Monday's Musings - Working + Motherhood = Exhaustion!

Well, by now people are probably thinking I've dropped off the earth. I assure you, I'm still here! I'm just trying to adjust to this foreign concept called Work... on top of being Mom and Wife.

Most days I'm tired... I come home exhausted from dealing with 10-12 year-olds all day, I then have to entertain Edison all evening by myself because Jonathan is at work. By the time I get Edison into bed to have a bit of "me" time (to work on the bog or whatever else) I'm so exhausted all I can think of doing is sleeping... and so I go to bed. It's been a bit of an adjustment! But as each week goes by, it gets a little easier.

It doesn't help that the beginning of the school year one of the busiest times of year for me, because I have to recruit kids and get them signed up for band and choir. It's a lot of work... and there are a couple of events that take place in the evening... which makes for an even longer day. Now however, the business of the first part of the year is over. I don't feel quite so overwhelmed and things can settle into a nice routine.

I do love my job! Thank goodness... otherwise it would be even harder to be apart from Edison all day long, 5 days a week. I'm happy to report that Edison is doing just fine without me. Some days I get home, expecting this big reception of "Hey, Mommy's home!"... however I quickly learned that's just not going to happen. Edison takes one look at me, and then goes right back to whatever he was playing with. But it's good that he does so well at home with Daddy all day. Everyone is adjusting to this new way of life and the transition has been remarkably smooth.

If you have a minute, check the video out below. I've been listening to this song every day on my way to work. I sometimes need to be reminded that no matter how busy life gets, no matter what my day brings, He is here and His grace is sufficient!

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Monday's Musings - Dare to Share?

Thoughts from an Emotional Day

I sit here with a heavy heart this evening as I listen to the news on my laptop and think back on this very emotional day.

This morning Edison was sleeping peacefully in his crib, I was laying in bed enjoying the quiet time while reading a good book when a banging at the front door startled me. I went down to find a fireman standing on my stoop... he said "There is a gas leak in behind your house. You need to get everybody out of the house now and start walking up the road". Well, needless to say, thats enough to get the adrenaline going. I never again want to have to rip a sleeping baby out of his crib as I run out the door towards safety.

Jonathan, Edison, Albert and I immediately rushed out the front door and were greeted by the very loud sound of natural gas spraying out of a pipe, and the very strong odour of it in the air. Although I wish it was under different circumstances, I guess this is one way to meet all of the neighbours.

I stood and looked down the street at the two firetrucks and multiple police cars parked on the road. I watched the firemen quickly working to stop the leak and I prayed that God would protect us, the firemen, and our neighbours....and that my house wouldn't blow up. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness for these courageous men in uniform.

We watched and waited and talked with the neighbours and after a while we were approached by a fireman who informed us that they could be working on it for quite some time.... up to a couple of hours. We were told that we could go back into the house to quickly grab anything we needed, close any open windows, and then get back out. It's an interesting feeling to know you have two minutes to get whatever you want out of your house and then go. What do you get? Matthew 6:19 went through my mind: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven". I really did feel like there was nothing in the house that I had to grab. They are all just things, and things can be replaced or lived without. My concern was for our safety. I quickly got a few diapers and clothing items for Edison, Jonathan closed the windows, and out we went.

We decided that standing on the sidewalk for two hours didn't sound like very much fun so we drove to our neighbourhood coffee shop, sat and had coffee for a while. Afterwards, I drove Jonathan home to drop him off at his car so that I could head out to Abbotsford to visit family for the day. We arrived back at our house, happy to see it still standing, and the firemen packing up their hoses... crisis averted. I could breath deeply again. Thank you Jesus.

The day was fun. My sister Sara and her husband Ryan are here for a visit (from the far-away land of Fort McMurray). We went out to my grandparents house and had a nice time visiting with them. We went back to my mom's house, ate an awesome Mexican feast for dinner and watched the Canucks play game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Yes, it was exciting as the game began. Yes, it was stressful game for some (Ryan). Yes, it was disappointing that we lost. But yes, it is just a game. And what has happened since that game ended makes me very sad.

