Eight

Do you believe she is eight already? Where in the world has the time gone?

My Beloved and I have been walking down memory lane a bit with the recent birth of Ezekiel. For each child we have recalled their grand entrance into our lives. And even though Kiersten’s is the farthest back in our memories it is no less fresh.

How do you ever forget the birth of your first child? It is nigh impossible.

To be honest I was hoping this last little one would favor Kiersten in coloring. I was hoping for another fair skinned, red headed beauty – be it boy or girl. Alas it was not to be and so I will just have to cherish all the more the beauty that Kiersten is.

Eight years. So many memories.

Such a little lady she has become. So grown up and yet still so little, know what I mean?

As a side note I think she has gotten her first crush on a boy! It is really quite cute. This boy is from church as well as from the same dance studio. He is a one to two years older than her and they aren’t even in the same dance class or small group at church and yet he has caught her attention. How do I know, you ask. Well, when your little girl mentions this boy by name and then says ever so casually (as casually as an eight year old can) that we should have his family over for dinner. She has come to recognize that when we want to get to know a couple or family we have them over for a meal – or two. That is when you know it is serious. Oh to be eight again! : ) (Also noteworthy is the fact that her Dad is no where near ready for her to be taking a shine to any boy!)

Anyhow, back on topic.

We had our own little family party on the day of her actual birthday. She chose to grill out for dinner and then have a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and rainbow sherbet for dessert. The girl knows what she likes/wants and isn’t afraid to say so. : ) (She gets that from her Dad!)

We gave her a few little gifts as well as the promise of a date with Daddy to go see Nannie McPhee 2 once the weekend came- just her and Daddy, no one else. I am told they shared popcorn and had a lovely time. How can you not when you are on a date with your Dad? : ) Kiersten also got to spend the night with her cousin at their house and enjoyed herself immensely.

All in all it sounds as though she had a good birthday. It was more big girl this year…I fear little girl things are rapidly becoming a thing of the past for her.

She is growing up, too fast. Where does the time go? Eight years….and counting.

His First

Just last week the Biggest Man lost his very first lose tooth. Wow, his first tooth gone. Where has the time flown?

It was the most anticlimactic event compared to the fake cry/whine thing he does whenever someone (a sister) touches his toys when he’s not in the mood to share. Whenever one doesn’t do his bidding (like pushing him on the swing when he asks/whines for help even though he is more than able to pump his legs and push himself). Or whenever he sits down to dinner and decides he doesn’t want to eat it so he cries (even though last week it was his favorite dinner and he was finished in 5 minutes flat).

All these ordinary day to day things require much drama on his part and yet when the child is sick and throws up nary a sound or tear escapes him. Or like the case of losing his tooth and he says so matter of factly, “Dad! I think I just lost my tooth eating breakfast.” It just ‘came out’ and there were no tears or drama. (Can you tell he has been whining a lot of lot and that it is a trait that is severely working my patience bone?)

He is a quandary that one, a complete mystery. A true ‘big’ man is some ways and yet still such a ‘little’ man in others. I almost wish things were reversed and that the day to day was something he could brave with the shrug of a shoulder and those random, occurring only even so often events were the ones he fussed over. Ah well, there is a lesson in patience for me there!

Nevertheless Isaiah looks so sweet with his tooth missing and he talks in the funniest of ways. It is just like when you put a bandage on their hand when they are real little and they hold their whole hand funny because they are ‘hurt’. He does the same with how he is talking since his tooth came out. The brush of his tongue against that gap must feel weird for he compensates for it with this little lisp things he does now. To put it simply he doesn’t talk the same and thus doesn’t sound the same- all to avoid the feel of that space in his mouth. Cute, sweet and funny sounding my Biggest Man is now.

Oh, and unlike his sister he was willing to let the Tooth Fairy come and relinquish his beloved, or not so beloved, tooth. When asked what the Tooth Fairy should bring him he replied, “A musical toothbrush.” I had no idea where this idea came from since I have yet to see a musical toothbrush and then Kiersten piped up and said, “He wants the same thing Wyatt on Super Why (PBS program) got when he lost his tooth.”

Oooohhh- so that is where that idea came from. Not really feeling bad about it we told him that there would be no musical toothbrush showing up under his pillow the next morning (Walmart doesn’t carry musical toothbrushes. Anyone ever seen such a thing?) and pray tell what else might the Tooth Fairy leave you under your pillow? This time he replied, “A gold piece and a sucker.” The child doesn’t want much. : )

Lucky for him we have some of those one dollar coins. You know, those very 'gold' looking one dollar coins? So the next morning my child awoke to find a ‘gold’ piece and a Dum Dum sucker under his pillow. (The sucker was consumed before he came down to breakfast.) He was very easy to please in this regard, for which we were/are thankful. Since Kiersten has never been willing to part with a tooth this whole Tooth Fairy gig was a bit new to us. But alas all's well that ends well. : ) At least until next time!

Zeke

Well, the littlest man is coming along. I was a little worried Zeke was going to be a repeat of his brother...the first year, that is. And I confess I was a bit scared/worried. I love my Isaiah boy but his first year of life was the roughest ever for me and for my marriage. Oh, he wasn’t the cause of the marriage issues but I have to say I don’t ever want to relive a year like that one again. So when it looked like Ezekiel was thinking of following just a little too closely in his brother’s footsteps I got awful worried. (Here is the family of four.)

How was he following in Isaiah’s footsteps? You ask. Well, just like his brother he lost 1 pound by the 48 hour doctor visit. Then for his 2 week appointment he had gained no weight (Isaiah had at least gained some- although not back up to his birth weight of 9 pounds 9 ounces). It took Zeke about a month to get back up and past his birth weight.

Oh, but the scare of nursing issues and the possibility of a year of pumping like I did with Isaiah- I wish I could tell you what the last month of mind games has been like.

Thankfully Zeke is nursing fine…slowly and every 3 hours (which translates to 2 hour increments of time between feedings for me) even through the night. At his appointment earlier this week my strapping boy weighed in at 9 pounds 14 ounces making his mother ever so happy! : )

Other than nursing, trying to keep up with laundry, giving the other kids outside time and making sure we all eat I have not much time to spare. You could say I am in pure survival mode, the mode where it is a bit hard to think much beyond today or the end of this week. Do you think 2 hour intervals of sleep factor in there? Hmmm….

Anyhow, this is the littlest man not too long ago. He definitely favors Isaiah and Katie with his dark hair and darker skin. All in all his is a sweet and fairly calm baby which is a true blessing. He smiles in his sleep and is quite the little noisemaker when doing his business- all boy in that department!

More on all the family later…I am cutting into my 2 hours of sack time so I’ll bid you adieu for now!