OK, OK, I'm Listening

I do quite a bit of reading in the hours I spend each day trying to convince Ava to go to sleep or go back to sleep. Today's reading was Crazy Love, a book that our friend Greg gave us on Sunday. The crux of the chapter I read was that as a whole, people are extremely self-centered and fail to recognize that God is at the center of everything.

So, there I was, shushing Ava, reading, and despairing in my lack of sleep, when I came the following passage:

Your part is to bring Him glory--whether eating a sandwich on a lunch break, drinking coffee at 12:04 a.m. so you can stay awake to study, or watching your four-month-old take a nap.

Think God was trying to tell me something? Perhaps reminding me that I am part of something bigger than myself and the time I spend soothing my little one is just a blip in eternity? That even this small thing I can do for his glory?

I don't know, but it definitely got my attention.

Broke Da Mouth

Ava's most recent development is that she is gaining control over her hands. She is grabbing everything--toys, hair, burp cloths, neck flesh. And what can go in her mouth does. We've had a couple of close calls with poopy diapers left within her reach.

So, today I went to put her down for her nap. I usually lay her on the bed and sing to her, then swaddle her up and put her down. Only today, I'm doing laundry in preparation for our trip. I went ahead and laid her down next to a pile of laundry, not thinking anything of it. I turned my head away--just for a second--and when I turned back to her, she had one of Daniel's dirty sweat socks in her mouth. I took it away and, despite how gross it was, started to laugh. She laughed too. We both thought it was pretty funny.

They say they get sick because their environments are too clean. I don't think we have to worry about that one.

Reflections at Four Months

Ava turned 4 months old on Sunday. Here are her new stats for those who are interested:

Weight: 14.4 lbs
Length: 24.5 in
Body Type: Chunky (and perfect!)

(Oh, and in other good news... I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight! Hooray!)

I told Daniel the other day that these have been the longest four months of my life. It seems like ages ago that I was in labor. They have just crawled by.

I think for the most part that is a good thing. We have enjoyed her a lot. I don't want to make it sound like I don't. I cherish every day. I laugh at her giggles, smell her baby smell, and cuddle her irresistibly soft skin. She is wonderful. But she is also exhausting.

I love her so much now, but part of me can't wait until she sleeps a little better, and I don't walk around in a stupor anymore. I can't wait to see her personality bloom and what color her hair will be. I can't wait until she can suck her thumb. These milestones that seemed so insignificant now loom large, and I think, Lord, will I ever feel well rested again? You seasoned moms might tell me no.

But I'm enjoying it. She is delightful. When I get up in a grumpy mood because I am so tired, I need only look to her little face. She is so excited to see me. She squeals and smiles. And it is all worth it.

Dishonesty

I generally don't post much about politics on the blog. There are several reasons for that. One is that, without watching TV, listening to talk radio, or reading the paper, I don't really keep up with the day to day battles of politics. I used to be a political junkie, but I simply don't have time now. And although I have strong political convictions, I don't enjoy people playing politics with issues that matter. The second, more important reason, is that you all undoubtedly have opportunity to hear much more intelligent commentary than I will provide. So I stick to posting pictures and stories about Ava, because it's more fun and that's what you come to see anyway.

But I deviate here because I heard something the other day that bothered me a great deal. It was from the interview Rick Warren hosted with the candidates at Saddleback Church. Barack Obama was asked when a baby has human rights. Here's his response:

“Well, you know, I think that whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade.”

I guess that he means that it is up to God to determine that. But what frustrates me about this answer is its dishonesty. Obama has implicitly answered this question through his voting record. Even though he says that he cannot be the judge, he has voted for pro-choice initiatives unfailingly. In doing so, he has affirmed at the very least that those unborn children (and sickeningly, some who already have been born) are not deserving of human rights. To me, the only way you can punt on this issue is to err on the side of caution. "I don't know when life begins, so we will protect it at all levels. " It doesn't make sense to say, "It might not be a baby, so you can do whatever you want with it." His answer seems to me an attempt to avoid answering a question that would alienate a large portion of the electorate. I hate politics.

I Knew Not

the meaning of "working full time" until I became a Mom.

For the Mamas

I've been meaning to post this for a while. My friend Robin wrote me these words of wisdom before Ava was born, and they have been a source of encouragement the past few months.

Society tends to devalue the importance of mothers. There will be days you will be tempted to believe society. As you look around and see piles of laundry [yes!], dishes in the sink [yes!] and dinner not ready for the 3rd day in a row [oh yes...], you might say, "I can't do anything." Remember God sees all the truly important things you are doing, like comforting a fussy baby, changing countless diapers, serving your family in so many ways. God values you--never forget that.

Prayer is essential for survival! But don't expect you'll be able to have the "Quiet Time" you've always had. I know God has compassion on a new mom and he hears your prayers while you're rocking you little one to sleep at 2 am or singing praises in the shower. Philippians 4:6-7 sums it up: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Amen!

Amen, indeed.

New Pictures

After an inexcusably long delay, we've posted new pictures to our Kodak Gallery site. The password, as always, is the first two letters of our last name. Those of you who have the Kodak Easyshare digital picture frame should be able to see the new pictures on the frame.

Nota bene: it sure would be great to have my own digital frame for the office.

More Ava

I know I've posted a lot of pictures lately (I'll get back to writing as soon as she takes a nap longer than 30 minutes!), but I just couldn't resist these two.

Rockin' and a Rollin'

We reached another milestone! Take a peek:

Our Litigious Society

I just got a new cell phone the other day, and I have been learning all its quirks. This morning, I turned it off silent mode and turned the ringer up most of the way so I could hear it if it rang. This is the message that greeted me:

CAUTION: Loud ringtones could damage your hearing.

Do they really think that I am going to sue because my ringtone was too loud?

The sad fact is, somebody probably already did.

Wordle

Here's a cool application I found on the internet. It makes a word bubble from a bunch of text. I plugged in an essay I've been working on, and here's what it came up with:

Pretty cool, eh?