We started swim lessons this week & have two under our belt so far - they are going swimmingly! Oh, how I crack myself up.
Anyways...
Liam absolutely loves the water my only BUT is that he is clinging to me like a koala bear to a eucalyptus tree. This normally indicates that he is unsure of his surroundings & will not participate in anything you ask of him if it requires him to switch positions. When we encounter the wild koala bear, it takes a few times of doing that thing before he warms up enough to participate fully. And I've already seen that happening!
We use "tools" in the water and although he uses them properly, he doesn't want to let go of it when it's time to use the next one - we have a watering can, a ball (GOL!) and a noodle (newnew) - and I have to pry each one from his hands to move onto the next task.
Liam is a shy boy, almost to the point of being a Lone Wolf. When all the kids at playgroup are in the room playing with toys, he's in the kitchen staring out a window, eating his snacks. When all the kids are in the kitchen, eating their snacks, he's in the play room playing alone with all the toys. He will usually warm up & will discontinue his calls for Mama!Mama! right about the time has come for us to leave. He's quiet too around other kids in other houses but is not when in his own house so I know it's just the new surroundings that is contributing to his shyness. Mama was shy almost to the point of painful when she was little & I think it's safe to say she grew out of it ;)
With all that said, I knew that Liam just had to warm up to the idea of going to swim lessons; and after his second class, I can say that this has successfully occurred!
He gave up the tools a little easier each time, even went to his teacher to practice with her (stranger! danger!), peacefully went onto his back, correctly held onto the noodle (newnew!), attempted to BLOW BUBBLES BY HIMSELF and then successfully spit the water out of his mouth when that went awry AND by far his Most Favorite Thing Ever is to JUMP IN THE POOL BY HIMSELF. Even asking "Agan?" before he's barely even finished his jump!
I do think if I had started him earlier in structured classes he totally would have been easier to manipulate into doing what I wanted him to do, but now that's a pinch more Independent it has become tougher for me to control all aspects of his movements, you know? But knowing his koala bear tendencies helps me remain hopeful & able to focus on just getting him comfortable so that when he's ready to climb down from the tree he's got all the trust & faith that Mama will be there for him when he is at that point.
His classes are on Monday & Wednesday but Matias has soccer practice on Wednesdays so I don't know how many classes he'll be able to make it to. I asked that he arrange his schedule so that he can take him on Monday's (I'll go, of course, someone has to take the pictures!) and I'll take him on Wednesdays...I hope that works out because he needs to be comfortable with BOTH of us, separate of each other. Also, this stinking 30 minute class is like 30 minutes of pure SQUATS workout and whoa, doggie, that's a lot of squatting. ;)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
P.S.
Methinks someone might be getting sick.
Again.
Also please note that he pulled his chair over into that location.
Very comfortable lounge-y morning.
Again.
Also please note that he pulled his chair over into that location.
Very comfortable lounge-y morning.
How's your toe doing, Liam?
A couple of weeks ago when I was Single Parenting it (again), I was trying to bake cookies and get various appetizers ready for a Crop Club I was hosting that night while I let Liam play beside me in the Fellow Proof lazy Susan. Turns out it wasn't so Fellow Proof as I thought it was.
As I was trying not to burn the cookies (don't ask), he dropped something on his foot & instantly started wailing. Lots of kisses & hugs were administered & at first I just noticed a slight scrapping of the skin on his second Little Piggie, blood was showing but there was no bleeding so to speak. I really don't know what he dropped on it because there are only boxes and bags of things (all closed) in there so it's pretty harmless for him to be digging around in there - just a side note though - we DID use a latch on it, he just figured out how to open it like the same day Grandpa installed it - so there's no stopping him from getting in there hence the reason we've just taken Dangerous Things out of there!
Then, just when everyone was arriving, I noticed that his This Little Piggie's nail was BLUE and totally BRUISED! No wonder we had the wailing that we did - that must have smarted something fierce but since it didn't show up right away, I had no idea he had such a big owie.
Since then, mostly when getting his diaper changed, you can ask him "how's that toe doing?" and he will grab his foot & check out the development of that bruise, shove it in my direction & get a kiss from Mama.
I love watching all the connections being made - he remembers he hurt his toe, he knows which one, he checks it out & then proceeds to offer it up to the Kisses Make it All Better Mama. I wonder how long I can keep asking him how his toe is? It's not completely healed & actually looks a little worse for wear *praying it doesn't fall off* but he hasn't forgotten about it quite yet!
As I was trying not to burn the cookies (don't ask), he dropped something on his foot & instantly started wailing. Lots of kisses & hugs were administered & at first I just noticed a slight scrapping of the skin on his second Little Piggie, blood was showing but there was no bleeding so to speak. I really don't know what he dropped on it because there are only boxes and bags of things (all closed) in there so it's pretty harmless for him to be digging around in there - just a side note though - we DID use a latch on it, he just figured out how to open it like the same day Grandpa installed it - so there's no stopping him from getting in there hence the reason we've just taken Dangerous Things out of there!
Then, just when everyone was arriving, I noticed that his This Little Piggie's nail was BLUE and totally BRUISED! No wonder we had the wailing that we did - that must have smarted something fierce but since it didn't show up right away, I had no idea he had such a big owie.
Since then, mostly when getting his diaper changed, you can ask him "how's that toe doing?" and he will grab his foot & check out the development of that bruise, shove it in my direction & get a kiss from Mama.
I love watching all the connections being made - he remembers he hurt his toe, he knows which one, he checks it out & then proceeds to offer it up to the Kisses Make it All Better Mama. I wonder how long I can keep asking him how his toe is? It's not completely healed & actually looks a little worse for wear *praying it doesn't fall off* but he hasn't forgotten about it quite yet!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Going to the Chapel
We went to our first wedding as a Family on Saturday; I've had my own date with Liam to a wedding before when he was just a mere bebe at 3 months old, but this is the first time Los Tres Ninos have been in attendance together.
Here's Nel, Mama & Liam waiting for the ceremony to begin
After the ceremony we had time to kill so we headed down the street to Our Tavern for some appetizers. This was Liam's first time there & thankfully since it was the middle of the day there was zero smoke in the place!
Liam did really well throughout the whole ceremony & reception - even falling asleep in his carriage during the reception on the dance floor! He enjoyed drinking water out of a champagne glass & loved the sing-along during dinner, dancing & singing along with us. We, as parents, were grateful for the outdoor open space that allowed him to get down from our arms & run amok burning energy & daylight.
The Fellow is lifting his glass to the happy couple!
Here's Nel, Mama & Liam waiting for the ceremony to begin
After the ceremony we had time to kill so we headed down the street to Our Tavern for some appetizers. This was Liam's first time there & thankfully since it was the middle of the day there was zero smoke in the place!
The Fellow is lifting his glass to the happy couple!
Friday, March 21, 2008
My little boy is growing up!
I distinctly remember driving around with Alexis when she was a wee Hewitt & we were taking her home from Auntie Leanne's to her parents; what I remember most of these drives is when she starting realizing where we were going & recognizing landmarks and indicators along the way.
Yesterday, my little Liam Fellow did the same thing. We were driving to a playgroup & passed by Toddlin' Time - he pointed, made some very loud indications that he wanted to go THAT WAY and then watched and pouted as we drove past it without stopping! I was almost smiling & crying at the same time (which I'm sure is a patented Mama Maneuver); I was stoked that he recognized someplace other than Home but sad that my little boy is now old enough, aware enough, smart enough to realize all of this! It couldn't possibly be happening already with MY little bebe when I still remember it like it was yesterday with Alexis; who, by the way, turned FOURTEEN the other week.
And to prove that this was no fluke, he reacted the same way again today as we drove past it on the way to yet another playgroup with my Not So Desperate Housewives! I feel bad because we had to skip this session due to travel & The Sickness but once I rescheduled for next session I got a notice that classes were canceled for this week & next week due to Spring Break SO we really wouldn't have gotten anything out of the 6 week session AND that it was a good thing that I got us into the next session already! Phew, that sentence made me tired.
He has been recognizing his Favorite Sign (it's an LED sign for a Sign Store ((imagine that)) that we pass on our way into Old Town) for quite a while now, recognizes and acknowledges the slide around the corner from the house (says some word that is not slide & points with a smile on his face) and says "Dada" when we pull onto the street that leads to our street SO it's not a "new" thing that he's recognizing Things in His World but it's a Thing Outside His Realm of Home and I think that is quite peachy. Cause he's my Fellow & he's quite peachy about quite a few damn things, if I do say so myself. Says his Mama ;)
Yesterday, my little Liam Fellow did the same thing. We were driving to a playgroup & passed by Toddlin' Time - he pointed, made some very loud indications that he wanted to go THAT WAY and then watched and pouted as we drove past it without stopping! I was almost smiling & crying at the same time (which I'm sure is a patented Mama Maneuver); I was stoked that he recognized someplace other than Home but sad that my little boy is now old enough, aware enough, smart enough to realize all of this! It couldn't possibly be happening already with MY little bebe when I still remember it like it was yesterday with Alexis; who, by the way, turned FOURTEEN the other week.
And to prove that this was no fluke, he reacted the same way again today as we drove past it on the way to yet another playgroup with my Not So Desperate Housewives! I feel bad because we had to skip this session due to travel & The Sickness but once I rescheduled for next session I got a notice that classes were canceled for this week & next week due to Spring Break SO we really wouldn't have gotten anything out of the 6 week session AND that it was a good thing that I got us into the next session already! Phew, that sentence made me tired.
He has been recognizing his Favorite Sign (it's an LED sign for a Sign Store ((imagine that)) that we pass on our way into Old Town) for quite a while now, recognizes and acknowledges the slide around the corner from the house (says some word that is not slide & points with a smile on his face) and says "Dada" when we pull onto the street that leads to our street SO it's not a "new" thing that he's recognizing Things in His World but it's a Thing Outside His Realm of Home and I think that is quite peachy. Cause he's my Fellow & he's quite peachy about quite a few damn things, if I do say so myself. Says his Mama ;)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Is my child too healthy??
Is that possibly the silliest question you've ever heard? Hear me out though, please!
Every day I worry about Liam's weight & his food in-take. Twice last week, I had two separate moms comment on "how light" he is. And it's not that those comments make me worry more it's just that I feel "outside" people are noticing how slim he is. He's always be on the skinny side, never below 50% on those charts though and he is on the tall end so it's common sense that he's a little slight, but not underweight.
He has some picky eater issues, which apparently that apple doesn't fall far from the tree & we still have our more-on-than-off Dinner Struggles but overall when he eats, he eats. When I actually go through & list what he does eat, it's not a bad list - I think everyone might want their kid to eat more or differently so I don't think that's odd or me over-thinking the issue.
My title comes from me starting to wonder if I'm going TOO health food conscious on him & therefore creating a healthy, skinny, light Fellow. Not malnourished but actually just the opposite since all that he really gets is good for him, from the ground up type of food with the foods that are the least organic or health conscious is his cottage cheese with fruit & his fish sticks- everything else is organic or pretty near to non-processed and as close to "natural" as we can get.
My question is when does being health conscious actually work in reverse and may even be preventing him from gaining the weight I think he should be gaining?? Should I just pack him full of the artificial ingredients, the shelf-life extending preservatives, the refined sugars, processed, not found in nature "foods"? Would I not just be creating an "obese" toddler with bad eating habits (not picky eater issues) who cannot appreciate real, natural, wholesome Foods? Is it a fine line or a clear decision? Are you able to cheat a little & give the fatter foods every now & then just to pump them up or would that erase all the good works we are striving for?
I really want to give Liam the best start to his best possible life that we can give him. I strongly believe that the foods we have been preparing him & giving him are helping set those foot stones in place. He does not show a preference towards the over-processed foods over his more natural foods we serve him, so I don't think it's that he is refusing foods or participating in Dinner Struggles because he doesn't enjoy what he is eating (or not eating); honestly that's where the picky food issues jump into the fray. His food is not dull, not bland, not exciting enough as you might think some of the more healthy choices would be; I have actually come to see that the easy, fast food options are more bland and tasteless than what he is eating so I can also cross that off the list...
Should I just throw it all out the window & simply give him food that will add pudge to him or stick with our chosen path? Obviously, I feel strongly enough to stay on our chosen path but I do think I owe Liam the option for discussion...
So, please, discuss!
Every day I worry about Liam's weight & his food in-take. Twice last week, I had two separate moms comment on "how light" he is. And it's not that those comments make me worry more it's just that I feel "outside" people are noticing how slim he is. He's always be on the skinny side, never below 50% on those charts though and he is on the tall end so it's common sense that he's a little slight, but not underweight.
He has some picky eater issues, which apparently that apple doesn't fall far from the tree & we still have our more-on-than-off Dinner Struggles but overall when he eats, he eats. When I actually go through & list what he does eat, it's not a bad list - I think everyone might want their kid to eat more or differently so I don't think that's odd or me over-thinking the issue.
My title comes from me starting to wonder if I'm going TOO health food conscious on him & therefore creating a healthy, skinny, light Fellow. Not malnourished but actually just the opposite since all that he really gets is good for him, from the ground up type of food with the foods that are the least organic or health conscious is his cottage cheese with fruit & his fish sticks- everything else is organic or pretty near to non-processed and as close to "natural" as we can get.
