On Being Samuel; On Being Brennan

Time has flown by since the last time I was able to blog and my children have changed in so many ways. I really have no idea where to start and where to end so I am going attempt to summarize "who" my two boys are right now. Of course this is how I see them and isn't all encompassing of the very nature of who they are, but maybe someday I will look back at this entry and be able to have a glimpse back into the past, into their childhood.

On being Samuel: This little man is very observant to what is going on around him. We will be sitting at the kitchen table in the morning, the sounds of National Public Radio in the background, Brennan making his hmmmyummhummmmm sounds as he eats, and Samuel commenting every once in a while about something he just heard on the radio. You can sit and watch him listening. He does this when we listen to music also. Yes he likes the music and loves to dance and act goofy, but he is also listening to the words. This has made for some wonderful and interesting conversations.

Samuel from a very young age has loved to read. We go to the library once a week and get a huge bag full of books. These books are read and re-read for a whole week and long before the week is up, he is ready for some new books. His latest obsessions have been about outer space, astronauts, rockets, dinosaurs, dragons and knights in shining armor. The swing set has become a space ship with which we travel to the moon and bounce around in our space suits because of zero gravity. The cushions or mama, or tati have become the fire breathing dragon and Samuel is the knight in shining armor that defeats us with his sword. The blow up ball pit that he got from his Aunt Nikki and Uncle Dave for his birthday becomes the satellite that is going through a meteor shower. He has a great imagination and loves to play, but he really loves to have his mama or tati to play with him, especially since his sister Lola has gone back home to live with her mom. He really misses her. He was also worried that he was going to have to leave also. We would be out in public and I would walk a little ways away and he would yell, "Mama don't leave me!" We are blessed though because we have been able to have Lola spend the night already since she went home and she is hopefully going to be coming for a visit again soon.

"Mama where not saving the earth!" This is one of Samuel's frequent sayings as of late. Scott and I have been trying to teach him about things that are healthy for the environment and those that are not. As a result, he sometimes is more conscientious about saving the earth than we are. Our latest goal, while the weather is still nice, is to ride our bikes as often as we can instead of taking the car. We will ride to the grocery store or to central park and the post office. Yet, when we are in the car Samuel will remind us that we are not saving the earth. Scott has tried to explain to him that sometimes people have to drive. Also, in the kitchen in the morning he will remind me not to turn the light on because we don't need it and then we will be saving the earth. I find that throughout the day, even when Samuel is not there with me, there is a small voice in my head every time I am about to turn a light on or do something else, saying, "We are not saving the earth!"

Now being 3 years old, Samuel loves to talk and talk and talk. He will talk to anyone who will listen. However, he also notices if someone is NOT listening. Anytime we are in a public place with children playing he attempts to make friends with them. I feel so sorry for him when they are older kids who just ignore him. One time we were playing at a park and he was so upset when two boys told him he couldn't do something because he wasn't big enough. He ran and told Scott and Scott says yes you are big. Samuel takes off running and yelling at the boys saying, "I am big, I am big." It was sweet, but sad also. Along with loving to talk comes learning new words and phrases and sayings. He gets a big laugh out of different sayings and we get big laughs out of his language mistakes. The other day, we were outside playing when Samuel said, "here's a weasel!" as he was trying to pull up a weed! You can also imagine being a child he says some things that are pretty hilarious. I'm sure he is going to kill me for sharing this one day, but a few months back he was sitting on the potty and yelled out somewhat distressed. I asked him what was the matter and he said, "There's something wrong with my penis. It's cracking." TEE HEE!

Samuel is also a wonderful big brother. As Samuel gets older and so does Brennan, I can see their brother bond growing everyday. He is definitely the big brother, the protector. Anytime, Brennan is walking away from us when we are outside or somewhere other than home, Samuel is quick to run after him and grab him saying no no Brenny. That is what Samuel calls Brennan, Brenny. In our yard we have a pear tree and this summer there where lots of Yellow Hornets eating the pears. While we were playing outside, Brennan started going over to where there were lots of hornets and before Scott or I could even get to him Samuel was there stopping him and calling out to us. Along with being a protector though, Samuel loves to wrestle and thinks that Brennan should be able to wrestle now also. We have to remind him that he is still little and not yet ready for wrestling. All in all he is a wonderful big brother, loving and attentive.

