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Learning about each other

11/4/2016

This is November 4th another day in my adventure in babysitting. Kate is not sleeping very well during the day. Her naps have been cat naps. They only last about 30 minutes before she wakes up. When I put her down I try everything to see what might help keep her asleep. Nothing seems to work. The thing is she is sleeping great at night. Last night she slept right through from 7:30 pm until this morning at about 7:30 am. Maybe she just can't stand to stay asleep during the day because she wants to spend all the time she can with me.

Every kids has their own ways. It's just another illustration of how we are all so different. Parents have to be patient and observant to figure out what makes each new child tick. As I say it's an adventure. Actually the same is true for all our relationships...and we never run out of new things to learn about each other. Kate (and all people really) can be a mystery but a fun one to try to explore.

Welcome to the greatest adventure of life...exploring the mystery of those around you. Here is Kate. Does she look tired to you?

~ Love, Poppi

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I love your moxie Kid!

11/3/2016

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Today is November 3rd another day in my adventure in babysitting. Kate loves to roll over from her back to her front. Most of the time before today she would just lie there and try to get her head off the ground. That's not easy when your head is disproportionally large compared to the rest of your body. Today I think she crossed a line. She is trying to crawl. She struggles to lift her head (all the while sounding off...half groan, half grunt). Then she instinctively moves her legs in a crawling motion. She doesn't make much progress but she is TRYING hard.

Why is life sometimes such a struggle? Almost anything we want to learn or accomplish takes time and often pain and work. I'm still trying to accomplish some things in life that I began to work on years ago. Still trying...but it's easy to give up. I think that God wants us to struggle, even if we never quite get to where we want to go. The struggle itself is a sign of growth. As natural as it is for a baby to try to crawl, all humans are conditioned to growth. It makes life sometimes challenging and frustrating but also filled with adventure and excitement. Poor Kate, she's at a very frustrating part. She sees the toys she wants to get. They are only inches away, but she can't quite get them. The beautiful thing is, she keeps trying. If only her tummy wasn't dragging so much. She'll get there.

A lesson for all of us. I love your moxie kid.

~Poppi

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"Unless you become like little children..."

11/2/2016

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I am reading a book called The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. A great spiritual book about the true meaning of Jesus' message. "Unless you become like little children..." Jesus was trying to tell us something here. Look at the little children. Look at Kate. What can she tell me about being in the kingdom of God? Kate has no agenda, no pride, no prejudices. She doesn't have any grudges or regrets. She doesn't worry about her self image or what people might think about her. She doesn't try to possess things or take more than she needs. She lives simply in the here and now. God can work with that. Right now she is sleeping in my arms, totally dependent, totally vulnerable, just trusting that everything will be well. If I want to have a relationship with The Lord, I will have to learn to be more like her. Cuteness may not be on the list but she has that covered as well.

~Love, Poppi

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Bruce Springsteen: "Making life fills you with..."

11/1/2016

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This is November 1st (what happened to October???) another day in my adventure in babysitting. Kate is on her magic carpet on the floor talking to her friends the stuffed animals and toys that inhabit that world. She loves lying on her side. She'll be a side sleeper when it's safe. I just marvel at the miracle that is Kate. Such a small little bundle of cuteness and promise.

I am currently reading Bruce Springsteen's autobiography Born to Run. I love what he says about his own discovery of the wonder and joy of parenting. "Making life fills you with humility, balls, arrogance, a mighty manliness, confidence, terror, joy, dread, love, a sense of calm and reckless adventure. Isn't anything possible now? If we can populate the world can't we create and shape it? Then reality and diapers and formula and sleepless nights and child seats and yellow custard shit and cream cheese vomit set in. But...oh, these are the blessed needs and fluids of my boy and at the end of each headachy, tiring new world of a day, we are exhausted but exalted by new identities, Mom and Pop!"

I just cleaned up one of those poops this morning and I wouldn't change a thing about her...except her diaper. Phew, what a stinker. Love through it all. Poppi.

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Poppi's Adventures in Babysitting

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Jim Kemna (Poppi) was the Director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri until he retired at the end of June 2016. Now Jim is becoming an active grandparent. He is babysitting for his one month old granddaughter Katie. Before retirement Jim was responsible for assisting his bishop in promoting the vision of catechesis throughout the diocese. See Meet the Project Team for more information about this author.

Learning about each other

I love your moxie Kid!

"Unless you become like little children..."

Bruce Springsteen: "Making life fills you with..."

Poppi's Adventures in Babysitting

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