A mover and a shaker

Dane is a man on the move! He has been mobile for some time now, but in a non-linear, frustrating as heck fashion. He rolls to things, gets up on his hands and knees and then goes backwards. This annoys him into a fit where he rolls onto his back and kicks and cries until he tries it again. This has been going on for quite sometime.

Today however, something clicked. He got up on his hands and knees and rather than push back or collapse and roll he lunged forward. And looked around like holy cow, did anyone else see that?? So he did again. And again and again. This is no traditional crawling. It's an up and lunge and flatten and up again. But it is forward a purposeful and amazingly fast. Thus ends Sara's life as she currently knows it.

He's a moose!

Okay, so moose might be an exaggeration but Dane's weight check appointment today went well. He was 17 lbs. 2 oz. That means over the last three weeks he has put on about a half an ounce a day and stabilized at about the 15th percentile for weight. Both the doc and I were happy with this. As long as his weight stays consistent it doesn't matter where on the chart he falls. The funnier thing to me is that since his 6 month appointment he has grown over 2 inches, to 29 1/4 inches today. That put him at the 95th percentile for length! Those stats seem more reptilian than human but we are satisfied none the less.

The doc said his only concern was for our future grocery bill. He said Dane is the sort of kid who as a teenage will eat 7000 calories a day and struggle to maintain 110 lbs. Since Dane is going to be "wispy" (as Greg put it), he'd better learn how to outrun his brother because there is nothing wisp like about our Nathan! As for Aubrey, it wont' matter her physical size, I have no doubt that she will rule the roost!

School Days, School Days

I graduated from college six years ago. I assumed I was done. College education, check. I have lost millions of brain cells from sleep deprivation. I haven't studied anything other than the side of a bottle of baby Tylenol in years. I have attempted to start complicated Bible studies over and over again and fail because I can't concentrate, milk gets spilled on my papers, and I fall asleep working. I use my old nursing textbooks as coasters.


I am thinking about going back to school.

The problem is that the job that I seem to enjoy is school nursing. Sounds easy, right? Kids get bigger, start school, Sara gets dreamy school nursing school in her children's school. Great schedule, educational requirements already met. Slam dunk.

Except it's not. I have a nursing education and nursing license but to work in the schools I had to get an Educational Staff Associate (ESA) certificate. I got my initial certificate several years ago and it expires in 2010. That means that if I want to go back to school nursing in the future I have to renew my certificate. The catch is that the renewal requires 30 semester credits of more education. A master's degree is 40 credits. Doesn't make much sense to do 75% of a degree so, enter stage right, THE MASTERS DEGREE.

There are options of course. I don't have to be a school nurse. But I really want to be. I loved the work. It is community based, health promoting, working with kids and adults, lots of education and teaching, and void of miserable hospital hours. I don't work weekends, holidays, or summers. I'm off for the day when the kids get off. Both Greg and I agree that is is the way to go. So, back to stage right, THE MASTERS DEGREE.

I am a good student and enjoy school but the thought of doing it with THREE KIDS is mind boggling. Greg and I discussed it last night and it seems like sooner is better than later. The kids' schedules are only going to get busier and it would be great to be ready to go when Dane starts school, rather than fumbling around with finishing, or just starting. Of course, with all the kids in school my days would be more free, but I'd be spending money, not earning it. Besides, will it ever really be easy?

Greg is very much behind me going back. This is essential because if I do it will be a family endeavor. There are so many logistics we'd have to work through, including my schedule, Greg's schedule, where the kids are, when do I study, who is doing laundry, and has anyone fed the cats in the past three days??

The fun side is that the idea of learning something and using my brain is very appealing. The program I'm interested in is a Masters in Nursing/Community Based-Population Focused degree with an emphasis in education. It's offered here in town at the nursing school I graduated from. Full time looks to be a three semester program but I have inquiries in about part time programs. Nursing classes are tricky time wise because a clinical will be given 3 credits but consume 20 hours a week. I want to be careful about not sending myself and our family to the loony bin while doing this.

So, does anyone know someone who has gone back to school with a house full of little kids? I know it's done but were they sane? Was their family? Are we nuts to even be considering this? If you have any interesting anecdotes or bits of wisdom I'd love to hear them. For now, I think I'll start sharpening my #2 pencils and dusting off my brain.

Thanks

Thanks for all the good feedback on my hair.  I am really liking it.  After styling it myself Greg has said that it is "really growing on him" and the kids have stopped laughing.  Besides, I like it so what else matters?

THE picture

Here is the picture, you be the judge. In fairness to my family, the way I did my bangs is much less severe than how they were done yesterday. I personally think it's cute.

Haircut

I will begin by saying that this post will not include a picture of the haircut that is being discussed. My self-esteem isn't feeling up to it.

