Both boys working the garage.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Flotsam and jetsam
Big Al and I are snuggling in the living room listening to the rain and the wind outside. And to Griff kicking up a fuss on and off with his dad in the back bedroom.
The weather has been odd. Thirty one day, sixty the next. Windy and wild. We hardly know what to expect. The boys didn't get out today because it was so windy. And you never knew when the rain was going to come.
Jay and I had an invitation to a baby shower Friday night, but, try as I did, we couldn't come up with a baby-sitter. Jay stayed and helped with dinner and baths and headed out for the party and the boys and I settled in. We did our now-standard couch snuggle which is a very delicate balance. Just as Griff was drifting off (Allan was already out) a knock came at the door. You.Must.Be.Kidding. It was nearly nine on a Friday night. I just sat. (Sort of like we used to do when the Jehovah's showed up at the door back home.) Again with the knocking. Fine -- "Go away!" says I. Again with the knocking. By this time, Griff has roused. I set Allan down on the floor. He starts to cry. I peep through the blinds on the door. Nope. I don't know you, Kenny Rogers. Buzz off. "Go away. I don't know you!" Kenny Rogers waves some papers at me. Allan howls. Griff jabbers. "I am putting babies to sleep!!! Go away !!! I don't know you!!! Buzz.Off." Finally Kenny Rogers manages to communicate that he is the guy who is supposed to deliver the formula for Allan. The insurance company has changed providers. And has told poor Kenny that he has to get this to me tonight. Kenny and I made up (he has a four year old and was terribly sorry that he had effed up bedtime. ) Still it was the better part of another hour before both boys were down and out. So much for my early bed time.
Saturday Dad headed out early (ish) with our dining room table. When people hear what Jay does they always say, you must have beautiful furniture. Um. Well. Um. We are the epitome of the cobbler's children having no shoes. The dining room table, while nice, looked like crap. Scratches and rings. You name it. Ridiculous. The last time we had people over and couldn't find a decent table cloth was the end of it, though. So we loaded it up and sent it over to the workshop. It will no doubt look lovely at the end of this, but, as of today, we still have no table. The boys like having the dining room clear, though. While Jay was out this morning, I set up the chairs with blankets over them and we played Cave and Tunnel. Allan was far braver -- he immediately crawled in and out and around everything Griff was far more suspicious and would start in and back out. Chicken.
Miss Miranda came and took care of the boys on Saturday afternoon while I cleaned the upstairs bedroom. We still had boxes of Xmas ornaments out. The floor had places where we had spilled formula and medicine. The whole thing was, in a word, filthy. After three hours of work, it finally was acceptable, though. As God is my witness, it will never be that way again. I went up to use the bathroom last night and Jay had left his socks on the floor and I thought I might commit homicide.
Griffith spent a fair amount of time yesterday stepping up an down on the step that Bailey gave him for Christmas. He was pretty hesitant about letting go of me. In fact, my index finger was purple from him gripping it as he got up and down. As you will see from the pictures, though, he got a lot braver. Up until he banged his forehead on the door. Nice goose-egg, pal.
Team Al and Griff did their first international webcast. Grandma and Grampy got their webcam up and had Jess, Lottie and Joe for the weekend. We set high noon as the time to call. The first hurdle was that they could see us, but not hear us. What ???? Okay, no problem. We worked out that we had turned off the volume on our computer so that it didn't disturb the boys. Problem solved. Sorta. The next problem was that Grampy's mic wasn't working. We never did get that straight. Jay and Grampy were on the phone while the cousins made monkeys of themselves on the video. Still, it was pretty successful for a first outing - the boys were very interested in the antics of their cousins and the cousins seemed amused with the boys. Next time we'll get it all straight.
The rest of the day was in-and-out. I would go for a while, then Jay. Griffith was an angel. He napped in the morning and again in the afternoon. Allan, on the other hand, is my difficult child. Despite being tired, he refused to sleep. And didn't want his brother to sleep, either. Griff did his typical fight, fight, fight, collapse. Allan, on the other hand, whinged and whirled and kicked and squawled. Every time that Griff was close to out, Allan would howl or something. I finally got Griff laid down and went to get a fresh diaper for Allan. I first had to disengage Mr. Busy-fingers from pulling his brother's curls (jealousy is a cardinal sin, Allan). Then, by the time I made it in to the nursery and back with a diaper, Allan had crawled across the floor and was milliseconds from a "slam dunk" on the basketball game which would have caused all sorts of commotion. BRAT.
