The end...sorta

As it has obviously been months since I have been able to write with only one child and now with my new little one in the house I have decided that it will be virtually impossible.
Never fear, I intend to keep those interested updated in bits of 140 words or less via twitter.  Hopefully one day  I can resume full on typing but I have yet to learn how to type successfully with one hand.
Follow me @Hw2fldlndryw1hd

I Have a Title!

My child is a da-da's boy for sure, as he has been calling his father dada for over a year now.  I generally have felt like I was just that lady who is always around to change my pants, hook me up with some food, and keep me safe. He could say the word mama from about 14 months of age, but I don't think that he really make the association in the word and who I am until finally now!  The other day he caught a glimpse of my driver's license (and lord knows how he knew it was me based on the quality photo) he pointed to it and said MA-MA.  Hooray! I took that as an invitation to show him all the pictures of me around the house so he could say it over and and over.  MELT.  Yesterday, I had been in his room with him and then had to head downstairs for a moment, when next thing I knew he was at the top of the stairs at the gate screaming for maaaa-maaaaa.  Another tug at the heartstrings.  I know that eventually this name calling will begin to tire, but I have waited 9 months of pregnancy and 20 months of life to get to this point, and I am going to relish the heck out of it.  

Martyrmom

As with most tasks in my life, I tend to plunge in headfirst, engulf myself completely in the process of learning about the details, and devote most of my time and energy to it.  Well, unless we are talking about some household tasks, then I can be a little lackadaisical at times, but who can be anal about everything?!  In any case, I have tackled this 'career' of motherhood head-on, so much so that it seems that minute things become a matter of life or death at times.  Our nap situation; going day by day, it has been an adjustment for all, but one that I feel will work out for the best. Have I worried about it constantly? YES. Have I cried out of frustration (and hormones)? YES. Is it that big of a deal? NO.  My son will not remember these times of his life, and he is a very happy and healthy little man, so there are many blessings that I must count right this minute.
However, in taking on my role as 'mom' I seem to have also taken on this other complex of having to do everything with it comes to parenthood and that taking a 'break' would be a guilt-ridden fest of self denial.  I have become one of those moms who takes their kid everywhere with them and when at home, I found myself rushing to get my chores completed in the mere hour of a nap so that I could focus attention to my son when he wakes up.  What?!  As a teacher, I know what kind of spoiled monster this can create, for both of us to become so dependent on one another.  Now I'm not saying that my son is incapable of self-entertainment, as he has been Mr. Independent from birth, but this complex has driven me to feel as if I am not doing my 'job' if I do not spend his waking hours engaging him in learning, playing, adventure, etc. I do have to complete household tasks and dinner while he is awake, but the thought of doing something that I enjoy doing like reading (ha ha, I know) or finishing his newborn scrapbook (yeah he's going on 2...) can be done while he is awake sends me into a panic that I am not doing right by my son if I am not focused on him.  I am realizing that with the second mere months away that this train of thought will seriously derail in my face once I bring that baby home. Yet, why is it so hard to take some time for yourself once you become a mom?  I want to know that it is okay to drop him off at a sitter so I can get some things done. (well if I had one other than when my husband is free) I sorta envy my working friends that have family or a daycare that they can plop their child in so they can have an afternoon "free".  I want to know that I should go ahead and spend a monthly fee on a gym so I can swim and workout without having to chase him around. I'd like to schedule my Dr. appointments for anytime, so I don't have to worry about interfering with lunch or a nap.  I'd love an afternoon at the beach with my girlfriends where I can SIT IN A CHAIR and actually have a continuous conversation about something other than diapers and naps.  But I don't think I deserve any of this as I truly feel that signing up to be a SAHM means that is what I do, 24/7 and that this is just my new way of life, so suck it up.  Is that my new reality that I am still reaching for the 'old' me or am I stringing myself up on cross here unable to grow into my new position as a mother and accept that I do still exist? 

