Tomorrow morning is Ben's surgery to remove the mole from his cheek. I was watching him play today, thinking he has no idea what is going to happen to him tomorrow. I feel bad for him, that he has to go through this, even though I know it is for the best. It makes me sad and I will be glad to get it over with. We have been praying about it and for Ben and that there will be no issues with the surgery and that the scar will be very small, etc., for a while now. It's hard to believe it's already here. Time sure is flying by these days (these days, with children keeping me busier than I ever imagined I would be:).
We have to be at the hospital at 6:00am. I think the surgery starts at 7:00am, although I'm not sure if that's when they start preping him for surgery or if that is when the actual surgery starts. They said the actual surgery should only take about 10 or 12 minutes. They will first give him some gas to put him out and then they will insert his IV and intubate him and all that stuff.
The doctor said that the hardest part for Ben will be when he is coming out of the anesthesia. He said that toddlers of this age always have a hard time with that, because they are confused and don't like the feeling. From what I have heard, when he very first starts waking up, we may not be with him, which is a bummer. Hopefully we will be with him very soon after and he probably won't remember much of it anyway, until he is more awake.
My sister and mom are on their way here now. They are going to spend the night with us and take care of Nick while we are at the hospital tomorrow. I am so very thankful that we live so close to them, that my mom is doing better and that they are able to be with Nick while we are gone. I think Nick will be a bit uneasy because he has never been left by himself before. He has never been away from mommy, daddy and Ben, all at the same time before. He should do well with my sister and mom though. He knows them very well and feels very comfortable around them. He frequently asks about them when they are not here. He loves spending time with them and my sister is wonderful at playing with kids and entertaining them. She will make sure he is kept very busy, I'm sure. I still hate it that I won't be here when he wakes up. After my unexpected hospital stay, I worry that he will think that I will be away for a long time again. I know I just have to turn this over to God and not worry or be anxious about it and everything will be fine.
Have I told you how much I love these two little guys? They are growing up way too fast. I think we will be dressing them up in their little costumes and taking them trick-or-treating to a couple of nearby houses this evening. It will be fun.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
October 30, 2007 - Pediatric Dentist Outrage
We took the boys to their first ever dentist appointment today. My husband met us there and I was feeling kind of bad about asking him to do that. I mean, what stay at home mom asks her husband to go with her to take the kids to the dentist. But you know what? I am so thankful that I did and that he was there.
The office was a very nice, kid-friendly office. We really liked the ship decor and the toy and book selections. They have video games for older kids, a flat-panel TV screen attached to each dental chair and a very open layout.
When it was our turn, someone came to the waiting room and called Ben and Nick. We all got up and went into the exam room. It is one large, open room with many exams chairs and the doors to the waiting room have windows so the parents can look in and see their kid. But we went in because we knew there was no way our little just-two-year-olds (and Nick not even that yet) would go in without us.
I had been talking this up to the boys all morning, telling them how they would get to sit in the "big" chair and how the dentist would look at their teeth, etc, etc. Nick was all excited and jumped right up in the chair. However, the dentist was not ready yet and took a while to show up. Nick soon tired of waiting in the chair with the little cartoon playing on the attached flat-panel screen, he got down and wanted me to hold him. Soon after, the dentist came along and talked to my husband and I for a minute.
Then he was ready to have Nick sit in the chair. I asked Nick if he wanted to sit in the chair and he emphatically shook his head no (I was holding him at this point). I asked him a couple of times and he repeated the "no" head shake. I started to sit him in the chair and he clung to me, clearly getting ready to scream and cry and very afraid of the situation.
Do you know what the dentist said? He said "you're just going to have to force him into the chair and hold his hands down". I was shocked. I stood there in shock! Not knowing what to do next, I looked at my husband for guidance. He immediately said he would sit and hold him and he took Nick and sat down in the chair and kind of laid him back so the dentist could look into his mouth. They made it work and Nick was not too upset by this. The dentist spent all of about one minute, maybe, looking at Nick's teeth and counting them and declared them fine.
Ben was next and he was not as happy to lay in dad's lap but, after a couple of seconds, he loosened up and was fine too. The dentist spent maybe an extra couple of seconds on Ben, because he fell yesterday and bloodied his upper lip and the gums just above one of his front teeth. He wants him to come back in 8 weeks to have it checked again and have an XRay.
This is a pediatric dental office. When I was filling out the first-time paperwork, there was a question asking if the child had ever had a bad dental experience in the past. Well, if my husband had not been there, all three of us would have had a very bad dental experience today.
I could not believe that this man did not try to engage the kids or talk to them before examining them. He talked to them in the exact same voice that he used with us, not in the nice, funny-sweet kind of voice that our doctor always uses and the boys love. The ONLY thing he did that even remotely resembled what I would think of as a pediatric dental thing was that he asked them if they wanted to hold the little mirror that they use to look at teeth. Nick held it for a second but Ben did not want to. Oh, and they each got a toy but it wasn't the dentist who gave it to them. Other than that, nothing. Completely nothing kid-friendly about this pediatric dentist whatsoever.
I was just really shocked by this. This is definitely not what I had expected from a pediatric dentist. I kind of wondered because of what they had told me on the phone when I made the appointment (thinking two barely two-year-olds might be willing to march into the exam room all by themselves and hop up into the chair). But then they also said they just want to make sure their first visit is a good experience, so I thought they would know how to make it a good experience for them. They certainly did not and we won't be going back to this pediatric dentist anytime soon.
My expectation was that the "pediatric" dentist would know how to talk to and engage little children playfully to make it less scary and that he would invite mom and dad to sit in the chair and hold the child when they are this little, if the child shows fear. And maybe he would show the child first how he could look into mom or dad's mouth and the child could see how easy it was and that it didn't hurt and maybe the child could look too, so he would know what's going to happen before it actually happens, in an effort to make it less scary.
I am sorely disappointed and really kind of outraged that this guy even calls himself a pediatric dentist. Maybe he was just having a bad day but this definitely did not meet my expectations. I have no idea what this two minute exam cost but, whatever it cost, it was too much.
The office was a very nice, kid-friendly office. We really liked the ship decor and the toy and book selections. They have video games for older kids, a flat-panel TV screen attached to each dental chair and a very open layout.
When it was our turn, someone came to the waiting room and called Ben and Nick. We all got up and went into the exam room. It is one large, open room with many exams chairs and the doors to the waiting room have windows so the parents can look in and see their kid. But we went in because we knew there was no way our little just-two-year-olds (and Nick not even that yet) would go in without us.
I had been talking this up to the boys all morning, telling them how they would get to sit in the "big" chair and how the dentist would look at their teeth, etc, etc. Nick was all excited and jumped right up in the chair. However, the dentist was not ready yet and took a while to show up. Nick soon tired of waiting in the chair with the little cartoon playing on the attached flat-panel screen, he got down and wanted me to hold him. Soon after, the dentist came along and talked to my husband and I for a minute.
Then he was ready to have Nick sit in the chair. I asked Nick if he wanted to sit in the chair and he emphatically shook his head no (I was holding him at this point). I asked him a couple of times and he repeated the "no" head shake. I started to sit him in the chair and he clung to me, clearly getting ready to scream and cry and very afraid of the situation.
