Bunnies and Pess-ants

Well, the bunny lives on. He is drinking pretty well, and today I discovered that he will eat clover if I put it in there for him. I’m wondering if this means he may be able to make his own fuzzy way in the world, and live a hoppy life. :) hehheh. He still seems sort of little and clumsy, though. I’m afraid of accidently doing something wrong and killing him by not feeding him enough or feeding him too much or giving him a heart attack by doggedly pursuing him around his cage. That little critter.

Yesterday he looked so cute all wrapped up his little washcloth, so after I fed him I decided to take him outside in the sunlight and snap a picture. As I wrestled with my camera, brow furrowed, mind distracted, hand loosened, his little wiggling nose caught the scent of sweet, sweet freedom and El Bun-yo took a wide, flailing leap out of my hand into the wild blue yonder. Of course my heart almost stopped, because Herself, Killer of All Things Bunny was snooting around in the grass right beside me…I was in horror that I was going to witness the final episode of the Great Bunny Massacre, and watch my bunny child be torn limb from limb…but thankfully the Snooch is as nearsighted as they come and was in the midst of peering interestedly, albeit blindly at the intriguing rustling, hopping noises that were coming from her right, foreleg raised in hunting stance, when suddenly she was totally disconcerted and disoriented by her owner screaming her name and lunging frantically at her. Makes one’s fur turn a tinge grey. Makes one’s bladder a mite trembly. She was hustled inside before she knew what was happening, and the bunny hunt was on. Poor bunny. I had to recruit Tim to help me, because Bunn Babe is a wriggly little bugger.

I tell you what, though - between Israel waking up the past week at 5 AM ready to face the day, and requiring 1/2 hour of nursing or so to go back to sleep, and then padding groggily out to the kitchen to clutch the skittish bunny and point a syringe of warmed bunny milk in his direction...I am not waking up so chipper these days. Anybody want to bunny-sit?
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Tonight we went out and bought Gabe a sandbox. Or, rather a “sand-pool” – they were out of turtle sandboxes at Walmart. I tell you what – the concept of a “pess-ant” (present) is a mighty motivating factor in Gabe’s little universe. Somewhere along the line he picked up the meaning of “present” and talks routinely about the “pess-ant” that perhaps I may have for him, or that Grandma might have, or how I might bring him one from the store. The concept of “pess-ant” settles his clothes quickly onto his otherwise squirming self, slips his shoes on without a hitch, whisks him in and out of the game room at CiCi’s Pizza (we needed a fun family night), off the riding lawnmowers at Lowes, and away from the game area at Walmart. I’m gitt-ning a pessant. Happy sigh.

Bunny Breath

Our Snooch (bad girl) has Bunny Breath. Our Snooch (bad girl) is a Bunny Eater. Baleful stare. Actually, Tim is more appalled than I, likely mostly because he witnessed the carnage. Chloe got into a nest of baby bunnies in the yard next door and shook 3 of them to death. The thing is, this is EXACTLY the thing her little Jack Russell Terrier self was born to do. So you can't really blame her.



















However. There was one little bunny left alive, and as we were told by our neighbor Bud, who knows a little something about most everything, the mommy rabbit would likely not come back to the nest, since it was so disturbed, and the one remaining bunny wasn't even in the nest anyways, but just huddling up against a wall - we decided to adopt him. Or her. Figured it was the least we could do after the ravage Snooch wrought. Goes by the name of Bunn Bunn. A third reason to climb out of bed in the middle of the night - just what I was looking for! :)

So yesterday, Sunday afternoon on Memorial Day weekend, I called the vet's answering service who sent me to the Animal Emergency Clinic who gave the number of a "bunny expert" who told me how to take care of it. It's eyes are open and it has fur and so it has a pretty good chance of survival. It started eating from a dropper this morning and already isn't nearly as jumpy from being handled, plus it has starting making baby bunny poop. :) So I'm happy. I'm the Bunny Whisperer.

I have understood, in a new light, why Chloe likes squeaky toys so much. A baby bunny sounds exactly like a squeaky toy - it's mildly startling. Anyways. Signing off, from a Miller Household of 2 adults, 2 boys, 1 Jack Russell, and 1 Bunny...

Jumpy

Gabe has placed a new “startle factor” into my life. I’m normally not that jumpy of a person, but there are times when I believe that all children are snug in their beds, and I’m guzzling some water in the kitchen and I hear a small creak in the dining room and think – ‘Is that…?’ and peer around the door and jump a bit because there is a little person standing there looking at me. Or after we have gone to bed and the house is dark, and above the whir of the fan I hear a noise in the hall and suddenly there is movement over by the piano, as Gabe has sleepily wandered out in search of name-the-item. Makes one a mite jittery if one doesn’t expect such things. I’m just waiting for the day when I am sleeping soundly and suddenly jerk awake to find a small person standing at my bedside waiting for me to wake up.

