Saturday, an earful

Friday am: Libby's right ear is full of green gook, but she is happy, I just figure it's a bunch of wax
Friday: go shopping!
Friday afternoon: Libby's ear gook is running everywhere and her right eye is oozing, too . . . call the doctor . . . make an appointment for the morning
Saturday am: Libby's ear is still full of gook (kind of good so the doctor can see it) . . . the doctor says Libby has a doozy of an ear infection and her eardrum has ruptured . . . Libby has not been sick or fussy, she hasn't pulled on her ear or seemed uncomfortable at all . . . mommy feels bad that the poor child's ear basically exploded.
Get stinky pink liquid antibiotic medicine from the pharmacy, feed awkwardly to the now deaf-in-one-ear baby, continue on with life, keeping the ear away from water and wind. Laugh at Libby as she turns her head funny ways to hear us. Go back to the doctor in a few weeks to check the ear. Still looking for a good way to feed a baby a teaspoon of medicine.

Deer Hunter

A few days after Christmas, mommy and Libby went shopping and Chucky took Emma hunting. I think mommy and Libby had more fun! Emma was very excited to go hunting, but didn't want Chucky to actually hunt. She didn't want to walk through the woods and didn't want him to get his gun out. She said she had a good time just hanging out in the truck and eating all day. . . and peeing in the leaves.

Princesses and Dinosaurs

For Christmas Emma received a princess sleeping bag that has an air mattress in it. She pumped up the mattress all by herself, stomping on the pump with her foot for what seemed like 15 minutes. She was very proud of it and layed in it all afternoon. At bedtime, she took it up to her room and fell asleep in it. The next morning I asked her if she slept all night in it or if she got up in her real bed. She said she got up in her real bed because she was dreaming about dinosaurs and she was scared. When I asked her what the dinosaurs did, she said, "They bit a piece off of Libby!" The horror.
Here are the princesses before the nightmare:

Christmas Day 2007

The girls didn't get to bed until 9:30 on Christmas Eve, so at 7:45 when Emma had not come downstairs yet, I woke her up! The first thing she said when she came into the den was, "I knew I wanted that train!" She looked at everything real quick, then immediately wanted her stocking, and wanted to see what was in everyone else's, too.

Santa Claus was a little mixed up when he put the dollhouse together.


I am sure Santa worked very hard to assemble the train, but as you can see in the picture, it was disassembled in a hurry. Shelby stands by the remnants. Here is every den in America:




I love this picture, it shows how "grabby" Libby is and that she wants everything Emma has! Check out the little fingers coming from her green sleeve.


Pop Pop helps Libby open her Christmas gifts.

This is sweet sweet Libby with a maraca, moments before the famous Emma-meltdown-over-the-drum incident. To make the story short, I ended up carrying Emma to the car while she was shoeless, crying and screaming for her drum.

Angels Among Us

This is Emma's 3 year old preschool class. She's the angel in the blue pants. Addie, Sarah, Evie, Logan, Jason, Abigail, Thomas, Allison, Emma O. and Emma F. (All names according to Emma O.!)

Eight Months

Libby at eight months: laughing, smiling, waving (sort of!), trying to scoot, has zero teeth but eats green beans, mashed potatoes, gerber puffs, pound cake, eggs - she likes to eat! She loves peek a boo and watching the cat and the dog, and she has looked at the christmas lights with wonder. She can't crawl yet, but I'm sure the first place she will go is to Emma. Libby always wants whatever Emma has, and Emma does a good job of keeping things away from Libby.

Busted by a three year old

mommy: "You are a good mopper, Emma!"
emma: "Yeah, better than you!"
mommy: speechless . . . wondering if I should tell her to just say thank you, that everything is not a competition . . . and wanting to laugh at the same time . . . and wondering when I last mopped . . . then I went to get more water for her mop and Shelby ate my cereal while Libby giggled at everything. Is it Friday yet?

Overheard

Overheard yesterday while sitting at a lunch table with ten strangers, at a tax conference in Richmond:
"And what does your wife do?"
"She stays at home and raises the kids. She works harder than I do."
Amen, brother.

