Paxman Family Reunion - July 2014 #1

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  So I want to give you a thick novel's worth of pictures from the Paxman Family Reunion which I attended from July 1 to July 8.  I will indicate when the pictures are NOT mine, otherwise, they are memories that I wanted to catch on film (and still had camera battery to take them!)  They will not be in chronological order; that is, when they happened during the week.  I hope you enjoy them!

The Adorable Johnson Kids!

It is less than a five-minute walk from the Paxman home in Saline, Michigan to a lake.  This body of water is a perfect place for all ages to have fun, and in the case of the reunion, to strengthen family ties.  I think everybody but Rick and Richard Lin got in on the action!

Elizabeth Jumping In Under Philip and Scott's Watchful Eyes

Good (Handsome) Father and Son-in-Law Adam with Lucy and Charlie?

Charlie Going Airborne into Uncle BJ's Arms

Uncle BJ Attacked by Eddie and Lucy

Isaac the Swimmer and Cousin Scott

Emily and Adam Alone Without the Kids!

Calm (in pain?) Amy Watching

Too Much Good Time for Charlie

Another activity that some of us enjoyed was playing "disc golf" or Frisbee golf, in which one attempts to throw a disc into a basket some 75-120 yards away in three tries. Some of the time is spent looking for errant discs.  I had played "disc golf" before, and got pretty good toward the end of the reunion. The next four pictures are not mine.

The Disc is Thrown Like Scott Here, or Like a Frisbee

"Where in the heck did that disc go?"

Yet another activity was canoeing for some eight miles down the Huron River. One picture is us on a bus to the launch point. Some people fell in the river; I didn't.  I finally got the hang of stopping us from hitting a limb or another canoe near the end. It was a lot of fun.  Didn't get too sunburned.

Elizabeth, Philip's Carolina, Em and Adam

I'm Behind Em Steering, Ha Ha!

We Spent a Lot of Time Socializing and Eating in the Kitchen

Always Good Food (Most Everybody Helped) and Smiles

Daniel Zetino, a Grandchild

Three of my children have borne children, totaling six grandchildren.  Five of the six live away from Southern California.  Only Daniel lives here.  Every few weeks his mother brings him from his home in nearby Valencia where he lives with her and an assortment of her extended family to visit "Gee-ma" and "Shum-pa."

By way of explanation, my oldest grandchild, Isaac, who now lives in Washington, originally couldn't say "grandpa" and called me "Mum-pa."  The next oldest, Elizabeth, who now lives in New Jersey, didn't hear "Mum-pa" and started calling me "Pum-pa," by which name I am also known to her siblings, the triplets.  Daniel didn't hear "Pum-pa" or "Mum-pa" but heard "Shum-pa."  It's all very confusing for me because I have to remember who I am with to call myself by my name known to them.  Sometimes it comes out "Grumpummumshum-PA," all slurred together!

At any rate, Daniel is a sweet boy, and it is great to have him spend time with us.  He has historically cried and carried on when his mother drops him off or when we pick him up, and he did so this past weekend.  But hours later, after he mourns the separation from her, he gets into the grandparents routine, and by Sunday afternoon, having had a great time with us, he becomes sheepish about leaving us.  Go figure!

We try to show love to him any way we can.  We do not indulge him, despite occasional protestations, but consistently complement him for good choices, minimize the amount of TV time, watch a movie and eat microwave popcorn, make sure he puts away toys when he is leaving, read bedtime stories to him, and feed him nutritional food (one of his favorites being what he calls "popsicle yogurt" which is Yoplait Orange Creme yogurt with a orangesicle on the label).

A couple of activities we always seem to do which he enjoys is going to the kiddie park which is about 150 yards from our home, and going grocery shopping at the supermarket close to the park.  He enjoys playing in the sand with our beach toys, swinging, climbing, generally having a fun time.  I always get him laughing when, after pushing him in a swing, I will stand in front of him facing away and allow him to gently kick my behind.  I love to hear his laughs.  He also enjoys how "Shum-pa" puts him in the grocery cart and then will tickle him, or push the cart in circles, or pretend to almost crash the cart into displays.

This past weekend, he had a jolly time chasing Suki the cat around the house, attempting to get the cat to play with the dangling teasing toy in his hand.  He also enjoys playing with marbles on the "back-and-forth-marble-ramp" in which the marbles descends with gravity down a switchback path.  This toy has been a favorite of all of the grandchildren, as well as of our kids, since it was made many years ago by Grandpa Paxman.