My question is when does being health conscious actually work in reverse and may even be preventing him from gaining the weight I think he should be gaining?? Should I just pack him full of the artificial ingredients, the shelf-life extending preservatives, the refined sugars, processed, not found in nature "foods"? Would I not just be creating an "obese" toddler with bad eating habits (not picky eater issues) who cannot appreciate real, natural, wholesome Foods? Is it a fine line or a clear decision? Are you able to cheat a little & give the fatter foods every now & then just to pump them up or would that erase all the good works we are striving for?
I really want to give Liam the best start to his best possible life that we can give him. I strongly believe that the foods we have been preparing him & giving him are helping set those foot stones in place. He does not show a preference towards the over-processed foods over his more natural foods we serve him, so I don't think it's that he is refusing foods or participating in Dinner Struggles because he doesn't enjoy what he is eating (or not eating); honestly that's where the picky food issues jump into the fray. His food is not dull, not bland, not exciting enough as you might think some of the more healthy choices would be; I have actually come to see that the easy, fast food options are more bland and tasteless than what he is eating so I can also cross that off the list...
Should I just throw it all out the window & simply give him food that will add pudge to him or stick with our chosen path? Obviously, I feel strongly enough to stay on our chosen path but I do think I owe Liam the option for discussion...
So, please, discuss!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Camp Carolina
We are trekking to Camp Carolina tonight so I will not be around this weekend (contain your sorrow!) but I will be back on Tuesday with lots of new pictures :)
Have a great weekend everyone! Enjoy the Spring weather - it's going to be in the 70s in NC!
Have a great weekend everyone! Enjoy the Spring weather - it's going to be in the 70s in NC!
Nurse Liam
When Liam has a fever the only true way for us to get a good reading to do the good old rectal reading. He's very well behaved throughout, as opposed to when we try the "easier" oral & pit method so we just continue on with the bum-shot.
Since he's had a few fevers lately, we've taken his temperature a lot. I keep his thermometer up on a shelf above his changing table to keep it out of his reach & safely with in mine when the need arises.
Sometimes he stands up on his table (sit down! now!) & reaches for things up there - most everything he can "play" with so it's not a big deal and he knows they stay up there when we are done with changing his pants. He's learned that the thermometer is up there recently though & I learned recently that he knows how to take his own temperature!
He will actually attempt to put it in his little bum! He, thankfully, misses every time but ends up gouging his boy parts & stabbing around in that general area. And that just never seems pleasant to me, but stab away he does!
I think it's quite amusing (it's the little things that get me through the day) that he knows enough & watched us closely enough to understand how to administer the thermometer himself! I wish though that he wasn't so rough when poking around down there ;)
Since he's had a few fevers lately, we've taken his temperature a lot. I keep his thermometer up on a shelf above his changing table to keep it out of his reach & safely with in mine when the need arises.
Sometimes he stands up on his table (sit down! now!) & reaches for things up there - most everything he can "play" with so it's not a big deal and he knows they stay up there when we are done with changing his pants. He's learned that the thermometer is up there recently though & I learned recently that he knows how to take his own temperature!
He will actually attempt to put it in his little bum! He, thankfully, misses every time but ends up gouging his boy parts & stabbing around in that general area. And that just never seems pleasant to me, but stab away he does!
I think it's quite amusing (it's the little things that get me through the day) that he knows enough & watched us closely enough to understand how to administer the thermometer himself! I wish though that he wasn't so rough when poking around down there ;)
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Growth Spurt or Hungry Hippo?
Before his nap Liam ate the following:
- 7 oz. milk
- 4 oz. yogurt (he didn't want the banana one so put it back & got the vanilla one...)
- 1 whole packet of blueberries & cream oatmeal (new food alert!!)
- 7 oz. milk
- 5 oz. cottage cheese with raspberries
- ~5 oz. . apple sauce
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Our new Must Read!
When we fly with Liam, I normally pack only books & some small pocket toys since those are his most favorite things that also keep his attention the best BUT this last trip we discovered the ultimate take-away 'book' from the plane!
The in-flight 737 Safety Instruction brochure! He loved reading it - loves the water involved in the emergency water landing, the emergency slides, the water landing information, all the plane pictures - he just loved every single thing about it. So we both stole one and shoved them in our bags.
And now he has to read it every time before we go to bed. He points out all the water, all the slides, all the planes & is so very excited about it all! It's so cute to watch him unfold his brochure and point every thing out and have it rest on his tummy - he actually kicks his feet up in the air to prop the tri-fold up so he can read it better!
This is not the same one we have but I failed to find the matching one...
It's really amusing to me the things these kids pick to latch on to - he goes through these phases of his favorite things not really being toys or for babies to play with but yet there isn't anything wrong with them so we just play along. I'm sure years down the road he will be in therapy discussing how his mother & father used to read Safety Instruction manuals to him before bedtime & somehow we caused major duress to him regarding in case of emergency your seat cushion will double as a flotation device circumstances but until that time comes, I will be his favorite flight attendant!
Culling from MY issues with planes, bridges & heights, I would like to note that reading from the Safety Manual is much more humane and not as apt to cause long term damage as say yelling while crossing a draw-bridge that THE BRIDGE IS UP OH MY GOD WE HAVE TO FLOOR IT AND JUMP IT THE BRIDGE IS UP WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!! Cause, Grandpa, I'm looking at you & sending you the bill for my therapy and vertigo ;)
The in-flight 737 Safety Instruction brochure! He loved reading it - loves the water involved in the emergency water landing, the emergency slides, the water landing information, all the plane pictures - he just loved every single thing about it. So we both stole one and shoved them in our bags.
And now he has to read it every time before we go to bed. He points out all the water, all the slides, all the planes & is so very excited about it all! It's so cute to watch him unfold his brochure and point every thing out and have it rest on his tummy - he actually kicks his feet up in the air to prop the tri-fold up so he can read it better!
This is not the same one we have but I failed to find the matching one...It's really amusing to me the things these kids pick to latch on to - he goes through these phases of his favorite things not really being toys or for babies to play with but yet there isn't anything wrong with them so we just play along. I'm sure years down the road he will be in therapy discussing how his mother & father used to read Safety Instruction manuals to him before bedtime & somehow we caused major duress to him regarding in case of emergency your seat cushion will double as a flotation device circumstances but until that time comes, I will be his favorite flight attendant!
Culling from MY issues with planes, bridges & heights, I would like to note that reading from the Safety Manual is much more humane and not as apt to cause long term damage as say yelling while crossing a draw-bridge that THE BRIDGE IS UP OH MY GOD WE HAVE TO FLOOR IT AND JUMP IT THE BRIDGE IS UP WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!! Cause, Grandpa, I'm looking at you & sending you the bill for my therapy and vertigo ;)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Fun with Water!
If we had a theme in this house it would be Fun with Water! The Fellow loves him some water; running water from the tap, water that he sees in bottles, toilets flushing, any drink (beside milk) is water (to which I explain that "yes, water does help make up that TEA but it's TEA not WATER"), watering the plants, rain, fountains...you name it, if it's wet, it's a favorite of the Fellow's.
Now, our favorite game in the house is now pouring of the water. It can be from one cup to another, from a cup to a pot/pan, from a cup into the cup holder on his highchair tray, watering plants (has his own watering can), dumping water into his duckie in the shower. If it's not being pouring, this miraculous water is cleaning something; water on his chupies, water rinsing out his yogurt/apple sauce containers, water rinsing off the dishes. You get the picture, I hope. Also, I hope you understand that we do these things multiple times a day. Every day. All day long.
Let's not forget flushing the toilet - he just likes to stand there & flush signing WATER over and over, frantically saying WATER WATER. He now says ByeByeWater when we drain the tub - which is cute, so I'll give him that one. And since Mama NEVER gets to go potty by herself, he's started tearing off some toilet paper and pushing me aside so that he can put it in the toilet & flush. I've jumped on that wagon though & when I change his diaper, I tell him I am wiping him & then let him toss his diaper into the bin & he says ByeBye to his dirty diaper - I'm hoping this makes potty training a little easier since I'm working in the ByeBye aspect of it early and he won't freak when he's peepee goes ByeBye. He's trying to get me to turn the shower on for him (if I happen to be going potty in our bathroom) so that he can play in that water. He has mastered turning on the tub water in our bathroom & throws as many things in there as possible - the big issue now is that he can reach the hot water tap & also the flow of the water so I actually have to watch him now.
This love of water though has brought us our FIRST REAL TWO WORD SENTENCE though! He now says "more water" whenever his stash is running low - which is often. I do appease him though & let him play with little containers of water and watch him dump them from one to the other because I'm amazed at his ability to do this without very minimal spillage. He's very good at it & I think that's a hard skill to accomplish, there's very little mess & I've taken to putting a kitchen towel under his "toys" so that it's easy to clean up and he's now taken to sitting & waiting for the towel or even going over to it when he wants to play Dump the Water; More Water. I also gave him this tiny mustard condiment container that he loves to fill up (please, when I say "fill up" I mean three-five dribbles, I'm not crazy) and SPRAY all over the glass doors. I do think that's better than drawing on them with his crayons though!
I'm very excited about Springs' arrival because he will LOVE that water table we got him last year! Now, he did love it last year but this year, whoa, I think the roof will be blown off his head.
And also speaking of water - I signed him up for swim lessons! We start on the 24th and go for 8 lessons every Monday & Wednesday from 5:30-6pm :) I sure hope he loves being in it as much as he loves playing with it!
Now, our favorite game in the house is now pouring of the water. It can be from one cup to another, from a cup to a pot/pan, from a cup into the cup holder on his highchair tray, watering plants (has his own watering can), dumping water into his duckie in the shower. If it's not being pouring, this miraculous water is cleaning something; water on his chupies, water rinsing out his yogurt/apple sauce containers, water rinsing off the dishes. You get the picture, I hope. Also, I hope you understand that we do these things multiple times a day. Every day. All day long.
Let's not forget flushing the toilet - he just likes to stand there & flush signing WATER over and over, frantically saying WATER WATER. He now says ByeByeWater when we drain the tub - which is cute, so I'll give him that one. And since Mama NEVER gets to go potty by herself, he's started tearing off some toilet paper and pushing me aside so that he can put it in the toilet & flush. I've jumped on that wagon though & when I change his diaper, I tell him I am wiping him & then let him toss his diaper into the bin & he says ByeBye to his dirty diaper - I'm hoping this makes potty training a little easier since I'm working in the ByeBye aspect of it early and he won't freak when he's peepee goes ByeBye. He's trying to get me to turn the shower on for him (if I happen to be going potty in our bathroom) so that he can play in that water. He has mastered turning on the tub water in our bathroom & throws as many things in there as possible - the big issue now is that he can reach the hot water tap & also the flow of the water so I actually have to watch him now.
This love of water though has brought us our FIRST REAL TWO WORD SENTENCE though! He now says "more water" whenever his stash is running low - which is often. I do appease him though & let him play with little containers of water and watch him dump them from one to the other because I'm amazed at his ability to do this without very minimal spillage. He's very good at it & I think that's a hard skill to accomplish, there's very little mess & I've taken to putting a kitchen towel under his "toys" so that it's easy to clean up and he's now taken to sitting & waiting for the towel or even going over to it when he wants to play Dump the Water; More Water. I also gave him this tiny mustard condiment container that he loves to fill up (please, when I say "fill up" I mean three-five dribbles, I'm not crazy) and SPRAY all over the glass doors. I do think that's better than drawing on them with his crayons though!
I'm very excited about Springs' arrival because he will LOVE that water table we got him last year! Now, he did love it last year but this year, whoa, I think the roof will be blown off his head.
And also speaking of water - I signed him up for swim lessons! We start on the 24th and go for 8 lessons every Monday & Wednesday from 5:30-6pm :) I sure hope he loves being in it as much as he loves playing with it!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Not So Desperate Housewives!
That title up there? That's the new of the Mommies Group I joined at the beginning of the new year - kind of funny, kind of what I wanted to stay away from BUT it IS a great group of women & babies & toddlers and there are TONS of activities & playgroups so although the name gives me some Wisteria Lane shivers, I'll take it!
I've been meaning to write about it for a while but haven't so since we just got home from a playgroup, I thought this might be a good time ;)
My calendar has been full up since I joined & baring any colds and fevers we have been at events almost every day! Things range from a walking group that goes to the Ghetto Mall (cause it's cold out) to at home playgroups to group events at public places. We also have Mom's Night Out (MNO) events - usually I go to the scrapbook ones (even hosted one this weekend) but I'd like to start going to the dinner ones too.
I've met a lot of nice women who have been very friendly & easy to get to know which has been good for me since most of friends are scattered across the country and meeting in Cincinnati is our only chance to get together!
Liam gets along really well with the other kids, we still need to work on our sharing/someone else is playing with that right now but that will come with practice. He likes exploring other peoples houses & toys but still gravitates towards non-toy activities like getting up on their couches, trying to get outside, looking at all their pictures & finding the computers. There were two dogs locked upstairs this morning and he really wanted to go play with them! He was eating some goldfish but also tried to eat everyone else's & was also going for all the other sippy cups that are out & about at functions like this even though he had his own goldfish in his hand & his sippy in the other hand!
What's nice about these groups is actually quite a few things...I realize this as I start to type it all out, of course! But seriously, he gets to play with toys he doesn't have himself, he interacts with other children, we get out of the house (major plus in the winter) and we don't spend a lot of money.
Thankfully this group doesn't seem to have any elitism or 'favorites' happening, which is different from the last group I was a part of - there was a lot of weirdness happening there that I wanted no part of and when I would get drawn in I would get pissed off about it & want to just keep away - that 'thinking' doesn't bode well for a playgroup mindset! I'm really glad I found this group to start hanging out with & hopefully, I will build some friendships myself.
