I swear I don't mean to only post about Henry, but he's the one that seems to provide the most variety of entertainment around here.
Last night, Henry was carrying a puzzle over to the living room area, and a piece dropped off on his way. He gasped really loudly and goes, "OH, NO! MY OCTAGON!"
I'm not entirely sure how that kid knows his shapes. I honestly think Nora's teaching him.
The past several times that I've taken Henry to his "preschool," he's walked in singing This Love by Maroon 5. His teacher actually knew what he was singing without me having to tell her. That's probably inappropriate (the song), but it makes him ridiculously happy. Plus, I'm banking on him not realizing that the song is inappropriate until he's 30 (about when I figured out it was inappropriate, actually).
(For the record, preschool is in quotes because he's really just going to a local YMCA childcare center, but it does have a preschool focus!)
This afternoon, I was furious with Nora and Henry because they were not taking a nap (and they really needed one). After much time (and struggling) Henry came out of the bedroom saying, "I'm poopy, Mommy!"
So, I whipped him up, and I started changing his diaper. I must've had a nasty look on my face because he looked at me and goes, "Be happy, Mommy. Be happy. Be smile."
It's amazing how quickly I can move from being practically enraged to heart-melty goo. Little jerk.
Every morning, before Willis leaves for work, it's extremely important that Nora gets hugs and kisses from him. (There has been a couple of times that she forgot that he gave them to her—he always does, by the way—and she sobbed and sobbed thinking he left without loving on her.) After he gives her hugs and kisses, she always yells, "WAIT! DADDY! I have to tell you something!"
He says (even though he knows what she's about to say every time), "What is it?"
"Thank you for coming over here today."
"It was my pleasure."
"Will I ever see you again?"
"You'll see me again this evening."
"Okay! Have fun! Have a good day!"
It's both adorable and strangely heartbreaking at the same time.
I'm trying really hard to find pictures of Nora and Everett wearing the same outfit! I've since resigned to just finding them in similar positions.
Very similarly smiley babies!
Yaaay! Matching outfits and positions!
This has become a serious obsession. Obviously.
Here is another set of kid comparisons (it's a current obsession of mine).
Henry is on the left, and Everett is on the right.
I think Everett may generally be a bit more smiley than Henry was. I'm not sure why that is . . .
Henry's a lot more smiley, now, though.
I found a few pictures yesterday that I had to juxtapose. I probably could've found some more similarities (and may yet still), but I had limited time. I still think it's pretty fun! Check these out!
Do you know who they are?
These are Henry and Everett.
Henry is a month or two younger than Everett in that very top photo comparison, I think, which isn't well done, but . . . you get the idea!
This one is Nora and Everett.
I need to find one where Nora's head isn't covered because she and Everett totally have the same, little, hairline cowlick!
We have been freaking out (not, like, really freaking out, but we've been really sweating this) over here for about a week because we saw on the website for our insurance that the facility where Henry and I got our ear tubes was, apparently, out-of-network. It was a complete surprise to us: we had even done some research prior to the surgery to be sure, and I guess we misinterpreted things. We've been taking steps to appeal it (as we feel that on the website, it's fairly vague).
So, as a courtesy to the facility, I called them today to let them know that we would be sending an appeal to our insurance. When I explained it, the woman I spoke with basically goes, "Oh. Well, bring in your EOB, and we'll treat this as though it was in-network, and your balance will be zero."
'Cause that's what it would've been had it been in-network. I won't tell you what the dollar amount actually was that we were about to eat, but . . . I'll just say it was hurty.
I guess this facility does this all the time (treats out-of-network situations as in-network). So . . . pshew!
In the future, we plan to be much more vigilant about this sort of thing. Lesson learned!
Thank God. For reals.
I don't get around to dumping pictures off the camera (or taking them, for that matter) as often as I used to. When I do, however, it's always a pleasant surprise. Here are some photos of what's been happening around here.