Another top Ten

This is one you won't see on Letterman. Top Ten Reasons it's a Bad Plan to be Pregnant ALL Summer.. 10. No beer. Nothing is better than an icy cold one on the beach or sipping one on a patio after a great summer's day. 9. The heat. Big surprise there; I am one who doesn't mind being hot, but something about cooking another human makes it terribly unbearable. 8. No water games. No surfing, kayaking, body boarding, SUP boarding, or even general wave bashing on a rough surf day. Bummer. 7. No chance at a fall half marathon or any summer fun run. 6. Maternity bathing suits are designed to act like nylon tents and make you even hotter. 5. You didn't even know you could sweat there. 4. Shaving and pedicures become downright impossible at a certain point. 3. You are on the sidelines for most summer games and bike rides. Even playing cornhole becomes precarious. 2. Bug bites are hard to scratch when you can't bend over properly. 1. No beer. Nuff said.

18 month snapshot

Okay, more like 19 month snapshot, as I am a little late but we are quite the developing little guy these days.
VERBAL:  I believe it is about time that I watch what I say as my little parrot is fully on repeat mode.  Now most of you will not understand the words that are coming out of his mouth, but I spend the better part of 12 hours with this little man, so I can truly see how much he is saying! Compound words are a new favorite: airplane, sunshine, mailman, lawnmower, sunscreen. I am working on getting him to put two words together at this time, so far I have had luck with more milk and love you (which will make your heart melt).  We are also making a plethora of sounds, if there is any type of engine noise to be made he can do it.  I find it intriguing that little boys are just automatically drawn to things of the engine.
Motor Skills: I have to admit that he doesn't take off out of the starting block like a shot as many times a day as he used to.  Well, unless something is quite exciting to him or he is going nuts because he is overtired.  This is nice in that he can sit and work on putting puzzle blocks in a cube, or stack blocks, or even build towers with legos, as long as he doesn't become too frustrated.  He can successfully help me buckle him into his highchair as well as slide his arms out of his car seat straps when unbuckled.   I am beginning to enjoy the freedom that comes with not having to feed him every single bite of food as he is getting more proficient at feeding himself yogurt and applesauce. As long as he doest try to drink from the bowl like he sees his father do with his cereal!  He drinks from a cup pretty well, as I let him try this out with (clean) bathwater and outside as he can still tip it over too far at times.  UP! has become one of our favorite words as he can now successfully climb onto the couch and chairs.  I know it is just a matter of time before I find him standing outside of his crib!
Demeanor: He really is just a happy and sweet little guy. He LOVES to play with other adults and watch what other children are doing. He would quite possibly go home with any stranger as he is constantly waving, chasing people down, and giving them lap fulls of toys.  He loves hugs and kisses (thank goodness!) and will hug on any one of his stuffed animals (an-mals) and blanket, especially first thing in the morning.  He is getting very good a following directions as well as blatantly ignoring others.  Per a previous post I am at fault for our current terrible napping situation, which leaves him cranky in the late afternoon and super picky when it comes to eating.  I figure that he is also going through a phase of just not wanting anything unless it is pasta or applesauce, so I roll with it, and realize that he will not starve to death if he cannot eat pasta 3 meals a day.
Admittedly so I am enjoying being 'on top of the game" yet I know that I am nearing the beginning of a whole new world with two!

Earning my allowance

He really isn't jealous..yet.

Working on our naps

Still No-Nap Sevilla

I know that I have at least five posts on the napping of my son, which has NEVER been an easy feat. I am currently in hour two of waiting for him to finally fall asleep as he is happily singing in his crib. Yes, I am blessed with a child that will hang in his crib contentedly for these two hours and not scream his face off at me. ( Oh, wait, I spoke too soon)  But this will become the same child that will turn into a crabby version of himself by 6pm and will refuse to eat dinner, splash like a maniac in his bath, and take another hour to settle down for bed. I a,pm beginning to wonder if I have somehow misplaced the blame that he is 'not a napper' and that I am the one that falls short when it comes to this precious time. Quite possibly I am the one who has failed him day in and day out by sometimes putting my needs above his.  I am a morning person, well after the first cup of coffee, and am most productive in the morning, so exercise, shopping, errands are best for ME around 10 am.  My son loves that morning nap, and quite often I omitted this need for the nap by going to stroller class, blowing off the nap since we are on a vacation, never really sticking to one concise plan of action.  And now I wonder why he has such a hard time taking a nap, as I have created this monster out of my own desires.  Things have been convenient being able to work around the schedules of others so that we can attend play dates and such, but now i realize that I have to untrain this behavior. By this time of year I wanted him to take just one nap, generally after lunch, for at least a couple of hours so that we can both recharge and have  a predicable day. The past few weeks I have generally let him give me the signals when he is tired, rather it be at 9 am or 5pm and let him nap.  I have spent up to an hour in my car letting him sleep.  I do truly enjoy this flexibility in life, but now I am laying down the law.  I am the adult here and in charge, right?  So goodbye to stroller class for a few weeks, no playdates, and maybe tiny trips to the beach when I can get them in, because I am getting this child on a proper schedule, rather I like it or not! Starting tomorrow.....as this day's nap is becoming a complete fail.

