Kids update

Just a quick update on the boys.... HL: In the recent past, HL was able to sound out written words letter by letter and figure out what they said. But a couple times now, he has actually read words! He starts by sounding out the first letter out loud, but finishes it in his head. He's learning simple addition and subtraction, also. And just today, he told mom and dad all about how a volcano "erupts" and lava comes out. Oh! And he can write his entire first name (has been able to for months- I just kept forgetting to post about it). Actually, he can write all the letters of the alphabet. I give his preschool teacher a lot of credit for all that he's learning. She does an excellent job with the kids! AW: AW has just recently made the connection that everything has a name and is very quickly picking up names for items. Every day he labels at least one thing that is a complete surprise to me. Today's were hammer and snail. Other recent ones are "mumpee" (monkey), "tato" (tomato), tail, pirate, and water. The other day he was imitating HL by yelling "daddy, watch" and jumping off a stool. He is very good about using "pease" (please) and "tain tu" (thank you)- more because it's a habit than because he knows what he's doing- but still, it's very cute!

Random Photo- My bike wreck

Here's a beauty! This was taken shortly after I flipped over the handlebars on my bike and skidded on my face. Did a good job, didn't I? I remember riding down my street using no hands; the next thing I know, I'm in a doctor's office with someone stitching the inside of my lip! Apparently, I was functioning and went to find help myself, but don't recall any of it. For several days, I could only drink through a straw- no solid food. Don't know why, but for some reason the majority of my memorable injuries have afflicted my face. Must be that my brain is so heavy... Anyway, the most infamous of these injuries is when I broke my nose slipping on the ice; then there is the time I fell from a climber at the school playground and put my two front teeth completely through my front lip; and the earliest injury was when I fell down my aunt's wood stairs and ended up with a dead (black) tooth. The only other injury I've had was a broken arm, so I actually consider myself rather lucky- some people can rattle off pages of childhood injuries, after all. As I am sitting here typing, my mind is being flooded with memories associated with these injuries- how the neighbor swears he wanted to help me after slipping on the ice but he was laughing too hard and then I was dragged to the store with my broken nose. Or the fact that when my teeth went through my lip, I cupped my hands under my chin as I walked to the nurse's office and my hands completely filled with blood. Twice. And then my friends made up stories so they could go to the nurse's office to see how I was doing.

AW

Stumbled across this photo and just had to share it....

Jedis

Sitting here reading blogs and doing a little writing. My boys are keeping themselves busy by protecting me, the "Princess" from General Greivous and the Storm Troopers. It's really very cute, actually. HL runs around searching for bad guys and fighting them, while AW follows his every move; sound effects and all.

Thunder!

We had a thunderstorm last night! The day of the first tunderstorm is one of my favorite days of the year. There's just something about thunderstorms that really excites me. Do you think I pick up on the energy in the air? I've always wondered....

Infamous "Day of Firsts"

