It's Wild Here

update

Our friends from Alabama visited yesterday. The boys miss them a lot! They always seem to pick right up where they left off.

In other pressing news, Ja bought new shoes.

Jeremiah had his first practice last night for his new team. He got a huge workout! I haven't had the chance to ask him if he enjoyed it, but he's certainly going to be learning a lot. The other parents who were there seemed really friendly and helpful. (Evan, I thought to ask about our question wrt tournaments and what is ok to do between games. Robert said nothing usually happens between, and that some coaches even like the boys to not hang out together, because they should really be resting and not running around. fwiw)

[from this point on, this post is for planning purposes - nothing interesting]

I'm thinking ahead about school starting - it's only a few weeks away. I think we'll try a new routine that will accomodate 1.Jamie's new adolescent sleep routine, 2. the availability of our primary childcare helper for Ryan, and 3. the timing of most toddler/preschooler gatherings around town. 

Mornings (7-11am) are for housework, playing with littles, storytimes, errands, playgroups.
Middays (11-2) are for book work with the big boys and housework. R visits S and K naps.
Afternoons (2-5) are for finishing up chores (mine and big boys'), preparing dinner, and sometimes Ryan might still be at S until 5:30??
Soccer practices will be in the evenings, at least T/H, and possibly others for rec league.

Friday playgroup from 9-12 - will people attend the Mon/Wed playgroups before noon?
What day will be story time?
Will there be a homeschool phys ed at Sportsplex?
What time is band for Jeremiah? When is art for Jamie?
When will Carlette come?
MWF morning, we have K and J here until 9 or 10am.

many things

1. Some Ryan talk first - anyone care to guess?

"poovie"

"chushie"

2. Our new friend Jane is offering us a family yoga opportunity with one other family. The other family has one toddler son who is a friend to R.  I really hope this works out and that the big boys can also enjoy it. I know she teaches a very relaxing and spiritual style class.

3. Ja started work at a nearby intergenerational garden, which is also a CSA in which anyone can buy shares of local, organic (I'm assuming) produce.  As they are quick to remind all the middle school gardeners, this is a Real Job, to which they are expected to arrive on time and commit to the end of summer.  He has gone to his first work day and seemed to enjoy it. Hard work, but satisfying, he says. I was particularly impressed because he was feeling pretty bad that day with sinus pain and congestion, but got himself up and went anyway. Each kid is assigned two beds, and there will be some ongoing training in engaging with the elders as well. The garden is literally just around the corner from our house.

4. Gold Cup soccer has started for Ja, and Silver Cup begins this Saturday for Je. I hope his coach calls to tell us when the first game is! I'm not sure whether R will  play copper cup. I think he's technically too young, so we'll have to see what they say.

5. Je has a new snare drum, a book and CD curriculum, and no drumsticks! We have to get those today so we can begin. He's also hoping to run with the track team this year, although the coach hasn't returned my call. I'm not sure if it's still too early for track or if he is possibly gone on spring break?  We;re also considering some sculpture lessons for Je - our friend Jade has her art degree in sculpture and hopes to teach in the future, so this would be a good match for both of them.

6. R is really stretching himself these days.  Leaving behind the diapers is a happy transition but still definitely not mastered. The first week was a bit more successful than the last two. He's also been having some scary dreams and fears at night about spiders in the bed. Poor  sweetie. Yesterday, we attended a library program in a couple towns over - I'd heard they have a very active, musical program. They did, indeed. It was crowded but fun.

R really loves the organized group activities like that. I've considered Kindermusik for that reason, but it's very expensive and this library program is pretty similar, at least for this young age.

I still struggle with being out with R when there are other small children around. He tends to want to love on them a little TOO closely, in their face, and occasionally in the form of tackling them. It gets old, protecting other kids, the disapproval of certain other parents, apologizing. And apologizing. Every time I show up at a playgroup and leave feeling bummed, I say we are not going back for a few months, but then we really want to get out and DO things... I've always felt that we should stick with the younger age group activities because he IS so active and a bit immature for his age, but then I had another thought - maybe it is the older kids (4+) we should be getting to know. They're all a lot less likely to be hurt by him - he's less likely to get in their face (he tends to go for the delicate one-year-olds) - and maybe he'd follow their lead a bit.

