So, the adjustment of having two kids has been a trying one at times… but it has also brought me so much joy. I was just thinking the other night about how, just five short years ago, I would have never been able to predict just how much joy and fulfillment I would receive from having children.
Aaron is still not sleeping very well. We have tried just about everything we can think of and everything we have been told to do by others. (short of the really weird ideas that get thrown at us from time to time) Nothing has worked. A typical night for him is going to bed around 10:30PMish. Waking up a little after midnight. Waking up a little after 2:00AM. Waking up a little after 4:00AM. Waking up around 6:30AM. Every night is a little bit different… and we don’t usually know what to expect.
Melissa measured him today because it looks like he pretty much went from 0-3 straight into 6-9 as far as his clothes are concerned. He is getting too long for 3-6 already. He measured in at 23.5 inches! He has been smiling a lot more lately. Usually he’ll have something to ‘say’ while he smiles. It’s really fascinating to watch.
I have been so proud of Emily. She has adapted very well to having a little brother. (Even though some in our church predicted that she wouldn’t handle it very well… I’m glad to say that they were dead wrong.) She loves to help with bath time. She washes his legs and stomach while mommy washes his head and back. She gets defensive of him around other kids, in fact. Basically saying: ‘Don’t touch him, I’m the big sister.’ Which is an attitude that, quite honestly, I like and won’t try to change.
Emily has started pre-school… and she seems to really like it. She has learned some things like knowing her right from her left… and they are working on her letters both in identification and in actually trying to write them… among other things. When I pick her up, she is as excited as can be and talks my ear off about all the things she did the whole way home.
Since Melissa has been busy trying to feed Aaron and put him to bed… I have taken over the duties of putting Emily to bed. It tends to be a very involved process. First, we clean her room, which tends to look like a bomb hit it. Second, we get her pajamas on. Third, we get a bedtime snack and drink for her to consume while I read to her. Fourth, we read through a story. (About a month ago, I bought a Preschoolers Illustrated Bible online, each story is about four pages long and she loves to look at the pictures and try to remember names like ‘Jacob’ and ‘Esau.’ We are currently stopping with the story of Joseph so that I can read a Disney World book to her as we countdown our trip together.) Fifth, we pray. Sometimes she prays first, sometimes I pray first, sometimes she has her stuffed doggies pray. Like I said, it’s pretty involved… and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Her prayers have become more and more elaborate. “God Jesus, so glad to see you today, and I love you very much. Mommy is a smart cookie, daddy is a smart cookie, Aaron is a smart cookie, Sherlock is a smart cookie, Sam is a smart cookie. (Sam is the little boy that Melissa has started watching at home.) I like Disneyland and want to ride the Pirates ride, the Buzz Lightyear ride, the ghost house ride, and the Mickey glasses ride. Amen.”
I want to hold on to these prayers… these not quite perfect phrases and sentences when she is still trying to understand things… I don’t want to forget just how unique a time it is to listen to a four year old pray and express her feelings.
Anyway… all this to say: I really love my family. I love spending time with them, I love getting to know them better. I just really, really love them…
4 comments:
Hey Josh,
Sure am lovin' the updates and pics. Did you ever hear of the book Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas? He talks about how being a parent/having children/being married isn't supposed to make us happy, per se, but to make us holy. I think that's cool -- it makes me look at my ordinary days in a more "big picture" type of light.
May you be blessed with a deep sleep sometime this week!!
I might need to read that book Jeannie suggested.
Olivia's gotten into a prayer rut and doesn't want to do it much...so I usually pray and one night after I went throught the whole list of 'God bless so and so' she said almost annoyed (as though I were keeping her from sleeping) "you sure bless a lot."
Our bedtime is pretty involved too but includes both kids...baths every night before bed, brushing teeth and arguing over which Cars Dixie cup they each want, getting "jammied up" as Olivia puts it, stories, hugs and kisses in Alex's room, praying over Alex and saying goodnight with him to all the things in his room while Jeff tucks in Olivia, then I join them in her room and read one chapter of Stuart Little, then we pray, then Jeff leaves and Olivia and I have mommy/daughter time until she kicks me out and requests daddy, then it's my turn again when she wants to apologize for hurting my feelings and kicking me out. whew, tired just writing about it...but like you, it's all about routine, security, giving of ourselves, and love...wouldn't trade it for anything.
Olivia's sitting on my leg and just tooted on me. That's love.
Hey Josh,
I am sorry I missed your birthday! Hope it was a great one! Enjoy this last year in your 20s! :)
I hope Aaron finds a schedule that works for everyone soon. I also hope to meet the little man soon.
Best wishes to your family!
KDB
Have you tried co-sleeping? I'm sure you've tried laying him on his tummy vs his back already. We co-slept w/both our boys (Jaden till 6mos and Asher till 3mos) simply b/c it was the ONLY way to get them to sleep through the night!! I know it's tabboo, but both my boys have lived through it. It can be a challenge to go from 1 to 2, but they're worth it :)
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