Miles is afraid of bears. Well, during the day he's cautiously excited about bears but at night he is scared of them. He's afraid they'll come into the house or blow our house down like the Big Bad Wolf. He knows now that bears eat berries, leaves and other foods - not people. It doesn't seem to help. Last night Jake prayed with him at bedtime (Miles repeating each phrase) and asked God - who created everything, even bears - to protect us. He stammered through the prayer while his little voice quivered. Jake was patient and gentle with him and then said it was time for bed. Miles wailed for a while so I went up there to double check on him. He asked me all the questions, "What if a bear is still out there? What if he comes to get us?" I asked, "Didn't Daddy pray with you about bears? Do you know that God gave us this house and will protect us inside from the bears?" Miles said, "Yeah but I can't hear him." I asked, "who?" thinking if we couldn't hear the bear that was a REALLY good thing. "God", he said, "I can't always hear Him". I got all teary-eyed. "Me either", I said, "but I know He's there."
Miles put his hand to his ear and said, "Let's listen". We did but there was nothing audible but honestly, at that moment I could feel Him in my heart. "God is always with us whether we feel Him or hear Him or not" I said. "I can't see Him either ... I can't see His eyes or His face" said Miles. "He gave us Jesus to help us know who He is" I said, "Can you feel His arms around you?" Miles said, "No and I can't see them either." I answered, "Well, they're special arms so we can't see them but we know they are there". "Yeah," said Miles, "and when Jesus opens my belly and then closes my belly, I have a door on my belly."
The things they say sometimes bring you to tears because they're so true!
I think the same things sometimes ... I can't see Him. I don't know what His eyes look like. And what kinds of arms does He have? We know that there probably is some fear of the bears but there is also the fact that Miles doesn't want to go to bed at night. So we are patient and understanding and then firm about bedtime. And thankful for moments like these when somehow our own child can say the things that our hearts so often fear themselves ... and the things we don't even know how to say anymore!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Funny Things
Miles just held onto a quarter with his toes and asked me if I could do the same thing. He took off my sock for me and put the quarter in between my toes and said, "See... you can do it! Maybe you are awesome like me?!"
Then he picked up the dollar bill and said,"Let's see who is on here? Who is that man?" and I said, "His name is George Washington" and he said, "He's the number one and then the number two and then the letter B" (reading the serial numbers on the bill).
Then he picked up the dollar bill and said,"Let's see who is on here? Who is that man?" and I said, "His name is George Washington" and he said, "He's the number one and then the number two and then the letter B" (reading the serial numbers on the bill).
Oh Poop!
We headed off to Grammy and Grandpa's yesterday to visit and play for a while. We got out there after some early Sunday naps (just the boys - not me unfortunately). We got there and visited for a little bit when Will headed off to the corner to do his business. At home, we all get really excited and run to the potty to get him interested. To be honest, he's mostly interested in the treats (M&M's) that he gets when he sits. So far, there is not much action. But Miles is a great big brother and he'll 'read" Will Once Upon A Potty while we wait. It's so precious! Because actually, he can't read so he just describes the pictures and uses his own name for the main character ("Miles has a penis for going tee-tee" and "is the potty for a cat to drink out of?? NO!")
Out at Grammy and Grandpa's there is no potty book or little potty so I thought I'd just let Will have his moment in the corner. He doesn't really like to be interrupted so when he started whining I thought he may just be embarassed or disatisfied with the corner he picked. But very quickly, the whimpers turned to actual crying and it's pretty unusual for Will to cry for no reason. His little face turned red and the crying got worse. When I picked him up, I could feel that he was clenching his legs and little hiney as tight as he could and realized he must be backed up. (When Miles was younger and had trouble going we would say, "uh oh, my truck is stuck" from a book we had checked out from the library).
Grammy and I laid Will down on the bed and opened his diaper to check things out. Sure enough, the hole was opened about the size of a quarter and there was a LARGE poop obstruction. I said, "What should I do?" and Grammy, very calmly said, "You're going to have to dig it out" and I said, "With my finger?" and she said, "Yes ..." It was all so casual like we were talking about adding a little more milk to gravy or something ... which is good because inside I was beginning to get freaked out.
I started digging and nothing happened. Will was just screaming so hard that it would do a little turtle head action. Finally, pieces started to crumble until more and more came out. Then finally a pretty large hard-as-a-rock piece came out as I pulled on it! Like a little cat giving birth or something - with Grammy and I cheering Will on.
After that, Will was happy and content again. WHEW! I cloroxed, washed several times and then went to dig for worms in the dirt to try to get that smell off.
A parent's love is something so strange. You find yourself doing things that seem so completely out of your realm of possibility. And then not really thinking too much of it. I sometimes wonder what in the world could possibly be next but I like the surprise too much to really dwell on it for long.
Out at Grammy and Grandpa's there is no potty book or little potty so I thought I'd just let Will have his moment in the corner. He doesn't really like to be interrupted so when he started whining I thought he may just be embarassed or disatisfied with the corner he picked. But very quickly, the whimpers turned to actual crying and it's pretty unusual for Will to cry for no reason. His little face turned red and the crying got worse. When I picked him up, I could feel that he was clenching his legs and little hiney as tight as he could and realized he must be backed up. (When Miles was younger and had trouble going we would say, "uh oh, my truck is stuck" from a book we had checked out from the library).
