Saturday, December 20, 2008
Wouldn't you be curious too?
I was at the grocery store yesterday and I spotted some tourists. I'm not sure where they were from, maybe Europe somewhere, but they were definitely grocery store tourists. I observed them wandering in the produce section: a dad, a mom, and a 20-something son with no shopping cart. They were dressed nicely, like Thanksgiving day nicely, and were perusing the variety of produce. They would comment to each other here and there about this cabbage or that kiwi, but I couldn't quite get close enough (without being rude) to hear an accent or language. They then meandered to the baked goods where they viewed the pre-made birthday cakes (and the dad said something like "ich"--that German throaty chokey sound, so maybe they were German, or maybe he just doesn't like cake). I said hi to the mom as I passed her, and she answered hi back, but it's hard to tell an accent from hi. The son picked up and examined a small frozen turkey from a bin, as if he couldn't read the sign and was trying to figure out what this frozen package contained. I later saw them leave the store without purchasing anything, and I can only surmise that they were visiting their sister/in-law who married an American and moved to Brentwood and they wanted to see what an American grocery store was like. I regret now that I was not more nosey--that I did not pretend to need produce or cake or turkey near them to find out the truth. Now I will always wonder if I was right about their tourist status.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
So I'm finally getting to blog about Thanksgiving, now that it's almost Christmas! We spent Thanksgiving day at my family's house with the Milburns and my grandparents and Joah's mom. After dinner, most of us went for a walk (to look at a house that's for sale, of course!):
Jack does not enjoy holding one person's hand when he walks, but he loves to hold two people's hands. Maybe it's the possibility of one, two, three, swing! (here with my dad and Uncle Pete)
A nice lady on the trail offered to take our picture:
On the day after Thanksgiving, we made our annual BART trip to San Francisco for the lighting of the Christmas tree in Union Square. The Milburns, minus Jodie and Drew (who were in Oregon), plus Jamie's boyfriend Josh, the Storrers, minus Josh and Lindsay (who were in Hawaii, poor things!), the Browns, minus Matthew and Pamela (who had to work, really poor things), and the Widmans went.
This was kind of an experimental day for Jack because we left before lunch, so there was not a chance for his afternoon nap. We've never gone a day without a nap before, but he did great! He did not fall asleep in the car on the way to the BART station as we had hoped, nor did he fall asleep on BART. He lasted through the jam-packed muni bus ride and the crowded sidewalks on the way to the restaurant. (He rode in his stroller.) He did amazingly well in the Rainforest Cafe (what a perfect place to keep his attention!), and then finally fell asleep at about 6:00 in my mom's arms on the bus back to the Christmas tree lighting. We transferred him to the stroller when her arms grew tired, and he stayed asleep through the lighting (which we couldn't see very well anyway).
Here is the Christmas tree in the background. See how far away we are. I don't think there has ever been that many people at the lighting before. The sleeping Jack in the stroller almost got trampled a couple of times by people who didn't look down when they were trying to push through the crowds. I finally picked him up out of the stroller (which woke him up) because I was worried that someone would walk or fall over him.
In other news, it looks like we finally have a house to buy. Our offer has been accepted, reconsidered, and accepted again, and we've already signed a million papers, though I'm told we're just getting started. Our close date is elusive. The contract says 45 days, which puts us to January 10, but our loan lady says it's going to take longer--60 days--which puts us at January 23. We hope to clarify it soon so we know when to start packing!
In still other news, that Matthew and Pamela Brown are full of surprises! They announced to us recently that they are expecting a honeymoon baby, due at the end of June! We are all very excited for them and I am kind of just realizing that I'm going to be an aunt now! Somehow in the shock that my brother is going to be (is) a dad, my aunthood didn't really occur to me right away...
So life lately is full with holidays and new houses and babies coming. God is good.
Jack does not enjoy holding one person's hand when he walks, but he loves to hold two people's hands. Maybe it's the possibility of one, two, three, swing! (here with my dad and Uncle Pete)
A nice lady on the trail offered to take our picture:
On the day after Thanksgiving, we made our annual BART trip to San Francisco for the lighting of the Christmas tree in Union Square. The Milburns, minus Jodie and Drew (who were in Oregon), plus Jamie's boyfriend Josh, the Storrers, minus Josh and Lindsay (who were in Hawaii, poor things!), the Browns, minus Matthew and Pamela (who had to work, really poor things), and the Widmans went.
This was kind of an experimental day for Jack because we left before lunch, so there was not a chance for his afternoon nap. We've never gone a day without a nap before, but he did great! He did not fall asleep in the car on the way to the BART station as we had hoped, nor did he fall asleep on BART. He lasted through the jam-packed muni bus ride and the crowded sidewalks on the way to the restaurant. (He rode in his stroller.) He did amazingly well in the Rainforest Cafe (what a perfect place to keep his attention!), and then finally fell asleep at about 6:00 in my mom's arms on the bus back to the Christmas tree lighting. We transferred him to the stroller when her arms grew tired, and he stayed asleep through the lighting (which we couldn't see very well anyway).
