Shocking

20 Days and Counting

For Christmas my Dad gave my Mom a very creative gift. She opened gum, a toy car, a toy plane, a day planner with her spring break highlighted and finally a TICKET!! She is coming out to visit us in just 20 days. Oliver and her are bunking up together so she can do whatever she wants with him at night. Paul and I are both excited about getting to share that duty. We are going to the Dansko factory outlet to buy some new shoes and probably the Lancaster outlets too! The moms in my groups want to meet her, so we might do some of those events. Paul and I are going to go out in the evenings a LOT. I am very much looking forward to her visit - help with the housework, enjoying someone else enjoy Oliver, getting lots of dates in a row, and great company. Thank you Dad!

Army Crawl

I took a nap today (yea!) and while I was sleeping Paul found a fun new game to play with Ollie. I got to try it out when I woke up. Fun times.

Official residents

This morning we went to the Driver's License Center and switched ourselves over. I was so sad when she punched a hole in my MN license. The one benefit is that in PA you don't list your weight!! Now we just have to switch our van plates. It is kind-of humorous how many people recognize our minivan and honk and wave. I feel like I'm a real local, but I think the plates really stand out. We will see if we get as many friendly honks when our plates look like everyone else. Have a great weekend everyone!

Oliver and His Little Friend

Aughh! You're invading my space!
Oh yes, a smile for everyone who is laughing at us.Mmmm...I want a taste too. OR Mmmm...I want to taste you!

Paul's on the Train

Early this morning Oliver and I took Paul to the train station. He is going to DC for a power supply conference. It's so strange to me that we live close enough to just go to DC for the day! I don't think he's ever been there and neither have I, so he's scoping out the trip to see if we could do it easily as a family sometime. My family did an east coast trip when I was in college but I didn't go with them. I wish I would have!!! At this conference they will be presenting their new power supply technology so they are doing a presentation and have a booth in the exhibition hall. It should be a fun day for Paul, but a long one. I'm lamenting the fact that he isn't going to be home until 9 tonight, and I have to give credit to moms whose husbands travel a lot. I think I found another mom who is going to meet us for dinner tonight which will definitely help me out.

Playing Blocks on a Sunday Afternoon

Oliver and Paul have a lot of patience for doing this over and over again.

Rubber Ducky...take 2

Oliver splashes so much that by the time he's done I have to ring out my sleeves! He has figured out that once the duck gets close he can't lung for it, but he hasn't figured out that all of his squirming, pushing and flailing do not bring the duck closer. Crawling is on the horizon!

Motherhood makes you foggy-brained

When we got home from church today I couldn’t think. I felt stressed over my not even formulated to-do list and it made me wander around the house not getting anything done at all. I didn’t even want to do the things I enjoy. Paul, knowing me as well as he does, sent me off to Barnes and Noble. While I walked I talked to Mom and Dad and they filled me in on all the details of Peter’s birthday weekend. Then I spent the next hour or so reading. The fog lifted. I organized by to-do list in a few minutes and realized it was totally manageable. The cure for my foggy brain is getting some space from any mom-type responsibility and dusting off the critical thinking part of my brain.

I just finished reading a book that does a great job affirming this and other aspects relating to work and motherhood (Also a Mother: Work and Family as a Theological Dilemma). Miller-McLemore talks about the fact that mothers are not writing in the midst of their mother simply because to do so would require them to step away from time playing, tending to children's needs, etc. She says that in order to do creative or productive work we must have physical and mental space from our reproductive work (mothering and fathering). Both men and women have a need to do both productive work and reproductive work because both are essential to our development. When your body and energy are so consumed by the joys and challenges of caring for children, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and that fog just keeps getting thicker!

Before becoming a mother I had high hopes and expectations for what I’d accomplish during nap time. It was my intention to get most of the house work done other times of the day so that nap time could be dedicated to creative work like reading, writing – essentially thinking. Now I realize that even when Oliver is sleeping well, one part of my mind is dedicated to listening for him, thinking about him, anticipating him. I often feel like my nap time break is squandered because I am tired or not thinking clearly enough to stop doing the work that is never done (laundry, cleaning, cooking). I’m learning to accept this reality and also ask for and appreciate the times when I can go off by myself and have physical and mental space. These times do make me a better mother.

Tithe and Taxes

Last night I started volunteering with Pioneer Clubs at our church. I am a helper in the 3rd-5th grade room. The kids earn reward "money" for doing things like getting caught being kind, learning their verse, wearing their club shirt, etc. Once a month or so they get to use that money to buy things from the store. The store has toys and also items for the Lord's Pantry like shampoo, toothbrushes, or soap. Before the kids go down to purchase items of their choice, they get in a line according to how much money they have. The teacher helps them figure out how much they should give away as their "tithe" and that pooled money is used to purchase things for the Lord's pantry from the whole class. As the kids were handing in their dollar or two, one boy says to another "You know where that money goes, don't you? To the government."

I really enjoyed being around these big kids last night. I liked watching them, seeing how they interacted with each other and the teachers. There were some who had already caught on to flirting and that made me smile because it was so clumsy! I found myself watching the boys especially, wondering what sort of 4th grader Oliver is going to be and looking forward (without wishing time away) to parenting him when he's that age.

And a picture of Oliver just because.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one!

The ducks are the most motivating toy Oliver has. He will lurch and dive, sputtering and coughing water the whole time just to get their yellow rubber heads in his mouth. He hasn't learned that the more desperate he gets the quicker they float away!

Do It Yourself Diaper Sprayer Tutorial

For anyone who is interested, here is the link for instructions on the diaper sprayer. Paul figured out that the reason they use the "Filter Connecter Splicer" is because they don't sell the pipe connectors with two female ends at regular hardware stores. He figured out how to it another way, so if you want the details, just email me and I'll get the specifics! This sprayer is fantastic. I highly recommend it.
http://gidgetgoeshome.com/2008/08/25/diy-tutorial-make-your-own-diaper-sprayer/