Breakfast with a two-year-old

Harry is a really good eater, starting about lunchtime. However, getting him to eat in the mornings can be a challenge, and I'm not usually organized enough in the morning to have predetermined choices laid out for him. This morning at our house, for instance:

Me: Harry, here are the last of the berries. What else would you like to eat this morning?

Harry: Want breakfast.

Me: Good! Do you want Kix? (no response) Cheerios? (crickets chirping) Oatmeal?

Harry: Oatmeal! Yes.

Me: (after making oatmeal with brown sugar) Here you go!

Harry: (wrinkles nose)

Me: Sniff it.

Harry: (sniff, sniff, turns head away)

Me: Would you please lick it?

Harry: (lick, yuck face, pushes spoon away)

Me: (giving up and going with the old standby) Do you want a cheese sandwich?

Harry: Yes!

Me: (getting cheese) Do you want an English muffin or regular bread?

Harry: (no answer, which usually means "neither one, thanks")

Me: Do you just want the cheese by itself?

Harry: Yes. (I hand Harry the piece of cheese. He hands it back to me) You eat it.

Me: No, I don't want it. Oh - we have some French bread. Do you want a slice of that with the cheese on it?

Harry: Yes! (takes open-faced sandwich happily, eats the cheese off the top... and hands the bread back to me)

*****

On the other hand, we have exchanges like the following. I was making dinner a few nights ago and he was in the kitchen with me:

Me: I love you, Harry.

Harry: I love you, too. You're cute.

*****

He likes the song "Mary Had A Little Lamb" (which in our house is called the Lamb Song). I was singing it and about halfway through...

Harry: It's not the lamb's shirt. It's my shirt!

Me: Shirt? I'm not sure what you mean.

Harry: Not the lamb's shirt! It's Harry's shirt!

Me: OOOOHHHHhhh - you mean the part where it says "everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was *SURE T*o go?"

Harry: Yes. Harry's shirt.

:)

El diente que le falta: the case of the missing tooth

After several weeks watching it wiggle, Tommy lost his first tooth - right in the middle of science night at school. It was fun for him to have a huge audience and one of the teachers promptly got a little tooth box in which he carefully and proudlly placed the (teeny) tooth treasure. Fun!

I'm now reminded of my friend Kathy's advice to get a bunch of pictures asap - we'll soon face years before smiles bear a full set of pearlies :)

The long-anticipated day has arrived!

After much ado, late-night analysis, photo ops, and participation from all over the nation, we can all finally say:

Happy birthday, Eileen!!!

:D

Retreat from reality

This past week has been way too much for me. The weekend was a welcome retreat with some women friends from church to the Middleburg area not far from the place where Sheryl and Ben were married. We hiked, I painted, they crafted, we talked, and there was a Saturday late afternoon service. I was so tired by work, that I misunderstood communications and didn't take sheets, towell and washcloth, etc., and also came home 3 hours later than I had understood. (I rode with Amy Smith, if any of you know her. She has a 5 year old little boy, Harrison and called Harry. I told him I really liked his name!
The weekend was lovely--sun and beautiful colors. The finale, of course, was Eileen's birthday party. I was late, but forgiven. I think she really enjoyed it. Sone of the kids put on a show for us after the party.
Last week I gave my powerpoint on Peru and Ecuador. It was packed. Even some of the staff came. I got lots of complements from the residents all week. There was so much going on I worked lots overtime and wasn't able to keep up let alone do the Bazaar stuff. My new boss arrived Friday. I need to get in very early tomorrow to organize what she needs to start taking over. One fun part of the week was the Halloween Party where the entertainment was Birds of Prey, a volunteer who works with injured wild birds. He brings several birds, parades them around the room and talks about them. We were encouraged to wear masks, hats, or costumes on the theme, or inspired by the words. Our administrator didn't come as the Flying Nun, as we suggested. One woman came as a Praying Mantis. Nathan paper clipped different colored feathers to his hair and borrowed my Toucan beak.
By the way, I still don't get the Test, Yo. Did it have anything to do with the Red and Blue State Virus? That was fun.
Hope there is a way to all get together to sing-a-long,etc. Mary Ann is moving out mid November, so there is room here for anyone who would like to come. I'm always anxious to get together whenever you can. Love, Mom, GheemaK, etc.

Christmas Plans

What are the plans for Christmas? I doubt I can travel this year because I have trials set in early January and in February. But I don't want anyone to miss Scott conducting the Messiah because that sounds (and will sound, I'm sure) absolutely terrific !
See you soon.
-TK-

Goodbye, Cleveland

I had to have Cleveland put down yesterday - I knew it was coming, but the time to take him in came much more quickly than I expected. In the last 2 weeks, he was pushing his food around more than he was eating, but otherwise seemed fairly normal (for his current condition, which had been deteriorating slowly for about 5 years). Then on Wednesday evening he really didn't take any of his meds, which was unusual, and didn't eat or drink almost anything. On Thursday night, he didn't take any meds or food/water, and his balance was off. He also was mewing in a very high-pitched voice, much different than usual, and wanted to be close to me but wasn't comfortable sitting on the sofa with me.

Yesterday morning we took him in, and they gave him a sedative. After that, he seemed to breathe more easily, and got very peaceful. Then they gave him the euthanasia medicine while I held him, and he just slowly stopped. I don't know when he actually stopped breathing - it was very peaceful and quiet.

John and I then took a long walk in a local park and then had a long, slow lunch - I told him lots of stories about Cleve and just kind of processed it all. It was tough coming home and knowing that Cleve wouldn't be here, but carving our pumpkin and getting ready for trick-or-treaters helped keep me busy.

I'm really sad but Cleve was really ready to go - he was at least 19 1/2 and his health was so bad in the end that I know it was a relief for him to not have to go on living. But I miss him terribly.

There's something about this blog I don't get. Certain things seem to go to everyone and certain things don't. Maybe comments to posts only go to the original poster? My response to Kaylin's announcement about having the wedding in June didn't seem to get seen—unless nobody noticed the last line:

"I just got asked to guest conduct for the Messiah Sing-Along at KenCen this December 23rd!"

Not to troll for compliments, but I'm pretty sure you all would have said something if you saw it...

Love, Scott