day 2 of solid foods...
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
firsts
Abigail has had a lot of "firsts" this last week. Last Friday, I started Abigail on her first solids, and since Rodney had the day off, it was a family affair! She did quite well. She seemed to like the taste of the rice cereal, opening her mouth again and again, though on the first day, she didn't quite seem to get the hang of swallowing. It was a messy and fun endeavor for all involved - mom with the spoon, baby with gooey hands and face and dad with the video camera.
Day two was less messy - but not much. She did swallow some, and now when she's not eating she's starting to make new noises with her tongue. She's becoming more aware of lips, mouth, etc., so maybe we'll start hearing some more sounds soon too.
I still haven't gone to more than once a day. She's still getting the hang of solids, but in the next few days, it will become more and more a part of our routine. Once we've gotten used to rice for a week or two, we'll introduce vegetables (peas probably). Yum!
Another first this week was rolling over. Abigail mastered rolling from her tummy to her back yesterday (Tuesday), and proceeded to roll over 7 times. Now she rolls over as soon as I put her on her tummy, so I roll her back over much to her chagrin. She's becoming quite the rolling over expert. Now we'll start working more on back to tummy, though she doesn't have as much motivation for this milestone...
And the final first - Rodney propped Abigail up against the couch on her feet. It almost looks like she could take off walking! We stayed close at hand because occasionally she does lean to one side and needs rescuing. She sure likes being on her feet.
My worries are laid to rest, but I pray that I learn my lesson and give all things to the Lord. For I know other worries will creep up with each stage of life. May I entrust all things, all people all circumstances to the Lord of all Creation, the light of life.
Day two was less messy - but not much. She did swallow some, and now when she's not eating she's starting to make new noises with her tongue. She's becoming more aware of lips, mouth, etc., so maybe we'll start hearing some more sounds soon too.
I still haven't gone to more than once a day. She's still getting the hang of solids, but in the next few days, it will become more and more a part of our routine. Once we've gotten used to rice for a week or two, we'll introduce vegetables (peas probably). Yum!
Another first this week was rolling over. Abigail mastered rolling from her tummy to her back yesterday (Tuesday), and proceeded to roll over 7 times. Now she rolls over as soon as I put her on her tummy, so I roll her back over much to her chagrin. She's becoming quite the rolling over expert. Now we'll start working more on back to tummy, though she doesn't have as much motivation for this milestone...
And the final first - Rodney propped Abigail up against the couch on her feet. It almost looks like she could take off walking! We stayed close at hand because occasionally she does lean to one side and needs rescuing. She sure likes being on her feet.
My worries are laid to rest, but I pray that I learn my lesson and give all things to the Lord. For I know other worries will creep up with each stage of life. May I entrust all things, all people all circumstances to the Lord of all Creation, the light of life.
We're having fun with solids, as I'm sure you will be able to see in the videos. Enjoy!
Note: Will try to upload another video later -- I have tried four times...
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Learning to Trust the Lord
It has been a challenging week for me and Abigail. Her teething has picked up intensity, and Abigail makes sure that we all understand that she's not super happy. Thankfully, she still sleeps really well, and maybe just maybe the teeth will pop through soon.
On another note, while I was talking to a nurse on the phone about the teething issue, I also brought up her developmental milestones. She is hitting all of her milestones except for her gross motor development. Even though she spends time on her tummy everyday, she is still not rolling over. Around 2/3 months they should be able to roll from tummy to back, and they learn back to tummy around 4/5 months. She also still has some head lag and isn't near sitting on her own (though the nurse did inform me that this doesn't need to happen until 6/7 months). In the conversation, the nurse mentioned that Abigail will need to be assessed by the ECIS (Early Childhood Intervention) if she doesn't meet these milestones soon.
I proceeded to do what I do best - go on the Internet and freak myself out. I think I have just enough of a science background to be dangerous. Tears ensued, and my poor hubby spent a good chunk of Tuesday evening consoling me. Worry is definitely one of my vices.
I ended up talking to my mom (and ECIS) on Wednesday. My mom reminded me that I didn't take my first step until 15 months, Daniel was slow as an older toddler, and the boys both needed help with speech. Rodney wasn't exactly the specimen of coordination as a child either. The ECIS nurse was also WONDERFUL. She basically told me to put Abigail on her tummy and let her cry and work hard. I've been putting Abigail on her tummy since she was itty bitty, but I needed the extra encouragement to persevere during gymnastics with mommy. There is a new intentionality to tummy time.
