Tag Archives: mama

dear peanut {seven months}

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seven months, baby girl.

aren’t you one sophisticated miss?  look at you in your string of pearls.  this mama is kind of having an anne shirley and matthew moment over here.  {i hope you love your anne with an e as much as your mama does}

oh elinor, you have such a sweet temperament.  with glimmers of intensity, of course.  you play and squeal and smile and chat.  and then you grab a toy or a book with such tenacity and just stare it down…before letting out a serious guttural baby bellow.  you growl until there is no air left in your diaphragm and your face starts turning purple.  like i said, intense.  but we love it.  you are truly sugar and spice.

you are officially eating now.  and it is hilarious.  watching you grasp and gum and respond with your super expressive faces is our new favorite.  and your favorite?  butter.  straight up butter.  and fancy butter, no less.  cultured, pasture, european style butter.  the good stuff.  that’s our girl.  avocados?  sure.  you like them.  bananas?  you tolerate.  beets?  no thank you.  but give the girl some butter and it is shiny, happy times.  how very parisian of you.  next thing we know you will be sipping cappuccino and nibbling on croissant.  you are already far too chic.

but you aren’t all style and no substance, you are quite the bookworm.  while you are fascinated by your toys and all things chewable, you are really into all things readable.  it is so cute.  and papa is so proud.  you have started bypassing the playthings in favor of your books.  you like to roll onto your belly, cuddle up with your mozart monkey, grab a good book, and just settle in.  you arrange the book just so and delicately flip the pages.  i hope that you always have this love of the written word.  it will serve you well.

and speaking of words – you are starting to speak a few words!  you make these precious sounds and string them together like you are just having a conversation with us.  and little girl, we understand.  and we love it.  your choice conversational staples?  bababa.  muuuaaahhhh.  pppffff.  buuuuh.  and have i mentioned my personal favorite?  mamama.  oh that one just melts me.  i know that you don’t actually equate those mouth and tongue movements with ME, your mama, but it doesn’t even matter.  wowee.  how sweet it is.  and i know it will continue to get more amazing.  i can’t wait to have real chit-chats with you.  about books and movies and clothes and friends and JESUS.  won’t that be the best?

and p.s. that will of yours?  still totally there.  your latest exhibition is during dinnertime.  when you are done eating you let out a tight-lipped grunt while arching your back.  you scary little thing.  already so particular and strong.  i can almost envision your toddler tantrums now…

love, love, love,

your mama + your papa

{those pearls.  they were given to you by grandma and grandpa ridley in honor of your dedication day}

mama musings

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part of elinor’s bedtime routine is a bit of piano with papa.  {check out these two in action here} as you can see, it is pretty darn precious.  elinor doesn’t exactly “tickle” the ivories.  it is more of a spastic thrust or smack at this point.  but we have plenty of time to work on her form and finesse.  for now, we are just loving her zeal.  she gets so excited when she is plopped down on her papa’s lap.  she breathes in deeply and reaches out toward the sheet music with wild eyes.  mostly, she just wants to get her little fingers on the pages so she can nibble on the notes and spread her drooly goodness…but we like to think that she is just our tiny prodigy who can’t get enough music. {delusional parents alert}  then she places her hands on the keys and plays a note or two or three while papa harmonizes or resolves the melody or other such musical jargon that i know nothing about…

anyway, in addition to her contemporary composition skills, our little einstein on the beach has also figured out another neat trick.  she has learned how to wrap her parents around her highly capable finger!  she has rather quickly come to understand that her parents are praise-giving fools.  just once, after a particularly rousing performance, ben and i clapped and let out a simultaneous “yeeeaaaahhhh!”.  well, that pretty much did it.  now, after every few notes that she plays, elinor retracts her hands in one swift and dramatic motion and shoots me an expectant glance.  “mama?  approving applause, please…” she says with her eyes.  uh oh.  we have created an applause junky.  and she does it every time now.  and what on earth am i supposed to do?  just sit there and pretend like her playing is just no big deal and withhold clapping from the cutest thing i have ever seen?  fat chance.

well, looks like we are creating a little diva.  great.  i guess we have managed to hold off for a decent chunk of time. who had their money on 28 weeks?

a bona fide mama on mother’s day

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i get to be mama to this little cutie.

