Because I'm One of Those Moms Who Never Remembers

Here is a boring post about things going on in our life that I may not want to forget about someday:

*Seth is in a big boy bed. He made the big move a few days after his 3rd birthday. We have had zero problems with this transition...he was definitely ready and is doing fantastic! When he is ready to get up he simply shouts: Help me Mom! He waits until I go in to tell him it's okay to get out of bed. Odd? Yes! But, it's working for us as we don't have to worry that he is wandering all over the house or wreaking havoc in his bedroom.

*Seth and Caleb are now sharing a bedroom! Seth had been in a crib in our bedroom due to the boys waking each other up. While we were out east we all shared a room and it worked out fine so we made the switch the same time as the switch from crib to bed. Night time is working great...no problems whatsoever. Naptime, however, is not going as smoothly. The boys wake each other up or keep each other up on occasion and I am not willing to sacrifice naptime just yet so we have a pack and play set up in our bedroom for Seth. I'm hoping this is only temporary. Naps are typically around 2 hrs. long for both boys. Seth is still napping 3 to 4 times a week and on the days he doesn't fall asleep he has a quiet time from 1-3 in my bed watching a movie. I plan on incorporating a quiet time for the kids for quite some time after they stop taking naps. It's good for them and very good for me.

*Seth's 3 yr. well child appt. in January showed him to be in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height. He is meeting all of his milestones and did great! He is wearing a 3T in pants and a 4T in shirts and pajamas. He has been complaining for some time that his belly button hurts and I've noticed that it has turned from an innie to an outie so I mentioned this to the doctor. After checking it she noted that she could feel an abnormality around his belly button but she wasn't sure if it was a hernia or not. She suggested we keep an eye on it and if he keeps complaining he'll have to see a specialist. She said small hernias can repair themselves in time and if Seth does need surgery most likely it would not be until he is 4 or 5 anyway. Of course last night he was complaining about it again. Part of me just wants to give him a big eye roll! What next child??? It's not his fault but it is not surprising that he has another "minor" problem that requires another specialist.

*Caleb had his 18 month old well child checkup in January as well. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height and is meeting all his milestones. He is wearing a 2T in everything. Caleb loves to talk! We have no idea what he's saying but he converses all the time in his own jibber jabber...sometimes even at 4 a.m, much to our chagrin. He has started saying a few words: dog, sock, go, giraffe, cup, and a few other random words that he repeats after us. He tries to say Seth by making the "s" sound with his tongue...it is cute. He is behind on language development just like Seth was (though not enough to cause concern yet). I am trying to be laid back about this as Seth started talking around 2 and a half and is right on track now (says his doctor). Caleb is definitely our little climber. I don't remember Seth climbing nearly as much at this age as what Caleb is doing.

*Our next challenge is to get rid of the binkies. The boys keep their pacifiers in their beds and use them to fall asleep. Most of the time they fall out of their mouths by the time Scott and I go to bed and it is not a big issue. We also use them on long road trips (MA) or during illness. Our family doctor does not see a problem with using transitional objects like a binky or blanket. She said a child Seth's age still needs those things to comfort himself and help him, well, transition...I guess. Seth also has a special blanket, which also stays in the bed, but if he has his binky he NEEDS his blanket and vice versa. I need to keep reminding myself that most big changes and steps that the kids make (like weaning Caleb and moving Seth from crib to bed) are easy if the boys truly are ready. It's all about their readiness not my readiness. Potty training Seth is also in the near future. He is totally NOT ready at this point. He could sit in a wet/poopy diaper for hours without telling me. I'm thinking summer will be a good time but who knows!

*Favorite foods for the boys are: toast/english muffins, yogurt, eggs (big fave for seth...I am still trying with caleb), avocados, tortilla chips, sweet potatoes, squash, black beans, tuna with noodles, mac and cheese, ham, pb&j sandwiches, chicken nuggets, cheese, berries, mandarin oranges, apples, raisins, almonds (seth), oatmeal with raisins or blueberries, bananas (only caleb), grilled cheese (only caleb), cream of wheat, soup (especially alphabet...although it takes seth an awfully long time to eat b/c he has to name every letter), french fries, applesauce, hot dogs and beans, and bacon and sausage. Seth also enjoys ground beef...he will request "meat."

