Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
More details on Martin's new job...
Martin will be starting as the manager at a restaurant here in Barton called The Stables in two weeks. The current manager is leaving, and an old employee of Martin's was singing his praises to the owners. They suggested he drop his resume by, so he did. He had a two hour interview yesterday, at the conclusion of which they offered him the job.
He will be working more hours, which will (of course) mean more money. He will have to work every Friday and Saturday from 10 am until the last customer leaves, which is what he did off and on at the Place. It's not too much fun for me, but it is manageable. Martin will have two or three days off every week. FULL days off. He hasn't had one of those in months! And he gets 28 days paid holiday, as well.
The best part of this job though, hands down, is the self respect that Martin will re-gain from it. He has been searching for a new job for over a year now, and he's been really down about not getting hired for anything. I know it's been really demoralizing for him, and I'm happy that his confidence will get a much needed boost.
His schedule will be a little bit weird, and it will be difficult to plan games nights and stuff with the Mundays (sob). But I don't work and the kids aren't in school, so it doesn't really matter which days Martin has off work.
Although I am a little bit nervous about going it alone so much more, and Martin is a little bit nervous about starting at a new place, this feels right. It feels like the answer to a prayer. And if it isn't working out, he can always keep looking for something else.
And don't worry--this doesn't change our desire to get the house sold and get back to the good ol' U.S. of A.
He will be working more hours, which will (of course) mean more money. He will have to work every Friday and Saturday from 10 am until the last customer leaves, which is what he did off and on at the Place. It's not too much fun for me, but it is manageable. Martin will have two or three days off every week. FULL days off. He hasn't had one of those in months! And he gets 28 days paid holiday, as well.
The best part of this job though, hands down, is the self respect that Martin will re-gain from it. He has been searching for a new job for over a year now, and he's been really down about not getting hired for anything. I know it's been really demoralizing for him, and I'm happy that his confidence will get a much needed boost.
His schedule will be a little bit weird, and it will be difficult to plan games nights and stuff with the Mundays (sob). But I don't work and the kids aren't in school, so it doesn't really matter which days Martin has off work.
Although I am a little bit nervous about going it alone so much more, and Martin is a little bit nervous about starting at a new place, this feels right. It feels like the answer to a prayer. And if it isn't working out, he can always keep looking for something else.
And don't worry--this doesn't change our desire to get the house sold and get back to the good ol' U.S. of A.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Congratulate us...
No, we are NOT expecting another baby!
For the first time in what seems like ages, I have good news to blog about. Martin is about to make a phone call and accept the job that was offered to him this morning. He will be starting it in two weeks' time. I am so proud of my husband!
For the first time in what seems like ages, I have good news to blog about. Martin is about to make a phone call and accept the job that was offered to him this morning. He will be starting it in two weeks' time. I am so proud of my husband!
Wish us luck...(and an Edith update)
Martin has a job interview today. It's for the manager position at a restaurant that opened up here in Barton about 4 months ago, and it looks promising. It will mean long hours, but he will still be in town and the money should be pretty good. It seems (right now, at least) like the perfect job for him. So keep your fingers crossed, say a few prayers, whatever it is you do.
And the Edith update:
She went in for her 6-9 month checkup on Monday. Yes, I am aware that she is nearly a year old. The health visitors are very behind schedule.
She is doing just fine developmentally. She is passing objects between her hands. She is crawling. She responds to sound. She has started babbling. She doesn't squint when she looks at things. She is bright and attentive and happy. What she is NOT doing is gaining any weight. She is in the 91st centile on her height and only the 25th on her weight, and has only gained about 1 1/2 lbs. since I last had her weighed about 3 months ago. Oh, and her head circumference is in the 25th as well.
I'm not terribly concerned, of course. She eats like a little piglet and is obviously thriving. She has a ton of energy and is a very happy and contented child. But if she still isn't gaining weight in two months' time, she will be referred to a pediatrician--just in case. They will want to make sure there are no underlying conditions preventing her from gaining weight. In the mean time, I have been told to make sure she has plenty of fat and protein in her diet. I laughed when the health visitor told me that, because she had dined on baked beans, oven chips, and cheese for her lunch. Can't get much more protein than beans, or much more fat than cheese.
It's so funny that I have Dylan, who has been at the top of the charts since birth and looks and sounds at least a year older than he is and Edith, who is such a quiet, petite little thing and would look a lot younger than she is if not for how tall she is and how well she gets around.
One of my visiting teachers has a little girl who is about 4 weeks younger than Edith, and she had her over last night. Seeing baby Jessica sitting next to Edith I realized just how tiny she really is. She has lovely features and cute little cheeks, but absolutely no baby fat on her body. She's not skin and bones, but there's not a lot extra on her.
Anyway, I was on the early morning shift today so I am going to crawl back in to bed. It was a rough night, with Edith waking several times and Dylan getting up early because he needed to pee (incidentally, he has been accident free for about 3 weeks now). Having kids requires a lot more stamina than I could have ever imagined!
And the Edith update:
She went in for her 6-9 month checkup on Monday. Yes, I am aware that she is nearly a year old. The health visitors are very behind schedule.
She is doing just fine developmentally. She is passing objects between her hands. She is crawling. She responds to sound. She has started babbling. She doesn't squint when she looks at things. She is bright and attentive and happy. What she is NOT doing is gaining any weight. She is in the 91st centile on her height and only the 25th on her weight, and has only gained about 1 1/2 lbs. since I last had her weighed about 3 months ago. Oh, and her head circumference is in the 25th as well.
I'm not terribly concerned, of course. She eats like a little piglet and is obviously thriving. She has a ton of energy and is a very happy and contented child. But if she still isn't gaining weight in two months' time, she will be referred to a pediatrician--just in case. They will want to make sure there are no underlying conditions preventing her from gaining weight. In the mean time, I have been told to make sure she has plenty of fat and protein in her diet. I laughed when the health visitor told me that, because she had dined on baked beans, oven chips, and cheese for her lunch. Can't get much more protein than beans, or much more fat than cheese.
It's so funny that I have Dylan, who has been at the top of the charts since birth and looks and sounds at least a year older than he is and Edith, who is such a quiet, petite little thing and would look a lot younger than she is if not for how tall she is and how well she gets around.
One of my visiting teachers has a little girl who is about 4 weeks younger than Edith, and she had her over last night. Seeing baby Jessica sitting next to Edith I realized just how tiny she really is. She has lovely features and cute little cheeks, but absolutely no baby fat on her body. She's not skin and bones, but there's not a lot extra on her.
Anyway, I was on the early morning shift today so I am going to crawl back in to bed. It was a rough night, with Edith waking several times and Dylan getting up early because he needed to pee (incidentally, he has been accident free for about 3 weeks now). Having kids requires a lot more stamina than I could have ever imagined!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Milestones for my conversation pieces...
It seems like the kids don't do anything new for absolutely ages, and then all of a sudden they do something really interesting.
This week, Dylan started singing WITH us. This might not seem like a big deal to a lot of my readers, but he's never done it before. He didn't start singing for a long time, and then he finally did at about 18 months. But he would never sing at the same time as someone else. He would quite happily fill in the words if you started him off, but would stop singing the minute someone else joined in. Two days ago, we sang the theme song to Thomas the Tank Engine together. It was so much fun!
