I harvested :) and cooked my first seed grown veggies the other day. The carrots are not ready yet, so those on the plate are store bought. The broccoli and lettuce was fresh and delicious, I was so happy...the veggies of my labor have paid off.
Monday, March 30, 2009
First Crops
I harvested :) and cooked my first seed grown veggies the other day. The carrots are not ready yet, so those on the plate are store bought. The broccoli and lettuce was fresh and delicious, I was so happy...the veggies of my labor have paid off.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Liam Update: 2 Years, 5 Months
Liam's memory is really improving, I can see now that he'll remember things a while after they have happened. For instance he was watching the show Super Why, over an hour later we were playing pretend and I say "look, Super Letters!" (a line used in Super Why) while pointing to some non-existent letters on the wall and Liam then repeats the previous 5 super letters on the show in the exact order! He says excitedly "OEVNO!" It really surprised me.
He takes his pull-up's off now after he pees in it...he is trying to make it to the potty chair in time and sometimes succeeds! Usually he has already gone in his diaper. But he really rarely has accidents...and when he does it's been in the bath tub, easy to clean!
He is trying to really pick up on reading, spelling things out and writing his own letters. He had the letters KOI that he had put together. He says "Mummy!" (which is what he calls me sometimes) then proceeds to sound it out...what he came up with was K-ca O-ow I-eh he says "ca-ca ow COW!" he thought he discovered how to spell cow.
He can write several letters now, t T, X, H, i I, L, O, Q, E and F so far. AND he has learned some sign language alphabet, he does C, D, A, M, L, G with his hands. He finds letters in everything. He'll pick up a stick and say "Look! I!", a cherrio obviously "O!" a broken cherrio "C!", he saw the stem between a flower and leaf and screamed "V!" I think he thinks the world is made up of letters. It reminds me of this movie called PI or π rather, about this mathemetician who sees numbers in everything. He has 3 basic principles (1) Mathematics is the language of nature; (2) Everything around us can be represented and understood from numbers; (3) If you graph the numbers in any systems, patterns emerge. Therefore there are patterns everywhere in nature. Liam does this, except with the English Alphabet! haha.
I am so interested to see where this love of letters will take him. Will he have a love of languages? Will he be a writer? Will it have no impact on his life or future whatsoever? That last part seems harder for me to believe since Heavenly Father has given us all gifts and if we nurish our gifts they do improve and sometimes we are given additional gifts as a result. And this love of letters at such a young age, it's a gift.
Liam has his days where he doesn't listen. But he has been getting so much better at listening and obeying. Sometimes he screams "NO!" at me, but does what I ask just the same. I love my little boy, he is getting so big so quickly!
He takes his pull-up's off now after he pees in it...he is trying to make it to the potty chair in time and sometimes succeeds! Usually he has already gone in his diaper. But he really rarely has accidents...and when he does it's been in the bath tub, easy to clean!
He is trying to really pick up on reading, spelling things out and writing his own letters. He had the letters KOI that he had put together. He says "Mummy!" (which is what he calls me sometimes) then proceeds to sound it out...what he came up with was K-ca O-ow I-eh he says "ca-ca ow COW!" he thought he discovered how to spell cow.
He can write several letters now, t T, X, H, i I, L, O, Q, E and F so far. AND he has learned some sign language alphabet, he does C, D, A, M, L, G with his hands. He finds letters in everything. He'll pick up a stick and say "Look! I!", a cherrio obviously "O!" a broken cherrio "C!", he saw the stem between a flower and leaf and screamed "V!" I think he thinks the world is made up of letters. It reminds me of this movie called PI or π rather, about this mathemetician who sees numbers in everything. He has 3 basic principles (1) Mathematics is the language of nature; (2) Everything around us can be represented and understood from numbers; (3) If you graph the numbers in any systems, patterns emerge. Therefore there are patterns everywhere in nature. Liam does this, except with the English Alphabet! haha.
I am so interested to see where this love of letters will take him. Will he have a love of languages? Will he be a writer? Will it have no impact on his life or future whatsoever? That last part seems harder for me to believe since Heavenly Father has given us all gifts and if we nurish our gifts they do improve and sometimes we are given additional gifts as a result. And this love of letters at such a young age, it's a gift.
