I am poised on this precipice before the giant roller coaster drops and we take our wild ride of parenting two kids. I am trying to savor the special moments with C as well as the feeling of T moving around in my belly. (For those of you who don't know, we have named our unborn son, but you'll have to call or email me if you are too curious to wait for the birth announcement!) T is a real kicker. The midwife says he's long, and I can attest to that feeling: simultaneous not-so-gentle pokes on my rib cage and my pelvis. Since all of M's family are short, he must get the length from my side. For purposes of delivery, I'm hoping for long and lean, like a swimmer just sliding gracefully down a chute. Well, I can dream, can't I?
On the toilet front, C is such a star! While he still dances around waving his hands trying to hold it in sometimes (rather than go right to the pot), he is pretty much potty trained during waking hours. He might need a reminder or a social reason to go (as in, "I'm going to go to the toilet...do you want to come, too?") but he usually makes it in time--amazing! M and I are so impressed with and grateful for his learning, and it has really helped with any power issues to not have to make him sit on the toilet anymore.
I am doing my best not to talk only about my child(ren) in this blog, because I do have other parts of my life, but as some of you know, parenting is an all-consuming profession. Let's see if I can think of any other tidbits going on right now...
Reading: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (to refresh my memory for the new one)
Listening to: our Harry Connick, Jr. station on Pandora.com (if you haven't discovered this make-your-own radio station website, you must)
Knitting: Nothing! Can you believe it? Well, unless you count that short-sleeved lavender sweater that I've been picking away at for ages. I am also considering a pair of baby cargo pants for T (3-6 months size) that I saw on Knitty.com. I love that site.
Getting to know: a kind, wonderful friend at church who takes C and I to her country club pool; our next door neighbors whom we just had over for dinner and they stayed until 10pm (late for us!)
Cooking: gazpacho with tomatoes from my favorite farmer at the 17th Street Farmer's Market
Planning: our backyard, currently a dirt plot but destined to be a tranquil oasis with flowers, vegetables, a deck, patio, fence and trellised gateway (Coming: Spring 2008)
Nagging my husband about: staining and finishing some shelves for C's playroom that we bought months ago (I did the sanding myself, but he doesn't want me breathing in toxins from the stain and polyurethane)
Thanking God for: my parents' recent move here and all the help they've been and love they've shown us
Whew, I guess I had more to say than I thought. Thanks again for reading!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Down the toilet...and back again.
Every new stage of child development brings a new level of awareness of my sin (call it what you will: shortcomings, fallenness, faults, whatever) and my need for grace and transformation. This time, it's potty training. I want to be in control, and I can't. I want to see results now, on my time frame, and I don't. I determine in my mind to be the relaxed, peaceful, open-minded parent...and I melt into tears of frustration and anger by noon that day.
We went into official toilet training mode last Tuesday, and it has been quite a (sometimes wet and messy) ride. I'll spare you all the childish bathroom talk and sordid details, but I will say that on day one, C went through all 7 pairs of underwear we bought him. Today, he marched into the bathroom, said "Need to use the toilet," and proceeded to do just that. Now, I am far from thinking he has arrived, but at least I know he is learning.
And I'm learning, too. I'm learning more and more that my son has only so much energy for change and transition, and when that is used up by one major thing (like learning to put his waste products in a different spot), he has very little energy to give to other transitions (like changing placemats or reading books with Daddy instead of Mommy). I'm learning that I can give over to God my need to control C's bowel and bladder activity and just let him learn from mistakes and successes as God would guide us. I'm learning that pee and poop on the floor aren't such a big deal, and that clothes are easy to wash. I'm learning that my son can hold it in for a LONG time--or maybe I'm just jealous because in my current state I visit the bathroom every 30 minutes!
So, that's the latest installment in the drama of our tiny little lives. Thanks for reading...and if you know anything about potty training, I'm still hungry for suggestions!
I'll close with a picture that reminds me of C's joy and love of life.
We went into official toilet training mode last Tuesday, and it has been quite a (sometimes wet and messy) ride. I'll spare you all the childish bathroom talk and sordid details, but I will say that on day one, C went through all 7 pairs of underwear we bought him. Today, he marched into the bathroom, said "Need to use the toilet," and proceeded to do just that. Now, I am far from thinking he has arrived, but at least I know he is learning.
And I'm learning, too. I'm learning more and more that my son has only so much energy for change and transition, and when that is used up by one major thing (like learning to put his waste products in a different spot), he has very little energy to give to other transitions (like changing placemats or reading books with Daddy instead of Mommy). I'm learning that I can give over to God my need to control C's bowel and bladder activity and just let him learn from mistakes and successes as God would guide us. I'm learning that pee and poop on the floor aren't such a big deal, and that clothes are easy to wash. I'm learning that my son can hold it in for a LONG time--or maybe I'm just jealous because in my current state I visit the bathroom every 30 minutes!
So, that's the latest installment in the drama of our tiny little lives. Thanks for reading...and if you know anything about potty training, I'm still hungry for suggestions!
I'll close with a picture that reminds me of C's joy and love of life.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Belly and the beach
Some of you have requested pictures, so I'll try my inaugural use of Blogger's "add image" feature.
Okay, now that I have that figured out, there will be more to come!
