Ellie: You have red whiskers
EJ: I also have a lot of white whiskers.
Ellie: Why?
EJ: Because I'm getting old. When people get old their hair turns gray.
(Ellie doesn't see any white whiskers.)
Later....
Ellie: You do have white whiskers on the top. I'm going to miss you when you die.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Yes, we're still alive.
Want to know the secret to never posting on your blog? Decide that instead of just photos of your Disneyland trip, you really need to make a 10-minute video montage with all the highlights, the kids' reactions, and your favorite moments. Then, never find time to actually work on it.
...so, anyway, an update on us: Mike is still busy with the book editing project. He hopes to be done by the end of next week. The week after next he will be going to a political science conference in Chicago. He's talking in church on Sunday, planning our Messier Marathon camping trip next week, and bowling a bit better than usual.
I am keeping more than busy with the Village Residents Association. The University finally hired a fundraiser for Housing and Dining (hooray), so we are working with her to set up a campaign to benefit student families. I'm still working at the computer center, doing web design, and for the most part enjoying both. I've been shopping for a toddler bed for Ellie so that we can change Ellie's bed back into a crib and move Benji out of our room. He still wakes up and thinks he gets to nurse every 2 hours at night; I'm hoping that putting him in another room will help us train him to put himself back to sleep.
Ellie is doing wonderfully. I've been filling out school registration papers for kindergarten, about which she seems to have mixed feelings. One day she's excited, the next she just wants to stay home or at preschool. We'll be starting group violin lessons for her this coming week, and I think that will be good fun. She continues to LOVE bugs. A couple days ago she found FIVE potato bugs and was ecstatic about it. She tried to give some of them away to her little friends and was confused that they didn't want them.
Besides the night-time wakings, Benji is a wonderful, sweet, beautiful baby. He is still very calm, low-key, and easy to entertain. He just started eating cheerios and thinks they are the tastiest thing since...well, breast-milk. He can't crawl yet, but he can roll and scoot and wiggle himself around. The other night Mike left the room for a few minutes and came back to find Benjamin halfway under the futon, with one foot stuck in the frame. We're still not entirely sure how he managed that one. He seems to be a pretty serious child, not nearly as gregarious and outgoing as Ellie, but when he gazes at you with those deep blue eyes, it's like he's seeing into your soul.
Here's some photos:
Mike and Benjamin playing games. Benji was a good helper.
Maile and a friend from the ward playing "extreme jenga". Extreme because, well, have YOU ever played jenga while holding a squirmy baby?
We celebrated "Pi Day" on March 14 by inviting friends over and serving pie. Apparently Ellie was paying attention.
I went hiking with a friend today. I was only gone a couple hours, but this was what was written on the whiteboard when I returned. It's nice to be loved, but goodness, it's not like I was abandoning the family!
Ellie got a butterfly farm for Christmas from her grandparents. We watched the caterpillars grow, become chrysalises, and emerge as butterflies. This was the day she let (some of) them go.
They were quite pretty.
Ellie was quite happy.
We tie-dyed a sheet at the Village Art Fair to match the pillow case Ellie made last year. It turned out colorfully.
Benji likes kleenex. A lot.
He also likes the exersaucer that a friend lent to us.
My sweet, somber little boy.
I just can't resist my little blue-eyed sweetheart. I'm already jealous of future girlfriends. At least I have him all to myself for the next decade or so.
...so, anyway, an update on us: Mike is still busy with the book editing project. He hopes to be done by the end of next week. The week after next he will be going to a political science conference in Chicago. He's talking in church on Sunday, planning our Messier Marathon camping trip next week, and bowling a bit better than usual.
I am keeping more than busy with the Village Residents Association. The University finally hired a fundraiser for Housing and Dining (hooray), so we are working with her to set up a campaign to benefit student families. I'm still working at the computer center, doing web design, and for the most part enjoying both. I've been shopping for a toddler bed for Ellie so that we can change Ellie's bed back into a crib and move Benji out of our room. He still wakes up and thinks he gets to nurse every 2 hours at night; I'm hoping that putting him in another room will help us train him to put himself back to sleep.
