Thursday, May 29, 2008

Great weekend!

This past weekend was really great! We spent a lot of time together as a family, which was needed! As a special trip for our new potty trainee (ok and we wanted to get out and have fun!) we took the Metra downtown and walked down Michigan Ave. It's been over a year since we last did that....last year we went for our anniversary and Z was 3 weeks old! Anyways, Samuel had a GREAT time!! We went to the lego store and let the boys play for the longest time:) Samuel cried when we had to leave. We stayed downtown for several hours and didn't get home til 4:30pm, fed the boys and had them both in bed by 6pm! Yes! Samuel has been asking about the train everyday since..
The weather was SOOO beautiful all weekend, which was refreshing! We went to the park on Sunday afternoon where Samuel made some new friends and Zakkai practiced walking. Monday we went to a BBQ with some of Ben's classmates and their families. It was really nice to meet the people he's been talking about for the past 2 years (they are all 2nd years so Ben's the big man on campus to them!) It was really fun and the boys had a great time. Samuel made another new friend named Abigail and they had a blast running around giggling:)
Tuesday we had some friends from Indiana come stay overnight with us. Tom and Eileen are moving to China to teach at an international school and were passing through on their way to visit family for the next 7 weeks before heading off to China! They were SO great with the boys. It took Samuel a little while to warm up but once he did, he was attached like glue to Mr Tom! They got him to eat every bite of his dinner, kept the boys occupied while I was cooking...I was ready to hire him as a nanny!! It was really wonderful to spend time with our friends, who are such a great blessing to us.
PS. Tom, we found the green tractors today...in the laundry basket! Samuel has started this new and very annoying thing of climbing out of his bed! Would you believe it took him almost 8 months to try it??!! He climbed out the first morning after sleeping in his "big boy bed" and we told him he couldn't get out until we came to get him and that was that! Now all of the sudden since last week he keeps climbing out and does several things. One he goes behind the rocking chair which is by Z's crib and wakes him up (GRRR!) or plays with him or goes and sits behind the door. I'll come in and Samuel will be in bed and I'll find toys in Zakkai's crib and think "How did that get there?" We've tried a few things but it's not working! If you have any suggestions, I'd love them!!
Samuel is funny when he talks sometimes because he tries to use very grown up words and they don't always come out quite right or he'll use them in every sentence. For instance, the other day we were building train tracks and he was jabbering on and on about something and kept saying "especktally," in every single sentence! At first, I couldn't figure out what he was saying and then realized that he was trying to say "especially" but was combining it with "exactly!" Ha! "And then the train goes here and especktally this one goes here..." it was hard not to laugh!
Zakkai is starting to throw tantrums. Did I mention that yet?! The toddler show of independence has begun...He'll get frustrated that something hasn't gone his way or a toy was taken and drop down, crawl about 2 feet and spread out on his tummy on the ground. Then he'll get up and look at me with a crocodile tear like, "Did you see that, mommy? Can't you see I'm upset?!!" Such a hard life!! Especially when your older brother won't let you rip apart his puzzle or steal his animal crackers or mommy won't let you call friends on her phone! Sigh..
We're doing good and have had a pretty good week, other than the fact that Ben has come down with a cold and feels pretty crappy. That's not too good when you have exams to study for! Other than the cold, he has been feeling better and looks great. He's dropped a lot of weight and is working out a lot. I'll have to post a picture of my new buff skinny husband:) We've both been trying to exercise a lot and eat lots of veggies:) Now if we could just get Samuel to like vegetables....

Friday, May 23, 2008

Big News!!!


Sorry, it's taken me so long to post. I haven't had much access to the computer this week (that's what happens when your hubby's a ph.D student!!) We've had big stuff happen with our boys and have had a great few days!!

