Milk... It's what's for dinner.

 Nursing...

That's what this post is about. 

Not the medical kind either... So if you're squeamish about that or just male in general, feel free to skip right on over this post... Figuring out the answers to the "quandaries" post might be more your speed. 

But for any of you out there who have or are or are hoping to or have tried or have walked with someone who has... Let's be frank. Well not too frank... After all I'm guessing not too many people named Frank have nursed & I'd like to avoid a "parental advisory" label on my blog...

Nursing an oxymoron. It is amazing & traumatic & confusing & natural & simple & nerve racking & hard & messy & sweet & fleeting & overwhelming & more all rolled into one miracle. It's as awesome as it is weird. 

I have nursed 4 babies. Not at the same time... oye! I'm not an expert, I've just been there & am currently there. Both Maverick & Theo are currently in the "milk... It's what's easier for dinner" stage of nursing. What?!? You're unfamiliar with my completely made-up in my head stages of nursing?!? Let's remedy that...

Let's back up & tackle this in chronological order...

Not Ready-

That's what every mom-to-be is. Maybe you need to read your seventh book or talk to one more mom who's nursed and two others who didn't... Or maybe you're like me & are so weirded out by the thought of milk and babies surrounding what's been so over-sexualized by our culture that you are too uncomfortable to even think about it before the baby is born. Either way you're not ready. It's ok. If I was going to offer preparation advice it'd be to talk to someone you trust who's been or is there (even if you can't look them in the eyes during the conversation) & exfoliate... Use a loofa or the edge of a towel to gently build up some exposure to friction where you're hoping your baby will drink from... Yep. That just got real awkward real fast...

Deer In The Headlights-

Am I allowed to say "headlights" in a post about breast feeding? Moving forward... My nurse midwives have been incredible. The one who delivered my first born stuck that baby to me as soon as she took her first breath of air. I didn't know what was happening. I was shaking & laughing & crying happy tears & nursing a newborn all at once. That was good, because i didn't have to cloud the miracle with any awkward thoughts. I jumped the gorge of feeling embarrassed to even think about breast feeding to doing it before my epidural had completely worn off. I remember looking at my newborn daughter with complete amazement. Yes because it was a miracle, but mostly because I had no idea how to do what I was doing. I guess it's a good jump start to the reality of parenting. Out of the fog of amazement and wonder comes the next stage...

L-L-Lamenting (Latching & Leaking Problems)-

Nursing is hard. It hurts. It's frustrating. Right in the midst of recovering from evicting a human out of your womb a body part that you never expected to hurt starts burning like crazy. There's a crazy emotional battle when it's time to feed the baby because you really want them to latch (because nursing is important) and you really don't want them to latch (because nursing can be off the pain chart). There's a false feeling of rejection and failure when a baby struggles to latch on. The thought "this is never going to work" is always crouching nearby ready to spring into mind. And no one really know what lanolin actually does... But we use it like crazy anyway.  Often this short pain-ridden period is traversed only with the realization that it HAS to get better... Because NO one would nurse for longer than 2.1 days if it didn't improve. 

The problem is once the latching thing starts to get rolling the milk has arrived. It's never the right amount at first. Some moms worry that they're starving their baby while others could nourish a small country with their abundant supply. You no longer recognize the size of the chest on your own body and you have a new ability to squirt milk... You just don't really have control over said ability. So you leak. In the shower, while you sleep, when you let down, when a baby cries... If you're in this stage for the first time PLEASE know this: it DOES get better. Your body is created to produce the amount of milk your baby needs. It just takes some adjustment time. I recommend giving nursing a two week commitment before giving into the "it's never going to work" thought. Your laments won't be completely gone, but you'll see enough improvements to know you can make it. Also rely heavily on lactation consultants, cotton breast pad, spit rags and other moms who have been where you are. You can do it. It is worth it. 