Ellie is doing wonderfully. I've been filling out school registration papers for kindergarten, about which she seems to have mixed feelings. One day she's excited, the next she just wants to stay home or at preschool. We'll be starting group violin lessons for her this coming week, and I think that will be good fun. She continues to LOVE bugs. A couple days ago she found FIVE potato bugs and was ecstatic about it. She tried to give some of them away to her little friends and was confused that they didn't want them.
Besides the night-time wakings, Benji is a wonderful, sweet, beautiful baby. He is still very calm, low-key, and easy to entertain. He just started eating cheerios and thinks they are the tastiest thing since...well, breast-milk. He can't crawl yet, but he can roll and scoot and wiggle himself around. The other night Mike left the room for a few minutes and came back to find Benjamin halfway under the futon, with one foot stuck in the frame. We're still not entirely sure how he managed that one. He seems to be a pretty serious child, not nearly as gregarious and outgoing as Ellie, but when he gazes at you with those deep blue eyes, it's like he's seeing into your soul.
Here's some photos:
Mike and Benjamin playing games. Benji was a good helper.
Maile and a friend from the ward playing "extreme jenga". Extreme because, well, have YOU ever played jenga while holding a squirmy baby?
We celebrated "Pi Day" on March 14 by inviting friends over and serving pie. Apparently Ellie was paying attention.
I went hiking with a friend today. I was only gone a couple hours, but this was what was written on the whiteboard when I returned. It's nice to be loved, but goodness, it's not like I was abandoning the family!
Ellie got a butterfly farm for Christmas from her grandparents. We watched the caterpillars grow, become chrysalises, and emerge as butterflies. This was the day she let (some of) them go.
They were quite pretty.
Ellie was quite happy.
We tie-dyed a sheet at the Village Art Fair to match the pillow case Ellie made last year. It turned out colorfully.
Benji likes kleenex. A lot.
He also likes the exersaucer that a friend lent to us.
My sweet, somber little boy.
I just can't resist my little blue-eyed sweetheart. I'm already jealous of future girlfriends. At least I have him all to myself for the next decade or so.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Dream
The other night I had a vivid dream. Ever since I was very young (6 or 7), nearly every dream I have remembered has involved some kind of corrupt government. Go figure.
Anyway, the dream started with Ellie and me in a concentration camp. There were many women there with their children. The men were held elsewhere. By chance, Ellie and I were able to escape. I remember running barefoot down a gravel road with her, trying to get away from the guards who were chasing us. Ellie complained about how the rocks hurt her little bare feet, and I wondered whether it would be kinder to let her slow down and risk getting caught, to force her to run as fast as possible, or to pick her up and carry her (which would also slow us down). I can still see the large, sharp gravel and the fields on both sides of the road...
I don't remember how, but we escaped the guards and miraculously met up with Mike. We didn't know how to find an American Embassy, so we headed for the nearest LDS chapel. (Apparently my subconscious sees the church as a refuge from corruption and evil.) As we expected, the members of the local ward were actively hiding and smuggling out families who were in danger from the government. I remember feeling incredibly grateful for the people who put everything on the line for us.
Our new friends were helping us find hiding places in the church building when we heard sirens outside and it became evident that the secret police had discovered that we were there. Mike hid on the bottom level of the building while Ellie and I hid upstairs. We heard the police yelling downstairs and knew they had discovered Mike. Then, someone saw me through a window and they came looking for us. Ellie was hiding on one side of the hall and I was hiding on the other. I had told her that it was vitally important that she stay completely silent, but she was so scared that she couldn't help whimpering a bit. The police came down the hall and I knew they would find us, so I stepped out and making the same kind of sound Ellie was, hoping they wouldn't notice her. Police were yelling and it was noisy and chaotic and I was terrified and couldn't tell what exactly was happening. There was so much noise everywhere...
A policeman put a pistol to my head and I knew it was the end. For a moment I thought desperately how much I wished this was all a dream, just a bad dream. I wondered what my life meant and who would remember me, and it occurred to me that I'd just had the bad luck to live when and where I did. In a way, my life was meaningless. Somewhere, someone in a safe, peaceful country would think about me and others like me and would feel sad and sympathetic for a moment, and then would forget us and push us out of mind because it's easier to think of nicer things.