And I'm not about to leave Edith out of this, because she did something amazing as well. Yesterday she got up onto her hands and feet and Mowgli crawled, just like Dylan used to do. She is so desperate to walk, and is taking all the steps to get there. I really think she might be on her feet by the time she turns one (though I thought that about Dylan and he didn't walk until he was 15 months). Which, get this, is in just about 6 weeks.
Where has the past year gone?
This week, Dylan started singing WITH us. This might not seem like a big deal to a lot of my readers, but he's never done it before. He didn't start singing for a long time, and then he finally did at about 18 months. But he would never sing at the same time as someone else. He would quite happily fill in the words if you started him off, but would stop singing the minute someone else joined in. Two days ago, we sang the theme song to Thomas the Tank Engine together. It was so much fun!
And I'm not about to leave Edith out of this, because she did something amazing as well. Yesterday she got up onto her hands and feet and Mowgli crawled, just like Dylan used to do. She is so desperate to walk, and is taking all the steps to get there. I really think she might be on her feet by the time she turns one (though I thought that about Dylan and he didn't walk until he was 15 months). Which, get this, is in just about 6 weeks.
Where has the past year gone?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
You can't teach an old dog new tricks...
The dog, in this case, is my husband. The new trick is learning to lock our car doors.
He was delivering Kleeneze orders the other night and left the car unlocked. The box, which contained around £150 in merchandise, was stolen off the passenger seat in the approximately 5 minutes that his back was turned. I'd rant and rave about him leaving the car unlocked, which I can honestly say I never do, but it wouldn't do any good. We called the police and we have been walking the neighborhood to see if anything has just been dumped by the side of the road, but to no avail. We still have to re-order those items and pay for them twice.
At least they didn't take anything else out of the car. There was nothing else in there worth stealing. Poor theifs--there wasn't even any change in the ashtray. What a disappointment to the miscreants. All they got was bunion removers and household cleaners. I've learned not to keep my make-up in the car now.
AND, when I went out to the car the following day, Martin had left it unlocked again.
I give up.
Other than that, things are going well. Dylan is still accident free and doing really well with his potty training. He is only wearing diapers when he goes to bed, and is often dry when he wakes up. It's great, because most days we are only using one diaper for him. I am about to move back to a smaller bag because I only need to carry about 3 diapers for Edith when we go out. Though I might still keep the giant bag because I can fit a lot of snacks in there.
We have a trip across the bridge planned for today, which is pretty exciting. I bought a light off eBay, and need to go and collect it in Hull. It looked good in the pictures and only cost me a fiver, so I'm pretty excited about that. And while we're on the "wrong" side of the bridge, we're going to take the kids to the Deep. We went for our anniversary and gift-aided the admission. If you do that, they very kindly give you a bounce back ticket so you can go for free the next time you visit. We just need to make a donation to them rather than pay the full admission price. I'll have my camera glued to my hand for the trip, so watch out for cool pictures. Edith was only 5 months old the last time we went, so I have a feeling that she'll enjoy it a lot more this time!
He was delivering Kleeneze orders the other night and left the car unlocked. The box, which contained around £150 in merchandise, was stolen off the passenger seat in the approximately 5 minutes that his back was turned. I'd rant and rave about him leaving the car unlocked, which I can honestly say I never do, but it wouldn't do any good. We called the police and we have been walking the neighborhood to see if anything has just been dumped by the side of the road, but to no avail. We still have to re-order those items and pay for them twice.
At least they didn't take anything else out of the car. There was nothing else in there worth stealing. Poor theifs--there wasn't even any change in the ashtray. What a disappointment to the miscreants. All they got was bunion removers and household cleaners. I've learned not to keep my make-up in the car now.
AND, when I went out to the car the following day, Martin had left it unlocked again.
I give up.
Other than that, things are going well. Dylan is still accident free and doing really well with his potty training. He is only wearing diapers when he goes to bed, and is often dry when he wakes up. It's great, because most days we are only using one diaper for him. I am about to move back to a smaller bag because I only need to carry about 3 diapers for Edith when we go out. Though I might still keep the giant bag because I can fit a lot of snacks in there.
We have a trip across the bridge planned for today, which is pretty exciting. I bought a light off eBay, and need to go and collect it in Hull. It looked good in the pictures and only cost me a fiver, so I'm pretty excited about that. And while we're on the "wrong" side of the bridge, we're going to take the kids to the Deep. We went for our anniversary and gift-aided the admission. If you do that, they very kindly give you a bounce back ticket so you can go for free the next time you visit. We just need to make a donation to them rather than pay the full admission price. I'll have my camera glued to my hand for the trip, so watch out for cool pictures. Edith was only 5 months old the last time we went, so I have a feeling that she'll enjoy it a lot more this time!
We took Dylan to have a look at Castledyke Primary School last week. In September he will be eligible for government funded nursery school, so we took him to look 'round the "foundation unit" at our closest school. Castledyke is, quite literally, right around the corner from us. Actually, it is on the next street over. If we could cut through peoples' gardens, we could walk there in about 3 minutes. Instead, it takes about 8 minutes to walk there.
It's well laid out, with this huge room dedicated to the nursery school. It's all open, with different areas set up for "learning through play." It is so bright and colorful and fun looking. Dylan loved it!
He just wanted to play with everything.
I can already picture him in his little school uniform, running around like a mad man on the playground with the other children.
Even though I had hoped we would be back in Utah before it was time for Dylan to start school over here, I'm looking forward to it. He is SO excited to go to school, and I am looking forward to having some one-on-one time with Edith. It'll only be for three hours a day, which sounds just right to me.
Of course, I am still pushing for a move back to Utah before then. We just need to get this house sold. Keep saying your prayers for us. I want to come home!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
I don't want to jinx it, but...
Dylan has been diaper free except for sleeping times for over 2 weeks now. He is getting good at this toilet business. He thinks using the toilet is great fun. Especially because he gets treats and stickers when he does it.
Of course, when I asked Martin if Dylan had used the toilet at church today, he did say, "Yes. He peed on Tony Leadenham's shoe."
Awesome!
That's my day. Martin is working tonight, so we are doing Valentine's day stuff tomorrow. But he got me a lovely necklace (I think Dylan helped him choose it) and I bought him a new mug and filled it with chocolates. And I made him pancakes for breakfast. And Martin let me get a nap this afternoon, though I don't think that really counts since he used that time to watch rugby.
I spent my Valentines day at church, and this evening with my mother-in-law. I actually gave her a massage. Romantic, huh?
Key just turned in the lock--my husband's home. My night just got better!
Of course, when I asked Martin if Dylan had used the toilet at church today, he did say, "Yes. He peed on Tony Leadenham's shoe."
Awesome!
That's my day. Martin is working tonight, so we are doing Valentine's day stuff tomorrow. But he got me a lovely necklace (I think Dylan helped him choose it) and I bought him a new mug and filled it with chocolates. And I made him pancakes for breakfast. And Martin let me get a nap this afternoon, though I don't think that really counts since he used that time to watch rugby.
I spent my Valentines day at church, and this evening with my mother-in-law. I actually gave her a massage. Romantic, huh?
Key just turned in the lock--my husband's home. My night just got better!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thanks, Mango Mom!
