Life - an update

I've been MIA here for awhile - almost a month. Life has been busy. I'll try to give a brief update on all facets.
C. is now 1 year old - her birthday was the 19th of January. We had quiet day at home - my mom was in town visiting (more on that in a minute) so we stayed home, and spent the day opening presents and eating cake. It was a fun day - she was thrilled with the wrapping paper. It was so cute to watch her walk up to one present, tear off a piece of wrapping paper, then turn around to another present, do the same thing, etc. Wrapped empty boxes would have been enough for her, I think. The toys inside were a bonus.
I think I had forgotten just how much fun it is to have a one-year-old around. I could just sit and watch C. all day - she toddles around (we jokingly call it the drunken sailor walk, but she is now faster on her feet than crawling - look out, world!) and finds something she thinks is just fascinating. It could be a toy, a scrap of paper on the floor, a pen, who knows. She will pick this amazing object up, and look to another person in the room and just grin the biggest grin you have ever seen and walk up to that person to show off her treasure. She offers it to you for a brief (very, very brief) second and then goes off to find either another admirer or another treasure. The world is all new in her eyes.
C. also adores beyond belief her big sister M. M. is alternately appreciative and annoyed by this adoration - but C. loves to follow M. around and generally get right in the middle of whatever M. is doing and cause havoc. Balancing including C. with allowing M. time alone is a big job these days, but it's fun.
One year olds are also so much easier than infants to care for. C. still needs lots of attention, but she will play quietly for a few minutes while I change laundry or clean something or do dishes - I have hope the house will look reasonable again at some point in the relatively near future. I have said before that there is a good reason the first year of parenting goes by so fast - and I love babies, but they are exhausting.
M. is now sleeping much better overall. Her sleep is still disturbed by changes in routine, like visiting grandparents, but more often than not she sleeps well and calmly, which is a huge milestone and huge relief for us. She is so independent now, and loves to help. And she actually can help - she cleans up when she spills her drink and I don't have to sneak in a clean-up of her attempt anymore. She loves to move clothes from the washer to the dryer and the dryer to the basket to fold and is quite good at sorting and matching socks and folding her own underwear. She really can dress herself and do the tasks of getting ready for bed - we still have to keep on top of her with reminders of what comes next, but she can do 90 percent of it herself, which is huge (especially on nights when W. has meetings and I'm doing bedtime solo).
We have made the decision of what to do for M. for school in the fall in the last month. Some background on this is needed for it all to make sense, I think. M. has been going to a good preschool located in a Methodist church in our neighborhood. She adored it last year when she was in the 2 1/2 to 3 year old class. This year she is in the 3 to 4 year old class and it hasn't been as great a year. She still has a good teacher - the same one as last year actually - but there have been some issues with negative behavior from other kids effecting her and she is not being challenged there. This school follows the "let kids play and don't force academics on them too early" school of thought, which I generally agree with - but M. is ready for more. We are realizing more and more how smart she is - and she wants to learn. I don't see why we should hold her back from learning if she is eager and excited to do it. So, we are moving her to another preschool for next year. The new school does phonics instruction with the class she will be in, as well as basic math and the typical preschool play time and snack, etc. They are more of a "challenge the kids in a supportive environment" sort of school. It will be more like kindergarten but in a 2 day a week preschool schedule. We think it will be a good balance for her energy levels (she is an introvert like her parents and too much time in groups really wears her out) and need for stimulation. The 2 day a week schedule also means we will have Fridays as family days again - that is W's day off and we've missed having that time together this year.
