Will's First Haircut

Will has crazy hair, which he got from his dad. It sticks straight out, like Liesl's did, but it makes a mohawk on top and then sticks out at the sides.  He's a cross between a cute baby and old man.  It's hard to describe, so here's a picture:

My poor boys (including Robert) get their haircuts by me, so Will's first haircut (at age nine months) did not have the pomp of his sister's first haircuts at a salon.  Instead it consisted of me taking a four blade all over and ending up with this:

Luckily it's not his hair that makes him so cute, but at least he's happier.

Will at 6 months vs. 9 months

(Yes, I know Will is almost a year old, but since I've become really bad at remembering milestones, I need to record these things so when he asks me how old he was when . . . I'll at least know where to go for an answer.)

Six Months
Height: 27 1/2" (77th percentile)
Weight: 16 lbs. 9 oz. (24th percentile)
Head: 45 cm.  (76th percentile)

• He had another ear infection at this appointment, but once again, no symptoms besides crankiness.  He was "off" a few weeks before so we took him to urgent care and they said it was just teething, but the pediatrician said to not take him there again if we suspect an infection because they don't look carefully enough.
• The pediatrician was getting concerned about his weight.  Will was born in the 90th percentile and has slowly gone down since.  She asked that we bring him back in six weeks later to weigh him and when we did, he was down to the 12th percentile.  At this point he was starting to lose interest in nursing so we talked about upping his solids.
• LOVES to eat solids
• No teeth yet
• Not crawling, but rolling around to get from one place to another, which usually ends with him pinned against something.

Right between six and nine months

Nine Months

Height: 29 1/2" (81st percentile)

Weight: 20 lbs. 6 oz. (43rd percentile)

Head: 47 cm. (88th percentile)

• Ears are all clear this time.
• Weight is going up because he will eat ANYTHING, and lots of it.  He only nurses at night now, when it's quiet and he can't get distracted.  If we do it during the day, he's too busy looking around or he bites me.
• He has two bottom teeth and biting does not get a small reaction anymore!
• He army crawls everywhere
• Everything is "dadadadadada"
• He's starting to sleep through the night in his crib, but is an early bird.  Sometimes I can bring him to bed and he'll (more importantly I'll) sleep a little longer.

The Last Seven Months

After we finished putting new grass in the front yard, I (there was NO we in this decision) decided the backyard needed to be fixed-up as well.  However, there were a few things that made it a little bit more of a difficult job: First, there was no irrigation.  Second, two-thirds of the yard is a steep hill.  And third: the back yard is 7000+ square feet!  Can you see why Robert was not excited about my decision?

When we found out we were getting a dog, I decided it was time to put my decision into action.  Robert successfully dragged his feet, and when he was about to place the sprinkler order, I broke my ankle.  Needless to say, my decision about the backyard was not as pressing anymore.  Then we had a baby.  Then it was winter.  And then luck was back on my side: Ben got engaged and wanted to have his reception here.  Yes!  Not only did I have a reason--I also had a deadline!  Poor Robert had no chance of getting out of it now.

We started in February.  Now when I say we I mean it, because even though Robert did most of the physical work, the kids and I helped as much as we could.  One Family Home Evening was spent learning to use shovels and hoes as we covered irrigation pipe.  And that 4,500 square feet steep slope?  After Robert rototilled it, I raked it by hand and seeded it with prairie grass and wildflowers.  But without a doubt, Robert did the lion's share.  Here's a very simplified list of what he did:

• Combined parts of two landscape plans to make the design I wanted
• Rototilled the yard and hill numerous times
• Built two 10'x10' and one 3'x60' planter boxes
• Dug trenches for irrigation pipe
• Laid pipe for almost 60 sprinklers and attached sprinklers (without a single leak!)
• Wheelbarrowed at least 30 loads of horse manure to amend the soil before putting down over 2000 square feet of sod (thank goodness Grandpa was home to help with this!)
• Put down 6 cubic yards of pea gravel

Here are some before and after shots, taken in February and September:

My grass and wildflowers on the hill didn't do as well as I'd hoped, mainly because they got planted too late in the season, but here are a few that did produce for me:

Tiki couldn't bear that I was close to the ground and she wasn't involved in it somehow.

We are also enjoying gardening in the planter boxes.  It makes it so easy!  We just finished up our radish crop.  Jarrett, our picky eater, actually tried them and liked it.  It's magical!

We've also planted corn, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and we're going to have an abundance of pumpkins and cantaloupe:

Even though it's been a lot of work, it's paid for itself as I've been able to send the kids out to play and not have to worry about the dirt and weeds.  Robert's starting to relax a little, too.  I guess it's time for me to decide on what his next project is going to be.

