Yesterday, I learned that someone else I know can't have children. It hurt to hear about it and it put some things into perspective that sometimes get skewed.
There is much suffering in parenthood, but at least we are parents. On somedays that is the silver lining. My heart aches for those who don't get to experience it and I pray that this impasse would be destroyed for them.
Both of our sons have been sick and needing antibiotics lately and the lead up to those doctor appointments made life quite difficult. Lack of sleep, whingy children, reverting behaviours have all been the norm this last month. Being 36 weeks pregnant and stressed that I could go into labour at anytime (thank you people who keep telling me I look ready to pop... since November) does not help matters.
And yet even on these hard, hard days my sons amaze me. The joy they get out of a mud puddle. The utter bliss from a treat out of a stocking. The way they are growing up. My nearly 16 month old wants to walk when we go for walks now. What's up with that? The way they play together and help each other out. The little ways that their palates are opening up and they are willing to try new things. Tall ate ham the other day. Pink meat! It's all a process, this parenting thing. A long, involved process with no days off, no hours off (yes, I know babysitters exist. And do use them.). It's a process where you say the same things and do the same things and try to train away the same behaviours everyday.
It's not easy. It's rather hard. Without those spots of joy sprinkled on each day, the days would be impossible. They are even more impossible on days when I let myself get sidetracked from prayer and Bible time and try to go it alone. In fact, we've gotten into the habit of thinking fond thoughts of the children before we go to sleep. Even on the hard days, we think through the drudgery and glean the beautiful moments, the little sparkles that show how they are growing up or the silly things that make them the loveable, frustrating, incredible little men that they are.
And the hard isn't confined merely to the children. There are no holidays from laundry, although some weeks get more piled on them. Dishes need to be done. Meals need to be made. Life does not take sick days.
With the joy splashed on all life from these children, life seems different. No matter how hard the day is, it is special because of these boys. Sure, we get less sleep now. So what? We have the privilege of helping these boys become good men. Growing up is one thing, but growing good men, that's a tall order.
My belly rocks and bulges as its occupant stretches and tries to find a way out. It must be getting tight in there. My back aches and gestational diabetes is sometimes a pain in the bum (I'll write a post about GD later). I do not relish the thought of labour, but I long to hold this child in my arms and meet them. To gaze in his or her eyes. To feed and sustain a new little life. To fall even deeper in love with all of my children as I see them interact.
If you know someone who can't have kids, hug them. Encourage them to adopt, sure. There are plenty of children who need homes and hopefully the system works so that parents are given children. But, just hug those people and try to splash their lives with joy. It must be a special kind of pain and it needs a special kind of love. I feel guilty when I complain about life as it has these blessings in it. Cherish your blessings. Give thanks for them. Take care of them. And love those who don't have them.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Friday, December 20, 2013
Book Fare
The boys like to be read books. Tall (when he was small), would bring a book to me and put it in my left hand and sit in my lap. This indicated it was time to read. Once finished, if he wanted to hear it again, he would put it back in my left hand. Small does similar things, carrying around books and putting himself in my lap.
They are nothing if not subtle.
This morning when I tried to lie in bed until 6 am, Small brought me I Went Walking and sat on my chest as I tried to read it to him. The room was dark, so perhaps "recite" is a better word. Tall came in few minutes later with Wildlife ABC, but none of this darkness thing for him. He turned on the lamp too.
We are quite happy to read to them. It's important, I think to engage people in a love of books wherever possible. I love reading myself. Adrian has started reading more too. The turnover rate of books on our bedside table is quite impressive, and while his tend to be non-fiction (and mostly theological), it keeps us all happy.
It's fun to make the voices and point out the different things on the page. It's great now that they are old enough to read page books instead of just destroying them. Board books are great too. Highly resilient. I've just had to toss away one page book that had too many pages reft from it.
The only problem that I have with all this reading is when the books are wrong. I'm not speaking here of the specs on a motorbike. Probably those are right, or at any rate I can't correct them. Plus, the boys are mainly focused on "geen bike!" more than the PSI of the tires (tyres for you Aussies).
Reading teaches us things. It teaches us to ponder on why things happen. It lets us see other worlds and ideas. It broadens our horizons. And fundamentally, it teaches us minor things like grammar, syntax and spelling.
How much more basic can a sentence be than "See Spot."? Implied subject. Verb. Object. These are the building blocks of forming sensible sentences.
So, it bothers me when a book I read to my children says things like this: "When going down hills, you should go slow." Are adverbs so insignificant? Let them thrive, children's book publishers! "When going down hills, you should go slowly." And then we all learn together. Beauty. I know that it is not in vogue to care about the state of our poor language, but it is everyday ravaged by morons on youtube and anywhere one can comment. Breaking grammatical rules can be fun and effective for a point, but should we not try harder at these first sentences? We try harder with first foods than that which follows.
And it frustrates me when I see a page in a comparisons book that throws the rules away at the end. Picture some nesting dolls and beneath them these words "biggest bigger big small smaller tiny".
Seriously, what is that? First of all, you need to read it from the middle of the page and outwards for the comparative and superlatives to make sense and then, what, just deny the pattern and throw away an easy superlative like smallest to replace it with "tiny"?!
Or that children's book that a friend told me about where beside the letter P there was an elephant. Unless the rest of the book was aimed for mensa-babies, I'm not sure that they meant pachyderm.
Sometimes, it's just the content that leaves me baffled. I read one book to my sons about "bravery" except it was played out as peer pressure. And the sheep failed.
Jump over the puddle!
No.
Jump over the puddle!
No.
Jump over the puddle!