Here is the Christmas tree in the background. See how far away we are. I don't think there has ever been that many people at the lighting before. The sleeping Jack in the stroller almost got trampled a couple of times by people who didn't look down when they were trying to push through the crowds. I finally picked him up out of the stroller (which woke him up) because I was worried that someone would walk or fall over him.
In other news, it looks like we finally have a house to buy. Our offer has been accepted, reconsidered, and accepted again, and we've already signed a million papers, though I'm told we're just getting started. Our close date is elusive. The contract says 45 days, which puts us to January 10, but our loan lady says it's going to take longer--60 days--which puts us at January 23. We hope to clarify it soon so we know when to start packing!
In still other news, that Matthew and Pamela Brown are full of surprises! They announced to us recently that they are expecting a honeymoon baby, due at the end of June! We are all very excited for them and I am kind of just realizing that I'm going to be an aunt now! Somehow in the shock that my brother is going to be (is) a dad, my aunthood didn't really occur to me right away...
So life lately is full with holidays and new houses and babies coming. God is good.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Some Birthday Present
Joah turned 30 on Tuesday. On Thursday morning he woke up stiff and sore from sleeping wrong. I guess getting old comes like a thief in the night.
Wednesday night, we celebrated his birthday by going to the new Rave Theater to see Quantum of Solace (the new James Bond movie, which was pretty good according to me who has never seen a Bond movie before). As we came out of the theater through the unlit overflow parking lot, discussing the movie and anticipating waking Jack from his slumber at my parents' house, we approached the car, which looked a little funny. "Oh no," Joah said, realizing the problem before I did. "We have two flat tires."
Sure enough, both tires on the driver's side were totally deflated, causing the whole car to lean to the left. We have a spare, but that doesn't help two tires, so we called my dad, who was thankfully still awake, to go and get the fix-a-flat spray from Joah's truck and bring it to us at the theater. Meanwhile, Joah started changing the back tire for the spare as we wondered aloud what we might have run over on our way to the movies.
Realizing that Raley's might have fix-a-flat, we called my dad to tell him not to come all the way out because we were going to try to make it to Raley's before they closed at 11:00. We hustled across the empty parking lot and across the street to Raley's where we made it by 10:58, just before they locked the doors, and did find what we were looking for. We made our purchase and headed back to the car, slipping on some mud in the dark, almost falling, but not quite.
Joah attached the fix-a-flat bottle to the remaining flat tire and started spraying... and we began to hear a constant hisssss. I pulled out my cell phone, opened it up, and shined its light on the tire. There it was. A lovely slash. We inspected the other tire, and sure enough: another slash, longer than the first. Someone had slashed our tires. Ours. Out of the whole parking lot of cars. No one else was standing around with cars leaning to the side.
We have no McCain/Palin stickers, we have no Christian fish. We did not cut anyone off on the road before the movies. There was no rhyme or reason to the slashing.
The next day being Thanksgiving, we did not want to leave the car anywhere for two days, so Joah called a tow truck (thankfully covered by our insurance) to tow the car to our house, and my dad came to take me back to their house where I took Jack home in their Expedition.
The tow truck did not arrive to pick up Joah and the car until 1 AM, so we were both glad that the next day was a holiday.
Joah joined the throngs of shoppers on Friday morning, searching not for deals on Christmas gifts, but on a set of tires, which must be replaced in groups of four, lest the all-wheel-drive vehicle be ruined. The man at the tire store told Joah that another man had recently come in with all four tires slashed, also at the Streets of Brentwood shopping center.
Lesson to be Learned: Don't park in an unlit parking lot, especially at the Streets of Brentwood. Or else become Amish so you drive a horse and buggy with wooden wheels that cannot be slashed.
Wednesday night, we celebrated his birthday by going to the new Rave Theater to see Quantum of Solace (the new James Bond movie, which was pretty good according to me who has never seen a Bond movie before). As we came out of the theater through the unlit overflow parking lot, discussing the movie and anticipating waking Jack from his slumber at my parents' house, we approached the car, which looked a little funny. "Oh no," Joah said, realizing the problem before I did. "We have two flat tires."
Sure enough, both tires on the driver's side were totally deflated, causing the whole car to lean to the left. We have a spare, but that doesn't help two tires, so we called my dad, who was thankfully still awake, to go and get the fix-a-flat spray from Joah's truck and bring it to us at the theater. Meanwhile, Joah started changing the back tire for the spare as we wondered aloud what we might have run over on our way to the movies.
Realizing that Raley's might have fix-a-flat, we called my dad to tell him not to come all the way out because we were going to try to make it to Raley's before they closed at 11:00. We hustled across the empty parking lot and across the street to Raley's where we made it by 10:58, just before they locked the doors, and did find what we were looking for. We made our purchase and headed back to the car, slipping on some mud in the dark, almost falling, but not quite.
