For the record, Wyatt just informed me he wants to be three things when he grows up:
1. Pilot
2. Engineer
3. Chick-fil-a worker.
(I'll let you guess what we're having for dinner tonight.) He's now thinking, though, that it is going to be really hard for him to go to work and be at Chick-fil-a at the same time because they're at the same time, so Chick-fil-a might have to be what he does at night.
Given that Wyatt came up with those unprompted, it seemed like a good time to query Natalie. Her choice?
1. A pilot. Specifically, a Raptor pilot.
That decision took us right into the "yes, Wyatt, girls can be Raptor pilots and in fact there are some" conversation and then Wyatt felt the need to tell her that she'll first have to fly a propeller plane, then a jet trainer and then a Raptor. Ay yi yi. I'm done.
But you heard it here first. Check back in about 18-20 years.
Showing posts with label offspring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label offspring. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Life in Our Crib
Tomorrow my little girl will officially grow up just a little more. Her big girl bed is scheduled to arrive before lunch so this is the last night a little Rock will sleep in the crib upstairs. It's been a good one. How many times have we tucked our babies into that bed? How many times have we stood by its side, watching a sweet small person sleep peacefully, thinking how lucky we are? How many times have I wrestled the bumper while changing the sheets? How many times have I stumbled toward it, eyes half-open, in the middle of the night, willing the shrieking child within to please just go back to sleeeeeeeep? So very, very many on all counts.
That crib has served us well, especially when we consider its humble origins ($99 at the Camp Foster PX, thankyouverymuch, the most bargain crib Okinawa offered) and has resided in four homes, if you count our four-month stay in the TLFs at Tyndall, which I do. It has provided safe haven for two wonderful small people from their very first nights home and has seen them grow from tiny small people that seemed swallowed by its size to vibrant kids that, along with all their assorted blankets, books, toys and animals, seem to barely fit inside its confines.
I'm thrilled we're passing along the trusty crib to some friends who will get good use out of it but mostly I'm hoping that Natalie will look a little small to me tomorrow night in her big girl bed.
That crib has served us well, especially when we consider its humble origins ($99 at the Camp Foster PX, thankyouverymuch, the most bargain crib Okinawa offered) and has resided in four homes, if you count our four-month stay in the TLFs at Tyndall, which I do. It has provided safe haven for two wonderful small people from their very first nights home and has seen them grow from tiny small people that seemed swallowed by its size to vibrant kids that, along with all their assorted blankets, books, toys and animals, seem to barely fit inside its confines.
I'm thrilled we're passing along the trusty crib to some friends who will get good use out of it but mostly I'm hoping that Natalie will look a little small to me tomorrow night in her big girl bed.
 |
| Wyatt, all six pounds of him, on his first night home. |
 |
| Wyatt, all nine months of him, using the crib for his photo session. |
 |
| Natalie, blissed out, just shy of one year. |
 |
| Natalie, sassy and big, two-and-a-half. |
Monday, August 01, 2011
Rocky Mountain High
I was on a Rocky Mountain high, but I've come off it now since our vacation was weeks ago. Once again, I'm a little behind but the trip was a winner, so I'm going to tell you all about it! And by you, I mean the future me since I'm probably the only one interested.
I had the bright idea that my kids needed a week in the mountains this summer, seeing as how we're "so close" and all. I also know my limits, so I asked my parents if they might be interested in joining us (Jeff can't take leave during school, so it was single parenting if no one else bought into my grand plan). Lucky for me, my parents are always willing to travel. In fact, one should not even mention a trip to my dad if not serious; within an hour of me tossing out the idea, he'd located several condos from which to choose. Mom agreed to ride in the backseat between carseats so it was settled: the five of us were heading off on a road trip!
In case you're like the lovely people I met in Boston last week who are unsure of the middle states' geography, I'll help you out. Hold up your hands, back of hands facing you. We currently live near your right hand's pinky; Breckenridge is your left hand's middle finger's knuckle. Not super close, but definitely driveable if you're willing to spend about ten hours in a car. Now that we have that covered, I'll tell you that my kids are pretty great travelers but having Grandma sandwiched between was awfully helpful. She's very adept at holding the laptop for movies, dishing out snacks and generally keeping the peace. Dad is an excellent passenger, very capable of getting movies loaded into said laptop and doling out travel treats as needed. I, well, I'm a pretty stellar driver if I do say so myself.
Within the first two hours, Mom had both kids doing crossword puzzles with her.
After a lunch stop at the McDonald's in Hays, KS (if anyone is crossing Kansas anytime soon, I recommend that stop - great indoor play area and it was remarkably clean), we pressed onward to Limon, CO. I'd like to tell you the kids took great naps, but that would be a lie. Natalie dozed for thirty minutes and Wyatt eked out an hour. I even turned on the farm report in attempts to bore them to sleep but it didn't work. We stopped for gas and travel treats in Limon, where Wyatt discovered his first wild animal.
and feeding baby geese,
I had the bright idea that my kids needed a week in the mountains this summer, seeing as how we're "so close" and all. I also know my limits, so I asked my parents if they might be interested in joining us (Jeff can't take leave during school, so it was single parenting if no one else bought into my grand plan). Lucky for me, my parents are always willing to travel. In fact, one should not even mention a trip to my dad if not serious; within an hour of me tossing out the idea, he'd located several condos from which to choose. Mom agreed to ride in the backseat between carseats so it was settled: the five of us were heading off on a road trip!
