I'm going to apologize upfront for my lack of posts recently. I've already been chewed out from my mom, and I have felt the blistering thoughts that I know my sister has sent my way. Here's the deal...I don't have any pictures! We recently found discovered that our camera is officially going to be burried. We were told by Nikon that a bent lens is not covered by warranty, and therefore it is going to cost $100 to fix. I don't think so. Since we don't have a camera, I am going to blog about something that I'm glad we can't document with pictures!
Jake turned 2 years old! (That's not what I'm glad we can't document...in fact, one of my friends has some pictures so I'll borrow them from her and get a blog post up about it soon.) Along with turning two means doctors visits! Jake went this morning, and I don't know what it is about him and doctors (maybe the shots?) but every time we enter a doctor's office Jake starts bawling. And not like little whimpers, but full out waterfalls and convulsing, and nothing I can do is able to console him. He didn't even need to get shots today, it was just to check how he was growing! As soon as he was put on the scale to be weighed he broke down. He could barely say through his sobs, "Bye-bye?" I felt so bad for him! Finally, I was talking to the nurse there and she was asking me questions, and Jake, still sobbing, ran for the door and left! He didn't even care that I wasn't with him, all he knew was that he wanted to get out of there ASAP and he saw his window of opportunity and bolted. I ran out and grabbed him, brought him back inside the office, and he started screaming again. He couldn't calm down until, ironically, they pricked his finger to check his hemoglobin. When they did that he was perfectly fine. They gave him a sticker and he was good to go...what a rough day for a two-year-old!
I promise to get pictures of his birthday up soon, we had a great time!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Question
I've been told that you can convert your blog into a book. Has anyone done that and have any suggestions? Where do I go? How could I find this information? Thanks, guys!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Average and perfect
I'm a typical mother. I get very proud of Jake for all of his accomplishments and love to watch him grow and develop. Last week I was so excited because he said his first three-word sentence (at least, it was the first time that three words were put together that all came out clear and understandable.) His first sentence: Bye-bye yellow bus. It may seem like a trivial thing, but I was beyond proud of him. Not only was he saying a full sentence, but he was also recognizing his colors!
And then, today I was put back in my place. We were at Barnes and Nobles and they have a big Thomas the Train table there for the kids to play with while the parents look at books. I was watching Jake play, and another little girl came up with her mom that looked about the same age as Jake. And then she opened her mouth. Here's the conversation that took place:
"Mom, take the clothes off my doll! The shirt and the pants"
"My, you're demanding."
"Demanding?"
"Yes, that means you're not being patient."
"Oh, ok. Mom the bottle, too!"
And then she started to sing her ABC's...perfectly. Every single letter was crystal clear, and perfectly on pitch. I looked at her mom and asked how old she was, expecting her to be a small 4-year-old. She answered, "Oh, she'll be two tomorrow." WHAT?? She's not even two yet???? I was astounded. Then Jake, who will be two in a week and a half, came up to me and said, "Bwoo (blue) choo-choo!" I thought to myself, oh no, he's way behind!
And then I remembered a lesson I learned while in college. I had a psychology professor once who told us that many times parents get caught up in comparing their kids to others and don't like the word "average." We either get prideful or a little frustrated if they aren't where other children are. Then he blatantly told us, "90% of kids are average! My kids are average! Your kids will probably be average. Average is a good thing." He gave me a little life-lesson that day. Sure, all kids develop at different paces, but they're almost all average! There's no need to get caught up in the game of "how many colors can your child name?" because, let's face it, we're all average, and for us, average is perfect.
And then, today I was put back in my place. We were at Barnes and Nobles and they have a big Thomas the Train table there for the kids to play with while the parents look at books. I was watching Jake play, and another little girl came up with her mom that looked about the same age as Jake. And then she opened her mouth. Here's the conversation that took place:
"Mom, take the clothes off my doll! The shirt and the pants"
"My, you're demanding."
