Titchi Field Day at RVA

 

Bikes

Last September, Ryan needed to drive from MI to NY to our Mission Headquarters and decided to bring stuff that could be shipped by boat to Kenya. So he went to Lowes and got a gas grill on clearance. And to Walmart and got two bikes, a 16 inch and a 20 inch. Well the container came Wednesday and Ryan came home with a truck full of bent up boxes. We quickly ate dinner and than the fun began.

Caleb got out his scissors and opened up his box, Levi let daddy rip his open with his knife. Ryan was very careful to put both bikes together at the same time. First the seats, than the tires,
pedals etc. So he was done with both bikes at the same time.

Seth had fun just watching and playing with what ever part he could stretch to reach. I don't think he tasted any parts but surely they got shook if they weren't too heavy.

I decided to give the older two baths and let Ryan have a chance to work alone cause he wasn't getting very far very fast with so much help.
Their first test ride was in the living room at 8:30 pm (after bedtime) on the living room
carpet. Than we had to go in the driveway where it was already dark out and try that out. Caleb did well right away. He had already conquered his tricycle and understood steering and pedaling. So he rode circles around us and Levi. Levi just kept getting stuck and needing help. He could only pedal with one foot and get stuck. He thought it was fun when the training wheels got on low ground with the tire spinning freely, than he had no problem pedaling. The next day he soon figured out how to pedal on his own. He got really good at getting off the bike, pushing it over where he was stuck or turning it around and than getting back on. They were both exhausted that night. 

Elephant Feet

 

Elephant Feet

We had such a nice weekend. Ryan missed dinner every single night last week so we were ready to see him on Saturday. He took Caleb and Levi out all morning and for lunch so I had the house to myself with just Seth who takes great naps and is happy when he is awake. What a gift to be in my house alone. They went to the game park to update our game park cards so we get the resident rate not the tourist rate but they didn’t go for a drive. So instead he took them to the elephant orphanage. They maybe have 10-20 baby elephants under 2 years old. And at 11 am people can come and watch them being fed their bottles and play in the mud. There is only a rope separating the elephants from the people and often the elephants will crowd under the rope and walk through the people. One baby came up next to Caleb and Levi and they were petting it when Levi stepped forward the same time the elephant stepped back and Levi let out a scream. Ryan tried to pick Levi up and move him out of the way and could not even budge Levi. The game guy got the elephant to move off Levi’s foot and Levi reached infamy, he is now the kid who got his entire foot stepped on by a baby elephant. Not many people have that claim to fame.

They came home and we had rest/nap time. Than Ryan watched the kids so I could take a walk (5 more pounds to loose to get to my pre pregnancy goal). And that night I made BBQ oven baked Chicken, mashed potatoes with onions, garlic, butter, salt, and cream, and sweet corn off the cob. My favorite meal and we all sat down and ate it. That night Ryan let me pick the movie and we watched a chick flick. By the time we turned in, I was feeling like myself again, refreshed.

And than Mothers Day was nice too! Went to church, naps, got Ethiopian food for take away for dinner, no dishes. Had a great weekend.

Red Flannel Boys continued

I am going to try and post again about the pics below.

We made new place mats for Caleb and Levi. They finger painted, glittered, and stickered colored paper and than I used laminate I have been saving for who knows what reason for the last 7 years. They turned out cute. It was amazing that I did a planned craft with the kids because that is so not me!

When Ryan works late and misses baths, I have started giving them individual baths in my big blue wash tub in the laundry room. I can fill it up with warm water and put it on my freezer. Than I put in a video in the living room to keep the other two entertained. So first Seth goes in and splashes and sings etc. Than Levi who is still ‘little’ enough to fit his whole body in. Than Caleb who I can barely lift that high. I told him to swing his legs up as I lifted him, he thought that was funny. Caleb wanted to give himself a bath, can’t say no to good independence. I have no idea how much baby soap he used but he was clean. By now the water is quite soapy since there isn’t that much in the basin and three boys have suds up in it. I should have rerinsed Caleb off with clean water, should have but thought he would be fine with a good toweling off.

That night I got up with Seth at 2:30 am. He usually sleeps through the night but oh well. Get back in bed, start to get warm and sleepy when I hear Caleb calling out. Go up and he says he has ants in his bed. The night-light barely lights up the attic so he pulls the blankets off the bed and points to imaginary ants. I didn’t feel like arguing with his dream and moved him to our guest bed. We call it Oma’s bed since she was the first one to sleep in it. He’s tucked in with morny (his bunny) and I am warming up my bed again. He calls out again sure that the ants have followed him to Oma’s bed. So I crawl in with him to protect him from the ants. He cannot stop itching and squirming. That’s when I figured out the problem. At 4 am I gave him a whole nother bath. He thought I was crazy, but it worked, we finally got some sleep til 6 am when Ryan left for work and Seth woke up again. Poor kid. Now when I do baths in the blue tub, I change the water between Levi and Caleb.

Levi is potty trained! Started on Monday and by Friday, he had it down pat. We have 2 pairs of chupies and shorts in the backpack in case of emergencies when we are out but he has not had an accident when we are out or during naptime. He still wants to wear a diaper to bed at night. The only problem is when he has to poop, he needs help now, and I mean now. So we have had a few challenges with that. I bought some fabric softener to freshen up some clothes that poopy odors wanted to cling to. I am really proud of him.

