Halloween 2009

Halloween 2009 was...interesting! And fun!

It started, in my mind, early in the week with Mommy flat out on her back. Friday morning was the big parade! Sam and Seren left in costume at 9:00 as Sam was the classroom helper. Everyone was in place by 9:45. The kids all paraded in! Our little witch was VERY nervous because she was afraid that her hat would blow away! (it was windy, after all). So she was biting her nails and biting her hat.



I laughed so hard. The parents all stood by classroom so we could have a front row seat for the event when they came by and then performed. She lit up like a light bulb when she saw our faces. And I felt that pride that comes from watching your kids achieve something. Even if the 'achievement' is standing there, hardly singing the song and nervously biting ones' hat. I loved it! And I liked standing there watching all of the other kids in the class with all of the other parents. The parade, overall, was a trip. The younger kids (including those in her class) cried when they saw their parents. For a fun event, there were a TON of tears.



Seren and Sam stayed and Wyeth and I came back. His fever which at waking was a little one, was spiking. He went straight to bed. Then he woke up and puked. Oh no! Our "black cat" was sick! I ran around like a stress case trying to find 'feverall' which is a tylenol suppository. No luck. His fever was managed the rest of the weekend but no seizures yet (touch wood, touch wood).

The parade was done- we made it to Friday.

We had planned on going to my hometown's parade about 45 minutes away but my parents leaving on a big trip, my brother in town and our sick cat, we thought there was no way we could manage that one.

Saturday turned out to be an insanely poor morning. We had noble plans of finally carving our BIG (26 lb) pumpkin that we picked up at a local farm the week before.



We talked it up big time! Yeah! We would carve! With Wyeth down, we laid out the newspaper, gathered all of our supplies and opened our front door to get the pumpkin from the front stoop. NO PUMPKIN! Someone took it!! What!? Seren's immediate response was that someone was 'borrowing it at their house' and would 'return it when they realized it was ours'. HUH? Sam and I were about to go bat sh*t in response to the stolen pumpkin but the fact that Seren came up with a WHOLE story as to where it was and when it would come back made us feel better. Sam left to try to find a last minute pumpkin.

Meanwhile, Seren and I stayed home with the sleeping Wyeth. At one point she says to me, "Mommy, why is the chandelier all smoky?" What? I turn to the dining room and see the dinning room table IN FLAMES!!!!

I did one of those panicked "what the hell do I do first" things where you can't tell if you should run to the table or run to the kitchen so you just freeze for a second. I ran to the kitchen, filled up a big pitcher of water and threw it all over the flaming newspaper, tablecloth and table. WHEW! OUT!! (I think it started from a spark from the candle).

The story about the fire continues to go on. She just learned all about fire safety at school and had about 10000001 questions about the fire. "Why didn't the firemen come?"

"Well, because it wasn't that big of a fire. If it was a big, big fire, I would have picked you up, gotten Wyeth and we would have ran out!"

"No, Mommy, you should get us and sing the song so you know what to do. You have to 'drop to the floor and crawl to the door'."

"Oh, ok. I would have done that too."

"And you don't need to 'call' the firemen, you just say 'FIRE FIRE!' and they come!"

Later that night, when trick or treating in our neighborhood she had to tell EVERY neighbor about the pumpkin that went joy riding on Hawk Road and the FIRE.

My nerves were shot I tell ya. Shot. So, in recap: parades, puking, spiking fevers, stolen pumpkins, fire and oh yeah, the standard trick or treating. The trick or treating, by the way, was a complete BLAST. We spent time at my parents home AND at our home. Totally awesome. Happy Halloween 2009!

Lost a week!

There are so many things to write about but I don't know where to start! I had another good weekend with my family- a chance to relax, to pick out a pumpkin, to play together, to attend another preschool birthday party, a chance to go on a date with my husband. All very good things. We have had full weekends recently. This world known as "preschool" is all very new to me. There are parties to attend, newsletters to read, school pictures to take and most exciting, Halloween Parades! It is very different! And it is busy. But *I* seriously LOVE preschool. Seren is like a walking song. She has a song for everything. Cleaning up. Snack. Getting ready. She just sings and hums along. I love it!

I can't wait for the parade tomorrow!

But I was hit with a cold and fever that knocked my socks off this week! Man! It started with an allergy attack which quickly went into a fever that four days later, I still have! The doctor says I have an ear infection. I am having trouble hearing now but generally feel much better. I literally got in bed at 7:15pm Monday night and stayed there until the morning. And then took the day off and went back to bed! I haven't had that much rest in three years! Sam has been uberdad- doing it ALL while I secluded myself with juice, medicine and a Kleenex box.

