Update on the Kids

Spooning - Friday at lunch, Noah took the spoon of applesauce out of my hand and put it in his mouth. When I set the bowl of applesauce on his tray, he started feeding himself with the spoon! He took at least 20 bites. Interestingly, I tried to put the spoon in his right hand, but he immediately transferred it to his left. Josh and I are both right handed, but it seems Noah may have a hand of his own.

Already Sweet - From the beginning, Baby Denny has craved gum drops, juju fish, juice, strawberries, cherries, and popsicles, with a few salty additions lately (like smoked salmon, Pringles, and grilled cheese). Since I craved fat-without-sugar while pregnant with Noah, I can't help wondering about the implications of craving sugar-without-fat this time...

Make-Believe - Noah has played with the toy kitchen upstairs since he was able to crawl, but only recently has he started pretending that he's stirring a pot (which he likes to cover with his hand and tell me is "Hot!"). He's also played with a few real kitchen items: wooden spoons, mixing bowls...and that one time--supervised--with the unplugged toaster oven (and I can assure you we did NOT cook the school bus).

Dating Issues- According to my OBGYN, we're due July 28. According to Baby Denny (via both ultrasounds), we're due the week before. So personally I like to think we're further along than my official due date would suggest. Thus, I consider 14 weeks far too late to still be battling nausea and fatigue. I can usually eat and socialize respectably when I'm out, but the terrible twins (nausea & fatigue) come hurtling back once I get in the car. I'm just praying we'll turn the corner any day now...

Declaration of Independence - Two months ago, when we found out we were pregnant, I remember thinking that Noah would have to grow up a lot by his 2nd birthday for this to be manageable. Done! Well, not done done, but I'm amazed how independent he's become. He plays on his own, can get anywhere in the house he's allowed (except his crib and high chair), talks, signs, and even pushes my hand away when I offer to help with daily activities. He's still my cuddly, happy little baby, but I must say I'm thankful he's no longer a helpless infant. One at a time is enough, thank you.

Dreaming Hungry - When I'm pregnant, I dream a lot and I wake often during the night (usually very hungry). So Josh thought it was hilarious when the other night I dreamed about The West Wing but it involved three large cartons of cottage cheese.

Scaling the Heights

Noah has always been a good climber, going up and down stairs for months now. Lately, he's been especially excited about climbing on chairs (bonus if I'm already sitting in them), up slides, and onto the couch...


All this climbing can really wear him out (a good thing when you have an otherwise endless supply of energy).
I'm just praying he doesn't someday decide to apply his climbing skills to mountains...

I'll Give You Two Guesses

-- Monday night at 10pm, I was standing in front of Kroger's deli counter, wondering how they could be closed when I really wanted some corned beef.

-- All December I wanted to meet a friend for lunch, but I couldn't make it through the day without my lunchtime nap-while-Noah-naps.

-- Josh has changed a disproportionate number of dirty diapers in the past 2 months.

-- Last week, we ordered Chinese food, and I loved the first 10 bites. Josh ate the leftovers.

-- Josh, Noah, and I have been thrilled to visit the doctor 3 times in the last 6 weeks.

-- I am often quite content to lie on the couch and stare into space.

-- I consume a ridiculous amount of salt in the form of Campbell's chicken noodle soup and saltines.

-- When I cough or sneeze, my diaphram hurts.

-- Josh has cooked a radically disproportionate number of meals for us since Thanksgiving.

-- I still have 20 unaddressed Christmas cards sitting on my desk.

-- We're more excited and optimistic about the future than ever, because...

We're pregnant! Due July 28th. :)

Belief Creep

When I graduated high school, I knew what I believed. I had grown up in a family whose faith was real and well-informed, a church whose teaching was consistent, and with parents and pastors who answered my teenage questions with ease. And if you asked me a month ago whether I still hold those beliefs, I would have said yes. And for the most part, it's true. I still believe the Bible, and my relationship with God is more important to me than ever.

But...the last month has put a mirror in front of my face, and I've been surprised to find that in some ways, my worldview has evolved. It has not been a conscious effort. Rather, a million interactions large and small have produced some subtle shifts. The most obvious influences were a change in church denomination and a job working with a diverse population of evangelical Christians. Probably the most important influence has been my own neglect: the active probing and Bible exegesis that kept me sharp in school has atrophied as my focus has turned to application and "living out my faith" as an adult. I blame the rest on books, people, and our post-modern culture. But regardless of the cause, I find myself today left with several questions:
1) What do I really believe?
2) Is that belief true? and
3) How does that affect the way I live?

