If It's Not One Thing, It's His Brother

Now that we're looking back on two weeks of gastrointestinal mayhem with Reeves (I'll post more on that later), we figured it was all over, from both ends. Looks like (knock on wood), it is. So tonight, after a big dinner and playing outside with Daddy, I took Bennett in, gave him is kisses and nestled him soundly in his crib. I headed outside for more kickball with the big boys. We finally went in and put Reeves in the tub. Suddenly, uncharacteristically, Bennett started wailing. Normally I don't jump to get him at night, but this was one of those cries when you know something is wrong. It was. He had thrown up all over his crib. Great! Of course, Bennett had just had one of his twice or thrice weekly baths, but since Reeves was already in the big tub, we figured why not throw Benny Boy in too. So Bennett got his first bath in the big boy tub tonight. Reeves was a little unsure about sharing his treasured bath toys with his little brother, but ultimately relented as long as Bennett didn't play with any of his "my favorite color blue" toys. It really was too cute, and despite the reason behind the necessary second bath of the night, I'm glad it happened. Bryant got the camera to document the occasion. It amazes me looking at these pictures now, how big Bennett looks. He's not an infant any more. I can't believe it. He really did a good job in the tub, sitting up most of the time, only slipping a couple of times.I just hope we haven't created a monster who doesn't like his baby tub any more. Unfortunately, I've never seen him have this much fun in the tub on the kitchen sink, even when his big brother gets on the counter and washes his toes. I think Reeves liked having a buddy in the tub too.
The good news is, I think the throw up was just caused by post nasal drip and not a tummy bug. He seems to be fine now, but I've turned the monitor up way loud just in case.

As If There Was Any Doubt...

Just to let all you mommies of boys who are eyeing Eliza as a possible daughter-in-law know... It's pretty clear who she's wrapping up these days! She's got him right where she wants him!I'm booking the rehearsal dinner spot right now!

Second Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Well, despite the weather threatening us all day, the hunt came off without a hitch. It was fun to see how much better the children were this year at hunting the eggs than last year. The party lasted about an hour and a half, but the actual hunt probably took all of two minutes. We probably put out at least a thousand eggs. They were all gone two minutes after the bell rang. ALL GONE! Not a single undiscovered egg was left. I know this because since my child was 20 minutes late and asleep in the car when he arrived, it took quite a while for him to liven up. Unfortunately for him, this foul mood ate into the two precious minutes of egg hunting. So he ended up with about five eggs. His fault, so I didn't feel too bad, but I was silently bemoaning the fact that I wouldn't have and cute "hunting" pictures of him. Thank heavens for the kindness of friends. Caroline "borrowed" three eggs from Fordham's basket, which I promptly dropped, and Reeves found. That was thankfully sufficient to satisfy his need to hunt. Then Henry and Reeves shared all their eggs together. Somehow they ended up with about the same amount. What a sweetie. Even Bennett got in on a little of the egg swapping action. What a world of wonder the ability to sit up has brought him! I think we're going to have to come up with some better hiding places next year, or perhaps have varsity and JV fields. These kids are just too smart for us!

Because of the forboding weather, it was a cool day with a great breeze (wind). This was wonderful because it kept the gnats away, and honestly, I would rather have to load up on the layers rather than fight the bugs. It really was a perfect day with family and great friends. And I think the hosts and hostesses were wonderful!I don't know what I'd do without you girls!! Thanks again for a great hunt!

On a Lighter Note...

Caroline called yesterday with a need to occupy these extra afternoon hours we have now that it's daylight savings time. Since I was in desperate need of the same thing, I met her over at the Pirate Park. Reeves loves this playground. He and Fordham have had lots of fun over the past couple of months playing there, and I knew he would be super excited to go. And he was. Until we actually got there. Dr. Jekyl, meet Mr. Hyde. He starting pitching a fit as soon as we pulled up. I now know it was all over these stupid Batman stickers I was letting him play with in the car. NEVER AGAIN! I left him in the car when we first got there, and when he was finally allowed out, he say that I had given a little girl one of the stickers. Well, it was either that or I'd just told him that I'd just killed his puppy. Either way, his animosity towards me was the same. So, back to the car we went. I buckled him in, left the door open and returned to the playground. Then Caroline reminded me of this, so I went and got him. Although spending some time in jail at that moment was almost preferrable to having to deal with the monster. So he spent most of his playground time wailing over the fact that some little girl had one of his stickers. He finally did perk up and return to being the sweet child that he usually is. Unfortunately for him, this left him with about ten minutes to actually play. I know I probably should have left with him before we even got out, but I was so amazed by his behavior. Fordham is a sweet and patient friend, that's all I can say.