Do you know what the dentist said? He said "you're just going to have to force him into the chair and hold his hands down". I was shocked. I stood there in shock! Not knowing what to do next, I looked at my husband for guidance. He immediately said he would sit and hold him and he took Nick and sat down in the chair and kind of laid him back so the dentist could look into his mouth. They made it work and Nick was not too upset by this. The dentist spent all of about one minute, maybe, looking at Nick's teeth and counting them and declared them fine.
Ben was next and he was not as happy to lay in dad's lap but, after a couple of seconds, he loosened up and was fine too. The dentist spent maybe an extra couple of seconds on Ben, because he fell yesterday and bloodied his upper lip and the gums just above one of his front teeth. He wants him to come back in 8 weeks to have it checked again and have an XRay.
This is a pediatric dental office. When I was filling out the first-time paperwork, there was a question asking if the child had ever had a bad dental experience in the past. Well, if my husband had not been there, all three of us would have had a very bad dental experience today.
I could not believe that this man did not try to engage the kids or talk to them before examining them. He talked to them in the exact same voice that he used with us, not in the nice, funny-sweet kind of voice that our doctor always uses and the boys love. The ONLY thing he did that even remotely resembled what I would think of as a pediatric dental thing was that he asked them if they wanted to hold the little mirror that they use to look at teeth. Nick held it for a second but Ben did not want to. Oh, and they each got a toy but it wasn't the dentist who gave it to them. Other than that, nothing. Completely nothing kid-friendly about this pediatric dentist whatsoever.
I was just really shocked by this. This is definitely not what I had expected from a pediatric dentist. I kind of wondered because of what they had told me on the phone when I made the appointment (thinking two barely two-year-olds might be willing to march into the exam room all by themselves and hop up into the chair). But then they also said they just want to make sure their first visit is a good experience, so I thought they would know how to make it a good experience for them. They certainly did not and we won't be going back to this pediatric dentist anytime soon.
My expectation was that the "pediatric" dentist would know how to talk to and engage little children playfully to make it less scary and that he would invite mom and dad to sit in the chair and hold the child when they are this little, if the child shows fear. And maybe he would show the child first how he could look into mom or dad's mouth and the child could see how easy it was and that it didn't hurt and maybe the child could look too, so he would know what's going to happen before it actually happens, in an effort to make it less scary.
I am sorely disappointed and really kind of outraged that this guy even calls himself a pediatric dentist. Maybe he was just having a bad day but this definitely did not meet my expectations. I have no idea what this two minute exam cost but, whatever it cost, it was too much.
Monday, October 29, 2007
October 29, 2007 - Hat Wearing Cutie Patooties
Here are the house shoes I got for the boys. Now that they are no longer new, they are no longer very interesting. They have not worn them in days.
But I still must document my creative use of duct tape, for the record. Do you see the strap made of duct tape, holding the feet in the little blue slippers? How resourceful is that?!:)
I was trying to get the boys to pose for a birthday picture for dad, to put in his new frame, with their hands in the "praying" position. They noticed this in a book recently and I explained it to them so they have been doing it lately when we pray. But it was a no-go, for the picture posing effort.
Now that the fascination with the house shoes is over, we start the fascination with the hats. I bought the boys their winter coats on Friday and these hats came with the coats.
The hat thing really cracked me up so I took a number of pictures of them, playing while wearing the hats. Ben got tired of his and had taken it off but Nick really liked it and kept it on for quite a while.
Isn't this just too cute!
They really enjoy playing with these aqua doodle toys that their Aunt Dasha got them for their birthdays. They play with them every day. Now they are asking me to write letters on them. We are working on letters A through F now.
When Ben saw that I was interested in taking pictures of the hat, he put his back on. He is so funny.
Unfortunately, this picture is a bit unfocused and is pretty blurry when enlarged. But it is just too cute so I had to include it anyway.
Another one of Ben. Notice the mole on his cheek. It will be gone on Thursday morning.
Here is the pumpkin the dad carved. He did a great job. Next time, I will have to take pictures of the action. The boys really like the face, especially when it is lit. Unfortunately the light burnt out so we will have to buy a new one. We are using one of our night lights:). Don't mind the bit of purple in pumpky's face.
Another picture of Ben. It looks like he is whistling. The boys both got hair cuts on Saturday evening and I got mine cut on Sunday morning, so we are all sporting new do's. The dad cut them all so it was free:)! He is really doing a great job on the boys' hair cuts these days. He has learned how to do it where it looks like it was done by a pro. He has been cutting my hair since before we were married. He always does a great job on mine and I love it that I am not paying someone $50, or whatever the going rate is, to cut it these days.
And one last picture of Nick, poking his face as Aunt Dasha taught him to when he smiles. They are such cutie patootie's but I was ready to clobber them this morning.
October 29, 2007 - Wild Boys
When I was out and about the other day, I heard someone say "boys are wild". I thought, "no they're not. My boys are not wild". Of course, we don't have little girls in our house so we are more used to little boys and cannot make a good comparison. After watching helping out in their class at church, I must admit that our boys were a bit more "wild" than the little girls or even the younger boy in the class. It was somewhat of a revelation to us. I don't mean wild in a bad way though. I think they are pretty well behaved, most of the time. Just that they made a bit more noise (truck noises when pushing the trucks and buses around) and they enjoyed knocking down blocks more than building them up...that sort of stuff.
I love their boy noises and "wildness". I am happy to say that I have even gotten to a point where I enjoy their messes, most of the time anyway. I enjoy seeing their toys scattered around the house. It is now part of our routine to pick up and clean up before nap time and bed time so I no longer stress about it. They are so good about helping. Ben was even helping us to clean up their classroom without us even asking him. It was very sweet.
On Friday Nick came into the kitchen, carrying a Mega-Blocks creation he had made, and told me "umbrella". It actually looked more like a large "T" but I thought it was pretty creative for a less than 2-year-old child and he was very excited about how he thought it looked like an umbrella. The dad drove up right around that time so Nick proudly showed him the umbrella too.
Last night we were reading bedtime stories and Ben very clearly said "night night bear". I think we are very close to starting two or three word sentences around here and pronunciation is improving rapidly. Every day is such a revelation, when you have young children, because they just change so much, so quickly! I love it and I love seeing the world through the eyes of these "wild boys":).
I love their boy noises and "wildness". I am happy to say that I have even gotten to a point where I enjoy their messes, most of the time anyway. I enjoy seeing their toys scattered around the house. It is now part of our routine to pick up and clean up before nap time and bed time so I no longer stress about it. They are so good about helping. Ben was even helping us to clean up their classroom without us even asking him. It was very sweet.
On Friday Nick came into the kitchen, carrying a Mega-Blocks creation he had made, and told me "umbrella". It actually looked more like a large "T" but I thought it was pretty creative for a less than 2-year-old child and he was very excited about how he thought it looked like an umbrella. The dad drove up right around that time so Nick proudly showed him the umbrella too.