Liam has his days where he doesn't listen. But he has been getting so much better at listening and obeying. Sometimes he screams "NO!" at me, but does what I ask just the same. I love my little boy, he is getting so big so quickly!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Couldn't Say it Better
I had a wonderful weekend. And my friend Jackie put it best so check out her blog post about it (I would have over written on it).
But I too had a blast and love those ladies. I even got to see my mom who was with a group of her friends. It was so uplifting and I came home renewed and resolved to be a better wife, mother and friend!
But I too had a blast and love those ladies. I even got to see my mom who was with a group of her friends. It was so uplifting and I came home renewed and resolved to be a better wife, mother and friend!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
What Girl Scout Cookie Are You?
My favorite GS Cookie are the Thin Mints. But my personality came up the following...which was pretty accurate in my opinion...though I am dramatic in my speaking I don't love drama. Does that make sense? In other words I don't desire things to happen to me or people I know so I can go around talking about it...but when I tell a story of something that happened to me I might flail my arms about dramatically and the tone of my voice may sound a bit dramatic. Also I wouldn't say I'm full of myself...but maybe others think that about me.
| You Are Peanut Butter Patties / Tagalongs |
 You are intense and a little self centered. You can be quite full of yourself (but not without reason). You tend to be very indulgent. If you feel like having something, you go ahead and treat yourself. |
Monday, March 9, 2009
Adventures in Running Errands
I went to pick up the dry cleaning a little after 3:00, the lady said "you are early, they aren't ready yet" I said "Oh, what time then?" she says with some attitude "AFTER 5, you'll have to come back then". I said "Okay" gathered the kids back up. I didn't think to ask David what time the clothes would be ready since we had dropped them off on Friday...but anyhow to kill some time I went to Target to shop, got some clothes for the kids, bought them a swimming pool...today was pretty hot, thought it'd be a good time for one...bought Violet an Easter Basket...it's a small girly picnic/tea set basket, so cute. Started gathering stuff for Liam's more traditional basket...then he bit me! So I put his stuff back and we left. It was 5:10, so we went back to the dry cleaning place. This time the man who usually helps me came out. He helped me out to the car with the clothes AND he carried Violet who was in her car seat carrier. It was nice...he probably saw I had come in earlier. It's not easy bringing in both kids AND carrying the clothes that is for sure...and if I let Liam walk, he makes a dash for the parking lot. Sheesh. Now it's almost bed time...but with this time change thing...the kids didn't get the memo.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Adventures in the ER (post #100 btw)
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
after waiting for two hours in the triage waiting area.
Triage Guy: Violet Hall?
ME: Oh yes, that's us.
Triage Guy: So mom, tell me why you are here.
ME: Well I think she may have swallowed a 'button' battery.
Triage Guy: And why do you think this?
ME: OH well here, I brought the thing...see (as I pull out the little battery operated tea candle) I was folding the laundry and I look over and notice she has a hold of this candle...that my son was playing with earlier and I had thrown out but he must have dug out of the trash. And anyway she starts gagging on this little battery cover that had fallen off. I notice that the battery is gone and I know it was in there before I threw it out. I combed the room but I couldn't find the battery so thought it may be possible she swallowed it so I brought her in just in case she swallowed it.
Triage Guy: And when did this occur?
ME: 4 o'clock
Triage Guy: Any diarrhea, vomiting, shaking, fever anything unusual in her mood or behavior?
ME: No...she seems fine actually, I just want to be sure.
Triage Guy after checking her out: Okay follow me (as I'm led to a smaller waiting room for children).
zzzzzzzzzz
30 more minutes pass.
Nurse: Follow me to room 25
ME: Okay
Nurse: Tell me what happened
ME: She may have swallowed a 'button' battery from this object (as I show her the tea candle)
Nurse: has she had an X-Ray yet?
ME: Uh no, no that's why we are here
Nurse: Okay let me have that to show the doctor and I'll go order an X-ray.
David shows up 2 minutes later.
