Maggie says she wants to put a ponytail in Will's hair.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
My little lovies
I love these little buggers so much! I could kick myself every day for not taking more home movies of them - or not writing down all the wonderful and funny things they say.
Today, after the Y, we were driving home and Maggie asked me, "Momma, will you help me grow up?" It was so sweet.
Will is starting to talk more. He can say "please, thank you, excuse me, drink and stinky feet." He can say more, but that is really what I hear him say most days. We started a funny ritual of every time he has his diaper changed, he pushes his feet up in my face and I smell them and say "Pew! Stinky Feet!" He giggles every time. It never gets old for him.
Maggie is quite a pistol. She challenges us every day, but can still be quite the sweet heart. Her most adorable moment so far this week - she has a play baby harness - like a Snugli - that she puts her baby it. Each day of the week she has a new baby that she plays with. The last two days, she has put the ducky in the baby carrier and taken it on all of her "shopping expeditions" and last night and today at her nap she put the ducky in the carrier and gone to sleep with it.
Walker continues to grow up despite all of my efforts to keep him a little boy. I've faced facts - he's now a "big boy!" He had a blast in Kentucky with Erik at the National Farm Machinery Show and tractor pulls. He even got to buy a replica pulling sled and now we have regular tractor pulls here at the house. Today he was a great help at the grocery store and when I asked him if he would volunteer to get out of the shopping cart (we always get the fire truck shopping cart) and give it to Will, he did so willingly. I was able to hand him the groceries and he would put it in the cart. He was such a good boy.
Things are pretty slow around here on the farm. We've had some decent weather - no snow - so Erik has been working on projects around the house. His priorities and mine are a bit different, but he's getting them done - hopefully all will be done by spring when it is time to go back to work every day!
We're hoping to have some goat babies born soon too. Time is marching on and it will be summer before we know it. I'm looking forward to it, but am also apprehensive as this will be Walker's last summer before he starts school.
I'm going to go sob now . . .
Thursday, February 12, 2009
First tooth lost
Well, it happened - two weeks and one day after the discovery, Walker finally lost his first tooth.
He's so grown up!
He was outside helping Erik cut firewood and said to Erik, "Hey dad, look at this!" and he proceeded to push his tooth out with his tongue onto his bottom lip. Erik responded with, "Well, if you can do that, it's time to pull it." He grabbed the tooth, and it came right out. Walker is very proud to have lost a tooth and was very excited to find what the tooth fairy would bring him. (she brought him a note about brushing his teeth and how proud that he was cavity free - and three dollars in quarters).
To celebrate, I decided to take Walker out on a date - we had to run an errand to Sam's club first, then ate at one of Walker's new favorite restaurants - Long John Silvers. He was very concerned about eating without his tooth, but I convinced him that it was easy - just like eating with a tooth. He really enjoyed his fish and I even allowed him to have Dr. Pepper with his meal. He told me, "It tastes just like Dad's Cherry Coke."
After our glamourous fish dinner, we went to the Mall cinema to see "Marley and Me." Walker found all of the dog shenannigans very comical and I loved hearing his little laughs. For those of you who have not seen the movie and don't want to know the end, stop reading now. At the end of the movie, when Marley is in the vet's office and John is preparing to put him down, Walker began to understand that something was wrong with Marley, and asked me about what was going on - I told him that Marley was very sick and the Doctor was going to try to make him better. He didn't say anything more until the part where the family is saying goodbye to Marley at the gravesite - then he looked at me with tears welling in his eyes, "Momma? Is Marley dead?" As I nodded yes, crocodile tears dripped from his big brown eyes. I felt horrible taking him to see that movie, but as we gathered our stuff to leave, he reassured me that Marley had had a great life and just like our dogs, Marley's family loved him very much, and maybe they could get a puppy now. I told him that I thought since they loved dogs so much they probably got a new puppy too and that really made him happy.