Just a quick note on The Sickness - Liam has been well for a handful of days now & I feel like I am finally on the mend. Last night I got to rest for about an hour (whoa, stand back) and went o bed early also. I've been blowing my nose a whole lot less (went through 2 boxes in less than a week) and been able to sleep through the night without a cough drop or waking up crying because I feel like there are knives in my throat. Progress, methinks.
I've been meaning to write about it for a while but haven't so since we just got home from a playgroup, I thought this might be a good time ;)
My calendar has been full up since I joined & baring any colds and fevers we have been at events almost every day! Things range from a walking group that goes to the Ghetto Mall (cause it's cold out) to at home playgroups to group events at public places. We also have Mom's Night Out (MNO) events - usually I go to the scrapbook ones (even hosted one this weekend) but I'd like to start going to the dinner ones too.
I've met a lot of nice women who have been very friendly & easy to get to know which has been good for me since most of friends are scattered across the country and meeting in Cincinnati is our only chance to get together!
Liam gets along really well with the other kids, we still need to work on our sharing/someone else is playing with that right now but that will come with practice. He likes exploring other peoples houses & toys but still gravitates towards non-toy activities like getting up on their couches, trying to get outside, looking at all their pictures & finding the computers. There were two dogs locked upstairs this morning and he really wanted to go play with them! He was eating some goldfish but also tried to eat everyone else's & was also going for all the other sippy cups that are out & about at functions like this even though he had his own goldfish in his hand & his sippy in the other hand!
What's nice about these groups is actually quite a few things...I realize this as I start to type it all out, of course! But seriously, he gets to play with toys he doesn't have himself, he interacts with other children, we get out of the house (major plus in the winter) and we don't spend a lot of money.
Thankfully this group doesn't seem to have any elitism or 'favorites' happening, which is different from the last group I was a part of - there was a lot of weirdness happening there that I wanted no part of and when I would get drawn in I would get pissed off about it & want to just keep away - that 'thinking' doesn't bode well for a playgroup mindset! I'm really glad I found this group to start hanging out with & hopefully, I will build some friendships myself.
Just a quick note on The Sickness - Liam has been well for a handful of days now & I feel like I am finally on the mend. Last night I got to rest for about an hour (whoa, stand back) and went o bed early also. I've been blowing my nose a whole lot less (went through 2 boxes in less than a week) and been able to sleep through the night without a cough drop or waking up crying because I feel like there are knives in my throat. Progress, methinks.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
In Absentia Nana!
Last night Kym was over for a crop & was bringing with her an "extra" Vera Bradley bag that is the pattern Nana! uses for her purse, laptop bag & duffel bag for her to have. As you can imagine, Liam is familiar with this print since he knows it's Nana's! bags and such. What I didn't realize was to what extent he was familiar with & would recognize it as belonging to Nana!
Kym handed it to me & Liam immediately went a little flying rat poop crazy with his exclamations for his Nana! He took the bag right away & started walking around calling for her throughout the first floor & since Nana! stores her purse & laptop bag in the dining room, beyond the reaches of a Fellow and behind the protection of the gate he went straight for that area which happen to be open because I had three other ladies in there working! Much to his delight & dismay there was no Nana! but plenty of other bags for him to put his new Nana! bag into.
This then lead to an almost complete Nana-meltdown - I had to show him the Christmas album I am working on and quickly find all the pictures of Nana! before he destroyed the page protectors! THEN when that wasn't enough and bedtime was approaching and patience was fading, I had to actively search out a photo of Nana! that I promised him he could take to bed with him! He slept with that picture all night & had to bring it out of his crib with him first thing this morning.
Someone loves himself some Nana!
P.S. I had to "hide" it last night before going to bed for fear of him spying it upon coming downstairs & like a child on Christmas morning discovering that Santa might possibly still be on the premises! The last thing I need this morning is for Nana! to not be present & a Dada who is out of town again - my least favorite thing is not being able to give Liam what he wants - people being the hardest thing to conjure up, of course!
Kym handed it to me & Liam immediately went a little flying rat poop crazy with his exclamations for his Nana! He took the bag right away & started walking around calling for her throughout the first floor & since Nana! stores her purse & laptop bag in the dining room, beyond the reaches of a Fellow and behind the protection of the gate he went straight for that area which happen to be open because I had three other ladies in there working! Much to his delight & dismay there was no Nana! but plenty of other bags for him to put his new Nana! bag into.
This then lead to an almost complete Nana-meltdown - I had to show him the Christmas album I am working on and quickly find all the pictures of Nana! before he destroyed the page protectors! THEN when that wasn't enough and bedtime was approaching and patience was fading, I had to actively search out a photo of Nana! that I promised him he could take to bed with him! He slept with that picture all night & had to bring it out of his crib with him first thing this morning.
Someone loves himself some Nana!
P.S. I had to "hide" it last night before going to bed for fear of him spying it upon coming downstairs & like a child on Christmas morning discovering that Santa might possibly still be on the premises! The last thing I need this morning is for Nana! to not be present & a Dada who is out of town again - my least favorite thing is not being able to give Liam what he wants - people being the hardest thing to conjure up, of course!
Friday, March 07, 2008
New Friend
Rach asked that I post some pictures of Liam & Nathan together from our trip to Louisnati a few weeks ago (was it really that long?) so here they are!
Liam & Nathan playing with a ball & Nathan's favorite tape measure in the office; really attempting to get some computer time!
Liam trying to give Nathan a beso but as you can clearly see Nathan is not quite comfortable with this level of affection from a boy he just met.
Nathan is much more comfortable with the manly man high five!
They spent so much time just simply chasing each other around the house - too funny to listen to both of them squealing and the pitter patter of their footie-pjammied feet scampering around every turn!
Then it was time for Nathan to give Liam the home tour so upstairs they went to explore!
Liam & Nathan playing with a ball & Nathan's favorite tape measure in the office; really attempting to get some computer time!
Liam trying to give Nathan a beso but as you can clearly see Nathan is not quite comfortable with this level of affection from a boy he just met.
Nathan is much more comfortable with the manly man high five!
They spent so much time just simply chasing each other around the house - too funny to listen to both of them squealing and the pitter patter of their footie-pjammied feet scampering around every turn!
Then it was time for Nathan to give Liam the home tour so upstairs they went to explore!
Liam does, in fact, have a nose!
And, get this, he even knows where it is!
Who knew you could get so excited about theirbebe toddler finally discovering his nose and actually pointing to it on demand like a trained monkey?!?!
Well, I am not ashamed to admit that I find it exhilarating & this is being proclaimed without any influence of cold medication. Although maybe that might help my exhilaration tone itself down a tad...
Not only can he correctly point out his nose but also his eyes (!), his mouth (!), his ear (!), his other ear (!!) and his hair (!) - Matias is working on eyebrowS at the moment - I submitted the request for TWO eyebrows because thankfully at the moment he does actually have two & I would like to celebrate that fact.
He knows his hands (!), foot (!), other foot (!), and belly (that's an old one so no ((!)) for you).
Stink that he is, I tried to get him to show Nana! and Grandpa this abuse of talent on the web cam the other day but the little trick monkey didn't want to perform.
Another really endearing thing he started doing this week was during one of our many readings of Goodnight Gorilla he started reading the Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, Goodnight, goodnight page out loud to himself BUT he reads it the same way I do and of course I had to rush over to him & slather him with kisses and squeezed him until his little eyes popped out of his head.
Who knew you could get so excited about their
Well, I am not ashamed to admit that I find it exhilarating & this is being proclaimed without any influence of cold medication. Although maybe that might help my exhilaration tone itself down a tad...
Not only can he correctly point out his nose but also his eyes (!), his mouth (!), his ear (!), his other ear (!!) and his hair (!) - Matias is working on eyebrowS at the moment - I submitted the request for TWO eyebrows because thankfully at the moment he does actually have two & I would like to celebrate that fact.
He knows his hands (!), foot (!), other foot (!), and belly (that's an old one so no ((!)) for you).
Stink that he is, I tried to get him to show Nana! and Grandpa this abuse of talent on the web cam the other day but the little trick monkey didn't want to perform.
Another really endearing thing he started doing this week was during one of our many readings of Goodnight Gorilla he started reading the Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, Goodnight, goodnight page out loud to himself BUT he reads it the same way I do and of course I had to rush over to him & slather him with kisses and squeezed him until his little eyes popped out of his head.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
The Sickness
I'm going to be all overly dramatic here with The Sickness because I've been watching The Tudors on Showtime & WOW does that show not rock!
The Sweating Sickness is so super peachy! And now I've got it. BAH. Liam finally started to come around from his Sickness Sunday or Monday and then I got it officially on Monday night. It's kicking my arse & it is seriously taking all of my energy to stay patient (ok, so I might have lost that battle a few times), awake, alert & energized for Liam's sake.
When he was finally well enough to venture outdoors, I was not & had to cancel some Mommies Group activities so that I didn't spread it to others - I was bummed about that because the Fellow must go out every single day & that's been very difficult to accomplish in the past week plus!
Today, I will venture to the consignment sale at the fairgrounds & then to ACMoore where my beloved Cricut cartridges are on sale & I will finally spend my gift card - I'm hoping that will appease him because since we got rain last night I don't really want him trudging around in the muck at a playground. Although tomorrow we, thankfully, have Toddlin' Time so he will be out & about for that.
I'm undecided about what is worse - being sick the same time your child is OR being sick AFTER your child and having to "deal with" their desires that are no longer hindered by The Sickness but now you are...
It surely is not helping matters either that I have been Single Parenting this house since Saturday - Matias went to CT for the weekend & didn't come home until Monday afternoon, worked out of the home yesterday, didn't arrive home until 6:30 and then out of the house this morning too. I've basically been in charge for the past 6 days & it's killing me. Add to that Liam is in a MAJOR Mama Phase right now, I would even go as far to say that I am the Favored Parent at the moment and while it is endearing, cute & fantastic it is also ear ringingly annoying to hear MAMAMAMAMAMA 50 hundred times before lunch. YES, even when accompanied but hugs & kisses but it's only because I HAVE THE SICKNESS and solely want to curl up and watch 54 more episodes of The Tudors, pleaseandthankyou.
And let us not forget that Matias is going to Philly this weekend for a CD release party & a 30th birthday party. Single Parent AGAIN!
This Sickness is leaving me VERY, VERY "woe is me, my life is so harsh, over 40,000 have died in the Kingdom since Sunday..." and it's No Fun.
Shall I tell you about the puking in bed episode from Saturday night??? Did you know that he had yogurt as "dessert" before going to bed?? Do you know that yogurt CHUNKS UP & SMELLS when horked up ALL OVER EVERYTHING IN YOUR CRIB??? And that Liam will not want to take a bath to get it all out of his hair at 10pm??? Instead he will cling to you & say "nononowater" when you are sitting on the edge of the tub drawing his bath, did you know that??? Did you know that you will even offer to get in the tub with him only to have him, thankfully, refuse that offer??? Do you know how bad you will feel that your son Snot Puked all over himself WHILE ASLEEP??? And do you know that you WOULD TOTALLY get in that tub with him to rid him of that smell and the curdled mass of dairy in his hair???
Ahhh, The Sickness, how I hate thee...I wish upon you the same fate as Lord Buckingham.
The Sweating Sickness is so super peachy! And now I've got it. BAH. Liam finally started to come around from his Sickness Sunday or Monday and then I got it officially on Monday night. It's kicking my arse & it is seriously taking all of my energy to stay patient (ok, so I might have lost that battle a few times), awake, alert & energized for Liam's sake.
When he was finally well enough to venture outdoors, I was not & had to cancel some Mommies Group activities so that I didn't spread it to others - I was bummed about that because the Fellow must go out every single day & that's been very difficult to accomplish in the past week plus!
Today, I will venture to the consignment sale at the fairgrounds & then to ACMoore where my beloved Cricut cartridges are on sale & I will finally spend my gift card - I'm hoping that will appease him because since we got rain last night I don't really want him trudging around in the muck at a playground. Although tomorrow we, thankfully, have Toddlin' Time so he will be out & about for that.
I'm undecided about what is worse - being sick the same time your child is OR being sick AFTER your child and having to "deal with" their desires that are no longer hindered by The Sickness but now you are...
It surely is not helping matters either that I have been Single Parenting this house since Saturday - Matias went to CT for the weekend & didn't come home until Monday afternoon, worked out of the home yesterday, didn't arrive home until 6:30 and then out of the house this morning too. I've basically been in charge for the past 6 days & it's killing me. Add to that Liam is in a MAJOR Mama Phase right now, I would even go as far to say that I am the Favored Parent at the moment and while it is endearing, cute & fantastic it is also ear ringingly annoying to hear MAMAMAMAMAMA 50 hundred times before lunch. YES, even when accompanied but hugs & kisses but it's only because I HAVE THE SICKNESS and solely want to curl up and watch 54 more episodes of The Tudors, pleaseandthankyou.
And let us not forget that Matias is going to Philly this weekend for a CD release party & a 30th birthday party. Single Parent AGAIN!
This Sickness is leaving me VERY, VERY "woe is me, my life is so harsh, over 40,000 have died in the Kingdom since Sunday..." and it's No Fun.
