Goodbye to 2008

So this is the last day of the year 2008. What a wonderful year it was! It was on this date last year that Ethan returned from the hospital. And things continued to climb uphill since...
Allan and I attended 3 weddings, celebrated one birth and many birthdays, including GiGi's 93rd! Sophia celebrated her 3rd and Ethan celebrated his 1st! He still has yet to walk but that's o.k. It's recently been brought to my attention that his hair's getting a little long. Several people have referred to him as a girl but I pay no mind. I love his long curls!
And I have loved so much having a baby in the house again! Because I never officially documented his milestones I'm going to take this opportunity to do so now...
Smiled-in the hospital/Roll over-middle March/sleeping through the night/ last day in May/ first word-"hot"-11 months?/ sitting up-very late-10 months.
We definitely got a crash course in Insurance companies and pediatric billing. In turn, we mastered the art of forgiving!
Allan began his 7th year of teaching and I celebrated my first year at Fishhawk Fellowship. Sophia is in her 4th month of preschool and is LOVING it! We are going to enroll her in dance classes next month! She is addicted to tap!
We all stayed healthy except for Sophia's "nursemaids elbow" early in the year! We drove to Kentucky and visited many cousins, aunts, and uncles.
God has been good to us. I can't wait to see what 2009 has in store!

We recently "misplaced" our camcorder and it's killing me because it had most of the year on it...Ethan's first year. Scooting, sitting up, crawling. And, of course, it's breaking my heart. But what I have to remember is that MOST people in the world don't have their first year captured on video. And, again, I'm trying to keep focus on the images that I do have of him.
At the same time, it inspired me to blog again. This time I'm going to try and do it everyday. Just to document the little things I know I'll one day forget.
The good news, for me, is that Ethan is still crawling. And will be for a long time if I have any say in the matter. He's still my baby. I want him to stay that way as long as possible!
He turned one 2 months ago. He still won't sit up any other way but with his legs underneath him! You try pulling his legs out and he doesn't know what to do. He just sits there, helpless. Poor thing. It's funny. He says "Hot" to just about everything and blows kisses. He LOVES getting into things. Something Sophia never really did. He's quick!
So we're getting ready for Christmas! Sophia had 2 performances and has enjoyed Christmas festivies w/ her preschool. He also started the Elf on the Shelf tradition which we've been having fun with!
So that's all for now. I feel good that I've gotten back on...pictures will come soon!

Fremp

I would just like to introduce everybody to Sophia's new best friend, "Fremp". She's an ant that Sophia discovered this evening. Listening to Sophia you would think they've been friends for life. "Fremp NEVER hurts people, Fremp is a Mama and will NEVER crawl on you." I saw her leap over another child the other day to catch an ant. I guess she thought it was Fremp. She tried so hard to get the other children around her to share in her enthusiasm about the bug. They didn't care. I think she gets it from me as I used to house lizards and rolly pollys and who knows what else in little box homes. I sort of wish I was encouraged to follow that passion (Well, I guess the fact that my parents let me keep the bugs was a start). There will be no shortage of encouragement from us. Entomology is a very fascinating field. Now, if only we can convince Sophia to spare the bugs' lives.

The Happiest Place on Earth (?)

