So I had my Dad's car this week (thanks again!) and it was wonderful. It was very different than my little car though. The biggest difference is that it has a V6. I'm not even going to pretend to know all that that means, but basically, the engine is bigger and more powerful than mine.
At the beginning of the week I didn't quite get it, I just felt like the car was heavy since I was driving it like my smaller car. Then I realized, this thing is POWERFUL!
So in my quiet Mommy times I started reflecting on that realization that what at first seemed heavy was really just power. It made me think about how life is that way, that we have things that seem heavy or even burdensome, but in truth, and if we allow them to be and drive them correctly, they are POWER! I think relationships can be that way. I think circumstances are that way, as well as disciplines in our lives. This week, I'm taking a deeper look at the "heavy" things in my life and searching for the real power in them.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Phone Pics
I just remembered that I have Makafui pictures on my phone! Here are some cuties...
Seriously, could he BE any more cute?!?!Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Dear Uncle Jon,
I know you are working hard doing that boring grown up stuff in Houston.
I'm working hard here doing not-boring baby stuff-I thought you might like to know about it!
I've been sporting Daddy's glasses sometimes in the evening and it's super fun. I think the look gets me the respect I deserve.
I'm not allowed to watch TV, but I sneaked a peek the other night. Unfortunately, Mommy told on me, so Daddy blocked my view. You'll let me watch TV one day, right?
I'm talking like crazy lately. My mom thinks she can catch it on camera, but I'm smarter than her...every time she gets that thing out, I shut my mouth and look totally bored. It's a cool trick.
I hate H-E-B. I really, really hate H-E-B. It's so big and loud and overwhelming...and you know, just annoying! I try to cope, but I just can't. Instead, I let those H-E-B people know how I feel. I like Sprouts better, and Target, and Sam's...and pretty much everywhere but H-E-B. Yuck. Just talking about it makes me sad...
I'm working hard here doing not-boring baby stuff-I thought you might like to know about it!
I've been sporting Daddy's glasses sometimes in the evening and it's super fun. I think the look gets me the respect I deserve.
I'm not allowed to watch TV, but I sneaked a peek the other night. Unfortunately, Mommy told on me, so Daddy blocked my view. You'll let me watch TV one day, right?
I'm talking like crazy lately. My mom thinks she can catch it on camera, but I'm smarter than her...every time she gets that thing out, I shut my mouth and look totally bored. It's a cool trick.
I hate H-E-B. I really, really hate H-E-B. It's so big and loud and overwhelming...and you know, just annoying! I try to cope, but I just can't. Instead, I let those H-E-B people know how I feel. I like Sprouts better, and Target, and Sam's...and pretty much everywhere but H-E-B. Yuck. Just talking about it makes me sad...
One more thing, Dude. I'm cute. I'm really, really cute. I try to be chill and humble about it, but it's hard. I can't go ANYWHERE without people stopping to say how handsome I am. I try to play it cool- I give them this look, it says, "Oh, me? Well, if you say sooooo!" Hee hee.
I miss you Uncle Jon, have a good day!
Love,
Makafui
Monday, April 23, 2012
Daily Bread
This week, George is working a LOT! He'll work his normal 50+ hours Monday-Friday, plus a half day on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, there is a company meet and greet on Friday after work (at a really great restaurant here, free great food and drinks....I'm just a little jealous).
Of course I'm proud of him for his hard work, but he'll hardly be here! Aside from us missing G and me being sad for him that he's missing a lot of these sweet young days with Makafui, that's a lot of hours stuck at home for Makafui and I!
Except, I have a car this week! My dad is out of state visiting his Mama, so we have his car (thanks, Dad!). While of course, we are still praying and hoping for a longer term solution to our transportation issue, God is providing for us...more in a daily bread sort of way, than a five year plan way. Isn't that just like Him? I didn't know G would be gone so much this week until after I had the car. God did. I'm so thankful to be able to get out and about, take care of important errands and enjoy this wonderful weather. God is so nice to give this Mama some freedom and a nice break in the form of a car. :
Of course I'm proud of him for his hard work, but he'll hardly be here! Aside from us missing G and me being sad for him that he's missing a lot of these sweet young days with Makafui, that's a lot of hours stuck at home for Makafui and I!
Except, I have a car this week! My dad is out of state visiting his Mama, so we have his car (thanks, Dad!). While of course, we are still praying and hoping for a longer term solution to our transportation issue, God is providing for us...more in a daily bread sort of way, than a five year plan way. Isn't that just like Him? I didn't know G would be gone so much this week until after I had the car. God did. I'm so thankful to be able to get out and about, take care of important errands and enjoy this wonderful weather. God is so nice to give this Mama some freedom and a nice break in the form of a car. :
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
I'm a Little Granola...
