We've enjoyed the onset of Spring: the weather has finally warmed and we've planted some cosmos, basil, tomatoes, and thyme. The strawberries and echinacea are popping up. Adah and Ranen have been busy playing in the yard. And, the little one in utero has been kicking up a storm. I have had some back trouble that has rendered me useless to my family...but I am hopefully on the mend.

We had a great Easter day. We made bread, decorated eggs, and did some hunting.

Happy Spring to you all!

Ok, this is a little bit personal.  We are all uncomfortable sharing money matters.   This screen shot is a snippet from a report on Mint. (And by the way, I think Mint is really cool.) The report is how much we spent on eating out over a 5 month period. Now I found these stats disturbing for a number of reasons, but I will allow you to draw your own conclusions.

Labels: life

I've heard the sound many times before. The creaking of the wooden floor, the slight and hesitant jostle of my bedroom door. It always seem to be around 2:00 AM, though that's probably just the time that I catch it. Sometimes in the past, I've been frustrated, angry even.

"Why are you out of bed?"
"..."
"Adah, what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"
"..."

I'm a poor sleeper to begin with. Hit me with a chore at 2 or 3 in the morning and I'm shot. I've had to purposefully address my crankiness. A cranky dad provides no values to a sleepy and confused child who probably just needs some comfort.

Tonight was Ranen's first visit. He's been in his "big boy bed" for a month. It's really just a converted crib. Nevertheless, it's open and he can easily get in and out. For the first few weeks he didn't seem to realize that he has the (physical) freedom to get out of bed. Little by little though, he's tested the bounds.

Today at nap we heard him playing with his toys. I had to go in and remind him to take a nap. He was agreeable though.

Tonight, he didn't knock. I just heard the gentle rattle. Then a pause; uncertainty. I got up and opened the door. I was expecting Adah. He was standing there with blanket and tiger (and his backup blanket too.) A sleepy little confused bundle.

I picked him up, and asked him how he was. He didn't answer. No poopy smell, so we were good there. I asked him if he had a bad dream. He just snuggled.

I carried him back to his bedroom and put in his bed. He started to cry. I leaned in close, and try to comfort him with words. He was surprisingly awake. I decided to rock with him for a few minutes, and he requested that I include tiger. The three of us sat in Sandra's glider and rocked. He's such a beautiful little boy. He heard my bones pop as I stretched my legs, and he looked up.

"What's that?"

"Just my legs, buddy, just my legs. Go back to sleep."

Labels: life, ranen