NOTE: Although all these foods are listed as their favorite foods, any and/or all of these items can be rejected by Seth at any given meal depending on what kind of mood he is in...makes feeding him a real joy! (insert sarcastic tone)

UPDATE ON MY LAST POST: Caleb has cut a few teeth that were bothering him. I got over my pity party when both boys got sick last week and the night waking continued for both Seth and Caleb for 3 or 4 more nights along with a good week and a half of long, miserable, sickly days. Things getting worse was just the distraction I needed to put the teething in perspective. *Sigh*

Teething Woes

Caleb is cutting 4 teeth right now. They are eye teeth and they are taking their sweet old time making an appearance. The week we got home from our trip the boys had a checkup in which Dr. Schuler noted Caleb's eye teeth starting to come through. THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO!!! Which isn't a big deal, really, except for the fact that 3 to 4 times a week Caleb is waking up around 2 or 3 a.m. and staying up until 6 or 7. He then falls back asleep until 8:00 and is up for the day. Last night he woke up at 2:30....and never went back to sleep! Don't ask me how a one year old can even function the following day after gettting such a poor's night rest but he was up and playing most of the day and didn't get a great nap either. He's not happy, of course, but he's plugging through on five hours of sleep a night and I'm a little concerned that this pattern may turn into a habit if he doesn't get back on track soon. It is going on 11:00 p.m. as I type this and he is just falling asleep now. I know teething affects his sleep patterns and I can grit my teeth (no pun intended) and bear it....usually. But when will this end? I am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm kind of feeling depressed about it. The sleep deprivation is starting to get to me and I'm feeling run down. I know when this is over it'll be over and life will go on, but right now, it is still very much happening and I need to know how to cope with limited sleep and a crabby toddler who is in pain and irritable most of the day. On top of it all, he now has a cold. Could be so much worse in the whole scheme of things...but waah! waah! waah!

Distance DOES make the heart grow fonder

We are back home after being gone for a whole month! Phew! We had a great time out east visiting family, celebrating Christmas, New Years, and Seth's birthday, and spending oodles of quality time with the grandparents...but, boy oh boy, is it ever good to be home!
Caring for the boys, around the clock, without Scott (as he flew back home for 2+ weeks) was challenging and exhausting. Yes, I did have help from family and the boys were troopers with going back and forth between my parents' houses, but it still required a huge amount of daily energy to make all the decisions alone and being the only disciplinarian day in and day out was mentally draining. It made me very appreciative and grateful for the great dad that Scott is to the boys and the unified team that we are when we're together. There were a lot of heavy things amongst some family members that happened while we were home as well and I felt a little lonely processing it alone. It made me keenly aware of the emotional support I am used to receiving from Scott's attentive ear and quiet affirmation. It made me thankful.
I returned home to an awesome surprise. Not only had Scott repaired and painted the two leaky (and moldy) ceilings and painted the kitchen, office, playroom, and our bedroom...BUT...he also stained and finished the floors in the office and playroom...AND....put in a new shower as well as BUILT a closet in our bedroom. I was in tears!! Our house is finally coming together and I can finally think about purchasing items to start decorating! Hooray (it's only been 4 years)!
All in all, the trip out east was worth it. There were hard and trying moments that made me want to come home early like when Caleb got severe croup and ended up in the ER struggling to breathe. But there were also moments that brought great joy and satisfaction like seeing my kids growing closer to my parents and watching them connect with their cousins and aunts and uncles. That's the whole point of these extended visits...I want my family to know my kids and I want my kids to have lots of memories with my family. When I keep these goals at the forefront of my mind than I cannot help but feel blessed that I have a husband that goes above and beyond to make those things happen and a family that excitedly welcomes us into their homes and graciously accommodates us.

The wonder of it all...

Thank you for your genuine concern of everything being just right.

Thank you for the amazement expressed in your eyes and the enjoyment displayed in your smile.

Thank you, dear ones, for the LOVE you bring to this season, for the JOY you bring to our home, and for the BLESSING you are to our family.


And, most of all, thank you for reminding us just how magical this season really is.





We enjoyed every minute experiencing Christmas through YOUR eyes!

Home

Thank you for the food we eat;
Thank you for the world so sweet

Thank you for the birds that sing;
Thank you, God, for everything

For each and every child I pray;
Thank you for this special day.

This is the prayer/song that Seth and I sing every night together. It is from a favorite book that we used to read (given to Seth by Auntie Leah) and I put it to the tune of the old hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth. Seth loves to sing it and we always say a small prayer when we are finished followed by God bless Mommy, Daddy, Seth, Caleb, and Duncan. Usually he'll then add another random person (or animal) before we close with Amen. I like the idea of putting prayers to music especially for children so young that don't really know how to pray yet. It is amazing how these songs can come back into your head and bring reassurance and comfort during frightening or difficult times when you can't find the words to pray.

