Some Random Thoughts on Babies

A friend of mine is expecting her first little bundle of joy in just a few short weeks. Her husband scored some major points this last Valentine's Day by surprising her with a "book of wisdom" so-to-speak, chocked full advice from her friends and family who had already embarked on the journey of motherhood.


I don't know how much "wisdom" I contributed, but it was a great exercise to brainstorm and collect my thoughts on caring for newborns and beyond. And for posterity's sake (hehe) I'm reposting my thoughts here.

And what the heck?! Most of you are more seasoned moms than I am. I'd love to hear your wisdom on the matter!


Tips on Young Motherhood

It Would Happen

It would happen once I decide to embark on a new blogging feature, a thousand words.

Death.

Well, not true death... but it might as well be.

Currently my baby - er, laptop - is somewhere between U.S. coasts. It chose now to develop an attitude of independence as to when it would actually TURN ON! Grrr.

So now I'm stuck attempting to blog on our ancient heifer of a computer that won't even read my memory card. And the "thousand words" that are longing to fly out of my mouth had best fall on a deaf audience.

That said, I bring you some photos - some of my favorite, mind you - that are nevertheless unedited. Forgive their unpolished appearence and please enjoy the show.

***

Today I continue my ode to my husband. We're apart this week and next as he and a college friend prepare to take the bar. I miss him lots, respect him even more... and anxiously await the moment we're back together and back to normal.

Normal. This is normal at our house...

True Intimacy

I've never been one to celebrate Valentine's Day. Perhaps this is a result of my childhood. My parents were never big on any market-driven holiday, but we ate our heart-shaped pancakes, told family members we loved them (like we did every day) and moved on.

During my college years the journey of singleness made me much more aware of Valentine's Day. Friends went out with their significant others and I sat alone in my dorm room wearing black in protest. A true model of maturity right there. ::Cough::

Although there was that one year when a friend and I graced our male counterpart's cubicle with bright red streamers and heart confetti - just cuz it bred annoyance. Who knew I was really pranking my future husband. Hehe.

But now I'm married and we still don't really celebrate the big love fest. But in light of yesterday's holiday, I found this post a true encouragement... and a great reminder. Here's an exerp:

Unaware of themselves in the garden, Adam and Eve walked with God,
and they were naked. They were completely exposed, and they were not
work-driven, and they did not have babies hanging on their legs, sitting on
their hips, poking their eyes, squeezing their noses, or drooling down their
backs.

Oh how we want the garden back sometimes after we have babies! Oh how sweet the garden seems when we're looking back from our over-worked positions - whatever they may be! Don't we crave such time and depth with Christ that we become one with Him, know His thoughts, and love how He loves? Don't we survive by keeping intimacy with Him, in prayer?

What is missing for me is the humility and discernment to say NO when needed, so I can say YES when needed, and I keep asking myself if I were to arrange my life so that intimacy with the Lover my soul were my priority, then wouldn't intimacy with my husband become a great byproduct of that - an overflow?

~ Taken from "An Intimacy Experiment" over at (In)Courage.

For You, Babe

To My Best Friend,

On this day celebrating love, it is only fitting that I publically state just how precious you are to me. The Lord has blessed me above and beyond what I deserve. Every good and perfect gift is from Him, and that's how I know He brought me you. Thank you for selflessly, joyously, and lovingly serving me and your children. As you prepare to take the Virginia bar next week, know that we're rooting for you and cheering you on behind the scenes. And when it's all over, we look forward to welcoming you home with lots of love and hugs and kisses (wet ones from the girls :-) ).

Here's our song for you today:

"Family Man" from Trevor Little on Vimeo.

My Family

November 2009

A common after-dinner occurrence.

Wish You Were Here

We’re so glad Jadyn is finally here. Her big sister was very excited to meet her.

November 2009

Shards of Snowmaggedon

The view from my bedroom window

post 2/11/10 blizzard.