We had date night last night, and we made one of the crafts from my sister Velecia's craft blog. It was the leaf wall art, and it turned out beautifully. We spray painted it "antique gold," so it would go with the copper accents in our house, and it looks lovely. We still need to give it another coat of paint and hang it up, but I'll post pictures of it once it's done and up. It was a great date night, with crafts and classical music and Haagen Das cookies and cream icecream.
Martin makes me laugh. We listen to Classic FM on the radio, which Martin says is the common classical music station. Apparently, Radio 5 is high-brow. Funny, I didn't think there was such a thing as low-brow classical music. But, according to him, we are the chavs/white trash of the classical music listening world.
I hope the pictures from my last post were well received. I wanted to get a few of Edith standing up, because I am still amazed that she's doing it. She is growing up so fast, and prefers to be standing up all the time now. She's still not as advanced in her motor skills as Dylan was at the same age, but I think she's starting to catch up. Dylan was just bigger and had stronger muscles, that's all. She's certainly intelligent--I'm not worried about that at all!
I'll be putting a new video on soon, of a conversation I had with Dylan. I love that I can now have a full conversation with him. Sure, it's not the most intelectually stimulating of conversations. But a year ago he only knew about 30 words. Now he can tell you how he's feeling, what he wants, what his toys want, name colours and numbers, tell you the stories in his favorite books, express fear, and, my favorite, express love!
He's currently hiding behind one of the chairs because he's scared of the lightening on "Handy Manny."
Anyway, I need to get Martin out of bed in a few minutes. He's got his long day at work today, and he is working tomorrow night as well. Valentines day kind of sucks when your love works in a restaurant (or two). But we have a date planned for mid-day on Monday, so that should be fun. NO KIDS! And Cathy, my sister-in-law, is coming to visit today. Plus, my mother-in-law might be coming over tomorrow night since her husband is also working. We're going to tie a quilt. I remember the Valentines day I tied a quilt and watched "How to Marry a Millionaire" with my Grandma Lofley. One of the best Valentines days I ever had--I love you, grandma!
Oh, and I need to go collect a sewing machine that I got off Freecycle. I'm so excited to have my own sewing machine! I've been borrowing Christine's every time I need to sew for years now, and it'll be great to have my own. Maybe I'll even be ambitious and make an awesome quilt (maybe a wedding ring quilt, since they're my favorites). Maybe. I'll definitely make my pajama trousers though!
Hooray for Freecycle!
Wow, this post makes me sound really grateful for a lot. I guess it's because I am.
Wish me luck with my Saturday...
Martin makes me laugh. We listen to Classic FM on the radio, which Martin says is the common classical music station. Apparently, Radio 5 is high-brow. Funny, I didn't think there was such a thing as low-brow classical music. But, according to him, we are the chavs/white trash of the classical music listening world.
I hope the pictures from my last post were well received. I wanted to get a few of Edith standing up, because I am still amazed that she's doing it. She is growing up so fast, and prefers to be standing up all the time now. She's still not as advanced in her motor skills as Dylan was at the same age, but I think she's starting to catch up. Dylan was just bigger and had stronger muscles, that's all. She's certainly intelligent--I'm not worried about that at all!
I'll be putting a new video on soon, of a conversation I had with Dylan. I love that I can now have a full conversation with him. Sure, it's not the most intelectually stimulating of conversations. But a year ago he only knew about 30 words. Now he can tell you how he's feeling, what he wants, what his toys want, name colours and numbers, tell you the stories in his favorite books, express fear, and, my favorite, express love!
He's currently hiding behind one of the chairs because he's scared of the lightening on "Handy Manny."
Anyway, I need to get Martin out of bed in a few minutes. He's got his long day at work today, and he is working tomorrow night as well. Valentines day kind of sucks when your love works in a restaurant (or two). But we have a date planned for mid-day on Monday, so that should be fun. NO KIDS! And Cathy, my sister-in-law, is coming to visit today. Plus, my mother-in-law might be coming over tomorrow night since her husband is also working. We're going to tie a quilt. I remember the Valentines day I tied a quilt and watched "How to Marry a Millionaire" with my Grandma Lofley. One of the best Valentines days I ever had--I love you, grandma!
Oh, and I need to go collect a sewing machine that I got off Freecycle. I'm so excited to have my own sewing machine! I've been borrowing Christine's every time I need to sew for years now, and it'll be great to have my own. Maybe I'll even be ambitious and make an awesome quilt (maybe a wedding ring quilt, since they're my favorites). Maybe. I'll definitely make my pajama trousers though!
Hooray for Freecycle!
Wow, this post makes me sound really grateful for a lot. I guess it's because I am.
Wish me luck with my Saturday...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Cleanliness is next to Godliness...
...and my house has been an unholy mess for far too long!
I am officially back on my housekeeping schedule, and I'm sure glad this week is over. Monday, clothes laundry day. Tuesday, front room, dusting, and carpets. Wednesday, bathrooms. Thursday, kitchen day. Friday, bedrooms. Saturday, bed linens and towels laundry day.
Breaking the housework down like this is amazing--everything gets done. My most loyal readers will recall when I started the regime. Dylan was about 8 months old when I read a book called "Home Comforts, the art and science of keeping house," and it changed my life. Seriously! But then I got pregnant and I was ill for most of my pregnancy. Then Martin's job changed, and we had another baby. Major upheavals in my life.
Well, I woke up last week and thought to myself, "Self, your baby is nearly a year old and you are in pretty much perfect health. The house is disgusting and it's making you miserable. No more excuses--sort it out!"
So I have.
Almost.
See, most of the housework gets done every day. The focus days are just for really big, deep cleans. So the first two weeks of getting back onto the house cleaning schedule are hellish because all of the little jobs that you've been neglecting for so long have to be done, and when they've been neglected things are extra dirty. So the kitchen took some major work and elbow grease to clean the cupboards, windows, behind all the kitchen appliances, etc. Next week will be a little bit easier, and the week after that will be easier still.
I didn't mind having a dirty house before I spent almost every waking minute in mine. Now I feel all icky if the house is untidy and dirty. It's my own fault for letting it get this bad, really. Having Martin home for most of the day on weekdays makes it harder, for sure. Partly because he is is such a slob and is hard to clean up after--seriously, I could just follow him around and clean up the trail he leaves in his wake. But mostly, I lack the discipline to do housework when he is home. I'd rather just hang out with him. Saturdays have always been my least favorite day of the week because he is gone all day, but they are fast becoming my favorite. Simply because I get a lot done. I have 11 hours to do it all!
I feel like I can relax and be creative when the house is clean, so maybe Dylan and I will do an artsy project when he wakes up from his nap. Could be fun...
And maybe I'll feel a bit more "godly" at the end of this day?
I am officially back on my housekeeping schedule, and I'm sure glad this week is over. Monday, clothes laundry day. Tuesday, front room, dusting, and carpets. Wednesday, bathrooms. Thursday, kitchen day. Friday, bedrooms. Saturday, bed linens and towels laundry day.
Breaking the housework down like this is amazing--everything gets done. My most loyal readers will recall when I started the regime. Dylan was about 8 months old when I read a book called "Home Comforts, the art and science of keeping house," and it changed my life. Seriously! But then I got pregnant and I was ill for most of my pregnancy. Then Martin's job changed, and we had another baby. Major upheavals in my life.
