For Heaven's Sake!

I came into the house and found Maranda and the boys playing UNO a few minutes ago. I briefly interrupted the game to talk to Mommy. After enduring the interruption for as long as he was able, Kieran blurted out "MOM, for heaven's sake do you have a yellow nine!!!" LOL

Boys are now roomates!

Starting tonight the boys are now sharing a room, and Mommy and Daddy have their own room for the first time in 5 years!

Kieran loves his new "look-out" bed. Now the main task will be convincing him that things don't need to be continually launched off the upper bed from his cannons....

The hidden pocket

Last night Kieran picked up a round piece of colored glass that was part of a set of baubles Maranda gave him, and then proceeded to reach down toward his long john pajama pants. I said "Kieran, where are you going to put that, you don't have any pockets." He gave me a patient grin, then reached into his long johns and pulled out a ziplock back and placed the object in within the others, then returned to his long johns.

I am pretty sure he slept with that ziplock back down his pants actually...

The Boy Who Doesn't Sleep

Kieran has been convinced for quite some time that he doesn't sleep. Whenever the topic comes up he tells us that he stays awake all night, just like an owl. Given his playful nature (and the fact that he takes after his goofy dad in creative story telling), at first I though he was intentionally being playful. However, clearly he is not just playing and is firmly convinced that he DOES NOT SLEEP. Now occasionally he admits to closing his eyes, but that never, ever results in actual slumber. Maranda commented that it makes sense really, from a four year old perspective. I mean, you are never conscious of being asleep, right? Yet, I still find it quite funny that every night when I wish him a good sleep he says "don't worry, I won't sleep" with complete certitude.

Overheard

Kieran told Maranda today that he hasn't decided if he wants to be a genius or an expert, LOL.

Morality and Existential Thinking @ 4

Kieran continues to surprise me with his awareness and thoughtfulness about life. Several times recently he has lain in bed with me at night after turning off the light and told me that he wishes grandpas could become Daddies again and that Daddies would never get old. When I ask him why he wishes Grandpas could become Daddies again he tells me that he wishes no one would ever die.

In moments like these I don't know what to say except what I am feeling as well, so I say back, I wish people didn't die too. I reassure him that death is natural and not to be feared, and that it takes a very long time for a person to get old and die. It is just so surprising that he continues to think about such deep issues at four years old, I don't know whether to be happy or really sad at this... I mean, I think it is amazing and show tremendous awareness, but every kid needs a carefree childhood, I don't want my boy to end up pensive and anxious....

I am also surprised by his ethical convictions. For example, the other night at the parent torture that is know as "Chuck e Cheese" I brought Kieran up to a game that already had some tickets sticking out but not claimed by the previous player. He had been looking up at the screen as we approached so I didn't think he saw them. It was a difficult game and he only one two tickets. Normally this would frustrate him as he likes to do well, but I was hoping the "extra" tickets would surprise and please him. At the end of the game I said "Look at all those tickets!" Kieran paused, and then without a word reached down, ripped off the tickets, and took the two most recent tickets off the end, leaving the rest on the ground. I asked him why he didn't take all of the tickets and he responded that those were someone else's. Despite my explanation that the last kid didn't want them, I ended up the one pocketing the tickets.

Kieran continually reminds me that children are a gift and a constant surprise, even as our heart aches for them when they are sad or when they struggle to succeed.

Kieran Vacuuming

Kieran loves to clean, he thinks it is a very "special" adult activity. Here hoping he doesn't figure this out too soon!

Bull Run Mountain

Last weekend we took a hike up Bull Run mountain to check out the amazing fall color this year (cold snap really brought out the color!). The park is about 15 minutes from our house yet this was our first trip! It was a lot of fun, though we ended up with both boys in backpacks for most of the hike.

Orangutan Says Hi

Kieran and his cousin Salma get up close and personal with a female Orangutan at the DC Zoo

Fun at the Fair

Since Kieran basically plans his entire year around our county fair, we made sure to get in a good dose this year at the largest fair in the commonwealth of Virginia. We invited along some of our favorite hill folk and headed for an amazing time of rides, hot humidity, farm smells, vehicle crashes, and a stark plea for a national dental health program for carnival workers.

It was a great time for certain, though one that made me amazingly appreciative of our vehicles air conditioning on the way home. Kieran had a blast and was emboldened to go on some of the high rides by his fearless leader Ella (Kieran is quite timid with regards to heights, which surprises some given his boldness in other regards).

