Today

Today Tim was grousing about how nappy looking my feet were, what with chipped toenail polish and callouses, so I said "Ok! I'm going to go get a pedicure then!" And so I did. And it was heavenly. My paddies are now soft and freshly french-manicured and my calves are well massaged. Sigh of bliss. I do believe this experience may need an encore.

Here are my buddies today:


















This is Gabe swinging at our neighbor's house. Sweet baby boy!















I purchased a sprinkler for dual purposes today. 1. Water crunchy brown grass so house appears purchaseable. And 2. Every boy needs a sprinkler to run through!!















Here was Israel watching all the action.















And here was Israel folded over checking out his bouncer. What a cutie pie.

Oh. My.

There are some days whilst raising small children that you feel the thin, thin edge between your brain on sanity and your brain off sanity. The baby has been asleep for one hour. The two year old needs to go take a nap. So he pounds noisily down the hall, pausing to trip twice into a “OOh. AAh.” football roll one thin layer of pressed wood door away from the sleeping baby in the crib. That accomplished, he pounds on into his room, with noisy exclamations, then proceeds to make his mommy make multiple entries into the room to stop the drumming, to stop the driving of school buses and trucks, to “put my covers on”, to “get me some water”…of course to change the poopy diaper. Not to mention the room exits that are following by the stampede back into his room, along with the loud “BANG” of the door against the wall. Your brain starts quivering with enraged despair as you picture the baby waking up (how could he NOT?), along with Gabe not sleeping…and all you wanted was a little bit of time to sit down and check email…a quiet moment in a busy day. Then throw in the fact that Gabe does NOT understand about why we need to whisper sometimes, but seems to instead bellow louder at those times….oh my. Along with the fact that when he gets tired, he tries to work himself up, and gets loud and throws himself around noisily and clumsily and loudly trips over everything within a 10 foot radius. I’ve been exercising my “rage-containing” muscles today. He’s not being bad, he’s just being a 2 ½ year old boy child. Breathe. Breathe. You learn those breathing labor pants for a lifetime of laborious child raising. Whoo-whoo-ha-ha…

Freedom and things

We let the bunny go yesterday. We scrambled through the little “woods” area behind our house to let him go on the other side in an empty lot. He scurried happily into the tangle of growth surrounding him, pausing for a snack or two. We were very happy that he did so well, and didn’t go the way of many baby bunnies in captivity.

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In Israel news, he has been very happily transitioned into the world of “real food” as per infuriated insistence on his part. He is happiest with the food on his tray, where he can pick it up and put it into his own mouth. Gives us a nice break, too. I’m still breastfeeding too, but less. He also continues to improve on his sitting skills. Along with the s-l-o-w-l-y cutting his two top teeth. They are taking forever to get through. Thankfully, they are not accompanied with the profound amount of drool the lower two teeth swam in on.

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Gabe informed me the other night that “there is the moon and there is Gott (God) and Jesus on the moon” which transitioned into some sort of commentary about God’s mommy…hmm. Theology needs a little work, but hey. We're getting there! :)

He is also starting to apologize – “Oh! I’M sohwy, Mommy!!” The other day he wanted to go outside, and was quite cranky when I told him “No”, and then he came out with me to get something and when he heard thunder he said “Oh! Itz gonna wain!! I’m sohwy Mommy!! I’m sohwy!” Sweetheart.

This is him today playing with his tractor. He calls it "mowing" when he drives his tractor on the grass. He also makes little "mmmmm, mmmmmm" engine noises and the occasional "beep! beep! beep!"

Chillin's and such

Gabe and Israel having a grand ol' time in Israel's crib. Israel was issuing many chuckles of delight.














Is that a sweet little smile or what?!



















Gabe and me after work tonight. Notice he is freshly shorn. :)





































Today when Tim went in to get Israel out of his crib this morning, he found him sitting up! :) What a growin' man.

When "If Only"'s Come to Sweet, Sweet Fruitition

The past while, a frequent, wistful daydream of mine involves a quiet, dimly lit room, a soft bed with comfy covers, an empty, silent house, and the soothing whir of a fan. And the freedom to close my eyes and sleep as long as I want, with no one wanting me to do ANYTHING. This morning as the phone woke me up from a deep, heavy sleep with a recorded message for some travel nurse agency (why oh why do they persist in calling me, for like 2 years!!!), which woke the baby up, which woke Gabe up...and the day was begun, I lay with my eyes closed, picturing a quiet, whirring room where nobody needed me, and I could just turn over and go back to sleep.

