As if I need more reasons to brag about Andrew...
He was INCREDIBLE this morning. I had a friend watch Lily because I'd heard such horror stories about these boosters. So it was fun being just Andrew and I for a while. Even if it ended so horribly for him. He loved showing off for the nurses and doctors. He got his hearing and vision tested for the first time...which he thought was SO COOL. The doctor asked developmental questions of him, like, "Do you know your colors?" and "Can you count to 6?" which Andrew proudly slammed out of the ball park. When she asked him things like, "Can you ride a bike or a scooter?" he just smoothly lied. "Yes, I have a scooter. I'm really good at riding it." (huh? we don't own a scooter, and he doesn't have a clue about riding a bike). Then the doctor asked us to wait for the nurse to come back in, gave me a knowing look, and left. We waited for 25 minutes. At which point my bright 4 year old knew something was up. He'd had all the check-ups...what else could be left? What could we be waiting for? He figured it out pretty quickly (without me saying a word) that he was getting a shot. I confirmed it, but told him I thought it was just one (what sane person could face 5 shots???). Then, seeing his concern, and being the nerd that I am, I started describing measles, mumps, and rubella to him. Making them out to be the terrible diseases that they are. He told me he didn't want to get THOSE (especially the big cheeks...that freaked him out for some reason). So I explained that this shot would protect him so he would never have to worry about getting it. Being the nerd that HE is, he liked that answer and calmly awaited his fate.
Nurse came in. I wrapped my arms around him, just leaving his upper arms exposed. This was probably the best position, since I've always been Andrew's security item...it helped to have me wrapped all around him. And then he got 3 shots in the first arm. He never pulled away. He didn't make a sound. I heard a little whimper...that's it. I rotated in the chair and we waited for the next two. Again...not a struggle, not a peep. He was bleeding out of the first arm, so I joked that he'd sprung a leak. While he was half laughing/half crying about that, he got the next two shots. I didn't even need to restrain him. The nurse commented that it was one of the easiest 4 year old appointments she's had in a while. As soon as the nurse finished, he started to cry. He was so brave. He cried for about the next 40 minutes...not hysterically...just a lot. And then he milked my sympathy all day...I think he must have watched 3 hours of television.
The sad ending to the story of my brave boy, is that I think they mixed up the vaccinations. Instead of injecting live viruses, I think they injected crazy juice. Because he is hyped up like I've never seen him. Oh, wait. Maybe that's because he watched THREE HOURS OF TV.
Lord, this got long winded. Here are his stats: 44" tall (off the charts in percentiles), 43lbs6oz (90th%ile). Smart as a whip and a smooth liar. Charmer extraordinaire. Despite eating virtually no vegetables, he seems healthy as a horse. Good boy!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Tough questions
This post by Kelsey got me thinking about tough questions. And how Ohio overreacts to snow alerts. But mostly about tough questions.
Andrew is always full of questions. And answers. But lots and lots of questions. Anything is potential fodder for his questioning mind. Why do I cough? Why do we cover up a cut? Why does that arrow light up in the car when you are turning? Why doesn't Lily have a penis? You get the idea. This constant stream of questioning can be exhausting...and mentally straining. Many concepts are just accepted...I have learned not to question HOW the cold medicine works. I trust that the people who manufactured it know how it works. (which in today's era of recalls...perhaps we should all question like a 4 year old).
Some of Andrew's questions border on the impossible to answer. Like, "How old is God?" Eternity is an awfully tough concept to broach with a pre-schooler. Or, "Do you have to be married to have a baby?" Um.... And sometimes, Andrew just makes a statement that requires further conversation, like, "I'm scared of dying." Now that he is 4, it seems like many of his questions fall under these "tough to answer" categories.
I usually start the response to tough questions with, "What do YOU think?" This gives me a chance to think as well as hear where Andrew is at conceptually. Sometimes it gives you an easy out, if his answer is acceptable enough for a 4 year old.
Today, I keep getting asked a different kind of tough question. See, today is Andrew's 4 year old doctor's appointment. The legendary appointment. The one other parents talk about and shudder. Andrew hasn't had an immunization since he was 2. And today he will get ALL of his boosters. I think that equals 4-5 immunizations.
Today's tough question? "Am I going to have to get a shot?" I just keep changing the subject. Another of my strategies for tough questions.
Andrew is always full of questions. And answers. But lots and lots of questions. Anything is potential fodder for his questioning mind. Why do I cough? Why do we cover up a cut? Why does that arrow light up in the car when you are turning? Why doesn't Lily have a penis? You get the idea. This constant stream of questioning can be exhausting...and mentally straining. Many concepts are just accepted...I have learned not to question HOW the cold medicine works. I trust that the people who manufactured it know how it works. (which in today's era of recalls...perhaps we should all question like a 4 year old).
Some of Andrew's questions border on the impossible to answer. Like, "How old is God?" Eternity is an awfully tough concept to broach with a pre-schooler. Or, "Do you have to be married to have a baby?" Um.... And sometimes, Andrew just makes a statement that requires further conversation, like, "I'm scared of dying." Now that he is 4, it seems like many of his questions fall under these "tough to answer" categories.
I usually start the response to tough questions with, "What do YOU think?" This gives me a chance to think as well as hear where Andrew is at conceptually. Sometimes it gives you an easy out, if his answer is acceptable enough for a 4 year old.
Today, I keep getting asked a different kind of tough question. See, today is Andrew's 4 year old doctor's appointment. The legendary appointment. The one other parents talk about and shudder. Andrew hasn't had an immunization since he was 2. And today he will get ALL of his boosters. I think that equals 4-5 immunizations.
Today's tough question? "Am I going to have to get a shot?" I just keep changing the subject. Another of my strategies for tough questions.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Proud Momma
As if I needed another reason to brag about Andrew...
I had my first teacher conference for him today. I met with the lead teacher (he has 3 teachers in all), and the first thing she said was, "We LOVE Andrew. He comes up with the funniest things to say. He tells us that 'Teachers have a very hard job'. We love that." She must have said that they love him 5 times throughout the conference. She said that he only plays with the boys (after being in playgroups with only girls for 3 years, he probably finds it refreshing to have boys around). He is just starting to loosen up and be silly in class...apparently he's been very serious about school up until now. She said that he and his best friend Matthew are a great balance for each other, each bringing out new strengths in the other (Andrew settles him down, and Matthew helps Andrew to cut loose). He is working hard at his fine motor skills like cutting and tracing. She has never seen the frustrated, sore loser Andrew that I know and love so well. Apparently he is perfectly willing to try new things and play games in school. Yea, Andrew!
So all in all...we all love Andrew. And school is such a good thing for him. The influence of other kids has made him try new things and he listens to his teachers and all good things! I asked if there was anything we needed to work on, and she said, "Nope! Andrew is just perfect! We just love him!"
I walked out of that conference beaming like the sun in July. Proud Momma.
I had my first teacher conference for him today. I met with the lead teacher (he has 3 teachers in all), and the first thing she said was, "We LOVE Andrew. He comes up with the funniest things to say. He tells us that 'Teachers have a very hard job'. We love that." She must have said that they love him 5 times throughout the conference. She said that he only plays with the boys (after being in playgroups with only girls for 3 years, he probably finds it refreshing to have boys around). He is just starting to loosen up and be silly in class...apparently he's been very serious about school up until now. She said that he and his best friend Matthew are a great balance for each other, each bringing out new strengths in the other (Andrew settles him down, and Matthew helps Andrew to cut loose). He is working hard at his fine motor skills like cutting and tracing. She has never seen the frustrated, sore loser Andrew that I know and love so well. Apparently he is perfectly willing to try new things and play games in school. Yea, Andrew!
So all in all...we all love Andrew. And school is such a good thing for him. The influence of other kids has made him try new things and he listens to his teachers and all good things! I asked if there was anything we needed to work on, and she said, "Nope! Andrew is just perfect! We just love him!"
I walked out of that conference beaming like the sun in July. Proud Momma.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Lily the flirt
Tonight we all went out to dinner. Call me a slacker, but I just haven't gotten to the grocery store yet. So we met Jeff when he was finished with work. Lily and Andrew were terrific...as usual. Jeff and I ate at the speed of lightning...as usual. Andrew was entertained by crayons and the tank of lobsters at the front. Lily was entertained by the people at the table next to us.
She was CRACKING US UP. She twisted almost all the way around in her highchair (no restraining straps? really? who designed this thing?). It was a couple in their late 40s, early 50s...not really interested in babies. There are two groups of people interested in babies. Women in their 20s and 30s who don't have children yet and grandparents. That's it. No one else really cares for longer than a smile at a baby. In my opinion. Anyway, Lily was working it. Workin' it HARD to try and get these people's attention. The woman smiled politely at her once, but she really just wanted to enjoy her conversation with her husband/boyfriend. No matter what we did, we couldn't get Lily to turn around. She just kept smiling and waving and talking at them. Every time they laughed, Lily would do a fake laugh. It was hilarious...and pathetic. Finally the couple got up to leave. Lily mimicked putting on a coat...so cute. She waved bye bye...after they'd already turned and left. And then she cried and reached for them. We were apparently too boring for her. She wanted to go home with those strangers. Nice.
