8 Months

Another month is already gone...Andy is 8 months today. He is babbling a lot more now and can now fully sit up and roll over both ways (why do baby milestones at this age sound a lot like dog tricks?). He loves, loves, loves his Jumperoo- which is noisy and sometimes annoys his sisters. He had a doctor visit this month and the doctor says Andrew has plenty of pounds...is over 20 lbs, putting him in the 75th percentile for weight and the 8oth for height- all of that to say he is a big boy. He still loves a bath and his toothbrush. He is very ticklish almost all over and loves attention from his sisters. He is still our most easygoing baby- sometimes we have to tell ourselves to pick him up and cuddle him because he is so happy to just watch everything go on around him. He is very handsome, as you can see- girls already can't keep themselves away- the picture below is his friend Sophie giving him a kiss. Andrew is so sweet and I stand amazed at the gift he is to our family.

Grace is 8

Hard to believe, but my brown-eyed girl is 8 today. It feels like I looked away for one second and she is half way to being able to drive.

Grace loves everything to do with art and is good at spelling. She is a terrific swimmer- she can do the breast stroke, side stroke, freestyle and butterfly. She likes most kinds of music, but is partial to the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana. In a clear demonstration of unconditional love, and love being deaf and blind, she loves to hear me sing- especially old 60's tunes. Grace is certainly not her mother's daughter when it comes to food- she likes plain vanilla ice cream, no butter on her waffles or toast, nothing spicy and can take or leave cheese. She is so good with her brother, and loves her sister, even if sometimes showing her love for Faith comes in the form of pestering and teasing.

Grace has always been a tremendous blessing for me- she is the gift God sent that I most certainly did not deserve. She gave both Ryan and I purpose and direction, and a reason to want to do well.

7 Months- A Little Late

Well, we are a little late with this month's posting because of a bad week. Allison fell last week and broke her foot in two places, then followed it up with a sinus infection. Ryan has been left with most of the household chores (except for combing hair) and everyone is tired.

Anyway, this does not change that Andrew did turn 7 months over the weekend. I know what most of you are thinking... he needs food!

In the last month, he has gotten better at sitting up (but still falls over) has developed quite a few new rolls in his legs that make him look like the Michelin man and found a new BFF (for those not in-the-know, BFF is Best Friend Forever. We have spent quite a bit of money on toys for him, but his new BFF is an old toothbrush, as you can see in the picture. He turns it over and over in his hands, talks to it and chews on it. He held on to it and talked to it for about 25 minutes on our bed a couple of weeks ago and then fell asleep holding it. Before you decide to question his intelligence, just stop and think about whether or not you are creative enough to come up with 25 minutes worth of conversation with a toothbrush. Also, in a pinch, his toothbrush can be replaced with a highlighter or a Sharpie.

Andrew still prefers veggies to fruits, can pick up his own Cheerios, loves to bang a measuring cup on his high chair tray and will (mostly) sleep through the night. He loves his Jumperoo and can't be bothered to roll himself over from his front to his back. He thinks his sisters are hilarious and has discovered that their hair is really soft and fun to pull. Faith sometimes calls him :"Cotton Andy" (a shout-out to JoJo's Circus loving readers). Does anyone know a cuter 7 month old boy named Andrew?

6 Months Old

Well, we are halfway through Andrew's first year, and I don't really know where the time is going. In the last month Andrew has started having food in addition to his really expensive formula that doesn't really help with the spitting up. He likes all of the vegetables he has had so far, which are squash, sweet potatoes and green beans. He is sort of ambivalent about applesauce but categorically hates bananas. I did learn (by accident) that he likes Teddy Grahams when I came up the stairs from folding laundry and found that Baby Faith had generously shared some of her snack with him. He had about 6 of them in his mouth and became very agitated when I took them out before he choked. He has also begun sleeping through the night (most nights) and has almost mastered sitting up. He likes to play "Trot, Trot to Boston" and thinks Peek-a-Boo is hilarious. For those with questions, he is not bowing in the first picture, he is working on not being a Weeble (like I am told his Auntie Heidi was). He is a sweet boy and we are falling a little bit more in love with him every day.

Five Months Old

Hard to believe that Andrew is 5 months old today. As a gift to his mother on his Five Month Birthday, he slept through the night last night, in his own bed! He likes his rice cereal to be made with his daily amount of apple juice, and warmed for 15 seconds. He would like it better if I would let him feed himself, but this is more mess than I can deal with. His favorite songs are "Skinamarink" and "God Made the Sunshine". He still loves a bath and can roll himself over (although he does not choose to do it very often). He spends more time talking to his pacifier than he does sucking on it, and loves to sit in his Bumbo chair. When he is at work with me, he plays in the play yard, sits in the swing, and hardly ever cries...but he won't help do Stats. We are having such fun with him and are so thankful for him.

When I See You Smile...

I have just joined the world of Facebook, and while it is fun to connect with people that way, I find that this is a better journal/scrapbook. We are having so much fun getting to know little Andrew. He is such a happy baby and it is hard to believe he is 4 months old today. We are learning more about what he likes and dislikes...he likes to be in any kind of sitting position, and strongly dislikes being on his back. He loves any kind of a bath and hates to have his medicine (he has Zantac twice a day to help with all of the spitting up). He loves to look at and listen to his sisters and hates to have his nose cleaned. He dislikes sleeping alone, and loves to be held while he sleeps (we are still working on getting him to love his own bed). He sleeps all day and wants to be awake and held and talked to all night.

He has a million dollar smile...which is what I wanted to share with you today....

God Is In Control

"I have lived a long time, sir, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. "Benjamin Franklin

Today is a significant day in history, maybe not for the reasons the press is focusing on. Whenever a new President is Inaugurated, history is made. For a society that is so focused on becoming "color blind", quite a bit of emphasis has been placed on the color of the new President's skin. I am far more concerned with his experience, skill and belief system than I am with his age, background or skin color. There has also been repeated use of the word, "change". I think it is important to remember that not all change is good. Sometimes change is made in haste, and it leads to more trouble and unrest than there was to begin with.
In the past few weeks, I have realized that sarcasm about this new President's lack of experience leading anything, his personal beliefs and promises is not productive. Sarcasm and doubt don't ever change anything. Prayer does. So, Ryan and I spent some time praying for President-elect Obama last night. We prayed for his protection, for wisdom, for him to surround himself with men and women of experience and wisdom, for his family, for his ability to unite a nation that is so divided. I am praying that whether or not he believes in God, that God will use him in a powerful way in the next 4 years.
A recent study (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062300813_pf.html) showed that more than half of all Americans prayed at least once each day. This has to be quite a mix of people, with an even more varied mix of beliefs. What if we all pray together for President Obama? Not that he can get gay marriage passed, or that he doesn't destroy the military, or that he can single-handedly fix the economy? What if everyone that believes in prayer just prays that he is careful and wise in how he leads us?
So, needless to say, I have been apprehensive (at best) about the new President. There are many different reasons for my apprehension. In the quiet last night as I was falling asleep, I was reminded that this country does not belong to Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, Christians or Atheists. This country belongs to God. My days are not determined by the President or Congress, but by the Sovereign God of the universe.

"… let’s remember that He is in control. Nothing alarms Him, or takes Him by surprise. Nothing is too big for Him to handle, or so small it escapes His attention. When the winds of my world begin to blow, He remains seated. When raging waves surround me, He governs their temper…I need not be moved … Because the Lord is seated and sovereign…He alone is sovereign." -Ronald James