues. I just wonder, for myself, how much my lack of listening and meditating contributed to the depths of my depression and lack of hope.
Someone whose spirit is not being fed is less patient, and therefore less loving, kind, and gentle. S/He will find that living in a state of peace and finding joy in everyday responsibilities and relationships is challenging, if not impossible. Think for a minute how this affects your family. I regret the time I've spent away from God. I've missed out on blessings, and have, no doubt, made things difficult for my family.
Fortunately, God didn't leave me alone. He placed in me the desire to turn off the TV. At the time, I thought it was for Beulah's sake. Now I realize that it was for my own, and in turn for my whole family. I know a lot of you were praying for me. You shared with me how much you have enjoyed living without TV, and I wanted that too. THANK YOU for your prayers! God made it easy for me to quit! After only a day or two without TV, I would consider watching it for 30 minutes or an hour while Beulah was sleeping and I was cleaning up. I would turn it on, and after 10 minutes I was uninterested or disgusted and had to turn it off. Instead, I've listened to sermons online or watched DVDs on parenting that have changed my life! (More on that in a future post.) These days, the only thing you'll see on the TV during the daytime is the Weather Channel. Beulah and I like the music. :)
If your prayer life and desire to read the Word is suffering, consider the source of the noise consuming your head space. If your spirit is crippled by a TV addiction like mine was, I challenge you to turn it off. Give it a week, and see what God does in your life. I feel like I have been revived, and I want that for you too.
Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Praise God!!
If you need help, check out Mark Driscoll's blog series Organizing a Silence and Solitude Day.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Beulah, 9 Months!
This is SUCH fun age! Beulah seems happier every day, and it's obvious to everyone who sees her. When we're out, strangers say, "She's the happiest baby!" One night we were seated in the middle of a restaurant, watching our 8.5 month old literally work the room! She made every single person in the place smile at her, and when the servers walked by, she clapped! It is such a joy to watch and enjoy her and see others enjoying her.
Beulah's first Christmas was awesome! We were in GA, and of course, she was the center of attention. Eight to nine months is the perfect age for Christmas and opening presents (see video). She didn't understand why she couldn't eat the paper, but she loved tearing it and climbing on (or in) the boxes (see pictures and video). Again, who needs toys?! Actually, I never really considered how important toys are to a child's development before Beulah, but it's amazing to see how they help her accomplish new skills everyday. Beulah's new favorite toy is her Learn & Groove Musical Table by Leap Frog (see pictures and video). It is SO fun to watch her cruise around the table playing with the different instruments. It has really helped strengthen her legs and back as she stands at the table to play, not to mention her hand-eye coordination and understanding of cause and effect. This is by far my favorite toy of hers. I would recommend it to anyone with a child 7+ months old.
Beulah also got a walker to push around the room (see video). She's doing really good! It won't be long now before she starts taking steps on her own! She's really good at cruising from one piece of furniture to another, and sometimes she lets go for a second or two! She also climbed the stairs at her Uncle Mike and Aunt Ria's! Thanks to her other toys from friends and family, she's also learned to put objects into a container, and even plays games with us. She'll play peek-a-boo with her bib, pulling it up over her face until she hears, "Where's Beulah?" at which time she pulls it down and laughs. So fun!! She learned another game from her Paw Paw (my dad). He rolled her little miniature wagon around, and each time it passed her she'd either put her toy in it or take it out. She will also offer me her spoon, which I take with my mouth, then I offer it back to her. It's a fun, hands free game we like to play. She's learned to mimic certain gestures, like waving, clapping, and sticking out her tongue, and she can respond to instruction. She claps and waves when we ask her to, and she stops when she hears us say, "No!" "Danger!" or "Not for baby!"
CUTE THINGS BEULAH DOES (besides everything mentioned above!)
*Beulah will pull up on something (usually her music table), and start bobbin' her head like she's groovin' (see video)!
*She sits on her bottom with her legs straight out and repeatedly raises and lowers her right leg, tapping her heel on the floor.
*She likes to make hissing sounds like she's whispering.
*Sometimes she'll hold her hand up and tuck her chin down as if to say, "Thank ya. Thank ya very much." It's especially funny if she's just finished playing music on her music table.
THINGS THAT MAKE BEULAH LAUGH/SMILE
*When she hears Daddy's keys in the door, she looks at me and smiles and then crawls as fast as she can to the door. Precious!
