Wow

Today was . . . strange and horrifying.
I saw my first dead body (that wasn't of natural causes) in real life.
Re-read that sentence again. It's true.

It was right here on the campus where I work, on my backdoor step so to speak. I happened to be heading out in my car for lunch and past by one of our ponds on campus. There were several police cars around, which caused me to slow down. Then I noticed they were around a person lying on the ground with a thermal blanket over them. I kept going but thought, "Oh, someone must have fallen in the pond and needed help back out." This is odd, because our pond is waist-high on a good day and no more than 10 yards across.

Then, on the way back to work, it was worse. Much worse. More cops, an ambulance, and yellow police tape around the area. This time traffic was creeping past due to the additional emergency vehicles blocking the road. When I looked this time my several thoughts slammed through my brain in rapid succession. 1st, the man is still there on the ground with the blanket over him, all I could see is the feet. 2nd, the feet aren't moving. 3rd, the paramedics aren't scurrying around trying the help this person. 4th, oh-no, it's a dead person, right there. I hope it isn't a student.

We know only a little more now than I did this afternoon. The person is a 30ish male and not a student. Footprints in the snow suggest he came down to the pond from the road and fell in / attempted to walk across it. News Story Link

This creeps me out. A lot. And I feel sorry for the family of this man, whoever they are. I had to go home and give Brian, Tam, and Jude extra big hugs.

Wordless Wednesday - Slippers for School

Tamlin starts pre-school this week . . . and he needed slippers for when he takes off his boots...
This is my second attempt with this pattern and I'm much more pleased this time around (as is Tam; he picked out the colors and eyes).

Welcome to 2012!

It is hard to believe that another year has flown by. In many ways it has been a monumental year for Tam and Jude. However, I sometimes feel as if myself is in stasis. Here's a few of our achievements from 2011:

• Tamlin was potty trained
• He began sleeping in a big bed
• He learned how to color with crayons
• He started Sunday school
  
• I finished and began another school year
• I gave birth to Jude Parker Thomas
• Jude learned to sit up and to laugh
• Brian began leading singing at church
• He has increased his skill with harmonizations

What about last year's resolutions?

Who knows?! I think the only one I remember and accomplished was have a healthy baby (Jude). And I kept up with entries for this blog for nearly the entire year.

... And new resolutions for this year?
Move forward.
That's it...I am just ready to move forward with everything...
Let's see where this leads us!

Knock knock

Tam: Knock knock
Me: Who's there?
Tam: Tamlin! (commences giggling)
(And I wonder where he's learned this new trick)

Tam: Knock knock
Me: Who's there?
Tam: Tamlin (more giggles)

Me: Knock knock
Tam: Tamlin! (yet more giggles, I guess this is hilarious)

Brian: Knock knock...now you say who's there... knock knock
Tam: Who's there?
Brian: Orange
Tam: (laughs)

Tam: Knock knock
Brian: Who's there?
Tam: Orange! (Rolls on the floor with laughter now)

Yes, Tamlin is trying to master the art of the knock knock joke. For now, about 50% of the time he answers the door with "Tamlin!", which he thinks is hysterical. The other 45% of the time, he answers with the name of some random object that he has just noticed in the room, which is equally funny. The last 5% of the time, he answers with "orange", which is the joke that Brian was trying to teach him once he started attempting knock knock jokes. It's a hoot! The more we laugh at these silly jokes, the more he wants to tell us them!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas eve and I am warmly ensconced in a blanket at my mother's house in Ohio. The boys are soundly asleep upstairs. Are they dreaming of sugarplums? Probably not since neither know what that is...more likely dreaming of cars and milk. I just CAN NOT WAIT until morning and seeing Tam's eyes all aglow when he sees the tree lit and surrounded by a plethora of presents for him and the family.

This last week before Christmas has been frantic, and it is hard for me to believe that it is finally December 24th. What have we done?

