I have always loved to read. Fiction, nonfiction, biography, textbook--I love it all. (Except poetry. Don't hate me, but I have never learned to love poetry.) Bradley loves to read, too, so it is no surprise that our children are picking up on this as well.
Zee and Em are both becoming quite the readers--Em in particular has really blossomed the past two months. She will grab a book out of the bottom shelves in the toy room, sit in the middle of the floor, and carefully read it. If Gee or Hebs are nearby, she'll read aloud to them. They love it.
At the beginning of December, Bradley started reading Harry Potter to Zee. Zee simply can't get enough of it. During Christmas break, Bradley would read for hours at a time to Zee. When he finally would stop, Zee would beg him to read more. They are on the fifth book right now. Some of the themes are a little mature, but so far Zee is handling it well. He's really enjoying himself.
He and I have our own books we are reading. We finished "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" yesterday, and started "Bunnicula" tonight. Em is rather interested in "Bunnicula", as well.
Gee and Hebs don't have the patience for the longer books yet--we read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" (which Hebs, strangely, calls the "PillowPet book!"), "Llama llama", and "Goodnight Moon". No matter how many books we read, though, they always want more.
What are some of your favorite read-aloud books? We're always looking for more to add to the collection!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Pause
I sit here in my warm house, watching my three youngest play and laugh. I can hear the faint sounds of glee outside; today is the first warm(ish) day in a long time. The sunshine and the mild air lured my two big kids outside with friends. They are crushing the remaining snow, practicing on the Christmas scooters, and playing hide-and-seek.
Yesterday our little ward experienced another tragedy--another baby died in a tragic accident. He was only seven months old. I just saw him and his family on Sunday. It's been just over three months since my friends' baby passed away.
There just aren't words.
And so I sit here, warm and safe and surrounded by love and life. There is sorrow. But there is also gratitude. I am grateful to heaven for my blessings, grateful for the faith the Gospel gives me. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Atonement and forever families.
Yesterday our little ward experienced another tragedy--another baby died in a tragic accident. He was only seven months old. I just saw him and his family on Sunday. It's been just over three months since my friends' baby passed away.
There just aren't words.
And so I sit here, warm and safe and surrounded by love and life. There is sorrow. But there is also gratitude. I am grateful to heaven for my blessings, grateful for the faith the Gospel gives me. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Atonement and forever families.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Life Lessons
So, it turns out that a lemon DOESN'T power a light bulb. Go figure.
Yes, the science fair is tomorrow. No, my first grader will not be participating. Yes, I'm tired. Possibly, I will explain tomorrow.
Yes, the science fair is tomorrow. No, my first grader will not be participating. Yes, I'm tired. Possibly, I will explain tomorrow.
Friday, January 21, 2011
My dream house
Who cares if the inside isn't all finished? Check out the address (on the grey bar above the pictures). I'm so moving in. See ya!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Boys vs Girls
Both my older kids had a friend over to play after school today--Em after morning kindergarten and Zee after full-day school. Both sets of children spent some time on the computer, and then played with Legos and games. Both friends were over for about the same amount of time, two hours.
These playdates could NOT have been more different.
The two five-year-old girls made movies while playing with the computer's camera. The movies seemed to be musicals, as there was much falsetto singing. I transcribed a bit of one of the songs: "I am a princess, riding in the woods, I am so beautiful..." "I am the MONSTER, and I'm going to get you!" And then they'd switch roles, with a witch coming to get the princess instead. It was a very feminine and very high-pitched afternoon.
The two first grade boys played a game on the computer that involved shooting animated pizzas with red pepper flake bombs.
These playdates could NOT have been more different.
The two five-year-old girls made movies while playing with the computer's camera. The movies seemed to be musicals, as there was much falsetto singing. I transcribed a bit of one of the songs: "I am a princess, riding in the woods, I am so beautiful..." "I am the MONSTER, and I'm going to get you!" And then they'd switch roles, with a witch coming to get the princess instead. It was a very feminine and very high-pitched afternoon.
