Jake had the day off today so as soon as we woke up (another rough night for me) we went to go get the Cholesterol tests done. Just as part of a regular checkup. This test requires fasting so it’s best to do it early in the day. We came back home and did some cleaning up of the stuff in the garage. The kids went out to the backyard as Jake was breaking down the boxes and started playing ball so I grabbed my camera to snap some photos.
David wasn’t sharing well so Nathaniel was crying on one side and happy on the other. A bit weird to be honest.
But they were both having so much fun.
Then we went inside and I worked a bunch while the kids played. Nathaniel is all about David’s toys (of course.)
But David’s getting better and better about not freaking out. I am trying to work with him.
This is the toy that came with the high chair. I love the way Nathaniel’s feet are in this photo.
And here’s David while watching something on TV.
I spent a few hours at work today and it was nice to see some old friends and such a different environment, of course. It feels odd to me since I’ve been working from home for so long now. But it was great to be there and see so many of the people I work with in person. The rest of the day was a lull. I’ve been really really tired this month and I feel bad about my Happiness project which is languishing. I will write more about that soon. I haven’t bailed 100% but really, it’s not so great.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for a delicious lunch with a good friend.
2. I am grateful for a great study session with my boy. he’s getting better and better and i am so proud of him.
3. I am grateful for all the work Jake did today to clean up the garage. One day at a time I remind myself.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. orange juice mommy brought from work.
2. playing with my lego sticker book.
3. daddy.
Nathaniel woke up just a little too early today. Or I was in a bad part of my sleep cycle cause I woke up feeling like I was slapped. He did also wake up at 2:30am which wasn’t so much fun. But it didn’t take me that long to recover and by 7am I was happy and less tired. Coffee didn’t hurt. Nathaniel’s discovered David’s toy and he’s loving it. Today it was all about putting the sheets on the floor and stepping on them. I think he loves the texture difference or something but it’s so much fun .
He steps up and down on it and laughs and laughs.
And laughs. It’s so much fun to watch him.
So we decided to shoot some video of it cause we both laughed so much watching him:
Isn’t it so funny? He’s also obsessed with plastic bottles, putting their tops on, taking off the paper, putting his fingers in it.
He’s also still putting his hands behind his back.
We tried to let him eat with a fork today and he was super-excited.
He laughed the whole time and kept putting more and more food in his mouth just to play with the fork.
David spent most of the morning playing his soldier game. (One he made up.)
Lest you think it’s always so quiet here, he was running around, shooting, making crazy amounts of noise.
Later in the day, we watched some Whitney Houston and Billy Joel videos on YouTube and I snapped this while he was watching. He is so beautiful, it breaks my heart.
At some point today he told me that if i am mean to him he’d do something to really upset me “Go live with someone else” he told me and I told him that I never want him to live somewhere else and then he said but that won’t work cause he will grow up and get married. And then he added, “don’t worry, I will come visit you.”
I hope so, my son, I hope so.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for a clean checkup. I had my yearly checkup, the first in a while and all was perfectly normal. At the doctor’s that’s exactly what I want to hear.
2. I am grateful for a really wonderful book. One that’s not only engrossing but where the words and sentences actually touch me and make me smile.
3. I am grateful for inspiration my husband gave me yesterday that made me feel stronger and more energized all day long.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. watching music videos with mommy.
2. playing my soldier game.
3. daddy.
Today felt like a super-short day. I woke up, exercised, got ready and then had a visitor. Between her and work, my day was gone before I knew it. I didn’t take that many photos either. Nathaniel woke up cranky from his nap and never really recovered. David was an angel for the most part and even asked me to take his photo today.
Nathaniel wouldn’t eat at lunch but then went begging for food all day. Now that he can sign food, he uses it liberally.
I love this shot. He’s learned to make sounds with those tubes from David. He’s still putting his foot under the tray and you can even see David eating and watching his iPod. Snapshot of our lives.
I have mixed feelings about this shot but something about it speaks to me so here we are.
That’s about it. The kids are getting ready to go to bed and I am ready to relax a bit and watch TV and read my new book.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for a visit from a new friend. A common friend introduced us and she came over for the first time today and we talked for a long long long time. Love it when that happens.
