Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays from Oklahoma!
We arrived late last night after an already busy week of celebrating.
Monday: Mr. P's family came over for dinner and to exchange gifts. Kiddle doesn't yet grasp the concept of Christmas, but he certainly got into the idea of opening presents.
Tuesday: Kiddle's Hanukkah party at preschool. Shockingly he actually tried a potato latke, even though he was mostly interested in sucking the applesauce off it.
Wednesday morning: Santa came a day early to our house. Kiddle came down the stairs and saw all his gifts laid out: "Wow. Wow. Wow." Too cute. He also thought getting gifts out of his stocking was pretty cool. One item was a tiny Slinky in a box. He pulled it out and said, "Oooh, a box. A box." It's the simple things at that age, isn't it?
Wednesday afternoon: I finally packed and we headed out to brave the crowds at Newark airport. And it was a total disaster, as expected. We totally thought we were in the clear for our 3:00 flight -- unlike everyone else in the terminal, snicker, snicker -- until they announced at 2:15 that our plane hadn't yet left Halifax. Um, you didn't know that a little earlier? We finally got out of there sometime after 7:00. Six hours in an ultra-crowded airport with a two-year-old? So much Christmas cheer.
Needless to say we were thrilled to finally get here. We had our traditional white-trash Christmas morning breakfast of monkey bread, bacon wraps and sausage balls -- yum! And Kiddle and Cooper opened one million more presents. It's hard to say, but I think his favourite gift might just be his Cars Mack truck/race car launcher. Pretty cool.
We arrived late last night after an already busy week of celebrating.
Monday: Mr. P's family came over for dinner and to exchange gifts. Kiddle doesn't yet grasp the concept of Christmas, but he certainly got into the idea of opening presents.
Tuesday: Kiddle's Hanukkah party at preschool. Shockingly he actually tried a potato latke, even though he was mostly interested in sucking the applesauce off it.
Wednesday morning: Santa came a day early to our house. Kiddle came down the stairs and saw all his gifts laid out: "Wow. Wow. Wow." Too cute. He also thought getting gifts out of his stocking was pretty cool. One item was a tiny Slinky in a box. He pulled it out and said, "Oooh, a box. A box." It's the simple things at that age, isn't it?
Wednesday afternoon: I finally packed and we headed out to brave the crowds at Newark airport. And it was a total disaster, as expected. We totally thought we were in the clear for our 3:00 flight -- unlike everyone else in the terminal, snicker, snicker -- until they announced at 2:15 that our plane hadn't yet left Halifax. Um, you didn't know that a little earlier? We finally got out of there sometime after 7:00. Six hours in an ultra-crowded airport with a two-year-old? So much Christmas cheer.
Needless to say we were thrilled to finally get here. We had our traditional white-trash Christmas morning breakfast of monkey bread, bacon wraps and sausage balls -- yum! And Kiddle and Cooper opened one million more presents. It's hard to say, but I think his favourite gift might just be his Cars Mack truck/race car launcher. Pretty cool.
Monday, December 22, 2008
And introducing ...
... the newest, extra-little kiddle.
19 weeks and 4 days. Right on target, size-wise. And has all his fingers, toes and body parts. We couldn't have asked for a better report.
And that's right ... I said HIS. Kiddle's getting a baby brother. I'll admit there's a tiny twinge of oh-I-won't-ever-have-a-girl-itis, but mostly I'm somewhat relieved.
And my favourite part of this ultrasound? I had to schedule my appointment on a day the doctor would be there, because I'm of "advanced maternal age." Lovely.
19 weeks and 4 days. Right on target, size-wise. And has all his fingers, toes and body parts. We couldn't have asked for a better report.And that's right ... I said HIS. Kiddle's getting a baby brother. I'll admit there's a tiny twinge of oh-I-won't-ever-have-a-girl-itis, but mostly I'm somewhat relieved.
And my favourite part of this ultrasound? I had to schedule my appointment on a day the doctor would be there, because I'm of "advanced maternal age." Lovely.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
What are you doing? Are you PEEING?
Remember how fascinated with the Christmas tree I said Kiddle was? Apparently he felt the need to mark his territory.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Oh Christmas Tree ...
Finally got the tree up today. I seriously thought about doing it Thanksgiving weekend, so of course here we are on December 19th. It turned out to be the perfect day to do it though. We we're absolutely slammed by a snow storm this morning. I went to the mall just as it was starting to snow and when I came out 45 minutes later there were already several inches on the ground. It took an hour and a half to make the 10 minute drive home. Crazy! So we took Kiddle's babysitter home early and snugged in for the afternoon to get the tree up.
Kiddle was fascinated by the whole process and did a great job hanging ornaments. The battle this year isn't going to be over taking ornaments off and on; it's about turning the lights off and on. I see a zillion time-outs in his near future.
Kiddle was fascinated by the whole process and did a great job hanging ornaments. The battle this year isn't going to be over taking ornaments off and on; it's about turning the lights off and on. I see a zillion time-outs in his near future.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Boy or girl? Yes!
Next Monday is my full anatomy ultrasound, and hopefully we'll be able to find out the sex of this new kiddo. Although I'm not certain "we" will find out because I'm not sure if Mr. P wants to know.* But I definitely do ... I'm too much of a planner to let it be a surprise.
My sister asked me the other day if I had a feeling one way or the other. If I base it on comparing the two pregnancies, I'd say boy. This pregnancy is exactly like my first one so far, but I'm also smart enough to know that doesn't mean squat. (We were so convinced my friend Chrissy was having a girl the second time that I went out and bought her girl clothes. Nope. An even bigger boy than the first one.) But I find myself mentally referring to the baby as "her" -- and with Kiddle it was always "him."
I guess I don't really have any strong preferences one way or the other. Before Kiddle I only saw myself having girls, but now I find myself waffling.
GIRL PROS: much cuter clothes, the relationship with a girl is just totally different than with a boy, my parents would have a granddaughter instead of only grandsons.
GIRL CONS: the teenage years, it seems scarier to raise a girl in this day and age than it does a boy, and, oh God, will I have to play house and dress-up and dolls?
BOY PROS: I already have all the clothes, I'm used to boys now, Kiddle will have a brother -- and I so appreciate that I have a sister.
BOY CONS: I won't ever have a daughter. Or the cute clothes that go with her.
Of course, the baby has to actually cooperate at the ultrasound. Kiddle was all legs splayed, check me out, look at my boy stuff. So no doubt there. We'll see if this one is as open or plays it a little coy.
* Funny story actually. With Kiddle, Mr. P wasn't sure if he wanted to know so we decided he would leave the room during that portion of the ultrasound. Now, we never really thought we'd make it four more months without him finding out, but that it would be fun to see how long we could go.
As it turns out -- four days.
Mr. P's sister got married that weekend and during dinner one of his relatives asked me if we had decided on a name. "Oh yes," I replied, "it's (insert obvious boy name here)," with so much certainty that I couldn't even cover by adding "if it's a boy and Blah Blah if it's a girl." The table got deathly quiet as everyone realized what I had done. And Mr. P got the biggest smile on his face. More from glee that I had busted myself so quickly, I think, than from happiness that it was a boy. And I promptly burst into tears.
Now, as a pregnant chick, I wasn't particularly hormonal. I didn't cry every day, or over tiny things, like some of my friends have. But if I got started crying, I simply couldn't stop. Mr. P finally had to lead me by the hand, blindly blubbering, out of the reception. And it took a good 20 minutes for me to stop sobbing. In the end though I was glad he found out from me, rather than from one of the 8 trillion people who already knew. I would have missed seeing the look on his face if someone else had slipped up. But, damn that glass of wine at dinner! Four days? That's all it took?
My sister asked me the other day if I had a feeling one way or the other. If I base it on comparing the two pregnancies, I'd say boy. This pregnancy is exactly like my first one so far, but I'm also smart enough to know that doesn't mean squat. (We were so convinced my friend Chrissy was having a girl the second time that I went out and bought her girl clothes. Nope. An even bigger boy than the first one.) But I find myself mentally referring to the baby as "her" -- and with Kiddle it was always "him."
I guess I don't really have any strong preferences one way or the other. Before Kiddle I only saw myself having girls, but now I find myself waffling.
GIRL PROS: much cuter clothes, the relationship with a girl is just totally different than with a boy, my parents would have a granddaughter instead of only grandsons.
GIRL CONS: the teenage years, it seems scarier to raise a girl in this day and age than it does a boy, and, oh God, will I have to play house and dress-up and dolls?
BOY PROS: I already have all the clothes, I'm used to boys now, Kiddle will have a brother -- and I so appreciate that I have a sister.
BOY CONS: I won't ever have a daughter. Or the cute clothes that go with her.
Of course, the baby has to actually cooperate at the ultrasound. Kiddle was all legs splayed, check me out, look at my boy stuff. So no doubt there. We'll see if this one is as open or plays it a little coy.
* Funny story actually. With Kiddle, Mr. P wasn't sure if he wanted to know so we decided he would leave the room during that portion of the ultrasound. Now, we never really thought we'd make it four more months without him finding out, but that it would be fun to see how long we could go.
As it turns out -- four days.
Mr. P's sister got married that weekend and during dinner one of his relatives asked me if we had decided on a name. "Oh yes," I replied, "it's (insert obvious boy name here)," with so much certainty that I couldn't even cover by adding "if it's a boy and Blah Blah if it's a girl." The table got deathly quiet as everyone realized what I had done. And Mr. P got the biggest smile on his face. More from glee that I had busted myself so quickly, I think, than from happiness that it was a boy. And I promptly burst into tears.