In case you're like the lovely people I met in Boston last week who are unsure of the middle states' geography, I'll help you out. Hold up your hands, back of hands facing you. We currently live near your right hand's pinky; Breckenridge is your left hand's middle finger's knuckle. Not super close, but definitely driveable if you're willing to spend about ten hours in a car. Now that we have that covered, I'll tell you that my kids are pretty great travelers but having Grandma sandwiched between was awfully helpful. She's very adept at holding the laptop for movies, dishing out snacks and generally keeping the peace. Dad is an excellent passenger, very capable of getting movies loaded into said laptop and doling out travel treats as needed. I, well, I'm a pretty stellar driver if I do say so myself.
Within the first two hours, Mom had both kids doing crossword puzzles with her.
After a lunch stop at the McDonald's in Hays, KS (if anyone is crossing Kansas anytime soon, I recommend that stop - great indoor play area and it was remarkably clean), we pressed onward to Limon, CO. I'd like to tell you the kids took great naps, but that would be a lie. Natalie dozed for thirty minutes and Wyatt eked out an hour. I even turned on the farm report in attempts to bore them to sleep but it didn't work. We stopped for gas and travel treats in Limon, where Wyatt discovered his first wild animal.
Oh, that's right, it was stuffed. Nevertheless, Natalie wouldn't go near it.
Fast forward a few more hours and we made it to Breckenridge where we spent the rest of the week doing whatever made us happy. Things like hiking,
feeding chipmunks from our hands,
fearing chipmunks,
climbing rocks,
feeding fish,
finding snow,
relaxing on the deck,
riding chairlifts,
alpine sliding,
enjoying scenic vistas,
being one with nature,
hunting rocks,
gathering rocks,
throwing rocks in the river,
and posing for lots and lots of pictures
Ahh, yes, it was a great week. Colorado, you didn't disappoint - we'll be back!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Story Time
Wyatt woke up with a case of the "I know better than you's" and was irritating the heck out of Natalie this morning. After both had been encouraged to make better choices a few times (he to use nicer words, she to stop hitting her brother), I was delighted to hear the following:
W: Nat, you want to sit in that chair over there and I'll read you a story?
N: Ya! climbs into appointed chair
W: Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Natalie.
N: My?
W: And there was a big, bad fox. And the fox ate the little girl.
at this point, I sense a change in direction
W: and the little girl's mother hit the wolf (I thought it was a fox?) and the little girl came out…
N: Wow! starts laughing
W: and that's the end.
N: More?
W: No. I'm out of stories right now.
And that was the end of the fighting. Honestly! She climbed out of the chair, they started playing together and that was it. I think we'll have stories more often!
W: Nat, you want to sit in that chair over there and I'll read you a story?
N: Ya! climbs into appointed chair
W: Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Natalie.
N: My?
W: And there was a big, bad fox. And the fox ate the little girl.
at this point, I sense a change in direction
W: and the little girl's mother hit the wolf (I thought it was a fox?) and the little girl came out…
N: Wow! starts laughing
W: and that's the end.
N: More?
W: No. I'm out of stories right now.
And that was the end of the fighting. Honestly! She climbed out of the chair, they started playing together and that was it. I think we'll have stories more often!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Hey
So, thanks everyone for the well-wishes for my kids. They worked, more or less. Natalie has no issues that should cause further UTIs so we're glad to have that behind us, even though it doesn't exactly explain what happened. We'll chalk it up to random weirdness. Wyatt, indeed, has croup and ended up at urgent care on Monday afternoon. It was largely the same staff that helped with Natalie and they were all, "oh hey! how are you? how's your little girl?" which was kind of funny and also made me feel like we're there a little too often. On our drive down there, Wyatt was saying, "hey Mommy, I think, I think, I think, Mommy..." and I said, "what Wyatt? Use your words" and he said, "hey Mommy, I think the doctors will think you're pretty." So there's that.
Now we're dealing with croupy croupness from Wyatt, who will not take the flavored prednisone prescribed to him. I mean, I'll agree, it tastes awful. However, he coughs like crazy when not taking it. It's a sticking point (read: stand-off waiting to happen) so I think we're just wasting that prescription. I don't really know what else to do because I can't find a way to mask it in any other food or drink. It's really strong. And while croup technically infects the vocal chords, it apparently also can infect attitudes. He's a belligerent mess. So we're working through that and might need to restock on our two-buck Chuck. Don't worry, there's no drinking while on duty, but when the littles are in bed, Mommy might be ready for a glass or three.
In happier news, we went to the beach over the weekend for the first time since we've lived here. Wyatt had a great time building sandcastles and digging through the sand with his fingers. Despite my best efforts, I could not get him interested in collecting shells. Whose kid is this? Everyone knows you're supposed to collect a bunch of random shells and then hold onto them for some odd reason until you finally, years later, realize they're just some random shells. I'll keep working on him. And if he won't buy in, there's always Natalie. Anyway, it made me realize that we should do that more often and that I'm a total beach snob who's looking forward to a trip to the in-laws' beautiful shore in a few months. You know, because I like to see my feet when I step into the water.