Unfortunately, a nice evening went sour when we got back to our cars. Someone had smashed in Jeff's rear window and stolen his laptop. Ugh. So I piled the kids in my car and left Jeff to deal with police reports, etc. He was home soon after, because there isn't really much they can do. Now he has to get a rental car and his window fixed and worry about all that was on the computer and try to think if he had anything else important in that computer bag. Andrew was majorly stressed about it on the way home. How do you explain criminals to a 4 year old? He just kept repeating the same thing over and over. "Stealing is bad, right Mom? Why did someone break Daddy's car? The police should put them in jail. Why did someone break Daddy's car?" and on and on and on.
-sigh- We should've just had Skyline out of the can. Or spaghetti. I have a feeling it will be a long time before I can convince Jeff to meet us at a restaurant after work.
She was CRACKING US UP. She twisted almost all the way around in her highchair (no restraining straps? really? who designed this thing?). It was a couple in their late 40s, early 50s...not really interested in babies. There are two groups of people interested in babies. Women in their 20s and 30s who don't have children yet and grandparents. That's it. No one else really cares for longer than a smile at a baby. In my opinion. Anyway, Lily was working it. Workin' it HARD to try and get these people's attention. The woman smiled politely at her once, but she really just wanted to enjoy her conversation with her husband/boyfriend. No matter what we did, we couldn't get Lily to turn around. She just kept smiling and waving and talking at them. Every time they laughed, Lily would do a fake laugh. It was hilarious...and pathetic. Finally the couple got up to leave. Lily mimicked putting on a coat...so cute. She waved bye bye...after they'd already turned and left. And then she cried and reached for them. We were apparently too boring for her. She wanted to go home with those strangers. Nice.
Unfortunately, a nice evening went sour when we got back to our cars. Someone had smashed in Jeff's rear window and stolen his laptop. Ugh. So I piled the kids in my car and left Jeff to deal with police reports, etc. He was home soon after, because there isn't really much they can do. Now he has to get a rental car and his window fixed and worry about all that was on the computer and try to think if he had anything else important in that computer bag. Andrew was majorly stressed about it on the way home. How do you explain criminals to a 4 year old? He just kept repeating the same thing over and over. "Stealing is bad, right Mom? Why did someone break Daddy's car? The police should put them in jail. Why did someone break Daddy's car?" and on and on and on.
-sigh- We should've just had Skyline out of the can. Or spaghetti. I have a feeling it will be a long time before I can convince Jeff to meet us at a restaurant after work.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
"Wow!"
Being a parent the second time around is such a different experience. When Andrew was 14 months old, he was our entire world. We literally sat around the table and watched him eat. Kind of pathetic. But wonderful and enjoyable. I read him books around the clock, I talked at him constantly, trying to give him clues about how to speak to us. We tried new activities to see if he was ready yet (can he hold a crayon yet? can he use a spoon?).
Lily doesn't quite get that attention to details. I kind of just "catch" her doing things, and then I think in my head, "Oh, perhaps I should have been working with her on that." And I wonder if and when she'll ever do certain things. Like eat with a spoon. I just don't give it to her, because cleaning up after 2 kids seems daunting indeed. It was cute when Andrew spread ravioli all in his hair, but to have to clean up Lily while getting Andrew ready, etc etc. I often wonder if this is why Lily isn't walking. I just don't walk with her. And there is nowhere good to cruise in our house. And Andrew would probably knock her down anyway. Poor baby.
And yet, despite this "neglect", Lily is thriving and learning new things. Despite me. Her comprehension of what we are saying amazes me. She already follows directions, like, "Lily, bring me the baby." And she will! We already have to be careful what we say around her, because she is always listening. Heaven forbid we mention a bath...Lily instantly starts pointing towards the steps shouting, "Ba! Ba!" And her vocabulary continues to increase. My new favorite is "Wow!" We pass Christmas displays, and Lily says, "Wowwwww" in this cute little drawn out voice. If only I were technologically advanced enough to post video for you all. Seriously. It's heart-melting. Other things she's done out of the blue? She loves taking Andrew's MatchBox cars and putting them into a plastic bucket and then dumping them out. Pile them in, dump them out, over and over. (And, yes, I know those cars are for 3 and up and choking hazards and all that. Did I mention how she does this quietly over and over again? Offering Mommy some off time. Go ahead. Judge me.) Anyhoo, we were reading books on the couch (which only happens a few times a week for poor Lily), and she picked up a car and made a Vrrrroooming sound as she moved it around. Hmmm? I've never played cars with her, and Andrew doesn't really play with them anymore. Well, he does, but they play football, they don't drive around. A few weeks ago, I walked into the playroom/disaster zone, and Lily was holding a pencil trying to write on paper. Um, I haven't done anything like that with her...never actually occurred to me at this point. Turns out, she LOVES to color. Huh! I wonder how she knew?
Anyway, this big long rambling post has no real point. Just a little chronicle of how my little girl amazes me. In spite of me, she is growing up and learning new things. It makes me proud of her. I hope #3 is as self-sufficient. Because if I don't play with Lily now, I can't imagine what having 3 kids is like. Yikes!
Lily doesn't quite get that attention to details. I kind of just "catch" her doing things, and then I think in my head, "Oh, perhaps I should have been working with her on that." And I wonder if and when she'll ever do certain things. Like eat with a spoon. I just don't give it to her, because cleaning up after 2 kids seems daunting indeed. It was cute when Andrew spread ravioli all in his hair, but to have to clean up Lily while getting Andrew ready, etc etc. I often wonder if this is why Lily isn't walking. I just don't walk with her. And there is nowhere good to cruise in our house. And Andrew would probably knock her down anyway. Poor baby.
And yet, despite this "neglect", Lily is thriving and learning new things. Despite me. Her comprehension of what we are saying amazes me. She already follows directions, like, "Lily, bring me the baby." And she will! We already have to be careful what we say around her, because she is always listening. Heaven forbid we mention a bath...Lily instantly starts pointing towards the steps shouting, "Ba! Ba!" And her vocabulary continues to increase. My new favorite is "Wow!" We pass Christmas displays, and Lily says, "Wowwwww" in this cute little drawn out voice. If only I were technologically advanced enough to post video for you all. Seriously. It's heart-melting. Other things she's done out of the blue? She loves taking Andrew's MatchBox cars and putting them into a plastic bucket and then dumping them out. Pile them in, dump them out, over and over. (And, yes, I know those cars are for 3 and up and choking hazards and all that. Did I mention how she does this quietly over and over again? Offering Mommy some off time. Go ahead. Judge me.) Anyhoo, we were reading books on the couch (which only happens a few times a week for poor Lily), and she picked up a car and made a Vrrrroooming sound as she moved it around. Hmmm? I've never played cars with her, and Andrew doesn't really play with them anymore. Well, he does, but they play football, they don't drive around. A few weeks ago, I walked into the playroom/disaster zone, and Lily was holding a pencil trying to write on paper. Um, I haven't done anything like that with her...never actually occurred to me at this point. Turns out, she LOVES to color. Huh! I wonder how she knew?
Anyway, this big long rambling post has no real point. Just a little chronicle of how my little girl amazes me. In spite of me, she is growing up and learning new things. It makes me proud of her. I hope #3 is as self-sufficient. Because if I don't play with Lily now, I can't imagine what having 3 kids is like. Yikes!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
A nasty job
Ever seen that show where the crazy host goes behind the scenes of the most disgusting jobs in existence today? No? Me neither. But I've seen ads for that show, and today I did something that should go right in their programming line-up.
Vacuuming the couch. Under the cushions. -gasp-
If you are the type that has this job fixed in your regular cleaning routine...I can't imagine what you find entertaining about this silly little blog. Because we must have nothing in common. Visiting this URL must be like watching COPS, or Cheaters, or a crash on the side of the road. You feel like you shouldn't watch...but you just can't help yourself.
I have lived in this house for 1 year. I have never vacuumed under my couch cushions. I would like to say that I vacuumed them before moving the couch here from Kentucky...but that would be lying. I was taking care of a 3 week old and holding onto my sanity by a thread. Vacuuming under the cushions didn't cross my mind. I do occasionally go cushion diving for toys, remotes, magazines. This is a dangerous and disgusting mission that I go into mentally prepared to lose a finger or two.
For his birthday, Andrew received a giant tin of poker chips. Best gift ever. Except that apparently, the only acceptable place to play with this toy is on the couch. Where the chips are constantly falling between the couch cushions. After just one day of sticking my hand repeatedly into the "Nast Zone", I decided that it was time to clean up under there.
