the quarterly: 15 months

Baby bear,

The monthly photo is back by popular demand haha ;) After your 1st birthday people asked me if I would keep up with the monthly photos...I wanted to, really, I did :) but, it just didn't happen. We took this one, a week after you turned 15 months...but it still counts ;) and I figured if I couldn't keep up with the monthly, I could try for a quarterly photo...so it worked out perfectly that you are now fifteen months old! ;)

A lot has happened since you turned one! You now have 4 teeth...you love to use them to eat your food, and occasionally you try to bite mama in your anger or defiance...ahh! More on that in a minute. You started showing an interest in walking around 14 1/2 months. It started with short distances and a few steps between mama and papa or other friends...and as you got the hang of it, your desire for walking became greater. You practiced on your own quite a bit, and it was cute to see you so determined! Now you are fully walking, with a few stumbles here and there. 

You definitely have a lot of energy and like to play with other kids. You're just learning how to interact with other kids right now and it is interesting to watch you play :) There are lots of teachable moments during these play dates, where we usually get to talk about sharing toys, being gentle with baby's faces (and hair) and not screaming/demanding our own way. You and I are both new to this...I'm learning to parent and you're learning to be obedient to mama and God. It's definitely been challenging at times to know what is the right thing to do in each situation. I'm definitely tempted to give into caring too much about what other people think of me as I try to discern the right response for each situation that we find ourselves in. Prayer is usually a  great start. For my heart and for yours. I'm reading "Shepherding a Child's Heart," by Tedd Tripp right now and I am excited to learn more and be equipped with how to shepherd you well :)

Your favorites right now include:

toys-little teapot from Siena...you carry it around with you in one hand and have a tea cup in the other

food-you're eating a lot of healthy snacks, but not as many meals...usually you'll eat a whole peach each day...and string cheese 

music-you love the xylophone and the little drum at Siena's house...you also love to worship! whenever there is worship music playing, at the Sunday church gathering, or on the radio...you raise your hands and it's the cutest thing!

prayer-you know when we're praying and you fold your hands together! I think you just picked this up from watching people? and then every time we say "AMEN!" you clap!

words-for a little while you were saying "yeahhh" for everything and it was so cute! "Did you just bite Mama?" "yeahhh." "Are you sorry?" "yeahhh." "Are you going to do that again?" "yeahhh." haha. And within the last couple weeks...na na na! Oi vei! The No's are getting sassy :) We're working on it. This morning when I asked if she wanted cheesy eggs, she had an enthusiastic YEAH! So...there's hoping ;) Haha.

place- you love going around the zoo, watching the fish in the pygmy hippo exhibit and sitting next to gorillas. You smile whenever I point towards the elephants and make the elephant sound with my arm as the trunk...you know the gesture? ;)

Right now, you and I (and your papa), are in a new phase of life...you're more active and inquisitive, and we're navigating this whole parenting thing. At times it has been difficult figuring out how and when to discipline you (ie. in Trader Joe's when you throw a fit, bite me on the shoulder and then scream and arch your back, just for example). Ahhh! Part of it, like I said before, is me giving in to the approval of others...and desiring their approval of me as a great mom. I am not a perfect parent. As we were reminded in one of our Red Door Church parenting classes, "There are no perfect parents. There are no perfect children. Just one perfect Father and one perfect Son." Phew...that's a relief ;) So I get to shepherd you, and point you to Jesus, and I get to look to Jesus too :) this is good news!

We love you so much baby bear! Until next time...

love love,

Mama Meg

A few extra cute photos from the past months:

Daddy brushing your little teeth before bed time

 A little play date with your friend Siena Joy!

 Grandpa Bockman feeding you some tasty yogurt

 A little sick or tired? You fell asleep on me within five minutes! This never happens!

Just eating some snacks at Fred's house after the epic pool party celebrating 2 years of Red Door church!

Your morning routine: tousle those locks, sign for food, and head to the fridge!

Celebrating 3 years of marriage with a night at the Old Globe theater!

we work well together :)

Anniversary weekend and our first time to Cabrillo National Monument

Mission beach and kite flying...oh no! E may have knocked Meredith out..

Favorite spot at the zoo...look at all the fish!

What's for Dinner? with a special guest

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos by GimmeSomeOven blog

These look pretty amazing!!! I've made these once before and they were fantastic! I'm bringing this recipe into the rotation this week, especially since the Chuck Roast is on sale at Henry's for $4.49/lb...which I think is a good deal? Someone tell me if I'm wrong :)

This Friday we're having a lovely dinner guest. She has quite the palatte as she has traveled all around the world and enjoyed lots of authentic meals. This friend also introduced us to the Rolando neighborhood restaurant that has authentic Mexican food,Carnitas Las Michoacanas. They are located on University Avenue near Aragon Drive. Their food was AMAZING! and very affordable! I may stop by and get some of their authentic ;) salsa for our little dinner party.

