Saturday, December 25, 2010
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
2010
A few updates on all the things I've neglected to mention here. What a crazy year it's been!
***
Kind of obviously, the biggest going-on this year was my pregnancy and Jack's birth. We started the year kind of in shock and gradually worked our way up to AWESOME excitement. Unplanned, sure, but so worth the surprise! Jack's filled up places in our lives we hadn't even realized were empty, most notably by changing Anna and Silvia into Big Sisters. The smothering, adoring and majorly-giggly love they bear for him knows no bounds-- except when he won't stop fussing and then it's, "Mom!!! Jack's crying! He wants YOU!". But hey, all in all, they've been amazing helpers, supporters and baby-charmers, callings they never would have realized had he not come along.
***
Team Spirit. This year the girls have gone from affectionate (mostly) co-existence to serious Dynamic Duo antics. When they're together, they're TOGETHER: dancing, singing, plotting, reading, creating amazing imaginative realities into which their parents are not invited. Of course, the flip side is that the sibling rivalry has gone through the roof, too. Silvia breaks down when Anna decides not to play, Anna randomly decides at odd moments that she needs to "have alone time!!!" and flips out when her sister follows along, begging for attention. They push, they whine, they tattle (oh, my how they tattle). And then, suddenly, they're holding hands and dancing around the living room to the melodic strains of Celtic Woman. When Anna started kindegarten in the fall, Silvia had a really hard time adjusting to being alone most of the day. Making faces at the baby doesn't really compare. But she's getting there and has become more independent (and more willful) as the months have gone by.
***
Speaking of kindegarten... it's been a major transition for all of us. First off, we've had to get on a morning schedule that's far more rigorous. Up, dressed, fed and out the door by 7:25 A.M. precisely. It's been an adjustment. Then there's the whole after-school reality. Anna often comes home fired up with her big kindegarten superiority and we spend at least half an hour taking her back down to family-friendly size. Juggling pick-ups, naps, homework, dinner and, obviously, Jack has taken a lot of getting used to. I can semi-confidently say that we've sort of gotten it down now... just as Anna's school work is about to increase with a leap. She's also on the accelerated reading plan and has two books a week she needs to get through and be tested on. We're trying to gracefully work that focused time into the evening mayhem.
***
Family. Not only was Jack born this year, but Monica also had a baby boy, Dylan, in March. It's been hard that we haven't been able to get the kids together, especially since they are all so close in age. We plan to visit next spring, but experiencing the first year of the boys' lives through pictures doesn't really cut it.
We've been lucky, though to have so much family close by, too. Kurt's dad comes over every week and is wonderful babysitting the girls from time to time.They adore him. Mom, Kent and Terry have been amazing in giving Kurt and me support and childcare, letting us get out alone. Together. These days, that feels like a special kind of miracle.
***
Milestones. Anna lost her first tooth (EW!) back in September (I think, didn't write it down out of gross-out-ness). Barbies have finally entered our world as of November, and oh, how they have made their mark. Silvia has lost her baby face. It happened subtly, but looking back at pictures from January it's clear-- she's really started to grow up! Kurt and I had our 7th anniversary in July, just after Jack was born. Showing off our more laissez faire parenting, we took him out with us for dinner to a fancy restaurant. Hey, if he fusses, he fusses, right? Life goes on.
Jack has gone from floppy infant to holding his head up, pushing up on his arms, smiling, laughing, babbling and more recently, starting to roll over. The colic he (we) suffered for the first four months is finally subsiding. He's starting to sleep for longer stretches at night (don't jinx me!). This time last year we couldn't imagine our lives with ANOTHER child. Now we can't imagine our lives without him. Funny how it works out that way.
***
Little things have stood out, too, silly memories we'll try to hold on to when the kids start to drive us wacko again. Like Anna teaching Silvia knock-knock jokes.
Anna: "Knock-knock. Now you say who's there."
Silvia: "Who's there."
Anna: "Orange. Now you say orange who."
Silvia: "Orange who."
Anna: "Orange Door! Now you laugh!"
Silvia: *gales of laughter pour forth*
Or all the quiet moments as they sit heads together, brown and blonde, while Anna reads stories to her sister's rapt attention.
There's the lightening speed shedding of clothes as soon as we walk in the door as they rush to change into dress-up clothes. Most of their costumes are worn thin, with holes, stains and ripped seams, but it doesn't matter. I find more laundry up in the playroom than I ever do in the basket in their room.
Jack's baptism and the gift of an ever-closer friendship with his godparents, the Bundgaards, as well as being honored as the godparents for their son Trystan. The kids get together from time to time and it seems like they've never spent any time apart. Turns out, we feel the same way about their parents. Now that's what I call a blessing.
All the mornings in scrubby sweats with bed head and swollen gross eyes because I forgot to take out my contacts, hunched over a luke warm coffee cup. Anna: "Mommy, you look beautiful today!" Silvia: "I like your shirt, it's so pretty!". I love my kids.
The a-ha moment when Anna figured out Connect Four.
Silvia's constant nonsense singing in the background at all times.
Jack, falling asleep in my arms as I nurse him, leaving me afraid to move for fear of waking him and also grateful that I get to hold his sleeping form for a little while longer.
Kurt. Period.
***
I'm sure there are hundred of other moments and stories I've forgotten and missed. But regardless...
