Tales of a Bizarre Terrorist Banshee

Wow, there are times when you think to yourself as a parent, "Hmm...I believe we have entered the terrible twos." And then there are times when you reflect on those times and realize that you were dead wrong, because the current times...you have no words for. Terrible twos doesn't even begin to explain it.

Fortunately the good Lord gives these creatures, err, I mean children (or in my book Bizarre Terrorist Banshees/BTBs for short) a heavy dose of imagination. This serves not only to keep the BTBs exhausted parents on their toes, but also breaking out into spontaneous fits of hilarious laughter--lucky for the BTB.

I shall attempt to put words to the past few days in order to aide other unsuspecting caretakers in identifying a BTB should it emerge from your otherwise normal child. I shall also beg, plead, and weep in an attempt to extract advice from others who have endured the wrath of this peculiar creature.

When we moved Nehemiah into his big boy bed in the fall, I expected that he would get up and wander around his room, and I wasn't sure exactly how to keep that from happening. Then we tried it, and no joke, he would not get off of his bed unless we came and got him. He would yell for us, but would wait patiently until we arrived for his extrication. This delightful turn of events is no more. He has discovered his freedom--in a BIG way!

I should also explain that we are in the throes of potty training, which entails, among other things, lessons on how to undress and redress.

In the last few weeks, Nehemiah has started waking up in the middle of the night. He is not groggy. He is up like he would be in the morning. It started out that he would call for us. One of us (usually Ben, or Adelynne will wake up screaming, because she immediately knows when my presence is missing) would go to his room and put him back to bed. Then we started to cut his naps down--now he takes a nap maybe twice a week and has quite time in his room the other days.

Last week, the moon was particularly bright, which causes Maltby to be a bit insane--he insists on going out to chase the Wererabbit. He barks and is very noisy--so Ben would also get up to let the dog out, and he started noticing that Nehemiah's bedroom light was on--at like 2 am. He was quietly in there playing or looking at books, but not sleeping. The next day, he would be very tired and irritable. We figured he would eventually get tired enough that he would quit the habit. A few nights later Ben came out to let Maltby out, and all of the lights in the house were on, and Nehemiah was standing buck-naked, banging on the heater, and yelling for Ben. It was so unexpected, and didn't happen again for awhile.

Then, this morning, after a glorious, uninterrupted night's sleep, Ben got up to find Nehemiah, with very poopy diaper removed, and naked, who had stepped in his poo, and was now jumping and dancing on the couch. We were fortunate that there wasn't more around, but it was a little shocking. Ben handled it very well--Nehemiah is quite fortunate that I was nursing Adelynne and not getting up. I don't do so well in the mornings--I'm definitely a night owl--I would have been quite upset, but Ben was so patient. I was very proud of him, because it was a better reaction, considering that Nehemiah is in the middle of so much learning--I don't think he did anything purposely, but my gut reaction wouldn't have taken all of those variables into account.

Anyway, with the midnight mayhem, we are exhausted, including Nehemiah, which results in much more normal "terrible two" behavior during the day. We've been trying to be more consistent with the Dear BTB as far as discipline is concerned, cutting nap time, transitioning from the high chair, potty training, etc. I think it is all just a bit much, so I am hoping when some of these skills are mastered that life will slow down a bit and get back to something resembling normality!

Praise the Lord

This morning I woke up to find this picture of Keanan (from Haiti on Diplomatic Parole) greeting his daddy in Orlando. Praise the Lord and thank you for praying!


A few days ago I mentioned this situation from a blog I follow called, Rage Against the Minivan--I'm so glad that Keanan is home and some good is able to come from an impossible situation. The Lord is merciful in His provision for and salvation of His little ones.

