9 Months

This happy boy is 9 months old. I've said this numerous times in Isaac's life, but I love this stage in babyhood. 

Isaac is still a big fan of the bath. At 7 each night, Isaac can really start unraveling, but when you put him in the bath-- this happens! All smiles. He somehow just completely loses the sleepy sadness, and he becomes so happy all over again. 

Isaac had his first Christmas. He could not have cared less. As previously mentioned, Isaac had a pretty rough Christmas Eve, but Christmas day was fine because he was kept comfortable with Motrin and Tylenol. 

Isaac really loved the Christmas tree, and he really, really loved going for that sock monkey ornament whenever he could. My parents got him that ornament, and it was like he knew it was his. 

Isaac has started to prefer eating whatever we're eating. That's a nice cornbread mess he made. He's eaten Chick-fil-a nuggets, meatballs, hamburger, cooked celery and carrots, pancakes, black/kidney/white beans, strawberries, bananas, toast, and probably a lot more that I can't remember. And Isaac has officially started to get HANGRY. When he wants to eat, he wants to eat immediately!

Isaac is pulling himself up on everything he can. But he often stands on his toes like above pictured. He's starting to take less and less tumbles, too. Which is nice!

This is Isaac's preferred way to suck his thumb. Thumb in mouth, my hair in his other hand. Sometimes he even tries to grab my hair and accompany it with his thumb. That's not my favorite. 

Isaac has gotten 2 teeth. The pediatrician thinks his top teeth will be dropping in any day. Sarcastic yay! 

Isaac has started to show that he really loves me. And I mean that by the fact that he prefers I hold him. He likes to be near me even if we're all just playing on the ground. He's not quite to the status of a koala baby, but some days he's close. He'll come crawl up to me while I'm sitting down and just lay his head in my lap while he sucks his thumb. It's pretty sweet. 

I've been feeling pretty mushy for this little guy. A family I know up in North Carolina at my brother's church has walked the unfathomable road of losing one of their children. Their precious little girl, Sarah, was born just a week before Isaac. She was born with an incomplete heart, and that precious baby fought for a tough 9 months. But she died this past week. It's been heart wrenching to follow their journey. I've cried and cried for this family's loss, for that Mama who held her daughter's body as she left earth for heaven, for the reality that we live in a broken world where babies die of unhealthy hearts. It's been overwhelming at times. So I've held my Isaac a little tighter, a little longer (as much as the squirmster will allow). I've taken more pictures of the boys. I'm well aware that I have 2 healthy children in my home, and they are gifts. 

It's been a tough week for me as I've pleaded to God to save Sarah. He chose not to heal her on this side of Heaven. But as I hold Isaac before each nap and bedtime, I humbly thank Him for entrusting this baby into my care. Because I know he's not mine. He ultimately belongs to Jesus, and this week has been a good reminder to love my boys well while I have them. 

A Letter To My Dad On His Birthday

I know I'm going to struggle to get this worded the way I want. Not because the sentiment is hard to scrounge up but because my kids melt my brain a little bit (a lot bit today). 

When I thought about what to get you for your birthday, I couldn't come up with much. I mean, I'd love to gift you and Mom a trip to Ireland. Or the opportunity to throw a pitch at Turner Field. Or a machine that automatically makes you your favorite bagel in the morning. But as great as all of those ideas are, I couldn't make any of them happen. 

But I'm going to give it my best to wish you a great happy birthday in this lame letter.

For the past 2.5 years, I've watched you through a new set of eyes. I've seen you be Abuelo to Anthony's kids, but now you're Abuelo to my kids. It's a special thing to sit in this spot of mine. To watch you love my boys, delight in them, it's something I try to not take for granted. 

So, when I see you walking with Nolan along the pond, throwing rock after rock after rock with him. I take a mental picture (and a real one). Not because it's an extraordinary moment, but because it's so ordinary and so normal for you. If Nolan asks, the answer is probably, "YES!" 

Or when you get in your bathing suit to sit with him in the plastic blue kiddie pool, I notice. I feel loved for the ways you eagerly and happily spend time with Nolan. Again, I take the mental picture and a real one. So one day I'll show Nolan his naked booty and say, "Look at Abuelo! He was 'swimming' in that pool with you just to be with you." Because that's kind of just who you are. 

You bring that little boy blueberries and strawberries just because you know he loves them.

You buy the cereal that I casually mention is too expensive just because you know Nolan loves them. 

You stop by after work, hoping to arrive at just the right time post nap. Because you just want to see him.