Well, I woke up last week and thought to myself, "Self, your baby is nearly a year old and you are in pretty much perfect health. The house is disgusting and it's making you miserable. No more excuses--sort it out!"
So I have.
Almost.
See, most of the housework gets done every day. The focus days are just for really big, deep cleans. So the first two weeks of getting back onto the house cleaning schedule are hellish because all of the little jobs that you've been neglecting for so long have to be done, and when they've been neglected things are extra dirty. So the kitchen took some major work and elbow grease to clean the cupboards, windows, behind all the kitchen appliances, etc. Next week will be a little bit easier, and the week after that will be easier still.
I didn't mind having a dirty house before I spent almost every waking minute in mine. Now I feel all icky if the house is untidy and dirty. It's my own fault for letting it get this bad, really. Having Martin home for most of the day on weekdays makes it harder, for sure. Partly because he is is such a slob and is hard to clean up after--seriously, I could just follow him around and clean up the trail he leaves in his wake. But mostly, I lack the discipline to do housework when he is home. I'd rather just hang out with him. Saturdays have always been my least favorite day of the week because he is gone all day, but they are fast becoming my favorite. Simply because I get a lot done. I have 11 hours to do it all!
I feel like I can relax and be creative when the house is clean, so maybe Dylan and I will do an artsy project when he wakes up from his nap. Could be fun...
And maybe I'll feel a bit more "godly" at the end of this day?
Friday, February 05, 2010
my blog...
I started this blog in August of 2005.
A lot has changed since then, and my beloved blog covers it all. I moved to another country, bought a house, worked at three different jobs, had two kids, became a stay at home mom, and all of the other little things in between.
It really DID start out just as a way for me to keep my family updated on what was going on. In the beginning I posted about our weekend trips to beautiful places throughout England and included pictures of the sights. Then I had Dylan, and the trips stopped but the pictures and updates about his progress began.
And then something interesting happened. My world started to shrink. We no longer go anywhere exciting at the weekend. In fact, there are some days when I don't even leave the house. My whole world is contained in the walls of my home.
My blog changed accordingly. Now it is not just a way of communicating with my family. It is a chance for me to express my thoughts and feelings. It is sometimes my lifeline--the only outlet I have for my frustrations and revelations about motherhood and being a housewife. Sometimes, my blog is my sanity!
I feel that some day I will be able to read this record of the last 4 1/2 years and see myself growing as a person. It should make for some interesting reading.
A lot has changed since then, and my beloved blog covers it all. I moved to another country, bought a house, worked at three different jobs, had two kids, became a stay at home mom, and all of the other little things in between.
It really DID start out just as a way for me to keep my family updated on what was going on. In the beginning I posted about our weekend trips to beautiful places throughout England and included pictures of the sights. Then I had Dylan, and the trips stopped but the pictures and updates about his progress began.
And then something interesting happened. My world started to shrink. We no longer go anywhere exciting at the weekend. In fact, there are some days when I don't even leave the house. My whole world is contained in the walls of my home.
My blog changed accordingly. Now it is not just a way of communicating with my family. It is a chance for me to express my thoughts and feelings. It is sometimes my lifeline--the only outlet I have for my frustrations and revelations about motherhood and being a housewife. Sometimes, my blog is my sanity!
I feel that some day I will be able to read this record of the last 4 1/2 years and see myself growing as a person. It should make for some interesting reading.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Dylan's first nosebleed...
On our drive home from Emma's house the other day I was just, well, driving, and Dylan told me that he had something on his fingers. I turned around to have a quick look, and this is what I saw.
Edith was, of course, totally unconcerned.
So was Dylan, for that matter. I told him he needed to stop picking his nose, but it's a habit he's completely unable to break. I think we've got a hopeless nose picker on our hands, and a lot more nosebleeds to come.Funny faces...
Monday, February 01, 2010
How precious are little children?
Martin and I watched a highly disturbing film last night. It was called "Perfume, a story of murder," (I think)and it totally creeped me out.
Right from the first I was horrified, as it showed this baby being born in 18th century Paris to a woman working a fish stall in the market. She gave birth while working--just squatted down, pushed the baby out, cut the umbilical cord with her fish gutting knife, stood up, and went back to work. Left the baby lying on a pile of fish guts to die. The narrator informed us that this baby was her fifth, and that the previous 4 had all gone the same way. Horrible!
The film was good, but so disturbing on so many levels. This poor baby survived but was raised in an orphanage and became a total sociopath. He killed 14 women, and honestly had no concept that he was doing anything wrong.
It gave me bad dreams last night. And it also made me think about my own children...
I am an intelligent and reasonable person, and I know not every baby is loved or wanted when it is born. I know that not every child is cared for properly. I remember when I was younger that girl in the U.S. who gave birth in the girls' bathroom of her high school during Prom and dumped the baby in the trash can. I know about these things. But I honestly believe that most people take care of their babies. It's genetically hard wired into most women to want to care for our offspring. Even if you behave like an animal, most animals take good care of their young!
I think about how much I wanted my children. I hoped and dreamed and prayed and cried myself to sleep many times because I was so desperate to have children. And when Dylan and Edith were born they were welcomed with open arms and overflowing hearts. They have never known anything but love in our home. They are both adored by their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Their early months were filled with soft words, kisses, cuddles, comfortable clothes, warm bedding, plenty of food, and, above all, love. They have been, and will continue to be, cherished. It was the same for me and Martin.
It hurts me to think that there are children out there who have a very different life. How could anyone harm an innocent child? Or worse, leave a newborn baby to die on a pile of fish guts? I was so disgusted!
I love my children more than anything else in the whole world.
Right from the first I was horrified, as it showed this baby being born in 18th century Paris to a woman working a fish stall in the market. She gave birth while working--just squatted down, pushed the baby out, cut the umbilical cord with her fish gutting knife, stood up, and went back to work. Left the baby lying on a pile of fish guts to die. The narrator informed us that this baby was her fifth, and that the previous 4 had all gone the same way. Horrible!
The film was good, but so disturbing on so many levels. This poor baby survived but was raised in an orphanage and became a total sociopath. He killed 14 women, and honestly had no concept that he was doing anything wrong.
It gave me bad dreams last night. And it also made me think about my own children...
I am an intelligent and reasonable person, and I know not every baby is loved or wanted when it is born. I know that not every child is cared for properly. I remember when I was younger that girl in the U.S. who gave birth in the girls' bathroom of her high school during Prom and dumped the baby in the trash can. I know about these things. But I honestly believe that most people take care of their babies. It's genetically hard wired into most women to want to care for our offspring. Even if you behave like an animal, most animals take good care of their young!
I think about how much I wanted my children. I hoped and dreamed and prayed and cried myself to sleep many times because I was so desperate to have children. And when Dylan and Edith were born they were welcomed with open arms and overflowing hearts. They have never known anything but love in our home. They are both adored by their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Their early months were filled with soft words, kisses, cuddles, comfortable clothes, warm bedding, plenty of food, and, above all, love. They have been, and will continue to be, cherished. It was the same for me and Martin.
It hurts me to think that there are children out there who have a very different life. How could anyone harm an innocent child? Or worse, leave a newborn baby to die on a pile of fish guts? I was so disgusted!
I love my children more than anything else in the whole world.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
More milestones for Edith...
