Ideas for Homeschooling Toddlers

My husband and I plan to home school our children. To be honest, I'm intimidated. I want to do well yet I do not look at myself as a great teacher, but I am trusting God's Word which says I can do all things through His strength. If He says it, I know by His strength I can do it. Although Kindergarten for my eldest is still a few years away, I have been thinking on my plans to teach for quite some time. While praying about the future and asking God, "how am I supposed to do it??" it was as if He spoke to me and said, START NOW.

Light bulb.

Of course. I can begin right now teaching my toddler, working our way up while instilling learning skills in him and building confidence in myself. Below are some ways I am beginning to teach Nathan early. Every baby step counts. Every intentional effort made goes a long way.

• One thing we have is the Your Baby Can Read Deluxe kit. I will say that we do not do this every day. We have had this for almost a year, Nathan is 22 months old... and he cannot read. However, he recognizes some of the words and he enjoys the DVDs. Also, simply setting a time to sit down with the flash cards and picture books teaches him to 1) sit still, 2) observe what I put in front of him, and 3) work on retaining skills. Repetition helps. I am glad we have the kit, but I would never expect or push others to purchase it as it can be pricey. You can easily create your own version of it.
           
• I dearly love this adorable ABC Wipe-Off book I picked up at a Christian bookstore. I love the fact that it is a wipe-off, meaning I can reuse it. And I love how easy and toddler-friendly it is. Nathan has always enjoyed colors and so this helps familiarize him with the ABC's and how to write them.
            
• Nathan's favorite is his Magnetic ABC's. I put them on our refrigerator and he not only likes to take them off and put them back on, but he likes it when I put them in order (A, B, C, D, etc) and when I spell words and names. Again, this is simply getting him familiar with the letters of the alphabet but it is also lots of fun for him!
             
• Picture books. If you have children, you likely have several children's books. And we all know that children's books are full of pictures. I like to sit with Nathan and read to him. When we look at the pictures, I try to point out every single thing I can think of. (i.e. See the grass? Grass is green. We have grass outside, see? **proceed to window or door). If there is a dog in the picture, I point it out, make the animal sound, try to encourage him to do what I do. Children's picture books are great tools!
          
• We count. Yes, that's it. Every day we count to ten. I use my fingers and show him how to use his. I count his toes. I count his fingers. We count his shoes and his toys.
            
• Nathan has this adorable Match Game that he loves. It is simply a three-piece puzzle of a person (police officer, cowboy, soldier, etc) . We do this several times a week. He also has a fabric match game a friend of mine made for him that he enjoys as well.

I am very careful not to push him. Some parents teach their babies to learn big things at early ages. This is completely fine with me, but personally I want my babies to be babies. I don't want to push him so that he grows too fast. The early years are so short. Therefore, we have our toddler school three days a week and it's always in short durations and in basic things (ABC's, 123's, recognizing animals and objects). It isn't much, but it is enough to begin building good learning skills.

Santa Claus and Jesus Christ

For some Christian parents, there is difficulty in trying to juggle Santa Claus and the story of Jesus at Christmastime. Do we leave out Santa? Do we add more Jesus? Do we ditch Santa Claus?? *collective gasp!*

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Simply put: Can Santa Claus and Jesus co-exist?

Growing up, my parents didn't teach me and my sisters about Santa Claus. Sure, we were allowed to watch the classic "Rudolph" each year and sing "Here Comes Santa Claus" but we were taught at an early age that a big jolly man in a red suit does not enter our house each Christmas and leave gifts for us. We didn't put out milk and cookies or carrots for the reindeer. There wasn't the belief that we were seen while we were sleeping and watched while we were awake by a man in the North Pole who has the power to leave us presents or coal, depending on how good we were. Please do not misunderstand me. I'm not throwing stones; only sharing with you how I was raised. And in my raising, I learned some wonderful lessons. Christmas was more about family and celebrating Jesus' birth. There was no "here's the story of Jesus....now let's get ready for Santa!" It was just...all about Jesus. Now, I am not saying that if you raise your children to believe in Santa Claus, that you are doing a wrong thing. I am only sharing with you a conviction of ours and reasons behind this conviction. We are all accountable to God by how we raise our children. This is how we are raising ours.

My little boy is an avid lover of Veggie Tales and in purchasing their video "Saint Nicolas: A Story of Giving" I was very skeptical and curious. To my delight, the Veggies did a pretty decent job of telling the true story of Nicholas, yet making it all about Jesus. So can they co-exist? I suppose they can. But I also think it is very, very, very important to tell our children the truth and to, above all, keep their focus on Christ and the beautiful gospel story. God's Word says that Jesus is the truth (John 14:6) and His truth will make us free (John 8:32). For us, we will tell our children the truth and also use that opportunity to share the gospel with them. For instance...

• There is no Santa Claus watching our every move. There is, however, a holy God who holds the universe together (Colossians 1:17) and who sees even the smallest sparrow fall (Matthew 10:29).
       
• Being "good" all year does not mean we deserve gifts at Christmastime. According to Romans 3:10, there is "none good; no not one." We should teach our children that our good works are not deserving of presents and blessings. Only through His blood and His salvation are we given "every good and perfect gift" (James 1:17), and "all spiritual blessings" (Ephesians 1:3).
    
• We do not celebrate Christmas with a bearded man, flying reindeer, and lots of elves. We celebrate Christmas as the moment in time when God looked down and saw us destitute and in need, and became one of us so that we might be saved! And because of that great miracle, we, like the shepherds, should glorify and praise God for His unspeakable gift! That is far more exciting and joyous than North Pole fun.
    
