Monday, October 30, 2006

Love your brother...

We live at the end of a dead end street, and the only cars that ever come all the way past our mail box belong to me, Daddy, someone coming to visit us, or the neighbor who lives across the road.

It's a good location for toddlers who haven't yet learned that wandering into the road is not very safety conscious.

I was raking leaves today, and the boys were playing outside. The leaf pile must be right by the road so they can be picked up, so we were all down by the street.

Devin wandered into the street twice. The first time, I told him to come back into the yard after Trevor started screaming for him to get out of the road. Trevor has learned the lesson about not playing in the road. He has learned the lesson, indeed. I gave Devin a chance to come back to the yard on his own, and when that didn't work, I went after him. He started running up the road in his own version of the "come-get-me-game." He has NOT learned the lession about road safety.

A few minutes went by, and Devin wandered from the leaf pile to the road once again. Once again, Trevor yelled for Devin to get out the road. Again, I tried to give Devin a chance to come back on his own. Before he really even had a chance to get back in the yard, Trevor yelled, "GET BACK HERE! I WON'T HAVE A BROTHER!" At that point, I just retrieved Devin. Trevor got a little quieter, but he kept talking about how he wouldn't have a brother if Devin played in the road.

I pointed to the line that seperates our driveway from the road and told Devin he could not cross it because it is not safe to do so. He said, "kay." I think we're all good now.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Wake Up, Dad (and Trevor)

Devin likes to wake up before the rest of us, go downstairs, get some breakfast and go watch TV every now and then. He did just this thing this morning. After awhile, he came back upstairs because he was poopy. While he was back in our bedroom, I told him to wake up dad. He said, "Way, Da! Way, Da!" Then I told Devin to tickle Dad awake. So, he pulled his hand away from his face and said "Way, Da! Way, Da!" again.

Now that Dad was awake, I told him to try and wake up Trevor. I had a fleeting thought how this could end badly. But I did not heed that thought. Devin started shaking Trevor awake and tried to pull his blanket away. Trevor pulled back his blanket and said, "ROOOAAAARRRR!"

No joke. Trevor roared at Devin first thing this morning.

I asked him later why he roared at Devin. He said it was because he wanted to wake himself up.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

More on Boo-ing

So, we got boo'd again last night. I hung my ghost just like I was supposed to, but I guess the ghost that dropped off the new treats just didn't see it.

Or, Trevor had another theory.

He thought that maybe what happened was the ghost who boo'd us the second time snuck in, took down the ghost sign, dropped off the goodies, and then put the sign back up.

It's a pretty good theory, especially since Trevor had already taken the sign down once himself.

Monday, October 23, 2006

You've been Boo'd!

There is a tradition of Boo'ing in our neighborhood. In this tradition, that is at least 3 years old, a neighbor will leave a bag of Halloween goodies at our door with a ghost and a note. We hang the ghost to show that we've been boo'd, and then we Boo two more neighbors.

We got boo'd on Saturday night. And, Trevor has not stopped asking questions about the ghost who left the bag of goodies. Yesterday night, it was our turn to boo. Trevor wanted to get dressed up like a ghost, but he settled for a power ranger. Devin put on his batman costume. We filled a bag with candy, and we gave Trevor these very specific instructions: Drop the bag in front of the door, ring the doorbell, and run home as fast as you can.

Daddy and I watched from the porch.

He was stealthlike as he strode across the median on the way to the neighbor's house. If it weren't for his bright green costume, I'm sure no one would have even seen him. Devin plodded behind gracefully with slight pigeon toes. Trevor continued with his stealthlike stride as he climbed the two steps to the neighbor's porch. Devin had to climb. No stealth there.

Trevor dropped the bag and passed Devin, who was still climbing to the porch, on his way home. Devin turned around so that he could return home. Right before Trevor reached home, he said loudly, "I CAN'T FIND THEIR DOORBELL!"

Daddy converted into stealth mode and went back to the neighbor's porch to help find the doorbell. Devin turned back around so that he could continuing BOO'ing. Daddy read a sign on the neighbor's door that said, "Don't use the doorbell, please knock."

He instructed Trevor to knock, so he did. Then, stealth mode returned, and Daddy and Trevor rushed off the porch.

Daddy rushed all the way back to our porch. Trevor rushed all the way back to our driveway. Devin just stayed on the neighbor's porch.

