Not So Nice

I think it was possibly because Victor was clambering around me like an acrobat.  But maybe I didn't eat enough protein.  Or the lettuce was bad.  Or something like that.

But whatever the case, last night (at almost-32-weeks), I was rather violently ill just after going to bed.  Thank you, hon, for cleaning up what didn't make it in the toilet.

Wednesdays are a hard recovery day... Ben was out the door at 7am and booked through the evening, and my normal "emergency back-up" folks were sick, gone, or unavailable.  So Victor and I just muddled through somehow, and the Lord showed that His grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in weakness.

But I'm not going to clean up my kitchen from the Men's Connection dishes until tomorrow.  Or maybe Friday.

Dear baby, you are still worth it. 

A Miracle of Grace

Really good listen.

Celebrating... Spring?

For Christmas, Ben surprised me with a weekend getaway just before his new semester started.  He lined up childcare without my even knowing it!  So this past weekend we "retreated" (although we ended up having a "stay-cation," instead of going away, which turned out wonderfully). 

We saw The Hobbit in 3-D, had conversations about a whole list of things we wanted to connect on before life got crazy again, and generally rested and enjoyed being together.  It was a sweet, sweet time, and by the end I felt much better about launching into school-work-new baby-busyness.

On Monday (Martin Luther King Day, so no work), we seized the opportunity to rearrange and find a place to put this baby boy, who should be making his debut in a couple months.  It always gets worse before it gets better, but I think that we should have a snug little space ready for him soon!

In transit...

Inspired by our Canadian cousins who saw a robin last week, we had a "picnic in the living room" Tuesday night (also commemorating our last night before Daddy started back into classes). Hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls... a long-standing childhood tradition.  Albeit, somewhat odd considering MN schools were again cancelled today because of the cold.

But, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, so... happy spring!

And a fine season it is.

Birthday Week

Victor's birthday fell on the coldest day of the year, and also on one of the days that Ben was gone for a pastors' retreat, so it was a little... understated.

 Nevertheless, we tried to do some fun things.

Playing with our new special blocks

Homemade playdough

We got a surprise invitation for lunch at a friend's house, so we did venture out into the sub-zero weather (MN schools were cancelled because of the crazy cold).  It was delightful!

And our celebratory cookie for dessert... no cake this year.  

(Mom will try to get her act together next year!)

On the weekend, we decided it was probably time to give Victor his gifts!  But we were invited to double-up with "Grandpa David" for a birthday celebration, so we postponed again and had a really wonderful time.

And at last on Sunday, he got to open some presents!

From Dad and Mom... some new trains 

 

 

From Auntie Lori, super fun Tickle Monster book, complete with its own tickle gloves!

I can start feeling a little bad that I didn't do more to make the time special... but at the bottom of it, I am thankful that birthdays don't have to be a huge, exhausting gala.  And we pray that Victor will know himself to be deeply loved all the time, and not mostly through parties and presents.

We thank God for another year with this very precious boy!

Christmas with the Kattersons

We rang in the New Year with a Christmas celebration with the Kattersons.  It was fun being with cousins and not being sick!

Happy Birthday, Victor!

2 years old!

18 months

One year old

11 months

10 months

9 months

 
8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Victor,

You are 2 years old!  It is amazing to mark another year of life for you.  And these past couple months have held lots of growing and changing.

- You definitely love music and singing.  Current favorites include "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus," and "Esengo," and you will break into song frequently at mealtime in particular.  You love to sing songs with groups of people, like in worship  at church or at small group. 

- You are learning your alphabet at a remarkable pace.  Auntie Betsy got you some cool letter magnets for Christmas last year, and now you recognize probably 20 or more letters consistently.  Every night, when we read Most of All Jesus Loves You, you holler out the first big letter on each page--often before we actually turn to the next page.  You like the alphabet song too, especially when we can point to all the different letters while we go through it.  You can also count from 1 to 12 (sometimes a little higher).  And you're still a little confused on colors...