• Christmas is not about getting. It is about the joy of giving. We give because God "so loved" that "He gave." Being His children and His people, we should follow the example of our God by loving and giving just as He did. It's important to teach children to give.... and WHY we give. Instead of spending half the year making a list of all the things they want, we should teach them to make a list of ways they can give and be a blessing to others.
    

My parents received lots of flack for not "doing" Santa for me and my sisters and already my husband and I are beginning to hear little negative comments on our decision to raise our children with the truth. That's not to say we don't enjoy watching "Polar Express" and other Christmas movies that are about jolly old St. Nick. But it's all fun and it is - and always will be - made known that it is only fun and make believe. There is no "magic"...but there IS power and glory which comes straight from heaven through Jesus Christ and the truth of the blessed and wonderful Christmas story.

Teaching our Children to Give

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My 18 month old little boy has a lot of toys. He really does. He is our firstborn AND he is the first grandchild (and great-grandchild!) on both my side and my husband's side so, suffice it to say, he has many goodies to play with.

I made a decision before Nathan was born that I would teach him, and our future children, not to hoard up toys and clothes, but have a heart to give and bless others. I decided that each year before Christmas and every birthday, I would go through their things with them and we would choose items to give and donate away to other children. This has a two-fold purpose. Not only does it free up space in our home and keep our house from becoming overly cluttered and hoard-ish, but more importantly it instills in them a habit and a love for giving. A statistic from 2011 reads that 42 million people in the US live in poverty; 16.1 million of them are children. Did you know that at least 80% of humanity live on $10 a day? According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. I don't know about you, but that breaks my heart. And when I look around at the mass of "stuff" that is easily accumulated in our home, I am even more disturbed. I want my children to see that they do not "need" 20 coats, 50 pairs of shoes, and 100 toys. A simple baby doll is extravagant to one little girl out there. A warm coat means the world to a shivering little boy somewhere. It is my goal to direct my children's attention to the needs around them, and then have a desire to try and meet those needs. And like most things, a giving heart needs to be taught at a young age.

The other day I sat down with Nathan in his room and we began going through his toys. I chose toys that he does not play with and that have no sentimental value, and explained that we were going to share those things with a little boy who has nothing to play with. I said, "We have friends who don't have lots of toys! Let's give them a few of ours!" He, of course, doesn't fully understand, but one day he will.... And I hope when that time comes, that he will have learned to have a cheerful, giver's heart. It's also important to remember that we cannot expect to teach our children to give when we, adults, hoard up our stuff. I can't be hypocritical. I, too, go through my clothes and things and pack a box to donate or give away. As a parent, I have to set the example.

What are ways that you have found to help instill a giving heart to young ones?

"Honey Boo Boo" and Parenthood

I do not have a daughter, but can I just be frank with you? If the Lord ever blesses me and my husband with a sweet little girl, I can assure you that she will not resemble the "Honey Boo Boo" child that has recently infiltrated network television.  Not familiar with Honey Boo Boo? You're not missing much. In my opinion, you are just wasting half an hour watching a family that is horrifyingly crude. Don't misunderstand me. I am not "hating on them," only holding them up as an example of everything I do not want my children (and my family) to be. Now I am aware that the children on this show most likely don't know any better. They have obviously been taught that living together while unmarried is acceptable, that bodily functions are hysterical, and that using disrespectful and foul language is the norm. It's heartbreaking. It's disgusting. It makes me want to run to them and say, "Oh, what you are missing!!"

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If you are a parent, then you have an enormous responsibility. Some believe that our job as Christian mothers is only to make sure our children attend Church, come to know and love the Lord, and be a good, moral person. But, friends, that is only scratching the surface! In a generation where God's people look no different from the world, it is necessary vital for us to rise up and begin teaching our children, not simply to be children of the King, but how to behave as children of the King. Which leads me to ask....HOW can I do that?! Apart from the obvious (getting in the Word of God, praying and seeking the Lord's wisdom, praying for our children), there are many practical ways we can begin to instruct our children on how to represent our Lord and be set-apart from the world.

Here is a small list I have compiled:

1. Teach them to show honor and respect. I am repeatedly appalled at the lack of respect children and teenagers have for authority these days. I have seen a preacher and a teacher confront a young person about a wrong, only to be shown blatant irreverence. The Bible says to show honor to those in authority. -- Common courtesy would be to show respect to all! -- No, I don't agree with certain things my elders or my governmental officials say and do, but that gives me no cause to go against God's Word and disrespect those who have been put over us. It is important to teach our children how to speak and act towards those in authority. Yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes sir, no sir. Please. Thank you. You're welcome. Teach it.
        
2. Teach them nobility. A word we don't often think of when talking of children is nobility. These days, it is common for boys AND girls to burp, scratch, and do all manner of crude things. I remember being challenged years ago to act and speak like a lady. As a redeemed daughter of the Lord, I am royalty. I am part of a priesthood. You do not see a princess or a prince behave vulgarly or crass, so how much more should the children of God practice nobility?! (here's a hint: WAY MORE!) ---On a side note, I am thankful I have a husband who is not the run-of-the-mill "burp/spit/scratch" type. He practices nobility. We should teach our children to do the same.
          
3. Teach them basic table manners. A few weeks ago, I watched TLC's United Bates of America and observed this godly family training their children how to behave when out and about. Their training began at home. To follow in the footsteps of nobility, it is important to train our children to sit at the table, to thank the Lord for His provision, to eat calmly, to chew with their mouths closed, and not to throw food, smack, or burp when finished. Basic table manners. It's not hard. (And I really don't want to see your chewed up food rolling around in your mouth, I'm so sorry...)
         