X-Ray People: Does that outfit have any snaps?
David: not that I can see
ME: yes, at the bottom, do you want me to just take it off?
X-Ray People: Yes please, since we are looking for a foreign object we don't want to confuse it with anything on her clothing.
They take the X-Ray and leave. David plays with Violet for a while, then she falls asleep. We watch a rerun of house.
Doctor: She's clear, she didn't swallow anything!
US: OH GOOD! Thank goodness. That's awesome.
Doctor: Yeah it would have been pretty bad if she did swallow a battery though, you did the right thing by bringing her in just in case.
ME: Yeah I didn't even know if it was possible to swallow something that big? (It was the size of a nickel).
Doctor: Oh YES, I've seen kids swallow Quarters so yes, it's entirely possible. You did the right thing...and it's better that she didn't.
US: Yeah of course.
zzzzzzzz more house......
Discharge Lady: I'm gonna get your information now. Do you have insurance and ID?
ME: Oh yes, here you go.
Discharge Lady: Do you still live at the (name of Apartments)? That's where I LIVE! On the other side though.
ME: No, we've moved...the other side, that's nice they've redone that side I heard...
Discharge Lady: Oh really? Why did you move?
ME: We bought a house.
Discharge Lady: OH I wish, but probably not for another year or so.
ME: yeah that's what we were saying for almost 3 years.
Discharge Lady: So Dad you want to be listed as the Incase of Emergency?
David: YES
Discharge Lady: Name?
US: David
Discharge Lady: Oh haha, how cute, David and Diana...I always wondered how that happens to cute couples, where they have the same first initial.
ME THINKING: What?
ME: Oh, heh, thanks, yeah (I don't know what to say).
Discharge Lady: Okay follow me!
That's that. It was such a long wait. But even for seemingly critical cases. One lady went up to Triage and said "I'm having trouble breathing, can someone help me" in a rather breathless tone. Triage said "You'll have to wait your turn, there is nothing we can do to help you". Another lady whose teenage son had wheeled her in said "I can't feel my arms or legs" Triage says "Okay you have to fill this form out first and then wait, it's a long wait". Another lady who had been waiting for nearly 3 hours finally gets seen. Comes out two minutes later. Looks like she's gonna cry. Gets on the phone and I hear her say "They didn't do anything, just told me it's allergies, they didn't even do a blood test".
Next time I have an emergency, I am not going there, that is for sure.
after waiting for two hours in the triage waiting area.
Triage Guy: Violet Hall?
ME: Oh yes, that's us.
Triage Guy: So mom, tell me why you are here.
ME: Well I think she may have swallowed a 'button' battery.
Triage Guy: And why do you think this?
ME: OH well here, I brought the thing...see (as I pull out the little battery operated tea candle) I was folding the laundry and I look over and notice she has a hold of this candle...that my son was playing with earlier and I had thrown out but he must have dug out of the trash. And anyway she starts gagging on this little battery cover that had fallen off. I notice that the battery is gone and I know it was in there before I threw it out. I combed the room but I couldn't find the battery so thought it may be possible she swallowed it so I brought her in just in case she swallowed it.
Triage Guy: And when did this occur?
ME: 4 o'clock
Triage Guy: Any diarrhea, vomiting, shaking, fever anything unusual in her mood or behavior?
ME: No...she seems fine actually, I just want to be sure.
Triage Guy after checking her out: Okay follow me (as I'm led to a smaller waiting room for children).
zzzzzzzzzz
30 more minutes pass.
Nurse: Follow me to room 25
ME: Okay
Nurse: Tell me what happened
ME: She may have swallowed a 'button' battery from this object (as I show her the tea candle)
Nurse: has she had an X-Ray yet?
ME: Uh no, no that's why we are here
Nurse: Okay let me have that to show the doctor and I'll go order an X-ray.
David shows up 2 minutes later.
X-Ray People: Does that outfit have any snaps?
David: not that I can see
ME: yes, at the bottom, do you want me to just take it off?
X-Ray People: Yes please, since we are looking for a foreign object we don't want to confuse it with anything on her clothing.
