Wednesday Will-isms

Zach and Will both got their hair cut last weekend. Will got his cut pretty short, and I was going on and on about how cute it was and how it made him look like such a big boy. Finally, Zach asks, "How does my hair look?" Will was quick to reply: "Daddy, your hair doesn't look cute (pronounced 'coot'). It just looks short."

*********************************************
Somehow, Will has picked up a new phrase (my guess is from Zach): "Bow chica wow wow."

*********************************************
Will has been working on being very polite and asking appropriately when he wants something. He seems to think that the only thing you need to do to make a request polite is to add "may". So, we frequently hear, "Roll my window down please may." At least he's trying!

Crazy Life

For the past month, our lives have been in the height of crazy. Now, don't get me wrong, many of the reasons life is crazy is due to very positive things. In fact, the biggest point of crazy is the fact that we are moving! In June, we found a house that we really loved--it had everything we were looking for in a house--so we decided to put our house on the market and see what would happen. I admit, I wasn't optimistic, but only a few weeks after we put our house on the market, we got a non-contingent, cash offer that was (reasonably) close to our asking price. So, we began all of the processes of moving: loans, inspections, closing dates, and lots and lots of paperwork. Since the end of July, we've been working on packing up the house, and on August 14th, we closed on both houses. But, because nothing is ever simple, we had to get out of our current house immediately and couldn't get into our new house until the beginning of September. So, we put everything in storage (move number one) and all moved in with my sweet parents for two and a half weeks. Move number two is on September 3rd, and we will finally get into our new house! Luckily, it doesn't need ANY work, so we can move right in.

Now, moving with two small kids is wild enough, but there's also been more fun in our life. In July, Will had the flu and was home from school for several days. Zach's parents came in town for a weekend. Zach had to travel for work a couple of times. And as a nice bookend, Will got sick AGAIN this past week. And of course, it's time for both kids' birthdays, which means it's also time for both of them to go to the doctor for their checkups. Will also had to go to the dentist.

So, there's just been a lot going on in the Mather household. Luckily, nothing bad (except for Will's illnesses), but even fun things can be stressful and overwhelming. I'm very ready for things to calm down a little bit, but I'm fully aware that the fun has just begun in terms of moving. Hopefully, we'll be settled soon...it can't get here fast enough.

Updated: The most recent time that Will was sick, I finally took him to the doctor on a "hunch". Turns out he had PNEUMONIA! I was shocked...they did a chest X-ray and everything. Oh, and he also had an ear infection, even though he had never mentioned that his ear hurt. We were definitely glad that we made the trip to the doctor, and Will seems to be on the mend. But really--I hope we can all stay well for a bit!

Eleven Months!

I don't know why I even pretend like I'm going to post these updates on time anymore. Regardless, there has been a lot going on in Julia's life since I last posted. For one, I was right about her teeth...she did get several all at once...her four top middle ones! We had a brief reprieve from the teething pains, but now I think it's back in full force...see the constant "finger in mouth" look displayed in this month's picture.

On the sleeping front, we're still about where we were last month. I think she just may be an early bird, because it seems that 5:30 is as late as it gets, usually. She also still does some of her late night talking, and I can't figure out if that's due to teething pains or too much daytime napping (or some other mysterious force). I've just accepted that a full night's sleep is not in the cards for now.

Julia moved up to a new class at school this month, and she seems to be really enjoying it. In Infant II, she has more time and space to move around and crawl and play...all of her favorite things! Of course, this new found freedom means that she's also not napping as well, but luckily, she still doesn't get too cranky in the evenings, even without much nap.

This month Julia also started pulling up on everything! I love to watch her mind work as she attempts to figure out how she can hold her baby, pull up and get another toy, and then take everything across the room. I know she is dying to walk so she can accomplish this! I can just picture the lightbulb moment when she realizes she can travel AND carry things with her. Life will never be the same! It's been very funny watching Julia play, because obviously we have lots of boy toys around the house. Of course, Julia will play with blocks, legos, and cars, but she's really started gravitating toward her babydoll, which is so fascinating to me. We haven't really emphasized playing with babies, but it seems that girls and boys are just wired differently. She LOVES that baby and lights up when she sees it...she calls it "A-DAAYEEE". She's also started saying, "uh-oh," "Mama," and "Dada" although I'm not positive that she associates Mama and Dada with me and Zach.

