Baby Picture

Here's a first glimpse of Baby! The top image is a 3D close-up of his face, with his hand up on his cheek, and the second is a clear profile.

It's a...

boy! 

We had our half-way point ultrasound this  morning, and in addition to learning that everything looks (happily) perfect in terms of structures, Josiah has a little brother coming. I'll try to scan one of our 3-D ultrasound pics tonight. He's already completely cute at a mere 12 ounces and 8 inches long. He had his little hand nestled up by his cheek for the entire scan. Add to that very nice brain ventricles, well-formed heart chambers, and a lovely bladder, and well, he's obviously going to be a catch a couple decades from now. :) 

Most of you know that Jesse and I have been hoping for a daughter since before we even had Josiah. After learning Josiah's gender at this same time three years ago, I despairingly asked Jesse that night, "Why would God be so mean as to give an innocent boy ME for his mother??" I'm a very girly-girl -- after all, my greatest joys in life consist of activities involving flowers, sewing, embroidery, or generally anything  traditionally thought of as a feminine domestic art. I guess I don't feel I can provide the same richness of experiences for a boy that I can imagine providing for a girl. (On top of that, I worry quite legitimately that between my clumsy genes and inordinate fears of physical activity, I'll spend most of my time either panicking at what my boys are doing OR panicking about whether sending them out to play sports in full bubble wrap is perhaps going to damage their peer reputations!)

All that said, I'm thankful to truthfully say that just on Tuesday of this week, I suddenly had a very unexpected change of perspective. For the first time in over year (since long before I even got pregnant again), I was shocked to feel excited at the prospect of having two boys, if that was to be the case. A change of heart not a moment too soon, apparently. 

Needless to say, we're very excited about Baby #2! Obviously it's impossible not to be head over heels in love with the little wriggler in one's womb, especially after seeing his little face for the first time today. We just can't wait to meet him in person!!

Now coming up with a name...? That's going to be the real dilemma. I think we have 4 or 5 complete girl names, all of which we'd LOVE to have in our little family. But boys? Nothing. Nothing at all. We're pretty sure we shouldn't use 'Josiah' again, and basically that's the only option we've liked in years of idle discussion. This could be a problem!

Quotes

I need to start cataloging some of Josiah's statements. Why has it taken me until he's two and a half to begin writing these down?  A few recent favorites:

Yelled very loudly and urgently over his shoulder across a McDonald's seating area to Daddy, while Josiah and I were getting more ketchup: 

"Daddy!! Don't gobble up all my food!!" 

(For the record: Jesse wasn't touching Josiah's food, nor does he have a habit of gobbling up Josiah's meals when not under surveillance, and the French fry run was a very special reward for using the potty all day at day care for two days straight!)

En route to day care / work:

"Mommy, look! There's a bridge up ahead! Shall we say 'wee' under it?" (Does he sound like he might be learning the English language under my care?)

Surveying the state of the kitchen over breakfast – notably during the last week of the semester when I was just thankful to finding even 5 or 6 hours to sleep each night:

"Mommy," with widening eyes and a somber tone, "my kitchen is a disaster." 

To his teacher at day care, who had just asked whether Mommy and Daddy knew yet what the new baby's gender would be (we don't, by the way, and hadn't spoken with Josiah about it one way or the other up to that point):

Josiah, nodding: "It's a girl."

Teacher: "Who told Mommy that? Did the doctor tell her?"

Josiah: "No, I told her. It's a girl."

It's a Wonderful Life

Today was one of those wonderful days when the sun shone, we got lots done, and we simply enjoyed being a family throughout all of it. A timeline, with photos:

6:25 a.m.

Josiah's very much up and at 'em, although I tried valiantly to convince him it wasn't quite yet "wake up time." Ah well.

8:30 a.m.

We find a turtle crossing the street and heading into our next door neighbor's yard! Pretty soon we collect a bunch of neighbor kids to enjoy the visitor too. (We think it was an Eastern Box Turtle. So pretty.)

 

9:30 a.m.

En route to Central Market, we enjoy one of those fun programmed fountains where the water seems to jump and dance. We'll definitely be back on a hot summer day with Josiah's swim trunks.