Last night we were reading bedtime stories and Ben very clearly said "night night bear". I think we are very close to starting two or three word sentences around here and pronunciation is improving rapidly. Every day is such a revelation, when you have young children, because they just change so much, so quickly! I love it and I love seeing the world through the eyes of these "wild boys":).
Saturday, October 27, 2007
October 27, 2007 - Outside Fun
We are having such a beautiful fall day today and we have enjoyed some time outside. The dad was raking and picking up branches, preparing to mow, while the boys ran around and played with sticks. It is amazing how long they can entertain themselves without any toys. They love to run up and down small hills, over and over again, and a stick can provide loads of fun for a long period of time.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
October 25, 2007 - Duct Tape Sucess
The duct tape on the diaper has not failed us so far. As hard as it is for us to remove, I seriously doubt the little guys are going to find a way to take their diapers off again, although they still enjoy removing their clothing. The bummer of that is that we have to keep it warmer upstairs, while they are sleeping, which dries out sinuses and noses and stuff. It would be nice if I could find some PJ's that they cannot remove. I will be going out shopping for them soon.
The duct tape usage saga continues. The pair of slippers that are more loose kept falling off. I had tried to use duct tape to hold some folded kleenex in the heel of the slippers, to make them fit more snugly but it just kept coming out. I ended up using duct tape to make a strap and then I taped the strap across the slipper, where it opens for the foot. Now we can still slip their foot in, under the strap, but the strap keeps the slipper from falling off. The slippers now look like very strange ballet slippers:). It is funny looking but it is working. The next time I have some time to run by Toys R Us, I will pick up another pair of the slippers that fit more snugly. Until then, the strange ballet version will have to do.
We are also still struggling with the slipperiness of the slippers, as the stuff that I taped to the bottoms falls off after a period of time. For now, I just keep taping it back on. I may ended up just making my own slippers, completely out of duct tape:). (just kidding)
The duct tape usage saga continues. The pair of slippers that are more loose kept falling off. I had tried to use duct tape to hold some folded kleenex in the heel of the slippers, to make them fit more snugly but it just kept coming out. I ended up using duct tape to make a strap and then I taped the strap across the slipper, where it opens for the foot. Now we can still slip their foot in, under the strap, but the strap keeps the slipper from falling off. The slippers now look like very strange ballet slippers:). It is funny looking but it is working. The next time I have some time to run by Toys R Us, I will pick up another pair of the slippers that fit more snugly. Until then, the strange ballet version will have to do.
We are also still struggling with the slipperiness of the slippers, as the stuff that I taped to the bottoms falls off after a period of time. For now, I just keep taping it back on. I may ended up just making my own slippers, completely out of duct tape:). (just kidding)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
October 24, 2007 - Duct Tape is Mom's Best Friend
My husband came home yesterday and was surprised at all of the ways I have been using duct tape while he was gone. After hearing the story of what happened yesterday, we came up with a new way to use duct tape:).
Yesterday, my mom and sister came to visit, which was wonderful and we all enjoyed it so much. My sister had played with the boys for quite a while, we had had lunch and we took them upstairs to put them down for their naps.
They played and played and played....which should have been a huge clue to me, since they really should have been very tired. At some point, I decided I should go up and check on them, since maybe one of them had a poopy diaper that was keeping him awake. They had probably been upstairs about 20 minutes or so at this time.
It was very dark in their room but, when I walked in, I could see something that did not quite fit in, laying in Nick's crib. I turned on the light to see both boys sitting in their cribs without their pants or diapers. Nick had pooped and it was all over his sheet and both boys had peed on their sheets also. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
I am very thankful that Nick at least stayed out of the poop. He had not touched it at all, which was a relief. The clean up was pretty quick actually, so that was good. I put their diapers on, backwards this time, and put them back down for their nap. I had not been putting their diapers on backwards because it seemed they were not doing the remove-the-diaper thing anymore, even though they continued to take off their shorts at times. I will now be taking more precautions every time they go to sleep.
When we were getting them ready for bed last night, I realized there is not as much padding in the back of the diapers as in the front. Knowing this would not be ideal for nighttime, especially when they are already wetting through their diapers on a fairly regular basis, we decided we needed a different approach. My husband suggested duct tape so we gave that a try. We taped their diapers from one hip to the other, past the tabs on each side and across the front, with one long piece of tape. Hopefully it won't be too hard to get them out of their diapers this morning but it will be hard enough to keep them from taking them off.
I have heard them stirring this morning so I'm sure they will be up soon and I will find out how well it worked. I'm sure that having two in the same room contributes to the mischief, but they love being together so much that I don't want to separate them. I know of a mom who has twins girls who went through this and she had to clean up a couple of really bad messes, where they had played in it:(. Yuck. Hopefully we have nipped this in the bud.
Yesterday, my mom and sister came to visit, which was wonderful and we all enjoyed it so much. My sister had played with the boys for quite a while, we had had lunch and we took them upstairs to put them down for their naps.
They played and played and played....which should have been a huge clue to me, since they really should have been very tired. At some point, I decided I should go up and check on them, since maybe one of them had a poopy diaper that was keeping him awake. They had probably been upstairs about 20 minutes or so at this time.
It was very dark in their room but, when I walked in, I could see something that did not quite fit in, laying in Nick's crib. I turned on the light to see both boys sitting in their cribs without their pants or diapers. Nick had pooped and it was all over his sheet and both boys had peed on their sheets also. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
I am very thankful that Nick at least stayed out of the poop. He had not touched it at all, which was a relief. The clean up was pretty quick actually, so that was good. I put their diapers on, backwards this time, and put them back down for their nap. I had not been putting their diapers on backwards because it seemed they were not doing the remove-the-diaper thing anymore, even though they continued to take off their shorts at times. I will now be taking more precautions every time they go to sleep.
When we were getting them ready for bed last night, I realized there is not as much padding in the back of the diapers as in the front. Knowing this would not be ideal for nighttime, especially when they are already wetting through their diapers on a fairly regular basis, we decided we needed a different approach. My husband suggested duct tape so we gave that a try. We taped their diapers from one hip to the other, past the tabs on each side and across the front, with one long piece of tape. Hopefully it won't be too hard to get them out of their diapers this morning but it will be hard enough to keep them from taking them off.
I have heard them stirring this morning so I'm sure they will be up soon and I will find out how well it worked. I'm sure that having two in the same room contributes to the mischief, but they love being together so much that I don't want to separate them. I know of a mom who has twins girls who went through this and she had to clean up a couple of really bad messes, where they had played in it:(. Yuck. Hopefully we have nipped this in the bud.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
October 23, 2007 - The Dad's Birthday
Today is the husband's birthday! YAY!!!! AND he comes home today! YAY!! We have really missed him and can't wait to have him back.
For his birthday, I bought him a really neat picture frame, for a picture of the boys, although I don't have a good picture of the two of them together to put into it yet. It is really getting hard to take their picture these days. I really like the candid pics but they are not as easy to sneak up on and, as soon as they see the camera, they run up to me, wanting to see the pictures I have taken. They are really NOT into posing for a picture at all. I tried to get them to sit on the couch together yesterday but it was just not happening. I'm sure I will get one eventually. For now, I put a picture of Dancer and Zoe into the frame:). (those are our cats:).