Instead, today Israel took 30 minute naps, and I dragged myself around feeling so exhausted, when - lo and behold it was 3 PM, and Gabe went to his room and lay down and fell asleep all on his own. And then Israel was rubbing his eyes, and was down by 3:30 PM, and so I slunk into my little couch bed that I hadn't the heart to put away this morning, and after making myself close my book, laying and listening to the screen door creak and groan and finally dragging myself up to close it, and then nursing Israel back to sleep, I slept like a heavily drugged rock from 4:30 to 6:30, when Gabe Son began meowing and moaning for "milk! MILK!!! MIIIIILLLK!!!" (This child is fast on his way to learning that things don't always come when you yell loud and demand it.) So anyways. That was certainly my blessing of the day!! And I woke up feeling GREAT!!! And it's 11:41 PM, and I feel GREAT!!! :) And WIDE AWAKE!!! Coffee, anyone?!

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Gabe loves getting hold of the Tim's tube of Vaseline Intensive Lip Therapy and slathering it on his own supposedly parched little baby mouth. Today he was hauling it around importantly, and I noticed that he was on the ground, trying to catch Chloe, saying "C'oe! Do you need some'tin for your lips, Co'e?"

"Gabe", I said, hiding a smile. "Chloe's OK. She doesn't need things on her lips."

He looked at me wide-eyed, and said with great surprise - "She doesn't?"

Aways looking out for the Jack Russell lip hydration status. That's my boy.

6 Years and Countin'

Six years of marital bliss (with the occasional spat thrown in here and there for good measure)...two kids, 1 dog, 1 bunny, 1 house (for sale)...and here we are. Life is good and we are happy.
















So, to celebrate our aforementioned six years of marital bliss, I was diagnosed with sinusitis and honked the day away in a myriad of wadded up Puffs Plus with Lotion (an essential for every sore nose) with my Oil of Olay lotion bottle at the ready to smear on in large quantities. My entire face ached; my jaw is popping and my eyes were hurting when I chewed...such a nice time. We went out on our very first date since Israel was born, and left the chillins' with our friend Jen Sipe to go out for Indian food, then to the guitar store (yawn), and then to the mall. It was very nice. Unfortunately, I couldn't taste a thing due to my cold. Huff. I soldiered my way on through the meal, however, and enjoyed the sight, if not the taste. It all looked so tasty...

8 Months

• Not a whole lot different from 7 months, truthfully!


• Added "Ba-ba-ba-ba" to his repetoire.


• Can sit for a brief time, unaided, but you really have to watch him, because he'll throw himself back, forward, or to the side with no warning.
• Rocks on hands and knees


• Still mostly breastfed


• 23.8 pounds (with his diaper on), 29 inches


• Stands for a bit when you hold his hands, and really enjoys it


• Starting to vocally INSIST that he needs "real" food too when everybody else is eating around him. He does very well with ground up food, and likes the Lil' Graduates Fingerfood snacks, and plays with them when they are on his tray, but doesn't put them in his mouth yet.


• Sucks his forefinger when he is sleepy


• Really likes to be held because he likes to see what is going on


• Still has just 2 teeth


• Such an endearing, cheerful personality, who is so ready to smile

Today

It's been so nice and warm out. We've been spending so much time outside. Here's my buddy boys today.

This evening I took Gabe and Israel to the library where they were having a petting zoo. Gabe liked that very much, although he was a bit consternated by the squawking cockatoo.



























I love this picture. Gabe likes to get in the stroller basket. Two boys in one stroller.

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Today I was talking to Mom on the phone and telling her that we got a babysitter so that we can go out for our first date since Israel was born on Saturday night. "That sounds like fun!" she said. "What else are you planning to do for your anniversary." There was a pause where I blinked in confusion. "Anniversary? What anniversar-ohhhhh!!!!!" Saturday is our sixth anniversary. Completely forgot. Worked out quite well, though! :) I'm glad there is someone around to help me remember these things! :)

On the Move

So I have always loathed the idea of anyone in my family riding a motorcycle. I have always thanked the Lord that Tim isn’t remotely interested in purchasing one; I have shied away from buying Gabe any toy motorcycle that might rev up any interest in the subject that could possibly fan into passionate interest in his older years. I have worked with too many patients who are way too young to not be able enjoy the full use of their limbs after an episode with a motorcycle. Still. I must admit. After waiting at the stoplight beside the red motorcycle with the fat wheels, Trusty Ol’ beside Crotch Rocket 65, I did experience some fluttering, flashing licks of envy as he roared away down the road when the light turned green, leaving me in his dust, flying through the warm summer air…and I thought “Mebbe I need me one of them motorcycles”. I pictured myself zipping to and from work, able to go 0-60 in precious few seconds (this was truthfully one of my top interests), getting off that line and down the road, and paying minimal gas for it. I am not one of those individuals that enjoy the commute. I want to be there already, come on now. With one of those little motorcycles, I could just whip between offending cars and whiz my happy little way down the road. Wistful sigh. Such are the dreams of Carrie.

