Tuesday, January 21, 2014

What are *you* thankful for today?

PJ Library is fantastic, as always. The fact that they deliver high quality kids books where Judaism is normal is a great addition to reading time, and our kids library. Last month we got a CD of great songs (Uri Uri, by Elena Jagoda) and it has been on rotation in the car.  We got in the car yesterday and Z requested it - and then sang along with the whole first song, all about being thankful and counting your blessings. And then he told us all about what he was thankful for.

We even overheard him singing it later in the evening as we got ready for bed.

I'm thankful that I've got a kid who is keeping an eye out for all the good things in his world.

In unrelated news, Young Ms. Miriam had her 1 month appointment today. She is, and I quote, "perfect". (That was from the resident who I suspect has not seen *that* many babies, but mostly seemed relieved that the whole thing seemed quite as expected.) She is 11lbs on the nose, and growing like a champ. She's also starting to play, although at this point that just means track things, and whack at things we hold from her and look disgruntled about being on her tummy during tummy time.

Monday, January 20, 2014

one month old, six years old.

Untitled by m0nk3yphd
Untitled, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

they just grow so fast

Cuteness

Zachary has been getting brave with Miriam. He has been asking to hold her. It started out every few days. And he'd hold her for a just few seconds. But today he asked at least twice. The second time on his lap on the couch, he jiggled her back to restful when she fussed. Then Z leant forward and whispered

"I love you Miriam"

in her ear. It was barely audible, then he glanced at me to see if I'd heard. He really is enjoying being a big brother to his little sister. 

Friday, January 17, 2014

saw this

DSC_0073 by m0nk3yphd
DSC_0073, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.
and thought of 6 years ago .....

All Worn Out by m0nk3yphd
All Worn Out, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Old and New

DSC_0092 by m0nk3yphd
DSC_0092, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Sarah's Vest, Mark's shorts and Miriam's spectacular new quilt.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Because words matter

Tonight Mark was putting Zachary to bed, and I was trying to convince Miriam that intestinal function was not actually something worth being really angry about (funny, because I went back to the very beginning of this blog and found Z had exactly the same dramatic reaction to intestines.. and the same angry WHY IS MY DIAPER WET AND WHY AM I HUNGRY?!? face.. two peas in a pod they are..)... Anyway, I made some offhand comment to Mark to go help his eldest settle down (since bedtime is always so relaxing around here).. And Mark just froze and looked at me like I had spoken some language so exotic that it wasn't even identifiable... "My... eldest?"

It turns out words matter. It turns out it is a bit strange, with new vocabulary like "two" and "eldest" and "daughter". It isn't quite the same as getting married, but in some ways it is bigger... Marriage felt like a moment. This feels like a tunnel. It takes time to transition and we're sort of getting our sea legs but everything changes so fast at the beginning. We're trying to keep things sort of sensible for the "eldest".. but what is sensible when you've got a new person who has been alive for less than three weeks and makes 75 noises but they all mean either "Poop!" or "BOOB!" or "WET!" or "Tired." We're trying all the ways to be four people all pulling in different directions together, especially when two of us are getting roughly enough sleep combined to still not be allowed to operate heavy machinery.

And, as an exercise in optimism that only human beings can achieve.. somehow we totally believe it is possible. Not only possible, but inevitable, and probably it'll all be ok, and we don't have too much heavy machinery anyway. And one of them made it to 6, which is a card we're playing heavily around here.

(a tiny diversion - this one coos. She actually coos. I didn't even know that was a noise babies actually made. This baby does make it. Sometimes it is just an exploratory coo. Sometimes it escalates into "WHY ARE YOU NOT FEEDING ME YET? I am losing patience." But regardless, she coos. It is amazing and fantastic.)

Friday, January 10, 2014

Peaceful PomPom Afternoon Nap


Miriam catches her best sleep in the late afternoon. Joke is on us, I suppose. Doesn't she look relaxed? If we follow the standard newborn axiom, we should be asleep instead of taking pictures, and tidying up, and eating, and helping Z with homework and....whoops. Maybe someone needs to revise the manual for once we get past the first child. Or sans in-house help. Ah, well..We are having a lot of fun, and even occasionally getting sleep. Even those of us without magical vibrating bouncy chairs.

Thinkery water fun

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Cuddling Miriam

Untitled by m0nk3yphd
Untitled, a photo by m0nk3yphd on Flickr.

Granny and Grandpa Collins enjoying an evening snuggle

Friday, January 3, 2014

Peter Pan mini golf

3 generations playing in the Austin sunshine on the first of the year.