How old do you feel?

I wrote this post last year but for some reason hadn't published it.  I'm not sure why but I got a kick out of reading it so here it is with a picture from this year's football season:

Aaron had his football party tonight and as I was talking to some of the other parents I realize how I either feel really old or too young depending on which of my kids I'm referring to. As Aaron gets older and more responsible I feel too young to be raising a young man. He'll be going into middle school next year. I think about my experiences in middle school and wonder how in the world am I going to handle these things with Aaron. I'm not old enough, wise enough, or mature enough to handle a pre-teen and I can't even think about the teenage years yet. Then on the other hand there is Elsa and Wayne. The two of them run me ragged and it is all I can do to keep up. By the end of the day I feel old.

Wayne's Words

Wayne turned two on the 2nd of November.  Words have been slow in coming for Wayne and the journey has been interesting.  I'm probably one of the few moms who got to enjoy having 'mama' be their child's first word, unfortunately his only word for a long while.  This week it seems like words have started flowing out of him.  First, I noticed him starting to say 'up' and 'down', very exciting and anytime he asked I obliged when possible.  Next was 'dada' and 'no'.  Tonight had to be one of the most exciting however.  Tonight as I was carrying him to bed he noticed the TV as we went by and called out 'fubal'!  Daddy was watching football!  Of all things!  Makes sense though since he has been inundated with watching his big brother play football that one of his first words would of course be 'fubal'.  So we chanted all the way to bed 'fuuball', 'fuuball', 'fuuball'!   Bedtime was then long in coming since he continued to chant on his own in bed 'fuuball', 'fuuball', 'fuuball'!

Jack Theodore Smith

Jack Theodore Smith

July 2, 1931 - April 21, 2011

I met Jack the summer of 1997. At the time I was going to college at the University of Portland and was looking for an inexpensive place to live close to school. I came across a room to rent just a few blocks from school. Little did I realize the lasting friendship and love that would find me there. As fate would have it I only lived in that house for a few months but mine and Jack's friendship would continue and grow until his dying day.

Who was Jack Smith? That is a question I've been asking myself a lot lately. It's a question that I wish I had asked Jack more often. Jack was one of the strongest, proudest men I know. He was a military man, a protector. When he spoke about being in the Army I could see the pride he had in his country even if he didn't necessarily like the way the country is now. 

He was a man who loved to make you laugh and loved to pass on a good dirty joke. Jack didn't talk about his past life much. We got along well because I didn't pry but if he wanted to share I would gladly listen. The few times he spoke of his wife, Lela, I was astounded by the love I could see in his eyes.  He had never remarried after she had passed away.  Jack's love was powerful and could at times be overwhelming.

I wish I could say more.  It is difficult to sum up the life of a man in just a few paragraphs.  I feel like there is just so much to his life that I didn't know about and there is so much more that I just don't know how to put in words.  Why did he choose me to be the one to take care of him when he was no longer able?  He loved me like a daughter and he will be missed.

Jack I hope you find peace.

Rocking Chair

Let's just say the rocking chair has been put up and only brought down when there is proper supervison.

Bath time

Well let's start by saying that Wayne loves taking baths. I think that is a major understatement. Wayne is crazy about baths. I can start running the bath water and no matter where in the house Wayne is he will make a bee line, as fast as his crawling will take him, to the bathroom. I can't even imaging how quickly he'll get there when he can run. But then Elsa is only steps behind simply because she takes the time to go to her bedroom and strip down first.


I want to try to get some video of bath time with Wayne but as it is it takes all my energy and attention to just handle Wayne. Spalshing is his favorite activity followed by putting his face in the water. He starts out by squatting down and then with both hands smacking the water in front of him with all his might. The water showers over him and all over anyone in proximity which of course would be me since I don't dare leave his side. I generally spend much of this time holding a towel in front of me so I don't get completely soaked. It doesn't seem to matter what toys are available for him to play with these only distract him from splashing for a minute or two. Wash clothes have been banned from the bath. He likes to take these and splash with them. So imagine him squatting down swinging his arms up over his head then with all his might hitting them on the water. Then imaging this same manuever with a wash cloth in hand the amount of water sprayed is impressive.

to be continued...

Chicken Stock, Soy Milk and Goose Poop

Chicken stock, soy milk and goose poop; what do these things have in common? Well, they certainly make for an interesting day. Today started off with breakfast as any other day does. Elsa decided that she wanted some soy milk to drink with breakfast. She ask for something to drink and I told her she was welcome to go get it from the fridge herself since she already had an empty glass at the table. Off she went to the fridge and then back she came with the box of chicken stock.

At this point I should explain that the chicken stock and soy milk are in the exact same types of containers, the stock has a brown label and the soy milk has blue. Aaron noticed it first that she had gotten the wrong box. We all smiled and chuckled a bit. She was so embarrased and got very upset. It was a good twenty minutes before she came out of her room. She can be so sensitive, a lot like me I'm afraid.

After breakfast we headed out on a walk. We followed Fanno Creek trail and the crossed Hall Boulevard to continue on Greenway trail and over to the playground. Aaron and Elsa rode their bikes. Brett and I walked the dogs and I pushed Wayne in the stroller. We had a great time at the playground. Elsa and Wayne played on the slide while Brett and Aaron threw the football around.

On the way home we stopped at Starbucks and got coffee and hot chocolates. I love fall days were a hot cup of coffee is so good after a brisk walk in the cool fall air. We then headed home. We had to cross Hall and Nimbus so we crossed at the lights. On our way across the second crosswalk Elsa suddenly got very upset and started screaming about something on her hand. You would have thought the sky was falling and I'm sure she did! Sure enough right in the middle of the back of her hand a big glob of green goose poop.

I can't even imagine what she was thinking. This awful green thing fell out of the sky and stuck to her hand. The green glob nearly covered the back of her hand and she wanted it off! Well we had to finish getting across the street first. As we are walking she starts trying to wipe it off on the handle bars of her bike. Did you know that goose poop is kind of sticky? We do now. I had decided to risk taking the walk without bringing the diaper bag so I didn't have any wipes with me at all. Luckily lawn works very well for rubbing green globs off. The rest of the walk home Elsa was very leary of any geese flying over head.

Bike Ride

Elsa is one determined little girl. We walked down the creek trail this afternoon to go to 7-Eleven to pick up a movie. Aaron and his buddy Mason were riding with us and Elsa was on her push bike. She was determined the entire way to keep up with the boys. I'm surprised she didn't crash and burn in the process. She has a habit of looking down at her wheel which then causes a lot of zig-zagging.

By the end of the ride Elsa no longer had to keep up with the boys since they rode home ahead of us. So it was just Wayne, Elsa and I. By the time we reached our street Elsa had had enough of riding.