2. I am grateful for the kind, generous people around me. I am often filled with more love and kindness than I realize.
3. I am grateful for some good TV on my Tivo that’s waiting for me!
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. watching batman.
2. meeting mommy’s friend.
3. daddy.
Today began crappy but then turned around (more on this tomorrow) but it also meant that I took a little break from my July projects. July’s been a challenging month so far as it turns out. But that’s ok. It’s life.
I decided we would have some ice cream and a ton of fun. Nathaniel refused to take his nap at his normal hour so he slept much later and when he woke up, I decided to take a little break so we could all play in the backyard.
David brought a bunch of legos with him, of course.
Nathaniel wasn’t sure at first but then decided to give it a go.
He even ran around with his brother while they chased each other.
Then Jake came home and Nathaniel went begging for some grapes. My favorite part was that when he finally got one, he walked over to a bowl David had left on his table.
Grabbed the bowl, took it back to where Jake was, put the grape in it, and then took it out and ate it. He watches, he learns.
Then they played legos for a while.
I truly love watching them play together and next to each other.
Nathaniel loves legos almost as much as David..
But I think David loves them more. And I love him. So much.
In the end, it was a good day. Tomorrow, back on the horse.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Grateful for some kind people who are helping me put together something I’ve long wanted to do.
2. I am grateful for all the kind comment you leave here. I know I’ve said this before but i cannot say it enough. it touches me deeply.
3. I am grateful for some silly TV to watch today as I relax and embroider and let my troubles go.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. Nathaniel.
2. playing with his legos.
3. daddy.
Today started with pancakes and then Jake putting together David’s new bike as both kids watched excitedly.
Then he went to the videogame conference and we played until it was Nathaniel’s nap time. When he woke up, we thought it would be fun to do a picnic in the backyard so I got it all ready and got the boys to come outside. Nathaniel was quite hesitant to step on the grass.
David had to go hold his hand and help him realize it’s ok to move.
Neither of the boys were super-crazy about the picnic so we had a quick one and then went back inside.
Nathaniel spent most of the day fascinated by David’s toy. He put the pins in and took them out.
And when he got stuck, he woud bring the whole thing over to ask for help.
I love love love this face. Love him.
Love my boys so much.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. A quiet day where I spent most of my me-time diving into a wonderful book. It had been a while since I read an engrossing book.
2. I am grateful for my little boys, and for how well they get along most of the time.
3. I am grateful for air conditioning these days. I randomly feel like I am going to melt and this is the first house we’ve lived in the Bay Area with air conditioning so I am very grateful for it.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. having pancakes for breakfast.
2. reading books with mommy
3. daddy.
Months ago, Jake signed up for this weekend-of-video-games thing where they bring old and new arcade games (hundreds of them!) into this convention center and you can go play all weekend. It is this weekend, so he’s been going there on and off all day. And since I remember my Atari days so well and loved Space Invaders, I had to take a photo of his wristband.
And here’s David, who’s focusing really hard on his lego wii game.
So for the rest of the day, my only subject was Nathaniel and I took photos of him liberally. I love how while he sucks one finger, he uses the other hand to support the hand he’s sucking.
The hands are still reaching for his back when he walks.
Focusing.
I spent my day embroidering while I watched hulu and then i did a layout and back to embroidering.
I cannot get enough photos of him.
He’s so so cute.
And he’s still chewing on his lips. Not sure why. Though he’s got lots of teeth coming so that could be it.
Wii, legos, embroidery, layouts, tv, homework, and food was pretty much all of our day. I did work in the garage some (a big slow project here.) and after this I plan to sit and read a bit tonight before I am off to bed. Good, quiet Saturday here. I hope yours was just the way you like it.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Embroidery. I am really really enjoying it so much.
2. Hulu. So awesome to get to watch TV when you missed it the first time around.
3. Nice, quiet days with no deadlines or lists of todos.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. getting a gold star (he got one for writing today).
2. playing wii.
3. daddy.
