9.30.19 - Joy statuses

9.26.19 - Kid Snippets: walk with Clara and creeper Jane

It was a beautiful day so while everyone else napped, Clara and I went for a walk around Mimi and Gpa's neighborhood. Clara was interested in everything: mailboxes, storm drains, trees, flowers, a turtle statue, her own shadow, hills, dogs, everything. It was nice to be able to give her the attention to comment on it all without me being distracted by the other kids. At one point I asked if she was getting tired and she replied "No! I'm not tired, I'm so happy!"  When we returned everyone was still napping so we read books on the front porch and played hide and seek in the front and backyards. It was really idyllic.

At each storm drain she yelled "Helllooo in there!"

I remember as a young kid feeling pretty unsettled if I was supposed to sleep somewhere other than our own home, so I imagine it feels the same way at least to Jane (Clara passes right out). Just before I posted this status Gpa pointed out that Jane was sitting quietly at the top of the stairs, in the dark, just watching the adults downstairs. I told her to go lie down but I could tell she didn't. I waited a bit then went upstairs and she had been sitting in mine and Jack's room. When she saw me she silently scattered back to her room, and I followed her and tucked her in again. I'm pretty sure as I write this she's spying on me from the top of the stairs again though. Creeper.

9.19.19 - Kid Snippets: early bird Jane

The last few days Jane has woken up 20-30 mins before everyone else, quietly come into our room and crawled into bed between Jack and me. It usually means I'm also now up 20-30 mins before everyone else, but it's sweet to get some uninterrupted cuddle time with her so I haven't stopped her.

Today once we all started getting up, she went back into the nursery to try to open the curtains herself. Then I hear:

Jane: Ca-wah, wake up!
Clara: ...............
Jane: Ca-wah! Wake UP!
Clara: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

9.16.19 - Hide and seek with kitties

I just played a round of hide and seek with the girls. Clara, who says her name is Myrna (the name of my mom's cat), counted to 10 in all meows, then meowed around the apartment looking for me. I hid in my walk in closet and Jane joined me. She stayed quiet the whole time, but she kept leaving the closet to look around and see if Clara was coming. Finally she got bored and started meowing herself and went and joined Clara, then led Clara straight to me. And instead of saying "I fooooound you!" Clara announced "Meow meooooow meow!"

Lol.

9.14.19 - Kid Snippets: wuvvv you

Jack opened the front door to go take out the trash.

Jane: Bye Dada! I wuuvvvvvv you!

9.13.19 - Help holding the baby

Not long before Calvin was born I made a FB status telling people if they wanted to come hold him for awhile I would welcome it. I think people who haven't had newborns don't really understand how helpful it can be to just take a turn holding the baby so the parent can get anything else done. Anyway, when I made the status I had two FB friends message me to say they'd be happy to take me up on it. I kept them in mind, and last week or maybe the week before when I started to feel overwhelmed with being alone in my apartment with Calvin all day, I contacted both of them to see if they were still interested. Both said yes. :)

So on Wednesday of this week, my friend Wynette came over around 1:30 p.m. to help out. She held Calvin for a bit but he actually fell asleep, so she put him in his swing and insisted on helping me with whatever I liked. So she helped me clean up and she very thoroughly vacuumed our living room and kitchen, including cleaning under the fridge. While she did that I worked on a few things in the back room. I also had a little bit of CER work that needed to be done before the end of the day. I hadn't had a chance to get to it yet, but since Wynette was around I was able to go in my room and really focus, and when Calvin inevitably woke up she took him and kept him busy so I could finish. Plus it was just nice to have her company and to be able to chat while we got things done. On top of all that, she brought presents for every person in my family: a new outfit (overalls) for Calvin, a book each for Clara and Jane about being older siblings, and a Target gift card for Jack and me. By the time she left I felt so rested and mollified with what I'd gotten done. It was a much needed break.

Impressed with Calvin's head lift.
Waiting for Wynette to arrive.

Then today Jack's former classmate Nicole also came to help hold Calvin. She was delightful. She and I kept up a conversation pretty easily for basically the whole time she was here: approximately 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In fact at noon I let her know that Jack was going to pick up Calvin around 1:30p and she said she could stay longer. It felt as if I blinked and it was already 1p. We talked about kids, job hunting, relationships, how we each ended up with the men in our lives (I love telling those stories). And while we chatted she walked Calvin around and I cleaned, organized his dresser, baked muffins, just got all sorts of things done. It was uplifting both in having the pleasant company and in being able to get stuff done around the house, and by the time she left I felt great.

9.6.19 - Kid Snippets: pretend phone

Jane likes to take my phone and pretend she's talking to Mimi or Gpa. The topic of conversation is always "appo nay nays" - apples and bananas.

9.5.19 - Mom's Fried Chicken

I haven't actually tried to make this yet, but I wanted to keep the recipe somewhere I could find it again. And this food is definitely in my joy inventory - one of my all-time favorites from childhood. Oh to be able to cook like my mother.

Mom’s Fried Chicken

1 whole chicken, cut up

2 cups milk

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp. onion powder

1 T. paprika

Soak chicken in milk. Mix dry ingredients together.  Heat 1 inch of oil in skillet on medium high until hot (drop of water “dances” on top). Dip each piece of chicken into flour mixture, back into milk, and again in flour mixture, set on plate. Carefully add enough pieces of chicken to hot oil to fill pan without pieces touching each other. Fry until first side is golden, about 5 min. Turn to other side, reduce heat to medium low and cover pan; cook 10 min. Uncover pan and return heat to medium high for about 5 more min. Drain on paper towels.