Everett's getting cuter.
And more smiley.
Nora still loves her Penguin, in case there was any doubt.
I have been separating Nora and Henry at nap time lately, and once Henry falls asleep, Nora always asks to come back into the same room. When I let her back in to the room yesterday, I about freaked out because I couldn't find Henry anywhere. I knew he was in there. Low and behold, after I tore the room apart, this is where I found him.
Yep. He's really asleep in there. Well done, son. Well done.
We took Henry down to Riley Hospital's Outpatient Center for his eye surgery yesterday. I managed to snap a few photos of the event.
Here he is in the waiting area. (Before we were registered.) This is probably around 7:30 a.m. Eastern. Riley Hospital sure knows how to do a waiting area that's geared toward children.
We got into an outpatient room, and we waited and waited. And waited. And, we got Henry dressed in his "special outfit."
And, we waited.
Then, they came and gave Henry his "happy juice" so that they could take him away from us easily. It sounds so sick, doesn't it? Anyway . . . here's where he's starting to get a little loopy.
Everett was asleep at convenient times, thank goodness.
Henry and Daddy watch some Disney Channel while the medicine kicks in.
He's feeling pretty good here, I think.
And, here's the poor, little guy after the surgery. It's a different scene, isn't it? The poor guy was pretty subdued for the rest of the day.
This is Henry just after we got home. We got him dressed in his PJs, and he just laid there.
Today, he's been a lot more energetic, but he's fairly clingy. His eye doesn't look too bad, either. I think we'll actually get through this after all!
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers, everyone!
Remember that year I was pregnant? Near the end of that year (4th of July weekend, to be exact), I went to a wedding in Indianapolis with Willis. He was the best man. Someone finally posted some gorgeous wedding photos on a blog, and I have to link to it!
Photos from Carrie and Chris' wedding!
Aren't they awesome? I can't wait to see Chris and Carrie again (especially now that I'm not the size of a house)!
That was a good time.
Nora is now in the Three-Year-Old class at her preschool. She goes three days a week for 2.5 hours. Henry is also going to be going to a "preschool" of sorts. I knew he'd be upset this year (since he can't go to Nora's preschool for Two-Year-Olds yet), so I set him up to go to a local day care that does some preschool activities. He was pretty excited about it before we left. (Well, you can tell in the photos.)
He's a little blurry because he was jumping . . . I'm sure you are familiar with Nora's weird photo faces, too.
It turned out that he was a bit freaked out when he went in, but I called the day care a little later (after dropping off Nora) to check on him. They said he was playing outside and doing just fine!
There's Nora and best gal pal Brooklynn.
I got home from dropping off the kids and snapped some other photos.
Our zinnias are doing awesomely, and while we were on vacation, some sunflowers that I planted (by seed) in late June or early July decided to bloom. So, that was pretty cool.
More zinnias and our seriously blighted tomatoes.
Oh, and Willis resealed the driveway on the first weekend before vacation. I didn't take a before picture, but I assure you, this is marvelous.
Gotta run and pick up the kids!
Last week, we were in beautiful Bear Lake, Michigan. Here are some photos from our trip! (Yes! I actually brought the camera! And used it sometimes!)
This is at Pierport—on Lake Michigan.
Everett enjoyed the beach. Clearly.
Henry was a tad scared of the water and waves.
It was really cold in that water.
S'mores!
Proof that I was there.
Bear Lake Grandma Dot is teaching Nora how to play Memory.
Henry didn't nap well that day . . .
The kids love this concrete dog.
Nora made a friend last week. They played and played and played.
Everett's occasional lawn chair situation.
The Browns came up for Labor Day weekend (even though they actually labored pretty hard while they were there).
Henry did stuff like this a couple of times. He wasn't feeling well.
Everett did a lot of sleeping. I startled him when the flash went off, I think.
It was a lovely time. I'm already looking forward to getting back there!