this was my first mother’s day with  my sweet daughter in my arms.  not just existing in hope and prayer or as an itty-bitty in my belly…she is here.  my child.  with her sassy eyeballs and gatsby-esque head decoration.  wearing a delicate, intricate, heirloom christening gown.  ben and i are so honored and blessed to be chosen to parent this precious gift.

on sunday, we dedicated her life to the Lord.  it was such a meaningful day.  thank you Heavenly Father for entrusting us with this gift and calling.

psalm 127:3-5

children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

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and would you look at my handsome man?  he is such a wonderful papa.  loving and sweet and protective and prayerful and playful.  these two make a mama go all mushy.

dear peanut {six months}

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happy six months, my sweet little peanut! 

a very merry half birthday to you.

{did i just type half birthday?  as in, half way to one year old? good gracious.}

how happy and effervescent are you?  big eyes.  expressive brows.  wispy, warm blonde hair.  button nose.  wide, gummy grin that extends all the way to your long, curled toes.  your strong and chub-a-licious legs.

and those bright pantaloons.  dressing you is getting better and better.  although, i have imposed a bit of a fancywear embargo for our everyday apparel since you are such a droolypuss.  and talk about much ado about nothing!  not a tooth to be found.  any day now, i expect one of those pearly whites to just pop through, officially signaling your passage from infanthood into toddlerness.  but, in spite of the salivafest, nothing dental to report.  {hold off, little tooth.  stay safely nestled in those precious pink gums.  let my baby girl be a baby for just a smidge longer.  pretty please.}

by the way, you are in the 2nd percentile for height and weight.  tinier than 98% of the baby population.  the doctor just giggles as she reads it.  she thinks you are the cutest, petite little bundle.  and she is sufficiently impressed by your half-year-mark abilities.  you are small.  but FIERCE.  determined and strong.  frankly, your papa and i are already shuddering at your will.  ever since you learned that rolling is a handy way to get around, you are all over the place.  and fast too.  as soon as i plop you down, you are on the move.  rolling and shifting and grunting and flapping your arms wildly, beating on your belly little a little drum.  you pull at the blanket and shimmy until everything is just so…and then, you are off again.  rolling, rolling, rolling.

it is amazing to watch as your brain processes the world around you.  making connections.  perceiving space.  comprehending relationships.  now, when you see a toy {or anything that tickles your fancy, for that matter. fabric, earrings, ponytails, dog ears, etc.} that is outside of your reach, the wheels begin turning as you concoct a plan for how to get your little fingers on it.  it usually involves some grunts of frustration, a few furrowed brow glances at papa, followed by strategic rolls and flops and toe curls and pulls…and then, voila! your little fingers arrive at your desired location.  you grasp for your toy, pull it toward yourself, clutch it lovingly, and flop over onto your back in sheer victory and delight.  and while it isn’t pleasant to hear your sounds of annoyance and see you strain, it is pure magic to see your face in that moment.  that moment when you realize what you have overcome and accomplished.  and then, your parents realize how much you have grown.  how big you are.  you are doing so much.  you have such an independent streak.  we can already tell that you are going to keep us on our toes.  that you will challenge us.  that you have soooo much more that you are eager to learn and do.  that you have a big and bold personality locked and loaded in that tiny frame. “and though she be but little, she is fierce.”  that you will be complex and contemplative and analytical.  you will surprise us and enchant us.  bright, bright, bright.

we can’t wait to watch as your personality continues to develop.  we can’t wait to see what God has in store for you.  and we pray that God equips us to parent you with grace and strength.  may we point you to Him.  may you love Him deeply and follow after Him passionately.  may your childlike wonder continue as you explore His world and His words.  may you hold His promises to your chest and treasure them in your heart.  may you savor His presence.  may you experience and rely on His tender kindness and mercies.  we look forward to watching you as you grasp for and cling to His Word with tenacity and untamed love.  we pray that you will comprehend His precepts, revel in the joy and freedom that He provides, and walk boldly and victoriously.  “let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move mountains.”  through the power of Christ’s redeeming love – in Christ alone, soli Deo gloria - may you move mountains little girl.

love, love, love,

your mama + your papa

a little night music

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miss elinor and her papa tickled the ivories together in a charming little duet the other night.

melt a mama’s heart, why don’t ya.

p.s. i am clearly already outnumbered in the musical ability department.  sheesh.

mama musings

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i found this post and just had to share.  these are such good reminders.

