On a completely random note, I realized as I went to post today that the previous post was my 250th. Excellent.
I wanted to post another snapshot of my children, and I will hopefully follow it shortly with a literary-inspired post.
My big boy is getting bigger by the second. He has started saying "Yeah" instead of just "yes" and will mostly answer the question "What are you doing?" with a descriptive, truthful response: "I'm making a mess," or "I'm cleaning up," or "I'm checking Daddy's Blackberry." Oops!! My favorite game with him is saying back and forth "I love my boy!" and him saying "I love my Mommy!" Daddy's favorite game is to ask him if he's his buddy and he says yes, or sometimes he will say no and Daddy will pretend to be sad, but then our boy will give him a kiss and say "you're my buddy, Daddy." D'awww.
Being three years old must come with an unwritten agreement to put as much stuff on as possible. Our little guy will usually be wearing his baseball hat and at least one mardi gras-style necklace along with his green rubber rain boots that have froggy faces on the front.
My baby is hardly a baby at all any more. He has two teeth on the bottom, one more coming through on top, and is babbling all the time. Dadadada is a favorite, as is the raspberry and occasionally "mama." He is chewing everything and loves his baby food meals. He sits very well and handles his toys with a lot of dexterity. It will be interesting to see if he ever ends up crawling, since his brother skipped that stage entirely. He adores his older brother and will give him some of the biggest smiles and giggles. Big brother loves him, too. He will often bring him toys and hug and kiss him spontaneously, and will almost always help with something if I ask him to, such as bringing me the Boppy pillow or a burp cloth when it's time to nurse him.
I swear, every time I turn around one of them is doing something new or looks bigger to me. My mom is coming to visit soon and she can't wait to see the boys (understandably!), and I told her that she'll think they're huge, since I think so and I see them every day. I just hope I don't get too wrapped up in the distractions in life to notice the important stuff as often as possible.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
On my way...
Again it has been too long since my last post. Forgive me.
Sigh.
I am in the process of signing up to run my marathon with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am close to this charity because my father died of acute myelogenous leukemia when I was in high school. I think he'd be pretty surprised that my brother and I have become marathoners since then, but he'd also be proud.
My baby boy now has two teeth and is apparently working on a few more, as he refused to nurse before bed tonight and screamed his cute little head off for a few minutes instead. Ah well, it's only temporary.
Big brother is cute as ever, still talking our ears off. He spent quite a while today banging away at his little keyboard while wearing 3 Mardi Gras necklaces, a pair of my sunglasses, and a baseball cap. He is mastering the potty and even can tell you what sound a lot of letters make. I'll be excited to see how he does at preschool in the fall.
I'm still thinking on the next poetry challenge. Hopefully some of my old faithful will come back with that one. Of course I always welcome new participants as well!
I had better get going now, though; the boys have been getting up around 7 lately...earlier than they used to let me sleep.
Sigh.
I am in the process of signing up to run my marathon with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am close to this charity because my father died of acute myelogenous leukemia when I was in high school. I think he'd be pretty surprised that my brother and I have become marathoners since then, but he'd also be proud.
My baby boy now has two teeth and is apparently working on a few more, as he refused to nurse before bed tonight and screamed his cute little head off for a few minutes instead. Ah well, it's only temporary.
Big brother is cute as ever, still talking our ears off. He spent quite a while today banging away at his little keyboard while wearing 3 Mardi Gras necklaces, a pair of my sunglasses, and a baseball cap. He is mastering the potty and even can tell you what sound a lot of letters make. I'll be excited to see how he does at preschool in the fall.
I'm still thinking on the next poetry challenge. Hopefully some of my old faithful will come back with that one. Of course I always welcome new participants as well!
I had better get going now, though; the boys have been getting up around 7 lately...earlier than they used to let me sleep.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sometimes you're the bug.
A lyric of a song by Mary Chapin Carpenter springs to mind today: "Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug." Today was a buggy sort of day. Here's the things I can remember that my toddler did today.
- After three days being dry in underpants, he came to me after wetting his pants less than an hour after he had gone on the potty. Sigh.
- He skipped his nap, and when I got in the room after my shower, he was in his brother's crib jumping up and down while his brother screamed with a blanket over his head.
- He screamed in my face at least three times.
- He hit me with a stick from his new drum.
- He pushed me and hit me, while laughing.
