I just have a minute to post something, before the guilt I feel over taking ME time totally overcomes me... sigh.
Today, a few REALLY cute things were said. The last week, you have started to want to get in the car seat all by yourself. We finally turned your car seat around facing forward, and you LOVE it. Not that you ever hated the car seat, but now you call it 'new car'.. which I guess it is, new perspective at the very least. Anyway, when you climb up, it's a long climb up that takes time, and the whole trek you quietly repeat to yourself (a mantra perhaps?) 'all by self.. all by self.. all by self' I truly think you would backhand me if I even attempted to help you! And the kicker: when you FINALLY get yourself maneuvered in, facing forward, you said 'suuuch a big boy!'... hahahaha! I suppose enough times of ME saying this finally stuck in your brain somewhere.
You really are putting short sentences together more and more.. you just today said 'two and zero make a twenty!' .. I knew that you knew 'one and zero make a ten'.. but you put the twenty together on your own! Impressed much.
One little thing I say sometimes when you show your belly is: 'belly belly shake it like jelly!!'.. and you really try hard to say it on your own.. it comes out like 'belly belly.. shaka jelly!!!' :)
And nowadays, instead of a simple 'poop' (to inform me of your dirty diaper) - you upped the ante and say GOT POOP! And every time, I think of the Got Milk campaign..
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
23 months
I know that next month's summary will be a doozy of a post, so I'll keep things light this time around.
Lately, as the picture sums up, you have been sticking your hands and fingers (and sometimes almost your ENTIRE fist) in your mouth. Not sure if this means your two-year molars are about to erupt or what, all I know is that I spend my life saying 'GET your hands OUT of your MOUTH!'. I think the more I tell you not to, the more you're motivated to do it.. but I can't not say anything.. oy.
Speaking of conundrums, you have officially mastered the art of the Terrible Twos Tantrum. Well, I don't know.. I know it could be worse. You could do lots of crazy bad-behaviour things, and I know we're blessed (for now) that you don't.. but damn, child! You have some anger management issues sometimes. You almost growl sometimes, you get so bent out of shape. And it's always such an exhausting judgment call.. do I address it before it gets overblown and coax you to verbalize your anger? Or do I acknowledge that you're mad and that everyone gets mad sometimes and just let you get it out of your system? Each time I have to mentally calculate what went wrong and the best (or closest to) way to handle it. I'd say that 6 out of 10 times I do things right. Not bad! But you aren't a bad kid. Oh no.. you're sweet as pie, really. You haven't yet developed (or maybe it's just not there) the inclination to destroy things when I turn my back or to be a naughty child. I am betting big money that we won't luck out so much with the next child, whenever that time comes!
You manipulate without really knowing you manipulate. You have heard me say the word 'nicely' about a thousand times.. when you ask us something, if it's high pitched and impatient, I always say 'well, please ask us nicely..' SO, now you just come up to me and ask me something, and if I say no (for whatever reason), you say PLLLEASE.. and if I still say no, you say 'NICELY'!!! haha.
You are now very obviously proud to walk around counting things. Especially stairs. You absolutely LOVE to go up and down stairs while you count aloud each step. You can count to ten, no problem. And just recently you give your best shot at counting to 20. Sometimes if you take it really slow you can get each number correct, but usually, around 14 or so, you get super excited and go 14.. 15... 18.. 20!!!!!! And the number 20 is always shrieked at the top of your lungs. And I just happened to discover you can say your ABCs.. they're mostly all intelligible, but a lot of time you get really shy about it and mumble them. You only do these skills around people you're most comfortable with, so thank goodness we have these all on video! Oh yes, and the record snowfall this month. Three days ago, it snowed about 12.5 inches total. Which is a huge record. I myself have never seen so much snow here in Texas. I was hoping you'd be super excited to play in it... but I guess I forgot your go-at-your-own-pace nature.. You were much happier just sitting on your bench, watching US play in it. When we tried to get you to walk in it, you simply stood there, arms outstretched, screaming 'carry me pllllease!!!' I wanted you to play in it so badly, but I had to appreciate your concise way of communicating with us.