It was...unbelievably gross. To those of you who regularly clean this area of the house...I commend you. Because this was just a collection of the disgustingness that are the people living in this house. Crumbs, lollipop sticks, an unidentified dried stain, crumbs, crumbs, and more crumbs, hair, ick ick ick. Have any of you left to swallow that lump in your throat? I had to many times while cleaning this out. The grossest part was that Lily saw the absence of cushions as an invitation to climb up on the couch. EEEEEWWWWW!
It is now clean. Aren't you glad I shared? Now my week not posting seems a bit like a gift, eh? And to think...I could have showered you with cute stories about Andrew turning 4 ("I can dry myself off now...I'm 4"). Or pitiful stories about my sweet Lily battling a cold whilst her mean mommy cuts her off from the bottle. But I'm a firm believer that if I'm going to neglect my children by blogging during the day, it is my duty to show my ugly parts here on this blog. And I'm not talking stretch marks, people. The couch.
This has been a public service announcement.
Vacuuming the couch. Under the cushions. -gasp-
If you are the type that has this job fixed in your regular cleaning routine...I can't imagine what you find entertaining about this silly little blog. Because we must have nothing in common. Visiting this URL must be like watching COPS, or Cheaters, or a crash on the side of the road. You feel like you shouldn't watch...but you just can't help yourself.
I have lived in this house for 1 year. I have never vacuumed under my couch cushions. I would like to say that I vacuumed them before moving the couch here from Kentucky...but that would be lying. I was taking care of a 3 week old and holding onto my sanity by a thread. Vacuuming under the cushions didn't cross my mind. I do occasionally go cushion diving for toys, remotes, magazines. This is a dangerous and disgusting mission that I go into mentally prepared to lose a finger or two.
For his birthday, Andrew received a giant tin of poker chips. Best gift ever. Except that apparently, the only acceptable place to play with this toy is on the couch. Where the chips are constantly falling between the couch cushions. After just one day of sticking my hand repeatedly into the "Nast Zone", I decided that it was time to clean up under there.
It was...unbelievably gross. To those of you who regularly clean this area of the house...I commend you. Because this was just a collection of the disgustingness that are the people living in this house. Crumbs, lollipop sticks, an unidentified dried stain, crumbs, crumbs, and more crumbs, hair, ick ick ick. Have any of you left to swallow that lump in your throat? I had to many times while cleaning this out. The grossest part was that Lily saw the absence of cushions as an invitation to climb up on the couch. EEEEEWWWWW!
It is now clean. Aren't you glad I shared? Now my week not posting seems a bit like a gift, eh? And to think...I could have showered you with cute stories about Andrew turning 4 ("I can dry myself off now...I'm 4"). Or pitiful stories about my sweet Lily battling a cold whilst her mean mommy cuts her off from the bottle. But I'm a firm believer that if I'm going to neglect my children by blogging during the day, it is my duty to show my ugly parts here on this blog. And I'm not talking stretch marks, people. The couch.
This has been a public service announcement.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Thanksgiving/Wedding Weekend
Alrighty...here's a recap of the weekend...for myself to read someday and remember.
Wednesday:
---We arrived around lunchtime (because we'd spent the night in Mid-Boo-Foo PA...you know, just west of East Boo-Foo). Jeff promptly unpacked the car, and when the last bag was unpacked shut the back door...and watched as the back window SHATTERED. Yikes! So off our little car went to the shop. Lovely to pay $200 on a car you are selling in a month or two. Thank heavens it didn't happen while we were en route!
---I took off to help decorate (a laugh is appropriate here, folks. You know they are being polite when they ask ME to decorate anything...and that they are ignorant when they ask me to actually do things like tie a bow). Jeff was left at his parents' house alone while the other men went to pick up the tuxes. Jeff was amused (note sarcasm) that he had driven 8 hours to hang out with his kids alone. I had a blast pretending to look busy while chatting it up with Chad's girlfriend Monica. Tuxes arrived in a mess...as an example, Andrew's teeny tiny tuxedo jacket was paired up with a men's Small dress shirt. Panic ensued.
---Andrew is still in love with Monica. He was all winks and marriage proposals. Poor girl is going to have to wait quite a while for Andrew...but he sees no problems with this. To make up for losing his girlfriend to his nephew, Lily fell head over heels in love with Uncle Chad. She lit up every time he walked in the room, and was soon calling him "Dada". Jeff was a bit miffed to share his special title...but I thought it was sweet.
---Andrew enjoyed Chicken Tetrazinni for dinner. We told him that Grandma made it. Andrew turned to Grandma with a wise-guy face and said, "Nicely done, Grandma." Weirdo.
Thursday:
---Since my MIL is the hostess with the mostest, she hosted Thanksgiving for 18 people...on the same weekend as her only daughter's wedding. There's a reason when Jeff proposed to me I said, "Just so you know, I'll never be as wonderful as your mother." Lots of reasons. Anyhoo, she had quite the spread (thanks in large parts to cooking by Aunt Bonnie and Great-Grandma).
---Andrew had the opportunity to educate Uncle Colum's Irish family about Thanksgiving...since he'd just been an Indian in his school feast. It was fun.
---Thanksgiving was also spent planting seeds in the mind of my reluctant ring bearer. At one point, Grandma showed him a pile of gifts, "These are for people who help in the wedding." Andrew said softly, "Like Me?"
Friday:
---No naps + Rehearsal = Happy Kids? My children defied all odds. Lily took no nap, and did awesome. Andrew was fantastic, despite being dead-set against doing the actual ring-bearing. They made us look good. ;) Even though we really just got lucky.
---Andrew was more than the reluctant ring-bearer. To Sara's credit, there was no pressure put on Andrew (or us ;) ). He just didn't want anything to do with it when he actually saw the aisle. We kept trying to explain what it was like. He eventually came up with, "It's like a parade." Oh, yea. That's a great explanation for a 4 year old. Thanks for coming up with it, Andrew.
Saturday:
---The Big Day. Which for the bride and groom and bride's mother is full of last minute to-do lists, wardrobe, stressful moments, etc etc. Which for the ring bearer is full of...waiting. Andrew did great at waiting. Better than Jeff and I, to be honest.
---We arrive at the wedding for pictures. My parents arrived to help with Lily (praise the Lord). Andrew was in one or two shots and then there was more waiting. He practiced walking down the aisle. He climbed in and out of the choir loft. He became very relaxed in the church. I still thought there was a 90% chance he would flake out. And then it began. Lily fell asleep in the nursery so we could all enjoy it...except for my mother, of course (this from a girl who literally slept 40 minutes of our 8 hour drive!!!) And Andrew walked slowly down the aisle with a smile on his face, holding that little pillow in front of him. In his chocolate brown tux. And I was practically sobbing out loud. What a pansy. I was so proud of that little man. And then Colum gave him a great big hug as he took the pillow, and I almost lost it. Couldn't really see Sara coming down the aisle, I was so busy wiping those damn tears away.
---4 minutes after joining me in the pew, Andrew was antsy. His part was over. He leaned toward me and said, "Are they married yet?" Nope. More waiting, Andrew.
---Arrive at the reception. "Can we dance yet?" Nope. Gotta eat. More waiting, Andrew. "Can we dance yet?" Nope. Gotta give speeches. More waiting, Andrew. And he did AWESOME. After going to bed late and playing hard each day, he did so good. I was just beaming inside. And outside. What an amazing child I have. Oh, let's include Lily in this as well. My little Lillian was working on almost no sleep, and she was charming and pleasant and so stinkin' cute. Momma's heart was just swelling right out of my chest. No pressure, #3. You've got awfully big shoes to fit into.
Sunday:
---No Naps + Late bedtime + Wake up at dawn = Grouchy kids. FINALLY, my kids were grouchy. Zombie-like little grouches. And I was almost relieved, because if they had been good again...I would have wondered if they were human.
---Andrew enjoyed his football birthday party, courtesy of Grandma (did I mention how crazy she is...I mean what a great hostess she is?). Andrew got to spend it with all his grandparents, all his aunts and uncles (minus Andrea), and his one and only cousin Colin. If he hadn't been so tired, it would have been a dream come true.
Monday:
---The long drive home. Lily did okay...but it's hard to entertain her in the car. She can't really do anything. Andrew did AWESOME. Seriously. So excited about the 4's.
-gasp- So that's it. Did I forget any cute Andrew stories? This is the time for family to speak up. I'll add it in and delete this little part, so it looks like I actually remembered it. ;)
Wednesday:
---We arrived around lunchtime (because we'd spent the night in Mid-Boo-Foo PA...you know, just west of East Boo-Foo). Jeff promptly unpacked the car, and when the last bag was unpacked shut the back door...and watched as the back window SHATTERED. Yikes! So off our little car went to the shop. Lovely to pay $200 on a car you are selling in a month or two. Thank heavens it didn't happen while we were en route!
---I took off to help decorate (a laugh is appropriate here, folks. You know they are being polite when they ask ME to decorate anything...and that they are ignorant when they ask me to actually do things like tie a bow). Jeff was left at his parents' house alone while the other men went to pick up the tuxes. Jeff was amused (note sarcasm) that he had driven 8 hours to hang out with his kids alone. I had a blast pretending to look busy while chatting it up with Chad's girlfriend Monica. Tuxes arrived in a mess...as an example, Andrew's teeny tiny tuxedo jacket was paired up with a men's Small dress shirt. Panic ensued.
