Keeping the Little in our Girls Pt 2

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am in a book club and we are discussing Dannah Gresh's book, Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl . This really is a must read for any Christian parent with little girls running around the house!

In the Introduction, Dannah tells just a bit about her own personal struggle with purity. I had a similar (although my story is much darker and the resulting chasm between myself and the Lord was much, much deeper) and I thought it was a key point when she said that "one of the physical consequences of s*xual sin is emotional and spiritual darkness."

This consequence is only important when we teach our children (both boys and girls) that a close relationship with the Lord is a treasure worth having. {Sadly enough, unbelievers won't get this.} It is the great pearl and worth selling all that you have and sacrificing anything of this world in order to keep. The Lord will never stop loving us as His children, but our sin (whether s*xual or otherwise) separates us from God. It keeps us from receiving His blessing and being in His will. So part of the groundwork that we need to lay as Moms and Dads is to demonstrate for our girls (and boys) how important our relationship with the Lord is to us. Maybe even share with them that there have been times in our lives where you have failed and sinned (oh come on - you have sinned at least once, right? Me? Daily.) and that it has caused emotional and spiritual darkness.

But there is something very important to stress for our kids {this is where I was lost for so many years}: we are in spiritual and emotional darkness UNTIL we repent and beg for forgiveness. The Lord is quick to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we repent. I felt like once I was "impure", I was tainted for life and there was no forgiveness to be found for me. I have no idea where I got this, but it was a burden I carried for years. I am so thankful to know that all my sins - every last one of them - have been paid for by the blood of Jesus. It is finished!

Ok, I got off on a bit of a rabbit trail, but I'm coming back around...

This book talks about topics like modesty and purity {as you might have guessed from my intro}. It also stresses how we, as Moms and Dads, can do everything "by the book", and our kids are still their own person. They will make their own choices. This is not a manual on how to raise perfect daughters (although if there is one out there, please let me know because I'd love to have a copy). Dannah shares that there is "no way {she} can decide how things will go for my daughter, but I'm praying God will give me wisdom to be her friend and guide." That is what I want to be. My daughters' friend and guide. I want to be their gentle, loving and firm guide  as I teach them the ways of the Lord, but I also want to grow a friendship with them that will last our entire lifetimes. My daughters are 6 1/2 and almost 3 and I can already tell, they are cool kids. They are hilarious, smart and witty. I want to be their friend - who wouldn't?

Dannah tells that if you want to open up your 16 year old's heart, you gotta start "when she's 7"! It is so important to build a good foundation of communication, safety and love when she is so young because she will depend on that when she is a teenager. She will learn at a very young age if she can trust you and talk to you without fear of condemnation and judgment (although she should know that you will stand by the truths of God's Word).

Dannah tells of an APA (American Psychological Association) task force that states that "music lyrics, internet content, video games, and clothing are now being marketed to younger and  younger girls. The sexual content of the marketing and the products themselves - while creating no apparent immediate effect - is clearly linked to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression when these girls become teenagers." It is SO important to know and monitor what your kids are watching, listening to, and spending time doing. I have said it before and I'll say it again. I am so thankful to be able to stay home and spend time (which is priceless) with our daughters so that I am able to develop a relationship with them. It breaks my heart to think of either of my girls struggling with these issues. It takes quantity of time, not just quality. What a blessing straight from heaven.

At the end of most chapters, Dannah suggests a "back away from the book" activity. This week it is breakfast for dinner. Awesome! And since this mother of dairy free, egg free kiddos has learned how to make DF/EF donuts, you can guess what will be on the menu!

Knot No-Hem Shorts

The Crafty Critique has this super cute tutorial for Knot No-Hem shorts and I couldn't wait to make a pair for my darling daughter. There is always a stack of jeans in her drawer that are too short, but fit fine at the waist. I tell her that I'm going to stop feeding her vegetables so she'll stop growing (and stay my baby girl forever!) - but she insists that won't work. She is so smart. {smile} And how cute are these shorts anyway with a band of fabric - any color you want - to accessorize the edge?

