Nervous Nellies

Ree does not do well with new situations, and she really struggles with changes in plans. In addition, she processes by learning as much as she can about the topic at hand. Consequently, thanks mostly to her dad's efforts, our house turned into a giant science lesson on hurricanes last week. We read about them, looked at pictures of them, and discussed all the possible scenarios.  By the end of the week, Ree was so into hurricanes, she was swirling her foamy bathwash in the bathtub and saying, "Look, Mom!  It's a hurricane.  It's spinning counter-clockwise!"  As a result, Ree did just fine with the hurricane.

It wasn't until the power went out on Friday night that we realized we really hadn't talked to the boys about hurricanes.  Oops.  It probably would've been okay, but we were watching a movie at the time, so there was definite drama in losing the TV.  It was already getting dark at that point, and thankfully the kids were already bathed, so we decided it was time to eat snacks.  As the kids were sitting down, Leon asked me to turn on the lights.  I did my best to explain to him that we didn't have electricity.  He thought about it for a second and then demanded, "MAMA, you turn on lights now!" 

Thankfully, the power actually came back on right before the kids went to bed.  Hallelujah!  That made life so much easier.  Everyone could go to bed with their usual fans and nightlights.  But then it went out again during the night, and so it was pretty dark when the kids woke up at 7:00 on Saturday morning.  The boys' room was especially dark since they sleep with both closed plantation shutters and a blackout curtain.  (It takes a lot to keep Michael asleep!)  Leon tries to act tough, but he is just a little kid under it all.  What he does do, though, is take care of himself.  The boys sleep with their beds touching, and Leon has repeatedly been reprimanded for climbing into bed with Michael.  (Even when I was pregnant with them, Mikey liked his space.  This has not changed.)  Leon has actually been trying very hard to do the right thing lately, so that wasn't an option for him.  Instead, on Saturday morning I discovered he had made a nest for himself on the floor next to Michael's bed, which was also further from the window than his bed.  Leon placed one blanket on the floor, and he was laying on that.  He brought over his pillow, another blanket, and all his stuffed animals, and he tucked himself in to sleep where it was safe.

Meanwhile, if Ree deals with situations by learning, Michael deals with them by talking.  Holy cow!  That boy's mouth never stopped moving on Saturday.  My jaw ached in sympathy.  I think Jeff had to laugh at some level when even I commented about the constant chatter.  Apparently this is my payback for keeping up a steady stream of noise until about the age of 23.

The Fix-It Men

The tree in our front yard actually went down Friday night before the kids went to bed, but we waited until Saturday morning to show them. We had no electricity on Saturday morning, and it was pretty dark, so I opened the boys' curtains as soon as I went in their room to wake up. They both went to the window to watch the storms and, of course, saw the uprooted tree. They just stood there staring for awhile. Michael finally broke the silence. "Need a hammer and nails to fix it."

Leon thought about it and added, "And a screw driver."

Leon paused then lit up when he realized what was truly needed. "And new batteries!"

Post Irene

So when we were buying our house, we bought what we could afford.  While I would've loved an older house with character, there was not one in a safe neighborhood with a decent sized yard even remotely in our price range.  So we ended up having to select something in the newly built, vinyl-sided suburbs.  At the time, it wasn't all bad because it least it meant the house was move-in ready, and that was a huge plus when we were moving with a 2 1/2 year old and two five-month-olds.  We also didn't think about it at the time, but it also meant the neighborhood was built with retention ponds and drainage to prevent flooding, our house had wind-resistant siding, and our roof was rated for a Category 3 hurricane.  (It can theoretically withstand winds up to 125 mph.  I am glad it has not yet been tested.)  These actually turned out to be important things the last 36 hours or so.  Our electrical lines are also mostly underground, which meant we had electricity until 4:30 this morning, and it was back on around 3:00 p.m., not bad, especially since they are predicting some people will be without electricity for days.

There were a few factors that attracted us to this particular house.  One was the big backyard with covered patio.

