Sitting?

Being a math person, I like to have rules or definitions to abide by as I make a conclusion. So, I wonder... how do you know when a baby has reached the milestone of sitting? Is there a certain length of time that she stays upright for before toppling? Or, should the baby pull herself into a sitting position?

Molly can sit for short times unassisted. If she is focusing at something at eye level or higher, she is pretty stable. However, she usually looks at a toy on the floor and leans over to grab it.

Enjoy these pictures:

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I awoke with a pink rose by my pillow. Great job, Ryan!

Molly has been busy "crawling" backwards. She spends a lot of time on her belly and ends up pushing herself backwards. I don't think she realizes that she's doing it. My dad just screwed her shelf to the wall, so it is safe for her to play near it. I turned her toy box on its side so she could pull the toys out. She started on the far right by the doll. Look where she ended up!

"Uh oh! What did I do?!?"

"Yeah! Look what I did!"

Have a happy Valentine's Day! I love the poetic beginning of 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter in the Bible... Love is patient, love is kind, etc.). The first three verses are:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
What a beautiful reminder that what we accomplish is never as important as how well we love. You can read the whole chapter online by clicking here.

Bathtub and High Chair

Molly has been beginning to eat some solid foods. We started out with a little rice cereal about two weeks ago. She does a really good job of opening her mouth when the spoon approaches. She also swallows the food really well. Of course, some of it is pushed out by her tongue, but usually it is a very small amount. After we began giving her the cereal, she began spitting up quite a bit. So, we stopped the cereal. I read online that the grains can be more difficult to digest than fruit which has special enzymes to aid digestion. So, I tried giving her a little mashed avocado. She seems to like the creamy texture.

Molly had a little earache last week and has been on antibiotics. Giving her the medicine is much more difficult than feeding her solids! The dose is one teaspoon which sounds like a small amount, but it is actually equivalent to six times the amount of Tylenol recommended for babies at her age. So, when I give her Tylenol it is one dropperful, and this antibiotic is like six of those droppersful! Well, the antibiotic has made her go from a "two bowel movement a week baby" to a "four BM a DAY baby"! As a result, we've been giving her some banana. Surprisingly, she seems to prefer the unsweet cereal and avocado.

Molly also has had a couple "baby popsicles". My mom made a bunch of cubes of frozen peach puree. Last Thursday when Molly wasn't feeling well, we were at my parents. She was crying, and we couldn't find anything to soothe her. I suggested putting an ice cube in a washcloth. Sometimes she just likes to suck on something cold. Well, mom asked if she could give her a peach cube. We tried it, and immediately she stopped fussing. She sucked and sucked until it was all gone. We were at my parents' again on Sunday, and she got another popsicle. However, I tried to give her one at home, and she wasn't interested! For now we are going to stick to the banana, avocado and peach cubes before we introduce a new food. In a few weeks I'll probably try some type of vegetable.

Molly loves taking a bath. I put a towel under her so that she doesn't slip around. She likes for me to support her in a sitting position so she can grab at a toy in the water or to play with the water coming from the faucet. However, she also likes to try to put the wet towel into her mouth. She does the same thing when she lies on her belly in the tub. We end her bathtime by laying her on her back. She gets really mellow and lies still in the tub. Sometimes she'll splash a little with her legs or arms, but she usually just looks at me and remains still. It is quite amazing because she is usually such an active baby.

This is Molly with my parents on my dad's birthday.

One of the great things about Fort Worth is that while it is a large modern city, it is still surrounded by ranchland. A week ago there was actually a wildfire in the city because there are grassy fields in various parts of Fort Worth. We live in a busy part of the city that is an entertainment and business hub. However, running the Trinity Trail from our home toward downtown, we pass fields of cattle. The picture shows the wide open spaces just 5 miles down the freeway from our exit. So, we have country in the city.

Pangea

Once in awhile I will be in a discussion where someone will ask how I reconcile my spiritual beliefs with what I know about science. Good question. Really I'm just a learner in both areas. I definitely think that God's word is infallible, but it does leave some room for science to explain some of the details.

I've been going to a Bible study during which we watch a video of Kay Arthur. Well, on one of the videos she was talking about the tower of Babel. If you don't know, the towel of Babel is the story in which humans were building a tower to try to reach heaven. Because of their intent to obtain a godlike status, the Lord confused their language. As a result, the people were scattered according to their language. This is where we get the expression "to babble" meaning to speak senselessly.

What you probably learned in science class was that the continents were once together as one giant land mass called Pangea. Some Biblical scholars think that Pangea is mentioned in Gen. 1:9,10. When God was creating the Earth, He said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into ONE PLACE (emphasis mine), and let the dry land appear," and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters he called seas, and God saw that it was good. These scholars argue that if the waters were gathered into one place, then the land also must be located in one place, hence the passage is referring to Pangea.