Napping seems to be over. I'm sure he'll still have a nap here and there, but he seems to be able to get through the day without one, and we're having very early bedtimes. This week we started "quiet time," during which he hangs in the bed with books. He's doing surprisingly well. He's stayed in there about 20 minutes, and I'm hoping to gradually increase it over the next few months so that we're getting an hour if possible. He has been enjoying books a lot these days. Also singing... the alphabet song is on Repeat in that child's mind, with a sprinkling of Row Row Row Your Boat and Twinkle Twinkle.

Throughout the day, out of nowhere, R will often stop what he's doing, turn to the parent or brother nearest him and say "I really yike you."  If we respond with definite understanding, that will do. If we simply "mm-hmm" or smile, he will have to repeat:  "I really, really yike you."  It's pretty adorable.

7.  Small-child K. What can I say? He's busted out - in the past 2 weeks he's gone from immobile, toothless infant to crawling, standing, cruising, babbling, toothy, toy-playing pre-toddler.  I don't think I've ever seen such a sudden developmental leap in a baby. Go baby!

Above, he appreciates the grass at ML playground with his Grammy. He prefers mulch, though. Less ticklish, and apparently also tastier.

Trumpet

Jamie's friend A plays trumpet. One day he was over after school with his instrument. Ryan was fascinated, to the point of vibration. Something about that trumpet was really hitting the spot for him. He was desperate to try it out, but A couldn't let him on that particular day. For a while, I've been trying to find a trumpet that was realistic but not real - something he could easily play. I found success on kidsurplus.com and it arrived halfway through Ryan's illness (which, after some goggling, I've realized was a very typical but intense case of influenza).  He spent the second half of the week sleeping with that trumpet. Every once in a while he'd crack his sleepy eyes open and give us a single loud toot. The smiles in this picture were among the first we saw in at least 4 days, and that is a very long time to go without a Ryan smile.

update

Jamie: a lot of new art
Jeremiah: getting ready to start learning drums, reading this with Mom, aloud

ryan: potty training, 75% success rate, day 6 (100% success when it really counts, and you know what I mean, and if you can't figure it out, you probably don't want to know) - after visiting a church nursery with small toilets: "That is my favorite pottty that I ever met."
kellen: drooling, screeching, fussing, almost-crawling, teething?

trip to dallas

This may be one of those posts you only read if you were in dallas with us, or have an odd interest in other people's  not-that-interesting vacation pictures and stories.

Let's begin.

Leaving at the Dayton airport was difficult. They managed to make the process of checking bags even LESS streamlined than ever. We had to drag our (10) checked pieces of luggage to a desk to get tagged, and then drag them back to another station where they load them on to a conveyer belt. We were dealing with two carseats and a small stroller, plus luggage for 6 people including 2 changes of fairly dressy clothes, so.  Security was intense! The security people were not happy people. They replied to any basic question or request as though they'd been verbally attacked. At one point I was on the floor in front of a long line of people, with a toddler and baby out of slings/strollers, no shoes, carry-on bags accumulating on the conveyer belt, and someone took Evan across the room so they could dig through our toy bag. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

The flight was cramped and long; K did not sleep, only fussed. Ryan was antsy and wouldn't keep his belt on. We were met at the Dallas airport by Grammy, a very happy sight for everyone. She drove us through downtown Dayton to our hotel without missing a single turn.  Props to The Grammy. 

K did a lot of this. He quite fell in love with that adorable baby in the mirror.

On Friday morning, K woke me up at 6am, and we headed downstairs for the very nice supply of coffee  breakfast buffet.  I drank and did some knitting while K watched the downtown traffic from his stroller. After everyone else was up, we hopped on the bus (the DART) and visited Fair Park, which is a collection of museums, a few places to eat and some nice outdoor gardens, lake, etc.

 

And inside, were some very sharp teeth!

Afterward, we had lunch at a really bizarre interesting restaurant. We had a ball enjoying the decor and visiting with our very kind and charming waiter, JD (even though he looked at all the kids and asked Evan "don't you know what causes that?" - har har.)

We waited patiently, soaking up all the extra time with Daddy.

The rehearsal dinner was fun (not counting the small panic we had when Ryan ate a strawberry, and later body-slammed knocked down a 1-year-old little girl with an enthusiastic hug). The food was fabulous and the space in the room was good for the kids to be able to get up and run around (thanks to the Grammy planner for this arrangement).

