A few bits of three year old Fin-speak:
You = yew
Quiet = kie-wet
Clean = keen
Later = way-ter or yay-ter
Hotel = ho-en-tell
Grocery store = go-see sto
Room = woom
Madeleine - Mad-eh-win
Brother - bro-vher
Swimming pool = simming poo
With = wis
And a little FYI that he likes to share at random: "Pee pees come out of my penis and poo poos come out OF MY BUTT!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Maddie's Summer Bucket List
Before summer kicks the bucket, there are some things Maddie wants to do:
1. Pass her swim test at LifeTime Fitness.
2. Go down the twisty water slide at LifeTime Fitness.
3. Have a real picnic.
4. Catch a butterfly in a butterfly net.
5. Catch fireflies.
6. Go off the diving board and swim in the deep end of our neighborhood pool.
7. Go to Six Flags and their water park.
Well, not too bad. We knocked off almost the entire list in one week.
I didn't take pictures at LifeTime, but you passed your test and go to to go down the slide all in the same day. I'm so happy for you for passing that test! It feels like it takes you forever to master a skill because I just don't give you enough opportunities to practice. I've been telling myself that I should teach you to ride a bike, but we live in a hilly neighborhood. You don't really have a place to ride it once you do learn.
But, here you are, jumping off the diving board and into the deep end (extra fun part: we did it around 9:30p!):
1. Pass her swim test at LifeTime Fitness.
2. Go down the twisty water slide at LifeTime Fitness.
3. Have a real picnic.
4. Catch a butterfly in a butterfly net.
5. Catch fireflies.
6. Go off the diving board and swim in the deep end of our neighborhood pool.
7. Go to Six Flags and their water park.
Well, not too bad. We knocked off almost the entire list in one week.
I didn't take pictures at LifeTime, but you passed your test and go to to go down the slide all in the same day. I'm so happy for you for passing that test! It feels like it takes you forever to master a skill because I just don't give you enough opportunities to practice. I've been telling myself that I should teach you to ride a bike, but we live in a hilly neighborhood. You don't really have a place to ride it once you do learn.
But, here you are, jumping off the diving board and into the deep end (extra fun part: we did it around 9:30p!):
And here is your picnic and butterfly expedition:
Next we have to take you to Six Flags. Argh!
I love you and your wonderful summer!
Captain Awesome Baby Sleeps Through the Night
Have you ever read something, wished you'd known about it before, and have a strong desire to try it at your soonest opportunity? Well, when Fin was nearly a year old I read Bringing Up Bebe. It was written by an American woman who had moved to Paris and was raising a child. She noted some differences between her child and the Parisian children and decided to write a book about it. One marvelous discovery was that "all French children sleep through the night at 2 months." Now, I don't know what the French consider "sleeping through the night," but (as I said) Fin was almost a year old and not sleeping through the night at all. The book mentioned that once a child was 4 months old, poor sleeping habits were rather firmed up. It would be several more months before he would sleep through the night. I was VERY anxious to try out what the book mentioned, as it was clear what mistakes I had made with Fin.
So, as directed, I had you sleeping right by the largest window in the house, right in the living room, central to the most noise in the house. I had you sleep in your crib at night as much as, and as early as possible. Sure enough, you turned 5 months old ten days ago and have been sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks. And by "sleeping through the night" I mean: you go to bed around 8pm and sleep until 6:30am. It is absolute heaven.
I cannot thank you enough. Last week I was in a terrible mood and really snapping at your brother and (mostly) your sister. If it weren't for you allowing me to get some time to myself in the evening and then a full night's sleep, I think I may have exploded.
I love you.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
To quote The Others, "This house is ours. This house is ours."
We did it! We bought the house we have been renting and closed on June 23, 2014. It's a relief and a bit of an anti-climax. It's anti-climactic because we've been living here. There's no moving or fresh start. And it's funny: I've had all this guilt about moving Maddie from school to school to school, but she's disappointed that we're staying because she would prefer to change schools again. She's never made a real best friend, so I understand. But, while the other house we considered did have a backyard (something this house lacks), this house has better schools and it's a much nicer house in a much nicer neighborhood. In the other house we considered, young master Beckett would have been in an open loft for a couple of years, or he would have shared a room with Fin.
Still, the relief of having our own house to do with as we please that can be as long-term as we wish is the relief. Fin still quizzes me occasionally, out of the blue. "Is this our house?"
"Yes."
"Is this Fin's and Beckett's and Mommy's and Daddy's and Maddie's and Fin's and Beckett's and Mommy's house?"
"Yes."
"Are we in our house?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
That's one conversation, not an example of several.
We had the house painted before we closed. We had to hurry to make sure the owners would pay for it, and we had to use HOA approved colors. I thought I was choosing different colors. It did NOT turn out as I'd hoped. Sigh.
