*scrubbing tired face with hand*

This whole almost-2yrs fascination with his penis needs to stop.  Yesterday.  We’ve been battling Victor to keep his clothes on, while in bed, for a bit now.  It’s driving me nuts and I’m thinking he needs to wear overalls constantly until it passes.  I can deal, truthfully, since in a way it’s cute and funny and all.  I can’t deal, however, when his hand comes back covered in what his butt just released.  Did I mention he’s teething now too?  Where do you think that hand goes next?

We’ve been putting him in an old, zip-up-with-a-snap, footie jammies with the feet cut off (too short) and that works at night, but sometimes for naps I want to be lazy and just put him in his crib as is.

Of course, 30 mins later after he’s started crying I go up and he’s clothes-less and has tossed all his blankets, his pillow and his turtle out of the bed along with the clothes and his diaper shows signs of deep foraging.   Clean diaper this time, at least.  I’m thankful he hasn’t figured out how to undo the snap on his footie-less jammies, else we’d have to put them on backward (he’s well beyond zippers).

I know it’s a phase.  I’ve gone back through photos to confirm that Ethan went through this right around when he turned 2yrs.  I know it will pass.  But seriously!  Enough!

Here we are, stuck waiting for more yarn to arrive because the pattern ate up more than I’d calculated.  It should arrive around Wed.  Sooner, I hope, since I’ve still got another 12″ to go and then need to set the colour (my hands and needles are turning red) further and block it to size and sew on the buttons before Saturday’s wedding since I hope to wear it to that.  I’m very pleased with it, though.  That’s 42″ (unblocked) of warm, snuggly, awesomeness!

Half-way there!  It’s currently 31″ long by 13.5″ wide, unblocked.  It should be 71″ long when I’m done and I’m loving it so far!

So Ethan couldn’t *wait* to join the other kids and couldn’t wait to run from Mommy and do stuff with not-Mommy.  I’m fine with that.  I think it’s hilarious and adorable and very normal.  I’m surprised, however, at how this feels from the Mommy point of view.  Rationally it makes sense.  I’ve just handed over my child to a bunch of strangers with other strange children around.  Unpredictable, one of Ethan’s middle names, is absolutely possible.  I keep reminding myself that,

• 1) The teachers are very qualified at their jobs and experienced in dealing with children – even ones like Ethan with his level of energy
• 2) Children behave better, on the whole, around people not-their-parents
• 3) Ethan is smart and loves doing everything
• 4) The other children are there for a reason, too (aka he’s not as likely to be the “bad kid”
My social anxiety, however, balks at all of this.  I have until 2:45pm before Victor’s nap needs to be interrupted.  Internets, don’t fail me now!

So today’s Ethan’s first try at preschool.  We’ll see if the evaluators decide he can keep going, and whether it’s all he’s ever dreamed of.  He’s been watching Little Bill on Noggin, so he’s allllll hip to the school thing and been lusting after it like nobody’s business.

Last week, after we left his evaluation (1hr, preschool is 3.5hrs), he serenaded me almost the whole way home with screams of fury and agony, huuuge snot trails down his face from the crying, and the occasional kick to the back of my seat in the car.  THAT was fun.  Today we’re going to the store afterwards (mostly to waste time before picking up Ken from work) to try and find him some Wobble Goggles (another show he watches – I’m hoping it’ll encourage him to wear sunglasses) plus I need buttons and a few other misc things.  Hopefully, with the promise of *the store*, we’ll be able to leave preschool with a moderate amount of freak-out.

I got my yarn last night for the Versatility that I’m hoping to wear to K/A’s wedding in 2wks.  There’s the edge part (done), the start section (done), 8.5 repeats of the main pattern, end section, edge part.  I’ll keep you updated on how it goes.  I’m hoping to get at least one repeat of the main pattern done per day.

So I was going to show you a video this morning that I took this weekend of Victor’s new trick.  It’s not the best video because he’s quieter in it and he turns away *right* when it happens, but Victor has a new growl (3mb – Me first, then his “old growl” partway through which he “corrects” himself).  I think it’s hilarious, like much of what he does.

HOWEVER.  This morning he thought he’d demonstrate to me that he’s so much more than cute smiles and scary growls.  He’s smrt.  He was pointing to a 3-switch light switch on the wall near the couch (meaning he can reach it and it’s fascinating).  He pointed and said “turn” and I corrected him that they were screws.  “Scoo” he said.  I asked him how many screws there were (6).  He pointed to one and looked at me.  “One” I said.  He pointed to another and looked at me.  “Two” I said.  He pointed to another and looked at me.  I looked back.  “Tree” he said.  He pointed to another, looked at me, “Four” he said.  He pointed to another, looked at me, “Five”.  Then he gave me the “I did it!” grin and started flipping the switches.  For once I didn’t mind and let him play because seriously.  Just…. seriously.  He’s not even 2yrs old yet!

