A Girl and Her Wolf

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! After weeks of anticipation (i.e. reading picture books), Katy finally got to wear her "riding hood" and David his "wuf." (A big thanks to my mom for making the costumes again this year! She's made many a ghost and goblin in her day!) For the past week, Katy has asked me every morning when I went in to get her if we were going trick or treating today. And she was very clear about the process: "I knock on the door, an' say 'Tick or Teating!" an' get suh CANDY!" I think I was almost as excited as she was, though. It was nice weather, everyone was out on their porches (well, maybe about a third of the houses, the ones that participate), and at the end there's candy. If there's any parent who hasn't snuck a piece of their kid's candy - you have the will power of a saint. So enjoy a few photos from our evening...and you know I can't wait to see yours!

I'll be back tomorrow for NaBloPoMo. I'm going to do my best to post everyday in November, though they'll likely be short. And for the week of Thanksgiving, I may have to use the "scheduled" feature on blogger in order to keep up my commitment. That's allowed, right?

Quick follow-up

Thanks guys! I cannot believe it, but the flu shot/mist went without a hitch! I decided to do the mist for Katy since you all agreed that would be less traumatic. It was! I told Katy we were going to see the nurse (not Dr. B) to get "special medicine," and that blankie needed some, too. She was really excited to take blankie. So she started to get visibly nervous when we entered the exam room, but the nurse let me hold her, told her to look at the sky, sprayed the stuff up her nose, and she barley flinched! Then she gave her a lollipop, and Katy sucked it down to the stick without a word. And David didn't cry very hard, either. Shew! So relieved that's over. I wanted to get it, especially because we're going on a cruise this winter, and cruises can be germy.

So anyway, after that appointment, Brian and I tried to go vote. They've really been pushing this early voting thing here in Ohio, and I am willing to do anything to avoid waiting 5 hours like I did in 2004. But guess what? We pulled into the parking lot and knew it didn't look pretty. We walked inside (with both kids in tow, of course), and I got in line while Brian surveyed the damage. He came back and estimated a 1-3 hour wait to vote. So we promptly returned to our vehicles - AIN'T NO WAY we can wait in that line with 2 kids. Now I'm hoping that this was a lunch hour rush or something, because I'm starting to get worried. I still live in the same district that I did in 2004, so what if it's the same scenario? Or even if it's 2 hours instead of 5, I just can't do it! But I really want to vote! Why does it have to be so hard to vote? It's really frustrating. Anyone else tried early voting?

Clarification/ 7 months/ a question

Okay, just to clarify: I got the impression from some of your comments on the jack-o-lantern post that you believe that I drew those pumpkins faces. I should've posted the first picture, *ahem* which was me printing those templates off of that there internet. That was the creatively challenged part. I couldn't draw a pumpkin face with tracing paper. But thanks for your vote of confidence. :)

David turned 7 months yesterday, so I weighed and measured him. He's 28 inches long and weighs somewhere between 20-20.5 lbs. (big enough to face forward in the car seat if he were a year old). David celebrated by a) sleeping 12 hours through the night for the first time (and the second last night, but it's a fluke, right? I'm not getting my hopes up, right?) and b) staining the carpet in another poop-spolsion (Erin gets term credit for this one). Yes, he was sitting on a blanket at the time, but the carpet is still stained. He did NOT celebrate by taking a bottle.

Finally, a quick question about those with flu-shot experience. We're supposed to go tomorrow, and David will get the 2nd half of his shot. But for Katy, I'm terrified because of her pediatrician anxiety. My first question is: mist or shot? Mist is less painful (any less effective?) but at least they wouldn't be coming straight for her face. Second question: should I tell her where we're going/what we're doing? She will ask when we get in the car where we're going. What do I say? Oh, this is gonna be bad. How is she ever supposed to get over the anxiety if every time we go it is traumatizing?

Oh, and we're feeling better, just some residual symptoms. We were in this same spot a week ago and I thought we were done, but then it came back. So hopefully we're over it for real this time.

