Pilgrims and Indians

So, we woke up on Thanksgiving morning...slowly.  And, the boys were all excited because it was THANKSGIVING (I am guessing it was exciting because dad was off from work, family was coming and all holidays are special days)!  They busied themselves in their room, as they normally do in the morning.

Then, we noticed they were kind of sneaking around.  They just averted our eyes and said, "we're not ready yet!"

We have been reading about Thanksgiving.  We have heard about gratitude and giving thanks.  But, the story that stands out is, of course, the FIRST Thanksgiving, with the pilgrims and indians!

So, when our children emerged from creating art and costumes, they had a "turkey" in hand (a box with construction paper feathers).  And, one of them was dressed as they believe a pilgrim would have dressed (notice the belt on the hat); and, one of them was dressed as they believe an American Indian would have been dressed (the feathers are stuck on the head with a rubber band, and they found a washable marker to make the "paint" on the face because they knew I would be mad otherwise).

Here are our boys.  We are proud of them for their imagination, creativity and doing it all on their own!  We love them!  We are grateful for them.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

3 months

To my little tyrannosaurus...at three months.

Many people ask us if we have a nickname for you. We have many. Not just one. Lately, you roar like a dinosaur, so we have been calling you "tyrannosaurus Greta". And we roar right back and you squeal with delight when we do this.

Your favorite toy is your monkey. (a gift from one of daddy's co-workers) When you wake up, you can't wait to tell monkey all about the dreams you had. When monkey doesn't respond, you take your little hand and give him a shake. (Daddy wishes monkey would respond back for this reason) So, Mama, in her best monkey voice, responds for him. And sometimes, you and monkey just have staring contests.

When I lay with you and you drift off to sleep...sometimes I just stare at you. You smile and make cooing sounds in your sleep and I wonder what you are dreaming of. I could stare at you forever, my darling.

You never used to let us cuddle with you. You would push us away and go "Eh, eh" and try to squirm away when we tried to snuggle you. But, you have warmed up to us, my little one. And I couldn't be more grateful for this. Mama loves to cuddle with you...and you are indifferent...or maybe you like it. Anyway, you let me cuddle with you and it makes me so happy.

When I change your diaper, you take your little hands, place them on your pudgy knees, and pull them up to your chest in anticipation of getting your bottom wiped. I love you for this and when I thank you, you smile, as if to say, "You're very welcome, Mama. Thank you."

You started scooting. With your knees bent, you plant your feet down and move your body up. You try to do this on the changing table and Mama has to hold you down so you don't scoot off of it! You also swing your legs over the side of your changing table...that really scares the shit out of Mama.

You have been sleeping through the night for the past week. You used to wake up at about 3am to nurse and go back to sleep...so, Mama has still been waking up at this time. I check to make sure you are still breathing and then it takes me awhile to go back to sleep.

You keep scratching yourself with your little nails and when you are in your bouncy chair, I feel like you run your nails over the material to sharpen them...which only reinforces your new nickname. You have also been pinching us lately...

You are on the verge of laughter, which means when you do have your first real laugh...you will be cracking up on a daily basis because your daddy and I are pretty hilarious.

You just started noticing your feet. You don't really do anything with them. You just acknowledge that you have them.

2 months

My goodness. Time is flying by so fast now. I can't believe it is already October! I am trying everyday to  take in, savor, and remember every moment with my little girl. I can't believe she is already two and a half months old.

The words that come out of most people's mouths when they first meet her are, "She's so alert." or of course, the classic, "She's so beautiful." And...as her mama, I tend to agree.

To my darling baby...at two months.

You are in the 80th percentile for height and weight!

Whenever you are upset by something, you like to explain to that person why you are upset. You talk through situations. Daddy thinks this means you will be a professor.

You rolled over! Only a few times...but you did it!

You suck on your thumb or chew on your fist because you have two little teeth trying to poke through on the bottom.

You do not like going to sleep. You put up a fight. Literally. You actually hit mama while I am trying to put you to sleep. You smack me in the face or hit my chest...but I know you. I know my baby. And you eventually quiet down and close your sleepy little eyes and wake up a happy little caterpillar...or (on nights like tonight) you try to "reason" with us so that you can stay awake. You talk a lot...and with a lot of expression. It's so darn cute and hard to say no to.

You smile BIG when you hear familiar voices.

You study people's faces. If they talk to you in such a way, you respond right back. The pediatrician says you are a very sociable baby.

You've become a pro at tummy time.

Your favorite toys are your blue stuffed elephant (a gift from Aunt Christy) and your musical flying pig (a gift from Aunt Kelly).

Mama loves you so much, she may very well eat you up. And can I just say how much I LOVE breastfeeding you? Like...I am addicted. You make a little grunting noise when you know it's coming and sometimes you take your two little hands and squeeze mama's boobie or you put one little fist under your chin while you take your other hand and gently run it across my chest. Oh, and sometimes you talk while you are nursing...or smile BIG when mama says something to you. Your grandma told me that she thinks this is why she had so many kids. She loved to breastfeed her babies, too.

Dad's words

I am so glad Dad was able to walk us both down the aisle.