4. Teach them to help others. As a woman (and a mom who lugs around a toddler, a diaper bag, a purse, and growing baby belly), I appreciate men who will open the door for me. That's called chivalry, and though it was once the norm, it is now very rare to see. So many boys and young men will blaze right through the door and let it close in my face. Now yes, I am perfectly capable of opening my own door, but let me just say - I am blessed and honored when a man (young or old) pauses and holds the door open for me; who lets me walk in before him. I am touched when a little girl offers to help me carry my son's bag out of the nursery at Church. I always say "thank you" and let them see my appreciation. It is important to teach our children to be willing helpers. We ought to teach our sons to be courteous and chivalrous and train our daughters to be gracious, kind, and giving. Teach them to observe a need, and then meet it. The little things matter.
               
5. Teach them Godly character. It is one thing to be a good, moral Christian young person. It is another to be Godly and have Godly character. Anyone can be good and kind and go to Church and be involved. But it takes strength, integrity, and spiritual grit to make hard decisions, to say "no" to what others deem perfectly natural, and to stand alone in going by the Scriptures. It is so important to train our children to always go to the Bible for answers, guidance, and truth, and then teach them to implement the Word and stand on it. Teaching them to obey a list of rules "because I said so" isn't enough. Training them to search the Scriptures and to love the Word of God and instilling in them a hunger to live by it is what builds character and strong, godly men and women for the future. 

Do you have practical tips on how to raise godly daughters and sons in a vulgar "Honey Boo Boo" generation? I would love to have your input! Feel free to comment below.

The Mom's Love Chapter

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,

but have not love,
I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness, not godliness.
  
If I scream at my children for every infraction,
and fault them for every mess they make,
but have not love,
my children become people-pleasers, not obedient children.
  
Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,”
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counsellor when my children fail or are hurt.
 
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
   
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God’s perfection of my child.
All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.

Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children.

© Jim Fowler, Christ in You Ministries. Reproduced with permission. Please refer to Christ in You website for more adaptations of 1 Corinthians 13 for parents, fathers, etc.


I couldn't have said it any better!

Wholesome Cartoons for Kids

Early in my pregnancy with Nathan, I knew that I was going to have to carefully monitor any cartoon or television show that was playing in front of my child(ren). With TV shows and cartoons steadily becoming more and more worldly, I realized that I would have to be more diligent than ever in guarding my son's eyes, ears, and heart from the pollution that is flooding our country. I made a list of what was acceptable and what was not. Now, when Nathan has TV time, I decide what will benefit him and what I believe isn't wholesome. For example, if there is any disobedient and/or argumentative behavior, it is not allowed. If there is any reference to witches, wizards, or such, it is turned off. Sadly, in today's media, that doesn't leave room for much to watch anymore. However, good, clean, wholesome entertainment is still out there. And I praise God for it!

Below are some cartoons that I have found to be wonderful and wholesome.

For Nathan's birthday, my parents introduced us to Little Angels. I must say, it's quite adorable. In the 123's episode pictured above, the children are taken by the little angels through Bible stories like Noah's Ark and David & Goliath as they learn to count. We also received the Animals episode that went through stories like Daniel in the Lion's Den.

I'm sure everyone is familiar with Veggie Tales. For years, I have enjoyed watching the cute little Bible stories told by Bob the tomato, Larry the cucumber and all their veggie-and-fruit pals. Many of their stories are classic tales (i.e. Sweet Pea Beauty and Robin Good) that incorporate wholesome and Biblical values, while others (my favorites) are stories directly from the Bible (i.e. David and the Giant Pickle and Josh & the Big Wall). In my opinion, they do a good job at mixing "Sunday morning values with Saturday morning fun."

I stumbled upon this precious little movie at a store not long ago and, giving how we love dogs, I purchased it, hoping it would be a good watch. And it was. At Jesus' Side is the story of Jericho, the street dog, who befriends and follows Jesus throughout the last week of his life through the resurrection. It is a very sweet little movie.

The Three Trees is the story about three trees with three different dreams of what they want to be. One tree longs to be a beautiful chest that will hold treasures. Another tree dreams of being a great ship fit for a king, sailing the oceans. The third tree wants to remain rooted and strong, growing to be the tallest tree in the forest and reminding others of God's glory when they look up at his stature. Each tree has a dream, but each each tree must learn to trust God and HIS dreams for you instead. It is absolutely precious. I love it.



Do you allow your children to watch TV and movies? Are there any wholesome DVDs you like?




This post is linked to: Time-Warp Wife, The Better Mom, Far Above Rubies, Growing Home, and Becoming a Strong Woman of God

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It's Fun Buying Cloth Diapers!

I am just loving cloth diapers. Even more, I love BUYING cloth diapers, diaper covers, and accessories.

LOVE IT.

Such fun! It takes restraint to keep from buying one (or two! or three!) of everything! Anyway, here is the latest of my cloth adventures.

Last week, I found myself in need of a few more diaper covers for Nathan. I currently own two Bummis Super Lite, (one small and one medium), one Blueberry Coverall, and two Imagine covers. The Bummis is great, but it is always possible that a leak may occur, so Nathan only wears that one at home. I really like the Blueberry coverall, especially the adorable pattern of monkeys that I purchased, but I do not like how the top usually turns inward, leaving a little mark on N's tummy from time to time. :( The Imagine covers have been my favorite, so I made a point to get one more. Then I decided to purchase a Thirsties cover. My friend has been raving about them, so I decided to give it a try. I was so happy when I found my package in the mail yesterday! Here is what I got:

I purchased one, Thirsties diaper cover (medium) for Nathan and I LOVE it!
Nathan is currently wearing it as I type this. It is very soft and easy to clean.
It is similar to the Imagine covers, but....different in its own awesome way.
Super awesome! Thank you, Sarah!

I knew I loved the Imagine one-size covers, so I bought another.

The only difference is that instead of the Hook and Loop closures that I

already own, I went with a snap closure. At first, it was a bit confusing

because the adjustable rise is also snaps! So.....yeah. But after a minute, all was well.

