currently

so, we're currently in nashville looking for jobs. please please please pray that wesley is able to meet for interviews and get a job that will provide for our family.

So far

This week Wesley & I (and Baby X) have been in Nashville scoping out jobs and housing. We have some leads on each, but if you happen to know of a job in the Nashville area, give us a buzz! :) So, anyway, we found a nice apartment that is spacious that looks promising, and (even better) a possible rental house with a yard (!!!) in a cute little neighborhood outside of Nashville that would be ideal. So, we are basically waiting to hear back about Wes's job interviews.
In other news, on the drive home yesterday, Wesley felt the baby move for the first time. The baby gave a big 'ole kick, and there was no questioning that our little boy could be a great soccer player. Our older son, as expected, told us "shoot" & "dangit" when we arrived to pick him up from Pop-Pop's house. Oh, he smiled when he saw us, and told us all about the cement truck (in his own language, of course, with the occasional "cement tuk" mixed in) that he was excited about, but none-the-less was a bit upset to go home with us instead of his grandfather. I guess I'd probably feel the same way. :o)

CDs & Canvases

Wesley is on his last day of recording today. It is such a good cd. I know that I may be bias, but I was drawn to his music before I was attracted to him, so I think I can say objectively that it is good stuff. And it is good stuff. It has been almost exactly a year in the making, so it's nice to see it come together. I have heard just about all of it (save for the stuff they are currently working on, though Merisha and I will be going up there later on this afternoon to work on it some more, and we shall hear it then) and it is Excellent work! So, because today is the last day of recording, the cd should be out (Lord willing!) by the end of this month! Hooray! And, we've been getting some pre-orders in (...ah, hem, at $10.00 each, including delivery which will be $12, so order your copy today!!!...) so that's reassuring that the cd will sell. I have full confidence in that its completely worth of listening to and worth of buying. I just hope that we can get the word out there. It will be available on iTunes eventually, too. Ok, enough about that.I have to order canvases this weekend. I was just commissioned recently to paint a portrait of a dog. I have only done this sort of portrait once, so it shall be a new venture. The one time I did a portrait of a pet was of our "stray" cat Clarence that adopted us, and it was for Wesley, so it will be interesting painting the portrait for someone outside of our home. I love doing people and animals. The pressure is in that it has to be exact. Its just not the same otherwise. Have you ever seen something someone's painted or drawn and thought, "well, I can tell that it looks like so & so, but somethings just not quite right." Exactly. It has to be exact. Generally animals are less stressful than humans, but you would be suprised (or maybe you wouldn't!) at how detail oriented you have to be when its someone's pet. People see their pets almost as children, and in this case, sometimes the pets are their children.

We gotta get out of this place

If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
'cause girl, there's a better life for me and you

(The Animals)

Man, that's how I've been feeling.

Thoughts on parenting

Wesley is in Nashville, and we are at home. Well, we're really at my in-laws' house. I am having issues latley with disciplining Knox. At the risk of shocking the world through a discussion on disciplining a 13 month old, here goes.
I guess I should start this conversation with the preface that we believe that a child-centered family is not beneficial to neither the parents, nor the children, nor the rest of the world, for that matter.
We began this process of trying to let Knox understand that he integrates into our family, and is not the center or purpose of it, quite early in his life by letting him cry himself to sleep. You may not initially think that coorilates to teaching him that he is not the center of the family, but let me assure you, it does. I know this from experience. I would have thought a year ago that this perspective is nuts and couldn't possibly make sense, but I know from experience it is true. Knox is a very strong-willed child. He demands his way. But when I give him no other option at nap time (or at bedtime) but to sleep, he cannot have his way. His body gives in to sleep eventually, and any crying (aka rebellion, in many cases) just helps my case by tiring him out more. When he got old enough, we started to teach him "no" by thumping him firmly, but not too hard, on the hand or foot. He did not imidiately respond to this, because, as I said before, he is a very strong-willed child. He would sometimes look at me like, "what do you think you are doing?" and continue to reach for whatever he shouldn't. But he quickly learned what "no" means. He now has an understanding of consequenses for his actions. By the way, let me also add that he responds sometimes well to praise, so I do not want to give the illusion that we only punish him. No, we understand that at least equally, he needs praise for him to understand to do certain things. We cheer his obedience and creativity on with gusto.
Well, lately (within the past month, noticably) a new streak of rebellion has popped up. He tries new tactics. Where formerly he would mainly cry to get his way, now he whines and yells. He actually told me "no-no" after I told him no. I have seen him laying down on the floor and crying in anger (throwing a miniature temper tantrum) after he doesn't want to do what I tell him to do. Knox is about 13-14 months. He is starting to have more responsibility, and with that, is also learning that he can be more rebellious. His little rebellions are even so funny and almost sweet sometimes in that I can see what a frail and tiny man he is, and it makes me almost laugh with joy about who he is becoming, but I know I cannot laugh when he is being disciplined so that not to cause confusion.
It amazes me the capacity to learn that he has at such a young age. I would never have guessed that he could actually put his toys away on command this young. I didn't know he could understand how to sit down, stand up, or lay down when I tell him to do so. But he does. Anyway, parenting is so much more than I ever thought! :)

happy birthday wes

Today is Wesley's birthday. He's getting 2 more days of recording his vocals. We are out at his parents to celebrate. Really we like to celebrate all week by doing little special things each day leading up to it. Its my birthday week, too. It's hard to believe that in only 3 months or so Knox will be a year already. He's no longer a baby, but now a toddler! We started him on food this week. Peas, sweet potatoes, bananas, and peaches. He's a good eater, so far. I think Wes will be gone on my actual birthday, but that's fine. :) We'll celebrate it when he gets back! :) Hopefully with more sound clips! :) I thought I'd post some pictures of little man.

Today

Ah, work.

Knox is sleeping soundly at the babysitters' house. He shall soon wake, and I will go and feed him. I enjoy my little breaks to go visit him. I am always a bit sad when I have to leave him. I do not understand this system that I'm in that I have to let other people, even if they are people I trust, raise my child for me. It breaks my heart.
Wesley is planning to go back to Nashville to record some more. I'm glad that he's able to make his record finally.

Last night we cooked Linguini Alfredo with crabmeat. It was wonderful! Except, right afterwards it tore up my stomach. Stupid lactose intolerancy. Anyway, we watched Big Brother. I know it's silly, but I'm such a fan. I don't think I could leave my family for 6 weeks or so like that, though!