Timmy's Need for Technology

Timmy has become obsessed with the computers. When I pull the chairs away from them he still climbs on those chairs and launches himself at the keyboard. Thwack! He's also been known to climb up on the desk and knock over a monitor and then sit behind it on top of the cords and modem and stuff.

Birthday

Last night at bedtime we were informed that Jeremy's little sister Becca is in labor.  Such happy news!  I am filled with a plethora of emotions.  I have known Becca since 1996.  I met her when she was 7 and I was 18.  I've known her and her family for so long that they feel more like bilogical family than in-laws.  (Isn't that nice?  I have all sorts of great family!  I get a great biological family and I also married into a great family.)  And now here she is, experiencing one of the hardest and most joyful things anyone can experience in the life.  Here she is about to give birth (or maybe by now she has given birth - haven't heard anything since 6:00 AM) to her first child.  What an amazing thing that is.  I'm thankful that she and Austin can have this experience.  I am praying that all turns out well.  We want a happy birthday today!

This also turns my mind to my own sweet daughter Jill.  There are a lot of things I hope for her.  (There are also a few things I hope I didn't genetically pass on to her. ;) I think that Becca married well.  She and her husband aren't rich, but she married someone who genuinely loves her and takes care of her well.  I hope for nothing less for my little Jill to have someday.  And I hope and pray that she doesn't inherit the troubles with pregnancy that I have had.  Not all of my pregnancies were troublesome, but over our married life I've had preterm labor, placenta previa, and placenta accreta.  Four of my babies had to be born C-section.  I thank God for every day I have with my babies.  We are truly, truly blessed to have them.  They make me so happy.  I hope for Jill that she can experience the same thing with a lot less trouble. 

God bless these aspiring mothers to be, whether they are 22 or 2.

And speaking of what I want for my children, I think of Helaman 5:6-12 every time I think of how our boys got their names.  That whole chapter is just awesome.  It reminds me of my solemn duty to prepare my five boys for missions.  It is something I take pretty seriously.

And speaking of which, Hyrum has Priesthood Preview tonight.  What a momentous occasion.  He is really excited.

A Couple o' Miracles

I need to type this out really fast because I need to clean the kitchen while I have a chance.  I just want to record this because I'm awestruck and very thankful.

Hyrum has been really sick this week.  On Monday night he started not feeling well.  He had a really sore throat.  He threw up all day on Tuesday.  On Wednesday he wasn't throwing up anymore but still had a sore throat.  He decided to go to school, but he couldn't really eat anything, and what he did eat at breakfast made him feel awful.  I ended up going to get him and nearly choking on his sick breath fumes on the way home in the little car.  Poor guy.  He got some more sleep and got his homework done and stuff.  Yesterday he just stayed home.  He was feeling some better again, but I was glad for him to have a chance to recuperate from being so darn sick.  And he was finally able to eat real food yesterday.  Before he'd only had a bit of broth or some water.  Today he's all good except for some gunk in his throat, and he'll be going back to school.  I'm so thankful to have him feeling better.  It's a miracle how that works. 

Last night at bedtime I was holding Timmy and he was fussing, of course.  I was trying to get Joshua to hurry up and finish the last bit of homework so we could go to bed.  I usually nurse Timmy to sleep every night (and then a few times in the middle of the night), even though I need to be weaning him.  I haven't known what else to do.  Well, last night I kept telling him, "Just a minute, Butter.  I'm sorry, little guy."  (Butter is his new nickname.  Jill called him that one day.  It means brother."  I just held onto him while I helped Joshua finish.  He fussed and fussed until he fussed himself out.  And then he actually stayed asleep as I laid him down.  And not only that, but he didn't wake up when I got in bed and he slept all night without waking to nurse!  I cannot believe it!  I woke up a few times because I was on the edge of the bed and couldn't get any blankets to stay on me.  But he only cried once, and then he was sleeping again before I could roll over and get him.  I'm so thankful! Yea, Butter!

Now, if I could just have room to sleep in my bed instead of falling off the side... ;)

Thinking (Again)

I've been thinking about how from time to time I lament that I cannot stick to a schedule.  When I was in school I could make it to class on time, no problem, but forget about scheduling the rest of my life.  I just couldn't stick to that.  It's becoming increasingly apparent, though, that we need to start sticking to a schedule.  Joshua in particular needs it.  I've been frustrated with the very idea because I couldn't see how I could do it.  In desperation, though, I sat down and though of a few little things we could schedule out and stick to.  I knew that baths needed to be one thing that I sheduled out, just to make sure they happen less sporadically.  I decided to start getting up a little early to get Joshua in the tub every morning, and Hyrum is to bathe every evening.  I decided that after school everyone is to have a snack and then do homework.  This means that I have to make myself available to help Joshua as soon as his snack is done.  And I further decided that while Joshua's in the tub I will use the bit of quiet time with little grabby babies sleeping to clean the kitchen every morning. 

