Sounded like such a fun activity a few months ago. An outlet for Ben's endless energy. No rules. Just hard playing for an hour. Lots of kids. And things to jump on. And climb. Up and down. Ben has had so much fun and learned all sorts of new skills. Lots of climbing. Ladders and stairs and slides. Up and over. Railings. And bars. And I gleefully cheered him on as he mastered each challenge.
And now......these new "skills" have served him well today in mastering climbing out of his crib.
HOLY SCHNIKES!!! HE WILL NOT STAY IN IT. AND WILL NOT STAY IN HIS ROOM FOR NAP TIME. AND IS SO PROUD OF HIS NEW FOUND FREEDOM. EVEN AFTER SEVERAL (PAINFUL) CONSEQUENCES FOR LEAVING HIS ROOM AFTER BEING TOLD NOT TO. AND I'M HAVING ANOTHER BABY IN A MATTER OF WEEKS....OR DAYS. AND MY TWO YEAR OLD IS RUNNING FREE LIKE A CRAZY MAN AROUND THE HOUSE.
Sorry baby #2....but no My Gym for you!
Sunday morning update: Ben happily WALKED into our room this morning at 6:00 am. "Good morning dada. Good morning mama. I awake. I get out." Clearly son. So good to see you.
May 30, 2009
May 28, 2009
On the cross on a hill
Ben and I went to visit my old roommate Danielle and her 4 (FOUR, CUATRO!) kids yesterday afternoon. Her oldest two girls are 4 and 5 and were adorable with Ben. They showed him their room, let him play with all their stuffed animals, jump on their beds, chased him around, and just loved on him. It was really sweet. They also asked him a bunch of questions (where are your eyes, nose, etc) and giggled as he responded. Then they proceeded to ask him where Jesus was. (I think they were trying to stump him!) I had no idea how he would answer this question because it's not something we've talked specifically about. Or at least not in a location sense. The girls were looking for the answer, "in my heart," but Ben looked right at them and said, "He's on the cross. On a hill." And kept playing. I was amazed.
Yes son, Jesus was on the cross, on a hill. For us.
We read a book titled, "Thank you God" before bed time quite a bit. And there is a page that says, "Thank you God for the cross on the hill and the Bethelam star." And he put the two and two together. It was such a tender, sweet moment. (obviously I've asked him 100 times since yesterday afternoon where Jesus is just to hear him say it again. I'm so annoying. But it's PRECIOUS!)
Lord, I pray that you grab hold of Ben's little heart.
Yes son, Jesus was on the cross, on a hill. For us.
We read a book titled, "Thank you God" before bed time quite a bit. And there is a page that says, "Thank you God for the cross on the hill and the Bethelam star." And he put the two and two together. It was such a tender, sweet moment. (obviously I've asked him 100 times since yesterday afternoon where Jesus is just to hear him say it again. I'm so annoying. But it's PRECIOUS!)
Lord, I pray that you grab hold of Ben's little heart.
May 19, 2009
and the thoughts continue....
can you send your child to time out just because they are annoying you?
can you have PMS when you're pregnant?
how long can you (legally) leave your child in the car (with the car engine off of course) in the garage listening to music?
how loud can you yell 'FREKING MOTHER FREKING SH**' outside your car with out your child hearing you? and if you just think it but don't say it, does God hear you?
how far is too far to drive just to have your child fall asleep during a non nap time in the back of the car?
is noon too early to have a drink....by yourself....when you are pregnant?
do any of the above items cause permanent emotional damage to your child that will result in therapy?
on a more positive note, after the joy of pretzels wore off, I upped the ante for peeing on the potty and apparently ben WILL pee for a cupcake. i'm sure he'll have me baking him a cake a day to poop soon enough.
can you have PMS when you're pregnant?
how long can you (legally) leave your child in the car (with the car engine off of course) in the garage listening to music?