But don't worry, just a liiiitle granola!
George put up a clothesline on our balcony....
...so now we can harness the power of the sun to dry and bleach these bad boys!
It may obstruct the view a little, but it's worth it.
We love cloth diapering!!
Monday, April 16, 2012
My Happy Boy
Makafui has been cracking me up lately. He just chatters on and on in a sweet little sing-song way and squeaks and squeals with delight over little things. Things like the ceiling fan, the mobile on his swing, wind, and of course ME-I am the center of his universe after all. :)
This morning he just couldn't get enough of the mobile on his swing...TOO. ADORABLE.
And he has a new outfit on with matching camo socks, so I made him model it. :)
You can have an amazing day, now that you've seen these. Makafui says you're welcome.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Ready for SUMMER!
One of the things we can do without a car and will help us beat the heat this summer is swimming! I read an article recently that was in favor of using sunscreen on babies less than 6 months. Our Pediatrician doesn't agree and has suggested that shade and early and late sun exposure is best. So we hit up Target with Gigi and got set for Summer.
Makafui and I were excited to find a little sun shirt-even though it's still a bit big for him.
Iam especially pumped about this floatie. He's practicing his chill skillz...
When he's not wearing his UV shirt, he'll be sporting this cute ensemble.
The hat is a little big...
...but we'll make do.
Now I just hope he LIKES the pool!!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Choosing Contentment
As you may know, G and I share one car. Since he didn't bring one into our marriage (or have a license for that matter) it's just always been that way. We've had times when it was tricky or difficult splitting the transportation needs of two adults to just one car, but for the most part we've coped very well.
G's new job has been great with this. He's been working at a branch just 8 minutes away, with no traffic! His work days are pretty long, but he has been coming home for lunch to see us, then we'd switch who had the car and M and I could get out and about. It was pretty awesome.
Then Tuesday happened. G got moved to a different branch. This move is wonderful for his career, really wonderful...I guess you could even say this is a promotion. I'm proud of him for all of his hard work and that he got chosen for the bigger, busier branch.
And here's the downside. The branch is not 8 minutes away with no traffic, it's more like 30 minutes, more with traffic. He will now leave earlier, come home later and not come home for lunch breaks. If we want the car, I have to wake up Makafui and leave by 6:30. Makafui may or may not go back to sleep and by the time we get home he will have spent at least an hour in the car. Picking G up is even trickier. He technically gets off at 6, but since this branch is so much bigger, that can vary a lot. So it's quite possible that we would leave at 5:30 to get him, sit in the parking lot (crying) for half an hour or more, we never really know, then spend another half an hour or more getting home. THEN I would start dinner and the whole evening would go downhill from there (can you tell we've done this a time or two?). Sounds fun, huh?
Our budget doesn't have room for another vehicle right now, so the alternative is being stuck at home for 12+ hours a day.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent MUCH of the day yesterday being really sad and distraught over this. I kept thinking about how isolated I'll be; how I can't go to Bible Study or play groups or just get out of the house. How we'll NEVER see G anymore, how all the good things I've been enjoying are just over, how I like fresh air! I was seriously whining...to myself and to God.
And then it hit me. Just like all the bigger things we've gone through, this too is our story, this too is an adventure and a challenge. I GET to be home with my baby all day. I am blessed to be able to raise him full time! What is there to complain about that? And, Gigi is close by, we aren't completely stranded. The Lord really impressed upon me that I have a choice here. I can choose to be bummed and to whine about our circumstances, or I can choose to be content and to model joy and thanksgiving to my son. I like the latter. God is providing for us, I'm sure when He thinks we need another car, He'll provide that too...now the key will be to remember this on long days with no G and no out. :)
We are very blessed.
G's new job has been great with this. He's been working at a branch just 8 minutes away, with no traffic! His work days are pretty long, but he has been coming home for lunch to see us, then we'd switch who had the car and M and I could get out and about. It was pretty awesome.
Then Tuesday happened. G got moved to a different branch. This move is wonderful for his career, really wonderful...I guess you could even say this is a promotion. I'm proud of him for all of his hard work and that he got chosen for the bigger, busier branch.
And here's the downside. The branch is not 8 minutes away with no traffic, it's more like 30 minutes, more with traffic. He will now leave earlier, come home later and not come home for lunch breaks. If we want the car, I have to wake up Makafui and leave by 6:30. Makafui may or may not go back to sleep and by the time we get home he will have spent at least an hour in the car. Picking G up is even trickier. He technically gets off at 6, but since this branch is so much bigger, that can vary a lot. So it's quite possible that we would leave at 5:30 to get him, sit in the parking lot (crying) for half an hour or more, we never really know, then spend another half an hour or more getting home. THEN I would start dinner and the whole evening would go downhill from there (can you tell we've done this a time or two?). Sounds fun, huh?