Of course, then there’s that other little dream where I have my rocket car. I glide smoothly down the highway – and when I come upon that white sedan driving 7 mph below the speed limit while talking on their cell phone? Why, I simply pull back gently on my steering wheel, and the nose of my car angles up, up, up towards the sky, and I roar (elegantly) over the cars on the road, soaring above the telephone lines, arriving at my destination in record time and with nothing to stop me. Cutting smoothly through the air in my little silver bullet rocket car, eyes narrowed intelligently, knifing into a sharp turn, all sharp efficiency. Bliss. Wistful sigh.

Be that as it may, I love being around my family too much to risk the motorcycle. And can not, at least this year, afford the rocket car. So I will putter along in my blue minivan, just dreaming. Honk if I’m in your way.

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So he’s in his crib and he’s on his hands and knees. And he’s rocking, back and forth, back and forth. And now he’s screaming in exhausted rage, because he can’t figure out how to get DOWN so he can go to sleep. Such is a day in the life of a 7-month 3-weeker. Soon, my friends, very soon…my child will be in the move, on the move…

Life

Events of today.

Got up at 3:05AM to feed crying baby. Slunk exhausted body back into blessed bed. Furrowed brow with closed eyes as baby reawoke. Got up at 3:12 to feed the crying baby. Dozed over nursing child. Creaked noisily back to bed…laid down…got up at 3:24 to feed the crying baby. Right eye beginning to develop a nervous twitch. Realized one eye has remained shut this entire time retaining the feeling of half-sleep. Clicked the doorknob on the way out the door…got up at 3:30 to feed the crying baby. Baby finally asleep. Hugging pillow fondly to self when raise eyes to see tow-headed young child sleepily padding from his room after all the baby crying woke him up. Back up to get milk for said dear one. It is now 3:40AM. And down once more. Up again at 5:45. Alarm sounds at 5:55 AM. Time to go to work. Is this sick or what?

While I was slavering away on the old work horse, our toilet geysered heights of pure, clean, fragrant toilet water onto our ceiling and throughout the bathroom as sewer workers opened the clogged sewer line between our house and the neighbors. Yummy.

Complaint.

APPARENTLY, having a “sand-pool” on our carport is the equivalent of pouring continuous little trails of sand in our home, particularly since one of Gabe’s favorite activities is dumping sand outside the sandbox onto the concrete, which is immediately tracked inside. For some reason, I never even thought about this. I do not like this new development, and must contemplate on how to manage this.

Update.

Israel is still a happy little munchkin. He has been sucking his first and second fingers when he is tired or going to sleep. It’s so cute I have to make sure I get a picture. At night when I’m feeding him he can scarcely nurse what for ogling the lights on the fan/heater that is on the floor in his room. What a doof. Eat eat eat – and then his head whips around and he stares and stares at the light, head bobbing sleepily, and then he utters a sigh and goes back for a few more swallows – and then his groggy attention goes back to the light.

Gabe is growing and sick at the same time. Cough and lethargy. I can’t believe how tall he is getting. Next he’s going to be eight. We just realized that the daughter of one of our friends around here, who was two (Gabe’s age) when we first got to know them, is now EIGHT. What in the world. That was such a short time ago! Next I’m going to be 47 and my kids are going to be all grown up!!!! Ok, I’m not quite ready to think about this. Moving on.

Bunny.

Is thriving, fat, and feisty. Is drinking his milk out of a peanut butter lid and gulping down the clover. He lets me rearrange things in his cage while I am fixing his food and water and formula, not seeming to mind as my hand almost grazes him, but hops and jumps indignantly all over his cage if I extend a solitary finger and try to pet him. I am growing quite attached to my bunny child. Chloe, on the other hand, does not for the life of her understand why we are now keeping moist little tender tidbits of hopping, skittering snack foods in cages on the freezer. And out of her reach! The injustice!

Ga-BISH!!!

“Gabe, do you want to watch music or football (X-Box ESPN) while Mommy puts baby Israel to sleep?”

“I wan’ to watch muse-git (music)!”

“Ok – do you want to watch The Newboys, or do you want to watch this one (Passion ’06) – or Eric Johnson?”

“Uummmm. I wan’ to watch Da Boyz!!”

“You want to watch The Newsboys?”

