To those of you who are faithful blog-checkers, my erratic posts must be a source of some amusement (or substitute "irritation" as desired). Things in our household have really been quite crazy over the past several weeks and will continue to be so for a couple more (at least). There are at least 3 reasons for this general upset in household efficiency.
1. First, and most importantly, Seth's comprehensive exams loom ever closer. I believe I have mentioned this in a previous post, but in order to refresh... the exams will be in each of his areas of study: OT Archaeology & History, NT History, and Hebrew. These 4-hour tests are meant to demonstrate his command of each subject and are step 2 of a 3-step process to complete his PhD (step 1 is coursework, step 3 is dissertation). Needless to say, study is occupying quite a bit of Seth's time which means more responsibility in life's matters has been shifted to my plate. It seems small and insignificant to just do more of what I do all day anyway, but Seth assures me that me giving him time is absolutely helping him in his preparation.
2. Here is the ever-sounding refrain: the kids have not been sleeping well (which means I have not been sleeping well). Benjamin has been dealing off and on with a variety of illnesses (a mysterious virus that took away his voice, digestive issues, cough, "night terrors" and most recently Reactive Airway Disease [similar to asthma]). An aside: he is currently on prednisone, an oral steroid, for his lungs. We hope it will help his breathing, as it is certainly not helping his sleep patterns. It is 11:03 pm and he is still jumping, shouting, and making general merriment in his bed. Talia has been dealing with some of the same viruses in addition to teething and separation anxiety. She has been sleeping much better over the past week or two with the simple adjustment of a later bedtime. Unfortunately, with all this sleeplessness I am hard-pressed to function properly during the day in all the normal tasks. I'm not very efficient when I'm tired.
3. In addition to the sleeping difficulties, it seems the kids have both been going through sort of difficult phases in general. They are definitely requiring a lot of time and attention lately! I love that I am able to be home with them to meet these needs as they arise, but it sure is time consuming and exhausting at times!
I have written more than a justification for my lack of blog updates (who cares!?); this brief sketch may later fill in the blank stretch in my mind when our family looks back on the fall of 2007.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Pray for Benjamin
We have a prayer request for Benjamin. We went for his 2 year check-up yesterday and he is not doing as well as we would hope. For starters he has lost weight since his last check-up, which is never good for a growing toddler. Also he has had some funny issues with his digestive system--I'll spare you the details--which lead the doctor to order several "non routine" blood tests, including a test for celiac disease (a severe intolerance to gluten, which is in tons and tons of everyday foods). He has dealt his whole life with food allergies, but this would be a major step beyond what we have been dealing with because while food allergies typically go away, there is no cure for celiac disease. In addition he may have some nutritional deficiencies (due to his limited allergen-free diet) and potentially even something more serious that would be auto-immune related. We are not at the "freaking out" point yet. We will just have to see what the tests indicate. We should get the results sometime between Thursday and Monday. But please just pray for our little guy. I hate that he is not entirely healthy. It just breaks my heart. Plus, I'm not really sure, as a mom, how to deal with all this. I feel very responsible for him nutritionally (obviously), but he is a typical picky toddler and so feeding him requires so much creativity and effort. I am struggling with not feeling guilty that I'm not putting enough effort into it, but at the same time I don't know what else to feed him! And then there's the whole discipline element to throw in there. I don't want to cater to his defiance just because I want him to eat.
Pics of Benjamin's birthday party are coming!
...It's just that the camera batteries are dead and I can't find the charger and the spare batteries seem to have lost their charge as they lay in the drawer.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Just a note....
I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post! The lull has been due, largely, to simultaneous "difficult" phases for the kids.
Benjamin is almost 2 and he's acting like it! Staying on top of him is a full time job. Not that it's all bad. He is constantly coming up with new ways to be absolutely adorable. Like a couple of weeks ago he was singing along to a "Praise Baby" DVD, "Oh Guy, you are my Guy...." Um, I think he meant "God." Or this morning when, before he would allow me to put on his socks, he meticulously parted each toe from its neighbor and peered between them to discover any sock lint...several times. Ha! He cracks me up!
On a more serious note, he is having what are known as "night terrors." He starts crying which quickly escalates to screaming. When we try to comfort him he thrashes around, arching his back and flailing. We think he is not actually awake. Then after a few minutes he just suddenly goes limp and wants to get back in bed. He usually goes right to sleep once he has calmed down. It is unnerving, to say the least. I am at least glad that we discovered what was going on. The first night it happened I just thought he had gone insane and was being randomly, horribly naughty in the middle of the night. At least now we know to try and wake him up to end the dream. As soon as we can detect a pattern in when they happen our pediatrician has recommended waking him up 30-45 minutes before they typically occur for a week. Apparently this should help break the cycle.