Next I purchased liners. I had never tried these before so I was curious

if they would meet a need I have. I have been afraid of taking off on the road

with cloth diapers because it is nearly impossible to clean the soiled (and dirty!) diapers

when you are not home, or have easy access to a washer. It's just.....difficult.

But I looked at the Flushable diaper liners and thought, "Hmmm, maybe?"

So I bought 100 of the Imagine Biodegradable Liners (for less than $6.00).

Today, I used them for the first time and....so far, so good. It needs a bit of

tweaking, but I definitely am happy with my purchase!

So there is the latest. I am planning to try out the Bumkins cover next, as well as purchase a second wet bag. I'll be blogging on those items next time!

Singing Scripture

A few months ago, I shared a chart that I made for me and Nathan as a way of helping me teach him Scripture. I call it my "Saturate chart." Children are like sponges and they learn so much, so fast, so early in their lives. It has been a challenge for me to remember to incorporate the Word into everyday life happenings, but we are getting there! We take it one day at a time. :)

When I was younger and in the AWANA program at our Church, I remember my mom taking the Bible verses we needed to remember and putting a tune to them. We were all singers and singing Bible somehow made it easier to remember those tough verses. There was a time when one of my little sisters, instead of reciting the verse to her AWANA leader, sang the verse....and had a few body motions to go with it! -- for effect, I guess? :)

     

Months ago, I began taking Nathan's bath time to recite to him Psalm 51:10. Not long after, I began to sing Keith Green's song that he wrote from that passage, "Create in Me a Clean Heart." Following suit, and being a singer, I took his mealtime verse of Psalm 34:8 and put a tune to it myself. -- Below is a video of my version.
  

The other day, with all of this on my mind, I thought to myself, "I bet there are Scripture songs out there!" So I pulled up Google and searched for KJV Scripture Songs for Kids. What I found made my heart happy! After looking at various CDs out there, I ended up at iTunes and downloaded fourteen Scripture songs that will make it a lot easier to instill many verses into my son's little heart.

I downloaded songs from the ABC Memory Verse CD, and several songs from the Bible Songs for Kids collection. I am LOVING them! It is a lot easier for me to "soak" him in Jesus and flood his mind and his heart with God's Word through song. And it's easier for me to memorize Scripture more too! (I'm no easy sponge anymore!)

So if any of you mommies love singing around the house and also want to teach your children Scripture, I highly recommend using Scripture songs. Find some you love....or put a tune to verses yourself! Whatever method you choose, I just encourage you to saturate your kids.

 

This is my tune to Psalm 34:8. I have found that there are many versions out there,
so if you don't like mine, you can find another. :) Though Nathan always gives me a
tiny smile, he is still more interested in his food. However, I am sure that if I stay
consistent, he will have those verses rooted in his heart forever.

Cloth Diaper Purchases

Okay, so I am nearly a month into 85% cloth diapering. I say 85% because when we go out, I still use disposable most of the time and Nathan wears a disposable to bed. But I am slowly on my way to becoming "cloth exclusive." So today I decided to share what I have bought and the products that I have come to love, thus far (there are so many!).

Nearly a month ago, I spent a grand total of $92.82 for cloth diapers and accessories. You may be thinking, "$92.82?? For diapers? That's quite expensive...." Well, it was a chunk of money that I didn't fully enjoy spending (I'm very frugal), but I am SO SO SO SO pleased with my purchases. AKA - it was money WELL spent! :) When you calculate the cost of disposable diapers vs. cloth, cloth diapers come out on top every time. :) Here is an awesome chart to better understand the amount of money you save when you use cloth diapers instead of disposable. Oh and for the record, I am NOT against disposable! I have several packages in my house. My reasons for using cloth are 1) because it's cheaper (and who doesn't love that?!), 2) because it's more natural and free of chemicals, and 3) because they are the ultimate in recycling. Here is a very interesting article with facts on cloth vs. disposable. Beware, some of it will make you go - EW!

So with all that said, moving on....

Having only one, very small diaper cover, I knew I needed to buy at least three more in the next size for Nathan. So after browsing around for what seemed like hours (....and it might have been), looking at the various functions and styles, I ended up getting one, Bummis Super Lite diaper cover, one Blueberry Coverall One Size, and two Imagine One Size diaper covers. I'm very practical, so of the four diaper covers I bought, three were solid-colored and could be used for a boy or a girl. But I did spend a few extra dollars on the fourth one because I just couldn't resist the oh-so-cute pattern....monkeys.
                   

After purchasing the covers, I knew I needed more cloth diapers. I wanted to have enough to last two, maybe even three days should something prevent me from being able to wash every day. So I purchased two dozen Imagine Indian Prefold diapers. Love them. They are very soft and are thicker than the Wal-Mart brand cloth diapers and they look so much more comfortable. If I were a baby, I would much rather have them on my bottom than disposable. I am very glad that I purchased two dozen as well, as that makes it where I wash one load of cloth diapers - with covers - every other day. If I had to, and I haven't had to yet, I am sure I could make it every two days, but I don't like having soiled diapers in the pail for that amount of time. Ew....

To top it off, I bought one wet bag. There were - and are - so many to choose from, but I ended up getting the Bumpkins Zippered wet bag which I am VERY pleased with. I used it for the first time last weekend when I spent the night with my family while my husband was out hunting with friends and I am officially happy with it (I was nervous at first!).  In fact, I will most likely be buying a bigger one in the future. The wet bag is for storing the soiled diapers (and clothes if need be). It is leak-proof and smell-proof (glory be!) and very easy to manage. I had it hooked to my diaper bag and never had a problem with it.