Cry And Cuddle-

This stage is full of hormones. I have no medical understanding of what exactly happens in the chemical land of post-partum but I've been there & it's crazy. Nursing rolls right along with the highs and lows of hormonal and mental adjustments. Getting to snuggle your teeny tiny person for hours on end while they make the sweetest expressions & sounds whilst they drink is unbelievable. This time makes you be still. Nursing causes you to take time to feel... to process... to bond... to cry when you need to but can't explain why... All while cuddling. It's good. Very good. Don't sucome to worry. Don't stress over a schedule (in fact give your baby all the milk and sleep that little body demands without even a resemblance of a schedule for the first 3-4 weeks). Don't play the baby comparison game with your husband's cousin's whose baby is 9 days younger than your baby but is already turning cartwheels & sleeping for 14 hours at night... Just cuddle close & cry tears of joy or stress or sadness or amazement and watch your baby change drastically as you adjust... Because adjustment brings about...

Rythym Established- 

It does happen! Your milk supply starts to match up to what the baby needs, so you leak less. You develop the super power to predict when your baby will need to nurse, which means you can make plans of sorts. Your baby has improved at nursing and is more efficient, so you no longer feel like you're anchored to the couch for 40 mins of every other hour. You can be "normal" even though you're nursing! Tip for pumping: If you have trouble getting any milk when pumping, try to pump while nursing. Your baby will cause you to let down and you'll get a lot of milk and you don't have to try to find time to try to pump when your body isn't used to producing milk. Also signing "milk" when you nurse will help your baby learn to communicate with less whining. 

Nursing Is Easier Than Dinner-

Spoon feeding isn't my favorite act of infancy. I realized with my first baby if I put it off long enough it didn't last very long... Like 2 weeks then on to soft solids. Lets just say that child #2 and #3 were having none of that "waiting long enough" gig. They came out interested in steak & pizza. Baby #4 requires me to slow down more & his extreme enjoyment of baby food is pretty contagious... Even for this hurried, impatient, dislike-the-mess mama. Baby food is easy to forget at home. Impatient baby mouths make mean-sounding threats if you happen to try to sneak in a bite of your own food during the hour in which they expect a constant stream of spoons of baby food. Babies love to feel the food with their hands, their face, their hair, your hair... It is in this light that I often think "I'll just nurse the boys now... We can do food later..." After all, milk is always with me. Always ready. Always the right temperature. It calms them down when upset. It calms me down if I'm upset. Helps them to sleep. There's no pickiness involved. They can eat while you lay down. Not so much with baby food. This should give you hope if you're reading this in the middle of your L-L-Lamenting stage. It gets to the point where milk is what's for dinner by your choice. Tip: If you are still predominately nursing, don't stress about baby food. See it as a way to introduce new flavors & textures, not as a three meal a day regimen that you must abide by.

Prolonged Panic-

This is the slightly irrational fear that you won't actually ever stop nursing your child. Whether you have a baby who still wakes in the middle of the night to nurse, or you actually did the math on how long you have been the source of nutrition for this person, or possibly you're feeling controled by a four-hour leash, or maybe your ginormous infant wants to eat 5-course meals three times a day and still nurse as often as his premie brother whose superpower of Down syndrome requires his main source of calories be from milk (like me... there's a chance i might be experiencing some of this stage as I write...) Habbits like pinching (those baby nails are crazy!!!) and the introduction of teeth (a little flick on the cheek is how I deal with biting) and the smell of constant spit up don't help this stage. Nevertheless the fear that breast feeding won't end is a lie. As with all lies, the truth is what will set you free. Nursing is so very fleeting. Once it's over you have the rest of your child's life to not do it. Many women would switch places with those of us who are blessed to be able to nurse our babies in an instant if they could. I'm not belittling the effort it requires. I'm not denying that it is draining. I'm only suggesting some perspective. It will be over one day... and we will miss it. So let's determine to breathe and spend these moments looking at our babies. Let's enjoy the moments we can & realize the ones we simply can't are passing. 

