Ht: 33.5" (14.9%ile)...I believe this was not measured well...too squirmy.
Weight: 30lb (68%ile), accurate...that's 5lbs in 8 months! The kid likes to eat.
Asher was unweighable (refused all scales, so I had to weigh myself while holding him and then just myself and do the math...and let's just say I insisted on doing the math myself, and not letting the nurse do it ;), didn't cry for the super-speedy flu shot, and was so incredibly strong about resisting a blood draw that I could not hold him and the nurse missed the vein. So he got really poked and prodded for the draw and was MOST UNHAPPY. He really felt betrayed after that and took a while to recover. Good thing the next physical isn't for a whole year...enough time to forget, one hopes :}
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Recordables
Owen: Mom, what is nocturnal again?
Me: An animal is nocturnal if it's awake all night and then sleeps all day.
Owen: Oh yeah. I want to try being nocturnal.
Me: Well, now isn't a great time for that. Maybe you could try it later. Maybe when you go to college!
Owen: But Mohhh-ohm, if I'm nocturnal at college, I'll miss college! I think I should wait until I'm a grownup. Grownups are all done with going to school so I could try it then. Yeah, I'll be nocturnal when I'm a grownup.
Have I mentioned that the boy now *lounges* in bed in the morning? I never, ever, ever thought that would happen. Yes, he even hears us get up, and sometimes stays in bed and we peek at him on the monitor and see him just laying there thinking about things, apparently. Then, he comes out a half hour later. If we go in, he'll say, "I just want to sleep some more." Umm, seriously???!
The other day I popped in a DVD titled Little Red Riding Hood and other Wolf Stories (or something similar). As soon as it started, I heard Asher yelling, "Else! Else!" [Something else, something else!]. They've apparently seen it and remembered not liking it. The Owen runs in screaming in his very excitable Owen way and almost in tears exclaims to me, "Mom! Your children don't like that scary movie! Please turn it off. Your children don't like it AT ALL."
Me: An animal is nocturnal if it's awake all night and then sleeps all day.
Owen: Oh yeah. I want to try being nocturnal.
Me: Well, now isn't a great time for that. Maybe you could try it later. Maybe when you go to college!
Owen: But Mohhh-ohm, if I'm nocturnal at college, I'll miss college! I think I should wait until I'm a grownup. Grownups are all done with going to school so I could try it then. Yeah, I'll be nocturnal when I'm a grownup.
Have I mentioned that the boy now *lounges* in bed in the morning? I never, ever, ever thought that would happen. Yes, he even hears us get up, and sometimes stays in bed and we peek at him on the monitor and see him just laying there thinking about things, apparently. Then, he comes out a half hour later. If we go in, he'll say, "I just want to sleep some more." Umm, seriously???!
The other day I popped in a DVD titled Little Red Riding Hood and other Wolf Stories (or something similar). As soon as it started, I heard Asher yelling, "Else! Else!" [Something else, something else!]. They've apparently seen it and remembered not liking it. The Owen runs in screaming in his very excitable Owen way and almost in tears exclaims to me, "Mom! Your children don't like that scary movie! Please turn it off. Your children don't like it AT ALL."
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Stamina
This parenting thing is a marathon. I have never in my life been talented at anything but sprint-style activities. Practicing instruments daily? Horribly inconsistent, but when the yearly competition came around, watch out, I was a practice machine and always placed well. Tests? Crammer, and got straight A's. Daily devotions? I stink. When I try to improve my habits in that area, I usually end up going whole hog on something for a couple weeks before sinking back to the old ways. Research? Gathered all the data and wrote up the dissertation and published two papers in the last 3 months of a nearly 6 year Ph.D. It is a sad character flaw that I am not good at slow and steady (excepting my perfected ability to slowly and steadily procrastinate), and it is showing. No wonder God sent me children...I just hope I learn the lessons I'm supposed to without completely screwing them up in the process (and many days I seriously doubt that's possible!!).
