vision forum review

have you discovered the vision forum yet? I feel like a kid in the candy store whenever I go to their website or get their free catalog in the mail! so many awesome resources! from family friendly audio and video, inspiring Christian books and curriculum, and awesome toys, too! we've especially enjoyed the Amazon DVD's and audio books and teaching CD's.

Baby/toddler book reviews: My Top Ten Favorites (so far)

I love books. Growing up, we went to the library every two weeks and brought a milk crate to fill up. I loved to read! I hope to instill a love of reading in our children, too. And already have accumulated quite a collection for Judah. In fact, it's probably a borderline hoard of books. I suppose if you're going to have an addiction/hoarding problem, children's books are lower on the scale than cats or dirty plastic bottles. ;)

One thing I've noticed about reading to Judah is, if you don't like the book, too, then don't read it! I've gotten a few books through gifts or thrift store shopping that after reading through a few times realized it's either extremely obnoxious or just plain weird. However, there are quite a few books I probably love to read more often than Judah can tolerate me reading it!


Here's a list of my top ten baby/toddler finds, in no particular order:


1. I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak and Caroline Jayne Church
I read this to a little boy I nannied a few years back and just think it's the sweetest book that you can get animated about, and start to identify different parts of the body like hair, eyes, nose, etc. and different emotions. Very cute illustrations, too!

2. The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton
Ok, who can read a book about hippos having great pride in their belly buttons without giggling a little? Such a cute and fun read that will probably get your little one giggling, too!
Every one of this author's books are extremely fun and interactive. And the rhyming also helps develop baby's speech skills!

3. Over in the Meadow by Michael Evans
Does anyone remember this song? It helps teach counting and fun to sing! Brings back memories for me :)

4. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple
I love how simple this is, and the illustrations are wonderful. A bit of a tongue-twister, at times, which makes it all the more fun ;)

5. Baby Baluga by Raffi
Anyone who remembers Raffi from back in the day (or a certain Full House episode) will remember this song, which they turned into a book. I love singing this to him while he looks at the pictures of whales and other arctic creatures. I think it could become educational as you learn more about Baluga whales and the environment they live in.

6. Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman
One of my all-time favorite books!

7. Turtles Take Their Time by Margaret Wang
I picked this one up in a Target dollar bin, but it's so cute-- teaches about being patient and enjoying things instead of rushing through them.

8. Fred and Ted Like to Fly by Peter (PD) Eastman
Alright, got to incorporate the planes for Daddy, here. Plus, I loved Fred and Ted growing up! All the Fred and Ted books are great for teaching opposites, colors, etc. And all the author's other books are easy-reads with loveable characters and cute illustrations.

9. A Father's Song by Janet Lawler and Lucy Corvino
I got this one for Jonathan to read to Judah and it's such a sweet example of the love between a father and his son. :)

10. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond
My all-time favorite book as a kid. This one brings back sweet memories of my mother reading it to us, and even incorporating baking cookies! Can't go wrong with that! I recommend the "Mouse Cookies and More" Treasury Book that has about 4 of the stories (Pig a Pancake, Moose a Muffin, etc) and recipes/crafts/songs to go with each one.



And some of my other favorite authors (I decided that there's too many individual books to list, so I'll let you choose ;)

Richard Scarry
(My 3-year-old niece loooooves Busytown right now, and I do too!) Such adorable characters and very educational and fun!

Dr. Seuss
It's Dr. Seuss! Need I say more?

Shel Silverstein
Ok, so some of his poems/books are not extremely young-child-friendly and a bit weird/hippy-ish, but I love how his poems flow and are fun to read. Judah sits for quite a long time when I read them.

entrusting our family 'talents' to God

I wrote about the topic of birth control back in November, simply to share what issues we had been facing as a couple over the past several years, and the conclusions we had come to (and the questions that still remained).
I never dreamed that I would get the responses I did, even months after I posted it. I can only give credit to God for the aftermath of that blog post, because I honestly assumed I was writing that for myself and it would fade into internet oblivion without a drop of influence on anyone's lives. However, quite the contrary has been taking place! God is moving the hearts of married couples as they begin to discuss and pray about what the Lord might have for them regarding birth control, sex, children, and surrendering that area to Him completely. I commend those couples for taking that leap of faith, as scary as it may be... because the Lord knows us best, and will never give us more than we can handle.

