Saturday, May 31, 2008
Squirrel Update
Rob was cleaning off the porch this morning and he found the baby squirrel. Stiff as a board, and died in a cardboard box, thus contaminating all of the contents of that box, including Ben's Little Prince bib. Serves me right for leaving a cardboard box on the porch to brave the Wisconsin elements. Anyway, we now know what happened to the poor little guy. I'm sure all of you were very worried.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Nice Weekend
We had a very nice four-day weekend. Rob had a final on Friday (upon which he got a 90%) and then we were foot-loose and fancy free. Oh, wait, we have kids.....but we still had lots of fun.
Our original plans included possibly going to the zoo in Madison, possibly going to the Jelly Belly warehouse, possibly going to the Children's Museum, and possibly heading down to see my brother sing on Memorial Day. We did none of the above. We were all so shot and stressed out from this past school year that we just stayed home and rested. We played lots of Wii (and we love Mario Galaxy now...so sad it has to go back to Family Video tonight!), we got lots of naps, we took lots of family (and partial-family) walks, we hit Wal-Mart a few times, we cooked real meals, and we had a wonderful time.
Matthew did decide to come down with the local virus, so labeled by the doctor. He had the "funny poo-poos" for four days, so we took him in on Tuesday. For those of you into viruses, here's the lowdown on this one: It starts with vomiting (which no one in the family has had), then turns into diharrea. For ten days. There is a hormone that triggers the stomach, telling it that you are full when you start to eat, so the food moves through VERY quickly. The body doesn't have time to absorb the nutrients, so you lose lots of weight quickly. Just what Matthew needs. His symptoms lasted only five days and he already looks better. Oh, and the BRAT diet doesn't work with this one...it just makes it worse. You have to eat a normal diet, minus juice. I came down with it last night, Rob thinks he starved it out today (his self-cure for every virus is to stop eating until he feels better...works for him) and Ben may have already had it. That leaves Anna, and we'll pray she stays healthy. I would really, really, really like my family to stay healthy....I'm tired of this stuff. At least this one didn't involve a hospital stay. Matthew did ask if he'd have to stay at the doctor's this time....sad.
On Monday, we went to our Memorial Day parade. It was so neat to see a town actually remembering our fallen soldiers. I was moved to tears by the ceremony and the turnout. America needs more influence from the small towns who can remember what it means to be Americans rather than these liberal big cities who try to run the show. (And that's as much of an opinion as anyone is going to get out of me....I am trying not to be opinionated anymore...) They had a twenty-one gun salute, and Matthew asked me what they were shooting at. I told him they were honoring the soldiers who had died. He said, "What? Are they shooting the dead soldiers?" I told him no, they were firing into the air. He said, "They can't do that! They'll hit God!"
And today, Matthew was telling Anna a story. He ended the story by saying, "And the man died for the rest of his life." That's a painful, long way to go!
Our original plans included possibly going to the zoo in Madison, possibly going to the Jelly Belly warehouse, possibly going to the Children's Museum, and possibly heading down to see my brother sing on Memorial Day. We did none of the above. We were all so shot and stressed out from this past school year that we just stayed home and rested. We played lots of Wii (and we love Mario Galaxy now...so sad it has to go back to Family Video tonight!), we got lots of naps, we took lots of family (and partial-family) walks, we hit Wal-Mart a few times, we cooked real meals, and we had a wonderful time.
Matthew did decide to come down with the local virus, so labeled by the doctor. He had the "funny poo-poos" for four days, so we took him in on Tuesday. For those of you into viruses, here's the lowdown on this one: It starts with vomiting (which no one in the family has had), then turns into diharrea. For ten days. There is a hormone that triggers the stomach, telling it that you are full when you start to eat, so the food moves through VERY quickly. The body doesn't have time to absorb the nutrients, so you lose lots of weight quickly. Just what Matthew needs. His symptoms lasted only five days and he already looks better. Oh, and the BRAT diet doesn't work with this one...it just makes it worse. You have to eat a normal diet, minus juice. I came down with it last night, Rob thinks he starved it out today (his self-cure for every virus is to stop eating until he feels better...works for him) and Ben may have already had it. That leaves Anna, and we'll pray she stays healthy. I would really, really, really like my family to stay healthy....I'm tired of this stuff. At least this one didn't involve a hospital stay. Matthew did ask if he'd have to stay at the doctor's this time....sad.