They take the X-Ray and leave. David plays with Violet for a while, then she falls asleep. We watch a rerun of house.
Doctor: She's clear, she didn't swallow anything!
US: OH GOOD! Thank goodness. That's awesome.
Doctor: Yeah it would have been pretty bad if she did swallow a battery though, you did the right thing by bringing her in just in case.
ME: Yeah I didn't even know if it was possible to swallow something that big? (It was the size of a nickel).
Doctor: Oh YES, I've seen kids swallow Quarters so yes, it's entirely possible. You did the right thing...and it's better that she didn't.
US: Yeah of course.
zzzzzzzz more house......
Discharge Lady: I'm gonna get your information now. Do you have insurance and ID?
ME: Oh yes, here you go.
Discharge Lady: Do you still live at the (name of Apartments)? That's where I LIVE! On the other side though.
ME: No, we've moved...the other side, that's nice they've redone that side I heard...
Discharge Lady: Oh really? Why did you move?
ME: We bought a house.
Discharge Lady: OH I wish, but probably not for another year or so.
ME: yeah that's what we were saying for almost 3 years.
Discharge Lady: So Dad you want to be listed as the Incase of Emergency?
David: YES
Discharge Lady: Name?
US: David
Discharge Lady: Oh haha, how cute, David and Diana...I always wondered how that happens to cute couples, where they have the same first initial.
ME THINKING: What?
ME: Oh, heh, thanks, yeah (I don't know what to say).
Discharge Lady: Okay follow me!
That's that. It was such a long wait. But even for seemingly critical cases. One lady went up to Triage and said "I'm having trouble breathing, can someone help me" in a rather breathless tone. Triage said "You'll have to wait your turn, there is nothing we can do to help you". Another lady whose teenage son had wheeled her in said "I can't feel my arms or legs" Triage says "Okay you have to fill this form out first and then wait, it's a long wait". Another lady who had been waiting for nearly 3 hours finally gets seen. Comes out two minutes later. Looks like she's gonna cry. Gets on the phone and I hear her say "They didn't do anything, just told me it's allergies, they didn't even do a blood test".
Next time I have an emergency, I am not going there, that is for sure.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Violet Update: 9 Months
Now that I have posted a few videos of Violet you can see that I wasn't exaggerating when I said she is a sweet baby, nor exaggerating about her smile. Her whole face lights up when she smiles...and lights up everyone around her too. Of course what smiling baby doesn't make most people happy?
We went to David's grandmother's and step-grandfather's funeral Saturday, Feburary 28th, and after two hours at the memorial service and no nap all morning (it was now 12 noon), Violet was getting a bit squirmy, and vocal...not crying but lots heh heh hehing and AHHH! AHH! really loudly. So we stand up to sing a closing hymn and she is getting unhappier by the minute. I hold Violet under her arms and sway her back and forth. This made her so happy. She had the biggest grin on her face. The people behind us, and people behind them etc (because we are family we were at the front) I could hear them smiling back at her...and saying "awww, how precious" or "how sweet"...and I could hear them waving at her too. This is an example of how mothers have eyes in the back of our heads when it comes to our children...we have the ability to hear "smiles" and "waves". Even at a funeral, her smile lifted some of the sadness in the room...and that is not a bad thing, in my opinion. After the funeral, several of these smiling waving people wanted to get a closer look at her. I can't say I blame them.
Every day since she started scooting, she is increasingly eager to get on the floor and travel further. She doesn't roll nearly as much. Only if she wants to get on her back or stomach.
When we were in the car with the kids the other day, Liam would reach for her hand and smile at her and she would start cracking up laughing. David tells me that when Liam would take his hand back, she would reach for it again. She loves playing around Liam. And as long as I'm in the room too, Liam is happy to play with her as well.