I am reminded of this passage...

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

-Proverbs 3:3-8

First, a quick recap on where we left off in the last post: After asking some questions to ourselves about how God sees conception, and what our culture has been telling us about birth control... we were left with one resounding thought: the God of the Bible is FOR LIFE. Now, this blog post is not a debate on abortion, pro-life, etc. But simply digging into some issues that have been left unquestioned for too long.

At the end of the post, I left you with a question we were still struggling with:

How much of this do we leave up to God and have faith that He will care for us and our future children, and how much of this is our responsibility to take certain precautions for health reasons and to allow time for healing in my body to prepare for the next pregnancy?

Although the answer is not perfect, after seeking advice and prayer, we came to the following conclusions:
1. Our hearts must be in the right place. Our decision to prevent a pregnancy should be with legitimate reasons, not merely an excuse, and not done out of fear.
2. Although we should always consider His perfect providence in our lives (if God wants us pregnant, He can certainly make that happen despite our efforts to prevent), He gives us freedom and wisdom to make personal choices, within the context of the Bible
3. Wisdom seemed to clearly say that regaining health needs to be priority; both for myself, and for giving the next pregnancy the best chance at full-term success.

So, all that to say, we are back to using the calendar charting method and condoms for the time being. We are not trying to prevent children, we are simply waiting things out until the risks diminish.


Through this, I'm beginning to understand why the topic of sex is so crucial in marriage. When I was first married, I couldn't fathom why couples let sex become a point of argument and debate, and even sometimes a reason to divorce. I mean, hello! Sex in marriage is awesome! What could we possibly disagree about? But as issues such as birth control, fertility, and other complicated matters arise, I can see how it could cause a great divide and stress in a relationship.

I wish there were perfect answers to this. I wish there was a passage in the Bible about the Ten Commandments to Sex and Baby-Making that would ensure success and provide the 'perfect' family size and timing without fail. But the truth is we live in a very broken world, and even our own minds and bodies betray us at times.
We live in a world where people who should have babies prevent or even murder them.... and people who should NOT even be having sex let alone making babies are popping them out in droves... and people who want desperately to have babies sometimes can't or have great difficulty in doing so.

Life isn't fair, and there is no three-step program to success. However, the Lord is gracious and loving, and somehow always makes a way to redemption... either by changing circumstances, or changing our hearts. He is constantly working and moving in our lives in many unseen and miraculous ways... God is still very and completely good.

Let me say that again:

God is still very and completely good.

So, I have another question... why is it that often children are viewed as a hindrance or inconvenience in our culture? What are we so afraid of? It's understandable to fear the unknown. I was terrified of getting pregnant because I had never experienced pregnancy or childbirth before. Even though I feared all those things, I still wanted the end result: having a child and being a mother. So, we take a leap of faith with all the variables and uncertainties in the package.
But children should not be seen as negative distractions, but positive ones. A wonderful interruption in our lives. True, we will be inconvenienced because of them... all the time! But not without rewards and benefits.
Parenthood will not come without challenges or struggles. Being a parent will completely wreck you and rebuild you daily. Having a child is an automatic mirror and spotlight into all the flaws in our own lives. God uses children to mold us and settle us and refine us--in everyday issues and in monumental occasions both beautiful and sorrowful.

In His great mercy, He shows us that children are for us to enjoy just as much as they are for His ultimate glory:

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the LORD.

-Psalm 127:3-5; 128:1-4


How intriguing that the Lord desires us to obey him... and one of His rewards for our obedience is having children! The more, the merrier, God seems to say. But ultimately, even above and beyond all those things, God desires Christ-centered families to raise up God-fearing and Christ-loving children as an inheritance for His Kingdom.

