8 Months - Update

I'm stealing an idea from Xapis at wordpress whose blog I have been following all through her pregnancy right up to now that her DS is 18 months old.

Dear Evangeline,

You are 8 months old this week. You really are amazing. You are saying 'Mama' now. I'm not sure if you know what it means, but it's still really special to hear it. You aren't crawling yet but you like roaming around on your tummy and playing with toys. You will also stand-up for as long as any poor sucker will let you. You stiffen your legs to try and stop us from putting you back down on your bottom!

You talk quite a lot, saying various consonants before 'ah' (B, W, L, J) and squeal with delight a lot. You like your 'lift the flap' books and enjoy playing 'peekaboo'. So do we!
Your dadad reads you poetry quite often, your mumum often sings to you, you seem to like this.

You are very beautiful to us, your face is taking shape

You have two little bottom teeth, soft soft skin and you are still fitting your size '0's well enough in most brands. You eyes are such a vivid blue, you get a lot of comments about them. You look like your grandpa.

You seem to like kisses and snuggles and you still seem to like breastfeeding, but you also love food. You ate a toast soldier today, the whole thing! I just gave it to you to give you something to chew, but then it was gone!

You started playing with your shaker a lot more lately, your start playing when I play 'The Eyes Don't Lie' by the Steadfast Shepheard, a song that I have been playing for you and shaking the egg to for a few months now. You bounce up and down like you have good rhythm.

Your dadad and I are so proud of you.

XOXOXOX Love,

Mumum

Poured out like a drink offering

I am feeling much more refreshed after a week away at Tasmanian Christian Convention and more motivated to keep absorbing scripture. One thing I found comforting was talking to some men who also struggle to sit still while reading the scriptures - Peter Woodcock thought it was silly to sit still! I am listening to sermons by John Piper as I take Evangeline for walks and visiting other churches when I can to get as much spiritual food as I can during these endless summer evenings.

Work

Feeling a pull to go back to paid work already, its not worldy pressure of 'all my friends are working' or a desire to have more money for things although I would like to have more money to put away - but just an urge to use my skills a few days a week. I am torn as I would miss my daughter painfully and she is still so young, only 7 months, however I know I won't get the first job I try for, and I am praying for babysitting/child care opportunities that don't hurt me and make things easier for Evangeline.

I would like to be the kind of thrifty housewife who makes everything by hand and somehow manages to buy a field from selling my homemade things on ebay or something ( in a kind of modern equivalent of the proverbs 31 wife) but I'm not her! I did a Masters degree and have worked to support my husband through college and feel odd not working. Just praying for the right opportunity...