well, this last summer we all stayed at Tanya's parents house in tremonton, and spent a day in lagoon. a couple days previous, Tanya had decided to get the boys some new bikes, and because the front driveway at her parents house is a bit larger, to have them break them in there. Now whereas the front driveway is pretty comfortable, the driveway leasding up to the house is about 30 yards long and with enough of a slant to it that makes me not want to drive up it with even a little bit of snow, maybe 10 degrees. As i am taking all the tags off of Jospeh's bike and putting all the elbow and knee pads, and the helmet on Joseph, i am stressing to both boys, not to get to close to the edge of the driveway. I send Joseph on his way and start getting James outfitted, and not 5 minutes later, I hear Joseph's bike going really really fast. I look over to see him going all out down the driveway, crissing the cul-de-sac and being stopped by the over grown weeds, (or nature, whatever) on the opposite side. Once he is stopped i start running, like I froze i guess, but i really was transfixed into seeing how this would turn out. I get to him, pull him out f the tangle of him, bike and shrubbery, and stand him up on the road.
at this point, it is important to remember that Joseph had just had his caste taken off the week before. We had actually pressured the doctor a little because we didnt want Joseph going to Lagoon with a cast on.
Joseph wasn't crying at all when i pulled him out. I stood him up, he looked at me and then started balling.
'Where are you hurt, Joseph?'
'No where.'
'Where does it hurt at, Joseph?'
'No where.'
'Why are you crying Joseph?'
'Cause I don't want you to be mad at me!'
In hind site I guess i shouldn't reflect on the fact that my son was that scared of my reaction at his disregard for the first bike rule, as he should have been comforted in knowing that i was scared and concerned for his welfare.
'I'm not mad, Joseph, I'm not mad. You can stop crying, OK?'
he starts to calm down a little bit.
'Are you hurt anywhere.' I mean seriously, this kid just went down a good incline that gave him enough speed to cross the cul-de-sac and push him 3-4 feet into the bush. I would have expected some branches impaling him at the least.
'No.' at this point he has really stopped crying, and is looking ok.
We take his bike back up the driveway, and him and James spent the better part of the weekend on those bikes.
~~~~
About a month after he had his cast off, Joseph tripped at a park while trying to step up to a water fountain and get a drink. he caught himself with his arms, just like before, and broke his right arm again, in the same spot as before.
Having already seen this show, i left him in the hospital with mom, and took the rest of the kids for ice cream.
Well, not as cold hearted as that. i mean, both of us didn't need to be there, and the kids still needed dinner, and ice cream just naturally came up after,...
man i love my kids, and hope that they forgive any of the stupid father stuff I've done.
Where the first broken arm looked really straight after it healed, this time there looks to be quite a bit of bow still in there. the orthopedic doctor states that with little kids, that amount of bow will naturally come out as they grow, but we should probably expect there to be bow to it for the next 6 months to a year i'm guessing.
~~~~~
I was cleaning the bathroom 2 days ago, and the plunger found it way to the back step, where i forgot about it, (crap, its still there, I'll have to get that in the morning). Tanya tells me that she caught James, who has recently had a thing for Karate, swing it around like a sword.
~~~~~
Tanya got the kids started in cloggin, and every once in a while, Ben or Emma will show us a step or so. We once got James and Joseph to show us the whole performance of what they had learned so far, and it wasn't even a minute really, but it was choreographed, and they kept up with themselves pretty good. Ben wanted to show us what he had learned yesterday, so he put on his shoes and started to tap in the living room. i told him i wanted to hear him at it, to go the the tile by the front door. Emma soon got in on it too, and you could see some moves and steps that they must have learned, but also alot of noise, and kicking the tiles. I dont think they could have broken a tile, but i made them stop anyway. it got kinda loud and annoying after a couple minutes.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Aftermath of the broken arm
That next Saturday the boys have a game. i decide to let Joseph play because i didn't think that there was anything he couldn't do out on the field to exacerbate the broken that he hasn't already done while running around the house. all in all, Joseph was down for maybe a day before he continued his usual running and playing.
yesterday i found him crying in the apple tree because he couldn't climb down.
Today we had his cast put on, and James really badly wanted to come. At one point Joseph asked the X-Ray tech if James could come with him to see them take a picture of the bone. We told him that it couldn't happen, and Joseph kept argueing, 'But he really wants to come. He really wants to see.' As the doctor starts to put the cast on, James is sidled right next to Joseph and the doctor. Twice today James has stated that today was the best day ever, cause he got to see Joseph get his cast.