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This is a conversation I had with Gabriel today; make that monologue he had: “C’oe (Chloé) doesn’t poop on the books (in the bookshelf), she doesn’t poop on the wug (rug) – she’s a bad g’ul (girl) she doesn’t poop on the ceil-din (ceiling) (he cranes his head back and gestures up at the ceiling as he talks) – she – she can’t fy (fly) up dere and…she poops in the fwont (front) yard, she doesn’t poop on da con-keet (concrete) she poops in da fwont yard yeah.” And OK. Any questions?

GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE DID IT!!!! Tim graduated on Saturday, May 19, 2007, with a Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.














I felt a mite teary as we sat in the Luce Auditorium for his graduation, because we had finally arrived at the point for which we have been here the whole time. School has been our life so far,and now we have what we came here for. Along with two children, 6 years of marriage, and a happy little life here in KY. He would have you know that he actually still needs to finish 90 hours of cross-cultural ministry before he is "officially" graduated, but I don't really count that.














Gabe conked out while Grandma Edith was holding him during the ceremony. He had a good ol' Granddaddy shoulder to lean on for a while.

We had an absolutely great weekend, with both sides of the family showing up to celebrate with us. Gabe had a stupendous time with all these people to play with him and admire his drumming abilities, and Israel got all sorts of hugs and kisses and leg squeezes.
















We had a graduation party for Tim on Sunday evening. Gabe had to play "football" while we were getting ready.

























All football players need a Dorito now and then for energy needs, as EVERYONE knows....
















Nana Carol and Aunt Lynette took Gabe and Israel to the playground during the afternoon.



We had school friends and church friends for Tim's party. A great time was had by all. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, baked beans, veggie tray, chips, and icecream cake. Mmmmmm.





















Other things to note:

1. Israel is starting to push up on to his hands and knees as off this weekend (7 months 5 days)

2. Gabe started to pedal his tricycle today (2 years 9 months)

3. My husband is an amazing singer and songwriter. I wish you guys could hear him singing a song he wrote and playing his guitar as I am writing this. If I were more tech-savvy perhaps in fact you could, but alas it is not so. Seriously. He has "it", whatever "it" is.


***All pictures except the party pictures are courtesy of my amazing photographer sister-in-law Lynette. Thanks so much, Lynette....

My Son the Bunny

The other day, as we were finishing up our supper of tacos, Gabe decided that he needed "a little" lettuce, so he helped himself to all the lettuce left in the bowl, and then proceeded to chomp away. He certainly did not finish all his lettuce, but it was pretty hilarious.



































Here he was the other afternoon after we went to the library. He is getting easier to take places, because he can "listen" better and isn't just randomly toddling off to places unknown. He was very happy about his new books to look at. Me too. I hit my saturation point with the books he currently has and basically can't stand to look at them anymore, with a few exceptions. One of his current favorites is "Blue Hat, Green Hat". It just tickles his funny bone with chortling glee.



















And a final idiosyncrasy. My child and his sleeping habits continue to astound me. Since I laid his "road" rug on his floor, the child has been spending every nap and night on his beloved rug, surrounded by his pillow and blankets. Often, I will find him fast asleep, partially on the rug, head on the hardwood floor. I continue to shake my head in bewilderment at this child. The other day, as I was unpacking a suitcase in the living room, his eyes lit up and he ran for his pacifier and blanket, and settled himself in. I took it to his room, and that is where he fell asleep that night, and then I transferred him to his bed.























I finally took it out of his room last night, as he couldn't quite get comfortable (for SOME reason!!), informing him that the suitcase needed to sleep in the basement. Those sorts of explanations seem to pacify him. The sunshine sleeps, the suitcase sleeps - fits in his little world. :)

Seven Months

• Has two teeth, both bottom middle
• Getting stronger on his sitting alone skills, but still topples after a few seconds
• Rolling all over the floor
• Drooling like a faucet
• Uses "da-da-da" and "ma-ma-ma"
• Legs are pretty strong for standing, and can stand for a good little bit when you support him
• Eats some baby food, but is still mostly breastfed
• Likes to play with his red dog, his teething "keys", anything really that he can hold and wave around, and/or chew on. :) I've noticed in the past few days that he is getting more intentioned about his motions - he can reach out and take something, and then steer it towards his mouth.
• Likes his exersaucer, johnny jump-up (over the door), and sitting in his highchair playing with toys
• Usually sleeps about 11 hours a night, usually from 8:30-9:30 PM to 7:30-8:30 AM.
• Is FINALLY starting to kind of put himself to sleep with minimal fussing. He rolls all around in his crib, and I have found that he kind of nestles up to the bumper or his blanket like he is nursing, and sometimes sucks his first two fingers.
• Has SUCH a sweetheart of a personality. He is SO quick to smile, and he smiles with his entire body. He is the cuddliest little thing ever. Gabe continues to love him too, and they get a big kick out of each other.
• Is 21 pounds (80th percentile) and 29 inches (92th percentile)

On the Roll

My boy is on the roll. Several days ago, he started rolling from his back to front, front to back (6 months and 4 weeks). He can make some tracks. You put him down on the rug and then leave the room for a minute, and he is nestled up to the stereo speakers, or drooling on the hardwood floor when you come back.

