The Worst Thanksgiving We Will Always Remember

The boys have been sick these last two weeks. And the story gets worse from there. 

Collin started running a low grade fever on Monday, a week and a half ago. On and off, but nothing to write home about, and no other symptoms. On Wednesday, he started "barking".... he had Croup!  For those without this lovely experience, Croup is caused by many viruses and is know for causing difficulty breathing and a cough that sounds like a seal. 

I tried to keep the boys separated; but wouldn't you know that this would be the only time Collin was seriously interested in his baby brother. I did my best. I failed.

On Friday I heard Ethan cough, and I had two seals on my hands.  By Saturday, Collin was much better, and Ethan was sick. By Sunday he was good and sick. Monday he was very sick. Before you ask: no, I didn't take him to the doctor. Why?  Because really the only thing to do for Croup is steam, tea, hydrate, and wait. And he had just cut a tooth and had another one coming. These two things together worked against me as I knew the symptoms and their origins and the ony remedy was time. I hate waiting!

Tuesday was more of the same with Ethan very sick and me trying to keep him calm, the more they fuss and get excited, the more the airways swell up. And Tuesday night is where the story gets interesting. 

Ethan was sleeping when I went to check on him before bed. He was bad.  He was really bad. I was afraid that if I went to bed, he would stop breathing. Off to the ER we went and Tony stayed home with a sleeping Collin. 

Either the ER was super slow, or we got triaged as high priority; because we went straight in. Ethan's airway was so strangled that his neck bulged and his ribs sucked in with every single breath.  The ER gave him a breathing treatment... no help. Steroids... nothing. They decided to do an IV, but he was dehydrated and they had a hard time finding a vein. The first nurse was searching  and searching, and Ethan was angry and protesting about the turniquette and being rubbed and held onto. She left and he stopped crying. He was passed out in less than 30 seconds!  It was 1:00 am, after all, and he was exhausted. Another nurse came in, another arm band, and he didn't notice. Then armband was moved to the other arm. He didn't flinch.  An IV is attempted, twice, and he barely stirs.  At this point, I'm freaking out. My kid is a super light sleeper and this is not normal.

He is immediately whisked (actual running was involved) into another room followed by lots of medical personnel and I'm told to wait in a parent's room while they put an IV in his shin bone. Not happy!  There are acronyms flying around and they all disappear. I start making frantic phone calls to the husband to keep him updated. What feels like forever later they come in to tell me he may need to be intubated to help him breath, but they don't want to do it there. The procedure involves paralyzingly the throat muscles to intubate, and they were worried his throat would close completely. They decide to stabilize his vitals and medi-flight him to Oakland Children's Hospital. More frantic phone calls to the hubby with updates, and calls to nearby friends and family to come stay with Collin so Tony can meet us in Oakland.  We're in limbo waiting to make sure Ethan is stable and that Oakland has a room for him in PICU, the Pediactric ICU. Not only is he being flow , but he's going to the ICU!  I'm trying to stay calm for Ethan, but I'm bawling as I snuggle him and hold a breathing treatment tube to his face. It feels like hours. 

My baby has to be medi-flighted, and there isn't room for me, so he's going alone. The helicopter medics are just about to take Ethan and I'm really panicking, and all of the sudden Tony walks in. My dad brought him, so that I wouldn't be alone.  My dad is going to drive us, we drop my car off at home at take off.

When we get to Oakland, we find the PICU and have to wait some more 

while they do another IV. More forever seconds. When we finally get to go in, he looks pitiful. 

They want to keep him at least 24 hours to see how he does after they gave him an epinephrine breathing treatment. He looks pitiful, but he's actually doing much better. By Wednesday at noon, I've been up for 30 hours and I can't see straight.

We head home and hit the chiropractor to undo the hospital chair damage. We haven't eaten, so we stop at Chipotle. It been a while since I've showered, time to get clean. It's now three in the afternoon, and I'm tired!  But if I go sleep now, I'll be up at midnight, not an option. If I relax, I'll pass out; still no good. I decide to follow my original plans for today: baking!  I end up making two pumpkin pies, two Apple cranberry, two french silk (chocolate) pies, and some cranberry sauce. It was so much easier without my usual suex chef, and tony was a very helpful stand-in.

Thursday morning is Thanksgiving, and I'm up by five. Throw pies, and all manner of dinner ingredients I had promised in the car, drop it off on mom and dad's porch and take off. We miss Collin terribly, we haven't seen him since Tuesday at bedtime, but seeing or talking to him would only upset him; so we take off for Oakland. Ethan has been moved out of PICU and into the Pediactrics isolatoo nursery. I stop at PICU, find his nurses from yesterday, and say thank you. I really mean it, I brought pie and a thank you note; and though I tried not to, I cried like a baby. They are awesome and I am forever grateful!

Upstairs I give them their other pie we had brought and go did my baby. He's sleeping, but he sounds much better!  But he had more epinephrine over the might and in the morning, so he's not coming home today. We spend a long day by his bedside while he sleeps. He wakes occasionally and we snuggle and love on him and he actually eats and nurses some. He's feeling better and getting really bored. Thankfully, Papa stopped at the gift shop the day before and brought him a stuffed tiger, and the medi-flight crew gave him a stuffediniaturenof their helicopter. I hate to find out how much that little toy is gonna cost.

(I kinda love the ET toe!)

We are missing Collin terribly, and decide to head back to my parent's to see him. It's a happy coincidence that most of the family is gathered and it's still before dinner, and we show up unannounced to surprise everyone. Collin is glued to us, we hadn't seen him in two days and me missed him.