"Demanding?"
"Yes, that means you're not being patient."
"Oh, ok. Mom the bottle, too!"
And then she started to sing her ABC's...perfectly. Every single letter was crystal clear, and perfectly on pitch. I looked at her mom and asked how old she was, expecting her to be a small 4-year-old. She answered, "Oh, she'll be two tomorrow." WHAT?? She's not even two yet???? I was astounded. Then Jake, who will be two in a week and a half, came up to me and said, "Bwoo (blue) choo-choo!" I thought to myself, oh no, he's way behind!
And then I remembered a lesson I learned while in college. I had a psychology professor once who told us that many times parents get caught up in comparing their kids to others and don't like the word "average." We either get prideful or a little frustrated if they aren't where other children are. Then he blatantly told us, "90% of kids are average! My kids are average! Your kids will probably be average. Average is a good thing." He gave me a little life-lesson that day. Sure, all kids develop at different paces, but they're almost all average! There's no need to get caught up in the game of "how many colors can your child name?" because, let's face it, we're all average, and for us, average is perfect.
Monday, February 22, 2010
No pictures...just a hilarious memory
I like to keep on top of the blog, but it's hard with no pictures to back my stories up. I'm more of a picture book type of gal I guess...unless I'm reading Harry Potter or Twilight (yes, I'm a 13-year-old girl).
Speaking of being 13, I've been finding myself thinking about the olden days lately when I go to sleep at night. Not like last month, or last year, or even the last five years. I've been going way way back to middle school and high school. I thought I might share a few memories, you know, for posterity's sake. Am I getting that old?
Memory #1:
I may regret telling this story. In fact, this is one of those moments that when I think about it, I still remember the utter humiliation of it all. Even as I type this I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't put this out there for the whole blogosphere to read. But, hey, it's been long enough that I can see the pure comedy and irony of it as well.
I mentioned before that I was a gymnast as a child. By the time I got to middle school I had quit the gym and just competed for the good 'ole Jefferson Huskies. Our team was on the balance beam and I was the last to go. As I was watching all of my teammates compete, I leaned over to two of my friends on the team and whispered, "Wouldn't it be absolutely hysterical if someone farted while they were on the beam?" (I know, real mature, remember, 13...) We got a good laugh while imagining one of them ripping a big one doing the splits.
Finally, it was my turn. During all of the rest of the girls' beam routines there had been floor music going on while the team we were competing against did the floor exercise. By the time I got on the beam, though, they were all finished so it was totally silent. No one wanted to ruin the concentration of the last girl on the beam. My tumbling pass was two back-walkovers in a row. I could feel all the eyes on me as I bent backwards to do my first back-walkover. Right as I split my legs in the air, RIIIIIIPPPPPP!!! OH MY GOSH!!! It was SOOOO loud!! You had to be kidding me!!! I was so beyond embarrassed that, to make the story even worse, I fell off the beam!! I got back up, tried to compose myself, and did the second backwalkover, but by now I was beyond hope. I fell off again.
When I was done all I could do was hope that no one heard!! Maybe they were all lost in their own thoughts and not paying any attention to me (of course, if this had been the case, the echoing blast would have shaken them to reality.) I didn't even care that I had fallen off the beam twice, all I could think about was how my life was ruined. I went up to my mom at the end, and she, being the good mother that she is, lied to me and said, "Oh, I'm sure no one even heard it."
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Oh man, looking back on this is just making me laugh and laugh. I hope you got a good chuckle too. Memories....
Speaking of being 13, I've been finding myself thinking about the olden days lately when I go to sleep at night. Not like last month, or last year, or even the last five years. I've been going way way back to middle school and high school. I thought I might share a few memories, you know, for posterity's sake. Am I getting that old?
Memory #1:
I may regret telling this story. In fact, this is one of those moments that when I think about it, I still remember the utter humiliation of it all. Even as I type this I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't put this out there for the whole blogosphere to read. But, hey, it's been long enough that I can see the pure comedy and irony of it as well.