Just another Monday

Monday: Chucky comes home early from work and needs a ride to the service station to pick up his truck, but Libby is sleeping so we wait awhile. He and Emma lounge around on the couch and watch a show or two, then we all get dressed and head out to the car. Chucky notices the back of Emma's pants are wet, so he fusses at her, and I say when did that happen, Emma? She tells us, "when I were on the couch!" Just then I see the back of Chucky's leg, at the bottom, there is a wet spot. Heeeheeee I can't stop laughing! He got peed on and didn't even know it! Turns out he had on long johns under his jeans and I guess it didn't go all the way through. OK. So he gets Emma changed and we go to the service station. Chucky's truck is locked up in the garage, so he calls his cousin who hopefully has a key to the building. While waiting, Emma has to pee again. So Chucky takes her behind a car to pee in the leaves. He comes back and says she peed on his hand. Heeeheee again! Chucky's cousin comes and doesn't have a key. Libby is crying by now because it's past time for her bottle. So we all go back home, no truck, peed on, and irritated. Just call us the Griswalds. We are well on our way of continuing the Gaskins tradition of not being able to travel without an incident, or two.

Parade, again

Libby was in the Record office all bundled up and ready for the parade a few minutes early. I guess it was too comfy and warm because she fell asleep in my arms before the parade even started. I had this "coat" for Emma and never used it . . . and I don't even remember how I got it. Did I buy it? Did someone hand it down to us? I can't see myself buying this . . . so thanks to whoever must have given it to us.

Last week Emma let the dental hygienist clean her teeth, after much persuading and joking of course. But when the dentist entered the room she cried and clung to me and never let him get near her. The hygienist had to show the dentist her teeth from across the room. I was so proud of her - this was major progress at the dentist's office! After the dentist, we ate a quick lunch in the mall and went to the portrait studio there and had some great pictures taken of Emma and Libby. I couldn't believe my luck. That they were both awake and happy, and that we managed a quick lunch (nothing is quick with a 3 year old), and that this far into the day, with all the stressful things we were doing, there had been minimal amounts of tears. And this was just a few days after willingly sitting with Santa. What a week.

Not much else going on . . except there's so much going on I can't remember what I've been doing nor have had time to write about it. I've been shopping and wrapping and going to tax conferences and working and trying to take on on-line class and I haven't cooked in so long . . . Chucky has been enjoying hunting season and is almost looking forward to it being over . . . Shelby is still itchy . . . Emma is at the church Christmas program with Nannie . . . I'm going to do laundry now.

Gifts

Yesterday while Emma was at school I wrapped a bunch of gifts. They are stashed in a corner in the dining room in hopes that Shelby, Dot and Emma will not bother them. Emma saw them first thing this morning and asked me if Santa Claus had come. Awwww. It was just so cute! When I told her that those were gifts from us to other people, like Ghee and PopPop, she got upset because I didn't let her help me wrap. A 3 year old is the best and the worst helper. Eager, but slow and particular and often incapable. Always cute and exasperasting at the same time, always a gift.

Parade

No picture available of Libby - who was in a thick pink coat-type-thing with legs and was shaped like a starfish. She was warm in my lap and I am the photographer so that will remain a memory for only me!

A Moment with Santa

We visited Santa at Patrick Henry Mall. Emma's friends Linton and Garrison went first and had a delightful time. Emma got close, then backed up a little and had tears in her eyes. Santa and I convinced her that she needed to help him hold onto Libby. So up on his lap she went. No crying. Picture (notice her grip on Libby's arm). Then I got Libby (who was pulling on Santa's beard when her arm was not in Emma's grip), and asked Emma if she wanted to tell Santa what she wants for Christmas. And she looked up at him and said "traintrackdollouse!" Then he gave her a candy cane and we walked away. I was so shocked that it was so painless. Visits with Emma and Santa have been so difficult in the past. I am still telling her how proud I am of her. She was so brave . . . but maybe, just a little, I like it when she didn't like anyone else but me! I don't know if she was able to do it without crying because of Libby, or because she saw her friends do it, or because she's just another year older and is so much more social than she's ever been. She surprises me constantly.