10:00 a.m.

We arrive at Market to buy a week's worth of super-delicious, super-fresh, super-economical fruits and veggies for us and for Tim and Holly. Outside, a balloon lady makes Josiah a giraffe!

12:00 p.m.

Back home, we peek in on our robin's nest, built on the sill of our unused back kitchen door (the door is 15 feet off the ground since we're built into a hill and our back basement underneath is a walkout. There's a wooden gate nailed on the kitchen door since we've yet to add a deck to the back of the house, although that's eventually the plan for us or future owners). There was one bright blue egg in the nest on Monday, two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, and four Thursday. I think Mama Robin is done laying now. 

1:00 p.m.

We enjoy a yummy picnic out in the back yard. (That's not Josiah's pained face, it's his smile-on-demand face, by the way. Hard to differentiate, I know. See 1:15 p.m. photo for more.)

1:15 p.m.

Josiah poses for some photos while clambering around the rock wall. He says, "Look! I climb up like a goat!" We've never used this metaphor with him (to our recollection), so if one of you (readers) taught this to him, please inform us. For now, our humble conclusion is of course that he's got an IQ of several hundred. :)

4:00 p.m.

Several pairs of resident geese and their now pre-teen looking goslings process through the back yard along the creek. When they're not honking and being mean, they're so lovely and stately. 

This is what I actually caught with the camera. But before, between, and after these frames, lots more was accomplished and enjoyed: Jesse had a multi-hour board meeting at church, I graded a hefty pile of papers and calculated two classes' worth of final grades, we all worked in the back yard for hours, we ate healthy homemade meals and the kitchen was thoroughly cleaned, Josiah and I played with chalk in the driveway, Jesse and Josiah dropped off a mountain of yard waste at the local compost center and picked up an equivalent mountain of mulch, we read lots of stories, Josiah had a big bubble bath, Jesse cut down and chopped up a tree that was bothering its neighboring trees and vegetation, and...drum roll please...the most important accomplishment of all...

JOSIAH WORE BIG BOY UNDIES ALL DAY! Last night when we went to bed, I randomly decided to tell him (ahem, lie to him) this morning that we were all out of diapers. He bought it, to my shocked delight, and he successfully used the potty all day. We've known he's been able for months, but he usually tells us in complete and adamant sentences, "No, NOT the potty. I use my diaper." It's too early to celebrate victory yet, especially because I have no idea how to handle him going to day care on Monday again, since I feel these early days require full-time parental vigilance. No matter what, though, the high fives, hoorahs, hugs, and Tic Tacs (his favorite reward) have been plenty at our house all day. I'll need to catch on camera his adorable buns as he proudly and purposefully marches his potty to the bathroom to dump his wee-wees in the toilet. :)

So all that to say, today was absolutely great. In retrospect, I really have no idea how everything all actually fit in, and at one point, well over an hour into wielding a shovel and lifting mounds of incredibly heavy clay sod in the yard, it occurred to me that I'm indeed 4 months pregnant -- with the weariness, aches, and added weight that accompany the condition. As I type this (still with more marking to do before bed since senior grades are due by 9 a.m. tomorrow, and realizing that I haven't prepped the toddler Sunday School lesson for the morning, yikes!), I'm suddenly growing a little tired... 

But on that thought, tomorrow's Mother's Day, right? Here's to hoping tomorrow will be a different kind of great that involves perhaps just a little more relaxation but every bit as much family and fun!

Easter

A few photos from last Sunday. We had a lovely day, although the blustery, gusty wind was very, very cold! It didn't keep us from attempting a few family photos and having an egg hunt for Josiah. 

Foreshadowing??!

In January, before we even knew I was pregnant, we brought a meal to our friends the Hellers. Chad and Lindsay had recently welcomed their beautiful *twin* daughters into the world. Josiah loved them! He stroked the girls' faces, helped hold them, and replaced their pacifiers when they fell out. (You know, come to think of it, perhaps it's no surprise given how Josiah loves his twin teddy bears.) Anyway, I can't think of a more creative way to say this, so, well, we have news:

April Fools! :)

(We already had an ultrasound, around 7 weeks, and there was definitely only one little bean in there.)

