I love that Keahi gets to go to the third grade GATE class. Aside from all the amazing projects and getting to be with the older kids, I'm always impressed with the vocab lists they get. I'm pretty sure when I was in the second grade we didn't learn words like catharsis and abomination and castigate. Plus, I really get a kick out of the sentences Keahi writes with these words. He's always disliked writing unless it was a long list of scientific facts so he never puts much effort into these sentences. Hence, sentences like "He is very callous." or "A hat is sometimes very capacious." Then lately he would tell me about how the kids were all making funny sentences about each other. He liked writing about Ethan. But I think the teacher started to discourage this so Keahi came up with E-man as the star of his vocab list. My sister and mom were both visiting when Keahi brought home this gem of a list.
I had a cathartic experience when I punched E-man.
The group met in a caucus and were talking like crazy about killing E-man.
To be a cerebral person you must ("learn a ton" was scratched out)eat E-man.
I catapulted E-man into the chasm.
I stole E-man's chattel which is a video game.
I chided E-man for saying that he's awesome.
E-man is circa 1,000,000,000,000 years old.
A citadel fell on top of E-man.
E-man has chronic brain loss.
And my favorite one because it's just so Keahi.....
I certify that I am awesome.
I wish I knew what the other kids brought home to their parents. Maybe in some other house people were in stitches over sentences about K-man.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Where's the Happy Medium?
So many people tell me that my boys (and now they include Mie) look so much alike. Some have even asked if they're twins....generally when they are seated; otherwise that two foot height difference would be glaring. I don't really get it. They look entirely different to me. But aside from their physical differences, their personalities are even more disparate.
When Jarom is given criticism or spoken harshly to he completely shuts down. His shoulders hunch inward like he's trying to hide and his face actually, physically, gets longer. He often tells me about one kid or another at school who was mean to him and constantly questions if he's liked by others. I'm always trying to boost his confidence and help him remember that kids often say things they don't mean and it doesn't make them not friends anymore. While other little boys usually shrug off fights he holds onto them and it makes him shy.
On the other hand, Keahi has no problems with his self esteem. With so many people telling him how smart he is all his life, his ego is rock solid. Last week at scouts, somebody spilled a bunch of popcorn outside on the sidewalk. When the leader told the boys to clean it up, they all gathered it up and threw it away. Except Keahi. He picked it up and popped it in his mouth. When the boys all went ewwwww-that's-so-gross, Keahi shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't care. It tastes good."
If that had happened to Jarom he would have shrunk in on himself and not participated in the rest of the activities. But for Keahi, nobody can shake his ego. On the one hand it drives me nuts when he always assumes he's right and won't take my word for it. And he's always been like that. No, really. Before he could talk, I taught him baby sign and he loved to grab my head and point it in whatever direction he wanted so he could sign to me about what he saw. Once he pointed and signed cat. I looked and told him, "No, it's a dog. It's called a chihuahua." He looked again, then looked back at me, shook his head, and re-signed cat. Even then, he thought he knew everything.
Of course, the upside of his belief in himself is he'll never cave to peer pressure. If anybody tells him smoking is cool, he'll give them that same look he gave me after assessing the catness of that chihuahua and tell them they're crazy for destroying their lungs. And because he values his mind so highly, he'll never use drugs. In fact, after watching some guys do some extreme biking on the ramps, he declared that he'd never do that because he could crack his head. So no worries about him taking extreme risks.
As for Jarom, his extreme sensitivity can also be his strength. Unlike his brother who seldom thinks about others, Jarom tells and shows that he loves you. I love his random hugs and whispered I Love Yous. I love that he is excited to see his sister every single time. He says, "She really is the cutest baby in the world to me." Once when he was upset about something I told him to look at his sister because she always cheers him up. But he responded that she was too cute for him to look at her when he was mad. He should only show her his happy face. He always tells Keahi that he's awesome and smart (probably not helping with his inflated ego). And at Costco he wanted us to buy some lilies because he said they were my favorite. Just think what a great husband he'll make someday.
