High Bed

Chris and Harrison were out in the garage awhile back and Harrison asked what that was.  He was pointing at my loft bed from college and Christopher told him what it was and that it would be his bed one day.  Well, that day has finally come.  Harrison has his high bed as he calls it and he loves it.  We were a little apprehensive about the transition, but it has been great.  It has even helped the transition at bedtime.  He has always been a 'lay with me' kind of kid and we have made it clear to him that we do not 'fit' on the high bed.  He has taken it all in stride and hasn't fallen off yet!

My grandfather, Lee Wilcke, made the bed for me and he made it for a twin mattress I used to own.  That mattress was a little bit thinner than the one we got for Harrison (Gpa Greg and Gma Pam - thank you!).  The rail is only about 2 inches above the mattress but Harrison has always been a bed sleeper so we are not really concerned that he will fall out, but I guess you never know.  

I thought this would also but a damper on potty training but so far so good.  He climbs down just fine in the middle of the night and climbs right back up to go to bed.  With any luck we should be out of over night pull-ups before he turns 4.  Yipeeeeee!

Updated: Too smart for me

I may have mentioned before the Harrison's intelligence sometimes eclipses my own.  It has happened again and it is starting to annoy me.  This time I really had to 'research' to find out what he was talking about.  

Bennett had received this book from Gpa and Gma Greg and Pam.  It is a lift-the-flap, board book.  It is a very cute  book but is currently the most annoying one we have.  It has been selected to read several times (we have had it for 2 days) and each time Harrison asks me the same question (you will find out later in the blog).  It is like he knows that I do not know the answer, so he insists on making me try to explain it to him.

I will reproduce the book for you now (without the express, written consent of the NFL).

Where is Baby's Pumpkin? by Karen Katz

Page one:  Tonight is Halloween.  Baby is looking for her special pumpkin.  Is it under the leaves?  (Lift flap) No!  But there is a fuzzy black cat!

Page two:  Is it behind the curtain? (Lift flap) No!  Look!  A friendly ghost!

Page three:  Is it in the closet? (Lift flap) No!  But here are some happy bats!

Page four:  Is it behind Mommy's bowls?  (Lift flap) No!  But here are some candy apples!  YUM!

Page five:  Is it under the bed? (Lift flap) No!  It's a sparkly witch's hat!

Page six:  Is Baby's pumpkin outside the door? (Lift flap) YES!  And now we can all go trick-or-treating!

So, do you know what Harrison asks?  "Why didn't baby find the pumpkin when she was outside?"  What?  Are you kidding me?  I don't know what he is talking about.  I have to go back and read the whole book again, granted, not a big task, to find that indeed the baby started outside looking for the pumpkin.

Now be honest.  You had to go back and look too, didn't you?  How did he pick up on that?  And how clever that he did!

UPDATE:

OK - so my brother called and told me that I should explain to Harrison that baby is in the back yard looking for the pumpkin when it is located at the front door.  I had tried to explain this to Harrison, before Nathan called, and it didn't work.  He still maintains the thought that since the baby was outside, the baby should have found said pumpkin no matter where it was.  He will have to try reading the book to Harrison when they are here for Thanksgiving - which is only 72 days away.  Yes, I am counting.  I can't wait!!!!

TEAM KLARA

On September 20, 2003 my best friend was diagnosed with leukemia.  On September 17, 2004 she lost her battle with the terrible disease.  I think about her everyday and when my mind strays from her for too long, Harrison will ask me "Remember Kara?  Why did she die?"

Harrison never met Kara in person.  But somehow he knows her and makes me tell him about her.  He makes me tell him about her disease.  He makes me tell him about our friendship.  And he makes me tell him about her sense of humor.  I often have to tell him that I don't understand why she had to die but that we remember her in so many ways.  Mostly I remember her for just being there.  I took that for granted and I miss her so much.

It is uncanny to me that Harrison brings Kara up.  I have a picture of her and I in the living room and I have a drawer in my bedroom with stuff about her in it, but I don't talk about her constantly.  I believe that it is Kara's way of saying hi to me.  Just to let me know she is still there.

Every year I participate in Light the Night in Davenport, IA.  This years walk is October 4th and will be our 3rd time walking in remembrance of Kara.  The walk is a time to celebrate and remember those affected by leukemia.  It is a time for me to get together with Kara's family and our friends and remember what a great person she was.  One of the things Kara said to her sister in her final days was that she didn't want to be forgotten.  I know that would never be possible and the walk is just one way to prove that to her.  Kara's sister, Marci, actually participated in Team in Training in San Diego this year.  I can't wait to hear all of the highlights from her trip.

