“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! :)
“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.
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. :)
------------------------------
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.
2 comments:
Awww, they are so cute. Israel looks like a supremely satisfied child. :)
emily
Yes, Emily, I agree. Cute kids! And Carrie, your hair is getting darker--hubba, hubba! Soon it may be as dark as mine. I'm glad you have a friendly, quiet space to pump at work. I have to go to a smelly old (unisex) bathroom that has pee stains on the floor.
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