Welcome to Svellerella! (7 Quick Takes)

 

Because I have so much whining to catch you up with, get yo Seven Quick Takes on:

–1–

This is FO’ real.  After nearly 3 years of my husband taking my blog more seriously than I, I finally caught up.
You like?
I have to mention a very warm gratitude felt towards all who contributed to my virtual tip jar, so that I could get this going.  I’m dedicating specific days this year to pray a novena for each of you.  Thank you, so very much.

So, amateur web design-wise, what do you think?
After raking and raking and raking through the pre-made templates available to purchase, and considering hiring a designer to do the dirty work –I just couldn’t imagine getting what I wanted.  Plus, it’s a pretty penny for a pretty blog.

Instead, I pulled out my art school web design 101 memories, and floundered the entire week trying to figure out what in the heck I was doing.  It magically came together, no? Right?  You might notice a few tweaks here and there, but I’m only showing this site to a small group of peeps today, so let me know what you think!

–2–

Something I never had to take into consideration, about being a mother and wife, is the recovery time needed for the caretaker after caring for her sick family.  When everyone’s sick at the same time, and everyone or someone is always crying or needing, or snotting, or fursty, it’s pretty fantastic.

 I OD’d on my personal Lenten sacrifice of choosing to complete one chore before my coffee in the morning.  That lasted two days.  Then Craig got sicker, the boys started running fevers, and I woke up 2 mornings in a row having dreamt of coffee.

Last week, I was the poster child for a 1980’s Folgers commercial.  I could smell it, and it wasn’t even brewing.

Only instead of gracefully floating out of bed and following my nose to the kitchen, I woke up shell-shocked, nostrils like an angry bull, and desperate for that black gold.
God bless the makers of the Keurig.

–3–

The boys have taken this week to gradually make it back into healthy hyper town. Collin and Emmett’s internal clocks have been thrown off by the time change and yet again, sleep stole off into the morning. I woke up this morning with an eye twitch. It’s still tick-tick-ticking it’s little heart out.
We did go to Tarjay a few mornings ago, 2/3rds of the boys still in pajamas, because -coffee.
And then I found this darling book.

If for no other reason, this is complete legitimate cause to try some day to have a daughter.

–4–

Yes, the boys are back in town, and they’re totally making up for it.  Collin’s getting molars, trying to jump off things, climb into high places, pour his own beverages; and he wishes so badly that he could use the toilet like his biggest bro does, but he just can’t get over the diaper thing. I frequently find our toothpaste tube twisted open, smashed in exciting places; or I go to use my deodorant and notice that it’s covered in a crust which I suspect to be dried cream cheese from yesterday’s lunch.  Also, lemme just say this about breastfeeding an 18 month old while he’s not feeling too great: welcome to the jungle.

–5–

Lexington is chatty kathy and I usually hear his voice before I see his face, every day every way.  I woke up early a few days this week to work a little, and do I hear cute little feet hitting the ground, pitter-pattering across his room?  No.  Some nondescript bellowing about Lightning McQueen rattling through the walls signaled the beast had awoken. My drill sergeant about-faces me and demands to know the entire day’s agenda (clean up the sick-house hangover).

“and then what?” x50
Which is fine, because he keeps me accountable by saying “I will be happy to help you, mom, if I do say so. If I can. If I will. Cause I do”

We’ve been integrating counting (he can count to 100, yay!), and now adding as he cleans up his toys.  I’m excited that he enjoys numbers so much, and I’m so afraid to stigmatize the subject because I had such a hard time with it when I was younger.
Lexington is just doing great, and I’m so thankful that I can rely on him to help me with every little thing he can get his grubby hands on.

–6–

Emmett is just blowing my brains out.  If you’re new to the blog, it’s helpful to know Emmett was recently diagnosed with Autism.
Something that he has never done is spontaneously called me or Craig, or anyone by their name.
So where your typical 1 year old Collin is always whining “Maaaammmaaaaahhhhh! Mom. Mum?”
Emmett has never done that.
If we prompt Emmett, if we ask him to repeat us, “Can you say Mommy?” He will, on a good day.
But if something’s wrong, he’s upset, or he needs something, it’s just a tantrumfare until we’ve figured it out.  

Wednesday, though, I was standing in the kitchen, holding Emmett, and we were looking at my wedding photo.
Emmett pointed to the photo.
“Who is that?” I asked him, expecting his usual silence. The answer already on my lips. Just wait.
“…  … mahm-mie” he says, in the softest little voice.
My voice shaking and tears spilling out of my eyes, he points to Craig.
“Daddy.”
“Nene.”
“Papaw.”
“Sis.”
“Nan.”
“Pap.”
“Unkl-Pee”
“Aunt Kate.”
“Unkl-Jake!”

Not only the picture thing, not only the one time. He’s done it every day since then.
He’s starting to hold eye contact just a tiny longer.  I actually catch his sweet, dark eyes flitting up to my face, to check for reassurance.  This is such a big deal, and until one of our babies wasn’t looking at us or talking, I had no idea how much my heart aches, wishing for him to look at me and say “Mommy” or even give me a look of “help”.

Thursday, instead of pushing my hand away to refuse a piece of food I was offering, he included “nothankyeww”
Colling sneezed. Emmett said “bleshyew.”
Emmett fed himself cereal, with a spoon, instead of his typical abandonment of the utensil to fish through the milk with his fingers (I end up feeding him).

We moved Emmett out of the crib and into a real bed.   I had some anxiety about this, because I need for him to be contained while I rock Collin to sleep during the day. Emmett normally opts out of nap time, and instead chooses hollering “WIH-SEN, BARNABYYYYY!” from the intro music to Wall-E.

However, the delight on Emmett’s face with his new set-up is crystal clear, and he has been sleeping like a champ, napping more often, and I continue to stand beside myself.

–7–

I know I totally leaned on the Emmett bias, but when one of your kids who has difficulties begins to find the ability, I literally hear the angels singing.

I’ve got so much more to share with you, but I’m waiting until I’ve shared Svellerella with everyone!   Adieu for now!