This past weekend we loaded up and headed to Disney World, "The Happiest Place on Earth". Well, whoever coined the phrase never went with a baby and a preschooler. Although we had an awesome time, Sophia has been to places where fewer tears were shed. Now, we didn't go to the Magic Kingdom or any of the major theme parks. But we did go to Downtown Disney which I think fits under the Disney World umbrella.We got there at around 10:00 which was perfect because it was still cool out and not very crowded so we easily found a great parking spot. The atmosphere is a lot like a theme park, outdoor music, characters, and lots to see and interact with. They also have rides that are perfect for Sophia's age.
Our first stop was the tiny train. As Sophia and Allan hopped on it there was a huge BOOM! and everyone stopped for a moment and looked around. Allan announced it was the Space Shuttle reentering the earth's atmosphere. I found humor in the fact that here was a grown man sitting (barely) in a tiny train with a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds giving an authoritative explanation and reassurance to those within earshot. "It's O.K. everyone, I'm the expert here, stay calm, It was just the Shuttle...CHOO-CHOO TRAIN FUN, WEEEEEEEEE!"
Later we went to eat at the CrabHouse. It was so nice and we were treated like royalty. Everyone doted over Sophia and Ethan as they are supposed to do. I mean they had us thinking this was a 5 star restaurant and we were their celebrity guests. Well, that all came to a crashing halt when we received our drinks. Unbeknownst to us, we were being served alcohol. And it wasn't to me or Allan. No, the best waiters in the best restaurant in the entire world were trying to serve my 5 month old son alcohol. And the only reason I discovered this was because it was the first time I was going to give Ethan juice and I wanted to make sure it wasn't too sweet. I did a taste test which is when i discovered the toxic beverage. So, to add insult to injury we did not get a free drink or a free meal or an apology from the manager like I was sure we would. Just a simple apology with a shrug. No, we weren't celebrities. Just the Dyer clan trying to avoid yet another trip to the hospital with our poor baby boy.But between the tears and the sonic boom and the near alcohol poisoning we had a fun and memorable day. The most entertaining part for me was the ride home when I got to watch Ethan entertain us with a little "number" of his own (pictured below).

A Day to Celebrate !!

Sophia poo pooed on the potty today!!!!
I hate to keep bringing it up but I have accepted the fact that having young children means being in constant awareness of their poo. So we have been trying desperately to persuade Sophia to poo poo on the potty. But she is deathly terrified of pooing on the potty. Peeing, not a problem. She has that down pat. So we offer all kinds of incentives when she needs to go. Lately, we have agreed to go to the Bounce Zone if she goes on the potty. She has seemed receptive to that but not in total agreement. So each time she has to go we raise our level of enthusiasm and add another carrot.
"If you poo poo on the potty we'll go to the Bounce Zone RIGHT NOW!"
"If you poo poo on the potty we'll go to the Bounce Zone RIGHT NOW and eat cake!"
"If you poo poo on the potty we'll go to the Bounce Zone RIGHT NOW and eat cake, and get new toys!" etc....
Well, today I crossed a line. I offered her things that I just couldn't deliver. I didn't think she would take the bait.
I went so far to say, "If you poo poo...Bounce Zone, (blah, blah, blah)... with Grandmother and Grandpa and Uncle Larry and GiGi and FarMor and Josie Dog!!!"
And Sophia came back with.. "And Baby Abby?, I LOOOOVE BABY ABBY!" Not wanting to loose the momentum I yelled, "YEAH! AND BABY ABBY!"
Sophia promptly sat on the potty. After about 5 minutes of silence I heard her exclaim, "I did it!"So now I was faced with 2 choices. I could either:
a.) Drive to St.Joseph's Hospital and convince Lisa to give up her newborn for a couple of hours of excitement at the germ infested Bounce Zone (did I mention she was just born today?)
or
b.) Hope that the treasures the Bounce Zone has to offer distract from the fact that certain guests will be absent from the festivities.
I went with "B". We enjoyed a "Poo Poo on the Potty Party" with food, games, balloons and cake minus the newborn. I think she was satisfied.
So we are celebrating the birth of another cousin and, to a lesser extent, a more congenial relationship between Sophia and her potty.

