Halloween

Halloween has always been a holiday Chris and I have sort of avoided since living in this country. We have been undecided as parents whether we wanted to make a big deal out of it or avoid it. Up until now, it has been pretty easy to ignore, since the majority of people here have never heard of it or celebrate it. But this year, our neighbors decided to have a party for the kids and we decided- we think it could be fun this year. Chris is out of town, however, so that sort of left it up to me to celebrate.

Austin and I carved a small pumpkin I bought at the store yesterday. Fortunately, pumpkin is a popular and very cheap food here. I also bought a bunch of cut pumpkin slices to make pumpkin puree and made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting for our party. It was yummy. I will freeze a bunch of the leftover puree for pumpkin bread later. Austin kept wanting to use the knife, which got a resounding "no" but he enjoyed scooping the pulp out.

I happened to have 2 costumes in the house, one for each boy, both supplied by a grandmother at random, non-Halloween times in the past. Austin loves his Thomas outfit, but the funny thing was when I first told him he would wear it for our Halloween party, he said "I want to be a pumpkin face". I was so taken aback because Austin has basically no knowledge or experience of Halloween. No TV commercials or grocery stores decorated to see. Nothing. So I did not understand how he would even have the idea of dressing up, decide he wanted to be something else and something as appropriate as a pumpkin (this was before we carved ours). Then I realized he had seen posters at the library about Halloween. They did decorate there- he had mostly liked the spider web at the library. But they did have a lot of posters of jack-o-lanterns and I guess that is where he learned about "pumpkin faces". But I told him we would make a real pumpkin face, but he could be Thomas and he was agreeable and excited to be Thomas.

Isn't he cute? Bennett made a great monkey...check out Austin in the picture below, that was Christmas 2007 and Austin was exactly Bennett's age (13 months), when my parents came to visit and my Mom brought this cute costume.


Here we are at the party. Austin did not really get into the games. They had pumpkin carving (he did like that) and a few others. There was a dance contest, during which Austin stood absolutely still in the middle of the room surrounded by other dancing kids. He gets pretty shy in any social setting and was not in a great mood anyway, but he did not want to participate. His favorite thing though was, guess? Candy of course. They passed out candy at the end, no actual door to door trick or treating.


Here is the little monkey himself...one of his favorite things to "say".

DId he understand me?

Bennett is at that funny stage where he still can't communicate all that much (verbally anyway) but all of a sudden he can understand a LOT. It daily takes me by surprise. Today he actually started saying "Thank you". Well, in Bennett-hua (that means Bennett language) anyway. It sounded more like "Day you". There have actually been about 3 or 4 times before I thought "Did you say thank you? No, I'm sure he couldn't have been." But now I am sure and Chris heard it too and confirmed it. One of Bennett's favorite things to do right now is to "give" you something he is holding and then take it right back. He will give me his cup, his Lego, his ball, etc. over and over and then want it back and so I always say thank you when he gives it to me. Actually, a lot of times I say "xie xie" which is Chinese for thank you, because Austin learned to say that before the english. But Bennett is his own person and wants to say the harder word. He will give it to me and then say it. I haven't been able to video it yet but I will try. He also says "zai jian" for bye bye (it sounds more like "dai di" but ...).

But that was a tangent. Onto understanding a lot. Now Bennett will see someone put their jacket or shoes on and start waving goodbye. Or I will say "Give that to Daddy" and he actually will give it to Chris. Or I go the bathroom and he sits outside the door until I come out...knowing I will be out again soon. Or he will hear us say a word he knows in a sentence that is not directed at him and respond (like I was talking to Austin about a monkey in a book and he starts making the monkey sound). It is the beginning of the end of his being a baby, which is sad but also it is fun to see him learning and growing and just getting so many things. He also loves putting things in and out of containers and opening and closing things. He spent about 15 minutes the other day taking playdough shape cutters (like cookie cutters) out of a container, then putting them back in, then putting the top on and then...repeat. He will "help" put toys away in a basket now if Austin and I are cleaning up. I think his vocabulary will expand rapidly in the next few months.

As for the health update, Bennett is somewhat better, but still having diarrhea once or twice a day, if he eats anything. I talked to the doctor today and he said it can take a week or more, but as long as he is hydrated he will be ok. But no food for now. I am glad it was Bennett who couldn't eat for a week and not Austin though...Austin would have wasted away be now but while Bennett looks thinner for sure, but had enough padding to make it through.

