Monday, July 28, 2008
Nothing In Particular
Yesterday was a busy day for us. It started at the park with some friends, a refusal to take a nap, a long walk and a quick dip in the pool. On our walk (while he sported his awesome Superman PJ's), we stopped by the pool and he got in. Most of the time he'll stand there and then want me to hold him while soaking wet but this time he was surprisingly comfortable in the water. So I left him alone and gave him his space to explore. He did pretty well considering the last time we went to the pool he wouldn't get out of my arms. Today we went back and he was as happy as can be splashing around. There were some workers putting down straw and one found a tennis ball so they all played catch with him while they worked. It was so cute to watch Super in his little swimmer diaper run around and try to play catch with 5 different people.
Grout Daddy has been working like crazy and we miss him but we've been able to do a lot on our own. Especially now that Super is learning to follow directions and knows the dangers of running into the road. Blah, I'm not feeling inspired right now....I'll write more when I am.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Here She Is!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
I Got Tagged!
This is me as straight as I can go and him slouching over.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Superman
I was browsing through some of my videos today and realized that I didn't share this with anyone! We went shopping with MIL Sue and she picked this out for him. The shorts were way too big but the top fit pretty good. He began running around the apartment like he was super powerful and using a duster rod to defend the earth.
In other news, he has expanded his vocabulary quite a bit in the last few weeks and you can tell he's always making an effort to sound out words or at least get the right tone. The newest words are outside and shoes. He's trying his best the sing the ABC's with me and since he's really shy, there can be NO ONE around him besides me. He made a few quiet peeps at the grocery store until someone looked at him. I know he'll grow out of it but clingy doesn't look good on anybody.
For now, I'm going to let him save the world, starting with my living room and enjoy watching his imagination grow as fast as he is.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
My Own Tribute to a Great Lady
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Ha Ha... It Wasn't Me
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Great Escape
Here is my recent example. Aside from the fact that he is constantly running away, he doesn't think that his actions have consequences and that is very hard for me knowing that one of those consequences could be death. One of my clients stopped by my house to drop off some paperwork and a check for me to give to another broker. I met him at the door, took the papers, turned around to grab my purse and cell phone and I walked out the door. I didn't see Super so I didn't even lock the door and I went after him because I felt something was wrong. I leaped over the gate and started running, calling his name. As I'm trotting towards our parking lot, I saw a little blond head bobbing up and down, chasing after my client/friend's car and heading right for the street. Then came the adrenaline rush as I saw another car turning the corner and heading in our direction as he charged into the middle of the street. I'm screaming his name and trying to wave down the driver so they'll stop and running as fast as I could while dropping everything in my arms to get to my baby. Thankfully, I got their attention and they missed Super by 2-3 feet and I was able to get him.
That was the end of "Nice Mommy" and now he'll know my wrath when he thinks he can venture into the streets. I hate spanking him and I don't know if it works but I need him to be afraid of roads and streets so I'm resorting to making him fear me if he won't fear a car that could squish him. I'd rather him hate my guts than be dead.
Ok, that was the extreme example but me and MIL Sue took him shopping yesterday and he just ran around the store like it was his job. Ducking in and out of clothes, laughing and having a good time but making it very difficult to keep an eye on him. At one point, he almost ran out of the store but I was able to grab his arm as he was leaving through one of the doors. I'm afraid that someone is going to pick him up and leave with him. It can happen in a blink of an eye and I'm terrified. For the first time in my career as a parent, I'm actually considering getting one of those baby leashes. I think they're humiliating but I'd rather him be embarrassed than tortured by some stranger. I have a feeling I need to take him seriously when he's 7 and wants to run away because he doesn't get what he wants. That won't change my mind about whatever he's mad about but I'll install a Low Jack on my kid if it means I can find him.
Next, he is a "climber". Lifting himself onto tables and chairs isn't enough for a child like him. There must be challenge and a pay off... like climbing our shelves like it's a ladder so he can pull down my antique cat statues given to me after my Grandma passed, or standing on the arm of a wobbly swivel chair so he can turn the kitchen light on and off while I'm cooking, or getting on top of my car and jumping on it like a trampoline (I now know not to park near the curb, thank goodness no dents). Our latest adventure happened yesterday and now I'm not only worried about my furniture, I'm going to worry where he is.
MIL Sue and I came home after our outing with the boy and it was nap time. I put him down in his Pack N Play and we went out so she could have a smoke. A few minutes later I went to go check on him because sleeping babies are heavenly and low and behold, he ran out of the room as soon as I opened the door. Oh crap. I gathered him up again and put him down, read a short book and left the room. Something about our home, we live in a 1 bedroom apartment with a den (which we use as Supers bedroom) and the den doors don't close like regular doors, they just pull together, so we tie a piece of ribbon to close off the doors and he can't get out. Back he went into the PNP and I tied the door closed and went back to hang out on our deck with Sue. A few more minutes went by and I decided to check on him again. Given the recent events, I didn't expect him to be in the middle of the living room but there he was.... totally naked. I'm guessing this is what happened. He climbed out of the PNP, managed to pull open the doors and came out, turned the TV on, took off his semi-wet diaper, threw it in the trash can and proceeded to pee on our kitchen floor.
We laughed so hard. He was so obviously proud of himself and so happy to be naked. How do you punish or even discipline that? Well, you don't. You laugh until you cry and give up. The kid doesn't want to nap and now that he knows how to get out of the PNP, he isn't going to stay there.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Burgers and Hot Dogs and Heartburn... Oh My!
