So one of my friends today mentioned that her husband sometimes comments on my blog but under her name. I kind of have an image in my head of who my audience is (though I know the whole world is) and Eddie just isn’t in my picture. I’d like to add him to the picture in my head but I need him to sign up with his own name and password. Otherwise I’ll always have this picture of this weird looking figure that’s half my friend and half her husband whenever I see her name and a comment:)

I’m about a third of the way through the Five Love Languagesand am convicted. On the first page of the chapter on quality time, it totally described Ethan. It explains a lot about some of the challenges with him that we have faced since I was pregnant. We’ve really been making concerted efforts to keep his “love tank” full and so far have found him responding well. Today George and Ethan went to the Fountains to play in the water and the beach. After investing some time each day with him, he seems to be more obedient when I need to do chores and more able to play on his own.

It’s very humbling to work on my blog. I find that I know so little about computers. It’s so sad, I finally understand now what a widget is:) I have tried for quite a while to put a counter on my blog with several unsuccessful tries. I finally found a site that was user friendly. Many sites that I try use a lot of computer language to explain things. I have also finally gotten comfortable with copying and pasting codes in HTML. If this stuff that I am learning is what kids are learning in computer classes in school these days, I’m impressed.

Since I took Ian to the dr. on Monday I have been trying to help his rash clear up. The dr. suggested that I switch his bath soap to Aveeno, which we did. I’ve been mostly using Eucerin for lotion as well as Mimyx cream for his eczema. It was Ethan’s cream, it’s a non-steroid with olive oil. I’ve also been watching the food I’ve given him. I have a theory that it may be wheat that he was reacting to so once he is completely healed, I’m going to try wheat again. The rash under his chin looks like it’s here to stay, as long as he continues drooling. The dr. has me using vaseline as a protective barrier. I’m really hoping it’s not wheat because so much food has it in there (including his favorite puffs). He has an appt. soon with the allergist and I may just have them do another food panel to see if anything comes up.

I’ve had a few off blog conversations with people regarding the topic from my post Boy’s Will be Boys. The readers of my blog are invited into my head to experience what I am thinking about at that moment in time as I process and think things through. Those who have read my blog in it’s entirety know that I am always learning and growing and this blog is a reflection of that. My overall concern and why I am always blogging such rambling thoughts is that I want to always be conscientious of what I am doing with the boys. I’ve been given this incredible responsibility to teach and love these two little eternal souls that run (or crawl) around our house and I want to always be mindful that every decision I make has an impact on their outcome. So in thinking about the toys that I buy I want to have a reason for making the purchase, not just because they would like it. I frequently think about the kids I used to work with, their violence and the consequences they experienced as a result. Having witnessed some of their arrests and having visited them in detention (kiddie jail) I saw the misery and sadness that unbrideled aggression can lead to. I want to parent the boys in such a way that their lives don’t lead to ends that I have shared in with other kids. So with Ethan I’m trying to figure out the balance of how to allow him to be the boy that he is with all that entails while teaching him the truths that Christ has called us to love our enemies and to pray for them, while at the same time, prepare him to be able to protect his family and our country should those enemies try to hurt us. Since his interest in pretending fighting and shooting began he has many questions. He knows that it is against the law and God’s law for us to harm other people but why do police officers sometimes shoot people? And why does the army carry weapons? (Why all children don’t grow up to be philosophers is a mystery because they are always asking such interesting questions). If I had girls I would be constantly thinking about the decisions I made with them as well including issues of modesty, fads and fashion, materialism, etc. So I hope that my readers will stick with me and keep reading and remember that each post is a snapshot of what my mind is processing at that particular moment and that I enjoy and appreciate having them “read my mind.” The comments, side conversations and emails are helpful in my processing my thoughts. I, along with all parents, are on a challenging yet joyful journey that begins from the moment of conception until we see Christ face to face and give account for our choices and decisions we’ve made in that journey. I’ll end with a quote from Calvin on his commentary on Psalm 78 “The father’s, when they find that on the one hand they are the means of providing for the salvation of their children, should, by such a precious result of their labours, be the more powerfully stirred up to instruct their children. The children, on their part, being inflamed with greater zeal, should eagerly press forward in the acquisition of divine knowledge and not suffer their minds to wander in vain speculations, but should aim at or keep their eyes directed to, the right mark. It is unhappy and wretched toil to be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 3:7)

I made an appt. this morning for Ethan to see the dr. because I was afraid he had staph infection. He has a number of bug bites and must scratch them in his sleep. I do the same thing and have a number of bug bite scars. Last night one foot was swollen and noticably bigger than the other. The dr. said it wasn’t staph, just an infection from all the scratching.

Ian is 8 months old today. He is 22lbs and growing every day. His current skills include: crawling, pulling himself up, getting into cabinets, lifting the lid on the toilet, chasing after his brother, and climbing up onto the treadmill. He loves to play with his big brother’s toys, loves to be tickled, and loves Cheerios and puffs. He also loves to play in the pool and take baths with his brother where there is lots of splashing and laughing. Happy 8 months Ian!

A few weeks ago, Ian started getting a rash under his chin. I assumed it was from all the drooling he is doing. Then he started getting little spots of rashes on his elbows and legs. And yesterday he had a rash all over his chest. So I called the dr. on the way to dropping Ethan off for summer camp and they squeezed me in. (which was nice because they are right next door to Ethan’s school). Anyway, poor little Ian has eczema. I was afraid he had one of those weird childhood viruses that start with an all over rash then a fever. I feel badly for anyone who has eczema. I hated when summer time came every year as a child because then my eczema wasn’t covered up by my clothes. The inside of my arms and backs of my legs were always bright red from it. The dr. said if it worsened he will need to be tested for allergies again, specifically for food allergies and told me to back off of food that is mixed and just feed him the basic baby food for a while.