wow. i am really good about keeping up with this.

Ben and Daddy sharing a little love a month or so ago.....

here is a photo of Lua at Gymboree a few weeks ago

well cut me some slack would you? Because i have had a lot going on around here in these past two years! geez!

seriously though, it boggles my mind that i could get so caught up in life that i couldn't find my way back here at least once a year to check in and say hello. I mean, i have comments on photos that i didn't read for more than a year. How pitiful am i?

well, the problem that i run into here, and the thing which has, to this point, kept me from ever being successful at keeping up with journaling to any extent, is that i am totally obsessive about writing. "what???!!!" you say incredulously. "How could you be obsessive about writing and not have written anything for almost 2 freakin' years??!!". well, the answer is this; when i write in a journal, or the kids' notebooks or baby books, and the little bit that i have written in this blog, i need to fight against the VERY strong impulse to share every bit of everything that has happened, been experienced, thoughts that i have thunk ;o) between one entry and the next. The result is that i feel overwhelmed and frankly inadequate to write anything.... because i know that i will leave out a million important things, and events and feelings... and so then i just don't write anything.

This is ridiculous, and i know it is ridiculous. i must fight against this obscene and unrealistic way of writing, journaling, blogging etc... because if i do not, then i will end up never writing or sharing anything because i will feel like i can never do an adequate job of it.

so i have a resolution just to do it... even if it is only now and then, i will try to write something... i am not responsible to chronicle every word that the baby says and the funny way that she says it. i am not resposible to write down and explain in detail every amazing milestone that my children reach and then reach past... i do not need to share every thought that ever comes into my head or talk about every activity we participate in, it is not my job to keep up with it all and write it down for posterity. i am saying all of these things to give myself permission to just write something-- and to try to grasp hold of--nay, EMBRACE the idea that writing SOMETHING is better than writing NOTHING goshdarnit!!!!!!!

so, in the spirit of writing something... let me, in brief, give you a little point form list of things that have happened in the last couple of years, in no particular order of occurance or importance, and not trying to think of everything. I share with you then a little taste of what life has been like since the summer of 2006.

-our baby girl has grown into a very sparkly, beautiful, tender-hearted, silly, funny and strong willed little girl who turned "terrificly two" anout two weeks ago. She is a delight and a challenge and the light of our lives!

-the other light of our lives is our little sonshine- our boy who is four and a couple months old... articulate and funny as all get out, sensitive, loving, endearingly charming ... with a keen sense of wit and humor and a probing little brain.

-Ben started school this fall- at Arbor Montessori here in Atlanta and is absolutely shining in the program! His teacher Marian often brings me aside to tell me some funny anecdote about something that our small man said or did in school.... recently, some of the other parents have started to pick up on some of his hilarity and "wisdom" and have shared little things with us.

... the other day , the teacher's assistant, who is from Bulgaria, i believe, told me that Ben told her she sounded like a Teletubby when she spoke. she was laughing when she told me, and i laughed too, but i also felt very apologetic and was saying "oh, i am so sorry" and she said no, not to worry, he said it in a very respectful and matter of fact way saying something like "we have a program at home that Lua sometimes watches and you talk a little bit like the characters on the program. It's called Teletubbies". phew. what can you say to that?

-Our Baha'i holidays were last week.. Ayyam-i-Ha - or Intercalary Days lasted for 5 days this year because it was a leap year. We had a nice time preparing for the season of giving with Ben and Luas' Grandma and Papa who were here for a few weeks. We made paper chains, and radiant hearts and brilliant star cookies, and Ben and Grandma did a little service project for some of our animal friends by making dog biscuits which Ben handed out to classmates at school.

-The Hofert Grandparents were also here for a visit a couple weeks ago, and for the first time were here for one of the childrens' birthday celebrations. We, as usual, made a silly big deal out of Lua's birthday, and had a big butterfly birthday party with lots of friends, and food and a crazy cake and lots of decorations. It was a lot of fun, and nice to be able to share with John and Priscilla. My folks were also here so we all had a nice visit together, as the grandparents' visit overlapped by about 5 days. a rare and very nice treat.

