The Fighter

He had the bat.

He took the bat.

 He wanted the bat.

 He goes after the bat.

Don't call me the little brother!

 I am not done with you yet!

 Time for parental intervention.

 He holds court to express his real feelings on the issue. Big brother takes a seat as his feet.

The bat is in time out.

 Watching the action from the sidelines.

 Finding it pretty entertaining.

 Nope hilarious.

 They are both nuts!

Don't you laugh at me, little brother. You might be next.

A Little Religion

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride spun a little out of control lately. 

Week Nine of Baby Harrison's life was interesting. Although, clearly, he was pretty happy in spite of it all.  Yes, that was two E.R. visits. The first one was brother and the hand. The second was Mommy and superficial thrombophlebitis. Yes, it sounds fancy, but it is some sort of small blood clot, or in my terms, annoying bump on my arm that just happened to pop up on a Sunday when the doctor was closed. Harrison and I spent church hours alone at the doc-in-the-box only to be sent to the emergency room where Daddy joined us for a nice four hour break and a souvenir ice pack. I make light of this, however, I freaked out at this minor medical situation and was convinced for several hours (alright, days) that my arm was going to explode and I was going to die. So far, just like the promised, I have survived.

Not to be left out, Spencer decided to come down with a fever and a good little stomach bug all over MY sheets at 1:00 in the morning. It was one of those good you have to take a bath and wash your sheets and change clothes and beds in the middle of the night things. He was a pretty pitiful little choo choo. 

The rub was that it was my birthday weekend and the entire family happened to be in town. This being the first time in about 30 years that I have had both of my parents sets with me on my birthday, my Dad and Joey planned a little dinner party with Joey and my parents and the boys. A surprise dinner party.  At 4:30 pm, I had a sick child, two kids in a bathtub, and I am walking around in leggings and Joey's t-shirt when luckily the surprise got blown...since I had 30 minutes to feed a baby, get three kids dressed, and find my way to the shower. I am not sure, in retrospect, if maybe I should have been thankful that my husband was sitting there looking at me like that and not trying to encourage me to get ready. Perhaps, he thought I was beautiful showerless and in uncoordinated loungewear. Yeah, I don't think so either.  Remarkably, we actually weren't tremendously late, and by the middle of dinner, I might have actually started to breathe again. It was a really, really thoughtful thing for them to do for me. 

The magical grilled cheese at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse must have done the trick because Spencer woke up fever free and happy for Harrison's big Baptism day. It is a good thing because Spencer loves to go to church. I am not sure this is going to remain the same when he starts actual Bible study Sunday School in March.  You know what going to church means to Spencer? He says,"I want to see my friends and play trains." I went in to pick him up the other day thinking the music they played would be "This Little Light of Mine" or something and realized it was the soundtrack to Choo-Choo Soul Train. 

The Baptism day was especially special for Alden.  He was so excited that he asked for weeks if it was Baby Harry's Bapertism day. (No typo, Bab-er-tism) His Atrium teachers (what we call Sunday School) planned a special lesson on Baptism just for Alden that day so that he would be ready for the service. Our church is a very special place.

                                                   

An interesting fact about Alden. His teachers at preschool asked us if we did daily devotionals with him at home. I hate to admit it but, no, and now that I have been called out on it, yes we will.  Nevertheless, the reason she asked was apparently Alden knows the answer to all of the questions they ask in chapel each week and also is known to recite Bible verses. His music and Spanish teacher said she thought he might have a calling to preach. I am immensely proud of him, but I must say, surprised at the depth of his theological knowledge. It is nice to know that something we are doing as parents might be right. Alden loves church and all things church (not just the choo choos) and that is a very big blessing indeed.  

