11/27/06 Flu shots

Today I skipped Power Weights class for a few reasons that I rarely succumb to. One, I was feeling headachy and decided to nap instead, since: Two, Katrina had just settled into a good nap herself. After having no end of trouble getting her to stay asleep last night, her first and only wakeup was around 4am, but she definitely needed more sleep this morning. Three, I needed to go to Target today. Four, the boys had flu shots at 2pm, so, Five, that's too much running around with a baby if I'd gone to the weights class. Oh yeah, and Six, she's not old enough for the gym daycare, and I find it stressful to have her in class with me, though I do it.

Incredibly, I managed to sneak in a successful trip to Target, with all three kids after picking Gabriel and Julian up from pre-K/preschool. Then home, feed baby, then back out to the pediatrician's office -- and we got there on time! Nothing short of miraculous. The boys were very cooperative and didn't cry or complain at all about their shots.

I weighed Katrina at the pediatrician's: she's 10 pounds even.

It was another rainy, blustery day today, which I like because it makes the skies more interesting, but it also means little boys can't go outside to play. Since I was well-rested from the morning, and since Katrina was sleeping this afternoon, I made a point to spend some real time with the boys this afternoon. Gold star for Mom today.

We went through a huge stack of catalogs, preparing for Christmas, talking a lot about Christmas and our family. I taught Gabriel how to read a price, and he got the dollars and cents, but the dollar-sign symbol didn't sink in. They both looked over the toy catalogs, volunteering what items they wanted to get for people. Gabriel wants to give a Karaoke machine to Remi and a big doll house to Bonne Maman and Papa Paul, and Julian wants to give a maze toy to Uncle Andreas (I don't know what's gotten into Julian, but he's mentioned Uncle Andreas three times in the past two days, unprompted). To my amazement, their favorite catalog was Sur La Table!

Then when Katrina woke up, the most unbelievable thing happened: nothing. I got to make dinner with a peaceful, idyllic scene next to me.

Gabriel and Julian colored, cooperating and sharing crayons, while Katrina played in a bouncer with occasional entertaining visits from her brothers. No arguing, no screaming, no crying -- none of us! It was so, so nice, and a welcome relief after yesterday.

Julian likes it when he sticks his finger near Katrina's hand and she wraps her fingers around it.

Gabriel is very proud of how he stays in the lines when he colors something, and has finally started coloring with more than one color. He had no interest at all in coloring when he was Julian's age; now he's all over it!


Gabriel gets upset when Julian "scribbles," as it violates Gabriel's ordered world. Actually, Julian has gotten much better at staying inside the lines, though he doesn't always try. And there's nothing wrong with that, I tell Gabriel -- and Julian. It's fine to scribble.

Life much better with a less fussy, more sleepy baby. Katrina sounds much less congested today, and much of the time she fusses, it ends after a big spitup. I have to believe that lots of other fusses are from a wannabe spitup that doesn't materialize. Happily, there are fewer and fewer times that we just don't know what the problem is, though even when we know what it is, we can't always solve it! Not unlike life itself, really.

11/27/06