I mentioned before that I was a gymnast as a child. By the time I got to middle school I had quit the gym and just competed for the good 'ole Jefferson Huskies. Our team was on the balance beam and I was the last to go. As I was watching all of my teammates compete, I leaned over to two of my friends on the team and whispered, "Wouldn't it be absolutely hysterical if someone farted while they were on the beam?" (I know, real mature, remember, 13...) We got a good laugh while imagining one of them ripping a big one doing the splits.
Finally, it was my turn. During all of the rest of the girls' beam routines there had been floor music going on while the team we were competing against did the floor exercise. By the time I got on the beam, though, they were all finished so it was totally silent. No one wanted to ruin the concentration of the last girl on the beam. My tumbling pass was two back-walkovers in a row. I could feel all the eyes on me as I bent backwards to do my first back-walkover. Right as I split my legs in the air, RIIIIIIPPPPPP!!! OH MY GOSH!!! It was SOOOO loud!! You had to be kidding me!!! I was so beyond embarrassed that, to make the story even worse, I fell off the beam!! I got back up, tried to compose myself, and did the second backwalkover, but by now I was beyond hope. I fell off again.
When I was done all I could do was hope that no one heard!! Maybe they were all lost in their own thoughts and not paying any attention to me (of course, if this had been the case, the echoing blast would have shaken them to reality.) I didn't even care that I had fallen off the beam twice, all I could think about was how my life was ruined. I went up to my mom at the end, and she, being the good mother that she is, lied to me and said, "Oh, I'm sure no one even heard it."
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Oh man, looking back on this is just making me laugh and laugh. I hope you got a good chuckle too. Memories....
Friday, February 12, 2010
My daddy's a dentist. Heyo!
We had quite an exciting adventure yesterday! Joseph signed up Jake to participate in a pediatric dentistry examination demonstration for the dental students. Since his first visit to the dentist was a little traumatic, (ok, a lot traumatic...screaming the whole time) I was doing my best to get him ready by getting him really excited and telling him all about how we were going to visit daddy at the dentist and they would look at his teeth. It seemed to work because all day he kept looking up at me expectantly saying, "Daddy? Dinish? Teesh?"
When nap time came he was just sobbing because he thought that we were going to see daddy at the dentist. I tried to explain that when he woke up from his nap that we would go see daddy, but he wasn't quite catching that point. All he knew was that I had been telling him all morning about how we were going to see daddy and now all of the sudden he was taking a nap instead. After telling him about 20 times and rocking him in his bedroom while he sobbed, he must have gotten it through his head because suddenly he sat up, pointed to his crib, and said, "Nap?" I put him in his crib and he laid right down. I could hear him tossing and turning in there, and then I think he finally fell asleep. An hour later I could hear him banging on his crib and yelling for me. I walked in and the first thing he said was, "Daddy??" He must have been so excited that he could barely sleep! But now that he was up from his nap it was time to get ready to go see dad.
Finally, when we got to the dental school, Jake saw Joseph and he started running as fast as he could toward him yelling, "Daddy!!!" We got to the school and sat in a big auditorium filled with dental students and a few other children. Jake was the 5th child to go, so he had the chance to watch what the dentist was doing to the other kids and get used to it. When it was our turn, the pediatric dentist let Joseph take the reigns and do the examination himself! Both Joseph and Jake did such a good job, I was so proud of both of them. Jake didn't cry at all, and on the way out he took a handful of toothbrushes and stickers with him (when I told Joseph to put some of the toothbrushes back he said, "Hey, I paid for these, he can have them." I didn't have an argument for that one.) So, I guess we'd call it a success!!