Joah attached the fix-a-flat bottle to the remaining flat tire and started spraying... and we began to hear a constant hisssss. I pulled out my cell phone, opened it up, and shined its light on the tire. There it was. A lovely slash. We inspected the other tire, and sure enough: another slash, longer than the first. Someone had slashed our tires. Ours. Out of the whole parking lot of cars. No one else was standing around with cars leaning to the side.
We have no McCain/Palin stickers, we have no Christian fish. We did not cut anyone off on the road before the movies. There was no rhyme or reason to the slashing.
The next day being Thanksgiving, we did not want to leave the car anywhere for two days, so Joah called a tow truck (thankfully covered by our insurance) to tow the car to our house, and my dad came to take me back to their house where I took Jack home in their Expedition.
The tow truck did not arrive to pick up Joah and the car until 1 AM, so we were both glad that the next day was a holiday.
Joah joined the throngs of shoppers on Friday morning, searching not for deals on Christmas gifts, but on a set of tires, which must be replaced in groups of four, lest the all-wheel-drive vehicle be ruined. The man at the tire store told Joah that another man had recently come in with all four tires slashed, also at the Streets of Brentwood shopping center.
Lesson to be Learned: Don't park in an unlit parking lot, especially at the Streets of Brentwood. Or else become Amish so you drive a horse and buggy with wooden wheels that cannot be slashed.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Raking the Gravel
I recently looked out my front windows and found, to my interest and wonder, two strange horses, feasting on my front lawn. What do you do with horses who have no saddle, no bridle, no lead rope, and no apparent owner? You hop on bareback and ride into the sunset, of course! Just kidding. You call your landlady and she calls your back neighbors, whose horses they are.
What a surprise--horses on the front lawn!
Jack's favorite activity lately is to drag or push anything with a stick attached. My mop, my broom, Joah's rake, Joah's shovel, on carpet, on linoleum, on cement, on asphalt, on gravel, on dirt, on grass, he pushes, he pulls, he drags, he drops, he picks up again.
And here is one of our rare attempts at self-feeding with a utensil. We try it every once in a while to see how motor coordination is moving along. Most of the time, Jack helps mom or dad with the spoon. Somehow the face gets a little less messy that way!
Joah's brother Jeremy and his fiance Julie came to visit last week. It was great to see Jeremy again, and so fun to meet Julie! Their wedding is in North Carolina in January. Joah is the best man and Jack is ring bearer. I, thankfully, am nothing but mom, wife, and sister-in-law to key players, and helper-where-need-be.
What a cute couple! Julie's first trip to Cali... This was on the way to the airport to drop them off...
...and Joah and I got to stop for clam chowder in a bread bowl for lunch at Pier 39 on the way home! (Jack was home with Grandma! Thanks, Mom!)
What a surprise--horses on the front lawn!
Jack's favorite activity lately is to drag or push anything with a stick attached. My mop, my broom, Joah's rake, Joah's shovel, on carpet, on linoleum, on cement, on asphalt, on gravel, on dirt, on grass, he pushes, he pulls, he drags, he drops, he picks up again.
And here is one of our rare attempts at self-feeding with a utensil. We try it every once in a while to see how motor coordination is moving along. Most of the time, Jack helps mom or dad with the spoon. Somehow the face gets a little less messy that way!
Joah's brother Jeremy and his fiance Julie came to visit last week. It was great to see Jeremy again, and so fun to meet Julie! Their wedding is in North Carolina in January. Joah is the best man and Jack is ring bearer. I, thankfully, am nothing but mom, wife, and sister-in-law to key players, and helper-where-need-be.
What a cute couple! Julie's first trip to Cali... This was on the way to the airport to drop them off...
...and Joah and I got to stop for clam chowder in a bread bowl for lunch at Pier 39 on the way home! (Jack was home with Grandma! Thanks, Mom!)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Don't Read This if you Tivoed ER
I repeat, DON'T READ THIS IF YOU TIVOED ER!
They brought back Mark Green. And Carrie (What was her last name?). And Bulldog Romano. And Jerry.
I got a little teary when Dr. Green first came on. (What ER fan didn't sob when he died?) And Carter is supposedly coming back this season. I feel like these are long-time friends and tonight's reunion was a wonderful breath of fresh air!
And are Abbie and Luca living near Doug and Carol Ross in Seattle? Are they now friends and do they all work at the same hospital?
Is there any other show in history that has completely recycled its entire cast (save for one lone, long-standing nurse)?
If you have never seen ER, I cannot say you really should rent the DVDs and watch all of the seasons (fifteen seasons would be quite a lot of TV time) like I would tell you with The Office or LOST, but I will say that you have missed out on a truly good show.
What will I do with my 10:00 hour on Thursday nights when ER is over? It has been a fifteen year (maybe fourteen year--I think I was too young for the first season) standing date that I will miss. I hope it ends well.
They brought back Mark Green. And Carrie (What was her last name?). And Bulldog Romano. And Jerry.
