For My Dad

My dad is always reminding me that I should sing more. Especially at home. I know that during the happy times, my mom singing was one of his favorite things. And I promise dad, we do sing a lot around here. Probably not as much as I should, but I'm trying.

I just read this post about a woman who appreciates her good-enough singing voice as a gift for her and her family. Even if she will never sing on Broadway. Mine isn't amazing, but it's good. And being low, it stands out more than average. It's a goal of mine to perform again. But for now, I want to remember the gift that it can be to my kids, my husband, and to me. Thanks dad for helping me see how much it can mean to our family.

Ike is coming

For the grandparents who are worrying, Ike will be passing to the east of us. We are expecting some flooding and power outages if it passes close enough. But probably just some strong wind and rain. We're prepared for anything, but don't expect to need it.

In all honesty, we're much more worried about our friends on the coast. Those in Houston were advised to stay put and tough it out. Keep them in your prayers!

Suit Drive

Have you heard about the Suit Drive at Men's Wearhouse? They are collecting gently used professional clothing to help at-risk men and youth move into the workforce. They'll add a new dress shirt to every suit donated. I love this. I've seen it for women before, but never for men. I'm going to pull out John's old suit and see if its in good enough shape to donate. And I know he has ties he doesn't wear. They're also accepting slacks, belts, and sport coats if you're looking to clean out your husband's closet ;)

Preschool Day 2

After his rough start on Tuesday, I was a little nervous about how preschool would go today. Drop off was fine. Mostly because Miss Karen had the playdough Ethan helped me make out on the table when we walked in. Hugs and kisses and he was off to dig his hands in.

At pickup, Ethan was happy until I asked him to say goodbye. At first, I thought he was tired and didn't want to talk to anyone else. Once we were in the car though, Ethan let me know why. "Mom, I don't want to go home. I want to go back to preschool." He hadn't wanted to say goodbye because he didn't want to leave. So we sang the songs they'd sung in chapel all the way home and he was happy. (Would you believe they sang "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam"? The teacher has some LDS friends and has picked up some of the songs. Ethan loves it.)

A much better ending today. He's going to do great this year.

Horrible Mother

Yes. I am going to admit my most horrible mothering moment. Mostly so that I can get you to share yours and make me not feel so bad.

Yesterday, I was a little stressed out by Ethan's state of mind after preschool and by the ridiculous dinner I was trying to make. I put Edward down for a nap and went to work on dinner while trying to keep Ethan from bursting into tears every other minute.

About thirty minutes into the nap, I wasn't thinking and turned on the food processor. It was so loud. I'm sure the neighbors heard it. So it woke up Edward. I heard him cry for a second and then a loud *thunk*. Then screaming. I ran upstairs and burst into his room to find him on the floor, crawling around while screeching his head off.

I'd been so distracted when I'd put him down that I'd forgotten to raise the side of the crib. He'd gone to stand up and launched himself over the railing. Poor guy. He was back to normal a few minutes later, but it was scary. I did a thorough check. Physically and neurologically he's just fine. But my trust in my own skills is suffering a little.

Tell me your most horrible mothering moment. Anonymously if you're reluctant to share. I need to be reminded that little slips are going to happen.

Quotes from Today

"Why did you take your shirt off?" "Because my hands had ice cream on them."

"Mom, I'm all grown up. Look. I have hair on my legs. And my arms."

"Yay, chores! I'm going to make all the beds. And clean your whole room." (We told Ethan that we only stay up later than him because we're doing chores. He took a fabulous nap today, so he gets to stay up and do chores with us. He's so excited! I'm thinking the playroom needs some major cleaning...)

Preschool Day 1

Ethan started preschool today. A real one, this year. He and I have been excited about it for weeks! Him b/c he gets to go, and me b/c I get FIVE hours to have a little quiet around the house and run errands.

Here's the pictures from this morning.

All ready to go...

We were ready too early, so we goofed around for a few minutes. These boys crack each other up.

Singing "I will go, I will do..." and doing a little dance as he walks up to the building.

He's in the middle, playing with the bin of cars that are just for him. (He's the only boy in with seven girls.)

His teacher reported that he was happy and had a great first day. So we assumed his quietness was b/c he'd dozed off during their end of day rest time and hadn't been ready to wake up. We were wrong. Ethan's day ended more miserably than it began.

Ethan was quiet and reserved when we picked him up b/c he'd bit his tongue at some point during the day. He'd dabbed it on his shirt (brown, so the blood wasn't obvious) and didn't tell anyone. So he had a sore mouth for the rest of the day. Strike one.

Having a sore mouth meant that Ethan didn't eat much of his lunch. Hungry means cranky in this house. Strike two.

After being home for a few hours, our boy developed a fever. He's coming down with something. Strike three, and he's out.

The Donkeys

Ok. Picture this. My 18th birthday. In the middle of an eons long family car trip. My parents decided that riding stinking donkeys down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon would be a great way to spend my big day. When they asked me to sign the liability form (b/c I was 18 and they couldn't sign it for me) I nearly refused. Many, many hours later, painfully perched in a chair, hoping I'd washed off all the stink in the shower, I had to sit through the waiters at a very formal restaurant singing "Happy Birthday" while my family quietly smirked. I'd made them promise they wouldn't sing to me.

I couldn't wait to be dropped of at college a few days later. Now, I'm thinking I'll have to remember this one when I have a snarky teenager. Take 'em down a few notches.

Earning a Lollipop

The bishop in our new ward hands out candy to kids who come to his office and recite a scripture, an article of faith, or for the young ones, tell him the name of a prophet. Ethan caught on pretty quickly.

1st time - Ethan was shy and wouldn't say anything, but the bishop gave him a treat anyway for coming up to shake his hand.

2nd time - With prompting, Ethan named President Hinckley to earn his candy.

3rd time - Ethan quickly named a prophet and gave a big, sly grin while he chose a treat.

Today - The bishop had to meet with someone, but a member of the primary presidency was continuing in his stead. Ethan was the very last one, after helping fold chairs in the gym. He walked up and SANG. Picture our little guy belting out "Life could not be better. 'Cause I choose the right down to the letter. Hey look! My mom made me a sweater. Life could not be better." And then, because the sister was so amazed and didn't know the song, Ethan sang Nephi's Courage with her. The boy really earned his lollipop today.

The song is from this movie. Watch the video clips. It's so cheesy. But Ethan LOVES it. Nephi is his new hero. We have Nephi, Ammon, Alma, and Esther, but Nephi is by far the favorite at this house. (I'm partial to Alma. John thinks they're all ridiculous.)

And yes, I'll get video of Ethan singing this song. It shouldn't be hard. He sings it CONSTANTLY.

Naptime Bliss

"But Mooom. I'm not tired." As he rubs his eyes and yawns. I quickly promise to come back in ten minutes and hold his hand again if he stays in bed. Knowing that either he won't stay in bed and will lose the privilege, OR he will stay in bed and promptly fall asleep. Because no kid can lie quietly in their bed for that long and not fall asleep.

That was more than an hour ago. And Edward is also asleep. I love quiet.

I Don't Recognize Myself

When I look in the mirror it's still me. But when I review my days lately, I find myself looking around to see who's pulling the strings.