But, years ago the house had a bridge that extended from the deck and back stairs that spanned across the little creek that runs behind the house. The bridge lead to the park behind the house, but it washed away during a 500-year flood that shook the region back in 2009. While we rented the house, the back stairs were blocked off by some haphazard ropes meant to stop anyone from crossing. As part of the closing agreement, we had that rebuilt. The kids and I used it today to wander over to the park and have a picnic. It actually made things quite a bit easier than the previous method of simply walking around the front and side of our house to the park.
Yahoo!
Still, the relief of having our own house to do with as we please that can be as long-term as we wish is the relief. Fin still quizzes me occasionally, out of the blue. "Is this our house?"
"Yes."
"Is this Fin's and Beckett's and Mommy's and Daddy's and Maddie's and Fin's and Beckett's and Mommy's house?"
"Yes."
"Are we in our house?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
That's one conversation, not an example of several.
We had the house painted before we closed. We had to hurry to make sure the owners would pay for it, and we had to use HOA approved colors. I thought I was choosing different colors. It did NOT turn out as I'd hoped. Sigh.
But, years ago the house had a bridge that extended from the deck and back stairs that spanned across the little creek that runs behind the house. The bridge lead to the park behind the house, but it washed away during a 500-year flood that shook the region back in 2009. While we rented the house, the back stairs were blocked off by some haphazard ropes meant to stop anyone from crossing. As part of the closing agreement, we had that rebuilt. The kids and I used it today to wander over to the park and have a picnic. It actually made things quite a bit easier than the previous method of simply walking around the front and side of our house to the park.
Yahoo!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Two-month old, three year old, and an almost nine year old
It's been too long since I last posted, but I guess that's no surprise! A newborn and Fin keep me pretty busy while Maddie keeps me sane.
Two days before Beckett was born, our punch-drunk naming marathon had us naming him Hale. Cool, simple name; easily read, pronounced and spelled. But, being punch-drunk, we were going to name him Hale Gallaxhar, Ha ha! The night before he came, we decided on Beckett Rackham.
The day Beckett was delivered was a bit of a surprise. At 34 weeks and 5 days, we had recently started seeing an indication that the blood flow to Beckett was slowing. At my regularly scheduled appointment we saw that it has slowed even more. The next step would be that the flow would stop, and eventually start flowing in the other direction. Dr. Lopez-Zeno decided that day, January 20, was the day, so off went Daddy and I to the hospital while Grandma and Grandpa stayed at home with Fin.
The c-section was straight forward and my recovery went well. He was born on Monday and I went home on Friday (I scored an extra day because he was still in the NICU, and, quite frankly, staying in bed with three meals delivered, nothing to clean, and no kids to care for was a nice little vacation.). Little Beckett stayed in the NICU for two weeks with barely any problems. He had a little help breathing for the first night, but that was it. He developed jaundice, which we expected, and was on the bilirubin lights for a few days. The toughest part was the IV. It just wouldn't last for more than a day without backing up, so it would be in the right hand, then a foot, then the left hand, and finally his head, which I had a hard time with. I knew it was necessary, but to see it in the head was rough. (Beckett on his bilirubin lights...)
Little Beckett also had a tube in his nose for feeding, and that stayed in until a day or two before he got to come home. That was tough, too, because he'd pull at it everyday and it frequently had to be replaced, no matter how creative they tried to get with tape.
But now Beckett is two and a half months old! And what a little chunk of a boy. This picture isn't as recent; it's a couple of weeks old, but it gives an idea of the big change ...
Just within the last few days, I'm starting to get a few coos and some smiles. Fin loves Beckett. Usually. When he can, Fin likes to bring toys to Beckett (often putting them on his face) and becomes concerned when Beckett cries. Usually. There was a morning this week when Beckett was on my chest, crying over a gassy tummy. Fin was trying to hear his cartoons, so he turned to me and said, "You turn that Beckett off, Mommy." Oh, honey. If I knew how to do that, I wouldn't be waking up every three hours at night.
Fin. Ah, Fin. He remains my exuberant, amazing, loud, funny, energetic boy. Fin is just one big ball of sunshine that makes every day amazing and intense and great, even if it often seems he ONLY HAS ONE SETTING FOR VOLUME. Extra fun at restaurants. He's really getting to the age where he can be more independent, spending a lot of these spring days on the back deck playing in the sand box. Oh, how I wish we had a house with a backyard!!
Fin has also become the man of "I do it myself!," or, at the very least, "We work together, Mommy," which means we both have to have hands on it at the same time, whether it's pouring a glass of milk, pushing the stroller, or planting flowers. He also loves to boss. He tries to tell us when we can talk, whom we can talk to, when Sissy can get in or out of the car, and has recently decided that no one (especially Sissy) can have something if he wants it, even if each person gets their own. "No! No water, Sissy! *I* want water! You no want water!"