Since Trevor was in charge of this boo'ing, he turned and yelled for Devin, "COME HOME DEVIN! DEVIN, COME HOME!" until, finally, Devin plodded home, slightly pigeon toed, in his batman costume.

Did the neighbors catch the boys boo'ing them? No.

I'm pretty sure they weren't home.

More Language

Devin is talking more and more, he's got pretty good retention, and he's forming sentences.

He likes for me to carry him to the basement in the morning so that he can watch TT (TV). We have a little routine. He stands at the top of the stairs, yells "WAIT ME!", I go down two steps, he hands me his food and drink, and then he "jumps" into my arms. As we get to the landing, and he makes comments on the pictures we have there (that we have had there as long as he can remember.) His comments include "Tra-Tra" (Trevor), "Bay-bay" (Devin Baby), Cat.

We got some new books recently that showcase emergency vehicles. Each of them mention the emergency number, 911. The first time I read the books, I tried to teach Trevor the emergency number in case he needed to call it sometime. I would ask him later, "what's the emergency number?" and Trevor would say "9-1-1."

When I ask Devin the same question, I actually get the same response, except it's more like this: "ni-wuh-wuh." He also knows his ABCs. He even sings it. A-B-C. He stops there.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

An Exceptional Kid

Trevor has always been exceptional, and we've known that for a very long time. Most kids do not get a belly button infection, for example. But, Trevor did. The doctor was so surprised to see his belly button infection that she had an older doctor confirm what she was seeing. Then, we had to take him back to the doctor every day for 3 or 4 days, including a Sunday, for a belly button check and antibiotic shots.

But, the rare belly button infection was nothing compared to his first week of life.

After being discharged from the hospital, we took our new son home, and I proceeded to take care of him as well as I could. I was nursing. Since he was our first child, I was new to nursing, had no idea what "let-down" felt like, and marvelled at how I could nourish this newborn baby.

He was a little jaundiced when he was discharged, but his level was so low that their guidelines allowed him to be discharged. We were instructed to bring him back the next day for a repeat bilirubin check.

We took him back to Condell, where he was born, for his first re-check. It was the middle of the day, probably 1:00. I had already noticed that his mouth was dry, and I thought I should ask the phlebotomist about that, but I didn't. And, she wouldn't have been the right person, anyway.

When the doctor got his results, she called and told us to take him to Victory for another check. Victory has a bad reputation, but it was closer. After a couple of hours, she called us back and told us to do another recheck. We took him to Victory again. Daddy and I were getting a little uneasy. Neither of us had any idea what was so serious about a little jaundice. You can cure it with sunlight, for goodness' sake!

A little after the third re-check, the doctor called us and told us to take him to the ER because his level was bilirubin level was rising quickly.

During this day, third day of life, I think, I had noticed his mouth was getting dry. In hindsight, he was also becoming lethargic and losing interest in trying to eat, but babies sleep alot, and I just didn't think too much of the dry mouth or even notice the lethargy. I've always been around babies, but never had to care fulltime for a newborn. I didn't realize it wasn't normal for a baby to have absolutely no moisture in their mouth.

We took him to the Victory ER. Daddy and I were both scared at this time. We didn't know why, yet, but we were both very scared. It took about an hour for us to get admitted. During that hour, we called the doctor and asked if we should stay at Victory because they weren't getting us a room. She had told us they would have a room ready for us. She assured us we should stay put.

When Trevor finally got to the room, the doctor got to work right away. I don't remember exactly what happened, but the doctor told us, "You have a very sick baby." I think Doctors only use these words when they want to prepare you for the worst, but that didn't occur to me at the time. I just wanted to know what we needed to do fix him. The doctor continued, "the jaundice is the least of your problems. Your baby is very dehydrated."

I had tunnel vision, I think, and all I could see was the doctor. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Daddy was green and about to pass out. I think I may have hollered, "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?" The doctor asked a nurse to get him a soda.

They took Trevor to a room across the hall, and they kept my screaming newborn in there for about an hour while they tried to insert an IV. They tried his arms, his legs, and finally settled in his head. His veins had started to collapse because of the dehydration.

The thing that is so scary about this to me is that I never asked about his dry mouth, and the doctors were only concerned about his jaundice. The jaundice, left unchecked, could cause permanent brain damage. The dehyrdration would have just killed him. I think if it was known how sick he was, we never would have waited an hour in the ER. I think they would have seen him or sooner, or we would have driven to another hospital.

