A World Without Pain

Some of you may know Edmund struggles with bumps and bruises slightly more than other kids.  He can bump himself lightly and totally fall apart.  Lately this has been getting better, but actual cuts and scrapes are still incredibly difficult for him, and in turn, Steven and I.  Yesterday Edmund fell and scraped his knees at the Museum of Life and Science.  One scrape needed cleaning and a band-aid, but sometimes for Edmund, this part is even worse than the scrape itself.  Eventually, with help from my friend Emily, Edmund accepted the band-aid.  

Later that evening I was feeding Evie while Edmund got ready for his bath.  I heard him tell Steven he only wanted a short bath because cuts sting in the water.  A few seconds into the bath he began wailing.  My heart broke when I heard him cry "why are there hard things on earth?"  I know we'd all like the answer to that question.  Steven got Edmund calmed down and even got Edmund to put on a new band-aid with a picture of Abby Cadabby.  I walked in the room and Edmund told us that he would tell his friend Emma all about his scrape on their play date the following morning.  

This morning Edmund had his play date.  The first thing he noticed was that Emma had a band-aid on her knee too.  I encouraged them to swap "war" stories.  Edmund began "Once upon a time there was a boy..." Oh no I thought.  Edmund was so traumatized he is retelling this story in 3rd person.  He continued "there was a boy who lived in a world where when he fell he only fell on clouds and pillows."  At times I wish I lived in a world like this too, and I'm glad Edmund could use his imagination to deal with something that is difficult for him.  We are definitely making progress!

You're a Grand Ole Flag

4th of July Parade

This 4th of July was full of adventures for both our kids, but Edmund will be the one to remember them as he wasn't the one to sleep through said adventures.  Upon waking bright and early Edmund dutifully reminded us to pack his trike in the trunk of Daddy's car because he was going to ride it in a parade.  Our neighbors had let us know about a bike decorating event at Central Park in downtown Durham and we made plans to meet them there.  When we arrived the kids chose red and blue balloons and paper flags to put on their trikes.  They then chose a variety of odds and ends provided free by "The Scrap Exchange" to perfect their parade creations.  Edmund found bunches of aluminum foil and sponges cut into star shapes with which to decorate his trike.  Daddy helped Edmund string the sponges on some ribbon.  It was a very beautiful piece of work, which Edmund decided proudly to display on his trike's trunk.  After about 10 minutes of decorating Edmund was done so he and Daddy went to explore the fire truck that made a special appearance for the event.  While they did that I decorated Evie's stroller with her own balloon and flag.  She needed a festive ride if she was going to be in the parade too, even if she did sleep through the whole thing.

Driving the Fire Truck

At 10:15 on the dot the parade master called all riders to line up.  As patriotic tunes played on the loud speaker we made our way around the park.  There was a short episode of tears as Edmund had trouble understanding why he couldn't ride his trike at full speed.  "You mean I can't run into the people in front of me?"  Going at the pace of the crowd when you're a little kid just learning to control your speed is a bit "tricky".  It seemed he wasn't the only kid with this problem, as his friends Jacob and Abbie also found it a bit trying to correct their speeds.  Edmund's tears were short lived and he returned to his happy self.  The parade reminded me of old timey photos of 4th of Julys past and I couldn't help but think this is one holiday that time hasn't changed much. When the paraders finished the route there were popsicles waiting for all. This was the perfect way for us to cool down in the sweltering heat.

After the parade we returned home and cooled down before hosting a neighborhood ice cream social.  Due to the heat we socialized quickly before heading back inside.  Edmund went down for a late nap, which fit our plan perfectly.  Our goal was to get him to sleep a little later than normal because for the first time since he was born we decided to take Edmund to the fireworks.  And since Evie goes everywhere the family goes. she was going to get to see some fireworks too.

The fireworks weren't to begin until 9:30.  Edmund's normal bedtime is 8 in the summer, so this was also our first experiment with purposely keeping him up.  Not only were we taking him to a place with loud noises, which has always been a source of stress for him, but we would be taking him when he would be on the verge of exhaustion.  Steven and I knew this could be a great experience for all of us or one that could implode at any time.  We decided to risk it.  We thought the odds would be in our favor since we invited our neighbors and their children and Edmund is much more brave in the presence of friends.

