Multitudes on Mondays...#201-210

Thankful (for):

201.  Living a mere block away from an emergency room of a major hospital.  Sometimes I'm not fond of it (the medical helicopters flying super-low over our house, the ambulances whizzing by at high speeds), but when you need help yourself, it feels like living next to heaven.
202.  Being seen in said ER almost immediately and being stitched up by a very sweet girl, who gave me three lidocaine injections so I wouldn't feel a thing, and who chatted with me to keep my mind off of her task.  (Who would ever have thought I'd be thankful for *shots* in this list???)
203.  A husband who fed and bathed the kids after he parked me on the couch with a cup of hot tea when I got home.
204.  Advil.  And a husband who watched the clock and gave it to me faithfully, every 4 hours, until the throbbing subsided some.  (I know Marty appears frequently in my lists but he is truly the greatest blessing of my life and the most present and accounted-for husband I can imagine!)
205.  That my dear friend had a successful surgery and is healing and feeling quite well.
206.  Our pastor and his sometimes brief but always thought-provoking sermons.  He must have had an off day on our first visit (I thought his message was too simple) because since then, he's been knocking them out of the ballpark.  Not a Sunday goes by that Marty and I don't talk about the sermon on the way home, and not out of some kind of spiritual obligation, either!
207.  Meaningful ornaments -- "Our First Christmas, 2008", "Baby Boy, 2009", "Baby Girl, 2010".  It is wonderful to see your blessings celebrated on a Christmas tree -- a unique way to be thankful!
208.  That Will is trying so many new words, even hard ones like "wreath."  He is really gaining some new ground and I hope we'll be having full-on conversations very soon!
209.  Upcoming visits -- my parents in just a couple days, a friend in mid-January.  We heart company in this house!!!
210.  Pandora.  Instead of having to buy the new Michael Buble holiday album, we just created a radio station and get to enjoy his music for free!

You should see the other guy...

In a word, OUCH.

The other guy is the dome to a glass cake stand, which suddenly shattered while I was washing it last night.  The tangle wasn't pretty and I'm going to carry a scar from the encounter forever.  The other guy is now in the garbage and I am on the mend, though I must admit, finger lacerations/stitches hurt like crazy. 

I'll tell more of the story in a few days when I can type normally again...this is really just to show my boo-boo to my mom and dad.  :)

Friday Daybook

Outside:  This morning the frost was super-thick on the roofs around us, and the whole world seemed to be in one of those frozen silences.  But this afternoon the sun is shining, the frost has melted, and it's warming up a bit outside -- which is good, because we're going to get our Christmas tree tonight and I don't want to freeze my tail off!

Thinking: About a dear, dear friend going into surgery in just a few minutes.  My stomach has been in knots this whole day, not out of fear (because it's pretty much a routine procedure) but because I hate that she has to go through this and I'd rather do it for her (talk about routine -- I've had 6 surgeries in my life and they don't really bother me anymore, isn't that sad?).  Also about another dear friend having surgery on Monday...it kills me that I can't go be with both of these girls.  Also about another dear friend going through postpartum issues...and again, I would be so ecstatic to just go help her and make her take a bath and a nap so I could run some laundry and dishes and entertain the toddler and hold the baby.  I've *been* there (and back, thank God) and there's nothing so helpful as a person who just *gets* it.  (Lord, do you hear me?  Please move me closer to at least one of these precious friends!)

From the kitchen:  A rather ordinary weekend menu-wise, except that I'm going to whip up a batch of dark-chocolate chip/toffee cookies for enjoying in front of the fireplace and the Christmas tree.

Reading: The Bible.  I've signed up for a "read the Bible in one year" program at church, and they're giving away Bibles formatted for this very purpose!  I'm excited to get started on January 1st, but I'm trying to get into the habit now.  Every morning while the kids eat their breakfast and watch cartoons, I'm going to sit down with my coffee and read a few chapters.  I've always wanted to do this and 2012 is my year!

Shopping: Ooh, rubbing my hands together in anticipation!  We've had little bits of extra money come in from various places, and we've budgeted for a final big spree at the middle of the month, so I'm making my list and checking it twice!  I can't wait to pick up a couple of the larger items and put them together for Christmas morning.  I hope my kids are beside themselves with joy (and I hope I make my Hubby happy too!).