Friday Tony has to go to work. It's Vhristmas season for UPS, and he's already missed one day. Plus, Ethan is supposed to come home today.  Collin and I go back to my parent's. He stays with Papa, and Nana and I go to Oakland. The attending had promised to make us his first stop so we could go home early, except Ethan had more Epi at midnight. He wants to watch him until lunchtime.  Boo!  He is playful and wiggly, and super bored with his surroundings. He nurses, inhales baby food and water, and is almost back to his old self. Just before eleven the attending comes back. "You want to go home?"  Here's your sign!  We're going home!

On the way back we stopped to see daddy.  They we so happy to see each other, it was sweet.  Daddy got home early that night; and for the first time in three days were we're all home together. The whole experience feels surreal and we're so glad it's over!

A note about Oakland Children's. Note that I want my child to be in the hospital again; but if they have to, this is where I want them. Imagine the best nurse you've ever met in your entire life. That's the entire hospital!  Everybody treated him like their own, took care of Tony and I, and totally went above and beyond. Even the nurses who saw me standing alone in a hall stopped to ask me if I needed help.  They made the world of difference, and it is sincerely appreciated. 

I think we need a vacation!

Wiggly Digits

I love watching babies when they're experiencing something new. Everything is awesome and interesting (except for grass on bare feet, per Collin)

Ethan loves his fingers.  I'll be feeding him and he's staring intently while wiggling his finger. It just his thumb, that's fun, too!

My favorite usually occurs during diaper changes (also known as the perfect time to wiggle, squirm, and roll over). You see, the feet have these incredibly cute and chubby wiggly digits on them, which must be captured for studying. As such, the fingers are diligently working to capture the toes, but the toes are curling up and tryin to escape the fingers. The whole time ethan is smiling and giggling  as he tickles himself, and I'm just glad he doesn't pee if I let him play instead of speedily diapering him.

I wish he would stay this age forever, an simultaneously wishing he would grow up faster so I can see what he'll do next!

First Conversations

The other night at dinner, Collin was sitting across from me. I noisily slurped the bottom of my glass to make a funny noise and make him smile. He looks up at me, deadpan, points at my glass and says "empy."

Me:  "Yes, Collin, it is empty."

Collin:  "More."

Me:  "No, I don't want any more. I'm done."

Collin:  "Done!" And nods in affirmance. 

I am so proud o my boy!  In less than two  months since starting speech therapy he's learned 50 new words!  My little boy is growing so fast!  He's even asking for things by name instead of the all-encompassing "please".  But the please was infinitely better than te scream and tantrum when we couldn't figure out what he wanted/needed.  We're in a pretty good place these days!

Going to Bed Early is Pointless

Yesterday was a busy day. The boys and I played all morning, made some lunch, and put Ethan down for a nap.  About forty I've minutes later he was awake again, but I left him in bed hoping he'd fall back asleep. He's didn't, but more on that later.

GiGi came over to play in the afternoon, and we had a lot of fun!  We went outside and GiGi fixed Collin's water table that he had plugged up with sand and he grabbed her by the finger and pulled her around showing her his favorite things.  Meanwhile, Ethan played on a sheet laid on the grass and watched the dogs running around vying for attention.  We had a nice dinner and GiGi fed Ethan (more bonding).  GiGi left about six to stop at Mamaw's house before heading home.

After she left, Collin went back to playing and Ethan passed out while nursing. And I do mean "nothing is going I wake this kid up" passed out!  We snuggled on the couch until daddy got home, let him give Ethan kisses, and put him bed at 7:15. At that point he'd been asleep a half hour already, and bedtime is usually not until eight. 

Collin had more dinner with Tony, and mooched some dessert. We got him ready for bed and put his little sleepy head in bed. At the awesome hour of 8:15, both boys were in bed and asleep! 

We took a shower, tidied the kitchen, chatted and relaxed for a bit an headed to bed. It was 9:50!!!!!

9:50?  That never happens!  I was so happy!  Until.... I laid in bed for an hour, wide awake. All the while lamenting that I'd gone to bed instead of staying up and doing school work.  Then I proceeded to have potty-training-disaster themed nightmares an kept waking up to go clean up imaginary messed!  Waking up with dread is horrible. In kept waking up and going back to sleep until about four when I heard Ethan fussing. It was him, he was really fussing, and I hoped he'd go back to sleep. 

He didn't. This is where the super-short afternoon nap and aubsequent early nighttime crash comes into play. He was awake, and he was hungry, and he usually sleeps until six. I used an imaginary forklift to haul myself out of bed, watched some Gilmore Girls while I fe him (thank you, Netflix!) ad was putting him back to Ed two minutes before my alarm was supposed I go off. Not hoing to happen!

Turned it off, went back to bed, and didn't get up until Collin was awake, having wet the bed, and Tony was out the door to work.  Boo!  I told him he could prove his love to me by calling in sick. He must not love me very much.

"Nap when baby naps?"  Whoever said that must have had a maid.  Jerks!

Kids Eat the Darnedest Things

Collin went poop in the potty by himself!  Which is something he's really been struggling with, so We were super excited. After lots of positive reinforcement, I went a step further and we shared some chocolate silk pie while I fed Ethan. I came into the kitchen to find this:

He got the pie out of the fridge, took it to the counter, pulled up the bar stool, climbed up, and was happily finger swiping off all the whipped cream!

I should have known!