Somewhat of a blah day here for no good reason. It was a mediocre day where I felt unmotivated and thus accomplished little. But I did rest. I’ve been trying to make sure to focus on rest. I can tell my mind and body both need it. I also know school and life and adjusting to new routines will be starting up really soon and so I am trying to enjoy the “nothing to do” and not rush myself through it.
I don’t usually like to post photos with diapers in them but I love this one of Nathaniel trying to put the ipod just like he’s seen David do it millions of times.
This is what David often does when I ask him to smile. Sigh.
David loves playing with Nathaniel. Making him laugh, surprising him.
Here’s Nathaniel, moments before he puts his finger in his mouth. I love catching moments like this.
Here’s another one of my favorite things that I am glad I caught. As I prepare food for him, Nathaniel likes to watch me through the holes in his chair. I love seeing these tiny eyes peering with anticipation.
A super-blurry shot but there’s something about the joy in David’s face and the entangled arms that speaks to me.
Here they are playing more. Wrestling. Laughing.
In the afternoon, David played with his squirt gun outside while Nathaniel watched and he wanted to wear his glasses for it. Missing teeth and all.
So thankful it’s weekend. And I have nothing to do. I plan to embroider, read, maybe scrap….no big plans is exactly how I like it. I hope yours is great, too. Come back tomorrow for some details on my new Big Picture Scrapbooking class.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for the weekend. For some rest.
2. I am grateful for the yummy Turkish food in the fridge.
3. I am grateful for my relatively empty to-do list.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. playing with legos.
2. playing with my bug.
3. daddy.
Today went by too fast. This whole summer is going too fast. How come we’re in the middle of July already? No no no. I wish it would slow down, I am really enjoying our summer. Not rushing, no schedules. Enjoying moments of life.
I love watching the kids play.
Sit on the couch and read lego magazines.
Some photos of my little boy. Weird light, but still.
love those smiles.
What? his look says.
He is still obsessed with the bottles and putting their caps on.
He’s pretty good at it, too.
And my favorite. The wonderful, wonderful smile that lights up both his and my faces.
I love my life. I have deep frustrations some times. I yearn for things I don’t have (not items as much as friendships, talent, etc.) and I find myself comparing, feeling inadequate, being frustrated way too often. But I am also very grateful. Very very grateful. For what I have. Because I know it’s a lot.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful today that our bedtime routine is smooth and easy. David makes a little bowl of legos and he grabs his pull up, puts his jammies on, pees, brushes teeth, and is off to bed with a hug and a “good night my love.” That’s it. No crying, no whining. Nothing. He plays until his time is up (he has a clock in his room that he can read) and then he’s off to sleep. I know this is a miracle and I am not taking it for granted for a second.
2. I am grateful that my kids are homebodies like me and can play with legos for hours without getting bored. I am grateful that they don’t need me to run around and take them from activity to activity. I am also grateful that despite this, they are also social and make friends easily. I am deeply grateful for what a lucky person this makes me.
3. I am grateful for that besides my family, a good book and a warm drink are all I need from life. This makes life quite simple and easy to live. And I am thankful for that.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. watching TV with mommy.
2. my legos.
3. daddy.
Good day! Mostly because I decided to take it easy today. David woke me up in the middle of the night last night, saying he had a headache. After the second time, I got worried so I got up to see if he had a temperature and just as we walked into the bathroom, he threw up on me.
Thankfully, it was the only time and he seems to be totally alright today. But it made for a rough night so I woke up tired and worn out. Not Nathaniel, though. He was all happy.
I love watching him play and explore and have fun.
In the afternoon, we finally went for that walk and one of David’s friends from the neighborhood joined us. We played I Spy all the way. I snapped photos of them.
They waited for me while I snapped photos. (not always so patiently, I love David’s stance here.)
I wanted them to smile but they both gave me fake smiles so I told them to tickle each other.
And snapped one of the little boy, too.
And one more of David, I don’t photograph him enough these days.
And Nathaniel getting a bit fed up.
It was really really hot so we rushed back home. I did some more work and then Jake got home so I could rush and get my blood tests done (just for yearly checkup.) And now it’s time to put the kids down and then I am off to my reading group. I am feeling good today. Rested. I hope you are, too.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Book club tonight, I always look forward to it.