This would also be helpful for those {raunchy} shorts that are so popular. You know the ones. They are missing legs. Obviously this is a rough time with our economy (and over in China where all our clothing is made) when they can't afford to put legs on the shorts. Now you can just add a band of super cute fabric and make them a proper length.

So here is the finished product - what do you think (don't mind the horrible lighting)? Are you going to make some for your daughter? I know she'd love them!! They took less than 30 minutes - and that included my daughter choosing the fabric. :)

Thank You Letters - Printables

We are trying to give our daughters the gift of thankfulness. One thing we started with our 6 year old's last birthday is to have her fill out a thank you letter for each person who blessed her with a present. Not only does she fill in the personal information, she also says a prayer for the gift giver. I explained that this is a way that we can return the gift. What better gift is there than to ask the Creator of the Universe to bless that person?

After my daughter's birthday, we said a prayer for all the people who had given her a gift. Later that same day, I showed her the thank you notes and after she read it aloud, I noticed her eyes were filled with joyful tears. She loved the idea - which warmed this Mama's heart!

Below is a link to an example of the letter we will send out after this Christmas season. Feel free to copy the idea and use it in your own family.

Christmas Thank You Letter printable

Blessings and Merry Christmas!


I linked up at

     

Homeschool Year Drawing Near

Wow - I am anxiously anticipating the start of the new school year. This year, my darling daughter will be a 1st grader - which is hard enough to believe!! That means that we will be spending just a little more time of our day to school activities and learning (more than Kindergarten). That also means that, after much prayer and discussion, we decided to join a co-op. I am not sure who is more excited about this adventure - myself or my daughter!

The curriculum we decided on this year is:

Sonlight - Introduction to World History - Part 1 with grade 3 readers. This will be the History, Geography, Reading, Language Arts (spelling, vocabulary and grammar) and Handwriting

Singapore Math - Primary 1A/1B

Apologia - Exploring Creation with Astronomy

And then these will be the classes that she is taking via the co-op:

Ballet - Beginner 1-4

This class is for girls to who have little to no experience in ballet. In this class students will learn the basics of ballet. Students will also learn how to use their dancing to worship God. We will be preparing a dance to perform at both Celebration nights. This class will include stretching and warm-up exercises as well as dancing. The girls are expected to participate in each part of the

class as the exercises help strengthen their legs for dancing as well as prevent injury. Ballet is something beautiful to watch but requires lots of hard work as well.

Keepers of the Faith 1-4


The purpose of Keepers is to teach girls “to learn to walk in the steps of our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ, day by day, moment by moment, in every situation.” To earn charms, the girls will

be memorizing Scripture, building Godly character and learning new skills while completing fun projects. Additional Information at: http://www.keepersofthefaith.com/

Spanish 1-3

This is a beginning Spanish class which emphasizes oral communication of a variety of topics at a basic level. Students will be taught basic vocabulary and an appreciation of the Latin culture through visual, oral, aural, games, songs and activities. This class is designed for students with minimal or no previous Spanish.





Since it is called a co-op, that means it is a cooperative effort between hired teachers and parents. So for the sessions I will be in the nursery, parent meeting and then helping teach "Faithfully Fit". You might be wondering what this is. Well, it really could not be any more perfect for me. If you follow my blog, you'll know why. Here is the description:

Faithfully Fit

This class (for girls only) is a combination of fun and challenging exercises set to upbeat,  contemporary Christian music to get the heart pumping! Exercises will include cardio kickboxing, hilo aerobics, strength training, Pilates, and more. A strong emphasis will be made on the need for students to be equipped with God’s truth, in order to protect their hearts from the world’s lies on what true beauty really is. Students will be encouraged to pursue holiness and purity in their lives with thoughtful class discussions related to pleasing God in areas such as fashion, modesty, self-control, gossip, friendships, and godly relationships. A related devotional or workbook may be used; students will have light homework, including the use of a log/journal to record assignments of physical activity (usually 3 times per week).