Now we're dealing with croupy croupness from Wyatt, who will not take the flavored prednisone prescribed to him. I mean, I'll agree, it tastes awful. However, he coughs like crazy when not taking it. It's a sticking point (read: stand-off waiting to happen) so I think we're just wasting that prescription. I don't really know what else to do because I can't find a way to mask it in any other food or drink. It's really strong. And while croup technically infects the vocal chords, it apparently also can infect attitudes. He's a belligerent mess. So we're working through that and might need to restock on our two-buck Chuck. Don't worry, there's no drinking while on duty, but when the littles are in bed, Mommy might be ready for a glass or three.
In happier news, we went to the beach over the weekend for the first time since we've lived here. Wyatt had a great time building sandcastles and digging through the sand with his fingers. Despite my best efforts, I could not get him interested in collecting shells. Whose kid is this? Everyone knows you're supposed to collect a bunch of random shells and then hold onto them for some odd reason until you finally, years later, realize they're just some random shells. I'll keep working on him. And if he won't buy in, there's always Natalie. Anyway, it made me realize that we should do that more often and that I'm a total beach snob who's looking forward to a trip to the in-laws' beautiful shore in a few months. You know, because I like to see my feet when I step into the water.
And I have to say, I'm really glad I looked at these pictures today because it was a rough lunch hour here and these just remind me how very lucky I am to have such spirited little people in my life.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Well Hello, Monday
Today is Natalie's follow-up appointment at the hospital. It will involve ultrasounds and a cath and x-rays. I'm not really looking forward to it except that at least this time Jeff will be with me.
Or would have been, if Wyatt hadn't gotten sick. I swear we're clean people. Why are the little people in this house making me feel otherwise? So instead of Wyatt staying home with our favorite sitter while we go to Natalie's appointment (and then maybe to the tile store because that's hard to squeeze in without kids and we've learned that Wyatt + tile store = inner circle of hell), Jeff will be coming home so I can go it alone while they poke and prod at my baby some more. Awesome.
And Wyatt? Well, he's had a fever off and on for a couple of days, randomly complaining of a stomachache but otherwise acting fine. Then he had to toss his cookies last night, get miserable and require me to sleep on his floor, waking every hour or so with some general malaise and misery. And he seems to also have croup. Super awesome.
To steal a line from a friend, Monday isn't here to get me down, just to keep me on my toes. If I say that enough, perhaps I'll buy it. Bring on the coffee!
Or would have been, if Wyatt hadn't gotten sick. I swear we're clean people. Why are the little people in this house making me feel otherwise? So instead of Wyatt staying home with our favorite sitter while we go to Natalie's appointment (and then maybe to the tile store because that's hard to squeeze in without kids and we've learned that Wyatt + tile store = inner circle of hell), Jeff will be coming home so I can go it alone while they poke and prod at my baby some more. Awesome.
And Wyatt? Well, he's had a fever off and on for a couple of days, randomly complaining of a stomachache but otherwise acting fine. Then he had to toss his cookies last night, get miserable and require me to sleep on his floor, waking every hour or so with some general malaise and misery. And he seems to also have croup. Super awesome.
To steal a line from a friend, Monday isn't here to get me down, just to keep me on my toes. If I say that enough, perhaps I'll buy it. Bring on the coffee!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
You Heard it Here First
Today's favorites:
Me: Wyatt, do you remember the days of the week?
W: Yes. Monday, Tuesday, Threesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, bubble bath Sunday!
*************
W: I can't find my hockey ball!
Me: Well, look in your room and under my bed.
W: I can't find it. It's not there (high drama, fyi, with much whining and pouting).
Me: We can just play with another ball.
W: But I want my hockey ball!
Me: Well, honey, I know you think I'm magic and I can find it, but this is what happens when things don't get put away where they belong. I really don't know where it is so let's just play with a different ball.
W: But you are magic!
Me: Wyatt, do you remember the days of the week?
W: Yes. Monday, Tuesday, Threesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, bubble bath Sunday!
*************
W: I can't find my hockey ball!
Me: Well, look in your room and under my bed.
W: I can't find it. It's not there (high drama, fyi, with much whining and pouting).
Me: We can just play with another ball.
W: But I want my hockey ball!
Me: Well, honey, I know you think I'm magic and I can find it, but this is what happens when things don't get put away where they belong. I really don't know where it is so let's just play with a different ball.
W: But you are magic!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Look Back
I finally took some pics off one of our cameras and they made me smile.
1. Wyatt loving Jack's birthday cupcake.
2. Natalie getting acclimated to her exersaucer.
3. Jeff's idea of a hilarious joke. Don't worry, it's fake. However, I didn't know that at first glance and let's just say it had the desired effect.
4. Me and my babies - our first joint storytime. Wyatt now loves crawling into my lap for Natalie's sleep routine.
1. Wyatt loving Jack's birthday cupcake.
2. Natalie getting acclimated to her exersaucer.
3. Jeff's idea of a hilarious joke. Don't worry, it's fake. However, I didn't know that at first glance and let's just say it had the desired effect.
4. Me and my babies - our first joint storytime. Wyatt now loves crawling into my lap for Natalie's sleep routine.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Resilient Has a New Meaning
When I posted about my kids being able to survive lights-on sleeping, I had no idea they were merely preparing for what was to come. Now I am truly thankful for their resiliency.
