We settled on this cruise because after we factored in plane tickets, hotels, meals, and entertainment for a trip to some fabulous city, we decided the cruise would just be a better deal for us. We can drive to the port, and everything is included in the price. I was hesitant because I have been to Cozumel before, but then we remembered that we really just want to take this trip to be together. It wouldn't really matter much where we were, just that we'd be together, alone! Wahoo!
We are really excited and a little scared (we've never left the kids before!). Another nice thing is the cruise is over Memorial Day so Dan will only have to take off one day of work. And another nice thing is that Mom is generous enough to stay with the kids. So the countdown is on!
Luke is the bomb. He's just so dang cute! And he had his 8 month birthday a few days ago. He's crawling around at top speed (still like an inch worm, but now like an inch worm in a race). He's finishing his third set of antibiotics for the same ear infections. He is sleeping better but not the best and still pulling on his ears so I'm not convinced that they're completely gone. But we've gone to the doctor once a week for the past month so I'm going to try to wait it out unless it gets really bad. He is a two fisted eater and has yet to turn down any food, at any time. He can drink from a sippy cup when he feels like it. My desire for a puppy(actually at the moment I have zero desire for a puppy but I know I'll want one later) is temporarily appeased because one of Luke's new favorite hangouts is under the table, especially around Ava's chair. He thinks he's on cleanup duty and happily shoves any remnant of food quickly into his mouth. He's filling the role my dogs did growing up, keeping the floors food-free. Seriously, I am making a new goal to keep the kitchen floors cleaner.
Ava is giving us a hard time again. I am calling it "A Return of the Uglies". She has been doing so great at not "acting ugly" since the extinction but she seems to be rebounding lately. Having fits for no apparent reason, not wanting to play with her friends, and "not feeling kind". She's still funny, making us giggle with her little comments. "Big trucks are my favorite color" or "cereal is my favorite color" are a few of my favorites this week. And speaking of speaking, about a month ago Ava started stuttering. She speaks very well and this stuttering came out of nowhere. She'd repeat alot of words, "I want a a a a a a a a a banana" or "I I I I I I need a drink" I figured it was a stage and tried to ignore it. But after you hear it for a while it kind of gets on your nerves.
Dan and I don't talk about Ava in front of her because she hears everything. In fact if we do need to talk about her while she's in the room, we usually refer to her as Betty. One day at lunch however, right after a particularly drawn-out stutter, I made the comment to Dan that maybe I should research how to help your child stop stuttering. Ever since then she starts to speak, then starts to stutter, and she'll say, "Mommy, sometimes I just can't member the words." I'd tell her that it was ok and to just talk and she wouldn't. She'd just stop talking and not finish her thought. I'd ask her to tell me again and she'd just shake her head "no". I feel terrible. I feel like I made her self conscious about it. Now her stuttering has shifted from repeating words to stringing words out. like, "Let's goooooooooooo to the stooooooooore, Mom"
I love Ava. I have had some little inspirations, so to speak, lately and see little pieces of myself in her each day. When that happens I get a little more understanding for those parts of her personality that are more difficult.
Finally, Ava was riding in the car last week and said out of the blue that she wanted to "draw a picture for Mama Ninda and make her happy". So when we got home she did. I asked her what she wanted to tell Grandma so I could write it down, and she'd bend down close to the paper like she (Grandma) could hear her and say "I lub you, Mama!" "Surprise!". And as we walked to the mailbox she said, "Mama Ninda's gonna lub it!"
3 comments:
Corbin has been stuttering too. I had the same thought as you to ignore it. It seems like he just can't get the words out sometimes. Maybe Ava is right, they can't think of the word they want to say so they keep repeating the last one they know. I'm am so excited about your Cruise. We really want to do that some time too. Take lots of Pictures
Don't worry about the stuttering. I'd say 7 out of 10 kids at the clinic have a brief problem, but it usually stops. Our docs think they are thinking things faster than they can say them too. It's super frustrating to wait it out, but they recommend not trying to finish words for them and just letting them try to get it out, no matter how long it takes.
We've never vacationed without the kids, you'll have to tell us how it goes. My theory is that we would miss them more than they would miss us! You should make a paper chain or something!
A cruise?!!! Awesome. I'm so jealous - that sounds like so much fun. Some friends of ours just celebrated their 20th anniversary with a big ol' cruise to the Carribean.
I love your stories about Luke and Ava - especially the ones about Ava. She just makes me laugh. Sorry about the return of the uglies - we go through that stuff still. The rollercoaster ride of parenthood, the ups and downs, the thrills, the worries, etc. Good luck and remember that the good times are sweeter when it takes a little more effort to arrive at a good time. Hope that makes sense.
Love you guys!
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