Chris is away for the weekend and it got COLD today...very gray, drizzly and cold. I am wearing a jacket in the house as I write this. I am thinking of making some pumpkin bread or cookies tomorrow to contrast with the dreary weather. Well, I am off to bed...Bennett has been waking SO early since being sick and I can't pass him off to Chris in the morning.

Home delivery

First, an illness update. This has been a really strange virus. Austin throws up twice and then is fine, other than being tired. Bennett, however, still is not himself. It is hard to tell if he is better or not...every time it seems he is getting better, he will get sick again. This has been the run of the illness.

Friday night: Both boys throw up, Bennett about 13 times between 10 pm Friday night and noon Saturday. Noon Bennett starts diarrhea.

Saturday: Bennett seems better in the afternoon, throws up once about 6 pm, then none all night.

Sunday: Seems better, but throws up again at 6 pm.

Monday: seems better, no throw up and diarrhea once. I think we are on the mend.

Tuesday: (our 8th anniversary by the way) He wakes at 5 am crying, throws up at 6:30 am, has two rounds of bad diarrhea at noon, cries a LOT and wants to be held only by me most of the day. Long day.

Today: He seemed better all morning. He ate a little bit at lunch and wants to drink a lot. Then after nap more explosive diarrhea. But he seemed in a good mood by evening. My mom told me a friend in the US's daughter had a similar thing and the doctor said it could last 2 weeks! I am hoping an ocean in between means this is something else. :)

Ok, onto more interesting news. Home delivery. I think I have mentioned the baby-home delivery service here. You can order diapers and wipes, and all things baby from a catalog and they will deliver the next day for free. It's great. But I had not been using it as much since we switched to cloth diapers. But about 6 weeks ago I decided to try a similar service from a different company. This company also has certain food and health items. After ordering once, I received all their catalogs. Wow. They have an impressive list of food and health items they will also deliver for similar if not sometimes cheaper than the local grocery store.

Today I ordered : diapers and wipes (with illness I have been using more disposable), pull-ups, dish washing cleaner, toilet cleaner, kitchen cleaning spray, Hunt's spaghetti sauce, pasta, a dozen boxes of fruit juice, Canola oil, Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate and for free they gave me a toy (plastic baseball bat and ball), a pack of organic rice and an extra package of pull-ups (not cheap). Sometimes they have specials where you get $6-$7 dollars off (which I prefer) or free stuff. Anyway, i like this service. Today I noticed they have a lot of (very expensive) organic fruit and vegetable services - I think you join for a year and can get them delivered. They also have wierder things - like Spicy Duck Tongue, Chinese Forest Frog's oviduct and black glutinous rice sweets (not sure if oviduct is referring to a body part or not), and freeze-dried durian. They also have a health section that has things like diabetes blood sugar tests, lots of herbal powders, wheelchairs and...should I even mention it? Well, they have um, interesting toys, for um, intimate activity. That is all I will say. That part is definitely wierd. Something for everyone I guess.

Anyway, I am thankful that I can get some of my grocery list delivered to me instead of having to walk to the store and haul it back 2 blocks in my stroller or in my arms.

snail's progress

Well, we are slowly getting better, but slower than I would like. After posting about how Bennett had been throw-up free last night, he of course vomited about an hour later. He has not since then, but is still not very happy. He is also cutting two bottom molars and they are so swollen with just the very tip of a tooth poking out on both sides. Not sure if it was that or his stomach but he cried a lot last night. He wouldn't nap this morning and has been asleep this afternoon but I hear him again. Poor guy. I have been using gum numbing gel, so that may help a little.

Austin is definitely better, but I think must still not be feeling great. Last night he went to bed about 7:15, slept till 8:30 this morning and at 11 am asked to take a nap! He got in bed, but then didn't sleep for awhile. So I got him up, he had lunch but went back to nap right at one with no complaints, no stories or normal routine. And fell right asleep. Hmmm. That has never happened before.

As I write this I am watching the live U2 Rose Bowl show on YouTube. A little solace for not being able to use our tickets to the Charlottesville show.

We finally succumbed.