Jack-o-lantern Pictorial for the Creatively Challenged (that's me)

Our petri dish

Ugh. This morning when we got up, Brian and I said to each other, "I am so tired of being sick." For the past 3 weeks, at least one person in our house has been sick at any given moment. And at this moment, all four of us have it. David, who instigated this whole mess, is on round two, bless his heart. It's no big deal in the grand scheme of things, it's just a cold, and hopefully it will be over in another week or so. But I'm just feeling tired and restless.

But even a sick week has its memorable moments:

*David cries equally as hard when I wipe his nose as he does when he gets shots. I mean seriously, is it that bad?


*Katy loooooves medicine. She has learned the schedule of taking her ibuprofen, and asks for it as soon as she wakes up, before nap, and before bed. Then she tosses it back and asks for more. I'm keeping it on a high shelf for this reason.


*I got The Toddler's Busy Book at the library. I think I'm going to need to buy this one. Not only is it chock full of ideas, but it has also helped me to think creatively about how to keep Katy entertained. Like this morning, we played for half an hour going into the dark bedrooms with a flashlight and trying to "find" familiar items. This is so much better than doing the same puzzle 50 times!

*On the other hand, I've discovered (confirmed?) that I am not a crafty person. I tried to make a leaf press this week and I had the same issue I had in the 6th grade: how do you make the wax paper seal around the leaf? I pick up my "press" and the leaves fall right out. I don't get it...

*David's latest trick is that he is getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth. (!) I know he's almost 7 months old, but I just can't imagine that mobility is around the corner. Mostly because he was just born, like, yesterday.

How YOU doin'?

Go, Daddy, go!!

Today Brian participated in the Columbus Half Marathon. He finished in 1:57:24. He had a fabulous running partner, his friend Brandon, who did a 2-day marathon (he did the Indy half yesterday and the Columbus half today). Katy and I went down to meet them at the finish line, which is always an emotional experience. Congratulations, guys!!

Funny Ha-Ha or Funny Strange?

Funny Ha-Ha: Around the time of her 2nd birthday, Katy got her first tube of chapstick as well as her first gluestick. These two items are way too similar in form and in name, so she has never been able to learn to distinguish them. She is constantly asking to put gluestick on her lips.

Funny Strange: Yesterday when we returned from running an errand, Katy grabbed a few items in the driveway before coming in the house. She then laid them neatly on the kitchen floor and yelled, "Ha Ha! A rock, a bwuberry, and a weaf!!" Then she ran giddily to the other room and returned with a book. She sat down and started reading, as if to her children. After her nap, she came to the kitchen and asked, "Where's my rock, bwuberry, and weaf go?" I told her that I put them outside because that's where they live. She insisted on going out to get more, and then reading stories to them in the kitchen.

Funny Ha-Ha: Every time Katy finishes a book, she slams it shut and proclaims, "Dat's a really great book!"

Funny Strange: Until a few weeks ago, Katy always called me Mommy, and I have always referred to myself as such. Recently she started calling me Momma. She did this for a while, consistently, every time she used my name. Now this week, it's just Mom. "I need a snack, Mom. I wanna go outside, Mom. I'm ready to take a bath, Mom." Like she's 15.

Funny Ha-Ha: Katy has a Toddler Bible that has abbreviated Bible stories with animated pictures in it. She constantly brings the book to me and asks, "Do you wanna find Jesus, Mom? Let's find Jesus." Then she flips through the pages and shouts, "There He is!! There's Jesus! What's Jesus doing now? Jesus is sleeping (during the storm)! Jesus is swimming (baptizing)! Jesus is praying (yep, He's praying)! There's Jesus in the clouds (ascending to heaven)!" Her favorite page is the one with the 12 Disciples, "Jesus' friends." She can name 8/12, and it's not like I'm trying to teach her.

Funny Strange: Katy is still SUPER nervous around strangers. Especially if we are somewhere and someone unexpected arrives. (Like if we're at a playdate and the kid's Dad comes home from work) It blows my mind how often this is a problem. We rarely go out anywhere that she doesn't have some kind of nervous meltdown at some point during the trip. Wailing, tears, 10 minutes of recovery. When I say that we're going to the park, she says, "No people at the park?!?" And I reassure her that yes, there will be people at the park, but they are nice people and Mommy will always keep her safe." I don't know what else to do, and I'm starting to wonder if and when it's going to get better. She's almost 2 and a half now.