I've mentioned before how much this move has motivated me to be a homemaker. Cooking, cleaning, just doing more of what I should have done all along. And I'm liking it. Now, I have a new calling as well. Provident Living. Food storage, emergency prep, resource management (finances), and more. In general, planning and preparing for the future. Or, learning to be self-reliant both now and in an uncertain future.

This added focus is coming out all over the place. I baked with yeast. I soaked beans instead of using canned ones. I've been feeling like we have too much stuff. I'm considering cutting our spending significantly next month. I even realized I could mend a torn shirt instead of throwing it away!

What next? A wheat grinder?? Probably.

If anyone is interested, my first newsletter will be on Food Storage. Articles will include "3-months vs. 1 year", "What am I going to do with 400 lbs of wheat??", and "Baby Steps". Email me if you want a copy.

My Husband the Marketer

John hasn't started a serious job search yet. But he's been really actively networking. Getting to know people in his field here in Austin. Self-branding, if you will.

It's paid off. John had 5 interviews last week. FIVE! Like I said, he wasn't even looking. Two of them went really well. Really, really well. More once things are final.

Man he's good at marketing.

The Importance of Hats

Ethan, heading out to ride his scooter in the driveway.

"Dad, I'm going to wear my hat. So I don't hurt my bones."

29th Birthday

Yup. I'm 29 today. Still John's hot young wife for one more year.

Let me tell you the highlights of my day. I woke up early to let John finish preparing for a big interview. (It involved an hour long presentation of a marketing analysis. Really major interview.) Then off to the Laundromat to do the many loads that have piled up while I've been searching our boxes for the socket wrench set. (The washing machine is broken and I think I can fix it if I can just get the agitator off!) When Ethan and I got back, we had a blah lunch and tried for naptime. Ethan wasn't having it today. He kept insisting that TV and jumping on beds were acceptable quiet time activities. Then, just before Edward woke up, I discovered fire ants in the living room! Edward's already been stung while outside with dad, and he likes to try to catch ants (snacks that make you work for them!), so I knew we needed to avoid the living room (and attached kitchen) until at least dinner time. Without a car, there was no where I could go. (Everything really is bigger in Texas. Including the distances between things.) So I called up a neighbor and headed over for a few hours. John finally made it home and we had pizza delivered for dinner. Then he left again (darn callings!) and I put the kids to bed myself. I watched an episode of Torchwood while waiting for John to get back. (Probably the best part of the day. I love that show.) Then we ended the day by pulling out all the furniture from the walls and spraying the whole downstairs for ants.

Not my favorite birthday ever. But maybe not as bad as the stinky donkeys on my 18th.

Lesson #8

Don't store your boxes in a garage where tarantulas might move in. Or even better, don't move to a state with large arachnids.

That's right. We have a tarantula living in our garage. It's at least the size of my hand. I've seen it twice at a distance and I swear it could take on a small dog. People keep telling me that its not dangerous but that doesn't make me feel any better. I won't even park the car in there.

We have to set aside a day to move the boxes and bins out to the driveway and figure out where it's living. Then a young woman in the ward has volunteered to come catch it for us. She has one at home and would like another. Creepy. Anyway, I'll put up a picture when we catch the monster.

Recap 2: Edward Gets Off of His Belly

This was back in June, but we thought the grandparents might like to see it. I have some video of the "crawl" that will be up soon.

Recap 1: Still in Boston

A few pictures from our last month in the Bay State.

Ethan doing one of his favorite things.

John found his old scouting shirt. Anyone else reminded of Tommy Boy?

Ethan feeding Edward. Note the slightly terrified face.

"Yummmm"

"Don't smile... "

Our little ham.

Lesson #7

Carpet ALL the stairs.


Do you see the bottom step? Do you see how it's not carpeted and thus nearly the same color as the tile? When you're not paying attention, it's really easy to think you're at the bottom and then stumble off. With a baby in your arms. Not the safest part of our house.

Lesson #6

Wear shoes while gardening.

We moved into a home where the lawn and landscaping had been ignored for the previous five months. The lawn was practically dead. The shrubs needed some serious pruning. And some nasty weeds had taken a firm hold. Our great friend Mary drove out from Houston our first weekend here to help us get settled in. After unpacking Edward's room and putting him down for a nap, she and I decided to tackle the shrubbery in the front of the house. We trimmed and pruned, reshaped and weeded. Then, just as I warned that I'd cut some stinging nettles, Mary stepped on one. She looked down and saw that her foot was already bleeding from something else. Poor Mary had walked out without her shoes. At least she had missed stepping in the poison ivy!

Lesson #5

Strawberry applesauce is not a good substitute for banana puree.

(This isn't a moving lesson, but it's funny.) A few days after unpacking our kitchen I decided to make us feel more at home with a little banana bread. For some reason I was using the food processor to puree the banana rather than mashing it with a fork. I picked it up and glanced at the bottom to check for chunks...and lost my grip.

After the mess, I wasn't willing to give up, but didn't have much in the house to substitute. I found some of Ethan's strawberry applesauce cups and decided to go for it. In the end, the bread was inedible and my clothes are stained. And we all got a good laugh out of it.

Lesson #4

Be careful what you pack on top of your dryer.

After more than a week of trips to Home Depot to get the right pipe fittings, I was finally able to hook up our gas dryer. Then I turned it on. Each time the drum rotated there was a LOUD thump. I researched online and in the manual. Nothing seemed right, so I decided to just open it up and see if I could tell what the problem was. (Yes. I am the daughter of an engineer.) After removing the top I determined that the seam of the drum was scraping the top of the dryer. The entire top was dented so subtly I hadn't seen it until I knew what I was looking for. I took a rubber mallet to it and now have a fully functional and quiet dryer.

The dent was apparently caused by a box slightly smaller than dryer top. When additional weight was added on top of that, the smaller box left a dent. Don't do this! The repair wasn't hard but was a major pain because of the way the top is attached.

My Favorite Movie

Now, don't laugh. My favorite movie is The Prince of Egypt. Yes, the animated movie. Every time we watch it I am struck by different parts of Moses' early life.

Today I felt his mother's pain as she gave her little baby son to the river and the Lord's hand. Would I be able to have that amount of faith? Even with the alternative?

I was moved by his struggle to decide where he belonged. In pharaoh's house with the man who had ordered his slaughter as a child? Or with an oppressed people he didn't understand?

And today I was particularly moved when Moses was called by the Lord to return and save the Israelites. He clearly felt inadequate, unworthy, and unable to do what the Lord had asked. But he did it anyway. He faithfully obeyed and followed the Lord's instructions. And succeeded! I know that my struggles as a mother pale in comparison to delivering the Israelites from bondage. But the Lord gave me these children to raise. He has given plenty of instruction. All I have to do is faithfully obey Him and follow His instructions and I can succeed.

Jazz Hands

John was reading reviews of some of the local schools and came across a listing of charter schools. He asked if we would ever consider send our kids to one. I said yes, if Ethan or Edward had a particular talent or skill at something and there was a charter school that emphasized it. (Music or science would be areas that wouldn't surprise us.)

John immediately mentioned that maybe we should do more to encourage our little singer. Ethan is constantly singing the songs he knows and making up new ones. I've been thinking about singing more and playing more, and more appropriate, music (Sweeney Todd and some of the Camelot songs are a little much coming out of the mouth of a three year old).