Overturned vehicles, port-a-pottys thrown around in the streets, cars set on fire, riot squads, police cars being destroyed, fights breaking out, people throwing beer bottles at the police and others, tear gas and rubber bullets, smashing of windows, stores being looted, police dogs barking, utter disregard for fellow human beings. Black smoke of more fires than can be counted mingle with the white smoke of tear gas in the air. The effects of a dangerous mob mentality.

I sit here and listen to the news as it happens live. Over three hours have past and the police still struggle to get the crowds under control. My heart aches. I pray for people and their safety, especially the ones who went downtown to enjoy a hockey game and just wanted to get out safely.

I read through people's Facebook statuses and everybody seems shocked, in disbelief, embarrassed, saddened. I just keep thinking of how we live in a fallen world, and some days that is painfully more obvious than others. This is one of those days where it is oh so painfully obvious. How some people can think that doing this is okay, is beyond me.

When the riots first broke out, I watched on TV as the police went in to action against a multitude of people. I have never in my life, before today, been so thankful for the men and women in uniform who's job it is to protect us. Twice in one day I am so grateful for their courage. They are heros. Because of them, my house is still in one piece, my family and I are safe. Although things downtown are bad, without them it could have been so much worse. My thoughts are with them tonight as I lay down and try to sleep.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

- Psalm 18:2

Monday's Musings - 10 Months!

Edison turned 10 months old last week. I'm really feeling it now as we inch closer and closer to the big number O-N-E. It seems crazy that almost a year has gone by! It also seems crazy that summer is almost here and, as excited as I am about enjoying the warm weather this summer, every time I think about summer I think about how when it's over, I'll have to return to work.... which I'm not very excited about, yet.

Edison is motoring around the house on his little hands and knees. When he wants to get somewhere, he crawls at super speedy speeds. Our main floor is mainly hard wood, so you can always hear his hands thumping across the floor.... it's pretty cute. He is also very fast at pulling himself up on any object and still continues to walk around the house quite a lot, holding onto furniture, walls, people....basically anything he can get ahold of. A couple of days ago I bought him his first pair of real walking shoes... in anticipation for the summer when he'll be learning how to walk and will be outside a lot. It's pretty exciting!

The teething saga continues. He got his first 4 teeth (2 top and 2 bottom) within a two week period. It was an exhausting two weeks...especially as the bottom ones came in as he doesn't seem to handle the bottom teeth as well as the top ones. Then, as I had hoped, we got a little break from the teething. It was nice to have a happy baby again, and to get a bit more sleep at night. That lasted a couple weeks and then last week it started up all over again. The books say the signs of teething are usually things like a lot of drooling, rashes on the cheeks, maybe a low-grade fever. Edison has never had any of those things as a result of teething. The first thing he does that tips me off is he pulls at his ears. As soon as I see him doing that, I know a tooth is on the way. That's usually when I start fishing around in his mouth, trying to feel where the new tooth is going to surface. In the past week, he has had another top and bottom tooth cut through. He now has 3 top and 3 bottom teeth. 6 sharp little chompers! I can feel that two more are on their way (which will make 4 top and bottom teeth) and then hopefully we will get another break from the teething for a while.

I registered Edison and I for a free program in Maple Ridge called Mother Goose, and we've been going to that on Monday nights. It's a program designed for moms and babies made up of songs, movement, and finger play (like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc). Edison is having lots of fun with the music and he really enjoys watching all the other kids. He has started to clap within the last couple of weeks and it's pretty cute. He only does it in short little spurts, so I've yet to get it on video. He definitely responds to music; when he hears it he does this little wiggly dance and claps his hands, it's really adorable.