You repeat and remember a LOT more than I realize. You love love LOVE numbers, especially the number zero for some weird reason, and when you used to see a number 10, you'd SCREAM 'zeeero!', and I'd acknowledge that yes, it's a zero, but I'd always say 'a one and a zero together, make TEN!' .. so randomly the other day at lunch, you sat there and said 'one and zero make a ten!'.. You verbalize things only I would understand, too. Looking through photo albums (still a fave activity of yours), you point out things I've labeled hundreds of times.. one of which are pics of our trip to Turks & Caicos. You point to them and say 'Tur Cackas!' You see a pic of Mamaw w/a big chicken fried steak in front of her (classic Mamaw), and you'll say MAMAW EATING! Or you'll see a pic of Grandpa and go, 'who's dat?? GRANDPA!' Or a pic of a big balloon and go 'big balloon! whoooa!!'.. the things you say.. love it.
And one thing you just started doing today actually.. you have heard me say this a few times, and now you repeat it word for word, so clearly proud of yourself (because we flip out when you say it). You say 'Mommy and Daddy and Andrew .. make a FAMILY!' Clear as day, and sweet as can be. Yes, even at almost two years old. LOVE!
Friday, February 12, 2010
NO SNOW! NO SNOW!! CARRY ME PLEEEASE!
We did love to eat the snow.. it was cold and wet. That's about it. :)
Someone was a good sport though, and decided to build a snowman. We watched from the kitchen. Like smart people. 
Strawberry eyes and a carrot nose.. and a veggie stick mouth. You make do with what you have.
He loved his new bench.. more than the snow.And this would be his 'snow is for losers' face.
Peace!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
this & that
I told myself I'd wait til Feb 14th to do a proper 23 month (omg) post, but even if I wait 5 days to do that you will STILL be doing new cool things by then. And I just have to document a few things before I what? forget things.
Lately, during mealtimes and diaper changes (times when you're physically restricted to places and require some conversation from us) you will list off almost EVERY animal/object that is currently on your mind.... but not just that. You'll list them off after you say Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly. You want us to put this endless stream of animals in a verse of The Wheels on the Bus, with Uncle Roger and Aunt Kelly. It goes a little something like 'Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly biiig elephant rhinoc biiiiig truck whale dolphin peeeacock????' So, I try my very best to make that a verse of your fave song. It's tiring and challenging. But oh so cute.
What's more cute is when I throw out a way awesome word to add in, and you stop and your jaw drops and you go 'OoooooK!' Like this: 'How about Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly and the... BIG! RED! CAT!' And you are absolutely floored at my combining of awesome words.
Every morning that you wake, I ask you what you dreamed about. Maybe someday you'll say something other than a passionate BLUE AAAIRPLANE!, but I don't think it'll be anytime soon.
You're still using the manners-card to get what you want. When you want to see some vimeos (videos of yourself on the computer), you'll say 'up on mommy' (sit on my lap).. and if I say no or wait or whatever, you'll lock eyes with me and go 'puuuhlllleeeeease!!!' A perfect please. PERFECT. How can I say no??? But I do. But not all the time.
I finally figured out a no-fail way to get you to come to the table to eat your meals (knocks on wood that this doesn't fail me today because I dared to talk about it)... which was always a bit of a struggle because you could never be interrupted to eat. Nowadays, when I go sit down to eat you always follow and want to get up in your chair to eat and join me. I love this. You then take inventory and point to my food and say 'mommy food!!', then point to your own and say 'Andrew food!'.. and if you father is home, you do the same to his food. And when I am done, you wave and say 'bye mommy food!'...
Yesterday you asked to go to Cabelas... (your way of asking was to look at me and go 'Cabelas? Elephants? Rhinoc? - as yes my child, it is one big dead zoo) So we went because we had not much else to do. As we drove towards it and started to pass it on the right, you saw a smidge of the building and said 'Caaaaaa...' then when you saw the remainder of the sign you went 'BELAS!!!!'
More to come in 5 days!
Lately, during mealtimes and diaper changes (times when you're physically restricted to places and require some conversation from us) you will list off almost EVERY animal/object that is currently on your mind.... but not just that. You'll list them off after you say Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly. You want us to put this endless stream of animals in a verse of The Wheels on the Bus, with Uncle Roger and Aunt Kelly. It goes a little something like 'Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly biiig elephant rhinoc biiiiig truck whale dolphin peeeacock????' So, I try my very best to make that a verse of your fave song. It's tiring and challenging. But oh so cute.
What's more cute is when I throw out a way awesome word to add in, and you stop and your jaw drops and you go 'OoooooK!' Like this: 'How about Uncle Roger Aunt Kelly and the... BIG! RED! CAT!' And you are absolutely floored at my combining of awesome words.
Every morning that you wake, I ask you what you dreamed about. Maybe someday you'll say something other than a passionate BLUE AAAIRPLANE!, but I don't think it'll be anytime soon.