Leukemia is a horrible cancer.  It attacks the red blood cells and gets into the marrow, where blood is produced.  An estimated 138,530 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2008.  Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma will cause the deaths of an estimated 52,910 people in the U.S. this year.

Please support me in our fight against leukemia.  Kara was a believer in research studies and participated in 2 of them.  Go to my website and donate now.  Your donation will help others afflicted with leukemia fight the battle through research and medical studies.  If you would rather send a check, please email me: bneipert@gmail.com and I will give you my address.  If you already commit to another charity: thank you.  It is so important that we are involved in great causes and no one's is more important than the one you feel closest to.  Mine just happens to be The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Light the Night.

Remember Kara.

Obsessions

I think I have mentioned before that Harrison is obsessed with green.  His clothes have to be green, his candy has to be green and he would like it if vegetables were not green.  

We went shopping for a new sweatshirt for him and a b-day gift for Chris this weekend.  I found a sweatshirt that #1 was cheap and #2 was nice looking (would go with everything).  He didn't like it.  He wanted to have the green, hooded sweatshirt.  The hooded part comes from his obsession to be just like Bennett (Bennett's sweatshirt is hooded - so are Will and Miles'!).  Anyway, I relented and let him get it because it was cheap (Old Navy was having their 40% sale!).  While we were there shopping I hear Harrison say 'Hey Mom!  Look at me!'  I turned around and this is what I saw.  As we walked around Harrison went up to each mannequin and held it's hand and then he would giggle and say "They don't have heads!" and shake his head laughing.  He is just too funny.

Our latest Harrison obsession is Oreos.  Last night he was found hiding in the pantry eating the last two Oreos.  He literally had the door closed around himself and was sneaking his Oreos!  He had put 2 kid chairs on top of each other and climbed up to the counter to get into the cupboard.  He is lucky that he didn't break his neck and also that I didn't break it for him!  

Reading is fundamental

I am routine oriented but not always good at finding a routine that I like.  But, once I do, I really like to stick with it.

Initially I had this grand plan that after lunch I would clean up all of the dishes, wipe down the table and clean up the floor.  The boys would quietly go sit down and read books while waiting for me to come read one to them before naps.  The hidden agenda behind this is that I would get more "me" time while the boys slept - "me" time should not include dishes!  Well, the last two days it has worked.  After a couple of weeks of setting books out only to find Harrison getting out Legos or Bennett pulling out all of the blocks that we (I) put away before lunch I am finally satisfied to say that we have a routine.  And it really is so cute and rewarding to watch them sitting and looking at their books.  Today, Harrison even read a little to Miles!

Sit-n-Spin

You know those death traps that they call Sit-n-Spins?  Well, we have one.  I bought it at a garage sale for $2.00.  Not a bad buy unless you consider the co-pays I will be shelling out to the ER in the near future. 

Anyway, it took Harrison little time to figure it out.  He was happily spinning away.  Bennett on the other hand had more difficulty.  He kept wanting to stand on it.  (This is where the trips to the ER come in.)  Eventually he gave up and moved on.  Well, a couple days later I hear Harrison saying "Look, Bennett."  I walk into the dining room to see Harrison standing on the SIT-n-Spin going around and around.  I try to explain that is not the proper way to do it, but Harrison assures me he can do it!  Well, Bennett tries again to no avail.

Today I found Bennett in the dining room all by himself.  Again, he looked just like Little Jack Horner as he spun around and around.  So proud!

Preschool

My baby started preschool.  It is not as traumatic as it maybe should be; for either of us.  Three years at Uncle Sam's have gotten me very use to preschool.  I can't say enough about how much that child care center helped raise my child.  It was wonderful.  So now, going to a new place, a non-Bright Horizons place is that most stressing factor for me at the moment.  The school I found is named Westminster Preschool and so far is wonderful.  Harrison was not really excited to go, but when we told him that we got to go with him the first day and be with him the whole time he got super excited.  He had a blast and was very comfortable in the room with the kids (4 boys, 12 girls!) and the teachers.  We left to do a little paperwork and hear more about the program and he did great.  On the way home we talked about what he did but he said he was not going back.  He didn't like it or his teachers (2 minutes previous - loved school and teachers).  I ended the discussion with thoughts of Oreos but thought better of it and just said "You are going."

The tricky part about school is getting Harrison to school.  Christopher can pick him up on his lunch break, no problem, but I have to put 2 one year olds, an 8 month old and a stubborn 3 year old into the car and THEN get them all out to take him into the classroom and drop him off.  Fun.  I have thought about those kiddie leashes that I hate, but I think that would be awfully cruel to Miles, dragging him along and all!

