Hallie and Travis

‘Tis the season — to carry around vats of hand sanitizer and fear leaving the house. Travis was felled last Tuesday by the stomach bug that ran through his class (and many other places). It was our first chance to try his Zofran prescription. We gave him three doses total during that first day. He only threw up the one time, and for two days he seemed just fine. Then he developed a fever and had two days of complaining of stomach pains (“It feels like there are 300 ships or maybe 300 elephants in my stomach.”) Read the rest of this entry »

We watched Rudophlast week. Travis got pretty scared of the Abominable Snow Monster. Despite the risk of ruining the surprise, I told him not to worry because the monster would end up helping Rudolph and his friends. I explained that the snow monster was only mean because he had a tooth ache, but that the little elf who was learning to be a dentist would fix his tooth and then he’d be able to be happy and friendly again. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve rented several of the kid/family holiday classics this year. It’s the first time either of the kids has seen most of them. We’ve enjoyed watching them together but I’m glad we waited a little while.

Travis loves the idea of “family movie night,” but he still gets spooked by the scary scenes most of these movies have. They’re so formulaic that he’s starting to understand that the bad guy usually gets reformed, or at least overcome, by the end. Still, he tenses up when the music and lighting change, portending something ominous. Sometimes he’ll stand up in front of the couch. Other times he’ll go stand in the kitchen. He’s never actually left the room, and he always comes back when the mood changes. I’ve offered to hold him in my lap and he can decide when he wants to watch or not. But he likes being on his own.

He was pretty apprehensive about the wizard in Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. But the shift from bad to good and pretty appealing was quick, and T really liked the reformed character. When that movie was over, he couldn’t stop chattering about how great it was and how he wanted to watch it again.

When we first started watching Muppet episodes as a family almost 2 years ago, Travis would stand around the corner and take peeks at the TV. He came around on the Muppets, though we were sure not to push it. I always make sure he knows he doesn’t have to watch things. And he always seems to feel proud of himself when things shift and he’s stuck with it.

I have to say I love this sensitive part of my guy. He’s got friends who are already watching Star Wars movies and Spiderman and Transformers and lots of stuff quite a bit more hardcore than holiday cartoons. Though Travis talks about these things because he hears friends and classmates mention them, I think they are quite a ways off for him. Even seeing snatches of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on TV look different when I try seeing them as he would. We’ll continue our censoring for quite a while!

The kids have really gotten into jokes lately. They especially like knock-knock jokes. They know quite a few but tend to fall back on old favorites. Hallie usually does a good job with the delivery. Travis can but he much prefers to make up his own versions and then crack himself up over and over. Sometimes he uses nonsense words and other times he just doesn’t make any sense. Read the rest of this entry »

Hallie and Travis found a new hobby the other day. They decided they’d teach Rocket to read. I came into the kitchen, curious about why I kept hearing them say “Rocket, Introduction!” Turns out Hallie had written a story, at the top of which she’d labeled the introduction.

I guess it made sense to Hallie and Travis to start at the beginning. They stuck with it for a quite a while that day before moving on to something else. Periodically I’ll still hear an enthusiastic, “Rocket, Introduction!” They don’t seem to be getting too far, but they’re having a lot of fun. And Rocket will take attention any way he can get it.

Hallie’s got a different type of homework assignment this week. She’s supposed to draw, paint, decorate, etc. squares of paper and write captions about her family’s holiday traditions, what she likes about the holidays, etc. By the end of the week we’ll put them together in a paper quilt and it will be displayed in her classroom

Hallie’s gotten really into this and did three squares last night. She’s adapted the assignment a bit and is focusing on what she’s thankful for. (A continuation of last holiday, perhaps?) When she started the third one, she said, “I know what I’m really thankful for!” Then she paused, puzzled, and asked, “But how do I draw my whole life?” Hallie and Travis sure do a good job of being bright spots in a dismal time!

Travis loves to be a helper. The other day I decided to sweep the driveway and before I knew it he had grabbed a broom and was right there with me.

As we swept we were talking about what good partners we were to be working together. I mentioned how I might get the leaf blower to help us finish the job. His enthusiasm was once again bubbling over, mouth running a mile a minute.

After a moment he looks up at me, eyes shining.

“Daddy,” he grinned, words spilling out his mouth. “When I’m sweeping and you’re leaf-blowing I might have to get you to stop leaf blowing so I can tell you that I love you!”

Before I could even let out a laugh he continued.

“In fact, I’ll just tell you now. ‘I love you!’”

I’d been feeling a little down after losing my job last month but the extra time I’ve been at home has been a true treasure. For all of us!

We had an errand to run in Cary this afternoon so we decided since we were in the neighborhood to take the family and dog for a walk in Umstead Park. We entered the park at Lake Crabtree and walked the long fire road through the woods to the park proper. Kelly had finally gotten Rocket to walk somewhat obediently and she and Hallie had gotten way ahead of me and our pokey Travis.

Rather than spend all day getting to the end of the road, I suggested Travis and I start heading back while the girls and dog continued. Travis was especially pokey today as he was dragging a 10 foot tree branch behind him. He didn’t seem to be enjoying our time out.

Just then a jogger approached. He was a professor type obviously in his zone, with sunglasses and iPod on full display. Though we’d seen him on his outbound jog I waved to him again as he came by, which he returned without missing a stride. The man then passed Travis, now several steps behind, and as he did the man held out his hand and gave Travis a high five.
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Hallie’s been entertaining us for quite a while now with her creative voices and accents. Where I used to get a simple “yes,” now I’m as likely to get a “But of course, mah daaaahling.” And if she is confused about something and then understands it, we’ll hear a long, drawn out “ayohhhhhh.” I’m prone to using funny voices or phrases with her, often to try to pop her out of a funk or soften something she doesn’t want to hear. But I’m not the source for everything she comes up with. Conn has a drama program. I think Hallie needs to start spending some extra time in there.

We seem to be coming out the other side of our first round of winter yuck. Mark got a cold first. Then, over Thanksgiving, Hallie and Travis developed separate ailments.

When Hallie decided she wanted to “keep sleeping” Saturday morning at Gum and Gup’s house, I suspected something was wrong. She’d shown no sign of any illness Friday but Saturday morning her temperature was almost 103. She spent a lazy, mopey morning but rallied quite a bit (cheered in part by a Wolfpack win) and enjoyed the rest of our visit. Read the rest of this entry »