Way Back When-esday

Two years ago, it was only the four of us. Oh how things change. Here are the boys anticipating the arrival of "Baby Brother" and "Baby Sister." And me, really huge.

Going it alone

Cort travels a good bit for work. When he's home, he and I are equal partners in parenting. Which means that when he's gone, I am not used to going it alone with four kids five and under. (That doesn't sound as impressive as when I used to say "four kids three and under," does it?)

But I think kids have a sense of how much a parent can take, and when Cort is gone, Will and Helen tend to cooperate. Or, at least one of them does. And even if they don't, Charlie and Joseph usually help out tremendously. They will help with dinner, and with the babies. If we have to go somewhere, like t-ball practice, they help carry everything. They will do homework without assistance, and are responsible for getting themselves ready for bed on their own and getting everything ready for the next morning by themselves. They often do extra things that I ask them to, and they generally will do their chores without complaint. That's not to say we don't have meltdowns or conflicts, but they tend resolve without too much drama or angst. Most times, the kids just really step up.

I wrote this down to remember that it happens. Because tonight was decidedly NOT one of those times.

What's in a nickname?

All of our kids have not-so-original nicknames. Being lazy in the nickname department, we generally just elaborate (wait, I thought nicknames were supposed to be shorter names) on their real names.

Joseph is generally just called "Joe," but when he was younger we called him "Joe Joe," and that's what Helen calls him now. I often affectionately call Charlie "Charlie Barley," and Cort coined calling Will "Willy Bill." See? I told you were aren't much into creativity. These are just nicknames we use when joking around, though.

Unfortunately, Helen's nickname was the one that really stuck. I'm not sure when or why we started it, but for a long time we've been calling her "Smelly Helly." To make it worse, we often shortened it and just call her "Smelly." It was not unusual for me, Cort, Charlie, or Joseph to call her Smelly in normal conversation or when calling to her. I noticed myself doing it at school the other day, and got a few strange looks. (To make matters worse, the poor little girl has some of the stinkiest feet I've ever encountered. I seriously had no idea that a little bitty girl like that could create such odors.)

Luckily, Will came to her rescue. For whatever reason, he pronounces "Helen" as "Nonny." So lucky for her, at least for now, Smelly Helly has become Nonny. I hope one day she appreciates what her brother has done for her.

What brothers are for

Yesterday, Charlie was home with me for his "special day," and Cort came home early to hang out some with him too. So once Cort got home, I went to pick up the other kids early. Everything was going just fine during pickup until apparently I didn't hear some request from Joseph (keep in mind I'm at a daycare filled with kids - it's not exactly quiet), so I didn't respond, and he completely melted down. And everytime he attempted to regain his composure, some teeny tiny little thing would happen, and he'd melt down again. I ended up nearly forcing him to the car, with him yelling angrily because he wanted to hide in the office of the daycare and let Will and Helen find him, but oblivious to this desire, I had already strapped both Will and Helen into their carseat. I don't know if everyone realizes what it takes to get two toddlers down a busy city sidewalk, into the car, and strapped into their carseat (especially Helen, who tends to writhe around during the process), but if you don't, let me tell you, it's NOT something I would ever voluntarily do twice.

So then we drove home, with Joseph screaming the whole way. He didn't like the song that was playing. He wanted me to go faster. He didn't want me to stop at the red light. He wanted me to change lanes. He wanted a hug, NOW! I completely ignored all of this, including the hug request since (1) I was driving, and he was two rows back in a car seat, (2) he was demanding a hug at the top of his lungs, not asking nicely for one, and (3) this "I just need a hug" thing is a well-known Joseph delay tactic whenever he is being put in time out or the like (he wasn't exactly in time out in the car, but he was certainly headed that way as soon as we got home).

We arrived home, and Charlie immediately ran out to greet us. He got in the car to tell everyone hi, and Joseph was still angrily screaming, with a little bit of thrashing about thrown in for effect. I told Charlie to ignore him. I took Helen inside, where Cort was fixing dinner, and told Cort that Joseph was having a major meltdown and had been for the last 15 minutes. Then I went back outside to bring Will in -- only to see both Charlie and Joseph calming crawling out of the car with smiles on their faces like nothing had ever happened. We didn't hear a cross word out of Joe for the rest of the evening.

