parenting 101

here we go again.....

molly is a great kid.  i feel like, for the most part, our parenting with her is mostly done.  now, don't get me wrong - i know there will always be parenting and teaching times with her - but she knows the rules and consequences for things and she (generally) listens and obeys very well.  

it has just begun with adelyn.  in the last week i have just noticed her testing me on things - to see what i'll do when she pushes the limits.  she's a rascal.  and she's so friggin' cute it's almost hard to get on to her!  she'll just look at me with this "i know you think i'm cute anyhow" look and it both drives me crazy and makes me want to squeeze her and love on her at the same time.  but she has GOT to learn what "no" means and learn to obey.....no matter how cute she is.  

today we went to target and then walked on down to old navy.  she kept saying "walk" - so i told her that she could walk, but that she would have to hold my hand.  she started off good - but once we were in old navy, she was off like a rocket.  just running through the store.  and she is somehow VERY fast.  well, i finally catch up to her and pick her up and she just starts kicking and hollering, "walk! walk!".  we did walk...right out of the store.  didn't even get to look at anything.  once we were outside again, i gave her three more chances to walk and hold my hand....and every time, she disobeyed.  so i finally just picked her up and carried her to the car.  she's determined.  but i will win these battles!  i must!  

later we ate with my friend jen and her kids - aedan (4) and silas (18 mo).  adie got mad about something and head-butted silas right in the chest.  and i swear i think she was going to try to bite him!  not the biting already - for crying out loud, she only has 4 teeth!!!  sheesh.  

so this is the time, i think, when our parenting has got to be hard-core.  always tough, always consistent.  it takes a lot of determination....like two years of determination.  but i know it will pay off in the long run.  so here we go....wish us luck.  :)  

huh...

this blog will, in no way, be mesmerizing or enlightening.....just a little snipit from this morning that i thought was, well, i don't really know - just one of those, "huh" moments.

i sat adie on the counter while i was getting her breakfast ready and she grabbed my checker (technically, my blood glucose meter).  she grabbed the thing that pricks my finger....held it to her finger tip, then looked at her finger (she had not actually pricked it, just held it there) and then licked her finger.  this is what i do like 8 times a day.....she mimicked me completely (all the way to the finger licking) and i've never even known that she notices that i do that.  huh.  interesting.  she's 17 months old and that perceptive.  kids are like sponges.  reminds me to be mindful of everything i'm doing and saying!! 

speaking love

the other day i was trying to talk to molly about some unkind words she had spoken to her sister.....after much drama and about 10 minutes of "time out", i was able to get through to her that in our house, we speak love.  

well, later that day i was trying to get supper ready and adie kept trying to stand on my foot....and she stood in a way that really pulled the skin, you know - hurts pretty good.  so i unkindly and with much frustration told her to get off and picked her up and put her back down on the floor....and not in a real gentle way.  

well, of course, molly was right there and she politely and matter-of-factly reminded me, "mommy, we speak love in this house, remember?  and that didn't sound very loving to me."  sheesh.  she really did listen.  i love her so much, and i'm glad she keeps me on my toes.  she's gonna be a neat girl.

might as well...

hey everyone...

figured i might as well just start blogging like everyone else so you can keep up with our family - if you so desire!  the summer is flying by....we just got back from a nice vacation to florida to visit steph & family as well as tim & jess.  the girls did great on the trip. we're so glad we flew rather than trying to drive - adie is not the best car rider!  molly is swimming like a fish.  it's so fun to watch her.  

so now we're back at home....dustin is back to work and i'm back to the norm for summer (laundry, housekeeping, playing with the girls, etc.....oh, and work occasionally :) )  it really is fun - but part of me really does miss the routine of the schoolyear...and i'm starting to get excited for volleyball season.  i think i'll have about 15 or so girls trying out, so that's great. i'm always excited to meet the new girls and see what God will do through volleyball.

  

been thinking a lot lately about grace....and how i know i really don't understand it completely.  and how the church has done a great job at teaching law & truth, but a really crappy job at teaching grace & love.  so now we have a lot of unlearning to do.  because i just don't think we can appreciate and accept fully the gift of Jesus' sacrifice if we don't understand grace.  knowing the law & truth doesn't automatically draw us in to the heart knowledge of grace....but, i believe, knowing grace will lead to obeying and knowing law & truth.  i think the church got it backwards....and now it's time to start teaching grace & love - and stop being fearful of what kind of doors that opens up to those who might be seeking God.  

ok....didn't mean to go off on a tangent there.  but that's probably what this blog will be about - my family and my thoughts....however random they may be!