Climbing the Walls!

After a long, rainy, housebound Saturday, I was desperate to get out of the house. Where we went was unimportant, as long as it was a change of scenery. Pat and I agreed upon some trivial errands and a visit to the Starbucks drive-thru. As we suited up the kids in shoes, jackets, hats and gloves, Evan asked "Why are we leaving?"

Without really thinking through my response, I said, "Because Mommy is climbing the walls."

Evan's response?

"Mommy, you shouldn't do that! It's dangerous!"

Ear Infection Number 6

Yes, that's right, since February of this year Eli has had 6 ear infections. He had a brief break over the summer, but now that Fall is in full gear - so are the ear infections. His last ear infection was so recent that he finished the last round of antibiotics 2 weeks ago today. It's been so frustrating on so many levels. First of all, no one wants to see their baby suffer - most especially me. But secondly, little Eli with his fiery red haired temper refuses to suffer alone. He is irritable and aggressive; he looses his appetite; and worse of all - he can't sleep. I can handle the bad behavior and the lack of appetite but the lack of sleep is maddening. Pat and I stumble through our days until we can get an appointment with the pediatrician and the antibiotics can kick in. Meanwhile, the poor little bugger gets so angry sometimes that he won't even let us come near him.

Luckily, we have ear tube surgery scheduled for Thursday. I can hardly wait! Evan had it done two and half years ago and has not had an ear infection since. I am cautiously optimistic that we will be as lucky with Eli. Of course, the tired nay-sayer in me, thinks that this may not be the end. But I really, really hope we can put this chapter of our lives behind us.

Evan's first Jack O-Latern

Evan insisted it be a "Scary" pumpkin. He drew the eyes and the "scary mouth with teeth"all by himself. This may not seem like such a big deal, but before he began school, he didn't understand the concept of drawing the features on a face. Now he likes to draw faces for fun. He'll fill a whole page with faces - some scary and some happy. But of course, this pumpkin had to be scary.

Pat and I split the carving duty. Then, much to Evan's delight I roasted the seeds. So yesterday evening we turned out the lights and watched the pumpkin while munching on freshly roasted pumpkin seeds. Even Eli liked the pumpkin - although he passed on the seeds.

Since the carving, the pumpkin has become the centerpiece of our dining room table. Evan likes to go into the dinning room in the dark and watch it glow as often as we'll let him. The best part is, we still have 3 pumpkins to carve! I'm trying to save a couple for Thanksgiving centerpieces, but since Evan is so excited about his Jack-O-Latern, I'm thinking Evan should "carve" at least one more!

Trick or Treat!

Yesterday was trick or treating in Manchester. The weather was perfect, and since Manchester (lamely) does trick or treating during daylight hours only, it proved to be a great afternoon for a walk.

I made Evan a rocket costume, that while very cute, proved to be difficult for stair climbing (an unfortunate and unintended consequence that threatened to ruin trick or treating). There were some tears, but a last minute costume adjustment by Dad saved the day. And then once the free candy started coming - things couldn't have been better.

Evan was having the time of his life. At every house he would loudly yell "Trick or Treat!", followed by an enthusuastic "Thank you. Have a nice Halloween!".

When we returned home, Evan was the official candy-giver-outer. A role he took very seriously. I was scorned for suggesting that he give two pieces to the kids. "No, Mommy. One piece only!"

Eli, was dressed in a kilt and tam that my mother bought in Scotland when I was a baby. With his red hair he looked like a true Scotsman. Although, unfortunately he was mistaken for a girl a couple of times.

Eli was definitely into the free candy, but was more interested in climbing onto curbs and jumping off - while hollering "bumpy bump". Next year I think he'll dig Halloween.

It's so nice that Evan finally "gets" Halloween. It made for a fun afternoon. I am already looking forward to next year.

The amusement park

We drove an hour and a half today in search of the "Anne of Green Gables Country Fair" that we had read about in the tourist guide. Lured by livestock, homemade pies, period reenactors, and general Anne of Green Gables folklore we set out for Cavendish. Much to our dismay, the promised country fair, was a series of events stretched out over several days and not a fair at all. Because we had no internet to fact check this fair, the tourism folks had duped us.