Also this year, my daughter is moving up with the big kids in our Wednesday night program at church. This is a huge change for her and I am sure she thinks she was ready a long time ago. I am not sure if I am ready to send her up there with the other kids (ages 6-12). I am anticipating a lot of tears. So if you think about it on Wednesday evenings, you might send up a little prayer of protection for my darling daughter who just doesn't understand why boys like to play rough.

 

Security

Where do you find your security?

When our first DD was a baby, she didn't cling to a pacifier or stuffed animal. But she found security in her receiving blankets - or as she soon called it, her "gigi" (pronounced "gee gee"). I have no idea where the name came from, but it was all her idea. And at 5, she still loves her gigis.

Now with our second daughter, her security was Mommy (me). We had a problem with her sleeping in our bed at night and had to go through the painful process of sleep training. After reading online and various books, we learned that we needed to help her find a lovey for security. That was pretty easy. She had this stuffed penguin so we encouraged her to love this when it was time to go to bed. She also found security in her pacifier. We know the drill. Take it away when they are 1 to limit how attached they get to the pacifier (and bottle). But I found myself making excuses. She was sick. She was teething.
We went on vacation and needed to have her pacified for the trip.

Now she is 2. We are trying again. Yesterday at naptime went smooth as silk. Bedtime - not so much. I caved. I couldn't take the crying and after nearly an hour of not going to sleep (not crying the entire time, but a lot of it) - I gave her what she desired.

Security.

Pop. Once it was in her mouth, she nearly instantly fell asleep.

Score
Pacifier 1
Parents 0

Birthday Girl

It is so hard to believe that 2 years have passed since our darling daughter was born! What a ride her little life has been! From the moment she came into our lives, she has kept us on our knees in prayer and scratching our heads in confusion.

Even though she was our second baby girl (you know, after you have one, you're experts, right?), we had no idea what we were doing. Our first daughter was a big baby (8 lbs 13 oz) and never lost an ounce. She left the hospital and gained an ounce and by the next week, she was 9 lbs 2 oz. and she didn't stop there. :)

Evelyn - well, she wanted to make her own way. She started off by losing weight (born at 7 lbs 9 oz), even more than a normal baby would. For the sake of yucky, stinky details, let's just say that the milk was going through her too quickly. :)

Once she did start to gain weight, we noticed that she seemed to have other trouble. We already had determined that we would have to bottle feed her (not our original plan) because she was tongue tied, but now she seemed to be falling asleep while she was eating - and then waking up very startled. This was weird. It started happening more and more. So, we took her in for a swallow study (the first of many it turns out). To make a very long, painful story shorter, she aspirates when she drinks. That means that some of it goes into her lungs. When she was little, her body would "shut down" to protect her lungs. As she got older, she coughed and choked more -- until it was so painful for her to drink from the bottle that she had to have an ng tube.

Oh this was heartbreaking! We spent her 3 month birthday at Riley learning how to put the tube down her nose into her stomach so that she could eat without damaging her lungs (it had to be changed so I had to learn how to do this). I felt so helpless. I am thankful that I have the loving arms of my heavenly Father to lean on because I felt very alone and desperate as we spent the night in the hospital. Here was my precious baby who was so sick and I could do nothing to fix it for her.

6 weeks. She had the tube for 6 long weeks. It took nearly an hour to feed her (gravity drip of the formula down the tube into her stomach). If she got upset and started crying, it took longer, so we sat in a room by ourselves so she could just rest. She also has reflux so we had to hold her up after feeding (if you have had a reflux baby, you can relate). She ate every 2 hours. That doesn't leave much time for anything else.

I prayed. I listened to sermons on my iPod. I cried. It was a difficult time, to say the least. I constantly reminded myself to enjoy this extra time I had to hold our baby girl because there would be a day (all too quickly) when she wouldn't need me.

