Then...
Now...
Then...
Now...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
a few thoughts from the doctor's office...
Charlie had his nine-month check up today. In this broken world not many things are they way they were meant to be. There are car accidents and pollution. Children are born with cancer and clubbed feet. We get the flu. There is death. We rarely if ever experience this world the way God created it to be. That is why we long for heaven and His final restoration.
Charlie has changed so much since the last time we were at the doctor. I had to work hard to keep him occupied in the little waiting room. As I wrestled to hold onto his naked-but-for-a-diaper body while talking to his doctor I felt this joy bubbling up in me. My joy was for his health, for his fat body, for his strong muscles, and for his alert mind that never stops exploring while he is awake. And though the doctor checked him out thoroughly, I didn't need him to tell me that Charlie is glowing with good health. He actually weighs 24.5lbs and is 31 inches long!
On the drive home, with Charlie happily babbling in the back seat, I wondered why this made me so joyful, and I have concluded that this might be a little glimpse of the way God meant it to be. Children are meant to be healthy, to burst into their adults' lives with such vivacious energy that awe-filled joy can be our only response. What a gift I, we all, have been given!
Charlie has changed so much since the last time we were at the doctor. I had to work hard to keep him occupied in the little waiting room. As I wrestled to hold onto his naked-but-for-a-diaper body while talking to his doctor I felt this joy bubbling up in me. My joy was for his health, for his fat body, for his strong muscles, and for his alert mind that never stops exploring while he is awake. And though the doctor checked him out thoroughly, I didn't need him to tell me that Charlie is glowing with good health. He actually weighs 24.5lbs and is 31 inches long!
On the drive home, with Charlie happily babbling in the back seat, I wondered why this made me so joyful, and I have concluded that this might be a little glimpse of the way God meant it to be. Children are meant to be healthy, to burst into their adults' lives with such vivacious energy that awe-filled joy can be our only response. What a gift I, we all, have been given!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Charlie at Nine Months
Charlie turned nine months old today.
This has been a big month for him developmentally. He seems just huge to me. He is growing out of his 12mo clothes and weighs more that 23lbs.
He has learned the words Dada and Mama and light. Not that he can always say them appropriately, but he know who and what they mean and sometimes says Dada to his Dada. If you ask him "Where's Dada" or "Where's Mama," he looks right away to the correct person.
He has learned to sit up on his own when he is lying down, to pull himself into a standing position without any assistance, to scoot on his bum and is now starting to make his first frustrated and slow attempts at crawling.
He has started dancing to music, and is very sensitive about hearing and responding to any kind or rhythm or beat. My favorite instances of him dancing are the way he grooves out to the little interlude pieces they play between segments on NPR. Yesterday he was banging his plastic cups together and then started dancing to his own rhythm! Here he is enjoying the classical station:
We have been showing him hand signs for "food" and "all done" and "more" and "light". Today he made his first sign. When I turned on the night light next to his bed, he looked at the light and slowly opened and closed his fingers. Later when I asked him where the light was he did this:
I feel like I'm falling in love with Charlie all over again because he has started reciprocating. He has also gotten really good at expressing how much he likes his parents. When either of us returns after being gone, he scrunches up his nose, breathes hard, flaps his arms and sometimes even squeals in excitement. It is very cute.
He also likes to kiss me, which we're working on finessing. Unfortunately, right now it usually involves him grabbing my hair at the really sensitive areas behind my ears and pulling my face into aggressive contact with all four of his teeth! Still, it is sweet to be SO loved.
This has been a big month for him developmentally. He seems just huge to me. He is growing out of his 12mo clothes and weighs more that 23lbs.
He has learned the words Dada and Mama and light. Not that he can always say them appropriately, but he know who and what they mean and sometimes says Dada to his Dada. If you ask him "Where's Dada" or "Where's Mama," he looks right away to the correct person.
He has learned to sit up on his own when he is lying down, to pull himself into a standing position without any assistance, to scoot on his bum and is now starting to make his first frustrated and slow attempts at crawling.
He has started dancing to music, and is very sensitive about hearing and responding to any kind or rhythm or beat. My favorite instances of him dancing are the way he grooves out to the little interlude pieces they play between segments on NPR. Yesterday he was banging his plastic cups together and then started dancing to his own rhythm! Here he is enjoying the classical station:
We have been showing him hand signs for "food" and "all done" and "more" and "light". Today he made his first sign. When I turned on the night light next to his bed, he looked at the light and slowly opened and closed his fingers. Later when I asked him where the light was he did this:
I feel like I'm falling in love with Charlie all over again because he has started reciprocating. He has also gotten really good at expressing how much he likes his parents. When either of us returns after being gone, he scrunches up his nose, breathes hard, flaps his arms and sometimes even squeals in excitement. It is very cute.
He also likes to kiss me, which we're working on finessing. Unfortunately, right now it usually involves him grabbing my hair at the really sensitive areas behind my ears and pulling my face into aggressive contact with all four of his teeth! Still, it is sweet to be SO loved.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Eben Booties
The girl next door had her baby...Eben is his name.
Doesn't his sweet charm perfect these fluffy booties I knit him?
Doesn't his sweet charm perfect these fluffy booties I knit him?
Morning Walk
This morning I'm praising God for Fall,
for 70 degree weather,
and for the shape of my son's feet kicking in front of me as I walk.
for 70 degree weather,
and for the shape of my son's feet kicking in front of me as I walk.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Few Observations From This 78 Degree Sunday
Wearing summer clothes after having sweaters on is very nice.