Our budget doesn't have room for another vehicle right now, so the alternative is being stuck at home for 12+ hours a day.
I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent MUCH of the day yesterday being really sad and distraught over this. I kept thinking about how isolated I'll be; how I can't go to Bible Study or play groups or just get out of the house. How we'll NEVER see G anymore, how all the good things I've been enjoying are just over, how I like fresh air! I was seriously whining...to myself and to God.
And then it hit me. Just like all the bigger things we've gone through, this too is our story, this too is an adventure and a challenge. I GET to be home with my baby all day. I am blessed to be able to raise him full time! What is there to complain about that? And, Gigi is close by, we aren't completely stranded. The Lord really impressed upon me that I have a choice here. I can choose to be bummed and to whine about our circumstances, or I can choose to be content and to model joy and thanksgiving to my son. I like the latter. God is providing for us, I'm sure when He thinks we need another car, He'll provide that too...now the key will be to remember this on long days with no G and no out. :)
We are very blessed.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Splish, Splash!
Once we figured out the right formula, Makafui started to loooove bath time.
...all good baths have lots of squirt toys...
Typically, I bathe him and Daddy dries him off, lotions and powders him up (because all good African babies get well powdered) and dresses him for bed.
"Daddy, is this a joke?"
...then Mommy dusts off a lot of the powder and feeds Makafui and puts him to bed. :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Conversations at Bed Bath & Beyond
Lest you think all my fun nursing related convos with strangers happen at Target, here's the latest..
I was at Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday, tucking myself in a corner so I could nurse M. I was interrupted before I could start when the turnip truck dropped off a middle aged daughter and her mother.
The daughter kept dropping things because she was distracted by my cute baby, so they came over to us and started in with the ooohs and aaaahs.
The mom asked what my baby's name was.
"Makafui," I said.
"Muh-WHHHHHAT?!?" She shouted, with a twisted up face.
I explained the whole West African thing and it's meaning and we chatted a little more. Then, as Makafui was smacking on my shoulder and drool was dripping down my arm, I said that I needed to feed him, in hopes of politely ending the conversation. It didn't work, instead things got a little interesting.
Daughter: "Are you nursing?"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Mother: "Oh, that's good."
Me: "We think so, he's a champ."
M: "I wanted to. I couldn't with my other kids. With my first, I could have, but my husband didn't want me to."
Me: "Aw, that's too bad. I'm very fortunate, my husband is very supportive." (I'm thinking, that's a little TMI to tell a stranger)
D: "I did! I nursed all my kids."
M: "Uh-huh."
Me: "Good for you."
D: "You know, they say all you have to have is a nipple and that baby'll find it. I nursed. My sister though...{pause, look around, lower voice and stare at me straight in the eyes} she didn't have a nipple, so she couldn't."
Much to my own surprise and without missing a beat, I responded, "I'm sorry to hear that."
Soon the conversation ended, but my head was spinning. First of all, who strikes up a conversation with a stranger and talks about nipples? More importantly, who says, all you have to have is a nipple and the baby'll find it?? Really, who says that and just one?! And your sister doesn't have a nipple? What happened to it, or them? Has it always been that way? Does she know you tell people this?
People...they're funny.
I was at Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday, tucking myself in a corner so I could nurse M. I was interrupted before I could start when the turnip truck dropped off a middle aged daughter and her mother.
The daughter kept dropping things because she was distracted by my cute baby, so they came over to us and started in with the ooohs and aaaahs.
The mom asked what my baby's name was.
"Makafui," I said.
"Muh-WHHHHHAT?!?" She shouted, with a twisted up face.
I explained the whole West African thing and it's meaning and we chatted a little more. Then, as Makafui was smacking on my shoulder and drool was dripping down my arm, I said that I needed to feed him, in hopes of politely ending the conversation. It didn't work, instead things got a little interesting.
Daughter: "Are you nursing?"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Mother: "Oh, that's good."
Me: "We think so, he's a champ."
M: "I wanted to. I couldn't with my other kids. With my first, I could have, but my husband didn't want me to."
Me: "Aw, that's too bad. I'm very fortunate, my husband is very supportive." (I'm thinking, that's a little TMI to tell a stranger)
D: "I did! I nursed all my kids."
M: "Uh-huh."
Me: "Good for you."
D: "You know, they say all you have to have is a nipple and that baby'll find it. I nursed. My sister though...{pause, look around, lower voice and stare at me straight in the eyes} she didn't have a nipple, so she couldn't."
