Time With My Guys

This week was really crazy for me, so I didn't get to see much of these guys.

I had to work until past their bedtimes two nights in a row. So despite the fact that I have lesson plans to write, tutoring to do, graduate school papers to grade, bills to pay, and I'm under a writing deadline (chapter is due in a week and a half), I'm absolutely determined to spend a lot of time with my boys this weekend. I've noticed that since having Henry, I really need to be mindful during my time with my sons. So I spend an hour or two truly being with them and interacting genuinely. Then I do what I need to do, with a smile on my face.

When I got home today, I put on a DVD called "Letter Factory." It's a somewhat cheesy cartoon all about the sounds letters make. I'm not actively teaching Nick to read, but I figured it couldn't hurt for him to watch the video. He's started asking for it lately, and today, quite awhile after we had watched the video, just randomly, he told me, "Mommy, your name makes the "mmm" sound. M is for mommy!"

Henry is developing, too. We stopped swaddling him a few weeks ago. He can hold things now--see him holding the measuring spoon? He's wearing 3-6 month pants. Henry's onesies are still the 0-3 month size, but he's tall enough that the smaller pants fit him like capri pants, which are not stylish for little boys.  He is drooling like crazy and trying to chew on his fingers, my fingers, and anything he can get his hands on lately. (With the exception of a binky. He does not like binkies.) Isn't it way too early for him to be teething?

Nick and I sang songs this evening and we spent almost an hour reading stories together. Henry sat on my lap and watched, too. One of the books we read was on body parts, so every time they referred to a body part (like an elbow, for example), Nick found his elbow, then my elbow, and finally Henry's elbow. Of course, when we got to the head, Nick decided to bonk his little brother on the noggin, but he's still learning about "gentle touches." Thankfully, Henry is a pretty forgiving little man.

A Little Boy with Excellent Dental Hygiene

Nick loves brushing his teeth, as you can see. He was so excited about this routine dental procedure that he was singing and chattering away. Every night, it's my job to brush his teeth with his toddler toothbrush (Greg handles it in the morning). He lets me brush all five of his teeth, as well as his gums, but then he wants to do it himself. And so he does. . . Nicholas brushes and sucks on the toothbrush and bites it. I don't discourage this because I figure it's good practice. It must feel good on his gums, because his toothbrush has little bumps all over it. I think he might be teething again, because of the drooling and the chewing of everything in sight.

Babies are Contagious, but Pretty Darned Cute

Greg's mom came up today to spend some time with Nick. She brought us lunch and diapers. The perfect mother-in-law. :) She took this picture of Nick showing off his very white teeth. He seems to be feeling better today, and we saw him crawl about 3 feet today, forward.


Nick did, however, give me his coxsackie virus. I have been running fevers as high as 102.7 since Saturday afternoon. Greg has been wondeful, cooking dinner for us, making me tea, and letting me rest. I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow, since I can't take off work and I'd rather not be running fevers at school. Hopefully it will end soon. My immunity is usually decent, because I've been working in schools for ten years, and in daycare centers for five years before that.


I spent a lot of time reclining on the couch today, as I dosed with tylenol and drank tea for my painful throat. Sebastian laid down with me, and he enjoyed some fine tummy rubbing. Despite being sick, I kind of liked having the chance to cuddle up with my kitty on the couch. It is my favorite spot. I'll show you why.


#1--This is part of the damage that comes from having 3 kitties who are not declawed.


#2--The book Greg is reading. I love that I'm married to a man who reads. We can sit together on the couch and read, literally for hours.


#3--My magazines. I believe these are "Mental Floss" and "The Week." Mental Floss is a magazine that celebrates the nerdiness in us all. I love the way it is formatted and I get excited whenever it comes in the mail. As for "The Week," it is a news magazine that gives a good overview of news from around the world and from multiple perspectives. Greg and I have been known to fight over who gets to read it first each week.


#4--My Sebastian. I bought him as a tiny kitten on the day I graduated from NIU with my bachelor's degree. He was my present to myself, and he is the most loyal kitty you can imagine. He likes to sit next to me and make biscuits and purr.


#5--My coffee. I love to buy the flavored coffee (like double dutch chocolate), and make it with warm milk, Splenda, and whipped cream on top.


#6--Thermometer. Not what I wanted to have on the table this weekend, but whatever.


#7--A good book. This one is "Full House," by Stephen Jay Gould, and I've barely started it. I did just finish reading "Food Matters," by Mark Bittman. It is a totally reasonable way to eat in a healthful way and still have a positive impact on the environment. While not as well written as Michael Pollan's books, or as in-depth as Marion Nestle's, it gives a good overview of how you can eat in a better way.


Hopefully this week will be better than last. All that would take is for all three of us to stay healthy. I'm hoping we can swing that. Nick is certainly in a better mood.