I know I am at the beginning of our journey as a family... it is easy for me to say all of this, with only one baby to care for so far (though what a journey even one child has been!). I am aware that adding one, two, or four more kids changes things dramatically, and I won't pretend to understand how difficult parenting a large family can be.
But in my observations, larger families just plain seem happier and more loving. Every family has their dysfunctions and problems, but I think God knew what He was doing when He encouraged being fruitful and multiplying.

Families thrive in environments that require sacrificing and sharing for the good of the family unit.

Every family is different, and we are not all called to have a Duggar-sized family, or even a family of four or five. I am certainly not trying to break any world records, here, either! Also, not all couples are called to have their own children, or are called to adopt/foster/mentor other children instead. Not one is greater or less of a calling than the other.


The point is, God is all about community and family. It keeps the Body of Christ centered and unified. It reminds us that we need Him even more than we need each other. It helps facilitate the Gospel. It motivates and encourages our hearts and souls.

Families can be a city on a hill, a light of Christ for all to see.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
-Ephesians 4:15-16

I understand that everyone is in their own unique situation. I will not condemn anyone who has chosen to plan out their families differently than we are choosing to. My purpose of this blog is simply to reinforce what God seems to be saying throughout His Word...

• That children are to be seen as a blessing and inheritance, not a hindrance.
• That the family unit is important and essential, whether by blood or through Christ.
• That we need to trust God in every area of our lives.

These are the things I think about, I talk to God about, I ask myself about often...
Let me end with a few thoughts:

Have we considered that God is calling us, as parents (or future parents) to raise up the next generation of believers? It is so much more than just having a baby, being a parent, or caring for a child...
God is entrusting us and asking us to be a part of the big picture: Using ALL gifts, talents, and blessings to further His Kingdom. That includes our fertility, parenting skills, mentoring abilities, or simple willingness to be used however He sees fit.

Have we ever considered our children (current and future) to be a part of the 'talents' God has entrusted us with? [See the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25]



Additional articles and books I've found helpful:

• 5 Adoption Myths you Shouldn't Believe
  
• Taking Birth Control of Your Life
  
• Birth Control and the Hard Stuff
  
• "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" [Book]
  
• "Open Embrace" [Book]
  
• "20 and Counting" [Book]
  

a rite of passage

This is something I've thought a lot about since October, when Judah was born.

I was looking at pictures of Megan Hutching's birthing experience (beautifully done by Kali Park, by the way. And congrats to the Hutchings on Eric's arrival!). And I know this sounds weird, but seeing those intimate and beautiful moments of labor and delivery makes me feel like I missed out on something amazing with my son. I know I shouldn't be complaining because in the end he is here with me, and he is healthy... but wow, this just got me thinking...

I really wish I could have had a natural birthing experience. I feel like I haven't gone through a rite of passage as a woman and mother because Judah was born premature by c-section. Even though I was 6cm dilated, I never felt contractions, and even though we made the best decision we knew to make at the time... I feel as if someone stole those precious memories from me... moments where my husband could support and encourage me through each wave of pressure and contraction. Where we can work as a team through the pain-- very intimate moments as we grow closer, minute by minute, to parenthood. Moments where I work my son through the birth canal and push him with my strength (and the strength of the Lord) to bring him into this world. Feeling, at the end of it, a great sense of accomplishment, relief, and overwhelming joy to finally see my son. My son. My son that I struggled to bring into this world. My son, that I met with sweat and tears and laughter.
I'm being a bit vulnerable here. I'm sure some who read this would throw up their hands and scoff while saying, "consider yourself blessed that you got to skip to the end without any pain!" But with pain comes a myriad of things that you might not otherwise see: A challenge to face and overcome, to see myself at my most difficult moments and see how I respond and handle the struggle. To become a stronger person, to persevere.
They say that you don't appreciate the mountaintops unless you've been in the valley, where you see them in their most glorious state. I feel like someone took the "skip" button and jumped over something I truly wanted to experience: climbing that mountain, if you will. Something that was robbed from me, and I am left to instantly become a mother, having carried my child more than half-way to term, but without that struggle to bring about the joyful end of his birth. Without that series of events that are naturally supposed to take place. My birth experience seems out of order, mixed up, half-done. There's a sense of guilt that I couldn't make it to the end, that I didn't have to go through the pain, that I took the 'easy way out'. I know most of those feelings aren't logical, but the creep up from time to time.

