little red hearts

Days with 'ma gurl!

2012-01-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

These days go by so fast. I can hardly believe that our Zoey is nearing the 6 month mark. Really? No, really? This time last year I was feeling the morning sickness and panicking over a thesis that still needed writing. And here we are. Wow.

I think I need to grab my iphone more often. Zoey is a hoot. Here you go, Bestemor and Bestefar! We miss you!

From a Mother to all Daughters.

2012-01-24T21:45:00.000-08:00

A young girl shuffled into my studio. She yawned and opened up her violin case. We chatted briefly about our respective weekends. I asked her what her plans were for the evening as I strummed her instrument quietly and turned the tuning peg.

"Oh, I think my family is going out for dinner afterwards." She continued as I lifted the music stand to her height. "We don't go out to eat all that much."

"Why's that?" I asked, only half-paying attention.

"Because I'm getting fat."

My eyes instantly met hers.

"How old are you?"

"Eleven." She adjusted her glasses and scratched her nose.

I nervously stacked her music books on the piano bench but the moment was gone. I panicked inwardly. Say something. Respond. Now.

I was at a loss for words. You're eleven and you think you're fat? Eleven?!?! I wanted to stop the lesson entirely. I wanted to face her, straight-on with my hands on her shoulders and tell her how it was. Truly. I wanted to stand next to her in front of the large mirror in the studio that is normally used for posture exercises. One postpartum, 20-something body next to a vibrant young-girl's. What is one to say? "Oh, no you aren't. How absurd. You are just fine. You're so pretty."

We played some songs and she packed her bags and headed out after 45 minutes. The songs seemed so silly, so trite next to a dear being that was battling such ideas. If one could call it battling, it seemed more like a resolute and affirmed paradigm within a young girl's body. No longer a little girl, not yet a teen.

I turned off the lights and slipped my purse over my shoulder. Driving home, I turned off the radio and inwardly formed a letter I wanted to mail out to every girl on earth. A letter I wanted to whisper in my infant's ear that very night:

From this mother's heart to the daughters of the world,

If you have never been told and even if you scarcely believe it yourself, let me nail this proclamation to pillars of your heart and let it pulse within you from head to toe: you are unique, you are beautiful, and you are glorious. We have skin, we have bones, and we have flesh that encase a beating heart and soul. I think you shine.

Nap-time meals

2012-01-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

I didn't think I was a pulled pork kind of gal. They are messy and gooey and too much like sloppy joes for my liking. That was until I was introduced to this recipe: Pulled Pork Taco[sandwiches]. This is a gem of a slow-cooker recipe. Really, truly. There are 5 ingredients that you must remember. Salsa, cocoa, oregano, chili powder, meat. And then you just walk away for oh, 6-8 hours. Seriously, I feel like high-fiving someone every time I make this. Which has only been, like, two times, but still. How easy can it get? Throw together a salad and you have dinner on the table. For a husband that is part carnivore, this is a hit.

January photo challenge

2012-01-23T16:11:00.000-08:00

Woa, woa, woa, time to catch up.

Nap-time meals

2012-01-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

As a mom of a young infant, time suddenly becomes measured in 3-4 hour increments and nap-time is the prime time to get some tasks accomplished. More than ever, I am on the look-out for quick meals that are satisfying, healthy, and ready in a snap. Every week I'd like to share some meals that have been a success and are quick to prepare. Are you ready?

Before the holidays, my sister gave me the heads-up on a Thai soup that was super easy to make and delish! Google yielded a Real Simple Thai soup that took 20 minutes to make and was a warm meal to share on these cold days!

Here is the link to the recipe I used: Spicy Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

The only alterations I made were:
*I did not bake the sweet potatoes because let's admit it, 50 minutes is almost the entirety of nap time and I still have to have a shower and throw in a load of laundry. Nope, throw it all in the pot and then at the very end take a potato masher to it all.
*I garnished it with chowmein noodles for some crunch and Thai basil.

I would probably cut down on the Thai curry a little bit next time, but Zoey hardly noticed so I guess I'm in the clear. Perfect.

