I was going to post about our weekend with the Kelly clan, but Christi beat me to it and posted much cuter pictures than I have!
So everyone that's interested - please click on the link to Christi's blog to the right.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Our Time of Need
To all of our dedicated readers:
Please keep Chuck and me in your thoughts at this very difficult time for us. Last night at approximately 9:45 p.m. we learned that we had reached the end of the road with our beloved friend - Season Two of the West Wing.
Seasons One and Two both saw us through the first weeks of Ryker's life - we watched the DVDs every chance we got (meaning before "bed"). When Season One ended we were sad, but we knew there were bigger and better things to come in Season Two. Last night we thought we had one more disc to go. We were wrong. We have finished both seasons. "But there are seven seasons" you must be thinking. Yes, but we were only given 2 of them. The keepers of the rest of the seasons - you know who you are - under-estimated the speed with which we could get through them and are ruthlessly holding the rest hostage until they see fit to let us borrow them. Torture.
Oh how I miss the witty banter, "walk 'n talks," stark downlights! In my restless days of cooing at a newborn, they were my release. Chuck and I were loyal to them and this is how they repay us!
Keepers of the rest of the seasons - please hear our prayers and send forth the rest of the DVDs!
Please keep Chuck and me in your thoughts at this very difficult time for us. Last night at approximately 9:45 p.m. we learned that we had reached the end of the road with our beloved friend - Season Two of the West Wing.
Seasons One and Two both saw us through the first weeks of Ryker's life - we watched the DVDs every chance we got (meaning before "bed"). When Season One ended we were sad, but we knew there were bigger and better things to come in Season Two. Last night we thought we had one more disc to go. We were wrong. We have finished both seasons. "But there are seven seasons" you must be thinking. Yes, but we were only given 2 of them. The keepers of the rest of the seasons - you know who you are - under-estimated the speed with which we could get through them and are ruthlessly holding the rest hostage until they see fit to let us borrow them. Torture.
Oh how I miss the witty banter, "walk 'n talks," stark downlights! In my restless days of cooing at a newborn, they were my release. Chuck and I were loyal to them and this is how they repay us!
Keepers of the rest of the seasons - please hear our prayers and send forth the rest of the DVDs!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Faces
I thought for sure Ryker was going to smile yesterday - he's got the Elvis lip-curl thing going on right now. I attempted for half an hour to get him to smile, with no luck. Here are the pictures I did get:
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Recipe: Coffee Oatmeal
Coffee Oatmeal
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 packets Maple Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
2 empty mugs
1 measuring cup
coffee
1 sleep-deprived mom
1. Pour coffee into one of the empty mugs. Doctor it appropriately (so much cream and sugar that it makes friends uncomfortable).
2. Put water in measuring cup and microwave to boiling (for the oatmeal).
3. Pour entire packet of instant oatmeal into full cup of coffee.
4. Notice what you did.
5. Try to scoop oatmeal out of bottom of coffee mug and transfer to other mug.
6. Pour second packet into correct mug.
7. Add water to correct mug and stir.
The oatmeal is actually pretty good - a hint of coffee but nothing overpowering. The coffee, with bits of oatmeal surfacing every once in awhile, not so good.
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 packets Maple Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
2 empty mugs
1 measuring cup
coffee
1 sleep-deprived mom
1. Pour coffee into one of the empty mugs. Doctor it appropriately (so much cream and sugar that it makes friends uncomfortable).
2. Put water in measuring cup and microwave to boiling (for the oatmeal).
3. Pour entire packet of instant oatmeal into full cup of coffee.
4. Notice what you did.
5. Try to scoop oatmeal out of bottom of coffee mug and transfer to other mug.
6. Pour second packet into correct mug.
7. Add water to correct mug and stir.
The oatmeal is actually pretty good - a hint of coffee but nothing overpowering. The coffee, with bits of oatmeal surfacing every once in awhile, not so good.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Jack Quotes
Quick update on several things that have come out of Jack's mouth recently. (Also note new pictures on Flickr of our recent trip to the zoo.)
--Me only have two beffest bars left - OHHH NOOOOO!
--Daddy -- Mommy has friends!
--Me need cereal and bueberries and poon and bowl and milk and poon and bueberries and cereal and bowl and....bueberries. Dat what me need.
--Me light this up so everybody know where me is (speaking about his light-up shirt).
--Me want to see your big teets (teeth).
--Me try and try and try and try get under your bed and me can't.
--What Randy's last name? Maybe it's....Circus.
--What color your nose is?
--Me only have two beffest bars left - OHHH NOOOOO!
--Daddy -- Mommy has friends!
--Me need cereal and bueberries and poon and bowl and milk and poon and bueberries and cereal and bowl and....bueberries. Dat what me need.
--Me light this up so everybody know where me is (speaking about his light-up shirt).