I don't blame God, and I'm not looking for pity. I know we had more than our fair share of struggle having a premature infant in the NICU for 3 months. But still, this is different. Perhaps a bit more personal than even all that.
Believe me, I am appreciative that things turned out the way they did. My son is a miracle, and I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything because they've made us better people, better parents, and gave me the opportunity to see God's provision and protection firsthand in Judah's little life and in our family.

You may think I'm crazy, but if I had the choice, if God had asked me how I wanted things to look at the end of my pregnancy... I would have chosen the pain of childbirth. I want to go through that experience, that rite of passage, that feeling of accomplishment, that miraculous and challenging moment.
And I pray and believe He will give me that chance some time in the future, if He blesses us with more children. I pray fervently that our future children will be full-term healthy babies, and I hope they come about naturally in His perfect timing.

wow, sorry about that!

So I abandoned yet another blog for months at a time. Here's to hoping I get back into the swing of things and post more often in the future ;)

As you can imagine, most of our life has revolved around Judah's progress, and the transition into life as a family. Quick recap of the last 3 months:


DECEMBER
Mid-December, Judah had a major growth spurt! He reached 6lbs by Christmas: what a wonderful gift God gave us to see such progress!
We had Luke, Hannah, and Leah here for a few days, as well as international friends Sarah and Linton from South Africa!



Christmas was quiet and very nice: I made a very non-traditional dinner of homemade chicken nuggets and cranberry couscous. Jonathan got me TOMS shoes, and we got a new GPS :)
New Years was fun: we went to the Joneses and got to know some Aletheia friends better while playing games and eating yummy food!


JANUARY
January went from 'typical' trips to UVA and living life to "oh my goodness Judah's coming HOME!". On Tuesday, January 11th, we got 'the call' informing us that Judah's being discharged as early as the 13th! I couldn't wipe the smile off my face all day, we were ecstatic! So we packed up and spent Wednesday, January 12th getting him ready, filling out paperwork, etc. Then we spent the night with him in the family suite (wow what a sleepless stressful night trying to figure out oxygen, monitors, nighttime feedings, etc.). The next day we wrapped up a few more things and then drove our little 7lb boy home AT LAST!

It was a sobering but relieving ride home from the hospital. What sweet moments, and we praise God for His faithfulness to our family, and especially our son!
He went home on 125-150ml oxygen, and we spent the next few days organizing our home into a mini NICU with tanks, monitors, wires and tubes. We put a pack-n-play right next to our bed and began our journey of official 24/7 parenthood. After the first few crazy sleepless days of adjustments, we were able to find our routine and fully enjoy our son at home! We invited a few people over to celebrate with us and meet Judah, which was so exciting for everyone!
Mom came down to visit a week or so later and stayed a little over a week. She thoroughly enjoyed every hug and cuddle!


We got 8" of snow that week and went sledding while leaving Judah with his grandma for about an hour. Then we went on a much-needed date that weekend: our first time without Judah in several weeks! It was very nice :)



FEBRUARY
February brought on some semblance of routine for us as a family of three at home.
Having a son on oxygen limited our freedoms quite a bit: having to restrict vistors to those that are exceptionally healthy, and avoid crowds and children during the flu season... not to mention having a baby attached to a 3-foot radius, unless we roll a tank to another room, or change over to a travel tank. Our living room turned into his living space, essentially. Any trip outside the home took twice as long, and moving him from place to place proved to be challenging and awkward. But, oh it was so nice to finally have him there to hold and care for, to take out in the stroller, to show him off to friends who have long-awaited to see him. To have him with me on OUR terms, instead of asking permission to hold my baby in the NICU. Such freedoms were once a commodity, but now are common and refreshing.
Jonathan was back at work full-time, and I was home with Judah during the day. Jonathan would take some of the night-time feedings on the weekends, bless his heart ;) We had many an evening and night where we would spend our hours trying to coerce our child to transition from inconsolable crying and fussiness to blissful sleep. This is a phase, this is just a phase, it will pass, it will get better! ;)
We'd go to lots of doctors appointments, occasional outings and errands, and had several visitors. We spent Valentine's Day as a family, and Jonathan brought home a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me! Judah, who was now in the 8lb bracket, gave Daddy a Valentine's card :)