Shall I tell you about the puking in bed episode from Saturday night??? Did you know that he had yogurt as "dessert" before going to bed?? Do you know that yogurt CHUNKS UP & SMELLS when horked up ALL OVER EVERYTHING IN YOUR CRIB??? And that Liam will not want to take a bath to get it all out of his hair at 10pm??? Instead he will cling to you & say "nononowater" when you are sitting on the edge of the tub drawing his bath, did you know that??? Did you know that you will even offer to get in the tub with him only to have him, thankfully, refuse that offer??? Do you know how bad you will feel that your son Snot Puked all over himself WHILE ASLEEP??? And do you know that you WOULD TOTALLY get in that tub with him to rid him of that smell and the curdled mass of dairy in his hair???
Ahhh, The Sickness, how I hate thee...I wish upon you the same fate as Lord Buckingham.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Another 18 Month Picture
Although we did order the 3 Pose Package Deal we had 89 pictures to cull from...so we have a dodo diaper full of pictures that I have to share with you :)
Here's one of my favorites that didn't make the cut but since we bought the CD of images I can play around with it on my own & print them whenever I choose to!
*do you ever have to resist the urge to go wake your sleeping child up because you just looked at a picture that makes you want to squeeze them and smother them with besos until they push you away in fear of suffocation??? Is it just me?!?!
Here's one of my favorites that didn't make the cut but since we bought the CD of images I can play around with it on my own & print them whenever I choose to!
*do you ever have to resist the urge to go wake your sleeping child up because you just looked at a picture that makes you want to squeeze them and smother them with besos until they push you away in fear of suffocation??? Is it just me?!?!
Fueled by Snot
It seems that since Liam's fever has passed and the snot has made its appearance that he has regained his energy and some of his appetite!
It's as if he is fueled by The Snot - which is plentiful. Yesterday, while driving LeNelle to and from the doctor (she has a massive case of the flu) I had to pull over twice to save the kid from drowning in his own river. Thankfully, we have small cars (at the moment) so reaching back and wiping with the snot rag is rather easy if I'm in a locale that allows for that - stop sign, stop light - otherwise I will pull over quickly to rescue him - it can get that bad. At one point, after I wiped him, he kept calling me from the backseat, I checked his face again & it was clear and then he kept calling so when I glanced back the next time he had his hand up covered in thick, yucky, gunky snot. This was one of the times I pulled over only to find out that there was a massive splat of snot on his seatbelt - it appears that is what he was calling for me the whole time!
Then there was the cute moment when I was in somewhat ignore mode cause he was MamaMamaMama non-stop but when I finally responded he simply smiled, pointed at LeNelle and said "Nel". Only wanting to tell me that he knew he was with his friend - then of course I felt a tad bad for being in MamaMamaMama ignore mode.
He's back to playing with his toys - HURRAY! I'm thankful for this because there is only so much dropshots watching I can do, or finding what video he wants to watch, or giving him More Water (nice two word sentence there, no?) to transfer from cup to cup before I just lose my patience with him. He's been stacking & cooking & vroom-vrooming with his cars all morning & I'm so very happy to have my little Fellow back!
He didn't eat all of his breakfast but he did eat some which is more than he's been eating. Yesterday he ate a blackberry apple sauce, a yogurt & dinner - that's it. Oh, and some raisins but not the new vanilla cookies Nana! gave him. Today he ate about 1/2 his French toast, all his milk & asked for some yogurt for lunch! He's gotten into a new 'phase' where he doesn't always want to eat in his highchair but will gladly sit in a different chair - either a kitchen table chair or his chair & eat his food properly. This is not really something I would normally encourage but when it comes to getting a sick kid to eat you pretty much do anything and everything to make that happen. But it leaves me wondering if he might be ready for the booster seat...
He did wake up covered in snot, even found some crusted on the back of his neck this morning. His cuffs were covered, the front of his jammies were slathered & his face (including the underside of his chin) had to be scrubbed clean of the residue of a FULL NIGHTS' SLEEP IN HIS OWN BED! Folks, this is the first night in over a week that he has slept through the night in his own bed. Mystic even rejoiced by joining us this morning for some cuddle time! I should add that it's not that he's sleeping with us that bothers me, I actually really love the spooning I get to do with a 19 month old, I need to point out that we only have a full sized bed and that we are nice and cozy with just Matias & I in it - add a toddler and his pillow and we are cramped. There's no chance to roll over to your other side, especially when you are the Spooner & I cannot sleep in one position all night so I'm also very thankful to have had the opportunity to ROLL OVER in the night without the fear of tossing my child out of bed, waking him up, or even rolling on top of him.
Although the snot is gross & I apologize for all the Snot Talk, it's clearly a sign that Liam is feeling better & that we are on the road to recovery at Casa Nino. And I'm sure a little snot talk can be forgiven in light of the relief it produces!
No pun intended.
It's as if he is fueled by The Snot - which is plentiful. Yesterday, while driving LeNelle to and from the doctor (she has a massive case of the flu) I had to pull over twice to save the kid from drowning in his own river. Thankfully, we have small cars (at the moment) so reaching back and wiping with the snot rag is rather easy if I'm in a locale that allows for that - stop sign, stop light - otherwise I will pull over quickly to rescue him - it can get that bad. At one point, after I wiped him, he kept calling me from the backseat, I checked his face again & it was clear and then he kept calling so when I glanced back the next time he had his hand up covered in thick, yucky, gunky snot. This was one of the times I pulled over only to find out that there was a massive splat of snot on his seatbelt - it appears that is what he was calling for me the whole time!
Then there was the cute moment when I was in somewhat ignore mode cause he was MamaMamaMama non-stop but when I finally responded he simply smiled, pointed at LeNelle and said "Nel". Only wanting to tell me that he knew he was with his friend - then of course I felt a tad bad for being in MamaMamaMama ignore mode.
He's back to playing with his toys - HURRAY! I'm thankful for this because there is only so much dropshots watching I can do, or finding what video he wants to watch, or giving him More Water (nice two word sentence there, no?) to transfer from cup to cup before I just lose my patience with him. He's been stacking & cooking & vroom-vrooming with his cars all morning & I'm so very happy to have my little Fellow back!
He didn't eat all of his breakfast but he did eat some which is more than he's been eating. Yesterday he ate a blackberry apple sauce, a yogurt & dinner - that's it. Oh, and some raisins but not the new vanilla cookies Nana! gave him. Today he ate about 1/2 his French toast, all his milk & asked for some yogurt for lunch! He's gotten into a new 'phase' where he doesn't always want to eat in his highchair but will gladly sit in a different chair - either a kitchen table chair or his chair & eat his food properly. This is not really something I would normally encourage but when it comes to getting a sick kid to eat you pretty much do anything and everything to make that happen. But it leaves me wondering if he might be ready for the booster seat...
He did wake up covered in snot, even found some crusted on the back of his neck this morning. His cuffs were covered, the front of his jammies were slathered & his face (including the underside of his chin) had to be scrubbed clean of the residue of a FULL NIGHTS' SLEEP IN HIS OWN BED! Folks, this is the first night in over a week that he has slept through the night in his own bed. Mystic even rejoiced by joining us this morning for some cuddle time! I should add that it's not that he's sleeping with us that bothers me, I actually really love the spooning I get to do with a 19 month old, I need to point out that we only have a full sized bed and that we are nice and cozy with just Matias & I in it - add a toddler and his pillow and we are cramped. There's no chance to roll over to your other side, especially when you are the Spooner & I cannot sleep in one position all night so I'm also very thankful to have had the opportunity to ROLL OVER in the night without the fear of tossing my child out of bed, waking him up, or even rolling on top of him.
Although the snot is gross & I apologize for all the Snot Talk, it's clearly a sign that Liam is feeling better & that we are on the road to recovery at Casa Nino. And I'm sure a little snot talk can be forgiven in light of the relief it produces!
No pun intended.
Friday, February 29, 2008
What a week!
Wow, this week has been rough. And I'm not referring to our recovery factor from traveling and visiting! Liam came home with a fever that hasn't really manifested itself into a cold until today - we have some chunky coughs & some lovely thick snot now.
He's been sleeping with us cause he's been waking and not going back to sleep in a fevered fit until he is in bed with us. So that makes a week that I have not gotten a good nights' sleep - he usually doesn't sleep well the first night in a new place & we had plenty of first nights last weekend and then came his fever. Last night was the best nights sleep I got because I went to bed with him before Matias came to bed & then there was no room for him at the Inn when he came to bed so he slept on the couch leaving me the bed space along with Liam. And also when he sleeps in the same room with us (or bed) when he wakes up at the crack of dawn he thinks it's Party Time Up in Here so he's usually up at 6:30 and doesn't go back down.
Take the early rising, restless, sweaty sleeping and add on not eating very well cause he doesn't feel well & we have one hell of a cranky pants Fellow. Yesterday he actually fell back asleep at 9am when he asked to go in his crib after a dodo diaper change & I went and woke him up at 11 fearing what the rest of our day would be like - THEN he took another nap at 2pm until 4! Thankfully he woke up really rested & in a fantastic mood until he decided to push every single one of my buttons in the evening. He spent the evening with Dada until he was ready to be not so caustic with Mama, I was very thankful for that because with him being so clingy while sick, I have not had a moment of alone time at all.
This morning he woke up at 6:34am and didn't go back to sleep but I put him back in his crib just to see what he would do - Matias brought him in and then bold faced lied to me telling me that he was up with him since 6am. I called him on it and rolled over to see what time it actually was and it was only 7:15 - a whole 1/2 hour had passed & I'm thinking that maybe he had been there with him for 15 minutes TOPS. So that didn't really thrill me to say the least BUT at least I got a good sleep so I was more ok with it ;)
I thought he might have his appetite back since he was acting like himself but he didn't eat any pancakes OR banana but later did ask for some applesauce and drank all his milk. He started to show signs of being tired after his second milk dose so I took him up & we chilled out reading a little bit and then he fell flat asleep at 11am. I'm hoping he at least sleeps until 2 so that the afternoon/evening isn't Hell on Earth.
The highest his fever got was the first night at 102.4 and hovered around 101 for the duration and he did have glimpses of normality usually right after his naps but other than that he's been real demanding and whiny. Whining up a STORM. And when you combine that with my lack of sleep, it's a disaster waiting to happen. I hope we have pushed through that stage though cause I really cannot take any more of this & I just want him to feel better so we can get on with our lives! We haven't been able to do anything this whole week & we had some fun events to go to plus I'm sure he's itching to get out of the house himself! I debated just driving him around without a destination in mind but then his mood pushed that thought of random kindness directly out of my head - I might do it this afternoon though depending on his mood & general disposition!
He's been sleeping with us cause he's been waking and not going back to sleep in a fevered fit until he is in bed with us. So that makes a week that I have not gotten a good nights' sleep - he usually doesn't sleep well the first night in a new place & we had plenty of first nights last weekend and then came his fever. Last night was the best nights sleep I got because I went to bed with him before Matias came to bed & then there was no room for him at the Inn when he came to bed so he slept on the couch leaving me the bed space along with Liam. And also when he sleeps in the same room with us (or bed) when he wakes up at the crack of dawn he thinks it's Party Time Up in Here so he's usually up at 6:30 and doesn't go back down.
Take the early rising, restless, sweaty sleeping and add on not eating very well cause he doesn't feel well & we have one hell of a cranky pants Fellow. Yesterday he actually fell back asleep at 9am when he asked to go in his crib after a dodo diaper change & I went and woke him up at 11 fearing what the rest of our day would be like - THEN he took another nap at 2pm until 4! Thankfully he woke up really rested & in a fantastic mood until he decided to push every single one of my buttons in the evening. He spent the evening with Dada until he was ready to be not so caustic with Mama, I was very thankful for that because with him being so clingy while sick, I have not had a moment of alone time at all.
This morning he woke up at 6:34am and didn't go back to sleep but I put him back in his crib just to see what he would do - Matias brought him in and then bold faced lied to me telling me that he was up with him since 6am. I called him on it and rolled over to see what time it actually was and it was only 7:15 - a whole 1/2 hour had passed & I'm thinking that maybe he had been there with him for 15 minutes TOPS. So that didn't really thrill me to say the least BUT at least I got a good sleep so I was more ok with it ;)
I thought he might have his appetite back since he was acting like himself but he didn't eat any pancakes OR banana but later did ask for some applesauce and drank all his milk. He started to show signs of being tired after his second milk dose so I took him up & we chilled out reading a little bit and then he fell flat asleep at 11am. I'm hoping he at least sleeps until 2 so that the afternoon/evening isn't Hell on Earth.
The highest his fever got was the first night at 102.4 and hovered around 101 for the duration and he did have glimpses of normality usually right after his naps but other than that he's been real demanding and whiny. Whining up a STORM. And when you combine that with my lack of sleep, it's a disaster waiting to happen. I hope we have pushed through that stage though cause I really cannot take any more of this & I just want him to feel better so we can get on with our lives! We haven't been able to do anything this whole week & we had some fun events to go to plus I'm sure he's itching to get out of the house himself! I debated just driving him around without a destination in mind but then his mood pushed that thought of random kindness directly out of my head - I might do it this afternoon though depending on his mood & general disposition!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
TOMORROW!
We are off to Louisville and then onto Cincy tomorrow to meet Mr. Nathan ICE & to visit with all of our wonderful Midwest Friends Freaks!!
I am so stoked that Liam & Nathan finally get to meet & play together - how much fun is that going to be??
Then we get to go to Cincy where we will be staying with Ms. Nikki (and her lovely husband Chris) - they haven't seen Liam since the CVille shows in 06, I believe he was only 2 months old at that point!