Now, as a pregnant chick, I wasn't particularly hormonal. I didn't cry every day, or over tiny things, like some of my friends have. But if I got started crying, I simply couldn't stop. Mr. P finally had to lead me by the hand, blindly blubbering, out of the reception. And it took a good 20 minutes for me to stop sobbing. In the end though I was glad he found out from me, rather than from one of the 8 trillion people who already knew. I would have missed seeing the look on his face if someone else had slipped up. But, damn that glass of wine at dinner! Four days? That's all it took?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
First snow of the year
Well, the first one that (kind of) amounted to anything anyway. And, if you believe the weather forecasters, it sounds like we're in for it later this week.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Great Barf-Off of 2008
Lovely day we've had here. I can sum it up by saying I've already scheduled Stanley Steemer to come over on Monday. If you can handle the detail, read on.
One of the downsides of having a non-talking two-year-old is that they can't tell you what's wrong when they don't feel good. I knew Kiddle seemed off this morning but I didn't know what was bothering him until I gave him his morning milk ... and he projectile vomited it all over the couch and oriental rug five minutes later.
And then on the dining room rug. And back to the couch and living room rug. And of course with a trail of puke across the hardwood floor as we tried to get him to the kitchen. And let me tell you, milk curdles awfully quickly after ingestion. Gross.
So my house smells like barf. I've done multiple loads of laundry. And my kid is begging me for a cracker in between episodes of WordWorld.
But I'll have a clean couch on Monday! And, trust me, it's long overdue thanks to peanut butter hands and leaking sippy cups.
One of the downsides of having a non-talking two-year-old is that they can't tell you what's wrong when they don't feel good. I knew Kiddle seemed off this morning but I didn't know what was bothering him until I gave him his morning milk ... and he projectile vomited it all over the couch and oriental rug five minutes later.
And then on the dining room rug. And back to the couch and living room rug. And of course with a trail of puke across the hardwood floor as we tried to get him to the kitchen. And let me tell you, milk curdles awfully quickly after ingestion. Gross.
So my house smells like barf. I've done multiple loads of laundry. And my kid is begging me for a cracker in between episodes of WordWorld.
But I'll have a clean couch on Monday! And, trust me, it's long overdue thanks to peanut butter hands and leaking sippy cups.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Nap? I don't need no stinkin' nap!
No, no. Those aren't dark circles under my eyes. I'm fine. Great, in fact. No time for sleeping. I need that hour and a half to destroy my room every day. So much stuff, so little time.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Dream a little dream
I'm so tired of crazy pregnancy dreams.* Every night I have these long, very detailed, ultra stressful dreams. They aren't dreams about the baby or delivery, but are crazy scenarios that bring in people and details from my life that I haven't thought about in a million years. I don't remember having them so early in my pregnancy last time and it seems like they went on for a long time, so I don't really see an end in sight. Argh!
There were a couple of themes last night. Can't remember the first one now, but the second one had to do with my college boyfriend. Something about surprising him at his parents house with my best friend from high school. I don't think I was married and pregnant at the start of the dream, but by the end I sure was.
It's not too surprising that he's appearing though. I recently discovered he lives in the Denver area, so he's been on my mind. I haven't spoken to him in almost 12 years (and the last conversation we had wasn't particularly a good one), but I think if this move happens I'm going to call him. Unfortunately for him, he's a traffic reporter at a local radio station so he's pretty easy to find. It's not so much that I want him back in my life, but I'm definitely curious about him (did he ever get married? kids? is he happy?). And our relationship was, to put it mildly, a significant one, so I kind of feel like I should warn him I'm around. You KNOW he's the first person I'll randomly run into on the street. ("Oh, hi. Didn't mean to startle you there ... ").
Anyway, I wish there was some magic remedy -- other than having this baby -- that would stop these dreams. I know I'd be a lot better rested.
* What?! You're pregnant? Did I miss that little piece of news? Click here.
There were a couple of themes last night. Can't remember the first one now, but the second one had to do with my college boyfriend. Something about surprising him at his parents house with my best friend from high school. I don't think I was married and pregnant at the start of the dream, but by the end I sure was.
It's not too surprising that he's appearing though. I recently discovered he lives in the Denver area, so he's been on my mind. I haven't spoken to him in almost 12 years (and the last conversation we had wasn't particularly a good one), but I think if this move happens I'm going to call him. Unfortunately for him, he's a traffic reporter at a local radio station so he's pretty easy to find. It's not so much that I want him back in my life, but I'm definitely curious about him (did he ever get married? kids? is he happy?). And our relationship was, to put it mildly, a significant one, so I kind of feel like I should warn him I'm around. You KNOW he's the first person I'll randomly run into on the street. ("Oh, hi. Didn't mean to startle you there ... ").
Anyway, I wish there was some magic remedy -- other than having this baby -- that would stop these dreams. I know I'd be a lot better rested.
* What?! You're pregnant? Did I miss that little piece of news? Click here.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Looks like we're moving ...
... to Colorado.
Where do I start? Mr. P's company bought another company in Boulder. He's been out there four days a week since mid-October leading the integration of the two companies, with the intention of eventually moving there permanently to run the day-to-day operations. However, the partners out there are having trouble stepping back (at all) and have been giving Mr. P a really hard time ... behind his back, to make it worse. He's been very discouraged and feeling a bit abandoned by his boss, so the move was looking less and less likely every day.
But he had a good conversation with his boss last night, so it seems the move is back on. Not a done deal yet, but we're committed enough that his boss plans to start the ball rolling with HR and the relocation people.
And how do I feel about this?
Bittersweet. I finally have lovely friends here and am feeling a bit more connected to the town. Kiddle is loving preschool and has sweet little friends. The town and homes here are absolutely adorable and I know I'll have a hard time finding something similar elsewhere. And while we don't see Mr. P's family very much, at least they're accessible, and it's great to spend time on the Jersey shore in the summers.
Stressed. I've gotten a lot of work done on the house this fall, knowing that this move was a possibility, but I still have a bathroom to deal with before we can put our house on the market. (And it's our only tub/shower, so hello neighbors! I'll be over every couple of days to de-stink.) And if I'm understanding the relo package correctly, we do have an option of the company buying our house if it doesn't sell but that's only after a "reasonable" time on the market, which I think means 90-120 days. So, say, we get the house on the market mid-January, that means our earliest possible time to have a definite contract is probably mid-April, unless by a miracle it sells right away. Which is a dim hope in this economy.
And did I mention I'm having a baby in May?! If I follow pregnancy rules, I'll need to be in Colorado by the end of March, assuming I don't have any complications between now and then. (At least that way I won't have to keep my house clean for showings. I can just stage it and leave town.) So I might be having this kid while living in Mr. P's corporate apartment. Joy. And I'll also need to find a preschool for Kiddle and a new OB for me. My to-do list is going to be three miles long. As will Mr. P's -- who's only here three days a week.
Excited. When I moved to New York, I always assumed I'd move back West at some point. Then I met my Queens-bred husband and pretty much gave up that idea. Which I was fine with ... there are definite advantages to living in the NYC area. But there were two places I always said I'd move to without hesitation -- Austin and Denver. So it's absolutely incredible that we have the opportunity to move to Boulder, and on the company's dime. And as much as I love living in this area, the truth is that I'm a child of the suburbs. The town we're in now is a good blend of the city and suburbs, but I relish the idea of more space and lower taxes and fewer people. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country -- which is saying a lot because most of the state is decidedly unpopulated.
Kiddle and I went out to visit a few weeks ago and spent most of the trip driving around, looking at different areas. Unfortunately, Boulder is out. It's a lovely town, but housing is not affordabe, even compared to here. We don't want to sacrifice more living space for location. At this point, we're focused on three neighborhoods in the surrounding area. One thing I discovered is that while I know I prefer the look of homes built before 1940 and pretty much anything after that makes me cry, I actually like what they're building out there in the last 5 years. So it looks like we're going to aim for something new (or at least new-ish).
Of course, this might all change tomorrow! But it's sounding much more definite now than it has in weeks. Wish me luck!
Where do I start? Mr. P's company bought another company in Boulder. He's been out there four days a week since mid-October leading the integration of the two companies, with the intention of eventually moving there permanently to run the day-to-day operations. However, the partners out there are having trouble stepping back (at all) and have been giving Mr. P a really hard time ... behind his back, to make it worse. He's been very discouraged and feeling a bit abandoned by his boss, so the move was looking less and less likely every day.
But he had a good conversation with his boss last night, so it seems the move is back on. Not a done deal yet, but we're committed enough that his boss plans to start the ball rolling with HR and the relocation people.
And how do I feel about this?
Bittersweet. I finally have lovely friends here and am feeling a bit more connected to the town. Kiddle is loving preschool and has sweet little friends. The town and homes here are absolutely adorable and I know I'll have a hard time finding something similar elsewhere. And while we don't see Mr. P's family very much, at least they're accessible, and it's great to spend time on the Jersey shore in the summers.