Doug, his father, and one of the kids that played with the marble thingy, is serving in the US Army.  When Daniel comes to our home, we always make sure that he gets to talk with his Daddy, either just on the phone, or with Skype.  He sometimes gets sad when it is time to say goodbye (read:more separation anxiety), but I know that he loves hearing and sometimes seeing Daddy, and it is one of the highlights for him.

Another thing that he seems to look forward to doing is attending church services on Sunday.  We have bought some awesome sticker books which keep him occupied and which allow us to listen--kind of.  He used to go to nursery afterward where he was showered with attention and care by a wonderful, loving older woman, but this past weekend he started a new class with older kids, and did just great!  It is now part of his routine when he visits "Gee-ma" and "Shum-pa," and he always verifies that we are going to attend services on Sunday.

Because he is the only child in his home, and I have to guess, because it is part of his personality, he does well playing alone. Although he will become bored, he doesn't complain, and will do something else to amuse himself.  Having grown up essentially as essentially an only child myself, I relate to his behavior completely.

He has a calm temperament.  He does things when asked, often immediately, and is never under foot.  He can be very affectionate (I really like the occasional hugs I get), and likes sitting on laps, or next to us on the sofa while watching the movie.  He is simply a pleasure to have with us, and he has taken up residence in my heart!

A Tribute to Emily and Adam

It all started on September 3, 2010, when my daughter Emily gave birth to a fraternal set of triplets.  This event came after bearing a daughter Elizabeth some two years earlier.  The two boys and a girl came very unexpectedly; Emily had not taken fertility drugs nor was there any history of multiple births on the Davis side of the family,  She and Adam had planned to have a second child and make a decision about future children afterwards.  But they went from one to four children in one day, and this young couple's life was forever changed.

My wife had traveled to Brooklyn, New York, some three weeks before the planned "c-section" to help Emily in the last stages of her pregnancy.  I went to help out a couple of weeks after their births which came off without a glitch, all three near 6 lbs., and all healthy.  We went from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast because there was only Adam's mother and little sister in the area, some five hours or so north in upstate New York.  Adam and Emily had moved east from Utah after both of them had graduated from Brigham Young University where they had met.  He worked at the time and still works for a large international book publisher based in Manhattan, and as such were living some miles away in a second story, 700 square foot apartment.  

They quickly outgrew this two-bedroom apartment with no air conditioning, dishwasher, washer or dryer,  parking, or elevator to get the newborns from the second floor to the first floor.  If Adam wasn't there because of work, it was a major production for Emily to get four kids down to the first floor, much less to get them to their mini-van they had been forced to buy which was parked where ever they could finagle a parking spot. They fashioned a special stroller/wagon that allowed older sister Elizabeth to stand to the rear while the three babies sat in front of her.  They hired a mother's helper after the church members finally stopped helping, allowing Emily to go to the laundromat, go grocery shopping, or do a chore. 

In those early days, life was a perpetual round of diaper changing (approximately 6 changes X 3 kids per day), bottles (about that many also), sleep deprivation, and just trying to cope with everyday challenges.  That grind continued for well over a year, including two months when they came to California for Christmas and stayed.  (For a taste of this insanity, please read my posting of "Eddie's 24-Hour Diary,")  Through it all, Emily and Adam managed to keep their physical and mental health, coping with incredible challenges that would exhaust less committed parents.

They needed to move, and did so when the triplets were a few months short of the age of two.  It was a nice rented home in Rutherford, New Jersey, which made their lives easier--but not easy.  It had off-street parking, a fenced side yard with grass,  dishwasher, washer and dryer, a nice kitchen, and space to run around in.  It was a little bit farther for Adam to commute to Midtown Manhattan, but it was well worth the additional time.  During these better days, Emily managed to toilet train the triplets all at once, no small feat by any stretch.  She and Adam also got them into the routine of family time together, family prayer and scripture time -- such as it was, weekly church attendance, setting the table for the kids, among others.  

Their local church congregations had proved to be a godsend because of the young couples that also attended with similar-aged children.  Emily particularly made some good friends that made her life somewhat more bearable.  Adam faithfully fielded calls at work when Emily needed him, and after work hit the ground running when he arrived home, changing diapers, bathing kids, occasionally cooking, and always doing the dishwashing chore.  Adam asked for received a sizable raise to better support his family of six, but without a second income, their wants and needs were always modest.  

