Good book: Saying Goodbye To Lulu

Reuben has become very interested in the concept of death. He talks about things dying, asks why things die, asks when I, his mother, will die, asks when Miri will die, asks when Battle will die... you get the idea.

I told him everything dies. Our bodies wear out and get tired. But he's eager for more details.

So on our latest library trip, I was grateful to find the book "Saying Goodbye to Lulu" by Corrine Demas.
The book tells the story of a little girl whose dog begins to weaken and die. As the dog looses her ability to move and sense the world around her, the little girl is loyal if a bit angry to loose her good friend.
I really appreciated how the book communicates that old age is a lot like infancy. When we are young and old we have trouble doing many things on our own, and we rely on those around us who love us.

The kids love the book and we've read it over and over and over. If you have a morbid child like Reuben or are simply looking for a beautiful and profound explanation of dying, look it up.

18 months

Miri girl turned 18 months last week. She's so grown up.

18 months is THE age when kids are old enough to start going to the church nursery. Miri being her precocious self has been in nursery the last couple months already. Since I'm a nursery leader, she's my buddy so her birthday passed without much change at church.

It's strange to think of Reuben at 18 months. I remember being so concerned putting him into nursery. Reuben is a little more anxious a personality than Miriam. I really worried if he was going to suffer some sort of toddler mental break down being abandoned by his loving parents to the lord of the flies nursery and end up permanently scarred. I was so pregnant with Miri that I felt like I had no choice but to turn him over and hope for the best.

At the time I told myself I was over reacting and being too clingy but now I think I was totally right. Reuben went to nursery and ended up with some pretty odd attitudes (dislike) towards church, class settings, and his peer group. He would wake up in the night screaming that he did not want to go back to nursery. PTSD, for real. He seems to still carry a grudge against them all. Ah, nursery... 

But he's no longer in nursery. He's moved up to primary and says he likes it a lot better. Phew. 

Anyway, it's also hard to believe that when Reuben was Miri's age, baby Miri came along.

At 18 months Miri decided she wanted to be potty trained so she took care of that herself. I really did not encourage her in any way. (I know it was wrong, but I kind of half heartedly discouraged her. Miri can't we try this later when it is warm outside? Nope.) She pushed us all into it and is enjoying the experience.

 Don't mess with her when she's eating. She protects what is hers.

Miri thinks the magnifying glass is hilarious and I agree. I love this little girl. 

Cowboy

Reuben asked me what sort of hat this was. I told him it was a cowboy hat. He asked what a cowboy was so I said it was a person that was good at chasing cows. Then I pulled up youtube and showed him some roping, bull riding, and calf wrestling. It reminded me how violent cowboys are but Reuben was impressed and has been wearing the hat around ever since.

When the real cowboy hat was misplaced, he was using a shoe box as a stand in. I say was because the other night I was looking for some kindling for a fire and tossed the shoe box in. Both kids erupted in to shrieks of despair and horror.  I tried to pull the box out but it went up in flames before our eyes. I have not been forgiven.

Miriam got a red balloon at a friend's birthday party last week. She keeps walking through the house chanting "A balloon! A balloon!" It makes me feel like I'm stuck in that french red balloon show.

 It's been very cold here. Snow came. Then ice. Then freezing fog. Ugly cold weather. We suited up and tried to go play in it but realized it was really just ice and there was no fun to be had. I have no pictures outside because my phone powered down right before we stepped out the door. I guess it doesn't like the cold weather either.

Here's R in his snow clothes.

 And Miri.

Another funny story. Reuben has grown tall again and I am amazed that all traces of his babyhood are fast disappearing. We were sitting at the table and I couldn't help but say aloud "Reuben, look at you! You've changed so much. You are such a big boy now!"

Reuben looked over with a concerned confused look and asked very somberly "Did I used to be a girl?"

