Stop Growing!!

 2009...

2010...

                                                                                                                            2011...

 2012

+1!!

2012

Saturday Night's Alright For Sleeping (Guest blogger Daddy)

So this might sound backwards, or worse, really bizarre. But every Saturday night, I crawl into bed with my three-year old daughter and fall asleep next to her. Not because she tells me to, but because I want to do it.

Backstory: my wife and I don’t sleep in the same bed currently. OH GOD YOU’RE GOING TO GET DIVORCED is probably the common reaction to that statement, but an inaccurate one. Or at least, it’ll be inaccurate until we do get divorced, then it’ll be like SEE IT’S BECAUSE YOU WERE IN SEPARATE BEDS.

We do have a king-sized bed (Is that bragging? I don’t think it’s bragging. Maybe?), and it would certainly accommodate me, Kelly, and the New Kid, and we did try that for a while. But while I enjoyed co-sleeping, I would usually wake up curled into a Cirque du Soleil position in a corner of the bed. And I had trouble sleeping. And that little succubus wouldn’t stop waking up and screaming for breasts that I unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) do not possess.

So we decided – not independently, mind you – that I would start sleeping in the extra bedroom. And let me tell you, it’s glorious. A whole bed to myself? I WANT TO GO TO THERE. If a newlywed asked me for three tips for a successful marriage, I would say “First, either zero or two televisions in the living room. Second, multiple comfortable beds that can be used for sleeping by yourself. Third, impossibly lowered expectations.” Then I would start crying uncontrollably. That should teach that person to not ask me stupid questions I don’t want to answer.

Anyway, I sleep in my own bed every night. It’s like being 12 again, minus the dread/exuberance of impending puberty. Except for Saturdays.

Quick(-ish) tangent: when we first moved to this house (which isn’t technically ‘new’ anymore, since we’ve lived in it over a year now), Kalaya was still sleeping with us. She was just over two years old, and, similar to her mother, was an Em-Effing SEASTAR when she slept. Love both of them, but holy crap can they take up a bed. 

We didn’t want to push her out of the bed so to speak (because we’re crazy liberal hippies who live the movie “Away We Go”), but it was getting a little too crowded. Lo and behold, when she saw she had her OWN bed in her OWN room, she dropped us like a bad habit. “I’m going to sleep in my bed tonight, dad.” A sentence that simultaneously liberated and destroyed me. On one hand, yay, more room in the bed! On the other hand, another step into independence from her parents, aka I DON’T NEED YOU ANYMORE.

So Kelly and I slept together in our own bed with just the two of us again. And boy, WE MADE UP FOR LOST TIME. And by that I mean sleeping. Literal sleeping. Sleeping is the best thing to do in a bed, regardless of what anyone says.

Back to Saturdays: my daughter is three and a half years old. This is a great, great time to be a dad. She’s still excited to see me when I get home. She stills runs up to me to give me a great big hug and kiss when I walk in the door (if I can beat her to opening the door, that is). I don’t think she stops talking to me from the time I get home until she falls asleep.

And it’s wonderful. There are a ton of reasons why I’ve wanted to be a daddy more than I’ve ever wanted to be anything else (except MAYBE for a professional baseball player, but clearly my semen is much more potent than my athletic ability), and this is definitely one of them. If Kalaya was a drug, I would have a serious addiction. (An addiction that would produce an infinitely bizarre episode of 'Intervention,' but an addiction nonetheless.)

But I know this isn’t going to last. She started pre-school this year. She speaks in more complete sentences than some of the college students I advise. She uses multiple syllable words in context. She’s like every kid her age: a growing, learning, incredible sponge. Pretty soon, she’ll be four, and then five, and then holy crap 18. And then she’ll move out, and I’ll realize she’ll never be coming back to live with us.

I don’t want to be that person who continually mourns the future, and in the process misses the present. I feel like I manage living in the moment, as it were, pretty well. Sometimes though, I can’t help but think that my first baby, my baby girl, is not going to need me as much at some point, and it’s probably going to happen when I’m not expecting it. And while I recognize that occurrence is a necessity for both of us, well, it doesn’t make me LONG for it to happen.

So every Saturday night, when I finish up with television, or video games, or a book, or anything else that keeps me up much longer than anyone else in the house (including the dog), I walk down the hall, past my ‘extra’ bedroom, and quietly lay down beside my daughter.

I watch her sleep for a few minutes, running my fingers through her hair and trying not to make a sound. I think about how her day was, and what her day will be like tomorrow. I wonder what she will want me to do, and what she will probably make me do. I hope I’m a good dad, and I hope she thinks I’m a good dad. And then, before I give in to how tired I (usually) am, I whisper this in her ear:

You will live a tremendous life. You are beautiful, and intelligent, and amazing, and I am and will always be so proud of the girl you are and the woman you’ll become. You make me laugh every day, and I’m grateful that you are my daughter, and I get to be your dad. I would do anything, ANYTHING for you. My heart, my joy, my darling. I love you more than you will ever, ever know.