The two first grade boys played a game on the computer that involved shooting animated pizzas with red pepper flake bombs.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
This is what mothers do
They change the baby's clothes, again, for the fourth time that day.
They pre-treat said clothes and then wash them, again, when the stains don't quite come out.
They apologize to the kids when they (the mother) being unnecessarily harsh and/or short to them (the kids).
They are told that they make "the best waffles in the city!" (Oddly, the limited distribution of the waffle-making superiority makes the compliment all the sweeter.)
They discipline, sometimes with a heavy heart (oh, the lying development phase!), sometimes with a hidden smile (four-year-old dramatic temper tantrum).
They conquer minor problems (stuck drawer in new van, thank you Google!), and try not to obsess over major problems (sigh).
They kiss and cuddle and love and hug, even when the child has a fever and snot EVERYWHERE.
And sometimes they stay up too late having "me time", and curse themselves the next morning.
And that's what this mother did today.
They pre-treat said clothes and then wash them, again, when the stains don't quite come out.
They apologize to the kids when they (the mother) being unnecessarily harsh and/or short to them (the kids).
They are told that they make "the best waffles in the city!" (Oddly, the limited distribution of the waffle-making superiority makes the compliment all the sweeter.)
They discipline, sometimes with a heavy heart (oh, the lying development phase!), sometimes with a hidden smile (four-year-old dramatic temper tantrum).
They conquer minor problems (stuck drawer in new van, thank you Google!), and try not to obsess over major problems (sigh).
They kiss and cuddle and love and hug, even when the child has a fever and snot EVERYWHERE.
And sometimes they stay up too late having "me time", and curse themselves the next morning.
And that's what this mother did today.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tickle(d) my fancy
(Sorry about the absence: It was one part laziness, one part forgetfulness, and one part distraction. I've noticed that I neglect the blog a little whenever I have something big, but non-public, on my mind. It feels like I can't get any other words or ideas past the one big thing that is preoccupying me.)
Some things that tickled me this weekend:
1. I cleaned out one of my (many) catch-all cupboards yesterday. This one was mostly full of knick-knacks and other decorative things, but had also become the place to set anything I wanted out of the way. (I guess that is the definition of a "catch-all.")
To keep the kids happy as I worked, I gave them various rediscovered treasures to play with: The old paper folding fan (destroyed in less than two hours!), the shell-covered box my seventh grade friend gave me, the light-up yo-yo that had been in a forgotten "time-out" for at least two years, the miniature froggy tea set I received in high school. All of these items had once been treasured (well, except for the yo-yo), but now...I'm feeling cluttered and crowded. I'm feeling burdened by too much STUFF. So it is time to purge, especially things I haven't used or thought about in at least two years.
And, hey, if my kids got to play with them on the way to the garbage or D.I., so much the better. The treasures kept them busy for hours. It was a little like Christmas, only way less expensive and shorter.
2. Today Em was playing hide-and-seek with me. She hid behind Mimi's swing, which--like all swings of this type--is constructed of bars and a little seat. In other words, not much to hide behind there, sweetie. When I "found" her, she said, "Oh, Mom! Did you see me because of my little butt sticking out from behind?" Yes, that plus your WHOLE BODY. Silly girl.
3. Four day weekends make me happy. I actually love having the kiddos home from school--it's so much more relaxing and just fun. (Until the squabbling and tears make me long for school, usually around day 4 or 5.) The kids and I went up to my sister Telima's house in Cottonwood Heights on Friday. We hung out at her house for a while, and then decided to go to IKEA. With our friend G. and her daughter, that meant three adults and nine children under the age of eight.
It was, perhaps, a little foolish. Only three of the children are old enough to go to the playplace, and that left my three littles (4, 2, and 5 months), my sister's two youngest (3 & 1), and our friend's two-year-old. We were quite the procession, and not quiet by any stretch of the imagination.
Still, I had a pretty good time.
4. P.F. Chang's crispy honey shrimp. Divine.
5. Speaking of food, on Sunday I made these delicious garlic-lime pork chops. They were very easy, and soooooo delicious. (And I didn't even add the paprika, not because I am opposed to paprika, but because I was out of it. The chops were still good.)