I have found it to be incredibly easy to use cloth diapers. There are many websites you can go to in order to buy various cloth diaper products, but MY personal favorite is NickisDiapers.com. Do your own research. You may find a place that better serves you, but I was incredibly impressed with Nicki's Diapers and will be using it more in the future. :)

So there's the cloth update! I'm loving it and....judging by the boy's face....I think he loves it too.

The Arena of Cloth Diapering

I was really gung-ho about cloth diapering.....until I actually HAD my baby. After quite an, um, interesting labor and delivery, I was completely out of it the first week we were home. Then I became busy trying to learn how to be a mommy; meaning how to function on very little sleep and being alone with the constant demands of a small person. Apart from that, I was enormously blessed by cases (I will repeat - cases!) of diapers. I had so many that I ended up giving three packages of newborn diapers away! When Nathan finally reached size 1 in diapers, I still had newborns left over that I had never even opened. Talk about a blessing!! Anyway, several months ago, Hannah sent me some prefolds and a Bummie. They have been sitting on the shelf of my changing table and I have been summoning up the courage to go for it. Today was the day. After spending an hour reading on cloth diapering and EC (elimination communication), I have made it a goal to switch to cloth diapers. Of course, that doesn't mean I will refuse disposable. When we are on the road or something, I will more than likely be using disposable much - if not all - the time. But, for now, I am officially stepping into the cloth diapering arena. I have the older cloth diapers that you put on with the pins as well as the plastic cover but Hannah introduced me to Bummies, All in Ones, and the latest, more modern approach to cloth diapering. Up front, they are expensive. But in my reading, I see that they are well worth the bucks if you stick to it. You wash and reuse them and they will last and last....for more than just your one kiddo. That totally beats $20+ a pack for disposable which will be gone in a week. After Christmas, I am planning on buying one of the All in One diapers to see if I like them, as well as another diaper cover. I also would like a diaper tote which will make it easier (and less stinky!) while on the road.

Speaking of stink, my diaper pail REEKS!! Baking soda just doesn't cut it. So... I just found a very good "stink-master." What is it? So genius. Essential oils. Make sure it's ESSENTIAL oil. I used lavender which is my current favorite on my shelf. I drip a few drops in the pail before I place the bag in. Then, I may put a drop IN the bag. I just started it and it helps a lot. If any of you mommies have more suggestions, let me hear them. :)

So anyway, back to cloth diapering. This afternoon, I gave Nathan a bath, then placed the prefold and the Bummie diaper cover on him. Can I say C.U.T.E! Apparently, he didn't notice the change. He was quite happy and I instantly felt that wonderful feeling a woman gets when she realizes that she CAN do something utterly intimidating. I still don't know what the big deal was. I'm no stranger to cloth diapers. My Mom used cloth diapers a lot with my sisters. Regardless of the WHY, I am a happy momma right now. This also makes me feel like tackling a big mountain soon: EC. As I mentioned above, EC stands for Elimination Communication. A few months ago, I bought the book, The Diaper Free Baby. Intriguing, isn't it? After hearing about a couple who had their 3 month old baby potty trained, I was like, "Whaaa?" and decided to look into it. Obviously, Nathan is not potty trained, but I have been reading up on the idea and it is very fascinating. Basically, infants are born with the ability to communicate their need to "go," just as they communicate hunger or sleepiness. The author is a mother of two children who were diaper-free at eighteen and fifteen months! The book is all about teaching parents how to identify and respond to their baby or toddler's natural cues. It is another facet of "Attachment Parenting" which includes baby wearing, co-sleeping, and breastfeeding. So, come the new year, I just may attempt the impossible and see if that actually works.

FOR NOW, though, hooray for cloth diapering! Puh-lease pray for me as I go at it with full force! :)

Nathan's Introduction to Christmas

I poured myself a cup of coffee (with coco mix and marshmallows added) and I came into this study. I pulled up Blogger (for the first time in a week....sorry!) and logged in. Then I walked into the living room to check on Nathan.......and pulled him out from under the Christmas tree. Again.

How that child scoots from one side of the living room to the other in a matter of seconds amazes me! Yesterday, Grant and I began decorating for Christmas (even though it was 73 degrees outside. Bleh.) and I have gotten a kick out of Nathan's reaction. He was taking a nap when we set up the Christmas tree and when he woke up and I brought him in the living room, his face was priceless! I wish we would have had the foresight to video it. It was a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and shock which, on a seven month old, is a hilarious combination. Every time he looks at the tree, awe is all over his face. So adorable. We are currently having to teach him the word "no." Yes....we have reached the age and, believe you me, HE KNOWS. I have told him "No, Nathan. No-no touch. No." two or three times so far this morning and every time those words come out of my mouth, he stops and looks down like he is heartbroken and ashamed. Little stinker.

So far, he has been a very good boy concerning the Christmas tree. It's expected behavior for a seven month old boy to want to touch (and possibly eat) the Christmas tree. It really is cute. He scoots over and stares with big eyes. It's then that he reaches out his little hand....which gives me the green light to say "No, Nathan. No-no touch."  Consistency is key...and it's best to start early, yes? :)

