A Little Mishap

On Monday evening, Adam decided to cut Vin's hair.  He's done this before, and though he's no professional, it's worked out well.  For a toddling 1 year-old, Vin has a lot of hair and has had regular hair cuts for the last 6 months.

I was not involved in this hair cut.  Vera came running in the house shouting for me to come outside and see Vin's hair.  I walked outside, and as I approached Adam and Vin, I stopped in complete shock.  Tears welled in my eyes.  Evidently the attachment guard on the clippers slipped off, and Vin had a huge pass of hair that was cut to the scalp!

This is after we trimmed the rest of his hair.  Still very noticeable.  

I was so upset.  All I could think about was him becoming a big brother any day and having a horrible hair cut.  And it was a huge section!  Right in front!  And he's just a baby!  There would be no good way to fix this, other than to shave it nearly bald.

It was an honest mistake on Adam's part.  We decided to trim the rest of his hair a little shorter and then let someone else (who knows what they're doing) try to fix it.  In the meanwhile, he had went 24 hours with an awful hair cut.  Patty got a laugh out of it, but she also could sympathize with how upsetting it is.

I took him uptown the next evening, and thanks to one of the ladies at A Cut Above, it looks much better.  It's definitely high and tight.  We've been calling him Mr. Buzz Cut or Mr. Skin Head.  He isn't going to need a hair cut until Thanksgiving, and we're surely going to save on baby shampoo!

I know there are worse things.  His hair will grow.  But, we will always remember this.  Any day, he will be a holding his newest sibling while sporting his buzz cut!

Buddies

Vera and Vince really are buddies.  Though sometimes they seem more like enemies, they are starting to play and interact more and more.  

Vera sat down to look at the book, and promptly, Vince followed suit.

A Boy on the Go

Vince is so busy right now.  He moves from one thing to the next, exploring, destroying, following, and playing.  He can be very loving and sweet, but it doesn't last long.  No time for that!

When Vera was his age, she said quite a few words and responded to questions we'd ask her.  She loved to read books and watch Mickey Mouse.  None of this is true for Vin.  He could care less about TV, says no words, and only can respond to a few of our questions.  He knows where to find his belly and toes, where to put his paci when waking up, and what a cow says.  I must admit that his "moo" is pretty cute!  Recently he has shown an interest in reading books, but we can't turn the pages fast enough.  He only has time for books with minimal words.  Such a difference between a boy and girl!

Vince communicates mostly by grunting, pointing and reaching.  When Vera takes something from him, he squeals loudly and fights back.  I've caught him grabbing her shirt in an effort to regain whatever she ripped out of his hands.  He hangs on the fridge or points to his seat when he's hungry, for instance.  When we say "eat eat," he bolts for his chair and is immediately ready to get in and scarf down food.  His appetite is much better lately, and usually shoves in food as fast as he can.  When he gets in his seat, he expects to eat now.  And he'll let you know how he feels if you don't have his food quite ready.  When he's done, he throws the food on the floor or smashes it and smears it on the tray.  His latest "trick" is to turn his sippy upside-down and bang it on his tray, resulting in a puddle for him to play in and a mess for us to clean.  He cannot be unsupervised with a cup for any amount of time!

He definitely loves to be outside right now, and he thinks it's fun to put on his shoes.  He willingly brings us the shoes/socks and sits still for us to put them on.  He realizes that "shoes on" = outside.  He's quick, especially outside.  He took off toward the road recently, and scared me to death.  It's amazing how fast they get away.  He pushes his lawnmower, swings golf clubs, climbs on anything, drags things off the shelves in the garage, plays in the mulch, throws balls (always left-handed, for now), follows Vera (and usually wants what she has), crawls in the bubbling rocks, falls down, and just roams around.  Recently, he thinks it's great fun to climb up on the porch and roam around.  He doesn't know how to get back down, so it's awfully scary when he sneaks away and climbs on the porch.  I'm sure he would literally walk right off.  Adam has also caught him on top of the kiddie picnic table a few times recently.  He's at the age where we can't take our eye off of him.