*Beulah has had the opportunity to spend time with both our families over the holidays, and recognizes them enough now to get really excited when she sees her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So sweet.
Beulah's first Christmas was awesome! We were in GA, and of course, she was the center of attention. Eight to nine months is the perfect age for Christmas and opening presents (see video). She didn't understand why she couldn't eat the paper, but she loved tearing it and climbing on (or in) the boxes (see pictures and video). Again, who needs toys?! Actually, I never really considered how important toys are to a child's development before Beulah, but it's amazing to see how they help her accomplish new skills everyday. Beulah's new favorite toy is her Learn & Groove Musical Table by Leap Frog (see pictures and video). It is SO fun to watch her cruise around the table playing with the different instruments. It has really helped strengthen her legs and back as she stands at the table to play, not to mention her hand-eye coordination and understanding of cause and effect. This is by far my favorite toy of hers. I would recommend it to anyone with a child 7+ months old.
Beulah also got a walker to push around the room (see video). She's doing really good! It won't be long now before she starts taking steps on her own! She's really good at cruising from one piece of furniture to another, and sometimes she lets go for a second or two! She also climbed the stairs at her Uncle Mike and Aunt Ria's! Thanks to her other toys from friends and family, she's also learned to put objects into a container, and even plays games with us. She'll play peek-a-boo with her bib, pulling it up over her face until she hears, "Where's Beulah?" at which time she pulls it down and laughs. So fun!! She learned another game from her Paw Paw (my dad). He rolled her little miniature wagon around, and each time it passed her she'd either put her toy in it or take it out. She will also offer me her spoon, which I take with my mouth, then I offer it back to her. It's a fun, hands free game we like to play. She's learned to mimic certain gestures, like waving, clapping, and sticking out her tongue, and she can respond to instruction. She claps and waves when we ask her to, and she stops when she hears us say, "No!" "Danger!" or "Not for baby!"
CUTE THINGS BEULAH DOES (besides everything mentioned above!)
*Beulah will pull up on something (usually her music table), and start bobbin' her head like she's groovin' (see video)!
*She sits on her bottom with her legs straight out and repeatedly raises and lowers her right leg, tapping her heel on the floor.
*She likes to make hissing sounds like she's whispering.
*Sometimes she'll hold her hand up and tuck her chin down as if to say, "Thank ya. Thank ya very much." It's especially funny if she's just finished playing music on her music table.
THINGS THAT MAKE BEULAH LAUGH/SMILE
*When she hears Daddy's keys in the door, she looks at me and smiles and then crawls as fast as she can to the door. Precious!
*Beulah has had the opportunity to spend time with both our families over the holidays, and recognizes them enough now to get really excited when she sees her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So sweet.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Beulah, 8 Months!
What a difference a month makes! This stage in a baby's development must be the most fun, because it seems that new things are happening everyday. Her newfound mobility broadens her world and makes her boundaries limitless; that is until mama stops her from doing something that might hurt her. But, despite my efforts to protect her, I've learned that bumps and bruises are inevitable at this stage; especially if I turn my back for one second. In fact, she fell off the bed at her Nana & Pop Pop's house over Thanksgiving. She was laying on her back in the middle of the bed, so I bent down to get her pants to put on her when I heard a thud followed by a loud cry. Ugh. There's no worse sound in a mother's life. She's OK, of course. Thank God! But, we spend a lot more time on the floor these days, and I have become pretty skilled at changing a diaper while she's rolling or crawling away. I'm lucky if I have any kind of strap or tag nearby to occupy her. She likes those much more than any toy she has.
Everyday Andy and I talk about how joyful she is. When I asked him if there was anything in particular that he'd like for me to mention in her 8 month post, he said, "just her sweet disposition." When I describe her, I say, "She's just delightful!" She LOVES to go places and see people. I'm pretty sure she's an extrovert, because when she's around people she's super happy and hardly ever thinks about sleeping or eating. But, when the people are gone, she comes crashing down.
NEW THINGS BEULAH CAN DO
*crawling on hands and knees (see video)
*pulling up! (see video)
*claps hands (see video)
*She's making much more sophisticated sounds and letter combinations. Sometimes I hear "words" like "boosh" or "this", and sometimes she makes a hissing sound. I heard her make sounds with every letter, except maybe "c", "k", and "q".