- He moved the pack n' play, and when I started to move it back, he shoved it very hard and knocked a timer off a nearby piece of furniture, breaking it.
- He climbed up on the kitchen table and shook pepper all over it.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Happy mom-iversary to me!
Tomorrow is my elder son's third birthday. Therefore, it is my third mom-iversary. It is hard to believe that it has already been three years, even though my little boy now runs and jumps and climbs, knows all his colors and numbers up to 12, can sing Twinkle, Twinkle and the ABC song along with bits and pieces of many others at the top of his lungs. His latest thing is to say "Mommy, give me a hug," while holding out his arms. Of course I usually do all I can to comply, but if I need a minute, he will follow up by repeating his request a little more politely: "Mommy, pwease give me a hug." D'awwww.
I remember this time three years ago. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and the next morning at 3:30 AM was my call to be induced at the hospital. We sat around and ate chips and cheese and watched the game and I tried not to get nervous. Of course I was excited to meet my baby, but I had read probably too much about all the things that can happen in labor and I hoped none would happen to me. Luckily, I only had very minor bumps in the road (a blood pressure dip, wearing an oxygen mask because of baby's heart decelerations, baby was sunny-side up and OB had to turn him), and he was born huge (9lbs 5oz) and crying vigorously. While it wasn't easy to start nursing him (he had trouble latching on), I managed it for the first year of his life with the help of a shield. Now he is the sunniest, most lovely little boy I could ever ask for, and is learning to be a great big brother. Just this morning I came into his room and found him standing in his little brother's crib. Because the baby wasn't screaming, I have to think Big Brother was careful when climbing in there to keep him company. I do hope he doesn't make a habit of that (I don't want him falling on his brother!), but it was darned cute.
I have learned so much from my little guys over the past three years. To write it all down would probably take a book, so maybe I'll summarize it to the top 5.
1. Patience. Having children really teaches you to slow down and wait for things to develop. First, because a newborn is a blob and will slowly develop his or her little personality and learn skills like holding his/her head up and smiling at you. Later, because you can't expect your toddler to do everything you want him to the first time you ask, no matter how sweet he is. It is really hard to remember this sometimes when I'm in a hurry or worried that he is taking too long to learn something (like potty training, for instance!), but I like to think that most of the time I am getting much better at it.
2. Creativity. I like to think of myself as a creative type, but having my kids has really helped me to think outside the box. Whether it's just playing with my toddler or trying to convince him to do something he doesn't want to, that right brain is getting a workout. I can't wait to start making up stories with him; he's already trying to come up with pretend-time games.
3. Selflessness. I hope I wasn't really that selfish to start with, but having kids really gets you to think more about them than yourself. I don't mind waiting several hours to eat or not showering until the late afternoon to fit around their nap schedule. I don't mind wiping butts and noses to make sure my babies are taken care of. I have been peed and puked on and I didn't mind one bit. These are my kids and no matter what, I will love them.
4. Happiness. There is nothing like a young child to break up a gloomy mood. I could wake up on the wrong side of the bed after a bad night's sleep, fighting off a cold and being miserable about something that happened the day before, but when I walk into my boys' bedroom, I'm met with a sunny smile from the baby and my toddler chirping, "Hi, Mommy! I'm awake!" How can you not smile at that? If I manage to resist at that point, he will often add, "Mommy can smile?" I think even if I was on fire or missing a limb I could manage a smile for that.
5. Love. I have always wanted to be a mother, and once I became one, I knew I was right about wanting to be. It's the hardest job I will ever have, but also the most rewarding. To look in my children's eyes and see the joy reflected back to me, even before they can say "I love you," is worth more than any monetary compensation. Those tiny hands cupping my face, those little arms wrapping around my neck, are dearer to me than any jewelry or clothing could be. What people say about your love multiplying, not dividing, when you have more children, is very true. When I had my second son I am sure I felt my heart expand to welcome him in with the same strength of care as I had with my first. I hope they can tell that I love them both the same, which is a whole heck of a lot.
Now I should probably wrap this up before I dissolve in a little pile of emotional goo. But it was fun to reflect on all my kids have taught me so far. They are making me a better person day by day, and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so as long as we live.