Stressed. I've gotten a lot of work done on the house this fall, knowing that this move was a possibility, but I still have a bathroom to deal with before we can put our house on the market. (And it's our only tub/shower, so hello neighbors! I'll be over every couple of days to de-stink.) And if I'm understanding the relo package correctly, we do have an option of the company buying our house if it doesn't sell but that's only after a "reasonable" time on the market, which I think means 90-120 days. So, say, we get the house on the market mid-January, that means our earliest possible time to have a definite contract is probably mid-April, unless by a miracle it sells right away. Which is a dim hope in this economy.
And did I mention I'm having a baby in May?! If I follow pregnancy rules, I'll need to be in Colorado by the end of March, assuming I don't have any complications between now and then. (At least that way I won't have to keep my house clean for showings. I can just stage it and leave town.) So I might be having this kid while living in Mr. P's corporate apartment. Joy. And I'll also need to find a preschool for Kiddle and a new OB for me. My to-do list is going to be three miles long. As will Mr. P's -- who's only here three days a week.
Excited. When I moved to New York, I always assumed I'd move back West at some point. Then I met my Queens-bred husband and pretty much gave up that idea. Which I was fine with ... there are definite advantages to living in the NYC area. But there were two places I always said I'd move to without hesitation -- Austin and Denver. So it's absolutely incredible that we have the opportunity to move to Boulder, and on the company's dime. And as much as I love living in this area, the truth is that I'm a child of the suburbs. The town we're in now is a good blend of the city and suburbs, but I relish the idea of more space and lower taxes and fewer people. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country -- which is saying a lot because most of the state is decidedly unpopulated.
Kiddle and I went out to visit a few weeks ago and spent most of the trip driving around, looking at different areas. Unfortunately, Boulder is out. It's a lovely town, but housing is not affordabe, even compared to here. We don't want to sacrifice more living space for location. At this point, we're focused on three neighborhoods in the surrounding area. One thing I discovered is that while I know I prefer the look of homes built before 1940 and pretty much anything after that makes me cry, I actually like what they're building out there in the last 5 years. So it looks like we're going to aim for something new (or at least new-ish).
Of course, this might all change tomorrow! But it's sounding much more definite now than it has in weeks. Wish me luck!
Preschool Update
It's a trend! He happily runs into school now, and I even got a "bye mama" today. Woo hoo!
Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up week after next. I'm so curious to hear what they have to say. At least I haven't gotten a question in his notebook like another parent received: "How is Jack's socialization with other kids?" Yikes! I'm going with the no-news-is-good-news approach.
Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up week after next. I'm so curious to hear what they have to say. At least I haven't gotten a question in his notebook like another parent received: "How is Jack's socialization with other kids?" Yikes! I'm going with the no-news-is-good-news approach.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Three words in a row!
Finally! I heard a very clear three-word sentence out of Kiddle last night. He went upstairs to get his Word World cow and a few minutes later I heard him saying, "Where cow go? Where cow go?" as clear as day. Way to go Kiddle!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
What? Aren't you going to miss me?
A big step forward for Kiddle today ... for the very first time he didn't cry when I dropped him off at preschool. Lord, that only took two months of twice weekly meltdowns. I have my fingers crossed for Thursday. Let's hope it's a trend, and not a one-time anomaly.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
It's all over now ...
Lord help me. Kiddle can climb out of his crib.
The first time was yesterday after his nap and I happened to be in the room. Then this morning I heard him wake up around 7:00 ... and a few seconds later came toddling into our room.
Actually it's shocking that he hasn't done it earlier. The kid can climb anything. And I've seen him pull up on his knees on the crib rail to get something off the bookshelf next to his bed. So it's really not a surprise -- but something I was hoping to put off as long as possible. I think I'll leave his bed as is this week while Mr. P is away, then take the side off when he gets back.
I see long evenings of putting the kid back to bed 41 zillion times in my very near future.
The first time was yesterday after his nap and I happened to be in the room. Then this morning I heard him wake up around 7:00 ... and a few seconds later came toddling into our room.
Actually it's shocking that he hasn't done it earlier. The kid can climb anything. And I've seen him pull up on his knees on the crib rail to get something off the bookshelf next to his bed. So it's really not a surprise -- but something I was hoping to put off as long as possible. I think I'll leave his bed as is this week while Mr. P is away, then take the side off when he gets back.
I see long evenings of putting the kid back to bed 41 zillion times in my very near future.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I found the key to his motivation.
Kiddle has never willingly participated in a diaper change in his life. That's not to say that he always resists a change, but I've certainly never been able to say, "Come over here so I can change your diaper," without him running the other way or at least ignoring me.
However ... tonight we were at B&N and Kiddle was playing with the Thomas train set. I caught a whiff of some serious stinky butt and said, "Kiddle, I need you put down the trains so we can go to the bathroom and change your diaper. We'll come back and play more when we're done."
Do you know what that little varmit did? He immediately laid down on the floor next to the train table -- still clutching a train car in each grubby little hand -- as if to say, "Go ahead. Change me right here." Um, sorry bud. Nice try.
However ... tonight we were at B&N and Kiddle was playing with the Thomas train set. I caught a whiff of some serious stinky butt and said, "Kiddle, I need you put down the trains so we can go to the bathroom and change your diaper. We'll come back and play more when we're done."
Do you know what that little varmit did? He immediately laid down on the floor next to the train table -- still clutching a train car in each grubby little hand -- as if to say, "Go ahead. Change me right here." Um, sorry bud. Nice try.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Second day of preschool ...
and as suspected it was a bit worse than the first day. Kiddle started yelling NOOOO as soon as I pulled into the parking lot and it took him about 15 minutes to stop crying once I left. He was great out on the playground, but started crying again when they came inside. He was crying when he got to me. Argh.
I spoke to the director for a few minutes after class. She was basically wondering if it was ok with me if his teachers ignored him rather than trying to comfort him. YES! He doesn't know them so holding him is probably making it worse, plus he can be a bit dramatic (related to my mom and sister, perhaps?), so letting him work it out himself is most likely the best course of action.
My fingers are crossed hoping for some improvement next week.
I spoke to the director for a few minutes after class. She was basically wondering if it was ok with me if his teachers ignored him rather than trying to comfort him. YES! He doesn't know them so holding him is probably making it worse, plus he can be a bit dramatic (related to my mom and sister, perhaps?), so letting him work it out himself is most likely the best course of action.
My fingers are crossed hoping for some improvement next week.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Ahoy Matey!
Well, this afternoon was much better than the morning. Here's Kiddle and Little K dressed up as a pirate and Super Bunny. Guess who's the pirate?
First day of preschool ...
and I wish I had a better report. Lots of crying unfortunately.
I had hoped it would go smoothly. Last Tuesday we got together seven of the nine kids in his class for a playdate at the park. And on Thursday we went to an open house at the school so Kiddle could see his classroom and meet his teachers. He did well at the open house (I was in the room with him), but today he cried when I dropped him off and an hour later when they brought the kids up to where we were waiting, I could hear him wailing the entire way. Poor Kiddle.
But he didn't cry the entire time, at least. Laurie said he stopped within a few minutes and settled in with some markers, but he did have a hard time when they transitioned from one activity to another. And then when they got the kids' stuff together to bring them upstairs to us, he completely freaked out. I'm sure he thought they were taking him somewhere without me.
So hopefully he will react better on Thursday. But I suspect it might be worse because then he'll know I'm leaving him there. I'm not really surprised by all this; he's never been dropped off before and he's also in an intense stranger anxiety phase right now. We continue the gradual phase-in process for a couple of weeks. Thursday the kids are only there for an hour again. Next week is longer while we also add valet drop-off and pick-up (although somehow I doubt he'll react well to someone reaching into the car to take him! I'll probably be walking him in for awhile), then we're finally up to the full three hours in the third week. Six hours a week to myself! Woo hoo!
I had hoped it would go smoothly. Last Tuesday we got together seven of the nine kids in his class for a playdate at the park. And on Thursday we went to an open house at the school so Kiddle could see his classroom and meet his teachers. He did well at the open house (I was in the room with him), but today he cried when I dropped him off and an hour later when they brought the kids up to where we were waiting, I could hear him wailing the entire way. Poor Kiddle.
But he didn't cry the entire time, at least. Laurie said he stopped within a few minutes and settled in with some markers, but he did have a hard time when they transitioned from one activity to another. And then when they got the kids' stuff together to bring them upstairs to us, he completely freaked out. I'm sure he thought they were taking him somewhere without me.
So hopefully he will react better on Thursday. But I suspect it might be worse because then he'll know I'm leaving him there. I'm not really surprised by all this; he's never been dropped off before and he's also in an intense stranger anxiety phase right now. We continue the gradual phase-in process for a couple of weeks. Thursday the kids are only there for an hour again. Next week is longer while we also add valet drop-off and pick-up (although somehow I doubt he'll react well to someone reaching into the car to take him! I'll probably be walking him in for awhile), then we're finally up to the full three hours in the third week. Six hours a week to myself! Woo hoo!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Mush Mouth
Big week ahead! Today was Kiddle's first speech therapy session and tomorrow is his first day at preschool.
I had him evaluated just before we went to Oklahoma. While he's had quite an explosion of new words in the last couple of months and he's finally consistently attempting to mimic what I say, he's just not understandable by anyone except me. And I can't understand him when he says something out of context. He hasn't seemed terribly frustrated so far. Mostly, I think, because his three best words -- more, done and no -- cover a wide range of situations. The therapist we met with in July thought he had a typical two-year-old boy delay, and while we don't need to be terribly worried about him, he does need some help.