Today I am deep cleaning the house. DEEP CLEANING, I say. The living room is done. The kitchen is done. Our bedroom is alllllmost done. And it's only 9:30 a.m. Not bad, at all! :) We have a busy week ahead of us but I am SO EXCITED!! Today I am cleaning and decorating and getting ALL the laundry washed, dried, folded, ironed, and put away. Tomorrow I am doing some grocery shopping and finishing up on a certain someone's Christmas gift. Wednesday is the Thanksgiving lunch at Grant's office (which I am to make mashed potatoes, mac 'n cheese, and a dessert) THEN the Thanksgiving dinner at Grant's mom's house. Thursday is - of course - THANKSGIVING which means that I will be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade as I cook another dessert and make a salad for Thanksgiving dinner at Grant's grandmother's house (Whew...can we say diet?). Then Friday, I will be getting up and hitting the Black Friday sales with my Mom, Melody, Mercy, my mother-in-law, and my grandmother-in-law. That is going to be crazy-fun! Friday is also Mercy's 15 birthday, so it will be awesome to spend the day with her on her birthday. Then there is the long-awaited and every-year-anticipated Arkansas vs LSU game that afternoon. And if that wasn't enough excitement, some good friends of ours are coming in that afternoon from Louisiana to spend the weekend with us! They have a little boy a few months older than Nathan and I know that this visit will be extra fun for them now that Nathan is scooting around. Woooooo! Can we say awesomely-fun-and-hectically-exciting week? Yes, we can. :)

SO, guess I'd better get back to getting things ready.....and pull Nathan out from the Christmas tree again. :p

To Love Their Children

The other day, I learned that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar announced that they are now expecting their 20th child!! ohmygoodness!

I am a big fan of their TV show on TLC and watch it as often as I am able on Tuesday nights and early on weekday mornings. I enjoyed watching the budding romance, engagement, and the wedding of their oldest son, Joshua, to Anna, along with the birth of their two children. I have loved reading their first book (the second is on my Christmas list) and prayed along with thousands as their 19th child, Josie, came into the world four months premature. So, yes, I am a fan. :) A lot of people have had derogatory and....well, let's just be honest....hateful comments about the Duggars and their way of life. I have to say, "Gracious, let them alone!" I, for one, am inspired at their obedience in letting the Lord have full control of every area of their lives, especially in the issue of children. That is when you can truly sing, "I surrender ALL." I'm amazed at how they run their home smoothly and with order with so many kids when I know of countless parents who cannot control the one or two kids they have. Grant and I are praying for Michelle as she sacrifices her body, once more, for the giving of life and for trusting the Lord to do all things well. :) God bless them.

With the Duggar family fresh on the brain, I have been thinking of motherhood.

John Wesley said, "I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England."

The impact of that statement is huge. What a powerful remark! Through his mother's diligence in teaching him about Christ and what it means to be a Christian, he learned what no professor could ever teach. He saw Christianity in action in his home; in the life of his own mom. I have read about his mother, Susannah Wesley. Susannah was the youngest of twenty-five children! (you're not quite there, Duggar family! :) She, herself, bore nineteen children with her husband, Samule Wesley. Many Godly women in history had the honor of bearing many children. Elizabeth Fry, a sweet Quaker woman who reformed prisons in England, bore eleven children. Sarah Edwards, the godly wife of Jonathan Edwards, was also the mother of eleven. Catherine Booth, the wife of the founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth, gave birth to eight children.

Psalm 127 verses three and four says, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them...."


Happy is the man that hath his quiver full. For some, the Lord may say that one or two is a "quiver full." For others, a quiver full may be twenty or twenty-five! However many children we are blessed with, the Bible gives us, mothers, a great responsibility; mainly to LOVE our children.

Recently, I read a book that convicted me and inspired me to become a more godly wife and mother. It was a study of Titus 2 and, in reading and studying, I was constantly reminded of how I should be as a Christian woman....


Titus 2:3-5
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

It seems like such a no-brainer to love our children, doesn't it? But it doesn't always come so easily. In studying, I learned that the word, love, found in Titus 2 was the Greek word, Phileo, which is where we get the word Philadelphia (the city of brotherly love). This word isn't Agape love (unconditional love; sacrificing love; God-like love). Phileo is an affectionate love; a friendship love; a tender love.

Though Nathan hasn't yet reached the toddler years or the age where he challenges authority, I am working to display phileo love and to make it a lifestyle. Sometimes it's so easy to show sacrificial love and even unconditional love. We, wives and mothers, will clean up milk and kool-aid spills. We will wash dirty underwear and stinky socks. We will labor and sweat over meals. We will work and work and work....from sun up to sun down.... but will we show phileo love? Are we tender? Are we compassionate? Are we affectionate? In studying this word, I have seen my reflection in love's mirror and.... I'm afraid that I am guilty of not showing phileo as often as I ought to. To my husband, I am often quick-tempered and too "busy" to stop and gently kiss his cheek and ask him how his day was. Suffice it to say, I've been convicted. But I pray, with all my heart, that I will learn to make phileo as normal as breathing in and out. I hope the Lord will bless me and Grant with more children, but no matter how many arrows He places in our quiver, my heart's desire as a mommy is to be full of phileo love. When I am tempted to yell in anger or to let my emotions take over when I am irritated, I want to be reminded to LOVE my children. When they have me ready to pull my hair out, I want to remember that God instructs me to phileo my kiddos, even when their hands are covered in peanut butter and they smear chocolate on my purse.
   
With our world news full of stories of mothers who want to rid themselves of their children, I pray that we, Christian mothers, will resolve to rejoice over ours and to LOVE them....and show it.

Walls

This morning, Nathan woke up crazy early and so we got into our routine early:

Mommy makes bottle.
Mommy changes diaper.
Mommy prays over bottle.
Mommy sits on the couch as Nathan drinks bottle.
Mommy turns on cartoons for Nathan.

However, we had to make a slight change in our routine after that. Every (and I repeat, EVERY) cartoon show this morning was about Halloween (or Hell-o-ween as some friends have rightly labeled it.) Nathan loves watching Mickey Mouse, so I put it on. And low and behold, I hear "We're about to go trick-or-treating! What is Minnie going as? That's right! A witch!" My jaw hit the ground, I groaned, and changed the channel. How about Little Einsteins? Another favorite. But what do I see? The little smart group of kiddos trick-or-treating to spooky music that turns out to be a ghost. *another groan* On to Special Agent Oso (Mommy's favorite). What do I see? The helpful bear helping Naveah make a Jack 'O Lantern.

