7 months

Liam was 7 months last Wednesday (10/07/09).

Here are some things he's up to now that he's 7 months old:

• Measured/weighed at his 6 month appt (really it was closer to 7 months) - 16 lbs, 26 inches (50% height and weight). Perfect!
• So mobile! Army-crawls anywhere and everywhere. He has started to venture out of our little "square" in the living room, and around the furniture. He loves crawling under things like the swing and the dining table.
• He's a great eater and hasn't really rejected anything we've given him. He wasn't a huge fan of puffs, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he doesn't have teeth yet, and he's not quite sure about the texture yet.
• Takes two naps a day, and sleeps well at night. Sometimes he has a tough time getting to sleep at night (fusses for 30 minutes or so), but once he falls asleep the rest of the night usually goes great. Last night he slept 9.5 hrs in a row!
• Such a happy, sweet temperment. Always big, bright smiles when we go get him out of his bed in the mornings. His little laugh is awesome. I know its not a song about a baby, but I've had Tim McGraw's song "Just To See You Smile" in my head. Yeah, I'd pretty much do anything to see that precious smile and hear his laugh.
• We've had LOTS of drool since around 3 mos, bad diaper rash around 6 months, and some cranky-ness we thought was teething, but still no teeth. They'll break through soon I bet!
• Close to sitting on his own, but really more interested in exploring than sitting still.
• First overnighter last Friday night! He stayed with our good friend Dustin while Andrew and I went to Tampa to see U2. Liam (and Mommy) did great!
• Loves the Elmo's Song youtube video. LOVES it.

Little Pumpkin, you are such a blessing to us right now. We are enjoying every stage, every day.

God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good, He's so good to me.

Any suggestions or favorite things to occupy your 7 - 9 month old? :)

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Our favorite baby items

Kelly over at kellyskorner is hosting "Show us your life: Baby Gear" serises. I've been working on this post since Liam was 4 months old, so this is a great opportunity to share! Now, I know all the options out there can be so overwhelming. This is just a list of the things that we really enjoyed and got a lot of use out of. Some items are hits with some moms, and some are total misses, but I thought I'd list some of our favorites:

• Moby Wrap - I have really loved this carrier, even in the summer here in Florida. I wear him when we do things like go to a movie or go to the grocery store when I don't want to lug the car seat around. Especially when we're going to be at this place for a while, or during one of his nap times. He falls asleep well, it gives great ergonomic support for both me and Baby, and he gets to be snuggled up close to mommy (which he loves).
  
• Infantino Little Lions activity gym (at Target.com here) - There are so many play mats/gyms out there, but I really liked this one for the price (cheaper at Target) and the bright colors.


• Fisher Price Rainforest Deluxe Auto Mirror (at Target.com here) - Features remote control music and lights, bright pattern. Definitely entertains and distracts the little man if he gets fussy in the car. Plus, I can see him in my rear-view mirror.


• Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers - I'm a fan. I don't "love" diapering, but you gotta diaper your kid, and cloth diapers are no more of a fuss than disposables. I like that we're spending less money, contributing less waste to the landfills, less chemicals on baby's hiney (though bum genius 3.0s are synthetic material and not all natural), and they're just so darn cute. I'd need another dozen or so to cloth diaper full time, currently we are part-time cloth-diaperers. I may experiment with another brand of cloth just to see if I really like these the best, but so far so good. All of the online cloth diaper sites sell them for the same price, but sometimes you can find a sale.


• Aden & Anais swaddlers - My sister Whitney bought these for us, and they are the BEST swaddlers/blankets in the summer heat. Now that Liam is out of the swaddling phase, I still always have one of these blankets with me. Nursing cover, burp cloth, light blanket for warmth, etc. They're actually selling them at Target right now (in some stores, and online here).
  