Decorating

The tree is up, the stockings are hung and Chucky handled the dreaded lights and timers. Most of the gifts are wrapped. We've been to see Santa. My neck and shoulders are in pain from the stress. But two smiling sweet little girls make it all worthwhile. Libby stayed with me inside while I decorated, and Emma played outside while Chucky decorated out there. Here's my helper:

What Emma Said Today

"If you're a turkey, it's time to trot . . . and stay away from the roasting pot!"

I thought this was so funny . . . I've never heard her repeat songs from school. She called Chucky, Ghee and Nannie and sang them her song.

Blowing Leaves

Look What My Kid Can Do

Dinner

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!

Happy Thanksgiving

Sometimes a shoestring makes a great toy.


Sometimes you can only get one child to participate.

Sometimes Thanksgiving is so stressful and busy we forget to give thanks. Chas' blessing: Thank you God for happy hearts and sunny weather and that we are together. There is more but I don't remember it.
What are you most thankful for? I am most thankful for a healthy family. Someone told me today he is most thankful for me. Awwww.

7 Months

Libby is seven months old today! She can sit up very well and ocassionally falls over. She can empty a small box of toys and taste each one. She can belly laugh with the best of us, especially when Emma plays ghost under her towel and then pops her head out and yells peek-a-boo! She loves squash and spinach, and is not too fond of peas. Her favorite person these days is daddy!

Two heads are better than one

This picture explains why Libby can wear Emma's hats.

Our Driveway

EMMA O.

Emma can write her name! I have no idea how long she has been able to do this, I need to ask her teacher. Today at Ruby Tuesday she got a children's menu and some crayons, and she promptly wrote her name on it. As Emma would say, Holy Cow! I had tears in my eyes, I was so proud of her! And so upset that I didn't know she could do that! After she wrote EMMA, she added O. to the end. There is an EMMA F. in her class, so she is accustomed to her name being EMMA O. on everything. Poor thing. Poor thing can write!!!!!! My goal is to get my brother to scan it so I can post it here and save it forever!

Zoo

Thank you, God, for a beautiful day at a beautiful place with these beautiful people. We only spilled one chocolate milkshake (in the new van), one drink in the zoo, and ripped one shirt (two of the above belong to my friend Kristyn!).

15 minutes after this picture was taken, this wild child was fast asleep in her car seat . . . and mommy was listening to mommy music (something Emma yells about until I turn it off)

Things I can't do without you, lovely internet

check the weather forecast
check email
pay bills, check the bank account
see my to do list and my Christmas list
SHOP! for Christmas, of course
upload my pictures onto kodakgallery for safekeeping
look up a phone number for someone to help me get online
find out why my blog changed names without telling me

The princess, the octopus and the hot dog

Halloween was a long day. I got the girls dressed at 1:30 to take pictures outside in our yard. By the time we went to Urbanna and a few places in Deltaville and the Halloween Party it was 7:30. Emma didn't want her picture taken, and ate an apple and candy for dinner. Libby was a real trooper all day/night long!

What? Haven't you ever seen a hot dog with ketchup before? My buddy Emma picked this out just for me on the internet!

Buddies

The process of assembling this little box took embarassingly (is that a word?) longer than it should have. I just blamed it on Emma and Shelby after hearing that Chucky put together multiples of these in less than two hours. Emma's room is full of these now, soon to hold some toys relocated from our den.
Emma and Shelby really are buddies, and Libby is joining in the friendship, too. I've never heard them laugh so much as they do when Shelby does silly things. Shelby is the original "baby girl."

Amaryllis 4, The End

The amaryllis bit the dust. It go so tall and heavy that it fell over, off the table, into the floor. Dirt everywhere. Flowers wilted. Dead. I just threw it in the trash. Emma cried real tears. How disappointing!