You're still using the manners-card to get what you want. When you want to see some vimeos (videos of yourself on the computer), you'll say 'up on mommy' (sit on my lap).. and if I say no or wait or whatever, you'll lock eyes with me and go 'puuuhlllleeeeease!!!' A perfect please. PERFECT. How can I say no??? But I do. But not all the time.
I finally figured out a no-fail way to get you to come to the table to eat your meals (knocks on wood that this doesn't fail me today because I dared to talk about it)... which was always a bit of a struggle because you could never be interrupted to eat. Nowadays, when I go sit down to eat you always follow and want to get up in your chair to eat and join me. I love this. You then take inventory and point to my food and say 'mommy food!!', then point to your own and say 'Andrew food!'.. and if you father is home, you do the same to his food. And when I am done, you wave and say 'bye mommy food!'...
Yesterday you asked to go to Cabelas... (your way of asking was to look at me and go 'Cabelas? Elephants? Rhinoc? - as yes my child, it is one big dead zoo) So we went because we had not much else to do. As we drove towards it and started to pass it on the right, you saw a smidge of the building and said 'Caaaaaa...' then when you saw the remainder of the sign you went 'BELAS!!!!'
More to come in 5 days!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Afternoon in the yard
Let's just start with a smile, ok? :)
First order of business: throwing lots of fun balls in the yard. That'll keep ya busy while mommy goes back inside for a nap. KIDDING.
Naturally, we pick the biggest "baaa-loooo" ball to tote around.
And at some point, we must stop to contemplate life. Really appreciate the finer things like... a big sloped yard full of dead grass?
Alright! Enough deep thought! Back to tossing balls!
He tires easily. Break-time! So convenient that our yard is sloped for comfy sitting-positions.
Stop to inspect odd substance (aka dirt) on hands.
Stop to inspect it with his tongue...
Guilt and pity for the large hairy prisoner inside. But remembers well that he got ONE chance outside, and chose to eat grass, which resulted in his re-imprisonment. Oh well. It was his decision, ultimately.
Picks the two most awesome balls available, and is determined to carry both at the same time. Makes it Goal of the Day.
Is happy with life.
Spends 15 minutes playing game of swatting balls back & forth under table. Mommy naps.
Busts out the bubbles... has a delightful time.
Then makes a displeased face when time to go inside.
THE END!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
22 months
What my little boy is doing lately..........
BEING FIERCELY OPINIONATED! When you want your orange juice from the BLUE cup, there will be yelling. And not just for the blue cup - but loud protesting against the red cup. NO RED CUP! NO ELMO CUP! I give you choices, of course, but I also have been making you LIVE with your choice. Because in life, that is what happens. Each day is a series of choices, and you live with them. I do give you do-overs sometimes, because in LIFE there are also a small handful of those, too. But then I feel like I'm being inconsistent in my discipline.... and yeah, parenthood's daily confusions never end do they????
Sticking your hands/fingers in your mouth all the livelong day. We thought for sure it was your 2 year molars popping through, only that could be the cause of your hand-in-mouth state all the time... but we checked, and nada. Maybe they're coming in and we just can't see them yet... either way, SHEESH! I am telling you to get your hands out of your mouth every 10 seconds! Don't you know it's cold and flu season???!
You surpirse me with so many funny things daily. Like today, we went for a long walk around the neighborhood in your wagon, and when we got back home in the driveway, you said THE END! I just died laughing... so perceptive! And today also, you would say 'big brown truck' really amusingly, with your lips sticking out... I got such a huge kick out of it that I asked you to do it all day long. And you always would!
Just this past weekend, we were all 3 in the car and I was griping at your father about God knows what, and I loudly said 'how old are you??' (very sarcastically and mean-spirited!) and what did we hear from the back-seat? 'two!' Yes, my smart boy, yes you are two. (*we've been rounding up!)
Oh yes, and you count. From 1 to 10. It is TOO CUTE. And because I just got you a nice 1 through 20 numbers puzzle, you now can recognize all of them (1 to 20). We'll just pace ourselves with counting that high though! You do love to count things out, steps you take on stairs... objects you see in books... what a smarty pants.
You are very very clingy lately.. and I think it has everything to do with my recent trip to California for the weekend. The last time I left you for more than 24 hours, you were too little to truly care that much. This time? Big change! I think it's messed up your sleep a little, too. But that's ok. I try to remind myself that you'll be a 15 year old man-child who wants nothing to do with your old mother soon enough, so all this clinging and begging for my constant attention is put into perspective.
