Feeding the Deer

Last week I got this nice email from my friend Danielle informing me that one of the local farms was having a special FREE event in August. You can feed their deer. You supply the food. I'm all 'hey what a nice gimmick.' Sell it like some free event for us and we'll feed YOUR deer. But I did think Riley would really enjoy this. So I was glad to hear about this 'event'. It is only through August...so we had to go this weekend or we'd miss it. Its for 1 hour each day from 6-7 pm.

So I get on their website to get all the details. It mentions that we can only get there from one particular entrance and has strict instructions not to drive anywhere else on the farm. It also mentions something about dressing appropriately and mosquitos. Oh no. For some reason I am terrified of every disease you can get from a bug or rodent. HantaVirus, Lyme Disease, West Nile. I start worrying about deer and mosquitos... I recognize this fear is somewhat ridiculous. I don't know anyone who's ever had West Nile. But fears are not always logical. I am not sure how I love camping and hiking, but I do.

Anyway, we decided earlier today that just one of us would go with Riley so one of us could stay with Reegan who goes to bed about 6:30. A few weeks ago I missed the zoo with Riley as I wasn't feeling well so I really wanted to be there to see her feed the deer. SO. I cut up the apples and got the bread and lettuce...and the insect repellent and antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. Smile. Oh and I had the camera. We wore pants and socks and real shoes (i.e. no sandals). This is the first time Riley has been exposed to repellent...there are no mosquitos around us. It was a real challenge explaining to her why we had to put repellent on...without scaring her about bugs (which she's not a huge fan of either). And off we went. We were there very close to 6pm when the hour starts. I followed the website's instructions that said enter on cloud, a palm tree lined road. But then there were no signs about where to park or where to go to feed the deer.

Oh no. Riley has been so excited to do this. I didn't want to let her down. There were no people or cars around so I couldn't ask anyone. I called Chris to have him double check the website...maybe I missed something. Nope. I was in the right place. Maybe they weren't doing it tonight? I didn't know what to do. Part of me wanted to race out of there with a "well, we tried honey." I drove up and down the palm tree lined road a few times. Told Riley I'd keep trying. We were about to head home. Of course I was silently relieved as I thought of other, safer, healthier ways I could make it up to her...Ice cream? Just then another car pulled in, I pulled over to the side figuring I'd see if I could follow them and ask them about where to go. They went so fast and drove right through the field...I figured they must work at the farm or something. So I didn't follow them. I kind of lingered for a while trying to figure out what to do when another car pulled up. This one I caught up to and asked them "Is this where you feed the deer?" For some reason they kind of giggled at me...but confirmed I was in the right place.

Happy AND disappointed, I parked and got Riley out. She was very excited asking me lots of questions. "Is he (the deer) very hungry?" "What color is he?" And then we were there. I noticed the family of four (all adults) were wearing latex gloves...good idea...I wonder why I didn't think of that. Of course, I'm not sure they make latex gloves for almost 3 year old hands. Anyway, there was a fence all around the deer (47 of them) and a little ramp/bridge so we could go up and throw food over the fence. The people with the latex gloves were feeding right into the deers' mouths. There were no signs or farm people to instruct us.

I was trying to act all loose. Like I was comfortable and having a super good time. But I was totally outside my comfort zone. I was pushing myself to do this. For Riley. Because I always want to be willing to try new things. Because I didn't want to miss out on enjoying this with my daughter b/c I was afraid. So we gave them apples and I poured the whole bag of lettuce out at once (to speed the process along). And I let Riley feed the deer through the fence the way she would feed Dazzle (our dog) right into her mouth. Because I was so casual about this. Or pretending to be anyway. And as I being all chill, taking a video, Riley got bit by one of the deer. Not really bit, but chewed on a little as she didn't let go of the apple she was feeding to said deer. Please note how calm I sound as I check her out (and accidentally left the video running). After we finished all the feeding, I couldn't get out of there fast enough. The other families (there were now 4 of us) were lingering, watching the deer and running around all carefree. But not us...we had to get home. Riley of course was wondering why we had to go home so fast. I told her Daddy missed us.

Riley is almost 3. She dilly dallys. And tonight she was perfecting it. Seemed like she was walking the slowest I've ever seen. And then I saw an evil mosquito fly right by her repellent laced arm. I picked her up and started speed walking for the car. Riley was all "Mom, why are you picking me up?" I just said "because you are walking too slow." Then we got to the car, wiped ourselves down with 72 antibacterial wipes and drove home.

On our return Riley says "Mommy, I can't see the deer." I had told her we were leaving b/c the deer had to go night-night. So I reminded her they were going to sleep. She said "They have to get their pull-up on? " Yep. "And their pjs?" Yep. "And then they go to sleep in the grass or the dirt?" Uh? Then with all the love and innocence of her young mind, she said "Mommy I wanted to say good night. I wanted to say 'peace out deer.'" Of course you did. Then she ends with "And I wanted to hear them say 'peace out Riley.'"

Peace out my little love. I had a great time with you tonight.

Lots O' pictures

check them out...but make sure you have a drink and some time...there's 2 months worth here...

http://picasaweb.google.com/pschwalje/JulyAugust2009#

Randoms

I have writers block. Ok, so all I write is a blog about my two biggest obsessons R1 and R2. Riley & Reegan. But still I have it. I have written a bunch of updates in my head...Riley's surgery, Reegan's 3 month update, me going back to work. But I cannot formulate any of these into something I could post. I am just too emotional. About watching my little girls grow up in fast forward. I can't figure out how to share my feelings on these two creatures with the world (or at least the 7 people reading my blog).