A day with mommy

Ghee and Pop-pop are still in California and I didn't have anything pressing to do at work, so after we dropped Emma off at preschool today, Libby and I spent the day together (she usually spends the day with Ghee). It has been wonderful being able to really pay attention to her. I think she misses her full-time entertainer, though!

Christmas in October

For Christmas 2006, Chucky gave me a television to be installed under the kitchen cabinet. Yesterday it was installed. It also plays movies, CDs and the radio. Chucky said, "There. Now you can watch TV for the fifteen minutes a day you spend in the kitchen." I ignored that, 100 percent sure it was a joke. Okay maybe 75 percent sure.

Statistics

Libby's 6 month checkup, October 22, 2007
Weight: 17 lbs, 8oz (75-90%)
Length: 26.5 inches (75%)
Head circumference: 41.5 cent (25-50%)
Well, well, well. We have a big baby. Who knew? Emma was always in a high percentile for her weight, and a low one for her length (short and fat). So Libby is big, but at least she's tall enough to carry it well.
Her mother is happy to report that all but 2 or 3 pounds of her pregnancy weight is gone. For some reason the hips and thighs have stayed wider and the pants and skirts won't zip up. Does this ever get better?

Amaryllis, week 3

Fridgewatch

http://www.fridgewatcher.com/ A peek into the heart of a family - their refrigerator!
Here is a picture of mine - I'm not putting this on here to show everyone, but because I think it will be fun for me to look back on in a few years! We have another one in the garage that contains juice boxes, beer and a freezer full of beef. Really all a person needs to survive.
Inside Freezer
Freezer door
Top half of fridge
Bottom half of fridge
Inside the fridge door

Six Months Old

Libby is six months old! I can't believe it! Once the first two months went by the rest seem to have flown. I already wish I had taken more pictures and used the video camera more. Libby can sit up for very short amounts of time. She can pick up just about anything and bring it to her mouth, including Emma's hair. Emma never did that, so we are new at remembering to keep small things away from her. Emma likes to put stickers on Libby but they end up in her mouth, and Emma does not deal well with being told not to put stickers on her sister! Libby eats two or three jars of baby food each day. She gets upset if I try to skip one and give her a bottle instead. She likes her food! She is not on a schedule during the day, she still just takes naps whenever she can, but she needs to be in her bed. If she falls asleep somewhere else, like the floor or her carseat, the nap only lasts 10 or 15 minutes. She wakes up happy, though, and I am thankful I can still take her places whenever I want to. I don't feel restricted by her naptimes. Emma was a different story. We didn't dare interrupt her nap or we would have a cranky monster to deal with. Libby can roll over and generally does not want to be on her belly. She is interested in watching the dog, I mean dogs! Phoebe is still with and I think Libby will miss her when she leaves.
Libby slept through the night last night. The past few weeks I have been letting her fuss during the night. Some nights she doesn't fuss at all, and other nights she'll fuss for 20 minutes. She hasn't woken Emma up yet and Chucky tells me it's mean - but I don't see him jumping up to take care of her. And she's not crying and screaming, she's just fussing. To him there is no difference, but to me those are the three levels of crying! It's working because she has slept through the night several times. Last night she slept from 7:30pm to 7:30am. Usually she's up around 6:30 with a very stinky diaper but today I got to sleep in. It's still dark outside around 7am so Emma has been sleeping in, too. When daylight savings time ends I'm sure we will all be up with the sun.
It has been very interesting to see how different Emma and Libby are. From the time Libby was a month old, I could tell that she was more laid back. People say, oh it's because you're more relaxed the second time around, or just that "it's a second child thing." I really don't think so. Their temperaments are just different. People say boys and girls are so different, but I think it's their temperament, not their sex. I have a friend that has two boys, and her first one is laid back and the second one is crazy busy fussy. It's all just a mystery, and a miracle.
We have a sleeping, grinning cutie pie of a baby girl. We are so blessed.

Here are some pictures I took of the girls together. You can see as time progresses, they are less interested in the camera and more interested in . . . well . . . anything other than the camera.