We did something radical today... well actually it's not that big, but we did sell our TV. No more television at the Friess's. Apparently I sold it for a good price given the 50 responses I had to the Craig's List ad in 12 hours. It took up quite a bit of space and our living room looks much better. Now on to the painting...

Amelia played with her friend Ruby today. As I was mulching I found a baby frog which is now sleeping next to her bed in a cage. Amelia understands I want the frog out of our house by tomorrow and so she told me this will just be like a "sleep-over" or "vacation" for the frog. Oh and she named it too, "Frogme." I wonder how long it will actually be around.

Meredith gets a check-up tomorrow and I think 4 shots. She's proudly walking down the stairs now. This week her vocabulary has really grown. 

Only 3 days left before Boards, 4 days left before I return to residency and 30 days left before we leave for Oregon. Guess I better get a good night's sleep and keep studying. 

Moving and Going

We had a busy week. Studying, enjoying time with the girls, camping at Put-in-Bay with our friends Derek, Amy, Sarah and Quinn, church picnic, running, yard sale, and choosing a realtor... It's starting to really become real that we are moving. It's also a bit overwhelming all that needs to happen. We've got to clean, paint, organize, pack, take medical equipment to Chicago (to later go on to Cameroon) and perhaps the hardest part, deciding exactly what to take. What clothes, toys and household items do we bring for the next two years?

Amelia is rather sentimental and hasn't found a toy, clothing item, or decoration she wants to leave behind. I keep watching her take-out what I put in the trash or a box and start explaining to me why it needs to stay out. 

Several missionaries in Cameroon have provided a  list of what to take. So I guess that's where we will start. 

Amelia, No biting your sister Meredith!

We look over to see Amelia saying, "Meredith sweetie it's ok, I'll kiss your finger."  Meredith elicits a loud scream.   Two bite marks appear on her index finger. 

     "Mommy," Amelia says, "Meredith saw the gum in my mouth and she put her finger in my mouth to try to get it out and I bited her."

      Amelia spent the next hour in her room on her bed thinking about what she should not have done.  Amelia then wrote the following note: 

                    BITING IS NAUGHTY

                    I WILL NOT BITE

                    SORRY MEREDITH

                    I WILL BEHAVE --   AMELIA

 

(attached is the picture showing Meredith's shiner above her left eye after falling down the stairs)

Roadtrip to Alexandria, Virginia

Friday we left on a 360 mile trip through Pennsylvania, Maryland & Virginia across I-70 to Alexandria Virginia.  

     Saturday the family road the Metro Blue line from King Street Station directly to the Smithsonian stop.  We came up the escalator and to our right was the Washington Monument, to our left was the Capitol, and all around us was the humid weather of our Nation's capital.  We spent several hours at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural Science.  Amelia particularly enjoyed the life butterfly exhibit.  We saw the T-Rex skeleton, Hope Diamond, and touched Moon Rock.   Amelia wanted to see, "where the President lives," but Pennsylvania Ave proved to be to far of a walk.  Amelia also wanted to see, "Hillary Clinton." We took the blue line back to Arlington National Cemetery.  A trolley tour paid honor to the many fallen soldiers, presidents, chief justices, and journalists of our great nation..a cemetery that will fill in 2020..At 3:00 we called it quits and hit the pool back at the hotel to Meredith and Amelia's delight!  You can see the Washington Monument behind Sara's left shoulder.

     Sunday Zobapago (Zobapago.com explains more) debuted at the Alexandria Red Cross Kids festival.  Our music and act was well received by the parents and children attending.    It may have been the first and only time in my life where my bongos and conga drums were sound checked!  The back-stage pass for myself and family was unexpected.  Ralph's world followed Zobapago.  Amelia met Ralph and he signed her frisbee.  It was a wonderful Father's day to have the love and presence of my favorite girls..Sara, Amelia, & Meredith.