Then we get to go and hang out with 1/2 of the DMBFreak population - Huffy, Lil' Huffy, Huff (3 different people!), Amanda, Megs, Bobbo...!
I cannot WAIT. I am so excited to get everyone together PLUS our two little boys!
But please, let's not dwell on the flight we have to take or the list of things I still have to pack which cannot be packed until tomorrow morning or that we need to be out the door by 9:30...
We'll be back Monday afternoon so I will not hold your breathe that I will back online until Tuesday at the earliest :)
I am so stoked that Liam & Nathan finally get to meet & play together - how much fun is that going to be??
Then we get to go to Cincy where we will be staying with Ms. Nikki (and her lovely husband Chris) - they haven't seen Liam since the CVille shows in 06, I believe he was only 2 months old at that point!
Then we get to go and hang out with 1/2 of the DMBFreak population - Huffy, Lil' Huffy, Huff (3 different people!), Amanda, Megs, Bobbo...!
I cannot WAIT. I am so excited to get everyone together PLUS our two little boys!
But please, let's not dwell on the flight we have to take or the list of things I still have to pack which cannot be packed until tomorrow morning or that we need to be out the door by 9:30...
We'll be back Monday afternoon so I will not hold your breathe that I will back online until Tuesday at the earliest :)
This Little Piggie
Superbowl Sunday, Liam decided to eat himself out of food - he ate about 5 meals that day, ASKING for the food throughout the day. At first, we thought growth spurt but I wasn't under the impression that those lasted for 4 days...it was at that point that I decided he just wanted to EAT.
Here's a glimpse into his "old" Menu on any given day:
Breakfast ~ 4 oz. milk and either 3 mini pancakes or 1 piece of French toast slathered in butter then 1/2 a banana
Lunch ~ 4 oz. of milk and either 1 yogurt or 1 cottage cheese with fruit
PM Snack (after nap) ~ 7 oz. of milk and gerber snacks - definitely not what I would consider a Meal
Dinner ~ 4 oz. of milk and either a jar of food or one of those TV Dinner-looking things from Gerber
Now here's what his Menu looks like:
AM Pre-Breakfast Snack ~ 7 oz. of milk & 1/2 a banana (sometimes a whole one)
Breakfast ~ Pancakes or French toast & maybe the rest of the banana
Lunch ~ 7 oz. of milk and either a yogurt or cottage cheese AND an apple sauce
PM Snack ~ 5 oz. of milk & an apple sauce, or yogurt, or cottage cheese - he picks his own food out of the fridge now so it all depends on his whim. And yes, he will tell you no,no,no if he doesn't want what you have chosen for him.
Dinner ~ 7 oz. of milk plus some adult food! He's gotten really good at eating table foods (not always what we are eating cause that's not always ready...) so we've pulled back on the jarred food route & are keeping him with adult food & those Toddler Entrees that look like TV Dinners. And then usually he'll have a yogurt or an apple sauce.
He constantly has snacks at his disposal throughout the day so he's always got something to eat. And this is a big kick up from the total amount of food that he was consuming - strange too cause they say that Toddlers eat less but I'm seriously considering the fact that he heard me tell the doctor that I would like him to gain some more weight ;)
I'm very pleased with this turn of events though cause I would like my little slim jim to put some pounds on even though there's nothing to be Concerned over, I would just like him with like 2-3 more pounds on him. He only gained like 2 pounds since he last check & I just didn't feel like that was enough, you know?
He's been eating really well with his "real food" though - eating 1/2 boxes of mac & cheese, fish & chips that Matias made, chicken fingers (again) & just generally being really good about trying new foods! I'm trying to shove as much new stuff in him while he's on the this eating spree cause who knows how long it will last!
Here's a glimpse into his "old" Menu on any given day:
Breakfast ~ 4 oz. milk and either 3 mini pancakes or 1 piece of French toast slathered in butter then 1/2 a banana
Lunch ~ 4 oz. of milk and either 1 yogurt or 1 cottage cheese with fruit
PM Snack (after nap) ~ 7 oz. of milk and gerber snacks - definitely not what I would consider a Meal
Dinner ~ 4 oz. of milk and either a jar of food or one of those TV Dinner-looking things from Gerber
Now here's what his Menu looks like:
AM Pre-Breakfast Snack ~ 7 oz. of milk & 1/2 a banana (sometimes a whole one)
Breakfast ~ Pancakes or French toast & maybe the rest of the banana
Lunch ~ 7 oz. of milk and either a yogurt or cottage cheese AND an apple sauce
PM Snack ~ 5 oz. of milk & an apple sauce, or yogurt, or cottage cheese - he picks his own food out of the fridge now so it all depends on his whim. And yes, he will tell you no,no,no if he doesn't want what you have chosen for him.
Dinner ~ 7 oz. of milk plus some adult food! He's gotten really good at eating table foods (not always what we are eating cause that's not always ready...) so we've pulled back on the jarred food route & are keeping him with adult food & those Toddler Entrees that look like TV Dinners. And then usually he'll have a yogurt or an apple sauce.
He constantly has snacks at his disposal throughout the day so he's always got something to eat. And this is a big kick up from the total amount of food that he was consuming - strange too cause they say that Toddlers eat less but I'm seriously considering the fact that he heard me tell the doctor that I would like him to gain some more weight ;)
I'm very pleased with this turn of events though cause I would like my little slim jim to put some pounds on even though there's nothing to be Concerned over, I would just like him with like 2-3 more pounds on him. He only gained like 2 pounds since he last check & I just didn't feel like that was enough, you know?
He's been eating really well with his "real food" though - eating 1/2 boxes of mac & cheese, fish & chips that Matias made, chicken fingers (again) & just generally being really good about trying new foods! I'm trying to shove as much new stuff in him while he's on the this eating spree cause who knows how long it will last!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Cute New Things; Vol. 1 Issue 6
Liam has been up to many cute & adorable things recently & although my goal was to chronicle them individually, he's been keeping Mama busy so a bullet list will have to work for now!
- He has a FellowSpeak word for his "boy parts". One day he just up & discovered his twigs & berries down below there & came up with his word, which of course is only pronouncable in FellowSpeak but it sounds/looks something like this: G'LGAH; or at least that's how Dada "spelled" it out for me. Sometimes he also uses this word for "crayon" which well, isn't too far off now is it? He's gotten quite acrobatic about his viewing angle on his changing table also, which I find to be quite adorable. I do think I could get him to do a somersault rather easily in one of his preferred positions if I just gently tipped him on over. Of course, not while on his changing table!
- After his string of colds this winter, he now allows me to successfully wipe his nose and even goes as far as coming over (hopefully before implementing his arm/sleeve into the process) says "noooo" and puts his little nose into the air for me to wipe, while he stands still. He wipes his hands & mouth after finishing a meal; not well enough to be considered clean but definitely well enough to be considered a Big Help.
- He's learning his body parts quite efficiently these days with only a tad bit of confusion on my behalf - I was under the impression that he had to know HIS OWN body parts in order to pass the Name 5 Body Parts on his 18 Month Old Midterm. I didn't realize he could be pointing out anyone's
G'LGAHnose, foot, eyes...so he's been doing my facial features for a while now but we've stepped it up & can actually say some words! Mouth & nose are the most frequently attempted words in that forum but FOOT! is making a big run recently. He will show you his feet (especially while in his highchair) or just one foot on demand! He gets very proud & loves to do it with a sense of humor - very slyly & very slowly will this FOOT! appear. - He walks around in our shoes/slippers! Doesn't that just melt everyone's heart when they see their child stumbling & bumbling around in Dada's shoes?? He gets a little confused though when he wants me to put Dada's slippers on & I already have my own on...usually resorts to taking mine off and sliding Dada's on my feet :)
- Liam has finally taken to Bedtime Stories - he was never a Book Before Bed kind of boy as we were too busy rocking him but now he takes a couple books to bed with him & reads to himself after we say our goodnights. The cute thing is making sure he has ALL the books he wants in bed with him. Must Have Books in Bed: Freight Train, Have You Seen My Cat?, Are You My Mother, Hello Spring!, & My [gay] Baby Elephant. It's really sweet to see him with his arms full of all his Must Haves & getting ready to snuggle in for the night.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Too Smart for His Own Good; The Crayons Edition
I could go on & on & on & on about Liam's new skill of whining but I won't - I need to focus on the positive, the cuteness & the ohmygodness of him for today was a tough day! Even Dada thinks he was off today without me saying it first - so you know it must have been bad.
Instead, I'd love to talk about how gosh darn cute he is with his crayons & coloring!
I have a cute little pencil box that I gave to him cause it's just exactly perfect for his need - he discovered how to unsnap it & then slide it open to get his crayons out. When he's not throwing them all over the place while madly swiping at the paper attempting to strew it all over the floor instead of table, he will calmly take one crayon out at a time & decide if he wants to use that particular one - very cute, indeed. I keep the crayons up on my desk behind something so that he cannot just grab then whenever he pleases (I tried that, it didn't work out very well) so he comes over & asks for what sounds like "colors" and he goes over to his table after I hand them to him.
Then he will always ask me to draw him a MEOW so I oblige and he proceeds to color all over it. Another very cute moment. Also, as an aside, I think it proves my drawing cannot be as bad as I think it is since an almost 19 month old (WHAT??) can recognize my rendering of a MEOW. The next time we come back to coloring he will ask to see the MEOWS and either color over them again or ask for a new one - sometimes he even hands me a crayon for me to start creating.
The coup de gras of this Too Smart for His Own Good Edition is the time Matias was coloring with him & he was all done but took off running with some of the crayons. Matias called him back & said "go give Mama your crayons & put them away" - so he came over, got his pencil box & while I held it for him he put them all away & snapped it shut! All without anyone giving him any instructions beyond "put them away".
It's amazing me on a daily basis how well he comprehends just about everything we say to him; I cannot believe how much is he progressing & learning right before my eyes. It's so fun to watch! Also, it's fascinating to just see it all click that way - and I do realize that everyone goes through this (this is sounding familiar so I've probably already mentioned this) but can I just get a collective wow when you see it happening with your child?
Instead, I'd love to talk about how gosh darn cute he is with his crayons & coloring!
I have a cute little pencil box that I gave to him cause it's just exactly perfect for his need - he discovered how to unsnap it & then slide it open to get his crayons out. When he's not throwing them all over the place while madly swiping at the paper attempting to strew it all over the floor instead of table, he will calmly take one crayon out at a time & decide if he wants to use that particular one - very cute, indeed. I keep the crayons up on my desk behind something so that he cannot just grab then whenever he pleases (I tried that, it didn't work out very well) so he comes over & asks for what sounds like "colors" and he goes over to his table after I hand them to him.
Then he will always ask me to draw him a MEOW so I oblige and he proceeds to color all over it. Another very cute moment. Also, as an aside, I think it proves my drawing cannot be as bad as I think it is since an almost 19 month old (WHAT??) can recognize my rendering of a MEOW. The next time we come back to coloring he will ask to see the MEOWS and either color over them again or ask for a new one - sometimes he even hands me a crayon for me to start creating.
The coup de gras of this Too Smart for His Own Good Edition is the time Matias was coloring with him & he was all done but took off running with some of the crayons. Matias called him back & said "go give Mama your crayons & put them away" - so he came over, got his pencil box & while I held it for him he put them all away & snapped it shut! All without anyone giving him any instructions beyond "put them away".
It's amazing me on a daily basis how well he comprehends just about everything we say to him; I cannot believe how much is he progressing & learning right before my eyes. It's so fun to watch! Also, it's fascinating to just see it all click that way - and I do realize that everyone goes through this (this is sounding familiar so I've probably already mentioned this) but can I just get a collective wow when you see it happening with your child?
Saturday, February 09, 2008
My Star of Wonder
My little Fellow. He loves riding his rocking horse but even more so he loves running away from me after he begs me to put him on it. He's so happy in this picture, so full of pure Joy - that is what Christmas is all about. That smile just melts my heart & makes all the bad things disappear.
Star of Wonder, Star of Light, Star of Royal Beauty Bright...
Helping with the kitties
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
Liam is a really big "helper" when it comes to feeding the kitties! He loves to rush over to the pantry (the Forbidden Zone) & opens up the containers, grabs a bowl & the cup that I use to scoop their dry food and then proceeds to toss the cup full of dry food over the baby/cat gate!
This was the one time, the ONE time, he had a captive audience & he proceeded to EAT a piece of KIBBLE! Actually, he ate two. But at least he was hairball free!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Full Schedule
I joined two new Mommies Groups in the last two weeks & we have been busy just about every morning this week because of all the events that they have scheduled - it's awesome & draining at the same time. Also doesn't help that a certain someone has only napped for 1 1/2 hours each time for the past two days so the afternoons are rather long!
Here's what our week looked like:
Monday - nothing on the schedule
Tuesday - Mall Walking
Wednesday - doctor appointment
Thursday - Toddlin' Time
Friday - recheck of shot & chicken pox vaccine appt & playdate at Kym's in the PM
Saturday (tomorrow) - Nana! & Grandpa are coming into town
Sunday - Super Bowl party at our house
Monday - Rocknoceros (live music) & 18 Month Photo Shoot
Tuesday - Mall Walking
Wednesday & Thursday - nothing on the calendar
Thursday - Toddlin' Time
BUSY. It's all really good cause Liam just really likes to get out of the house & he's learning to play really well with others and that's always a good thing...
