Gameday Uniform

So, Brent's official Halloween costume is a.....(drum roll please) .... Steeler's Fan! I know, I know...lame 'costume'. But next year I'll do better. Anyhow, I couldn't resist since the Steelers are playing a divisional Monday night game tonight.

And, I just got a call from daycare that his eyes are runny and green, so I'd better call the doctor and see if I can get him in. So I'll update on that next time I write.

Saying goodbye to warm weather...

I know it's been a week since I've updated this. It's been a long week. We've all got some version of a cold, Andy's asthma is acting up again, and we've spent every spare minute cutting/splitting/hauling/stacking and burning firewood. In addition to getting/installing/adjusting/readjusting and using our new woodstove. And I won't mention that someone (we won't mention names) has been getting up a LOT during the night the last few days. Add to that the fading of summer and warm temperatures, and I've just been tired and unmotivated in general.

This time of year always makes me think of change. Although I know it is necessary, and usually a sign of growth and progress, it tends to be bittersweet at times. And then I look into the face of my boy who is growing so fast and learning so much, and I am overwhelmingly proud and sad at the same time. He can take 2 or 3 steps on his own now, and his interest in walking has picked up again, I think. Once in awhile he babbles something that sounds like a word, but I rarely have time to stop and decipher it.

I was changing his diaper the other day, and I kept saying "ICK!..this is so gross!". And he started saying ICK and laughing. So that was kinda cute. I'm not sure if it qualifies as a first word though. Even if it does, I may hold out for a better one to put in the scrapbook. And he has my warnings down pat. "Ah, ah, ah...don't touch that" (he'll open his mouth and raise his eyebrows and copy the ah, ah, ah part - even before I say it sometimes if he knows he's doing something that will produce that response) or "No, no, no - come back over here". He's pretty good with the no, no, no on that one. He sounds like a record that's skipping, he'll just keep on repeating it while he's getting into some sort of trouble. Sometimes he'll even point at me while he chants it. Or motion for me to come to him, instead. Man...the backtalk already! At least he does it with a smile (or mischevious grin, depending on your angle).

So here we are, on the verge of real communication, and locomotion of the upright variety. I should be thrilled! And I am - he's turning out to be such a wonderful person. But everytime I turn around he's leaving some other milestone behind him - all those pesky baby traits. You know, the ones I've cursed and prayed to end at one time or another. Now I take the time to cherish each one...knowing that they are slipping through my fingers like sand. It's a good thing they are leaving me a handsome, talented, smart boy in their place...otherwise it may not be bearable.

Photo time!

The pictures of Brent with his grandparents are from a few weeks ago. I forgot I had them! He wasn't feeling too well that day, to explain the long face. And the last one shows that cute scrunched up nose look that he's always doing.

Left, Right, Left

Well, he's working on walking at last! Over the weekend he took a couple unaided steps (not in a row, though...he still only makes one before he falls forward). But he's at least trying, which is more than what he's done in awhile with it.

Also, he seems to be getting ready to sprout the two top teeth now. So he should look pretty much like a beaver by the end of the week. Two on top, two on the bottom. Then I guess we'll work on trying to brush them. Yeah...he won't even let me in his mouth to look at anything, much less rub stuff on his gums, etc. So that should be a nice challenge. The only way I see what's going on is if he's scrunching up his nose in that weird grin of his. I live for that smile, though, so I'm not complaining.

Bottle-wise, he has won the battle for now. He did this when he was teething the last time - wanting a bottle OFTEN, and waking up in the night again. So I hate to take it completely away when he is so devastated by it right now. I will win the war eventually, but for now I concede. He only has one in the morning, and in the evening, though - so it's not like I have to wash and label tons of them every day for day care. That in itself is a major victory for me. And he's only getting up once at night, instead of 4 or 5 times like the last teeth. So hey...we're improving. Right???

