Testing...

Yup, we are alive.  What's new with the Akinas?

Lizzy is LOVING kindergarten.  I was able to help out in the classroom today and it was suck a kick.  Those kids are squirelly, funny, and gullible.  Recess reminded me of what I used to have nightmares about while pregnant.  A birthday party full of five year olds... Lizzy's party wasn't so bad.  I guess I was imagining a school playground instead.

Kate is almost 2 1/2 and knows all her letters (and has for awhile).  She is learning her colors, which proves me wrong.  I thought she was color blind because how can a kid know every letter, and not colors?  Anyway, she is disobedient, loving, and has more nicknames than I can probably remember... Kate-ter-tot, Hurrikate, Bruiser, Little Snickelfritz, Katers... She is crazy and I love her for every tantrum, whine, hug, and couch body slam that she can muster. 

I am determined to lose weight.  I'm putting it in writing, so it must really be official.  I'm tired of being tired and weak.  I'm attending Academy through the Well on Mondays, learn more about Academy here.  I really like it, it's only been a few weeks but I feel like it's a good fit.  Dave is attending with me.  We also roped in Ruth and Jason.  I still have my Tuesday morning group and we are going through a study in Revelation.  Friday morning I usually host a playgroup/life group at our house.  I think it will help me to put my pen to paper, so to speak, so I'll try to keep up with the blogging business.  And I may have watched Julie and Julia recently which reminded me that I do like writing.

6 Months

Ok, so I'm a little late.  Here, this should make up for it!

Quick summary of the Kate-a-roo:  She's rocking back and forth on her hands and knees.  She has one and a half teeth.  We just started solid foods and she doesn't quite have the knack of it yet.  Still sleeping 10+ hours at night.  We're not on a solid daytime schedule, but 2 or 3. naps are par for course.  Still spitting up A LOT.  I mean, like 4 - 6 bibs per day.  And that's because I don't change them every time she spits up.  We have an appointment next week, but she weighs around 18 1/2 pounds.  She likes her milk!

I'm not naked

Have you read the blog, stuffchristianslike.net?  It's fantastic.  Anyway, I got the book version for my birthday and have been loving it.  One of the articles Thinking You're Naked has recently applied to me lately in all sorts of ways. 

Lizzy had a few friends over while their lovely parents went out on a date night.  Right before they arrived, she had wet the bed.  We're 99% accomplished on this potty training thing, but it just so happened we had "a ack-cent" as she would say.  (And of course it would be when we were expecting company, when do children ever do something when you have tons of time to clean it up?  You know what I'm talking about.)  So as we were putting sheets in the wash, I hear Lizzy tell her friends, "I had a ack-cent" very matter-of-factly.  There was no shame in her voice.  I looked over at my husband, and I either thought it, or I said to him, "She doesn't know she's supposed to be embarassed."

Wow.  What a thing for a mom to think.  Lizzy is three years old.  Why should she be embarrassed to have an accident?  I was totally projecting and I'm glad she wasn't around to hear me say it.  She is a tiny sponge-shaped person who mimics just about everything I do and say.  Really, she's so animated while talking I can only imagine how I must come across to her.  But this notion of learning shame has really boggeled me down.  It's bad enough other people are pushing their perceptions of how we should behave and what is acceptable  Self-talk is just as bad, and Lizzy is internalizing everything.  That is to say, she's learning how to behave, speak, and interact with others - and we're the people who are teaching her.

It's a cluster of x-rays that are all beaming at me at once.  We are going through Galations at church, learning behavior is not what endears us to God.  I'm learning in my own personal therapy sessions I think I warped my brain into telling myself I'm not acceptable unless I'm doing the right things (what I consider to be the right things).  And finally a blow to my heart in this article about how God truely loves us regardless of ________.  Whatever it is, because everyone has something. Everyone.  So I'm embracing that truth, I am not naked.  (For those who haven't read the article, just go do it. This will make more sense and the article is short anyway.  Too lazy to go to the top of this blog, you say? here : link)  Truly believing you are not worthless actually boosts self-esteem quite a bit.  And if I'm proud of myself for accepting His free gift, I can only imagine it made God's blog as well.

We have a laugher

 

We discovered this accidentally when we were at our neighbor's house.  I've tried to duplicate it this morning, but no luck so far.  I'll keep trying though,