Hannah is napping so I thought I'd write a quick update:
It's Maundy Thursday and theoretically I should be half-way through my spring cleaning. I am here to report that I am doing ok but a little behind. Monday was a challenge. Hannah wasn't having a good day and that set me back. But Tuesday was better, and yesterday was great. The kitchen is done with what I can do - I am not allowed to touch some cabinets. There's never been a cleaner and more organized refrigerator though! Air filters are cleaned. Bedroom is spotless. The duvet cover and shams have been washed and ironed. Even the valance was washed and ironed and the blinds bleached clean. Winter clothes have been replaced with warmer weather ones... The house is looking good. Today I am going to work in Hannah's room and the bathrooms. Bathrooms. I'm dreading that the most.
Spiritually my goal was to remain focused on prayer and reflection. It is a little more challenging than I thought... I find my mind wandering as I make my way through the house. Things I see along the way can distract me easily. So my new tactic is to focus on a person or specific subject as I do a certain task. This has helped a lot. I have the tv set on the contemporary Christian music channel and only change the station to the news when I'm feeding Hannah. At the end of the day I am exhausted but have a sense of accomplishment in what I've done at home, and a feeling of contentment in my soul.
Now I gotta get off this laptop and get to work! Have a great day! Til next time...
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Holy Week and spring cleaning...
Yesterday marks the beginning of the most important week of the church year. Each year at this time I spend a good part of my time reflecting (more than usual) on the true meaning of Easter - bunnies and eggs aside. I find myself in awe of Christ and how He laid down His life for us. Yesterday at our Palm Sunday service the choir sang their Easter Cantata (with a beautiful solo from my hubby!). The title could not better describe the depth and wonder of Christ's sacrifice: "No Greater Love."
It's also springtime, which brings with it two words I love: spring cleaning. (I know you are looking for the segue-way here. I'll get to that in a minute.) I do love a clean house. Joe even thinks I'm a little obsessed about it. Or a lot obsessed. I don't like clutter. I don't like dust. I like the carpet freshly vacuumed and the kitchen and bathrooms spotless. When I practice yoga and notice that the coffee table is dusty or the rug needs to be vacuumed badly, I have a hard time staying focused. I like to clean and organize most of the time. That's how I harness my chi. It's how I decompress. I feel happy and relaxed when the house is in order. I realize that that is not always reality with a baby in tow. But I make do. I clean when I can. I pick up as I go about my day caring for Hannah. I even put her in the Moby Wrap or Bjorn and do housework on occasion.
So that brings me to today's post. This year I've decided to spend Holy Week combining these two ideas. I seriously need to do some cleaning and housework, and I can always use more time in prayer and reflection. While I clean, I'll reflect on God's goodness and praise Him. I'll pray for friends and family and the many concerns on my mind. I'll meditate on how I can be a better Christian. My goal is to come to Easter morning, with a clean house and a clean heart. Hopefully Hannah will have a good week and this will be a Lenten success. I'll keep you posted!
On another note, Joe has completed his coursework for both doctoral classes he took in January. Hallelujah! He has a busy week with four worship services to prepare for. Though he is quite nervous about me "organizing" and making my way through his kitchen, I hope he enjoys coming home to a cleaner house as the week goes by...
Here are a couple pictures from yesterday. Hannah enjoyed the palm...
It's also springtime, which brings with it two words I love: spring cleaning. (I know you are looking for the segue-way here. I'll get to that in a minute.) I do love a clean house. Joe even thinks I'm a little obsessed about it. Or a lot obsessed. I don't like clutter. I don't like dust. I like the carpet freshly vacuumed and the kitchen and bathrooms spotless. When I practice yoga and notice that the coffee table is dusty or the rug needs to be vacuumed badly, I have a hard time staying focused. I like to clean and organize most of the time. That's how I harness my chi. It's how I decompress. I feel happy and relaxed when the house is in order. I realize that that is not always reality with a baby in tow. But I make do. I clean when I can. I pick up as I go about my day caring for Hannah. I even put her in the Moby Wrap or Bjorn and do housework on occasion.
