Catching up
A few years ago, we had been considering serving overseas, the Bear as a pilot and both of us adding our varied technical experience to whatever posting was available. Just over two years ago, we went through a candidacy course with 3 other couples and another young guy with Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada. For various reasons, it didn't work out for us to go forward with them
at the time, but I recently got some updated contact info for the other folks that went through the training with us, and I've been starting to catch up with them.
One young couple departed for Madagascar earlier this year, with their young son (then just 4 months old). I sent them an e-mail to say hello, but I've been reading through their blog to get caught up on their side of the story. I confess I jumped back to the months leading up to Judah's arrival last December, to compare experiences with the whole introduction to motherhood. But with that I was reading much of their experiences in preparing for departure and their first couple of months in a new field (that's as far as I've got with the time between mommy duties). Many of the more candid observations from Jocelyn about how things have proceeded are things I, too, thought about when a posting overseas was on our horizon. And other things, like the daily life of a new mother and the decisions, challenges and pitfalls thereof, are very much common on either side of the world. I've refrained from posting all my empathetic comments on their blog, both because their likely onto other issues and challenges and so as not to flood their limited internet access with a year or more of bits and pieces. But if you should happen to come to my blog and read this Jocelyn, know that I've enjoyed the reading of both your posts, and been challenged more than once by some of your own shared personal challenges.
One less profound thing I came away with from what I've read of their blog was to worry less about flooding my blog with T updates. For one, posting updates on T doesn't keep me from posting on other things 'more in line' with my original intent for this blog. For another, I've sure enjoyed watching Judah change and grow and getting the little updates, so probably at least a few of my readers will feel the same. And those who don't can just check back when I post something less maternal.
So, it's been a busy few weeks for T in terms of milestones. She's been starting to reach for things, and has managed to grab onto and shake her rattles and rings a few times. The biggest thing, just 'cause it's been a little slow according to official guidelines, is her improved head control. I can't quite say she's holding it straight up all the time, but every day she seems to need a little less support and guarding to keep her head from flopping over and sending the rest of her lurching to one side with the weight. I figure with a head as big as hers, it's quite alright that she takes a bit longer to build those bigger muscles to hold it :) And she's been smiling more and more, though it's been pretty tough to catch it on camera. I think the camera is a stranger to her, so however big a smile she had on, it would disappear as soon as I disappeared behind the camera. One of her favourite games is 'head and shoulders, knees and toes' while lying back on my lap - I can often get a smile out of her when I scrunch her up to reach her toes.
Hhere's a couple of shots - one with a slightly fuzzy smile I caught last week, and the other of her spending tummy time with her monkey and without flailing, crying protests.
Oh, and one more very important milestone! She's starting to sleep through the night, and I'm starting to be able to not get up when she squawks once or twice in the night (a big step for the paranoid :)
One of those 'other' posts will hopefully appear later.
at the time, but I recently got some updated contact info for the other folks that went through the training with us, and I've been starting to catch up with them.
One young couple departed for Madagascar earlier this year, with their young son (then just 4 months old). I sent them an e-mail to say hello, but I've been reading through their blog to get caught up on their side of the story. I confess I jumped back to the months leading up to Judah's arrival last December, to compare experiences with the whole introduction to motherhood. But with that I was reading much of their experiences in preparing for departure and their first couple of months in a new field (that's as far as I've got with the time between mommy duties). Many of the more candid observations from Jocelyn about how things have proceeded are things I, too, thought about when a posting overseas was on our horizon. And other things, like the daily life of a new mother and the decisions, challenges and pitfalls thereof, are very much common on either side of the world. I've refrained from posting all my empathetic comments on their blog, both because their likely onto other issues and challenges and so as not to flood their limited internet access with a year or more of bits and pieces. But if you should happen to come to my blog and read this Jocelyn, know that I've enjoyed the reading of both your posts, and been challenged more than once by some of your own shared personal challenges.
One less profound thing I came away with from what I've read of their blog was to worry less about flooding my blog with T updates. For one, posting updates on T doesn't keep me from posting on other things 'more in line' with my original intent for this blog. For another, I've sure enjoyed watching Judah change and grow and getting the little updates, so probably at least a few of my readers will feel the same. And those who don't can just check back when I post something less maternal.
So, it's been a busy few weeks for T in terms of milestones. She's been starting to reach for things, and has managed to grab onto and shake her rattles and rings a few times. The biggest thing, just 'cause it's been a little slow according to official guidelines, is her improved head control. I can't quite say she's holding it straight up all the time, but every day she seems to need a little less support and guarding to keep her head from flopping over and sending the rest of her lurching to one side with the weight. I figure with a head as big as hers, it's quite alright that she takes a bit longer to build those bigger muscles to hold it :) And she's been smiling more and more, though it's been pretty tough to catch it on camera. I think the camera is a stranger to her, so however big a smile she had on, it would disappear as soon as I disappeared behind the camera. One of her favourite games is 'head and shoulders, knees and toes' while lying back on my lap - I can often get a smile out of her when I scrunch her up to reach her toes.
Hhere's a couple of shots - one with a slightly fuzzy smile I caught last week, and the other of her spending tummy time with her monkey and without flailing, crying protests.
Oh, and one more very important milestone! She's starting to sleep through the night, and I'm starting to be able to not get up when she squawks once or twice in the night (a big step for the paranoid :)
One of those 'other' posts will hopefully appear later.
posted by Coastal at
4:36 p.m.
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