Tag Archives: miss elinor

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.

un fin de semana de diversión con las casablancas

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this was a great weekend.  we had lots of sunshine and a lovely breeze.

and we kicked things off with big bowls of spicy goodness from good ol’ chipotle.  that place is just so darn good.  spice and flavor.  and meat.  oh, you tasty barbacoa, you.

and then, we wrapped up the weekend {and celebrated cinco de mayo} with a little fiesta with ben’s family.  with refreshing homemade sorbet and everything!  i’m talking mango + lime sorbet with a sprinkling of ancho chile powder to add some warmth.  increíblemente deliciosa.  what a relaxing day.  street tacos and fresh salsas…oh yes, and hanging out with our baby girl.  a baby girl who is looking older and older and less baby-ish each day.  sigh.

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.

we put the “happy” in happy hour

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a few days backmiss elinor, hubby, and i grabbed some early dinner with my folks at st. francis.  it was mighty tasty. there is just something about heading to a restuarant on the earlier side and making the most of the evening.  it usually gives us license to try more dishes and double up…you can’t beat a happy hour deal, am i right?  and in this case, i am talking a big ol’ gourmet burger with a side of hand cut fries for seven bucks.  #winning.

the springtime weather was particularly springy and the restaurant opened up the side of the restaurant so there was a perfect breeze while we dined.  elinor sat in her little seat just playing away while we sipped some good wine and noshed on baked goat cheese with crusty bread, french onion burgers, chicken salad sandwiches, and radish/bacon/garden pea/buttermilk ranch salad.  good stuff.  and so local and fresh.  it was a simply delightful meal with great company.  happiness and satisfied tummies all around.

 

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you are my sunshine

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happy monday folks!  how was your weekend?  we had the bestest weekend.  lots of time outdoors as a family and plenty of yummy food.  have i mentioned how much i love springtime?  perfect.  it doesn’t get much better than this…

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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!

snaps & snippets & blurbs

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a very happy monday to you.  you know those weeks when you planned on getting a bunch of stuff done and then you realize that you have plans every night so you add it to the to-do list for the weekend and then the weekend arrives and somehow the days just fly by and then all of a sudden it is sunday evening and you are thinking hmmm…i should really check on my checklist…but, nah.  it was kinda one of those weeks.  so i feel like i am a bit behind already on this monday morning.  but, that’s okay because we had a fabulous week and lived it up this weekend.  but, don’t worry.  i have big plans.  i am coming for you, to-do list.

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two very happy faces + a chocolate shake + a handsome man who takes his burger selection very seriously + a her burger + a him burger + a bag of to-go treats from sweet tooth fairy.  cupcakes & sugar cookies + sunday concert at church + some sparkly lipstick, wavy hair, bright baubles, and a neon-pastel v-neck + a sweet little face with such bright and active eyes.