Family Photo Update

Last Fall we took a family hike at a local park, and had someone take a family photo of us on a rock that looked like a couch. We used that photo in Owen's family album that we left for him between trips. A week or so ago we got an update of that photo. It was a beautiful day, and a nice walk. A little harder than last year...with Little Man who would rather walk than ride in a stroller, but then decides to take various detours off the paved path. He does like to go off the beaten track.

Other than that, I feel like I've been completely consumed with doctor appointments lately. Between flu mists, ear infections, strange rashes, bug bites, and ear tube surgery, I think I will just move the entire family into the doctor's office. The ear tube surgery went well (and did not slow Owen down at ALL), but we think a tube may be blocked already, because the ear drops aren't going in real well on one side. The doctor said it was a possibility because the goo was so thick in his ear. He did think the tubes would make a difference in Owen's hearing though, and that is great.

Boy Wonder

Liam and Owen are going as a team for Halloween this year. I'll give you 3 guesses what big brother's costume is going to be....

Mama

My baby boy can be so sweet. He has been saying Da-da to Jim regularly for a while now (he dropped the Papa term, as it seemed to mean all boys or men to him, while Dada means Jim specifically), but it hasn't been often that he has referred to me as Mama. The nice thing, though, is that when he has said it, there is no doubt in my mind that he is calling me Mama. Meaning that I don't think Mama is just a word, or just a woman. I think he knows what a Mama is, and he knows that I am Mama.

Last night we did our evening snuggle before bed where I rock him, and he straddles my lap, facing me, and rests his head on my chest. He wanted his wa-wa (water), and instead of trekking to the bathroom for a sip like we usually do (yes, I give in to at least one bedtime delay for wa-wa every night), I had a sippy cup of water. I wrapped my arm aroud the back of his head like he was a tiny infant, and held the cup for him, with my face very close to his, and he put his hand in my hair and stroked it. He drank the whole cup and when he was done, he patted my chest multiple times and said "Mama, mama, mama, mama" just like he was thinking YES, now this is what a Mama does! Oh, how it made me wish that I could have fed him as an infant. But it also made me smile, to hear him call me Mama. I don't care how often he calls me that, but it is so special when he does.

Showering Russian-Style and Other Random Things

Our trip to Siberia this summer fell during the two week period in which the city had no hot water. We were fine -apparentlyour hotel had their own water heater (most buildings get their hot water piped in from plants instead of a boiler-in-the-basement kind of system like in the US). Our translator was very matter-of-fact about it, saying that "well, of course, they have to make repairs to the pipes, so they have to shut off the water for 2 weeks every summer". Hmmmm... We had a hard time imagining people in the US being so matter of fact about no hot water.

Well, this week we had our gas turned off at home after we called the gas company to report a faint smell of gas (that I'm ashamed to admit I'd noticed for months, but had chalked it up to the gas grill). I'm sure the look on my face was priceless when the gas guy knocked on the door to say "Yup, you definitely have a leak. And I have NO idea where it is. So I shut off your gas. And you need to get that fixed before we can re-start it!" And I'm saying, "Uhhh, what? You turned off the gas and you aren't going to fix it?!" The very same gas that heats our hot water tank. And our stove. The hot water that runs my dishwasher. And makes my shower toasty? What?? So, several days, mucho bucks, and a million calls with the plumber, the city, and the gas company, our leak is fixed and hot water back on. But this morning, as I was pondering whether it was worth actually going to the YMCA to work out so I could shower (and the answer was NO - I haven't gone in so long I wouldn't recognize the place - why start now), I thought to myself, "heck, the Russians go 2 weeks every year without hot water. A cold shower isn't so bad, really." And yes, I did take one. And yes, it actually was pretty bad. I am a wimp about cold water - I won't go in a cold swimming pool. So it took me several minutes of huddling in the corner of the shower trying to get up the nerve to stick my head under the water. I went skydiving once, and I don't think I had as hard a time jumping out the door as I did getting under that stream of water. Now we have hot water again, so I could have just waited until this evening and I'd have been fine. But I'm glad I did it. I have some new respect for the Russians in the summertime. Then again, they probably just forgo showers, because it isn't so bad if everyone is doing it at the same time.

In other news - Owen has another ooey gooey ear infection. My poor little man. It was dripping everywhere. The Dr could hardly see past all the goo, and couldn't really tell if the eardrum had ruptured again or maybe had never healed all the way from the last time. We have to talk to the ENT to see if this will delay the tube surgery. I sure hope not. I'm wondering if he has ever really been without an infection.