-----------------

For those who commented on the TV grocery carts - I bet they'll be coming to your area soon, if you don't have them already. I've only noticed them here in the last 6 months or so, and that's only at certain stores. But yesterday I discovered the biggest downfall of them: planning on it. I got to the store and they were all being used. I should've followed my own rule about never shopping for a big list with both of them. That's IT. I am NOT DOING THAT ANY MORE. Period.

Tidbits

How has it been almost a week since I've last updated? I feel as if time is slipping through my fingers lately...lost in the midst of busy days...

• Everyone in our house has had some form of illness during the last 2 weeks. Much of it has been minor, but both of the kids have colds, and that's no fun.
• I'm hoping and praying that the cold is to blame for the changes in David's sleeping patterns and for his crankiness. His morning nap is lasting about 30 minutes these days, which means that he's ready for an afternoon nap way too early, which means that the two of them don't nap at the same time, which means I don't have any time without the kids to get my work done, let alone housework or cooking or blogging or other important stuff.
• After 6 months of taking the bottle without protest - guess who's decided to refuse? We've tried 4 bottles given by 3 different people in the past week and he won't have anything to do with it. We were kinda lazy about making sure he had them on a semi-regular basis, so I suppose it's my own fault, but oh, man, if he won't take the bottle, that makes it really tough to do ...anything.
• This weekend was my token Buckeye game. Brian and I went, and my mom and Greg came to town to watch the kids. It was nice to go and relax and watch the game, even though it was a pretty boring one. Oh, and I got some new clothes, as needed.
• Katy is taking a Toddler Tumbling class this fall, along with her friend Jack. Last week was a mediocre start as the instructor was absent, but this week was a stitch. I literally cannot count how many times in 30 minutes I said, "Wait, Katy. It's not your turn yet. We have to wait. Wait our turn. Now it's your turn, ok, now let's wait again. Wait your turn. We have to wait, it's his turn now. Not Katy's turn yet..." while I'm physically holding her back from plowing over all the cute little 15 month olds that wouldn't see her coming. But she had a blast. I hope it continues to be a good experience.
• Has anyone else used those grocery carts that look like cars with the little TV's in the front playing Dora or Barney? When I first saw them, I thought, "Well, that's a bit over the top, don't you think?" But that was before I had a 2 year old and an infant. Those things are a GODSEND. The first time we tried one, Katy talked about it for a week, and if we go to the store for just a couple of things and don't get one: total meltdown. So I guess it's good and it's bad. But I have to say that they have saved me money because I've been able to concentrate on the sales and my coupons while my toddler is entertained.

I promise it won't be another week before I post. I've got to start getting warmed up for NaBloPoMo!!

Poop-tastrophy

My son can poop with the best of them. I never imagined that one of my biggest challenges with one of my babies would be maintaining a poop-free environment, but this is a daily struggle for me.

At least once a day, without fail, David poops through his outfit. I'm talkin' soaked through, stinks the place, 15 minute clean-up job that makes Katy and I both moan, "OH, David!!" So I go through the ritual of stripping him down and trying not to destroy the environment with the number of wipes I am using. Then I rinse out his outfit and hang it shamelessly on the fence posts in the sunlight to remove the stain (has anyone tried this? It works perfectly for breastfed babies). Some days, I'm embarrassed to say, it looks like a laundromat in my front yard with all the clothes hanging out to dry. Ugh.

But once in a while, he skips a day. And that's when we know there's going to be trouble.

He did this one day when we were at the beach. The following day, Melanie and I had stayed back in the condo with him while everyone else was out playing, and he was sitting in the Bumbo seat on the kitchen floor. I heard him pooping (oh, yeah, you can hear it across the room), and when I went to pick him up, I started screaming for my sister's assistance. I'm not kidding you - there were puddles on the floor. Puddles. By the end of the clean-up effort, we had moved from horrified to hysterical, because you just have to laugh at poop like that.

