tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91871433537283359152024-03-05T23:31:49.618-06:00The Mathematician and His AsiansAdventures of the ordinary.Jason Vermettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14763247187813992636noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-47045691599081942032023-07-08T21:24:00.000-05:002023-07-08T21:24:04.220-05:00aviyah galoreIf you are not a fan of a billion pictures of someone's child in a slightly different position with a slightly different expression on her face, this post is not for you. You have been warned.Hello, Aviyah Brielle.She is the sweetest little baby.She is 10.5 weeks old. How has it been such a short amount of time and yet it feels like I've known her forever.She weighs a little over 16 pounds. This rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-77670202107610371152023-04-18T11:21:00.002-05:002023-04-18T11:21:33.786-05:00birth contemplationsWe have reached the two-week countdown! This is literally my favorite time of pregnancy. Yes, I feel like a whale. Yes, I waddle like a whale-ish penguin. Yes, I grunt and huff and ugh my way through getting out of bed and squatting to pick up toys and straining to reach the faucet when I'm doing the dishes. BUT. It is still my favorite time of being pregnant.Two weeks feels like nothing, rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-83612363832208287652023-04-12T21:58:00.003-05:002023-04-12T21:59:34.771-05:00fourteen days of celebrationIf you know Jason at all, you know how much he loves to party. You know how much he loves to plan and execute festive occasions. You know how much he loves to dream up party decor, shop for gifts, bake celebratory desserts, and organize fun activities.If you know Jason at all, you know how the entire above paragraph is written tongue-in-cheek at best and is more accurately just a downright rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-189214637376606312023-03-09T15:05:00.001-06:002023-03-09T15:05:46.388-06:00the march is upon usThe most exciting part about March being here is that it means next month is Bebe Month. This kiddo is almost 33 weeks along now and active at all the times that are inconvenient. But as long as the hour-long squirm fests at 11 pm every.night do not affect the current head-down position we've got going on, I'm okay with it. We have yet to settle on a name still. Is Boo sounding more and morerayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-91313479679079953822023-02-08T16:12:00.002-06:002023-02-08T18:32:18.646-06:00beginning-ish of the yearLet's ignore the fact that I have not written here since last July. Excellent. Thanks.Instead, let's check up on my New Year's resolutions, shall we?Kitchen sinks/counters completely empty of dishes every night: ✔️ truly a habit/streak never before accomplished in my nearly 14 years of home managementRead through the Bible this year: ✔️ on paceWalk 200 miles [in the same socks (don't ask)] beforerayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-65580350789259478062022-07-18T20:43:00.000-05:002022-07-18T20:43:02.075-05:00hand in handRare is the walk where I don't eventually feel a little hand comfortably slip into mine. Sometimes it's sweaty. Sometimes sticky.Sometimes clammy.But it gives me a secret little thrill every time. Because my boy is not holding my hand because of a "hold my hand while we cross the street" command or a "if you can't stop touching things in the store, you will just have to hold my hand" rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-29636636299295091922022-05-10T20:49:00.002-05:002022-05-10T20:49:26.618-05:00fourteen is a long timeRight before we got married, I was asked if there were any flaws that I saw in Jason. I think it was a "don't go into marriage expecting to change your spouse" conversation opener. After a few awkward moments of thought, I believe I said, "I guess maybe he sleeps too much and spends too much time playing video games?" [Could it be more obvious we were just two young college students?] I'm pretty rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-74191744050711088472022-05-02T23:49:00.050-05:002022-05-03T00:46:40.430-05:00how it happened a year agoDid you guys know we had a fourth baby? Yeah, I was surprised, too.
Usually in the few weeks after we have a baby I write up my version of the events in here. It's a bad excuse (especially since Sharayah managed over a dozen blog posts during the year), but between the baby and the other kids and work, I never got to it. So, here it is, mixed into his 1-year birthday post.
