Wennnnsday

Toby is now taking a nap. I don't understand why I hear drums... but he is in his room with the door closed and I am not asking questions.

We are moving in a month. A month from yesterday, actually. Do you know... I have never lived away from my family. All my siblings have, at some point, but me, never. This is going to be weird. And I hope it's not incredibly lonely and sad.
You see, Yablonskis are in each other's business. It's not so much like you have your life and I have mine... unless you want it that way. And even then, somebody is going to know what you're up to or see your picture in the paper and then all the family will discuss your doings amongst themselves. But if it makes that family member feel better, whatever. Anyways. My point is, we're a close family. Different close than we used to be, but still close. What will that be like when I am in Missouri, of all places? I barely even consider Missouri a state.

Here's a blogsite I'm considering moving to. Go try it out. http://www.yablonski.wordpress.com

I win

these posts have been consistently late... so, not coincidentally, has naptime.

This is what I resorted to yesterday...












Today, I attached one of these...point, game, me.











Christmas begins December 1st... I am looking forward to decorating this tiny little apartment. Some people in this marriage are not so Christmassy... I won't name names. SOME people even suggested strongly that there would be no tree in this apartment. Scoff! Scoff! I scoff at Scrooge. There will be a tree. And it will be glorious. PLUS, I have a fireplace, where I will hang the stockings with care! Oh! I need new stockings! And OH Boy eggnog!

I'm into Christmas. It is SO on.

Toby can now open doors, and climb baby gates. I will never sleep again.

I generally put the boys to bed at 830-9. Then I eat and sew and read and talk to my husband until midnight-ish. Then I nurse Brynn 3 or 4 times overnight, and then the boys are awake by 8. That is not enough sleep. So the logical conclusion would be to go to bed earlier. But that's when I get to do fun mommy activities! Like eat without anyone putting their fingers in my sandwich!

I woke up grumpy. And Toby has been on a rampage all day.

Yeah, yeah... for this child I have prayed. And I am grateful. I am also grumpy. So there you go.

In other news, Thanksgiving was great. And we have 6 house possibilities... most with hardwood floors and fireplaces which is SO exciting.

Maybe I will eat now. Maybe Toby will take a nap. And maybe I'll find a million dollars.

Ah, the potty training. Ah. Back to that in mere moments.

The fast, is over. Long live meat and sweets. We prayed for Richy Tuesday night, and it was good. Really good. We didn't have a miraculous instant healing, but something definitely happened. So now we're just watching to see what God is up to.

The potty training has gone something like this. Toby, he is naked all the time. Can't keep a diaper on him. So I start the traditional approach of making him sit on the potty every 30 minutes. Nada. He prefers to pee on the carpet. So I give up. Onesies, backwards diapers, overalls... I haven't started duct tape yet. (yes, I'm serious). And somewhere along the way, he decides he will put his potty in front of the TV during Sesame Street and do some bizness. When I'm not even in there. And then he figures out if he tells me, he gets to flush the potty. So the pee marathon, it begins. We are flushing the potty literally almost constantly.
So I taught him how to climb up there and I'm out of a job. Now, if I can just figure out how to convince him to wear some undies... or pants. Shoot, a toga. Whatever. But stop the nudity. Please.

The problem of disrobe-ament

This one might not make it past your internet filters. (by the way, if you don't have a filter, get one)

Nudity is the topic of the day. Specifically, toddler nudity. Toby has cast off restraint... I cannot keep him clothed. The trouble is, he's not even remotely potty-trained. This morning, he peed on the porch. Which, gotta admit, is better than the carpet. Except for the whole nekky outside thing.


Nekkid breakfast. Perp is nabbed and taken in for booking.









Perp resists arrest, have to apply the squeeze.












Diaper applied backwards for the confusion element.











Snapped into one piece garment, against his will.











Jeans on top, but without rehabilitation.... this kid will be back on the street, peeing, in no time.