I just wish the boys could rub off on eachother. If only Keahi could gain some of Jarom's compassion and Jarom could gain some of Keahi's confidence. Ah well, maybe Mie will be the happy medium.
When Jarom is given criticism or spoken harshly to he completely shuts down. His shoulders hunch inward like he's trying to hide and his face actually, physically, gets longer. He often tells me about one kid or another at school who was mean to him and constantly questions if he's liked by others. I'm always trying to boost his confidence and help him remember that kids often say things they don't mean and it doesn't make them not friends anymore. While other little boys usually shrug off fights he holds onto them and it makes him shy.
On the other hand, Keahi has no problems with his self esteem. With so many people telling him how smart he is all his life, his ego is rock solid. Last week at scouts, somebody spilled a bunch of popcorn outside on the sidewalk. When the leader told the boys to clean it up, they all gathered it up and threw it away. Except Keahi. He picked it up and popped it in his mouth. When the boys all went ewwwww-that's-so-gross, Keahi shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't care. It tastes good."
If that had happened to Jarom he would have shrunk in on himself and not participated in the rest of the activities. But for Keahi, nobody can shake his ego. On the one hand it drives me nuts when he always assumes he's right and won't take my word for it. And he's always been like that. No, really. Before he could talk, I taught him baby sign and he loved to grab my head and point it in whatever direction he wanted so he could sign to me about what he saw. Once he pointed and signed cat. I looked and told him, "No, it's a dog. It's called a chihuahua." He looked again, then looked back at me, shook his head, and re-signed cat. Even then, he thought he knew everything.
Of course, the upside of his belief in himself is he'll never cave to peer pressure. If anybody tells him smoking is cool, he'll give them that same look he gave me after assessing the catness of that chihuahua and tell them they're crazy for destroying their lungs. And because he values his mind so highly, he'll never use drugs. In fact, after watching some guys do some extreme biking on the ramps, he declared that he'd never do that because he could crack his head. So no worries about him taking extreme risks.
As for Jarom, his extreme sensitivity can also be his strength. Unlike his brother who seldom thinks about others, Jarom tells and shows that he loves you. I love his random hugs and whispered I Love Yous. I love that he is excited to see his sister every single time. He says, "She really is the cutest baby in the world to me." Once when he was upset about something I told him to look at his sister because she always cheers him up. But he responded that she was too cute for him to look at her when he was mad. He should only show her his happy face. He always tells Keahi that he's awesome and smart (probably not helping with his inflated ego). And at Costco he wanted us to buy some lilies because he said they were my favorite. Just think what a great husband he'll make someday.
I just wish the boys could rub off on eachother. If only Keahi could gain some of Jarom's compassion and Jarom could gain some of Keahi's confidence. Ah well, maybe Mie will be the happy medium.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Introducing Mie Ka'imi Temple
It's been 12 weeks since I fell in love with the newest member of our family, Mie Ka'imi Temple. For nine months I thought about what it would be like to have a daughter, dreaming about holding her tiny, fragile body while also trying not to think about it....just in case. It's a strange thing to love someone you haven't met. Fear and anticipation swirl together and make it difficult to breathe. Though the rib kicking probably has more to do with that. And then the day arrives.
With Iz only having one official week off, I kept coaching my baby girl that she needed to come on Friday evening or Saturday but no later. Considering Keahi was a week late and Jarom was induced on my due date with no dilatation or effacement, some might have been skeptical of my plan. But a friend who'd delivered her baby with hypnobirthing told me she had done the same thing. Successfully. And so did I.
That Friday morning at the doctor's office, the nurse practitioner stretched me to 4cm and asked if I wanted her to break my water. I emphatically declined. A little later sporadic contractions started and I kept telling my sweet baby Not yet, Not yet. Jarom and I enjoyed our regular park day with his class; the other moms were impressed that I was so relaxed while being at a 4. Afterwards, we went home and I cleaned up and did the floors, which seemed to increase the contractions so I lay down to slow it down. But by 4pm I decided it was time to get my husband home.