The doctor explained the 4 rules to having a cast to Joseph: Rule number 1, No taking the cast off. Rule 2, No putting anything in the cast. Rule 3, No getting the cast wet. and lastly, No hitting with the cast. So we tried to remind Joseph of these rules, so he remembers, and after i picked them up from daycare, i asked him if i could wear his cast. 'What did the doctor say? No taking the cast off.' But i didnt want to to take it off, i wanted to put my hand in there with yours. 'What did the doctor say?! No putting anything in there!'
In other happenings. Ben was playing with a string from one of the blinds. he put the knob in his mouth and tripped or fell. The knob pulled on his front right eye tooth. It didn't come out, but it was incredibly loose, and bloody. There looked to be a ring of bruised tissue around plus a nice arc around the root of the tooth. he wouldnt eat anything really that day, and the next couple days hes needed his food broken up into pieces. It is starting to get a little firmer, but it is definitely pulled out a bit. lucky there that is just his baby teeth.
yesterday i found him crying in the apple tree because he couldn't climb down.
Today we had his cast put on, and James really badly wanted to come. At one point Joseph asked the X-Ray tech if James could come with him to see them take a picture of the bone. We told him that it couldn't happen, and Joseph kept argueing, 'But he really wants to come. He really wants to see.' As the doctor starts to put the cast on, James is sidled right next to Joseph and the doctor. Twice today James has stated that today was the best day ever, cause he got to see Joseph get his cast.
The doctor explained the 4 rules to having a cast to Joseph: Rule number 1, No taking the cast off. Rule 2, No putting anything in the cast. Rule 3, No getting the cast wet. and lastly, No hitting with the cast. So we tried to remind Joseph of these rules, so he remembers, and after i picked them up from daycare, i asked him if i could wear his cast. 'What did the doctor say? No taking the cast off.' But i didnt want to to take it off, i wanted to put my hand in there with yours. 'What did the doctor say?! No putting anything in there!'
In other happenings. Ben was playing with a string from one of the blinds. he put the knob in his mouth and tripped or fell. The knob pulled on his front right eye tooth. It didn't come out, but it was incredibly loose, and bloody. There looked to be a ring of bruised tissue around plus a nice arc around the root of the tooth. he wouldnt eat anything really that day, and the next couple days hes needed his food broken up into pieces. It is starting to get a little firmer, but it is definitely pulled out a bit. lucky there that is just his baby teeth.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Joseph Broke his Arm
At work today i see the daycare we use for the kids show up on the caller I.D. I pick it to find out that instead of someone being sick, or having a fever, that Joseph broke his arm. It makes me jump a little when they tell me, then I'm out the door.
At the daycare they have Joseph in a side room, sitting and trying to talk to him. At no point do they say, 'We think the arms broken,' or 'it's swollen, so you might wanna check it out.' Very clearly the girls working there state that the arm is broken. When i take a look, there is a most definite angle to the fore-arm, about 1/3 distance from the wrist. Not enough to make me cry out, but enough for me to know that there is no other possibility other than a broken arm.
Apparently there are some tractor tires embedded vertically on the playground. Joseph was standing on top of one, and another little boy pushed him off. He only fell about 3-4 feet, we guess, but it must have been enough.
they have him resting his arm on a phone book with a small pillow on top, (which reminds me, we should donate the sling the hospital gave us to the daycare when we don't need it anymore,) so i hold it firm and we start walking to the car. He climbs up to his seat with one hand and i buckle him in, trying to be careful with the arm the entire time. The drive to the hospital was long, full of me trying to tell Joseph about the different times I hurt myself, or Tanya, or when my dad was kicked in the knee when he was on his mission, ('Do you know where that cow kicked my dad', 'in the face', 'No, not in the face,..although,....')but i must say this; The entire time i was with Joseph this afternoon, from the daycare to his bed tonight, he never cried tears. Plenty of crying and moaning, lots of looking at his arm with despair, but no tears. It's possible that he cried real tears after the accident, but he was tough after.
We walk into the ER, and the lady behind the counter takes one look and just opens the door for us. We put Joseph in a room, they give him an IV in his left wrist, (didn't even flinch hardly, but he was occupied elsewhere, mentally, ya know.) Every time some one tries to ask him what happened he replied in his sad little voice, 'My arm is broke.' How did it happen, 'Kyler did it!' Ohh, Kyle did it, 'No, KYLER.'
