Walter and Grant's conversation at lunch today:
Grant: I see a squirrel, Mommy! I see a squirrel.
Walter: Where? I don't see squirrel. I don't see squirrel. Where is its mommy? Where is its mommy?
Me: She's probably hiding in the woods. Do you still see the squirrel, Grant?
Grant: No. Maybe dinosaur get it. Maybe dinosaur get it.
Walter: Maybe bear get it.
Grant: No.
Walter: No.
Grant: No.
Walter: NO! (yelling now)
Grant: He won't give me privacy, Mommy. He won't give me privacy.
Me: Do you want Walter to leave you alone, Grant?
Grant nods.
Me: Walter, let's leave Grant alone for a minute.
Grant: He won't give me privacy, Mommy.
Me: Well, I guess it's hard to give you privacy when you're sitting at the same table.
Grant: He won't give me privacy.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
I've been enjoying some unplugged time lately- from blogging and from facebook. It's really been quite nice! But now it seems like I have a lot to catch up on in my little blogging community- my friends haven't slowed down while I've been away!
The greatest thing that I've done since I last blogged was join a tennis team. It has given me such a nice break from all the other things in my life- the kids, the house (which seems like it will never sell, despite an increase in traffic lately), and the cleaning that comes along with having your house on the market. What a pain that is. I've even had a chance to go to the courts all by myself while the boys have been in school - to practice my serve. I'm really glad I started playing tennis again.
The most blog-worthy thing that happened in the last couple of weeks was the sequin incident. One day I picked the boys up from school, and their teachers told me that Walter's eye was really bothering him. I did notice that his eye was watering, but he fell asleep on the ride home and then slept for about 3 hours. When he woke up crying, I made a doctor's appt, not knowing what was wrong. The minute I hung up the phone, I got a glimpse of the blue-green sequin. It was under his lower lid, hidden in the corner of his eye. Walter was very brave at the doctor's office (who had no idea how to remove a sequin from a 2-year old's eye, but a very smart nurse had the idea of flushing it out with water. It took 3 of us holding him down, plus the doctor, to remove the sequin.) No more sequins for Walter.
Walter and Grant would have gone to school today for an Easter egg hunt and a hat parade, but Walter has had a fever since last night. He's upstairs asleep and Grant has been "hiding" Easter eggs from me. (I'll attach a picture of his idea of hiding.)
Brian has been traveling 2-3 nights a week. That's just his job now and we've gotten used to it. The boys really miss him, but they also seem to understand that he's out of town and he'll be back soon. They still ask where he is, but they don't get upset when I tell them.
This weekend is my 15 year high school reunion in Chattanooga. Brian and I are going up on Saturday for one night. I can't wait to see all my friends! Some people I haven't seen since college, which feels like forever ago. It should be fun and hopefully I'll get some good pictures.
That's it for now- must get back to Grant.
The greatest thing that I've done since I last blogged was join a tennis team. It has given me such a nice break from all the other things in my life- the kids, the house (which seems like it will never sell, despite an increase in traffic lately), and the cleaning that comes along with having your house on the market. What a pain that is. I've even had a chance to go to the courts all by myself while the boys have been in school - to practice my serve. I'm really glad I started playing tennis again.
The most blog-worthy thing that happened in the last couple of weeks was the sequin incident. One day I picked the boys up from school, and their teachers told me that Walter's eye was really bothering him. I did notice that his eye was watering, but he fell asleep on the ride home and then slept for about 3 hours. When he woke up crying, I made a doctor's appt, not knowing what was wrong. The minute I hung up the phone, I got a glimpse of the blue-green sequin. It was under his lower lid, hidden in the corner of his eye. Walter was very brave at the doctor's office (who had no idea how to remove a sequin from a 2-year old's eye, but a very smart nurse had the idea of flushing it out with water. It took 3 of us holding him down, plus the doctor, to remove the sequin.) No more sequins for Walter.