Fifteen years ago

"Ich Liebe Dich" by Erich Fried (translated)

I love you

Not because you are as you are

Rather because I am as I am

When I can be with you.

I love you

Not due to all that

You make of yourself,

Rather for what you make out of me.

I love you

For the sake of my better self

That you know how to bring out.

I love you 

Because you lay your hand on my overflowing heart

And overlook all my foolishness and weaknesses

That cannot be overlooked

And instead bring all

That is beautiful and good into the light,

That which no other looked deep enough to find,

Because you closed your ears to my wrong notes

And instead

Through reverent listening, strengthened the music in me.

I love you

Because you help me

Build on the foundation of my life, not a tavern,

Rather a temple

As you also help me

That my daily words are not reproach

But rather song.

I love you

Because you have contributed more toward my happiness

Than any other could have done

And you did it without a touch,

Without a word, without a sign.

You did it simply through your being you.

And that is most likely

What one understands of friendship.

Liesl Speak

Liesl just told me about Daddy's shaver.  She called it:

"Daddy's mower for his cheeks"

Pictures for Grandma

Someday I'll find time to put words to these pictures.  In the meantime, here's some pictures from the last few months:

William at Four Months

Will had his four-month check-up a week ago.  Here's his numbers:

Height: 26 1/2 in. (87%)
Weight: 15 lbs. 6 oz. (48%)
Head: 44 cm. (83%)

Nice cranium, huh?

He's such an easy going baby and smiles quickly for anyone.  His naps occur in his car seat when we're running brother and sisters around.  He eats every 2-3 hours and will go 5-6 hours at night (now if I could only get myself to bed at the same time!)  He's gotten really good at rolling over, and I've been surprised a few times to find him on the opposite side of the floor from where I left him because he can do it over and over.

When the doctor was examining him, she found that Will had a double ear infection which completely took me by surprise because he showed no symptoms.  Jarrett was the same way and, as a result, had speech delays because we never knew when he would get an ear infection.  I appreciate Will's doctor because since he shows no symptoms, she wants us to come back in a few weeks to make sure it's cleared up.

As for thumb sucking, I lost the battle.  And it's not just the thumb, anymore.  Sometimes it's his two middle fingers:

(Rock on!)  Or all his fingers:

But most of the time, it's the thumb:

I would give him a pacifier whenever I saw him sucking his hand, but now they just gag him.  So now I'm taking my aunt's advice and trying to get him hooked on a "lovey" so that when I take that away, he'll hopefully stop sucking.  I'll let you know in five years if that works.

He Does Not Like Green Eggs and Ham

I came home this morning to a message on my answering machine from Jarrett's teacher.  She was calling because as they were making green eggs in class, Jarrett started freaking out to the point of hyperventilating.  She had given him a bottle of water and that seemed to calm him down, but she wanted to make sure that he didn't have an egg allergy because she couldn't understand why it would upset him so much.

When I picked him up, I explained to his teacher that Jarrett does not have an allergy to eggs (or anything else) and had a good laugh about the situation.  But I have decided he does have an allergy to something: change.  And it's not just food.  If you "modify" one of his toys or draw something differently than usual, he'll melt down.  Poor guy.

I made green eggs for dinner tonight and he did much better.  He still will not eat them, but at least he can be at the same table with them.

Picture time!  After preschool today, I came home with the Cat in the Hat:

Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess!

The Great Thumb Debate

Every ultrasound we had of William showed him with his hands around his face, so I knew early on we would had a thumb sucker.  When we would try to swaddle him with his arms down, he would fight until his hands were free.  We joked that he was born with his "dukes up" to protect him from his siblings, but it was really just the first stage of getting his thumb to his mouth.

He was such a great sucker (as in eating, although it may be argued he is a sucker for coming to our family) that we started him on a pacifier within a few hours of being born, and he's been the first of my children to actually take one.  But his busy little hands have figured out how to yank it out so that he could suck on his fingers instead and the last few days he finally conquered gravity and found his thumb.

Normally I would think this is cute, but Jarrett did the same thing, and we're still dealing with his thumb sucking five years later.  I don't even know if it's possible to stop thumb sucking, but I would much rather deal with a pacifier habit than thumb sucking.  But then again, maybe Jarrett is the way he is (laid back and easy going) because he could self-soothe, and why wouldn't I want that for William?  Besides, as much as I try to convince myself otherwise, it is cute.

Poor Fourth Child

I was looking at pictures of my other children as babies trying to see who William looks more like when I realized I've really been slacking in taking pictures of him.  In penance (and for Grandma), here's a few that we've shot this week:

My baby is not staying a baby long enough.