Talia is nearly 8 months and is still just about the cutest baby girl you've ever seen. She is happy, content, and easy going--except between 6:00 and 8:00 am! Apparently she thinks her first meal of the day should occur a couple of hours before Mommy and the doctor think is reasonable! Actually, I learned something interesting about babies' sleep patterns in talking with the pediatrician this week. Did you know that babies Talia's age don't go into the deep sleep phases you always hear about? I guess that explains why the tiniest floor squeak will wake her up! So probably what is happening is that some little thing is waking her up and then the lovely phenomenon known as "separation anxiety" kicks in; she realizes, "hey, I'm laying here in the dark all by myself and I don't like it!" So she cries. Loudly. And persistently. Until Mama comes to feed her. The good news is: it's a phase many babies go through at this age and phases always pass. The bad news: it's really really trying to listen to your baby scream, totally inconsolable, morning after long morning.
Still no news on the "milestones" front. We are poised, ready to report crawling, first teeth, and first words. I always like to think that Talia doesn't bother to do things like roll over or work on any kind of scooting movements because she's such a content baby. To some extent it's probably true--she really is pretty much fine with wherever she is, in whatever position. She is becoming a little more picky, so maybe she will start moving one of these days.
Seth continues to study for his comprehensive exams. The first one is coming up Oct. 31. Work keeps him busy, but he has still been very diligent to carve out some good study time. As a result, he is feeling more like these tests will be doable.
I'm just focusing on keeping everything running. And running is probably the right word. It seems like life has just been very full and busy lately. I couldn't even really tell you why!
Until next the next adventure....
Benjamin is almost 2 and he's acting like it! Staying on top of him is a full time job. Not that it's all bad. He is constantly coming up with new ways to be absolutely adorable. Like a couple of weeks ago he was singing along to a "Praise Baby" DVD, "Oh Guy, you are my Guy...." Um, I think he meant "God." Or this morning when, before he would allow me to put on his socks, he meticulously parted each toe from its neighbor and peered between them to discover any sock lint...several times. Ha! He cracks me up!
On a more serious note, he is having what are known as "night terrors." He starts crying which quickly escalates to screaming. When we try to comfort him he thrashes around, arching his back and flailing. We think he is not actually awake. Then after a few minutes he just suddenly goes limp and wants to get back in bed. He usually goes right to sleep once he has calmed down. It is unnerving, to say the least. I am at least glad that we discovered what was going on. The first night it happened I just thought he had gone insane and was being randomly, horribly naughty in the middle of the night. At least now we know to try and wake him up to end the dream. As soon as we can detect a pattern in when they happen our pediatrician has recommended waking him up 30-45 minutes before they typically occur for a week. Apparently this should help break the cycle.
Talia is nearly 8 months and is still just about the cutest baby girl you've ever seen. She is happy, content, and easy going--except between 6:00 and 8:00 am! Apparently she thinks her first meal of the day should occur a couple of hours before Mommy and the doctor think is reasonable! Actually, I learned something interesting about babies' sleep patterns in talking with the pediatrician this week. Did you know that babies Talia's age don't go into the deep sleep phases you always hear about? I guess that explains why the tiniest floor squeak will wake her up! So probably what is happening is that some little thing is waking her up and then the lovely phenomenon known as "separation anxiety" kicks in; she realizes, "hey, I'm laying here in the dark all by myself and I don't like it!" So she cries. Loudly. And persistently. Until Mama comes to feed her. The good news is: it's a phase many babies go through at this age and phases always pass. The bad news: it's really really trying to listen to your baby scream, totally inconsolable, morning after long morning.
Still no news on the "milestones" front. We are poised, ready to report crawling, first teeth, and first words. I always like to think that Talia doesn't bother to do things like roll over or work on any kind of scooting movements because she's such a content baby. To some extent it's probably true--she really is pretty much fine with wherever she is, in whatever position. She is becoming a little more picky, so maybe she will start moving one of these days.
Seth continues to study for his comprehensive exams. The first one is coming up Oct. 31. Work keeps him busy, but he has still been very diligent to carve out some good study time. As a result, he is feeling more like these tests will be doable.
I'm just focusing on keeping everything running. And running is probably the right word. It seems like life has just been very full and busy lately. I couldn't even really tell you why!
Until next the next adventure....
