Sunny Saturday

Today was a beautiful sunny Saturday. It was the weekend of our neighborhood garage sale (although they really need to just hold it every other year - there weren't enough houses having a sale). Hubs had afternoon/evening plans, so we decided to go for a walk through the neighborhood. Jazzy was very happy to come along! We took the baby in her carrier, and she did great. We've been trying to put her in it more so she can get used to it, and also to put hats on her more so she will learn to like sun hats. She was happy the whole time, and took a long nap when we got back.

Completely unrelated... I'm very happy that I'm still able to take decent self-portraits, even while holding a baby. I tend to be our primary photographer, and most pictures that include me are self-portraits. Little Bean has started seeing things around her and reacting more to them. While I was taking pictures of us, she noticed the little orange light on our camera that lights up when taking a shot. She loved it and would look right at the camera and smile. Also, while getting ready to feed her, I put my nursing cover on, and for the first time, she noticed the flowered print on the cover. She just stared at it and smiled big. It's so sweet to watch her wake up to the pretty world around her. =)

Mommy Vacation

My new mommy vacation: the oil change place. Yes, seriously. I don't know if it's a local chain or national, but our oil change place is called Oil Can Henry's, and I love going there. Today after Little Bean was fed and getting sleepy, we headed out. First we drove through Starbucks and got a ridiculously long request of a latte: a tall, nonfat, decaff, sugar-free caramel latte, in a grande cup with room at the top, which they made perfectly. Then, I drove across the street and drove up to Henry's. Did I have to lug the carseat out of the car, wake up the baby, and wait in the dirty waiting room? Absolutely not. It's a drive through oil change! I pulled in, they gave me a complimentary newspaper, and baby and I both got to relax in the car for a bit. It was wonderful!

15 minutes to sit in my car, drinking my latte, reading a newspaper, with the baby sleeping in the back... that's my new mommy vacation!

Dinner time

This is a momentous week in my new mommy-life because it is the first week that I think I will be able to make dinner each night by myself. At this point, I just have dinner plans every night and I'm just hoping to be able to make it.... but I think I can do it.

It's a simple menu, and includes a lot of left-overs, but that's ok. Also, I'm only focusing on Monday-Friday right now. I generally try to have something in mind for Saturday, but sometimes it's left for impromptu plans with hubs and we always do something super simple on Sundays (like tuna melts or something). So, here's what we're having:

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie (which I had never made before - and was super easy and yummy)

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie left overs

Wednesday: Pasta bake

Thursday: Finish the chicken pot pie

Friday: BBQ Hamburgers (supposed to be 86 outside!)

Saturday: Either Pasta Bake left overs (or save it for next week), or grill something - since it's supposed to be in the 80's outside. Yahoo!


And THAT, my friends, is a huge milestone for me. I think I've definitely shocked hubs, and made his evenings far easier.

Mother's Day Baptism

This weekend, I had the best Mother's Day present possible - Little Bean was baptized into God's covenant family. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! We pray that she will always know that she is His, a beloved sheep in His pasture. We pray that she will know the abundant joy that only comes from knowing and serving her Lord.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

She did great during the baptism. She got squirmy right before we were called up, and stayed pretty squirmy while our pastor talked about baptism. But, as soon as he took her, she calmed down and just listened. She loves his voice! She didn't cry at all when he poured water on her head. And best of all, she didn't spit up on him - that was my great fear. =)

For those who aren't used to baptizing infants, I thought I'd explain what it means. I think it is often misunderstood. Infant baptism isn't the same as a declaration of salvation, or the same as a baby dedication. While we do take vows to teach Caitlin our faith (like a dedication), the sacrament itself isn't about us - it's about our baby and God. Baptism is how we are identified as part of God's covenant family - just like circumcision was to the Jews. Circumcision didn't guarantee that a Jew would have faith in the coming Messiah, neither does baptism guarantee that someone will have true saving faith in Jesus. However, God does give covenant promises that are generational - to "you and your children." As such, we baptize our children, teach them our faith, and trust that God will reveal Himself to her personally as she grows. Of course, she still needs to confess her faith when she gets older, but we pray that she won't ever remember a day when she didn't know Jesus as her savior.

new blog

I've been keeping a private family blog where I post family updates and photos. For the sake of privacy, I won't be posting too many family and baby pictures here. I'll still be posting here (hopefully more than I have been lately!), but I'll be posting more on the other one. If you and I have become blog friends and you'd like the link to the other blog, just leave me a comment to let me know and include your email address.

six weeks

Little Bean is six weeks old. Oh my goodness. How does it go by so quickly?

I'm doing well, just trying to figure out how to do this new life and get things done...besides holding, rocking, bouncing, and playing with Little Bean. I'm really stuck trying to figure out how to make dinner. She isn't napping much at that time of day. Any ideas?

I've started walking. Today was day two of really trying to walk every day. I think that all the baby weight that is just going to come off fast has done that, and I'm going to have to work for the rest.

Happy May day to you!