Today was one of those days when the kids were not actually behaving all that maliciously, and I could see with my logical mind that they are the greatest gift I've ever gotten, but I was just TIRED. Physically tired, and tired of life with them. The constant noise, whining, needs, questions, telling me about things, wanting praise or validation...enough!!!! Sometimes you just want to get away and can't. And then you wake up tomorrow and it all starts again. So, we prayed for new attitudes and energy come morning, and I look forward to a fresh start to the week. I am grateful for those little guys...and tonight, for bedtime :)
Now, off to learn my lessons by doing one load of laundry before it becomes six, to clean the living areas well enough that I am motivated to keep it clean all week, and to plan out how we're going to lay the tile in the bathroom (Reuel has all the backerboard and drywall up, yippee! We're really getting somewhere!).
Today was one of those days when the kids were not actually behaving all that maliciously, and I could see with my logical mind that they are the greatest gift I've ever gotten, but I was just TIRED. Physically tired, and tired of life with them. The constant noise, whining, needs, questions, telling me about things, wanting praise or validation...enough!!!! Sometimes you just want to get away and can't. And then you wake up tomorrow and it all starts again. So, we prayed for new attitudes and energy come morning, and I look forward to a fresh start to the week. I am grateful for those little guys...and tonight, for bedtime :)
Now, off to learn my lessons by doing one load of laundry before it becomes six, to clean the living areas well enough that I am motivated to keep it clean all week, and to plan out how we're going to lay the tile in the bathroom (Reuel has all the backerboard and drywall up, yippee! We're really getting somewhere!).
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Book
Our friend from church Bill Stuntz, a Harvard law prof. who died of cancer earlier this year, has just had his book hit the stands. I am looking forward to reading it after hearing about what an influential scholar he was, and how respected in his field by people of all political persuasions. If criminal justice and Bill's work about it's failings in America interest you, here is a link to the book:
The Collapse of American Criminal Justice
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Narcissus and Comedian
Video: http://vimeo.com/29128015
In the beginning of this clip, we have Asher consumed with seeing his own image in the videocamera flip-screen, but the footage I was really after comes toward the end. Asher is turning into quite the ham, and loves to get us laughing. One day, totally unprompted and spontaneously, he started flashing these big cheeseball grins at us while we were eating. I don't know where he got the idea. He would look down at his tray, and then whip his head up and crack the biggest grin full of teeth that he could, and then put his head back down and do it again. We all lost it laughing, Owen included. This footage is not nearly as good as that day, but gives the idea. It was a few days later, when he was still trying the grins on us, but the novelty had worn off a little, and his timing wasn't as perfect as that first day. Still cute :) Hopefully you can catch a little of it; he flashes a really good one right as I turn off the camera.
In the beginning of this clip, we have Asher consumed with seeing his own image in the videocamera flip-screen, but the footage I was really after comes toward the end. Asher is turning into quite the ham, and loves to get us laughing. One day, totally unprompted and spontaneously, he started flashing these big cheeseball grins at us while we were eating. I don't know where he got the idea. He would look down at his tray, and then whip his head up and crack the biggest grin full of teeth that he could, and then put his head back down and do it again. We all lost it laughing, Owen included. This footage is not nearly as good as that day, but gives the idea. It was a few days later, when he was still trying the grins on us, but the novelty had worn off a little, and his timing wasn't as perfect as that first day. Still cute :) Hopefully you can catch a little of it; he flashes a really good one right as I turn off the camera.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Asher funny
Every evening before bath, Asher sits on his little potty while Owen uses the toilet. So far, we've only had some action happening two times (both of which he was VERY excited about...you would think that would translate into him putting two and two together a little bit more, but no...). Lately, he has figured out what could/should happen when he sits there, so he is willing to sit a little longer. He bends over to look down and see if anything's happening and then looks up at me with a serious face saying, "Workin', mom. Workin'." Then he gets up and heads to the bath. "Workin'" is Asher's word for, "It's not working." (He will also bring me a toy that he can't turn on or doesn't know how to use and say, "Workin'!") So funny. Then, he promptly sits in the bath, watches himself go, and yells joyously, "Pee-pee!" So, we're making progress, but we're on the slow train.