Last night during dinner Samuel said, "Mommy, I have to go potty." I kind of stared at him for a minute suspiciously thinking, "Is this a ploy to get out of eating dinner or does he really have to go?!" He repeated it so I sent him off with Ben. Ben took a few minutes getting the potty out of the bathroom and bringing it into the bedroom (S's request) so by the time he got all set up, he had mostly gone in his diaper but still peed a bit in the potty for the first time!! I could hardly believe it!! We were so excited and made a big deal out of it, rewarding him with a coveted prize~ Percy the train!! (part of the Thomas and Friends crew) We have been talking to him about this for a couple of months. He was SOOOOOOOOOOO proud!!
Then this morning, the first words out of his mouth were, "I have to go potty!" Once again, he sat upon his throne and I waited for few minutes but nothing happened. I told him I was going to take my shower and left him driving trains while sitting on the potty:) When I came back, he jumped up and said, "Look,mommy!!" I looked and sure enough, he really went this time!!! I was so excited (probably more than he was!!) and he got rewarded with another prize (gotta love the dollar section at Target!) which was a little red tractor. He went on to pee in the potty 6 times today!!! He got so many stickers on his chart that he got the trailer that hooks on to the tractor. He wanted that prize so bad that he kept sitting on the potty. I swear he spent half the day naked, trying to go potty so he could get that trailer!! Haha! We are so proud and hope that he keeps this up!!
Zakkai is walking everywhere! We consider him "official' now:) He is getting a little faster and more steady each day and is already trying to climb. Yikes! He wants to copy Samuel out on the playground and that includes climbing, of course! Ben and I often look at each other and say, "He's going to be the one..." He's going to be the one leaping off the couch, breaking china (not that we have any!), breaking bones, getting stitches...He's going to be the one! He is such a different child that Samuel. They are very different but oh, so enjoyable!! I have been trying to get a video of him walking for days now but each time he sees me whip out the camera, he drops down and starts crawling towards me! Finally I caught him just before bathtime last night.... In the beginning of the video you'll see him saying something and doing a sign. He's telling me "Yie?" (light) his favorite word!!

Tonight Samuel was really wound up before bed, probably because he has had two fantastic days in a row for numerous reason! He was talking a mile a minute in a really high pitched voice. We finally got him in bed and were trying to get him to whisper since Z was asleep already. This is how my conversation with him went:

Samuel in a stage whisper: "Mommy, will you take a nap wif me? You want to take a nap wif me! (shake my head no and tell him I have to leave) You do, mommy! Have sweet dreams, mommy. And daddy too. And Zakkai too. And be careful and be safe in the bed, mommy. And tell daddy too. And Zakkai too. And Jesus loves me. And the tractor plows the field. And the fire truck...(then in a loud voice) WHAT DOES THE FIRE TRUCK DO, MOMMY?!"

Ah, such a silly boy!! He ended my night with a smile:) I hope you're smiling, too!! Good night!!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Well, here's some random musings of my busy days with the boys. Today Zakkai decided to walk A LOT!! In the back of my mind I was realizing that he was making little walking trips but tonight after Ben got home, he couldn't stop! He took 23 steps to me!! I kept scooting backwards as he would get closer and he kept going! He has taken his time but it seems he might be ready to make me work double time! Yesterday he was up in the afternoon for a little while after Samuel went to sleep and he was being so funny. As I told you, he's blankie obsessed, so he had a blanket, his cup which he likes to just stick in his mouth with no hands, and was pushing the shopping cart! He was totally looking to get my attention!


He and Samuel have been having a blast playing together lately. They pretty much destroy the house and dump out every single toy while they're doing it but it makes me so happy to hear them giggle together!
Zakkai is adding new words to his repertoire everyday! His favorite two words are definitely still "buppo" (button) and "yie" (light) but he says "ee" for "ear" and tonight tried to say pretty but it didn't sound anything like it! I don't even know how to spell it out! He pats my chest and calls me "mama" a lot now:) Oh and is learning the word for one of his FAVORITE foods: Cheese! He says "chee?" You have never heard a louder child before. My son...is a screamer! If you ever come to visit us or we come to see you, buy some ear plugs!! He screams when he's mad, sad, happy....he screams in his crib from the moment he wakes up til the moment he goes to sleep! I am surprised our neighbors haven't accused us of torturing him! It is an ear piercing, blood curdling scream. If only he had a volume button....The only time he is quiet is when he's asleep! We are definitely getting this kid involved in sports!
Samuel is amazing to be able to share a room with his loud brother. They egg each other on, unfortunately! You can hear them in there at night or in the morning talking, screeching, jumping....They are buddies;) The other morning, I was changing Zakkai and Samuel came over to the head of his bed and laid his head down next to Zakkai and they were both sucking their fingers and being so sweet so I yelled for Ben to get the camera. Need I say more?

