Giselle's army crawl

August 22nd was monumentous with Gabriel turning five and Giselle starting to crawl. She is really getting around.

Back to School

With Gabriel's friends starting Kindergarten on August 10th at public school, I would have thought he would ask questions as to why he isn't and show a little sadness that he isn't going, too. I'm happy to report he is happy to be home schooling with daddy this year. We may still opt to have him go to Kindergarten next year or just reevaluate where he is this time next year. For now, we have created our own curriculum and enjoy teaching him. It's not always structured with another little one (our five month old) so we gear it around nap times and definitely when he seems especially interested in a particular subject matter. We do have some work books and other materials, but this is generally what we are focusing on for this year...

Jim and Marcy's curriculum:
Bible: study a scripture based on a God story; start the school day with prayer

Social Studies: read about other cultures, study the month and meaning of holidays, special occasions

Science: study animals, plants and solar system, experimentation, colors, temperature, weather, seasons, cooking/baking

Language arts: phonics, sight words, reading, writing, organizing, oral skills, listening

Health/PE: grooming, body parts, safety, physical fitness (learn and participate in a sport)

Math: counting beyond 20, sequence, patterns, money denominations, basic problem-solving, calendar, clock reading, more and less than

Music: we enjoy all kinds of music from classical, opera and country to pop and rock

3 hours a day:
Bible: 15 min
SS: 15 min
Science: 15 min
Math: 30 min
(Break: 30 min of play)
L.A.: read books 30 min, write 15 min, phonics and sight words 15 min = 1 hour
P.E.: 30-45 min of one-on-one physical fitness (soccer, golf, running, tumbling, dancing, swimming)

Thank God for miracles

Our neighbors Steve and Sherry Morton lost their son Steven -- but only for 30 minutes when he was resusitated and brought back to life. Miraculously no brain damage and he is doing just fine. Everyone on our street is celebrating life!

August Update

August has been filled with ups and downs ... from stressful work days to exciting milestones like Gabriel turning five years old and Giselle beginning to army crawl all in the same day. My kids are growing up and make our days joyful, interesting and of course hard on occasions.

Gabriel loves Chuck E. Cheese's and tells us "It's not just about cheese you know." However, he will most likely be an inventor or baker when he grows up going by what he is most interested in right now -- not counting his Bakugan's and cars of course. His latest invention is the "Super Double Scizor" - scissors with three blades. Not sure that would work, but love that his mind is always thinking. He says he's the "Ideamaker!" I guess he thought it was a good idea when he made "water art" as he called it on my kitchen walls. I'm just thankful it wasn't markers or water colors. He's full of ideas...and questions....one morning he crawls into bed with me and asks so randomly, "Mommy, what would happen if people's feet were on backwards?" I've never thought of this, but I guess we would all fall down. He also hides things in interesting areas. We found all his little soldiers stuffed into his golf club cover. One day Jim couldn't find his keys and wallet -- Gabriel had placed them into a kitchen drawer. Now we ask him when we can't find something because who knows if he has strategically placed them into something.

My favorite day of the week is Saturday mornings when our little hyper active tornado runs into our room to come snuggle with us. He immediately goes to Giselle's crib to see if she is "waked" up yet. We put the smiling baby between us and the four of us have a good laugh with him jumping, kissing her feet and her smiling and laughing at him. I keep thinking he will scare her, but he hasn't yet, in fact, she finds him endless entertainment.

Giselle is doing great and is just the happiest baby on the block -- and I didn't even have to use Dr. Karp's five step approach to calm fussy and colic babies..the author of "Happiest Baby on the Block". She smiles at everyone and only fusses at night when she has trouble settling herself down to sleep. But when she does cry, we just want to pull our hair out -- it's so hard to listen to a baby cry. I tell people the government should use that as a tactic to have enemies listen to a cry in a small room and they'll start talking in any interrogation situation. She's eating solids now, army crawling, puts everything in her mouth and is still a slobber goose. We all still call her Gisellie and we love her so much. She is such an added joy and blessing to our family.