Vacation Bible School

This week Sophia and Ethan have been attending Vacation Bible School. The theme this year is "Outrigger Island". An outrigger stabilizes a canoe so it doesn't tip, just like God's word stabilizes us while in rough waters. It's based on Psalm 86:11- "Teach me Your way Lord and I will live by Your truth."
All of the students are "Wave Riders" and they learn about the Bible through Island related activities. While they are learning and having fun they are also competing with other classes. They earn points through attendance, memorization of Bible verses, and attire. Each day the children are asked to wear a specific article of clothing that pertains to the island theme.
DAY 1
Here are Sophia and Ethan dressed in Hawaiian clothes. Today, Sophia learned that "God is Real" I'm not sure what the contents of the lesson were since Sophia doesn't want to talk about anything except for what snacks she ate. The teacher was impressed with her behavior. She said, "Sophia is so sweet and sooo easy!"
Ethan learned that his worst nightmare has come true: there are people in the world, other than family, that just might take care of him. My poor sweet baby boy. I went in to check on him and he was screaming. When I went to pick him up all the caretakers started laughing. They said he cried a lot and,just when he settled down, someone would make eye contact with him and he'd start all over. So they learned to turn their heads when dealing with him.
Day 2
Ethan did much better today. He didn't cry as much. Upon retrieving him, I experienced one of the most touching moments I've had with Ethan. When he realized I was standing next to him (in his caretakers arms), he leaned toward me, his bottom lip popped out as far as it could go and he just started sobbing. I picked my heart up off the floor and took him from his caretaker.
Sophia learned that "Jesus was born". Again, glowing reports from the teacher. Sophia came home with a fish she made from a paper plate and a cut out of Mary. It looks like it's supposed to be a Christmas ornament. That would make since. Today she started singing "Jesus loves me". Then she told Allan that Jesus "cooks". When Allan questioned her she said, "Look, I'll show you." And she pointed in the oven. I wonder if she got "Jesus cooks" from "Jesus Christ". I'll find out tomorrow if there's a story of Jesus "whipping up a little something" in the Bible that I
overlooked.
Day 3
Papa worked from home today so Ethan stayed with him. Sophia learned that "No one else is like Jesus". Every morning during the Worship Rally (when all the children gather in the morning to sing)Sophia brought in a pink dog she befriended in her classroom. She would sing to it and make it dance. It was awfully cute. She loved singing and dancing during the worship rally. She came home singing "wiki wiki wiki", so we bought the CD. Now that is all we listen to in the car. It was "sunglasses" day so Sophia sported her pink "Pooh" sunglasses. Speaking of "Pooh", Sophia had an accident without her diaper on. I didn't think that would happen because she's good about asking for a diaper when nature calls. But it turns out she had a little bug and we kept her home for the next two days. Mama, Papa, and Sophia were sad she couldn't go. And so was her teacher.
I'm not sure how much of VBS she will remember but I'm happy we are setting a foundation for her to build on. It was an exciting week, and I was proud to be a part of it.

A Word About Snapshots

You don't have to double click the links in my posts. You just move your cursor over the highlighted words to see the image that appears. Now, let's enjoy cute photos of my family

FEEEEED MEEEEEEE!

Well, there's no two ways about it, my boy now loves to eat. He has shot up from the usual 15th percentile in weight to the 40th. And I have a feeling that number is going to continue to climb. The funny thing that he does now is he screams when he sees the spoon or bottle coming near his mouth. There are two different types of screams. One scream sounds like John Mcenroe when he's playing tennis. It's a long, loud, deep grunt. Maybe an angry cavemen would be a better analogy. The other sounds like someone might scream when going down a steep hill on a roller coaster. A loud scream of fear, anticipation, and excitement. Eyes are wide open and arms are flailing.
The other morning I had him in bed with me which sits up against the wall. He wanted to eat and I guess he was too famished to cry. So I woke up to the sound of him ferociously licking the wall. And I mean my little monster was going to town on this wall. I hadn't seen this much excitement over a wall licking since Willy Wonka. Too bad there are no snozberries that taste like snozberries. I do think the paint is some sort of Coffee color. Maybe that's what he was enjoying (he is,after all, Allan's son). Anyway, I'm just grateful they quit making paint with lead.
So now mealtime is much more pleasant (and entertaining). Gone are the long hours trying to simply get four ounces of nutrition in him. He loves his food and I know that if I run out of baby food or formula I can simply place him in front of the wall for a delectable feast.

