Lately

Jonah is teething and we've been getting up at night, which we haven't done since he was much, much smaller.  Poor little guy!

(Also poor little guy because he bonked his head this morning.  #momfail)

The good news is I'm finally fully recovered from having this child and am feeling fantastic.  My final problem was affecting my energy immensely and now that it's back...well I just feel so much better.

Part of my triumphant recovery was deciding that someone in this place should cook something since grieving and morning sickness have kept fresh new recipes at bay for way too long.

Jonah and Howard both said 'not it' first so I guess I'm the someone.

I picked up the book "The Stocked Kitchen" and have thoroughly enjoyed becoming OCD over it.  The idea is simple - you use one grocery list and make sure you always have those ingredients in stock, and then you know you can make any recipe from the book.

  

I LOVE it.  I can't really explain why.  I've always meal-planned but it becomes time consuming to figure out the meals and shop for different ingredients each week.  I also love that you actually use up all of what you buy.  I cleaned and purged to get ready to have (mostly) only the ingredients for the Stocked Kitchen system and it is making me way happier than it probably should.

I could go on and on about my new cooking system (to which Howard has already instructed Jonah to just smile and nod and say "that's awesome") but let me share about JoJo.  

We've been having so much fun with him lately.  He's laughing a lot and his slurpy little giggle is too much to bear.  He loves playing hide and seek and even has some baby jokes.  If I say in any kind of tone or voice "I gotta get your foot" he just cracks UP.  I mean the kid loses it!  I apparently have a very specialized comedic talent.

He waved hello to someone this morning.  I did not intentionally teach him that, which terrified me.  What else am I doing that he's learning?  Will he be an OCD grocery shopper / meal planner too?!  Or check his phone too often?  Or worry too much?  

It's scary to think about all of my faults and know Jonah's being exposed to them.  But then I'm reminded of his name.  Jonah.  A man God chose to use in a mighty way in spite of himself.  

It's not up to me.  I'm a significant, but small part of the equation of who Jonah becomes and how God works in his life.

Jonah's wave was a poignant reminder that what I do and how I live my life have far more influence with my son than what I try to show or teach him through explanation.

I was additonally reminded of this last night when I was rocking Jonah to sleep and shared my heart with him about several deep things and he just kept belching.  And then other sounds ensued.  

And then I was kinda done with that moment.