We've had a little snow here in the last few days. OK, kind of a lot of snow. And it's kind of cold. The good news is that we've had fun sledding as a family - apparently Mark and I sledding together in one plastic toboggan was entertaining for all involved - and the boys have left tracks in every corner of the yard. Eventually, however, it's time to just hunker down and entertain ourselves indoors where it's warm. Good thing we live with these two.
It's a little long but there just wasn't a logical edit point before I ended it. However, if you're inclined to skip forward please do check out the 1:19 mark, where for some inexplicable reason Thomas decides he needs more leverage.
Right after this filming, Mark demonstrated his ability to do a handstand. There's more cold in the forecast so we're considering adding that to the act later this week. Stay tuned.
January 4, 2010
January 1, 2010
Resolved
I was a debate student in high school, albeit not a particularly good one. I think my research was good, but my actual debate season took a nosedive when my partner had a panic attack during our first real round. From then on I was basically partnerless and debated only a handful of times with random other people in my class at our teacher's discretion because he wouldn't put Ms. Anxiety back on the stand. I think a mental health professional had probably advised against it.
In any event, in debate there is an annual resolution. It's a statement that one team affirms and the other tries to negate. It's up for discussion but it's not some crazy statement that someone could prove wrong, per se. Kind of like New Year's Resolutions. There's no right or wrong, I hope, but more just differing ways of approaching them. I had the pleasure of talking with someone at Thanksgiving Dinner this year who suggested that New Year's Resolutions were important, and that we should all have them, but that they shouldn't be punitive. I like that. She also suggested that they shouldn't really be truly measurable. She's an economist for the Federal Reserve Bank so if she says so...
With that I present my New Year's Resolutions.
We ushered this year in with friends and their kids. It involved some wine, some whining, lots of running, good conversation and some party hats and sparkly leis. We were all asleep before midnight, gaining a jump start on the new year. Madeline didn't get to go to the party so Andrew brought it to her.
Happy New Year!
In any event, in debate there is an annual resolution. It's a statement that one team affirms and the other tries to negate. It's up for discussion but it's not some crazy statement that someone could prove wrong, per se. Kind of like New Year's Resolutions. There's no right or wrong, I hope, but more just differing ways of approaching them. I had the pleasure of talking with someone at Thanksgiving Dinner this year who suggested that New Year's Resolutions were important, and that we should all have them, but that they shouldn't be punitive. I like that. She also suggested that they shouldn't really be truly measurable. She's an economist for the Federal Reserve Bank so if she says so...
With that I present my New Year's Resolutions.
- Less time in front of a computer - it can't be avoided at work but it can be at home.
- More time in the moment - I have a feeling that #1 will help with that at home.
- More time in pajamas - we've gotten a jump start on this in the last week. I think it's good.
- Good wine, good coffee, good food - if we're gonna do it, let's do it right.
- More flexibility - this incorporates yoga and general spontaneity.
- Less "no" without cause - mostly with my kids but probably just in general.
- More thoughtful action for our earth - I have lovely reusable grocery bags. I should use them, as a start.
- Less waiting for someone else to fix things for me - whether it's hanging a picture or figuring out how to get from figurative point A to point B in life.
- More time in a church sanctuary - this should be easy to achieve.
- More time with people who are really important to me and who like me for who I am and vice versa.
- Less time with people who aren't and don't.
- More pedicures.
- Less complaining - either fix it or love it as it is.
- More action - or, more specifically, less inaction.
We ushered this year in with friends and their kids. It involved some wine, some whining, lots of running, good conversation and some party hats and sparkly leis. We were all asleep before midnight, gaining a jump start on the new year. Madeline didn't get to go to the party so Andrew brought it to her.
December 21, 2009
About last night
So, we spent last night in the ER. That was not a really good way to spend a Sunday evening and I would heartily recommend against it. I would also heartily recommend against letting your three-year-old fall out of his chair at the dinner table and land flat on his back, with the back of his head against tile as the first point of contact. Not good.
