Karisms
- Playing her guitar like a cello: sitting in her rocking chair, using Mrs. Potato Head's arm as a bow
- "Mommy, can we go buy a cello after nappers?"
- Playing "midwife" elaborately. She goes through the whole appointment, even uses a picture frame as her computer. Hand sanitizer goes on the stethoscope and is later wiped off with tissues. Lots and lots of bandaids are used.
- Playing "coffee" by using dried kidney beans and coffee filters. She offers me and Trevor "medium decaf", and it sure is delicious.
- "Let's read the milkman!" (we have a couple vintage stories - Eloise Wilkin & Virginia Lee Burton - they both have milkmen. Hilarious)
- She is glued to Judah, I'm so humbled by her sweet, welcoming spirit
Judah-stats
- He is thriving, very sweet, more alert and looking around every day
- People say he has long fingers, a nicely shaped head, and looks like Karis when she was an infant
- His umbilical cord fell off on Sunday and Karis was excited to do tummy time with him
Mom-marvels
- Trying to savor the moments and not zoom into life's details too quickly . . .
- Amazed by the gift of creation
- Thankful for family and friends to love on us and our children (thank you, all!)
- Loving that it's cold outside so we can hunker down in our home
- Writing this quickly so am definitely missing a lot but just have to feel like I finished something!
Sometimes I look at Judah and I wonder who he will become. I can picture him being a man and I envision him being lively, strong in character, soft in heart. He will surely be well taken care of, Karis is protective and proud of her little brother. Come to think of it, pretty sure we say "Little Brother" more than we say "Judah". We've enjoyed almost two weeks of having family around, they were all so wonderful to dote on Karis and give Judah cuddles (which means I got some needed baths, naps, quiet times). We're thankful. This week we'll find out what some "new normals" are around here.
Some book quotables from the last few days:
From The Divine Hours (a prayer book we use during mealtimes and bedtime):
Psalm 127:3
". . . he gives to his beloved sleep"
I laughed out loud when I read this. I think Trevor must be the beloved in our house right now! And Karis. 2 out of 4 isn't bad, I guess.
I've also been loving some more Little Women in the wee hours of the nursing night time. There was a chapter about Meg and Mr. Brooke's parenting and marriage strategies/challenges. I know I was smiling as I related to the descriptions . . . Meg giving everything to her babies and having nothing left for her husband . . . feeling worn out but not able to let go of the tasks that she feels are hers to do. Good reminders, lots to think about. Marmee gives her some solicited advice and to me, reveals the sage that she is. Advice I feel is for me as well:
"You have only made the mistake that most young wives make - forgotten your duty to your husband in your love for your children. (talking about her own marriage, she says) Each do our part alone in many things, but at home we work together, always.
Go out more: keep cheerful as well as busy, for you are the sunshine-maker of the family, and if you get dismal there is no fair weather. Then I'd try to take an interest in what John likes . . . don't shut yourself up in a bandbox because you are a woman . . . take your part in the world's work, for it all affects you and yours. no time is so beautiful and precious to parents as the first years of the little lives given them to train. . . through your children you will learn to know and love one another as you should."
The chapter ends (as does this post) in this way:
"This is the sort of shelf on which young wives and mothers may consent to be laid, safe from the restless fret and fever of the world, finding loyal lovers in the little sons and daughters who cling to them, undaunted by sorrow, poverty, or age; walking side by side, through fair and stormy weather, with a faithful friend, who is, int he true sense of the good old Saxon word, the 'houseband', and learning, as Meg learned, that a woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor the art of ruling it, not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