I love having dinner guests...but I am a little nervous for this one!  We love sharing our stories with people and love to hear theirs. Our friend does not know Jesus, but we hope and pray that she gets to see a glimpse of Him during our time together. I'm nervous because  I've definitely struggled with the idol of approval and desiring to please people. I want our friend to feel welcome, see our life, and feel like she can come over any time...but I'm also tempted to try and win her approval. We do have an age gap of about 53 years...so she may know a thing or two that I don't ;)

In the area of hospitality, people pleasing looks like this.. I am cleaning the house (for hours) in a frenzy to make it look clean and "perfect" for our guests, sometimes even getting grumpy (no way!) at people who get in the way or things that disrupt my "perfect plan". Every other day, our house is less than perfect. We have messes...we have piles...I'm embarrassed to even say it, but it can just get cluttered some times! I do believe that "everything has a home," but that's for another post ;) My version of "perfect" presents a problem for the guests who come...they see a performance that I put on for them, not the every day life. This can often put unnecessary pressure on them to perform the next time we visit them and pressure on myself to perform just as well as I had the previous times. I definitely don't want that!

When we've had friends come over in the past, I've always tried to clean really well and hide the messes. It's not  that it's a bad thing to clean-up...in fact, I'm learning to clean-up more consistently to maintain, but, if it's only to impress others or get their approval, it becomes sin. If you've been to my house recently it has been less than perfect...and I'm okay with that (and I hope you are too haha). I am still growing in this area though. I'd like to say that if you called last minute and let me know you were stopping by, that I wouldn't be embarrassed by the pile of dishes in the sink...from two nights ago...but, sometimes I still get embarrassed or try to clean-up real quick before you get here. I would rather just invite you in, with complete joy, and a sink full of dishes, then turn away an opportunity to potentially encourage and spend time with you. 

Over the past few years I feel like God has taught me a lot about this. Our home should be a place where people can drop by on a whim, come in, feel welcome, and stay at as long as they like. They can use our things...even break them, and we should be okay with that. We are called to be good stewards of the gifts he has given us...but like we're always saying to kids who are having trouble sharing..."Who does that toy belong to, Eleanor?" "Jesus!" All of our things belong to Jesus and we get the joy of being a blessing to others. 

All of that to say, I am excited to have our friend join us, and excited to not be consumed with our house being perfect or "nice" enough for her standards, so much so that it distracts me from loving, serving and encouraging her. I was reading just yesterday in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 "...but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." I don't need to try and please our friend...I just need to please God! woohoo!

thanks for reading all of that ;)

love love love,

Meg

ps. What's for Dinnner? next week: this tasty looking salad may be a good end to our summer...it's still a toasty 90 degrees here in San Diego! I'm going to enjoy this refreshing salad, and hope that fall comes soon!!! and by "fall" in San Diego, I mean...pumpkin spice lattes, watching Pride and Prejudice and Little Women, boots with tall socks, and semi-pea coats.

tasty chicken salad from Recipe Girl

What's for Dinner? (Mexican Polenta Pie)

I'd like to continue with my series...

(food drawings from Nina Chakrabarti)

Every Wednesday I plan the meals for the week and head out to buy groceries (usually at Sprout's-for double ad Wednesdays and great produce, and Trader Joe's-tried and true, trusty store!). Most weeks I go with a friend or two, babies in tow, and we get it done! Each week I'd like to share recipes and meal plans that I've found to be helpful and tasty for our family...I hope you enjoy!

YumOH! We recently made Mexican Polenta Pie for dinner and it was amazing! The recipe originally came from my dear friend, Jennifer Holm. Man am I thankful for her (and that recipe)! The recipe is super easy to put together, it feeds several people (or provides lots of leftovers) and has amazing flavors! I find that most recipes for Mexican food can be flexible too with adding or subtracting tomatoes, bell pepper, olives (not  my fave), etc. depending on what you have on hand. The total cost for the recipe is approximately $10-12 and has at least 10-12 servings...$1 per serving...not bad at all!

The recipe was found at recipe.com, via Jennifer Holm.

Before this recipe I had never used or had polenta. Polenta is quite tasty! It absorbs the full flavors and spices in this Mexican dish and is a great source for protein. This recipe is great for: large groups, baby dinners, leftovers!