 

(Conveniently, Zillow still has the sellers' pictures from when we bought the house.)  The patio canopy in the picture built the dust in a storm the following spring.  So, we bought a replacement.  A winter storm took it this year.  Before buying yet another cover, we researched them.  Everything I read led me to believe they were just gonna keep on getting destroyed, so we planned to save up and replace with something more permanent next year.  However, it wasn't all that long before my inner redneck took over, and wanting a place for the kids to play in the shade, we went to Home Depot and bought a cheap tarp to cover the patio this year.  As an added bonus, we discovered it kept the sunroom about 10 degrees cooler in the afternoon.  And it turns out, unlike the canvas covers, it had no problem withstanding winds near 70 mph.  This is it, totally intact, post hurricane.  (Doesn't it make you want to run out and buy an equally stylish addition to your yard?)

 

Another thing I loved about the house was the weeping willow out front.  This picture doesn't really do it justice, but it was really quite lovely in the summer.

As we were tucking the kids into bed last night, Jeff looked out and happened to notice this.

It didn't look much better in the morning.

Once the rain and wind died down, we actually left the front porch and went to investigate.  This is the new view from the street.

Looks like we will finally have an excuse to plant flowering trees in the front.  And I have to admit, the hostas around the base make me smile.  Those little suckers are hanging on!

Nine O'Clock and All is Well (Enough)

The first really nasty rain band came through around 4:30 this afternoon. It was one of those moments where we thought, "Oh. THAT'S what they're talking about." The sheets of rain were going sideways and you could just picture some idiot in a raincoat screaming into a microphone, "Yeah, it's getting pretty crazy around here. The rain is starting to really come down." That, combined with flickering lights, made us decide to finally get serious about getting ready, so we took care of some "important" things that we hadn't gotten to like baking cinnamon rolls for breakfast and printing out fantasy football information in case Jeff is without Internet during his league's draft on Sunday.

Around 7:00 we lost electricity. Thankfully, the kids had already taken baths, so we just ate snack and squinted at a book in the semi dark. Ree was begging for a "camp in" in the living room and the boys were freaking out and running around the house when the power miraculously came back on. We quickly started the dishwasher, put laundry in the dryer, and dug out the extra candles. We are enjoying it while it lasts.

Afternoon Update

Around noon a band came through with blinding rain and strong enough winds to down branches on trees on campus. At that point my boss decided it was time for us to get out of Dodge, even if the university was still technically open. We started packing up and thankfully were able to leave during a break.

So you know how you always see news footage of long lines of cars sitting on the highway evacuating? It's true. We are just under a voluntary evacuation for the beaches, and the drive home was still nuts. I only live about 5 miles from work, and the drive takes me 9 minutes early in the morning or 15 - 20 minutes in traffic. It took me 20 minutes today just to get to Carolina Ale House which is a restaurant just off campus. Good times. While I was driving home listening to the radio, I did get to discover just how many song there are about hurricanes and storms. I feel so enlightened.

The wind and rain have been increasing all day and have been pretty steady for about the last hour and a half. At this point we are only supposed to see tropical force sustained winds with hurricane strength gusts. We shall see. It does look cool out. All the trees in our yard our tilting sideways in a perfect counter-clockwise direction.

Irene, Continued...

Yesterday was the first day of school for our local schools.  So you can imagine the annoyance of the parents and the excitement of the kids when they announced yesterday morning that the schools would be closing at noon today, presumably so they could start preparing them to be shelters.  It seemed silly, especially with yesterday morning's forecast of a tropical storm hitting late tonight.

Then we watched the updates throughout the day.  (New thing learned this week: hurricane updates occur every 3 hours at 2, 5, 8, and 11.  Our lives have not revolved around such a fixed hourly schedule since the boys were in the NICU and Michael got to eat at 4, 8, and 12 and Leon at 5, 9, and 1.)  With each update, starting at 11:00 a.m., the storm was tracking further west and closer to us.  By the 5:00 p.m. update, they were projecting landfall at Emerald Isle, which is just on the other side of Camp LeJeune near Jacksonville.  (Oh, yes, it is time for more bad graphics!)

For those who aren't so entrenched in North Carolina geography, here's what it looks like in the bigger scheme of things.