I got a little teary when Dr. Green first came on. (What ER fan didn't sob when he died?) And Carter is supposedly coming back this season. I feel like these are long-time friends and tonight's reunion was a wonderful breath of fresh air!
And are Abbie and Luca living near Doug and Carol Ross in Seattle? Are they now friends and do they all work at the same hospital?
Is there any other show in history that has completely recycled its entire cast (save for one lone, long-standing nurse)?
If you have never seen ER, I cannot say you really should rent the DVDs and watch all of the seasons (fifteen seasons would be quite a lot of TV time) like I would tell you with The Office or LOST, but I will say that you have missed out on a truly good show.
What will I do with my 10:00 hour on Thursday nights when ER is over? It has been a fifteen year (maybe fourteen year--I think I was too young for the first season) standing date that I will miss. I hope it ends well.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thoughts on Cauliflower
The other day, I gave Jack some cauliflower. It wasn't the first time he'd eaten cauliflower, but maybe the second or third. He was sitting in his high chair in the kitchen, and I sprinkled a few florets on his tray. I turned for a minute or two to rinse some dishes in the sink, and when I turned back around to see how the Little Buddy was doing with his vegetables, his tray was clear! I was so proud! However, as my gaze widened, I found that Lulu the cat was enjoying a cauliflower on the floor nearby. (Note to self: Cats enjoy cauliflower.) I looked more carefully and found that, to my dismay, camoflaged on the white linoleum, was all of the cauliflower I had given to Jack. He had decided that he knew better what to do with his lunch than I. Throwing it on the ground proved much more fun than popping it in his mouth!
I began ruminating on this one as I heated some more cauliflower (to be dipped in spaghetti sauce this time--the all-powerful sauce of disguise). I wonder if this is how the Lord feels about me sometimes. I thought of the parable of the talents. The master gave three servants money to take care of in his absence. Two of the servants doubled the money by investment--wise use--and were able to give much back to the master. The third servant buried the money, afraid of losing it, and was only able to return to the master the same amount entrusted to him. The master told the first two servants, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." However, the master was quite angry with the third servant, who had to reap the consequence of his laziness. (This is all in Matthew 18 if you care to look it up.)
I am often like the third servant--like Jack. Mommy knew that Jack needed vegetables for lunch, but Jack did not use the vegetables Mommy gave him as she intended. He wasted them by deciding that he knew better how to use them. Instead of nourishment, they provided temporary entertainment. The third servant did not make the best use that he could with the resources that the master entrusted him with, so he could not give back to the master as he might have. I, too, do not make the best use of the resources God has entrusted with me. I am selfish with my time. I do not minister to others enough, I do not pray enough, and I do not study the Word as much as I should in my free time. I am selfish with my money. I find myself not wanting to give at church, wishing that money could stay in my checking account to be used as I wish. I am like the third servant; I am like Jack.
The cauliflower was a good reminder to me to be seeking the Lord's will in the use of my resources so that I can invest them in His kingdom and offer them back to Him... not because He needs anything from me, but so that I can glorify Him more and more, thereby entering more fully into the joy of my Master!
I began ruminating on this one as I heated some more cauliflower (to be dipped in spaghetti sauce this time--the all-powerful sauce of disguise). I wonder if this is how the Lord feels about me sometimes. I thought of the parable of the talents. The master gave three servants money to take care of in his absence. Two of the servants doubled the money by investment--wise use--and were able to give much back to the master. The third servant buried the money, afraid of losing it, and was only able to return to the master the same amount entrusted to him. The master told the first two servants, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." However, the master was quite angry with the third servant, who had to reap the consequence of his laziness. (This is all in Matthew 18 if you care to look it up.)
I am often like the third servant--like Jack. Mommy knew that Jack needed vegetables for lunch, but Jack did not use the vegetables Mommy gave him as she intended. He wasted them by deciding that he knew better how to use them. Instead of nourishment, they provided temporary entertainment. The third servant did not make the best use that he could with the resources that the master entrusted him with, so he could not give back to the master as he might have. I, too, do not make the best use of the resources God has entrusted with me. I am selfish with my time. I do not minister to others enough, I do not pray enough, and I do not study the Word as much as I should in my free time. I am selfish with my money. I find myself not wanting to give at church, wishing that money could stay in my checking account to be used as I wish. I am like the third servant; I am like Jack.
The cauliflower was a good reminder to me to be seeking the Lord's will in the use of my resources so that I can invest them in His kingdom and offer them back to Him... not because He needs anything from me, but so that I can glorify Him more and more, thereby entering more fully into the joy of my Master!
A Lizard and a Pumpkin Patch
On Tuesday we went to the pumpkin patch with my MOPS group. Here are a few pictures...
Jack was more excited about dirt clods than pumpkins, and he even decided to taste one (a clod, not a pumpkin).
Earlier in the month, while Joah was doing some yardwork, Jack and I found and caught a lizard (later to be safely released on the woodpile).