Reveling

Well, this is a first. Jesse had a handful of speaking engagements at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY on Thursday and Friday, so he and Josiah together have been there (staying with Mama and Pop Pop Casler, Jesse's parents) since Wednesday night. In the last two-and-a-half years, I had forgotten what progress was possible when one is only interrupted every 6-8 hours by belly rumbles for another quick piece of toast or bowl of cereal! 

I have been working straight from 8 a.m. to midnight (endless grading, writing, student meetings) for the past several days, stopping to sleep soundly the allotted 8 hours. Didn't even shower before work yesterday, because really, what fool would squander this sort of treasure on an extra 20 minutes in the bathroom?? Although the house remains an embarrassment, for the first time in two months I think I might actually get through this semester alive, and that's a good feeling. I miss my men, but, um, I don't think I'd shed bitter tears if they extended their visit another day or two. :) It'll take me at least another 24 hours to get my work life quasi-caught up, and I could oh-so-easily could use more time to get the house in order too. 

On that note: This post has represented the longest break I've taken in 72 hours, so back to work. (It's a good thing I freakishly take crossing jobs off the list to be its own reward, huh? I'm totally happier with this than I would have been with a Caribbean holiday right now!) I'm at the office since I had too many student meetings to squeeze into the regular work week, and the first of eight students should be arriving any minute...

Oh, but here is a video Jesse's sister just sent. Lisa and her family live in Rochester too, and apparently yesterday Josiah enjoyed a great visit at their house with cousins Bryn and Jaron. I feel entirely absolved of any guilt over my happiness at being home alone as Josiah clearly (of course) is not suffering from my absence! 

Josiah 3-27-09 from Jason Condon on Vimeo.

The End of an Era

Sorry for my lack of posting these past few days. It wasn't for a shortage of fun things about which to post: Josiah and I going to market on Saturday, doing sidewalk chalk in the driveway, visiting the library, building huge towers with blocks, finding that Josiah had nabbed the remnants of a box of uncooked spaghetti off the counter and delighted himself by breaking it into a million pieces, stick by stick, in the living room. :) Nor was it for lack of funny toddlerisms: multisyllabic words couched in complete sentences, backed by 2-year-old logic, never fail to make one grin! I love having a 2-year-old! However, the reality of actually living these things left me too wiped out to so much as open the computer. Yeesh.  

Jesse's due back tonight (can't wait to see you!!), and with mixed emotions I share that an epoch in our lives is drawing to a close. Jesse is shifting his position at HOPE, leaving the Director of Programs role later this spring. This will mean far less travel for him going forward, which also means that "The Daddy Connection" will either die a natural death due to such infrequent posting or will need to be reincarnated as a more run-of-the-mill family blog --- which I suppose is close to what it is anyway, truth be told. We'll see. 

I say my emotions are mixed about this change because of how incredibly gifted Jesse is in his current position. The role shift is due to me, Josiah, and the new baby on the way -- and the lifestyle we're trying to live as two working parents -- and while I know Jesse is truly happy to leave the D. of Programs position, I can't help but feel twinges of guilt that our family is standing at all in the way of his remarkable talent. I sometimes wonder where he'd be if it weren't for us...  This post isn't meant to be an 'ode to my husband,' but let me officially go on record as saying that I know no one, absolutely no one, who has Jesse's strikingly well-rounded qualities of complete humility and graciousness, surprising diplomacy, sharp critical thinking abilities, and plain old intelligence (both fluid and crystallized, look it up) --- not to mention that he's a great dad, maintains our vehicles himself, has impeccable grammar (okay, that one is just important to me!), is finishing our basement (I'm talking from concrete to spare bedroom, full bath, half kitchen, and family room), is a respected leader in so many different venues, has an enviably keen mathematical and business sense, and of course is tall, dark, and handsome to boot. :) Really, all of this is to say that I'm overjoyed at the thought of having this man close to home far more of the time, but it occasionally feels a bit selfish that in order for us to have him more, other things will have him less. That said, we've talked a hundred times about a host of alternatives, like me leaving my job altogether, for instance, but this seems to be the best choice all around. 