2. Grateful that I gave myself permission to rest. I am not always good with that.
3. Grateful that despite the insane tiredness I felt, I still exercised. Go me.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. His new robot bug (in our house the tooth fairy brings little toys for now so that was his little toy this time, it’s quite awesome, I’ll have to photograph it.)
2. Still grateful for yesterday’s legos.
3. daddy.
Believe it or not, I still haven’t managed to go shooting. Tomorrow I will take a long walk (ahem, I know i’ve said this before!) and take photos.
After yesterday’s disastrous ending to my day, today was absolutely wonderful!! It seems we all wake up a little cranky and tired in the mornings. Here’s Nathaniel when I tell him he can’t have something. The face, the pose, the kick, and then finally calming down and giving up on being whiny.
We all got to work relatively early today. The kids played while I worked and then we took a break to talk to Jake’s mom on Skype. In the middle of the talk, David was showing his grandpa how his top tooth fell off and just as he was talking, his bottom one fell, too. It was amazing and we both laughed out loud. No pain at all and it came off clean without any blood. I tried to snap a photo right away.
You can’t see it that well from there so I tried to get him to make just the right face but he couldn’t. Here he is fake-laughing but you can see it better.
David spent some of his day digging up legos for Nathaniel. He loves teaching his brother how to play with them and he even said “I love Nathaniel so much.” which of course made me cry.
And here are a few shots of the little boy.
Just cause they make me happy.
He has so much personality. He loves playing with empty bottles, putting their top on. He brings me water bottles and his sippy cup to tell me to fill it several times a day. When he’s hungry he points to my box of graham crackers. When he’s tired, he comes and puts his head on my lap or asks to nurse. Lately, he chews on his lip. He loves playing football with my fabric ball.He is emptying all the drawers in the kitchen. When I say “pis” (means dirty in Turkish) he puts whatever he’s holding in the trash and then claps to congratulate himself. He claps every time I say “good job.” He loves cream cheese in anything. If I give him a cream cheese sandwich, he splits it open and eats the cheese. He loves when Daddy comes home and runs to him saying “dada” and he loves David, too. When I sit in the bathroom, he takes his toys and comes to play in there with me. If we leave the bathroom door open, he will touch the water in the toilet or throw things in it. He will also go in the pantry and touch everything. He loves looking through books, playing with musical toys, and legos. He loves music and will immediately dance when some is on. When you look at him, he smiles. He loves hugging his brother and will do so several times a day. He is the delight of our days.
Right around dinner time, David got his box of legos (that I had ordered last week) in the mail and he’s been ecstatically putting it together. He’s so happy and so overjoyed. He’s thanked me 100 times already and is truly, deeply so happy. I love seeing him like this. I love that he’s so kind and so appreciative. I love that he loves legos so much and his imagination is amazing. I am so thankful for this boy, the little one has big big shoes to fill.
I found the thing I lost yesterday. It was part of my checkbook. Made me stress out way way too much and all along it was sitting in a quiet little spot. Some days are just like that. And then I got some more amazing news. I often say things happen for a reason and I got to experience that first hand today. Just feeling grateful for everything today.
And for those of you who come here often and read my life, there are two things I want to tell you:
1. Thank you. For taking the time to read, and share wise, kind, generous comments with me. I truly cherish each. Truly.
2. I know it might look like I do a lot, and I do, but I want you to know that there’s a lot (A LOT) I don’t do. A lot. I don’t clean my house. I don’t go to the grocery store. I rarely run errands. Laundry has been sitting in my room for days, unfolded. Beds are unmade. Dishes need to be put away. I don’t cook. I can go on and on. There are millions of things I don’t accomplish in my day. Some days, I sit and watch TV for hours. Hours. And do nothing. So please don’t think that I am some super-over-achiever. Don’t ever compare your life to mine in a negative light. I do that all the time and I wanted to make sure that in case you’re doing it, too, you should know things aren’t what they seem. I fight with my husband, too. I yell at my kids. My kids drive me insane. I do things I am not proud of. I struggle. I try hard to make it through the day sometimes. I am just working a little bit harder than usual to focus on doing the things that bring joy into my life and capture the good moments so on tougher days I can come back to them and draw strength from them. Just so you know.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for finding my checks! woohoo!
