The Stats

Kendrick's doctor's appointment went well today. No news. Just a perfect baby.

Height: 27" 75th%
Weight: 16 lbs. 11 oz. 50th%
Head Circumfrence: 17 1/4" 50th%

Happy Half Birthday, Kendrick

Today is Kendrick turned 6 months old. He is a happy little guy and fairly laid back, although not much of a napper. He is finally to the point where he will sleep about 7 hours without waking to eat.

And since we are on the subject of eating....Special thanks goes out to our favorite Occupational Therapist, Anna. She helped me figure out how to get Kendrick's tongue working the right way so that he can eat solid food. For the past month I have been putting cereal on my finger, prying his mouth open and putting it in the side of his cheek. Just this week he has taken to the spoon, although he still won't open his mouth very well. He loves bananas and applesauce so far. I guess it's time for me to get out the Cuisinart and start making other foods. Today I couldn't get the spoon in fast enough and he even cried when it was over.

Tomorrow he goes in for his check-up. We are ultra-excited because Dad is off work tomorrow and gets to go with us! So, I'll post his new stats then.

Stream of Consciousness

Naps these days are hit and miss. Two weeks ago he didn't nap a wink. Last week he slept every day. The following is what understandable real words I heard on his monitor today. I'm not sure he yet realizes I can hear everything.

There are no more alligators! They have all gone away. Mater-like Tuh-mater without the Tuh. I'm Lightning McQueen. Singing Vivaldi's Four Seasons-Spring-Allegro. No, I don't wanna. I'm not going. Yes, you do. You not me, go next door. Singing Jingle Bells with "brrr" for the words. It's sunny outside. The sun came out!

Silence.

Bob the Builder, Bob the Builder. Can we do it? Yes we can. (Sounds a little like Obama.) Singing Silent Night on "dub-buh-dub-dub." I think. I know. God loves. I'm not sure, Mommy. Ho, ho, hum. Yawn. Where are we?

Silence.

Dah! Laughing. Go this way and find another game to play (from Fox in Socks). Pig band. Big band. Broom band. Go right here so you don't. But I need too. Oh, man. I'm good. Hower, gower, bower. (from Wocket in my Pocket). Bamboo. Be careful. Bump your head.

A hobby

Today in Sunday School Carol Beth and I were discussing last weekend since we weren't at church. I told her about the motorcycle and she asked, "Why did he want a motorcycle?" After thinking about it for a week, I decided, not only did it help with our car situation, it is Stephen's "hobby."

Stephen is not an avid sports fan. He doesn't go to football, basketball, or soccer games. He likes to hunt, and if we lived closer to his parents he might do it more often. But, he's not really into that either. He likes to sail, but we moved to far away from the Bay. Golf is not is game either. He didn't really have a hobby. Now that he has a motorcycle, he has an outlet other than watching re-runs of movies on the TBS or USA channels. I'm happy he's having fun.

Last night was my friend, Wendy's birthday party. We met her and her friends in Rice Village for dinner and we took the bike. It was my first time to ride more than 100 yards. It was a little sacry at first and I prayed the biggest prayer I've ever prayed in my life! I got used to it though and towards the end, enjoyed it. It still makes me nervous though. We need to get a backrest so I don't feel like I might fly off! It was a bit chilly, but really not bad.

This afternoon is gorgeous and so Stephen and one of our neighbors (whose trailor we borrowed to get the bike home) went riding this afternoon. I'm glad that Stephen now has something that he enjoys doing and has a "Boy"-friend to hang out with. He needed an outlet with all the work he has been doing the past 4 years.

Heaven

This week has been extremely busy now that I am in a Cantare rehearsal period. We are preparing for a set of concerts in 2 weeks, so I am rehearsing about every other to every 3 days. It's consuming enough that it has cut into my work-out schedule! I haven't exercised since Tuesday. Anyway, I digress.

