jarred baby food and disposable diapers

I wrestled in my mind with what to title this post.

I'm sure you're saying, huh? Such mundane things.

But to me, these are two very small items in my daily new mommy life that have significant messages to how God is currently shaping me and molding me.  How he's digging into my heart and rearranging some things.  Getting rid of some things.  Replacing some things.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

-Galatians 5: 25-26 (NIV)

Or I really like the way The Message words it...

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.  That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse.  We have far more interesting things to do with our lives.   

Each of us is an original.

-Galatians 5:25-26 (The Message)

So let me break this down before I go any further.

Every detail of our lives. (Yep, God is teaching me through jarred baby food and disposable diapers.)

We will not compare ourselves with each other.  (The heart of this post.)

Each of us is an original.  (That means every. single. one. of. us. There are no exceptions.)

This mommy thing is so precious.  The best role I've ever played.  By far.  God designed me to be a mommy.  I just know deep down He did.  It feels so natural to me.  So right.  So perfect.  And how neat is it that He is using this exact same role that I feel so confident and bold in to strip my heart down and humble me.  Our God is an amazing God.

If you've been reading for long or know me in real life, you know that there are many things I have written about or shared about or you've seen me do in action as a mom.

cloth diapering

making my own baby food

"sleep training"

made my own bows

DIYed tons of her nursery

couponed

etc

etc

etc

We could go on.  But this is where I want to explain.  We read blogs, we chat, we see each other in our everyday lives living out this mommy thing (or if you're not one, you may see and read things that churn ideas and thoughts for how you will be in the future as a mommy).  We see the good mostly.  We see the comparisons.  We focus on the "how she does it part".  We get caught up in what everyone else is doing.  How it should be done.

God has been teaching me a lot about this comparison thing.  He said it right there in scripture, it's not healthy.  It's not how we're supposed to live.  Maybe you've seen the quote floating around Pinterest..."Comparison is the thief of joy."  Seriously, y'all.  True story! God is teaching me to let go.  To be the mommy I know is best for my baby.  Not for anyone else's judgements.  To be confident in how I do things and to reflect.  But to know that this mommy thing is different for everyone.  We're all original mommies.  We aren't here to beat ourselves up.  Or to beat each other up.  We are here to fulfill the role God has blessed us with.  So many times, I read blogs or see something or hear something that makes me think, "oh...if only I could do that...could be that....could...." That's not healthy.  I want to live my daily life pointing to God.  He's the one that provides daily grace in my life.  He's the one that makes me the original mommy that I am.  What I am in His eyes is all that matters.

So I don't want to be someone that you may read my blog or see me in person and think, "oh...I wish I could do it that way...or be that way..."

So to help you out.  To keep you from comparing like I often do.  Here's two things that I don't do...

I don't cloth diaper full time.  We've had crazy leak issues with the cloth.  We use disposables unless we're just around the house or heading to Adeline's grandparents'. 

I make some of my own baby food.  Not all.  I am a big believer in organic food and staying away from preservatives and artificial stuff for Adeline for health-sake.  But she eats jarred baby food.  Gasp.

To me...those two things have been huge in how God has taught me to let go.  (Those are just two in a long list.)  Those two things represent something that I have heard so many times from other moms that it's so neat that I do that...that they wish they could be a "good mom" and do that.  Gross.  No.  If you're baby is happy and healthy and you're doing the best you can.  You are a good mom! What works for one...doesn't work for the other.  We are all originals.  The other side of this is, no.  I do not consider myself better than you or that my way is more perfect than yours because of these things.  It's what works for our family.  We are all originals.  God said so.  Not one of His children is better than another.  I believe it whole-heartedly.

So where do we go from here?

We show grace.

To ourselves and to each other.

We lift each other up in the Spirit as He does for us every single day.

We live transparently in a way that points to the Savior.  

He gets the glory for this mommy role.  Not us.

And we let go and live the life of the Spirit in every detail of our lives...jarred baby food, disposable diapers, and all.

7 months! (a week late)

Dear Adeline Grace,

            You've done it now.  You're now closer to being a one year old than a newborn...you are over half way there.  I can't believe it! This month was nothing but amazement and wonder as we saw you grow, mature, and learn new things daily...sometimes it seemed hourly.  We can't believe how fast you are growing up before our eyes and how much you are starting to come into your own and develop a personality.  You even showed this in your 7 month photo shoot! I could not get you to sit still for two seconds to snap a picture.  You are a mover and groover (always have been)!

So what have we learned about you this month and what have you been up to in your seventh month of life?

Here are some of your firsts this month...