Today brought another Poop-tastrophy. This one was a little more personal. I had just finished nursing him, and had him sitting on my lap while I was reading Katy a story next to me. I heard him get started, and had the wherewithall to unsnap his onesie so it wouldn't ooze out and soak his outfit. Brilliant! Tragedy averted. But then I decided to finish reading Katy's story before moving to the floor to change him. Suddenly, I felt something warm on my leg. I looked down, and to my horror - not only were my jeans soaked in poop, but it had run down onto the couch. I jumped up, "Oh, NO!" And Katy's going, "Oh, Bubby! Oh, David!! Dat's yucky!" So then I'm trying to clean him up and the whole time I'm chanting, "I just want to go change my pants. I need to go change my pants. Eww, eww, ewww..."

Brian said exactly what I thought he would say: "Aren't you glad we put off getting a new couch?"

The Week in Review

It's been a bit of an unusual week, for a few reasons.

First, I got a (somewhat) spontaneuous visit from my cousin Abby and her son Gabe. (Ok, we planned it a few days in advance, but that's about as spontaneous as I get these days). It was so fabulous to see her and for the kids to play together. It's so funny, because Katy and Gabe are exaclty the same size. They're really cute playing together. We took them to the best ice cream place in the world (even Oprah thinks so), and then Abby and I got to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon of napping babies. Oh, and she's adding another one to the troops in February. More cousins, yippee!!

Then a very unusual thing happened: Brian got sick. He never gets sick. In fact, he always teases me about how ever since we got engaged he's done nothing but take care of me while I'm sick (some of that was pregnancy related, plus a bad bout of mono). This week I got to return the favor a little bit. But he's better now, and we're not sure what it was because so far (knock, knock), the kids and I haven't gotten it.

It's also gotten really cold all of the sudden. Well, maybe cool would be a better term, but it feels cold coming off of summer. I had forgotten what a royal PAIN it is to bundle up kids, especially babies, to go outside. So here are a couple of questions for those of you who have the chitlens:

1) If you are just getting in the car to go somewhere and then will immediately get out of the car and go inside, do you bother putting jackets on? Isn't the "jacket in car seat" thing a pain?

2) Let's say you have a 2 year old (hypothetically), who throws a fit about wearing shoes and socks to play in the yard, and it's 50 degrees out. Do you fight this battle or just let her feet get cold?

3) How cold does it have to be outside before you turn the furnace on? Or I guess more accurately, how cold does it have to get inside?

Finally, last night I sorted through all of my clothes and came to an astonishing revelation, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Article for article, I have more maternity clothing than I have regular clothing. And not only that, when I pulled out my non-maternity fall clothes (that I've worn 1 of the last 3 winters) and tried them on, I hated them all. So I'm down to a couple of pairs of jeans and a few shirts. Next week's review will hopefully include "acquired new wardrobe."

Linky love for baby blogs

Awhile back I tried to apply peer pressure to get more of you to start blogs. I'm not sure it worked (darnit), but I've subscribed to several new blogs lately, and I thought I'd introduce you:

• Katy's cousins who just moved to the Philly area (and are greatly, greatly missed over here in the Buckeye state) have started a family blog! Go read about the bliss of taking 3 girls to the American Girl store.
• My friend Kate from life group just debuted her blog, Thursday Kate. Not only will you want to check out their adorable Baby Frank, but be prepared to laugh out loud as you read about her in-law's bi-annual garage sale.
• I've also recent "met" bluedaisy over at Little boys are made of... this has been one of the unexpected pleasures of blogging, meeting other moms in similar stages who can be supportive of each other in our adventures in parenting. Bluedaisy has 2 boys, 1 year apart, the older of whom is Katy's age. Go say hi!
• And finally, I've mentioned before my neighbor Charity, and what a blessing they have been living next door to us for several years. They have 3 kids, with a 4th on the way in February. Recently their 4 year old son, Sam, was diagnosed with a very serious disease called Juvenile Dermatomyositis. What they need now is some serious prayer and support. Charity has started a blog to keep everyone up to date on the challenges they face and victories they achieve. The more people who know and are praying, the better.