I remember this time three years ago. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and the next morning at 3:30 AM was my call to be induced at the hospital. We sat around and ate chips and cheese and watched the game and I tried not to get nervous. Of course I was excited to meet my baby, but I had read probably too much about all the things that can happen in labor and I hoped none would happen to me. Luckily, I only had very minor bumps in the road (a blood pressure dip, wearing an oxygen mask because of baby's heart decelerations, baby was sunny-side up and OB had to turn him), and he was born huge (9lbs 5oz) and crying vigorously. While it wasn't easy to start nursing him (he had trouble latching on), I managed it for the first year of his life with the help of a shield. Now he is the sunniest, most lovely little boy I could ever ask for, and is learning to be a great big brother. Just this morning I came into his room and found him standing in his little brother's crib. Because the baby wasn't screaming, I have to think Big Brother was careful when climbing in there to keep him company. I do hope he doesn't make a habit of that (I don't want him falling on his brother!), but it was darned cute.
I have learned so much from my little guys over the past three years. To write it all down would probably take a book, so maybe I'll summarize it to the top 5.
1. Patience. Having children really teaches you to slow down and wait for things to develop. First, because a newborn is a blob and will slowly develop his or her little personality and learn skills like holding his/her head up and smiling at you. Later, because you can't expect your toddler to do everything you want him to the first time you ask, no matter how sweet he is. It is really hard to remember this sometimes when I'm in a hurry or worried that he is taking too long to learn something (like potty training, for instance!), but I like to think that most of the time I am getting much better at it.
2. Creativity. I like to think of myself as a creative type, but having my kids has really helped me to think outside the box. Whether it's just playing with my toddler or trying to convince him to do something he doesn't want to, that right brain is getting a workout. I can't wait to start making up stories with him; he's already trying to come up with pretend-time games.
3. Selflessness. I hope I wasn't really that selfish to start with, but having kids really gets you to think more about them than yourself. I don't mind waiting several hours to eat or not showering until the late afternoon to fit around their nap schedule. I don't mind wiping butts and noses to make sure my babies are taken care of. I have been peed and puked on and I didn't mind one bit. These are my kids and no matter what, I will love them.
4. Happiness. There is nothing like a young child to break up a gloomy mood. I could wake up on the wrong side of the bed after a bad night's sleep, fighting off a cold and being miserable about something that happened the day before, but when I walk into my boys' bedroom, I'm met with a sunny smile from the baby and my toddler chirping, "Hi, Mommy! I'm awake!" How can you not smile at that? If I manage to resist at that point, he will often add, "Mommy can smile?" I think even if I was on fire or missing a limb I could manage a smile for that.
5. Love. I have always wanted to be a mother, and once I became one, I knew I was right about wanting to be. It's the hardest job I will ever have, but also the most rewarding. To look in my children's eyes and see the joy reflected back to me, even before they can say "I love you," is worth more than any monetary compensation. Those tiny hands cupping my face, those little arms wrapping around my neck, are dearer to me than any jewelry or clothing could be. What people say about your love multiplying, not dividing, when you have more children, is very true. When I had my second son I am sure I felt my heart expand to welcome him in with the same strength of care as I had with my first. I hope they can tell that I love them both the same, which is a whole heck of a lot.
Now I should probably wrap this up before I dissolve in a little pile of emotional goo. But it was fun to reflect on all my kids have taught me so far. They are making me a better person day by day, and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so as long as we live.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
End of January Snapshot.
Little son likes to grab onto my arm or try to put his feet in his mouth while I am trying to change his diaper. He is just starting to stay sitting up when I set him in a sitting position on the floor. He just started cereal and first foods a couple of weeks ago and is now consistently sleeping for longer stretches at night, hooray! He doesn't have any teeth but he does chew like mad on his hands. He will babble sometimes, just "Ababbabbabba" in varying pitches and sometimes almost a scream, without being upset. He is really a happy baby and rarely complains about anything.
Bigger son is getting funnier and cuter every day. His latest thing is to say "Mommy, give me a hug," and put his arms out to get the hug. He will put items on his head and say things like "I'm an astronaut," or "I'm Santa Claus," or occasionally, "I'm a baseball." It's pretty fun when he will ask me to do something and if I can't help him right away he will ask again but say please. He tries to sing songs he's heard more than twice, with varying levels of success. Too funny.
Bigger son is getting funnier and cuter every day. His latest thing is to say "Mommy, give me a hug," and put his arms out to get the hug. He will put items on his head and say things like "I'm an astronaut," or "I'm Santa Claus," or occasionally, "I'm a baseball." It's pretty fun when he will ask me to do something and if I can't help him right away he will ask again but say please. He tries to sing songs he's heard more than twice, with varying levels of success. Too funny.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Progress Report.
