My “New” Bible

I received a wonderful new Bible from my husband for Christmas. It is called the Busy Mom's Bible, it has pages inside it where you can study the Bible in a guided five minute fashion. Things like that help me remember I am not the first one to journey down this wonderfully turbulent road called motherhood. Did I mention that the Bible is pink?!? I must admit I have a love affair with that color.

I needed a new Bible. My old one was given to me when I went away to college. It has been a dear friend for over a decade and was sadly falling apart. It has "fold out maps." That is what I called them. In other words the maps fell out every time you opened the Bible.

I took my new Bible to church on Sunday. I still knew where all of the books of the Bible were…like in which order…but I struggled in finding them as quickly as I could with my "old" Bible. I felt self-conscious that people were thinking I didn't know where the books of the Bible were! Isn't that silly?!? I must admit that I missed my old faithful Bible. And I also want to always remember that I am so blessed to be able to have a "replacement" Bible when one wears out. So many people in the world have never had the privilege to have their own Bible. I cannot imagine! Lord, please help me to never take my Bible for granted!

Go To Gifts

Since we just celebrated Christmas I was thinking of gifts. What are your go to gifts? You know…your standards for baby and wedding showers. I wish things could be changed a little bit. I wish people could register for weddings and babies after the event has happened. Before, you are really just guessing what you might want or need.

If I were to register for a wedding over again I would register for different things. I would be more practical and less decorative. Of course my situation is a little different…after all we have been living in my parents fully furnished house sans parents for coming on five years. That said, my favorite gifts that we received for our wedding were the ones that were personal and not from the registry.

My go to gift for wedding showers is embroidered pillow cases or embroidered hand towels. Both are items one rarely will buy for themselves. Who doesn't like something personalized and especially when you are getting a new initial…of which you are so proud!

If I were to register for a baby over again I would also register for different things. I didn't yet know Lorelei and her specific needs and desires. I would have registered for a plethora of bottles. I spent a small fortune until I happened upon the "Barbie bottle." I would have registered for a cosleeper as well as various methods of babywearing.

I have several go to gifts for baby showers. The first one is a Sleepy Wrap. We use ours daily. We don't give this only if we feel that the family is not into babywearing or if they already have one. I also like to give amber teething necklaces. This is another item we use every single day. A new love at our house is Baby Legs. These are a wonderful and totally cute product!

So, I want to know what are your go-to gifts? Do I need to add more to my list?

Christmas Letter to Lorelei

Dear Lorelei,

So much I wish I could tell you on your first Christmas. First, you are loved. One might think this is apparent by the amount of gifts you have under the tree. Boy, did you have a lot as the first great-granddaughter, granddaughter and niece on all sides! I want you to understand the Gift that truly shows Love! I have known of this gift since I was a little girl. The Bible says, in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." We celebrate the birth of His son, Jesus, at Christmas.

Mama wants you to know, this love seems even more real since you have come into her life. I could not imagine giving you for someone else's sins! I hope one day you have a sweet baby in your life and God's love becomes even more real and deep!

So, you are loved by God most of all, but also by many people. Your mom and dad love you so much! You have grandparents far away (some very far!), aunts and uncles, and very special great-grandmothers who all love you very much!

Mommy and Daddy are looking forward to many more Christmases with you!

What would you do differently?

I try to parent without regrets.  This is not me being super deep.  Rather this is three things with me a little over eight months into the "being a mommy" journey that I would do differently if I could start over again.  I am not talking about the two times she has fallen off the bed, or the one time she fell off the couch.  Of course everyone would change all moments like those!  (I have been teasing Chris that we should have gotten her a helmet for Christmas!  The writing was on the wall when she started rolling over at five days though!) 

First, I would have Lorelei use a bottle for at least one feeding a day.  It would still be expressed milk but from a bottle. I waited until 4 weeks to avoid nipple confusion.  She was NOT confused.  I can't begin to say how much time I spent worrying contemplating what to do.  Lorelei still only takes the "Barbie bottles"  My husband has never gotten to feed her a bottle.  I haven't either.  I also haven't been able to hold her "normally" while she nurses since she was four months old.  She likes to stand up and bounce while she nurses. 

