Insights From Parenting Renewal- Tim Kimmel

We went to hear Tim Kimmel ( author of Grace-Based Parenting & Raising Great Kids) last night at Pinelake, and he was so calling me out on so many things. I love to hear things that challenge me to be a better mother, and just more Christ-like in general. He really made me realize the things that are actually important in Colby's life.



Things that stuck in my mind:

• Our world defines success with beauty, money, and fame. When we view success in such a manner it causes children to be self-absorbed, selfish, and unpleasant people.


• Jesus Christ was humble and said he didn't come to be served but to serve others. What a profound example to raise our children by. We are here to serve Christ and others, and when we do our life will be a success.


• I loved when he said that as parents we have to always show grace even in stressful times and we have to treat our children like Christ treats his children. It's easy to show grace when everything is going great but we have to show grace even when things aren't so great. I so agree! How can we hit, scream, and ridicule a child and then expect them to believe we are full of grace and they should be too?


• Children don't have to be the best at sports, make the best grades, go to the best schools, because none of it will matter in heaven. What will matter is the person they are within!


• As long as children have security, feel loved, and know they have a purpose in life through Jesus Christ then we don't have to fear everything. I felt like he was talking to me because I fear public schools, the horrible things on TV, peer pressure, ummm pretty much everything. Sometimes I wish I could live on an island with just my family but it's not realistic. It's not meant to be that way because we are here to serve.


• We shouldn't have to sit down with our children and explain how they need to be kind, generous, humble, giving, and serve others. It's something they should learn naturally by observing the actions and words of their parents.
  
  

I really wanted to hear more so I'm going to purchase the books and of course I will share my insights.

If you have never heard Chip Henderson preach at Pinelake then you are missing out! Today I heard the best sermon of my life. I attend Pinelake for bible studies on Tuesdays, but I don't attend Sunday Services. We go to St. Peters but I love to listen to Chip so I'm so thankful that I can hear all his sermons at http://www.pinelake.com/. So, if you miss church and need the word, it's always online.

Please take 30 minutes and listen to this life changing message.

When you're disappointed with yourself

http://vimeo.com/4492433

I have to end with some cute pics! Colby's first encounter with a frog.

Bye Bye Birdie

We have adopted a maniac bird, and it has to go bye bye in about 3, 2, 1 seconds or I'm going to go insane!!!!
We have tinted windows on our house so the windows look like mirrors from the outside view. We have a cardinal that is literally mating with our window. I'm so surprised that the bird hasn't broken her neck because she slams into the window over and over and over. Then, she makes an ear wrenching call that wakes everyone up!!!
Colby was sleeping from 7:00- 8:00 and that crazy bird wakes him up anywhere between 5:45-6:30. I have to go in there give him milk, sing Jesus Loves Me, and lay him back down. He goes back to sleep until about 7:15 unless the bird continues.

I'm at a loss of what to do and hurting an animal is out of the question!! Any suggestions?

When I go to get him up he is signing "bird" then he hits his head. He knows the crazy bird is hitting his head on the window.

He doesn't like it at all, it scares him!!
This was at 6:00am and you can hear Colby wake up and start crying. He wasn't doing the awful mate call but you can see how he is trying to break into my house.

Colby loves birds (I think that's the sign he uses the most) but he doesn't like birds that fly into our window!!!!

This past weekend was busy. Saturday Chris had his 27th birthday, and Colby's gift to daddy was 101 fever and lots of whining ( happy birthday to daddy, hehe). Saturday morning was Kate Taylor's baby shower and I couldn't take Colby sick so he stayed home with Chris.

Cutest Baby Cake Ever!!!

Hostesses

After the shower we had to head to Hammond, LA for Pawpaw's 80th Birthday party. I was worried about taking Colby with fever, but we couldn't miss it. It took mawmaw way too much effort to find a time to accommodate everyone, even Cory flew in from Cali.

The Jones Men

Mawmaw wanted a family portrait because she didn't have one with Colby.

Colby had such a good time and never acted like he had fever. He was saying everyone's name; Mawmaw, Pawpaw, JoJo, Coach, Cory, Darren, Bub, and he said pooper for Cooper.

