Tonight I read a story to you called My Favorite Things. The little boys and girls tell all of their favorite things: playing with their pets, camping outside, playing on the beach, sledding in the snow, and snuggling deep in their cozy beds on winter nights. At the end of the story it says, "What is your most favorite thing?"
I often wonder what your favorite thing is. Playing with Daddy? Talking to Mommy in the morning after your bottle? Anytime either of us gets you up from a nap? Banging on the doors looking for one of us? Your soft blue blankie? Baby Neptune? Daddy singing you to sleep?
Tonight something rare happened. After your bottle, instead of clammoring for a last protest or more playtime before bed, you laid still, stuck your thumb in your mouth, closed your eyes, and rested in my arms. That, my little one, is my most favorite thing.
Love, Mommy
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Ten-month Jack
One of Jack's favorite hang-outs at our new house is the front windows, which have a perfect little ledge for him to walk along.
Intently watching some loud truck drive by.
If you look closely, you can see the beginnings of pink eye. Yuck.
This blankie is his "must-have" for bedtime...we are in trouble without it!
Hello, pink eye!
Watching Baby Neptune
Another favorite spot
This is what happens when Mommy doesn't pay attention...Jack gets into the recyclying.
Bedtime stories with Daddy...we read "Goodnight Moon" to him every night. At the end it says, "Goodnight noises everywhere." And then when I whisper "Goodnight Jack," he starts to suck his thumb...so sweet.
His new hat...I like it because it covers his ears, but he's always trying to pull it off, which is quite funny to watch. Also, as soon as I took this picture he walked three steps to the other couch!
And then he fell down.
He's just learning to feed himself the bottle...he hates it!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
And that's why I don't have a dog
Two words: record lows. That's right...2 degrees here in Wheaton, Illinois. This morning I watched out my window as a woman from our neighborhood (looking more like Randy Parker from A Christmas Story on his walk to school) came shuffling down the sidewalk after her dog. I've frequently seen her out and about and she never looks as if she's enjoying it. This morning I couldn't see her face but somewhere deep inside the layers of wool and down and breatheable Gortex I knew: she is NOT happy about walking her dog in sub-zero temperatures! The dog, on the other hand, didn't look too happy either; he kept stopping and trying to nuzzle her legs, as if, "Come on, let me in! I'm cold, too!"
Now I've never owned a dog (with the exception of Bo Jangles, our shaggy dog, but that was before I was old enough to remember) but I've walked a few in my life. And I know that one thing dogs like to do on potty trips is sniff--they smell trees, grass, bugs, people, cars--you name it, they want to sniff it. So I felt sorry for poor Fido this morning...what fun is a walk if you can't sniff without your nosehairs turning to icicles? (And all his other hairs, for that matter!)
But I felt even worse for Miss Randy look-a-like. I thought about how there are things that I HAVE to do for Jack each day--change him, feed him, wash his bottles and bibs, scrub his stained clothes...things that I don't really like to do, and wouldn't do if I didn't have to for his sake. I do them because I love him and I desire his good. But I have to admit: this morning I was SO THANKFUL that none of these things requires me to pile on the winter accessories and head out into the arctic weather!
So Eric, my dog-loving husband, if you want to move to Florida or Mexico and get a dog, I'm game. I'm just not sure I can handle poopy diapers AND frigid walks all in the same day.
Now I've never owned a dog (with the exception of Bo Jangles, our shaggy dog, but that was before I was old enough to remember) but I've walked a few in my life. And I know that one thing dogs like to do on potty trips is sniff--they smell trees, grass, bugs, people, cars--you name it, they want to sniff it. So I felt sorry for poor Fido this morning...what fun is a walk if you can't sniff without your nosehairs turning to icicles? (And all his other hairs, for that matter!)