So then, the tower of Babel happened and people separated according to their language. After this, in Gen. 10:25 it says, "Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg (means division) for in his days the earth was divided." The word for earth in Gen 1:10 and 10:25 is the same, erets. The word for divided is palag which merely means divided or split. So after the people were scattered according to their language, the continents split apart. As a result, people of many languages were spread to various parts of the Earth. Only God knows how the continents were split, or how the timing of this all occured, but there is a possible reconciliation of a scientific belief and God's word.

Mawly

Often when Ryan or I are introducing Molly to someone we meet around town, they will misunderstand her name and ask, "Miley? Like Miley Cyrus?" or they will simply say, "Miley, that's such a cute name!" As a result, I've been trying to really accentuate the short "o" sound as I say her name. Yesterday, in Ace Hardware, a familiar scenario unfolded. The cashiers peered closer to the baby in order to get a good look. They asked her name. I responded, "Molly". Like usual, one of the girls told me how much she liked the name Miley. I explained to them my dilemma. One of the girls suggested that Texans would say her name with an "aw" sound instead of an "ah" sound. She told me, "Mawly, like the mall." So, it would be M"aw"lly instead of M"ah"lly. It was an epiphany to me as I left the store and pondered this. Of course, a fine girl from Texas wouldn't walk a mile, instead she'd walk a "moll". Additionally, a child here would play with a "dawl" not a "doll". So, as I drive, I'm repeatedly saying "Mahlly" and "Mawlly" in order to discern the difference. When we midwesterners say her name, we make the vowel sound in the top of our mouth and toward the front. When I say "Mawlly" I can feel the air resonating much lower in my throat. Ah ha! Finally, it is clear to me why they call it a southern dr"aw"l!

Miss Molly

Molly really keeps us on our toes! When she is feeling a little bit active, she rolls over onto her belly right away. She likes her little play gym with the animals hanging down. However, just a minute or two after we put her beneath it to play, she has rolled over and gotten her legs caught on the side of it, often her body is perpendicular to her initial position! During the night and naps, she's also rolled over onto her belly. It makes us really nervous to find her this way, but she's strong enough to roll over anything that we put next to her to keep her on her back! She especially likes to roll over when I'm changing her diaper or clothes. I ALWAYS have a hand on her when she's on top of anything!

She's also started to try to turn around, stand, and squirm out of her swing, car seat, stroller, bouncy seat, and our laps! She is very determined!



We babysat for Jorja the other night. Molly and Jorja were only one ounce different on their weight at four months. One ounce is less than the weight of a feeding or a wet diaper! I got a taste of what it's like for moms with two babies. Molly was fussing in her crib, and Jorja would fuss if I put her down. So I had to carry Jorja in to the room as I checked on Molly. Well, Molly's crying upset Jorja; she started crying. In response, Molly started screaming! So, I carried them both out to the living room. (This part is a blur... did I carry them both at once or did I carry one out and then the other? One thing I'm sure about: There was a lot of crying going on.) Once they were out on the floor, I had to think fast, "How can I comfort them both at once?" Jorja's bottle was nearby so I offered that to her while I scooped up Molly. Almost instantly the crying subsided. Molly, delighted to be up past her bedtime, laid on the floor next to Jorja and admired her friend. Jorja, delighted by her bottle, was oblivious to Molly. The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful. Molly tried to roll over on Jorja (it's happened before). Ryan came home, and Molly went back to bed.

Four Months

Molly is sweetly napping, and I have some time to give an update. Her four month birthday was January 8. Here are some pictures of her:

Molly loves to roll onto her stomach. She can roll over multiple times. This means trouble for Mom and Dad because she can make it across the room quickly. We have to keep our eyes on her. We also find her on her belly quite often in her crib as she is trying to fall asleep or after she has awakened. When she is sleeping, she stays put on her back.


Molly and Jorja are nearly the same size. They both love to smile but not for the camera!

Yesterday at her check up, Molly weighed 13 lb 12 oz. She is at the 50th percentile for weight. I do not put much "weight" in her height measurement. I find the nurses' technique of eyeballing the length of a squirmy baby quite imprecise. She is somewhere near the median value for length.

We made our first phone call to the 24 hour answering service of our pediatrician's office last night. Molly had a temperature of 102 degrees at 4:30 this morning. She had her second round of immunizations yesterday. The nurse had given us a handout about fever yesterday, but it did not indicate what temperature reading would necessitate contacting a doctor. After conversing with the nurse, giving the baby some Tylenol drops, and stripping her down to her diaper, Molly's temperature dropped back to 98.8 after two hours. I guess that we are being typical first time parents. I'm sure that a great majority of the calls they receive are from new parents of firstborns.