-Uncle Jef also came for a few days while my folks were here and has made the decision to come and join us here in the ATL for a few months and try his hand at the world of renovation etc... here in the South. We have invited him many times before, but the time is right now and he feels excited for the change. I have a good feeling about what being here will mean for him, and suspect/ intuit that the time and experiences here will be wonderful for his life. He bought Dan's old truck and drove it back up to Maine to load up with tools and gear and is heading back down in a couple of weeks

-Dan has been working out of town in North Carolina for the last 5 months. It has been a very difficult time for all of us. I miss him like crazy, and the kids even moreso i think! not to mention how homesick he must feel. At least he has work to keep him busy, and, thank God, he is home every weekend. The weekends go by quickly though- as you can imagine! He has about 3 (or so) months left on this project and should be home again after that. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the next project he gets is a local one... because if it isn't, he may be looking for another line of work. that, or another wife..... just kidding. sort of.

well, my wrist is starting to hurt, and i haven't shared that much yet about what is going on, or about the kids, or anything about me... but that is the beauty of my new resolution! i can log in again sometime soon (or not too soon) and write about something else. no obligations man.

have a great night.

it's nice to see you again.

some recent pictures of the family

Here is Ben playing on the floor with vehicles.... like he does every day ;o)
Here is my little Lua hanging out in a halter top that auntie Holley gave her. She had better enjoy dressing like this now, because she will not leave the house like this when she is a teenager!
Lua rolling around on the floor trying to eat her foot. cutie!!
Here is my honey on is birthday a couple of weeks ago. We have been off of sugar, so cake was such a treat! you can see Ben trying to get his finger into the frosting!
My two little ones chilling out in the living room. I love Ben's posture in this picture. Like a little man with his leg crossed. Isn't Lua's headband funny? I have to keep her hair out of her eyes!

This first picture is of Lua sitting in her "Bumbo" seat; a funny little chair that lets infants sit up and look around before they are really able to sit up on their own. it is a great little chair and she seems to appreciate being able to see what's going on. ...Ben loves for Lua to snuggle with him in his bed. This picture was taken a month or so ago. Lua always has this surprised look on her face. Maybe it is because she doesn't have any eyebrows yet.

just a little post

Just a little post because i don't want to spend too much time sitting at the computer right now.... i would have had time to post something longer and maybe more interesting if i hadn't just spent 20 minutes searching around Craigslist for things i don't need. I am not buying these things, mind you... well, not often anyway ;o) i just surf around looking for fabulous deals and rare finds and then i e-mail them to myself and others. a real time waster. good fun.
so, this will just be a little post- a "postlette" really- because my two children are sleeping simultaneously and we know that that won't last for long. We were at Feast until very late last night; had a wonderful time... but were out hours past bedtime and so the little boy went down for a rest with practically no fuss today. that means he is REALLY tired. The little girl is also asleep for the time being, though i am not sure how as her daddy is in a closet adjascent to ours drilling drywall screws into the wall. anyway, so long as they are both asleep i thought i would write a little note.
The cute thing that i was thinking about has to do with our little son who is moving towards being completely potty trained. It is a big step in our lives, and i can't tell you how happy we are to not have two babes in diapers. so happy. of course, it is a pretty intense time of having to pay CLOSE ATTENTION. Mostly Ben is great about telling us when he has to use the potty. sometimes, he doesn't mention that he has to go, but there is really no need because he is blatantly doing the potty dance; a little aerobic routine that leaves no question as to whether or not he has to go. One thing that we have learned is that we must DEFINITELY ask him if he has to go BEFORE he sits down to watch "Clifford the Big Red Dog". That show is just way too compelling to get up from to go to the potty..... so compelling in fact, that one doesn't even realize that one HAS to go potty.... and so it just happens. right on the overpriced Crate and Barrel couch......... scotch guard can only handle so much. Until you have kids in college, there is probably no point in having any furniture other than bean bags and area rugs.
Another thing that we have learned in the "potty training" process is that the right underwear is tremendous incentive. Ben is very very proud of his "big boy underwear" and particularly loves the briefs with the "Cars" characters on them.
( May i also mention that there are few things cuter than an almost three year old wearing a tiny pair of briefs. truly.) He likes "Mater" a lot, but the character that really strikes his fancy is "Lightening McQueen". To hear him say the name is really about the cutest thing that i have ever heard. First of all, he says it with such flair and inflection, and very loudly- as if he is the announcer at a big race. Secondly, whenever he says it, he usually says it about three times in quick succession. Thirdly, he pronounces it as "Limey Naqueen". whew. so funny.
Okay, that's all for now. sorry for using the word "cute" so much. It is hard for me to avoid when i am talking about Ben. ;o) If you met him, you'd know why.
I've got to figure out how to link to friend's pages. I am pretty sure that there are about three people that read this blog. not that that is the reason i am writing.... but it would be fun to know that writing here was actually helping me to stay connected with other people in some way. i'll figure it out....

the happy hoferts

the happy hoferts i am just trying something.... i don't know what this does

Here is Lua playing on her butterfly mat and laughing; two things which she does often.


Here Ben and his friend Lila are playing with some gears in the family room. Lila and her mom Cara came for a visit from Montana last month. Ben and Lila were fast friends!

I can't believe that i have not written anything here since March. Well, maybe i can.