Later that same evening we were sitting at the dinner table talking about the good parts of our day. Ethan burst into made-up song to finish his sentence and ended with jazz hands. I turned to John and said "We need to introduce this boy to show tunes."

Any suggestions? I've never been a huge fan, so I don't know very many. I'd love your help in finding some shows that Ethan would love!

New Blog

No, keeping up with this one is enough for me. I'm posting because one of my favorite people has finally started a blog. I'm not sure how she has the time, but I'm grateful for it.

Kolette Hall and her husband Jason live a hard life. Jason has been a quadriplegic since he was a teenager. Kolette wasn't deterred when they met at the Y and they married. Several years later Jason's specially equipped van malfunctioned, causing the brakes to fail, and he spent more than a year in the hospital followed by many more years of surgeries. Their day to day life is more difficult than I can even imagine, but they somehow manage to be some of the happiest people I have ever met.

I've been privileged enough to see some of how they maintain perspective and choose to be joyful through their struggles. Go here to read their story and here to read Kolette's blog. Her first post is about "Thriving vs. Surviving".

And if you ever have the chance to hear Jason speak, GO! He is hilarious and truly inspiring.

National Cheesecake Day

Did you know that today is National Cheesecake Day? At least at the Cheesecake Factory. It's their 30th anniversary. To celebrate, you can buy slices for $1.50 instead of $6-$8. The catch is that you have to dine in and you can only buy one per customer. So our plan is to go in with some friends (and our kids), share an appetizer, and buy cheesecake all around to take home. Do you think they'll let me count Edward as a customer?

I hope you see this early enough to enjoy it!

Grateful

Today I am grateful for

-Both boys having early bedtimes, so that even when they have a hard time going down, there's still time for me to relax.

-New motivation to be a home-maker. (It still confuses me too. But we're all liking it.)

-John working from home, at least for a while.

-New friends who already feel like old friends.

-The strength to step out of my comfort zone. And to let others into it.

-Not being pregnant again. (Yea. That was scary. Maybe I'll post about it tomorrow. Maybe.)

-The knowledge that John and I are where we're supposed to be in every way. Married to each other, two kids, self-employed, in this town, in this ward, in this particular house, even arriving when we did. We completely felt led here and already know some of the reasons why. (I have to admit that it's a comforting feeling. It took us several years to see just a little of why we were in Boston. Here, it only took a few days. The Lord really does know what he's doing.)

Lesson #3

"Tile floors throughout!" is not a plus.

The Kitchen
The Living Room
The Playroom (from the loft)

They seem like they should be wonderful. They look great. They feel cool in this hot climate. But they have some huge downsides.

Even after I'd cleaned them, our feet were turning black. So I used some trial and error to find a mop that captured the dirt in all the crevices and in the deep grout lines. The mop works really well, but needing to use it nearly everyday is frustrating. Sweeping is nearly useless, although I do it to get the bigger messes. That means I mop or let Edward scoot around on filthy floors. Yuck. Maybe if I get Edward a microfiber outfit...

Then there is the problem of the pain. Yes, both boys have fallen and cried already. They'll learn to be a little more careful. But I'm talking about the pain in our feet, knees, and hips from walking on such a hard surface all day. In the playroom we decided to put down foam pads to help the kids be more comfortable (and to decrease the echoing.)

Ethan's first tower on the new floor
We do have carpet upstairs, so we at least have a soft place for our feet to get a break.

Lesson #2

Wrap your furniture.

Heres why
Luckily enough, this was an old slipcover that I already had a replacement for. Other items needed some cleaning though.

The wood furniture did not survive unscathed either. Most of it was only partially wrapped, as teasing was making some of the guys self-conscious about doing it. You can clearly see where the wrapping ended in the scrapes and dings. And of course the drawer that fell out of the unwrapped tv cabinet is completely broken. Someone make sure that the teaser's wife sees this so that their furniture survives! (We really should have asked him to deal with it or go home. It was NOT helping.)

Sorry about the rant. I'm determined to be more pushy about wrapping the furniture next time.

More Lessons to Come...

...when we can find the cord for our camera. Luckily we have a HUGE memory card in it, so we're still snapping away. But any photo we've taken since we left Boston is stuck on the card for the moment. If I don't find the cord soon, I'll pick up a card reader so that I can share with you.

A quick overview is that we're loving life right now. We have a great house, John is working from home (so he pops in to help us out a few times a day), I'm finding a new desire to be domestic (I know. Bizarre.), and we've jumped right into the ward. Except for missing our friends and dealing with the heat, life is good.

Ethan is enjoying that he has two rooms just for him! For now, at least. The boys have their own bedrooms and we've turned the formal dining area into a playroom. Ethan just loves that there is a large area for him to set up his trains where he can leave them out. His only really sad times are when we're going to a playgroup or to church and he asks if his friends will be there. I say yes, b/c he's already made new friends. So when he says "Yes! Benjamin and Julia and Aliya will be there" I have to clarify and he pouts for a few minutes.

Edward is developing by leaps and bounds now that we're on a more regular schedule. He's finally sitting up and has developed a strange little method to move forward. He has the crawling leg motion down, but just can't figure out moving his hands. So he gets up on his hands and knees, scoots his legs forward, pushes up into a better downward facing dog pose than I can do, then pushes his hands backward like he's doing a swimming start and flops forward. It's slow, and he'll only do it if things are just out of reach, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Edward is also really into eating solids. Before we left, his dr said that he could have three meals a day if he wants it. And that he was clearly showing enough interest to try some finger foods. At six months! As soon as we introduced them, he got it. He doesn't have the pincer grasp, but he immediately figured out how to open his hand and push things into his mouth. For a while he didn't even want to be spoon fed, but a few new foods (pureed chicken and rice in particular) changed that. He gets so excited that he shakes his head back and forth the entire time. It's a messy process.

That's us for now. Once we have the pictures I'll post more.

Lesson #1

Don't forget to turn on the utilities BEFORE you move in.

Yup. We're in a hotel less than a mile from our house because we didn't know the utilities would be turned off. ALL of them. We might have toughed it out with no electricity and definitely could go without gas for a few days. It was the lack of water that did us in. No toilets with a three year old? No way. The basics will be turned on tomorrow. We'll deal with the others, like garbage pickup, sewage fees, and internet, later this week.

Ah. New house, new lessons to be learned.

Travel Updates

John has been posting audio snippets of our trip on his blog. Go take a listen!

...And They're Off!

It's official. We've left Boston. And we're feeling homeless. At least for the next week or so.

The Way Our Minds Work

John is writing again. Specifically poems in his William Tell series. (Ask him to read you a few. He gets so animated and excited.) It's clearly something that he loves doing. And it makes me happy that he's doing something he loves.

John was writing on his flight out to TX (a house hunting trip) and noticed a gentleman across the aisle doing sudoku. He looked at his notebook and had an epiphany about how he and I think.

When creating, the blank pages we use are different. John writes organically. He gets a hint of an idea, pulls out a blank piece of paper, and writes. No planning. No structure. He just writes. My mind works differently. I start with some sort of structure. Like the sudoku page.

