Rowan loves music. It's becoming more and more evident lately. Unfortunately, it's mostly evident when the television is on, and he recognizes commercials. His favorites are the local commercials that tend to sing their phone numbers: 800-588-2300...EMPIRE (for Empire carpets); 1-800-244-1963...Windows Unlimited (for a window company), and much to Kenny and my disappointment, the cheesy Channel 11 local news station, "Stand up and tell 'em you're from Pittsburgh."

I'd like to think he recognizes these jingles not because he hears them over and over (we'll get to that later), but because he appreciates the sounds of music. His favorite toy is a little piano and he makes us dance with him when "Rockin' Robin" and "Oh Susanna" are played through it's tiny speaker. And he won't give Kenny a moment's rest when he wants to sit down and play his keyboard, or bodhran, or D whistle (the tiny tin whistle has become Rowan's own instrument because it's pint-sized, like him, and he recently learned how to blow into it to make a note. It's also really sticky with toddler finger prints all over it).

So we'll soon cultivate his love for music in some way, and begin music lessons in some form or another in a few years. Will he play an instrument? Sing? Dance? Who knows...

One of my fears about his recognizing these commercials is that I have the television on a lot during the day. It's actually hard to sit down and watch a program, but I like to have the noise on in the background. So, I've been keeping the television on PBS all day long. Rowan really only recognizes Sesame Street, because he loves Elmo, and he ignores the other cartoons. But he actually watched a good portion of Bob Ross last week. I love watching Bob paint his "happy little trees" and obviously he caught Rowan's attention. He even fell alseep for a few minutes on my lap watching the last part of Bob Ross a week or so ago. Unfotunately, he stayed asleep on my lap after it ended, so I was stuck watching "Sit and Be Fit" for a good 10 minutes until he woke up.

Now that it's the "Christmas Season" (okay, okay, it's actually Advent. And we're celebrating Advent in our home with our Advent wreath, and Advent calendar...), I've been keeping the television turned off and playing Christmas music all day long. It's a nice change, and hopefully I can keep the television off come January.

for SLEEP!

Although Rowan's been sleeping from 8:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. for months now, I am happy to report that last night I got more than 5 hours of sleep because Sawyer decided to sleep from 9:30 until 4:00. He nursed for 20 mintues, then slept until 7:15! It was a dream night! You just don't realize how much you miss sleeping until it's taken from you night after night.

There have been times in the past 2 3/4 months that I wake up, responding to Sawyer's cries for milk, when I throw my pillow at Kenny as I get out of bed. Unintentionally, of course. Actually, it's completely intentional, but he's so sound asleep, he doesn't even notice, so it's all in vain. But I'm so jealous of him all snuggled under our down comforter, sleeping away until his 7:00 a.m. wake up call from Rowan. I think, "parenting is a 50/50 job, so why do I get all the dirty work in th emiddle of the night?" Then I have to remind myself that it's my fault that I have to get up at night because I insist on breastfeeding rather than bottle feeding. Then I become insanely jealous of all the bottle-feeding parents out there. Because they can TAKE TURNS at night. (And for those dads out there who say, "take turns? i can't take a nap at work, and my wife can"...that's total bologna. When you have two kids, there is NO nap taking for the mama either).

Sleep is a hard, hard habit to break. When Rowan fights me when I try to lay him down for a nap, I keep telling him that when he's my age, he'll be offereing his right arm for a good long nap.

There are so many things that we're thankful for this year. So I know it sounds really shallow that I'm very thankful for sleep today. But sleep makes me a better mama. And wife. And daughter. And friend. And a better person all around who can be thankful (and not jealous).

:D

people have been asking me how rowan like his little brother. so i thought i'd tell the story in these few pictures.

[link(pics/oct_04/ro_saw_love.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/ro_saw_love.jpg[/thumb][/link] [link(pics/oct_04/saw_smile.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/saw_smile.jpg[/thumb][/link] [link(pics/oct_04/saw_smile2.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/saw_smile2.jpg[/thumb][/link]

yep, he loves his little brother, and his little brother gives him the biggest smiles. they're getting along swimingly. now if only we can help make this last their whole lives...

my "update" blog entry has seemed to confuse some people.

the statement "And we're both happy with this outcome of the election: we won't have to listen to Teresa's rude remarks to news reporters for the next four years. " does not say that we're happy with the re-election of Bush. It was kind of a joke about teresa heinz kerry...it wasn't really a statement about how we feel about the election. because i'm not going to get into that here.

sorry about the confusion. i just wanted to get the record somewhat straighter.

by the way, TODAY IS KENNY'S BIRTHDAY! send him a birthday wish at kennyliz@city-net.com. we're celebrating tonight by drinking guinness while listening to "Craic Wisely" perform at The Harp and Fiddle. Craic Wisely is my brother's band. They play Irish traditional music while drinking beer. It's a fun time.

Here are the obligatory Halloween pictures of 2004.

TigerRowan, RedHotChiliSawyer, PirateKenny, and FairyLiz.

We only made it to about 4 houses...Rowan hadn't napped all day and was very tired, and Sawyer wanted to eat real bad. But we had a great time hanging out at the house with Nana and Pop Pop watching one of the best Steeler games in history. Or at least recent history.

[link(pics/oct_04/halloween1.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/halloween1.jpg[/thumb][/link] [link(pics/oct_04/halloween2.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/halloween2.jpg[/thumb][/link] [link(pics/oct_04/halloween3.jpg)][thumb]pics/oct_04/halloween3.jpg[/thumb][/link]

Rowan crashed around 1:30. He missed President Bush's acceptance speech....

Coincidentally, Sawyer was awake through Kerry's concession speech. I think he's in much better spirits. Maybe it's all the sleep he got this morning.

By the way, in case you think the previous email was a "reflection" on the true nature of the Smith household, it's not. Kenny and I agree on many, many things politically.

And we're both happy with this outcome of the election: we won't have to listen to Teresa's rude remarks to news reporters for the next four years. :D

This morning, there is much rejoicing met with much sadness in the Smith household. Rowan is cleary with the GOP, while Sawyer leans to the left.

It was a long night. Sawyer woke up twice - once when NBC announced Bush took Ohio (2:30 a.m.), and the second time when the White House Chief of Staff announced that Bush won Ohio (5:00 a.m.), putting the race for the White House in Bush's court. Poor Sawyer: he would only go back to sleep after a good snack (and diaper change). Not even Mommy's soothing voice that our nation just might be okay would help him get back to sleep. Just milk. He's been sleeping all morning, and refused to listen to the news at 11:00 when Katie Couric announced that Kerry just conceded. He's currently sleeping in his grief.

Rowan has been bouncing off the walls all day long. He is clearly very happy with the results of presidential race. I don't think it has anything to do with the chocolate chip cookie he received from the little old lady at the polling booth yesterday (it being his first chocolate chip cookie, ever). He is bringing me book after book to read, and watches each new "Breaking News" announcement. He refuses to nap at all today and can't wait to talk about the election results with his playgroup friends (who, I haven't told him yet, are Kerry-supporters. How do I break that to him?)

Neither brother can understand the other's position, but they're willing to live in the same house regardless of their differences. After all, they're family, and they love each other.