Behold The Belly

I realized yesterday that I had none of the required side belly shots of this pregnancy. You know the ones you take every month with your first pregnancy and then have your entire ballooning process caught on film. So, in an effort to distract Isaac this morning--he was having a very difficult time accepting the fact that he had to wear brown socks because his white ones weren't clean--I commissioned him to take a photo of me in all my rotund glory. So, here I am, a little over seven months pregnant having painful contractions daily that fortunately aren't doing a thing but making me uncomfortable. The other night I was having to focus and relax through some of these regular contractions and I was a wee bit nervous, but the doctor reassured me that everything is closed up and just fine. This pregnancy has gone insanely fast. I was much sicker in the beginning than I had been with either Isaac or Lucy. It was pretty awful. It is really exciting to experience this pregnancy with Isaac. He loves feeling my belly and talking about the new baby. He is such a great big brother--Lucy and Nora are lucky to have him. He is excited that Lucy will have a little sister with whom to share girly toys, hopefully leaving him and his racecars in peace. Fat chance. I hate to burst his bubble, but Lucy has no girly toys and I think they will both want to follow him around wherever he may roam.
So, we are drawing close to the arrival of our third. My "due" date is January 16th, but I have learned that those are pretty pointless. Daman's birthday is the 11th, that would be nice. But, maybe we'll have an inaugural baby on the 20th. Who knows, all I know is we have to figure out where all three kids are going to sleep, unpack some fuzzy little clothes and prepare for life as outnumbered parents. I think I am going to take a nap.

The Gold Belted Master

Oh how I wish we had used our video more to capture this day. We signed Isaac up for Tae Kwon Do several months ago and it has been a marvelous thing for him. Pictured above with Isaac is Master Lightfoot. He and his wife, Janet, run the studio and do a really stellar job. From the beginning, they set goals and challenges for even their youngest kickers. Isaac had to memorize and recite the "student creed" before getting his white belt. I imagine that it comes standard with the uniform, but they set it aside as something to earn in a simple way early on, in an attempt to reinforce the idea of goal-setting and the confidence that comes with achievement. They really focus on character and respect and I've seen Isaac's confidence really blossom through the experience. He had to go through four tests to earn four stripes on his belt and then test for his gold belt. For his test he had to perform all the required kicks and punches that he'd tested on thusfar, then perform "Kamsah," a ten-move form, and recite another, longer student creed. He was shaky and less focused than we'd like, but he did his very best and we were really proud of him. He shone on his recitations and his confidence rallied from there. He was so excited to earn that new belt. Exciting for him. . . palpitating anxiety for me. Good grief, I could barely take the strain of watching my four year old take his first belt test, and Daman wants to encourage him to wrestle someday? Unless I harness some serious meditation skills, I could never endure a wrestling match. I imagine I would thrash more than the competitors.

The test was an exciting part of the day, but the true entertainment came at graduation later that evening. . . .

Picture this: Behind this portrait of focus that is Isaac stand about twenty other graduates, several are receiving their black belts and a few their second degree black belts. So, it is understood that they are a bit more trained and disciplined than our little four year old. Oh, and they are also a whole lot louder. So when Master Lightfoot commands (and I do mean command--this guy is intense) them to all go through "Kamsah" together, suddenly little Isaac is overwhelmed by the speed and sound that surrounds him. It was hilarious watching our little guy spin around, trying his best to get through the moves but completely undone by the distractions around him. He was moving in completely the opposite direction of everyone else at one point. Luckily, that was just the practice round and by the time he performed with the group at graduation, he'd loosened up a little and was generally going in the right direction. At the end of the demonstrations, each graduate was to come up to receive their belt and diploma. Master Lightfoot told them beforehand the procedure: He was putting a yellow tape on the ground that they would come to and stand on to shake his hand and receive their awards. Cue Isaac. He saunters up and stands just to the side of Master Lightfoot. Here's the script:

Master Lightfoot: "Isaac, find the yellow tape."