Regrettably, the woman who had rented out this nice home in a nice New Jersey suburb decided that she wanted to re-occupy the home, and gave them just a short time to vacate and find a new place.  As they have done all along in their capacities as parents, they put their game faces on and found another place to rent.  This place, some 15 or so minutes away from the previous place (but not much longer of a commute into the City for Adam), was not as nice with as many amenities.  It is at this three-story, four-bedroom lodging where I find myself at this Christmas season.

The older sister is five but missed the kindergarten age cutoff by less than a month and as such is home much of the daytime.  The triplets are three years old.  All four children are all incredibly strong willed.  All four children are all talkative and full of energy.  All four children behave as children do at their age, playing, roughhousing, fighting, sometimes refusing to eat, needing their bottoms wiped, wanting their own ways, crying and sometimes screaming, and testing Adam and Emily's parenting skills to the extreme.  Their home is in perpetual entropy, and it is all Emily and Adam can do to keep up with the kids and keep the house somewhat organized (which they do a great job in accomplishing).  Imagine being a stay-at-home mother of these four children five years of age and younger.  Pure daily exhaustion!

So at this moment, the din of the day has subsided.  My wife and Emily are wrapping the last of the Christmas presents, the live Christmas tree is sparkling in the reflection of the window that has lights around it, and our energies are spent having kept the home fires burning (and having taken the four energy packets to see Santa Claus at the library), I wanted share with my blog readers the difficult life these two have, and to pay tribute to my wonderful daughter and her wonderful husband.  I simply could not do what they do day in and day out, much less when I was their age.  I am amazed that these two thirty-somethings have the patience to deal with such energetic children.  And while neither of them would say that they are doing a great job as parents, or as spouses (the pressure that the kids put on their marriage is indescribable), they are managing well enough.  I would challenge any couple to deal with the non-stop challenges that this little family of six experiences every day.  

I am SO PROUD of these two kids.  I love this little New Jersey family.    

East Coast Swing - Summer 2013

One of the reasons why my wife and I spent two weeks on the East Coast was to spend time with our daughter, son-in-law, and four grandbabies in New Jersey.  Another reason was to help with the Open House of the wedding of one of our nephews, Philip Johnson, in Maryland. Interestingly, the girl that he married was from New Jersey, and although they were married in the D.C. area, the reception was near her family home in New Jersey.

We landed in Baltimore and spent 36 hours or so there with my sister-in-law and her family, then drove to New Jersey to spend five days with our daughter's family, and drove back to Maryland and spent 3 1/2 days there.  We then went with the Maryland family north to New Jersey, then took a train farther north in New Jersey to our daughter's home once again, then departed 48 hours later from Newark.

The experience was at times fun, at times intense, at times spiritual, at times joyful, but always muggy warm or hot.  Even so, I wanted to share some of the sights of this trip.  The pictures are arranged chronologically, as we went from place to place.  The previous blog posting would have occurred after we left Central Park and went south on Manhattan.  

As I told many who asked how the experience was, it was memorable but not restful.  And that's okay because that was my expectation.  Hope you enjoy the pictures!

The Beautiful Jefferson Memorial in DC

Thomas Jefferson - I felt almost a "temple" feeling here

Standing in the work line at the FDR Memorial

The Martin Luther King Memorial - an important man

The new Vietnam Nurses Memorial - very emotional for me

One of the statues at the Metropolitan Museum in New York

The hidden Alice in Wonderland sculpture in New York's Central Park

The remote control sailboats in Central Park

Typical New York City street (I believe it was north on 5th Avenue), and Philip's Wedding in DC below

Back in New Jersey, three homes near where Emily and Adam live - abuts to a lovely "firefly" park

Eddie Spaghetti being silly

Lucy Goosey being silly

Charley Barley being silly

I have to admit, Charley looks like "Mini-Me"

Elizabeth, with swimming goggles, posing, as she is wont to do

Pumpa roaring like a lion, similar to a picture on my desk taken almost three years ago at the LA Zoo.