BUT...
Everything has been at a really good time for us - 10am - right after breakfast & the events are over before lunch time hits the only draw back is that we are usually rushed to get out of the house to be on time! Liam wakes up between 7:30 and 8am, he has his milk, eats his breakfast, gets dressed up (so does Mama) and then we usually have to rush out. Somewhat rushing around, somewhat frantically. Then we rush in, have some milk, have some lunch & go down for a nap. Usually that nap lasts between 2 (bad) and 3 (good) hours leaving Mama enough time to get some housework done & a little lunch, shower & rest time thrown in there BUT when he only sleeps for that short time a few of those things fall by the wayside & it seems that neither of us are rested enough for the long stretch of day that is still in front of us. We have dinner at 7pm and then usually get cleaned up & in bed at 8pm so there can been 6 hours of entertaining & running around that need to be done in those hours! And by 8:30, I'm sometimes ready for bed myself yet I have to finish up the stuff that didn't get done during the shortened naptime and maybe get some CM work done in there too.
I know there's no such thing as "catch up on your rest" as long as you call yourself Mama but there are always things on my lists that need to be done or else the house just falls apart! And I do feel much more rested when Liam takes his longer naps & much more prepared to tackle the afternoon and evening so basically all this explaining & complaining boils down to "I need Liam to take his regular length naps, pleaseandthankyou". I'm lucky that Dada works from home most days and then he clocks out at 6pm and I can send Liam downstairs to be with him but that's still only 1 hour (he gets sent back up to me for dinner) out of the 12 that I'm the Parent in Charge & that can really be exhausting - especially, when Friday finally rolls around.
So, it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm looking back over our week & thinking about how my time is spent (both doing & not doing) and thanking the blue skies above that it is Friday & that Nana! & Grandpa (The Calvary) are coming tomorrow & that I don't have to be the Parent in Charge for the 12 hours that the Fellow is gracing us with his presence....for two days at least.
Here's what our week looked like:
Monday - nothing on the schedule
Tuesday - Mall Walking
Wednesday - doctor appointment
Thursday - Toddlin' Time
Friday - recheck of shot & chicken pox vaccine appt & playdate at Kym's in the PM
Saturday (tomorrow) - Nana! & Grandpa are coming into town
Sunday - Super Bowl party at our house
Monday - Rocknoceros (live music) & 18 Month Photo Shoot
Tuesday - Mall Walking
Wednesday & Thursday - nothing on the calendar
Thursday - Toddlin' Time
BUSY. It's all really good cause Liam just really likes to get out of the house & he's learning to play really well with others and that's always a good thing...
BUT...
Everything has been at a really good time for us - 10am - right after breakfast & the events are over before lunch time hits the only draw back is that we are usually rushed to get out of the house to be on time! Liam wakes up between 7:30 and 8am, he has his milk, eats his breakfast, gets dressed up (so does Mama) and then we usually have to rush out. Somewhat rushing around, somewhat frantically. Then we rush in, have some milk, have some lunch & go down for a nap. Usually that nap lasts between 2 (bad) and 3 (good) hours leaving Mama enough time to get some housework done & a little lunch, shower & rest time thrown in there BUT when he only sleeps for that short time a few of those things fall by the wayside & it seems that neither of us are rested enough for the long stretch of day that is still in front of us. We have dinner at 7pm and then usually get cleaned up & in bed at 8pm so there can been 6 hours of entertaining & running around that need to be done in those hours! And by 8:30, I'm sometimes ready for bed myself yet I have to finish up the stuff that didn't get done during the shortened naptime and maybe get some CM work done in there too.
I know there's no such thing as "catch up on your rest" as long as you call yourself Mama but there are always things on my lists that need to be done or else the house just falls apart! And I do feel much more rested when Liam takes his longer naps & much more prepared to tackle the afternoon and evening so basically all this explaining & complaining boils down to "I need Liam to take his regular length naps, pleaseandthankyou". I'm lucky that Dada works from home most days and then he clocks out at 6pm and I can send Liam downstairs to be with him but that's still only 1 hour (he gets sent back up to me for dinner) out of the 12 that I'm the Parent in Charge & that can really be exhausting - especially, when Friday finally rolls around.
So, it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm looking back over our week & thinking about how my time is spent (both doing & not doing) and thanking the blue skies above that it is Friday & that Nana! & Grandpa (The Calvary) are coming tomorrow & that I don't have to be the Parent in Charge for the 12 hours that the Fellow is gracing us with his presence....for two days at least.
Too Smart for His Own Good; The Remotes Edition
For a good long while, I've been stuffing the TV remote behind the couch cushions to hide them from my little sea otter - he likes to bash them on the hard wood floors to get the batteries out - just like a cute, adorable sea otter bashing his clams and such upon rocks.
Lately, the boy has been pulling apart the couch in search of the remotes! Foiled again! He is now typically searching for the DVD remote which holds the power to play his Elmo's Top Ten Countdown DVD. I'm going to have to come up with another spot to hide them...we have a basket that they would normally live in, on the shelf of the end table but he has learned to dig into there when his search proves futile behind the pillows.
He has gotten much better about his sea otter-esque actions but now if he finds them he just begs non-stop to have ELMO played & I just cannot live through that - I would rather have a busted up remote & dings in the floors than listen to his begging. So I would prefer to hide them on him rather than give in or have my ears start bleeding.
Where is your favorite hiding place? Keep in mind it has to be somewhat accessible & very easy for ME to get to cause I'm alsolazy very, very tired from all this Fellow Mothering.
Lately, the boy has been pulling apart the couch in search of the remotes! Foiled again! He is now typically searching for the DVD remote which holds the power to play his Elmo's Top Ten Countdown DVD. I'm going to have to come up with another spot to hide them...we have a basket that they would normally live in, on the shelf of the end table but he has learned to dig into there when his search proves futile behind the pillows.
He has gotten much better about his sea otter-esque actions but now if he finds them he just begs non-stop to have ELMO played & I just cannot live through that - I would rather have a busted up remote & dings in the floors than listen to his begging. So I would prefer to hide them on him rather than give in or have my ears start bleeding.
Where is your favorite hiding place? Keep in mind it has to be somewhat accessible & very easy for ME to get to cause I'm also
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Take that!
Bottles: 0; Sippy Cups: 4
I've packed all the bottles & nipples up and he hasn't even asked or looked for them ONCE.
I say Operation: Get Rid of that Bottle is a major success.
I've packed all the bottles & nipples up and he hasn't even asked or looked for them ONCE.
I say Operation: Get Rid of that Bottle is a major success.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
18 Month Check-in
We had our 18 Month Check-in today & here are the little Liam Fellow's stats:
Height: 34" - 3/4" growth
Weight: 24.3 - less than a pound gain
Head Circumference: 19 1/4" - 1/4" growth
There is no concern about his weight since he is tall & healthy. There is concern about getting him off the bottle, which he has now become attached to - my new plan will be to fill all his cups up in the morning & put them back in the fridge, when it's drink time, he will choose his own from the already filled cups. This came to me this morning after putting a toddler cup with milk in the fridge last night that I knew he wasn't going to drink...this morning we opened the fridge for milk & he grabbed the cup out & drank it no problems. This way he can make his own decision without a bottle being in sight. I will also take his bottles out of his drawer so that he simply does not see them anymore.
I got asked the ominous question of "can he stack 3-4 blocks" and was able to answer a secure, resounding YES to that one! Score One for Mama! The whole "body parts" question was approved since he can point out MY body parts but only his own belly & man parts - there's no concern that he has zero awareness of his own nose at this point.
There was a long wait between seeing the doctor & getting our shots and during that time we had one of biggest little melt-downs to date. He just wanted to go to the car and put some clothes on and he cried big crocodile tears about it & wailed away about it - all of which I let him do (no amount of calming helped him) so that maybe they would hear him & hurry their asses up. He got a TB test since we traveled to Argentina & couldn't receive his chicken pox vaccine because those two conflict so when we go back on Friday (oh yay!) he will get his TB checked & his chicken pox. Fun times. Thankfully, Dada has volunteered to come with this time. He was a clingy little koala bear to me though throughout the whole immunization process which was endearing but made it wholly impossible to get out of there and to the CAR with any ease.
He's got a touch of eczema (that's what the rough patch was during his infection) so we have been advised to switch soaps & go with the Dove non-scented/non-perfumed liquid variety and move on up to the Adult Washing Supplies and further away from my little Wee Nino Johnson & Johnson Lavender Scented Goodness we have been using.
That's about all, I think, I have to report back on that :) I did successfully give him another toddler (elmo!) cup when we got home though so at the moment the score is:
Bottles: 0; Sippy Cups: 2 for the day!
Height: 34" - 3/4" growth
Weight: 24.3 - less than a pound gain
Head Circumference: 19 1/4" - 1/4" growth
There is no concern about his weight since he is tall & healthy. There is concern about getting him off the bottle, which he has now become attached to - my new plan will be to fill all his cups up in the morning & put them back in the fridge, when it's drink time, he will choose his own from the already filled cups. This came to me this morning after putting a toddler cup with milk in the fridge last night that I knew he wasn't going to drink...this morning we opened the fridge for milk & he grabbed the cup out & drank it no problems. This way he can make his own decision without a bottle being in sight. I will also take his bottles out of his drawer so that he simply does not see them anymore.
I got asked the ominous question of "can he stack 3-4 blocks" and was able to answer a secure, resounding YES to that one! Score One for Mama! The whole "body parts" question was approved since he can point out MY body parts but only his own belly & man parts - there's no concern that he has zero awareness of his own nose at this point.
There was a long wait between seeing the doctor & getting our shots and during that time we had one of biggest little melt-downs to date. He just wanted to go to the car and put some clothes on and he cried big crocodile tears about it & wailed away about it - all of which I let him do (no amount of calming helped him) so that maybe they would hear him & hurry their asses up. He got a TB test since we traveled to Argentina & couldn't receive his chicken pox vaccine because those two conflict so when we go back on Friday (oh yay!) he will get his TB checked & his chicken pox. Fun times. Thankfully, Dada has volunteered to come with this time. He was a clingy little koala bear to me though throughout the whole immunization process which was endearing but made it wholly impossible to get out of there and to the CAR with any ease.
He's got a touch of eczema (that's what the rough patch was during his infection) so we have been advised to switch soaps & go with the Dove non-scented/non-perfumed liquid variety and move on up to the Adult Washing Supplies and further away from my little Wee Nino Johnson & Johnson Lavender Scented Goodness we have been using.
That's about all, I think, I have to report back on that :) I did successfully give him another toddler (elmo!) cup when we got home though so at the moment the score is:
Bottles: 0; Sippy Cups: 2 for the day!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Look! The Moon is chasing me...
Liam discovered the moon last week during the full moon cycle & he gets so giddy pointing it out to us in the sky at night, I love it...
In his ABC album I made him, I used a moon picture for M & now he sits & calls it "moon" every time he flips to that page. He's even started to call his Earth picture a moon :)
His vocabulary is coming along nicely, I think he is a little on the shy side so he's a boy of few words but his gibberish is expanding too! Liam is one to choose context over content any day - meaning he will use his words properly and not just repeat a random word out of context. He calls a cat a cat & a banana a banana, you know? He has also really grasped the concept of Water & will sign it whenever he spots any source of water - if he sees rain on a video, a pond, a pool, if you have the faucet running, etc.
In his ABC album I made him, I used a moon picture for M & now he sits & calls it "moon" every time he flips to that page. He's even started to call his Earth picture a moon :)
His vocabulary is coming along nicely, I think he is a little on the shy side so he's a boy of few words but his gibberish is expanding too! Liam is one to choose context over content any day - meaning he will use his words properly and not just repeat a random word out of context. He calls a cat a cat & a banana a banana, you know? He has also really grasped the concept of Water & will sign it whenever he spots any source of water - if he sees rain on a video, a pond, a pool, if you have the faucet running, etc.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Playing With Himself
My Little Big Boy has really started to get the hang of this Self Play business every one talks about. He's reading out loud to himself here but that Path of Destruction that is beyond him is just the calm before the storm - this Hurricane Season is not over yet, folks.
Mr. Destructo strikes again.
admit it, Mom, you thought I was going somewhere else with that subject title.
Too Smart for His Own Good; The Grocery Store Edition
Liam's a Watcher, an Observer, a Studier. Then he's a Doer & a Helper, no doubt about it.
Lately, he's been catching on to Things You Do in Steps; his favorite being the Grocery Store Check-Out.
He will now help load things onto the belt, calling the item by name, if he knows it & it's all very helpful until he tries to load something like the milk & then we all get a little nervous. I let him try & offer my help with the larger or more delicate things (think eggs) but he's very determined to do it all on his own, which I do let him do with as much hovering as he will tolerate.
Now he has to hand the discount card to the cashier & shows his disapproval if you happen to forget this step & usually it's me forgetting since Dada was the one who taught him how to do it so I have to apologize & hand it over so he can hand it back to the cashier who always, very nicely, re-swipes it for his pleasure.
Beyond having to be in charge of the discount card, he now has to swipe the credit card through the machine all on his own or else the wrath you will face is much stronger than when you simply forgot to let him swipe the discount card. It's not pretty, folks. And you pretty much know you're up a river since you cannot very well swipe it again without messing with your transaction. Typically, when Mama has forgotten this Cardinal Rule the cashier is nice enough (we have some regulars who are very friendly with Liam and accommodate his cuteness) to pretend to swipe the card for him themselves.
