Wednesday

Yesterday was a very difficult day for me and Abigail. On Monday, the precious one and I went to see the doctor because we suspected that she might have some issues with acid reflux. The doctor (whom we give great thanks for all the time) confirmed that she probably has a mild case and so prescribed a med that will help her during feedings. We started her on it on Monday night, hoping by Wednesday or today she would be doing much better.

Eek! She had an awful day yesterday. She was up off and on from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., crying, inconsolable, and not eating well. She did nap some, but not enough to really feel rested. Picture lying in your bed trying to go to sleep and just after you've been asleep for 20 minutes or so being woken up by noises, hurting tummy, general discomfort and sadness, etc. So I cried yesterday...multiple times...and felt very tired by the end of the day. Fortunately, Elizabeth was VERY gracious to me during the day and even at dinner (when I cried again), she suggested that we pray that God would make me feel better. I asked her if she would pray for me (not desiring to train her but sincerely asking her because I had no words left for the day). She did. She thanked God for me and asked Him to make me feel better. Short. Sweet. But incredibly soothing to me. Also, Matt was very gracious to me, holding Abigail to try to soothe her and offering helpful suggestions of things we could do to make it better. He is amazing. At 5:30 p.m. the LORD was gracious to me and soothed Abigail to sleep. She slept on her tummy in her crib, like a baby as they say, until about 9 p.m. I fed her then went to sleep myself. It was a good night in spite of the day.

So now we have begun today with prayers of dependence, patience, and grace. I have no idea how today will go, so I am trusting God to be here with us.

The Little Mama

So it's been remarkable to watch Elizabeth blossom since we've had Abigail home with us. She is very interested in all things baby, including but not limited to changing the baby, feeding the baby, bathing the baby, and even soothing the baby. E knows that when Abigail cries there are a handful of possible solutions, including giving her her pacifier (aka pacie). Fortunately, the other morning I had my camera handy to be able to snap these pictures quickly before the moment passed.

When Abigail started crying, E took it upon herself to run (literally run) to the bassinet, scoop up the pacie, and run back to patiently hold it in A's mouth until she stopped crying. As I watched, of course, I thought to myself, "That is NOT what Abigail needs nor is it the reason why she's crying. That will never work." But just to keep me humble, Abigail actually did stop crying once her big sister stayed with her for awhile. I stood corrected (and amazed!).

Bathtime pics

Just for fun here are some pics we took around bathtime.

1. Sometimes Abigail is not quite ready for bath.


2. Afterwards, she and Mommy are happy she is clean.


3. However, it gets cold without any clothes on.

Hijacked!

As the dramatic title suggests, I , Matt Morton, have temporarily taken over this blog. Just for the evening, of course. Why this act of virtual violence? I had to tell a story about Elizabeth and Shannon, and write a bit about my dear wife. I know the blog is called “little Morties,” and is of course intended to focus on our two daughters. The following involves our daughters , but is more about Shannon.

Tonight at the dinner table, Elizabeth looked up at Shannon and said, “Mommy, I want to be like you.” The statement was unprovoked, very poignant, and of course brought tears to Shannon’s eyes.

As I reflected on that moment, it occurred to me that while Elizabeth enjoys playing with me and crawling on me and being chased by me, she wants to imitate her mommy. I may receive the laughs, but Shannon receives the genuine admiration.

I know most husbands feel that their wife is the best mother ever, but I honestly cannot imagine a better person to raise these two little girls. A friend of Shannon’s recently told her that when she thinks of mothers, she tends to put Shannon on the top shelf, in a league of her own; not that other moms are deficient, but Shannon is somehow exceptional. I agree.

For one thing, she seems to have an innate sense of what our children need at any given time. Not just physically, although I am still amazed at how she can tell which cries communicate hunger, or fatigue, or frustration, or just plain gas. But I am more amazed at how she seems to constantly have the pulse of the spiritual and emotional and intellectual needs of our daughters. Tonight at bedtime I listened in awe as Shannon and Elizabeth together recited 1 John 4:19. Seriously…she’s only three years old and memorizing Scripture. Thanks to Shannon’s patient and diligent effort, Elizabeth and Abigail are growing each day into women with a love for Jesus and an inner character like His.