There has been a stomach virus that has gone through most of our friends and neighbors these past 6 weeks. I thought we had miraculously missed it. Well, I thought wrong. Friday night I went in to look at the boys before going to bed about 10 pm to discover both of them had thrown up - A LOT-all over the bed, themselves, stuffed animals, the floor etc. Both of them started crying and wanting me to hold them. Chris and I spent the next hour cleaning up the first round, though Bennett threw up several more times. Austin just threw up one more time, but poor Bennett threw up about 10 times that night- he mostly slept in Chris or my arms the whole night in between getting sick.

I am happy to report we are doing better. Austin seems back to normal today, except for not having a huge appetite. I ended up taking Bennett to the doctor Saturday because he just kept throwing up ( a strange color, I will spare you the details) and had diarrhea. He was so sad looking- just laying on my shoulder and looking pale. After he would throw up he would seem happier for about 30 minutes but then get more unhappy after that. The doctor said he was ok, but they gave him an anti-nausea suppository and gave me electrolyte mixture. He seems to be done throwing up now, MUCH happier today and more energetic. He still has some diarrhea but it is not very often.

So, sorry for the distasteful topic (as my Dad would say :) ) but that is life in the Gaertner household this weekend. Fortunately, so far Chris and I feel fine and are hoping it stays that way.

In other news, Bennett has started saying "mama" this week. A lot. This morning Chris let me sleep in since I was feeling very sleep deprived. Whenever he turned his back, I would hear Bennett crawling like mad to our door, he would stand up outside and bang it with his hands and say "mamamama". Cute, even when I was trying to sleep.

Austin continues to comment about when he ...is someone or something. This morning Chris fixed me a cup of decaf coffee.
Afterwards, Austin said "When you are still Mommy I will fix you coffee"
I said "when I am still Mommy?"
He said "Yes, when I am Daddy and you are still Mommy, I will fix you coffee".
Last night we read a Bible story about Jonah. He said "When I am Jonah I will get swallowed by a big fish in ONE BITE".

Well, the result of sickness was we stayed home from church and had a very relaxing Sunday at home. Chris and I listened to a sermon this morning, we all went for a walk in the park and out to lunch and all took afternoon naps. Nice :)

When I was a baby...

One of Austin's favorite things to talk about these days is "when I was a baby". It started when Chris was reminding Austin of how he said certain things as a baby (he called yogurt "go-go", loved to yell "Bus!" whenever he saw one, etc.). But now he talks about most things he remembers in the past as when he was a baby.

"Mommy, what did I call cheese when I was a baby? Mommy, when I was a baby, I couldn't walk like Bennett. When I was a baby I couldn't go potty" etc. Sometimes he gets confused about the passing of time, though. A few days ago he said "mommy remember when I was a baby and I screamed in church when I fell off my chair?" Well, that was 3 weeks ago.

He also talks about the future. Sometimes he says "When I am a man I will do...(whatever) like Daddy". I will go running. I will go to meetings. But more often he says things like
"Mommy, when I'm Daddy I will take showers"
me "you mean when you are big like Daddy?"
Austin "yes, when I am Daddy."

I tried to explain he won't actually BE Daddy. The other day we read the book Duck on a Bike, which we got from the library. After reading it he said "When I am a duck I will ride a bike." Hmmm. I guess when he wants to be like someone, he says he will be them. In that same conversation he also said (after I said you won't ever be a duck) he said "I will be a duck and then I will be a cow and then I will be a man." Hmmm, sounds a little too much like reincarnation, huh?

A day or two ago he also said "When I was Bennett I crawled and I made a hole in my pants" (Bennett was wearing a hand-me down pair of pants that did actually have a hole in it). So, he still has a ways to go with learning about the passing of time and relationships, but it is funny to hear how all the processing comes out. :)

Bedtime Routine

It seems that our getting-ready-for-bed ritual is getting longer and longer. Austin is a big fan of routine and doing the same thing before he goes to bed at night. But it seems like if one night he wants to add something to the routine, then it gets "stuck" in his mind and he wants to keep doing it. Generally, before bed Chris gets his pajamas on and brushes teeth (before Bennett was born the bath was an almost nightly ritual, now life seems more complicated and it happens more like a couple times a week), 2 books and a Bible story are read, we pray, we sing and then he goes to bed. It used to be that Chris read all the books and Bible story, but lately he keeps wanting me to read as well, so usually one of us reads the two books and then the other one has to read the Bible story. WE used to sing 2 songs...usually Jesus Loves Me being the last one. Now he always wants 3 songs and if it is not 3 he gets really upset. You can see how it is slowly getting longer. We try to change it up sometimes so he doesn't get too set in his ways, but that always brings lots of protest.