Disappointed that there would be no strawberry rhubarb pie, but not to be deterred, we made the most of the day. Instead, we enjoyed lunch and an afternoon of amusement rides.

Evan went on most of the rides by himself. He particulary enjoyed the Giant Fun Slide, and the bumper cars (with Dad). He was less fond of the Ferris Wheel, which terrified him with each revolution. However, it was the Tilt a Whirl, which he insisted he wanted to try, that was the scariest and funniest, depending upon your perspective. What started as delighted giggling soon turned to a look of abject horror once the real spinning began. The look on his face was priceless. Although, I couldn't tell for sure if it was just fear, or if he might be sick.

After the ride had finished he bonded off all smiles. "That one wasn't my favorite. It was a little bit scary"

Life's a Beach

Today was less exciting than yesterday. Everyone seemed to be a bit tired. We went out for a drive, picked up some supplies and then returned for lunch and naps. The sleep seemed to do us all good. We put on our suits and headed down to the beach. We ran, we played football, we dug trenches and lakes, we waded into the water. Hours slipped away, but we were all too busy having fun to notice. Until, Eli, in an expression of apparent hunger, began to attempt to eat a rock. When I took the rock away he began licking the sand of his hands. I scooped him up and brought him up for dinner. To my surprise it was 7:15! No wonder he was so hungry. As we fired up the grill, Eli sat and shoveled his dinner into his mouth.

After a delicious meal we put some marshmallows on the grill and made some s’mores. Evan was disappointed that we didn’t build an actual fire to cook the marshmallows, but forgot all about it when the chocolate came out. As we stuffed ourselves with s’mores the sun slipped quietly behind the horizon giving us a beautiful show. A beautiful end to another relaxing day.

The Wind Farm

The sun broke through the clouds this morning – and it was going to be a beautiful day. For the first time we got a full view of the wind farm up the coast and were surprised by how much we could suddenly see now that the clouds had passed. It was far more expansive (and much cooler) than we realized.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of buttermilk pancakes, compliments of Dad, and then decided to make the wind farm our first stop.

At North Point there is a long rock reef where the North Umberland Strait meets the Saint Laurence at high tide. Since the tide was out we walked out on to the reef to throw rocks and admire the view.

After we spent some time searching for crabs and had thrown a few hundred rocks, we finally convinced the boys to take a walk with us. We headed up the shore to find the nature trail that would allow us to get up close to the windmills, and admire the spectacle of the enormous and graceful machines. The boys were distracted by mud puddles, but Pat and I enjoyed the view.

Later, after lunch and a long nap, we headed down the hill to play at the beach. Dad brought the kite. Evan was excited to help Dad “launch” the kite. Eli happily dug in the sand for hours.

Canada Day Parade!

It was a full day, but the best was yet to come. After dinner we all went in to the village of Tignish to watch the Canada Day Parade. While we waited for the parade to begin we bought ice cream cones from Judy’s take out. Eli, the independent, was insistant on eating his own cone (although he did accept some help), and somehow managed to get only modestly sticky.

Once the parade beagn the boys were so excited to see the police cars, fire engines, potato trucks and of course all of the floats. The floats were especially fun because the theme of this year’s parade was inexplicably “pirates”. Each of the 30 or so floats had some sort of pirate on board. It was a little strange, but the boys loved it! Eli practiced his new found waving ability and used the opportunity to wave at every one in the parade. And Evan was the lucky recipent of a very cool cardboard pirate hat that a little girl from one the floats gave to him. He was delighted, and he looked adorable! He immediately put it on and kept it on until we got home.

After the parade, the boys got their bathes and into their jammies and then Grandma and Grampy took Evan to see the fireworks. It was the perfect end to a blonde’s summer day!

The Beach House

The dirt road dead ends just before the beach begins. We take a left on to another dirt road. Our home for the week is tucked close to the end of this road sitting above a quiet stretch of beach with a view of the sunset. Our house is comfortable and quiet – or at least it is when the boys are sleeping.

To say our beach is quiet is a quaint understatement. The sand is red – as red as Eli’s hair; and the surf is calm. So calm, that Evan will wade in, fearlessly. The only other people on the beach are out of ear shot, and nearly out of sight. We have a giant tract of beach to ourselves. We can run and shout and play to our heart’s content and never have to worry about disturbing anyone.