Miss Natalie got sick on Tuesday. Really sick. Like for a moment I thought, do I call 9-1-1? I decided that urgent care would do, so hastily packed up Wyatt, dropped him at a friend's and doubted myself all the way to the base. Had I really seen her turn blue? Because she was so pink now. And she didn't have a fever, she was breathing, probably crying because she was hungry, right? Was it really worth cancelling the zoo trip for what was sure to be a needless visit to the doctor?
It turns out if you walk into urgent care and say something along the lines of, "my four-month old turned blue but now looks fine" they take it really seriously. You get called back immediately and not to the exam rooms, but to the scarier ER section where they put sticky things all over your baby's chest in case they need to do anything heroic. And when you tell them her temp was 98.3 when you left your house but now shows up at almost 102, that raises some red flags. And it earns a full work-up. After medical procedures that make you both cry, you find out that they can only tell you her white blood cell count is elevated but they don't know why. And they don't know what the blue was about, unless it indicated the fever spiking. After hours - three? four? - and an i.v. antibiotic, they send you home but only if you promise to bring her back if anything seems strange. You assure them you will and assume you'll not see this helpful staff again.
So I picked up Wyatt, offered nuggets from Chick-fil-a (because honestly, I needed some sort of treat after that ordeal and I really wanted some iced tea) and took my family home. I got Wyatt settled at his picnic table and started rearranging my evening plans since a sitter and a trip to Williamsburg didn't seem smart. And then I looked down at my sweet girl and damn if she wasn't blue all over again.
I dropped Wyatt at another friend's (who peeked in at Natalie and, with her nursing background, said, "yeah, she's blue" before giving me a hug and taking Wyatt) and rushed back to the base. As soon as I walked in, they said, "did it happen again?" and whisked me to the back. Again. We were the show, so no less than two doctors, two nurses and three techs were attending to her, seemingly all at once. By this time, her fever was above 103, despite it having been at 99 only an hour earlier. The pediatrician informed me we'd be staying the night. The phonecalls started in earnest - how to get ahold of Jeff, did my mom need to come out, who would take Wyatt, etc. Needless to say, it was frantic and scary. My baby. My sweet baby. And why always when the husband is gone?
Honestly, I've known that I have some great friends but this tested their willingness to help and they all went above and beyond. I talked to Kristen once to give her a brief rundown of what had gone on and by the time I called her back, she had a plan in place. It involved her calling the sitter I cancelled on to watch her boys so she could bring stuff to me, taking Millie to another friend's house, then picking up Wyatt at the other friend's house before taking him back to her place for the night. Amazing. In the meantime, the lab amended its earlier findings and that told us Natalie was fighting off a UTI. At least we had a diagnosis, even though it didn't explain the blue spells. And with that, it seemed we had 24 hours at the hospital so I opted against Jeff rushing home or my mom coming out.
Thankfully they decided they didn't need to put an i.v. line back in, so with new cardiac stickers and a pulse/ox monitor taped firmly to her foot, Natalie and I were able to rest. She did great all night, even managing to smile for the nurses when they came in every four hours to poke and prod, and most importantly stayed fever-free for the night. After another dose of the high-powered antibiotics and another urine sample (thankfully not via a cath), we were back home by 4:00 yesterday. Today she seems back to her old self and had lots of smiles at the doctor's visit today.
It turns out this isn't normal, but isn't rare either. She'll have some follow-up testing in a couple of weeks to see what the full scope of the issue is and until then she'll be on antibiotics. I'm so thankful for all the good care she got and the support I got from our friends. Wyatt's pretty sure it was the best couple days of his life. He got to play with Sam & Julie, then had Chick-fil-a, then got to play with Connor and Reid, had a visit to Kiley and Drake's, then had his first sleepover with Isaac. What's not to love? He told me he missed me (and Millie, too) but that he'd like to spend the night with Isaac again. He wanted to know why I stayed home. I guess he wasn't freaked out by my freaking out!
I have learned a lot: We have great friends and a large support network for which I am incredibly thankful. I am thankful that I have a few verses memorized because they helped keep me calm when I felt very alone. I think it's interesting that the blessing we've chosen to give Natalie every night is, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Fitting in that time, let me tell you. It is miserable to see your kids hooked up to EKG's and i.v. lines. It is not fun to put your baby to sleep in a metal crib with monitors beeping. Healthy children are a blessing and even moderately ill ones are, too. All I could think of were my friends whose children have been through major surgeries, much more life-threatening stuff. How have they done it with such grace and calm?
My baby is fine. My friends tell me Wyatt was good for them. Jeff will be home soon and all will be right with the world. Incidentally, both kids had check-ups scheduled for today so I have stats: Natalie is in the 25-50%ile for both height and head circumference, 50-75%ile for weight. And, drumroll please, Wyatt is in the 10-25%ile for both height and weight! Looks like he might catch up after all.
Miss Natalie got sick on Tuesday. Really sick. Like for a moment I thought, do I call 9-1-1? I decided that urgent care would do, so hastily packed up Wyatt, dropped him at a friend's and doubted myself all the way to the base. Had I really seen her turn blue? Because she was so pink now. And she didn't have a fever, she was breathing, probably crying because she was hungry, right? Was it really worth cancelling the zoo trip for what was sure to be a needless visit to the doctor?