Why? Obviously, John is very much a creative thinker and my mind is intensely logical. But there is more than that. We create in ways that feel right. That are comforting. For John, that means freedom to let things go anywhere they want. Too much structure unnerves him a little b/c he worries it won't come out right. I'm afraid of the blank page. I need to know that if I use the structure and follow the process, it'll come out "right".

Somehow this works for us. We make well thought out decisions because we're able to think about things from different angles. We're good at different things, so (as much as we can) we divide up chores, child care, and the like so that we're playing to our strengths. But I don't think we've ever realized it before. It's funny to think about how differently our minds work.

As long as I don't have to pay for it...

Ethan: "When I was a teenager I'm going to wear a teenager shirt."

Me: "What's a teenager shirt?"

E: "It's red. Like my red car."

M: "You have a red car?"

E: "When I'm a teenager I'll have a red sports car."

M: "Who's going to buy you a red sports car?"

E: "I'll buy it."

M: "You're going to get a job and buy a red car when you're a teenager?"

E: "Yup. I'll go to work and buy a red car. When I'm a teenager."

3000 Visitors!

And that doesn't count the people who use the rss feed. Who are you???

Why Are We Moving???

I had to ask myself that this morning after yet another wonderful visit with our pediatrician. I LOVE him! Today he celebrated with Ethan for wearing underwear to bed, gave hugs all around (before we remembered we'd be back next week), and gave us TWO CASES of formula! It was just another reminder to me of everything and everyone we're leaving. And a few of the reasons it's time to go.

- All of the friends we've made here over the years. We've made so many b/c of the turnover in our ward. It's finally our turn to contribute and not just miss everyone who left us behind. And we'll all stay in touch, even if it's mostly through blogs!

- Our AMAZING ward. This ward is like a training ground. It functions exactly like the Lord intended. Each member is cared for spiritually, physically, and emotionally, and contributes to the care of everyone else in their own way. Not a simple feat when nearly half your membership changes each year! We'll never be in a ward quite like this again, but it's time for us to put some of what we've learned to good use.

- The wonderful doctors I spent years finding. Literally years. Just the perfect combination of top-notch medical skill and friendship in both our pediatrician and my OB. How can I stand to leave them? I don't know. This is one of the things that I'm hating about this move.

- Boston. Oh, Boston. How we love the culture and history. And hate the traffic and city life.

- The trees of the Northeast. I've written about how much I love trees before. They just make me feel alive. I hope Austin has enough for me.

Those are the big things for me. Why I'm both excited and not so much about this move. If you ask me about how I feel, it'll depend on the day. Or minute. Right now I'm already missing our pediatrician, so I don't want to go.

For the grandparents:
I know I can't leave out how Edward's 6 month dr's appt went. He is doing great developmentally, dutifully showing the dr all of his tricks. Like holding his own bottle. And trying to roll off of the table.

Growth is slowing down, but not enough to worry. He's at 17 pounds, which is 50th percentile. Down on the charts, but so is his height. He'll hit a growth spurt soon enough. I think he may have the shorter J genes. We'll just have to wait and see!

Sleepers

Wow. My boys may be demanding when they're awake, but when they sleep...they sleep.

Ethan has always been an amazing night sleeper. Even as an infant he didn't wake up much. He hasn't been napping lately (which I HATE!), but it means that by bedtime he is so ready. His routine is short and sweet and then he's out like a light. Fabulous.

This evening we kept our big boy awake a little late. (You don't want to know why. It was gross.) By the time we kneeled down for family prayer, Ethan was curled up on John's lap. For the first time in months he let someone else say the prayer. Only a few minutes later, he was sound asleep. And he'll sleep until his clock says 7. How great is that!

Edward finally started napping on a semi regular schedule. He takes two 2 hr naps during the day, with the weird quirk that he's awake for a while in the middle of the first one. Bizarre. And at night, he's is only waking up once. We've even had one night when he didn't wake up at all!!

Our adorable little guy has some funny sleeping requirements. First, except for rare occasions, he will only sleep on a flat surface. Not in the car, not in our arms, only in a crib or (in a pinch) on the floor. Second, he needs his pacifier in his mouth. That one's normal. Third, he has to be holding on to something. A blanket, a toy, anything. He just needs something in his hand. I think it may even be his right hand, but I'm not sure. And fourth, his face has to be covered. He started this on his own, but we quickly caught on. Put him in bed, put a blanket over his head, he rolls onto his side and falls asleep.

I wish I could have taken a picture of Edward they way he fell asleep in the car this morning (again, a very rare thing). He had his pacifier in his mouth, he was holding on to his toes with one hand, and he was holding his hanging toy up against his eyes with the other. So him. He really is an angel when things are just right.

Best argument I've heard

"If you need drugs or alcohol to "have a good time," you aren't having a good time, the drugs are. They're using your body and your brain to do it, but you and your mind aren't even invited to the party." -Orson Scott Card

Photographer Shout Out

My photographer friend Liz had a photo shoot with the boys a few months ago. She did such an amazing job that it's taken me this long to decide what to have printed. (The printer she uses also does amazing work. The photos look so much more wonderful in person.) If you're looking for a photographer in the Boston area, or possibly UT if you could convince her to work while vacationing, check her out here.

Here is a very small sample of our favorites. More of Ethan b/c he's just so photogenic.

Counting

The Wink

Those eyelashes just make me melt

And our little guy, who loved having his picture taken

EDIT: The pictures seem to be visible now. I'm not sure why though, b/c I didn't get rid of the code Blogger stuck in. Weird.

Ethan's reading of the scriptures

"Once upon a time, there was a dragon and a dinosaur. They were going into the forest to find three little sticks. They needed more dragons to find more big sticks. And then there was a good dragon and a mean dragon and they were nice to someone."

I bet the scriptures would be more exciting for little boys if they were about dragons...

It's Official!

We are actually moving. Job be damned! After John spent quite a long time job searching, we decided that we need to be where the jobs are. (In the current economy, everyone is trying to hire locally to save money.) So after reviewing our options, we're going to....AUSTIN, TX!!

Yes. I did actually say I'm moving to the country of Texas. I'm scared for me too. But like I keep reminding John, Austin isn't like the rest of the state. My east coast ways may kind of fit in there. At least that's what I'm told. I've never been there! This is a giant leap of faith for me, but I feel really good about it. WE feel really good about it.

We'll be packing up the truck the last weekend in June and heading out July 1st!! If you happen to live along our route, let us know and we'll stop by to visit. We'll be going from here to DC to stay with friends for a day or two, then through Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and finally northeastern Texas.

As stressful as moving our entire lives in 4 weeks is (FOUR WEEKS!!! AAAAAAAAAA!!!), we're really excited. The area looks beautiful. (They have trees! Lots of trees!) The schools are good. (Always a concern when leaving the northeast. - Yea. That's right. We're snobby and proud of it.) And we can rent a large house for less money than the average apartment out here. We won't be going larger than we need, but I was expecting to have to bend on what I wanted and I won't need to at all! Yea for 3 bedrooms, a two car garage for the extra storage space, and a fenced backyard I can watch over from the kitchen and living room!!

(Wow, this post has a lot of exclamation points. Excited much?)

Ok. Back to packing.