(sorry it's sideways)

Judah thrived in the month of February. He got all positive feedback from the doctors, and were pleased to see his progress! He is a full-fledged newborn with all the signs of proper development: starting to focus and recognize our voices and faces, lifting and turning his head while on his tummy, pushing up with his legs, and even some signs of cooing. He still smiles in his sleepy state quite often: and oh how it melts our heart! He's also perfected the "boo-boo face" with full-out quivery lip, oh dear Lord help us! ;)

Now we're into March and Judah is just over 9lbs! The doctor's appointments are still sometimes bi-weekly, with follow-ups at UVA, specialists, weight checks, and vaccinations. Judah is quite the popular little guy, everywhere we go people ask about him: I'm pretty sure more people know him than know his parents! ;)
Just this week, Judah was given the OK to be taken off ALL medications, including his inhaler. We've also been weaning him off his oxygen and yesterday was quite the milestone. He went a period of 4.25 hours AND over 3 hours breathing on his own without any problems. That's close to 1/3 of an entire day of independancy! This was a huge jump from the 30 minutes he had done just a few days prior. We're hopeful that he is telling us he is on the verge of being ready to wean off completely very soon!

Today, we have a dermatologist appointment at UVA to assess his "strawberry" (hymangeoma) on his forehead. Normally, an infant who has one has no problems and it just grows then shrinks down on its own after a few years. But Judah's has become quite puffy and is beginning to ulcerate (blackness and skin breakdown). This is very rare and may mean it needs to be removed or treated with medication. We'll see what the doctors say. Guess our son is a rare case all-around, but we are still praising God for his provision and care over our him daily. We are in awe of how He has taken care of ALL Judah's medical expenses via medicaid, and that we are not in want (though not in great excess either, ha!).

We still have a bit of a road to travel until we can safely say Judah is in the typical/normal infant category. But we are thankful that the process, though bumpy and challenging at times, has never been more than we can handle, and with many joys along the way.

As far as the future outside of Judah's world: we have many exciting things to look forward to! Jonathan's career is excelerating, and he is getting ready to leave for Suriname (South America) next week. He will be gone for a month, which will be difficult for all of us, but he is ready to be in the air again, and it will certainly help us financially.
We also have several sweet friends who are or have recently become pregnant and we are thrilled for them!

Whew! That about covers life with the Tacks since December. The next posts will hopefully be a bit shorter and more frequent! Thanks for reading, if you were able to get through the whole thing :)

Love,
Charisma, Jonathan, and our sweet boy Judah

Keeping Christmas Eternal

I should be making Christmas cookies right now. That was on *my* agenda today, at least. But I think the Lord had other things in mind for a little while.

You know how easy it is to look at one website, that's linked to another article, that links to a blog post and then a video and before you know it you've been sitting in front of the computer for over an hour? That happens to me often, but in this case for good reasons. I ran into a series of blogs and websites that was one confirmation after another about some changes in direction I feel God might be leading our family when it comes to traditions, Christmas, and the way we raise our kids.

To visit and be challenged by the blog posts also, click the links here:
Thinking about whose birthday it really is
Ten Things to Do at Christmas when all the Gifts are for Him
The Great Give-Away
and make sure you watch the video here:
Depraved Indifference
(Not very "Christmasey", I know... but it really is the heart of WHY we celebrate Christmas.)

My heart has been changing every so subtly but profoundly over these past few months on our journey with little Judah. I am discovering more each day that God's heart for children is evident and ingrained in the hearts of mothers. My (and Jonathan's) desire is not just to make our kids happy, but to lead and train them gently and consistently "in the way he should go, so when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Easier said then done, that's for sure.

However, it is SO easy, and as I so often do, to get wrapped up in our cultures expectations and traditions. Especially during Christmas.