--Me want to see your big teets (teeth).
--Me try and try and try and try get under your bed and me can't.
--What Randy's last name? Maybe it's....Circus.
--What color your nose is?
And finally, a conversation between Chuck and Jackson:
J: Do you know Cole? (Daycare friend)
C: Yes, I do
J: Do you know Kay? (Daycare teacher)
C: Uh huh
J: Do you know Norma? (Daycare teacher)
C: Sure
J: Do you know Mall-Merica? (We were driving by the MOA)
C: Um, yes
J: Do you know the Muffin Man?
C: Yes, I know the muffin man....
Friday, July 18, 2008
Aim High, Son, Aim High…
This post is from Chuck:
Jackson, being my son, loves The Muppets. He insists on watching “The Muppet Movie”, or as he calls it “the one with banjo”, at least once a day. Being that it’s a good wholesome movie, we would usually allow his request.
Jackson was getting to the point where he knew the movie, at least the first 20 minutes of it, really well and would make a running commentary on “what’s gonna happen?” or “where all people going?” (when all the patrons of the El Sleezo Café leave to get “drinks on the house”).
Jackson has also taken a liking to Fozzie Bear, who is featured in the El Sleezo Café scene. When that scene starts, Jackson gets excited and points at the screen and says “Woky, woky!” As you may remember, Fozzie Bears’ catch phrase is “Wocka wocka wocka!”
During one of the many screenings of “The Muppet Movie” we got to the El Sleezo Café scene and Jackson turns to us and says, “When me get big me want to be woky, woky.” Jackson could have chosen fireman, policeman, race car driver or even an astronaut like other little kids, but no, he wants to be a lovable, yet unsuccessful comedic bear puppet.
This is one of the increasingly common instances where I just didn’t know what to say. I just agreed and thought to myself, we need to work on this later. Is 3 years old too young for some career counseling? Is there some kind of ‘strengths test’ we can give Jackson to show him that he should focus on engineering or something like that instead of “…telling jokes both old and rare!” Needless to say, we are now limiting the number of viewings of The Muppet Movie.
Jackson, being my son, loves The Muppets. He insists on watching “The Muppet Movie”, or as he calls it “the one with banjo”, at least once a day. Being that it’s a good wholesome movie, we would usually allow his request.
Jackson was getting to the point where he knew the movie, at least the first 20 minutes of it, really well and would make a running commentary on “what’s gonna happen?” or “where all people going?” (when all the patrons of the El Sleezo Café leave to get “drinks on the house”).
Jackson has also taken a liking to Fozzie Bear, who is featured in the El Sleezo Café scene. When that scene starts, Jackson gets excited and points at the screen and says “Woky, woky!” As you may remember, Fozzie Bears’ catch phrase is “Wocka wocka wocka!”
During one of the many screenings of “The Muppet Movie” we got to the El Sleezo Café scene and Jackson turns to us and says, “When me get big me want to be woky, woky.” Jackson could have chosen fireman, policeman, race car driver or even an astronaut like other little kids, but no, he wants to be a lovable, yet unsuccessful comedic bear puppet.
This is one of the increasingly common instances where I just didn’t know what to say. I just agreed and thought to myself, we need to work on this later. Is 3 years old too young for some career counseling? Is there some kind of ‘strengths test’ we can give Jackson to show him that he should focus on engineering or something like that instead of “…telling jokes both old and rare!” Needless to say, we are now limiting the number of viewings of The Muppet Movie.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Family Matters
It would seem that life right now would be nothing but interesting happenings that make superb blog posts. Incorrect. Unless you are interested in knowing the TV schedule between the hours of 11pm and 5am or the words to every Sesame Street episode from the first season it aired. Then I'm your woman.
Assuming those aren't interesting to anyone else, I'll use this chance to brag about my fun family and all the things they are doing. Okay, actually just a few of them.
First there's Beth, who wrote to tell us that she took a trapeze lesson the other day. Who does stuff like that? Beth, that's who. She has written on other occassions to tell us about jumping out of planes and going surfing and stuff, so I'm not really surprised. Still, it's awesome to hear about all of her adventures. And Beth, don't tell Jack about any of those things for YEARS, okay! I want my hair to stay un-gray for as long as possible.
Next is Christi, whose new name will be Princess Promotion. Seriously, I have never seen someone earn so many promotions in such a short amount of time. Actually, Beth has seen her share too. Overachievers! Christi also randomly took up belly dancing awhile back and has become ridiculously good (and gets to wear some seriously bad-a** costumes).
Finally, my brother just got a sweet job too. He's going to be a professor and pretty much run a theater department at a college in New York. And he gets all kinds of cool photography gigs too and even has pictures of his in a coffee table book.
Talent abounds - I hope my little guys get some of those genes!
