Excerpts From a Paper Journal

Some tidbits from my journal of 1989, during Jeren's first year.

1. 2/7/1989
David is 5 and Jeren is 3 months:
David says, "Oh, Jeren, you are my favorite joke!" or alternately,
"Oh, Jeren, you are such a funny joke to me!"
This is because he absolutely laughs himself silly over Jeren's expressions.

2. 3/6/1989
David is still 5.
Today while I was tending to Jeren, David got his 'baby' and put him to bed in Jeren's bed. Then when it was time for Jeren's nap, David put his baby in the infant seat and gave him the toys I had earlier given Jeren.

3. 3/8/1989
Laurie is 11 years old. Jeren is 4 months.
Jeren had his first fall yesterday evening. He threw himself out of Laurie's arms (by lunging when she was changing his position.) She screamed a blood-curdling scream at the top of her lungs. It scared him and he screamed. She cried. He's ok. This morning I woke up to him sucking on my elbow.

4. 4/6/1989
Keri is 14 years old.
Keri got a letter from Matt with the stamp upside down. They talk on the phone a lot and don't say anything.

5. 6/10/1989
Jeren is 7 months old.
This morning Jeren got into things. He ate dirt out of one of my plants and also pulled off a leaf. He went back for more several times, looking to see if I would stop him. (I did).

6. 6/11/1989
Today when I went in to get Jeren, he was standing in his crib.

7. 6/12/1989
Jeren let go and stood without support.

8. 6/25/1989
Sean is a couple of weeks short of 8 years and Jeren is 7 months.
Jeren played a game with Sean. He rolled the ball to Sean and when Sean rolled it back he repeated the process.

9. 7/17/1989
Things I saw today:
A man eating out of the garbage at McDonald's
A young boy (11 or 12) in handcuffs.

10. 7/23/1989
Jeren is 8 1/2 months old.
I've been out of the room for a few minutes to put away some clothes.
Jeren is in the kitchen spitting. He's been eating the cat food again. Behind him lies a trail.
Yarn from my needlework kits strewn about the living room.
The little bird-cage on the floor.
The cat-food dish lying on its side, cat food spilled on the floor.
The cat's water dish spilled and rolled on its side by the cabinet.
He has splashed and crawled through the water and it's all over.
He found toast and a cheeto from last night's dinner (left in the high chair) and munched on those.
He rolled the wheels to the stroller and chuckled to himself. (While I was cleaning up.)
Right now he is crinkling the handle to a plastic bag full of stuff for the Goodwill.

Some amusing tricks my brain plays on me.

Yes, I'm getting old. The fun in that is trying to live with a brain that malfunctions on a daily basis. Here are some funny little games my brain and I play together.

1. I can't find my purse. I'm looking everywhere. My son comes to help me so I won't be late to work. As I turn around he says, "Mom, would that be the purse on your shoulder?" haha. I had it right there on me.

2. I am working on my computer or reading or paying bills. I am wearing a pair of reading glasses. As I come across another pair in my purse and/or desk drawer, I start to put them on over the ones I am already wearing. DUH! haha.

3. I am an excellent speller. I occasionally can't remember how to spell a word that I've spelled correctly all my life. I have to go to AOL, start an email and put the word in the email and use spell checker to figure it out. Annoying.

4. I am trying to write a word that I know how to spell. No matter how many times I try, it comes out wrong. (an example: at work I was trying to write "purse". I kept writing purche. Don't ask. I have no idea why, but again, it's very annoying.)

5. I bought two new jackets. When I took one out of the closet to wear, I told myself to take off the tags. When I got to the meeting I was going to attend, my boss whispered to me to lift my arm. She then detached the tags that I thought I had removed. haha.

6. I'm running around the house looking for my car keys. My son hears me and comes to help. (he's great that way!). We are looking everywhere. He sees me standing there trying to figure it out when he notices I have the keys in my hand. He says, "Hey, mom! Would you be looking for the keys that you're holding in your hand?" Ay, yi, yi~!

7. Cooking is impossible because I CANNOT seem to remember that I am making food. If I leave the kitchen the food is out of sight, out of mind and with no sense of smell, impossible (apparently) for my brain to keep in memory.

8. I actually forget to eat. I get busy on my day and go, go, go. I get to work and realize I've not had one drop of food all day. This happened again yesterday. I ate nothing at all until around 8pm, when I got my break at work. I don't get why I don't feel hungry. Whatever.

9. The "Did I" game. Most of you have probably played this one. It's the "did I turn off the (insert any electrical appliance here, especially those that create heat and might 'burn down the house')" game. Luckily I have people that I can call to check on those things, since my sons work days and I work nights. Still annoying, though.

10. What did you say? I have my shirt on inside out? haha. Yes, I really do end up places and find that I didn't get my clothes on right. This is humorous, even to me. How can I not notice this? Especially when I am sure I am paying attention to that.