I Wouldn't Be As Fastidious As You Are For A Kingdom

I love each change of season, but the arrival of autumn is my favorite. Leaves, pumpkins, brisk mornings, my boy in his jean jacket ... yeah, I'm a big fan.

Though things started out a bit fussy, and The Precious refused to sleep a wink during all our driving (perhaps enhancing said fussiness), we had a delightful Thanksgiving. Below is Andrew at my parents house, covered in chocolate Pediasure and clapping delightedly over his new Button Book, a gift from Nannie (Phil's mom).

We even got to spend some time with the Mills, our dear friends who are currently missionarying in Thailand (see Millses at the side panel for more information). It made my heart so full to catch up on all the Thai gossip while we all strolled our babies. Here you see Andrew and Ishbibenob comparing notes on Fish-o verses Gerber Puffs as favorite snacks.

And after 3,572 attempts, I present to you Ishbibenob, Skeezix and Andrew all looking sort of near the camera.

Along with all this joy has been quite a bit of heartache. A few weeks ago, our friends Beth and BJ delivered their second son at 22 weeks. He did not survive. Just today a mass was discovered on the brain of the 3-year-old son of Allen and Gillian, also precious friends of ours. He will undergo surgery on Friday to have it removed - the surgery will last from 8 - 15 hours. Please, please lift up these loved ones to our Lord Jesus.

Ow! I Just Stabbed Myself With My Ribs!

Yes, that is my son caressing the television remote with deep tenderness and undying devotion. This has been a week full of Baby Einstein, and I just may have created a monster. I used it to mesmerize him in order to attempt to sneak in sips of Pedialite. (Didn't work.) I used it to comfort him when he was feeling dreadful and didn't want to move, but was tired of books. I used it to keep him still during the times when he was feeling better but not-quite-all-the-way-there (I learned this the hard way after letting him jump in his jumpy thing, only to be completely soaked in throw-up moments later). And I used it today so that I could sit still after a night of throwing up myself. (Is it strange that I kept rubbing my cold feet and wondering if that is what they'd feel like if I was dead?)

So now my Sweet Precious will point longingly at the blank TV screen and pat his chest imploringly. If I don't move quickly, he'll begin searching for the remote, pushing random buttons when he finds it, sadly gazing at the dark machine when it doesn't respond. The times I do let him watch it, the moment it ends he calls out "aGEEE!" (translation: again!) I started out thinking this whole Baby Einstein thing wasn't so bad. I mean, for a kid's video, it's very mellow and soothing. Nothing like Mrs. Pattycake which, years after my one-and-only viewing, still haunts me (sorry Carrie). But at this point I think I'm going to throw myself off my back deck if I see a toy chicken waddle across my television screen one more time. Hopefully I'll feel good enough to leave the house tomorrow.

Happily, TCBITW is nearly recovered. No appetite yet, but hopefully that will return soon. (Please return soon! At least before your weight check!) Doesn't he look so spiffy in his rocket wambones? Those are my favorites.

Thanks to my brilliant friend, Eowyn (no, really, she's brilliant), I can now present to you the sweeping video you were so cruely deprived of last time:

A couple nights ago, after yet another crib-stripping exercise and fruitless Pedialite-offering ritual, I was kinda stressed out. I was tired, worried that Andrew was going to get dehydrated, smelled like regurgitated milk, and well, just ready to call it a day. Phil very graciously offered to handle all kitchen clean-up for me, and I took him up on it. We think so similarly about so many things, but apparently "clean" isn't one of them. This is what I found in my sink the next morning ... it was grosser than it looks. (I love you, Honey! It was still super-sweet!)

What Brent Do?

My dear college suite mate Georgia called me yesterday to check on me since I hadn't posted in so long. Oh, that makes me laugh! I am honored that anyone ever reads this thing, and I apologize to those who do for depriving you of the most recent photos/activities of TCBITW. I honestly don't know how you've endured.

My brains are, at present, the consistency of old oatmeal, so I'm just going to jot down whatever comes to mind, in no particular order.

1. As seen in the photo above, Andrew is all about the Cheerios (or Kroger Toasted Oats ... non-organic ... please don't judge too harshly, Rhianna). Often when I ask him if he's hungry, he runs over to pantry and pulls out the box.

2. At his 15-month appointment a couple weeks ago, it was discovered that he has fallen pretty low in the weight and height percentages (and yet the cheeks remain!) Thus it has been suggested that we switch out the water in his sippy cup for Liquid Gold (aka Pediasure) and dip everything he eats in butter.

3. I didn't dress My Precious up for Halloween this year. I hope I'm not docked too many Mommy Points, but he goes to bed before it's dark! And he can't eat candy! And the costumes were expensive! (No, I'm not defensive ...) I did carve a pumpkin because I love fall and I wanted to, and I gave it 5 teeth to match my boy's smile.

4. The Precious is currently experiencing first stomach virus, which is messing with the whole "fatten him up" scheme. (see item #2) Sooo pitiful to watch your baby throw up. The only up-side is that he has been very cuddly, so we've been found curled up together in front of Baby Bach quite a bit over these last 24-hours (please don't judge too harshly, Rhianna).

5. One of his favorite things to do these days (when he doesn't have the plague) is to sweep the floor. I had a great video clip, but the video site hates me and flatly refuses to upload it. Here you see him with the tiny broom, but what his heart most often desires is the BIG broom, which he pulls out from beside the washing machine and drags all over the house.

6. Phil threw me a surprise party for my 30th birthday. I looked like poo after a day of scrubbing floors and playing in the sand box, and nearly had a heart attack when I happened upon 18 screaming guests in my kitchen, but I felt so loved by my husband and friends who came to support me in my old age.

7. We had a baby shower for my dear friend Rachel and her beautiful son Weatherson this past weekend. This celebration has been a long time coming, and many cherished friends from around the world were able to be with us.

8. And Andrew has had his first haircut. I was getting more "is that a boy or a girl?" questions than I was comforable with. We did it ourselves, so up close it looks pretty bad, but if you squint and look from at least one room away, it's fabulous. He looks so grown up! I haven't been able to part with any of the baby curls yet - they're all tucked away in a zip lock bag for me to caress whenever I feel the need.