Project 52 | six

Metadata: f / 3.5, 1/20 sec, ISO 400

We are non stop at our house. Running. Jumping. Shooting. Stacking. Kicking. Rolling. Flipping. ...taaaalkinggggg. We live by the saying "All-go-no-quit." But last week, in particular, was especially tough for this little guy: Mom had the flu so the kiddo got to take preventative Tamiflu... which we promptly stopped taking about 4 days into our "treatment".

This is, perhaps, a terrible parenting move on our part (mostly mine? I'm okay to take the blame here). Having suffered through flu as a kiddo back in the day, I did not want my cherub to feel as exhausted as I did: I remember laying on the couch and literally feeling like I was never going to get better. I remember my dad bringing me chicken nuggets from Burger King, drinking milkshakes to try and cool my fever... nothing was "good". It was awful. (Yes, indeed, I AM a big ol' baby when I'm sick -- even today).

So, when they swabbed my sinus cavities last week and it came back positive for flu, there was no question that my little guy would go ahead and start the meds to prevent him from getting sick. That is... until the second day... 

We got an e-mail from school saying that Lucas wasn't really acting himself. We assumed he was just having an off day, disciplined him as necessary, and went about our evening routine. The lack of focus was astounding: he would dutifully clear his plate from the table, but would then push over a bunch of toys off his train table (whaaat?). He would run up and hit Korey for no apparent reason. It was like every cell in his body was on overdrive: bizarre.

The next day in school we asked his teacher to pay careful attention to what sort of actions he was doing and let us know if he was improving at all. I had given him a "healthier" breakfast, packed a better snack, and we had gone to bed about 20 minutes earlier in hopes that his body just needed some better rest and fuel. But she reported the same nonsense that we had seen at home: and we both thought the same thing... wonder if the Tamiflu was causing all of this?

After a few days off the meds, the kiddo is back to his normal (talkative, non-stop active, but at least LISTENING) self. I'm not sure what was IN the Tamiflu that he was so sensitive to, but if he ever gets the flu, we will be opting for another course of treatment. Read: we'll all be getting flu shots next year.

It did, however, give us an opportunity to adjust some of our routines at home, which have been the same since he was probably two. We adjusted bed time a bit to give him 20-30 minutes of extra sleep at night, we opted for a more fibrous breakfast and better lunch choices than the quick-fixes we had grown accustomed to, and we talked about boundaries and punishments. We're realizing that Lucas is getting to the age where he can compare what he watches on Sprout or in one of his movies to the actions he does in real-life ("Beauty didn't listen, Mommy, and the Beast is going to be maa-aaad"): and we're realizing that it's just as important to exercise his sense of right and wrong as it is to allow him to run off some of that extra boy-energy.

Our last bit of adjustment happened this weekend, when we decided that nap time would not involve snuggling like bed time does at home -- instead, he'd be able to rest on his own, in his own bed, at the appropriate time. Suffice it to say that that is still a work in progress. 

And so our new routine for nap time on the weekends includes allowing him a book and a sleep toy, closing the curtains as best we can, and after 20 minutes of rest time Mommy yelling "It's okay to SLEEP! Just DO IT, kid!" :o) 

Project 52 | five

Metadata: f/ 5, 1/40 sec, ISO 1600

Here's how the conversation typically goes at our house:

Mom: "Lucas... go find some clothes out of the dresser for school."

Lucas: "Okay...."

Mom: "It's going to be chilly, so you'll need pants and a long sleeve shirt."

Lucas: "Is a pajama shirt okay, if it's long sleeved?"

Mom: "Nope. We wear PJs to bed, not to school."

Lucas: "Okay..."

::Lucas returns to living room with shorts and t-shirt::

Mom: "What do you have? Are those what we talked about?"

::Lucas looks down:: "Oh! That's silly! It's too cold for a t-shirt..."

What should take us 3-4 minutes typically takes 30... you know, before we have the right attire, it's on the right way, we've used the bathroom, we've thrown away the pull-up from the night before, the sleep toys are all dressed appropriately or hiding in the bed, teeth are brushed, and socks are on. 

My type-A tendencies dislike THIS part of our morning the most. Because I (or Korey, as it typically ends up) would be able to dress the poor kid in a fraction of the time thus allowing some extra time for catching Zzzzs. However: if we've learned anything from blogs, advice, and books -- self efficacy is a lesson even 3-year-olds can learn on some level. And this is his. 

So -- perhaps his lesson to US is that he can do it by himself (ish). Our lesson to him is to continue to find places where he can be himself and make his own choices. I might not allow him to actually walk outside in his socks and flip flops (though he may "re-discover" this look in college...), but he can choose whether to wear his cowboy boots or sneakers outside. Or his blue coat or red coat. Or his Halloween shirt in January... (which you can't see from this picture, but completes the outfit) much to his mother's chagrin...

Project 52 | four

Metadata: f / 4.5, 1/50 sec, ISO 1600

I posted this Sunday, but without the actual post that followed. Whoops.

So... our sweet, adorable, love-everybody son has dug deep into his boyhood DNA and found a new love. Nerf. Really all weaponry. Shooters (bow/arrows). Bangarang (...anything he can throw and make a huge sound). His Nerf gun his Godfather gave him for Christmas this year. He loves it all.

In light of events that have happened in the news recently (read: school shooting, violence, etc), I was very weary of letting him explore this aspect of growing up. MY adorable blonde kiddo wielding a bow and arrow and fighting the "bad" guys. But who's to determine bad guys and good guys? And what if he gets it mixed up? ...what if he becomes that kid?

And then, of course, my rational husband (and several other level-headed parents in our lives) brought me back to reality. Little boys have been playing cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, superheroes and villains, etc since the dawn of time. Our job as parents is to help him navigate the good, the bad, and the ugly, and the in-between... and oh boy is there a lot of in-between.

