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.