baby isaac

Ivar has a bit of trouble sharing the spotlight. We had my cousins Kathy and Mark over recently with her baby (her baby shower just doesn't feel that long ago!)and were watching Elsie and Isaac have some tummy time. Ivar looked at us watching the babies, yelled, "Tummy Time!" and got between them to show us how he has mastered this very basic skill.

And then we were taking pictures of the babies side by side... And then we were taking pictures of the babies and Ivar side by side.

 

Today Kathy is taking her boards for med school. She started her tests at 7:30 am and will be done at 6:30 pm. I texted her this afternoon letting her know that I had changed seven diapers since she began her test. That's how long she's been sitting in that chair!

 

So proud of her. Can't wait to celebrate having this day behind her!

 

And, I'd like to dedicate this post to my Aunt Louie who said to me on the phone today, "Where are you? I check your blog everyday." So here I am. Thanks for looking for me, Aunt Louie.

 

Hope's Kitchen

So my friend Melanie (pictured below) started an incredible blog with recipes that are gluten, egg and nut free. It is a beautiful blog, full of heart with a simple mission to provide good food for families working around these allergies. The thing is, the recipes always look so good that her following is growing to folks with no allergies, but who just like good food. Check it out at www.hopeskitchen.info Pretty sure the cookie dough bites are the best idea ever...egg free!

There is a mom website called circleofmoms that has a HUGE following...6 million moms. Each year they sponsor a contest for the Top Food Allergy Mom Blogs. The top 25 get a a little "badge" to put on their site and they keep a list on their site so that many more moms can find help on these blogs.

Hope's Kitchen is in the running to be a part of this helpful list. It is a resource pool for mom's looking for allergy friendly blogs. And she needs our votes!

If you'd like to vote, please click on this link and then look for Hopes Kitchen. This morning she was number 91 and tonight she's number 55! You can vote once a day and it is easy peasy...just click on the thumbs up button to the right of her bio. (it will make sense when you see it...)

 

And then vote each day!

 

 

hey. remember when...

                                                                                            This picture was taken on our 7 year anniversary. :)

I think I may have written about this before.

About five years ago we were in San Francisco with our friends John and Shannon. We were walking around downtown after we had supper and I felt something hit my head. I brushed the spot where it hit and sparks and ashes flew from my hair.

A cigarette butt had been tossed from the balcony above. The guy was flustered and sincerely apologetic. He was just one story up and kept saying how sorry he was.

This moment now comes up with John and Shannon every so often when I feel there is a good lull in the conversation. I'll casually mention, "Hey. You guys remember when a cigarette butt landed on my head?"

And we laugh.

Well. I have a new one.

Friday night we loaded the kids up for a thrilling night of Menards, Arby's drive thru and a car wash. And in all honestly, I was excited about our Friday night plans. Menards felt like a good adventure and I do love an automatic car wash. And curly fries.

As we were driving down our road I told Rory my back was really itchy. And as we got our Arby's it was increasingly so. We ate our Arby's on a yard bench on display at Menards and were laughing at our sorry selves. Ivar was filthy from a day of play and had ketchup all over his face. Rory was trying to feed himself, hold the bag of food and feed Ivar while I kept walking around saying how I must have gotten bit up by something because my back was so irritated. I made Rory look and he commented that it was red, but probably from all of my scratching.

We left Menards after picking out a window and door and went to get the car washed. At this point my back was starting to feel warm. Sort of a burning feeling. The carwash was exciting. Ivar was terrified and squeezed his eyes shut most of the time, Elsie was crying and I kept rubbing my lower back.

It was only on the drive back to our house that Rory remembered something. Something that might have been helpful to remember much earlier in the night. And his recollection came out slowly and with horror. "Oh Becca. Ohhhh. Becca. I know why your back is burning. Oh Becca. You are sitting in battery acid. Oh my word. You are. I returned that big battery the other day and it left the seat wet. I forgot all about it. We have to get you in the shower. Immediately."