So that's the scoop. I'm not quite sure when the next post will be. I'll try not to let it be too long...

Faithfulness

[Long post alert.]

Where do I begin? 

I went to bed last night entirely overwhelmed – at the state of my home, at the thought of telling my students that I still didn't have a particularly critical set of papers graded, at the extent of my unrelenting weariness, at the knowledge that Jesse's gone for several more days yet, at the soul-crushing daily prospect of dropping off a sobbing boy at day care for the three bazillionth time (an event that leaves me nearly every morning swearing I can't, just can't, do it another time). 

I rose in much the same state. 

But as I showered, the words to the great hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" came unbidden to mind. Haven't sung it in years. (One of my great sadnesses in attending New Holland Nazarene is their exclusive bias toward contemporary music and near abandonment of hymns that hold such meaning to me... But that's another topic.) Despite many years' passage, the verses and refrain, their slightly archaic formulations, were as fresh as ever, and kept tumbling over me, and truly -- I emerged from the shower a different person, in a peaceful, even joyful, frame of mind. 

That would be enough in and of itself, yes? The morning rapidly got underway in its typical busy fashion, and an hour later Josiah and I were en route to campus. We had a happy drive, and we trotted into school...still happy. We entered his room, and as usual I commented on what everyone was doing and what activity he'd join. After taking off his coat, he volunteered that he should put his Teddies and paci in his cubbie (he always clings to these comforts until long after I've left). Wow. I was anxious not to throw off this miraculous state of affairs, so I asked to have a quick kiss, and he matter-of-factly asked, "and a hug too?" So after a short but hearty cuddle, we went over to his teachers -- and he left me with a smile and a wave. Un-be-lievable. Dull as a rock, it wasn't until I was walking out into the parking lot that realization and waves of thankfulness began to dawn on me. Great is Thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. Thank you, thank you. Sometimes I (being oh-so-selfish and blind) need these palpable, tangible reminders.

As if that weren't sufficient, the rest of the day saw this pattern repeated more than once. Things I was dreading were resolved in unexpected ways; I stumbled on new solutions to problems I'd been contemplating for weeks; even my duller students seemed engaged in class! :) Okay, maybe that's a stretch. In any case, I won't belabor the point by recounting the entire day's events, save this final example, as it was the "bookend" pair at the end of my day to Josiah's drop-off in the morning:

In characteristic fashion, of course, throughout the day my mind wasn't particularly attuned to the provisions so generously scattered throughout -- I'm a woman on a mission at the office, plowing through as much work as possible, checking jobs off the list, giving lectures, instructing lab assistants, meeting with students, and rarely pausing for reflection of any sort. However, as 4 o'clock approached and I finally was faced with a final, quiet half hour to do a bit of catch up before closing shop, so to speak, my mind turned to the many tasks waiting at home -- made all the less appealing because these days I get sicker and sicker as the day wanes and my weariness mounts. "Drat," was my thought. "We drank the last of the milk this morning." Milk is pretty much all Josiah and I drink right now. (I buy it two gallons at a time every few days. I know, crazy. I'm frightened that we may begin mooing and lowing any day.) Anyhow, it seems so ridiculously minor, but the thought of needing to add a stop for milk, with Josiah, on top of a few other unavoidable tasks before making it home, immediately made me feel utterly and completely done in. It seems even more foolish as I type it, but there it is.

Does God put his thumb to his nose, grin, and blow raspberries at us? Today I've determined the only tenable theological answer is "you bet your buns." Spring break was officially to begin at 4:30 p.m. today, so the psychology department was already very quiet that last little while in my office.  At about quarter past four, I looked up to see who was approaching my door. It was the lady who operates the little cafe in my building's atrium, who had wandered all the way down the wing to my open door. "Could you use these?" she asked. "I'm supposed to throw everything out of the fridge since we're closed next week, but I hate to see good things go to waste." And she handed me two beautiful, unopened half gallons of milk, with expiration dates not until April. They were even the same fat content that I buy.

Good grief. I get the message. Call it coincidence if you'd like (although if you say it to my face I'll sweetly tell  you to soak your head). I live a life of luxury, frankly, in the top tiniest percentage of humanity. How undeserving of such reassurance and meticulous care. But thank you, thank you.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father.

