Thursday, April 16, 2009
Spring has sprung!
With the Easter weekend, warmer temperatures, and sunny weather this week, spring has officially hit west Michigan, and not a moment too soon if you ask me (or Emily). Here are some pictures from this past weekend and playing outside together yesterday. Our little girl is growing up so fast. You should see how quickly she can toddle when she's outside. It's going to be a long summer of "chase" - that's for sure.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Matter of Life and Death
Just a quick warning: this post isn't filled with cute Emily pictures, and lighthearted chatter about her personality. Instead, it's a way for me to process some of my thoughts, and to share them.
I've been thinking about death a lot lately. Perhaps this isn't surprising. We recently celebrated the Easter holiday; a time to remember and be thankful for the death and resurrection of Jesus. A time to be in awe - again - of just how deep God's love is for us, that He would sacrifice His only son for our salvation, when we are only sinners who mess up time and time again. I never got the depth of that until I had my own baby, about how much pain it would cause me to give her up to anyone for any reason, and to realize that it caused God just as much suffering to hand His son over to those who would crucify Him.
I thought about death on Easter morning, when our Pastor preached about the new earth. About how "Emmanuel" means "God with us", and not the other way around. About how one day, God will be here. Heaven will be here. And there will joy and laughter and dancing and peace and, if you believe our pastor, perhaps even kayaking and good home-cooked ribs. And perhaps death isn't as scary as I've made it out to be. Perhaps the intermediate heaven will be nothing compared to the new earth. Perhaps God is so much better than I've been able to imagine.
And that's a good thing, because there are a few people I know who need this blessed assurance. I read about the Spohr family, and my heart breaks. I weep with them, this family who I don't know, because I can't imagine how to do what they are doing. I read about Stellan and I pray, because having Emily in the hospital for so long, without answers, would be unbearable. I know friends struggling with illnesses and diseases but in the midst of my sadness I must praise the Lord. I must praise Him because He know our hearts, because He weeps with us, because He blesses us in the midst of our sorrows and, one day, because of Jesus' own life and death, we'll be united with God and those we loved and lost, for eternity. Praise the Lord for His triumph over death, that we may live (and laugh and dance) forever.
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love."
I've been thinking about death a lot lately. Perhaps this isn't surprising. We recently celebrated the Easter holiday; a time to remember and be thankful for the death and resurrection of Jesus. A time to be in awe - again - of just how deep God's love is for us, that He would sacrifice His only son for our salvation, when we are only sinners who mess up time and time again. I never got the depth of that until I had my own baby, about how much pain it would cause me to give her up to anyone for any reason, and to realize that it caused God just as much suffering to hand His son over to those who would crucify Him.
I thought about death on Easter morning, when our Pastor preached about the new earth. About how "Emmanuel" means "God with us", and not the other way around. About how one day, God will be here. Heaven will be here. And there will joy and laughter and dancing and peace and, if you believe our pastor, perhaps even kayaking and good home-cooked ribs. And perhaps death isn't as scary as I've made it out to be. Perhaps the intermediate heaven will be nothing compared to the new earth. Perhaps God is so much better than I've been able to imagine.
And that's a good thing, because there are a few people I know who need this blessed assurance. I read about the Spohr family, and my heart breaks. I weep with them, this family who I don't know, because I can't imagine how to do what they are doing. I read about Stellan and I pray, because having Emily in the hospital for so long, without answers, would be unbearable. I know friends struggling with illnesses and diseases but in the midst of my sadness I must praise the Lord. I must praise Him because He know our hearts, because He weeps with us, because He blesses us in the midst of our sorrows and, one day, because of Jesus' own life and death, we'll be united with God and those we loved and lost, for eternity. Praise the Lord for His triumph over death, that we may live (and laugh and dance) forever.
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Happy Fifteen Months!
Dear Emily,
Oh my goodness, have you learned how to exploit your cuteness this month! You've always been adorable, but I think you are beginning to realize it just a little bit, and use it to get what you want. For example, if you want to go outside and play, you will walk up to me with your shoes, a huge smile, and a little bit of a gleam in your eye. Are you excited at the possibility of putting on your shoes AND getting to go "bye bye"? Absolutely. But, I think there's a little more to it than that.
Your ability to play is improving as well. You love peek-a-boo with great fervor. There are two forms of this game. The first involves me asking where Emily is and you putting your hands on your head (not over your eyes, but generally somewhere around your ears) as if this somehow hides you. Then you'll move them and wave them in the air in great dramatic fashion so I can proclaim "there she is"! The second way to play is if you can run around a corner to hide yourself from my view and then toddle back out. You love both versions equally. I also attempt patty cake with you, and you'll clap and slap my hands with some regularity, though not much rhythm at this point. You also usually start laughing hysterically, causing an onslaught of the hiccups which you always get when you laugh too hard.
