Praying for Their Footsteps

Father, let Levi receive Your word at an early age and accept it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in all believers.

Lord, You are the God of peace. You are faithful. Please, Father, sanctify Levi. Strengthen him as he grows up so that he will rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.

1 Thessalonians 2:13, 5:16-18, 23-24

Church...

it wears a boy out!

After Levi took about a two hour nap, he woke up happy and hungry. I moved his chair down so that he is actually sitting at the table with us. He really loves it.

Hot Air

Saturday morning, the three of us woke up VERY early to see the hot air balloons at a local festival. The weather did not cooperate, but a few of the groups tried to blow up their balloons. All attempts were short-lived, but Levi seemed to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the weather did affect our pictures.

Saturday was also the first birthday party of a little girl, whose parents are our friends. Levi decided he liked the girls' car.


But, Levi didn't understand why his daddy didn't think he should be riding in a pink car!

You can also see his most recent injury from Thursday - a cut right next to his right eye. Thankfully, no eye injury and no black eye!

Playing Ball

Levi is still fascinated with the baseball bat.

He also loves to walk. He loves for me to "sing". His favorite songs include: Take Me Out to the Ball Game, My God is SO Big, ABC's, and the Auburn Fight Song. Levi loves to read, usually, but sometimes he prefers to just pull out all his books from the bookshelf. His favorite books the past two or three nights include: God Loves You Very Much, Peedie, Hop on Pop, and both of the Little Pookie books. Levi still loves to eat. He'll eat just about anything. The other day, I weighed Levi - 25 pounds.

Praying for Their Footsteps

Well, I will be posting Praying for Their Footsteps on Wednesdays.

Father, please fill Levi with the knowledge of You so that he will grow in all spiritual wisdom and understanding and walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You. May You strengthen Levi with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, so that he will give thanks to You and be qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Father, deliver us from the domain of darkness and transfer us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14

Reunion

Despite Levi's runny nose, Levi and I made a trip to Atlanta to see some of the girls from my Bible study during my days at Auburn. Our stay in Atlanta was much too short, but I had a great time visiting and Levi had fun playing with and watching the other kids.

On our trip, Levi had some Cheerios for a snack. The Cheerios were in a "Snack Catcher". However, the "Snack Catcher" did not catch all of Levi's snack.

Also, on our trip, I found a new favorite song for Levi - the Auburn fight song! I think he really enjoys the fact that I use the steering wheel to clap. He just kept telling me, "more" (using sign language, of course!).

Friday with Levi

I had today off from work, so Levi and I had the day to ourselves. What fun! I noticed while we were playing today that Levi's bottom left lateral incisor has broken through. He let me check his top right lateral incisor.

We played all day, despite Levi having a cold since Monday. He seems to be doing better, even without taking him to the doctor.

The three of us had dinner with another couple on Friday night. What a fun time of fellowship! They're expecting their first, so it was fun to see all the work they'd done to prepare for their little bundle of joy.

What a Cutie!

You can see his five teeth pretty well in this picture.

Most of you know that we are a house divided, and it is never more evident than between the end of August and the end of December or sometimes the first of January. I still had to agree with Kevin that Levi made this shirt look good!

I forgot to mention yesterday's "Praying for Their Footsteps" was my 200th blog! WHOA!

Praying for Their Footsteps

Like my friend, Jamie, I will be moving "Praying for Their Footsteps" to Tuesday. Yes, I know that today is not Tuesday, but last night I did not have an opportunity to use the computer.

God, thank you for Levi. Father, open Levi's heart, mind, and eyes at an early age to the grace you have shown Him through the gift of Your Son. Perfect the good work that You have begun in him, so that he will be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ. Give him courage to speak the word of God without fear.
Philippians 1:3, 6, 11, 14

Fourteen Months

Today, Levi is fourteen months old. He loves to play outside, throw balls, catch balls, swing the baseball bat, and swing the club. Levi loves any type of remote control, camera, or cell phone. Levi is still fascinated with light switches; his fascination with fans is slowly waning. He loves to "talk"; although his actual words are few. He is consistent with, "Mama", though, and - of course - "pow!" I'm not really sure that "pow!" would be considered a word. Oh well. He loves his paci, but we're trying to only let him have it during naps or at night. So far, that transition is going well. I'm not sure how we'll ever get him not to want the paci when he's sleeping, though.

Levi experiences separation anxiety when he is first left somewhere - particularly church or MDO. He was not sure what to think this morning at church, though, because Kevin and I are teaching his class. At first, he would cry whenever someone would come to the room - thinking that I was surely going to leave him there. He eventually got over that fear though and had fun with us in his room.

