We had a weird sun/rain/clouds/blue sky/thunder storm this evening. We enjoyed it a lot. There’s just something about seeing sun and rain at the same time, with a little thunder in the distance. Here are some photos from our adventures… This is Miles catching rain drops. This is also what he looks like when he’s really mad and yelling: What are we doing? We are running up and down the sidewalk in the rain. Just for kicks. I know it doesn’t appear to be raining, but it really was. I think. But I can’t be sure. I don’t sleep much and sometimes my mind plays tricks on me. I suppose all little boys love water, puddles, mud and worms. Miles likes to try to make sure the worms are getting enough water. We found a dry and very dead worm today and Miles promptly put it on the hood of the car and […]
Just so you know. When a child sticks a nut up his nose and needs a specialist to remove it, it might cost around $400. Just so you know. When the bill comes, you should probably not ignore it. Or you might get a call from someone who sounds cranky and asks you to call back about reference # blah blah blah. That call might remind you to stop pretending the nut up the nose bill is going to be paid by Oprah. The daydream you had that she feels bad for you and would rather pay a medical bill than give you a car, um…that wasn’t real. So you should probably just pay it. It’s a small price to pay for a young boy to learn what might fit up his nose and what might get stuck. It only costs $400 to provoke the “things can only come OUT your nose” conversation. […]
I don’t know what I’m going to do. I keep looking at my favorite blogs and then clicking on each person’s link list and then I find 4 (or 7) more cool people to spy on and I can’t stop. Someone help me. I’ve become addicted to blog surfing. I can’t stop. I can admit it. Hello, my name is Heather and I can’t stop reading blogs. I never would have imagined this could happen to me. But there are so many lovely people out there being funny and the temptation is just too much for me! You’d think I’d run across more duds, but I don’t. These are funny people. People I want to have coffee (or wine) with and talk for hours. People with my sense of humor and really great stories. Oh no, my poor kids. I’m about to start neglecting them…. Okay, I got that off my chest. Now […]
I love your sleepy, sharp blue eyes. I love the way those eyes light up when they see me. I love the place where your nearly hairless head meets the back of your neck. I love your squishy cheeks and thighs. Their softness makes me want to push my nose in them all day long. I love how you giggle like you’re giving a courtesy laugh, a short little ha…ha….ha…….ha… I love how you blew into our lives with such a force and have not calmed down since. I love the things I’m learning because of you. I have more strength because of you. I can be trusted with much more than I ever dreamed I could handle. I was strong even before you came, only I didn’t really know that. Until you showed me. This was the beginning of a deeply rooted love for you and I’m so thankful for the way […]
Some time ago I published a post (sounds fancy) called “15 Reasons.” Then I went on and on about the great things my husband does/is. I should do that more often. Because then he’d have an ego boost after I scold him for leaving hats on the counter all the time and having too many newspapers and driving too close to the car in front of him and not cleaning up the breakfast dishes and stepping over piles of laundry rather than picking them up….Poor guy. Just now I was thinking that he’s pretty great. Not just quirky and funny, but great. For example, this morning was a bit rough on the Miles front. We were sending him to his room to start the day over about fifty times (okay, that’s an exaggeration but I’m painting a picture here). Some days are like that, he really does “wake up on the wrong side […]
Miles and Max had their first cousin sleep-over in the same room! There were a ton of bubbles to blow (Zach): And we took the opporunity to enlist the boys for some child labor: I guess it wasn’t labor to them, since it involved DIRT… These boys play so well together, it’s almost tempting to have more babies/playmates for the future. I said ALMOST. For now, it’s nice to borrow the cousins, but very sad to see them go. Especially when you look down at a droopy, moist-eyed little Miles while he says “bye Max…” Best buds, they are. Best buds. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
What have I done? I went to the nice hair-cutting lady and I said, “you can make it a little more severe than last time.” What did I mean? I just meant a LITTLE. But she took it is an invitation to make me Posh Spice…or Victoria Beckam or whatever you want to call her. At first this was fine. Because she did my hair and it was all “cute and sassy,” as my friend Cassie described it. But of course I then realized it would never look the same again because of that whole thing about stylists being the only ones who can do what they do. That wasn’t even the worst part though. I went to bed and woke up with the worst bed head in years!!! This “do” will not do pillows! What do I do now? I can’t go three days without showering and I need to sometimes! Unless […]