For his birthday, I bought him a really neat picture frame, for a picture of the boys, although I don't have a good picture of the two of them together to put into it yet. It is really getting hard to take their picture these days. I really like the candid pics but they are not as easy to sneak up on and, as soon as they see the camera, they run up to me, wanting to see the pictures I have taken. They are really NOT into posing for a picture at all. I tried to get them to sit on the couch together yesterday but it was just not happening. I'm sure I will get one eventually. For now, I put a picture of Dancer and Zoe into the frame:). (those are our cats:).
Sunday, October 21, 2007
October 21, 2007 - The Many Uses of Duct Tape
We use duct tape much more often now that we have children. Just today I used it for taping some rubbery stuff to the bottoms of the boys' slippers and also to the front wheel of the new, small big-wheel toy that I bought yesterday with birthday money from my brother. I also mentioned in an earlier post how I used duct tape for fixing noisy toys. It really is a multi-purpose product and I would be lost without it:).
Ben is now in the mode of asking "bye bye?" every morning after breakfast. If I tell him no, we are not going bye bye, he is very sad. I can't quite figure this out because the only place we have been lately has been to various stores and he really dislikes shopping, as I have mentioned before. Ben is also still on the hunt for spiders (or "bibbies", as he says - the first 'i' is pronounced like the 'i' in spiders) and I frequently hear him clapping his hands, while saying "bibby, bibby", because he thinks he sees a spider. Nick will usually join in with the clapping and sometimes with the "bibby" chant, even if he has no idea where the spider is. They are good teammates, those two. They're pretty funny.
Two more days until the husband is back, and counting (I think I am half way there now...or maybe I am just half way here...something like that:).
Ben is now in the mode of asking "bye bye?" every morning after breakfast. If I tell him no, we are not going bye bye, he is very sad. I can't quite figure this out because the only place we have been lately has been to various stores and he really dislikes shopping, as I have mentioned before. Ben is also still on the hunt for spiders (or "bibbies", as he says - the first 'i' is pronounced like the 'i' in spiders) and I frequently hear him clapping his hands, while saying "bibby, bibby", because he thinks he sees a spider. Nick will usually join in with the clapping and sometimes with the "bibby" chant, even if he has no idea where the spider is. They are good teammates, those two. They're pretty funny.
Two more days until the husband is back, and counting (I think I am half way there now...or maybe I am just half way here...something like that:).
Friday, October 19, 2007
October 19, 2007 - Bye Bye Shopping!
The husband left this morning for Vancouver so the boys and I are on our own until Tuesday evening. We are all having a lot of fun together and they really played well together today. At one point when they were playing together, Nick was laughing really hard...that full, belly laugh that is so funny. I was laughing at him laughing, but I was busy preparing lunch for them so I'm not sure what he and Ben were doing that was so funny. They are becoming more physical and are spending more time jumping and climbing. One of their favorite things to do now is to climb on top of the large ottoman / coffee table, lay on their bellies and then use their hands/arms to kind of crawl/slide off head first. They get such a kick out of this and they love to do it over and over. They are really getting very good at helping to pick up their toys. We all chip in and we are done in just a few minutes, which always surprises me, considering how messy it looks when we start.
I took the boys to two stores today, looking for something specific for their lifebooks. I had the boys in their stroller in the first store and they got restless and started whining pretty quickly. Ben, in particular, has no patience for shopping whatsoever, regardless if it is the grocery store or any other kind of store. He frequently can be heard saying "bye bye?" "bye bye?" (and gets louder and whinier the more he says it), as we are shopping, clearly indicating that he is ready to go. In the second store we went to, I put them in a cart. As soon as we entered through the door of the store, Ben started crying and pointing back towards the door. He wanted to go back out and he was crying as if someone had really hurt his feelings, rather than the angry kind of cry. It was downright sad.
So our first day without daddy went well, although we miss him, of course. I am trying to make sure our days are full, busy and interesting and also that I spend a lot of time playing and reading to them. And hopefully I can also finish more pages in their lifebooks.
I took the boys to two stores today, looking for something specific for their lifebooks. I had the boys in their stroller in the first store and they got restless and started whining pretty quickly. Ben, in particular, has no patience for shopping whatsoever, regardless if it is the grocery store or any other kind of store. He frequently can be heard saying "bye bye?" "bye bye?" (and gets louder and whinier the more he says it), as we are shopping, clearly indicating that he is ready to go. In the second store we went to, I put them in a cart. As soon as we entered through the door of the store, Ben started crying and pointing back towards the door. He wanted to go back out and he was crying as if someone had really hurt his feelings, rather than the angry kind of cry. It was downright sad.
So our first day without daddy went well, although we miss him, of course. I am trying to make sure our days are full, busy and interesting and also that I spend a lot of time playing and reading to them. And hopefully I can also finish more pages in their lifebooks.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
October 18, 2007 - Halloween Plans
I really had not planned to do Halloween with the boys this year. I just thought they are so young, they won't really get it and all of the costumes I had seen seemed very expensive. Today we were at Target, clothes shopping for warm clothes for the upcoming cooler weather, and I happened to see that they had some cute costumes that were less expensive than any of the others I had seen.
So, we have a change of plans.
When we got home, the boys wanted to try them on. They really enjoyed looking at themselves in the mirror in their costumes.
October 18, 2007 - Poor Old Horse
The lady from Parents as Teachers taught us a fun little game and here that the dad is doing it with the boys in this picture. They both love it and want us to do it over and over.
It goes like this:
(Child sits just in front of your knees, as Nick is doing in the picture. Ben is just sitting on his dad's lap, waiting his turn to ride the poor old horse.)
(The first four lines are said slowly and you raise and lower your legs slowly also.)
Poor old horse.
He goes soooo slow.
He never stops.
In rain or snow.
Buuuuutttt, (drag this word out and raise your knees as you say it)
(now you raise and lower you legs fast)
give 'em a kick and there he goes, there he goes, there he goes.
Give 'em a kick and there he goes,
all the way to town.
Whooooaaaaa horsie. (the boys lean back when we do this part, while still holding our hands)
Whooooaaaaa horsie.
October 18, 2007 - Arizona Trip Pics
Here are pictures from our recent trip to Arizona.
Here is Aunt Dasha with the boys. She was really great with them and they enjoyed her so much. She kept them one day, while the husband and I ran a couple of errands. They didn't cry when we left or when we returned. She kept them busy when we were gone, taking them outside for a walk and playing in the back of her truck. They were happy little clams.
Here is a picture of Ben, looking at Aunt D's albino dove. She has had this bird for umpteen years (can't remember exactly how long but it is something like 13 or 17 years). This is a very sweet bird and Ben loved putting his finger in the cage and letting the bird peck him. She has two other birds, a love bird and a parakeet.
Here is Nick, trying to give the kitten a kiss. This kitten is absolutely adorable. It is a Ragdoll kitten and will get very large. We all had fun watching the kitty's antics.
Nick, playing with the balloons that Aunt D put up for the birthday party. We had just given the boys a bath, which is why Nick's hair is wet.
Nick and Ben, blowing out their candle. It took them a little while. Neither of them had enough air coming out of their mouth to make it that far. I think Ben finally blew it out.
