Stinkers

I don't know why we didn't think of it last year, but in an effort to lower heating costs his winter (a yearly challenge), we're going to put the kids in the same room (Jack's, since it has the twin bed and an extra crib). A no-brainer, one would think, but for the past three years, my mind seems to have gone missing. Last year, we had two space heaters running in each of their rooms just about every afternoon and night. And while our gas bill did go down, as we set the therm to the upper 50's at night, our electric went up, of course. There's no need to run more than necessary though. It's not yet cool enough to ring out the space heaters (though it is supposed to get down to 40 tonight), but I thought I would try to get them used to bunking together- starting with nap time today.
What a disaster. At first, there were hysterical giggles, which I expected for at least a little while. It's just been an hour and fifteen minutes, and now I'm trying to take my mind off of the noise-making (banging on the very-loud radiator cover), screaming and incessant requests (dirty diapers, "Momma!"). We've made it clear that that is unacceptable (other than dirty diapers and genuine needs). Why do they assume this is okay when they are sharing a room? I guess I waited until the wrong time to switch up Gail's routine- right when she had mastered one thing, we throw her all off. Well, hopefully they will eventually give in, and this set up will become a tolerable norm.



Yes, that is blue masking tape on the blinds to keep out the light in Boo Boo's room-- something we'll probably have to do in Jack's room as well, though not to keep the light out. His room is already very dark. Every time I have gone in to check on them, Gail has the blinds all in a tangle.

norwegian star earflap hat

Here's the hat Jack requested. Well, he asked for a "blue hat," and I decided on the rest. I still need to block it a little, as the front rolls a little more than I'd like. I knit a matching scarf for it, but that didn't make it into the pictures. I'd like to make matching mittens as well. Mike requested an identical set- hat and scarf (in adult size). The pattern is from tiennie knits....

Wherein I reverse all previous rantings and ravings about my baby girl

I feel like I've made Abigail out to be an unreasonable and difficult baby girl. If I've done that, I've been honest. Her challenging- temperament? was first revealed when we took that seven-week-old baby to Holden Beach last summer. Long hours in the car, a dwindling milk supply, crazy people peering inches away from her face all day long- just kidding, who knows what it was that flipped that switch, but that tiny girl screamed and screamed and screamed. Her best console was being rocked almost violently.

We've weathered a child who is the worst eater I could imagine, an eight-time-a-night waker, and when she finally made it mostly through the night, she'd wake early and take short naps during the days. She was IRRITABLE, rough with Jack and everybody. I might use the word brutal. She would constantly get into off-limits things or take Jack's toys to hit him with them and was unresponsive to any kind of discipline (what's appropriate for a thirteen-, fourteen-month-old, anyway?) I went to bed exhausted from refereeing the kids and just listening to a constant whiny cry starting at 5 pm every day. EVERY bedtime was met with an angry scream. What's more, she climbs everything and her staggering sleep deprivation caused her staggering skinny body to fall ALL of the time. So she was covered with bumps and bruises.

We tried so many different things with her- moving bedtime up an hour and half, being super-consistent with her schedule, watching her diet for allergies, anything we thought might have a chance of making her a happier child. I perused books like Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, The Discipline Book, Attachment Parenting, Dare to Discipline, parts of The Happiest Baby on the Block. Not this girl.

But I can say all of these terrible, nasty things about my daughter now because I'm about to shower upon her loads of praise. The child has changed in the past three weeks. She's a delight. There are a number of things that could have made the difference, besides it just happening on its own time, as I kept praying might happen sooner than later. She's started talking a lot more. Maybe she's psyched she can now readily communicate and her demands are met ever so much sooner? Perhaps she's excited about eating ALL by her self, just like her big brother Jack (even full bowls of cereal with milk)? Maybe the exerted effort on her parents' part to keep the schedule really as consistent as possible-- including only three nursings a day and never right before bedtime-- and enforcing a morning naps finally paid off. Who knows? Who cares?


