The "chapel" talk I gave to the girls went well and was fun. I did go overtime, though, which I think is probably bad since they are on a strict schedule for class periods, but I just couldn't stop after 15 minutes! I think I went around 20-25...I'll have to ask Mr. N how long I was. :) He very graciously held the man-child for me while I rambled about what women were made for.
I basically took the well-known passages from the Bible on women, starting with Genesis 2:23 - woman taken out of man, woman made for man, and woman made to be man's helpmeet/support/encourager, etc. So our lives are focused around the man/men in our lives ("men" meaning father, brothers, husband) which is vastly different from a man's calling.
Then, I asked what does that look like? I used Proverbs 31 to answer that question. And yes, I was talking to junior high girls, but I told them it's never to early to know how to respect, obey, and build up their fathers and brothers. It's also never to early to love domestic things such as sewing, cooking, cleaning, caring for babies and children, learning how to make oneself lovely to behold.
I jumped over to Titus 2:1-5 and touched on what it looks like spiritually to be a woman. A woman is chaste, good, sober, discreet, loves her husband and children, a homemaker, obedient to own husbands (and I applied that to their fathers strongly).
It was a good challenge, and fun, for me to tie these all together and try to encourage the girls to see that the Bible gives very clear direction for how they are to act now and how they can prepare for what God has made them to be: wives and mothers! I hope I didn't scare them by continually mentioning that that is what women are to be. :)
On the Home Front, our friends are definitely moving, which means we are definitely moving from an apartment to a home! Huzzah! We are indeed sorry they have to move because of the economy, but since they *have* to move, we are glad to be their tenants and take care of their home. And I hear they are so pleased to have someone they know to live in their house. So it's a good deal! I need to now start going through closets and our little storage throwing out stuff we haven't used in over a year (I KNOW we have some stuff we've just been storing for no good reason!) and begin packing things we won't need every day.
The move will most likely be the end of November, so I have plenty of time. But, with Mr. Baby, I like to allow myself plenty of time to get the packing accomplished.
I just glanced at the title of this post, and it reminded me what I was going to say. I'd been slacking off a bit with the housework, but my dear husband gave me a gentle nudge, and so today I did the laundry and cleaned both bathrooms! I still need to get to the floors, but I think I can either do that tonight or tomorrow. I guess I'm so excited that I got that accomplished, AND did the dishes after lunch, because with Beowulf not always being exactly predictable when he'll wake up from his naps, I never know how far I'll get on a project before he needs me to feed him, change him, bathe him, or just play with him.
Speaking of the child, he's been quite chatty lately! I love how he's really experimenting with his voice and all the fun sounds he can make! I'll try to figure out how to post a video or two on here of his newest skills.
Showing posts with label Beowulf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beowulf. Show all posts
Monday, October 04, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010
3 Months Old
I obviously have not kept this up-to-date, since my baby boy is 3 months old, in exactly 3 hours!!
Beowulf Arthur Nieuwsma was born June 10th 2010 at 2:07a.m.
It's always the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning, isn't it? At least an overwhelming majority of babies seem to come in the darkness. Maybe it has something to do with mother being active during the day, so by the time the baby comes it's well into the night.
At any rate, I had an excellent birthing experience! Beowulf was 8lbs 14oz, 21 inches long. Despite his impressive size it took only 9 minutes to push the bear out. I had an excellent OBGYN who gave me clear instructions before I began pushing. My mother said that she had never heard anyone describe it so well, it's exactly what needs to happen, but no doctor ever explained it as clearly. I was so grateful for that!
Recovery went well, and I am feeling fit as a fiddle, aside from my middle. There's extra skin and stretched muscles there. That's what sit-ups are for! :)
Beowulf is such a wonderful kid. I am blessed to say that in his first 3 months, he hasn't ever had his days and nights mixed up! I think he was so "active" during the day (with various people holding him during his naps, keeping him from being in a deep sleep for no more than 2 hours) that at night when he was in his crib, he would sleep generally 2-3 hours straight before needing to eat. There were rough nights, to be sure, and I had to go through baby blues during the time when I was getting the least amount of sleep, but that was only a few short days (and long nights).
We began training him to sleep through the night (6 hours was our goal) just before he was 3 weeks old. He didn't get the hang of it until around 3 1/2 weeks, but he was definitely sleeping 5 hours straight fairly quickly. That was a HUGE difference to me from a mere 3 hours. Heaven!
Now, he can easily sleep 9 hours, and a few times I've had to wake him before he sleeps 10 hours long. Beowulf just went through a growth spurt, which meant he was waking at 4am or 5am and was HUNGRY. Also, he cut his naps during the day in half because he was hungry, but once I shortened time between feedings, that seemed to help after a few days. He's back to normal nap routine (which doesn't mean that every nap is 1.5-2 hours, but usually only one might be shorter) and his nighttimes have been much better. Tonight was a bit rough. It was shortly after 11pm before he fell asleep. Before his growth spurt, he would be asleep anywhere between 10 and 10:30pm and would stay asleep until 6 or 7.
Luke is back teaching at school, and is the Assistant Director of Prayer Rock Academy. I'm so proud of him, he was been working hard every evening, and even though the last few evenings have had a few hours cut out of them, due to an evening class and a few meetings, he had consistently been finished with work before midnight. He loves teaching just Latin and Omnibus for 7th and 8th grade. It's great that he has 3 boys in the 7th grade, since last year he taught 3 girls all their 7th grade subjects. This year he has them as 8th graders, but only for two classes. They are all a delight, and he is loving teaching them Eusebius and Wheelock's Latin.