Weaning-

Yep. This pretty much directly follows the panic stage. It could take you 6 weeks or 6 years of nursing to get you here. It could be involuntary or you might have fought hard and long to arrive. You may feel depressed at the end of this era or be wearing your "normal" bras and long, maxi dresses with excited victory. So far my weaning expiriences have been extremely smooth & easy beginning with the introduction of cow's milk around a year. Hannah weaned completely when I went on a 5-day wilderness canoe trip & i left her with family. Mic just lost interest in nursing before bed (the only time we were nursing at that point). This time around I have NO clue what weaning will look like since I'm nursing two very different babies. Theo will require more time nursing... Therefore so will Maverick. I'm currently switching him to the side that produces less so Theo can get more milk from my super-producer (yes that's too much information... but maybe you thought you were the only one with a big difference in production per side... Now you know you're not). I'm planning on introducing cow's milk at around Maverick's 1-year birthday (which is close to Theo's adjusted 1-year birthday) and seeing where we go from there. I'm more tired this time around. I produce more milk this time around. I have twice the demand this time around... And yet I'm more at peace with the prospect of a longer weaning process. The difference is having years of not nursing my first two babies to grasp how fleeting of a process it really is. Also we're  praying that around that time Theo will no longer need his G-tube at all (we're currently at 3 weeks of not using it!!!) so that excitement trumps wearing a normal bra... for awhile. 

Nostalgia-

Ahhh the memories... At this stage you've finished nursing and you have drier sheets, looser fitting shirts, more energy, and require babysitters to stay for longer periods of time... The rate at which nostalgia sets in is directly proportional to how long the weaning process took you. But you will look back with delight on the moments of sweet sounds, private looks, milk-drunk smiles, close cuddles, hair twirling, finger holding, little hands patting, and lots of sleepy rocking. After all, you are the only person who had that view. For as long or as short as you were able to nurse, you shared it with your baby. Be thankful. Be encouraging to moms who are struggling. Don't ever be judgmental. I praise The Lord for allowing me to nurse my four babies. It is a miracle that I am glad I struggled for. 

If you have more questions or need more tips I'm obviously WAY past being uncomfortable talking about breast feeding. Again... I'm stating clearly that I'm not an expert, just willing to share what I know. However lactation consultants are experts & they're awesome. So don't walk thru this alone. 

Quandaries

Things I ponder...

How do they know Theo is near-sighted if he doesn't yet know the letters of the alphabet?

Am I lying when I repeat the phrase "I will not repeat myself" over & over thru out the day?

Why does it take my daughter 6 minutes to wash her face but I can't get her to brush her teeth for longer than 27 seconds?

Why does Mic randomly say "chicken"? Or better yet... Why don't more people randomly say "chicken"?

Can I just allow the older two to eat in the living room, not vacuum & let Maverick crawl around & call it "introducing solids"? Or do parents get called in on that?

What's up with pens? The nice writing, expensive ones are never around... But the out-of-ink, from the festival booth, pretty-sure-I-already-threw-you-away ones are multiplying in my junk drawer? 

How do we know people are color blind? If I teach my babies to call what they see "red" but they're seeing different colors how would I know?

Does Maverick's pointer finger work like a bug's antenna?

Is having a telephone up to my ear the international sign for "tell mom a story right now"?

Does it count as tummy time if Theo is laying on his belly on my belly & we may both be sleeping?

Do only hillbillies bathe their children outside with the hose while watering the garden?

At what age does it change from "she's learning to ride a bike" to "I don't ride bikes"?

Who invented singlets & why do wrestlers still sign up for that sport if they know they will be required to wear one?

Why do I dislike my own crooked teeth so much yet absolutely adore my son's snaggley grin?

From which source do I truly seek strength for my day: the Holy Spirit or caffeine?

Isn't it weird that the word weird doesn't follow the "i before e except after c and when it says a" rule?

Since we're on spelling... Which letters are supposed to be doubled in "tomorrow"? And is there anyone out there who can actually spell "restaurant" correctly without auto fill?

Why is it important for kids to learn nursery rhymes?

What do my children have against covering up with a flat sheet?