Family Studies

I have delayed my posting on this overblown topic that has been stemmed from the recent Time magazine article on attachment parenting, but I have had enough. First and foremost I am offended by the photo used in the cover of the magazine, especially as a mother who supports breastfeeding.  The picture is not of a nurturing mother/child nursing session, but one of a child that looks way older than three disinterestedly clinging on to his mother's breast.   This picture conjures up all those stigmas about breastfeeding that us Americans fear, just making it harder for those of us who struggle to find comfort in nursing in public, hiding in fear that someone may get 'offended'.  I can confidently say that there were many, many times that I either hid in the blazing heat in the back of a parking lot in my car or didn't leave my house at all or so that I didn't have to find somewhere to nurse my infant in a public venue.  Why should I have to hide in the corner at a party so that no one sees my breastfeeding? Thanks Time magazine for reminding the public that breastfeeding is "gross" so that I will once again have to hide with my newborn come fall.  
The shock of the picture was designed to draw you inside to read the borderline lunatic rants of a one Dr. Sears' ('The man who remade motherhood'--Time) theories on attachment parenting.  Being a young parent of today, I can say that many of you out there support these ideals, and some of which I can agree make sense when it comes to learning to parent, but they are no help to you when your child is 9.  Will your tween still be in bed with you?  Can you wear your 5 year old to his first day of kindergarten?  I return to my failed attempts at finding a book on parenting that will help me in these tender formative years, and how frustrating it has been for me to find one that is a fit with my family's ideals.  Becoming a parent is one of the most difficult trades to learn, yet I think that we are forgetting that centuries of parents have done it without extreme guides and maps of how to nurture an infant, and relied on our COMMON SENSE.  Sure authors such as Dr. Sears, Dr. Karp, Dr. Ferber, etc. all have books out there for sleep deprived, frustrated, and clueless new parents out there, designed for us to adopt these methods of preparing our babies for that tough world out there.   I have not gotten to the books for older children yet, so I do not see how the methods of not letting or letting your child 'cry it out' will have much impact on their dodgy middle school years. In my opinion, these books are too short sighted and try to take the big picture into mind, and neglect that a happy family is what ultimately creates a cohesive, supportive unit that nurtures the growth of children.  In many ways a family bed is worse for a family in that it can destroy the husband/wife union, therefore causing a fission in a marriage, which has way more of a determining factor in how safe a child feels in a house that is full of that kind of marital tension.  Coming from a background in social work, psychology, and family studies I meticulously studied the stages that we go through via Piaget, Erikson, and Freud and I definitely saw how one is raised truly effects how you will turn out as an adult.  Yet, the determining factor of those who suffered in their older years where those babies who were neglected, abused, starved, or ignored in those first stages. Not the babies whose parents used common sense to raise them. Take care of their basic needs, yet foster a sense of independence, and remain within grasp for coaching if they need your help.  That is what you want in your child as an adult, right? Or have we forgotten that getting our babies to adulthood is the goal?

#1 vs #2

My first pregnancy was a journey of amazement carefully calculated into to a blog as I embraced each little change as the weeks went by. Second time around, heh.
1.  Holy crap you grow sooo much faster. I swear my belly button has been sticking out since week 9 and I look about a month further along versus last time's pictures.
2. I was meticulous with my bi monthly photo shoot of the belly, I've taken one so far.
3.  On the same ticket, I got my maternity clothes out at 14ish weeks, compared to 17 last time.
4. How far along are you? I am usually in a 2 week range of guessing the number, but I have to rely on the OB to give me the exact number of weeks.
5.  I found out super early, at 3 weeks along.  So I had to stop imbibing in adult beverages much sooner than before.
6. I felt super sick at 6 weeks, but that is all.  Other than being tired, I had no other major indications of being pregnant early on, which terrified me.
7. Forbidden foods.  What are they? I have been eating the heck out of lunch meat, feta cheese, and even licked a batter bowl clean the other day.
8.  Coffee.  I have a 18 month old to chase around, I ain't giving that up this time. ( I only drink a cup anyway, so it really isn't a big deal.)
9.  Running and exercising.  I ran a half marathon at 11 weeks, ran a 8:38 mile last week, still do push ups and jumping jacks. I will do all of these activities until I feel like my baby will fall out.
10.  I knew that was the baby moving at 14 weeks, not just gas!