What else? Griffith has learned to say "Al" and calls for his brother when he isn't in the room. Allan has become fascinated with the garage and will have cars go around the curves over and over again.
That's all I can think of at the moment.
The boys are looking forward to this weekend when they go to stay with cousin Bailey while Dad makes bookshelves for the living room. Bailey took care of Jacob Scott last weekend and it kept her quite busy. She was already thinking ahead to the boys' visit, though, and told her mom,
"And there are going to be TWO!'
The weather has been odd. Thirty one day, sixty the next. Windy and wild. We hardly know what to expect. The boys didn't get out today because it was so windy. And you never knew when the rain was going to come.
Jay and I had an invitation to a baby shower Friday night, but, try as I did, we couldn't come up with a baby-sitter. Jay stayed and helped with dinner and baths and headed out for the party and the boys and I settled in. We did our now-standard couch snuggle which is a very delicate balance. Just as Griff was drifting off (Allan was already out) a knock came at the door. You.Must.Be.Kidding. It was nearly nine on a Friday night. I just sat. (Sort of like we used to do when the Jehovah's showed up at the door back home.) Again with the knocking. Fine -- "Go away!" says I. Again with the knocking. By this time, Griff has roused. I set Allan down on the floor. He starts to cry. I peep through the blinds on the door. Nope. I don't know you, Kenny Rogers. Buzz off. "Go away. I don't know you!" Kenny Rogers waves some papers at me. Allan howls. Griff jabbers. "I am putting babies to sleep!!! Go away !!! I don't know you!!! Buzz.Off." Finally Kenny Rogers manages to communicate that he is the guy who is supposed to deliver the formula for Allan. The insurance company has changed providers. And has told poor Kenny that he has to get this to me tonight. Kenny and I made up (he has a four year old and was terribly sorry that he had effed up bedtime. ) Still it was the better part of another hour before both boys were down and out. So much for my early bed time.
Saturday Dad headed out early (ish) with our dining room table. When people hear what Jay does they always say, you must have beautiful furniture. Um. Well. Um. We are the epitome of the cobbler's children having no shoes. The dining room table, while nice, looked like crap. Scratches and rings. You name it. Ridiculous. The last time we had people over and couldn't find a decent table cloth was the end of it, though. So we loaded it up and sent it over to the workshop. It will no doubt look lovely at the end of this, but, as of today, we still have no table. The boys like having the dining room clear, though. While Jay was out this morning, I set up the chairs with blankets over them and we played Cave and Tunnel. Allan was far braver -- he immediately crawled in and out and around everything Griff was far more suspicious and would start in and back out. Chicken.
Miss Miranda came and took care of the boys on Saturday afternoon while I cleaned the upstairs bedroom. We still had boxes of Xmas ornaments out. The floor had places where we had spilled formula and medicine. The whole thing was, in a word, filthy. After three hours of work, it finally was acceptable, though. As God is my witness, it will never be that way again. I went up to use the bathroom last night and Jay had left his socks on the floor and I thought I might commit homicide.
Griffith spent a fair amount of time yesterday stepping up an down on the step that Bailey gave him for Christmas. He was pretty hesitant about letting go of me. In fact, my index finger was purple from him gripping it as he got up and down. As you will see from the pictures, though, he got a lot braver. Up until he banged his forehead on the door. Nice goose-egg, pal.
Team Al and Griff did their first international webcast. Grandma and Grampy got their webcam up and had Jess, Lottie and Joe for the weekend. We set high noon as the time to call. The first hurdle was that they could see us, but not hear us. What ???? Okay, no problem. We worked out that we had turned off the volume on our computer so that it didn't disturb the boys. Problem solved. Sorta. The next problem was that Grampy's mic wasn't working. We never did get that straight. Jay and Grampy were on the phone while the cousins made monkeys of themselves on the video. Still, it was pretty successful for a first outing - the boys were very interested in the antics of their cousins and the cousins seemed amused with the boys. Next time we'll get it all straight.