Adding to the insanity, I didn't get home until 8:00 last night.  (And the Bengals game, which was televised because they were playing the Panthers, started at 7:00.)  So I worked on getting the big kids off to bed and dealing with Natalia who was WIRED and bouncing off the walls, at least as much as one can when they can't yet walk.  Finally, after the Bengals game, we were able to start planning.  Decided to postpone Ree's birthday party, which was scheduled for Sunday, to next weekend since there is a good chance that we won't have electricity on Sunday and we are working around out-of-town guests.  Then I had to go shower and get ready for bed, because I have work today and it is business as usual.  Sorta.

(As a side note, this morning they are calling for Irene to get here earlier, but to make landfall at Cape Lookout, which is further northeast.  It's always interesting.  Oh, and as of 8:30, it is already pouring rain as the outer bands starting coming through.)

Irene Update

So this morning, the outlook for us regarding Irene is looking much better.  (The rest of the east coast is a whole other story.)  While we are still in the red,

at least we are not in the purple.  (And why is purple the color for the worst part?  Purple is a nice, soothing color.  What did purple do to get associated with doom?)

We are under a tropical storm watch, but a tropical storm ain't nothin!  We'll pick up the yard and play inside.  The same thing we've been doing since January since it is always too cold, too hot, or too rainy to play outside.

The official forecast is for 2 - 4 inches of rain (which we desperately need to put out a 2-month-old forest fire in the next county) and for winds to remain below 50 mph.  That works.  While our roof is rated to withstand a Category 3 storm, I would be really grateful not to have to find out if the claim is true.


However, if there was ever a reason to be optimistic, it's that Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel is not heading our way.  Phew.

Weird Wild Weather

It has been an interesting year for weather. It started off bitterly cold, and there were a few nights where Natalia swept swaddled with a hat on because her bassinet was on an outside wall and there was a cold draft surging through it all night. Then came late spring and it got hot and dry. And it was really hot and really dry. The upside, I suppose, is that Jeff has only had to mow the grass twice this year, once in early May and once in early August. But the past few weeks have been a special kind of crazy.

We've lived here almost four years, and in that time we've never had tornado warning, at least that I knew about. We have now had three in two weeks. Two were garden variety funnel clouds, but one was much more interesting. Several water spouts, or tornados over water, appeared. Because so few people in this town work 8-5 jobs, we know people who were at the beach and got to see the water spouts. They said they were pretty impressive, if a bit disconcerting.

Of course we are also watching Irene, and when I first checked the forecast this morning, I saw this.

Yes, they were calling for a direct hit. Always fun. But tonight it looks like the storm will turn east, which is good for us and not so great for the northern east coast. So right now we are juggling planning for Ree's birthday tomorrow, the parent orientation I am leading at preschool on Thursday, (not to mention Thursday night's Bengals game!), for Ree's birthday party this weekend if the storm turns a lot, for riding out the storm if it turns a little, and for evacuation if we get a more direct hit. Oh, and work is crazy too now. I am getting up at 5:30 and going in at 6:00 to get stuff done. (I have always preferred going in early.  You don't want to be around me if I have to work late.  I am not very effective and a total grouchy puss.)

But in the madness is a weather related story I find amusing.  This afternoon, as everyone was getting ready for naps, Jeff and Leon were sitting on the love seat in our living room, Ree was on the couch, and Michael was on the floor next to the couch.  The boys were squirming around as little boys often do.  I was at work and don't know the exact details, but I guess at one point Jeff told Leon to stop shaking the couch.  That's when Ree said, no, it's Mikey kicking the couch.  I also don't know this part, but I'm guessing there may have been a reprimand or two in there.  In hindsight, Jeff realized our wine glasses were also jingling.  Only in our house could an earthquake be blamed on twin boys.

Natalia

There is nothing sadder than a sick baby, and for the past week Natalia has been miserable.  We think it is mostly teething and teething side effects, but the poor kid has had an upset stomach and an ouchy mouth, and a fever and has just not felt good.  And the saddest part is we can tell she's been trying to be herself.  Her regular, super crazy, super curious, super energetic self.

Sometimes I wonder where Natalia came from.  I look like both of my parents and have traits of each of their personalities.  My other kids are all hodgepodges either looking or acting at least a little like me.  But Natalia is one of her own.  She looks like Ree and Michael, so I suppose she looks like Jeff.  Except she has blue eyes, and they are not my blue eyes.  But the craziest thing is her personality.  She is not even remotely like me or Jeff.