Grandbabies

Many who read this blog know that I have six grandchildren: Isaac lives in Washington, Daniel lives here in So Cal, Elizabeth and her three triplet siblings, Charlie, Eddie and Lucy live in New Jersey.  Many of you also know that my daughter Emily, the mother of the New Jersey clan, has her own blog: 3-ring.blogspot.com.  

Yesterday, Emily posted on her blog with pictures of her four kids celebrating Easter.  It inspired me to post some of their pictures on my blog.  Pictures of my other two grandchildren follow below.  Proud grandpa!

 Everyone that sees him or his picture and know me say that he looks like a young me.  What do you think? 

Aren't these two boys just too cute?  That's Eddie to the left of Charlie.  Yes, they're in the "terrible twos," but they are wonderful little boys who will be best friends.

 This is Lucy, the little red-haired girl of the triumverate.  She is full of pee and vinegar, just like her mother was, and has been blessed with a fertile mind, also like her mother (and grandmother.)

 This is big sister, Elizabeth.  She is a cutie and is quite the princess.  She helps mom and dad with the triplets.

Daniel is Doug's three-year old.  He comes to visit every other weekend, much to his frustration.  Once here, he enjoys Shumpa and G-ma. 

Here is seven-year old Isaac.  He will be entering the 3rd grade next fall and will be every bit as smart as his mother, Rebecca.

So these are my grandbabies.  I am a fortunate, proud grandfather of them all!  

Over Hill, Over Dale, He Has Hit the Dusty Trail

Today was definitely a transitional day for me.  My youngest son, Douglas, a 27 year old father of a three-year old boy, and with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, entered the U.S. Army.  This ends a journey for him that started last summer.  This blog post is to help me process what happened today and its implications for me.

He will likely leave on Thursday for Fort Sill, Oklahoma for his basic training, and then goes to Fort Sam Houston in Texas for training as a medic.  I was informed that with roughly three weeks to go in his medic training, he will be assigned to a post somewhere on the planet.

Douglas has already lived on his own, while attending Cal State University, Long Beach, and then upon graduation, in Santa Clarita.  It was when his employment reduced his hours, and we knew that he was going to enter the Army in January, that we broke our rule after he asked and allowed him to live with us.  He won’t have to worry about housing and meals for quite awhile now, a fact not lost on him or me.  And while living with us had its good times, he didn’t really want to live with us, and frankly, it was often bothersome and even unpleasant to have him in our home.

Living with us did afford me a weekly opportunity to see little Daniel because he spent with his daddy a couple of days each week.  He is a delightful little guy even though he would not allow me to touch him, much less hold him.  He did like to play catch the ball with me—I think he will be a good athlete—because that didn’t involve touching him.  But he squawked when I attempted to touch him.  Early on, he would look away from my gaze, I guess to make me disappear!

Douglas hopes that this new chapter in his life will give his life direction, especially with employment.  He chose to be a medic because 1) he could, having scored very high on an aptitude test, but more importantly, 2) it likely will equip him for his life after the military, assuming he opts out after his four year commitment.  I commend him for his foresight, although he will be going into a field that will exact every ounce of intellect, courage, and determination that he can muster.

So my boy officially launched today.  Sad?  A little.  Hopeful?  Very much so.  I look forward to seeing my young man turn into a full-on man!  Today I officially let go of him, and now trust him to God.

A Soul Cry from My Daughter

Dear Readers,

My daughter Emily (the mother of the triplets) has a wonderful blog --> 3-ring-circus.tumblr.com.  Like me, she uses the blog to send out to the blogosphere, to the world, her ideas, feelings, musings, trying to make sense of her life.  I found her most recent posting engaging and deeply profound.  I know my daughter and I know that she feels so deeply what she writes about.  I wanted to share her soul cry on my blog because after all she is a part of me; I raised her.  

And I want to say to the world how proud I am of her and her resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges; how she does get up every morning and tries to give my grandchildren the love and care they need even when she doesn't feel like doing so. 

March 13, 10:00 PM

This morning, I sat on the rug in my kids’ room, watching them play with their Mega Blocks. After three or four attempts to help them build a tower (the only thing you can build with Mega Blocks) followed by one of them knocking it down with glee, I was ready to scream. Or cry. Or run screaming and crying into another room. Which is what I did. (Okay, so I was screaming and crying on the inside.) I laid on my bed and was overcome by an immense feeling of boredom and despair. Then my eldest popped her head in the doorway and asked if she could come in. “Just close the door behind you,” I pleaded. But no. Three more little heads bobbed towards the bed. Back to the Mega Blocks we go.