We are very much in love with our baby. Her smile and giggles captivate us. Having her has caused us to appreciate each other more. I look forward to spending time with her when she awakes.

Running, the News, and God

On my last post, I mentioned the violence in Kenya. Click to read an article about how the world class distance runners in Kenya have been affected.

On a lighter note, I know that some of you out there haven't yet chosen a candidate that you would like to support for president. I haven't. I know that there are weighty issues to consider, like the war in Iraq, abortion, and the environment. However, here are a couple of interesting articles about Huckabee and Edwards and their lives as runners. Their stories give some neat insight into the character and personal side of these men.

Edwards
Huckabee

I have been starting to run consistently. It was nice to go last week when Ryan was home to babysit. This week I've been running with the baby jogger. Julie and I are facing the challenge of finding a good (read: safe) location to run side by side with our joggers. The river trail that goes by our place is a good option for us.
I'm slowly getting in shape. At the end of the run, when I'm the most exhausted, I only have to rest maybe 10% of my body weight on the handle of the jogger. I'm sure it is quite a sight to behold- a woman hunched over the stroller huffing away and trotting along.

I'm remembering why I love running. How my body and mind feels during and after a run is amazing. Dr. Oz calls endorphins the body's morphine. (Running is much safer, but can be addictive.) Speaking of endorphins... did you know that your body releases endorphins when you eat spicy food? The "pain" of the hotness is which triggers the release. Again, the endorphin high can be addictive; alas, spicy foods are addictive.

Back to the running topic... one final thought: if we are made in God's image, then He must be a runner. It feels so natural and freeing to go for a good run. Surely this part of our design is modeled after our Creator. It just feels spiritual. (Maybe not the haggard woman described above!) So, as I run I thank God that I am made in His image and ask for strength and health to continue to run and to "feel His pleasure."

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel his pleasure." Eric Liddell

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Pray for Kenya

A news blurb on yahoo about 50 people being burned to death in a church really impacted me. It reminded me of a part of the movie "The Patriot" in which the same thing happened. It would be horrible to live in a war zone. Pray for peace for Kenya as its people are in the midst of turmoil.

With Uncle Tim

One of Molly's favorite parts of the holiday was a visit from Uncle Tim. Don't they look cute together? As promised, he bought her a "loud, annoying toy". Actually he gave her two LeapFrog toys that are great for learning, but would be fine with a sound level of about 20 decibels less. (Since the decibel scale is a logarithmic scale, this equates to an intensity 100 times less. Ahhhhh, physics.) In addition, one of them has no off button. Once it begins singing the ABCs it must finish the song.

Trip to Dallas and Uneventful New Year

Ryan and I went away on Sunday night to Dallas. My mom watched Molly at our home. (Thanks, Mom!) We had a great time. Our hotel was on the west end and had a beautiful view of downtown. We asked for a room with a view and got a room on the top floor facing the skyscrapers. We slept with the curtains open so that we could see the city lights as we fell asleep.

From our hotel, we walked to the art district and walked around the sculpture garden at the Dallas Museum of Art. On the way back, we visited Fountain Place. It is a skyscraper that is surrounded by fountains and waterfalls. We enjoyed a drink at the House of Blues and a steak dinner at Hofbrau. The Cotton Bowl was played Tuesday in Dallas, so there were Missouri and Arkansas fans everywhere.

New Years was quiet as we watched a movie at home, popped open a bottle of bubbly, and went to bed at 11:00! We use the excuse that it was midnight in New York, and that's where the ball drops, so that's what counts!

We've really enjoyed having Ryan home for the last two weeks. He's spent a lot of time with Molly. We've enjoyed doing a Bible study on marriage together in the mornings and then reading the paper in bed. One verse that we studied begins, "Marriage is to be held in honor among all." (Hebrews 13:4a) What a great way to promote God's kingdom on Earth: by speaking highly of marriage and encouraging couples in their marriages.


Fountain Place



Views from our room

In front of a sculpture. The background is a waterfall which gives a very interesting visual effect to the sculpture.