Your eating has improved a good deal recently, and you have added cantaloupe, peaches, and pineapple to the fruits you will consume (a big improvement over just bananas). We're still working in the vegetables, but I'm thinking if I hide them in a bread or muffin, it might fool you. Zucchini bread perhaps? Or carrot muffins? And, the whining at mealtimes has also decreased as your signing has become impeccable. You initiate signs for more and all done with a good deal of consistency - I don't even have to prompt you by asking you if you want more, you just sign all by yourself.
Your communication is improving all the time. You know right where to go when we tell you it's time to change your diaper, take a bath, eat, etc. And you are saying uh-oh, baby, hi, ju (for juice), dada, and mama fairly clearly and regularly. You also say "uhn doo" a LOT, but I don't know what it means yet. We are starting to work on animal sounds, but so far almost every animal makes a monkey sound. Except for a lion, you can usually do the lion roar. And, we are also working on body parts a bit. You are very good at identifying eyes on your baby, and sometimes even on yourself when I ask you where Emily's eyes are, though sometimes you almost poke yourself.
The warmer weather seems to have improved your overall temperament a bit, and perhaps mine as well. I can't wait to enjoy the outside with you this spring and summer, and watch you assert your growing independence on the playground. You are fearless in new situations, and it makes me proud that you are a secure and happy little girl, but also terrified because I can glimpse the day when you will leave and not look back to make sure I'm still there, watching you.
I love you, Emily. I thank the Lord for His enormous blessing.
Love,
Mommy
Oh my goodness, have you learned how to exploit your cuteness this month! You've always been adorable, but I think you are beginning to realize it just a little bit, and use it to get what you want. For example, if you want to go outside and play, you will walk up to me with your shoes, a huge smile, and a little bit of a gleam in your eye. Are you excited at the possibility of putting on your shoes AND getting to go "bye bye"? Absolutely. But, I think there's a little more to it than that.
Your ability to play is improving as well. You love peek-a-boo with great fervor. There are two forms of this game. The first involves me asking where Emily is and you putting your hands on your head (not over your eyes, but generally somewhere around your ears) as if this somehow hides you. Then you'll move them and wave them in the air in great dramatic fashion so I can proclaim "there she is"! The second way to play is if you can run around a corner to hide yourself from my view and then toddle back out. You love both versions equally. I also attempt patty cake with you, and you'll clap and slap my hands with some regularity, though not much rhythm at this point. You also usually start laughing hysterically, causing an onslaught of the hiccups which you always get when you laugh too hard.
Your eating has improved a good deal recently, and you have added cantaloupe, peaches, and pineapple to the fruits you will consume (a big improvement over just bananas). We're still working in the vegetables, but I'm thinking if I hide them in a bread or muffin, it might fool you. Zucchini bread perhaps? Or carrot muffins? And, the whining at mealtimes has also decreased as your signing has become impeccable. You initiate signs for more and all done with a good deal of consistency - I don't even have to prompt you by asking you if you want more, you just sign all by yourself.
Your communication is improving all the time. You know right where to go when we tell you it's time to change your diaper, take a bath, eat, etc. And you are saying uh-oh, baby, hi, ju (for juice), dada, and mama fairly clearly and regularly. You also say "uhn doo" a LOT, but I don't know what it means yet. We are starting to work on animal sounds, but so far almost every animal makes a monkey sound. Except for a lion, you can usually do the lion roar. And, we are also working on body parts a bit. You are very good at identifying eyes on your baby, and sometimes even on yourself when I ask you where Emily's eyes are, though sometimes you almost poke yourself.
The warmer weather seems to have improved your overall temperament a bit, and perhaps mine as well. I can't wait to enjoy the outside with you this spring and summer, and watch you assert your growing independence on the playground. You are fearless in new situations, and it makes me proud that you are a secure and happy little girl, but also terrified because I can glimpse the day when you will leave and not look back to make sure I'm still there, watching you.
I love you, Emily. I thank the Lord for His enormous blessing.
Love,
Mommy
Indy Adventure
Way back in October, I had the idea to get Eric March Madness tickets for a combined birthday and Christmas surprise. For those of you who don't know, March Madness + Eric = MUCH HAPPINESS! I did the research, and decided that Indianapolis made the most sense for us. True, tickets to the Final Four in Detroit would also have been exciting (and arguably even better), but I wasn't willing to sell a kidney to make that happen. Instead, we would watch two sweet sixteen games on a Friday night, and spend a little time exploring a new city that was only about a four hour drive away. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Plantinga, who agreed to watch Emily, we were able to embark on our Indy adventure this past weekend. What a treasure to spend so much quality time together! We both remarked on the way home that we had forgotten (just a little) how much we truly enjoyed one another.
