Hitching britches

I never make a trip to the basement without Andrew at my side.  He thinks we may check out Grampa's tools and doesn't want to miss that.  I never make a trip upstairs to my room without Nathan's company.  He likes to keep a close eye on me.  He adores my closet since he can walk in it and look around for what he needs.  He especially wants a belt and likes to try mine on.  And now that Andrew is wearing underwear which are much thinner than a pull-up, he could use a belt, too.  It's funny to see Andrew walk down the hall, hitching his britches up in the back.  Nathan was checking out my shoes, so I showed him my new Easter shoes that matched his polo shirt.  He suggested I try them on for him.  I didn't need to be asked twice.  He told me they were very pretty "raspberry" shoes.  They looked cute on him, too.

I lost my camera somewhere during the day.  Grampa tried to help me find it.  The boys wanted to know what he was up to and were eager to help.  When you've lost something, all you want is for the rest of the world to stop and help you look for it.  The boys are the answer to our prayers.  I wish they could also find what I'm looking for, but it's so nice when someone at least cares you lost something.  Andrew told Grampa, "We'll help you look.  We'll be a team."  Even with teamwork, my camera was still missing in action, until Auntie Becca came home and found it in her bed days later.  Hmmm?!

Grampa makes popcorn for the boys' snack.  

Nolan isn't sure he should believe Gramma.

Nolan Mondays make Nolan sleepy.

Suzuki said to look at your child when they're sleeping to remember how much you love them.

Andrew helps Grampa tune the violin.  This needs to be done after the strings are loosened, the bridge collapses and the tailpiece is just hanging there.  This is NOT a valuable violin.  It did give Auntie Becca a scare when she saw it, though.  She assured Nathan Grampa would be able to fix it.  And he did.  She still believes in him.

We went out to eat for dinner and Nathan needed to use the restroom... four times.  I think he was actually checking on the ants he spotted the first time he used the facilities.  The third time we visited, showed me two ants on the floor.  He explained that they were twins.  The fourth time we visited another stall.

Good thing Grampa has a camera on his phone.

Nathan loves his chocolate choice for dessert.

Andrew chose vanilla, and ate it really fast, so he could taste Nathan's chocolate, too.  Nathan took longer to eat his, because he had to visit the restroom.

Andrew has a "Pollock" texture style in his artwork.  

The artwork in front of Nathan is the peackock he asked Gramma to draw.  The waiter brought a container of crayons to the table.  Nathan chose all of the green crayons from the container.  It's a good thing peacocks have a lot of green on them.

Match Day

The day medical students find out what hospital they will be doing their residency at is called Match Day.  Terry was in China for the auspicious occasion, but Mary and I took the boys to it, not knowing if we'd be celebrating Rebecca staying or grieving that she would be headed for California again. I wasn't sure how often I would have to go for LONG visits before she would regret moving so far away.

On Thursday, I realized that Terry had left the country without installing the boys' car seats.  No problem, I would go online and look for a Youtube demonstration.  I wondered why there weren't any, until I realized it's because all the car seats are unique and all the cars are different.  So, I began reading the information available.  Each site suggested taking the car seats our of the box and reading the directions.  Thanks for nothing.  There were so many different combinations, I tried to call China for help.  No answer...  So, I thought, "I managed to graduate from college; I will just figure it out myself."  I successfully installed the car seats and thanked God for my mechanical intuitiveness, or my sheer dumb luck.  The boys stayed overnight so we had breakfast together, got dressed and went out to the garage.  I got Andrew into his seat with no problem.  But the straps on Nathan's seat didn't seem to fit him.  I looked for a way to loosen them, being very thankful I had put Andrew in the looser one.  I got one side of the belt locked and realized there was no way the other side would close without being extremely painful.  I had to have Mary help me by keeping an eye on Nathan while I removed the seat and finally found the secret latch.  We loaded Nathan back into his seat which now fit much more comfortably.  Terry said they make it difficult so children can't open it.  I think the design is definitely child proof.

With our 2 Cellos CD playing, we were off.  We discovered when we tried to put the address in the GPS, it likes North Chicago better than Chicago (North) and Green Bay Rd. (North) better than North Green Bay Rd.  I guess the GPS is also child proof.

The excitement in the air at Match Day was palpable.  Even the boys were aware of it.  We tried out the restrooms immediately.  Nathan explained to me that he now stands up to go to the bathroom.  I accepted the information and proceeded to lift him to a more appropriate height.  I also attempted to lean him a bit forward to make certain our aim was dead on.  I cautioned Nathan to keep his fingers out of the way and held on and on and on to him.  Job finally done.  I turned around and discovered Mary had arrived with Andrew ready to do his own "aim and fire."  A lift to wash their hands.  Another lift for the paper towels.  The boys loved the automatic paper towel dispenser.

The  officials passed out the envelopes and the students stood with them trembling in their hands.  It's the Academy Awards of medical school.  Precisely at 10:00 A.M. the students were instructed to open their envelopes.  A terrorizing scream came from a young lady standing near us as she collapsed on the floor in tears.  The boys eyes were growing  larger than they had at the sight of hundreds of plates of cake.  Rebecca opened hers and thankfully discovered she would be spending the next four years in the Chicago area at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  The boys wouldn't have to do without their Auntie Becca.  They helped me text the good news to the rest of the family.  They selected the chocolate cake and Gramma drank the champagne.

May I have the envelope, please?

I'm glad Gramma won't be spending the rest of the day crying.

I think I may want to go to medical school, too.  