And again, it was Dada who taught & encouraged this new behavior but Mama who always forgets cause she's too busy arranging everything else occuring at the same time so often times I simply forget to let someone else be in charge. I'm trying to be better about letting him participate outside the house - he's involved in everything we do around here (save sweeping & litter box changing [but that's another story actually]) so it's only natural that it begin to extend outside the home, I'm just [once again] slow on the uptake; whereas my son is light years ahead of me & will probably figure out my forgotten ATM PIN long before I do.
Lately, he's been catching on to Things You Do in Steps; his favorite being the Grocery Store Check-Out.
He will now help load things onto the belt, calling the item by name, if he knows it & it's all very helpful until he tries to load something like the milk & then we all get a little nervous. I let him try & offer my help with the larger or more delicate things (think eggs) but he's very determined to do it all on his own, which I do let him do with as much hovering as he will tolerate.
Now he has to hand the discount card to the cashier & shows his disapproval if you happen to forget this step & usually it's me forgetting since Dada was the one who taught him how to do it so I have to apologize & hand it over so he can hand it back to the cashier who always, very nicely, re-swipes it for his pleasure.
Beyond having to be in charge of the discount card, he now has to swipe the credit card through the machine all on his own or else the wrath you will face is much stronger than when you simply forgot to let him swipe the discount card. It's not pretty, folks. And you pretty much know you're up a river since you cannot very well swipe it again without messing with your transaction. Typically, when Mama has forgotten this Cardinal Rule the cashier is nice enough (we have some regulars who are very friendly with Liam and accommodate his cuteness) to pretend to swipe the card for him themselves.
And again, it was Dada who taught & encouraged this new behavior but Mama who always forgets cause she's too busy arranging everything else occuring at the same time so often times I simply forget to let someone else be in charge. I'm trying to be better about letting him participate outside the house - he's involved in everything we do around here (save sweeping & litter box changing [but that's another story actually]) so it's only natural that it begin to extend outside the home, I'm just [once again] slow on the uptake; whereas my son is light years ahead of me & will probably figure out my forgotten ATM PIN long before I do.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
A New Developement I'm Not So Thrilled With
In recent weeks, Liam has taken to throwing things at Mystic & I am not too pleased about this, for many reasons.
1) She's my cat
2) She's old - 15 1/2
3) She's sick - diabetic
4) She's not too thrilled about this
He usually throws his Leap Frog Fridge animals at her while she's eating on the other side of the baby/cat-be-safe gate & his aim is unusually good; hitting her about 1/2 the time and usually right about the head. Not good! When he's downstairs with her he tends to throw discs at her; granted those probably hurt a lot less but with some good trajectory he has been able to smack her square in the face, at short range, with good speed.
I fail to be able to 'punish' him accordingly because it really upsets me so I have passed this task onto Dada to handle without being as emotional about it as I appear to be. We've taken away his magnet set & have limited his access to discs but he enjoys putting them in the disc drive so there's that to contend with also. Monkey seems to have escaped this attention simply by becoming a recluse & not leaving the confines of a safe compound found upstairs far behind the baby/cat-be-safe gate; thus making him a somewhat lonely & Needy (yes, a capital N) Monkers when naptime & nightnight times roll around.
Beyond the obvious "take the offending items away" & telling him "no throw at Mystic" does anyone have any suggestions for our little Fellow?
1) She's my cat
2) She's old - 15 1/2
3) She's sick - diabetic
4) She's not too thrilled about this
He usually throws his Leap Frog Fridge animals at her while she's eating on the other side of the baby/cat-be-safe gate & his aim is unusually good; hitting her about 1/2 the time and usually right about the head. Not good! When he's downstairs with her he tends to throw discs at her; granted those probably hurt a lot less but with some good trajectory he has been able to smack her square in the face, at short range, with good speed.
I fail to be able to 'punish' him accordingly because it really upsets me so I have passed this task onto Dada to handle without being as emotional about it as I appear to be. We've taken away his magnet set & have limited his access to discs but he enjoys putting them in the disc drive so there's that to contend with also. Monkey seems to have escaped this attention simply by becoming a recluse & not leaving the confines of a safe compound found upstairs far behind the baby/cat-be-safe gate; thus making him a somewhat lonely & Needy (yes, a capital N) Monkers when naptime & nightnight times roll around.
Beyond the obvious "take the offending items away" & telling him "no throw at Mystic" does anyone have any suggestions for our little Fellow?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Lost: One Monorail Train
One little boy searches for his lost monorail train -
Don't fret - Mama moved the ottoman & retrieved it for him!
Don't fret - Mama moved the ottoman & retrieved it for him!
Praise
Liam received the Light & Sound Town from Constructive Play for Christmas & he LOVES the snot out of this toy. His favorite part of this is the monorail train that is magnetic & pulls itself up the other side of the mountain (unseen) to shoot through the tunnel, repeat...
Sometime last week the train stop pulling itself up the mountain but was still sticking to it & then earlier today the car stopped going around the track. Total bummer. And the Fellow was bummed about the situation - constantly, nicely, asking me to make the train go when it wouldn't preform for him after pushing the little orange lever. Sadness abounded!
I looked on the website & found a 'orders inquiry' email & an 'all other inquiries' email so I emailed the 'all others' last week and didn't hear anything back from them. I emailed Nana! & Grandpa last night to see if Santa left a manual or product information card with the toy over Christmas and he hadn't but they also didn't have any fix it suggestions for me so I decided to email the 'orders inquiry' email and see where that got me. If they told me to email the 'all others' I could safely proclaim 'no response in a week' & then see if that got me anywhere.
Turns out I didn't need to take it any further! Within five minutes I had received an email from them stating all they needed was a zip code & last name where the product was delivered & they would send me a REPLACEMENT along with a paid return shipping label for the defective product! HURRAY!!
All of this happened within 10 minutes as I emailed them back with the needed information & a new toy is on its way today! I'm really happy & appreciative that they took such quick action with barely any information needed & I will gladly order from them again & highly suggest this toy, especially, to anyone out there with a little busy body who loves trains & cars and little things to make them go. The price is really good for all the happiness this has brought Liam & I'm even more thankful that it's all being taken care of so easily!
Go forth & purchase from Constructive Play!
Sometime last week the train stop pulling itself up the mountain but was still sticking to it & then earlier today the car stopped going around the track. Total bummer. And the Fellow was bummed about the situation - constantly, nicely, asking me to make the train go when it wouldn't preform for him after pushing the little orange lever. Sadness abounded!I looked on the website & found a 'orders inquiry' email & an 'all other inquiries' email so I emailed the 'all others' last week and didn't hear anything back from them. I emailed Nana! & Grandpa last night to see if Santa left a manual or product information card with the toy over Christmas and he hadn't but they also didn't have any fix it suggestions for me so I decided to email the 'orders inquiry' email and see where that got me. If they told me to email the 'all others' I could safely proclaim 'no response in a week' & then see if that got me anywhere.
Turns out I didn't need to take it any further! Within five minutes I had received an email from them stating all they needed was a zip code & last name where the product was delivered & they would send me a REPLACEMENT along with a paid return shipping label for the defective product! HURRAY!!
All of this happened within 10 minutes as I emailed them back with the needed information & a new toy is on its way today! I'm really happy & appreciative that they took such quick action with barely any information needed & I will gladly order from them again & highly suggest this toy, especially, to anyone out there with a little busy body who loves trains & cars and little things to make them go. The price is really good for all the happiness this has brought Liam & I'm even more thankful that it's all being taken care of so easily!
Go forth & purchase from Constructive Play!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Too Smart for His Own Good; the Chupie Edition
Liam has 4 chupies that [are supposed to] stay in his crib after we get him out. We just throw them down after he's been picked up & there they stay until another sleep. Pretty simple, right?
He's got a blankie that he sleeps with & a thick blanket that I line the crib with to stave off the coldness from the cotton sheets - so usually his chupies are on the blanket.
When we play in his room & upstairs, he goes into his crib through the rails & grabs for his chupies - the new Too Smart for His Own Good twist on this is that now when the chupies are out of reach & on his blanket he just pulls the blanket through the rails until the blanket brings the chupies within reach!
In my mind this shows a lot of thought & action/reaction thinking on his part ~ first he knows he cannot reach it & without asking us for help he deduced how to get it on his own. He knew that by pulling the blanket, it would bring his chupie closer & that he would reach his goal. Gone are the days were he has to ask for big help with these things & can now sit & figure out for himself how to obtain his goal.
Of course, like every Mother, I just think he's brilliant but it is really exciting to watch it happen right before your eyes & I'm always thinking that he's doing these things way ahead of schedule but I fear it's just way ahead of my schedule!
He's got a blankie that he sleeps with & a thick blanket that I line the crib with to stave off the coldness from the cotton sheets - so usually his chupies are on the blanket.
When we play in his room & upstairs, he goes into his crib through the rails & grabs for his chupies - the new Too Smart for His Own Good twist on this is that now when the chupies are out of reach & on his blanket he just pulls the blanket through the rails until the blanket brings the chupies within reach!
In my mind this shows a lot of thought & action/reaction thinking on his part ~ first he knows he cannot reach it & without asking us for help he deduced how to get it on his own. He knew that by pulling the blanket, it would bring his chupie closer & that he would reach his goal. Gone are the days were he has to ask for big help with these things & can now sit & figure out for himself how to obtain his goal.
Of course, like every Mother, I just think he's brilliant but it is really exciting to watch it happen right before your eyes & I'm always thinking that he's doing these things way ahead of schedule but I fear it's just way ahead of my schedule!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Now with More Whine!
The whining today is really, seriously about to push me over the edge. Just about 11 hours of straight whining every single time he opens his mouth. And there's nothing wrong, well minus the whole issue that he cannot go outside any single time he pleases not ONLY because it's snowing but also BELOW freezing & you just got over a infection that included a 103 temp.
Driving me nuts. My jaw is killing me from clenching my teeth & now I have a headache because of it. He finally calmed down but would only 'allow' me to sit on the couch or else the whine would return for me to do something else that we were not going to do.
Like watch another video. Or throw puzzle pieces at Mystic. Or play in the pantry. Or the fridge.
New Rule: No videos on the TV or computer before 9am and after 6pm.
He's got plenty of awesome toys & he needs to play with them.
(can you hear me saying that to him fifty million times with my jaw clenched shut?)
Driving me nuts. My jaw is killing me from clenching my teeth & now I have a headache because of it. He finally calmed down but would only 'allow' me to sit on the couch or else the whine would return for me to do something else that we were not going to do.
Like watch another video. Or throw puzzle pieces at Mystic. Or play in the pantry. Or the fridge.
New Rule: No videos on the TV or computer before 9am and after 6pm.
He's got plenty of awesome toys & he needs to play with them.
(can you hear me saying that to him fifty million times with my jaw clenched shut?)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Now with More Snot
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
Mystic snuggled right up with him (yes, that's considered snuggling for Mystic) and insisted on a blankie for herself (I'm so not even kidding here) and sat with the Fellow for a morning cat nap! His hair is a mess because it is encrusted with snot. But he's happy & charming, as usual so I'll take it!
And plus, don't we all need a snuggle with a kitty cat when feeling particularly snotty?
And plus, don't we all need a snuggle with a kitty cat when feeling particularly snotty?
Stuck in the Moment with You
While in Argentina we discovered a line of popular music converted into "baby music" & had to have the U2 for Babies - I've had it in the CD player since we got home but we rarely make it through the 3 Liam CDs that currently reside in there so I haven't played it in a while...
It came on this morning & Liam is ENTHRALLED. Even to the point of going to his music set & pulling everything out to play along! And I could just get all weepy over it, you know?
It came on this morning & Liam is ENTHRALLED. Even to the point of going to his music set & pulling everything out to play along! And I could just get all weepy over it, you know?
What Day is it?
Thankfully, Liam slept through the night last night in his own room!! I think this is our road back to normal. I honestly don't know what day it is & the whole house has been running off of very little sleep since Friday but I think we are on the mend!
He's got some funky hair - we are guessing it's loaded & stiff with snot. Lovely. His PJ top had a ton of snot on it this morning as reported by Dada. He's doing a little mouth-breathing but I cleaned his passage ways out pretty good with a nice warm facecloth so I hope he's all clear to breathe a little better today.
I feel much better myself - getting an uninterrupted nights' sleep really does do wonders for your own mental health & your ability to deal with a toddler who also isn't napping well. He really wanted to go full force yesterday but I knew he wasn't ready so he would go 100% for about 5 minutes going bat-shit crazy then crash out for the next 1/2 hour or so. I am hoping he gets his appetite back today too!
P.S. The quarter sized rash on his belly is winter eczema not Roseloa! That's pretty much cleared up also, thankfully.
He's got some funky hair - we are guessing it's loaded & stiff with snot. Lovely. His PJ top had a ton of snot on it this morning as reported by Dada. He's doing a little mouth-breathing but I cleaned his passage ways out pretty good with a nice warm facecloth so I hope he's all clear to breathe a little better today.
I feel much better myself - getting an uninterrupted nights' sleep really does do wonders for your own mental health & your ability to deal with a toddler who also isn't napping well. He really wanted to go full force yesterday but I knew he wasn't ready so he would go 100% for about 5 minutes going bat-shit crazy then crash out for the next 1/2 hour or so. I am hoping he gets his appetite back today too!