HL had a first this morning- his very first bloody lip. First of many, I'm sure. The fact that he just now had his first bloody lip shows you what a very cautious kid we have. The "firsts" topic reminds of me of HL's infamous day of firsts... It all started when we (our family) went bowling to celebrate some friend's birthdays. It was HL's first time bowling- and he really had a good time. On our way home from the big city that day, we stopped at a McDonalds where HL got his first bloody nose. HL was in the play area when I heard screaming and ran to the exit slide just in time to see HL come flying out with a bloody nose. A good one. The guy in the next table even gave us his hanky to stop the bleeding. It was then that the fun started- HL vomited profusely in the van while we were getting ready to leave. Another first. HL had never vomited before- he used to spit up frequently but never vomit. This was the day Hubby and I were dreading. Neither of us could handle bodily fluids- vomit especially. We used to wonder "how will we act?" Well, Hubby handled it well, I was proud. Says it "didn't even phaze" him. Anyway, with a bloody nose followed by vomiting, the first thought to pop into our heads was: severe head injury. We spent two hours driving home, having to make another "sickness stop". The first time, HL got his pjs dirty so we put his clothes back on. The second time, his clothes had to go. Poor guy was now down to a spare pair of pants and a baby blanket covering his chest. While Hubby was driving, I was making frantic calls to get information and finally paged HL's doctor. Dr. P said that "diagnosing a head injury in a two year old is very difficult. With what's happened, he needs to be checked." Which leads us to yet another first for HL: a trip to the ER. That makes four now, all in one day. Just as we pulled in to the hospital lot, HL got sick all over the van again. I had to wrap him in my coat to run into the lobby. We sat in the ER for at least an hour and HL was so accepting of the situation; he was not complaining at all and even managed to be excited that he was in an ER, "where the ambulances take the sick people," he told us. My parents came to sit with us and, bless her, my mom knew an employee there who got us in sooner. The doctor examined HL and diagnosed him with a rather freakily-timed bout of the stomach flu. Seemed like a cruel joke, nature scaring us like that. Having been so scared for my son's health, I decided to sleep next to his bed- I needed to know he was okay. The rest of the night was filled with hourly bouts of dry heaving, and the poor kid continued to be sick for another two days, but did heal completely. Oh, and he got to be spoiled and sleep in the living room for the duration of his illness. So I guess it wasn't all bad for him.

Easter egg hunts

Wanted to brag about the way HL acted on Easter... When HL would see a terribly obvious egg during egg hunts, he would tell AW something aimilar to "Hey AW, come look over here!" Now, how many three year old boys would help their younger brother find candy-filled eggs?! He's one of a kind, that HL.

Man of La Mancha

Went to see my brother in Man of La Mancha over the weekend. Excellent show! The cast did a great job and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire show. My brother, of course, outshone them all!

Easter Pictures

So, I suppose I owe you some pictures... Here's a few of my favorites from Easter. A few more here. Or the slide show here.

Ta da

Sorry I've been out of the posting loop for a while, again thanks babe! Her great work keeping you all informed has allowed me to work on sprucing up a bit. whacha' think? I've moved from a 2 column format to a three column format. I fixed the title, so you can read it. Added some banners, had to do it... improved the layout so the word match up game is on the right now instead of the bottom. I've added categories, to look up posts (not many yet, but I'll keep adding them) and a drop down box for the archives to the left side... and I've Sold out to the man, if your gonna buy Amazon, buy here! (at least I picked a good one)

Random Photo- Big Brother and me

My sister and I have been scanning fools lately- we're scanning a ton of old family photos for an upcoming family reunion. This is one we came across that stirred many happy memories for me. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed these rides. So very rarely do I get to see my eldest brother (he's in Kuwait currently) that I had lost touch with my deep feelings for him. And being so much younger than my brothers has always left me feeling rather disconnected from them both. Going through our old photos and seeing all of us kids together- laughing, playing, living- was a strong reminder that no matter where we are physically we are all still siblings, very tightly bound to each other.

Inventory

Let's celebrate! Earlier this week, I finally and officially finished organizing the hospital. Well, the back of the hospital, anyway. But still quite a feat and I'm darn proud of it, too. Molly and I rock! So, now I get to look forward to finishing a master list, checking all prices in Intravet, making sure there is a code for every item, beginning to track inventory through Intravet, etc, etc. My stress is not over by any means, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel and finishing a big job like organizing is very encouraging. Yeah.

Jake's privies

For some reason, this story popped into my head earlier this week and I promised myself I would post it.... Very shortly after we had adopted Jake, our dog, he was laying on his back and I was rubbing his belly. HL came up pointing and asked "what's that, mommy?" "He's a boy and that's his penis." "Oh, so that's where his pee comes out?" Before I could respond, Jake curled up and licked himself. HL screamed and jumped so fast and high, he about went through the ceiling! Poor kid, I think he was traumatized.

A sentence!