As soon as they blew out the candle, Nick pinched the top of it and Ben clapped. Nick was very fascinated with the lit candle.
Photo op. Aunt Dasha taught the boys how to smile for the camera:), hence the fingers in the cheeks. They were too funny.
Opening gifts. After the birthday party we had at my sister's house, the boys completely understand the idea of presents and opening gifts. No help required. They are opening Veggie Tales DVDs, which will come in handy the next time we cut hair or make a long road trip.
These are the made-for-travel aqua doodles that Aunt Dasha got for the boys. They love them and so do we. The pen is filled with water and it has a wick-type thing for the tip, which allows just a bit of water to come out at a time when they are writing. The marks on the page evaporate over a short amount to time. These are wonderful, no-mess writing pads, great for travel and also around the house. I saw Nick trying to write on the floor with the "pen" yesterday and I just smiled:). The hardest part is keeping track of the pens. Nick put one under the rug the other day but I was watching:).
We didn't do any sight-seeing while we were in Arizona on this trip. It was a trip to visit with friends and family. When the boys are a bit older, we will head up to the Grand Canyon, as I have yet to see it and have always wanted to. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful Fall day today in Oklahoma. I love the Fall season!
Here is Aunt Dasha with the boys. She was really great with them and they enjoyed her so much. She kept them one day, while the husband and I ran a couple of errands. They didn't cry when we left or when we returned. She kept them busy when we were gone, taking them outside for a walk and playing in the back of her truck. They were happy little clams.
Here is a picture of Ben, looking at Aunt D's albino dove. She has had this bird for umpteen years (can't remember exactly how long but it is something like 13 or 17 years). This is a very sweet bird and Ben loved putting his finger in the cage and letting the bird peck him. She has two other birds, a love bird and a parakeet.
Here is Nick, trying to give the kitten a kiss. This kitten is absolutely adorable. It is a Ragdoll kitten and will get very large. We all had fun watching the kitty's antics.
Nick, playing with the balloons that Aunt D put up for the birthday party. We had just given the boys a bath, which is why Nick's hair is wet.
Nick and Ben, blowing out their candle. It took them a little while. Neither of them had enough air coming out of their mouth to make it that far. I think Ben finally blew it out.
As soon as they blew out the candle, Nick pinched the top of it and Ben clapped. Nick was very fascinated with the lit candle.
Photo op. Aunt Dasha taught the boys how to smile for the camera:), hence the fingers in the cheeks. They were too funny.
Opening gifts. After the birthday party we had at my sister's house, the boys completely understand the idea of presents and opening gifts. No help required. They are opening Veggie Tales DVDs, which will come in handy the next time we cut hair or make a long road trip.
These are the made-for-travel aqua doodles that Aunt Dasha got for the boys. They love them and so do we. The pen is filled with water and it has a wick-type thing for the tip, which allows just a bit of water to come out at a time when they are writing. The marks on the page evaporate over a short amount to time. These are wonderful, no-mess writing pads, great for travel and also around the house. I saw Nick trying to write on the floor with the "pen" yesterday and I just smiled:). The hardest part is keeping track of the pens. Nick put one under the rug the other day but I was watching:).
We didn't do any sight-seeing while we were in Arizona on this trip. It was a trip to visit with friends and family. When the boys are a bit older, we will head up to the Grand Canyon, as I have yet to see it and have always wanted to. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful Fall day today in Oklahoma. I love the Fall season!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
October 17, 2007 - Nap Stripping
Today I put the boys down for their nap at the normal time. They played and played. I went up and checked on them, told them not to jump in their cribs and to go night night. They played and played. Finally I went into their room, only to find Nick in his diaper, having taken his shirt and shorts off, and Ben in his shirt and diaper, having taken his shorts off too. They were quite proud of themselves and had obviously had a fun time.
By this time, it was time for lunch so I dressed them and fed them their lunch. Afterwards, I put them back to bed and quickly went to look for Nick's Ya Ya. I was only gone for maybe 3 minutes for so and returned to find both boys once again without their shorts and Nick without his diaper. I put his diaper back on backwards so hopefully that won't happen again. They are still sleeping and we are now in the middle of a really bad thunderstorm so I am signing off.
By this time, it was time for lunch so I dressed them and fed them their lunch. Afterwards, I put them back to bed and quickly went to look for Nick's Ya Ya. I was only gone for maybe 3 minutes for so and returned to find both boys once again without their shorts and Nick without his diaper. I put his diaper back on backwards so hopefully that won't happen again. They are still sleeping and we are now in the middle of a really bad thunderstorm so I am signing off.
Monday, October 15, 2007
October 15, 2007 - Uh Oh
The boys are now really into saying "uh oh" about everything. They drop something and say "uh oh". They shove their milk over on the table (on purpose - thankfully it has a lid and straw) and say "uh oh". They drop food on the floor, sometimes on purpose, and say "uh oh". It is very cute to hear them say this but, I am quickly coming to the point where, when I hear an "uh oh" coming from the other room, I dread to see what I will find when I go to investigate. Fun times!
The other word that they have picked up on is "ouch", since they have heard me say it a few times. It is amazing how many words they know now. We were looking at a book last night and Nick pointed to a picture of a campfire in the book and said "fire". I was surprised to hear that one. Normally I am the one who knows more of their words and who knows when they learn a new word, since I am with them most of the time but I didn't know they knew that one yet.
The other word that they have picked up on is "ouch", since they have heard me say it a few times. It is amazing how many words they know now. We were looking at a book last night and Nick pointed to a picture of a campfire in the book and said "fire". I was surprised to hear that one. Normally I am the one who knows more of their words and who knows when they learn a new word, since I am with them most of the time but I didn't know they knew that one yet.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
October 11, 2007 - Sweet Wedding Memories
Just after I posted the detailed post of our trip to Arizona, I remembered another significant thing we did. Before we left Tucson, we stopped by the resort where we were married. It was so beautiful. It is nestled into the landscape with beautiful mountains in the background and they had tons of flowers everywhere. We took a walk around and talked about our special day, almost three years ago now. The boys enjoyed the walk, although they missed the significance of it of course. My husband and I really enjoyed it though. It brought back a lot of very sweet memories.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
October 10, 2007 - 1st Arizona Trip with Sons
So, back to our trip to Arizona. We flew in to Phoenix, stopped by a friend's house to pick up two borrowed pack-n-plays and then drove on to Tucson. It was pretty much a full day of traveling so we were all pretty tired when we got to Tucson. We stayed with my husband's sister (Aunt Dasha), from Saturday through Wednesday morning and we drove back to Phoenix on Wednesday.
On Sunday, we took the boys to the church that my husband attended when he lived in Tucson.
We stopped by the Bible study class that my mother-in-law attended, prior to her passing almost two years ago. My husband knows many of the people in his mother's class because he used to take her to church when he lived in Tucson. They really enjoyed meeting the boys and wanted to know how we were all getting along.
