Halloween Photos

Dad's Girlfriend P and Sister-in-Law J

Burbles

The kids

Our family

Grumpa with the kids

WDW

Burbles, P, Grumpa, and WDW

Grumpa and P

Captain, Fiona, and Burbles

Fiona

Ready for Trick-or-Treating

WDW wasn't terribly happy.

Burbles walking on the lawn

Captain and Fiona playing follow the leader.

Pretty girl

WDW and GGMa

Burbles with GGMa

Fiona kissing Burbles

Yumm

WDW and Captain

Burbles was terribly tired after running about and collecting candy

Captain and Burbles with Grandpa G

Captain

Fiona and Great GMa

Captain and Great GMA

Our Front Yard

So, one of our huge projects this summer was to put in a new front yard. When I say that, what I really mean is that we took out whatever you would call what we had before and put in a front yard. It was a huge undertaking and because of equipment and the inability to do the project ourselves without waiting for sixteen years to get it done, it was expensive. We ended up getting a few bids from area contractors but ended up going with Horizon Landscaping from the Rochester, Minnesota area. I would recommend them to everyone. I will spare you the day by day progress photos that I had so much fun taking and I will give you the before and afters. It is amazing what can be done by three men and a machine in six short workdays!

Holy Cow

So, today we woke up. Burbles hasn't been feeling well for almost a week. She started with this huge bump on her leg where she had her 18 month immunizations. I wasn't terribly concerned, but she said it hurt. Then, the day after I called the nurse about that, she started with a fever. At times it was high (over 104) and she was grouchy and clingy and sleepy. Overnight last night her fever broke. I was excited about this, because I was hoping to NOT have to take her to the doctor. Then I changed her diaper... She was rash everywhere. So, I called the nurse and the nurse said that she should be seen. Fundi was working today, so that left me and the kids, which was fine, but I had to move. I got them both dressed and we walked out the door less than a half an hour later. Pretty good huh? We got to the appointment on time and everyone was OK. The nurse said that she was impressed that I would take two little ones out on the town by myself. I was proud and a little happy that someone recognized this amazing feat. The doctor checked her out and said "Roseola" a virus which starts as a high fever for around 4-5 days which starts and ends suddenly with a lack of other viral symptoms. After the fever breaks, a rash appears first on the torso and then on the full body. This rash could last up to 5 days but should not itch or bother. No treatment necessary. Symptoms unrelated to vaccines.
We left the clinic and I was feeling pretty good. Both the kids were being relatively well-behaved (we have had major melt-downs for the past few days--I attribute these to not feeling well, in general, and maybe a lack of sleep or maybe just coming down off the Halloween candy buzz) and we didn't have any major illnesses, just a little virus. We decided that we were hungry and needed to get lunch and then do our minimal shopping. As we were driving, I asked Captain what he would like for lunch either Red Robin or Olive Garden. He said Red Robin, so I pulled in the parking lot. Captain was thrilled, he knows that Red Robin has balloons. Now, dining with two toddlers as an only adult is something that is ever-changing and is rarely mastered, so I attempt different tactics every time. This particular time, I asked the waitress if I could go with the kids to the bathroom while she got the highchairs and table set up. That was OK with her, so we all went. I was able to fit everyone in the handicapped stall, change a diaper, have Captain go potty and go potty myself. We washed up and were headed out the bathroom door when Burbles decided that she didn't want to leave the bathroom. (I think she was looking at the TV in the mirror or maybe the TV on the wall, but I can't say for sure.) I was holding both of their hands and we were going out the bathroom door when Burbles threw herself down on the floor. I heard a few "pop, pop"s and then screaming. Not knowing whether the screaming was because she was hurt or because she was mad she didn't get her way, we returned to our table. We sat down and we colored a little and ordered our food and Burbles cried some more. All the while, I watched her behavior. I quickly noticed that she wasn't using her right hand or arm at all. I didn't know what to do, but I thought that observation while eating was a good way to know if she was truly hurt or not. She ate her apples with her left hand and made me feed her the corndog. When she moved (voluntarily or involuntarily) her arm, she would cry and whimper. We ate quickly and grabbed our balloons on the way out. Captain picked Orange. Burbles picked purple. I took them to the van and tied the balloons to the seat and strapped the kids in. Before Captain was strapped in, he pulled the string of his balloon and it flew up into the sky. So there was crying. I strapped him in and went and got another balloon for him. Burbles was happy with her balloon (held in her left hand). I called the Pediatric nurse and asked what I should do. We made an appointment with Dr. VDL, who is their normal doctor, at 2:10 (only an hour and a half after leaving the clinic the first time). I felt like a dope. So, we drove around for a while. Burbles managed to fall asleep, but only a short while later, Captain burst his balloon. He screamed about that for a good twenty minutes. Finally we went to the clinic, and even though we were half an hour early, I hoped to get in early and I hoped that we could help Burbles to feel better sooner rather than later. Dr. VDL saw Burbles early (what a cool doctor, honestly) and did an assessment of her condition. He didn't tell me what he was doing, only that he was trying to understand what was going on. There was a lot of screaming, many tears, and a lot of hugging and then a little "pop". Dr. VDL said that Burbles had nursemaid's elbow, or a dislocated elbow. She is more likely to have a recurrance, now, and she is not to be lifted by her arms or swung or dragged around or anything of the sort, if at all possible. After fixing her elbow, Burbles was like brand new again. She was running around and picking up books and acting like nothing had ever happened. Dr. VDL said not to beat ourselves up about it, even if it happens again and again. Just to be careful. The rest of the day was OK. Burbles ended up popping her balloon too. We finally got home at 6, just as Fundi was getting home as well. The kids have been asleep since 6:30.