So this morning we met with Ronnie. I was concerned about how it would go, considering his current massive dislike of strangers, but he seemed to feel pretty comfortable with her. And, even more impressive, he actually sat in his chair for much of the session. Oh, and did I mention he didn't say one word? Not ONE! At least not until we were leaving and he said "bye bye" clear as day. And at $145 per not-covered-by-insurance session, that was a pretty expensive sentence.
We've got a ways to go, it seems.
I had him evaluated just before we went to Oklahoma. While he's had quite an explosion of new words in the last couple of months and he's finally consistently attempting to mimic what I say, he's just not understandable by anyone except me. And I can't understand him when he says something out of context. He hasn't seemed terribly frustrated so far. Mostly, I think, because his three best words -- more, done and no -- cover a wide range of situations. The therapist we met with in July thought he had a typical two-year-old boy delay, and while we don't need to be terribly worried about him, he does need some help.
So this morning we met with Ronnie. I was concerned about how it would go, considering his current massive dislike of strangers, but he seemed to feel pretty comfortable with her. And, even more impressive, he actually sat in his chair for much of the session. Oh, and did I mention he didn't say one word? Not ONE! At least not until we were leaving and he said "bye bye" clear as day. And at $145 per not-covered-by-insurance session, that was a pretty expensive sentence.
We've got a ways to go, it seems.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A little bit pregnant ...
Pregnant!
I'm shocked because I really didn't think I was (unlike every other month when I say to Mr. P, "I think I really could be pregnant this time."). With Kiddle I strongly suspected I was pregnant about a week and a half into it, but I hadn't really had any of the same signs this time ... except that I must have peed 50 times yesterday. So mostly on a whim today I decided to do a pregnancy test even though I'm not due to start my period for a couple of days. As I was doing it I was thinking that this was a total waste of a really expensive digital test. Imagine my surprise when I checked few minutes later and saw PREGNANT. Holy shit.
I'm thrilled though, because we have been trying kind-of-in-earnest since January and really-in-earnest with ovulation kits for a couple of months. (I know, I know. I said we were going to start trying last July but you have you heard? You have to have sex to get pregnant. Who knew.) I'm especially thrilled because my original goal was to have kids 2 1/2 to 3 years apart and this will put the gap at 3 years 1 month. (Well, my original goal was to have another one before I turned 40, but we passed that point in May. 40 it is! And isn't it the new 30?)
And, with Kiddle's lack of talking, I'm actually glad we're closer to 3 years apart. I think if I was having a baby right now it would be much more of a challenge with him. Hopefully we can get his speech on track by the time this baby shows up: May 14, 2009.
I'm keeping this post in draft form until I'm ready to share, so see you in November!
I'm shocked because I really didn't think I was (unlike every other month when I say to Mr. P, "I think I really could be pregnant this time."). With Kiddle I strongly suspected I was pregnant about a week and a half into it, but I hadn't really had any of the same signs this time ... except that I must have peed 50 times yesterday. So mostly on a whim today I decided to do a pregnancy test even though I'm not due to start my period for a couple of days. As I was doing it I was thinking that this was a total waste of a really expensive digital test. Imagine my surprise when I checked few minutes later and saw PREGNANT. Holy shit.
I'm thrilled though, because we have been trying kind-of-in-earnest since January and really-in-earnest with ovulation kits for a couple of months. (I know, I know. I said we were going to start trying last July but you have you heard? You have to have sex to get pregnant. Who knew.) I'm especially thrilled because my original goal was to have kids 2 1/2 to 3 years apart and this will put the gap at 3 years 1 month. (Well, my original goal was to have another one before I turned 40, but we passed that point in May. 40 it is! And isn't it the new 30?)
And, with Kiddle's lack of talking, I'm actually glad we're closer to 3 years apart. I think if I was having a baby right now it would be much more of a challenge with him. Hopefully we can get his speech on track by the time this baby shows up: May 14, 2009.
I'm keeping this post in draft form until I'm ready to share, so see you in November!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
My Dad the Missionary
My dad left today for another mission trip to the Ukraine. I think this is his fourth trip over there? Third? Not sure, but in recent years he's become very involved in the mission council at our church. You can read all about their trip at the Church of the Servant in Ukraine link on the right.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
I'm melting! I'm melting!
Just got back from our two weeks in Oklahoma. Now, I grew up there and am all too familiar with the weather, but ten days over 100 degrees? Too much for me anymore.
The reason we were there at a time that no one in their right mind would choose? To watch my nephew for a few days. My sister appeared in several shows during the local theater's summer season, and while normally my parents do the babysitting duties, they had a week-long trip planned in the middle of it all. So Kiddle and I were on the job.
And we had a great time. In some ways hanging out with two of them is easier than just one. They adore each other so they keep each other entertained. But, it was also like herding cats. You're constantly trying to get one to go somewhere, the other not to go somewhere, do this, don't do that. Fun and stressful all at once. And we kept really busy: the play area at the gymnastics center, the park, the sprayground, the play area at Chick-fil-A (or "chick-a-lay," as my nephew calls it), the science center, Pump It Up.
The last two activities we were only able to do because, in one of those bizarre mysteries of the universe, Mr. P actually had to be in Oklahoma for business while we were there. He's never gone there for work and probably won't ever again. And that week really was when he had to be there; he didn't schedule it around us at all. Crazy.
Overall, the first week was great. Kind of odd and kind of nice to be there for a week without my parents. I say odd mostly because it's not the house I grew up in, so it's still feels a bit like staying at a friend's house instead of your family home. And it's too big. My parents are the only people I know who moved into a bigger house after they got rid of the kids.
More on the second week in another post. Here are some great pics of my nephew at the sprayground (god, I wish we had one around here) plus a bit of video of the two of them. (And, no, I'm not total trailer trash! They don't normally run around in public dressed like that. Did I mention it was 140 degrees?)
The reason we were there at a time that no one in their right mind would choose? To watch my nephew for a few days. My sister appeared in several shows during the local theater's summer season, and while normally my parents do the babysitting duties, they had a week-long trip planned in the middle of it all. So Kiddle and I were on the job.
And we had a great time. In some ways hanging out with two of them is easier than just one. They adore each other so they keep each other entertained. But, it was also like herding cats. You're constantly trying to get one to go somewhere, the other not to go somewhere, do this, don't do that. Fun and stressful all at once. And we kept really busy: the play area at the gymnastics center, the park, the sprayground, the play area at Chick-fil-A (or "chick-a-lay," as my nephew calls it), the science center, Pump It Up.
The last two activities we were only able to do because, in one of those bizarre mysteries of the universe, Mr. P actually had to be in Oklahoma for business while we were there. He's never gone there for work and probably won't ever again. And that week really was when he had to be there; he didn't schedule it around us at all. Crazy.
Overall, the first week was great. Kind of odd and kind of nice to be there for a week without my parents. I say odd mostly because it's not the house I grew up in, so it's still feels a bit like staying at a friend's house instead of your family home. And it's too big. My parents are the only people I know who moved into a bigger house after they got rid of the kids.
More on the second week in another post. Here are some great pics of my nephew at the sprayground (god, I wish we had one around here) plus a bit of video of the two of them. (And, no, I'm not total trailer trash! They don't normally run around in public dressed like that. Did I mention it was 140 degrees?)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
That New Car Smell
I have a new car-ar! Woo hoo! (Do you hear the sing-song quality to that taunt?)
Paid off the Mazda 6 last week, but rather than reveling in the No Car Payment feeling for a while, I decided to upgrade to an SUV. I know ... crazy of me with these $4 gas prices, but I really wanted more room and I was just so tired of my car.
So I used my free time during Kiddle's nap yesterday to crunch, crunch, crunch the numbers using a Consumer Reports bottom line report and got lots of coaching from my dad. Mr. P was able to come home around 3:00 (he's the money guy) and we headed out to the dealer.
By 7:00 I had a spankin' new Mazda CX-9. Platinum silver. Totally loaded: rear-seat entertainment system, rear-view camera, GPS and intelligent key system (which means I don't have to actually put a key in the ignition to start it or use my remote to unlock it). Mr. P was pretty impressed with my negotiating skills. When the finance guy showed me the invoice, said he just wanted to make $300-400 above the dealer price, and I said, "Well, I'd like to give you less than the dealer invoice" with a straight face, Mr. P almost fell out of his chair.
So thanks dear Dad for all your advice! I love my new car! (Of course, I'm headed off to Oklahoma for two weeks in a few days, so not much time to enjoy the newness. Oh well.)
I have a new car-ar!
Paid off the Mazda 6 last week, but rather than reveling in the No Car Payment feeling for a while, I decided to upgrade to an SUV. I know ... crazy of me with these $4 gas prices, but I really wanted more room and I was just so tired of my car.
So I used my free time during Kiddle's nap yesterday to crunch, crunch, crunch the numbers using a Consumer Reports bottom line report and got lots of coaching from my dad. Mr. P was able to come home around 3:00 (he's the money guy) and we headed out to the dealer.
By 7:00 I had a spankin' new Mazda CX-9. Platinum silver. Totally loaded: rear-seat entertainment system, rear-view camera, GPS and intelligent key system (which means I don't have to actually put a key in the ignition to start it or use my remote to unlock it). Mr. P was pretty impressed with my negotiating skills. When the finance guy showed me the invoice, said he just wanted to make $300-400 above the dealer price, and I said, "Well, I'd like to give you less than the dealer invoice" with a straight face, Mr. P almost fell out of his chair.