And then, later, we shared a snack of a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. He won't consistently eat chicken, but he'll eat salmon. Wierd kid!

To Nap Or Not To Nap, That Is The Question

We've been trying skipping the nap (which I throroughly detest), but it's been improving our nighttime routine. And then today, he decided to wake up at 5:30!

I casually put on a movie, and he sat down next to me while I fed Ethan, then he laid down, I covered him, and he rolled over away from the TV and passed out!  A grand total of 30 minutes and then an hour of quiet!

And what was I doing in that glorious hour, you ask?  Signing up to take the California Bar Exam!  Eek!

The Bad Attitude Turn Around

Do you know hat happens when you teach a child to be independent?  They become independent!  They will no longer accept your help for most anything, and they want to try doing all kinds of new things... all by themselves.  As such, Collin and I have been battling lately!

We have soooo much to do, I have a really hard time waiting and letting him do things by himself. Followed up with him wanting to do absolutely everything!  He wants to close surya ons, shut off lights, feed the fish, open the garage door... all of which he takes ten times longer and needs my help to accomplish. 

He also does not want to go to sleep. Ever. 

Every bedtime is a battle. He won't say in bed, and easily opens the door, so we added a baby gate. Then two baby gates. And he'd still be in his room for at least an hour before he fell asleep.  Went have changed tactics a bit and ditched the midday nap. It makes bed time so much better!  He is tired during the day, but it has eliminated the two biggest battles. Now that he's adjusted, we've been having better days.

Let's hope the better. Days stick around a little longer. 

Are You Kidding Me?

Here is my rant:  I spent the last several months slowly working on making My neices silky blankets like Collin's. Then I found out about a new niece and nephew, and I got more fabric for them and Ethan. I finally got them finished, but had yet to make it to the post office.

So I went online, printed the label, and scheduled the pickup. Having no idea when the mail person would arrive, I out them out at nine, and they were still there at 12:30.

The mail person just came to get them and yet ARE NOT THERE!  What is there, you ask?  A pizza place flyer. Mail carrier says a lot of people "pass out cards" so they have an excuse to be on your portch if they get caught.  I called both numbers on the card, neither of them had people canvassing today. 

The carrier also gave me the direct number or my local post office, and I called them to say what was going on. I knew they couldn't/wouldn't do anything; but just as an FYI. Her safe advice?  Call the police regarding mail theft. What on earth are the police gonna do?  We are so cut back; unless you are dying, they aren't coming. 

I am so angry, I don't even have words!

Not Such a Baby Anymore

My baby is growing up so fast; he turned seven months old this week!

He's about to cut his left front tooth, bringing the count to five in the last three weeks.  The other front tooth will follow very shortly, I can see it already.  I can't believe how happy he still is through all of this. He's still cranky, of course, but he's happy as a clam when he held or cuddled. 

He's not crawling yet, for which I'm a little thankful for at the moment.  He does scoot around quite a bit. When he wants to move somewhere he wiggles side to side (a lot like a fish flopping) to wiggle himself where he wants to go. He has even started sitting up this week, largely without help.

Ethan also started screaming. I mean screaming!  Top of his lungs, blood curdling screaming!  Not because he's upset, or really happy, or in pain, or not; he does it because he can. I feel like the biggest idiot telling him "no screaming!" (and, also, "no bite").  He seems to understand the stern voice combined with touching his mouth, so I'm optimistic we can stop it before it gets bad.

Is it possible of a child to intentionally give kisses?  I'm going to say yes. Ethan intentionally leans his open mouth onto your face, leans back as closes his mouth, then repeats. I'm not a fan of drool, but I love the kisses!

He had a check up last week, he's in the 86% percentile for his length!  I knew he was big, I had to start putting him in 12 months clothes already. My little monster weighs 18 pounds, and he's solid every inch. 

He's a great smuggler, too. I love it!  I wish we could just snuggle all day. We do lots of tummy time, he plays with toys and I read a law book. Ony six weeks of school left before I can devote some solid bonding time before Bar Exam Prep madness starts in. (Nt tht I'm counting, or anything...)

The Trade

Sharing is a difficult concept for small people to learn; and for adults to understand that it is difficult for small people to learn.  Manipulation, on the other hand, is an instinct that is honed to perfection before words are ever uttered from the babe's mouth.

Collin has been getting some help from a speech therapist and an infant teacher these last few weeks, and trees already been some improvement. Thank goodness!  Taking turns has been especially useful. It helps me get trough brushing his teeth every night without holding down the flailing screamer!

But in true master-manipulator style, he's using his knowledge of sharing, and turns for his benefit. This afternoon, Ethan was playin with one of Collin's alphabet, electronic something-or-others, and Collin wanted it. He went an d found one of Ethan's toys, gave it to him, then proceeded to take the something-or-other. Daddy saw all and prevented Ethan's deprivation. Mama, however, got caught unawares.

We were windig down before bed, and Collin was stopped playing in the tablet to go do something else, and I picked up the tablet. He threw a fit!  How dare I touch a toy that he was going to want at some unknown point in the future!  That wasn't going to stand, and he was told he couldn't have it right now, because Mama was playing with it. 

A few minutes went by, I had checked my email and caught up on Facebook; when Collin wandered back over. He picked up my phone from the coffee table and handed it to me. Much thanks, and I went back to it. Then he picked up my water bottle, and smile sweetly while he gave it to me, too. Many more thanks and a hug. Then he asked me please (one of the big successes we are rewarding with positive feedback), and pointed at the tablet. I sat him on the couch next to me and we started up a game.