Storming the Gates

I have come across a blog called Rage Against the Minivan in the past few months, and while there are things I don't have in common with Kristen (I mean come on--y'all have seen my minivan proudly tooling around town!), I want to focus on what we do have in common...a faith in Christ and a love for our kids. She was in Haiti with her baby girl visiting their son (who they have been in the process of adopting for the last 3 years) when the earthquake struck. She and her daughter have made it home safely--praise the Lord! Join me in praying for their son to come home. Here is some information she has given about the process of something called humanitarian parole--where Keanan, her son, may be able to come to the States and to their family until Haiti's infrastructure improves and it is safer for him to be there again--it has been extended to some; I am praying that her family will make the list. Kristen is one of many US parents waiting on their Hatian children. Here is a powerful music video by the talented Aaron Ivey, another one of that group.

Join me in praying for these children and families please.

So happy together! :)

Whew!

Sorry such sporadic blogging...technical difficulties on the camera front--again--it has been the year of camera disaster, much to my sadness! The last few days have been rough--you know the kind...the when it rains it pours kind of days. Ben left for a business trip and the same day, we all developed fevers to go with our colds. And Maltby puked on the floor 3 times! That is because he is so emotionally gifted--he wouldn't eat the first two days Ben was gone, so when he did eat he was over hungry and he gorged really fast. Well his stomach wasn't ready, and he took it out on the carpet. Nothing like cleaning that up while you're sick and on your own! I thought I'd try to get out yesterday to shake some of the cobwebs out, and my fun outing to the local coffee shop yielded a closed shop. Apparently it closed yesterday and won't reopen again until January under new ownership. Uugh! So, like I said, it's just been several pity party days in a row!

Seems to me that I need to start looking for the happy--good things. Currently I am experiencing concurrent naps...SCORE! Ben is going to be home soonish and I have a funny Nehemiah story...

On Saturday we went to my in-laws for dinner and my mother-in-law had out her Christmas "pyramid," one of those wooden, candle powered spinning things. Nehemiah loves it! The next day at home, he asked me to light a candle. I looked back over my shoulder, and he was holding his plastic Batman helicopter over the top of it to see if the rotors would spin! I told him to be careful because it could get hot, and then distracted him with me in the kitchen. A few minutes later, the phone rang, so I was distracted, and Nehemiah decided to try again. He melted the bottom of his little helicopter and learned a valuable lesson. :) It amazes me how well his mental wheels turn! <3

My baby girl is growing, growing, growing!

I can hardly believe Adelynne is 6 months old--wowzers! She is growing like a beautiful little weed! She is in the 97th percentile for height and the 90th for weight, and she is still nearly 2 pounds under where Nehemiah was at this age. She is such a mover and shaker! I have a feeling between the two of them, they will always keep me on their toes! What a blessing children are!

The Aww Factor

Learning

I was so blessed to learn as much as I did during my pregnancy with Adelynne about pregnancy and birthing. The learning continues as I've had two rough starts (but successful!) with breastfeeding! And Ben and I have also started up with natural family planning. These things combined have given me a new and greater appreciation for God's design of mama's bodies, and babies. I have so enjoyed learning these things, and I hope that I can pass on my knowledge to as many people as possible. I've been thinking that after my little one's are grown, I may go back to school to get trained as a Certified Nurse Midwife.

I have had some great nurses and doctors and some not so great. It is amazing the questions I asked of multiple "experts" that I later (sometimes too late) found answers to on my own because the questions were brushed aside. I love discovering those answers, and like I said, passing them on!

Since Adelynne has been born I have learned an important thing about my body that I believe will change future births into more comfortable experiences. And as far as nursing goes...check out what I've read just today...so fun!

This tells all about why you don't formula supplement in the hospital at first if you are hoping to start a good breastfeeding relationship, and in such a cute way!

This one about God's design for that first milk, colostrum, to help heal babies' developing intestines.

And self-attachment is something I had read about before Nehemiah and Adelynne were born, but apparently I should have looked into it further, because I wasn't quite patient enough! They both developed such painful latching techniques initially, and Adelynne and I ended up back in the hospital for observation because she wasn't gaining weight properly--all because of a bad latch. I can't help but wonder if I had waited, what God might have shown me! Thank goodness I'll probably have another chance someday!