The doctor ordered that his blood be checked every hour for sodium and bilirubin levels. The first check showed things were getting better. The second check, the sodium levels were normal. The doctor was NOT pleased with this, though, because the levels were falling too quickly. Things were adjusted, and his dehydration was under control by the next morning.

He was in the hospital for the next 5 days in an incubator under and top of lights with his little eyes covered. I think I stayed every night, and I was able to sleep part of the night by the third night. I think they brought me a bed by the fourth night! My ankles became swollen for the first time ever, my skin became dryer than ever, and I was Trevor's primary care-giver. I changed him, weighed his diapers, nursed him once my milk came in, and gave him bottles of formula. The woman who brought me food was very pleasant and helpful, the nurses, not so much.

The problem was my milk hadn't come in. The bilirubin levels weren't falling because he wasn't peeing because he wasn't getting any milk, and he became dehydrated for the same reason. And, our baby was very sick.

After this, I would tell anyone who would listen to watch for signs of dehydration in their new baby! But, there was really no need. Trevor is just an exceptional kid, most kids don't nearly die from dehydration and jaundice in their first few days of life even if their mother's milk doesn't come in. Trevor was just an exception. He's just always been exceptional. I expect he always will be.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

a Trevor-ism

We were out shopping today. To be honest, I thought I would have time to get Devin some great birthday present before his birthday, but it didn't work out that way. So, we had been shopping at Toys'r'us for Devin's birthday. We got him a Bob the Builder Factory, 1 monster truck, a little golden book with a Baggy Saggy Elephant toy, and a T-shirt that says, "I do my own stunts." (We got one of these for Trevor, too, so they'll match.)

Anyway, as we walked outside of Toys'r'us into the brisk afternoon, Trevor said, "it's so 60 degrees!"

******************************************************************
Here's my next story...

The monster truck that we got for Devin was actually one of a three pack that we got for the boys to share. Trevor was explaining that he got two and Devin got one. When Trevor said, "TWO", Devin responded, "TWO!" So Trevor told him "No, Devin, you don't get Two!"

Devin responded, "Two!"

"No, Devin, you just get one!" Trevor said.

"One," Devin responded.

Those aren't the exact words, but you get the idea. It was a real "Who's on First?" moment.

More Devin Birthday Pictures




Daddy becomes a target of chocolate cake fingers


All the presents.


Trevor looks for his presents.


Devin is saying "Pooh" here because the birthday card has a picture of Pooh (Winnie the Pooh, that is.)




He needs a little help with the ribbon.


But, then he's good to go.


Trevor's feeling a little left out.




But Grandma and Grandpa didn't forget about him!


What's in this box?


It's a car! (And that's what Devin is saying in this picture.)


Here, I think Trevor said, "Do you want help, Devin?" and Devin said, "Yeh."


Trevor continues to be a helpful young man.

THE END

P.S.

And, here's what Daddy got himself for Devin's Birthday.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Devin's Birthday

First, we make the cake and clean the beaters...


Then we decorate the cake...

(mine)

(Trevor's)

(mine and Trevor's)


The Birthday Boy watches the preparations.


Light the candles!


Blow out the candles.


Pick your cake and eat!


Show us your beautiful baby blues.


ENJOY the cake.


Pose with Mommy


He's licked the icing off of cake #1 and he's choosing cake #2 here.


He's begging for cake #2 here.


"No cake #2!" I say as I wag my finger at my 2 year old boy.




TACO (instead of cheese...it's all the rage with the preschoolers!


We have a beautiful family. SEE!

I've been at this long enough. More Bday pictures later!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Delightful and Delighted

Trevor is delighting me today.

Snow was in the forecast today, and I had mentioned this to him yesterday. The first thing he asked this morning when he woke up was, "who is going to watch us while we play in the snow?"

Then, it was time to go to work. Since snow was in the forecast, and it was cold outside, Daddy put Trevor's winter coat on him. The coat and his carseat were not very compatible. Trevor was getting frustrated, and he wanted his coat off. He told us he was warm. He said, "I'm hot! My shirt is called a sweatshirt!"

We took his coat off.

Yesterday on the way home, I asked him to look at the beautiful trees in a forest preserve. Fall is actually lovely in this part of the world this year (although it did, in fact, snow today). Trevor exclaimed, "Oh, my! It's so nice!" I was pleased we could enjoy the beauty together. But, he continued, "the headlights are so AWESOME! And, the tail lights, there are so many of them, and they are so pretty!" He used all his big adjectives and lots of excitement to describe the beautiful lights of traffic he was seeing.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

My biggest problem as a parent

My biggest problem as a parent is that I'm lazy. Sometimes, it's easier to give in and give a cookie than to be consistent with the no cookies before lunch rule.