The Results

Well, it is the day after... and I am happy. Even more happy that I have had pretty good results tonight as well. Captain is in bed or on his floor or by the door or wherever he may have fallen asleep. He is safe and sleeping. Mommy is happy. As for the morning: Fundi got home at 6 this morning and Captain was awake. Fundi went and changed his pull-up and took him back downstairs. I woke up at about 7:20. At about 7:30, I thought I heard someone, so I went and looked. I knocked on his door so as not to startle him but then I heard something in the other room. Burbles was awake, so I got her and listened while Captain snored right next to the door. He must have fallen asleep with his head next to the door because he was pretty loud. Burbles and I came upstairs and at about 7:45, Captain woke up. I'm terribly impressed! He and I were both in a much better mood today. We were hanging out, reading books, laughing, playing... just like we are supposed to and no one was short of sleep. Naps went well today too. I can only hope that we are turning a new leaf as far as the sleeping situation is going to go.
More news: we have a trip planned for December to Branson, Missouri. On a whim today, I called the resort we will stay at and asked if we should purchase show and activity tickets prior to arrival or look for deals once we actually arrive. Thankfully, I called... unfortunately the answer was that we should get our tickets prior to arrival as most shows are sold out during the Holiday season. This means that we have to make decisions, but in looking on the Internet and researching all of the things there are to do, I get more and more excited about the trip. Anyhow, that is what I'm working on right now. Oh, and I'm watching Baby Mama and Heroes tonight. We are going to the zoo this week! I'm excited, but so are the kids. Last night while we were in town, the American Queen was ported. I took the kids down to look and watch the beautiful boat. Today Captain was able to tell me what we had done yesterday. He told me how the boat lowered its smoke stacks and played the calyapy as it left the port. The kids were swaying to the rhythm and Captain even recognized one of the songs and sang along. It is so neat when little things like this happen and we are able to take the time to recognize new events and things that are going on. I can't help but think of other families and how they would deal with such things. Would they be too busy to pull over and walk in the park when something neat is going on or would they be ahead of the game and have planned for such events. Do people with kids play things by ear or is it necessary to plan every minute? Sure, we were late in getting dinner and we were late in getting home and we were late in getting to bed, but I would like to think that Captain, and maybe Burbles, got a little something out of the experience. Those are the types of things that are fun for me as a mom. The unplanned (or planned) learning experiences.