Try it out, pin it to your recipe board, and share it with others!

Have any recipes you want me to try out? Or any special requests of what you'd like to see more of here on the blog? Leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

love love,
Meg

...and I'm back in the game!

Just look at these beauties! You may have seen my sneak peek on facebook...I'm super excited to announce I'm sewing again "...and I'm back in the game!" (anyone remember 10 Things I Hate About You?!) I'm starting up an etsy shop (opening date tbd) and getting my inventory ready! I've gone back and forth and back and forth again and have decided to just go for it. Who cares if my shop isn't perfect or if no one ends up reading this blog? It's not about those things anyways.

So, to get back in the game...I'm giving away a beautiful handmade car seat canopy (soon to be in my etsy shop!) on my dear friend Megan's blog/website, Out of Her Heart. Today she is launching her new website and hosting a giveaway with lots of goodies...including:

I will be opening up my etsy shop soon (thanks for being patient!) but in the mean time...you can snag one over at Megan's blog :) Keep checking back...as I'll be opening shop soon!

If you're new here, thanks for stopping by! Please stay awhile! I'll also be updating on the Rooted Love facebook page...please head over and LIKE it, for updates and photos!

love love love,
Meg

the yearly: one! year old

Dearest baby bear-Eleanorcita-Elegator-eNew-mamas,

Today is a BIG day! You are ONE! I remember your actual birth day, just like it was yesterday! Almost every detail is fresh in my mind. We were so excited (and a little nervous) to finally be heading to the birth center to meet YOU! You are such a blessing and a joyFULL little baby/girl...we had no idea what life would be like with a little one. We knew it might be tough, with lots of sleepless nights, but I don't think we could have ever imagined how blessed we would be.We've even witnessed you being a blessing to others...bringing joy and laughter in times of both happiness and sorrow. The elderly people (including your great grandparents) definitely lit up when they would see you and your big smile. During the funerals and memorials of both your great grandparents (this past April and May) you brought smiles and laughter to the family.

There were lots of momentous occasions this past month. None of which will be recorded sadly (mama forgot to charge the camera battery!)You've grown a bit this last month, and your hair is coming in curly!!! WOOHOO! I think (and hope!) that it will stay that way ;) but your papa thinks that is wishful thinking. Ah well ;) We shall see. 

We put the baby gates up last month. This month you are all over the place! The park is more of an attraction to you now. You love the slide and the swings. You start giggling uncontrollably when on the swings and at other random times...bringing such joy! You are always pulling yourself up onto things and standing. You're slowly getting interested in walking, mostly with the help of mama and dada or your trusty green dino.

You must be growing a lot...because you sleep A LOT and eat A LOT! You sleep 12-14 hours a night, with at least a 1-3 hour nap during the day :) And you eat all of the food that we serve you, plus "second breakfast" or "second dinner" aka half of whatever mama's having. :) That's okay though...we like to share! You love to smile (still with a toothless grin) and play games with people. You learned how to sign "all done" but sometimes you only do one hand and you use that as a "hello" wave also. Some of mama's friends think you're doing the beauty queen wave ;) You love love LOVE being around people and getting their attention...I don't know where you got that one from haha. You're learning to share the spotlight, but with other babies around you get a little fussy...oh no! haha...we'll  have to ease you into the idea of siblings, but it will be good for you ;)

We're pretty sure you also said your first word, other than mama or dada. The other night you were ready for dinner and you started getting fussy. You started saying "mama mom Megan". Twice. WHAT?! Megan? Bah! You will only call me mama or Mom ;) Maybe it was a fluke, but papa said he heard it too :)

We just love you to pieces! Our hearts have been expanded and stretched in so many ways with you in our lives :) In this past year God has shown us so much JOY through you. Your name means "God is light" or "light of God" and we've definitely seen that in this past year. We are learning how to be more like Christ and  how to be that light of God as we raise and nurture you. We pray and hope that you will grow up to be a godly little lady and one day, woman! (like the Proverbs 31 woman :)

Unfortunately, we can't keep up this routine of monthly photos any more though ;) you are too wiggly! I'll try to keep your photos and life stories updated so that you can look back on it later!

lots of love to you,

your mama (Megan) and dada (Ryan) ;)

ps.  I guess there were a few shots from this last month :) Some of them were taken by your auntie for her photography class ;)

"No one will notice if I eat this...will they?"

Mullen Family - May 2012

Great Uncle Paul and Eleanor looking at the rhinos

Eleanor and mama at the zoo on her birthday day