Heavy weather
February 27, 2010 Jordana
Today, our little corner of the Frozen North is getting both a blizzard and a tsunami. (The tsunami is predicted to hit us at a vast height of 0.6 meters, so don’t worry.) We live outside the tsunami evacuation zone, but we’ll be welcoming in some coastal friends and their hastily-packed duffel bags, on a you-never-know, better-safe-than-sorry basis.
* * *
Illness update!
Ngaire: Sniffles and cough.
Liam: Sniffles, cough and still-runny poop (I took him to a doctor the other day, after he had diarrhea 15 times in a 24-hour period, and as a result, wound up collecting some stool samples, which pretty much ranks at the top of my list of Do Not Like activities, right up there with changing poopy diapers five times in the middle of the night).
Rhiannon: Ear infection, sniffles, just got over a stomach virus and still won’t eat solid foods again.
The Husbandlet: Conjunctivitis, sniffles, sore throat.
Me: Nothin’! Wow. Though I did have a mild tummy bug earlier in the week.
And yes, this is supposed to get better. Apparently, “everyone” has a first year here like this.
* * *
Rhiannon! started pulling up on her knees, pulling up to a stand, and taking steps forward if you hold her hands, all in the space of about a week. She is very quiet, and will now disappear into various rooms to pad about and explore. At our small group last night, I noticed that she had gone missing, and found her in the room of the girl of the house, playing with toys. When she spotted me, Rhiannon came crawling out, and crawled by my feet all the way back down the hall into the living room. It was like having a very quiet, padding, blue puppy.
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I am keeping Lent by trying for daily devotional times (tough), AND giving up yelling at the kids (tougher). One of my friends suggests whispering. Good idea.
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The last few days have been BEAUTIFUL here. And when it’s beautiful here, I really can’t imagine a more lovely place on earth. We’ve been getting out for walks and enjoying the sun, the lack of rain, the high 30’s/low 40’s, the lack of rain, the flocks of eagles, the lack of rain, the mossy paths, the lack of rain, the stunning views of snow-capped mountains, and the lack of rain. The Husbandlet, being himself, likes to bound during walks. Liam, who has started identifying a lot with Daddy, now tries to follow in his footsteps, which is absolutely adorable … if the Husbandlet jumps off a root, Liam will very carefully jump off that root; if the Husbandlet springs off a tree, Liam will go up to that tree, set his foot against it, and push off; if the Husbandlet leaps onto and then off a boulder, Liam will approach the boulder and holler, “Get me up!” and then require some arms to leap into.
* * *
Quotables:
Ngaire: “Liam’s a lot like Lord Farquaad.”
Me: “How so?”
Ngaire: “Because he’s tinier than me.”
*
Me: “Ngaire, I’m going to teach you a new word: Arachnophobia.”
Ngaire: (some attempt at this word)
Me: “It means, fear of spiders. Some people are afraid of spiders. Isn’t that silly?”
Ngaire: “Yeah. Especially for Spider-Man.”
*
Liam (flying on of his Lightning McQueens above his head): “Look at that Lightning McQueen, flying like Peter Pan!”
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Seize the Mommy! 
1. Jenny&hellip | February 28, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I’m trying to figure out how to say this without sounding like a selfish jerk, but hey, I’ll say it anyway.
I am sooooo glad to hear that you yell at your kids. 🙂 I read your blog and your kids sound like such little angels and you’re such the patient mom that it’s a complete relief to know that even you yell.
There I said it. And I’ve tried the whispering thing. Somehow, I always end up whispering at the top of my lungs. 🙂
2. Jordana&hellip | March 1, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Oh my goodness, Jenny, were you a fly on our wall (or a raindrop trickling down our windowpane, at this time of the year), you would hear me yelling waaaaay too much. (You would also see my children’s less angelic side.) I have my good moments–mostly when other people are watching–but, I fear, I may have limited my blog stories to things that showcase the angelic-ness/patience of which you speak. 🙂 Also, the closest I’ve ever come to whispering when reprimanding the kidlets is more of a hiss.