His favorite part of the movie? The fact that Marley got to sleep in bed with one of the boys. It was a 15 second scene. Think he's trying to tell me something? We've tried having our dogs inside. Chloe is too jittery, she prances and follows you everywhere and is always under MY feet. Maverick likes to be inside to sleep, but is getting older and with his hip dysplasia, he is wary of the kids climbing on him while he sleeps. He has never nipped at the children, but I don't want to put him in the position where he injures one of the children because he is reacting to them hurting him accidentally. Rocco - well, get real! He's GINORMOUS and would not be content in the house. Plus, his barking drives me nuts from outside - how would I deal with it in the house? Dudley has been adopted by a neighboring family - he comes home occasionally, but really prefers their house - they have pre-teen aged children that play with him daily. Plus, I think they do allow him in the house all the time! This is sad for Erik, but he has always said he doesn't want a dog that doesn't want him. Dudley is an affection and attention seeker, and really resents the fact he has so many others vying for his attention. He is better off where he can be played with more regularly and be the only dog being paid attention. So that's our dog story. I'm sure a puppy will be in our future as the kids get older and can take more care of it. We'd love to rescue a dog, but because we do allow our dogs to live outside, we doubt we will be selected as an appropriate candidate.
Our next dog I would prefer something smaller than what we have now. A welsh-corgi comes to mind, but I'm open to suggestions.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Say goodbye to this smile
We were getting ready for bed tonight and I was helping Walker floss his teeth. We use those handy little pre-flossed picks for the kids, and as I was wiggling the tool back and forth, I came to the front teeth on the bottom and as I inserted the floss, his bottom center right tooth wiggled. I almost dropped the tool and I placed my finger tip on the tooth and pushed back and forth and the tooth went with me.
WALKER HAS HIS FIRST LOOSE TOOTH!
What? He's only four! I yelled for Erik to come up and check it out as well. He wasn't as devastated as me - he says, "relax, we're going to the dentist tomorrow!" I am not afraid something is wrong - I am sad that my four year old has a loose tooth! I made Erik go back downstairs and google "when do children lose their first tooth?" and he said according to the Mayo Clinic website, children can lose teeth as early as five and as late as age 8. (Yes, I did double check on my own and the facts are correct). I do remember my aunt telling me that her dentist told her that the earlier they get their teeth as babies, the earlier they lose their teeth as preschoolers.
None of this knowledge softens the blow of having physical proof my baby is turning 5. For some reason, lately, Walker has been acting with a great maturity. He's been playing well with his siblings, asking provocative and insightful questions, and accomplishing tasks he usually would balk at and complain over. It has been lovely yet disturbing as I watch him mature before my eyes. What a gift God has given me to be his mother and what a privilege I have to be at home to watch all of this daily. Granted, most days, my patience has been tried to its limits, but overall, I am overwhelmed with thanks that I got to spend all of this precious time with this great little boy. My days of being first in his life are becoming limited.
Already, he prefers to spend his "free" time working with his daddy instead of hanging out with his Momma. That is as it should be. Erik is a wonderful father and role model for Walker to learn from.
I just wish these last five years hadn't gone so very quickly. It amazes me that I can still remember vividly the last visit to the Ob/Gyn and the CNM telling me that she would probably see me over the weekend as she was on call. As she predicted, I went to the hospital that weekend and that beautiful baby boy was born. I remember the feel of him snuggled against my neck, inhaling that intoxicating scent of new born baby - feeling giddy not just because I was a mother, but because I was his mother. I remember staying semi-awake all night cuddling him in my arms, cocooning him, because I didn't want to be apart from him and the hospital where I delivered does not allow newborns to be in the room with you if you are sleeping. I remember
my mother exclaiming when, as I held him against my chest, he picked his head right up as if he was a three month old, showing off his neck strength - and to get a good look at what all was going on. The boy is still a little hose-nose Harold. He always wants to know what is going on.
I didn't mean to go on and on in this post about my memories of Walker. I do realize that five is still just a baby and that he has a lot of growing and a lot of needing Momma left. Five is just such a milestone and it seems a little overwhelming to me this week.
I'm putting together a picture DVD of Walker's first 5 years of life. I'm sure I'll be posting photos of my little buckaroo throughout the week, so I hope you'll check back to see them.