So thanks dear Dad for all your advice! I love my new car! (Of course, I'm headed off to Oklahoma for two weeks in a few days, so not much time to enjoy the newness. Oh well.)
I have a new car-ar!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Trains, Boats and Helicoptors
My parents were just here for another visit (they had free tickets on American as a result of being caught up in the MD-80 fiasco in April) and Kiddle continued his love affair with Ahdah. It's not that he doesn't like his dad or my mom, but for whatever reason my dad is the only person Kiddle will hang out with and not even notice I'm not around. I can't explain it, but I'm not going to fight it.We had a great visit with them. They're so laid back and don't expect to be entertained. But I was feeling a bit guilty that we haven't done anything really fun the last few times they were here, so we went into the city on Tuesday to see the new Waterfalls public art exhibit. And it was beautiful, interesting and a bit of a let-down all at the same time. We did a half hour Circle Line tour which took you right by each waterfall, but really the best view was from the end of the South Street Seaport where you could see all four structures at one time.
Transportation was the theme of the day. Kiddle was fascinated and a little scared with each new encounter. First was the train ride into the city. I should add here that he doesn't like things that move (shocking, I know, since he's typically a daredevil baby). Last time he rode the little train at the zoo he cried the whole time, and has refused to get on it since then. He even freaks out if you put money in the little truck/car/horse ride-ons at the mall. He'd been on the subway as a baby but this was his first ride as a conscious-of-his-surroundings toddler. And, just as I expected, he wasn't thrilled. Fairly upset, wouldn't get out of my lap. But by the time we got into the city he'd calmed down and realized that trains are ok.
At the seaport, he stood at the railing of the dock saying, "Boat. Boat. Boat." At least until the line started moving to board ... then he was not interested in being a passenger. Of course, once we got underway he decided boats were the coolest thing ever and spent most of the trip running around madly. He had better sea legs than the rest of us (definitely inherited from his dad's side of the family). The river was filled with barges and police boats and speedboats and helicopters and sailboats and trucks and buses crossing the bridges. It was transportation overload and he was in heaven.
Then the return trip on the train was a totally different story: he ran onto the train like he was a seasoned commuter and sat himself down in his own seat with a smug little smile on his face. Such a big boy!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Good News/Bad News
The good news: Our lovely friends tried for ages and ages and ages before having their now-two-year-old daughter. And they've been trying just as hard for a second child. Their last two embryos were implanted last week, so we've all been waiting around with crossed fingers hoping for a good result. And so far so good. Her levels weren't looking great over the weekend but as of Monday they had quadrupled. Two sets of identical twins perhaps?
The bad news: We have some other dear friends who had a baby boy in early May. They found out about halfway through the pregnancy he had a serious heart defect that would require surgery immediately after his birth. They were finally able to bring him home from the hospital mid-June. Then this weekend we learned the devastating news that he didn't make it.
Colin was their second child and I've found myself thinking a lot about the loss of a first child compared to a later one. The death of any baby is so tragic and heart-wrenching, but as I look at Kiddle now I realize how much easier it would be to imagine the growth and potential of a second child, rather than being overwhelmed by the raw in-the-moment newness of your first child. Does that make their loss even harder to bear? Or maybe their daughter is such a vibrant, visceral reminder of happiness that she'll help them get through these sad times. I would imagine it's a little of both, plus a whole lot of other emotions that I hope we never have to experience. My heart just aches for them.
The bad news: We have some other dear friends who had a baby boy in early May. They found out about halfway through the pregnancy he had a serious heart defect that would require surgery immediately after his birth. They were finally able to bring him home from the hospital mid-June. Then this weekend we learned the devastating news that he didn't make it.
Colin was their second child and I've found myself thinking a lot about the loss of a first child compared to a later one. The death of any baby is so tragic and heart-wrenching, but as I look at Kiddle now I realize how much easier it would be to imagine the growth and potential of a second child, rather than being overwhelmed by the raw in-the-moment newness of your first child. Does that make their loss even harder to bear? Or maybe their daughter is such a vibrant, visceral reminder of happiness that she'll help them get through these sad times. I would imagine it's a little of both, plus a whole lot of other emotions that I hope we never have to experience. My heart just aches for them.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Pool Time
A big part of summer in our town is the pool. I'd never even been before -- not being much of a pool person myself -- but I finally broke down and signed the family up for the summer. I really had no excuse anymore, especially since our house is close enough for us to walk there (and hear all the loudspeaker announcements. "Adult swim. All kids out of the pool!").
I thought I'd put off going until they had regular hours during the week (School doesn't get out here until JUNE 25TH! Can you believe that?!), but when Jack's mom called on Saturday to see if we wanted to go post-nap I realized it would be a good idea to go with a seasoned pro. So we slathered on the block, packed up all our towels and headed out.
One surprise: Living in the Land of No I thought we'd get a dictionary-sized book of rules and regs, but no. Although it would be nice to know for sure when the toddler pool is open. (I think they were simply out of them. And no it's not a manual; just a tri-fold pamphlet, from what I later heard.)
Another surprise: It was actually really great there. The toddler pool is perfect for Kiddle right now. (But I'm so thankful I didn't join last year. What an exhausting experience that would have been with a just-found-his-feet walker.) There is quite a bit of shade. And the pool is ringed by a grassy berm so you aren't stuck on concrete for the entire time. (Note to self: take some pool toys so I don't feel so guilty when my little one picks up every little boat and rubber duck he can get his hands on.)
Maybe I will become a pool person after all.
I thought I'd put off going until they had regular hours during the week (School doesn't get out here until JUNE 25TH! Can you believe that?!), but when Jack's mom called on Saturday to see if we wanted to go post-nap I realized it would be a good idea to go with a seasoned pro. So we slathered on the block, packed up all our towels and headed out.
One surprise: Living in the Land of No I thought we'd get a dictionary-sized book of rules and regs, but no. Although it would be nice to know for sure when the toddler pool is open. (I think they were simply out of them. And no it's not a manual; just a tri-fold pamphlet, from what I later heard.)
Another surprise: It was actually really great there. The toddler pool is perfect for Kiddle right now. (But I'm so thankful I didn't join last year. What an exhausting experience that would have been with a just-found-his-feet walker.) There is quite a bit of shade. And the pool is ringed by a grassy berm so you aren't stuck on concrete for the entire time. (Note to self: take some pool toys so I don't feel so guilty when my little one picks up every little boat and rubber duck he can get his hands on.)
Maybe I will become a pool person after all.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Oh that? Yeah, that's NYC. Did you want to go?
I spend all my time now in the suburbs on a two-year-old's schedule. Which means we don't go far because, well, he's two. And two-year-olds LOVE their schedule. So when we have out-of-town guests now it's a very different scenario than a few years ago. Pre-kid it was all about shopping and sightseeing and theater. Post-kid I seem to forget that Manhattan is all of 20 minutes away and that my guests might want to do something besides go to the park.
My best friend from high school was just in for a visit. Fortunately she's very laid back and had been well warned that our life is quite boring at the moment. It was so lovely to just be able to hang out with her for days on end and really catch up on each other's lives. Something we never get to do even when I go back home for a visit. We did finally drag ourselves into the city to see "Xanadu." Adorable show. Very campy. And, as it turns out, CJ's first Broadway show. (Maybe we should have seen something more traditional for her first show? Oh well.)
So thanks for hanging out with us in the suburbs, CJ! We miss you already and hope that your visit was relaxing, not boring. See you in July!
My best friend from high school was just in for a visit. Fortunately she's very laid back and had been well warned that our life is quite boring at the moment. It was so lovely to just be able to hang out with her for days on end and really catch up on each other's lives. Something we never get to do even when I go back home for a visit. We did finally drag ourselves into the city to see "Xanadu." Adorable show. Very campy. And, as it turns out, CJ's first Broadway show. (Maybe we should have seen something more traditional for her first show? Oh well.)
So thanks for hanging out with us in the suburbs, CJ! We miss you already and hope that your visit was relaxing, not boring. See you in July!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Two Words! Two Words!
Yay! I finally heard a two-word combo. We were draining the water from Jack's kiddie pool on Friday and Kiddle said "bye bye waa." Progress! Woo hoo!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
In the Dark
Oh, how I love electricity! After 30+ hours of living in the dark (and the hot and the boring) I experienced the blissful sensation of my bedside lamp shining in my face at 5:45 am. Yay lights! Yay air conditioning! Yay computer! Yay TV! (Although I'm devastated I missed the first Top 20 episode of So You Think You Can Dance.) Yesterday felt like Kiddle and I were hanging out in a black hole.
And what caused this void of electronics? A wicked storm that tore through here Tuesday night. It seems our neighborhood caught the brunt of it. Huge old lovely trees are down on every block. Little K's backyard has two trees that didn't fall, but have to come down ASAP. One is partially uprooted and leaning on a massive oak; the other will be too unstable on its own because they were already growing in a terrifying V shape. Fortunately no damage for us but we'd been without power since that night.
And what caused this void of electronics? A wicked storm that tore through here Tuesday night. It seems our neighborhood caught the brunt of it. Huge old lovely trees are down on every block. Little K's backyard has two trees that didn't fall, but have to come down ASAP. One is partially uprooted and leaning on a massive oak; the other will be too unstable on its own because they were already growing in a terrifying V shape. Fortunately no damage for us but we'd been without power since that night.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Friends and Neighbors
I've never really had neighbors that were also friends. Well, except for the time a friend lived in the apartment across the hall from my roommate and me, but that was totally a Melrose Place phase of our life (oh, how I miss those days!).