As you can see by the very amateur look of this blog, i don't spend very much time here. One thing i want to know is, WHY can't i move that blogger box off of my title? do you know how much time i have spent just trying to move that darn box? what is the point of having a title for your blog if it is covered up by the darn blogger box?? you can probably tell that i am QUITE computer illiterate and definitely not very savvy when it comes to things of this nature. ah well. at least i'm here.
So, on the 25th of this month, our baby girl will be FIVE months old! it really boggles the mind! Don't get me wrong-- some of the days feel SO long.... but here we are, already on the threshhold of being HALF A YEAR old!! it is pretty scary to think really. This tiny window of time that i have to try to be a good mom, and effective parent, raising children who will be noble people, contributing members of society, servants to humanity. It's a tall order. Not sure that i am doing such a good job.....
Lua is amazing. She is so cute and so smiley. She also has a great set of lungs and cries more often than her big brother did at this age. Dan describes her as having "higher highs and lower lows" than Ben did when he was a baby. Interestingly, Ben, who was our mellow little baby boy is quite an emotional almost three year old. He has been having some high highs and low lows these days. I am not sure what to attribute to the "new" baby.... though he has NEVER displayed one iota of aggression towards baby Lua-- and in fact talks at great length every day about how much he loves her and how she is his "sweet girl". it is so precious..... The other thing is, he is two and 3/4 of a year old and i know that some of this can just be attributed to that. I find that much of his life can be looked at as these little peaks and valleys when it comes to behaviour. For weeks-- maybe months, he is his easygoing self, happy, cooperative and easily entertained... until one day he wakes up and is grumpy and fussy for another couple of weeks. We are climbing out of grumpy valley right now. at least i hope we are climbing out. Yesterday was a pretty great day; very little fussing, quite cooperative and generally cheerful.--- though i must add- in Ben's defense, even when he is having a rough time, it is not constant, and much of his day he still demonstrates what a sweet boy he really is; loving, sensitive, funny etc....
So, in a couple of minutes, the kiddos and i are off to the pediatrician for Lua's checkup. She was supposed to go at four months, but we delayed the appointment so that we could do some research and talk about vaccination options. So anyway, now she is almost 5 months old... i am anxious to see what she weighs and how long she is ....though i obviously could determine both of these things on my own.... i would much rather go to the dr's office, wait in a germy waiting room and pay a 40.00 co-pay for someone else to tell me. why am i doing this again?? well, i also want to get her umbilical hernia checked out; she still has QUITE an outie. poor Ben doesn't get out enough these days, so even trips to the ped's office are something to look forward to and he is excited to go in momma's car.
before i log off, i wanted to share a little stream of conversation between Ben and i yesterday afternoon.... well, it was less of a conversation than a soliloquy actually. It was ben's naptime and i was snuggling with him in the rocking chair, and he was talking. a lot. i tried not to talk too much because i didn't want to stimulate his busy little brain too much... but i did say a couple things here and there- like, "Ben, i love you more than anything....", "In the whole wide world", he chirped in.... then the rest of the talking went something like this:
BEN: "I have a happy heart. Cause i am happy."
MOMMA: "I am so glad you are happy"
BEN:" I have a radiant heart. I have a kindly and radiant heart. I don't have a radiant square. I have a radiant heart."
I couldn't help but giggle and snuggle him closer... i said, in a quiet voice, "Ben, you are such a hoot" and he said, "Yeah. I am a hoopt". classic.

has it been THAT long?

Here is a picture of Ben painting with Auntie Leslie when she was here in May. what a fun visit that was! Uncle Jef visited us in June and we had a wonderful time with him as well ;o)


This is a picture of the kids with Gramma when she visited in May.... i am trying to catch up here.

she is finally here!!

well.... she is finally here..... and, as you can imagine, i don't have too much time to write these days.... so this "post Lua" post will be short and sweet -- just like my baby girl. She decided to show up at 10:07 pm after three hours of active labor on the 25th of february ( a saturday night)... born at home , in a pool in our family room (which, as you can imagine feels much more like a "family" room now--- what a blessing for this house!).... weighing in at 9 lbs and 4 oz., 22 inches long. she is a beautiful, sweet little thing and she smiles all the time. i know many people say that it is not really smiling when they are this little, but i don't buy it for a minute. she definitely smiles. we are sleepy, but happy... and somehow the sleepless nights don't hurt as much this time around (though ask me in a month...). ben is adorable with her and says things to her like, "baby Wua, you the best" and he pats her and says "oh babe. i wuv you baby Wua". melts your heart......
i am including a couple of photos and will write again when i have a minute (probably 7 or 8 years from now!).