Just down the beach we can see the North Cape Canadian Wind Farm. The windmills look like great pieces of modern sculpture and provide an elegant backdrop to our relaxation. Evan is fascinated by the windmills. He takes every opportunity to look at and study the windmills, peppering us with questions about their purpose and operation.

It's foggy today, so we decide to head out in search of supplies and do some exploring along the way.

On the road - Day 2

After a quick stop at Bagel Central for the world's best, hot fresh bagels, we headed out of Bangor for the long drive across Maine and New Brunswick. It was overcast and cool again, but it was a good day for travel.

After a couple of hours of driving we stopped at New River Beach Provincial Park outside of St. John, New Brunswick. Pat and I camped here years earlier on one of our Canadian adventures, so we knew it was a great place to run around and get the sillies out.

The tide was out, and since New Brunswick has the highest (and lowest) tides in the world we had a massive expanse of beach all to our selves. Pat and Evan immediately began a game of chase. Not to be left out, Eli quickly joined in the fun. Then all four of us were running, screaming and laughing down the beach.
Once "chase" was over the boys took turns being thrown into the air by Dad. As you can see Eli got some serious hang time. Evan was more cautious, and only wanted be thrown "a little high".

Feeling refreshed, we dug out our picnic food, and climbed back in the car to enjoy a moving picnic.

On the road to Prince Edward Island

We arrived at our hotel after a rainy but quiet ride. The boys slept for most of the ride and Pat and I had a chance to talk and enjoy each other’s company. Which sounds silly, since we do live together, but the past few months have been a whirlwind of activity, projects, illness and general chaos. Rare is the day that we can have an uninterrupted conversation about dinner choices, never mind anything of importance. But today the snoring from the backseat was a special break. Even though it was cold and rainy we were off to go a good start on this adventure. After all, escaping the house and it’s unending clutter, and the deck project that will not end, is just what this family needs.

We checked into a Comfort Inn next to the mall in Bangor. It was your standard sterile Comfort Inn room, far from fancy but clean and livable. However, as far as Evan was concerned, we had just checked into the Four Seasons. As we walked down the endless brown hallway (brown carpet, brown walls, brown ceiling even) Evan was giddy.

“Oohhhh, I’m so ‘cited!” he cooed with delight.

Once we unlocked the door and went inside the room Evan could hardly contain himself.
“I LOVE this place!” he screamed and immediately headed for the beds to begin jumping.

If he’s this excited by the Comfort Inn, wait until the real adventure beings.

The batting cage

Last night we made a family outing to "Mel's" a family entertainment complex complete with go-carts, batting cages, mini golf, ice cream, and perhaps most exciting waterfalls!

Pat went inside to buy tokens for the go-carts but instead came out with a baseball bat. To my chagrin he gave Evan a helmet and brought him into the slow-pitch softball batting cage. Call me crazy, or over protective, or a fun spoiler (they're all true) but I was afraid that Evan was going to get beemed by a ball.

I should have had more faith in Evan's abilities. Despite the fact he is not yet four, and just barely over 3 feet tall, Evan was making contact with the ball! He had a couple of solid hits and a whole bunch of foul balls. He was delighted with himself and begged to go again. This time I was happy to oblige.

Strawberry Picking

We took the boys strawberry picking today. It's an annual tradition that just seems to get bettter every year. Last year Eli slept in his car seat and Evan was more a "helper", taking the berries I had picked and putting them in the basket for me.

But this year, Evan picked his own berries, thank you very much. And Eli, he was just hungry. He would pick berries out of our baskets, take a big bite and throw it back. Since I was busy picking it took me a while to notice that he wasn't eating the whole berry. I then spent several minutes picking out the half eaten berries, (which I happily ate) before I eventually had to move the basket to a different row out of reach of his red stained hands. When he wasn't eating, he happliy wandered up and down the rows taking off his hat and putting it back on. Perhaps next year he will be ready to be my helper.

At the end of an hour, despite Eli's appetite for strawberries, we had more than enough berries to bring home and enjoy.

So Tired...

I'm tired. No, make that exhausted. I can't remember the last time I slept for more than three consecutive hours. Eli has yet another head cold, acquired just days after recovering from Strep Throat. Oh! And speaking of Strep Throat, Pat was diagnosed with his second bout of it today. For those keeping score, this is our third round of Strep in 4 weeks.