Hoping:  For a very happy Christmas Day, which is also Marty's birthday.  It's soooooo important to me to make that day a good one for him, and I've got a couple (little) surprises up my sleeve.  Marty, if you're reading this, do NOT take it upon yourself to go snooping around the house in places you don't often frequent...

Hearing: The washing machine work its magic on the fifth or sixth load of the day.  I drank a ton of coffee this morning and I've been attacking my chores!

A favorite thing:  Free gifts with purchase, especially when they're actually NICE items, not just throwaway junk.  (I can't say what it is because that would give away a purchase I made for someone...)  Starbucks salted caramel hot chocolate (to *DIE* for).  Gain detergent (I switched from Tide a couple months ago and I'm still enjoying the new smell!).

Updates on my kiddos

As we approach the end of 2011, I want to remember what the kids were doing at this point (and I haven't written anything about them in awhile, so I think it's time!)...

William Champion

• is 29 months today, as a matter of fact. 
• I can't remember the exact numbers from our last pediatrician visit, but he's 30-some pounds and 30-some inches tall.  He's wearing mostly size 2T and some 3T in clothes but a 4T in pajamas.  He wears a size 8(!) shoe.  He's also wearing a size 6 diaper.
• I haven't been in any rush to potty-train him (as I've read that it's much better to wait than to force the issue) but he's been giving me lots of signs lately, indicating a readiness to go for it.  So, right after Christmas we're going to get started! 
• is offically enrolled in speech therapy, though we haven't begun actual sessions (there's lots of screening and testing and planning that happens beforehand).  He will also be seeing a speech/language pathologist to help us move forward with appropriate therapies to improve his facial muscle tone and oral motor skills. 
• Despite any "delay," however, Will is improving all the time with his speech and is constantly adding to his vocabulary.  If a mom's gut is to be trusted as any kind of credible source for understanding a child's development (and I think it is!) then my whole theory on this is that Will was simply uninterested in speaking for a long time -- past the normal age for this interest to be piqued.  Just in the last couple months, though, we have seen this interest spark in him, as Will constantly repeats what we say (even if it's unintelligible, the effort is clearly there) and shows a growing desire to communicate wants and needs. 
• knows his A-B-C's and his numbers 1-10 (although he often inexplicably skips 6 and 7).  He's starting to show interest in the numbers after 10, too!  Will can identify lots of animals and make their sounds, though he doesn't seem to accept the fact that a zebra isn't a horse (it's a funny conversation to have with him).  He loves to point out body parts and facial features, especially his (or your) belly button -- this makes him giggle!  We are working hard on colors (he wants to call everything "blue" although I know he knows orange, yellow, red, green, purple, and pink, too, since he's correctly identified them before).  Next up is shapes; we've bought him stringing beads for Christmas to help him nail these, too.