Of course, he can't just up and leave in the middle of everything but he made pretty good time, arriving home at about 5:30. We dropped off the boys at my visiting teacher's house (thank goodness for good ol vts), and rushed to the hospital--which is thankfully only 5 minutes away. We parked--not all that close to the entrance--and eventually discovered where we were supposed to go to sign in and do triage. After paperwork, urine sample, gown change, and monitors set up we had to wait an hour for them to decide how well I was progressing before they'd admit me. I heard a lot of groaning and grunting around me but I felt pretty comfortable and when they asked me my pain level I said maybe 3 or 4. In retrospect, that was probably a bad idea since at 7pm they sent me home. They said that because I was doing a natural birth there was no reason for me to be here until the contractions lated more than a minute and were 2 minutes apart. Ummmmmm....does that seem fishy to anybody else? My third kid and I'm supposed to wait till when? Ooooookay....So I changed back and we headed home where I lay on my couch doing my hypnobirthing breathing and Iz kept a steady supply of hot towels on me.
For two hours.
That's it. After two hours, I insisted we head back to the hospital. The nurse that had sent me home with a cheerful hope-we-see-you-back-tonight was in for a surprise to see me back so soon. This time around, walking to the car was almost impossible and that five minute drive seemed like an hour. Walking into the (wrong) entrance was unbearable and forget about relaxing breathing techniques. I was barely holding on while Iz ran around searching for a wheelchair to take me back up to triage. Bless him, the only one he found had only one arm rest and no place for my feet so I had to hold them up while he rushed me about. That same nurse ever so calmly instructed me to provide yet another urine sample, change, and get into a bed so she could hook up the monitors again. I tried to tell her I needed a room now but she had to follow procedure. Well, when she finally got around to checking me her tune suddenly changed to one of panic. Now it was all FIND HER A ROOM! CALL THE DOCTOR! And they rushed me out of triage and into a birthing room. Having had epidurals in the past, I had never experienced the need to bear down. Until then. I didn't care that they said to wait. I didn't care that they kept shoving papers in front of me to sign--seriously?now? I didn't care about anything other than I had to push. And ten minutes from the time I was checked at triage, our baby girl was born. The doctor got there just in time to catch her head which was already out and help slide her out. After that I was basically lost to the world. I think Iz said he had to check to make sure I was still breathing. I faintly heard someone say congratulations and what a beautiful baby girl and I felt when they put her on my chest; but I really couldn't move a muscle. I think I was barely conscious. Don't remember ever seeing the doctor at all before he was out the door. My signature on the rest of the paper work was only slightly less shaky than the one I HAD to sign before pushing. But when I did recover my senses, I saw my perfect angel.
Mie Ka'imi Temple was born at 10:30pm on Friday, January 13th, weighing just 6lb 14oz and 19inches long. And she's perfect. No, really.
Because I wasn't in the hospital long enough to receive a full dose of the antibiotics (yet another reason they should have let me stay the first time), we had to stay a full 48 hours so they could watch Mie and make sure she wasn't infected. Melissa and Beth watched the boys all weekend for us while we got acquainted with our newest joy. I think we were pretty sick of hospital (and the food) by the time they let us go late Sunday night. Especially the boys who were brought to us at lunch time and had to hang out in the hospital room for about 8 hours or so. But how can anyone be board with this little one around. Of course, Keahi pretty much played on the iphone the whole time. I guess he's over being a big brother since he's been one for years. But Jarom has been thrilled in his new role and I'm so proud of the way he looks out for her. I love my family.
With Iz only having one official week off, I kept coaching my baby girl that she needed to come on Friday evening or Saturday but no later. Considering Keahi was a week late and Jarom was induced on my due date with no dilatation or effacement, some might have been skeptical of my plan. But a friend who'd delivered her baby with hypnobirthing told me she had done the same thing. Successfully. And so did I.