It turns out if you walk into urgent care and say something along the lines of, "my four-month old turned blue but now looks fine" they take it really seriously. You get called back immediately and not to the exam rooms, but to the scarier ER section where they put sticky things all over your baby's chest in case they need to do anything heroic. And when you tell them her temp was 98.3 when you left your house but now shows up at almost 102, that raises some red flags. And it earns a full work-up. After medical procedures that make you both cry, you find out that they can only tell you her white blood cell count is elevated but they don't know why. And they don't know what the blue was about, unless it indicated the fever spiking. After hours - three? four? - and an i.v. antibiotic, they send you home but only if you promise to bring her back if anything seems strange. You assure them you will and assume you'll not see this helpful staff again.
So I picked up Wyatt, offered nuggets from Chick-fil-a (because honestly, I needed some sort of treat after that ordeal and I really wanted some iced tea) and took my family home. I got Wyatt settled at his picnic table and started rearranging my evening plans since a sitter and a trip to Williamsburg didn't seem smart. And then I looked down at my sweet girl and damn if she wasn't blue all over again.
I dropped Wyatt at another friend's (who peeked in at Natalie and, with her nursing background, said, "yeah, she's blue" before giving me a hug and taking Wyatt) and rushed back to the base. As soon as I walked in, they said, "did it happen again?" and whisked me to the back. Again. We were the show, so no less than two doctors, two nurses and three techs were attending to her, seemingly all at once. By this time, her fever was above 103, despite it having been at 99 only an hour earlier. The pediatrician informed me we'd be staying the night. The phonecalls started in earnest - how to get ahold of Jeff, did my mom need to come out, who would take Wyatt, etc. Needless to say, it was frantic and scary. My baby. My sweet baby. And why always when the husband is gone?
Honestly, I've known that I have some great friends but this tested their willingness to help and they all went above and beyond. I talked to Kristen once to give her a brief rundown of what had gone on and by the time I called her back, she had a plan in place. It involved her calling the sitter I cancelled on to watch her boys so she could bring stuff to me, taking Millie to another friend's house, then picking up Wyatt at the other friend's house before taking him back to her place for the night. Amazing. In the meantime, the lab amended its earlier findings and that told us Natalie was fighting off a UTI. At least we had a diagnosis, even though it didn't explain the blue spells. And with that, it seemed we had 24 hours at the hospital so I opted against Jeff rushing home or my mom coming out.
Thankfully they decided they didn't need to put an i.v. line back in, so with new cardiac stickers and a pulse/ox monitor taped firmly to her foot, Natalie and I were able to rest. She did great all night, even managing to smile for the nurses when they came in every four hours to poke and prod, and most importantly stayed fever-free for the night. After another dose of the high-powered antibiotics and another urine sample (thankfully not via a cath), we were back home by 4:00 yesterday. Today she seems back to her old self and had lots of smiles at the doctor's visit today.
It turns out this isn't normal, but isn't rare either. She'll have some follow-up testing in a couple of weeks to see what the full scope of the issue is and until then she'll be on antibiotics. I'm so thankful for all the good care she got and the support I got from our friends. Wyatt's pretty sure it was the best couple days of his life. He got to play with Sam & Julie, then had Chick-fil-a, then got to play with Connor and Reid, had a visit to Kiley and Drake's, then had his first sleepover with Isaac. What's not to love? He told me he missed me (and Millie, too) but that he'd like to spend the night with Isaac again. He wanted to know why I stayed home. I guess he wasn't freaked out by my freaking out!
I have learned a lot: We have great friends and a large support network for which I am incredibly thankful. I am thankful that I have a few verses memorized because they helped keep me calm when I felt very alone. I think it's interesting that the blessing we've chosen to give Natalie every night is, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Fitting in that time, let me tell you. It is miserable to see your kids hooked up to EKG's and i.v. lines. It is not fun to put your baby to sleep in a metal crib with monitors beeping. Healthy children are a blessing and even moderately ill ones are, too. All I could think of were my friends whose children have been through major surgeries, much more life-threatening stuff. How have they done it with such grace and calm?
My baby is fine. My friends tell me Wyatt was good for them. Jeff will be home soon and all will be right with the world. Incidentally, both kids had check-ups scheduled for today so I have stats: Natalie is in the 25-50%ile for both height and head circumference, 50-75%ile for weight. And, drumroll please, Wyatt is in the 10-25%ile for both height and weight! Looks like he might catch up after all.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Summer
We've been enjoying unseasonably cool weather and lots of outside time the last couple of weeks. While I don't have pictures from our neighborhood's annual post-4th of July shindig held last night (complete with contraband fireworks and a visit from the local police), I do have a few others. I'm wishing it could be summer all year!
Fourth of July finery. Wyatt loves getting to "hold" Natalie.
How I found W today during his nap - sacked out under his train table. I wonder how this came to pass or if it explains the loud thud I heard from downstairs. When I moved him, he had a lovely carpet pattern imprinted in his little cheek.
Fourth of July finery. Wyatt loves getting to "hold" Natalie.Wyatt enjoying his first ice cream sandwich, courtesy of the ice cream truck that drove through our neighborhood. Immediately after he finished it, he asked if he could have a cool pop from our neighbor.
How I found W today during his nap - sacked out under his train table. I wonder how this came to pass or if it explains the loud thud I heard from downstairs. When I moved him, he had a lovely carpet pattern imprinted in his little cheek.Sunday, June 28, 2009
Six Thousand Words
A few of my favorite pictures from this week - of course they're of my favorite subjects.