He is going through a stage where he screams MaMa all day long. So, if I got out of his sight or someone picked him up he would start screaming MaMa. Around 5:00 he had 102 fever so I put him in a cool bath and it came down . He still acted fine. I called the doctor and they said just give him tylenol and watch carefully. We left Mawmaw's and went to stay the night with Granny Bub.

How cute are these beds, I felt like I was in an old black and white film. I'm a big cuddler so I almost squeezed in Chris's bed but it really wasn't enough room. There wasn't an extra room so Colby had to sleep in our room. He has never been in the room with us except the first few months, which he doesn't remember. During the middle of the night I guess he heard me move so he jumped up in his bed and yelled Mama. I was very still an didn't say a word so he laid back down but as soon as he laid down Chris rolled over and it scared him. He stood back up screaming MaMa MaMa MaMa. I got up to get him and he was burning up with 104 fever. I got him back to sleep and Chris slept on the couch and I slept in the chair. I wasn't chancing it again. Colby doesn't like anyone in his room or any noises while he is sleeping. The next morning his temp was 99 and he was a happy camper , craziness! Sunday morning Chris went to church with his uncle and then we hit the road and headed back to Mississippi. The entire day he acted fine but still had a little fever so I decided to wait until Monday morning to take him to see a doctor. We went to the doctor and they checked for everything and what do you know, NOTHING! I know it sounds crazy to blame a temp that high on teething but he is cutting 4 teeth right now and last time he cut four teeth the same thing happened. My little man now has 16 teeth, only four more to go, and bye bye to teething YAY!!

where we started out sleeping

Where we ended up sleeping

The things we do to make our children happy!!

Colby's Cover Page

This morning I woke up all excited to see the Rankin Ledger article about my sign classes. My parents went and bought 10 copies and were at my house at 7:30, MAN I love my parents and how much they support me!




I was expecting a small article, so I was shocked to see Colby on the cover page, not to mention a two page article.



We were signing "sorry" so that's why my face looks so goofy. He had just thrown a fit for cookies (you can see his mouth full) and I told him to say he was sorry for acting ugly.




Cover-page

He was signing "diaper change"

I was very pleased with the article, and I hope my classes fill up!!!

You can read the article online www.rankinledger.com

Potty Training

As you know, I did the Early-Start Potty Training by Linda Sonna, PH.D.. Colby was pretty much potty trained from 9 months-13 months old and then changed his mind. He literally only pooped in his diaper about 2 or 3 times a month, at the most. I read every detail on infant potty training and did everything by the book, so what happened? Colby went on potty strike and wanted nothing to do with the potty. I got my book back out to look for answers and hope I could undo what went wrong. As I began to read, it said when potty training starts between five and nine months, the average child has full bowel control at age 15 months.

Which is the case for Colby, he completely controls it. He sits on the potty (which has to be in the kitchen, very sanitary huh?) squeezes out one little portion of poop, claps for himself, checks it out, and then holds the rest in until I put his diaper back on, and then lets it rip!!

HELLOOOOO.... WHY WHY WHY?

I continued to read and it said don't be alarmed if between the age of 15-18 months they become very defiant against using the potty. It says that usually by 20 months they will start right back and most likely be completely potty trained by 2 years old. SOOOO, my fingers are crossed and we shall see!

Colby doesn't like poop in his diaper so he will sign "change" and then point to his booty and say poo poo. He will also tell me that it's suppose to go in the potty. Bentley took a poop inside the other day and he even got on to him and said no no potty. He has alot of room to talk, huh?

Last night Chris ran in the Brick Street Firefly 5K. He finished 2nd in his age group and fifth overall. There were over 300 runners, I was so proud!! I was so excited, and he acted like it was no big deal (Mr. Passive). He didn't want me to take pictures of him getting his medal and he would barely pose for this one picture.

The race was in Clinton which is our college stomping grounds. After the race we decided to go to our all time favorite coffee shop, Gravity. We noticed that it was a little more crowded than normal. We parked down the street and as we were walking up the hill we noticed it was no longer Gravity but was now Petra Cafe. Chris ask someone did Gravity relocate and he said no they shut down. He said, "come on in, it's happening in here!" I was so bummed! They turned my little cozy coffee shop into a belly dancing, Mediterranean cafe. We noticed a Cups opened up a few blocks away so I'm guessing that was the culprit :(.