For those of you about to send me an evangelism tract, rest assured that I don't think my current exploration undermines the essentials of Christian faith. John MacArhur might disagree, but I think I'd be safe with C.S. Lewis. For example, I believe in the existence of Hell, but I've gotten fuzzy on what it looks like. I also believe Revelation is God-inspired, but I'm not sure how much of it was meant to literally describe the end of the world (or in what order). And frankly, I believe Genesis 1-2 is a profound description of God's work in creation, but I'm not sure it excludes the possibility of evolution playing a role.

Now that I see how my own thinking has drifted, I'm eager to probe the resulting questions. How do I get back on track? Is this shift the appropriate result of a maturity more alert to nuance than the black-and-white views of my youth? What kinds of Bible study will bring clarity to the finer points of theology, and how much clarity is possible? I don't yet know, but I can tell you I'll be praying, reading, and seeking your input, so feel free to send me your thoughts.

Jesus, I am Resting, Resting

Jesus I am resting, resting
In the joy of who you are
As I'm learning of the greatness
Of your loving heart.

This chorus has been running through my head ever since we sang it in Bible study. It seems this week has turned into a time of resting - spiritually and physically. After weeks of glorious stimulation, we needed some recuperation.

My mother--overachiever that she is--still taught me the value of rest and "downtime" as part of the rhythm of life. How we all need a seventh day, a seventh hour, not just as a means to be more productive, but as a value all its own.

I have observed two personal proofs of this concept in the last 10 years.

First, Josh started medical school, where they were taught everything except to value sleep. At the time, it seemed a blindspot. How could they forget to teach the well-documented importance of rest in preserving health? Later I realized it was strategic: you can hardly teach a classful of students about the importance of sleep and then tell them to work 30-hour days and 85-hour weeks. Still, the consequences were obvious; I was married to a partial zombie for 5 years.

More recently, the evidence has come in a smaller package. Noah has begun to form opinions, and I find I can measure the strength and ferocity of those opinions by the hours since his last nap. It's amazing how clearly his self-control and sin nature can be tied to his fatigue level.

I shouldn't be surprised; I've seen that pattern in his mother for years. ;) But it's good to be reminded - and to know that Josh agrees. Tonight at dinner, he volunteered, "I think we should instill good sleep habits in our kids." Coming from someone who's been conditioned by years of missed sleep, this was music to my ears. Our schedules are not always easy to control - and they're likely to get harder, but I thank God that staying home has allowed our whole family to slow its pace, be a little less productive with our time, and rest. We even have some time for worship...

Yes, I rest in thee, beloved
Know what wealth of grace is thine
Know thy certainty of promise
And have made it mine.

He's Walking and Eating Cheese!

One wouldn't usually equate the two, but in my book, the fact that Noah now likes cheese is almost more important than the mini-strolls he's taking across the carpet. Why? We don't live in Wisconsin. We're not vegetarian. But it is my job to come up with 3-4 healthy meals a day that a 16-month-old can and will eat. This, I've discovered, is no small task.

Theoretically, he eats what we eat. And that's often the case. But there are exceptions; it just doesn't feel appropriate expecting him to eat a whole meal of swiss cheese fondue and creamed spinach. I once read a NYTimes article about how kids should eat adult food so they don't grow into chicken-fingers-only adults, but I've since realized that kid food is part of a person's life cycle. We start with simple tastes--hot dogs, PB&J, mac and cheese--so there's somewhere for our pallet to grow as we develop. Who wants to get bored with food at 20?

Plus, Noah's still under the weight charts, so I'm amply motivated to get him fed. Hence the following new-and-improved-with-cheese list of his favorite foods - no surprises here:

1. hot dogs
2. pizza (the $.99 frozen kind)
3. PB&J
4. cheese quesadilla (don't be impressed - just a flour tortilla with cheese)
5. spaghetti
6. cheese and crackers
7. Kix cereal

Oh yeah, and he's walking. Well, 2-3 steps with coaxing and a lot of laughing, after which he promptly collapses onto a padded behind (more giggling), but it's a start. Woohoo! ;)

5th & 6th Christmases

As you can see, Noah had a blast playing with his grandparents, aunts, and uncle -- and the new jungle gym they brought. I was amazed how quickly he learned how to climb all over it. (He's already "being like Mike" - notice the tongue while he conquers the slide?)

And we actually made it through our Krispy Kreme visit Saturday without Noah eating a bite of donut. Not sure how long that will last, but for now he seems to think they make goldfish. Works for me.