News from the Gaggle

Luke: 19 Months

2012-01-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

When Micah was 19 months old, we also had a days-old newborn. This blows my mind now, since Luke seems so young to me.

fortunately, he has a loving family

So Luke is about the size of a pumpkin. He gained weight from 15 months, so that was good, but he remains on the small side. Since he eats so well, is active, meets all milestones, doesn't seem to have allergies, we just let him do his thing. He seems to have a really fast metabolism. Luke still eats more than Micah does, and he is usually hot (he will NOT sleep under a blanket).

Luke loves to do what the big kids do - Micah, Lili, Will, whoever is there to copy. He and Micah usually play pretty well together, with a few of the typical bumps along the way. It seems to be tough to want to share toys, but that's tough for me too.

Luke and I were both happy when he started to be able to eat yogurt. For a long time, if he had yogurt he'd get a rough diaper rash. Micah eats yogurt every morning, and Luke felt sad he couldn't as well. A month or so ago, I tried some of the yo'baby yogurt, and he did OK. It's a smaller size and regular yogurt instead of Micah's Greek yogurt, so for whatever reason it seems to be working for him.

I love that Luke is an adventurous explorer. He is very confident in his ability to climb, walk, run, throw, or whatever it strikes him to do. Luke enjoys physically exploring, wanting to touch, step on things, splash in water. He still loves puddles, and now that his feet are a little bigger he can actually wear boots to do his splashing.

Luke is also very cheerful and sunshiney. Pretty much unless he's hungry or tired, Luke is happy. When he's the only kid in the house, he can play by himself and loves to not have to share toys. When other kids are around, he wants to play with them. He's a great hugger and enjoys snuggling.

Luke is still relatively predictable. He is nursing about 3 times a day - first thing in the morning (in my usually futile attempt to get him to go back to sleep), before nap time, and before bed. He takes one nap, usually starting between 1 and 2 pm. I really appreciate their sleeping at the same time, so I can nap, eat snacks I don't want to share, read, or get a few things done.

Most of Luke's favorite foods remain the same as well. He eats a banana every day, he loves his yogurt, blueberries, chicken, and peas. Luke is still in an adventurous eating stage - when we have curry or borscht, he'll give it a shot. Usually he likes it too, but occasionally he runs across a food he doesn't care for.

The biggest area of Luke's development has been language. He loves to name things, anything, and I love his cute toddler pronunciation ("opopus" = octopus). He's trying to figure out colors, and yellow is his favorite. At least half the time he's right. Luke is pretty good at getting his point across, especially when it involves food.

I'm definitely enjoying this stage. I wish I could freeze them here for a year or two.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T12:02:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! We've very much enjoyed our Christmas season so far. We've been eating a lot, playing with friends, and spending time as a family. It has been relaxing and enjoyable. We've been teaching the boys about the birth of Christ, and it's interesting to hear Micah's version of the story.

Yesterday we cooked breakfast with our friends and neighbors, Jered, Aimee and Juniper. We had bacon, oranges, pumpkin pancakes, and biscuits and gravy. The kids ran and played and the adults cooked and talked.

Luke was exhausted, so we spent the rest of the afternoon resting and playing. After both Mike and I ran and showered, we went driving around the neighborhoods looking at lights. Our neighborhood definitely has the most ...enthusiastic displays in the area. Micah and I are inspired to decorate next year.

After the boys' bath and requisite hyper nakey time, Mike read the Christmas story to them by the fire. Mike and I had curry for dinner and watched A Christmas Story. I think our very favorite part was wrapping presents for the boys and putting them in their stockings.

This morning Luke woke up and played in and around the bed. He and I were playing imitating each others' breaths when I realized there was another player - Micah had crawled in to snuggle beside Mike. So we all got up, some more energetically than others, for the daily yogurt eating. Micah noticed presents in the stockings (with a very sweet "oooh!"), so we built a fire and the boys opened their presents. We gave each of them a train and a set of cars (emily and the light up aquarium cars for Micah, and a freight train and mooing dairy cars for Luke).

The boys played while Mike and I exchanged presents. Mike gave me running clothes and cooking tools and I gave him Durham-themed presents. We had fun. Micah, like and I went shopping Thursday morning. Micah and I practiced keeping the presents a secret and NOT telling Dad what we got, but within 10 minutes of being home, Micah announced we got him a running hat and coffee mug. Mike pretended not to hear, and I laughed at Micah's sweet enthusiasm. Like his dad, he loves everything about presents.

Now I have a pumpkin spice cake in the oven. It is destined to receive a honey cream cheese frosting, then we'll take it to Eli, Alison, and Lili's house for dinner.

Micah: 3 Years

2011-12-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

I've put off writing this post for a long time. It's intimidated me, I want to do justice to the very three-ness that is Micah, to concisely sum up what the last years have meant to me. Yeah right, that is impossible. We're having a great time on this journey.

Micah definitely had a developmental spurt a week or two before his third birthday. All of a sudden, his brain was making connections in a new way, his language skills were exploding, he has a great imagination and sense of humor, and he started working on understanding his independence. Along with this came a desire to exert that independence. He wants to do things his way, and he pushes back a lot when things are not going as he thinks they should. That seemed to peak a few weeks ago, and this past week or two has been more calm. It seems to go better for both of us when I slow down and pay attention to what he needs.

To my surprise, another thing that seemed to help lessen Micah's ... whateverness ... was holding firm to boundaries. I like to be flexible when I can, but Micah went through a phase of always pushing and asking for more. Simple example, but if we were getting ready for nap time and I changed any element at his request, he then tried to change EVERYTHING and fell apart when I said no. He would specifically ask for things he KNEW I would say no to, it felt like just so he could have a fit. Like asking for cookies for breakfast or something. However, when I started (gently and respectfully) telling him that I wasn't going to change my mind, he didn't have to be happy about it but I wasn't going to change, then he started to be more OK with accepting the boundaries in place. My theory is that as he grows and gets more aware of the world, he starts to test his own power - who is in control? I do agree, though, with those who say kids do NOT want to be in control really (though they say they do). Micah wants me to know what's going on, to be the authority, and he is happier and calmer when he's not the one in charge.

Listening to Micah's stories and theories of the world is one of my very favorite things right now. He's hilarious, from declarations about colors, why the moon waxes and wanes, God, work, to when he'll be a grown up. I wish I could type as fast as he talks (and he talks allll the time), but his funniest moments tend to be in the car when I'm driving.

Micah's day consists of waking up around 7:30 am, or after 8 if we're all lucky. He and Luke run around and play while Mike gets ready for work. For breakfast, he has yogurt and usually some cereal (right now we're into Annie's cinnamon cereal). After breakfast he and Luke play while I do any morning chores and/or play with them. We try to get outside for a couple of hours in the morning, or go play at friends' houses. Lunch is usually sandwiches and fruit with dad, followed by nap time. We're into watching Dinosaur Train or Thomas the Train after naps. In the summer, with more daylight and warmer temps, we usually went out to play in the yard after naps. Autumn found us slowing down a lot. We usually have dinner by 5:30, followed by more play, bath and bed.

Two toddlers are very destructive. Cleaning feels like something worse than just going against the tide. Even if I get the house picked up before they go to bed, before I get up in the morning toys are everywhere. They also really like to help - help fold and put away laundry, put away dishes, clean up toys. I'm lucky if I find all the clothes later.

I don't think it's possible to accurately cover the difference between life 2, 3, or 4 years ago and this year. I love everything about now. Grossness, loudness, throwing and destructiveness even included. The sweetness and joy overwhelms me. Micah is a happy, happy guy. He loves his friends and family, he loves to bake, and he's learning so much, so quickly.

Leaves!

2011-12-05T16:32:00.002-05:00

2011-12-04T16:25:00.001-05:00

I will now reward you with 5 minutes of uninterrupted eye contact

Christmas Tree 2011

2011-12-03T16:14:00.005-05:00

Last weekend we set up our Christmas tree. We opted for a 4 footer on a side table, in hopes it would deter little hands from pulling all the ornaments and lights off.

Micah likes his stocking, he's tried it on and calls it his sock. Even though he firmly believed it belongs on the kitchen table, we hung it on the fireplace mantle.

Luke was just working soooo hard.

I believe the tree's name is Klaus Ludwig von Tannenbaum

Thanksgiving

2011-12-02T16:00:00.001-05:00

This year we went to Eli and Alison's for Thanksgiving. Celebrating with friends, it was an enjoyable afternoon and a great meal.

Ben and Luke wore matching shirts. And they weigh about the same.

Eli cooked an amazing meal for all of us. Turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans, rolls, and we all brought desserts.

We made a sweet potato pie out of purple sweet potatoes. It was fun to have a purple pie, but I'm not sure I actually like sweet potato pie. It's dense and drier than pumpkin pie and not as sweet.

ZOO

2011-12-01T15:39:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, the boys and I loaded up the car and headed down the road to the Zoo! We met Mom and Kimberly, and had a great day. Micah was sooo excited, by the time I got up in the morning, he was eating breakfast with his shoes on (still in his pj's), talking a mile a minute. He talked all the way there, all the way through the zoo, all the way home, all the way through bedtime...

Micah's favorite animal of the moment is the giraffe!

This chimp's name is Jonathan, and he waved back at us and made a "cheese" face for a picture!

Ha ha, this chimp was totally walking behind the other pulling on his feet. I love chimps.

They were equally excited about the hand dryer in the bathroom.

Luke fell asleep on the way home and slept all the way til 5:30 am, when I woke up to him singing at the top of his lungs. After a diaper change and snack, he went back to sleep til about 7:30.

Sickos

2011-11-07T16:24:00.001-05:00

We've been fighting the ick for 5 days now. It seems to involve fevers off and on and snottiness and in general not feeling good. Micah was so bad off I took him to the after hours sick clinic Friday evening. Diagnosis was viral upper respiratory infection (or "cold"), but I was glad to rule out something more serious.

Micah had to miss the first day of swim lessons and cancel a trip to his grandparents'. He was disappointed.

museum morning

2011-11-06T14:53:00.001-05:00

The other day, a friend canceled our playdate at the last minute, and we were already in the car. So we immediately headed to the museum to get out the wiggles and so the boys could play unrestricted.

things I love

2011-11-05T14:37:00.012-04:00

The sweetness in this time can make my heart ache and tears spring forth. Things I love:

- toddler jokes (knock knock, who's there, MOOSE)

- hysterical laughter

- 30 minutes of silence during nap time

- I see the moon, it's half a moon, the wind blew away the other half

- bouncing, hopping, springy running

- brothers who kiss and hug and tackle each other

- 2 kids in the tub

- by 10 pm, the toys scattered around the house look like the remnants of a day well-lived

- helping hands when I unload the dishwasher

- 2 boys who insist on hugs and kisses when dad goes to work

- 2 boys who eat a whole container of raspberries or strawberries in 2 minutes

- toddlers riding tricycles

- toddlers learning and practicing new words

- the cutest pronunciations ever (crockadoddle, zebrella, bud-da-die)

- Micah thinks "balance" is "bounce", and he's been known to lose his bounce

- Mom, I wuv you sooo much!

