Penultimate Post

Today was our last full day in NH. As I type, Jesse is already 20 hours into his journey homeward, and he got a Skype call out to us during his 10 hour layover in Nairobi. Thank you!! We can hardly wait to see you tomorrow, Jesse! Yesterday, when I asked Josiah who should read him a story before nap, Mommy or Nannan, he replied, "Daddy?"  And today he sprinted for the front door when a delivery man rang the bell, thinking it was you. Of course, his life hasn't exactly been hard here these past two weeks, as evidenced in the previous post, below. :) 

(Sorry no photos today...)

King Muck

Wow. It's going to be hard on this kiddo when we get back to Lancaster. Here he is having breakfast

of bacon and pancakes

in Nannan & Papa's bed

watching TV.

Mom calls him King Muck. I can't find any references to the moniker, but you get the idea.

 

Update on 12/11: Aha! Mom informs that it's Lord Muck. See link.

A Daily Sort of Day

When there's nothing else to write about, there are always tubby-time pictures. 

With bubbles. 

And one very cute boy. 

Who has started to call me "Sweetums," just to be cheeky.

We Love Auntie Kara

In the midst of many church activities today, Auntie Kara made it up for a last visit. Next time we see her, she'll be great with child...or who knows...maybe Baby Prahl will be here! She brought a bunch of larger hand-me-down baby items that she has already received in the past week since "going public," to store here temporarily, since storage at her and Matt's condo is at a premium these days. Josiah took one look at the infant bathtub and immediately wanted to get in. He sure loves Auntie Kara!

Tulips = True Love?

You've missed a fun evening, Jesse. My mother produced a cassette tape dated December 1985: the Christmas gift Kara and I made for them that year. Kara was 5 and a half, I had just turned 8, and the tape (both sides, mind you) is a treat. We recited Christmas poems, read the Christmas story, told jokes, and sang countless Christmas songs and carols. It's actually all quite sweet (well, apart from when we devolved to knock knock jokes to fill time), but the real highlight is the first item on Side 2: The Twelve Days of Christmas. Kara's job was to start off each stanza before I launched into the complicated numerical bits. "On the first day of Christmas, my tulip gave to me..." she sang each time. So cute!

And here's the day in photographic review:

Nannan and Josiah spying Papa felling trees out back.

Mom and Dad both independently ended up wearing their fisherman knit sweaters on this icy morning, so I put Josiah into his too for the photo op. Grandma White, we love you...and your sweaters!

"Mamma, do sweeping with Josiah?" is a new, daily request. We've learned to put his hat on to protect his head. Crazy boy (and probably crazy mommy who complies). 

Hey Babes

Just a bit ago, not long before bed, Josiah sauntered up to my mom with a twinkle in his eye. "Hey Babes," he said. 

This is a new game. Last weekend Mom called him "Babes" at one point, and he threw it right back at her. Our ensuing mirth was great, and he now has a precocious knack for pulling it out at just the right quiet moment when everyone is preoccupied and he wants to reclaim his self-declared title as Center Of The Universe. He hadn't said it for a couple of days until just now. Oh, Jesse, it's definitely going to take two of us to parent this monkey. Stay safe! We're hoping your boat ride over to the other Congo was uneventful today... 

And today's photo? Josiah with his current entourage of bears listening to a story with Nannan. I think the bear count is up to eight.

Jobs

Josiah loves to help with "jobs" at the moment. "I need jobs," he announces with regularity. He was immensely proud that today he got to help Nannan make a pumpkin pie for Papa. He helped make the pastry and roll it out, dump in ingredients, do some mixing. He was well-floured from head to foot by the end. When we heard Papa driving in at dinner time, we (with some misgivings) had Josiah holding the pie plate and waiting at the door. He was rigid with excitement and flushed with pride! 

DIY footwear

Who would think that decent toddler slippers are so hard to come by? They have enormous character heads, slippery soles, or some other design flaw that renders them treacherous for, well, anyone carrying my clumsy genes. So, I modified a pattern, bought some flannel, fleece, and grippy-footie fabric for less than $6 total, and coerced Mom into helping. And...let me present: cute, cosy, and sensible toddler footwear, a must-have accessory in this lovely-but-as-yet-unfinished house where half the floors are still plywood! Josiah's modeling them in "Train" here, and they also come in "Puppy," which are definitely my favorite. There's even enough fabric to make two more pairs for next year. I'm delighted, Josiah loves them.