Jack wasn't too sure about that lizard... See how he looks at it...
Jack was more excited about dirt clods than pumpkins, and he even decided to taste one (a clod, not a pumpkin).
Earlier in the month, while Joah was doing some yardwork, Jack and I found and caught a lizard (later to be safely released on the woodpile).Jack wasn't too sure about that lizard... See how he looks at it...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Good Times!
Whew! We've had a busy few weeks!
It started with an unexpected Steven Curtis Chapman concert (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) That concert (and his recent loss) was a wonderful reminder that everything we have was given to us by the Lord, and we must not take for granted any blessing that He has given us!
And then a bachelorette party for Jodie...
Here are Jodie and Jamie--my cousins--at Va de Vi in Walnut Creek where the bachelorette party was held... They're so cute!
Here are Jamie and me with another cousin, Holly... With so much family stuff going on lately, it's been good to reconnect with Holly! She's a fun girl! I hope we can hang out more!
Then, as usual, a few days after the bachelorette party, the wedding! Here is the beautiful bride, wearing my veil (something borrowed!) and Uncle Pete, who looked very dashing and distinguished in his tux...
And eight friends at the reception. (Sorry--it's a little blurry if you double click.)
The girls at the reception: Kristin, Jamie, Celesta, Lindsay, Hollie, and me! (Jamie is wearing the bridesmaid dress--isn't it cute?!)
The cousins at the reception: Matthew, Jamie, Holly, Heather, Jodie, Ashley, and me! (Only missing David, the other boy, who was there earlier, but we missed him for the picture!) And no, I'm not pregnant, even though I look it in this picture-- just full of good food from Ralph's catering! If you ever take a picture with me, remind me not to stand sideways!
The family with Pamela, our new edition!, at Matthew and Pam's small reception, the day after Jodie and Drew's wedding...
Jack was (really Joah and I were) dedicated at church this morning. That afternoon, my parents invited friends and family over to their house for lunch. We were able to get a picture of Jack with his parents, his grandparents, and all of his great-grandparents! As Oksana Newhouse reminded me at church this morning, we are very blessed to have so many family members to support us, and all are believers. What a wonderful legacy for Jack!
Of course, while Jamie was in town, we had to get a "buddies" picture, as tradition demands!
I'm ready for things to slow down a bit now. We don't have much big on the calendar for a while, until Joah's 30th birthday or Thanksgiving, whichever comes first!
It started with an unexpected Steven Curtis Chapman concert (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) That concert (and his recent loss) was a wonderful reminder that everything we have was given to us by the Lord, and we must not take for granted any blessing that He has given us!
And then a bachelorette party for Jodie...Here are Jodie and Jamie--my cousins--at Va de Vi in Walnut Creek where the bachelorette party was held... They're so cute!
Here are Jamie and me with another cousin, Holly... With so much family stuff going on lately, it's been good to reconnect with Holly! She's a fun girl! I hope we can hang out more!
Then, as usual, a few days after the bachelorette party, the wedding! Here is the beautiful bride, wearing my veil (something borrowed!) and Uncle Pete, who looked very dashing and distinguished in his tux...
And eight friends at the reception. (Sorry--it's a little blurry if you double click.)
The girls at the reception: Kristin, Jamie, Celesta, Lindsay, Hollie, and me! (Jamie is wearing the bridesmaid dress--isn't it cute?!)
The cousins at the reception: Matthew, Jamie, Holly, Heather, Jodie, Ashley, and me! (Only missing David, the other boy, who was there earlier, but we missed him for the picture!) And no, I'm not pregnant, even though I look it in this picture-- just full of good food from Ralph's catering! If you ever take a picture with me, remind me not to stand sideways!
The family with Pamela, our new edition!, at Matthew and Pam's small reception, the day after Jodie and Drew's wedding...
Jack was (really Joah and I were) dedicated at church this morning. That afternoon, my parents invited friends and family over to their house for lunch. We were able to get a picture of Jack with his parents, his grandparents, and all of his great-grandparents! As Oksana Newhouse reminded me at church this morning, we are very blessed to have so many family members to support us, and all are believers. What a wonderful legacy for Jack!
Of course, while Jamie was in town, we had to get a "buddies" picture, as tradition demands!
I'm ready for things to slow down a bit now. We don't have much big on the calendar for a while, until Joah's 30th birthday or Thanksgiving, whichever comes first!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Birthday
My baby Jack is one year old (and has been for a week!)
We spent the evening of his actual birthday in the clinic at Kaiser for his 104 degree temperature (poor little guy!) but he enjoyed a party on Sunday evening. Here are a few pictures from his party:
The cake
The presents
He had fun with one of his balloons!
And more fun (with food in the mouth!)
After Jack started sleeping through the night, the year flew by, and now here we are at toddlerhood! Can you believe it?
We spent the evening of his actual birthday in the clinic at Kaiser for his 104 degree temperature (poor little guy!) but he enjoyed a party on Sunday evening. Here are a few pictures from his party:
The cake
The presents
He had fun with one of his balloons!