I'm frustrated. The house is mess and no one feels well. I know there are better days ahead. I know that in the grand scheme of things we are very fortunate. And I also know that these setbacks in health and house cleanliness are temporary. But, sometimes it's hard to see the silver lining. It's hard to remember that this is only temporary when it has felt so permanent for so many weeks.

If only I could sleep. If only Eli could sleep through the night (instead of in his high chair!) . If only his nose would stop running, he might.

Strep Throat Strikes Again!

Just when I thought our lives were returning to normal, Strep Throat came back to haunt us. It started with Eli who with a burning fever spent Saturday night vomiting. Sunday morning the vomiting stopped, but the fever wouldn't go down. We got an appointment at the doctor for Sunday afternoon. By the time we arrived at the office Eli's fever was nearly 105. My sleep deprived anxiety was in high gear.

But, as it turns out, it was Strep Throat. After a dose of Motrin that stayed down, Eli's fever broke. But he was still feeling miserable.

By the time I went to bed on Sunday night my throat was suspiciously soar and I had the chills. Awesome! Sure enough by morning I could barely function. Off to the doctor with me. You guessed it, Strep Throat.

We're all on the mend. And so far Evan has remained well. I am cautiously optimistic, but given our luck with health this month, I'm not holding my breath.

The Mother's Day Card

Evan made me a beautiful Mother's Day card at school. With the help of his teacher he wrote the following:

"My mom is 5 years old.
She likes to wear Boston Red Sox Jammies.
She always goes to the grocery store.
Sometimes she buys ice cream.
The best thing about my mom is she plays with me."

Even though I actually don't wear Red Sox Jammies, and believe it or not, I am slightly older than 5, I was moved to tears. It's nice to be recognized by the little rascal and to know that he loves me in his own special way.

The Instigator

I realize that often I write more about Evan. This has nothing to do with favoritism. Nor is it a result of Eli being boring or any less bright than his brother. Quite the contrary, Eli is just as quirky, smart and funny as his brother. Evan just happens to be what Pat and I refer to as a "resource hog", meaning he commands a disproportional amount of time and attention. Not to mention that his anctics are usually noteworthy.

However, since we've been home from India, Eli has been changing rapidly and becoming his own little person. And while there is a strong family resemblance, he couldn't be any more different than his brother. For starters he likes to play quietly by himself. A most golden trait and clearly one he did not learn from Evan.

He also enjoys instigating trouble, which is perhaps his most amusing trait, and clearly one he inherited from his father. Eli loves to rile up his brother. And while it is often funny, it can also be frustrating. Eli will toddle by and pull his brother's hair, or give him a playful shove. Or best of all, yell - just for sport. This makes Evan (and me) crazy. In response, Evan will scream back in anger. Sensing a game, Eli will scream again. Back and forth they scream, Evan in anger, Eli for fun. My efforts at a talking resolution are usually screamed over, and then I too have to yell to be heard. Good times. This fun little exercise usually ends with a distraction for Eli and a reprimand for Evan, who just doesn't seem to understand that his screaming makes it worse.

But the boys have plenty of fun together too. They wrestle and play ball together, and they have also invented their own games of restaurant and library that they quietly and happily play together. A little brother was just what Evan needed.

Eli is a funny little guy and had been the perfect addition to our lives. In addition to his screaming and instigating, he has many other hobbies including:

Unrolling entire rolls of toilet paper.
Putting scraps of said TP into the toilet.
Throwing and retrieving his ball
Walking like Frankenstein
Growling
Playing Legos
Harassing his brother

The cheese stick

At some point last week amidst all the tooth pain and not eating I offered Evan a cheese stick. He loves them, and I thought it might be soft enough to eat. I was sadly mistaken. He tried to take a bit of the cheese stick and immediately melted into tears.

"I can't bite it Mommy" he sobbed.

It was so sad. He reminded me three times that day that he couldn't eat the cheese stick. Which was not only sad but frustrating since he actually wanted to eat it, and because we still didn't know why he couldn't. But the kicker was when we went to the dentist two days later, the dentist asked him if his tooth was still bothering him. Of course, Evan, with his razor sharp memory, says, "Yes. I can't eat the cheese stick." So, so sad.

