Jonas is keeping us all hopping and busy. It's amazing to see what new things he learns every day. His manual dexterity continues to improve, and he is busy learning how to hammer, and place shapes into the correct spot. He also knows how to "drive" a car on the floor, and can steer his tricycle / big wheel and honk the squeezable horn on it. When he wakes up in the morning, he hits the ground running. I'm not kidding. He typically won't walk anywhere. Why would he, when he can run instead? He still loves to dig in the plant dirt, and scatter the rocks. I'm about ready to find a new home for all of my house plants. He continues to be a super-picky eater. He and I both seem to live on toast at the moment.
He loves to chatter, and seems to talk in full sentences. We still can't understand most of what he says, though. But every one in awhile, he'll come out with something very clear. Ed is proud to tell the story of Jonas crying out one morning, "I want Dad!" He also seems to ask often, "What's this?" He uses his pointer finger often, especially when we read him books, and will also point at the light and say "light." He loves music, and will dance when inspired by a good song. Lately, he's been watching the "They Might Be Giants" ABC video, and seems totally enthralled by Sesame Street.
His "randomizer" tendencies also continue. According to Jonas’ logic,
• Tape measures are placed in the baking pan cabinet
• Cookie cutters go in the watering can
• Cookie cutters can be worn as bracelets
• I-pods are stored in the diaper champ (yes, I no longer have mine)
• Refrigerator magnets go in the dishwasher
• clothes hangers belong in the shower
• toothbrushes belong in the washing machine (yes, I've washed a few)
Exhibit A: a recent conversation after I returned from the grocery store.
Ed: Shelly, where are the carrots I asked you to buy?
Shelly: Aren't they in the bag?
Ed: No.
Shelly: Well, check the car. Maybe they fell out.
Ed: No, they're not there either.
Shelly: What does the receipt say?
Ed: Looks like you paid for them. Those baggers at HyVee suck. You really
have to watch them.
Shelly: Yeah right - with a squirming, impatient toddler?
Ed: I'm just sayin'! I'll be right back. I'm going back to the grocery for
carrots.
3 hours later.....
Shelly: Hey! Look what I found! Carrots! Why are they in the corner of the dining room?
Ed: Great. Thanks Jonas!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Antics
From 10/8/09
Jonas is still such a joy to us. Even though he's almost a year and a half old, I still find myself gazing at him in amazement when he sleeps, plays, eats, or any other activity! Sick, I know.
This morning, he did something different with his breakfast. He's a picky eater, but has been eating more lately, which makes me quite happy. After he finished with his pancakes, bacon, and bananas, he systematically piled each un-eaten morsel of food into the cup holder of his high chair. The other cup holder held his sippee, which is normal. I think he's trying to tell me he's done. Message received dear boy! Anything to keep you from throwing your breakfast onto the floor!
He continues to prefer to run from place to place rather than walk. He seems to fall less often, and hasn't bruised or injured his faced recently (knocking on wood). We are trying to institute good habits as part of our routine, like brushing teeth in the a.m. and p.m., reading books before bedtime, etc.
Jonas now attends Parents Day Out twice a week for 5 1/2 hours at a time, and a short daycare scenario at church for 2 hours. I'm actually on site, down the hall from him at the latter, which I enjoy because I get to peek in on him, which I do, often. I still agonize about leaving him. He starts to whimper and whine we he figures out what's up. And he always cries when I walk out, but I'm told this only lasts for a few minutes. His PDO teacher, Miss Jan, told me yesterday that he was voted "Most Imrpoved" in his class at Leawood Baptist.
Yes, we church hop. PDO is at Leawood Baptist, and the daycare deal is at The Village Presbyterian. Neither of these are the church we attend. The poor child is likely quite confused. He goes to 3 different churches every week! I hope I'm not scarring him for future religious confusion!
He still doesn't sleep through the night, but is easily soothed by his Papa who talks to him, and rubs his back. He still goes down with a bottle, and I'm trying to figure out how to phase that out. When he sees that bottle, it's like Nirvana for him. His eyes glaze as he raises his arms for it, and purses his lip into a perfect "O" of preparation for the nipple. I'm probably creating an oral fixation that will lead to cigarette smoking habit. He'll curse me on his death bed as he dies from lung cancer.
Good God! Can you believe I really have these thoughts?
Jonas is still such a joy to us. Even though he's almost a year and a half old, I still find myself gazing at him in amazement when he sleeps, plays, eats, or any other activity! Sick, I know.
This morning, he did something different with his breakfast. He's a picky eater, but has been eating more lately, which makes me quite happy. After he finished with his pancakes, bacon, and bananas, he systematically piled each un-eaten morsel of food into the cup holder of his high chair. The other cup holder held his sippee, which is normal. I think he's trying to tell me he's done. Message received dear boy! Anything to keep you from throwing your breakfast onto the floor!
He continues to prefer to run from place to place rather than walk. He seems to fall less often, and hasn't bruised or injured his faced recently (knocking on wood). We are trying to institute good habits as part of our routine, like brushing teeth in the a.m. and p.m., reading books before bedtime, etc.
Jonas now attends Parents Day Out twice a week for 5 1/2 hours at a time, and a short daycare scenario at church for 2 hours. I'm actually on site, down the hall from him at the latter, which I enjoy because I get to peek in on him, which I do, often. I still agonize about leaving him. He starts to whimper and whine we he figures out what's up. And he always cries when I walk out, but I'm told this only lasts for a few minutes. His PDO teacher, Miss Jan, told me yesterday that he was voted "Most Imrpoved" in his class at Leawood Baptist.