I can't believe how fast my darling little baby is growing up. It makes me kind of sad, but I love it at the same time.
She now has two teeth--both on the bottom. The second one has been hovering just under the surface of her skin for what seems like ages but is actually only about 10 days, and it finally popped all the way through yesterday. She is getting very good at using her two teeth to tear her food. They come in especially handy on things like bread, which she loves.
Her hair is getting quite long now, and as it gets longer it is starting to curl into the most adorable little red ringlets. It still sticks straight up on top, but she has a little curl over each ear. They are so cute, and the color is staying a gorgeous shade of red. What a lucky little girl!
She has been crawling for a few weeks now, but it's still so much fun to watch her go. She is getting pretty fast, and she is a very curious little girl. She's not afraid to venture out on her own, so I may have to get a couple of stairgates for upstairs. I never had to do that with Dylan because he preferred to be in the same room as me or Martin.
Now that she's learned to move on her own, she is hard to keep still. She's started wriggling away when we try to change her diapers or get her dressed/undressed. And she is so determined! Just today, after about a week of trying, she learned how to go up the step from the front room into the dining room.
She's still a little angel though. She is so sweet natured and, as suspected, is turning into a shy little girl. Not at home, though. She loves to pull funny faces and make all sorts of noises. She growls and says mama and sings along when Dylan and I are singing. But when we go out in public she goes all quiet and very rarely even smiles for strangers. She just looks at them with those big greenish-blueish-brownish eyes of hers (have I mentioned that she's got the most amazing eyes?), taking it all in.
She loves to feed herself, and since we stopped trying to spoon food into her mouth she is eating about twice as much! Her favorites are broccoli and pasta and bread. She can use a sippy cup on her own, though she still spits most of her drink out instead of swallowing it. She does better with a normal cup, but has to be helped with that as she would otherwise fling it all over the dining room. And, best of all, she is now having a bottle every night before bed instead of breastmilk! I continue to feed her in the morning and at nap time, but it's so nice to be stepping it back a bit. Plus, she is sleeping better for it.
So that's the Edith update. She's a little firecracker at home and a shrinking violet in public, and we are loving every minute of this girl!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Why I have the best husband in the whole world...
Martin gives the kids their bath every night--unless he is working, of course. He's done it since Dylan was a baby, and it gives him a chance to bond with the kids and me a chance to get the kitchen cleaned up from dinner without worrying about kids being underfoot. It's a great arrangement for everybody. And just look what a great job he does of it...
Dylan is always the first one to get undressed for bath time.
Then Martin starts to get Edith all ready for her bath.
Sometimes he gets a little bit of "help" from Dylan.
Both kids get a bit of practice on the potty...
...and one of the kids, or sometimes both of them, usually tries to make a break for it.
But eventually the bath is started. And my husband is the most amazing daddy in the whole world! Every day I feel blessed and awed to have him in my life.
Thanks for being you, Martin!
Fingers crossed...
We're trying to potty train Dylan--AGAIN!
He's nearly 2 1/2 now and I'm getting tired of buying and changing diapers. He's too big to fit in most public changing facilities and his language is so well developed that he ought to be using the toilet. Yesterday he only had one accident, which I think is pretty good. Especially when you consider the fact that we drove in to Scunthorpe to do a bit of shopping. We'lll see how it goes. But we might need Grandma to send us some Swedish fish--they are his favorite reward for peeing on the toilet.
He also said something very adorable while we were in town. We were running late so grabbed some dinner at KFC. As we were walking in, Dylan told us that he wanted to go to the "hungry shop." That's what he's just started calling restaurants and fast food joints. I guess it makes sense. When we asked him what you buy at the "hungry shop" he told us burgers and chips and chicken.
Oh, my kids are so amazing!
He's nearly 2 1/2 now and I'm getting tired of buying and changing diapers. He's too big to fit in most public changing facilities and his language is so well developed that he ought to be using the toilet. Yesterday he only had one accident, which I think is pretty good. Especially when you consider the fact that we drove in to Scunthorpe to do a bit of shopping. We'lll see how it goes. But we might need Grandma to send us some Swedish fish--they are his favorite reward for peeing on the toilet.
He also said something very adorable while we were in town. We were running late so grabbed some dinner at KFC. As we were walking in, Dylan told us that he wanted to go to the "hungry shop." That's what he's just started calling restaurants and fast food joints. I guess it makes sense. When we asked him what you buy at the "hungry shop" he told us burgers and chips and chicken.
Oh, my kids are so amazing!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A typical day...
Thanks for thye inspiration, Becca!
5:30-6:30am (depending on the day)
Edith wakes up for her morning feed. Martin brings her in to me and I feed her in our bed. Then Dylan wakes up and Martin puts Edith back to bed and goes downstairs with Dylan to change him, make him some toast, and watch telly. I go back to sleep.
7:30am
Martin gets back in to bed and I snuggle up with him until Dylan starts yelling for me. Martin goes back to sleep and I go downstairs and watch cartoons with Dylan, check my e-mail, blog, go on Facebook, etc. I go get Edith when she wakes up and feed her again.
9:00am
Wake Martin up, cook porridge for breakfast, eat breakfast, clean up from breakfast, get dressed, get the kids dressed.
10:00am
Depending on the day, we sort out Kleeneze brochures, go for a walk to deliver and/or collect them, etc.
10:45am
Martin leaves for work and I start preparing lunch.
11:15am
The kids and I have lunch--usually something gourmet like sandwiches, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, frozen pizza, or just lunch meat, cheese, and tomatoes.
11:45am
Get the kids down for their nap. This involves feeding Edith again and tucking Dylan in to bed and reading him a story.
12:00pm
Dash downstairs to do all the "me" stuff for the day--grab a quick shower, do ironing, clean up from lunch, work out on the Wii, do my dinner prep, put on make-up (if I have time).
1:15pm-4pm
Collect Edith as she is usually awake by now and feed her again! Sing and play with Edith while Dylan is still asleep! Martin comes home from work. We hang out and depending on the day again, do the grocery shopping, go to the library, do some work on the house, etc. Dylan usually wakes up at around 2pm. The kids have their afternoon snack. I clean up from that. Some housework gets done since Martin can take care of the kids while I do laundry, clean the bathroom, tidy up the kitchen, etc.
4-6pm
Dinner preparation and consumption.
6-7pm
Evening cartoons! Martin gives the kids their bath while I clean up the kitchen and dining room from dinner. Take the kids upstairs for bedtime milk and stories, have family prayers and kisses, then tuck both kids in to bed.
7-10pm
Grown-up time! Martin is on call at Rapi so we have to stick close to home. We do DIY on Mondays and have date night on Fridays. On other days we do some tidying, work out on the Wii together, check e-mails and blogs again, watch movies or telly together, etc.
10-11pm
Bed!
This is 5 days a week. The weekends are something else entirely. Martin works from 9am-5pm at the Place, comes home for dinner, and then heads out again at 6:30pm to work at Rapi. Then, of course, Sunday involves the 4 1/2 hour church ordeal and either a video call with my family or dinner at Martin's parents' house.
It is a pretty calm, peaceful, and slightly boring life. Sometimes it chafes, but most of the time I love it!