Assuming those aren't interesting to anyone else, I'll use this chance to brag about my fun family and all the things they are doing. Okay, actually just a few of them.
First there's Beth, who wrote to tell us that she took a trapeze lesson the other day. Who does stuff like that? Beth, that's who. She has written on other occassions to tell us about jumping out of planes and going surfing and stuff, so I'm not really surprised. Still, it's awesome to hear about all of her adventures. And Beth, don't tell Jack about any of those things for YEARS, okay! I want my hair to stay un-gray for as long as possible.
Next is Christi, whose new name will be Princess Promotion. Seriously, I have never seen someone earn so many promotions in such a short amount of time. Actually, Beth has seen her share too. Overachievers! Christi also randomly took up belly dancing awhile back and has become ridiculously good (and gets to wear some seriously bad-a** costumes).
Finally, my brother just got a sweet job too. He's going to be a professor and pretty much run a theater department at a college in New York. And he gets all kinds of cool photography gigs too and even has pictures of his in a coffee table book.
Talent abounds - I hope my little guys get some of those genes!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My Beautiful Baby
My perfect, beautiful baby has run across 2 aesthetic foes already. He has baby acne. Baby acne. So sad. Also, he has stork bites (red birthmarks on the back of his neck). I'm watching my poor little man turn red and splotchy and bumpy before my very eyes.
So of course I do what I do with anything else - I call my mom and make her Google it for me. I rarely have two hands to type with simultaneously.
My mom looked up the birth marks first and tried to make me feel better by telling me that she had a red birth mark too. "Edna" she said, as if that meant anything to me. "Who's Edna?" I said. "Edna was my birthmark. She was on my arm and looked like a profile of a woman with curly hair."
[My mom is probably wincing (or crying with laughter) right now reading this.]
I have never heard of Edna before, which might not seem strange to most people, but I know a whole lot about my mom and if this birthmark was important enough to name, wouldn't it have been important enough to introduce me to?
Anyway, we learned that almost all birthmarks go away EXCEPT the ones on the back of necks. Chuck thinks he'll have to have a mullet for the rest of his life. My mom didn't think it was a big deal. "Who will see it?" she asked. "Everyone standing in back of him for his ENTIRE LIFE" I answered.
Then to the acne. My mom found an article by a lovely guy named Dr. Greene. He helpfully suggested that you NOT use acne medicine or cleansers on your baby. I'm sleep-deprived, but not that much. My mom read over the phone to me "...In baby acne, these bumps, Beckie, are quickly fleeting evidence of..." Pause... "Beckie?" I could tell my mom thought that the bumps were named Beckie. And why not? If a birthmark can be named Edna, why not name acne Beckie? Sounds a lot nicer, actually.
So my little man has two new friends, Edna and Beckie. Wish them a speedy departure, please.
So of course I do what I do with anything else - I call my mom and make her Google it for me. I rarely have two hands to type with simultaneously.
My mom looked up the birth marks first and tried to make me feel better by telling me that she had a red birth mark too. "Edna" she said, as if that meant anything to me. "Who's Edna?" I said. "Edna was my birthmark. She was on my arm and looked like a profile of a woman with curly hair."
[My mom is probably wincing (or crying with laughter) right now reading this.]
I have never heard of Edna before, which might not seem strange to most people, but I know a whole lot about my mom and if this birthmark was important enough to name, wouldn't it have been important enough to introduce me to?
Anyway, we learned that almost all birthmarks go away EXCEPT the ones on the back of necks. Chuck thinks he'll have to have a mullet for the rest of his life. My mom didn't think it was a big deal. "Who will see it?" she asked. "Everyone standing in back of him for his ENTIRE LIFE" I answered.
Then to the acne. My mom found an article by a lovely guy named Dr. Greene. He helpfully suggested that you NOT use acne medicine or cleansers on your baby. I'm sleep-deprived, but not that much. My mom read over the phone to me "...In baby acne, these bumps, Beckie, are quickly fleeting evidence of..." Pause... "Beckie?" I could tell my mom thought that the bumps were named Beckie. And why not? If a birthmark can be named Edna, why not name acne Beckie? Sounds a lot nicer, actually.
So my little man has two new friends, Edna and Beckie. Wish them a speedy departure, please.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Things I Forgot
Ryker is helping me remember the things I forgot about newborns...
1. How soft their skin is when they are first born.
2. How they can pee or poop on you without warning.
3. How warm they are.
4. How ferociously they look for food.
5. How they look like Bart Simpson being strangled when they cry.
6. How funny their facial expressions are.
7. How it's hard to take your eyes off of them.
8. How exciting it seems when you get 3 hours of sleep.
9. How cool it is when they study your face.
10. How soothing it is when they are asleep on your chest.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Family Funt
No that's not a typo. Jack has decided that there is a T in the word Fun. What does the T stand for? My best guess is Toddler - as in "(only) FUN (for a) T(oddler)." During our nightly potty-side chat Jack recited me to all of the things that were funt today. Here's the run-down, according to Jack.
