Monday, May 26, 2014

Well, I’m Calling It

* I wrote this last Thursday, I think (May 22nd).  I intended to add a whole bunch of pictures, but that’s going to be too time consuming.  So pictures next time.

Today Kieran seemed to make that transition from taking steps to outright walking.  He still crawled a lot, but spent a darn good portion of his day venturing by foot.  It’s so cute!  I mean, it’s sad that babies don’t stay babies, but gosh I love watching them learn and grow too!  Maybe I’ll capture it on film tomorrow.   Although Kieran has gone about learning his skills differently than my other 3, he’s accomplished each “trick” right when my others did.  Brennan walked at 9 months, and now all 3 others at 11 months.  We don’t do the whole “variety” thing in this family;-)

Let’s see, what else does he do… Kieran’s a good eater.  Except pancakes, which I can’t get him to eat at all!  But otherwise he happily chows down on whatever I give him.  I think bananas are a favorite, but then again he’d probably greet anything I give him for breakfast with the same enthusiasm.

We call him “Kieran the Patient” because, well, it’s pretty self explanatory.  But even this nickname doesn’t capture just how amazingly patient he is.  He could, if I was a lesser person, spend all day in his crib, or high chair, or wherever because he just chills and waits.  While he eats I tend to other kids and needs.  He’ll finish his food, stick his thumb in his mouth and just sit there, watching life around him.  The number of times he’s fallen asleep in his high chair is embarrassing.  When we wakes up, he doesn’t cry.  So I don’t often know he’s woken up.  In the mornings he’ll play with or watch (or defend himself against) Hollyn.  If he’s alone, like after a nap, he’ll make some sounds but mostly just wait, sucking him thumb.  He’s happy and smart, giving us the biggest sweetest smiles you can imagine.  And very, very patient.  Gosh I love him!

Hollyn is growing as well, obviously.  She says increasingly complex or interesting things.  It’s so fun to watch this development.  She still finds a way to get in to everything though.  I wish she’d unlearn a few things in that department.

Asher and Brennan are wrapping up the school year.  They each had a great year.  In fact, in past years I got calls from the school regarding Brennan and misbehavior incidents like every month or two.  I don’t think I got a single one this year!  Well, I guess there was that one when he bit a kid. (While playing, the other boy had grabbed Brennan, pinning both arms.  He reacted impulsively in the only defensive maneuver he could think of.  But *apparently* biting people is frowned upon. ) Anyway, it was a good year overall.  We’re excited for summer, though I’m a little nervous, as I always am, about going crazy with all the kids home.  It takes so long to adjust to the schedule differences.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Going, Going, Gone

He only does it when I don't have a camera handy, but throughout the day Kieran will take a step or two.  Just now he took like 6 or 8 steps in a row, including a turn.  What a jerk!

(I say that because he was our last chance for a baby of ours to be OBEDIENT and NOT grow up.  We're 0 for 4 now in kids who listen to us!)

Saturday, May 17, 2014

O.k. So this is just bizarre!

The neighbor Wyatt had sat Kieran down on the piano bench and Kieran was "playing" the piano.  Each time he'd bang out a few notes we'd all start clapping and cheering.  He kept looking at us like we were a bunch a weirdos. ;-) Anyway, one of those times he played a sequence that sounded just like the beginning to a real song.  I started trying to sing along, I couldn't remember the words though.  Brennan and Brian both identified the tune Kieran had "played" as the hymn "Testimony".  We thought that was pretty cool that he'd played something that sounded like a real song.  Then I thought about the fact that Brennan has been learning that song himself recently, and asked, "Wait, is that the music on the page right in front of Kieran?"  Yes.  It was.

Whoa.  Mind blown.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Mom Chaser

It all started innocently enough.  When Brennan would arrive home from school, I’d rush him from wherever I was to give him a giant hug.  The kind where I lifted him off the ground or tackled him to the floor with it.  So he started resisting.  Even trying to avoid me.  Rude, right?  His neighborhood friends heard about this and started coming to watch.  A couple of days later when I went to run at him for the hug, he turned around and ran back outside.  So, so did I.  Those kids were NOT expecting that at all.  I chased them all over the neighborhood.  Almost caught them a couple of times, but Brenny is really good at the last-second turn.  Drat!

This has escalated to become a regular occurrence, though I don’t do it every day by any means.  I like to keep them on their toes.  I’ve hidden on the porch, behind bushes, behind other houses, inside our house, etc.  Sometimes I give them a real chase, sometimes I’ve hidden well enough that I catch one by surprise right away and call it good, saving myself the near-vomiting that the exertion causes me. Winking smile  Most of the time I say, “Sorry, not today folks.”  There is a large group of kids that now follow Brennan to his door every day before going home to their own houses.  I don’t really like doing this.  But I like that I DO do this.  Plus I’m a sucker for a good surprise.  That’s what it really boils down to.

Today as I dreaded knowing that the kids would be home soon and I’d have to decided whether I was in or out, I had a brilliant idea:

Asher!  How about today YOU chase the kids?  And then I got really, truly genius.  And Asher, you should totally DRESS UP like a Mom!!!

And he did.  He tried to back out of it because he felt really embarrassed.  He didn’t want the others to laugh at him even though I explained that that was the point.  At the last second I mentioned that Brian Regan would do this to get a laugh.  He was sold.

Asher Mom 1Asher Mom 2

Friday, May 2, 2014

The Perfect Storm

You know that night?  The one where you attend a special ward carnival 2 months in the making?  Where your fully potty-trained 3 year old just happens to have an accident in the gym, even though the festivities are outside?  And your baby just happens to vomit all.over.himself.  And his carseat.  And the real seat.  And it just happens to be a really chunky kind leaving a "tidbit" trail through your house despite your efforts.  And he just happens to be wearing his only shirt and sweater that each has a too-small head hole making it really hard to get off?  Oh yeah, and for the first time ever, your husband just happens to be in the middle of something crazy busy at work so he isn't home yet during any of this?

That was my evening.  How was yours? ;-)