On being Brennan: I'll start with the facts. Brennan now has 6 teeth, his hair is getting pretty curly, in the back especially, he took his first steps at 9 months old, he started really walking at 10 months old, and he loves to eat. He also just started waving bye, bye and "talking" on the phone is another new favorite.

Brennan is very independent. He will play and walk or should I say run around the house and be very content for a long time. Things he enjoys doing include: sweeping, playing with bowls and plastic containers in the cabinet, getting into the kitchen drawer (which is baby proofed by the way) and pulling out measuring cups and spoons, running from room to room starting in Samuel's room and going through the house to our room and then back again, he loves anything that his big brother Samuel is doing (as one can imagine this causes trouble from time to time), he enjoys putting plastic shapes in the corresponding holes, he likes to throw his food off his tray when he is done, screaming is one of his new found tricks (yikes, the ears), when I'm folding laundry he likes to try and unfold what I've already folded (it's a game we play and he loves it) and he enjoys trying to get into the bathroom every chance he gets in order to pull my hairdryer out and play with it.

At the beginning I wrote that Brennan is independent, which can be very beneficial; however, it does come with some negative aspects. Brennan's Independence can also rear an ugly head in the form of stubbornness. If you scold him, take something away, take him inside before HE is ready to go in, or heaven forbid you do not get him out of his highchair when he is ready, well he sure can throw a "fit" for a one year old. He will rear back if you are holding him or he will throw himself on the floor and scream. He also does not like getting his diaper changed. I think we have another exhibitionist on our hands because he also likes to take off his diaper. He has discovered that the cloth diapers are pretty easy to take off since they have Velcro sides. Yet, with all this said he is a wonderful little boy.

There are times when he will come and grab onto my leg and hug me, or if I'm on the floor folding laundry he will come up on my lap for a minute and then go. The love he has for his big brother is very evident. Blowing on his belly or grabbing onto him and holding on are just a few ways he shows his big brother some love. Also, when I hold him he will put his hand down the collar of my shirt for comfort. Sorry Brenny baby, I'm sure that might embarrass you someday. I can't imagine our family without Brennan in it...it's amazing to think it's only been a year.

My boys. Ahh so sweet are these words in my mouth. It is hard to believe that one day they will be grown men with wives and children of their own. I pray that they will forever be "my boys," no matter how grown up they become.

Too Big for His Breeches!

Brennan was supposed to be taking a nap but this is what I found when I peeked in the room!

Brennan is getting way too big for his breeches literally and figuratively. First, he only has a couple of outfits that fit him right now. I thought we were set having another baby boy only five days from Samuel's birthday; all the same sizes for all the right seasons. WRONG! Brennan is much longer than Samuel was at this stage. Three outfits I had for him were already getting worn in the toes from when Samuel wore them because they were second hand, but Brennan's big toes poked through them and well that leaves him with only a few things to wear. I am constantly doing laundry to keep from running out of things for him to wear. Soon warmer weather will arrive and that means short outfits; he will fit into those because he doesn't have to worry about being too long for them. Secondly, he has been pulling up on things and standing now for a couple of weeks...this stage makes me a nervous wreck. Gone are the days of laying quietly on his back or even being content with just crawling around. Oh no, he has to pull up on hard kitchen chairs, the excersaucer (which is not very stable), the little wooden rocking chair (also not stable, rocky), or hey how about the wall or dresser. He can't pull up on soft things like the couch or something. Last night, he woke up crying, which is normal he usually gets back to sleep fairly quickly, but he had the hiccups. It sounded like he was really awake. Then it got quiet and I was already drifting back to sleep when Scott and I hear this crash and then screaming crying. I run into Brennan's room and I can tell he has just fallen backwards from standing up in his crib and hit his head. Oh it was horrible and then once he was calmed down I realize he has leaked out of his diaper and was poopy...lovely at 1:30 in the morning. He is just getting too big and doing so many new things way to fast. I don't know why I'm surprised because in 2 weeks he will be 8 months old, but it still seems too soon to me :)

Brennan pulling up on the very unstable rocking chair!