Well, I have finished all the Christmas shopping between Thanksgiving and December 22. This year I did nearly all of it online and used many additional coupons/sales to score great deals. I'm very proud of the money I have saved this year while shopping for additional people (new brother-in-law, new niece, new son!) I whipped up 3 different types of cookies with Tamlin's help. I finished grading my final exams and submitted their final grades (which took forever since I had a final on the last day of the week.) I finished several sewing projects for the kids, including a bowtie, stuffed animal, and doll clothes. I collected and read Tam a new Christmas book each night for the entire month of December. (He loved finding a new book each evening). I drove to Ohio in 7 hours with two wee ones in the car and didn't go insane. I loved my family all year long and...I still love my family :-)

And Brian? He's been busy too. Lots of work since this is the busy season with all the shoppers around the restaurant. Then, he's been singing quite a bit. We both participated in the Medieval feast at our church by singing in the choir. Additionally, Brian sang a solo both nights as part of the dinner entertainment. It was fun for all of us to dress up for this during the winter season. He's also been singing with his Victorian group. I bundled up Tam and Jude and we heard him while he was performing a strolling gig among local shops. I love listening to my husbands voice...and it just makes me smile widely when he's singing favorite Christmas carols. Earlier in the month, he got out the Christmas village decorations and set it all up, along with the train running through the tiny houses. Tamlin LOVED this and that daddy let him drive the train too. Brian also wrapped a ton of the gifts this year while I was grading finals. I love that he helped out with this task. Busy, busy.

What about the kids?
Tamlin has been a rambunctious 3 year old. He has tried to help us with every task we attempt to do, from washing dishes to choosing Christmas gifts to stirring batter for cookies. He's made Christmas tags with glue and glitter. He's decorated cookies with sprinkles and m&ms. He's wished everyone Merry Christmas. He can't wait to open presents. He's playing relatively nicely with Jude...or at least trade's him toys when Jude has something he wants. He's been walking around, reading, and sleeping with the Toys-r-us catalog for weeks (he loves looking at all the cars). He got to meet Santa and tell him what he wants. And he traveled wonderfully in the car on our journey east to see the family.

Jude's been pretty good too. Now that he is on a low-lactose formula and eating more solids, he is often sleeping better at night...though still a bit gassy. Since he is getting more sleep, he's happier during the day. He's been mastering sitting up and lunging out to reach toys placed nearby, including big brother Tamlin's cars. He's been busy jumping like a mad-man in his jumperoo. He also got to visit Santa and sit on his lap. No tears! Just a general staring at the jolly man in red with a white beard. And Jude also did awesomely on the trip to see the family...barely any crying!

So, like I mentioned at the top of post, it is Christmas eve...
We went to the early family service at church. Brian sang two duets for the congregation and would sing harmony with me on the hymns. Jude is becoming our little musician since he was "singing" along with the music two with happy squeals and sounds of delight. I love the service of readings and carols both because I love hearing the Christmas story, but I also love singing the favorite holiday hymns... You know, the ones that aren't played on the radio ad nauseum all month. Tamlin's been playing with cars and telling everyone Merry Christmas still. However, he did know it was baby Jesus's birthday when asked at church tonight. It makes me feel good that he realizes the it isn't totally a commercial holiday. Most of the day, Tamlin has been talking about Santa and tracking Santa's journey off and on all day on NORAD on the computer. Now it is nearly 11:30pm and I'm home watching sapping Christmas movies and staring off at the lights on the Christmas tree. Brian, mom, and Dale are back at church for the 11:00pm service. When they get home, we grown-ups will celebrate and open our gifts in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Then, hugs all around, while we head upstairs to listen for jingle bells to note Santa's arrival for the little ones.

Well, I better get out my kerchief and ready myself for the upcoming winter nap :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Latest achievements

Jude is now nearly 7 months old; what has he been up to?

• He is now sitting up unassisted, though very hunched over to try to maintain his balance.
• He's grabbing at puffs and successful of getting into mouth about 50%. Most times he can rake them into his hands, gets the hand to the mouth, but can't quite figure out how to let go once there.
  
• He is wicked good at gumming gramcrackers
• He is sometimes making "Mamama" sounds
• More often his is making "Bababa" sounds as his means of communication
  
• Lots of raspberries
• He's still very good at squealing with delight
• Sometime he "Sings" along when we are singing hymns at church. Very cute
  
• He's holding a bottle by himself while laying on his back.
  

And Tam. . . he's been doing great too!

• He has been helping with making cookies with me in the kitchen
  
• He's helping Brian with making pancakes. Tam's really good at mixing them up in the bowl.
  
• The latest trick is turning on/off light switches around the house.
  
• He's beginning to do more and more imaginative play with tow trucks and cars.
  
• He's loving Sunday School and playing with other kids
  
• Tam's even talking about things that have happen during the day that have actually happened. Though to get any sensible response from him, I need to ask him quite quickly after it has happened or else it is forgotten.
  
• Oh, and he has been mastering Wii games. A current favorite is bowling, which he is actually pretty good at.