Football Fan

Note to Jim:
Dear husband, I know how much football means to you. And I know how much you love buying sports gear, especially if you think it will spark Liam's interest in a sport. I know that if someone had given you "receiver gloves" as a boy that you would have been so over the top with excitement that you probably would have signed up for football that instant and played it throughout your entire school career, regardless of whether you were any good or whether your Canadian high school even had a football league...

So it is with great regret that I must tell you this. I know Liam wanted to sleep in his receiver gloves the night you bought them. Yes, that was cute. But...I saw him on the way to bed, wearing all black and doing something that I first thought was an interpretive dance. Then I heard the hissing sounds, and I knew. Instead of receiver gloves, I believe you mistakenly gave Liam Spiderman gloves. And he loves them. I think he was spinning webs all night long.

Please don't count on the football scholarship yet, dear.

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And an update to a previous post where I mentioned Rubber Man. Liam tells me that he is actually called Mr. Plastic, but his real name is O'Brian. Who knew.

Sleeping Beauty

Ahhh, Sleeping Beauty....why doesn't thou take real naps anymore? Oh to have a Prince who could give you a kiss that put you to sleep instead of one that wakes you up...

He Won't Take This Sitting Down

When we first arrived home (yes, it has been 2 months ago now - I'm not sure how that happened!), I was so happy because I'd heard that some kids not familiar with car seats had issues sitting in them. Not us! Owen sat right down in any car seat or stroller like an angel. An angel, I tell you! I think he felt safe being strapped into something.

Now, he apparently feels safe all the time, and thus has no need to be strapped into ANYthing. Ugh. It's the alligator-wrestle every time, and seems to be getting worse. It's like he has 8 arms/legs, and every one of them is latching onto anything that can prevent me from inserting him into a seat. OK, maybe that is more like an octopus than an alligator. Or an octopus with the torso strength of an alligator...I don't know...you get the idea. I was reminded of Liam's wistful lament the other day, "I wish I could be rubber man." When I asked why, he looked at me like I was dense and said "Because he can do ANYthing and no one can stop him!" Well, I guess Owen has become rubber man. I never knew toddler ankles could wrap themselves around the side of a car seat like that while the hands of steel grip the headrest. Amazing.

On the other hand, I cannot get him OFF the tricycle, even though his stubby little legs don't reach the pedals. He is convinced he can ride it. And maybe, given that he is rubber man, he can. I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow I see those legs stretch out and wrap around the pedals, just to show me.

Labor Day Fun

Flashlights, S'mores, bonfire...fun.
(OK, bonfire not really all that relaxing for me...what was I thinking. Owen was all "Ooooohhhh...everyone is sticking their arms into the fire to roast marshmallows!! I really want to do that!!") We survived with no injuries, so all was good.

Not So Bad

Natalie's first week at preschool was not so bad. There were no tears. And she seemed almost chipper after the first day. I think maybe having a break from...everyone...and someone in particular...felt good. Today she was a little more mellow, but still no tears. I can tell she wants to be a big girl (when she is not wanting to be the baby), and she was even talking about how her day is longer this year "just like a Kindergartener". The more surprising news is that I felt very sad when I dropped her off. I had been waiting for the break, but all I wanted to do was go pick her back up. My little girl is growing up, and time is moving too quickly.

Luckily, I still have a baby in the house. It is nice to have some alone time with Owen. He is calmer (or maybe I am calmer) when it is just the two of us. He is starting to actually play with toys a bit now, which is wonderful. And he is very snuggly and affectionate. We had a visit to the ENT doctor this week, and they did a hearing test. The odd little room they put you in for the test scared him a little I think, and he kept turning around to give me a kiss and make sure everything was OK. Afterward the lady who gave the test said "Awwww, he is such a lovey, kissy boy!" She was also impressed with his English skills. When his Croc dropped off he said "Shoe!" He also says Ba for ball, and Ma for More, and now Da-Da for Dad (still Papa for other men or boys).

The test showed he has moderate hearing loss, but because he is getting over ear infections they don't know if it is still just the fluid in his ears. And they recommend we go ahead and get ear tubes because of his history of ear infections. I think it's a good thing. The Dr said we don't want to give him any additional obstacles to speech and language development. I was surprised when I saw how he didn't seem to hear things during the tests - especially out of his right ear. So later this month, he'll have the tube surgery. Luckily (or not), we already know all about that because of Natalie, and I'm not worried.