I’ve been reading a blog by a hilarious woman – http://www.hadleyesque.blogspot.com/In a recent post she told some truly funny stories about her “quirky” and “socially awkward” husband. As I read, I not only felt there was a wife out there who could totally understand me, but I also felt a bit competitive. Because if there were a quirky husband competition, I would win hands down. No offense, hadleyesque…My guy is loved by me for a thousand quirky little reasons. If not for his tendency toward strangeness, life would not be nearly as interesting. I wouldn’t have to hear the theme from Dallas (yes, he watches it on DVD) and I would never feel so close to all the weirdest hats in the world. I wouldn’t have to run and hide when he’s mowing in penny loafers either. There are a hundred more little things like this, but I’ll just share one big, happy […]
Okay. So Asher still isn’t crawling. I would like to say I’m totally cool with this. And I am. In the sense that he doesn’t go anywhere or do anything without me knowing it. That, my friends, is totally cool with me. But I have to admit that I’m getting a bit nervous. Just a little. A smidgen. The worry monster is tap-tap-a-tappin‘ every now and again. There. I said it. He’s ten months old for goodness sake (no offense, Ash Man, I love you dearly)!!! How long do we go with the doctor’s explanation of “low muscle tone?” Isn’t a body’s ability to gain muscle tone somewhat important? It appears his tone is anti-gaining. So now I’m thinking too much about this and have to keep reminding myself that Asher is not going to be sixteen and still sitting on the floor turning circles and crying because he can’t go anywhere. I […]
Over the last week we’ve spent a lot of time with family. In this time, I’ve watched my cousin text message faster than most people can type on an actual keyboard. He’ll have some sort of thumb disorder soon. I asked him if there are texting competitions. He scoffed and rolled his eyes because he’s eighteen. He is way too cool for my humor. Besides, I was interrupting an important texted conversation.This got me thinking about my two boys turning into texting teens. I started to realize that this will most likely be one of the primary ways they communicate. Weird. There will be even more technological advances as the years go by too, that’s a given. Miles and Asher will most likely live a lot like the Jetsons. That totally freaks me out.I noticed that my cousin doesn’t really like talking to his parents, but he will respond to text messages from […]
Some of my favorite photos of G’pa Glenn… The first, he and wife, G’ma Helen. I love the second one because this is SO him, being all silly and cheesy to get a laugh… The third, last year at his birthday party, still smiling. He was the bomb diggity. The funeral was a true celebration, full of good memories and laughter, just as he would have wanted. Thank you all for your comments and emails – you’re the bomb diggity too! Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
well, at least in my blog world it seems to be true. So I was inspired… 5 Things: 5 things I can’t live without under $10-1. Burt’s Beeswax chapstick2. Pacifier for Asher3. Star Trib (keeps Ryan happy since I have no time to do so)4. Kleenex travel packs5. Fruit Snacks 5 Girl names I love-1. Elsie2. Josie3. Lauren4. Gizmo (okay, I don’t have anymore) 5 Boy names I love-1. Miles2. Asher (shut up, obviously I love the names…)3. Gavin4. Josiah (shout out to Em)5. Michael 5 songs I could listen to over and over-I can’t do it. I just can’t do it. Because if I listen truly over and over, I do get sick of them and I just can’t get sick of them… 5 things in my handbag at all times (aka diaper bag)-1. Diaps2. Wipes3. Hand sanitizer4. Snacks5. phoneSO BORING 5 Obsessions I have right now-1. Trader Joe’s2. Blogs3. Writing4. Coffee5. […]
Miles’ shooting stars did their job. Yesterday afternoon my grandpa Glenn was shot straight to Heaven, just like Miles suggested. My family and I were all there, singing to him as he left. It was a beautiful and unforgettable thing to be a part of. We are relieved that he can finally be done with his many years of struggling. But we’ll miss him. I don’t really know much about my great-grandparents. I hope that reading this will teach my boys a few things about their Great-Grandpa Glenn:He was the most faith-without-a-doubt person I have ever known. He loved ice cream.He acted like he might stop breathing if he didn’t lavish love on his family.He was truly funny and his whole body would shake when he laughed. He loved to sing.He had the hugest garden I have ever seen. My favorite-raspberries. He called his wife “my beloved.” He really stunk at Wheel of […]