In addition to the preschool in the fall, we have also officially decided to have me start homeschooling M. on the days she's not in preschool. We're going to start kindergarten work and see what happens. This is for several reasons - including that we are seriously considering homeschooling for M. for elementary school and feel like we need to try it out before we have to do anything official. Worst case scenario - M. learns nothing from me next year - she won't be behind a bit because age-wise she won't be eligible for kindergarten until a year from this fall (Fall 2009) Also, if we find homeschooling makes me even more crazy than I already am and we can't swing it as a family - we have time to make other plans for the future. Equally important, we believe M. is really ready for more - and that she will really enjoy doing school with Mom.
On to other topics. We had a nice visit with my MIL right after Christmas. While she was here, she taught M. how to play Rummikub, which is an important family game in W's family. It really amazed her and us how quickly M. picked it up - and how quickly C. can destroy a game set up. (if you don't know it, this is a numbers game - there are tiles with numbers 1-13 in 4 colors and each player draws 14 to start. You must have runs of at least 3 to play - either of one color in numerical order or the same number and different colors. M. caught on right away and is surprisingly good considering her age). I really do love my MIL - she is a real example to me of what I hope to be like at her age - she started her PhD in Russian Lit. in her late 50's and is currently teaching (Serbo-Croatian this year) and starting her dissertation. She also teaches adult Sunday School, has lots of friends, sews, and does lots of other things.
Then, a week after MIL left, my mom came to visit - and to house-hunt. She has decided that Indiana - Utah is too much space between her and her precious granddaughters, so she is in the process of moving out here to be close to us. She found a condo she loves, made an offer, and it was accepted in less than 24 hours - this week. So, she is now starting to seriously hunt for a job - she has several possibilities - and plan her move.
On the church front, I have decided that for now I will not blog about it. The church world in this state is just too small for me to have any illusion of real illusion of anonymity. (There are 23 Presbyterian churches in Utah - and if you know them much at all you can tell which one is being referred to). W's church - and mine, as I am now a parish associate there - is starting to face some real issues that are bringing about conflict. It is hard - very hard, and frustrating at times - but W and I believe that the church will be the better for getting through all this muck. Eventually. I won't say more here, but prayers for the church would be appreciated. On a good church note - visitors are increasing. Another pastor in the valley commented to us that he has never served somewhere and seen so many visitors. Each week, he said, new people just keep coming through the door - people who want to hear the gospel. Most have a very small connection to his church - but they come anyway. And many keep coming. It's happening at our church, too - and it is really cool to see. I don't want to get into an anti-mormon rant here, but the message of the mormon church is, to me at least, profoundly un-Christian. There is a huge segment of society here that doesn't get grace at all - and many are hungry for that message. It is awe-inspiring to watch - and to know that lives are really being changed by the gospel.
I have some more thoughts about this blog and what I want it to be, but it is now past midnight my time and anyone who has read all of this deserves a medal. I'll save the rest for later - and I hope it's soon.