Jesse, thanks for your oh-so-wonderful call today! Tonight before bedtime, as I was praying with Josiah, I prayed about you not feeling well with the anti-malaria pills. Josiah stopped me short, mid-sentence, putting his hand on my face. I opened my eyes as he said, with concern, "Daddy sick?" I replied that you were just a little tiny bit sick and you would be fine, not to worry. He kept repeating it and then said, "Daddy need medicine. Daddy need puffer medicine. Feel better." I had to reassure him several times that I'd tell you to take some medicine, and I thanked him for sharing his puffer medicine (an inhaler, for you others out there). He was okay in the end. 

And here are some photos from the last day or two. Water painting...going on an icy, rather ill-advised, very short walk...making brownies with Nannan...

Watching Daddy

Josiah loves the silly video we made for yesterday's post. We have watched it time and again, and every time he gets this small, content smile. "More Dadda? More bye bye?" he asks as soon as it's over. 

Ring-A-Round-A-Rosie

Enjoy, Daddy!

We recorded this just a little bit ago, and I think Josiah has already watched it two dozen times. "More 'bye bye Dadda'?" he's asked again and again. He misses you...

Tongue Twister

We got word that Jesse arrived safely this morning, weary after back-to-back overnight flights with hefty layovers in both Amsterdam and Nairobi, but doing well. Josiah and I are settling in comfortably for our two weeks with Nannan and Papa up here in Alton Bay, NH. (Miscellaneous pictures for Daddy are below.) And...in the midst of an idle conversation with my mother, who's ironing as I type, I've just created the world's best tongue twister. I challenge you to say it even two times in a row: Crinkle Skirt Sweater. 

Did I hear you say squirt? or skwetter?

International Departures

After the Christmas festivities were over yesterday evening, Jesse and I were off to Logan. It was a tearful parting -- well, on my part anyway -- and now 24 hours later he's still en route to his first African destination in a two week stint of travel for HOPE. He should arrive in Kinshasa, Congo in the wee hours tonight. Can you blame me for being a sad wife? This is the handsomeness I was enjoying yesterday. 

I'm dreaming...

...of a White Thanksgiving and Christmas...

Note: There's a real treat at the end of this post, so don't give up before you get there.

This week we made the trek to New Hampshire to celebrate with the White side of the family. We began the festivities with Thanksgiving on Thursday, followed by a day of games and decorating on Friday, and then we celebrated Christmas all day Saturday. It's been a lot of fun, with 13 here for Thanksgiving and 18 here for "Christmas." Josiah has been delighted by all of it, of course. Mid-way through the gift opening on Saturday, he unwrapped a toy from Nannan and Papa. As he began playing with it, we prompted him with the standard, "What do you say to Nannan and Papa?" All day he'd been saying "thank you" very nicely, but this time he beamed up at them and replied, "More presents?" Hm. 

Preparing to play Settlers of Catan on Wednesday night.

Decorating the Christmas tree with Auntie Kara.

A few hours later, Josiah finding a ball and deciding it should go on the tree too.

Tramping through the woods.

Opening presents on Saturday morning.

An English tradition: Opening Christmas crackers and wearing the enclosed paper crowns.

•  •  •  •  •

And...

Here’s an early Christmas gift for all of you: an announcement.

Josiah has a new cousin on the way!!!  Kara and Matt announced on Thursday that Baby Prahl is coming in early June. Two days after they divulged the secret, they received their first baby gift. They don't look pleased, do they? Hooray for babies and sisters and cousins and blankets with little yellow duckies!

Hands-down fun

Yesterday evening the Martys and the Caslers had dinner and fun a few doors up at the Bredeman house. First things first: Although we had to call our Settlers game before it came to a proper end, my winning streak showed no signs of ending. :) And with that duly noted, the kids had fun too! The youngest cohort (Caden, Briar, and Josiah) are separated by barely 5 months, and they showed a shocking degree of cooperation while we played with a magnadoodle. I traced their three hands, and they took turns erasing it so we could do it again...and again...and again. And then Briar took over the tracing while the boys dutifully had their hands drawn.

(Oh, and we're so happy that Daddy got home in the wee hours this morning!)

The Marty Party

Our good friends the Martys -- Bethany, Quenton, Eden (9), Truman (7), and Briar (2) -- are moving from Lancaster to Krakow (with a month in Wisconsin in between). They packed up the moving truck on Friday and today, and the new owner of their home began moving in literally as they walked out! And...we're enjoying having them here in our home for the weekend until they hit the road on Monday morning. Josiah had a blast with the super-duper train track Truman constructed, and he and Briar have cracked me up several times with the little games they create with one another. Jesse, you're missing a party!