Walter and Grant would have gone to school today for an Easter egg hunt and a hat parade, but Walter has had a fever since last night. He's upstairs asleep and Grant has been "hiding" Easter eggs from me. (I'll attach a picture of his idea of hiding.)
Brian has been traveling 2-3 nights a week. That's just his job now and we've gotten used to it. The boys really miss him, but they also seem to understand that he's out of town and he'll be back soon. They still ask where he is, but they don't get upset when I tell them.
This weekend is my 15 year high school reunion in Chattanooga. Brian and I are going up on Saturday for one night. I can't wait to see all my friends! Some people I haven't seen since college, which feels like forever ago. It should be fun and hopefully I'll get some good pictures.
That's it for now- must get back to Grant.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Earlier today I was changing Walter's diaper, a very mushy, green, smelly poo poo diaper, when Grant walked up and looked over my shoulder and said, "Ewwww. Yucky!" And laughed. And I laughed, too, because it was funny. Funny that my children are one month away from being three, and they are still in diapers. Funny that for the last 3 days, Grant has pooped at least 5 times a day (and he has the diaper rash to prove it). Funny that we have gone through at least 8 diapers a day for the last almost 3 years: that's 8,440 diapers considering they are 40 days shy of their 3rd birthday. Funny that they will probably be in diapers for at least another 3 months. If we piled up all those diapers, would it fill our house? Maybe. I would like for someone to tell me one of those fun facts- like the one that says it would take 2 and a half weeks to count to a million, without stopping to sleep or eat. (There was something like this posted at the Creative Discovery Museum.) But most of all, FUN because my children are finally learning to talk and play with like brothers! They get to enjoy those things with each other. They ask questions, repeat each other, make things up, but mostly they roar like monsters.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Chattanooga
Last weekend we went to Chattanooga to meet (finally!) our new niece, Claire-Ann. She's awesome! She could not be any cuter or sweeter. She has these adorable little rosebud lips and beautiful blue eyes. Unfortunately I did not get to see too much of her eyes- this child sleeps! The first day we saw her, Friday, she did not open her eyes once for me, but on Saturday I caught a few glimpses. I think the three of them were a little sleep-deprived. I've said this a lot- it is hard to travel with kids. I'm not sure it gets any easier- ever! (Katy could probably tell us better than anyone.)
So we saw John, Rachel and Claire-Ann at Granny Betsy's house on Friday, then we went to Granddad's to spend the night that night. Saturday morning we left the house around 8 and went to have breakfast at Aretha Frankenstein's. Dad has been telling me about this place for a while now, so it was fun to finally experience it: those perfectly circular, extremely puffy pancakes. They were yummy. Dad bought us some of the pancake mix, so we will try to recreate them.
After breakfast, we went to the Creative Discovery Museum. I've been wanting to take Grant and Walter there for ages, and I'm so glad we finally went. They had a blast! We learned that we should pack a change of clothes for next time- or use the waterproof aprons they provide. Walter and Grant were so wet when we left that we had to take off their shirts. And there is the most wonderful sandbox- where the kids can dig up dinosaur bones- but of course they play with water first, so the sand sticks to their wet clothes. Wet and sandy- not my favorite combo.
Really, though, this museum was so much fun and I recommend a day trip to Chattanooga just for it- if you don't have time to see anything else. It amazes me how much there is to do with kids in such a small radius in Chattanooga- we have as much or more to do here, but you have to travel pretty far to get to everything. There, you don't have to drive more than about 10 minutes to get to anything. Next time we go, I'd like to do Rock City or Lake Winnie.
After the museum, we went to Reflection Riding for a family picnic. We ate at the very place where Brian proposed to me! It was a beautiful day and we're glad Walter and Grant got to spend this time with Granddaddy JAC, Granny Betsy, Granddad, and his cousin, aunt and uncle. RR has always been a special place for me and my family. It was fun to see Walter and Grant running (or being carried, while screaming) down the same gravel roads where I used to run when I was little.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera to Chatt- but I will have plenty of pics from Uncle John to upload.
here we go- I'm not sure why these came out so small- even when I selected the largest setting.