C. discovers chocolate

It was a hershey's kiss that fell on the floor and she found.

Not sure how she got the wrapper off....

Based on how much was on her face, hands, shirt, jeans, and the floor, I think she actually got about half of it into her stomach.

And just for comparison, here is M. eating chocolate for the first time. It was a small chocolate bunny at Easter.
M. was about 5-6 months older than C. is now - and neater. Didn't she have a darling Easter dress? Toddlers are so cute -

Oh, and if you look closely at the picture of C., you will see the evidence of her latest big fall on her forehead - she tipped a rocking chair over backwards today and hit her head on the coffee table going down. So now we have a nice bruise just in time for Grandma H., (my mil) to arrive tomorrow......

Hope all have had a good Christmas. I've been chasing little ones and had little time to blog...but it's been a pretty good week.

what a difference a few years makes....

I have been thinking a lot recently about how Christmas has changed for us over the last five years. Five years ago Christmas, we were in the middle of trying to get pregnant with M. I was so upset that I wasn't pregnant yet - I could not wait to have a child. Looking back, it was such a short wait for us. We were lucky (really lucky, as I have a pretty strong family history of infertility issues) it was only 5 months of trying until we were pregnant - but I remember that December was so awful. And I was a mess....
A year later, M. was almost 2 months old at Christmas. I was on my 3 month maternity leave. My parents and my brother came to our place for Christmas Eve and Day. I remember us opening presents - and M. had more than anyone else. We only got her 1 toy from Santa - she didn't need a thing - but between family and church members and such, she had a huge pile of gifts that we all opened for her. I have a wonderful picture of that Christmas of my parents and brother sitting on the couch in our (old) living room holding M. - that was our last Christmas before my parents separated. Looking back, it is bittersweet.
The next year, my parents were separated and we drove up to the city where they live after Christmas to see them. It was the first time we visited my mom in her new apartment, and I remember walking in the door and practically running to the bathroom and locking myself in and just bawling. My parents' separation and eventual divorce hit me like a ton of bricks. And yet that was a really fun Christmas - M. was a toddler and so sweet about opening presents and just found joy in everything. This was also the year of 12 inches of snow on December 23 and another 14 on Christmas Eve. We canceled Christmas Eve services because of the weather and bitter, bitter cold and W. made a good start on earning sainthood by shoveling my car out of our driveway, which was off an alley that also had to be shoveled out, so we could get to see my parents.
The next year was our last before moving out here. We again went to see my parents after Christmas. This year was easier for me emotionally. We had a good time with my dad's family at his house. I remember specifically my cousin's husband, who is a PCA pastor, telling us we probably wouldn't like to live in Utah because of the LDS environment. He had a friend who lived in Salt Lake doing ministry for 2 years and his friend hated it. It's interesting to see the difference one's theology and worldview make - we really like it here, but we're not convinced we have to convert the state to be successful - which is the ministry model this cousin and his friend share. (far too much stress for me, but that's another post) This was also a really fun Christmas with M. - at 2 she was even more excited about giving gifts and had fun playing with her second cousins at Grandpa's house.
Last year, we had our first Christmas in Utah. I was pregnant with C., and getting really tired of people asking if I thought I would make it to my due date. (I am 5'4", W. is 6'4". I am short-waisted, and our babies are tall. They have no where to go but out - and so I got really big bellies both times. This is just how it is, and the constant questioning from people who should have just kept their mouths shut really got to me. Can you tell?) M. was old enough to really help with some baking and wrapping and such, which was fun. I felt mentally frazzled trying to get ready for a baby and for Christmas at the same time. And it was hard to be so far from family and not see any of my family for Christmas. W's mom came out 2 days after Christmas to visit, though, so we did get to see some family.
This year, I am thankful that C. has not yet started pulling ornaments off the tree. (we put the tree up on Friday) She is into everything these days. I am looking forward to Christmas morning - watching the girls open presents will be fun. I am sad that none of my family can be here - but, we can't really travel to them easily either. And my mil is coming again right after Christmas. And my mom is coming in January (to house-hunt - she is moving here in February/March - again, another post) And I am feeling more settled.
And, I am passing on baby stuff. The majority of the baby stuff we have is stuff we were given. We are pretty sure we are done with babies, and our church is buying Christmas presents for about 10 moms and their kids at a meth recovery group home - and 3 of those kids are babies who have very, very little. And so, in between finishing up shopping and wrapping and mailing cards this week, I am sorting baby clothes and such - giving thanks for my babies, remembering the Baby of the season, thinking of those waiting for their own babies, and praying for all those babies who have so little in this world, and feeling a chapter of my life closing. Joy, hope, love, peace - my Christmas will have all of those. And I pray, and I fold little outfits and bag them up, that they will bring the same to the moms and babies who receive.

Conversations at our house this morning

Just because it's funny looking back.....

Me: M., do you want pancakes for breakfast?

M: No, Mommy. Pancakes are messy. I want something else.

Me: Okay, what do you want?

M: Cream of Wheat. It's not messy. (not entirely true, as she is apt to spill down her shirt as she eats, but I'm willing to indulge this wish...)

Me: Okay. Let's go get it out.

M: Mommy, I want to get the box out of the cupboard. I can do it.

Me: Okay. (I am not about to stop someone being independent and helpful)

M: Here Mommy. Oops.

(At this point I look down at the floor where about 3/4 cup of dry cream of wheat has spilled out to the box - it looks like a little indoor snowstorm or something)

Me: M, we have to remember not to tip the box because it will spill. Let's get the vacuum out. (I am calm because I actually got a good night's sleep last night - makes all the difference in the world in my level of patience with stuff like this.)