What? You didn't think I'd forget Millie, did you?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Randoms From Today
We went bowling. Wyatt proceeded to tell everyone that he went bowling and that was his present. Turns out it was, seeing as how we didn't even give him the gift we had stashed away. Between the birthday goodies from family and the balloons from his friends, he's sure it was a plentiful day.
**********
As I put him down for his nap, I told Wyatt "happy napping, my three-year old." He sat bolt upright and asked, "Mommy, I still be three when I wake up?"
**********
I felt like I was in a flashback episode of The Sopranos today at the pool. The other two kids in the little pool were Anthony and Carmella. I made sure to stay on their good sides.
**********
We captured a lightning bug tonight in Wyatt's brand-spanking-new bug bungalow. We turned out all the lights and laid on the family room floor waiting for the little critter to light up. Turns out he never did but those few minutes with Jeff, Wyatt and me huddled together in the twilight were magical.
**********
Next year someone needs to remind me that Wyatt doesn't actually need a cake. I should just heap the frosting on a plate, let him decorate it and then dig in. It reminds me that I had such serious frosting cravings when I was pregnant with him that I finally broke down and bought myself a 1/32 sheet cake. It was so good!
**********
Last year on his birthday, Wyatt could barely string three words together. This year, he talked on the phone to his aunts, cousins and grandparents with minimal parental supervision. When I look at how much he's learning every single day, it's really no wonder that sometimes it's just too much for him to remember his manners, too.
**********
As Wyatt went upstairs for bed, I said, "I'm so glad you're my baby." He promptly replied, "kid." I stand corrected, for he is certainly a kid these days. Tomorrow I'll remind him he'll always be my first baby, no matter how old he gets.
**********
As I put him down for his nap, I told Wyatt "happy napping, my three-year old." He sat bolt upright and asked, "Mommy, I still be three when I wake up?"
**********
I felt like I was in a flashback episode of The Sopranos today at the pool. The other two kids in the little pool were Anthony and Carmella. I made sure to stay on their good sides.
**********
We captured a lightning bug tonight in Wyatt's brand-spanking-new bug bungalow. We turned out all the lights and laid on the family room floor waiting for the little critter to light up. Turns out he never did but those few minutes with Jeff, Wyatt and me huddled together in the twilight were magical.
**********
Next year someone needs to remind me that Wyatt doesn't actually need a cake. I should just heap the frosting on a plate, let him decorate it and then dig in. It reminds me that I had such serious frosting cravings when I was pregnant with him that I finally broke down and bought myself a 1/32 sheet cake. It was so good!
**********
Last year on his birthday, Wyatt could barely string three words together. This year, he talked on the phone to his aunts, cousins and grandparents with minimal parental supervision. When I look at how much he's learning every single day, it's really no wonder that sometimes it's just too much for him to remember his manners, too.
**********
As Wyatt went upstairs for bed, I said, "I'm so glad you're my baby." He promptly replied, "kid." I stand corrected, for he is certainly a kid these days. Tomorrow I'll remind him he'll always be my first baby, no matter how old he gets.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Three.
Dear Wyatt,
How did you get to be three? It's been an interesting year, kiddo. You're still my little guy, but you're just turning into such a boy that your toddlerhood is turning into some sort of foggy memory. Just yesterday we watched the video of Daddy's surprise return back in February and already I see such changes in you. Your conversational skills are impressive. You hear things once and then all of a sudden you're repeating them, in the appropriate context, to someone else. Thank goodness the worst word you use is poop. I'll congratulate you, your dad and myself on that one. I think it's probably divine intervention that worse language hasn't emerged from your little lips.
I was trying to think of things that you used to do but don't anymore, now that you're three. I'm happy to say that sometime in the last few months, you've started keeping your shoes on. Hallelujah! I got so tired of always. putting. shoes. back. on. you. in the car, in shopping carts, all over creation. So thanks for that, buddy. And I am particularly impressed that you now take your shoes off as soon as you get into the house and, more often than not, put them in the shoe cabinet where they belong.
You have become such a fantastic big brother. It's kind of hard to believe that you were the only child a year ago; Natalie was merely a figment of our imaginations. But now she's here and you act as though you can't remember life any other way. Maybe you can't, now that I think of it. I'm not really sure what your memory span is. Either way, you make us so proud by being so loving to her. I asked you yesterday what your favorite thing about Natalie is and you said, "playing with her." Too funny, since she's pretty immobile. You work hard to get her attention (so hard that meals suffer) when we're all at the table. Then you turn to me and tell me that Natalie smiled at you. I really hope you always love her this way and will work so hard to make her smile. I can tell she already thinks her big brother hung the moon because she does, indeed, beam from ear to ear when she sees you.
You still love any sort of ball and you have a massive collection of all types and colors. Somehow you never think you have enough, though, and will always ask for more when we see them. We rarely cave since our house might be overrun as it is.
You love, love, LOVE your bed and beg to show it off to anyone who comes over. You also still refuse to get out of it without one of us being there to tell you it's okay. You hoard a million toys in there - stuffed animals, books, your little license plate, train cars and cargo, plastic bracelets, balls, tubes - you name it, it's there. Yet even with all that stuff, you get sad if you realize you can't find your nana when it's time for sleep. Tiger, hedgehog and birdie bird are your recurring favorite stuffed animals, with Tiger always being at the top of the list. He's your go-to guy.