Isaac (looks around, locates the tape as asked and taps it with his foot to help poor lost Master Lightfoot)

Laughter

Master Lightfoot: "Get on the tape."

Isaac (stands on tape and bows)

Master Lightfoot hands diploma and belt to Isaac, who grabs it with right hand. This proves to make the standard handshake rather difficult and as Isaac attempts to transfer his prizes to the left hand, he drops his belt (this is a no-no)

More Laughter

Master Lightfoot: "Pick it up Isaac"

Isaac: "I need you to fold it for me"

It becomes clear that this is not going to happen. So Isaac puts his diploma on the ground to recover the belt.

Master Lightfoot: "Now, pick that up, Isaac--you worked hard for that!"

Lots More Laughter

Finally Isaac gets everything in the right hands and shakes hands with the Master and returns to his seat, the newest crowned gold belt in the bunch. The celebration was then topped off by a potluck buffet and running around like crazy in the studio because he never gets to do that in class. It was a wonderful day for Isaac. He is such a bright, happy, energetic kid. I am often too hard on him. He is creative and sensitive and so much fun. I am so grateful that he has had this experience. Should we move, it would definitely be missed. Next stop, orange belt.

Halloween!!

Goblin Brains Anyone???

A Happy Halloweeney Breakfast

We are not the most spirited Halloween bunch (get it?) but we did have more fun this year than ever before. Isaac wanted to make a new Halloween decoration every day, so we ended the season with quilt batting (aka spider webs) strewn all around the front of our house, a homemade ghost hanging from our mailbox and a pretty scary spider on our living room wall. Pumpkins and our glowing cat topped us off. We had a great time at our church Trunk or Treat. Isaac picked a Buzz Lightyear costume from our favorite thrift shop, and Lucy let us put her in an orange outfit that had a ghost on it. Daman tried to trick her into thinking this little lion costume was a "coat," but she wouldn't have it. Trick or treating now, that was another story. At first she just ran around the parking lot at church with her bag. Then, at our last stop, she realized she could actually put things in her bag. So she did. Alot. She fished around, picked a piece, looked over it for approval, then dropped it in her bag. Repeat. We were blessed with perfect Trick or Treating weather and we went to a wonderful Halloween party at a neighbor's home. They had homemade root beer in a cauldron! I was very impressed. From there we went gallavanting through the neighborhood with Isaac sprinting from house to house and even remembering to say thank you once in awhile. Lucy finally got the nerve to approach a door but she apparently thought it was just a big swapping event. She would knock at the door and when they held out their goodies, she took whatever was in her bag and traded them. I thought this was a really good way to limit the sugar while maximizing the experience, but she soon abandoned the notion and began the "candy by the fistful" method--much more effective. So, here I sit with a big bag of candy tucked away with my Sunday dishes and I have put out our lone Thanksgiving decoration. I imagine in a few weeks the homemade treasures will begin to appear as the countdown to Christmas begins! And speaking of countdowns, I am slowly realizing that this baby will be joining us in just about ten weeks. I don't think any homemade decorations are going to get me ready for that--but the candy might come in handy.

Buzz and Wonderwoman. . . Here we come to save the day!!

(you might know them by their meek and mild alter egos, Isaac and Caroline)

SHOW ME THE SUGAR!!!

East or West??