Grammy and I laid Will down on the bed and opened his diaper to check things out. Sure enough, the hole was opened about the size of a quarter and there was a LARGE poop obstruction. I said, "What should I do?" and Grammy, very calmly said, "You're going to have to dig it out" and I said, "With my finger?" and she said, "Yes ..." It was all so casual like we were talking about adding a little more milk to gravy or something ... which is good because inside I was beginning to get freaked out.
I started digging and nothing happened. Will was just screaming so hard that it would do a little turtle head action. Finally, pieces started to crumble until more and more came out. Then finally a pretty large hard-as-a-rock piece came out as I pulled on it! Like a little cat giving birth or something - with Grammy and I cheering Will on.
After that, Will was happy and content again. WHEW! I cloroxed, washed several times and then went to dig for worms in the dirt to try to get that smell off.
A parent's love is something so strange. You find yourself doing things that seem so completely out of your realm of possibility. And then not really thinking too much of it. I sometimes wonder what in the world could possibly be next but I like the surprise too much to really dwell on it for long.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Who knew?
Who knew that a 3 1/2 year old needs a helmet when riding a Big Wheel?! Who knew that on a road 100 yards or so long, my little guy has the precision to hit the ONE culvert that seemed impossible to hit?!
I decided to take the boys on a quick walk (since dinner was in the crockpot). I guided the boys into the garage to pick their bike. Luckily, they both chose bikes that have some parental control. Miles chose the Rock, Roll and Ride trike with the push handle and Will chose the Radio Flyer trike with a handle as well!
Off we went up the hill to see the dog who lives up the street. We made it all the way even though steering two trikes in a similar direction without allowing them to tangle is VERY difficult!
We said, 'hello' and made our way back down the hill. Then it happened...
Will's trike started veering off to the left down the incline. It was sort of "Sophie's Choice"-esque (I haven't seen the movie, but the gist is a mom has to choose between her children). My thoughts were racing. Since the hill is not too steep and Miles is able to steer, pedal and brake himself when necessary, I decided to let Miles go quickly righting Will's trike in time to grab Miles if needed.
I did need to .... but I was not able to. As I let Miles go, I used both hands to turn Will's trike back into the right direction. Miles was beginning to veer toward a small culvert about the size of a grocery bag set upright in the ground. Miles' trike drove directly toward the grass in front of the hole, spilling him head-first into the culvert.
There he was with legs kicking, head to waist in the hole, screaming! I steered Will over grabbing Miles by the ankles to lift him out. The blood was pumping pretty badly since he was crying pretty hard.
I had one of those moments you hear about when people lift vehicles or heavy objects off a loved one. I yanked poor Will up off his trike by one arm and got them both on my hips, kicking the trikes into the grass as I ran the 40 yards toward our house. Both boys were screaming; Miles because of the huge gash in his head and Will because I had interrupting his joy ride.
At the ER, they decided numbing and sewing would be more traumatic for Miles so they had me scrub off the dried blood and apply iodine. Then the Dr. scrubbed the wound itself and stapled his head twice to close the wound.
And that was our very first ER trip. Who knew that a little walk could be so eventful?! Who knew I would be so sore from the tension and running down the road with two boys on my hips?! And who knew that Miles would be so brave as his head got stapled with no pain relief?!
I decided to take the boys on a quick walk (since dinner was in the crockpot). I guided the boys into the garage to pick their bike. Luckily, they both chose bikes that have some parental control. Miles chose the Rock, Roll and Ride trike with the push handle and Will chose the Radio Flyer trike with a handle as well!
Off we went up the hill to see the dog who lives up the street. We made it all the way even though steering two trikes in a similar direction without allowing them to tangle is VERY difficult!
We said, 'hello' and made our way back down the hill. Then it happened...
Will's trike started veering off to the left down the incline. It was sort of "Sophie's Choice"-esque (I haven't seen the movie, but the gist is a mom has to choose between her children). My thoughts were racing. Since the hill is not too steep and Miles is able to steer, pedal and brake himself when necessary, I decided to let Miles go quickly righting Will's trike in time to grab Miles if needed.
I did need to .... but I was not able to. As I let Miles go, I used both hands to turn Will's trike back into the right direction. Miles was beginning to veer toward a small culvert about the size of a grocery bag set upright in the ground. Miles' trike drove directly toward the grass in front of the hole, spilling him head-first into the culvert.
There he was with legs kicking, head to waist in the hole, screaming! I steered Will over grabbing Miles by the ankles to lift him out. The blood was pumping pretty badly since he was crying pretty hard.
I had one of those moments you hear about when people lift vehicles or heavy objects off a loved one. I yanked poor Will up off his trike by one arm and got them both on my hips, kicking the trikes into the grass as I ran the 40 yards toward our house. Both boys were screaming; Miles because of the huge gash in his head and Will because I had interrupting his joy ride.
At the ER, they decided numbing and sewing would be more traumatic for Miles so they had me scrub off the dried blood and apply iodine. Then the Dr. scrubbed the wound itself and stapled his head twice to close the wound.
And that was our very first ER trip. Who knew that a little walk could be so eventful?! Who knew I would be so sore from the tension and running down the road with two boys on my hips?! And who knew that Miles would be so brave as his head got stapled with no pain relief?!
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