- face-splitting grins, stretching ear to ear

We Love To Play Outside

2011-11-04T14:16:00.001-04:00

What We Do When It's Rainy

2011-11-03T14:13:00.000-04:00

Potty Update

2011-11-03T14:05:00.000-04:00

Since Sunday, we've had 3 accidents. Total. That's a little crazy to me. We remind him to go every hour, and he does great. His accidents have all been when we're out and about. He also seems to have a problem figuring out how/when to poop on the toilet. I'm not sure he's comfortable with the way he sits on the toilet, it seems awkward. Plus the physical cues are different. So anyway, we're keeping on.

potty learning

2011-10-31T15:46:00.000-04:00

Last week, Micah decided he wants to wear underwear and stand up to pee, like the big kids. He spent Wednesday afternoon with a couple of boys 6-9 months older than he is and I guess he was inspired. It seems like it might be the right time to follow through, so with a little trial and error, he seems to be doing pretty well. Mike is excellent at helping Micah get the hang of it.

Micah doesn't quite get the "stop what I'm doing and go" thing, I really think because he doesn't anticipate it. If I ask if he has to go, he always says no. When we just tell him it's time to go try, he will sit and usually go then. Yesterday he wore underwear all day, no accidents after starting the try-every-hour policy, even when we went to church and friends' houses.

I'm a little surprised by the whole thing. I've only ever known diapers, I haven't had a kid wearing underwear and using the potty. But, I like it. Half the changes, half the washing ... yes please!

how jury duty turned out

2011-10-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

I am pleased to report it all went fine. I did manage to calm down last night and get a little more organized. Three fantastic mom friends cared for my children today. I realized pretty quickly that I live in a small county where no one does anything on time, so 8:30 is more like 8:30 ish ...

So jury duty was a new experience for me, I've never done this before. In a different place and time, I would have been really excited, actually. Maybe I watch too much Law&Order (I mean, can you really?). But anyway, if it were 3 years ago or 5 years from now, I'd be all about it. I hope they call me again!

Today I got there around 8:40, finally got through security, finally got checked in with 150 of my peers in the jury pool room. My first impression was that this was probably a pretty accurate cross-section. We watched a painfully detailed video about the process ("this is a judge..."). Then the Clerk rambled for 40 minutes, no lie. I'm not sure if she was stalling or what but I just ended up more confused about the day than I started.

After I read in the jury room for about an hour, she said they wouldn't need us this morning, so we could take a break from 11 to 2:30, woo hoo! She said she tries to get people out at 4 pm, so I really hoped with a quiet morning we would have a quiet afternoon and go home.

I got to play with Luke for about an hour on the break, then went back to the courthouse to read for another hour. At 3:45 they announce they're going to start seating a jury! What?! I was called in the 50 or so people who were to go to the courtroom, so we headed down the hall. The courtroom looks nothing like the ones on L&O, no windows, no paintings, and NO JACK MCCOY. Sigh.

They get 12 people up, ask questions like do you live in the city or the county, have you served on a jury, where do you work. They ruled out a few and dismissed them, asked a few more people questions. I did not think they could possibly pick their 12 jurors before 5 pm and prepared to come back in the morning to finish the process. I guess they got 12 they liked well enough, though, so we were dismissed, thanks that's your service for 2 years. Woo hoo!

I was relieved not to sit on that particular trial. The charge included assault in front of a child, and I'm not honestly sure I could have impartially listened. I was a crisis counselor at a domestic violence agency for a while and worked in women's substance abuse. I don't know if that would be enough that they wouldn't want me on the trial, but I was glad I didn't have to bring it up and admit that I might not be impartial. I feel like I SHOULD be, and I like to think I would be, but the question would be there.

Well, here's hoping I get a more entertaining trial next time, like my friend who got called the day before and is now sitting on a 5+ day trial.

meltdown level 5

2011-10-25T20:36:00.000-04:00

ok, so being in the midst a of a bit of a freak out, i thought i'd try to blow off steam by writing, as well as try to use it as a tool to get a handle on my thinking.

i have jury duty tomorrow. this hits every trigger point for anxiety for me - being on time, finding parking, talking with strangers (at length, i can small talk easily), planning the boys' childcare and asking friends to help, being away from the boys all day, not getting done any of the small things i usually do at home, and feeling completely like a jerk and out of control because i can't get a handle on how i'm feeling. probably one of the biggest is not knowing when it will end. i hate open-ended activities! i like to know the start and end time, it helps me be much more patient.

i feel UGH! my body is very tense, i have a headache, my thoughts are racing, and i can't get anything done because i can't focus long enough to do it. i can't think through the day well enough because of this out of control feeling, so i am feeling on edge that i am forgetting something, something CRUCIAL AND OH NO IT'S the UGH!

it's extra frustrating because when i step back and look at the situation logically, it is all ok. i will probably be more or less on time, there is a map to where to park, i will pack for the boys as best i can, but they do in fact have 2 parents who are quite competent, not to mention the women caring for the boys are all friends, moms themselves of kids the same age, and seemed agreeable to helping. there really is no catastrophe here.

i'm trying to calm down by focusing on small tasks that i know help me feel like i'm accomplishing something, like sweeping. then the floor is clean and looks more organized, i have gotten something done, and the action of getting anything done usually helps get more things checked off, much like writing a sentence, any sentence, helps the rest of the paper get written.

now i am getting ready to fold laundry, a repetitive, organizing task. i hoped writing would blow off steam, help me organize my thoughts, and see the logic in black and white. i'm still feeling hungry though and a little agitated.

on the plus side, they do pay $12 for the first day of jury duty, so hey!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-10-23T10:07:00.001-04:00

Nothing like starting the day baking muffins with a toddler. Plus then you get to eat them! The muffins, don't eat the toddler.

Luke: 16 Months

2011-10-22T15:12:00.030-04:00

This picture says a lot about Luke. He's wearing his brother's shoes (he loves stomping around in them to make them light up) and grinning as big as he can. He loves to play ball, and he LOVES to snuggle this dog.

Luke continues to be a very entertaining child. He's really excited to learn words. He says bus, book, box, blocks, banana (mana), Micah (Mina), truck, dinosaur, and butterfly (bud-da-die!). Luke also says the regulars, like mama and dada of course. I LOVE the cute ways he says things. And even if he doesn't clearly say the word for something, Luke is very clear about his wants and needs. He is good at communication.

Luke continues to be a great eater. He will attempt to eat pretty much anything, whether or not I think it is good for him. He was very excited to get molars so that he can eat cashews and gummy bunny treats now. In general, Luke's food day includes frozen blueberries, o-cereal and possibly a frozen waffle in the morning (still frozen, no toasting for him), a banana, black olives, sliced turkey, half a veggie burger, several ounces of raspberries for lunch, and dinner will be a quesadilla, scrambled eggs, chicken, frozen cherries or mangoes, or a combination of the above. He continues to eat as much as or more than his brother, and Micah frequently passes over his uneaten portions for Luke to finish up.

In addition to all the food he eats, Luke still nurses during the day. He definitely nurses less than his brother did, he's down to 3 or 4 times a day. When I'm not around, Luke doesn't seem stressed about not nursing. He's happy to nurse whenever I suggest it, but he really doesn't ask often.

Probably one of the reasons that Luke is a lightweight for his age is because he GOES constantly. If he's awake, he's moving. Luke is climbing up on kitchen stools, the toilet, the changing table, into his car seat. He is very confident that he can do anything!

Fortunately for me, Luke is also an excellent sleeper. He is pretty consistent, also different from his brother in this way. Luke goes to bed usually by 7:30 pm. Sometimes it's a little earlier if he's been playing hard or gotten a short nap. He'll wake up sometimes once or twice if he can't find the pacifier, but goes back to sleep immediately when he is laid down again. He wakes up around 6:30 in the morning and gets up for the day around then or 7:30 am. He'll usually take one nap a day, he'd like to go down around noon but I prefer if he goes to sleep at 1:30 so he and Micah match up. Luke still sleeps in our bed, but Micah is asking if Luke can move to his bed soon. I think Micah is a little too excited about this possibility.

It May Be a Process, But It's OUR Process

2011-10-21T15:49:00.001-04:00

Mike and I have been evaluating where we are and where we're going. Some call it a five year plan, some call it reverse engineering, whatever it is, we're looking at our days, weeks, the upcoming months, our family's goals and priorities. We've learned enough about ourselves that we know better how we work, what we need and who we want to be.

Need is a word I've been pondering lately. I think I have certain needs, but sometimes I wonder if something I think is a need is really NEED or just really strong want - and what purpose does it serve in my life? Am I going about meeting this need in the right way? I know I need rest, I know I do best with a certain amount of non-nurturing, non-kid-focused time in my day. How is the best way to get this solo, adult time? How much do I really NEED, and when does it become just self-indulgent laziness?

I don't think there is an absolute measure for these things. How much time I need varies by the season, by the day of the week, by what else we have going on in our lives. Some weeks I'm just more tired than others and need more breaks of no one talking to me. In general, I've gotten faster at maximizing the quiet times. I don't count on nap time lasting longer than 30 minutes, I take a little bit of time to relax and zone out at the beginning of nap time, THEN I do the chores I want to get done around the house. If I do it the other way and little feet interrupt what I view as "me" time, I get much more annoyed.

I'm also trying to be careful about how I use time. I don't want to just have knee-jerk labeling reactions ("all internet reading is wasted time!"), but I also think I could be more efficient with what I am doing. I want to use my best times of the day, when I work the most quickly and cheerfully, to do the "tasks" or housework, and save the more indulgent, "relaxing" things for when I am lower on the energy levels. It's terrible to be feeling tired and drained and not able to relax because all I can think about is emptying the dishwasher.

That said, another area I'm looking at is what I read online. I really enjoy reading advice columns and some other less-literary sites. Lately, I've been thinking that this is pretty useless. I have always looked at advice columns as an anthropological study. Who writes what and why, how do people think, what kind of advice is given. But I think I've internalized it too much. The advice is usually pretty humanist in orientation and definitely not gospel-centered. It's one of those issues that isn't "bad" or "good", but since it doesn't seem to be beneficial to ME, I am going to limit my online reading. I have a lot I want to study about, I might as well use online time for beneficial reading.

well that's one way to have a morning

2011-10-20T14:43:00.001-04:00

Ugh, annoying morning. I've needed to get my phone camera lens fixed for a while, somehow I managed to shatter that tiny little piece but in no way damage anything else. I went to the Sprint store yesterday, but the line was crazy so I made an appointment for 10 today.

I don't know about everyone else, but to me appointment means they see you ahead of walk ins, you jump the line, whatever. I had been told I would drop off the phone and could pick it up later. After a 45 minute wait, it literally took 2 minutes to fix. I got more and more annoyed during the wait. I had a friend we were supposed to see (ugh, now we're late, and I hate open-ended waits HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?!).

