Life. It's such a series of waves, it ebbs and flows.
There are phases, swells, seasons.
I think part of maturing is learning to ride the waves with grace, and to understand that everything is but a season.
What feels like the end today is hope tomorrow. What is painful today gives strength for another day.
Nothing is forever.
When we learn that life is so much more than what is happening in this moment, we can live more gracefully because we know that tomorrow will be new...it will bring new things, new emotions, new people, new routines.
Being in the moment can be beautiful or painful, seamless or complicated, healthy or ailing. And the moment is certainly one to be lived, experienced, held. Each season must be given space to unfold so that we're ready for the next.
Without summer we cannot have fall.
Without winter, there is no spring.
The difficulty comes when we see no end to the winter we are in. We don't understand why summer can't last forever. But we can't experience the peaceful, beautiful seasons in their fullness, we can't be truly ready for them, unless we walk through the dry and lonely seasons first.
Life is coming. And with life there will be richness. And richness will certainly cycle through to autumn and winter again.
Life. It's such a series of waves, it ebbs and flows.
Dwell in the moment and know that it is preparing you for what is next. Summer is filling you for dryer times. And know that in times when we feel weak, there is beauty being prepared under the soil so that, when the time is right, life will burst forth in full bloom once more.
So keep walking, my friends, and stay strong in this season. We won't be abandoned in winter. It is simply preparing us
for spring.
*Ecclesiastes 3:1
Friday, July 19, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Five Months Old
Five months. If I were on mat leave, I'm sure I would dread these monthly updates a little more because every month would be one month closer to going back to work at one year. I am so blessed to be able to stay home with our two little munchkins. There are certainly days when I wish I could have a bit of a break but overall I just love my job and each month is a celebration of our kids getting older rather than one month less before I have to return to work. :)
Kayden continues to be a content baby, usually happy and with smiles for anyone who takes the time to smile and talk to her. She's not a very outgoing baby, though doesn't seem too shy either. She hasn't been making strange at all yet. She's also not reaching out for everyone who looks at her! This month we spent a few days at camp while Nathan was speaking and then a few days with my parents. We know now that she's not as happy as usual when there is lots of activity and her regular routine is thrown off. I kept telling people that she was a content, happy baby and she kept fussing and crying and letting us know that she wasn't happy. Oh well, we're all allowed to have "off" days sometimes! Once things settled down on our travels and the noise died down, she brought out the smiles and laughter a bit more.
Kayden was weighed this month and was 13lbs 6oz. Still so light, though she is double her birth weight so I'd say she's right on track! And you would never guess she's light by looking at her. She is one chubby girl. I just love her little pudgy arms and hands and legs! She was only 22 3/4" long when she was measured this month so I guess she's short and chubby. I'd call that CUTE!
Kayden is dealing so well with her older brother's affections. He loves to roll her over onto her tummy and give her "tummy time" multiple times a day. She doesn't protest at all, usually, unless she is left on her tummy for extended periods of time. She hasn't figured out the rolling over thing yet so once she's on her tummy, she's stuck there until someone flips her over. Yesterday she rolled from her side/back onto her tummy though (more than just a fall to her tummy) so perhaps that milestone is just around the corner!
Kayden is almost sitting on her own! I would definitely not leave her sitting in the middle of the room alone yet, but she can balance for probably 20-30 seconds at a time. We get a kick out of how, when we try to lean her back either in our arms or against a pillow, she will pull her neck/head up to try to sit straight up instead of leaning back. It's like she's trying to say, "I'm not a baby! I want to sit up and SEE everything!" Haha.
Kayden has grown to LOVE her Jolly Jumper this month. She bounces happily in there multiple times a day, which is very handy when I'm making supper or doing something with Levi. Levi likes to help her learn to bounce (you can probably picture that) and push her like she's in a swing. I get kinda nervous when he does that but as long as it's within moderation, I let him have his fun. She doesn't seem to mind and as long as nobody is getting hurt (including my walls), I'd rather pick my fights and this one doesn't seem worth it. With a two-year old, "pick your fight" is the name of the game!
We're still not sleeping through the night in this house, though I think we might be getting closer! In the past week, Kayden has had two 6-7 hour stretches at night! Last night I got to sleep from midnight until 6am without waking up once! It feels so amazingly good. Usually, though, in the 12 hours that Kayden is in bed for night, she eats 3-4 times. She's starting to space her daytime feeds from every 2 hours to every 3.5-4 hours.
Kayden has learned to grab toys this month, though only if they're held in front of her. She has a favourite toy, the Discovery Toys Super Yummy. She will get so excited when she sees it. She wouldn't need any other toys, just that one :) She loves to watch Levi doing whatever he's doing. She's also noticed Lennox a few times and watched him. Kayden has also been enjoying her exersaucer, though for now it's just a place to look around from, not so much a place to play. Her cradle cap was taken care of this month and hasn't come back. Oh, and she's trying to become a thumb sucker but I am trying just as hard to make sure that doesn't happen. I'd rather prevent it now than wean her later. Everything is going in her mouth these days though!