Becoming Better

In Atul Gawande's book Better - A Surgeon's Notes on Performance suggestion are given on how to become a positive deviant in society.  That is how can one make a worthy difference is society.  How can one not be content with just being average?  The advice Gawande gives is directed toward surgeons but I find it relevant to fatherhood, dentistry, spirituality, athletics, and much more.  I was moved and motivated by his suggestions and thought to write them down.   

5 Suggestions To Becoming a Positive Deviant 

1) Ask an Unscripted Question- take a moment when you meet someone new to ask them an unexpected question.  A child--what is your favorite food?  A waiter or waitress--do you have kids?  An acquaintance -- How long have you lived here and where are you from?

2) Don't complain- All of us as parents, professionals, members of a congregation, teammates have plenty to complain about.  It is easy to feel worn out.  Resist complaining.  It never solves the problem.  It is counter-productive.  It usually turns to malicious gossip.  It brings the morale of everyone down.  

3) Count Something- How many patients get dry-sockets post extraction.   How many miles biked in 2008.   How many words Meredith can say in June. The number of times Amelia finishes her jobs.  How many times Scripture is read.  You will be surprised at the successes and the failures.  

4) Write Something-  (As you can see I was motivated...)  A blog, thank-you note to a friend or relative, letter of protest to a senator.  It helps give one a sense of purpose.

5) Change-  Don't be afraid to see outside the routine and the habitual. Believe that you can be different and better.  

Meredith & Amelia--How they change!

Update on Meredith & Amelia by Dad....

Meredith

Favorite toy-shoes  (pulling them in and out of the closet and             bringing Crocs, Keens, Nikes or sandals to the appropriate person)

Favorite Food--Dirt, Sand, Crayons, & Shoes

New Words--Ballooooon, Me, Shoe

Most Recent Shining Moment-  In just over 12 hours Meredith 1) pulls antique lamp off coffee table and shatters fixture and bulb 2) falls down porch stairs and receives a shiner on her right eye 3) tumbles down stairs again and receives shiner above left eye...

Most like a Friess- Meredith is specially fitted for shoes and measured to be a five-double wide..(i'm sorry)  I've been told she has a 'high volume' foot..that would mean thick between the sole and the top of the foot.

Amelia (pink of course)

Best Question-  Mommy what does H..E...L...L spell?  After Sara explains what Hell is...Amelia adds, "Oh yeah Mommy, I forgot there was an 'O' on the end of the word."

Amelia's Favorite Foods- Quiche, Salmon Lox on an everything bagel with cream cheese, & pop-tarts (blueberry)

Most like a Cichowski-  1) Mommy that toy Meredith plays with that makes all the songs...it gives me a headache. 2)I'm carsick!

Nana's Visit

We were so glad Mom came out for my graduation or at least that was the reason she gave, but we knew she really wanted to see the girls. Amelia and Meredith had so much fun putting together puzzles, shopping, playing dolls, and reading books with Nana. 

I was particularly honored to have her at my graduation. It's hard to believe my education is nearly complete, for a while. As Malin said, "I think the only person happier to see you finished is me." Technically I'm done Sept 30th, to make-up for the time I took off for Meredith. But I do have all this month off to study for the written boards June 30th.  So I better get studying, since playing Scrabble and shopping with mom was more enticing. 

The pictures are from graduation and Stan Hywet Hall and gardens. 

Amelia receives her diploma

Amelia has now graduated from St. Paul's Nursery school on May 21, 2008.  She received her diploma proudly.  Thankfully, she is moving on.  Amelia came home one day to tell me, "Daddy, hugging and kissing is not allowed at school."  

Oh really, "what happened?" I said.  

"Vince kissed me," Amelia bashfully exclaimed.

        "Where?"

         "On the playground."

         "No, Amelia where?"  Amelia points to her left cheek much too close to her lips!

     "But I told my teacher and they told Vince that kissing and hugging is not allowed.  But Daddy Ben is really funny and he liked Lauren, but then Ben and I got to be line leaders and hold hands and now he likes me."