Your first sign that you're headed to the ER in such a situation is said child NOT crying immediately upon hitting the floor. Your next sign is that when said child does start crying it's more a blood-curdling, slobbery scream and he's telling you in no uncertain terms that he would like for his forehead to stop hurting because, as the screaming would suggest, it's hurting a lot. The next signs came more slowly, over the next 20 minutes, but included the child begging to go to bed, acting as if he would now be vomiting and refusing to talk to us. And then he started talking and it was kind of disturbing and not quite right. That's when we called Grandma and asked her to please drop everything and come be with Andrew. (Grandma rocks, by the way. Not only did she drop everything to come over but she also cleaned up our entire dinner mess which was uneaten and all over the kitchen, making it possible for us to drag it out tonight and try again.)
The good news is that after a few hours in the local ER and a physician-endorsed catnap, he began to come around and we were eventually sent home with instructions on caring for a child with a concussion. I'm thinking that I'll probably not be winning my mother of the year award now, since my son has a bruised brain and all. If there can be a silver lining to a sucky accident it is that he wasn't horsing around when it happened, he wasn't dancing on the table or doing something else he shouldn't have been and I was in the room but just not fast enough. Bad circumstances.
The other good news is that he has been willing to take it easy today and his balance seems to be more up-to-par this evening. He also had the energy to help his brother with this project tonight...
These all started out under the tree. They're now in the living room but they were calling themselves the Christmas elves so how do you put an end to that activity?
Also, right before bed, he had the energy - when asked to please stop crying because something hadn't gone his way - to say the following to me with a very serious look on his face. "Mommy, I cannot stop crying because every time you do something wrong, it makes me cry."
Definitely back to normal.
Your first sign that you're headed to the ER in such a situation is said child NOT crying immediately upon hitting the floor. Your next sign is that when said child does start crying it's more a blood-curdling, slobbery scream and he's telling you in no uncertain terms that he would like for his forehead to stop hurting because, as the screaming would suggest, it's hurting a lot. The next signs came more slowly, over the next 20 minutes, but included the child begging to go to bed, acting as if he would now be vomiting and refusing to talk to us. And then he started talking and it was kind of disturbing and not quite right. That's when we called Grandma and asked her to please drop everything and come be with Andrew. (Grandma rocks, by the way. Not only did she drop everything to come over but she also cleaned up our entire dinner mess which was uneaten and all over the kitchen, making it possible for us to drag it out tonight and try again.)
The good news is that after a few hours in the local ER and a physician-endorsed catnap, he began to come around and we were eventually sent home with instructions on caring for a child with a concussion. I'm thinking that I'll probably not be winning my mother of the year award now, since my son has a bruised brain and all. If there can be a silver lining to a sucky accident it is that he wasn't horsing around when it happened, he wasn't dancing on the table or doing something else he shouldn't have been and I was in the room but just not fast enough. Bad circumstances.
The other good news is that he has been willing to take it easy today and his balance seems to be more up-to-par this evening. He also had the energy to help his brother with this project tonight...
These all started out under the tree. They're now in the living room but they were calling themselves the Christmas elves so how do you put an end to that activity?
Also, right before bed, he had the energy - when asked to please stop crying because something hadn't gone his way - to say the following to me with a very serious look on his face. "Mommy, I cannot stop crying because every time you do something wrong, it makes me cry."
Definitely back to normal.
December 16, 2009
FAN-tastic!
This evening, while discussing a trip to California to visit family, Thomas became very excited and announced that he would very much like to go visit Butch & RoRo's house because, and I quote, he remembers how much fun it was. I asked him what exactly was so fun and he replied quickly and confidently.
"When we visit California, I get up VERY early with daddy and I pull the little red wagon around on RoRo's brown floor and it's VERY loud and I get up VERY early there. I mean, like, REALLY early."
Yes, son, you do. So we have that working for us.
"When we visit California, I get up VERY early with daddy and I pull the little red wagon around on RoRo's brown floor and it's VERY loud and I get up VERY early there. I mean, like, REALLY early."
Yes, son, you do. So we have that working for us.
December 6, 2009
In your footsteps
I wonder what it feels like to have a mini-me living in your home? Maybe Mark could shed some light on that for us. Consider Exhibit A:
He's as considerate as his daddy and as interested in the computer. Mark uses the headphones to block us out listen to online content while he's at the computer. Thomas did it while playing the Old McDonald game for, I suppose, exactly the same reasons.
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