Being in an unfamiliar setting for a toddler used to routine sure is a workout for us parents. God help us.
Shayla usually doesn't sleep in the same room with us, but of course she is with our 'cabin' arrangement here at Pine Lodge. I think Shayla took it a bit as a slight that she wasn't able to sleep in her bed, but in the converted 'pack-n-play' instead. Needless to say that didn't last long, as soon she was sleeping on Mommy's side of the 'trundle bed' and then talking, sitting up, and then doing 360s on her side kicking mommy in the back, then the head, not to mention the Thunderstorm and lightning strikes that lasted all the way 'till pre- dawn. You can imagine the rest. "How'd y'all sleep last night?", some asked. "We didn't, really", we said, smiling.
I think that if we make it out of our Personal Parental Boot Camp alive.....we are going to be some Super Folks. I don't know what that means. Probably not very much, but I will be Very Happy about it.
So our parental MO for today has been: Let her (Shayla) just Wear Herself plum out!! Maybe, just maybe (fingers and toes crossed) our experience tonight will be one of peace and quiet. We can only Hope! So, to that end she had no nap today (prob would have refused anyhow) and literally stayed up untill midnight. She was fighting sleep the latter half of the day. Hopefully that's a good omen....and a good 'Amen' to the night's forecast. I'll keep you posted. God Bless. Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Pine Lodge Family Reunion I
Here are a few ass't. photos of some of my extended family @ Pine Lodge Retreat near Woodville, Texas.
Pine Lodge Family Reunion I
Here are a few ass't. photos of some of my extended family @ Pine Lodge Retreat near Woodville, Texas.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Hanging out with my friend Mark at Once Over Coffeeshop
Here's mark and I yakkin' away over coffee at Once Over coffeeshop. He's a good guy and a good friend.
Thank you Spirit.
Thank you Spirit.
Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
What is Natural for Kids can be Challenging for Parents
Can we as parents keep up with the learning and growing curve that is so natural for our kids? I am talking about the learning and growing that is required of parents between themselves as their child grows. Their relationship must also grow and evolve as they encounter new interpersonal challenges. The love, tolerance, and understanding has to grow between them along with everything else, otherwise there is a type of energetic constipation that puts a stop to any progressive forward movement.
It is a challenge that must be met. They have to keep remembering that they are on the same team. That always helps. We have to become bouyant once again or the relationship simply cracks and frays at the edges.
Having kids puts you on a serious course for learning. It takes a lot of love, understanding, forgiveness, self-questioning, elasticity, and humor. Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
It is a challenge that must be met. They have to keep remembering that they are on the same team. That always helps. We have to become bouyant once again or the relationship simply cracks and frays at the edges.
Having kids puts you on a serious course for learning. It takes a lot of love, understanding, forgiveness, self-questioning, elasticity, and humor. Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
Growing more Everyday!!
Shayla is growing more and more by the day. You can really see it right now at this stage. It's not just the physical; her linguistics are progressing at an alarming rate too!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The "Momma, Daddy Watch This" Stage has officially Begun.
Shayla has for months now helped us with practically every task that she noices that we are in the midst of. Whether it's loading/ unloading the dish washer or doing laundry, sweeping or opening and closing doors she wants to be involved. It's great--a little helper and a 'shadow' all in one. As you can imagine there isn't much that escapes her attention, and she's so quick on the draw that you have to be careful not to knock her down or fall down yourself. Oh yeah, you also have to help her not to topple or stand up at the wrong time as this can be injurous to either you or her or both. Corners, gravity, hard surfaces, and weight still, of course have yet to have any significant meaning in her little mind, yet that understanding dawns a little more Each and Every Day--Literally! It is Quite Incredible to a witness to it.
So the exact form of "Mommy, Daddy Watch This", started this week. It is quickly starting to dominate our conversations with her and is rapidly becoming a constant state of 'Show and Tell' with us in the front row seats. It's great to be a parent and have a personal one on one real time course in Human Development. There's probably no better way to actually learn about people than to have a little one of your own. As obvious as that may seem it's still a realization that dawns on you all of a sudden as your drinking your coffee or writing in your journal or making dinner.
It's Quite a Blessing.....and a Responsibility to be a Parent. For just as they teach you about human development as they grow and change and take in this big world full of possibility, what will you teach them about the World that they have come to greet? What will You Teach Them about Life and Humanity? What will they be taught by what you do and who you are?
Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
So the exact form of "Mommy, Daddy Watch This", started this week. It is quickly starting to dominate our conversations with her and is rapidly becoming a constant state of 'Show and Tell' with us in the front row seats. It's great to be a parent and have a personal one on one real time course in Human Development. There's probably no better way to actually learn about people than to have a little one of your own. As obvious as that may seem it's still a realization that dawns on you all of a sudden as your drinking your coffee or writing in your journal or making dinner.
It's Quite a Blessing.....and a Responsibility to be a Parent. For just as they teach you about human development as they grow and change and take in this big world full of possibility, what will you teach them about the World that they have come to greet? What will You Teach Them about Life and Humanity? What will they be taught by what you do and who you are?
Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
Fire and Ice: The Polarities in Relationship
Letting it cool, letting it lie is a hard motto to follow when there is heat. Although that is the best thing to do that I have found. (I am certainly not saying that I have mastered it.)
Misunderstandings can be a common occurence in human relations when emotions and hormones enter the picture giving rise to easy twisting and bending of reality.
Fortunately it takes sparks and tinder to start a fire. If you have one without the other you have no fire. Can we have the peace of mind not to supply the tinder when there are sparks around us? Does the other have the peace of mind not to supply the tinder when we are throwing sparks around? This is the critical question. If one of us has enough balance not to participate in the charade then we can derail the obvious destructive outcome. Can one of us remain in the cool while the other is the holder of the heat and remain so throughout?
If you enter in early with well intentioned corrective measures you may actually only add percieved insult to percieved injury.
If one of us can always play the cool one or at least not enter in, then that can be workable. The 'shoe' has to be able to change 'feet' from time to time.
Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
Misunderstandings can be a common occurence in human relations when emotions and hormones enter the picture giving rise to easy twisting and bending of reality.
Fortunately it takes sparks and tinder to start a fire. If you have one without the other you have no fire. Can we have the peace of mind not to supply the tinder when there are sparks around us? Does the other have the peace of mind not to supply the tinder when we are throwing sparks around? This is the critical question. If one of us has enough balance not to participate in the charade then we can derail the obvious destructive outcome. Can one of us remain in the cool while the other is the holder of the heat and remain so throughout?
If you enter in early with well intentioned corrective measures you may actually only add percieved insult to percieved injury.
If one of us can always play the cool one or at least not enter in, then that can be workable. The 'shoe' has to be able to change 'feet' from time to time.
Age comes naturally. You have to work for Wisdom.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Shayla and Munchkin
Note: This loving cat is Sooo tolerant and we are Soo thankful for that!!
Shayla and Munchkin
Note: This loving cat is Sooo tolerant and we are Soo thankful for that!!
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