Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Where are the KIDS???
All parents inevitably seem to have those moments. The ones where the kids are right beside you and then a second later you turn around and they are nowhere in sight. Well, when we were in Iowa, Dawson and his cousin, Dani were with me upstairs getting ready to go on an errand with Grammy Lori and Aunt Rachel. After I finished getting Dawson dressed, I watched the kids go downstairs where Lori and Rachel were in the kitchen. I got dressed and then went downstairs about 5 minutes later.
When I got to the kitchen, I asked, "Where are the kids?" Rachel and Lori looked at each other and said, "They were just here!" Rachel had seen them playing less than a minute before and looked at me bewildered.
We started calling for them, thinking they were on the back porch, in the living room, or the office. After no response and looking in each of the rooms, we checked in the bathroom and even went back upstairs in the bedrooms and closets. No sign of either of them.
I went to the back porch, looked down the cellar stairs, and noticed a truck at the bottom, so I went into the basement and called for them. There was no light on, but I still wanted to double check, so I said each of their names loudly and waited. No response.
I was beginning to panic. I raced outside and looked everywhere around the house. Donnie's parents live on a fairly large farm with a house that sits right at the highway. My heart was racing... Rachel followed me outside and we were both yelling for them, looking in the garage, machine shed, bushes, and the barn. We couldn't see or hear any sign of either of them anywhere.
While I stayed outside searching, Rachel went back in and rechecked some of the places that we had already searched. She just didn't understand how they could disappear so quickly! She went into the basement and walked back into the rear rooms, calling the kids names. As she got closer to the back room, Dani popped out! They had been HIDING, SILENTLY, in the basement TOGETHER the WHOLE TIME!!!
Looking back on this I can laugh, but at the time, I was SO scared that they might be dead on the highway, that I was pretty upset. Rachel talked very seriously and sternly to Dani. Just a week before, she had left the house and gone out into the machine shed by herself because she wanted to play in there. The funny thing is, we don't think either of them would've gone down into the dark basement alone. But, together, they somehow figured that it would be fun to hide from their mommies and not talk when they were calling for them. I guess one of them has figured out how to hide. But they don't understand that the rest of the game involves telling someone to come and SEEK you!
Whew! First dangerous missing child episode down! I hope to not feel that way again any ttime soon!
Erin
When I got to the kitchen, I asked, "Where are the kids?" Rachel and Lori looked at each other and said, "They were just here!" Rachel had seen them playing less than a minute before and looked at me bewildered.
We started calling for them, thinking they were on the back porch, in the living room, or the office. After no response and looking in each of the rooms, we checked in the bathroom and even went back upstairs in the bedrooms and closets. No sign of either of them.
I went to the back porch, looked down the cellar stairs, and noticed a truck at the bottom, so I went into the basement and called for them. There was no light on, but I still wanted to double check, so I said each of their names loudly and waited. No response.
I was beginning to panic. I raced outside and looked everywhere around the house. Donnie's parents live on a fairly large farm with a house that sits right at the highway. My heart was racing... Rachel followed me outside and we were both yelling for them, looking in the garage, machine shed, bushes, and the barn. We couldn't see or hear any sign of either of them anywhere.
While I stayed outside searching, Rachel went back in and rechecked some of the places that we had already searched. She just didn't understand how they could disappear so quickly! She went into the basement and walked back into the rear rooms, calling the kids names. As she got closer to the back room, Dani popped out! They had been HIDING, SILENTLY, in the basement TOGETHER the WHOLE TIME!!!
Looking back on this I can laugh, but at the time, I was SO scared that they might be dead on the highway, that I was pretty upset. Rachel talked very seriously and sternly to Dani. Just a week before, she had left the house and gone out into the machine shed by herself because she wanted to play in there. The funny thing is, we don't think either of them would've gone down into the dark basement alone. But, together, they somehow figured that it would be fun to hide from their mommies and not talk when they were calling for them. I guess one of them has figured out how to hide. But they don't understand that the rest of the game involves telling someone to come and SEEK you!
