Today Isn't Your Birthday

One day, I looked at this baby and hardly recognized her. She grew up overnight and we are desperately trying to soak her in. This is my FAVORITE age; there's so many fun things about it. 

Myla:

+Turned 10 months! This month she's discovered her silliness. She knows when she's being funny and loves to entertain us. She's always doing goofy things to make us laugh.

+Four teeth are through, at least two more on the way.

+She has a hoarse little voice with the most pathetic puppy whimper that you've ever heard. She whines whenever she wants something and she has the matching puppy-dog eyes to go with it.

+She loves doors, her pacifier, peek-a-boo, and the vacuum. (Most kids are afraid of the vacuum, but she comes crawling as fast as she can when she hears it.)

+She's prepared for her first birthday because she loves to point and copies me when I'm blowing on her food. She'll be ready to hold up her "one" finger and blow out the candles. I remember working with Trevin on both for weeks and he still didn't do either for his birthday. She's easy-peasy. 

+She gives kisses, started some sign language, and says dada, hot, boo, Ash, and mama. She's only said "mama" 4 times. She's purposely withholding it from me, it doesn't bother me... not really... I think about it sometimes... not very often... it's fine... I know she loves me... 

We have a picture of Trevin, just like this. I love it when memories of him come flooding back, as I watch Myla do the same things. 

+She knows no limits. She loves to climb, bear crawl (when her knees are bare, because she doesn't like them rubbing on the floor), pull up, walk around furniture, push her walker, and she's stood on her own many times. I don't think she's too far off from taking those first steps. Yesterday she was dragging her walker backwards over toys; she doesn't seem to rely on it too much. 

+We started her on formula for the day a couple weeks ago, but I was still nursing at night. I had intended on just doing 1-2 bottles a day, but she had other plans. After her last two teeth poked through, she bit me while nursing. (It's as bad as it sounds.)  I bopped her cheek a little to make sure she knew that was not ok. She just stared up at me as if she was questioning me. James walked in the room a few seconds later. She took one look at him as started bawling. She refused to nurse from me for a week. I could nurse her at night, when she was half asleep, but anytime I tried to nurse her during the day, she just stared at me and cried. My production dropped tremendously after that week, so she was just nursing at night. Until she bit me two more times. Bite me once, shame on you. Bite me twice, shame on me. Bite me three times... We're done. Strictly bottles now for my own safety. 

+We've been leaving her in the nursery at church on Sundays. That's always a transition. Our Sunday School class meets right outside the nursery... So we can always gauge how she's doing... And so can everyone else. She's doing a little better each week, (minus Wednesday nights, that's a nightmare). 

+She's finally sleeping through the night! Generally she's up at 5-5:30 for a bottle, and then back to sleep. I think we've finally got this down. Of course, she'll start teething again next week and we'll start the process over again.

+She's clingy, but she's starting to warm up to people. Sometimes accidentally. Her and Trevin both have mistaken my friend, Taylor, for me, many times. It's been fun to see her sweet personality grow and form. She is full of joy and curiosity. It's not uncommon for her to sit contently and play with toys for an hour. She makes my life so easy. 

Trevin: He's made some big strides this month! 

+He learned how to ride his bike without training wheels last week! We knew he'd have no problem as soon as we took the training wheels off because he was hardly using them, so this came as no surprise. James sent me a video from the shop showing me what he had accomplished. I was SO proud and SO sad that I wasn't there to see it. There's big milestones in a kid's life and this is one that stands out in my mind. He's becoming a boy and leaving behind all things toddler, one step at a time. It is really difficult to fathom letting that phase slip behind us, but it is inevitable. 

  +He is known for telling us, "Mom, choose. I can eat candy or watch a movie. Which one? Choose." We've been going through a parenting class, by Paul David Tripp (the one with the awesome mustache) in Sunday School and it's been eye-opening.  It's teaching us how to parent to the heart and not to the behavior. It's not just practical advice on parenting; it's changing our entire perspective and approach to our children. Be for your kid, not against. I need this reminder every day.

+Legos are his preferred entertainment. He spends hours playing, building, and rebuilding. He gets the Lego catalog in the mail and he loves flipping through it over and over again in search of his next dream set. James recently had a conversation with him about earning money and saving up for the things he wants. He woke up early the next morning and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Dad, can I come to work with you?" He spent the whole day with James doing extra jobs around the shop to earn money. He's been so motivated and so determined to work hard. He's over halfway to his Lego set and it's been really exciting to watch his eagerness. (We have a few chores at home that he does to help out, but he doesn't get paid for those. We don't love the idea of an allowance for doing expected jobs, but do want to give him the opportunity to earn money and to learn the importance of hard work and saving. He's our first kid so we're still trying to figure it all out. If you have any suggestions, or personal experiences, I'd love to hear it!) 

+Trevin really took to the BB gun this month. He'd shot a couple times before, but this time it sunk in. He figured out how to aim and was hitting the target regularly. He's also using the same BB gun that James grew up using. It's so very sweet. 

+We've started talking about what life will look like for us once Trevin is in school. Apparently it's stressing me out more than I realize because I keep having a reoccurring dream about forgetting to pick him up from school. 

+He turns 5 this month and he can't wait. He asks several times a week if tomorrow is his birthday, when everyone's coming for his birthday, if he can open just a few presents, and if we can make his birthday cake right now. 

I played an April Fool's joke on Trevin and Caleb. I gave them jello in a cup with a straw and told them it was juice. They thought it was the funniest thing. (I'm learning that my target comedic audience is ages 4-8.) They spent the rest of the day trying to get me back. 

We've made a lot of progress in the basement craft room, pictures to come when it's complete! We've added a desk and storage as well as a kitchenette. Thank you, IKEA. The warmer weather has moved us to outside projects, like revamping our flower beds and planning the garden. 

He pretends he doesn't like to dress up; don't let him fool you. 

We got all fancied up and joined our friends, the McHargue's, at the Nebraska Christian Benefit Auction. This marriage thing is pretty cool and is only getting better with time. He continues to give me more grace than I deserve. Like the time I decided to drive his truck to Bible study when it was cold and I backed out without unplugging the block heater... I didn't even notice. It's a story I don't care to tell; it's not my finest moment. I was obviously distracted (very distracted) and late. As I'm backing out, Ashton's golf clubs fell over and caused a loud crash. I saw this, but assumed they had been leaning on the truck or something. I guess I drug a golf club halfway out of our driveway. And the cord was found down the road. Apparently I'm not ready to drive a diesel. I'll accept that. 

James has been busy in the shop, finishing up this year's flamers and getting equipment ready for field work. The kids and I have nestled in at home, holding out for some more warm weather. I'm on the shower committee at church and have spent a lot of time this month planning and preparing for the many bridal and baby showers that spring brings. We're bracing ourselves for the next couple months because it's going to get crazy. This week brings Ashton's bachelorette party, the following week is Trevin's birthday and Easter. Then several more church events and planting to kick off May. May also brings Myla's baby dedication, 1st birthday and major preparations for Ashton's wedding on the 20th. I'l start to breath again in June. 

We've closed a big chapter in our lives this month with the final divorce hearing for James' sister. We wouldn't have chose this road, but God has proved faithful. We've been given the opportunity to come alongside her and the boys, giving support and encouragement in the most challenging year of our lives. This is not my story to tell, but it's a story of protection, redemption, and grace. I've learned the desperate need for prayer in a very real sense. A situation that has wounded so deeply is being healed over time. 

Life-bringing Spring, growing on the farm...