A Living Jungle Gym

I know I need to post pictures. Let's face it: pictures are the real reason people go to these things; the stories are just a nice narration. But in the meantime, let me write a few more things that the babies are learning.

Abby climbed up in her crib for the first time yesterday (meaning she used the bars and pulled herself completely up to a standing position -- and then got really frustrated when she couldn't get back down and cried for a good fifteen minutes before she got rescued). She still HATES falling. She's just a dainty little girl.

One problem Abby is having is the fact that - well, as her daddy puts it - her head is half her weight. Yes, my daughter was born with and continues to have a large head. So when she falls, her head swings and she topples over. . . usually hitting her head first. Consequently, she has a rather large bump on the back of her head. Fortunately for all involved, she is learning all of this at Aunt Monique's where there is actually carpet to fall on and not just hardwood floors! She's getting better, though, and I am noticing more and more that her cries are frustration that she can't do more rather than hurt because she fell. And she's doing better at problem-solving and trying things over and over again. I myself have become her personal Jungle Gym. I am learning that she isn't climbing up on me and all over me because she wants to be held, because if I hold her she just pushes me away. No, she doesn't want to be held, she wants a safe target for her experimentations and explorations in climbing. Good times, good times.

Isaac has discovered the fun of carrying things around in his mouth while he crawls all over, either enjoying the thing he is covering, filling, and otherwise drenching with slobber or looking for an alternate object to put in his mouth and carry around. He really DOES look like a puppy dog sometimes -- a VERY determined puppy dog. His favorite of all things suckable (besides his or anyone else's pacifier) is a small rubber ducky that Monique has in the toy collection. He sticks the head in his mouth and that's that. Yesterday Monique actually took it and shook it to show him that it was filling with his slobber and is "GROSS." Guess what? He doesn't care! She tossed it away and started -- well, with dogs it is referred to as "Go fetch!" With children we say it is cause and effect.

The other thing Isaac is doing now in his path to complete walking independence is pulling himself up without using anything to "pull himself." Two days ago it was the wall -- nothing but the wall. He also stood by himself for a full 15 seconds before sitting down hard! This is all very exciting.

In other news -- they are VERY good eaters. We have fed them black bean quesadillas, tuna casserole, spaghetti, green beans, ham and cheese, chicken stir-fry, popcorn (kind of, still careful with the kernels), yogurt, oatmeal, grapes, watermelon, canteloupe, peas, cottage cheese, ice cream, pretty much everything we are eating. And so far, I have had NO rejections. It's fantastic! In fact, they are almost to the point that they won't eat unless they can feed themselves. Messy, messy independence. But really good most of the time.

Sing, Sing a Song

Two cute things my little ones did yesterday:

I mentioned they have not been feeling well lately; definitely not their chipper selves. HOWEVER, sometimes the clouds part and I get little glimpses of my munchkins without the influence of high fevers and upset stomachs and hurting heads that you can see in their eyes and everything else.

Isaac had just woken up from a nap and had a little cheesy bread to eat. We were painting in the living room (yes, we are crazy and added a "paint the house" project to our current chaotic bliss) when he finished eating. At first, he started screaming to be let down. So I went and got his little cousin (whose timely awakening from her afternoon nap saved my paint job) and put her in the highchair next to him to eat and keep him company. I added some dry fruit to their trays and -- VIOLA! -- bought myself a little time.

Then they both finished eating. Enter two babies screaming stage right. Enter Abby waking up from her nap, not very happy and rested and obviously experiencing a high temperature again stage left. I went and got Abby and then came out into the dining room to find my little man . . . . singing. This is not uncommon; it just hasn't been common lately. So I did what any good mom would do and chimed in. We sang "You are My Sunshine" and "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" and then finished with some good "Bu, bu, bu, bu, bu" scales. His choice. Sometimes you just have to sing along. About halfway through the first song, my little niece joined in. We had quite the choir performance going on. It was GREAT!!! Then their short little attention spans won out. Enjoy the small moments!

Then last night I went to tuck Lexy into bed while Monique did -- I don't remember what exactly. But she was -- oh yeah, feeding McKenzie. Lexy told me each step of the bedtime routine and then said that her mommy would come in next and sing her a song and kiss her on the forehead. I asked if I could sing her a song instead. She said, "Um. I guess my mommy can just kiss me on the forehead tonight." So I sang a made-up version of a song from "The Music Man" that I sing to Abby and Isaac every night when I put them to bed.

I hadn't sung even the first line when Abby, who was sitting next to me on the bed, started to whimper and moved to lay down as well. I laid her down in my arms and finished the song. She was almost asleep by the end. It's like she recognized her song and didn't understand why she couldn't go to bed as well.

And that was one of those priceless mommy moments when you feel like your kids are starting to connect to you in a million small ways that you repeat every day and hope are somehow making a difference in their lives. Yesterday for my sick babe, it was a familiar song that soothed her to sleep.

