Sophie's diaries: 5 weeks +

With daddy dearest

What does it mean to welcome a child into our midst?

I am learning, as a very new and inexperienced mother, to be hospitable - going the many extra miles (sometimes half-asleep, cringing or grumbling under my breath, haha) and dying to my selfish inclinations in order to reach out to a helpless, clueless, dependent baby, so unaccustomed to the ways of our world. And as I do so, I am reminded of (1) God's own lovingkindness and grace that leads us, His helpless, clueless and dependent children, to repentance; and (2) His commission to us - to make disciples, ushering them into His Kingdom through the worshipful offering of our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. I also glimpse God's heart, so full of unconditional love for us... even when we vex and grieve Him with our lower ways. I wonder at the child in myself - the one whom God invites and welcomes into His Kingdom by no other means apart from Christ. Such mercy and grace.

Well then, with regard to our little princess, Sophie ~

We do have our challenges with her; however, I am learning to look at the bigger picture and be grateful that she isn't too difficult a baby to take care of. She eats and sleeps well (and therefore, grows well ~ her end-of-first-month check-up recorded an increase of 8 cm in height since birth, and 1.1kg in weight), travels well, adapts well to her different care-takers and strangers (at least for now), communicates rather well (we are learning to read her crying signals)... and is lovely to play with whenever she is in the mood to respond to our clowning! Ben and I are very blessed to have his parents stay with us until Sophie's 3rd month is over - with their help, we are still able to go out on our once-a-week couple dates, attend cell-group, go for hospital check-ups (for me) and etcetera, even while it is a little too complicated to bring Sophie with us wherever and whenever.... for now. Ben and I often joke that our little girl bullies her grandparents quite a bit - being their very first grandchild (on my side as well as Ben's) and the princess she is. Her grandparents, who are adamant that she must have the best of everything, love her to the moon and back... We must really be careful that they do not indulge her too much and spoil her.

Then again, we must be careful that we (i.e. Ben and myself) do not spoil her, easy as it is!

Thanking God for the willing, potential babysitters too.

Mummy's time-out ~ :P

Having Sophie attend church camp with us at the end of her first month was an adventure... but I am glad that we decided to take that leap of faith and bring her! Our next trip away from home with her... would be to Cameron Highlands in July. Praying that all will go well. 

Time... I can't decide if it is passing too quickly or too slowly.

Oh well.