Here are your 9 month old pictures taken today....
Love,
Mommy
Mommy
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Through any weather....
Jack and Audrey,
The weather outside is cold here, but Daddy is up in the NY area trying to get home to us. He is on one of the only flights that haven't been cancelled. Here is a picture from his plane right now as he is waiting to take off.
And here you see the yellow blur is the machine that clears the runway - this as your Daddy's plane is taxi-ing to leave.
I just wanted to share this with you because your Daddy loves you and - well - they say a picture is worth a thousand words. That display of love brings tears to my eyes.
Love,
Mommy
The weather outside is cold here, but Daddy is up in the NY area trying to get home to us. He is on one of the only flights that haven't been cancelled. Here is a picture from his plane right now as he is waiting to take off.
And here you see the yellow blur is the machine that clears the runway - this as your Daddy's plane is taxi-ing to leave.I just wanted to share this with you because your Daddy loves you and - well - they say a picture is worth a thousand words. That display of love brings tears to my eyes.Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tantrum
Jack,
Overall, I'd say that you and I have a good relationship - we communicate well and I think you "get" my parenting style - when I'm going to let something slide and when you better listen to me.
Last night was a cultural heritage night at your school. It kind of took me by surprise because I somehow missed all the announcements until yesterday morning. So I flew around at lunch yesterday, locating some loaves of Irish Soda Bread and marmalade which I was proud of getting and thus was prepared with contribution and all - even in spite of my disorganization. SCORE!!!
I don't really know what set the evening off, but I was late getting you. I arrived right at 6 because I had to get your sister, breastfeed her in private so I wouldn't be pulling one out in the middle of the school, and let the dogs out. Thus, I was late getting you. You were in a different room (this might have started things off - change is very anxiety producing for you) and you were watching a movie (which you never do at this school). Your eyes were big when I came to get you and you seemed really surprised with where you were and what was going on.
The night was really such a cute idea. Each room represented a specific country - a country that they had been learning about for the past month and done many projects on. Now tonight, all the projects and things you learned were on display in each room and the children were given "Passports" so you would go from room to room and learn about that country and get a stamp on your passport before going to the next country.
Everything fell apart in Africa. :)
You wanted to make a mask, but they were out of the paper plates needed to make one. You started to cry and were unconsolable. Over the course of the next five minutes of me trying to explain and turn this around, the crying turned into yelling that you wanted to make a MASK!
I had already explained that the plates were gone like a thousand times so I decided to try to ignore it and see if that worked, but you followed along after me screaming about wanting to make the mask, over and over again. I - with carefully controlled patience - would explain here and there about the plates being out. That we would make one later at home because we have plates at home and it would be fun.
More screaming and crying and yelling.
Now we are in line for food and parents are trying to get me to go in front of them because I so obviously have my hands full with you. You are now yelling about how you DON'T WANT THAT TO EAT, YOU WANT THAT!, DON'T LET AUDREY EAT THAT, and on and on and on.
I had to get out of line after a while because this was not working. I turned to find a place to sit and read on some parents faces "Oh, please don't sit with us" which I understood so I found a place for us to sit on the back wall on a couple of folding chairs. You followed after me with a purplish-red face, sobbing and yelling about how you wanted to sit at a table!!! I explained that we were NOT going to sit at a table and ruin anyone else's night with our screaming. You fell apart even further. You grabbed my fork when I tried to eat, you screamed and yelled. Finally, one of your friends and their family tried to join us - I think they wanted to see if they could help me. I politely explained that I didn't know what was happening but we were going to leave. You started in with more shrieking and crying that you DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE!! NOOOOOOO!!!
There was a speaker that you were louder than so we exited the auditorium loudly - your cries carried up and down the empty halls as you screamed and sobbed about leaving the party, et al.
In the van, you started to settle down. You were still crying and whining, but I could talk to you now. I told you that we were going to have to think of a big punishment for you because your behavior had been completely unacceptable.
You got quiet and asked what the punishment would be. I told you I thought for the next 2 days, you couldn't use the computer or watch any TV. You were horrified about this, but I'm not sure you entirely believed me.