I know, all this sounds good, right? What about the down part of August's ups and downs? My former boss, Critt Graham died on August 1st. He is the reason I am where I am in my career and he was such a great man. He has had a tremendous impact in the design community in Atlanta and will be greatly and deeply missed. Recession has hit hard and we're all working harder for less money, but I suspect that things will brighten up in the next few months if we can sustain. But the added stress has taken a toll on me and I'm trying to find ways to deal with it. Coupled with sleep deprivation and it makes it difficult, but I did manage to make it to a dance class twice and hope to take up yoga. Then, we were to head out to the beach for my birthday weekend -- we were all packed up and instead of driving to FL, we drove to the ER for Jim's stomach pain. They are running more tests and now that we have a new doctor who is willing to explore alternative solutions they will do a colonoscopy instead of rushing into a third surgery. So we stayed home and once he got out of the hospital, he and Gabriel baked me a brick, I mean, cake. I felt bad because it took them four hours, but I guess it's the thought that counts. (Addendum: Jim wanted me to add in here that the cake was overbaked due to the recipe being wrong...hehe. He's been on a quest ever since to make the perfect cake - yes I married a perfectionist!)

I'll end on a good note, and that was Gabriel's birthday party. It was the highlight of the month -- and we all have been enjoying Pirate cake made by Publix (leave the bricks to Jimmy).

Gabriel's 5th Birthday!!

Happy 5th Birthday Gabriel!!

We had a pirate-themed slip-n-slide birthday party for Gabriel here at the house.

Here are some of Gabriel's stats:

Height -- 3' 5"
Weight -- 38 pounds
Shoe size -- 8
Pant size -- either 5 T or xsmall boys
Shirt size -- 5 T

Favorite book -- "I Like Bugs" (He can read three or four books)
Favorite food -- Mashed potatoes with gravy (and Macaroni and cheese)
Favorite treat -- Icecream (nothing has changed here)
Favorite word -- "Well..."
Favorite saying -- 'BWaaaa" as he yelps at Giselle to try to make her laugh
Favorite movie(s) -- Ratatouille (or Flushed Away, Cars, or Horton Hears a Who)
Favorite thing to do -- Pretend like he is a robot transformer
Favorite Toys -- Bakugan's, puzzles, books, Pixo's, Bendaroos, Tonka BounceBack Racer and any cars
Activities -- water park, bowling, soccer, playgrounds, Stone Mountain especially Big Barn of Fun
Interests -- in God, in cooking and baking, in the planets and science, computer games, jumping around and making Giselle laugh

My beach --um--ER birthday

We were all packed up and heading to the Pensacola area to spend time with our friend Michelle and enjoy the beach for my birthday when Jim's stomach began giving him extreme pain again. Our trip was to Piedmont Hospital Emergency Room instead. I think Jim has been to every hospital here in Atlanta now for his stomach issues: Northside, Dekalb, St. Joe's and now Piedmont.

A Day in the Life - Sunday, Aug 9, 2009

My mom asked what the kids do each day so I decided to pick a typical day and chronicle all that we do. Apologize in advance for the length and if it puts you right to sleep ...

2:30 am – Gabriel wakes up yelling "Mommy, Mommy!" I go in to see what is wrong and he tells me he has had a bad dream about a snake trying to get him at Chuck E Cheese. I lay down with him for a few minutes and he goes back to sleep.

5:15 am – Giselle wakes up to nurse - this only takes about 15 minutes and we're both back to sleep by 5:30 am.

8:45 – Normally Gabriel is in our bed with us at 7:45 am snuggling and chattering away but this morning I wake up and hear him downstairs playing and Giselle's movements in her crib which is parked right next to my bed. I get up to see what each is doing - Gabriel is playing with his new toy Bakugan's that I got him the day before (has new curb appeal) and Giselle smiles at me and sucks her thumb.

9:00 – I nurse Giselle while sitting on my bed. By this time Gabriel is there with me and kisses her feet. This is distracting to her because she loves her big brother so I ask him to stop until I'm done feeding his sister.

9:15 – I ask Gabriel to get dressed and I do the same so we can go downstairs to make breakfast. Jimmy always has a hard time sleeping so he mumbles from the bed something about "there's eggs in the fridge." Gabriel says "I'm allergic to eggs." I asked him what else he is allergic to in order to have him learn of things he can and can not eat. He says "Peanut butter and also germs." I laughed and said I think everyone is allergic to germs.

9:30 – Gabriel has his toys at the breakfast table and we've told him he is not allowed to have toys at the table so I take them and put them away until later. I serve Gabriel hot toast with Smart Balance butter, bananas and Rice milk. He says the bananas are "too mushy with brown spots" so I mush them even more and give about four spoonfuls to Giselle. I put her in the purple Bumbo seat and she is grabbing things now -- she grabs Gabriel's milk and it spills. Gabriel worried Daddy will think it's him that made a mess says "We need to tell Daddy the truth." He finishes eating his toast sans the crust which he politely gives to me. I'm full from eating his other piece of toast that he didn't want so they go into the compost pile.

