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Monsters

I’ve had people ask me if I think “Monsters Inc.” is what made Natasha afraid of (complaining about) monsters. I say no, not on its own, because “monsters” is apparently a developmental thing that kicks in around age-three.  I’m not sure what to call it really, just that a friend’s pediatrician was giving her advice for dealing with her son’s freak-outs, and his treating it as normal.

I’ve heard a couple creative ways to get rid of monsters.

  • The Ped recommended keeping a spray bottle in the bedroom and calling it monster spray– making the monsters disappear, or whatever you want say is happening.
  • A book brought to my SCBWI meeting last month (Too Many Monsters) points out that grown-up can’t see monsters, but helps a kid find a noise the monsters will want to get away from.
  • This method was considered superior than the first one because it had the kid solving the monster problem

The problem with both of these, Jay and I were discussing this last night, is that they both agree with the child that monsters are present.

Sometimes I think a child’s cries of monsters really could be the Enemy tormenting the poor kid. That is something I (by the grace of God and the power of Jesus) don’t have to put up with.

The line I’ve used for months is simply, “Mama doesn’t allow monsters in this house.” Sometimes I’ll add, “Jesus keeps them out. He’s stronger than any monster.” I remember at least once talking about what Natasha can say to a monster if she sees it.

Last night she used it. Continue reading →

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Applicable Bible Verses

I mentioned in another post the first verses we taught our girls and how they responded.

We’ve begun a new round (and type) of memorization recently.

After a hiatus (where we did no verses at all), Natasha began responding very well to working on her Sunday School verse at bedtime. I like that verse very much, but I was beginning to think about how we explain verses to little kids.

Then I started wondering about the application bit of it. That led me to look for verses that have immediate applicability at the age they are now.

When Natasha made the connection between her song (“Lift up Your Countenance”) and what she saw (a fussy sister), that was her first instance of extracting application (or at least, relation) from words she’d memorized.

So in an effort to replicate that type of experience, I made a “set” of verses, distinguished by color, and printed out several pages and hung them around the house:

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

 

Ephesians 4:29

No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.

I love the attitude of Psalm 139:14. I also like the concrete elements of Hebrews 12:11 and Ephesians 4:29.

Tonight Jay came in as we were practicing “the pink one,” and joined in. Immediately the tenor of the whole exercise changed. We did the verse as a family, several times, and then Natasha volunteered (for the first time) to say it on her own. There was much giggling, fun and encouragement as Natasha worked her way from beginning to end.

We gave her a word when she got stuck, and encouraged Melody to prompt from her few memorized phrases. It was the family-ist recitation time I can remember. Melody took a shot at it too.

And, if you’ve never heard a 2-year-old say things like “enjoyable,” “Later on, however,” and, “peace and righteousness,” you’ve really got to try and coax those out of her sometime. It was pretty great. The girls were so jazzed by their success they requested (and we practiced) the other two for a while also.

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Playing in the car

Last night we put the kids in the car so I could help Jay with the machine and still not leave the kids unsupervised in the house. The girls very decided on a important activity.

We’re on our way to the store
What for?
We need… eggs.
Oh. Eggs?
Eggs for the chickens. (conserned voice) They’re very hungry. Well–see ya, we’re off to the store!
(Pretend driving away.)

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Current Goals

So, here they are. I have a detailed version of this on my fridge as a reminder. (I also have this on my fridge.) I included the details under #1 to explain why my list from yesterday was so encouraging to me.

  1. Short-term: Create more structure to the children’s and my day.
  • More planned activities in the home (e.g. crafts w/ Mama)
  • More including of the children in housework.
  • Reading at non-sleep times.
  • Music practice as a matter of daily-life
  • Memory verse rehearsal
    • Medium-term: Get Novel presentable.

    • Long-term: Work in habits to make them automatic and make life easier.


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So Proud of Myself

If I get around to posting the goals I drew-up last night, you’ll understand better why these were so significant to me. Either way I enjoy going back over my morning and creating a “done” list:
Today (and it’s just naptime) I

  • Did an involved (messy, new) craft with the girls
  • Had an extended reading time

Both while Elisha was still awake. (Both firsts.)
I also

  • directed (and enforced/followed-through) cleaning up after breakfast and each activity as it was finished, resulting in a slightly tidier house at naptime than at waking this morning.
  • had some instrument practice-time
  • helped Melody use the Baby Taylor
  • Took pictures
    • Elisha pulled up to his knees today. Is working at getting his feet under him.
    • The girls working on their art projects
    • Natasha mugging for the camera (These are going to have to be in the next batch we put on-line. They were amazing.) and washing the table.