He uses his hands really well and really likes to examine textures with his fingers. He is also very good at feeding himself finger foods now. In fact, we aren't giving him purees as much anymore because he's able to eat whatever we're eating...as long as it's cut up into small chunks. He is a total carnivore and loooves eating chunks of meat.

This month Edison also learned how to go up stairs by himself (which prompted the purchase of another baby gate) and he also figured out how to drink out of a straw. He's becoming such a big boy!

I haven't taken a ton of pictures of his 10 month-old self yet, but here are a few. I took them on my phone, so they aren't the greatest quality.

Watching his Daddy skateboard 

Trying out the skateboard for himself 

My sleeping angel

Monday's Musings - Memorize!

I feel like I'm always trying to memorize moments.... trying to slow time down. Memorize, memorize, memorize. He will only be a baby for such a short time... and there are moments and things that I never want to forget.

The sound of little crawling hands thumping across the floor
Gently curled sleeping baby fingers
Soft baby skin
Big beautiful brown eyes
His face, as he tastes something for the first time
Belly laughs
Baby babble
Little arms, wanting picked up
Wiping tear-filled eyelashes
Unquenchable curiosity

Monday's Musings - Bumps & Bruises

In Edison's quest to pull himself up on absolutely every piece of furniture we own, taking a tumble is bound to happen.... and has happened (many times). Usually he just plops down onto his bum and all is well. Last Sunday however, was a bit of a different story....

He was trying to pull himself up while holding onto my bedside table, hands slipped, down he went, bonking his head in the process. He started crying, I picked him up and he quickly got over it. I didn't really think much of it until a few minutes later when Jonathan said "What's on his forehead?". I looked, and there it was: a purple bump! I know this will just be the first of many, but this was his first real bruise.... on his forehead no less!

Later on that day, Jonathan had Edison with him at the coffee shop and Edison took yet another tumble (bad parents or what?!?). Edison later developed another bruise on his cheek. However, the cheek bruise was in line with the forehead bruise, so we aren't sure if they both happened in the first fall, or if he got the second one in the coffee shop. Regardless, his poor little face was a little bruised up.

They've now turned yellow and are on their way out.... making way for future bumps and bruises, especially when he starts to learn how to walk.

I daily ask myself: do I let him figure it out on his own, be an independent explorer (and risk the falls, bumps and bruises along the way), or do I hover and try to protect him. While I think protecting him is good and necessary (especially as he is first learning how to do something), I don't want to constantly hover over him. I do, however, like to sit and watch in wonder as this tiny little body learns how to navigate this big world of his. Pure joy!

The forehead bruise....before the cheek bruise appeared

Both bruises...almost healed

Monday's Musings - 9 Months!

The little one turned 9 months old yesterday!!! He really is starting to be less and less of a baby and more like a little boy. In a way it makes me sad, that the time goes by so quickly, that I can't just hold him in my arms and cuddle him whenever I want to anymore. He's a mover... a very curious one. And now that he is much more mobile, he's always on the go. It's exciting, watching him figure things out and seeing his little personality develop. Every moment is such a gift.

Edison is still not crawling....in the traditional way. He pulls himself along the ground, inchworm-style.... and he's darn fast at it! He can make his way around anywhere he wants, and frequently "crawls" around the whole main floor of our house, exploring and checking everything out. We had to take a good look around to see what he could get into. I had to move Albert's food and water bowls out onto the deck because Edison was obsessed with trying to touch them.

He can get around so well like this now that I don't know if he ever will crawl the normal way before he learns how to walk. Here is a video of him getting around.... sorry my camera skills aren't very good.

