Progess

Even if she's getting more up her nose than in her mouth, at least she's not screaming the whole time, right?

Now my question is how to feed her without needing to immediately bathe her after every meal...

It Wasn't Exactly Her Favorite...

She's so offended that we would make her eat with a spoon. I'm going to go ahead and predict that vegetables are not going to go over well.

Good bye, Sweet Sara...

I feel like I should write out how much this group of women has meant to me over the last four (is it that long?) years or so, but I don't think I can adequately say what they given me, what a gift they've been. When we started meeting together as fresh newlyweds, I don't think we could have guessed that our larger group would whittle down to these particular four girls, but I know God put each of these women in my life (and faithfully in my living room on Monday nights) for a powerful reason. I treasure each of their personalities for different reasons, and I can see clearly the nuance each added to our little group. What I think Kristi, Sarabeth, and Jen have in common though is each has a loyal heart; each has a steadfastness that is so reassuring; each is faithful to Christ; and each has a remarkable devotion to her husband (and now children!).

I'm crying now as a write out what a blessing and inspiring lesson it's been to watch each of them step into their roles as wives and mothers. What an honor to pray for their parents and siblings and work and friends. I've seen big and small prayer answered in amazing ways. And we praise for the unanswered ones, too. What a blessing to witness J.D., Owen, Isaac, Bradly, Conley, and Anna come into the world and to pray for each of them as our bellies got bigger and bigger! And now what a blessing to celebrate a new job and an exciting move for a fourth of our little group.

I just want to say thanks, ladies, to all three of you. You changed my life.

Correction

I just thought the nursery was complete.... Urban Outfitters helped me realize I was wrong.

Bathing Beauty

A New Thing

We discovered B's fascination with wet, cool things, particularly water bottles. It's interesting to me to see her process this new sensation and hilarious to see her try to pull it into her mouth. If it feels different, it must taste different, right? Unfortunately, B isn't the only one in the family who loves water bottles. Lu, too, is a long time fan.

Help

Source: elementsofstyleblog.com via Beth on Pinterest

I need a 12 step program for Pinterest. I just commented on Molly's latest post, saying that Pinterest isn't good for me. I mean, it's obviously awesome, but I honestly feel the twitches of crack-like addiction. In the last few hazy, Pinterest-filled days since I started, I have spent a shameful amount of time gazing at bows and piglets and Carrera-marble kitchens and babies I don't even know. We're talking a seriously shameful amount of time. I was click, click, clicking away. And then I became more, ahem, selective in my selections. I said to myself, "I'm only going to click on really amazing things now."

I'm lazy, so I'm just going to paste my Story on Morning Glory comment here:

I just told Carter that I thought I was going to have to quit Pinterest. You know how I have to systematically look at every little thing in a store when I go shopping? Well, that trait does not translate well to Pinterest. I'm wasting HOURS at a time. It's stressing me out b/c I can't keep track of what I've seen and I want to see everything. This is obviously a problem. Besides, with FaceBook and the blog and email, it's just too much. I love it, but it's consuming me.

Let me elaborate a little on the shopping/must-see-everything dilemma. I feel like it's my duty to complete the looking process. I feel like I've left a stone unturned, if you will, when I don't see everything in a store. I'm horrible to shop with. I take a torturous amount of time. And I lose all energy after about 30 minutes of shopping, but I feel like I must complete the task. So it becomes a job. Paradoxical, I know. Now, when you apply this characteristic to Pinterest, it just doesn't work. I mean I have to eventually leave my computer, but I feel like a quitter, like I have something on my To Do List that's undone. It's stressing me out.

And besides all that, I have a problem organizing my boards. I forget and put master bedroom ideas under my style board or put cute shoes under the books board. That sort of thing bothers me. And I can't slow down to straighten things out because I MUST LOOK AT MORE PRETTY.

Also, I can't be bothered with all the Pinterest emails! That's too many notices. It is quite interesting/embarrassing how satisfied I feel when others like or comment or repin my images. As if I took the photo or designed the room or created the piglet. Which I didn't. All I did was click on something pretty, but I somehow feel a sense of ownership over this thing. It's weird that I take such pleasure, or even pride, when people like what I like. It makes me feel justified in my taste. What?

Anyway, here I am dithering over my relationship to Pinterest, making like I'm going to stop looking at it, when everyone knows I'll just go crawling back, groveling and panting and flagellating myself over the time I spend gazing at this kind of junk.

Source: lovepop.tumblr.com via Beth on Pinterest