Sunday, August 12, 2007

Griffith with the cheesy grin


Allan irritated that his brother is horning in


Allan was not at all in a sharing mood and is preparing to let everyone know about it.

In full cry


Isn't that the most pitiful thing you've ever seen? Even Griff looks a little distressed.

Are you ready to go?


Griff, ready to lead the way to the bathtub.
And, yes, we know that Allan's hair is quite long. Momma ain't going to cut it. She wants a little mop-top like Cousin Joseph.

Allan - ready for bath time.


Allan ready to head out from the living room for the bathroom.

Griffith - free-range baby


Yes, he is nearly feral, roaming the house in his altogether, but at least he has good oral hygiene.

Are you okay, Dad?


Checking on Dad's condition after having wrestled him in to submission.

Big smiles from Allan


Check out all of those teeth. Twelve now -- eight on the bottom and four on top. Two more are about through.

Allan, all full of it


Allan was having a big time bouncing on his Dad's chest. Griffith couldn't stand it and had to get in the middle of it all.

The conspirators

Getting ready to launch their attack on Dad.

Wrestlemania 2007


Allan looks unsure -- Dad seems to be the target, but you never know when Griff is going to veer off in your direction. It pays to be vigilant.

Ganging up on Dad


Navigating the obstacle course


Griff still doesn't have his sea legs yet so getting across the floor can be a bit of a challenge. Having all that crap in the floor doesn't help either.

Attack of the Griffith


Allan cutting his eyes to the left to watch the advance of his brother.

King of the mountain

Allan practicing standing on top of his dad.

Friday, August 10, 2007

It has been a busy week. Good but busy. Dad has been working late most nights and has taken the camera. The combination equals no update on the blog. We'll try to rectify that this weekend.

Allan had a good session with Miss Edie on Tuesday. She's delighted with how much progress he has made with his eating and responsiveness. He clearly pays attention to her, if she is doing anything of interest. This week she was -- he liked every toy she brought and both he and Griffith were amazed by her blowing bubbles. (When she asked me if they liked bubbles, I had to tell her that I didn't know. We hadn't ever blown bubbles. I felt like the biggest slacker mom in the world. What kind of mom doesn't blow bubbles????) Although we have been telling her all along that Allan does what Allan elects to do, she wasn't so sure -- hemight not be able to understand or respond. Now she knows he can, but does not always choose to do so. He's not (overtly) rude about it -- he just turns his head and sticks his thumb in his mouth and waits for her to do something, well, interesting. (Griffith spends the entire time desperately trying to get in the middle of whatever. Can.Not.Stand.It.)

As it happens, Griffith is going to get his own time with Miss Edie. She's left a spot in her schedule for him so (we hope) to get him started down the road to eating like a big boy soon. He did eat some roasted garlic and olive oil couscous the other night and a fair amount of mashed potatoes with lots of butter the next night. Maybe he just sees no point in eating bland things. We have to kick it up a notch to engage his attention.

Allan went back this morning to have his eye examined. It still looks good. No scar tissue has developed and the pupil has remained open. The pressure in it is excellent. We are discontinuing some of his eyedrops and going back in a month to see how things look then. Big Al also had his hearing checked (again) today. Although there had been some concern initially that he was practically deaf in his left ear, he ain't. His hearing is within the normal range for adults (much less one year-olds). Once again, Allan does (and hears) what he wants to and, if he isn't interested, you are not going to get a response out of him. Apparently after a few rounds of turning his head left and right to the beeps and whistles, he decided that was for the birds and (you guessed it) started sucking his thumb. From that point on, he would only turn his head when the tech addressed him directly. Whatever else you want to say about him, Allan knows his own mind.

Hope to have some new photos and tales of adventure for you come Monday. Have a good weekend!

Monday, August 06, 2007

Allan in his new high chair


Big Al is so strong and full of beans these days that we have had to graduate to the big boy high chair.

A penny saved


Peeping around the corner


Where is my dad?

Sweet-smiling boy


Yeah, I'll take those.


They got the beat....


boogeying down to the Leap Frog maracas.

Ice cream or musical instrument ???


Nuts about the maracas


Which way do these go?