I love, love, LOVE my babies!

Ode to Lexy

Just a short note on the cuteness that is my little Alexis girl. It has been raining A LOT lately, which means Lexy and I have NOT been out on our morning jogs for about a week. *SIGH* And I'm sure her mom and I have commented on it more than once in less than favorable terms. And that little girl has all the wisdom of the ages without -- well, the ages. How do I know? Illustration:

Two days ago we had the following conversation after I returned from throwing a dirty diaper in the garbage can outside:

Alexis: That's a hard wind out there, huh?
Me: No, it's actually beautiful out there today.
Alexis: No. That's a hard wind.
Me: No, the sun is shining and it's really pretty.
Alexis: That's a hard wind.
Me: You sure are determined, aren't ya?
Alexis: No, you're determined. That's a hard wind.

And so it goes. Sometimes after experiencing a lot of storms and hard wind and rain, you can't see anything else. Even when the sun comes out, the clouds clear, the birds start singing, and everything looks and feels so fresh and beautiful. Sometimes, we stay caught up on the "hard wind out there." And if you go at it with her determination -- well, I sometimes have that same head-strong determination, not gonna lie; and chances are slim to none that ANYONE else is going to change my mind.

Note to self: Repentance is a beautiful thing. Much. less. aggravating. to the "grown-ups" upstairs.

MRE's

Dave finally got back to Moscow and could call me last night. Add stupidity and ignorance to the list of attributes I feel our local National Guard officials have going for them right now. After almost two weeks of MRE's, they have a weight check tomorrow. REALLY? Note on MRE's: picture flavored cardboard that has been seriously, seriously loaded with fat and calories while void of taste. Good for intense days in the field -- horrible for lazy days working on big equipment and not expending nearly enough energy.

And now they're going to see what -- how fast their metabolisms kept up all this time? They realize that you would probably gain a pound every one to two days on those meals, right? I mean, a pound is only 3,500 calories, which you can easily get from two MRE's and one "hot" meal - brought in from who knows what local franchise - a day. And you really aren't going to use those same calories while standing around in the heat or sitting in big tractors all day long. You may be sweating a lot, but it is probably not nearly enough for what it would take to metabolise all that wholesome cardboard goodness.

Ugh! I should have majored in Organizational Management with a minor in Common $en$e!

Missed the Memo

So I'm pretty sure I wrote a very definite memo (blog entry) to that horrible virus that has plagued us for over two weeks now. You read it, right? It's still on the blog -- still in my recent history of posts. So why is it that as soon as Isaac's fever broke without the aid of any medication (oh happy day!), Abby's fever returned -- along with the vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc.? I guess I just wasn't specific enough when I said, "Virus, virus -- GO AWAY!!!!!" I'm actually beginning to wonder if it really IS a virus or if the virus missed the memo because I'm not calling it right. But how's a girl to know, right? How am I supposed to know more than two highly qualified pediatricians, living in two different parts of the state?

One day at a time -- one sleepless night at a time -- one set of tired arms from holding babies all day at a time -- one dose of two screaming and needy infants waking at 2:30 a.m. at a time -- just. one. day. at a time.

David

Just thought I would also write down a little about what is happening with Dave. For AT this summer, his unit is spending time between Cottonwood, Winchester, Grangeville, and Moscow, Idaho. Apparently, they are making a baseball field for Cottonwood High School and staying in the school itself, in the gym I think. At first I didn't understand at all how they could be using almost two weeks and their entire unit to make a baseball field. However, Dave enlightened me by explaining that they are practicing using their big equipment to level ground and haul in dirt to make the field and then lay the grass and build the fence, etc. to create the diamond itself. Glad to know that our troops are getting in a little community service, right?

I think Dave would be glad -- if it weren't for the fact that they eat MRE's two meals a day (breakfast and lunch), are sleeping in a gym, and inevitably waste a lot of time -- dragging out a job that shouldn't be as large as it is with all the equipment and manpower they have working on it; waking up between five and six and doing nothing until the late afternoon; then working until between 6:00 and 11:30 p.m., only to start again the next day. But if there is one thing I have learned through my various jobs that involved working for the government, it's that the the one thing they do NOT understand is efficient time management and getting things DONE.

When they aren't staying in a school gym and moving dirt to build a diamond, they are staying at "camp" in Winchester and practicing . . . . building big holes with large equipment and then (I think; I hope) filling them in again so no one gets in some serious trouble.

So - my heart goes out to you, Dave. Hang in there. You won't have to put up with this forever!

We love you!