Brennan crawling under his excersaucer.

Brennan playing in the grass outside.

Brennan snuggling on the front porch with his Tati.

I had to be very vigilant to keep sticks, grass, and other things out of his mouth.

He was so mad; he really wanted the camera.

Loving the swing!

Pulling up on the bookcase...looking for a good read!

Video clips:Brennan crawling and bouncing. Samuel kissing :)

Tonight while we were eating cookies Samuel stuck out his lips for a kiss and then just held it there...he wouldn't pull away. He did this like three times and I had Scott film some of it...he is too funny.

Brennan loves to bounce; if you hold him standing on your lap he will automatically start jumping. Here he is in his excersaucer. He jumps so hard that he will move his excersaucer across the kitchen floor. Bouncing Baby Brennan or as Samuel loves for me to say, "Jumping Jelly Bean."

Here is Brennan with his new army crawl...he sure can get around! Samuel also had to show us that HE knows how to crawl also...geeze Brennan's getting all the attention. Watch at the end because Brennan really goes for the broom.

OUCH!

To start off this blog I must of course talk about the extremely horrible bruise bump on Samuel's forehead because if I didn't you would all be scanning down the blog skipping all the other info, in order to find out what happened. Anyone that knows Samuel knows that he loves to jump on these foam cushions he got from his Grandpa Chuck. It is one of his favorite activities. Well, Brennan and I are watching Samuel in the living room jump on his cushions having fun and doing the same thing that he has done a thousand times before. When all of a sudden Samuel takes a leaping jump in the air coming down with full force and then his forehead smacks directly on the wooden corner of our ottoman! Yes the cushioned top ottoman...the one I didn't worry about because it's not a coffee table it has a padded cushion top. How in the world did my son manage to hit his forehead directly on the wooden corner covered by the cushion? On my watch!?! Well he did! Instantly there was a dent in the middle of his forehead and a bluish green bruise appearing. Needless to say I was freaked out and made Scott call the doctor. They said as long as he didn't pass out he was o.k. It looks better today, not so swollen, but it is a brownish yucky yellow bruise now. He is still going strong and still jumping on the cushions, just far far away from the ottoman!

Some more news that many of you already know is that our foster daughter Lola left to return home to her mother. I have postponed writing about this for many reasons but the main 0ne is that words are hard to come by and seem somewhat cheap when writing about someone dear whom you have lost in one way or another. I know that we have not lost her and that we can talk to her on the phone and see her from time to time, which is a major blessing. However, it will never be the same. She is no longer "ours" but in reality she never was. It is good that she is back home with her mommy and that is where all children deserve to be. Yet, things have changed; Samuel no longer has his "best friend" to sleep next to at night, to fight with, to play with, to read with, to laugh and make up silly games with...Lola no longer has her brothers to love on...but God is good and I know He has a plan for her life. She actually came for a short visit last week and when her and Samuel were in the bedroom I peeked and saw them hugging. Lola saying, " I missed you so very much!" So, as I wrote earlier words are cheap and can't give a full account of our hearts having let go of a beautiful little part of what our life contained for a year and a half.

On a Brennan update he is 6 months old and on his 6 month birthday we could see one bottom tooth starting to poke through. Now, it is poked through enough to feel it with your finger. At his doctor visit he weighed in at 21lbs 5 oz...he is a chunkster. He has just recently gotten over having RSV and has been a trooper. Unfortunately, he has some upper respiratory stuff that started two days ago...so I hope it doesn't get worse. He started inch worming at 5 months old, but now he is doing the army crawl and he is rocking back and forth on his hands and knees. I am amazed that he is already crawling and he gets around fast...we really have to watch him now. The days of leaving him on his back and walking away are no more! He is such a good baby...I am amazed at how fast the time has gone, I get a little sad thinking that he is halfway to 1 year old.