5:30-6:30am (depending on the day)
Edith wakes up for her morning feed. Martin brings her in to me and I feed her in our bed. Then Dylan wakes up and Martin puts Edith back to bed and goes downstairs with Dylan to change him, make him some toast, and watch telly. I go back to sleep.
7:30am
Martin gets back in to bed and I snuggle up with him until Dylan starts yelling for me. Martin goes back to sleep and I go downstairs and watch cartoons with Dylan, check my e-mail, blog, go on Facebook, etc. I go get Edith when she wakes up and feed her again.
9:00am
Wake Martin up, cook porridge for breakfast, eat breakfast, clean up from breakfast, get dressed, get the kids dressed.
10:00am
Depending on the day, we sort out Kleeneze brochures, go for a walk to deliver and/or collect them, etc.
10:45am
Martin leaves for work and I start preparing lunch.
11:15am
The kids and I have lunch--usually something gourmet like sandwiches, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, frozen pizza, or just lunch meat, cheese, and tomatoes.
11:45am
Get the kids down for their nap. This involves feeding Edith again and tucking Dylan in to bed and reading him a story.
12:00pm
Dash downstairs to do all the "me" stuff for the day--grab a quick shower, do ironing, clean up from lunch, work out on the Wii, do my dinner prep, put on make-up (if I have time).
1:15pm-4pm
Collect Edith as she is usually awake by now and feed her again! Sing and play with Edith while Dylan is still asleep! Martin comes home from work. We hang out and depending on the day again, do the grocery shopping, go to the library, do some work on the house, etc. Dylan usually wakes up at around 2pm. The kids have their afternoon snack. I clean up from that. Some housework gets done since Martin can take care of the kids while I do laundry, clean the bathroom, tidy up the kitchen, etc.
4-6pm
Dinner preparation and consumption.
6-7pm
Evening cartoons! Martin gives the kids their bath while I clean up the kitchen and dining room from dinner. Take the kids upstairs for bedtime milk and stories, have family prayers and kisses, then tuck both kids in to bed.
7-10pm
Grown-up time! Martin is on call at Rapi so we have to stick close to home. We do DIY on Mondays and have date night on Fridays. On other days we do some tidying, work out on the Wii together, check e-mails and blogs again, watch movies or telly together, etc.
10-11pm
Bed!
This is 5 days a week. The weekends are something else entirely. Martin works from 9am-5pm at the Place, comes home for dinner, and then heads out again at 6:30pm to work at Rapi. Then, of course, Sunday involves the 4 1/2 hour church ordeal and either a video call with my family or dinner at Martin's parents' house.
It is a pretty calm, peaceful, and slightly boring life. Sometimes it chafes, but most of the time I love it!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Enjoying it...
I had a really lovely birthday this year. My gifts were thoughtful and much appreciated. My birthday cake was delicious. I had some good company. I got to go out on a date with my wonderful husband.
Yes, I had to prepare and clean up after 3 meals. Yes, I had to make my own birthday cake. Yes, I had to clean the house for company to come over. Yes, my son did stay up 4 hours after his bed time because he was waiting for us to come home and I had to feed my daughter when we got home at 11pm. But seriously, it was a wonderful day.
My favorite gift was from Martin. He gave me a handbag sized sketch book, some new drawing pencils, and some oil pastels. I did an adorable sketch of Edith yesterday, and realized just how incredibly out of practice I am. I used to sketch every day, and now I do it about once every 3-4 months. Martin knew I've been missing it, and got me a gift to encourage my talents. What a great husband!
I've also been trying to get the kids out of the house more, weather permitting. It seems to be making a difference in Dylan's sleeping pattern--and it's a change for the better! This morning he didn't wake up until 6:40am. That's an hour later than he has been getting up, and it was blissful.
We've got company coming over tonight--Charlotte and Dave, along with baby Tim and little Beth. I'm making homemade pizza and breadsticks, they are putting the kids to bed here, and we are going to play games & stuff. I'm really looking forward to it. Even to making the pizza. There's something so satisfying about making a gorgeous looking pizza!
Don't worry mom--I'll dig out the camera and put a few pictures of the kids on in the next few days.
Yes, I had to prepare and clean up after 3 meals. Yes, I had to make my own birthday cake. Yes, I had to clean the house for company to come over. Yes, my son did stay up 4 hours after his bed time because he was waiting for us to come home and I had to feed my daughter when we got home at 11pm. But seriously, it was a wonderful day.
My favorite gift was from Martin. He gave me a handbag sized sketch book, some new drawing pencils, and some oil pastels. I did an adorable sketch of Edith yesterday, and realized just how incredibly out of practice I am. I used to sketch every day, and now I do it about once every 3-4 months. Martin knew I've been missing it, and got me a gift to encourage my talents. What a great husband!
I've also been trying to get the kids out of the house more, weather permitting. It seems to be making a difference in Dylan's sleeping pattern--and it's a change for the better! This morning he didn't wake up until 6:40am. That's an hour later than he has been getting up, and it was blissful.
We've got company coming over tonight--Charlotte and Dave, along with baby Tim and little Beth. I'm making homemade pizza and breadsticks, they are putting the kids to bed here, and we are going to play games & stuff. I'm really looking forward to it. Even to making the pizza. There's something so satisfying about making a gorgeous looking pizza!
Don't worry mom--I'll dig out the camera and put a few pictures of the kids on in the next few days.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
My afternoon as the parent of one...
Dylan and Martin spent some quality time together this afternoon, so it was just me and Edith. I love having only one child every now and again!
The boys went in to Scunthorpe on the bus, which is more expensive than driving but is a real treat for Dylan. He LOVES the bus. Especially because the 350 has a special name and bus color. It's called the Humber "Fast Cat," and it's a bright orange bus. When Dylan was fist learning to talk he called it the "masscat" and told us that it was "issinge." So adorable.
Anyway, they went to do some birthdy shopping for me, and Edith and I chilled. She played on my bedroom floor while I did my hair. We went for a little drive and played in the park for a bit. We did a bit of grocery shopping together. She ate gressini on the kitchen floor (not OFF the kitchen floor--she was sitting on it) while I cooked dinner.
When the boys came home, we ate dinner as a family, did baths, and got the kids in to bed. They are snuggled down for, hopefully, the whole night.
I have had a couple of really good days with the kids, and it's a good thing! We all had a horrible virus which Dylan brought home from the hospital for us. Plus, Edith was teething. Add that to Martin's 11 hour day at work on Saturday and we were all pretty run down. Today I like being a mommy again. Plus, I got released from my calling im Primary on Sunday. That made me pretty happy as well.
Anyway, tomorrow is my 31st birthday. Hopefully it'll be a nice day as well. Stay and Play in the morning with the kids, Martin's grandparents visiting in the afternoon. Movie with my husband after the kids are tucked in to bed. Yep, sounds like it's going to be a good one. Now if Edith will just sleep through the night...
Not holding my breath on that one!
The boys went in to Scunthorpe on the bus, which is more expensive than driving but is a real treat for Dylan. He LOVES the bus. Especially because the 350 has a special name and bus color. It's called the Humber "Fast Cat," and it's a bright orange bus. When Dylan was fist learning to talk he called it the "masscat" and told us that it was "issinge." So adorable.