i might need to commission some fabulous printer to make this into a fancy print for me to frame and hang in our home.  i’m sure etsy has a store for that…

Advice for Raising Godly Children
John Witherspoon – Scottish Presbyterian pastor, President of Princeton (1768-1794), and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
  1. The best exercise in the world for children is to let them romp and jump about, as soon as they are able, according to their own fancy.
  2. A parent that has once obtained and knows how to preserve authority will do more by a look of displeasure, than another by the most passionate words and even blows. It holds universally in families and schools, and even the greater bodies of men, the army and navy, that those who keep the strictest discipline give the fewest strokes.
  3. There is not a more disgusting sight than the impotent rage of a parent who has no authority.
  4. I have heard some parents often say that they cannot correct their children unless they are angry; to whom I have usually answered, then you ought not to correct them at all.
  5. Nothing can be more weak and foolish, or more destructive of authority, than when children are noisy and in an ill humor, to give them or promise them something to appease them.
  6. Let it always be seen that you are more displeased at sin than at folly.
  7. Nothing is more destructive of authority than frequent disputes and chiding upon small matters. This is often more irksome to children than parents are aware of.
  8. I am fully persuaded that the plainest and shortest road to real politeness of carriage, and the most amiable sort of hospitality is to think of others just as a Christian ought, and to express these thoughts with modesty and candor.
  9. Many parents are much more ready to tell their children such or such a thing is mean, and not like a gentleman, than to warn them that they will incur the displeasure of their Maker.
  10. It is a very nice thing in religion to know the real connection between, and the proper mixture of, spirit [i.e., matters of the heart] and form [i.e., disciplines like family worship and church attendance]. The form without the spirit is good for nothing; but on the other hand, the spirit without the form never yet existed.

eyebrows

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let me introduce you to elinor’s incredulous eyebrows…

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she shoots me this glance sometimes.  mostly when i am doing something goofy and trying to make her giggle.  oh, baby girl.  so much personality for such a petite thing.  i love all your expressions.  you are the funnest.

speaking of fun…i hope you have a fabulous weekend!

mama musings

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Taken and processed with Cameramatic app.

you know what i love?  mirrors.  mirror playtime is amazing.   elinor makes faces and watches as the expressions of “baby in the mirror” change.  she also likes to blow bubbles and look goofy to try to evoke a response from mama.  such a ham.  and i must add that her mama gets in on the act too.  i mean, is there anything sweeter than making your baby smile and giggle.  nope.  isn’t it amazing the lengths to which we will go in order to get that smirk or laugh?  i sure am smitten.

i just had to capture this precious moment.  two funny faces in the mirror.  with matching raised eyebrows and everything.  i hope that elinor always wants to play and take silly pictures with me.

dear peanut {five months}

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happy five months, little miss elinor!  that is one whole hand’s worth.  just a few weeks shy of your half-birthday.  eeep!

you are five months…going on fifth grade.  personality is bubbling out all over the place.  you are effervescent.  and, at times, somewhat scary.  you will be a handful, for sure.  no shortage of attitude and energy and opinions and zest and personality here.  no ma’am.  but, we wouldn’t want it any other way.  and the battles of the will are already beginning.  for example: your new favorite is bathtime flailing.  on one hand, super cute.  you are discovering that you can lift your bottom up and then plop yourself down and all the water will rush up onto your belly.  you also like to plug the faucet with your big toe so that the water sprays every which way.  and, you like to spread out your hands and place them on the surface of the water like one of those water strider bugs and then you slowly raise your hands up before…splash!  okay, but on the other hand, potentially hazardous.  you have also discovered that you can kick the knobs and make them move.  and while i applaud your chimpanzee dexterity, it also freaks me out when you get your toes on the cold water knob because you never kick it to make the water colder…you always shut that guy off.  leaving only a stream of hot water.  {pretty sure this tops the caring for an infant no-no list}  and so, i find myself washing you with one hand while keeping the other up as a blocker.  which you have taken as a challenge, of course.  break through the barrier!  get to the hot water so i can burn my delicate baby belly skin!  with every kick attempt, i respond with a firm, “no elinor” and a grab of the foot.  and my oh my, you aren’t too keen on that.  you arch your back and furrow your brow…and wind up for another kick.  determined and defiant little thing.  and i am not trying to be the ogre who ruined bathtime but jeepers, i don’t think you will enjoy third-degree burns.  sheesh.  and so, my prayers are that i will be able to engage you firmly and with grace.  that the battles to come will result in softer spirits and molded wills.  that your papa and i can protect you while also teaching you to discern and navigate without our assistance.  most of all, we just pray that God shows us what to do next.