P.S. The quarter sized rash on his belly is winter eczema not Roseloa! That's pretty much cleared up also, thankfully.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Extended Hours
Thankfully our doctor does extended hours tonight for Liam's fever, which had abated all the way down to 98.8 has risen this evening to 103.1!
He was doing fine today - took his regular sized nap - but then got lethargic around 5pm. Lethargic to the point of falling asleep in my arms. When he woke up he was warm but we couldn't tell if it was body heat from sleeping tuckled up against me. Matias took his temp while changing him 20 minutes later to discover his temp had risen the highest yet over the last 3 days.
We are going to the doctor in about 30 minutes - I will keep y'all posted.
I wish they had something earlier but am SO SO SO thankful that they have anything at all tonight & we aren't faced with the emergency room.
EDITED: He doesn't have strept but it is a viral infection. Nothing they can do for him except let it run its course & Motrin. His cough is horrible though makes me cringe every time I hear it.
He was doing fine today - took his regular sized nap - but then got lethargic around 5pm. Lethargic to the point of falling asleep in my arms. When he woke up he was warm but we couldn't tell if it was body heat from sleeping tuckled up against me. Matias took his temp while changing him 20 minutes later to discover his temp had risen the highest yet over the last 3 days.
We are going to the doctor in about 30 minutes - I will keep y'all posted.
I wish they had something earlier but am SO SO SO thankful that they have anything at all tonight & we aren't faced with the emergency room.
EDITED: He doesn't have strept but it is a viral infection. Nothing they can do for him except let it run its course & Motrin. His cough is horrible though makes me cringe every time I hear it.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
This Weekend We Bring You - No Sleep! All the Time!!
So. Tired.
Liam's fever abated on Friday afternoon but was back up to 102.2 on Friday night so he went to bed with some Tylenol in his system.
Then he woke up in the middle of the night & wanted to cuddle with me, so I let him come back to bed with me (Matias was working on our server upgrade so was pulling an all-nighter). He slept peacefully until morning and woke up with a 98.8 temp so we thought we had cleared the storm.
Did I mention that on Friday he only napped for 20 minutes? And it took nearly 1 1/2 hours to get those 20 minutes out of the way?
I should mention that Saturday he slept for even less - he was awake before I was done with my shower & I take 10 minute showers. I could hear him crying in the shower. Then he didn't sleep anymore until bedtime.
Then night time was a joke. I had gone to Kym's to crop & came home before midnight to find Matias up with Liam. He came down about 15 minutes later with Liam upstairs crying for me - I go up & he's asleep before I can sit down with him. I rock him for 30-40 minutes for good measure since Matias had told me that he would nod off, stir & wake - lather, rinse, repeat - for the entire time that I was gone. I think he stayed asleep for a couple of hours until he didn't (yeah the brain ain't working) & Matias brought him into bed. Where he promptly stayed awake, crying (a really sad cry) with a slam-dunk-break-your-heart-ending of "Mama" after every crying jag.
Finally at 7:30ish I got him his bottle & brewed some sweet, sweet, Tim's and now, I am hoping that he has fallen asleep because I just had to go back up there & rock him before he threw himself back into his crib begging for sleep.
And to top it all off, we now have snot. Snotty sneezes have descended. Seriously, I think I would give my right arm (I'm left handed!) to be able to come home from CT without a cold. It's hard enough sometimes to come home from traveling & readjust to 'home-life' with a toddler but it's even worse when that toddler is sick & down for the count for the next week or so THEN add in, a possible, sick Mama & Dada & you begin to wish that the NJ Turnpike would someone collapse into the sound.
Liam's fever abated on Friday afternoon but was back up to 102.2 on Friday night so he went to bed with some Tylenol in his system.
Then he woke up in the middle of the night & wanted to cuddle with me, so I let him come back to bed with me (Matias was working on our server upgrade so was pulling an all-nighter). He slept peacefully until morning and woke up with a 98.8 temp so we thought we had cleared the storm.
Did I mention that on Friday he only napped for 20 minutes? And it took nearly 1 1/2 hours to get those 20 minutes out of the way?
I should mention that Saturday he slept for even less - he was awake before I was done with my shower & I take 10 minute showers. I could hear him crying in the shower. Then he didn't sleep anymore until bedtime.
Then night time was a joke. I had gone to Kym's to crop & came home before midnight to find Matias up with Liam. He came down about 15 minutes later with Liam upstairs crying for me - I go up & he's asleep before I can sit down with him. I rock him for 30-40 minutes for good measure since Matias had told me that he would nod off, stir & wake - lather, rinse, repeat - for the entire time that I was gone. I think he stayed asleep for a couple of hours until he didn't (yeah the brain ain't working) & Matias brought him into bed. Where he promptly stayed awake, crying (a really sad cry) with a slam-dunk-break-your-heart-ending of "Mama" after every crying jag.
Finally at 7:30ish I got him his bottle & brewed some sweet, sweet, Tim's and now, I am hoping that he has fallen asleep because I just had to go back up there & rock him before he threw himself back into his crib begging for sleep.
And to top it all off, we now have snot. Snotty sneezes have descended. Seriously, I think I would give my right arm (I'm left handed!) to be able to come home from CT without a cold. It's hard enough sometimes to come home from traveling & readjust to 'home-life' with a toddler but it's even worse when that toddler is sick & down for the count for the next week or so THEN add in, a possible, sick Mama & Dada & you begin to wish that the NJ Turnpike would someone collapse into the sound.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Today is a Sick Day
Liam has a little round rash between his belly button & top of his diaper which is not going away with any treatment of any lotion we have on hand & this morning he woke up with a fever of 100.7 OR 101.3 (done in the bum but the darn thermometer is never, ever consistent) plus he's extra cuddly & zero appetite minus drinking (HI! Run-on Sentence!) double bottles of milk.
I went to babycenter & looked at the fever symptoms & discovered that he might have Roseola - and there's nothing to be done about it. I'm going to call the doctor if his fever get worse & lukewarm baths don't help him. Basically all you can do is let it run its course as it is a viral infection that usually incubates for 7-10 days after contact. Once again, I think Liam got sick from being in CT. This would be the 3rd instance in a row of him or all of us getting sick after visiting Matias' family. I asked Matias to contact his sister to check on Luccia's status to see if she has it or alert her that she might be getting it.
Liam's only had one previous fever & you can just tell he's not himself even before taking his temp - right now he's wrapped up in his Toy Story blanket with Dada downstairs & I am not hearing a boo from him. He was in my lap constantly this morning (something I don't complain about) but coupled with him feeling hot, I knew something wasn't right.
I hate, hate, hate when he's sick like this - I just want to make it go away.
I went to babycenter & looked at the fever symptoms & discovered that he might have Roseola - and there's nothing to be done about it. I'm going to call the doctor if his fever get worse & lukewarm baths don't help him. Basically all you can do is let it run its course as it is a viral infection that usually incubates for 7-10 days after contact. Once again, I think Liam got sick from being in CT. This would be the 3rd instance in a row of him or all of us getting sick after visiting Matias' family. I asked Matias to contact his sister to check on Luccia's status to see if she has it or alert her that she might be getting it.
Liam's only had one previous fever & you can just tell he's not himself even before taking his temp - right now he's wrapped up in his Toy Story blanket with Dada downstairs & I am not hearing a boo from him. He was in my lap constantly this morning (something I don't complain about) but coupled with him feeling hot, I knew something wasn't right.
I hate, hate, hate when he's sick like this - I just want to make it go away.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Remember it like yesterday
This was taken a year ago. And I do remember this day like it was yesterday. It was a great afternoon - weather not unlike we've had the past couple days - warm, sunny & just right to go watch Matias play soccer. We spent a fantastic afternoon on the blanket, bundled up together, playing with a soccer ball of our own, smiling at each other & playing with my hair as I let it dangle into his face ~ still a favored thing of his to do. He still gives you that smile with that little glimmer of mischief in his eyes, a little crooked, making you work for it always knowing that he's enjoying the special time spent with you. I often wonder where did my baby go but the answer is in my little boy's eyes all along - I'm right here, Mama, looking to you for more smiles & more hair dangling time, please and my heart stops aching for the past when he was just a Bebe and stops to refresh in the moment of now.
Yesterday was a Smart Day
Liam had a really, really, good Smart Day yesterday & not to say that I don't think every day is Smart Day around Casa Nino but there was something about him that was just on fire!
Here's a quick list of the Smart Day Things he did yesterday alone:
I think he's sprouted up in height too, simply because some pants are fitting better in the length these days. We weighed him at Camp Carolina & he's just over 25 lbs. as of Christmas! I let his hair stay long for Christmas cause I know Nana! prefers it to be Little Boy Long but it's time to get the Big Boy Short Cut again cause his swirl is getting out of control & its hanging over his brow & ears.
I have no pictures to show from our Epiphany Celebration in CT because the camera never left the car. He did receive the sorting bags I wanted for him though from Cecilia & Butch and we are slowly working up our interest in them - it was a big plus that the circle bag included a clock!
I've switched from making his pureed foods while still keeping a few options in the freezer, I have officially switched him over to mostly store bought jarred toddler foods. We are continuing to have Major Dinner Struggles with him - not real sure what sets them beyond introducing new foods & new forms of previously enjoyed foods - but a struggle it is. I feel like I've copped out on this one to an extent though because my argument for the change was basically "I'm too tired & do not feel like making his food simply to endure this nightly struggle with him and remain happy about it". Although, I do not feel as if I will ever get over throwing perfectly good food out simply because of some issues with it - so that totally sucks. [another] Although, once you finally get him to eat the food, he DOES eat it all. Weirdo. It also helps to have an Elmo sippy of seltzer water for him - we play the "take two bites & you get some water" game with him & I think that's a fair trade-off for eating your dinner! Funny thing is breakfast & lunch as non-struggle meals AND he self-feeds himself breakfast! Dinner is my Newman. And after a long day of Toddler Wrangling, I cannot summon the energy that I sometimes feel it takes to be the Homemade Baby Food Queen of yesteryear. And I am OK with that!
Also, I think I've figured out that he doesn't like crunchy foods - nothing to heavily breaded or dry - like Cheerios or nuggets. But basically, like every Feeder before me, I know that we all figure it out in the end & make amends with the quirks each toddler has. Some days, I wish he ate every thing I put in front of him & other days I'm thankful that he's getting the proper nutrition & food choices that come along with planning things out & knowing what I'm putting in him. Sure it's neat & fantastic that some toddlers eat Chinese food & pizza but at what cost?
Here's a quick list of the Smart Day Things he did yesterday alone:
- put his puzzle together multiple times + using sounds for the animals
- stacked blocks (3-5 blocks) consistently multiple times a day by himself
- goes to the fridge to ask for milk, goes to his drawer to ask for a bowl for food & goes to snacks to ask for snacks
- signed an entire sentence to me - it consisted of 'water, no milk then car' in my statement to him of "finish your milk then we can go in the car"
- signed 'fish' while checking out the bottle of white wine with a fish on the label in the fridge while getting his milk
- colored successfully without eating much of any crayons - only one bite
- tells me when he has a 'dodo' (dirty diaper)
- signed Mommy for the first time (!)
- helped me pick up his toys
- signed 'dog' for the first time
- starting to 'count' - especially before jumping/throwing himself backwards - usually he 'counts' to five before doing anything
I think he's sprouted up in height too, simply because some pants are fitting better in the length these days. We weighed him at Camp Carolina & he's just over 25 lbs. as of Christmas! I let his hair stay long for Christmas cause I know Nana! prefers it to be Little Boy Long but it's time to get the Big Boy Short Cut again cause his swirl is getting out of control & its hanging over his brow & ears.
I have no pictures to show from our Epiphany Celebration in CT because the camera never left the car. He did receive the sorting bags I wanted for him though from Cecilia & Butch and we are slowly working up our interest in them - it was a big plus that the circle bag included a clock!
I've switched from making his pureed foods while still keeping a few options in the freezer, I have officially switched him over to mostly store bought jarred toddler foods. We are continuing to have Major Dinner Struggles with him - not real sure what sets them beyond introducing new foods & new forms of previously enjoyed foods - but a struggle it is. I feel like I've copped out on this one to an extent though because my argument for the change was basically "I'm too tired & do not feel like making his food simply to endure this nightly struggle with him and remain happy about it". Although, I do not feel as if I will ever get over throwing perfectly good food out simply because of some issues with it - so that totally sucks. [another] Although, once you finally get him to eat the food, he DOES eat it all. Weirdo. It also helps to have an Elmo sippy of seltzer water for him - we play the "take two bites & you get some water" game with him & I think that's a fair trade-off for eating your dinner! Funny thing is breakfast & lunch as non-struggle meals AND he self-feeds himself breakfast! Dinner is my Newman. And after a long day of Toddler Wrangling, I cannot summon the energy that I sometimes feel it takes to be the Homemade Baby Food Queen of yesteryear. And I am OK with that!
Also, I think I've figured out that he doesn't like crunchy foods - nothing to heavily breaded or dry - like Cheerios or nuggets. But basically, like every Feeder before me, I know that we all figure it out in the end & make amends with the quirks each toddler has. Some days, I wish he ate every thing I put in front of him & other days I'm thankful that he's getting the proper nutrition & food choices that come along with planning things out & knowing what I'm putting in him. Sure it's neat & fantastic that some toddlers eat Chinese food & pizza but at what cost?
Friday, January 04, 2008
Brrrr, it's cold!
Liam got his new winter jacket today & we just had too much fun laughing at with him over how cute he was waddling around! Here he is pointing out an airplane to us...
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