I think he was happier at your wedding.  You know, because his dementia took away all his sadness.  His real smile comes easily now.  Just put dessert in front of him.  :)

I was looking through my wedding stuff; and, I came across some of "dad's words".  Dad had a way with words (I like to think we got his gift).  I had asked him to "write something" for my wedding (that maybe could be a reading or part of the ceremony).  When he wrote what I thought consisted of the whole ceremony, I was too self-centered to see the beauty of including it anyway.  At least I saved his words, written in his once-beautiful handwriting:

"The Lord God proceeded to build the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman and to bring her to the man.  Then the man said, "This is at last bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.  This one will be called Woman, because from man this one was taken."  That is why a man will leave his father and his mother, and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh." (Genesis 2:22-24)

In this manner, the Bible describes history's first wedding.  Centuries later, the apostle Paul had good advice for both husbands and wives in his letter to the Ephesians:  "...husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies.  he who loves his wife loves himself..." wrote Paul.  For wives, reaffirming the words of Titus that state:  "Recall the young women to their senses to love their husbands."  Paul writes to the Ephesians that "the wife should have deep respect for her husband."

Indeed, would it be possible to truly love someone you did not respect?  Probably not.  Similarly, husbands are to be loving their wives as much as they love themselves.  So, although the husband is basically referred to as the family spokesman, does this mean that he would ignore or ridicule or react violently to any difference of opinion with his wife?  Would that be loving her as you love yourself?  Do you beat yourself up?  Do you ridicule your own sincerely-held opinions?  Do you ignore yourself?  If not, then neither would you act so disgracefully with your wife, your partner for life, if you truly love her as you love yourself.

This is a synopsis of the Bible's view of marriage for Christians.  Each participant, man and woman, is an honored partner in this godly arrangement that also serves as the basis for a healthy family life, when children come along.

Standing before us today are two young people, Helio and Melissa, who have known each other for several years--since they met in their college town in the mid-nineties.  They know each other well, work well together, and would probably feel lost if they were separated.  They go together like ham and eggs, that it is my pleasure today to unite them in holy matrimony."

I love you, Dad.  Even if you got a few of the facts about us wrong (was that a sign of things to come?  I must laugh about this now.)  I love your "words".  I love seeing them on the back of pictures.  I love that I have some that you wrote for me, to call my very own.  I am grateful.

Carry On, Warrior... Review

I miss me some Greta.  Beautiful baby girl!  I am a lucky auntie!

I just finished reading, "Carry On Warrior.  Thoughts on Life Unarmed" by, Glennon Doyle Melton.  I loved it!!!!!  Love, love, loved it.  Bethany, you would love it, too.  If I had not borrowed it from the library (and if it weren't already a week overdue because I couldn't renew because someone else put it on hold), I would totally lend it to you. 

Not only is Glennon a terrific writer; but, I also wish she was my friend.  Her heartfelt, human and wonderful stories often made me laugh out loud (mostly at the airport in front of my colleagues/friends and LOTS of other people when we were waiting for our delayed flight).  Loved it.

I have VERY similar views about God.  Eerily similar.  Like, I did not know there was anyone in the world that would ever agree with me about my opinions on God and love and religion and faith.  And, I was wrong.  Glennon agrees.  Makes me feel that maybe I am on the right path after all.

I feel like she is a kindred spirit.  I have made oodles of mistakes (too many that people don't even know about) and I keep making them (for some reason...oh yeah, because I AM IMPERFECT).  I TRY to make smaller mistakes...and, I am constantly trying to improve, do better, heal.  I feel good when I am healing and when I KNOW I am healing.

Thanks to Glennon, I feel more brave.  Maybe there are some confessions in my future.  I want everyone to know how HUGELY IMPERFECT I am (see, www.greenmommusings.blogspot.com for more about my imperfection).  I rarely feel that I have all the answers.  Oh, wait, I mean, never.  I never have the answers.  And, that feels good.  Meant. To. Be.

So, Glennon Doyle Melton, will you be my friend?  If not, that's OK.  I have some great friends, a great husband and my wonderful sister, too!

one month

This photo was taken when Greta was one month old...it's hard to believe she will be two months in just ten days.

To my sweet baby girl...at one month.

You have gained 2 lbs. 11 oz. You are growing so fast and changing so much!

You are a mini houdini. You break out of your swaddle blankets...no matter how tightly Daddy wraps you. I believe you take it as a challenge.

We have deep conversations at the changing table.

You curl your lips into a perfect "o" when you poop and every time I put you in your bouncy chair...you poop all over it.

You get the hiccups on a daily basis. You got them when you were inside Mama, too. Sometimes, it is because you get so excited that you take giant breaths when you talk to us.

We took you to the beach when you were three weeks old. You loved it and slept like I've never seen you sleep before.

You have already been to the Randolph Street Antique Market and the Renegade Craft Fair...not to mention Nosh. (you were just a week old!) You are a regular Chicagoan.

Daddy and I gave you your first bath the other day. You were happy to be naked, but gave your signature "frown before you start crying" face when Daddy washed your hair.

Cheers to one month, my darling girl! I'm looking forward to seeing your changes and developments in the coming months.