Went to pick up my boys at mom and dad's house this afternoon and dad told me that AW said a full sentence earlier in the afternoon. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember what it was at the time. I was a little bummed that I missed his first sentence, but at least I got to hear his second in the car a while later: "where Papa go?" Granted, HL had said it not long before, but it still counts to me!!

B A T H

Hubby and I were discussing whether to do a bath this evening. Instead of saying the word, I spelled out "b...a...t...h". Not ten seconds after I spelled it out, AW went running for the bathroom, pulling off his shirt and excitedly saying "bath...bath...bath!" Huh. How'd he do that?!? Now we have to find some kinda code word, I guess...

Recycling

HL learned about recycling in preschool today. He came home and told both Hubby and I all about what he learned- it is rather unusual for him to talk so much about school, so he must really be gung ho about it! After HL listed off all the items he knows we can recycle, I mentioned that we also recycle his clothes by sharing with his cousins. I also suggested that he could recycle his toys by giving toys he no longer uses to kids who can't afford new ones. Not ten minutes later, he came out with an old toy, told me "I don't play with this toy anymore" and promptly put it in our recycle bin. Way to go HL!

Anonymity

HAve heard some scary stories regarding people getting info on kids from the internet recently so I will not be using first names anymore. If you know us, you will be able to figure out what I've done.... Oh, and Hubby discovered that 4 of the 5 most viewed photos on our Flicker site are of our boys in the tub naked. Disturbing. And scary too.

Easter morning

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Bummer Bum

AW had diaper rash. Always a drag. I had just changed his diaper and wiped him clean, when he jumped up crying and started searching around for something. He found it, handed it to me and laid back down on the floor in front of me. What was it? Diaper rash cream.

Speaking of soldiers...

Here's my little soldier. Dirt from the "battlefield" and all!

Vets For Freedom

Vets For Freedom is a relatively new grassroots organization communicating the feelings of our soldiers fighting the Global War On Terror. I think it is about time America listen to the people actually over there instead of the media and politicians who claim to know how soldiers feel. I urge everyone to check out their website: www.vetsforfreedom.org

Roman Blood

Started a new book recently. Quite a switch from my previous read. Called Roman Blood by Steven Saylor. It's an historical novel murder mystery that takes place in ancient Rome just before the fall of the Republic. While it tells a lot about what life was like back then, it uses modern vernacular and leaves me forgetting that it's taking place in ancient Rome. All in all, though, I am enjoying the book.

Community Service Post- Recognizing a Stroke

There is a movement to educate the public on recognizing a stroke. If you ever suspect that someone may be having a stroke, please do the following three things: 1) Ask the individual to smile. 2) Ask him or her to raise both arms 3) Ask the person to speak a simple sentence- coherently (ie "it is sunny today") If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Dream

Had a very long crazy, crazy dream the other night. It was crazy even by my standards and I have the weirdest dreams of anyone I know. I won't bore you with all the details- they would take virtually forever to put into words. But there was a point in my dream where I was searching for a street, but had no clue where it was located. It was a life or death matter that I find this street. As I was trying to find it, I felt as though I was walking through molasses; I was moving my legs, but not gaining any ground. I felt frustrated, scared, frustrated, ineffectual and frustrated. I know there are all kinds of books out there claiming to define dreams, but I prescribe to a different theory. My belief is that I process issues in my life through my dreams. Most of the time, when I think back on how I felt in a dream, it correlates to how I'm feeling in an area of my life. So, am I feeling frustrated, scared and ineffectual in my life right now? Let's see.... -The to-do box on my desk at work just keeps piling higher and higher. I look at it and feel completely overwhelmed. If only there were more hours in a day... -My house is a mess and I'm too busy to do anything about it. Sometimes it leaves me feeling like I can't breathe. If only I had the energy of a three year old... -Finances are scary. When I think of the fact that I'm putting my husband through school for four years, and have the expenses of two little loved ones to worry about, I definitely panic. If only money grew on trees... Apparently my dream is rather relevant to my life right now. In my dream, I just kept trying harder to walk the same ineffectual way, obviously not getting results. Perhaps my mind is telling me that I need to look at my life from a different perspective, tackle things that frustrate me by trying new things. I think I'll give it a shot.