The rest of the day was in-and-out. I would go for a while, then Jay. Griffith was an angel. He napped in the morning and again in the afternoon. Allan, on the other hand, is my difficult child. Despite being tired, he refused to sleep. And didn't want his brother to sleep, either. Griff did his typical fight, fight, fight, collapse. Allan, on the other hand, whinged and whirled and kicked and squawled. Every time that Griff was close to out, Allan would howl or something. I finally got Griff laid down and went to get a fresh diaper for Allan. I first had to disengage Mr. Busy-fingers from pulling his brother's curls (jealousy is a cardinal sin, Allan). Then, by the time I made it in to the nursery and back with a diaper, Allan had crawled across the floor and was milliseconds from a "slam dunk" on the basketball game which would have caused all sorts of commotion. BRAT.
What else? Griffith has learned to say "Al" and calls for his brother when he isn't in the room. Allan has become fascinated with the garage and will have cars go around the curves over and over again.
That's all I can think of at the moment.
The boys are looking forward to this weekend when they go to stay with cousin Bailey while Dad makes bookshelves for the living room. Bailey took care of Jacob Scott last weekend and it kept her quite busy. She was already thinking ahead to the boys' visit, though, and told her mom,
"And there are going to be TWO!'
Friday, February 15, 2008
All is well with Thing One and Thing Two. We are still limping along without Flora who continues to have problems following her knee replacement surgery.
On Wednesday, our scheduled sitter had a death in the family and the substitute for her had a wreck (it was very slick and snowy) on the way to our house. Miranda came to the rescue after she finished her classes at noon. Unfortunately, we had something of a repeat on Thursday -- our sub nanny got sick and the woman in charge was on the road and didn't get the message so we were solo again. I got Wednesday morning, but Dad got Thursday until about 2:30 (I had to be out of town in court.) When I got back, Dad and the boys were busy erecting the new baby gates in the bath and bedroom downstairs. Dad isn't a big fan, but gave in. The way the bathroom door and hall are, there is no way to have a gate that swings out. It would be forever in the way. And, unless we can have the bathroom door open, that hallway is very dark. There is a similar problem with the "guest" bedroom (which we are using for the time being.)
The retractable gates are great in a lot of ways, but they aren't short enough to step over and you have to use both hands to open them. They claim to be good for up to 200 pounds of pushing force. Griffith and Allan seem hellbent on testing that claim.
The weather was actually pretty nice yesterday so after Dad left, I loaded up the boys (who hadn't had a nap) and we went for a run/walk. I managed to tear the stupid plastic cover for the stroller so I just had to wrap them up snugly and off we went. After about 25 minutes the boys fell asleep. Since there is no way to get them back in the house without waking them, I just kept running until I couldn't any more and then we walked. The nice weather is so hit-or-miss that you feel like to have to take advantage when you can.
We had a good time last night. The boys made bourbon brownies for their dad. The attempt at making a heart from Hershey's syrup was well-intentioned, but didn't work so well. They were quite tasty, though. They also managed to sneak out and buy 2 dozen roses (one for each, naturally) for me. Sweet little guys.
As you can see from the pictures, we had quite a good time -- playing with hats and all. Griff has been exceptionally loving of his brother. Not that Allan appreciates it. Griff will come over to his brother and put his head on his back or belly and pat him. A lot of times it is random, but frequently it is when Allan is upset and fussy about something. Griff is clearly trying to console him.
Tonight as we were going to sleep Griff kept reaching over to rub Allan's hair. He also kept trying to hold Allan's hand and pat him on the back. Allan (suspicous as always) was having none of it. We are going to have to work on him. We have managed to make Griff empathetic. Now we have to make Allan receptive. Nothing is ever easy.
On Wednesday, our scheduled sitter had a death in the family and the substitute for her had a wreck (it was very slick and snowy) on the way to our house. Miranda came to the rescue after she finished her classes at noon. Unfortunately, we had something of a repeat on Thursday -- our sub nanny got sick and the woman in charge was on the road and didn't get the message so we were solo again. I got Wednesday morning, but Dad got Thursday until about 2:30 (I had to be out of town in court.) When I got back, Dad and the boys were busy erecting the new baby gates in the bath and bedroom downstairs. Dad isn't a big fan, but gave in. The way the bathroom door and hall are, there is no way to have a gate that swings out. It would be forever in the way. And, unless we can have the bathroom door open, that hallway is very dark. There is a similar problem with the "guest" bedroom (which we are using for the time being.)