We stopped by the class where my husband attended when he lived in Tucson. I had also visited this class with him a few times when we returned to Tucson for visits. They had already started the class and we were not sure whether or not to interrupt but we did and they were so happy to see us. They asked us to sit down and wanted to hear the highlights of our adoption story. The best thing of all is that they prayed over our little family, some of the sweetest, most needed prayers we could have asked for. It was so touching and it really meant a lot to both of us. I cried and it still makes me tear up to think of it again.
After that, we were able to catch up with the senior pastor between services. He was my husband's pastor for many years and he also married us in Tucson almost three years ago. He was happy to see us and meet our sons and it was very nice to catch up with him again.
Afterwards, my husband went with his sister, Dasha, to her church because she was being baptized that Sunday. The boys desperately needed a nap, so I stayed at Dasha's house with them but my husband took pictures of her special day.
That evening, we all went to Penny's (she is a travel agent and she planned our honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand for us:) for a little get together she had planned for us. She had invited several friends over to her place for pizza and visiting, so we could catch up with lots of people at the same time. She had some really cute gifts for the boys that they loved, of course:). It also kept them busy for a while, although the thing that kept them busy longer was eating popcorn, for the very first time. They loved it. We had a wonderful time visiting with everyone and telling them about our adoption experience and how much our lives have changed.
We had a short but nice visit with my husband's nephew and his almost one-year old daughter. It was our first time to meet her so we took lots of pictures and really enjoyed finally getting to see her.
We had lots of time to hang out with Aunt Dasha and the boys loved her. She really knows how to entertain them and they took to her right away. We went out to run errands and they stayed with Aunt Dasha. They did not cry when we left them nor when we returned. They had clearly had a wonderful time, getting to know their Aunt better. She took off work so she could spend more time with us. I am so happy they got to spend a lot of time getting to know her. It was a wonderful visit.
Aunt Dasha is crazy about animals (in a very good way:). She currently has three birds, a very well-trained dog and a beautiful, adorable kitten (that I had a hard time saying goodbye to:). The boys had the best time with all of the animals. It was especially fun to see them with a kitten, since our cats are older. I am still looking forward to the first time they get to play with a puppy, as they have yet to see a little puppy.
I have lost track of when we did what in Tucson, after that first day but, one of the days we were there, we visited Connie. She has turned her house into an assisted living place and she runs it and takes care of 3 to 5 elderly people at a time normally. Connie is a very special person and it is clear she really cares about every patient who comes into her care. She took care of my mother-in-law, she came to our wedding and was also at my mother-in-law's funeral. She is like family and it was special to be able to introduce our sons to her. She also likes animals and she has a chicken and some dogs that the boys enjoyed seeing. They also got to see their first rainbow, when we were standing in Connie's backyard. They had seen one in one of their books and it was pretty well defined in the sky, so they knew what it was. Another first:).
We had many wonderful meals and enjoyed our relaxing stay at Aunt Dasha's house. It was a wonderful first trip to Tucson with the boys.
We stayed with friends in Phoenix. These are the same friends who were visiting us around the time I was getting out of the hospital due to the pneumonia. It was nice to see them again and we had a nice stay with them too, although we were only there Wednesday and Thursday night and then headed home first thing Friday morning. They have two children. The boys really enjoy playing with their kids and their kids really enjoy playing with the boys so that worked out well.
We were also invited to dinner with some other friends of my husband. I had not met them yet but had heard a lot about them, so it was very nice to finally put faces with names. We really enjoyed that visit also and had a wonderful time visiting and eating delicious food.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip.
On Sunday, we took the boys to the church that my husband attended when he lived in Tucson.
We stopped by the Bible study class that my mother-in-law attended, prior to her passing almost two years ago. My husband knows many of the people in his mother's class because he used to take her to church when he lived in Tucson. They really enjoyed meeting the boys and wanted to know how we were all getting along.
We stopped by the class where my husband attended when he lived in Tucson. I had also visited this class with him a few times when we returned to Tucson for visits. They had already started the class and we were not sure whether or not to interrupt but we did and they were so happy to see us. They asked us to sit down and wanted to hear the highlights of our adoption story. The best thing of all is that they prayed over our little family, some of the sweetest, most needed prayers we could have asked for. It was so touching and it really meant a lot to both of us. I cried and it still makes me tear up to think of it again.
After that, we were able to catch up with the senior pastor between services. He was my husband's pastor for many years and he also married us in Tucson almost three years ago. He was happy to see us and meet our sons and it was very nice to catch up with him again.
Afterwards, my husband went with his sister, Dasha, to her church because she was being baptized that Sunday. The boys desperately needed a nap, so I stayed at Dasha's house with them but my husband took pictures of her special day.
That evening, we all went to Penny's (she is a travel agent and she planned our honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand for us:) for a little get together she had planned for us. She had invited several friends over to her place for pizza and visiting, so we could catch up with lots of people at the same time. She had some really cute gifts for the boys that they loved, of course:). It also kept them busy for a while, although the thing that kept them busy longer was eating popcorn, for the very first time. They loved it. We had a wonderful time visiting with everyone and telling them about our adoption experience and how much our lives have changed.
We had a short but nice visit with my husband's nephew and his almost one-year old daughter. It was our first time to meet her so we took lots of pictures and really enjoyed finally getting to see her.
We had lots of time to hang out with Aunt Dasha and the boys loved her. She really knows how to entertain them and they took to her right away. We went out to run errands and they stayed with Aunt Dasha. They did not cry when we left them nor when we returned. They had clearly had a wonderful time, getting to know their Aunt better. She took off work so she could spend more time with us. I am so happy they got to spend a lot of time getting to know her. It was a wonderful visit.
Aunt Dasha is crazy about animals (in a very good way:). She currently has three birds, a very well-trained dog and a beautiful, adorable kitten (that I had a hard time saying goodbye to:). The boys had the best time with all of the animals. It was especially fun to see them with a kitten, since our cats are older. I am still looking forward to the first time they get to play with a puppy, as they have yet to see a little puppy.
I have lost track of when we did what in Tucson, after that first day but, one of the days we were there, we visited Connie. She has turned her house into an assisted living place and she runs it and takes care of 3 to 5 elderly people at a time normally. Connie is a very special person and it is clear she really cares about every patient who comes into her care. She took care of my mother-in-law, she came to our wedding and was also at my mother-in-law's funeral. She is like family and it was special to be able to introduce our sons to her. She also likes animals and she has a chicken and some dogs that the boys enjoyed seeing. They also got to see their first rainbow, when we were standing in Connie's backyard. They had seen one in one of their books and it was pretty well defined in the sky, so they knew what it was. Another first:).
We had many wonderful meals and enjoyed our relaxing stay at Aunt Dasha's house. It was a wonderful first trip to Tucson with the boys.
We stayed with friends in Phoenix. These are the same friends who were visiting us around the time I was getting out of the hospital due to the pneumonia. It was nice to see them again and we had a nice stay with them too, although we were only there Wednesday and Thursday night and then headed home first thing Friday morning. They have two children. The boys really enjoy playing with their kids and their kids really enjoy playing with the boys so that worked out well.
We were also invited to dinner with some other friends of my husband. I had not met them yet but had heard a lot about them, so it was very nice to finally put faces with names. We really enjoyed that visit also and had a wonderful time visiting and eating delicious food.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip.
