2 Months!

[S] As G turned 2 months yesterday, we celebrated "pastor's family" style - at youth group retreat! Although I was sad to not have been able to attend the whole retreat, I was really grateful for the time I was able to spend there. It was very fitting to go down to Rockbridge with G, my brother and my SIL as the theme was "Prodigal Family".

I was very grateful to A and J for driving with me down to Rockbridge! I don't know how I would have gone down by myself. G was a trooper on the way down and got a full meal as soon as we arrived (which explains why she is passed out in the picture). 

As G slept and slept, she missed out on all the fun of people adoring and loving her. Especially Uncle A imitating her chubby cheek action. Also, Uncle A wanted to have the exact outfit G had on because apparently it was "really soft"... but I think he just liked the ears and the feet. :)

Auntie Soy was lucky enough to catch her for the 30 minutes she was awake! G seemed to really like her future babysitter. ;) 

We were able to have a great time of worship and watched a beautiful scene of the group praying for each other. Students praying for counselors and counselors praying for students. Sisters praying for each other, brothers praying for each other, sisters and brothers getting together to pray for each other. A very beautiful scene indeed - one that I had missed seeing.

But G missed all of that.

However, the next morning she decided to stay awake for a little bit to say hello to the group!

She got to see her big unnies and auntie. Missed this family so much! Hopefully G will get to know them more and more!

G was so sad to leave that she cried most of the way home, making us stop twice on the road to reassure her that there will be more retreats and more times of worshipping together as a family. 

Happy 2 months, baby girl. Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Poop

Disclaimer: Please do not expect any profound statements in this post as it is mostly related to my/M's experiences in changing diapers. 

In the beginning, there was a clean diaper. This clean diaper was then secured onto G with two velcro straps. Not more than five seconds later, G "cuts the cheese" and lets out a big one. And then clean diaper, no more.

This happened several times in the first month of her life. However, more recently G has become aware of diaper change time and waits until those two velcro straps are opened until attempting to squirt M and I with her best shot. M used to pride in his diaper changing skills, but I have to say that with G's new awareness, his skills have disappeared. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of these expressions, although I hope to catch them on camera one day.

I had a near perfect record... until the big explosion. It was a typical 3am feeding. I usually change G after she's fed so that she'll kind of wake up to be burped. This is usually what she looks like after a feeding...

"Got milk?"

Yep. Passed out with some drool down her chin. How am I supposed to burp G when she's drunk on milk! But no worries, as soon as I put her down, she'll wake up and then I'll try to change her. She will then create facial expressions such as: 

"Leave me alone! I don't interrupt your bathroom time!"

 So I put her down to change her, opened the diaper and as soon as she felt the breeze, she let it all out. ALL of it. She pooped on her clothes, my hands, and her feet. For those who don't know... babies poop isn't solid, it's more of a watery consistency. I mean, all she's taking in is milk. So to be more accurate, she SPRAYED her good stuff all over.

But before I could get really frustrated, she cracked her gorgeous smile. And then I melted and admitted defeat to this game she seems to play with me.

"Heehee, gotcha!"

Until the next diaper change, G!

Ellie Fun Day!

Are you a mom or mom-to-be and would like to win some cool stuff? For my friends (and founders of Ellie Fun Day) Elton and Sarah Lin, I would like to share about what "hipsters" can win!

In honor of our return from India and in the spirit of Christmas we are hosting a Mommy and Me Giveaway contest!
(can we get a YAY?)

Here is what we’re giving away!

FOR BABY

#1 One Ellie Fun Day blanket of your choice (Ellie or Sharkie) Retail $95

#2 Chewbeads: some might argue this is for mommy as well! Retail $29.50

FOR MOMMY

#3 Deep Steep Organic Bubble Bath in Lavendar Retail $10.95

#4 EOS Organic Lip Balm in Sweet Mint Retail $3.29

#5 Emerson Made Silver Dollar Indian Tunic  Retail $168.00

How to Enter:

{ COMMENT TO WIN }

leave a comment about your favorite baby memory (yours or your baby’s)

{ BLOG FOLLOWER }

follow our blog by clicking on our RSS Feed to the right, and leave a comment below stating so

{FACEBOOK FAN}

become a facebook fan and leave a comment for an entry!

{TWITTER FOLLOWER}

leave a comment if you’re

a twitter follower for an extra entry and give us your handle

{SPREAD THE WORD}

twitter, facebook, or blog about this giveaway for one last entry!

come back & comment with the link! if you twitter, please

tag it with @elliefunday so we can track your tweet!

Giveaway ends on Sunday, December 11th  at 8pm, PST

Please check back next week to see if you are the lucky winner!

Spread the word about the sweepstakes... and about Ellie Fun Day! To find out more about Ellie Fun Day, you can go here. 

THE Pacifer

[M] For the first couple of weeks when we had G, whenever she would get fussy, I would immediately go and search for a pacifier; something that would soothe and calm her.  This worked for a bit, but pretty soon, she began to reject it.  Sometimes she would reject it by tasting it for a bit and then spitting it out.  Sometimes, when I would put it by her mouth, she would just tightly seal her lips as if to say, "Hey buddy, I know what you're trying to do and it ain't gonna work this time."  I'm almost positive that's exactly what she's thinking in those moments.

But recently, I discovered a new method of soothing her - running water.  I think S may have first suggested it to me a while back, but I don't think I tried it until the other night.  I was in the kitchen trying to get a bottle ready for G, while she was crying her cute little eyes out (side note: I crumble into pieces when my baby girl starts crying.  I think she might already have me around her finger.  Yikes).  And while she was crying, I turned on the sink and then she started to calm down.  So I let the water run as I prepared the bottle.  And she was silent the whole time.

I began to use this technique throughout the night to bring serenity to my little G, but even in my downgraded brain activity state, I realized this could end up being a costly means of calming my baby.  LIGHT BULB!  I googled "water noises for babies" or something like that and sure enough, there were many websites that covered this amazing phenomenon.  I explored a little bit, but then I settled on this one link...

http://www.freesound.org/people/roscoetoon/sounds/26402/

I've listened to this 5 second clip (it can be looped) for hours on end (I'm even listening to it as I write).  And that first night I discovered it, it was really sweet.  I placed my laptop near G and just let the soft sounds soothe her to sleep.  And as I laid there in the dark, God spoke to me a very familiar passage:

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." - Psalm 23:1-3

It was incredibly sweet to hear God's voice in that moment.  I was using the calming sound of "quiet waters" to bring rest to my troubled daughter, and in the same way, God wanted that for me as well.  I had gotten so caught up in the stresses of ministry, family, future and the distractions of facebook, email and TV.

But once I disconnected from the internet and TV, it provided the breath and room for Him to lead me to those quiet waters.

That evening, the house was dark.  I was alone with God and G.  And in that moment, I realized that I had been searching for the wrong "pacifier."  I should have been looking for THE Pacifier.  The only One who knows my fears, doubts and insecurities.  The only One who knows my troubles better than I do.  The only One who can calm the storms within.  The Prince of Peace.

All it took for me was to get unplugged.  (Yes, I recognize the irony of posting about this while being on the internet.  It's similar to when people update their status as "I'm praying right now"...yes, but you're on FB.)

Anyways, here are a couple of pics to celebrate G's 1 month birthday (and one random cartoon):

Chillin' by quiet waters

Happy 1 month, G!

Not sure if it's visible - it says "1 month" on her shirt.

Check out the look she's giving me - haha!

For her 1 month bday, we took her out to Target.  When she wears this jacket, I love picking her up because she feels like this giant fluffy pink cloud.  "She's so fluffy, I'm gonna die!"