2 year old finds sugar bowl, helps self, and discovers new painting medium. Mother attempts to remember these days will ultimately be remembered fondly!
Monday, September 12, 2011
First Day!!
Owen headed out today for his first day of preschool 4's (three mornings a week). I was hugging the tar out of him to say goodbye, and after tolerating me for about 500 milliseconds, he wiggled his way out of the embrace, found a seat at the playdough activity set up when he got there, and waved an enthusiastic goodbye. He looked tired and very happy when we picked him up at noon, and had about as much to tell me as you'd expect. He did tell me that he asked a teacher why one of the playground swings was locked up in a cage, and she said it would be available for them to use on Wednesday. So that scored as a pretty important event. And he told me that the picture on the birthday chart for his name was a dish of ice cream, so his teacher is going to give him a dish of ice cream for his birthday (hmm, that may be a let down!). And finally, I learned that there were cupcakes for snack today. I guess that is decent reporting for a 4-year old. Of course, I had an insatiable appetite for details, and upon pushing him, received the expected contrary attitude and answer of 'No.' Did you make a craft? 'No.' Did you read books together? 'No.' Was your teacher super-nice? 'No.' Owen, if you want to keep going to school, you are going to need to tell mom and dad a few things about your day and not have a naughty attitude! 'I'm saving it up to tell Dad.' OK, that's fine. I will just listen while you tell Daddy about it tonight. :)
The only thing I don't really love is that there are two classes of 4's, and one is huge, and one is tiny. Right now, Owen's class only has 5 kids! I think the other one has more like 12. There were 6 in his class at orientation last week, but one of the moms switched her daughter out because she wanted her to have more girls in her class, so right now, there is only 1 girl in Owen's class. I think Owen could use some female influence too, but maybe the extra attention and other rough-and-tumbles will be a good fit for him. Some people pay big money for small classes, right? :)
Aw, Mom. The hair-straightening thing? Seriously??
Ready to rumble.
The only thing I don't really love is that there are two classes of 4's, and one is huge, and one is tiny. Right now, Owen's class only has 5 kids! I think the other one has more like 12. There were 6 in his class at orientation last week, but one of the moms switched her daughter out because she wanted her to have more girls in her class, so right now, there is only 1 girl in Owen's class. I think Owen could use some female influence too, but maybe the extra attention and other rough-and-tumbles will be a good fit for him. Some people pay big money for small classes, right? :)
Friday, September 9, 2011
But mom...
About 100 times a day...
"Owen, this is not a playground or a gym. You may not jump/climb/throw _________. Houses and things in houses are delicate and can break. Also, your body can break. Please do not do that again!"
Today: Hanging off of the stone mantlepiece of the brick-fronted fireplace by fingers and doing a sort of pullup.
Me: Owen, the house is not a gym. Please don't do that here. Save hanging and swinging for the playground.
Owen: But Mo-ohhhhm, in the Three Little Pigs the pig has a house built of bricks and it is so strong it doesn't break. This is all made of bricks and it doesn't wiggle at all or break. It is not delicate!
Me: Well, you're right about that. But because bricks are so strong and hard, that means your body would break easily if you fell and bumped yourself on them.
Owen: But look Mom, I can touch my toes while I hang from this shelf so it's not reeeeally dangerous.
Me: [pause. Sometimes trying to do better than the phrase, 'Because I said so' takes so much mental energy]
Well, it's just not an appropriate way to use the house. I know it's fun, but it's not really polite.
Owen: Pffffffffffffffffffffffbt. [Sits down. Sighs loudly.]
And herein is one of my problems. I have let the boys do a lot of energetic things around the house because I basically have the same thought process as Owen...is it really a big deal when it's not furniture I care much about (let's face it, we still have a lot of college and grad school stuff around here I'd be happy to see break!) and it's not really a high risk for injury? I've tended to let them do a lot, but lately, I have two hooligans on my hands who are inclined to climb the shelves at the library and hop up on the table at preschool orientation. They're actually worse in public places than they are at home, because all they see is a new selection of interesting gym equipment when we're somewhere different. So, I've started reigning things in at home, but if there's not an adequately engaging replacement activity, it just leads to restless, moody, disgruntled little males. Maybe it's time to invest in a swingset. But you know that after about 3 days, the swingset will look boring...not to mention covered in snow for half the year. I just signed Owen up for gymnastics again, but that's one hour per week. Jumping and general cavorting happen during all awake hours around here. Got a couple of live ones!!