Seth is developing. First when he picked up an object he tasted it. Hence the tasting stage. But it makes sense. I know what most things taste like, keys, plastic toys, stuffed animals, cause when I was his age I tasted everything several 100 times. Second is the shake test. He grasps an object, tastes it and than contemplates it and than shakes it again. Its like he is taking a mental picture of it and remembering what it tastes like. Third is the flick test. While he shakes it he slowly relaxes his grip and watches to see how far it will go and in which direction it will fly. And than can he stretch far enough to reach it and do it again? We have seen him get tired while he is reaching and needing to rest. So he rests his forehead on the carpet between his knees and than stretches again. This also gave him an opportunity to taste the carpet.

Red Flannel Boys

This is my fourth attempt to blog today. I wrote a long creative blog and it didn't post. So trying one last time.

When Caleb and Levi were 3 and I, Oma sent matching outfits for their portraits. Now Levi and Seth are big enough. Levi wore his overalls proudly the rest of the day with his hands in his pockets and his black rubber boots. Caleb promptly changed into his swets as soon as the camera was put away. And Seth likes to chew on his buckles. 

 

Seth at 9 months

I was going to try to take Seth to our local photo studio for his pictures but Ryan kept needing our car or I was too busy.

This is in our front yard in Seth's radio flyer cart. He likes to be outside and he can sit in this without falling over. Titus, our gardner, can wheel him around as the shade moves and Seth can be near someone. I have heard Titus talking to him and entertaining him for me if I am in the middle of something in the house.

Now you can see Seth's new buzz cut. He could almost use another trim, it's getting long around his ears again. If I email this to Oma and Nanna, can you make your own prints of it?

Seth loves to roll around on our bed. Last night he was rolling over and over til he gets stuck on the pillows at one end and than back again til he plows into me. If Ryan tell him he wants a kiss. Seth grabs both Ryan's ears and pulls Ryan's head towards him with his mouth wide open and gums Ryan on the chin or cheek.

He is getting better about tummy time and scooting his but up and down. Ryan likes to feed the cat on the kitchen floor in the mornings. He puts Seth on the floor near the cat bowl and Seth loves to play with the cats ears and tail and whatever he can reach. When he gets bored I put in a singing video, either Sesame street or Sunday School songs, and he bounces up and down with the beat.

Saturday night we were trying to think of something fun to do with the boys, just Caleb and Levi. I got a baby sitter for Seth, Michelle enjoyed a quiet hour at our house while he slept. And the four of us went out for Ethiopian food. They enjoyed the experience but were not so sure of the food. It comes on the bread which is called Njera. Its fermented dough and feels like a wash cloth. Ryan and I like it. Eating is with clean hands, peal off a sheet of the Njera and scoop up the food. We get Doto Wot which is spicy chicken and the mixed veggies. Ryan like the Tibs which is spicy goat meat but our order got a bit mixed up. The boys enjoyed sitting on couches and eating around a coffee table. That's how the restaurants are set up.

Monday was a Kenyan holiday so Ryan had the day off. He helped me go through more boxes we had put in storage while on Home Assignment. These last boxes are office and books. We have a pile of stuff for a garage sale in June. If it doesn't sell we are giving it away. I don't know where cause there is no dito's or good will here. But there is a Children's home that can always use kids clothes etc. I don't want it back in my house. I might price most of it but in the end hang up a sign that says 'make me an offer'.

Friday night, Ryan was working late so I had fed and bathed the boys and Seth was in bed. Caleb and Levi and I were sitting on our big bed and trying to read a Bible Story from a kids book that was over thier head. Since than we have put that one away and found a better age appropriate one. Levi kept fussing and not listening and I was reaching the end of my patience. So was Caleb cause he asked what was taking so long for me to read the story. I got even more impatient and now Levi is crying cause I got upset with him for being a nusaince. And told Caleb to be more patient. Anyhow I started reading again and looked over at Caleb and he is sniffling and wiping his eyes with bunnies ears. I asked him what was wrong and he bursts into tears and says he misses Titi. Once the damn broke he just cried and cried. He was trying to tell me something about Titi but was crying so hard I couldn't understand him. Now Levi is crying saying he misses Daddy. So we talked about all the fun things they used to do with Titi (and Daddy). And they settled down, we prayed, all felt better and they went to bed.

We think we might be in Nairobi a year cause the Home Assignments of all the other mechanics are stacking up. They want us to stay til everyone is back. I am trying to get out of the moving frame of mind and settle down. But its always in the back of my mind not to put down roots or do more to our house(I would like to paint our bedroom). Because we might be moving soon. But living in transition for a year isn't good either. I also need to continue to reestablish old friendships and work on new ones for how ever long we are here. Or I am going to feel very isolated. This new Bible Study is helping. My kids naptimes in the afternoons is interfering with my opportunities to continue to get deeper with Michelle and I miss Lori ALOT! Since they moved back to the states only 6 weeks before we came back to the states, I hadn't really adjusted to them being gone. So I feel like now even though its been over a year since they left, it is only setting in. I don't think I ever erased her out of my phone.

The first three weeks we were here felt surreal, like my brother and sisters and inlaws were not that far away. But as time goes by I realize I am loosing track of their day to day lives. Several have blogs which helps. I am glad my mom is coming in September and my inlaws will hopefully coming soon after. That always helps.