"American Flag Evie"

At 9 pm we packed up the kiddos and headed to Kenan Stadium, home of UNC football, in Chapel Hill.  As we walked from the parking deck to the stadium, Edmund, Jacob, and Abbie talked about how excited they were to see the "boom booms."  When we entered the gates we all received glow stick necklaces.  It's  been years since I played with one of those.  I love the crackle they make as you activate the glow.  The crackling sound took me back to my childhood and made me that much more excited to introduce Edmund to the fireworks.  We continued further into the stadium where Grandma and Grandpa had saved seats for all of us.



As 9:30 approached we were filled with anticipation.  I was more concerned with how Edmund would fare.  If he didn't like the fireworks we would be stuck for 30 minutes with a screaming child.  Finally the moment of truth arrived.  The first few booms went off.  Edmund covered his ears, but said "this sounds just like the fireworks in Mary Poppins."  So far, so good.  The noise got to be a bit much for him, so Edmund decided to don some headphones that Grandma and Grandpa had thoughtfully packed for him.  With the noise out of the equation, Edmund absolutely loved the fireworks.  Every time I looked down the aisle to make sure he was OK I observed the biggest smile imaginable on his face.  I was getting to experience one of my favorite childhood events again through his eyes.  And when your child is having the best time of his life it's hard for you not to as well.  "How did Evie enjoy her first fireworks?," you ask.  She slept through it of course.  

One World, One Sky

Standing on the Morehead Planetarium Sundial

This past Saturday we embarked on our longest adventure as a family of four to date.  I have been wanting to take Edmund to Morehead Planetarium for a while now, but because he is afraid of things that are dark and loud, I had been a little reluctant.  From what I could gather, the only show offered for young children still might have been a little "too scary" for Edmund.  Then a couple of months ago Aunt Alison informed us that a Sesame Street show was coming to the planetarium.  I did some research and decided this was about as tame as shows come, and decided Edmund could handle it.  I made some very loose plans to take Edmund on May 26th, but as you know, Evie arrived on May 25th.  Her arrival nixed that plan, but Edmund didn't care as he was still very apprehensive about going.  As Evie approached 4 weeks I started talking about the planetarium again.  Edmund still wasn't sure.  Then something timely happened--Edmund received a Curious George space DVD from Netflix in the mail.  In between the cartoon segments there are segments with real children learning things that are relative to the previous show's message.  In this case the children go to a planetarium.  Edmund got to see what it would be like and declared he'd like to go that very day.  It was settled.  We packed up the car and headed to Morehead to see "One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure."

We arrived at the planetarium with a bit of time to spare.  While waiting for the show to start, Edmund explored the gift shop.  It was his dream.  All his favorites in one location--dinosaurs, space, science, what more could a boy ask for?  We've made a note that we can do one stop Christmas shopping there this year.  After much debate, Steven decided to stay out and walk Evie around.  This was special as I hadn't had a mommy-son outing since Evie entered our lives.  Finally the doors opened.  Edmund and I went into the dome theater and took a seat near an exit in case we needed to make a break for it.  As we waited for the show to start, trivia questions about space and the planets played on the dome.  Edmund knew the answer to many of the questions and recognized several of the planets by sight.  I must admit even I am unable to do that.

Posing at the Old Well

At last a man came forward and let us know the show would be starting and gave us instructions.  The lights went down.  I waited for panic, but none came.  Surprisingly the theater didn't get as dark as I expected, and when the dome got slightly darker, Big Bird very kindly let us know what was about to happen.  During the show Big Bird, Elmo, and their new friend from China. Hu Hu Zhu, taught us about the sun, various constellations, and even traveled to the moon using their imaginations. We learned that despite being in different parts of the world, people, and "monsters," all live under the same sky.  Edmund answered the questions posed by Big Bird and his pals and seemed to have a great time.  When the lights came up the man running the show said people could leave or stay to see some more projections of constellations.  Edmund declared he was ready to leave, but even so, the experience had gone off without a hitch.