When Bennett moved into Austin's room, we had to change the routine out of his room into the living room. He is now adjusted to that change. He also keeps adding things he wants to sleep with. It used to be Blue Puppy and Kopo (stuffed golden retriever). Now it is those 2 (Blue Puppy being the overwhelming favorite and the only one that travels with us) plus Nemo the fish and Blue Bunny (a gift from Nai-Nai). Also, his excavator blanket, his little pillow with his name on it and 2 cups of water. It used to be one cup, but somehow progressed to two. Lately he wants extra blankets and pillows. Hmmm, what have we gotten ourselves into? It is a slippery slope, but he knows how to push the envelope. I have been stricter lately with...no more pillows, no more extra blankets.

Here is the newest addition. It used to be that we just sang. One night Chris thought it would be fun to play guitar. It is fun and adds a lot, but also adds to the complexity of the routine. As you can see below, Chris plays guitar, Austin plays "violin" and Mommy...sings (since I can't really play an instrument, though when Chris is gone Austin now always wants me to play guitar).


The songs are also getting very routine. It used to be we picked a few, simple children's songs or hymns. Now Austin is more opinionated about the songs. He always insists on starting with "Abraham's Burden" - his current favorite, a Chris original. Lately with Chris' influence he also really likes U2's "White as Snow". Then he usually wants to end with Be Thou My Vision or Amazing Grace or Jesus Loves Me. A rather varied collection.

So I would like to pare down the bedtime routine a bit, since it is getting rather long, but I know it will take lots of patience and probably a lot of protests.
This was our last song of the night tonight. Austin was a little put out that I was videoing instead of sitting beside him singing...but you get the idea.

How big are you?

We finally captured Bennett's "so big" on video. Keep watching till the end...it took a few tries to get him to do it. He is really cute and interactive these days. Austin is still having lots of fussy moments, but doing a little better than last week. We have been having great weather here too- pretty cool but pretty blue skies.

Happy 70th Birthday Grandpa!

Dear Grandpa,
Happy Birthday to you! We miss you a lot and wish we could be with you today. We miss your walks in the woods behind your house, sitting on your lap in the green chair and learning about trains and cars with you. Have a wonderful day! I wish we could eat cake and ice cream with you.

Love, Austin and Bennett (and their parents too)

Fallen nature

I think that people who believe that we are born with a purely good nature and just get corrupted from society must not have ever been parents...at least not ones that interacted daily with a toddler. I am seeing the fallenness of humanity in Austin these days. I love him SO much of course, but have been really frustrated these past few days. Oddly, ever since he got over his fever he has been in terrible moods. I go from thinking...maybe he is still sick to maybe he has a food allergy that makes him irritable to maybe he is OCD to...maybe he is just a toddler. Who knows?

But he has been getting very upset, screaming, whining, you name it throughout the day for days. Time outs and discipline seem to have little affect. He gets upset about things like...my pants' legs ride up when I sit down and feel funny, my cup won't stand up straight in bed, I spilled a tiny piece of granola on my shirt, I can't play my "violin" right, etc etc. The last few mornings he wakes up early screaming b/c something is not right in his bed (his cups won't stand up straight, the pillow keeps falling down, his blanket isn't on right etc) and then he wants to get up (at 6 am or some other much-too-early hour). He wakes Bennett up with his protests. Today I put him in the guest bed, where he screamed for about 20 minutes because he was so mad.

He also told me perhaps his first lie today. He was in time out, where he is supposed to stay in his bed. He keeps pushing the envelope lately- like putting one foot off the bed. Today I opened the door to see his little body catapulting back into his bed from the other side of the room. I asked him if he got out of bed. He said "I fell out of bed Mommy". I am sure he did NOT fall all the way across the room.

So, we love Austin and how God made him. But he has been testing our patience lately with screams and going his own way. But it shows me lots of truth about the world and about people...we certainly cannot be all good in and of ourselves and definitely need a savior to free us from ourselves. And there are days I am sure it is only my adult inhibitions or fear of what others would think that keep me from lying down on the floor screaming :).