What happened to phone booths? I mean, obviously we're not using them anymore, but are they still around? Or did people get hired to take them somewhere? Is this a profession? Is there an A&E show about people who move phone booths into warehouses or something?

Why make the bed when you're just going to sleep in it again? Should I also be tying my shoes after I take them off?

How come water fights are so fun? You're both trying to get wet but not get wet at the same time...

Who first came up with the idea for Mount Rushmore? And did anyone think he was kidding?

Is there a lego gene that enables some people to create from legos? Because I don't have that gene... 

Are there Spanish-speaking people who can't roll their "r's"? Because I think I have a Spanish speech impediment. 

Why won't they make more Avitar movies (The water bending one not the live-action Ferngully one)?

Are female mimes called ma'ams?*

Why am I suddenly clever when I should be sleeping?

*props: while I do ponder this, it is only because my hilarious & way-too-clever-when-I'm-trying-to-sleep husband brought it up... I'm fairly certain this is APA correct siting happening here...

Learning together...

Motherhood is a team sport. 

You realize how little you know when you step into the world for the first time with your baby in your arms instead of your gut. It's overwhelming and marvelously terrifying... Because we all could benefit from a larger grasp on how little we truly know...

First thing I suggest learning is this: we need each other. We need other moms. Moms who are right where we are, moms who have made it thru, moms who are just starting what we just passed, moms who are different from us, and moms who see things similarly... We need them to help us & challenge us & inform us & comfort us... We need to watch & listen & talk & observe... We need to learn what works & what doesn't work & what just doesn't work for us... 

This crucial first lesson is the key to unlocking a world of answers, tips & tricks to thriving in motherhood. A sampling of the life-altering wisdom & tid-bits I've drawn from other moms...

- the days are long but the years are short

- teaching babies "no" is easier than teaching a 2 or 4 or 13 year old "no"

- baby wipes take almost anything off of almost anything

- baby food is not a big deal

- be the parent by setting the expectations & boundaries 

- enjoy my kids

- listening is invaluable 

- mom spit somehow kills germs off of fallen pacifiers & utensils

- consistency is key

- laying a baby who is awake down to play is more than ok

- sometimes a baby just needs to cry

- sometimes a mama just needs to join in said crying

- kisses & snuggles should be doled out in excess 

- potty training a boy requires a long t-shirt, carpet spray, and nothing else...

- tuck in time is important

- don't automatically say "no"

- playing like a kid with my kids is fun... even when it doesn't sound fun

- how to wear a baby

- limit my cautions to things that require more than a cast to heal so that I don't instill unnecessary fear

- get rid of stuff... excess is overwhelming for everyone 

- when a baby won't stop crying & the "losing it" feeling is creeping in... lay them down somewhere safe & walk outside for a quiet breath & prayer... don't escalate with the baby 

- there are worse things than Santa not being real

- my words are powerful even when I don't mean them

- read to my babies

- teach babies to sign & it cuts down on the whining

- be strict enough that I like my kids & easy going enough to like myself

- every opportunity is a teaching opportunity

- provide appropriate clothing then let them wear what they want to wear... even if it's baseball gear to church 

- just because they're awake doesn't mean it's time to get up

- guard them... their eyes, their ears, their hearts... guard them

- wrestle them... often

- spank... but not in anger

- put the baby bouncy seat in the bathroom so i can shower while they play

- discuss what they see on tv & in public that is not biblical

- nap when they do anytime I can

- make them search for me in hide & seek

- I don't have to keep everything 

- school pictures aren't a necessary purchase

- blow outs mean its time to go up a size in diapers

- movies can be memory-makers too

- "go play" is a necessary instruction

- God has a purpose for my kids' lives right now 

- nap time can still be enforced even when they no longer sleep

- nursing is great... hard but great

- celebrate summer vacation

- always answer honestly... even when it's a hard answer

- point baby boy parts down while diapering

- early bed times = better behaved children (& adolescents)

- my goal shouldn't be "fairness" but what's needed for each individual 

- parent with grace & truth

- support them in doing what they want to do but are scared to do

- they're in real danger of catching my self-hatred if Christ doesn't intervene 

- leave them with trusted sitters early in life

- it's ok to parent differently...