After viewing some of the small exhibits in the basement of the planetarium we decided to extend our outing.  I must mention that at this point Edmund received his favorite treat, astronaut ice cream.  I'd be lying if I said we didn't use this as a bit of incentive to get through the show without tears.  After the ice cream, Edmund and Steven walked around campus while I fed Evie.  Edmund knew just where he wanted to go, and according to Steven, led him to the Old Well without any help.  This is impressive, since we haven't walked on campus in about a year and the Old Well was visible when they started off.  I'm still amazed by Edmund's sense of direction since I get lost walking across the street.  When we met back up we made plans to finish our outing with a lunch on Franklin Street.  Even though it is a little tougher to coordinate these kind of outings with two kids, we pulled it off, and claim this adventure as a success.  

Evelyn Rose Pattishall is Here

Evelyn Rose Pattishall arrived on May 25th, and it's hard to believe she is now one month old.  We have had many adventures as a family of four already, but between feedings and the fact Ms. Evie only sleeps in someone's arms during the day (making it hard to type), I haven't had time to post.  I look forward to getting one post up in the next week because big brother Edmund has done some pretty silly things and had some great new firsts I simply don't want to forget.  

I need your help.  Now that we have a new addition the blog needs a new name.  I'm never very good at coming up with titles, so if you have a suggestion leave it in the comment box.  Perhaps your name will be the winner.  Until I'm able to get another writing minute, I leave you with this story.

Yesterday, while eating lunch Edmund asked if he could have some ice cream afterwards.  We told him he could have a little bit after nap for snack since he had been making very healthy snack and meal choices.  He informed us that in The Little Engine that Could ice cream was an after meal treat and that he wanted ice cream for after his meal.  Steven said "we'll think about it."  Edmund chimed in "I'm thinking about it and I want it after my meal."  Who could argue with that?

Edmund's Memoirs

Edmund With His Memoirs Doing a Silly Pose

This past Thursday Steven and I celebrated our sixth anniversary.  Yes I do know our actual anniversary is May 20th, but since we have no idea where we'll be on the baby front we thought it best to celebrate a little early.  May 20th will also mark the seventh anniversary of our engagement.  We were engaged in Central Park in NYC and that night saw Wicked for the first time.  So for this double anniversary of sorts, Steven surprised me with tickets to Wicked at the Durham Performing Arts Center (it's been named one of the top theaters in the country, so they know how to put on a show).  Despite being a bit uncomfortable at this point in my pregnancy, I had a great time.

Before the show we went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Guglhupf, and got to reminiscing about how far Edmund has come in his language development.  This is one area where Edmund never struggled, as the first thing strangers comment on when they meet Edmund is how verbal he is.  While he was indeed talking at an early age, he still had cute ways of saying certain words.  We found ourselves wondering when in fact he replaced the "baby talk" for the more sophisticated vocabulary he uses today.

Here is a look back at some of Edmund's favorite toddler phrases.  Edmund loves trains and especially tunnels, but for toddler Edmund they were "choo choos" and "nunnels."  Any liquid beverage he referred to as "watoo." Edmund was and is still all about the food, but back then whenever he wanted to eat he'd ask for "nenu", which translated into dinner or any meal for that matter.  Dogs were "gogs" or "goggies."  This last one persisted into his third year, but sometime over the past year, "gogs" and "goggies" went the way of the others.

This reminiscing was not brought on by the thought of our new addition, but instead because that very afternoon Edmund walked into the house with a little booklet he had made while at Grandma's.  He had carefully written on the pages in a hard to decipher script.  But Edmund knew just what he had written and proudly declared to us that he had "written his memoirs."  And so we found ourselves asking the question, "how does a little boy, who just two years ago referred to "tunnels" as "nunnels", suddenly turn into a child who comes home talking about his memoirs?"  While we might scientifically understand the process, this is something I think all parents, including me and Steven, will wonder about as our children move from one childhood stage to the next in what seems like the blink of an eye.. 