And then he fell in. Because his friends forced him to do something and wouldn't take no for an answer. Brilliant. Let me get the whole series.
This may seem ridiculous to you. I am a ridiculous person and not really that serious about the whole thing, but there is a bit of permanent marker in a few of our books.
They are nothing if not subtle.
This morning when I tried to lie in bed until 6 am, Small brought me I Went Walking and sat on my chest as I tried to read it to him. The room was dark, so perhaps "recite" is a better word. Tall came in few minutes later with Wildlife ABC, but none of this darkness thing for him. He turned on the lamp too.
We are quite happy to read to them. It's important, I think to engage people in a love of books wherever possible. I love reading myself. Adrian has started reading more too. The turnover rate of books on our bedside table is quite impressive, and while his tend to be non-fiction (and mostly theological), it keeps us all happy.
It's fun to make the voices and point out the different things on the page. It's great now that they are old enough to read page books instead of just destroying them. Board books are great too. Highly resilient. I've just had to toss away one page book that had too many pages reft from it.
The only problem that I have with all this reading is when the books are wrong. I'm not speaking here of the specs on a motorbike. Probably those are right, or at any rate I can't correct them. Plus, the boys are mainly focused on "geen bike!" more than the PSI of the tires (tyres for you Aussies).
Reading teaches us things. It teaches us to ponder on why things happen. It lets us see other worlds and ideas. It broadens our horizons. And fundamentally, it teaches us minor things like grammar, syntax and spelling.
How much more basic can a sentence be than "See Spot."? Implied subject. Verb. Object. These are the building blocks of forming sensible sentences.
So, it bothers me when a book I read to my children says things like this: "When going down hills, you should go slow." Are adverbs so insignificant? Let them thrive, children's book publishers! "When going down hills, you should go slowly." And then we all learn together. Beauty. I know that it is not in vogue to care about the state of our poor language, but it is everyday ravaged by morons on youtube and anywhere one can comment. Breaking grammatical rules can be fun and effective for a point, but should we not try harder at these first sentences? We try harder with first foods than that which follows.
And it frustrates me when I see a page in a comparisons book that throws the rules away at the end. Picture some nesting dolls and beneath them these words "biggest bigger big small smaller tiny".
Seriously, what is that? First of all, you need to read it from the middle of the page and outwards for the comparative and superlatives to make sense and then, what, just deny the pattern and throw away an easy superlative like smallest to replace it with "tiny"?!
Or that children's book that a friend told me about where beside the letter P there was an elephant. Unless the rest of the book was aimed for mensa-babies, I'm not sure that they meant pachyderm.
Sometimes, it's just the content that leaves me baffled. I read one book to my sons about "bravery" except it was played out as peer pressure. And the sheep failed.
Jump over the puddle!
No.
Jump over the puddle!
No.
Jump over the puddle!
And then he fell in. Because his friends forced him to do something and wouldn't take no for an answer. Brilliant. Let me get the whole series.
This may seem ridiculous to you. I am a ridiculous person and not really that serious about the whole thing, but there is a bit of permanent marker in a few of our books.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Snailboxes, et c.
Man, first trimester is a difficult thing. If it weren't for first trimester, I think I'd have 15 kids! Well, that and labour. And teething. And...
While I am aware that I've been out of first trimester for awhile, the real boost of energy and go-to drive that accompanies second was a bit delayed this year. If you get good and worn out, that energy can't buoy you up. After the international travel, it takes awhile to boost up the old batteries. Add to that a beautiful (now) one year old who has problems teething and registers his protest with vaccinations in the middle of the night, I've done a few miles in the ol' rocking chair and relearned just how painful it is to step on toys in the dark. My husband is an amazing man who helps lots with night time woes. He lets me have an extra rest in the morning so I don't get out of bed til quarter after 6, or even 6:30!
Because of the duration of lethargy, it's only just recently that second trimester zip has zapped me. I'm still tired, but now I'm tired and armed with cleaning utensils. I also haven't blogged as much. Here then (after the lengthiest intro ever) are a collection of stories that I have been collecting for months. About 6 of them. Say 22-24 weeks' worth. (I started this post a month ago. Yeesh. And the mornings are a bit earlier. Today I got up at 4:25)
(And because it has taken me three months to write this post, I'm now 8 months pregnant. And half the stories I was going to share, I can't even remember. Shucks.)
Snailboxes, et c.
A long time ago now, a friend from church came by one afternoon to play with the boys. We played outside and she, being a very experienced mother and grandmother, was coming up with all sorts of different things to do to keep Tall going. It is a very true statement that some children need to keep doing and doing as their energy multiplies faster than bunnies. One thing that she showed him to do was to pick up a snail and pop it in the hole in the mailbox. Fun times, no? Hand-eye coordination and all that. However, for the next few months all he wanted to do when near the mailbox was fill it with snails. We have plenty of snails on offer, but I can't say as that's what they were meant for. And when he had put all the snails away, he wanted to take them out and put them away again.
Fine and dandy. Keeps him occupied and as long as the snails leave the mailbox at the end of the play, no problems, right? Except perhaps when you go for a walk a few days later and he finds a piece of trash on the ground and before you can squeak out "No, Tall, stop!" he deposits in a neighbour's mailbox. What do you do at that point? Do you open the mailbox and remove the trash? No, because you can't touch other people's mail. It's illegal and all that. And then you know if you open someone's mailbox, that vital information will stay with him forever and ever and all walks will be filled with a Tall miscreant opening mailboxes to the chagrin of his tired mother.