At that moment I realized he'd outsmarted me!  I seriously traded my own phone and water bottle for the tablet I was in the middle of using. I didn't even know he knew about trading!

If he's so darn smart, why on earth isn't he talking?  We'd both be much less frustrate and stressed out!

On another note, potty training is progressing. He can take himself to go pee, but then has an accident when he gets distracted by the sink. He loooooooves water. It's obnoxious the things he'll do to get to water. Today he even took himself and went poop, our first success.

To repeat the line from Family Circus "it's apparent you're a parent when..." poop becomes a socially acceptable subject. 

Momentous Moments

I realize that I'm about two weeks late in this documentarion; but, in 20 years, I doubt Ethan will care about two weeks. 

On August 18, I laid Ethan on a blanket for some tummy time while I was making lunch. I know he hates tummy time, but it's important for neck development. I was listening to him whine for a few minutes, him never getting very upset. When I returned to gather him for his lunch, he'd flipped onto his back!  I couldn't believe I'd missed it and I was rather bummed. More tummy time did not induce more rolling.

Later, as I was making dinner, I laid Ethan on his back to play. I try not to force too much tummy time. After much whining (which I attributed to teething), I retrieved him for his dinner. He'd flipped onto his stomach!  Are you kidding?!?!  Both in one day, and I missed both?  At this point, I'm seriously bummed.

I dutifully fed him some solid foods. When I nursed him, the little stinker bit me and let me know he'd cut a tooth!

Since then, he's cut another two teeth and has been sneakily rolling when I'm not looking. I've only seen him do it once; from back to tummy which is the more difficult of the two.

Go, Ethan!

But, please, stop biting me!

My Toddler is a Beast

Sadly, this is a comment on my child's prowess in destructive capability.  What's worse; he inherited his astonishing abilities from me!

My husband likes to keep the camping stove under our bed.  He feels storing it in the garage would subject it to heat and it would cease to function.  He and I feel very differently on th subject.  Our son, however, thinks it makes a amazing step stool.  He pulls it out from under the bed, and stands on it to reach the things on the dresser.  This is where his destruction increases exponentially, because he has also grown since the last time he was using the stove-stool.

Yesterday, it was eerily quiet; and, naturally, I went to go find the boy.  He was in my room, on the stove stool, digging through my jewelry box.  There was necklaces in my underwear, and a bra was holding dozens of little beads from a now-broken bracelet.  At bedtime, I also noticed that a bottle of nail Polish had been unscrewed and let precariously on the edge of the dresser.  It's cranberry red and would pair nicely with my sea-foam-green carpet, no?  (Carpet was here when we moved in, I'm waiting for the heathens to grow up before we replace it.)

I chased him off of the stove and out of my room three times this morning.  Each time he was digging through my jewelry box, which now is in such a tangled state I'm putting off untangling it.  And each time I cleaned up the mess.

The last time, I stood there, nursing the baby, and made him put it back.  For some reason, the tove is easy to pull out, but harder to put back.  Maybe the extra I work will deter him from further escapades. For a child who refuses to speak, he understands a shocking amount and can be very good at following directions.

But that child is STUBBORN!  I've probably mentioned this many times before, because I mean it.  I am ever so tired of trying to get this child to eat.  He changes his likes and dislikes often; and I just want to make sure he doesn't go to bed hungry, because it won't be Daddy who gets up with him in the middle of the night to make toast.

Last night, I had absolutely had enough.  I was surprised at how much old he'd gone through, while I had seen him eat quite a bit.  Tony and I sat down to eat dinner with him, where I was firsthand witness to him take a. Huge drink of milk, and then he spit it into his stir fry!  Fine!  No more milk, he can eat it the way it is.  Right?  Not a chance.  He played, and mashed, and spilled, and refused to eat anything. So I calmly explained tht if he wasn't going to eat, he was going to bed.  I hope he understood me. 

We cleaned him up and he was in bed by 7:15!  I fed a sleep Ethan and put him to be a half hour later.  And there we were, Mama and Daddy alone before eight o'clock!  The world hasn't ended yet, so it must have been a dream.  Shower, a little time to relax, and we were in bed by ten.  MUST have been a dream!

This morning we were having a battle over oatmeal. C is not a big early breakfast person, he munches a little, and then really eats around nine or ten.  I fixed us some oatmeal and we sat together, he took two bites and was done.   I didn't make him sit at the table and eat it, but I'll be darned if I'm going to make him something else.  He whined, he cried, he avoided the oatmeal like the plague.  He went in the fried and got out the ham and cheese.  He pulled protein bars out of the snack drawer.  And still, I told him oatmeal, then I'd make him what he wanted.  And it worked!!!

About eleven he finally walked over, at the oatmeal, and showed me the empty bowl!  Lots of hugs and highs fives and "good jobs" and then we made him some scrambled eggs with spinach.

He'll or high water, he's going to be healthy AND appreciate what he's been given!

Ice Cream Maker

A few weeks ago, I acquired and ice cream maker. Yay!  No sugar plums; but ice cream, frozen yogurt, and frozen drinks (that don't get diluted by ice cubes) danced through my head.

I've made about a follow or so of ice cream so far, and I've eaten most if it ;(. It is shocking how much ice cream can disappear, one spoon at a time, straight out of the container, standing at the counter next to the freezer, while checking up on social media feeds. Way too much!  Yesterday while grocery shopping we picked up some vanilla bean yogurt. Sounds delicious and I don't have to add a bunch of stuff into it first?  Deal!