Not sure if I'll be able to blog much as we are completing tasks for the big Birthday party on Saturday, followed by the big SUPERBOWL party on Sunday . . . GO Steelers!
And say goodbye to this perfect little smile. Soon it will be gone forever.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Maggie
Every night I am surprised yet comforted by the lack of ritual that has become a ritual in our home at bedtime. Will is typically tired around 8:00 - yet if you ask him if he is ready to get his blanky, his answer is "Uh uh." No. But we walk upstairs, he lays on his changing table and I pull out a fleece footie pajama and he giggles in excitement over the thought of putting his PJ's on. It is absolutely adorable. He then usually puts up a small fuss as I start singing "Where is blanky, where is blanky, in your crib, in your crib . . ." to the tune of Friar Jaques (spelling?). He sees the blanky and giggles again, grabbing it and stuffing his face into it as if he has to breath in the scent to recognize it as his own.
Maggie and Walker have no real rituals either except we do read books occassionally - although that is typically a daytime thing - and we brush teeth and put on our PJ's. Inevitably, whether I put them to bed, or Erik does, I always kiss them good night. Everytime I kiss her, she rubs her lips together and asks me, "You wearin' lipsick, Momma?" To which I have to reply, "yes" or else she will ask me over and over until I say yes, because apparently I wear lipstick so much she feels I must be lying to her if I don't say I am wearing lipstick at bedtime. I do wear Vaseline to bed, so that must be where she gets it.
Walker usually climbs in bed and will start pointing at his CD player. When you playfully ask, "What?" he says, "Shremember, put on my music." I didn't misspell "remember" - Walker adds the "sh" to the word every time he says it. Cracks me up. He also says, "I sorgot" (forgot). It is cute and something I cling to as "babyish" as he approaches age 5.
Just a side note about today - Walker wore his full cowboy get up today and as he sauntered into school, several mothers and his teacher commented on how good he looked. Erik said he gave them all a look like, "I know I look good. What else do you expect?" Erik said it was really funny. Knowing Walker, I know the look he gave them and I'm sure it was funny .
Monday, January 19, 2009
Going for 6!
The children pose for me real quick before the playoff game last night. Walker was reluctant - but he gave in. Maggie ran around the house yelling, "Here we go Steelers" and Will just chased her with the "terrible toddler towel." Papa would have been proud.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
more pink cheeks
We've been busy the last week! With all the snow, playing has been a great desire, but the freezing cold temperatures (below 10 degrees most days and that's not factoring in wind chills) have kept us indoors most days. Especially because Will does not really care for the snow. I'm sure this is due to several causes: Snow clothes are bulky and hard to walk in, they don't make snow boots his size so we layer him in socks and put him in the only boots we have that are not weather proof, and, most importantly, it is really stinking cold out there!
Maggie braved the cold - she wouldn't sled ride, but she watched Walker. They also managed to get in a quad ride one late afternoon. We took a trip to the PA State Farm Show in Harrisburg January 15-18 and had a blast. I've included some photos from the trip.
As always, if you want to see more photos of what we've been up to, check out my album at www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferschwalm - or clicking on any of these photos will take you there.
To those of you that subscribe to updates, so sorry I junk up your box every time I add photos here. If it helps, I've linked the blog to facebook, so you can find updates there too.
Love and warmth to you all!
Will is on breakfast duty
The griddle isn't hot - it is many many minutes after breakfast has been served, the griddle is cool and Will decided he was done playing with toys and was going to cook himself some lunch. This kid is too smart!
Howdy Partner
We turned Walker into a cowboy this weekend buying him new cowboy boots, a hat and a new belt for his birthday coming up in a few weeks. he was so absolutely thrilled to get all of this stuff. However, that thrill didn't translate into a pretty photo. Not sure what this pose is, but it was the best of the bunch!
He really does look like a cowboy - especially because he's so skinny he doesn't fit into his clothes!
What happened while I was out of the room.