The second thing I would change is that I would accept much sooner and feel less guilty about cosleeping.  I would embrace it as a blessing to have a reverse cycling baby.  I would, however, buy a cosleeper to attach to my bed. 

The third thing I would change if I got to call "do overs" would be to find a support group quickly.  I have had a hard time finding my niche.  I don't want to talk about Lorelei and try to downplay all of her accomplishments because I do not want people to feel like I am bragging.  I don't want Lorelei to feel like I am not proud of her.  I want to encourage her but not push her.  Having a child that began signing at two months, speaking at five months, and walking totally unassisted at eight months has been fun, but very hard! 

So, what would you change if you could call "do overs"? 

Working on making a button

Christmas Traditions

You have them.  Even if you haven't labeled them as such.  I will share one of ours.  While growing up, every Christmas card recevied was placed in a basket.  Each night we would take the card in front and pray for that person or family at dinner.

Chris and I endeavor to do the same in our family.  It is easier for us to find a rhythym to life when I am on Christmas break and we are both our of classes.  Funny how that works, isn't it?  We do find ourselves trying to be intentional with schedules and traditions even more now that Lorelei is in our lives. 

A couple of years ago, my parents gave us the Proclamation Ornaments from Love Worth Finding.  On one side of the ornament is the prophesy and on the other side is the fulfillment.  The ornaments came with a little devotional booklet.  Chris and I try every year to do all of the ornaments, one on each day in December.  It hasn't happened yet.  We don't get the tree up by December 1st, aren't home that night, etc.

So, I am wondering.  What Christmas traditions take place at your house?  Are there any you had growing up that you wish you had now?  Are there any new ones that you have started since having children?

I Better Get Used to This

I spent seven months trying to get my super independent child to be attached to something.  You know as a comfort.  Pacifier, no luck.  Cute handmade blanket with tags sewn all around it.  No luck.  I even started calling it Taggie to make it sound more endearing.  I think I would have even been ok if she had decided to suck some of her fingers or thumb.  No such luck.

Fast forward...Chris and I were talking on the phone on my way home from work.  He says he had Lorelei at Walmart (that girl loves to shop-she would be happy if we shopped eight hours every day) and somehow she had grabbed this crazy "red guy." 

MUNO

Well, to say that this is NOT what I had in mind would be an understatement.  But I will say I appreciated that she always wanted this "guy" with her, holding his arms and offering him random kisses from time to time.  Well, I had to look up this guy online to see what we had let into our house!  Turns out it is from a show Yo Gabba Gabba (all you mamas already knew).  And do they know their audience!  We don't get the channel that the show comes on so we frequent their website.  They have video clips and she loves to watch them!  The lessons and songs are age appropriate and fun!  One of our favorites is called, Don't Bite Your Friends! 

We have expanded our collection to include Broby.  She is getting two of their DVD's for Christmas.  I am not a pusher of TV on infants but a Mommy needs to take a shower some time, right?  So, what shows do you let your littles watch? 

Worse Than Kids

I am pretty bad at Christmas!  If my name is on the gift I shake it.  I am a pretty good guesser too.  When I was little my mom had to start making secret codes on the gifts so I wouldn't know which ones were mine and guess them.  Then the fun was figuring out the code. 

Then I married Chris.  He gets so excited about the gifts he gets me he usually wants to give them to me early and then have to buy more.  This is not fun to me.  I like to bother you with my guessing.  I want it to be a challenge.  I don't want to easily win you over.  I really don't want to know. 

This year we have Lorelei.  Yay!  I am so excited to see her on Christmas!  She opens presents so well!  Two nights ago, I randomly said we all needed to open a present.  See... I am worse than a child!  Well, it wasn't hard to convince Chris.  He got to pick one of his presents...he opened a new pair of shoes!  He told me they made him run really fast!  I kept catching him doing little jumps!  See why I married him? 

I opened a new camera!  Remember my last post when I was wishing for one?  Wishes do come true!  And better yet, it is pink!!!

And Lorelei?  She got some water flutes.  She couldn't quite figure out how to blow on them so she just held them up to her mouth and sang for the sound!