Hold on high

My mother and I - and my little man holding his head up high. :)

Sethia was 3 months and 3 days in this photo.

Week 13

Week 13. Laughing out loud. :'D

Swatting Pitik

Fists floating in his field of vision is a thing of the past; now the fists land in his mouth. Sethia used to love saying hello and chit-chatting with Pingu, a fishing-Penguin mobile; now he prefers a more vigorous play, swatting and grabbing Pitik (chicken in Javanese). :p In addition to cries of hunger and over-tiredness, or wanting a companion, now he cries because of boredom for a change in the activity. Sethia used to watch passively; now he initiates conversations and no frozen hearts can help but melt when he greets with smiles and squeals of delight as bright as spring's sun. :')

One of the most difficult yet spontaneous things a child does is grow, isn't it? :')

This reminds me of a Psalm: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him." (Psa. 92:12-15)

A child of God is assured of his growth, even if it is the most difficult thing. God Himself is his Surety, thus he can be assured.

P.S. This video shows Sethia playing boxing with Pitik - and his grandmother getting more excited than him. :p

Message from Aalborg: to love my husband's mother-in-law

With my mother's presence at home, the house is spick and span clean, meals are never late, and Sethia gets excessive dose of affectionate attention. :p

But when a grandparent lives under one roof with his/her child's new family unit, it is absolutely normal that at times there is tension. For me, among few others, it is questions like "are you really sure of what you are doing?" or "is this right?" that make me anxious and lose my serenity in my attempts to care for Sethia.

Husband has been away to Aalborg, Denmark, for a while now. While he's away, I am grateful I'm not home alone with Sethia. But I am more grateful that I have a husband whose last instructive message before and during his trip was, "love your mother."

My parents have got themselves a son-in-law two years ago; they still do. :)

Week 11

Week 11. Chuckling. ;)

The role which minister's wife has in Christ's Church

Here is a beautiful description about the minister's wife penned by Charles Spurgeon:

"It is a great assistance to the cause of God to keep the minister himself in good order for his work. It is his wife’s duty to see that he is not uncomfortable at home; for, if everything there is happy, and free from care, he can give all his thoughts to his preparation for the pulpit; and the godly woman, who thus helps her husband to preach better, is herself a preacher though she never speaks in public, and she becomes to the highest degree useful to that portion of the Church of Christ which is committed to her husband’s charge."

Charles Spurgeon also gave these good insights on the challenges and blessings of being a minister's wife:

"Churches do not give a married minister two salaries, one for the husband and the other for the wife; but, in many cases, they look for the services of the wife, whether they pay for them or not. The Pastor’s wife is expected to know everything about the church, and in another sense she is to know nothing of it; and she is equally blamed by some people whether she knows everything or nothing. Her duties consist in being always at home to attend to her husband and her family, and being always out, visiting other people, and doing all sorts of things for the whole church! Well, of course, that is impossible; she cannot be at everybody’s beck and call, and she cannot expect to please everybody. Her husband cannot do that, and I think he is very foolish if he tries to do it; and I am certain that, as the husband cannot please everybody, neither can the wife. There will be sure to be somebody or other who will be displeased, especially if that somebody had herself half hoped to be the minister’s wife! Difficulties arise continually in the best-regulated churches; and the position of the minister’s wife is always a very trying one. Still, I think that: if I was a Christian young woman, I would marry a Christian minister if I could, because there is an opportunity of doing so much good in helping him in his service for Christ."

I thank the LORD for the wives of my church leaders.

Emak

Who are having an animated conversation here? :)

Sethia is meeting his grandma - and I feel as if God is sending His one million army to help! Grandma is home. :)

Week 10

Week 10.
Sleeping for 6-7hours straight at night
7/8pm Feeding
8/9pm Sleep
3/4am Feeding (one-time feeding at early morning)
7/8am Up

- Begin to open hands
- Extrovert, initiate chatting & smiling at strangers

Welcome, Size 62!

Raisin butter cake

Find Recipe
with some modifications

Raisin Butter Cake Recipe
Makes 3 mini loaves
Adapted from Food-4Tots

Ingredients:
200 gr unsalted butter, at room temperature
16 tbsp plain flour/all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
14 tbsp castor sugar
4 eggs
½ tsp salt
4 tablespoons fresh milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup raisins + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (mix together)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C
2. Lightly grease the pan with some butter.
3. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in salt and mix well. Set aside.
4. Use an electronic beater to mix butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color. (Note: Sugar has not dissolved yet).
5. Add in eggs. Beat well until creamy.
6. Scrape down the sides for even mixing.
7. Add in vanilla essence and mix well.
8. Fold in the flour into the mixture and mix well.
9. Finally, add in the milk and fold in the raisins. Mix well.
10. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute cake mixture evenly.
11. Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 minutes. Use a cake tester to test if it’s cooked.
12. Remove it from the oven and let cool on the wire rack for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.

The father

Becoming a parent is not easy. I am having trouble grasping the fact that I am now a mother. I think it is not surprising that a man will also have a hard time wrapping his mind around fatherhood.

I am thankful that right from the start, husband has already at least one session a day with Sethia: taking a walk, feeding, burping, changing, playing and socialising. His expertise is in giving Sethia a bath. :) I am very certain, in this certain period everyday, the foundation of a priceless relationship is being laid: my son has gotten himself a father.

Week 8: Will not let go

Monitor: Baby Center 7 Week Development

If being inside does not permit me to read, write, or crochet, then ...

Take the day out, with diaper bag essentials, among others:
1. A good book to read
2. A notebook
3. Crocheting materials

Sethia's still moments

Sethia has been a strong and active boy. But from his first moments, he can be an enigmatic introvert at times too. When I am changing him, when I am holding him around the house, when he is lying on the blanket playing by himself, or in the middle of any activity at all, he can suddenly become immobile. He would be staring and gazing onto something so intently, contemplatively, and meditatively time seems to stand still I do not dare to disturb him. What's actually happening? What's he looking at? I don't know.

Several times a day, he becomes still and journeys into himself. As such moments, something bids me to be still, too.

First spontaneous smiles

Sethia, week 7: There's never been a day that I'm not plagued with a sense of inadequacy: do I love Sethia enough? I must put my fears to rest everyday, that Sethia has come to me not to frenetically demand love from me - only GOD alone can love him infinitely. As our existences cross, Sethia is here to live and learn, so am I. This is one of his testimonies that he is - don't you see he's learning to smile? :)

Sethia, uka 7: Ser du gutten smile? :)

Week 7

Week 7.
Sleeping for 4-5 hours straight at night: 0830, 1230, 0430, 0830
Establishing bedtime routine: bath at 7pm