Pullen Park

Captain of the Boat

This past week Steven started a difficult rotation in the NICU working two weeks of night shifts. While Edmund and I go about our day, he is at home sleeping. Fortunately, Steven got a couple of days off before the craziness began. We toyed with doing a simple overnight or day trip while he was off, but couldn't get coordinated enough to plan a trip. However, we were finally able to make it to Pullen Park in Raleigh. It had been almost 3 years to the day since our last visit and we were thrilled to return, especially Edmund. Although I doubt he had any memories of the place being that he was only 9 months old the first time. Pullen Park is about a 20 minute drive from where we live in Durham and somewhere we would have gone more frequently had it not been closed for two years for renovations. I must say the wait was well worth it.

Train Ride

We ventured out on a a beautiful Friday morning. I had heard crowds were ridiculous on weekends. Although we were lucky to be able to go as a family on a weekday, the place was still packed, but not so much as to not have a good time. Edmund has been begging to go on a picnic, so before we left we packed a cooler full of food. The park has a new, local food cafe, but the picnic seemed the more adventurous way to go.

When we arrived at Pullen Park Edmund was in awe of the multiple play structures before his eyes. There is a swinging section, a playground for children 2-5, a playground for children 5-12, a water and sand area, and a caboose. Edmund had to check it all out, but the caboose took first priority. After getting my ticket punched (a leaf from a bush) Edmund and I climbed aboard and kept our eyes out for Daddy who had gone to park the car. Edmund could have stayed in the caboose all morning, but there was more to do. After our caboose departure he went from playground to playground exploring all there was to offer. Mommy and Daddy even did some playground exploring of our own. The playground was definitely part of the park overhaul and well worth it, although I believe Edmund only used the swings his first time anyway.

After spending a good deal of time at the playground, we went and purchased tickets for the train that runs along the perimeter of the park. When we first arrived the line for tickets was long, but by the time we were done "playing" there was hardly a line at all. We were even able to board the next train with minimal wait. Edmund went through a period about a year ago where he was terrified of riding moving trains, but he has since conquered the fear and had a great time. He loved waving to the passersby as we rode around the park.

Carousel Ride

Next we decided to head to the carousel. I let Daddy do the riding with Edmund on this ride. I wasn't sure how much spinning I could take. The antique carousel was there on our last Pullen Park adventure, but now it is housed inside an air-conditioned building. This was nice for me while I sat and surveyed my two horse riders. Steven helped Edmund mount one horse and then got on one of his own. I had thought he was going to stand next to Edmund, but I thought wrong. I have to admit there were times I thought Edmund was going to fall off his horse as the carousel twirled around, but Steven assured me Edmund was holding on for dear life.

Once the carousel ride was complete and I was sure my child was still intact, we decided it was time to eat. Edmund helped choose the perfect spot for our picnic lunch and dined on carrots and apples. Although he had insisted we pack a PB&J sandwich, he didn't show it much interest. I decided to get one item from the cafe and chose seasonal veggies. I absolutely loved the roasted beets and squash I had, especially since my foray into cooking beets the previous week had been a disaster. I finally satisfied the craving for beets I'd had for several months. As we ate we watched children play ball on the lawn and talked about our final activity, a boat ride. While in line to board the train, Edmund had spotted some adorable kiddie boats and asked to ride. Tickets for all the attractions are just $1 each, so we couldn't refuse.

Picnic Time

Edmund boarded his boat and graciously gave up his spot in the front to a pair of siblings. This was such a kind thing as the kids in the front can ring a little bell, and Edmund clearly was in line first. Edmund still had a blast steering his boat around the water, and when the ride ended we helped him up front to have a turn ringing the bell. This was the perfect way to end our morning. The park does have a pond and paddle boat rentals that will open later in the season. We'll certainly check those out on later trips, but Steven and I knew we were already pushing our luck with nap time. As we headed to our car Edmund said "I liked this park," and I must say I agree.

Super Mondays

Parachute Time at Gymnastics

* Disclaimer: The photos are a bit shaky. It's hard to catch a 3 year old in action, especially when he doesn't want his picture taken.