The retractable gates are great in a lot of ways, but they aren't short enough to step over and you have to use both hands to open them. They claim to be good for up to 200 pounds of pushing force. Griffith and Allan seem hellbent on testing that claim.
The weather was actually pretty nice yesterday so after Dad left, I loaded up the boys (who hadn't had a nap) and we went for a run/walk. I managed to tear the stupid plastic cover for the stroller so I just had to wrap them up snugly and off we went. After about 25 minutes the boys fell asleep. Since there is no way to get them back in the house without waking them, I just kept running until I couldn't any more and then we walked. The nice weather is so hit-or-miss that you feel like to have to take advantage when you can.
We had a good time last night. The boys made bourbon brownies for their dad. The attempt at making a heart from Hershey's syrup was well-intentioned, but didn't work so well. They were quite tasty, though. They also managed to sneak out and buy 2 dozen roses (one for each, naturally) for me. Sweet little guys.
As you can see from the pictures, we had quite a good time -- playing with hats and all. Griff has been exceptionally loving of his brother. Not that Allan appreciates it. Griff will come over to his brother and put his head on his back or belly and pat him. A lot of times it is random, but frequently it is when Allan is upset and fussy about something. Griff is clearly trying to console him.
Tonight as we were going to sleep Griff kept reaching over to rub Allan's hair. He also kept trying to hold Allan's hand and pat him on the back. Allan (suspicous as always) was having none of it. We are going to have to work on him. We have managed to make Griff empathetic. Now we have to make Allan receptive. Nothing is ever easy.
Bowling for bears
Griffith (Mr. Destructo) will not roll the ball in to the pins, but, instead, creeps up very close to them and gently, oh, so gently, bumps them with the ball.
Trying it on for size
The boys love to try on hats. This one is a Polygamy Porter hat from a brewery in Salt Lake City. Its slogan? "Bring some home for the wives."
Navigating the maze
Both boys love crawling under the table and in and out and around the chair and table legs....they just need to get a little faster and we will enter them in the dog trials.
Checking it out from all angles
My boys both are fascinated with where the batteries go, off/on switches and screws, etc. Guess that's why they were so much help to Jay with the new baby gates!
Loving on his brother
Griffith does not get the credit he deserves for being a little sweetheart. This is a shot of him having come over and laid his head on Allan just giving him a little love.
Griffith on the prowl
Griffith has taken to doing more crawling these days. He has reverted because it is fun for him to crawl with his brother. Yesterday, they were playing 'chase' in the living room and having a grand time. Griff is still too fast, though, and once he would get too far ahead, Allan would simply stop, sit up, and wait. There is only so far that Griffith can go before he has to turn around and come back. No sense in wasting too much energy.
Daddy's project for the day
We had a babysitter snafu and Dad had to stay home for part of the day. He put his time to good use by putting up two new baby gates. The "spring-loaded" one was tearing up the paint on the door jamb and the boys are about big enough to pull it down. There is no room for one on the bathroom door (it would block the hall) and keeping the door closed makes the house seem dark. These are fancy retractable gates -- good for 200 lbs of pushing pressure (allegedly). The drawbacks are that they take two hands to open and are too high to comfortably step over. Still we don't have much choice.
Bourbon brownies for Dad
Griffith and Allan made bourbon brownies. Allan insisted on making a heart with Hershey's syrup. Unfortunately, by the time that Dad made it home, the heart had turned in to a blob. They tasted good any way. And the effort was appreciated.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The latest updates...
Lots of new pictures to ooh and ahhh over.
Monday night was Dad's night out so the boys and I snuggled down. It was cold and snowy and nasty so it was just fine with us that we were in. Bath time solo can be something of a challenge -- you really have to have everything set up beforehand so that you don't lose momentum (or a toddler!). Griffith was a dream. He was having a great time and being a little sweetheart. Allan, on the other hand, was right smart of a pain in the bottom. Allan refuses to sit in the tub. He wants to stand. Griff never tries to stand. Until his brother does. So then we have the two playing The Noble Duke of York in the bathtub -- one up while the other is down and then reversing. I finally had to call a halt to the bath early because of their rank defiance.
