From Rebecca's Kitchen Window

Multigrain Oatmeal with Nuts

2011-01-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

*updated 2/3/11 with corrected serving size and cooking instructions.

I recently found a few boxes of instant multigrain oatmeal on clearance. We loved them and when I went back to look for more, I found out that it was a closeout and they no longer make it. So I made a trip to the bulk section of Spouts (a new favorite grocery store of mine) and made my own mix. We're loving it and, if the nutritionists are right, so are our hearts. =)

6 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup flaxseed (ground)

1 cup rolled barley, wheat bran or wheat germ

1/2 cup amaranth grain

1/2 cup almond meal

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans/walnuts)

1 heaping Tbs cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

Mix and put in a Ziplock back or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Use 3/4 cup of mix and 1 1/2 cups water or milk. Microwave 1 minute. Stir and microwave 30 seconds more if needed.

A new way to do laundry

2010-11-19T21:46:00.001-08:00

I recently started thinking about all the time I spend folding laundry, and wondering if I could make better use of that time.

One of the things I often do when I check on my kids in the middle of the night is to gently place my hands on their head, heart, hands and feet and pray that God will give them the mind of Christ, a servant's heart, hands that are quick to help those in need, and feet prepared with the gospel of peace. I decided that my laundry-folding time would be another great opportunity to pray for each member of our family.

I thought about each piece of clothing and the corresponding area of the body (e.g., shirt-heart), and looked up verses relating to that part. I rewrote some of my favorites into prayers, and I think I am going to just pick one or two verses for each piece of clothing, for each load. It'll be a good way for me to hide more of God's word in my heart, too. I hope you'll join me!

***********************

In case you need a jump-start, here is my list for shirts--

Deut 30:6 Circumcise ____’s heart that he may love you with his whole heart and live.
I Chron 16:10 Let ____’s heart rejoice as he seeks you, Lord.
Psalm 19:4 Let the meditation and thoughts of ____’s heart be pleasing to you, oh God.
Psalm 20:4 God, grant the desires of ____’s heart and cause all his plans to succeed.
Psalm 73:26 God, be the strength of ____’s heart and his portion forever.
Psalm 90:12 Teach _____ to number his days so that he may have a heart of wisdom.
Prov 4:23 Guard ____’s heart.
Jer 17:9, 24:7 Let _____ understand that without you, his heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Give him a heart to know you.
Jer 32:39 Give _____ a singleness of heart and action so that he will always fear you.
Matt 5:8 Give ______ a pure heart.
Luke 8:15 Give _____ a good heart so that the seed of your gospel will take root and bear fruit.
John 14:27 Do not let ____’s heart be troubled and do not let him be afraid.
Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of ____’s heart may be enlightened in order that he may know the hope to which You have called him, the riches of your glorious inheritance in your holy people, and your incomparably great power for those who believe.
Ephesians 3:16-18 I pray that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen _____ with power through your Spirit in his inner being, so that Christ may dwell in his heart through faith. And I pray that ______, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
Eph 4:32 Make _______ kind and tenderhearted to those around him.
I Thes 3:12-13 Lord, make ____’s love increase and overflow for each person in this family and for everyone else. Please strengthen his heart so that he will be blameless and holy in your presence, God and Father, when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Conversation Snippet 9: Five Minutes

2010-11-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I set Caleb to play with his Legos in the corner of my room while I took a short nap. After about 15 minutes, I felt a little tap on my arm.

Caleb (in a whisper): Mom, can I have a snack?

Me: Yes. I'll get it for you in a few minutes. You can just play for a little bit more. Okay?

Caleb: Okay. But I am kinda hungry.

Ten minutes later, I felt another tap on my arm. . .

Caleb: Mom, can I have a snack now?

Me: Sure. I'll get it for you in five minutes. Okay?

Caleb: Umm, how about just five. Not five minutes.

Me: Huh??

Caleb: Five is okay, but not the minute part. Because minutes are sooooooo long. And I am really hungry.

In honor of Ewan Eliezer

2010-10-04T21:24:00.001-07:00

There is a grieving mommy whose arms are empty tonight. They shouldn't be. A sweet baby boy should be cradled there nursing at her breast and staring up into her loving eyes. I hate that it isn't so.

Instead, her arms are empty and her heart is broken. And, my heart is broken for her.

She is my friend and my sister.

I know I cannot comprehend the depth of her grief. I don't fool myself into thinking that I can. I can't. But, I can comprehend the depth of her love, because I am a fellow mother. I love my children with the same fierce and incomprehensible love that she loved her boy. I understand that love and even though Ewan is no longer here, I know that love lives on in his mama. I get that.

Even though I never met him, I loved Ewan with a real and tangible love. I remember the joy I felt when I read Kirsten's email, 9 months ago now, that she was expecting a child. Tears of joy and prayers of thanksgiving! I remember the gut wrenching pain I felt when I learned that the child she was carrying had a broken heart and the months I spent praying for a miracle. I remember the nights I spent praying through to the early morning hours, after he was born; I can still taste the tears I shed pleading to God to spare his life.

But, we live in a fallen world and even though God is the ultimate victor, sin and death still rule this earth for now. I hate that it is so.

I never got to meet Ewan, but someday I will. Death doesn't have the final say. Praise the Lord! Jesus Christ has conquered death. Ewan is in heaven now, perfect and whole, singing to his Maker in the presence of the angels and saints. And someday I will get to meet that precious baby and stand together with him worshiping God. And someday, his mama's broken heart will be healed and all her tears will be diamonds poured at the feet of Jesus.

Today is a sad day, but I live in hope of that future day.

Sing, baby Ewan,

Sing, little one.

Sing to Jesus.

And, someday,

we'll sing with you.

32 Things

2010-05-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

1. Jesus Christ--The Savior who is always loving, always faithful, always patient, and always leading me closer to Him.

2. Joshua Redin--my amazing husband who serves our family and loves God wholeheartedly

3. Caleb Redin--the most loving, kind-hearted three-year-old I've ever met

4. Annabelle Redin--the silliest, joy-filled, most playful girl on this planet

5. Jonah Redin--for his sweet smiles, snuggles and expressive eyes

6. RHC--our church here in Singapore that passionately loves Christ and teaches Truth

7. Extended Family (if I listed everyone that would take up the rest of the 32 items)--so thankful that nearly everyone in our extended family is a brother/sister/father/mother/grandmother not just in this passing world, but a brother/sister in the shining world to come.

8. Friends--For long-time friends and new ones. For best friends that trek across the world to share our experiences in Singapore, and for neighbor friends who trek down the hall to say hello. For friends that I talk to every day, and for friends who send an email out of the blue every few months.

9. Health--For the last year which has been relatively sick-less. A minor cold here and there but no major battles.

10. Daily bread--For the daily food and water we have in abundance. . . in a time when many around the world are suffering for lack of food and drinkable water.

--Okay, done with the serious stuff. . . from here on out, there is no particular order and no particular depth =)

11. Banana Muffins and a cold glass of milk

12. Packages from home

13. My Canon

14. Photoshop

15. Legos (what else could keep Caleb occupied for hours on end!?)

16. Air conditioning

17. Al Azhar's Indian restaurant

18. Baby carriers that free up my hands

19. Naps

20. Skype

21. Kaya Toast

22. Singapore Zoo

23. The pool

24. Grocery delivery

25. Taxis

26. My iPod and it's player

27. Hair bows for Annabelle

28. Pink nail polish

29. The Mini-mart!

30. 20-cent popsicles

31. Free refills (since most places here DON'T have them, I am really thankful for them when I do get them)

32. Tortillas

Shower Painting

2010-04-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

I recently came up with a way for Annabelle to paint to her heart's content without worrying about the mess.

When she's done, I just take the painting off the wall, turn on the water and let her take a shower. Instant clean-up! It's a lot easier than dealing with this:

Conversation Snippet 8: Tuna

2010-04-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

Caleb had his first tuna fish sandwich yesterday.

Caleb after his first bite: Mom, what is this?

Me: It's a tuna fish sandwich.

