I know that sounds like a strange comment. For the longest time...okay, maybe my whole life...I've struggled with who I am as a person. I am constantly feeling as if I don't measure up to my own expectations. I often wish I was like others- especially those who are bolder, more at peace, more confident in themselves. I'm thankful, though, that God has been teaching me more about who I am in him and more about how I've been uniquely created.
The other day at Mother's Heart Bible Study, one of the mentoring moms taught about personalities. I've heard the lesson twice before, but this time she put a different spin on it. She had us sit in groups according to our personality. In my small group of phlegmatics, we were asked to discuss things that we wanted others to understand about our personalities. As the others listed things, it felt as if weights were lifted off of my shoulders. I'm not the only one that gets overwhelmed easily or responds by pulling back when someone demands that we do something. I was able to relate to what the others said. That was such a freeing feeling.
I'm okay just the way I am. I don't need to try to be like others with different personalities. God has created me to be the person I am...and thankfully He's not done with me yet!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Potty time!
WARNING- This whole post discusses potty training. If you are disinclined to read about such topics, check back at a later date for a different posting. :)
After a month of constantly changing and cleaning cloth diapers, I was exhausted. I was also kicking myself about not potty training Elijah before Ezra was born. My excuse then was that I wasn't brave enough. Why did I think I'd be brave enough when I also had another little person to look after?
I decided we were going get after this potty training thing with great gusto. The three-day potty training would work well. After all, how hard could it really be?
Then the first day happened. My thinking then was more like "how are we ever going survive potty training?". We got Elijah to sit on the potty chair by watching DVDs. He would sit there for 30 minutes or more with no success, then run out to the kitchen only to pee on the floor. Grrr...I can't even count how many times this happened. Good thing we have hardwood floors!
The second day went pretty much the same way. Sigh... Ahh...but the third day, we noticed a difference. He succeeded a few times! We were ready to shout our excitement from the rooftop!
We've been at the potty training game for about two weeks now. We're in a pretty good routine. We tell Elijah it's time to go potty, he goes pee, then yells, "TREAT". Either that or we drag him kicking and screaming to the potty. That's when we know he has to go poo.
He's done well at running off into the back yard to do his "duty". He knows that if Mommy sees him working at it, he'll be forced to sit on the big, bad potty. He has quite the love/hate relationship with that thing.
The other day, I got a daring idea. In past times, Elijah has insisted on having undies on when he's had to go poo. I wondered what would happen if I let him run around without bottoms on. With a wary eye on him, I was sure to stay close. He kept running to the potty, then running away. Later, as I ran (as fast as I could) upstairs to get another outfit for the baby, I heard, "Maaamaaa! Maaamaa!" Uh-oh. This could not be good. But as I ran back downstairs, I realized the sound was coming from the bathroom where I discovered Elijah sitting on the potty and SUCCESS! :)
Now that I'm not changing or cleaning as many diapers, I have more time to do other things like sit back and relax. Right.... :)
After a month of constantly changing and cleaning cloth diapers, I was exhausted. I was also kicking myself about not potty training Elijah before Ezra was born. My excuse then was that I wasn't brave enough. Why did I think I'd be brave enough when I also had another little person to look after?
I decided we were going get after this potty training thing with great gusto. The three-day potty training would work well. After all, how hard could it really be?
Then the first day happened. My thinking then was more like "how are we ever going survive potty training?". We got Elijah to sit on the potty chair by watching DVDs. He would sit there for 30 minutes or more with no success, then run out to the kitchen only to pee on the floor. Grrr...I can't even count how many times this happened. Good thing we have hardwood floors!
The second day went pretty much the same way. Sigh... Ahh...but the third day, we noticed a difference. He succeeded a few times! We were ready to shout our excitement from the rooftop!
We've been at the potty training game for about two weeks now. We're in a pretty good routine. We tell Elijah it's time to go potty, he goes pee, then yells, "TREAT". Either that or we drag him kicking and screaming to the potty. That's when we know he has to go poo.
He's done well at running off into the back yard to do his "duty". He knows that if Mommy sees him working at it, he'll be forced to sit on the big, bad potty. He has quite the love/hate relationship with that thing.
The other day, I got a daring idea. In past times, Elijah has insisted on having undies on when he's had to go poo. I wondered what would happen if I let him run around without bottoms on. With a wary eye on him, I was sure to stay close. He kept running to the potty, then running away. Later, as I ran (as fast as I could) upstairs to get another outfit for the baby, I heard, "Maaamaaa! Maaamaa!" Uh-oh. This could not be good. But as I ran back downstairs, I realized the sound was coming from the bathroom where I discovered Elijah sitting on the potty and SUCCESS! :)
Now that I'm not changing or cleaning as many diapers, I have more time to do other things like sit back and relax. Right.... :)
Monday, September 13, 2010
So it's been a while...
Wow! A year and a couple of weeks has passed since I've blogged. I must admit that I'm not very good at being consistent with such things.
Since August 25, 2009, we've added a new member to our family- Ezra James. In the haze of the past five weeks since he was born, I've come to recognize just how ignorant I've been. I remember one time hearing a woman talk about not being able to get a shower before her hubby came home that evening. At the time, I thought, "How in the world can you not have time to take a shower? The kids sleep. It's a priority!" Ahh...now I've learned that life with a toddler and a baby is completely different than life with just a toddler. I'm thankful that God gently reminds me of my ignorance at times like this. Life's about learning, right?
Then, it finally happened today. When Ezra was born, I mentioned to Josh that we have to be diligent in not leaving the boys alone in a room together. Well, over the past 5 weeks, I've been slowly desensitized to this lesson. Today was the shocker that will help me to remember! While I was out of the room for a brief second, Elijah must have decided that he wanted to pick up his little brother. His almost-13 pound brother is heavy! To my horror, all that I heard was a large thump and Ezra screaming. I found him laying on the floor and Elijah running away. Thankfully, Ezra's okay. I took him to the doctor who gave him the all-clear. It could have been much worse! He hit the hardwood floors pretty hard!
Well, I hear Elijah waking up. More tomorrow...or a week from now...or maybe even a year! Who knows?
Since August 25, 2009, we've added a new member to our family- Ezra James. In the haze of the past five weeks since he was born, I've come to recognize just how ignorant I've been. I remember one time hearing a woman talk about not being able to get a shower before her hubby came home that evening. At the time, I thought, "How in the world can you not have time to take a shower? The kids sleep. It's a priority!" Ahh...now I've learned that life with a toddler and a baby is completely different than life with just a toddler. I'm thankful that God gently reminds me of my ignorance at times like this. Life's about learning, right?
Then, it finally happened today. When Ezra was born, I mentioned to Josh that we have to be diligent in not leaving the boys alone in a room together. Well, over the past 5 weeks, I've been slowly desensitized to this lesson. Today was the shocker that will help me to remember! While I was out of the room for a brief second, Elijah must have decided that he wanted to pick up his little brother. His almost-13 pound brother is heavy! To my horror, all that I heard was a large thump and Ezra screaming. I found him laying on the floor and Elijah running away. Thankfully, Ezra's okay. I took him to the doctor who gave him the all-clear. It could have been much worse! He hit the hardwood floors pretty hard!
Well, I hear Elijah waking up. More tomorrow...or a week from now...or maybe even a year! Who knows?
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