Oh well, I believe sometimes our bodies just say 'Enough is enough' and conk out on us. Just really hoping that the kids don't get this cold/fever thing! That is all we need!

In other exciting news, Uncle John is in town! Yeah! We haven't seen him since May. He came for Seren's third bday party. Seren is very excited.

Wyeth is walking up a storm! It started in earnest on Friday and he hasn't stopped. It is amazing to watch! I can't get over it. We also just switched his car seat out. Goodbye infant car seat. Between the walking and the new car seat his early days of laying around on me seem long gone. This too makes me sad. Did I cherish it enough?

So with the cold, this week hasn't exactly gone as planned. But we are all hoping for a great Halloween. Seren is going to be a 'nice witch' and SHE wanted Wyeth to be her black cat. Which is better than my friend's daughter who upon announcing she would be Little Bo Peep tried to convince her mother that her younger sister would need a leash around her neck and could be the sheep! Talk about therapy bills!
I can just hear it now, "Well, doctor, I always felt as if my contributions to the family were not valued. It started really at birth. My first Halloween, I was made out to be my older sister's sheep..."

Happy Halloween!

Below are some recent pics of the team. Check out the fridge action.



And despite my worries that my baby is growing too fast, he still is, afterall, only a little guy.



Sigh. Life is good.

Phone Friday- Riding

It is fall. Some days it is hot. Some days it is windy and cool. This past week we took a little family walk around the block with the kids in the old Radio Flyer. There is something quintessentially 'family' about Radio Flyers, don't you think?

One month in...

And we are doing great!

Sam left his full time (paid) job one month ago to join the team at home working full time for no pay. And in that month we have adjusted. It took about 3 weeks to get us all back to some sort of schedule, routine, rhythm.

I love it.

I love having my husband home. I love seeing Sam. I love that Seren is doing all sorts of crazy art projects. (Pictures below).I love that I don't need to cook dinner at night. I love that I don't have to put both kids down by myself. Or cook dinner while nursing Wyeth. I love that I don't feel so all alone. It is working. I still have twinges of guilt and jealousy and no, we haven't paid the bills yet which is when it will get VERY tricky but this is a decision that is working for us. Right now. And we are feeling very happy and very fortunate.

But the comments from strangers have started back too. Case in point. On Monday, I was waiting with Seren and Wyeth at a doctor's office while Sam had a minor test performed. (He is fine, whew!) I met a grandma who was in her late 50's, early 60s. She was one of those people, God bless her, who just asks all sorts of personal questions and tells you exactly what she thinks. You know the type, "So, you done having kids?" Etc, etc. She and I chatted for a long time about well...my life. She starts with:

Her: So your hubby took the day off to have this done?
Me: No, this is my day off with the kids, we are here to pick him up after the procedure.
Her: He stays home?
Me: Yup.
Her: He don't work??
Me: Nope. Well, on Mondays he works but the rest of the days, he is with the kids.
Her: Does he LIKE that? He don't go crazy?
Me: I'm sure he has his moments where it is hard. But he seems to love it, actually. He is really, really good with the kids.
Her: Does he cook?
me: Yes! He is a good cook.
Her: He don't clean too, does he?
Me: Nope, he doesn't clean. That is still my thing.
her: You must LOVE to work...
Me: I like to work. Yes, I do. I like having that part of me but I really enjoy my kids as well. I love 'em.

This went on and on. She looked at me like I had a third eye. The names we chose for our children? She chalked that up to us "being creative". But then after a quiet moment (and I do mean one moment) she said, "Well, I guess it all shared these days. Not when I was doing it. Nope. If my husband had the kids, well, the house was a complete mess when I returned. I guess it don't work like that anymore."

There are a number of different things I find funny or challenging about these kinds of conversations.
One, you feel like you have defend yourself as a good mother. One conversation I'll never forget came from a local mother who said to me, "I could NEVER work, I love my children too much." Which is just ignorant. Those mothers that choose to work or have to work don't love their children?? Good grief.

Two, you feel like you have to defend your partner's parenting. Which would NOT be the case in reverse. (A father defending his wife's mothering would be unheard of but I constantly have to assure nosey strangers that he IS a good dad.)

Three, it makes me realize that some things really have changed and some things haven't. Double standards are everywhere.