So we saw John, Rachel and Claire-Ann at Granny Betsy's house on Friday, then we went to Granddad's to spend the night that night. Saturday morning we left the house around 8 and went to have breakfast at Aretha Frankenstein's. Dad has been telling me about this place for a while now, so it was fun to finally experience it: those perfectly circular, extremely puffy pancakes. They were yummy. Dad bought us some of the pancake mix, so we will try to recreate them.
After breakfast, we went to the Creative Discovery Museum. I've been wanting to take Grant and Walter there for ages, and I'm so glad we finally went. They had a blast! We learned that we should pack a change of clothes for next time- or use the waterproof aprons they provide. Walter and Grant were so wet when we left that we had to take off their shirts. And there is the most wonderful sandbox- where the kids can dig up dinosaur bones- but of course they play with water first, so the sand sticks to their wet clothes. Wet and sandy- not my favorite combo.
Really, though, this museum was so much fun and I recommend a day trip to Chattanooga just for it- if you don't have time to see anything else. It amazes me how much there is to do with kids in such a small radius in Chattanooga- we have as much or more to do here, but you have to travel pretty far to get to everything. There, you don't have to drive more than about 10 minutes to get to anything. Next time we go, I'd like to do Rock City or Lake Winnie.
After the museum, we went to Reflection Riding for a family picnic. We ate at the very place where Brian proposed to me! It was a beautiful day and we're glad Walter and Grant got to spend this time with Granddaddy JAC, Granny Betsy, Granddad, and his cousin, aunt and uncle. RR has always been a special place for me and my family. It was fun to see Walter and Grant running (or being carried, while screaming) down the same gravel roads where I used to run when I was little.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera to Chatt- but I will have plenty of pics from Uncle John to upload.
here we go- I'm not sure why these came out so small- even when I selected the largest setting.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
if you take a kid to Target
We recently bought a few of the "If you give a" series (If you give a Cat a Cupcake is currently Walter's favorite book, so thank you, Bizzy) and it makes me laugh to realize how much these books are like our lives right now.
Here's my version...
If you take the twins to Target, they'll say "there it is" all the way there, and also point out the airport 5 or 6 times (which happens to be about a 50 minute drive to the south of us.) "There airport, Mommy. There airport, Mommy?" One of them will say "we're following that car, Mommy" each time you get behind a different car.
When you get there, you will say, "There it is, to the right," and "There it is, to the left," because you are in a moving car and for some reason you are trying to teach your children the difference between left and right.
When you get out of the car, your twins will yell at each other all the way into the store- "I don't want a shopping cart." Then the other- "No. I want a shopping cart." Then you- "Walter, you can walk beside the shopping cart, and Grant, you can ride in the shopping cart." Then Walter- "I don't want a shopping cart." And Grant- "No. I want a shopping cart." And over and over while the woman walking in the store with you laughs.
You head for the diapers, because that is the only thing you need to buy, even though you know you will leave the store with no fewer than fifteen items in your cart and a bill of at least $60. You debate over whether to buy the size 5 pampers or the size 6. The size 5 is a little small and tight, but the size 6 is way too baggy and falls to their knees the minute they release any amount of pee pee into them. You decide on the snug 5's. There are more in that box, which costs the same amount as the size 6's, which has fewer diapers. (I always feel like I'm getting cheated when my children go up a size and I am charged the same amount for fewer diapers... it's not as if your child pees and poops less the bigger he gets.)
After diapers, you move on to bubble bath, while telling Grant to hold on and telling Walter to stay with us. Don't touch that, please. Please put that back. No, we don't need that today. Yes, I do see Thomas on that. Yes, that is a race car. How neat! I love race cars. Yes, I think that is Lightning McQueen.