The Muffin Men
Small quite enjoys eating muffins. Tall quite enjoys stirring. It is not uncommon for me to bake something merely for the entertainment it affords the children. Somedays are easy-peasy and all goes well. On other days, I have made breakfast cookies (oatmeal from the milk calendar) that didn't have any sugar in them. Or there was that time I made Small's birthday cake and Tall dumped in extra flour, so Mom added a bit of milk and miraculously it all turned out (and was quite yummy, if I do say so myself). Or the time that Tall "helped" with the salt and we had some very tangy popovers. Tasted good with tomato... Muffin time often ends with dry ingredients on the counter. Or floor. Perhaps my eyebrows. I'll also be mildly frantic, trying to put out fires (figurative, thankfully. Only one literal and that wasn't the boys fault...) and when the muffins get in the oven, the vacuum comes out. Vacuums are a very exciting thing for children and I'm not sure why. At any rate, I have to say, I don't know why people claim that baking is an exact art. My kitchen often proves that bread will prove (ha!) without knowing what exactly went in it and that baked goods will see taste good even if the measurements are all wrong.
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
Small is a climber. Enough to strike fear in the hearts of the toughest of people, a climber can get into anything, anywhere, anytime. When he was just 10 months old, he independently climbed 14 steps in order to play with bath toys with his cousin. When I went looking for him a minute or two later I was shocked at where those boys had ended up. He's climbed up the back of chairs, on top of the vacuum cleaner, from pillows onto the couch, into chairs, up the side of his brother's bed via bed rail... Tall sees him climb and remembers how much fun it was to climb and goes one further. Onto windowsills, the back of the couch, into wheelbarrows, up the shelves of the hall cupboard to have a "nap" on the third shelf. One time recently Small saw an opportunity and used it to the full. The step stool had been left by the sink for his potty training brother. Small went up, grabbed the comb and attempted to tidy his hair while simultaneously brushing his teeth (thankfully with his toothbrush and not anyone else's). It was delightfully cute. He was so proud of himself. Shortly thereafter, the stool moved again. Another day, he used his brother's chair to climb up on to the table, not once, but twice (even though the chair had moved away from the table in between time) and at the second time, decided to dip the remotes (on the table to be out of reach of his brother) into a handy glass of water. He's determined! Even after we added an impediment to the back of the chair (cardboard covering all footholds), he turned it around and learned to climb the front.
Maybe I should put them in gymnastics or something. Ninja Warrior, maybe.
Forts 'r' us
One sure fire way to keep little people entertained is to hang a sheet over a couple of chairs. A fort! We do love our forts and they get made often. Lately it seems like forts are made to be broken however as Small attempts to climb onto them (why!?) and Tall likes to "cookie" them (more on that later). But forts are a delightful way to spend time. Everything is a bit more fun in a fort. I don't know why. The act of hanging a sheet over a piece of furniture means one thing: fun. I don't get it. They do. This is why my living room looks that way.
"Cookie" Monster
Tall is interested in putting things together, but also interested in taking things apart. When he does, he sometimes says "cookie, cookie". I wonder if Cookie Monster's bad eating habits appear to my dear son as just a delightful form of destruction. Cookie Monster never seems to gain weight. Perhaps there is something there for us all to learn!
Balloon Animals
For Small's birthday we blew up balloons. Want to see kids go crazy? Blow up balloons. No idea why this works, but balloons make for fantastic times. You can run in them. Kick them. Throw them. Draw on them. It's all good and it's all hyper.
Yes Man
Small has started nodding lately. It's hilarious because it's actually a pretty good help as to what he wants. If you walk near the kitchen and he starts nodding - he's probably thirsty. If he nods when you eat a snack, he wants it. If he nods in answer to a question, he usually means it. It's a very cute little thing. "Small, do you want to read a book?" He nods. "Small, do you want to go outside?" He nods. "Small, do you want to antagonize your brother?" Oh, wait he doesn't nod to that, he just relishes in it. "Small, do you need a bum change?" He shakes head. But that, of course, is a lie.
The Mud Puddle Jumped on Me
What does a hose mean to little boys? Mud puddles! What does rain mean to little boys? Mud puddles! What does a bucket at the beach mean? Mud puddles! Anywhere and anytime possible, mud puddles are made. The best thing to do with a mud puddle is to jump in it. If you are wearing light coloured clothing, so much the better. Especially if Mom has just changed you for some reason. Even better if your little brother is there and he can mosey on through on his belly. We've had quite a few jumpsuits mudified. And the best time to make a puddle? When Mom has turned her head for three seconds. I usually just let it happen at that point. They have fun. They get dirty. It's not like the clothes can be salvaged at that point and there's something about mud that's just so appealing to little fellows. I'm not sure what exactly, but I'm sure my washing is pleased. It never gets neglected.
The Plot of (Almost) Every Kid's Movie About a Horse
Once upon a time there was a young urban girl who, for some reason, has to go to stay with a male relative on a rural farm. She is none too pleased about this and is frustrated/whingy/lonely (choose one). One day she is given/finds a horse that is lonely/neglected and the two of them have adventures together. Suddenly, she is pleasant and happy and helps out on the farm. Something happens to the horse. Probably, he gets lost. She is sad. The male relative helps her with this horse problem. She is then given the opportunity to leave the farm. She chooses to stay. And they all live happily ever after.
Whether the Weather...