Spencer and Alden got to join us in the service, along with the rest of the kids in the church for the service.  Spencer appeared with a paci. He hordes them. I did not let him leave my house with a paci. Somewhere between home and church Spencer Bond located one and snuck it in. During the ceremony, the priest handed Alden the candle. The first fear, as he was twirling it around, was that it would break in two before it ever got lit up with the light of Christ. The second fear came when the candle made it to the light and then Joey handed it back to Alden. My son, the king of stitches, falling out of chairs for no reason, and a natural born attention-seeker with a tendency to suddenly morph into superhero actions was standing surrounded by giant wooden beams holding fire. That is all I will ever remember about Harrison's Baptism; please God, don't let Alden burn down the church.

I should have had faith in my future Reverend Alden who stood as still as he could with the light and took it very seriously (probably thanks to that special Atrium lesson). Reverend Glenda even let him walk down the aisle with her to show off his newly Baptized brother. Obviously, Alden learned a great deal that day and, indeed, does want to practice his skills as a priest. He spent bath time Babertizing Spencer "In the name of the Father, the Son, Megatron, and Spiderman." Close. Really close.

Harrison did a wonderful job on his big day. He made it all the way threw until after the whole Baptism part and then we had to exit briefly only to have him fall fast asleep all over again.  We had a lovely luncheon back at the house catered and delivered so that I had to do absolutely nothing. Besides his mother looking horribly puffy and large in these photos, it was a very pleasant and beautiful day and the best birthday I could have ever asked for. 

                                      

Harrison's wonderful Godparents. 

After everyone left for their own homes, my two older babies went straight to bed without arguement. My mother stayed and cleaned up everything. My baby fell asleep on my shoulder where I spent the next three hours dozing, holding him, and watching ridiculous TLC shows on a dark and rainy afternoon. It was my children's birthday present to me. 

I don't have a photo of my husband, just the breakfast he made me. This may indicate that I should reallocate my photographic priorities.  Needless to say, he needs a little shout out every once in a while. Knowing I am up at night with the baby, he gets up every morning with the boys and cooks everyone breakfast. Not just cereal either. Things like poached eggs with veggie sausage, tomatoes, and avacados. He has even morphed me into craving this healthy mess of Paleo food for breakfast! He chops up all the fruit, which is something I hate to do, and always has coffee waiting for me with "just a little caffiene" making it all worth the unbelievable mess he leaves me to clean up (I would clean over cook any day).  He also came home at lunch and took off the entire afternoon to watch the boys when I turned up super sick the morning after the Baptism and hired a babysitter for the next day without me asking. Top that off with a super shopping spree extravaganza for my birthday present and you have one super guy.  

Harrison happiness is having your grandmother take your big brothers away for the night and leave you alone with your Mom and Dad.  My mother, bless her, called to say that she felt super sorry for us. After the emergency room hand stitches, the emergency room arm visit, the kid illness, the Mom illness, the party at our house, the Baptism, and out of town family...all in ONE week...she thought we might need a little rest. Yes, please and thank you. 

Harrison was very relaxed and torture-free for 24 whole hours. He took an extra long bath.

 Funny thing was that on Friday Alden got to bring home the class pets, Max and Lucy.  They are stuffed class pets but this is a big honor. This means that Alden got super-star behavior ALL WEEK!! This is the greatest, two-thumbs-up, exciting, most super thing that could have ever happened and he worked so, so hard to get here. He had to journal all weekend what he did with Max and Lucy.  We wanted to do a bang-up job for him and his teacher and for Alden because it was a big honor. We all know that preschooler homework becomes Mom homework which, now that my mother had offered, became grandparent homework. Here is our whole family documentary of our weekend with Max and Lucy:

After introducing Max and Lucy to Baby Harrison, we read them our new story Llama, Llama Learns to Share.

Then we took an afternoon nap.

Granna came to pick us up for a trip to "the country."

 We went to buy a new fishing rod.

We went fishing where Alden says he caught five fish!

Alden drove Max and Lucy for a ride on his dump truck. He insists they wear seat belts.

They helped Pops in the garden.

 For a Sunday afternoon treat, Max and Lucy got yogurt with the boys.

 Monday was a school holiday.  We spent the day at home learning.  We made hand/paw print animals for our alphabet book and Alden showed them how to paint Koalas.