Thank you, thank you very much....


Allan and the maraca


Freestanding Griffith


Curly Top II


Allan with his collar turned up -- very 1984.

Curly top


Sunday, August 05, 2007

Causing a commotion

That's what Allan is doing right now. Dad has taken Mr. It Is a Pleasure to Put Him to Bed upstairs (and has had to return for a refill on the bottle -- don't ask how the breaking him is going - so far, we are the ones who have broken.) Allan has been rejuvenated by his bath and the fact that the house is cool and dark. He's ready to roll. He keeps slamming the coins in to his piggy bank. Without Griffith to swoop in and take over the project, Allan has time to do has he pleases. He pleases to hit the coins -- in his own sweet time.

Mom left the card reader at work so no new photos until tomorrow. I'm just going to buy another to keep at home to avoid the hassle.

Friday we took the boys out to the pizza place to celebrate Alice's birthday. The boys were fabulous, naturally. We tried both of them in the wooden booster seats provided by the restaurant. Griff did just fine, but Allan is just that much smaller that he was a bit a wobbly.

(big yawn from Allan who has setled in for a snuggle and songs of praise - We Love You, Allan and You Are My Sunshine, over and over again. Meanwhile I think I can still hear Mr. It Is a Pleasure howling like a banshee.)

Anyway, the whole family went to the pizza place, we plunked Allan down in his seat and he got a look of complete and utter irritation and consternation. As Alice says, he has about 30 different versions of "what in the hell are you doing" (she added, unnecessarily, I think, "just like his mother.") At any rate, we got his own booster seat and that still didn't suit. Turns out that Big Al is just as nosy as his brother these days and didn't want to be facing away from the majority of the restaurant. Just so soon as his dad picked him up and held him so that he could swivel around and see what was going on, he was fine. The only other problem that we had was that Allan is like a little pot-belly stove. He throws off heat like you would not believe. Now, the A/C in the restaurant made it pretty pleasant, but it was 90-ish and humid outside and they had open flames going inside, so Big Al was the last thing that you needed laying on your shoulder. Alice was in a flop sweat before long and so was Mom. By the time we hit home, I was drenched! While we were at the pizza place, some friends who have a little boy the boys' age came over. When they left, Connor waved bye-bye and, to our astonishment, Griff waved right back! We've been trying to get him to do it for weeks, but the little devil wouldn't do it (and he hasn't done it since) but he clearly knew what he was about.

Every night is the same, though. Jay has put masking tape over the vent next to him and sleeps under an extra quilt. Griffith sleeps in a fleece sleep sack and a blanket. He gets chill-bumps whenever you change his diaper. Allan, on the other hand, spends as much time as necessary kicking off even the lightest of blankets and I am under a sheet with my feet hanging out, trying to catch a breeze from the fan.

Saturday morning Jay started making some headway on his "honey do" list while the boys and I ran to the Farmer's Market and got corn and squash and zucchini and cucumbers. It was hotter than I realized and, by the time (well before 11) we got back, it was in the mid-80's and very humid. We had a little lunch (very little, in the case of Griffith) and then (blessedly) they both fell asleep for about 2 hours. Then they took a dip in the wading pool and got baths in anticipation of the arrival of Evan. Mom and Dad had to go to a wedding, Miranda had two weddings to sing in, and so Evan (her husband) came to hang out and do guy things -- watch ESPN and Spike TV and roughhouse. Griff had taken about 6 steps unassisted but Evan got him up to about 10. He's still pretty wary about it and would prefer to hold on, however lightly, to your hand, but some times forgets to be cautious and heads out.

Today was a good day. Jay took off to golf and the boys got up about 7 or so. It was rainy and hot so we couldn't take a walk or run or really get out and do anything. Griff decided that it was a perfect day to sleep in and dozed off at about 9:30, followed shortly by Big Al, followed shortly by Mom. We got about 2 hours in and were all the better for it. Dad didn't get quite so lucky. By the time he got home the fellas were ready to roll. That's the price you pay for trying to be Tiger Woods.

Allan has gotten so full of beans and spunk and whatever else that he can't be trusted in the booster seat on the table so we had to get him a real high chair, just like Griffith's. Not that either of them uses them to eat. We just use them as a method of confinement really.

