The boys

Yesterday Gabe came twirling through the living room and said, "Albus Dumbledore." I have no idea why, but it was great. Random and completely funny. Unfortunately, this week Gabe didn't have much school; three out of five were cancelled due to the weather. He was supposed to bring snack one of those days that was cancelled and he was so sad that he couldn't bring snack. Luckily, one of the other parents was happy to give up their snack day so Gabe can bring it on Monday. He took a lot of time to figure out what to bring and finally settled on applesauce, graham crackers (Scooby snacks, specifically), and milk. Only problem was I like the Scooby snacks too, so when I thought he'd just missed out on snack day, I opened the box, so then we had to go get another box.

It is amazing how much he learned in two days though. It was "Snake Week" and man did he learn every basic fact about snakes. It helps that they got to see and touch a real one. Someone who brings snakes around for education came to the school on Wednesday. Gabe will talk forever about all he learned. He used to just be afraid of snakes, but I don't think he is anymore. When he talks about how snakes don't blink he says they just hold their eyes open like this, and then he open his eyes very wide and tries very hard not to blink for as long as he can.

Malachi doesn't like it when Daddy leaves. He has taken to go and standing in front of the door when Matt puts his coat on, like he's trying to block him in. We have been letting him try using a spoon. A lot gets everywhere but his mouth, but he's doing really good. Two days ago most of the applesauce must have made it into his mouth because there wasn't any spilled, just some smeared on his face and arms.

He had his one year check up and he is doing just fine. Healthy. He has two teeth now. Poor little guy had to have four vaccination shots and then a finger poke to draw blood. They check the hemoglobin and for lead exposure. We haven't had the results of that yet, but I'm not worried.

The funny thing that Chi does is that he will randomly run through the room with his arms above his head, roaring. It's like he's in attack mode. But most of the time he ends it by running up to us for a hug.

Hugs are great. One of the best parts of parenthood.

This, then that

What a week. We got into our new apartment on Saturday and Jeff came to help us get stuff moved in. But then freezing rain hit and we had to stop, before we got our bed moved, so Matt and I are still on an air mattress. The boys have beds and we have living room furniture, dining table and chairs and enough kitchen stuff to cook. A friend offered to help this weekend, so we should get the rest of the big furniture soon.

Gabe was supposed to start school on Monday, but schools were delayed due to weather which cancels morning preschool. So we had to deal with first day jitters two days in a row. He seemed to really like it the first day, but then Wednesday was a bad day. He feels that two kids were making fun of him, but he may have just been overly sensitive when they were telling him the rules. So, then he spent three hours this morning trying to get out of going to school. Today was a better day though. It will take time to fit in since these kids have been together since the beginning of the school year, but I honestly didn't think it would be so hard in preschool. I do have concern as to whether or not the teachers are helping him fit in or not, but they addressed some of our concerns today so we will have to see how it goes. He also needs to learn that in a group of people, you won't necessarily like or get along well with everyone. He needs to learn how to deal with that.

Then Wednesday, Matt comes home to inform me that he lost his job. He had no idea what happened, he just got an email informing him that ISU refused his employment. Well, it turns out that bureaucracy reared its ugly head. Someone checked the wrong box on a form and that meant he wasn't eligible for the job, so they redid the paperwork, this time checking the right box and viola! he still has a job.

Seriously! Could anything just go smoothly for us?

Chi is one tomorrow! We are gearing up to celebrate. Gabe is going to help make his cake, and mom got him a Birthday Boy outfit to wear. So the week of ups and downs should end up.

So close

It is amazing that we are so close to the end of all of our upheaval! By the end of the week we will be living in our new apartment (back in Ames) and Matt will begin work as a post-doctoral researcher. He's been job hunting and sending out lots of resumes. He had one phone interview and it went well. He should here back after the first of the year if they want to interview him in person.

Chi is teething. He has all the symptoms, but it's been two days and no sign of an actual tooth (this will be the second; he does have one now). It is so frustrating. We really thought that once he finally got one, they would just all come in, but I guess that is not how it's going to work. He is still a happy little boy though. He walks around and points or holds up something and says, "Dih!" Which I am taking to mean "this" or possibly "what?" so I have taken to labeling things for him. If he holds up a sock, I say "sock," etc.