The ER doctor comes in with a dragon from a happy meal and offers it to Joseph, 'I have that one already,' and off he goes to find another one. They take some x-rays of his arm, and bring them in so that Joseph can see pictures of his broken bones. 'My bones look shiny.'
Once the orthopedic doctor shows up it starts to get real busy. They wheel in a mobile x-ray machine to look at his arm in-situ, while they are working on it. They give Joseph something in his IV, and he goes out. The anesthesiologist puts a respirator to his face and a few times during the procedure he moves his legs or his other arm, and i start to freak out, getting ready to shout, 'He's awake, he's awake', but that's as far as he gets. The doctor then asks if we want to step out, alot of parents don't want to remember this next part, (or give him grief while he is doing it probably.) I got one hand holding my elbow tight, the other hand holding my chin, to keep my mouth closed, and my eyes wide open and tell him that I'd rather stay if it's all the same. Tanya, of course is a nurse, and wanted to stay without the signs of squeamishness.
so the doctor takes Joseph's arm and using his leg right above the knee, starts trying to bend it back like it was a piece of metal. He stops and turns to us, 'If you hear a loud pop, it's the bones breaking away cleanly. It actually makes the setting easier and the arm straighter,' then he turns back. I am now holding myself even tighter waiting for the pop. I'm glad i haven't eaten cause my stomache is really tight. The doctor stops again, 'If you hear a crinkling sound, it's just the bones rubbing together,' and off he goes again. Now I didn't hear any of these noises, but i sure imagined i heard them. In the end the doctor and nurses all gush over how straight the bones are and set the cast.
Joseph starts to wake up, and is disoriented. One of the first things he does is look at his cast. We tell him that the doctor fixed his arm, and he starts laughing. He's happy, and a little bit giddy. He starts asking his questions, 'Whats this on my finger,' the pulse oximeter. 'What's on my leg,' the blood presure cuff. 'Why isn't my cast green, i wanted green,.....'
They let us out, and Joseph is happy and energetic. It feels good that everything turned out ok. Relief floods in and again is good in the world. Joseph throws up in the car.
Tanya takes him to get some ice cream and i pick up the rest of the kids. Ben and Emma tell me how they haven't broken their arms, see? see, daddy, see?
After everyone is squared away and in bed, James come up to me and says that next time Josephs breaks his arm, and i take him to the hospital, and the doctor wraps up his arm, that i should bring him with me so he can see.
At the daycare they have Joseph in a side room, sitting and trying to talk to him. At no point do they say, 'We think the arms broken,' or 'it's swollen, so you might wanna check it out.' Very clearly the girls working there state that the arm is broken. When i take a look, there is a most definite angle to the fore-arm, about 1/3 distance from the wrist. Not enough to make me cry out, but enough for me to know that there is no other possibility other than a broken arm.
Apparently there are some tractor tires embedded vertically on the playground. Joseph was standing on top of one, and another little boy pushed him off. He only fell about 3-4 feet, we guess, but it must have been enough.
they have him resting his arm on a phone book with a small pillow on top, (which reminds me, we should donate the sling the hospital gave us to the daycare when we don't need it anymore,) so i hold it firm and we start walking to the car. He climbs up to his seat with one hand and i buckle him in, trying to be careful with the arm the entire time. The drive to the hospital was long, full of me trying to tell Joseph about the different times I hurt myself, or Tanya, or when my dad was kicked in the knee when he was on his mission, ('Do you know where that cow kicked my dad', 'in the face', 'No, not in the face,..although,....')but i must say this; The entire time i was with Joseph this afternoon, from the daycare to his bed tonight, he never cried tears. Plenty of crying and moaning, lots of looking at his arm with despair, but no tears. It's possible that he cried real tears after the accident, but he was tough after.
We walk into the ER, and the lady behind the counter takes one look and just opens the door for us. We put Joseph in a room, they give him an IV in his left wrist, (didn't even flinch hardly, but he was occupied elsewhere, mentally, ya know.) Every time some one tries to ask him what happened he replied in his sad little voice, 'My arm is broke.' How did it happen, 'Kyler did it!' Ohh, Kyle did it, 'No, KYLER.'
The ER doctor comes in with a dragon from a happy meal and offers it to Joseph, 'I have that one already,' and off he goes to find another one. They take some x-rays of his arm, and bring them in so that Joseph can see pictures of his broken bones. 'My bones look shiny.'