Virus, Virus, Go Away

Isaac has had a fever and been an arm baby since Friday afternoon. Since Abby did this same thing about two and a half weeks ago, just before we came down south, and since we found out that she had a double ear infection and virus, I decided to take him to the doctor to get his ears checked. The good news: He doesn't have an ear infection in either ear. The bad news: He has a virus, which may still take a few days to go away. Great!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying all of the endless hours of cuddle time I get with my little man, trying really hard to find time for Abby as well so she doesn't feel neglected, and we're all hoping that Kenzie doesn't get it in two weeks and start the process all over again!

Girl Just Wanna Have Fun

There are two things I wanted to record that happened today, two firsts for Abby.

First of all, we made black bean quesadillas for dinner tonight. Isaac was exhausted after our day of shopping (everyone was, actually), so he went straight to bed. Abby sat and ate her dinner, just as daintily as she always does. Then I went over to see if she wanted more and she did the cutest thing: She took a piece and started to put it in her mouth and then looked at me and moved to put it in my mouth instead! As soon as I opened my mouth to eat it, she jerked her hand away and started to just giggle! She did that over and over again. I'm not sure if she was trying to share food with me and just didn't get the release concept but was so proud of herself that she just laughed about it or if she actually understood she was teasing me. Either way, it was SOOOOO cute!

She got down from the table and Lexy started to play tag. She was jumping up on chairs and totes and things and laughing at Abby. Then Abby would laugh and chase after her. Then McKenzie joined in and pretty soon they were playing tag all over the kitchen, Abby screaming at Lexy when she went under the table and Abby had a chair in her way and couldn't reach her. And of course all three were giggling just like the cute little girls that they are!

It was just so much fun! She had so much adrenaline from it that she just crawled all over the living room and kitchen and dining room and got into everything she could find, laughing and smiling the whole time. It took a while to get her in bed; but I didn't mind. After a long day of shopping and riding in the carseat, she deserved some fun on the floor.

Kids, Kids, Kids

Like I said, I'm at Monique's house for a while.

I've been noticing that kids are a lot more "fun" and "interesting" as they get older and can communicate and think for themselves a little bit.

On Monday, I took Lexy in the jogging stroller and ran the mile and a half to Caiti and Troy's and then a mile around the track at the high school and then the mile and a half home. When I got to Troy and Caiti's, the kids all came out to run around the track with me -- well, four of the five did. Little Rebekah, however, got on her bike and started to ride around. When she caught up to us, I told her she shouldn't really ride her bike on the track because it could ruin it. So she dutifully took it back to her yard and came to run with the rest of us. At that point, we had run two laps and had two more to go. Rebekah made it around the first bend and then asked me why I was running. I told her that it is really good for you -- it helps your heart stay healthy and helps build muscles and --- she cut me off and very thoughtfully said, "And it really hurts." I laughed. Her "r" sounds more like a "w" so she said, "And it willy huwts." Why didn't I think of that one in my list?

Tuesday Nique and I were talking about what we want to do here. I mentioned that I would like to make it to Utah to see some friends. Lexy piped up, in the most sincerely astonished and surprised voice, "You have friends?" Amazing, I know; but it's true.

Tuesday we decided to try to go for a bikeride. We got the bike trailers hooked up to the bikes and moved to the front yard. Nique took Lexy out and got her buckled in. Then we moved over to secure my bike trailer to Aaron's bike. As we were leaned over to secure the trailer, it started to rain really hard. All of a sudden we hear Lexy say, "Um, guys -- it's raining." Thank you, Lexy.

Tonight I had just finished putting Isaac to bed and was swaddling and singing to Abby when Monique walked in the room and whispered, "Guess what the kids just did?" I asked what and she said, "They threw the cat in the ditch!" It wasn't our cat, first of all, so I don't know where they found a cat to throw in the ditch; but apparently the youngest (four years old) got the bright idea and was encouraged by the other four. This was quickly followed by some time out and a short lesson in making good choices. Seriously, how does the thought to do something like that even enter your head when you're between three and eight years of age?

It reminded me of a time when I was younger -- probably eight or so, really. My brothers and I had gotten in trouble and had to walk to church. Their friend came with us, and his cat followed us the whole way there. Pretty soon one of the boys decided it would be fun to put the cat in the chapel while they were passing the sacrament. Someone did it, and then they all scattered to not get caught. All except me. I didn't feel the impact of what they had just done; and I was sitting on the sofa outside the chapel when one of the men from church opened the door and put the cat outside. I'll never forget his look of utter disapproval or how horrible I felt. My mom made us write notes to the bishop to apologize. I couldn't write very well, so I drew him a picture. When we took the notes to his house, he invited us in and -- trying really hard not to laugh -- explained that he was pretty sure Heavenly Father has a sense of humor. All the same, he was glad we were sorry and hoped we had learned our lesson.

There have been other things, but I forget right now. Needless to say, I need to stay on top of my blog journal here and . . . . . well, I'm sure I'll have lots to write as the weeks go on.