Braewyn is now 17 months (18 months on Nov. 2) and so much fun. She is running around, smiling, chasing Philip and always looking for her baby doll and blankie (it's big like the kid Linus had in the Charlie Brown cartoon so always dirty from dragging on the ground). She is not talking much yet (we'll discuss that at her next check-up) but is the queen of gestures so she is fully able to get her point across. I guess if I didn't get her what she wanted so much after following her grunting and handpointing, she might be speaking more by now. The kid has a smart, smart brain so I'm not really worried about her. For instance, she mastered sign language for "please" (wiping her hand across her chest) and tries to use it to get more candy, out of her bed, and to go outside. Well, I asked her to say please with her mouth and she WIPES HER HAND ACROSS HER TONGUE!!! Smartie pants! Also she's working on getting her fangs. Braewyn cut the top and bottom front four teeth and then her one-year molars came in leaving a gap on each side (here's a pic). Finally her gaps are filling in as the "fangs" are finally cutting through!
Philip is closing in on turning 4 (his birthday is Jan. 22) and is a superhero through and through. He has the best imagination and always wants to play Batman, Spiderman or Iron Man. He has Batman toys (two figures that ride a Batmobile and some smaller ones from Happy Meals) which me play make-believe with his Fisher Price barn and animals. Some how Batman picked up a side kid in the little calf which came with our F.P. Nativity set; his name is Pup Cow. Batman and Pup Cow are always off to save the day as someone is often trapped in a castle somewhere. Then there's the Spiderman suit which is still worn at least everyother day with various accessories. The newest superhero we're focusing on is Buzz Lightyear! He had Buzz shoes a while back which started the attraction. I'm still not sure if he's seen "Toy Story" (the Disney movie in which Buzz appears) because he said he watched part of it at Hayden's house. I think I'll rent it this week as Friday Philip becomes Buzz for Halloween. When we went to Disney World, I told him he could get one gift. A Buzz suit is what he chose. For $42, it seems like a lot, but my money is banked on it being worn at least every other day for the next year. Here he is with a playdough mask made by Daddy. It's Incredible Kid (i.e. he looks like Dash from "The Incredibles".)
Matthew is continuing to enjoy his job as a Lotus Notes computer programmer. He's been with the same company for 10 years now! Hard to believe. They've begun a great new health program for their employees to help them get in shape. First, they passed our pedometers and encouraged the employees to walk 10,000 steps each day for three months. Whoever completes this assignment receives a gift card to a sports store. Matthew is going above and should hit 1,000,000 steps by the end of this month (the goal was only 770,000). The man is taking walks any chance he has and it's paying off. Matthew has lost 13 pounds since August 1. The second part of the company's health incentive involves losing a certain amount of weight in 6 months time and receiving $500 for doing so! Money talks and I'm sure Matthew will make his 20 pound goal by January. He has also completed a third wood-working project and has started another one. The one he just finished was our beautiful new entertainment center. He created it from scratch and made it to house all our entertainment equipment and DVDs. It's just beautiful. Thanks, sweetie, for all your hard work.
And as for me, our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meetings have begun again this fall and with them, my new position of Discussion Group Team Leader. All the women are assigned to tables so they can get to know a select group of women instead of randomly sitting at different places each meeting. At each table there is a discussion leader (or as we call them Table Shepherds) who makes the women feel welcome, keeps in touch with them as far as what's going on, and leads the discussion time at the end of each meeting. Therefore, it is my job to be an encourager to the Table Shepherds, make sure they know what is going on, and to provide the questions they discuss during discussion time. This last meeting I also introduced our two speakers. I'm not generally one to volunteer to speak before a group but I've reached a point in life where I'm ready to say I want God to grow me out of my comfort zone to serve Him in whatever way He sees fit. I also lead our Table Shepherd meetings (the 2nd Tuesday of each month). On Oct. 14, we had our first one. I was so nervous to the point of feeling sick. I'm just not a leader by nature, but as always, through trying to make things perfect and perform on my own abilities, God humbled me and helped me remember that I should be all things for Him and through His power in me. Now that I've learned that, I'm really excited about our next meeting in a few weeks.
As a group (there are 8 Table Shepherds and me), we are reading through "A Wife After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George with the study guide. After a close friend almost got divorced last summer, strengthening the marriages of myself and these ladies was a burden on my heart. Our first discussion was very good and I was excited to know that the ladies felt comfortable in our group to really share what was in their hearts. I know doing this study will bring us closer to one another and to God.
The second thing I've added to my life recently is running. It's slow going but my goal is to keep at it (i.e. push the kids in the double stroller three days a week while I run/walk and run by myself another three days a week) so as to prepare to run in the 10K Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC in April 2009. I'm going with group of 5 or 6 girls so that makes the idea even that much more fun.
That's about all for now. Just loving each other and trying daily to be good representations of the Lord for our kids so that they might grow to love Him themselves one day.
No comments:
Post a Comment