AliBlog

Have you ever heard of a kid who starts with the pacifier at 18 months?

I could do a whole series of posts on the differences between Robey and Moe. Their different demeanors, attitudes, habits, development patterns and so on. I notice these things and ponder their likenesses too, but I hesitate to put so many comparisons into print.

I could also do a whole series of posts on the challenges we've faced with Moe. Nothing atypical, mind you. Just your standard strong-willed, over-active toddler boy challenges and your not-so-standard, six-month stretch of non-stop ear infections. But we're past that, I hope. And, again, I haven't found it appropriate to use this blog as a platform for negativity.

Instead, let me repeat what I said recently when asked what makes parenting Monroe at 18 months more challenging than parenting Robey when he was 18 months old.

"Two things," I said. "Robey would watch TV, and Robey would take a pacifier." Ultimately, both of these things meant that we could get Robey to SIT STILL and BE QUIET. We could silence screams and distract him with bright, shiny programs for long stretches at a time. And most of the time, we could get him to go right to sleep as long as he had his blankey and pacifier.

Just this week Monroe started sitting still in front of the television for up to 15-minutes at a time time, a record for Moe. And last week? Last week he started taking a pacifier ... at 18 months.

Monroe started refusing a pacifier when he was 9 months old, which happened to be during that period of chronic ear infections. Since then, when he found pacifiers in the toy box now and then, he'd stick one in his mouth upside down and walk around the house smiling right past the plastic plug. For 30 seconds. He thought the things were ridiculous. Last month, however, he found one at my mom's house and took to it. He wouldn't give it up when we left, and asked for it again the next day. From that day forward, whenever he found one in the toy box, he'd latch on to it and scream when we took it away.

We laughed it off for a few weeks, but now we're remembering what wonderful tools they are - and we're giving them to him at night. Why? Because Baby Girl Bolen will be here in a couple weeks, and anything we can do to simplify our life with the boys is a welcome relief.

Are we nuts? Maybe - but I can't help remembering how easy it was for Robey to give up the plug, and he was completely addicted for almost three years. Plus, I can't help thinking that maybe it's some kind of wacky answered prayer.

Mommyblog stereotype alert

With kid number three arriving in two short weeks, it's really not possible to put it off any longer: We're in the market for a minivan.

Who has recommendations? What year/make/model do you drive? What do you like/dislike about your minivan?   

Current list of things Robey wants to be when he grows up

• Reporter
• Race car
• Rock star
• Polar bear
• Whale
• Turtle
• Swing man ("So I can teach everyone to swing who doesn't know how.")

A good weekend at home, in photos

Robey teaches Moe how to play Pirate:

Moe shows us how cute he is, on demand:

The boys help peel apples for a pie:

Pete visits from Oklahoma:

Name that band

It's Halloween night, so naturally they take the stage in costume. Or three out of four of them do anyway. One as Dolly Parton, one as Greg Maddux and one as a skeleton. Their stage banter is constant, urbane, giddy. At first I think they wear their fame uncomfortably but after a few more songs and a few more unrehearsed cracks between songs, I think: No. They're not wearing their fame at all. And that's only one of the biggest truths of the night.

Another truth comes when Jeromy says, "They're the cast of Seinfeld with string instruments," and I see it exactly. Elaine on the fiddle, Jerry on mandolin, George on guitar and Kramer on the upright base. Only, this George is an unusually quiet George. And this Kramer is silenced by a non-functioning mic. Actually, we learn, he's mic'd with the Secrets Among Friends Mic. Whatever that is. Did you know such a thing existed?

Another truth comes when I say, "You haven't lived until you've seen a skeleton clog." Still true. And this skeleton. He clogged until his bones dangled, ready to unhinge into a pile.

They play folk-infused pop, traditional bluegrass, Beatles cover songs and encore without shirts. George and Jerry (or Maddox and himself) (or if you want the truth, Chris and Sean) re-enter the stage bare chested. They are white, nearly hairless, untoned and clearly embarrassed. Chris says, "We realize this is in poor taste. But I think we can all agree on two things. One, Halloween is in poor taste. And two, Britney Spears is in poor taste."

Then they launch into a Britney Spears cover song. Accompanied by a screeching fiddle and a skinny white boy dance. It's her most recent song. The one she botched at the MTV awards. I don't know the title but Chris sings it better than Brit ever intended.

Then they play a few more traditional songs. And somewhere within the encore, they cover a Jackson Five song with Dolly/Elaine (okay, her name is really Sara) singing the lead for little Michael.

Damn, was it a performance. A wild ride. Not just a concert - but a show.

Can you guess yet who it was? It was Nickel Creek, saying farewell to a town they'd never even told hello ... and we miss them already.

Who's in your dreams?

My children do not appear frequently in my dreams but my husband does. Other than Jeromy, random people and unknown people appear as regularly in my dreams as the people I see and talk to everyday. Is this true for you too? Jeromy says it's pretty much the same in his dreams, and my mom agrees that my brother and I don't show up in her dreams very much either.

Sing it, sister

Has this one been around for awhile? My boss sent it around the other day & I had to share. If you're a mom or a dad, or if you've ever had a mom or a dad (that about covers it), you'll relate.