So far it is working really well.  Joshua was thrilled with the idea of taking a bath every morning.  I've been cleaning at least the downstairs more regularly (baby steps!).  I even had a chance to mop this morning before Timmy got up.  It's great, and I hope it's something I can stick with because it makes me happy and it helps Joshua.  I've also looked at the things I have been able to do meticulously every time it was time to do them.  I realized that I've been following something of a little schedule for years.  That means I can do it.  I mean, for example, for forever I've been showering and shaving my legs every Sunday regardless of how often I got to shower in between Sundays.  If I can do that, why shouldn't I be able to follow other little scheduled things?  I feel encouraged. :) (And yes, I do realize that this is all pathetic and is something I should have figured out years ago, but I'm on my own schedule, I guess. ;)

This morning as I was cleaning my kitchen I was thinking again of my college days. I remember that one year the library started lending out music CDs, and I would check them out from time to time. I was a music major and figured that if I was going to be a music major I should become more aquainted with music of the world. I checked out music from several old composers to try out and see how I liked it. I found out that I did indeed like Mahler. Another time, however, my curiosity drove me to try a CD full of nose flute music. I was fascinated by the very idea that somebody could play a flute with their nose and that they would, in fact, choose to do so on purpose. I popped the CD in my player and turned it on. I was appalled. It was awful! My Japanese roommate exclaimed through her laughter, "I think you make a mistake, Chlistine!"

Temple

I was able to go to the Temple on Friday.  I officially decided that it's time to stop feeling bad about taking time to do it (I feel particularly bad leaving everyone and making Jeremy babysit).  It felt so good to just be there.  I've decided that it is as essential to me as breathing.  It is just lovely.

Jill's Prayer

Just now I was helping Jill say her prayers to go to bed. (yes, we are mighty late.) we went through the routine of her repeating what I was telling her to say. I noticed she was repeating more of each sentence I said. Then I paused a bit to think and she said all on her own, "Please bless Timmy.". Sweet girl! And even in a complete sentence! She really has been working on her talking lately, and I'm thankful for moments like these. It reminds me that when I was expecting Timmy I worried that Jill would have a hard adjustment with not being the baby anymore. As I talked to Heavenly Father about it I was told that it was ok and that they were already friends. That has been a lovely thought to me on numerous occasions.

I other news, Timmy seems to be following in the footsteps of his older brother Hyrum. He was all giggly this evening, and every time I exclaimed, "Timmy!" in exasperation he just giggled! Argh! But it's so darn cute! (Hyrum used to giggle when he was in trouble.)

Impledible Timmy

(For those who don't know, "Impledible Plistine" is what my aunts and uncles called me when I was little because I was always climbing and getting into things.  My grandma called me "Incredible Christine" one day, and one of my little cousins heard and copied her.  The name kind of stuck.)

The little guy is still growing by leaps and bounds.  He's still struggling against weaning, but he makes it pretty clear that he needs big people food.  He's even been eating his baby food on occasion.  And when he gets hungry he sure makes it known.  Yesterday I was working at the computer when he got hungry.  After crying and running around me he grabbed my hand and bit my finger.

Timmy is also obsessed with the kitchen.  He loves all the buttons and knobs and all the kitchen tools, pitchers, and other things that are stored at his level.  We always have pitchers and kitchen tools on the floor because he likes to pull them out and drag them around.  I guess it's that fascination with sticks that drives him there.  I'm contantly washing things that I just washed.  And I have to guard my ziplocks pretty close.  He likes to grab the box and pull the bags out one by one, throwing them on the floor.  If I try to distract him his attention can only be held for a short time.

And his latest fascination is with the oven.  I've mastered the art of mixing stuff while holding the oven shut with my knee.  Once in a while I'll be busy and he'll go in there and open the door and freak me out.  A few times he's even done it while it's on, but he hasn't burned himself yet.  (If he did would he finally learn to leave it alone?  I don't think I could bare to purposely find out.)  Just now I heard him messing around in the kitchen, so I sent Hyrum to retrieve him.  Timmy had opened the oven, pulled out a rack, and climbed on it.  He was busily playing with a pan on the stovetop.  Arrgh!  Yes, Mama, he is indeed my son. ;)