Memories of Us

Quick Takes on a Wednesday

1.  My husband and I upgraded to the iPhone 4 this weekend.  We were still using the iPhone 3G.  We were both beyond frustrated with how slowly everything was working.  Apparently our phones were so old and decrepit and OUTDATED that the newer software pretty much wasn't compatible with them anymore.  Part of me thinks, "Eh, three years is a decent life for a phone" but the other, more frugal part of me thinks, "What the hell!  That thing was expensive.  It should last FOREVER!"  We toyed with the idea of just going with the 3GS instead of the 4 because it was 75% cheaper, but we feared that, as quickly as Apple seems to come out with newer gadgets and updates, the 3GS would likely be outdated long before we would be ready to buy new phones again.  Anyway, so we are happy owners of the newest generation iPhone now.  On the way home as I was examining my pretty white new iPhone and noticed for the first time that Apple had added a second  (front) camera, a flash, and the ability to record video (in HD no less) I exclaimed in shock to Jamie, "Holy crap Jamie!  Our old phones were ARCHAIC!" 

2.  I think grocery shopping alone with the boys is one of the hardest parts of having two kids under two.  Jake is only a month or two away from being able to sit in the cart, which may or may not be better than my current method of wearing him in the Baby Bjorn.  At this point, I shop in fear of the moment that Will is going to start acting up (throwing things, attempting escape, etc) because having Jake strapped to my front severely limits my ability to manhandle an unruly toddler.  Also, unloading groceries onto the conveyor belt at the check out is hard to do with Jake grabbing everything as it passes within reach.  So, NOT having to wear Jake will be an improvement.  However, sitting Jake in the cart will ALSO cause problems since it means Will is going to have to SHARE driving wheel privileges and will most likely be in bodily contact with his brother for extended periods of time.  Plus, Jake seems to enjoy being worn.  He just hangs out, sucking on his bib, observing things, holding onto my fingers when the opportunity arises.  Who knows how he'll act once he's sitting in the cart like a big boy.  Anyway, shopping with the both of them is hard and will likely continue to be hard.  Also, shopping with them is expensive.  Because I shop QUICKLY.  So, forget coupons and bargain hunting.  I do my best, but I think coming out ALIVE is more important at this point than saving a few dollars.

3.  Both boys sleep through the night now.  I wish we could let them share a room.  It would be nice to have a place for guests to stay.  But they have pretty much the exact opposite nap schedule.  Jake naps from about 8:30 to 10:30.  Will naps from 11 to 2.  Jake naps from about 1:30 to 3:30.  Thus, sharing a room wouldn't work at this point.  Also not happening at this point?  A life.  If you will notice, we are trapped at home until nearly 4 every day because somebody is always sleeping.  I spend my days trying to keep the awake kid quiet enough to let the other kid sleep.  Also, I get ZERO free time during the day.  Anyway, at least I get to sleep at night.  Which is actually kind of HUGE.  Thank you sons.  

4.  I HATE HATE HATE the dryer in this house.  We couldn't use our own dryer because this house requires a gas dryer.  On a side note, while I enjoy cooking with gas, I kind of hate having a gas powered furnace, water heater, and dryer.  Our utility room (where all those things are located) and the upstairs hallway literally stink when anything is being heated.  Anyway, so I don't like the gas powered dryer.  But only in part because it is gas powered.  I mostly hate the dryer because it has a buzzer that sounds MULTIPLE times as it dries clothing (Seriously.  It buzzes 3 times.  To tell you the clothes are "kind of dry" "mostly dry" and "seriously, they are dry now and I'm about to turn off").  But the worst part.  You can't turn the freaking buzzer off.  What kind of idiot designs a dryer with a mandatory buzzer?  You know what this means?  This means that I don't get to do laundry between 8:30 and 4 because the damn buzzing dryer will wake up a sleeping kid.  I can do laundry from 6-8:30 and 4-7.  But you know what?  I FORGET to do laundry during those times because those are the times when I have two awake and demanding children to take care of.  AND the damn laundry room is upstairs.  I hate you, buzzing gas dryer.  I hate you so much.

5.  Will has suddenly fallen in love with my jogging stroller (which, coincidentally, I've only ever actually JOGGED with like, twice).  To his credit, it does look like a pretty sweet and comfy ride, what with the rubber tires and shock absorbers.  I think his new found love though has more to do with seeing Jake ride in it.  Now any time Will sees the garage door open, he sneaks out there and climbs into the stroller.  And sits there.  And waits.  Occasionally calling out orders to "Come here and push me in the stroller" which in reality sounds a little more like "BOOOOO!!!"  That is Will speak for "Do what I want!"  And when that doesn't work, he smiles at me and says "Buttie."  Which means "Push the button."  This is him trying to get me to push the button to open the garage door, presumably so I can push him in the stroller.  I believe this is a toddler attempt to TRICK me into doing what he wants.  Clearly he hasn't figured out the art of deception quite yet. 

6.  Will thinks he's a big boy.  WAY too big to use a booster seat. 
Cook books are okay though.

7.  Will has clearly accepted that Jake is a member of our family and is becoming quite the protective and loving big brother.  I almost can't handle the cuteness. 

Family pictures and current events

So, I underestimated my photographer a few weeks back.  I'm not sure how she managed to capture such wonderful photos.  Considering the near permanent scowl that was on Will's face the whole time, I have a feeling some serious retouching had to be done.  But however she did it, we wound up with some really great pictures.  Here are  my favorites.

I was so pleasantly surprised!  We will be using her again.  Now that I've found a good photographer we can afford, I plan on having family pictures taken at least every year, probably more like every 6 months while the boys are young and changing so much.