Well, this afternoon I unwrapped a cheese stick for Eli's afternoon snack and put it on the counter. Evan walked by, saw the cheese stick and said, "Mmmm. Cheese stick. Can I eat it?"

As soon as he had taken his first bite, mouth full of cheese, Evan excitedly exclaimed, "I can eat the cheese stick! Mommy, I can eat the cheese stick again!"

Who knew a cheese stick could make two people so happy?

Grocery Store

We made a family outing to the grocery store tonight. The boys and I usually go during the day, but tonight Pat joined us. Given the delighful addition of an extra set of hands we were able to split up to tackle the list. I stopped at the deli to order the cold cuts and Pat and the boys got ahead. As the man from the deli was slicing the cheese (insert your own fart joke here) we heard the sound of Eli shrieking with delight at the top of his lungs. Immediately followed by Evan joining in unison. The store was otherwise quiet on this Sunday night, except for the noisy mischief coming from the Kaplo cart. The man at the deli shook his head and said "Wow".

I blushed. "That one is mine." I said.

"Doesn't sound like much fun." He offered sympathetically.

"Actually" I countered, "Believe it or not, those are happy noises. It's more fun than it sounds".

He smiled and shook his head one more time ,"I'm sure it is."

I claimed my cheese and set out to find the cart full of shrieking children, which was easy to track. I found them six aisles away (yes, six), still shrieking and laughing as they drew smiles from their fellow shoppers.

The Tooth Fairy

Evan shows off his tooth

If there is a silver lining to a tooth extraction at age 3 1/2 it's a visit from the Tooth Fairy! The day before the extraction I secretly bought a cool "Lightning McQueen" matchbox car. (For those not in the know, Lightning McQueen is an animated car from Evan's all time favorite movie "Cars". )

Thursday night I read him The Berenstein Bears Visit the Dentist. Sister Bear has a loose tooth that the dentist "wiggles" out for her and then the tooth fairy comes. It seemed like a good primer for what was to come. As Pat put him to bed I overheard him say that; "Dr. Englander (or Gan-ged-ger as Evans says) is going to wiggle my tooth out tomorrow." I was pleased that he understood.

I was anxious all morning, but Evan was excited to go see the dentist. I was sent to the waiting room during the extraction where I could hardly sit still. Fifteen minutes later they came to get me and told me he had been a great patient. My heart was racing. I was sure he would be a crying mess when I went in. Instead he was sitting calmly in the chair and was happy to see me. He chose a dinosaur finger puppet as his prize from the treasure chest for being such a super patient. He slipped it on his finger and immediately started growling at everyone. To my delight, I saw the wild, playful boy I had been missing all week.

The only time he was upset all day was when the novocaine wore off. He did not like the tingling sensation and was upset for a few minutes. Otherwise he had a great day and even had some food, and lots of ice cream - per the dentist's orders.

When it was time for bed Evan didn't want the tooth under his pillow. So we put it on his monkey throw pillow beside his bed for the Tooth Fairy to find.

This morning I woke to an excited whisper. "Mommy! It's Lightning McQueen!" I opened my eyes to see Evan holding the car with a huge smile on his face.

"Did the Tooth Fairy bring you that?" I asked

"YES! The Tooth Fairy bringed me Lightning McQueen for my tooth!"

That brief fleeting moment was a small bright spot in what had otherwise been a very difficult week.

From bad to worse...

Last week was hard. Exhausting. Frustrating. By Sunday evening I was sure we'd turned the corner. But Sunday night things were really just beginning. Evan was awake again all night complaining of tooth pain. Back to the dentist first thing Monday morning. They put him on antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on things - (as though I weren't). At the same time Pat had been diagnosed with Strep Throat and was a miserable mess. By Monday afternoon Evan had a high fever and a swollen face. Since he had just started the antibiotics I knew I needed to wait 24 hours, and worked on treating the fever.

The fever broke on Tuesday, but his face was still swollen. He still wouldn't eat and continued to complain of pain. I called the dentist again. This time they discovered it wasn't the new crowns bothering him, but an abscessed tooth on the bottom. It would have to come out. My heart sank, but at least we knew why he was still in pain. We scheduled the extraction for Friday to give the increased dose of antibiotics time to work.