January photo challenge

2012-01-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

January photo challenge

2012-01-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

January photo challenge

2012-01-12T20:59:00.000-08:00

5 months small

2012-01-11T23:06:00.000-08:00

*Zoey had her 4.5 month check-up and she is thriving. She is in the 90th percentile across the board (I think she's going to be tall) and is just over 16 pounds. High five mama's milk. I am now officially a milk making machine. Will she take it from me? Ha! Only when she prefers. I'm calling it the first fruits of her Norwegian/Polish stubborn genes. This breastfeeding adventure is not quite what I had envisioned but I am grateful she is a happy and healthy growing girl. We had some bumps in the road at the beginning so I cannot blame her for getting used to the bottle and actually preferring it. Nursing was a point of anxiety from the get-go. Arden frequently walked in on a teary eyed Erika (hello hormones!) as Zoey happily slept. She was much too sleepy to nurse and her hunger cues were barely a peep. All the while, I continued to freak out that my baby was starving herself to DEATH (again, hello hormones!). Now, we have a method and a rhythm that works for us and a swath of courage and tips for the next time in the (FAR) future that we may have another newborn on our hands. In the mean time, my pump = super buddy.

*Zoey continues to roll over from her tummy to back but only goes half way from her back to her side. All in due time, all in due time.

*She was chomping at the bit to eat and so we have begun real-food purees! She is a little bird and gets so excited as the spoon nears her mouth. So far we have tried yogurt, bananas, sweet potatoes, and peas and they were all a hit. That being said, you know exactly when she is done as she's mastered an affective way of letting me know (cue Zoey clamping her mouth shut and turning away).

*We had some fussy evenings this month (example: not sleeping a wink at her Auntie and Uncle's house one evening over Christmas) but I think we are finally in the swing of a sleeping rhythm for which we are grateful. She generally wakes up bright and happy with coos and sighs somewhere between 8-9 most mornings (yup, the healthcare nurse's jaw dropped when I told her that) and the nights of Arden pacing our floors with an overtired Zoey are fewer and farther between. She still continues to play fickle sometimes if Arden is on his own with her during the evenings that I teach for a couple of hours. Even as I write this, she is sound asleep in her car-seat in our study. Whatever works.

*We were treated with some babysitting friends so that Arden and I could have a night out over the holidays. Zoey was a gem which made me beam.

*There is no new-born left in her. She is a baby, through and through. She loves the exersaucer and gets a look of deep concentration as she plays with the toys that surround her. She continues to show us streaks of determination and is certainly showing her feisty colors. The dangling toys from her chair are almost going to get packed away because most of the time she gets instantly frustrated when she cannot hold them a certain way. I have the feeling she may be a "freak out first, then ask for help" little person. Her laughter continues to come easily and she smiles even when she's upset. I was nursing Zoey in the mother's room at the mall over the holidays and a new mom asked me what my daughter's name was. "She looks just like a Zoey," she exclaimed upon hearing my answer. She certainly is a Zoey. Life : unruly, determined, headstrong, and messy yet overwhelmingly beautiful, vibrant, and tremendously joyful.

+

2012-01-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

It can't be time to pack up the Christmas tunes just yet!

<a href="http://rosiethomas.bandcamp.com/album/remember-when-it-snowed">Remember When It Snowed by Rosie Thomas</a>

Thanks Rosie!

January photo challenge

2012-01-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

january photo challenge

2012-01-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

There's still time to join in! Please do, please do!

Photo a day January challenge

2012-01-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

I just love taking photos of everyday life. Join in if you would like and please tell me if you do!

*

2012-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

Our first day of 2012 consisted of lazing around, not getting out of our pajamas all day, watching tv, and beginning our healthy eating resolution with a salad (followed with ice cream.... those Christmas treats won't eat themselves). Zoey ate and napped happily all day long. I think we will venture out for some fresh air today.

It's a new year.

2012-01-01T16:34:00.000-08:00


January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

New Years Day, in the early and fresh hours of 2012, we drove home. Our slumbering daughter sighed in the backseat. We smiled at one another.