They serve delicious cake.

I need to find the playground before I decide on this medical school.

The boys suggested we look for the playground.  They were ready for more fun.  I was puzzled about their request, but realized we were at Rebecca's "school."  They think schools have playgrounds.  Rebecca offered to show them cadavers, but Gramma declined.

We went to lunch to celebrate.  The boys were eager to check out the restrooms.  Andrew told me he wanted to stand to go.  He also told me I didn't need to lift him.  I eyeballed the measurements and decided a lift was in order.  After a bit I asked Andrew if he really was ready.  Then I found out, Andrew didn't need to be leaned forward.  In fact, I might have been better off with the stall door open.  I did my best.

Later, Daddy told me the boys don't go standing up, yet.  Gramma helps them with another first!  I do not have any recollection of teaching my sons this.  I do remember one of them asking their Uncle Jim, "Do you wipe it or shake it?"  I don't remember his response.

I'm glad I ate my cake first.

I belong to the clean plate club.

I'm going to invite Auntie Becca to my Match Day.

Andrew's Big News!

Nathan told me he wants to grow up and be a daddy.  I was thinking what a sweet thing it was that he looked up to his father so much.  Then he continued, "When I'm a daddy, I'll be able to carry Andrew around."  Hmmm!?

Andrew was waving his hand and explained to me that he was "hi-ing."  I see his developing vocabulary shows an expanding grasp of our language.

We are all excited about Andrew's big news.  But no one is more excited than Andrew.

If you ask Nathan, "Could you do something for me?" he will respond, "Sure, I can."  And that's before he knows what you want him to do.  That's a positive "I can do" attitude.

Nathan also uses language extremely well.  He has a strong need for independence and will ask, "Can I do it myself?" or "Can you show me how to do it?"  Or he'll tell you, "I want to do it myself."  What's unique is that he very politely asks you to be a partner in his independence.  This ensures you don't get in his way and that he has an audience that will encourage and applaud him.  I wish I had learned that earlier in my life.

Nathan loves practicing the violin.  

The boys get excited when it's time for Grampa to fix something.  They love his tools and observe carefully.

Grampa needed to repair a hinge on the boys' treasure chest of magnets.  Grampa repaired it with a paperclip, a needle-nose pliers and a wire clipper that he calls a side cutter.

Time to test it out.

And it passes the test!

At lunch, we had a bowl of blueberries, strawberries, grapes and apple slices.  Andrew had tried a few of his Grampa's Cheetos and had orange fingers, which I told him would be okay to lick, but to be careful not to eat them.  As we started to pass the bowl of fruit to Andrew, I realized he would need a spoon to scoop some fruit. He was in search of grapes.  I handed him a tablespoon, and he asked if he could scoop them himself.  I try to let the boys do as much as they possibly can, so I told him, "Of course."  Andrew did a great job of scooping and then proceeded to put the spoon in his mouth.  Megan and I watched in disbelief, looked at each other and broke into laughter.  I told Andrew that spoon would be his, and got a clean one for the rest of us.  If our language is difficult to make heads or tails of, etiquette has to be even more difficult to understand.

I remember our German exchange student, Trie.  He had never had vegetables with dip.  He took a bite off a carrot and then was about to apply more dip on what was left, when everyone at the table gasped and Terry's hand shot out and grabbed Trie's.  "There's no double dipping," Terry told him.  How does that translate in German?

At dinner, Grampa asked Andrew if he would like pumpkin pie, monkey bread or ice cream.  Andrew responded, "No thank you.  I'm waiting for dessert."  Grampa told him his wait was over and went through the list again.

Nathan instructs Andrew and Nolan.  He can go on and on at great length.  Perhaps he will grow up to be a teacher.

Nolan enjoys joining the boys for Twins' Friday Plus One.

The twins take the job of watching Nolan very seriously.

Nolan enjoys being swaddled by Grampa.

He even talked to Grampa this week.  

In the Spotlight

Andrew tells us he's full and finished eating.

Then he finds out there's dessert and discovers he has a little more room after all.

I bought flashlights for the boys, since they like Grampa's so much.  They know the man has the best tools.  Andrew was in the basement admiring Grampa's shelves full of tools.  I told him someday Grampa would give him his tools.  Andrew replied, "I will be very happy when Grampa gives me his tools."  I figure when they put Grampa in a home they'll have to take his tools away from him with his car keys.

The boys try shine their flashlights on the fire to see it better.

When it gets too warm for a fire, we can still enjoy the lightshow.

Grampa's rule is, "When the fire is lit, one foot must always be on the floor."  The boys have got it down pat.

Grampa had to change his shirt when the twins arrived.  But when he went to his closet, he has so many shirts that are in a similar plaid, he didn't know which one to choose.  Andrew asked him if he wanted him to help find the match.  They did pretty well.

Grampa appreciated the flashlight shining on the book he was reading, to help him see it better.  

Nolan is learning to play with Gramma.  He seems to understand she's going to be a lot of fun.  Nathan and Andrew tell me all day long the things they are going to teach Nolan.  At breakfast, they said they would teach  him to use a knife to cut his food.  Later, Nathan asked if Nolan wears diapers or pull-ups.  I told him babies wear diapers.  He said someday he'll teach Nolan to put on his own pull-ups.  Toilet training is going to be so easy for Matt and Megan.  

When Nolan arrives the boys race to the door to see him, cheering to greet him.  Then Matt and Megan put down his carrier, which was completely closed up with no Nolan in sight.  The boys don't understand why they hide Nolan in there.