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June 27, 2006
I never thought I'd say this to my child:
"Please don't lick your brother's foot."
Why does that seem like a good idea?
Posted by janna at 09:59 PM | Comments (1)
June 25, 2006
This is what Michigan looked like two weeks ago
Click on a pic to start a slideshow: MICHIGAN
Oh, and this is what Theo and Gus looked like two years ago:
Here they were at the lake:
We need to live on a lake.
Posted by janna at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
June 21, 2006
16 weeks for Eli
Uh, Eli?
You might need to consider the fact that there's almost no more curve left for you.
We took you to the doctor yesterday for your 4-month check-up, and again, you're on the edge of the curve. You might be off the chart soon if you don't slow down.
Four weeks ago, you were:
15 lbs 6 oz
26 inches
Yesterday, you were:
17 lbs 4 oz (90th percentile)
27 1/4 inches (97th percentile)
Your papa looked at the growth chart, and if you trend on this percentile, statistics would have that you'll be 6 ft 3 inches by the time you're 20.
Let's not think about you being 20 and taller than me. Let's focus on you in your cuddly & love-y state of infanthood.
Infanthood calls for the topic of poop. It's popular among parents of infants, not so much for people who aren't living and breathing diapers. Forget them, this is about you. And I love me a good poop story, so here goes:
You've taken to pooping every two to three days. If it's everyday, it's a total miracle and we jump up and down in poopy joy. You see, when you don't poop, your belly gets really big and full and you wake up several times in the night grunting and kicking your legs up and down, often slamming them on the bed. You pooped on Friday, after several days of not, and I was excited. In order to avoid a mess while changing your diaper, I held your legs up off the table, in turn lifting your butt off the table. As I tuned my attention to cleaning your underside, I realize that you're peeing. You're not just peeing, you're peeing into your ear.
Eli, you peed in your ear. How many people can say that they've done that in their lives? (please don't answer that, I don't want to know)
Grandma Shirley went home today after a week stay. John went to Washington DC for the weekend with his Mom to visit his sister, who is also on bedrest with the third grandchild, another boy! (I'm going to be an auntie, I'm so totally excited about it!). These boys who require bedrest are totally worth it, but I think there might be other ways to get our attention. Anyway, I stayed home with Gus and Eli, and Mom helped me out with that juggle. It was the first time that John and I had been apart since we were married, the first time other than the night Eli was born that John was away from Gus. Firsts firsts firsts.
Posted by janna at 10:11 PM | Comments (1)
June 19, 2006
The magic of Grandma
Posted by janna at 09:52 PM | Comments (1)
June 18, 2006
happy papa's day
Gus and Eli are so lucky to have you.
Posted by janna at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2006
It seemed like a good idea at the time
I bought Gus several pairs of underwear for the eventual and necessary process of potty training. While Gus was super excited to see Thomas the Train, Elmo and Madagascar-themed underwear (who wouldn't be?), he still wasn't feeling the need to put them on. In fact, anytime we mention using the toilet, he says NO.
In the past couple of weeks, Gus has been telling me that he's done his business, one day even clapping for himself after every deed done squarely in his diaper. He even asked me once, for the first time in his life, to change his diaper. These events gave me hope, like maybe we were starting to see signs of readiness.
Flash forward to last night. We were heading out to water the plants after dinner and I decided I needed to change Gus' diaper. Before I got a new diaper on him, I suddenly asked Gus if he wanted to wear underwear. We were going outside, I thought it would be a safe place to try it out. Gus enthusiastically picked out a prime pair of Thomas underwear, donned them and pranced around.
Outside we went. It wasn't long before he had peed. As we were coming in, I realized he had pooed, too. Double whammy.
This is what I learned:
1. It's a process, you can't skip steps.
2. This kind of thing will happen a lot.
3. Gus could care less that his underwear is wet and full of poo...which is supposed to feel bad to a kid. Buns of steel, he has.
4. Poo in underwear. Oh. My. God. My Mom cleaned them for me in the toilet. She has to stay with us, don't leave!
5. I have to figure out a strategy.
Posted by janna at 06:48 AM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2006
Practicing for the future
Gus is preparing for a raucous future. Case in point:
Gus is still playing with the dinosaurs Ben gave him two weeks ago (a toy miracle!). Last night I observed Gus taking one dinosaur and attacking another while saying, "NO, Mama, NO!"
I swear to God.
Posted by janna at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2006
Don't tell Grandma
Posted by janna at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
15 weeks for Eli
Eli, for you it's been 15 weeks of diapers, 105 days of nursing, 2520 hours of breathing air.
For us, it's been 151,200 minutes of amazement, tiredness, belly-shaking laughs, crying, hecticness, laundry, bottles, and love, love, love.