Snow Angels, Rosy Cheeks, Ice Skating, Snowmen...OH MY!

Winter wonders have been blessing our lives the past couple of weeks. The snow allowed us a couple of days where Scott didn't have to go to work, which is always fun for everyone especially me! Some of the days were way too cold to play in the snow, but on one of the milder days maybe in the 20's we braved the cold. Scott and I took turns playing outside with Lola and Samuel while the other stayed inside with Brennan. Samuel loved it outside. They both had snow suits and boots and all the winter getup on, but Lola was ready to come in way before Samuel. They loved making snow angels and being pulled in the sled. I sure got my exercise pulling them in the sled up the hill on our street, whew...I am out of shape! Samuel's cheeks got so rosy red I thought for sure he was getting cold enough to go in, but he still wanted to play some more. Finally, I had to make him go inside; it was just way too cold to stay out there much longer.

Rosy cheeks!

Lola's snow angel...
Lola and Samuel's shadows..."your shadow does what you do, your shadow does what you do, your shadow does what you do, doot-a-doot-ta-do!"

Another day we had some really "warm" weather; it was in the 40's and the snow was starting to melt. It was a perfect day to play outside and make a snowman. So, when Scott got home from work he took Samuel outside. They not only made a snowman, but also a snow work in abstract art or according to Scott and Samuel a spider ball. iImagine a huge snowball with a bunch of sticks randomly sticking out of it and basically that's what they made. It was even warm enough that Brennan was able to go outside and see his Tati and brother's works of art. Not to mention he got some fresh air...ahhh!

Lastly our winter adventures took us to the ice skating rink. Scott is a great ice skater. I, however, am not. I can skate, but very carefully, not going fast, and using the wall to stop myself...I once did the characteristic cartoon fall, you know the one. Arms flailing about round and around like pinwheels, legs straight out in front of me and then wham!...flat on my back. It was pretty embarrassing. Needless to say, I was not the one taking Samuel out on the ice. Yes, Samuel has begun to ice skate. They have cute little skates to rent and everything. It was a big event. Nana Carrie and Mema came to watch and I took pictures, but of course. Samuel did great. He was able to walk around on his skates right away. He only held on to Nana for a little while and then he was walking all alone, balancing like a pro on those tiny little blades. He went out on the ice helmet on his head and a scarf under his arms, which Scott used to keep him upright until he gets the feel for the ice. He did not want to leave the ice when it was time. Scott let him lay on his stomach and pulled him around so he would see that the ice is ok especially when he falls. Getting up on his own and balancing on his own two skates while on the ice where his first big accomplishments. Yes, he has a long way to go before he is skating on his own, but he is getting used to being on the ice and is not afraid. He has already been skating another time since. When we are home he will put on my slippers and pretend he is ice skating. I'm thankful that he is learning early so maybe when he falls at least it won't be like my horrible cartoon catastrophes.

Getting his skates on.




Brennan waiting with Mema to watch his big brother out on the ice.

Practicing walking around with Nana. Trying it out on his own!

Pep talk with his Tati.

Out on the ice!

Winter is not over yet, I hope there are more winter wonders in store for us still!

Belly Surfing Brennan!

Brennan is really changing so much, so very quickly. He will be five months old soon and at his 4 month well baby appointment he weighed 20lbs and was 27 1/2 inches long. He can now roll from his back to his stomach and Samuel and I call him rolly polly Brennan. The name is two-fold: one he likes to roll all over the place when you put him down and two he is a chub. Samuel will touch his cheeks and say, "you chubby Brennan." Brennan also loves to "belly surf." He gets both of his arms and legs off the ground and just rocks himself on his belly. He is belly surfing.

I really believe it won't be long before he is crawling because he inches himself around already and turns around while on his stomach. Just like his big brother, he loves to be naked! If you put him on the floor and strip him down, he is very happy and content for quite a while. I wonder where they get this from? :) I think they are on to something though...