For the next couple of days Evan was comfortable and happy enough as long as the Tylenol was working. When it wore off he was miserable. He was still refusing to eat - even ice cream - which should be an indication of just how miserable he was. I made his favorite smoothies and sneaked in some tofu for extra protein, and then I bought some Ensure (chocolate milk to Evan) to make sure he was getting the nutrition he needed to fight this infection.

Evan is a challenge on his best day, but when he isn't sleeping or eating and is in near constant pain the word "challenge" seems quaint. He was irritable, combative and prone to screaming tantrums in very public places. Despite all of this I maintained my patience and treated him calmly. I knew what he was suffering through, I have been through it all. It breaks my heart that he had to inherit my terrible teeth. It's unjust. I remember when I was pregnant being fearful to the point of tears that his teeth would be bad like mine. I know it was and is beyond my control and I know I have much to be thankful for. Both of my boys are very healthy, bright and beautiful. I have been very fortunate. As a child I suffered through dozens of dental surgeries and I survived. It wasn't fun or easy, but I got through it and he will too. I just wish he didn't have to. Especially given the aggravation and missed diagnosis of this past week. Despite all he went through he looked forward to going to the dentist and was a super patient.

The Infirmary

This has been a tough week. Not only has the weather been miserable, but our family's health has been as well. Evan came home from school on Monday vomiting. The fever came on Tuesday. Wednesday Eli was diagnosed with a double ear infection. Then Evan stayed up all of Friday night complaining of tooth pain. Saturday morning I took him to the dentist where he ended up with two stainless steel crowns. Somewhere in the midst of all of this Pat and I each came down with a head cold. I can't remember my last full night's sleep. We are all tired and frankly overwhelmed (at least I am). But I am hoping the worst is now behind us, and we can now look forward to some rest, good health, and sunshine.

New Bike Glow

Still reveling in the glory of his new big boy bike, Evan woke me up this morning with his helemt on (and still in his pajamas), ready to ride. In his sweetest voice he whispered, "Mommy, it's time to wake up, so I can ride my bike-cycle."

The Happiest Boy Alive

Since the weather has been getting nicer the boys and I have been going for walks in the afternoon. Everyday that it wasn't snowing last week, we would bundle up and head out. Evan rode his tricycle while I pushed Eli in the stroller. Both boys loved our walks, so most days we went out twice. Evan, however, has grown A LOT over the past year and his tricycle was suddenly way too small. As he pedaled along down the street his knees were coming just an inch below the handle bars. I mentioned this to Pat and suggested it might be time for a "big boy" bicycle.

So last night, on the way home from Boston, we stopped at Wal Mart and found a beauty of a big boy bike, called the RockIt. Evan fell in love at first sight. After picking out a helmet, he put it on and pushed his bike all the way to the registers. As soon as we got home he helped Daddy check it over and tighten the training wheels. Then he was off and riding. He was nervous at first, it was bigger and harder to pedal, but within five minutes he had the hang of it and was tearing through the house like a pro.

He would stop every few minutes and in his sweetest, most excited voice, thank us for buying him a big boy bike. Then off he'd ride again. One time he stopped and said, "I'm not going to fight with you anymore at Target, or Barnes and Noble, or Lowe's, any of those places". My dream come true! And, while that statement alone would have made the purchase worthwhile, I'm not sure I have ever seen him happier. He was all smiles and his excitement was contagious. Pat and I stood back to soak in the moment as one boy pedaled joyously through the house, and the other tentatively walked behind him.

Happy Easter!

We dyed eggs this morning. Went to Meme and Pepes house for a yummy Easter dinner. And we ate lots of chocolate. Everything Easter should be!

A Little Leprechaun Love!

911

Eli called 911. It happened innocently enough. He loves the phone and managed to get his hands on it. He was in my lap, so I was aware that he had the phone and periodically checked to be sure he wasn't calling anyone. Then to my chagrin I heard the telltale sounds of the phone dialing. I grabbed the phone and hit "END". Eli broke into a loud, raucous scream of anger and disgust at the grave injustice he was served.

The phone rang almost immediately. No caller ID info. Suspicious. But I answered it anyway. Eli seeing me with the phone again was re-angered and began a hearty wail louder than before. I asked the caller to please hold on because I couldn't hear what they were saying. I handed Eli to Hemanth and adjourned to the kitchen so I could hear. To my absolute horror the caller identified herself as "An operator from Manchester City 911". She was calling because they had received a call from our phone.