6. And my friend Emily found out that her fetus is a healthy baby girl. Hooray!
It was a good weekend.
Some things that tickled me this weekend:
1. I cleaned out one of my (many) catch-all cupboards yesterday. This one was mostly full of knick-knacks and other decorative things, but had also become the place to set anything I wanted out of the way. (I guess that is the definition of a "catch-all.")
To keep the kids happy as I worked, I gave them various rediscovered treasures to play with: The old paper folding fan (destroyed in less than two hours!), the shell-covered box my seventh grade friend gave me, the light-up yo-yo that had been in a forgotten "time-out" for at least two years, the miniature froggy tea set I received in high school. All of these items had once been treasured (well, except for the yo-yo), but now...I'm feeling cluttered and crowded. I'm feeling burdened by too much STUFF. So it is time to purge, especially things I haven't used or thought about in at least two years.
And, hey, if my kids got to play with them on the way to the garbage or D.I., so much the better. The treasures kept them busy for hours. It was a little like Christmas, only way less expensive and shorter.
2. Today Em was playing hide-and-seek with me. She hid behind Mimi's swing, which--like all swings of this type--is constructed of bars and a little seat. In other words, not much to hide behind there, sweetie. When I "found" her, she said, "Oh, Mom! Did you see me because of my little butt sticking out from behind?" Yes, that plus your WHOLE BODY. Silly girl.
3. Four day weekends make me happy. I actually love having the kiddos home from school--it's so much more relaxing and just fun. (Until the squabbling and tears make me long for school, usually around day 4 or 5.) The kids and I went up to my sister Telima's house in Cottonwood Heights on Friday. We hung out at her house for a while, and then decided to go to IKEA. With our friend G. and her daughter, that meant three adults and nine children under the age of eight.
It was, perhaps, a little foolish. Only three of the children are old enough to go to the playplace, and that left my three littles (4, 2, and 5 months), my sister's two youngest (3 & 1), and our friend's two-year-old. We were quite the procession, and not quiet by any stretch of the imagination.
Still, I had a pretty good time.
4. P.F. Chang's crispy honey shrimp. Divine.
5. Speaking of food, on Sunday I made these delicious garlic-lime pork chops. They were very easy, and soooooo delicious. (And I didn't even add the paprika, not because I am opposed to paprika, but because I was out of it. The chops were still good.)
6. And my friend Emily found out that her fetus is a healthy baby girl. Hooray!
It was a good weekend.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Not quite a waffle iron
This morning at seven, the light in my bedroom was flipped on and my bed was invaded by four sweet little bodies, all calling "Happy Birthday!" These sweet children were so excited to give me my birthday presents, they just couldn't wait.
(The BBC Planet Earth series is NOT a waffle iron, although for a while this morning Em was a little confused. She didn't realize I was getting BOTH for my birthday, and twice insisted that the DVD set was a waffle maker. Once I (unsurprisedly) opened my second present, all was made clear to her.)
I have had a great day. Thank you to my wonderful mother for giving birth to me, my wonderful brothers and sisters for putting up with me, and my FABULOUS family for loving me forever. And thank you to Bradley for making today the best birthday ever!
(The BBC Planet Earth series is NOT a waffle iron, although for a while this morning Em was a little confused. She didn't realize I was getting BOTH for my birthday, and twice insisted that the DVD set was a waffle maker. Once I (unsurprisedly) opened my second present, all was made clear to her.)
I have had a great day. Thank you to my wonderful mother for giving birth to me, my wonderful brothers and sisters for putting up with me, and my FABULOUS family for loving me forever. And thank you to Bradley for making today the best birthday ever!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Baby, it's COLD outside
At one in the afternoon, it was 13.8 degrees. Right now, at 9:30 pm, it is 13.1 degrees. Must be mid-January.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Random Miscellany
Gee is a little confused about the car accident. For the first couple of days afterwards, he always referred to it as "a GIANT accident". Then, several days later, I was talking about the "car accident." Gee interrupted me.
Gee: "Not a CAR accident, Momma. It was a GIANT accident."
Momma: "Yes, Gee, a giant car accident."