I do need to work on this, and I have been for the last two days. It's called refusing to negotiate with my children. I picked it up from Nanny 911.

I think it's working. I feel like a powerful mother. And, it's really easier to take one stand and not flip-flop from it. (I just have to keep telling myself that).

I get literal, though. During a few tantrums, I told Trevor his tantrums wouldn't get him anywhere because I wasn't negotiating with him. So, once, he flapped his arms at me and said, "I'm not negotiating with YOU!"

But, back to being lazy...

Sometimes, I have things that need to be taken upstairs, but I'm too lazy to take them. So, I toss them up the stairs. I did that today, and Trevor said, "Wow, Good Toss, Mom!"

I suppose it's no wonder he wouldn't even get off the couch to tell his Dad his coffee was ready.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

An Apology and a note on safety

Yesterday, I did about 10 things for Trevor, and this was first thing in the morning, and I am so cranky first thing in the morning as it is. After doing about 10 things for Trevor (getting him toast, getting him milk, getting him cereal, etc.) I asked him to do one thing for me.

I had made coffee for me and Daddy, and I had yelled down to the basement where Daddy was, that his coffee was ready. He didn't acknowledge me, so I assumed he didn't hear me. So, I asked Trevor to go downstairs and tell his Daddy that we had coffee for him. I think my exact words were, "Go tell Daddy that coffee is ready."

Can you guessed what happened next?

Trevor yelled as loud as he could, "DADDY, YOUR COFFEE IS READY!" He didn't even yell from the top of the stairs. That kid did not even get off the couch to tell his dad that coffee was ready.

I was a little exasperated, but it got me to thinking how all I asked was one little thing after I had done 10 things for him. And, although he did it, and he didn't complain, he certainly didn't do it as well as I had hoped he would.

So, Mom and Dad, I am sorry for all those times that I refused to do those little things you asked me to do, or did half-assed, or did, but only begrudgingly. I'm sorry. :)

As far as safety goes, I've often said that Trevor takes risks with caution, and Devin just takes risks. But, that's not precisely true. A few months ago, I took the boys to Wal-Mart, and I forgot to buckle Devin in to his carseat. He told me about my mistake almost immediately by yellin "BUU, BUU, BUU."

I guess he's safe when it really counts.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Devin's Language Acquisition and Big Brother Angst

Devin is continuing to acquire language at a pretty good clip. For 2 or 3 weeks now, he's been saying "ready, set, go!" when he's racing cars, racing me, or just playing. Earlier today, we were playing peek-a-boo (fun for all ages!) and I was covering my face and saying "Where's Mommy?" He responded, "therooare." I think this might be his first sentence. I interepreted this sound to mean, "There You Are." And, he said it every time I asked, so it wasn't a fluke.

A few minutes ago, he was repeating everything I said (sorta) so I tried to teach him his ABCs. He got a far as C. Not bad.

Trevor continues to be a good big brother. If he hurt Devin everytime Devin hurt him, we would be an unhappy family, indeed. On our grocery trip from last week, Devin attempted to lay on Trevor as they rode in the front seat of the little fire truck. Trevor started sayin loudly, "I'M NOT A PILLOW! I'M NOT A PILLOW!" When Devin hits Trevor with his hands and uses another word he knows, "Bang!", Trevor yells, "I'M NOT A DRUM. I'M NOT A DRUM!" Trevor is just really good at using his words to tell Devin that he doesn't like what he's doing.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

That Little Devin

He really is the cutest thing.

This morning when he woke up, he came into the bathroom with me. It made him unhappy because the light was so bright, and he was a little whimpery. He was a little something else, too, but I'm not sure what.

One of the words he knows is "shirt." I had just gotten out of the shower, and I was drying off. He handed me a shirt out the dirty laundry pile and cried a little. I put it down, so he handed me another shirt from the same pile and cried a little when I put it down. I don't know if he has a problem with my nudity, of if he just wanted me to get dressed so that I could go downstairs and get him some breakfast. Lately, all he wants to eat is Cer-cer (cereal.) He also like ju (juice) cha mil (chocolate milk) CHA MIL (chocolate milk now, please) toe (toast), Nana (banana) and gray (grapes). He also likes raisins, but I'm not sure he knows any word for raisins. He doesn't really have a word for grapes normally. He gets a bowl and tells me "more". This is also his way of telling me to go out and buy some grapes because his bowl is empty and I have no grapes to fill it with.