So after dinner, we were joking about the tantrum, and we found out what happened: Charlie gave him that hug. I believe Charlie's exact words were, "Yeah, he just needed a hug." And Joseph confirmed, "Charlie hugged me, and then I was okay."

I need to remember this the other 98% of the time when they are fighting. How lucky are they to have each other?

Future plans

Several days ago I asked Charlie what he wants to do when he grows up, and he answered, "Go to Baylor." Cort's got him totally brainwashed. I explained to him that people usually go to college for a few years, but then they go on to a real job. He clearly had not considered that.

So today, he announced that "after I go to Baylor," he is going to "try" to open a Chik-Fil-A really, really close to our house. And he's going to put a sign out front that says "Open 24 hours." Or maybe 23, or 22. If it's 22, then he's going to come home at 1 and go back to open it back up at 3 (am or pm, he didn't say). So if you live in the Heights, come 2026 or 2027 you should be able to get your Chik-Fil-A fix almost any time of day or night. He didn't mention whether he'd open it on Sundays, though.

In more immediate news, he and I played 4 innings of baseball this morning, and he is beating me 25 to 17. He wants to finish up the remaining 5 innings after he gets up from his nap. I need to rest up.

Update: We played the top of the 4th inning after naptime, and Charlie scored 10 more runs. Then Cort came home to spend a little time with Charlie on his "special day" and took him to get a snow cone and then to Beer Island (a neighborhood bar, with sports, pool, and pinball), and I didn't get a chance to try to catch up.

Way Back When-esday

Lots of baseball going on around here. The boys are playing tball, they went to Astros opening day, then again last weekend, and we are taking them again on Sunday, and Joe is learning to keep score. So this seemed like an appropriate Way Back When-esday picture: Charlie and Joseph's very first Astros game. They were two months old.

Poor Helen and Will. Almost two years old and they haven't been to a game yet.

Implementing new skills

Will has learned to undress himself. In the evening, while I am running their bath water, he comes into the bathroom and pulls, pulls, PULLS at the neck of his shirt until he gets it over his head.

Then he turns around, walks through his room, goes into his closet, puts the shirt in the dirty clothes basket, and returns to the bathroom.

Then he push, push, PUSHES down on his pants, and when he gets them down to his ankles, he gets down on all fours and kicks them off each foot, one at a time.

Then he turns around, walks through his room, goes into his closet, puts the pants in the dirty clothes basket, and returns to the bathroom.

Then he sits down, and pulls at a sock until it pops off his foot.

Then he turns around, walks through his room, goes into his closet, puts that sock in the dirty clothes basket, and returns to the bathroom.

Where he sits down and pulls at the other sock until it comes off.

Then he turns around, walks through his room, goes into his closet, puts that sock in the dirty clothes basket, and returns to the bathroom.

Finally down to a diaper, I take it off and put him in the tub.

Efficient? No.

Cute? Very.

Makes My Monday

Joseph reading a book to Helen

These two have a little mutual admiration society going. I'm not sure when it started, but it may have been several weeks ago when Joseph led a rousing rendition of ring-around-the-rosy over and over (and over and over and over - really, they must have done it a hundred times), much to Helen's delight (particularly since Mommy and Daddy's limit is around four or five times). Whatever brought it on, Joseph is clearly partial to Helen. And most mornings, some of Helen's first words when we go in to get her up are "Where Joe Joe?"

The funny thing is, if I were to describe, in one or two words, how our kids relate to others, I would use the following:

Will - sweet

Charlie - people pleaser (bordering on brown noser)

Joseph - self-centered

Helen - self-centered AND independent

Seriously, we have remarked more than once how both Joe and Helen would make great only children. They are not concerned about the rest of the family. For Joe, it's all about Joe. For Helen, it's all about Helen.