Whew! First dangerous missing child episode down! I hope to not feel that way again any ttime soon!
Erin
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My Boy is Reading!
Dawson has settled into an interesting routine. Every single night, he wants to read just three books; a book about Thomas the Tank Engine, Going on a Bear Hunt and Bear Snores On.
Tonight, however, we couldn't find Bear Hunt but thankfully, it wasn't too much of an ordeal.
We read those books so often, that Dawson is saying the words along with me. In the case of Bear Hunt, he is even making the same sounds.
Tonight I tried something new. Knowing that Dawson actually knows many of the words, I would read a few words at the end of a phrase, then point to and read each word, then have Dawson repeat the words individually and then read the entire phrase. And the sending-chills-down-my-spine response from Dawson was that he would READ THE PHRASE! This is just so EXCITING!
I can still remember the first book I ever read, it was A Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss. What I don't remember, however, is actually learning to read. I know that both of my parents worked really hard with me, but my only two early reading memories was crying with frustration while reading Great Day for Up but finishing because my mom wouldn't let me quit - I also remember her wild celebration when I finished. I also remember riding through Burlington with my dad and reading each sign that he pointed to, which was followed by a celebratory whoop from my dad.
I learned during my TFA Institute training that ideally a kid won't remember learning to read. That's my hope for Dawson, that he won't be able to remember learning to read, that he just reads from his 2 1/2 year old state throughout his life. The ability to read any author's story allows us to live an unlimited number of lives.
We finished the night with another activity I can't remember learning to do but just did my entire life, singing "Jesus Loves Me."
A good night that I wanted to remember, so I took the time to write this blog post.
Tonight, however, we couldn't find Bear Hunt but thankfully, it wasn't too much of an ordeal.
We read those books so often, that Dawson is saying the words along with me. In the case of Bear Hunt, he is even making the same sounds.
Tonight I tried something new. Knowing that Dawson actually knows many of the words, I would read a few words at the end of a phrase, then point to and read each word, then have Dawson repeat the words individually and then read the entire phrase. And the sending-chills-down-my-spine response from Dawson was that he would READ THE PHRASE! This is just so EXCITING!
I can still remember the first book I ever read, it was A Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss. What I don't remember, however, is actually learning to read. I know that both of my parents worked really hard with me, but my only two early reading memories was crying with frustration while reading Great Day for Up but finishing because my mom wouldn't let me quit - I also remember her wild celebration when I finished. I also remember riding through Burlington with my dad and reading each sign that he pointed to, which was followed by a celebratory whoop from my dad.
I learned during my TFA Institute training that ideally a kid won't remember learning to read. That's my hope for Dawson, that he won't be able to remember learning to read, that he just reads from his 2 1/2 year old state throughout his life. The ability to read any author's story allows us to live an unlimited number of lives.
We finished the night with another activity I can't remember learning to do but just did my entire life, singing "Jesus Loves Me."
A good night that I wanted to remember, so I took the time to write this blog post.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Our First Family Vacation
A few weeks ago, we took our first family vacation to Saint Louis. To read about it and to see some pictures, check out this link.
"I ride tractor on"
"Dawson, do you wanna go with pappa on a tractor ride?", my dad asked Dawson when we were visiting them a few days ago.
Dawson gave no reply, because he didn't know what a tractor ride was. But after Pappa gave him said tractor ride, Dawson kept asking for another ride over and over and over. When Erin and I were in Chicago for a few days, leaving Dawson with Gammy and Pappa, he got his wish for lots of tractor rides.
But the way Dawson was asking to ride on the tractor was a bit odd and it took us a while to figure out what he was saying. The best we can decipher is that he was stating, "I ride tractor on." Since my dad would ask, "do you want to go on a tractor ride?", we assumed he was simply misplacing the on of the phrase "go on a tractor ride."
Whatever the reason, Dawson kept stating, "I ride tractor on", even as we drove by a John Deer dealership on our way home.
