Milestones

Before I forget to record these things.....Andrew started crawling on September 25, 2010. He started crawling up the stairs on November 25, 2010. I have always felt that once he started to be mobile he would never stop and that has been true. He's very hard to hold because he is so squirmy. Changing his diaper is like wrestling an alligator and putting on his pajamas is a two person job.

On Sunday, December 12, 2010 Beth started snapping. If she could do this before I have never noticed. It is so fun to watch her develop and grow.

Scissors

I got home about 5:15 p.m. last night. Dinner needed to be made, Andrew was crying to be fed and Beth wanted to open the packages that came in the mail. I gave her a pair of child scissors to try to cut the tape on the packages. I thought that would keep her satisfied while I started dinner and tried to take care of Andrew. Next thing I know she comes into the kitchen and shows me the tip of her finger covered in blood and says "Mom, I got hurt". Well, I started freaking out yelling and panicking. I set brother down on the floor and he starts screaming. I was a mess. I thought she had cut the tip of her finger off (luckily it was just a cut). She looks at me calmly and says "Mom, it's just blood". I was so proud of her for staying so calm. It wasn't until I continued to flip out that she started to cry. I think she was more upset by my behavior than the injury. Luckily Kev came home a few minutes after it happened and helped to bandage up the cut. I wasn't proud of how I reacted and I need to practice my reaction to panicky situations so that I can be a better example for her. Also, I think I need to put all of the scissors and knives (and anything else that could possibly hurt her or Andrew in any way--I wish) in our house under lock and key.

Things I Want to Remember

The other day Beth asked this question "After I'm done with preschool do I get to go to cardergallon (kindergarten)?"

Beth calls Otter Pops "Oscar Pops".

Andrew had a fever that started on Sunday, would come and go for the last three days, and made him miserable. The fever broke today but he broke out in a rash on his abdomen that spread to his neck, and legs, and a little bit on his face. He apparently had Roseola. I remember this from when Beth had it. He has been waking up more often at night and hasn't had a real nap today so Kevin and I are both hoping that he goes back to his old sleeping habits or (dream beyond dream) we wish he would sleep through the night.

I took Andrew to the doctor today to be diagnosed with Roseola and the kids get a sticker after every appointment with the doctor. Beth ran ahead to choose the stickers and then ran back yelling "Brother, I got you an ogre". She has seen Shrek so that is who I was expecting to see on the sticker but it was Yoda. That made me laugh--he does look like an ogre.

Some Milestones

I want to record some information about Andrewand Beth before I forget.

On September 1, 2010 Kevin discovered Andrew's first bottom tooth had erupted. I believe it was the tooth on the bottom right side of his mouth. He now has two tiny bottom teeth that are quite sharp.

Just this week Andrew has started to army crawl and also be able to rise up on his hands and knees and go one crawl length or whatever you would call it before collapsing. He can use a combination of rolling, flopping, army crawling, and very early real crawling to get anywhere he wants in the family room. I'm not sure if I'm ready for the crawling stage. He puts everything in his mouth and our home has so many stairs. I will have to watch him even closer as he gets more mobile.

Beth had her second real haircut on September 1, 2010. I took her to a neighborhood salon. The beautician was from Vietnam and I had a very hard time understanding her. She thought Beth would look better with much shorter hair and cut off most of Beth's curls. I missed her curls immediately. She looks more grown up now and I think her hair is growing in straighter. I want her to stay my little girl forever but people have tried to tell me that eventually she would have had to have them cut off. I think she looks quite different but she is still darling.

Beth has completed her first month at preschool with Miss Lori in Murray. She loves it. Every time Miss Lori opens the garage at the end of preschool I see Beth looking for me. She takes this very seriously and I always think there's a moment where a look of doubt that she'll find me crosses her face. But I have always been there watching her. Once she finds me, she runs to me and yells "MOM!". She is the only student who does this and I want to savor it every time. There are seven other students with her in the afternoon session but she has yet to be able to tell me all of their names. Apparently there is a girl named Eli, so when she was leaving a message to Aunt Eli on the phone yesterday she had to tell her about the girl in her preschool named Eli.

Okay, Now I'm Mad

So Wednesday night I'm in the bathroom brushing my teeth when I hear Andrew start to scream. He and Beth were playing on the floor in his room. When I ran in and asked Beth what happened she said "I bit his finger really hard, and he didn't like it." I was worried that this would happen now that Beth has been introduced to biting. I am trying to figure out how to teach her that biting is wrong especially biting a helpless baby, but that there are times when she needs to defend herself.

A Sad Day with a Happy Meal

I took Beth to McDonald's on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 and let her have the rare treat of eating her Happy Meal in the PlayPlace. We hadn't been there in probably a year and last time we went she couldn't climb up the stairs that lead to the slides and bridge. The stairs are enclosed and made for little kids, so I couldn't really help her get up them. I was very excited that this time it was easy for her. She was having a great time using the slides, taking a bite of her hamburger, and then returning to the slides. At one point she was at the top of the stairs where the slide and bridge openings are and she yelled to me "Mom, they won't let me go." Two brothers probably two and three years old were blocking her way. One was blocking the bridge and the other one was blocking the opening to the slide. I told her to ask them to let her go through so she did and then suddenly I hear the saddest howl of a cry coming from the top of the stairs. I was holding Andrew so the boys' mom climbed up the stairs, smacked one of her sons, which made him start bawling, and helped Beth get back down the stairs. Between sobs Beth tried to explain to me what happened. I could tell her cheek was bright red and I thought she said "he pinched me" but then as she went on to explain the incident I found out he used his teeth. She was completely unfamiliar with biting. She told me he used his sharp teeth. And she said "He tried to eat me". It was so sad. The other mom apologized but she didn't really speak English so all she could say is "I'm sorry". I said "It's okay" like you're supposed to but I was glad that she made her boys leave. The bite didn't quite break the skin but it did leave a bruise. It was our first real run-in with another child and I'm sure it won't be our last. I wish I could keep her safe from everything. I know that's not realistic. I was so grateful for the fact that I stayed calm throughout the entire ordeal. I wasn't really mad at the little boy or his mom. I was more concerned about making it as okay as possible for Beth. Big tears rolled down her cheeks and all I could do was listen and dry her tears.

Nico's Notes Blog

Why have I hesitated to start a blog?

A.) I don't enjoy writing, or proof reading, or not knowing how to use commas.

B.) I fear that as time lapses between posts I will feel guilty for not posting and I don't need that kind of pressure.

Why do I want to start a blog now?

A.) I want my children to have a record of events to look back on in the future.

B.) I hope to reflect back on events and in so doing be able to more fully recognize the blessed moments of our lives.