That Friday morning at the doctor's office, the nurse practitioner stretched me to 4cm and asked if I wanted her to break my water. I emphatically declined. A little later sporadic contractions started and I kept telling my sweet baby Not yet, Not yet. Jarom and I enjoyed our regular park day with his class; the other moms were impressed that I was so relaxed while being at a 4. Afterwards, we went home and I cleaned up and did the floors, which seemed to increase the contractions so I lay down to slow it down. But by 4pm I decided it was time to get my husband home.
Of course, he can't just up and leave in the middle of everything but he made pretty good time, arriving home at about 5:30. We dropped off the boys at my visiting teacher's house (thank goodness for good ol vts), and rushed to the hospital--which is thankfully only 5 minutes away. We parked--not all that close to the entrance--and eventually discovered where we were supposed to go to sign in and do triage. After paperwork, urine sample, gown change, and monitors set up we had to wait an hour for them to decide how well I was progressing before they'd admit me. I heard a lot of groaning and grunting around me but I felt pretty comfortable and when they asked me my pain level I said maybe 3 or 4. In retrospect, that was probably a bad idea since at 7pm they sent me home. They said that because I was doing a natural birth there was no reason for me to be here until the contractions lated more than a minute and were 2 minutes apart. Ummmmmm....does that seem fishy to anybody else? My third kid and I'm supposed to wait till when? Ooooookay....So I changed back and we headed home where I lay on my couch doing my hypnobirthing breathing and Iz kept a steady supply of hot towels on me.
For two hours.
That's it. After two hours, I insisted we head back to the hospital. The nurse that had sent me home with a cheerful hope-we-see-you-back-tonight was in for a surprise to see me back so soon. This time around, walking to the car was almost impossible and that five minute drive seemed like an hour. Walking into the (wrong) entrance was unbearable and forget about relaxing breathing techniques. I was barely holding on while Iz ran around searching for a wheelchair to take me back up to triage. Bless him, the only one he found had only one arm rest and no place for my feet so I had to hold them up while he rushed me about. That same nurse ever so calmly instructed me to provide yet another urine sample, change, and get into a bed so she could hook up the monitors again. I tried to tell her I needed a room now but she had to follow procedure. Well, when she finally got around to checking me her tune suddenly changed to one of panic. Now it was all FIND HER A ROOM! CALL THE DOCTOR! And they rushed me out of triage and into a birthing room. Having had epidurals in the past, I had never experienced the need to bear down. Until then. I didn't care that they said to wait. I didn't care that they kept shoving papers in front of me to sign--seriously?now? I didn't care about anything other than I had to push. And ten minutes from the time I was checked at triage, our baby girl was born. The doctor got there just in time to catch her head which was already out and help slide her out. After that I was basically lost to the world. I think Iz said he had to check to make sure I was still breathing. I faintly heard someone say congratulations and what a beautiful baby girl and I felt when they put her on my chest; but I really couldn't move a muscle. I think I was barely conscious. Don't remember ever seeing the doctor at all before he was out the door. My signature on the rest of the paper work was only slightly less shaky than the one I HAD to sign before pushing. But when I did recover my senses, I saw my perfect angel.
Mie Ka'imi Temple was born at 10:30pm on Friday, January 13th, weighing just 6lb 14oz and 19inches long. And she's perfect. No, really.
