Usta!

Last week, Shirley Jean stopped rolling over all together.
I knew this might be coming, since babies tend to master a skill and then focus completely on something else until a new skill is mastered. Make sense?
Well I figured it out. My little Peanut Butter has been working on her hand-mouth coordination!
Check it out:

Caption Contest

Here's a little gem for ya.

We were nursing in the front seat of the car waiting for Richard's softball game to start. Funny baby.
p.s. Like the bib? She can't shout encouragement for her dad yet, but she chose the bib so he would know she was his biggest fan.

We Do.

Do you today recognize this child as a gift of God and give heartfelt thanks for God's blessing?
Do you now dedicate her to the Lord who gave her to you surrending all worldly claims on her life in the hope that she will belong wholly to God?
Do you pledge as parents that, with God's fatherly help, you will bring her up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord," making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the Word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into her life?
Do you promise to provide, through God's blessing, for the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of this child, looking to your own heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve her and not use her?
Do you promise to make it your regular prayer that by God's grace she will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of her sins and follow Him as Lord obeying His teachings?

(Click on a photo to enlarge.)
Shirley Jean, together with people who love you very much and are concerned about the outcome of your faith, we dedicate you to God--surrendering all worldly claims upon your life in the hope that you will belong wholly to Him.

Nature and Nurture

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
-Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing;
Robinson, 1758 & Wyeth 1813

My daughter's sinful nature is beginning to show. I've noticed it over the past couple of weeks. Sometimes she doesn't cry because she needs something. Sometimes she just cries because she hasn't gotten her way. Like when I de-latch her for using ...er...Mommy as a teether. Or when it's nap time, but she had other plans. Or if she's decided that she's been watching me load the dishwasher for too long.
I've been waiting for this to happen, and I can't imagine more pertinent timing with her dedication coming up tomorrow evening. My baby belongs to God and is made in His image, despite her imperfections and sinful nature, and one day she will trust Jesus Christ as her savior. Just like Mama and Daddy.

Well Baby

Shirley Jean had her four-month Well Baby check up yesterday. I had the BEST validation EVER when I learned that she weighs 15lbs, 6oz! That's the 85th percentile! Made this mama feel great.

She had five, yes FIVE vaccinations, however and feels pretty lousy today, which she keeps reminding me.

Here she is, showing off her rolling over skills (and her rolls) on the doctor's table.

Best news of the day? We discovered that our pediatritian is a Christian. Isn't that wonderful?!

Water Baby

This kiddo just LOVES the water!

July 19

Next week on July 19, during the 6:00 service at Faith Community Church in Hudson, we are having Shirley Jean publically dedicated to God.
We would love it if you were there to share in our joy.
Please join us in the community room after the church service for an hour of fellowship and to kiss the baby!
Hope to see you there, my blogfriends.

Random Pics

This photo is probably six weeks old, but for some reason, I love it. It's out of focus and silly, but there's so much going on! SJ is telling a story, Natalie is on the verge of a breakdown and Eva is puzzled. I just love it.
Probably not the world's best idea.

Hangin' around with Natalie Ann (a.k.a. Feather Head).

They're the Ley-Lie twins. : )

What do YOU think?

Playstation

Dear Mrs. Crim,
Thank you so much for this sweet and gracious gift.
My mom really needed a break today--she's not feeling well. She has mastitis. : (
We are both so glad she had this in her back pocket (or...the basement).
I love my new playstation! I could sit and stand in it for hours!
Love always,
Shirley Jean
p.s. I played til I threw up!
p.p.s. Please don't blame my mom for the big gash on my face. Totally my fault.

Take a Tubber

One of my baby books recommended filling the bathtub with a couple inches of water and let the baby splash around. I thought, "She won't like that at all."

Boy was I wrong.

Some new pics.

My baby laughed on Sunday. It was the most perfect little laugh. I couldn't stop crying. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and in that instant, I could have just died. Stopped living. Because everything I've ever wanted was given to me in that moment that she giggled.

And I might as well have, because she hasn't done it since!

Here are some new pics that I haven't had time or a reason to post. Hopefully very soon I will be able to put up a laughing video...