Once the orthopedic doctor shows up it starts to get real busy. They wheel in a mobile x-ray machine to look at his arm in-situ, while they are working on it. They give Joseph something in his IV, and he goes out. The anesthesiologist puts a respirator to his face and a few times during the procedure he moves his legs or his other arm, and i start to freak out, getting ready to shout, 'He's awake, he's awake', but that's as far as he gets. The doctor then asks if we want to step out, alot of parents don't want to remember this next part, (or give him grief while he is doing it probably.) I got one hand holding my elbow tight, the other hand holding my chin, to keep my mouth closed, and my eyes wide open and tell him that I'd rather stay if it's all the same. Tanya, of course is a nurse, and wanted to stay without the signs of squeamishness.
so the doctor takes Joseph's arm and using his leg right above the knee, starts trying to bend it back like it was a piece of metal. He stops and turns to us, 'If you hear a loud pop, it's the bones breaking away cleanly. It actually makes the setting easier and the arm straighter,' then he turns back. I am now holding myself even tighter waiting for the pop. I'm glad i haven't eaten cause my stomache is really tight. The doctor stops again, 'If you hear a crinkling sound, it's just the bones rubbing together,' and off he goes again. Now I didn't hear any of these noises, but i sure imagined i heard them. In the end the doctor and nurses all gush over how straight the bones are and set the cast.
Joseph starts to wake up, and is disoriented. One of the first things he does is look at his cast. We tell him that the doctor fixed his arm, and he starts laughing. He's happy, and a little bit giddy. He starts asking his questions, 'Whats this on my finger,' the pulse oximeter. 'What's on my leg,' the blood presure cuff. 'Why isn't my cast green, i wanted green,.....'
They let us out, and Joseph is happy and energetic. It feels good that everything turned out ok. Relief floods in and again is good in the world. Joseph throws up in the car.
Tanya takes him to get some ice cream and i pick up the rest of the kids. Ben and Emma tell me how they haven't broken their arms, see? see, daddy, see?
After everyone is squared away and in bed, James come up to me and says that next time Josephs breaks his arm, and i take him to the hospital, and the doctor wraps up his arm, that i should bring him with me so he can see.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Baseball
we signed up the boys for softball and they had their first practice 2 weeks ago. after going thru the basics, the boys went thru the rounds of hitting the ball and catching at different positions. the boys had a good time but after we got home Joseph realized that he hadn't got to bat. well we missed the second practice, so i tried to practice swinging the bat with him yesterday before the game.
as im packing them a lunch, i can see that its hailing outside and the wind is kicking up pretty good. i wrap the boys up in their spring jackets and put their jersey's on top, hoping that would be enough. well we show up at the ballfield, the temp reades 44 degrees and the wind is making it feel a lot colder. i ask Brent to watch the kids as i run back to the house to grab their winter jackets.
when i get back Brent tells me that when Joseph got up to bat, he actually hit the ball pretty good, then ran for the pitchers mound. the coach got him straightened out to first then off we went to the next hitter. Joseph then ran straight for second base, stopped halfway, and asked where he was supposed to go. the coach for the other team actually picked him up and put him on the second base.
by the time i got back i saw that our coach was trying to warm up James by jumping up and down with him, but he was still crying. i run out to first base and tell him to come over and get his coat on and have to talk him into staying. Same with Joseph, he wanted to go home, and it was only the promise of hot chocolate after the game that kept him out there. One or two of the other kids where just freezing and really didnt want to be out there anymore. in the next inning Joseph made it all the way around without getting tagged out, and we, (Brent, Laura and the girls) hyped him up. James made it to third and was tagged out on his way home, (i think their catcher was a ringer, knew the game way to well for a 5 yr old.) in the last inning, the ball was hit right to James and he just stood their and watched as 3 other kids dived at his feet to pick up the ball.
