make disciples of all nations
If we are friends on facebook or you hang out on the as Jules is going page, you may have seen our "love note station" hard at work. Mainly by my 5-year-old who loves crafting along with her new found skills of reading and writing.
Today I am sharing the basics of how we set up our station. Come check it out on the homemaker's challenge.
Head on over to the as Jules is going Facebook page or comment below to add your own qualifications for earning motherhood tenure 😉
Friday I shared how I'm not a "baby person" but I'm still lamenting over all these "last first" I'm experiencing with my youngest. One of the lasts I am not wishing never comes is that first smile. So far, we've had lots of those "I'm pooping in my sleep" smiles and even bright generic happy faces but none of those lips curled up, scrunched nose, wide-eyed, I love you so much smiles yet. Ellie is seven weeks old {today} which is no time at all in the grand scheme of things but if you've never had a work-for-it personality type child then you might not understand how long 7 weeks can really be with blank stares.
Seven week is about to kill me. If you sat in my house during Ellie's awake times you would think I'd lost my mind. I talk to her about all kinds of things. I talk in a normal voice; I talk in stupid voices. I have a {likely creepy} smile plastered on my face. I am constantly trying to make eye-contact; even attempting to look at her the entire time I nursing. I snuggle. and nothing.
I think I'd be even more upset about it if I hadn't already gone through this. That's why I want to share about what to do as a mom of a prude child who makes you earn a smile. My second child, Izzie was also like this as a baby. Stingy with the smiles. She wasn't as easily amused by my antics as her older sister and younger brother.
I think being a middle-child lends people to be less of an open-book. Some times it's because they're people-pleasers, others it's because they're unsure of themselves; not knowing their taste, likes, dislikes, style, etc. I can say this because I am a middle child and do tend to be the prude-personality. You know the prude-personality; the ones that seem shy but once you break that barrier there's no going back.
Being in "full-time ministry" our children have often been snuggled by those they don't always know well. Maggie and Jamin tend to thrive on this affection. Izzie- she shoots daggers from her eyes at those who try to invade her personal bubble before being invited. But once she decides she likes you, it's on! {insert a gazillion personal stories from our valley family}
As babies, this personality type some times appears angry, upset, unamused, indifferent. Indifferent is the worst. As a mom, I think this can sometimes make it hard to bond with your baby. You may feel like your baby doesn't like you. After carrying them for nine months, going through whatever type of birth to get them here, and looking forward to learning them- indifference from your baby toward you is hard! Bonding feels delayed and often, the want-to of getting to know your baby is...lacking. You're exhausted already and this personality type takes effort.
In the long run, I actually love this personality type. I'm sure there's a better title but in-short, this personality is prude, complicated, hard-to-crack, straightforward. When someone takes the time to engage them for more than just a few minutes; get to know them for real; and invest real care, the investment has major payoff!!! This personality is beyond loyal and loveable!
Ellie is a LOT like Izzie was when she was a baby! For all the mom's out there with the baby who doesn't smile right away, I'm here to be honest and encourage you.
It IS coming! It will be worth it. Keep Truck'n.
Talk to her. Smile at her. Remember that infants eyesight is slow-developing and not always the same timeline as other infants. Let them investigate new things. Our living room ceiling fan gets way more smiles right now than I do. Give baby massages. Snuggle.
It IS coming! It. Will. Be. Worth. It!
Their personality will come out and these {possibly} months of watching friends' infant {younger than yours} ham it up on Facebook will be a thing of the past. Try your hardest not to compare. Don't let that depress you or feel like you're doing something wrong.
Don't avoid sharing pictures of your baby just because of that perceived "I hate my life" look on their face. They are gorgeous and their personality will shine in time. {rhyme intended 😉 }
Do you have a stack of cell pics piling up because they're not Pinterst worthy with little elf hats, perfect skin, and a slight sheepish grin? Lets share them while they last. Infancy is a tiny slice of this kids life. Their non-smile is not a negative reflection on you. It's a reflection on the depth of their personality. You will want to remember this hard stage as a thing of the past someday!
Would it be inappropriate to start the hashtag #notasmileslut to encourage realness? bwahahaha
Infants: tiny, new, warm, snugly,
easily molded into fun positions for fun pictures.
I am completely honest with friends about not being a "baby person". Don't get me wrong. I love my babies, their short time of infancy, and would never wish it away but I much more enjoy when they start interacting even in the smallest ways.
If your like me, this emotional time right after having a baby can be tough. Wither it's labeled or not, every women goes through some sort of hormonal abnormalities during pregnancy and when our bodies try to go back to 'normal' when baby gets here, it can be hard to sort through the wide variety of emotions.
For me, having our fourth child means we are "done Having" babies. With this being our fourth c-section and several other factors, this has been the basic plan for as long as I can remember. BUT with that comes the very real realization that these are all your "last firsts". Anywhere from your last black-poopy diaper change to last limp naps on your lap to last first holidays. There have been many times these things come to mind and all I can do is fight back tears. It's not that I'm not okay with these being the lasts it's just weird realizing it.
I've found some things that help during the investment time while you wait on the big pay-off:
Hold them. Smell them. Bath them. Carry them. I know it may sounds silly but try and enjoy all the little things that will pass too quickly. Having a hard no-smile day? Give your baby a sweet little bath, glob them up with that typical baby-smell lotion, and snuggle them in sweet jammies while you inhale the aroma that will soon be replaced by sweaty-kid accompanied by "no I don't wanna take a bath" or "Oops, I didn't mean to cover the entire bathroom in bubbles".
I'm not sure how much crazy or "awe" is in this but all I can think of is the passage that offhandedly mentions that "Marry treasured all these thing in her heart" {Luke 2:19}. I am terrified I won't "treasure" all these things. My heart aches when I think of forgetting any of these sweet moments with my littles. {hence the abnormal amount of pictures- images jog my memory}
How about you? Are you a baby-person? Do you worry about not "treasuring all these things"?
We currently don't have snow {boo- if it's gonna be this cold there should be fun white stuff} but I know many of you across the states right now do.
I also know bundling your little ones can be a hassle. Especially when they want to come in and out in and out because it's so cold. I discovered that an old plastic table clothe works great for a collection site right next to the door for all their wet, fridges clothing that they are going to want to put right back on in about 30 minutes.
This keeps tiny boots from tracking snowy mud across the entire house and keeps everything all in one spot so its all ready when they are {again}.
The Valley Church was planted on Easter 2013. Our church was NOT destroyed by the tornado because the church is a people not a building. Our meeting space may be gone but we will continue to be a light for Jesus in this community!
Clicking the image above will take you to our fundraising site. 
