Making lists checking them twice

Some recent baby's firsts:

• Meeting my BF from college, Rachel. We had such a wonderful time hanging out here for a couple days before heading to NoDak for Christmas. It's becoming a wonderful tradition to pick Rachel up from the airport and eventually end up dropping her off at her home that's on the way to our's. I'm ever thankful for her dear friendship.

• Christmas. Trevor and I had a blessed time celebrating Christmas with our precious Baby K and lots of family. The week flew by with special meals, a beautiful Christmas Eve service, lots of visiting and running around. And sleepless nights, to be honest - poor girl seemed to know that in her crib she was not, and many nights I was up out of bed close to a dozen times to comfort her back to sleep. Ah, Karis - when I wake up in the morning the nights don't seem so bad. But in the middle of the night I feel I may be going a little crazy. And then I comfort myself with a piece of chocolate, which seems to help. When that doesn't help, I admit that I sometimes elbow Trevor - which of course doesn't help anything except that I feel I have companionship in the sleeplessness (especially doesn't help anything because Trevor falls right back asleep. Bless his heart, of course!).

• Rolling over. What a fun sight to see! We all crammed around Karis and watched her ever so gracefully turn from her belly to her back, and are continuing to love watching her discover her rolling potential.

• Exersaucer experience. In this contraption, I feel we got to see Karis's full and unbridled energy potential. I think I'm up for it, and it's fun to watch her kick her legs and bat at (and try to suck on) the contraptions within her reach.

• Bumbo sitting time. All these contraptions and places to put Karis are wonderful. They are also completely taking over our house. Not that we seem to mind . . .

A recent first for Andrea:

• I rear-ended someone this week. Thankfully it was just a fender bender and no one was hurt, but . . . one of my new year's resolutions is to not talk on my cell phone while driving. I wish I could say this is an easy thing to do, but it's definitely going to take some discipline. This accident was a good reminder to slow down, focus, pay attention to what's before me - driving, yes, but in a litany of other areas as well.

Some New Year's celebrations and resolutions (which I really feel a need for this year!):

• First, some New Year's Eve memories: We enjoyed watching "Lord of the Beans" Veggie Tales movie (gift to Trev from his college roommie!). Karis apparently wanted to ring in the new year as well, she had a pretty tough time going to bed! New Year's day Trevor and I headed to a mall for a walk and then to get some Caribou. I think we intended to talk about goals and such, and we did get as far as resolving to read (together) the 1 year Bible. I'm already a day behind (I think he is, too). Anyone care to hold us accountable to this resolution? We also loved having all of Karis's godfathers (i.e. our brothers) in town for the New Year's weekend. We're so blessed by their love for Karis, I appreciate how they ask to hold her, the way they talk to her and always include and acknowledge her. What a loved little lady!

• I was trying to explain to Trevor (during our New Year's Caribou date) that I really feel I need to "try harder" this year. I started listing things, like try harder to have quiet devotional time every day. Try harder to be the wife I know Trevor deserves. And then at one point, I said I need to try harder to relax. Hmmmm, a little ironic, huh? I laughed a bit at said irony, but it's left me thinking. Can the two exist together, or do I need rather to resolve to receive the grace that is mine for the asking - grace to make mistakes (of which I make many), to be an imperfect wife and mother. So maybe I need to also try harder to receive grace, and maybe that grace will cover all. Well, I know it will cover all, it's the receiving it that can be hard. May 2010 be a year of grace. And trying harder. Probably both at the same time . . .

One year ago

Exactly one year ago we were packing up and getting ready to head home for Christmas. Exactly one year ago there was a snow storm hitting our area. Exactly one year ago we were rescuing stranded friends from the airport.

Exactly one year ago I took this little test that you can't really pass or fail unless you're hoping for a certain outcome. The outcome is measured only in positive and negative. I was indeed hoping, so I did indeed pass the test. Exactly one year ago (at 5:30 am!) Trevor and I found out that Karis was growing inside of me. Thank you, Lord, for the best Christmas present we've ever received.

I'll always remember yelling, "Trevor!" . . . who rushed out of bed to join me in the bathroom (where he assumed I was sick because he already had a hunch I was pregnant). We stared at the plus sign on the stick on the floor and then rejoiced.

Exactly one year ago we were thanking God, and we're thanking Him still for Karis's precious life.

New things

Such an original title for this blog post, right? I, as usual, am trying to not let the hustle and bustle of this time of year distract me from the really important, lasting things (like writing, spending quality time with people, focusing on the REAL reason for the season). As usual, I'm struggling, but finding some good victory along the way in letting things go (as in, no Christmas card, no birth announcement - shame on me! - little cleaning, using lots of gift bags so I don't have to wrap presents, ha!). I am struck of course that a year ago I was intentionally not writing a Christmas card because I felt that nothing significant had really changed/happened over the past year. Little did I know . . .

This Advent season has been precious as I look at Karis and realize that Jesus was a baby. He was every bit as dependent and helpless and beautiful and growing and, well, everything baby, as Karis is. And to think of Mary! How wise of her to "treasure up all these things and ponder them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) Having a baby really can change one's perspective on so many things.

Some new tricks from Karis:

• She is grabbing things and bringing them to her mouth - I'm thinking maybe she's ready for a "blankie"!

• She is BUSY. Always moving, sucking on her fingers and fists, kicking, looking around.

• This weekend Trevor belched quite loudly, which caused Karis's face to scrunch up which then turned into a full-on wail. It happened twice, and as not fun as it is to hear her cry we couldn't stop laughing. I think we have a very well mannered and polite girl on our hands.

• Karis continues to be my funny honey. She just cracks me up! The way she sticks her tongue out when she smiles, the coos and little giggles she offers (she even smiles in the middle of crying sometimes). She loves to be looked at, talked to, and to look at and talk to people.

• Karis is wearing cloth diapers. Yup, we actually had four months worth of diapers given to us that recently ran out, so it seemed like a logical time to start. So far, so good - I'm even a little self-competitive about it, seeing just how exclusively I can use the cloth. i.e. I'm trying very hard to use them at all times except for when Karis is with a sitter or during nighttime.

In other random news, Trevor and I had our fourth and so far most successful date this past Sunday. We reminisced about the previous five Christmases we've shared during our marriage, we're blessed with many memories and we look forward to "baby's first Christmas" in less than two weeks.

There's so much more, but my bed beckons me. It says, "Andrea, your baby is asleep so you should be too . . . " Okay, okay, I'm going!