All three fellas are upstairs. Time to join them. There should be pictures tomorrow, provided I can find the reader.

Friday, August 03, 2007

...and still more snippets....

Allan had an appointment with his cardiologist this morning. He's doing just great -- he looks good, is growing well, is needing less oxygen and his lungs sound clearer which may be because he is finally, finally growing more lung tissue. We are to keep on keeping on for the time-being -- not changing any thing, just trying to lower him on his oxygen as much as we can without taxing him. Allan is going to take whatever time Allan wants.

The big outing will be tonight -- the whole family is heading out to the pizza place. You know, give Griff a new location to hurl food in to. Keep it interesting for him. And it will be nice that we don't have to clean it up. (Don't worry, we'll tip well!) If it isn't too hot tomorrow morning, we may plunk the boys in the stroller and make a return visit to the Farmer's Market to pick up some corn. Maybe a dip in the wading pool, if it isn't too miserably hot (sounds silly to say that it is too hot to go swimming, but there you have it!). It has been so nice being able to get out, but between the humidity and the bugs, we are very grateful for air conditioning. Hope everyone has a great weekend. We'll try to come up with some good photos over the weekend.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

More snippets

Allan did great with the speech therapist on Tuesday. He loves to sit in his booster seat on the table (yes, we know it is an "off label" use but having him elevated is somehow important from a therapeutic standpoint) and watch himself in the washstand mirror. Edie didn't know what he was doing at first, but then busted out laughing at how vain Allan is. He just smiles and kicks and giggles at himself. He's the best thing he's seen, ever.

Edie got another chance to watch Griffith "eat" and has suggested we work on a referral for speech/OT for him. As anyone can tell from the pictures of the battle that is every meal, he clearly has a sensitivity issue. We haven't been able to cajole, wheedle, plead or bully him in to eating and the whole thing is turning in to a quagmire. In some ways, quite literally since he swats and rakes every bit of food on his tray off and flings it far and wide. As Michele observed, very Jackson Pollock of him.

Griff has learned how to play chase. I stomp my feet in his direction and he crawls as fast as he can away from me while squealing and laughing, then he stops, spins around and comes after me. This went on for 20 minutes. I thought he was going to puke he laughed so hard.

Allan did great with PT this morning. He is really getting to be a little bit of a pill about insisting on standing and refusing to sit (he stiffens out like a board). Miss Julie thinks that, based on his progress, he should be crawling by next month. He has also learned to cluck his tongue and make kissy faces, although he won't do either on command. And he shakes his head "no" a lot. Learned that from his brother, we are pretty sure.

Not much else to report. Just hanging out, growing and getting more ornery every day.

Griff -- fighting the good fight


It is so nice to sit down for a pleasant evening meal with the husband and children. Dinner time really gives us a chance to connect and discuss the events of the day. It cements the family bond.

Allan with mashed potatoes in his eyelashes


Look at how golden his hair is.

Up in my face


Giving us the close-up.

Griff coming to get me.


Turning to come after me.


Griff playing chase


and giggling the whole time.

Flora and the fellas


Heading out for their morning walk.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

My father's ears....


Poor Allan -- cursed with my father's ears. Is it any wonder I don't want to cut his hair?

Winston Churchill


The resemblance is uncanny.

It's my brother's fault


That's what their shirts say.
I'm sure we will hear it over and over again.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