Yet, the two self-centered kids have this special bond I can't explain. Who knows whether it will last. But for now, it makes my Monday.

Keeping Score

We took the big boys to the Astros game tonight. The Astros beat the Reds, 7-0. And Joseph kept score for the first time. Here's his scorecard (click to view it larger):

It's a little bit rudimentary, I know, but hey, the kid just turned 5! We're going to work on things like position numbers and double switches next game. Notice how he's on a first name basis with a few of the players -- Hunter (Pence), Poge [Pudge] (Rodriguez), and Darin (Erstadt).

Keeping a baseball scorecard could not be more up Joe's alley. We thought he liked baseball before. He's going to love it now.

Work-Life Balance

This morning, Cort and I had a discussion about the doctrine of forum non conveniens and how it might implicate the constitutionally guaranteed right to trial by jury if a case were dismissed in favor of a forum with no jury system -- in the playroom over four kids, a Brainy Baby DVD, a loud game of peek-a-boo in a big nylon tunnel, and a rousing rendition of Row Row Row Your Boat.

Joe's Labeling Service

Trash 1 and Trash 2


Suburban 2007


Ball ben [bin]


House


Gargege [garbage] top


Maddie


Hole


Tail

You are now free to move about the aquarium

Joseph saw this fish in the aquarium at the dentist's office and proclaimed it the Southwest Airlines fish.

Way Back When-esday

I chose this picture today for two reasons.

First, I'm tired today. This is Joseph (with binky) and Charlie (without) asleep in my bed one morning when they were a few weeks old. I wish I were back in that bed right now.

Second, don't they look so sweet and peaceful? I now have four constant talkers. From 7am to 8pm our house is never peaceful. It is LLLOOOUUUDDD.

Peace, quiet, and a mid-morning nap. That would be so nice.

Happy Easter! . . . More eggs??

Happy Easter to all! We've had a wonderful Easter weekend. An extra day home with the kids. Charlie and Joseph growing up and beginning to learn the true meaning of Easter. Helen learning on her own what Easter means to her -- Easter eggs ("More eggs? More eggs?"). And Will -- well, just being sweet Will as usual.

Yesterday, we dyed Easter eggs in anticipation of the Easter bunny's arrival.


Everyone enjoyed dying the eggs


Will was very careful


Watching to see what color the egg would come out


Helen loved it. After we had dyed all 36 eggs, we first starting hearing it: "More eggs? More eggs?"

This morning, when we got up the Easter bunny had visited! The weather held out, and the kids hunted the eggs left by our bunny friend. Once they were all found, we heard it again from Helen: "More eggs? More eggs?" So, her sweet older brothers took all the eggs from their own baskets and re-hid them so Helen and Will could find some more.

Picking up things and putting them in a basket is right up Will's alley!


Charlie adding to his collection


Joseph pausing for a picture while Will keeps hunting


Helen heading for "more eggs" that her brothers hid


Showing off their finds


Next, we got everyone dressed up in their Easter best. We tried to take a picture of all the kids. It's the only time all year that they are dressed up. Sounds reasonable, right? It's not.


First attempt: At the house -- not great but not terrible . . . except for the fact that we have 4, not 3, kids

Second attempt: There was a cute Easter backdrop at church, but when we tried to make use of it Helen would only run behind it.

Until she thought we weren't looking - then she crawled right up

We managed to get both Helen and Will up there at one time, but since we had approximately 2.3 seconds to get this shot, there wasn't enough time to get the other two kids in there

Ultimately, we gave up and just went for a picture of all six of us, so we could utilize four hands to keep the kiddos stationary

Before church the kids got to participate in yet another Easter egg hunt. By this time the weather was not cooperating, so the kids -- separated by age group -- hunted eggs inside the Sunday school rooms. The turnout seemed to be a little bit affected by the weather, but the amount of candy-filled eggs was not. We have enough candy to get us through to Halloween.

"More eggs? More eggs?"


These eggs come apart - and look what's inside!


