His laughter... sparkled like a splash of water in sunlight.
-- Joseph Lelyveld
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Night Feedings
When Gideon was born, my mother-in-law gave me this article. It really helped me with my perspective when it came to night time feedings. I am now past this stage in Gideon's life, but I hope it encourages other mothers out there with newborns.
Make the Most of Night Feedings
by: Victoria Whitesell-Clark
Following the birth of our daughter Madeline, the most meaningful sentiment my husband and I received was the note which read, "Wishing you much happiness and a little sleep!" Life with a brand new baby, as we soon learned, is exhilarating and exhausting.
This was especially the case during those first few months when Madeline woke three or more times a night for feeding, changing, and cuddling. It was easy for me, a tired and tense new mom, to respond to my daughter's needs with annoyance, resentment, and self-pity. Then I'd be shocked with guilt for my "unmotherly" emotions.
Fortunately for all of us, I soon found positive ways of coping with those nocturnal episodes. Perhaps you, too, will find those hints helpful.
Learn to capnap. When baby sleeps, put your feet up and rest, too. It's tempting to use baby's naptimes for catching up on those endless household chores, but don't do it. The daytime rest will help compensate for the sleep lost at night.
Keep night feedings quiet and low-key. Keep the lights dim and the TV off. You want to lull the baby back to sleep and fall back to sleep yourself as quickly as you can. Too much light or distraction could help keep both of you awake.
Stop thinking of an eight-hour stretch of sleep as a personal right. While God's Word does say, "He giveth his beloved sleep" (Ps. 127:2), there's no promise it will be interruption free! Attitudes of worry and resentment over lost sleep are often more draining than the lost sleep.
Often during those first months when I'd wake to Madeline's stirring in her bassinet, my mind would be an anxious jumble of resentful thoughts: "OH, not again! I'll never get any sleep tonight! By fighting to postpone the inevitable moment of rising, I grew more tense and lost more sleep than if I'd immediatley arisen to see to her needs. When I finally realized I had no "right" to uninterrupted sleep, it was easier to roll out quickly and care for Madeline. Usually I'd be back to bed myself within fifteen minutes.
Dedicate those sleepless vigils to meditation and prayer. As my resentment diminished, I began to appreciate those times alone with my daughter in the stillness of night. Silent prayers of gratitude welled up within me, and I marveled that God had loved me enough to sacrifice His own child, Jesus, for my sake. My love for God deepened as it would not have had I not been awake night after night.
Night feedings also provided time for praying for Madeline's future needs spiritual development, wholesome friends, good teachers, even her future husband.
When tempted to grumble, consider the grim possibility of losing your child and count your blessings. The death of a little child in a wood-cutting accident in our small community was a sobering reminder of how blessed I was to have a healthy, if occasionally fussy, infant to care for in the night. Following that sad accident, I began breathing a silent, Thank you, Lord, when I woke to Madeline's cries. Often on those nights, I spent the solitude in prayer for grieving parents everywhere.
Take heart your sacrifice is not unnoticed. Two of the most heartening promises for tired new parents are these: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40); and , "whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matt. 10:42)
When I felt bone tired and discouraged, I reminded myself of these verses. I realized that nothing I did for my baby, no matter how insignificant, was going unnoticed or unappreciated by God.
Finally, try to maintain your perspective. Those night sessions might seem to stretch out endlessly, but they don't. A baby grows so quickly, and soon its infancy will be but a memory. Don't try to rush or wish any part of it away.
Make the Most of Night Feedings
by: Victoria Whitesell-Clark
Following the birth of our daughter Madeline, the most meaningful sentiment my husband and I received was the note which read, "Wishing you much happiness and a little sleep!" Life with a brand new baby, as we soon learned, is exhilarating and exhausting.
This was especially the case during those first few months when Madeline woke three or more times a night for feeding, changing, and cuddling. It was easy for me, a tired and tense new mom, to respond to my daughter's needs with annoyance, resentment, and self-pity. Then I'd be shocked with guilt for my "unmotherly" emotions.
Fortunately for all of us, I soon found positive ways of coping with those nocturnal episodes. Perhaps you, too, will find those hints helpful.
Learn to capnap. When baby sleeps, put your feet up and rest, too. It's tempting to use baby's naptimes for catching up on those endless household chores, but don't do it. The daytime rest will help compensate for the sleep lost at night.
Keep night feedings quiet and low-key. Keep the lights dim and the TV off. You want to lull the baby back to sleep and fall back to sleep yourself as quickly as you can. Too much light or distraction could help keep both of you awake.
Stop thinking of an eight-hour stretch of sleep as a personal right. While God's Word does say, "He giveth his beloved sleep" (Ps. 127:2), there's no promise it will be interruption free! Attitudes of worry and resentment over lost sleep are often more draining than the lost sleep.
Often during those first months when I'd wake to Madeline's stirring in her bassinet, my mind would be an anxious jumble of resentful thoughts: "OH, not again! I'll never get any sleep tonight! By fighting to postpone the inevitable moment of rising, I grew more tense and lost more sleep than if I'd immediatley arisen to see to her needs. When I finally realized I had no "right" to uninterrupted sleep, it was easier to roll out quickly and care for Madeline. Usually I'd be back to bed myself within fifteen minutes.
Dedicate those sleepless vigils to meditation and prayer. As my resentment diminished, I began to appreciate those times alone with my daughter in the stillness of night. Silent prayers of gratitude welled up within me, and I marveled that God had loved me enough to sacrifice His own child, Jesus, for my sake. My love for God deepened as it would not have had I not been awake night after night.
Night feedings also provided time for praying for Madeline's future needs spiritual development, wholesome friends, good teachers, even her future husband.
When tempted to grumble, consider the grim possibility of losing your child and count your blessings. The death of a little child in a wood-cutting accident in our small community was a sobering reminder of how blessed I was to have a healthy, if occasionally fussy, infant to care for in the night. Following that sad accident, I began breathing a silent, Thank you, Lord, when I woke to Madeline's cries. Often on those nights, I spent the solitude in prayer for grieving parents everywhere.
Take heart your sacrifice is not unnoticed. Two of the most heartening promises for tired new parents are these: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40); and , "whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matt. 10:42)
When I felt bone tired and discouraged, I reminded myself of these verses. I realized that nothing I did for my baby, no matter how insignificant, was going unnoticed or unappreciated by God.
Finally, try to maintain your perspective. Those night sessions might seem to stretch out endlessly, but they don't. A baby grows so quickly, and soon its infancy will be but a memory. Don't try to rush or wish any part of it away.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A day at the farm
Today we went apple picking at Bob White Acres in Coopersburg. It was a windy day, but delightful. The clouds were especially beautiful in the fall sky.
We made sure Gideon got to hold an apple. He wouldn't let it go the entire time.
Here is Colin and I with our lovely picks!Gideon found another apple his size which he loved. So then he carried around one in each hand. A Red Delicious and a Yellow Delicious!
Too delicious not to taste! ...of course Gideon is the most delicious of them all!
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