Fun February

It's always fun going on Mommy dates with my boys and I try to do that with each of them around Valentine's Day.  I think the last cake pop Isaac had was during last year's Valentine's date so it was time for another one.  I take them out separately for a special time.  I also found heart sprinkles in the store so Kohen helped me make some cookies and both boys helped deliver them to a few neighbours.

Graham and I even went out for dinner and dessert after putting the kids to bed at my parents' home.   I think this was our first time out alone since Lily-Anna was born.  Now that restaurants have to post nutritional information, we were well aware of the number of calories we consumed in our chocolate peanut butter cheesecake - it's a good thing we shared it.  Thankfully Lily-Anna only woke up five minutes before we returned and she waited patiently with Grandma until I could put her back to sleep.

Lily-Anna in her new dress

We spent Family Day (an Ontario holiday) at Graham's parents' property where we had an outdoor picnic and helped Grandpa tap some maple trees in great anticipation of delicious maple syrup.  We were able to pull Lily-Anna on the sled after we bundled her in, with the help of a bungie cord.  She fell asleep in there on the way out.

Lily-Anna has her first dress from Sierra Leone as my cousin was there recently and very kindly bought it for her.  She sported her new style this past Sunday (along with a long-sleeved onesie and tights to keep her warm).

Both Graham and I have enjoyed spending time with various friends this month and we're actually both reading books so it's quite clear that Graham is on parental leave.  Graham takes Kohen to a library program and a swimming lesson and Isaac to swimming and skating.  All of those will soon be finished.

Lily-Anna performing for the camera

I just finished reading the memoir Lion about a boy who became lost in India and ended up being adopted by a couple in Australia.  Twenty-five years later, with the help of Google Earth and Facebook, he found his way back to his birth family.  I'm also making my way through a book about divorce and remarriage in the Bible due to a friend's situation.  The author claims that in the Bible, Jesus and Paul allow (though do not encourage) divorce on the basis of broken marriage vows, which would include abuse and neglect in addition to unfaithfulness.  I still have a lot to read.    

Graham and Lily-Anna hiking into Raybeth

 Sadly, Isaac had to have a cavity filled today.  Now that we know how much this costs, we will not be forgetting to floss his teeth anytime soon.  We thank the Lord (and the university) for some health coverage.  Isaac was given laughing gas (this was never an option at my dentist when I was a child) and he told me that it was really fun.  The worst part was that he couldn't eat this morning before his 8:00 appointment.  Graham used this as an opportunity to remind Isaac about people who are often hungry and this helped calm him down.      

Lily-Anna is now fully sitting and army-crawling more often.  I was getting a prescription filled and saw a small princess frame that I couldn't resist buying for her.

I was pleasantly surprised when Isaac prayed that I would only have to be up once with Lily-Anna in the night.  I told him this morning that I was with her four times, though the fourth was just an earlier wakeup than I would have preferred.  She might as well get it while she can because I think sleep training is coming in April before Graham returns to work - if I'm brave enough.

A winter lunch at Raybeth

Lily-Anna's new trick is waving goodbye.  I've been able to leave her in the nursery at church the last four or five Sundays so that's been a nice treat.  This is also the first Sunday that Kohen hasn't cried when I left him at Sunday School so we're making progress.  It's hard to believe Kohen turns three on Sunday.  I do however remember that with Isaac we found age three more challenging than age two, though that may have also related to Josiah's death when Isaac was two-and-a-half.

I'm facilitating our Bible study tomorrow night on 2 Peter 2 so I'd better sign off and add some photos to this post and January's post.

Thanks for any prayers!

Blessings,
Elizabeth


2 Peter 3:8-9
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Kohen and his beloved Elmo and Mommy

The boys tapping a maple tree with Grandpa Faulkner