I went to the hotel lobby to look up restaurants on the complimentary computers. While I was gone, Maggie got into my purse and managed to take these incriminating photos of my youngest and the man who was supposed to be supervising them. Who do you think has the upper hand?
International Harvester!
Walker has always favored red tractors, then when the song "International Harvester" came out he became a IH man.
Sorry about the cheezy smile. I swear I tried to get him to smile normally. Apparently, at the age of 4, a child loses the ability to smile normally for pictures.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Farm show update 1
So, we left late this afternoon for the farm show in Harrisburg, PA. I was able to hand the kids off to my wonderful neighbors, Donna & Dan, they are both over their colds, feeling great, and Dan was demanding a visit from his "babies." So off they went. I spent the morning organizing clothes into days - each bundle of clothes got placed in a bag, labeled and packed. I was so thrilled with my inventiveness & organization. I was even so organized as to roll underpants, socks, diapers (for Will), etc. in the outfit for that day and place it in a bag so that all of our outfits for that day were together and easily transferred. I got all of our outfits, and some spare items in one duffel bag. One bag for our toiletries, and one bag for shoes - can't keep shoes w/ the clean stuff. I put together a bag of food, a cooler of drinks and other miscellaneous items - we needed extra blankets for the pack n play, the kids lovies, etc. I was feeling great and was ready to go. The only kink in my plans . . . Erik didn't allot himself enough time to get home and shower before we left; therefore he drove in his semi-dirty work clothes.
We head out, are on the road by 3:30. We get to Harrisburg, have a delightful supper at the Outback Steakhouse and as we're leaving, we notice an odor coming from Will. We discuss it and feel it will hold until we get to the hotel - we want to run to Gabriel Brothers to see if Erik can find a fleece to wear tomorrow, since he didn't follow my plan and shower and change before we left Butler.
As we leave Gabriel Bros., Erik states, "He's leaking." I hold Will in the front seat as Gabriel Bros. is just behind our hotel, and we get checked in and head to the room. I know he will need a bath, so I start running it and take off his clothes only to find his diaper not only leaked, but it created a thick paste going from butt to ankle. I stripped him, bathed him, got the room set up, and now, here I am, sitting in the lobby of a hotel while I do what I thought I was going to escape doing for three days . . . LAUNDRY! It's the dirtiest word on the planet!
Now, it doesn't matter that Erik didn't change before we left, because I was able to wash his fleece with the dirty clothes. Typical, things go perfectly for Erik and I am stuck with the short end of the stick!
Check in over the weekend for updates - I won't be able to post pics, but I'll post them when we get back!
We head out, are on the road by 3:30. We get to Harrisburg, have a delightful supper at the Outback Steakhouse and as we're leaving, we notice an odor coming from Will. We discuss it and feel it will hold until we get to the hotel - we want to run to Gabriel Brothers to see if Erik can find a fleece to wear tomorrow, since he didn't follow my plan and shower and change before we left Butler.
As we leave Gabriel Bros., Erik states, "He's leaking." I hold Will in the front seat as Gabriel Bros. is just behind our hotel, and we get checked in and head to the room. I know he will need a bath, so I start running it and take off his clothes only to find his diaper not only leaked, but it created a thick paste going from butt to ankle. I stripped him, bathed him, got the room set up, and now, here I am, sitting in the lobby of a hotel while I do what I thought I was going to escape doing for three days . . . LAUNDRY! It's the dirtiest word on the planet!
Now, it doesn't matter that Erik didn't change before we left, because I was able to wash his fleece with the dirty clothes. Typical, things go perfectly for Erik and I am stuck with the short end of the stick!
Check in over the weekend for updates - I won't be able to post pics, but I'll post them when we get back!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Winter Wonderland
Isn't this just a picture postcard? The snow is so pretty - but that's because I don't have to leave the property and travel the roads. From what I have seen on the news though, everything is cancelled or closed activity-wise. That's probably for the best because weather forecasts are predicting more snow and possibly rain later! YUCK. Erik has been out since 4 am plowing - he did come home for some breakfast and more coffee and now he and Walker are out again getting back to work.
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