On Monday, we went to our Memorial Day parade. It was so neat to see a town actually remembering our fallen soldiers. I was moved to tears by the ceremony and the turnout. America needs more influence from the small towns who can remember what it means to be Americans rather than these liberal big cities who try to run the show. (And that's as much of an opinion as anyone is going to get out of me....I am trying not to be opinionated anymore...) They had a twenty-one gun salute, and Matthew asked me what they were shooting at. I told him they were honoring the soldiers who had died. He said, "What? Are they shooting the dead soldiers?" I told him no, they were firing into the air. He said, "They can't do that! They'll hit God!"
And today, Matthew was telling Anna a story. He ended the story by saying, "And the man died for the rest of his life." That's a painful, long way to go!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Chunky Monkey
Anna had her two month check-up on Thursday and tipped the scales at 13 lbs 1 oz, making her weight in the 90th percentile. Her height was 22 1/2 inches, at the 50th percentile. So, she's short and fat, just like her momma :) The boys were both about 22 1/2 inches at that age, so she's following right along, but she weighs a bit more than them. Matthew was 10 lbs 4 oz (keeping in mind that he had surgery a month before that appointment) and Ben was 11 lbs 14oz. They said she's a healthy weight, so we're not worried. What's funny is that her head is also at the 50th percentile, so she has a small head with a chubby body. It's cute.
She also made the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" come alive after her shots. She cried b/c of the pain (thanks to me for forgetting to give her Tylenol in advance) and then settled down. Then she got mad. And she let the whole clinic KNOW that she was NOT HAPPY. Oh, there were no tears, just lots of screaming! And Mommy is thinking, "Great. Another one with a temper...."
I'll post more family updates later. I'm supposed to be making baby shower invites right now while Rob's out with the kids.....
She also made the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" come alive after her shots. She cried b/c of the pain (thanks to me for forgetting to give her Tylenol in advance) and then settled down. Then she got mad. And she let the whole clinic KNOW that she was NOT HAPPY. Oh, there were no tears, just lots of screaming! And Mommy is thinking, "Great. Another one with a temper...."
I'll post more family updates later. I'm supposed to be making baby shower invites right now while Rob's out with the kids.....
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saling
We went saling yesterday....garage saling, that is. Yesterday was the city-wide rummage sale and my mother and very pregnant sister came up for the sales. We went out from about 8am until 4pm and got some great deals. I found Matthew's summer stuff, more shorts for Ben, a baby gym for Anna (found that on Thursday) and some odds and ends for myself. I've decided to try my hand at soap-making, so I'm looking for the equipment at garage sales. I'm going to try the slow-cooker method, so I need a slow-cooker and various other items. I did find some stamp sets and a paper crimper ($3!!), but most people selling stamps wanted prices pretty close to catalogue prices. Hmmm...I'd pay that at a party for discontinued stamps, but not at a garage sale!
Anyway, we had a great time. The boys went with us for a few hours while Rob and Anna stayed home. They walked to some sales in the neighboorhood, so they had fun too. We dropped the boys at home and went out to some more sales. We girls did lunch at Upper Krust, then went to more sales.
Best deal of the day: Mom--brand-new indoor grill for $3.
Best buy of the day: Me--glass of scrumptious lemonade for 25 cents.
Most interesting purchase: Large jug used to hold Coke syrup back in the days of soda fountains (my husband is a Coke bottle collector) - $15
Funniest deal of the day: 3 for the price of 2 Bears hats sold by a Packers fan who wanted to get rid of them.
Biggest loss: $5 kiddies car that they can drive themselves. Sold before we got to the sale....had two battery packs and everything!!!
Spending time with my mom and sis and unborn niece......priceless.
Anyway, we had a great time. The boys went with us for a few hours while Rob and Anna stayed home. They walked to some sales in the neighboorhood, so they had fun too. We dropped the boys at home and went out to some more sales. We girls did lunch at Upper Krust, then went to more sales.
