Kirby lately

From the mouth of babes:

• I hold it and I won't drop it ... I won't drop it.  (says this about anything she wants)
• When she doesn't want to watch something you ask her about, she responds, "no, that's in Spanish"
• I love you (mommy or daddy)
• Read my Bible.
• While eating she often talks to herself (or possibly she's talking to her food) and she says different names including Jesus.  Not sure if she is praying or talking about friends.
• I'm going to school to see my friends .... Later.
• I want to sit in yours lap.

She is growing and learning so much.  Her imagination is wild at this point and I love it.  We have had a bit of a challenge with discipline.  We've noticed that spankings weren't really working with her.  The other day on the Christian radio station they were talking about love languages (I've never read the 5 Love Languages book but heard it's great).  They were talking about the language of serving and pleasing others and I snickered and said, "sounds a lot like me .... Come to think of it that sounds like Kirby, too".  So I came home and shared a thought with CR.  I said, "let's try a different approach with her. Lets ask her when making decisions and disobeying if she wants to make us sad or disappointed."  This seemed to really work well with her.  Then I started thinking that we needed to make it a more positive experience and show grace and mercy. So instead of saying, "do you want to make me sad/angry/disappointed" we use "happy/proud, etc.  There are some instances that will call for spankings I know.  In fact, the other day CR introduced her to the wooden spoon.  Today she was blatantly disobeying me and I said, "do I need to go get the spoon?"  She said, "no mommy, the spoon hurts my bottom" and immediately did what I had been asking her to do.  After she was finished, I pulled her in my lap and told her how much I love her and how happy it makes us and God when she obeys with a happy heart.  Parenting is tough stuff, but it is a job that The Lord has blessed us with and I am honored that The Lord chose me to be Kirby Rose's mother. 

Proverbs 13:24

²⁴ Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.