We went to 3 different locations to find money. Then we went to the Animal Fair - only there weren't any animals and it was a fair for the 4th of July. But for Jack, it was an Animal Fair and it was funt. He danced with a panda bear. Danced is what he called it, but for all of the adults watching, it was much closer to stalking. So much so that the panda had to shake hands with the kids, ending with Jack, and then sprint to a van parked nearby, dive into the back and slam the door behind him. I'm not kidding. Then Jack picked a ride to go on - one of those tiny ones that has a bunch of cars and goes around in tight circles. He rode on the fire engine, but when asked what he liked the best, he said "the man that put me on the fire engine." That would be a carnie with a bent cigarette tucked behind his ear.
Then we swung by our old neighbors' house and hung out with them for awhile. The funt parts there? The Slip N Slide, which he tiptoed down each time and then cried the one time he actually did slip and slide. Also funt was the inflatable swimming pool, which he swam in with a poopy diaper, unbeknownst to us.
The funtest part for me? When Jack beamed up at us and said "we are a family!"
So it was a great night, all in all. Panda bears, carnies, poopy swimming pools. What more can you ask for?
We went to 3 different locations to find money. Then we went to the Animal Fair - only there weren't any animals and it was a fair for the 4th of July. But for Jack, it was an Animal Fair and it was funt. He danced with a panda bear. Danced is what he called it, but for all of the adults watching, it was much closer to stalking. So much so that the panda had to shake hands with the kids, ending with Jack, and then sprint to a van parked nearby, dive into the back and slam the door behind him. I'm not kidding. Then Jack picked a ride to go on - one of those tiny ones that has a bunch of cars and goes around in tight circles. He rode on the fire engine, but when asked what he liked the best, he said "the man that put me on the fire engine." That would be a carnie with a bent cigarette tucked behind his ear.
Then we swung by our old neighbors' house and hung out with them for awhile. The funt parts there? The Slip N Slide, which he tiptoed down each time and then cried the one time he actually did slip and slide. Also funt was the inflatable swimming pool, which he swam in with a poopy diaper, unbeknownst to us.
The funtest part for me? When Jack beamed up at us and said "we are a family!"
So it was a great night, all in all. Panda bears, carnies, poopy swimming pools. What more can you ask for?
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Ryker's name
It dawned on me that most people don't know how we came up with Ryker's name. Here's the explanation.
Ryker actually ended up on our list because Chuck found it in a list of Danish/Dutch names. He liked it and thought it sounded like Ryan sort of, so we put it on the list. Then I figured out that it actually mirrored Ryan's full name:
Ryan Michael Mueller
Of course, we cheated and did a K instead of a CH, but close enough.
Yes, we're aware that it's a prison (Riker's Island), and some work on Google taught me that there was some sort of Treky person named Captain Ryker and that there is a man named Ken Ryker in a profession that we don't talk about on family blogs (warning though - don't click on any videos or pictures with his name on them).
But the name, and the symbolism, was just too cool to pass up.
Kelly is the middle name - in honor of my mom.
There you have it...
Ryker actually ended up on our list because Chuck found it in a list of Danish/Dutch names. He liked it and thought it sounded like Ryan sort of, so we put it on the list. Then I figured out that it actually mirrored Ryan's full name:
Ryan Michael Mueller
Of course, we cheated and did a K instead of a CH, but close enough.
Yes, we're aware that it's a prison (Riker's Island), and some work on Google taught me that there was some sort of Treky person named Captain Ryker and that there is a man named Ken Ryker in a profession that we don't talk about on family blogs (warning though - don't click on any videos or pictures with his name on them).
But the name, and the symbolism, was just too cool to pass up.
Kelly is the middle name - in honor of my mom.
There you have it...
Newness
Newness abounds in the Banjostrand household. We've done this whole baby thing before, but not with a toddler, not in this house, not without Norman...It's all falling into place though.
New sacrifice to keep Jack from doing this to his brother:
New pictures are up on Flickr - both in "Ryker - the Early Days" and in a new set of "Jack's first days of sibling hood." Here are a few of my favorites:
New affinity for cowboy boots (there is a better picture of the boots on Flickr but I love this picture):
New challenge for Jack in the backyard (monkey bars):
New grandson:
New namesake:
New sacrifice to keep Jack from doing this to his brother:
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
New pictures
There are an obscene number of pictures of Ryker and the family on our Flickr account. Check 'em out. Also, note that when you go to Flickr, you can view certain sets (i.e. Ryker - The Early Days) instead of ALL of our pictures by clicking on the set on the right-hand side of the page.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
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