So that brings me to today's post. This year I've decided to spend Holy Week combining these two ideas. I seriously need to do some cleaning and housework, and I can always use more time in prayer and reflection. While I clean, I'll reflect on God's goodness and praise Him. I'll pray for friends and family and the many concerns on my mind. I'll meditate on how I can be a better Christian. My goal is to come to Easter morning, with a clean house and a clean heart. Hopefully Hannah will have a good week and this will be a Lenten success. I'll keep you posted!
On another note, Joe has completed his coursework for both doctoral classes he took in January. Hallelujah! He has a busy week with four worship services to prepare for. Though he is quite nervous about me "organizing" and making my way through his kitchen, I hope he enjoys coming home to a cleaner house as the week goes by...
Here are a couple pictures from yesterday. Hannah enjoyed the palm...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Will the real Hannah Buck please stand up?
As the parents of a baby, we know all about the milestones children are suppose to reach and about when these milestones should occur. Holding their head up, cooing, rolling over from tummy to back, rolling over from back to tummy, grasping a rattle, smiling, laughing, squealing, making "talking" sounds, turning in the direction of a voice, bearing weight on legs, reaching for an object, sitting unsupported, pulling up to a standing position, crawling.......and on and on it goes. It is enough to drive you crazy if you let it. And, that's the key: you can't let it.
There is one great piece of advice that I read early on in "What to Expect: The First Year." All babies reach milestones on their developmental time line. What's normal for your baby depends on their own rate of development. It's so easy to compare your kid to other kids she's around or friends' kids. "Oh, your baby is sitting up?" Mine's not. "Your baby is crawling now??" Mine hasn't started yet. But your baby is just as old as my baby...
Joe and I have been really good about not getting worried or stressed over this. We are in no rush for Hannah to crawl, walk, etc. After all, when she starts moving, then....well, she's moving! I mean, heck! I am enjoying the fact that when I put her down on the floor, she will stay in that general area until I go get her. There is one thing we'd like her to be able to do. Sit unsupported consistently. For one, I'm looking forward to bathing her sitting up in the tub! She's sitting up on her own, but when she feels like it. She may sit for a while without one of us, and then the next time I sit her up she topples over right away. She gets frustrated laying on the floor on her stomach or back a lot quicker these days. I guess she'll just get frustrated enough til she does something about it!
One thing Hannah does like to do is stand. She barely needs support. We can hold one or both of her hands or her index fingers and she is so happy just standing there. Her legs are strong! When we try to sit her up she immediately straightens her legs and wants to be pulled to standing. It's cute most of the time... So we joke, "Will the real Hannah Buck please stand up?" Because that's what Hannah Buck likes to do. She'll sit in her own time. Right now she likes to stand. And we're ok with that.
There is one great piece of advice that I read early on in "What to Expect: The First Year." All babies reach milestones on their developmental time line. What's normal for your baby depends on their own rate of development. It's so easy to compare your kid to other kids she's around or friends' kids. "Oh, your baby is sitting up?" Mine's not. "Your baby is crawling now??" Mine hasn't started yet. But your baby is just as old as my baby...
Joe and I have been really good about not getting worried or stressed over this. We are in no rush for Hannah to crawl, walk, etc. After all, when she starts moving, then....well, she's moving! I mean, heck! I am enjoying the fact that when I put her down on the floor, she will stay in that general area until I go get her. There is one thing we'd like her to be able to do. Sit unsupported consistently. For one, I'm looking forward to bathing her sitting up in the tub! She's sitting up on her own, but when she feels like it. She may sit for a while without one of us, and then the next time I sit her up she topples over right away. She gets frustrated laying on the floor on her stomach or back a lot quicker these days. I guess she'll just get frustrated enough til she does something about it!
One thing Hannah does like to do is stand. She barely needs support. We can hold one or both of her hands or her index fingers and she is so happy just standing there. Her legs are strong! When we try to sit her up she immediately straightens her legs and wants to be pulled to standing. It's cute most of the time... So we joke, "Will the real Hannah Buck please stand up?" Because that's what Hannah Buck likes to do. She'll sit in her own time. Right now she likes to stand. And we're ok with that.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Not a camera-shy baby...
Check out my teeth!
Modeling the new bathing suit from Grandma. And yes, we need to exchange it for a bigger size.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
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