April 2021
We were Jason Vermettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14763247187813992636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-10222419905256134912022-05-01T23:00:00.000-05:002022-05-01T23:00:15.352-05:00a naturally occurring haikuAfter a full day of festivities celebrating Sebastian in all the ways a newly turned 3-year-old would love, it was finally bedtime. Every boy jammied. Every tooth brushed.Every book read. Jason was with the big three singing the songs, giving the animal kisses, doling out the extra hugs. I was with Eli, nursing him, trying not to doze off with him, rocking him before putting him in bed.rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-21033813900356378782022-01-25T12:09:00.000-06:002022-01-25T12:09:19.677-06:00a day in the lifeJust a normal Friday6:45 am: Ignore first alarm.6:50 am: Ignore second alarm.7 am: Kick Jason. "We have to wake up now." Nurse Eli. Say hello to all the boys as they trickle into our room. Throw on some clothes. Put in contacts. Brush hair. Look in the mirror. Eh, good enough. Head downstairs with Sebi in tow. Realize the dishwasher was never turned on the night before. Start the dishwasher. rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-63087304382048362362022-01-07T20:09:00.001-06:002022-01-07T20:09:53.600-06:00second ChristmasTonight is Christmas Eve round 2.Since December 25th left much to be desired in terms of festive spirits and healthy, giggly children, we told the boys as soon as everyone was feeling healthy again, we would do Second Christmas for them. And so here we are, Christmas Eve-ing again.Our house is probably the only one in the neighborhood with their Christmas lights still on. Our tree is casting rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-91043134040697133182021-12-11T22:26:00.019-06:002021-12-11T22:31:27.695-06:0024 hoursHow much can happen in 24 hours?A vomiting 4-year-old who can't keep anything down.A power outage that started in the middle of the boys' bedtime routine.Tornado sirens through the night.Uncharged phones.Sleeping on the floor outside of the boys' rooms [because no power means no monitors] so we could hear when Finley was throwing up or Eli wanted to eat or Sebi needed something.All the anxiety rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-85265667479306819012021-12-08T12:34:00.000-06:002021-12-08T12:34:38.877-06:00the magical donkeyEli has always been my most finicky baby to nurse (not that you can tell by his physique), and I do not care for it. It is the type of thing that stresses me out big time. He goes through terrible phases of just refusing to cooperate any time it's time to nurse. We are in one of those phases right now (albeit not the worst one, thankfully) and he was just screaming at me every time I tried to rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-28999628861848867342021-11-05T16:33:00.001-05:002021-11-05T16:34:21.975-05:00goldfish, down the hatch! Today Sebastian accidentally knocked an entire open bag of goldfish crackers upside-down onto the open air vent. As I heard them pour down the vent, clinking and clanking as they went, I was so.annoyed. The first thing out of my mouth was an exasperated "Why would you do that?!"Sigh.It is such a pointless question to ask, especially of a 2-year-old. Why did he do that? Because he's not super rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-49624556111737455152021-10-23T15:05:00.001-05:002021-10-23T15:05:29.511-05:00mama's boyMy little Sebastian. He has always intensely been a Mama's boy, as a baby and even now as a toddler. I cannot step into the kitchen without him running in, dragging a chair over to the counter, and saying, "Mama, what doing? What making? Want see that." He loves to help load and unload the dishwasher, peer into every jar I open, hand me dishes to rinse, and taste test everything. He is such rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-23214618699178550152021-10-02T15:15:00.000-05:002021-10-02T15:15:35.975-05:00the beginning of the end of the wegsSince Eli joined the family this past May, I have been feeling all kinds of feelings about Finley, my little independent, sensitive, affectionate 4-year-old. I have been fluctuating between feeling like he's falling between the cracks in true middle child fashion [Lucas gets more one-on-one school time and craves a lot of affirmation; Sebastian, while not the true baby of the family anymore, rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-75247194235151645212021-09-27T18:32:00.001-05:002021-09-27T18:32:52.112-05:00the incidentThe weather has been beautiful lately. The boys have been absolutely loving getting outside and running about like mad. The