Plan: buy a little potty today. Give it a whirl.

Richy is doing really well. We have to make an appointment with the neurologist for 3 weeks or so from now, and we'll be able to talk medication then. The stuff he is on is ruining his teeth, and this higher dosage keeps him a little groggy. I'll take groggy over seizures any day, but maybe there's a better option.

It's a weird place, to be praying for his healing but planning for things to stay the same. Like drugs and action plans and so on...
Here's the thing- I don't think it's God's will for R2 to stay this way. I think God wants to heal him. All the way. I just don't know how to "make" that happen. So I will pray, and wait.
In the meantime, I do enjoy him.... he is such a funny, goofy little guy.

Toby is practicing his ear-piercing screech. No, not just now. All the time. That's right, all screaming, all the time. This has to be a phase. It has to. Otherwise, it will never end. I choose phase.

Ms. Smartypants is back in business! Ask your questions, maybe get an answer! Questions of a general nature can be submitted today through Monday morning, and will be answered (or not) Monday at naptime!

Also, I said it the other day pre-crisis, new pictures on me picture blahg. Comment-vous!

uhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I am so sick. No, I'm not pregnant.
Just sick. IDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKEIDONTWANNAPUKE

sheesh. and so far today toby has figured out how to plug in lamps... and get in the fireplace... (did you know sooty hair actually has gray suds??) and just wreak general havoc. In fact, I think I shall call him General Havoc.

uh.IDONTWANNAPUKE

Mama PC said...
how long can an animal go without being fed by the owner?
Of course, this answer depends on the animal and the culture/climate in which it is raised. To use the vernacular of the locals, "It ain't gone starve, There's crickets and little critters for 'em."

josharoo said...
What animal is the most populous in the whole world?
That would be the famed "party animal". In all the world population and even amidst unreached people groups, the mammalis fiesta can be found. In some remote corners of the earth, you can locate one imbibing fermented coan'ituzi juice and dancing wildly with no pants. Here locally, the party animal subsists on fermented barley.

Viking Granny :0) said...
Dear Ms. Smarty Pants
What would a person do who really needs animal advice and the only one offering it has experteezze in the field of siameeze fighting fish?
My dear reader, one does not have to BE a woodchuck to know how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood. Google.

Viking Granny :0) said...
Dear Ms sp......
Knock Knock is lonely........
his little face is so sad each morning when he is being left alone..
I pet him everyday......walk with him occasionally and play ball every single dad gum day.....and offer him grandkids at least once a week.......
What can I do to make a happier Knock Knock?
Considering that Knock Knock has already been emasculated, there is probably little in the world that could cheer him up. Perhaps you should get him a cat.

In other news, Toby is working for the man now...





In other, other news, I am moving on Sunday. Which will make THREE Sundays in a row we have not been at church. Frist, for the momentous birth of Ruby. Second, because the MOG had to finish mixing the new CD before his studio is packed away for 3 months and I am too lazy unmotivated to go to church alone, and now for the move.

Quick pre-storytime blogging here... today, the cousins are going to the library with us... as well as Stephanie and her large pregnant-ness. Watch me have to deliver this baby on I-45.

More later.

---

Back from the library... I need a vacation. Toby is formidable in his own strength. But combined with Graceson and Izzy, what are mere mortals before them?
It was wild. And fun. Now, the part of the show where Toby takes a nap. May it be 3 hours.

I'm thinking about organizing a hen-party of sorts to come and get rid of all my stuff and start packing. Maybe a couple of type A's and a couple of whatever I am for moral support.

Toddling

We went to toddler time at the library this morning. TODDLER time, for 0-3 years. And R2. It was a small group, which I liked a lot. Toby and a few other miscreants (Dylan and Vaughn, according to their nametags) sat still for about 3/10 of a second and then were busy exploring the room.
We sang a song, then the librarian read a book. That was kinda interesting. But there was a big painting of a pig on the wall.

