Remember the troll dolls?

Opa and Oma thought they'd test Ilan's hair to see how long it is when straightened. The answer is pretty long and the look is pretty funny. I can't tell if he looks like an elf or a troll doll.

Why?

I knew the day would come when every statement or answer given to Ilan would be followed by the question "why?" And so it has. When I told Scott the phenomenon had betgun he responded, in his lack of experience with whydom, by saying we should be sure to give Ilan a good answer when he asks why. When I gave him a look like he was crazy, it was only because in Ilan's short couple days of whying, I realized that clearly not all why questions have good answers. Sometimes things are just the way they are because that's the way they are. God give me wisdom to know which whys deserve a good answer...and maybe some help with the answer!

29 weeks

Well, I was 29 weeks on Wednesday and it has finally become real that we are going to have another baby around. Thanks, Jen and friends from Shuvah, for the shower and all the fun things that helped me get into the swing of things. It's amazing how different the second pregnancy is. Until I saw all the baby clothes it just hadn't really set in.

Little Derek's (the newest nickname since Manny is no longer an option and Mr. Fisher became the latest sports hero last night) kicks are becoming very distinct. I'm sure I felt a little foot poking out this afternoon. We still don't have a name and we really don't have a list of names that we're trying to decide from. I suppose something will strike us the way Ilan's name did. (Speaking of which, I have just learned a new way that we will have trouble with his name. I received the e-mail confirmation for his swim classes and he was signed up as Ivan. I thought I had heard it all!)

I do wonder what this baby's personality will be like. Will he have the same zest for life that Ilan does or will he be more subdued? Will he be an introvert or an extrovert? We shall see.

All-in-all I'm feeling pretty good when I can get enough sleep. I've struggled with back pain this pregnancy, which was probably no different than pain I felt with Ilan, except that I have found a wonderful chiropractor who has really helped me feel better. Now that I know how good it feels to be pain free, I feel so awful when things flare up.

Giraffe Food

While we were at the desert a couple of weeks ago we made a trip to the living desert and Ilan had the rare opportunity to feed the giraffes.

M3 Daddy

I so appreciate that Scott wants to take an active part in parenting. When Ilan was born, Scott practically killed himself to go to school, work PT, write his thesis, and watch Ilan while I was working so that he didn't have to go to daycare. Now that I am home, it is great to know that he is also concerned about instilling in Ilan godly character. This week at the pool I agonized over whether I should interrupt when Ilan and some of the other children had arguments over the pool toys. I felt bad that I always come down on the other persons side...if it's Ilan's toy I tell him he needs to share. If it is the other child's toy I tell him he needs to wait or find something new to play with. Scott reminded me that we don't want to teach Ilan what is fair, but what is going to make him a better person.

Of course there is the fun play, too. I would never think to play with Ilan the way Scott does. It's a good thing God created dads because play time for little boys with mom would never be quite the adventure. I don't think I have ever inspired in Ilan the kind of laugh that Scott can get out of him.

M3 #2

One of the things I think is absolutely adorable about Scott is his sense of chivalry, defined as: the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, courtesy, justice and readiness to help the weak. He is the kind of man who would die for a cause he felt is worthy and I know for certain that he would give his life to protect his family. It goes without saying that Braveheart is among his favorite movies and he is always looking for a story of heroism.

Manly, Man, Mondays M3 (except today is Tuesday)

Marilee has gathered some of her fellow bloggers to start a group of women blogging about something they love, appreciate or value about their husbands each Monday. When I received the reminder yesterday (Monday), I honestly thought "Oh, good. I'll get this done in the morning." But here I am at my computer and I just realized it is Tuesday. (I'll blame it on the long weekend and our camping trip). So, my first M3 will be M2T.

The first quality I would like to share about Scott is his patience. This is a quality that I possess so minimally that his stands out like a light next to me. In situations where I am impulsive or rush to judgement, he is calm, evaluates things and will make a proper judgement when he is ready. This is true of him in major life decisions and in ordinary purchases. But mostly, he is patient with me and other people. Let's face it, I can be a jerk. Yet, he quietly abides with me and usually only teases me when the situation has blown over. I think this is part of what makes him a good teacher. He doesn't get frustrated when people don't "get it." He just patiently tries and tries again until they understand or can master it (or in my case they give up trying to play tennis). This is a quality I love about Scott and appreciate to see in him when he interacts with others.

To read what other ladies have said about their guys:
www.mishpacha.wordpress.com
http://www.tjandjessie.wordpress.com
http://www.moranandmelissa.blogspot.com/
http://lfamily5.wordpress.com
http://www.beasleyfam.com/
http://kruclan.wordpress.com/

Strawberry Fields Forever

This morning Erin and I packed up the kids in her van and drove down to Pomona to the Kellog Farm where you can pick your own strawberries. It went a little faster than I expected, mostly because if you're going to make any progress, i.e. if you want to have more strawberries in the basket than in your child's tummy, you have to pick most of them yourself! I've never seen Ilan eat so many strawberries. When I got home I understood why...perfectly sweet and as Ilan would say, "Yummy in my tummy!"

Sunny Days

Scott had a meeting at the beach on Saturday so we decided to take the opportunity to spend some family time down in San Clemente. Ilan, as usual, enjoyed the beach, but the water was a little chilly for swimming. Instead we combed the low tide and played in the sand. Next time Abba and Ima will also put sunscreen on themselves. Maybe my shoulders will feel better tomorrow.