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.