GaGa and PaPap got here yesterday and have been having a good time with the kids. We are glad they are here to take care of them while we are in Phoenix. We are headed there now!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Getting ready for Phoenix
We are still getting used to the world without Uncle Charlie. It was good to see Grandaddy and Tetsuyo on Skype and hear about things there in Japan.
The Gardener's Market has been open two Saturdays now and we love going. Here are the kids weekend before last on the swings. Sorry for the iPhone photos (but they sort of have their charm, don't they?).
We have been spending a lot of time with our friends lately during this time. Last Wednesday we went over to the Twohig's for dinner. Here are Maggie and Henry playing together in Finnegan's room. They were born the same day in the same hospital! The kids all play so well together.
This past Friday we went over to the Bates-Domenech household for dinner. Henry got some special treat time with his Tia Mela. She is trying to sweeten him up. We are going to miss Mela and the girls when they leave for Puerto Rico soon.
Saturday night Sarah and Andrew came over for dinner at our place. After dinner everyone went outside and checked out the chickens. They looked the same as they always do, you'll be relieved to know.
Henry and Madi love reading. Reading to them both is a bit of a challenge, because Henry grabs everything. Sometimes if you give him enough stuff he doesn't grab the book and Madi as much. Here he is holding his favorite stuffed animal, Dutch. That's what he calls him at least, and we're going with it.
It was really warm here today. It was in the 80's for the first time since August probably. Can't remember for sure. Henry looks so big to me dressed in summer clothes. Thanks to Finnegan for this entire outfit!
Here is Henry tonight 'coloring'. He wants to do simply everything Madi does. It is very cute. Some things he does better than others, though. Like coloring. He just can't help trying to eat the crayons and we end up having to take them away and he yells at us.
Madi loves to color. She spends a lot of time coloring these days. Yesterday we went for a hike in Green Canyon, and Madi seemed like she was really dragging. We started to get concerned when she started complaining that her belly hurt, her teeth hurt, and she was really tired. (Kate - look out below! Caution!).
That evening, she didn't really eat dinner and ended up throwing up! She threw up on the couch. And Tim. And Jack. Jack ended up going in the washing machine and has made a full recovery. This morning Tim took Madi to the doctor and stayed home with her. Turns out she has a sinus infection as well, just like Henry did. She is really perking up fast with antibiotics and we expect her to be back at daycare tomorrow. Whew!
He also likes to give 'five' now. It is really amazing how fast he is growing and changing.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Mother's Day
We are doing okay these days. We are still sad and moved by Uncle Charlie's death, but we are up and around.
Madi told me that she wants to have six children. One of them, she plans to name Uncle Charlie. I said that sounded like a pretty good idea.
We had a pretty quiet Mother's Day. Things have been quieter in general around our house since we took Henry into the doctor and discovered he had sinusitis. He had been really cranky and not sleeping well for a couple of weeks. No wonder.
Sunday morning Henry got up at 6:00 a.m., and then Madi got up at 6:30 a.m. I decided it was a good time to exercise my Mother's Day prerogative and went back to sleep until 8:30 a.m. I think that is the latest I have slept in years.
For lunch, we went for a hike and picnic in Green Canyon. Madi did great hiking. Henry loves being carried in the pack. Tim thinks he is starting to get a little heavy though. Henry + pack = 35 lbs. these days. It slows Tim down enough that Madi and I can sort of keep up with him.
There is still snow visible on the peaks behind them here, but we didn't run into any in the canyon.
Here is Madi practicing her rock climbing. Her latest career goals are rock climber, wildlife biologist, and artist. She wants to live on Madagascar.
Madi did get a little tired toward the end and resorted to singing.
After the hike we went to get ice cream, then came home for a nap. Only Henry wouldn't nap, because he took a nap in the carrier on the hike. I decided it was a good time to exercise my Mother's Day prerogative again and took a nap with Madi in her new 'big girl' bed.
Madi told me that she wants to have six children. One of them, she plans to name Uncle Charlie. I said that sounded like a pretty good idea.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
In Memory of Uncle Charlie
My life will always be bifurcated by the moment I found out my brother died. He was a beautiful, generous, loving, gifted, and thoughtful person, and he was loved very much by many people here in the U.S. and in Japan, where he had lived for the past 15 years. He took his own life, and we will never understand why.
Watching the kids has been bittersweet these days. They are growing and changing all the time. Henry of course doesn't understand. Madi understands a little. She knows her Uncle Charlie is dead, and she is sad.
It is hard to know what to say here. I will just try to recap the last couple weeks.
Before Charlie died, Tim was really really sick. He had a terrible case of step throat and was basically bedridden for days. Maybe we should have had his tonsils done with Madi's.
We also had a lot of guests for a week (from Martha's Vineyard in Mass. and from New Zealand).
Henry has been practicing his yoga moves lately. This is expert stuff.
Spring is really here, along with some interesting wildlife.
Henry likes hats. He has been communicating more and more. If you ask him a question, though, he always says 'yah.' No matter what you asked.
Madi took a nap today with Spot and her favorite blanky, a gift from Uncle Charlie.
Henry likes this Tigger puppet. Aaaarrr.
I am so thankful for my family. And I miss my brother.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