Loving Ethan

You may have noticed that the mention of Ethan in my last post was fleeting. He has been feeling neglected lately. Justifiably. It was part of what made our issues with Edward so hard. I would end every day knowing that I hadn't spent enough time or given enough attention to Ethan. That he was becoming more difficult because he was tired of taking care of himself. For months.

I am so proud of my big boy for holding up for so long. I'm so proud of him for daily dressing himself, getting his own snacks, playing by himself, and putting up with a mom constantly on edge. I'm so proud of him for not acting out inappropriately for attention, but simply asking for extra help and love.

Last weekend, Ethan went away for a few days. (Thanks Dad, Chris, and Bryson for entertaining him!). It's given us the opportunity to kind start over. Edward finally started sleeping during the day and put himself on a good schedule. I was able to recharge. And Ethan spent more time playing outside in four days than he had in the previous four months. We were all ready to try life together again.

What a difference! Edward is taking real naps. I'm not pulling my hair out. And Ethan has been a joy. Obviously he's still 3, so he's no angel. But because I can take a minute to sit down and explain why he can't run into the woods by the river or ram toy cars into my feet, he actually listens and obeys! (Until he's having too much fun and forgets a few minutes later. Ah, to be 3 again.)

Today was a wonderful day for strengthening our mother-son relationship.

We started with our preschool graduation picnic. We've had great days and miserable days in our mom-taught preschool and we finished on a high note. I made up little graduation certificates and loved the opportunity to kneel down, congratulate Ethan on finishing the year, and give him his first 'diploma'. It was also fun to finish by leading some of the games Ethan and his friends have loved over the year.

Later, towards the end of Ethan's nap, I was packing in the office. When he woke up, Ethan immediately wanted to help. (He is so excited about moving!) So I gave him a box and he "packed" his favorite toys. First went Buzz. Then lots and lots of toy cars. And finally blocks. Each one brought in the seat compartment of one of those push cars for beginning walkers. So dang cute!

My personal favorite today was our little tea party. (He initiated it, I swear.) We practiced pouring the tea without losing the lid of teapot. We sipped and stirred. We giggled. It was wonderful to play something that allowed us to talk and didn't involve crashing.

And finally, John was out tonight so I put down both boys. Ethan isn't thrilled about sharing a room with Edward at the moment, so bedtime can be emotional for him. He was having a hard time settling down and kept tearfully asking to hold my hand "just a little longer". After sitting back down on the floor to comfort him a third time (and becoming more annoyed), I asked why he needed me to hold his hand. Ethan looked up at me and said "Because it's so nice to hold hands, mama."

I've been worried that the very close connection I have with Edward would make the apparent distance between Ethan and I even larger. Even as an infant it was clear that Ethan would be closer to his dad than he ever would be with me. But today reminded me that we still love each other so much. That even when circumstances make it harder to maintain closeness, we aren't losing each other. Today, I couldn't love Ethan any more. What a great boy he is.

15 minutes

That's the average length of Edward's naps. On occasion I'm lucky and get 20 or 25, but not very often. How much can I get done in 15 minutes? It's just long enough to pee, get Ethan whatever he's spent the last twenty minutes begging for, inhale a snack, and MAYBE fold half a load of laundry. Not a whole lot.

And the rest of the day? Much of it is spent just feeding Edward. Although we switched him entirely to formula so that he would actually fill up and thus eat less often (Thanks John!), he'll take 45 minutes to finish his bottle. So lets optimistically say he eats every three hours or so. That's 45 min of eating, at least 15 squirming around before deciding he's tired and zoning out, another 10-20 falling asleep, and then 15 min asleep. That leaves an hour and a half when he should be awake, happy, doing his 4 month old stuff, right?

I wish. Because I'm not nursing him anymore, Edward is afraid I'm going to abandon him. In his perfect world, I'd hold him 24 hours a day. I wouldn't mind so much if he took decent naps, but... We've had to compromise. I can put him down for a while, as long as I stay within two feet of him and in his direct line of sight. If I leave that tiny zone, or just don't look busy enough to not be holding him, my ears are assaulted by the screaming. It's a new scream he's developed, just for me. Edward's strict requirements mean that I move him around from room to room, and from spot to spot, every few minutes so that I can get things done. My side of the deal? At least once a day, I get to let him scream. Yup. Maybe for a quick shower, or to eat, or to clean something I don't want him that close to. All with the wonderful screaming ringing in my ears.

Ultimately, it's working better that the previous method - holding him all day while only managing minimal housework and becoming depressed about how I'm neglecting every single aspect of my life. At least I get those 15 minutes. Three times day.

Big Announcement for Grandma!

Just kidding. We have a history of calling our moms with big news on Mother's Day. Our engagement and both pregnancies have fallen at just the right points to surprise our moms with them. This evening, I checked my site meter and discovered that my mother-in-law checked my blog 4 times in the last 24 hours. Hoping for some news Grandma J?

Sorry that I don't have anything big this year. Only that your grandkids are growing up so fast I can barely keep up. And many thanks for raising such a great son yourself. I can't imagine being a mom to such crazy boys without him by my side. Happy Mother's Day!

Walking for CF

Most of you know that our Edward is named after a friend of mine. Ed passed away several years ago after fighting Cystic Fibrosis for 23 years. He changed the way I see life and how I choose to live it. Oddly enough it was John, who only met Ed once or twice, that wanted to name our next boy after him. I'm going to let him explain why on his blog. (nudge, nudge...)

During Ed's life, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation made sure that he had the best, most cutting-edge care and support available. Obviously, they not only support CF research, but they strive to improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disease.

On May 17th, John, the boys, and I will be joining Ed's family and friends in a GreatStrides walk to support the CF Foundation. We've already donated the amounts we committed to raise, but because we've seen up close what life with this disease is like, we're asking for your help. No pressure. But if you're so inclined, every small donation can be a big help. You can donate online by going here for me, or here for John. Or get a donation to us by May 16th and we'll take it with us to the event. (A surprising number of companies will match employee donations, so check at work!)

Good Things

I haven't been writing much about the good lately. Even with the misery, we've been having a lot of good around here. Here's a few.

John and I, because the baby keeps us on a weird schedule anyway, have been making time late at night to talk. Having two kids with very different needs makes us miss 'us', so it's been good to take some time to reconnect. Even if it means missing out on a little more sleep.

My recovery this time around was SOOOO much better, meaning I've been able to enjoy having a baby. I've never been a baby person, but I just can't get enough of Edward. Even with his issues, I'm already sad that he's growing up. (For anyone who's wondering why I mention my recovery 4 months out, it was really that bad last time. I don't really remember what Ethan was like until he was about 6 months old. So I'm soaking it all in this time. Maybe in the future I'll write about what I learned from those months.)

Edward, when he's not in pain or overtired, is the sweetest and most happy baby I've ever met. He is a huge flirt, is always ready with a big grin or giggle, and could not possibly love me more. Makes getting through the rough spots a whole lot easier.

Ethan, although he is a typical 3 yr old boy (read: CRAZY!), is so much fun. My favorite thing is his singing. We listen to a super-old Janice Kapp Perry tape in the car and Ethan knows most of the songs really well. I absolutely love to hear him belting out "Jesus understands MEEEE!" and "Who will preach the gospel? I will!" everywhere we go.