Anyway, I've already written about our neighbors with the two-year-old daughter (I'll call her Little K from now on). I haven't mentioned that next door to them is another family with a two-year-old as well (he'll be known as Jack). The kids all just turned two within eight weeks of each other. Technically both families live around the corner from us, but we can see into each others' backyards. Little K's backyard is fenced and they have a big swingset/slide so we spend most of our outdoor time in their yard.
On Friday we had our first neighbors' cookout at Jack's house. The kids played in the kiddie pool until they were blue. And the adults ate lots of yummy barbeque and had some drinks. I love having these kids so close in age; they're adorable together. And I love having other moms/friends so close by. It was relaxing and fun and I can't wait to do it again.
Anyway, I've already written about our neighbors with the two-year-old daughter (I'll call her Little K from now on). I haven't mentioned that next door to them is another family with a two-year-old as well (he'll be known as Jack). The kids all just turned two within eight weeks of each other. Technically both families live around the corner from us, but we can see into each others' backyards. Little K's backyard is fenced and they have a big swingset/slide so we spend most of our outdoor time in their yard.
On Friday we had our first neighbors' cookout at Jack's house. The kids played in the kiddie pool until they were blue. And the adults ate lots of yummy barbeque and had some drinks. I love having these kids so close in age; they're adorable together. And I love having other moms/friends so close by. It was relaxing and fun and I can't wait to do it again.Saturday, June 7, 2008
I Slept In Until 10:30!!
Last weekend was heaven. Know why?
Because I was away for three whole days ... BY MYSELF. Well, not really by myself because I was with other people. But none of those other people was a three-foot-tall tornado named Kiddle.
I went to Orlando with some friends and had a good old-fashioned girls' weekend. I got a mani/pedi, had dinner without once saying "use your inside voice, please," saw the "Sex and the City" movie (even though I've seen all of one and a half episodes of the show). But mostly we relaxed by my friend's pool and read and chatted. It was great to not be responsible for anyone other than myself for only the second time in two years.
But I missed Kiddle terribly. He's so funny and interesting right now, it just killed me not to know what was going on with him every second of the day. He and Mr. P spent a couple of days upstate with Mr. P's brother and girlfriend -- a great distraction from the fact I wasn't around, plus Kiddle follows his uncle around like a puppy.
It was a good separation for both of us: I got some great downtime and Kiddle has been much more inclusive of Mr. P this week. Well, until last night ... but more on that later.
Because I was away for three whole days ... BY MYSELF. Well, not really by myself because I was with other people. But none of those other people was a three-foot-tall tornado named Kiddle.
I went to Orlando with some friends and had a good old-fashioned girls' weekend. I got a mani/pedi, had dinner without once saying "use your inside voice, please," saw the "Sex and the City" movie (even though I've seen all of one and a half episodes of the show). But mostly we relaxed by my friend's pool and read and chatted. It was great to not be responsible for anyone other than myself for only the second time in two years.
But I missed Kiddle terribly. He's so funny and interesting right now, it just killed me not to know what was going on with him every second of the day. He and Mr. P spent a couple of days upstate with Mr. P's brother and girlfriend -- a great distraction from the fact I wasn't around, plus Kiddle follows his uncle around like a puppy.
It was a good separation for both of us: I got some great downtime and Kiddle has been much more inclusive of Mr. P this week. Well, until last night ... but more on that later.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Oops.
Wow. What an afternoon.
We spent a couple of hours, like we do several times a week, playing in our lovely neighbor's backyard. Their daughter is two weeks older than Kiddle and is his best friend (as much as two-year-olds can be "friends"). So today Kiddle (and keep in mind this is all done good-naturedly):
We spent a couple of hours, like we do several times a week, playing in our lovely neighbor's backyard. Their daughter is two weeks older than Kiddle and is his best friend (as much as two-year-olds can be "friends"). So today Kiddle (and keep in mind this is all done good-naturedly):
- dug out several inches of dirt from a large planter (intended for the kids to dig in) then climbed in and threw out more by hand onto the patio
- knocked over a terra cotta pot of vegetables then tossed the saucer on the ground, breaking it
- "hugged" his friend so hard that he pulled her backwards off the bench she was sitting on
- and to top it all off, I had taken his overly full diaper off just before we were going to leave, so he was running around the yard for a few minutes without any pants on ... HE POOPED IN THEIR YARD.
Oh Jeez. I guess we wore out our welcome there.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Whew.
Busy, busy Memorial Day weekend for us. Here's the recap:
Mr. P's sister, brother-in-law and nephew came in for the weekend from San Francisco, so on Friday Mr. P started his holiday weekend early and we all met up at the Bronx Zoo. Kiddle hasn't been to the Bronx Zoo since he was about four months old, so I was really excited to take him. As mentioned before, he's completely obsessed with animals right now (in current order of importance: horses, elephants, giraffes, cows, pigs). We thought he'd get a kick out of seeing the real thing since our local county zoo doesn't have any "big" animals like lions and tigers and bears (oh my).
It turned out to be one of those days that I really wish I could know what's going on in that toddler brain of his. He seemed to think the animals were pretty cool, but you know what's even cooler than big, technicolor, right-in-front-you animals? Apparently signs about the animals. As demonstrated by the pic below, he's pointing at the picture of the zebra, yelling "neigh! neigh!" and ignoring the in-the-flesh zebra that's right in front of him. Whatever floats your boat, kiddo.
We'll get to the best thing about the zoo in a minute, but before we do, here's the second best thing about the zoo for Kiddle: the children's zoo. Not the animals. The prairie dog tunnels, the hollow log, the rope spiderweb and the tree slide. He spent ages climbing around on each stop along the way.
Mr. P's sister, brother-in-law and nephew came in for the weekend from San Francisco, so on Friday Mr. P started his holiday weekend early and we all met up at the Bronx Zoo. Kiddle hasn't been to the Bronx Zoo since he was about four months old, so I was really excited to take him. As mentioned before, he's completely obsessed with animals right now (in current order of importance: horses, elephants, giraffes, cows, pigs). We thought he'd get a kick out of seeing the real thing since our local county zoo doesn't have any "big" animals like lions and tigers and bears (oh my).
It turned out to be one of those days that I really wish I could know what's going on in that toddler brain of his. He seemed to think the animals were pretty cool, but you know what's even cooler than big, technicolor, right-in-front-you animals? Apparently signs about the animals. As demonstrated by the pic below, he's pointing at the picture of the zebra, yelling "neigh! neigh!" and ignoring the in-the-flesh zebra that's right in front of him. Whatever floats your boat, kiddo.
We'll get to the best thing about the zoo in a minute, but before we do, here's the second best thing about the zoo for Kiddle: the children's zoo. Not the animals. The prairie dog tunnels, the hollow log, the rope spiderweb and the tree slide. He spent ages climbing around on each stop along the way.
Then we hit the motherlode ... HORSE!
He planted himself in front of the horse and donkey in the children's zoo and wouldn't move. NEIGH. NEIGH. DA-KEE. NEIGH. NEIGH! If we knew this was going to be his favourite spot we could've just gone to the county zoo.
Speaking of horses ... a local stable had a student show over the weekend, so we took Kiddle to see the horses on Saturday. He was totally fascinated and, of course, kept heading directly for the entrance to the ring.
On Sunday we went to Mr. P's uncle's house in the Hamptons for the day. Traffic (and distance) wasn't nearly as bad as I was preparing myself for. Such an interesting family dynamic with this clan. I've never been introduced to half of them, and as it turns out Mr. P doesn't know who half of them are or how the fit into the family, so I've learned not to worry about it. I just smile and say hello as needed and focus on the people I do know.
It was nice to spend another day with Mr. P's family. Kiddle is with his baby cousin Tag in the picture.
So Monday we just rested and picked up our tornado of a house. Whew.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
This sucks.
Here's the dilemma: I've thrown away at least 10 pacifiers with holes in the last couple of weeks. I hate to buy more because I really do know that he should be off a pacifier by now, but he's soooo obsessed. He would keep one in 24 hours a day if I would let him, so it's not going to be easy to eliminate. And now our supply is quickly dwindling.
Now that he finally seems to be feeling better, I've gone back to only allowing him to have a pacifier upstairs. Here's the result:
Now that he finally seems to be feeling better, I've gone back to only allowing him to have a pacifier upstairs. Here's the result:
Now I just have to convince him he can't stay upstairs all day.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Baltimore and beyond ...
For our family, a road trip most often means driving to the airport.
However, this weekend I needed to head to the D.C. area for a friend's baby shower, so we decided to make a family trip out of it. We packed up the car and hit the road at 12:15 -- perfectly coordinated with Kiddle's nap time. Or so we thought. Three hours later, a mere hour before we arrived in Baltimore, he finally fell asleep. Fortunately the yelling and crying during those three hours were minimal.
We stayed with Mr. P's college roommate. He's got a serious bachelor pad near the Inner Harbor. Now, I don't feel like I've done a ton of child-proofing, but I must have kept future children in mind as I furnished our house, because I was caught off guard a bit by how truly un-child-proof this place was. Nothing horribly dangerous, just sooo much stuff for Kiddle to get his grubby little hands on. And did I mention the full bar's worth of liquor bottles on glass shelves in the living room? That was a horror show waiting to happen. We just tried to stay out of the house as much as possible.
