self portraits are the best

Something about this fizzy, only half of Jonah's face, forced-smile picture makes me so happy. Today was Kaitlyn's last Sunday in Tuscaloosa before she goes home for the summer. We are sure going to miss her! The kids think she comes over to see them (which might be partially true), but I didn't realize how much I needed a friend until she came to town. Going to the store is way more fun. Running (or walking so we can talk more) is more fun. The only thing keeping me from going all blubbery sad is that she will be in Utah. It's not as good as Arizona*, but it is visitable in a day, so we'll survive (maybe).

*For visiting purposes, as well as citrus, sunshine, professional sports, and Mexican food. Utah is pretty great for milkshakes, Creamies, mountains, skiing, lilacs, and some of the best people we've ever met.

Happy two years.

I'm glad we didn't blow away two years ago. We celebrated by having Krispy Kremes for breakfast.

Photo of KK before it opened again months ago. Apparently, I don't have that many pictures of the tornado that I enjoy looking at (go figure), so this will have to do.

the kids taught me a lesson today

It's one thing to agree that reading books with the kids is more important than doing dishes. It's another thing entirely to be pulled away from cleaning the kitchen by screaming, fighting, whining children who woke up too early and have been talking back and crying all day. When said children are fighting for the umpteenth time and all I want is for them to just BE QUIET for ONE MINUTE so I can finish loading the dishwasher and then one of said children toddles up with a book...that is the minute where the decision is not so easy. Today, I made the decision to read the book (did I mention it's a long one that I don't really like?). It was something magical in the living room there for a minute. Everyone felt better and I got the dishes loaded while Jonah happily plunked at the piano and Caroline pulled her hair out of its pigtails (but happily).

Life is so much more complicated than the bumper sticker version.

They were so cute before she pulled them out.

state holiday

Wait, tomorrow is a state holiday? Oh yes. Happy Confederate Memorial Day to you, too!

how children conspire to defeat their parents

Not to be outdone, Caroline chose this the-only-day-all-year-Jonah-might-sleep-in-and-therefore-we-all-might-sleep-in-because-he-is-the-early-bird-in-this-house to successfully climb out of her crib (aided by a masterful pile of blankets and stuffed animals) and fall on the floor. She sustained no injuries (thank goodness). She did, however, wake the entire neighborhood.

Who will attempt a concussion next? Josh? Dixie? Me?

thoughts on the ER

Tonight at approximately 5:30 (because no child actually injures himself during pediatrician office hours, right?), Jonah ran straight into the doorknob on the back door and sliced his head. It was a pretty deep cut and just under an inch long, so we called the after hours nurse to find out what to do. "Take him to the ER," she said. So we did.

Four hours later, we're home. The boys have eaten and gone to bed and I'm trying to decide if I should clean up, go to bed, or pretend it's only 7 and spend the next 4 hours reading and wasting time online. After all is said and done, this being our very first trip to the ER (other than walking through on my way to labor & delivery the night before Caroline was born):

-America's Funniest Home Videos does a pretty good job of entertaining a child while he gets his skin glued back together.
-The wait really is as long as everyone says.
-They should have let me fill out insurance paperwork while I sat and waited for hours. Having to wait for the paperwork after Jonah's procedure was done was a real pain.
-Every single nurse, admittance person, security guard, and paperwork person was so friendly and kind to our little boy.

I am so glad Kaitlyn rushed over to feed Caroline dinner and put her to bed and that Sue was here to sit with sleeping Caroline so that Josh and I could go together. Was it a luxury to have both parents there? Absolutely. Would I have wanted to do it/been able to entertain Jonah that long alone? No way.

Finally, a funny (or gross) story: At the very end of our stay, approximately 4 hours after the incident and about 3 1/2 since arriving at the hospital, Jonah said, "I wonder if they have a bathroom here." After we told him they did, he said, "Oh, good. Because when I hit my head, I was on my way outside to go to the bathroom."* Whoops! That's quite the wait. Especially when you consider the 16oz slushy he had during the wait in the lobby.


*Yes, our son pees outside. Whatever.

the equation running around in my head these days

What is the point where something is less expensive to replace than it is to move? Does it have to do with size? Weight? Resale value? What weight in the equation should belong to hassle factor, if any? How many times can I mention the move without sending Josh into panic because of all the research and writing he still has to do plus finding a job so we don't starve*?

*His thoughts. I figure we can live off the dirt and ornamental oranges and grandparents. The grandparents' mercy, I mean. I wasn't planning on actually eating any grandparents.

the kids these days

Jonah
...continues to be a patient big brother. He is gentle and helpful and loves to play with Caroline.
...hates to be wrong. We are doing what we can to teach him that mistakes are normal, but he really hates making mistakes or giving the wrong answer. It's not such a bad thing when he cleans his room (because he really does clean the whole thing), but I worry that this will be a problem as he gets older.
...loves to read. He's started writing us notes with his best guess at spelling (and frankly, I can't understand a single one) and sound out words he sees while we drive around.
...is about to turn FIVE. He thinks he wants to go to the park and play tag for his birthday.
...still loves to draw and color. He's spending more time drawing his own creations (which I love), but he still colors at least once a day. His coloring book drawer is getting full, but he won't let me get rid of any of them. Even if all the pictures are colored, he just colors over them with similar colors.
...loves to rhyme words, especially phrases like "See you later, alligator."
...has decided that swimming lessons aren't so bad after all.

Caroline
...is walking more than crawling these days. She's still fairly timid, but she's such a cute little toddler.
...prefers going up slides over down. I get nasty looks from some parents at the park when their kids pick it up from Caroline, but whatever. At least she's not spitting at them or throwing dirt.
...loves shoes. Preferably putting on her own shoes, but she doesn't discriminate. The first thing she does in the morning is crawl over to the closet and pull out both of her pink shoes.
...loves to go outside. After convincing a willing adult to put on her shoes, she will crawl to the door and stand there squawking until someone lets her go play outside. Dixie and Jonah especially love this.
...shows disappointment by laying flat on the ground and sobbing with her face in the floor. This is especially awesome when we are somewhere filthy or when she's upset that I won't hold her while I take a shower.
...doesn't cry when she gets shots. She frowns--and oh, that scowl!!--but she doesn't cry. She does cry (see above note) when we tell her not to put her fingers in the socket.