And I decided to mess with my favorite cookie recipe and made it even better! I'll post it below for those of you who asked about it. Mmmm. I might need to make some more tomorrow.

The Cookies

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter for a very mild flavor. Add more if you want it stronger.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/3 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 1/3 cups chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter. Beat well. Add combined flour and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes or until starting to brown on bottom. Cool 1 min on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack. (makes about 4 dozen)

We're Doing Better

I don't want to jinx it, so no details for now. Just know that we're doing better.

Thanks to everyone who had kind, supportive words. And to Tamara, whose giggles reminded me of how ridiculous I looked teaching the visiting teaching lesson with a screaming baby in my arms. (It was a classic LDS mom moment.)

Barely Concious

That's me. I probably shouldn't try to do anything like driving, or cooking, or child-care. Man. Life needs to stop for a while and let me get some sleep. Last night, I was up with Edward twelve times. TWELVE TIMES!!!

Edward has been slowly deteriorating. Each time we increased his dose of Zantac, the benefits faded more quickly. But because reflux is supposed to peak at 4 months old, I figured I could ride it out. (Someone hit me the next time I think something so stupid. Please?) Peaking means that it's at its worst and will then take several more months to improve. That means sleeping and eating issues for several more months.

Enough is enough. So we had a nice long chat with the dr today. Edward is still managing to grow and gain weight. But his weight gain is just on the edge of not enough. He also has every single one of the odd little reflux symptoms. Spitting up, not sleeping, constantly sucking on anything, back arching, a persistent head-tilt... (That last one is improving, but could mean physical therapy if he doesn't do it on his own.) There have also been a couple of signs that it all may be caused by a food allergy.

We're going to try quite a few things.

First, we're switching to Prevacid. More expensive and harder to give, but it shouldn't lose its efficacy like Zantac did.

Second, adding solids should help with the weight and the sleeping.

Third, I'm going to do some stool testing at work that could confirm an allergy. (If the dr sends it to his lab, we would have to pay for it. So we're taking advantage of my job. Plus it gives us an easy reminder to touch base when I call the dr with the results.)

Fourth, I'm going stop nursing on demand and put the boy on a schedule. This means he'll nurse MUCH less often. Seems backward, I know. But he's using it purely for comfort too often, and stimulating his stomach to make more acid.

And fifth, the biggest, a modified Ferberizing. I've been nursing him to sleep, so he doesn't know how to comfort himself when the pain wakes him up. So we are instituting a bedtime routine and putting him to bed awake. Normally, the Ferber method would have us leave him alone in the crib, but he's too young. So we'll stay next to the crib and sooth him however we can without picking him up. It'll be miserable. But hey. I was up twelve times last night. I know miserable.

Thats our little guy for now. John has been managing more sleep than me b/c he can't nurse Edward. But I'll be recruiting him for these new efforts so that he can share in my zombie-like ways. Hopefully things will improve soon.

My Snuggly Boys

John has always been snuggly. (Don't be getting any ideas ladies!) But Ethan and Edward just aren't the snuggliest of guys. Ethan is good for a short hug on occasion if I make a sad face or when he's hurt. But I'm not his dad, so I don't get much else out of him. And Edward, who is such a mama's boy that he screams when even John holds him, would rather look around at the world or eat my shoulder than give me some real lovin'.

Last night, Ethan wasn't feeling very well. (My fault. I'd used the wrong sunscreen on him and he broke out in a nasty rash.) Even with the Benadryl, he wasn't sleeping well and came into our room several times. Usually, John walks him back to bed and he goes right back down. But last night, as soon as John would get up, Ethan would climb into his spot and snuggle up against me. He doesn't even remember waking up, but I loved those few minutes of snuggly Ethan.

Edward has been sleeping better. Not great. Just better. Once he's down for the night (those few hours when he fights it are the worst of the entire day) we do ok. But it's the naps that are still an issue. Rarely does he sleep longer than 30 min. I'd be able to rock or nurse him back to sleep if I didn't have a 3 yr old who is getting really sick of not yelling or stomping (or spitting or shrieking or....) while his brother is trying to fall asleep. (Edward is also realizing that he doesn't like to be dragged around to Ethan's activities all the time. What fun is the park or a museum for him?) So Edward is tired and cranky a lot. Not all the time, but a lot of it. Today, he was tired without being cranky. And this meant I had my first intentional snuggle! He layed his head down on my shoulder and tucked his little face into my neck. Didn't last long, but it felt so nice.

It may not be often, but I love when my boys are snuggly.

General Conference

What I loved about last week's General Conference.

(If you're not LDS, most of this won't make any sense. Email me or leave a comment and I'll gladly explain any of it, if you'd like.)

1 Standing in solemn assembly both with the women of the church (Picture all of them, all over the world, standing together. So much strength.) and with my family.

2 Tearing up while Ethan, so excited to sustain our new prophet, stood with each and every quorum and raised his hand as high as he could.

3 The overall theme of sustaining the prophet. Loved Pres. Monson's story about the statues of Christ's disciples as reminder that he and the apostles are their latter-day equivalents.

4 The parenting lesson that was disguised as the Saturday Morning session.

5 How obvious it was that the mantle had descended on our new prophet. Still so him, but even more powerful.

6 I was touched by both Pres Packer's and Pres Monson's mention of their wives and how they never complain. After reviewing all of the talks and topics in my mind, these two off topic comments struck me more than anything else. I have a very hard time with people who are negative about life. But I'm one of them much too often. I've spent this week focusing on being more positive and life is just better.

Babies, babies, everywhere!

Baby Lucas

Baby Leah

Can't wait to meet these two beautiful babies. Good job mamas!

Lots of love to everyone else who's expecting. I ran out of hands trying to count you all!!

Changing My Focus

You may have noticed that my blogging has been slowly changing. I started this blog for our extended family, purely so that they could keep up with Ethan. Overtime, more and more of ME has been creeping in. And I like it.

I don't keep a journal, and we don't take nearly enough pictures. But these words give a pretty good idea of our life. My life, and that of the rest of the family. So I'm going to continue writing whatever craziness I feel like sharing, with the addition of some posts about me, purely for my boys.

I am actually working on having a book printed for each year of my blog (3 so far) and one for each year of John's (5!). We're really excited about having this record to pass on to our kids.

(For anyone who's interested, I'm using Blurb to put together and print the books.)

A Whole Family

At bedtime.

Ethan: Mom? I want Dad to hold my hand.

Me: He'll come in and give you a kiss after Cub Scouts. You'll be asleep already.

E: But I miss him.

M: I know you do. He'll come home as fast as he can.

E: Do you miss him, Mom?

M: Of course I do.

E: And Edward?

M: Yes, Edward misses Daddy too.

E: I want him to come home. I want us to be a whole family again.

M: Me too, bud. Me too.

The Constant Topic of Conversation

"You be Zurg!" Then he pushes a spot on his arm and makes laser noises while pretending to shoot at you.

He whispers while pushing a pretend button on his belly "My wings are up, my wings are up" then yells "To Infinity... And Beyond!!!" Then he takes a flying leap off of wherever it is he climbed up to.

"Wow... It'll be so amazing when I have a Buzz costume." If I don't get one for next Halloween, we'll have major issues.