Anyway, Friday morning comes and it's time to get into the car.  Miles decides this is a time that he does not want to be in a car seat, Bennett decides he wants this book, no, this book, NO, this book,  AAAAHHHHH, and Harrison is refusing to enter the garage.  I finally get everyone in the car and we start off to school.  

I have to be honest with you.  I am nervous at this point.  Most things don't bother me.  4 kids into the car - no problem.  3 kids to the pool - don't mind if I do.  But having Harrison throw a giant fit about me leaving and Miles crying in the stroller and Bennett and Will off playing with blocks somewhere in the room is what I see in my very near future.  And it scares me.

We pull up to the school and Harrison jumps out of the van.  He does as he is told and holds Will's hand as we walk to the classroom.  Along the way he is saying 'See Bennett?  That is my classroom.'  'Oh, Will, you want to stop and see the teddy bears?'

Pleasant surprise so far.

We get into the classroom and Bennett is overwhelmed.  HEAVEN!  I can see it written on his face.  "I want to play here!"  Will is scared.  TERROR.  He thinks I am going to leave him there.  He is clinging to my calf.  Miles is figgity.  He could explode at any moment.  Harrison is all smiles and pulling away from me at this point.  I corral him back to me and we go off to his cubby to hang up his back back.  As he tries to run off, again, I get him to go wash his hands (Iowa DHS rule).  I bend down to give him a reassuring hug and ask him where he wants to play, but it is too late.  He is already pointing at a toy and on his way there.  I give him a 'Bye,' but he doesn't notice the sarcasm and doesn't even look as he says 'Bye Mom.'  He could have pretended to miss me a little!

Will is ready to go, Miles has calmed down and I am trying to catch Bennett.  We finally get back out to the car and everyone gets strapped in.  As we are pulling away I can't imagine that I have to do this every Thursday and Friday for the next 9 months.  We have to find a carpool!

As for Harrison, he was elated when he got home.  They had gone on a bear hunt, sang bear songs, read bear books and found honey treats.  After hearing about his day I asked if he was excited to go back again next week.

"No, I liked it, but now I am done.  I don't want to go back."

I don't know that I was meant to understand that child.  He might just be above my intelligence level.

Bath time!

Oh...what have I done?!!!

Harrison before:

Harrison after:

Bennett before:

Bennett after:

We have been planning hair-cuts for a while now.  So last night I decided it was time.  Off we went to Great Clips.  Closed.  Call Sports Clips.  Closed.  Off to the mall.  Closed, closed, closed. 

Wal-Mart anyone?  Closed.  Oh, that's right.  It's Labor Day.  No one labors on Labor Day!

So after that disappointment, it had taken Oreo bribery to get Harrison in the car, we tried again for tonight.  More Oreos were put on the table and accepted.  Parenting at it's best.

Chris was opting to not go along.  'They'll be fine.  You don't need me.'  Right.  After dragging Harrison over to the stylist, having him give me the hated evil eye, and convincing him to take his hand off of his head, I relent to leave his hair somewhat long.  The other stylist comes over and says she can do Bennett if I would like.  A little nervous about leaving Harrison, I say sure.  What the hell.  What the HELL!!!!  Harrison was just being a total pill.  Now she wants me to leave him there by himself?  Bu,t I decide, lets get it over with.  90210 starts in 28 minutes!  

Bennett freaks out before he even gets in the chair.  Screaming!  Oh my God...what have I done?!!!

At this point the child has huge crocodile tears running down his face and has made his way into my arms and neck.  The stylist is cutting his hair and most of it is falling into my purse.  He finally settles down and is busy drooling TWO suckers (more bribery) onto my neck and shirt while she cuts his hair.  I finally think it is time to set him down when he starts screaming again.  This time I decide to try and pretend to eat his sucker.  I pretend to try and lick it and then try and take it from him and them try and lick it again.  He is now sobbing and belly laughing all at the same time.  His hiccups are so loud I am laughing.

Meanwhile, Harrison is still getting his hair cut and when we finally get back over to him, he says (and I am not making this up) "What was Bennett having a fit about?  It was just a hair-cut."

Ahhhhh.  The memories!

2 is good

Tonight, Christopher was reading Harrison a couple of books before bed.  They just finished up their second book when Harrison said:

 "Can we read one more?" 

Chris responded:  "No, 2 is good."  

Harrison said (without missing a beat):  "But 3 is better!"

They read a 3rd book after Chris stopped laughing.