Not only does she faithfully do all these things for our daughters, but she does them with generous helpings of grace and joy. The security with which E carries herself is a direct reflection of the kindness and love and laughter that Shannon pours onto her every day. Shannon strikes a wonderful balance between love and discipline, humor and seriousness, grace and truth. I am confident that Abigail will reflect the same poise and security, largely as a result of Shannon's dependence upon the Lord as she raises her. Those who know her have seen these qualities in action, but I felt compelled to share them here.

Alright, I should move along now…Shannon thinks I am studying for my sermon tomorrow, and she will no doubt be embarrassed by my post. Nonetheless, I just had to take over this little blog tonight to tell you what I see in her as a mom. I think the authorities will let this little hijacking pass, once they understand my reasoning. :)

Just Duckie

When Elizabeth was a newborn, we used to dress her in this precious white sleeper that was dotted with little yellow duckies. At the top sat a little duckie with the moniker "Just Duckie." This is why for a long time we called E our little duckie. We both LOVED this sleeper (I think my mom gave it to us.). Anywho, of course, we kept it for the next one and will likely keep it even after we have no more duckies to wear it. This is huge for me since I am not an overly sentimental person when it comes to possessions; I tend to be very utilitarian.

Sadly, I have no photos of E in the just duckie sleeper, so I decided last night to take some of Abigail so as to preserve this moment in pictures. :) Here you go:







For these, I turned the flash off.

Smiles!

Though it's a little difficult to fully tell with a three-week-old, Matt and I feel fairly confident that Abigail gave both of us a little smile last night. It's so hard to put into words how wonderful that first little smile makes you feel. To have someone so small and innocent recognize you and feel such a joy and love towards you in her heart that it comes across on her face touches you deeply. It is such a special moment.

Not Sure What to Call This Post

So sorry for the less than clever title for this post. I was trying to think of something eye-catching and enticing but just couldn't come up with anything; however, I am open to suggestions. :)

I just have some odds and ends to catch you up on regarding Elizabeth, who has been saying some very precious things of late. In fact, last Friday, E prayed for our meal for the first time in her wee little life. We usually pray and thank God for our food because He truly does provide for us in everyway, and it is our joy to remember that by praying. Sometimes we ask E if she wants to pray, and she usually says No. Of course, this is fine; we certainly don't intend to force her to pray, for heaven's sake! Sometimes she teases us and says Yes, but then when the time comes, she backs out. Also, fine. However, last Friday was completely different. Not only did she volunteer, but she followed through. This was her first little prayer before mealtime, "Dear God (we were expected to repeat)...thank you for our lunch...we love you...in Jesus' name...Amen!" We totally attribute it to her wonderful preschool teachers, who so faithfully love her and guide her. (We wish we could take credit.) After the prayer, E immediately commenced to eating, and Matt and I just looked at each other, overwhelmed by the tenderness of her little heart. May God grant us grace to encourage her love for Him!

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On a different note, while Matt's mom was here last week, we all marveled at E's diverse and complex vocabulary. It is true that she lives with an former English major/English teacher, and she is surrounded by books. Yet, we're not really sure where she picked up some of these words (or how she is able to use them correctly). For example,

**crumpled - as in "My napkin is crumpled (barely). May I have another?"

**actually - as in "Actually, Daddy said I could have another brownie." Do I really look that naive?

**comfortable - as in "If I wear my pajammies to naptime, then I will be more comfortable."

**argumentative - as in "I am sorry I was argumentative, Mommy." Though the apology is endearing, I would much prefer not to deal with the arguments! :)

Remember, too, that as she says these words, she can't quite articulate them as an adult would, so they sound too cute coming out of her mouth. Well, maybe not "argumentative."