The Quaranteam

I’m certain many parents have wished over the years for more time with kids.  If only one could go back and be more intentional.  Nevermind school, jobs, activities, and social gatherings—what really matters is family time at home, in the living room, around the dinner table.  Slowing down life, taking walks in the neighborhood, sharing germs with the ones you love.  Watching cars go by and wondering where they’re headed.  Standing six feet away from strangers at the grocery store.  Having nightmares about shaking hands with a new acquaintance.  You know, family time. 

This year the Christmas season led into a surprisingly mild winter season, a surprisingly arduous flu season, and then a novel, unforgettable coronavirus season featuring the 100-year pandemic called CoViD-19.  While most countries in the world have gone through various stages of shutdown, we’re now in the midst of our own “shelter-at-home” mandate in Ohio.  Dad works from home, mom works from home, and the kids work from home, each producing bearing designs, food/education, and loud noises respectively. 

Mailing letters and doing puzzles are top priority for us shut-ins

Let’s first harken back to Christmas, where we celebrated for the first time with little Baby Dim-Sum and got those beautiful family of 6 pictures we’ve been waiting our whole lives for.  We did a full round through Pennsylvania, first to Center Hall, then Carlisle.  Dad saw Star Wars with Opa, Mom ate oreo cheesecake cookies, Elia and Sophia received princess merchandise and craft supplies, and Summer decided to stop sleeping.  Only Elia threw up this time over the Laurel Mountains (as opposed to multiples), and she can bag it herself quite nicely.  In Greensburg, lots more board gaming, presents, Jioio’s pizza, and Summer sleep strikes (what a homebody).   

Breakfast with Santa at Timken gets shorter and more frantic with every child

Literally Ezra's favorite present.  Carried it with him everywhere, all week.

The Stark County Library "Tiny Winter Formal" with Goobers 1 and 2

January and February flew by, as visions of homeschooling danced in our heads.  Elia is probably going to attend first grade right here at the Joseph School of Practical Knowledge.  We worked in Elia’s new map activity book, and the love of Duplo blocks became infectious.  We had a fantastic visit from Mimi and Grandpap in January for Dad’s birthday and carrot cake (cue the annual “why are there no carrots in carrot cake?”), and a fun trip to Carlisle/Lancaster to celebrate Valentine’s Day, overdue pregnancies, basement projects, Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lisa, and finally, a pretty baby boy!  Ezra approves.

All dolled up for a night at the dollar theatre, Frozen II

The rumblings of an epic virus began in March for the US.  One day Mom got sick with the flu, so we self-quarantined our family.  By the time she was feeling better, the country was not, and everyone closed their doors.  First, assemblies of more than 100 were banned, so church turned to the internet for meetings.  Then restaurants closed, work moved to home.  Next, schools and libraries and nearly every “non-essential” business closed.  Finally, we were forced to shelter at home with few exceptions.  Fortunately, our house is great and we have lots of people, toys, space, yard, and enough Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps to feed our family for a month.  Elia’s school has been doling out free snacks to the kids and it’s the “only exciting thing that happens” (Elia and Ezra lose their minds when we put on socks and shoes these days) anymore.  It’s like we’re living a Disney princess quarantine playlist…when will my life begin?  I want to be where the people are.  Tell the guards to open up the gates!

Stay away coronavirus!

As a socialite, times have been rough, but as a parent, opportunities have never been so prevalent.  Elia has taken off in her understanding of math: she can now multiply numbers in her head and has her first investment account in the Bank of Dad.  She can’t play with neighbors, but has made numerous forts and regained her no-training wheels skills on our family bike rides.  Reading the same 3 books to Ezra everyday has never been easier now that Elia can help!  She just turned 6 thanks to this rainbow cake. 

Stage-shocked Elia, looking for Dad

Mommy volunteered as tribute for a kindergarten Valentine's Day party

We'll use it again for her 9th

Bay Sopheria is bummed about gymnastics being cancelled, but overall has a great attitude about life.  Hearing her retell the story of laying a hit on a creepy spider in the playroom, I am reminded of her cuteness and profound bravery.  Unfortunately she has been forcibly deposed as oldest sibling what with Elia’s return, so she plays along as second fiddle, slowly developing her own tune.  Not as into babies or chores, much more soak baths, costumes, and the color red.

Her happy place

The Girl on Fire (another Hunger Games one, gotta see it)

"Why does Dad always sell our new wooden toys?"

Ezra has found a new favorite spot in the house—the basement.  Which has been so overrun with Woods To Home projects lately that I haven’t had much room for cleaning, leading to dusty socks (occasionally dusty bellies as well).  He can’t sit and watch a Pixar film that was scientifically engineered to capture his attention, but he loves to sit on the stool in my shop and watch me drill holes in wood.  He still struggles with speech, though he has entered a new stage where he will try to mimic any words we try to get him to say.  It’s a challenge in that he can’t often make S, F, P, W, V, R, J, or T sounds.  Baby steps for Baby Ez.

"Owenge Dill"

"Yehyo 'Mehr"

"Gahcky?"

"Dada, owenge ha"

Summer (aka Baby Sum-Sum, Baby Dim-Sum, Bay Dim, and just Dimmy) has finally accepted that she can’t return to her nice comfy womb and turned the frown upside-down.  Now that her hair has grown in all curly and she smiles and giggles, she’s a real-life baby clown.  Definitely in the highlights real of every day.  In typical Joseph fashion, she’s miles away from walking now at 8 ½ months, but seems close to crawling, and managed to say “dada” one time, possibly by mistake.  Still awesome.  She eats mushed carrots and pears like she’s got something to prove.  Oh Dimmy.

Perfect form

Smiles on demand

You and I both know you had nothing better to do than read this blog post, but I hope you enjoyed keeping up with our quaranteam nonetheless.  Have a great day at home and stay safe!