Luckily today, the boys got a lot more time to play together since I brought Dr. Jekyl to the park. Thanks, Caroline, for braving the playground again with us! We had a great time on this gorgeous day!

One More Angel in Heaven

I've been debating whether I wanted to post this or not, but I feel like I need to. I need to let everyone know what a wonderful person my grandfather was. He was an inspiring role model, a dedicated christian, a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and a die-hard Citadel man.

We lost Poppa last Sunday night. I got to the hospital about 20 minutes after he passed away. At first I thought I would regret this, but looking back, I realize that it was probably for the best. I had taken both boys by that Monday. He had held Bennett and thrown the ball for Reeves. I now know how lucky I am that this is the last memory I will have of him. I hope Reeves will be able to remember that day as well as he grows up.
My heart aches for Grandmother right now. I know that Poppa is in a perfect place now, but it's hard on those of us still sporting our mortal coils, and I know it is hardest on her. Our lives have changed in that he's not out there anymore. We can't pop by and see him; we can't call him and hear his distinctive voice. Our everyday lives haven't changed too much other than the places in our hearts that were once reserved for love and caring for Poppa are now occupied by how much we miss him. But Grandmother's world has been changed. Everyday she sees where he used to be, and I can only imagine how much that breaks her heart. She's still in the house that they built together almost 60 years ago. She now sits down to an empty breakfast table and next to a silent Lazy Boy. I know dying is a part of life, and we all knew this day would come, but it doesn't make it any easier. I'm glad we have a big family to be there for her. I'm glad she has a great network of friends as well. Both are such an important support system.

Poppa loved his family more than anything. I know he was a wonderful father to my mother and her siblings, but I think he was really put on this earth to be a grandfather. He took us on trips up to the farm and to Disneyworld and Dollywood. He played with us in the surf at the beach. I still remember vividly going down to the beach in the late afternoons and jumping off of his shoulders into the waves. He took us to play golf with him and would give us advice on our swings. He (and my mother) made sure we always spoke proper English. I remember growing up that I would always say "was like" when what I was meaning was "said". He took it as his own personal mission to break me of that. He would say "Like what?" every time I said it. I don't know that I completely stopped saying it, but to this day I am much more cognisant of it and still try not to say it. As much pleasure as his grandchildren brought him, his greatgrandchildren only sweetened the pot. He would get very emotional each time he saw them. I can only imagine how amazing it must be to look down on three more generations. I hope I am so lucky one day. It is truly a gift from God.

A week before he died, I brought Poppa the papers for him to sign to give my boys their Provisional Appointments to The Citadel. It doesn't guarantee they'll go there, but I want them to know how important that school was to their greatgrandfather and how much it meant to him that they just might end up there. It was a very emotional moment for all of us.It's hard to believe that was less than three weeks ago. We miss him so much. In the words of Pearl and Frannie's grandfather, "He's gotten his final promotion." What a legacy he left.

Monkey See

Oh yes, and now that Bennett is wearing a bib, guess who else wants in on the action? Right, Reeves, who has hardly ever worn one, now insists on protecting his clothing at every meal. But does he want the bib with his name so lovingly embroidered on it by Spencer and Eliza's grandmother? Oh no, he wants the one that I have decided would be the best for Bennett to use. Of course.

