The God who loved me first

God doesn't mind if I get angry (even at Him sometimes), He just wants me to let Him love me. He wants to fill me with life. That doesn't mean I will never suffer or get hurt. Life abundantly doesn't mean I experience everything God promised NOW (contrary to popular teaching), and it doesn't guarantee anything other than His peace in the midst and His coming Kingdom when all will be made right. The Spirit and the Bride say come....

New mama friend

I found out today that a mama at baby storytime lives 2 blocks from me. We had a really great conversation; she seems to have a similar parenting "philosophy" as me. We exchanged numbers and are going to plan a playdate. I love how God puts people in your life at just the right time. He's good like that.

E took his first steps...

...last Friday at Seward Church. It was during prayer so I had to contain my excitement. Jake missed it. I find it interesting that E's first real steps happened on the same night as our first time at Seward. It is a small, newish church within walking distance. They have a heart for community and justice and loving Jesus, of course! We don't know what we're looking for, but we'll go again. We've also been to a Messianic place a couple of times which is very interesting. I love the idea of it, but just can't imagine anywhere being "home" right now.

I feel like everything I thought about God has been torn down and needs to be rebuilt. It's hard recovering from abuse done in the name of God. I am not bitter or unforgiving, just recovering. Just figuring out who He is and learning to just rest in His love, with no doctrine or proof texting getting in the way. I feel stuck some days.

I admit it:

I mixed brownies left over from E's birthday in my oatmeal three days this week.
My house is not nearly as clean as I want it to be (and has not been in months).
Both E and I stayed in our pajamas ALL day today.

EC Correction

I should make a comment about my previous post. I am serious about starting EC because it is about communicating and knowing your baby. He communicates that he has to go to the bathroom and I respond just like I would if he were hungry, tired or scared. Whether he is out of diapers sooner doesn't really matter to me nor is it a goal. The goal is to communicate with E, and continue to build trust.

Elimination Communication

I had an aha! moment last week regarding E's waking. He hates being wet. I thought his cloth night time diaper being the kind that wicks wetness away from his body would cause him to not feel wet. I feel a little silly. He is a person and what person wants to lie in their own pee all night? Duh, mama!

So, we've been putting him on his Baby Bjorn potty right before bed and letting him pee in there instead of his diaper. He's been waking less!! But, now he likes to pee on the floor instead of in the potty, so we need to work on that. On Saturday, we were at an expo at the fairgrounds and he stayed dry almost all day. I took him to the bathroom, took off his diaper and stood him by the toilet while I peed every time I had to go. He would start peeing at the same time! I could not get him to pee in the toilet though. Yes, I cleaned the pee off the floor. Yesterday he took off his diaper right after peeing. And then later he peed on the floor, came and got us to point out his pee to us. We were so proud!

I'm excited to pick up a copy of The Diaper Free Baby from the library tomorrow for some helpful tips. We had planned on practicing EC from the beginning, but I guess I don't know what happened. I had been putting him on the potty since he was a few months old for some diaper free time and he would go in there once in awhile, but I wasn't too serious about it. Now I am.

E found the tp!



Leaving the scene of the crime!




Gotta love a babywearing daddy!