And so far my woodstove training is going okay. We're not using it yet, so I have some time to get used to watching him a lot closer, without the risk of him getting burned. But that day is coming soon, and I hope we're ready. He just doesn't really understand boundaries yet. This will be the first "NO EXCEPTIONS" rule I will be trying to enforce. Man...I hope this parenting thing gets easier with time. What? Did you say something? I thought it sounded like you said something like it gets even harder, but I can't hear so well with my fingers in my ears.

What's that smell?!?!

Well, I'll sum up yesterday:

4:45 am - House/car/deck sprayed by skunk
5:00 am - Me and Brent throwing up (please refer to 4:45 am as to reason)
7:00 am - killing time at Walmart before daycare because I got out of house quickly
7:15 am - Brent throws up in Walmart on me/himself/cart/floor
7:20 am - me and half naked baby buy new clothes at Walmart (can't go back to house - see first entry again)
8 - 10 am - me calling animal control/game warden/pest control companies and surfing internet to find out how to get rid of skunk smells and/or skunks.
10:00 am - get call from daycare that he has been throwing up more (I thought it was the smell - but seems he was sick, too) and that he fell and hit his head on table and had a big lump on his head.
10:15 am - I go home to try to air out and clean out house so that I can bring Brent home. I won't even go into all the details of this part of the day.
12:00 pm - finally head back to pick him up. House is better. Car still stinks BAD
1 - 5 pm - Spent either laying on couch with Brent, napping on bed and rubbing his back, or carrying him around the house with him dozing on my shoulder.

I was all set to keep him home today, but he was running around like crazy again. So I think he's past the worst of it. He's keeping food down again and climbing the walls already. Plus they are doing water painting today in day care, I think...so he should have fun with that. He had such a bad day yesterday, I just couldn't deprive him of getting out and having some fun. Plus the house is still a little stinky, if not with the not-quite-so-pungent skunk smell, then with the deodorizers and air fresheners. Probably not the best thing for him to be around all day. His room is okay, but the kitchen and living room are still not great, and that's where he likes to be.

In other news, besides yesterday, he has been doing pretty good in the toddler room all week. I've been doing okay, too. He still seems so little in there, but slowly he's starting to get around and play instead of just watching the others run around like little crazy people. Though, this morning his old teacher popped her head out to see him as we went by. He reached out his hands for her and she held him for a minute. I was doing okay until she said she rocked him to sleep his last day there. For some reason seeing them miss each other just got me all teared up. It was all I could do to get him to his room and leave without having a meltdown. I think between that and all his cuddles yesterday, it's finally hitting me how precious little "baby" time I have left. Right before I laid him down for bed last night, I just stood there and let him sleep in my arms for a few minutes. It's so rare that he ever cuddles like that. And I knew in the morning, it would be business as usual.

So as bad as I thought my day was yesterday...I wouldn't trade it for the world. It was (almost) worth the skunk smell to take an afternoon off and spend it napping with my fast-growing little boy.

The Hat Adventures

Bye Bye Bottle! (Well, almost...)

Well, this weekend went MUCH better than I thought it would. I decided to eliminate all bottles, except the first morning one and the last bedtime one. In between, there would be nothing but sippy cups. He did really great! He didn't drink a whole lot during the day, but he's getting the hang of it.

And it was a good thing I did. This morning they told me that today would be his first full day in the toddler room - he is officially moved over. No more cribs, no more bottles, and hopefully soon no more crawling. And because there has been an influx of babies recently, they had to move his girlfriend over too. She starts tomorrow. So they will continue to be partners in crime (that is their official nickname there!).

I can't believe how many cute things he does these days. And it doesn't even make for good reading if I were to go into details. It's just his expressions and mannerisms, they are so unique and catching and entertaining. And he melts my heart the way he follows me around, and lifts his arms up when he wants held. I just couldn't ask for a better kid :)

Pictures, as promised!

Probably the last true "baby" picture.


Watching Dora the Explorer

And...looking adorable, of course!

Doctor's visit

Yesterday was his one-year doctor's visit. His stats: 24.8 lbs, which is still in the 75th percentile, and 30 inches long. Long and short of the visit - he's healthy and perfect (which I knew...of course!).