Slight segue, insert C who helps me in the kitchen. The problem with a sous chef is that they learn stuff. I was stirring cream pie filling on the stove, when I discovered C standing over the ice cream maker with the salt shaker... and I hve no idea how long he was adding salt!  It couldn't have been much, the frozen yogurt is fine. 

I'd seriously consider using the baby gates to block off the kitchen again, except he just pushes them out of the door frames. 

Seriously, this child is too smart for my own good!

The Mom Brain

I actually forgot what this post was supposed to be about.

Enough said.

The Washing Machine

Conversation I had on Tuesday:

Me-the agitator in the washer isn't working well. 

Husband: I know.

Me: Really?  You didn't say anything. 

Husband:  It's a protective mechanism, in case you get your hand or something stuck in it, the tabs break off to prevent getting really hurt. It also happens from overfilling the washer. 

Me: How long has it been like that?

Husband: I noticed that last time I worked on it. I've been waiting for it to go out before I fix it. 

Me: (with restraint) It's been months!  I was wondering why our clothes haven't been getting clean for a while; I've been using more soap!  Can we fix it now, please?

Husband: Yeah, I'll look at it. 

Next day: Shall I research parts for the washer?

Husband: Sure.

Me:  except I need to know what part it is. 

Husband:  I'll research it. 

I ordered the parts last night. 

Fourth of July

We have a big boat. My in-laws have a bigger boat. My husband came home raving about the firework show that one of the San Joaquin Rover Delta island's puts on.  And it's great to take the boat and see the fireworks on the water.  There's thousands of boats, and it's sooooo much fun, and I want to take our boys, and my parents are going... and we stay over night in the boat!

Now, I try ever-so-hard not to be a kill joy, but sometimes my practical side cannot be overridden.  I spend all day at home with our boys, which can be taxing enough on one's sanity; thus, 24 hours on a boat with them, even a big one, didn't sound like fun.  Yes, we could sleep on the boat.  But the "bed" is hard, and we both have bad backs; and the upholstery is 30 years old, dirty, and smelly.  (I will eventually get around to reupholstering the cushions).  Not to mention sharing that crappy bed with a two year old and a four month old sounded like a loooooong night.

But staying for fireworks and leaving after meant pulling the boat out at ten pm, in pitch black night, with who knows how many others.  Our plan morphed into spending the day on the water with T's parents, and coming home around dinner time.  They were bummed.

My in-laws watch my boys while I'm at school until T gets off work.  The day before the holiday I was dropping them off, when my father in-law says "what can we do to make it so you guys can stay the night?"  It really sounded like fun, and I really wanted to stay; so in the face of accommodation, who was I to say no? I didn't.  And I'm so glad!

We got a bit of a late star getting out, but it didn't take us long to get to Mandeviile Island. With all the new stuff to see and touch, Collin was pretty distracted and happy.

However, at one point he was pretty angry. His new favorite method of tantrum-ing is the lay on the floor (gently so as not to hurt himself) roll around and scream at the top of his lungs. He'd also missed nap time, and this was the result:

He slept there for at least an hour!  (Still wasn't long enough).  He was okay on the inner tube with T

But generally, he just hung out at te back of the boat with the doggies

Alas, as I'm the photographer, I have no shots of Ethan and I.  They're hidden on someone else's camera, yet to be sent to me.

I was seriously surprised the boys did so well with the fireworks.  Collin went up to the fly bridge (a second story control center) with T, Grams, Gramps, and Uncle Bryan; whil I was down below feeding Ethan.  I figured he would freak out and be upset, be he loved them!  He just stared and was perfectly still. It was odd for my active little talker. Collin have the appropriate reaction for a two year old seeing something cool for the first time... lots of ooohs, and aaaahhs and wows. And then he got bored and practiced his jumping. It was funny!

I must say, it was a good trip which must be repeated. (Maybe without the national holiday and thousands of other boats lighting dynamite at three am. True story.)

2014-07-02, Told in Photos

Today we were at Mamaw and Papa's house. 

Collin decided that Jordan's lap must be the best seat in the house. 

Papa shared an ice cream with Collin, who can always be counted on to keep you from eating all those calories. 

Ethan was enjoying his Papa's scratchy face and thickly mustache. 

And then there were "Eskimo" kisses. 

While mama fed Ethan, there was some cuddle time (aka pile on Papa and Auntie Emma).

Followed by bath time. 

It is now eight thirty, and daddy is almost home from work; barely in time for good night hugs and kisses and bed time. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Anybody who has ever met me, knows I love to bake.  (From scratch, no boxes).  Collin has decided that he also loves to cook/bake; it is the most awesome, and irritating, experience ever!

I cannot open a cupboard door or grab a bowl without him running from across the house, into the kitchen, push a bar stool to the counter or stove, and climbs up to help mama. 

He's surprisingly good at helping.  We make scrambled eggs often, and he manages to keep it in the pan.  He used to help spread PB&J, now he just finger swipes the filling while I spread furiously; hoping i can get them finished with some filling intact.

However, pie pastry is another issue altogether.  We measure the flour, he shook the salt, I put in the crisco and water, and he go to push te pulse button.   He loved sticking his hand in the flour bowl and flouting the cutting board, and out his hands on mine with the rolling ion to roll out the dough. 