I have never snuggled a baby as much as in these past few weeks. She'll grab her blanket- "mimeh"- and come to just cuddle up on my lap. She's never wanted to do that before. I remember my joy when I found out we were having a girl, thinking how much more gentle she would be after experiencing a boy's mostly brutal touch. I'm finally seeing that gentleness in her. I don't know how to describe her change in personality, but she's just ever so much more pleasant. Even her tone of voice and her body-language have changed from loud, grating and tense to soothing, pleasing and relaxed. And she actually obeys most of the time now when we make requests of her- like to take toys back to Jack that she takes or to not climb up the back of the couch or onto the table.

We all sleep better now. As soon as we finish our bedtime routine, she almost reaches for her crib, then smiles up at us and blows a kiss once there- silent when we leave the room. She sleeps straight through the night, eleven plus hours, takes a 30 minute to one hour morning nap and a 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hour-long afternoon nap with Jack and eats like a normal, growth-spurting toddler. Really better than average. She actually has a tummy now, which is kind of startling- but isn't that normal? She was starting to look emaciated, though every little morsel we managed to sneak into her screaming-in-protest mouth was nutritionally chock-full of value. Now she asks for more at every meal and requests food between meals by going and sitting in her chair or going to the cabinets or fridge. I think we're running a buffet. She hasn't eaten in months- what do I expect?

I have to write all of this down for my own sake, for years to come when I have another trying child and need a glimpse of hope. And I tend to glaze over everything in the past with petunias, so maybe this will help me to retain some reality. I really am glad that our Missy Boo Boo has been every bit as stubborn and resistant as she has been for thirteen or so months (starting at seven weeks- she's now almost 16 months)-- even if this was just a psych-out and she reverts back to her NuttiGail ways in a week or two. She's still strong-willed, hard-headed, whatever you call it, and I'm certain she will be for the rest of her life- I don't really see anything wrong with that. The change seemed to be taking the edge off of that, along with so much more, not having to do with stubborness. It may sound trite, but so be it-- I feel like I have learned so much from her about how to be a mom (and to be a less-judgmental mom), and I feel empowered to deal with with whatever comes our way- baby-wise. I can still hold onto the hope that she will be the most difficult. I'm glad she's here now and not at the fifth or sixth, you know? God knows what He's doing in this matter of children (and in all things), which is why we'll continue to leave that (and try to leave everything else) entirely up to the One who knows.

A pronunciation guide, of sorts

Abigail is a little more than 15 1/2 months now- a month older than Jack was when she was born. Though she seemed to be a little more delayed than him in the talking realm a month ago (he was saying "Ag-i-bee" and "Ab-i-gay" very clearly shortly after her birth) her vocabulary has just begun to take off. We've been encouraging her to use words for everything, repeating names of things.
Here are some of her more frequent words:

water-- "ya-ya"
blanket- "mimeh"
hello- "heyyo"
nice- "nie"
yogurt- "oh-go"
cheese- "gee" (as in geezer)
Cookie (Jack's stuffed animal)- "Go-go"
Otter (her favorite stuffed animal from Aunt Heather)- "A-ya"
Jack- "Jaa!" (usually said in enthusiastic whisper)
uh-oh- "uh-oh"
pasta- "paba"
all done-"aahh duh"
all gone- "aahh goh"
crackers- "gaga"
bunnies- "buhbuh"
night-night- "nie-nie"
banana- "baba"
apple- "abba"
book- "boo"
ball- "baw"
something she's been saying a lot of- "Miie!" (mine)
cereal- "eeiooo"
good girl- "goo' gir'"
here you go- "eee go"
nose- "no"
yeah- "eeyeaahh"
mmm-hmmm (sound of agreement)- "hhmmmmmm."
teeth- "deee"
mouth- maaa
monkey- "ah ah ah ah" (like a monkey sound)
tunnel- "nunnow"
Go- "go"
jump- "num"
door- "doe"
down- "dah"
bath- "baa"

and the usual, which she's been saying for a while now- "Mama," "Dada," "no," "bebeh," etc.