All of this passed through my mind as I saw the barrel of that gun and wondered if my daughter would survive. And then the policeman pulled the trigger and I woke up.
..............
... And now here I am, living that dream in a way. Except that I am the one in the safe, peaceful country, while some other mother is in a war-torn nation with a gun at her head, her husband dead, and her child about to be discovered. There are so many mothers like her, and it is only luck that gives her the bad end of the stick and gives me my comfortable, peaceful life.
Will I just push these women out of mind? It's so much easier to think of nicer things.
Anyway, the dream started with Ellie and me in a concentration camp. There were many women there with their children. The men were held elsewhere. By chance, Ellie and I were able to escape. I remember running barefoot down a gravel road with her, trying to get away from the guards who were chasing us. Ellie complained about how the rocks hurt her little bare feet, and I wondered whether it would be kinder to let her slow down and risk getting caught, to force her to run as fast as possible, or to pick her up and carry her (which would also slow us down). I can still see the large, sharp gravel and the fields on both sides of the road...
I don't remember how, but we escaped the guards and miraculously met up with Mike. We didn't know how to find an American Embassy, so we headed for the nearest LDS chapel. (Apparently my subconscious sees the church as a refuge from corruption and evil.) As we expected, the members of the local ward were actively hiding and smuggling out families who were in danger from the government. I remember feeling incredibly grateful for the people who put everything on the line for us.
Our new friends were helping us find hiding places in the church building when we heard sirens outside and it became evident that the secret police had discovered that we were there. Mike hid on the bottom level of the building while Ellie and I hid upstairs. We heard the police yelling downstairs and knew they had discovered Mike. Then, someone saw me through a window and they came looking for us. Ellie was hiding on one side of the hall and I was hiding on the other. I had told her that it was vitally important that she stay completely silent, but she was so scared that she couldn't help whimpering a bit. The police came down the hall and I knew they would find us, so I stepped out and making the same kind of sound Ellie was, hoping they wouldn't notice her. Police were yelling and it was noisy and chaotic and I was terrified and couldn't tell what exactly was happening. There was so much noise everywhere...
A policeman put a pistol to my head and I knew it was the end. For a moment I thought desperately how much I wished this was all a dream, just a bad dream. I wondered what my life meant and who would remember me, and it occurred to me that I'd just had the bad luck to live when and where I did. In a way, my life was meaningless. Somewhere, someone in a safe, peaceful country would think about me and others like me and would feel sad and sympathetic for a moment, and then would forget us and push us out of mind because it's easier to think of nicer things.
All of this passed through my mind as I saw the barrel of that gun and wondered if my daughter would survive. And then the policeman pulled the trigger and I woke up.
..............
... And now here I am, living that dream in a way. Except that I am the one in the safe, peaceful country, while some other mother is in a war-torn nation with a gun at her head, her husband dead, and her child about to be discovered. There are so many mothers like her, and it is only luck that gives her the bad end of the stick and gives me my comfortable, peaceful life.
Will I just push these women out of mind? It's so much easier to think of nicer things.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
No creatures here!
Every night when Ellie says her prayers, she has a certain set of "please bless"es that she includes. Usually it goes like this:
"Please bless that the fire alarm won't go off.
Please bless that there won't be any monsters or ghosts or beetles or snakes or creatures.
Please bless that my boo-boos will get better.
Please bless that Grandpa U. won't have any cavities in his teeth.
Please bless that Grandma H. won't have any strange problems with her computer."
I think the last two are probably Ellie's way of showing love to her various sets of grandparents. But why the teeth, why the computer? Beats me. All I know is that Grandpa U.'s teeth are probably the most prayed-for teeth in the country, and Grandma H.'s computer may have a special spiritual firewall!
"Please bless that the fire alarm won't go off.
Please bless that there won't be any monsters or ghosts or beetles or snakes or creatures.
Please bless that my boo-boos will get better.
Please bless that Grandpa U. won't have any cavities in his teeth.
