Baptism Suit

Here are some pictures of Alexander in the precious suit his great-grandmother Gigi made for him. What a handsome little man!

At Alexander's 2 month check-up he was in the 90% for length and 50% for weight! He now weighs 11 pounds and 12 and 1/2 oz! He is growing so fast!

Ode to Grandpas

I never had a grandpa and always wanted one. When I married my husband I finally got to experience the joy of having a grandpa (Justin's Papa is a great one!). Now I get to see my son with his grandpa and it is so sweet! He LOVES his grandpa and his grandpa LOVES him. I have had a lot of helpers come since Alexander was born, but I must say that my dad has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Here are some ways he has helped me out:

-played, cooed, sang, danced, hummed, and did whatever was needed to help calm my sweet, challenging wee babe
-vacuumed (not just cursory vacuuming but the kind where you move EVERY piece of furniture and item on the floor)
-helped me clean the bathrooms (yuck--my least fav chore)
-went to the grocery store and made SO many yummy dishes for us (including shrimp scampi, spagetti and meatballs, homemade cinnamon buns, homemade apple cake, fresh baked bread, roast chicken and stuffing (with gravy of course:), NY strip steaks, and chicken noodle soup)
-babysat
and (drum roll please...)
-got up with Alexander every night so that I could SLEEP!

Needless to say, I'm so thankful for this special time with my dad. Dad- thanks for all of your help and for loving my son so much. We love you, too!

What JOY!

God is good and does good. He uses all of life to recreate us and bring joy by making us more like him. Everyone told me that motherhood reveals sin like nothing else and I have seen this already in Alexander's 8 short weeks of life. My pride has been astounding-how glorious that the faithful One loves me enough to show me and change me. For some reason I thought I was going to be "super mom." Other people's struggles wouldn't be mine! I would be able to breastfeed, get up in the night without complaining, give of myself unselfishly around the clock--all while cooking dinners, keeping up the house, and loving my husband well.

In a Sandra McCraken song she sings, "Do you think he never reproves me? What a false friend he would be! If he never, never told me of the sin which he must see!" How true! I believe that God loves me too much to let me believe I don't need him and to let me carry on in my pride. He is sovereign over all things and I'm thankful that breastfeeding was a nightmare, I couldn't make it on my own feeding him at night, and I would hand the baby to Justin when he got home and run to take a bath for some alone time. Thank God that he is a friend of sinners! How I grieved over my failures before seeing the mercy, love, grace, joy, and freedom that God gives those who humble themselves before the cross. My little baby is such a gift. I love him more and more everyday. I'm so thankful for the people around me who love him too. I'm so thankful that "love came down to earth." May I remember this Easter how desperately I need him and how little I can do on my own.

“When Love Came Down to Earth”
Words & music by Stuart Townend

When Love came down to earth and made His home with man
The hopeless found a hope, the sinner found a friend
Not to the powerful, but to the poor He came
And humble, hungry hearts were satisfied in Him

What joy, what peace has come to us
What hope, what help, what love

When every unclean thought and every sinful deed
Was scourged upon his back and hammered through his feet
The Innocent is cursed, the guilty are released
The punishment of God on God has brought me peace

Come lay your heavy load down at the Master’s feet
Your shame will be removed, your joy will be complete
Come crucify your pride and enter as a child
For those who bow down low He’ll lift up to His side