Embarrassment, nay, humiliation surged through me. I politely explained what had happened (while Eli screamed in the next room) and begged her forgiveness repeatedly. She was kind and professional and assured me it was not a problem. I was feeling pretty small, baffled by the odds that Eli could actually dial 911 and then hit "SEND". Then the phone rang again. This time the caller ID read "Manchester City". Now I was feeling even smaller.

It was yet another operator following up on the 911 call and assuring our safety. I sheepishly recounted the story ... again, then apologized another half dozen times. After I hung up, I jokingly said, they'll probably send a cruiser. They didn't. They sent TWO! Yup. Two cruisers pulled up across the street and then came to our front door with an authoritative knock.

The officers were friendly and professional. They looked us over as I recounted the story for a third time, emphasizing that the baby was crying because I had taken the phone away, and that I had not realized that he had dialed 911. (I checked the redial and there were a dozen numbers on the screen, the first three just happened to be 911) They apparently decided we were alright and went on their way.

My private humiliation was now public for all the neighbors to see. But I was impressed with the protocol and professionalism of all involved. I'm sure I'll probably see another cruiser pass by in a day or two, but I suppose there are worse things.

The Lunchbox

Evan is eating lunch at school now. So each morning this week I packed him a little borwn bag to take to school. Yesterday, however, while I was out shopping I found a very cute monkey lunchbox. I was thinking practically (and environmentally), but for Evan it was love at first sight. He carried the lunchbox through the store, handed it to the cashier long enough for scanning and then took it back. When we got home he took his new lunchbox to bed for his nap. Then proceeded to carry it with him all evening - it rode in the back of his bike, it came to the dinner table, and even sat on the couch so the monkey could watch Evan and Daddy play football. The monkey lunchbox was there for bath time, although not in the tub, and then of course into bed last night. He even had me talk to "Friendly Monkey Lunchbox"as he calls him, but not just 'Hi, How are you?' I had to talk "Alot" to him.

This morning he couldn't wait for me to put his lunch in the box. He instructed me where everything should go and scolded me for putting the jucie on the wrong side. Then he carried his packed lunchbox upstairs so he could get dressed and brush his teeth. Then, finally, the packed lunchbox made it to it's ultimate destination - the lunch box shelf at school. I had feared he would insist on the lunchbox playing with him at school, but it didn't seem to be an issue. When I returned to pick him up this afternoon he was eating his lunch with Friendly Monkey Lunchbox smiling beside him.

First Day of School

Evan began preschool today, and I am happy to announce that he loves it! Upon our arrival this morning, I was nervous, but hopeful. Would he follow directions? Participate with the group? Would he meltdown? Would he have the time of his life? He gave Eli and me kisses goodbye, and without further fanfare I left.

When I returned 3 hours later he was having a snack. When he saw me he happily proclaimed that he was EATING GOLDFISH! Then he told me about painting (one of his favorite activities), the book they read about snowmen, and the cool trucks he got to play with. He was so excited, and so was I. As we put on jacket and boots to leave, Evan went and hugged his teachers goodbye. Yes, my son, the one who demonstrably hates goodbyes hugged his teachers. The same teachers who were strangers to him just hours before.

As we piled into the car, he found Blue Fish, his big stuffed fish from the story One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss, and held him on his lap. As we pulled out of the parking lot he proceeded to tell me how happy Blue Fish was. I was beaming from the front seat. If Blue Fish is happy - Evan is happy. If Evan is happy - all is well with the world.

A Winter Hike

We woke this morning to discover that it was snowing and decided it was a perfect day to embrace winter and head out for a hike.

We bundled up the boys in snowsuits and hats and mittens and then loaded them into sled and backpack and journeyed into the white silence of the woods. It was a perfect day for hiking. The air was cold, but fresh - standing in stark contrast to our last several months in India. A fresh clean blanket of snow covered the ground and the trees. The woods were quiet except for the sounds of boots and sled on snow and our contented chatter. The boys rode like kings, happy and warm, undaunted by cold or work. All of us enjoying the simple bliss of being outdoors and the cocoa and hot coffee to come.