Footsteps: Reflecting on Joys

We are excited about the future as we embark on the post-half-a-year-old phase of our child's life. Here's an update of where we are.

Developments in the past month:
--"Dada" (although he doesn't know what this means, he just likes saying it)
--Frightening squeal/growl nois
--much more talkative, playful, giggly, entertaining and silly
--interested in and curious about everything... reaching for everything in sight
--reaching up just a little bit when I go to pick him up
--giving hugs (aka squeezing your shoulder and burrowing head into nape of your neck while squealing when picking him up from a nap)
--a teensy bit better at sitting up, but still falls after a bit

Schedule (aka something we strive for and *sometimes do):
solids 2 or 3x per day
5 or 6am - Our litte earlybird awakens, and we put him back to bed
7am - Wake, eat, read books
8am - Nap
11am - Wake, eat, play or park for exercise
12-1pm - Nap
2:30pm - Wake, eat, play or errands
5:00pm - 45 min Catnap
6:00pm - Family dinner, William's bath and bedtime routine
7:00pm - bed

We are grateful to God for bringing us this gift. Babies bring so much joy, but it's more important to see how they point us to the Joy-Giver. Just one example of this comes from a verse the Lord showed me this week, which has caused me to reflect on how a child reminds us to crave and delight in the Lord and His Word:

"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." -1 Peter 2:1-3

It's awesome that the Lord can use a tiny baby to teach us sinners how to crave Himself. And as William is a hefty eater, I'm being reminded of that often. My prayer this week has been that, with as much joy as William brings to this household, our true source of all joy would be found in the one who William points to - Jesus Christ - coming as a baby and heralding forever as King!