2. I am grateful for a great opportunity that came my way, unexpectedly but so happy for it.
3. I am grateful for my July project. It’s proven to be tough and it’s kicking me in the butt most days and it’s like that quiet annoying voice in the back of my head, telling me all the things I need to do but every day that I exercise or draw or eat veggies, I am actually happier so I really am grateful for it.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. mommy for getting me legos
2. putting together my new legos!
3. daddy.
I spent most of today resting. I woke up, rested, exercised, and then while I was showering, David did a tiny bit of the Wii Fit, too. I am always amazed by how kind he is. Look at this photo where Nathaniel is literally covering a part of his TV, yet David says nothing and just ducks to see around him.
He’s really into these computers lately. I like watching him but I cannot stand the crazy amount of noise they make. Whoever makes toys without off and low volume should be kicked.
I love this photo. Seeing David’s hands on Nathaniel.
And this one where Nathaniel is watching his brother play in the backyard.
And despite the blur, I am so glad to have caught this shot. I was on the landing in the stairs, taking shots of my CHA layouts before I send them off and Nathaniel’s looking at me and this is his “I am so frustrated” face and he makes his little hands into fists and shakes his whole body in frustration. My little boy.
Jake came home early and I got a bunch of work done so all in all I consider this day a success. Except that I lost something important tonight and it’s driving me crazy and I hate that I let it get to me so so much. I hate how I react to things sometimes. Makes me feel so immature and out of control. Ugh.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for my husband. My love. My helper. My calmer-downer. I adore him.
2. I am grateful for my kind, understanding kid. I had promised David he would watch some TV before bedtime but when I found out I lost this item and went all insane, I told him he had to just pick some legos and go to his room to play. My little boy didn’t even object for a second. When I went up there now to tell him it was sleep time he said i am really enjoying playing with the legos can I please play a little longer? Of course I said yes. He’s an angel so much of the time, this boy.
3. I am grateful for another day of exercise. It’s hard but I am doing it.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. building things with legos.
2. mommy.
3. daddy.
I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I kept having nightmares, Nathaniel kept crying and my heart just wouldn’t stop racing. So in the middle of the night, I decided that today was going to be a quiet day. I was going to do my last layout for CHA and then I would take it easy for the rest of the day.
And that’s exactly what I did.
I woke up, finished my layout and then just took it easy. Meanwhile, Nathaniel started storing his toys in David’s drawers.
He carried them, stuck them in there.
And then congratulated himself by clapping for himself. We always clap when he does something good like doesn’t put something in his mouth but places in the trash instead, or when he cleans up. So he was congratulating himself for cleaning up. A for effort my son.
My beautiful little boy. Growing up all too quickly.
Around 11 or so, we started watching this morning’s Tour de France. We then took a break to watch the World Cup finale and were sourly disappointed (we tend to root for the underdog) and then went back to the Tour and that was an even bigger disappointment. What a terrible terrible letdown. I am not even sure I want to keep watching the Tour if Lance is giving up.
Around 3pm, Nathaniel started his grouchy time. So Jake held him while he hung on for dear life.
David tried to make him laugh.
And even succeeded for a while.
But we ended up with this.
A little food, a short amount more of playing and now he’s already deep in sleep. And david’s upstairs playing with his legos. Time for me to get a few tasks done and I think I will likely go to sleep early, too. I’m sad the weekend passed so quickly but it was a good one. Some great family time. Some productive accomplishments. And a lot of rest. What more can I ask of a weekend?
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for audio books today. For getting to listen while I do embroidery or while I scrap. Wonderful companion.
2. I am grateful for an all-around great weekend. Simple but wonderful, just the way I like it.
3. I am grateful for my new embroidery sample, it’s making me very very happy today.
Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. getting two gold stars while doing math with mommy.
2. wii time (he got to play a tiny bit today).
3. daddy.
