Tuesday, February 24, 2009

I Married A Polar Bear


Yes, that is Dr. Dad jumping into a lake...in February. The temperature that day was in the 20s with the wind chill.
The local Polar Bear Club has a jump every year to raise funds for a worthy cause. This year they were raising money for the local food bank.
Over 215 people jumped, raising over $22,000 for the food bank.
This is the first time he has done the jump. Dr. Dad has a generous heart. But I still think he is crazy.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

7 Months

Another month goes by and here we are at your 7 month birthday. This has been a learning month for both of us, Baby Boy. I think I got it in my head that several things would be happening after you turned 6 months old. I thought you would be rolling over. I thought I might see some teeth break through. I thought I would see an end (or a big decrease) in your spitting up. None of those things happened. You are learning at your own pace, and in your now famous laid back style. I am learning that just because you have already had a child, you can not expect things to go the same way twice.

You are doing many things better this month. You are sitting up on your own very well, and as long as I have the crash zone well padded, you don't seem to mind when you topple over. You have tried all your vegetables and are moving into fruits now, and even though I am not sure you liked the carrots, you ate them up anyway. You sit in your high chair and throw your arms out to the sides and clench you hands open and shut very excitedly when we feed you. I have learned not to put the bowl down on your high chair or it is fair game for grabbing. You will drink happily from a sippy cup and are learning how to hold it by the handles and give yourself a drink.

The most exciting development this month is that you have really recognized your sister. It makes my heart so happy to watch the two of you together. She is finally getting more interested in playing with you. Sometimes I think she likes to play with you because I have brought out a toy from the bins in the basement that hold all her old baby toys. Sometimes I think she is just so happy that she can make you laugh.

This past month you watched your first Superbowl, and I am happy that both my children have now witnessed a Pittsburgh Steelers Superbowl victory. You had your first Valentines Day. I would like to say we've gone out and done some other firsts, but we've been stuck inside because of the weather. Even today it is snowing again. You are sleeping better at night and beginning to get a real schedule going and just being your usual mellow, happy self.

Hopefully your Mom has learned this month to just let it all happen when it happens. One thing I do know for sure is that I love you.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Me and the Doctor: A Love Story

I don't often write much about Dr. Dad. Probably because he doesn't have any cute milestones to report like losing teeth or trying rice cereal for the first time.

However, this little meme has been making the rounds and I thought I would answer it here, just for fun...

What are your middle names?
Mine is Rae, his is Allen

How long have you been together?
15 years this August (!!!!) Dated 2 years, engaged 1 1/2 years, married almost 12 years!

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
About a year...I liked him right away but he was insistent on dating someone else. So we were "just friends." See how well that worked out.

Who asked whom out?
Actually, two friends of ours had tickets to our formal in college but they couldn't go. They knew I had a crush on Dr. Dad and decided to tell him he could have the tickets if he took me. It wasn't so much a date as an obligation.

How old are each of you?
I am 35, he is 36

Whose siblings do you see the most
His...my sweet sister keeps moving farther and farther away from me (is she trying to tell me something?).

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Letting things that bother us go on without dealing with it. We both avoid conflict and so we just let it build and then it all boils over.

Did you go to the same school?
Same college...it's where we met.

Are you from the same home town?
No, but strangely enough, I am from the same town as my brother-in-law.

Who is smarter?
Ummm, who is the Dr. here? Baby Girl calls him Professor Man. But let it be known that she calls me The Boss.

Who is the most sensitive?
Maybe a tie...but I am the most likely to have a mood swing...

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

Sadly, we usually go out with kids in tow so it's often some Random Mexican Restaurant or Chipotle. Anywhere cheap.

Where is the farthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
London and Paris for our Honeymoon.

Who has the craziest exes?
Neither? I did briefly date a small town drug dealer, but that was by accident...

Who has the worst temper?
Totally me on this one. See mood swings from previous response.

Who does the cooking?
I do. However, Dr. Dad can hold his own in the kitchen.

Who is the neat-freak?
Clearly you have never been to our home. We need to hire a neat-freak.

Who is more stubborn?
What? I am NEVER stubborn. NEVER.

Who hogs the bed?

We got the King Size Bed to solve this issue. Mostly its the other things that end up in the bed that are the problem. Dog. Cat. Small Children.

Who wakes up earlier?
Me. He would sleep all day if he could.

Where was your first date?