The official Church position, and for my intents and purposes, the word of God himself is this:

By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life andprotection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

So this, translated in my mind, sounds like this: In ideal circumstances (ie. the parents are married, alive, and able-bodied), the dad should work to pay the bills, and the mom should take care of their children in their home. At least while the children are young, mom’s primary focus should be on taking care of them, not on making money. That’s dad’s job. Both work for the good of the family focusing mainly on their own spheres of responsibility. But obviously, this can overlap. Dads are expected to pitch in w/ the kids and household chores. And if mom can manage to get all her stuff done and still have time to make some extra money on the side, well, then more power to her.  Maybe you agree. Maybe you don’t. But for me. this has been my understanding of How Life Works since I was a kid. And I’m not saying I disagree with it now. But I was thinking about this whole idea tonight and something struck me.

You see, the men (and by “the men” I mean Mormon men. In the USA. Who are middle class. So maybe none of this really applies outside of my little world…) Anyway, the men go to college where they spend all this time and money to figure out what career they want to pursue, get the education and training they need for said career, and then work in it for the rest of their lives. They may change careers at some point. But ultimately, and hopefully, they work at a job they enjoy while fulfilling their duty to provide for their family. There are a million different jobs out there. And any of them are open to them. The women, however, no matter what they studied in college or where they worked before having kids, all end up doing the same thing. Sure, some excel at baking. Others take on quilting. Some even learn photography. But we all are doing basically the same job: cooking, cleaning, caring for the children. We are all wiping bums and noses, making grocery lists, and picking up toys. My husband had endless choices when it came to deciding what he’d be doing with the vast majority of his time each day. I had one. 

I’m not saying this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. I’m not saying I disagree with the church leaders who have taught this concept. I’m not shaking my fist at God (not over this, anyway.) I mean, if you take this line of thinking far enough, you start thinking, this isn’t fair. Why can’t I choose something else? I don’t think I would. I couldn’t imagine putting my kids in day care. It would kill me. I couldn’t imagine leaving them with a nanny, or even a close relative. Not all day, five days a week. It’s going to be hard enough sending my firstborn off to preschool next fall. So obviously, on some level, I chose this as the best (if only) option. 

And it’s not as if I cried with boredom and despair this morning because it’s all simply too easy for me. I’m not so smart/capable/awesomely talented that I’m bored with being a SAHM. In fact, I’m not a very good homemaker. At all. My husband recently pulled the bed away from the wall to reveal a huge patch of mold. Growing on the wall. I didn’t even know you had to check for things like mold. On walls. Behind beds. And there it was all this time. So you see, I’m not very good at this. And that’s only a part of the job description. There’s this whole “shaping of the future generation” aspect of my job description. Isn’t that amazing? I’m doing the most important work a person could do! Ever! SO IMPORTANT, PEOPLE!!!!! (How many times have I heard that in Relief Society?) All sarcasm aside, it does make me feel great when I teach my daughter a new concept. Or when the babies start to do the little hand motions to the “Five Little Monkies” song we’ve been singing every day for weeks straight. I am trying to take this seriously. I even thought about coming up with a curriculum to follow each day. I wrote it on my to-do list and everything. But every time I looked at it, I found something else to do. Because just looking at it made me want to simultaneously cry and fall asleep. 

So where does this leave me? I know that choosing to stay home with my kids was the right choice. I know that giving my time to the nurturing of my children and the upkeep of our home is very, very important. I also know that all this esoteric contemplation may come across selfish at worst and annoying at best. (So thank you for not leaving snarky comments.) But I still am left with the fact that tomorrow, I’m going to have to get up and do everything I did yesterday, Mega Blocks and all, and I really, really need to figure out how to be happy doing it. Or just not consumed with boredom and despair. Any ideas on how? And bonus points if you avoid using phrases like, “count your blessings” or “positive attitude.” I have an uncontrollable reflex that makes my eyes roll when I hear GospelSpeak. 

Okay, friends. Ready, GO! 

I wrote this last night, after a long, hard day. Today has been better. So maybe that’s my answer: just keep swimming.