Harness the Power

My husband and I are avid runners. We love to tie on the running shoes, trot out the door, and spend upwards of 2 hours pounding the pavement.  Should I have expected my child to be ANY different?? 
Well, there is a difference in our adult 'controlled' running, and the frantic bolting towards whatever shiny object catches my son's interest at the time.  Last week, the ocean, a frigid 60 some odd degrees, and my son plowing head first into the frothy water.  The other day, the park, my sprinter took off towards the tennis courts, meandering precariously close to the busy street. Yesterday, the store, off like a shot, with visions of kidnappers and such flashing in my mind, THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!  I have tried making a game of it for him to chase me, calling his name increasingly louder, running after him, snatching him up, and giving him a 'mommy's not very happy' face, and even ignoring him, in safe areas only.  Some work, most often they do not.  Where do I turn? My ever insightful Internet google.  We are going through a phase, (no shit) and it will pass as long as I am consistent about hand holding, streets are dangerous, etc. (another no shit).  Alternative method: the harness.  They may work for some of you, but not for me.  Leashes are for my dog, and I don't even use that all the time anyway.  I am not here to offend you leash users, but there is something about those harness contraptions that scream I cannot control my child, and I'd rather have a little one protesting loudly from a stroller than to strap on a fuzzy dog backpack and a leash to my child. In the meantime, my mantra for the next few years will remain, "this is just a phase".....     

Bolting towards the sea.

Role Reversal

If I could physically stand to take a week's vacation alone, I desperately need it. Yet we know that could never happen due to fundage, logic, and the sheer thought of not seeing my little guy for even one day is nuts. In my mind however, I would love to see how my husband would fare while I was away.  I must reassure you that he is still an awesome husband; who is great and loving with our son, helps out around the house, and puts up with my ever-changing demeanor.  However, I feel that we are developing a persona of good and bad cop here. Luckily, my spouse is not deployable at this time, and is actually home more than he ever has been in the 10 years we have been together, which is a true blessing, especially knowing so many other gals whose hubbys have been gone for so long. But I am still gonna rant here, cause that's what wives do. 
By the time my husband gets home in the late afternoon, my child has usually hit his "totally over it all" phase of the day and we are both pretty sick of one another. In swoops super dad.  Who comes in and steals all the giggles, undoes my entire day's worth of teaching our son to pick up his toys and feed himself, and ruins dinner by giving him a unnecessary snack or 3.  Lord knows I don't want to be a nag, but I get a bit frustrated with the role of the spoiler he gets to take on, while I am the mean mommy who is trying to keep the routine intact. What if he had been the one at home all day, chasing a child to change his diaper, coaxing him to eat properly, and picking up the trail of destruction for the millionth time that afternoon?  All the while still trying to clean up the dishes from last night's dinner, avoid the sticky milk spots on the floor, load the washer one more time, and remember to eat.  Mother's day does come but once a year, but I feel that all mothers should get a few days off so that the spouse could truly take over and feel how much of an impact that we have on the smooth running of the house.  

Remember This When You Aren't a Young Parent Anymore

This is a note to myself in the distant future; when the fear of airports, groceries, Dr. offices, and even just lines in general is not an everyday burden or thought as to when (not if) my child will melt down.  I have recently come to notice the kindness of folks who have been in the trenches before me, it may have been 20 or more years since they had a child as young as mine, but they must recall how terrifying it is to have you child act up when the grocery line is longer than the cup of cereal that you brought. On a solo plane trip last month, a feat on its own with a toddler, I sat next to the nicest man, who immediately reacted as a distractor when my son became bored with the 2 hour flight.  By the end of it, my little charmer was in this guy's lap, sharing his prepackaged flight food and gazing out the window.  Last week at the commissary, the line was going to be at least 20 minutes (NEVER go the Friday before a holiday, duh), and we were due for lunch and a nap during this wait time.  The man in line behind me and the lady in front, tag teamed as additional entertainment, when the snack cup was repeatedly thrown at my head and I was contemplating putting the frozen items away and jetting off. I know we live in a world of 'stranger danger' and lord knows my child has none the slightest fear of strangers, both of which should terrify me. Yet, I find that the kindness of these folks is a blessing, where I know they were once in my shoes or can possibly smell the fear emanating off of me as they choose to help out.  I just can't say that I find these folks as scary or annoying, just a godsend in a time when we are at our most harried. This I want to pay forward.  