This past couple of weeks, Edison has made big advances in his mobility. He used to be stuck where ever it was that we put him. If he was standing at his activity table, he'd be stuck there until he made enough noise that someone would move him to something else. If he was laying on the floor, he'd be stuck laying down...etc. Now, he can pretty much do whatever he wants. He has learned how to sit down, from standing. He's also figured out how to sit up on his own from the laying down position. He can also get himself up to stand at pretty much any object.....even a wall. While he's standing and holding onto something, he's started to be able to side-step around. So he can now walk around the coffee table or the kitchen island all on his own. I haven't taken many good videos of his new moves yet, but I hope to add some soon! Here is a little glimpse of him playing at his play kitchen:

Because of this new-found mobility, we've had to make a few adjustments. The first one happened the day I went in to get him from his nap and found him standing in his crib! He was never able to go from laying down to sitting to standing before....but now that he can, we promptly lowered his crib mattress. We also installed a baby gate at the top of our stairs. It has a clear panel, so he likes to stand and look down the stairs through it.

Now that Edison has good use of his hands and fingers, he has been exploring toys, objects and food with his fingers a lot lately. He likes to rub his index fingers over different textures. He's always so interested in our laptops and really likes to feel and push the buttons. However....because everything ends up in his mouth sooner or later, we can't really let him play with our laptops without some serious supervision. Jonathan, awesome Dad that he is, dug up an old laptop that doesn't work anymore to let Edison play with. So now Edison has his very own laptop to play with.... I think he was a little disappointed that the screen didn't light up though.

Playing with Dad's airplane controller!

The last exciting development in Edison's little world is that he is getting his first tooth! The funny thing is, in true Reichert fashion, he doesn't want to do anything the normal way...he's getting his top teeth first. Everything I've read says that babies usually get the bottom two front teeth, followed by the top two front teeth. Edison however, thought it would be more fun to get the top ones first....he is his father's son. He started showing the signs of teething a couple of weeks ago when we were in Tofino. I could feel that the top gums were swollen with two lumps in the front. So, for the past couple of weeks we've just been waiting. Edison is handling it fairly well. He has days where I can tell it hurts and he doesn't want anything in his mouth. Some days he eats food really well and other days he doesn't want anything to do with it. Yesterday was one of those days. I could tell it was hurting, I even broke out the baby Tylenol a couple of times.... and by this morning his first tooth has made its appearance! It's just the tiny little corner that has come through, but it's progress. I don't think the other top one will be far behind... I can tell the tooth is pretty close to coming through as well.

So that's where he's at! Now that he's moving around so much, he's definitely keeping us on our toes! There's never a dull moment in the Reichert house!

Monday's Musings - 8 Months!

It's hard to believe that the babe turned 8 months old last week. It's so much fun watching him grow and figure things out. But at the same time, I wish time would slow down just a little because it's going by too fast. Even though I don't have to return to work until September, I can already feel it looming over me.

Edison is a very happy baby.... and a very active one. He's not really one for sitting still. He's always on the move, wanting to play, and still putting everything possible into his mouth. 

He loves to talk and can get very loud at times. He's a little bit shy when we're out somewhere new or around someone he doesn't really know. But it seems that once he's comfortable, the talking begins. You can click here if you haven't seen the video of him chatting away. 

I thought that by now I'd be able to report that he has started crawling....but alas, it hasn't quite happened yet. He is getting very good at pulling himself along the floor....and can go a fair distance like that. He's been going up onto his hands and knees more and more this past week and has even taken a couple of crawling strides on his knees, but he quickly falls back onto his tummy. He's also been going up on this hands and feet, with his bum up in the air....kinda like the downward dog yoga pose. It's really funny....I've yet to get a picture of him doing that, unfortunately. So I know that the actual crawling is just around the corner, and I'll bet that by the 9 month posting, he'll be crawling.

Edison still loves to stand. He spends a lot of time standing and holding onto things and will even take walking steps when you hold his hands. He still prefers standing and holding on to things, instead of being down on the floor. His balance is really good and frequently holds onto things with just one hand so that he can use his other hand to get a toy into his mouth.