Crunches

Molly has been doing baby crunches for a few weeks. She strains and lifts her head up at the same time that she extends her legs out a couple inches above the ground. I've been marveling at what a good workout she gets. This morning when we were still lying in bed, I decided to try to do crunches with her. Everytime she'd lift up her head and hold it I'd do it, too. Keep in mind that she holds this position for several seconds. When I started accompanying her, she started doing her crunches about every 10 seconds and would hold them for a few seconds each. After about 15 or 20, my stomach muscles were burning. Every time I saw her start to raise her head, I'd groan and yell out in frustration, "Molly!" It seemed like she wasn't going to let up. After enough complaining on my part, Ryan told me to just stop doing the crunches, too. I said that tomorrow morning I'd try to keep up with her better.

After being shown up by my 3 1/2 month old, I was motivated to go for a good run. Ryan babysat, and I ran my first three mile run in several months. There was frost on the ground, and it was a perfectly crisp, still, and sunny morning for a run. I encountered twenty or so cyclists, walkers, and runners along my route. It was very satisfying.

Virtual Christmas Letter

It seems like writing a Christmas letter is the thing to do when you have kids. So, I'd like to share a few things from this past year, specifically the ways that God has provided for us.

Early this spring, when Ryan and I had decided to move to Texas to have our baby here, I had to make a decision about leaving my job at the university. I loved my job, and it was very difficult to tell my department chair that I wouldn't be returning. However, we were trusting God to provide for us in a new chapter of our lives.

Then this summer, we put our house on the market and moved away to Texas. God provided a buyer shortly after we moved. It is a difficult market for sellers in the midwest, and we had lived in the house less than two years. However, we were able to get back our whole downpayment that we had put down on the house. God was faithful.

It was difficult to trust God as my due date approached, and Ryan hadn't yet gotten a teaching job. My due date was 8/22, and our insurance was due to end on 8/31. However, we knew that God would provide all that we needed. I had a doula that I was going to use for my labor and delivery. Unexpectedly, I got called to work two days at my on-call financial job the week before my due date. The amount I made from those two days working was the amount I needed to pay my doula. God had also given Ryan a great summer job working at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. He blessed us with a beautiful home in which to live without cost from July to October. So, we waited on God in faith.

On August 16, Ryan was offered his teaching job. Because it was a job at an urban district and because he had two coaching positions, his salary is more than sufficient to provide for our family. The health insurance from his job would begin the day after mine ended. Even better, because Molly wasn't born until September 8, I purchased COBRA so that we would have dual coverage for the labor, delivery, first weeks of Molly's life, and my unanticipated "surgery". This saved us over a thousand dollars.

God's greatest gifts to us are the birth of our lovely daughter, the love of friends and family, good health, and the birth of Jesus that we celebrate today. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Memories

At church on Sunday we had a special family Christmas service in which some members of the congregation recounted special holiday memories. Here are the words that I shared:

It is with a thankful heart that I tell about three men in my life. I have had godly men that have pastored me and taught me about God's love. I don't want to take them for granted because I know that not everyone is blessed with caring males in their lives.

First I remember a Christmas when I was a girl. My dad surprised me with a doll house that he had made for my Barbies. He had constructed the house in our basement without me knowing. He put a lot of thought and detail into the house. The wallpaper on the walls was the same as that in my bedroom. There was a framed picture of Holly Hobby that was similar to my Holly Hobby bedspread. He had made small pieces of furniture to adorn the house.

Another Christmas memory is playing duets on the piano with my Grandpa. It is ironic that the song we just sang was "O Holy Night" because this was one of the songs we played together. These moments at the piano were special ones that he and I shared.

Five years ago for was the first Christmas for Ryan and me as a married couple. He surprised me by buying tickets for us to fly to Texas to visit my parents after Christmas. They had just moved to Texas that year.

This past Christmas, Ryan and I knew that I was pregnant, but no one else knew. It was a special time thinking about this Christmas when we would have our baby. We enjoyed sharing the anticipation together.

Christmas Morning

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11



We spent Christmas Eve Eve at my Aunt Jackie and Uncle John's house. I have lots of cousins, and one is expecting a baby in May. Molly will have another second cousin. It might be awhile before she has any first cousins, but she has nine second cousins.

Christmas Eve we spent at the Harrison's house. We are blessed to have wonderful friends with whom to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Molly wore her pretty Christmas dress and slept in her car seat the whole time except for a brief arousal during which she ate.

Last evening and this morning, we spent some family time in bed opening presents and enjoying each other. We got Molly a door way jumper. She isn't old enough to jump around in it yet, but she kind of turns around and looks at things from her new vantage point.







Molly loves her bunny puppet from my Aunt Ilene and Uncle Matt.



Later today my brother is flying in from Toledo. He and my parents will be coming to our place for Christmas dinner.

Christmas weather forecast for Fort Worth: Sunny, High 61 Low 40
Score of MSU - Texas game on Saturday: 78 MSU 72 Texas
(Rematch next December in Dallas)