Here We Go Again

How we dropped the bomb

3 tests and 14 weeks in, I suppose I can actually embrace the fact that I am going to be the mom of 2! The initial, "What the hell was I Thinking?!" of having 2 under the age of 2.5 is starting to fade as I am convincing myself that the second time around HAS to be easier, right?.  Ask me again in September, if I am coherent.  

Catching up

My poor blog has fallen by the wayside due to the tremendous amounts of travel, catching up on housework, and the unending task of wearing out a 17 month old child. I don't even remember the last thing that I wrote about so I will try to sum up the past month and a half as concisely as I can.
1.  Super traveler.  I bravely took my son solo on a round-trip flight to Florida, which in booking months prior to he was still nursing and not walking yet, so I was not concerned until the weeks crept closer and I realized how 'busy' my little guy is.  Fear not momma.  You do have to get used to the daggers that are shot your way as you enter the plane and see the faces of folks just pleading that your seat is not in the vicinity of theirs.  Fear not passengers. My child is a flying champ!  Heading south, about an hour in, we had to make tedious laps up and down the aisle until it was time to land, but otherwise, books and snacks kept him content.  On the return flight, he promptly fell asleep the moment the plane took off and I could actually read a book, a luxury I thought I would never do in daylight again!  When he did wake, our seatmate was super friendly, and let him look out the window and fed him the plane snack cookies until I was positive that my son would refuse to get off the plane with his own mother.  In the aisle across from us, same aged child SCREAMED the entire time.  As we were exiting, I wish there was some signal I  could have given the other passengers that the yelling was not from our seats. But who really cares anyway?
2 days later we were on an unplanned 10 hour trip back home.  10 hours turned into 13 hours when our tire exploded on the way, yet happy man was content until the last hour when I unwilling whipped out the Baby Einstein DVD, that ensured our sanity and got us home.  The trip home was the fastest I have done since having the baby, possibly due to the fact that he felt like poop and slept most of the way home, but a win is a win.
2. We fought the croup and won.  Per usual, a mere 7 hours before the road trip back to VA, my son woke up struggling to breathe and barking like a seal.  I put in a call to my ped here in VA and then to my veteran mom friend in KY, who guided me through some steps to getting him comfortable.  Nighttime air or air from the fridge regulates the wheezing attack, who knew? Much better than my frantic mother's plan of taking him to the er at midnight on St. Pat's day. We packed up the sad little guy, trucked him home, and the ped confirmed the diagnoses of croup.  She sent us home with a fun breathing apparatus and a couple of scrips for steroid inhalers.  Both doc and pharmacist mentioned that these could make him hyper and that I should time them as best I could for his sleep.  I thought I was in the clear as there weren't any adverse effects the first day or so, then my child turned into a form of Satan that I'd rather not see ever again. Refusing to eat (this child?!), throwing things out of anger, super frustrated, and had to be carried at all times, not fun when you are 21lbs.  I seem to have forgotten the parent of 'no drugs' that I was a year ago and make the executive decision to take him off the roids, especially since he was better.  My ped's nurse is super awesome, totally agreed with me and just told me to keep an eye on him.  Within a day, my child was returning back to normal and I felt like a drug dealer in that I introduced his little system to something so harsh and mind altering.  I used to be worried about the damn Hyland's teething tablets, this was like giving him meth compared to that.  I did notice that his top 1 year molars where also coming in at the same time, but I hold true to the strength of my Baltic amber necklace and blame the drugs for his nutty behavior.  
3. I'm a big boy now.  I realize we are on the cusp of the 'fun' ago of 2, and little ones begin to assert themselves around this time.  I get a definite head shake of "NO" when he is offered something he doesn't want to eat (which is everything but bread and applesauce right now), when I choose a book he doesn't want, or when I sing along to his toys (I wonder why he doesn't like that?).  We are refusing to come down the stairs, running away when its time to change a diaper, and throwing things when we are frustrated.  Mommy has to put an extra dose of patience in her coffee each morning, as I know we are just getting started.  On the flip side, he is a sweet as can be, loves to hug everyone and everything, is happy as a clam outside, is starting to feed himself with a spoon, and has a booming vocabulary that grows each day.  I find it hard to imagine he is that same little lumpy teary guy from a year ago.