Natalia is loud.  Much louder than her brothers.  She loves banging toys on the table and splashing on the bathtub.  And she is not afraid to ask for what she wants.  She cries when she is "abandoned" and finds herself alone in a room, which I suppose must feel pretty odd when you live with five other people and two dogs.  But it's hard not to laugh at her antics.  She will be screaming bloody murder and have tears dripping down her face.  The instant you pick her up, though, it stops.  Immediately.  And she resumes her smiling and noise making.

Natalia is physical.  Weeks ago she discovered that she could get anywhere she needed to go by rolling, and she's good at it too.  The weekend after she realized she could roll with purpose I saw her spot a toy across the room.  She looked at it, looked down where she was, looked back at it, and then she tucked in her arms and rolled to it in a single movement, finishing by scooping it up and plopping it in her mouth.

Natalia knows how to take care of herself, too.  My parents just left after a long visit, and at one point my dad asked if we were giving solids to Natalia yet.  If not horrified, he was at least taken aback as I admitted, "I've been meaning to give her solids, I just keep forgetting to buy them."  But it's true.  And it's not like I need anything fancy.  We had already decided not to mess around with spooning baby food to Natalia.  We were going to take the self-feeding approach, which is mostly what we did with the boys anyway.  So two weeks ago, Natalia got a bit of banana to eat, and she tried it on a couple of occasions, but she really wasn't that impressed.  During all the teething drama, Jeff plopped her in her high chair one day last week and gave her a tray full of Cheerios.  She went to town, scooping them up and putting them in her mouth, where she gummed them with her two teeth. 

Because she knows what she wants, Natalia can be exhausting.  The sweet little baby who slept through the nights has been gone for the past two months, replaced by a little demon who wants to stay up til the wee hours to hang out with us and then getting up many, many times during the night to check on me.  But again, the stinkpot is so happy if her needs are met.  She and I have spent many, many hours sleeping together on the couch (I know, not safe, but neither is not sleeping), and as soon as we go to our "love nest" she quiets down and passes out.  We've also rearranged the bedroom so she can co-sleep, and even on her most quiet nights, she will pass out quickly once we are nestled in together.

As demanding as she can be, I can't wait until she feels better and is her energetic, happy, order giving self again.

The Pail of Water

Leon continued his nursery rhyme analysis at bedtime last night.  We had just finished singing "Jack and Jill" when he decided to dissect it.

Leon: How'd he break his crown?
Me: He broke it when he fell down and bonked his head.
Leon: And he had to go to bed? (I think he was mixing in a bit of "It's Raining, It's Pouring")
Me: Yup.  He bonked his head really bad and had to go to bed.
Leon: What happened to the water?
Me: (Huh????  Water?  Oh yeah, the pail of water.) It spilled when he bonked his head.
Leon: (Pauses to think.)  And he went to bed?
Me: Yes.
Leon: When he gets up, he needs a towel.  And a mop!
Me: Does he need to clean up the water?
Leon: (Very serious).  Yes.

Jack will not get out of cleaning duty on Leon's watch, even with a bonked head and broken crown.

Sleeping Like (Almost) Angels

I know I have much, much, much to write and catch up on.  And it will happen eventually.  Maybe even before my grandkids enter kindergarten.  But for now, here is a quick pic of the boys.  I am fairly certain this is the first photo of them sleeping since they were itty bitties.  I am normally not ninja enough to catch both of them asleep, especially Michael who would wake up if the neighbors three doors over turned on the TV.  I happened to take this photo on the afternoon of our anniversary.  We took the kids swimming that morning, which was our first water adventure with just our family.  We did not have to call the paramedics, and everyone made it home alive from that jaunt, so I would call it rather successful.  As an added bonus, the kids were exhausted.  I actually took this picture as an attempt to wake the boys up at 5:15 for dinner.

Notice how the beds are touching.  This is an absolute requirement for Leon to be able to sleep.  That's also Leon draped over Michael's bed.  If we let him, I'm sure Leon would always sleep in Michael's bed.  And, yes, the boys sleep with that many blankets even when the heat index is 115.