When is the last time you had this much fun in a bathtub? Lucy's mohawk is a bit more impressive than Isaac's. Her mane is getting pretty long these days--I've even produced a ponytail, but not a nice, neat one. I have no idea how other mothers get their girls to sit still to do their hair in these intricate bows and weaves and braids. I did pigtails for the first time this week and that is about the extent of my stylistic prowess when it comes to her locks. Poor girl--she got a mother that has no patience for doing hair. That would explain my hair either being chopped off or pulled back in a ponytail. I am determined to grow it out again, by the way--a decision which brought great derision and doubting from Daman this morning. But, I long to have long medieval hair again. I do like the short look, but just like the feel of brushing my hair too. Extensions, perhaps?
A while back, while I was getting pampered by my mother, Daman took the kids down to our old stomping grounds in Buena Vista, Virginia, for Southern Virginia College's Homecoming. For those in the loop, I am fully aware that it is now Southern Virginia University, but stand my ground on that absurdity of that decision and stoicly make my protest by refusing to acknowledge it. Anyway, he had a marvelous time, breathing in the blue ridge air and glorying in the small town charm of it all. I've seen pictures from the trip--none that he took--and it fills me with longing to return. Daman will hopefully be finishing up with school in June or so and if I get my druthers we will be heading a'south when that time comes. But, we might be westward ho as well--dry summers are awfully tempting. It is difficult to be in a time of so many unknowns, but we are blessed with agency, opportunity, and a healthy family that will be with us wherever we go so I consider us pretty lucky. Sure, it would be nice to have some paths settled on, but where would the mystery be in that? Who cares where we move in nine months? Let's just all jump in the bathtub and make bubble mohawks--let tomorrow worry about itself.

Down On The Farm

So anyone who knows me remotely well might say I have a minor obsession with the frontier life and a hint of a complex in that I feel like my life should be as simple and difficult as my pioneer, sod-house living ancestors. The jury is out. But, I do love any chance to revel in the simple agrarian life--bring on the cows, the chickens, the hayrides, the law of the harvest. As you can imagine, these moments are on the rare side in this neck of the woods. Political punditry abounds, and there are several plantings of presidential signs, but few are the opportunities to hearken back to the good 'ole days. But today we got to enjoy a fun trip to Cox Farms, a wonderful little farm in Centerville. Barn slides, hay rides, milking demos, kettle corn, free cider---the whole kit and caboodle. It was wonderful. It was chilly in the beginning, but well worth it. Lucy and I enjoyed the slides together immensely, I'm not sure who was laughing harder actually, they were just that fun. And Isaac even got a little milk on his hands. Take a look. . . .

Logan, Kyler, Isaac, and Joceyln, basking in the glow of the Virginia State Champion Pumpkin. I saw no posted signs noting that no radiation was used in the creation of this beast, so I have my doubts as to its ability to pass an Olympic doping test. Wow.

Me and the Goose--this was our last trip of five on this particular slide, and we even got a little air on the last bit this time. Hi-Ho-The Dairy-O. . . Isaac takes after his Dairy-raised father. He was a natural. This cow was awfully patient to allow at least fifty toddlers squeeze and tug her without skill or mercy. Isaac wasn't quite sure what to do with the milk on his hands. My response: "Lick it off!" I think Daman's Grandpa and Grandma Bateman would have been proud. And this is where I point out that Lucy just might be one of the cutest little ladies alive. Am I biased? Sheesh. She really loved all the farm animals and practiced all her vocal impressions as often as possible. Big blue eyes and and impressive "moooo"--what is not to love?