Today we had a goodbye party at my mom's group for a friend who is moving on Sunday. It's hard to live in an area where people move constantly. I feel so bad telling Samuel that his buddies are leaving and he won't see them again because there is such a core group of little ones here. The little friend who is leaving is the other Samuel. He's the little curly top in the middle next to my Samuel:) They were all looking out the window at a bulldozer on this day. A boy's dream!!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Summer

It feels like it's been awhile since I've written! We have been busy this week. The weather was very nice earlier in the week and we discovered a new park! There are LOTS of parks around us within walking distance which is so nice. We found a new one two blocks away with equipment for small, medium and large kids, a big sandbox, lots of grassy area and a big place where they will turn on sprinklers when it gets hot out! Samuel loves this place so much that he's been begging to go everyday. We went three times between Monday and Tuesday:) Then we got rain...
On Tuesday at the last minute I decided to bring a lunch for the boys to eat at the park. Samuel was following me around the kitchen, wondering what I was packing and then he said, "Mommy, should we pack a lunch and head out?" I thought that was so funny because I don't know where he heard it! (unless I said it and don't remember!) Then later in the day we were playing on the floor and he leaned over and took my face in his hands and said, "Are you beautiful, mommy?" This boy knows how to be sweet and cute!
Zakkai is picking up more words and signs everyday! He really is exploding in growth....in more ways than one! Yesterday he woke up with a big swollen red area on his chest. I took him to the dr.'s and she said it was probably a bug bite and prescribed benedryl and warm compresses. It seems much better today. Anyways, they weighed him and he is 24lbs 12oz! That's a good 1 1/2lbs bigger than 2 months ago! This kid can eat!! He's about ready to pass Samuel by. He's our little tank:) He loves to wave "byebye" to people (especially at the nurse yesterday), Loves loves loves to go outside. All day he points out the window and says, "Sye? Sye?" He loves to poke my eye and said "eye?" And lately he has been really into his blankie. When he thinks he needs comfort, he crawls over to his crib and reaches through the slats and tries to pull his blankie through. I find blankets all over the house!
Ben has started his new diet for his health; 5 days now of no sugar, yeast, fruit, bread, etc. He's losing weight but not feeling better yet. Because he has been so sick it will probably take awhile for his body to adjust and start feeling better. He's got a lot of determination to stick to this strict diet! He has consumed a large amount of vegetables in the past 5 days. I don't think we've ever had so many in our house! Hopefully in the next couple of weeks he'll notice a big difference.
I am thinking more and more about Ben's trip this summer and the effect it will have on the boys and I. It's coming up quickly and I'm realizing how long the days will be and how tiring it will be. I really wish we had family nearby!! We should be coming to Columbus for a couple of weeks to help break up the time. And if anyone wants to come visit us, we would LOVE it!! For now though, we're just trying to finish up year 3 in school and making fun family plans for the month of June. There's lots to do here!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

We have survived some yucky weather lately! It's hard to be stuck inside so often when it rains. The boys and I get antsy! Samuel has been saying some cute things:) Yesterday I had to use the bathroom and didn't say anything to Samuel before I left the room. A minute later I hear, "Mommy! Mommy, where are you? Mommy, I need you! I want you, Mommy!" He's making his way through the house looking for me, getting closer and closer. He found me and exclaimed, "Mommy, here you are! I yuv you, mommy, cuz you're my pwecious, sweet boy!" He makes me laugh! Which helps balance out the exasperating times! His newest thing if he doesn't want to answer your question is to say, "I can't talk!" Ben was trying to get him to spell out some words in a book and he said, "I can't talk, daddy." and clamped his mouth shut. He's getting too smart for us!
Zakkai is talking and learning more everyday! He says "bypye" (diaper), "yie" (light; rhymes with tie), "dee" (teeth) "baa" (bath)....he does the "milk" sign all the time now. He does it for any drink though! Oh well! He loves to point out lights all over. And this afternoon took 5 more steps! He has to do it on his own time. He could be walking all over if he wanted to; he walks down the hallway holding on to the wall, all over the house holding out hands....but isn't ready to be independent yet!
We watched the Kentucky Derby tonight and it was sad because Samuel was watching with us and picked Eight Belles as his favorite horse (guess he liked the name). Just in case you didn't know, Eight Belles fell after the race and had to be put down. Not a good ending to the race! Thankfully, Samuel wasn't paying attention and we didn't have to say anything. We didn't say anything to him about the giraffe that died at our zoo recently either. What do you say to a young child about an animal getting hurt and dying? What a hard thing to explain! For now all animals live forever and are happy and waiting to entertain Samuel!
Ben and I had a daytime date today! We went out with our housegroup to eat at a pizza place while our friend babysat the boys! It was so fun to get out, while it was still light out! We are exploring new parts to the city lately, which has been cool. We had pizza that was pretty good and then all grouped over to Coldstone Creamery. Yum! It was nice to end the outing with chocolate ice cream and heath bar pieces....until I found the hair in it.....It might be awhile before I go back there!

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