2.17.2009

crusty hair and the unmentionable mess

8:00 a.m.

"Hello Owen. Long time no see. You must be hungry. Of course. Let's go into my room and you can eat there, while I pretend that it isn't time to get up."

8:10

"Good morning Emma. What crazy hair you have this morning! Wait, that isn't mere bedhead. What, what is it? It's...it's kind of crusty. Why do you have crusty hair Emma?"

11:00 p.m. previous night
Emma wakes and coughs and coughs and coughs. I sigh, and force myself up (from the moment of almost going to sleep) and shuffle to the kitchen. Once there, I get a spoonful of honey and go to Emma. "Here Em, take this. Whoops, I think I am dripping. Good thing it wasn't much. Have a drink of water. Good night"

8:11 a.m.

Oh yes...that is why you have crusty hair. Nothing like a spontaneous bath.

8:15

Feed Emma, make coffee, brush teeth, change Owen.

8:30

Emma is done with breakfast. I wipe her hands, I get her down. I sit down to feed Owen, to make sure he really is full and can go longer than 23 minutes without thinking he is hungry.

"Oh, Owen. Your leg is kind of wet. That darn spit-up! Don't worry son, you won't spit up forever. Wait, wait, that isn't spit-up. Oh my. It isn't...it is". *sigh* Nothing like a spontaneous bath.

8:31

Triage. Crusty hair vs. the unmentionable mess. Obvious choice.

8:35

Strap birthday-suited son to changing table, prepare bath for him, pour coffee. Get son. Bathe son. Dry son. Dress son. Put son in rocker, in bathroom, with toys. Top off coffee. Smile. Get daughter.

"Emma's turn!"

Turn bathwater on. Take pj's off of Emma. Begin to take off diaper. Oh no, it isn't...it is. Change Emma in her room. Bathe daughter. Scrub daughter's hair. Dry daughter. Dress daughter. Finish coffee. Smile.

8:45

Gather up dirty laundry. Look down, realize that I am still in pj's. Rectify.

9:00 -10:30

Who knows

10:31

Put Owen down for nap. Hold breath.

10:33

Emma says "hungry". I think, sure, I could have breakfast.

10:35

We both eat cheerios.

11:00

I turn the t.v. on in time for the theme song to the big purple dinosaur. I make a little snuggle pile on the floor, and Emma and I curl up under a blanket. I get 10 minutes of eyelid rest time before she starts patting my face and leaning in to talk to me. I smile.

12:15

My husband pulls in the driveway. Emma runs to greet him with her arms open wide while gleefully exclaiming "Daddy's home, Daddy's home". He finds me in a chair, with Baby Owen in my arms. I can not muster enough of whatever it takes to properly greet him, orto properly inquire about his morning, or to give a proper explanation of why I am unable to musterit . He smiles knowingly. We both silentlyreflect on the previous night, for just a moment.

It was one more (feeble) attempt to coax a fussy baby to sleep. I had put him to bed at 6:30, and got up with him at 10, and a couple of times after. Each time, I was less understanding and more desperate for sleep. At the 3:30a.m. wake-up cry, I asked husband if he wanted to spend some quality time with son. He of course does, and rolls out of bed to conquer the land of screaming baby.

So we are both tired. We are both frustrated. We are both salivating at the thought of sleeping for longer than three or four hours at a time. I wonder how long this can go on before I really develop a mental disorder.

So my husband gives me a loving smile, and says, "long morning?".

I smile back. It was a long morning.

But I remember-

"the days are long, but the years are short"


and I get up to go make hot dogs.

2.12.2009

a day in the life of the weins

this is owen's first go in the jump up. he really liked it. i remember the first time we put em in, she hated it. but he just hung out. emma thought it was really fun, she got down and played with him. now, i realize that this is the doorway of the pantry, but we don't have any trim in the other doorway. he loves looking at the dustpan, i promise.

emma loves to read, and her baby is learning to love it too. she is sharing one of her favorite books.

this baby was so tired. he just zonked out.

emma is gazing adoringly at her uncle abe. once again, we did not set this up in the slightest.

this is the house that we built for her, we have since added on. she really likes it. she was having a party on this occasion.


ane now, i am off to do an assortment of odd jobs. first of all, emma has put someone in time out in her room, so we need to go check up on her, and open the bedroom door. then i need to go convince owen that yes, this really is nap time. then i need to go put some laundry in the washer, and sweep the dirt off of the basement floor in preparation for some weekend guests.

and then the big purple dinosaur may make an appearance.

2.06.2009

some pictures

Owen's five month picture.



owen's four month picture

they grow so fast

this is on the way home from our anniversary weekend. it was basically a blizzard.