Give Peas a Chance

So, maybe going out of town the very day I resolved to get Bennett eating solids wasn't the best parenting decision, but the trip was already planned, and it's not like I was expecting a major breakthrough immediately. I tried getting him to eat bananas in the hotel room, but I might as well have tried feeding him in a funhouse. Despite the fact that it was only one room, there were so many new distractions, including his brother, that Bennett's focus wasn't really on the task at hand. I do think a little bit made it into his tummy, but it certainly wasn't like real progress. Fine. Thursday morning we hit the ground running. I had a whole smorgasboard laid out - rice cereal, applesauce, bananas, carrots, and peas. The jaw clamped shut. What little bit was actually able to make it past his lips came right out. I finally got to the peas. He started screaming. Undaunted, I shoved a teeny spoonful in midscream. He stopped, looked at me, and opened his mouth again. I couldn't believe it. He liked the peas!! Hey Mikie!! To be sure it wasn't a fluke, I put more peas into the open mouth. It worked. Oh joy! I added a little rice cereal to them to give them a thicker consistency with equal success. Maybe this is the breakthrough we've been needeing. He's not inhaling them, but he's at least amenable to the idea that all of his nourishment doesn't have to come from me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more success today. If motherhood has taught me nothing else, it has at least made me realize that what works one day doesn't necessarily work the next, but you can always hope.

"Murray Beach"

This is what Reeves, with his developing speech calls Myrtle Beach. We just got back last night from our first foray into staying in a hotel room as a family. Bryant had a class T&W so we decided to make a mini-vacation of it. I must admit, as excited as I was to get out of town for a couple of days, I was dreading the nights spent with both children in the hotel. Luckily, my fears were completely unnecessary. Both boys slept great. I had envisioned being up all night as they woke each other up and took turns keeping us up. I was sure Bryant was going to be nodding off in his class because of this. Looks like Bennett has been a good influence on Reeves. Once we were all in for the night, we pushed the Pack-n-Play up against the door and covered the open side with a blanket so that Bennett couldn't see out. (It was too small to fit in the bathroom.) It worked like a charm. He even took a two hour nap in it Wednesday morning with Reeves and me in the room! Reeves spent the first night in one double bed by himself and the next snuggled up next to Daddy. (I know Bryant loved this!) Both boys, and consequently we, slept through the night both nights. Our room was peacefully quiet until almost 7:00. Neither B nor I could believe it.
Last week Reeves found some new beach toys in the garage. Bryant had bought them at the end of last summer. It's a bucket and toys all strapped to a dolly. For days before we left, Reeves would walk all over the yard with his beach toys. He loves them. He talked all about how he was going to play at "Murray Beach" with his beach toys. Unfortunately for him (and me), the weather was not cooperating. It was cold and rainy on Tuesday and pretty but freezing and windy on Wednesday. So, while Bryant was in class, the boys and I did a lot of driving and a little shopping - but mostly driving. They both took their afternoon naps in the car while I did laps up and down the bypass and the strip.
When Daddy got out of class on Tuesday, we headed to Broadway at the Beach for dinner. It was almost deserted. We first went to eat at a place called Key West Grill. I had to ask to be seated away from the table of smokers. I mean really, we have two children with us and the restaurant is about 9% full. Is this really the best place to put us? What an idiot host! Once we sat down and looked at the menu, we realized the cheapest thing on the menu was $23. Let's just say that's not in the budget now that I'm staying home. Luckily, no one came over to us at all in the five minutes we were there. Bennett was pretty fussy, so we used that as our excuse to book it out of there. We ended up at Hard Rock Cafe. Not too bad, and Reeves loved walking around looking at all the memorabilia. And it was loud, which is a must when your pushing bedtimes with two.
Since checkout was at 12:00 on Wednesday, I loaded up the car and headed out with the boys. We walked some, but it was so cold outside that, although Reeves probably would have been fine, I just couldn't subject Bennett to it. We hit Barefoot Landing for a bit, fed Bennett in a couple of parking lots, napped, and watched Nemo on continuous loop. Other than a few breakdowns, Reeves did great. The breakdowns concisted mainly of him screaming "NO!!" at the top of his lungs, continuously. I can't wait for this phase to be over.
Since I had a lot of quiet time driving up and down Myrtle, I had a lot of time to think. I was surprised by how depressed the whole place got me. Going down the old Strip is like standing in the middle of two time periods. On the land side you have the old inns and lodges that have been there for two or three generations. They're the kind of places I remember staying in as a kid. If I tried, I could just see the families pouring out of their stationwagons, beach toys and towels in hand. They'd come for a week and have the best time of their lives. They'd play on the beach all day, swim in the pool if they were lucky enough to stay at a place fancy enough to have a pool, maybe eat out, maybe cook in, and watch all the activity on the Strip at night. Fall asleep, exhausted, in a bed with sandy sheets, only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. They'd get to know the kids around them, and they'd all become best friends for those seven days they were there. Then, juxtaposed right across the street, oceanfront, are these massive highrises, holding hundreds if not thousands of guests each. They completely dwarf the smaller ins behind them. There is no view of the ocean save for those who pay for it from up above the fray. I just can't see that any interaction goes on with anyone else when you stay at one of these places. I didn't expect it to, but it depressed me. I don't long for the "good old days" all that often, but Myrtle Beach made me do just that. I can't fault the landowners who sold out so that these monstrosities could be built. How can you turn down multiple millions of dollars when you're making a living by cleaning up other people's rooms? They have torn down the old Pavillion. I imagine they'll probably put up another couple of huge hotels, maybe a park or two, but these too will be places cloaked in anonimity. Seems that the best place to go to be alone is right in the middle of the biggest crowd you can find. That's the beach vacation most people who go to Myrtle now get. SHAG, the movie, is truly now nothing more than a distant memory. There are still some beaches that are doing all they can to stay true to the family summer communities, but they are few and far between.
Reeves did finally get to take his beach toys on to Myrtle Beach. After dragging them behind him through all the outlets and stores, we bundled up and went down to the beach right before Bryant got out of his last class. He was perfectly content to dig and rake. We watched the birds and looked for shells. Then, it started to get dark. I looked up and realized the sun was indeed going down, but it wouldn't truly set for another hour and a half. It was just sinking, not below the horizon, but below the tops of the highrises. A day cut short by overzealous development. But a trip I am so glad we all got to go on. Our first "vacation" as a family of four.