Just Like Daddy

Took the boys to dinner at Carls Jr last night. When HL was finally allowed to open his toy, he used his teeth to tear the bag. "Just like your Daddy" I said and went back to eating. A minute later HL was still struggling to get his toy open and asked "Mommy, then what does Daddy do?"

AW loves me!!

Oh, happy day... yesterday morning AW said "love you" without prompting or copying. We were cuddling on the bed and when I squeezed him tight and gave his neck some kisses, he said "love you." My heart swelled.....

Parking Lot

Went to Walmart yesterday, dropped Jer at the door, then the boys and I drove around the lot until he came out again. And I have to say that driving around like that, seeing the way people act, was very distressing to me. One lady just waited right smack in the middle of the pedestrian crossing area, after the stop sign, and didn't budge until I honked the horn. There was a truck parked in the middle of an aisle. Yes, parked. There was no one in, or even close to, the truck. Then there is the SUV driven by a perfectly healthy teenager who decided that parking spots reserved for the handicapped (ie those who have difficulty walking) was actually saved just for him. Also saw a lady turn around on the sidewalk, causing pedestrians to stop and wait. What in the world is wrong with people these days?!? The world is not here to cater to each of us as individuals. We are sharing this world (or at least should be) and we need to be acting accordingly. In order for everyone to get along, everyone needs to do their part by following rules, and considering how our actions affect others. Why can't this happen?!? It is so simple. Just show some respect. Phew. I feel much better now. Thanks for letting me vent....

Sorry, I've been working hard on another project, so I've not done any posting lately. Fortunately for us all, I got my wife hooked on blogging. You wouldn't have anything to read otherwise. Thanks babe! Here is a picture of the cousins at mom's house from today. yep, four boys, the two eldest pretty close in age and the two youngest close as well. Sure is fun seeing them all play together. Anyway, this morning before we left, the boys and I were in the backyard playing. HL asked for a rope to play cowboy. It was frayed so we had to fix the rope by melting the ends. I suppose it was the flame, but just like that HL changed gears and decided to be a fireman. He was going to rescue any cats that might be caught up in our trees. We had to coil up the rope so he could carry it over his shoulder like a fire hose and he was off. I peeked up after a few minutes and he had the rope up on the tree, rescuing cats. Here's the best part though... A few minutes later he comes running up and says, 'dad, it sure would be helpful if you tossed this rope up in the tree for me.'

Firefighters

My little firefighters! They spent half the evening last night running around putting out fires.

AW

It used to be that AW would cry, and occasionally scream, when mommy left for work. But the other day, he saw me put on my jacket and instead of crying, he said "no coat, no coat mommy." My coat stayed on. Then AW ran around the house saying "coat....shoes....coat....shoes...." as he looked for his coat and shoes (he knows he's not allowed outside without them)- he decided that if I had to leave, he was going to leave with me. Oh, I hated to let him down. That is the worst part of having to go to work everyday- actually leaving. Often, he stands on the couch so he can watch me drive away. The look on his face breaks my heart....

Bedtime

10 PM, laying in bed with HL, who is having trouble sleeping.... M: "HL, where is your favorite place to be?" H: "At work." Almost a year ago, when HL was big into construction, he "built" a workplace for himself: a fire station. Now, when I say "built", I mean that one week he would talk about digging the foundation, then he poured the cement, another week he would be putting up walls, yet another he painted the building, etc. Since his building has been done, he talks about what books he has at work, the movies he watches there (and gives us full descriptions, by the way), the foods he eats there, the things he does at work, and so on. Now, I know how common it is for children his age to have imaginary friends (his are Horsie and Tanner), but no one has ever mentioned that my son may have an imaginary separate life. But anyway... "What's yours, mommy?" "The mountains." "Why?" "I love hearing the wind whistle through the trees and the water fall down the stream..." "And you can see the forest fires, up there" Hayden interrupts. "Why do you like being at work?" "Me and my team do lots of things together." "Such as?" "Fight forest fires." "Hmmm... So your favorite place keeps my favorite place safe." "Yep." He then lays his head on my chest and sleep eventually over takes him. Meanwhile, I lay there in joy that I was given this incredible gift. Actually physically feeling the love course through my body, sending it to my son where our skin touches. I was wrong. This is my favorite place to be.