M: Oh. Okay.

(I get out the vacuum, we clean up the mess. I start cooking the cream of wheat and put the box back. I stir the cream of wheat on the stove and then turn to look down at C., who has decided that she wants to get things out of the cabinet too. She is trying to chew through a wrapper around some crackers, and has spilled guess what - more cream of wheat on the floor.)

Me: time for the vacuum again.

(W. walks into the kitchen and looks around)

W: Girls are messy. Everyone talks about boys being messy, but girls are messy.

Me: The two are not mutually exclusive, you know.

W: (chuckles and leaves to walk the dog)

We are going to try to get the tree up and decorated today. If we're all still in a good mood after that, we're going to go downtown on the train and see the lights. M and C love, love, love to ride the train, so that in itself is a treat. Hope you all are having fun. Oh, and the cream of wheat was pretty yummy.....

27 words for snow

I remember hearing somewhere that the Inuit language (I think that's right) has 27 words for snow. I may have the number wrong, but it is close. I now understand why. We have had snow almost daily since last Friday night. There has been heavy snowfall, light snowfall, big fluffy flakes, little flakes that looked almost like someone had spraypainted them on everything, and more. We got more flurries tonight. Snow, snow, snow. And while it's beautiful, bundling up 2 little girls to the hilt every time we leave the house and continually scraping off the car is starting to get a bit old. Oh well, last July I was complaining about it being over 100 for seemingly weeks on end. At least we have variety here....

C's new tricks

We have a climber. Some shots from the last 24 hours.....

First, it was just fun to climb up on her sister's chair. She would sit there on her knees and laugh and smile. Cute, right? (Until she stands up and my heart stops beating for a second...)
Then she figured out how to go from the chair to the coffee table. The keyboard is an old one that stopped working, so we cut the cord off and made it M's when M was about 2 or so. C. now loves to "type" on it....

Looking to see if she has an audience. And waiting for Mom or Dad to come get her down.
Finally, this isn't the best picture, but didn't these shoes for C. turn out cute? I made them yesterday and I think they turned out pretty neat. They are made of a rosy-pink wool felt...to keep her toes nice and warm this winter - or at least until she outgrows them!

ETA - a link to the pattern I found for the shoes - in case anyone reading wants to make a pair. They aren't hard to sew, and I used gripper fabric (think what's on the soles of kids footie pajamas) for the sole, to make them non-slip, instead of leather.

Catching Up

Much has been going on - not all bloggable. As of last Thursday, the session at W's church officially voted to ask me to serve as a parish associate there - so I am looking forward to getting into that more in January. I'll be working with children's and adult's c.e. first - helping to bring some order and planning to those programs that currently have none. Should be good.
On the parish associate note, W. has been teaching an adult Sunday School class this fall using the book Journey Through the Word. Those who have been in the class said last Sunday they want to keep going in January and study the socio-political context of the first century - the background of the New Testament. Anyone know of any not too academic resources for this study? We're looking for a book they can read and discuss together with limited help from W. or me as we both have other responsibilities on Sunday morning. All suggestions are welcome.
Presbytery council has hired the person I thought/hoped they would for the temporary executive. I think this will be good - she will do a good job. I'm still considering whether I'd be interested in the permanent position in another 2 years or so - we shall see.
Finally, some recent pictures........This is M. making playdough...our living room rug may never recover, but that's okay....

M. working on her website - we love starfall.com - a great site that teaches a phonics-based reading program and is intuitive enough for kids to do on their own.

Our turkey cookies - M. saw the Pi!lsbury ad with a picture for these in it and wanted to make them - she was quite proud of how they turned out.


And last but not least, my family cooking dinner. W. made grilled ham and cheese sandwiches tonight. M. buttered the bread (and licked the butter knife). C. tried to climb the stool again and get underfoot. The sandwiches were quite good. I think the picture is even better.