Childhood Prayers

It was the prayer that myself and my siblings said before each meal as we grew up. It seemed strange that after reciting it so many times in my youth, that I would have such a difficult time remembering it as an adult. After talking with my sister though, the words came back to me...

Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything.

I had recently revived this short prayer in my mind - probably thinking forward to when Kaylin would be able to say grace once she gets old enough. Then today, as Aunt Kay showed us a cook book that the women from her childhood church had put together when she was not yet 20 years old, she read a child's table prayer that seemed familiar...

We thank you, God, for meat and drink;
We thank you for the power to think;
We thank you for each happy day;
We thank you for long hours of play;
We thank you for bright butterflies;
We thank you for our own two eyes;
We thank you for the birds that sing;
We thank you for everything.



What childhood prayers do you remember from your youth?

Kaylin 2 Month Checkup

Kaylin had her 2 month appointment today. She is now 22 Inches long, and weighs 11 lbs. She has had quite a growth spurt, leaping from below the 5th percentile for weight at her last appointment, up to the 50th percentile!

Today's appointment included 3 shots, and 1 oral vaccination. Today was also Kaylin's first all-out cry, complete with red face, red eyes, lots of tears and lots of volume. Hannah and I felt so bad for her, but Kaylin is such a trooper - 10 minutes after her shots, she was settling into a good sleep.

Hey Kaylin...

Hey Kaylin, how did you feel when you found out that Papa Stuntz and Nana Sue Sue were going to be visiting?

And what do you think about the fact that they had to go home to Colorado?

What A Chore!

I've always known that I dislike grocery shopping... In fact, "loathe" comes to mind. I never really knew why, but I think I've finally figured it out.

It's a major chore! Or, rather, a series of chores.

Consider the following:

Chore 1

Drive to the grocery store, and try to find a parking spot (arguably the most difficult step in the grocery buying saga)

Chore 2

Wander through the grocery store, trying to find the items that were there last week, but have since been relocated. Annoying???

Chore 3

With great care so everything fits, place all the gatherings into your shopping cart. You must perform this task while dodging and weaving around people who have no clue why they went to the store in the first place.

Chore 4

Unload the shopping cart. You must get the cart empty before the cashier runs out of room to place bags, otherwise, they will be on the floor. A tricky task, as the belt is narrow, and does not advance quickly enough to complete the first part of this chore effectively.

*Note to cashiers: No, I do not wish to explain to you why I bought that item. It's none of your business why I have the medical ointment. Yes, those cookies are good, otherwise, I would not have purchased them. It's really not your place to tell me they will make my butt big. I'm glad you have a cat, but I'm not interested in the kind of food it prefers, or that it just got over a bad case of worms. Just saying...

Chore 5

Load the shopping cart again. Nothing fits right this time. :-(

Chore 6

Unload the shopping cart / load the vehicle.

Chore 7

Unload the vehicle.

Chore 8

Carry the bags into the house, taking care to catch items as they rip through the bag.

Chore 9

Another big one here. Unlock and open the door using a combination of your mouth, 1 pinky, and your left foot.

Chore 10

Find a semi-permanent home for all the items.

Chore 11

Where do I put all these stupid plastic bags???

Chore 12

Begin working on next week's grocery list. (No, it never ends - it's a vicious cycle)

Pics with Auntie Kay

This past Sunday, the three of us went to Auntie Kay and Uncle Mark's house for a photo shoot. Kaylin and Hannah are so photogenic, it makes me wonder how I got to be so fortunate in life to have such a beautiful family.

Be sure to check out Kaylin's Photo Gallery to see the most recent pictures.

Also, Kaylin had a 3 week checkup this past Friday, and the pediatrician seems very happy with her progress. She was up to 6 lbs. 10 oz.!

Belly Button

OMG!

Look how cute her belly button is!!!

2 Week Checkup

This past Friday, Kaylin Ann had her 2 week checkup with a Pediatrician from the University of Iowa Family Care Center. She is currently below the 5th percentile for weight, but she is gaining. Her weight this week was 6 lbs. 2 oz.! The doctor said that they like to see babies gaining 25 - 35 grams per day, but when she calculated how many grams per day Kaylin is gaining, she got a figure of 52 grams! So, even though Kaylin is still really little, she is trying really hard to make up some ground!

Of course, all that weight gain comes at a cost, and that cost is frequent diaper changes. Kaylin seems to be figuring out that she is able to get a good reaction out of her father if she turns her body just the right way, and waits for the most opportune moment to let God's work come forth. This is usually after the old diaper has been removed, and just before the new diaper is secured in place. I normally complain that I am somewhat out of shape when I get winded too easily, but I am now noticing that my reaction time is not as spry as it used to be either. Consequently, changing Kaylin sometimes means changing myself as well. Hannah doesn't seem to have this problem - she is still spry like a cat.

I am looking forward to sharing this endearing experience with Papa Stuntz in a couple of weeks when he and Grandma Susan come for their visit.