The Page Is Turned

The Adam Johnson family left in its entirety early this past Sunday morning for their residence in Brooklyn, New York.  They arrived safely, thank God.  Our daughter Emily reports that she and the kids are settling in to their previous life there.  And I'm sure Adam is back in the routine of bottles, diapers, bathing, taking Elizabeth to potty. But our home is VERY quiet now.  Items left in one place one day are still there the next.  It takes three to four days to fill up our dishwasher.  Did I say that our home is VERY quiet now?

I find myself missing (somewhat) the "controlled chaos."  I find myself missing the hugs and smiles.  I find myself missing Elizabeth's giggles.  I find myself missing the love I felt from Emily.

Emily reported that when they finally arrived back at their apartment in Brooklyn after the long flight, upon entering, Eddie looked around and said, "Pumpa?"   

 

Eddie's 24-Hour Diary

Having four of our grandchildren here for a couple of months is quite a journey! We are enjoying having everyone here, especially when a child looks up at you and wants to be held. At that time, the crying and screaming they do fades away and you remember how much you love them and that they are behaving exactly how they should be behaving at this age. 

I have not posted on this blog since Christmas Eve because I have been so busy being a grandpa, being "Pumpa."  I figured what I was experiencing was an exceptional experience and that those few who read this would find it interesting if not amusing. Before you read it, however, I have to acknowledge the superhuman efforts of my daughter Emily, their mother.  She deserves every bit of admiration and credit for this most difficult task she is doing.  Her patience is just incredible, her caring boundless, and her love for them undeniable. She amazes me.

So here is what I have been experiencing as seen through the eyes of one of my grandbabies. Enjoy the ride!

Waaaaaah, waaaaaah, waaaaaaaaah.  My name is Eddie and I am living right now with my “Pumpa and Geema,” and I thought that it would be fun for some of Pumpa’s friends to know what it’s like to be with my Mama and three-year-old sister, Elizabeth, and my triplet brother, Charley, and sister, Lucy.  Pumpa is writing this down because my siblings and I are just a little older than one year old.

My day begins…waaaaaaaaaaaaah…sometimes at about 3am.  I’m not fully awake but I sometimes will cry.  Waaaaaaaaah.  I just woke up Charley.  We’ll cry for a little while and maybe fall back to sleep until around 6:15.  Waaaaaaaah…that’s Charley…waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…that’s Lucy; I might as well cry…Waaaaaaah.  That’s enough noise to get Mom and Geema and Pumpa up out of bed.  The first thing…Waaaaaah, Waaaaaah, Waaaaaah…that happens is that either Pumpa or Geema or Mama put our three bottles of 8 ounces of milk in the microwave, one at a time, for 55 seconds.  Ahhhhhh…warm milk.  The three adults are cradling us while we hold our bottles.

It’s time to get our first of four or five diaper changes.  Feels good to have Geema change me.  She’ll put the wet diaper with the two others just out the back door where they’re dropped until Pumpa takes a bunch to the black garbage bin that gets pretty full (and stinky) in a week’s time.  Before we came, Pumpa says that sometimes he didn’t even put that bin out every week.

It’s about 7 now, and we’re playing with some toys on the living room floor, next to where our three cribs are.  Pumpa and Geema had some friends who loaned them a couple of pack and plays that work as our cribs.  They go along with the one that they already had that my cousin Daniel sleeps in when he stays the night with my Uncle Doug.  Waaaaaaaaaaaah.  Charley just fell on me.  Here comes Mama.  We’ve kind of taken over the living room.  It was really fun when the Christmas tree in the corner was up and we would try to take ornaments off.  Waaaaaaah.  That’s Lucy crying because Charley just took a book from her.  Is Mama going to come pick her up?  Here comes my older sister Elizabeth.  She’s three years old and our crying probably woke her up.  But then she got up at least once I think and started crying and woke Mama up. 

Waaaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy must be hungry.  It’s about 7:30 and time for breakfast.  Pumpa puts Charley in one of the three high chairs in the kitchen, one loaned by friends.  We all get our bibs put on as Mom prepares our meal: oatmeal mixed with applesauce and honey. Yummmmm!  Either Mama or Pumpa or Geema sit facing us with a TV tray in front of a chair, and they open their mouths to get us to open our mouths.  One mouth, two mouths, three mouths…kind of like Dr. Seuss!  Waaaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy can’t wait for another bite.  She gets the next spoonful.  I think Mom is starting to give us little bowls with spoons to try to feed ourselves but we’re not too good at it yet.  In front of the bowl are three “sipee cups” full of milk to help wash down the oatmeal.  Waaaaaaaaaaaah.  Charley wants banana.  Dad taught Pumpa and Geema a trick with a banana before he went back to Brooklyn last week where we live.  It helps when we are getting bored with oatmeal. The adult has the spoon in their right hand, filled with oatmeal, and cuts the banana with the left hand.  The adult opens their mouth which makes us open our mouths in anticipation of a slice of banana, and shoves in the oatmeal and drops the banana slice on our tray.  Pretty sneaky!  I think I’ll turn and drop my sipee cup on the floor.  The adults do not like it when I do that. 

After we’re washed off at the sink, we start playing with toys again.  Pumpa and Geema sit at the dining room table after we’re done and help Elizabeth eat her cereal for breakfast.  They eventually eat their breakfast.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  Somebody fell on me.  Geema is coming to the living room to make sure I’m not hurt.  Waaaaaa.  Charley took a toy from Lucy.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  Charley took a toy from me.  Waaaaaaaaah.  I took a toy from Charley.  Waaaaaaah…waaaaaaaaaaaaaah…waaaaaaaah.  We’re all crying.  It’s probably time for our morning nap/crib time because it’s getting close to 9.  Mama usually sings a little lullaby to us before putting us down; we like it when she sings to us.  When we’re all down she closes the door and goes to the dining room to have her breakfast and maybe work on the crossword puzzle from the newspaper.  I think she does it to help her mind from turning to jelly, like the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she’ll fix for us when we wake up for our mid morning snack.

Pumpa has gone to work but Geema is here all day.  She has a two-month break from teaching and that’s why she invited us to come stay with her and Pumpa.  Mom needs help because dealing with us is pretty hard.  When Pumpa is here, he’ll change diapers, help feed us, and read books to us, and hold us when we need to be held.  He likes it when we smile.  He’s got a goofy smile, and he is always squeezing my nose or tickling me under my chin.

PU! Somebody’s pooped.  Oh, it’s me.  Waaaaaaaaaaah.  Here comes Geema to change me…thank heavens.  That’s another dirty diaper for outside.  PU!  I think Lucy’s filled her drawers as well.   Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy doesn’t like Mama trying to hold her arms so she can’t put her fingers in the goo.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  Charley just fell down on Lucy while she’s getting her poopy diaper changed.  Mama and Geema are taking us out of our pajamas and putting us into our day outfits.

Waaaaaaaaaah.  I want to be held.  Waaaaaaaaaaaah.  Charley’s crying and screaming because I took his toy from him.  Waaaaaaaah.  Charley was climbing onto a chair and wants to get down.   Waaaaaaah…waaaaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy fell on me and I bumped my head.  We’re all playing with toys for awhile, quietly.  Mom can’t get onto the computer while we’re up like the few minutes she stole to go on Facebook while we were in our cribs.  She tells Geema that it helps her keep somewhat attached to the outside world. Waaaaaaah…waaaaaaah…waaaaaaah.  I think that it’s time for our lunch: PB&J and pieces of fresh pear or grapes cut in half.  Yummmm.  I like getting it all over my face.  So does Lucy and Charley.  Mama and Geema rinse us off and then it’s another lullaby at about 1 for our nap.  I give Geema a big smile and that makes her smile.

Mama says it’s pretty quiet when we’re all asleep.  But you know what.  We don’t go right to sleep, usually not right away.  Pumpa says that we play around for awhile and then eventually fall asleep.  While we’re asleep, Mama or Geema sometimes go to the supermarket to buy more whole milk for us and 1% milk for the adults.  When Pumpa and Geema were alone, they would go through a gallon of milk every 8-9 days.  They’re buying milk every other day now.

Waaaaaaaaaaah.  I’m bored and I want out of my crib.  Waaaaaaaaaaah.  I woke up Charley.  Here comes Mom.  Let’s see, where can I put this toy so nobody else will find it?  Waaaaaaaah.  Charley took my toy.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  I hit Charley on the head with a plastic cup.  Mama is not very pleased with me.  Waaaaaaah…waaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy and Charley want the same toy.  Here comes Mama and Geema.  Waaaaah…waaaaaaah.  We’re hungry because it’s time for our afternoon snack.  Mama has cut up some cheese into little cubes and filled other “sippy cups” with water.  That will help wash down the cheese and cracker pieces that she’s giving us.