The world has welcomed another year. All may not be well in your home, hunger may continue to prevail, selfishness and greed may reign, death may take its toll, and injustice may blow across your fields. Nevertheless, the new year still presses in upon us all.

2011 held much for us. We rejoiced at the arrival of our Zoey, we continued to work hard and continued to see the Lord's provision in our lives. We have studied long and well, we have sung together and cried together. We have had petty arguments. At times we have hurt one another, intentionally and unintentionally. Friends and family have gathered around our table and we have shared moments of laughter. 2011 was good. 2011 was hard work. 2012 is here.

As you step forward into the coming days, remember that you are a vital and beautiful part of this good earth. Be kind to one another and be kind to yourself. Work hard and rejoice in the goodness of the life we share. Do not dwell in the shadows of resentment or hurt. Forgive your enemies and love and honor one another. May laughter resonate in your comings and goings and may your heart beat steady. May your dreams remain resilient and your fervor steadfast. May peace and love rule in your home.

With hope and joy, we welcome the new year.

Mommy cooooome and get meeeeeeee!

2012-01-01T15:06:00.000-08:00

You know a little someone has been up to a little something when you hear giggles coming from a crib after nap-time and two feet swinging up in the air.

Yup, Zoey you make us laugh even when you're covered in poo.

Christmas card out-takes!

2011-12-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

Drool and everything. Love this girl.

4 Months Small

2011-12-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

At 4 months Zoey:

*loves toys. They are fun to hold and shake and stick as far into her mouth as possible. Sometimes she gets frustrated by bigger toys because she just cannot stick them completely down her throat.
*is laughing. There are not just things to smile about, some things are stinking hilarious.
*much to her introverted father's chagrin, is a full on extrovert. She simply cannot nap if there is company downstairs and would much rather sit on a lap and grin at her new friends.
*just started to roll over. Perhaps it is her dislike for tummy-time but she has just started to push herself from her tummy to her back.
*knows exactly what she likes and what she doesn't like: much to her mama's chagrin she is a little bit choosy as to when or where or how she nurses. Sometimes, the little turkey will wail and flail until she gets her mama's milk through the bottle.... BUT, high five that I'm making enough milk for Zoey, the turkey that she is. Even as I type, she woke up from her nap and pulled the blanket over her face and then decided that she didn't like that. I pushed the blanket away and she went happily back to sleep.
*is a little bit of a mama's girl and can play shy to a new face or have trouble settling down in her papa's arms.
*may be an early eater. She is eager to sit at the table during meals and will sometimes fuss if I am eating something in front of her. Not yet little Zoey, not yet.
*is still a great night-time sleeper. A couple of times she has even slept in until after 8am.
*always sleeps with her hands up near her face, just like when she was first born.
*loves to be sung to or serenaded with an instrument. This week she spent the whole music time in church just staring and listening.

Falala

2011-12-09T15:03:00.001-08:00

A Mom friend recently reminisced with me about the early days with her own daughter. "Everyday felt like Christmas," she said with a fond grin. She nailed it. The snugglie mornings and daily grins and giggles bring a lot of Christmas into our lives. We are so glad you are here Zoey.

*

2011-12-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

We have been busy decking our halls AND our tree. Our tree was purchased on Friday but it has taken 4 whole days to decorate it. Having a baby, I have happily resigned myself to completing tasks in stages. Yes, that is the only way things get done around here. Feed Zoey, play with Zoey, put Zoey to sleep, shower. Feed Zoey, play with Zoey, put Zoey to sleep, make lunch. Feed Zoey, play with Zoey, put Zoey to sleep, DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS!

If you are on the look out for some new Christmas music, please meander over to my friends' Christmas EP, Merry Christmas. Goodnight. It is free to download and is currently on the up and up on Noisetrade (holding the #3 spot)! There are some very well written songs to add to your Christmas mixes!

'tis finally the season!

2011-12-02T13:51:00.001-08:00

I held back as long as I could but the season of Advent is in full swing and you can bet there will be some decking of the halls and trimming of the tree this weekend! Stay warm friends!

*

2011-11-30T21:12:00.001-08:00

When the snow rolls in, everyone needs a cozy bear snowsuit to climb into.