Gee, getting agitated: "The car didn't do anything wrong, Momma!"
Momma: "Ummm..."
Gee: "It was a giant that broke our car!"
Momma: "Oooookay."
I tried to explain, but I'm not sure how much his four-year-old mind comprehended. Plus, I didn't try very hard. I didn't want him getting nervous about car accidents. (I have enough to deal with Em and Zee on that score.)
_____________________________
We are having a la Nina winter. Apparently this means we will have seventy tons of snow. So far, this seems to be true. I love a good snowstorm, and winter is a lovely time of year, but ENOUGH with the lingering snow banks. They make driving difficult, walking with a stroller all but impossible, parking hard, and complaining easy.
_____________________________
Maybe it's because of the accident, but I have a new appreciation of the dreadfulness of Utah I-15 drivers. Dude, guys, SLOW DOWN. And give me a break--I'm in the far right lane, I'm going the speed limit (which is 55 mph, hello!), go AROUND me if you are in that much of a hurry. As my friend said, "My kids' safety is more important than your need to speed." That goes TRIPLE for you semi- and dump truck drivers out there.
_____________________________
(That's a lot of capital letters in the previous paragraph. Perhaps I feel strongly about this subject.)
_____________________________
Personal record: Spending $160 on 13 items at Costco in less than 20 minutes. In, out, done! (Diapers, wipes, TP, paper towels, and a few other essentials like chocolate chip muffins and those little brownie bites.)
_____________________________
That is all. Be good, darlings!
Gee: "Not a CAR accident, Momma. It was a GIANT accident."
Momma: "Yes, Gee, a giant car accident."
Gee, getting agitated: "The car didn't do anything wrong, Momma!"
Momma: "Ummm..."
Gee: "It was a giant that broke our car!"
Momma: "Oooookay."
I tried to explain, but I'm not sure how much his four-year-old mind comprehended. Plus, I didn't try very hard. I didn't want him getting nervous about car accidents. (I have enough to deal with Em and Zee on that score.)
_____________________________
We are having a la Nina winter. Apparently this means we will have seventy tons of snow. So far, this seems to be true. I love a good snowstorm, and winter is a lovely time of year, but ENOUGH with the lingering snow banks. They make driving difficult, walking with a stroller all but impossible, parking hard, and complaining easy.
_____________________________
Maybe it's because of the accident, but I have a new appreciation of the dreadfulness of Utah I-15 drivers. Dude, guys, SLOW DOWN. And give me a break--I'm in the far right lane, I'm going the speed limit (which is 55 mph, hello!), go AROUND me if you are in that much of a hurry. As my friend said, "My kids' safety is more important than your need to speed." That goes TRIPLE for you semi- and dump truck drivers out there.
_____________________________
(That's a lot of capital letters in the previous paragraph. Perhaps I feel strongly about this subject.)
_____________________________
Personal record: Spending $160 on 13 items at Costco in less than 20 minutes. In, out, done! (Diapers, wipes, TP, paper towels, and a few other essentials like chocolate chip muffins and those little brownie bites.)
_____________________________
That is all. Be good, darlings!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sisters and a Smile
Mimi loves the Bumbo chair ("...sitting in the BUMBO, al rescate!"), and Em loves her baby sister.
Oh, look! A smile for Momma!Friday, January 7, 2011
Back in the Saddle Again
Since the accident, driving is something of an adventure.
A tense, stressful, anxious, sometimes amusing adventure.
Driving around town isn't that big of a deal, but two days ago we picked Bradley up from work and ran a few errands around Provo/Orem. I didn't take the freeway that time, but even driving on the surface streets wigged Em out a LOT. "Why are we going so fast?" "Watch out for that car, Momma!" The small screeches every time I touched the brake were my favorite part. And by favorite, I mean they made my head explode.
I was stressed out enough by the experience even without her additions. Before we left, I laid down the law: You Don't Bother Momma While She Is Driving. No talking to her, even. I found myself clutching the steering wheel with white-knuckled, sweaty hands, and I probably drove like an 80-year-old blue-haired great-grandma. Slow to accelerate, quick to slow down, and loooong following distances.