The list could go on and on and on. 

And while your generosity is probably extra amped up for your grandkids, this is just a snapshot of who you are. You see a need and silently fill it, not needing recognition. Often times, even giving in secret. You give out of the abundance, and you give when it hurts. Because you know the Giver and honor His generosity in your own life. 

You value people. You especially value your people, but you value individuals. You know each person has a story, and you take opportunities to be present in those stories. 

You are such a hardworking and humble man. I remember watching you walk around the parking lot of your store, picking up garbage. There were two employees in the dining room that could have done that, but you didn't even hesitate to go out there. Because you lead by example and consider yourself part of the team. You are a picture of servant leadership. And the best servant leaders don't teach it, they live it. You live it. 

You live it out at home, too. I have to be quick to beat you to the sink to clean up after a big family meal. Even on Christmas day, I had to get my bossy voice to get you to stop cleaning up. Maybe you find it to be cathartic. Maybe you have a hard time sitting still. Or maybe you just like to be very sure that Mom isn't the one cleaning up after she's cooked. 

You are a man of integrity. You are steadfast even in a storm. You are loyal and faithful. You respect authority. You keep your mouth shut when it'd be easy to not (in the right circumstances). You speak Truth. Loudly. You invest in the people around you, and it seems to come naturally. 

A few times in the last year I've thought to myself, "Gosh! I'm so lucky to have him as my dad!" Like when you had probably 100 people (most of whom I don't know)  praying for me as Isaac's delivery got closer and closer. I probably don't want to know the mass texts that went out in April, but I know I had an army praying on my behalf. 

Thank you. 

Thank you for loving me and my family the way you do. Thank you for leading, serving, and giving the way you do. I am challenged to be better at all of those things. 

Happy Birthday, Daddy. I'm grateful to call you my dad and to watch you be Abuelo to Nolan and Isaac. In all of this world, I wouldn't pick anyone else for the job. 

You are one of God's best gifts in my life. I hope you get a good gift this year! 

Love,

Marissa

My Christmas Wish

Like with Nolan's first Christmas (he was 5 months), all I really wanted for this Christmas was to be able to hold Isaac on my chest while he slept. Isaac is even less of a cuddler than Nolan was at his first Christmas. I ended up getting my Christmas wish with Nolan because he slept HORRIBLY the entire time we were home for the holidays. I got my Christmas wish answered 9 nights in a row. I even got to wake up on Christmas morning with my baby asleep on my chest. It was magical.

This year I had my doubts that this would be possible because Isaac hasn't slept on me without a baby carrier since he was 2 months old. He just doesn't do it. 

But Christmas miracles do happen!

On Christmas Eve day we were at my parents' house, so I could make cookies with the girls. Isaac got put down for his morning nap, and he woke up about 20-30 minutes after he fell asleep. That kid never does that anymore. He sleeps 2 hours almost like clockwork at his morning nap. I should've been concerned at this point, but honestly, I was just annoyed. He was so unhappy once he was awake, and he only wanted me to hold him. Even then he was fussy. Again, all clues that something was up.

We eventually hustled home, so I could get Isaac down for a real nap. He went to sleep again for maybe 20 minutes before waking up mad. At this point, I finally clued in that something was probably up.  I had given him tylenol before his nap, but it was clearly not helping. 

Sweet Isaac Dean was not feeling good. He had a fever, and he was just plain miserable. He only wanted Mommy, and he didn't want to move. 

While I was hating the fact that my boy was clearly in pain, Isaac settled his self into my chest and stayed there for basically 5 hours. There was a quick trip to a doctor's house to see if we had an ear infection on our hands, but other than that, in my arms, on my chest for 5 hours. 

Oh, and the thumb! I sat on the couch or in the rocker snuggled up with Isaac all afternoon. I got my Christmas wish! I wanted him to feel better, but I wanted to hold him for forever. I'm trying to come up with the right words to express the perfection that was holding Isaac, but I can't. 

Is that pitiful or what?

I write this just so I can come back and remember how it felt to have my baby completely relaxed and as close to me as possible. My body actually ached for him the next day. I just wanted to do it all over again. Without the fever and obvious pain. 

Mimi got some of the sleepy snuggles Christmas Eve night too. There is nothing so precious as a sleeping baby. 

And don't worry. The next day he was kept completely comfortable with a combination of Motrin and Tylenol. He had a Merry First Christmas. And I'll be holding onto my Christmas gift for as long as I can remember.