There is no shadow of turning with Thee.

Thou changest not, Thy compassions -- they fail not.

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Say "cheese"!

Josiah brought the camera to me for the first time ever today. "Take my picture?" he queried, as he handed it to me. "For Daddy?" He then immediately launched into very vigorous and hearty "cheese"ing as I scrambled to turn the camera on and snap a shot or two! Enjoy, Jesse. :)

In less happy news, today Nannan left. We drove the hour and a half to Philly airport with her this afternoon (Thursdays are the day I don't go into the office) and I'm not sure who was more sad to see her walk into the terminal, me or Josiah. Thanks for being here these past many days, Mom!!

Mom and Josiah after having a picnic with his Teddies this morning. They concluded the event by tossing all of the plastic food items back into the storage basket. Fortunately Mom didn't lose an eye in the process.

Me --- feeling and looking not-too-spiffy, after a not-too-spiffy night with a headache --- trying to get some grading done mid-morning while Josiah cuddled up and watched a Thomas episode online. I'm so behind on grading right now I may never recover. (I need a 9-to-5 job that doesn't suffer when I can't put in hours every night and weekend!!)

Cast Off

This is neither a knitting tutorial nor a boating discussion; no, the title refers to the fact that this morning Josiah's cast was removed. Hooray! He seems to have healed up very well, although he's ever-so-slightly favoring that arm right now and we need one more round of x-rays in a month. I'm sure it feels odd to be using it again; he doesn't appear to be in pain in any way. He had a big, long bath tonight with lots of bubbles, and he was so excited not to need a plastic bag on his arm or lots of assistance. 

A bit of detail on the event, for those (Daddy) who care: 

We spent a ridiculously long time waiting around through the appointment ------ about two hours, which was maddening given that we only spent perhaps 12-15 minutes actually with anyone -- in 3 to 4 minute chunks). But Josiah was lovely through all of it. Our first half-hour wait began in the standard waiting room, where he delightedly mastered the art of operating their water cooler. He drank probably a quart of water in tablespoon increments. :) When we finally got to the cast removal stage (many books, rounds of "I spy," snacks, a couple of hours, and a sodden diaper later), he amazed my mom and me with how stoic he was through it. We'd prepped him over recent days for the noise and what they'd do, but honestly, even I was shocked by just how loud and frightening the sawing off was. He just cuddled in and watched. I was incredibly thankful, since lately he's become upset over even everyday loud noises like my hair dryer, the vacuum, and the blender. My mom, who came along to be with him during x-rays since I shouldn't right now, dutifully took the top picture for you, Jesse! 

T minus 7 and counting

Is it still an entire week until you're home, Jesse? I have a feeling it will be a long seven days, since next Monday represents both the day you return home and the first day with students g-o-n-e for spring break. Can't WAIT for either! With you back at home in the evenings and uninterrupted work on campus during the days, wow, next week is going to be so crazy-wonderful that even perpetual nausea won't mar the joy! :)

Anyway...

We had a very normal day today, with the exception of two big treats for Josiah at the end. First, Nannan took us out for supper. We used it as a bit of a carrot (oh yuck, poor word choice; major food aversion for me just now...) getting Josiah off to school this morning. Miss Kristin said that he shook with excitement every time through the day that he told her he was going to get "french fries AND ketchup!!"  Then, upon our arrival home, we discovered a new train engine waiting on his train table. Nannan picked up Rosie, a lavender colored engine with freckles, for him today. Josiah's delight was intense, characteristically, and Rosie joined the growing ranks in being very useful and circling the tracks for the next hour. I'm second-thinking the promise of buying him a new engine the day he does wee-wees on the potty all day, since he's received a couple more in recent weeks. I can't keep enough batteries charged to maintain them all! On a cute note, though, he's started to use the Sir Topham Hatt peg doll I painted for him. Every time he orchestrates a big crash now, he hops Sir Topham Hatt over to the site and has him oversee the damage and restoration. 

And now that I have a host of Thomas the Tank Engine songs occupying my helpless brain, it's time for me to sign off. Oh dear. It's going to be a long night.