"Owen, this is not a playground or a gym. You may not jump/climb/throw _________. Houses and things in houses are delicate and can break. Also, your body can break. Please do not do that again!"
Today: Hanging off of the stone mantlepiece of the brick-fronted fireplace by fingers and doing a sort of pullup.
Me: Owen, the house is not a gym. Please don't do that here. Save hanging and swinging for the playground.
Owen: But Mo-ohhhhm, in the Three Little Pigs the pig has a house built of bricks and it is so strong it doesn't break. This is all made of bricks and it doesn't wiggle at all or break. It is not delicate!
Me: Well, you're right about that. But because bricks are so strong and hard, that means your body would break easily if you fell and bumped yourself on them.
Owen: But look Mom, I can touch my toes while I hang from this shelf so it's not reeeeally dangerous.
Me: [pause. Sometimes trying to do better than the phrase, 'Because I said so' takes so much mental energy]
Well, it's just not an appropriate way to use the house. I know it's fun, but it's not really polite.
Owen: Pffffffffffffffffffffffbt. [Sits down. Sighs loudly.]
And herein is one of my problems. I have let the boys do a lot of energetic things around the house because I basically have the same thought process as Owen...is it really a big deal when it's not furniture I care much about (let's face it, we still have a lot of college and grad school stuff around here I'd be happy to see break!) and it's not really a high risk for injury? I've tended to let them do a lot, but lately, I have two hooligans on my hands who are inclined to climb the shelves at the library and hop up on the table at preschool orientation. They're actually worse in public places than they are at home, because all they see is a new selection of interesting gym equipment when we're somewhere different. So, I've started reigning things in at home, but if there's not an adequately engaging replacement activity, it just leads to restless, moody, disgruntled little males. Maybe it's time to invest in a swingset. But you know that after about 3 days, the swingset will look boring...not to mention covered in snow for half the year. I just signed Owen up for gymnastics again, but that's one hour per week. Jumping and general cavorting happen during all awake hours around here. Got a couple of live ones!!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Asher Dines
Asher at Breakfast
This video is probably seriously boring. Reuel caught some candid camera footage of Asher eating breakfast and since we get so little of Asher up here, thought I'd share. Not too exciting except for the truly interested!
This video is probably seriously boring. Reuel caught some candid camera footage of Asher eating breakfast and since we get so little of Asher up here, thought I'd share. Not too exciting except for the truly interested!
Energy = (# of boys)^2 * idle moments
Note
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Misc.
Asher's fave expressions of the moment:
'ight dere!' = right there!
'tank oo mommy' = thank you mommy
'Owen, TOP IT! NOO, Owaaaaan! Don't do dat, Owen!' = self-explanatory
'NACK!!!' = Give me a snack now, woman!! Or I'll throw a fit you won't believe!
'bekfast, uch, and upper' = in the same vein as 'nack'
'Mon-ter' = Monster, accompanied by Asher making a scrunched-up face and growling
"DA-EEEEEE" = DADDY!!!!
'Moo-bie, Mommy?' = Movie, please?
'Doing?' = What are you doing?
'Gwate!' = Great!
And a million other little phrases, but these are in extremely regular usage :) Asher is seriously cute and a barrel of laughs right now. Wish I could bottle this stage up and save some for later!! He laughs and keeps us laughing all day. He's turning into quite the ham, turning around to see if he's gotten us to laugh or not, and repeating ad nauseum whatever earns him chuckles.