And then sometimes perspective is a lofty goal. Sometimes, I'll be in one of my favorite places ever, Barnes and Noble, a place I don't often get the chance to visit, and you'll be screaming for me to sing the Peacock song. So I do, quietly, because it's slightly humiliating (as this is an entirely made up song), and because it's not to the volume of your liking, you scream more for BIIIIIG Peacock song. Your way of saying 'ma, crank the volume!'. Oh, how I enjoyed that experience!
Your manners, however, are astounding. You say excuse me very very appropriately. Whenever anything is in your way. Just this past week, at the park, a little girl your age was in your path on the playground equipment, so you said 'excuse me kid'. Of course, it's 'cuse me', because that's all I say around the house.. so the mispronunciation isn't your fault at all! You now say please for most things, and you are learning the immense power of it. Yes, you quickly caught on to how impressed it made me when you said please all nice & sweet, so now you bust out the 'please' card when I am not giving in to whatever you want. For dinner, just tonight, you had 1 square of cheese, and I told you in advance (knowing you'd ask for more), 'here's your cheese, this is all the cheese you're getting'. You ask for more, of course, and after about 30 seconds you look at me sweetly and say 'cheeeese please?' OK FINE! One more piece of cheese!!!! Such a pushover sometimes! Your thank-yous are a work in progress, you sort of mumble and grunt it... but that's ok, we'll take what we can get right now.
You love juice all of a sudden, but knowing that you still lack the impulse control to not squeeze a mess all over the floor, I taught you to hold your box by the upturned side flaps. Genius, if I do say so myself!
And bedtime is when you are sweetest, when you stand up after getting your pj's on and you always give me a goodnight kiss. Lately, I've been saying 'kiss me like you mean it!', and so you take both your hands and grab my cheeks, sometimes squishing my face and then you draw it close to you - to kiss me like you mean it! Those 2 seconds make all the screaming and begging and bartering worthwhile. :)
BEING FIERCELY OPINIONATED! When you want your orange juice from the BLUE cup, there will be yelling. And not just for the blue cup - but loud protesting against the red cup. NO RED CUP! NO ELMO CUP! I give you choices, of course, but I also have been making you LIVE with your choice. Because in life, that is what happens. Each day is a series of choices, and you live with them. I do give you do-overs sometimes, because in LIFE there are also a small handful of those, too. But then I feel like I'm being inconsistent in my discipline.... and yeah, parenthood's daily confusions never end do they????
Sticking your hands/fingers in your mouth all the livelong day. We thought for sure it was your 2 year molars popping through, only that could be the cause of your hand-in-mouth state all the time... but we checked, and nada. Maybe they're coming in and we just can't see them yet... either way, SHEESH! I am telling you to get your hands out of your mouth every 10 seconds! Don't you know it's cold and flu season???!
You surpirse me with so many funny things daily. Like today, we went for a long walk around the neighborhood in your wagon, and when we got back home in the driveway, you said THE END! I just died laughing... so perceptive! And today also, you would say 'big brown truck' really amusingly, with your lips sticking out... I got such a huge kick out of it that I asked you to do it all day long. And you always would!
Just this past weekend, we were all 3 in the car and I was griping at your father about God knows what, and I loudly said 'how old are you??' (very sarcastically and mean-spirited!) and what did we hear from the back-seat? 'two!' Yes, my smart boy, yes you are two. (*we've been rounding up!)
Oh yes, and you count. From 1 to 10. It is TOO CUTE. And because I just got you a nice 1 through 20 numbers puzzle, you now can recognize all of them (1 to 20). We'll just pace ourselves with counting that high though! You do love to count things out, steps you take on stairs... objects you see in books... what a smarty pants.
You are very very clingy lately.. and I think it has everything to do with my recent trip to California for the weekend. The last time I left you for more than 24 hours, you were too little to truly care that much. This time? Big change! I think it's messed up your sleep a little, too. But that's ok. I try to remind myself that you'll be a 15 year old man-child who wants nothing to do with your old mother soon enough, so all this clinging and begging for my constant attention is put into perspective.
