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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

That little Bug...

... is almost 9 months old! How did that happen? I have never - until now - understood the mothers who say "My baby is a year old already! Where did time go?!" My train of thought usually went something like, "Come on. Really? It's an entire year! How did you not notice it going by?!" However, now I am that mother. (Well, I'm a little premature. She's still only 9 months old. 'Only'...) In a couple days she will have been outside of me for longer than she was inside of me. I feel like this is a significant milestone to reach. It makes me feel a little bit sad. But also excited. Anna has learned SO much and has grown and developed at such an incredible rate that I can barely do more than sit and be amazed when I look at her. She pulled up on me today; she loves standing, and is good at reaching for things and getting to them. She sits in her Bumbo and gives herself her bottle [rarely; I love snuggling with her while she eats :) ]. She has crossed the Atlantic ocean twice (yet is so far from being able to crawl that I doubt she'll ever make it before just learning to walk) and has mastered her pincer grasp and therefore also Cheerios. She is getting tired of her bottle and wants to eat what we are eating; her face lights up with excitement when she sees me dishing up dinner for me and Mark. She conveys a thousand different feelings and emotions on her face, and loves being outside so much that she could happily live as a nomad.

I have been thinking a lot recently about the privilege and responsibility it is to stay home with her. I know that parenting is totally a two-person job. But the vast majority of Anna's waking hours are spent with me. And as such, I have a massive responsibility and influence over how her character grows and develops! Our pastor spoke a couple months ago on the task of parenting, and recognising and drawing out the potential in our kids. He pointed out that while Mary was the one woman in all of history that was chosen to mother the Son of God, and that Joseph was the only one entrusted with the task of fathering this Child whose father he was not, who were the people who prepared Mary and Joseph to be Jesus' parents? Two people looked at Mary and saw in her the potential for something amazing - and nurtured her to step into that potential and thrive in it, and mother the Creator of the universe.

What is God calling Anna to? What qualities will she need in order to follow His call on her life? And what kind of a mother do I need to be in order to help develop those qualities in her? Is there a task that could be more daunting, challenging, fulfilling, joyful, fun and awesome than raising that little Bug?

I love you, sweet girl!

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