This is at Blake & Nora's birthday party.  Vince was so dirty!  But he was in heaven slopping, stomping, scooping and just playing.  He had sand in his ears and even in his mouth.  Needless to say, he got a bath before we went home.  Getting dirty is totally his thing!

If he can't be outside, he's looking out the doors at the action he hears outside.  Any truck, tractor, motorcycle or other loud vehicle always gets his attention and he'll point.  He understands what a tractor is, and he's really enjoyed the tractor activity across the road as they take the crops off.  He says "tractor" though it sounds nothing like the actual word.  He puts together some sort of grunted two-syllable word that always sounds the same when he's pointing at the tractor.

This was a treat.  We never let our kids ride on the mower.  He smiled so big when he got on.  Later in the day, he threw a fit and refused to nap because he heard the mower running outside.  He wanted out there, now!

Although he is really busy right now, he is a good kid.  He eats very well, and sleeps 10 hours each night.  Taking a morning and afternoon nap are still a must.  (I'm especially thankful for this, with a new baby coming anytime.  But since I've mentioned this, I'm sure he'll decide on the no-nap trend just as soon as we come home from the hospital.  It'd just make sense for him to do that to us!)  Adam and I were just talking about how he's so much happier since he learned to walk.  Though we have to watch him like a hawk, it's so much nicer to take him outside.  He doesn't put things in his mouth as much anymore, and being able to walk around, instead of crawl, has made a big difference.  If he can be on the move, inside or out, his little heart is content.

We love the ornery little monster to pieces.  I'm sure he's going to be a great big brother, even though he will surely keep us on our toes!

A Beautiful Evening

Adam took the kids out to play one evening after supper while I caught up on a few things inside.  The weather was perfect, and it was nice to get them out for some fresh air.  I loved watching them play from the kitchen windows.  They spent at least 30 minutes in the sand playing, constructing, and interacting.  Quality time together and special moments to capture...

Look closely.  There's sand stuck to his face.  Sand is tasty.  Didn't you know?

They told me that they nicknamed Vince "the destroyer."  Every castle and creation they built, he stomped on or smashed.  Just doing his job as the little brother, right?!  He also thought it was great fun to dump the sand out of the sandbox.

Vince has no time to pose for a picture.

I went out and joined them for a short while.  I checked out their creations, and then helped Vince go down the slide.  Both kids had sand everywhere as we cleaned up and went inside.  But it was worth it; they had fun playing and getting dirty.  After all, isn't this what being a kid is all about?

36 Weeks

The 36th week of pregnancy was not an easy one for a lot of reasons...

...The temperature was in the 90s for several days straight, and our house was not cool and comfortable in the evenings.  Because of the heat, I really started to swell a lot.  My feet and hands were so sore and tight from sunup to sundown.  Sometimes it hurt to grip a pen or even walk.  One day at school, I brought 3 pairs of shoes with so I could rotate them.  I tried to drink as much water as I could tolerate, and stay off my feet as much as I could.  I so desperately wanted to wear tennis shoes to school, but there was no way I'd be able to fit my feet in them.  I think my feet have physically grown a size or two in the last weeks.  Beyond the swelling, it seems like my shoes are all the wrong size.

...I started to get in the groove of the school routine.  Waking up in the mornings wasn't bad, but by the end of the day, my energy was completely gone.  I was tired and sore from being on the go all day.

...Vince spiked a high fever mid-week and was awake for about 3 hours one evening.  Between my lack of sleep because of discomfort and his lack of sleep, I really didn't sleep much at all one night.  I paid for that the next day.  Fortunately, Adam was able to stay home with Vince and took him to the doctor.  He checked out with clear ears and throat.  He perked up later that evening, and was back to himself 24 hours later.  But, that didn't end his rough week.  He took two hard falls throughout the week, one at Patty's and one at home.  At home, he busted his mouth open and we had blood everywhere.  His lip was swollen and very tender.  Luckily his teeth are ok, but he has a big sore inside his mouth as well.

...Vera developed a bad cold and low-grade fever late in the week.  She was congested and grumpy in the mornings.  It's been lingering for a few days.  The change in weather and temperature hasn't helped.

