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Sweating It Out
We are enjoying weather in the 70s for the last couple of days, and not a moment too soon. The cold was starting to get to us after our years in El Paso. It seems to also have warped our poor children – Hakan and I needed to head off to a store yesterday, so he did his usual routine of gathering his shoes for me to put on him and such, and grabbed his jacket. I told him it was hot outside (78 or so), and he seemed really confused. “Jacket!” he said with the excitement of going on a car ride. “No jacket. Hot outside,” I replied. He stared at me like I had told him he did not need to wear a diaper to the store. He and I went through a few more rounds of that exchange until finally he relented and went to the car without the jacket. Now we try to transition from jackets to sunglasses.
Hakan has seemed especially more mature lately. He has been forming a few full sentences, and picking up new words like nobody’s business. Even his mannerisms are mimicking those of his older siblings more all of the time.
Avey has been working hard to get her room organized, for two reasons. First, she is under orders to do so before her grandmother comes to help with everything when Merritt joins us. Second, she has been wanting to get things rearranged just the way she likes. She had her room clean for a while until I built a cardboard house for the kids, which she commandeered to make her own. It quickly fell apart and then things piled up around it. Now she cleaned up well enough to earn a little night stand, which she has decked out with pictures and lamps and such.
Carver is starting to show some interest in reading finally, so we are doing our best to work with him. He gets upset at me if I encourage him very directly, so I’ve had to come up with ways to make it seem like he is the one in charge. I’ll use a familiar book and “forget” some key words that he can “help” me sound out. We’ll get this kid to finish high school if it kills us.
Merritt seems to be putting on the weight, if Kira’s discomfort is any indication. She toured the hospital yesterday, and is getting more mentally prepared for this little dude. I keep feeling like the birth is months away, probably because I have so much to do before he comes. I’ve been working to write all of my students’ finals and get other things graded before it’s too late. I’m doing alright so far, but it would help if I just knew when he was planning on showing up.
We’re about two weeks away from the due date, so start placing bets…