On 5.2.12, you started blowing raspberries while eating for the first time while eating sweet potatoes.  This equals one big mess for you and Mommy and Daddy.  You still do this...and you know to do it when you don't want to eat at this point.

On 5.13.12, you helped Mommy celebrate her first Mother's Day with you in this world.  You and Daddy surprised me with breakfast in bed, a picture of you and me in your pool and a "Best Mom" charm for my charm bracelet.  You also tried peas for the first time on this day and like them (still a go-to food).

On 5.22.12, you slept overnight in your crib for the first time! I cried, but knew it was best for you at this point because you were starting to be disturbed in the morning in our room when we were getting ready.  You did great! The second night, you slept from 8pm-8am without waking up at all.

On 5.27.12, you started saying "Dadada" intentionally and you will often repeat it now once someone says it.

On 5.28.12, it was your first time swimming in a big pool.  We swam at your grandparents' and you LOVED it! You floated around in your raft.

On 6.1.12, we took our first family vacation as just us three to Gatlinburg, TN.  We had a great time! You really enjoyed being with Mommy and Daddy and took it all in during the trip! We swam, shopped, hiked, ate out, and did all kinds of things.  Of course, you were a trooper the entire time and did great in the car!

This month you also:

-started blowing raspberries while eating (especially when you don't want to take the bite!)
-started sitting up on own with NO support
-started sitting up in the bath (we still use your little tub inside our big bath tub)
-started army crawling like a pro
-tried all kinds of new fruits and veggies!
-started eating "real food" at each meal
-knowing your name and responding when we say it
-started babbling "dada" constantly
-started playing games with people (i.e. peek-a-boo)
-started showing your strong-willed and stubborn side
-got your first tooth--your bottom right tooth

So what do you like and dislike?

You love…

-swimming
-talking
-being around people/people watching
-chewing on your Sophie Giraffe
-cuddling with your bunny blankie to go to sleep
-your jumperoo and exersaucer
-squash and pears
-the zoo and watching any kind of animal
-crawling/scooting around and grabbing things
-swinging

You dislike…

-diaper and clothing changes

-when you are awake in your crib and Mommy or Daddy leave the room

-being in a bouncy seat or swing

-white potatoes

 

What are your sizes?

You are still in 6 and 9 month sleepers.  You are in mainly in 6-9 and 9 month clothing.  You are in size 3 diapers when in disposables and are in second snap setting on your cloth diapers! We also had to start nighttime, size 3 diapers because you started peeing through your normal dipes almost every single night.

You weight between 17 and 18 lbs. by now.  You seem to be getting long to us...please stay a baby forever!

What are your eating habits like?

This was the month we introduced solids! You now nurse around 8-9, 12-1, 4-5, and 8-9 for anywhere from 5 to 12 or so minutes.  You also wake sometimes once or twice during the night and nurse (because it's easy to get you to go back to sleep ;).  This happens usually around 1ish and 4ish.

You are also eating "real food" at each meal.  By the end of 6 months, at breakfast, you eat 2-3 tbsp. of rice and/or oatmeal cereal and 1-2 oz. of fruit.  At lunch you eat 1-2 oz. of fruit and 2 oz. of veggies.  At dinner you eat 2-3 tbsp. of rice and/or oatmeal cereal, 2 oz. of veggies, and 2 oz. of fruit.  By this point you are eating about 1/2 cup of veggies and 1/2 cup of fruit daily.  Most is made by me.  However, you eat some jarred, especially when we travel.

You are also drinking water from your sippy cup and when we just put a cup or glass to your mouth.  You also love sucking on your food pouch when it has ice or frozen bananas in it.

How is your sleeping?

You go to bed around 8-8:30 and go down really well after our nighttime routine and nursing.  You sleep until 8 or 9 (12 hours).  However, you do wake up usually a couple times right now during the night.  I nurse you and put you right back down.

You nap in the morning usually about 2 hours after you wake up (10ish) and a couple hours after lunch (2ish).  You nap anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.  You still cat nap in the evening and always fall asleep during car rides.
This month I learned that your magic sleep number seems to be about 14 hours (however you get it) and you do great sleeping in sleep sacks (we use that instead of a blanket in your crib).  You also always have a quick, loud cry/whine right before your fall asleep.

So what makes you, you this month?

We are simply in awe of you.  However it's possible...we love you more and more each day.  Often, so much it hurts! We sit and just stare at you and have decided without a doubt that God truly broke the mold with you.  We thank Him daily on numerous occasions for blessing our lives with you. We adore you.

                                                                                                    Love,

                                                                                                    Mommy and Daddy