And then we were both silent and Rory drove a bit faster. My mouth hung open and I was strangely amused. Less at the fact that I was sitting in battery acid, and more at the fact that it took Rory two hours of errands to finally remember that he had placed a battery on that seat the day before, the cause for my complaining that had been a part of our whole evening together.

When I got out he saw that the metal stitching on the seat had been eaten away. And later when he poured a solution of water and baking soda on the seat to neutralize the acid, he had a volcano of bubbles that would trump any forth grade science fair project.

I have a little rash now with some bright red dots and bumps, but its actually pretty minor.

So when Rory came to bed that night I let him get comfortable and then leaned in, "Hey. Remember that time I sat in battery acid?"

some sweetness for your monday

Elsie,

You are growing so fast! At your two month appointment you came in at 13 pounds 15 ounces. The rolls on your legs are adorable. You are a good eater, and today we're trying to figure out what I am eating that is upsetting your tummy. Might be the peanuts and corn candy mix I munched all weekend. Or the apple cider we sipped each night. But today I am choosing a very basic diet with hopes that your tummy will stop cramping. You don't like having an upset tummy.

 

Your eyes are so bright and able to track us all around the room. We talk a lot to each other in coo's and goo's. And sometimes you startle yourself with how loud your talking voice can be.

 

In the morning I bring you into bed to lay on my chest. We can get an extra hour of sleep that way. I love the snuggle time and your sweet breathing that puts me back to sleep. If your head comes up I softly rub your back and coax you back to sleep. It is the best way to slowly wake up. (Though I am never quite ready to wake up.)

 

You are definitely my sidekick. You join me on Sunday nights for Bible study and get to be held by all sorts of new friends. The first night you had a blow out right on one lady's blouse. It was quite the first impression and later I offered to pay for the dry cleaning. But she didn't seem to mind. They all had babies once and love the chance to hold you in their arms, letting you grip their fingers, looking into your eyes.

 

This month we are going to decorate your nursery. I am so excited and have dreams and visions in my head that will be fun to create.

 

I love you to pieces, Elsie Rebecca. You are pure sweetness and I still can't believe I have a little girl. A daughter. What a joy.

Love,

your mama

harvest time

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this week Ivar walked outside with me and said, "Oh! Nice Day!" And yesterday he was playing in the garage by himself when he put his mouth on the screen of the door and yelled at me in the kitchen, "Mama! Shoes On! Outside!"

So that's where we've been. And it's a good thing we've been soaking up each day, because today the temperature dropped and I quickly remembered the season that is just around the corner.

Here's what we've been up to:
+We go on cow hunts two or three times a week now. When cars go by our house Ivar seems to think they also are going on cow hunts. A truck will drive by and he'll point saying, "See cows?"

+One of our favorite farms to visit is just a mile up the road. I saw the farmers wife outside and thought I had better introduce myself so that she would know why that mysterious black jeep is always parked next to her pasture. She was so kind and invited us into her calf barn to see "Baby Cows!" It is all Ivar talks about now.

+Actually, he talks about baby cows and "Combines!" The combine came through our field on Saturday and Rory and I were so excited that we woke Ivar up from his nap. Ivar is the perfect kid to have on this adventure with us. At Elsie's 2 month doctor appointment there were three combines in the field working right out the lobby windows. Could you ask for greater waiting room entertainment?

+On Sunday morning Rory dressed Ivar and they were matchy matchy. Adorable. Jeans and blue plaid.

+We had Groves cousins over this weekend and jumped in leaves. Ruby calls box elder bugs Sweetie Pies. She seems to think they're adorable. We have a whole lot of Sweetie Pies around our house and I was grateful for the opportunity to reframe my opinions of these spawning bugs.

+While they were here Rory had his folks help him put one wall up at his build site. A barn raising of sorts...  And the foundation and floor made for a great stage for Toby to show us his roller shoe skills.

+The landscape is changing around here with the corn down and leaves falling. Today I stayed in all day with the kids, read books with Ivar in a blanket fort and made chili and corn bread for supper. I love this time of year.