I suppose it isn't too surprising that Em picked up on my anxiety. I made Bradley drive for the rest of the trip.
Yesterday, we went up to Primary Children's during the afternoon. (We're embarking on toilet training for Gee, hooray-I'm-scared-to-death!) I picked Zee up from school a little early, and we drove up to get Daddy from work. This time I took the freeway from Spanish to Provo.
That freaked Em out even more. There were still many shrieks and screeches. At one point, I had moved carefully over to the middle lane, to allow merging traffic to get on the freeway. A large, double-trailer truck got on the freeway into the right hand lane, and, leaving his blinker on, immediately moved into my lane, in front of me. There was less than two car-lengths between us, so I took my foot off the accelerator. At the same time, another car from the on-ramp moved over into my lane, this time behind me, and still going at quite a fast clip. Em happened to be looking out the back window at that moment, and she shrieked, "MOM! That car is gaining speed toward us!"
(Aside: That's really what she said: "Gaining speed toward us!" Who says things like that? My daughter, I suppose.)
All was well, and the incident wasn't even anything I'd have noticed, before the accident. But it taught me that my older two children (Zee isn't as bad, but he's definitely more jumpy in the car recently) need a little time to get over the scare. Just like me.
A tense, stressful, anxious, sometimes amusing adventure.
Driving around town isn't that big of a deal, but two days ago we picked Bradley up from work and ran a few errands around Provo/Orem. I didn't take the freeway that time, but even driving on the surface streets wigged Em out a LOT. "Why are we going so fast?" "Watch out for that car, Momma!" The small screeches every time I touched the brake were my favorite part. And by favorite, I mean they made my head explode.
I was stressed out enough by the experience even without her additions. Before we left, I laid down the law: You Don't Bother Momma While She Is Driving. No talking to her, even. I found myself clutching the steering wheel with white-knuckled, sweaty hands, and I probably drove like an 80-year-old blue-haired great-grandma. Slow to accelerate, quick to slow down, and loooong following distances.
I suppose it isn't too surprising that Em picked up on my anxiety. I made Bradley drive for the rest of the trip.
Yesterday, we went up to Primary Children's during the afternoon. (We're embarking on toilet training for Gee, hooray-I'm-scared-to-death!) I picked Zee up from school a little early, and we drove up to get Daddy from work. This time I took the freeway from Spanish to Provo.
That freaked Em out even more. There were still many shrieks and screeches. At one point, I had moved carefully over to the middle lane, to allow merging traffic to get on the freeway. A large, double-trailer truck got on the freeway into the right hand lane, and, leaving his blinker on, immediately moved into my lane, in front of me. There was less than two car-lengths between us, so I took my foot off the accelerator. At the same time, another car from the on-ramp moved over into my lane, this time behind me, and still going at quite a fast clip. Em happened to be looking out the back window at that moment, and she shrieked, "MOM! That car is gaining speed toward us!"
(Aside: That's really what she said: "Gaining speed toward us!" Who says things like that? My daughter, I suppose.)
All was well, and the incident wasn't even anything I'd have noticed, before the accident. But it taught me that my older two children (Zee isn't as bad, but he's definitely more jumpy in the car recently) need a little time to get over the scare. Just like me.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Awareness Awesomeness
So, "awareness" weeks and months: What do you think about them?
Everyone knows about Breast Cancer Awareness month (October), but did you know that there is a National Ground Water Awareness week (March 6-12, 2011), a Brain Awareness week (March 14-20, 2011), and--my new favorite--a Handwashing Awareness week (December 5-11, 2010)? (My friend just told me on Facebook that yesterday was National Spaghetti Day. Which is a bummer because we would have had spaghetti last night, except I didn't have the noodles. So I used my boiling water for mac'n'cheese.)
(And did you know that I can't type "awareness" without first accidentally typing "awesomeness"? You have to admit that's pretty, well, awesome.)
(And can we have a "Keryn Has Gorgeous Hair, So Let's Teach Her How to Do It Awareness Week?")