Because I wasn't in the hospital long enough to receive a full dose of the antibiotics (yet another reason they should have let me stay the first time), we had to stay a full 48 hours so they could watch Mie and make sure she wasn't infected. Melissa and Beth watched the boys all weekend for us while we got acquainted with our newest joy. I think we were pretty sick of hospital (and the food) by the time they let us go late Sunday night. Especially the boys who were brought to us at lunch time and had to hang out in the hospital room for about 8 hours or so. But how can anyone be board with this little one around. Of course, Keahi pretty much played on the iphone the whole time. I guess he's over being a big brother since he's been one for years. But Jarom has been thrilled in his new role and I'm so proud of the way he looks out for her. I love my family.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
My Battle with Three Kids...day 47....finally finished a week later
7am: Lying in bed with Mie sleeping in my arms after a rough night of constant feedings, burping, spitups, flatulence like you wouldn't believe (her, not me), and a blowout at 5am. I figured she needed some soothing sleep time with mommy after what must have been very uncomfortable gas--like a full minute nonstop. Of course, I can't sleep with her wiggling in my arms, but who needs sleep anyway. Plus, it's okay that we're off schedule this morning because I don't have to walk the boys to school since Iz will drop them off on the way to work. I can just lay here for a bit.....Yikes, time to get going. After feeding Mie and feeding myself breakfast (consisting of 2 gyozas and some broccoli from dinner plus 4 cookies--sigh, I'm never gonna loose this 20lbs of baby fat), it's time to get dinner going. Then folding laundry which gets interrupted by feeding Mie and dressing her up (best part of my morning), and then it's time to walk to school to pick up Jarom. Get him doing his homework and other chores. Feed Jarom. Feed Mie. Start doing the dishes which gets interrupted by Jarom needing me to be his mom. Keahi's home and needs constant prodding to stay on task. Feed Mie. Get dinner on the table. Snarf down a bowl as quickly as I can. Start vacuuming downstairs, but get interrupted by feeding Mie again. Get the boys to bed. Get Mie to bed. Come downstairs to see unfinished laundry, dishes, and the vacuum standing in the middle of the kitchen. Throw hands in the air and give up. Time to watch a show....and fall asleep midway. And time to feed Mie again. And again. And again. And it's tomorrow morning. Time to start again.
Monday, October 3, 2011
And more from Jarom
I used to feel guilty that so many blog posts and quotes on the side were about Keahi and now I'm making up for it. It helps that Jarom never stops talking so that there's always some funny tidbit to share.
I love that he absorbs what people are saying even when you think he's off in lala-land. After Sunday's general conference he remembered more details about the talks than Keahi did--and that's while throwing his stuffed Lightning Mcqueen around and roaming the house looking for things to eat. And he doesn't just regurgitate what he's learned. He likes to throw out new words into his conversations and use his knowledge to be funny. Here's a few examples.
After Iz had taken off his shoes at the end of his long workday, Jarom sniffed and said, "Daddy, your feet smell like a man from Tyre!" At first Iz was confused and though Jarom had said his feet were tired. Then he discovered Jarom remembered learning about the Phoenicians a couple months ago and about the purple dye made from snails that really smelled awful. What a way to deliver an insult. Now if he can just start using Shakespearean insults, Popo would be so proud.
This morning he was spinning groups of three magnetic balls on the table and then excited noticed that the center one stayed in place while the outer ones spun around it. He yelled, "Look, mommy, an eccentric orbit!" Of course, he used the word incorrectly and his big brother was quick to correct his understanding of the different orbits; but, really, how many barely 5 year olds have even heard of an eccentric orbit? And I've never actually taught him about it so it's another example of him picking up things from listening to things around him.
Tonight I was eating copious amounts of pudding which apparently upset Jarom who hadn't gotten much yet. "Mommy, that's too much sugar for you and the baby. Just one more bite and that's it. What, are you getting ready for winter or something?" Said with the perfect amount of sarcasm.
He's such a bright, funny little boy. I love him and love to see and hear what he comes up with. If only he also had a silent mode. And an obedient mode. Sigh, you can't have everything.
I love that he absorbs what people are saying even when you think he's off in lala-land. After Sunday's general conference he remembered more details about the talks than Keahi did--and that's while throwing his stuffed Lightning Mcqueen around and roaming the house looking for things to eat. And he doesn't just regurgitate what he's learned. He likes to throw out new words into his conversations and use his knowledge to be funny. Here's a few examples.
After Iz had taken off his shoes at the end of his long workday, Jarom sniffed and said, "Daddy, your feet smell like a man from Tyre!" At first Iz was confused and though Jarom had said his feet were tired. Then he discovered Jarom remembered learning about the Phoenicians a couple months ago and about the purple dye made from snails that really smelled awful. What a way to deliver an insult. Now if he can just start using Shakespearean insults, Popo would be so proud.
