Tuesday, January 19

This is an add-on post.  Please scroll to the bottom of this post to make sure you've read the latest thoughts I've "added on."  

I have always been one to get dressed in 'real clothes' every day, even if we aren't going anywhere.  But considering:

I have a 2 week old baby in the middle of winter, 

and my maternity jeans are too big, 

and my regular jeans won't button (ok, so maybe one pair does - don't hate me, it's just the way God made me, 'kay?),

and all my regular 'real' clothes are fitting rather ummm.. snugly on the top,

I am quite satisfied putting on yoga pants and a sweatshirt and considering myself "dressed".  Bonus points for putting on makeup.  Hair is definitely in a ponytail.

If you stay home during the day, do you wear 'real clothes'?  What do you consider 'real clothes' to include?

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One of Alan's current library books is titled "Boot Weather".  He carried it around with him last night for a while, and finally asked Greg, "Daddy?  Will you read "Boot Camp" to me?"

Basically the same thing... right?  

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Speaking of Alan....

He has a nasty little habit of waking up from his naps very grumpy.  I can't imagine where he would get that from .... ahem.  

Yesterday afternoon we wondered where Alan was.  I thought it was one of those times that he was laying in his bed taking his time waking up from his nap on his own terms.  But no.  I looked down the hallway, and here came Alan, bouncing along, looking like this:

His words? A quite cheerful -
"I'm going cowboying!"


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Little things make me happy.  Something about this stack of neatly folded, freshly washed baby blankets made me feel all warm inside.

And since the relatives might come after me if I posted a pic of the baby's blankets but not one of the baby....

 and since if one is good, two are better....

Friday, January 15

This is an add-on post.  Please scroll to the bottom of this post to make sure you've read the latest thoughts I've "added on."  

My littlest little man had his first 'well-baby' visit yesterday.  After losing 8 oz in his first two days of life, he more than made up for it by gaining 14 oz over the following 7 days!  Woohoo!  That put him up to 8lbs 10oz.  The goal is for a baby to regain their birthweight by the time they are 10-14 days old, so we were pretty happy with birthweight plus 4 oz at 9 days!  Breastmilk is awesome stuff.

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Found the coolest website yesterday: Classics for Kids.  

You (or your kid) can look up a short composer bio alphabetically, by time period, and by country.  There are also samples of classical music, and radio shows with even more information about composers and some of their famous pieces.  Dale and I have also enjoyed the games section, which includes a game I have been looking for for weeks now: a name-the-note game.  This one will be in our favorites for a while.

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In other webby-linky-ness: We have started a read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan.  I first heard of it from Kathi @ Bringing up Arrows and was interested from the start!  Instead of reading straight through, this plan has you skipping through the Bible by categories of books, one for each day of the week.  Mondays are Books of the Law, Wednesdays are Psalms, Saturday the Gospels.  Greg and I both really like it so far.  He listens to each day's reading on his commute, and I read either in my Bible or online.  Sometimes I knock it out in one sitting, sometimes it takes all day.  Things are kind of busy and non-routine around here, you know.  Anyway, the point is, if you would like to read the entire Bible you might be interested in this plan.  So what if it isn't January 1st?  So what if you finish Jan 15, 2011?  Or even February 15, 2011?  The point is reading God's word, right?  If you are interested, you can find this reading plan here.  

One Week

Things I Want To Remember 
From The Day Tyler Was Born

The early morning drive to the hospital with Greg.  Over the years Greg has become an excellent listener, and that morning was no exception.  Having originally felt very strongly about not being induced, and then choosing an induction after all, added to the simple anticipation of what the day would hold, I was a roller coaster of emotion.  He buckled in and handled it all quite well.  He is my earthly rock!

The "trouble" I gave the nurses.  I tend to be a very meek, obedient, Rule-Follower.  But having spent three years getting way too comfortable with hospitals and medical equipment, plus having some preconceived ideas about how I wanted this delivery to go, I questioned the nurses much more than I would have.  I was polite and all, but it was somewhat out of character for me to do more than just go with the flow.  I liked it.

The enthusiasm with which Dale and Alan faced the day.  Especially Dale.  He knew exactly what we were all gathered for, and could hardly contain his excitement.  And then the way he took in all the medical equipment!  He visited the room twice before Tyler was born, and once after.  He was not nervous or intimidated in the least with all he saw, but asked a million questions in usual Dale fashion.  Who knew you could homeschool even from your L&D room?

The way it felt to feel everything.  My first two deliveries were with an epidural, and for an assortment of reasons, I wanted to attempt this one without.  I think it wasn't until the drive to the hospital that morning that I admitted to myself how much I wanted it, and completely committed to it, circumstances allowing.  Greg was behind me all the way, and through the entire morning I had him on one side and my mom and sister on the other.  We were a team.  The experience was amazing.

The look on Greg's face, and the sound of his voice when he said, "You did it!"  I will always treasure that moment.

The words I said when the doctor laid Tyler on my suddenly-empty belly - they make me laugh - and the words I said the first time the nurse placed him all swaddled in my arms - they make me know: that he is mine, and that I have loved him since before I knew him.

The look of wonder on the big boys' faces when they met their brother for the first time.  Dale, who had known what to expect and instantly fell in love, and Alan, who finally fully understood all we had been telling him for months.  I loved watching his smile grow wider and brighter the longer he was in the room.

The glorious afternoon nap I enjoyed in a sunshine-filled room after lunch.  The sense of relief and contentment that the pregnancy was over and we were beginning life as a family of five was an unexpected but welcome emotion.  And that sunshine-bathed nap was bliss.

The sweet, ice-cold drink my mom and sister brought that evening, and the hour we spent together, admiring this perfect, precious blessing, and reliving our shared experience of his arrival.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!  A day well-worth remembering.  

Show n' Tell

I have pictures to show and stories to tell,

But you'll just have to trust me when I say 'all is well'.

My arms are oft full of one boy or another;

If not the newborn, then his next-older brother.

Friends and family are feeding us daily,

And the big boys are adapting to our new life quite gaily.

Thanks for your comments; I love reading each one!

I'll be back soon with more Buffalo fun!

He's Here!

Birth Announcements by WiddlyTinks.com

And heaven and nature (and Alan!) sing...

Oh my goodness!  I haven't blogged since last year!?!?  


Sorry.  Predictable joke.


I couldn't help myself.


I know Christmas is over, but there is one lingering thing from this Christmas that I don't want to forget, and the blog seems the best place to record it.


Lucky you.  ;)


We have had the pleasure for weeks now of hearing Alan go about his little life, randomly singing Christmas carols.  


There is something so sweet about hearing a 3 yr old sing anything, and particularly something like "Joy to the world..."


Of course we get the added bonus of having the Alan Version of these songs.

So here, for your enjoyment and my memory preservation, are Alan's Carols '09.

"Joy to the world, the Lord is here!"

.

.

"We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy to you!"

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.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way home!"

And while I am on Alan singing, I might as well throw in that one of today's favorites has been, "I've been working on the railroad, all da-ay long!"


And at this moment?

"Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof-woof!"


I have no idea where he learned that.


I'm choosing to linger on the memory of 'Joy to the World, the Lord is here!'