Much to my own surprise and without missing a beat, I responded, "I'm sorry to hear that."
Soon the conversation ended, but my head was spinning. First of all, who strikes up a conversation with a stranger and talks about nipples? More importantly, who says, all you have to have is a nipple and the baby'll find it?? Really, who says that and just one?! And your sister doesn't have a nipple? What happened to it, or them? Has it always been that way? Does she know you tell people this?
People...they're funny.
Monday, April 9, 2012
2 Months
Today Makafui had his 2 month checkup. He sounds so old using his month age. :) His Dr. was very impressed with his development and he looks great! He did very well for the checkup and even talked to his Dr. a little (as opposed to being grumpy that we stripped him down to his diaper so a stranger could mess with him...my, he's growing up!).
His head is 39cm, which is 25%
Weight is 10lb 9oz (up an ounce a day since last visit) which is also 25%
Height is 22 3/4" which is 50%
Getting the shots was a little tough on both of us, but he has been a champ the rest of the afternoon. We are so grateful to have access to lifesaving vaccines and we thank God that we live in a country where these are readily available for our sweet boy.
we are having so much fun with this little dude! His personality seems to blossom more everyday and he just keeps getting more and more fun to be with. We are SO head over heels!!
Here is your dose of cuteness~
His head is 39cm, which is 25%
Weight is 10lb 9oz (up an ounce a day since last visit) which is also 25%
Height is 22 3/4" which is 50%
Getting the shots was a little tough on both of us, but he has been a champ the rest of the afternoon. We are so grateful to have access to lifesaving vaccines and we thank God that we live in a country where these are readily available for our sweet boy.
we are having so much fun with this little dude! His personality seems to blossom more everyday and he just keeps getting more and more fun to be with. We are SO head over heels!!
Here is your dose of cuteness~
This expression cracks me up! Daddy was trying to get a good picture of his Easter outfit...not very successful.
"Mmmm, Daddy. Thanks for sharing your ice cream with me!"
He's ready for summer!
Early morning conversations with Mommy. Check out the double chin.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
8 Weeks
At just about 2 months, it's probably time to stop using weeks as his age. My baby is growing up so fast! (Check out the rolls on his legs! Yay!)
This week started out rough and turned out to be wonderful, thanks to the amazing baby Prilosec! Since about his 2nd dose, Makafui is a different kid!
He is happy most of the day now, flashing his cute gummy smile easily and cooing and "talking" to me.
He sleeps now! Two days in on the meds he started sleeping the whole night, waking up about every 2 hours-a few times we've gotten nearly 3 hours between feedings! He doesn't immediately cry when he wakes up either, which is a new skill...such a big boy!
He is very alert and observant and loves to look around and take it all in.
He really enjoys being outside, even if its hot, or too bright or the wind is blowing in his face. We've been sporting the K'Tan and sunhat lately (lame-o bathroom pic).
Bath time is magical. When he does get restless in the evenings or just grumpy and tired, we take a bath and all of his little baby worries melt away. I'm hoping his love for the bath will translate to loving the pool!
He's eating less frequently than before, but it's still a learning process for him...I don't think he realizes that he can tank up now without hurting, I feel like he still "snacks" sometimes when he could really eat more.
Since he's been feeling better, Makafui suddenly seems so much older, like he "grew up" over night! He doesn't need to be held and fed constantly, which means I can do great things like dust! It's been nice to get more done around the house, but the sudden change has also been a big adjustment. I miss holding my baby! So I'm holding him now while he sleeps. We'll work on schedules and such later. :)
This week started out rough and turned out to be wonderful, thanks to the amazing baby Prilosec! Since about his 2nd dose, Makafui is a different kid!
He is happy most of the day now, flashing his cute gummy smile easily and cooing and "talking" to me.
He sleeps now! Two days in on the meds he started sleeping the whole night, waking up about every 2 hours-a few times we've gotten nearly 3 hours between feedings! He doesn't immediately cry when he wakes up either, which is a new skill...such a big boy!
He is very alert and observant and loves to look around and take it all in.
He really enjoys being outside, even if its hot, or too bright or the wind is blowing in his face. We've been sporting the K'Tan and sunhat lately (lame-o bathroom pic).
He's eating less frequently than before, but it's still a learning process for him...I don't think he realizes that he can tank up now without hurting, I feel like he still "snacks" sometimes when he could really eat more.
Since he's been feeling better, Makafui suddenly seems so much older, like he "grew up" over night! He doesn't need to be held and fed constantly, which means I can do great things like dust! It's been nice to get more done around the house, but the sudden change has also been a big adjustment. I miss holding my baby! So I'm holding him now while he sleeps. We'll work on schedules and such later. :)
LOVE THIS BOY!
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