Friday night we went down to the east side of the Inner Harbor for dinner. We ate at a wonderful restaurant called Lebanese Taverna which is owned by friends of Mr. P's old roommate. Very beneficial because they at least acted like our whirling dervish of a child was charming, not annoying.
On Saturday we headed to Virginia. Mr. P and Kiddle dropped me off at the baby shower (at a lovely restaurant right on the river) and went to visit another friend from college who recently moved with his family to Arlington from Connecticut. They have a three-year-old boy, a six-month-old girl, and all the toys that go along with that, so Kiddle had a fantastic time. So much so that we went back to their house for dinner after they picked me up from the shower.
Sleep was definitely the challenge of the trip. Friday night we finally got him down at 11:00. Saturday night was an improvement ... 10:15. He was utterly exhausted both nights, but just couldn't give in to go to sleep in his pack-n-play. Which, by the way, he was about two seconds away from climbing out of. If only I had a picture of him balanced across the corner! He just couldn't figure out where to put his hands so he could swing his legs down without tumbling out. I'm really hoping he doesn't apply those skills to his crib. I can't imagine how many hundreds of times a night he'd get out of bed if we were forced to take the side off now.
Anyway, our plan for Sunday was to take Kiddle to the Baltimore Aquarium (he loves aquariums), have lunch with our friend, then hit the road in time for Kiddle's nap. But life with a two-year-old doesn't always (ever?) go as planned. We made it to the aquarium, but he was so tuckered out from the previous two days that he completely lost interest after the first couple of tanks. All he wanted to do was leave. I doubt anyone has ever gone through that aquarium as quickly as we did. It was like speed dating for tourists. We did at least get a couple of EEEE-EEEEs out of him when he saw the dolphins right at the end.
Note the dark circles under his lifeless eyes and the pacifier gripped tightly between his lips. Such enthusiasm for this wonderful family outing.
We finally got out of there, threw our stuff in the car and hit the road. Lunch was the drive-thru at Taco Bell. He fell asleep before we got out of Baltimore. As they say, the best laid plans ...
Note to self: plan the toddler-focused activities earlier in the trip. But no complaints. Really. It was a great weekend. I can't wait to go back and do all the fun Washington D.C. things ... when he's a bit older.
However, this weekend I needed to head to the D.C. area for a friend's baby shower, so we decided to make a family trip out of it. We packed up the car and hit the road at 12:15 -- perfectly coordinated with Kiddle's nap time. Or so we thought. Three hours later, a mere hour before we arrived in Baltimore, he finally fell asleep. Fortunately the yelling and crying during those three hours were minimal.
We stayed with Mr. P's college roommate. He's got a serious bachelor pad near the Inner Harbor. Now, I don't feel like I've done a ton of child-proofing, but I must have kept future children in mind as I furnished our house, because I was caught off guard a bit by how truly un-child-proof this place was. Nothing horribly dangerous, just sooo much stuff for Kiddle to get his grubby little hands on. And did I mention the full bar's worth of liquor bottles on glass shelves in the living room? That was a horror show waiting to happen. We just tried to stay out of the house as much as possible.
Friday night we went down to the east side of the Inner Harbor for dinner. We ate at a wonderful restaurant called Lebanese Taverna which is owned by friends of Mr. P's old roommate. Very beneficial because they at least acted like our whirling dervish of a child was charming, not annoying.
On Saturday we headed to Virginia. Mr. P and Kiddle dropped me off at the baby shower (at a lovely restaurant right on the river) and went to visit another friend from college who recently moved with his family to Arlington from Connecticut. They have a three-year-old boy, a six-month-old girl, and all the toys that go along with that, so Kiddle had a fantastic time. So much so that we went back to their house for dinner after they picked me up from the shower.
Sleep was definitely the challenge of the trip. Friday night we finally got him down at 11:00. Saturday night was an improvement ... 10:15. He was utterly exhausted both nights, but just couldn't give in to go to sleep in his pack-n-play. Which, by the way, he was about two seconds away from climbing out of. If only I had a picture of him balanced across the corner! He just couldn't figure out where to put his hands so he could swing his legs down without tumbling out. I'm really hoping he doesn't apply those skills to his crib. I can't imagine how many hundreds of times a night he'd get out of bed if we were forced to take the side off now.
Anyway, our plan for Sunday was to take Kiddle to the Baltimore Aquarium (he loves aquariums), have lunch with our friend, then hit the road in time for Kiddle's nap. But life with a two-year-old doesn't always (ever?) go as planned. We made it to the aquarium, but he was so tuckered out from the previous two days that he completely lost interest after the first couple of tanks. All he wanted to do was leave. I doubt anyone has ever gone through that aquarium as quickly as we did. It was like speed dating for tourists. We did at least get a couple of EEEE-EEEEs out of him when he saw the dolphins right at the end.
Note the dark circles under his lifeless eyes and the pacifier gripped tightly between his lips. Such enthusiasm for this wonderful family outing.We finally got out of there, threw our stuff in the car and hit the road. Lunch was the drive-thru at Taco Bell. He fell asleep before we got out of Baltimore. As they say, the best laid plans ...
Note to self: plan the toddler-focused activities earlier in the trip. But no complaints. Really. It was a great weekend. I can't wait to go back and do all the fun Washington D.C. things ... when he's a bit older.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
How do they know?
How do they know that you've got a to-do list a mile long? How do they know that you're trying to get ready to go out of town the next day? And that you're staying at a child-free home where you have to take every scrap of kid paraphernalia you might need? How do they know that today is the day that you really wanted them to take a three-hour nap (like they did every other day this week)? And that you really did not want them to spend the last hour and a half in their crib kicking the wall, jumping up and down, and yelling?
It couldn't have anything to do with that 13-grams-of-sugar Nutrigrain bar you let them have at lunch, could it?
Nah.
No way.
It couldn't have anything to do with that 13-grams-of-sugar Nutrigrain bar you let them have at lunch, could it?
Nah.
No way.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Neat and Messy
Two cute things from today:
While I was cleaning up after breakfast I saw Kiddle come into the kitchen and put something in the trash can. Curious, I lifted the lid to see what he had dropped in there, but all I could see was some plastic wrap. I looked around the corner into the living room and was surprised to see that he was working at getting the cellophane wrap off an unopened puzzle. I couldn't believe my eyes. The Master of Disaster cleaning up after himself?! Not possible. But sure enough as I watched, he got another piece off and headed for the kitchen. It was like someone had switched him with my super-neat nephew. But then he finished up by throwing the puzzle pieces all over the floor and walking away. That's my boy!
Later in the day he was sitting on the couch when I asked him if he had a poop in his pants. He responded by leaning to one side, reaching around to touch his bottom and said, "POO." Well, ok then. I guess the answer is yes. That's the first time I've heard him say "poop" and most definitely the first time I've seen him associate the word with the action. Again, oh, the things we celebrate as parents.
While I was cleaning up after breakfast I saw Kiddle come into the kitchen and put something in the trash can. Curious, I lifted the lid to see what he had dropped in there, but all I could see was some plastic wrap. I looked around the corner into the living room and was surprised to see that he was working at getting the cellophane wrap off an unopened puzzle. I couldn't believe my eyes. The Master of Disaster cleaning up after himself?! Not possible. But sure enough as I watched, he got another piece off and headed for the kitchen. It was like someone had switched him with my super-neat nephew. But then he finished up by throwing the puzzle pieces all over the floor and walking away. That's my boy!
Later in the day he was sitting on the couch when I asked him if he had a poop in his pants. He responded by leaning to one side, reaching around to touch his bottom and said, "POO." Well, ok then. I guess the answer is yes. That's the first time I've heard him say "poop" and most definitely the first time I've seen him associate the word with the action. Again, oh, the things we celebrate as parents.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
It's 2am. Do you know where your children are?
Yes, fortunately. He's passed out in his crib. I, on the other hand, am wide, wide awake. Let's recap.
As mentioned in my last post, Kiddle has a cold. However, I've become less convinced it's a cold and more convinced it's really just a horrible allergy attack. I did stop the Singulair night before last because it really didn't seem to be helping and he's also had sleeping issues. So tonight I started him on Zyrtec. A possible side effect is drowsiness ... and it's dropped him like a ton of bricks. But not before he decided he was going to die unless MOMMY got him ready for bed, NOT DADDY.
Poor Mr. P endured an agonizing hour as Kiddle wailed like somebody shot his dog, all the way through his bath and right on through putting on his PJs. At one point, Mr. P said he was combing Kiddle's hair as he clutched the gate at the top of the stairs, sobbing for me. Then he crashed and went to bed without a whimper. Jeez. I guess a yoga class one night a week is too much to ask of him.
I really haven't had any allergy issues this year. Surprising, since we've had record pollen highs and everyone is miserable. But I was finally starting to feel it today and since I needed to get some more decongestants for my ear (a whole other long ridiculous story), I decided to try some 24-hour Claritin-D. Bad idea. Or at least a bad idea to take it in the evening. I don't think I've slept a wink yet. Argh. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.
As mentioned in my last post, Kiddle has a cold. However, I've become less convinced it's a cold and more convinced it's really just a horrible allergy attack. I did stop the Singulair night before last because it really didn't seem to be helping and he's also had sleeping issues. So tonight I started him on Zyrtec. A possible side effect is drowsiness ... and it's dropped him like a ton of bricks. But not before he decided he was going to die unless MOMMY got him ready for bed, NOT DADDY.