God is amazing. He was always there for me. He put a little bug in our ear when I was pregnant, so we were thankfully already considering me being a SAHM. I praise Him for that because now there wasn't a choice. She was so sick that I had to stay home and take care of her. There are so many jobs that I am able to do, but this was a job that ONLY I COULD DO. Only I could be her Mom. 

Since then, she has had ear tubes put in, her tongue clipped, occupational therapy to help her learn how to drink without choking - but she still chokes. She has to drink thick drinks and out of a straw, but sometimes, she still chokes. She may have this the rest of her life

Praise the Lord that in spite of all that drama - she had no problems growing or with respiratory infections. She is perfect in every other way.

And now, she is a two year old. No longer a baby. Not really even a toddler since she doesn't toddle - she runs! Babies are amazing! I pray that she has a great birthday and that she doesn't turn into one of those "terrible twos"....although she has already been practicing.

Pooh Bear is a Christian?

Some things are only funny in a Christian house. Take this lovely picture my 5 year old DD drew of Pooh Bear (if you can't tell, that is what his shirt says). Very colorful. There's even a monarch butterfly (her words). But wait, what's that? Does Pooh have a glass of vino to relax at the end of the day? I was so confused when I saw this and really wondering what on Earth my DD was thinking, so I asked. Her answer.....


"Pooh is drinking wine, but it is really grape juice, like Jesus did."


Who knew that Pooh was a Christian and took communion?

Cute Quotes

Cute Quote #5
Playing I Spy, I said, I spy with my little eye something gray. My loving daughter belted out, "Your hair Mama, Your hair!"

Cute Quote #4
Daddy came upon a new stop sign in the road that had not been there before, and exclaimed, "Where did that come from? I wonder who put that there?" Miss Smartie replied, "Jesus did." and then proudly added, "I'm getting good at this!". :)

Of course, when Mommy came upon that stop sign, it completely caught her by surprise, so she barrelled on through it. While Mommy was complaining, Miss Smartie was in the back seat reminding Mommy that red means stop and green means go. Oops...


Cute Quote #3
The other night, she was comparing how to spell "Cole" and "cold". She started to say "c-o-l-e-d", and then looked at me and asked what that spelled. I said that isn't a word. She said, "yes it is Mommy, just sound it out."


Cute Quote #2
As I was assisting in the "clean up process" during a bathroom break, my darling daughter was leaning forward (for obvious reasons) and announced "Mommy, you have BIG toenails!" I'm still trying to decide if that is a compliment or not. ;)


Cute Quote #1
Upon waking up from her nap this afternoon, my daughter and I had this clever (on her part) conversation that proves she is too darn smart.

Darling Daughter: "Mom, can you please turn on lampie?" (new pink desk lamp in her room)
Mom: "How about we just open the blind and light the room with the sunshine that God made for us instead."
Darling Daughter: "God made lampie"
Mom: "Yes He did. But, lampie takes electricity which costs money and the sunshine is free."
Darling Daughter: "God made money"
Mom: "Wanna play outside?" :)

Darling Daughter

Updates


How about this for acrobatic! and yes, that is an "Oink" you hear. She was making an animal sound after each somersault. Of course, one time she accidentally said "pig" and thought it was hilarious! Close....

So, turning 3 is great! New polly pockets. New toys. Get to start school stuff. Learning how to read. And now, a new car seat! Cup holder, secret compartment and all!! Woohoo!

She continues to amaze us. Last night was just her second week in the Wednesday program at church (Cupbearers), and she already learned the first Bible memory verse. Keep in mind, she is 3 and the program is for 4-5 year olds (she is in early since we volunteer with the older kids) and they give the kids a month to learn each verse. Also notice this isn't just an easy verse like "Jesus Wept". It is:

"So whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"
1 Corinthians 10:31

Yes, she amazes us each and every day!


Stats
3 years old
33 lbs - 75th %
37 1/2 inches tall - 75th %

Doctor said she is perfect, but we already know that. :)