October 9, 2007 - "bobby!"
Yesterday I was cleaning up in the kitchen and the boys
were playing in the living room with the Jo Jo the Clown doll. The clown doll said "let's wave hello" and I heard Nick say "hewo" and then it said "let's stretch reeeeaaaaal high" and I saw Nick stretching his arms up as high as he could. It was so cute.
I was playing with the boys with the puzzles Ben got for his birthday. These puzzles are great for helping the boys learn their shapes. I asked Ben "where does the oval go"? I laughed as he looked under the table for it.
When we were in Tucson at Aunt Dasha's house (my husband's sister), she had this very large motorized, plastic, hairy spider hanging in her entry way (pictured). When you clapped your hands, it would suddenly and quickly drop down on a string and then it would slowly climb it's way back up. The boys really loved this thing, especially Ben. He was just a little scared of it, so he wouldn't go into the entry way (this is a rare shot of him actually in the entry way, watching the spider climb back up but he didn't do this often) but he would peak around the corner at it and then clap his hands, watch it fall and then he would run away, clapping his hands and yelling "spider" "spider" "spider".
The funny thing is that his pronunciation of spider was more like "bobby", so it sounded more like "bobby" "bobby" "bobby", all while he was clapping and laughing. We would tell Ben, "say spi" and he would say "pi" and then we would say "say der" and he would say "de" and then we would say "say spider" and he would say "bobby", and he would say it really quickly. It was so funny. He was so into this thing that he would do this over and over and over again....and he got as much joy and laughter out of doing it the 55th time as he did the very first time. It was very funny to watch.
But then, another funny thing was that, at the Dallas/Ft Worth airport, we were sitting in an eating area and the boys kept saying "bobby" "bobby", over and over again and they kept clapping their hands. It took to me a couple of minutes to connect the dots but, finally, I got it and asked them "where?, where is the spider?". They both pointed up. On the second floor, there was another eating area and above the entrance was this very large, round, black ball-looking thing and there were these lines coming out away from it (looked like spider legs), all the way around it. It was just a decoration and was definitely not a spider but I could see how it looked like one to them. They were clapping their hands because they thought it would drop on the string, like the spider at Aunt Dasha's:). It was really funny.
were playing in the living room with the Jo Jo the Clown doll. The clown doll said "let's wave hello" and I heard Nick say "hewo" and then it said "let's stretch reeeeaaaaal high" and I saw Nick stretching his arms up as high as he could. It was so cute.
I was playing with the boys with the puzzles Ben got for his birthday. These puzzles are great for helping the boys learn their shapes. I asked Ben "where does the oval go"? I laughed as he looked under the table for it.
When we were in Tucson at Aunt Dasha's house (my husband's sister), she had this very large motorized, plastic, hairy spider hanging in her entry way (pictured). When you clapped your hands, it would suddenly and quickly drop down on a string and then it would slowly climb it's way back up. The boys really loved this thing, especially Ben. He was just a little scared of it, so he wouldn't go into the entry way (this is a rare shot of him actually in the entry way, watching the spider climb back up but he didn't do this often) but he would peak around the corner at it and then clap his hands, watch it fall and then he would run away, clapping his hands and yelling "spider" "spider" "spider".The funny thing is that his pronunciation of spider was more like "bobby", so it sounded more like "bobby" "bobby" "bobby", all while he was clapping and laughing. We would tell Ben, "say spi" and he would say "pi" and then we would say "say der" and he would say "de" and then we would say "say spider" and he would say "bobby", and he would say it really quickly. It was so funny. He was so into this thing that he would do this over and over and over again....and he got as much joy and laughter out of doing it the 55th time as he did the very first time. It was very funny to watch.
But then, another funny thing was that, at the Dallas/Ft Worth airport, we were sitting in an eating area and the boys kept saying "bobby" "bobby", over and over again and they kept clapping their hands. It took to me a couple of minutes to connect the dots but, finally, I got it and asked them "where?, where is the spider?". They both pointed up. On the second floor, there was another eating area and above the entrance was this very large, round, black ball-looking thing and there were these lines coming out away from it (looked like spider legs), all the way around it. It was just a decoration and was definitely not a spider but I could see how it looked like one to them. They were clapping their hands because they thought it would drop on the string, like the spider at Aunt Dasha's:). It was really funny.
October 8, 2007 - The Pumpkin Patch
This morning we met some other moms and kids 
at the pumpkin patch. My friend, Francie, went with me and was a huge help with the boys. We all had a very fun time and the weather was cooler this morning so it felt more Fall-ish. I love Fall!!
The boys enjoyed climbing around on the hay. The is the first time they have ever worn jeans:). There were lots of school groups there so the boys watched the other kids climb around on the pumpkins. Nick looked like he really wanted to do that too and I tried to help him a little but he is still just a bit too little for that. They both enjoyed trying though.
Ben especially enjoyed climbing onto the hay bales and then jumping off or really more like stepping off. He can't quite make a jump out of it yet but he tries.
In this picture, Nick is clapping. I think he was clapping because he had climbed on a pumpkin a little bit or something. Whatever it was, he thought he had done something special.
Neither of the boys were very into having their picture taken so it was really hard (impossible) to get one of them together.
The boys now know what a pumpkin is and they also got to see many different types of gourds. I think they really liked the gourds the best and also the tiny pumpkins. My friend let them each pick one out to take home and I picked out a pumpkin for us to take home to carve.
There were lots of animals, including goats, cows, horses, ponies, donkeys, geese, pigs, some type of animal that looked like a very large jack rabbit (but wasn't), llamas and camels. The boys really enjoyed the animals. Ben kept letting the goats suck on his finger and then he would pull it away real quick and laugh and laugh (that's what had just happened when I took this shot). It was cute.
And this was my highlight of the day. Nick is always into trying anything and everything but Ben is normally a bit more unsure. Nick was very eager to ride the pony but Ben took off walking back towards the goats, shaking his head no. Francie stayed with Nick while I went after Ben and when he saw Nick was very happily sitting on his pony, he wanted to try it too. They both loved the pony ride and were very unhappy when it was over. Ben laughed during the ride and cried when he had to get off. It was so funny.
We also went on a hay ride and the boys really enjoyed that a lot but I didn't get a picture of it. Overall we had a very fun visit to the pumpkin patch. Unfortunately Nick fell asleep just before we got home so he was quite the grump (an understatement) between the car and his bed, with a stop for a snack on the way.
This picture was taken on Monday, just before we went to Ben's plastic surgeon appointment. I had to wear a cap because my hair was a mess so the boys wanted their caps too. They are too cute.
at the pumpkin patch. My friend, Francie, went with me and was a huge help with the boys. We all had a very fun time and the weather was cooler this morning so it felt more Fall-ish. I love Fall!!
The boys enjoyed climbing around on the hay. The is the first time they have ever worn jeans:). There were lots of school groups there so the boys watched the other kids climb around on the pumpkins. Nick looked like he really wanted to do that too and I tried to help him a little but he is still just a bit too little for that. They both enjoyed trying though.
