New Year, New Milestones

Oklahoma has stayed true to its nature and January has been a roller coaster of weather. Today may be chilly and tomorrow may be spring or summer like conditions. We enjoy it though, whether we’re bundled in our coats, hats and scarfs or relaxing with the windows open, the sun on our faces, and short sleeves on we make the best of our days. During the warm days Esther, Jacoba (Dog) and I have been taking walks to the park down the street and some days invite our friends, Ava and Emma to join us.

January marks the beginning of a new year (2012) and this month Esther turned 7 months. Time sure has flown and just like the overachiever I am, have begun the preparation of planning Esther’s first birthday party for this summer…

Our family rang in the New Year in Kansas and enjoyed games and visiting with family over the weekend. Unfortunately mommy, daddy AND baby did not make it to “ring” in the New Year….we fell fast asleep just before the clock struck midnight. Our lives seem to be a continuous party everyday… 

                                                     Looking like grandpa Thompson

                                           Playing the piano with Great grandma Friesen

                                        Making memories with Great grandpa Friesen

This month Esther continues to try new foods, and we are so blessed to have a healthy eater. Meal time is such a fun time for everyone. Before breakfast, lunch and dinner we sit down as a family and say a prayer before eating and Esther sits quietly, holding our fingers to pray. Shes  started using a sippy cup for water and enjoys blowing “raspberries” in and on EVERYTHING! For those of you with children, this is extremely cute, HOWEVER it is very difficult to not smile, laugh and mimic this behavior back to them. Our goal is to not encourage this behavior because she has decided to blow “raspberries” when we are administering medications, when she is either eating or finished eating, and the list goes on… But it is guaranteed to put a smile on our face each and every time! (Pretty sure this wont be as cute when she’s 2)

Esther's first tooth came in just after the new year began and by the end of this month her second popped up right next door! We are now working on the top teeth.

Caught her in the act….I think the Penguin put her up to this! Or maybe mommy and daddy aren’t feeding her enough?! (*No bunnies were injured during the capture of this photo.)

                                            Blowing “Raspberries” on the back of my hand

January 20th marks the first word for Esther....Even though I'm sad to admit it, she said "Dadda"  and continues to sing the word all over the house, ALL day long! You talk about a "beaming" papa, it just makes Jeff's day, and yes mine too. Such precious sounds and beautiful words she is beginning to make. Each morning Jeff usually is the one who gets up to change her before her first feeding at seven AM...now Esther calls his name (Dadda) when she wakes from her slumber, talk about the sweetest thing!

Classes have also started back up for the spring semester for me, and Esther has been attending a wonderful childcare facility this month. She enjoys her playmates, and Miss Katie and Miss Micha are wonderful childcare teachers! They do so well with keeping up with Esther’s everyday routine and they also incorporate signing, singing, story time, cognitive and motor skills throughout the day. Mommy is also able to view her online via a web cam (watch*me*grow) and is easily distracted while in class! ;-) (Her report cards are always a joy to read.) 

Jeff is planning to take his GRE  and enrolling in a masters program coming up quickly. Please pray for a clear mind and for everything to work out smoothly...He just found out that his deadline for this is in March!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Since Jeff has gotten his new job he is able to spend more time at home with his family and has enjoyed every minute of it! Esther is gradually starting to unattach from me (ever so slightly) and is beginning to open up and bond with Daddy... I'd say she's quickly becoming a "Daddy's girl." Our evening routine consists of “Hide and seek,” “peek-a-boo,” reading books, signing and loads of kisses and giggles!!!

 If anyone told me that being a mother was going to be the light of my life  or change me in in ways I’ve yet to understand, I wouldn’t have believed them…But now, to be a mother, to be Esther’s mother…WOW, what an awesome privilege and gift from God! The closest, I feel that we can come to seeing love through God's eyes.

My favorite quote:

“Being a parent is like wearing your heart on the outside of your body for the rest of your life.” And this is a pretty big deal for those of you who know me.

                     Esther helping daddy enroll for his GRE and masters program.
 

So far this month, Esther has not been interested in crawling like her playmates at school, but she seems to appease us by getting onto her hands and knees and rocking just for a couple of seconds before returning to her rear-end to play. I could be wrong but I think she may decide to bypass crawling all together?! Time will tell and until then mommy and daddy will enjoy the immobile child a little longer before things get really exciting!!!!  It’s good to remind myself NOT to rush things but to enjoy each moment and in time things will come.