That night, reality set in for Ryan, who was until then excited about the whole plane, wedding, texas idea. He wanted to go home, and he wanted it all night long.  Sleep was not a really big part of this trip, but like I said, the coffee was just an elevator ride away.

The next day was wedding day, and what a beautiful wedding it was. I don't think I've ever seen another bride beam like Caryn was beaming. The ceremony was lovely, Auntie Beth sang marvelously, R (!!!) sat still and mostly watched, and K slept in the sling. At this point, it was the kids' bedtime, and we were all rather done with travel, but were off to the reception. Personally, I was hoping everyone would rise to the occasion and enjoy the party.   One of mine and one of the cousins were not doing well, ready to get out of the noise and chaotic festivity. They stuck it out for a while and then we said our goodbyes. They were real goodbyes, because we were off to the airport at 6am the next morning.

Grandpa, sweet cousins P and R, both very big fans of the Grandpa Bear.

And for the finale:

click

He could have danced all night, he could have danced all night.

and remember the little girl from the hug at the rehearsal dinner?

click

I only know when he began to dance with me I could have danced, danced, danced..all night

Snagged this from Rocks in My Dryer because it looked like fun.

Favorite Song From Childhood:  "Babe," by Styx - there were also a few old 45s I used to skate to - the most memorable was Mr. Lee by the Babbettes

Favorite High School Dance Song: I don't know a favorite, but they always played "Shout" 

Senior Class Song: ??  I was  not into it.

Song That Makes You Think of College: Closer to Fine, Indigo Girls

Favorite Rock & Roll Song: not nearly specific enough category. Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Grateful Dead.

Favorite Disco Song: I Will Survive

Favorite Country Western Song: Top of the World, Dixie Chicks

Favorite Pop Song:  ?? Does a James Taylor song count as pop?

Favorite All Time Love Song: not sure, but my current favorite is Easy Silence, Dixie Chicks

Favorite Break Up Song: I Can't Make You Love Me, Bonnie Raitt

Song That Always Makes You Cry:  none, but the saddest song I know is Top of the World, Dixie Chicks

Songs About Your Kid/s: Godspeed, Dixie Chicks and IF I Could, Barbra Streisand

Song That Reminds You Of Your Husband: Giving You the Best That I Got, Anita Baker, and the Take 6 song below

Favorite Christmas Song:  used to be O Holy Night, now it's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
 

Favorite Gospel/Praise Song:  Something Within Me, Take 6

Favorite Ringtone on Cellphone: don't have any good ones

Snow, etc

We have so much snow! The roads are dreadful, as the rain and sleet followed the inches of snow. Fortunately, Evan came home from work early and has been clicking away on his laptop at the dining room table. Jeremiah and Ryan are climbing the 'monkey house,' and Jamie is hanging out with Kira... a very typical afternoon here.

I placed an ad in the local newspaper seeking a very part-time childcare helper to come in the mornings, and occasional afternoons or outings, and amuse Ryan while I get some work done on the house or with the boys. I actually didn't expect to get any/many calls, but have had 4!  I overlooked an important aspect of this process... I will have to say no to the people we don't choose. What was I thinking? That's very hard! They have all been very nice and qualified women - each in a very different way. I don't know what I'm going to do.

Jamie is itching for a drawing tablet to use with his graphic art software. I have no idea where to start, choosing something that will work for him without breaking the bank. His art teacher is going to try doing some research and making some recommendations.

When the snow stops and the schools open, I am going to call the band director and get Jeremiah set up with a loaned snare drum and make use of the school's band curricula for percussion players.  If he likes it, he can join the band at the school next year.

Speaking of band. A friend of the boys was over after school last week and brought his trumpet. He played a bit for Ryan, who cannot get over it. Every day, "I want a trumpet now, ok?"  "Where is my trumpet." "I'm going to play a trumpet! Let's go get it!" 

Kellen is in one of those developmental stages when he can't even stop practicing his skillz in his sleep. Middle of the night, he wakes to nurse, but no, first he has to get up on his hands and knees and rock back and forth. Can I crawl yet? no? dang! OK, how bout that milk, then?

kindermusik

We enjoyed a Kindermusik demo class at the senior citizen center Friday. Ryan had a ball, and we all enjoyed the visit with sister and the girls.

those misleading musicians

Jamie was telling me about this group, The Naked Brothers , made up of a couple of young kids. I gave him a look that said, "and do they...?" and he said, "no, duh, they don't perform naked. It's like the Barenaked Ladies. You  know them? They're not even ladies!"

busy weekend

Let's begin with a quote I saw yesterday that I really enjoyed.