He still hasn't shown any signs of teeth coming in yet. It's funny because we originally though he would teethe early...due to how hard he was chewing on anything and everything. However it seems he's actually in no hurry on the teething front. It doesn't stop him from eating lots of different foods though. He's now eating three meals a day and I'm starting to expand his finger food repertoire. He really likes cheerios, banana chunks, toast, pancakes, little pieces of meat....and he's hit and miss with cheese. The only thing he's had that he really didn't like was scrambled eggs...but I'll try again with eggs another day.

Here are a few pictures of his cute 8 month old self. 

Riding his car

He tries to climb everything

Monday's Musings - Grocery Shopping

I've discovered the #1 way to get strangers to talk to you in a grocery store: bring a baby!.

This was something I didn't realize would happen until the first time we brought Edison into a store. Our first trip out into public with him was to London Drugs. He was only a few days old and I wore him around the store in the Moby Wrap. He was so little (7lbs) and he slept the whole time. With him curled into the wrap, the people in the store couldn't even see him. Yet, I still heard the whispers: "Oh, look at that little baby in there!", "He's so small" ....and I could feel the eyes on me. I really never realized that would happen....and it made me feel kinda weird getting all that attention.

Because of Edison's dislike for being in the car seat, I always wore him around the grocery store in the wrap or the Ergobaby Carrier and just got used to people looking at us and asking how old he was.

Now that he is able to sit up, I can sit him on his own in the top part of the shopping cart. He really likes it, probably because he can see more stuff. And all the shoppers and people who work in the store can see him better too, which has led to even more people talking to us.

A couple of days ago I was in Coopers Foods, the closest grocery store to our house, and I was overwhelmed with how many people asked me about Edison. I was asked how old he was at least five times. Some other comments were: "Wow, he has such big eyes", "He's so observant", "He seems so small to be sitting up on his own", "What a cutie", and lots of people like to tell me about their own kids or grand-kids, like the sample lady who talked my ear off about her granddaughter. It's a small grocery store and I guess word travels in there because while I was down the meat isle one of the ladies who works there came up and said "Oh! I heard there was a baby in the store!".

The funniest experience I've had so far was a few days ago in London Drugs. A man and a woman were shopping in the same area as I was, and the lady was talking baby talk to Edison; at which point the man said to me: "You'll have to excuse my wife, she loves babies. If she were a fish, all you'd have to do is dangle a baby on the end and you'd catch her every time". It gave me a good laugh.

I guess I didn't realize how much people oooh and ahhh over babies until I had one. I think it's funny that normally strangers won't talk to you....but have a baby with you and suddenly everyone's your friend.

Monday's Musings - 10 things I couldn't get through my day without

I've been thinking lately, about the things I need to get though the day. Not the obvious things (like food and water), but other things, that help my day run smoothly. So throughout the week, I started to compile a list of things I really appreciate having, and wouldn't really want to do without. I've also given a bit of a shout-out to a few of the baby products that I find really useful.....for all of you mommas, or future mommas out there. So, here goes:

1. Coffee - It hasn't been until the last couple of years that I've become a coffee addict. It started out innocently enough.....a Starbucks frappuccino every once and a while...and it slowly morphed into owning a coffee maker and not being able to function in the morning until I have caffeine running through my veins. What happens if I don't have my usual cup of coffee in the morning? A whopper of a headache! The good news is, I only need a cup in the morning and then I'm good for the rest of the day.

2. Hair Products - To get my hair to do anything (other than just be a big poofy mess) I need some sort of hair product. Whether I want it straight, curly, or pulled up I need an some sort of spray, mouse, or serum. My usual "style" as of late is to pull it back into a pony-tail. I'm usually a pony-tail kinda girl anyway, but at the moment it's pony-tail by necessity. Edison likes to look at my long dangling hair, grab a big handful and pull....usually towards his mouth. So my best solution is to just pull it back and take the temptation away....and save myself from having to pry his little hands out of my hair.