You debate over which bubble bath to buy. This is a tough one. We go through bubble bath quickly at our house, so I feel like I just bought it. Do we buy the Bert's Bees 10 oz. bottle for $8.99, because we love the scent and it clearly says it's 99% natural, which means surely it won't cause cancer like everything else will, or do we buy the 14 oz. bottle of Thomas the Train bubble bath for $2.99? It smells like bubble gum. The boys will love it because it has Thomas on it. It will last longer. You put it in your shopping cart. You say, "Look, it's Thomas! Wanta smell?" You make it half-way across the aisle, and you stop and think, this can't be good for their little bodies. And you leave the cart in the middle of the aisle, blocking traffic, while you go back to trade it out for Bert's. (For some reason I just can't convince myself that it's ok to buy cheap bubble bath. The epidermis is the body's biggest organ, you know.)
Meanwhile, your twins are saying, "toys, Mommy. toys, Mommy. toys, Mommy." This is all during the bubble bath deliberation. "Ok, which way to the toys? Left or right? Right! No, Walter, that's left. Come this way. Walter. Walter." (now Walter catches up, runs past us, and stops right in front of our cart, where I almost hit him and have to swerve, knocking Grant, who is standing up in the cart, over.)
You make it to the toys. Twins push every button on every race car. Ask what's his name to every car from the movie Cars (will they ever stop producing toys from that movie? I mean, enough is enough.) Say, "I want this, Mommy." To which I reply, "well, your birthday is coming up, so maybe you can have it for your birthday." (After an April birthday, is it ok to go ahead and start using Christmas?)
You decide you can't take the toy section anymore. "Let's go look at books!" Walter wants to push the cart(Grant is out of it by now). Of course you let him. Along the way, "Walter, watch where you're going. Walter, slow down. There's a person up there. You're doing such a good job, Walter! Now turn left here, Walter. No, this way. Grant, we're going this way. Yes, it'll be your turn to push the cart soon. Walter, you're really good at pushing that thing in a straight line."
You reach the books. Grant: Elmo, Mommy! What's that, Mommy? Mickey Mouse, Mommy! What's that, Mommy? Oh, a pen.
Walter still pushing the cart.
Grant: Come back, Yalter!
You point things out along the way, asking them, "what is that? who is that?", making sure that this trip has been both a fun-filled and educational experience. When you reach the check-out line, you ask them to please help you put the items on the belt. Gently, please. Can you pick this up? I know, it's heavy. Ok, I will help you. Thank you.
You pay and your children demand stickers from the check-out boy. You tell them to say please. They shout "sticker, please!" You watch as the check-out boy goes to 3 different counters looking for stickers. He returns with 2. The boys beam. You say, "say thank you." "Thinkyoo!" You thank him as well, this teenage boy who has just searched for something to make your sons so happy.
As you leave the store, you let Grant push the cart, reminding him to watch out and slow down. Walter is walking with his "baby," tired from this learning experience. You slowly cross the street, asking Walter to hold your hand and Grant to push it to the right a little. You make it to your car. You see your neighbor, who shouts from her car, "You have the patience of Job!" You say something self-deprecating and then something sarcastic, while inside you beam with pride at a successful hour of mothering at Target. You know that the next hour may not go nearly as well as this one.
Maybe it is a good thing that I get to stay home with my kids? Maybe they aren't learning only when they're at school? Maybe. I hope so.
Maybe I need to put down this glass of wine and get to bed.
Here's my version...
If you take the twins to Target, they'll say "there it is" all the way there, and also point out the airport 5 or 6 times (which happens to be about a 50 minute drive to the south of us.) "There airport, Mommy. There airport, Mommy?" One of them will say "we're following that car, Mommy" each time you get behind a different car.
When you get there, you will say, "There it is, to the right," and "There it is, to the left," because you are in a moving car and for some reason you are trying to teach your children the difference between left and right.
When you get out of the car, your twins will yell at each other all the way into the store- "I don't want a shopping cart." Then the other- "No. I want a shopping cart." Then you- "Walter, you can walk beside the shopping cart, and Grant, you can ride in the shopping cart." Then Walter- "I don't want a shopping cart." And Grant- "No. I want a shopping cart." And over and over while the woman walking in the store with you laughs.