Combing the Fridge

On the beach in FL

snoozin on the plane

Putting on a show to 80's jams

Biker dude

  

The Other Side of the Fence

Staying home ain't easy.  I will first preface this in saying that I love the chance that I have to be with my son each and every day and those of you that have to take on a part time or full time job with parenting earn my highest respect. My list of benefits would greatly out number this list that many of you will find as petty.  Yet everyone has their "grass is always greener" aspects of life and these would be mine.
1. Minimal adult interaction.  I do try to get out to a baby/momma aerobics class and do frequent the park, but nothing is like having an adult conversation that does not revolve around teething or nap times. I find it difficult to discuss the situation in Libya with a fifteen month old.    
2.  Abundance of snacks.  You are home all day and therefore all of your favorite foods are right at hand, not carefully packaged in your lunch bag for portion control. 
3.  I probably spend 60% of my day in the kitchen. Making breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Cleaning up from each meal, and then again foraging for snacks that I don't need.
4.  Feeling of being chained to the house by the ever important feeding and nap times.  Initially nursing made it virtually impossible to leave the house, now trying adhere to the nap time so that meltdowns aren't inevitable by dusk make me feel quite antsy for outdoor exposure come nighttime.  There have been times where I have only left my house in 4 days to go for a walk or a run in a 2 mile radius of the house.  I don't know what is going on beyond First Colonial Rd.  
5.  I am quite proficient at keeping myself busy with day to day chores and monthly tasks in housework.  Yet when it comes to finishing my child's scrapbook that hasn't been touched in a YEAR, no dice.  Long term projects or ones that are involved go by the wayside. If I cant do it in 15 minutes, then it isn't going to happen.  
6.  I do still have those lingering feelings of being an unproductive citizen when I have to tell people that I no longer teach and I stay home with my son.    I have happily accepted this role as a SAHM, but do feel that maybe I should use some free time (what the hell is that?!) towards the community.
7.  Financial strain.  Luckily we have been living on one income for many years now and my husband and I tend more to be in the tightwad category, but nothing takes the fear out of knowing that each paycheck has to be carefully scrutinized and any major delineations from this may send me into a panic.  
8. Superwoman complex.  Due to #6 and #7, one may feel a sense of duty in needing to do it all in order to make a contribution to the family.  In the year or so that I have become a mother, I am learning that it is unfair to assume that the stay at home person needs to take care of positively everything in the house and it is also impossible.  
9. Mommy needs a break too.  Some of you are blessed with children that will nap for 2 or more hours at a time.  Never mine, unless he was sick.  The second I shut that door for a nap, I am off like a sprinter to complete as many tasks in the span of 45 minutes to sometimes an hour and a half I could get completed.  This does not mean that I have a opportunity to catch a show or enjoy a cup of coffee (or a meal for that matter) sitting down. My son does go to bed early, but by that time I am so wiped that my poor husband and I just sit on the couch like sloths, unable to come up with a menial conversation.  
10.  Appearance failure.  I always thought it was silly that 1950's housewives cleaned and cooked in dresses and pearls, but I do think there is some bearance on feeling the need to get dressed up each day and one's self esteem.  These days, dressed up means wearing shoes instead of slippers, having matching sweats on, and drying my hair yet only because it is cold outside. I tried to look like a normal human a few times in case the mailman comes to the door, but eventually I was covered in boogers, squash, and bleach spots on my favorite shirt.    

15 Month Snapshot

I admit that I have been a terrible blogger as of late, chasing my son around takes up much of my free time and renders me a vegetable on the couch after bedtime most nights that I am quickly falling behind in my updates. 