Anyway, they went to do some birthdy shopping for me, and Edith and I chilled. She played on my bedroom floor while I did my hair. We went for a little drive and played in the park for a bit. We did a bit of grocery shopping together. She ate gressini on the kitchen floor (not OFF the kitchen floor--she was sitting on it) while I cooked dinner.
When the boys came home, we ate dinner as a family, did baths, and got the kids in to bed. They are snuggled down for, hopefully, the whole night.
I have had a couple of really good days with the kids, and it's a good thing! We all had a horrible virus which Dylan brought home from the hospital for us. Plus, Edith was teething. Add that to Martin's 11 hour day at work on Saturday and we were all pretty run down. Today I like being a mommy again. Plus, I got released from my calling im Primary on Sunday. That made me pretty happy as well.
Anyway, tomorrow is my 31st birthday. Hopefully it'll be a nice day as well. Stay and Play in the morning with the kids, Martin's grandparents visiting in the afternoon. Movie with my husband after the kids are tucked in to bed. Yep, sounds like it's going to be a good one. Now if Edith will just sleep through the night...
Not holding my breath on that one!
Friday, January 15, 2010
I can't believe this girl!
After months of praying and agonizing and tearing my hair out, and then FINALLY resigning myself to the fact that I would be breastfeeding Edith for what seemed like the rest of her natural life...
...she took formula from a bottle today. Twice. 9 ounces of the stuff. And then she had the nerve to take a nap that was twice as long as her usual one. She'll probably sleep through the night, as well.
I just don't know about that girl sometimes. It's a good thing she's so cute and fun to have around!
...she took formula from a bottle today. Twice. 9 ounces of the stuff. And then she had the nerve to take a nap that was twice as long as her usual one. She'll probably sleep through the night, as well.
I just don't know about that girl sometimes. It's a good thing she's so cute and fun to have around!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Personality...
Dylan mystifies me.
Seriously, he is such a social butterfly. He's confident and gregarious and just loves to talk to people and make new friends. I have never been like that, and have never understood people who are.
Edith is my daughter.
It seems like I will have a shy one. Remember me as a child? Nose buried in a book? Alone in my room playing with my Barbies for hours? Just a little bit socially retarded?
At least I will be able to relate to this one. Though I have to say that watching Dylan interact with others is very entertaining!
Watching my children develop their own little personalities is one of my chief joys in life.
Seriously, he is such a social butterfly. He's confident and gregarious and just loves to talk to people and make new friends. I have never been like that, and have never understood people who are.
Edith is my daughter.
It seems like I will have a shy one. Remember me as a child? Nose buried in a book? Alone in my room playing with my Barbies for hours? Just a little bit socially retarded?
At least I will be able to relate to this one. Though I have to say that watching Dylan interact with others is very entertaining!
Watching my children develop their own little personalities is one of my chief joys in life.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Friday, January 08, 2010
Where to begin?
I guess I'll start with Dylan. He is doing much better, though his appetite is a bit funny and he gets tired really easily. This morning he was tearing around the house and forcing us to play with him--back to normal. By late this afternoon he was whining and horrible because he was exhausted. But anything is better than the lethargic whimpering and I'm glad he's ok.
Edith now has her first tooth--it popped through on Wednesday. You still can't quite see it, but you can sure feel it. Luckily she is no longer a biter, or it would mean no more breast milk for her. She wasn't even bad when the tooth was coming through. She woke up for night feeds a few times, but that was it. She really is an angelic child!
Martin and I are both doing well. Nothing new to report there, except that we've been working out on the Wii a lot lately. I have only missed one day since Christmas day, and that was the day we all went to Lincoln. I pushed Edith up Steep Hill and pushed both kids down it in the pushchair, and believe me--that was a FANTASTIC workout! I am starting to feel the benefit of the exercise as I have more energy now. Sadly, the more I trim and firm my tummy muscles, the worse my stretched out skin looks. But it has to get worse before it can get better, so I'll live with it.
The biggest news at the minute is the weather. It is snowing. Like, PROPER snowing! We drove home from Scunthorpe in a blizzard today, and it was beautiful. I have never seen snow and cold like this in England before. Although it is causing some serious problems, I love it. I couldn't go to Utah for the winter, so a Utah winter came to me. Most of the schools in the country are closed, the airports are a mess, trains are delayed, roads are icy, and the local councils are all running out of road salt and are having to ration it. The weirdest thing is that the weather is so cold that the snow isn't melting. I would be completely content to just sit at home with a mug of hot chocolate and a good movie on telly. In fact, that's what Martin and I are doing tonight.
Bring on the snow!
And that's the update (for now). Now here are the pictures I promised my mom...
Edith now has her first tooth--it popped through on Wednesday. You still can't quite see it, but you can sure feel it. Luckily she is no longer a biter, or it would mean no more breast milk for her. She wasn't even bad when the tooth was coming through. She woke up for night feeds a few times, but that was it. She really is an angelic child!
Martin and I are both doing well. Nothing new to report there, except that we've been working out on the Wii a lot lately. I have only missed one day since Christmas day, and that was the day we all went to Lincoln. I pushed Edith up Steep Hill and pushed both kids down it in the pushchair, and believe me--that was a FANTASTIC workout! I am starting to feel the benefit of the exercise as I have more energy now. Sadly, the more I trim and firm my tummy muscles, the worse my stretched out skin looks. But it has to get worse before it can get better, so I'll live with it.
The biggest news at the minute is the weather. It is snowing. Like, PROPER snowing! We drove home from Scunthorpe in a blizzard today, and it was beautiful. I have never seen snow and cold like this in England before. Although it is causing some serious problems, I love it. I couldn't go to Utah for the winter, so a Utah winter came to me. Most of the schools in the country are closed, the airports are a mess, trains are delayed, roads are icy, and the local councils are all running out of road salt and are having to ration it. The weirdest thing is that the weather is so cold that the snow isn't melting. I would be completely content to just sit at home with a mug of hot chocolate and a good movie on telly. In fact, that's what Martin and I are doing tonight.
Bring on the snow!
And that's the update (for now). Now here are the pictures I promised my mom...
We met up with Cathy in Grimsby on Tuesday-did some shopping, ate cake, and just generally had a good time.
This kid seriously looks amazing in black. He is such a beautiful little boy!
Never mind the curry stains on her little face--she is a beauty as well. Especially when she smiles--her whole face just lights up and she wrinkles her nose and squints a little. And then your heart melts.
New outfit--thanks Auntie Emma!
Christmas pajamas
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Darned mothering instinct...
It's just me and Edith today, and it's nicebut stressful at the same time.
Martin took Dylan to the hospital at about 3 this morning. He had a temperature of around 104 and it wasn't going down, no matter what we did. We'd seen the doctor yesterday and she gave us some drugs, but told us to take him to the hospital if he got any worse. He had been dozing, but not sleeping properly, for about 10 hours. We could hear him in his bedroom whimpering in pain and talking to his hallucinations. It was pretty frightening. Finally, I asked Martin to take him in to the emergancy room.
It is now quarter past 2 in the afternoon and they are just leaving the hospital to come home. Dylan is apparently doing much better now, which is a relief.
