Manly Updates

Today, I want to talk about Hudson. My little man. Ain't he adorable? Ain't he getting so big? And manly?

(And yes, I realize his hair is getting long. And yes, please realize we have tried to cut it. And yes, it went about as well as I imagine it would go hog-tying a hot, hungry alligator with fishingwire and trying to individually pull its teeth. Although perhaps not quite that well. I don't think my hairdresser will ever be the same. Sorry, Ann!)

At nearly 21 months, he has become such a personality himself!! Every day is a new adventure, and he's always up for fun. Now that Erik has been gone most nights for basketball, I've really had a chance to grow and learn with my guy. And you know what? He's a powerhouse, too! I'm so excited to share some of his personality with everyone!
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He knows all his colors and frequently points them out. If you fail to show proper interest, he then plays what we lovingly call the Color Game.

Hudson: (lifting his arms in a question) Where's blue?

Hudson: (pointing to something blue) There it is!

Hudson: (lifting his arms in a question) Where's red?

Hudson: (pointing to something red) There it is!

It works best when you mimic his actions and words. He could play this all day long. Trust me, we have. It never gets old. We never run out of colorful things to point out.
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Numbers are another popular favorite. He can count to twenty and loves counting anything in multiples. At restaurants, he counts people. At home, he counts steps, toothpaste tubes, pieces of PlayDoh on the floor. I even found some number stickers that Ava had been hoarding, and we invented the Number Game.

I pulled out a sticker and held it out.

Me: What number is this, Hudson?

Hudson: Eight!

If he got it right, he earned the sticker and got to stick it somewhere! Amazing! And bless his heart, he never missed a number. Granted, we only had 1-10, but I just love this stage of learning. It's so rewarding to watch your child gain understanding, then pride, then glow from recognition.
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Lastly, dancing has become a new groove for the Bub. He has memorized songs from Dora, Yo Gabba Gabba, Fresh Beat Band, your basic Nick Jr. shows. He sings, hums, dances, entertains. I like to think this means NOT that he's been watching too much TV, but that he's simply been soaking up the small amount that he does get to see. Or something like that. ;)

But to see this guy shake it? Priceless! And who knows? With hair like that, he could be the next Justin Beiber.

SuperGirl

Yesterday, Ava saved her brother's life. For the second time.

He somehow managed to get ahold of his Thomas Train toothpaste. He somehow managed to remove the cap. Somehow, I managed to miss this most important and sneakiest of moves. But not Ava. This girl does not miss a trick.

By the time she had shouted for me, the crisis had passed. In shock from hearing his sister scream in his face, Hudson had removed the cap from his mouth and dropped it on the floor. But still....did you catch that? It had been in.his.mouth.

Parental fail.

So of course I lauded Ava as a lifesaver, a job she has taken to heart. After voraciously hugging her little bro, she disappeared into the playroom and emerged in full superhero regalia. Headband! Cape! Charismatic grin! Seriously, she even flew around the house with both arms out, searching for lives that needed to be saved. Many times, she reminded me that she'd found her calling months ago when she single-handedly pulled a small black screw from Hudson's mouth.

You know, I think she's onto something here. Yowzers, I love my SuperGirl! Especially when she celebrated with Dora and a Capri Sun. :)

Kite Poem

by Joyce Carol Oates

Some-

thing there

is in the American

soul that soars with

kites that soar! Some-

thing alive with the roar

of the wind lifting the kite

that soars above rooftops, tree-

tops, and awestruck heads! And yet—

Something there is not in the

American soul to adore the

kite that fails to soar.

I've seen it, I've

feared it, and

so have you.

The kite whose tail

is tattered in the

TV antenna.

The kite that rises

thrillingly

at dawn

then crashes

vertically

at your feet.

in a

heap.

(All I know is that our souls certainly soar with kites! No matter the end result, the experience is always worth it to us!)

Rx Phone Tag

Hello, Lori, this is _____ from Dr. _____'s office. Please call us when it's convenient.