She still sleeps in our room, though she's shared a room with Levi a couple times as we've been traveling this month and they've both done just fine, not waking each other up. So I'm slowly putting Kayden in her crib in Levi's room more and more so she gets used to it while awake. Right now she's in the play pen in our room. We're all sleeping well, though, so I'm in no hurry to switch things up :)
And that's our 5 month old! She's such a joy. She's starting to laugh more and more, usually when we "blow" on her belly or tickle her, though sometimes just talking to her will get her going, especially when there's an element of surprise ("PEEK!" or "HI!"). What a little doll. Looking forward to month #6 with our girl!
Kayden continues to be a content baby, usually happy and with smiles for anyone who takes the time to smile and talk to her. She's not a very outgoing baby, though doesn't seem too shy either. She hasn't been making strange at all yet. She's also not reaching out for everyone who looks at her! This month we spent a few days at camp while Nathan was speaking and then a few days with my parents. We know now that she's not as happy as usual when there is lots of activity and her regular routine is thrown off. I kept telling people that she was a content, happy baby and she kept fussing and crying and letting us know that she wasn't happy. Oh well, we're all allowed to have "off" days sometimes! Once things settled down on our travels and the noise died down, she brought out the smiles and laughter a bit more.
Kayden was weighed this month and was 13lbs 6oz. Still so light, though she is double her birth weight so I'd say she's right on track! And you would never guess she's light by looking at her. She is one chubby girl. I just love her little pudgy arms and hands and legs! She was only 22 3/4" long when she was measured this month so I guess she's short and chubby. I'd call that CUTE!
Kayden is dealing so well with her older brother's affections. He loves to roll her over onto her tummy and give her "tummy time" multiple times a day. She doesn't protest at all, usually, unless she is left on her tummy for extended periods of time. She hasn't figured out the rolling over thing yet so once she's on her tummy, she's stuck there until someone flips her over. Yesterday she rolled from her side/back onto her tummy though (more than just a fall to her tummy) so perhaps that milestone is just around the corner!
Kayden is almost sitting on her own! I would definitely not leave her sitting in the middle of the room alone yet, but she can balance for probably 20-30 seconds at a time. We get a kick out of how, when we try to lean her back either in our arms or against a pillow, she will pull her neck/head up to try to sit straight up instead of leaning back. It's like she's trying to say, "I'm not a baby! I want to sit up and SEE everything!" Haha.
Kayden has grown to LOVE her Jolly Jumper this month. She bounces happily in there multiple times a day, which is very handy when I'm making supper or doing something with Levi. Levi likes to help her learn to bounce (you can probably picture that) and push her like she's in a swing. I get kinda nervous when he does that but as long as it's within moderation, I let him have his fun. She doesn't seem to mind and as long as nobody is getting hurt (including my walls), I'd rather pick my fights and this one doesn't seem worth it. With a two-year old, "pick your fight" is the name of the game!
We're still not sleeping through the night in this house, though I think we might be getting closer! In the past week, Kayden has had two 6-7 hour stretches at night! Last night I got to sleep from midnight until 6am without waking up once! It feels so amazingly good. Usually, though, in the 12 hours that Kayden is in bed for night, she eats 3-4 times. She's starting to space her daytime feeds from every 2 hours to every 3.5-4 hours.
Kayden has learned to grab toys this month, though only if they're held in front of her. She has a favourite toy, the Discovery Toys Super Yummy. She will get so excited when she sees it. She wouldn't need any other toys, just that one :) She loves to watch Levi doing whatever he's doing. She's also noticed Lennox a few times and watched him. Kayden has also been enjoying her exersaucer, though for now it's just a place to look around from, not so much a place to play. Her cradle cap was taken care of this month and hasn't come back. Oh, and she's trying to become a thumb sucker but I am trying just as hard to make sure that doesn't happen. I'd rather prevent it now than wean her later. Everything is going in her mouth these days though!
She still sleeps in our room, though she's shared a room with Levi a couple times as we've been traveling this month and they've both done just fine, not waking each other up. So I'm slowly putting Kayden in her crib in Levi's room more and more so she gets used to it while awake. Right now she's in the play pen in our room. We're all sleeping well, though, so I'm in no hurry to switch things up :)
And that's our 5 month old! She's such a joy. She's starting to laugh more and more, usually when we "blow" on her belly or tickle her, though sometimes just talking to her will get her going, especially when there's an element of surprise ("PEEK!" or "HI!"). What a little doll. Looking forward to month #6 with our girl!
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