---Andrew is still in love with Monica. He was all winks and marriage proposals. Poor girl is going to have to wait quite a while for Andrew...but he sees no problems with this. To make up for losing his girlfriend to his nephew, Lily fell head over heels in love with Uncle Chad. She lit up every time he walked in the room, and was soon calling him "Dada". Jeff was a bit miffed to share his special title...but I thought it was sweet.
---Andrew enjoyed Chicken Tetrazinni for dinner. We told him that Grandma made it. Andrew turned to Grandma with a wise-guy face and said, "Nicely done, Grandma." Weirdo.
Thursday:
---Since my MIL is the hostess with the mostest, she hosted Thanksgiving for 18 people...on the same weekend as her only daughter's wedding. There's a reason when Jeff proposed to me I said, "Just so you know, I'll never be as wonderful as your mother." Lots of reasons. Anyhoo, she had quite the spread (thanks in large parts to cooking by Aunt Bonnie and Great-Grandma).
---Andrew had the opportunity to educate Uncle Colum's Irish family about Thanksgiving...since he'd just been an Indian in his school feast. It was fun.
---Thanksgiving was also spent planting seeds in the mind of my reluctant ring bearer. At one point, Grandma showed him a pile of gifts, "These are for people who help in the wedding." Andrew said softly, "Like Me?"
Friday:
---No naps + Rehearsal = Happy Kids? My children defied all odds. Lily took no nap, and did awesome. Andrew was fantastic, despite being dead-set against doing the actual ring-bearing. They made us look good. ;) Even though we really just got lucky.
---Andrew was more than the reluctant ring-bearer. To Sara's credit, there was no pressure put on Andrew (or us ;) ). He just didn't want anything to do with it when he actually saw the aisle. We kept trying to explain what it was like. He eventually came up with, "It's like a parade." Oh, yea. That's a great explanation for a 4 year old. Thanks for coming up with it, Andrew.
Saturday:
---The Big Day. Which for the bride and groom and bride's mother is full of last minute to-do lists, wardrobe, stressful moments, etc etc. Which for the ring bearer is full of...waiting. Andrew did great at waiting. Better than Jeff and I, to be honest.
---We arrive at the wedding for pictures. My parents arrived to help with Lily (praise the Lord). Andrew was in one or two shots and then there was more waiting. He practiced walking down the aisle. He climbed in and out of the choir loft. He became very relaxed in the church. I still thought there was a 90% chance he would flake out. And then it began. Lily fell asleep in the nursery so we could all enjoy it...except for my mother, of course (this from a girl who literally slept 40 minutes of our 8 hour drive!!!) And Andrew walked slowly down the aisle with a smile on his face, holding that little pillow in front of him. In his chocolate brown tux. And I was practically sobbing out loud. What a pansy. I was so proud of that little man. And then Colum gave him a great big hug as he took the pillow, and I almost lost it. Couldn't really see Sara coming down the aisle, I was so busy wiping those damn tears away.
---4 minutes after joining me in the pew, Andrew was antsy. His part was over. He leaned toward me and said, "Are they married yet?" Nope. More waiting, Andrew.
---Arrive at the reception. "Can we dance yet?" Nope. Gotta eat. More waiting, Andrew. "Can we dance yet?" Nope. Gotta give speeches. More waiting, Andrew. And he did AWESOME. After going to bed late and playing hard each day, he did so good. I was just beaming inside. And outside. What an amazing child I have. Oh, let's include Lily in this as well. My little Lillian was working on almost no sleep, and she was charming and pleasant and so stinkin' cute. Momma's heart was just swelling right out of my chest. No pressure, #3. You've got awfully big shoes to fit into.
Sunday:
---No Naps + Late bedtime + Wake up at dawn = Grouchy kids. FINALLY, my kids were grouchy. Zombie-like little grouches. And I was almost relieved, because if they had been good again...I would have wondered if they were human.
---Andrew enjoyed his football birthday party, courtesy of Grandma (did I mention how crazy she is...I mean what a great hostess she is?). Andrew got to spend it with all his grandparents, all his aunts and uncles (minus Andrea), and his one and only cousin Colin. If he hadn't been so tired, it would have been a dream come true.
Monday:
---The long drive home. Lily did okay...but it's hard to entertain her in the car. She can't really do anything. Andrew did AWESOME. Seriously. So excited about the 4's.
-gasp- So that's it. Did I forget any cute Andrew stories? This is the time for family to speak up. I'll add it in and delete this little part, so it looks like I actually remembered it. ;)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Happy birthday, Andrew!
I am going to back date a bunch of posts from this weekend, for those of you crazy enough to want to read it. I have to admit...it was very nice to have a vacation from blogging. ;)
Now, onto today's post. My baby...my very first baby...is 4 years old today. -sigh- Sometimes I feel like he is all grown up. I know this isn't true, because he doesn't yet stink or have body hair...but all the things he can do. Except dress himself. Seriously, shouldn't he be able to do this by now? At least put on socks? Pants? I understand buttons and zippers are tough, but just pulling a pair of sweatpants up? Really?
No, no, I shouldn't complain here on his birthday post. He is much more deserving than that. After his behavior this weekend, I am in awe of him. He is so patient and well-behaved and funny and social and weird and loving and funny (did I say that already?). On alternating days I am so stinkin' proud of him I almost can't stand it. I think of the baby he once was, and I honestly like him better now. His personality is...indescribable. You just have to get to know him to discover how special he is.
I feel very blessed to have had Andrew with me for 4 years now. He drives me crazy some of the time, but most of the he makes me laugh and amazes me. At his birthday party, his Aunt Kate asked him if he could write. He proceeded to write his name. WHAT???? I knew he knew how to spell his name, but I had NO IDEA he knew how to write letters. Never thought to ask him to try...I just assumed that was way beyond his abilities. Shame on me. I should know by now never to underestimate this boy.
So, Happy Birthday, Andrew! I'm so looking forward to the 4's!
Now, onto today's post. My baby...my very first baby...is 4 years old today. -sigh- Sometimes I feel like he is all grown up. I know this isn't true, because he doesn't yet stink or have body hair...but all the things he can do. Except dress himself. Seriously, shouldn't he be able to do this by now? At least put on socks? Pants? I understand buttons and zippers are tough, but just pulling a pair of sweatpants up? Really?
No, no, I shouldn't complain here on his birthday post. He is much more deserving than that. After his behavior this weekend, I am in awe of him. He is so patient and well-behaved and funny and social and weird and loving and funny (did I say that already?). On alternating days I am so stinkin' proud of him I almost can't stand it. I think of the baby he once was, and I honestly like him better now. His personality is...indescribable. You just have to get to know him to discover how special he is.
I feel very blessed to have had Andrew with me for 4 years now. He drives me crazy some of the time, but most of the he makes me laugh and amazes me. At his birthday party, his Aunt Kate asked him if he could write. He proceeded to write his name. WHAT???? I knew he knew how to spell his name, but I had NO IDEA he knew how to write letters. Never thought to ask him to try...I just assumed that was way beyond his abilities. Shame on me. I should know by now never to underestimate this boy.
So, Happy Birthday, Andrew! I'm so looking forward to the 4's!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
We're off!
Today is where the blogging every day may come to an end. We leave this afternoon to drive to Ohio...and once in Ohio, Lily will be sleeping in the computer room. So my computer time is going to be basically non-existent. But I will take copious notes and pictures of Thanksgiving with a crawler (will anyone eat?), Andrew as the reluctant ring bearer (how do you spell that?), ("I don't do jobs at weddings...I just dance." is his current motto), and an early 4th birthday party thrown by my crazy MIL (apparently hosting Thanksgiving and then having a wedding for her only daughter weren't enough to do for one weekend...she insisted on throwing this in as well).
I must go start cleaning my house...we wouldn't want the dog sitter to be so grossed out she stops coming to feed and walk Shadow. ;)
I must go start cleaning my house...we wouldn't want the dog sitter to be so grossed out she stops coming to feed and walk Shadow. ;)
Monday, November 19, 2007
Overalls
Oh, yes...with a stunning title like this, you just know it's going to be a great post.
I am taking time out from making lists and packing and making lists and shopping and making lists and cleaning and making lists to attend to the all important blog. I think later today I won't be getting on the computer.
It is 6:40, and my son has been up for 25 minutes...whining already. Lovely. He'll be thrilled that mom is running around instead of tending to his every whim. But to make this day a little less fun...I am wearing the dreaded overalls today.
Back story: I used to love overalls. In college I had a pair of blue corduroy ones that I loved. But I was skinnier in college, so I thought they were cute. I have not had any desire to buy a pair since I "outgrew" that pair. The first year of marriage was not kind to my waistline...another story all together.