Recent Photos of the kids

Locking Him In

I think that I need to start from somewhere and I will start with the latest episode of trauma. Captain (he needs a new name, or maybe not) recently upgraded from crib to big-boy-bed. This was all a result of his learning to climb out of the crib and then a week after that, learning to open the door. This past week he has started writing the book that every little kid reads: "1001 Excuses on Why I HAVE To Get Out of Bed". He tries each and every one out at least once per evening. Last night, his biggest excuse was that "I just need to cry, Mommy." It breaks my heart, but it irritates me as well. Add to that, I was suffering from a partial migraine and Fundi was at a banquet. It was not a pretty night... So, after discussing the situation with Fundi, this afternoon I decided to take the kids to town and buy those door knob child proofers. Now, I'm not all for locking kids in rooms, but I have seen Super Nanny recommend putting a child in a room and letting him or her fall asleep wherever they are just so long as they did not come out of the room. So, in hopes of making my life a little more sane and allowing everyone a peaceful evening, I put those knobers on tonight. I explained how they worked and let him know that he would NOT be coming upstairs once he was put in bed. He screamed and cried. After about 15 minutes, I checked on him and put him back in bed. He screamed and cried. After about 15 minutes, I checked on him and put him back in bed. He screamed and cried, and then it was quiet. About 45 minutes later, he screamed and cried again. I went down to check on him and he must have fallen asleep by the door and woke up there. I put him back down and he gladly stayed in bed.
Now, the other part of the problem occurs in the morning: Captain wakes up before the sun even comes up. He is up sometimes as early as 5:45, but definitely by 6. This irritates me as well. Now, people have told me to just put the kids to bed later (their normal bedtime is 7pm) and they will wake up later, but in my experience (and we have tried quite a few times, as the 7pm bedtime is flexible from fun extracurricular events) this is definitely NOT true. What really happens (at least with my kids) is that they wake up at the same times and they are short on sleep and terribly cranky. Then, they do not take naps that are longer than normal either. This all adds up to unhappy kids and unhappy Mom.
We'll see how things go. My plan for the morning is to go down and check on him when he wakes up and change his pull-up. Then, I will put him back in his room. He can play or do whatever he wants, but I will only be going to get him at 7am. I'll keep you posted.
As far as the rest of life goes, things are busy. You probably guessed from the lack of posts. I miss blogging. I really enjoy it, but once you stop, it is hard to get back in to because of all the things that have been missed.
A little update on each of the kids:
Captain is now 30 months. He is a big boy and he is basically potty trained during the day. I am thankful for this. He tells us when he needs to go. We have allowed him to experiment with going in different places (off the deck, in a hole, over the ledge of our retaining wall, etc) in hopes that he will be comfortable enough to pee in less than perfect circumstances. It has worked so far and even though he is nowhere close to being trained through the night, we only use one pull-up a day during his nap and it is almost always dry.
Burbles is now 18 months. She is getting so big and is just a delight. She is a happy little girl most of the time and is really easy going especially when it comes to her brother. She is such a beautiful little girl. She is happy to smile at almost anyone and is getting pretty good at interacting with strangers. She is also really good at giving hugs and kisses. She is totally into clothes and will put on any random clothes that are around, especially when I am folding laundry.
Fundi has been working and being a good dad. We had a terribly busy summer. We took a two week vacation to North Carolina and then we tore out our front deck and shrubs and hired a landscaper to make us a real yard. Then we painted the rest of the deck. HUGE Changes around our house this summer. I can't wait to show you photos. But, until later...

Vacation... have to get away

Ok, so I am back... We went on vacation for twelve days and we had a great time. Now, I don't know if there is anyone still reading, but I will start posting day by day photo essays of our trip and hopefully that will be fun for all of us.... so, here goes.

The first day, Father's Day, June 15th, we left after having brunch with Fundi's parents (after church). It was the perfect light get-you-on-the-road type breakfast. And, as many of you probably know, there were road closures throughout Wisconsin because of the terrible rains and floods we have been having here. Particularly in the Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton area... more on that later. We would have thought that we would have been a little further into Illinois, but as it was, we only made it to Rockford before we had to get a room and put the kids to sleep. It was by far the earliest we got a hotel the rest of the trip, but it was a good start. We were on the road for about 6 hours that day, and we only took photos of us on the road, so that is what you see here:

The following day, June 16th, we left Rockford and drove some more. And we drove, and we drove. Illinois is a VERY long state to travel from top to bottom, but that is what we did. We ended up going through Kentucky and ending up in Nashville, Tennessee that evening. We had requested a room with a divider so that we were able to put the kids to sleep and then hang out past 8:00 with the TV on. So, that is what we got. And it worked well. As a matter of fact, I think we got pretty spoiled while we were on the road. We were able to find great rooms at a really reasonable price, as long as we didn't hold out for the super beautiful hotels.