how loud can you yell 'FREKING MOTHER FREKING SH**' outside your car with out your child hearing you? and if you just think it but don't say it, does God hear you?
how far is too far to drive just to have your child fall asleep during a non nap time in the back of the car?
is noon too early to have a drink....by yourself....when you are pregnant?
do any of the above items cause permanent emotional damage to your child that will result in therapy?
on a more positive note, after the joy of pretzels wore off, I upped the ante for peeing on the potty and apparently ben WILL pee for a cupcake. i'm sure he'll have me baking him a cake a day to poop soon enough.
pre pardom despression....and other misc. topics
a phrase Greg coined on Saturday, obviously in response to my awesome state of mind as of late. (am I the only one that still uses the word awesome? i say it will all sarcasm if that's any consultation.)
we just had a tough week. pregnancy symptoms are piling up, ben has discovered his inner whinny voice and shares it with me from 6 am - 8 pm, did I mention there is pain in certain places in my body that causes me to say things like "freking" continually through out the day, to which ben has now started repeating me. "awesome." I pee at least 4 times a night. and greg's had an insane week at work last week / weekend and is traveling this week. thank God for Gramma Dorie who is staying with us and watching (the first of at least two episodes) sesame street with Ben this morning.
random developments to note. ben and i are in a full out power stuggle over the "potty." he was doing really well the first couple weeks. really appreciated the encouragement, praise, etc when he'd go on the toilet. but (b/c I've been telling him what to do too much lately) he's just refusing to sit on it now even though he is VERY aware when he needs to go. the only time he will sit on the potty is when he is trying to avoid nap time. and he'll sit there with out peeing for HOURS if i let him. which obviously i don't have the patience for so I take him off and he throws a total coniption fit which then makes me question my decision and potty training consistancy....and letting him try to go. then my ass tells me i've been sitting on the bathroom floor for too long reading stories and it's long past nap time. so I pick him up and throw him screaming into his crib. and he tries to climb out while screaming and crying histerically and yelling "i try again. i try again."
he is capable of climbing out of his crib but hasn't "gone over" yet. he gets up with one leg over the side and greg or i are usually there to act as a barrier and not let him go any further. it's only a matter of time.
ben has decided that the red chenille blanket in our living room is his "baby brother." he balls it up and carries it around and tries to put newborn diapers on it. (jodie, thanks for the donation but they might all be used before the baby actually comes unless I change their hiding place.) he got a burp cloth out yesterday and tried to burp it. then put it down for a nap. obviously (being the controlling person that I am) I have tried to replace the blanket with several of his stuffed animals, which seem like much more logical "baby brothers"....to no avail.
at my last dr. appointment, my (God bless her) OB said she's induce me at 39 weeks if I so choose. to which I almost started crying i was so excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel and be able to add an entry to my calendar that said, "have a baby" on a specific date in mid june. all of my calendaring dreams coming true. planning for where ben will go when we go to the hospital. bag packing. nesting "schedule." i LOVE it! but since then, i have started to think maybe this isn't the best idea and i should just wait until i go into labor? let nature takes it's course (even if it involves painful laboring at home for hours and hours and hours and hours like last time) praying for wisdom (not advice) here. i mean really, I could pick the day of the week that best suited my schedule? greg would know when he was going to be out of work? fabulous.
we just had a tough week. pregnancy symptoms are piling up, ben has discovered his inner whinny voice and shares it with me from 6 am - 8 pm, did I mention there is pain in certain places in my body that causes me to say things like "freking" continually through out the day, to which ben has now started repeating me. "awesome." I pee at least 4 times a night. and greg's had an insane week at work last week / weekend and is traveling this week. thank God for Gramma Dorie who is staying with us and watching (the first of at least two episodes) sesame street with Ben this morning.
