Baby hands

The other day I was trimming Daniel's nails, and it suddenly dawned on me...his hands will soon change from dimpled baby hands to little boy hands. That doesn't sound like a huge revelation, but for some reason that thought brought a lump to my throat. I love, love, love his baby hands. They were one of the first things I admired after he was born. The thought of those little dimpled knuckles disappearing is heart wrenching!
So, I did what any mom with a camera would do, and I photographed his hands from every possible angle. Now the cuteness is thoroughly documented!


I love this last photo of his little baby hand resting on my shoulder. This is a precious stage.

Monumental event

Take a good look at the photos below. This is the picture of a little boy who has just slept 11 hours. And not just 11 hours, but 11 hours IN A ROW!!! This has never happened before. He rarely (and I mean rarely) sleeps through the night, much less for 11 hours. I am ecstatic and praying that this is the beginning of a new trend in our sleep-deprived household.

I just love the bed head, don't you?

Update: The next night Daniel was awake from 12:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. for no apparent reason. We followed the exact same routine as the 11-hours-of-sleep night. Perhaps our sleepless nights have not ceased yet.

A man of many hats

Daniel loves hats. Well, actually he loves anything he can put on his head, which includes hats, helmets, bowls, gift bags, laundry baskets, etc. In fact, he loves my brother's motorcycle helmet so much that he whines when I take it off him. The thing is enormous and must be heavy on his little neck and shoulders. I finally found a bicycle helmet that he would wear in place of the motorcycle helmet. Too funny! Here are some of the photos of Daniel with his many "hats."

Awww....

Newest hobby

I love to crochet! It is so satisfying and makes me feel very... domestic! Brian bought me a crochet book and supplies for Mother's Day, so I have been using spare moments here and there to learn the stitches and make some projects. Here are my first creations... a couple flowers and a jewelery roll. I have no idea why anyone would need a jewelery roll, but I made one nonetheless. My next project is an envelope purse, which I already started and then completely unraveled. Hohum. Perhaps someday, I will work up to making something I (or someone else) will actually use! Watch out, family members! I see crocheted Christmas gifts in your future. :)

If you are thinking, "Is that ALL she has made in two months?" then please remember that spare moments are awfully hard to come by around here. :)

Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is pretty big business in our little hometown. Brian, Daniel, and I took in many of the local events. We went to the tractor show, transportation show, and dog show, all of which Daniel thoroughly enjoyed. We watched the parade and the fireworks, and Daniel even took his first pony ride. On Sunday, we went to the truck and tractor pull. Oh, and I even entered the cookie contest, and amazingly enough I got first place! Brian saw the cookie recipe on Everyday Food and thought it would be a winner. Anywho, here are some photos of our weekend!

Watching the parade

Grandma Linda and Daniel

His first pony ride!

Daniel was perhaps the only child at the tractor pull whose mom forced him to wear ear muffs.

The men

Watching the tractor pull

Book reviews

Over the past few months, I have read several books that I find very commendable. I want to share a little about them.

The Mitford books by Jan Karon
I am seriously addicted to this series of books. I am currently reading the third of the nine novels, and each seems better than the last. Jan Karon is absolutely hilarious, has amazing characterizations, and can take ordinary people and situations and make them extraordinarily interesting. These are wholesome books that center on an Episcopalian priest, his family, his congregation, and his dog. Scripture is sprinkled throughout the novels, so you even feel fed spiritually after reading them. I highly recommend this series!

Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna
If you are striving to raise Godly children, I think this book would be of interest to you. George Barna has conducted thousands of surveys and interviews with spiritual champions and their parents. He has identified many common denominators in what these parents did that led their children to be God-followers. It encouraged and challenged me in this journey of parenting.

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Kid Pleasing Recipes & Tips by Theresa Kingma
I love cookbooks. Sometimes I cuddle up in bed with a cookbook, and just have myself a good old time reading recipes and dreaming of culinary creations. Anywho, this cookbook has been such a great find for us. As many of you know, Daniel is allergic to milk, eggs, and nuts. We are praying like crazy that he will outgrow these allergies, but in the mean time, my cooking has had to drasitcally change. I have made about a dozen recipes from this cookbook, and we have particularly enjoyed the bake goods. It is difficult to make muffins, breads, cookies, etc. without milk or eggs, but somehow Theresa Kingma has created recipes that are just as delicious as the dairy/egg loaded stuff. I recommend this book to families who also struggle with food allergies.

Reading is my form of escapism. Unfortunately, it sometimes keeps me away from those humdrum tasks that need doing. For example, the house has not been that clean since I picked up the latest Mitford book...