You head for the diapers, because that is the only thing you need to buy, even though you know you will leave the store with no fewer than fifteen items in your cart and a bill of at least $60. You debate over whether to buy the size 5 pampers or the size 6. The size 5 is a little small and tight, but the size 6 is way too baggy and falls to their knees the minute they release any amount of pee pee into them. You decide on the snug 5's. There are more in that box, which costs the same amount as the size 6's, which has fewer diapers. (I always feel like I'm getting cheated when my children go up a size and I am charged the same amount for fewer diapers... it's not as if your child pees and poops less the bigger he gets.)
After diapers, you move on to bubble bath, while telling Grant to hold on and telling Walter to stay with us. Don't touch that, please. Please put that back. No, we don't need that today. Yes, I do see Thomas on that. Yes, that is a race car. How neat! I love race cars. Yes, I think that is Lightning McQueen.
You debate over which bubble bath to buy. This is a tough one. We go through bubble bath quickly at our house, so I feel like I just bought it. Do we buy the Bert's Bees 10 oz. bottle for $8.99, because we love the scent and it clearly says it's 99% natural, which means surely it won't cause cancer like everything else will, or do we buy the 14 oz. bottle of Thomas the Train bubble bath for $2.99? It smells like bubble gum. The boys will love it because it has Thomas on it. It will last longer. You put it in your shopping cart. You say, "Look, it's Thomas! Wanta smell?" You make it half-way across the aisle, and you stop and think, this can't be good for their little bodies. And you leave the cart in the middle of the aisle, blocking traffic, while you go back to trade it out for Bert's. (For some reason I just can't convince myself that it's ok to buy cheap bubble bath. The epidermis is the body's biggest organ, you know.)
Meanwhile, your twins are saying, "toys, Mommy. toys, Mommy. toys, Mommy." This is all during the bubble bath deliberation. "Ok, which way to the toys? Left or right? Right! No, Walter, that's left. Come this way. Walter. Walter." (now Walter catches up, runs past us, and stops right in front of our cart, where I almost hit him and have to swerve, knocking Grant, who is standing up in the cart, over.)
You make it to the toys. Twins push every button on every race car. Ask what's his name to every car from the movie Cars (will they ever stop producing toys from that movie? I mean, enough is enough.) Say, "I want this, Mommy." To which I reply, "well, your birthday is coming up, so maybe you can have it for your birthday." (After an April birthday, is it ok to go ahead and start using Christmas?)
You decide you can't take the toy section anymore. "Let's go look at books!" Walter wants to push the cart(Grant is out of it by now). Of course you let him. Along the way, "Walter, watch where you're going. Walter, slow down. There's a person up there. You're doing such a good job, Walter! Now turn left here, Walter. No, this way. Grant, we're going this way. Yes, it'll be your turn to push the cart soon. Walter, you're really good at pushing that thing in a straight line."
You reach the books. Grant: Elmo, Mommy! What's that, Mommy? Mickey Mouse, Mommy! What's that, Mommy? Oh, a pen.
Walter still pushing the cart.
Grant: Come back, Yalter!
You point things out along the way, asking them, "what is that? who is that?", making sure that this trip has been both a fun-filled and educational experience. When you reach the check-out line, you ask them to please help you put the items on the belt. Gently, please. Can you pick this up? I know, it's heavy. Ok, I will help you. Thank you.
You pay and your children demand stickers from the check-out boy. You tell them to say please. They shout "sticker, please!" You watch as the check-out boy goes to 3 different counters looking for stickers. He returns with 2. The boys beam. You say, "say thank you." "Thinkyoo!" You thank him as well, this teenage boy who has just searched for something to make your sons so happy.
As you leave the store, you let Grant push the cart, reminding him to watch out and slow down. Walter is walking with his "baby," tired from this learning experience. You slowly cross the street, asking Walter to hold your hand and Grant to push it to the right a little. You make it to your car. You see your neighbor, who shouts from her car, "You have the patience of Job!" You say something self-deprecating and then something sarcastic, while inside you beam with pride at a successful hour of mothering at Target. You know that the next hour may not go nearly as well as this one.