Why I Love the Woods

There are no computers, fonts, photo-cropping mysteries, inexplicable deleting keyboards, or other things that make me feel insecure about my personal accomplishments. Let me prove myself by building a fire. Give me a bucket to haul water and let me sit by a stream and show how deep I am by reading Thoreau or Austen. Then I can feel good about myself, right? I do appreciate computers. I love having our two week menu plan and grocery shopping list saved on the computer for easy planning. I love having kids journals typed and sitting neatly on the shelf. I adore email for sending quick notes and avoiding phone calls at all costs. I know it is just me, but my kids have some kind of phone switch that immediately flips them to loud and needy mode when they see a phone hit my ear. Does that switch come standard? Can I opt out on this next one in exchange for a mute button? Anyway, computers have their wonderful place in my life and I am grateful for them. I just wish I could magically know how to do everything I want to do. And I wish I had the self-control I am always trying to help Isaac have so I wouldn't grown at the computer with clenched fists and regress back to my childhood. Do as I say. . . .
So, I think I shall have to request a tutorial from my blogging expert sister-in-law, Kat. Hers are truly amazing. I've come to realize everyone has something that is truly amazing about them, that to the rest of us, looks like they were just born doing. I constantly remind myself not to resent that, but to embrace it and be grateful for it. My life is the better for it. And hopefully my blog will be as well.
Back to the woods. I am growing itchy to move on from Northern Virginia. The metro is exciting, the museums are great, and we are surrounded by wonderful friends. Isaac has this little buddy that lives just behind us and he adores the fact that he can scramble over the fence all by himself to visit him. I went out in the backyard the other day to hear them screaming at each other asking each other over to play. It really is a fantastic set-up, except that there are no streams for me to sit by, or at least none that I don't have to sit in traffic to get to. I crave the space and sounds of the mountains. Daman and I go back and forth on whether the desired mountains will be those of the quaint Eastern kind or the majestic Western variety, but I hope to be living closer to nature soon. For now I'll count the two little wild creatures that run around here as nature enough.

As Promised. . . .

Isaac is a big fan of Civil War history--we live in a perfect place, just down the road from the very first battlefield. Daman brought back a souvenir blanket from an airplane once and it was blue and gray. It was immediately christened the "Civil War" blanket and revered accordingly. Isaac simply loves stories--he will listen to them endlessly--and demand them repeatedly. If teachers can figure out a way to use stories to teach every subject, I am sure school will be no problem at all. Pictured here is our family at the Virginia monument at Gettysburg. We took a wonderful camping trip at our beloved Potomac Appalachian Trail cabin and then we went to see the battlefield. This monument overlooks the field where Pickett led 12,000 men on a doomed march against the Union line. They simply marched into death, returning with only 7,000 men. Lee was haunted forever by the loss. It was really chilling to be there. I'd like to say that it was a reverent moment for our little ones, but Isaac was mostly whining to go apple picking and Lucy was grumpy from rolling out of the cabin bunk bed twice during the night. Not that she should have complained--she landed on a nice, cushy Daman.

And here we are at the cabin. It was absolutely beautiful. We discovered the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club right after Lucy was born. They have a bunch of cabins all along the AT that you can rent for super cheap and they are stocked with tools and wood. We went to one when Lucy was about three weeks old (I can see you shaking your head, I know it was kind of crazy, but we made it). This cabin was a shorter hike in and oh so cozy. It was up a rocky hill from a stream with a footbridge. Lucy had several close calls on the rocks and Isaac had one serious fall. I wish we had a picture of that bump (Daman wishes he had a picture of my face). He fell of the footbridge and caught a rock square on the noggin. It swelled immediately and it took all my self control not to gasp with horror every time I looked at it and saw it continuing to grow. Isaac loves telling people how there was a "golfball under his skin." But, he survived and with the help of a lovely compost toilet, so did Morgen. Being six months pregnant has its challenges, you know.

Isaac feeling like a real man - working his tail off to maim that log. i think he may have dented his way through the outer layer of bark eventually. He was just warming it up for me(this is Daman now - look at me, i'm a blogger! - go easy on me, i've never done this before).

Me - also feeling like a real man (as if fathering 2.5 strapping young bucks wasn't enough). there's just something about hitting a log with all your might and seeing the chips fly and hearing that echo through the woods. really puts life into focus, y'know? so does cutting down really big trees and feeling your teeth rattle when they hit the ground.

My women. Not counting her trip into the woods at three weeks old, this is Lucy's first real camping trip. Morgen LOVES being out in the woods - anything that makes her feel closer to her pioneering sistas. I wasn't sure what to expect from Goose. She had a blast, however. had to keep a close eye on the runt - every time we turned around she was back to the straight up ladder to the loft that we had just told her to stay off of with our really stern voices.