The list is long:

1. Buy the presents
2. Send the cards
3. Make the cookies
4. Listen to the music
5. Throw the parties
6. Watch the movies
7. Decorate the house...

And then come January:

1. Recover from the colds
2. Get back on the treadmill
3. Be exhausted and worn out (and just glad its over)
4. Tremble with fear to look at your bank account/credit card...

Now I know that's not always the case every time. I certainly enjoy the opportunities to give people gifts and see friends and family and all the pretty decorations. But I think it is so easy to go overboard and totally overlook the whole reason we celebrate. WHY do we do what we do at Christmas time? Guilt? Because everyone does it? Because it's fun? Is that all there is to it?

Yes, we have an occasional thought in our mind, "Jesus is the reason for the season", and we are reminded at Christmas Eve Service of the nativity and His birth...
But does it stop there or continue in your home and with your family traditions?
Is it engraved and entwined with every cookie you bake and story you read your children?

Are our children going to remember Christmas as a divine opportunity to share Christ, celebrate God's greatest gift and sacrifice, and share these precious moments with our closest family and friends... Are our Christmas traditions reflecting ETERNITY and HOPE? Things that will last through the ages, long after we are gone? Or is it destined to be just another "happy" memory twenty years from now?
(Not to say that creating happy and joyful memories for our kids are a bad thing... "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" - Matthew 7:9-11)

And what about the poor and needy, the orphans and widows, the homeless and broken-hearted, the lonely and forgotten...? How do we respond to them especially during this time?

Side Note: Has anyone ever had the thought "why do we give money/gift cards to each other? It's just exchanging money between hands... no one really 'gains' anything except the thought that it was a nice gesture."
What about giving something that others can not give themselves (our time, abilities/talents, our conversation and words, our helping hands and feet, our creativity)? What about giving to those who can not return the favor... who won't/can't even say thank you? Could our gifts become more meaningful than exchanging cash in a Christmas card... are we giving just because that's what is expected? What about those who expect nothing, who have nothing, who have no hope, or who have no voice to ask?

Can we take all that Christmas has become, and turn it into a grand opportunity to reach out to those who desperately need not only the basics in life: food, shelter, care, and love... but the greatest gift of all: the gift of eternal life through Jesus??

How, then, can we practically instill that into our children in creative and meaningful ways? How can we create traditions that are more meaningful than just an exchange of monetary gifts? This is what is changing in my heart. I love to give gifts- it is one of my primary ways of expressing my love for others... however, it is important to me that these gifts are seasoned with eternal things that bring glory to God and point to Christ.

Thoughts?

things I never thought about before motherhood

There are things I never noticed before becoming a mother. Things that have made me say, "ah, now I understand/know why", and things that have made me say, "I never thought I'd be doing this" or "I just sounded like my mom". These are a few of those things:

1. Looking for sanitary wipes for your shopping cart
2. Worrying about loud music or what's on the television with children in the room
3. Worrying about children not wearing their coats or seem to be dressed warm enough outside
4. Freaking out when you see toddlers drinking soda and eating mcdonalds
5. How much time you can spend in the baby isle trying to choose a bottle or pacifier
6. Planning doctors and dentist appointments with the thought, "who will watch the baby?"
7. Planning any adult function or trip (bible study, going to visit friends, etc) with the thought, "who will watch the baby?"
8. How long you can stare at a baby as he sleeps without growing tired of his cuteness
9. How irresistible baby clothes can be
10. How hard it is to not buy that amazing toy or book that you know your child won't be able to use for another 5-10 years.
11. How comforting it is to hold your baby
12. Celebrating poop, toots, and burps
13. Discussing your child's future with your spouse: discipline, education, traditions, morals, etc.
14. Grieved at all the 'toys' that have so many lights and noises, it doesn't allow much room to really use imagination and creativity
15. Growing concern about road rage and defensive driving
16. Gravitating towards other mothers
17. Wanting to know more about my family history
18. Being overprotective
19. Tawking wike dis because evwything sounds cutew wike dis, why yes it does!
20. Sleep is a precious commodity


...and this is before Judah's even home with us! I'm sure my list will multiply greatly in the coming months :)