You've been so alert these days, craning your neck all over the place, so much so that you've worn off the hair on the back of your head. When you see me, you stare. You give me this look of awe, like you've finally realized that boob is a person. You smile and laugh easily at anyone. Your laugh is so charming, I often laugh so hard I cry.
Growing....are you only 15 weeks? I feel like you're six or seven months in size alone. We're switching to 6-9 month clothing now. You're eating 21 ounces at daycare, which may not mean anything to you when you read this later, but trust me: it's a lot. You started off eating 12 oz at daycare at eight weeks of age, so you're obviously trying to support your growth. We'll find out next week how much you've officially grown.
Sleep! Today at daycare you took a 5 1/2 hour nap...unheard of! You slept so much you only had two bottles. I jumped with joy because that meant I could freeze some milk. I'm pumping about 18-19 oz a day, so any excess is a miracle, worth jumping up and down. At night, you're now sleeping for three hours and waking up a bit for a snack, but we're getting better sleep. I still have to be careful about what I eat, but sleep is a powerful motivator.
Gus has started to notice you for you and is slowly decreasing his cheek pinching. He plays with you, holding toys above your head, giving you cars...but he also swiftly takes away the same car he just gave you, saying, "NO, Eli, nooooo." Practicing for the future, I guess. Gus has started preten playing more and more, having his dinosaurs talk and sleep, asking them if they're okay. I think you two will have a lot of fun together.
You're asleep on my lap right now, so peaceful. I do wish for you much calm in our chaotic lives. I will work hard to give you that quiet space. I don't think we give ourselves enough quiet to think, which is why we've decided that we totally need a lake house. This past weekend we went with friends to Michigan to a lake house, and even with six adults and five children, it was relaxing. More on that to come...
Here's a shot of bathtime last night. The first joint bath!
Posted by janna at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)
June 06, 2006
Of Ben and Us
The following are pics from guest photographer Ben!
This past weekend was all about outdoor dining and playing. Saturday, our Evanston day, we had all of our meals outside...and my red face is proof of it. How many burns does it take for a redhead to use sunscreen?
Posted by janna at 07:16 AM | Comments (1)
Cooooooo
Eli is cooooooooooing a lot. Gus is speaking in complete sentences. This week, people, has been an explosion of communication in the DeVylder household. Even John has stepped up his comedic routine...
Eli was 14 weeks yesterday. He has become such an established part of our lives, I find it hard to believe he wasn't always with our family unit. What did we do with all of our free time when we had just one child? Bigger question, what did we do when it was just us? Or single? Whtat the heck did I do all day?
I do have this sickness, where I am more productive when I'm super busy. I need deadlines. Give me two weeks to do something, I may not do it until the last few days if I'm able. If there is something I dread about the task at hand, I will push it off until the inevitable time that I have to complete it. (As I'm typing this, I'm wondering who is reading this, and will any future employer Google me in ten years and read that I consider myself lazy? Will I not get the job? Give me the job, just keep me busy... but don't abuse me. That's not nice.) Parenthood has given us a lot of stuff to deal with, and it has weirdly made me tidier (notice the -er, not totally tidy, just tidiER) at home. (I'm working on the 'only touch something once' mantra, or the 'everything has its place, if you would just freaking put it there' mantra.)
But when it comes to Eli and Gus, I don't want to be super-busy with silly stuff, I want to be busy with play, with soaking them in, with smothering them with kisses because that too is so very fleeting. Gus has now taken to covering his cheeks when he doesn't want me to kiss him, although yesterday he did ASK me to kiss him on his cheek, and gave me a great 'THANKS, MAMA!' afterwards.
Posted by janna at 07:02 AM | Comments (0)
June 04, 2006
evanston
Posted by janna at 10:29 PM | Comments (1)
June 02, 2006
Kiss it, Mama?
Gus had an owie on his butt this week.
Gus: Mama, I have owie on my butt (straining to show me by twisting his body).
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, are you ok?
Gus: Kiss it, Mama, kiss it??
Me: Ummm, *kissing the air*, is that ok?
Gus: Thanks, Mama, thanks!
Posted by janna at 10:13 PM | Comments (1)
June 01, 2006
Happy four years to us
John, it's only been four years since our lovely wedding day. Sometimes it feels like a year, mostly it feels like it's been at least ten. We pack a lot of living in!
We have a tradition on the night of our anniversary. First we read through our ceremony, then our vows, and we look through our wedding album. Then we read the letter we wrote to ourselves last year, full of our hopes for the year, and we write a new one for next year. Mini time capsules...
One thing will be VERY different this year...we won't be getting pregnant.
You do the math.
Posted by janna at 06:00 AM | Comments (1)