...Adam has poison ivy again!  This time it's by his eyes and on the tops of his feet.  Uck!  That stuff is so mean.  I pray that I don't get Vera's cold, but I especially pray that I don't get the poison ivy!!

...I was supposed to have my last ultrasound and testing done before delivery.  I got a call about 50 minutes before my appointment telling me the appointment was cancelled.  I was disappointed.  I just want to know that everything is good to go.  Only a few weeks to go.  Maybe more, maybe less.

On a good note...

...we do have a working list of names for this baby.  Nothing definite, but at least a few options that we both agree on.

...we (actually, my mom) found a nice, used crib that will work perfectly for Mr. Vince.  It's set up, cleaned, and ready to use.  We've started giving him naps in the new bed, and very soon he'll start spending nights in it.  Vera and Vin will share a bedroom for a while until we settle in and decide what will work best.

...I got my car seat clean and replacement straps for it.  (Our infant car seat, which was stored in the basement for about 4 months, attracted mold and mildew.  It was disgusting and depressing.  I went through a process of disinfecting, soaking, scrubbing and washing it clean.  Most of it cleaned up really well.  The straps were really stained and I was not comfortable putting a sweet, newborn baby in them.  Fortunately the manufacturer sells replacement straps that are fairly inexpensive.  I ordered a set, received them quickly, and Adam installed them easily.)

I hesitate to even share these pictures.  I was so upset about the mold and mildew everywhere.  Initially, I wanted to throw the whole thing away and buy a new one.  Through lots of research and cleaning techniques, it cleaned up fairly well.  In talking to a few people, I realized that this has happened to more people than I realized.  It made me feel better to know that my house is not unclean.  I guess car seats attract mold and mildew easily.

...I cleaned out a few drawers to make room for infant clothing.  Most everything is washed and ready to go.

...I started packing bags for myself and the kids.  There's a lot of things to still put in them, but it's started.

It won't be long now.  Can't believe it!

1st Day of Preschool

Vera's first day of preschool was Wednesday, September 2.  To say that she was excited is an understatement.

The night before, we fixed her hair really nicely so that in the morning, we'd just have to fix it up a little.  We laid out her clothes and talked about what she'd eat for breakfast.  We also filled out this page that I found online.  I wrote down the first answer she gave me, and I found some of her answers perfectly fitting (and pretty funny!)

It was a Tuesday evening, so Adam was at golf.  I put her to bed around 8, and read her this story that I chose on purpose.

The story talks about how if I kept you little, I'd miss out on all of the cool and special things you'll do someday when you're big.  I tucked her in and told her that I was so excited for her and her first day of preschool.  As I shut out the light and walked down the hall of a quiet house, I couldn't help but hold back my tears.  How could it be time for her to go to preschool already?  Where did the time go?  Am I really ready for this?  Is she?  Will she be a good friend at school and do what is right?  Will she be influenced by the kids who make bad choices?  What if she cries tomorrow?  It's so hard to let go...

In the morning, Vera woke up happy and was anxious to get going.  She ate her breakfast, got dressed and got ready without much whining or complaining.  Then, we took plenty of pictures.

We took off for Patty's house to drop of Vinners.  While I was taking Vince inside, Vera put her window down and gave Patty a big, excited wave.  Patty told her to have a great first day and waved back.  As we drove out of Versailles, Vera asked, "Are we there yet?" which is a very typical thing for her right now in the car.  Adam called her on our way to school and told her to have a great day.   He was excited for her, too.  As we pulled in the parking lot, Vera could hardly contain her excitement.  I helped her unbuckle and as she put on her backpack she said, "Preschool, here I come!"  She was just so excited.  She ran down the halls the whole way to her classroom as she hollered back, "Come on, mom!  Hurry up!"

When we arrived at her classroom, there was one other little boy there already.  Mrs. Clymer was the daycare teacher, and she happily greeted us.  Vera knew right where to put her backpack, and Mrs. Clymer took a few pictures for us.

I gave her a big hug, told her to have a great day, and reminded her that I'd be back to get her after school.  She happily said, "Bye, mom!" and I walked out.  I will honestly admit that her excitement made it so much easier on me!