Seize the day...Better yet, seize each moment

Each morning or evening, Jeff and I read a devotion and spend time in the word. God has been good as always and continues to remind me to not only seek Him and to stay focused on Him each day but also to let Him lead and direct my path so that I will be at peace. Only in Him can I find comfort.
I'm not sure where to start, but I suppose anywhere is good enough...
The other day as I was dropping Esther off at daycare and headed to class a woman on the radio was speaking about "rushing" time. How, for a mother (or father) with children its seems to always be a "hurry up and relax" type day. When your off work and rushing to pick up the children, rushing home to feed your family dinner and rushing to put them in bed. When ultimately the rush to relax never comes. and unfortunately with all that rushing you don't take time to slow down to collect the many precious moments God has given us!
It seems that our devotions this month have also been about trusting God and allowing Him to guide me throughout my days, to slow down and to see what He has done and to thank Him in all His glory.
A small snippet from our devotion reads:
"TRY TO VIEW EACH DAY as an adventure, carefully planned out by your Guide. Instead of staring into the day that is ahead of you, attempting to program it according to your will, be attentive to Me and to all I have prepared for you. Thank Me for this day of life, recognizing that it is a precious, unrepeatable gift!..."
A reminder to be Thankful for each day, hour, minute and yes second of our days. Because I continue to pray that He will show me and remind me of His promises, God continues to speak through people and things in my life. Upon reading a friends blog, it was yet another reminder of His awesome Glory. I stole this from her post the other day (I hope you don't mind).

"There are two different types of time. Chronos time is what we live in. It's regular time, it's one minute at a time, it's staring down the clock till bedtime time, it's ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it's four screaming minutes in time out time, it's two hours till daddy gets home time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we parents often live in.
hen there's Kairos time. Kairos is God's time. It's time outside of time. It's metaphysical time. It's those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day. And I cherish them.
Like when I actually stop what I'm doing and really look at Tish. I notice how perfectly smooth and brownish her skin is. I notice the perfect curves of her teeny elf mouth and her asianish brown eyes, and I breathe in her soft Tishy smell. In these moments, I see that her mouth is moving but I can't hear her because all I can think is -- This is the first time I've really seen Tish all day, and my God -- she is so beautiful. Kairos.
Like when I'm stuck in chronos time in the grocery line and I'm haggard and annoyed and angry at the slow check-out clerk. And then I look at my cart and I'm transported out of chronos. And suddenly I notice the piles and piles of healthy food I'll feed my children to grow their bodies and minds and I remember that most of the world's mamas would kill for this opportunity. This chance to stand in a grocery line with enough money to pay. And I just stare at my cart. At the abundance. The bounty. Thank you, God. Kairos.
Or when I curl up in my cozy bed with Theo asleep at my feet and Craig asleep by my side and I listen to them both breathing. And for a moment, I think- how did a girl like me get so lucky? To go to bed each night surrounded by this breath, this love, this peace, this warmth? Kairos.
These kairos moments leave as fast as they come- but I mark them. I say the word kairos in my head each time I leave chronos. And at the end of the day, I don't remember exactly what my kairos moments were, but I remember I had them. And that makes the pain of the daily parenting climb worth it.If I had a couple Kairos moments during the day, I call it a success.
Carpe a couple of Kairoses a day. Good enough for me."

This precious mother hits it on the nose! This past month I have found myself living in the Kairose time and moments a little each day. When I'm with my daughter at the end of the day and even when I'm laying in bed with my husband before the lights go out. Ive been breathing these moments in, like a sweet refreshing rain. Like a gift from God, an UNREPEATABLE GIFT!!!

Blessing Friends

As all of you may or may not know, I tend to keep my life busy with constant things to do. This means that my Christmas break from classes wouldn’t be much different. I was asked by a friend if I could help redo her three year old daughter’s room. Organizing, and cleaning up. Of course I said yes and the project of remodeling “Ava’s” room began!     

Whimsical curtains!

Ava’s room before the clean up…

Using the materials that we had and discoveries we made in “Ava’s” room, I transformed it into a relaxing play area fit for a princess. With a minimal budget Jeff and I built a head board for her bed, a cushion for her toy box and splashed a fresh coat of paint on the walls and furniture.

Ava’s room after the clean up…

With the exception of a few more minor details to finish Ava’s room is complete. Allowing mom and dad optimal storage space in the closet, the book shelf and under the bed, keeping things nice and clean!

“Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice, This is what Little Girls are Made of!”