It was completely dark in the cabin, so there was no way of knowing what they were doing, we just heard their rustling and giggling into the wee hours. above them is a 2 ft high opening for the top bunk where mo slept. i slept on the ground to get up to stoke the fire, keep kids alive, keep my gas to myself, etc... getting mo up there was quite a feat (luckily she didn't need to get up to go to the bathroom)

Lucretia in a rocking chair trying to kill herself - and loving every minute of it.

Dinner, or at least the dinner table. we had some rockin tinfoil dinners. chicken breasts wrapped in tons of bacon with onions, carrots, potatoes, peppers, and mucho good spices. soooo good. amazing. wow.

Isaac, taking a break from living his dream of being a Chickasaw Injun brave for a quick photo op. no, not related to the camp trip at all. a good picture nonetheless.

A Time For Rededication.

Okay, so I've changed my email signature to have my blog address posted to every email I send out. This is my brave attempt at forced accountability. Now if someone should perchance look at that signature and after reading some tantalizing email from me are still stinging with curiosity to hear even more about me and my family and my thoughts on the world, then I better have something here for them to read that is slightly more recent than six months. That, friends, is what we call initiative, and I am just brimming with it today. After a recent relaxing and wonderful trip to my Mom's in NC, I have emerged prepared to launch into a whole new level of Morgen. I feel like I have so much more within me I can do and learn and offer and give and I just need to stretch. So, I can't promise lots of pictures or other such sophistication, but I am going to try to write more and shamelessly use this as a conduit to practice my writing skills that have somewhat atrophied since my Graduate School days.
For now, I have put Lucy off long enough, and I think she has sung every song she can think of, so I better go rescue her from naptime. I shall return with family updates soon.

Updates and stuff. . .

Well, I think we all know about good intentions. I was full of them for blogging, but in our summer relocation to Maryland, we had some technical difficulties and so I've been without a computer and internet and energy and gumptions--okay those last two aren't really valid.
So, we are now residents in a shiny new apartment in College Park, MD. We are doing another summer with Platinum Protection. The schedule is heinous, Daman is gone from mid-morning to midnight or so every day. We seem to pass in the hall occasionally and when he is home he summons energy to play with the kids. It never fails that when I leave him with the kids I return home to a fort of some sort or the middle of a Memory game. Meanwhile, I fall asleep during Mom playtime. The other day I was laying on the ground while Isaac and Lucy played the fun game of putting blankets on Mom, pulling them off, and then crawling all over her and sitting on her head. I had the odd sensation of being very similar to the mama hogs I've seen in petting zoos, lying there in exhausted resignation while their little piglets squeal and suck and climb all over her and each other. Anyone else ever felt that way? In my defense, I am pregnant! Tada! There's our big announcement. I've never felt so tired in my vida. I was never this sick with Isaac or the Goose. I even had to run out of Church the other day to get to a bathroom. But, I should be passing out of this phase soon.
As for our two born children, they are wonderful. Lucy has started talking, which is really exciting. She is apparently really excited about it and insists on shouting everything she says. Maybe she is related to Dora the Explorer. We checked out a Dora video from the library the other day, never again. Is it just me or does it seem like she is SHOUTING ALL THE TIME? Everything she says, VAMOS AMIGOS! CAN YOU HELP ME FIND THE MONKEY'S BINOCULARS? And, it appears it is a family failing because Diego has the same tendency. Nickelodeon should really get those kids' hearing checked.
I digress. Back to updates. Daman just landed a great internship with Childhelp, an organization in Fairfax county that works with abused children. He is entering his final year of school in the Fall! Hooray! He has the internship, four classes, and a thesis to go. Baby three is due mid-January, so his final semester should prove interesting. I would sure love to treat Daman to a trip to China as a graduation present. Donations welcome. For now, our budget would probably get us to the DC Chinatown.
Isaac is learning to swim this summer. We have a pool at the apartment and he would go every day if possible. Lucy loves the water as well, but is completely unaware that she can't swim. She just assumes the steps will follow her around the pool and support her whithersoever she walks. So, keeping them both from drowning is a pretty consuming activity. I growl with envy as I see the other Platinum Protection wives sunbathing and relaxing by the pool. But, then I get to cuddle with Lucy and watch Isaac completely freak out with joy during our recent rare trip to the movie theater to see Kung Fu Panda. I think we go to the movie theater about three times a year, so this was a very big deal. I also get to watch my children throw rocks in water, sit by themselves and flip through books, and at the end of every day I get to listen to Isaac pray. I think I'll pass on relaxing poolside for those perks. It is a gift to be a mother, and I am thrilled (when not throwing up or playing exhausted mama hog on the floor) to be doing it once again.
Enough for this update--I'll post pictures when I can, but verbal pictures might have to do for awhile. Isaac just got a haircut, with scissors. This was a first for Daman, so picture Isaac disguised as a little medieval squire and you've just about got it. Lucy has the biggest blue eyes in the world, and thanks to a recent facial collision with our bed frame, an adorable albeit slightly crooked grin. She laughs and laughs and thoroughly enjoys scattering the contents of every drawer she can open. Daman and I pretty much look the same, though of course I feel like I'm swelling already. We send our love and greetings out to the world and gratitude for anyone who cares enough about us to take time to read our update. Please pass along updates to us!