Yes, I am learning to trust the Lord, and holding Abigail with an open hand is hard to do. It's easy to say to God, "My faith would falter if anything ever happens to my little girl." And yet, serving and loving the Lord, with a joyful heart, no matter what comes my way is the true mark of faith. A few weeks back, I sat through a sermon on Abraham. For years, God didn't bless him with a son, and even when Abraham died, all of God's promises had not been fulfilled in his life. It's easy from a birdseye perspective to look down and say, God met ALL of his promises. But what must Abraham have felt? Most certainly he felt abandoned by God at times - the deal with Hagar is proof of that. And yet God still blessed Abraham with Isaac - what a beautiful picture of grace.
My heart is pretty wretched, and as a wife and mom, I have TONS to learn about yielding all things to the Lord, trusting Him in all things, and worshiping Him as the Sovereign Lord. I thank God that His grace is sufficient in all things and His power is perfected in my weaknesses.
So that's what has been on my heart this week --
And because it's been hard, my prince of a husband has stuck close by my side this week. As a result, we've played a lot of Scrabble and watched movies in the evenings. I am a blessed woman. So I've included some pictures from our week to end this post on a cheerful note...
Abigail is much happier when she's close to us. Here she is joining us for dinner.
On another note, while I was talking to a nurse on the phone about the teething issue, I also brought up her developmental milestones. She is hitting all of her milestones except for her gross motor development. Even though she spends time on her tummy everyday, she is still not rolling over. Around 2/3 months they should be able to roll from tummy to back, and they learn back to tummy around 4/5 months. She also still has some head lag and isn't near sitting on her own (though the nurse did inform me that this doesn't need to happen until 6/7 months). In the conversation, the nurse mentioned that Abigail will need to be assessed by the ECIS (Early Childhood Intervention) if she doesn't meet these milestones soon.
I proceeded to do what I do best - go on the Internet and freak myself out. I think I have just enough of a science background to be dangerous. Tears ensued, and my poor hubby spent a good chunk of Tuesday evening consoling me. Worry is definitely one of my vices.
I ended up talking to my mom (and ECIS) on Wednesday. My mom reminded me that I didn't take my first step until 15 months, Daniel was slow as an older toddler, and the boys both needed help with speech. Rodney wasn't exactly the specimen of coordination as a child either. The ECIS nurse was also WONDERFUL. She basically told me to put Abigail on her tummy and let her cry and work hard. I've been putting Abigail on her tummy since she was itty bitty, but I needed the extra encouragement to persevere during gymnastics with mommy. There is a new intentionality to tummy time.
Yes, I am learning to trust the Lord, and holding Abigail with an open hand is hard to do. It's easy to say to God, "My faith would falter if anything ever happens to my little girl." And yet, serving and loving the Lord, with a joyful heart, no matter what comes my way is the true mark of faith. A few weeks back, I sat through a sermon on Abraham. For years, God didn't bless him with a son, and even when Abraham died, all of God's promises had not been fulfilled in his life. It's easy from a birdseye perspective to look down and say, God met ALL of his promises. But what must Abraham have felt? Most certainly he felt abandoned by God at times - the deal with Hagar is proof of that. And yet God still blessed Abraham with Isaac - what a beautiful picture of grace.
My heart is pretty wretched, and as a wife and mom, I have TONS to learn about yielding all things to the Lord, trusting Him in all things, and worshiping Him as the Sovereign Lord. I thank God that His grace is sufficient in all things and His power is perfected in my weaknesses.
So that's what has been on my heart this week --
And because it's been hard, my prince of a husband has stuck close by my side this week. As a result, we've played a lot of Scrabble and watched movies in the evenings. I am a blessed woman. So I've included some pictures from our week to end this post on a cheerful note...
Abigail "playing" with mommy and daddy.
we have quite the competition going...rodney tends to win more than I do (arrgghhh)... and note that Abigail now has one of her teething toys instead of the scrabble game piece.
Abigail is much happier when she's close to us. Here she is joining us for dinner. And some big news: I'm going to start her on rice cereal tomorrow!!! I was going to wait until 6 months, like most BF moms I know, but I think she's ready now. She's hungry, been waking up earlier in the morning, and has an all-things-mouth fetish...