I got my hair cut today in a new, un-Sara like way. Most distinctly is the addition of bangs. The stylist flat ironed them STICK STRAIGHT so they are severe looking and a drastic change. I'm sure when I get to them the look will be more subtle. These are the remarks my family greeted me with when I got home.

Greg: Um, I'll reserve judgment until I see how you fix it. (His face was saying, "I HATE IT.")

Aubrey (she said all of the following over the course of about fifteen minutes): "Oh Mom, that is a silly silly haircut." "When they asked to cut your hair you should have said 'NO WAY JOSE'!" "Will you come and say good-night with that silly hair?" "Why did you cut your hair?"

Nathan (giggling uncontrollably): "Mama, silly silly silly hair." "YOU ARE SILLY!" "Funny hair mommy."

Great. I will apparently not be leaving the house until they are grow out.

Welcome Claire Elise Brandon!

The newest addition to KayLynn and David's family, Claire Elise, was born today, Aug. 17, at 7:01 p.m. She weighed seven pounds even and was 19 3/4 inches long. KayLynn was a champ, laboring for 19 hours with nary a drug and apparently barely a peep. It was reported by the midwife and nurses that KayLynn and David were one of the best laboring teams they had seen. We love them so much and are so thrilled to have a brand new niece!

I got to visit Claire just an hour and a half after she was born. She has beautiful dainty features and is already basking in the glow of the smiles on her parents' faces. Truly, neither one of them could stop smiling. Babies are indescribably precious and this baby was born into a whole lot of love. Congratulations David and KayLynn!!

p.s. Even though it isn't about us, we are so excited to have another cousin! One nephew and one niece, all in just over a months time. It's going to be so fun watching our kids grow up with their cousins. Aubrey and Claire will have to band together against the three little monkey boys, Nathan, Dane, and Jonny. Family is great!

A conversation with Aubrey

Jenny directed me towards this cute blog where a mom asked her son a bunch of questions and posted the answers. I enjoyed it so much that I thought I should repeat it. Here are the questions that I asked Aubrey and her word for word answers. Jen, thanks for the great idea! For anyone with kids old enough to do this with, you should try it. It was so fun to hear her answers.

What is something mom always tells you to do?
Today is what you do, you make lunch. (Yep, makes no sense.)

What makes mommy happy?
My heart.

What makes mommy sad?
When you slip. (See earlier post about falling in cat puke.)

What does mommy do that makes you laugh?
How you make me laugh is to say "BOO!" Can you say boo? Does my heart still make you happy?

How old is mommy?
Um, twenty-six.

How tall is mommy?
(Stretch arms high in the air) "Like this!"

What is mommy's favorite thing to do?
Your favorite thing is to wash the dishes.

What does mommy do when you're not around?
Um, cry. You cry and cry and cry.

If mommy were famous what would she be famous for?
(Clearly not understanding the question) Um, famous for my heart.

What is something mommy is good at?
Really good at making some letters. You are good at taking movies down for us.

What is mommy's job?
Your job is to write a message to someone, like that. (She was referencing me writing down her answers.)

What is mommy's favorite food?
Casserole.

What is something you like to do with mommy?
Read books.

If mommy were a cartoon character, what would she be?
You're a creature!

What do you like to do?
To write my name and read books.

How are mommy and Aubrey the same?
How we're the same, we're both pink. (She had on pink butterfly wings and I had on a pink skirt.)

How are mommy and Aubrey different?
We wear different clothes.

How do you know mommy loves you?
You say "I love you, way up to heaven."

When it Rains, it Pours

The Jones Family continues to be under quarantine. Greg finally went to the doctor yesterday after being on day 8 of respiratory illness. They gave him a steroid shot for inflammation and put him on a 10 day dose of antibiotics. Nathan, on day 5 of hacking, lethargy, and not eating got taken to the doctor as well. He is the proud owner of double ear infections. He also hacked so hard after lunch that he threw up all over himself, the bed, and the floor. Dane had acquired a pretty nice cough himself and has slept with us the last two nights. Aubrey and I are the only ones who haven't succumbed yet, must be that strong XX thing. NOT FUN!

In other health reports, Dane had a weight check on Monday after I decided he wasn't putting much weight on. I was right. Just seven ounces in a month, which isn't much at all. Currently he has only put on 1 lb. 4 oz. in the last three months. We decided to go full force with the Zantac and hope that really helps. He is being fed constantly so we're not sure what else to do. He has another weight check next week and a follow up with the doc in two weeks. Any other suggestions on how to fatten a baby?