Gabe is tired of the way things are which makes him grumpy and whiny a lot of the time, but I try to remember that he is just four years old. And come to think of it, sometimes our situation makes me grumpy and whiny too. :) But he's doing okay. He's been enjoying his Christmas haul. We went down to the Children's Museum in Indy with Mike and Kathy and their girls. Gabe had a blast. All the kids did. They had the Yule Slide up. They convert the main staircase to a slide from the second floor down to the first. Gabe flew down the thing, laughing all the way. We all loved it (Matt and I couldn't resist going down either!)

So, while everyone is gearing up to celebrate the new year, we are gearing up to go home. We can't wait.

We have colds

Life is stuffy right now. Malachi, Gabe and I all have colds with stuffy, runny noses. The boys look like they have been punching each other because their eyes have such dark circles. Niether is sleeping well. Hopefully this will pass soon.

Matt turned in his dissertation yesterday -- finally! He still may have to make corrections after his defense, but basically he's done. He is now working on his talk for the defense, but by Dec. 2 we should all by calling him Dr. Vannette.

We had a good time at my sister's wedding. The boys did a good job and every one thought they were wonderful. Gabe had his first milkshake and thinks that drinkable ice cream is a great idea.

We are back in Des Moines for the week and then it's off to my parents for Thanksgiving. I hope they get over their colds before we leave, but oh well, I guess. After that we are back here again, Matt defends. Gabe's preschool session wraps up and we head off to Ft. Wayne. We are looking for apartments so that we have someplace by Jan. 1 in Ames. Matt will stay for the next 6 months while job hunting. Things are moving fast.

Stuff and lists

Well, I don't write as often as I like anymore -- I hope you haven't all given up on me completely! We are doing fine. Gabe is loving preschool and would go every single day if he could. Malachi is walking, sort of more tottering, but he can get about half way across the room before he falls. Still no teeth...grr. Matt is still high stress, but in one sense doing better because he now has an official date for his dissertation defense, Dec. 2 and he has the paperwork signed for his job as a postdoc at ISU starting in Jan. Me, well, I guess I am just trying to hold everything and everyone together.

So, I have already had several conversations with people about Christmas gifts so here are a few ideas:
Gabe
Geotrax (he has Grand Central and would love extension packs or the airplane)
Imanginext Batcave (by Fisher Price)
Shake and Go cars
Soccer ball
Aqua doodle
Play dough
Hullabaloo game
He wears 4T

Chi
Any toys that have things to manipulate, things to fit together
Parents brand Cell phone and Car keys (this brand is more realistic which is fun)
Little Tykes Handle Haulers
Really, just anything that looks cool...
He wears 12 month right now, but I would probably just buy 18 month clothes and he really needs 12-18 month size socks

Still here

So I actually have a few minutes to myself to write some updates. Malachi has taken some steps on his own. He's not very brave about it yet; it just sort of happens so I am not sure how long before he will be walking but we are not very far away. Each day he shows more and more control. He is getting most of his food from real "people" food. He hardly ever has a bottle anymore. And he is finally cutting a tooth, but it's still not visible.

Gabe started school this week. It's a preschool program through the parks and rec and he goes every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. He loves saying that he goes to school now. He's doing well and having fun. His teachers enjoy him. He's the one with a busy schedule. He has school, then library story time on Wednesday and Sunday school on Sunday.

I have a few minutes because for the first time in many years I opted not to go to church. Any time I have not gone in 3 and half years has been because I was visiting someplace where there was not a regular church people attended...and right after the Chi was born, now that I think about it. It's weirdly liberating to just stay home while the rest go. They all had that option before and exercised it a couple times, but I always had to go. It is still very important to me, but it feels that way since I have a choice now.

Right now my life has just been about trying to hold us together and our situation is starting to wear on everyone. Matt was on track for defending on Nov. 21, but now one advisor is trying to push it off...past the deadline for graduation. I am begging Matt to fight back, but I don't know what is going to happen. I guess either way he's going to take a semester postdoc position at ISU and they'll let him do that at full pay even if he doesn't defend until later, as long as it is before the end of the semester. I don't like this. I don't trust any of these people at this point though. I don't know; if you pray, now is a time we can use all the prayers we can get.

So, that's our life right now.

Gabe...

Chase wanted to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with Gabe and was trying to teach him the rules, but Gabe informed Chase that his mommy doesn't let him play with scissors. Chase didn't know what to say to that. After I was done cracking up when they told me the story, I explained that they were pretend scissors. Gabe is still not sure he likes the game because he wants more time to think about which to choose.

Gabe has also read five simple books designed for beginner readers. He is working on sounding out words. He is doing a good job.

Chi is growing and now standing independently. He does it multiple times a day.