It is gross outside today. I've just come in from hanging the laundry. It's like an oven. It's 44C with a hot, dry wind. Your feet sting as you walk across the paving stones (even those in shade) and the spiders come out and wait for you to kill them. It's just too hot to hide today. What do you do with two little boys who prefer outdoors to indoors on such a day? The pool? Not really. The rec center air has open windows all day long so the temperature is much the same as outside. Except stacked with humidity. The beach? I could feel my skin toasting as I hung towels and flung nappies (which were not only dry but hard like boards and hot) into the basket. Movie about horses and play in the tub? Sounds like the afternoon. I don't even want to bake (which is entertainment and delicious) because I don't want to turn on the oven. Here's hoping that it's not like this next week, 'cause I have a turkey in the freezer and he desires to be Christmas dinner.
At any rate, happy Christmas! I'll try to blog again one day. It'll have to be short, because this three months to write one post thing is a wee bit ridiculous.
While I am aware that I've been out of first trimester for awhile, the real boost of energy and go-to drive that accompanies second was a bit delayed this year. If you get good and worn out, that energy can't buoy you up. After the international travel, it takes awhile to boost up the old batteries. Add to that a beautiful (now) one year old who has problems teething and registers his protest with vaccinations in the middle of the night, I've done a few miles in the ol' rocking chair and relearned just how painful it is to step on toys in the dark. My husband is an amazing man who helps lots with night time woes. He lets me have an extra rest in the morning so I don't get out of bed til quarter after 6, or even 6:30!
Because of the duration of lethargy, it's only just recently that second trimester zip has zapped me. I'm still tired, but now I'm tired and armed with cleaning utensils. I also haven't blogged as much. Here then (after the lengthiest intro ever) are a collection of stories that I have been collecting for months. About 6 of them. Say 22-24 weeks' worth. (I started this post a month ago. Yeesh. And the mornings are a bit earlier. Today I got up at 4:25)
(And because it has taken me three months to write this post, I'm now 8 months pregnant. And half the stories I was going to share, I can't even remember. Shucks.)
Snailboxes, et c.
A long time ago now, a friend from church came by one afternoon to play with the boys. We played outside and she, being a very experienced mother and grandmother, was coming up with all sorts of different things to do to keep Tall going. It is a very true statement that some children need to keep doing and doing as their energy multiplies faster than bunnies. One thing that she showed him to do was to pick up a snail and pop it in the hole in the mailbox. Fun times, no? Hand-eye coordination and all that. However, for the next few months all he wanted to do when near the mailbox was fill it with snails. We have plenty of snails on offer, but I can't say as that's what they were meant for. And when he had put all the snails away, he wanted to take them out and put them away again.
Fine and dandy. Keeps him occupied and as long as the snails leave the mailbox at the end of the play, no problems, right? Except perhaps when you go for a walk a few days later and he finds a piece of trash on the ground and before you can squeak out "No, Tall, stop!" he deposits in a neighbour's mailbox. What do you do at that point? Do you open the mailbox and remove the trash? No, because you can't touch other people's mail. It's illegal and all that. And then you know if you open someone's mailbox, that vital information will stay with him forever and ever and all walks will be filled with a Tall miscreant opening mailboxes to the chagrin of his tired mother.
The Muffin Men
Small quite enjoys eating muffins. Tall quite enjoys stirring. It is not uncommon for me to bake something merely for the entertainment it affords the children. Somedays are easy-peasy and all goes well. On other days, I have made breakfast cookies (oatmeal from the milk calendar) that didn't have any sugar in them. Or there was that time I made Small's birthday cake and Tall dumped in extra flour, so Mom added a bit of milk and miraculously it all turned out (and was quite yummy, if I do say so myself). Or the time that Tall "helped" with the salt and we had some very tangy popovers. Tasted good with tomato... Muffin time often ends with dry ingredients on the counter. Or floor. Perhaps my eyebrows. I'll also be mildly frantic, trying to put out fires (figurative, thankfully. Only one literal and that wasn't the boys fault...) and when the muffins get in the oven, the vacuum comes out. Vacuums are a very exciting thing for children and I'm not sure why. At any rate, I have to say, I don't know why people claim that baking is an exact art. My kitchen often proves that bread will prove (ha!) without knowing what exactly went in it and that baked goods will see taste good even if the measurements are all wrong.
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
Small is a climber. Enough to strike fear in the hearts of the toughest of people, a climber can get into anything, anywhere, anytime. When he was just 10 months old, he independently climbed 14 steps in order to play with bath toys with his cousin. When I went looking for him a minute or two later I was shocked at where those boys had ended up. He's climbed up the back of chairs, on top of the vacuum cleaner, from pillows onto the couch, into chairs, up the side of his brother's bed via bed rail... Tall sees him climb and remembers how much fun it was to climb and goes one further. Onto windowsills, the back of the couch, into wheelbarrows, up the shelves of the hall cupboard to have a "nap" on the third shelf. One time recently Small saw an opportunity and used it to the full. The step stool had been left by the sink for his potty training brother. Small went up, grabbed the comb and attempted to tidy his hair while simultaneously brushing his teeth (thankfully with his toothbrush and not anyone else's). It was delightfully cute. He was so proud of himself. Shortly thereafter, the stool moved again. Another day, he used his brother's chair to climb up on to the table, not once, but twice (even though the chair had moved away from the table in between time) and at the second time, decided to dip the remotes (on the table to be out of reach of his brother) into a handy glass of water. He's determined! Even after we added an impediment to the back of the chair (cardboard covering all footholds), he turned it around and learned to climb the front.
Maybe I should put them in gymnastics or something. Ninja Warrior, maybe.
Forts 'r' us
One sure fire way to keep little people entertained is to hang a sheet over a couple of chairs. A fort! We do love our forts and they get made often. Lately it seems like forts are made to be broken however as Small attempts to climb onto them (why!?) and Tall likes to "cookie" them (more on that later). But forts are a delightful way to spend time. Everything is a bit more fun in a fort. I don't know why. The act of hanging a sheet over a piece of furniture means one thing: fun. I don't get it. They do. This is why my living room looks that way.