Griff was ready to crash immediately after the bath. We moved to the couch, turned down the lights and started to snuggle. Any other time, Allan would be off doing his own thing. Entertaining himself. Glad to play without interference. Not when Mom is the only game in town, though. He immediately made a bee-line for us on the couch and pulled up on my knee and raised a ruckus until I picked him up, too. At which point (naturally) he did not wish to snuggle and behave, but, instead, wanted to pester his brother (and, by extension, me) and keep him from sleeping. I finally wrestled him in to submission under my right arm, holding Griffith in my left and, before long, every one (including Mom) was asleep. Dad got home at nine to find us all passed out on the couch. I am going to have to get books on tape or something.
We are going to have to get video of Griffith dancing. He has really developed some moves here lately -- not only does he rock from side to side, he has now started using his arms, too. And, just this morning, he added in marching and spinning in circles. Very Lord of the Dance. He just about can't stand it because it is so fun and funny. He giggles and snorts and stumbles around because he has made himself so dizzy. Goofball.
Monday night was Dad's night out so the boys and I snuggled down. It was cold and snowy and nasty so it was just fine with us that we were in. Bath time solo can be something of a challenge -- you really have to have everything set up beforehand so that you don't lose momentum (or a toddler!). Griffith was a dream. He was having a great time and being a little sweetheart. Allan, on the other hand, was right smart of a pain in the bottom. Allan refuses to sit in the tub. He wants to stand. Griff never tries to stand. Until his brother does. So then we have the two playing The Noble Duke of York in the bathtub -- one up while the other is down and then reversing. I finally had to call a halt to the bath early because of their rank defiance.
Griff was ready to crash immediately after the bath. We moved to the couch, turned down the lights and started to snuggle. Any other time, Allan would be off doing his own thing. Entertaining himself. Glad to play without interference. Not when Mom is the only game in town, though. He immediately made a bee-line for us on the couch and pulled up on my knee and raised a ruckus until I picked him up, too. At which point (naturally) he did not wish to snuggle and behave, but, instead, wanted to pester his brother (and, by extension, me) and keep him from sleeping. I finally wrestled him in to submission under my right arm, holding Griffith in my left and, before long, every one (including Mom) was asleep. Dad got home at nine to find us all passed out on the couch. I am going to have to get books on tape or something.
We are going to have to get video of Griffith dancing. He has really developed some moves here lately -- not only does he rock from side to side, he has now started using his arms, too. And, just this morning, he added in marching and spinning in circles. Very Lord of the Dance. He just about can't stand it because it is so fun and funny. He giggles and snorts and stumbles around because he has made himself so dizzy. Goofball.
On your bottom, Griffith!
Griffith grinning because he knows he isn't supposed to be standing up in the tub.
Monday, February 11, 2008
My trip to Chicago was a great success all the way around. KK and I ordered in sushi on Friday night, watched part of Bridget Jones and Never Been Kissed, drank wine and caught up on life, the universe and everything. The view out her window is pretty amazing. I went to bed early and slept until I woke up (two full nights of sleep!). We did the spa on Saturday and got the royal treatment - manicures, pedicures, body scrubs, massages. After such a tough day we had to go home and have a nap. Then we went to a cheesy Moroccan restaurant with flamenco and belly-dancers. Hysterical. Sunday continued to beauty treatments -- a quick trip to the Bollywood Salon for threading (ouch!) and then home again, home again.
The boys all picked me up at the airport -- and you can see how the excitement affected Allan and Griffith. Jay was having trouble getting them to nap on Sunday so he put them in the car and drove laps around the airport. For about an hour. It is a wonder security didn't detain them!
The boys were happy enough to see me, I suppose, but they didn't really seem to have noticed my absence. A credit to their father's good care. By all reports, the guys were great -- the house was clean, the laundry done, the dishes done and a roast in the crock pot. Jay was the uber Dad. I'll have to go away more often!
The boys all picked me up at the airport -- and you can see how the excitement affected Allan and Griffith. Jay was having trouble getting them to nap on Sunday so he put them in the car and drove laps around the airport. For about an hour. It is a wonder security didn't detain them!
The boys were happy enough to see me, I suppose, but they didn't really seem to have noticed my absence. A credit to their father's good care. By all reports, the guys were great -- the house was clean, the laundry done, the dishes done and a roast in the crock pot. Jay was the uber Dad. I'll have to go away more often!
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