One of the parents brought snacks, and that, i think, really set the mood. the boys were excited that the game was over, but having snacks really left them with a good attitude.
i used that as an example my elders quorum lesson this morning. how even when it seems that there is ample reason to be bitter and jaded about something, it is our decisions and choices that affect our attitudes. the boys could be very bitter about playing baseball, and they still mention how cold it was, but the positive attitude they harbor toward it is exemplary for me in my life and the situations i presently find myself.
as im packing them a lunch, i can see that its hailing outside and the wind is kicking up pretty good. i wrap the boys up in their spring jackets and put their jersey's on top, hoping that would be enough. well we show up at the ballfield, the temp reades 44 degrees and the wind is making it feel a lot colder. i ask Brent to watch the kids as i run back to the house to grab their winter jackets.
when i get back Brent tells me that when Joseph got up to bat, he actually hit the ball pretty good, then ran for the pitchers mound. the coach got him straightened out to first then off we went to the next hitter. Joseph then ran straight for second base, stopped halfway, and asked where he was supposed to go. the coach for the other team actually picked him up and put him on the second base.
by the time i got back i saw that our coach was trying to warm up James by jumping up and down with him, but he was still crying. i run out to first base and tell him to come over and get his coat on and have to talk him into staying. Same with Joseph, he wanted to go home, and it was only the promise of hot chocolate after the game that kept him out there. One or two of the other kids where just freezing and really didnt want to be out there anymore. in the next inning Joseph made it all the way around without getting tagged out, and we, (Brent, Laura and the girls) hyped him up. James made it to third and was tagged out on his way home, (i think their catcher was a ringer, knew the game way to well for a 5 yr old.) in the last inning, the ball was hit right to James and he just stood their and watched as 3 other kids dived at his feet to pick up the ball.
One of the parents brought snacks, and that, i think, really set the mood. the boys were excited that the game was over, but having snacks really left them with a good attitude.
i used that as an example my elders quorum lesson this morning. how even when it seems that there is ample reason to be bitter and jaded about something, it is our decisions and choices that affect our attitudes. the boys could be very bitter about playing baseball, and they still mention how cold it was, but the positive attitude they harbor toward it is exemplary for me in my life and the situations i presently find myself.
Spiderman Crystal
about 2 years ago we had a couple of people tell us how James was so much harder to understand than Joseph. The concern expressed was that James might need some extra stimulation or classes. So Tanya signed them up for a speech assessment thru the school district. On the day she shows up, one of the teachers comes out to grab James. A few moments later, another teacher, the one doing the assessment, comes out to ask which of the two brothers is 'Spiderman.' Tanya tells her that that is James, and afterward she asks James how he introduced himself. 'Spiderman James Crystal,' he says. He has since moved on, his current favorite is now Wolverine, Captain America, and Superman.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Taking the Kids to a Play
Makena was in a play this week about a boy only a couple of inches tall, and how he fights different monsters, like a rat and a hornet. we thought the kids would like it so we decided to take all of them. Some of the scenes are from the perspective of the boy. the first one was a rat that stood about 12 feet tall. because of the theme and the artistic direction of the show, the rat ended up looking like a skeleton rat. when i first saw it, i thought that the kids would be scared, but they all seemed to be watching it, and not breaking down. later, tanya tells me that Emma was shaking. next came a coppa, that was like a big bug, no worries there. after that a nice shiny fish, no problems. after that a hornet came, and the boys watch it, and later James tells me the favorite part was when the boy pulls out the hornets stinger.
then came the oshi.
he stood about 15 feet, looked pretty mean, growled a lot and throwing people around. the boy shows up to fight him, and James is curled up in a ball on my lap. Ben is kinda freaking out, and i can't tell if its cause the boy gets eaten by the oshi, (cause there was a lot there to be frightened of), but right as the boy is getting swallowed by the demon, Ben starts to cry out, 'No, No, NOOOOOOO,' and Emma is already crying, and Tanya takes em out.
Several people after around us were looking around with little grins at the reactions of the younger twins, and after the show two or three different people kinda randomly approach the kids and explain that it wasnt real, it was all fake, we should go back stage and let the kids touch the monster.
In the car Joseph is explaining how he liked the show, and wishes we could buy it, to watch at home. James keeps interrupting him, 'Listen,' and proceeds to tell him that the show was too scary, with Ben backing him up.
in the hopes of getting some sleep, and washing the scary away, we all went to have ice cream at Dairy Queen after.
then came the oshi.
he stood about 15 feet, looked pretty mean, growled a lot and throwing people around. the boy shows up to fight him, and James is curled up in a ball on my lap. Ben is kinda freaking out, and i can't tell if its cause the boy gets eaten by the oshi, (cause there was a lot there to be frightened of), but right as the boy is getting swallowed by the demon, Ben starts to cry out, 'No, No, NOOOOOOO,' and Emma is already crying, and Tanya takes em out.