Still, Fin's most favorite person continues to be his big sister, although lately it's more because he loves to play with her when she gets home from school, and less because he wants to raid the leftovers in her lunchbox!
And Maddie. Dear, sweet, Maddie. Her biggest trigger for getting in trouble is doing anything that sets Fin into a big, loud, silly bout when we're at a restaurant. She doesn't need to do much!
Maddie is REALLY into a game called Minecraft. Poor kid, I try to look interested when she tells me about some wood she found, a kid who grew up, a structure she built, a kid who died, a crop that grew ... But I truly have no interest in this game. Maddie wants a Minecraft themed birthday party. In the past, I have had every detail of Maddie's parties planned out more than a month in advance of her birthday, but this Minecraft thing is painful. Her birthday is a week from today and I just sent out a note to see if her small list of party guests is available. I have NOTHING planned, we leave in three days for a camping trip, and will get back the day before the party. Kill me. This will not be the Best Party Ever. Gah!!
Well, it's 10:30pm, way past my bedtime these days, since I have to get up several times a night for Beckett and then get up in the morning to get Maddie off to school. G'nite!!
Two days before Beckett was born, our punch-drunk naming marathon had us naming him Hale. Cool, simple name; easily read, pronounced and spelled. But, being punch-drunk, we were going to name him Hale Gallaxhar, Ha ha! The night before he came, we decided on Beckett Rackham.
The day Beckett was delivered was a bit of a surprise. At 34 weeks and 5 days, we had recently started seeing an indication that the blood flow to Beckett was slowing. At my regularly scheduled appointment we saw that it has slowed even more. The next step would be that the flow would stop, and eventually start flowing in the other direction. Dr. Lopez-Zeno decided that day, January 20, was the day, so off went Daddy and I to the hospital while Grandma and Grandpa stayed at home with Fin.
The c-section was straight forward and my recovery went well. He was born on Monday and I went home on Friday (I scored an extra day because he was still in the NICU, and, quite frankly, staying in bed with three meals delivered, nothing to clean, and no kids to care for was a nice little vacation.). Little Beckett stayed in the NICU for two weeks with barely any problems. He had a little help breathing for the first night, but that was it. He developed jaundice, which we expected, and was on the bilirubin lights for a few days. The toughest part was the IV. It just wouldn't last for more than a day without backing up, so it would be in the right hand, then a foot, then the left hand, and finally his head, which I had a hard time with. I knew it was necessary, but to see it in the head was rough. (Beckett on his bilirubin lights...)
Little Beckett also had a tube in his nose for feeding, and that stayed in until a day or two before he got to come home. That was tough, too, because he'd pull at it everyday and it frequently had to be replaced, no matter how creative they tried to get with tape.
At last, it was time for a car seat test to see if we could bring home a little man who was born at 3#, 5 oz., and now weighed just over four pounds - the minimum!
Just within the last few days, I'm starting to get a few coos and some smiles. Fin loves Beckett. Usually. When he can, Fin likes to bring toys to Beckett (often putting them on his face) and becomes concerned when Beckett cries. Usually. There was a morning this week when Beckett was on my chest, crying over a gassy tummy. Fin was trying to hear his cartoons, so he turned to me and said, "You turn that Beckett off, Mommy." Oh, honey. If I knew how to do that, I wouldn't be waking up every three hours at night.
Fin. Ah, Fin. He remains my exuberant, amazing, loud, funny, energetic boy. Fin is just one big ball of sunshine that makes every day amazing and intense and great, even if it often seems he ONLY HAS ONE SETTING FOR VOLUME. Extra fun at restaurants. He's really getting to the age where he can be more independent, spending a lot of these spring days on the back deck playing in the sand box. Oh, how I wish we had a house with a backyard!!
Fin has also become the man of "I do it myself!," or, at the very least, "We work together, Mommy," which means we both have to have hands on it at the same time, whether it's pouring a glass of milk, pushing the stroller, or planting flowers. He also loves to boss. He tries to tell us when we can talk, whom we can talk to, when Sissy can get in or out of the car, and has recently decided that no one (especially Sissy) can have something if he wants it, even if each person gets their own. "No! No water, Sissy! *I* want water! You no want water!"
Still, Fin's most favorite person continues to be his big sister, although lately it's more because he loves to play with her when she gets home from school, and less because he wants to raid the leftovers in her lunchbox!
And Maddie. Dear, sweet, Maddie. Her biggest trigger for getting in trouble is doing anything that sets Fin into a big, loud, silly bout when we're at a restaurant. She doesn't need to do much!