(We haven’t even been *trying* with him like we were with Ethan.  I think he’s starting to understand the alphabet concepts, too, since this weekend he pointed to an “R” and told me “rrrrr!” (the sound “R” makes).

Did I mention that today Ethan was going for an early childhood/intervention assessment?  Well, we did.  He had a blast and they found him adorable.  “Such a little man!”  We’ll hear about their assessment later.  He’s also going back next Tuesday for another eval – this one during their “preschool” that they have.  He’s going to have a ball and we’re hoping he qualifies for their preschool (Ken maybe makes too much money, we’ll see what their qualifications are) since it’s really nice and I think he’d really gain a lot from it.

It’s a little funny, though.  When we first got there they took him upstairs while I stayed downstairs to fill out an extra form.  I was hesitant, mostly from the fear that he’d flip right the heck out and they’d need me to be referee, but a tiny bit because it was his first time away from me/us/family.  Next week, parents are allowed to stay and watch (2-way mirror) and I’d love to, but that Victor will be with me too.  I wish there were someway I could, though.  A babysitter would be ideal except that we don’t, officially, have one.  It’ll be his naptime, so I’ll have several hours to myself… at home.  I’ll have uninterrupted knit time!

Well, maybe not to kill but I should look nice.

The cardigan and top are knit and have the nice stretch/flow that knitted garments tend to have (also, the top is navy, not black like my screen shows and the cardigan has 3/4 sleeves).  Ken will wear a navy blazer he has and maybe some pants and a shirt.    I’ll have Sharon snap our pic before we leave, to dazzle the world with how snazzy we look all spiffed up.  I’ve warned Ken for months that he’s going to have to dance with me.  That being said I’ll have to see how the new shoes wear (and bring bandaids) – all my old shoes are high heels and would have me too tall for my “escort”.

End note: I only wish I had time to make this before the wedding (scroll down and check out the pics of everything you can do with it) – Even Ken thinks it’s a great design and I could make it for only $16 or $24 + shipping!  Oh to be independently wealthy and able to warp time.

Edit: I totally caved and ordered the yarn for that project up thar.  $15 after shipping just can’t be beat!  It’ll be a challenge for me to see if I can finish it before the wedding (Oct 4). I also need to find buttons and some ribbon for it, too.

Ken, seriously lacking any motivation at work to *do* work (more stress/crap this week = more desire to not be there), came home early today.  Early enough that it was still a good ways until the end of Victor’s nap.  Early enough that he and Ethan and I snuggled on the couch some (tickling counts, sortof).  Early enough, even, that when Ethan tired of that and got down to the floor for some serious toy playing/tele watching (quiet time activities) we were able to shift positions a bit, spoon, snuggle, sleep.  Sleep.  Together and at the same time during the day.  That hasn’t happened in years, literally.  It’s something we used to love doing, and still do.  It’s a big part of the reason why we insisted on having a couch with a deep seat – deep enough to fit us both, spooned, without threat of someone tumbling to the floor.

It was at about this time with Ethan, developmentally, that we started thinking about Victor.  Understandably so, since things are so noticeably easier at this stage (a rotten prequel for the hell that is a 2-3yo child).  Even as my thoughts might drift, sometimes, to having another child… as tempting as it is (and believe me, it is)… I remind myself how nice it is for us to be regaining US.  It’s so nice.  Parenting has definately changed us, it’s definately been a bonding experience for us, and it will continue to do both.  It’s nice, though, to be able to shrug off the bond (if only for a moment) and touch back on who we were.

Now that the worst is past we’ve realized that the really bad cold turned flu was just a really bad head cold.  The problem stemmed from the Victor vomit (not used to post-nasal drip *or* gagged on food – unusual but possible) and the subsequent Ethan vomits (he’s super gag-sensitive and the post-nasal drip did him in multiple times).  However, it was a cold and thankfully it’s, for the most part, gone. It’s the first time Victor’s had a cold, and he did well and we learned about the wonders of Children’s Nyquil.  Bless those people!
Still a bit snotty ’round these parts but we’re seeing the light of day.  Ken’s back to work today, too (took yesterday off) after the cold did a number on his already twitchy sinuses.

I’m exhausted from caring for three sick little boys and fighting off the cold myself.  I haven’t gotten sick, yet, but expect to soon.  Life is never that fair.

For years I’ve heard people exclaim about how much they loOve the Swallowtail shawl from my favourite knitting magazine, Interweave.  I agree, it’s pretty, but I’ve never, ever had the desire to make one.  Why?  It’s pointless.  Look, and here and here too.  See how small it is?!  That’s not a shawl to me.  That’s a weirdly shaped scarf or capelette.  That is entirely pointless and I have no patience with pointless knitting.  I love to knit, but it has to have a purpose.