Several people after around us were looking around with little grins at the reactions of the younger twins, and after the show two or three different people kinda randomly approach the kids and explain that it wasnt real, it was all fake, we should go back stage and let the kids touch the monster.
In the car Joseph is explaining how he liked the show, and wishes we could buy it, to watch at home. James keeps interrupting him, 'Listen,' and proceeds to tell him that the show was too scary, with Ben backing him up.
in the hopes of getting some sleep, and washing the scary away, we all went to have ice cream at Dairy Queen after.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Joseph was trying to catch a spider here a moment ago reminded me of the first time he caught one.
I was sitting reading or something when Joseph comes running up to me saying that he had found a spider. I told him to wait a moment and i would help him catch it.
'No, no, i already caught it,' he said. it was then that i noticed that he had his hands cupped. he opened them up and a small spider tried to scramble out. i jumped a little, and was impressed with his ability to grab stuff without fear.
Another time, i was mowing our lawn with James, when i saw a snake. i quickly swerved, and then jumped off the mower to catch the snake. While it took a few moments get the other kids to come over and not be afraid, Joseph was right there, trying to hold it, and pet it.
I was sitting reading or something when Joseph comes running up to me saying that he had found a spider. I told him to wait a moment and i would help him catch it.
'No, no, i already caught it,' he said. it was then that i noticed that he had his hands cupped. he opened them up and a small spider tried to scramble out. i jumped a little, and was impressed with his ability to grab stuff without fear.
Another time, i was mowing our lawn with James, when i saw a snake. i quickly swerved, and then jumped off the mower to catch the snake. While it took a few moments get the other kids to come over and not be afraid, Joseph was right there, trying to hold it, and pet it.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Ben Learns Something Important
this morning as i am dropping the kids off at day care, Ben shows me two little pebbles. He needs to keep them safe. and i recommend he keep them in his pants pocket so that he knows where they are at.with a little help, he gets the pebbles in his pocket, and off he goes.
tonight as we are getting on pajamas, Tanya throws his pants in the dirty laundry, a couple moments later, Ben starts crying about his rocks. I pull out his pants, and sure enough these pebbles are still in the same pocket from this morning. i put them up on the hope chest, telling him to leave them there, picturing him going to bed with them, and losing them in the middle of the night. no worries, right?
we don't even have his pants on before he starts saying that April just ate one of his rocks. April looks innocent enough, but hey, she's a dog. The pebbles are missing from the hope chest, and Ben only has one in his hand. At least that is one down, i thought.
about an hour later, we hear on of the kids just crying. after a bit, Ben shows up in the TV room trying to say something. I couldn't make anything out, but Tanya saw him pointing to his nose, and asked if Emma had hit him in the nose. He cried no, and started to try and explain it again, and i quickly thought of the worst case scenario with the props at hand, and asked if he had the rock stuck up his nose. to which he cried yes.
the next ten minutes was spent with us shing a very bright flashlight up his nose, trying to pull out a snot ball with a pair of hemeostats, and trying to calm Ben down enough to get somewhere.
Finally we tell Ben that the rock is going to have to stay there because he won't let us get it out. we sit him up, i try a pat him on his back, thinking that maybe i can dislodge it like he's choking or something and have images in my head of some 80 year old Ben talking about how he's never been able to breathe thru his left nostril, and how that kept him out of the war,....
Tanya asks him to blow his nose, she puts the tissue up to his face, and he breathes in a couple times, and then he coughs or sneezes or something, and out falls the pebble. faster then Ben could reach for it, Tanya already scooped it up, and i presume either threw it away, or fed it to April.
Rocks tend to be between a couple thousand to several million years old. this one was rather small, so im guessing it was older. i sure hope that was the most interesting thing that ever happened to it, because i am going to remind Ben of it every couple years or so so that he remembers.
tonight as we are getting on pajamas, Tanya throws his pants in the dirty laundry, a couple moments later, Ben starts crying about his rocks. I pull out his pants, and sure enough these pebbles are still in the same pocket from this morning. i put them up on the hope chest, telling him to leave them there, picturing him going to bed with them, and losing them in the middle of the night. no worries, right?
we don't even have his pants on before he starts saying that April just ate one of his rocks. April looks innocent enough, but hey, she's a dog. The pebbles are missing from the hope chest, and Ben only has one in his hand. At least that is one down, i thought.
about an hour later, we hear on of the kids just crying. after a bit, Ben shows up in the TV room trying to say something. I couldn't make anything out, but Tanya saw him pointing to his nose, and asked if Emma had hit him in the nose. He cried no, and started to try and explain it again, and i quickly thought of the worst case scenario with the props at hand, and asked if he had the rock stuck up his nose. to which he cried yes.
the next ten minutes was spent with us shing a very bright flashlight up his nose, trying to pull out a snot ball with a pair of hemeostats, and trying to calm Ben down enough to get somewhere.