"Ma-ma! Ma-Ma! Mama! Ocaloca mama locka!"

(whispering) "I SEE the pig, Toby! Sit down and listen to the story!"

Sits for a second.

"MAMA! MAMA! Rorrrrrrr!"

(whispering) "I see the kitty, Toby. I see it."

"MAMA!"

"I see it.."

gone. running.

Me and Vaughn's mama and Dylans grandma: laughing

"Sit down! Sit!"

Ah, forget it. Me and Richy and Brynn and a few others sang Wheels on the Bus and colored a picture. Toby went and got the basket of glue sticks and brought it to me. I gave it back to the teacher. We heard another story.

Vaughn stole Toby's shoes.

Toby saw a baby crawling and took off crawling at breakneck speed around the room.
This seems like a pretty good idea to Vaughn, but not Dylan because he is busy defacing the feltboard.

Ah, the good old days of lofty superiority when my baby sat quietly and listened to the story.

We sang the goodbye song. Toby roared.

We got in the stroller and picked up 2 books and that was it. Time was up.

This funny, crazy busy little man. I am rich.

Don't wanna close my eyes....

Check out a track from the new CD... due in October!

So we've been working on the big boy bed for several days now. Here's how it's going.
Night 1: Never touches the bed. Wailing and gate-rattling and gnashing of teeth until around midnight, when we check on him and find this:

Night 2: A little wailing and such, then quiet. We check, he's got big bags under his eyes, listlessly playing the drums with a shoe. Panic ensues. I put him in my bed. Party time. I put him back in his bed. Panic. And around 1, Richy checks on him and he fell asleep sitting up, so he is laying on his back with legs hanging off the crib.

Night 3: Less wailing, just playing and harassing his brother. I check on him (are you seeing a pattern here?) and he freaks so I go lay in his bed with him. Party time. So I bail and leave my pillow, and 30 minutes later or so... midnight-ish, he is asleep in the bed, laying down. WAHOO!

Last night: not much whining. 9:20 all is quiet. He is asleep on the floor with R2's Spiderman blanket over his face. R2 is wide awake with no blanket. So there you go.

Currently: we're embroiled in a standoff at the baby gate. He has presented his request to forgo his nap in favor of taking knobs off all of Daddy's studio gear. I have rebutted with the request, repeatedly, that he go night-night.

I'm not sure if Brynn is cute. What do you think?

I got the blues....

Toby is one

Dear Toby,

Today is your first birthday. Last year, we waited and we wondered if we would ever get to hold you this side of heaven. Even a year ago, as I was preparing for your delivery, I couldn't wrap my mind around the reality of you. But that moment when I got to hold you and look at you.... it was all so worth it.

Your brothers left us so quickly. And our hearts were so shattered- there are pieces of us in heaven. So when we found out you were coming, we were excited and so scared. And so we prayed and we waited. And you.... you are just a little baby. But you have been salve to our hearts. You have been a minister of healing to us.

And now, as we pray and we wait for your sister, you are a reminder of the faithfulness of God.

About you: you aren't walking yet... although you do ocassionally stand up and look around. You crawl like a madman... you tuck your head down and go as fast as you can. You think your name is NoNo. You can say no no, dada, mama, hi, all done, bye, and a lot of things you think are speech. You love to dance to music, especially drums. Any time a drum solo comes on the radio, you stop what you're doing and bob your head.
You and your brother are the best of friends. You don't fight over toys, because Richy gives you whatever you want. You guys like to lay on the floor and wrestle very slowly. He is so gentle with you. And you bite him and pull his hair, and he laughs. We needed you around here.

You like to crawl on Daddy while he's praying. You climb on his back, and crawl under him when he's kneeling and peek at his face. And you like to climb on me and kiss me and kiss me... the more slobber the better.

You are a peaceful boy. You also wreak havoc. We are blessed.

Happy Birthday, my Tobias (believing God is good) Paxton (from the town of Peace).