That day we spent about 12 hours on the road. We left by about 9am, after breakfast, and checked in about 9pm. It was a long day and the kids spent a lot of time in their car seats, but it was really great to finally wake up the next morning and be able to stay where we were going to be for two nights.

Nashville was a good time. We drove around near the Grand Old Opry the next morning before anything was open. Then we decided that we would find something to do. We went to the Nashville Zoo. It turned out to be the perfect place to take the kids and walk around and spend some of that energy the kids had from the days of being stuck in the van. When we entered the zoo we got a map, as is customary. After walking shaded paths for a while, we came to an opening. To the right of the opening there was this huge (66,000 square feet, I think) play area for the kids. The kids were able to run around and be free. There was even an area that was completely padded with mats for the little kids. Burbles just learning to walk really enjoyed this area. She was able to fall and lay down and giggle when she fell instead of being on a hard surface. The zoo continued to impress us through our whole visit. It was well layed out and broken up into manageable sections with facilities located in the center. The other thing that really impressed us was the great shaded areas. It made me feel better about having the kids outside in the fresh air without worrying about over exposing them to the sun. I'm happy to say that no one got too much sun on the entire trip. There was also a carousel that we were able to ride. It had beautiful animals and the kids had a good time. It was so cool to see the kids so very excited about the animals. The zoo and the animals themselves looked very well cared for and they seemed to have plenty of area to move around, which is something that makes going to a zoo better than seeing animals in cages.

After the zoo, we went and took a nap in the hotel. Then we went to the Aquarium restaurant for a splurge on dining. We had a really good time and had a great waitress. It was neat to watch the fish swimming by as we ate.

That is the end for now, I'll write more soon.

A few photos to tide you over...

Burbles
Captain
Burbles and Captain with (psudo) Grandma P.
Upside Down.
Fiona and Captain... couldn't they be siblings?

Dear Burbles -- Month 14

Dear Burbles,
I'm sorry I didn't write for Month 13. I have kind of been on vacation from blogging. I don't really have a reason, just that I haven't felt like doing it. I'm sorry. You are worth a better excuse than that, but I do not have one for you.
Watching you grow and change has been so great lately. You have such a wide range of facial expressions and you use them to convey what you are trying to say. You have such joy in your eyes, or anger in your brow, or light in your smile, or curiosity in your scowl. You really aren't talking with your voice a whole lot, but you sure do talk with your face. Oh, and you really let us know if something is wrong. You have no trouble using a high-pitched squawk if you are having problems with your brother or if you just do not like the situation. You are a girl who knows what you want. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you shouldn't want something that you know is right. As far as verbal communication goes, you say "Hi, da.", "All done", "Duck", and "Hat". Hopefully you will start saying more soon.
Physically, you are walking. In this past week you have finally started to really walk. You now choose to walk instead of crawl, which is a step (pun intended) in the right direction. You really get around well and you are becoming more confident in yourself. Today you started crawling up on things. You are exploring your ability to climb onto the couch and chairs. Your brother even allows you to walk without pushing you down. The two of you seem to be getting along a little better now that you are able to defend yourself more. Biting was and is the way that you seem to have gotten ahead of your brother's meanness. Now, I do not condone this behavior, but I think that it has taught him that if he bites you, you can bite him back. You two bit each other for a few weeks before you seemingly called a truce. I hope you don't continue to bite now that that stage is over, but I'm sure somewhere down the line you will. Biting is not nice.
We will be going on vacation for a while sometime before I write your next letter. I can't wait for you to see all of the things that we will see. You will have fun, I'm sure. We'll talk more about that later, though.
You are getting bigger and stronger and more fun each and every day.
We love you more each day,
Mom

