Glimpses from August '07 to April '08 (!!)

The Passing of Bernadette

Korrie here...Well, the deed has finally been done! After months of talking about mailing Jesse's precious addiction, Bernadette the pacifier, to France and my friend Shalimar, action took place on the 21rst! I think the anticipation of the event was just as dreadful to me as a parent (thus the delay) as it was to Jesse. Even so, Jesse helped paint a box for the package, and marched bravely into the post office with me to mail it off. The postal worker congratulated her, and when we got back outside to Lee waiting in the car, Jesse ran up to the window to yell, "Daddy, I did it!!" Needless to say, the glee felt then wore off rather quickly that night, and I was up with her, oh, about 3 or 4 times to comfort her and try to get her mind off of the missing friend. We prayed about it a lot, the occasional wild angry thrashing stopped (pretty scary, folks), and sleep came. Since then Jesse has only cried for it a couple of times, and continues to be proud of herself and her truly attained "big girl" status. I am very glad this chapter is over, but there's a small part of me sad to see it go, sad that it means Jesse really is bigger, and time is ever passing. Here's to Bernadette: may she live a full life in France, eating crepes with chocolate and sipping cafe au lait with Shalimar! :-)

Now, what about Zeke's thumb...

BACK

Hello again everyone. . . anyone?
we're still here, and we have internet at the house now, so to celebrate i'm updating the blog.
i'm a bit out of practice and behind the times, but i'm glad to see your blogs again finally.
Korrie and Jesse are having a sleepover at MaryGene's house, so it's just me and Zeke tonight, and he's off in la la land now, so here i sit. No big news as of late, Korrie has a couple weeks to go yet, but she's at the point where sooner would be better than later. Zeke is a nemo nut, worse than Jesse ever was with babe. Jesse still has bernadette, we're just chicken i guess to get rid of it, but it has to happen soon. it's one of those things where no time seems like a good time. she thanked Jesus for it the other night at bedtime prayers. still ironing out names for the little one to come, Clementine will be one, either first or middle, we're not sure yet. i for one am so glad it's finally warming up, and drying up; cold and wet isn't a happy thought for anyone, but it's doubly tough on delivery work.
holding down the wilmore fort. more to come.

Taming the Terrible Two's

One thing many of us parents of toddlers are dealing with is how best to discipline. Whew, what an undertaking!! It seems the best way is a mix of things, based on the brevity and pre-meditation of the young offender's offense. We started off with the hand thump for Jesse, and have since moved on to the naughty chair and the occasional spanking. I had, however, an opportunity to resort to another way the other week, and it left an impression on our little woman. Our land lord has a batch of beagle pups up the drive near the barn, and we visit them almost daily. Well, Jesse has been learning gentleness, but needless to say, the excitment of squirming pups got to her, and she dropped one on it's back, sending it yelping to the mommy dog. I had been telling Jesse to listen and be gentle, so in reaction to her roughness I gave her hand a quick smack. Then, for the next week (at least) every time we saw the puppies Jesse would talk about the incident, sounding something like: "we see the puppies, I didn't listen, momma spanked my hand..." I'm sure even now if you asked her about it you'd hear the story recited with gusto. Oh yeah, she is much better with the beagles.

So, after you readers enjoy these pics of a trip to see with pups with our friends TL and Marygene, send a comment on how you are taming (or attempting to tame) your little ones - Godly wisdom, passed along blog-stlye.

Summertime...

We took a week-long vacation at the end of June with all of my (Korrie) family. It was a great time, and here are some pics to prove it...

BLUEFISH, REDFISH

This is the story of Bluefish and Redfish. About a week before Easter our beta fish of approx. a year, named Bluefish, died. Korrie called me from work one Friday morning and told me to check the tank and see if Bluefish was alive. I did, he wasn't. Jesse came running in the living room and i asked myself what one of those cool, wise dad's from novels and movies that you wish you could be like would do in this situation. i hadn't a clue. So i brought Jesse over to the tank and showed her that Bluefish had died. We scooped him out together, then took him to the garden and buried him. Then we loaded up and went to the pet store to look for another beta. This time we got a red one, so as not to be confused with Bluefish, and appropriately she called him Redfish. When we got home later, she kept telling us to look at Redfish, Bluefish died. Then for about a week (and sometimes even still) she'd say out of nowhere-and especieally to guests- Bluefish died, now we have Redfish. When Easter Sunday came, i was a bit out of sorts and disappointed that we hadn't done more to explain why that day was so important and talk with her about Jesus, so i found our little kid's bible stories book and looked for the Easter story. not much there really for a kid's story. then i tried to explain, Jesus died and then God made him alive. Well she picked it up right away, Jesus Died! she said it over and over, and told Korrie several times. it took a bit longer to explain that now he was alive. when she first got it, she shouted, "Jesus Died!" and then got a grin on her face and leaned forward and whispered, "Now He's Alive!"

Where to go, when you need to go

The last few days have been full of excitment and trepidation. Buying diapers is so nearly a thing of the past. Zeke has been in cloth diapers for a couple months now and we're loving it. Jesse has just recently begun to go on the potty. She's great with #1 and has even gotten out of bed in the evening to go. #2 has been a difficult adjustment however. she did go once on her little seat, but not without fear and trembling and a few tears, though they were quickly replaced with joy and dancing at the group march to the commode for the ceremonial flush and the ensuing M&Ms. She didn't even try to go again for three days! When she did, she started in her diaper and we got her to the pot, but she refused to go, screaming and crying and shaking her head. so we put the diaper on again and went for a walk. when we came back, i was pushing her on the swing i built for her and she wanted down. she turned around and i bent down to give her a hug. as she squeezed my neck she began shaking and grunting. she then looked proudly over my shoulder at Korrie and announced "i pooping mommy!"
We've upped the ante to 5 m&m's for at least a try on the pot, we'll see where that gets us.