you are quite persnickety about your naptime, my dear.  you love your sleep.  but you want it done a certain way.  we have created a creature of habit.  i just know that you will have a super chic dayplanner like me one day and we can be all nerdy together and “check our calendars” and “pencil things in” and “check!” things off when we have successfully completed them.  but i hope that you have some enjoy-the-moment-let’s-be-spontaneous-go-with-the-flow-ness in there too.  so…sleep.  you like to go for a solid 12-hour stretch at night and i wake you up around 8:30 for some breakfast.  and i am pretty sure that if you didn’t need to eat to survive, you would keep right on snoozing until noon.  really, you just wake up so that you can enjoy your first meal of the day, roll around a bit, and sing and squeal.  then, you very quickly shift from a ball of happy energy to a sweet little sleepy thing.  the thumbsucking begins and i swoop in and whisk you away for your nap.  what a life.  and when it comes to your nap, you like things just so.  rushing water setting on your sleep sheep.  check.  swaddled up all tight and plopped onto your side.  check.  arms exposed so you have an easy thumb path should you become startled and need a bit of soothing to doze off again.  check.  a super soft blanket draped over you and tucked up by your hands so you can rub it between your fingers as you fall asleep.  check.  and, the most important element:  a solid window for naptime, no less than 1.5 hours in duration.  you don’t mess around.  your papa and i have learned that if we are busy and find ourselves with only 45 minutes for a nap, it is best to just let you play and catnap in our arms or in some kind of carrier contraption.  because “not it!” on being the one who has to wake you up from your truncated nap.  oooohh you give us such a death stare.  chilling.

currently… you love rolling yourself in your blanket like the cutest little burrito bundle.  you drool constantly.  you nibble on everything.  you are fascinated by dishes and cups. {probably because you are smart enough to understand that they are food and beverage vessels}  you like to impress us with your feats of strength, flipping from back to belly and the back again.  you are kind of a mama’s girl which is really cute but can hurt your papa’s feelings.  {i continue to reassure him that this is a phase and that pretty soon i will be old news and he will be her hero}

you have taught us so much in these past months.  and we know that we will all continue to grow and learn together as our little family.  you have taken me out of my type-A comfort zone.  and teach me patience and kindness.  and your sweet papa…oh, he just loves you and wants to wrap you all up and keep you safe.  forever.  he is learning to relax and let you explore the world…and even squawk at inopportune times.  you stretch us, sweet girl.  and we are grateful that God is using itty-bitty you to teach us and mold us.  we want to do this parenting thing well.

i must say that communication is getting better and better.  you are much more vocal these days.  and not just those newborn waaahhs.  you have a whole repertoire.  squawks and squeaks and giggles and ooohs and aaahs and weees.  a sound for every occasion.  and we are starting to understand your cues.  plus, you are adding in new facial expressions to help us along.  some of them are just copycat faces, i’m sure.  but others are indelible parts of your personality.  you have your sassy sideways glance.  you have your own smile of glee.  and you have your serious/focused face.  all you.  it will be so amazing to see how your face changes over the years but still maintains your very own expressions.  and one day, when someone says something absurd and you respond with that wilting sideways glance, i will just about burst.  remembering that very same expression that you have made since you were a wee one in diapers and a feathered headband.

love, love, love,

your mama + your papa

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mama musings

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one of my very favorite things?  the walk upstairs to put this little bundle down for a nap.  when miss elinor gets sleepy and is finished with playtime, she rubs her eyes, tosses to and fro, and begins searching for her thumb.  this is my cue.  i scoop her up and take her upstairs.  in some kind of precious baby pavlovian response, elinor grabs my sleeve with her right hand, sucks on her left thumb, lets out a sweet sigh, and curls herself up, nuzzling right under my collarbone.  every time.  every day.  every nap.  and it just melts me.  ya know?  wowee.  thank you, Heavenly Father for these sweet moments in life.

i just had to chronicle this so i will never forget that overwhelming feeling of mama bliss.  that’s all.