Sentimentality Comes with a Price

One day at work a student asked my assistant what she did with her Christmas cards when the Holiday was over. "I throw them away", she answered nonchalantly. The thought of throwing away Christmas cards was so foreign to me that her response left me speechless. I just stared at her dumbfoundedly for a moment trying to wrap my brain around it.How can she throw away a greeting card from someone she only hears from once a year?It seemed so disrespectful."I keep mine." I said. "Oh, that's so nice that you have the space. I simply have no room." My assistant pleasantly responded (out loud). I imagine she was thinking something else.Not only do I keep every Christmas card but I keep every ticket stub, receipt, or worthless scrap of paper that is associated with a meaningful event. I like to stumble upon them and think about the experience.My name is Kendrick Dyer and I am overly sentimental.The price I pay(besides developing unhealthy attachments)? Clutter.The good news is that I hate clutter. If I didn't, I would EASILY become one of these hoarders like I saw on Oprah recently. Being able to throw things away or give them to Goodwill is a constant battle for me. But I manage to keep useless items to a minimum. Recently, however, I've discovered that the battle is going to continue to get worse. The clutter monster has begun to reproduce with Sophia's artwork from Sunday School.
Several of these pieces are made from Sophia's handprints.

I think the point of using your child's hand for a project is to be able to see how she's grown. So why would I throw them away? Documenting my child's growth is important, right? O.K., I'll keep the handprints.But the handprints are just a drop in the bucket. She has several other adorable projects and assignments that I don't have the heart to get rid of. Yesterday she got her first report card. It was from her swim class. I think I'll keep that too.The thing that makes getting rid of things easier is to maintain a thankful attitude for the things that I do have.

Opposites Attract

A reoccurring observation in our children's lives is that they are "SO DIFFERENT!" And really, 6 months into my son's life, everyday brings new and shocking ways just how different they are. Anyone who knows me is probably tired of hearing the following phrase:

"...but Sophia was SOOOOOOOO easy"

As if Ethan was supposed to be too.

Sophia adjusted to change easily, she loved to eat, and she loved to sleep.

Not Ethan. Ethan hates change. He hates to eat, he hates to sleep, Hates noises, lights, and staying still. He hates experiencing the slightest discomfort: Bubbles, gas, a MOIST diaper. And he will protest until we figure out what he is unhappy about. And I am the only one who who can interpret his crys and take the appropriate action (I am, really. It's not an ego thing. We've established a routine. That's another thing he hates, deviating from his routine.) Which is why it is so difficult for me to leave him with anyone, even Allan.

I was thinking this morning as a was tapping him on his fanny (not too hard and in a moderate tempo, a way that puts him to sleep when all else fails), That I should create a Troubleshooting Manual for him when I leave him with somebody. It might look something like this:

Problem-

Ethan is crying before it's time for him to sleep.

Has he eaten in 3 hrs.? no - feed him

yes-

Is his diaper dry? no-change him

yes-

Does he need to burp? yes- stand him up and pat his back or put him in his excosaucer

no-

Does he have gas? yes- pump his legs in a bicycle motion

no-

Teething? yes-Tylenol

no-

Went to bed late? yes- Then he's probably overly tired and will need to be swaddled, given the binky, held tightly and bounced on the bed without making eye contact. He'll arch his back, scream, and act like he wants down. Don't be fooled. Now, firmly pat the fanny.

no-

Then he probably just wants mama and, well, have fun.

The Walk of Life

I have been wanting to document our family's experiences for a while. I have thought about journaling or scrapbooking but neither panned out. This is because I set unattainable goals. And I don't like dealing with the disappointment of a missed goal. So, it's easier for me to walk away. And that's what I usually do. But documenting my children's lives is too important. I really have no business writing (as I'm sure any of my English teachers would tell you) but maybe the cute photos of my kids will make up for the poor writing. So here I go...
When asked to come up with a name I decided to use a twist on the name "Dire Straits". Allan, although wanting nothing to do with this blog (for now), decided against it... adamantly. He felt like it was too negative, that it suggested we were in trouble. So when he suggested "Dyer's Doodles", I knew I needed to make "The Dyer Straits" work. A Strait could be a metaphor for our experiences. A "Strait" is a "navigable channel of water". We love the water and, although our lives present many challenges, we manage to navigate with God's help.
So the hardest part of the Blog, actually getting started and coming up with a name, is behind me. It's all smooth sailing from here...