- I am frequently amazed at how much you absorb.  When we pray together before your morning nap, Momma always goes through the same prayer for you and baby brother, and you can say most of it right along with me (right down to the kind of spouse we pray for you... wise, godly, humble, Christ-exalting, Spirit-filled, Bible-saturated, prayerful, ministry- minded, encouraging, hopeful, trusting in Jesus).  I'm a creature of habit, and it is sweet when good habits get picked up along the way.  And it's also slightly terrifying to realize that you are absorbing everything.  (It kinda cracks me and Daddy up when you'll come over and casually say, "Hey, hon," or "Hi cutie!")

- You are so silly sometimes.  Most nights when we get ready for bed, we'll say, "It's time to put on some fuzzy pajamas," and you'll say, "Fuzzy bananas!"  It cracks you up...

- You love Daddy.  You love playing toys with Daddy, reading books with Daddy, building tunnels with Daddy, going to church with Daddy, brushing your teeth with Daddy, and reading Bible stories with Daddy.  In the mornings, Daddy comes into your room first to get you and changes your diaper, gets you dressed, reads a Bible story, and prays with you (so Mom can have a little quiet time), and then he brings you out to the kitchen to sit on the tall chair with a cup of crunchies while he makes your eggs for breakfast.  It's a sweet time.

- You're a big helper.  You love to help "put away spoons" (i.e. all the silverware) from our dish drain.  You vacuum the floor with your little vacuum (I wish it really worked!).  You help out with most of the different stages of laundry (and you especially love running into the laundry room to sit on top of the washer and watch the water splash into the utility sink when it's on the spin cycle).  With a little brother on the way, it's great to know that you're eager to help out.

- The emphatic "no thank you" is a more and more common response these days.  We sense your little growing will and pray that God will give us wisdom to know when to encourage your independent spirit and when to draw a line and enforce the boundaries that remind you you're under authority.  This is one of the biggest lessons we desire for you in this season--to know that you're not the boss; God is the boss.  And He says, "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with a blessing."  (You always get a big smile when we get to that part.)  We want you to know God's greatest blessings, which come in trusting and obeying!

- You are ever ready go "play toys" with whoever is available (but Daddy is preferred).  Especially enjoying trains, Lego blocks (the double set from the aunties this Christmas was a jackpot!), cups, and Richard Scarry books.

- We're in a pretty good rhythm for our days.  You play in your crib with some toys for an hour in the morning (it's "rest time") and take a couple-hour nap in the afternoon.  We shoot for bedtime between 7 and 7:30pm.  That's one of the nicest times of day, when you sit on Daddy's lap for a Bible story and prayer and a blessing.  Then you'll often take your little fingers and trace around his face and chuckle, and give him a little kiss and snuggle, and then Momma gets a good snuggle, and we'll sing a song and say good night.

- Favorite story: George Shrinks.  (You ask Daddy to read this to you approximately 20 times a day.)

- Favorite food: Treats of all kinds.  Bananas (you're going bonkers for bananas lately...).  Eggs.  Sausage or bacon (ah, boys).  When you get food you really like (especially if it's sweet), you laugh this funny little chuckle while you take the first few bites.  Hilarious.

- Favorite place: Church.  Requested often each week. (Though the office is a close runner-up, especially with the men there, when we get to eat treats and sing. :) )

- Favorite stuffed animal: Still Ducky, though you have blessedly stopped chewing on his nose and now simply nibble one small toe.  Much less soggy.

You are a continual bright spot in our lives, and we are so excited for what the year ahead will hold.  May you always remember (like we rehearse after most discipline) that "Jesus can cover over the sin in our hearts."  And with that wonderful promise, we are ready to face whatever the new day may hold!

We love, love, love, love, love you,
Mom and Dad

Snapshots from Christmas

Albeit, our Christmas did not go as planned; still, there were some very sweet moments of celebration as well.

Some snapshots... 

Craft time with our Canada cousins

Ben building a snowman with Ezra and Kate (their one day outside!)

It was fun having Auntie Krista around!

Kate giving Silas snuggles

Our skype gift-opening time, starting with Grammy leading the grandkids 

(in both houses) in some special Christmas songs

Grandad read us the Christmas story, interspersed with Christmas carols

Opening gifts and saying thank yous

We didn't get to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th anniversary all together with a family dinner as hoped,

but there was still Cold Stone ice cream cake!

Grandad led a little Sunday service, since we were too germy to go to church