Did someone say drool? Well, as you can see by the picture above Brennan is drooling non-stop and if not drooling he is spitting up. Poor baby has reflux, but the doctor thinks by at least 9 months it should get better!?! 9 months...I was hoping like maybe 6 months. The drool on the other hand is because he is teething. Brennan is constantly chewing on something and he even takes his pacifier from his mouth and will chew on it instead of sucking.

Welcome back excer-saucer! Samuel loved this thing and it seems that Brennan enjoys it also, which is nice for mama. It is always handy to have some place safe and entertaining to put the baby when I need both hands free. I like it because it not only entertains, provides development of various muscles, but it also prevents baby from being stepped on or sustaining any other form of injury that a toddler could inflict on baby purposely or by accident.

This brings me to Samuel's new found interest in his baby brother. I absolutely love seeing Samuel interact more and more with Brennan. He will talk to him and tell him that he loves him. When Brennan starts to babble Samuel says, "he talkin' mama." Samuel wants to know where Brennan is if he can't see him. He also has been asking if Brennan can play, usually on his cushions that he is building mountains and houses and boats out of. The other day we made a little "casuta" house out of the cushions. All three of us were crammed under our little roof reading a book. Samuel got the biggest kick out of Brennan being in there with him. However, along with all this lovin' comes some danger...yikes! Samuel likes to touch Brennan's face and chubby cheeks. He likes to hug him and try and pick him up. Last night while watching American Idol (I know I know, I'm a horrible mom), Samuel was playing with Brennan's fingers putting them in his mouth. All is well until Brennan starts screaming crying. I look at his finger and there on his chubby finger are two distinct teeth indentations. Samuel had bit him. After his time out we talked about how what he did was mean and how he hurt his brother. That night during prayer, when I thank God for Jesus who died on the cross to forgive us for all the bad things we do, Samuel said, "I bit Brennan, that was mean." I told him yes it was but that God forgives us and that He loves us even when we do mean things.

There you have it...a mini update on Brennan's new accomplishments and also a little about Samuel the big brother!

Christmas Medley

Christmas has come and gone and we are already well into the new year of 2009; so I thought I better get a move on and write a little bit of this and that about Christmas. After all it was Brennan's first Christmas and it would be a shame not to blog about it, thus immortalizing it forever in the "cyber realm." So, here it goes a little hodgepodge of Christmas 2008.

Part I: Christmas Roaming

Christmas this year we roamed from one place to another and it was great to be able to see everyone at some point this year even if it wasn't on Christmas day.

It all began with an 80th birthday bash for Grandma Elizabeth Faye D. We celebrated the life of this wonderful woman and then celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ with the family after her party. It was great to see those family members that we don't often get to spend time with throughout the year.

The next jaunt on this Christmas journey took us to Scott's brother John's place, where we spent a couple nights hanging out with Nana Carrie, Great Granny Mary, Uncle Dude, and Kristin and her folks. The kids enjoyed hanging out with everyone getting to read books, stay up late, make Christmas cookies, and eating breakfast out a nice little mom and pops place. Lola and Samuel shared a pancake the "size of your head," but Scott helped them finish it. Samuel also loved hearing these old men sing a Christmas carol with the banjo as accompaniment. He looked a little scared because they encircled him and there wasn't much room to move in the place anyway. But I asked him if he liked hearing the banjo and he said yes. He loves musical instruments and at the time was stuck on the banjo.

Christmas eve was spent at Mema and Poppie's house with my sisters and nieces. We had a great time eating chili and ham! Scott, Samuel, Brennan, and I went with my mom to her church for Christmas eve service. It was nice to spend Christmas eve with my mom; it has been a long time since I've done that. During the mini sermon the pastor was focusing on Jesus being God with us, so he used the word Immanuel. As soon as he said Immanuel, Samuel says quite loudly, "Oh, he said Immanuel!" There was chuckling all around us. Samuel had been learning from our advent book the story of Jesus' birth and we had taught him what Immanuel means. He was pretty excited that the pastor knew it also :) That night at our house we read the advent book with Samuel and Nana Carrie. Scott was reading it and Samuel was laying on his shoulder not even looking at the pages. As Scott was reading he would stop every once in a while and Samuel would fill in the blank. For example, Scott would read, "and the angel said..." and Samuel would say, "do not be afraid for I bring you good news of great joy!." By the end of the story though Samuel had fallen asleep.