But here are a list of randoms:

• Riley is afraid of the garbage truck and recycle truck. She is afraid they will come in her room and has claimed to see them on her wall. This fear is very real. If she hears a loud car or motorcycle she will turn ghost white, come running over fast and say "hold me, hold me". To conquer this fear I show her how the front door is double locked so the garbage truck cannot come in. We have also been known to stand outside on our drive way and see the nice garbage man drive his truck and pick up our garbage. We stand their waving away. He is such a nice man and always gives us a big smile and waves back. He is so nice that he gives his horn a toot. Kind of like when we were kids on our family road trips and the semis would honk their horn for us. Only problem is the horn also scares her. Hey when I was little I was terrified a shark was going to eat me. There were many a shark to be afraid of in the Chicago suburbs.

• Reegan is going to be four months next week. With each passing day I feel like its one less left of those tiny feet and huge smiles.

• Riley has imaginary friends all of the sudden. I am not sure when this happened or if she should even have them yet. But it appears her (imaginary) best friend's name is Lettuce. Yes, you read that right. She races Lettuce on our back patio. And her other friends are Dodi (dodi has been around for a while, but only recently became a friend rather than some part of her private language) and the newest is Tato.

• Reegan loves anything Riley. She could sit in the swing and watch Riley dance or sing or just act silly pretty much all day long. She is also very alert (just like Riley was). If you pick her up don't expect her to look at you and snuggle...she totally loves checking out her surroundings and her eyes are usually darting all over the place. And the baby who used to just lay there and be chill seems to want to be upright and able to see what's going on more now.

• Riley is into writing. Anything. The other day when I picked Riley up from preschool/daycare, she was sitting at the table with a bunch of scrap paper and markers "making lists". She writes on her dry erase board, her magnadoodle, her paper, my paper, etc. It all looks like a bunch of squiggly lines. She can recognize lots of letters and spell out her name if she sees the letters or if you ask her what comes next (i.e. R then what...I...etc)

• Reegan is developing hand eye coordination. I think Riley was born with this b/c I don't remember this development process at all. But we hold an object in front of Reegan, her heart starts racing and her eyes zero in way before her hands get there. More often now they do eventually catch up. Then if she's having a really good moment it gets pulled straight to the mouth. Should I call this hand-eye-mouth coordination?

• Riley knows where she lives. And where you live. She is totally into where people live right now. She can tell you her state, city, street...and almost her address. Though she most often thinks her house number is 1234.

• Reegan has a very easy demeanor. She almost makes me want to have another baby. Almost. Fortunately our nearly 3 year old (wow!) is here to counteract any illusions of parenting ease. She enjoys eating and sleeping and in between a lot of smiling, cooing and even laughing. She loves to stand up on our lap just like Riley did.

Gaga & Meema

Meema & Riley - I love this picture.
















Meema & Reegan - She totally has the touch.














Gaga & Riley -














Gaga & Reegan

Riley & Reegan - Summer 2009

We had pictures taken of Riley & Reegan last Monday (7/27/2009). I'd been waiting to post them until I had more time (or energy) to write a major update about Reegan (who is doing awesome and making us so happy)...but I don't want to wait that long. So here are some pictures!

Our perfect night

Back in our younger days - Aug 2000














Our dinner















I love having two kids. And I can honestly tell you it has been easier than I expected. Quite a bit easier actually. All that being written, it is still hard. Maybe its not that it is hard as much as it is it is a tremendous amount of work. It seems like its hard for Chris or I to catch our breath, much less catch one together. We are either feeding or bathing or making dinner or consoling or playing with or dressing or changing diapers or running out the door to work or to a doctor's appointment. I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about.

But tonight the stars aligned and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner. It was just beautiful. So much so that I felt the need to write this post. Sometime before Reegan was born or right after (who can really remember the timeline anymore? :), I came across a few recipes I'd like to try. One of them was this salmon dish. I like salmon. I want to like salmon. But I never like it when we cook it. We've always grilled it and it is chewy and burned. I have had it grilled and it tasted great...just not when we grill it. We decided to try this new recipe tonight.

Riley and I were out running errands today and she didn't get a very long nap. So we decided we'd put both kids down a little early and then cook & eat dinner together. We gave them both a bath. Then Chris put Riley to bed and I put Reegan to bed. It was like a scene out of a movie as Chris and I both come exiting our children's room at the same time and make our way to the kitchen. Both kids are good night sleepers once they go to sleep, but sometimes resist going to bed. Riley will come up with a million excuses on why she can't go to sleep...she needs water, needs to go potty, needs one more hug and kiss. Reegan goes down pretty easy, but sometimes wakes up a couple of times in the first 30-60 minutes. Anyway, not tonight. They both went down right away and within 20 minutes we were sitting down to a wonderful, grown up dinner for two. And the salmon was GREAT! The spinach didn't work out perfectly (too much oil and WAY too much salt...but we've learned for the next time). Regardless it was fantastic to sit and enjoy our food, talking without interruption and no rush. A mini date of sorts.

I cannot get over how we got from the soccer field to the minivan and table for four. But I love it.