We were doing really well until he want to eat some; and in the process of picking a piece off the edge, he ripped the whole thing in half!  If you've ever made pie dough, this is maddening. But we got it back together and before Collin had time to put a fourth handful of flour in top of the veggie/chicken filling, we had the pie together and in the oven. 

I overfilled it, and the potatoes were undercooked, but it was an overall success. 

Ten Whole Years

Ten years has passed since tony and I had our fist date, a picnic in the park. Not that we do anything to celebrate, but we were so busy building an awning, we didn't even notice the date!  It wasn't until two days later I realized it had passed. 

A lot has happened in these past ten years:  Tony got hired as a driver at UPS, I earned an AA, a BS, a three quarters of a  JD. We bought a house, and have been very busy making it out own. We got engaged halfway through and married nine months later.  Most notably, we have two beautiful boys that challenge out every waking moments, while teaching us teamwork more that group sports ever could. 

I think I'll keep him a little while longer. I mean, have you seen those blue eyes?

Potty Training, Again

Because "Potty Training #2" conveyed the wrong message ;)

This past week I had "summer break" from school. I decided since the boys were going to spend all their time with me; it was the perfect time to five I to this potty training thing. I could already imagine only changing one kid's diapers. I expected accidents, and that was okay; a step in the right direction. 

However, my child is colossally stubborn. Day One we spent outside bottomless. He thinks watching himself pee is historically funny, and will force himself to pee again. Control, right?  Good sign!

Problems ensue when small fry doesn't want to be left outside by himself, it's too warm out to leve the door open, and mini-fry isn't feeling well and I don't want him outside. So, inside we came, to the Cars-themes potty (complete with an engine-revving-sounds button).

Further struggle came when he didn't want to sit on the potty. Only to be dwarfed by the frustration of him intentional peeing all over the floor while still sitting on the potty. I'm at a loss for words, and ideas.

Except that maybe he's just not ready. His general standard is to do things a little late, but he's good at it once he does it. We'll try again in a couple months. 

In the meantime, we're using the last couple of diaper to get through the evening, because I stopped buying him diapers in anticipation of not needing them.  The few minutes of alone time before class are precious, as I get to go shopping by myself!

Peaceful Moments

Now and then the cosmos align and things go the way you planned them in your head; or, dare I say it... better than I planned.

After a morning of failed toilet training, I fed the boys some lunch, and gave the boys a nice bath, with minimal screaming protests.  I'm out of school for a week and have escaped the pressure to constantly reading!  I cleaned my kitchen, even swept and mopped the floor, fed the baby again. Being productive, now I wanted to clean up some of my projects I've got going.

Collin was still napping, so I let Wthan play on the floor while I worked on gifts for my neices. After a few minutes, the slurpy "teething-baby-sucking-on-his-hand" noises stopped, and this is what became of my baby:

Re-cap:  Collin is napping, so is Ethan, the house is calm (and clean-ish), and I've finished the project that's been half done for months!!!

This may be as close to inner peace as I'll ever get. 

Strategically Transporting Equipment to Alternate Locations

I used to hate solo-shopping to the extent that I'd beg my roommate to go with me. Now I have two kids, and I would do almost anything to go shopping alone!

Not only do they take up half the space in the cart, making organization a must, but they are highly distracting!

The baby is spitting up every three minutes, and it somehow manages to run up his shoulder straps, through the strap cutout in the seat, and leave a nice little incriminating trail through the store; while the two year old pulls the lid off his sippy cup, causing him to spill his water all over the floor. Although is rather pretend it wasn't MY kid that did that, I begin a hurried wander through the store to alert a clerk about the spill in the freezer section. Poor Joe probably isn't my biggest fan.

While we haven't gotten to the "mama, can I have...?" yet, Collin has recently begun grabbing things on the impulse shelves while I unload groceries. And he's such a great help, he even puts them on the conveyer belt for me... which means the checker must now run a refund for the Popsicle mold that I already bought him last week.

Last week's grocery trip I re-allocated a case of water, and yesterday I re-appropriated a teething ring. Given the amount I spent, I wasn't all that worried about the two dollar items I accidentally swindled. I tried to pay for it the next trip, but they wouldn't take it. I guess the inventory adjustment hassle wasn't worth the shrinkage cost. 

At least it's better than the two cases of diapers I made away with two years ago that the checker helped load into my car. I called back and paid for those!

Bath Time Used to be Fun

Once upon a time, Collin loved to take baths.  He loved water, he loved bubbles, he loved the colored tabs that turned the water bright colors, and the way it tickled when we washed him.

At some point, he decided that splashing was still fabulous.  Now, we've come to a point that you had better not dare get in the shower without taking him with you; but that does not mean you can wash him.

Washing is bad, but his hair is worse.  As soon as the first cup of water begins to pour the screaming starts.  Imagine what it's like to be the receiving party of a child's banshee-like screams in a small echoing bathroom?  It's less than exhilarating.  And when I'm trying to bathe the boys together, Collin gets Ethan so upset he spits up all over himself.

I am so tired of this epic battle with my slippery, screaming, offspring!  This last bath time, I took a deal bathed Ethan first and put him in bed.  And then took a deep breath.  And another.  And considered my sanity for a moment.  Or ten.  Then I started to wash my boy.  Slippery, and crying; and ever so kind as to wail directly into my ear.  But I maintained calm (outside at least), and talked to him.  In the most calming voice I could maintian, even when he cried to loud to hear myself, I kept talking to him.  I told him that we were getting washed, and that it was a good thing, and soon daddy would be home.  And as much as I wanted to, I didn't rush.  When you rush, excitement builds, and I didn't want to further excite this child.  I moved slowly, and rubbed the dirt off instead of frantically scrubbing.  And there was noticeable improvement!  He cried, not screamed.  He was upset, but he cooperated.  And when I pulled him out an wrapped him in a towl, he snuggled in my lap.  He probably peed on me, but it didn't care.

