How Baby Was Safely Recovered (or why Freeman's a Great Dad)

Once upon a time...

at a Toys'R'Us in Central Illinois, a loving great-aunt got a Cabbage Patch doll for a one-year old Veronica. Although the doll came home and lived with the other dolls and stuffed animals, Veronica didn't take much notice of her until one day...

Veronica's mommy had a new baby girl. All of the sudden it clicked. She had a baby, too! And although this baby didn't have a name (other than being referred to as Baby Jesus for a brief time around Christmas), she was very loved. Veronica took her everywhere, until...

one snowy evening, Veronica's family was returning home from a Bible Study and on the mile-long, snowy walk home, Baby was accidentally dropped. Except that nobody noticed.

The next night, Veronica asked for Baby to join her in her bed (which was her usual custom). Neither of her parents could find Baby, and being tired, distracted her until she fell asleep. But Baby had to be found. So Veronica's loving father donned his heavy coat (it was freezing outside) and retraced the family's steps.

It was WAY colder than this!

It wasn't until he had made the entire walk and turned around to return home that he noticed sweet Baby, frozen to someone's patio. So, he trespassed to retrieve her and brought her home, where she was given a nice bath in the washing machine.

The next morning, Veronica was so excited to see her baby once again. And everyone lived happily ever after.

Bathing Beauty

She loves the water!


Kick, kick, splash!

Brother and Sisters

Hamilton introduces himself and his sisters to everyone: the bus driver, cashier, park district teachers, museum employees, neighbors, and anyone else who will listen (or nod politely). He is thrilled to be a big brother and have two sisters.

Here he is talking to Caroline about the importance of eating fruits and veggies (seriously). Oh, and she was on her back until he came around...yup, he's worth trying to roll over.

He is often imparting his knowledge to her, "Caroline, we must obey mommy and daddy. That is very important." "Caroline, you should hold on to the rail when you walk down the stairs." He then waits for me to do my Caroline voice in response, "Thank you, brother. That is very important to know. I am glad you are teaching me such things."

Veronica thinks that Hamilton is the most amazing person she has ever met. Anything he does, she wants to do. Anything he says, she repeats. Because of this, she already "knows" several Bible verses, the days of the week, the planets, the alphabet and anything else Hamilton is interested in sharing with her.

She also loves Caroline...but often looks like she doesn't quite understand this little person.

I thought taking a picture of the two of them with cupcake shirts might be cute. Veronica followed my directions but was skeptical about how well this photo would turn out.


Veronica was so focused on putting the buttons in the can.


He worked on this for almost an hour. I really have to make him the pieces for a homemade ball run. Taking toilet paper and paper towel roll donations now!


Caroline is awake so much more now and often focuses in on the fastest moving things in the room: Hamilton and Veronica.


And boy is she trying to perfect that rolling over technique!

Kid Pictures!

My Aunt Tabby found this really cool kid-proof camera and thought that Hamilton (and by extension, I am sure, Veronica) might enjoy taking some of their own pictures. Boy, have they! (and we can pretty much vouch that this little camera can go through a lot and still keep clicking). Here are some of their better shots.

With Hamilton and Veronica both represented in this picture, I think one of the cousins must have been trying it out.

Cool oldest cousin, Emily. (Did I mention the camera comes with a flash?)

Daddy

Veronica ready for bed

Mommy not saying "Cheese"

There are about 20 pics of Caroline from this particular photo shoot--all from this very flattering angle.

I have a feeling this picture is incriminating...

Skyping with Daddy

I was witness to this series...it sounded something like this...
Hamilton: Veronica, say "cheese."
Veronica: Sees.

Hamilton: No, Veronica. I said, "Cheese."
Veronica: Sees.

Hamilton: Cheese!
Veronica: Sees!

Hamilton: Veronica, please say, "Cheese."
Veronica: ...

There are a lot of pictures of Veronica's nose...taken by Veronica. And if you hear a little voice somewhere around your knees saying, "Sees," you best pause and give your best smile.


Thanks, Aunt Tabby!

Quiet Time

"So, when do they nap?" It's a question I try to avoid, since it's always a little awkward when I say, "They don't, really." Some other parents then try to apologetically explain how they are trying to get their child to give up a nap--like I am somehow judging them.

Nope...it's just that my firstborn was never a great day sleeper (or night sleeper for the first 8 months, for that matter). And at some point around 18 months, he gave up naps for good. Of course, I kept trying with it for a bit but I realized one day that he didn't get grumpy without one. And, if I did get him to fall asleep, he would inevitably be up until 10 or 11 at night as opposed to his habitual 7 o'clock bedtime. So, we made the executive decision to stop enforcing nap time.

Really, trading in that hour of sleep for some flexibility in the afternoons worked well for me, and Veronica was such a great napper-on-the-go that we kept the pattern going after she was born. That was, until I was getting into that want-to-go-back-to-sleep-at-ten-in-the-morning part of the pregnancy with Caroline and it hit me...

No rest in the afternoon isn't going to work with three kids. And while Hamilton was pretty good with entertaining himself, he wasn't very good at entertaining himself quietly. Plus now that Veronica was no longer in her crib, I needed to be more intentional with her rest time in the afternoon, too. Eek!

So began our family quiet times. And, whew, it's been a lot of work and lots and lots of trial and error. And more errors than successes generally. It's been a work for me in being disciplined, too. I know from my teaching days the importance of consistency in getting a routine to work and become effortless...but the mother-Jenny is apt to nudge aside quiet time on a nice day and head to the park or run an errand. And pay for it the next day in trying to reinstate the routine.

Enter the iPod...loaded with familiar VBS songs...and our quiet time now looks like this (on a good day).

She spotted me and said, "Cheese."

He only looked up because of repeated flash needed in our bedroom.

This little one could teach the rest of Team Whitney a lesson about consistency in routine. She is a clockwork napper and goes to sleep on her own. I am in awe--I had no idea it could be like this!

Our Little Lady Bug

at 3.5 months
in double-time
(I especially like the bit between 25-30 seconds..who can resist a baby smile)


p.s. it's a silent film

Not gonna catch up!

Each time I sit down and look at this "New Post" screen, I am a bit overwhelmed. There is so much I could write about. We are so blessed; our lives are never boring. I end up typing a couple of sentences and giving up. So here's my admission. You are probably never going to read a blog post about:

• the fun park and zoo visits the kids took with Freeman and Grammy while I was getting used to having Caroline at home;
• the Book-a-Mania Library Event and trip to the planetarium with Oompah;
• the trip back to the planetarium the following week with Grammy and Granddad;
• Thanksgiving and Christmas 2011;
• Zoolights;
  
• the countless trips to the Children's Museum;
• the adventures of learning to get around with three; or
  
• New Year's Eve in the ER (and Hamilton's song about it).

Instead, I am starting with tonight. And keeping it simple. Because, really, I want to have a blog to look back at and remember what life looked like around here and I want to share these things with the family and friends that I don't reach out to as often as I'd like.

Tonight, somewhere between dinner mayhem and bedtime craziness, Freeman rallied the kids for a cool little science lesson. He pulled up the star chart on the computer and found Venus and helped the kids locate it outside our (hand print decorated) window.

It was a sweet moment. I'd write more about that, but I've got a fussy little one on my lap...more soon.

Before and After: 2011

Freeman and I were checking out some old photos and video last night of our kids. Through the laughter, we kept commenting how much Hamilton and Veronica had changed from the beginning to the end of the year. See...

Veronica - January, 2011

Veronica - December, 2011



Hamilton - February, 2011



Hamilton - December, 2011