So here I am, knocked up...again. And I am in a pickle, because all my maternity clothes are perfectly suited for fall birthdays. If I had to have an "Oops", it would have been better planned to have it in the fall...so I wouldn't have to go maternity shopping again. In my initial dismissal of this pregnancy, I foolishly thought that I would be able to get by wearing my 1 pair of maternity pants and all my baggy flannels and sweatshirts. A very nice woman dropped off a bin of maternity clothes for me to borrow, knowing that my denial could only last so long. Most of the clothes are for summer, so I can't use them. But she has 3 pairs of overalls...khaki, jean, and black velour. I understand liking overalls, but black velour? How I would love to know what kind of event you are attending where that is appropriate attire.
I reluctantly tried on a pair a few weeks ago, and I went from a woman who looks slightly chunky in the middle to a hugely pregnant woman in 2.5 seconds. I am also quite long-legged, so they are flood pants when I sit down (I look rather like an ostrich when pregnant...huge round body atop long long legs). (what the heck...I look kind of like an ostrich all the time). So I set the overalls to the side. I would like to hide this pregnancy as long as possible, mostly because of all the comments I know I'm going to hear for the rest of my life, "Oh, my, God...how close are they going to be? Won't you be busy? Don't you know how this happens yet?" etc etc etc. Like I said, I have the rest of my life to field these questions, so I'd like to postpone it.
But I only own 3 pairs of maternity pants (see, I'm not in denial anymore...I actually have bought some new maternity clothes). I have 2 sloppy children who like to use me as a napkin/tissue/drool rag. I need to take these 3 pairs of acceptable pants to Ohio with me. I don't want to dirty any of them here in PA (I refuse to do a load of laundry that consists entirely of one pair of pants). So...overalls.
Ugh.
I am taking time out from making lists and packing and making lists and shopping and making lists and cleaning and making lists to attend to the all important blog. I think later today I won't be getting on the computer.
It is 6:40, and my son has been up for 25 minutes...whining already. Lovely. He'll be thrilled that mom is running around instead of tending to his every whim. But to make this day a little less fun...I am wearing the dreaded overalls today.
Back story: I used to love overalls. In college I had a pair of blue corduroy ones that I loved. But I was skinnier in college, so I thought they were cute. I have not had any desire to buy a pair since I "outgrew" that pair. The first year of marriage was not kind to my waistline...another story all together.
So here I am, knocked up...again. And I am in a pickle, because all my maternity clothes are perfectly suited for fall birthdays. If I had to have an "Oops", it would have been better planned to have it in the fall...so I wouldn't have to go maternity shopping again. In my initial dismissal of this pregnancy, I foolishly thought that I would be able to get by wearing my 1 pair of maternity pants and all my baggy flannels and sweatshirts. A very nice woman dropped off a bin of maternity clothes for me to borrow, knowing that my denial could only last so long. Most of the clothes are for summer, so I can't use them. But she has 3 pairs of overalls...khaki, jean, and black velour. I understand liking overalls, but black velour? How I would love to know what kind of event you are attending where that is appropriate attire.
I reluctantly tried on a pair a few weeks ago, and I went from a woman who looks slightly chunky in the middle to a hugely pregnant woman in 2.5 seconds. I am also quite long-legged, so they are flood pants when I sit down (I look rather like an ostrich when pregnant...huge round body atop long long legs). (what the heck...I look kind of like an ostrich all the time). So I set the overalls to the side. I would like to hide this pregnancy as long as possible, mostly because of all the comments I know I'm going to hear for the rest of my life, "Oh, my, God...how close are they going to be? Won't you be busy? Don't you know how this happens yet?" etc etc etc. Like I said, I have the rest of my life to field these questions, so I'd like to postpone it.
But I only own 3 pairs of maternity pants (see, I'm not in denial anymore...I actually have bought some new maternity clothes). I have 2 sloppy children who like to use me as a napkin/tissue/drool rag. I need to take these 3 pairs of acceptable pants to Ohio with me. I don't want to dirty any of them here in PA (I refuse to do a load of laundry that consists entirely of one pair of pants). So...overalls.
Ugh.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Traveling fun
Sorry if my posts are brief. We are leaving to drive to Ohio on Tuesday night (Thanksgiving!)(a wedding!), so we are in a bit of a flurry here. Because we're leaving Tuesday night, we are going to pack the car Monday night. Now, how hard do you think that would be...for some reason, I seem to be making it complicated. And then there is packing food...because heaven help me if I eat at any of the stops on the turnpike.
Anyhoo...I must go cut up mushrooms and make deviled eggs!
Anyhoo...I must go cut up mushrooms and make deviled eggs!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Yea! A boy!
When I initially found out about this pregnancy, I really wanted a boy. Okay, let's be honest. When I first found out about this pregnancy, I wanted to quickly invent a time machine so I could go back and undo it. But when I realized that this critter was sticking in my uterus for the long-haul, I wanted a boy. Lily would be special even in the middle because she's the only girl, Andrew would have a bond with the youngest rather than being left out, blah blah blah.
Then Andrew started peeing standing up, and I had the epiphany that I really didn't want 2 boys. Football season started, and I was subject to hours of mind-numbing television and talk about sports. Ugh. Suddenly, tipping the scales in favor of estrogen over testosterone started sounding pretty good. So for the last few weeks...maybe a month or so, I've gotten really excited about the prospect of having a girl.
But then I heard, "boy". And I'm so excited. For the record, I really believe that if I heard "girl", I would've been just as excited. But I am VERY excited to be having another son. Despite all the pee in the bathroom grout and sports paraphernalia. I am excited to get out my boy stuff again (although I gave much of the 6 months plus stuff to my sister when she had Colin...so I guess I'll have to go shopping some more!). I'm glad to change it up again.
I am NOT excited to name this kid. We have way too many restrictions. I'm sure one or more are going to have to be pushed to the wayside. Ugh. Naming girls was WAY more fun.
Then Andrew started peeing standing up, and I had the epiphany that I really didn't want 2 boys. Football season started, and I was subject to hours of mind-numbing television and talk about sports. Ugh. Suddenly, tipping the scales in favor of estrogen over testosterone started sounding pretty good. So for the last few weeks...maybe a month or so, I've gotten really excited about the prospect of having a girl.
But then I heard, "boy". And I'm so excited. For the record, I really believe that if I heard "girl", I would've been just as excited. But I am VERY excited to be having another son. Despite all the pee in the bathroom grout and sports paraphernalia. I am excited to get out my boy stuff again (although I gave much of the 6 months plus stuff to my sister when she had Colin...so I guess I'll have to go shopping some more!). I'm glad to change it up again.
I am NOT excited to name this kid. We have way too many restrictions. I'm sure one or more are going to have to be pushed to the wayside. Ugh. Naming girls was WAY more fun.
Friday, November 16, 2007
The secret that lasted 10 hours
Andrew did so well. When confronted by Memere on the phone, he repeated over and over that it was a secret, and he couldn't tell, and we were waiting until Thanksgiving. She tried her hardest and I laughed because my 4 year old was getting such pleasure holding something over her head.
Then Pepere got on the phone.
Pepere is a tricky devil.
He tricked the 4 year old. Devious, eh?
I listened to Andrew say, "We're not telling Memere or Pepere or Grandma or Grandpa even though Memere really wants to know." long pause...and then a look of sheer amazement crossed over his face. "How did you know, Pepere? How did you know it was a boy?"
Tricky Pepere. Just pick a gender and pretend you know. The 4 year old thinks you are some kind of magician or mind-reader and responds in shock and amazement. If you are wrong, the 4 year old will assure you that you don't know.
Sneaky old man.
Then Pepere got on the phone.
Pepere is a tricky devil.
He tricked the 4 year old. Devious, eh?
I listened to Andrew say, "We're not telling Memere or Pepere or Grandma or Grandpa even though Memere really wants to know." long pause...and then a look of sheer amazement crossed over his face. "How did you know, Pepere? How did you know it was a boy?"
Tricky Pepere. Just pick a gender and pretend you know. The 4 year old thinks you are some kind of magician or mind-reader and responds in shock and amazement. If you are wrong, the 4 year old will assure you that you don't know.
Sneaky old man.
Mover and a Shaker
First, I'd like to reassure you all that there is only one baby in this momma. I am so much bigger and feeling so much movement, I thought for sure they were going to find 2 or 3 in there. But just one, very busy baby.
This appointment was so much fun. Baby #3 was moving around like crazy, and I got to watch kicks as I felt them. Andrew and Lily both slept through their ultrasounds, so this was the first time I got to see a baby move. Baby flipped 3 times during the ultrasound. I just enjoyed every minute of it. This perfect, amazing little person already formed in there. Truly a miracle. Everything looks wonderful...good brain, nice 4-chambered heart, 2 bones in each leg, etc etc. Just so lovely and reassuring to see. Baby is about 9 oz...so how come I've gained 4 pounds?