Caleb: Hmmm. . . well, I like the tuna part okay, but I don't really like the fish part.

Conversation Snippet 7: Pretty

2010-04-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Alternate Title: Why Everyone Should Keep a 3-year-old in the House

I was standing out on the utility balcony this morning hanging a load of laundry. It is a hot and humid day, and I was sweating after just a minute of being out there. Add that on top of the fact that I've been sick all week, haven't showered in over a day, was sporting a very sloppy bed-head, and was still wearing my pajamas, and you can picture the sight.

I noticed Caleb standing in the doorway watching me work. Then, out of nowhere:

Caleb: Mom, you're really pretty.
Me: Thanks, Caleb.
Caleb: I mean, even though you don't have good clothes on, you're still really pretty.
Me: Thanks, Caleb.
Caleb: You're welcome, Mom. (and off he went to play)

I think he was probably the only person who could have given that complement in complete sincerity of heart. There really is something wonderful about having a 3-year-old!

Jonah's Birth Story

2010-03-19T02:47:00.001-07:00

Quite a few people have asked me to post Jonah's birth story. Here you go =)

*******************************************

A little background on public transport first: Since cars are outrageous to own and maintain here in Singapore, we rely on buses and taxis. That means that even a simple trip to the nearby grocery store can turn into a huge outing if we happen to miss the bus or if we can't hail a taxi quickly. If we are really desperate, we can call the taxi company and book a taxi (and pay an extra fee), but even that isn't foolproof. Just two days ago, we spent over 20 minutes on hold, attempting to get through to the booking agent-- after trying to hail a taxi on the street for over 30 minutes!

So. . . what does this have to do with Jonah's birth? A lot. My previous two labors were short and without warning (3 hrs for Caleb, and 90 minutes for Annabelle) and I was pretty sure this labor would be quick, too. I had visions (nightmares is more like it) of delivering in a taxi en route to the hospital. And apparently my fears weren't unfounded because the doctor had the same concern. About a month before my due date, she broached the subject of planning an induction. My first pick would have been too let my body go into labor naturally, but given the circumstances, I was relieved that the doctor was willing to jump start things to avoid a taxi drama!

On Monday, March 1st, I went in for my 38-week check-up. I was already dilated to 3.5 cm so the doctor arranged for me to check in the next morning. It's a strange thing to go to bed knowing that you'll wake up and have a baby in your arms by the end of the day. Needless to say I didn't sleep well on Monday night!!

Our friend volunteered to watch Caleb and Annabelle, so after dropping them off at her house, Josh and I headed to the hospital. We got checked in and the doctor broke my water around 10:30AM. We waited an hour and a half to see if I would start contractions on my own. I had a bit of light cramping, but they were strongest just after my water broke and had subsided by the time 12:30 rolled around. The doctor decided to put me on a drip to induce labor. Unfortunately, I have ridiculously small veins and it took over 20 minutes for the nurse to get an IV line inserted. They finally started the drip a few minutes before 1:00. They started me off on the lowest dose possible, but even so, contractions started immediately. YIKES! It felt like going from zero to sixty in 3 seconds flat. The nurse manager came in around 1:15 and checked me-- 6 cm. She told me just to call her when I felt like pushing. She bustled around the room checking the IV and getting things in order and, no joke. . . two contractions later I suddenly felt the unmistakable urge to push. I told the nurse and much to my surprise, she started pulling out all the delivery items while dialing the doctor on her cell phone. I looked at Josh and he looked at me. . . this lady was obviously overreacting! After all, I was only at 6 cm about 2 minutes before. I almost questioned her, but the next contraction started before I could get the chance and once that one hit, I really didn't care if she was overreacting or not. The doctor arrived about 3 or 4 minutes later (her office is only 4 floors above the L&D ward), threw on her gear and sat down. On the next contraction, she gave me the okay to push and two pushes later, Jonah was born! The doctor immediately put him on my tummy and I was the one who got to make the announcement, "We have a boy!!!" (Josh said he was totally speechless because the whole thing happened so fast. I didn't mind, though. . . I was kind of fun to get to be the first to announce it!) 1:24 PM--just a little less than 30 minutes the first contraction. Jonah cried immediately which is always a beautiful sound!

Each time I've delivered, I'm always amazed at how immediate the relief is and how quickly I forget that only minutes before I was in agonizing pain. The joy is overwhelming and sudden!

As cool as it would have been for Jonah to say he had been delivered in a Singaporean Taxi, I'm pretty darn happy that's NOT his birth story =)

Conversation Snippet 6: When I'm the boss

2010-02-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I was singing a rousing rendition of "What Can Wash Away My Sins?" as I was putting away laundry first thing after breakfast. Apparently, it was too early in the morning for Caleb's liking (either that or he thinks I can't sing!) because he came into my bedroom, flopped on the bed and we had the following conversation:

Caleb: Mom, you need to stop singing that song.

Me: Nope. You can't tell me what to do because you're the son and I'm the Mommy. You may ask me politely, but I might still say no because God made me the boss of you when He made me your Mommy.

Caleb: When do I get to be the boss?

Me: When you grow up and you are the Daddy then you can be the boss.

Caleb: Hmm (thinking quite seriously). . . Well just so you know, when I grow up and I'm the boss and I'm singing really loud and my son comes and tells me to stop, I will listen to him!

Afternoon Stroll

2010-02-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Little Bo Peep

2010-02-15T16:02:00.001-08:00

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep

and doesn't know where to find them.

February

2010-02-15T01:51:00.000-08:00

The upside to the perpetually hot weather here is that we can do THIS. . .

in February!

Recipe: Banana Muffins

2010-02-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

After doing some "research" and combining a couple recipes, I do believe I've come up with the world's best banana muffins (that may be a tiny overstatement). =) Anyway, give them a try. . . I think you'll like them!

Tip: These muffins freeze very well and make for a great fast breakfast. To freeze: cool muffins completely then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place all muffins in a gallon sized freezer bag and freeze. Reheat individual muffins for 30-45 seconds.

Banana Muffins

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

3 large mashed bananas (the riper the better)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup softened butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

In another bowl, sift together and then add all at once to wet mixture:

1 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt.

Fold in dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Fill muffin tin (should make about 12 large muffins).

In a small bowl, combine until crumbly:

1/4 cup butter (not too soft)

2/3 cup flour

3 Tbs brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle crumb mixture on muffins.

Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes.

Jabberwoky

2010-01-25T23:02:00.000-08:00

Lewis Carroll has nothing on Annabelle. She is the Queen of Jabberwocky.

What we've been up to lately. . .

2010-01-25T22:30:00.001-08:00

Finger Painting (or, in Annabelle's case, Body Painting)

and. . .

Pretending to be Elephants at the Zoo. . .

and. .

A little bit of "Crazy Time".

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T04:48:00.001-08:00

Baby #3

2009-12-21T02:58:00.000-08:00

Caption Contest

2009-12-15T14:47:00.001-08:00

Well, actually this is more like a Captionfest than a Caption Contest since there isn't a prize (unless the glory of having the best caption is prize enough for you).

To play along, just leave a comment with a caption for this photo. I'll kick it off. . .

Mom's Group

2009-12-14T23:33:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love most about the church we attend is the Mom's group I am part of. It is a great group of women and I look forward to the fellowship and encouragement every week. Recently, we had an outing at the Botanical Gardens and one of our church members offered to come and take some photos for us.

The Thankful Tree

2009-11-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share an idea I had for a simple craft to make with your toddlers to help them prepare for Thanksgiving. (I'm sure I'm not the first person with this idea!)

The Thankful Tree

You will need:

Construction paper: brown, green, orange, red, yellow
Scissors
Glue
Marker
Bigger sheet of paper for "canvas"

I cut out a tree trunk, limbs, and leaves. Caleb was in charge of pasting. We started with an empty tree and then I asked him to think of something he was thankful for. I then wrote that item/person on a leaf and he pasted the leaf to his tree. When the tree was full of leaves, we prayed and gave thanks to God for each leaf on Caleb's Thankful Tree.