I think I was in junior high when my father started singing the blessing before we would eat. We would always sing the Johnny Appleseed song and close with a small prayer of gratitude and thanks. To be honest, I was really embarrassed during those teen years when friends would come over and we'd all bust out in song before eating. Now it only evokes warm feelings to think about it...like a giant hug from those you love most. On the rare occasions that all of us siblings are home together, it's neat to see everyone singing, all of our eyes darting around the room, taking the time to embrace before we dine together.

I am trying to be intentional at creating these small traditions for my boys. Family traditions create a familiarity of what "home" really is and, hopefully, a treasured childhood that they can remember fondly and retreat to in their minds when they need the comfort and warmth of home. I haven't put a whole lot of thought into what traditions I'd like to incorporate or when. Scott and I are kind of just letting the boys' personalities and interests guide the way. It should be a good mix of family fun considering that we are all so different.

Go Away Dragon!

This past summer my brother, Nate, gave Seth the book Where the Wild Things Are. He is a little young to really understand the imaginative aspect of the story but he was immediately drawn to the page of Max on a boat who seems to be confronting a scary dragon in the water. I cannot tell you how many times my sister Becky re-enacted this scene with Seth throughout the course of our stay out east. Pretending he was Max, he would hold out his hand to the horrible creature, crinkle up his nose, furrow his little brow, and say with as much authority as he could muster up: "Go Away Dragon!" He absolutely LOVED acting this out...over and over and over. Well, "go away dragon" has quickly evolved into anything, really, that seth is wanting to go away in his little two year old world. From food he dislikes, to bugs, to a runny nose and the evils of constipation (yes, he has even exclaimed "go away poop" on occasion) my little guy is facing his fears, discomforts, and plain old annoyances and telling them where to go! It's humorous to watch and pretty darn cute, I must say, but I also get the feeling that Seth truly feels empowered when making this statement and I think it is working for him. Yesterday he fell down and hurt his arm. He got up, rubbed his arm, started to whimper a little, and then his expression changed. He looked down at his arm again, put on a brave face, and said in a strong voice: "Go Away Hurt!" And that was that. Done. He turned around, went looking for the next toy to play with, and was his happy little self in no time. I stood there marveling at my boy's resilience, his determination, his resolve to stand taller than his "dragons" and take control over the challenges and obstacles that come his way. I also couldn't help but think of future hurt that may come his way. Hurt feelings, a friend's betrayal, a broken heart, or even the pain of losing someone he loves. And in that moment, I prayed extra hard that the words, "Go Away Hurt," would work for him then too.

Don't you wish we could all speak to our "dragons" the way Seth does his? You really can learn a lot from a two yr. old.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged....for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." (2Chronicles 32:7 &8a)

Back!

So, um, I'm going to attempt blogging again. Mostly so I can keep a record of my days with the boys, how they're growing and changing, and the cute (or not so cute) things they say and do.

The boys are starting to play together for very short periods of time. It is heart warming to see and I am reminded that even though it would be nice to have a daughter it is so worth it to have two of the same gender with them being so close in age. Seth giggles at Caleb's goofy faces and silliness like no other and Caleb looks at Seth with big adoring eyes. I hope that they will be best buds as they grow together. I am looking forward to the day when I can send them off to play together for hours on end. It is still challenging to find blocks of time where I feel like I accomplish things around the house. I usually set my expectations pretty low and if I exceed them I call it a productive day! Cooking supper is a joke! Caleb is pulling on my legs and tearing apart the kitchen and Seth is usually bored by 4:00 so I am saving their T.V. time for that time of day(lately t.v. doesn't interest them...and I feel sad about that). Like everything else it is probably just a stage that I need to force myself to see as temporary.

I am enjoying one on one time with Seth while Caleb naps. We will do an art project, practice ABC's, take out the playdough, or read books. He is eating it up. He is very eager to learn and loves to be told stories. He is talking a lot now and wants us to repeat everything he says. Fun! Seth loves music and does extremely well singing on key! We have no idea where he got that from. He is still obsessed with animals and even pointed out a Tapir to me in a book the other day...gotta love Diego.

Caleb is walking. He started last month and has been crawling less and less. It is very cute to observe him as he clumsily totters around the house, loses his balance, and falls down over and over again. Both boys mastered walking around 16 months...hmmm.