Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Moving...again

Well, I guess we've gotten too comfortable in our current home. About the time we usually get settled in, Lucas' employers like to shake things up a bit. It seems that most of my worries revolve around children sleeping through the night and my family moving. This time, it's another move. Lucas leaves in February to work near the house we bought a while back.

What does that mean for the boys and I? Well, we get to stay put and see daddy on the weekends. My contract doesn't end until June. After that I suppose we'll move back into the house we own and I'll be looking for a job again. I'm not thrilled about parenting two very young children by myself for the next few months, but I'm glad we're looking at a move to a place we've already been.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Oh Christmas Tree

You want a Christmas full of stories? Well, you've come to the right place. Except that somewhere between when I thought of a ton of stories to write about and now, I seem to have forgotten a few. Let me start with a really good one and see what we get from there.

So as you may have read on my last post. We were without a Christmas tree on the eve of the big holiday because there weren't any left in town. Then, an angel whom we'll call Sarah (otherwise known as Lucas' sister and Auntie Sarah), appeared for her visit with a beautiful tree in the back of her truck. There were still trees where she lives, so she thought she'd bring an extra present. I have to say that I was nearly moved to tears by her kindness. I had never realized how empty and nonfestive a house would be without a tree. The other decorations should be enough, right? Wrong...wrong...wrong. A tree is such an important part of setting the mood. How silly! Thank you Auntie Sarah for helping to make this Christmas such a special holiday.
Though it's not a story, we did have Lucas' parents here for a visit as well. I enjoyed their company, fine cooking, and help around the house. Dean enjoyed their company and creative ideas. I think Lucas was just as excited about being surrounded by his family as he was about the helpfulness of them being here. We were truly blessed.

This Christmas is the first present related celebration that Dean learned that presents have really cool things inside. That made it extra fun and eventually overwhelming for him. He was really excited about so many presents, but the funniest one was a red dog (stuffed animal) that he got from the same auntie mentioned above. When he opened it, he started barking and rolling around with hysterical spasm-like energy all over the living room floor. I tried to get it on camera, but failed. Oh how I failed. It was pretty funny to watch though.

The only other story I can remember is not a funny one. Lucas was pulling the ham out of the oven and managed to spill the liquid on his thigh. Well, ok maybe it was a little funny when I heard him yell ouch and came into the kitchen to find him with his pants around his ankles. That's my preteen since of humor I suppose. After running cool water over it for a bit it turned out fine. Poor Lucas.

A picture of the family (and tree). As always, double click the picture for a larger image.

The boys...

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Less Decorating

Well, the idea of waiting until Christmas Eve to set up the tree seemed great. No fighting toddler to leave the tree be, fun entertainment for the in-laws, and a discounted price as the tree sellers try to get rid of their last trees.

Until tonight when we found out that there were no trees left in our town. None. So, uhh...we don't have a tree this year. We are hosting Christmas for Lucas' family, but thankfully they're not too upset. I do have to say that it doesn't quite feel Christmas like here in the house without the tree. I DO have a sented candle that is supposed to smell like an evergreen. It's something.

Christmas Decorating

This year's decorations for Christmas are going a bit differently than last year. We still have not set up the tree, and are waiting for Lucas' family to come help us. I didn't want to try to keep Dean out of the tree while nursing a newborn and healing up. By the way, I totally screwed up my shoulder/neck about two weeks ago trying to haul said toddler out of trouble while nursing said newborn. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I still can not turn my head very far to the right.

Today Dean and I set up some of the Christmas decorations. This is what he wore for the occasion. His Halloween costume...he's a "siwwy ba" (aka Silly Bear).
This is what Jack was doing.

The Story of My Life...or Dean's Rather

Sick...again. Dean has a fever, itchy rash, runny nose, cough, and suffers from general crankiness. Poor little guy. I wonder if he'll always be sick through life.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Relished Sleep

Just because I like to jinx myself and also because I have been so hyper-focused on a full night sleep for the past 2 years (yes, two years and not one full night of sleep for me...not one).

Dean is still waking up at night, but is easily comforted and goes right back to sleep after daddy visits him, tells him it's time to go back to sleep, and good night. Jack has one chunk of 3 hours solid sleep at the beginning of the night, from there on out it's anybody's guess. But three whole hours people! Sometimes I don't get more than three hours of sleep. To have it all at once...oh how blessed I am.

This week, I begin my normal mommy routine as I'll have both boys home with me full time. We'll of course have Christmas right in the middle of this week with my in-laws around to play with, the weekend with dad, and a neighborhood girl for the beginning half of next week. So I guess I've cheated a bit. I'm excited to have time with both of them though. They grow so quickly. I can't believe that Jack has already been in my life for a full month. Two more weeks and I stop being stay at home mommy. It makes me a bit sad this time around. I'll miss both of them.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

In the Land I Find Funny

I have not been posting because I am so very enjoying my time alone with Jack. In the beginning, I enjoyed our naps the most, but the past few weeks I've been savoring the time I have to study his little fingers, toes, and face. Tomorrow is our last day with this kind of time together. Though it saddens me, I am also a little excited about the time I'll have with Dean and Jack at home with me before I have to return to work and reduce all of my mommy time to but a fraction of what I have now. The poor dears, and their poor mommy.


So, a story maybe only I will find funny because you probably had to be there. This morning, 6:30 am after a long night of feeding, burping, and rocking, I am getting Dean ready for daycare. He finds little Jack's tiny sock and begins some trial and error which leads him to realize that Jack's socks are too tiny for Dean's not itty bitty enough feet. I still think of Dean's feet as small, adorable and soft...I love love love them. Anyway, we get to the part where I am changing Dean's pull up. And Dean finds a place for that tiny sock. A piece of his body that does fit, perfectly...It is very PRIVATE.
Some of you have inquired as to Dean's reaction to little brother Jack. He loves him dearly...maybe a little too much. In Dean's world, Jack is another toy to play with, tackle, poke, and if at all possible smother with every ounce of his being. Sounds lovely doesn't it. Until you are the one trying to protect little brother from 30 lbs of uncontained love. We've been learning ways to play with Jack and ways NOT to play with Jack.
Exhibit A:
Dean: Jack see Ca? See ca? Mooooo!
Jack is very interested until cow ends up in Jacks face at which point he screams. Then Dean screams, and eventually mommy has to remind herself not to scream.
Exhibit B: Dean gets to hold Jack in his lap with Daddy very close by. Jack is screaming...so is Dean because he thinks it's funny that Jack is screaming.
We remind Dean to calm down and be kind to little brother. Be gentle. So Dean gives him a kiss (his favorite thing to do with little Jack, but usually while trying to lean his total body weight on him).
Dean: Uh-oh. pac-ier pac-ier! (He helps put it back in to Jack's mouth.)
Dean gives us one of his ham it up smiles. I think he just took that same pacifier out of Jack's mouth. Poor Jack. So loved, yet mistreated.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A Little More Experience

You would think that I'd have learned a few tricks with my first child so that I'd not make as many mistakes with my second child. Unfortunately, I've just become more relaxed, less cautious, and maybe a bit more lazy.



Note to self: Be ready with a diaper while examining the circumcision or you're likely to have him pee in your face. Dean never got me in the face. What have I been reduced to?



A cute picture of the boys. Some of you have seen this already on my Facebook page. Sorry for the repeat...again with the laziness.