Are we there yet?

"Is baby coming?" asks Jon.
"I want her to come now!" wishes Ben.

The home stretch is one filled with eager anticipation, but don't we all know that babies come when they want to?

And I'm trying not to overworry, or be daunted already by how much more there is to juggle in the days ahead. But to look forward to the joy of being a new parent again.

Right: Earlier this month, a cheeky Ben who likes to place his hand on my tummy to feel the lil one's movements, has concluded, "Baby is nocturnal"! Referring to how the kicks, as I know them for awhile now, take place mostly throughout the night. As if Baby is already training me for the exhausting part of being a new mother -- the non-stop nursing and poopy diaper changing! But it only gets better, and better, yeah? =)

Meanwhile, we are in the last leg of summer...

Below: A mix of old and new experiences that Jon and Ben got to enjoy this month. Also like a reminder for me of some basic things that we can afford to have more of, whether I'm doing something for the umpteenth time or approaching it brand new...

Ask, "How can I serve you?"

"Serving in God's big backyard" was the theme for our church Vacation Bible School this year. At the end of each morning, the children took back with them a simple lesson of who we can serve -- our family, friends, neighbours, and the community, besides just the church and God, honouring Him in the different facets of our lives.

There are times when housewifey and motherly duties sap me, pregnant or not, and I get all grumpy and tell the husband he should be appreciative. I forget that loving = serving, without reservations, unconditionally. And there's stuff the man of the house does that's beyond me, like ending up having to install the dishwasher DIY when our oven conked out last week (I'll spare you the long story), that I too need to appreciate him for, and make it a point to say "thank you"!

Laughter, the best medicine

Leslie and Jay of "Laughing Matters" lived it up, by injecting fun into learning, as part of the Catch the Reading Bug programme at the library.

Not just for the boys, I could use the laughter myself. It was a nice little midweek break for us when temperatures soared, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to take them without venturing too far.


Try, try again... and don't stop practising

Ben waited for the weekend to roll around when Vern could go ice-skating with him and Jon. It's only Ben's second time at the rink, but no different from that first time last year, he put his best foot forward, and picked himself up whenever he fell down.

Jon, who had taken lessons before, was more confident on the ice. Still, he knew that without practice, we get rusty at doing anything we have grasped. However, ice-skating is something we haven't managed to make time for in awhile, because of crazy enough schedules.


Interest sparks imagination
Here's something that each boy especially likes this summer. And watching each child work on it like a pet project, it's true that interest is a key ingredient in sparking anyone's imagination and creativity.

Jon, and the Stargate -- inspired by the Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis shows on Sci-Fi channel -- he put together using recyclable stuff, and couldn't wait to declare open!



Ben and his drawings and stories to tell, like for this "flip the flap" book, that's a good opportunity to encourage writing of the alphabet as well...