Mark of Fridays: Big Bruyyer

Mark has spent most of the last few weeks adjusting to being a Big Bruyyer (his pronunciation).  So far, he's learned that he has to share mom and dad's attention.  This has been a big big adjustment for a kid who's grown used to being the center of everyone's universe.

"What if Anne and I need something at the same time?"  he asks.

We tell him that whoever's needs are more important will come first.  If Anne has a dirty diaper and you want to hear a story, Anne is first.  If you are hungry and Anne wants a snuggle, then you're first.

As a result of this conversation, Mark has become quite good at turning every request into an impending crisis.  Suddenly, there is a lot of yelling and crying in our house.

But, he has also learned to share willingly with his new little sister.  Although the picture on the right  sort-of looks like Mommy Elmo is giving Anne a surprise tackle, Mark actually put her there to give Anne a lovie at bedtime.  Quite a gesture from the little guy, we thought.... as long as Mommy Elmo's crusted-on dirt didn't get too close to Anne's mouth.

Mark has also learned that big brothers also have to help mom and dad a lot.  He fetches diapers, binkies, and even tries to instruct our guests in what Anne might need.

The other night, we even convinced Mark that he is SUCH a good big brother that he could even try holding his new sister.  He handled her like a champ, and she didn't even cry.

The result:  what Matt says is his new best-ever lifetime moment.

Look Alikes?

Almost everyone in our family expected Anne to be a redhead.  Even Lynne and Matt thought it was likely they'd end up with a curly redheaded kid named Annie.

Then she was born with all that dark hair and skin that looks like it will be olive.  If we hadn't been the only ones in the operating room when she was born, Lynne would have questioned whether they'd mixed her up with somebody else's baby.

Now everyone who comes to meet Anne asks us who we think she looks like.  Our best answer:  We think she looks a little bit like Mark.  Not carbon copies, of course, but at least close enough to be siblings.  What do you think?

Mark of Fridays - Anne edition

 

Introducing Anne Carol Hanley!

Finally able to get on the computer. Introducing the world's youngest Mets fan and newspaper reader.

Baby: Anne Carol Hanley; 8 lbs, 11 oz; 21 inches; born at 9:16 a.m. Jan. 23; healthy and very content with long eyelashes and dark brown hair

Mom: Recovering nicely; looks beautiful; up and walking around

Brother: Says she has a cute nose; drew pictures for her; overall, seems more interested in the snow

Dad: If he was any happier, they'd find a way to tax it.

Note

A few folks have wondered what happened to the pictures. Well, we have wondered, too. There has been some change to the blogspot coding which makes it almost impossible to load pictures that are not already on a site or from a phone.
Hopefully we'll figure out what's going on soon. Because there are some things we'd like to post pictures of! (You know, like soon-to-be-born babies.)

L&M&M

Mark of Fridays: Updates

So, if you've been checking this blog regularly, you may have noticed that we haven't posted anything for a long time.  We apologize.  But we thought we'd post some updates (to keep you informed) and then some Christmas pictures of the Little Man (which is what you all want to see anyway).

So, updates first.

Sweetie is scheduled to arrive next Thursday, January 24.  The doctors warned us all along that she might come early, but she does not seem especially motivated to move out of her cozy confines.  She does, however, do a lot of stretching and kicking to prepare for her big debut.  Lynne is already thinking we'll need a baby leash.

Lynne is officially on maternity leave.  That means she gets to play with Mark all day (as long as there's not a lot of getting up and down off the floor) and listen to his daily, 8 hour monologue.  So far this week, they've had long discussions about:  presidents and presidential assassinations, whether God was always a grown-up or if he was ever a kid, what countries Mark would like to visit when he's a world traveller, the planets and whether aliens live on any of them, how the weather man predicts the weather, and fractions.

Matt has officially left the Beacon-News and started his student teaching.  His former colleagues threw him a very well-attended yet bittersweet Leaving Journalism Party on Jan 4, and he began student teaching in a 5th grade classroom in Naperville on the following Monday.  So far he really likes his cooperting teacher and the kids in his class.  He's taught two lessons, taken over discussions with two reading groups, and is angling to take over instruction in spelling and vocabulary in the next week or so.  Over dinner, Lynne and Matt now discuss things like differentiated instruction, IEPs, and the new teacher evaluation system.  It is nerdy but awesome.

And Mark is much the same:  a happy, very verbal little guy who loves his Christmas books and toys and is (he thinks) excited about becoming a big bruyyer next week.

Quotation Mark Mondays: Catching up

Christmas, the end of the semester, and a whole bunch of other stuff have put us a bit behind lately. We promise to add some photos soon, but in the meantime enjoy Mark's latest quotable quotes.

This weekend, Mark got to meet Casey Crosby, a major league baseball player. Before Mark and Matt went up to Casey, Matt had prompted Mark to ask Casey about what team he played for and what position he played so they'd have something to talk about.
Mark: "What team do you play for?"
Casey: "The Tigers."
Mark: "What position do you play?"
Casey: "I'm a pitcher."
Mark: "What's your number?"
Casey: "I'm number 43."
Mark: "What street?"
Matt: "Um, I think he was telling you the number on his jersey, not his house."

(later)
Lynne: "Did you get to meet the baseball player?"
Mark: "Yeah. He doesn't know what street he lives on."

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After Lynne and Matt were singing Santa Claus is coming to town.
"You only have to be good in the months that are close to Christmas, when Santa is really watching."

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While in line to see Santa
Lady in line in front of us to her children: "It might snow this week."
Mark: "No, not until Dec. 21st."
(Because, as Mark pointed out, that's the official first day of winter. So no snow until then.)

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Now, the sentimental one:
"I'm such a good boy because I have a good mommy and daddy."