totallyjeneric

It’s 8:12am and James is still sleeping. He went to bed around 8:30pm, woke briefly to cuddle around 10pm, woke for milk around 5am, but otherwise slept through the night. And is still sleeping. Needless to say it was a RESTFUL night for everyone!  While this isn’t the norm (he is usually ready to go 6:30-7:30am),  it happens a few times a month… enough to make this mom happy!

And, just to remember what life is like, here is a typical weekday for James and me:

5:00 am – milk (sometimes)
7:00 am – wake up / read in bed / say bye to dad
8:00 am – breakfast & milk
8:30 am – playtime (independently, if he lets me)
9:00 am – playtime with mom / reading / exploring the home
9:30 am – morning nap
10:30 am – wake up / get ready to go / milk
11:00 am – go somewhere… either a playdate, the zoo, aquarium, grandma’s place, or run errands
1:30 pm – come home / milk / nap
3:00 pm – playtime / dance with ellen / outing #2 if feeling ambitious
4:30 pm – milk
5:00 pm – wait for dad to come home / walk with great-grandma if it’s a thursday
5:45 pm – dinner
6:15 pm – playtime with dad
7:00 pm – bath / get ready for bed / milk
7:30 pm – bedtime

The times are very approximate, and every day looks a bit different, but the idea is generally the same. Lots of play and sleep, sprinkled with feedings and a daily outing or two.  What a life!

Seriously, though, this is the life for me, too. I told Eric yesterday that I think this year will go down as one of the best years of my life. Not in a cynical “it’s all downhill from here” or “I wasn’t happy before we had a baby” sort of way, but rather, in a this year is THAT precious and awesome kind of way.  Every woman is different, but I think I’m one of those women that God built with an innate desire to be a mother.  I love being a full-time mom.  It’s a lot of work and challenging in a different way. Some days are better than others, and usually after feeling like supermom one week, I can’t seem to get us out the door or get anything done the following week. But all in all, it is a joy and privilege watching my baby grow from a newborn “lump of rice” as my dad says—not being able to do anything, to now, a 20-lb bag of rice little human with feelings, preferences, and a growing ability to express himself.  James turned 10 months yesterday, and is increasingly exploratory, mobile (master of assisted walking & cruising on furniture), and perceptive.  Though my return to work is still 6 months away, I am already a bit nervous thinking about handing James over to another caregiver and being away from him for 8+ hours a day.  Perhaps I am the one attached to my baby, even though I tell people he is attached to me!

Whew. Well, I’m banking on the expectation that God’s grace and strength will be sufficient for me 6 months from now.  And I won’t worry about it today.  My baby is awake now and I’ve gotta go play!

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”    -Luke 10:21

This has become one of my favorite verses since James was born.  I used to think: I’m the parent, he’s the baby, it’s a no brainer that I know infinitely more than he does, at least in this stage of life.  In fact, I’m responsible for teaching him basically everything… how to talk, to walk, to feed himself, and later on how to use the potty.  Right?

Since reading this verse, I find myself wondering hey James, what do you know that I don’t?

God sure has a sense of humor.  What can my baby teach me? Well for starters, babies are transparent–never hiding their feelings, they’re forgiving–never holding a grudge, they’re dependent–always wanting to be near mom & dad, and they’re loved–not for anything they can do, but just because.