I find it truly amazing and terrifying how much my little guy is growing up these days. It seems that we took a trip for the holidays and brought back a completely different child who can communicate, walk, and whose little personality is becoming plain as day.  At our check up, he is still falling off the charts in size, but his chubby cheeks and insatiable appetite are no verdict on his measurements.  He finally had 3 teeth bust through at the age of 15 and a half months, and I have to constantly remind myself that I have another task to take care of at bedtime.  He loves to be outside in any weather, is more interested in the wheels of cars than he is at the playground equipment, can actually sit still and look a books for several minutes, yet is otherwise in constant motion. What mother doesn't do a little comparison to other kids? My child vs. my neighbor's child.  The little guy next door will stand and watch as my son runs and touches the cars 3 doors down, then falls in a puddle, runs to our front stoop and throws the dirt out of the planter, pulls a handful of leaves off a bush, and does about 3 laps around our driveway.  This might happen in the span of 5 minutes.  Wow. You wonder where I have been huh?  I am learning that I need to keep this one entertained with mobile objects; so the exercise ball is once again a family fave, any cylindrical object is now a toy, and my dog is willingly becoming a pony.  
He will still eat just about anything, but has definitely found favorites in bananas (nanas), bread, Cheerios, and eggs.  It is definitely like having mini version of my husband when it comes to meal preparation!  
The doctor also wanted basically a list of all the words that he can say, I know he has many things that he can say, yet under the pressure I forgot about half of them!  Let me try some recall here: nana, mama, dada, good girl(for Sierra), good, hot, ball, agua, bread, milk (ma), mas (more), bubbles, bath, dogs go woof woof, monkeys go ah ah, cats go mah, tick tock for clock, bike, car, bell, hat, I'm sure I could figure out more, but this is better than what I produced at the doctor's office!
He definitely has sorted out his likes and dislikes, animals capture his attention, he does not like being told no, and is happiest when I let him run around and discover his world, especially our garage!  I am once again happy to have the opportunity to bear witness to the changes that happen on a daily basis. 

It's About Time

This looks like torture to get a tiny glimpse

I feel like I have been posting about impending teeth for some time now, and I must say that I blame my major lack of knowledge on the subject led me to believe that teeth were right around the corner almost a year ago.  This parenting learning curve is a tough path man.  We now officially have a tooth, my dear boy must have caught on that his much younger buddies were beginning to out-teethe him so he felt that at 15 months it was time to knuckle up.  I must say that I think the painful part is when the teeth are coming towards the surface, as my little guy has actually been sleeping longer the past few days. 
Good-bye gummy grin, I will miss you.  

The Cup Tippeth Over

A cup is a cup, correct?  But go to any baby section of a store and you will find that they typically have a  vast wall of cups to choose from.  Each one touting that they are spill-proof, easy to clean, and great for dental development.  Huh?  I just want one that doesn't spill milk all over my freshly mopped floor all the time.  Does. Not. Exist.  I promise you.  I am quite lucky that my little guy learned to prefer to drink out of a straw at 7 months, so that has indeed narrowed down the contestants to ones that have a straw.  I have a camelbak water bottle that is awesome for water and even juice but is a pain in the neck to get milk out of all the straw crevices.  So I ended up with one other cheapo cup snagged from the land of Wal Mart on a whim, that has been great for milk drinking.  Not so great on milk overflow all over the table, counter, floor, etc.  I have been on the hunt for a replacement set to regain some sanity.  First of all, I do believe it is a woman's world, and this starts as soon as one enters the world. As I peruse these walls of cups, I am faced with princess cups, flower cups, and exuberantly pink cups.  I have been tempted just to go with it out of desperation, but I cant do that to my little guy.  I really just want neutral colors.  Nope.  After several stores, I find a set that are not too girly and bring them home to properly sanitize them for consumption.  Have you ever had one of those awesome super thick milkshakes? The one that makes you look like a fish and makes your tongue go numb?  That is what these were.  Terrible.  They also leaked like a sieve the moment that they were tipped on their side.  So I re-sanitized them, carefully taped them back in the box  and took them back the next day.  I ended up back a Wal Mart, purchasing two more of the cheapo cups.  Some things are not worth the gas.    