When we got home, I told you I would fix you a simple sandwich and carrot sticks but that was all, you would play quietly and then it was bedtime. While you ate, we talked about what had happened that night. I brought to your attention that other children after you had also not been able to make masks tonight and then I asked you if you had noticed any other children behaving the way that you had. You said that you hadn't. I told you that I wasn't very proud of your behavior and I was disappointed that the night had turned out like it had. You took this very hard. I asked you if YOU were proud of how you behaved. What you would have thought if one of your friends had done that. You said you weren't proud of it.
You kept asking me the rest of the night to be happy with you. It would have been easier to relent, but I wasn't going for easy. I explained to you that I LOVED you - that I would ALWAYS love you, no matter what. But that I wasn't happy with you at all right now. I said that I wasn't proud of how you behaved and when I'm not proud of your behavior, I'm not very happy with you right now.
It was important to me that you understood that I loved you always, but I couldn't brush aside what had happened or you wouldn't learn anything from it. Therefore, for the rest of the night when you asked if I was happy with you, I said "I love you very much, Jack, but I'm not very happy with your behavior tonight". I told you that you could make me, but more importantly YOURSELF proud of your behavior by trying really hard to make good choices and learning to control your body when you feel yourself becoming upset. You said that you would and demonstrated to me throughout the night that you understood. You were a great listener and you went out of your way to be thoughtful to me and to your sister.
I think that, although tonight was tough - the talk that came out of it and the experience of it may in the end be well worth the experience itself.
Funny how that works out, huh?
Love,
Mommy
Overall, I'd say that you and I have a good relationship - we communicate well and I think you "get" my parenting style - when I'm going to let something slide and when you better listen to me.
Last night was a cultural heritage night at your school. It kind of took me by surprise because I somehow missed all the announcements until yesterday morning. So I flew around at lunch yesterday, locating some loaves of Irish Soda Bread and marmalade which I was proud of getting and thus was prepared with contribution and all - even in spite of my disorganization. SCORE!!!
I don't really know what set the evening off, but I was late getting you. I arrived right at 6 because I had to get your sister, breastfeed her in private so I wouldn't be pulling one out in the middle of the school, and let the dogs out. Thus, I was late getting you. You were in a different room (this might have started things off - change is very anxiety producing for you) and you were watching a movie (which you never do at this school). Your eyes were big when I came to get you and you seemed really surprised with where you were and what was going on.
The night was really such a cute idea. Each room represented a specific country - a country that they had been learning about for the past month and done many projects on. Now tonight, all the projects and things you learned were on display in each room and the children were given "Passports" so you would go from room to room and learn about that country and get a stamp on your passport before going to the next country.
Everything fell apart in Africa. :)
You wanted to make a mask, but they were out of the paper plates needed to make one. You started to cry and were unconsolable. Over the course of the next five minutes of me trying to explain and turn this around, the crying turned into yelling that you wanted to make a MASK!
I had already explained that the plates were gone like a thousand times so I decided to try to ignore it and see if that worked, but you followed along after me screaming about wanting to make the mask, over and over again. I - with carefully controlled patience - would explain here and there about the plates being out. That we would make one later at home because we have plates at home and it would be fun.
More screaming and crying and yelling.
Now we are in line for food and parents are trying to get me to go in front of them because I so obviously have my hands full with you. You are now yelling about how you DON'T WANT THAT TO EAT, YOU WANT THAT!, DON'T LET AUDREY EAT THAT, and on and on and on.
I had to get out of line after a while because this was not working. I turned to find a place to sit and read on some parents faces "Oh, please don't sit with us" which I understood so I found a place for us to sit on the back wall on a couple of folding chairs. You followed after me with a purplish-red face, sobbing and yelling about how you wanted to sit at a table!!! I explained that we were NOT going to sit at a table and ruin anyone else's night with our screaming. You fell apart even further. You grabbed my fork when I tried to eat, you screamed and yelled. Finally, one of your friends and their family tried to join us - I think they wanted to see if they could help me. I politely explained that I didn't know what was happening but we were going to leave. You started in with more shrieking and crying that you DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE!! NOOOOOOO!!!
There was a speaker that you were louder than so we exited the auditorium loudly - your cries carried up and down the empty halls as you screamed and sobbed about leaving the party, et al.
In the van, you started to settle down. You were still crying and whining, but I could talk to you now. I told you that we were going to have to think of a big punishment for you because your behavior had been completely unacceptable.
You got quiet and asked what the punishment would be. I told you I thought for the next 2 days, you couldn't use the computer or watch any TV. You were horrified about this, but I'm not sure you entirely believed me.