I spent last night and this morning prepping Andrew for the possibility of having another girl. We talked about how fun Lily is and how much he loves her. We talked about how no matter how many babies Mommy has, there is no guarantee he will EVER get a baby brother. Does he really want 6 sisters? (Like a cousin of mine...the only boy of 7 kids). So I felt pretty confident going in that he wouldn't over-react to a girl verdict. I still asked the U/S tech to wait until the end to say anything, even if it was obvious to her and Jeff and I. Andrew was so funny. She was super nice to him, talking and explaining what was up on the screen. She would freeze shots of the hands and feet and face and show him. And every time, he would impatiently say, "Yes, but is it a GIRL or a BOY?" Finally at the end, she gave the big reveal to him. Jeff and I had already guessed. Having had a boy and a girl, we know what both parts look like on an ultrasound, so we kind of knew what we were looking at.
Andrew came out of the room holding the pictures. All the nurses asked him about it...whether he knew if it was a boy or a girl. He proceeded to tell them that he has 4 brothers and 5 sisters. Huh? The nurse looked right up at me in disbelief. I laughed and told him to stop telling stories, and after that he got the question right.
And, of course, I can't reveal it here. Jeff has this harebrained idea that it will be so fun to tell his parents in person at Thanksgiving. I personally don't think the reveal of a 3rd child's gender, especially in an evenly matched family such as ours, is THAT exciting. And how exactly do you keep a 4 year old from blabbing to his grandparents immediately? I guess we won't be able to let him talk to them for the next week. He's already told every person that we've come into contact with. I guess this secrecy lasts one day. I can just see my mother calling 7 times a day, hoping to get Andrew on the phone. She can't STAND that I know and am not telling her. Actually, this could be really fun. Maybe I'll keep it a secret the rest of the pregnancy. ;)
This appointment was so much fun. Baby #3 was moving around like crazy, and I got to watch kicks as I felt them. Andrew and Lily both slept through their ultrasounds, so this was the first time I got to see a baby move. Baby flipped 3 times during the ultrasound. I just enjoyed every minute of it. This perfect, amazing little person already formed in there. Truly a miracle. Everything looks wonderful...good brain, nice 4-chambered heart, 2 bones in each leg, etc etc. Just so lovely and reassuring to see. Baby is about 9 oz...so how come I've gained 4 pounds?
I spent last night and this morning prepping Andrew for the possibility of having another girl. We talked about how fun Lily is and how much he loves her. We talked about how no matter how many babies Mommy has, there is no guarantee he will EVER get a baby brother. Does he really want 6 sisters? (Like a cousin of mine...the only boy of 7 kids). So I felt pretty confident going in that he wouldn't over-react to a girl verdict. I still asked the U/S tech to wait until the end to say anything, even if it was obvious to her and Jeff and I. Andrew was so funny. She was super nice to him, talking and explaining what was up on the screen. She would freeze shots of the hands and feet and face and show him. And every time, he would impatiently say, "Yes, but is it a GIRL or a BOY?" Finally at the end, she gave the big reveal to him. Jeff and I had already guessed. Having had a boy and a girl, we know what both parts look like on an ultrasound, so we kind of knew what we were looking at.
Andrew came out of the room holding the pictures. All the nurses asked him about it...whether he knew if it was a boy or a girl. He proceeded to tell them that he has 4 brothers and 5 sisters. Huh? The nurse looked right up at me in disbelief. I laughed and told him to stop telling stories, and after that he got the question right.
And, of course, I can't reveal it here. Jeff has this harebrained idea that it will be so fun to tell his parents in person at Thanksgiving. I personally don't think the reveal of a 3rd child's gender, especially in an evenly matched family such as ours, is THAT exciting. And how exactly do you keep a 4 year old from blabbing to his grandparents immediately? I guess we won't be able to let him talk to them for the next week. He's already told every person that we've come into contact with. I guess this secrecy lasts one day. I can just see my mother calling 7 times a day, hoping to get Andrew on the phone. She can't STAND that I know and am not telling her. Actually, this could be really fun. Maybe I'll keep it a secret the rest of the pregnancy. ;)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Compliments feel so good
We went out to Don Pablos for dinner tonight. One of those nights I just HAD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. So Jeff met us there after work. And halfway through our meal, I feel a hand on my shoulder. This woman, I'm guessing in her 60's, asks me, "So tell me. How did you get such beautiful well-behaved children?"
I know. It's cheesy. But, damn, it feels good to have your kids complimented in public. They ARE really good in restaurants. And it's nice to have that acknowledged. Andrew, of course, took her comment as an invitation to talk. So this poor woman had her good deed punished by having to listen to a mumbling kid in a rather loud restaurant.
So this is my new goal for when my kids are grown and gone. Compliment families. They get too many wary stares and condescending smiles on a regular basis. Compliments are under-rated.
I would write more...but I'm just too darned excited about tomorrow morning. My ultrasound is at 7:30 am. Yippee!!!!
Andrew has decided he really really wants to go. I'm envisioning the appointment going one of two ways.
#1: We find out we are having a boy. Andrew hoots and hollars and gives high fives. The rest of the appointment goes great
#2: We find out we are having a girl. Andrew falls into screaming, crying hysterics because he DOES NOT want another sister. (He's told us he's going to go live with Grandma and Grandpa if this baby is a girl.) -sigh-
I think I'm going to ask the U/S tech to not tell us until the very end. Then Andrew can have his hysterics in the waiting room and won't ruin the whole fun ultrasound. Wish us luck!
I know. It's cheesy. But, damn, it feels good to have your kids complimented in public. They ARE really good in restaurants. And it's nice to have that acknowledged. Andrew, of course, took her comment as an invitation to talk. So this poor woman had her good deed punished by having to listen to a mumbling kid in a rather loud restaurant.
So this is my new goal for when my kids are grown and gone. Compliment families. They get too many wary stares and condescending smiles on a regular basis. Compliments are under-rated.
I would write more...but I'm just too darned excited about tomorrow morning. My ultrasound is at 7:30 am. Yippee!!!!
Andrew has decided he really really wants to go. I'm envisioning the appointment going one of two ways.
#1: We find out we are having a boy. Andrew hoots and hollars and gives high fives. The rest of the appointment goes great
#2: We find out we are having a girl. Andrew falls into screaming, crying hysterics because he DOES NOT want another sister. (He's told us he's going to go live with Grandma and Grandpa if this baby is a girl.) -sigh-
I think I'm going to ask the U/S tech to not tell us until the very end. Then Andrew can have his hysterics in the waiting room and won't ruin the whole fun ultrasound. Wish us luck!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Kid art
How much do I love kid art? And now that I'm getting my own kid's art...love it. Sure, those first early scribbles are exciting. Wow! They're holding a crayon and making a mark on the world. But now Andrew is getting so much better at putting his imagination down on paper. Today, we decided to send out cards to Grandma and Grandpa and Memere and Pepere. We have his super cute school pictures to send out...and photos always kick my butt into action when it comes to sending grandparents stuff.
May I digress for a moment? (of course I may...I'm talking to myself right now). I ordered the minimum package for school pictures that I could and still get a class picture. I assumed that the picture would be terrible. Mine always were. Eyes going different directions, stubborn cowlicks showing their true form, weird objects lurking in the shadows of your face (is that peanut butter? boogers?). When picture day finally came to his school, it was an unseasonably warm 85 degrees (in the middle of October). So I scrapped my handsome sweater idea and put him in jean shorts and a t-shirt. Who care about the daggone school pictures, anyway? They aren't going to turn out okay. I scoffed at other mothers who sent their kids in thick wool sweaters and corduroy pants despite the heat because of pictures. And we got them back yesterday. And Andrew's face is so daggone cute...I'm pissed that I didn't have the foresight of those other parents. So one wallet for each set of grandparents and one for Jeff and I. That's all I got. OF COURSE, I could order more. I think they are a very reasonable $15 for a wallet. Well, probably not, but that's what I imagine anyway.
Okay, back to kid art. So these stinkin' cute pictures were a good excuse for Andrew and I to do "ART" during Lily's nap time. He got some paints in a birthday party gift bag, so we cracked those out and Andrew decided what he wanted to make his pictures of...
The first one is a self portrait. We noticed that one of the colors of paint looked like the color of our skin...so inspiration was born. Notice the red shirt/pants combo (he's wearing his Spiderman costume, so he told me), yet the arms come straight out of his head. LOVE IT. He's got a big red mouth, with red cheeks underneath the mouth. LOVE IT. His hair is accurately brown, but there was no blue paint, so I convinced him that it was better to have black eyes than no eyes at all. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
May I digress for a moment? (of course I may...I'm talking to myself right now). I ordered the minimum package for school pictures that I could and still get a class picture. I assumed that the picture would be terrible. Mine always were. Eyes going different directions, stubborn cowlicks showing their true form, weird objects lurking in the shadows of your face (is that peanut butter? boogers?). When picture day finally came to his school, it was an unseasonably warm 85 degrees (in the middle of October). So I scrapped my handsome sweater idea and put him in jean shorts and a t-shirt. Who care about the daggone school pictures, anyway? They aren't going to turn out okay. I scoffed at other mothers who sent their kids in thick wool sweaters and corduroy pants despite the heat because of pictures. And we got them back yesterday. And Andrew's face is so daggone cute...I'm pissed that I didn't have the foresight of those other parents. So one wallet for each set of grandparents and one for Jeff and I. That's all I got. OF COURSE, I could order more. I think they are a very reasonable $15 for a wallet. Well, probably not, but that's what I imagine anyway.