"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap! " - Dolly Parton

We accomplished a lot this weekend  (I have no idea why I still don't feel satisfied... ok, I have some idea):
- delivered dozens of bags of clutter to good will, which is a great feeling. Our plan was to get Ryan int he seat and listen to the new They Might Be Giants (ok, these guys are freaks, do you know?)  album Jamie bought, but on the way over, Jamie developed a headache that still hasn't really gone away, in spite of advil, including several hours of us both being awake through the middle of last night. Yaaaaawn.

- rearranged some furniture so that Ryan's toys are not quite so clutterish in our living room.  (Mom, any time you want to visit? The two tables are ready for you!)  I'll probably have to take a picture of it. All R's toys are on three low shelves, which Evan cleverly decided would work perfectly on that wall (never would have thought of that particular shelf, thanks evan!). E cleaned off all the crud and buggy nastiness, which involved discovering an old mousey stash of bird seed and corn in our garage. omg, puuuuke.  I am loving my crud-cleaning hubby, what a man.

- the speediest grocery trip in history. Holy wow, I spent $125 on our basics in ten minutes, while Evan and the boys and their friend went to blockbuster, across the parking lot.  They rented chicken little, and that was one creepy-looking flick, from the few glances I gave it.

- saw two excellent soccer games.  OK, this warrants Bold and CAPS:
Jeremiah scored two goals, resulting in a 2-1 win for his team. He also had two saves as goalie in the second half. GO JEREMIAH!!!
He was thrilled and we were so excited for him. Grandpa and Katie sure did pick the right day to make the long drive and see some soccer.
Jamie's team also played a great game, tied, and showed some excellent teamwork and passing. Jamie got a very hard ball in the face... ouch.  I sat there in my chair, holding baby Audrey, wanting someone to run over there and give my boy some comfort, but no, Evan and Katie assured me that was Not How It's Done. ::sniff::  He was ok - gave Evan thumbs up, and was back in the game soon.

- considered inviting some new friends for dinner (are we nuts?) but didn't because I am too self-conscious about how badly our lawn needs to be mowed (tomorrow that happens)

- cleared out a lot of the garage, much harder than anticipated. We thought: no problem, Ryan loves to play on the driveway with his Big Car (little tykes red thing) and we will sort garage clutter. Oh no... garage is open? Must play with dangerous poisons and climb rickety plastic shelving.  There was just no way. Evan ended up doing most of it himself.  But speaking of Big Car and Ryan, he learned a new trick yesterday: he can't easily drive forward in that car, but he discovered that if he goes backward *really* fast, he will slam into cars, end up off-road in the grass and topple over into the grass, suddenly spin around, etc. He thinks it is excellent fun and hollers through the whole game. It's very good spring evening entertainment for the rest of us.

- installed Ryan's toddler swing out front. wheeeeeee.  For a daredevil, the kid does NOT like to swing high at all.

- set up his ladybug sandbox out back - thankyouVERYmuch Jamie for your hard work hauling sand

- gave Jamie his Scrabble fix (thank you again Evan for giving me the pleasure of watching my kid clutch a dictionary all weekend without having to play such a boring board game myself)

- and in the knitting department, started the second bootie out of 50 Bootees, as well as stared at my horribly ugly Pedicure Socks (they look *nothing* like the ones in this pattern).  As I was knitting, I said to myself, I don't care how they look - I just want warm feet in my flip flops. We're having a very chilly May. OK, I care. They look bad.  I think some hand-painting/dyeing will help, possibly some light felting. Why is my ribbing always so HUGE and not springy? I'm also trying to figure out how to knit my nephew a sweater in a month, before his birthday. I need to really get into gear and choose something.  Finally, I have knitting purchase news - a very unusual thing since I've put myself on a strict no-new-yarn diet.  I bought the Boye Needlemaster set from Ebay for a Mother's Day gift, so I should be able to find the size needle I need when I need it. My needles do not like it here - they run away and hide constantly. In other non-purchasing news, Hello Yarn posted a link to this knitpicks Pallette Sampler, which is a Very Good Deal on wool yarn. But still, a big purchase. Sigh...