Almost 30 Months, 4 Months

Just wanted to post a quick update on the kids.

Henry's new developments:   He asks "What this?" about everything, including things that he clearly knows what they are.  Then he asks about them again.  And then he asks again.  When he wants something, he says "How 'bout this?" and points to something or brings it to you.  He contintues to simultaneously be the dog's best friend and his worse enemy.  Sometimes they play really well together, then other times Henry has to go to time out to think about what he has done.  That dog has the patience of Job, but finally did nip at Henry recently.  Henry has become very passionate about what he's wearing, mostly insisting on character apparel featuring Thomas and Friends.  I think his little body is constructed mostly out of yogurt, since he has multiple servings of it almost every day.  He has become quite skilled in constructing a linear(ish) train track.  He then gets really, really mad that not all of his trains will fit through the small IKEA train tunnel.  Baths have not improved.

Georgia has been a champ at rolling back to front for over a month, but only rolls front to back when she feels like it.  She likes to sit up, but is completely dependent on the bumbo or parental assistance to do so.  She can grab a toy and get it in the general direction of her mouth.  She goes through so many outfits in a day, I've stopped counting.  She left church in a diaper yesterday because she had soaked the three outfits I had with me, and I couldn't get to my emergency fourth outfit until after the meeting was over and I just gave up.  I'm really  looking forward to when she stops throwing up all the time.  She really likes to suck her thumb when she is sleepy.  Nick has been trying to get her to giggle for weeks, and she finally laughed last night.  Only, it wasn't a little, gentle baby giggle.  It was a gregarious laugh that reminds me of my own.

Today was day one of Nick's month-long ICU rotation.  It's going to be a long month for all of us.

The Dishwasher: Before and After

This is our kitchen, back when it had no dishwasher.

And Look at it Now.

I think they did a great job of making the cabinet look like it had just always been that small. The made it out of the larger cabinet they removed. I only wish we had done this sooner.

Grandma Preston (1916-2011)

Nick attended the funeral Friday for his sweet Grandmother, Alta Preston.  She would have celebrated her 95th birthday next month.  We all wanted to be there, but we couldn't get two seats on the same flight (which is only a problem because Henry can't fly alone.)  

Grandma Preston was a wonderful woman, and while she will be missed, I am glad that her final illness was of relatively short duration and that she is at peace.  I took the kids to see her a month ago, and knew it is probably the last time I would ever see her in this life.  So even in missing the funeral, I felt like I had the chance to say goodbye, and show our love for her.  I think one thing that made her so special was that whoever was in her presence felt loved by her.  I think that is what being Christian means, and I don't know of a higher compliment I could give a person.

Is That My Baby?

A picture of me as a baby, next to a current picture of Georgia. My mom said she was holding me up in this picture, underneath my dress and maybe pulling on the dress. I'm not sure how old I was at the time when it was taken. Georgia is three months, two weeks, and two days old.

No Binkies, Just Fingers

Georgia has completely rejected the pacifier, because she loves her fingers too much. Sometimes her thumb seems like a magical shut off switch to crying. We just moved her to the crib and there's a little bit of adjustment for both of us.

Henry has figured out that he can't tell us no when we've given him a command, so now he tells us "I don't.". Now that Georgia is sleeping in the crib, Henry wants to sleep in the crib. He took his nap in there today, watching the mobile.

It's a 7-Step Process

I broke my prescription sunglasses a while ago.  More like a really long time ago.  It was winter, and I lived in St Louis at the time.  I've been wearing them anyway.  The frame has a crack in it, and I just gently position the lens on that side, put the glasses on, and then not make any sudden movements.  When I was in Utah, I stumbled on a new solution.  I drove Harry's car and he keeps his sunglasses attached to the sun visor.  His sporty sunglasses could actually be worn over my regular glasses.  I kept forgetting to bring mine to the car, so I ended up just borrowing his most the time.  It worked perfectly.  But then I had to give his car, and his glasses back to him.

I want to buy new glasses and sunglasses, but it's a process with so many steps.  First I need to find out what the name of our eye insurance is  (don't judge me.)  Then I need to find a participating doctor, then make an appointment, then go to the appointment, then assert myself that I don't want to buy the glasses there, then take my prescription (which they will have judged me for taking without a purchase) to Costco and buy some glasses, then return to pick them up.  It's a very complicated and long process.

But want to know what's easy?  Going to the accessory shop at the mall and finding a giant pair of glasses for $4 that can be worn over your existing glasses.  So many fewer steps, and much cheaper too.

PS- moments after I took this picture with my phone, I dropped it and the screen shattered.  It made me a little sad.

2 Month Photos by Holly Hyde



Georgia at Two Months Old



Henry's wasn't exactly cooperative for this, as you might guess from his expression.

While I was in Utah, I took Georgia for her "newborn" pictures (she was two months old at the time).  They were done by Holly Hyde Photography.  It was a very good experience, although I wish Henry had been a bit more co-operative (but Holly is Great with kids,) and wish that Georgia hadn't thrown up on every outfit she was put in thirty seconds after we put it on.  Georgia went through a lot of clothes during the session, not because I was seeking variety, but because she constantly throws up and the clothes were visibly wet and messy.

I printed 4x6's at Costco and the came back looking dark with high contrast.  It took me a second to figure it out, but the problem is I had ordered from the kiosk at the store and didn't turn off the "Auto Color Correct."  Normally I order from home, and have the color correct turned off.  If you have professional pictures you're printing, turn Color Correct off, because the photographer has already fine-tuned them and has the color as it's supposed to be.  All an automatic setting can do in that situation is mess it up.  With the color correct off, they look great, and now I have them on my wall.