When we got home, I told you I would fix you a simple sandwich and carrot sticks but that was all, you would play quietly and then it was bedtime. While you ate, we talked about what had happened that night. I brought to your attention that other children after you had also not been able to make masks tonight and then I asked you if you had noticed any other children behaving the way that you had. You said that you hadn't. I told you that I wasn't very proud of your behavior and I was disappointed that the night had turned out like it had. You took this very hard. I asked you if YOU were proud of how you behaved. What you would have thought if one of your friends had done that. You said you weren't proud of it.
You kept asking me the rest of the night to be happy with you. It would have been easier to relent, but I wasn't going for easy. I explained to you that I LOVED you - that I would ALWAYS love you, no matter what. But that I wasn't happy with you at all right now. I said that I wasn't proud of how you behaved and when I'm not proud of your behavior, I'm not very happy with you right now.
It was important to me that you understood that I loved you always, but I couldn't brush aside what had happened or you wouldn't learn anything from it. Therefore, for the rest of the night when you asked if I was happy with you, I said "I love you very much, Jack, but I'm not very happy with your behavior tonight". I told you that you could make me, but more importantly YOURSELF proud of your behavior by trying really hard to make good choices and learning to control your body when you feel yourself becoming upset. You said that you would and demonstrated to me throughout the night that you understood. You were a great listener and you went out of your way to be thoughtful to me and to your sister.
I think that, although tonight was tough - the talk that came out of it and the experience of it may in the end be well worth the experience itself.
Funny how that works out, huh?
Love,
Mommy
Monday, February 22, 2010
Baby Shower Sentiment
Jack,
This weekend I was struck with an inspirational moment. I had a baby shower gift for a friend/co-worker that I had just wrapped in plain brown paper and I needed to give Audrey a bottle of milk.
I called you over and asked you if you would color a pretty picture on the package for my friend. She was having a new baby - wasn't that exciting? And I would love it if you would color a picture for her to decorate her present.
You nodded solemnly and said "Okay, Mommy!" and set to coloring on the present.
I settled in to feed Audrey her bottle while you worked intently on your coloring and I mentally high-fived myself for coming up with such a fantastic and inspirational idea! You were so creative and enjoying the process and this would put a personal touch on the baby shower gift for my friend/co-worker.
After the bottle was done, you looked up excitedly and called me over to show me the picture you had drawn. You were very enthusiastic. I walked over and you showed me what you had created:
"See, Mommy! It's a BATTLE! See this guy here?":
"He's dead. And see this?!? It's a MOUNTAIN!":
"And THESE guys are all falling off the mountain!":
"And over HERE? THIS is a MONSTER!":
This weekend I was struck with an inspirational moment. I had a baby shower gift for a friend/co-worker that I had just wrapped in plain brown paper and I needed to give Audrey a bottle of milk.
I called you over and asked you if you would color a pretty picture on the package for my friend. She was having a new baby - wasn't that exciting? And I would love it if you would color a picture for her to decorate her present.
You nodded solemnly and said "Okay, Mommy!" and set to coloring on the present.
I settled in to feed Audrey her bottle while you worked intently on your coloring and I mentally high-fived myself for coming up with such a fantastic and inspirational idea! You were so creative and enjoying the process and this would put a personal touch on the baby shower gift for my friend/co-worker.
After the bottle was done, you looked up excitedly and called me over to show me the picture you had drawn. You were very enthusiastic. I walked over and you showed me what you had created:
"See, Mommy! It's a BATTLE! See this guy here?":"He's dead. And see this?!? It's a MOUNTAIN!":"And THESE guys are all falling off the mountain!":"And over HERE? THIS is a MONSTER!":If there was a moment in parenthood where you could take a picture of my face - this would have been the ultimate Kodak moment. My mouth was hanging open and my eyes were bulging out at this picture as I took in all the mayhem at once.
You were proudly watching my face and I found myself stammering out an "ooooooooh, wow! This is...... WOW! Great job, Buddy......"
You smiled proudly, climbed down from the table and walked off to play with some toys.
I had a seat at the table, still looking at the picture, dumbfounded.
Moments later, though, and I'm starting to laugh. Boy, is my present at this shower going to be an original! :)
And what a statement this makes. "Welcome to parenthood, my friend! Oh, and the gift? It's a parachute! Best of luck!"