Best deal of the day: Mom--brand-new indoor grill for $3.
Best buy of the day: Me--glass of scrumptious lemonade for 25 cents.
Most interesting purchase: Large jug used to hold Coke syrup back in the days of soda fountains (my husband is a Coke bottle collector) - $15
Funniest deal of the day: 3 for the price of 2 Bears hats sold by a Packers fan who wanted to get rid of them.
Biggest loss: $5 kiddies car that they can drive themselves. Sold before we got to the sale....had two battery packs and everything!!!
Spending time with my mom and sis and unborn niece......priceless.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Pictures
Here's some pictures for all of my non-Facebook friends :) Ben's feeding Anna in the first picture, then the next two are church outfit pictures. In the last one, Anna is wearing her Grandpa Litwiller's baby sweater. She's turning out to be a chubby baby (chubbier than her brothers, for sure!) but still small. I'm not exactly sure how that works. She still fits into 0-3 month clothes very comfortably and can even wear one newborn outfit.
Anyway, enjoy the pictures!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Death and Burial
On Monday, Rob discovered a dead squirrel outside on the sidewalk by our back door. He went out to take care of it while the boys watched from the bay window. They were rather fascinated by the process of Daddy disposing of the squirrel in the trash can (and possibly disturbed.) Yesterday, we heard a funny noise on the front porch and discovered a baby squirrel clinging for dear life to the post by our mail box. I put two and two together and figured that the mommy must have falled off the roof or eaten poison from our neighbor's freshly sprayed lawn and now the half-grown baby had climbed out of the nest, probably hungry. Here's the conversation that followed.
Mommy: Matthew! There's a baby squirrel on our porch.
Matthew: Aww, how cute.
(We watch him for awhile, and then he made some pitiful noises. That's when the above story developed in my head.)
Mommy: Oh, I think he's crying for his mommy. I think his mommy might have been the squirrel that died. She's in the trash can now.
Matthew: Awww....that's too bad. Sorry, baby squirrel, but your mommy is in our trash can. You know, if my mommy and daddy die, we'll have to put them in the trash can too.
Mommy: Um, Matthew, we don't put dead people into the trash can.
Matthew: We don't? Then what do we do with them?
Mommy: Well, we put them in a box and then put the box into a hole in the ground. Or sometimes we burn them up into ashes and scatter the ashes on the ground.
Matthew: Why do we do that?
Mommy: You know, I really don't know. (It was at this point that I realized how silly burial rituals are when explained to a three-year-old.)
As an end note on that incident, we have not seen the baby squirrel today. Rob thinks a cat got him. Matthew thinks that another mommy and daddy squirrel picked him up. I believe Rob, but I hope Matthew's right :)
Today, Matthew and Ben were fighting over an old, torn laundry basket (go figure) and Matthew took a book and clobbered Ben on the head. Rob said, "Matthew! Don't hit your brother on the head with a library book! Use one of our books instead." Much laughter came from behind my grocery store ad.....
And I'm posting in the afternoon b/c Anna decided that Mommy had a long enough nap. She woke up to eat and went back to sleep. I, unfortunately, cannot do the same. Sigh......someday I will sleep again.....
Mommy: Matthew! There's a baby squirrel on our porch.
Matthew: Aww, how cute.
(We watch him for awhile, and then he made some pitiful noises. That's when the above story developed in my head.)
Mommy: Oh, I think he's crying for his mommy. I think his mommy might have been the squirrel that died. She's in the trash can now.
Matthew: Awww....that's too bad. Sorry, baby squirrel, but your mommy is in our trash can. You know, if my mommy and daddy die, we'll have to put them in the trash can too.
Mommy: Um, Matthew, we don't put dead people into the trash can.
Matthew: We don't? Then what do we do with them?
Mommy: Well, we put them in a box and then put the box into a hole in the ground. Or sometimes we burn them up into ashes and scatter the ashes on the ground.
Matthew: Why do we do that?
Mommy: You know, I really don't know. (It was at this point that I realized how silly burial rituals are when explained to a three-year-old.)