I found these links by reading a fascinating blog by a black woman advocating for breastfeeding. Her blog is called Blacktating, and I have to say I didn't realize it was as rare as it is in the black community! I am blessed to be in a community where breastfeeding is the norm, though I think I will be surprised how rare it really is elsewhere--what a shame!

Sorry, I started rambling, and I hear Nehemiah babbling away in his room, up from his nap, so, I'd better jet! Thanks for looking with me a little deeper into God's design. I am excited to see what else He reveals to me about these things; I am so in awe with each new revelation!

The one with the stagnant puddle...

Nehemiah has had his eye on the puddles at the end of our driveway for awhile now.

Until yesterday though, he would walk up to the very edge, step in the squishiest mud, say, "Eww, yuck!" and turn from temptation. Until yesterday.

(is this okay Mama? 'Cuz here I go!)

He approached with initial caution. After that wore off, he frolicked with the best of them.

(a true Irish Riverdancer!)

And a little while in, after he got everything good and churned up, I realized that the atmosphere was smelling like frog. And the reason was all over my son...now it's Mommy's turn...EWW YUCK!


Adelynne watched from her carrier, and everyone had a bath when we got inside--there was significant splash transfer after all (unfortunately the puddle is right by our road, so someone--mommy--has to stand sentry, and you just can't get far enough away...sorry Adelynne!)

Nehemiah even gave his car a wash...

then the sky...

then me, and that is where the pictures stop!

Betrayed!

Nehemiah was so sweet, bringing me a fluffy dandelion!

Then he tried to blow, the next one he found.

Eventually, we turned to other methods of flinging fluff!

Picking raspberries

Yesterday in the A.M., we went out to camp with some friends and found some raspberries. Nehemiah has recently become enthralled with picking his own food! Perhaps I can find a blueberry or strawberry pick your own place; right now he only really eats raspberries! Adelynne hung out in the stroller to avoid a sunburn...she burns fast!

You know it's a rough day when...

...you look up from your self-soothing methods to see this:

It's really rather delightful when you actually take the time to enjoy it. Especially with Enya's soothing sounds in the background.

Pray for me.

Ben is working long hours, Nehemiah is the sole performer in a strong-willed festival, and Adelynne is teething. Yikes! Patience is a virtue...patience is a virtue...patience is a virtue...

A little golf...a little snoozing...

Nehemiah's new distraction--thanks Dad!
He's also got some new phrases...our current favorite is: Holy Mackerel!

And this is my little distraction tonight...isn't she the cutest?!

A song

Sticks and rocks and pinecones,
Pine needles and pebbles,
Are what my little boy brings.

Dandelion tops and feathers,
All his little treasures,
Are what my little boy brings.

I was sitting on a bench nursing Adeynne, at the playground at camp this afternoon, and Nehemiah kept bringing his little discoveries over to me. I started making up a little song, which turned into the poem above. It sounds better sung (to me anyway), but I still thought I'd write it up. :)

Critters

Maltby treed something today. In a smallish deciduous tree, there is a cute, fuzzy, toothy creature. We initially thought it was a porcupine, but upon further inspection, there were no spines! Our best guess is that it is a woodchuck. I'd never seen one before, and they don't usually climb trees (unless they are trying to preserve their lives), but some quick research online by Ben and a phone call from his dad seem to indicate that this is the case. If you know something we don't, I'd love to know what you think it is!

And this little critter is cute in her own right! And growing like a weed! Yesterday at her 2 month appointment, we got her new stats: 12lbs 12oz (90th percentile), 23 in. (75th percentile), and 40cm head circumference (75th percentile)! She is just growing out of 3 month clothes and into 6 month ones, which is fun, because we had some very generous friends give us lots of hand me downs, so it's like a shopping spree of fun new outfits in her closet! When she grows out of 6 month clothes, we may actually have to go shopping though, because most of them were just through the 6 month size. I just love her little smile!

Mommy madness

So, I was at my Mothers and Children group yesterday gabbing with my lovely friends. It is so nice to have other moms of young kids around who can tell you that you are perfectly normal when you feel like you are losing your mind!