Every cartoon was about ghosts, monsters, jack 'o lanterns, witches, vampires, and evil magic. My poor little boy. So after he finished his bottle, he began playing with his toys on the living room floor. I went into the bedroom where Grant was getting ready for work and told him about the TV shows. He, in turn, informed me that he was beginning to feel uncomfortable with several of the shows. Our media is growing increasingly more evil and worldly and if we want to protect our son from those influences, sacrifices must be made....and walls must be built.

I remember a Bible study several years ago on the book of Nehemiah. One of my favorite stories in all the Bible is the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. When Nehemiah heard that the walls of his beloved city were broken down and its gates were burned with fire, he sat down and wept and fasted and mourned for days! He then goes to rebuild the walls.

Once he begins to rebuild, the enemy comes along trying to sway him, hinder the work, have him come down, and doing everything in their power to get his attention elsewhere. In chapter 4, Nehemiah and the builders are mocked because they refused to cease or slow their work. Ignoring the laughter, they "had a mind to work," and continued on.

Nehemiah 4:7-9
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

When opposition came against the building up of the wall, Nehemiah set watchmen to keep guard - day and night - to protect the work of the Lord. It got so bad that along with their hammers and tools, they had their bows and swords and their weapons with them as they worked.

Walls are important. Wall keeps things in. And walls keep things out.

Think of America. Our borders are there for a reason. They should be protected. When our borders fall....well, you can see what happens.

Now think of your home. Walls keep things in....your air and heat....your toddlers. :) They also keep things out....like pests....rain.... fill in the blank. How silly would it be to leave your front door wide open all the time? Anybody could walk in and take your little ones or your belongings. Any animal can sneak in and do harm. Your little boy could stumble out and walk out into the street. Your little girl could go out and get hurt or be taken and never seen again. Walls are for a reason.

Now think of your heart. Do we have walls that keep certain things in and certain things out? Are we protected from outside forces that would love to wreak havoc in our lives? Are we safe behind fortified walls that keep Satan out and holiness in?

In chapter 6, verses 15-16, it says, "So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God."

Today, I was reminded of the walls. I have a big responsibility to protect my little boy's well-being, both physically and spiritually. If a murderer breaks in to hurt my son, he will have to go through, first, Grant. Than me. If a car loses control and heads straight for my son, I'll throw myself in its path to save him. And in like-manner, I know Satan is after my little boy. He would love nothing more than to steal his soul. It is mine and Grant's job to protect him and lead him to Jesus. Satan's desire is to fill his little mind - even now! - with evil. Disobedience, rebellion, lying....he'll start anywhere. He will even start with Mickey Mouse, making light of what God calls an abomination. Later in life, he will try to introduce him to alcohol, porn, witchcraft, drugs and violence. It is our job, as his parents, to raise up walls, protecting him.

I know many will make remarks about sheltering him from the "real world." Such comments were made about me when my parents built up walls. There was plenty of laughter. They were plenty who tried to hinder the work. Thankfully, my parents did not come down and stop the building of the walls. Grant and I have no intention of doing so either. Should we let our children run wild and "experience" sin? Should we loosen the reins and let him live "la vida loca?" OR should we build walls and make restrictions, sheltering him from all that would harm his body and his soul? Should we, as the leaders of the home, train him up in the way he should go instead of training him to be his own boss; compromising; desensitized to evil? He will most definitely be hit with the real world one day. We all are at some point. But, by God's grace, he will know the boundaries. God helping us, he will be safe behind the walls and, one day, build up his own.

This Halloween, we have our walls up. There is no participating.

I encourage all you, parents, to build up the walls for the sake of our children's spiritual well being. Satan doesn't always come in the scariest form imaginable. He most often comes in with sheep's clothing. He comes in looking innocent and harmless enough....but he is really the enemy trying to destroy our walls and defeat us. Let us build up the walls....

Nehemiah 6:9
"For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."

Strengthen mine, too, Lord...

Saturating Your Children With Scripture

I remember years ago while attending a Bible conference, one powerful preacher of the Gospel outlined the lives of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, two great patriarchs of Christian history. He said one phrase repeatedly when describing the upbringing of both Jonathan and Sarah, which was:

"....saturated with the Word of God."  Saturated.

Webster's Dictionary defines "saturate" as:
     
sat·u·rate    [v. sach-uh-reyt; adj., n. sach-er-it, -uh-reyt]
  
1. to cause (a substance) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance, through solution, chemical combination, or the like.
     
2. to charge to the utmost, as with magnetism.
    
3. to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely: to saturate a sponge with water; a town saturated with charm.
     
To unite with the greatest possible amount....to imbue thoroughly....to soak..... what a picture. Those two lives (and countless more!) were raised being saturated, not with secular culture, mind you, but with the very living, breathing, infallible Word of God. They were not filled with liberal mentalities or philosophies. They were not absorbed in the things of the world. Instead, they were soaked with Scripture. They were not raised simply just being around Christian things and hearing the Bible taught and preached. Instead, they were SOAKED and completely SATURATED with it. And if you study their legacy, you will be amazed to find that their family presents a near-perfect picture of Proverbs 22:6 which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Thinking upon these things, I have committed to "saturating" my children with the Word of God. A few weeks ago, I began to take Nathan's bath time to instill a Bible verse in his little heart, correlating with what we were doing. I have been reciting Psalm 51:10 to him at every bath time and also will sometimes sing Keith Green's song based upon that passage in Scripture to him as well. I have also been trying to develop a habit of reciting at least one Bible verse at various times of the day, depending on the activity. I recently made a chart, that I will gladly share with you all, that I hope will help me in my endeavour to saturate my children.