So. I am doing well with the running portion of my resolutions. If not for a plugged milk duct I would have run 4 days last week, but as it was I ran 3, not too bad. At least I managed to avoid developing an infection which would have laid me up considerably more than one day.
As for reading, I need to get on that. I am planning to finally get to a real book after I post this. The reader will also get some use this week.
Writing: check. I need to see if I can wrangle my husband to read my really bad first draft of my novel and tell me what to do to help it out. Or maybe I should just trust I can fix some of it myself and start doing that till he's ready to read it. Hmm.
The kids are progressing rather faster than I want them to. The big boy is taller, I'm sure of it. He is finally starting to understand the process of going to the potty; now if only he would tell us when he needs to go instead of just going when we put him there ourselves. The little boy is smiley as ever, and really starting to work on teeth (chewing his tongue, fingers, toys, etc. and drooling). We'll see when one finally breaks through. He also babbles like crazy, so cute.
As for reading, I need to get on that. I am planning to finally get to a real book after I post this. The reader will also get some use this week.
Writing: check. I need to see if I can wrangle my husband to read my really bad first draft of my novel and tell me what to do to help it out. Or maybe I should just trust I can fix some of it myself and start doing that till he's ready to read it. Hmm.
The kids are progressing rather faster than I want them to. The big boy is taller, I'm sure of it. He is finally starting to understand the process of going to the potty; now if only he would tell us when he needs to go instead of just going when we put him there ourselves. The little boy is smiley as ever, and really starting to work on teeth (chewing his tongue, fingers, toys, etc. and drooling). We'll see when one finally breaks through. He also babbles like crazy, so cute.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Resolutions, 2011 Edition.
Happy New Year!
I have been away for far too long again. I spent some of my fleeting me-time in the last few weeks thinking about reprioritizing, and that has led me to form the following resolutions.
1. Run the 2011 Chicago Marathon. This was always going to be one of my goals this year. It will kick my butt into gear on getting back in shape after having my second son, and I have always wanted to run a marathon. My brother, a marathon veteran, has committed to running it with me, so I will have a friendly face and running partner as well. Hurrah!
2. Read and write more. This is one of those things I've been "meaning to do" but not really trying very hard to do it for the most part. I was given a book reader by my wonderful husband last Christmas (2009!) but it has mostly collected dust over the past year, to my shame. It even has over 30 books just waiting to be read, but I need to stake out the time to use it. I plan to get this time by not sitting around playing silly games on Facebook when I could be soaking up great literature. The writing portion will include updating this blog more often as well!
3. Finish editing my manuscript to prepare to submit to editors and agents by the end of 2011. I have already made the fundamental change I decided on once I was finished with 2009's NaNoWriMo (changing my main character from the male character to a female), but I still have a lot of work to do to make it presentable. I think that if I chip away at it consistently, I should have something to be fairly proud of by the end of the year. I believe I have the kernel of a good idea here, hopefully I can turn it into something people will want to read!!
I have been away for far too long again. I spent some of my fleeting me-time in the last few weeks thinking about reprioritizing, and that has led me to form the following resolutions.
1. Run the 2011 Chicago Marathon. This was always going to be one of my goals this year. It will kick my butt into gear on getting back in shape after having my second son, and I have always wanted to run a marathon. My brother, a marathon veteran, has committed to running it with me, so I will have a friendly face and running partner as well. Hurrah!
2. Read and write more. This is one of those things I've been "meaning to do" but not really trying very hard to do it for the most part. I was given a book reader by my wonderful husband last Christmas (2009!) but it has mostly collected dust over the past year, to my shame. It even has over 30 books just waiting to be read, but I need to stake out the time to use it. I plan to get this time by not sitting around playing silly games on Facebook when I could be soaking up great literature. The writing portion will include updating this blog more often as well!
3. Finish editing my manuscript to prepare to submit to editors and agents by the end of 2011. I have already made the fundamental change I decided on once I was finished with 2009's NaNoWriMo (changing my main character from the male character to a female), but I still have a lot of work to do to make it presentable. I think that if I chip away at it consistently, I should have something to be fairly proud of by the end of the year. I believe I have the kernel of a good idea here, hopefully I can turn it into something people will want to read!!
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