• has had a recent EXPLOSION of interest in books (that's my boy!!!).  His favorites are "Dogs" by Sandra Boynton, "10 Tiny Puppies" (as shown above), "Go, Dog, Go" by P.D. Eastman (sensing a theme here?), Eric Carle's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?", and "How Do Dinosaurs Count to 10?" (among lots of others). Will absolutely adores to sit in your lap and help you turn the pages, or sit and pore over all the pictures in one of his Bright Baby books.
• Also shown in that picture?  His last pacifier.  We've lost all the others and we're not going to replace this one.  He only uses it at naptime and bedtime (I don't know why he had it in this picture), but to be honest, I'm loathe to take it away from him altogether.  This has nothing to do with him but is rather my own hang-up; I'm just not quite ready to let go of one of the last semblances of his babyhood.  Plus it comforts him, right?  (Rationalize much?)
• loves to brush his teeth, although since he hasn't mastered spitting, we're still using non-fluoride training paste.  Will is also trying to help dress himself and likes to name the clothing items (he can say "pants," "shirt," "shoes," and "socks" really well but is working on "shorts" and "pajamas").
• recently started sleeping with a nightlight.  After some night-waking and crying, we put two and two together and realized it was just super-dark in his room and he didn't like it that way, so now he has a blue car nightlight that he'll specifically request if you fail to turn it on!
• also recently started singing!  His favorite is the "Backpack" song from Dora the Explorer (although it comes out "pack-pack" and is so cute I refuse to correct him for now).
• is working on his "polite" words.  I can't get him to say "please" for the life of me but my sweet boy LOVES to say "Thank you!" with lots of enthusiasm.
• is extremely affectionate.  He does this thing where he'll open his arms wide and say "Mama!" and come running to give me a hug.  Will also loves to give kisses and will make a belated smacking sound with his lips because I think he thinks he's supposed to actually make the sound rather than have it happen naturally.  It's too precious.
• has done some time in the time-out chair (the bottom step of our staircase).  He is rarely wilfully disobedient (although that's creeping up in places) but he does struggle with whining and sometimes mistreating his sister.  He is very good at taking his punishment, though, and 99% of the time is contrite and compliant after his 2 minutes are up.  So far, so good at curbing bad behavior with him!
• Favorites:
• Breakfast:  strawberry jam on toast, sliced bananas, orange juice or milk.
• Foods:  hot dogs, yogurt, raisins, animal cookies, ravioli/soft pasta, chicken, deli ham, grilled cheese, pickles, tomato soup(!), cooked carrots, Nutella, ice cream.  (Still struggling with veggies...)
• Activities:  playing with/lining up/organizing his Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, playing ball with his Daddy, coloring, going to the park, going to Sunday School, being read to, taking baths (he goes "swimming").
• Cartoons/movies:  (Richard Scarry's) Busytown Mysteries (he asks for "cat"), Kipper the Dog (he asks for "dog"), Peter Rabbit, Baby Bumblebee vocabulary builder videos.
• Dislikes:  getting his hair cut (and with his mop, we have to do it often, unfortunately), seeing Daddy leave for work, his baby sister being in his business, bedtime.

Lucy Elizabeth

• just turned 16 months.
• is in the upper 20s in weight and I simply have no idea how tall she is (I don't think they've measured her at the doctor's in quite awhile...), though I would venture to say upper 20s in inches.  LuLu is wearing both 18-month and 24-month sizes in clothing, depending on the manufacturer/brand.  She is wearing a size 5 diaper and a size 6 shoe.
• is not talking at all, really.  Sometimes I'm tempted to feel a bit dismayed by this, but now that I've seen Will's growth and development, I know that kids just develop at their own rates and most of the time, when they're just good and ready to do so and not before.  This doesn't necessarily indicate a problem (in fact, problems are rare but parents can be entirely too quick to the draw out of fear!) so we're not going to borrow any trouble unless/until our pediatrician expresses her concern.  Lucy babbles quite a bit and does have a handful of words (she loves to say "GO!" and "Yay!"), although she doesn't call any of us by name (she says something like "mama" but it's not quite there). 
• is extremely well-developed in her motor skills and physical abilities.  She has been walking since 13 months and is now running everywhere and climbing on things.  I accidentally left the baby gate open for a couple of minutes and found her about 5 steps up on the staircase!  The child has no fear and no sense of caution whatsoever.  This should prove to be interesting.
• is a champion sleeper.  If she happens to wake up at night, it's only because she's had a diaper leak or is in pain from teething, and even then it's clear that she's desperate to go back to sleep.  Her usual bedtime is anywhere from 7:30 to 8:30 (it all depends on what we've had going that day) and she will sleep for 11-12 hours solid.  She also goes down very well, too; we give her a bottle and rock her for a few minutes but only for comfort -- she is drowsy but still awake when we lay her down.  She is wonderful at settling herself in and going to sleep.  (Will was not this way AT ALL so Lucy's habits are a huge relief to us and a welcome change!)
• loves to rub her ears (or yours) as a comfort mechanism when falling asleep.  It's my favorite quirk of hers.
• is still taking warm milk bottles -- one in the morning and one at night.  Despite every effort to get her to take anything from a sippy or straw cup, she will only take a sip or two but won't actually drink for nourishment/to quench thirst.  I'm getting frustrated on this point since I can't keep buying different brands of cups to try with her, and I'm heartily sick of using bottles and I'm ready to see them go.  Dr. Estes encouraged us to try a cold-turkey approach (just don't give her a bottle one morning and give her milk in a cup instead) but I'm reluctant to try it this way (I hate any "method" of helping children to the next stage that isn't slow and gentle -- hello, WEANING).
• has garnered herself about half a dozen nicknames.  We call her "Lucy" quite a bit but we also call her "Boo-Boo," "Belles-Belles," "LuLu" or just "Lu" (or "Lou" -- her Daddy and I disagree on the spelling), and "Luce-my-goose" or "Lu-my-goo."  I know, we're weird.