Maybe it is a good thing that I get to stay home with my kids? Maybe they aren't learning only when they're at school? Maybe. I hope so.
Maybe I need to put down this glass of wine and get to bed.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
one more cousin on the way...
Our family is growing! Walter and Grant have a new cousin on the way! Lauren is due in September. It's been a very long 12 weeks, and I know she's looking forward to feeling better.
Tyler is going to have so much fun teaching his little brother or sister all of his tricks! We can't wait!
Tyler is going to have so much fun teaching his little brother or sister all of his tricks! We can't wait!
Monday, February 23, 2009
wanted to write down some cute things before I forget them:
Grant is always saying, "Uh-Oh Mommy." He frequently ends his sentences with "Mommy." This makes me so happy.
The redundant no: "No. Uh-uh." Usually Grant says this. Today I corrected him by saying, "No, thank you." He replied with, "No, thank you. Uh-uh."
Walter is always saying, "I take you tonight, Daddy?" Meaning, Daddy, will you put me to bed tonight? Of course it's always followed by the declarative, "I take you, Daddy! I take you." (in other words, get lost, Grant. He's all mine. And, of course, get lost, Mommy. I want Daddy.)
Still loving the naked life. Nay-Nay! Nay-Nay! This occurs pretty much every evening. They love to run around the house "nay-nay", yelling "Super-bunny!" "Super bunny to the rescue!" (for the longest time I didn't know where they got that, then I realized it's from Max and Ruby.) They are also into motorcycling- running around with their arms straight in front of them.
They are both completely in love with their daddy. I haven't mentioned this much, but it's true- they are way into Daddy these days. And have been for a while. They are fortunate to have a very fun daddy. Brian is extra fun, probably better than Disney world. I'll let you know in a couple of months.
We've moved on from trains to cars. Still into trains, but more into cars. I feel for the little girls who come over to play, because our house is so BOY. Well, there is a small kitchen in the closet under the stairs, but everything else is total boy. I love it. :)
Grant had a stomach bug over the weekend, but he's feeling much better today. He went to school because he didn't get sick all day on Sunday. The teachers said he was great- I expected them to say he was fussy, but they didn't. I'm praying Walter doesn't get it. The last time we had a stomach bug, it took about a day before its next victim started showing signs of sickness.
Grant is always saying, "Uh-Oh Mommy." He frequently ends his sentences with "Mommy." This makes me so happy.
The redundant no: "No. Uh-uh." Usually Grant says this. Today I corrected him by saying, "No, thank you." He replied with, "No, thank you. Uh-uh."
Walter is always saying, "I take you tonight, Daddy?" Meaning, Daddy, will you put me to bed tonight? Of course it's always followed by the declarative, "I take you, Daddy! I take you." (in other words, get lost, Grant. He's all mine. And, of course, get lost, Mommy. I want Daddy.)
Still loving the naked life. Nay-Nay! Nay-Nay! This occurs pretty much every evening. They love to run around the house "nay-nay", yelling "Super-bunny!" "Super bunny to the rescue!" (for the longest time I didn't know where they got that, then I realized it's from Max and Ruby.) They are also into motorcycling- running around with their arms straight in front of them.
They are both completely in love with their daddy. I haven't mentioned this much, but it's true- they are way into Daddy these days. And have been for a while. They are fortunate to have a very fun daddy. Brian is extra fun, probably better than Disney world. I'll let you know in a couple of months.
We've moved on from trains to cars. Still into trains, but more into cars. I feel for the little girls who come over to play, because our house is so BOY. Well, there is a small kitchen in the closet under the stairs, but everything else is total boy. I love it. :)
Grant had a stomach bug over the weekend, but he's feeling much better today. He went to school because he didn't get sick all day on Sunday. The teachers said he was great- I expected them to say he was fussy, but they didn't. I'm praying Walter doesn't get it. The last time we had a stomach bug, it took about a day before its next victim started showing signs of sickness.
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