Also, look at this face.

Ok, that is all. Over and out.

Head and shoulders, knees and...

2011-11-25T11:46:00.001-08:00

the cutest toes in all the land!

Happy weekend!

*

2011-11-24T11:36:00.001-08:00

Alderen kjem ikkje aleine; han fører så mye med seg.
Age does not come alone, it brings so much with it.
(A Norwegian proverb)

It has certainly been special to have my parents nearby during the fresh exhilerations and adjustments to parenthood. They have brought many meals, groceries, cheery flowers, beers for Arden, and cleaned many floors and bathrooms. My Mom slept on our floor the first night Zoey came home and my Dad spent the day of her birth with his ear to the door awaiting her first cry; ever prayerful, ever present. Now, during the past months of getting to know our daughter and steadying our feet upon the path of parenthood, they have been a calming breeze of joy and praise, cheering us on to great things. They will be known as Bestemor and Bestefar (Norwegian for Grandma and Grandpa) to Zoey. I am so grateful for parents who speak life into this young Mama's heart.

Oh, man, do I miss them when they are gone. I just... love them.

A space of her own.

2011-11-22T15:13:00.001-08:00

Zoey's nursery is complete (for now). I love how there are so many hand chosen/crafted things. Many of the artwork was picked out or made especially for her. I just love that. It is a cozy space and close enough to our living space that it is easy to hear her coos when she wakes up from her nap. Have a peek:

The crib set was passed on from my sister-in-law's young family. It works great!

One can never have too many owl prints right?

The fireplace has made her naps so warm and snuggly.

The little red rocking chair was mine when I was young, and I can't wait until she can use it herself.

The Asian forest animal paper cuts were specifically ordered by my parents overseas. I just love them.

Zoey has a growing library and we've busted out some of the board-books already. So far she just likes to bat at the pages.

3 Months Small

2011-11-17T16:32:00.001-08:00

At 3 months Zoey is:

*About 2 weeks ago I think the interactive button was turned on. Since then our little Zoey has so much to say!!! She continually gives us huge smiles and is quite the loud coo-er. I don't know if this means we have a singer on our hands or a storyteller... or both!
*Batting at toys and starting to reach for things. Bright lights and colorful fabrics and toys still have her enamored.
*Following us around the room with her eyes. Some times she will fuss until we come around the corner to let her know we're still around.
*Has a sensitive heart. Sometimes a sneeze or a new face she hasn't seen before will set her bottom lip quivering.
*Had a couple weeks of tummy troubles in the evenings. It was certainly hard on Mommy and Daddy's hearts to hold an inconsolable baby.
*Traveling like a pro. Last week she went on her first plane ride. We made it, although there were moments when we were the token parents rocking back and forth in our seats with a crying baby. She did well and even still loves her poor Mama that tried to change her diaper on a toilet seat during turbulence.

An Invocation and Benediction

2011-11-17T15:43:00.001-08:00

Invocation:

A Morning Psalm: Adapted from Psalm 96

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name. Yes, as the morning sun rises, we sing:

Hallelujah!

We will proclaim His salvation day after day. We will declare His glory among the nations,His marvelous deeds among all peoples, His faithfulness through the ages. With amighty voice we sing:

Hallelujah!

We recall the mercies of God that have sustained us throughthe night and are alive in this moment. Ourhearts rejoice as we sing:

Hallelujah!

Creator God, disperse the shadows and awaken us to the newlight of day. Stir slumbering hearts andcomfort the weary. Our hands stretch outto You again as we sing:

Hallelujah!

We recall Your provision in our lives and ask again that Youwould be our bread and water. Steady ourfeet, quicken our steps, and ready our hands for the journey ahead. Lord, draw near to the faint of heart as wesing:

Hallelujah!

Heavenly Father, continue to embrace Your children.

Risen King, rule with justice and favor in our world.

Holy Spirit, cover us afresh like the morning dew.

We sing aloud with great acclamation,

Hallelujah!

Benediction:

Responsive Reading: An Artist’s Prayer

Sovereign God, Living King, Holy Spirit,