Yes, he does have a SMALL obsession with Buzz Lightyear.

Laughing (and photos)

Because quite a few of you don't even know that John has a blog as well, here is the video he just posted.



And the link to a flicker set with all our photos from the last three months.

(John actually has two blogs. The second is focused on social media marketing.)

The News

A lot of you know at least some of this already. Here is the whole story of why my husband is amazing. (He would write this himself, but as you'll see by the end, he's pretty busy.)

We've been talking about moving for, what, 2 years now? The thing holding us back was John not being ready to start a job search. After Edward was born, we realized that Heavenly Father had stopped gently nudging and had started shouting. So John started looking around and updating his resume. But until two weeks ago, not applying for anything.

About a month ago, John found a great position in North Carolina. He was excited and made a big push to have his resume ready. After two weeks of rewriting, having others look at it, and rewriting again, it was an incredibly powerful resume. I think my dad even swore (by association) about how good a section was in the last draft. Plus a perfectly tailored cover letter and an email that would get their attention. It really would have been shocking for this company to NOT respond.

Respond they did. Less than twelve hours later they asked for salary requirements and whether or not we would be willing to move. So John took the weekend to research and make sure he asked for the right salary. This was tough. Coming from the Northeast, we worried that they would consider even his current salary too high, but we aren't moving without a raise b/c we plan to buy a house. After agonizing, John felt good about the range he gave them (a range b/c it would depend on benefits, obviously.)

We were stunned when the next morning, they responded that they were going to make someone else an offer. The wording told us that they had been waiting on this other candidate b/c they thought John might be better, but that our salary request ended that. Ouch.

My great husband, not willing to have things end that way, emailed back that he was glad they found someone and asked about what it was they had been looking for from us, so that we could have a better idea when applying to other jobs in the area. We were so glad to hear back that John hadn't asked for too much. They realized after reviewing John's qualifications and the job description, that they had created a job that was a higher level position than they had intended. So they actually changed the job description and John was overqualified. And they offered to be available to answer questions about the area if we do continue to look for work there. Which we are.

It was kind of a roller coaster for about a week with this company (and John didn't even make it to an interview!), and we were sorry that it didn't work out with them. They were clearly a company of good people. But the amazing response has been so motivating for both John and I. He spends every moment he can on his job search and I've started working on getting us ready to move.

You should see us. John is doing only his one big chore (dishes) and childcare when I need him to and spends the rest of his time on the computer. I've been dejunking, working on using up the food in the pantry rather than restocking, and packing. Yes, packing. I've already packed up some of the files we don't use regularly and am heading to the bookshelves next. On top of keeping our house cleaner than usual and the addition of a newborn. Crazy, I know.

So, my husband is amazing. When he finally started his job search, he did it with a bang. And it's helping me accomplish more in a day than I previously did in a week b/c I'm so excited for the change.

Wish us luck! If anyone has any leads for an Internet Marketing Specialist (particularly in the Cary, NC area, but it doesn't have to be) let us know!!

Backseat Driver

Who taught my son to drive??? How did Ethan learn the rules of the road??? I may have answered a few questions without thinking about the consequences.

"Two hands on the wheel! ... Higher...Higher...Good." My hands must be at 10 and 2 at all times.

"Mom. MOOOM! Slow down!" As we approach a red light that I am already slowing down for.

"GO. Green light means GO!!" Apparently I don't hit the gas quickly enough for him.

"Mom, you're driving too fast." or "Can we drive faster? We're going too slow." Usually he's right when he says these.

Aren't Babies Supposed to Sleep?

Edward started out as a fabulous sleeper. He made babies seem so easy. Then, it started to change. Our first thoughts were that it was a gas issue. So I lived without vegetables and chocolate for nearly two months. No chocolate for two months!! But he was still getting worse.

So two weeks ago, I took Edward in to have his ears checked and to discuss formula options. After going over his symptoms, the dr asked a few questions and said he suspected that reflux was the problem, not gas. So we started the boy on Zantac.

Miracle of miracles, it worked! For about a week and a half. Suspecting a few other things that could be keeping him up (earache, hunger, etc...) I took him in again. After I made this appointment, the office called and changed the time b/c our dr was covering the nursery and there were more babies that needed extra attention than usual. The new time was decidedly less convenient. I grumbled. I considered canceling. I could have called and had his zantac dose raised without having to go in and pay the copay.

But I'm so glad I didn't! Not because something was horribly wrong. All we ended up deciding was that he needed a higher dose (surprise, surprise). BUT... because I was concerned that my milk supply has been decreasing already, and the boy will need one of those "special" formulas (read: expensive), the dr gave me some. No, not just some, a CASE! Six whole cans! The twenty dollars for the copay wouldn't buy one! Have I told you I love our pediatrician?

And yes. Edward is sleeping better already. We'll just need to up his dose of Zantac every so often to keep it that way.

Listening to the Man in the Moon

Ethan: I see a circle!

John: That's the moon!

Me: Do you see the man in the moon? His eyes, nose and mouth?

Ethan: Yes... Does he talk?

Me: I don't know

Ethan: Shhhh! Be quiet and listen!

Quiet

John: (in funny voice) Ethan, this is the moon

Ethan: Dad, be quiet and listen!

Quiet

Me: What is the moon saying?

Ethan: He's talking about the prophet. And cars. . . . Be quiet! . . . He's talking about buildings and building houses. And trucks.

(Yes, we know that seeing the moon means we had Ethan out waaaay too late. But we were celebrating my awesome husband. More when we know more!)

What I Did Today

I was going to post about all of the things I accomplished today. The rooms I cleaned, the laundry I did, the kids I bathed, etc. I was very proud of myself. Until I realized that the most important thing I'd done all day wasn't all the things I cleaned, but all the things that Ethan cleaned.

Yes. I said Ethan cleaned. I was in a "need to clean" state of mind, and Edward was napping well, but I realized that a bored or mischievous Ethan could be a stumbling block. One that trips me up many a well-intentioned day. So I knew I needed a better plan.

I'm not sure I can remember how I did it, but I got Ethan excited about cleaning with me. He helped pick up and vacuum the living room. He cleaned up his room with only minimal direction from me. He wiped down the kitchen chairs. He even "swept" and "mopped" the kitchen!

All that I managed to accomplish around the house today pales in comparison to what I was able to accomplish with my son. I couldn't be happier.

For some great advice on teaching your kids to work with you, see Lara's series of articles. I am truly amazed by what she has accomplished with her children.

He is a Poop Ma-chine. Poop Ma-chine.

Yes, that would be Edward. He's the poop machine in the factory of messes and gross smells that is our home.

Can anyone name the reference? (Besides my husband, of course.)

Update: I'm not surprised that no one knows the reference. It's from "Can't Hardly Wait", one of John's favorite movies. It's a teen comedy thats still funny and cute all these years later. And no, Olaf, the non-english speaking exchange student, did not say "poop".

Need a Little Spring

I don't know that I've ever been so sick of winter. I've even stopped wearing a coat in protest. (When it's not below freezing, of course. I'm not that crazy.) I'm dreaming of the day that it will break 40 degrees for more than an hour or two. And when the wind dies down so that it doesn't make that 40 feel like 32. Once it hits the 50s, I'm breaking out the shorts. Who's with me!