This morning he was spinning groups of three magnetic balls on the table and then excited noticed that the center one stayed in place while the outer ones spun around it. He yelled, "Look, mommy, an eccentric orbit!" Of course, he used the word incorrectly and his big brother was quick to correct his understanding of the different orbits; but, really, how many barely 5 year olds have even heard of an eccentric orbit? And I've never actually taught him about it so it's another example of him picking up things from listening to things around him.
Tonight I was eating copious amounts of pudding which apparently upset Jarom who hadn't gotten much yet. "Mommy, that's too much sugar for you and the baby. Just one more bite and that's it. What, are you getting ready for winter or something?" Said with the perfect amount of sarcasm.
He's such a bright, funny little boy. I love him and love to see and hear what he comes up with. If only he also had a silent mode. And an obedient mode. Sigh, you can't have everything.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Jarom says...
I haven't gotten around to fixing the quotes of the day side bar thingy, but here are a few recent keepers from Jarom:
"Mommy, my stomach doesn't want food anymore. It's crying out for fun!"
He really does think--and apparently feel--with his stomach.
"I need three extra hugs and kisses, mommy. Then when I have a nightmare, I know you'll always be with me."
Wow, so articulate and charming. He could say this and get 50 extra hugs and kisses.
Alma: Why do you like pickles, Jarom?
Jarom: Because my taste buds haven't decided not to like them.
I love that he tries to answer these kinds of questions seriously.
"This nori is wickedly tasty."
He loves to use words he hears.
"Mommy, my stomach doesn't want food anymore. It's crying out for fun!"
He really does think--and apparently feel--with his stomach.
"I need three extra hugs and kisses, mommy. Then when I have a nightmare, I know you'll always be with me."
Wow, so articulate and charming. He could say this and get 50 extra hugs and kisses.
Alma: Why do you like pickles, Jarom?
Jarom: Because my taste buds haven't decided not to like them.
I love that he tries to answer these kinds of questions seriously.
"This nori is wickedly tasty."
He loves to use words he hears.
Soooo...........
after going dark for months (we've been watching LOTS of 24), I'm breaking radio silence to announce:
WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!!!!!
With much prayer, finger crossing, and books on the subject, we've been blessed with our first girl. When we went into the doctor's office, the boys were insisting I had a boy and a girl inside of me. After gaining 14 pounds in the first 17 weeks, I was a bit nervous, too. Plus I kept thinking I might have felt a flutter but didn't want to really think about it before the ultrasound because what if I had lost the baby and was about to find out in front of the boys and Iz. But she checked and there was a heartbeat. Whew. Only one heartbeat. Double whew. Then she took us to a back room for a peak with the ultrasound (we were lucky because they actually make you make a separate appointment at a different location to do this but I asked if she'd do it today since Iz got off early from work for this, thereby losing any future opportunity to come with us to the doctor). And, there she was. The quiet, compassionate, brilliant, obedient girl I had special ordered. I wonder if there's a return policy if she backtalks me later. Here's to baby girl Temple.
WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!!!!!
With much prayer, finger crossing, and books on the subject, we've been blessed with our first girl. When we went into the doctor's office, the boys were insisting I had a boy and a girl inside of me. After gaining 14 pounds in the first 17 weeks, I was a bit nervous, too. Plus I kept thinking I might have felt a flutter but didn't want to really think about it before the ultrasound because what if I had lost the baby and was about to find out in front of the boys and Iz. But she checked and there was a heartbeat. Whew. Only one heartbeat. Double whew. Then she took us to a back room for a peak with the ultrasound (we were lucky because they actually make you make a separate appointment at a different location to do this but I asked if she'd do it today since Iz got off early from work for this, thereby losing any future opportunity to come with us to the doctor). And, there she was. The quiet, compassionate, brilliant, obedient girl I had special ordered. I wonder if there's a return policy if she backtalks me later. Here's to baby girl Temple.
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