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Roomies
Jack and Audrey are roommates now. This was accomplished this weekend. A rearrangement of Jack's bedroom created space for the crib which we reassembled and thus we have leaped into this new setup.
Jack - you are thrilled. You are frequently afraid of the dark, so this scenario where you have someone in the room with you at night is welcomed by you.
Forget the fact that she can just barely move herself from one spot to another. :) I'm sure she would be a perfect partner should things come down to mortal combat.
Audrey - You hardly put up a fight about this. I really expected this transition to be more drawn out and difficult than it has been.
Perhaps it has to do with the fact that you worship the ground that your brother walks on. When you see him approach you or catch a glimpse of him across the room, the excitement you experience can only be likened to that of a teenage girl in the presence of a rock star she worships - you let out the most excited scream and your little hands wave in the air and your legs kick in excitement - your whole face lit up with the energy of the wave of delight you are riding at seeing your brother. I laugh every time I witness this because if ever there was a picture of adoration - this is it.
It's not to say that you don't wake up still in the night wanting a little milk or horrified to find that there isn't someone right next to you breathing, but the transition has been so much smoother than I had ever hoped it might be.
Thank you for that!
Love,
Mommy
Jack - you are thrilled. You are frequently afraid of the dark, so this scenario where you have someone in the room with you at night is welcomed by you.Forget the fact that she can just barely move herself from one spot to another. :) I'm sure she would be a perfect partner should things come down to mortal combat.Audrey - You hardly put up a fight about this. I really expected this transition to be more drawn out and difficult than it has been.Perhaps it has to do with the fact that you worship the ground that your brother walks on. When you see him approach you or catch a glimpse of him across the room, the excitement you experience can only be likened to that of a teenage girl in the presence of a rock star she worships - you let out the most excited scream and your little hands wave in the air and your legs kick in excitement - your whole face lit up with the energy of the wave of delight you are riding at seeing your brother. I laugh every time I witness this because if ever there was a picture of adoration - this is it.It's not to say that you don't wake up still in the night wanting a little milk or horrified to find that there isn't someone right next to you breathing, but the transition has been so much smoother than I had ever hoped it might be.Thank you for that!
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
For the Greater Good
Audrey,
You got tubes the other day and you are doing so well. It was tough when you first came back because you were disoriented and appeared to be in pain, but after sleeping, you felt better.
Yesterday you had some pain when you would cough or burp. The cough or burp would occur and you would flinch and look at me with great surprise like someone had sucker punched you and you simply couldn't believe it. Then you would cry and I would hug you and console you until you were okay again.
This morning, it's amazing - you seem back to yourself already if that's possible.
I wonder if this is like when a blister pops. Initially it hurts like crazy, but once it scabs over, you almost forget about it. I'm no doctor, but I wonder if this is why you are doing so well so fast?
Your doctor did confirm that you had thick cloudy fluid behind your eardrum when they drained it and that you definitely had another infection. You are on new strong antibiotics to take care of this, but you don't mind taking the medicine at this point and the end is in sight.
I love you - I know this is the best for you! You are just amazing, Little Girl!
Love,
Mommy
P.S. - your brother was able to make you smile and squeal right off when you got home. Surgery Schmurgery. Jack ROCKS! :)
You got tubes the other day and you are doing so well. It was tough when you first came back because you were disoriented and appeared to be in pain, but after sleeping, you felt better.
Yesterday you had some pain when you would cough or burp. The cough or burp would occur and you would flinch and look at me with great surprise like someone had sucker punched you and you simply couldn't believe it. Then you would cry and I would hug you and console you until you were okay again.
This morning, it's amazing - you seem back to yourself already if that's possible.
I wonder if this is like when a blister pops. Initially it hurts like crazy, but once it scabs over, you almost forget about it. I'm no doctor, but I wonder if this is why you are doing so well so fast?
Your doctor did confirm that you had thick cloudy fluid behind your eardrum when they drained it and that you definitely had another infection. You are on new strong antibiotics to take care of this, but you don't mind taking the medicine at this point and the end is in sight.
I love you - I know this is the best for you! You are just amazing, Little Girl!
Love,
Mommy
P.S. - your brother was able to make you smile and squeal right off when you got home. Surgery Schmurgery. Jack ROCKS! :)
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