Finally we tell Ben that the rock is going to have to stay there because he won't let us get it out. we sit him up, i try a pat him on his back, thinking that maybe i can dislodge it like he's choking or something and have images in my head of some 80 year old Ben talking about how he's never been able to breathe thru his left nostril, and how that kept him out of the war,....
Tanya asks him to blow his nose, she puts the tissue up to his face, and he breathes in a couple times, and then he coughs or sneezes or something, and out falls the pebble. faster then Ben could reach for it, Tanya already scooped it up, and i presume either threw it away, or fed it to April.
Rocks tend to be between a couple thousand to several million years old. this one was rather small, so im guessing it was older. i sure hope that was the most interesting thing that ever happened to it, because i am going to remind Ben of it every couple years or so so that he remembers.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
James Shows his Colors
Last august-september, i set up the tent out side to let it air out a bit, and let the kids play in it. i got lazy and didn't take it down over the weekend like i intended.
when we left to work and daycare in the morning, i told the boys how windy it would be that day and hoped that the kiddy pool wouldnt blow away.
after i had the kids and we were pulling up to the house, we noticed that the tent was being pulled by the wind, which was getting pretty gusty and was only being held down by some strings that were caught on our pear tree.
James was the most adamant about saving it.
i pulled into the garage, and started going about unbuckling the kids as quickly as i could, so i could rush out there to save the tent. after i had everyone free from the car, i started to try and account the location of my kids and couldnt find James. this upset me because i didnt know where he was, and i would have to try and find him before i could go out and start my work. it was about then that i heard a cry of help. i went out the back door of the garage, and found James holding on the the swimming pool with all of his strength. the wind had the pool and was trying to pull it out of his hands, and it was so strong that James could not walk with it.
i grabbed the pool and threw it in the garage and james and i ran over to the tent. i untangled the rain guard, and had james sit on it. i then quickly rolled up the main body of tent and made to grab the rain gaurd from James so we could run back to the house, and he stubburnly held on to it.
so together, carrying our burdens, we ran to the garage to throw the tent in a safe place.
James was crying hard, but he wouldn't let go of the pool. he was scared, but he wouldn't let go. i believe that bravery is standing against the onrushing terror, placing yourself between that which you love and that which would take it away. no matter that you would rather not; scared, sobbing, and afraid, it is not a question of how you pertain yourself, but that you stand. and that you stay.
James showed his colors that day. and they were brilliant.
when we left to work and daycare in the morning, i told the boys how windy it would be that day and hoped that the kiddy pool wouldnt blow away.
after i had the kids and we were pulling up to the house, we noticed that the tent was being pulled by the wind, which was getting pretty gusty and was only being held down by some strings that were caught on our pear tree.
James was the most adamant about saving it.
i pulled into the garage, and started going about unbuckling the kids as quickly as i could, so i could rush out there to save the tent. after i had everyone free from the car, i started to try and account the location of my kids and couldnt find James. this upset me because i didnt know where he was, and i would have to try and find him before i could go out and start my work. it was about then that i heard a cry of help. i went out the back door of the garage, and found James holding on the the swimming pool with all of his strength. the wind had the pool and was trying to pull it out of his hands, and it was so strong that James could not walk with it.
i grabbed the pool and threw it in the garage and james and i ran over to the tent. i untangled the rain guard, and had james sit on it. i then quickly rolled up the main body of tent and made to grab the rain gaurd from James so we could run back to the house, and he stubburnly held on to it.
so together, carrying our burdens, we ran to the garage to throw the tent in a safe place.
James was crying hard, but he wouldn't let go of the pool. he was scared, but he wouldn't let go. i believe that bravery is standing against the onrushing terror, placing yourself between that which you love and that which would take it away. no matter that you would rather not; scared, sobbing, and afraid, it is not a question of how you pertain yourself, but that you stand. and that you stay.
James showed his colors that day. and they were brilliant.
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