Your favorite thing to do is move objects from one container to another. You are still playing with a box of penne pasta that you've had for more than two weeks. It's currently divided between a laundry basket and an old formula container. I find random penne all over the house, but it makes you so happy to pretend it's cookies or some other item you've "cooked." As for real cooking, you help make the coffee every morning, dutifully counting the scoops, dumping it into the filter and then pressing the button to start it. It turns out you're also really good at running out to get the paper off the driveway. You ask me every day to save the bag for you - I always do - because you can think of a million things to store in it.
You love airplanes, always requesting to watch for them when we go to the commissary and as we drive past the airport up the road. We got to see five jets take off and three land today after our grocery run and that just about makes your day. You are always pretty sure that it must be Daddy, or maybe Jaws. Today you thought it might also be Sammy and Julie's daddy, so I think you're starting to figure out the whole Air Force thing. You also tell us that you want to be a pilot and that you want to fly Eagles. I wonder if this is how Daddy used to be.
You love the park ("the one in our neighborhood"), you're very tolerant of our trips to the Y, you love Costco for the samples, Trader Joe's for the balloons and Target for it's fancy carts. You've requested that we go bowling for your birthday and have said that will be your present.
You're just like Daddy in that you've never met a stranger. You're pretty sure that all adults and children alike want to be your pal. You try to hold hands with just about everyone; you think all the neighbors are out there for your entertainment. And maybe they are; they let you get away with almost anything, like the other night when John let you use his broom to play in his sprinklers.
You love to snuggle and often request to cuddle with one of us. You give fantastic squeezy hugs, lots of impromptu kisses and often tell us out of the blue that you love us. You're sure that anytime Daddy and I hug, it should become a family activity and you wind yourself around our legs. We laugh about it every time. You're starting to be nicer to Millie, often asking if we can take her out to play in the afternoons. And you're getting really good about feeding her twice a day then yelling, "Millie! Your breakfast is ready!" You always put your hand up by your mouth as you shout, as if it helps the sound carry.
Isaac is still your best friend and you point out his neighborhood every time we drive by. You enjoy talking on the phone and will walk around the house holding it, just like I do. You love to dance, you sing silly songs with me, you know all the words to "Call My Name" by Third Day and you keep asking me what the songs on the radio are about and who's singing them. It's like you already sense my weakness in the music trivia category.
Most importantly, you keep me on my toes all day, every day. You are an inquisitive, sensitive, loving, rambunctious, ornery boy and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you and can't wait to read what I write about you in another year.
Love,
Mom
How did you get to be three? It's been an interesting year, kiddo. You're still my little guy, but you're just turning into such a boy that your toddlerhood is turning into some sort of foggy memory. Just yesterday we watched the video of Daddy's surprise return back in February and already I see such changes in you. Your conversational skills are impressive. You hear things once and then all of a sudden you're repeating them, in the appropriate context, to someone else. Thank goodness the worst word you use is poop. I'll congratulate you, your dad and myself on that one. I think it's probably divine intervention that worse language hasn't emerged from your little lips.
I was trying to think of things that you used to do but don't anymore, now that you're three. I'm happy to say that sometime in the last few months, you've started keeping your shoes on. Hallelujah! I got so tired of always. putting. shoes. back. on. you. in the car, in shopping carts, all over creation. So thanks for that, buddy. And I am particularly impressed that you now take your shoes off as soon as you get into the house and, more often than not, put them in the shoe cabinet where they belong.
You have become such a fantastic big brother. It's kind of hard to believe that you were the only child a year ago; Natalie was merely a figment of our imaginations. But now she's here and you act as though you can't remember life any other way. Maybe you can't, now that I think of it. I'm not really sure what your memory span is. Either way, you make us so proud by being so loving to her. I asked you yesterday what your favorite thing about Natalie is and you said, "playing with her." Too funny, since she's pretty immobile. You work hard to get her attention (so hard that meals suffer) when we're all at the table. Then you turn to me and tell me that Natalie smiled at you. I really hope you always love her this way and will work so hard to make her smile. I can tell she already thinks her big brother hung the moon because she does, indeed, beam from ear to ear when she sees you.
You still love any sort of ball and you have a massive collection of all types and colors. Somehow you never think you have enough, though, and will always ask for more when we see them. We rarely cave since our house might be overrun as it is.
You love, love, LOVE your bed and beg to show it off to anyone who comes over. You also still refuse to get out of it without one of us being there to tell you it's okay. You hoard a million toys in there - stuffed animals, books, your little license plate, train cars and cargo, plastic bracelets, balls, tubes - you name it, it's there. Yet even with all that stuff, you get sad if you realize you can't find your nana when it's time for sleep. Tiger, hedgehog and birdie bird are your recurring favorite stuffed animals, with Tiger always being at the top of the list. He's your go-to guy.
Your favorite thing to do is move objects from one container to another. You are still playing with a box of penne pasta that you've had for more than two weeks. It's currently divided between a laundry basket and an old formula container. I find random penne all over the house, but it makes you so happy to pretend it's cookies or some other item you've "cooked." As for real cooking, you help make the coffee every morning, dutifully counting the scoops, dumping it into the filter and then pressing the button to start it. It turns out you're also really good at running out to get the paper off the driveway. You ask me every day to save the bag for you - I always do - because you can think of a million things to store in it.