9:45 – I have Gabriel read two books to me (Bisquit and I like Bugs) -- this is my way to have him earn his Bakugan toys back for having them at the breakfast table. Jim wakes up and joins us in the kitchen. Gabriel informs everyone he has to go poopy and exclaims that he will wipe his own bottom. I'm thrilled because he will be five this month and think he is old enough to do a good job at wiping his own butt. :) He comes running out -- I still of course have to remind him to wash his hands afterwards. ugh...

10:00 – I put Giselle down for a nap and have Gabriel clean up his room while Jim and I work in the kitchen. Jim is making scrambles eggs and I start to clean. Gabriel is yelling upstairs trying to tell me something. I think he is going to wake the baby so I go up there to tell him to stop yelling and I end up helping him clean his room. He had made some progress but thought it would go much faster if I helped. (I secretly like cleaning up his room out of all the rooms of the house, but know it's important for him to clean up his own areas as a way of being part of the family). Gabriel is in a really good mood and does the cleaning very enthusiastically.

10:20 – We both clean the toy/play area/ "family room" together. Gabriel says to me "I'm gonna talk to God." I said "Oh yea?" he says "Yes, I want to ask him to heal my boo-boo." I look down and see blood on his leg. He must have scratched it so hard that he made himself bleed. Gabriel proceeds almost in a whisper without hesitating "God, please heal my boo-boo. In Jesus name." Then he looks at me and says "Wow! That really works!" Then continues to bounce around the house (and off the walls) as he always does. I get out the vacuum cleaner and asked if Gabriel wanted to vacuum since he loves to help out. He said "No thanks, I want to play vacuum cleaner tag." I learned that means I do all the vacuuming and he runs around the room trying not to get "tagged" by the vacuum. I, of course, make sure to find him a few times. :)

11:15 – Giselle wakes up and the only way we knew it was because Jim peeked into her crib -- she was just looking around. When she saw him she smiles. She is always happy to go down forher naps and easily wakes up happy. I change her diaper and place her in the exersaucer so I can have a potty break. Gabriel decides to ride his bike around the house since it's clean and there is room now.

11:30 – I change Giselle into clean and dry clothes (she's a slobber-goose) and make sure they are pretty since we're going to pick up Aunti Michelle at the airport.

11:35 – She's in her car seat carrier, Gabriel has his shoes on, my purse in on shoulder but we can't leave because Jim can't find his keys and cell phone. After a few minutes of looking Gabriel finally pipes up and says "Oh, I know where they are" -- he points Jim to the kitchen island where Gabriel had placed them earlier in a drawer. Mental note to ask Gabriel when you can't find something - he loves sticking things in interesting places.

11:41 – We are all buckled in and off we go -- but wait, we're stopped so Jim can pull his cell phone out of pocket so he can charge his phone.

11:55 – Giselle is cranky and it's time to nurse. Jim pulls off into a parking lot so I can nurse her.

12:05 PM – On the interstate now with happy baby and happy little boy who is still playing with his Bakugan's and etch-a-sketch. Gabriel is excited to see his Aunti Michelle and he is also excited to be riding in the "diamond lane" (HOV lane).

12:25 – Giselle drifts off to sleep and we pull up to pick up Michelle. I put her in the back seat so she can see and spend time with the kids since our trip together is a short one. Might have been a mistake because Giselle startles awake and is in full crying. Jim pulls off on the shoulder of the highway so Michelle and I can do an indian fire drill. I go to the back so I can man the binky and try to settle her down.

1:00 PM – We arrive at Atlantic Station and eat at boneheads. Gabriel pours more and more ketchup for his french fries - more than he needs.

1:50 – We walk through the blazing hot weather through the market vendors back to the car and Michelle realizes she forgot her purse in the restaurant.

2:00 – We head over to Target so Michelle can buy Gabriel his birthday gift. She won't be here on his birthday and wants to give it to him now. Oops - nope, change of plans, we need to go to Jim's clients home, Nancy Wood, so he may put water on her grass. He has recently placed sod for her, she is out of town and he doesn't want it to dry up or die.

2:12 – Giselle nods off finally while Jim waters the lawn.
2:30 – At Wal-Mart looking for the Tonka Bounce Back Racer. This is the toy Gabriel has said he wanted for months now. He is very excited. Unfortunately, they do not have it. We all don't give up hope and I begin my journey on finding a Target that may have one.2:45 – We went back to Jim's client's home so he could turn off the watering system - meanwhile I call three other Targets to see if they have it. No luck!