Yesterday, Levi had a very rough day. I actually debated whether or not to even take any pictures today - let alone post them. However, rough days are going to be par for the course now that we have an official toddler. So, before I show the pictures, here's the story. I had both french doors shut between the sunroom and the breakfast area. Levi lost his balance and fell into one of the doors, with his forehead connecting with one of the wood panes of the door. He cried big time, and he ended up with a pretty mean looking knot on his head. I felt horrible. Of course, that can't be all... We were outside playing with a soccer ball. It ended up on the sidewalk and before I could get there, he'd already leaned for it - and toppled over the soccer ball. He landed on - you guessed it - the EXACT same place he had hurt before. So instead of just a mean looking knot / bruise, he has two skinned places. Here's my little bruiser...

Pow!

Levi loves golf. Kevin has the new Tiger Woods game for the Wii, and he taught Levi to "swing" the Wii remote and say, "Pow!", about a month ago. Levi now loves to say "Pow!" about almost any type of ball that is thrown or hit or "club" that is swung. His grandma and granddaddy Hughes found a nerf golf club and ball, and when he's there, they are lucky when they can pry it out of his hands. They found a golf club just for Levi, because they had let Levi hold one of his granddaddy's real golf clubs, and Levi would not let go of it. He literally had his diaper changed at least one time while holding on to it. (Can anyone say, "spoiled"?!?! But, that's just what a grandparent is supposed to do, right?)

Tonight, Levi remembered that he had something that resembled a golf club, his Playskool baseball bat. This clip is longer than my usual clips (it's about 27 seconds), but I thought it was the cutest.

Praying for Their Footsteps

Lord, I pray that Levi would know You, who called us by Your own glory and excellence, and that he would truly know Jesus as Savior. Please multiply Your grace and peace to Levi. Father grant to Levi everything pertaining to life and godliness. Make him a partaker of the divine nature. Strengthen him to escape the corruption that is in the world. Set him apart for You.
2 Peter 1:2-4; Psalm 4:3

Toddler

I know most kids usually stand up by themselves first, develop balance by learning to stand in one place, and then take those first steps. For some reason, Levi likes to be different. He's been "walking" for a little over a week and never mastered the standing up by himself. He was trying last night, and I had a feeling that he was going to do it today. Kevin picked up Levi from his mom's house, and she said that he finally learned how to stand up from the sitting position and just kept making laps around her house today - falling on his bottom and standing right back up. Kevin and I believe that this feat means that Levi is really a "toddler".

We also made a sheet tent for Levi tonight. He loved it. He would leave the tent, and I would ask him, "Levi, where is daddy?" He'd go right over to the tent and fall in his daddy's arms. Kevin even tried to make it more difficult by moving pillows and boxes in front of him. Even that wouldn't deter Levi from findng his daddy!

Labor Day Weekend

My parents and youngest sister made the trip to see Levi on Saturday and stayed until Monday morning. I was very negligent in my picture taking. Between watching Levi, a little bit of shopping, and watching our Auburn Tigers, I didn't have much time for taking pictures. To make up for it, we tried to take a few shots before they left on Monday. We weren't super successful. Levi is just all about moving.

This picture was like Levi was saying, "Later, taters!"

Barber Shop

We visited Ms. Debbie this afternoon at the Georgia Avenue Barber Shop.

She cuts Kevin's hair and Levi's granddaddy's hair. She also now cuts Levi's hair. I admit, I went a little camera-happy with this first of Levi's, but he was just so cute!

She started by using a bright green comb.

Levi decided he wanted to hold the comb, so she found another one.

And with one quick snip...

we had our first "curl" to save.

Overall, Levi did a great job. He moved his head around, but he was still enough for her to give him a good haircut. He did not cry at all. He was actually quite fascinated by the whole thing.

He even let her use the electric razor - and thought it was ticklish!

Yes, I now officially have a toddler. There is just something about that first haircut that really does make him look grown up.

Breakthrough

I think Levi has been working on his top "lateral incisors" (the teeth on either side of his two front teeth) for months. Tonight, I finally felt the one on his left.

Praying for Their Footsteps

Father, may Your lovingkindness comfort Levi.
Psalm 119:76

Lord, you have seen Levi's ways. You will lead him and restore comfort to him.
Isaiah 57:18

You have loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace. Please comfort and strengthen Levi's heart in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

MDO

Today was Levi's first day of Mother's Day Out - or for this family - Grandmother's Day Out. Levi was not a happy camper to see his grandmother leave him at that strange place, but he apparently settled down. I'm hoping and praying that he will not cry about being left for a few hours; that he will realize that he is not being left forever.