Yesterday & Today

Yesterday I was standing in front of the kitchen sink, doing the dishes while the girls slept and I thought of twenty different posts I wanted to write about but ran out of time to do so. And now here I am today enjoying the quiet house- with time to write and blank goes the brain, go figure. So I'm sure this post will be a haug-paug (I have no idea how to spell this word, so roll with me here) of this and that, as I try and remember today all the things that seemed so important not to forget yesterday. 

Yesterday I was remembering how fun it was when we went grocery shopping together as a family this week. I used to have a routine about when I'd go grocery shopping but then Olivia was born (proud mama smile on display). Now I do what works best for the week when I need to do it. Sometimes that means we all go. Sometimes I go alone in the morning before Matt heads to work or at night after putting the girls down. Other times I take one of the girls. Anyway- you get the point- no routine is my new routine (hey that has a catchy ring to it). We had so much fun. It was a BIG trip so it took us two hours from pulling out of the driveway to pulling back in. The girls and Matt hung in there with me. Lauren enjoys shopping so much. The fun thing is the car cart. I avoided them until Olivia came along, she seemed old enough then to handle the responsibilities of the 'car cart.' She got out in aisles that weren't as crowded and took things I gave her back the cart #2 being pushed by daddy and occupied by the groceries. Then she'd load herself back into the car as we navigated to the next aisle. The best part is the reward at the end- M&M's at the checkout. We eat them on the ride home to celebrate a job well done. It also helps after looking at all the yummy food throughout the store to have a sweet treat.

After arriving home- past both girls bedtime, opps- Lauren helped Matt unload the car while I put Olivia down. Then Lauren continued being mommy's helper as she unloaded the bags of food. She just amazes me- when I came into the kitchen she had the freezer stuff in a pile in front of the freezer and stuff for the pantry in a pile by the pantry. This girl's too smart! She was saying "Oh" after pulling each item out of the bag as if she was so excited and thankful for each new package she encountered. It just was a glimpse of how we all should be as we unload our groceries, thankful to God for each thing we have. Like Mana to the Israelites, God provides it all. What a gift! 

Yesterday after a sweet friend gave me the nudge I needed, Olivia Jean went down to three nursings a day. I remember being so ready to drop every nursing with Lauren. Being ready for her to move along and I'm finding myself to be sooooo not that way with Olivia. I think it's because it's happening so much faster with Olivia. She's a good nurser and gets all she needs in a short time so she's progressed along a lot faster than Lauren did. Not to compare them but to show why it is I don't feel ready. 

It all came about the end of last week. She gets three meals of solid food a day and last week I started noticing how she wasn't interested in the solid food and that she was nursing more. I thought at first it was just a phase but that little girl was not getting enough solids so she was more hungry at nursing times. It was a vicious cycle that lead to her waking up earlier and earlier each morning one hungry baby girl. So this weekend it got very obvious to me as she was putting her hand in front of her face at meal times and pressing her lips together. She would moan for food (think I got a video of this because she was a goof with her moaning noise) and then when you went to feed her the food- hands in front of her face and closed lips. But you put a puff on her tray and the girl would reach for it and stuff that sucker in her mouth like a rabid beast. My first thought was, OH NO I got her hooked on puffs, she's not going to eat anything else! What have I done?! Then I realized the girl just wants to feed herself. So then I tried giving her cheerios and the reaction of "happy hungry baby stuffing her mouth" is what we got. I also noticed she didn't mind the stuff on the spoon as long as there was something on her tray for her to feed to herself. So this morning I put small cut up pieces of banana and cheerios on her tray and then feed her peach puree. That little girl ate like a champ. I also reorganized the nursing routine since I cut out one nursing. She now nurses when she wakes, before nap, and then before bed. She eats her solids after her morning nursing, lunch, and dinner time. So far so good. Just goes to show me how very special and different each of my little ones is. Amen to that!

Yesterday I was enjoying the feeling of contentment. This week has been an answer to prayer in so many ways. We were running ragged this summer- in both good and not so good ways. But now with vacations behind us and cooler days ahead of us I'm sure glad for the slowness of this week. I didn't have anything planned for Monday except house chores. We ended up taking an unexpected trip to the doctor for Lauren, but that fit right into "D" week. Then Tuesday we just took a small trip to a friends house to see her ducks- well we saw horses, chickens, a bunny, a dog, and a lizard too but the intention was to see ducks for "D" week. She got to feed them and pet a duck. She was so brave with all the animals coming up to her for food standing firm and not yelling out in fright. So far school has been going great. I really need to sit down and do a post all about what we've done, maybe...someday...hopefully. But yesterday continued with the relaxed, easy feeling as we're stepping back into routine. We went to library time (don't think we made it there all summer) and then the children's museum, which was so deserted I think Esther and I could have stayed there forever and let the kids play. Even with the unexpected trip back home for the forgotten lunch bag- it was still a wonderful day. I have contribute it all to God.

Yesterday I was also thinking about the study on Jonah I just started, and oh is it a wonderful study. So applicable to my life right now. I think Priscilla Shirer wrote this study after clearly jumping into my brain and seeing all the crazy up in there! This is my first study with her and I'm very impressed. I'll have to tell you more as I go through it- I'm looking forward to study group tomorrow- so much to share and I can't wait to hear what the other women are think too. Such a blessing!

Today I was thinking about how God has worked this relaxing yet productive week in just when I needed it most. He has helped me through the unexpected events of dropping one of Olivia's nursing, which I wasn't feeling very ready to do but it has worked out wonderfully. He was there when I realized I had forgotten our lunch as we pulled into the library parking lot, with not a moment to spare. He was there when I went to pick up my very full cherry pomegranate juice only to have it slip from my hands all. over. the. floor. He was there in the moments I just couldn't get enough of- playing with Lauren and doing school with her. Watching her smile and laugh. Run and be the super silly girl that she is. He was there as I rocked Olivia and built blocks with her just so she can squeal with delight and knock them all down. When she was happier than a clam watching Lauren play about around her. He was there in the few quiet moments Matt and I get to enjoy each other as husband and wife, with laughs and sweet embraces. We have such a loving Heavenly Father who provides what we need, when we need it- even if what we need is to drive a ten minutes back home to get the lunch we so absent mindedly forgot. 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelations 1:8