Christmas morning we had homemade cinnamon rolls (courtesy of my wonderful baker husband). We bid a Christmas farewell to Nana and we were off to the farm and then to my Aunt Carol's to see the Spelbring side of the family. At Aunt Carol's Samuel gave Grandma Spelbring her Christmas present, which was saying the funny poem that Grandpa Spelbring taught all of us grandkids (Gean Gean made a machine...). She got the biggest kick out of it.

That night Scott, Samuel, and I camped out on the living room floor and fell asleep to the beautiful hue of Christmas lights.

Up to this point I have barely mentioned Brennan, and well it was HIS first Christmas...Brennan was pretty unmoved by it all. Who can blame him he was only 4 months old. Next year he will get into it more. He was loved on, ooed and aahed over, probably spit up a number of times, and well slept. Sorry Brennan baby, more about you next Christmas!

Final destination on our Christmas tour was Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Tina's place. Lola came home the next day and then we were off. Everyone hung out and ate ginger snaps or wait was that just John and Scott who ate the ginger snaps? Just kidding...we all gloried in the savory goodness of ginger snaps thanks to Tina. Samuel and Lola were so excited about sleeping in sleeping bags and making "mountains" with the foam flip chairs that Grandpa Chuck gave them to sleep on. Samuel fell asleep on Uncle John's lap watching the movie the "Elf." It was too cute. When we left our van was full and the foam chairs were in the back of the van, one on each side of Lola. Which brings me to the second part of this Christmas Medley.

Part II: Christmas Presents: New, Used, or Belonging to Someone else

First I must begin with a disclaimer to all those who purchased and gave our children wonderful Christmas gifts. This in no way diminishes the joy they have found in their presents it is only a funny way one mom, Me, has viewed the capricious fancies of small children.

During our Christmas roaming I noticed that Samuel and Lola loved all of the toys they received. Opening the gifts with great acclamations of joy and surprise. Not wanting to open another gift because they wanted to immediately play with the toy they just opened . They were definitely excited about each new toy and remembered what they had received. A couple of times in the car they would ask about such and such toy just to make sure it was in the car with us. One toy Samuel was so excited about, a plastic guitar, didn't even work but he carried it around with him and enjoyed it anyway. However, for all the joy and excitement these new toys brought I found my children returning to what I like to call used toys, using the word "toy" very loosely.

Samuel at one point was playing with the Boppy pillow using it as a hoola hoop or something else. At John's house the kids had great fun with an old parachute that Scott brought home from one of his schools. Scott and John made a tent with it in his downstairs and they loved it. Or my favorite is the foam cushions. This "toy" could technically be considered used and new, but all the same it has been the most loved and well used toy this Christmas. Remember the previous said foam chairs that came home with us from Grandpa Chuck's? Well, once they arrived at our house they were fired from their job as a chair and promoted to being mountains, boats, bridges or whatever else a 2 and 3 year old can imagine. A day does not go by that Samuel and Lola do not have them thrown all over the living room jumping and diving onto them. It is great fun and with minimal injuries up to this point. If new or used toys don't fit your fancy try something belong to someone else.

Samuel and Lola have both been very interested in Brennan's new baby toys. On many occasions I have seen them playing with his stacking stars, finger puppets, and glow worm. Also, they both really enjoy fighting over each other's toys. :) Siblings... At John's house Scott opened his gift from Mandy and found a neat soccer jersey. He didn't have long to even admire it because Samuel wanted to wear it. He kept it on for some time. Too cute!

Well this brings to and end my Christmas Medley. Hope you all enjoyed the pictures at least, if not my ramblings also.