Chabbange*

For the month of October, Jason and I will be doing our best to write down all of our expenses and our meals, snacks, etc. We're joining Susan and her beau in this venture; they're doing it for preparation purposes and we're doing it because we need to get a better handle on where our money goes and what we're putting into our bodies. While we do okay, both of us could be in better shape, physically and financially. I'll do my best to update here and let you know how it's going. Anyone care to play along?




*Chabbange=challenge. When I was a freshman, my science teacher wrote an entire test around the word "chabbange," which started with a story about one of his students who fictiously ran into a brick wall and the brick dust mixed up with spit and it came out "chabbange." The story is probably better if I tell you in person (or even better if you were actually there). Ask me and I'll tell.

Sunday Already

I think we (meaning, Halsey, Ethan and myself) spent more time with Jason this weekend than we have in a long time. He only had to go into work late last night and then for a few hours today. We spent the whole day together yesterday. We went to the co-op in the morning, then walked over to the Family Fall Fun Festival thing over at the farmer's market, then we all took naps (!!). After that, we met up with Mom and Finn out at Layman Farms and finally, had dinner with Susan and Patrick. It was an incredibly busy day but a good day and I was glad we finally got the spend some time together.
Today was Dad's birthday and we just made a late lunch here at our house to celebrate. We bought all kinds of goodies to make pressed sammies and Mom made homemade frosting for German chocolate cupcakes-- so good!
And now, Ethan is sleeping in his crib for the first time at night. He's been taking naps there, but we generally co-sleep. I think it's just hard on me right now. I think that he's been waking up at night because he here's us coming in and getting ready for bed. So now he's in the crib and we'll see how our night goes.

It's just a few days until autumn.

And I am thankful. Ethan and I took a walk this evening after dinner and the air was warm but felt a bit crisp. I'm looking forward to taking lunchtime walks on Fridays; we haven't done it much recently because it's been so hot and humid. We've been walking a lot these past few weeks, mostly after dinner. We usually walk up to the library and then bop into the coffee shop across the street. It's the coffee shop I used to work at when I was in college; the same one where I met some of the people I love most in this life (and now two of the people are marrying each other!). I'm sad, though, because there's been a change in managers and it seems the store is going downhill. The products aren't as great as they used to be (more prepackaged, less fresh) and the service is less than desirable. Salem is a very small town and there are lots of "regulars" that we've gotten to know and because it is such a small town, we all run into each other outside of the coffee shop and we all share conspiratorial looks with one another and mutter under our breaths about how it's just not what it used to be, le sigh. Over the summer, a locally owned car wash and an antique store on Main Street were torn down and now there's a big empty lot, just waiting to be filled. Normally, I'm against tearing down one building only to build another, but I'm so hoping that they build a new coffee shop, something more like Mojo (a very hip coffee shop over on Brambleton). Keep your fingers crossed we get something good.

The boys are doing great. Halsey loves preschool. Jason says that every morning, he confidently hangs up his jacket and backpack in his cubbie and runs over to the computer with two of his friends. He's been talking a lot about the computers; he's convinced that there's a ghost from one of the games that is in our house. Bedtime has become a bit more challenging recently, but I think once we get past Halloween we'll be okay. Ethan is continuing with his speed-growing, or at least that's how it seems to me. He's six and a half months old now. He's eating lunch and dinner; we still have started breakfast. While he can sit up for a few seconds, I'm waiting until he can sit for longer periods of time before we start breakfast. He's doing great with Susan, who keeps him the four days I'm at work. He reaches out for her in the mornings and it makes me feel so good to know that he obviously feels safe and loved in her care. It's all a mother could ask for, really. Work is going well, for me at least. I really do love teaching. I have so many students who were such apathetic readers who have blossomed into voracious readers and come to thank me for that and I am reminded why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Jason's job is keeping him busy and that's putting it mildly. We're hoping that things slow down here as the weather changes.

But overall, life is good. We have plans to visit pumpkin farms, maybe pick some apples, drink warm cider, wear costumes for as much of October as possible and enjoy each other's company. October is looking to be a good month.

Half Way There--

Happy Half Birthday 9/4/08

Ethan is six months old today; halfway to his first birthday. There are times when I’m astonished at the fact that my teeny baby is now six months old and other times when I can barely remember a time without him. He loves his pets; Dillon and Sawyer can always make him giggle. He loves to “pet” them; while he occasionally gets a fistful of fur, he’s learning to rub them gently. Being outside is his cure-all. No matter what is wrong, simply stepping outside and spending some time on the porch swing or taking a walk around the block makes life great again. He prefers green veggies to just about anything else—except bananas. Freshly mashed bananas are still his number one. He’s almost sitting up on his own now, though he inevitably leans over to put his toes into his mouth. As of yesterday, he has “fangs.” His two bottom teeth have both broken through his gums and those suckers are sharp! He has the sweetest baby giggle and absolutely adores his brother and his dad. When he smiles, it’s with his whole face—his eyebrows lift, his cheeks round out and the corners of his mouth turn up so much. He has my hairline; the Wilhelm cowlick. The most recent development that has me head over heels for him all over again is that he reaches out for one of us. I have never felt so loved.
I can’t believe he is on his way to crawling and walking, to eating what we eat, to talking. I can’t believe he is growing so quickly. I love him more than I ever thought I could love another person and it truly does grow more each day.

Happy Half-Birthday, Turtle. We more than love you.