Big Girl Bed

When we went to Hilton Head, Eliana decided she wanted to sleep in the big girl bed. There was an extra bed in a sun room off the master, so Eliana had her own room. All week she did really well with sleeping the bed, even for her naps. She didn't get out of bed, even in the morning. She still called for us to come get her. She understood that she wasn't allowed to get out of bed.

So when we got home from vacation, we figured we had made the transition to the big girl bed. She did okay with it for about a week. She realized that she had a new found freedom, as long as she didn't leave her room. On more than one occasion she would spend the first 40 minutes or so of nap time reading, and then fall asleep in the glider. Pretty cute.

But then we started having marathon bedtimes. She would get out of bed repeatedly, and she knew if she got out of bed and left her room, she was in trouble. She was getting in trouble quite a bit.

Then one night, she decided she didn't want to sleep in the big girl bed anymore, and wanted to sleep in the crib. I suppose we should have taken the crib down so it wouldn't be an option, but since it was still in her room along with the bed, I granted her request and put her in the crib.

It was the easiest bedtime we had had in at least a week. So Eliana's back in the crib. Are we bad parents? :) I feel like she just wasn't ready and feels more secure in the crib. And unfortunately, we're not going to need the crib anytime soon! But maybe we should have pushed through... Any suggestions?

A good morning...

This morning, while I'm in the kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee, I hear Eliana through the monitor waking up, and she calls for Mommy! In fact, it was, "Mommy! I want to hold you!" I shouted back that I'd be right up. Then I shouted, "I love you, Eliana!" And I hear her shout back, "I love you too, Mommy!" What a great way to start the morning.

It made me think of meeting God first thing in the morning. A couple of weeks ago at our small group, we were talking about prayer, and one of the guys challenged us to follow a prayer structure for fifteen minutes each morning. Setting the alarm even earlier wasn't something I was very excited to do, but it's been really nice. Rather than rushing right into a busy day, take a few quiet moments, maybe even before the sun's completely up, to say good morning to God.

Here's an idea of what the prayer structure is:

Be Still. Relax. Remind yourself: "I am here to meet God. No other appointment competes in importance." Read a scripture passage for the day.

Adoration. Think on the greatness of God. How incredible it is that God knows you and desires to have fellowship with you! Adore Him.

Thanksgiving. Name the things God has given you for which you are grateful. Be thankful for Christ's death on the cross, salvation and the promise of eternal life with Him.

Dedication. Review the significant vows you have taken...as a spouse, parent, employee. Reaffirm these vows, but also focus intently on this day. Offer your life to God for joyful service today!

Guidance. Envision your day with God. Ask God's guidance in each aspect of your day.

Intercession. Make a list of the names of people who are in need of your prayers. Contemplate each one and lift up their individual needs to God. Love them.

Petition. Lift up your own needs to God. Tell Him what you most deeply desire in your life. As you spend time in God's presence, your desires will change and mature; your true wants get crystallized by the Spirit. So persist in asking for what you really want...until you know what it is.

Act of Trust. Intentionally release your prayers to God...and trust God to answer them.

Wait. In the ensuing silence, wait to hear what God wishes to say to you. Silently contemplate the phrase: "Speak, Lord..your child listens." And wait.

Daddy's Girl.

We've been noticing over the last couple of weeks that Eliana's making a transition from being Mommy's girl, to Daddy's. Daddy has usually already left for work when Eliana wakes up, and the first thing she says is, "Where's Daddy?" She get so excited when he comes home. The cutest bit is the impromptu cuddles with Daddy. Eliana will just crawl into daddy's lap, or squeeze next to him in the chair. It's really very sweet.

This morning, however, I didn't find it very sweet...it was the first time Eliana woke up and didn't call for Mommy. It was all: "Daddy! Daddy! Come get me, Daddy!" I've been replaced.

Saturday Labor...

It felt really good to be outside yesterday getting things done in the yard. It's a lot of work! We had a pile of mulch delivered to our driveway earlier in the week, and had lots and lots of weeding to do (when we blinked, the weeds took over!) before we could lay it. We made a rather large project out of mulching Eliana's playground.

Earlier in the week my brother helped rip out the ugly bushes that were in the middle of our front yard. We wanted to start over with that spot. I went to the local garden center to get some azaleas for the front yard. My mom and I literally spent an hour and a half picking out four azaleas! There's so many different kinds! Anyway, the yard is looking so much better! Eliana was a big helper.

Cuteism

Ask Eliana if she's cute, and she'll respond, "No! I'm sweet and precious!". Indeed.

This picture was taken 3/22/08 at an Easter Egg hunt.

Spring Break!

It's been a few weeks now, but I'm still reveling in the great family vacation we had on Hilton Head Island. We hit the road after church Easter Sunday, (Eliana was a great passenger, thankfully!) and had a really nice time riding bikes, walking on the beach, enjoying the heated pool and hot tub... Eliana played her first game of putt-putt ("pup pup"). We even saw an alligator! The best part had to be renting bikes because Hilton Head is such a beautiful place (and of course Eliana loved riding). Hilton Head has building ordinances that keep the place looking so classy and natural. Let it suffice to say that even the Walmart is discrete and attractive! Uncle Jay and Sara came down for the last few days of our trip, and we had a great time together.

This is for you, MWC Girls!

I have succumbed to the world of blogging. Honestly, I don't know why, because I often feel my ordinary life is pretty mundane, and who would want to read about it? But alas, I do enjoy reading the postings of my friends, so I suppose it's only fair that I give back. Ha ha. Sadly, there's often not enough hours in a day (I have a hard time finding them, anyway) for a simple phone call to catch up with family and friends, so perhaps this will serve as a way of "keeping up." I do hope there's a few out there who will enjoy this insight to our life...