To be Catholic

I just loved this post on The Other Lion and I had to take a chance to reply.
My husband, having not been brought up in the church (any religion), really made me upset the first time we went to church together on a regular Sunday. I think that the first time we went to church together was for my Mom's funeral, but since then I have been going every Sunday. Anyhow, so what happened is this: I am Catholic. Fundi hadn't been to church for anything other than weddings or funerals, and was pretty clueless about the Catholic "Rules" of church-going. More specifically, he was clueless about how close you could sit to the alter without standing out like a sore thumb. Now, my family had always gone to church. I had three sisters and the six of us would sit about four or five pews from the back of the church, always on the right side as you walk in. When my (soon to be) husband marched me up to the front of church and sat in the third pew from the front, I was REALLY irritated. I gave him the silent treatment through church and then afterward he asked what the problem was. I said that I felt like I was a freak-on-parade being march up to the front of church for an average Sunday service. I explained that only people who were holier than holy sit that close and that I didn't want to stand out. He explained his reasoning: if other people were in front of him, he couldn't see and therefore couldn't concentrate on what was going on and what was being said. I, personally do not have this problem and couldn't agree with his reasoning. Get some Ritalin, already! I do know that there are some people who do have this problem, but I would not think that my husband would be one of those people. He is the one who has too much concentrating power, if you ask me. He can stare at a book, the TV, a video game, whatever, and a bomb could go off but he would not typically recognize that anything other than what he is involved in is happening around him. The next week he did the same thing. And so it went.
Fast forward about two years. Captain was colicky and needed to know what was going on (and still does). For once, I was happy to be going to the front. Captain could see what was going on and I could at least get a little bit out of the service.
Fast forward another two years. Captain and Burbles have a great relationship with our priest. Every (Saturday or) Sunday we sit four pews from the front of the church on the right side as you are going in. Captain even knows exactly where to go. The same entourage of people sit near us every Sunday. This includes my father, his Girlfriend, and Fundi's Mom. They are our helpers. Then there is the police officer, the beautiful family, and a few others who round out the happy crowd who are happy to help out in a time of crisis. This sitting up front business is kinda fun now. The kids enjoy being near the same people week after week. Mostly, though, are the people who watch the kids from afar. They talk to me after mass (or in the gas station) about how well behaved (HAHAHAHAHA) our children are and how nice it is to watch them every week. They are NOT good for Fundi and I, but they are good for those other people to whom they make their rounds on Sunday. Sometimes they even go to communion with other people. These other people enjoy having the kids around. Even the Father R talks to the kids specifically when he is giving his sermon. I feel for the most part that it is welcome for us to sit up front. Oh, I know, there are those people who feel that we should be back in the "Cry Room", but for the most part I think most of the other church-goers have been there and done that, and they are happy to see a young family so active in the church. There are only about three other couples who attend our church regularly who are under thirty. I thank them for that. I thank them for being understanding and I thank them for helping us out during church, because, as most parents know: children behave better for other people than they do for their parents.
We'll see you Sunday, same time, same place.

Dear Captain--month 24

Hi Sweetie,

You are TWO! I can't believe it. It has gone by so quickly. I remember thinking, when we brought you home, that if we could take you back to the hospital and drop you off until you stopped crying, that would be just great. I'm glad we didn't, but don't think that sometimes I don't want to take you somewhere and just drop you off for a while. I don't think that it would last long. I get at least one good laugh out of you daily. Yesterday, your Birthday, you were talking to me. I was washing off your face after having lunch (Sweet and Sour Chicken and Crab Rangoons) you told me "Just Relax". Now, I don't know that I use that phrase often, I'm sure every once in a while when someone here is being a little high-strung, it gets used, but to hear it coming out of your mouth just about had me rolling on the floor.

These days you have been growing up so much. You love looking at catalogs that we get in the mail. You sit and look at all the pictures and talk about what is going on in them. You are learning your colors. Orange is one that you have down. The others, well, they are kinda fuzzy. When we look at books and I ask you to point to something that is, say, red, you can do that, but when I ask you "What color is the ball?" Unless it is orange (and sometimes if it is purple), you really just spout off a color. You always get the idea, though, even if the answers are wrong. I'm amazed at how you figured it out so quickly. When asked "How many?" You always give us a number, too.