You could make this as simple or complex as you wanted. If you have more than one preschooler, you could use a different color leaf for each child. Or, you could even make it a family tree with larger leaves and more room to write (our little leaves only had room for one word, which worked fine for a three-year-old) . The possibilities are endless ;-)

Bye, Mom!

2009-10-30T00:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, I went out with a group of moms from our church for a Mom's Night Out. Just as I was walking out the door, Caleb called from the living room, "Bye, Mom!! Have fun and be careful! It's slippery out there." Josh (who at the time of my departure was changing a nasty blowout diaper in the back of the house) told me later that just after I left, Caleb came running to him and said, "Dad, don't worry. . . I said goodbye to Mom and told her something she would be happy to hear. I told her to be careful because it is slippery."

Where does he get this stuff??

Banana Pops!

2009-10-23T00:52:00.000-07:00

I know it's the end of summer for most of you, but if you're in the mood for one last taste of summer, give this a try. I'm not a banana fanatic, but these are delish and super easy to make. This is a great "cooking" project for toddlers. Caleb was able to do almost every step (with help) and he was so proud of the finished product.

Mmmmmmm!

(sorry, this is a terrible picture)

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Pops

4 Bananas

8 popsicle sticks

about 1/2 cup chocolate chips

2-3 Tbs peanut butter

2 tsp butter

sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bananas in half, leaving the peel intact. Insert a popsicle stick 1/2 into into each banana and then peel (this keeps the banana from breaking apart). Place the bananas a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes to chill the bananas (this makes the chocolate stick better).

Microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. Dip the partially-frozen bananas into chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with decorations and return to freezer.

Allow to freeze for at least 3 hours.

Annabelle's First Few Steps

2009-10-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

THREE!

2009-10-14T00:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, My Big Boy!

(the pink cake was supposed to be red, but we ran short on the food coloring)

Puddle Jumping on the Playground

2009-09-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

It rained (as in, dumped) this morning so after lunch Caleb grabbed is bright red boots and headed down to the playground for some good old fashioned puddle jumping.

Just for Jessica

2009-09-16T19:35:00.001-07:00

"Ask and it shall be given you". Jessica asked.

The only thing cuter than a pigtailed baby girl. . .

is a post-pigtail baby girl.

To Keep Things Fair

2009-05-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Just to keep things fair between the siblings and to to debunk any theories floating amongst you that I no longer take pictures of my firstborn, here is a recent favorite of Caleb. Look at that smile on his face. . . sheer joy!

Blueberries for Belle

2009-05-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

One of Annabelle's favorite foods is blueberries. She will eat and eat and eat them until she's blue in the face (and everywhere else).

9 Months Old (Part 2)

2009-05-27T07:30:00.001-07:00

9 Months Old (Part 1)

2009-05-27T07:28:00.001-07:00

Conversation Snippet 5: Counting

2009-05-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

I've been working with Caleb lately on counting. He's starting to recognize numbers and can (sometimes) count to ten. The other day he lined up a string of his toy cars and brought me over to look at them.

Caleb: Mommy, can you count them?
Me: (slowly pointing to each one) One, two. . . . eight. Eight cars.
Caleb: Wow! Good job, Mommy!!! You can count!!!

Mother's Day Picture

2009-05-10T23:24:00.001-07:00

I love being the mother of these two!

The Lord Will Provide

2009-05-09T01:35:00.001-07:00

My cousin, Jessica, asked her blog readers to share the lyrics to a song that has been meaningful each of them. This song has really been resonating with me lately. The words were written by John Newton (author of Amazing Grace). The version that I have was adapted by Matthew Smith (Thanks, Yvette, for buying me the c.d.!). It's a beautiful poem on it's own, but if you can download the song, it's 100 times better with the music.

So why this song? The words are so deep and really, I can think of about 100 reasons this song has blessed me lately. I think the most profound is that God himself has made provision for me on that last day. I love the last line and I do hope that is how I enter glory--shouting, "The Lord will provide!"

1 Though troubles assail and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail and foes all unite;
Yet one thing secures us whatever betide,
The Scripture assures us, "The Lord will provide."

2 The birds without barn or storehouse are fed,
From them let us learn to trust for our bread:
His saints what is fitting shall ne'er be denied,
So long as it's written, "The Lord will provide."

3 We may, like the ships, by tempests be tossed
On perilous deeps, but cannot be lost:
Though Satan enrages the wind and the tide,
The promise engages, "The Lord will provide."

4 His call we obey, like Abram of old,
Not knowing our way but faith makes us bold;
For though we are strangers we have a good guide,
And trust in all dangers, "The Lord will provide."

5 When Satan appears to stop up our path,
And fill us with fears, we triumph by faith:
He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise, "The Lord will provide."

6 He tells us we're weak, our hope is in vain,
The good that we seek we ne'er shall obtain;
But when such suggestions our spirits have plied,
This answers all questions, "The Lord will provide."

7 No strength of our own, or goodness, we claim;
Yet since we have known the Savior’s great name,
In this our strong tower for safety we hide,
The Lord is our power, the Lord will provide.

8 When life sinks apace, and death is in view,
This word of his grace shall comfort us through;
No fearing nor doubting with Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting, "The Lord will provide."

Conversation Snippet 4: Vacation

2009-05-06T23:17:00.000-07:00

I rarely let Caleb sit in front of the TV to watch a movie, but yesterday I was desperate to catch up on some housework, so as soon as Annabelle went down for her morning nap, I decided a movie was just the trick for keeping Caleb busy.

Me: Hey Bud. . . I want you to go sit on the couch.
Caleb (climbing onto the couch): Can I have a snack?
Me: Yep. I'll cut you an apple for snack. And guess what, you can watch a movie while you eat your snack!
Caleb: Oh wow!!!!! Are we on vacation?!?

8 Months Old! (a little late)

2009-05-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

What Boys Love

2009-04-09T03:35:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered what two-and-a half-year-old boys love, wonder no more. . .

Oh, and happy half-birthday, Little Boy. It's hard for your mommy to believe you are already halfway to three!

Just because I like you

2009-04-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

Just because I like you, I'm going to pass along this little kitchen tip. If you're like me and don't have a dishwasher, this is particularly helpful in keeping germs to a minimum. Happy zapping!

Conversation Snippet 3: Something

2009-04-01T23:26:00.000-07:00

Mommy, I'm hungry.

Okay, Bud. Would you like me to get you something to eat?

Yeah! I want to eat something!!

opening the refrigerator door and pulling out mango slices How about some of this?

Nooooooo. How about something?

Okay, would you like some raisins?

Noooooooo. I think I just want something. peering inquisitively into the refrigerator
Mom. . . which one is Something???

The "P" Word

2009-03-19T16:28:00.001-07:00

Yep, I'm finally bringing up the dreaded "P" word. The one word that strikes fear into every mother's heart: POTTY-TRAINING.

I know there are a thousand different theories and methods out there and even more success/failure stories. If you're new to mothering, you are probably wondering where to start. I'd like to add to the confusion and give you yet another potty-training how-to theory.

I can now say, with confidence, that Caleb is potty trained. He has been almost 3 weeks now without diapers and only 2-3 accidents (all of those while busy playing) during that time. He's been sleeping in his big-boy undies and going out on the town in them, too. When he came running up to me on the playground and told me he had to go potty, I figured we had arrived at the past-tense of potty-training. =)

So, now I'm passing along my experiences to you. Take all of my advice with a grain of salt, since I've only done this potty-training thing once.

Rebecca's Potty Training Manual
1. Wait.
That's right. . . the first and most crucial advice I can give you is w-a-i-t. Bladder/bowel control and awareness is primarily a developmental milestone, not a matter of obedience. Your 18-month old may be ready, but chances are, he isn't. And, just because your neighbor's 3-year-old is trained, doesn't mean that your 3-year-old is ready. So, wait until you're sure that your child will succeed. That probably means waiting until AFTER your child is ready.