To say this hasn't been a great day is a gross understatement. What cemented it into awful was when (this is a true story) I slipped on an unseen puddle of kitty barf (yep, you read that right) and crashed to the ground. Where I landed on my hand is swollen and purple and I have nice scrapes on my arm and leg. I HATE OUR CATS and am ready for this day to be over. So, who's coming to my house to clean it and make dinner? Those are two things that aren't happening today.

The pity party isn't over but I'll stop making you hear about it.

Zoo pictures

Jonny, gazing adoringly at Uncle Greg.
Nathan on the "spiderweb" at the zoo.
What a cute little spider!
Look, it's a rat. How exotic!
The otter slide. It was so slow you almost went backwards.
Mommy and Daddy, I am pooped!
Greg has never looked so attractive to me.

Goat hair is easier to brush than Aubrey hair.

Pictures of Jonny

Julie, Jason, and "new cousin Jonny" (as Nathan called him)
A precious picture of Dane that Jason took
The whole clan. Look at Dane pulling Jonny's hair!
COUSINS!
Aubrey and Jonny
Nathan and Jonny
Me with my first nephew

There should be more pictures to come, some of just Jonny and Greg with Jonny. Our email is having a tough time getting emails with attachments and many of the pictures that Jason forwarded to me bounced back. Stay tune though, there is more cuteness where that came from!

If you were a Nathan this is what you would have done this morning

You would have woken up at 5:45 and crawled into bed with Mom and Dad. You would have laid there peacefully for 2.4 seconds until bursting up and shouting, "I NEED A SNACK!"

You would have said you needed to poop and sat on the toilet for 15 minutes with nothing happening while you sister gives your mom the play by play. "Mom, Nathan is pushing SO HARD, like this, grrrrrrrr! I looked but there's not poop yet. Nathan, do you want a book?"

After getting off the potty with no poop to show for the work you would have promptly pooped your clean underwear and shorts.

You would have been in time out at least five times for various indiscretions like biting your sister, repeatedly not being gentle with your baby brother and shouting "NO WAY!" at your mom when she asked you to finish your milk.

While in time out you would have thrown every shoe off the shoe rack onto the floor. When forced to pick up the mess you would have done so but only done it while wearing a pair of your daddy's shoes. You know, to speed the process up.

You would have dumped out a bag of fishy crackers into your mom's purse at your sister's dance class.

You would have dumped a cup of dad's chewed up sunflower seed shells (see earlier post) onto the floor of the van.

You would have said, "Look Mommy, I do it by myself" to show your mom that you had colored your Uncle David a birthday picture. On the counter.

You would have tried to sign "I love you" to your mommy over and over again and asked for dozens of exploding kisses.

You would have done all of this with the BIGGEST smile on your face.

I LOVE YOU NATHAN!

Catch up

Things are quite different than my last post. I'll begin by saying that we ended up going to Seattle last weekend to meet our new nephew. Lest you think we are an inconsiderate bunch of clods for bringing them the intestinal flu, let me explain.

Greg came home from work on Thursday, thinking he was coming down something. He was nervous, having seen what I went through. I originally thought I had food poisoning but changed my mind when others got sick. Once Greg was home and ate something though he felt fine. Friday morning rolled around and we were all okay. Running, eating, playing. Greg and I thought once again that I probably had food poisoning (which is my final diagnosis on the matter). We called Julie and Jason and got their opinion. They said come so we did. I'm SO GLAD we did because we were healthy and continue to be so. Plus, we didn't miss out on our opportunity to see baby Jonny. He was as beautiful as his pictures and so snuggly. The only thing the pictures didn't do justice was his HAIR! It is amazing. It isn't just long, it's thick. At three weeks old the kid gets bed head! When you hold him you must pet him. Truly, our kids don't have that much hair until nearly two years of age.

While there we also squeezed in a visit to the Tacoma Zoo, stayed with Jason's parents, and got in some good baby snuggling. Jonny is perfect and a great addition to the Jones/Reynolds families. Thanks Julie and Jason for a lovely weekend!

Secondly, happy anniversary to us! Greg and I were married 8 years ago today. Our wonderful friends Angela and Justin share the exact same anniversary as us (they got married four hours before us) so obviously August 5, 2000 was a blessed day from the start. We spent the evening enjoying a special dinner (by special I mean something that had multiple items of food and none of them were pancakes or sandwiches), sipping girly wine that I will drink, and deciding which of the several hundred movies we haven't seen to rent at Blockbuster. Greg is my best friend and a committed partner in all parts of our life and I am so fortunate to be with him. And he's stinking blessed to have me, I am a supremely wonderful wife. :-) Eight years flies by when you are with the person you love. Heck, if we were celebrities people would be asking us for our marriage secrets and how we make it work. I would say with separate closets, lots of snuggles, and a high tolerance for emotional women and men who make awful sounds when eating sunflower seeds. I LOVE YOU GREG!