And in another funny turn of a phrase, Dawson was watching "Alvin and the Chipmonks" on they way home but he couldn't say the word chipmonk. The most common title he used was chickens, but the funniest title he used was monkey chips. That got a laugh out of Erin and me.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A Memory to which I’d like to Hold On
If I could put time in a bottle, last night would’ve been a deposit I would’ve made. However, I can’t stop time and my little boy’s relentless march toward becoming a big boy continues. So I’ll just do the next best thing, blog on the memory. And while I likely won’t be able to adequately convey our adventures of last Sunday night, just the act of re-reading this, as I’ll eventually do, will likely trigger the emotions of the memory.
Erin was away for the evening, attending the HS graduation of her adopted sister and since we knew a graduation would not be a good place for Dawson, I had the late afternoon/ evening alone with my boy. As soon as he woke up from his nap, I strapped him in the jogging stroller and headed toward Cornerstone Park. We took our usual route; past the HS, through a newer neighborhood, then eventually through the older, tree-lined neighborhood.
As soon as I unstrapped the restraining harness of the stroller, Dawson tore off toward the playground equipment. As usual, he occasionally stopped his passionate run over the bridges and down the slides to get an approving smile from his daddy. One time, I had to keep Dawson from crashing the birthday party taking place in the shelter. Knowing he was hungry, we sat down at the picnic table and with legs swinging from the bench, Dawson munched down his peanut-butter crackers. Occasionally, he picked up the lid of the little orange container, looked at the cartoon drawing of a cat’s face on it and gave a “meeoow.” But what really melted my heart were the smiles he kept throwing up over his right shoulder, in my direction. Maybe that was just because I kept giving him more crackers. Or maybe it was because he was enjoying the daddy-son outing as much as me.
“I see dogs” was the enthusiastic answer to the question of whether we should go to the dog show happening the nearby 4-H building. Inside, the sight of all those dogs, the barking and the clapping almost over stimulated Dawson. And when I asked whether we should go to another park, I was given the reply “ut-her pak.” So we played on the playground of Gardner Elementary, Dawson fearlessly, then cautiously, running along the swinging bridge under the bright late-afternoon sun.
At first, he threw a mini-fit about the idea of leaving the park, but I explained we needed to go eat “dineh,” so he walked toward and climbed into the stroller. At home, he tried climbing into his booster seat and again got a big angry when I said we needed to go “bye-bye.” Although he didn’t understand what I meant, Dawson tried to mimic my explanation of where we’d eat with a “Ma-don-owd.”
At McDonalds, he kept trying to run behind the counter as I was waiting to order the food. He then pointed at the toys in the Happy Meal display and I thought, “wont’ be long before he’s asking for one of those.” And while the Chicken was too spicy, he sure wolfed down his fries. And again, I got some more heart-warming smiles as he ate the fries and swung his legs in the thin-air beneath his seat.
I eventually realized that since we were at a fast-food restaurant, it was a bit pointless to insist he eat some more bites of chicken before getting the “tweet.” So I ordered the treat of an ice-cream fudge Sunday and we shared the dessert together.
Later that night, my announcement that it was time to go “night-night” was met by an enthusiastic cheer, demonstrating just how tired my boy was. He grabbed the tooth brush and was trying to do it on his own before I even got into the bathroom. That version of the usual bed-time routine was enjoyable and sweet, reading the usual “Mouse” and “Moon” and singing about “Sunshine” and all the people in my little boy’s little world. With Monkey and Cow joining him underneath Blanket, Dawson quickly fell into a much needed sleep. Though the fact that I forgot to give pain medicine to the teething boy made for a rough night’s sleep.
I can’t hold onto my little boy, keeping him a little boy. I can, however fiercely hold onto the memories; keeping the memories from fading the way my suntan from Sunday afternoon is already fading.