As much as I wish I could yell at him to behave himself, and for him to listen, we all know better.  It's ironic that your gut instinct to get louder and more excited is the worst thing possible to do in a situation.

Patience.  I need a lot more...

The Farmer's Market

The boys and I took a walk to the farmer's market.  The first time we went Collin wasn't interested in the food, he just wanted to run around and check people out.  Mean mama that I am, I insisted he stay with me; and I fed him halves of fresh cherries while I filled our bags.

The second time we went, Ethan was asleep... again.  Collin was ecstatic!  He rushed around pointing and exclaiming at everything and everyone.  And he wanted cherries!  We were only going to be there for a minute; and they were busy, so I was trying to hurry and get us out of here.  He stood next to me while I bagged cherries, paid the lady, and turned back around to where Collin still stood next to the stroller.  It's impossible to never turn your back on a child, but when your back is turned, you ears are listening for the sound of their shoes.  So, I turned back to Collin still there, right next to me.  Except that he was beaming at me with a chery stem in one hand, half a cherry in the other, the other half (including the pit) quickly going down.

He was so happy, and surprisingly clean, and I just couldn't be mad at him!  So we walk our little cherry filled selves home and canned the cherries later to make some fabulous cherry pie filling.

No, no, no

After two particularly rough days ofEthan  spitting up all over and lots of laundry, I was waaaay passed my last nerve. In exasperation, I exclaimed "No! Ethan!  Don't spit up!!!"

And then I hear Collin's little voice behind me: "No, no, no. No, no, no.  No, no, no."

I've been trying to teach him to say "yes" and "no" for quite sometime; because a grunt for yes, and a blood curdling scream for no, just isn't adequate. But I have to laugh at how he says it. Not loud, or angry, or screaming; just calm and firm "no, no, no."  Kids learn to speak by copying why they hear, so I hope this means I'm better at controlling my temper than I think.

After all, it is exceptionally hard to keep calm while the two-foot-tornado rampages through the house while offering a stellar rendition of a screaming banshee, and the baby gives back everything you just fed him (requiring a change of clothes for both parties), and then complains that he's hungry. 

On another note: After three days of disrupted napping/bed time routine; I think it's safe to assume this kid is tired...

Handprints in the Plaster

When Collin was about three months old, I used some leftover blue paint from my living room to make footprints going up his wall.  It's awesome and I love it, but I always lamented the idea of moving or repainting when he gets older. 

Then I saw the "Mommy and Me" plaque circulating on FB, and the subsequent artist's letter that the design was copywritten and would not work in salt dough. It gave me the idea to do the prints in cement, like stepping stones. But I didn't want the kids to have their hands and faces in all those chemicals, or take the risk or a chemical burn on the baby.  And, as I would learn later, quick dry concrete is, indeed, quick.   

I decided to do the prints in Plaster of Paris. It's easier to work with, I've used it before, and using plaster as a negative meant the prints would pop out of the concrete, instead of depressed into it.  This is how I made it all work:

Supplies:

*disposable aluminum baking pans

*Box of plaster of Paris

*Water

*Bag of "Kid be Good" pills (I used m&m's)

*vegetable or olive oil (whatever you have on hand)

*quick concrete (I think there are many kinds with varying set times.  I used leftovers from setting fence posts, I highly recommend something on the slower end)

*more water

*leaves, flowers, decorative stones or glass as you want.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

Read this through to the end before beginning, and go trough an entire test run. I learned a heck of a lot during the process that annoy be described in words; it's a feel thing. 

1.  Mix the plaster. 

It has simple directions... follow them!  Pour plaster into your baking pans. I pour about a half inch into the bottom of the pan. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes. 

Gather your children and liberally apply "Kid Be Good" pills.  

2.  Oil Parts to be Printed

I missed this step the first go-around. Don't skip it!  The second time I used a basting brush to apply oil to their hands and feet.  After the ten minutes, place their hands/feet onto the plaster's surface and gently press down. If you want to carve or stamp anything, make sure it's backwards so it will read the right way in the concert. (This part I forgot. Oops!)

I didn't use any stones or plants, as I didnt have leftover space in most of them.  If you desire to use some decoration, lay it out on the plaster now.

3.  Mix Concrete

Shoo the kids away, or wait until they are sleeping. You need to be completely distraction free for the step!

Use a paint stirrer or something electric to get well mixed concrete. A whisk will get rocks stuck in it, and you'll ruin the whisk.

My instructions were sparse at this point. I used a little concrete, a little water, a little more concrete, and a little more water until it reached the desired consistency. I figured the runnier the concrete was, the more shrinkage there would be as it dried. So I made my concrete fairly thick.

Pour the concrete into the molds. Then lift them and tap gently of the floor in order to knock out air bubbles, help settle the concrete, and work the concrete into the grooves of the mold.  Top them off as necessary.

4.  Hurry Up... and Wait

Not concrete dry overnight, then peel the baking pans off of the plaster/concrete blocks.

5.  Hammer Time!

Get yourself a light hammer. Something you can manage, but not that dainty pink and glitter high heel looking thing that you got in a "tool kit for girls". 