On the mend

Well, Austin is finally better. Thanks for all your prayers. His fever was gone yesterday afternoon and he seems to be feeling better. He still has been rather crabby today, but with more spirit...I can tell he is on the mend. We are all thankful for that. We went outside and to the library today and Chris took Austin to the pool yesterday- which made him a very happy boy.

This is Bennett's favorite spot these days...holding on to my knee. He follows me around the house, wanting to climb up and be held. He is a big cuddler and loves to be close to Mommy.

Bennett still seems healthy. However, I think Bennett might have a food allergy. The past few weeks he has had this rash on his face that comes and goes and lately it hasn't gone away. Especially a few times right after meals it has seemed brighter red. It is rough and eczema-like. I have looked online and it seems to fit a food allergy rash. Sigh. He seems to feel fine, so that is good. But we are starting an "elimination diet" to try to determine what it might be. That means for 2 weeks he gets no diary, wheat, soy and eggs, among other things (like shellfish and nuts, which I have never given him anyway, and tomatoes and onions, processed foods with additives). I had gotten kind of slack in introducing new foods to him this past month...I had just given him new foods left and right, b/c he seemed to like them and do well with them. Now I feel bad about it. So after 2 weeks, we will slowly introduce these foods one at a time and see. For now I have to be really creative with what Bennett can eat...mostly rice or rice noodles, vegetables, fruit and meat. No bread, pasta, crackers, yogurt, eggs or anything baked with eggs, etc. I really hope he is not allergic to wheat, b/c it is in EVERYTHING.

Chris thinks maybe it is MSG (which he is allergic to) or food additives. We will let you know. I am glad he is only one and doesn't really realize all the things he is missing yet. If we put Austin on this diet, there would be some serious protesting. Anyone have any good recipes or food ideas for this small list of foods he can eat?

more blues

Well, I am feeling much better (thank you to all who sent a "get well soon" email or message) but now poor Austin has it. He has been feeling pretty bad yesterday and today. He has cried a good portion of both days...I think he is just sort of miserable and it takes very little to upset him. He has had a fever and I assume feels achy, though he can't and probably wouldn't verbalize that (he still denies that he is sick and NEVER admits when something hurts. He is funny like that). Today we watched a lot of videos- currently he is really into these "Old School" Sesame Street videos that I got last Christmas. They bring back lots of funny memories (today I heard "The Ladybug Picnic" which I remarkably remembered quite well).

But back to Austin...it is almost 10 pm and he just woke up crying for the second time since he went to bed. His fever is actually down, so I think he is getting better but having a hard time sleeping. After crying a few minutes, I tried to lay down with him, rock him in the rocking chair or sing to him...all of which he rejected. Finally he said "mommy go out". So I did and I think he is already asleep again. So, here's hoping Bennett can get away with staying well. And here's hoping for some sleep for all of us tonight.

Mooncake Blues

Today is Mid-Autumn Day, the annual holiday of mooncakes. It is a traditional harvest festival which always falls on a full moon according to the lunar calendar. The main practice is to give mooncakes to your friends, co-workers, people you need to kiss up to...and spend time with your family. Traditionally mooncakes are these round cakes stuffed with flavors like minced pork, egg or red bean paste. In recent years, you can now also buy Starbucks chocolate mooncakes and Dairy Queen ice cream mooncakes (though I have only ever tried the traditional kind, sadly).

But today might be my first Mid-Autumn festival where I have not eaten a single bite of mooncake. I am sick. Yuck. It really isn't that bad, but I have a low fever, am achy and feel nauseous though I have not thrown up. Mooncakes definitely are not appealing at the moment. Chris has been gone all day and into the evening and I am ...well, complaining via Blogger :) There is a beautiful full moon out and the weather has been beautiful. But I have been crabby all day. I sort of lost it with Austin tonight...he was really tired too after not napping and was being really picky with how we sang songs before bed and I was ready for him to be in bed. I apologized to him after I lost my patience, but he said he would not forgive me! I guess we need to work on that. Anyway, enough of my complaining.

中秋节快了! Happy Mid-Autumn Day and happy mooncake eating to those of you who have the stomach for it :)

Uh-oh on video

Here is the best I have been able to capture on video...not the best, but you get the idea. Here is sounds more like he is saying "uh-uh". This was on the train to the beach.


In other news, I got some sort of bug today. I didn't have a fever but have been achy, had chills and a sour stomach all day. Not fun, especially when you can't just call in sick to your kids :) I am hoping it will be gone by tomorrow.