Saturday, January 3, 2009

I'm horrible at coming up with fun titles...

I began writing this post last week right before Radez went back to work after his two week vacation.  I've been trying to find time to get back ever since!  Radez has been in Boston for five days and boy have we missed him:(  Logan and I have had a great time bonding together!  We even got to spend the night with Mimi and Papa.  I feel like maybe I have a better idea of how what my days would look like if  we had more children...crazy!  

We had a blast hanging out as a family and with friends this while Radez was home though.  We really tried to take advantage of our time...  Radez biked his longest distance yet last weekend - 58 miles!  Logan turned 17 months old, and has learned his basic colors and shapes.  He's really started having more of an interest in colors since he got his table and chairs and easel for Christmas.  Although some days he can tell me every color correctly, and others he won't.  He learned his shapes several months ago, but colors have been more difficult.  I've heard that some children who learn shapes easily have a more difficult time with colors and vice versa.  I think that all the variations in colors can be confusing to transfer from the primary colors on crayons and books.  Maybe Logan is a more concrete thinker like I am.  It's so neat to see his personality unfold.  He loves to paint and draw now, and can even draw a circle!  I think he really loved moving on to the next step in shape sorters too - the little ball that's red on one side and blue on the other for those of you who have kids:) He also made a major accomplishment of screwing the lids all the way on his toothpaste and a water bottle.  He has been screwing the lids back and forth for a long time, but now he screws them on so tightly that he can't get them off!  I guess that comes next.  Logan can sing the "clean up" song now.  He loves to sing, dance, and do motions to songs and rhymes!  He also loves to slither around the house and make hissing sounds like a snake!  OK, so he only actually slithers backwards, but crawls forwards.  One more super cute thing that we've been doing that I don't think I've written about is having "conversations" with Logan where we say something then he says something and so on.  Whenever Logan tells us something, it's almost inevitable that it's followed by him nodding his head in agreement with himself!  He must tell a lot of jokes, too.  He's always cracking himself up!  Sometimes we understand what he's saying, sometimes we don't!  The same probably goes for him too.  I think Logan understands quite a bit, though.  He follows directions very well (when he's obeying).  But whatever he does or does not know is exactly where God would have him to be right now.  My prayer is that God would show me how to most effectively teach Logan as an individual, and that Logan would learn from the way that I teach him so that ultimately I can be an instrument in Logan learning his need for a Savior.  

We also got to go to Marbles and Monkey Joe's (inflatable jumping) as a family.  Logan eventually warmed up better to jumping with Daddy along.  We had a great time catching up with some old friends from college at the Braddy's for a New Year's party.  We had a blast playing the infamous "Celebrity Name" game.  We also got to meet baby Isaac Mehaffie!  Check out the pic of Radez holding him...I think he's starting to get the itch for another one!  What do you think?  Logan on the other hand camped out by the sweets.  Check out his sad puppy dog face after being told he couldn't have any more!  Don't feel too sorry for him though.  He shoveled in his fair share of chocolate covered pretzels and puppy chow before that!  He was very obedient, just looking and not touching... somewhat uncharacteristic of his recent behavior patterns.  He's been testing us quite a bit.  I've had a difficult time dealing with the fact that we need to discipline him more firmly now that he's getting older and less responsive to what we've been doing.  It probably hurts my feelings as much as his to see him be disciplined sometimes.  I've even selfishly overlooked a few offenses not wanting to have to follow through in discipline.  

Thankfully, God is faithful to give us exactly what we need when we need it.  I've been reading Feminine Appeal, and just finished the chapter on discipline.  I highly recommend this book, and this chapter has been particularly convicting as well as encouraging at this stage in my life.  In Titus 2, women are commanded to love their husbands and children.  The type of love Paul is referring to here is the Greek "phileo" which describes the love between very close friends.  It is tender, passionate, and affectionate.  It enjoys and respects.  Carolyn Mahaney argues that women have a much easier time showing love by sacrificing and serving others than passionately enjoying them, hence the need for this specific command.  In regards to my struggle with discipline, Proverbs 13:4 says that the avoidance of discipline is an expression of hate, not love.  I certainly want to love and not hate my child.  I pray that God would give me love and that this love would stand out to him as love that can only come from the Lord.  


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1 comment:

East Carolina In My Mind said...

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