3:10 – Jim thought to call Toys R Us (or Toys To Go as he refers to them) to see if they have one. After the long hold and anticipation, we learn they have 10 on the floor. We head on over to check it out. On the way Michelle asks if Giselle is awake - I say she is and Michelle is surprised. She comments on how Michael (her late son) would wake up crying and how Giselle isn't making a peep.3:30 – Success!! We found it - wasn't easy locating it in the store. Glad I had called ahead of time or we may have given up, but since we knew they had some we were tenacious. Bought it and a Googly ball that lights up and are heading back to our home now. Whew! We need to go home so I can nurse Giselle and get a good nap.3:50 – We're home and three adults are trying to open the packaging, finding batteries and unscrewing parts in order to get this toy to work. Let's see how long this takes! :0)4:05 – We have a Bounce Back Racer - and it only took 15 mintues to put together.

4:15 – I go upstairs to charge my phone and to nurse Giselle.

4:30 – We take pictures and then say our good-byes to Michelle. Jim takes her to Emory Hotel while I put Giselle down for a nap, Gabriel plays downstairs and I catch up on Facebook and blogging.

5:00 – Uncle Matt arrives and I hear Shawna in the shower. We didn't have church this morning like we normally do so we will probably have it when Jim gets back. Giselle is cackling in her crib - I hope she can work herself back to sleep. She sure needs it.


5:30 – We gather in the living room and begin praying together. We talk about how it's been a hard week and then begin worshipping the Lord. Gabriel is playing on the floor in front of us with, yep, you guessed it, his Bakugan's. He interrupts by saying "Mom" -- I'm curious as to what he is going to say next because he normally says Mama or Mommy. "I really need to go to Sean's house." This is his little friend up the street. I explain Sean is starting school tomorrow and is probably getting ready for the big day. We continue singing and then Jim ministers about "seeking God diligently" and has us read Hebrews 11:6. He says if I want to bring in a big account to sustain Point of Vision that I need to bombard the heavens expecting God to provide using that scripture as a contract. Gabriel keeps telling me he is hungry so I give him a few crackers and cheese to hold him over until dinner. We look up the definition to be "diligent" and it says to crave.

6:35 PM – We are all hungry so we wrap up prayer and discussion to go to Zucca in Decatur to get a pepperoni pizza. Yummy.

6:45 – It takes us 10 minutes to get out the door due to most of us needing to go tinkle. Jim and I drive in a peaceful car -- it's been another whirlwind day and we both enjoy the calm.

7:00 – I drop off Jim and the kids at the front door so he can go in and order while I park. This makes it much easier and faster.

7:10 – Jim and I dive into our Caesar salad we are sharing while Giselle looks at us with smiles from her car seat parked on the table and Gabriel plays with the menu.

7:10 – We all devour pepperoni pizza and water. Water is one way we can save money instead of buying soft drinks.

7:30 – I nurse Giselle who was watching us eat intently and smacking her lips. I don't have a blanket so Jim holds up a napkin so I can be somewhat discreet.

7:45 – We're done and we're trying pay, but Gabriel has gone to the table next to us since the T.V. is there and it has what he calls a "Grandma" movie on...it's A Shark's Tale and he watched it at Grandma's house before.










8:00 – We meet a family in the parking deck who seem really nice -- Dave, Jenny, Noah and Emma. He is opening a restaurant in Decatur and he and Jim exchange numbers so they can play golf. Gabriel does something super sweet and gives the three year old boy his new Bakugan toy. Jim and I are so proud of him.

8:30 – We drive home and Giselle is fussy. She normally has a jar of veggies by 8:00 and in bed by 8:30. Jim stops off the side of the road so I can jump into the back seat and feed her the jar that is in my purse. She was happy to have it. Our conversation in the car revolves around loving people and how sometimes that comes with a sacrifice - and in this instance to making bedtimes.

8:45 – We change Giselle for night-night and Jim puts Gabriel to bed by telling him as Gabriel says "Awesome make up stories" and we head off to our room for some peace and quiet. Normally I read him a book and Gabriel reads me a book and Jim is the "closer" but tonight since it's late we skip baths and go right to bed.










9:00 PM – I can now type up this blog posting - next I'll take a shower, do a little work (need to post a set of wireframes for the client) and then off to dream land.