humidity disappearing has been a real game changer and I am trying to take advantage of every single opportunity to get all of us outside before the fall weather abruptly disappears.One of my favorite things is watching Lucas and Finley and Sebastian running after each rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-30200365082031373872021-09-20T20:12:00.000-05:002021-09-20T20:12:37.425-05:00fortuitous mustardingThe following story is 100% true and gives an extremely accurate glimpse into how we live life within the four walls of our home. Prepare yourselves.Being both a doting wife and a culinary master, I was in the process of creating an elaborate lunch for Jason to take to work [read: turkey and cheese sandwich] and I needed to open a new mustard bottle. I took off the cap so I could remove the rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-70486022229621465662021-08-23T21:12:00.001-05:002021-08-24T14:11:34.563-05:00sound bitesSome points to consider:1. It has been five months since our last post.2. There is nothing we can do about that now.3. I want to make dumplings.With the end of summer upon us and the start of a new work semester for Jason and a pleasingly squishy baby to carry around all day and night, it is clearly an excellent time to attempt blogging more frequently than every five months. An easy rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-78826938587186897532021-03-24T15:40:00.000-05:002021-03-24T15:40:14.951-05:00every baby deserves an updateWith each new pregnancy, the poor not-yet-born baby gets fewer and fewer mentions on this blog. This post will not remedy that, but I feel like he deserves at least one post dedicated to him while he is still in utero. So here goes!Due date: 4.30.21Gender: BoyHow far along: 34 weeks and 6 daysHow far out: Exactly 100% of the time, my belly reaches places before the rest of me doesWeight: The rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-45288185103731502572021-03-18T16:44:00.001-05:002021-03-18T16:44:54.471-05:00questionable decisionsAct I:Finley has the stuffed llama. Lucas is obsessed with the stuffed llama. Finley does not want to give him the llama. Lucas offers him a stuffed polar bear. Finley does not want the polar bear. Lucas offers him the polar bear again and sweetens the deal: "Here, Finley, you can have the bear instead and then you will be king over me FOREVER." Finley accepts the deal. Lucas runs out rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-23036530439682466302021-02-12T20:33:00.001-06:002021-02-12T20:33:28.417-06:00two is better than oneI find this to be such a weird thing to say and experience: Schooling two kids is better than just schooling one.I don't know why this is. But I love it [and I'm quite relieved to find it to be this way so far since, well, my plans on homeschooling a passel of tiny people has always been a lifelong dream]. Adding a half hour of structured schooling for Finley to our day, interspersed betweenrayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-17764050516562138532020-12-11T12:33:00.002-06:002020-12-11T12:41:43.646-06:00distracting distractionsIt's 9 am.Boy 1 is working on his math. Boy 2 just wants to hover and poke at him. I distract Boy 2 by suggesting we sort cars. Boy 1 doesn't want to do his math anymore because he wants to sort cars too. Boy 3 comes over and scatters all of the nicely sorted cars. I distract Boy 3 by reading a book. Boy 2 wants to look at a different page of the book. I distract Boy 2 with a different book. Boy rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-7627956136462318872020-10-02T14:48:00.003-05:002020-10-02T14:48:31.707-05:00musical accomplishmentsThere honestly are only a few things I pride myself on when it comes to parenting. I think I do an okay job on 80% of things, a pretty good job on 15% of things, and an absolutely terrible job on 4% of things. But man, that last percent. On that last 1%, I'm outstanding. So, of course, you're probably curious: what things could possibly fall into that minuscule category?Well, to name a rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187143353728335915.post-13943995547907666172020-08-27T14:51:00.000-05:002020-08-27T14:51:18.238-05:00jibber jabberBlogging has been on my to-do list for months. I have several posts started and none finished. This stresses me out. Conversational hilarity has been happening in this house for months. I have several batches of notes on my phone filled with ridiculousness. This pleases me to no end.So. I will, yet again, take care of the former by using the latter. And then I'm going to attempt some rayahsshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174948400740486728noreply@blogger.com0