There are lots of things I'm forgetting, and of course, this post doesn't begin to capture Julia's little self. But, hopefully it will at least give me a reminder of what was going on at eleven months. I can't believe my baby will be one in just a few weeks! It has gone too fast...

Wednesday Will-isms

I know I've been a delinquent blogger, but I have a good reason: our lives are CRAZY right now! I will have to post more later so I can remember this time, but here's a little gem from Will for now:

The other day, Will and I went to the grocery store. When we get to the check out line, he likes to get out of the cart and help me put the groceries on the conveyor belt for the cashier. Typically, I hand him things that he can put on the belt, so that he doesn't try to pick up anything breakable, smush the bread, etc. So, as I was trying to hand him things, I guess I got a little too eager. Exasperated, Will said, "I only have two hands, Mama."

I wonder how many times I've said that to him and just didn't notice that he was picking up on it!

Ten Months!

We've been busy, and I'm late once again on this post. Julia has also been quite busy since the last post I did about her. For starters, let's talk about her picture. This month, it became very difficult to get a good picture of her because she kept attempting to dive out of the chair! That's right--our little girl is on the move. She learned to crawl over 4th of July weekend and hasn't stopped since. She just keeps getting faster. Now, if you turn your back for two seconds, she will disappear! In other motor skills, she has also learned to clap and she's working on her wave. Important skills for her future in beauty pageants.

Around the 4th of July, Julia also got her first tooth! She is now the proud owner of the two middle bottom teeth. The rest of the teeth seem to be tormenting her, and I keep thinking she's going to get a bunch at one time. I asked my dentist for a magical teething remedy, so he gave me something that includes peragoric, benadryl, and lidocaine. When I told our pediatrician about it, he said, "I didn't know people still used that!" At this point, as long as it isn't going to cause grave injury, I'm up for it! I think the teething is really affecting Julia's (already-not-so-good) sleeping, and this remedy, along with the teething tablets and Motrin, seems to have helped. Now, most nights she will sleep until around 5:30 without waking up, but we still have plenty of times where she thinks it's a great idea to have a party in the middle of the night. She doesn't scream or even cry; instead she just talks, loudly, with a bit of fussing thrown in for good measure, for a REALLY LONG TIME. Zach and I have taken to alternating nights for earplugs, so at least one of us can get a good night's sleep.

One thing I really love about this stage is watching Julia's personality develop. She's got a very chill, relaxed attitude about things, but at the same time, she is super energetic and extremely busy...a little maniac. I still find it hard to believe that BOTH children have gotten Zach's boundless energy. When do I get the child that sits quietly and reads by herself, like I surely did as a child?! Anyway, Julia is so funny to watch. She loves attention, but she's also very independent and content to entertain herself. If Will comes and takes a toy from her, she crawls over and gets a new one. I think Will hopes and expects her to be outraged, and it almost angers him when she's not. Conversely, if she picks up a toy that he was playing with, he will have a complete freak-out. It's hilarious to watch Julia's face when this happens; it's clear she's thinking, "What is HIS problem?"

She's an adorable little girl, and I particularly love that she's in a Mommy phase right now. I am preferred over everyone else, and I will admit that it's a little bit flattering. I love to see her full-body eruption of joy (and that's really the only way to describe it--she starts laughing and flapping her arms and legs) when she gets home from school and sees me. I'm trying to savor each moment of it because I know it won't last. In a few years, she'll being singing Will's current refrain of "You're mean. You're not my friend." And then later, there will be the teenage years, a thought that makes me shudder. But for now, she is my sweet, sweet girl, and I am loving every minute with her (well, except for the 3:30 AM parties--those, I could do without).

Like an Elephant

Today Will is going to his friend Ella's birthday party. When I told him this, he asked, "Are we going to play golf and see Mickey Mouse?" Which is what he did at Ella's last birthday party. A YEAR AGO.

Sometimes it freaks me out how good his memory is.

Wednesday Will-isms

"I am the best talker in the whole wide world!"

No arguments here, buddy.