I like running around the dining room table with my Elizabeth except when she can’t stop herself and knocks me down.  Sometimes I cry or my brother and sister cry when she takes a toy away from us that she wants for herself.  But she also helps Mama by closing doors or getting something  Mama needs.  I think sometimes Mama gets pretty upset with her, but Mama always makes up by loving her a little more afterwards.  Mama is that way with me too.  I know that this is really hard on her and I think Mama likes being here where she can get help with us.

I like looking out the window.  Waaaaaaaaaaaah.    Charley is crying because he climbed onto a chair and can’t get down.  Lucy is playing with toys on the living room floor but she likes looking at books too.  I like to crawl onto Geema’s lap and have her read to me.  We all like it when Mama or Geema or Pumpa read to us.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  Charley just took my book away.  Waaaaaaaaaaaah.  Elizabeth wanted to read that book and took it away from Charley.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.  Elizabeth is crying and screaming because Mama took the book away from her.  I think Mom wants to let us run around outside on the grass for a change so Mama and Geema are putting on our shoes.  It’s nice here in California.  Daddy says that it’s been cold in Brooklyn.  I like it when Mama calls up Daddy and talks to him and lets us talk with him.  Mama tries to Skype with him so that we all can see him and don’t forget him.  But is usually is hard to sit in a chair while Skyping with Daddy.  We all want to see him and we fight for position.  Waaaaaaaah…waaaaaaaah…waaaaaaaah.

Mama tries to take advantage of the grass and the enclosed yard every day, a couple of things we don’t have in Brooklyn.  It’s pretty hard living in our second story, 700 square foot, two bedroom apartment with no washer or dryer or dishwasher.  Mama also tries to keep a tradition each day that we have in Brooklyn.  She tells us that we are going to have dance time, and we’ll all gather in Pumpa’s office which is now Elizabeth’s bedroom, and dance to You Tube songs she plays on Pumpa’s computer.  We all really like the Wiggle and Hold Still song.  I’m pretty good at holding still like a statue—for about three seconds.

It’s getting time for dinner.  It’s about 5:45 in the afternoon.  Mama will feed us some food that Geema made, or sometimes food that she makes.  Pumpa usually is home by now and he helps us put on our bibs, and he’ll wash up the high chairs and trays afterwards.  When we’re finished, I’ll play with some toys or look at books or ask Pumpa to hold me.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  Lucy fell down and hit her head.  Here comes Mama to comfort her.  Waaaaaaaaaah.  She likes holding me;s he likes holding all of us. Charley is getting his diaper changed but doesn’t like lying still while Mama changes him.  PU.  Mama is reaching for the wipes that are just about gone.  We go through about a container of 72 in about ten days.  Geema and Mama went to Costco a couple of weeks ago to buy diapers and they bought two big boxes—around 300 diapers.  I don’t think that they’ll last us until we go back to Brooklyn just before Valentine’s Day.  

I know that all of the adults are looking forward to us going to bed so I might as well not fight having Mama take off my clothes and putting on my pajamas.  Lucy and Charley are getting into their pajamas now, and pretty soon Mama will make sure we have our pacifiers in our mouths and will gently rock us before placing us with our blankets so that we can go to sleep.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaah.  Charley does not want to go to bed.  Mama taps him and tells him she loves him and that she’ll see him in the morning.  I sure like it when Mama sings the Go To Sleep lullaby to me before putting me down.  I know that she loves me and loves our family.  I know that Pumpa and Geema love us too.

Once we’re down, it’s time for Elizabeth and the adults to eat dinner.  Sometimes they eat when we’re still up but that isn’t so good for their digestion.  After finishing dinner, Mama begins the process of putting Elizabeth in her pajamas and getting her ready for bed.  Elizabeth always wants to stay up with the adults and will keep doing things to stall finally having the night light on and her tucked in bed with her Pooh and Foofa dolls and her blankets.  Mama sometimes gets a little impatient with her, but I know Mama loves her. 

If they’re lucky, the adults won’t hear us wake up too much in the night.  Pumpa and Geema have started wearing ear plugs.  We all sometimes will stir and wake up and cry just a short time but then fall back to sleep.  I need to get a good night’s sleep so that I can do this all over again tomorrow here at Pumpa and Geema’s house in California!