well, i am getting to the end of my rope

i am trying to be as good a sport about this as possible.... but i must admit, i am starting to get weary. today is monday the 20th of February and our little one (who is probably fairly huge by now) has still not joined us here on the other side. perhaps the fault is mine... i have just made it too comforable in there... she just wants to stay put... but i am running out of womb! i never could have imagined how uncomfortable it would be to be so large... so unwieldy; getting up off the couch is like an olympic event these days (and believe me, i am not scoring any medals for the team). I try to continue to be positive and remind myself that everything is happening for a reason and that she WILL eventually come. i have a prenatal with my midwives today, and i know that, as usual, they will set my mind and heart at ease and i will leave feeling better than when i went in and more positive about the remaining time that i have being pregnant... especially when they listen to the babe and she sounds good, and my blood pressure is good, and there is still no protein in my urine....It will be another story when i go to the doctor's tomorrow and they want to strip my membranes, and i tell them no, they cannot... and they look at me like i am from neptune.... or worse, they want me to check in to the hospital right away so that they can just go ahead and induce--- and will want me to have pitocin like i did with Ben... no thank you! that is not the route i am interested in travelling this time. I will be eager to hear what Claudia (my midwife) will have to say about what i can go in armed with tomorrow- in terms of responses to what the doctors in my OBGYN practice are going to probably say and want to do. if i turn myself over to them, the dreams of trying this at home will slip away again. Barring any difficulties, i will stick to my guns and tell them, no, i am not checking in.... give me another week and we'll talk then. They think i am such a nut. "why is she doing this to herself?"
Blah blah blah you say. i am sick of hearing this lady rant about being pregnant. well, to that i say, "find another blog to read". ;o) because chances are good that until this baby decides to join the world of the living on THIS side of my skin, i am going to have more to say about this. thank you for bearing with me... and please, if you are a spiritual person (and even if you are not) if you could whisper a little prayer for me because i am, truly, getting to the end of my rope.

el dia del amor

Happy Valentines Day. Another good day to have a baby... especially when your baby was "due" yesterday..... "due" is sort of a cruel word to use to describe the situation though; i mean, it carries with it a very negative connotation i think. the opposite of "due" being "overdue"... as if you are now toting around some overdue library book and accruing dreadful fines with the passing of each day.... made all the more awful when nearly everyone who sees you says, "are you STILL pregnant?!?!". my new answer will be "no. i had the baby days ago. i left her at home and am just out getting some air. oh, i still look 11 months pregnant? it's just the pants...."
i'm just kidding... though it is easy to slip into a sarcastic and somewhat obnoxious response mode when nobody seems to be able to think about anything else other than my enormous belly and the Shrek feet that i have taken to walking around on. It will be a relief when the baby gets here-- that everyone can just look at her and stop looking at me.... patting me sympathetically and groaning about my being pregnant "poor sweetie". i've had it with that!!!!
i am actually doing great to be honest. Happier and more energetic and positive than i felt last week. i was actually ten days "overdue" myself by the time i was born, and my brother was two weeks late (bless my mother's heart- he was a big moose of a baby too).... so part of me is just very resigned to the possibility of waiting a little longer for this little one to arrive. in the meantime i am crossing all sorts of things of my to do lists and being very nesty-- which is right up my alley anyway..... one thing that is a little hard is knowing that Dan's folks will only be here for a few more days... and they would obviously like to meet their new granddaughter before they leave the continent.... i can certainly appreciate their excitement, but i also can't completely ignore the feeling that someone is waiting on me and that i just can't perform under these conditions!! My midwife is leary of giving any predictions as to when the baby will arrive-- obviously there is really no way to know.... but she said that if she had to guess, she would say that the baby will come right after they leave. in some part of my heart, i think she may be right. we had talked about changing their tickets so that they could stay for longer to increase the chances that they may be able to see her.... but now i am not so thrilled with that idea if in some part of my pregnant brain i am feeling performance anxiety and will not go into labor until we are alone again!! i am detached as i can be - i think--- but don't get me wrong--- I WANT TO HAVE THIS BABY SOONER THAN LATER!! :o)
whatever will be will be.
so... other than that... what is the other news on the hofert homefront? my little sonshine has quieted down in the other room. he didn't seem too interested in snuggling in the rocking chair for very long before his nap today-- which is unusual because he is such a snuggle bug lately.... but rather wanted to get right into his bed and snuggle with his "Peaches kitty" (named after our neighbor's cat- with whom he is completely enthralled) and under his cozy blanket "that aunt Weswie give to me". anyway, he stirred for awhile and i thought this might one of those days when he just skips right over the nap entirely, but now he is quiet again. Speaking of kitties and of my sweet little son... the other night when Dan was putting ben to bed, ben said to his daddy "I wike kitties. i wike kitties all day long". that means he RREEEAAAALLLYYY likes them. o)
Well, it is a beautiful day here in Atlanta, Georgia... and sinse i have someone to stay here with the sleeping boy i should hop up (yeah- hop up-- RIIIIGGHT) - rather, i should heave myself out of this chair, get dressed in some walking clothes and get myself out of this house for a walk around the neighborhood.... walk this baby down.... and get some fresh air.