But, I've digressed.

After getting him some cer-cer and mil and raisins, I went ahead and set him in front of the TV, as is our custom now. When I went to get him so that we could leave, I said, "Let's go!" He replied, "No way!" I turned off the TV, and he said, "No way!" Then he noticed that the TV was still on (the receiver was off so there was no picture) and he said, "TT AH!" This meant either meant TV On or TV off, I couldn't really tell. We went upstairs to put socks on, and some other question caused him to respond, "No Way!" again. Then, he pushed Trevor, got a time-out, and after it was over went and told Trevor (Tra-Tra, which sometimes sounds like Tricia) Sor-Sor (sorry) and gave him a little hug, kiss and pat on the back. (That last part really happened last night).

In the car on the way to work, he was sad, just crying and crying. "Why are you sad?" we asked. "Use your words," we told him. He did try to use his words, but we didn't understand, so he continued to be sad. Trevor thought he knew why.

"He doesn't like being a toddler," Trevor told us.

So, as Devin on the verge of turning 2, he's the cutest little man I know with a fantastic little vocabulary when it comes to food and TV. He's also a little ornery and he's getting more and more familiar with the Time out chair. Being a toddler might make him sad every now and then if Trevor knows what he's talking about, but we certainly love him loads.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Grocery Outing

Even though my fridge and cabinets are full, we have nothing to eat. Too much junk and empty containers. I need to get serious and throw some things out! So, yesterday, the boys and I took the opportunity to go buy some groceries. Usually, one kid on a grocery outing is one kid too many, but I was clever. I went to Dominick's, got a buggy that looked like a firetruck, BUCKLED THEM IN, and got them Hot Chocolate and a cookie at Starbuck's.

They got comfortable, kicked their shoes off, and mostly, they were good.

Until the end of our trip...

We watch the Simpson's almost every day, and as a result, I'm going to have to find a church (Trevor likes to ask about God who appears on the Simpsons every now and then) and the boys have a few bad habits. One of their bad habits, picked up from the Simpsons, is to repeat the word, "die!" over and over and over. And, then start again.

My cart was full, and I was searching one last thing...raisins. The boys began their chorus of "Die! Die! Die! Die!" I pretended I didn't know them, but since I was pushing their buggy, it was an ineffective ruse! Another mother was pushing her kids in a firetruck cart, and she offered no sympathetic glance at all. I think her lips were pursed in a disapproving stare (Or, could it have been her own grocery outing angst? She had THREE KIDS!) I could tell she thought I was a horrible mother. I got in line right behind her. Fixed her wagon, that's what I did. Inside, though, I was dying because her cart was as full as mine and there were no other open lines and even though my children had been yelling "Die! Die! Die! Die!" over and over, I still felt it was a successful trip that would end badly if I didn't check out immediately.

Fortunately, a manager came by and sensed my anxiety. He opened a new line. Devin immediately started grabbing for candy, and Trevor immediately told on him. I repositioned my buggy, threw all my items on the conveyor, and then pushed the buggy out of the line up by the bag boy. "They're your problem now!" I told him. He wasn't amused, but the cashier, a mother of five, was.

That's the end.

"Die! Die! Die!"

Absurd is good

Daddy and I sometimes make absurd suggestions to each other for fun. I picked this habit up from Daddy.

This morning on the way to work, we passed a Chili's that is currently under construction. I suggested to Daddy that we have Dinner at this Chili's tonight. Trevor said, "No, we can't have dinner there. That Chili's is still in the dirt."

Then, he added, "But don't worry, Guys. We can just eat at another Chili's."

Two things I like about this: 1) I like when he tells me not to worry and 2) I like when he calls us "Guys."

Monday, October 02, 2006

The Present


The look says the spaghetti was unacceptable!


I took about 6 of these pictures in front of the burning bush. This one is the best.


But this was a close second.


I like this one.


But, this is my new favorite of Trevor. Trevor in macro mode.

See below for some action shots:




Swinging is fun!




It's like living in a park.
This was actually just last week, and I don't know why it looks so much like summer back there, but it certainly does.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

History

I've been thinking that a nice addition to my blog would be a recounting of our "finding out" that the boys were on their way.

