Yes, we like the swing. It makes her happy and lets her fall asleep when she’s not being held. Once she’s asleep she’s fine in the bassinet but she doesn’t always enjoy it before she’s asleep – go figure 🙂

Well, we all survived her first bath experience. It was slightly difficult bc I filled her tub way too high and her little bottom slid down way too low so her face was almost in the water. After a few moments of panic and emptying the tub of some water Rina was safely placed back in, but unfortunately by this time she was very irritated and upset with us (probably bc she was so cold) and her screams made me anxious and panicky and then Bryan started in with the jokes…. Let’s just say it’s a good thing it wasn’t recorded for posterity’s sake, I had enough to apologize about as it was. The next two baths went much smoother, thank the Lord.

I’ve been reading the book “First Time Mom” by Dr. Kevin Leman. Excellent book, highly recommend it. Funny, interesting, practical and informative. In the book Dr. Leman (who has a great sense of humor) refers to kids as “hedonistic little suckers” which is true when you think about it. Every child is born thinking the world revovles around them and in one sense it is for awhile. Their every need is answered almost as soon as they make it known – eat, sleep, poop…. They cry and we jump. We focus on their every movement, every word, every action. When they poop it’s a miracle, when they smile we cry, when they laugh we laugh, when they walk we applaud, when they crawl we encourage… They are the center of the world for awhile, and so were we probably when we were born – IF we were first borns even more so (no bitterness here from this middle child)

I think it’s part of our human nature to assume the world revovles around us and the first few years of our lives our parents confirm it to a certain degree (understandbly so). I think that God then spends the rest of our lives showing us, reminding us, convincing us that it does not. Think about it, you’re born and you’re the focus. Then a little sibling comes along and boom – you loose first priority for awhile, learning experience #1 that you’re not the center of the universe. You grow up and your parents try to teach you through discipline and responsability that you’re not the center of the universe. You get married and to make marriage work and have a good relationship you have to put your spouse ahead of you and make comprimises. Reminder #3 that you’re not the center of the universe. For those of us that need more learning we have children. And instantly you are relegated even farther in the backseat then you were when you first got married! Your child makes it very clear very quickly that you are not the center of the universe (although you may be the center of their universe as they get older). And you spend the rest of your life being reminded of this by your children as you try to teach them they are not the center of the universe through discipline and responsability.

Amazing how quickly and almost effortlessly a child becomes more important to you than you are to yourself. God definitely knew what He was doing. My dad once heard this quote – “if you want to serve Christ remain single. If you want to become like Christ, get married.” I would only add this – get married and have kids. It will change you forever – and I’m only 2 weeks in so I’m still a major newbie at this I know 🙂