And more fun (with food in the mouth!)After Jack started sleeping through the night, the year flew by, and now here we are at toddlerhood! Can you believe it?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Goose Eggs and Crackly Paper
The Widmans put an offer on a house here in Brentwood. Pray for us!
And in other family news, we had our first trip to the ER today.
Jack was playing on the loveseat this morning--one of his favorite indoor activities--and he was loving it as usual. He's a little daredevil. We put one seat cushion and all the back/side cushions on the floor around the front of the loveseat, and he steps or crawls from the floor to the seat cushion, from the seat cushion to the cushionless seat, from the cushionless seat to the cushioned seat, and then back down again. Sometimes he falls into the cushions and he laughs and laughs. Adrenaline junkie in the making. Well, this morning, as Jack was at the highest point of his climb, Lulu the cat entered the picture, and Jack dove after her. Off the couch. Missed or bounced off the cushions on the floor. Landed on his head on his plastic toy wagon. I was on my way to catch him, having seen this coming, but I was too slow.
He immediately started screaming and immediately, plus two seconds, grew a huge goose egg on his forehead. After he calmed down, we tried frozen peas on the bump, but he wanted none of it. Just wanted down. He seemed normal, but I called the Kaiser advice nurse, just in case. She asked about all the concussion signs, but all were negative. Yet she wanted to check with the ER doctor, just in case. On hold... ... ... ... The doctor wants to you to come to the ER, just in case. *Sigh* I knew he was fine, but what if there's bleeding in the brain or something else extreme, and what if I were the worst mother in the world who did not take my child to the ER before his brain exploded? So we went. Two seconds in the empty ER--listen to his heart, weigh him, take his temperature--then an hour at the minor injury clinic, chasing Jack around the hall, and then sitting in the room, blowing up a blue glove, playing with a wooden gagging stick, turning on and off and on and off and on and off the flashlight on the flexible stand.
Then the daredevil--the fearless, couch diving Jack--got afraid. Got very afraid. The doctor entered the room. Why Jack Jack was afraid of this nice man even as the man walked through the door I don't know. Does he remember the crackly paper on the seat, and know that the people of the crackly paper give shots? I have no idea, but Jack was afraid of the doctor. Poor child!
Of course, the doctor found that nothing was wrong. So we went home and went on with our day, minus time in the gym, minus one morning nap, minus a $75 co-payment, plus one bill in the mail, plus one goose egg, plus one giant headache for mom.
I should have taken a picture of his head this morning when it looked really bad. The goose egg shrunk throughout the day. If it's black and blue tomorrow, as the doctor said it might be, I will take a picture and post it for all to see.
And in other family news, we had our first trip to the ER today.
Jack was playing on the loveseat this morning--one of his favorite indoor activities--and he was loving it as usual. He's a little daredevil. We put one seat cushion and all the back/side cushions on the floor around the front of the loveseat, and he steps or crawls from the floor to the seat cushion, from the seat cushion to the cushionless seat, from the cushionless seat to the cushioned seat, and then back down again. Sometimes he falls into the cushions and he laughs and laughs. Adrenaline junkie in the making. Well, this morning, as Jack was at the highest point of his climb, Lulu the cat entered the picture, and Jack dove after her. Off the couch. Missed or bounced off the cushions on the floor. Landed on his head on his plastic toy wagon. I was on my way to catch him, having seen this coming, but I was too slow.
He immediately started screaming and immediately, plus two seconds, grew a huge goose egg on his forehead. After he calmed down, we tried frozen peas on the bump, but he wanted none of it. Just wanted down. He seemed normal, but I called the Kaiser advice nurse, just in case. She asked about all the concussion signs, but all were negative. Yet she wanted to check with the ER doctor, just in case. On hold... ... ... ... The doctor wants to you to come to the ER, just in case. *Sigh* I knew he was fine, but what if there's bleeding in the brain or something else extreme, and what if I were the worst mother in the world who did not take my child to the ER before his brain exploded? So we went. Two seconds in the empty ER--listen to his heart, weigh him, take his temperature--then an hour at the minor injury clinic, chasing Jack around the hall, and then sitting in the room, blowing up a blue glove, playing with a wooden gagging stick, turning on and off and on and off and on and off the flashlight on the flexible stand.
Then the daredevil--the fearless, couch diving Jack--got afraid. Got very afraid. The doctor entered the room. Why Jack Jack was afraid of this nice man even as the man walked through the door I don't know. Does he remember the crackly paper on the seat, and know that the people of the crackly paper give shots? I have no idea, but Jack was afraid of the doctor. Poor child!
Of course, the doctor found that nothing was wrong. So we went home and went on with our day, minus time in the gym, minus one morning nap, minus a $75 co-payment, plus one bill in the mail, plus one goose egg, plus one giant headache for mom.
