Potty Trained!

Our Sweet Michayla

I thank the Lord for our sweet Sharon Michayla! This week she turned 18 months (the day after Gaggy`s birthday). For us, that meant it was time for her shots which wasn`t fun at all, but it is amazing to see how fast time has flown and how much she has developed! She is looking and acting more like a little girl and less like a baby. This week she has been busy putting two words together!  She has been saying things like Mommy`s shoes, Mommy`s towel, Mommy`s sleeping, Mommy`s shirt, Mommy`s girl,  airplane up, Hola Papi, and Tia Shoy. It has been so exciting to see her language skills develop. I still can`t get over what a blessing it is to have a child! Michayla has been talking a lot about Jesus recently. We think she is trying to figure out who He is. She starts saying Jesus any time we sing, pray, go to church or read her Bible and certain books she has that talk about Him. We pray that as her understanding grows, she will know Him and love Him at a very young age. She still loves music and has been asking Papa to get his guitar out a lot recently and asks us to sing for her regularly. She loves Rey de Rey (a song we grew up singing in English, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Glory, Hallelujah!). She has also been very interested in caterpillars, spiders, and butterflies, and she thinks the name "Burger King" is the funniest name in the world. She seems to love the baby in Mommy`s belly (or at least Mommy`s belly if nothing else) and asks regularly to touch the baby, giving him lots of kisses and telling him she loves him. She also loves to have "crema" put on her bug bites, because the bug bites "pica". It has been interesting seeing her personality come out! She pays great attention to detail and runs to get Papa his shirt, socks and shoes everyday when he gets up. She makes sure we ALL have our shoes with us all day long for that matter! Life is never boring with a toddler, that`s for sure!! We are thankful for the adventure of being her parents and pray the Lord gives us wisdom to walk her in His ways. 

Trying cookie dough for the first time

Wearing the US and Honduran flags on her cheeks! She has had lots of fun yelling HONDURAS this week when she saw the world cup games!

Temper Tantrums

Thankfully, I haven`t had to deal with any really bad temper tantrums on Michayla`s part yet, but I have dealt with some pretty bad temper tantrums of my own these past years (which is worst!)! I was known to have a pretty bad temper for a while growing up, which I am not at all proud of, but for a couple years before getting married, I seemed to have "matured". Ha! Obviously I still have a lot of maturing to do! Maybe I just wasn`t being stretched enough! I think most married people know that marriage puts to the test how truly selfless you really are. I remember different moments our first year of marriage where I realized how selfish I was and felt the Lord calling me to a deeper level of sacrificing myself and my will to serve Him and serve my husband. Some of my old temper started to haunt me again. Becoming a mom has put those qualities to the test all over again. There are times I really want my way, and I want my family to follow my agenda. How truly and despicably selfish! I have thrown some pretty bad temper tantrums (often camouflaged as "melt downs") here and there. In the moment, I have felt justified knowing  how much I have sacrificed, how tired I am,  how bad everyone ELSE is acting, but in the end I am left confronted with my sin and wishing somebody could give me a good spanking to whip me in shape.´Unfortunately, it is not as easy as a spanking-dealing with heart issues can be so much harder, but today I am more thankful than ever to have these situations in my life that cause me to recognize how much I need Him and depend on His grace. Lord, change me!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

SHHHHHH.....It`s still a secret, so please no posting on facebook!!

Lessons on Sleep

I have thought and read a lot about sleep since Michayla was born. I am no expert and probably know less today that I did to start! Here are some things I have learned though:
1) A baby`s sleep needs will change drastically in the first two years. Be prepared to make a lot of adjustments.
2) It is always better to err on the side of sensitivity towards your baby.
3) Sleep regressions, changes in sleep needs, travel, changes in routine, shots, teething and sickness can all throw off your baby`s sleep. Be prepared to have a lot of rough spots here and there.
4) It isn`t about my wants or needs, it is about what the Spirit is directing us to do when it comes to wanting to help Michayla sleep better. Yes, God wants to be involved even in things like sleep. He has definitely convicted me of being selfish here and there when it comes to sleep.
5) Culture, family, friends and books can all influence the decisions people make about their baby`s sleep. Be careful of any negative influences and stick to what the Spirit is leading you to do!

We recently started the transition from 2 naps to 1. It went really well for a while, but then started to backfire! Michayla started to wake up at the crack of dawn (sometimes before 5!)! And then, of course, couldn`t make it to her one nap, so the last few days we have been back to two naps, which makes her bedtime later. It is a cycle of her not getting enough sleep, and she has been a little grumpy on and off! We have been trying to help her through this transition and determine what her needs truly are, but at times I am confused and frustrated! She has been highly needy of Mommy`s attention and love this week. Today, though, it suddenly came to me that maybe she has been teething again! She has definitely had a lot of symptoms in that direction. Sure enough, when I peeked into her mouth, two new bottom teeth are just starting to pop through! Silly me for again forgetting to look for the obvious!

Best Frosting Recipe Ever

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 t almond extract
1 t vanilla
2 C heavy cream

Cream the cream cheese together, with sugar, almond extract and vanilla. Slowly add (cold) heavy cream until thick. Yummy!

Miss Michayla Update

 Not a day goes by that I am not amazed at how fast Michayla is growing and how delightful she is to us!! We are so thankful to have her in our lives! She is learning and developing and changing daily. Her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. Some of her most regular words are: mama, mom, papa, tio(a), abuelo(a), Alejandra, niño(a), water, agua, juice, milk, banana, tortilla, cheerios, fruta, pelota, down, duck, patito, Biper (a christian cartoon) hola, diaper (and poopy), no, umbrella, eyes, nose, hot, shoes and moto, in addition to making lots of animal noises and imitating us regularly. She still uses sign language, but is using it less as she learns the words. She shares something in common with Aunt Cate: she always seems to have something small and special in her hands (as you`ll notice in the pictures). (= Often a lip gloss or just a little item she thinks is special. She also loves to play and hide in little hidden places and corners. She loves to go to work or go do errands with Papa. She has her whole group of "friends" at the car wash, mini supermarket and caseta he often takes her to. Her love of water has not changed as well! Her bath times, and basically any splash in the water continues to be a favorite activity. She asks regularly for us to put music on for her (she asks by raising her hands and dancing a little). These are just a few things Michayla likes to do. We love her personality, her laugh, her sense of humor and her cuddles. She is a blessing to us!

Ponytail

Michayla`s new favorite place to be : little mattress corner

Very happy to discover Mommy scrubbing the shower and wanted to help