4 Months and Loving Her Feet

Adah is four months old today! She has discovered her feet just within the last week and loves to bring her toes to her mouth! She is sleeping great at night leaving Kyle and I feeling more alive and more ourselves.  She is now squealing more than cooing, and loves to make this pterodactyl-like noise (who knew that was spelled with a p?!).  She loves to play with the wooden bears attached to her bouncy seat and this colorful ball she is able to grasp in her tiny fingers.  She is laughing more than ever which is the best! She will sit in our laps and "listen" to a story and enjoy looking at the pictures.  It is amazing to see how she has become so aware and interactive.  I took these pictures last night after bathtime before bed.

One thing I realized this morning is that I have been a mom for four months.  That's it.  So when the times come where I'm not sure if she is hungry or sleepy I am going to extend grace to myself and be gentle with myself and remember that I am new at this!  I am no expert and I am not perfect and I am not supposed to be! 

Why is it that we are the hardest on ourselves?  I have realized that there are many occasions when I need to think encouraging and uplifting thoughts to myself (instead of the opposite) and it has been life changing to do this!  God is a loving God who loves us amidst our imperfections and mistakes and who is gracious to all who call upon Him!  On Sunday Bill Goans (pastor at Grace Community Church) talked about how we live in such a way towards others and ourselves as we see God being toward us.  If we see God as a stingy God, not giving us much, then we too are stingy.  BUT if we see God as a generous God, the ultimate giver that He is, the one who has given us much grace and forgiven us much, then we too will live with generous hearts.  It has been good to analyze my own heart and see if there are ways in which I have a wrong view of God and if I am living in such a way that reflects this.  Does God expect me to be perfect? No, He doesn't. Does God speak harsh words when I fail?  No, He whispers loving, encouraging and gracious words to me and I am going to start doing the same thing and I hope you will too!