God Mommy

Even with twins, Mamma Shannon still has room on her lap for her God Son.

He Couldn't lift the Piano. . .

Creative Diapering

Downtown Dammariscotta: Car on the lift getting tires rotated. Poop in the diaper. New diapers in the car. Quick fix: wash up with paper towels in the bathroom. Carefully wrap diaper (poop having been dropped in toilet) and stuff into coat pocket. Use LOTS of paper towel to create a new diaper to stuff into baby's wool pants. Works like a charm.

Nest Day. Basket ball practice. Poop in diaper. Clean Diaper 6 miles away at home. No problem, right? The hard brown school paper towel doesn't work nearly as well as the regular kind. Fussy Baby. Wet Wool pants.

Anatomy of a Busy Boy

At beditme, well packed and padded cloth diapers are all the rage. Our model today is sporting the ubiqitous and always stylish chest drool stain. And remember, if you're not sure where to go, just drag the pillow around till you find a comfy spot to lay your head.

Only 4 months!!

So--being in Maine takes extra time. Extra time to haul wood, wash dishes, hang laundry, and cry for lost closet space. . . .but Gergivus, or "Weggie" as Nicholas calls him, still likes a ride in the Storkenweiga--esp during dinner prep--here is a self portrait--I'm trying to kiss him--not look sunken-cheeked thin!

Dear Arveragus,

Life is full, and time goes by so fast! You are growing into a busy guy, and doing so many sweet things that I don't want to forget, but know I won't remember if I don't write them down.
Lately you have woken from naps, or even after bed time when I'm working in the kitchen, and instead of crying or calling for me you slide yourself off the bed and toddle out to find me. Such a little person. This morning you came out of the bedroom, saw Daddy sitting in his chair, and gave him a big smile and good-morning wave. Then you went straight for the window to watch a truck drive around the parking lot.
You pick-up books and ask for them to be read. "EH Eh EH ?" you ask. You pick-up pieces of clothing and ask for help putting them on. "Eh Eh Eh ?" You flip your sweet wrist around for a delicate "bye-bye" wave. When we go out for walks every car that passes us gets a wave.
You are getting more recognizable words. "Chick" "Mama" "Nana" (the food source, not the old lady. . .) and "ba" for ball. All is spoken with that sweet smile and voice--but you do growl sometimes. And you do the helecopter noise--sticking your toungu in and out for the roter noise. But you make the helecopter noise for helecopters, planes, and birds. Ah well. You'll get the fine points later.
Body part identification includes head, nose, mouth, and ear--though your nose is sometimes your ear--just like Thaddeus before you!
You eat anything if it has ketchup, or maple syrup. And you do eat a LOT! More than Thaddues sometimes--at least more in one sitting. . .Thaddeus just east a snack ever 40 minutes. . .
Your sign language includes "All Done" "Owie" "More" and "Please"--but several of them end up looking a lot like "mark it with a B" from Patty-Cake.
We all love you so--you get attention from everyone--and everybody comments on your sweet nature.

Toddle, Toddle, Bonk

The picture does not do justice to the large left cheek bruise, nose bonk, box scrape by right eye, right eyebrow egg, and two forehead eggs/bruises. Yes, he is one busy boy!

Baby Illness

Today I positively identified, with the help of the little blister on your right hand, Hand , foot, and Mouth disease. You are quite fussy--crying when the tylonol or ibuprophen are not working. But still such a sweet baby. The hardest part is your not wanting to nurse unless you are nearly asleep. Poor Honey! This too will pass. In only a couple of days.
Love.
Mama

Two Boys

Arveragus has a friend. His name is Prosper. They will be able to commiserate over their odd names one day. But Prosper's other name is John. A nice, wholesome fallback for the day he might want to be (gasp!) normal. Arveragus' other name is Plunkett. So one day he'll be able to . . .have another weird name. He was supposed to be Arveragus Charles--after his Grandpere. But when he came John said "Plunkett!" That name is from my family--originally from St Oliver Plunkett. He was an Irish martyr. His head is in a box in Ireland (those crazy British be-headed him). Apparently, his beard is still growing! Anyway, in the post birth delirium (when one is expecting a 7 lb girl and gets a 9 1/2 lb boy, one tends to delirium) he got 2 weird names. Poor boy.

But hey--we all need some good stories for the therapist right?

They sure are sweet boys though.