So, for anyone else here in the northeast who just needs a little spring, go here and click away.

What Quirky Boys I Have

All the better to love them.

We all know that Ethan is quirky. Some days, he's downright weird.

Our favorite oddball behavior is talking about himself in the third person. "Ethan wants his cuppy." It makes me want to laugh every time. I just love it.

He also insists on picking his own clothes. When he was first learning to dress himself, I didn't mind the bizarre clothing choices because I didn't have to put them on him. Now I realize that I missed a teaching opportunity somewhere b/c he only ever wears t-shirts and sweatpants, and they NEVER match. Except for sundays when he insists on a shirt and tie like dad. (The first week this popped up, my son wore an orange plaid shirt and a bright red infant sized tie that barely came to his belly-button. In public! He now has a nice white shirt and several ties in the right size, and the offending orange and red ensemble has been packed away.)

The most disgusting quirk of Ethan's involves poop. (Skip this paragraph if you're squeamish!) He likes to see it so that he can tell us how gross it is. I think saying "eeeeeewwwwwwwwww" gives him the giggles. He even thinks its hilarious when Edward poops because you can hear it from the next room. Today, he pushed me a little too far with this obsession. He called out "Mooom. My fingers are dirty..." Those words combined with his 'enticing' tone of voice gave away the surprise. He didn't have a nice mommy during the cleanup.

Edward's little quirks are still just cute.

He would much rather be upright than laying down, and he reminds us very clearly when we forget. We have to hold him so that he's sitting or looking over our shoulders. I've even had to learn how to keep him sitting up in the sling while he's still inside it. This probably started before we discovered and began treating his reflux, but it has definitely continued b/c he want to be able to see better. He's incredibly social and can't stand to be left out.

He also loves to be naked. He takes after his namesake that way.

And my personal favorite, you can relax him by rubbing the bottoms of his feet. Cute and useful.

I'd list John's quirks, but that might push him to name some of mine. And no one wants that.

How to get AAA to come in 10 minutes or less!!

The magic words are "There are kids locked in the car!"

So, we've been having some car trouble. (It's all Grandma J's fault!) The battery had been dying, so we took it in to be replaced. (It's just too cold outside to do it ourselves.) Our shop is great and they checked the battery before pulling it out. It wasn't having any trouble holding a charge, so they did a little more investigating and found that the light-box, a ridiculously expensive bunch of relays, was constantly drawing power. It took a few days to get the new box, so I had to pull out a fuse every time the car was parked. Friday, it was replaced.

We didn't drive the car at all yesterday. When John got in to drive to church this morning, it was dead. Again. I was already gone, so our neighbor gave him a jump. Once John made it, I told him how to pull out the fuse.

Jump to after church. John loaded both kids into the car and started it to check the battery before replacing the fuse. It was fine, so John hopped out and popped the hood. Because it was cold, he closed the car door. Not a problem b/c the doors were all unlocked. EXCEPT that when the fuse is replaced, it locks the doors. Don't ask me why, it just does. And yes, we really should have a duplicate made of the key.

John tried to get Ethan to unbuckle himself and unlock the door, but he's never done it before and I'm not sure he has the hand strength yet. He did manage to wiggle his arms out and reach his lock, but he couldn't pull it up. Both John and I tried the unlock code on the door (it has those buttons above the handle), but that stopped working ages ago and we didn't really expect it to work. Edward, of course, started screaming only moments after we realized we couldn't get in.

AAA responds REALLY fast when kids are locked in cars. That was the first thing I said and the woman on the phone immediately asked for our location, had her supervisor start calling the closest place, and promised they'd be there in less than 10min before she even verified that we were members. It was pretty impressive.

The most amazing thing to me was that I wasn't even worried. I think John was much more worked up, and I knew that the appropriate reaction was freaking out, but it just didn't seem like that big of a deal. Edward would survive crying for a few minutes, Ethan would be a trouper, and we'd be able to comfort them both when we got in. Maybe I'm a little too laid back about my kids.

Field Trip to the Aquarium

Last week our little preschool took a field trip to the Boston Aquarium. Grandma J happened to be out, so she helped us with the kids and acted as photographer. (Thanks again!!)

Watching the penguins.

All four in one shot! This never happens.

Holding a starfish.

The stroller brigade

And Edward slept through it all

Flu news

I've learned quite a lot about this "common" illness in the last few days that may help you.

The most important right now is that this strain is causing a nationwide epidemic and was NOT included in the flu vaccine. So even if you got your flu shot this year, you can get it. (They choose what to include many months before so there is always the chance they'll guess wrong. But it's still worth getting them b/c most years they're right.) Obviously, this means staying away from anyone who is "coming down with something" and lots of handwashing when out in public.

Second, if you do get it, there IS something you can do about it. In the last few years, anti-viral medications have become widely available. They ease symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness. But they have to be started within 48 hrs of the first symptoms. So if you suspect flu, call your dr. The sooner you start the meds, the more effective they are. (If you are pregnant or nursing, they still don't know if it's safe for the baby. So you just have to tough it out. At least the baby will get the immunity you develop by fighting it.)

Last, symptoms. Flu symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, and congestion. Stomachaches are also possible, but more often in children. You may not get all of the symptoms, so don't wait for them. If you have two or three, get treated.

OH! And you are contagious until ALL of your symptoms are gone. The worst is over in a few days, but the cough can hang on for a week or two!

Flu

So, it may be a little longer before I get back to blogging. I seem to have the flu. But b/c I can't take the antivirals while nursing, I'm not going to bother getting tested. Just ibuprofen for the headache, muscle aches, and fever, and a decongestant if I really need it. Can't do much for the chills, but as long as this doesn't last long, I can tough it out. And I'm going to send John out for some face masks. No one else needs to get this.

I promise I'm still alive

It amazes me that people are still checking my blog. It's been two weeks with nothing new, and even longer since I've talked about the boys. Give me a few more days to get through my weekend at work. (Yes, I'm already back at work. It's exhausting, but I was sorely missed. They'd much rather have a tired me than no me.) After the weekend we'll be getting a little vacation (from Ethan). So with only one child I'll get little time to catch up on blogging, housework, some reading, SLEEP....

Sci-Fi

I'm a huge fan of science fiction. I'm particularly partial to the older stuff (Heinlein, Asimov, etc.), but there are a some great contemporary authors putting out novels and short stories. Lately, I've been enjoying reading and listening to short-stories. It's the route most sf authors take to become known and to try out new ideas. It's also allowing me to sample types of sf that I wouldn't usually choose.

So here is where I find these stories.

I really like Orson Scott Card's web magazine InterGalactic Medicine Show. (This one does cost a little, but for the month of Feb, one story from each of the first four issues is available for free. Just click on each issue to find it.) Besides featuring some newer authors, Card writes a new story in the Enderverse for each issue.

For listening, I highly recommend Escape Pod. A free podcast, they have a new story every week. And really good intro/exit music.

(If you clicked on that last link, I should probably admit to you that this classically trained alto listens to alternative rock and heavy metal most of the time. You should hear me sing along to guitar solos! And my older son yells if I try to change the radio station away from this type of "mewskit". He likes even harder stuff than I do! So, Daikaiju is pretty mellow for us, but it's fun and kind of energizing.)