Isn't she beautiful!
The good news is: she does really well standing on her own. She loves to be on both of her feet...she just needs a little help with her other motor skills.
This is one of my favorite new shirts (it is super soft)-- I hit the jackpot on Craigslist last week and Miss Abigail has clothes through 18 months sizes, though she'll be wearing them long before 18 months rolls around. She's quite the chunky little girl. I also picked up another batch of cloth diapers on Monday. I picked up some BumGenius 3.0 and BumGenius organic all in ones. I love them both. I think cloth diapers are adorable. Here she is sporting a FuzziBunz pink diaper.
Isn't she beautiful!
The good news is: she does really well standing on her own. She loves to be on both of her feet...she just needs a little help with her other motor skills.
This is one of my favorite new shirts (it is super soft)-- I hit the jackpot on Craigslist last week and Miss Abigail has clothes through 18 months sizes, though she'll be wearing them long before 18 months rolls around. She's quite the chunky little girl. I also picked up another batch of cloth diapers on Monday. I picked up some BumGenius 3.0 and BumGenius organic all in ones. I love them both. I think cloth diapers are adorable. Here she is sporting a FuzziBunz pink diaper.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The First Fourth
We have had a most marvelous weekend! And Abigail officially loves my dear friends as much as I do. Abigail was all smiles for Megan and KC this weekend and was spoiled by lots of hugs and kisses. We played many hands of Rook, ate pie (strawberry and key lime), grilled out, chatted into the early morning and hit the pool. We even were able to catch some fireworks for Abigail's first Fourth of July. She was fascinated by the light and the noises - so we'll be ready to hit the big time fireworks downtown next year:)
It was refreshing having Megan (and KC too) stay with us. She has been a blessing in my life for almost eight years now. We've seen how God has closed and opened doors in our lives, and I'm so thankful that we're close enough to spend some together. Living so far away from home has been difficult, but I am thankful for the blessings that the Lord does give us here in this foreign land of sprawl and southern drawl. And yes - Texas is its own land:)
Miss Abigail "tolerated" swimming for about an hour. She was so tired on our way back to the apartment and fell asleep quickly after she settled into her bed with a full tummy and dry clothes:) She looked adorable in her new swimming suit, if I say so myself:)
I love you, friends!
Our happy little girl...
It was refreshing having Megan (and KC too) stay with us. She has been a blessing in my life for almost eight years now. We've seen how God has closed and opened doors in our lives, and I'm so thankful that we're close enough to spend some together. Living so far away from home has been difficult, but I am thankful for the blessings that the Lord does give us here in this foreign land of sprawl and southern drawl. And yes - Texas is its own land:)
Miss Abigail "tolerated" swimming for about an hour. She was so tired on our way back to the apartment and fell asleep quickly after she settled into her bed with a full tummy and dry clothes:) She looked adorable in her new swimming suit, if I say so myself:)
I love you, friends!
Our happy little girl...
Friday, July 3, 2009
Yum - that sure tastes good!
The week has flown by! I can hardly believe that Friday is here. Megan and KC come in late tonight to join us for the 4th, so it will be a busy and exciting weekend! Abigail is still fussy (though you wouldn't guess it from the pictures...) -- I am told that teeth sometimes take a long time to come in, but I'll let you know when they do:) But all in all, it's still pretty easy to make her smile. She loves her Sophie the Giraffe and chewing on everything. I've been keeping her with me in the baby Bjorn more often now (because she's generally happier with me), so she gets to help in the kitchen and around the house. Who knew that strawberry containers and carrot peels were so fascinating?? She is starting to hold herself up by herself now -- though we keep a hand close by because she's still pretty unsteady on her feet. And occasionally I think I hear some consonants in there with her babbling vowel sounds:) She's awake and antsy, so I'll keep this short. Happy 4th of July!
Look at me, Mom! I'm getting soooo big!
Where is Sophie?
just like corn on the cob
Where is Sophie?
just like corn on the cob
standing and playing with daddy...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
"I love you Grandma and Grandpa!"
The Hekels and Harms Grandparents have had a few trials and busy days this past week -- so be encouraged that we love you down here in Houston! Enjoy the videos and pictures. Abigail sends her love and hugs.
"My toes are scrumptious!"
we love to hear her laugh...
and this is what she sounds like when she's crabby :) still very cute...
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