Even more things I've learned

1. Lentils are chock-full of fiber.
2. I stopped letting my nails grow for a good reason.  See above
3. I now know that newborns cry ALOT. Mostly for reasons beyond our control which is frustrating.  You have to get used to only using one arm for about 4 months. 
4. Immunizations= Long naps for my no-nap child:)
5. Long sleeves are a bad call for bath time.  
6. Always check the shower before you get in for random shoes, toys, and personal items. 
7. Teething takes MONTHS.
8. A entire roll of toilet paper can be unrolled in less than 20 seconds.
9. Finger diaper checks usually don't don't have a good end result.
10. Turning off the monitor can be a good thing. 

Show Me Those Pearly Whites

Remember back a few weeks ago when I joyously announced that my over a year old child had a tooth? Well I can confirm that was now a piece of pasta leftover from lunch. Gross!  As with just about anything with parenting; I really had no idea what teething entails and had only heard the numerous horror stories of sleepless nights, swollen gums, and a general replacement of your baby with a spawn of the lower regions.  On the flip side, I had read in those idiotic books that teething is blamed for so many ailments from fever, to diarrhea, to spontaneous combustion, that I just figured I would wing it as best as I have done so far.  I have fastidiously fastened a Baltic amber teething necklace to my son's neck since he was 6 months old in hopes that I would just one day wake up to a full grill.  As the months without teeth dragged on, I figured that the necklace is more of a teeth preventer than a pain reliever.  
But here we are. 14 months old and teething is finally here.  I am faced with a child that is by night an insomniac, up at least 3-4 times a night. This is  even with doses of Tylenol and teething tablets in his system.  By day, my child is clingy, crabby, sensitive, needy, generally unable to please for more than 5 minutes at a time.  And the boy that lives to eat, merely nibbles now all the while fussing as if he is starving. Of course I am deliriously contemplating fixing him a sandwich at 3am as I am positive that he is hungry from not eating much dinner.  But I know better than to jump on THAT train.  Needless to say, I am guiltily happy when nap time and bedtime arrive to glean some sort of reprieve from the swollen mouthed crabby child that has replaced my sweet baby boy.  My friend's child just finished getting in all of his teeth at 16 months, he started at 5 months.  Another year of this and I may just be having  only one child and a sudden interest in wine.  

Mom's Resolutions

I know I am about a week late on resoluting, but tardy is the way things are done these days.  The past year of parenting has crested that terrifying hill where I feel way more comfortable in my own skin (for now..) and can look back on those delirious days and make amends.  Everyone annoyingly keeps telling me that the baby days do just fly by, and early on I felt as if I was stuck in a vortex of spit up, crying, and breastmilk and couldn't wait for time to pass.  I realize now that my now mobile child does not want to be in momma;s arms all day and I sadly regret not enjoying those times more than I did.  So the essence of my mommy resolutions this year are to create and enjoy more time.  We will see how good I do come June.


1. More cuddle time.  I have found it all too easy to just spring out of bed in the morning, anxious to get the day going and miss out on some quality sleepy boy cuddle time.  The 3 of us started to lounge in bed for at least 10 minutes or more during our holiday trip and I found these moments positively luxurious and have vowed that I will take the opportunity each morning to give my guy(s) one on one time and attention.  This will also tie in with my after nap cuddle bug, whom I will vigorously love on as I now know that this time is truly fleeting.
2. Create more time through organization.  If you know me, I can be a bit type A, so your mind is probably wondering how I am going to undo all this inner pressure to complete daily tasks AND cuddle all day.  Enter my other friend, organization.  I am in the midst of creating this huge plan book of cleaning duties, meal plans, and shopping time savers to aid myself in accomplishing these daily chores.  Rather than spend one whole day completing all of the house cleaning, I intend to tackle one chore a day, 5 days a week.  Larger items I tend to overtax myself with twice I year, I will break up into one duty a month.  Meal planning I am terrified of.  I am anal on many degrees, but am nervous of cornering myself into a weekly menu, this is a house, not Applebee's for Pete's sake!  Yet, I know that this is a great idea for me to follow since I spend a great portion of mine and the baby's lunchtime digging through cookbooks and the freezer so that I can hope that I have all ingredients to make said meal.  Total time waster! Maybe the time saved is just minutes a day, but these are precious minutes.
3. RELAX. Parenting is a tough career and many of us are hard on ourselves (see ALL earlier posts) as it is.  My son is happy, healthy, and I am one lucky gal to have such a wonderful family and the opportunity to enjoy each day with them.  The small stuff is just that, minuscule.  I'm going to keep the sweat in the gym.