In news of a less personal nature, Osama Bin Laden is dead.  I have to admit that my first thought upon hearing it was "Oh shit, what are they going to do to us now."  But then it occurred to me that the terrorists are already consumed by irrational rage at our mere existence and that killing their figurehead isn't going to incite them to do something they weren't going to do anyway.  While I don't feel at all safer that he's dead, it is certainly satisfying to know that some measure of justice has been done.  And it is truly awe inspiring and a little terrifying that our military has the capability and perseverance to locate a single person in this whole wide world whose primary focus it was to remain hidden.  I hope all those terrorists out there find it terrifying too.  And that we have such bad ass special forces who can carry out such missions is something to admire.  And though I have no love lost for President Obama, I give him credit for making the daring decision to send in our men, make this personal, and get confirmation of his identity.  It really bothers me that he didn't give any recognition to President Bush though.  And it bothered me even more in the days to follow when I heard people gloating that Obama did what Bush couldn't, when in reality, Obama couldn't have done what he did if not for Bush.  It's just disingenuous and petty to pretend otherwise.  Playing politics with something so historically significant introduces divisiveness into what should be a unifying moment.  But all that aside, it was a good day in the war on terror.  

Speaking of the war on terror (even though I think Obama doesn't want us to call it that anymore), I expect Jamie to be deploying sometime in the coming months.  I'm dreading it.  Will is old enough to actually miss him now which means my heartbreak will essentially double when he leaves.  Missing him myself is hard, but knowing that my little boy is missing his daddy is going to be so much worse.  He's gone right now, though only on a short state-side mission.  I took the boys to Costco today and we saw a man there in a green flight suit like the ones Jamie wears to work.  Will thought it was Jamie.  He started calling out "Daddy" as the guy walked by.  I did my best to correct him, but he's still a bit too young to understand.  He was still calling out for "Daddy" a few aisles later.  He never really got upset about it and seemed to just let it go after a while.  But I imagine this was just a preview of what's to come.  It's going to be rough.  I'm ready for this war to be over now.

Sleepless

I think we are re-entering the "frequent solo-parenting" part of military life.  Jamie left again this morning.  I guess I should just be grateful that we had such a long stretch of normalcy, particularly since it came when I was adjusting to having two kids.  And honestly, I'm not even intimidated anymore by the prospect of solo-parenting my two little guys.  And besides, except for weekends and the two hours at night that the boys are still awake when Jamie's home during the week, I'm doing it all by myself anyway.  And when he's home I still end up being the default parent which is, I suppose, understandable since I'm more familiar with how things work, but incredibly irritating nonetheless.  The hardest parts of solo parenting are dinner, bath, and bedtime, which all occur in the last 1.5 hours of the day and are busy even when there are two of us.  It's downright hectic doing it by myself.  The hardest part of Jamie being gone though is the loneliness.  There are days when he's the only other grown up I see.  And I miss the comfort of having a partner to back me up or come to my rescue.  I feel profoundly vulnerable when he's gone and I feel the responsibility of those two little boys more acutely in his absence.  Hence the sleeplessness and blogging at midnight.

I feel that I've really grown as a mother in the past 6 months.  It has been SO challenging, but I'm stronger and more confident as a result.  And it's getting easier.  Will, while he has declared himself dictator of the world and boss of ME, is becoming more self-sufficient.  I can actually leave him downstairs while I put the baby down for naps or bed without fearing that he will cause irreparable harm to himself or the house in my absence.  It's nice.  I only occasionally get stressed out by juggling them both, usually only when they both need something at the same time.  Because let's face it, somebody is just going to have to wait his turn, and with babies waiting = crying.  I have to admit, at this point, that I only really find Jake's crying distressing (unless Will is actually, physically hurt).  Because Jake is still mostly helpless and only ever cries when he NEEDS something.  Will cries all the freaking time.  Because he doesn't get his way.  Because the laws of nature don't bend according to his will.  Because when you're almost two, life is just SO HARD.  It is ANNOYING.  But it is also so very very loud.  So, often times I'm torn between placating Will first just to shut him up even though that leaves poor sweet Jake crying, versus just ignoring Will and his ear-splitting wails while I tend to Jake.  Either way, it's stressful and loud.  That being said, the simultaneous crying is not a frequent occurrence and really doesn't even phase me that much when it does happen.  Jake is finally settling into a somewhat predictable nap schedule, which pleases the planner in me.  However, the boys naps rarely overlap for long and pretty much keep us trapped at home until 3 in the afternoon on most days.  Somebody is always sleeping around here.  Except for me, that is.  Anyway, life is becoming more ordered and I find that such a relief.  

Jake is officially huge.  He weighed 21 lbs at his appointment which puts him like, off the charts.  He's only 50% for height though.  The doctor said his numbers are proportioned like a sumo wrestler, which is a pretty accurate description of his physique at this point.  He's my adorable little sumo wrestler.  I know this phase won't last long though.  In another week he'll be crawling off some of that baby chub and one day soon he'll hit a growth spurt.  I just need to savor his little sweet baby rolls while they last and treasure my roly poly cherub.  

He's just growing so fast!  I made Jamie lower the crib mattress before he left because Jake could actually lift himself up high enough when on his belly to peek at me over the top rail.  It was really cute seeing his smiling face greeting me after nap time, but made me nervous.  Once he starts crawling, which will be literally any day now, it won't be long before he can pull up on things (I think Will started pulling up like two days after he mastered crawling).  So, we dropped the mattress to the lowest setting.  And thus said goodbye to another element of babyhood.  It makes me so sad to think of it that way.  I guess I should just be happy for him as he discovers his physical abilities and proud that he is learning so quickly.  Because seriously people, he's SO CLOSE.