Quick update an hour later: A funny little coincidence about this post title has just struck me. We're exactly seven months from our estimated due date: 10/9/09!

Minor Details...and Major News

Josiah was an absolute peach today, Jesse. He did a great job in his class at church this morning, relished every bite of his doughnut from the cafe, played beautifully through the afternoon, and was generally just sweet, cooperative, and funny all day long. 

This afternoon Josiah helped me do lots of shredding, and then he enjoyed playing with the basket of shreds for ages. 

The only downside to the day: This evening has been a very, very poor one for me again. News flash for non-Jesse readers: We're expecting Baby #2 in early October! We've just started going public with the news in the past week. Unfortunately, this pregnancy has made me much more ill than I was with Josiah. I'm so thankful to have my mom here for a few more days while Jesse's away!

Practically Perfect in Every Way

No wonder Josiah dislikes school days...

Aside from the fact that Daddy wasn't here to enjoy everything with us, today was a pretty fantastic day for a 2-year-old --- and not too bad for a 31-year-old mom or for a Nannan (whose age we respectfully omit). After breakfast, playing a bit, and watching some "Kipper" shows, we headed to a wonderful nearby park. It was already over 70 degrees when we headed out at 9:45 a.m. (a far cry from the single digits, driving wind, and snow of just five days ago!!). We had the loveliest time on the swings, slides, and merry-go-round, then walking through the trails, throwing sticks in Mill Creek, eating snacks, finding feathers, and watching an Amish farmer plow his field (adjacent to the park) with his team of six horses. Later in the day, after lunch, more playtime, and Josiah's nap, we headed out to find some additional fabric for the quilt Nannan is making for Josiah's big boy bed. We found exactly what we needed almost instantly in one of the gorgeous quilt and fabric shops in Intercourse, PA (practically the quilting capital of America), and although Nannan and I could have happily spent several hours there, we opted to use our extra time across the street visiting the animals at Kitchen Kettle Village. Josiah loved the goats and the hens. To cap off the night, after dinner we had lots of fun with Play-Doh creations and licked brownie batter! It doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Little Squirt

Jesse's en route to Bulgaria today, and we're pleased to have Nannan (my mom) here with us for the next several days. We all had an especially fun evening when Uncle Timmy and Auntie Holly arrived! After engaging him in a few rounds of tackles and tickles, Tim noticed the water spray bottle usually reserved for ironing – and, like any good uncle, began squirting Josiah with it. Josiah found this hilarious (as in, absolutely shrieking with laughter), and soon he took over gleefully squirting himself until he was entirely drenched. It was pretty funny, Daddy. :)

The Reason

Although Josiah and I don't enjoy Jesse's absences, our sadness is always heavily silver lined by the knowledge that Jesse's work as Director of Programs for HOPE International is amazingly and abundantly effective. Tens and tens of thousands of people in poverty in some of the world's hardest countries and communities are putting food on their tables, clothes on their backs, and their kids into school because of HOPE. Here's a video that I think will impact you today.

If it won't play for you here, go directly to the video with this link: http://tinyurl.com/c8tccj

One-armed bandit

Josiah's doing great. He's using his bad arm ("it's broken," he explains to everyone) practically as well and as much as his good one, cast and all. I've found that a hand-me-down 3T winter coat I'd been saving for next winter can be eased over the cast, so on these deep-freeze days he's been able to wear a coat properly, although he's sad he can't put it on himself by flipping it over his head. He's also a little sad that he can't really go play in the snow, and for my part, while we're on the topic, I'm sad that our temps are in the single digits while Jesse's reporting that the weather in the DR this week is "like Hawaii."

My favorite conversation with Josiah today came after he pulled a book off of the shelves in the office. His selection? A real page-turner, The Impossible Country: A Journey Through the Last Days of Yugoslavia. 

   Me: Oh, you found one of Daddy's books.

   Josiah: Umm, no. It's mines. It's Josiah's book.

   Me: Really? I think it's Daddy's. 

   Josiah: No, no Mommy. It's mines.

   (He reiterates this several times, then begins flipping through pages. Lots of boring pages with no pictures. And then he gives it to me.)