And then sometimes perspective is a lofty goal. Sometimes, I'll be in one of my favorite places ever, Barnes and Noble, a place I don't often get the chance to visit, and you'll be screaming for me to sing the Peacock song. So I do, quietly, because it's slightly humiliating (as this is an entirely made up song), and because it's not to the volume of your liking, you scream more for BIIIIIG Peacock song. Your way of saying 'ma, crank the volume!'. Oh, how I enjoyed that experience!Your manners, however, are astounding. You say excuse me very very appropriately. Whenever anything is in your way. Just this past week, at the park, a little girl your age was in your path on the playground equipment, so you said 'excuse me kid'. Of course, it's 'cuse me', because that's all I say around the house.. so the mispronunciation isn't your fault at all! You now say please for most things, and you are learning the immense power of it. Yes, you quickly caught on to how impressed it made me when you said please all nice & sweet, so now you bust out the 'please' card when I am not giving in to whatever you want. For dinner, just tonight, you had 1 square of cheese, and I told you in advance (knowing you'd ask for more), 'here's your cheese, this is all the cheese you're getting'. You ask for more, of course, and after about 30 seconds you look at me sweetly and say 'cheeeese please?' OK FINE! One more piece of cheese!!!! Such a pushover sometimes! Your thank-yous are a work in progress, you sort of mumble and grunt it... but that's ok, we'll take what we can get right now.
You love juice all of a sudden, but knowing that you still lack the impulse control to not squeeze a mess all over the floor, I taught you to hold your box by the upturned side flaps. Genius, if I do say so myself!
And bedtime is when you are sweetest, when you stand up after getting your pj's on and you always give me a goodnight kiss. Lately, I've been saying 'kiss me like you mean it!', and so you take both your hands and grab my cheeks, sometimes squishing my face and then you draw it close to you - to kiss me like you mean it! Those 2 seconds make all the screaming and begging and bartering worthwhile. :)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
First Post
New year, new blog!
I was very limited in the amount of pictures I could post on my previous blog site, so I've moved over to a site that won't limit me (I hope!). Because I can't seem to post much without a zillion pictures to go with it.
I plan to backtrack and do a post devoted to our Caribbean trip this past October (because THAT will have an insane amount of photos), and this past Christmas.
For now, a few things about the current comings and goings of my little man.
*We drink from an open cup now, for all meals. Honestly, we never really pushed this milestone, because come on, an open cup and an unpredictable toddler??! PASS! Not really a milestone I was anxious to achieve. But he wanted to, so we complied. And he did great, he soon understood that the more calm and gentle he is with his cup, the lesser chance of getting soaked! Smart boy.
*There's also the topic of his hair. It is wild and crazy and with a life of it's own. And guess what? I LOVE IT. I love that it bounces when he runs and even when we comb it down when it's wet at night, it still greets us in the morning, straight up and all over the place. Yes, I am well aware of the judgmental looks I get from other mothers, but that rolls right off my back. It's different, and there's nothing bad about that. It's not just hair, it's a conversation piece.
And, towards the end of the day, and depending on the weather and humidity, it does lay flat. But that's not fun, now is it??!
We also had our last class of the semester at The Little Gym. We love going, and he has come a LONG way, let me tell you. From being The Screamer of the class when I started him at 11 or so months, to being SUCH a good listener and semi-adventurous, I am so so proud. And check the cheesy grin, oh yes, we definitely taught him that!
I was very limited in the amount of pictures I could post on my previous blog site, so I've moved over to a site that won't limit me (I hope!). Because I can't seem to post much without a zillion pictures to go with it.
I plan to backtrack and do a post devoted to our Caribbean trip this past October (because THAT will have an insane amount of photos), and this past Christmas.
For now, a few things about the current comings and goings of my little man.
*We drink from an open cup now, for all meals. Honestly, we never really pushed this milestone, because come on, an open cup and an unpredictable toddler??! PASS! Not really a milestone I was anxious to achieve. But he wanted to, so we complied. And he did great, he soon understood that the more calm and gentle he is with his cup, the lesser chance of getting soaked! Smart boy.
*There's also the topic of his hair. It is wild and crazy and with a life of it's own. And guess what? I LOVE IT. I love that it bounces when he runs and even when we comb it down when it's wet at night, it still greets us in the morning, straight up and all over the place. Yes, I am well aware of the judgmental looks I get from other mothers, but that rolls right off my back. It's different, and there's nothing bad about that. It's not just hair, it's a conversation piece.
And, towards the end of the day, and depending on the weather and humidity, it does lay flat. But that's not fun, now is it??!
We also had our last class of the semester at The Little Gym. We love going, and he has come a LONG way, let me tell you. From being The Screamer of the class when I started him at 11 or so months, to being SUCH a good listener and semi-adventurous, I am so so proud. And check the cheesy grin, oh yes, we definitely taught him that!
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