          

      

     

Cruising Amelia

Look! No training wheels.  I'm not even five and I'm riding free.  Joel & Andrew watch out.  My ride is my one speed princess bicycle, and I wear a cinderella helmet.  Don't ever underestimate the speed of cute!

The big news after the weekend--Amelia has pierced ears. She's been asking since age 2. We waited a while before agreeing to this change. I half expected her to chicken out once we got to Claire's. Instead she sat quietly in the chair, held completely still and then let out the biggest smile I've seen after it was over. No tears, no crying, no complaining, just contentment. She's taken complete responsibility for twisting her earrings and cleaning her ears. And will get to change her earrings at Crescent Lake. We wanted time for her ears to heal prior to going to Cameroon. 

Grammie's Visit

Amelia and Meredith have been enjoying Grammie's visit for the past week. They've gone to the park, Nature realm, shopping, decorated cupcakes, gone to the library, read volumes of books and colored for hours. The girls will really miss her when she leaves tomorrow. 

Meredith is finally saying some new words, "book and ball." She is trying to walk down the stairs and is quick to escape the house if the door is left open. 

Amelia recovered from her illness this weekend.  She checked-out a book with Grammie called, "I lost my tooth in Africa." The girl places her tooth under a gourd and gets 2 chickens. Amelia is already planning what color her chickens should be when she loses her 1st tooth.

      Amelia and Mom made a special date to Akron Civic's Theater ballet performance of Cinderella.  Here you can see Amelia getting ready--glass slippers, purse, gloves, tierra, for a magical evening.  

Mother's Day Photo

A Whole Month

Somehow my intentions to write weekly turned into a 5 week absence. I think this testifies to the busy month I've had at work and how quickly time will continue to go before we leave. 

Spring has finally arrived in Akron and we are grateful. Last night we biked as a family to Subway for dinner. Amelia ordered her favorite sandwhich: turkey and mayonaise. 

Two weeks ago I participated in a fundraiser for the Women's battered shelter by getting pictures with the girls. We dressed up on request of Amelia and if you look closely she's wearing the pearls Auntie Ana gave her just like me.

Tomorrow is a day filled with the ordinary, playing with the kids, meals, laundry, cleaning the house grocery shopping and hopefully going for a run.  

Visits from Family

Grandma Cichowski, Uncle Luke, Mom and Dad just left. We enjoyed visiting with them and marveled as over 14inches of snow fell. We were home bound as Akron pretty much shut down. No church, no groceries, no mall...nothing remained open. So, lots of time for visiting.

We also learned this weekend of the unrest in Cameroon. We are hopeful the riots will stop and there will once again be peace in the area. Our prayer cards are almost ready for ordering. The blog will be included on them in hopes this will provide a way to stay in contact with many people easily. Also, we want the blog to give you a glimpse of what it's like for us to get ready to go.

Everyone and anyone is always welcome it visit us where ever we are.

our little wrecking ball

Just a few days shy of 14 months old and Meredith is walking. She is gleeful about her newfound skill but still quite wobbly on her small feet. She has the unfortunate tendency to not fall sideways or forwards but straight on her back!

Meredith's First Steps!!

Meredith's 1st Birthday

Happy 1st Birthday Meredith! We celebrated with Nana and friends, Amy, Derek, Sarah and Quinn. Meredith does not seem to have the sweet tooth her sister does. She played more with her cake than ate. Meredith is busy enjoying the rocking elephant, bike, dolls and other toys she received. She did figure out that besides being fun to ride, if she pushes the toy elephant over and then climbs to stand on top of it she can reach more things. We've also had to block all stairways since she started crawling. I still don't think it's ever occured to Amelia to try to crawl ontop of something.

Royal Coronation

Amelia went to this 3 times and never grew tired of learning how to become a princess. (She's in the blue).

Amelia& Meredith at Disneyland & the Beach

Amelia met Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel and Jasmine at Disneyland. We also enjoyed a trip to the beach. Meredith slept soundly as we rode down the boardwalk.