Here are a few pictures from our time in Indy:
Here are a few pictures from our time in Indy:
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A little perspective and a lot of fun!
This past weekend I spent my first night (actually an entire weekend) away from Emily since she's been born. I had a reunion with some old college friends in Pittsburgh (which, ironically, is nowhere near where I went to college but convenient for me because I could catch up with friends and family all at once) and it was so much fun! There have been so many long days at home alone with Em where all I wanted was to escape for a bit and yet as this weekend neared, I was consumed with fear and worry. Would Emily think that I had abondoned her for good? Would she forget me entirely? I had no doubts about Eric's ability to take care of our baby girl, but I maybe have a wee bit of a problem giving complete control over her schedule to my - how can I put this nicely - more laid back husband. (Case in point, Emily slept in until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, which is about two hours later than she has EVER slept in before). Still, I was excited to go, to reminisce with friends, and have a good time.
Interestingly, I found that I wasn't worrying about Emily (or Eric) much at all while I was gone. I was able to enjoy the weekend, and barely paused to think about what I would normally be doing. I was completely schedule free, not worrying about naptimes, snack times, or bed times. I found it a lot easier than expected to slip back into a version of myself before having a kid. Still, there were differences. Having a child has changed my perspective, the way I see the world, the way I experience things. In the end I learned that I can still have fun when it's just me, that I can appreciate the opportunity to take a well deserved break, but that I love my little family with all my heart and most days, there is just nowhere else I'd rather be.
Interestingly, I found that I wasn't worrying about Emily (or Eric) much at all while I was gone. I was able to enjoy the weekend, and barely paused to think about what I would normally be doing. I was completely schedule free, not worrying about naptimes, snack times, or bed times. I found it a lot easier than expected to slip back into a version of myself before having a kid. Still, there were differences. Having a child has changed my perspective, the way I see the world, the way I experience things. In the end I learned that I can still have fun when it's just me, that I can appreciate the opportunity to take a well deserved break, but that I love my little family with all my heart and most days, there is just nowhere else I'd rather be.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Picky, Picky
I don't know how I ended up with a daughter that is such a picky eater. Emily wasn't overly enthusiastic about rice cereal the first time it was offered, but she came around to the idea of solids pretty quickly. She embraced baby foods, both fruits and vegetables, with a healthy degree of interest. Real food though, as in food that doesn't come from a spoon, is highly inspected by our picky eater. Take today's lunch, for example. I was eating grapes, and that generated some interest from Emily, so I bit off half and offered the other half to her. She took it, looked at it from every angle, smelled it (I swear!), licked it, put it in her mouth for a good five seconds only to finally spit it out and try to give it back to me a little later.
The only fruit that she'll eat, unless it's pureed and mixed in with oatmeal or yogurt, are bananas. And frequently the only vegetable that I can't get past her lips are sweet potatoes. And Emily, let's be honest, that barely counts as a vegetable. I feel like I'm failing miserably when it comes to teaching healthy eating habits despite my best attempts.
And then there's the frequent changes of heart that are so typical for toddlers. She loved a homemade soup I made one day and completely rejected it the next. She gobbles up pasta here at home but our caregiver, Julie, insists she won't touch it at her home. The only food group that is never rejected is the cracker and bread food group. Bring on the carbs! I keep trying to tell her those foods will straight to her thighs but so far, she seems unconcerned.
The only fruit that she'll eat, unless it's pureed and mixed in with oatmeal or yogurt, are bananas. And frequently the only vegetable that I can't get past her lips are sweet potatoes. And Emily, let's be honest, that barely counts as a vegetable. I feel like I'm failing miserably when it comes to teaching healthy eating habits despite my best attempts.
And then there's the frequent changes of heart that are so typical for toddlers. She loved a homemade soup I made one day and completely rejected it the next. She gobbles up pasta here at home but our caregiver, Julie, insists she won't touch it at her home. The only food group that is never rejected is the cracker and bread food group. Bring on the carbs! I keep trying to tell her those foods will straight to her thighs but so far, she seems unconcerned.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Under the Weather
Emily was running a fever and feeling a bit under the weather yesterday. I should have clued in right away when she wanted to cuddle when she woke up, but we went to church and came home and she did okay. Later in the afternoon though, all she wanted was to be held, for hours on end, preferably by me. I hate it when she's sick, but I have to admit, I sure relished being able to hold my normally squirmy baby. Have no worries though - today she was off and running from the moment her eyes fluttered open.
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