Jubilee excitedly told us, “I have a great idea! If you put raisins in water, they will become grapes!” I (David) then proceeded to explain to her how you can’t simply put dried fruit in water in order to return it back to it’s former glory. I tried to give her some semblance of a scientific explanation, but I knew the particulars would be lost on her. “Besides, it will just make a mess,” I concluded.
But she persisted, so we filled a cup with water and put a raisin in it.
I knew that the raisin was just going to sit there, day after day, getting increasingly slimy and gooey. So, it was no surprise that after the first couple days there was little noticeable change. But by the third day, I was shocked! The raisin swelled up and now looked like a brown grape. Sure, it wasn’t really a grape, but as far as Jubilee was concerned, the raisin became a grape again. Amazing! And she was so proud of her discovery she proceeded to eat the “grape” and, I think, pretended to enjoy it.
Our little Jubilee, the scientist.
We’re in a new life stage for attending Bible Study Fellowship. Now I have the privilege of attending with all three of my daughters! Now that the twins are 3 days into their Two’s, they can attend. Jubilee was very excited that her sisters could come with us.
When we got there, we all held hands and walked to the Children’s building. I was able to walk with Angelina to the door. Madeleine didn’t make it that far. She froze and started crying. Jubilee tried very hard to encourage her and gently bring her to the door, but she refused.
I had to leave Angelina at the door to go get Madeleine. So Angelina started crying, of course. Not the best way to start off the first day of a new program. I had a feeling this would happen because when we visited a church while in Seattle, they had to be taken out of the nursery.
Regardless, do you know what I love the most about BSF? When I came to pick up the children, the children’s director said to me, “Maddie was fine, but Angel cried on and off the entire time. So we will really be praying for her.” BSF does not focus on helping the children adjust to the program. They depend upon the Holy Spirit as the child’s Comforter and Teacher.
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor (i.e. Comforter, Encourager, Advocate), who will never leave you…But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative - and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit - He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told You.” -John 14:16, 26
How fitting that we are studying the Gospel according to John this year.
I was alone with Jubilee the other day and we were running errands together. At one store, we took the escalator. Suddenly, my heart became wistful. As far as I can recall, Angelina and Madeleine have yet to ride an escalator! When Jubilee was their age, riding escalators was one of her favorite pastimes. Our trip to NYC involved many an escalator ride as part of her tourist experience. And it’s not simply because she’s the oldest and the oldest always gets to do more things or do them first. It’s because she was a singleton. I just don’t walk around stores with my children anymore; Angelina and Madeleine are always in a stroller or cart. The most I’ve walked in public areas is from the car to the closest shopping cart so that I can “cage” the toddlers before going shopping.
It’s not just escalators. Every once in a while I would let Jubilee play a computer game called “Baby Banger.” It taught her that if she pressed a key, then a picture would pop on the screen. But how can I play that with two toddlers? I’m sure it’s possible, but it’s not easy because they already fight over toys. Nothing is easy when you’re raising multiples… and an older child!
Another game that they’ve missed out on is “1-2-3” where each parent is holding the child’s hand and you lift the child up into the air. Kind of difficult to do when you’re outnumbered by your children. We did manage to play 1-2-3 with Angelina the other day. We were both holding her hands and David was carrying Madeleine with his other arm, and Jubilee wasn’t with us to get jealous. Needless to say, Angelina loved it. Thankfully, Madeleine didn’t seem to care.
I guess a lot of this comes down to being more diligent in giving Angelina and Madeleine these experiences.
A painful side effect of Jubilee’s recent illness is chapped lips.. severely chapped. Tonight I tried to put some chapstick on her lips and she screamed that it was burning. Poor Baby! We ended up using Vaseline instead and that seemed to help.
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Jubilee’s first encounter with Pixy Stix
was a hit!
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For Jubilee’s birthday, we converted one side of our kitchen counter into a chalkboard:
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Daphne and I are both horrible artists, so instead please imagine the chalkboard filled with beautiful birthday pictures. 
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Note: We got the idea from an article in Martha Stewart Living. We didn’t stir the paint well enough and we didn’t sand the surface well enough, but it still works well as a kid’s chalkboard.
Jubilee is 3 years old today.
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Can you spot 6 differences between these pictures?
Bottle-feeding:
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Breast-feeding:
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1. Dish drainer missing. 2. Dirty bin missing. 3. Strainer missing. 4. Clean bin missing. 5. Countertop visisble!
Jubilee was given some dress-up clothes by a friend and she had a lot of fun playing dress-up for the first time. Here is a precious photo of her as a princess today. (Click image for larger version.)
While we enjoy Jubilee’s attraction to all things princess, we very much want to teach all of our daughters the admirable and noble attributes of a princess. A princess is not a self-centered diva. Rather, a true princess reflects the character of Jesus, her King.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Jubilee decorated the small Christmas trees… can you tell?
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I knew that the raisin was just going to sit there, day after day, getting increasingly slimy and gooey. So, it was no surprise that after the first couple days there was little noticeable change. But by the third day, I was shocked! The raisin swelled up and now looked like a brown grape. Sure, it wasn’t really a grape, but as far as Jubilee was concerned, the raisin became a grape again. Amazing! And she was so proud of her discovery she proceeded to eat the “grape” and, I think, pretended to enjoy it.