No day is complete without Legos.

And a little sight word practice.

                                               

We gave our friends a farewell Mexican dinner. They had quesadillas.

Spencer was just along for the ride. I saw this picture and thought of another one I remembered...

I think we look a little bit like our Daddy.

One more eventful week in the books, Baby Harry.

Just a Little Funny

Just what I get for Christmas shopping early. Alden found Spencer's Christmas present from Santa underneath the golf clubs in the back of Joey's car before it could be transferred to another secret location. Clearly, he was not supposed to be there. I was not happy and had to think on my feet here. Probably not the best idea, but I told Alden that Mommy and Daddy were going to give it to Spencer for Christmas but that now that he had seen it we would have to take it back. Alden got terribly upset which is when I realized this was a bad answer. So, I told him that he could just help Spencer remember to ask Santa for one and he could make just what Spencer wanted. He thought this was a good solution but said, "Oh, I was the Grinch. The Grinch that Stole Spencer's Christmas!" And then I just laughed. We are working on the mini-series rights to this film. Luckily, he is now super excited about helping Spencer design his own custom gift from Santa because "Santa can make anything Mommy!" Even, he tells me, his newest request: Ghostbusters Legos. Oy Vey! The boy can really throw Santa a curve ball, can't he?

Parenting Skills

This week was a big week for Harrison. It was a big week for his parents as well...his parents that are slowly discovering the trials and tribulations of a house full of three boys.  Our first interesting journey 

was too church. I couldn't find Alden's khaki pants (found them five days later in the costume box), Spencer's outfit was too small but I didn't have the energy to change it, I tried on ten outfits to find something that would fit, and I ended up having to send Joey and Alden to church ahead of us so Alden wouldn't be late to Sunday School at 10:30.  We finally get the rest of us to church to meet up with Joey only to find out that Alden's class starts at 10:00. Post-Partum amnesia.  No seats were left in the back, so we decided to sit in the balcony because there was no way I was putting Harrison in a nursery yet even though we have a great one. He started to fuss 30 seconds into the service, so I picked him up and fought with Joey over who got to hold him. All was well until they bring the little kids to meet the parents half-way through. Clearly, Alden had not had a peaceful commune with God during his Sunday School hour because he was acting more like he had been possessed. There is a point shortly thereafter that you can go and get your toddlers out of nursery to have the family together for the Eucharist.  Against my better judgement, Joey decided to go and get Spencer. Apparently, he got him right out of snack time which, if you know Spencer, is not a good thing for him to miss. They return with a tear streaked and hungry Spencer and the possessed Alden who only wants to pull the feet and poke the sleeping baby. I get up and walk to the other side of the balcony with Harrison to get away from Alden who runs over and laughs and pulls the baby's feet and runs back. What is he doing?! In the meantime, Joey keeps asking me to make a snack for Spencer and then tried to put Spencer in Alden's lap because he didn't want to sit with Joey. I now have four kids in church misbehaving. I finally have to take Alden by the left hand while holding Harrison in the right hand and lead them downstairs where I find a folding chair and sit Alden in it and, in hushed tones and pulling out the old teacher looks, tell him it is church time out. When he continues to act like he has lost his mind, we go to a "prayer meeting" as my mother used to call it outside where I finally got it through to him that he should behave. Well, I told him Reverend Glenda would get him. Sort of the same thing. We make it through the Eucharist and Joey takes the big boys to the car.  The piece de resistance was when the sweet, soft-spoken Sunday School teacher came over and told me that it might be more manageable for us to leave one of the children in the nursery for the entire service. She assured me that the nursery director wouldn't mind. Yep. We have officially been told we cannot handle three kids in church at one time.  We went straight home and put them all to bed!

                                    

Two days later, Harrison got to experience brother's first soccer game. We went with our community league this time instead of the YMCA. We are now in the big leagues. Apparently, there are two nights of different soccer teams and we are on team number 24. I have no idea how many teams of 3 and 4 year olds there are, but at least 24! There is a huge soccer park and a million people.