Okay, back to kid art. So these stinkin' cute pictures were a good excuse for Andrew and I to do "ART" during Lily's nap time. He got some paints in a birthday party gift bag, so we cracked those out and Andrew decided what he wanted to make his pictures of...
The first one is a self portrait. We noticed that one of the colors of paint looked like the color of our skin...so inspiration was born. Notice the red shirt/pants combo (he's wearing his Spiderman costume, so he told me), yet the arms come straight out of his head. LOVE IT. He's got a big red mouth, with red cheeks underneath the mouth. LOVE IT. His hair is accurately brown, but there was no blue paint, so I convinced him that it was better to have black eyes than no eyes at all. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
Picture #2 on the blog was actually the first picture he painted. The paint set we received didn't have a wide variety of colors (no blue, green, yellow, or purple). So I suggested he paint a picture of Tucker (my parents' dachshund) since we had so much brown. With no prompting, he painted the picture below. Tucker has really long ears coming out of the side of her head. And her tail is super-de-duper long as well. Oddly, this wiener dog is quite short in the body. Although the feet are super big. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
I honestly don't know if I'll enjoy his artwork this much as he gets better. There is something so charming about a child's interpretation of the world. Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Garbage Land
No, this post isn't about my house, although "Garbage Land" would be an appropriate title for a discussion about my humble abode.
Okay, if you aren't going to ask questions, then I punish you with more stories of my kids. I love them, but you have only yourself to blame if you are bored to tears.
Andrew has been changing into a little boy right before my eyes. I have mentioned many times before that he is obsessed with football...that hasn't changed. He is also skinny and tall and has all but lost that baby cuteness. When we are grocery shopping, everyone who approaches our cart is attracted to Lily. They coo and oooohhh and aaaahhhh over her. Then Andrew pipes in. He will not be overlooked. Amazingly, he has no resentment over the attention his little sister receives. He knows he'll win them over in the end. He starts by telling them her name, how old she is, and the cute things she knows how to do. Then he tells them HIS name, how old he is, and when his birthday is. If they are still paying attention (which they always are, the poor suckers), he will begin a dialogue about his day, his football teams, his favorite color, etc etc. I usually interject and insist that we continue shopping before the cute baby (who is now forgotten, by the way) revolts and flings herself from the cart. Oh, Andrew may be losing his physical cuteness...but his personality is bypassing it by far.
Andrew is also delightfully weird. I don't know if this is a typical trait of a 4 year old, whether it is genetics, or if it is simply due to the fact that he lives day in and day out with me. Whatever it is...he is strange. Like this morning he was throwing away his Gogurt container. He dangles it over the trash can saying in a weirdo little accent, "And I send you to Garbage Land. Away to Garbage Land. (wrapper misses can and hits the floor). You missed Garbage Land. Try again...I send you to Garbage Land." I was cracking up at his little accent and just the whole imaginary concept. Love it. In the last few days he's also been repeating a commercial he saw while watching football with his dad. He just says, "Always, Always, ALWAYS put Chi-le on your Na-chos". I don't know. It's just hilarious the way he says it. I think the funniest part is that he doesn't even know what chili or nachos are.
He is also increasingly rough. I am always pulling him off of little boys. I realize this is just part of being a boy, but I am seriously afraid of being sued because Andrew is so much bigger than other boys his age. He has no idea how badly he can hurt these kids. I mean, just that huge Charlie Brown head. Seriously...one knock from that noggin' and his playmates may be reduced to drooling and staring at a wall all day. Scares me.
We've been on an UNO kick...and now Andrew randomly tells you to "Draw Four" when he is upset. If he doesn't get his way, or he's upset about something, he'll suddenly say, "Draw Four, Mommy!" What an insult.
So that's a little update on Andrew. He seriously is a nice kid. He makes me proud. And to see the way he loves his little sister. Just melt my heart and serve it on a sandwich.
Okay, if you aren't going to ask questions, then I punish you with more stories of my kids. I love them, but you have only yourself to blame if you are bored to tears.
Andrew has been changing into a little boy right before my eyes. I have mentioned many times before that he is obsessed with football...that hasn't changed. He is also skinny and tall and has all but lost that baby cuteness. When we are grocery shopping, everyone who approaches our cart is attracted to Lily. They coo and oooohhh and aaaahhhh over her. Then Andrew pipes in. He will not be overlooked. Amazingly, he has no resentment over the attention his little sister receives. He knows he'll win them over in the end. He starts by telling them her name, how old she is, and the cute things she knows how to do. Then he tells them HIS name, how old he is, and when his birthday is. If they are still paying attention (which they always are, the poor suckers), he will begin a dialogue about his day, his football teams, his favorite color, etc etc. I usually interject and insist that we continue shopping before the cute baby (who is now forgotten, by the way) revolts and flings herself from the cart. Oh, Andrew may be losing his physical cuteness...but his personality is bypassing it by far.
Andrew is also delightfully weird. I don't know if this is a typical trait of a 4 year old, whether it is genetics, or if it is simply due to the fact that he lives day in and day out with me. Whatever it is...he is strange. Like this morning he was throwing away his Gogurt container. He dangles it over the trash can saying in a weirdo little accent, "And I send you to Garbage Land. Away to Garbage Land. (wrapper misses can and hits the floor). You missed Garbage Land. Try again...I send you to Garbage Land." I was cracking up at his little accent and just the whole imaginary concept. Love it. In the last few days he's also been repeating a commercial he saw while watching football with his dad. He just says, "Always, Always, ALWAYS put Chi-le on your Na-chos". I don't know. It's just hilarious the way he says it. I think the funniest part is that he doesn't even know what chili or nachos are.
He is also increasingly rough. I am always pulling him off of little boys. I realize this is just part of being a boy, but I am seriously afraid of being sued because Andrew is so much bigger than other boys his age. He has no idea how badly he can hurt these kids. I mean, just that huge Charlie Brown head. Seriously...one knock from that noggin' and his playmates may be reduced to drooling and staring at a wall all day. Scares me.
We've been on an UNO kick...and now Andrew randomly tells you to "Draw Four" when he is upset. If he doesn't get his way, or he's upset about something, he'll suddenly say, "Draw Four, Mommy!" What an insult.
So that's a little update on Andrew. He seriously is a nice kid. He makes me proud. And to see the way he loves his little sister. Just melt my heart and serve it on a sandwich.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Dah-Deee
My apologies to those of you who may have been offended by my last post. But I still think you are crazy. If it makes you feel any better, I am now just as crazy as you. ;) Probably God's way of teaching me not to judge other people as crazy just because of their family choice. I can just see him up there..."Oh, so you are judging those people as having some screws loose. Well, voila! Welcome to Crazy-land."
So Lily is having a little vocabulary explosion. I say little, because I realize that a much bigger one is coming around 18 months to 2 years, where she will literally be learning new words every day. But this is a mini-version of that. ;)
Her latest? Daddy, pronounced "Dah-Deeeeee!" in the sweetest little voice. And it definitely has meaning, because she only says it to him or if she sees him. If that doesn't keep Jeff home from work, then nothing can. She is just so excited when she sees her Daddy...it's so neat to hear her express it. She also definitely said Andrew this morning...but she's only done it once, so I'm not sure how she says it. He just came downstairs this morning, she pointed at him and said a 2 syllable word that sounded very much like Andrew. Hopefully she will repeat this. She also has a word for Shadow...which sounds nothing like Shadow or dog or anything else logical. She is also saying football, much to my disgust. If you say football, she immediately points at the tv or at the nearest football lying around (we have many around here). But if she sees a football, she says something like, "ooooh-all" with the same inflection as the word football. I have gotten quite mad at Jeff. He already took Andrew from me...Lily is supposed to be MINE. But she made me feel better this weekend, when she grabbed the football and said, "ooooh-aall" and then cradled it up to her shoulder and patted it gently like a baby-doll. There may be hope for her yet. ;)
Okay, I know this post is dull. I will enjoy it in the future as a remembrance of Lily's cute little voice.
So I'm dying here. Any questions from my Internet readers that I can answer for you? I think most of my readers are relatives, so you probably don't have any questions. I talk way to much for there to be many mysteries. But anyone else? Who doesn't have to listen to me ramble on and on in real life?