2. Ignore.
The second step is to ignore everyone's anecdotes (hmm, am I shooting myself in the foot here?) and advice. Go with your gut. If your great-uncle's wife's cousin trained her 12 children to go potty in the toilet when they were only 14 months old, that's great. But you shouldn't feel pressured to do the same. Ignore people who look at you funny when you're still buying diapers for your 2-year-old, it's okay. They'll get over it. For the sake of your child and yourself, don't use other people as your measuring stick. Don't even use other siblings. Remember, it's primarily a biological issue.

3. Relax.
Relax if things don't go the way you think they should. If you think your child is ready and it turns out they aren't, it's okay. Don't stress and don't make it a big deal. Just wait and try again in a few more weeks/months. I think another word to keep in mind is Grace. Be gracious with your child. I am a strong proponent of training for obedience, but I honestly feel like potty-training is less about obedience and more about the natural physical limitations of a child. Don't shame your child if he/she has accidents or is a little on the late side of being ready. It'll come eventually. Just look around you. . . how many normal 15-year-olds do you know that aren't potty trained? My guess is, none (that could be because there aren't any "normal" 15-year-olds!) So, don't stress. It'll happen eventually.

4. Have Fun.
Did I just say have fun? Yes, I did, and I didn't forget that we are talking about potty-training. This is a big achievement for you and for your child. Celebrate your successes. Make it fun. Children are very fun and playful. That is what makes children so magical. Don't make potty-training a drudgery. Your child probably won't respond well to it if it is. Buy the coolest, most fun underwear you can find. Put them out for your child to admire. Talk it up. . . when you use the restroom, talk about what a big girl (I'm assuming anyone that has made it this far into this post is probably a mom) you are and how exciting it will be when your child is a big boy/girl. When he decides to be a big boy and succeeds for the first time, throw a party. Dance around. Cheer. Call Daddy at work (if you can) or Grandma. . . or both! It's big news in your child's mind, so make it big news. Get out the ice cream or chips or whatever treat it is that your child loves best. Children love excitement, so make potty-training exciting.

So, what did this look like for us:
1. Waiting.
Before Caleb's 2nd birthday, we purchased a little potty chair. We put it in a prominent place in the bathroom and hoped that he might be interested. He was, but only if he could stay fully clothed while sitting on there. I was tempted to force him to try it sans diaper and clothes, but then I thought, "Why? Why does it matter if he wants to sit on the potty with his diaper on?" And, I realized that it didn't matter.

Over the next few months, he tried going potty a few times and was successful once or twice, but I could tell he really wasn't ready. So we kept waiting.

I knew we were getting close when he started asking to go. But, still we waited. I wanted to be sure that he was totally ready.

2. Ignoring.
Caleb's cousin, who is 9-months younger than Caleb, potty-trained herself almost 4 months ago. She was only 16-months at the time!! Talk about feeling the intense pressure to keep up with the Joneses! It wasn't anyone else I had to ignore this time, it was myself. I had to ignore the internal pressure I was feeling and go with my gut. I knew Caleb wasn't ready yet and that his cousin is a potty-protegy! I mean, seriously, how many 16-month-old potty-train themselves. Not many.

3. Relaxing
This one was pretty easy because by the time we actually started potty training, Caleb was definitely ready and he basically potty-trained himself. So, the relaxing I had to do was before the potty-training started. But, we have had a few accidents and when they happen, I just say something like, "Oh well, buddy! It's okay. We'll just clean it up and try again next time. Okay?" We clean it up, pick out more cool undies, and start over. No big deal. And, each day, we ask God to help Caleb grow big and strong and go pee pee on the potty. Remember, it's all about grace, and ultimately, it is God's grace we need, even for things like going potty.

4. Having Fun.
Chips and ice cream. That's what does it for Caleb. Once he learned that he could have a chip for going #1 and a bite of ice cream for going #2, he was like white on rice. Chips are his greatest love in life. Throw into the mix some cool Cars undies and lots and lots of dancing and cheering and there was no stopping him. Oh, and the coolest, getting to pee on a tree (this a boy-only activity) while we were out on a walk. Some things are inherently cool to little boys, and peeing on a tree is one of them. This is one thing his mother doesn't understand, but Josh assures me that boys think peeing on trees is really cool =)

So, take heart. If you are dreading potty-training, don't. It doesn't have to be horrible. Expect there to be false starts and accidents along the way. Cheer loud and give lots of hugs. Oh, and for every bite of ice cream you give your toddler, go ahead and take two for yourself. It'll help. I promise. =)

If you have any other advice or want to share your story, please leave a comment. The more the merrier!

The As-Good-As-Boxed Brownies

2009-03-18T01:27:00.000-07:00

I love all things made from scratch. I'm into making bread, tortillas, muffins, cakes, cookies, egg noodles, yogurt, pizza and anything else I can find a good recipe for. But, I have a confession to make: I am a boxed brownie fanatic. That's right. . . boxed. The kind with a million preservatives and ingredients I can't pronounce. I love them. Seriously. I can eat a whole pan by myself if I forgo all self-control. Even when I exercise great self-control, I still end up nibbling away 3/4 of the pan over a period of a few days (no one else in my house loves brownies with the same passion).

So, when I finally found a from-scratch recipe for brownies that taste just like the boxed kind, I was thrilled! Why? What's the point? The point is, homemade brownies are way healthier (no preservatives and whatnot) so now I can eat the whole pan with no guilt =)

And, now, I am passing along this gift to you, my brownie-loving friends. May you eat your brownies in peace!

As-Good-As-Boxed Brownies
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
6 Tbs cocoa
2 Tbs oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Combine margarine, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. Blend in cocoa, oil then flour. Add nuts, if desired. Bake in greased 8x8 pan at 325 for 30 minutes. Do not overbake (duh!)

Chaos

2009-03-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Several of you have been wondering why all the pictures I post are either one cute kid or the other, but not both at the same time. Here is why: when I try to get shots of both of them together chaos ensues.

Just see for yourself. . .

P.S.- Thanks, Kirsten, for your tips about photo processing. I've been having fun over at Picnik. =)

Conversation Snippet 2: The Sucker

2009-03-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

It's Josh's birthday today. Caleb colored a birthday card for Daddy and then picked out a sucker to give with it. It's been sitting up on the table all morning, waiting for Daddy's return from work.

I think he forgot about the plan because he just spied it again and the following conversation occurred:

"Yum!! A sucker! Is that for me!?!"

"No. Remember. . . it's for Daddy. Today is his birthday."

"Um, can it be for me?"

"No. It's for Daddy. When Daddy gets home, you can give him this card and sucker and say, 'Happy Birthday, Daddy! This sucker is you, Daddy. It's from me.' Can you say that?"

"Hmmm. . . (long and thoughtful pause) How 'bout I say a different thing??"

"What would you like to say?"

"How 'bout I say, 'This sucker is for Caleb!"

Your daily dose of cuteness

2009-03-09T01:13:00.001-07:00

I know my last post was a picture of Sweat Pea, but I just can't help myself. She so stinkin' cute!

And, just in case that wasn't a large enough dose of cuteness for the day:

Okay, I promise I'll stop. . . someday.

The Diva

2009-03-05T20:16:00.001-08:00

Her First Six Months: A Short Video Montage

2009-03-02T20:19:00.000-08:00

Motherhood: A Poem, a Story and a Picture

2009-03-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

A Poem

My friend, Gina, posted this poem on her blog yesterday. Since If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is one of our favorite read-aloud books (remember this?), this poem had me cracking up.

If You Give A Mom A Muffin

Original Author Unknown

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook ("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The check book is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

A Story

Thursday evening, Josh and I were going to enjoy a night out with some friends from school. The plan was for me to taxi with the kids to school around 4:15 to meet up with the rest of the group and from there, head down to Clark Quay for dinner. Of course, the afternoon did not go exactly as planned. Caleb and Annabelle went down late for their naps. By the time they finally fell asleep, the house was a mess. So instead of showering and dressing, I quickly tidied up the house, folded the laundry that had been sitting on the couch for hours, and did the lunch dishes.