3. Nursing Pillow - I'm deeply attached to my nursing pillow. I bought it a couple of months before Edison was even born and started sleeping with it at night. While I was pregnant I could only sleep on my side and back. I am a stomach sleeper....even though I know that's probably the worst way to sleep. So being forced to sleep on my side was annoying. This pillow really helped me stay comfortable at night. And in the midst of my labor, I waddled into the hospital.....clinging onto my nursing pillow. I've been using it everyday since, for its intended purpose...nursing a baby. I wouldn't want to go without it, it makes nursing so much more comfortable. 

4. Swaddling blanket - Edison has always been a bit of a high-maintenance sleeper. We swaddled him every night from birth until he was 6 months old. A couple of my favorites are the aden + anais swaddling cloths because they are large and made of muslin which is light and breathable; and the Miracle Blanket, which holds his arms down really well so he can't get out of it, no matter how much he wiggles. He is finally able to sleep the night in his sleep sack now, but he still can't seem to handle his nap times with his arms loose. The only way I can get him to stay asleep during his naps, is to swaddle him. No swaddle = no naps = crazy mommy!

5. White noise - This one might seem weird, but Edison has always needed white noise to fall asleep. He is gradually getting better and eventually I'm sure we won't have to use it anymore. We used to put him to sleep with the blow dryer, which is pretty loud when its right by your head. He doesn't need it quite so loud any more, so we use the Cloud B Gentle Giraffe, a friend of the Sleep Sheep. Not only is he super cute, but the sound of the waterfall does the trick every time. The white noise also comes in handy in the car if Edison is crying. While most people know the numbers of all their favorite radio stations, I know the numbers of all the fuzzy radio stations that don't come in. Oh, how life changes when you have a baby. Some of my faves (depending on the area I'm in) are 99.7, 103.9, and 105.5. As I said, I know it's kinda weird..... but when he's crying and I turn on the static, he stops every time. 

6. Notepad and pen - I'm a list maker. To-do lists, shopping lists, reminder lists for my dear (but forgetful) husband. Even as I'm writing this, I realize both of my Monday's Musings have been in the form of lists. I always have a notepad and pen in my kitchen for my many lists. I know we live in a high-tech world of laptops and smartphones....and I know I can make lists in my phone...but to me, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned pen and paper. I love stationary!

7. Camera - Obviously, the camera is always on hand. The little one is constantly growing and changing and we want to capture all of the precious moments. We have about a billion pictures of his cuteness. And good ol' Albert still gets a photo-opp every once and a while too.

8. Laptop - Jonathan and I don't have cable TV. We don't want to pay for something we don't use very often. I also like to keep the TV off because I don't want Edison watching it. Whenever he sees something on a TV, he's totally mesmerized by it. I don't want him becoming a TV junkie. I've read that babies learn more through play than they do through "educational" videos like Baby Einstein. Jonathan and I watch TV shows and movies online on our laptops, through things like Netflix. And of course I also use my laptop for all my other online activities....facebook, blogging, email, twitter, and google-ing anything and everything.

9.Books & Magazines - I love to read. I don't get as much time to these days, but I always have a book on the go....even if I only read it bits, here and there. I've also been trying out an electronic reading program called Kobo and I've read a couple of books on my computer. I looked at my packed bookshelves and decided to try electronic reading out to see if I liked it. I don't mind it, but there's nothing like flipping through an actual book. I suppose one day I'd like to get an electronic reader like a Kindle....or if I win the lottery, an iPad. I also like to read magazines... especially ones that have recipes in the back!

10.iPod/Music - One thing I noticed when we got rid of our cable TV was the quietness in the house. Does anyone leave their TV on just for the background noise? We did that a lot. Although you get used to the quietness, I also like to have music on when I feel like breaking the silence. I've got all my favorite tunes on my iPod (a lot of Hillsong and other contemporary Christian musicians, and some kids music for little Edison too).