So Lily is having a little vocabulary explosion. I say little, because I realize that a much bigger one is coming around 18 months to 2 years, where she will literally be learning new words every day. But this is a mini-version of that. ;)
Her latest? Daddy, pronounced "Dah-Deeeeee!" in the sweetest little voice. And it definitely has meaning, because she only says it to him or if she sees him. If that doesn't keep Jeff home from work, then nothing can. She is just so excited when she sees her Daddy...it's so neat to hear her express it. She also definitely said Andrew this morning...but she's only done it once, so I'm not sure how she says it. He just came downstairs this morning, she pointed at him and said a 2 syllable word that sounded very much like Andrew. Hopefully she will repeat this. She also has a word for Shadow...which sounds nothing like Shadow or dog or anything else logical. She is also saying football, much to my disgust. If you say football, she immediately points at the tv or at the nearest football lying around (we have many around here). But if she sees a football, she says something like, "ooooh-all" with the same inflection as the word football. I have gotten quite mad at Jeff. He already took Andrew from me...Lily is supposed to be MINE. But she made me feel better this weekend, when she grabbed the football and said, "ooooh-aall" and then cradled it up to her shoulder and patted it gently like a baby-doll. There may be hope for her yet. ;)
Okay, I know this post is dull. I will enjoy it in the future as a remembrance of Lily's cute little voice.
So I'm dying here. Any questions from my Internet readers that I can answer for you? I think most of my readers are relatives, so you probably don't have any questions. I talk way to much for there to be many mysteries. But anyone else? Who doesn't have to listen to me ramble on and on in real life?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
5 days
You know...5 days until the "Big" ultrasound. When we get a brief glimpse into the unknown...will this baby have healthy organs? Have wiggly arms and legs? Have any problems because its mother has failed to take any vitamins? For the record...our sewage system is LOADED with them.
But I'm not excited. This baby was a mistake, remember? A big fat OOPS. So if in fact I'm not excited, and am in fact terrified of this little one... why can't I stop thinking about this stinkin' doctor's appointment? I feel like I'm 7 years old and Christmas is 5 days away. Picture quality will be horrible, you don't really get a good idea of what your baby looks like, and yet... I cannot wait to see my baby. MY baby. I love babies. I love their innocent newness. I love their wrinkly little skin. I love their tiny little no-butts. Love them. And I get another one. Little ole me...I get to have another one all to myself (oh...I'll share a little bit with Jeff...especially when its stinky). And I get to SEE it in 5 days.
I am still terrified. But I am starting to realize (and this may make me a little retarded...but whatever) that no matter how crazy life will be because of this little one...I am going to love it as much as my others. Maybe more, because it is the baby I didn't know I wanted right now. And I have to think, somewhere in deep down in my panicked brain, that all that Mommy-love for the baby will make everything okay. Somehow.
The funny thing is, I've talked to A TON of people with kids this close together. Even closer (I met a mom at the conference with kids 13 months apart, and another with a 2 1/2 year old, a 1 year old, and pregnant with her 3rd). You would think that this would make me feel better...that these women are obviously bathed, dressed, and out in public despite the fact that their children are so close in age. Their hair hasn't fallen out, and they are still able to eat...at least often enough to stay alive. Many of these women have told me how "GREAT IT IS TO HAVE KIDS CLOSE TOGETHER!!!!" Even the ones that didn't plan it. But I don't believe them. When they say that, quite frankly, I think they must have a few screws loose. I actually lose respect for them. I judge them. And I cling to the women whom I feel are honest, and say that it sucked for a long time when the new baby came. Call me a pessimist. But I just can't see how it can be "great" to have a toddler and a newborn. I think twins must be preferable, because at least they eat the same thing, are interested in the same thing, etc etc.
But what do I know? All I have now is a high functioning 4 year old (we discovered this morning that he can read and recognize numbers in the hundreds) and a terribly cute but slowly developing 13 months old and a very wiggly, very strong fetus. And so far, we're doing just great, thank you.
I'll let you know in a year how it REALLY is to have babies 18 months apart. And if I say it is great, you may assume I have officially lost my mind. Please have me committed.
But I'm not excited. This baby was a mistake, remember? A big fat OOPS. So if in fact I'm not excited, and am in fact terrified of this little one... why can't I stop thinking about this stinkin' doctor's appointment? I feel like I'm 7 years old and Christmas is 5 days away. Picture quality will be horrible, you don't really get a good idea of what your baby looks like, and yet... I cannot wait to see my baby. MY baby. I love babies. I love their innocent newness. I love their wrinkly little skin. I love their tiny little no-butts. Love them. And I get another one. Little ole me...I get to have another one all to myself (oh...I'll share a little bit with Jeff...especially when its stinky). And I get to SEE it in 5 days.
I am still terrified. But I am starting to realize (and this may make me a little retarded...but whatever) that no matter how crazy life will be because of this little one...I am going to love it as much as my others. Maybe more, because it is the baby I didn't know I wanted right now. And I have to think, somewhere in deep down in my panicked brain, that all that Mommy-love for the baby will make everything okay. Somehow.
The funny thing is, I've talked to A TON of people with kids this close together. Even closer (I met a mom at the conference with kids 13 months apart, and another with a 2 1/2 year old, a 1 year old, and pregnant with her 3rd). You would think that this would make me feel better...that these women are obviously bathed, dressed, and out in public despite the fact that their children are so close in age. Their hair hasn't fallen out, and they are still able to eat...at least often enough to stay alive. Many of these women have told me how "GREAT IT IS TO HAVE KIDS CLOSE TOGETHER!!!!" Even the ones that didn't plan it. But I don't believe them. When they say that, quite frankly, I think they must have a few screws loose. I actually lose respect for them. I judge them. And I cling to the women whom I feel are honest, and say that it sucked for a long time when the new baby came. Call me a pessimist. But I just can't see how it can be "great" to have a toddler and a newborn. I think twins must be preferable, because at least they eat the same thing, are interested in the same thing, etc etc.
But what do I know? All I have now is a high functioning 4 year old (we discovered this morning that he can read and recognize numbers in the hundreds) and a terribly cute but slowly developing 13 months old and a very wiggly, very strong fetus. And so far, we're doing just great, thank you.
I'll let you know in a year how it REALLY is to have babies 18 months apart. And if I say it is great, you may assume I have officially lost my mind. Please have me committed.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
A day off?
I was really excited this morning...I was going away for the day with my girlfriends and leaving the children behind! Yippee! The president of my MOMS club (who happens to be one of my closest friends here) was really gung-ho about going to the PA MOMS club convention. It was held fairly nearby, and sounded like a day of give-aways and food.
But it wasn't quite...shall we say...fun. We weren't allowed to sit together to eat or listen to the speakers, and when we weren't listening to the speakers we had to talk about MOMS club stuff. I mean, I guess that is the point of a convention, and I should have known better. The moms at my table were very nice and equally disgruntled with their clubs. The food was good. Well, okay. I had picked the blandest thing offered when we registered a few weeks ago, because I didn't want to vomit all over the table. Now that I am feeling better, I really wished I'd had the tastier options. And I really wished the caterers had worn deoderant. Very appetizing. But the prizes were really great (although I didn't win one). I'm just too cynical about all the rules associated with the MOMS club and it irritates me how unfriendly some women can be...especially when put into roles of "power". It's a volunteer organization for crying out loud! But, again, the women at my table at least were friendly and talkative.
Anyway, not quite the day away I was imagining. Jeff and the kiddos had a good day. It sounds like Lily took two really good naps, so that makes life easier. Andrew is still waking up around 5:30...so he is just miserable at the end of the day. I just don't know how to snap him out of it. It is virtually impossible to keep him up late, because he is such a basket case. And there seems to be no way to make him sleep in the morning or take a nap in the afternoon. -sigh- I guess this just means the adjustment will be really easy next spring.
So not much to report about today. Sorry it's so boring...but that's what you get when I post every day!
But it wasn't quite...shall we say...fun. We weren't allowed to sit together to eat or listen to the speakers, and when we weren't listening to the speakers we had to talk about MOMS club stuff. I mean, I guess that is the point of a convention, and I should have known better. The moms at my table were very nice and equally disgruntled with their clubs. The food was good. Well, okay. I had picked the blandest thing offered when we registered a few weeks ago, because I didn't want to vomit all over the table. Now that I am feeling better, I really wished I'd had the tastier options. And I really wished the caterers had worn deoderant. Very appetizing. But the prizes were really great (although I didn't win one). I'm just too cynical about all the rules associated with the MOMS club and it irritates me how unfriendly some women can be...especially when put into roles of "power". It's a volunteer organization for crying out loud! But, again, the women at my table at least were friendly and talkative.
Anyway, not quite the day away I was imagining. Jeff and the kiddos had a good day. It sounds like Lily took two really good naps, so that makes life easier. Andrew is still waking up around 5:30...so he is just miserable at the end of the day. I just don't know how to snap him out of it. It is virtually impossible to keep him up late, because he is such a basket case. And there seems to be no way to make him sleep in the morning or take a nap in the afternoon. -sigh- I guess this just means the adjustment will be really easy next spring.
So not much to report about today. Sorry it's so boring...but that's what you get when I post every day!
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