Before I knew it, it was 3:45 and I was still in my pj's. I took a quick cold shower (who has time for the water to heat up?) and managed throw on some clothes and make-up before the kids woke up at 4:00. I changed their diapers, told Caleb to grab his sandals off the shoe rack that is near our front door (in Asia, you don't wear your shoes in the house, so all the shoes pile up near the front door), helped Caleb put on his shoes while I fed Annabelle, called a taxi, put Annabelle in her baby sling, grabbed my purse, slid on my shoes and ran out the door to meet the taxi. Whew! 4:15 on the dot. I was pretty impressed with myself. The house was clean, the kids were clean, I was clean, and we were on time. Was I good or what!?

When we arrived at school, the parking lot was abuzz with after-school activity. I waved to several people and chatted a bit with a few friends. One of our good friends, Les, walked over to say hi to the kids and as he approached, I could tell he was looking at me strangely.

"What did you do to your foot?!?" he asked.
"Nothing." I said, confusedly, and glanced down. Annabelle in her baby sling was blocking my view so I lifted my left foot to inspect it. Nothing wrong there. I lifted my right foot and started cracking up!!! In my hurry to get out of the house, I had slid on two different shoes.

Ahh, Motherhood! Oh well, at least my kids' shoes matched =)

A Picture

Note to self: the brown shoes look way better than the black. Ditch the black pair.

The promised video

2009-02-26T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here you go, as promised. Check out Annabelle's proud smile at the very end. It's adorable =)

Conversation Snippet 1: I'm proud of you, Daddy

2009-02-26T20:37:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new category called Conversation Snippets. There have just been too many good ones lately and I don't want to forget them. I hope you get a chuckle or two along the way.

The following occurred between Caleb and me just yesterday:

"Caleb, you went pee pee on the potty all by yourself!! Mommy is so proud of you!"

"I'm proud of Daddy!"

"You are?? Why?"

"I'm proud of Daddy because Daddy goes pee pee on the potty, too!"

Would you believe it if. . .

2009-02-25T16:37:00.001-08:00

my soon-to-be six-month-old

Would you believe it if I told you that Annabelle is scooting all over the house now? Would you believe it if I showed you?? If you must see it to believe it, then stay tuned. Our video editor is misbehaving, but I promise I'll get you proof just as soon as Josh whips our editor back into shape.

Grocery Shopping with Caleb

2009-02-23T23:42:00.000-08:00

I have been getting the biggest kick out of Caleb lately. He's got something to say about everything! It's as if the first two years worth of thought have finally formulated into words and he just feels compelled to get it all out.

We just got home from a much-needed trip to the grocery store. The kids were sick last week and I had already put off going the week before, so by today, I really needed to go. That meant, I was desperate enough to take both kids with me, in broad daylight. Brave, I know.

Had someone felt so inclined to follow us through the grocery store, they could have gleaned enough information about us to steal our identities, at least our food identities. Caleb found it virtually impossible to pass by any item he recognized without pointing it out and providing some sort of commentary on it. For instance, the cereals:

Hey Mom, look. Cereal!! That's the kind Daddy likes.

Yep.

We need to get some for Daddy.

Very thoughtful of you, Caleb. I guess we can get one for Daddy.

Ummm. . . maybe just two?? (it helps that this also happens to be his favorite cereal as well)

or fruit:

Oh wow! Apples. There are a lot of apples! Mom, those are the apples I like. You like apples, too, Mommy. Can we get apples, Mom???

So, if you have any questions about what the Redins like to eat, just ask Caleb. He'll be more than happy to tell you.

A conversation about heaven

2009-02-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

Caleb was sick last week. Very sick. At one point, after praying with Caleb that God would make him better, the following conversation transpired:camping out on the couch

"I am sorry you are sick, Sweetheart. I hope God answers our prayer soon."

"Yeah, me too."

"Do you want to hear some really good news? Someday, if you accept Jesus and love him, God will let you go to heaven to live with Him forever. And in heaven, no one is ever sick. Isn't that something to look forward to?"

"Yes! No more sick. That's good!"

"Yes, it is good. God is very kind to us."

"Yeah, He is! . . . .Hey, Mom. . . I wanna go to Church!"

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-16T03:52:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day, Josh took me to see Slumdog Millionaire. I don't recommend many movies on this site, but I would recommend this one. It's a bit heavy and I wouldn't take children to see it, but the acting is amazing. The soundtrack is amazing. The cinematography is amazing. And, besides all that, it's just a great story. Seriously. . . you should go see it.

Sharing a Room

2009-02-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

Today I decided that Annabelle could graduate from her Moses basket in our room to the real crib in the room she'll be sharing with Caleb. So, for nap time this afternoon, I tucked Caleb into his toddler bed and put Annabelle in her crib.

Caleb was so excited to have her in his room that he could hardly contain himself. I knew that sleep was unlikely, but he was so happy to finally have his sister in the room, that I figured one missed nap wouldn't hurt.

I left the door open and went to the living room to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. I could hear Caleb in there talking and singing, and Annabelle cooing. I listened carefully and when I heard Caleb saying "giddyup" I decided it was time to take a peek to make sure all was well. This is what I found:

Drink Choices

2009-02-08T03:49:00.000-08:00

Caleb: Mommy, can I have juice?
Me: No, you already had a cup this morning.
(walking to refrigerator and opening)
You can have water or. . . SHOOT!, we're out of milk. Sorry.
Caleb: Um. . . I want Shoot, please.

A cute picture and a fun game.

2009-02-07T04:24:00.000-08:00

My cousin, Jessica, always comes up with best stuff on her blog and when I'm running short on brain-power, it's easiest to either 1) post a picture of one of my darling children, or 2) steal something from Jessica's blog. As soon as I saw this game on her blog, I knew I was going to steal it. But since I love all you readers so much, I'm going to post a picture, too!

First, the picture:
Caleb just got his first bike. I can't believe he's old enough for a bike! I think he is pretty convinced that he is motorcycle racer and we haven't had the heart to brake the news to him yet that he's not.

Second, a fun game my cousin had on her blog. Here is how you play. . . below I have written a single word. One of you (first come, first serve) has to finish the sentence by leaving a comment in the comments section. At the end of your comment, leave another word for the next person. Since I know a few of you have already played, I'm sure the rest of you will catch on as soon as you click into the comments. It's pretty fun and I hope you play along!

The word to get the ball rolling: Nevermind. . . .

Five Months

2009-01-26T23:58:00.001-08:00

It's worth going there again. . .

2009-01-25T18:53:00.001-08:00

President Obama has made it clear by his reversal of the "Mexico City Policy" that abortion is going to be on the forefront of his political radar screen. That means that the topic is going to be discussed in the public sector with even more frequency and vigor than it has been in the past. I know I've visited and revisited this topic several times, but it's life and death we're talking about here. Innocent human lives being taken by the thousands every day. So, it's worth going there again.

John Piper published a thoughtful essay that gives 15 truths regarding the abortion "debate." It would behoove those of us who believe in the sanctity of every human life to study these points. There really is no reason that we should feel inadequate to answer the pro-choice arguments. Logic is on our side. Please take the time to read it (I've copied the majority of the text below but you can click on the link above for the original source):

Fifteen Pro-Life Truths to Speak

By John Piper January 24, 2003

"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." - Jesus Christ

1. Existing fetal homicide laws make a man guilty of manslaughter if he kills the baby in a mother's womb (except in the case of abortion).

2. Fetal surgery is performed on babies in the womb to save them while another child the same age is being legally destroyed.

3. Babies can sometimes survive on their own at 23 or 24 weeks, but abortion is legal beyond this limit.

4. Living on its own is not the criterion of human personhood, as we know from the use of respirators and dialysis.

5. Size is irrelevant to human personhood, as we know from the difference between a one-week-old and a six-year-old.

6. Developed reasoning powers are not the criterion of personhood, as we know from the capacities of three-month-old babies.

7. Infants in the womb are human beings scientifically by virtue of their genetic make up.

8. Ultrasound has given a stunning window on the womb that shows the unborn at eight weeks sucking his thumb, recoiling from pricking, responding to sound. All the organs are present, the brain is functioning, the heart is pumping, the liver is making blood cells, the kidneys are cleaning fluids, and there is a fingerprint. Virtually all abortions happen later than this date.