My hope is each mom who reads this will be as blessed by the team of moms around them as I am. Fight judegemental condesencion or fearful solitude... none of us know it all. Reach out in love today. You're not meant to mother alone...

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored..." (Titus 2:3-5)

Things that make you go hmmm...?

Questions I often find myself asking...

Which came first, the screaming or the gas?

Are you wearing underpants?

Are they the same pair of underpants you wore yesterday?

Are said underpants on backwards?

Did you swallow that?

How many scoops was that?

Who's spit up is this?

When was the last time I showered?

Who's crying?

Why is Theo's pump beeping?

Whose toothbrush is lying next to the toilet?

Where did you bite your sister? No, I mean where on her body not where you were standing...

Where's Maverick?

Is that stain from pre or post-digested baby food?

Who's choking?

Where do you need a kiss?

What language are you speaking?

Who told you that?

Do you want a spanking?

Why is the floor wet?

Where is my phone? Can you call my phone? Is it on silent?

What happened to Maverick's hair?!?

Are the contents of Theo's stomach leaking out into his bed?

What's Maverick chewing on?

How did Theo get way over there?

Did you drop your brother?

Do you smell that?

Did you brush your teeth well enough that Miss Ashley will think they're shiny?

Do you need to poop?

Is Theo's button seeping? What is seeping from it?

What are we going to eat tonight?

Why are you mumbling in the backseat while we're driving with the windows down?

What did I say?

Do you want a cotton ball?

Can you do that again?

Can we pray about it?

How's your heart?

Why are you in different clothes than when I put you in bed?

Which superhero should I be today?

What story do you want to hear?

What song should we sing?

Where is your food supposed to be?

Who's there?

How did you get up there?

Why do you kinda smell like fritos?

Who ate the last banana?

Where did you put it last?

What is THAT?

What do you think?

Are the clothes I just washed & folded in the hamper now?

Where'd that nuk go?

What are you supposed to be doing?

Would you describe this diaper aroma as "barnyard" or "ammonia"?

What day is it?

Who wants to babysit???

Theo's birthday

One year ago my life silently changed forever... 

It was May sixteenth of 2012 when my baby boy was born. I didn't have contractions (except for the Braxton Hicks that recently had started)... I didn't cry (except for pregnancy-induced sensitivity)... I didn't push (unless maybe we played on the swings or I mowed the lawn)... I didn't scream (at least I hope not)... And yet my tiny miracle boy came bursting into this world on this day. 

He had a short 24-week stent in the womb... Not enough time to close the hole in his heart... Or fully develop his eyes... Or have his lungs working on their own... A mere 1 pound 12 ounces was all there was to hold... And i honestly wish it was my hand which he was laying across in his first photo... But there's much to celebrate...

I applaud the nurses who cared for him when we weren't yet there. 

I marvel at the doctors whose medical skills allowed such a tiny baby to have a chance. 

I admire the courage of a terrified birth mom to look at the child she just bore and see my son. 

I'm thankful to the many therapists and specialists who believed in the huge potential locked in a teeny body. 

I'm honored to be a part of the National Down Syndrome Adoption Network who join together families who are born apart. 

I praise the Creator God for forming him so perfectly...

On this vastly significant anniversary of Theo's arrival into this world I'm overwhelmed that God called our hearts to be open & that it is Theo He wanted to fill our arms with. 

One year ago we didn't know his name... Hadn't seen his smile... Hadn't touched his smooth tiny hands... Hadn't kissed his awesomely flat head... But God made him & then gave him to us... An honor I'm overwhelming humbled by. 

And while we celebrate a healthy heart with no holes, lungs that breathe on their own, a son who can nurse like a champ, eyes that have grown, an adorable round head, neck control, feet eating, giggles, and rolling freely... A miraculous year... we also party because Theo has now been home for more time then he was away from us...