Please bless that Grandma H. won't have any strange problems with her computer."
I think the last two are probably Ellie's way of showing love to her various sets of grandparents. But why the teeth, why the computer? Beats me. All I know is that Grandpa U.'s teeth are probably the most prayed-for teeth in the country, and Grandma H.'s computer may have a special spiritual firewall!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Nursing Things
Here's another Ellie photo, from her ballet class performance. What you might not notice from this picture, is that Ellie has stuffed two scarves from the dance down the front of her leotard. She does this at home sometimes and walks around talking about her "big nursing things!" In fact, the other day, she looked at a Cinderella figurine and asked, "Mommy, why are her nursing things so big? She has bigger nursing things than you!"Stupid Disney.
Ellie Belle
Here's a belated photo of the beautiful Belle in all her Halloween glory. Ellie and her friend Michelle from Tucson traded costumes this year. Yes, this dress is homemade. (Katy, you are simply awesome!)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Independent children and the impending election
Last week we were all in the car, and Maile and I were having a conversation about the upcoming election.
"What's an election?" Ellie asked.
"An election is when we get to decide who will be our leader, who will be in charge." I answered.
After a moment of thought, Ellie declared, "I want Sarah Palin to be our leader."
"Why do you want Sarah Palin to be our leader, Ellie?" asked Maile, very amused.
"She looks and talks like Daddy's mother."
She had first pointed this out as we watched Palin's speech at the Republican convention online at the kitchen table together. It's quite true: had my mother stayed in Alaska instead of leaving when I was a one-year-old she might have been governor by now. :-)
Ellie's opinion on the matter was quite funny to hear, because it stands in stark contrast to our own. We both voted for John McCain in the 2000 primary and would have been thrilled to have had him as our president these last eight years instead of Bush. However, in this electoral cycle we are proud supporters of Obama:
Maile, a hard-working community organizer here in the Village, was less than impressed by Palin's remark during her convention speech about community organizers not having any responsibilities, hence the bumper sticker at top. I've been less than impressed with pretty much everything Palin has said thus far.
Our Halloween treat was the arrival of the latest issue of The Economist, which--to our happy surprise--endorsed Obama (they have long been big fans of McCain). Maile was so excited she made a copy of the cover and taped it in the window for all the trick-or-treaters to see.
It's good for children to grow up and have an opportunity to form their own opinions. We're pleased that our parents don't give us a hard time about not being registered in either party and frequently (but by no means always) voting for Democrats. We have fully intended to follow that example and allow Ellie that same respect and space.
We just didn't expect that she would forge her own independent political path quite so early. :-)
"What's an election?" Ellie asked.
"An election is when we get to decide who will be our leader, who will be in charge." I answered.
After a moment of thought, Ellie declared, "I want Sarah Palin to be our leader."
"Why do you want Sarah Palin to be our leader, Ellie?" asked Maile, very amused.
"She looks and talks like Daddy's mother."
She had first pointed this out as we watched Palin's speech at the Republican convention online at the kitchen table together. It's quite true: had my mother stayed in Alaska instead of leaving when I was a one-year-old she might have been governor by now. :-)
Ellie's opinion on the matter was quite funny to hear, because it stands in stark contrast to our own. We both voted for John McCain in the 2000 primary and would have been thrilled to have had him as our president these last eight years instead of Bush. However, in this electoral cycle we are proud supporters of Obama:
Maile, a hard-working community organizer here in the Village, was less than impressed by Palin's remark during her convention speech about community organizers not having any responsibilities, hence the bumper sticker at top. I've been less than impressed with pretty much everything Palin has said thus far.Our Halloween treat was the arrival of the latest issue of The Economist, which--to our happy surprise--endorsed Obama (they have long been big fans of McCain). Maile was so excited she made a copy of the cover and taped it in the window for all the trick-or-treaters to see.
It's good for children to grow up and have an opportunity to form their own opinions. We're pleased that our parents don't give us a hard time about not being registered in either party and frequently (but by no means always) voting for Democrats. We have fully intended to follow that example and allow Ellie that same respect and space.
We just didn't expect that she would forge her own independent political path quite so early. :-)
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