random developments to note. ben and i are in a full out power stuggle over the "potty." he was doing really well the first couple weeks. really appreciated the encouragement, praise, etc when he'd go on the toilet. but (b/c I've been telling him what to do too much lately) he's just refusing to sit on it now even though he is VERY aware when he needs to go. the only time he will sit on the potty is when he is trying to avoid nap time. and he'll sit there with out peeing for HOURS if i let him. which obviously i don't have the patience for so I take him off and he throws a total coniption fit which then makes me question my decision and potty training consistancy....and letting him try to go. then my ass tells me i've been sitting on the bathroom floor for too long reading stories and it's long past nap time. so I pick him up and throw him screaming into his crib. and he tries to climb out while screaming and crying histerically and yelling "i try again. i try again."
he is capable of climbing out of his crib but hasn't "gone over" yet. he gets up with one leg over the side and greg or i are usually there to act as a barrier and not let him go any further. it's only a matter of time.
ben has decided that the red chenille blanket in our living room is his "baby brother." he balls it up and carries it around and tries to put newborn diapers on it. (jodie, thanks for the donation but they might all be used before the baby actually comes unless I change their hiding place.) he got a burp cloth out yesterday and tried to burp it. then put it down for a nap. obviously (being the controlling person that I am) I have tried to replace the blanket with several of his stuffed animals, which seem like much more logical "baby brothers"....to no avail.
at my last dr. appointment, my (God bless her) OB said she's induce me at 39 weeks if I so choose. to which I almost started crying i was so excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel and be able to add an entry to my calendar that said, "have a baby" on a specific date in mid june. all of my calendaring dreams coming true. planning for where ben will go when we go to the hospital. bag packing. nesting "schedule." i LOVE it! but since then, i have started to think maybe this isn't the best idea and i should just wait until i go into labor? let nature takes it's course (even if it involves painful laboring at home for hours and hours and hours and hours like last time) praying for wisdom (not advice) here. i mean really, I could pick the day of the week that best suited my schedule? greg would know when he was going to be out of work? fabulous.
May 12, 2009
he can not be contained.....
I really do have so much fun with Ben as we go about our days. He brings such joy and hilarity (is that a word?) to the mundane. Driving to the market....a shreek from the back seat...."MAMA....I SEE A DIGGER!" "OCEAN" "WHERE ARE WE?" "IS THAT BEN'S HOUSE!?!?....no.....IS THAT BEN'S HOUSE? THAT'S BEN'S HOUSE!!!!" "THERE'S THE MARKET." "WE GET CHEESE AT THE MARKET. AND COOKIES. (which I never buy but he requests, knowing we don't have any at home and the market is where you get all things you want but don't have at home.) And he says hi and bye to everyone we pass at the market. Or anywhere for that matter. And he learns new things everyday. Whether it's a new word. Or a new trick (dragging his little chair all over the house so he can officially reach EVERYTHING....all the while declaring "I SO TALL!")
Each of these moments my heart is simultaneously filled with such pride, amazement that he is growing up so fast, and HOLY SH** how do I parent in this next stage of his life?!?! How do I keep him safe and happy and challenged?
So today, Ben declares, "I UNLOCKED THE DOOR ALL BY MYSELF!" My heart stopped. (thankfully he was talking about the door to our back yard, not the front door. Which for the record is kind of broken and I can't always open myself....which is a convenient safety measure for the time being). Let me back up.....since the day Ben was born, if ever he was having a fussy, crying for no reason, cranky, I'm not happy and I don't know why (etc!!!!) moment, if we just took him outside, the crying stopped. This worked from the time he was a week old, to today. Never fails. There is generally less whining, complaining, and all around fussiness when he is outside. It's his happy place. And apparently it's an even happier place if mama or dada is outside with him.
And now, that Ben can unlock and open the back door, we will apparently be living outside....for the next 16 years. Wish me luck. We already have Ben's potty out there. And next step is a cooler. And a sound system. I'll be working on that this afternoon. Now that Ben refuses to come inside, which means it will be near impossible for us to leave the premises.