One of those situations where it seems like they could just manage expectations better. If they had been accurate at all about how long the wait was or been able to manage the queue better, I would not have been so mad. I got the impression it is always like that.

Then at noon we had chimney guys in to clean it and inspect it. Well, it's clean but they said it has some pretty bad cracks that need repair. Mike is looking in to how dire the situation is, but $2600 to repair gives me heartburn. Especially after getting termite treatment done and a new water heater ... I feel 15 years too young for this.

ways i handle it

2011-10-19T14:50:00.000-04:00

so after spilling my guts about my emotional state and mood last week, i wanted to follow up with some of the practical ways i take care of my mental health. starting to be open and honestly talking about where i am and how i'm feeling is really helping. i feel a lot better than i did last week, which makes me feel hopeful.

1. basics - there are 3 things i know impact me. sleep, diet, and exercise. if i don't get enough sleep, if i'm not eating healthy foods, if i'm not getting enough exercise, i tend to get a little off track. after a while, a little off track becomes a lot of track and then off the rails. my sleep habits haven't changed in months and i think i usually eat fairly healthy-ish (though i will own up to needing more fruits and veggies and if anyone has suggestions for mind-healthy foods i'm all ears [like, do omega-3's help here? iron? what?]). i would like to be more consistent in running, the mileage just hasn't been there. i feel the best mentally and physically when i can run a certain distance fairly easily. unfortunately, it takes a time commitment to do that and i just haven't wanted to put that much time into it lately. although, i guess everything takes time, and if running for an hour means 23 hours of good mental health, perhaps i should think about that.

2. self-talk - i need to have positive self-talk. not in a "oh you're so great" way, but not being critical of myself, and not immediately jumping to the worst possible conclusion. ok so i forgot to sweep today. i DID remember to feed the kids and both of them wore clothes most of the day, so let's cut some slack and call it a win ok?

3. realistic expectations - like #2 (HA!), i have this distorted vision in my head of what i'm SUPPOSED to be able to do in a day, keeping the house clean, being patiently nurturing and gentle all day, playing with my kids, cooking full meals from whole organic foods and creating teaching, engaging games. yeah right. i know there are women who DO this, but we have established it's not me. i would also argue there are fewer women out there who do this than i think there are. most of my friends sort of keep house, do a good job taking care of their kids, and get take-out when they need to.

i noticed this weekend that it seems to take 4 adults to keep a household running - watching the kids, cleaning the house, earning a living and cooking the meals. i need some more wives maybe.

4. self-absorption - i also do get stuck in a cycle of ruminating. i'm really good at evaluating where i am, i know myself well, and i keep up with my mental and emotional state really well. i also get mired down in it, spending a little too much time thinking about myself, how i'm feeling and what i'm doing. i'd prefer to spend my mental energy focusing on some other things.

5. ok now i feel like a jerk for not putting this as #1, but just pretend it is, ok? it should be first in priority. anyway, with that lead-in, i'm also learning a lot about God and the gospel. Who is God? Who am in relation to Him? What has He done for me (us), and how am i now called to live in light of this? remembering these things and learning about them is actually really reassuring, encouraging, and edifying.

i'm taking a little time (despite what i just said in #4) to see how things shake down. my counselor moved to an office about 30 minutes away, and that is further than i want to go. so we'll see how that goes.

Hanging Rock

2011-10-18T20:12:00.000-04:00

My brother's 22nd birthday was this weekend (hi Jim!). For as long as I can remember, we've celebrated his birthday with a big family party - bonfire, roasting hot dogs, telling stories, making s'mores. So this weekend we went home for some family time.

During the day on Saturday, Mike, Kimberly, the boys and I went up to Hanging Rock.

We are off to a rough start...

The leaves were beautiful, I'm sure next weekend will be spectacular

how we all felt on the way home...

pumpkin pie

2011-10-15T18:46:00.018-04:00

A few weeks ago, I bought a pie pumpkin from the farmers' market. I bought a largish one, because Micah and I like to bake, and she said we'd get about 5 cups of puree from that pumpkin. Now I understand what she meant.

It took me a few weeks to get around to working with it. I consulted the google, where I learned I'd have to bake the pumpkin to soften it, puree that bad boy, THEN I could finally get around to cooking with it. I try to bake sweets later in the day, or Micah will want to ONLY eat that for the rest of the day (one day he might have eaten a dozen cookies...). I finally had enough time to want to figure it out.

Day 1, I hacked into the pumpkin with a serrated knife, producing lots of flattened pumpkin (this was a lot of effort, I can't emphasize how much effort). I had scooped out the seeds and junk with an ice cream scoop, and the seeds went into a container of water, because I am a nice spouse. Instead of just composting them, I washed them, dried, salted, and roasted them. And saved a few in case anyone feels like growing heirloom pie pumpkins next year. Then I put the pieces of pumpkin in oven-safe glassware, covered it, and baked it for a while on 350.

Day 2, I got the hacked up, baked and softened pumpkin pieces out of the fridge, used a table spoon to scoop the flesh out, and pureed it in a food processor. Micah and I used about half of it to make 2 pumpkin pies. I pureed the rest and saved it a couple of days, until we made a pie to take to community group.

The final verdict is that making a pie from an actual pumpkin is very, very worth the effort. Especially now that my sister told me I should bake the pumpkin BEFORE hacking it up, I'm all set. I will also get a smaller pumpkin, that one was just ridiculous. Anyway, the pie had a better, grainier texture, and a really good pumpkin flavor. The color was great, just an all around tasty pie. Now to find a recipe we can tweak, call our own, and pass down secretively.

my brain is selling me out

2011-10-14T09:12:00.000-04:00

I am not doing well. I am not OK. My serotonin is not doing what it is supposed to do. Anxiety and depression are ruling my roost and I need it to stop.

Posts like this are paralyzing, but writing it down, getting the words out, letting other people know I need HELP is the very best thing I can do. None of it is "logical", I can think through everything I am going to say and argue against it myself. I don't need a "buck up" speech, or suggestions for what to do.

I hesitate to write because I think either everyone feels this way and just copes better than I do, or no one else feels this way and now they know I'm a freak.

It's not that I'm unhappy, which is the most frustrating thing. I love love LOVE what I am doing in my life, marriage is good, the kids are so cute. It makes feeling this way worse, because I feel like I'm missing this time sometimes. I feel overdramatic, like maybe if I just try harder it will change, like I need to suck it up, smile, and be OK.

I feel desperate, trapped, extremely irritable. It takes a lot of effort to do the regular everyday things, adding anything extra just feels monumentally hard. I feel tired all the time, but I feel like I never get anything done. I feel tense, I have fears of irrational things (I probably don't need to keep an eye out in case someone broke into the house earlier and is hiding in the kids' closet). I have cried the past 3 days, I am impatient. I never feel like I'm doing the right thing, I second guess interactions with others, I always see more that I should have done. I feel ashamed of my feelings, like moms should not be tired, drained, resentful. I feel like it's my fault, if I would just change my thinking, run harder or farther, be more diligent in any number of areas then it would all be OK.

The good thing is that it's not 24/7. These feelings come and go throughout the day, but they're strong. I also have enough experience with this that I know by now that it's a physiological thing going on with my body. I'm running several days a week, and I know my fitness is a big deal to feeling good. Sleep has been here and there, more consistent sleep would probably help, but that actually hasn't changed in the past few months. I eat pretty healthfully, though I could stand more fruits and veggies.

After talking about how I'm feeling, my next step is to call a counselor. I had a counselor in grad school that I really liked. I feel like I need a tune up. I can recognize places where my thoughts are illogical and influencing how I'm feeling, but it seems like I need someone outside myself to highlight these areas and help me figure out how to change it. If that isn't helpful, I'll ask my midwife for medication at my physical next month. For me, that is the last step, as I don't want to deal with the side effects.

Beach: It's Fall

2011-10-13T15:41:00.006-04:00

We had perfect weather during the second half of the week, then Friday night a cold front came through, and when we woke up Saturday, it was fall. Blue, blue skies, blue water, clear air - all so beautiful.

The transition home has been HARD. I think the only reason I was OK to leave the beach in August was because I knew we had the September trip planned. This time, I just felt sad. The end of vacation, the end of summer ...

Beach: Last Day

2011-10-12T15:35:00.002-04:00

There will never be enough time at the beach!

I would not have believed Micah would be running through the waves if I hadn't seen it myself and taken pictures!

Beach: Perfect Day

2011-10-11T15:18:00.016-04:00

The week we were at the beach was the perfect day. Up early (thanks kids), play on the beach, lunch, nap, more hours on the beach. We went out to dinner, windblown, sun kissed and still sandy.

I don't think I lived up to Kimberly's abilities, but I still dug dino holes, built sandcastles for stomping on, and brought buckets of water for play and dumping over.

I think this picture sums up the kids well - constant movement!

The water was warm enough for swimming, if the sun was out

Oh no!!! I can't get out of the hooooole!!!

Take that HOLE!

Beach: Aquarium

2011-10-10T09:09:00.000-04:00

I love to visit the aquarium. I must, to give up a couple of hours on the beach!

I'm not sure if you can tell what's going on here, but there was a fish that was very close to where Micah was standing, and he and another 3 year old struck up a conversation about the fish and what all the other fish in the tank were doing. In the past few weeks, I've been noticing Micah starting to engage in cooperative play with other kids his age, especially boys. I'm not sure how, but boys all seem to know how to play the same way. It's fun to watch.

I love the octopus, and this seems likes a very dramatic pose to me. I picture the octopus SWEEPING out in an angst-ridden swoon to stage a very good hissy fit for the other fish nearby. Drama Pod.

I don't know why, but Micah really likes snakes. Here he is explaining to Lili that if you see a snake, don't touch it, run away and tell your dad.

And snack time again

I couldn't get a good picture, but I was trying to compare the size of Luke to this catfish. I actually think the catfish is bigger.

Beach: No More Rain, Please

2011-10-09T08:27:00.001-04:00

By Tuesday, I had about had enough of the rain. I won't even pretend like I'd ever had a good attitude about the rain. I was stir crazy, Micah was tired of inside (even with a trip to the aquarium and some short forays outside), and I am sure I was getting on Mike's nerves. After all, at the beach one should be out ON THE SAND! Right?! I DID actively try to have a good attitude, but apparently I can only force it for a day or two, and even then I can only force it about halfway.

Sunday we went to the aquarium, and Tuesday morning we went to Beaufort to the Maritime Museum. I really wanted to see the new exhibit on Blackbeard and the Queen Anne's Revenge. The museum is interesting for adults, though on the small side. It is not a fun place for toddlers to go play since there just isn't ~~much~~ anything to touch and play with.

I know Luke, I know, we all feel the same way!

Beaufort is a beautiful town with a very colorful history, and I do enjoy wandering down Front Street. Just not in the rain.