Part of our conversation was about the astonishing and immediate lack of freedom when you become a mom. Maybe I should say lack of spontaneous acts. There is always something to be planned for when you have a little one that you are primarily responsible for.

We all agree that we adore and appreciate our husbands (and children), but there is a difficult to express jealousy over a certain type of freedom that they still enjoy (at least part of the time). You sound crazy trying to explain it. The words are hard to find.

Well, a few months ago, I came across the words, on Sarah's Dandelions blog. Here is her post, and the article from Parenting.com that it references, as well as a another blog she came across that phrases it well.

For those of you who were wondering where those words are, you have found them!

Hugs to the Mamas!

A Boy's Wanderings

Nehemiah sets out with his stick from the playhouse Daddy built.

Along his travels he comes upon an old taxidermied sawfish.

He decides the rock he picked up is dirty, and that he should lick it clean.

Note that while the rock is clean, his face is not. And he has returned to his little house and porch.

I love my BOY!

How quickly we forget...

• that a newborn's hair is absolutely the softest thing on earth--with their skin running a close second.
• the urgency and motivation contained within their cries.
• the size of their hands and feet compared to the rest of their little bodies...is it just me, or do they seem big proportionately?
• the size of their burps and toots compared to the rest of their bodies-hee hee! It is always so shocking!
  
• how tough it can be too maneuver their little limbs into clothing--or maybe how helpful my toddler is when getting dressed!
• how exhausting nursing is in the beginning--I remembered the pain that I seem to experience; I did not remember just how time consuming it is, and darn that prolactin for making you even more sleepy than you already are on top of it! ;) Along with that, it is really tough to schedule trips out of the house when things are nearly an hour away, and you must nurse on the 2-3 hour mark, 'round the clock.
  
• that you fall instantly in love at first sight, and that none of the seemingly negative stuff even really matters.
• how gratitude producing it is to watch your husband bonding with his new child.
• that we would do just about anything for this new little love.
• just how much we love baby gowns! They make diaper changes around the house 10 times easier!
• that babywearing is essential in our house!
• how behind I get (incidentally, if you are waiting for our announcements or a thank you note--it's gonna' be awhile--sorry!) on EVERYTHING except laundry, which becomes even more necessary than you think it could ever be if you want the poo and urp to come out of those adorable new clothes all your generous friends and family have given you!
• how my attitude when people send me plants shocks me. Believe it or not, I used to love to take care of houseplants. Now my attitude screams--I already have one child to keep alive, now a teensy baby too! Not to mention the dog! No more keeping things alive--I will NOT be responsible for more living things! It makes me laugh, but this really is my truth-be-told outlook on it.
• How everyone has something to say, and how sweet almost all of it is!
  

Anyone else have things to add to the list? I'd love to hear more!

Adelynne is here!

Hi all! I'll be writing up my birth story shortly, but I wanted to let you all know that Adelynne arrived this morning at 1:48 am. We got to the hospital at midnight, so things went really quickly! I was able to have the natural childbirth that I wanted, and she is gorgeous! 9lbs 2.5oz, 20.5 inches long with a 14.5 inch head circumference. She also nurses really well so far--hooray! Here are some pictures of our new little sweetie!

Great with Child

Sometime it feels like that doesn't even begin to describe it! Here are some pictures Ben took real quick last night for the belly-blog update--it seems I always have one with a SUPER CHEESY grin, but I guess that's me! :)


I went to the doctor today, and he said,

Have I ever told you what a delightful job you do being pregnant? And how much I enjoy seeing you every week? Because I'll be seeing you again next week at your appointment.

What a guy! I am technically due Saturday, but it sounds like that will come and go, as my appointment next week is Wednesday. I was 9 days past my due date with Nehemiah, so I am no stranger to the experience, and there are worse things by far! It does feel a bit like an earthquake each time this little one stirs at this point. My parents will arrive next Friday, so I guess there is a chance they'll be here for the big birthing day! How fun!