Monday, February 16, 2009

So, a lot has happened...

Here's the short'ish version: after New Year's my Dad landed in the hospital with symptoms from what turned out to be a multi-tumor, highly aggressive, untreatable form of brain cancer. He then promptly had a brain hemorrhage that left him mostly paralyzed on the left side, with little ability to speak or move in general. He's confined to a hospital bed or wheelchair in a rehab center and my Mom is learning how to take care of him. We're not sure how long he has to live, but not very long. He's in remarkably good humor, smiles at everyone, laughs at jokes, enjoys company and music. My Mom is doing an amazing job -- she gets there early in the morning and leaves late at night, and stays at a hostel house for family of sick patients. This is the reason we haven't blogged in a while. I've visited a couple of times, and I'm going to bring the girls down to see him in a couple of weeks and James will fly down then, too. The whole thing royally sucks.

In girls' news, Rowan had her 15 month appointment and is doing great. She's 75th height, 90th weight, and 60th head circumference. She's got well over 30 words now, and knows 10+ animal sounds. Rowan has many 'signs' as well which she tends to make up herself. She walks everywhere, climbs on the furniture and can get down without blackening her eyes, and loves to drive Pippa crazy and imitate her every move. To the point where when Pippa had a stomach virus and had to carry a bowl around with her, Rowan insisted on having her own bowl and would periodically pretend to throw up in it. Her personality has really developed in the past few weeks and she's becoming a real 'little kid' instead of a baby. Pippa is 2 1/2 going on 16. She goes to school twice a week and still loves it, she's learning how to skip, and is trying to climb out of her crib (thankfully hasn't gotten there yet). She keeps us in stitches lately, some recent statements:

Me: How many times do I need to tell you not to throw that on the floor?
Pippa: Twenty.

Pippa: Mama, I have "pyoop" in my diaper. That's French for "poop".

Pippa: Mama, Rowan calls her binky a "buh buh". That's French for "binky".

Pippa reciting the French alphabet: queue, are, ess, tay, eww, vay.... the French alphabet has a "eww" in it. Like when I see dog poop in the yard I say "eww, please pick that up".

Pippa: Mama, I have a secret.
Me: What is it?
Pippa: I can walk.
Repeat with several variations such as I can eat, I can kick in the pool, I can sleep. Startling revelations, I know.

I asked Pippa to do something and she sighed loudly and rolled her eyes.
Me: That's really obnoxious when you do that. Are you imitating someone? (thinking it'll be someone at school)
Pippa: Yes
Me: Who?
Pippa: You, Mama.
Oops.

OK. Picture time.


So, we've had a lot of snow so far. Notice the car buried under it to the right of the truck.


The girls like to pretend they're butterflies.




Pippa's best smile.


Rowan trying to show us her stickers.




A typical winter morning in northern Maine.



And some videos:

Rowan shows her body parts.



Pippa loses her rat in an unlikely place.

Here are some more videos. Just click on the boxes - for some reason the pictures don't show up. And if you have time, even more.

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