The babysitter

Cousin Bailey (age 4) arrived Saturday afternoon to spend the night and help out with the boys. She did a bang up job and enjoyed herself so much that she had a complete go-to-pieces when Mom and Dad showed up to pick her up today. She had such a melt-down so immediately that Jay and I both thought that she was going to tell her parents that the whole experience was so terrible and that we had been so mean that she couldn't stand it. We missed it entirely. Girls are hard.
Miss B arrived around lunch time and the first order of business was feeding the boys their lunch. Neither boy was particularly interested in cooperating. Griff put on a particularly good show: shaking his head, spitting food, crying, squealing, knocking food and utensils off on to the floor. (Steph: "Is this every meal?" Um-hm. "You do have medication, right?" If you consider alcohol "medication." ) Miss B and I went off to have manicures and pediures (her nails are bright green with white and pink flower decals. My toenails are bright blue with a pink and white flower on each of the big toes. I did manage to convince Bailey that blue fingernails were not professional, however.) Following that, Bailey announced that she was ready to go home and babysit for "the one with the mask" (Allan) and the "other one" (Griffith). When we got home the boys were ready to swing on the front porch and Bailey wanted to read to them. Neither Jay nor I was allowed to read and, really, she would have preferred that we weren't around at all. Under sufferance, I was allowed to sit on the swing at the far end of the porch while she sat in a lawn chair immediately in front of the boys. She was very attentive. If they slowed, she jumped up to give them a push. If I got up to get something, she volunteered to get it. (She was far more considerate than Jay and I are of each other, that's for sure.)
Dinner time was a matter of horror for Bailey. She was in sympathy with Griffith on not wanting to eat peanut butter with bananas in it (it stinks, according to Bailey) but she did not understand why he wouldn't eat mashed potatoes. She seemed quite distressed and explained to him that they were good and that he needed to eat food like a big boy and not just drink milk like a baby. Or a calf. She is a farm girl, after all.
Bath time was quite a lot of fun. We just thought Bailey would help, but after she started her bath she thought it would be fun for the boys to get in with her. (She could not keep who was who straight -- kept referring to "this one" or "that one" until she decided that saying "the one with the mask" made it much clearer.)
The girls slept downstairs. The boys slept upstairs. It all was pretty peaceable. (Actually I ended up staying up until nearly 2 a.m. finishing Harry Potter. The battle of Hogwart began at 11:49 and I really, really thought I could finish more quickly than I did.) Griff decided that last night would be a good night to be up from 4 to 6. Needless to say morning came early. Miss Miranda was singing solo at church so we all got up, slicked back our hair and headed out. Flora would have been so proud - the boys were dressed identically. We all survived a nearly endless sermon (Miranda's solo was lovely -- some sort of Bach something-or-another in German). Then we all trooped home and played until it was time for Miss B to head home. Which is when the aforementioned go-to-pieces occurred.
The boys have been good guys all day long. Jay and I are working really hard to implement this routine/schedule. After bath and while we were getting every one settled, Jay made the fatal error of saying that putting Griff down was a "pleasure" and "easy" these days. Then (because he is not gallant) he elected to take Griff up upstairs. Allan and I stayed downstairs and, after we had drawn up meds, picked up toys, started the dishwasher and, generally, done a bunch of scut work, we sat down in the calm, quiet, semidarkness of the living room and had a nice glass of wine (Mommy did anyway). Now, both of my children resent and resist me reading anything that doesn't rhyme. They will kick, buck, jump and otherwise do everything within their power to keep me focussed on them. Both of my children love The Battle Hymn of the Republic. As I launched in to the 17th verse, I could hear, distantly, the howl of my youngest son upstairs. You remember him, right? The Pleasure. You would have thought Jay was poking him with a hot stick. (Do you hear the lambs, Clarice?) And, when they both came back down for bottle number two, I asked Jay how that was going for him. He doesn't have much sense of humor (Jay, not Griff, Griff thought it was pretty funny. So did Mommy and Allan.)

Just one more


Bailey, working on just one more story. Griffith is all for it. Allan, not so much. Or me.

The book nook


After bath time, we all retired upstairs to the book nook for a few stories.

Happy Bailey, Irked Allan


Funny faces

Cousins Bailey and Allan reacting to Griff's splashing in a similar way.

Bath battle

So I leave Jay in charge while I go and lay out the pajamas and this is what I walk back in on.

Waterloo


Bailey and Uncle Jay, battling it out with the water-squirters.

Monkey twins


When the boys had to go in because they were tired, we kept up the babysitting with Bailey's twin Curious Georges.

Giving the boys a push.


Bailey was very attentive to her cousins and kept jumping up to give them a push.

Cousin Bailey the babysitter.


Bailey on the front porch, reading to the boys.

Cousin Bailey - July 28th


Cousin Bailey reporting for duty.