When nap time came he was just sobbing because he thought that we were going to see daddy at the dentist. I tried to explain that when he woke up from his nap that we would go see daddy, but he wasn't quite catching that point. All he knew was that I had been telling him all morning about how we were going to see daddy and now all of the sudden he was taking a nap instead. After telling him about 20 times and rocking him in his bedroom while he sobbed, he must have gotten it through his head because suddenly he sat up, pointed to his crib, and said, "Nap?" I put him in his crib and he laid right down. I could hear him tossing and turning in there, and then I think he finally fell asleep. An hour later I could hear him banging on his crib and yelling for me. I walked in and the first thing he said was, "Daddy??" He must have been so excited that he could barely sleep! But now that he was up from his nap it was time to get ready to go see dad.
Finally, when we got to the dental school, Jake saw Joseph and he started running as fast as he could toward him yelling, "Daddy!!!" We got to the school and sat in a big auditorium filled with dental students and a few other children. Jake was the 5th child to go, so he had the chance to watch what the dentist was doing to the other kids and get used to it. When it was our turn, the pediatric dentist let Joseph take the reigns and do the examination himself! Both Joseph and Jake did such a good job, I was so proud of both of them. Jake didn't cry at all, and on the way out he took a handful of toothbrushes and stickers with him (when I told Joseph to put some of the toothbrushes back he said, "Hey, I paid for these, he can have them." I didn't have an argument for that one.) So, I guess we'd call it a success!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Lens error or mothering error?
Either way...ERROR!! I left our new camera on our end table in the living room the other day, and apparently this little guy found it. You can see where this story is going already, huh? I was sitting at the computer working on something and I distinctly remember hearing some sort of electronic musical jingle. Obviously this didn't catch my attention, probably because I hear way too many jingles around this place and I subconsciously tune them out. All of the sudden I realized that it is not a musical jingle anymore, but more like a musical jam. Something is obviously broken. I turned around and saw that Jake had been turning the camera on and off (hence the jingle) and all of the sudden it didn't turn on anymore (hence the jam). I look at the screen of the camera and it said, "LENS ERROR." Great!! Our brand-new camera is broken. And I can hardly blame Jake. No, I blame the endless supply of mind-numbing electronic toys around here that play "music" (yes, I am looking for a scapegoat here). So, there you have it. No pictures until we send the camera in to get fixed. Sorry guys...
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
If it's free, we will come
Thank you guys for all your suggestions on free and easy things to do during this never-ending winter! I've always been a bit of a bargain hunter, but I've had to step up my game since we've been in dental school. Thus, I am always looking for ways to save a little mulah. In our quest for free/cheap activities to do around here, we have come up with a few winners! Por ejemplo:
The penny horsey ride - Ok, this one isn't around here, but when we were visiting my parents in Michigan recently we let Jake ride the horse at the grocery store. I'm not sure why, but the cost of riding this horse has never gone up. It is only 1 cent! Who knew one penny could bring so much joy?
Family Fun Night - The children's museum and carousel in the mall are totally free on the last Friday of the month. A madhouse for sure, but free!
Gymnastics meet - Joseph and I went on a date the other night to a gymnastics meet. I'm in love with gymnastics, and it was free for students and $3 for me! A date for $3, can't beat that!
Tot Lot - Totally fun! It's just a big gym that they put a bunch of bikes and balls and those blow-up jumping things all over and let the kids run wild! It's awesome, and just a little over $1! Here's a little video of Jake riding one of the toys there:
We've also done play-doh, played with the snow, and watched lots of train movies. I've become a personal expert on diesel-electric trains and how they convert energy to power the engine. I know you're jealous.
I am not, and can assure you that I never will be, a fan of Iowa winters. They are bitterly cold and way too long. However, I am learning to adapt. Thanks again for all your suggestions, and we look forward to trying more of them!
P.S. I LOVE GYMNASTICS! I was a gymnast when I was younger, and even though I may have lost my mad skills over the years, I haven't lost my love of the sport. If anyone around here ever wants to go to a meet with me PLEASE let me know! I would love love love that, especially on those nights that my husband is out of commission due to studying...or just any night, really...
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