The only good advice here is to start at the edges, and be careful of your cement details. Work your way around and get familiar with both ends of the hammer. My first stone I had to chip little pieces off the whole thing, the next stones came off in big chunks, and I got lucky on the last one; it came off in one whole piece!

As you can see, I didn't pour the slab in one piece, and all the tappin on the world couldn't settle out the ripples. Kinda like Happy Face Pancakes. Since my mold is in one peice, I'm going to grab another cake pan and repour. I may even start the boys hands and feet over again for better results. 

Have fun!

Santa Cruz

Tony planned a trip to Santa Cruz for my birthday (with some logistical help from my mother-in-law).  We had a blast!

I don't like starting out a day with traveling, because you lose half a day on the road. We left Friday night and spent the night there, and were able to wake up Saturday in Santa Cruz and have the entire day to do whatever we wanted.  How is it the super tired children have the ability to stay awake for hours when you want them to sleep?  Collin is highly talented at this feat; thus, we brought the tablet for entertainment. This was my son at ten pm:

Either way, it was a very peaceful two hour drive. 

We woke up bright and early on Saturday, and had a really great breakfast with the boys. Breakfast time is usually a fiasco, but Collin did fairly well. It's always a success when there's no screaming tantrum out in public!

We spent the late morning an entire afternoon at the beach in Santa Cruz. Collin was chasing waves, and throwing sand, and having a great time!  Ethan had a bit of a rougher time. It was really windy, and he wasn't a fan.  After a little bit though, he decided it wasn't so bad. Laughing and talking and giggling and smiling. It was a really great day at the beach!

I have two favorite places to eat in Santa Cruz: one is Aldo's Harbor Restaurant and Marianne's. Aldo's have really good Italian-ish seafood.  It's always delicious there. One of the best parts about Aldo's, as it's right near the beach. So we park, eat, play, and maybe eat again.

Any trip to Santa Cruz must include a stop at Marianne's ice cream shop. As a kid, my Grammie used to always take us there every time we went to the beach.  In true child-like fashion, Collin lost his ice cream off the cone and onto the floor. Which, since we had stopped for dessert before dinner, that was probably beneficial to his overall well-being.  Can you imagine the sugar high followed by the sugar crash, in a child of his skit to his afternoon nap?  But I still let him know mooch out of my bowl. Surprisingly, lavender flavored ice cream is delicious!

I have wanted to go to Pizza My Heart for about 10 years now, and had never made it. So we went.  I'm sad to say that didn't even compare to my usual favorite, which was highly disappointing. But that didn't stop me from getting a shirt... does that make me a true Californian now?  What if I say "dude" while I wear it?

Before you think my world revolves around food, that's only half true. We tried the Boardwalk, but it was a zoo and no parking to be found. 

By the time we got back to the hotel room, it was way past bedtime, so we rushed through some screaming baths and put the boys down for bed. It was nice to actually watch a movie in peace and quiet.

We took off early this morning, right after breakfast. We were able to unpack the car, and make some handprints in plaster (blog about that to come) all in time for naps.

Now to cach up on laundry and reading for class this week. 

Potty Training

Nothing screams "parent" (or pet lover) like the ability to have a serious conversation about poop.  But, don't worry, this post is poop free.  And yet, we're still in the bathroom...

As kids do, Collin pees in the bath tub.  During a bathtime the other night he discovered that he could start and stop peeing, and it's hysterically funny!  So mama decided it's time to potty train.  We went and got a potty, and some M&Ms for "incentives."

Day one went really well.  Day two, day three, day four, and day five are all about the M&Ms.

UPDATE:  focus is proving much harder than I thought. Was spending three nights a week at grandmas house, and a check out of town this weekend; we had put potty training on hold.  Maybe will try again this week...

Say "aaaaaaaa"

You know when you're walking up to the front of a store, and it had that metal grate that shakes the crud out of the carts as you push it up the incline?  Collin LOVES it!

I taught him to go "aaaaaaaaaa" while we roll over it.  However, in true toddler style, he has taken the "aaaa" to extremes.  He makes the sound when we roll over the grate in the stroller, when he sees the grate, and even when I drive over a rough street; but he is surprisingly inconsistent when actually rolling over the metal grate in the cart.  Sometimes I even back up over the grate, and roll over it again to give him to extra opportunitiues, to no avail.  Odd child.

Poor Ethan is learning what earthquakes feel like in the safety of his car seat, while bouncing around in the shopping cart basket.

Intro

Welcome to my first blog!  Let me tell you how this all started.

First, I'm horrible about emailing the family. When I think about it, I realize I don't have the hours necessary to catch the family up on our goings on because I have soooo much reading to do. Which brings me to the fact that I'm a law student.  Generally, law cases read "party A did such-and-such which caused party B's injury/death".  It makes a person think about death a lot. Which leads to introducing my family.

My husband Tony and I started dating in 2004, and married in 2010.  Collin joined us in 2012, and Ethan was born this passed February.  (Pictures are coming; I just couldn't figure it out on my small phone screen).  Reading a case one day, I thought, "if I died today, what would my boys know about me?"

This question led to the start of this blog. Documenting our daily goings on, and the good things that memories forget.  (A lot like Dougie Howser  and his computer).  This is aided by the fact that I "write" a blog almost daily on my head. Trying to find a funny/entertaining way to tell a story about the stressful parts of the day keeps me out of the looney bin and the bottle. I learned that alcoholism is most prevalent amongst lawyers.  To keep all things stress in check; to Blogland we go!