Erin was away for the evening, attending the HS graduation of her adopted sister and since we knew a graduation would not be a good place for Dawson, I had the late afternoon/ evening alone with my boy. As soon as he woke up from his nap, I strapped him in the jogging stroller and headed toward Cornerstone Park. We took our usual route; past the HS, through a newer neighborhood, then eventually through the older, tree-lined neighborhood.
As soon as I unstrapped the restraining harness of the stroller, Dawson tore off toward the playground equipment. As usual, he occasionally stopped his passionate run over the bridges and down the slides to get an approving smile from his daddy. One time, I had to keep Dawson from crashing the birthday party taking place in the shelter. Knowing he was hungry, we sat down at the picnic table and with legs swinging from the bench, Dawson munched down his peanut-butter crackers. Occasionally, he picked up the lid of the little orange container, looked at the cartoon drawing of a cat’s face on it and gave a “meeoow.” But what really melted my heart were the smiles he kept throwing up over his right shoulder, in my direction. Maybe that was just because I kept giving him more crackers. Or maybe it was because he was enjoying the daddy-son outing as much as me.
“I see dogs” was the enthusiastic answer to the question of whether we should go to the dog show happening the nearby 4-H building. Inside, the sight of all those dogs, the barking and the clapping almost over stimulated Dawson. And when I asked whether we should go to another park, I was given the reply “ut-her pak.” So we played on the playground of Gardner Elementary, Dawson fearlessly, then cautiously, running along the swinging bridge under the bright late-afternoon sun.
At first, he threw a mini-fit about the idea of leaving the park, but I explained we needed to go eat “dineh,” so he walked toward and climbed into the stroller. At home, he tried climbing into his booster seat and again got a big angry when I said we needed to go “bye-bye.” Although he didn’t understand what I meant, Dawson tried to mimic my explanation of where we’d eat with a “Ma-don-owd.”
At McDonalds, he kept trying to run behind the counter as I was waiting to order the food. He then pointed at the toys in the Happy Meal display and I thought, “wont’ be long before he’s asking for one of those.” And while the Chicken was too spicy, he sure wolfed down his fries. And again, I got some more heart-warming smiles as he ate the fries and swung his legs in the thin-air beneath his seat.
I eventually realized that since we were at a fast-food restaurant, it was a bit pointless to insist he eat some more bites of chicken before getting the “tweet.” So I ordered the treat of an ice-cream fudge Sunday and we shared the dessert together.
Later that night, my announcement that it was time to go “night-night” was met by an enthusiastic cheer, demonstrating just how tired my boy was. He grabbed the tooth brush and was trying to do it on his own before I even got into the bathroom. That version of the usual bed-time routine was enjoyable and sweet, reading the usual “Mouse” and “Moon” and singing about “Sunshine” and all the people in my little boy’s little world. With Monkey and Cow joining him underneath Blanket, Dawson quickly fell into a much needed sleep. Though the fact that I forgot to give pain medicine to the teething boy made for a rough night’s sleep.
I can’t hold onto my little boy, keeping him a little boy. I can, however fiercely hold onto the memories; keeping the memories from fading the way my suntan from Sunday afternoon is already fading.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
To A Child Love Is Spelled T-I-M-E
Take them to a movie they want to see.
Go on a treasure hunt (collect all the loose change around the house/car) together and then make a trip to the arcade with your findings.
Take a long nature walk together, at their pace. Let them lead the conversation. Find qualities about them that you genuinely love, and compliment them in front of others.
Frame a photo of the two of you, and display it in their room.
Put a few Hershey’s Hugs in one of their coat pockets, and Kisses in the other.
Play a game with them.
Let them win.
Make bath time special. Add lots of bubbles, colored soaps, maybe you could purchase a new tub toy or let them play with things found around the house. I let my kids play with things like colanders and funnels from the kitchen—they love it. Don’t forget to warm the towel!
Send them a handmade card in the mail with a coupon to go get ice cream with you.
Gather all the home movies that feature them as the “star” and have a movie night complete with popcorn and treats.
Using blankets and chairs, or a card table, build a clubhouse together and have a picnic inside.