"Cookie" Monster
Tall is interested in putting things together, but also interested in taking things apart. When he does, he sometimes says "cookie, cookie". I wonder if Cookie Monster's bad eating habits appear to my dear son as just a delightful form of destruction. Cookie Monster never seems to gain weight. Perhaps there is something there for us all to learn!
Balloon Animals
For Small's birthday we blew up balloons. Want to see kids go crazy? Blow up balloons. No idea why this works, but balloons make for fantastic times. You can run in them. Kick them. Throw them. Draw on them. It's all good and it's all hyper.
Yes Man
Small has started nodding lately. It's hilarious because it's actually a pretty good help as to what he wants. If you walk near the kitchen and he starts nodding - he's probably thirsty. If he nods when you eat a snack, he wants it. If he nods in answer to a question, he usually means it. It's a very cute little thing. "Small, do you want to read a book?" He nods. "Small, do you want to go outside?" He nods. "Small, do you want to antagonize your brother?" Oh, wait he doesn't nod to that, he just relishes in it. "Small, do you need a bum change?" He shakes head. But that, of course, is a lie.
The Mud Puddle Jumped on Me
What does a hose mean to little boys? Mud puddles! What does rain mean to little boys? Mud puddles! What does a bucket at the beach mean? Mud puddles! Anywhere and anytime possible, mud puddles are made. The best thing to do with a mud puddle is to jump in it. If you are wearing light coloured clothing, so much the better. Especially if Mom has just changed you for some reason. Even better if your little brother is there and he can mosey on through on his belly. We've had quite a few jumpsuits mudified. And the best time to make a puddle? When Mom has turned her head for three seconds. I usually just let it happen at that point. They have fun. They get dirty. It's not like the clothes can be salvaged at that point and there's something about mud that's just so appealing to little fellows. I'm not sure what exactly, but I'm sure my washing is pleased. It never gets neglected.
The Plot of (Almost) Every Kid's Movie About a Horse
Once upon a time there was a young urban girl who, for some reason, has to go to stay with a male relative on a rural farm. She is none too pleased about this and is frustrated/whingy/lonely (choose one). One day she is given/finds a horse that is lonely/neglected and the two of them have adventures together. Suddenly, she is pleasant and happy and helps out on the farm. Something happens to the horse. Probably, he gets lost. She is sad. The male relative helps her with this horse problem. She is then given the opportunity to leave the farm. She chooses to stay. And they all live happily ever after.
Whether the Weather...
It is gross outside today. I've just come in from hanging the laundry. It's like an oven. It's 44C with a hot, dry wind. Your feet sting as you walk across the paving stones (even those in shade) and the spiders come out and wait for you to kill them. It's just too hot to hide today. What do you do with two little boys who prefer outdoors to indoors on such a day? The pool? Not really. The rec center air has open windows all day long so the temperature is much the same as outside. Except stacked with humidity. The beach? I could feel my skin toasting as I hung towels and flung nappies (which were not only dry but hard like boards and hot) into the basket. Movie about horses and play in the tub? Sounds like the afternoon. I don't even want to bake (which is entertainment and delicious) because I don't want to turn on the oven. Here's hoping that it's not like this next week, 'cause I have a turkey in the freezer and he desires to be Christmas dinner.
At any rate, happy Christmas! I'll try to blog again one day. It'll have to be short, because this three months to write one post thing is a wee bit ridiculous.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Small Milestones
Last Monday was Small's first birthday. Yesterday was Small's baptismal birthday.
I'm not going to lie, I was tired before the birthday and not entirely looking forward to making cakes and setting up for a party that he won't remember. Birthdays seem to matter less as an adult; after all, they come every year! It's not that I don't love him. Life has been really tiring and trying lately and it's hard to want to do more than is already necessary. I was not adverse to celebrating him, just tired out and not wanting to put in the effort.
And yet, when that day dawned (even before it truly dawned - I was awake by 4:30), everything was different. No amount of effort was too much. When the clock struck 4:38 am, I wished my beautiful boy a happy birthday. My heart burned with a special pride as I looked at my not sleeping boy. Just one year ago, he was born. For just one year (on the outside), he had been making our lives more special, more challenging, more amazing. I told him bits of his birth day. I marvelled at what one year can do. I watched my Small fellow toddle about the place, playing with his brother, exploring, discovering and viewed with wonder all his little habits and quirks. His little machine gun laugh. His penchant for glasses. His love of cuddling.
Suddenly I had bursts of energy and wanted to shout out to the world, "Look at my boy! He's one already! How he has grown! How he has changed! How he has changed me..."
The day was spent in relative normalcy, but there was a special hue to the day, as if joy had been rubbed on all the tough bits and smoothed them out. His brother helped me make the birthday cupcakes (chocolate with lemon buttercream icing). They barely touched their cupcakes (the second cake for the party went over much better for the birthday boy - banana cake with buttercream icing and candy berries).
It was a good day. Nah, it was a brilliant day. Praise be to God for my little boy. I'm so glad that we have little things like birthdays to sit back at peruse more deeply the blessings God gives. Days that we celebrate the everyday blessings like how fast a little baby boy can grow (and climb!).
Happy Birthday Small. It's been a wonderful, difficult, incredible year. I'm so glad you're part of our life.