• is not really into dolls yet, but does sometimes like to cuddle them and peer into their faces (I wonder if she's waiting for them to respond?).  Her favorite, favorite toy in the world is this little Fisher Price stereo that plays different kid tunes ("Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider") when you push various buttons.  She also loves this push-and-ride dinosaur that we bought for Will to help encourage him to walk (but he never used), a toy piano, and kitchen items (both play and real -- she loves bowls and spoons and spatulas).  She really loves all the Little People items and she's getting a couple more for Christmas, including a "zoo train" that plays music when you push it along, which I think is going to be a big hit with her!
• This girl LOVES TO DANCE, and her favorite music to dance to is the "Go, Diego, Go" theme song (I think because it has a strong beat?).  And she doesn't just bop about a bit, no -- Lucy waves her arms almost like a hula dance, and she shakes her little booty from side to side and up and down -- it is *hilarious* to watch. 
• struggles a bit with separation anxiety.  If her attention isn't focused on a toy or a show and I leave the room, she gets pretty unhappy, and will follow me about, trying to do what I'm doing (you can imagine how much work I don't get done when this happens).  I call her my little duckling, because she follows me around so much!  I actually love this most of the time and appreciate that she wants to be with me, but if I need to get work done or leave her in the nursery, things can get pretty dramatic and is very difficult on both of us.
• is progressing pretty slowly with her foods.  She is still eating mostly baby food (6 tubs a day!) plus cereal, but is finally moving on to some nibbles like Club crackers and honey-nut Cheerios.  She will eat green beans and raisins and ravioli but just kind of plays with other offered items.  In this area as well we're just moving at HER pace and that's okay with us!
• still has only the 4 teeth (both top and bottom front teeth).  Her incisors are coming through but PAINFULLY slowly.  Poor baby.
• is very expressive.  She will put her hands under her chin like she *knows* she's being really cute:

• has extremely wild hair.  And no one can seem to agree on whether she's dark blonde or light brunette.  I guess time will tell!
• Favorites:
• Cartoons/movies:  Dora and Diego are by far her favorites, but she also has an affinity for Sesame Street and Barney (that Will doesn't seem to share).
• Activities:  following Will around, following Mama around, snuggling on Daddy.  She loves the baby swing at the park and riding in the baby seat of the grocery cart but *only* if I let her hold my list and pen!  She also loves car rides and picture books and mirrors.  (What can I say?  She's a girl!)
• Doesn't like:  the church nursery, getting wiped up after a meal, being told "No."

"CHEESE!!!"

Multitudes on Mondays...#191-200 (yeah!)

Thankful for:

191.  "Downton Abbey."  Yes, I'm thankful for a TV show.  If you've seen it, then you know why.  (These characters are like *family* to me!)
192.  Internet-savvy people who showed me where to access Season 2 of the above (before it's released in America)!
193.  The amazing music service at church yesterday, with the choir and orchestra (it felt like we should have been charged admission!).  I bawled like a baby during their rendition of "O Holy Night."  I think it's the most sacred of the Christmas hymns and is very, very special to me. 
194.  When my kids are being extremely quiet, and I suspect naughtiness, but I actually sneak up and find that they're just deeply engrossed in books or puzzles or toys, lost in their own thoughts and imaginings. 
195.  Remembering a box I had in the garage and digging through it to find not only a long-forgotten favorite purse (Ralph Lauren brown-and-green plaid, purchased at an extreme discount) but a pair of Franco Sarto brown leather boots. (How does one forget about such treasures?  It's called back-to-back pregnancies that a) make your memory so much mush and b) make boot-wearing a laughable venture!) Now I just have to pick up a couple of skirts and pairs of tights at TJ Maxx and I can get tons of use out of both without spending a lot of money!  
196.  Marty's homemade pizza.
197.  Six-foot, pre-lit pine garlands on sale at Hobby Lobby for $10.
198.  A husband who is willing to spend time hanging nails at strategically hidden spots so the mantel decoration and stockings could be strung together with twist-ties so that the under-3 set in our house can't pull the whole shebang onto their noggins!
199.  The opportunity to do a small editing job to both exercise my brain and earn a little bit of Christmas money.
200.  The fact that our Redeemer came to us as a tiny baby, to show us that God became man in his most helpless form, to feel the sufferings of humanity and to ultimately sacrifice Himself for our sins.  The Christmas story is so powerful, it can't help but captivate our minds and souls and draw us to His heart, so full of love and grace and compassion for us.  As I sing "Away in a Manger" to Will at night, I am caught up in the beauty of the story, again and again.