As I walked out, I heard Vera talking to Mrs. Clymer about the fish aquarium in the room.  I also heard her tell Mrs. Clymer that her fish, Rockstar Ruby, died.  I laughed to myself.  She was there a whole two minutes and already sharing interesting and embarrassing details about our household.  I'm confident it won't be the last embarrassing thing she has to share.

I thought about her all day, and even walked down to the preschool to peek in her room a time or two.  I didn't want her to see me, but was curious how she was doing.  Each time, the door was closed, so I had no luck in spying on her.  ;)  They have a preschool daily routine so we have an idea of what they're up to and when.  I found myself checking that often to see what she might be doing.

At the end of the day, she was so excited to see me and had so much to tell me....
...she colored a picture for us.
...it was so loud in the cafeteria!
...they took her food away before she was done eating.  (She was not happy about this.  I warned her that if she did too much talking and poking around, they would do that and she would be hungry later.  It was not a shock to me that this happened.)
...one boy in a grey and blue striped shirt cried.
...they walk on the train tracks to get to lunch, and they have to wait on the train tracks until it's their turn.
...the playground was super fun.
...she played with a girl named Rose.
...they sat in a big circle and she got to sit next to Mrs. Wynk.
...at nap time she couldn't find her pillow or blanket and Mrs. Thomas had to help.
...they had two snacks.

When we got home, she wasn't really interested in telling her dad about her day.  Surprisingly, she was pretty good that evening.  We had expected her to be exhausted and grumpy.  She said she had a lot of fun at preschool, and she can't wait to go back again.

Back to School

My first day of school this year was September 1.  It really didn't feel real that summer was ending and school was starting.  I don't know why.  I always like the first day of school because the kids are excited (even if they won't admit it!) and everyone looks and dresses their best for the first day!  New folders, new shoes, new pencils and notebooks also seem to get kids just a little excited for another year of school.  On the other hand, as a teacher, the first day is also exhausting.  It involves a lot of talking and repetition.  It always takes me a few days to get back into the practice of standing and talking.

The kids also had an adjustment to our back to school routine.  It was a long week.  The kids (and I) were exhausted when we got home.  They do not adapt well to a change in their sleep patterns or day-to-day routine.  In fact, I warned Adam on the Sunday evening before school started to prepare for a long and difficult week.  Three of the four family members are adapting to a new normal, and it's going to involve grumpiness, busyness, and exhaustion that we aren't used to.

Vince has had some trouble adjusting to Patty's house.  He's cried everyday for a week when I leave him in the morning.  He does not willingly go to Patty, and several of the days he's cried as we walk in the door.  It makes me sad to leave him behind.  It's never easy to leave your kids when they're crying.  I always tell myself that he will be fine once I leave, and it is only worse if I stick around as he cries and reaches for me.  It's probably easier on everyone if I just go.  Patty says that he is super-busy at her house all day long.  That describes him perfectly.  He's non-stop and on the move.  He is also exhausted at the end of the day, even with his naps.  Poor guy!

As of now, it takes us a little less than 2 hours to get ready in the morning.  That includes me showering, getting completely ready, packing lunch, getting both kids dressed and fed, fixing Vera's hair, brushing her teeth, shoes for both kids, and out the door.  Occasionally I have a few extra minutes to think about plans for our evening dinner.  And, you never know when someone will wet the bed, have a surprise dirty diaper, spill their breakfast everywhere, and on and on...  I don't know how I will manage when we add a baby to the mix, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.  It's too bad Adam misses all of the morning excitement; he's out of the house by 5:30 everyday.  I miss his help in the mornings, but once we get our routine down, it is my life-line to get to work on-time.

I have about 4.5 weeks of school until our baby is due, and I'm hoping to take 12 weeks off.  I'm very busy getting things ready for a sub while I'm on maternity leave.  I have the same long-term sub that I had last year while on maternity leave with Vince, so I feel good about that.  Thankfully, my schedule at school is lighter than normal, and that makes a big difference!  Here's to another successful, healthy, and sane school year!

Teaching Year #11.

We had a few minutes to spare, and I managed to set the timer on my camera for the traditional first day picture.  I have a picture with the kids from all of my first days of school since Vera was born.  We had lots of outtakes.  Here's the best one.