31 weeks

There are some weeks where I don't feel I have grown that much, and then other weeks when I can tell a bigger difference.  This was one of the "bigger difference" weeks.  I can definately tell that baby girl is getting bigger! 

63 days to go...

Kohl Children's Museam

Judah and I recently had an outing at the Kohl Children's Museam with our friends Amy and Leah.  There were lots of fun things for the kids to do, and they really had a great time exploring all the "areas" that they had.  There was a pretend grocery store, a veterinary clinic, a library, a music area, a water area, and tons more.  Here are some pictures of our day!

At the "grocery" store in the produce section...

 Judah didn't seem to understand the concept of only taking one item.

 He proceeded to take all the milk and put it in our cart.

 Judah with his friend Leah in the water section.

 This was his favorite activity-splashing water.

 Approaching the drum cautiously...

now we're having fun! 

 In the "makeup" area...

 which we decided to call "war paint"!

Leah with her makeup on!

Mr. Builder

Judah recently struck an interest in stacking his small blocks.  I am hoping that this is the start of many years of building with blocks.  Oh, and yes, he is wearing a sweater and a diaper around the house....sometimes, that's how we roll.

 Admiring his accomplishment...

 Taking a bow after he has finished....or trying a handstand?

   

Baby Bump

Here was the highlight of my day...he cracks me up!  I showed him how to put the ball under his shirt, and he thought it was hilarious.

The Home Stretch

This is the point of the pregnancy that I call "the home stretch"-30 weeks!  Woohoo!  It's hard to believe that there are only 10 short weeks left. 

I am starting to feel that I am further along, with some minor aches and pains, but overall I still feel pretty good.  Baby girl is now around 3 pounds, about the size of a head of a cabbage!  It is so funny to think that it took 30 weeks for her to get to 3 pounds, but in the next 10 weeks she will (most likely) more than double her weight....pretty amazing stuff.      
 

Unplanned

My third book of the year is finished!  I really never would have guessed that reading would become my new pastime.  I have come to the conclusion that maybe I am trying to read as much as I can before the baby comes, because I know my priorities and time will shift a bit when she is here.

This book is the personal telling of a former Planned Parenthood leader’s journey from one side of the pro-choice/pro-life “fence” to the other.  I wanted to read this book because the pro-choice/pro-life topic is an area that I have been passionate about for many years.  Simply put, this was an interesting, good read, but I know that it may not be for everyone, particularly if this is not a topic of interest to you.  That being said, I think that issues of life and death should indeed hold some weight in the life of a Christian.  I think that this book offers a unique perspective from someone who has truly believed in and lived out both pro-abortion and pro-life beliefs.  For me, some of the underlying messages of this book were: the foolishness of worldly thinking, the transforming power of God who is bigger than any lie, God’s work behind the scenes of our life and His bigger unseen plan, and the power of persistent prayer. 

Don't Make Me Count To Three!

So, I have officially finished my second book of 2011….I’m on a roll! 

I would categorize this as an instructional parenting book from a Biblical perspective.  I am in NO WAY an expert on this topic, but out of the handful of Christian parenting books I have read, this would be at the top of the list.  I would say that this book is one of the more comprehensive as well as practical books I have come across so far. I always find that I am left with more questions after I read a book like this, but, in my opinion, this book does a fantastic job presenting both Biblical foundations for parenting as well as practical ways to go about applying those principles in everyday life with your children. 

Ginger Plowman makes some wonderful points about parenting your child’s heart, not merely their actions.  She comes from the (Biblical) perspective that all behaviors are linked to a particular attitude of the heart and, “when you help your child to understand what is in his heart, you are teaching him to evaluate his own motives, which will help to quip him for his walk with Christ as he grows into an adult.” (p. 36)  She also touches on topics such as developing “heart probing skills”, how to give “Biblical reproof”, managing a manipulative child, guidelines for discipline, using the “put off” and “put on” principle when training your child, and more.  I would highly recommend this book to any Christian parent who has a desire to learn more about reaching the heart of their child through correction and discipline.  This is a book that I will definitely have to read a couple (or few) more times to really get (and remember) the information and practical tips, but I don’t mind-I need all the help I can get!

Excerpt:

“…God has entrusted us to prepare the hearts of our children for the Savior.  We are tools used by God to whittle away the calluses of the heart, keeping the heart tender and inclined to obedience.  When we call our children to obey us we are preparing them to obey Jesus, which is our ultimate goal.” (p. 75)

-Ginger Plowman