Here are some shots of the shindig, only to be topped by next years fair!

Kieran had scoped out the rabbit a full hour earlier and had to run around the carousel to find it.

Ella and Kieran had a lot of fun sharing the rides.

Nascar face

Our Friend Stacy with a huge turkey leg.

Kieran Ponders Death

So Kieran has been puzzled and bothered by death for the past six months. At first we thought it was a passing issue, but it has recently intensified again. He is very weirded out by bones in food, bones in the museum or doctor's office. He asks tons of questions whenever we pass a roadkilled animal (how did it die, will it get alive again). I tell him that once something dies it does not become alive again, but then I gently change the subject. At night when I am laying with him he talks about how his body has meat and bones and blood, in a very serious and even somber tone. He will no longer eat fish if he can see the bones on my plate.

When we were visiting Tiller, Oregon, Kieran went with Maranda to see the grave site of her Grandfather. Over six weeks later he is still asking Maranda questions about the grave site, if the bones are still there, if she "carried" her grandfather to the grave when he died, etc.

I have always been of the mind that death should be treated as a natural and normal part of life when engaging a child, kind of the way it would have been treated for most of human history. We don't hide the fact that we eat animals or that Daddy hunts deer that we eat (he is a huge fan of hunting by the way, he just doesn't like to dwell on the outcome). We have always known that Kieran is a very sensitive and perceptive child, and given his latest intensified concern over death I am starting to reconsider our approach. For certain, a child who is just shy of four years old is way too young to be having an existential crisis over the mortality of animals and human beings.

Going forward we will avoid situations that trigger these thoughts (avoid the natural history museum for instance). I don't think we can suddenly start telling him that death doesn't really happen, nor would I be comfortable with this fiction. Any other thoughts from anyone, we are open to any ideas?

Kieran's Trip to the ER

So Kieran had his first visit to the ER yesterday evening. As my neighbor put it, he had a small "farming accident." We were on our way down to the garden to pick tomatoes and he fell carrying a bucket with a rough plastic edge. The edge hit him across the mouth and opened up a pretty good gash across his lips.

Fortunately the bleeding stopped rather quickly. Kieran was pretty upset but calmed down by the time we headed out. Luckily we got a very kind nurse practioner, plus he was able to watch Formula One racing on TV while they gave him numbing shots and put in three stitches. He was very brave and although he gasped a few times, he never cried out or struggled. The nurse commented several times that he was very brave for his age. In the end I think it was definitely harder on Mommy and Daddy than Kieran, as he was very pleased with his popsicle and spiderman stickers, while we were both exhausted by the ordeal.

The money you could be saving with Geico

So Kieran thinks the Geico money commercials are hilarious. Also, there is a big billboard of the geico money character near his daycare, and he always points it out with great zeal. Today for crafts they could make whatever they wanted. When Maranda arrived Kieran proudly displayed his handiwork, and said "look mom, it is the money you could be saving with Geico!" We are both still laughing, this is hilarious.

Check out his handiwork HERE

Thunder and Lightening

So we have had a couple amazing thunder and lightening storms recently.  Yesterday in the early am hours a really humdinger swept over our house, with cracks of lightening illuminating our darkened room and crashing thundering literally vibrating the windows!  Maranda and I marveled at the storm, and also at the fact that Kieran did not show up at our door or start screaming in his room.  I was pretty convinced that he must have somehow slept through the celestial heavy metal concert that passed over our house.

In the morning when I walked into Kieran's room to wake him up, he sat up quickly and began to excitedly tell me about the loud storm.  "It was so loud that I crawled under my covers to be safe.  Then I fell asleep still under the covers and got all sweaty when I woke up."  I asked him if we was scared and he said "a little, but not too bad."  As far as I know, this is the first time he has crawled under his covers during the night to feel safe, Maranda and I both got a kick out of him relaying the story.

Memorial Day Weekend

This memorial day we went fishing....  Seems like we have been doing a lot of fishing lately!  It was a great trip, with Maranda outfishing me quite effortlessly.  We caught a total of 23 keeper size crappie, 8 bluegill, and 1 perch.  Kieran did a masterful job of fighting the perch, bluegill, and several crappie.  Maranda could be considered a show off after she hooked four crappie in under three minutes.  We were also accompanied by our friend Bruce from a church we have been joining fellowship with.  It was a fun time to swap tales and he kept the boys entertained while I ran to retrieve Maranda's frequent fish.