Your language skills are amazing. Even the doctor was impressed at how well you dictate what you say. The doctor was also impressed at how well you did during your appointment. When you got your finger pricked for blood draw, you said "Ow." and then sat patiently while they took your blood. Nothing more. You are pretty laid back that way. You don't let much phase you, unless it has something to do with your sister playing with something that you were possibly going to play with in the next, oh, three years. Then you get a little emotional.

You have added a few things to your bedtime routine. Other than the standard brush teeth, flouride, get dressed, say prayers, Glowy, Tiger, Blanket, you have added "Sweet dreams. I love you." Melt my heart, honestly.

You really enjoy having your Guppy around. In the mornings (most mornings, anyway) Guppy comes to your room and gets you out of your crib. You are living downstairs together. Then, you sit with Guppy on the bottom of the stairs and look out the picture window and watch the birds and the trains. It is darling and I'm glad that you have had this opportunity to spend some time with him. You are always right there, ready to greet him when he comes up the stairs, and you are always looking for him when you wake up from your nap. He will be leaving on Tuesday, and like a protective parent, I do not want you to have to say goodbye to someone you have grown to love.

You really enjoyed your birthday party. The cake was a big hit, as were the presents. It was so neat to watch all of your excitement. It was really sweet when you went to people and thanked them for the gifts they had given you as well. You are good with your manners like that. You say please, no thanks, thank you, you're welcome.

Your obsession with the outdoors has become, well, just that, an obsession. On your Birthday Party Day, we had a Pelican migration come through on the Mississippi River. You were in awe of these huge birds flying around and landing on the water. You watch them and watch them. You also watch the trains, semis, school buses, amulances, and pick-up trucks. You also can tell some birds apart. You know the difference between a pelican, a robin, a duck, and a goose. You really know your animals as well. It is amazing to listen to you go through some of your books and name everything that is in the whole book. I was amazed yesterday when you put together two puzzles from the library, without help, even though those were the first real puzzles that you had ever been exposed to. I can only hope that your fascination with learning continues the rest of your life. I also hope your excitement for life helps you through those inevitable tough times.

On your second birthday, you sang Happy Birthday to your sister. You are self-less that way and I don't know that you recognize yourself apart from her. This brings me to tears. You are such a good boy and I hope that we can look at you in fifteen years and know that you are still the same kid you always were... maybe with just a little more attitude.

We love you more today than yesterday,

Mommy

Dear Burbles -- Month 12

HI Honey,
I can't believe that today is your one year birthday! The time has gone by so quickly, but the days sometime seem to stand still. It is amazing to see how much you have grown and changed over the course of a year.
You still aren't saying much. The doctor said (at your 1 year appointment on the 14th) that you need to say five words at fifteen months, or he wants to know about it. Hopefully we will not have to worry about it, but your brother was the same way. He wasn't saying much at a year, but by 15 months, look out. You will get there. You are so cute in the couple of things you do say. You say "all done" and "Hi, Da" and "Yeah". You are understanding more and more each day. I think a lot of it is our fault, though. We have to split our time between you two and Nibble and Fiona, so we don't get to drill you as much as we would like.
As far as your physical developments go... you took your first two steps today, on your birthday! It was so sweet. There you were, standing in the middle of the floor, and you picked up your foot like it was a peg and then your other foot and you took two steps toward me. I was tickled.
We have had Guppy around since Gummie passed away, and you and Guppy have become pals. You are terribly cute with him. He calls you his little flirt and says that the boys better watch out. You crawl near Guppy and smile real big like you want him to pick you up and then when he comes closer to you, you turn and crawl away really quickly. When you get a safe distance away from Guppy, you flop on the floor and turn toward Guppy and bat your eyelashes and smile coyly at him. It is really precious to watch you interact with your Great-Grandfather this way. I enjoy how involved he is in spending time with you while he is here.
We are going to start working with you more to get you napping on your own. I can't continue to take daily naps with you, as much as I would like to. You have continued to sleep well at night, but you wake up in the morning at five and you want to be held until the rest of the house wakes up. You nibble on your bottle and nap on and off. I enjoy this time with you.
We had your birthday party on your birthday. You shared your birthday with Gummie. You also share your birthday with DeDe. The party was for You, DeDe, Captain, and Buca. You really didn't know what to do with the cupcake we set in front of you. You licked some of the frosting off. About a half an hour later, you started to crush the cupcake. You didn't really eat much of it. That is OK. You have been enjoying the strawberries lately. You can eat five or more at one sitting. I would say that your favorite foods are cheese, strawberries, and cheerios or bread.
Update: On the 14th, the day after your birthday, we had your one year check-up. You did really well. The pediatrician was so surprised that you were willing to sit on the table and be examined by him. He said that in all his years of work, he has never seen or dealt with two kids other that you and Captain who sat through their one year physical exam on the table and not on their parent's laps. I was so proud of you. The doctor also said that you look really healthy. You are 20lbs 6oz and 28 3/4 inches tall! You hold the 50th percentile in all things. You are my little peanut.
I love you so much.
We love you more today than yesterday,
Mommy