When I began staying home full-time last month Edmund began a new preschool. He loved his old "big boy" school, but with the distance and cost Steven and I knew we would have to make a change. Edmund now attends Resurrection United Methodist Preschool which he refers to as "Jacob's School." (Jacob is our neighbor who also attends.) Despite the transition, Edmund seems to be loving Resurrection and often has to be told to wave good-bye to mommy because he is just "too busy." Steven and I have definitely been happy with our decision to move Edmund and Edmund has enjoyed getting to make new friends and having a multitude of play dates with the old.

Because Edmund only attends school Tuesdays through Thursdays we now have Mondays and Fridays to fill with our own activities. I've found getting around a bit more cumbersome as my pregnancy progresses, so I try to stick with simple adventures. Some days we take a short walk to the neighborhood park to skip stones in the pond, other days we go to our favorite nearby museums, and still others we simply set up shop at home doing crafts or playing sports galore in our driveway. Recently, we've gotten into a Monday routine of activities. This began when Edmund tried out gymnastics in mid-February.
In January Edmund passed by a gymnastics facility that had briefly relocated to a small mall in Chapel Hill and got it in his head that, by golly, he was going to try gymnastics. When he didn't forget, I signed him up for a trial class at Orange County Gymnastics. He had a great time and the teacher was phenomenal with his age group. I was able to register him for one month instead of a whole semester, so until the end of March, gymnastics is Edmund's weekly activity.

Because of Edmund's gross motor delay there are some aspects of gymnastics that are tricky for him, and he often wants to give up. The teacher and her assistant are both parents themselves and encourage him to try at least once. They don't force him to go beyond the one try and will give him assistance to build his confidence. I've been so pleased with this because, "I can't", is a phrase we're hearing more and more from Edmund. He's a kid who doesn't want to fail, so instead refuses to try. Knowing I was a similar kid myself it's important to me that Edmund gets that one try in. As much as I'm loving that Edmund is enhancing his gross motor skills in gymnastics, I'm even more thrilled the teachers are reinforcing the lessons we are teaching at home. Gymnastics won't be a long-term activity for Edmund, but I'm so glad he pushed me to sign him up. He's excited about being eligible for sports next year, and gymnastics has taught him that if you want to be an athlete you have to try and practice to learn new skills.

After our first day at gymnastics Edmund and I left and headed to Chapel Hill Public Library. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that story time for 3-5 year olds is offered just following gymnastics since our library in Durham only offers preschool story time while Edmund is at school. Edmund enthusiastically grabbed a ticket for story time that first day, and has asked to go back almost every Monday since. It is the perfect cool down after an exhausting physical workout. The parents at preschool story time sit back and for the most part act as if they aren't there. We are given the option to leave, but I'm so glad I haven't yet since Edmund has said some hilarious things.

Today's theme was bugs. The librarian asked the children if they like bugs. All but one little girl raised her hand. Edmund said "I like bugs, but not mosquitoes and bees because they sting." I'm with you on that Edmund. The librarian and the children spent the next few minutes discussing different kinds of bugs before jumping into stories and songs. Edmund said, "you know what? Beetles are bugs that roll poop." Not missing a beat the librarian said, "yes, dung beetles do that." Then Edmund replied, "you know what poop is? OK let me tell you." At this point I kind of wished I had left and sunk down against the wall. I wasn't sure where this was going. Edmund continued, "first you eat food, then it goes into your tummy and gets smushed up, and then it comes out your bottom." To my surprise the children took in this science lesson with no silly giggles and the librarian acknowledged Edmund and moved on. It was the parents who had to do their best not to laugh. Edmund remained engaged for the stories and had a great time with the hide-and-seek rhyming activity, "Bug Under a Rug." When gymnastics ends we'll definitely continue with story time, especially on those days we simply have to get out.

Our adventures over the past month haven't been exciting in the traditional sense, but as they've been things we would not have been able to do while I was working they're exciting for us. I'm liking our little routine for the moment, but also look forward to finding out what other mischief we can get into now that I have the flexibility.