She's excellent with all kinds of animal noises (and actions), lip-smacking kisses, and she signs a few things like "more," "all done" and "good job" and that kind of thing.

winter femme cabled hat

Here's my first cable project- something just for me. Yes, cables are easy, as I was repeatedly told. They just look like they might be a pain and a half. The pattern was from d-made.com. Looking around for this pattern and children's earflap hats (Jack requested that I make him a blue hat- all his own thinking, whilst I was kntitting a scarf a week or so ago-- how could I deny him?), I found a whole world of free online patterns. And some cheap yarn and needle sites. I'll post some of them in the links section of the new blog (Right now, I'm just as in-the-dark as you).

picnic in the park

We packed up some pbjs, salad, fruit, cheese and yogurt for the kids and headed to a nearby park for a picnic.




And then enjoyed the fun playgrounds of of Mt. Lebanon Park (thanks for introducing us, Michelle and Beatrix!). Gail couldn't be kept from the "big kid" equipment or the spinning saucers. She is such a daring thing.
Jack, as always was more interested in making mulch ice cream and throwing leaves from the stone wall than anything the park equipment had to offer.

new plans

After changing around the look of this blog so many times, only to be not quite satisfied again and again, I have decided to switch blog hosts and spend some more time making the design/layout exactly what I want. I don't know how long it will take, but in the meantime, I'll still be posting to The House. I'll probably be switching to Wordpress, as Typepad (though I probably like it most) requires payment, a feature I think have to I'll pass up. I wish I had more experience in web design or had gotten more out of my EMS (electronic media studio) classes when I was a student.

Sidenote-- Mike and I each took a class in each other's fields as undergrads, for kicks-- I took a beginner's Java class, and Mike took EMS (cheater). I believe Mike got an A in his "art(-schmart)" course (just teasing, Love), and I got a B(+) in my CS course as well as EMS.

Blogger: we're through

Please stand by.

It smells like yuck.

Mike and I told Jack (after Aunt Heather got sprayed by a skunk when entering her house one night) that a skunks' spray smells bad. Seeing a skunk driving a mail truck in a Richard Scarry book: (with wrinkled-up nose) "He smells like bad. He's dirty. He needs a take a bath."

Seeing a sly-looking fox in a book: "He smells like yuck. He needs a take a bath."

Smelling a pumpkin pie candle in a store: "It smells like good!"

Pointing to The Thing and Wolverine on some new-to-him pajamas: "They look like monsters. They gonna get you" (he still says "you" instead of "me").
Mike" "No, they're friends, they won't hurt you."
(Super high-pitched voice) Jack: "They gonna help you! They nice! Maybe we see Wuvaeeen. Maybe he give you hugs and kisses."

To Mike one night: "Dad, if you do a good job clean up, maybe you get a t'eat."

not yet ready

In an attempt to get this kid out of diapers sometime in the near future, we decided to offer Jack a reward of Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go if he can go shoo shoo on the potty, a step of readiness he hasn't displayed yet. I didn't anticipate his insistence of sitting on the potty for 80 minutes this morning, right after I told him (he LOVES this book). He finally peed, and I was proud of him for that, but he was very upset when I told him we would try again later for the book. I suspect he would have sat there for hours until he had his promised book in hand if I let him. I think diapers are going to last longer than I'd hoped.

A side-note: our kids both get diaper rashes when we use the cloths all the time, even when I try to check them frequently, so we have to alternate between disposables and cloth. Is this normal? We use Kushies all-in-ones, but they are no longer useful without a vinyl cover. I'd like to try something else. Any suggestions?

...of the kids

It's so nice when they play together.


They were squealing at each other in the bathtub, laughing just to tears. I had so many more pictures of this, but I can't find them right now. Check back later.

zoo toy bag

Finished this a while ago too, but I was just moving pictures over to Mike's computer and realized I had never posted this one, knit as a gift for the newest baby Ward. I still need work with tension when switching colors (within a row). Seems it's always too tight, no matter how much I try to loosen the connecting strands. It was fun, regardless.

