Last month the baby

Unless we have another "David scenario," this is the last month that little Bizbeth will be the baby of the family. But at 15 months old, you are still definitely a baby. 

Your verbal skills (while quite adept for such a little one), have not progressed any since last month.  You still often say "noooo" when you mean "yes" (although you have learned that a head nod and "yes" will take you a long way when you are really desperate).  You still have many moments of tears and frustration when you cannot make yourself understood or do what you want to do. 

There have been many sweet moments interspersed.  I love how you (unprompted by me--and really unexpectedly) decided to play "peek-a-boo" with me out of the blue a couple of weeks ago.  I had not done that with you in months and yet you remembered the game and started it with me while hiding under the table.  Now it is often a favorite game!

You hate your shoes!  Any opportunity you have (especially in the car, on the way to wherever), you will remove you shoes...or scream in the attempt. 

We will find out next week how big you are on the growth chart, but I am going to guess that you are no longer in the skinny category.  You seemed almost to jump over the size 12 month clothes and fit almost all 18 month clothes.  You are also easily in size 4 diapers all the time now.  Even your feet have grown about a size in the last month or so. 

You enjoyed your week this month with just Mommy as David and Daddy were gone.  We will have to see how you respond to the new baby since you definitely show jealousy already--even with your brother.  But oh, how you love him too!

You have taken to the water in the pool quite nicely.  The only thing we have to be careful of is that you love to just take head dives into the water (as if in attempt to drink it). 

Food is still an up and down thing.  Sometimes you do well, other times not at all!  You have added two new teeth though this month--to left of bottom two and to right of top two. 

You are still quite active but you treasure the time rocking with Mommy before bed and will even sit still!  We sing hymns and rock for about 15 minutes.  One day when I did not start singing immediately, you began singing "Jesus...Bible."  You have found your voice and sing constantly to yourself now. 

What will this next month hold?  Many changes but we want you to know how much we love you, Bizbeth!

Sure! (said very enthusiastically)

D turns 46 months old today (we can only use the month vernacular for another 2 months!).  This month has encouraged me again as I see my little boy trying to be more helpful.  His typical response to everything--most of the time-- (whether it is asking him whether he wants to watch a movie or asking him to put away his books), is now "Sure!"  Love it!

We also went swimming again this month for the first time since last summer.  D is now quite competent in the water.  He can kick pretty well and even tries to use his arms sometimes too.  We'll see if we dare try without floaties once or twice later this summer...

PS: David loves dressing himself--often in the most unusual combinations!  This regularly means shirts that are 2-3 sizes too big.  He also still occasionally can't tell the front from the back.

Thank you, sweet friends!

I most certainly did not expect a shower with little #3, but some sweet ladies from my Sunday school class ensured that she will not have a blank page in her baby book where the shower was to have been.  They hosted a class shower for the very useful necessities of diapers and wipes.  I am overflowing with an abundance of both now and even more the blessing from the wonderful ladies who put the time and thought into the food, decorations, and games to make this such a special day for me and little #3.  The two games: 1.  guess the baby food in the jar--could taste it if desired--and 2. try to remember what 11 items were in the diaper bag after seeing it for only 3-4 seconds. 

Thank you to all the ladies who took time out of their Sunday afternoons to come celebrate this new blessing from the Lord. Thanks to Allison I also have some pictures.

Left to right: Allison, Christina, Gayle, Kim, Susan, Jennifer, Casey, Dina (not pictured but also attended: Erika, Amy, Kyla, and Melissa--as well as Roxanne, in spirit)

Trouble with a capital "T"

Remember this post?

We finally got a "Thing 2" shirt.  Apart from looking adorable, my kiddos fit these shirts to a "tee!"
Have you ever read The Cat in the Hat? Let me quote a page or two...

Thing Two and Thing One!
They ran up! They ran down!
On the string of one kite
We saw Mother's new gown!...

Then those Things ran about.
With big bumps, jumps and kicks
And with hops and big thumps
And all kinds of bad tricks.
And I said,
"I do NOT like the way that they play!
If Mother could see this,
Oh, what would she say!"

Well, all I will say is that I love my little Thing 1 and Thing 2 immensely!!!

9 months behind...4 weeks to go

Many of you are aware that a woman is pregnant for 10 months (well, actually normally about 9 1/2 months), but as counting within the 40 weeks, it is actually a month beyond the commonly thought 9 months.  I reached that milestone today.  I am full term and 9 months pregnant, but no; I am not anticipating a baby any time too soon.  Let's just see if this baby will be on time at least (rather than the 14 days late with D and 4 days late with E)...

Ever wonder why I am always in work-out clothes for my weekly pictures?  I have been doing a good job keeping up with that.  Even this week after having made it to my goal of 36 weeks, I decided for the sanity of our household to get out and "work out."  The intensity has slowed a bit but still keeping at it.  Perhaps that is why I have not gained as much weight this time around either.  I was at about 21.5 pounds until overnight, I just gained 2 1/2 more pounds (the modus operandi this pregnancy).  Still fine with only 4 more weeks to go.  Suddenly, overnight though, my stomach also seems to have grown immensely!!!  I cannot even think about sucking in now (a thing I could do only 2 weeks ago).  My largest non-maternity clothes are all but gone and even a few maternity are a bit tight.  The aches and pains I had two weeks ago are mostly subsided, though I am a bit more uncomfortable sleeping now.