Read “I love you” books together.
Let them stay up past their bedtime with you and watch cartoon classics together.
Do a chore that is normally reserved for them.
Tuck an encouraging note inside their lunchbox.
Give them your full attention.
Tell them some of the ways they make you happy.
Make them laugh.
Laugh with them.
Make their favorite treat to welcome them home from school with.
Show them your joy when they arrive.
Ask for hugs and kisses.
Listen, and let them make their own decisions whenever possible.
Make them a coupon book filled with things they’d enjoy doing, or things they’d like to get out of doing.
Take a day off from everything: work, household duties, technology, etc. and focus entirely on them.
Cook together.
Write them a poem using the initials of their name.
Decorate their room for no reason.
Create a sign that lavishes them with praise.
Kidnap them from school and take them out for lunch.
Make home a fun place to be.
Make a treasure box from an old shoe box, fill it with “gold” (chocolate coins) and make an official looking treasure map with clues for them to locate the hidden treasure with.
Go to the store and let them pick out all the ingredients to make banana splits. Make and eat them together.
Wrap up in a warm blanket together and take turns making up stories to tell each other.
Make a list of things you love about them and put it on their pillow before bedtime.
Talk about what they did in their day at dinnertime.
Sit down together and write a list of fun activities to do in a day. Write each idea on small slips of paper, roll up the papers and stick them inside balloons. Blow up all the balloons and then pop one balloon at a time until you’ve completed all the activities.
Play back rub/tickle games—ie; Spider crawling up your back…
Make a CD with all their favorite tunes and have a dance party.
Go on a treasure hunt (collect all the loose change around the house/car) together and then make a trip to the arcade with your findings.
Take a long nature walk together, at their pace. Let them lead the conversation. Find qualities about them that you genuinely love, and compliment them in front of others.
Frame a photo of the two of you, and display it in their room.
Put a few Hershey’s Hugs in one of their coat pockets, and Kisses in the other.
Play a game with them.
Let them win.
Make bath time special. Add lots of bubbles, colored soaps, maybe you could purchase a new tub toy or let them play with things found around the house. I let my kids play with things like colanders and funnels from the kitchen—they love it. Don’t forget to warm the towel!
Send them a handmade card in the mail with a coupon to go get ice cream with you.
Gather all the home movies that feature them as the “star” and have a movie night complete with popcorn and treats.
Using blankets and chairs, or a card table, build a clubhouse together and have a picnic inside.
Read “I love you” books together.
Let them stay up past their bedtime with you and watch cartoon classics together.
Do a chore that is normally reserved for them.
Tuck an encouraging note inside their lunchbox.
Give them your full attention.
Tell them some of the ways they make you happy.
Make them laugh.
Laugh with them.
Make their favorite treat to welcome them home from school with.
Show them your joy when they arrive.
Ask for hugs and kisses.
Listen, and let them make their own decisions whenever possible.
Make them a coupon book filled with things they’d enjoy doing, or things they’d like to get out of doing.
Take a day off from everything: work, household duties, technology, etc. and focus entirely on them.
Cook together.
Write them a poem using the initials of their name.
Decorate their room for no reason.
Create a sign that lavishes them with praise.
Kidnap them from school and take them out for lunch.
Make home a fun place to be.
Make a treasure box from an old shoe box, fill it with “gold” (chocolate coins) and make an official looking treasure map with clues for them to locate the hidden treasure with.
Go to the store and let them pick out all the ingredients to make banana splits. Make and eat them together.
Wrap up in a warm blanket together and take turns making up stories to tell each other.
Make a list of things you love about them and put it on their pillow before bedtime.
Talk about what they did in their day at dinnertime.
Sit down together and write a list of fun activities to do in a day. Write each idea on small slips of paper, roll up the papers and stick them inside balloons. Blow up all the balloons and then pop one balloon at a time until you’ve completed all the activities.
Play back rub/tickle games—ie; Spider crawling up your back…
Make a CD with all their favorite tunes and have a dance party.
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