Sydney Lucille!

I thought about what to blog about today since it is Sydney's 16wk anniversary-I am not feeling all that sentimental today so, I chose a video of her drinking out of a glass.  For the past few weeks when I am holding her and drinking she has been reaching out for my glass- So, I put the glass up to her mouth and she grabs a hold and tries to drink!  It truly is funny and amazing all at the same time-again, she is thriving!  I suppose I should get this little baby a sippy cup already!  (I ask her often if she'd slow down a bit for us, we're trying to enjoy it all, but she wants to do it all by herself already- in her mind she knows how, but her body says not yet!  Indeed we have an old soul on our hands.)

I hope everyone enjoys there weekend and gets outdoors despite the heat!  I can not believe school starts next week-god bless our teachers and students- I am praying for a wonderful school year for all (despite the cut backs in education)!  I have two dear friends that have babies under 8 months old and they both have to return to their classrooms to teach, my heart goes out to them!

Enjoy the video-she is too funny and quite demanding, you'll see at the end of the video!

Learning to just be

This past week, despite the extreme heat, Sydney and I have headed outside to enjoy nature and the warm summer breeze!  We lay out our awesome blanket/mat and take our books and a few of her toys and set up under the beautiful Monterrey Oak.  We listen to the hum of the locus and Sydney watches when cars go by.  Her senses are so keen-she is thriving!
Since I have been reading this great book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv-I want miss Sydney to know nature and to learn how to just be.  I think we all forget sometimes how to just be in nature and enjoy it for what it is-I feel that she will learn all she needs to by being close to nature- patience, the understanding of lives cycles-life and death-things that toys and TV will not teach her.  Stimulation is what she needs, but I find that nature will provide this and much more for her!
When she gets older I want her to appreciate the seasons, hiking, animals, the ocean, trees as high as the sky and how to play in it unstructured and freely.  She is an Earth Day baby and I feel it is my responsibility, given to me by God, to make sure I give her every opportunity to be a good steward to mother earth! 

Here is a video of her movin' and groovin'-she is on the fast track!

and some pictures of our time outdoors under the beautiful Monterrey Oak-

She loves this book-Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?

God Speed, The Hesrud's

Milestones-Laughing out loud!

Here it is-she has officially laughed out loud-and out of all of us it's the dog that gets it out of her- Baxter, you lucky dog, you!
Enjoy and God Speed.

Relief

As I had mentioned previously, Sydney is teething.  Some days are better than others as you may know if you have or have had teething children.  She has begun to teethe a little earlier than most babies, but for the most part she has been handling it quite well.  Here is a video of her getting some relief from the pain!  And yes, there is football on in the background-Sydney's first game night with Daddy-o!

Inspired

My mother and I went to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens on Tuesday- yes, even in this heat!  As we were leaving the gardens I stopped into the shop to look around.  I have been missing my things a lot lately, (they are still in SD) especially my books.  So, naturally I was browsing through the book selection and came across a book by Richard Louv-Last Child in the Woods.  I am only 46 pages into the book and am so inspired.  It is about how important nature is for physical and mental development in children and how detached they have become.  He refers to this detachment as "nature deficit disorder".

There is a quote I would like to share from the book.
"Unlike television, nature does not steal time; it amplifies it".

Wow, how profound is that?  So, I will leave you with some food for thought:
How do you expose your child to nature-do you at all?

What are some of your childhood memories of being in nature?

I would love to hear how you connect with nature, or do not- and why if you don't and why if you do!

I love to be in nature because it makes me feel closer to my creator-God.  I see him everywhere in nature and this brings me to a place of  peace in my heart, which is sometimes hardened by this world.

God Speed, Sarah

Pictures and mini update!

It's been awhile since I have updated everyone on how we are getting along with Sydney-well, I'd have to say that we are getting the hang parenting and she knows she belongs to US!  Sydney has grown so much over the last month-she rolls from her back to her stomach and she is beginning to teeth-no one told me how miserable this phase would be.  Needless to say she does not like teething considering her motor skills don't let her hold onto a teething toy long enough to get some relief, so her hands will have to do.
Enjoy the video of her in her 'johnny jump up' and the pictures-she has grown so much!

Sydney and her buddy Tillman!

most recent-taken yesterday

 I realize the last two photos are sideways, but the are great photos of her and the cat Apollo-who loves Sydney!

 God Speed-The Hersrud's