Ben especially enjoyed climbing onto the hay bales and then jumping off or really more like stepping off. He can't quite make a jump out of it yet but he tries.
In this picture, Nick is clapping. I think he was clapping because he had climbed on a pumpkin a little bit or something. Whatever it was, he thought he had done something special.
Neither of the boys were very into having their picture taken so it was really hard (impossible) to get one of them together.
The boys now know what a pumpkin is and they also got to see many different types of gourds. I think they really liked the gourds the best and also the tiny pumpkins. My friend let them each pick one out to take home and I picked out a pumpkin for us to take home to carve.
There were lots of animals, including goats, cows, horses, ponies, donkeys, geese, pigs, some type of animal that looked like a very large jack rabbit (but wasn't), llamas and camels. The boys really enjoyed the animals. Ben kept letting the goats suck on his finger and then he would pull it away real quick and laugh and laugh (that's what had just happened when I took this shot). It was cute.
And this was my highlight of the day. Nick is always into trying anything and everything but Ben is normally a bit more unsure. Nick was very eager to ride the pony but Ben took off walking back towards the goats, shaking his head no. Francie stayed with Nick while I went after Ben and when he saw Nick was very happily sitting on his pony, he wanted to try it too. They both loved the pony ride and were very unhappy when it was over. Ben laughed during the ride and cried when he had to get off. It was so funny.
We also went on a hay ride and the boys really enjoyed that a lot but I didn't get a picture of it. Overall we had a very fun visit to the pumpkin patch. Unfortunately Nick fell asleep just before we got home so he was quite the grump (an understatement) between the car and his bed, with a stop for a snack on the way.
This picture was taken on Monday, just before we went to Ben's plastic surgeon appointment. I had to wear a cap because my hair was a mess so the boys wanted their caps too. They are too cute.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
October 7, 2007 - Wub You
When we put the boys to bed every night, at the end of our bedtime routine, we rub the boys' backs. I rub Nick's back and my husband rubs Ben's back, or vice verse, for a little while and then we switch. We always tell them "mommy/daddy loves you" and "night night".
I always leave the room last. I stand in the doorway and blow kisses to them. They blow them back to me now, but in the beginning I would say "blow me a kiss". Then I say "night night" and they say it back to me. I used to have to tell them "say night night", but not anymore. Then I say "love you" and they say that back to me now too.
But last night was different. Last night was the first night that, while I was rubbing Ben's back, he said "wub you" to me without me saying it first. It is likely that only a mommy or daddy would have understood it but it was very clear and very precious to me. Tonight was the second night he said this to me without prompting.
Once again, my heart is melting.
I always leave the room last. I stand in the doorway and blow kisses to them. They blow them back to me now, but in the beginning I would say "blow me a kiss". Then I say "night night" and they say it back to me. I used to have to tell them "say night night", but not anymore. Then I say "love you" and they say that back to me now too.
But last night was different. Last night was the first night that, while I was rubbing Ben's back, he said "wub you" to me without me saying it first. It is likely that only a mommy or daddy would have understood it but it was very clear and very precious to me. Tonight was the second night he said this to me without prompting.
Once again, my heart is melting.
October 6, 2007 - Arizona Trip Saga
We came back from our trip to Arizona on Friday but I have been resting and re-energizing for the past two days....and doing laundry, and trying to get the boys back on their sleep schedule, etc.
We had a great time and had visits with my husband's family and lots of friends. It was definitely a challenge, traveling with two toddlers. We got off to a great start with a 2 hour delay before ever leaving the airport. We had just pulled away from the gate when they discovered that the intercom system was not working properly, so we sat there for two hours while they tried to fix it. We finally had to de-plane with no idea of when/if it might be fixed and, while we were in the process of trying to book another flight, we were told to get back on. We took off soon after and the rest of the trip was uneventful...until we got to the rental car place.
We rented two car seats. Only one car seat was in the car and it had not been installed. It took them a while to get another car seat for us. My husband had to install both of them and some of the parts were missing so he had quite the challenge. He persevered though and, although it took us quite a long time, we were finally on our way. I had the fun of trying to entertain two little boys who were quite tired of traveling by this time.
On the return trip, we had another one or two hour delay in DFW. This turned out to be a good thing because it gave us time to have a leisurely meal and change diapers before boarding.
Ben officially turned 2 while we were gone. My sister-in-law had a birthday party for both of the boys and it was really sweet and fun..and very cute. They had many firsts on this trip; too many to keep track of but I'll have to try to think of some of them so I can document them.
The morning of Ben's birthday, he said "more" "oatmeal". He paused between the two words but this was the closest either one has ever come to putting two words together to communicate something. I'm not counting things like "big bear" or "Busy Busy Baby" (a book) because those kind of things they learned to say more as if they were one word. Both boys also learned how to turn somersaults and have been practicing their new feat since we have been home.
Both boys were very into waving to people and saying "hi". When we walked down the aisles of the planes, Nick was waving to everyone and saying "hi", as if they were in his personal fan club. It was quite funny.
I have almost finished "The Well-Trained Mind" book. I really like the classical education philosophy. I found a very interesting and encouraging article on the HSLDA website today about a recent (I think it's recent; can't find a date on it) study on home education. My husband and I were both amazed at the findings.
I can't believe it is already October. Where does the time go??
We had a great time and had visits with my husband's family and lots of friends. It was definitely a challenge, traveling with two toddlers. We got off to a great start with a 2 hour delay before ever leaving the airport. We had just pulled away from the gate when they discovered that the intercom system was not working properly, so we sat there for two hours while they tried to fix it. We finally had to de-plane with no idea of when/if it might be fixed and, while we were in the process of trying to book another flight, we were told to get back on. We took off soon after and the rest of the trip was uneventful...until we got to the rental car place.
We rented two car seats. Only one car seat was in the car and it had not been installed. It took them a while to get another car seat for us. My husband had to install both of them and some of the parts were missing so he had quite the challenge. He persevered though and, although it took us quite a long time, we were finally on our way. I had the fun of trying to entertain two little boys who were quite tired of traveling by this time.
On the return trip, we had another one or two hour delay in DFW. This turned out to be a good thing because it gave us time to have a leisurely meal and change diapers before boarding.
Ben officially turned 2 while we were gone. My sister-in-law had a birthday party for both of the boys and it was really sweet and fun..and very cute. They had many firsts on this trip; too many to keep track of but I'll have to try to think of some of them so I can document them.
The morning of Ben's birthday, he said "more" "oatmeal". He paused between the two words but this was the closest either one has ever come to putting two words together to communicate something. I'm not counting things like "big bear" or "Busy Busy Baby" (a book) because those kind of things they learned to say more as if they were one word. Both boys also learned how to turn somersaults and have been practicing their new feat since we have been home.
Both boys were very into waving to people and saying "hi". When we walked down the aisles of the planes, Nick was waving to everyone and saying "hi", as if they were in his personal fan club. It was quite funny.
I have almost finished "The Well-Trained Mind" book. I really like the classical education philosophy. I found a very interesting and encouraging article on the HSLDA website today about a recent (I think it's recent; can't find a date on it) study on home education. My husband and I were both amazed at the findings.
I can't believe it is already October. Where does the time go??
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