Owen is piecing together a lot of things in his mind at present...very interesting to watch his gears turn and try to make sense of the world. He's also into joking with us and teasing and experimenting with what constitutes a funny joke. Reuel had teased Owen a few times by counting his fingers and coming up with 11 instead of 10 and Owen was quite bewildered. Reuel finally taught Owen how to 'count tricky' and now Owen takes great delight in counting Asher's fingers or toes to 11...or 12...or 25 recently. Asher just laughs because Owen's grabbing his toes, and Owen thinks he's being royally funny. An Owen conversation at the breakfast table went something like this:
Owen: [being bratty for the joy of it] You're not my family anymore! You're not my mommy. You're not my daddy. I don't have a brudder.
Me: Okay, are you going to live all by yourself, then?
Owen: Yes! I don't have a family.
Me: Well, if you don't have a mommy, who is going to make you things to eat?
Owen: I can cook food. I know how to cook. I can make toast.
Reuel: How are you going to get the food?
Owen: I can go to the grocery store!
Me: How are you going to get to the grocery store? It's far away.
Owen: [pause] I can drive the car? [All of us, Owen included, starting to snigger]
Reuel: How are you going to buy the food at the grocery store?
Owen: I will go to work and get some money [said under his hand at this point]
Me: Mmm-hmm.
New subject.
Tonight as I was tucking Owen into bed, he was having a sentimental moment, and started telling me about how much he likes Clover (seriously, he's holding onto this little crush!) and how she is his best friend. Then he also included Laura List as his best cousin. His two fave girls in the world right now! He went so far as to say, "Mom, I love them more than CANDY!" I asked him why he likes Clover so much and he quickly answered that it's because she knows how to climb trees. So apparently there are ways to the 4-yr old male heart other than through the stomach.
His declaration about the relative worth of people and candy was not in line with an earlier event in the day. He has been scheming for a long while now about spending some of the money he's earned from doing jobs on a toy. I keep putting him off telling him he needs to save up some more money to buy something actually worthwhile. Well, today there was a nice opportunity and we were near a Wal-Mart (not common in these parts). He had $6. Before going into the store, we put one of the dollars in the seat pocket to take to church and give to God on Sunday. Then, he knew he had $5 to spend, and kept pulling his wad of bills out of his pocket to count it and make sure it was still there as we headed to the cheap-toy section. First we hit the nicer toy section, and he was awfully disappointed to find out that everything that interested him was closer to the $20 range. Then, there were some bins of things more like you'd find at the dollar store, priced $1-5. He was ecstatic to find so many choices. First thing he did was pick out a ball that cost $1 for Asher. I thought that was incredibly sweet of him! Then, he found a gumball dispenser in his budget, and all the other choices were out the window; that was the winner! He was absolutely ga-ga about his purchase all the way home, talking and talking about it, looking it over from every angle inside it's plastic packaging, letting Asher hold it, and just proud, proud, proud. It was quite a bit of wallowing in the joy of a thing...so, Mom starts to wonder if this was such a great idea and says, "You know Owen, there are some things even better than buying yourself a toy. Even though it's fun to get something, the BEST thing in the world is spending time with people who you love and who love you." To which Owen promptly replies, "No. I like my gumball maker WAY better than THA-AT!"
Owen starts preschool 3 days/week in just a little over a week! Mixed feelings, though I know it will be great for all of us :) He's very ready for some more formal engagement of his brain than he's been getting lately from me, and some more structure. Looking forward to the individual time with Asher, too! Reuel and Owen will head off together those mornings, so it will be extra-weird not to be the one dropping him off (but lovely to not have to have all of us dressed, fed and buckled in by 8:30, don't get me wrong...I have scored royally in this arrangement ;).
'ight dere!' = right there!
'tank oo mommy' = thank you mommy
'Owen, TOP IT! NOO, Owaaaaan! Don't do dat, Owen!' = self-explanatory
'NACK!!!' = Give me a snack now, woman!! Or I'll throw a fit you won't believe!
'bekfast, uch, and upper' = in the same vein as 'nack'
'Mon-ter' = Monster, accompanied by Asher making a scrunched-up face and growling
"DA-EEEEEE" = DADDY!!!!
'Moo-bie, Mommy?' = Movie, please?
'Doing?' = What are you doing?