I should have taken a picture of his head this morning when it looked really bad. The goose egg shrunk throughout the day. If it's black and blue tomorrow, as the doctor said it might be, I will take a picture and post it for all to see.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Last Saturday, I helped my mom throw a bridal shower for Jodie.
Hollie, Lindsay, me
Karla, Shelley, Mom, Auntie Terri
That evening, at a barbecue at my parents' house in honor of my brother Matthew's friends Sam and his wife, Matthew and Pam surprised us with some news: they are married! They were married on August 21 in Martinez at the courthouse. Below is a picture of them feeding each other cake at Matthew's birthday party to make up for the lost wedding moment...
After such excitement, a short trip to Capitola was a welcome Labor Day weekend retreat!
All of this causes much need of a shower with Dad! Here is a post-shower pic of Jack:
Monday, August 18, 2008
Roaring Birds
The Widman Family went to Tahoe for a long weekend. Here are a few pictures from our trip...Jack's first beach trip! He wasn't too sure about the wet sand!
Standing on the beach chair--his favorite beach activity!
Dad joined us on Friday!
We had a lot of fun at the beach!
At the Forest Room buffet, Jack learned how to drink out of a straw! (Thanks, Uncle Matt, for the cell phone picture!)
At a craft fair, we found Paul Bunyan's baseball bat! (The man who made the bat wanted Jack to hold a sharp lathe for the picture, but we quickly jumped in and said NO THANKS!)
Lulu was glad when we came home, even though she doesn't look it!
Side note: Jack learned to roar about a month ago, in answer to the question: "What does a lion say?", but now has decided that all animals roar, so he roars at the sight of any animal--dogs, cats, birds, a blow-up killer whale at the beach, stuffed turtles at the craft fair, and even a fuzzy scarf at the craft fair! It's cute, but hopefully he will learn the right sounds at some point! Birds would be quite scary if they really did roar!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wet Tanbark
The things we do to save our children's (and our own) sleep!
Last night, Joah had to be in Reno for work, so I had the whole bed to myself! Except that when Joah's not home, every single tiny noise wakes me up. So at 6:30 AM, after a less than perfect night of sleep, I am wrenched awake by the terrible, growling yowls of two cats at odds with each other. I irrationally think, Oh no! They're going to wake up Jack! so I rip off the sleep mask I inevitably don at about 5:30 every morning and storm outside, stopping to carefully close the screen door, lest it slam and wake up Jack. (You can see how much I cherish every moment of my sleep--Jack's sleep=my sleep!) I march around the outside of the house in my jammies, and eventually find the white cat that lives under my back deck, crouching alone between the rose bushes. "You get out of here!" I hiss at it, and stomp my bare feet on the cool cement. (Fat load of good the silent stomping did.) But it did slink away from me, along the front of the house, into a bush under Jack's window. Great! Go closer so you can be louder! As I follow the white cat to shoo it further away, I tramp through the wet grass and spot, just around the corner in the dirt on the side of the house, the ORANGE CAT --the new kid in town who is quite a bully, from what I've seen. I am bracing myself for another fight--the two cats are so close together--and I want to chase away the orange cat, but I don't want to step on to the dirt with my wet feet and make mud, which will have to be cleaned off before climbing back into bed... if I ever get there again. Are there rocks to throw at it? No rocks to be found. Still clutching my sleep mask, I pick up a handful of the next best thing: wet tanbark. I start chucking the tanbark at the orange cat, not even coming near it with my throws, but (miraculously) it takes a step or two back. I grab another handful of tanbark, and lose all inhibitions. I step in the dirt, muddying my feet, and chase that cat away, all the time whisper-yelling "You get out of here! Get! Go on!" What a sight I must have been in my pajamas, clutching my sleep mask, throwing wet tanbark with all my might and whisper-yelling threats at that orange cat! By the time I wiped my muddy feet on the wet grass and found my way back into bed, I wasn't sleepy any more. Of course. So in order to save Jack's sleep, and thereby my own sleep, I got out of bed, chased a cat across the yard, and lost my last few minutes of morning slumber. Ironic, isn't it?