                                     
Alden is doing great.

Harrison is doing great. He just hangs out in his favorite spot with Mom in his pajamas.

And then there is trouble.  

Trouble that wants to play soccer really, really bad.  

Daddy retrieves him off the field.

Daddy retrieves him off the field...again.

Mom walks him around the soccer park four times.

We chase and chase and chase him up and down the hills. Mom takes him to the playground. Mom gets him a snack at the concession stand. 

Mom, who has yet to see one minute of Alden actually playing soccer, is exhausted. She completely ignores the fact that Spencer has chosen a giant muddy puddle to splash in like Peppa Pig.  Day one of new shoes, $65 shoes. I. just. didn't. care.  Good news is that shoes came clean; bad news is the shorts didn't. We are still working on that.

Since I had to take Spencer and his shoes and shorts to the car to watch trains, I only hear that Alden scored a goal.  However, I have a plan to come armed with train movies, dinner, and folding chair for soccer this week. At least no one told us to leave one kid at home next time!

There are many examples of sibling rivalry around here. Spencer has started sneaking into Alden's seat and stealing his left-over food. You know, if you leave your breakfast sitting there for two hours, I say it is fair game. Alden only wants the two-hour old pancake when Spencer eats it. Go figure. From across the room we hear, "Hey, I was eating that!" Sure.

Baby Harry continues to succumb to attacks. Remember how after he was born I let them toilet paper their room for entertainment? Apparently, my little squirrels stored all of that paper inside the drawer of the bedside table. It reappeared to "make Baby Harry a ghost." Baby Harry is super stressed out these days. All he has to do is hear two little voices crescendo slightly and he starts to cry.  His eyes get as big as saucers when he hears them period. Joey had I had a couple of date nights recently and took Harrison with us. We were amazed at how much he slept, and then we figured it out. The poor thing was in the quiet for the first time in his life. He could trust himself to close his eyes.

 Sometimes, we unite and come together. Like when there is an emergency in the house and we need to take care of the people in the ambulance made out of chair cushions. 

And sometimes we are the emergency. Five stitches in our hand this week.  Let's just skip all of the details of this one and say only this. We have a broken window. We had an emergency room visit. We have five stitches and a big bandage. The people that repaired our window informed me that since we have them come out so frequently they will start giving us a discount. 

Spencer was a witness to the event and has not let Alden forget it. He talks endlessly about it.  Hear we are at bath time. We have to wrap Alden's hand in plastic wrap so it doesn't get wet. Spencer wouldn't get in the tub until we wrapped him up as well. I am not sure whether this is solidarity or a subtle attempt to make fun of his brother. 

 I say this because he always calls him out on his silly business. Alden has been on this kick of being scared of monsters. Even with constant assurance that we have no monsters in our house, we have to use monster spray and have to set monster traps in front of the closet to get him to go to sleep.  Subsequently, Spencer's favorite pajamas are monster pajamas. Every night just as we are about to sit down to read, he disappears in the closet, pops out roaring, and uses this deep Exorcist voice to jump at Alden and say, "I get you!"Doesn't let Alden get away with a thing.

I made the mistake one day of telling Alden we could have a "skip a nap day" as a reward.  He now wants almost every day to be a "skip a nap day." I can sometimes get an hour or so, but never as long with the other boys. I will take what I can get. This is okay though because it leaves us special time together to play legos or have movies and s'mores.

He knows he is winning.

We have made the two month mark and have started packing up the newborn clothes one outfit we outgrow at a time. I keep finding these ideas on pinterest like putting your child in the laundry basket to watch their growth.  I am not sure that Harrison thinks this is the best idea I have ever had and Spencer asked me why Baby Harry had to be in a bucket.

They weren't too fond of my grass backdrop either. Guess I better stick to writing checks to photographers rather than becoming one.

But I am convinced that when I make it black and white it looks better. Wish I could skip the make-up in the mornings and put myself in black and white all day. Hides a gamut of imperfection.