• Some other Baby Gear that we love include the Snap n Go stroller for the infant carrier car seat, vibrating teether, BornFree bottles, Soothie pacifiers, and Fisher Price Little Lamb Swing, Lots of Links (these are GREAT), Chicco Lullaby LX Playard (we used this as a bassinet when Liam was in our room).

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6 months

**Not sure where the pictures went. :(

Who could resist this sweet face? He's so much fun!

Our little precious is 6 months old. He is just soaking everything up right now (and it all seems to come back out as massive amounts of drool, but that's 'cause he's teething...). Wednesday he was perfectly content rolling around for the things he wanted to get to. By Thursday, he's now pushing up and working on crawling. He'll be there before we even know it!

He's modeling a hat that my Aunt made for him. Isn't it so cute on him? We're pretending that its cold enough for it, because its definitely not. We're also celebrating the start of football season (GO HOGS!), but it also doesn't feel quite like fall.

In the middle of life's stresses, this kid is our pride and joy.

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Infant Dedication

Sunday was Liam's Infant Dedication at Summit Church in Orlando. We've attended Summit for a few months now, and are really excited about what's going on there. I feel like we're being challenged more during this phase in our lives, in many good ways, and we're thankful Summit is a part of that.



I know Liam won't technically remember his infant dedication, or his time in the church nursery at this early age. I know, however, how impactful this time is because of the role being involved at an early age had in my own journey. We are thankful for Summit's mission to even the youngest in their church: to teach them that God made them, God loves them, and that Jesus wants to be their friend forever. We are so thankful for the people that are pouring into Liam's life even at this point in his life.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

"...so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14

As a parent, I am constantly giving Liam back to the Lord. I know He loves my little one more than I ever could, and He is protecting him and growing him the best possible way. I'm thankful that we get to be active participants in this! We get to see how much our Father loves us because of the way we love him. Oh how HE loves us! How He loves us so!

Sweet grin! This is such a fun age!

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End and Beginning

"Christ is both Alpha and Omega. When our lives are immersed in Him, every ending, everything we believe to be the death of us is instead a hand-engraved invitation to a new beginning."

-Beth Moore, "Stepping Up"

Andrew is still on the job hunt. I just want to say how proud I am of him through this really difficult time in our lives. He is doing everything he can to pursue leads and keep his heart open to creative possibilites in the next phase of our lives. He's trusting the Lord and walking into uncharted territory.

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Precious Baby Reese

Its hard to imagine looking at my rss reader from my friend Katie's perspective, seeing all the posts of friends praying. Katie, we are definitely praying for you, Jason, and your families today especially, as you honor the Lord and Reese's precious little life.



O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

(from the hymn, "O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go")

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On journey.

Finally Friday. What a week it has been. My mind and heart are just spilling over, in both good and difficult ways. Realities of living on this broken planet have been hitting hard this week. I'm going through Beth Moore's "Stepping Up: a journey through the Psalms of Ascent" with some of my co-workers. This study could not be more timely in my life right now. I'm being challenged to find the line between trusting God and trusting what God has done - His Person instead of His favor. Beth says, "God is with us and for us even when His face and His favor seem hidden. Mountain-like security only comes from trusting God, not what He's done for us or given us."

This message is not only being emphasized in this study. I'm being reminded constantly to take a look at where my faith is...especially when things don't look exactly as I wish them to, or pray for them to, or want them to look. What happens to my faith when God "disappoints" me?

Things are not going to magically slow down or stop being "life" so I can see my Father's face more clearly. I'm always going to be straining to see Him, especially if I let life's circumstances continue to grasp at me. The more I'm in habit of looking to Jesus, the more my attitude about the circumstances will come into alignment with His plan. Look to Jesus. "I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from..." Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus.

And so, this week happened. Disappointment happened. LIFE happened. There was joy, but there were also many tears, for personal weariness, for loss and pain, for things I don't understand. This broken world. It hurts.

Look to Jesus.
Look to Jesus.
Look to Jesus.

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