FIRSTS
*Beulah got her first tooth!! Two actually! Her two bottom, front teeth are peeking through. I haven't gotten a picture because everytime she opens her mouth, her tongue covers it up.
*Beulah saw the ocean for the first time over Thanksgiving! While visiting Andy's parents in FL, we went to St. Augustine for a day. It was COLD, so she didn't get in the water. But, since she falls asleep to ocean waves on her sound machine every night, she fell asleep as we walked to the sound of real ocean waves. :)
*Beulah met a large number of her extended family over Thanksgiving in FL.
CUTE THINGS BEULAH DOES
*Sometimes when we make eye contact, she'll just laugh out of the blue. Love it!
*While sitting on her bottom, she bounces from her pelvis while flapping her arms up and down. (see video)
*After she wakes up, she peeks through the slats in the crib at us when we come in and squeals with excitement.
*Sometimes she'll cover her ears with her hands. Unfortunately, the first time she did it was when she was being introduced to her adult cousin for the first time. :)
*She holds her bottle with her hands AND feet. (see picture)
* She chews on and rolls her tongue. The most common comments we get from strangers are about her blue eyes or her tongue.
*She's been "blowing raspberries" with her lips for a while, but now she does it with her tongue too.
*She sits "cris-cross" (or "Indian style" if you're from my generation or before).
*She pats my shoulder when I pick her up or while she's nursing.
*While laying tummy to tummy when nursing, she tries to stand and bend forward to nurse.
*Sometimes while nursing, she rubs her feet together really fast.
THINGS THAT MAKE BEULAH SMILE/LAUGH
*When she bangs things together, she smiles. (see video)
And now for even more videos than last month!
shaker = teething tabs
symbol = lid from toilet paper holder
creative inspiration = blinds?
Everyday Andy and I talk about how joyful she is. When I asked him if there was anything in particular that he'd like for me to mention in her 8 month post, he said, "just her sweet disposition." When I describe her, I say, "She's just delightful!" She LOVES to go places and see people. I'm pretty sure she's an extrovert, because when she's around people she's super happy and hardly ever thinks about sleeping or eating. But, when the people are gone, she comes crashing down.
NEW THINGS BEULAH CAN DO
*crawling on hands and knees (see video)
*pulling up! (see video)
*claps hands (see video)
*She's making much more sophisticated sounds and letter combinations. Sometimes I hear "words" like "boosh" or "this", and sometimes she makes a hissing sound. I heard her make sounds with every letter, except maybe "c", "k", and "q".
FIRSTS
*Beulah got her first tooth!! Two actually! Her two bottom, front teeth are peeking through. I haven't gotten a picture because everytime she opens her mouth, her tongue covers it up.
*Beulah saw the ocean for the first time over Thanksgiving! While visiting Andy's parents in FL, we went to St. Augustine for a day. It was COLD, so she didn't get in the water. But, since she falls asleep to ocean waves on her sound machine every night, she fell asleep as we walked to the sound of real ocean waves. :)
*Beulah met a large number of her extended family over Thanksgiving in FL.
CUTE THINGS BEULAH DOES
*Sometimes when we make eye contact, she'll just laugh out of the blue. Love it!
*While sitting on her bottom, she bounces from her pelvis while flapping her arms up and down. (see video)
*After she wakes up, she peeks through the slats in the crib at us when we come in and squeals with excitement.
*Sometimes she'll cover her ears with her hands. Unfortunately, the first time she did it was when she was being introduced to her adult cousin for the first time. :)
*She holds her bottle with her hands AND feet. (see picture)
* She chews on and rolls her tongue. The most common comments we get from strangers are about her blue eyes or her tongue.
*She's been "blowing raspberries" with her lips for a while, but now she does it with her tongue too.
*She sits "cris-cross" (or "Indian style" if you're from my generation or before).
*She pats my shoulder when I pick her up or while she's nursing.
*While laying tummy to tummy when nursing, she tries to stand and bend forward to nurse.
*Sometimes while nursing, she rubs her feet together really fast.
THINGS THAT MAKE BEULAH SMILE/LAUGH
*When she bangs things together, she smiles. (see video)
And now for even more videos than last month!
shaker = teething tabs
symbol = lid from toilet paper holder
creative inspiration = blinds?
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