“I need Da Boyz!!” Pause, and furrowed brow – “Whey’s de ga-maok? (remote)”

Music videos and my son. Oh, my. My son can talk to you about Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Buddy Guy, Bebe King, John Mayer, and James Taylor – mostly from a Crossroads Festival DVD that Tim has that my 2 year child has studied intensively, absorbing drum beats and guitar shenanigans that only a die-hard music nut/blues fan can truly appreciate. He grips his drumstick and “Dee dee GA BISH!!!!”’s away, lost in drum-land. Or man-handles his little “electric” guitar, strumming wildly and energetically to the music he hears, guitar neck rising and falling, head bobbing on the beat. What child is this that I have birthed? Methinks he is indeed a child of his father’s heart! :)

Mostly, this is fine and endearing…until you hear your child belting out in modified form the lyrics to one of his favorite Eric Clapton songs, named after the recreational drug of choice in the 1980’s. “She don’t YI, she don’t YI, she don’t YIIIIIII – OK!!! Dirdee OK!!” Yes. OK it is, Gabe…and now off to plant some nice Jesus songs in your head. So I stuff him full of Bullfrogs and Butterflies, followed by a nice helping of Wee Praises…and some Twila Paris and Veggie Tales thrown in there for good measure. But I tell you. It’s hard to compete with songs that rock it. Always, like a happy little moth, he is drawn to the rhythmic flicker of the beat. Ga bish. Ga bish….ga ga gA GA BISSSHHHHH!

Finally, in sheer determination, I pack up both of my children in our trusty blue minivan and screech off to Lifeway. I’m so proud of myself. Hauling a two-year old and a baby into a bookstore. What an adventure. Until I meet the mother with 4 small children coming out. Oh. Well. I guess she wins. Scouring the shelves for something that contains the acceptable mixtures of guitar and drum close-ups, along with rockability factor, I spot Gabe staring fixedly at the flatscreen up at the ceiling…and I have found it!!! Passion ’06, with David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, etc. I bought the exact DVD he was watching, as they were out of it on the floor. Got me a good ol’ Mennonite discount with my rockability factor. I also bought a Creation ’06 DVD, featuring Jeremy Camp (OK), and The Newsboys (now we’re talkin’…) – ie. Da Boyz. Da Boyz have passed all necessary tests, and call for all the appropriate gah-bishes.

Tonight he is watching Da Boyz while Mommy nurses the baby to sleep, because Daddy is out picking up Chinese food and a movie, seeing that Gabe is under the weather and almost asleep, and Israel’s chief motto is “early to bed, early to rise, makes me real happy and mommy and daddy real cranky and yawny”. J How nice to have a time slot for a movie on a Saturday night. This is indeed a rare occasion. There is a suppressed sense of elation in the air when both boys are going down extra early that energizes us for the entire process – the promise of FREE TIME!!! We can luxuriate in the concept of free time like fat happy cats in the sun, stretching happily in the warm area of space and silence, padding around wherever we want, kings of our quiet little realm.

When I am working on the sixth floor at the hospital, I often go to this unused supply room to pump that other people occasionally use for the same reason – and I love it. It is a set of three connecting rooms, full of bed-tables, unused chairs, boxes of random things, an old porcelain dripping sink tucked into one corner, a little table covered with a cloth, a basket of crocheted flowers, and bathed in sunlight. It has always made endorphins shoot off in my brain to go in there, and I feel like I could stay all day in that happy, quiet, sunny space. I have decided I actually wouldn’t mind living there and have already picked out which rooms I would use for the kitchen, living room, and bedroom (the little girl playing house in me is still alive and happy). I know this is weird, don’t worry. :) I was mentally analyzing my love of this space and trying to figure out why in the world I like it so much, and then I realized – it is totally QUIET and peaceful. Where in my life do I have quiet, peaceful space right now? Nowhere! Save here, sixth floor at UK Med Center. :)
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In other news, Rabbit the Bunny, also known as Bunny the Rabbit is both flourishing and pooping profusely. I didn’t know bunnies pooped so much. (Not the bad diarrhea poop, just in case you wanted details. And all.) He is really growing, and I actually can’t hold him hardly anymore to feed him, because he squirms and wiggles too strongly and gets out of my clutches. I can put the syringe in his crate, though and hold it up to his mouth, and he licks/gums it. He can drink up to about 9cc now. He is also eating clover and grass. He’s as cute as a button. The Bunny Expert Lady that I called again said that I can let him go when he is about 5 inches long. Right now he’s about 3 ½. I think I actually might be sort of sad to see him go! The other night, after feeding him at 2 AM and lying awake as he jumped and jumped in his cardboard box, bunny nails scratching the side on his way down, I shuttled him down to the cavernous and noise-absorbing basement, where he rested quite peaceably until morning. Last night was equally pleasant and restful. He snuggled down with plenty of clover and was just fine come morning.
















Here's my little boys ready for a stroller ride.