Mike and Micah still had a little sleep to catch up on, so after the museum while they napped, Luke and I took advantage of the SUN and played on the beach! After Tuesday morning, the sun came out, the weather was perfect, and we spent hours in the sand digging holes and playing T-Rex.

2011-10-08T16:02:00.001-04:00

This morning Mike helped our friends move, so the boys and I went to the farmer's market. We bought meat, cheese, veggies, a cantaloupe, and stopped for a snack break. Micah had a donut muffin and Luke and I shared a savory butternut squash tartlet.

Then we walked over to the Y to sign both boys up for swim lessons. Mike and Luke will be in the parent-child class, but Micah will be in a 3 year old class with other kids and a teacher. When I explained this to him he got sooo excited about the teacher and class, I wonder what he thinks is happening here!

Beach: Cold Play

2011-10-08T08:19:00.007-04:00

There is only so much inside time Micah can handle, and he conned us into taking him outside to play during less-rainy times. He told us he "needs to dig in the sand!" so being the good parents that we are, we suited up and out we went.

Luke loves Darth Baby time. It's sort of handy in that it will motivate him to get rinsed off after playing outside - the promise of wrapping up in a towel and wandering around is enough to get him to (not at all) tolerate the cold spray down. But he sure is cute!

And then we eat! Again... these guys seriously eat a ton. We go through a pound of strawberries at one meal, I never plan for them to last longer than lunch that day. But they're just so darn cute.

Beach: in the Fall

2011-10-07T20:05:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago, our little family of four went down to the beach for a week. I'm used to summer beach vacations, and this was definitely fall weather.

The weather was cooler, cloudier, and rainier. It was beautiful, and in a life pre-children, I would have spent the first 3 days reading on the couch or in front of the window. Maybe a walk on the beach during the moments of lighter precipitation.

Our house was actually in pretty rough shape. This is the view of the back, and I think you can see the siding and shingles that Hurricane Irene blew off. The inside was in equally bad shape, but seemed to be more due to Hurricane Rough Summer (or Rough Three Years). On the other hand, it made having 3 toddlers in a beach house a little bit easier - we weren't quite so anxious about sand and salt everywhere.

The views at this time of year are pretty amazing. The air is clearer than in the summer, and the beaches are definitely less crowded. It was us and the retirees and a few other toddlers. The water is bluer, but it was still warm enough to swim, and the seashells were beautiful.

Brothers

2011-10-06T10:28:00.001-04:00

How they grow so quickly!

Luke: 15 Months

2011-09-22T17:29:00.000-04:00

I haven't written a month update on Luke in several months. This is not due to any lack on Luke's part, it's because life with 2 toddlers is very, very active, and getting time to write plus brain power to structure sentences at the same time can be tough.

Luke continues to be a hilarious child. He is well aware that he is very funny, and he uses it to his advantage. He seems to think he can do whatever he wants as long as he is smiling or laughing. I must not mean it when I tell him not to stand in his high chair, see how happy he is?! He laughs a lot, plays constantly, sings with his brother, and generally runs amok.

Even though he's in the 8th percentile for weight, Luke eats constantly. In a given day, he eats about twice as much as Micah does. He usually eats o-cereal and frozen blueberries for breakfast. Plus a mini bagel or frozen waffle (Micah and Luke both eat their frozen waffles literally frozen. I have no idea why, but they both demand it that way and are heartbroken if I attempt to toast it) and he'll eat whatever Micah doesn't manage to finish from his own. Lunch is usually a banana, black olives, peanut butter crackers, some of whatever Micah is eating. He also likes to eat veggie burgers, frozen cherries and mangoes, chicken, quesadillas, shrimp, scrambled eggs ... actually, the list of what he DOESN'T eat would be much shorter. Luke doesn't like to eat (or drink) dairy products, and it tends to give him a really bad diaper rash, so we avoid that.

Right now, our daily eating patterns are about 3 meals and 2 snacks. Luke and Micah have breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a post-nap snack, and then they eat dinner around 5:30 pm. I like to have lights out for them at 7:30 pm, so an early dinner is the easiest way to accomplish this.

Sleep is usually good for Luke. He gets up around 6:30 am with Mike, plays until Mike goes to work, then eats breakfast. I prefer for Micah and Luke to take a nap at the same time, around 1 pm, but probably at least a third of the time Luke falls asleep mid-morning. Lately that has been his only nap of the day. If he sleeps in the morning I also like for him to have a later afternoon nap, but he's not been a fan of that at all. If Luke is overtired he will sleepwalk, which is a little creepy. Micah talks and laughs in his sleep, but usually doesn't walk. Luke's bedtime routine is diaper change, pj's, tooth brushing, 2 books, and nurse then snuggle to sleep.

Luke is still nursing, though not nearly as frequently as Micah was at this age. He nurses about 4 times in 24 hours, and I've been consciously trying to offer a few more times during the day, just to get more calories in the kid. When I think about doing it, that will get him up to about 6 times in 24 hours. After he goes to sleep at bedtime, Luke normally doesn't nurse again until 6 am.

Luke officially has 12 teeth, 4 on top, 4 on bottom, and all 4 molars have started coming in. Those 4 molars aren't really useable quite yet, but they are present and hard-earned so I count them. He's also working on the other 4 canines.

One of my favorite things at the moment, besides Luke's intense love of his hand-me-down boots from Malachi, is that Micah and Luke do so well together and make each other laugh. They play together really well, look out for each other, and are starting to make up games together. Well, toddler version of games. Luke doesn't know he's only 15 months old, he thinks he and Micah are the same age. This is funny usually because Luke is so small, but it can be problematic when Luke takes off climbing on something he's not quite ready for.

Brooklyn Weekend

2011-09-20T17:10:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we visited Melinie, Ben, and Malachi in Brooklyn. We had a fantastic time and really appreciate their hosting us. We flew up Friday afternoon. The flight was scheduled for 1:30 pm, and we had the timing perfect. Except for the 1 hour delay, so Luke took his nap before the flight and had a great time throwing a one-kid comedy show for the other passengers. He's a good flyer, but that wears me out.

We spent the weekend generally playing a lot and eating food. Micah and Luke thought this playground in Prospect Park was fantastic. They loved going down the slide 50 times in a row. We also played at the playground near their church. I thought that was a really interesting experience, since the playground was more "city", enclosed in chain link fence and not in a park. I felt so metropolitan.

The view from the roof deck. You can see the whole Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.

We finally have our traveling down. Each boy has their own bag (which they can carry sometimes), with toys, snacks, and diapers. We can pack pretty lightly for a 2 day trip, making the trip seem a little easier.

Micah and Luke love the airport and watching the planes come in and out. They also love to ride in the taxi and on subways. It is a very fun age to travel.

Beach: Play Time!

2011-09-18T10:52:00.004-04:00

Yes, that is Luke in the water

Beach: Pier Fishing

2011-09-17T10:14:00.006-04:00

The guys enjoy going fishing on the pier at least once during the week at the beach. Micah and I had gone to the fruit stand and Lowes, and Mike called to say they were on their way. I dropped Micah off, because he really wanted to see the fishing. He seemed to have a good time, Ben caught a blue, and everyone appeared to be happy.

Though Micah's favorite part might actually have been the hot dog. That kid loves hot dogs.

park kind of evening

2011-09-16T10:08:00.005-04:00

We try to definitely get outside time in the morning. Some days, we find that we also need a little outside time in the afternoon. These days we are eating dinner around 5, so we don't usually spend very long outside, but the other day was just one of those days that both boys needed a little sun, air, and pond.

We sighted no whales, much to Micah's disappointment. Or crockadoddles.

Beach: Early Mornings

2011-09-15T23:13:00.000-04:00

Luke woke (wakes) up early, even at the beach. Either Mike or I would get up with him, make coffee, and head to the beach. The light was lovely, despite the bleary eyes.

What everyone else looks like at this time of day

Luke's Rough Life

2011-09-15T15:29:00.001-04:00

Kid's got it made

Date: Duke Homestead

2011-09-13T15:30:00.032-04:00

Last weekend, Patrick and Sarah from our community group hung out with the boys in the morning, and Mike and I went on a date! We visited Duke Homestead. Believe it or not, we have lived in Durham for 5 years and have never visited.

The farmhouse was built in the 1850's, I believe, and the back addition added in 1870. We didn't take the guided tour, so we couldn't go in the house.

The site includes replicas of the tobacco barns and factories where the Duke family manufactured tobacco products for sale. Washington Duke came back from the Civil War with a plan. He started farming tobacco, created the company, and by 1890 was doing $4.5 MILLION a year in business. That's crazy. Washington Duke fascinates me.

I am really not sure how they were able to get anything done back in the day. If I had to keep a garden well enough to can the produce to get through the winter (OK, right there we're starving to death...), make all my own soap, keep chickens, raise grapes, collect walnuts and pecans, plus all the clothes making, on top of raising kids, etc, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't make it. Plus if you live out on the farm, it's not like you're socializing with your friends frequently. It sounds like hard work, and lonely.

They have a small tobacco patch too, which is kind of amusing. It's just odd to see tobacco as an exhibit in the museum, since it used to be just what was grown all around. Kind of like having possums at the Museum of Life & Science.

Here is Mike, bringing work home and pretending to be a tobacco hornworm

There is also a museum that goes through a little of the history of tobacco - growing, processing, and sales. It's pretty interesting, and it also helped me realize just how much impact the family has had on Durham. I knew it abstractly, but it's pretty impressive.

Beach: Sea Turtles

2011-09-12T14:57:00.027-04:00

This is a simulated cross-section of a sea turtle nest from the aquarium

Again this year we had the unique experience of watching a sea turtle nest boil. On Emerald Isle, loggerhead sea turtles lay eggs starting in May. Volunteers from the Sea Turtle Patrol walk the beach each morning and mark the nests' locations. I believe there were about 15 nests this year, with the last one expected to hatch the last week in September.

Eggs incubate for 55-65 days, so around day 55 (or earlier), the volunteers dig a trench from the nest site to guide the hatchlings towards the ocean. The eggs will hatch one day, and then soon the baby turtles will all erupt from the nest and dash towards the ocean. It's very exciting, unpredictable, and involves hours of waiting for a 10 minute event.

My sister, Kimberly, goes and meets the volunteers watching the nest. They go sit by the nest starting around 7 pm, as the sun goes down and the sand cools. The temperature tells the turtles when it is safe to emerge. Usually the turtles come out late at night, but since it's possible for them to come early, the volunteers are prepared. Kimberly's persistence and patience in forming relationships with the volunteers is why we have been able to see boils for the past 2 years. We heard from many, many people at the excavation who said they had missed it by a day, or had been waiting for years and never seen a boil. Kimberly went to check the nest one night, connected with the volunteers, and was going to head back to our house when they realized there was a hole in the sand, meaning the turtles are coming TONIGHT!