This morning I called my mom to find out what time she and my dad would be getting here. The plan was for them to come and spend some time with us for Mother’s Day. But my mom had received a call that my grandpa, who lives in a nursing home nearby our house, was not doing well. So instead of spending the day shopping and eating, we spent the day by my grandpa’s bed. Before I left the house, Miles was drawing and I asked him if he wanted to draw a picture for great grandpa. I explained that he’s extra sick and it would be nice to make him something, even though I knew that my grandpa is far past the point of being able to enjoy the scrawling artwork of his great grandson. After he was done with the picture I asked what it was and he said, “It’s shooting […]
Just a visual for comparison of Asher’s size to that of a 3 yr old: Olivia Asher is saying a lot of things now. I don’t remember (sadly) when Miles started to say his first words. I just know he has quite the vocabulary at this particular point in his journey. It seems like Asher is supposed to be unable to do such “grown-up” things though. Like he’s still a newborn. Maybe cause he’s literally the baby of the family? Or maybe because the first six months of his life were a blur of crying, sleep deprivation and insanity? I’m guessing it’s that one. I can’t figure out how he learned anything amidst all the turmoil! But he sure did! He’s so alert and aware all the time, taking things in and trying to say things I’m not sure he should understand. For instance I’ve been trying to teach him sign language for […]
Heather,Remember what you learned on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at Park Ave. On a regular basis pray with your kids for God to show them a person who needs help, or a way they can serve/assist/love someone in that very day. When they are young that can mean putting it in their terms, like “God, how can I be a superhero today? Give me someone to help and I will help You by helping them.” Then look out! Cause He’ll do it! And it’ll be so much fun to watch! I was wishing that you could have prayed this before we helped a lost dog find it’s way home to a much relieved family the other day. Remember? When you told Miles he had acted like a true superhero saving the day. Now I know that in the future we’d be able to say, “LOOK, God gave us a job just like we […]
Potty training is stumping me. I’m a slightly creative mother, but Miles is certainly out-witting his mom on this one. I have tried all the tricks. But he continues to toy with my hopes of a diaper-free three year old. For some reason I have set a goal of age three, as in by his birthday. As in next month.Now I know all you lovely mothers out there are smiling and rolling your eyes. Don’t think you’re fooling me. You’re thinking, “oh, Heather just you wait, it’ll be fine…he’ll get it….when he’s ‘ready’ silly lady.” (Or something like that) .So I’ll try to believe that as I clean pee off the dining room chair while Miles stands next to the table dripping wet, calmly continuing to eat his dinner. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Asher woke a little before 5am and I fed him. After that I tried to no avail to get him to go back to sleep. Well, I guess he did for about twenty minutes. I gave up on going back to bed a little after 6am. Here is the list of what I’ve done since we got up:-changed two diapers-fed Asher breakfast-got Miles up when he called out “moooomyyy, I’m uuuuuup!!!”-fed Miles breakfast-got Asher and Miles dressed-discussed numerous topics with Miles including why he’ll go to a new school when he’s 3, why we can’t go to G’ma Mary’s cabin right now, and whether or not he’d like to go back to his room and start the day over being a good listener. (He said no by the way)-took pictures of Honda in driveway for Craigslist-called Ryan about posting on Craigslist-filled out paperwork for preschool in the fall-folded two loads of laundry-put away […]
It must be weird to be a baby. Sometimes I think about this when bringing Asher to the car. He has no idea where we’re going because even if I tell him, most of it’ll be lost in translation. And he has no choice in the matter. He simply gets picked up and lugged around whether he likes it or not. Then there’s meal time. Imagine random pureed foods, shoveled into your mouth without you ever getting to say what you’re in the mood for. No one says, “hey Asher, how ’bout some strained peas?” And since he can’t talk, it’s not like he’d really be able to object anyway. I started thinking about this today when Asher woke from a very short nap and cried out. I tried the rush in, grope around in the dark, find the pacifier and shove it in his mouth approach. He didn’t go for it. And […]
Lately Miles has been doing things like biting the wheels off toy cars. Boys are weird. I know it’s totally normal, but I’m trying to teach him how to take care of his things and especially other people’s things. So today when I saw he used something to puncture a hole in his new lunch box, I said I would have to take it away until he was ready to take good care of it. He was upset and said, while holding a random piece of paper; “Mommy, this (paper) says that the lunch box is mine and I should be holding it. It says I will be taking gooood care of it. Cause it’s mine. That’s what this says.” (Picture doe eyes, pursed lips and tilted little toddler head). I didn’t give in, but I sure wanted to. The break from the lunch box will be awfully short. I think he’s ready […]