We assured him he was born a boy and the only changing he's done is change from a baby to a child. I'm not sure if we are totally believed. He knows a lot of baby sisters and a lot of older brothers, since all of his cousins on his Dad's side have a boy then girl order. I think he may be expecting Miri to change into a boy any day now.

Day of No Rest

Our church time changed to the time the kids normally nap. They come home looking like this. 

Actually, they look like that if we are lucky.  They more often look like this.

They get it from me. In order to be a decent human being, I need to sleep and eat.

These pictures are from last Sunday. This Sunday Miri is the angry one and Reuben is snuggling lethargically in the couch pillows.

....And We Are Back

Some of you might be wondering what happened. We had Reuben's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. But not a peep on the blog. Why the black out?

Holidays are really not my thing.

 Add to that my work load was regularly hitting 50 hours a week and Aaron's was hovering around 100 hours. We were total zombies. Aaron was gone. Our child care situation for the kids changed in the middle of the craziness, and while we tried to make new arrangements, I found myself compensating by doing full time parenting by day and full time work at night. You didn't want to see it. It wasn't pretty. (Pray for the children)

We entered the New Year burning with what we thought was the warm glow of holiday cheer (thanks to wonderful times with family) but actually developed into the roasting heat of scarlet fever.  We've decided the 2012 can only get better.

This explanation is my justification for not putting together any sort of Holiday Greeting card.
If we had put one together, it would have said something like this.

Dear Friends and Family,

We love you. Thank you for your support, love, humor, and interest you have shown our little family this past year.

 

Reuben is now 3. He starts everyone's day, every day, with the sun rise and fills those days with his big smiles and clever mischief. He enjoys telling long stories. Most feature Miriam, his cousin Eliza and himself leading a band of resourceful cats through the varied terrain of all seven continents, though Africa is a particularly favored location. The cats are named Battle, Finnegan, Biscuit, Whiskers, and Fat Oscar. These stories last around 10 to 45 minutes when told and our often repeated. Last week, he had each character take their turn jumping a shark, and I thought yes, this story is definitely at that point, though I appreciate his creativity. Aside from the story telling, Reuben loves running, playing outside, digging in sand, building things, fast cars and furrowing his eye brows. He tells us he wants to grow up to be a veterinarian who is "a doctor who helps only animals NOT people." He has also developed a hatred for coats and the state of Ohio which he believes I travel to every day, in order to do my work. (In actuality I go downstairs to my basement office but this is not believed.)

 

Miriam is 17 months. She is a strong, determined person who fills our lives with joy. Little Miri loves to jump, read books, talk, run and roll around with her brother. I can hardly believe my tiny dark haired baby is already such a strong, golden haired girl. She was an early walker and early talker. When I say she likes to run, it means she will take the opportunity to sprint whenever she spies an open area. When I say she likes to jump, it means every day she climbs up on our couch then throws her little body off with a squeal of glee. The child is a dare devil. Her earliest words  were "mama" "dada" and "whatsthis?" Her curiosity is insatiable. We have been amazed at how quickly she has grown and developed. She is a wonder to know. She loves pandas, Roo her brother, dancing, drawing, talking with friends, singing, and being "tall!" - lifted somewhere high, like her dada's head. If you want to be her friend, read her a book. She's always looking for someone to read to her.


Aaron and I led fairly similar lives in 2011. We have no great achievements. No marathons. No vacations. We worked like automotans and felt very blessed to have the chance to keep our little family afloat financially. We look forward to a new year in which we hope to find more balance and quality of life. We each find great meaning and happiness for our lives in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the wonderful relationships we enjoy with you. Your emails, letters, calls, and visits were the highlight of our year.

Over the holidays, we were at the National Gallery together and managed to take a few pictures of our whole family together.

Kind of together, see the reflection? Though no one is looking.

Reuben where are you? This would have been gold!

Almost, but Miri kept reaching for my phone...

Only missing me. And Reuben isn't looking.

There I am. But Miri fell down and R is still not looking.

A family that draws together, stays together, right?

Miri with her Grandpa