Recent Birthdays. . .

Happy Birthday Big D! Daman turned 30 in January and celebrated with a Trader Joe's buffet. He got bags of dried mango (he really likes it!), peanut butter puffs, and almond butter. It was quite a special treat. Then, after dinner we had brownies, complete with hidden spinach and carrot purees. . . thanks to the Deceptively Delicious cookbook!

WOW. .

Bring on the technology. I have now added a picture, a page element of Julie and Kat's blogs and successfully caught Lucy while she fell off the table. Maybe the last one didn't take much tech savvy, but it happened while trying to work on a blog, so I count it. Now, I am going to try to add even more pictures! Step back America, Morgen is joining the future. I think I am going to try to add recipes or booklists or some other things that I feel are more useful than my family updates and personal ramblings. Then I'll feel fine about inviting people to take their time to look into my life. So I created my own white bean chili last night--I shall post that to the side and add yet one more accomplishment to this wild day of inaugral blogging. The kids and I are taking a day off today. We watched a movie, Lucy is eating her weight in cheerios, I drank far too much hot chocolate, and we are planning a craft project trip to Michael's (with my 50% coupon in hand) to fill the rest of the day--after Isaac takes his weekly forced nap. If this day seems inadequate, please comment below, but be warned, I don't take criticism well.

Two posts in six months. . . I'm on Fire!

So, I'm enjoying the rainy weather by cuddling up with Isaac and some hot chocolate, watching "Cars." I'm pretty sure it has been at least two months since we've watched this--I actually like it more every time I see it. I've been enjoying the blogs of loved ones and decided to jump in the fray. Hopefully I'll figure out how to put pictures on this thing, since my words alone are hardly entertaining. But, I'll try to paint some images. This morning Lucy woke up with a mohawk leftover from her ponytail. Her hair is officially long enough to make a spout. Pete is big and crazy and every day we go back and forth on whether or not to keep him. Am I a quitter for getting rid of him?? Last night for Family Home Evening we did a fondu (sort of) and Isaac had chocolate all over his face--that is a funny picture, right? Daman just cut his hair and I can't seem to let myself spend money to get mine cut, so it is long and shaggy and far too much like some disco star at a Nascar race. So, there are some images of our lives. We had a great Easter with the Pinnock family and are gearing up for another Platinum Protection Summer in Maryland. My biggest fear with this blogging thing is that I'm just not sure people really want to keep up with our lives. So, chatting to myself in cyberspace doesn't sound that appealing. Well, Lucy is up, so I'll try pictures next time!