I like lists

I like to make lists of all kinds. Grocery lists and to-do lists are the most common. To-do lists are great, especially if I get all the things done. Sometimes when the list is small, I add things that I normally wouldn't put on a list (gave E a bath, returned book to library, etc.) I do this to show myself that I actually accomplished a lot in my day even if I don't feel like I did. I'm a pretty driven person so if I feel like I didn't get much done, I tend to get down on myself. Lists help me stay sane. I like being sane.

Why "Joy Comes in the Morning"?

Life gets a little blurry when you aren't getting much sleep, or your sleep is interrupted many times a night. Some nights feel very dark and I don't always display patience like I should (and want to). Usually those are the nights when the voices of the "others" try to invade my thought life and cause me to doubt our parenting choices. The voices that say "you'll spoil a baby if you go to him when he cries," "if he doesn't learn to self soothe, he'll never sleep well," "he's waking out of habit," "he's not going to sleep until you let him cry it out"...blahblahblah. Joy comes in the morning because I can think clearer and can shut those voices out. Joy comes in the morning because I can hear God's voice telling me to trust Him and the way He is leading us to raise E. Joy comes in the morning because I am encouraged by other gentle mamas. Joy comes in the morning because I can see how E is such an amazing, loving, well adjusted, appropriately attached little person who is not spoiled, who will learn to sleep better at some point, who knows mama will meet his needs which will help him know and trust that God will always meet his needs. We are setting the foundation he needs to view God in the right light.

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Ps 30:5, ESV)

Well Baby or Well...Baby

E had his VERY FIRST (yes, that's correct 1st ever) well baby visit. And lest anyone think we are negligent, he's been to a chiropractor/cranial sacral therapist/applied kinesiologist 1x or 2x per month since he was 10 days old. Yes, chiropractors are doctors and they know a lot about how the body works. And now I know why we've never taken him to a well baby visit before. It really was a waste of time (weight, measurements, look in ears, nose, throat, ask what he's eating, really?). He's small, but smart. Great, thanks. He's actually not small at all, the charts are just distorted. But yes he is very smart.

And well...baby, I felt violated for you when they took your temp rectally, and then almost cried with you when I later changed your cloth diaper and you had a rash from whatever nasty lube they used. Yuck, completely unnecessary. I took your temp with our temporal thermometer before we left and got the exact same temp, hmm, so much for rectal being most accurate.

On a brighter note, E had a great visit with the lovely Dr. Rebecca (one of our chiro/CST's). He woke up with a snotty nose (his 1st ever!). He probably picked it up at the well baby visit. Anyway, Dr. Rebecca did cranial work and gave us some essential oils and recommended an apple cider vinegar bath. Wow, this baby slept better than he has in months, and the snotty nose is on its way out! Yay, for NATURAL medicine! And glory to God Who provided everything our bodies need for healing!!

Feeling very "domestic"

Yesterday I made homemade pasta sauce from squash, spelt bread and vegetable soup (E isn't supposed to have dairy, wheat or tomato, among several other things). I also got quite a bit of laundry and housework done (at least quite a bit considering we aren't getting much sleep around here lately, and by lately I mean the past five months!) I felt sort of domestic. :)

Here are some long overdue updated photos of E. "pope" hat w/ cousin S in background, standing, and just plain cute on our gorgeous hard wood floor.

Count it all joy!

E and I had a great time today with Dr. Jodi, our beloved chiropractor and applied kinesiologist. She's so great and encouraging we travel all the way to Owatonna to see her. Well on our way home I stopped at a local grocery store to get a snack because exclusively nursing is like being pregnant...when I need to eat, I need to eat!! I normally pack snacks but we were running late today which turned out to be a blessing, because on the way in I noticed we had a flat tire. Bummer! But better to notice it then than have a blow out on the freeway. It also reminded me how much I love small towns and I am so thankful this happened there. When we came back out of the store, a little elderly man was putting a note on the car letting me know I had a flat. How cute!

We have AAA, but realized they would just put the donut tire on and I would still have to take it somewhere to get the real tire fixed. I looked around and across the street was Ron's Repair. They went out of their way to help us quickly (I would highly recommend them if you live in or travel through that area). Ron himself walked with me back to the car to put enough air in it to drive it to the shop. They offered me a room/office that's not normally for customers to nurse Elliot in. They even left a present in the car (see pic, the card says "Thanks for your business! Ron & Sarah").

The "old me" would have been ticked off that my day was so rudely interrupted and that we had an unexpected extra expense, but I enjoyed every minute, praising God for taking care of us. He is in control and He is our Provider and our Protector! E did so well the entire time; he even took a nap in the Ergo. We are blessed beyond measure.

I will do better at updating, I will do better at updating...

I am going to make a better effort at updating this blog. I had taken a total break from the internet for a little while. It is so good to reprioritize our lives when they get out of balance, even if it is ever so slight. I need to remember to keep my focus and priority on my relationship with God. He's so good. And its only by His divine wisdom and endless mercy that Jake and I have E. I never even wanted children up until just a few short years ago and now I can't imagine life without this amazing little guy. We'll take as many as God will give us!!
Motherhood is incredible. It is causing me to die to self more than ever. And that's what the Christian life is about, isn't it?...emptying ourselves in order to be filled with God.

Erin

E's adorable onesie from Auntie Val!