Hearing most of a sermon at church can be very refreshing.
Charlie loves having avocado pieces for lunch.
Leaves actually crunch (the way you read about in books) when you step on them here in the fall.
Spending an hour knitting with your son happily playing at your feet is fabulous.
It becomes even more fabulous when you realize he is so happy because he has finally figured out crawling!
Hearing most of a sermon at church can be very refreshing.
Charlie loves having avocado pieces for lunch.
Leaves actually crunch (the way you read about in books) when you step on them here in the fall.
Spending an hour knitting with your son happily playing at your feet is fabulous.
It becomes even more fabulous when you realize he is so happy because he has finally figured out crawling!
Friday, November 6, 2009
A day in November
These pictures are from a bunch of different days the last week, but I wanted to give you a little picture of what a typical day for Charlie is now that he is going on nine months.
At about 6:45 am, Charlie usually decides the first agenda of the day is to sit up. He's getting pretty good at it, and it makes him really happy. That's when we hear " da da ma daaa da" in the monitor. But, when the blankets are in the way and his attempts at sitting up are unsuccessful, we hear grunting that quickly turns to frustrated crying, and then it's time to rescue him! Here's the blow-by-blow of a successful attempt.
Ta DA!
Then he nurses and comes out to sit on the mat and play with his toys while I make breakfast. This morning Dad joined him to re-string his violin.
Charlie was fascinated. Especially with the paper envelopes the strings came in. He eats paper and cries when you take it away so he can't ingest it. It is his latest love.
Then we eat breakfast. Charlie usually has a scrambled egg yolk, pureed pears and prunes with oatmeal and maybe some yogurt. Also some cheerios. He eats a lot!
Then we go on a walk.
9:30 or so is nap time. We read three books and then Charlie usually sleeps for an hour and a half or so. Around 11 he wakes up, sits up or not, and we play until lunch time. He nurses and eats again. This time it's avocado and chicken pieces with more cheerios, pureed green veggies and rice. Then we do errands or house chores, like laundry.
Around 2 or 2:30 he's ready for another nap. We read stories and he sleeps for about an hour. When he wakes up he nurses and eats some cereal. Then we amuse ourselves until dinner. Today we are going to go listen to Dad practice with a bunch of guys who are playing at a coffee house this weekend.
Oh and somewhere in here I cook dinner, while Charlie tries to amuse himself. Some days this is more successful than others. One of the best ways to keep him occupied when he is super fussy is to give him a piece of frozen fruit in his mesh teether. He loves it.
For dinner Charlie has little bits of what we are eating, and pureed yellow veggies. With complimentary cheerios, of course. After dinner there's time for playing with dad, a walk or dancing to music in the living room.
Last night he played with the box his new bath toys came in.
And now it's bath time. Mom is tired, but Charlie is just getting going! Bath time is the most wild time of day and is a wonderful way to spend the last half hour before bed.
He loves his new squirt toys.
Then its time to put on pajamas, nurse and read at least three books before going to sleep so he can do it all again the next day! (At which point Mama does the dinner dishes and collapses on the couch. Whew!)
At about 6:45 am, Charlie usually decides the first agenda of the day is to sit up. He's getting pretty good at it, and it makes him really happy. That's when we hear " da da ma daaa da" in the monitor. But, when the blankets are in the way and his attempts at sitting up are unsuccessful, we hear grunting that quickly turns to frustrated crying, and then it's time to rescue him! Here's the blow-by-blow of a successful attempt.
Ta DA!
Then he nurses and comes out to sit on the mat and play with his toys while I make breakfast. This morning Dad joined him to re-string his violin.
Charlie was fascinated. Especially with the paper envelopes the strings came in. He eats paper and cries when you take it away so he can't ingest it. It is his latest love.
Then we eat breakfast. Charlie usually has a scrambled egg yolk, pureed pears and prunes with oatmeal and maybe some yogurt. Also some cheerios. He eats a lot!
Then we go on a walk.
9:30 or so is nap time. We read three books and then Charlie usually sleeps for an hour and a half or so. Around 11 he wakes up, sits up or not, and we play until lunch time. He nurses and eats again. This time it's avocado and chicken pieces with more cheerios, pureed green veggies and rice. Then we do errands or house chores, like laundry.
Around 2 or 2:30 he's ready for another nap. We read stories and he sleeps for about an hour. When he wakes up he nurses and eats some cereal. Then we amuse ourselves until dinner. Today we are going to go listen to Dad practice with a bunch of guys who are playing at a coffee house this weekend.
Oh and somewhere in here I cook dinner, while Charlie tries to amuse himself. Some days this is more successful than others. One of the best ways to keep him occupied when he is super fussy is to give him a piece of frozen fruit in his mesh teether. He loves it.
For dinner Charlie has little bits of what we are eating, and pureed yellow veggies. With complimentary cheerios, of course. After dinner there's time for playing with dad, a walk or dancing to music in the living room.
Last night he played with the box his new bath toys came in.
And now it's bath time. Mom is tired, but Charlie is just getting going! Bath time is the most wild time of day and is a wonderful way to spend the last half hour before bed.
He loves his new squirt toys.
Then its time to put on pajamas, nurse and read at least three books before going to sleep so he can do it all again the next day! (At which point Mama does the dinner dishes and collapses on the couch. Whew!)
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