Checking out Will's loot


Digging in


There were 500 eggs in the classroom that Charlie and Joseph were in, and about 7 kids hunting them

After the egg hunt we had our own Easter miracle. Will and Helen went to the church nursery, and we left them there as happy as can be - no crying at all. Then Charlie, Joseph, Mom, and Dad went to church and enjoyed the service together. The boys are great in church and enjoy going to children's church too.

We came home, had a wonderful Easter dinner -- Cort smoked a ham in his new smoker -- and everyone is now waking up from a nap. Looking forward to the rest of the day!

The best deal in town

This is a public service message for our friends who, like us, are crazy enough to have a full litter of kiddos.

The kids are out of school today for Good Friday, so I loaded them all up and we went to meet Daddy for lunch at our new favorite place, Double Dave's pizza. It used to be my favorite place because the pepperoni rolls took me back to my college days. But now, I love it because kids 5 and under eat free. For the next year at least, I can feed pizza and salad to my entire family of six for the price of a mere two buffet meals.

Don't everyone rush over at once, though -- at least not if you kids eat like mine. Joseph alone made six trips back to the buffet. If I counted correctly, he had 5 slices of cheese pizza, 1 slice of pepperoni pizza, some cucumbers from the salad bar, half a pepperoni roll, and 1 1/2 slices of the cinnamon pizza for dessert. Charlie made three or four trips to the buffet himself, while Will and Helen only had two servings each (plus dessert).

I don't want to put the place out of business.

Toes!

These are Helen's new sandals, which she wore for the first time Thursday.

It is a momentous occasion, because before this she kicked, screamed, writhed, twisted, turned, tantrumed and literally refused to ever, ever, ever put even one tiny toe in a pair of sandals. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, she put them on and was proud as a peacock.

What good is a little girl if you can't get her cute little sandals? I'm so excited. When can I take her for our first mother-daughter pedicure?

Our Easter bunnies

Today was the Cathedral House annual hat parade, followed by the ever popular Easter egg hunt. We had four very cute little bunnies.


Charlie with bunny ears on his hat and some wild ears of his own


Whatcha thinking about Joe? How many eggs you're going to find?

Will: Bunny ears are very manly

Helen enjoyed herself, although it's hard to tell it here

A Cathedral House tradition: little kids playing in the water fountain after the parade

Wordless Wednesday

And the boys are going . . .

to be Travis Tigers! We have chosen Travis Elementary School, and the boys will begin kindergarten there in August. They are excited. As are we -- mostly to have finally made the decision, but also because we think we're going to be very happy with it.

We actually made the decision early. The deadline's not until tomorrow.

Our other choice, Harvard Elementary, is an amazing school, too. The principal is our next-door neighbor, and he has done amazing things there. But I have to admit that, with him being right next door, there is a certain sense of relief at not having to worry about our barking dog or that our boys might pee outside in the front yard.

Festivities start this Thursday, with "Kindergarten Roundup," so we're off on our first journey with "real" school!

Our weekend

The boys had their first t-ball game.


The team


Charlie in his Twins uniform


Joe's first hit


Joe ready to field


Charlie almost had it


We played Sunday morning pajama basketball.


Charlie's jump shot


Almost looks like he's dribbling between his legs, doesn't it?


Watching the shot


Official court cleaner


We rode bikes to the park


Joe ready to go


Charlie ready too; Will waiting for some pushpower


Where we played a little baseball


Joseph keeping his eye on the ball


And he gets a hit!


Charlie watches it go


And takes off for first


Will was our pinch hitter


Helen liked running the bases


Rounding third


Safe!


We even had a spectator. The homeless guy watching us had refreshments and everything. Gotta love the Heights!


And then we rode home again.


Joseph celebrating his first-place arrival at home


Later, we played with Play-Doh


The new picnic table is perfect for four-person Play-Doh


Charlie demonstrating what one can do with Play-Doh


Will enjoys playing with the big kids


Play-Doh creations


And, most exciting -- Will ate some broccoli!


He had three helpings, and then cried when it was "all gone"!