Yay Theo!

Momma's Day...

My momma is amazing... she has taught and continues to teach me...
~ how to love
~ to say "no" now so you can say "yes" later
~ it's ok to cry
~ that pain is not weakness... nor should one seek only to avoid pain... but instead pain is an opportunity to make God's strength a reality in daily life
~ never mess with a cub when momma bear is present... or anywhere in the vicinity... or if said momma bear will travel...
~ a house should be always full of singing praises
~ how to draw the coolest stick-figure representations of our family
~ about birds
~ consistency is non-negotiable in the mothering job
~ to be passionate...
My momma rocks... she doesn't like to brag but she...
~ is one of the most generous people i know... and i'm surrounded by generous people
~ sings with soul
~ gives the warmest, softest hugs
~ has an enormous laugh that is contagious
~ is Boggle champion... i'm not joking... my mom CAN beat your mom at Boggle...
~ is super smart... not in the show-off kinda way... but in the has-a-lot-of things-figured-out-and-you-should-listen-to-her sorta way
~ has incredible style
~ is so very beautiful...

As if having 31 years with a momma like this wasn't enough God has blessed me with the best mother-in-law EVER! i'm not exaggerating... this is true. She loves me like a daughter and has raised a son who knows how to work, and play, and serve, and love, and cook...

... And then there's the others... They might not know that they help teach me how to be the mom i am... or at least am trying to be... They probably don't realize that i watch them and hear them and remember what they said years ago (sometimes daily)... They are the "older" women (although some are not that much older in years but very rich in experience) Titus 2 talks about... they are my own mom & mother-in-law & grandmas & more... they might even be you... 

So thank you for encouraging me to be a momma who...
~ enjoys my kids
~ teaches my babies what "no" means
~ let's go of what doesn't matter... such as what they wear or if they want to jump on a bed...
~ re-directs energy
~ chooses to encourage a spirit of adventure instead of teaching a spirit of fear (even when it's hard to watch...)
~ plays with my kids
~ listens now so i can hopefully have an invitation to listen later
~ wonders at my kids
~ considers my "no" answers before automatically giving them
~ always answers truthfully... even when it's hard to explain or awkward or not popular...
~ dances
~ doesn't count to three...
~ runs with my kids
~ figures out when they need to talk most and makes myself available... even if it's at bed time
~ recognizes manipulation
~ prays with and for my kids
~ confesses my sins and asks for forgiveness to my kids
~ lets my kids get messy
~ models accepting who God made me instead of giving into self-hating comparisons
~ loves Jesus
~ enforces outside play & early bed times
~ demonstrates that doing my best is more important than being the best (i.e. when i sing to them or draw them pictures...)
~ balances what the "experts" say with what works for our family
~ doesn't buy over priced school pictures
~ believes God has ministry for them even now
~ laughs... but not always when they can see
~ takes breaks for refreshing myself so i can serve hard
~ cheers for them
~ is present and doesn't lose right now by wishing for tomorrow or missing yesterday
~ allows my kids to "help" even though it makes more work for me
~ doesn't just do what's easiest right now (aka getting up and dealing instead of threatening again...)
~ purposely enjoys being away from my kids so i can purposely enjoy being with my kids
~ surrenders all the natural, nagging mom-guilt to Jesus 
~ disciplines my children in love
~ makes my house a place they want to bring their friends
~ gives my children responsibility (aka chores)
~ teaches my kids about consequences... even when it's hard
~ tells my kids to "go play"

So enjoy this Mother's Day knowing that you are part of a force that is shaping the world... & hopefully you get spoiled with 27 hand-drawn pictures, plastic jewels from a treasure chest, and end-less hugs like me!

Instructor Payne

Parenting so often means teaching. It's a big part of the job description & accounts for much of the parent's time and energy... Especially when the kids are young. But I'm finding as a parent that there are certain things I don't know how to teach. For example...