Someday I’ll have to stop doing this. 

But not yet.

Ketchup 10/10

So, I'll only briefly mention how little I blog any more. I don't know, there are just so many other things that HAVE to get done that some how this doesn't seem like a priority. Which, it should be, at least as far as updates about the kids. This is a way for me to look back at what was going on at these times in their lives and I know I'll regret it if I don't keep up with this. But, it's gotten pathetic, that I only seem to be able to find the time once a month. Pre school, play group, fall activities, laundry, cooking, cleaning (sorta...), chasing kids, some how seem to find themselves higher up on my to do list.....

Did I also mention I am having MAJOR MOMMY GUILT about the lack of pictures and videos I have of the kids?? And, seriously, there is no excuse. My phone takes great of both, I just don't think about it! Sigh.... such is life I suppose....

These pics were taken on my parent help day at preschool; she LOVES paint!

We have been super busy lately, even on the weekends! We have a birthday party every weekend in October! Which makes me think that either (a) Kalaya is, like, totally popular or (b) our friends get seriously in the mood around New Year's. Kalaya loves picking out presents for friends, watching them get opened and, of course the cake!!

Jakiah is having a great time at the parties too; note the Mickey ears!

Kalaya is POTTY TRAINED!!!!! Seriously, if you know the details of our lives, this. is. BIG. Pre school helped get started a little, but really, as everyone said, she just finally decided. And, we did everything we said we never would; candy rewards, toy bribes, etc. I don't care any more. Honestly though, if it were up to her, she would still be going in her diaper, especially #2. She is so capable, that I am already considering at night, just because I know she's still using the diaper as a crutch. But, I will take what I can get! She got a BIG reward for not wearing diapers at all during the day; she got to go to Build a Bear! It was very cute, she is the perfect age for it. She loved picking everything out, kissing the special heart that goes inside and watching the bear get filled. Her name is Rainbow and she's about as girly as you get. We let her go in and pick whatever she wants, probably the only time I will EVER do that (unless she wants that as a Christmas present or something later on), because that place is pretty spendy! WORTH IT TO GET RID OF DIAPERS!!

Can I just say that with potty training, the mini van is seriously already worth every penny?? We keep a potty and wipes in the back and any time she says she has to go, she can! It's SUPER helpful at parks or on long car rides. Though, she definitely has figured out that, "I have to go potty!" is a way to stop from being bored.

Another big milestone, Kalaya had a GREAT dental checkup and cleaning a few weeks ago. I was seriously, so, so proud of her. She has had a definite fear of the dentist (and doctors in general) in the past, but she was so brave. She only got a little nervous while they were doing the actual cleaning. Our dentist is a pediatric dentist and she is completely amazing; she makes each step so fun and Kalaya loves her!

This pic was taken at the lantern walk that her preschool does every year to welcome the changing season and to enjoy fall. It was pretty magical to see all of the children with their little lanterns walking through the 'woods' as the sun went down! Kalaya absolutely LOVES preschool!! I was hesitant about whether it was the right choice for her, but it so was!! She is learning so much and can't wait to go each day!!

Jakiah is EVERYWHERE!! We had to go out and get a big baby gate to go in front of our woodstove and bricks. This child does not take redirection very well right now. He just looks at you with that charming smile and goes right back for whatever he's trying to get. Baby proofing big time in the next few weeks! Kalaya used to listen really well, though she was 4 months older when she started crawling. Jakiah is determined to get cords, phones, remotes, play station controllers, and, especially, into Pippy's water dish. Is it a boy thing??

He is also sitting up completely on his own, meaning he can get himself from laying down into a sitting position. I'm holding my breath, but I'm expecting pulling up soon. He is SO fast at learning mobility! Trying to keep up with big sister I suppose!

It is SO hard to get unblurry (that's a word, I swear) pictures of him, because he's always moving!!

He is still doing really well with solid foods. Still no teeth, yet he does so well with soft foods. I still feed him a lot of purees, since I can regulate (more or less) how much goes into him. However, he does really well with most (soft) finger foods. He's had rice, pasta, meat, egg yolks, fruits, veggies and eats almost everything!

We had our childbirth class reunion (finally, after 8 months!) and it was super cute to see the other babies and their families again! We've also been busy apple and plum picking, having play dates with new pre school friends, playing outside as much as possible in this GORGEOUS fall weather and still trying to figure out life with a child in school.

We're off to the pumpkin patch tomorrow with our mommy group, so more pics to come soon!!!