9. Justice dictates that when two legitimate rights conflict, the limitation of rights that does the least harm is the most just. Bearing a child for adoption does less harm than killing him.

10. Justice dictates that when either of two people must be inconvenienced or hurt to alleviate their united predicament, the one who bore the greater responsibility for the predicament should bear more of the inconvenience or hurt to alleviate it.

11. Justice dictates that a person may not coerce harm on another person by threatening voluntary harm on themselves.

12. The outcast and the disadvantaged and exploited are to be cared for in a special way, especially those with no voice of their own.

13. What is happening in the womb is the unique person-nurturing work of God, who alone has the right to give and take life.

14. There are countless clinics that offer life and hope to both mother and child (and father and parents), with care of every kind lovingly provided by people who will meet every need they can.

15.Jesus Christ can forgive all sins, and will give all who trusts him the help they need to do everything that life requires.

Can it get any sweeter?

2009-01-21T22:13:00.001-08:00

Making Cookies With Gram

2009-01-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

We're back in Singapore from a wonderful 3-week trip to California (well, wonderful, minus a run-in with the stomach flu). Here is little video of Caleb making cookies with Gram. I'll be posting more stories and updates soon. . . after the jet-lag wears off!

My Sweets

2008-12-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

Would You Rather (Tag)

2008-12-11T01:44:00.000-08:00

My cousin, the Napping Ice-Hockey-Loving Poker Queen, unofficially tagged everyone who reads her blog to post a Would-You-Rather dilemma on their blogs. So, here is mine:

Would you rather. . .
live in a place that's hot all year
or
live in a place that's temperate nine months of the year, but really,really cold for three months?
Weather and weather related activities can be your only consideration (no family/friend considerations)

Your turn! Answer this one and then post one of your own on your blog =)

A Well-Spent $20

2008-12-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, after church, Josh and I went to Starbucks and each got a coffee drink and split a muffin. My jaw dropped when the cash register rang up over $17 (Singapore dollars, but still!). It was a nice treat, since we don't do it often, but I couldn't help but think that there was probably a better way to spend $17.

Later that day, I came across this post on Yvette's blog which was a challenge to fight the consumerism of the season by giving one day's worth of Starbucks money to Dustin's ministry in Haiti. (For those of you who haven't been following Dustin's blog, I cannot recommend it highly enough. He is with a very small team of missionaries meeting the physical and spiritual needs of a village in Haiti.) Yvette suggested $5, but since we had just spent over three times that, I thought $20 was more in order.

(photo taken from Haititrip.blogspot.com)

Yesterday, I received an email from Dustin that read:
Thanks for the donation, it will go to the John Little project. He is a little guy who had malnutrition pretty bad, we want to help him get back on his feet.

Could there possibly be a better way to spend $20?

Some send, some go. We all have a part. What's yours?

To donate to Dustin in Haiti, please click HERE.

From the mouth of babes

2008-12-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

Every morning, at breakfast, I lead Caleb in a prayer, thanking God for our food and our family and friends, and asking God to help us love Him and glorify Him in whatever activity we have planned for that day. This morning, when we finished our prayer, Caleb said, "Mama, I wanna pray." So, we closed our eyes and folded our hands again and I waited. . .

"God. . . Please we go to the mini-mart today. Jesus name, Aaaaaaamennnnn!"

Candy

2008-12-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

Every morning, for breakfast, Caleb gets to eat candy. It's actually his chewable vitamin, but I call it Breakfast Candy, which makes it oh-so-much-more desirable in his two-year-old mind. He also get to eat Prune Candy when he's, ahem, moving slowly. He thinks it is so cool when I let him have Candy for a snack!

My next idea: Broccoli Candy (I'm thinking this one might be a little harder to sell)

A quarter of a year!

2008-11-30T03:03:00.000-08:00

Annabelle turned three months old this week. We were in Thailand for the Thanksgiving holiday. She enjoyed chilling out on a beach chair under the umbrella while Caleb played in the surf and sand.

Khai Nok Island, Phuket, Thailand

Our little Sweet Pea is a happy girl. She's full of smiles and squeals for anyone willing to pay attention to her. She is sleeping through the night and growing like a weed. She's got Daddy wrapped around her little finger. She melts her Mommy's heart. And, her burps and toots send Caleb into laughing fits. We can't wait to discover more about this little girl God gave us. What we've seen so far is delightful!

Remember when. . .

2008-11-21T04:41:00.001-08:00

A friend of ours dropped off a few toys her daughter has outgrown. Caleb was excited about the exersaucer. I wonder if he remembers when. . .

Four months old

Two years old

My little Sweet Pea

2008-11-18T22:32:00.000-08:00

Annabelle is now 12 weeks old. This is the last of the weekly posts. She'll be 3 months old next week. . . old enough to graduate to monthly updates.

Lately I've taken to calling Annabelle "Sweet Pea". . . calling her Sweet Pea got me humming the song by that name. . . humming the song made me want to listen to the real deal. . . wanting to listen to the real deal led me to iTunes. . .getting on iTunes led me to spend a buck I would not otherwise have spent. So all in all, Annabelle's new nickname is good for the economy =) Anyway, more to the point, when Caleb heard the song playing, he came running over and announced, "Hey, Mom! I wanna dance with Sweet Pea!" Here's a little video of what happened:

The Perfect Nap Poll

2008-11-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

Annabelle, the Queen of Cat Naps

This poll is in honor of my favorite nap-loving cousin, Jessica, who recently posted an article on her blog about the benefits of taking naps.

Are you a napper? If so, what is your perfect nap? where do you sleep, for how long, etc. . .

My answers: My perfect nap #1 would be a mid-morning nap on a cool, rainy day where you can hear soft thunder in the distance. I would curl up with a fluffy, fresh-from-the-dryer down comforter and a good book. I'd read for a bit and then fall to sleep for at least an hour.

Perfect nap #2 would be getting to snuggle up with a newborn in the hospital after delivery. Not exactly the best sleep in the world, certainly the most contended feeling in the world.

The basics of our Faith

2008-11-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up, I had never heard of protestants going to catechism. As far as I knew, whatever it was, it was something Catholics did. Then when I was in junior high, my friend, Lisa, invited me to go with her to her catechism class at the Turlock Covenant Church. It sounded so mysterious that I couldn't wait to go with her to find out what it was. I was awfully surprised when it turned out to be totally normal. We played games and sang songs and then her pastor came in and taught us the answer to a question about Christianity. I couldn't figure out what the catechism part of "going to catechism" was.

I eventually learned that Catechism isn't just a Catholic thing and it isn't mysterious at all. It is a way of teaching the principal tenets of the Christian faith using questions and answers. And, kids are particularly good at learning this way. But, don't assume kids are the only ones who can learn this stuff. I'm learning right along with Caleb as we go through the Small Children's Catechism.

Someone is going to fill our kids' minds with something; why not let it be us, their parents, filling them with God's Word and easy to understand summaries of the things we believe are True. Obviously, memorizing the answers to the questions is just a start. It's our kids' hearts that matter. The ultimate goal is to lead our children to Christ!

If you aren't sure how to catechize, or you want to add some fun into it, I'd recommend Dana Dirksen's Questions with Answers series. They are songs taken from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I have found that songs are one of the easiest ways for me to memorize, so I have really been enjoying the cd we downloaded from iTunes. Check her out and let me know what you think.

Fight FOCA

2008-11-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
. . . a time to keep silence, and a time to speak
Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 7b

Remember the story of Esther? There was that guy, Haman, who tricked Ahasuerus into signing into law a death order for the Jews. The law said that any citizen could annihilate and plunder a Jew without any consequence or restrictions whatsoever. But, God used the voice of Mordecai to spur Esther into action. Esther was committing political suicide to stand up for the defenseless, but she knew that God had called her to her position of power for exactly that purpose and to keep silent would be wrong.