Gummie

Now, many of you (if there is anyone left reading this blog, at all...) have heard me write about Gummie. She is my mom's mom. And two weeks ago yesterday she had a bi-lateral stroke and congestive heart failure. Last Sunday I went to visit her in California. On Saturday, while our family was hunting Easter Eggs in eight inches of fresh wet snow, she passed away. Strangely enough, at this time, I seem to have a bunch of photoesque memories of her even though I don't know how many memories I hold onto of my Mom. This saddens me. I know my blog has been bleak lately, but that is the way my life is going right now. It seems that all of these things are happening.

Memories:

I see Gummie. I am maybe four or five. She is teaching me about all of the parts of the body that need to be washed while I am in the bathtub. Specifically, and seemingly most importantly, behind the ears.

I see Gummie. She and Mom are waiting for me to take photos with other prom-goers. Then we drive to dinner. She says how beautiful my dress is.

I see Gummie. She is doing this dance we call the camel dance. Moving alternately, heel up heel down. Hands tucked in front like a bunny holding an Easter Basket. Comical.

I see Gummie and Guppy. They were dancers. I would watch and watch as they moved so gracefully around the dance floor. Those nights were torturous to a teenaged girl who wanted nothing to do with Country music.

I see Gummie. She is getting ready to go out. I can see all of her beautiful perfume bottles sitting on her dresser. I see her planning out her outfit and her jewelry.

I see Gummie. She is adamant that I tell her something, although she refuses to tell me what. Over a month later, I will find out that the psychic we went to see together has told her that I am pregnant (true) or will be pregnant in two weeks or less. She was adamant that I must have known, but I had no idea.

I see Gummie. She is playing bingo. She is waiting for her number to be called. She has all her lucky gadgets surrounding her. She says the appropriate things when certain numbers are called.

I see Gummie. She is chewing ice. I, personally, believe that this is one of the most annoying habits in the world. It is disruptive and impolite. Strangely enough, Gummie was a chronic ice chewer even though she was one of the most proper women I know.

I see Gummie. She has her head near my Mom's. Mom is sick. Gummie has tears in her eyes and is terribly sad. I see pain and hurt. I see love.

I see Guppy. I see Guppy talking tenderly to his wife of over fifty years. She is unresponsive and has been for days. The future is unsure but undeniable. He is tender. His love is evident.

There are so many more memories that I think of in this time of sadness.

I will not bore you with the details of my trip or any more of my sadness, but I will leave you with this. This is the photo that I took as I was leaving the hospital as I said Good Bye to Gummie for the last time before she passed. Strangely enough, the moon plays an important part in the photo if you look closely. It is as though there are three dimensions to life and this picture is able to depict those dimensions.