It's been a good year.
***
Kind of obviously, the biggest going-on this year was my pregnancy and Jack's birth. We started the year kind of in shock and gradually worked our way up to AWESOME excitement. Unplanned, sure, but so worth the surprise! Jack's filled up places in our lives we hadn't even realized were empty, most notably by changing Anna and Silvia into Big Sisters. The smothering, adoring and majorly-giggly love they bear for him knows no bounds-- except when he won't stop fussing and then it's, "Mom!!! Jack's crying! He wants YOU!". But hey, all in all, they've been amazing helpers, supporters and baby-charmers, callings they never would have realized had he not come along.
***
Team Spirit. This year the girls have gone from affectionate (mostly) co-existence to serious Dynamic Duo antics. When they're together, they're TOGETHER: dancing, singing, plotting, reading, creating amazing imaginative realities into which their parents are not invited. Of course, the flip side is that the sibling rivalry has gone through the roof, too. Silvia breaks down when Anna decides not to play, Anna randomly decides at odd moments that she needs to "have alone time!!!" and flips out when her sister follows along, begging for attention. They push, they whine, they tattle (oh, my how they tattle). And then, suddenly, they're holding hands and dancing around the living room to the melodic strains of Celtic Woman. When Anna started kindegarten in the fall, Silvia had a really hard time adjusting to being alone most of the day. Making faces at the baby doesn't really compare. But she's getting there and has become more independent (and more willful) as the months have gone by.
***
Speaking of kindegarten... it's been a major transition for all of us. First off, we've had to get on a morning schedule that's far more rigorous. Up, dressed, fed and out the door by 7:25 A.M. precisely. It's been an adjustment. Then there's the whole after-school reality. Anna often comes home fired up with her big kindegarten superiority and we spend at least half an hour taking her back down to family-friendly size. Juggling pick-ups, naps, homework, dinner and, obviously, Jack has taken a lot of getting used to. I can semi-confidently say that we've sort of gotten it down now... just as Anna's school work is about to increase with a leap. She's also on the accelerated reading plan and has two books a week she needs to get through and be tested on. We're trying to gracefully work that focused time into the evening mayhem.
***
Family. Not only was Jack born this year, but Monica also had a baby boy, Dylan, in March. It's been hard that we haven't been able to get the kids together, especially since they are all so close in age. We plan to visit next spring, but experiencing the first year of the boys' lives through pictures doesn't really cut it.
We've been lucky, though to have so much family close by, too. Kurt's dad comes over every week and is wonderful babysitting the girls from time to time.They adore him. Mom, Kent and Terry have been amazing in giving Kurt and me support and childcare, letting us get out alone. Together. These days, that feels like a special kind of miracle.
***
Milestones. Anna lost her first tooth (EW!) back in September (I think, didn't write it down out of gross-out-ness). Barbies have finally entered our world as of November, and oh, how they have made their mark. Silvia has lost her baby face. It happened subtly, but looking back at pictures from January it's clear-- she's really started to grow up! Kurt and I had our 7th anniversary in July, just after Jack was born. Showing off our more laissez faire parenting, we took him out with us for dinner to a fancy restaurant. Hey, if he fusses, he fusses, right? Life goes on.
Jack has gone from floppy infant to holding his head up, pushing up on his arms, smiling, laughing, babbling and more recently, starting to roll over. The colic he (we) suffered for the first four months is finally subsiding. He's starting to sleep for longer stretches at night (don't jinx me!). This time last year we couldn't imagine our lives with ANOTHER child. Now we can't imagine our lives without him. Funny how it works out that way.
***
Little things have stood out, too, silly memories we'll try to hold on to when the kids start to drive us wacko again. Like Anna teaching Silvia knock-knock jokes.
Anna: "Knock-knock. Now you say who's there."
Silvia: "Who's there."
Anna: "Orange. Now you say orange who."
Silvia: "Orange who."
Anna: "Orange Door! Now you laugh!"
Silvia: *gales of laughter pour forth*
Or all the quiet moments as they sit heads together, brown and blonde, while Anna reads stories to her sister's rapt attention.
There's the lightening speed shedding of clothes as soon as we walk in the door as they rush to change into dress-up clothes. Most of their costumes are worn thin, with holes, stains and ripped seams, but it doesn't matter. I find more laundry up in the playroom than I ever do in the basket in their room.
Jack's baptism and the gift of an ever-closer friendship with his godparents, the Bundgaards, as well as being honored as the godparents for their son Trystan. The kids get together from time to time and it seems like they've never spent any time apart. Turns out, we feel the same way about their parents. Now that's what I call a blessing.
All the mornings in scrubby sweats with bed head and swollen gross eyes because I forgot to take out my contacts, hunched over a luke warm coffee cup. Anna: "Mommy, you look beautiful today!" Silvia: "I like your shirt, it's so pretty!". I love my kids.
The a-ha moment when Anna figured out Connect Four.
Silvia's constant nonsense singing in the background at all times.
Jack, falling asleep in my arms as I nurse him, leaving me afraid to move for fear of waking him and also grateful that I get to hold his sleeping form for a little while longer.
Kurt. Period.
***
I'm sure there are hundred of other moments and stories I've forgotten and missed. But regardless...
It's been a good year.
Saturday, December 04, 2010
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