Anyway, apparently this week is Folic Acid Awareness week. Are you all aware of folic acid?
Folic acid (vitamin B6) is an important nutrient during early pregnancy, because low levels of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects (spina bifida and anencephaly) in the embryo. (Now you see why I care about folic acid.) One study has shown that "women who take folic acid supplements during the course of pregnancy can dramatically reduce the prevalence of infant neural tube defects by 74%" (Milunsky, 1989).
You shouldn't wait until you know you are pregnant to take the vitamins, either. Neural tube defects occur in the first four weeks of fetal development, so if you are planning on becoming pregnant, you should just start taking them. (Plus, your hair and nails are healthier when you take prenatals, have you noticed?) The cheap, over-the-counter type are just as effective at getting you the folic acid as anything else, so don't worry about cost.
Prenatal vitamins don't stop every occurrence of spina bifida (I took prenatal vitamins while pregnant with Gee), but they definitely reduce the numbers. Because most of the time spina bifida shows up in families with no previous history of it (like ours), you never know what might happen. Taking the vitamins is a pretty simple preventative step!
And that is your PSA for the year from Keryn!
Everyone knows about Breast Cancer Awareness month (October), but did you know that there is a National Ground Water Awareness week (March 6-12, 2011), a Brain Awareness week (March 14-20, 2011), and--my new favorite--a Handwashing Awareness week (December 5-11, 2010)? (My friend just told me on Facebook that yesterday was National Spaghetti Day. Which is a bummer because we would have had spaghetti last night, except I didn't have the noodles. So I used my boiling water for mac'n'cheese.)
(And did you know that I can't type "awareness" without first accidentally typing "awesomeness"? You have to admit that's pretty, well, awesome.)
(And can we have a "Keryn Has Gorgeous Hair, So Let's Teach Her How to Do It Awareness Week?")
Anyway, apparently this week is Folic Acid Awareness week. Are you all aware of folic acid?
Folic acid (vitamin B6) is an important nutrient during early pregnancy, because low levels of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects (spina bifida and anencephaly) in the embryo. (Now you see why I care about folic acid.) One study has shown that "women who take folic acid supplements during the course of pregnancy can dramatically reduce the prevalence of infant neural tube defects by 74%" (Milunsky, 1989).
You shouldn't wait until you know you are pregnant to take the vitamins, either. Neural tube defects occur in the first four weeks of fetal development, so if you are planning on becoming pregnant, you should just start taking them. (Plus, your hair and nails are healthier when you take prenatals, have you noticed?) The cheap, over-the-counter type are just as effective at getting you the folic acid as anything else, so don't worry about cost.
Prenatal vitamins don't stop every occurrence of spina bifida (I took prenatal vitamins while pregnant with Gee), but they definitely reduce the numbers. Because most of the time spina bifida shows up in families with no previous history of it (like ours), you never know what might happen. Taking the vitamins is a pretty simple preventative step!
And that is your PSA for the year from Keryn!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
We'll just call this our New Year's Eve present.
The New Ride:
We are the proud owners of a "new, NEW car" (as Gee puts it)--an 2003 Honda Odyssey. We loved our last van so much, so we stayed with the same make and model. Our old car was a 2002, though, so we're moving on up!
And how! Check out the gorgeous leather seats:
And it has seat warmers for the front two seats. Oooooh-la-la! (Bradley is unconvinced by the warmers. I love them. Leather, you see, is a LOT colder than cloth in the wintertime, at least when your sit-upon first sits upon it. I'm a big fan.)
It also has the all-important power sliding doors, and a lovely little DVD player. The children adore everything about it--the white color (not my favorite, but whatever), the shiny seats, the different type of DVD player. It's very exciting.
We took a little drive on Saturday, and the kids enjoyed themselves very much. There was one point, when we went over a couple of bumps (you would not believe the potholes around here right now), that Zee asked anxiously, "What was THAT?" But otherwise, they seem completely fine.
I'm a trifle more nervous than usual, but I suppose that is for the best. I'm certainly far more cautious right now. You can bet my following distance is going to be MUCH greater than in times past.
