Our Little Turkeys

So many things for which to be thankful - this year and every year. We are thankful for family and friends and for the memories of those we no longer get to see. We are thankful for our health, a home, and the ability to provide for our family. We are thankful for having little turkeys of our very own.

Who knew little turkeys were so talented and smart? Of course, we speak of the human kind. Someone I know raised a turkey chick (which she still visits at the farm) and she said the thing about the rain is true. But, even more interesting, the turkey pecked the heck out of his feet because every time he looked down, he attacked those strange things he saw below him. NOT KIDDING. She said he perpetually had cut feet!

Well, the four year old turkey will stay out in the rain, without looking up, I might add, and doesn't come in. She dances around in her boots and rain coat and twirls her umbrella and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Never fear - poor Hallie has already heard us make reference to her as our turkey. She knows she earned the title because she was born a week before Thanksgiving and was 9 1/2 lbs. She also will tell you that Anna has to be a turkey too. This is because they are sisters and she can't be anything but a turkey or 'they won't match'. So wise. She has learned and changed so much since turning four. Just recently, when she saw little milk in her bowl of cereal, she asked if "there was any milk in my Kix?" Her dad told her that he didn't give her a lot because she didn't like it. She held up her hand to clarify and said, "3 year olds don't like a lot of milk but 4 year olds like lots and lots and lots of milk."

The 3 month old turkey is discovering those strange things below her but only kicks them and watches with a quizzical look as they are repeatedly pecked by the other members of her household. She also throws her socks like a horse throws a shoe. As soon as it's cold enough, the footie pajamas are coming out - I'm not trained as a sock wrangler. And, as far as rain goes... no worries. Even if we left her out in the rain, her eyes wouldn't fill. That's because, a week ago, at 3 months and 2 days, she rolled from her back to her front - on both sides. Let's see a regular turkey do that!


Yes, turkeys make you sleepy and sometimes you feel like you can't have any more. But then, you find room for just a smidge and, you go to bed happy. Of course, the best part about turkeys are the leftovers. So, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we laugh (often secretly) about the days fare. Then, each morning, we get to wake up to more turkey (very amusing turkey, by the way) and have our fill again and again. We are most thankful for that.

Birthday #4

I don't remember turning four but I know that I started "remembering" when I was four. Recently, I was asked to retrieve my earliest memory. Though I can scrounge up a few, the most vivid is that being made to wear masking tape (bearing my name) on my back at the Presbyterian Church preschool. I didn't regularly attend but, on that day needed day care so off I went. I'm quite sure it was a navy blue sweater and I played with weird blocks. Anyway, the common thread in all the memories shared that day was 'emotion'. So I guess extreme disgust was my emotion. Hallie has already proven to have an astounding memory as some of you have witnessed. She may remember a few things prior to her fourth birthday but I am quite sure she will have solid memories of this birthday because of her emotions; love, joy, happiness and security. This is a little girl who knows she has a loving family and is just happy to spend time with them. Oh yes, she loved her presents, but she loves her family. She knows they love her and knows her place with each member. She can even keep them straight! When her Auntie called and was wishing her a happy birthday, Hallie put her hand over the phone and said to me, "It's your sister' When Grandma called and asked to speak to me she replied "It's your mom" when asked who was on the line. Aunt Suzie called and left a birthday message to which Hallie excitedly responded "Aunt Suzie's singing to me - that's so ni-ice". When she was a year old I set up a picture wall (thanks for the idea, Rick and Vikki) to help her put names to the many faces of her HUGE family. She may get a few second cousins (or, once removed-I'm not sure) confused but she pretty well remembers everyone else she's met at least once. By the way, she'll remember where you were and what she did with you too. She knows Emily lives in the mountains where it's cool and thinks that Uncle Rennie should always drive with Grampa Chuck. Nope, no problem remembering and I'm sure I know why. Her memories will be those that come from love and warmth and a sense of belonging. Will she remember that she checked her bones before she went to sleep on the 19th and saw they had grown the morning of the 20th? Probably not. That's my job and my joy. But, her memories will be beautiful just the same.
No one said it was easy to have small children - especially when it comes to managing birthday parties. But, thanks to everyone's help and love, we pulled off a great party and Hallie has successfully, and with much fanfare, turned four.
Fabulous cake by deCroupet's

A Busy Week!

The week began with, what one might call 'Parental Irony'. Anna decided she might try to sleep 4 hours.... and......Hallie decided to be congested and cry from an ear infection most of the night. Do ear aches never come in the daytime? Must be something about lying down that brings on the pressure because all of Hallie's have been established after a wailing night of little sleep. Remembering being a child, not only do they come during the night, they come around Holidays. Hallie was actually aware enough at 3 to be excited for Halloween and all it's events. We enjoyed Mickey's Halloween Treat at DCA and carved a jack o'lantern so at least she'd had something, right?