'Lil Bits had better not come this next week since Michael (with D) will be gone all week on a fun (boohoo) family vacation.  Let the excitement begin! :)  Mom comes the 28th...

labors of duty (and two others)

The last three books of I finished were each interesting for lots of little nuggets/reminders etc...but each could have been condensed quite a bit.  I am admitting, each one was finished out of a sense of duty to finish what I start (this almost always flows into books too).  But this is to record their reading for my sake and to provide a bit of background in case you, better than myself, wish to skim the books. 

The first is a book I started about 3 years ago and have picked up and read off and on since in between other books.  The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. I did quite well getting through the first half of the book (pretty interesting and fun to see how technology etc...has changed in my lifetime) and then tapered off in reading--and interest-- until a few interesting thoughts again at the end on the harm that the flattening of the world has had in areas like terrorism.  There were several stimulating thoughts about how the "flatter" world has impacted jobs etc... and the concepts are still at work, but much of the book is already a bit outdated (admittedly, given to me when it was a new release).  Still, perhaps an interesting skim because there are some unique ideas that make you think. 

The second book was a read that I had found through some other means...can't remember now.  It sounded like it could potentially be a life-changing, thought-provoking book like One Thousand Gifts.  Praying for Strangers by River Jordan.  Checked this one out of the library through an interlibrary loan.  I got busy and it was checked out three times before being finished.  The first time I had gotten about 1/3 way through.  I feel that, again, the nuggets to be had were primarily in that first 1/3 of the book.  It is comprised of many 2-3 page chapters that the author had in encounters when she set out to pray for a different stranger every day.  It was a good reminder to be aware of the hurt around us, to be willing to put ourselves out there to start conversations, and to sometimes even "intrude" in others' lives for the sake of praying for them and for gospel opportunities.  The author has some doubts about the security of her own salvation (as stated at the end of one chapter), but we can still take the principles and apply them.  Praying over everything is a sweet principle that I have been fortunate to grow up with so it was not novel, but again a few great truths in the book and for someone who did not grow up with the same Godly parents as myself, it could be a revolutionary concept.  So overall, recommended as a quick read. 

The last of the three books was given to me by my Grandmother recently.  A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester.  Like the others, I felt the strongest part of the book was the beginning (or maybe the middle).  It was a good reminder to be hospitable for the sake of the gospel.  Again, with my Godly parents, this was not a new thought, but... It is a very short book and there were several nuggets that I tucked away in the back of my brain to mull on.  Great reminders for today's fast-pace, rather inhospitable world.  This was also the shortest of the three! :)

In posting this, I realized I have not recorded my readings in 6 months or so.  There are two others to mention that somehow got missed...

First, I read a book that read a review of (again) somewhere; don't remember where.  Uncompromised by Nada Prouty.  It is an autobiography of arab who immigrated to the US and worked for various government agencies, including the CIA. At times, she seems a bit overdone in the defense of herself, but a fascinating story nonetheless--especially to better understand other cultures.  It gives great insight into the mindset of a Druze and greater clarity on life in the middle east.  

The second book was probably my favorite.  The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews.  It is cataloged as a fictional account but the author leads us to believe that it is based on a true story.  It is the story of a young American woman who learns to forgive (her husband was killed by the Germans), even as she learns to love a wounded German soldier who she unexpectedly ends up helping.  It is not "preachy" but there are plenty of Biblical references in it and as a believer, you understand that she can only forgive through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Wish I had gotten a picture...

There are so many moments like this.  I will attempt to describe this one here though so I don't forget these sweet, funny memories. 

Lunch over.  It was naptime.  I had my arms full of a laundry basket and tracking down D to head upstairs that I put E on the stairs and figured she would readily head upstairs on her own since we often have to fight her to keep her downstairs.  Too, Mommy was going upstairs, and she follows Mommy around the house. :)  Instead, she climbed back down the three steps and toddled off in a hurry.  I called and called but to no avail so after depositing the laundry basket at the top of the stairs, I headed back down to find her.  She was nowhere in sight.  After a minute or two searching, I went into our bathroom.  I saw a flash of a blanket moving, then nothing.  I examined closer.  She had crawled into our laundry cabinet (which was empty thanks to several loads in the wash today) and was just sitting there quietly hiding while sucking her fingers and holding her blankie!  What a sight!  Did this little one year old know it was naptime and try to hide?  Was it just coincidence?  I don't know but I will say that she gave every indication of trying to hide from me but was just adorable upon being found out!

On another note, David has taken up saying "Sure!" (very enthusiastically) to everything we propose.  It is so cute and makes me laugh everytime I hear it.