Doesn't she look so patriotic? I loved that little flag we were carrying around. After a few hours of eating to our hearts content, laying around and enjoying each others company, it was time to put the kiddo's down to sleep. We gave the kids a bath (which I have a hilarious picture of but won't post) and Super cried the whole time and then we put them to bed. Then it was time to be adults! After my 1 1/2 beers, sitting back and girl talking with Karen while the boys played video games, I was drunk and giggly and too impaired to drive home. Thank goodness video games keep you sober and Grout Daddy was able to collect his family and drive us all home. It was a Happy 4th.
The next day was happy too! Izzy was baptized and while I was not there, I heard the event was quite unforgettable. So we were back at Karen and Joe's, enjoying another cookout with even more awesome food to chow down on. I got to meet a friend of theirs that is just delightful. April is energetic, bouncy and a lot of fun to be around. Her boyfriend was a nice guy but we didn't get a chance to talk too much with everyone else talking at the same time. They are good people though and although they both live far away, I hope I'm invited the next time they come to visit.
I also hope we didn't scare those two away from marriage. We all let our claws show a bit but in a very funny way. However, everything I said was true but with a positive spin instead of a negative connotation like we portrayed. Anyone can tell that me and Grout Daddy are still crazy about each other. We left a bit early so they could all catch up since they don't see each other very often. The family all needed a chance to recover a bit and had a quiet evening together at home. Plus, I got to kick Grout Guy and Mistress Josh's butts at Scrabble. I love that G-Daddy calls me Kobe when we play. They'll get some pretty good words but I've been playing a long time and I know a lot of the little things that get you a ton of points for very few letters. The way I see it he NEVER lets me win at anything, heck, he never allows me the room to even let me think I'm winning so why should I do the same in return when we play this one game? I don't. Either get better or be prepared to be beaten by 100 points. What was it that I heard when I was learning how to play pool? Oh yeah, when you actually beat me for real, you'll feel a satisfaction that is 10x better than if I let you win. Eat your words, Danny!
Friday, July 4, 2008
There is No Rest When you're a Mom
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Locking the Doors
The living room didn't get too much damage but everything you see was dragged out of our room or the laundry room or a cabinet of some kind.
Ok, I know G-Daddy isn't going to be happy with his sleeping picture being posted but I had to laugh because there is a maple syrup bottle in bed with him. I guess between the oatmeal and the syrup, someone was just really hungry and wanted his waffles!
To top it off, while I was taking pictures and getting the house back into order, he grabbed a pen from my purse contents that were strewn about and tried to color the TV. At that point, all one can do is laugh. Getting angry with a toddler that was up way too early and was bored is too much energy to waste when all of this needed to be cleaned, we had to get dressed and out the door so I could make it to Karen's and my CE (continuing education) class. Yeah, I missed my shower that morning.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Super is getting at an age where we're starting to think about potty training. Mostly because he HATES a poopy diaper on him. He'll run around and climb up and down and destroy everything but when he unloads, he walks right over to me, says "Ewwww", lies down and waits for me to get a fresh diaper to change him. He won't move or squirm like he does when I just change wet pants. The "ewwww" is apparently from his father. I guess that when G-Daddy changes him he looks at what his son has created out of food, says "ewwww" and Super has picked it up. It's nice that I no longer have to rely on my nose to tell if there has been a bowel movement (and I'm really glad he isn't sitting in it) but I'm really tired of him tugging on my pants at all the wrong times and tell me "ewwww". I mostly get it at the pool while he's in his less-than-stellar water diapers that are a pain to tear off. Oh, and I always forget to bring wipes so I'm stuck trying to rinse him off in the sinks before trying to wrestle a wet toddler into a dry diaper.
I'm a little worried about the whole pooping shame. I've heard that if you make a kid feel bad about pooing, they'll hold it in and it can result in long term intestinal problems. It doesn't appear to have a negative effect on the boy though. He probably thinks that "ewww" means poopy. I'm much happier hearing "ewww" than, "Mommy! I poops a LOT!" like I did out of the mouth of a little girl in the grocery store a few weeks ago who had a rather embarrassed mother until I managed to stop laughing. After a brief sharing of information that I had a boy a year younger than her little girl, she told me a few more charming stories after using the book Everybody Poops. Big Sis told me about this book too and I'm curious enough to check it out of the library the next time we go. She also mentioned there was a book that could help you potty train your toddler in 4 hours with minimal accidents. I doubt Super is even interested but 4 hours is nothing in the grand scheme of things and if it doesn't work, I'm not in a position that is any better than where I began.
It stinks (ha ha pun) that this is what my blog is about but that is the adventure of raising children and I'm sick of even thinking about real estate. I am really excited about the business that me and Karen are going to start up. It's slow going now because both of us have full schedules with her starting school but in the long run, I'm really looking forward to sharing something like this with an amazing woman like her. I don't think I could find someone else so real, trustworthy and hardworking who has good ethics and doesn't put up with BS. Now I'm off to find a dress to wear to a bridal shower I'm attending in a few weeks at The Four Seasons. What does one wear to high tea?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
20 Months
My problem now is that I keep getting this feeling that my family is missing someone. I know so many other mothers in the world have felt this so I know I'm not going crazy. I was packing up Super to go out and kept looking around, like I was missing something, when I finally realized I was looking for a baby that wasn't here yet. I think our time is coming. I'm at a healthy weight and frame of mind, our careers are picking up, Super is getting at an age that he needs a sibling and I want another tiny bundle, even if it's just for a short while. I've loved watching our son grow up and as crazy as he makes me, I love every second of his existence.
I know it'll happen when the time is right. Super is a prime example that something doesn't always happen when it's "supposed" to but there are no mistakes in God's world and I hope to be blessed with more healthy children.