Last night, Joah had to be in Reno for work, so I had the whole bed to myself! Except that when Joah's not home, every single tiny noise wakes me up. So at 6:30 AM, after a less than perfect night of sleep, I am wrenched awake by the terrible, growling yowls of two cats at odds with each other. I irrationally think, Oh no! They're going to wake up Jack! so I rip off the sleep mask I inevitably don at about 5:30 every morning and storm outside, stopping to carefully close the screen door, lest it slam and wake up Jack. (You can see how much I cherish every moment of my sleep--Jack's sleep=my sleep!) I march around the outside of the house in my jammies, and eventually find the white cat that lives under my back deck, crouching alone between the rose bushes. "You get out of here!" I hiss at it, and stomp my bare feet on the cool cement. (Fat load of good the silent stomping did.) But it did slink away from me, along the front of the house, into a bush under Jack's window. Great! Go closer so you can be louder! As I follow the white cat to shoo it further away, I tramp through the wet grass and spot, just around the corner in the dirt on the side of the house, the ORANGE CAT --the new kid in town who is quite a bully, from what I've seen. I am bracing myself for another fight--the two cats are so close together--and I want to chase away the orange cat, but I don't want to step on to the dirt with my wet feet and make mud, which will have to be cleaned off before climbing back into bed... if I ever get there again. Are there rocks to throw at it? No rocks to be found. Still clutching my sleep mask, I pick up a handful of the next best thing: wet tanbark. I start chucking the tanbark at the orange cat, not even coming near it with my throws, but (miraculously) it takes a step or two back. I grab another handful of tanbark, and lose all inhibitions. I step in the dirt, muddying my feet, and chase that cat away, all the time whisper-yelling "You get out of here! Get! Go on!" What a sight I must have been in my pajamas, clutching my sleep mask, throwing wet tanbark with all my might and whisper-yelling threats at that orange cat! By the time I wiped my muddy feet on the wet grass and found my way back into bed, I wasn't sleepy any more. Of course. So in order to save Jack's sleep, and thereby my own sleep, I got out of bed, chased a cat across the yard, and lost my last few minutes of morning slumber. Ironic, isn't it?
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Smuggling Cheerios
Jack ate Cheerios in the nursery today. Good for him! Last time he tried plain Cheerios, he didn't like them. (I don't blame him--I don't like plain Cheerios either!) Maybe today's attempt at an unfamiliar food item was due to peer pressure--the other kids were eating a snack too--or maybe his sense of taste or sense of crunch is improving. Regardless, I'm glad he's acquired a taste for the simple snack!
So I went to get Jack out of the nursery to feed him (as I do every Sunday so we're not rushed to get home after church) just as they were finishing snack time. I helped him finish the last few Cheerios on the table (many had already made it to the great abyss of the floor) and took him upstairs. As he was on my lap about to nurse, he opened both fists and looked down at his palms, where he had smuggled two Cheerios out of the nursery, one in each hand! He transferred the left Cheerio into his right hand and looked at the two together, in awe of his secret snack. I told him, "You'd better eat them!" so he slowly brought his right palm to his mouth and crunched on his last two Cheerios with enjoyment.
Thanks, Lindsay, for re-introducing Cheerios to my son! It adds to my ever-widening snack options and made for a very cute moment in the Lactation Station today!
So I went to get Jack out of the nursery to feed him (as I do every Sunday so we're not rushed to get home after church) just as they were finishing snack time. I helped him finish the last few Cheerios on the table (many had already made it to the great abyss of the floor) and took him upstairs. As he was on my lap about to nurse, he opened both fists and looked down at his palms, where he had smuggled two Cheerios out of the nursery, one in each hand! He transferred the left Cheerio into his right hand and looked at the two together, in awe of his secret snack. I told him, "You'd better eat them!" so he slowly brought his right palm to his mouth and crunched on his last two Cheerios with enjoyment.
Thanks, Lindsay, for re-introducing Cheerios to my son! It adds to my ever-widening snack options and made for a very cute moment in the Lactation Station today!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Trying it out...
So Kami OldenKamp convinced me that I ought to do a blog. I don't think I have all that much to blog about, nothing that anyone cares to read anyway, but I'll try it out for a while and tell people about the blog when there's something substantial to read!
We met with a real estate agent today after floundering for a little while on our own looking for a new house. We're meeting him tomorrow morning to look at a house in our price range, which I don't think is in a desirable location for us. We'll see.
Jack has been walking for a week now, and stood up from a sitting position unassisted for the first time today. He didn't even use the floor to push himself up with his hands like I thought he would--he just put up one knee (so he was in proposal position), pushed himself up with his legs, and brought the other foot forward to stand up!
I've never really been around kids before--just pets--and animals can only progress so much in their skill! A dog can be very well-trained, but that's as far as he gets. It's amazing to watch Jack learn things seemingly by magic! (I certainly didn't show him how to stand up without pulling up on something!) But I know it's not magic--it's how God created our minds to learn.
This seems like a really short post compared to Kami's and Sarah's, but I guess I'll get better at it with practice!
We met with a real estate agent today after floundering for a little while on our own looking for a new house. We're meeting him tomorrow morning to look at a house in our price range, which I don't think is in a desirable location for us. We'll see.
Jack has been walking for a week now, and stood up from a sitting position unassisted for the first time today. He didn't even use the floor to push himself up with his hands like I thought he would--he just put up one knee (so he was in proposal position), pushed himself up with his legs, and brought the other foot forward to stand up!
I've never really been around kids before--just pets--and animals can only progress so much in their skill! A dog can be very well-trained, but that's as far as he gets. It's amazing to watch Jack learn things seemingly by magic! (I certainly didn't show him how to stand up without pulling up on something!) But I know it's not magic--it's how God created our minds to learn.
This seems like a really short post compared to Kami's and Sarah's, but I guess I'll get better at it with practice!
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