Maddie is REALLY into a game called Minecraft. Poor kid, I try to look interested when she tells me about some wood she found, a kid who grew up, a structure she built, a kid who died, a crop that grew ... But I truly have no interest in this game. Maddie wants a Minecraft themed birthday party. In the past, I have had every detail of Maddie's parties planned out more than a month in advance of her birthday, but this Minecraft thing is painful. Her birthday is a week from today and I just sent out a note to see if her small list of party guests is available. I have NOTHING planned, we leave in three days for a camping trip, and will get back the day before the party. Kill me. This will not be the Best Party Ever. Gah!!
Well, it's 10:30pm, way past my bedtime these days, since I have to get up several times a night for Beckett and then get up in the morning to get Maddie off to school. G'nite!!
Thursday, November 28, 2013
The Baby Who Almost Wasn't May Just Skip the NICU
All right, so I may be getting ahead myself, but we just got amazing news yesterday, and it gave me a lot of hope.
Your bright bowel has cleared. Yay!!! Two weeks ago, you were in the 12th percentile for weight, weighing only 1.1 pounds. Yesterday you jumped to the 21st percentile and gained a half-pound in two weeks!! The amniotic fluid that was surrounding you was only at an 8 two weeks ago - the normal range being 8-24. Yesterday I was at 16!! And the doctor couldn't get a good look at your foot, but the tech and I didn't see any sign of rocker bottom foot.
So all this news just brought even better news. If you keep thriving like this, we may be able to push past 34 weeks and you may avoid the NICU altogether. I swear, you are taking all the bad news and just laughing in the face of doom, and saying, "Oh Yeah??? Think so? I don't. I think I'm going to turn things around and show you how awesome I am."
I like it. Keep it coming.
Doc says we're not out of the woods yet, but that we can relax at 30 weeks - just three weeks away!!! I know we can do this. I am so excited. I love you so much!!!!!
***
After reading my most recent post about you, I realized I haven't posted all the other super-awesome-fantastic news we've been receiving! First chromosome test results: CLEAR!! Virus results: CLEAR!! Micro array chromosome test results: CLEAR!!!! And no signs of neural tube defects or anything else resulting from high AFP levels. Tippity tap, tap!
I don't know if we'll do it, but Daddy and I are seriously considering giving you the middle name "Danger." I was growing leery of it, worried about it hurting your chances of becoming a senator later. But as I type this, I think you may have earned it. And it will make you a wicked cool Navy Seal.
Your bright bowel has cleared. Yay!!! Two weeks ago, you were in the 12th percentile for weight, weighing only 1.1 pounds. Yesterday you jumped to the 21st percentile and gained a half-pound in two weeks!! The amniotic fluid that was surrounding you was only at an 8 two weeks ago - the normal range being 8-24. Yesterday I was at 16!! And the doctor couldn't get a good look at your foot, but the tech and I didn't see any sign of rocker bottom foot.
So all this news just brought even better news. If you keep thriving like this, we may be able to push past 34 weeks and you may avoid the NICU altogether. I swear, you are taking all the bad news and just laughing in the face of doom, and saying, "Oh Yeah??? Think so? I don't. I think I'm going to turn things around and show you how awesome I am."
I like it. Keep it coming.
Doc says we're not out of the woods yet, but that we can relax at 30 weeks - just three weeks away!!! I know we can do this. I am so excited. I love you so much!!!!!
***
After reading my most recent post about you, I realized I haven't posted all the other super-awesome-fantastic news we've been receiving! First chromosome test results: CLEAR!! Virus results: CLEAR!! Micro array chromosome test results: CLEAR!!!! And no signs of neural tube defects or anything else resulting from high AFP levels. Tippity tap, tap!
I don't know if we'll do it, but Daddy and I are seriously considering giving you the middle name "Danger." I was growing leery of it, worried about it hurting your chances of becoming a senator later. But as I type this, I think you may have earned it. And it will make you a wicked cool Navy Seal.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Fin Quirks and Maddie's First Creepy
Today, Fin heard Maddie say something about a Halloween party (she was looking at a Minecraft video on her iPad). Fin put his little fists up under his chin and said, "Ha'ween pahty, peeese, Mommy? Peese?" He was so stinking cute that I wanted to give hom one, but alas, not possible.
Earlier today I asked Fin a question. He tucked one fist under his chin and said, "Hmmm, let's see..."
Yesterday I put him down for a nap. After reading and singing to him, he said (as always), "Mommy stay! I wan Mommy stay!" I told him I needed to go because I needed a tissue for my nose and needed to take my own nap.
When I went to get him after the nap, the first thing he said was, "Mommy get tissue?"
"Yes."
"Oh, good. Mommy take nap?"
"Yes, I did."
"Oh, great! "
Fin has also been enjoying playing with my stethoscope. He listened to my heart and said, "Sounds good. Sounds good."
This morning at breakfast, Maddie said, "I think this is my first time eating a creepy." To which I replied, "It's 'crepe.'"
I love these guys!!
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