My grandparents are visiting from tomorrow through Tuesday morning. I am so glad to see them again! We didn't get much time with them while we were in Idaho after Beowulf was born. Partly because our schedule was off since Luke and I were sick for a few days, and Beowulf was also keeping me up at night every few hours...he was messed up due to our traveling and relocating from Luke's parent's house to my family's farm halfway through our vacation. And then in the afternoons and evenings we often had engagements away from the farm, so my poor grandparents didn't see much of their newest great grandson. But now, he's more alert, definitely responsive with lots of ah-goos, boos, smiles, chuckles, squirms, drooling, some squeaks and a few screams of joy.
God has been SO good! There are always things that seem to look pretty bad, but often putting things in perspective helps. Last year, we thought that some situations were looking pretty dire, and this year similar frustrations continue or new ones develop, but seeing how God provides and carries us through hardships (of which we have had to endure little) is strengthening and encouraging. His mercy endures forever, and His promises are sure.
We are learning, as we watch Beowulf grow, to cling to God's promises regarding children in the Old and New Testament. Being a parent, and realizing the responsibility it brings with it has been some of the scariest stuff to handle, but knowing that it is only through the power of the Holy Ghost that we can be faithful and faithfully train, love, and discipline our son, and only through His power will Beowulf follow Christ and His law.
Beowulf Arthur Nieuwsma was born June 10th 2010 at 2:07a.m.
It's always the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning, isn't it? At least an overwhelming majority of babies seem to come in the darkness. Maybe it has something to do with mother being active during the day, so by the time the baby comes it's well into the night.
At any rate, I had an excellent birthing experience! Beowulf was 8lbs 14oz, 21 inches long. Despite his impressive size it took only 9 minutes to push the bear out. I had an excellent OBGYN who gave me clear instructions before I began pushing. My mother said that she had never heard anyone describe it so well, it's exactly what needs to happen, but no doctor ever explained it as clearly. I was so grateful for that!
Recovery went well, and I am feeling fit as a fiddle, aside from my middle. There's extra skin and stretched muscles there. That's what sit-ups are for! :)
Beowulf is such a wonderful kid. I am blessed to say that in his first 3 months, he hasn't ever had his days and nights mixed up! I think he was so "active" during the day (with various people holding him during his naps, keeping him from being in a deep sleep for no more than 2 hours) that at night when he was in his crib, he would sleep generally 2-3 hours straight before needing to eat. There were rough nights, to be sure, and I had to go through baby blues during the time when I was getting the least amount of sleep, but that was only a few short days (and long nights).
We began training him to sleep through the night (6 hours was our goal) just before he was 3 weeks old. He didn't get the hang of it until around 3 1/2 weeks, but he was definitely sleeping 5 hours straight fairly quickly. That was a HUGE difference to me from a mere 3 hours. Heaven!
Now, he can easily sleep 9 hours, and a few times I've had to wake him before he sleeps 10 hours long. Beowulf just went through a growth spurt, which meant he was waking at 4am or 5am and was HUNGRY. Also, he cut his naps during the day in half because he was hungry, but once I shortened time between feedings, that seemed to help after a few days. He's back to normal nap routine (which doesn't mean that every nap is 1.5-2 hours, but usually only one might be shorter) and his nighttimes have been much better. Tonight was a bit rough. It was shortly after 11pm before he fell asleep. Before his growth spurt, he would be asleep anywhere between 10 and 10:30pm and would stay asleep until 6 or 7.
Luke is back teaching at school, and is the Assistant Director of Prayer Rock Academy. I'm so proud of him, he was been working hard every evening, and even though the last few evenings have had a few hours cut out of them, due to an evening class and a few meetings, he had consistently been finished with work before midnight. He loves teaching just Latin and Omnibus for 7th and 8th grade. It's great that he has 3 boys in the 7th grade, since last year he taught 3 girls all their 7th grade subjects. This year he has them as 8th graders, but only for two classes. They are all a delight, and he is loving teaching them Eusebius and Wheelock's Latin.
My grandparents are visiting from tomorrow through Tuesday morning. I am so glad to see them again! We didn't get much time with them while we were in Idaho after Beowulf was born. Partly because our schedule was off since Luke and I were sick for a few days, and Beowulf was also keeping me up at night every few hours...he was messed up due to our traveling and relocating from Luke's parent's house to my family's farm halfway through our vacation. And then in the afternoons and evenings we often had engagements away from the farm, so my poor grandparents didn't see much of their newest great grandson. But now, he's more alert, definitely responsive with lots of ah-goos, boos, smiles, chuckles, squirms, drooling, some squeaks and a few screams of joy.
God has been SO good! There are always things that seem to look pretty bad, but often putting things in perspective helps. Last year, we thought that some situations were looking pretty dire, and this year similar frustrations continue or new ones develop, but seeing how God provides and carries us through hardships (of which we have had to endure little) is strengthening and encouraging. His mercy endures forever, and His promises are sure.
We are learning, as we watch Beowulf grow, to cling to God's promises regarding children in the Old and New Testament. Being a parent, and realizing the responsibility it brings with it has been some of the scariest stuff to handle, but knowing that it is only through the power of the Holy Ghost that we can be faithful and faithfully train, love, and discipline our son, and only through His power will Beowulf follow Christ and His law.
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