What I have been thinking about the past couple of days is heaven. Why you may ask? No, I am not suicidal and I don't have any crazy disease that I am dying of. But, everything in my life lately has all lined up and it pointing me that direction. I don't know why.

First, the concert Cantare is doing is called "The Ecstacies Above: Heavenly". We are singing Durufle's Requiem (which incidentally was written for Durufle's father's death), The Ecstacies Above by Tarik O'Regan, and a Brahms motet. I didn't really think anything of it. I love Durufle's Requiem and it is a piece I really don't have to practice as I studied it while working on my Masters in Conducting.

Second, I just finished "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper. I had seen this book laying around my grandparent's house and thought-- Interesting. I wonder what it says. So, I saw it in Target a couple of weeks ago and bought it. I didn't even realize that the whole story takes place in and around Houston--places I am VERY familiar with including, Huntsville, Pasadena and the Medical Center. Two nights ago, as I was nearing the end, I realized I knew the author's daughter as a collegue as a choir director in the Clear Creek School district.

Third, my sister Candace posts a blog about a Renewed Earth and an article in Time magazine. Quite interesting stuff. So, after a quick discussion with her on the phone, she sends me some more info and a fascinating website (which explain's everything about the world you ever wanted to ask God) to look at to explain a bit more.

I am not sure why God is focusing me on "heaven" right now. But there must be a reason.

P.S.-- As I was searching for a picture to accompany I found this great artist on Flickr, Marketseq. He calls them VerseVisions Art. Cool ideas and paintings! Ok, upon further investigation, this guy has created Blurb books (which is also my publishing choice these days.) Check it out! I love it! He must know the Psalty tapes too!

Sweet Sibling Silliness

Tuesday is our rest day. There are no obligations, no classes to take or teach. At first, I dreaded the day. Cavett and I always needed something to do everyday to get out of the house. Now that Kendrick is here, that rule no longer applies. I have come to really enjoy my Tuesdays. Besides catching up on all the laundry, dishes and general picking up, we get to relax and take the day at our own pace. Cavett stayed in his pj's until around 10. Kendrick got a good morning nap.

After Kendrick's nap we decided to have a picnic in the park. We loaded up the double jogging stroller with lunch and headed out to the big "green" park as Cavett calls it. We did the usual: talk on the talking tubes, go down the fire pole, and pretend we are at the cash register at Chick-Fil-A. But the best thing was watching Cavett push Kendrick in the swing. It was Kendrick's first experience on a playground swing. He liked Mom pushing him, but he thought it was much more fun when Cavett did it.

Our picnic was cut short by a fussy baby and the wind blowing made it pretty chilly. As you know Cavett is a slow eater, so he had to eat his lunch on the way back home. The deal was--he either had to take a bite of his sandwich or run beside the stroller. After one bite, he decided he'd rather run. I guess he ran for about 5 minutes and then decided he would finish eating. He finally finished the entire half of his sandwich by the time we got back to the house, 30 minutes later.

On our way home without any prompt, he said he liked going to the park and having a picnic. I asked him what his favorite part was and he said, "pushing Kendrick on the swing and making him laugh." Me too, Cavett. Me too.

Nee-how!

I don't think that is how you spell it in Chinese, but I know that is how you say it. It means "hello" in Chinese. As soon as we got to Grand Saline this weekend, that was the first thing out of Cavett's mouth to Uncle John. (While working for Dell computers, John has been living in Shanghai for the past several years). I was worried that Cavett would pull the whole, "I'm shy" bit. But, even though he has seen John on only two other occasions in his life, it was as if they had been together for years.

It was another great weekend spent on the farm. All of Stephen's family was here except 2 of Karen's boys, Thomas and Stanton. The first couple of days were rainy and dreary, but today is gorgeous, just windy and cold. Cavett got to ride the pug, fish and play on the hay bales. We also ate very well. John had really good steaks and hamburgers shipped from New York.

We are so blessed with a wonderful family on both sides. There is no such thing in our family as the dreaded "in-laws."