She does want me to wean him off the bottle now ("now" as in "he's still taking a bottle???"). So that's going to be a project. I've been half working on it for a few weeks, but so far it doesn't fit into his schedule to drink out of a sippy-cup. Actually, he does pretty good with a regular cup if I hold it, but for day care purposes, he needs to have something he can do by himself. So after he's done reacting to all those shots and being grumpy for a day or two, we'll start on that. Also, he can drink whole milk now instead of formula ($$$-HOORAY!-$$$). So, things are looking up. For me anyways! For him, it may be a rough few weeks. He doesn't exactly go for the routine changes very well. His exact words are usually something to the effect of taking a toy and throwing it angrily across the room. Or a sippy cup, or remote control, etc. Every day I ask the ladies at day care how he's doing with his cups, and I always get some variation of the reply "well, he'll take a sip or two, but he just really likes to drop it and throw it". Wonderful! I've already had two come home cracked up the side. My sweet boy...I think...

This morning I tried to give him some ibuprofen for his sore needle-pricked legs. He let me get the whole dropper in his mouth, then paused, then smiled, gurgled and spit it right back out at me. He's entertaining, that's for sure. The other day he managed to spit a green bean over 3 feet to land on Andy's lap. I started howling, which I know I shouldn't, but I just couldn't help it! Andy stood up and kinda jokingly yelled "Why did you do that?!?!" So Brent just pointed at him, kicked his head back, scrunched up his nose and belly laughed. I love this kid, I really do!

That's his new thing these days, scrunching up his nose like a bunny when he thinks he's being funny. I wish I could get a picture of it...it is beyond words :)

Well...hopefully the next few days won't be as challenging as I fear they will be. Wait and see!

One down, 17 to go

Well, last weekend was Brent's birthday. I can't say that we did too much this year, but he had a big party at his Grandparents Price a few weeks ago, and he'll see his other grandparents soon for some messy cake pictures (I think that's what the 1st birthday party is mostly about!).

I think I don't notice all the milestones he's reaching lately simply because they just kinda grow on you little by little. Every day though I find something new about him to love. Like how he flips through books with me now, or practices putting little toys inside bigger toys. Or how he likes to try to crawl under the futon in search of dust bunnies. He's a busy guy these days, always on the go and on the run. He's learned to go through the dresser drawers and pull clothes out so he can deposit toys instead. And it is a rare day that you can put your shoes on without finding a mega-block or a rubber ball stuffed inside. Or leftover food, don't forget that one... It is impossible to find all the pieces he starts tossing in every direction once he is done eating!

Oh, and the big news this week is that they are starting to transition him to the TODDLER room at day care. Toddler??? Where did my baby go? I know there are good things to look forward to in the next year, but it seems like you have to trade in a lot to get there. For one thing, they don't have cribs in there, the kids sleep on cots. Well...if that's something they think they can accomplish with him, they are welcome to try. But I can't see that boy falling asleep if there is nothing to prevent him from running around the room exploring. I'm sure there are lots of kids like that, though, so they must have some magic method for it (I just hope it doesn't involve chains or straps). I do expect a drop in his nap time, though. And that's not something I think I'm ready to give up yet. We'll see how it goes, I guess.

So, would I give this up to go back to having a tiny baby again? Not on your life! This is so much more rewarding than the mindless changing of diapers (while he held still - oh I forget that luxury) and bottle after bottle, or worse - endless nursing on the hour. Will I cherish those memories? Of course! Would I look forward to another round? The jury's still out on that one. And I'm not even going into the nighttime wakings that MOST babies have given up by this stage in the game. He's going strong at 4 or 5 these days. Long story short, we're working them out of the rotation, but so far it's a rough transition.

And then sometimes, you're half asleep on the floor playing with him and watching football. Your eyes close for a few seconds and you just listen to him playing with his toys. Then just as you're thinking of how peaceful life is, you feel a plastic block slammed into your face. But before you can even think about what happened, you see a tiny face coming at you and planting its first smiling sloppy kiss on your cheek. And then somehow, you wouldn't trade this time for anything at all.