So what are some things that you couldn't get through the day without? Leave a comment if you'd like to share something. I love to get comments..... it means someone's actually reading my ramblings.

Happy Monday!

Monday's Musings - An Ode to my Valentine

For my musings today, I thought that it wouldn't be right if I didn't mention the fact that it's Valentine's Day! Jonathan and I have never been big on Valentines day. We don't really do gifts....although I do LOVE flowers (on any day of the week). But I would like to acknowledge this wonderful man that I've been married to for the past seven and a half years! So I've decided to up the cheese factor on the blog today and write Jonathan an acrostic poem. What is an acrostic poem you ask? It's a type of poem I'm sure you are familiar with because it's pretty much the easiest type to write.......and I'm no poet, so I need easy! Acrostic poems are simple poems in which each the first letter of each line forms a word or phrase (vertically). An acrostic poem can describe the subject or even tell a brief story about it. So I though I would tell you a brief story about Jonathan, using adjectives (and their dictionary definitions) to describe him. Enjoy!

J is for Jonathan. Now, I know the word Jonathan is not an adjective. However, I found the word Jonathan on urbandictionary.com and thought the definition was fitting. 

Jonathan: Loyal, Generous, Handsome individual (s), who is/are without a doubt the very best person to love. Jonathan(s) is/are Intelligent, Subtle, Strong, Rock-like Men. They are the best Friends.

No matter what happens to me, good or bad, I can be happy because I have a Jonathan.

O is for Obsessive Computer Disorder. This is another one I found on urbandictionary.com, where many funny words and definitions can be found. 

Obsessive Computer Disorder: to constantly be online or just on a personal computer for fun or entertainment. Also always thinking about anything computer related.

My husband has Obsessive Computer Disorder, a.k.a OCD, is always on the computer.

N is for Nimble. Whether he's flying through the air on a skateboard, doing a hand-stand in our living room, or doing flips off a diving board, I think this is a good word to describe him.

Nimble: quick and light in movement; moving with ease; agile; active; rapid. 

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick...

A is for Abnormal. Because we all know Jonathan is a little bit different...but in a good way. 

Abnormal: not normal, average, typical, or usual; deviating from a standard.

Seeing a T Rex with a rope around its neck pulling some helpless guy along is abnormal.

  

  

T is for Talent; which Jonathan has in spades. To live with an amazing musician, who can serenade Edison and I (on a variety of different instruments), is a treat!

Talent: a special natural ability or aptitude. 

He really shows off his talent when he plays the piano.

H is for Humorous. Jonathan is good at keeping things light and funny, which makes life fun. Sometimes, however, he will joke to a stranger and they don't always get it. I'm reminded of a time when he ordered his Starbucks drink "extra hot" and then when the barista handed it to him, he instantly complained that it was too hot. She looked like she wanted to whap him, until she realized he was joking.

Humorous: displaying or creating humor; funny; comical; the quality that makes something laughable or amusing. 

His stories are always quite humorous. 

A is for Adventurous. If you follow Jonathan's facebook statuses, you know he's usually up to something adventurous; whether it's surfing in arctic temperatures, attempting crazy tricks while skateboarding, pulling doughnuts in the snow, tying a rope to a bridge and surfing in the river, or paddling a surfboard down Kanaka creek....to name a few of the crazy things he does.

Adventurous: inclined or willing to engage in adventures;  enjoying adventures; full of risk; requiring courage.

It was an adventurous undertaking.  

Finally, N is for Nocturnal. If left to his own devices, Jonathan would stay up all night and sleep in all day. Unfortunately for him, this schedule doesn't always mesh well with the schedule of a baby. 

Nocturnal: of or pertaining to the night; done, occurring, or coming at night; active at night; opening by night and closing by day, as certain flowers.

Animals that are nocturnal usually sleep during the day. 

Love you, Jonathan! Happy Valentines Day everybody!