You love airplanes, always requesting to watch for them when we go to the commissary and as we drive past the airport up the road. We got to see five jets take off and three land today after our grocery run and that just about makes your day. You are always pretty sure that it must be Daddy, or maybe Jaws. Today you thought it might also be Sammy and Julie's daddy, so I think you're starting to figure out the whole Air Force thing. You also tell us that you want to be a pilot and that you want to fly Eagles. I wonder if this is how Daddy used to be.
You love the park ("the one in our neighborhood"), you're very tolerant of our trips to the Y, you love Costco for the samples, Trader Joe's for the balloons and Target for it's fancy carts. You've requested that we go bowling for your birthday and have said that will be your present.
You're just like Daddy in that you've never met a stranger. You're pretty sure that all adults and children alike want to be your pal. You try to hold hands with just about everyone; you think all the neighbors are out there for your entertainment. And maybe they are; they let you get away with almost anything, like the other night when John let you use his broom to play in his sprinklers.
You love to snuggle and often request to cuddle with one of us. You give fantastic squeezy hugs, lots of impromptu kisses and often tell us out of the blue that you love us. You're sure that anytime Daddy and I hug, it should become a family activity and you wind yourself around our legs. We laugh about it every time. You're starting to be nicer to Millie, often asking if we can take her out to play in the afternoons. And you're getting really good about feeding her twice a day then yelling, "Millie! Your breakfast is ready!" You always put your hand up by your mouth as you shout, as if it helps the sound carry.
Isaac is still your best friend and you point out his neighborhood every time we drive by. You enjoy talking on the phone and will walk around the house holding it, just like I do. You love to dance, you sing silly songs with me, you know all the words to "Call My Name" by Third Day and you keep asking me what the songs on the radio are about and who's singing them. It's like you already sense my weakness in the music trivia category.
Most importantly, you keep me on my toes all day, every day. You are an inquisitive, sensitive, loving, rambunctious, ornery boy and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you and can't wait to read what I write about you in another year.
Love,
Mom
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Time Flies
From this
to this,
and this
to this
Life is good.
And I think I feel even better since both children were bathed and in bed at 8:02 pm, with no husband here to help. Things are starting to look pretty good around here!
Friday, June 12, 2009
He Has Limits
Wyatt is unbelievably patient with Natalie's rare fits of crying. In all fairness to her, she really is a great baby and cries are reserved for hunger and sleep-protesting. Unlike Wyatt, she doesn't have the world's quietest cry so it can get a little grating. He's started simply putting his hands over his ears to block out the sound or, if he sees her headed down that path, imploring me to "talk to Natalie, Mommy!"
Last night Jeff had to work crazy-late so bedtime was just the three of us. Unfortunately, Natalie's need-to-eat cry and sleep-protesting time converged and it was ugly for a little while. Since she would neither eat nor sleep, I couldn't get her to calm down and Wyatt's bedtime was long overdue so we just took our crying Natalie upstairs while Wyatt got ready for bed. Through teeth-brushing, face-washing, clothes-changing and book-reading, I jostled and juggled her in attempts to get her to quiet down. It was all for naught. So by the time the actual getting in bed part rolled around, I just laid Natalie on Wyatt's floor so I could give him a proper tuck-in.
We did our standard "what we doin' tomorrow" conversation and a blessing over Natalie's noise pollution and then it was lights out. On my way out of his room, I gathered up his dirty clothes but apparently I wasn't moving quickly enough because Wyatt sat up in bed and said, "Mommy, I want you to take Natalie with you!" I laughed and said, "you want me to take her with me?" and he said, "Yes! She will keep me awake if you leave her here!"
So I guess a shared room is currently out of the question.
Last night Jeff had to work crazy-late so bedtime was just the three of us. Unfortunately, Natalie's need-to-eat cry and sleep-protesting time converged and it was ugly for a little while. Since she would neither eat nor sleep, I couldn't get her to calm down and Wyatt's bedtime was long overdue so we just took our crying Natalie upstairs while Wyatt got ready for bed. Through teeth-brushing, face-washing, clothes-changing and book-reading, I jostled and juggled her in attempts to get her to quiet down. It was all for naught. So by the time the actual getting in bed part rolled around, I just laid Natalie on Wyatt's floor so I could give him a proper tuck-in.
We did our standard "what we doin' tomorrow" conversation and a blessing over Natalie's noise pollution and then it was lights out. On my way out of his room, I gathered up his dirty clothes but apparently I wasn't moving quickly enough because Wyatt sat up in bed and said, "Mommy, I want you to take Natalie with you!" I laughed and said, "you want me to take her with me?" and he said, "Yes! She will keep me awake if you leave her here!"
So I guess a shared room is currently out of the question.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Same But Different
Just when we're thinking that yeah, they might look alike we take a gander at old pictures and realize, no, they kind of don't. Gene pools are a curious thing. I love digital archives for the precision of the dates - these photos show my babies within days of the same age (if that makes sense). And I love how we look back at baby Wyatt pictures and recognize expressions we see all the time now.
P.S. For all my insistence that there will be no more babies in our family, I'm realizing that Natalie's babyhood is a little fleeting. If I could be guaranteed another one with her temperament...and issued another whopping dose of patience for the toddler years...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)