A Little of This and a Little of That

This blog becomes my "baby book", "scrapbook", "photo album" for my kids. The day I found out about a way to make all of this into a hard copy book was one of my better days. I have not scrapbooked a single photo since then.

All that to say: Today is a day for me to remember some of the little things that I will have forgotten a few months from now.

~ Caleb is a social butterfly. He waves at everyone when we go to stores, and gives them hundred-watt smiles.
~ Although he loves to wave and smile, he screams if the wrong new person tries to befriend him while I'm not in immediate sight range. Example: church nursery. He has had to be "rescued" two of the last three times he has been in there because he was screaming uncontrollably. These are very nice, loving people. He's just not too into that whole scene at the moment.
~ Caleb loves to clap. He claps to the music in the car while we are driving places.

~Jonathan is fiesty. Ask my parents, and they'll agree. Jamie tells me that fiesty births fiesty, and that I only am getting a dose of my own medicine. My parents don't recall me being as trying as Jonathan. They are probably just enjoying the effect of many years removed from that time. None the less, he expects to do thing his own way. He knows my buttons and he pushes them. We are working quite hard around here to curb some not-so-pleasant behaviors.
~ Jonathan loved preschool today, and talked about a blue truck and mixing some paint and then washing the brushes.

~I am learning to sew. My first project took a little fiddling, but was completed this week and mailed to a friend for a baby gift. I like this new hobby... I think it suits me. I'll let you know how I feel about it after I start on our curtains.

Family Photos

When we were in Kansas City for Jacob's first birthday, we had some family photos taken. I scheduled my friend, Sarah, to take some photos of my kids and of the Iverson side of the family. She is fabulous (check out sarahrimel.blogspot.com) for some other samples of her work.

Many thanks to Sarah for taking time to schedule us in... she is a popular photographer, teacher and mom! Doesn't that just wear you out to think about all of that?

Go Hawks!!

Nate, Carla, Jamie and I were among the 70,000 fans at Kinnick Stadium today. My parents got the tickets for us last year for Christmas and we left all three wee ones with them this morning and headed to Iowa City. Perfect weather, great game, fabulous company... what more could one ask for on a Saturday afternoon?

Hawks: 27. Arizona: 17. GO HAWKS!!

Preschool!

The day arrived. Jonathan's one day a week preschool started today. He is only there for two hours, and twenty-five minutes of that time is spent outside on the playground. However, he was very excited to go to there today. He was waiting at the door at 830 this morning with his backpack on.

When I arrived to pick him up he said, "Mommy, where did you go?" When we visited his classroom last week I stayed with him. Guess he didn't understand that this time I was saying good-bye and leaving. However, he seemed to enjoy himself and has talked non-stop about his morning.

Birthday Fun

This weekend we traveled to Kansas City to visit my sister, Nate, and Jacob for Jake's first birthday. What fun! He is such a sweet, cuddly, little boy. And, he has the BEST hair. What I wouldn't pay for that curl and color naturally! Jonathan giving the dancing Elmo some exercise
A Hawkeye cake to celebrate the birthday... good thing the Hawks won!

See what I mean? Great hair. Jacob likes phones just like all other babies.

The family

Mom playing with Caleb

"Look at me, Mom!"

The world has opened up for Caleb. He can stand to see things, and he can move to get into whatever his heart desires.

I walked into the living room last week to find Caleb standing like this. He stands whenever the opportunity presents itself. It makes for challenging supervision because some areas aren't so safe for a teetering baby.

Packing Visionary

It has been apparent from the early days of our marriage that Jamie is the organized one. The one who makes lists in his head, the one who's closet is organized by some system, the one who packs the car for trips... and the list goes on. I'm the one who jams all of my clothes for a trip into a duffle and hopes that I've remembered everything in my frantic attempt to leave.

My method is somewhat disfunctional with children. Forgetting certain items (namely a beloved blankie or the pack 'n' play) is a bit problematic. Before children I could just survive without most things that I forgot or buy new (socks... did this many times with socks) if really needed.

I turned over a new leaf this summer when I made a list for my travels to Iowa by myself. I could not rely on my dear husband for his packing since he was conspiciously absent during our departure. I really thought I had arrived with this list. I saved it on the computer and we are using an edited version of it for our little road trip this weekend.

However, I will never have truly arrived. This realization came to me tonight as Jamie and I were discussing whether or not to bring Jonathan's bike on our trip. He said, "I think it might just fit in the side between the seats." We didn't have anything in the car, yet!! How could he possibly know where something might fit without anything in the car?? Unless, the truly unfathomable occurs in his brain: does he actually invision where things will go in the car before he puts them in there?

So, I asked. He answered. It's true. Somehow his brain looks at the massive pile of stuff in the living room and organizes it into a vision for how it will all fit into the car. Then, he plans when to put things in to accomplish his vision and viola!! We are packed.

No list is going to help my brain accomplish that kind of vision. I am destined for the heave and shove method when left to my own devices. So, tonight, once again, I thank my God for my James. My James who can pack anything into that car.

9 Months and Almost 3 Years

Caleb is 9 months old... I could talk about how fast the time has gone, but I am quite grateful to be emerging from the "baby fog". The "baby fog" can be attributed to sleep deprivation, non-stop diapering, feeding and soothing. There are parts about the newborn and early infant stage that I enjoy, but largely I find my children to be increasingly more fun as they grow.

I enjoy nursing my babes, but I really like it when the frequency of that event numbers 4 instead of 8. I enjoy that Caleb now sits with us at the dinner table, eats, laughs, feeds himself quite a bit, and is generally pleasant. Though mobility has its challenges it is very amusing to see what the little man will choose to do when given the chance to decide.

We had Caleb's 9 month appointment on the first, and he is perfectly average in height and weight. Perfectly perfect for a Caleb Thomas Guild, as a matter of fact.

Jonathan had his three year check a little early so he could have his physical for his one-day-a-week preschool ditty this year. He is a bit smaller than average, but perfectly perfect for Jonathan Samuel.

Both children had to get shots. Caleb screamed and screamed and screamed. Jonathan just looked at the nurse and said, "I don't like shots," upon completion of the injections.

Jonathan had an open house for his preschool class today, and he didn't want to leave to come home. He wanted to stay and play. This is a great sign... he used to warm up so slowly to new situations. Maybe he is emerging from that and will take on this new opportunity with great gusto.