Jimmy, Laurie, Mom, Mike and I got our shoes and headed down to the nest. We got there around 10 or 10:30 at night, and waited watching the sand, nest, waves and full moon for 2 hours. Unfortunately, the moon was too bright to see the meteor showers. Finally, around 12:30 am, we watched in quiet excitement as the tiny turtles started pouring from the nest. They are just a few inches long, but determined to reach the water. They dig in their flippers, and head for the sound of the waves in the light of the moon. The volunteers and crowd watched carefully, quietly pushing sand to guide the turtles. Each turtle reached the surf, and zipped away. They will swim for 50 miles to reach their new home and spend the next 10 years feeding on seaweed. A volunteer told us 1 in 1000 turtles reach adulthood, which means about 1.5 of the turtles hatched on Emerald Isle this year will reach the age of 25. They are endangered. It is also a $170,000 fine to kill a sea turtle, so we were all very careful where we put our feet that night!

The tiny little tracks of the sea turtles are unique and an amazing (and strongly scented) testament to their determination and the awe and miracle of the nest's boil. I wish there were a hatching song we could sing to let the tiny turtles know we are there for them and will protect and guide them to the sea.

On Saturday, the Patrol excavated the nest. They give the hatchlings several days to hatch on their own and make it to the water by themselves. I'm not sure why, but it seems to be better than if they excavated it right away. They count the eggs hatched, rescue any who hatched late or were trapped at the bottom, or for whatever reason didn't make it out during the boil. They also collect any sea turtles with bent flippers who go to the nursery at the aquarium to rest up and heal before being released to the sea. They also count the eggs that spoiled and sea turtles that didn't make it.

The whole thing is a fascinating event to watch, and I feel humbled to observe it.

Remembering

2011-09-11T08:41:00.036-04:00

Ten years ago, I was starting my senior year of college, living in the Phi Mu house with 2 roommates. I was probably getting ready for class (or eating breakfast and trying to figure out if it was too early in the semester to skip class) when my roommate's mother called her to tell her to turn on the television. We had a scratchy tv in our room, so we watched the news. I did not comprehend at all the enormity of what we saw on the tv. My memories are still hazy about the day, I can't say for sure what I actually REMEMBER, and what I think I remember.

Most of us who lived in the house spent the day in the tv room, watching news coverage all day. Most instructors canceled classes. Many students had friends and family in the NYC area, and worried about their safety.

As I thought about this post, I tried to think about the day, the upcoming weeks, how the US and world were changed by that day. I also thought of how everyone in our country would be pausing in some way to remember that day, whether a ceremony, remembering loved ones, a blog post, facebook status, or other token. I have to admit, I felt a reluctance or even aversion to writing about the day.

Is that the sort of thing one can openly admit to? It seems callous, unfeeling, or un-American. I think some of it stems from feeling like an outsider, like it only affected New York City. I didn't lose a loved one, and aside from longer travel lines, I can't say my OWN life has been much affected. Or has it? I have friends in the military, I think 9/11 directly impacted politics that do directly impact my life (the people in power not only make military policy but social program policies and funding too), and friends and family who lived and live in the NYC area. My family and I travel by plane. It is not inconceivable that something might happen again, which adds an aspect of caution and fear to travel.

I think that as a human being who watched airplanes fly into skyscrapers in New York on a September day, who had friends with loved ones who were threatened, who consumes American media, who votes in America, who belongs to an age group with peers in the military, as a human being with compassion for other human beings, it turns out I AM impacted after all, in ways I refuse to think about until I stop and reflect.

Beach: Aquarium

2011-09-10T14:24:00.012-04:00

I love to visit the aquarium during our beach trip. Last year we got a membership, which also gives us access to the zoo. And, more importantly, an angelfish sticker to put on our car so everyone knows we are aquarium members.

I could so be an alligator

Jellyfish might be one of my favorite exhibits at the aquarium

Flounders are just gross looking. They just are. BUT they do change colors in light and dark sand, so that is cool.

The octopus is probably my favorite exhibit

Beach: Relaxing

2011-09-09T14:11:00.011-04:00

Last month we went to the beach, with my parents, all my siblings, and all the kids in tow. Ten adults and 3 kids, a merry band of outlaws. Or in-laws I guess.

This year we again rented a beach-front house. For 2 years, in an attempt at frugality, we were on the second row. However, in my opinion, being ocean-front is worth it. All those 10 adults and 3 toddlers haul a lot of gear out to the beach, and it's much easier to just walk down your own boardwalk. And Luke and Micah are probably not on the same timetable (their own or an adult's), and it's much, much simpler not to have to haul down a picnic basket, cooler, etc for what will probably just be a short time actually ON the beach.

Plus it's great to sit in rocking chairs on the deck and watch the waves

Luke: 15 Month Stats

2011-09-08T13:46:00.001-04:00

Height: 31.5 in 55th percentile
Weight: 20 lb 13.5 oz 8th percentile

Luke has gained just half an ounce in 3 months and dropped more on the growth chart. Not for the first time, I am very appreciative of our pediatrician, who was very unconcerned about the whole thing. He didn't get alarmist and label Luke failure to thrive, he just suggested maybe don't let him have free reign access to water all day in case he's missing hunger cues.

As a mom, it's hard not to worry. Especially as Micah was 25 pounds and 33.5 inches at this point!

Then we got Luke's 2nd DTaP vaccine, which he found offensive and pulled the needle out of his leg and getting vaccine everywhere. The nurse was annoyed with ME, like I should have seen that coming. Perhaps she was having a bad day.

2011-09-06T09:24:00.001-04:00

"This is my sad face. Because I'm done shopping. And we don't have any tomatoes."

Hanging Rock

2011-09-03T09:35:00.011-04:00

On Kimberly's birthday, the boys and I went home to visit her for the day. We went to Hanging Rock to hike to a waterfall.

At first Micah was very hesitant about the waterfall, but after just a moment of orientation and observation, he jumped in with both feet and had a blast.

Micah even handled a slip with aplomb

Trikes

2011-09-02T16:07:00.014-04:00

Thinking Micah would enjoy biking (or pedaling) with his friends, I searched and searched for a Big Wheels style trike. He's a tall guy, so sometimes his legs can get in his way if the bike is too small. He's also not even 3, so his coordination skills made me concerned a traditional red trike might be too likely to flip over. I wanted a trike with a low center of gravity and sturdy enough for him.

Big Wheels are pretty expensive these days, and I didn't find any at consignment or thrift stores, so I eventually ordered the style I wanted on Amazon. Much drama... Anyway, finally found what I wanted and Mike put it together for Micah.

The actual pedaling part isn't going so well for him. As in, it's not. I worried about this til another mom friend with an older toddler boy told me it took hers several months to really get it. Micah's perfectly happy walking his trike around, so I figure I can let him learn his own way and get the pedaling and steering down whenever it happens for him.

Crash at the park

And if it comes to it, maybe Lili will just teach him what to do.

T-Ball

2011-09-01T16:00:00.007-04:00

A little while ago we picked up a t and bat set for the boys. Both of them enjoy hitting from the t and fielding balls in the back yard. It's always nice to have a different outside activity. Micah is left-handed, Mike had to be sure to teach him to hit left-handed and not right-handed.

Fishing

2011-08-31T15:54:00.001-04:00

Micah had been hounding us for a while about going fishing. So on Father's Day, we finally took him to a pond around the corner to go fishing and start teaching him how.

Luke and I walked around and played ball in the grass.

Micah took one look at the fish Mike caught and took off running. I'm not sure what he THOUGHT fishing was, but actual fishing surprised him. Luke wanted to touch it, of course.

Bear Cave

2011-08-30T15:47:00.007-04:00

Here Micah is playing bear in a cave. He's definitely started playing make-believe full force. It's really, really fun. He makes up songs, stories, things he "sees". We have dinosaurs, sharks, dolphins, and various other animals "all over" our house.

Make believe play is fun to see him explore imagination and creativity. It's also a good way for him to explore and get a handle on fears. He thinks fire, robots, sharks, and dark are scary (and well, who can blame him?), but he pretends a lot with them. That is a little confusing, it would seem logical to avoid them, right? Except that by playing with them, he can make them seem smaller and manageable, and use play to try to figure out what they might be like. He also gets to manipulate them in ways HE can control.

Outside Time

2011-08-29T15:41:00.004-04:00

Not sure why Micah was naked and Luke wasn't, but I suspect Luke just wasn't YET.

Our basic schedule right now involves outside time from about 10 to 12 each morning. I love meeting friends at pools or parks, or just walking around outside our house and neighborhood.

I'm appreciating that now both boys go run and play on their own independently. Luke is slightly too independent for my taste, and I have to keep an eye that he won't walk off something in his confidence. On the other hand, it's been really beautiful to watch Micah get some confidence in his ability.

Night Out

2011-08-28T15:33:00.000-04:00

I never thought I'd be much of a regular-bed-time scheduler person. However, shockingly, I have discovered it really does work better for all 4 of us to have a bit of a plan for our day.

Thus we don't usually go out to dinner as a foursome. One night we did, we went to Moe's, where I know the boys will also like the food and it's informal so I don't worry quite so much about the destruction left in their wake.

There is a fountain outside Moe's, and we can't go past any water without stopping to look and see if we can possibly, possibly touch it!

Grocery Shopping with 2

2011-08-27T15:26:00.006-04:00

Until recently, I have put Luke in the carrier and Micah rides in the cart when we grocery shop. I'm starting to realize it can benefit me to have both of them helping me though ... ha. But seriously, Micah does enjoy the 2-seater carts and usually he and Luke like to ride together. Some carts (I'm looking at you Target and Kroger), have seats that face each other or put the kids very close together and far from me. They spend the whole time messing with each other and trying to grab things off the shelf.

Harris Teeter has side by side carts, they do well in these

What we do at 8 am

2011-08-27T08:09:00.001-04:00

Doesn't everyone? They're being dinosaurs in nests.

Everything

2011-08-26T15:23:00.000-04:00

Busy busy busy ... been going at full speed, trying to absorb all the sweetness, weather the emotional storms, and sleep as much as possible.

Weaning: Looks like weaning went flawlessly. I was prepared for all sorts of possibilities, we spent a lot of time talking about it, but Micah didn't seem too stressed, so we kept it up. I thought we might have to gradually wean, or wait and try again later. But we haven't nursed again, though occasionally he'll talk about it or ask why we don't nurse anymore. Once he asked about nursing, and I said no because he's a big kid now. He said, "Aren't Luke and I your babies anymore?" Dagger to the heart.

I owe lots of posts about my brother's wedding, the beach, new milestones, teething, how it is to NOT have me or Mike in school for the first time in 5 years, how fun toddlers are, sea turtles, married life ...

Weaning Micah (i think?)

2011-07-18T14:43:00.001-04:00

Posting this pretty much guarantees disaster.

I think Micah is ready to wean. Lately nursing has seemed really just routine and not necessary for him. Yeah, he gets extra nutrition, a little milk before sleep, an easy way to calm down for rest, and some closeness with mom. But ... he's also been kind of take it or leave it. If I'm not around or even once when I was just busy, he goes to sleep just fine without nursing.