Last night, as I held Dylan's shaking and feverish little body, I would have given anything in the whole world to be able to take his place. I would have gladly endured his pain so that he wouldn't have to. I felt so helpless--I just wanted him to be better, but there wasn't a single thing I could do for him. I loved him so powerfully in his pain, and I have never felt that way before. Not even when he was in Primary Children's Hospital hooked up to all sorts of monitors and, for all we knew, dying. He normally seems so big and strong, but when he's ill I see him how he really is--tiny and oh so fragile. And I want to take care of him more than anything else in the whole world.
I never expected to feel this way about another human being. My children have taught me so much about what it means to love.
Martin took Dylan to the hospital at about 3 this morning. He had a temperature of around 104 and it wasn't going down, no matter what we did. We'd seen the doctor yesterday and she gave us some drugs, but told us to take him to the hospital if he got any worse. He had been dozing, but not sleeping properly, for about 10 hours. We could hear him in his bedroom whimpering in pain and talking to his hallucinations. It was pretty frightening. Finally, I asked Martin to take him in to the emergancy room.
It is now quarter past 2 in the afternoon and they are just leaving the hospital to come home. Dylan is apparently doing much better now, which is a relief.
Last night, as I held Dylan's shaking and feverish little body, I would have given anything in the whole world to be able to take his place. I would have gladly endured his pain so that he wouldn't have to. I felt so helpless--I just wanted him to be better, but there wasn't a single thing I could do for him. I loved him so powerfully in his pain, and I have never felt that way before. Not even when he was in Primary Children's Hospital hooked up to all sorts of monitors and, for all we knew, dying. He normally seems so big and strong, but when he's ill I see him how he really is--tiny and oh so fragile. And I want to take care of him more than anything else in the whole world.
I never expected to feel this way about another human being. My children have taught me so much about what it means to love.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
the secret ingredient...
I made a pizza the other day, and I did something a little different with the sauce. As we were eating it, Martin commented that it was my best pizza yet. I asked him if he wanted to know the secret ingredient.
"Love?" he said with a smile.
"No," I said.
"Ketchup."
"Love?" he said with a smile.
"No," I said.
"Ketchup."
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010
Weird. I can't believe a new decade has started. Where did the last 10 years go?
New Years is kind of a strange one for me. I never got into making new years resolutions. To be honest, writing a different number in my diary never seemed like that big of a deal. Except for when I was about to graduate from high school, and that's been a long time now.
I do like what my friend Amber did (was it) last year. Instead of using this day to write my resolutions for 2010, I will use it to "write" the ones for 2009. So, with that in mind, last year I...
...gave birth to my beautiful daughter Edith.
...got our house ready to sell and listed it with an estate agent.
...successfully created and maintained a household budget that most people wouldn't be able to survive on!
...grew my hair out (again).
...started a daily exercise routine.
...continued to develop in my role as a stay-at-home mother of two and housewife.
All things considered, I guess it's been a pretty successful year. And, while I won't call them "resolutions" because I refuse to make those silly things, there are some things I would like to accomplish this year. I would like to...
...NOT be pregnant or breastfeeding a baby for at least part of the year.
...get the house sold (though it's not really up to me, but I can make sure it looks really good!).
...move back to Utah (this one totally contingent upon the other one).
...lose weight (yes, I know. Totally cliche. But I want to have that darned surgery to get rid of my "apron." I've already set that as a goal, so it's not a new years thing anyway)
...enroll in an art class of some kind.
Hopefully this will be a big year for our family. I want it to bring weight loss and surgery for me, an American passport for Edith, a green card for Martin, a house sale, and an international move. But the baby stuff and the art class stuff is definitely acheivable, no matter what!
We went to Lincoln on Wednesday to see Martin's cousin Gareth. I really like him--he's such an unbelievably nice guy. Sadly, we hadn't seen him since Dylan was born. When he told me he hadn't seen me since I became a mum, I was shocked. Had it really been that long? I feel like I've been a mother for ever! It sort of seems like my life before I had kids has faded away to nothing, because I am totally consumed by my current role. I feel like it's changed me completely, and I wonder if other people see it that way.
Emma said yesterday that she sometimes forgets that I have a baby. Dylan was such a big deal in our lives, and Edith kind of slipped in under the radar.
Having these kids has definitely changed my body and my body image. My stomach is so grotesque as it is, and that is 100% the fault of my pregnancies. I certainly had my flaws before, but I always had a nice shape (though it was a bigger one than I'd have liked). I love my children, but I loathe what they've done to me physically. Edith more than Dylan. Seriously, I now hate my body. But I am amazed by what they've done to me emotionally.
So here I am, doing a self-check at the beginning of this year. I like who I am, but not what I look like. I like where I am, but I still want to move. So there is definitely room for growth.
I'm really rambling. Coherent thought just doesn't happen for me on 6.5 hours of sleep.
Happy New Year everybody!
New Years is kind of a strange one for me. I never got into making new years resolutions. To be honest, writing a different number in my diary never seemed like that big of a deal. Except for when I was about to graduate from high school, and that's been a long time now.
I do like what my friend Amber did (was it) last year. Instead of using this day to write my resolutions for 2010, I will use it to "write" the ones for 2009. So, with that in mind, last year I...
...gave birth to my beautiful daughter Edith.
...got our house ready to sell and listed it with an estate agent.
...successfully created and maintained a household budget that most people wouldn't be able to survive on!
...grew my hair out (again).
...started a daily exercise routine.
...continued to develop in my role as a stay-at-home mother of two and housewife.
All things considered, I guess it's been a pretty successful year. And, while I won't call them "resolutions" because I refuse to make those silly things, there are some things I would like to accomplish this year. I would like to...
...NOT be pregnant or breastfeeding a baby for at least part of the year.
...get the house sold (though it's not really up to me, but I can make sure it looks really good!).
...move back to Utah (this one totally contingent upon the other one).
...lose weight (yes, I know. Totally cliche. But I want to have that darned surgery to get rid of my "apron." I've already set that as a goal, so it's not a new years thing anyway)
...enroll in an art class of some kind.
Hopefully this will be a big year for our family. I want it to bring weight loss and surgery for me, an American passport for Edith, a green card for Martin, a house sale, and an international move. But the baby stuff and the art class stuff is definitely acheivable, no matter what!
We went to Lincoln on Wednesday to see Martin's cousin Gareth. I really like him--he's such an unbelievably nice guy. Sadly, we hadn't seen him since Dylan was born. When he told me he hadn't seen me since I became a mum, I was shocked. Had it really been that long? I feel like I've been a mother for ever! It sort of seems like my life before I had kids has faded away to nothing, because I am totally consumed by my current role. I feel like it's changed me completely, and I wonder if other people see it that way.
Emma said yesterday that she sometimes forgets that I have a baby. Dylan was such a big deal in our lives, and Edith kind of slipped in under the radar.
Having these kids has definitely changed my body and my body image. My stomach is so grotesque as it is, and that is 100% the fault of my pregnancies. I certainly had my flaws before, but I always had a nice shape (though it was a bigger one than I'd have liked). I love my children, but I loathe what they've done to me physically. Edith more than Dylan. Seriously, I now hate my body. But I am amazed by what they've done to me emotionally.
So here I am, doing a self-check at the beginning of this year. I like who I am, but not what I look like. I like where I am, but I still want to move. So there is definitely room for growth.
I'm really rambling. Coherent thought just doesn't happen for me on 6.5 hours of sleep.
Happy New Year everybody!
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