Family stories

Got together with some family yesterday to start planning our upcoming reunion and learned a couple quick little history items. Here are the ones I can recall off the top of my head: 1. When my parents lived in California in the 60s, their neighbor was a shoplifter. And talked about it to them. 2. My parents, Aunt CR and Uncle BR went for a drive to Moffat Tunnel decades ago and my aunt got scared. Apparently she got out of the car and Uncle BR drove on without her! 3. When my brother CA was young, my family went into a cave and a bat flew into CA's hair and got stuck there!

Lammers

For anyone from the Lammers family, there is a new blog for the reunion and anything Lammers-based. It is www.lammersreunion.blogspot.com

All Sides

I have this friend who is a wonderful person and we get along great- except when politics are involved. We were talking at a recent party and she told me about when she had her nephew staying with her and she was very lax with what he was allowed to do. Her only condition? That he not watch a certain TV channel with whose politics she disagrees. This really stuck in my craw. But why? After much thought, I know why it bothered me so. I believe very strongly in showing people (especially my children) all sides of a story so they can make an informed decision. I completely respect everyone's different views- all I ask is that they research it, ponder it, and decide for themselves- rather than just listen to what the media tells them. And this all turned out to be a good thing, albeit indirectly. It was a catalyst for me to discuss my beliefs with my hubby who, it turns out, agrees with me. Not that I was surprised, but it is always nice to have confirmation that you and your hubby are on the same page when raising children. These are the things couples forget to discuss when planning a family. Usually people are so wrapped up in living quarters, financial worries and more straight forward discipline to focus on these smaller issues- which in actuality turn out to be huge influences on our children's lives. (To my friend who sparked all this... Please don't be offended, I am grateful for your friendship and wish no harm. In fact, I want to thank you for making me think something through that I had never given much thought to.)

Out of the mouth of HL

Thought long and hard about whether to post or not.... ah, what the heck, why not? Took a shower with HL the other day. "That looks like a brain, mommy." "What's that?" "Your belly. It's all wrinkly like a brain." Smack. (I got LOTS of stretch marks from carrying HL, a 9lb-er.....) The very next day, I'm lying in bed when HL comes in to say good morning.... "Mommy, your forehead is like a map, look at all these lines I can follow!" Smack. Smack! Now, I could look at this as a bad thing. Or I can notice how smart my son is by saying these things. Yeah, right.

Current book

Jer added a little link to the book I'm currently reading. It is located right under my other info. The book is called "Enslaved By Ducks" and is quite an easy and enjoyable book. It's a humorous but heartfelt look at how we get so emotionally attached to our pets even though they are such an inconvenience to our everyday lives. Very witty! Right now I am interested in reading any books which will bring me not only entertainment, but that could potentially broaden my thinking. If anyone has books to suggest, please do!

Shoot!

The other day AW was driving his Pooh plane around and took a crash. He didn't hurt himself but he came up with his best serious look exclaiming shoot, shoot shoot. Of course there's no T on the end, but man, the passion behind it. I totally new what he meant. Now he's saying shoot anytime he drops something, stumbles, etc. The picture above is from his first birthday almost a year ago. Here's a picture from a couple a days ago. He's also taken to wearing capes like his brother. He digs running around with this Superman cape on and when he is done bathing he has have his towel draped around like a cape, just like his big brother. He is very observant and picks up all kinds of behaviors from us. It's a good thing I've got myself saying shoot- otherwise AW would be cussin' like a truck driver...