Here's my son at the beach on a recent trip to the New Jersey shore. He is so curious about his world, and I am amazed at the minute details he observes and remembers. What a treasure he is!
My two boys.
Me and my third boy, coming as sure as the tide.
What a wild ride we're in for, C!
Okay, now that I have that figured out, there will be more to come!
One decade
That's approximately 3,650 days, maybe a couple more for leap years. This weekend, M and I celebrated 10 years of marriage. Yes, we were pretty young (by today's standards) when we married: 21 and 22. But I wouldn't have waited another day. He's the best, and I can't imagine a better husband, father, companion and friend.
We are not by nature gift-givers (lucky it's true for both of us or one of us would always be disappointed!), so we celebrated by taking a 24-hour trip to Charlottesville. We left C with Grandma and Grandpa, and we stayed overnight at this lovely inn called the Inn at Court Square. We reserved the cheapest room, but because they were pretty empty this weekend, they upgraded us to a room that cost $100 more! Then, they
gave us a complimentary glasses of wine and strawberry lemonade. I found a jacuzzi tub and bathrobes in the bathroom and helped myself to both before we went to dinner at the C&O restaurant.
After sleeping in till 7 (that's luxurious for us!), praying together, and having the best breakfast of our ten years of marriage, we shopped downtown Charlottesville and the farmer's market
and then headed for the University of Virginia, which has the most beautiful campus we've ever seen. In one of the gardens off the main lawn, M found a plum tree and sampled one of the ripe plums. Well, I took a bite and squirted brown plum juice all over my white-shirted pregnant belly! (As those of you who have been pregnant know, a belly with child is a spill magnet.)
After laughing uproariously I realized how disgusting I looked, so I arranged my purse over my middle and found a bathroom in the Rotunda and made M go to the car and get me another shirt. We finished our anniversary getaway with a drive through winding country roads, lunch in a small town and ice cream.
Upon our arrival, my parents said they'd had a great time with C (of course, he is always Angel Boy for other people!)--pizza for dinner, lego creations, silly tickling games and a trip to the hardware store. Sounds like our son's dream weekend. Ours was a dream, too.
Happy anniversary to my brilliant, merciful, science-brained, relational, Cubs-obsessed, constantly-snacking, God-seeking husband. Truly one of life's undeserved gifts from God.
We are not by nature gift-givers (lucky it's true for both of us or one of us would always be disappointed!), so we celebrated by taking a 24-hour trip to Charlottesville. We left C with Grandma and Grandpa, and we stayed overnight at this lovely inn called the Inn at Court Square. We reserved the cheapest room, but because they were pretty empty this weekend, they upgraded us to a room that cost $100 more! Then, they
gave us a complimentary glasses of wine and strawberry lemonade. I found a jacuzzi tub and bathrobes in the bathroom and helped myself to both before we went to dinner at the C&O restaurant.After sleeping in till 7 (that's luxurious for us!), praying together, and having the best breakfast of our ten years of marriage, we shopped downtown Charlottesville and the farmer's market
and then headed for the University of Virginia, which has the most beautiful campus we've ever seen. In one of the gardens off the main lawn, M found a plum tree and sampled one of the ripe plums. Well, I took a bite and squirted brown plum juice all over my white-shirted pregnant belly! (As those of you who have been pregnant know, a belly with child is a spill magnet.)After laughing uproariously I realized how disgusting I looked, so I arranged my purse over my middle and found a bathroom in the Rotunda and made M go to the car and get me another shirt. We finished our anniversary getaway with a drive through winding country roads, lunch in a small town and ice cream.
Upon our arrival, my parents said they'd had a great time with C (of course, he is always Angel Boy for other people!)--pizza for dinner, lego creations, silly tickling games and a trip to the hardware store. Sounds like our son's dream weekend. Ours was a dream, too.
Happy anniversary to my brilliant, merciful, science-brained, relational, Cubs-obsessed, constantly-snacking, God-seeking husband. Truly one of life's undeserved gifts from God.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Welcome to our World
Prompted by some mild peer pressure and the desire to keep long-distance friends updated, I have started this blog. With some trepidation, I might add. I am afraid I will start and then fail to post regularly enough for my avid blogging friends. I am also reluctant to post my random and uninspired thoughts "in print" (I still have a weird reverence for print, as if it should be closer to perfection than other media). Nevertheless, here it is.
I have called my blog Maplewood, because it's where I live. Within the last 2 months, my family (one husband, one 2-and-a-half year old son, and one 8-month-old fetus due August 11th) and I moved to our permanent home on Maplewood Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Our "settlement process" is still in progress, with many unfinished tasks still on the list, and some things we have no idea how to do. Sounds a lot like my life. But here it is. So, I hope this blog will resemble the real stuff of my life, lovely and messy, filled by God's spirit while being in great need for more. Okay, I'll stop typing now. That's it for today.
I have called my blog Maplewood, because it's where I live. Within the last 2 months, my family (one husband, one 2-and-a-half year old son, and one 8-month-old fetus due August 11th) and I moved to our permanent home on Maplewood Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Our "settlement process" is still in progress, with many unfinished tasks still on the list, and some things we have no idea how to do. Sounds a lot like my life. But here it is. So, I hope this blog will resemble the real stuff of my life, lovely and messy, filled by God's spirit while being in great need for more. Okay, I'll stop typing now. That's it for today.
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