Poor Mr. P endured an agonizing hour as Kiddle wailed like somebody shot his dog, all the way through his bath and right on through putting on his PJs. At one point, Mr. P said he was combing Kiddle's hair as he clutched the gate at the top of the stairs, sobbing for me. Then he crashed and went to bed without a whimper. Jeez. I guess a yoga class one night a week is too much to ask of him.
I really haven't had any allergy issues this year. Surprising, since we've had record pollen highs and everyone is miserable. But I was finally starting to feel it today and since I needed to get some more decongestants for my ear (a whole other long ridiculous story), I decided to try some 24-hour Claritin-D. Bad idea. Or at least a bad idea to take it in the evening. I don't think I've slept a wink yet. Argh. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
It Snot Funny
Oh, my poor little snot-nosed Kiddle. He's had a monster cold since last Thursday that just isn't abating. I won't gross out anyone with pictures of his alternately goopy/crusty face; let's just say he's nasty and leave it at that. Of course we went to Liberty Science Center that first morning he came down with it (... thought it might be allergies ...), so my apologies to all for his germy little hands.
One benefit to the massive amount of goopiness flowing out of him ... he's starting to grasp the concept of blowing his nose. Of course he WILL NOT let Mommy hold the tissue, HE HAS TO DO IT. But at least he will, on occasion, make the attempt. Oh, the odd things we celebrate as parents.
He's been on Singulair for almost a month now, but I can't say I've seen much of an improvement with his cough. I think I'll finish out the week with it, then try taking him off. I haven't noticed any aggression issues like my nephew had, but he has had a hard time going to sleep at night since he's been on it. Connected? We'll see.
One benefit to the massive amount of goopiness flowing out of him ... he's starting to grasp the concept of blowing his nose. Of course he WILL NOT let Mommy hold the tissue, HE HAS TO DO IT. But at least he will, on occasion, make the attempt. Oh, the odd things we celebrate as parents.
He's been on Singulair for almost a month now, but I can't say I've seen much of an improvement with his cough. I think I'll finish out the week with it, then try taking him off. I haven't noticed any aggression issues like my nephew had, but he has had a hard time going to sleep at night since he's been on it. Connected? We'll see.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Holy Bowl Cut, Robin!
Let's first get it out there that I love, love, love Kiddle's shaggy surfer-boy hair. I hate to cut it because I always think he looks somewhat silly at first. He has gorgeous hair but it's so, so straight it shows every single snip of the scissors which means layering it is out of the question. And it also grows straight down into his eyes, so I can't push it over to the side when it gets longish. But ... it was in his eyes and if I just trim his bangs he'll end up with a mullet. And as entertaining as a mullet might be, I just can't go there. So, yes, I did it. I cut it last night.
So without further ado ... one freshly trimmed Kiddle. It turned out fine, if I do say so myself.It'll grow, right?
And the title of this post? That's the not-nice comment I got from Mr. P when he saw Kiddle's hair. Grrr.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Zoo Was a Zoo
Yep. We took our first excursion of the year to Turtleback Zoo this morning. Pretty scary when we pulled up to see several buses, and the entrance was mobbed with preschool field trippers, but once we got through the gate it wasn't too bad. Kiddle has been to this zoo before but this was the first time he was actually interested in the animals. (He's completely animal obsessed right now and usually has an elephant clutched in one grubby little hand and a horse in the other.) The farm animals were definitely his favorite part. Although he thought the penguins were pretty cool too.
The zoo was doing a ton of work ... new exhibits, a new picnic and play area. Which is fantastic because it's really quite a poor, pitiful little zoo. But perfect for small kids and very close to home, so I'll hold my criticism in check! I'm looking forward to seeing their progress on our next visit.
The zoo was doing a ton of work ... new exhibits, a new picnic and play area. Which is fantastic because it's really quite a poor, pitiful little zoo. But perfect for small kids and very close to home, so I'll hold my criticism in check! I'm looking forward to seeing their progress on our next visit.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Night Night!
This completely melted my heart last night. I was getting Kiddle's room set for him to go to bed and said, "Why don't you help your animals get ready to go night night in their barn?" When I turned around this is what I found:
Apparently cars and trucks sleep on their sides as well. Who knew?
Apparently cars and trucks sleep on their sides as well. Who knew?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Two-Year Checkup
We had Kiddle's two-year checkup with the pediatrician this week. Here's the report:
Weight: 25.0
Height: 34.25
Head: 20.75
Which translates to "grapefruit on a toothpick." What a noggin he has! Poor skinny kid. The only reason he's finally wearing 12-18 month pants is that Gap and Crazy 8 now have them with an adjustable waist (at last!!). So at least he's not walking around in his highwaters anymore.
Unfortunately he might be heading down an allergies/asthma path. (Poor thing was born during the worst allergy season we've had in ages, so I hate to think how much he was exposed to so early on!) The doctor put him on Singulair to see if that helps his cough. We'll give it a try but I'm a bit hesitant because my nephew had some increased aggression side effects when he was on it. Hopefully it will help Kiddle.
The only other concern I have is his speech development. At this point he has about 25 words plus 15-20 animal sounds. However I don't think I'd recognize any of the words if he said them out of context. He also doesn't have any two syllable words except for "gir-ah" for giraffe. (Which, by the way, is the only animal he actually calls by its name and not its sound.) His doctor doesn't seem terribly concerned but she did give the number for EIP so I can get him checked out if I want. I try not to compare him to other kids but unfortunately the two he's around the most have amazing speech capabilities. I know he'll get it together eventually but I'd hate to see it cause him a lot of frustration in the near future.
Weight: 25.0
Height: 34.25
Head: 20.75
Which translates to "grapefruit on a toothpick." What a noggin he has! Poor skinny kid. The only reason he's finally wearing 12-18 month pants is that Gap and Crazy 8 now have them with an adjustable waist (at last!!). So at least he's not walking around in his highwaters anymore.
Unfortunately he might be heading down an allergies/asthma path. (Poor thing was born during the worst allergy season we've had in ages, so I hate to think how much he was exposed to so early on!) The doctor put him on Singulair to see if that helps his cough. We'll give it a try but I'm a bit hesitant because my nephew had some increased aggression side effects when he was on it. Hopefully it will help Kiddle.
The only other concern I have is his speech development. At this point he has about 25 words plus 15-20 animal sounds. However I don't think I'd recognize any of the words if he said them out of context. He also doesn't have any two syllable words except for "gir-ah" for giraffe. (Which, by the way, is the only animal he actually calls by its name and not its sound.) His doctor doesn't seem terribly concerned but she did give the number for EIP so I can get him checked out if I want. I try not to compare him to other kids but unfortunately the two he's around the most have amazing speech capabilities. I know he'll get it together eventually but I'd hate to see it cause him a lot of frustration in the near future.
Two Already?
How is my baby two already? I know I'll be saying this every year for the rest of his life, but really ... how is he two? Although sometimes I think it's not so much that he's two, but that I haven't been in my former career for TWO FREAKING YEARS! That means even though we worked waaaay in advance, all the programs I developed there are done and gone. My legacy is over! Damn.
Anyway, moment of mourning former life over. Back to the Kiddle.
Grammy and Ahdah came up for a week-long visit. Kiddle is totally, completely, absolutely enamored with my dad right now. I have to say having him around finally gave me a nice break. Kiddle is such a mama's boy right now that he wants me -- and only me -- no matter who else is around. But that all changed when Ahdah arrived. Woo hoo!
Still reeling from last year's 55-strong birthday blowout (who would've thought everyone would be able to come on Easter weekend?), we went low-key this year. Just us, both sets of grandparents, his uncle and future aunt. He seemed really excited about all his presents but I think the favourites right now are the sandwich set (we're offered bites of a wooden hamburger several times a day; it's important to say "yummm" after each bite), a stuffed horse named Nutley (intended to replace the very large, very hard plastic elephant he insists on taking to bed with him), and ....
bubbles!
He's always thought bubbles were pretty cool, but to get his little hands on his very own bubble blower? Awesome!
Happy 2nd Birthday Kiddle!!
Anyway, moment of mourning former life over. Back to the Kiddle.
Grammy and Ahdah came up for a week-long visit. Kiddle is totally, completely, absolutely enamored with my dad right now. I have to say having him around finally gave me a nice break. Kiddle is such a mama's boy right now that he wants me -- and only me -- no matter who else is around. But that all changed when Ahdah arrived. Woo hoo!
Still reeling from last year's 55-strong birthday blowout (who would've thought everyone would be able to come on Easter weekend?), we went low-key this year. Just us, both sets of grandparents, his uncle and future aunt. He seemed really excited about all his presents but I think the favourites right now are the sandwich set (we're offered bites of a wooden hamburger several times a day; it's important to say "yummm" after each bite), a stuffed horse named Nutley (intended to replace the very large, very hard plastic elephant he insists on taking to bed with him), and ....
bubbles!He's always thought bubbles were pretty cool, but to get his little hands on his very own bubble blower? Awesome!
Happy 2nd Birthday Kiddle!!
Long Overdue ...
Kiddle just turned two last week. No baby book. No photo montage of his first (or second) year. No video recap. I've had zero follow-thru on documenting his adventures and acheivements to this point, so I'm starting fresh.
Right now.
I swear.
Right now.
I swear.
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