Quade: Five Months

Five months. 

Where has the time gone? I know I say that every month, but really. Seriously. Come on, now. You know it's going by fast, too. My former boss used to tell me to wait until I hit 25, and then the days will really fly by. I think he only said that because he didn't have children until well into his 40's. Having a baby makes the days, months, and years fly.

I'm not even 23 yet, and I feel like I've lived a lifetime. 

Labor does that to a gal, I reckon. ;) 

Quade's 3rd and 4th months were some of the most fun to watch. He matured so much, and really developed quite the personality during that time. He truly is one of the smiliest babies I've ever met! Once he gets past the stranger-shock, he is all grins and just a little goof! He crinkles his nose when he smiles, just like I did (or, eh, some would say I still do...) and is a regular monkey. He's to the point now where I can't keep him in his bumbo, and he tries to climb out of the bathtub or up my shoulder when I'm holding him. He is SO close to crawling, it's scary. Every time I put him on the floor, I half expect to walk away and find him missing when I come back. He's gotten really good at pulling himself up on all fours and rocking back and forth. 

Another fun new thing has been the highchair. 

He L-O-V-E-S sitting in it! I would have pulled it out of the closet a month or two ago if I knew it was going to be such a hit. He's ready for solids, I just know it, but my gut keeps telling me to wait 'till he's 6 months old. Can't tell you why, but Momma's gotta go with what the gut Holy Spirit is trying to tell them! We're going to try quinoa first, I found a really good way to prepare it for babies. I might post that recipe later, and why we're choosing to try it as the first food. 

This picture is a perfect example of his silly gooberness.. 

The following are pictures that Jen took while she was here. As usual, she did a stellar job, and I love how they captured his personality so wonderfully. 

Q and his Dadda. They've recently discovered riding on shoulders (something I think all Dadda's love to do!) and it's just so sweet to watch them together. 

This is one of my favorite pictures! The red in the diaper and boot really meshed well, and the blue in the stitching just made his eyes so vivid blue. Nothing like gnawing on some leather when you're teething. ;) 

I'm going to have this one blown up for the living room. 

Such a ham. 

Another fave, going up in the living room. I wish I had the money to turn it into a canvas print. Those things are 'spensive! 

The "Q" came from Hobby Lobby. I bought it that day, for 2 bucks. It now hangs over his changing table area. 

The sweetest piggies in the whole wide world. 

Hmm...I'd say we're related, no? ;) I can't believe I ever wondered why he got red hair from. As I let mine grow out its natural color, I realize I'm more red than I thought! 

This cracks me up. He's such a goober!

Precious little man, drool and all. We love him bunches. 

All the sand on the ocean floor, bunches. 

All the stars in the sky, bunches.

All the dead skin cells on a hotel mattress, bunches.

(Okay, so that's a little joke Brandon and I have. When we say "I Love you bunches" we ask "How much?" and then proceed to come up with whatever unfathomable number we can...

Have I mentioned we're just a tad goofy? :P)

Yep, that's our sweetie. 

 I want to have another one...

Hmm.

=) 

Then I remember, HELLO - LACK OF SLEEP 

and I think to myself...

I can wait *blink* 

really *blink*

I can *blink blink*

Excuse me while I go attach my IV of vitamin B-500 And 70 Billion.

Such a joy he is, though. It is so fun watching him grow and learn, and discover. He loves books, and getting drinks of ice water. We're getting him some of those mesh teether thingies that you put frozen fruit in, so he can mash around on those when we start food up. I'm so excited for him, for all the things he's going to learn. 

I'm so sorry that he has to grow up in one messed up world. 

Yet, I know the Hand that covers him is bigger than mine and Brandon's hands could ever be. Not only does the hand of the Lord rest upon his life, but it GIVES him life eternal. Grace has been bestowed upon my little guy already.

When he was in the womb...

Think about that. 

When he was in the womb, God had a plan of Grace for him so that when he was born into sin and death, life might be victorious through Christ. 

It wasn't the oxygen in the room that gave him life at birth, it was Grace. 

One day, I pray he will know grace and have faith to believe.

Oh, my heart longs for him to know that in the secret place, his Maker knew him and would so desire that he know Him. 

 To know Christ. 

To know the Cross.

To know Grace.

How can a parent go through life and not desire those things for their children? I see my husband's family, and they don't even consider the spiritual state of their children's (or their own) souls. It just grieves me to no end. 

Don't they know the time is short?

Don't they want to know?

Don't they know there is no better place than the home to learn of the Love of the Lord?

It's not that they haven't heard.

It's not that they've never been told.

Their calloused hearts affect more than their own eternity, it has the potential to affect their little one's too by raising a generation of unbelief. 

Lord, help me to remember that my sin affects my children's hearts. 

Not in a sense of a generational curse, which I do not believe. (All things are overcome through CHRIST at the victory at Calvary!) But rather we reap what we sow into their lives.

But man am I glad, because I know one thing for certain. It's not me. It's not Brandon. 

His Hand covers it all.