As an end note on that incident, we have not seen the baby squirrel today. Rob thinks a cat got him. Matthew thinks that another mommy and daddy squirrel picked him up. I believe Rob, but I hope Matthew's right :)
Today, Matthew and Ben were fighting over an old, torn laundry basket (go figure) and Matthew took a book and clobbered Ben on the head. Rob said, "Matthew! Don't hit your brother on the head with a library book! Use one of our books instead." Much laughter came from behind my grocery store ad.....
And I'm posting in the afternoon b/c Anna decided that Mommy had a long enough nap. She woke up to eat and went back to sleep. I, unfortunately, cannot do the same. Sigh......someday I will sleep again.....
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Back to Work
I've officially gone back to work. My nursery maternity leave is over and today I resumed my full nursery duties. I greet the children on Sunday nights and work the desk first Sunday night of the month. I really missed it. It's so much fun to see all of those little faces and watch them growing. I never saw myself as enjoying little kids and babies so much, but I do.
The nursery ministry is more than just babysitting kids. It really is a ministry to the church members. Not only do we enable the parents to be involved in other ministries and to sit in church uninterrupted, but we are often the first people to interact with visitors. I am not the type of person to go talk to a vistor, but I'll talk to their child and reassure the parents about putting their child in the nursery. I've met more people this way than by just mingling before or after the service. Vistors are often surprised when we say hello to their child by name after just one visit. It really makes them feel like a part of the church. And as a mom, it's easy to talk to other moms. Just start asking development/birth story/feeding questions and the ice has been broken!
Anyway, it's good to be back. I also went to Tiny Trackers last Wednesday and that was fun. Our last night is this week and we'll be off for the summer. Rob will be interpreting for the summer (and managed to be the only one in the service for Mother's Day, so he gets the whole day!) Hmmm...and I have a Mom's group newsletter to write....I always seem to forget about those until the last minute....
The nursery ministry is more than just babysitting kids. It really is a ministry to the church members. Not only do we enable the parents to be involved in other ministries and to sit in church uninterrupted, but we are often the first people to interact with visitors. I am not the type of person to go talk to a vistor, but I'll talk to their child and reassure the parents about putting their child in the nursery. I've met more people this way than by just mingling before or after the service. Vistors are often surprised when we say hello to their child by name after just one visit. It really makes them feel like a part of the church. And as a mom, it's easy to talk to other moms. Just start asking development/birth story/feeding questions and the ice has been broken!
Anyway, it's good to be back. I also went to Tiny Trackers last Wednesday and that was fun. Our last night is this week and we'll be off for the summer. Rob will be interpreting for the summer (and managed to be the only one in the service for Mother's Day, so he gets the whole day!) Hmmm...and I have a Mom's group newsletter to write....I always seem to forget about those until the last minute....
Friday, May 2, 2008
Failure
Well, I failed my two-hour follow-up glucose test. This means that I need to see a regular doctor and start talking about diabetes prevention. Rob and I already had plans to change our lifestyle as far as eating habits and exercise, so this gives us an extra kick. We bought a Wii system to help with that and plan to purchase Wii Fit to give us a fun way to excercise. (I would like to thank my children for existing so that we got a huge tax return so that we could purchase the Wii system...after paying down some debt, of course!)
My pre-diabetic buddy and I can be in this together (my daddy) so I have plenty of support. And possibly my sister, who failed her one hour test.
Oh, here's an interesting bit of info: All four of us (my three sibs and I) are having/have had babies this year. My sister and I are having/had girls and my brothers are having boys. Now what are the odds of four siblings having babies the same year and the babies are the same gender as that sibling? Baby Anna, Baby MacKenzie, Baby TBA, and Baby Jake are pretty special!
My pre-diabetic buddy and I can be in this together (my daddy) so I have plenty of support. And possibly my sister, who failed her one hour test.
Oh, here's an interesting bit of info: All four of us (my three sibs and I) are having/have had babies this year. My sister and I are having/had girls and my brothers are having boys. Now what are the odds of four siblings having babies the same year and the babies are the same gender as that sibling? Baby Anna, Baby MacKenzie, Baby TBA, and Baby Jake are pretty special!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)