At our Service Fraternity's Formal. A place called the Linck Inn. He spent most of the drive home after the dance trying to talk himself out of dating me (he did this out loud, by the way) because we had the same group of friends and he didn't want it to be awkward if it didn't work out. The Inn was also the place we had dinner the night he proposed almost exactly 2 years later. Guess it worked out, Mr. Analytical!

Who is more jealous?
Neither. Complete trust is one of the best parts of our marriage.

How long did it take to get serious?

Considering he thought it might be a good idea to not tell anyone we were dating until "we saw how things were going" I always felt I was more serious about him first. I definitely think I said the "L" word first. But I think we both knew we would get married. We were just both too weird for anyone else. Ha.

Who eats more?

Can this be a tie? He probably can eat more, but I usually feel like I do!

Who does the laundry?
Me. Can we still hire the neat-freak to come and fold it and put it away?

Who’s better with the computer?

I think I am. I am definitely the better typist. Maybe he is better on technical things? Put it this way: we can both waste time equally well browsing YouTube and filling out these questionnaires.

Who drives when you are together?
Ok, I was actually wondering about this the other day. For the majority of our first years dating Dr. Dad did not have a car. He lived on campus and I was the one who drove us around and picked him up. He had to borrow my car to drive us the night he proposed. However, since he got wheels, he does the majority of the driving. I don't think it's a power thing, maybe just habit.

Ok...so that's it. So exciting. I still love you Dr. Dad. Glad all our friends know now!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Trying to Remember...

I have a terrible memory. I also have a hard time keeping up with all the items that should help me keep my memories. Scrapbooking, photo albums, baby books...all stuff I have but don't keep up with.

Also, I am feeling a little guilty for not writing much about Baby Girl. She doesn't have school today. We are going bowling and maybe out to lunch. I really like spending time with her, and lately, am a little surprised at how much she is changing. She is turning into a Girl, all long legs and fingers, sassy attitude.


On Friday, my Mom and I took Baby Boy for his 6 Month pictures after Baby Girl's Valentine's Day party at school. Volunteering at her school always makes me laugh. She goes to a Kindergarten school, meaning the whole district Kindergarten classes are in one building, with no other classes there. Approximately 150 5 to 6 years old in one place. (As a side note, they are closing the school after this year...funding issues, so they say...and moving Kindergarten classes to the elementary schools. I am so happy Baby Girl got to experience beginning her school career this way, but sorry Baby Boy will not.) When you go there, you are like a rock star. At this age they are still so open about loving you and wanting to show you off. All the kids remember you and are excited to see you there. Plus, they will tell you EVERYTHING. They sit at little round tables and when you are working on crafts with them they will tell you personal things about their family and friends and make awesome declarations about themselves. Baby Girl does this all the time. She will say "I am such a good artist" or "I am so funny" or "I have nice hair" or "I look really cute in my glasses."

I wish I could freeze this time for her. When she is so happy with herself and her life. She is not self conscious and worried about what people will think of her.

So when we were driving to get the pictures taken, I looked in the rear view mirror at her sitting in her Booster Seat (technically, at 36 pounds, she should still be in a Car Seat, but she is too tall for that) her legs crossed, reading a book she got at school. I got a glimpse of the Big Girl she is becoming. It made me both proud and sad.

I want to remember her like this. How she will say "Awwww Sweet" in a strange southern accent when something good happens, and "Awwww Dang" in that same accent when things aren't going as she planned. I want to remember how she still wants to sit on our laps and have me carry her even though I am almost too short to carry her for very long. I want to remember that she loves to tell jokes and draw and color and craft. She plays on the computer and reads by herself before bed and loves cartoons and can play "Carol of the Bells" on the keyboard.

I am trying to remember even though I know I will forget.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Dog Isn't the Only One...

So apparently, Baby Girl has figured out that she can make her brother laugh. I think she is just realizing that he can be fun, and is not just a crying, pooping, spitting machine.

Lately, when he sees his sister, Baby Boy will try and grab her, while opening his mouth really wide. I have no idea why he does this. She says "he's going to bite me!" while we remind her he has to have teeth to do that. I prefer to think it's his overwhelming excitement. Probably, he just wants to gnaw on her shirt.

I caught her doing this thing with her hair the other morning, and Baby Boy was laughing so hard he actually snorted.

We recreated the moment yesterday after school.

Still no rolling over. Also, no teeth. We're up to carrots in the food chain.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Mr. Milestone

So, it started with the Peas on Monday...

Then, we started sitting up (with some degree of success)...

Mommy Panic!!! Someone is growing up too fast!!!