Bennett's Six Month Stats

Weight: 13'6"

Height: 27 1/2"

Head: 17"

Well, he's done it. He's off the charts - on the downside. He was 15th percentile at 4 months, and now his weight has dropped him below the chart. Dr. G said she wasn't terribly concerned, given that his head and height are growing, and he has gained a pound since last time. And since he has been revolting against food, that may play into it as well. She suggested going to Stage 2 baby foods and just to keep trying. If I am still concerned in a week or two, I may give him a bottle a day of formula in addition to everything else. She also said that based on his brother's small size as a baby, she wasn't too worried either. Other than the weight issue, he is doing wonderfully. He is active, babbling, laughing, reaching, kicking, even sitting up unassisted for about 10-15 seconds.

I know in my heart of hearts that his weight is really nothing to worry about. The "charts" are based solely on averages. But still, you always want to walk out of the doctor's office feeling like all's well, so this little thing is nagging at me. We'll just have to redouble the eating efforts. What fun. He did get three shots plus the Rotovirus oral. He cried a little but quickly consoled himself when I picked him up. I didn't even nurse him till we got home. He is now sleeping peacefully. Enjoy it, Bennett Boy, because when you wake up, it's chow time!

By the way, his cousin, Caulder, who is 4 months younger than Bennett, now outweighs him by a pound!

SEWE 2008

Last Saturday, Bryant and I took the boys down to Marion Square to see the animals. We hadn't even looked at a SEWE schedule. If we had, we probably would have headed over to Brittlebank to see the Dock Dogs. But no matter, we still had a great time and even got to see the birds of prey in action. This was very exciting for Reeves who is all in to bald eagles. Apparently any bird bigger than a dove is a bald eagle. "Mommy, see bal eadul!!" "No, Reeves, that's a vulture." "No! Bal eadul!" OK. I guess we'll work on the various subspecies later. We went through the petting zoo again this year, and Reeves was fascinated with the camel and monkeys. We were successful at avoiding the jump castles for most of the day. Unfortunately, the exit of the big tent was right at the castles. Any other time we would have let him get right in there, but there were so many people there we were hesitant to do it. Luckily he didn't pitch too much of a fit. Reeves is still scared to death of anything canine, but he has no fear of slithering, coldblooded snakes. I don't get it. We gave in to one little bout of consumerism and bought Reeves a plastic bald eagle. He adores it. It hangs from the Oh Shandle above and beside his car seat. He has named it Pickles. Oh, how Pickles loves to fly around in circles for Reeves! We took the obligatory SEWE-Here's-An-Alligator-Eating-Your-Child picture. This is still a little disturbing to me. The boys had done great all day, and we made it home just before breakdown time. A great ending to a great day.