I'm not sure how I feel about initiating this change for him. I had planned to let him lead the way. But it's getting on my nerves and it's uncomfortable. Especially if it's an easy transition, I think it's time.

Friday I told Micah we would be stopping milkies on Monday. He said ok, told me he understood. Yesterday he skipped a nap, so he was pretty emotional at bedtime. I reminded him it was the last milkies and did he want to day good-bye or anything (no). He fell asleep while nursing, but woke when I unlatched him and flipped. out. A little concerning.

Today at lunch I reminded Micah that for sleep now we will brush teeth, read books and just snuggle. He said he wanted milkies. I said not anymore. He asked why, do they not have milk now? Luke still nurses, so I knew honesty is the best policy here. I told him it's time to be done because he's starting to be a big kid. We talked about the toddlers we know who have weaned.

As we got ready for a nap he didn't ask to nurse. I am prepared for some skipped naps and trouble going to sleep. I expect some sadness for both of us, and I anticipate some clinginess and need for reassurance. I also expect some boundary testing. When I change one thing for Micah he likes to ensure everything else is still the same.

What I am hoping for is a smooth, gentle transition. If Micah is distressed, sad, and seems like I was wrong and he's not ready, then we will go back to nursing.

Peach freezer jam

2011-07-18T10:58:00.001-04:00

Much thanks to Bernie and Susan - they brought us 2 flats of peaches, so I was able to try something I've wanted to do for a while - jam! I made freezer jam because it seemed super easy. It was! In no time and just a little effort, we had half a dozen jars of peach jam. Yum.

Ease aside, it was really fun and I enjoyed being a little creative.

Frozen yogurt

2011-07-14T21:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Mom and Kimberly came to visit. I really appreciated it, Luke was sick Monday and then 2 hyper toddlers, bad sleep, excessive heat, not a lot of running ... well, we were all so glad to see them!

We (they) played around the house, read ten thousand books, went for frozen yogurt, and to the farmers market. We grilled dinner and ate with Eli, Alison, and Lili.

What a nice day!

Micah said it

2011-07-07T17:46:00.001-04:00

Micah is super fun to talk to. He tells me all sorts of things, makes up stories, pretends there are sharks, dinos and dolphins everywhere. I wish I could blog the instant he busts out with something, because it's hard to remember when I'm writing.

Me: how do you think the baby is going to get out of Mary's tummy?
M: ... it's going to POP!
Me: Like a balloon?
M: yep, and we're all going to see it!

Me: we are going to ride the train tomorrow.
M: today!
Me: we're going with our friends and they can't go til tomorrow.
M: ... let's go by ourselves.

M: Mom, you need to go on an airplane with Luke so Dad and I can have a big adventure.

Me: Oh my!
M: Oh your!

Me: I love you sooo much
M: in the whooooole world

M: I'm growing up too fast (sad sadly)

How can you argue with that?

Durham Morning

2011-07-02T12:19:00.001-04:00

The Saturdays we start our day at the Durham Farmers Market, go play at Rockwood Park, then visit Wine Authorities on our way home are my favorites.

Amtrak

2011-06-28T10:23:00.001-04:00

Today we met Candice and Carabella at the train station. It's an exciting place!

2011-06-26T14:14:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you just gotta be a T-Rex

Pushing

2011-06-25T17:14:00.005-04:00

Micah has a hard time right now with pushing. I do not know why, but he just can't seem to restrain himself. He pushes when it would be funny, when he's frustrated, when he wants something. I am having a hard time knowing exactly how to handle it. Discipline's been pretty easy with redirecting, connecting, meeting whatever need it is that he's really trying to express.

But now we're in a new place. Micah knows not to push. He knows I don't want him to, he knows it can hurt (today he busted Luke's lip when he pushed him off of or away from the bathroom stool), he knows it makes our friends not want to play with us when we hurt them. But he still continues to do it.

I have to have him go sit on his bed as soon as it happens. He needs to be removed from the situation, and I need a minute to collect myself and modulate my response, because I want to freak out. STOP! STOP IT! Stop hurting people, it makes me want to cry! But I also need to figure out how to communicate to him that he can't do this and why.

I believe the point of discipline is to teach us how to be healthy, how to be in society, but most importantly, it should point us to God. When Micah hurts Luke, Luke is hurt, their relationship is damaged, and it hurts Micah to hurt others. I feel sad and angry. We have to repair all this, mend our relationship and I want to figure out how to communicate that certain things are just not acceptable in our house. But I want to address the heart part - WHY we don't hurt each other, why it matters that we are nice, gentle, why it matters that we respect others and don't use our strength against them.

There is a lot more thinking involved in parenting than I previously thought.

full moon - end of the week

2011-06-24T17:08:00.014-04:00

We had a tough week in some ways last week. It was mostly entertaining, I managed to back off, try to go with the flow, and remember it so I could write about it later. I forgot to say Luke also had a tick, another first for us.

The week-o-catastrophes ended with taking the boys in for tetanus shots on Friday afternoon. Luke loves to take the air vent covers off, and he stepped in one, getting a puncture wound in his foot. He hasn't had any vaccinations yet, so we went in for a tetanus shot. I was really sad, because I had wanted to wait another year before starting any, but I DO think I made the right decision in being cautious.

By Friday afternoon I was feeling drained, mainly from the extra thinking involved in the week. A weekend of friend time and quiet time and I felt ready to face the week again. This week has been MUCH quieter, with yesterday's drama being solely related to me. Luke headbutted me in the mouth, I got sick at Michael's, and shattered a jar candle at Home Goods. Then I slowed waaaaay down and was much more cautious!

Luke: 1 Year

2011-06-23T16:49:00.000-04:00

Luke is one active one year old. He firmly believes he's a toddler, not a baby. Luke is active and confident, feels that he is hilarious and quite able to do anything he wants to. He is also so much fun to parent. He is affectionate, creative, engaged in the world, and really smart.

I feel that I will never do justice to trying to catch a snapshot of life these days. Everything revolves around sleep and eating. Who needs to eat next? What to eat? Cleaning up after the meal, taking advantage of the only 2 hours in the day that I have 2 active and fed toddlers at the same time - quick get out the door! Hurry hurry, get out to play, OK wrap up time to get ready for lunch and then shh time to sleep.

We do finally seem to have a rhythm to our day that is working for us. I'd realized bedtime was too late in the evening, which meant Mike and I crashed on the couch at 9 (or 10) pm, felt like we barely had time to unwind, then it was time for bed, sleep, and do it all again tomorrow. I knew I'd have to pick a bedtime, then work backwards in the day to make it all work out. I prefer if Micah goes to bed at 8, and Luke is in bed at 7:30. So I've learned to start dinner around 5 or 5:30 pm. We can get away with a later dinner (and thus, bedtime) occasionally, but I'm liking the earlier one.

Luke's favorite foods right now are ... um, everything. He is eating at least as much as Micah does, if not twice as much more! In the morning, it's not unusual for him to eat blueberries, a toaster waffle, and then demand more of my bagel. He'll have a mid-morning snack, then bread, fruit, peas, olives, and turkey for lunch. Dinner is sweet potatoes, chicken, more fruit, pretty much anything he can get his hands on. There are few foods he DOESN'T like. Luke still nurses frequently, but not nearly like Micah did at this age. Luke will nurse probably 6 times in 24 hours. Although, he is also several pounds lighter than Micah was at this age.

We are still co-sleeping, and it's going very well. It seems quite natural and easy to have Luke sleeping in our bed, and he has actually never slept in the crib. Sometimes he might sleep in a pack n play, but even traveling he'll probably just sleep with me. We have a king bed, and it's one of the best decisions we ever made. Luke takes one or two naps a day - either at 10 am and 3 pm, or one nap at noon. It is VERY clear when he needs to go to sleep, and he goes to sleep very easily. We lie down and nurse and then I (or Mike) lay beside him til he drifts off. About half the time he wakes once around 10 or 11 pm, nurses once around 1 am, and then sleeps til 6 am or possibly 7 am if Mike gets lucky.

Luke is on the move. He is a great walker, climbs on the couch, on and off the beds, and is trying to climb into his high chair and the changing table. He loves (love love love) bathtime, swimming, water, showers, playing in the front yard with water. Luke is also into his new toothbrush, and climbs onto the bathroom stool and yells until someone helps him brush his teeth.

I love Luke's grin. He thinks he is hilarious. He loves to answer questions with a "da" (yes) or shaking his head no. He waves good-bye, and barks when he sees a dog. Luke has started reading books, finally enjoying looking at the pictures and hearing the stories. Although, he is VERY insistent about wanting to read.

In short, I have so enjoyed getting to know this tiny person over the past year. I am so excited about the upcoming journey, and I only wish time would slow down!

Full moon

2011-06-15T13:38:00.001-04:00

The past 24 hours have just been one bizarre mishap after another. Ready for this lunar eclipse and full moon to be over with so we can get back to regular mishaps.

We have had:
- Micah spilled his milk ... THEN broke the glass (then insisted we need to put it all back together)

- Unexpected, extra difficulty sharing with friends who came to play

- Poison ivy exposure, leading to stripping down and washing in the front yard, then

- Pooping in the front yard

- Peeing on the sidewalk instead of the grass

- Today, the van wouldn't start, possible dead battery

- They might have sampled holly berries ay the park (that we walked to), leading to my first Poison Control call

This is why I don't have time to blog. No incidents caused permanent damage, but each led to increased workload. More laundry, sweeping, washing, walking, vigilance...

Happy birthday, baby

2011-06-08T21:48:00.002-04:00

Today Luke celebrated his first birthday. It was perfect. We played with water in the yard, then he fell asleep in his high chair at lunch and slept for 4 hours! We went to Mad Hatter for cupcakes, and had fish tacos for dinner with Alison, Eli, and Lili.

The day may have been one of my favorites ever.

Alligator

2011-05-26T09:08:00.001-04:00

We are spending a few days at Mom and Dad's. Melinie and Malachi are in town, and we are making a stop here in our adventures.

Socks on my haaaaands

2011-05-22T20:28:00.001-04:00

This is not some OCD, avoiding germs thing. Luke loves to wear socks on his hands. All the time. He wore them in the taxi, on the plane, and as he walks through the airport. Luke thinks this is hilarious.

Hey y'all, we're in Brooklyn!

2011-05-21T08:44:00.001-04:00

Last night, Luke and I flew up to see Melinie, Ben, and Malachi. We had a 6 pm flight that got pushed back to 7:15, after is been more than a little uptight about getting a boarding pass for Luke and through security. I do wish I'd known ahead of time.

Luke talked and played and climbed and made friends. He had a fantastic time! Then he fell asleep on the cab on the way to their apartment. After his power nap, he was raring to go and played with Malachi as long as they could hold out.

SciWorks

2011-05-20T22:12:00.004-04:00

Back at the end of March, when we went to visit my parents while Melinie was in town, we took the kids to SciWorks.

They spent a really long time in the little kids' play area, just building with things and exploring.

Their other favorite space was the woods and streams part. Luke loved the stream, and Malachi loved the slide!