Last week (Wednesday to be exact) I had a check-up at my new doctor's office. Surprisingly, the last few years I haven't actually had a family practitioner. I've birthed two children, regularly visited my OBGYN, and had yearly check-ups with my gastroenterologist, but never really had a "regular" doctor. I suppose I'm lucky I never needed one! However, after turning thirty, I decided it was time to have someone on call beyond my specialists.

This is Lori Smith, returning your phone call. Please call me back at blah-blah-blah. You get the idea.

At my appointment, I was pleased with my experiences with both the nurse and the doctor. Professional, friendly, with some personal connections tossed in as well. Lucky me! In fact, the only downside was when they drew blood for a work-up. Not my favorite! They sent me off with a smile and a promise to call with my results the following day. As I left the building, I felt proud of myself for following my New Year's Resolution and trying to take better care of myself. Go me!

Lori, this is _____ from Dr. _____'s office. Please call us when it's convenient.

As a teacher, I can be difficult to get ahold of during the day. I mean, my working hours are jam-packed with classes, hall duties, and a scant thirty-minute lunch break. Yes, I do carry a cell phone, but I am prohibited from having it out at school except for my prep, a daily forty-five minute block of time. Believe me, I understand this presents a challenge.

Hello, this is Lori Smith, returning your call again regarding my bloodwork. If possible, please leave a detailed message about my results. Otherwise, I can be reached on my cell during the following hours: yada yada yada.

After I missed the first phone call from the doctor's office last Thursday, I was a hot mess. Was something wrong? Am I anemic again? Did they find something wrong with my thyroid? On and on and on. If you know me, you probably know that I inherited the worry-wart-gene from my mother, and when it rears its head things can get ugly.

Lori, this is _____ from Dr. _____'s office. Please call us when it's convenient.

By Friday, I was calling multiple times a day. In the morning before school. Sneaking a cell call in my back room during passing periods. Repeatedly calling during my prep, hoping for a connection or a call-back. Sadly, all I got was voice mail. And more voice mail. And more voice mail.

This is Lori Smith, calling again and leaving another voice mail. If the desperation in my voice is any indication, I am GOING NUTS HERE!

Okay, maybe not, but I left message after message, trying to be helpful and list my available times. I dutifully carried my cell phone around, waiting and hoping and praying. Please ring. Wouldn't it be nice if it would ring right now? OMG RING!!!

Hello, Lori, this is _____ from Dr. _____'s office. Please call us when it's convenient.

I missed that call every.single.time.

This is Lori Smith. Again. At the same cell number as before. Still available at the same times as previously mentioned. Before school. Lunch time. Prep time. After school. Going crazy here. Please help.

It's almost been a week since my blood was drawn, and I'm no closer to my results than I was before. It's eerie how they return my calls at the most inopportune times. During class. When I'm in the bathroom. Elbow-deep in Hudson's poop diaper. However, I've become really, really close to my worry-wart-gene. And I swear I could pick this particular nurse's voice from a bank of thousands.

Lori, this is _____ from Dr. _____'s office. Please call us when it's convenient.

And tonight, while shopping at Buehler's with my daughter, I saw my doctor in.the.flesh. at the other end of the store. It took every ounce of strength in my body to hurtle myself in front of my own desperation and stop myself from sprinting across the store, screaming his name, and throwing myself at his mercy and at his feet. At this point, I didn't care about those darn HIPAA laws. SOMEONE TELL ME ABOUT MY BLOODWORK, DAMMIT!

Hi. It's me. Again. Remember me? I'm the one in the pup tent. Yeah, the one outside your office. I'm sorry, but that worry-wart-gene was really getting to me, and since I couldn't teach my classes cause I was always sneaking away with my cell phone, I just took the day off. And now I'm here. Again. Waiting. Again. Please call when it's convenient.

Happy Valentine's Day

I know I'm early, but Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Our family is still gradually recovering from a bout with....something. Cold? Flu? Not sure, but it's sure taking its sweet 'ol time leaving us. Hopefully this weekend will bring improved health, especially for Hudson, who seemed to be hit the hardest. We've had lots of healing snuggles already, so I suppose we've gotten our Valentine lovin' in a bit early this year. Hugs & Kisses!