It took a while to get pregnant with Trevor. That didn't stop me from testing every single month just a day or a few hours before nature would reveal that I wasn't pregnant at all. The first month that I was pregnant with Trevor, I tested, and I got what I thought was a negative result. I remember holding the test up at an angle, trying to see if there was even a shadow of a line indicating that I was pregnant. I knew that any line at all was a positive result, but no matter what angle I held the test at or what alternate light source I used, the test would not reveal to me what I so desperately wanted it to reveal.

The next day, just as I could have predicted, nature came along and confirmed that negative pregnancy test. But, nature wasn't normal at all, and I came to believe that nature was trying to fool me. So, against Daddy's advice, I bought another pregancy test at Jewel. This pregancy test actually had a some sort of keepsake window, and the cashier who rung me up expressed her wishes for a good result.

It was Mother's Day 2002.

That test was positive. And, I did keep that test in junk drawer until we moved to the new house over a year after Trevor was born!

I went to the doctor the next day. It was a very faint result, and I believed it really was a positive result, but I'm not so sure Daddy believed. Plus, I thought I had low progesterone, and I wanted to get that checked out.

The test at the doctor's office was much quicker and clearer to show its positive result (I kept that test too for over a year!) I called Daddy on my cell phone from the doctor's office. He was nonchalant and seemed a little annoyed that I was calling him at work. I'm not sure how he felt at the time, but he likes Trevor a lot, so it worked out OK. My progesterone was low, and I was afraid it was so low that I would lose the pregnancy. The nurse actually prepared me for exactly that outcome. But, Trevor was a sticky bean obviously.

So, that's how we found out that Trevor was on the way.

With Devin, I think I "knew" I was pregnant with him moments after he was concieved. We were doing that "not trying, but not trying to not..." thing. It was the February before we moved into our new house.

After I was pregnant, but before I knew it for sure, we went to dinner at Bob Chinn's with friends, and I was so jealous to learn they were expecting baby #2. I had a Mai-Tai or two, while she had a virgin daiquiri. But, one day at work, I walked into the bathroom as a couple of smokers were walking out. The smell on their clothes made me sick to my stomach. And, I was so excited by that! On the Friday after Daddy's birthday, and after all these little things, I decided to go out at lunchtime for a pregnancy test and some sort of present for Daddy (in case the whole pregnancy thing wasn't enough!)

I tested at lunch. As a woman formerly obsessed with pregnancy and getting pregnant, I knew that should wait to test with first morning urine, but I couldn't wait, because like I said, I just knew! (But I wanted proof).

The test was positive, right away. I stuck the test in my pocket and took it back to my cube. I put the test in my pencil drawer, and tried to get back to work. Getting back to work wasn't in the cards. I called my buddy over to look at the test. Then, I may have called Mom and Vikki. I didn't call Daddy. We had plans for his birthday for the next day. We went to Fogo De Chao down in Chicago. I can't remember who babysat with Trevor.

Before Daddy had a chance to order wine for me, I gave him a little gift bag with the test and a big Hershey's bar and a very carefully wrapped in many layers of tissue paper positive pregnancy test. I think he said, "you're pregnant?!" I may have said, "Happy Birthday!" It was a happy time.

We didn't have nearly the issues with progesterone with Devin that we did with Trevor. And, he was a good sticky bean, too.

Chillow

Trevor has this feather pillow that he sleeps with. He doesn't really sleep on it; he just sleeps with it mostly.

But, it's yucky. He's slept with it for a long time. He's had several bloody noses on it. Just yucky. A pillowcase would be a good solution, but pillow cases are too scratchy. So, he refuses to use a pillowcase.

This morning, I offered him another pillow. The name brand is "Velvet Touch," and it's not covered in yuck. I offered the pillow to him, and we both noted how nice and soft it felt on our cheeks. I moved his yucky pillow to the basement, and I tried a pillowcase again. The softest one we have.

But, it didn't work.

About 15 minutes before bedtime, Trevor went upstairs to get his pillow and blanket so he could lay down on the floor. Apparently, he went upstairs for his blanket, took the nice soft pillowcase off the pillow we both decided was soft and lovely and discovered his usual pillow was missing! I tried to tell him it was yucky, and the new pillow was better. But, he just wanted his usual pillow, and he would not accept the nice clean pillow with the soft pillowcase.

Fortunately, Daddy had washed his usual pillow, and some of the yuck did come out. And, that's good. But, I know that we are just starting the cycle anew because a pillowcase is still unacceptable to Trevor..

Trevor calls his pillow chillow.