Since yesterday was Tobin's official four-month birthday :), I've got to jot down a few things about him.
He is at an absolutely delightful stage where he loves to look at people and break out in huge grins...and besides that, he's started to laugh. April 29 was the first day he laughed, and he did it while I was changing his diaper and clothes. He tends to be quite the communicative little guy when he gets on the changing table! He also laughed the following Sunday, May 4, in the nursery, according to the testimony of the women in the nursery; I didn't hear it because I was in Sunday school, but they were all delighted by it! Last Tuesday, he laughed again when Josiah was paying attention to him in the morning. There is nothing--absolutely nothing--like the laughter of a child. I'd have to say that it's probably my favorite sound in the whole world.
I've been realizing recently that compared to his big brothers, Tobin hasn't traveled very far at all in his young life! Josiah went with us from California to Israel for vacation when he was 2 months old, his first--but by no means, last--big trip (it was so funny planning that trip while pregnant and doing things like getting plane reservations for him before his birth...because he was our first, it seemed so unreal that we would actually have a child with us when we took that trip--and strange to have a ticket for "Josiah Fisher" before he was born!). David was born in Israel, of course; but by the time he was 4 months old, he had been to the country of Jordan for a conference, to England for vacation, and to California to visit family and friends before we moved to Virginia. Tobin has been to...well...West Virginia...Pennsylvania last Saturday...and today (much later today, since I'm writing this in the middle of the night) :) we're heading to the Virginia Beach area because Jeff surprised us by taking the day off so we could have a family get-away (which I'm completely thrilled about!). West Virginia and Pennsylvania aren't exactly Israel and Jordan, but that's OK. Tobin's day will come when we finally get him a passport and actually travel a little further from home. But oh my, it sure is harder--and more expensive--to travel with 3 little ones!
My favorite nickname for Tobin is "Little Bear," although I call him all kinds of silly stuff. Sometimes I hear Jeff crooning to him, "Tobin, Tobin, ata ben tov," which means "Tobin, Tobin, you're a good son," and is a play-on-words because in Hebrew if you switch the syllables for Tobin's name, you get the words for "good son." Recently, Jeff mentioned that Tobin is an "angel child," and I couldn't agree more.
The level of adoration that I have for Tobin astounds me. I shouldn't be surprised by it because I experienced it with Josiah and David, but it still is somewhat shocking to me how much I love Tobin...how quickly that love flowed from me...how deep the sensation of the mix of pleasure and pain that love is...how satisfying it is to me to simply look at him...how the laughter bubbles up in me sometimes when I hold him--laughter from the sheer joy of being his mother and having him as my son. I know this "honeymoon period" eventually ends, but I'm enjoying every bit of it and am amazed by how, out of all the babies in the world, my heart overflows with love and admiration for him...because he's mine. God knew what He was doing when He made these maternal instincts. They are powerful. :)
He is at an absolutely delightful stage where he loves to look at people and break out in huge grins...and besides that, he's started to laugh. April 29 was the first day he laughed, and he did it while I was changing his diaper and clothes. He tends to be quite the communicative little guy when he gets on the changing table! He also laughed the following Sunday, May 4, in the nursery, according to the testimony of the women in the nursery; I didn't hear it because I was in Sunday school, but they were all delighted by it! Last Tuesday, he laughed again when Josiah was paying attention to him in the morning. There is nothing--absolutely nothing--like the laughter of a child. I'd have to say that it's probably my favorite sound in the whole world.
I've been realizing recently that compared to his big brothers, Tobin hasn't traveled very far at all in his young life! Josiah went with us from California to Israel for vacation when he was 2 months old, his first--but by no means, last--big trip (it was so funny planning that trip while pregnant and doing things like getting plane reservations for him before his birth...because he was our first, it seemed so unreal that we would actually have a child with us when we took that trip--and strange to have a ticket for "Josiah Fisher" before he was born!). David was born in Israel, of course; but by the time he was 4 months old, he had been to the country of Jordan for a conference, to England for vacation, and to California to visit family and friends before we moved to Virginia. Tobin has been to...well...West Virginia...Pennsylvania last Saturday...and today (much later today, since I'm writing this in the middle of the night) :) we're heading to the Virginia Beach area because Jeff surprised us by taking the day off so we could have a family get-away (which I'm completely thrilled about!). West Virginia and Pennsylvania aren't exactly Israel and Jordan, but that's OK. Tobin's day will come when we finally get him a passport and actually travel a little further from home. But oh my, it sure is harder--and more expensive--to travel with 3 little ones!
My favorite nickname for Tobin is "Little Bear," although I call him all kinds of silly stuff. Sometimes I hear Jeff crooning to him, "Tobin, Tobin, ata ben tov," which means "Tobin, Tobin, you're a good son," and is a play-on-words because in Hebrew if you switch the syllables for Tobin's name, you get the words for "good son." Recently, Jeff mentioned that Tobin is an "angel child," and I couldn't agree more.
The level of adoration that I have for Tobin astounds me. I shouldn't be surprised by it because I experienced it with Josiah and David, but it still is somewhat shocking to me how much I love Tobin...how quickly that love flowed from me...how deep the sensation of the mix of pleasure and pain that love is...how satisfying it is to me to simply look at him...how the laughter bubbles up in me sometimes when I hold him--laughter from the sheer joy of being his mother and having him as my son. I know this "honeymoon period" eventually ends, but I'm enjoying every bit of it and am amazed by how, out of all the babies in the world, my heart overflows with love and admiration for him...because he's mine. God knew what He was doing when He made these maternal instincts. They are powerful. :)
~ Tobin with his Aunt Lori
7 comments:
Wow! I can't even imagine travelling like that with baby's that young--but happy 4 month birthday to Tobin. (You'll have to change your age for him on your "dearest ones" sidebar.) I love how quickly baby's change when they're so young--there's something new to marvel over every day.
Please forgive my grammar--I should have previewed my comment first. I intended to say "babies" twice and said "baby's" instead.
Rebekah, you're so funny. That's exactly something I would do: make another comment to correct my grammar. :) And thanks for the reminder about changing Tobin's age. I completely forgot to do that last night! :)
You are so good at expressing things with words. I can't wrap my brain around the love of your children, but you say it with such beautiful eloquence.
Happy 4 month birthday Tobin!
Wow, you've traveled so far with your young ones! I love the way you expressed your love for
Tobin. I once wrote in my journal that baby laughter sounded like bells. I still can't get over the fact that he already sleeps 12 hours, though...
And I meant to tell you how much I love YOUR new header. It's perfectly sweet and wonderful representation of your growing brood.
I am really enjoying your blog. I love all the pictures, and I enjoy the reading too. You do a great job writing about your daily life.
Sometime, please post some tips/info on how you make homeschooling work. We are planning to homeschool our children. It will be down the road a little since Paul is 18 mo. and Hannah is merely 9 weeks old.
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