Each of these moments my heart is simultaneously filled with such pride, amazement that he is growing up so fast, and HOLY SH** how do I parent in this next stage of his life?!?! How do I keep him safe and happy and challenged?
So today, Ben declares, "I UNLOCKED THE DOOR ALL BY MYSELF!" My heart stopped. (thankfully he was talking about the door to our back yard, not the front door. Which for the record is kind of broken and I can't always open myself....which is a convenient safety measure for the time being). Let me back up.....since the day Ben was born, if ever he was having a fussy, crying for no reason, cranky, I'm not happy and I don't know why (etc!!!!) moment, if we just took him outside, the crying stopped. This worked from the time he was a week old, to today. Never fails. There is generally less whining, complaining, and all around fussiness when he is outside. It's his happy place. And apparently it's an even happier place if mama or dada is outside with him.
And now, that Ben can unlock and open the back door, we will apparently be living outside....for the next 16 years. Wish me luck. We already have Ben's potty out there. And next step is a cooler. And a sound system. I'll be working on that this afternoon. Now that Ben refuses to come inside, which means it will be near impossible for us to leave the premises.
May 10, 2009
Are you my mother?
One of Ben's favorite little board books is titled, "Are You My Mother?" It's short and silly and well worn. And we've been reading it for over a year now. But he still likes it. The little bird, searching for his mama, asking all the animals he sees, "are you my mother?" It's kind of sad. And kind of silly. And the bird returns home and finds his mother at the end. Sorry if I ruined it for you. :) But sometimes I look at Ben and think....am I your mother?!?! How did that happen? I feel too young, and not qualified! And how can you be two years old already?!?! And at that same moment, he shoots me a smile, a little laugh and says, "MAMA!" and I know it's for real.
And I never could have imagined the love. And joy. I could enjoy from just watching a little boy play. And discover new things. And sing me songs. And be proud of himself. And want me to be proud of him. The soul satisfying moments holding him. And laughing with him. And comforting him. And encouraging him. And teaching him.
Thank you Lord for this joy. And an official holiday to celebrate it that included coffee brought to me this morning, a sweet card and thoughtful gifts and tasty meals....that I did not prepare or clean up. Amen!
And I never could have imagined the love. And joy. I could enjoy from just watching a little boy play. And discover new things. And sing me songs. And be proud of himself. And want me to be proud of him. The soul satisfying moments holding him. And laughing with him. And comforting him. And encouraging him. And teaching him.
Thank you Lord for this joy. And an official holiday to celebrate it that included coffee brought to me this morning, a sweet card and thoughtful gifts and tasty meals....that I did not prepare or clean up. Amen!
May 9, 2009
Irish man gets a tan
Greg's not really Irish. I think Thorburn is Icelandic? I should know this, having married into the family. Anyway, my fair skinned, red bearded husband had an adventure in spray tanning this afternoon. And I'm still laughing about it.
One of the many (so many I had to start a spreadsheet to track them all....my inner project manager is still quite alive) to do projects around our house this weekend was to add a fresh coast of paint to a patio table. Greg primed it last weekend and was all set to go with the spray paint this weekend. Obviously he'd chosen a burnt orange color to replace the dull brown it had been painted for years, you know, because Texas Football season is only 117 days away. Well, the burnt orange turned out to be more of a highway construction sign BRIGHT orange. And for some reason (still don't have clarity on this becauase I was napping....my "project" for the weekend) he decided to spray paint said table in the garage. And in the process, spray not only the table, but the garage floor, and....this is the hilarious part, his arms, legs and feet got a solid coat of BRIGHT orange paint. When he took his flip flops off there was a distinct outline of the straps, and sweet orange feet. His arms had a nice glow to them as well. I just laughed and laughed and laughed. Not sure why I thought it was so funny. I should have taken a picture, but that might have been pressing my honey do list luck.