New car, old carseats. Don't worry, we were driving right then to the store for new carseats.
We are the proud owners of a "new, NEW car" (as Gee puts it)--an 2003 Honda Odyssey. We loved our last van so much, so we stayed with the same make and model. Our old car was a 2002, though, so we're moving on up!And how! Check out the gorgeous leather seats:
And it has seat warmers for the front two seats. Oooooh-la-la! (Bradley is unconvinced by the warmers. I love them. Leather, you see, is a LOT colder than cloth in the wintertime, at least when your sit-upon first sits upon it. I'm a big fan.)It also has the all-important power sliding doors, and a lovely little DVD player. The children adore everything about it--the white color (not my favorite, but whatever), the shiny seats, the different type of DVD player. It's very exciting.
We took a little drive on Saturday, and the kids enjoyed themselves very much. There was one point, when we went over a couple of bumps (you would not believe the potholes around here right now), that Zee asked anxiously, "What was THAT?" But otherwise, they seem completely fine.
I'm a trifle more nervous than usual, but I suppose that is for the best. I'm certainly far more cautious right now. You can bet my following distance is going to be MUCH greater than in times past.
New car, old carseats. Don't worry, we were driving right then to the store for new carseats.Sunday, January 2, 2011
Big Brother
Tonight, as I was trying to get everyone ready for bed, Gee's stubbornness bumped into my exhaustion.
Me: "Time to put on your pajamas, Gee."
Gee: "No! Not pajamas!"
Me: "Yes, Gee. Now."
Gee: "No!"
Me: "Please?"
Gee: "No!"
Me: "Fine. I guess you're sleeping in your clothes tonight."
Two minutes later:
Gee: "Momma! Put my pajamas on!"
Me: "No. I gave you three chances. You're sleeping in your clothes tonight."
Gee: Much wailing and gnashing of teeth
Zee: "Don't cry, Gee! I'll help you!"
Gee, sniffling: "Okay."
And so he did. It was very funny to listen to, from my perch in the other room, taking care of the baby. The sweater vest and Sunday shirt gave them some trouble, as did the smallish neck hole of the pajama top. But they figured it out, giggling and laughing the whole time. It was a sweet moment on the last day of winter break.
Me: "Time to put on your pajamas, Gee."
Gee: "No! Not pajamas!"
Me: "Yes, Gee. Now."
Gee: "No!"
Me: "Please?"
Gee: "No!"
Me: "Fine. I guess you're sleeping in your clothes tonight."
Two minutes later:
Gee: "Momma! Put my pajamas on!"
Me: "No. I gave you three chances. You're sleeping in your clothes tonight."
Gee: Much wailing and gnashing of teeth
Zee: "Don't cry, Gee! I'll help you!"
Gee, sniffling: "Okay."
And so he did. It was very funny to listen to, from my perch in the other room, taking care of the baby. The sweater vest and Sunday shirt gave them some trouble, as did the smallish neck hole of the pajama top. But they figured it out, giggling and laughing the whole time. It was a sweet moment on the last day of winter break.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Christmas Letter, sort of
This year has been good to us. We've lost teeth (Zee, Gee), started school (Em, Gee), learned to read (Em), learned to love reading (Zee), been in a "giant accident" (Keryn and kids), broken bones (Hebs), learned to walk (Hebs), birthed a baby (Keryn), learned to smile and giggle (Mimi), changed job responsibilities (Bradley), and laughed a lot. There have been some tough times, but they have served to make the good times even better.We have a lot of great plans for the new year: Building a new shed, taking an RV trip, learning new things and laughing and playing and growing.
Hopes for the new year:
Mimi would like to learn to roll over, crawl, and walk. Tackling solid foods and getting into everything is on the agenda as well.
Hebs would like to lose the cast, start walking again, watch lots more Wonder Pets, and go swimming.
Gee would like to paint, learn to walk up and down stairs without help, and give lots and lots of hugs.
Em would like to make snow angels, play at the park, go swimming, and have lunch at school (in first grade).
Zee would like to take piano lessons, spend lots of time playing with friends, and is looking forward to being baptized in November.
From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
