11 Months Old!

 11 months old!

Note: This shot captured shortly after the shot I missed because I had to catch the baby falling headfirst off the blue chair...

10 months old

9 months old

8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

 
 5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

 2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Calvin,

You are 11 months old! So close to completing your first year! What ever happened to my tiny little baby in the scrawny white onesie?

This month's news:

- You crawl! And it is the sweetest little shuffling crawl you ever did see. You might not stay right where I put you, but if you're going to venture somewhere, it likely will be to come find me. I love it that you still want to hang out with me. Let's keep it that way for a good long while, hmm?

- I haven't noticed any new teeth popping through, but you are drooling, cranky, ill-sleeping, drippy-nosed, and diaper-rashed this week, so perhaps you're working on some good ones.

- Happy places are typically 1) in the Ergo on my back, 2) in your booster seat eating Cheerios, 3) sitting on the floor playing with toys, or 4) exploring all the non-baby-toy articles that are far more fascinating scattered all around. Your brothers continue to be cheerful and persuasive distractions for you, even in your cranky stretches.

- Your favorite words are mamama and dat. Dat. Dat. It's just a chatty, conversational term.

- After crawling, falling over, or flopping onto your belly, you are able to get back to sitting again. Strong boy.

- Remember how mad you used to get at me when I plotted and pushed to get you to take a bottle? Right. Well, a couple weeks ago when I had to take Josiah to the urgency room I couldn't get home by bedtime. So I told Daddy to try warming up a bottle for you, just on a whim. And you slurped the whole thing down with a grin! So how bout that. (I hope that this bodes well for next week when Momma and Dad go away on our retreat!)

- I finally pulled out the 18 month clothes bin. They are not too big.

- You are a Cheerios monster. You'll sit in your chair happily, munching Cheerios for an indeterminate amount of time.



I'm digging into Galatians now, trying to wrap my mind around the thread of insights and arguments that Paul lays out here.

This rings out like a bell:

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 2:16a)

Do you know what that means? It means something huge, something monumental. When we stand before God, we will never find acceptance based on a list of good things that we have done. No, indeed. Instead, we point to Jesus. He's the perfect One! He did all the good, and He paid for all my bad. I trust in Him alone to come to You, Father! Thank You, Jesus, for making the way for me to be with You forever!

Little son, how we pray that you will find Jesus to be your greatest treasure, the One who covers over your sin, the One who gives you a new good heart to walk in His ways.

I love you, Mr. Calvin, my big "two-armsful-of-baby,"
Your momma