A Journal for Baby

I don't normally like talking about my secret little writing projects, probably just out of fear of being a vulnerable human being and writer, but I wanted to share this one.

The very day I found out I was pregnant with this little one I headed to the book store to find a new journal. I'm still not entirely sure of the point of this specific journal, since I have so many I keep (four that I can think of off the top of my head), but I knew it was for baby.

Most of my writing in this journal focuses on the 'firsts' of this pregnancy: the first time I felt him roll over in my tummy, the first time B said he loved our little boy, the first time he got to feel him kick, how awesome it is to hear my husband pray over our little guy at the dinner table, all those adorable things. I've been reading through the book of Proverbs a lot and really praying through specific areas for this little one, so I've recorded that too. This is also a place where B has recently expressed interest in wanting to share some of his fatherly wisdom, which I know God is equipping him with. So I guess it's a love letter of sorts from mom and dad to baby, toddler, youth, and eventually the adult that's growing in my womb. I plan to do one of these for each of my kids and give them as gifts at some point in their life. We also want to get them each a bottle of wine from the year they were born to give to them on their 21st birthday. We got that brilliant idea from a couple we know who does the same thing.

I also plan on keeping a family commonplace of sorts. I'll do a more in depth post on what commonplaces are and how to keep them. But my plan for this family journal is to be a manna book, a place where we can keep track and look back on the ways God has shown Himself to us or provided for us as a family. This is something the kids can contribute to as well. It's also going to be a place to keep track of all those funny things little kids say, as well as drawings or any other creative efforts they feel they want to share.

I first got this idea in my American literature class in college. My professor was huge on commonplace books and keeping notes, which is where I developed my love of the same practices. He shared a book with us, Twenty Days with Julian & Little Bunny by Papa, which is a short journal Nathaniel Hawthorne kept for two weeks as he looked over his little boy while his wife was away. I immediately ordered a copy and have since included it in my list of favorites. It has many sweet observations about little boys by a father, hilarious conversations that make no sense, and many other parenting moments captured on paper.

I can't resist sharing this tiny quote from little Julian, complete with a boyish lisp and all, showing what the Bible calls faith like a child:

"'I'm tired of all sings, and want to slip into God.'" pg. x

If only I could remember the constant art of slipping into God in the midst of all the crazy things of this earthly life. Adorable. Little Julian is adorable.

I figured I'd better do a baby bump update since we did the big 3D ultra sound today. All went well. My calculations say I'm at 22 weeks, but everything else is saying 21 I'm sticking with mommy's intuition. ;) Again, this baby proved to be very chill, like his daddy. I've unfortunately continued to stay in much pain throughout the night despite my attempts to make myself comfortable and going in to see the doctor last minute yesterday. I found out today that's because I'm carrying very low. He should have moved up by now, but the little cutie has found himself a comfy spot and he's not moving. He was sucking his thumb at one point, and at another point he looked like a little person just sitting in a chair. Usually you see babies with their hands up by their face or head, but he was just sitting with his under his thigh. So funny! I hope it's normal that some parents laugh through the whole ultrasound because that's why I was doing today. I love seeing the personality in this little guy already! 

xoxo