I'm not going to lie, I was tired before the birthday and not entirely looking forward to making cakes and setting up for a party that he won't remember. Birthdays seem to matter less as an adult; after all, they come every year! It's not that I don't love him. Life has been really tiring and trying lately and it's hard to want to do more than is already necessary. I was not adverse to celebrating him, just tired out and not wanting to put in the effort.
And yet, when that day dawned (even before it truly dawned - I was awake by 4:30), everything was different. No amount of effort was too much. When the clock struck 4:38 am, I wished my beautiful boy a happy birthday. My heart burned with a special pride as I looked at my not sleeping boy. Just one year ago, he was born. For just one year (on the outside), he had been making our lives more special, more challenging, more amazing. I told him bits of his birth day. I marvelled at what one year can do. I watched my Small fellow toddle about the place, playing with his brother, exploring, discovering and viewed with wonder all his little habits and quirks. His little machine gun laugh. His penchant for glasses. His love of cuddling.
Suddenly I had bursts of energy and wanted to shout out to the world, "Look at my boy! He's one already! How he has grown! How he has changed! How he has changed me..."
The day was spent in relative normalcy, but there was a special hue to the day, as if joy had been rubbed on all the tough bits and smoothed them out. His brother helped me make the birthday cupcakes (chocolate with lemon buttercream icing). They barely touched their cupcakes (the second cake for the party went over much better for the birthday boy - banana cake with buttercream icing and candy berries).
It was a good day. Nah, it was a brilliant day. Praise be to God for my little boy. I'm so glad that we have little things like birthdays to sit back at peruse more deeply the blessings God gives. Days that we celebrate the everyday blessings like how fast a little baby boy can grow (and climb!).
Happy Birthday Small. It's been a wonderful, difficult, incredible year. I'm so glad you're part of our life.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
To do some more
I haven't written much lately. I could tell you it's because I'm not on the internet much, but that's not quite true. I don't spend tonnes of time on it, but I certainly check facebook and buzzfeed. I could tell you it's because I have nothing to write, but that's completely untrue. I write posts in my head - just outlines and titles, certain phrases. Indeed, part of why I haven't written is because I have things to write.
Our family is getting bigger again in January (please God). It makes me very happy to know this, but also very tired. There is this state that I like to call "first trimester" wherein all one has energy for is lying on the couch and feeling nauseated. However, when one has two children, aged 2 and less and than 1, lying on the couch is not an option. Not until nap time. So when I thought about blogging, it remained thought. And on the off chance I had energy, I had this news to share, which I couldn't share yet.
And with this lovely news, comes a brand-new to do list filled with all sorts of things that are important and need doing. Indeed, this list combines many things. So many that I haven't been able to bring myself to write it down. When will accomplish these things? Nap time is only so long and my couch is ever so inviting. Plus, I do get stuff done on the couch - like folding laundry.
At any rate, this post is turning into a great big stall instead of what it was meant to be: two lines to indicate that I have a big to do list that I am afraid of -- well, not afraid of, more overwhelmed by -- and which therefore I have not scrawled down on a scrap of paper as is my usual modus operandi.
Without further ado or rambling except for this sentence which promises to get longer and longer -- hey look, clouds! -- I shall post my to do list with the hope that you will help me get things done by occasionally saying "Hey, how's that item on your to do list going? Or are you just a giant slacker who gets nothing done? And why are you not working on something right now? Because you appear to be checking online to see if I'm holding you accountable, and frankly that's just adding things to my to do list and that's not fair, missy!". Or perhaps you aren't saying that at all. All I can say in my defence, is head colds and housework don't mix.
To Do List (some of these items are in fact permanent fixtures of the list. They get ticked off, but never removed as they are to be done on a daily or weekly basis. Just like me. I get ticked off, but never removed from the housewife roster. (Is that the longest title you've ever seen to a list? I'm such a good procrastinator. Procrastinator is a cool word. Like terminator. Or lemur.))
Our family is getting bigger again in January (please God). It makes me very happy to know this, but also very tired. There is this state that I like to call "first trimester" wherein all one has energy for is lying on the couch and feeling nauseated. However, when one has two children, aged 2 and less and than 1, lying on the couch is not an option. Not until nap time. So when I thought about blogging, it remained thought. And on the off chance I had energy, I had this news to share, which I couldn't share yet.
And with this lovely news, comes a brand-new to do list filled with all sorts of things that are important and need doing. Indeed, this list combines many things. So many that I haven't been able to bring myself to write it down. When will accomplish these things? Nap time is only so long and my couch is ever so inviting. Plus, I do get stuff done on the couch - like folding laundry.
At any rate, this post is turning into a great big stall instead of what it was meant to be: two lines to indicate that I have a big to do list that I am afraid of -- well, not afraid of, more overwhelmed by -- and which therefore I have not scrawled down on a scrap of paper as is my usual modus operandi.
Without further ado or rambling except for this sentence which promises to get longer and longer -- hey look, clouds! -- I shall post my to do list with the hope that you will help me get things done by occasionally saying "Hey, how's that item on your to do list going? Or are you just a giant slacker who gets nothing done? And why are you not working on something right now? Because you appear to be checking online to see if I'm holding you accountable, and frankly that's just adding things to my to do list and that's not fair, missy!". Or perhaps you aren't saying that at all. All I can say in my defence, is head colds and housework don't mix.
To Do List (some of these items are in fact permanent fixtures of the list. They get ticked off, but never removed as they are to be done on a daily or weekly basis. Just like me. I get ticked off, but never removed from the housewife roster. (Is that the longest title you've ever seen to a list? I'm such a good procrastinator. Procrastinator is a cool word. Like terminator. Or lemur.))