All Grown Up

2011-05-19T11:09:00.001-04:00

Luke firmly and completely believes he is a toddler.

And he has 7 teeth

Charleston: the food and houses

2011-05-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

The only thing I didn't like about staying in Folly Beach was that Charleston was kind of a drive to get to, and that drive involved pretty bad traffic. So we stuck close to the condo Thursday through Saturday, and didn't really get to see Charleston til Sunday.

Sunday we went to lunch at Hyman's Seafood. We thought they did a great job of being accessible, family friendly, and "Charleston". The crab cakes were to die for, and we both liked their shrimp and grits. The regular fish, however, was kind of boring and we thought we could get equal or tastier somewhere else.

This is gator sausage. I was really disappointed I didn't see any alligators along the course the day before, so I was excited to eat them.

Hyman's has pictures all over the walls of the famous people who have eaten there. Each table has little notations of the famous people who have sat at that table. The one at Luke's seat says John McCain, and Micah's said Phish!

After lunch we took a walk around the block, not having had a chance to do any site-seeing yet.

Following the walk, we drove through the neighborhoods of South of Broad. These are the houses with the big porches and gorgeous landscaping, the ones that seem so Southern, and make me think of moonlight, magnolia-scented nights, sort of wishing I could attend summer parties and get all dressed up.

The architecture, private courtyards, and landscaping were all so beautiful.

One thing we did realize was that in a few years, we will want to leave the kids at home and visit Charleston again, staying downtown and walking to the museums, aquariums, and home tours.

Charleston: the race

2011-05-17T16:35:00.000-04:00

A triathlon start is early, cold, hyped up, and involves long lines at the porta-johns. Our relay consisted of Mike swimming, my uncle Joe biking, and me running. A half ironman is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run.

My dad is that guy there in the sleeveless wetsuit

Mom came along as race support. I was really glad she did, because we took Luke to the race with us. Micah stayed back at the ranch (er, condo) with my sisters, but that would be a long morning apart for Luke and me. I thought we'd be able to handle the race by ourselves, but it turned out we really, really appreciated the extra set of hands. Luke thought the whole thing was super.

This was Mike's first ever attempt at open water swimming. His wave had white caps. Dad's wave started 3 minutes behind and had purple caps. I love watching a triathlon start. All the athletes are hyped up, tense, excited to face the race they've put in so many hours training for.

This is the part where I start to question their sanity though. Wait, you put on a wetsuit, waited in line, and paid an entry fee to get to swim 1.2 miles in a lake? After which you will bike for 3 or so hours and then run 13.1 miles?

That guy in red is our biker, Joe. Our relay team name was I'm With Joe, which I think is pretty funny.

The swim did not go well for Mike. Not the actual swimming part; he's an experienced and competent swimmer. Instead, the combination of the first time open water swimming, first swim in a wetsuit, adrenaline, and close quarters of the race led to a severe panic attack.

I couldn't see him during the swim leg, I didn't expect to with a lot of black-clad, swim-capped competitors in the water. But I was really surprised when he tapped me on the shoulder, already out of his wetsuit and looking really upset. After attempting the swim several times and not being able to get through it, they brought him to the shore. Our relay was disqualified, but they let Joe and me go through our leg regardless, which I really appreciated. We were doing it just for fun, but I know it helped Mike to know he didn't ruin our races.

Dad did have a successful swim

After the swim-bike transition, we had to get on shuttle buses to be transported a mile and a half away to the middle of nowhere for T2. I, for one, thought this was really odd. Triathlons don't usually go out of their way to be entertaining for spectators, but this was really a hassle. Especially because the finish line was at T2, but immediately afterwards we had to shuttle back to the start where the food and post-race entertainment was. And there wasn't really a good place to set up our chairs and blankets.

Luke took a nap, a brief one, but that kid can sleep anywhere when he's tired.

One of my favorite memories of the day is a scrawny runner waiting in the transition area for his relay teammate to come in. They started playing Jump On It over the PA system, and this guy was getting DOWN. He was hilarious, and had some really good moves.

I did enjoy my run, though it was 13.1 miles of sun, heat, and more sun. Joe ripped it on his ride, so I was unprepared for him to come flying in after only 2 hr, 45 minutes. I was walking back from just changing in to my running clothes when I saw a guy go whizzing past that I could swear looked a lot like Joe. Mike ran to tell him to wait in the transition area while I laced on my shoes and threw on some sunblock. I was glad Luke had already nursed.

Thanks to Joe, I was running with a lot of very serious triathletes. It was very clear that I was part of a relay and had NOT gotten to my position in the race based on my own speed. I looked like a runner, not a triathlete, and I had a big R on the back of my calf. I also ran like a runner, not like a triathlete. Those people are fierce. As mentioned, they'd already swam 1.2 miles, biked 56, and the day just kept getting sunnier and hotter. They all seemed so ... happy. I really enjoyed getting to experience a triathlon in that way and see so many triathletes in their element, but it was so clear that I am NOT one of them. I am a runner, I think like a runner, prep like a runner, run a race like a runner. I am not sure if I can even articulate what makes it different, but they are really different races.

Joe and me discussing our race. You can tell by our clothes that we each focus on our respective event and not the entire race. Joe went home with the medal - that guy earned it.

Dad was pleased with his race as well - the run course involved 2 laps of an out and back, so we got to see each other multiple times during the race. I know for sure that the threat of Dad nearly catching me is one of the only things that kept me going in the last few miles. That and those freakishly encouraging other competitors. They really were very positive and encouraging.

Me, post run. I was very sore and very tired and pretty dehydrated. I learned and was humbled by the triathlon. I thought I knew, but all I know is running.

Charleston: the beach

2011-05-16T16:32:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago we went to Charleston for a triathlon. We stayed in Folly Beach, in a 4 bedroom condo. Mom, Dad, Kimberly, and Laurie were in the same condo, and Joe, Susan, Jennifer and Jonathan had one just down the hall.

It was still a little cold for really playing on the beach or in the water, but the sand was perfect for digging.

And long walks, and sitting in the sun

The condo was on the 2nd floor, just above the pool

What do we do after playing on the beach? Take a bath!

Then we can play on the balcony

Luke and Micah loved the balcony. Luke had just discovered ledges and climbing over the door ledge was very exciting for him.

Greensboro Science Center

2011-05-15T14:24:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago, we drove up to meet Laurie, Jimmy and Helen Marie for lunch. After Chinese food, Jimmy, Laurie, the boys and I played at a park for a bit while HM was in class. Then Jimmy went to class and Helen Marie went with us to the Greensboro Science Center.

There was a room with life-size dinosaurs. Far from being scared, Micah was enthralled! He walked in, stopped short, clasped his hands together and said, "Oh my gooooooodness!" (in the best Southern accent - not sure where that came from) "It's SO BIG!!" It was so cute, I wish I'd realized I should have had my camera set to video!

Micah's favorite dinosaur remains the mighty T-Rex

There is a toddler room to give adults a break...

Luke loved the water table, but you can see the sign admonishing users to keep the water IN the table. Since he wouldn't promise to do that, he couldn't use the table.

A two-headed turtle. It is freaky looking in person too.

big day around here

2011-05-14T23:30:00.000-04:00

Micah: 2.5 years

2011-05-13T18:12:00.000-04:00

The past 2.5 years have been such an astounding journey. Micah has changed our lives, our world, priorities, lifestyle, everything. He leaves no corner untouched.

Micah has a great enthusiasm for ... well, for everything he does. His favorite things to do are play trains (I am not usually allowed to put the train track together. I always do it wrong somehow, against the plan he has in his mind. I have no idea what the plan actually is, but somehow I violate it), dig in the dirt, and run. He runs laps in the house, he chases Luke, he plays with Luke, he plays with his friends.

When Micah feels, though, he does feel strongly. He expresses himself strongly too. Fortunately he is learning to express himself in words more and more, and I really appreciate this. The first year of our relationship was very difficult, I think mainly due to his frustration at communicating.

I love Micah's bed head. He sleeps hard, and bedtimes are so, so different than I ever thought they'd be. Now, when it's time for sleep, we change diapers, brush teeth, nurse on the couch, and I lay him down in his bed. And he goes to sleep. We don't rock for hours and hours, and neither one of us cries (usually).

Micah loves to engage. He will shout, "Watch me, Mom! Dad, watch me!" before jumping off a box. He narrates the story of his life - constantly. His pronunciation is hilarious, the "'member dat's" and "gumping" for jumping. All "j" sounds are said as a g, and "l's" are still y's. He talks to Baby Yukie and holds his hand as they walk down the hall.

I never knew I would love Toddler World so much. I thought I'd have to grit my teeth til the preschool years, but we are really having such a sweet, sweet time. I love when he climbs into bed, pats my back, and says, "I love you sooooo much!" He asks every day if Mike is going to come home when he leaves for work. Micah makes up stories about his trains, and he puts trains to bed every night. He watches out for his little brother and believes that they should both have the same things - if Micah gets a shirt, Luke needs one too. I have to watch them carefully at mealtimes, because Micah will share anything. He will also take anything from Luke if he wants it, so it's share and share alike around here.

The sweetness breaks my heart sometimes, the tenderness and the joy. I so wish I could bottle the sweetness of this time. I wish I could protect this innocence forever.

two brothers

2011-05-13T15:27:00.002-04:00

Wilmington Track Meet

2011-05-12T15:07:00.001-04:00

The first weekend in March, we went to a track meet at UNC-W, where my sister Laurie is on the track team.

We did actually watch the track meet too, I am just not sure what I did with some awesome pictures I took of Laurie racing. She looked great.

baseball game

2011-05-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon we went to Luke's first baseball game. And Micah's where he'd be old enough to understand. We went into it knowing that we'd miss the end of the game and definitely wouldn't be sitting around keeping score. We had a great time!

Mike and Micah in their Bulls' hats before the game. They are both very excited.

We sat behind home plate. A few years ago I got very particular about where I sit, and vastly prefer to sit along the third base line. In this stadium, that keeps us out of the sun. Sitting in the sun is NOT fun, and I'd rather spend an extra dollar per ticket to be comfortable.

Micah sort of understood what was going on. Here Mike is explaining the game to him. I think they are so cute. Micah may have thought the point of the game was to locate all the bulls in the stadium, but he enjoyed doing that, so we were all happy.

Micah ate an entire foot-long corndog. Yep, the whole thing.

Luke: 11 Months

2011-05-09T22:00:00.000-04:00

It's starting to get hard to take clear pictures of Luke. He's on the move, and he's moving fast. Luke is walking now - he can stand up from sitting, walk across the room. He can walk all the way down the hallway. I know he's getting tired when he starts crashing every few steps. Micah is loving to play with Luke, their favorite games generally involve running, throwing, and general destruction.

Luke fully believes he is a toddler. He doesn't really have any baby friends, so he spends all of his time with older kids. Luke is also quite fearless and believes he has mad skills when it comes to self-propulsion, climbing, and eating dirt.