Toddler + Pumpkin Pie

definition of ankle biter

I was minding my own buisness playing guitar and singing with the girls (yeah--just call us the Von Trapps) when the baby crawled over to my left foot. Apparently it was too tantalizing for it to be on the footstool. . .he leaned in a left a circular pattern of teeth on my ankle. I screamed, he cried, and the girls consoled us all.

Greasy Baby

When the baby crawls under the van (I was on my way to stop him. . .) he may come out with a glob of axel grease on the crown of his head. Try dish soap. Then shampoo. Then facial cleansing oil. Then I advise you just settle for a black-headed baby until bathtime tonight.

What the Heck! A little axel grease never killed anyone. (please don't contradict.)

Oh How You've grown!

Daer Arveragus,
Yesterday was your first birthday. We all spent the day remarking on how wonderful you are. "Such a miracle that he is here with us!" I kept saying. You are a miracle because God loved you enough to create you (with Mom and Dad's help of course). You are the perfect Arveragus Plunket.

From one of our favorite books is the line "A happy baby, never cross, but all he'd eat was applesauce." You do like applesauce a lot--but really you ARE such a happy smiley baby!

Today you turned the corner and began walking more than crawling. We can all tell how thirlled you are to be upright. You make your mouth into a perfect "o" when you are amazed at something, and give open mouthed kisses for free! Such a miracle you are!
Love,
Momma

Cooking with Mamma

I Love carrot cake. Our wedding cake was carrot cake. I make two different recipes--this one--and a chocolate one (standard adult birthday cake--Jim and Shelley have both recieved one). As we can see, there is never a dirth of people willing to lick the frosting beaters. Big secret is that this is low fat! Fat free cream cheese and Neufchatel make the frosting, applesauce and yoghurt help with the cake. . .and it's SOOO yummy!

Condiment Fun

A Ziploc bag with a squirt of ketchup and a squirt of mustard keeps busy boy happy for several minutes. . .then the big brothers and sisters have a turn!

Baby Easter

Which outfit do you think he likes better?

All 4 Teeth in one shot!

Photo taken March 16.

News Flash!

Arveragus Plunkett just took four step in a row!!!

Have Baby. Will Travel.

First Amoxacillin

My poor sweet, never cries baby cried and coughed intermittantly last night. We have a nasty cold going through the family, but the mommy alarms started to sound when Arveragus got worse as his brothers were getting better. When I sat listening to crackling lungs at 2 am I knew a doctors visit was comming.

The verdict--bronchitis and a double ear infection. I can think of a few reasons baby #5 is the youngest babe of mine to receive antibiotics:

--Oregon is very wet, and we have black and orange mold growing in the apartment (I do wipe it--it comes back).
--Pacifiers can contribute to ear infections.
--Yesterdays extended hysteria

Regardless, I am ever grateful for penicillin when I have a baby who needs it. He has had his second dose, and should sleep a lot better tonight!
Also--he is 19.3 lbs

How Big is the baby?

SOOOO BIG!

New Skills

At 9 1/2 months Arveragus is doing many new things. Asside from the three teeth he can cruise along firniture, stand for a new seconds on his own, Tickle his ears and squeek "AAAAh-DA" when he's "all done" eating, reaspond to "How big is the baby? SOOOOO BIG!" by raising his arms, and hide behind a blanket then pop out for "peek -a-boo". Good work Plunk! I'll try to catch some photos of these feats soon.

Equi-distant!

Arveragus,
you have now spent as much time in the womb as out--9 months old today!! You get so much love and attention from your older siblings. We all think you are the sweetest baby ever. You also know that if your feet are not touching part of my body in bed, that means I'm trying to sneak away to do something silly like make breakfast or tidy the house. This is the alarm for you to wake, fuss, and need to nurse right away.

To make this day extra special you decided to let that first tooth (bottom right) poke through your gums. We can feel it--but it is not easily seen. Soon I will get a picture of your fully grown tooth! You weigh about 20 lbs.
I love my sweet baby,
Mom

Splash Monkey

Arveragus loves splashing with his big brothers. He tries to jump up and down, but that doesn't work too well, and keeps my nervous hands on his slippery little body!

New Years Consequences

When you take a sweet people-person baby to a New Years party, and he stays up till 11, don't expect him to go to sleep before 10:30 on Jan 1st.

Have Amautik, Will Travel

My super-cool Amautik really paid off during our drive across the country. Those big middle States are COLD in late Nov! It help so much the my little guy just needed to be bundled into the coat. This photo was taken in one of those states--can't remember which. He liked it though!