'cause everyone should enjoy a cloth-diapered bottom now and then

Pumpkin-bum and I both miss you, Jesse!

A Very Useful Engine

For his birthday, Josiah received a Thomas the Tank Engine costume from Auntie Kara. It's a few inches too long, but there was no getting him into a kangaroo costume – which still fits from last year – with this alternative in the closet. So, I pinned it up, and one Very Useful Engine had a great time at his school costume parade and then later doing his first trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. We're delighted that Pop Pop Casler arrived on Halloween. Pop Pop manned our front door and candy bowl so Josiah and I could make the rounds (Jesse was in Boston). And Josiah L-O-V-E-D it. He very quickly got the hang of ringing the doorbells, saying "trick-or-treat" and "thank you," and then literally running to the next home.

Speaking of the kangaroo costume... Although he wouldn't wear it, Josiah fell in love with the baby joey sewn into the top half and spent several days toting the entire outfit about. We tried to get him to carry just the top, but he'd beg, "and the pants! and the pants!" when he didn't have both enormous parts. He slept with the outfit hung over his crib rails, brought the stinkin' thing to school, and loved talking to "baby joey" in a hilarious, sing-song, baby voice. 

Batmobile

Okay, so actually it's a bat mobile, not the Batmobile, but I'm loving it! It's been a fun craft idea that has developed over the last couple of Thursdays with Josiah (and frankly, I'm just more excited that I can call it the batmobile, since there's seriously nothing I love more than a great, geeky, play on words). In any case, Josiah helped paint the egg cartons, I took care of the hot gluing, and he helped hold the sticks while I strung them together. Josiah's excited that Rojo gets to see the bats all the time. I should have photographed it at night to full spooky advantage. 

Thinking of Rojo, here's a proper photo of him, as promised a month ago. He's still alive and well! Josiah helps to feed him every day.

Fall Excursions

We've been reveling in a light travel schedule for Jesse this fall (although all good things must come to an end, alas). A few recent highlights:

• Playing at the park. Josiah enjoys the playground, and we try to get out at least once per week. It's great practice for our little boy who got so behind in his gross motor skills last year. (And FYI, I'm in embarrassed denial about the possibility that his poor coordination and physical cautiousness is likely more due to my feeble genes than the fact that he was half blind for the first 12 months of his life!)
  
• Visiting the Choo Choo Barn. This is a Lancaster County must-see for all little engine lovers! Josiah was in heaven in this massive model train set-up. (Can you catch a glimpse of Josiah's amazing Thomas sweater that Auntie Ann knit for his birthday??)
  
• Psych Department Barn Party. My department holds an annual fall event for students and faculty. We enjoyed an evening at a local farm (where one of my students grew up), with a pig roast, bonfire and s'mores, cow barn tour, and pumpkin carving. We had to leave before the hay ride. Of course, in spite of enjoying the entire evening, only one aspect seems to have made a lasting impression on Josiah, which he brings up whenever we talk about visiting the farm. I'll give you a hint, as I'm too delicate a flower to post it directly. It involves the cows and the large, umm...products...they create. Josiah was highly impressed.
  

Bad Hair Day

A couple of Thursdays ago, Josiah and I were at a nearby playground. His verbal skills currently far outpace his social graces, which is both delightful and disarming. I was showered and reasonably put together that day, but it was a very blustery, gusty morning (his first request as we stepped outdoors was, "Mama turn off breeze?"). As I pushed him on the swings, he looked up at me, and his eyes become worried. "Uh-oh, Mama," he said. "Uh-oh. Hair. Uh-oh, Mama hair!" I asked him if my hair was a mess, and he agreed with wide eyes, saying, "Mama hair, BIG mess!"

I thought Mommies were supposed to be beautiful in their little boys' eyes for at least a few more years!

I Need...

What a funny little development! Until today, Josiah has made requests by stating the item with rising intonation and slightly widening eyes, e.g., "Animal crackers??" Unprompted, today he began asking for anything (and everything) as a statement of need. An incomplete list of exemplars from our day together: I need cereal. I need raisins. I need your hand, Mama. I need buckles. I need help. I need bubbles. I need string cheese. I need Thomas on the big TV. I need Teddies. I need paci. I need chocolate. I need more.

Beautiful illustration of an advance in language development...and human nature...

Trains and Fish and Pumpkins

We've had adventures today!