I have also discovered Luke eats like a horse. If a horse eats constantly and is willing to try anything. A typical day for Luke will be frozen blueberries and o-shaped cereal for breakfast, turkey, peas, bread, and fruit for lunch, and probably a similar combination for dinner. Plus a quarter of whatever I'm eating throughout the day. He likes pretty much everything he tries, though his preferences vary day to day. Peas are a long-standing favorite though. I haven't started him on yogurt yet, as his digestive system seems a little sensitive. He has cut down on nursing some, though I am expecting him to ramp up again any day now, as he has a tooth that is going to start coming soon.

Luke continues to be a confusing sleeper. In that, he sleeps. Luke has always been committed to getting an adequate amount of sleep. He is taking two naps each day, with the first typically around 10 am and the second starting around 2 pm. He goes to bed around 8 pm. For a few days, he woke up once around 11 pm and then slept through til 6 or 7 am. Luke will do this right before he starts teething. He has a few really good nights that make me think he has turned a corner and entered a new phase of sleeping and clearly it is because I'm such an excellent mom. Then he blows it all up and wakes up frequently and turns me into a zombie. He still sleeps exclusively in our bed.

Luke pretty much thinks he might be the funniest person around. He likes to show off, and he likes to check in and see if we think whatever he just did is as funny as he does. Most of the time it is. He's starting to get more hair. In short, he grows and changes every day, entertains us constantly, and is such fun to parent.

Campus Play

2011-05-08T14:53:00.001-04:00

Last week a friend and I took our kids to lunch on Franklin St then to play on the upper quad of campus. Nothing like Carolina in the spring to make me feel nostalgic.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T08:33:00.001-04:00

Today we'll be attending a baseball game. Luke's first, and Micah''s first in a while. I'm so excited! I hope Micah enjoys the game.

five teeth

2011-04-25T11:33:00.001-04:00

Luke now has 5 teeth, 4 in the bottom and his top left tooth. The top right tooth is not far behind. And I can see teeth 7-9 making their little red bumps. Apparently since he eats everything in sight he thinks he needs teeth for it.

cousin play time: bubbles

2011-04-22T07:36:00.001-04:00

A great way to get some outside play time - bubbles. Micah loves the bubbles that don't pop right away, but stick around for a bit. Last month, we introduced them to Malachi too.

cutie pie

2011-04-21T19:36:00.001-04:00

lots of swimming pictures

2011-04-20T20:28:00.000-04:00

The last day we were at Mom and Dad's, Melinie and I took the boys to swim at the YWCA. They had a great time and wore themselves out.

how can i not smile?

2011-04-17T15:54:00.000-04:00

Garden Time

2011-04-16T20:43:00.009-04:00

Last Sunday, we put in our garden. We built raised beds last year (no, the year before?), and the boys and I have been churning up the dirt for weeks now. We plant seedlings because it is easy and we figure we have a higher likelihood of follow-through the easier our plan is.

This year we planted squash, zucchini, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, regular red slicing tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, spinach, lettuce, and ARTICHOKE! The artichoke is a new experiment, we'll see how it goes. We also started a raspberry patch, I hope it works well!

Luke spent his time playing in the mud. Serious mud.

Micah did pretty well following directions, but being gentle with seedlings is still hard to understand. That and switching from free-range digging in the dirt to not hurting the plants can be confusing.

Serious mud. They went straight in the tub.

The plants are doing well so far. We are also going to add some bell peppers. I just got a soaker hose, which I think will improve my watering. I tend to underestimate how much water they need, or how well the soil drains now in the beds. I have some sweet potatoes I am trying to get going inside, so far they are looking like I will get about a half dozen plantable seedlings (slips). I'm interested to see if planting them goes OK.

Pool-B-Gone

2011-04-15T18:58:00.001-04:00

Today 3 guys came to our house, dismantled, and hauled away our pool. I am so excited! There is already a lot more space, and we are in the process of pulling out the day lilies (want some?).

The eventual goal is to take out all of the deck, possibly put in a patio, and maybe build a playhouse.

As we approach the end of school, it is so nice to finally be able to tackle house projects.

peaceful birthday

2011-04-15T15:45:00.001-04:00

I turned 31 on Monday. It was a nice, relaxed day. We stayed in, puttered around the house and played in the yard in the afternoon. Thirty-one sounds like such a mature number, but it's sounding a lot younger than it used to. Birthdays are a good time for pausing, reflecting on the path I've taken so far, and the path I see laid before me in the upcoming weeks, months, and years.

Luke: 10 Months

2011-04-15T08:28:00.026-04:00

Luke thinks he is hilarious. This kid knows how to tell a joke - at least in his opinion! At 10 months, he is incredibly confident, willing to risk life and limb to climb or throw himself off things. He thinks he is as old as his brother (and his friends). He spends most of his time hanging out with toddlers, so I guess it makes sense.

Luke is trying to walk! He can take a few steps at a time, and he is proud of them. He can push up to standing from sitting on the floor, he can take a step between the coffee table and the couch, and he can take a few steps between Mike and me. Luke still believes crawling is the fastest way to go, and his biggest problem with walking is balance. He gets excited and can't maintain it.

Currently, Luke has 4 teeth on the bottom. He is actively working on 2 top teeth too, possibly all 4. I told him he could slow down, as he has this gorgeous cute wide-mouthed grin. However, he is also NOT an easy teether, so it's OK with me if we just get on with it.

Luke nurses frequently, though not nearly like Micah did at this age. I guess he averages about 9 or 10 feedings in a day, while it seemed pretty constant with Micah. Perhaps it was less and I overexaggerate it in my mind. Luke also eats about 3 meals a day and possibly snacks. He loves fruit - blueberries, bananas. He also loves peas, likes sweet potatoes, turkey, chicken, cereal, pretty much anything he can get his hands on.

He is a decent sleeper, much more consistent than his older brother. He is clearly an early bird, and is pretty regular in his schedule. Keeping him up later does NOT work to get him to sleep later, it just makes him very irritable (and thus annoying). He needs 2 naps regularly, though the timing and length of these varies. Luke still sleeps exclusively in our bed. He sleeps better when we are beside him, and he doesn't tend to roll around a lot or kick us. As he is also a heavy sleeper, the arrangement is working well for us.

Right now, Luke spends all of his time exploring. He climbs steps without a second thought, even after falling off them just a second prior. He eats most things he finds, which is a problem when we are working in the yard. Luke loves to swing and play on the slides at the playground. He also loves to play chase with Micah, wrestle, and "soccer". Pretty much any game involving a ball is is his favorite.

Luke is a hilarious, entertaining, high-energy, exhausting child. I love, love, love him. Making him laugh is one of my favorite things to do!

Day in Our Life

2011-04-14T20:08:00.029-04:00

One thing that is NOT a regular part of my day is blogging. I so wish it were, as I worry about forgetting everything. This time in our lives is so very, very sweet, and I want to remember every single solitary detail all the time.

Luke gets up around 6:30 am nearly every day. Mike gets up with him, and they play in the living room. Luke tends to yell really loud while he is playing, so if I'm lucky I can sleep through it. Micah will probably wake up sometime between 7 and 8:30 am, and he plays with Luke too. Luke and Micah play in the bathroom while Mike gets ready for work. I try to feign sleep as long as possible or sneak to make coffee while Mike is in the shower.

We eat breakfast pretty soon after I get up. Micah likes to eat frozen fruit, right now cherries are the most popular. Luke eats o-cereal, and I usually give him frozen blueberries too. Both of them want to eat whatever I have for breakfast too.

I try to get Luke to take his morning nap around this time. Ideally, I think he should take it around 9 am, but this never, ever happens, so perhaps I will get on board and realize he won't sleep until around 10 am. If we are staying home, Micah and I play while Luke sleeps 30-60 minutes. Luke's morning nap is sometimes on our way somewhere, like to the science museum or to church.

We like to spend time outside in the morning if we can. It is usually like herding cats trying to get out the door. By 10 am, Luke and Micah are antsy and running around, throwing things, yelling, bouncing off each other and creating general havoc. It is all I can do to get them out the door with shoes on. We like to go to the park, friends' houses, or the science museum.

Lunch is at 12 noon with Mike at home. All of us like the midday check in. The semester has been wearing on us, and the boys like as much time with Mike as possible. Nowadays lunch is usually a pleasant time, if not "calm". I suspect we will never be "calm". Lunch is usually turkey and salami sandwiches, fruit, and rice milk for Micah.

After lunch is nap time. I start trying to head in that direction around 1 pm, but frequently they aren't really asleep til 2 pm. The interim is spent calming down, reading books, changing diapers, nursing, and cuddling to sleep. If I am lucky, I get an hour (or even two) of quiet time, but frequently Luke won't sleep by himself longer than 45 minutes.

We try to get outside again after naps, tooling around in the yard, blowing bubbles, or walking to a nearby park. We try to not run errands after naps, but it happens sometimes. Luke eats dinner around 5:30 or 6 pm, and is usually heading for bed around 7 pm. Micah is a night owl, and will be up til about 9 pm. We start his bedtime around 8:30 pm, but it can take him a while to go to sleep.

Just reading this makes me tired, and that doesn't even include laundry, dishes, sweeping (several times a day), picking up toys ... so THAT is where my time goes!

Farm Visit

2011-04-13T20:08:00.000-04:00

When Melinie and Malachi were in NC, we went to visit a farm while we were staying at Mom and Dad's. The farm is just a few miles from their house.

Micah's favorite animal is the donkey. Being up close and personal to one was both exciting and a little frightening. Donkeys are good shepherds. These donkeys live with the sheep to protect them from dogs and coyotes. They also sneak up on guests in a rather creepy manner.

We explore every inch of the little farm, and the farmer (and newly retired orthopedic surgeon) told us all about his St. Croix sheep, Delaware chickens, and donkeys. He sells meat and organic, sustainably-grown vegetables to local restaurants. He also sells eggs to neighbors.

Speaking of...

2011-04-05T21:05:00.008-04:00

I love to watch Micah's language development. He has started singing (and making up songs), trying to learn the appropriate use of question words (why, where, who - who is easy, and what is easy, but when and why seem to trip him up), telling stories, joking, and in general talking all the time.

I wish I could blog instantly every time he says something hilarious. Sometimes he doesn't mean to be funny, like when he mispronounces a word or asks a jumbled sentence. Sometimes he does, like when he holds up a piece of chicken and declares it is a grape.

His pronunciation is really drastically improving daily too. I feel a little sad about it already, because he has started saying "lion" instead of "liney" like he did for so long. But I do realize a 10 year old saying liney will probably be made fun of. Micah listens carefully to how we say what we say, and he is getting very good at inflection and context of phrases, such as my favorite "oh my gosh!" I had no idea how frequently that was said around my house until he picked it up. He pays attention when we repeat a word he has said, and says it again with the correct pronunciation.

Outside Days

2011-04-04T21:05:00.000-04:00

Last month, there were some cooler, damper days. We went outside anyway.