A Mother’s Love

January 2010

My Snow Angel

Morenna’s not a big fan of playing in the snow. She’s a big fan of eating it.

She averages 2-3 bowls per snowfall. :-)

A View from our Front Door...Last Month

"Narnia? What's that?" Lucy asked Mr. Tummus. “Dear girl, you're in it!”

Winter Storm #1 – 12/19/2009

Her First Bath

Look at those cheeks!

December 2009

After the Storm

Snowmageddon 2010

28+ inches out our front door

Worth a Thousand Words

If the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true, then it’s my lucky day.

Despite my desires to maintain fresh content - written content - on this blog, the fact of life is that I’m no superwoman. I’ve been forced to identify my priorities of late and sadly blogging just doesn’t score high enough to outrank changing poopy diapers, shining the kitchen sink, kissing boo-boos, watching Veggitales, feeding my birds... well, not that last one. But you get the point.

Anyhow, since a majority of you visit to see updates about the girls and not to read my random thoughts or see my latest coupon bargain... I’ve decided to initiate something new here. Something that will both feed my desire to post fresh content, while likewise serving you up some fresh updates on the girls. Though not to worry, I'll still be tempted to write whenever I have a spare moment.

Here’s hoping for success! I bring you... a thousand words.

January 2010

Just a Servantless American Mother

It’s 1am as I lay Jadyn softly into her crib. Matt is snoring lightly a few steps away from me, hunkered down under our beloved feather comforter. A quick check on Morenna shows her sprawled out in her crib, her blanket in a wad underneath her... as usual. The vaporizer in her room hums in harmony with the humidifier in ours.

As my head hits the pillow and a sigh escapes my lips, my thoughts run hither-skither.

My hair remained in a rather hurried ponytail throughout the day.

There are piles of laundry still lying on our bedroom floor, blocking my half-stupored middle-of-the-night trek to the bathroom. I wonder briefly if I should move them.

Below me I can hear the whir of the dishwasher. It’s been getting it's exercise lately, packed to the max with the dishes from our meals, from our snacks, and from the various excursions Morenna takes them on throughout the day. I’m too tired to wash half of them by hand.

It’s supposed to snow tomorrow. The power is likely to go out. Better change my plan of attack to accomplish all the cooking and baking before we’re left in a black and quiet state.

And the diapers. Ooo, better not forget to wash the diapers so we have a fresh stash to take us through the snowdays, too.

I spent the last few minutes of the evening addressing my to-do list. “Hello, list. You’re a rather cold bedfellow.” Instead, I busied myself with organizing my personal notebook, arranging a better meal-planning approach, and paying some bills. I wish I could find some time to blog.

We ate popcorn. Yes, Matt and I ate popcorn... at 10pm. It’s become our new ritual, our saving grace. Homemade caramel lattes and homemade popcorn. We’re suddenly kids again and we smirk each time our hands happen to touch in the bowl. We snack and quiz each other. “Passing the Bar” is our new shared game each evening. At least it is for another two weeks.

::Sigh:: Yes, it was a busy day.

Dear reader, it’s been a difficult journey for me these last two months. If you’ve wondered why posts are few and far between, why there have been no pictures - now you know.

I’ve never been one to do well with little sleep, so once we returned from our Christmas travels, I hit a wall in attempting to care for my family while maintaining 5 broken hours of rest each night. And take care of two sick children and myself. And clip coupons. And play dress-up. And take a shower.

It’s been a lesson in humility. A good lesson. A lesson the Lord has wanted to teach me for quite some time, and I’ve been too self-absorbed to learn it.

Just this: I’m not as a great as I think I am.

I’m not superwoman, despite manipulating my circumstances to make it seem like I am.

And I’m learning this the hard way; I’m being brought to the end of myself by sheer necessity and physical exhaustion. And it’s good.

So that said, there are lots of thoughts and pictures and random stuff I want to share here... but in the days ahead there may be periods of silence. Know that in the quiet moments I’m still here, I’m just preoccupied with a lesson. :-)