Multitudes on Mondays...#181-190

Thankful (for):

181.  The wisdom of this quote, which is now written out in large letters and taped to my fridge:  "You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once."  (~Polish proverb)  Keeping this in mind has changed my attitude so much.  Just today, I was busy doing something when Will came to me with his "Go, Dog, Go!" book, and even though I was tempted to say "Hang on" or "Maybe later", I grabbed his hand and we sat down in an armchair and I read it through with all the fun inflections like I had all day.  Because for my son, I do.  He's growing so fast...
182.  Creative gift-giving.  Marty and I can't afford to do a whole lot for each other this Christmas, but right now he's at Buffalo Wild Wings, settled at the bar with a beer and wings, watching his beloved Saints play Monday Night Football.  Time off from our delightful-but-demanding home life is always a treat, and I'm thrilled that I came up with the idea!
183.  The fact that Marty did a voluntary Starbucks run for me before his game.
184.  For a successful Thanksgiving dinner (my sister and I *rocked* the kitchen, y'all!).
185.  For a lovely visit with Katie and Chris.
186.  For the new kids' winter coats and homemade bread that arrived with my sister from my parents.
187.  That I've finally embarked on a lifelong dream -- to write a book.  I have a whopping 100 words or so written, but I have characters and dialogue and settings and scenes and a PLOT in my head and I'm so excited!
188.  For God's provision.  I just read an article today about the growing use of food stamps among young professionals who are out of work in this terrible economy, and it was a sobering reminder to be so grateful for Marty's job, regardless of its geographical location!
189.  For the upcoming, just-before-Christmas visit from my parents.
190.  For the merriment of planning a fun Christmas Day with my Marty -- we are going to live it up!  Right now, mimosas and French toast are on the breakfast menu, and the dinner menu is featuring a surf-and-turf theme (prime rib and sea scallops, woot!!!).  And we've barely even begun to plan!

Multitudes on Mondays...#171-180

Even though I have *no* spare time today, I'm still making myself sit down to do this because it's like taking a soul vitamin to stop and just be grateful for a few minutes.

Thankful (for):

171.  That a wedding is not the culmination of a love story (or at least, it shouldn't be).  The better, more interesting, most beautiful stuff happens long after the "I do's" have been said. 
172.  That my husband knows just exactly what to say when I need his encouragement.  Last night I was bemoaning the notion that perhaps when they are older, our kids won't want to spend Thanksgiving with us (or will have obligations elsewhere, to their own families or spouses' families).  Marty just looked at me and said, "If that happens, we'll fly to New York.  I'll take you to a Thanksgiving dinner at The Four Seasons and we'll go see The Nutcracker at The Met.  And Love, that's *worst case scenario*."  (How did I get this man???)
173.  My mom's homemade strawberry jam (and having several jars of it in the freezer). 
174.  Long email discussions with my dearest friends.  I have tears in my eyes thinking of you guys.
175.  Handbell choir performances at church.
176.  Buy one, get one half-off sales at Shoe Carnival.  Now both of my kids have new tennishoes and we saved $20!
177.  That my son simply adores his father.  If Will happens to be awake when Marty leaves for work, I have to console a weeping little boy who says, "Daddy -- car!  Daddy -- car!" over and over again, trying to make me understand that he *needs* to go to work with his Daddy.  It breaks our hearts...but in a good way.  :)
178.  That when I lay Lucy down for the night, I can count on the fact that she will sleep a solid 12 hours and will wake up refreshed and happy.  Her first year wasn't the easiest, and memories of it make me even more thankful for her sleeping habits now!
179.  Toys that hand down well from kid to kid. (Lucy is currently banging on a toy piano that was given to Will.)
180.  For a girl's night out tonight to see "Breaking Dawn" with Jessie!