Now everyone is down and I’ll be able to do a bit of reading before I clean up the front room some more. The bedrooms are still cluttered, but I expect we’ll get them some more after nap.

I figure part of the success is me shifting my whole focus to these things (I think lists are good for me sometimes), and part of it is Elisha reaching some magical age where he (his personality, whatever) clicks into the gears of what’s going on in our family, and he fits the workings. I am very encouraged.

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Talking with Melody

Tonight I asked Melody, “What do you want for dinner?”
Without hesitation she answered, “Hot boiled beans!”

Grin.

It took me a minute to translate and make the connection (this is not a phrase she’s used before).
“And very good butter?” I asked.

*Big* grin. “Yeah!”

It’s Mother Goose.
This was a kick because she made the jump between dinner and supper and made an original joke.

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I poured juice for the girls after dinner and set the pitcher back down on the counter without clicking the lid closed. Melody noticed.

“Mama, Please close the lid?” I did.
“Thank you.” (Emphatic. Relieved.)

This is really important to her. Closing things. Having lids on. Makes me wonder if she would be more of a picker-upper if she felt that same connection with order that she does with the lids closing.

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Praying for my kids.

I’ve prayed for my children since before they were born. But I don’t think I’ve ever been as impressed with the complete need of it until tonight, as I worked on massaging their names into a passage of scripture where Paul is describing his prayer for the church at Colosse.

Natasha’s version (I have all three children integrated with this passage):

Dear Father God,

I lift Natasha Joy before your throne and ask that you would fill her with the knowledge of your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

I pray this in order that she may live a life worthy of you and may please you in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to your glorious might so that she may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to You, who have qualified her to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

I pray you would rescue her from the dominion of darkness and bring her into the kingdom of the Son you love, in whom she has, waiting, redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Before I re-wrote that last paragraph, I don’t think I saw so clearly the spiritual position of my children. And while I believe in that whole age-of-accountability thing (another discussion, sometime, I’m sure), this is the position I must labor and pray from.

When Betsy told me the story of her 4-year-old accepting Christ, I sensed the relief in her voice, and I rejoiced with her at the event. Reflecting on it now, I think more of the relief. Here is one child translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. One piece of my heart safely transplanted to the garden of my eternal home.

I begin to understand the fervency of my grandmother’s prayers for her sons, that she would see them come to Christ.

I pray you would rescue her from the dominion of darkness…

That image is so stark and clear. I feel I want to keep it before me, that I would be ever focused and purposeful in my guiding my children toward the truth.

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Taking Medicine

Thank God for yummy medicine!

Elisha’s been teething and is now having pressure in his ears. But he’s taking his “symptom managers” without a blink and they’re doing their jobs (Aw man– has it been 6-hours already???).

He’s so good at it I can give him the “children’s” strength instead of the infants’ drops. He has to take a larger volume* to get his full dose, but since he’s so good at it, it doesn’t matter. This way I only have to have one bottle, and it’s the less-expensive stuff too.

Nice

* Infant drops are the most concentrated formula, since the purpose is to have the smallest most effective dose.

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N: I don’t like dreams. Make it so I don’t have dreams tonight.

M: I like dreams.

Interesting how the girls seem to think they can’t feel differently. They have to fight over it.

And they have to assert their individuality by giving their own answer (even if it’s the same), and asking the same question, even when I’ve already answered it for her sister, right in front of her.

This extends to rules and rebukes. One will see the other told no, then do the exact same thing, as though to test if the rules are the same for everyone.

It gets old, but I figure it’s not that different than it would be with “real” twins, so I just keep trying to be gracious.

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Hockey

The girls went to the hockey game tonight with Mom and Dad. It made quite an impression.

Jay says says that when Natasha sees something she wants to do that’s she’s not big enough for, she’ll pick an age at which to do it.
For example, tonight after we picked her up she was talking about how big the hokey players are, and how she can’t skate with them yet.

“When I’m 14?” she said, “When I’m 14, can I play hockey?” I asked if that was the ave Uncle Mark said she needed to be. “No.” Fourteen is just a good age? “Yes.”

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Then Melody needed a diaper change, but refused the new one. So she managed to keep her pants dry the whole time she was there, making a couple trips to the bathroom. She knows what to do–when she’s motivated. But I suppose that’s where her sister started too.