There is a peice of legislation right now called the Fredom of Choice Act (FOCA) that bears an uncanny resemblence to Haman's decree. It is calling for the permanent and broad-sweeping stamp of approval on abortion, including the end of all bans on partial birth abortion, all requirements that women be informed about the risks of abortion, that only licensed physicians perform abortions, and that parents be informed and give consent to their minor daughter's abortions. In a word, it is stating that any citizen can annihilate a baby without any consequence or restrictions whatsoever.

In addition to the annihilation of the unborn, this legislation also removes legal protections for individual healthcare providers who decline to participate in abortions, and for Catholic and other religiously-affiliated hospitals who, while providing care to millions of poor and uninsured Americans, refuse to allow abortions within their facilities.

It has not yet been signed into law, but President-Elect Obama has made a promise to sign this piece of legislation. Now is the time to speak. Please consider signing the petition linked below. And, prayerfully consider spreading the word about this to your friends and family. And, most of all, please pray.

The Cookie Book

2008-11-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

10 Weeks Old

2008-11-05T02:27:00.001-08:00

My happy little girl. . .

A Prayer for the New President

2008-11-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Rom 13:1

It's 3pm, November 5th, here in Singapore (making it 11pm on election day in California). I just finished reading the headlines that McCain conceded the election to Obama, making Obama our new President-elect. Barring any extraordinary circumstances, Mr. Obama will take office in January to become the next leader of the United States.

Whether or not I would have chosen Obama for this position is irrelevant. The Bible is clear that God is absolutely sovereign over the affairs of men, including political affairs, which means Obama is God's ordained leader over our nation. Mr. Obama is the man GOD chose for the job and ultimately, Obama must seek to please God, not the American public.

God cares about justice. He calls us to defend the defenseless and to care for those who cannot care for themselves. There are many, many people who fall into this category, and though we may debate the best way to accomplish our goal, as Christians, I believe we are (or at least ought to be) striving for the same end. Mr. Obama has expressed great concern for the poor and needy of our nation and of the world. In fact, that is the reason given me by several of my Christian friends who chose to support Obama. While I disagree with his solution, I admire his compassion for these often overlooked groups.

Unfortunately, while helping some, he has waged war on others--the very least of the "least of these". If you've ever held a newborn baby, you know who absolutely helpless newborns are. How much more so those that are not yet born! While there are, perhaps, many others who are equally in need of our protection, there is no one, no one, in need of it more. We must be in fervant prayer that God would change Obama's heart in regards to the "least of these" among us--the unborn children who are being annihilated by the thousands each day. Let us be persistent and not grow weary in praying for this!

Father in Heaven, thank you for establishing government to rule over us. Thank you for placing Mr. Obama in the position of President-Elect. Be with him and bless him. Fill him with wisdom and understanding. Give him a passion for righteousness and justice. Use him to carry out your will in our nation. Father, we know that it is your will that we protect and care for the weak. I ask that you change Mr. Obama's heart in regards to the heineous practice of abortion. Give Mr. Obama the humility needed to change course and come to the defense of the unborn children. Most of all, Father, give us the heart we ought to have, for the lost and suffering. Have mercy on our nation. Forgive us of our manifold sins. Help us to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly before you.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. . .

2008-11-04T22:44:00.001-08:00

2 Months Old

2008-10-28T21:36:00.001-07:00

Guess what we did this morning

2008-10-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

8 Weeks Old

2008-10-21T22:00:00.001-07:00

Annabelle's 8 week stats: 10.5 lbs, 22.5 inches, and as pretty as can be.

Cooing and Smiling at Mommy

Interview

2008-10-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm going political on you. . .

2008-10-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

While I am not able to vote in this election (a huge bummer since this will probably prove to be one of the most important elections of my lifetime), I am still very concerned about the issues at hand in this election, both the Presidential race and California Prop 8.

I know there are a wide variety of people who read this blog and some of the readers will disagree with my opinions here. That's okay. . . that is what our political system encourages, right? Freedom to discuss ideas in not be afraid that we will be in danger because of beliefs we hold.

Jen, posted a very articulate statement released by the Catholic church, which I believe is well worth your consideration. If you believe in the absolute sanctity of life but are drawn by the Obama-Biden ticket because of their passion for the poor (which IS admirable!), their desire to end the war, or any other social justice issue, please read this essay. I think it is at least worth consideration.

Also, if you're a CA resident, please visit my sister's blog and find out more about Prop 8 and why I believe it is important to vote in favor of it. At the very least, you should be very knowledgeable on the issue and know why you're voting the way you are.

Okay, that's the end of my political posts. . . at least for now.

Six Weeks Old!

2008-10-08T01:57:00.000-07:00

2 Years Old!

2008-10-08T00:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

Caleb's List of Favorite Things
(click here for last year's list)

1. Transportation of any kind, especially motorcycles, helicopters, jet airplanes, trains, race cars, and boats.
2. Baby Annabelle

One Month!

2008-09-27T03:24:00.000-07:00

One month ago, I slept all night long.
One month ago, I only had to change one kid's diapers.
One month ago, I was able to get showered and dressed before 4pm.
One month ago, I only did 2 loads of laundry a week.
One month ago, I wasn't a walking milk factory.
One month ago, I hadn't yet met the sweetest baby girl in the world.
A lot can change in a month!

4-Weeks Old

2008-09-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of her 4-week birthday, Annabelle requested to snuggle with her big brother this morning.

Parenting Book Recommendations

2008-09-18T20:20:00.001-07:00

Jen recently asked me where I learned about the idea of Chair Time. I remember that I read about it in several books, but I was devouring those kind of books for a while and I really don't remember. To add to the fact that my brain now functions at half-speed thanks to the two little bundles of joy I call children, I also moved from CA to Singapore since reading those books and they are packed in a box somewhere. What I do remember is several conversations with mothers of large families (like Heather and Kendra) who recommended training Caleb to play quietly for extended periods of time. I'm very thankful to have wise friends and family that I can learn from.

While I don't remember which books introduced the idea of chair time/quiet play, I do remember a few of the books which stood out to me as particularly insightful or helpful:

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
The Most Important Place on Earth by Robert Wolgemuth
Your Child's Profession of Faith by Dennis Gundersen (not what you're expecting)
Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman
Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas
The Mother at Home by Rev. John S.C. Abbott

As with any book, I recommend that you read with discernment and judge everything by the standard of Scripture. And, keep in mind that not every great idea works in every family. Just because something worked well for so-and-so, doesn't mean you should feel guilty if your family looks completely different (I am reminding myself!) Even if you only implement one or two ideas out of a thousand, it's good to hear from others who are further down the path.

Now it's your turn. . . Aside from the Bible, the best source of wisdom, which books/blogs would you recommend for parenting wisdom?

Annabelle: Three Weeks Old

2008-09-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Annabelle that I took with our current camera. With good lighting, even a sorry camera can get take decent pictures. In two weeks, Yvette will be arriving for a visit. Arriving with her will be my new camera!! (Thank you, thank you, Joshua. You spoil me beyond belief.) A DSLR was out of our price range, but I think the features on the G9 will keep me busy for a while.

I can't wait to see Yvette. . . and I can't wait to try out my new camera =)

Chair Time Revisited

2008-09-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

Caleb: Chair Timer Extraordinaire

If there is one thing I would recommend that a mom of a toddler do as a way to prepare for a new baby, it would be chair time (or quiet-play time). All of our chair time training of the last 6 months has more than paid off these last two weeks. Waking several times a night to feed a newborn is very tiring. But waking several times a night to feed a newborn and then caring for an energetic toddler all day is downright exhausting!

Caleb is now capable of sitting quietly on the couch in our extra room and playing (doing puzzles and reading books) for up to 90 minutes. (I normally limit his daily quiet-play time to 45 minutes, but there have been a few times when the timer has gone off and he was playing so cheerfully, that I reset the timer and "let" him have more chair time.) If you're single or married without children, 90 minutes might not sound like much, but to a mother of small kids, 90 minutes to yourself feels like an eternity.