Dear Captain -- 23 Months

Dear Captain,
Hi Buddy, today is your 23 month Birthday. I am writing this to you from Gummie and Guppy's computer in California. This is the longest that I haven't been near you. I am sorry that I had to leave you guys, but I had to come out here to visit Gummie. She is not doing well and we are actually going to take her off of life support tomorrow morning. It pains me to have to tell you all of this, but Gummie is suffering and she is no longer responsive. She opens her eyes, moves her hands and shoulder, and lifts her eyebrows, but all of this is involuntary response. This trip was very important to me and I thank you guys for being understanding. Tonight I went and bought the cutest outfits for Easter on Sunday. They are matchy-matchy, but I will do it while I still can. I can't wait to see you in them.
You have been so sweet lately. You told me "Sweet Dreams" about two weeks ago when I layed you down in your bed. I just about cried. You have such an obsession with anything that moves these days. You watch every train that goes by and tell me what that train is doing ("making money", "slow down stop train", or "fast fast fast". You have seen a couple of helecopters around and are in love with them too. Your biggest physical milestone is the need to run. This means everywhere and with much abandon. You really don't care which way your legs are going and your arms go every which way. You really enjoy being outside now that it is warming up more. You run up and down the deck and cry when we drag you inside. You go go go from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep. That is, unless you are listening to the Beatle's Children's Album. You mellow and veg when we put that CD on. You especially like the songs "All You Need Is Love" and "Yellow Submarine". Comical.
You are a climber and push our limits all the time. You talk so much and most of it is funny, but some is not necessarily what we want to hear. You are into ownership right now and let everyone know when a toy is "Your name's".
You are so cute at church. You really get along well with Father and you interact with him even during service. You are so independent. You walked right up to the pew we normally sit in and sat right down. You were carrying a hymnal and walked halfway through the pew and climbed up. You just started paying more attention to the choir and director and have been conducting from your seat. You also sing, sometimes loudly, and sway when the choir is singing. It is adorable.
I love you so much and will see you in a couple of days.
Love,
Mommy

Dear Burbles -- Month 11

Dear Baby Girl,
I can't believe that you are almost a year old. Where has the time gone? Every day now you become more and more involved in your world. You have been standing up all on your own, but you have yet to take your first steps. I am kinda hoping that you will walk sometime soon, even though I know I will regret saying that sometime in the near future. You are so proud when you stand by yourself and then when you sit down and everyone claps for you that you were standing, you clap too with a huge smile on your face. This past month has been a little rough and tumble for you. The bumps and bruises are more frequent now, and I am sure this is only the beginning. You are as daring as your brother. Just yesterday you got a fat lip from him headbutting you. You screamed and he felt bad, but accidents happen and you guys were playing rough on the floor. He loves to tickle you like that and you guys just laugh and laugh... until someone gets hurt. You give it back to him, though, and I love watching your interactions.
This month you started talking some. You say "Hi, Da." Dad would like to think that you say it just to him, but you say it to me too. I would like you to acquire the "Mmmm" sound sometime soon though. Then we can start working on the "mamamama". It will come. No pressure. You said "Hat on" clear as day when I was getting your winter clothes on and you spend lots of time chitter-chattering. "All done" is your expression of choice right now. You get "all done" with everything and you know how to use it correctly too. When we get down to your last bites of food, you say "all done" repeatedly. It is cute. You love giving kisses to will give them freely if asked. Sometimes they are a little sloppy but we love them anyway.
You climb the stairs like it is no one's business. You don't quite grasp the concept of edge, though, and you try to sit on the stairs but do not put your little butt on the stair. That could cause you some problems, so we watch you closely when you are on the stairs. It is getting warmer out and I can't wait for spring to be here. You enjoy being outside and I bet that you are just as anxious as the rest of us to get outside and get some fresh air.
We got some news just this past Sunday, March 9th, that your Great-Grandma Gummie had a terrible stroke and that she is in a coma out in California. I am so glad that you and your brother got to meet her before this happened. There are some nice photos of you with her and I will tell you all about her when you get older. The two of you share a birthday and she is the reason you have red hair and a fair complexion. She is also probably the reason you have a temper.
Easter is coming and I hope to get some great photos of you on this special occasion. I can't wait for your birthday party. We'll be having a joint party with Captain at least for the first few years.
Just know how much we love you, and, as Gummie would say, we love you more and more each day.
Love,
Mommy