I was shocked, then, when I saw THIS.  Same pattern, just bigger and with a slightly heavier weight of yarn than the original.  Beautiful.  Stunning.  DESIRE!  I’m even hoping to use the same yarn (50/50 wool/alpaca = warm + soft), though in a different colour.  It’s not too pricey, $50 or so for the whole thing (though should anyone want to donate/gift me I like the Spiceberry Mix #6293 (reddish-brown), or Oceanic Mix #6285 (blueish-green) – either of them would be cherished, 6 skeins at $8.50ish each, search around for a good deal).  It’ll have to wait a bit as I’ve *just* picked up Victor’s Christmas stocking (shh!) and then Ken’s and mine to do.  While they’re being made I’m going to try and convince Ken to make me a niddy noddy for skeining and *gulp* frog the entire Starsky Jacket from last fall.  I’m ready to let go my disappointment (in myself) and start over.  Maybe the yarn for the Swallowtail will be a birthday present (for or from me, either way).

Well, the “cold” that Victor caught up north is, better still, the flu.  Thankfully he’s doing better already.  Unthankfully, Ethan has it now and of the two of them, currently, he’s the puker.  Is 4yrs too young to be taught how to hold your own sick bowl?

So far Ken and I are fine, though tired so I know our bodies are fighting it.  The lots of rest (thanks childrens nyquil!) and lots of fluids seems to be helping the boys quite a lot, as is the “eat whatever you feel like” mentality we’ve had to adopt.  Goldfish and pedialyte make a *great* meal, don’t they?  I’m glad it’s the weekend and Ken is home to help.  I wish he and I had more energy to do something (anything).

This morning we removed the stair gate.  Victor now has free reign on the play area at the top of the stairs.  So far he’s spent a lot of time going up and down the stairs, bringing stuff to show us and having to take it back.  He’s also figured out how to turn on/off the tele that’s up there.  He’s in love with this new novelty.  I’ll admit that we’re pretty fond of it too, since we don’t have to step over the gate anymore (we had to wedge it in and the door doesn’t work when it’s wedged that tight).  I’ll actually be able to vacuum the stairs.  Y’know, whenever I have the energy to do it.

Last weekend we took some extra time and went up north to visit family.  Ethan decided he was now terrified of Grammy’s horses was eventually even reluctant to go outside to get in the car.  Victor was terrified to sleep in the room he always does so we eventually put the boys in the same room.  They slept, amazingly, with only a modicum of giggles, running feets, and chatter.  At the family camp on the lake the weather was lovely and the boys decided to play in the water.  Unprepared for this as I was they did it, increasingly, unclothed and I (and Grammy) got very, very wet.  At Gramps/Nana’s house, when someone spilt some water on the porch floor and Victor saw the dog lick it up, he promptly walked over, bent at the waist, pressed his face to the spot and started licking it up, too (after it had been walked in and splashed in by Ethan).  We had a great time seeing everyone.  On the way home Ethan surprised us by singing along to the 80’s classic Electric Avenue (he earned himself a new Laurie Berkner cd for that).
I delivered another batch of soap to Kate, in person, for her boss’ cafe to sell since the last batch was lost in the mail.  Wednesday I got an email from the person who has the soap (inadvertently delivered), which Kate will be picking up next week sometime.  We have yet to figure out what to do since this means two batches for 1 price.  Hopefully, now that the crazy soap-making rush is over, I can find the time to take pictures and get the website up at least in rudimentary form.

Ken took off Tuesday so that we could spend one day returning to life at home.  The boys were very glad to get home.  We went shopping and bought more cars because you just can’t have enough matchbox cars.  No.  You can’t.

Victor caught a cold up north and brought it home.  Ken took today off because of the cold plus I pulled something in my back last weekend and finally gave up my stiff-upper-lip this morning and saw the chiropractor and Victor threw up over breakfast (still, we think it’s just a cold) plus Ken has (but might have evaded) a sinus infection.  It’s going to pour rain, so they say (I have my doubts), and the temperatures will drop and we’ll be able to sleep again.  I look forward to that as the past week has been irritatingly hot.  Also, Victor has decided his window fan is scary.

You know what, though?  Because the weather has cooled and dried out, I can show you the anniversary present I bought Ken (and myself) a few months ago!  WORKING!   Granted, atm it’s not working accurately because we don’t have one of the gears in (for the hour hand) and we’re not convinced it’ll keep working, but I can show you motion!  That’s 15 seconds and 8mb of ACTION!   We may paint it, we may not, it needs numbers, but dudes, it works!