As we discover more about our little guy's budding personality, I'm grateful for the reminder that he wants to always be the good guy and that his focus is always on defeating evil. He reminds me when he's done something wrong that he had only forgotten the rules and that he truly is sorry. I remember the days when he discovered what it meant to truly say "I love you" to someone. It's really touching to see his mind understand what it really means to have remorse and want nothing more than to make the things around him better.

So our little moment of truth / lesson for this week includes both letting go so he can explore what is truly good or bad for his own heart, letting him take aim, and then helping him celebrate when he nails it and realize the true goodness in himself. If we decide it for him (what to aim at/what makes him good), it won't stick for very long.

...right after he uses his dragon/"flipper thingy" (catapult) /"puncher"(battering ram) to destroy the castle...

Project 52 | three

Metadata: f/ 4.5, 1/30 sec, ISO 1600

At 26 weeks in my second pregnancy, I'm doing things completely different than I did the first time. I'm more mature (obviously), "less" anxious, and feeling more prepared. I'm also listening to the wise words of my doctor: de-stress whenever you can. Fill quiet moments with rest instead of stress... a perfect message to pass on this week in our moment of truth.

Thanks to a wonderful Christmas gift from my awesome sister, a yummy half cup of coffee topped with whipped cream, and my newest indulgence: The Austin Family Chronicles Series that I began at the end of Christmas break, I continued one of my littlest resolutions for 2013: no work on Sundays. When I typically might check e-mail, grade papers, or create a hand out for my budding young adults, instead I sipped my coffee and read a chapter or two about Victoria Austin and her family's journey camping across the U.S. in the 1960s. Bliss.

Lucas might not have an "off" switch quite yet, but we read together, or chat, or tell stories... things that don't require electricity or batteries and instead provide rest from an ever-expanding world of GO! Simple and relaxing: and that is a-okay. 

Project 52 | two

Metadata: f/4.5, 1/80 sec, ISO 1600

We had a very interesting weekend visiting a few of my husband's co-workers and business partners. We were invited to a lovely meal on the side of a mountain just north of NashVegas hosted by two wonderful septogenarians. We were able to learn a lot, laugh a bit, and walk away feeling filled with love and support.

Korey is an AmeriCorps member with a non profit organization where he was able to help design and put into practice a program to help senior's stay at home instead of transitioning into a full-time care facility or nursing home. His program pairs volunteers with seniors in the area who are in need of light house work, companionship, transportation, and/or small tasks they might not be able to do on their own (read labels on food or prescriptions, read mail, etc). It's rewarding work -- but in it's beginning stages. So his job is to make relationships with people who can push this program to its fullest potential. Which means great dinner parties for us (which may or may not have included stories about Emus, owls, and Germany...)

We were also excited to find what we think is our new *home* church in Nashville. It's a bit of a tradition to give visitors bread when they come to worship with your congregation for the first time. As a New Yorker who spent a lifetime at one church, I had no idea of this practice. Since moving to Nashville and spending a year trying on different worship services we have consumed our share of bread.

Which brought us to our post today...


We shared the last two loaves of bread after our Sunday meal this evening. And we agreed -- the church we felt the most at home with also had the best bread. Coincidence? Godliness? We're not sure. We certainly did not choose our church based on the type or tastiness of their sweet treats... but it was interesting to us that our tastebuds matched our choice (which we made before tasting!)

So our lesson for our little ones is this: find different people to share a meal with... and you will most likely be exchanging more than just recipes. And that's what's most important about our human society... sharing. Internet food isn't that great either -- the best way to experience another soul is to get out there, break bread, and make memories. Sometimes the best ones are about corn-fed Emu meat... <3 br="br">

Project 52 | one

Metadata: f/4.5, 1/20 sec, ISO 1600

Since I barely kept up with the 2012 version of this photo project, I'm hoping to do better in 2013... 

I chose a concept that's pretty easy to follow and borrowed the idea from Shawna over at StyleberryBlog -- words of wisdom to impart on my kiddos throughout the year. I have lots to say on the subject (ha!) so hopefully I'll be able to match my words to the events of our weekly lives. With a blur for a three year old residing in our house, that might be easier said than done...

Our first moment of truth is one that our boy understands pretty easily: no matter what you do, do your best and put all of your heart into it. Lucas is a big time lover and will tell it to you straight about what he likes or loves. His vocabulary continues to astound us ("I still LOVE chocolate, but I would not care for any right now, thank you") and we continue to be grateful to our friends at the Farmhouse for his growing manners! Knowing that he is so emotionally connected to so many things/people/events makes us proud as parents but also a bit nervous that he'll get that heart of his broken. Perhaps a lesson for another day. :o)

Here's hoping for a healthy and blessed 2013: we will welcome a lovely addition to our family in April or May, Lucas will begin public school pre-k (he's going to be 4 already!?), friends and family will say I-do, and the Kemper family might finally take a summer vacation! Maybe. If baby is cooperating... 

With all the excitement of the New Year, our hope is to hold tight to our first lesson: no matter where we're going, what we're doing, or who we're with -- we'll build it with love in mind. <3 p="p">

52:34 | Distance

Metadata: f/ 5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO 1600

This week's (ahem-month's) post is a simple "hats off" to Skype.  I remember watching Nickelodeon as a pre-teen when the sattelite-video-phones became a big deal.  And I remember thinking, that will never have a clear picture or audio... what a waste.

Enter 2012: I can video chat with my parents in NY or call friends in Texas (and VA!) just to say hello. What a world we live in! Our family spends quite a bit of time on the computer chatting with long distance loved ones... it makes us feel more complete!

Here's to long-distance travel soon; until then -- shall we Skype?