mostly random

Bethany and Mommy hanging out the night before Bob and Kate left for Thailand.

Okay, this is going to be completely random.  I've tried to start writing about three different times and nothing even remotely organized is coming to mind. 

Bethany is currently sweetly sleeping and I am watching her via monitor.  (Oh man, do I LOVE our monitor.)  I am SPOILED when it comes to baby watching.  I can see her when I'm at work and I can see her when she is asleep and tote the monitor all over the house.  No wonder I'm so panicky when we're separated and I can't see her. 

Bethany, however, has not seemed to have inherited my separation anxiety.  Again, I walked in to an afternoon of praise for my little girl when picking her up from daycare.  Her teachers went on and on about what a good baby she is.  As they were talking, the still-adjusting-to-post-pregnancy side of myself welled up with gratitude for them and for some reason, I just wanted to tell them how much I appreciated them and ended up telling them my thanks through tears.  Yeah, I'm still slightly emotional, but truly, those ladies have no idea how much I appreciate them!  A few gifts here and there hardly seems like an adequate gesture, so a verbal teary-eyed expression of gratitude can only help my task in letting them know that what they do for Bethany is so incredibly important and special to me.

Speaking of separation, Bobby and Katie are in Thailand beginning their journey as missionaries with Campus Outreach.  I've been reading their blog and catching up with Bobby's pictures on Facebook.  I miss them so much, but I know they're right where God wants them to be.  There was definitely joy in my sister-in-law's blog post, too.  I can tell they're excited and I know they're looking forward to the days ahead. 

My sister starts her new job in Virginia next month.  She has been slowly moving her belongings to her new apartment.  I haven't heard from her quite as much lately and I know it is because she is busy!  I tried texting her during the State of the Union Address because I knew she'd be watching tonight, but I didn't get any replies.  I've thought about her and her diligence in continuing with her new job plans after her really scary car accident and I'm very impressed.  She just keeps on, keepin' on!

Tomorrow is Wednesday.  I'm looking forward to an Amazon shipment arriving and to be at the halfway point of the work week!  Marcus and I ordered Bethany the popular Sophie the Giraffe teether and some toys from Haba.  (Haba is company that specializes in wooden toys that are made in Germany.)  I have been increasing Bethany's colorful wooden toy collection after following my super intelligent friend's blog about play based education and the danger of passive toys.  (Passive toys are toys that command the way the child plays with the toy.  Toys that are generally played with in one way dictate how they are used/played with.  Passive toys entertain rather than engage.)  I started doing my own research . . . and began to pay attention to how consumed my eighth grade students are with their electronics . . .and decided that I would be buying less plastic.  Not that all toys that entertain are bad.  Bethany has plenty of them.  I just want to make sure she learns what it means to really play and actively use her imagination.  I also want to give her tools to help her do that.  There will be lots of books, play-dough, crayons, dress-up, and finger paint when she is old enough! 

Something else I've been researching is baby food.  Bethany is four months, so I could start introducing her to solids, but I haven't.  The AAP recommends waiting until six months, but I know that every baby is different.  The Wholesome Baby Foods website has some very intriguing information about starting babies on avocado and I know of some sweet and smart moms who have done this, so we may try it later.  I'm researching baby food makers and don't know whether to go with a Beaba or a Baby Bullet, but hey, I've got at least a month or two to figure it out.  All I know is that I definitely want to make Bethany's baby food.

Bethany likes being carried by sling now which I love.  I carried her all over Ikea in it this past weekend and while we were in the check-out line, she fell asleep!  So sweet.  I love being able to tote her around that way.

Other exciting random news:  Sara is visiting this weekend!  I can't wait for her to meet Bethany and see the updates we've made to the house!