daddy's boy

The pecking order is established at the Miller house. Jude prefers to hang with dad when he's home, followed by mom and george in a tie. OK, just kidding about the tie, but clearly this baby loves his daddy.

greg & jude

For instance, we took Grandpa Henry & Grandma Nancy to Brookfield Zoo during their visit with us. Jude decided Greg's arms were way better than his stroller for the trip around the animal park. He was not into mom holding him for long. At home he also shows a similar preference unless he is A)injured or B)in trouble with dad.

2 guys & a tiger

We recently learned that Jude prefers to ride in dad's car more than mom's SUV.

road ready

We came outside to run some errands on a recent sunday afternoon. We headed down the sidewalk toward the garage. But Jude toddled over to the BMW and refused to leave. He kept saying 'uh uh uh', which apparently in Jude-speak means 'take this car mom and dad.'

no guys, let's take this one!

Fortunately Greg is very into Mister Jude as well. He and Kara enjoy their nightly 'blanket the baby' ritual. But greg is quick to remind us if we forget. Here's how it works: right before we head to bed we turn on jude's light on low, creep in, and re-cover him in blankets. The best part is seeing which unusual sleeping position/baby origami move he has chosen.

Kara takes this papa preference in stride. She sees the benefits of getting extra help from greg and is glad to feel free to leave the two of them to hang out occasionally without upsetting jude when mom goes bye bye.

We close today's post by saying thanks to Grandpa Scott & Nana Jane for the leather bomber jacket seen in our photos.

one cool baby

easter 2010

Its a busy week in the Miller house. We are looking forward to a visit from Grandpa Henry & Grandma Nancy on Thursday. We have not seen them since November and Jude has grown so much! Here a few of the photos from Easter 2010.

He is Risen!

thank you Easter Bunny

jude and mom before church

jude's favorite gift- his veggie tales video

is it red or blonde

Our son is certainly not Samson, but we can't bring ourselves to get the kid a haircut. His curly locks are just too cute. Kara has been talking about Jude's need for a haircut for a year. But when Greg suggests going to Great Clips, she can't bring herself to do it. Decided we better get a few shots of the hair before we take the barbershop plunge in the near future.

22 months of hair

The unusual red color of Mr. Jude's locks continues its magic change back and forth between blonde one day, and red the next.

golden locks?

or is it red?

So glad its spring and hope its lovely where you are readers. Here are some musings from Jude's mom.

I know it is helpful and reasonable to have benchmarks and developmental guidelines for my child. But as a first-time parent I go through a mental crisis every few months when I realize how little I know about helping a child develop. I don't know that he is supposed to know his body parts or know how to jump with two feet. I often feel like I really enjoy and love being with my child and would be very happy, if only I didn't have to also parent him--helping him learn how to eat, how to play nice, how to meet others and say his letters. It is a lot of pressure.

Stylin at 22 months

And now I face the hard truth that Jude is struggling a bit. He does not have the expressive vocabulary that some children his age do. We made the choice to have him evaluated for a free state program. And they came back with praise for many things but they agree that Jude could use speech therapy to help him express what he obviously understands.

It is hard to separate my child's performance from my identity...when I am the parent who is home with him. I told Greg last night that we are people who succeed, excel, and this is humbling and challenging when Jude does not measure up to some of his peers in this way.

So now for perspective today. I have to stop and think and ponder. My son is happy. He is healthy. He has a wonderful smile and a creative mind to explore, tinker, and yes, destroy many things he discovers in his world. He will be OK. The problem here is with me and my expectation that my child will always measure up.

I think this is a lesson longer-term parents learn, but now its my turn to get it.

Thank goodness God knew we couldn't measure up, that we can't be perfect our own. That we need his grace, and yes, the death of His son Jesus, to pay for our performance gap in life. And thank goodness he did.

Happy Easter to all you friends and parents from a fellow parent who doesn't measure up and yet keeps going.

I am treading through the Serenity Prayer these days and wanted to share it with you:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time,

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.

That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.