In all our wisdom, we knew that logic wouldn't hold so we hoped she could go out for some Halloween. So, not waiting to see if the ear hurt again the next night, she stayed home and Dad took her to the doctor. Ear and eye infections, possible cold and two prescriptions later, she could go to school and trick or treat a little bit at night. Thank goodness. Of course the antibiotic is gross - not even bubble gum flavored - and after Halloween we lost the power of "you have to take this or you can't go out for Halloween" but she got better at it and we discovered that putting it in orange juice isn't so bad. She also thought her vanilla shake tasted a little funny, but Daddy told her it was because it had melted a bit. Medicine down, Anna and I took Hallie and several heavy bags to school for the Halloween parade and party (of course, I also had to bring stuff since I'm the room mom). Anna was good, Hallie was ecstatic, to say the least, and she was very cooperative when I took her home early. She and Anna went to 'trunk or treat' at church that evening and finished off with a Halloween video. Sure we would have survived if Halloween was cancelled for us but, we're glad it didn't have to be!Hallie finished out the week at school and Anna and Mommy visited Daddy at work when Mommy went to get her flu shot. After a stop at Grandma's classroom, Anna went to TGIF with Daddy while Hallie went to the beauty salon and to pick up an early birthday present - a camera from Grampa Chuck! Saturday brought Sea World and lunch with Shamu (Mommy was super jealous) and Sunday brought Hallie a trip to the movies for The Santa Claus 3. Next weekend we rest - well, after the annual power shopping trip, that is...

PS In honor of Halloween - just shows...anything can be scary!

..make my day

I'm certainly glad I don't have to be a columnist for a living - just in case that idea doesn't come. It's nice to have an outlet, though, when one pops into my otherwise beleaguered brain. It's not really family news but, when something makes you light up for days, it's worth sharing.
Upon opening , what I believe to be, the last box of books from mom's house, I found two scholarly books that were autographed by the professors who wrote them. I met these gentlemen on a trip I took, with my grandma, to England,Greece, Egypt, Turkey and the Holy Lands in 1984. Of course, at thirteen, I had difficulty comprehending the material of these books but I tried SO hard to read them then. Both USC professors, their specialties were education/psychology and religions/gerontology and they thought I was a hoot. The one (religion/gerontology) who was leading the trip and the preparation classes often asked me what I thought, quizzed me and (luckily I was taking World History at the time) asked me to explain certain historical events to my fellow travelers, to whom I was at least 50 years their junior. Once on the trip, I wandered away from the tour guides, more often than not, to learn from him and hear his perspective as it related to a Westerner with Christianity as a basis for history. Grandma gave up on bringing me back to the tour. I think she was amused by the whole thing and wished she could find an excuse to listen to my professor too! She HAD thought it was funny when a tough lady on the trip had started calling me 'teacher's pet' at our first class.

Anyway, when I came across the books, I decided to see if I could find out more about the men on the internet. I found that the first gentleman was 103 yrs old in December and was celebrated by USC. The second, my tour guide, was still on faculty and had an email! Woohoo! I emailed him and after a few days of wondering whether or not he thought I was a nut job, got a response that filled me with such joy I almost cried because I couldn't tell Grandma in person. 'My' professor is 90 yrs old and just retired from the dept. at USC. He apologized for the delayed response as he was recovering from cancer surgery and he would look me up in the travel memorabilia as soon as he was able to locate his box from 1984. I had told him in my message just how fondly I remember him and how I appreciated his time with me. I filled him in on my life now and how invaluable that experience must have been in my development of teaching philosophy and skills. He was very complimentary in return, reminding me that my job is important. He also was thrilled I had contacted him and asked me to keep in touch because I sounded like someone with whom he would enjoy spending time- yahoo! He also wanted my address so USC could send me his latest book! I'm not quite sure why this made my day (could be that he told me that, by contacting him, I had made his whole week) but I am so thrilled that he is around for me to take that often missed opportunity to let someone - even a stranger or brief acquaintance, know how much he or she has had an impact, no matter the size, on my life.

So I am anxiously waiting to get the next note from my 'new' friend and I will cherish every word that is written. I'd bet I might even learn a few things. Who knows... I might even go to tea! What I've learned so far....... Take that opportunity to let someone know about a moment they hold in your memory - believe me, it's worth it.

2 months- already?

2 months under the belt! Well, the little one has definitely had an effect on this household. Her big sister still loves her and we almost have her figured out. After waiting over an hour, during which time she was very good, Anna had her two month well baby visit. She has grown 2 1/4 in. since birth and has gained about 5 1/2 lbs. She received 4 vaccines to protect her from a total of 7 different diseases. She was not happy but has not been too bothered so far. Luckily she gets a break and gets to wait two months before a repeat performance.
She smiles a lot but, of course, has since birth, and is chattering like a little bird. She is ready to pull to sitting when you count to three and wants to bear weight on her rather solid legs. The toothless grins are priceless - when we get to see those that are not reserved for Hallie, that is. The beauty of a two month old is found in the fists that hold your fingers and serve as support when trying to hold up one's head. I guess if you only know eating, fists should hold you up if you suck them hard enough. Even when she is trying to stand, she is pulling her hands toward her mouth for assistance. She is holding her head up well and lifts it quite high during 'tummy time' - when she's not attempting to move forward. She squeals with delight at the reading light over our bed or the flashlight chase on the wall. She loves looking at books and loves to have songs sung to her. Sleeping through the night? Not happening but, every once in a while we get 3 1/2 - 4 hrs. Seems like a good time to start those formula bottles at bed time! She has settled in quite nicely and it seems as though she's been here all along. We are enjoying (almost) every minute!

When does that 'new parent smell' wear off?
	When you give them the cold shoulder (ie: cold bottle/ cold wipe)
	When you roll over and go back to sleep during a crying-fest
	When you stop asking what color poop was found in the diaper
	The obvious answer: when the spit-up stops
	All of the above
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