But I felt even worse for Miss Randy look-a-like. I thought about how there are things that I HAVE to do for Jack each day--change him, feed him, wash his bottles and bibs, scrub his stained clothes...things that I don't really like to do, and wouldn't do if I didn't have to for his sake. I do them because I love him and I desire his good. But I have to admit: this morning I was SO THANKFUL that none of these things requires me to pile on the winter accessories and head out into the arctic weather!
So Eric, my dog-loving husband, if you want to move to Florida or Mexico and get a dog, I'm game. I'm just not sure I can handle poopy diapers AND frigid walks all in the same day.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
The Durbins are back...
Hi to all our long-lost friends...we are finally getting settled into our new house. Just today we finished going through the last storage bin and got things organized in the garage (and out of the living room!)...So we're finally feeling a bit more at home. I told Eric today as I was sorting through random candles and picture frames and couch accent pillows, "I can't even keep up with the everyday, normal to-do list because there's still so much unpacking to be done...if I keep up with the dishes and the laundry and the cooking...things just stay in the boxes and continue to collect dust. But if I spend the day unpacking then YOU have to do the dishes, we eat out, and there's no clean underwear in the morning!" It feels great to have a box-free dining- and living-room! And tonight I made dinner AND washed the dishes AND did laundry!
We are also really enjoying the family that lives in the basement apartment; they have a son, Simeon, who was born the day before Jack! The boys love to play together, and by "play" I mean take what ever toy the other is holding out of his hands. It's amusing to watch. We feel very blessed to have made new friends already; last night we had dinner downstairs and, after a quick bedtime-for-babies break, we sat and talked with Rob and Janet until almost midnight--lots of laughing and sharing stories and learning about each other. We look forward to a summer of playing at the park down the street with Simeon, playing vollyball in the backyard and barbecuing together, and maybe even hosting a joint garage sale!
On a different but very important note: Jack started walking this week! He took his first 3 steps to Eric, and seems to only want to walk to Eric! He's branching out a little, though; the other night we were sitting on the couch talking and we suddenly noticed that Jack was half way across the living room. I think he noticed then, too, because he abruptly fell on his bottom. He's walked to me a few times now, and has walked to Grandma a few times, too--always followed by an enthusiastic "Yay!!! GOOD BOY!! You're SO good, Jack!!" It's so exciting--as every new step (haha!) is--but also is a reminder that he's not a little newborn anymore...he's almost 1! Truly amazing...this year has flown by.
Ok....pictures coming soon...also an update on Jack at 10 months (for those of you who truly enjoy knowing how our child is developing--grandparents!). Thanks for still checking our blog even though we've been MIA for the past month.
We are also really enjoying the family that lives in the basement apartment; they have a son, Simeon, who was born the day before Jack! The boys love to play together, and by "play" I mean take what ever toy the other is holding out of his hands. It's amusing to watch. We feel very blessed to have made new friends already; last night we had dinner downstairs and, after a quick bedtime-for-babies break, we sat and talked with Rob and Janet until almost midnight--lots of laughing and sharing stories and learning about each other. We look forward to a summer of playing at the park down the street with Simeon, playing vollyball in the backyard and barbecuing together, and maybe even hosting a joint garage sale!
On a different but very important note: Jack started walking this week! He took his first 3 steps to Eric, and seems to only want to walk to Eric! He's branching out a little, though; the other night we were sitting on the couch talking and we suddenly noticed that Jack was half way across the living room. I think he noticed then, too, because he abruptly fell on his bottom. He's walked to me a few times now, and has walked to Grandma a few times, too--always followed by an enthusiastic "Yay!!! GOOD BOY!! You're SO good, Jack!!" It's so exciting--as every new step (haha!) is--but also is a reminder that he's not a little newborn anymore...he's almost 1! Truly amazing...this year has flown by.
Ok....pictures coming soon...also an update on Jack at 10 months (for those of you who truly enjoy knowing how our child is developing--grandparents!). Thanks for still checking our blog even though we've been MIA for the past month.
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