Thankful

A few things I've been especially thankful for today:

• stain remover
• those grocery carts with attached cars for little ones to ride in
  
• trash day (2 weeks worth of trash and diapers stink)
• an ordered garbage disposal (2 weeks without a working one also stinks and makes cooking difficult)
• baby gates
• Big Bird's Sing Along
• friends to go to the park with
  
• little hugs and kisses
• a husband who's completely satisfied with hotdogs, leftover pasta and watermelon for dinner

Seven on Sunday

1. There's a cat in the neighborhood that likes to bring special "treats" into our yard, scattering them around for the kids to find whilst "mowing" or triking. Mike has gone out with his gloves several times to dispose of the remains. This cat has also found a way into our garage, where he likes to sleep in the covered bassinet, stored car seat and swing, etc.
Well, he made an absolutely monstrous and disgusting mess of God only knows what all over the old infant carrier/car seat, and Mike and I were both about ready to toss it out on trash night. But that thing cost a pretty penny, and would have been a pain to replace, so put our hazmat suits on and are in the process of cleaning and disinfecting it thoroughly- taking it all apart and will make use of our new power-washer, which we got to help with stripping and repainting the back addition of the house. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to place a perfect and precious newborn baby within its contours ever again, but at least we'll be able to say we tried.

2. I'm thrilled that Jack will be a Lego boy so I can come down after the kids are asleep and play with those glorious little colored bricks. Right now, he plays with the Duplos-- all day. He asks for help building houses and pools, libraries and train tunnels, bullsoders and corn pickers. We just have what was left of my brothers' sets when we was little, but he enjoys them so much and even asks to sleep with them. I like building things with him now, but like I said, I'm excited for the smaller Legos and the intricate sets. I remember the Chritmas Tay and I got the Lego castle. That was all we did for the rest of the afternoon and the morning of the next day until it was all constructed, working draw bridge and boobie traps and secret passages and all.

3. On Friday, Gail had her 15-month appointment. She gained a whopping 11 oz. since her one-year (though she did grow considerably taller). She's so skinny. We try to get this finicky girl to eat, but eating time is rarely a pleasant experience. She swats and turns her head and cries. I fix all sorts of different meals just for her- eggs, avacado, appe sauce, bananas, macaroni and cheese, yogurt, grapes-- all things that she, at one point or another has shown interest in, but her preferences change daily.
The other night we went to Steak 'n' Shake, and while the kids usually do pretty well on occasions when we go out to eat, she was making a royal scene and fussed at everything that came toward her face with flailing objection "NO!" I finally gave her the fork loaded with mac and cheese (I've tried this before, and she's flayed food all over the room). She finished her bowl as well as Jack's in this manner. Such a silly girl.

4. I don't know where he got it from, but every night before he goes to bed now, Jack has to be sure that no monsters are going to get him. :(

5. Other things I don't know where Jack picked up: "Leave me alone!" "Get away." My guess is Oscar the Grouch, who I believe utters at least one of these phrases on the Sesame Street Alphabet audio tape Jack loves.

6. Jack is going to be a monkey for a Halloween. He wanted to put the costume on yesterday, and Abigail came running. I asked her, sympathetically, as I was helping put Jack's feet in, if she wanted to wear the monkey costume, and she said, "Yeeeaaaahh!" I went upstairs to dig out Jack's old Cookie Monster costume, which seemed to appease her until Jack got too hot (after running around and around and around "like a monkey") and wanted to take it off.

7. I was going to post a few pictures, but my computer is too full, and it won't let me do anything more with pictures right now.

Is rape an exception?

The rape victim in this story claims that the "rush of love" for her unborn child moments before she had an abortion, saved her daughter's life.