Caleb and I have been working on chair time since February, which means I have had sufficient time to make absolutely sure that I can trust him to obey and remain on the chair, a SAFE place, until I come to get him. That means I am free to shower or nap or just sit on the couch and veg. Of course, when I do nap, I still leave my door and the door to his room open so that I can hear him the whole time. . . moms have this cool/annoying ability to sleep and yet remain totally cognizant of all noise in the house.

Anyway, if you have a toddler and are expecting a younger sibling (or even if you aren't expecting a younger sibling), do yourself a huge favor and start working on quiet-play time every day. I promise, cross my heart and hope to die, you will be very glad you did.

Bonus: Chair time is also a great way to train a toddler to sit quietly during church. =)

Civil Disobedience

2008-09-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Me: Caleb, please pick up your trains. It's time for a nap.
Caleb: Um. . . no, thank you.
Me: Yes. You need to obey Mommy. Pick up your trains right now, please.
Caleb: Um. . . no, thank you.

So, while it seems we need to work on prompt obedience, I'd say we have the polite words part down pat.

The Story

2008-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Jen asked me to post Annabelle's birth details. So, if you interested in birth stories, read on. If not, feel free to skip it. There will be no hard feelings =)

Annabelle was due on August 28th. At my regular check-up three weeks prior to her due date, I was already dilated to 3 cm. The doctor felt sure she'd see me within the week. But, the next week rolled around and to her amazement, I showed up for my next scheduled appointment. . . still pregnant. At that time, I was at 4 cm. Again, she said she expected to see me in L&D within a day or two, but we scheduled another appointment for the following week, "just in case." It's a good thing we did, because Wednesday, August 27th dawned and there was still no signs of labor. I had been out walking miles every day, doing squats, eating pineapple (they say that induces contractions) and still hadn't had even one significant contraction. I went to my appointment and found out I was at 5 cm! Since I was having some weird headaches which were affecting my vision (sometimes a sign of impending blood pressure issues late in pregnancy), the doctor felt that it was best to break my water for me. I checked in to L&D (just 4 floors below in the same building) and called Josh. He arrived around 1:00 and the doctor came in to break my water at 2:00. Within minutes, I was in transitional labor . . . no warm-up contractions (I guess that's the downside of starting out at 5 cm). After about 45 minutes of labor, I finally asked for some kind of pain killer, but it was too late for anything significant since I was nearly ready to push. The nurses kindly gave me nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas) each time I had a contraction. It didn't really do much for the pain factor, but it made me care about the pain a little less, so it was definitely better than nothing. At 3:20, the doctor showed up and got set up for delivery. At 3:25 she gave me the all clear to push and two pushes later (one for her head and the second for her body), Annabelle was born. The doctor was really cool about letting Josh tell me we had a girl. She put the baby up on my tummy and said, "You have a beautiful and healthy baby, Rebecca. Josh, do you want to tell her what sex the baby is?!"

So, there you have it. Annabelle's labor was exactly 1/2 of Caleb's. I'm so thankful my doctor was proactive in breaking my water. If I had been at home, it would have been a very close call. We don't have a car here, so I would have had to call and wait for a taxi (usually a 10-15 minute process) and then drive 30 minutes to the hospital. I can just imagine trying to pay the taxi driver in the middle of serious contractions!

Let's see, other details. . . I did use Gentle Birth again. I don't know if it is a placebo or if it actually works, but for $30, I figured it was worth it either way. Thankfully, there wasn't any tearing, which made recovery a million-times easier. Anything else I didn't mention that you're curious about? Just leave it in the comments.

I plan to post more about the medical system here in Singapore on our other blog soon. " Soon" being a relative term dependent upon the sleep cycles of my two darlings =)

Turtles and Two-week Olds

2008-09-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

Toddler Mutant Ninja Turtle

Annabelle, 2-Weeks Old

Church

2008-09-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

Annabelle's first trip to church was when she was 4-days old, but unfortunately, we forgot to take a family picture that day. These pictures were taken this Sunday. She is 11-days old here.

The church we attend was founded in the 1800's, thus the beautiful architecture.

One Week Old. . . already!

2008-09-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's been (over) a week since we welcomed Annabelle into our family. Hard to believe. I hate that time flies.

At her one week check up, the pediatrician said she was "the picture of health." I think she is the picture of sweetness. She has certainly captured our hearts since she made her debut. I can't imagine life without her, now.

Four Things

2008-09-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

I got tagged by my favorite Minnesotan girl to do this little survey:

4 things I was doing 10 years ago:
-Starting my Junior year of college
-Driving a blue Honda Accord
-Reading tons of classical literature
-Swing Dancing on Friday nights

4 things on my to do list for today:
-Do a load of baby laundry
-Clean the bathrooms
-Play blocks with Caleb
-Snuggle with Annabelle

4 things I love about my husband:
-He is exceedingly patient
-He will eat whatever I cook and thinks everything is delicious
-He works really hard but never puts work first
-He really strives to live a life that is pleasing to God, even when no one is looking or would know.

4 jobs I have had:
-Pizza Delivery Girl
-Subway Sandwich Artist
-City Clerker (two different positions)
-Mommy
(as you can see, I keep getting promoted!)

4 movies I have watched more than once:
-The Count of Monte Cristo
-Nacho Libre
-Napoleon Dynamite
-Pride and Prejudice (yes, the LONG one)

4 places I have lived:
-In a dorm room
-In a house
-In a studio apartment
-In a high-rise condo

4 place I have been (this year):
-Malaysia
-Thailand
-Australia
-India

4 places I want to visit (before we leave Singapore):
-China
-Cambodia
-Vietnam
-Japan

4 t.v. shows I watch:
-We used to download "The Office" from iTunes, but that show is over now.

4 things you may not know about me:
-I haven't cut my hair in over a year (not on purpose. . . just haven't gotten around to it)
-I can sing the ABC's backwards
-I love crunchy green apples
-I love brushing my teeth

4 People I'm tagging:
Mom
Kirsten
Christianne
Dustin (this one is a stretch since he's in the Netherlands courtin' a girl!)

A tribute to one of our favorite children's books. . .

2008-09-03T00:03:00.001-07:00

Big Kid. . . Little Kid.Caleb and Annabelle were friends.

Caleb was big.
Annabelle was little.

Family Resemblance

2008-09-02T02:39:00.000-07:00

Caleb, 2 days old

Annabelle, 4 days old

Love at First Sight

2008-08-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

Caleb is in love. It happened the moment he first saw Annabelle. The first thing he says when he wakes up is "hold the baby, please" I've never seen a little boy more smitten. Here is a short clip from the first time he held her and a few of my favorite photos.

Annabelle Victoria

2008-08-29T03:29:00.000-07:00

Annabelle Victoria Redin
6lb 15 oz
20 in
Born August 27, 2008 at 3:28pm in Singapore

Drumming our Fingers and Tapping our Toes

2008-08-24T16:50:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of finger drumming and toe tapping around here the last few days . . . we are definitely anxious to meet this little one. Only 3 more days until my official due date arrives (but no telling how many more until the baby arrives).

Thanks for all your prayers. At the last check-up, the baby had packed on a significant amount of weight (over a pound in a week!) and was up in the "normal" range again. The doctor now expects that he/she will be at least 6.5 to 7 lbs, which is great!

Check back soon. . . I hope the next post will include pictures =)

Redefining Cool

2008-08-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

There was a hands-on-science day at one of the malls this weekend. There were tons of cool displays and projects for elementary-aged kids. Caleb was too young for most of it, but he did get a cool balloon hat out of the deal. By the way he was strutting around through the mall, you could tell he thought he was pretty darn cool. Kids are funny. . . they are gloriously oblivious to social protocol.

A Great Opportunity

2008-08-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

(Picture taken off of Dustin's Blog. . . for a link, see below)

For those of you who live in the Mo-Town area, here is a great opportunity to share good fellowship AND donate money toward a missionary who is in the thick of it in Haiti.

For info on the fund raising dinner, click HERE.

For info on the work that Dustin is doing in Haiti, click HERE.

For obvious reasons, Josh and I can't attend the dinner, but we'd love to know we sent a few of you as our proxies.