He has also practicing the dubious sport of "testing the choppers" that he has sprouted so recently. This morning I filed a formal complaint to the 'powers that be' regarding the injustice of being bitten 8 times between the hours of 6 and 7 AM. He thinks it is quite amusing, and gives me a pleased smile after each chomp. You see why I was up at 6:30 AM. Ain't no way I am persisting in the attempt to nurse my son back to sleep. I'd rather rise and shine, thanks. (Or, rise and flicker faintly, at least. I'm not known around here for my ability to function adequately in the morning hours.)



















Here was the previously aforementioned Chomper this afternoon. What a puddin' pie. He had a fever again yesterday from the slow ascent of those two bottom teeth. They are through the gums, but still have a bit to come out still.















Here's my other boyz. Tim is mildly horrified at the appearance of his stomach on this picture, so I am going to issue a public disclaimer that my husband does not in fact possess a pot belly, and is in fact, quite in shape. This was Gabe playing in the back of our neighbor Bud's truck.



















I discovered Gabe the other day busy with his guitar and just had to capture it on film. He has a guitar cord of Tim's plugged into two random holes on his pretend guitar. Add the cowboy hat and pantless state, and it just called for a photo. :)















And finally, here are my lovin' buddies playing outside together the other day. The days have been so beautiful that we've just had to be outside. Gabe was thoroughly enjoying his box and drum, and Israel was gnawing happily on his orange butterfly.

The Queen and Me

So the Queen of England called last night and wondered if she could bunk up in our little basement bedroom tonight, since she was flying into the Bluegrass Lexington Airport today, and I said that would be fine, except we wouldn't be able to pick her up until tonight, since I had to work...so she got all hoity-toity on me and said that 'well, that's just fine, I would rather stay with my billionaire buddy over in Woodford County, anyways', and I said 'Fine', and she said, 'Fine, then', and I said 'Well, you're just going to do what you want; you've always just done that anyway', and she said 'Don't bother showing up in Millionaire's Row - I think I gave your seat to someone else', and I said 'Who cares about the dumb horses anyway stupid Derby' and I just slammed the phone down. We've always been like this (middle and index fingers wrapped around one another), but sometimes she just thinks she's hot stuff. I guess it's better you know who your true friends are, anyways. But, man. Here I was thinking I'd have somebody new to go to Walmart with tommorrow. Hummphh.**

In other, non-royalty news, when I picked Israel up tonight after I came home from work, I noticed he had a fever. Combined with the fact of being the drooliest man alive on the face of the earth, and a few days of runny nose, I went tooth-hunting, and came up triumphant. My Youngest is cutting two beauteous choppers at once, bottom middle. They are clearly delineated in his gums, and just about ready to pop through. We're so proud. They haven't seemed to really cause him much discomfort, but just in case, he guzzled down some Tylenol before bed; hopefully that will help us all sleep log-likedly.

**For those of my friends in faraway lands, the big news here in Kentucky is that the Queen of England is here for the Kentucky Derby, and is staying with a friend in a nearby county. How weird would it be to put the Queen up for the night?

New Pictures

Several weeks ago, while we were in VA, Gabe was watching a Caillou video (PBS cartoon about a little 4 year old boy) where Caillou gets a boat. Gabe then started talking about getting a boat, and guess what came in the mail for him from Grandma Edith after we came back to KY? He had to promptly shed his clothes to sail his boat in the bathtub. But. The other nice part was the BOX the boat came in. Handy little Amazon box it is. Perfect for small boys.















The weather here has been BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been that perfect line - not too hot, not too cold, with a warm breeze, and the flies and mosquitos aren't quite out yet. Gabe has been splashing in his pool, and driving his trucks outside. We have also eaten our last three meals on the carport. Here's a little Snooter in his highchair. That kid is such a sweetheart.

This was after supper the other night. Gabe was TOTALLY smeared with jam, and was happy to show me his sticky hands. Is he cute or what?



















When we went to Walmart last night, Tim tried to sneakily slip some sidewalk chalk into the cart to give to Gabe at some point this week, but Gabe had his "pessant" (present) sensors on high alert. "That for me?" Tim replied that it was Daddy's secret. "No!" Gabe insisted. "Itz MY sec'rt" :) So Gabe enjoyed his "sec'rt" today in the sunshine.

Walmart Fashion Plate

This is for any of you all out there who might be getting a little fuzzy as to what I look like.



















Truthfully, I mostly had to show off my new Walmart clothes that I actually like. :) My loving, yet slightly foot-dragging husband rather begrudgingly accompanied me to Walmart last night, where I had a splendid time. I love to have someone to go to Walmart with. And Tim found this nifty-cool little "Chillin' with my Peeps" shirt for me, and I found these nifty-cool comfy pants that I really like, and a cute little dress for only $13...I've had a hard time getting anything done this morning, what with trying on all my three new clothes items. Ahhh. Life is good. :)