"The so-called "rape exception" is commonly accepted, even by many who are inclined to the pro-life position, as a "compassionate" act for a rape victim. But pro-life apologists refute this, saying that it is neither just for the innocent child who is killed, nor beneficial for the mother.

Stephanie Gray, the head and founder of the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform, told LifeSiteNews.com that Miriam Virgo’s story should be one that inspires others to make the same choice in favor of life.

It illustrates, she said, the basic principle of the entire pro-life cause, that an unborn child has dignity and value, no matter what the circumstances of her conception. "If the unborn are valuable because they’re human," Gray said, "then how they come into existence does not change the fact that they are persons with inherent dignity."

Bobbles and balls and new holland love

Mimi let her hold the bobble.

Freethrow



We went to the park, and this was what awaited him.

The park was summarily ignored.

Until a bunch of bees swarmed around. Then opened The Mulch Cafe. Pop's FAV.


Sky trak.


What better place to hang out than the lot of an under-construction home?



I think Jack was commanding everyone where to stand.

Gail was simply amazed that there were rocks. A huge pile of them.


Hi Tay!

Goodbyes to Rob and H. So good to see them!

It was a quick trip, but we were glad to see everyone and gather to celebrate Gigi's long and beautiful life. Poor Jack was sick on Tuesday and got sick during the funeral, but we decided to stay on another night to spend time with family. I'm glad we did, as all of the fun around the neighborhood seemed to up his spirits, and I finally redeemed myself at Set (Tay taught us how to play on Sunday night, and we played it every chance we got).

the Grove

We drove up to charming Grove City for a couple of hours today to visit our good friend, Megan. I was surprised to see some of the leaves already changing color! We walked around the old neighborhoods and even found a Thomas at a yard sale of one of Megan's students. How fortunate- $1 kept him occupied the rest of our time there! We had yummy homemade white pizza with veggies for lunch, and as always, visited Katie's Corner on our way out for some cold and creamy treats. Today, Abigail showed her first interest in ice cream. It may have just been my mousse truffle, but who knows? Her face was covered with it.

Digging in the rocks-- always a favorite.



Conked.

Cameraless

We had numerous great photo opportunities on our outing today-- alas, I was cameraless. After our plans for renewing our membership at the Toy Lending Library turned out to be a bust (the door was open, and people were working, but they said they were closed until next week-- many inconsolable tears erupted), we went to the duck lake in Highland park and fed the ducks and Canadian geese what was left of a bag of whole wheat Goldfish. The dominant goose hovered by Gail's feet-- he caught on quickly that her baby fingers, stuffed with crackers, could not hold them all.
After we bid adieu to the ducks, we drove around the reservoir to the wooden park that resembles a castle. Jack spent most of his time-- where else?-- in the car, and the rest of the time sipping out of the continuous-flow water fountain.
We picked up lunches at Subway with Mike and ate them by the fountain display in front of Carnegie Museum, where Jack kept lying on his belly to touch the water. Then he would bounce up and scream, giddily, "I touched the water!" and do it again. We said goodbye to Dad and walked a little (okay, a looooong walk for little feet) to see Dippy, the Diplodicus Carnegii dinosaur. That was the cutest thing, and I was really hitting myself at that point for not having my camera on me, but we'll just have to do it again soon.
I think I had forgotten just how far our van was away at that point, and I'd had Mike's help getting them down to the museum. Jack can walk pretty far, and his little feet were cruising, but he did ask me to carry him for a half a block towards the end (at which point I put Abigail down to walk, holding my free hand). While I was carrying Jack, he said, "We've had a busy day, Mama." And it was only 1:15. I want to remember these days forever (too bad I forgot my camera).

Cheeyos

So that was fun.

Alice Akers 8/19/1905-9/04/2009

We have been so blessed to have you for as long as we did. You gave us so many wonderful memories, hearty laughs- you showed us such caring, faith and generosity. We will miss your lovely face and your charm and humor here on earth, but we know you are finally at peace. Today we are celebrating your life.

We love you, Gigi!