   Josiah: Umm, actually....actually...it's Mommy's. 

   Me: Grinning as he walks off. 

This picture was from yesterday. Sorry I couldn't find time to get a post up until today, Jesse.

One hundred, and counting

Wow, this is our 100th post. Amazing! I think people celebrate blog milestones like this, but it kind of goes against the grain to celebrate weeks of Daddy's absence...don't you think?

That said, Jesse, we are doing fine tonight – although of course we miss you already. Lots!

I picked Josiah up a little early so he could come over to my lab and be a guinea pig for a new research study we'll be running this month with 2-year-olds. He did such a great job – as did my research student, who was performing the protocol for the first time. It was funny to be the "mom" sitting in the corner, trying not to focus on Josiah and instead concentrating on evaluating my student and contemplating final tweaks to the methods.

After he was thoroughly spoiled by three of my research students, we hurried home by 5:30 and made dinner for Uncle Tim (and Auntie Holly, who arrived much later). Then Josiah enjoyed being given the freedom to explore the work site that is the basement for a while as Tim worked. You'll be pleased with progress on that front, by the way. Later, Josiah looked just about good enough to eat in all his cuteness while getting into jammies, and Holly snapped a few pictures of us so you can lick your lips over him too. 

Oh – for those who only get your info on us here: Josiah's orthopedic visit on Monday went well. A long-arm cast was necessary, and Josiah was perfect through all of it. The cast (a) is shorter than the splint was, (b) is practically bullet-proof so we don't have to fret about him falling on his arm or hurting himself further, and (c) ends at his wrist so he has full use of his hand...so...ultimately we're pleased. Hopefully the next six weeks will race by! 

Fractured

Last night shortly before bedtime, Josiah went to take a high-speed lap around our downstairs — a frequent event. But without shoes or slippers covering his socks just at that moment, he slipped and crashed as he rounded the bend in the dining room. It was immediately obvious that he was really hurt. His tolerance for pain is unbelievable (far surpasses mine, seriously), which makes it easy to disambiguate the superficial injuries from the real ones. Anyway, this happened at 8 p.m., and amid sobs and occasional shrieks of pain, off we headed to the emergency room. Two rounds of x-rays, several physical exams, and a temporary splint and sling arrangement later, we were finally home. Not a fun night for anyone, but he was wonderfully brave through most of it, and he's doing fantastically today (even on a grossly truncated night of sleep). I am SO thankful it happened with Jesse here. Of course, I keep cycling through dozens of small changes to last evening that would have meant he wasn't running in socks just then (I'm a mom; I have a hard-core guilt problem), but I suppose the bright side is that he's ridiculously cute in his tiny Snoopy sling. I can already hear the girls at the senior year retrospective slide show going, "Aaaawwww!" when these pics come up (okay, so I also have a hard-core planning-and-living-ahead-of-myself problem).  :)

As for specifics: Tomorrow we have to find an orthopedic specialist to evaluate things. The ER doc said the fracture was clean and the bone is still aligned, so Josiah may be able to heal simply with this bandaged splint and sling arrangement. Alternatively, he may need a proper cast; the orthopedist will make that call. The break is in his left humorous, the upper bone that runs from elbow to shoulder, with the site very close to the elbow. His splint and bandaging go from armpit to fingers, so I'm going through Josiah's shirt drawer trying to choose a few sacrificial candidates for sleeve-hacking. I imagine he'll be wearing the cruddiest old things for the coming weeks since I hate to chop up good clothes! 

Smitten with kitten sittin'

Meet Riddles, our feline house guest for the week. Josiah is absolutely in love with her: "Mommy, I LOVE her," he says emphatically, several times each day. He keeps me posted whenever her dish is getting low on food, keeps track of her whereabouts at all times, and gives her tons of cuddles. He's also delighted that she shares his interest in Thomas. And I have to agree: She's easy to like. She's still really young and little, is unbelievably friendly, is super active and bold, and is simply a great mix of curious-cute-and-naughty. As I type, she's spread out on my lap in the most unabashedly content and unladylike pose with her purr-box going like a lawnmower! 

Oh, and Rojo? Poor little guy is spending the week under a rusty strainer. :)