Est. August Third

5 months

Mav is 5 months old!

Every month I think that I will gradually write these posts...so I don't forget what actually happens that month. It never happens though so here I am trying to recall all of the fun things we have done and all of the new things Mav can do.

Mav is now rolling over. He can roll from tummy to back and back to tummy

He is very vocal! I know I say that in just about every update...but seriously...he's loud

He giggles so much more! He is so ticklish!

He has started playing in his excersaucer. He loves it even though his feet barely touch the bottom.

Mav has tried banana, pears, avocado, and sweet potato. He loves all of it...except the pears. He even loved the oral vaccine they gave him at the doctor...I was starting to think he has no taste buds...that is until he tried the pears :).

He is working on sitting up but can't quite do it on his own yet.

No teeth as of today but I do think he is teething. They say babies can teeth for months before they actually get teeth though.

Mav went to his first hockey game last weekend...he thinks it's really funny if you humm the intro to chelsea dagger to him.

He is turning into an escape artist...he won't sit in his bouncer anymore unless he is buckled in tight.

We tried the back carry with our tula baby carrier. He was so happy doing that!

He was in his first wedding on the 9th!

He celebrated his first Christmas and new year! He even stayed up until midnight...the little party animal had me cleaning his pee from my parent's floor :)

I think we forgot the 18 week picture???

OLW 2016

Present

noun

Definition of present: the time right now

Yesterday while thinking about what my One Little Word for 2016 means to me, I was reminded of the story of sisters Mary and Martha in the bible:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

While I do believe most people have qualities of both Mary and Martha, I would like to be able to say I am more like Mary who was present at the feet of Jesus rather than running around worried about planning a perfect Pinterest inspired party and ignoring what was really important. I do believe Martha had good intentions...her priorities where just a bit mixed up just as mine so often are. I want my priority to be Jesus.

This year I want to focus on living now and being present. Not the YOLO type of present :)... because I think that may be a bit reckless and that tends to focus on neglecting responsibilities BUT I do want to rid my days of things such as mindless Facebook scrolling, binge watching Netflix shows and worrying about whether the party I am planning or the craft I am doing with daycare kids will ever meet the high expectations I have for myself thanks to Pinterest. I am not saying Facebook, Netflix, and Pinterest are bad things by any means but I have given them too much of the precious time God has given me and that needs to change in 2016. I believe God gives us so many opportunities in the everyday to see his goodness... to shape us into the people he wants us to be... to serve others...to grow...and too often we are too busy or too distracted to really see them.

I chose the word Present for 2016 because like many people I struggle with being content. I tend to miss opportunities like Martha because I am easily distracted,.I tend to look towards the future and start planning for the next big thing rather than really living in the moment that God has given me right now.

I am hoping to change that in 2016 :)

So long 2015. It's been a good year.