Her big brother always gives her, her bottle now...as I have officially stopped breast feeding during month 7. He also loves to put a blanket on her and give her a hug and a kiss...he's 'putting her to bed' and doesn't really like it when she wiggles out from under the blanket. Sometimes he will 'pin' her down, by holding her legs, so she doesn't move, Violet doesn't like that too much. And poor Vi, if I have just told Liam no, for I don't know...drawing all over our house...and he gets a time out...he'll go up to Violet and tell her NO for whatever it is she is doing. I don't want him to think I favor her more...but I'm also not going to allow him to punish her, nor will I even pretend to punish her for doing nothing wrong. So that's fun. There has also been the occasion where he'll hit her (not hard but still) or sit on her...or try to stand on her. I've mentioned before that he gets automatic time outs for that. Well sometimes Violet is very excited and waves her arms enthusiastically when her brother is close to her and will accidentally hit him. Or she'll grab at him because she's a baby. He says "OW!" and then "owwwwwww,huh huh huh". And tell me "no hit!" while looking at me, expecting me to punish her. But she's just turning 9 months old...how do you explain that to a 2 year old without him thinking things are unfair? So I tell him it was an accident and that it didn't hurt him. If she grabs him in the face and it does look like it hurt, I put her in a pretend time out on my lap through the count of 10 and have her give him a 'hug and kiss'. I don't know what I'm doing here sometimes people. Just making it up as I go along I guess...hoping I'm not screwing them up too badly.
Lastly, Violet FINALLY, cut her first tooth a few days ago. Table foods...coming soon!
We went to David's grandmother's and step-grandfather's funeral Saturday, Feburary 28th, and after two hours at the memorial service and no nap all morning (it was now 12 noon), Violet was getting a bit squirmy, and vocal...not crying but lots heh heh hehing and AHHH! AHH! really loudly. So we stand up to sing a closing hymn and she is getting unhappier by the minute. I hold Violet under her arms and sway her back and forth. This made her so happy. She had the biggest grin on her face. The people behind us, and people behind them etc (because we are family we were at the front) I could hear them smiling back at her...and saying "awww, how precious" or "how sweet"...and I could hear them waving at her too. This is an example of how mothers have eyes in the back of our heads when it comes to our children...we have the ability to hear "smiles" and "waves". Even at a funeral, her smile lifted some of the sadness in the room...and that is not a bad thing, in my opinion. After the funeral, several of these smiling waving people wanted to get a closer look at her. I can't say I blame them.
Every day since she started scooting, she is increasingly eager to get on the floor and travel further. She doesn't roll nearly as much. Only if she wants to get on her back or stomach.
When we were in the car with the kids the other day, Liam would reach for her hand and smile at her and she would start cracking up laughing. David tells me that when Liam would take his hand back, she would reach for it again. She loves playing around Liam. And as long as I'm in the room too, Liam is happy to play with her as well.
Her big brother always gives her, her bottle now...as I have officially stopped breast feeding during month 7. He also loves to put a blanket on her and give her a hug and a kiss...he's 'putting her to bed' and doesn't really like it when she wiggles out from under the blanket. Sometimes he will 'pin' her down, by holding her legs, so she doesn't move, Violet doesn't like that too much. And poor Vi, if I have just told Liam no, for I don't know...drawing all over our house...and he gets a time out...he'll go up to Violet and tell her NO for whatever it is she is doing. I don't want him to think I favor her more...but I'm also not going to allow him to punish her, nor will I even pretend to punish her for doing nothing wrong. So that's fun. There has also been the occasion where he'll hit her (not hard but still) or sit on her...or try to stand on her. I've mentioned before that he gets automatic time outs for that. Well sometimes Violet is very excited and waves her arms enthusiastically when her brother is close to her and will accidentally hit him. Or she'll grab at him because she's a baby. He says "OW!" and then "owwwwwww,huh huh huh". And tell me "no hit!" while looking at me, expecting me to punish her. But she's just turning 9 months old...how do you explain that to a 2 year old without him thinking things are unfair? So I tell him it was an accident and that it didn't hurt him. If she grabs him in the face and it does look like it hurt, I put her in a pretend time out on my lap through the count of 10 and have her give him a 'hug and kiss'. I don't know what I'm doing here sometimes people. Just making it up as I go along I guess...hoping I'm not screwing them up too badly.
Lastly, Violet FINALLY, cut her first tooth a few days ago. Table foods...coming soon!
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