As the world grows increasingly sinful and filled with carnal and flesh-filled idols, those who are truly and literally saturated with the Word of God are becoming fewer and farther between. However, as Elisabeth Elliot said, In every generation, there are a few.... My prayer for my little boy (and gracious, for myself too!!) is that he will be soaked in the Word so much so that when this world fades further into the darkness, he will stand out like a lighthouse on a hill. When those his age choose paths of self, lust, and sin, I pray HE will have the Word of God so deeply rooted in his heart that he will be able to aptly combat Satan's fiery darts. When sound doctrine and "the old path" as Jeremiah says, is rejected and even outlawed, I pray he will be so soaked with Scripture that even if his Bible is taken away, he is still able to meditate on the Lord's precepts "all the day long." As parents, we need to take hold of our high calling and USE it wisely. Proverbs tells us that if we train up a child a certain way, he will not depart from it. If we train up our children to simply be good in school, active in sports, or sociable, then that is inevitably the way they will go. And what's more, if that's all we do, we will fail as parents. However, if we train up our children to stand firm upon Biblical doctrine, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, to hide His Word in their hearts that they may not sin against our Lord, if we train them up to be warriors in the army of God, then we will succeed as parents AND we will be pointing our children to Heaven's eternity.

Below is the chart I have made for teaching Nathan basic Scripture for his basic activities. I am resolving to recite these to him every day, instilling those Words into his little heart at an early age. If you would like a copy e-mailed to you, let me know and I will send you the pdf file.

  

Praying for you, parents, as you saturate your children....

Sleep Training

I figured today I would share with you Mommies how we are "sleep training" Nathan. We have our nightly bedtime routine down and it works! (Hooray!) What is it? Simple.

Bath. Bottle. Bed.

The bath calms him down and I like feeding him right before bed so he is full, calm, and sleepy so I'll have more time before he is ready to eat again. It helps!

Once we got that settled, the next problem we had was getting him back to sleep in his own bed after his midnight feeding. I had been having trouble getting him to stay asleep for more than 10 minutes in his cradle after I finished feeding him. He would wake and cry and, after checking his diaper and making sure everything was fine, I would eventually just get him out and put him on my chest and sleep that way. The same would happen with his 3 a.m. feeding. But after watching him carefully, we figured out what he likes - his tummy! And I am ever so glad that Nathan is big enough and strong enough for this to happen. At three and half weeks old, we let him sleep on his tummy for the first time. Many would be quick to jump and argue, but I have a rule of thumb to go by as a mother: Pray and follow your God-given instincts. YOU know your child. Professionals can have plenty of opinions and usually they vary according to their own beliefs. So, be smart, know your child, and decide for yourself as to how you will train them and raise them. For us, this works. Nathan, from day one, had a strong neck and back. After three weeks, I noticed him lifting his head up constantly when he was on my chest. After watching him closely, seeing how he was sooooo much happier on his tummy and, more importantly, able to lift himself up easily, Grant and I prayed about it and began letting him take naps from time to time on his tummy. Now, at two months old, that is the way he sleeps 80% of the time. Since we began turning him over to his tummy after his midnight feeding, he started putting himself back to sleep by himself.

Another area of sleeping that we have established is teaching him to put himself asleep....alone. There are plenty of times Grant or I will cuddle him and put him to sleep while we rock him or hold him close. But there are also plenty of times when we will deliberately lay him down while he is awake, giving him the opportunity to teach himself to be self-sustained. There are times when this works wonderfully...and there are times when it is difficult.

This is particularly hard when Nathan is tired but adamant about NOT sleeping. One night in particular, Grant was late coming home and so I would be putting Nathan down alone. We did our "bath, bottle, bed" routine and I laid him down when he was awake. Needless to say, he was not happy about it. I picked him up and tried to rock him to sleep. Still not happy. Still not cooperative. In this case, I felt it was time to teach him that bedtime was bedtime. I laid him in his bed, kissed him, and walked out. He cried and screamed and, from time to time, I'd go in, talk to him calmly, pull his covers back over him and leave again. I was not going to rescue him from his bed. It was time for sleep. After quite a while, he finally settled down and put himself to sleep. I have had to do this two other times but I have noticed that the amount of time he cries is less every time. It works. :)

One area of sleep training that I jumped on immediately is teaching him to sleep anywhere. Since we travel, I knew that he would have to be able to sleep in his car seat, in his bed, in people's arms, in various other mats and beds, etc. So with each nap, I would try to put him somewhere different. On the floor....in his cradle....in his crib....in my lap...etc. He has always been able to sleep in his car seat so I have never spent time putting him in there while at home. So far, I haven't had any trouble. Every baby is different, but I would recommend trying this technique to see if it works for your baby. One different place per nap. I'm not sure if my training is the reason behind it or if it is his personality and temperament, but Nathan can sleep pretty much anywhere.

Training, training. training.

Nathan schedule has changed in the last few weeks. Where he was taking many naps each day and waking every three hours to feed, now he usually takes two long naps and two short naps during the day. And for the past week, he has slept all night, waking each morning at 7 a.m. I am waiting to see if this will be consistent. If so, it will be wonderful! Due to Grant's and my schedule, and the fact that we travel, sometimes it is hard to give him the naps he needs during the day or put him down at 8:30 or 9:15 p.m. Sometimes we have to toss our routine out the window, but I actually like that we do this every now and then. I want Nathan to learn to be flexible. As a general rule, he has a schedule and will always have a schedule. Grant and I believe it is important for our children to have a routine. But I am glad that a little spontaneity will be had from time to time, teaching Nathan that, sometimes, plans change and we must go with the flow. That's good life training!

So there is what I have learned so far in regards to sleep training. :) Hope it is helpful to you mommies as well!