There is a rail yard behind campus, and although unfortunately no trains were moving when we were there, Josiah was excited to see these three "wagons full of tar" on a siding. (I have no idea what they really contained, but they looked just like the cars that James -- of Thomas and Friends -- crashes into in one of Josiah's books.)

After that, we headed across the street to my office...to...adopt a fish! Rojo, our beautiful new red betta, is an ex-lab animal who needed a new home. You can't quite see Rojo in the one shot we took here, but trust us, he's very handsome. We hope he makes it through his first 24 hours as a Casler, though. On top of the trauma of moving, within five minutes of being transferred to his new bowl, I managed to let Josiah dump about half a cup of fish food on him. (I didn't think Josiah would be able to get the cap off the container. Wrong!) Poor Rojo's gleaming new home went instantly murky, and although we strained out as much food as we could, we had to leave Rojo in that state most of the day until new water could come to room temperature and sit for a while.

Jesse took off the afternoon, and we went to a garden center to pick up some new perennials for the backyard. Josiah loved the pumpkins!

Birthday Boy!

Josiah turned two yesterday, and he's enjoyed two full and wonderful days of fun and gifts! It didn't go entirely as planned to start, though...

On Friday night, Jesse and I set up Josiah's train table with a bunch of new track and put new batteries into his two mechanical engines, which had been dead for a while. (All of his train gear is second-hand off Craigslist -- so wonderful!) We knew he'd LOVE it, so first thing Saturday morning, I kept Josiah hostage upstairs while Jesse had to attend a few sessions of a HOPE board meeting. We did breakfast up there, played games, read books, and opened his first present: Thomas books from Lisa and Jason. We had lots of fun blowing the tissue paper like confetti, and I wish I'd gotten a shot of Josiah's smurf face after he spent too much time with the blue tissue paper stuck on his slobbery visage. :)

Jesse's meeting went almost an hour longer than expected, and I was running out of tricks by the time he called saying he was finally leaving the office. Fifteen minutes later, Josiah and I were expectantly watching out of the upstairs windows when a second call came: Jesse was still at the office, and the car wouldn't start! So we went to get Daddy, and in the interest of not losing more of the day, we abandoned the dead vehicle for the weekend.

Josiah loved his trains when we got home...finally...at 11 a.m. He spent the first 5 minutes completely enraptured, just watching in awe, and then the next hour he was busy and delighted as he explored everything. Lucky boy! Later, after some tickle fights with Jesse (when his badly beaten up glasses finally broke for good, alas) and lunch, Josiah spent some quiet minutes watching "Pop Pop do 'vice'." A week ago Jesse's dad uploaded a special video to YouTube just for Josiah: Pop Pop playing guitar and singing Edelweiss, one of Josiah's favorite going-to-sleep songs. He LOVES it. :)

After nap, Josiah was introduced to his first ever M&M. He's more into savory than sweet, but he liked to suck them for a minute and then spit 'em out after the shell dissolved. We then headed off to a huge pet and fish shop where we looked at hundreds of tanks of fish, lots of reptiles, birds, and small rodent friends. Josiah's favorite part was the deep buckets of feeder crickets! It was a great free excursion.

Jesse's parents arrived just after Josiah went to bed, and so we enjoyed a gift-filled day with them today. I was a bit out of commission for some of it, managing to have one of my worst headaches so far this year (starting around 3 a.m. and not really abating until late afternoon). So, they all went to church without me for the morning while I flitted between devouring far more painkillers than advised on the bottles, feeling miserable in bed, making a big quiche and salad for lunch, and cutting my hair several inches because it felt so unbearably heavy. I'm dangerous with a migraine!




We had been spreading out the presents over these two days but picked up the pace this afternoon, still trying to take time to play with and appreciate most gifts as we went, though. Here he is with his new car rug and cars, opening a train with Pop Pop, and meeting Mr. Potato Head. Thomas and related train items certainly ruled the day -- sweaters, cards, books, engines, bath toys -- and Josiah was in heaven.

Keeping with the theme, I baked his cake in mini loaf pans in order to construct a simple train. He really enjoyed looking at it but wouldn't eat any!

It's hard to believe he's really and truly a toddler. We're very proud of our little boy, especially appreciating that at least for now, he's very kind and very gentle and has a real love for life with a constant twinkle in his eye. But rather than ending on a sentimental note, I'll leave you with a parting shot of Jesse in the gift Auntie Kara and Uncle Matt sent down. Am I a lucky lady or what?