'Gwate!' = Great!
And a million other little phrases, but these are in extremely regular usage :) Asher is seriously cute and a barrel of laughs right now. Wish I could bottle this stage up and save some for later!! He laughs and keeps us laughing all day. He's turning into quite the ham, turning around to see if he's gotten us to laugh or not, and repeating ad nauseum whatever earns him chuckles.
Owen is piecing together a lot of things in his mind at present...very interesting to watch his gears turn and try to make sense of the world. He's also into joking with us and teasing and experimenting with what constitutes a funny joke. Reuel had teased Owen a few times by counting his fingers and coming up with 11 instead of 10 and Owen was quite bewildered. Reuel finally taught Owen how to 'count tricky' and now Owen takes great delight in counting Asher's fingers or toes to 11...or 12...or 25 recently. Asher just laughs because Owen's grabbing his toes, and Owen thinks he's being royally funny. An Owen conversation at the breakfast table went something like this:
Owen: [being bratty for the joy of it] You're not my family anymore! You're not my mommy. You're not my daddy. I don't have a brudder.
Me: Okay, are you going to live all by yourself, then?
Owen: Yes! I don't have a family.
Me: Well, if you don't have a mommy, who is going to make you things to eat?
Owen: I can cook food. I know how to cook. I can make toast.
Reuel: How are you going to get the food?
Owen: I can go to the grocery store!
Me: How are you going to get to the grocery store? It's far away.
Owen: [pause] I can drive the car? [All of us, Owen included, starting to snigger]
Reuel: How are you going to buy the food at the grocery store?
Owen: I will go to work and get some money [said under his hand at this point]
Me: Mmm-hmm.
New subject.
Tonight as I was tucking Owen into bed, he was having a sentimental moment, and started telling me about how much he likes Clover (seriously, he's holding onto this little crush!) and how she is his best friend. Then he also included Laura List as his best cousin. His two fave girls in the world right now! He went so far as to say, "Mom, I love them more than CANDY!" I asked him why he likes Clover so much and he quickly answered that it's because she knows how to climb trees. So apparently there are ways to the 4-yr old male heart other than through the stomach.
His declaration about the relative worth of people and candy was not in line with an earlier event in the day. He has been scheming for a long while now about spending some of the money he's earned from doing jobs on a toy. I keep putting him off telling him he needs to save up some more money to buy something actually worthwhile. Well, today there was a nice opportunity and we were near a Wal-Mart (not common in these parts). He had $6. Before going into the store, we put one of the dollars in the seat pocket to take to church and give to God on Sunday. Then, he knew he had $5 to spend, and kept pulling his wad of bills out of his pocket to count it and make sure it was still there as we headed to the cheap-toy section. First we hit the nicer toy section, and he was awfully disappointed to find out that everything that interested him was closer to the $20 range. Then, there were some bins of things more like you'd find at the dollar store, priced $1-5. He was ecstatic to find so many choices. First thing he did was pick out a ball that cost $1 for Asher. I thought that was incredibly sweet of him! Then, he found a gumball dispenser in his budget, and all the other choices were out the window; that was the winner! He was absolutely ga-ga about his purchase all the way home, talking and talking about it, looking it over from every angle inside it's plastic packaging, letting Asher hold it, and just proud, proud, proud. It was quite a bit of wallowing in the joy of a thing...so, Mom starts to wonder if this was such a great idea and says, "You know Owen, there are some things even better than buying yourself a toy. Even though it's fun to get something, the BEST thing in the world is spending time with people who you love and who love you." To which Owen promptly replies, "No. I like my gumball maker WAY better than THA-AT!"
Owen starts preschool 3 days/week in just a little over a week! Mixed feelings, though I know it will be great for all of us :) He's very ready for some more formal engagement of his brain than he's been getting lately from me, and some more structure. Looking forward to the individual time with Asher, too! Reuel and Owen will head off together those mornings, so it will be extra-weird not to be the one dropping him off (but lovely to not have to have all of us dressed, fed and buckled in by 8:30, don't get me wrong...I have scored royally in this arrangement ;).
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