Some life choices are made for us. Some we make on our own. Most 'choices' are somewhere in between. But every family that I know is simply trying to do their best. That is all we are trying to do as well. Some days are better than others.

These conversations with strangers are just so common that you begin to get used to them. Begin to. They still, as is obvious in this post, ruffle my feathers.

In the mean time, we will continue onwards. The art projects, I have to say, are pretty cool.

Scared of Wind

As a parent, there are no shortages of times when you just shake your head and wonder how your child is actually related to you.

This past week Seren has become horribly afraid of wind.

Wind, peoples. Wind.

It is fall. It is chilly. It is windy.

We have 'issues'.

It all started last Wednesday when her fireman's hat that she got from school blew off her head. Later that day, Sam placed two library books on the top of the car. Sam assured her that they would not blow off. But they did! Well, since then, we haven't heard the end of wind fears. The teacher at school has told us to put her in a hoodie that the teacher then sinches up around her face. But the screaming about the wind continues. She holds on to her hair for dear life. She clutches her skirts when she is outside.

We have tried to emphasize how much FUN the wind is! Yeah! Kite flying! Yahoo! Sail boat racing! Check it out- wind is FUN.

Nope. She is not buying it.

Scared of the wind. Any ideas?

How many more days until spring?

Ten Months

Wyeth, you turned ten months last Saturday and here it is Friday. Right before you turned 10 months you took a few steps! It was amazing to see!

You continue to grow and explore and just tackle the world! I see you as someone who isn't cautious about anything! You just dive right in and keep smiling.

You continue to explore finger food but prefer Momma and Dadda to shovel the food in. Puffs and bits of rice and pasta are ok but wow, mango, applesauce, prunes and yogurt is where its at!

You are sleeping a bit better. After your grandparents visit in mid-September, we moved you back to the TV room instead of sharing your room with your big sister. We tried for 6 weeks to make it work. But it wasn't working. You sleep much better in your own space. Which is good! Here-here for better sleep but wow...we haven't seen a minute of TV in a month. We may decide that we need to rearrange our house so that you actually sleep in a crib (as opposed to your pack and play) and so that Daddy and I can unwind in our TV room at the end of a long day.

You have been all about exploring the world these past couple of weeks. Closets NEED to be opened. So do drawers! And cabinets!

We have tried harder to 'teach' you things. I read in my journal that Seren was identifying body parts at 10 months and we hadn't even started yet! So we are working on "belly" and "nose". You LOVE to stand naked in the tub and smack your belly over and over again. You are built like a little football player with big thighs and a nice round head. The only other trick you play is when we say "arms up" you raise your arms! And most recently, in the last week, you finally have begun to clap.

Mommy is trying to teach you sign language! I could have sworn you signed for 'more' but Daddy and Seren think you were just pointing out your Cheerios.

You still nurse about once a day but that is it. Take it or leave it. This morning was the first morning you didn't even really want to do that. This broke mom's heart into a pile of tiny bits but I know that our relationship will just grow and change.

About once a day you burst into giggle fits. These send me into hysterics as well. Your whole body laughs and your giggles are 100% contagious. I laughed so hard on Wednesday night that my throat hurt the next day!

Today Daddy sent me a picture of you all dressed up in your Michigan gear which arrived from Grandma and Grandad just last night. Since it is Phone Photo Friday, I'll include it here.

Happy 10 months, Wyeth. We love you!

Last year

I have spent much of this fall so far remembering our lives this time last year. The visits to pumpkin patches I missed. The weeks in bed. Last year on this date, I wrote a post about my second over night visit at the hospital for pre-term labor. And how hard it was. I wouldn't wish that stress on anyone. I was so convinced he'd be early and be in the NICU just like Seren.

Read that post here.

Most of my pregnancy, I worried about pre-term birth which is why when he finally did arrive, just two days before he was supposed to, I was just giddy. And there are some pictures that I just didn't have of Seren's birth. It was those pictures of mom and dad holding a newborn that I didn't get to take that haunted me the entire first year of her life. I proccessed and cried and processed again but still felt like I disappointed my daughter in bringing her to the world too early.

Here is a picture of Sam and I leaving our little Seren behind in the NICU. We are smiling but driving away from the hospital without our little one was very, very challenging.

Which is why I was SO freaking excited to have this picture of Sam, Wyeth and I. It is normal- just like everyone elses' picture. But to me, it means the world.

Here is to the gift of life- the promise of hope that a new life brings and the ways in which God blesses all of us many times over.