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Marks of the True Christian [Wife and Mom]
This is the passage our pastor preached on Sunday. It struck me that in reading about how I should treat "others," I should be thinking of my precious family. Seth, Benjamin and Talia are the primary "others" in my life. With that in mind, I created this Mom paraphrase:
Romans 12:9-21
"9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil [that which can well up so quickly in your heart at the sound of a screaming baby or the sight of a disobedient toddler]; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love [your husband and children] with ... affection. Outdo [them] in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord [even when you're exhausted to the very core]. 12 Rejoice in hope [that God is working through your efforts], be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of [your family] and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless [your children when they] persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with [them when they] rejoice, weep with [them when they] weep. [This goes for your husband too.] 16 Live in harmony with [your family]. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. 17 Do not repay [your husband or children] evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with [your family]. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' 20 To the contrary, 'if [the dear one who has hurt you] is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Romans 12:9-21
"9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil [that which can well up so quickly in your heart at the sound of a screaming baby or the sight of a disobedient toddler]; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love [your husband and children] with ... affection. Outdo [them] in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord [even when you're exhausted to the very core]. 12 Rejoice in hope [that God is working through your efforts], be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of [your family] and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless [your children when they] persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with [them when they] rejoice, weep with [them when they] weep. [This goes for your husband too.] 16 Live in harmony with [your family]. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. 17 Do not repay [your husband or children] evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with [your family]. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' 20 To the contrary, 'if [the dear one who has hurt you] is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
For the grandmas!
I finally downloaded some of our recent pictures. Here are a few fun ones:
Benjamin is very serious about coloring
Benjamin is very serious about coloring
Giving (Raggedy) Andy a "love"
Talia handles her sippy cup like an old pro(the first time she used it)
Sick kiddos watch Baby Einstein
Talia decides, halfway through the bowl,that she doesn't like squash today
A funny little pastime
Some evenings we spend our family time, after dinner, taking a walk. Sometimes we take a serious walk through the neighborhood, intent on exercise. Other evenings we take a stroll through the park-that-is-our-yard. (We rent a house on an enormous piece of property that really could be a small city park.) Sunday was one such evening, although on this particular occasion we combined routines, taking a short, slow walk up the sidewalk across the street so Benjamin could ride in his shiny red Radio Flyer wagon.
When we reached the end, where the street intersects with the main highway, we stopped at the corner. Seth and Benjamin sat in the grass belonging to the corner house; Talia and I sat in the wagon and we watched the cars go by. With great enthusiasm Seth would narrate the stop and go rhythm orchestrated by the traffic lights. Holding out his hand he'd show Benjamin the cars that had to stop. Then as the opposite light turned green we would all yell out "go! go! go!," or sometimes "Go, Dog, Go!," which is the title of one of Benjamin's favorite books. Invariably we would all wind up in hysterical laughter, Seth and I laughing at the tiny little voice squealing out "go! go!," Benjamin and Talia laughing because we were. We must have passed 15 or 20 minutes in this delightful sequence.
While we sat it struck me how few motorists had a smile to spare for this little family sharing such an enchanting moment. Although it mattered little to my enjoyment of the moment (my world was full of the joy of simply sharing life with my sweet family), in some distant corner of my mind I felt sorry for the people in those cars. Their minds were full of hussle and hurry, appointments and engagements, maybe even bitterness, self importance, or meaninglessness.... I wondered about the stories of the people speeding by and whether they ever experienced the inexplicable contentment that comes from taking time to see life through the eyes of a two-year-old. And then I wondered how often I was the disinterested passerby, too busy or hurried to drink in a simple joy like a little family with a red wagon watching traffic go by.
When we reached the end, where the street intersects with the main highway, we stopped at the corner. Seth and Benjamin sat in the grass belonging to the corner house; Talia and I sat in the wagon and we watched the cars go by. With great enthusiasm Seth would narrate the stop and go rhythm orchestrated by the traffic lights. Holding out his hand he'd show Benjamin the cars that had to stop. Then as the opposite light turned green we would all yell out "go! go! go!," or sometimes "Go, Dog, Go!," which is the title of one of Benjamin's favorite books. Invariably we would all wind up in hysterical laughter, Seth and I laughing at the tiny little voice squealing out "go! go!," Benjamin and Talia laughing because we were. We must have passed 15 or 20 minutes in this delightful sequence.
While we sat it struck me how few motorists had a smile to spare for this little family sharing such an enchanting moment. Although it mattered little to my enjoyment of the moment (my world was full of the joy of simply sharing life with my sweet family), in some distant corner of my mind I felt sorry for the people in those cars. Their minds were full of hussle and hurry, appointments and engagements, maybe even bitterness, self importance, or meaninglessness.... I wondered about the stories of the people speeding by and whether they ever experienced the inexplicable contentment that comes from taking time to see life through the eyes of a two-year-old. And then I wondered how often I was the disinterested passerby, too busy or hurried to drink in a simple joy like a little family with a red wagon watching traffic go by.
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