How to tie shoes.
I know how to tie shoes. I even double knot so well that the other parental unit in this family is unable to untie said knots. But when it comes to teaching my not-quite-7 year old daughter how to do it... Sigh... I'm at a loss. I vaguely remember a story about a bunny and a tree but mostly I forget how I learned... Good thing I have marvelous family members that put me wise to a YouTube clip. My current plan of attack (& i literally mean plan) is to sit her down in front of YouTube with her gym shoes and let her go wild... We have managed to teach her not to click on videos without our consent.

How to get dressed the right way.
I'm not talking about pants before shoes here (although that discussion has taken place in this house)... I'm talking about repeatedly finding my children wearing shirts, pants, dresses, hoodies, underwear... on backwards & their Velcro shoes are constantly on the wrong feet. We've explained that the tags go in the back... We've illustrated how zippers and buttons work more efficiently when worn in the front... We've shown them how shoes are supposed to form little circles when they're next to each other. And yet Mic still appears out of his room with a polo-style shirt on backwards, collar popped so it tickles his chin & jeans looking like they're walking backwards... Kriss Kross would be proud. I feel that this is some sort of payback for the temper tantrum I threw as a 4 or 5 year old who could NOT understand what my mom meant by "the buckles go on the outside of your foot". Obviously... The bones and blood are on the inside of my foot...

How to jump in a Johnny Jump Up
Get a Johnny Jump, they said. Your bouncing baby boy will love it, they said. It'll keep him entertained for hours and help burn off energy, they said. What no one has yet to say is how to get said bouncing baby boy to actually jump in the Johnny Jump Up. He bounces when holding our fingers.... He bounces in his non-bouncy exersaucer... But put him in the thing created for bouncing & he goes boneless. Jumping in front of him doesn't work. Moving the Jump Up up & down pretending he's jumping doesn't work. Getting in the Johnny Jump Up myself & demonstrating doesn't work... But at least he has a silly "why did you put me in here" grin on his face while he's swinging ever so slightly side to side :)

How to shower themselves.
If you've ever read any of my past blogs you've probably gathered that bathing children isn't my most favorite task. My pretend-hippie value system could be partially to blame for why my kids seem so poor at learning how to shower. I actually thought that the loofahs and body wash they got for Christmas had nailed down the body cleaning task & I only had shampooing to conquer... Until the weather suddenly became warm & they entered the shower black as coal miners, threw bubbles around while clean water poured down on them for 5 minutes & I found them just as cruddy as they began... Maybe I should just learn how to put hair in dreadlocks & buy some hemp necklaces... After all I know some super sweet hippies...

Not to pull on the feeding tube.
Never should Theo's ability to grab an object that he wants be questioned. As soon as the Mic-Key tube is attached to his button for his night feeding he is all over that thing! It's his favorite teething toy, pull string, foot lasso and bracelet. He has removed it completely one time & regularly pulls hard enough to make everyone squeamish. Don't worry, though... If he is momentarily distracted enough to leave it alone Maverick is ready to crawl right on over & yank his feeding tube for him. He's a helpful brother like that.

How to pray.
My kids pray. The privilege of going before the Almighty God and telling Him what's on our minds, hearts & days is too amazing to reserve for crisis moments alone. We pray before school, we pray at meals, we pray when feelings are hurt or afraid or attitudes are wrong, we pray at bed, we try to pray after a meal to thank God for providing full bellies yet again... But I fear that my kids are becoming automatic pray-ers. I want them to know that prayer is so much more than just repeating certain words at certain times. I want them to see & experience the fact that God has graciously decided to listen to our small voices & actually allow us to partner with His Spirit to change things through prayer. I long for them to see how gigantic & perfect our God is & therefore grasp how amazing it is that we are allowed in His presence thru prayer. I want their first responses to joy & sadness & anger & temptation & fear & confusion & pain & worry... to be seeking out the ear of The Lord. But I am not able to teach them how to do that... So I will continue to live out my prayer life in front of them and over them and trust that the Holy Spirit will instruct them where I cannot.

... And if you ever see my kids looking clean with tied shoes on the correct feet then you too can know that prayers are answered...