Here is Kieran proudly showing off our catch

A trophy bluegill

Our friend Bruce with Tristan

Bone Shirt

Every since he got his "bone shirt" late last summer, Kieran has been absolutely infatuated with his favorite sweatshirt with glow in the dark bones.  I am surprised this sweatshirt has not already worn out, as he wears it EVERY day that he is allowed, begs to sleep in it each night (he is wearing it to bed tonight with Mommies permission).  He loves to stand in front of a bright light and then turn off all the lights and see the bones glow.

I shouldn't have been surprised given his love of this sweatshirt, but when I was carefully explaining to him a few weeks back that we would all be dressing very nice for Easter Sunday and I needed his help to pick out his best clothes, he immediately responded with "my bone shirt is really, really nice!"  Sigh....  There was nothing I could do to convince him that a button up shirt and vest was "nicer" than his bone sweatshirt, so it was a rather distraught three year old in the back of car that morning on the way to church.

A week after Easter Sunday mommy was getting the boys dressed to go take portraits.  As she explained to Kieran that he was wearing clothes that looked very nice matched well with his brother Tristan he paused, and then asked in his most persuasive voice, "can I wear my bone shirt, 'cause I want to look nice AND cool!"  Needless to say, the cool factor did not end up meeting his expectations...

Luckily he still has some room to grow, so the bone shirt may be with us into 2010.   

Really Cool Dudes

So I noticed a model shoot going in a local park one afternoon, and managed to steal a couple shots of these outrageously cool gentlemen.

Weekend Survival

Sometimes we are just happy to have survived the weekend!  We had lots of plans for how we might spend this weekend, all the projects and things we could do, perhaps even heading into DC for the cherry blossoms.  Alas, this was not to be our fate...

To start things off, we have a new dog in our family (Duke), who is a big male from the first litter we raised close to three years ago.  The owners had to give him up and we had asked that all buyers look us up if there was a chance a dog would be given to a shelter or pound.  We agreed to take him in and have quickly found he is in need of a LOT of training.  

Along with the training, Duke and his mother have been having stand offs over who is the new pack leader.  She is 15-20 pound lighter than him, but fully undeterred.  Finally Saturday morning it reached a climax and they went full bore for several minutes.  When I finally headed down with gloves on to bring things up, they separated and Duke went scurrying toward the house, looking like the beaten dog.  Both dogs had bite wounds to their ears, but Duke was way worse and had a wound on his chest as well.  

SO, Maranda and I spent several hours midday Saturday cleaning dog wounds, flushing them, and applying antibacterial salve.  Maranda did the lion's share of the work, I did the restraining when the worst wounds were addressed.  We have continued to rinse and clean the wounds since, and antibiotics will be here tomorrow....wheeghh.

Today Kieran and I scampered away after church to try and put a hurt on the local bluegill population.  We had tried one spot with no success, and had relocated to a place that clearly had a MOTHERLODE of big bad blues...  Shortly into the afternoon, with only two decent fish on the stringer, I suddenly heard a big splash next to my elevated position near the shore.  Kieran had been playing with a stick in the water when his straw hat blew off in the wind into the pond.  

Instead of calling to me he had rushed into the pool and was up to his armpits in water.  I jumped down and fished him out, and then saved the hat.  He was rather distraught over the hat, and then became distraught over his soaked clothing.   So I stripped him down to his briefs, packed up, and headed home.

So hear I sit after burping a fussy baby for the last hour, with a late dinner in the oven, wondering where the weekend went!  I actually am thinking how nice it will be to ease into my cube tomorrow with a big cup of coffee.  I guess the one thing I can say is that all creatures in our home survived the weekend, everything will soon be fed, and tomorrow is another day....

Party In My Tummy

Ever since we first saw this clip, this has been a refrain in our family around dinner time!  Kieran had mommy call me at work this afternoon, and he told me there WASN'T a party in his tummy because they had pizza at school that he couldn't eat (milk allergy).  "But," he breathlessly relayed, "later there WILL be a party in my tummy because mommy is going to make Pizza!!!!"

This song has weird, hypnotic staying power, you have been forewarned!

Photo shoot with peterbphoto

Pete of Peter B Photo brought his lovely wife to our house recently and spent some time shooting pictures of our boys. While my adhoc lighting setup proved to be less than exceptional, there were some nice shots of both boys and some ideas generated on how to improve my setup going forward.

Here are some of the best shots