- dishes
- laundry
- wash nappies (a subset of laundry, sure, but deserving of its own line)
- fold nappies
- sweep
- vacuum
- clean bathrooms, sinks
- wash floor
eat chocolate- make dinner
- bake with the children
paint the boys' new roombuy paint. Spend weeks agonising over colour choice and end up choosing in two minutesrealize will never have time/energy to paint boys' roomhire painterwait for painter to be availablemove everything out of boys' new room for paintermove the furniture into the boys' new roompaperwork that appears from nowhere and always seems to be the same thing as that which I've just accomplishedmisplace paperworkfind and complete paperwork in the final weeks before it is due, feeling stressed and frustrated- clean out storage room
determine where the old furniture from the boys' new room will go- set up nursery
- go for a walk
- potty train eldest
- there is a whole subset list to this which may become its own blog post, provided I can do it in a way that is truthful but not too scarring for life for my child
- develop outdoor hobby
- write blog post about outdoor hobby
- determine when swimming lessons start up again and sign up children
- put away toys
- develop a better system for toys being away
- buy storage containers, OR
- throw away all toys and give children one cardboard box to play with
- Christmas shopping (I like to get the international stuff done early)
ultrasoundsort through the boys' clothes, getting out larger and putting away smaller- also, the closets for nappy exchange
- correspondance
prepare for second son's birthday partyinvitationdecoration(thoughts/purchase/make/arrange)cakeother foodclean house first.ANDafter. (This always seems unfair to me. Is it wrong to give guests dustbusters and tell them to look after themselves?)- vehicle exchange
find suitable vehiclesrealize that there are no suitable vehicles within a 350 km radius of homeget frustrated- figure it out
reorganize pantry- make playdough
buy carseatresearch carseats- buy chest of drawers
desire to go to IKEAlook through IKEA catalogue- go to IKEA, but not for a few months yet, so can be super pregnant and cranky whilst shopping with a little boy and toddler
lament living in the middle of nowhere- go to the park
run errands- go to the library
- put away DVDs and books and everything else that the toddler has strew about the house
- teach children a foreign language
or how to count to tenor what, metaphysically, is a horserealize need new maternity pantspurchase pants in 2 minutes during online shopping, having no time to be leisurely at shopping even in own house (after being frustrated that a local clothing shop will not stock them as live in too "regional" an area - because as we all know, people in small towns do not have babies)- work on boys' baby books
- and scrapbooks
look longingly at coffee pot and wonder when coffee will taste good againsort photos on computer- back up computer
print photosmore correspondenceset up playdates- groceries
figure out what toddler will eat now that he wants to feed himselfmake soup anyway because soup is deliciousdevelop head cold at the same time as children and try to care for them and keep moving- read that book about toddlers
and that other book that is made of funny things- edit
clean out laundry- buy steam cleaner
- find beautiful print of the Lord's Prayer
get frustrated with etsy- mail correspondence
read terrifying article about canola oilbuy sunflower oilrealize that sunflower oil works and tastes betterbuy more kleenexdance- teach boys to be good men
- go to the beach
And there is probably more. I'll come back to this and add or cross out as I finish things. How's your to do list going?
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
To Ashley and Owen
Congratulations, my wonderful friend! Congratulations, very smart man!
I'm so happy for both of you that you have been married this weekend. The weather cooperated, the dress was gorgeous and it was great to see your smiling faces on that day - that special day when God made you one forever.
(No, I didn't sneak in the back, I saw a photo.)
Here's to you as you take these first steps as husband and wife. Here's to you as you reorganize cupboards and share the closet. It's surprising how much room men's clothes can take up in a closet. Here's to you as you share meals and cookbooks, get into a rhythm, start traditions, discover quirks that have remained hidden the last couple years. Here's to you as you struggle through small spats and get over inadvertent wounds. They happen when people fuse together a life. If welding can cause a bit of heat, people are much worse. And harder to melt and reform. So here's to you as you forgive and salve hurts in the little ways that only you can, as you hold each other, kiss and dance to the music that you can agree on.
Here's to the future, full of memories yet to be made, adventures yet to be taken, paths yet to be walked. Here's to you as you share your love and your lives -- that is to say, your life. Here's to you as you work at maintaining your friendship as well as cultivating your love. Here's to silly moments that only you two know about.
Everyone raise your glass to this lovely couple as they celebrate their two day anniversary. Every anniversary is worth celebrating, after all. We wish you all the best and will keep you in our prayers.
PS - I hear Western Australia is a lovely place for a honeymoon.
I'm so happy for both of you that you have been married this weekend. The weather cooperated, the dress was gorgeous and it was great to see your smiling faces on that day - that special day when God made you one forever.
(No, I didn't sneak in the back, I saw a photo.)
Here's to you as you take these first steps as husband and wife. Here's to you as you reorganize cupboards and share the closet. It's surprising how much room men's clothes can take up in a closet. Here's to you as you share meals and cookbooks, get into a rhythm, start traditions, discover quirks that have remained hidden the last couple years. Here's to you as you struggle through small spats and get over inadvertent wounds. They happen when people fuse together a life. If welding can cause a bit of heat, people are much worse. And harder to melt and reform. So here's to you as you forgive and salve hurts in the little ways that only you can, as you hold each other, kiss and dance to the music that you can agree on.
Here's to the future, full of memories yet to be made, adventures yet to be taken, paths yet to be walked. Here's to you as you share your love and your lives -- that is to say, your life. Here's to you as you work at maintaining your friendship as well as cultivating your love. Here's to silly moments that only you two know about.