Love you honey!
One of the many (so many I had to start a spreadsheet to track them all....my inner project manager is still quite alive) to do projects around our house this weekend was to add a fresh coast of paint to a patio table. Greg primed it last weekend and was all set to go with the spray paint this weekend. Obviously he'd chosen a burnt orange color to replace the dull brown it had been painted for years, you know, because Texas Football season is only 117 days away. Well, the burnt orange turned out to be more of a highway construction sign BRIGHT orange. And for some reason (still don't have clarity on this becauase I was napping....my "project" for the weekend) he decided to spray paint said table in the garage. And in the process, spray not only the table, but the garage floor, and....this is the hilarious part, his arms, legs and feet got a solid coat of BRIGHT orange paint. When he took his flip flops off there was a distinct outline of the straps, and sweet orange feet. His arms had a nice glow to them as well. I just laughed and laughed and laughed. Not sure why I thought it was so funny. I should have taken a picture, but that might have been pressing my honey do list luck.
Love you honey!
May 7, 2009
inappropriate blog topics
I can still remember when I found out I was pregnant with Ben. I was so excited and a little shocked. And couldn't wait to go buy my copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting!" It's like a rite of passage or something. I didn't dare buy it before seeing those two pink lines on the pee stick as not to jinx anything. (Sometimes I am crazy superstitious...which I know goes against everything I believe as a God fearing, Jesus loving, bible believing Christian). Anyway, so I rushed out and purchased my copy. Sweet woman wearing the sweater version of a mumu, pink ....leggings?.....and clogs. In her miserably uncomfortable wooden rocking chair. With a little fear in her eyes. B/c she knew something I didn't. Right after the elation of knowing you're going to have a baby sets in, you get to the page that lists "what you may be feeling." Note: this is after the page with the "pregnancy diet" that I stuck to for approximately 1 day. Sorry in advance to my children. So physically, I might be feeling....like this is the beginning of an amazing chapter in my life, a time of bonding with my husband, hopes, dreams, love for an unborn child, nerves about parenting....or: increase in vaginal discharge (you were warned with the title of this entry), achiness in the lower abdomen or along the sides, constipation, heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating, occasional headaches, faintness or dizziness, nasal congestion and occassional nose bleeds, leg cramps, backache, mild swelling of the ankles and feet, varicose veins of the legs, hemrrhoids, itchy abdomen, shortness of breath, difficutly sleeping, clumsiness (and just all around idiot-ness) and enlarged breasts. And the feeling like someone with a steal toed boot kicked you in the crotch. So basically I'm a big boobed ditz waddling around in a hell of a lot of pain and discomfort? Where is the "pregnancy glow" that the crazy ladies with 12 kids talk about?
For now, I will ignore the "what you may be feeling emotionally" section and just say: crazy lady that my husband doesn't take seriously for 9 months b/c I'm crazy and repeat myself a lot and not as smart as the woman he married.
At 33 weeks along.....I have experienced enough of the symptoms above to confirm that I am indeed pregnant. I will not name them specifically for those of you that are not pregnant or have not given birth to a child in the last 12 months and would not appreciate it. I shouldn't have wasted my $ on the test 8 months ago. :)
On a side note, we do not have a name for our dear unborn son that is causing the aformentioned "joy" in my body. Suggestions?
For now, I will ignore the "what you may be feeling emotionally" section and just say: crazy lady that my husband doesn't take seriously for 9 months b/c I'm crazy and repeat myself a lot and not as smart as the woman he married.
At 33 weeks along.....I have experienced enough of the symptoms above to confirm that I am indeed pregnant. I will not name them specifically for those of you that are not pregnant or have not given birth to a child in the last 12 months and would not appreciate it. I shouldn't have wasted my $ on the test 8 months ago. :)
On a side note, we do not have a name for our dear unborn son that is causing the aformentioned "joy" in my body. Suggestions?
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