Everyone raise your glass to this lovely couple as they celebrate their two day anniversary. Every anniversary is worth celebrating, after all. We wish you all the best and will keep you in our prayers.
PS - I hear Western Australia is a lovely place for a honeymoon.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Awesome Movie Song Quote
Who needs just obscurity when you can sing too? These choices are all from songs sung in the movie, not background music. Many of them have been stuck in my head a time or two - three of them today alone! Enjoy the sing-along!
[Hint: Disney movies have lots of singing.]
1. What I love most about rivers is
You can't step in the same river twice.
The water's always changing, always flowing. Just Around the River Bend - Pocahontas
2. I'm in a store and I'm singing.
I'm in a store and I'm singing! Buddy the Elf in Elf
3. The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - Les Miserables
4. Can't make no vows to a herd of cows.
and
Now when the men folk went to fetch 'em
The women would not be fetched.
It seems when the Romans catch 'em,
Their lady friends stay catched. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
5. Say you love me every waking moment,
Turn my head with talk of summertime... All I Ask of You - The Phantom of the Opera
The same old bread and rolls to sell Belle - Beauty and the Beast
What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?
Burn? Part of Your World - The Little Mermaid
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you You've Got a Friend in Me - Toy Story
There's only one girl in the world for you
And she probably lives in Tahiti
I'd go the whole wide world
I'd go the whole wide world
Just to find her Whole Wide World - Stranger than Fiction
For you to do the journey with him
To smile when he got home ask how his day had been No Life Without Wife - Bride and Prejudice
Like all you lovely folks,
I've got a dream. I've Got a Dream - Tangled
19. Prince John and the Sheriff
Though quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song will move the job along A Spoon Full of Sugar - Mary Poppins
[Hint: Disney movies have lots of singing.]
1. What I love most about rivers is
You can't step in the same river twice.
The water's always changing, always flowing. Just Around the River Bend - Pocahontas
2. I'm in a store and I'm singing.
I'm in a store and I'm singing! Buddy the Elf in Elf
3. The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - Les Miserables
4. Can't make no vows to a herd of cows.
and
Now when the men folk went to fetch 'em
The women would not be fetched.
It seems when the Romans catch 'em,
Their lady friends stay catched. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
5. Say you love me every waking moment,
Turn my head with talk of summertime... All I Ask of You - The Phantom of the Opera
6. There goes the baker
With his tray like alwaysThe same old bread and rolls to sell Belle - Beauty and the Beast
7. And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions and get some answersWhat's a fire and why does it - what's the word?
Burn? Part of Your World - The Little Mermaid
8. Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I amBigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you You've Got a Friend in Me - Toy Story
9. The violins sing with joyful ring
The violins sing with joyful ring!
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodly-doodly-doodly-doodly-det. You've Got Mail
10. When I was a young boy
My mama said to meThere's only one girl in the world for you
And she probably lives in Tahiti
I'd go the whole wide world
I'd go the whole wide world
Just to find her Whole Wide World - Stranger than Fiction
11. He had a green card, new house, big cash
So made a wish with every fallen lashFor you to do the journey with him
To smile when he got home ask how his day had been No Life Without Wife - Bride and Prejudice
12. I'm dreaming of a boy,
A very special guy.
I wish that I could pluck
A fairy from the sky. Get Over It
13. Never ever thinkin' there was danger in the water
They were drinkin', they just guzzled it down
Never dreamin' that a schemin' sherrif and his posse
Was a-watchin' them an' gatherin' around Robin Hood and Little John- Disney's Robin Hood
14. I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam
Yeah And with every passing hour
I'm so glad I left my towerLike all you lovely folks,
I've got a dream. I've Got a Dream - Tangled
15. Perhaps I had a wicked childhood
Perhaps I had a miserable youth
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth. Something Good - The Sound of Music
Perhaps I had a miserable youth
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth. Something Good - The Sound of Music
16. Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide. The Rainbow Connection - The Muppet Movie
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide. The Rainbow Connection - The Muppet Movie
17. I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
18. Soon all the church bells will be ringing
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my roar I Just Can't Wait to Be King - The Lion King
18. Soon all the church bells will be ringing
And I'll march with Ma and Pa.
All the church bells will be ringing,
With a hey nonny nonny and a hotcha-cha cha. Fit as a Fiddle - Singin' in the Rain
With a hey nonny nonny and a hotcha-cha cha. Fit as a Fiddle - Singin' in the Rain
19. Prince John and the Sheriff
They was running the show
Raising the taxes
'Cause they needed the dough
A reign of terror
Took over the land
They was shaking down the people
Just to beat the band
Hey!
- Hey nonny nonny and a ho ho ho Opening Song - Robin Hood Men in Tights
20. A robin feathering his nest
Has very little time to rest
While gathering his bits of twine and twigThough quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song will move the job along A Spoon Full of Sugar - Mary Poppins
21. Oh, there's no fire in the fireplace
There's no carpet on the floor
Don't try to order dinner
There's no kitchen anymore
But if the road's been kinda bumpy
And you need to rest a spell
Well, welcome home
To ----------------------------- ! Happiness Hotel - The Great Muppet Caper.
And there you have it. I'm just shocked that I forgot to put a song in from Pirates of Penzance. This lack of sleep thing really catches up with you after a few years...
There's no carpet on the floor
Don't try to order dinner
There's no kitchen anymore
But if the road's been kinda bumpy
And you need to rest a spell
Well, welcome home
To ----------------------------- ! Happiness Hotel - The Great Muppet Caper.
And there you have it. I'm just shocked that I forgot to put a song in from Pirates of Penzance. This lack of sleep thing really catches up with you after a few years...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)