Yes, we church hop. PDO is at Leawood Baptist, and the daycare deal is at The Village Presbyterian. Neither of these are the church we attend. The poor child is likely quite confused. He goes to 3 different churches every week! I hope I'm not scarring him for future religious confusion!
He still doesn't sleep through the night, but is easily soothed by his Papa who talks to him, and rubs his back. He still goes down with a bottle, and I'm trying to figure out how to phase that out. When he sees that bottle, it's like Nirvana for him. His eyes glaze as he raises his arms for it, and purses his lip into a perfect "O" of preparation for the nipple. I'm probably creating an oral fixation that will lead to cigarette smoking habit. He'll curse me on his death bed as he dies from lung cancer.
Good God! Can you believe I really have these thoughts?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Random Thought on Acronyms
PDA
What do these letters means to you?
When I was in high school, they meant "public display of affection" - i.e. kissing or holding hands. If you were fast and racy, you might engage in PDA.
Well into my career, PDA morphed to "Personal Data Accessory" - I started with the Palm IIe, moved on to the phone / PDA combo (Palm Flip and Moto Q) and am currently shopping for new options as Jonas managed to tear part of the face off of the Q.
Recently, PDA on my calendar now means "Parents Day Out" - formerly known at MDO - Mother's Day Out, this new PC version encompasses BOTH potential parents and/or genders. Jonas is not overly fond of PDA, and I'm trying it out as a way to wean me from him and vice versa. He needs a little playtime with others. And frankly, so do I. But it breaks my heart when he cries and acts like he's dying when I leave. So lately, I've been going to PDA too, and hanging out with the teachers who really don't know what to do with me. But I'm stubborn, and want to help him transition. It's only been one week, and I promised myself not to keep this up beyond week 3. He's there 2 days a week for about 5 hours each time, and I only stay for the 1st hour. Oh, and yeah, I usually show up early to pick him up. And I miss him so much!
Funny how some things stay the same in life, but really aren't the same at all.
**********************************************************************************
POSTSCRIPT: About 6 hours after I wrote this post (at 4:00 a.m. in the morning), my eyes popped open. Parents' Day Out is PDOhhhhhhh! Is this pregnancy brain or just sheer ditziness? I've been marking PDA on my calendar. So sad.
What do these letters means to you?
When I was in high school, they meant "public display of affection" - i.e. kissing or holding hands. If you were fast and racy, you might engage in PDA.
Well into my career, PDA morphed to "Personal Data Accessory" - I started with the Palm IIe, moved on to the phone / PDA combo (Palm Flip and Moto Q) and am currently shopping for new options as Jonas managed to tear part of the face off of the Q.
Recently, PDA on my calendar now means "Parents Day Out" - formerly known at MDO - Mother's Day Out, this new PC version encompasses BOTH potential parents and/or genders. Jonas is not overly fond of PDA, and I'm trying it out as a way to wean me from him and vice versa. He needs a little playtime with others. And frankly, so do I. But it breaks my heart when he cries and acts like he's dying when I leave. So lately, I've been going to PDA too, and hanging out with the teachers who really don't know what to do with me. But I'm stubborn, and want to help him transition. It's only been one week, and I promised myself not to keep this up beyond week 3. He's there 2 days a week for about 5 hours each time, and I only stay for the 1st hour. Oh, and yeah, I usually show up early to pick him up. And I miss him so much!
Funny how some things stay the same in life, but really aren't the same at all.
**********************************************************************************
POSTSCRIPT: About 6 hours after I wrote this post (at 4:00 a.m. in the morning), my eyes popped open. Parents' Day Out is PDOhhhhhhh! Is this pregnancy brain or just sheer ditziness? I've been marking PDA on my calendar. So sad.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Needle Time
From 9/15/2009
Highlights of our trip to San Francisco for IVF with the entourage (Jonas, Ed, Me, my mother, his mother, his sister, his brother-in-law, lots of drugs, tons of toys and toddler equipment, car seats, strollers, and oh yeah, luggage):
Highlights of our trip to San Francisco for IVF with the entourage (Jonas, Ed, Me, my mother, his mother, his sister, his brother-in-law, lots of drugs, tons of toys and toddler equipment, car seats, strollers, and oh yeah, luggage):
- My mother telling me that if she dies before her dog, have the dog euthanized and buried (cremated) with her.
- Hearing my mother-in-law laugh in utter joy with Jonas
- Jonas shattering the screen on the GPS when we’re knee deep in wine country, 70 miles from SF
- Jonas shopping at Justice – an all girl clothing shop in the mall; we watched him wander in and pick out silver sparkle ballet flats. He has a shoe fetish for sure.
- Jonas ignoring all of the fun climbing and tunnel scultptures in favor of selecting shoes from the shoe cubby at the mall playground.
I would have blogged more, but I don't think I was feeling well.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Papa's blog
I should have done it long ago, but I have some time now, so I guess Papa (Dad?) will blog a little bit. If you just read Shelly's last blog, you know that we are all here in San Fran. Normally, I'm at work all day and don't have the opportunity to spend gobs of time with Jonas like I've been able to do here.
One things for sure, Shelly & I have different parenting styles. The things that each of us will let him explore are different, and the things that we won't let him explore (danger!) are different. Sometimes the things that Shelly allows freak me out, and I'll admit, I am quick to admonish Shelly. I guess the shoes on the other fit, but enough about me....
Jonas is really developing well. He seems to have a new trick everyday now. Once a day, I find myself saying 'he wasn't doing that yesterday'. Between communication and motion he does quite well. He makes a lot of noise right now, but he isn't saying too much. The strange thing is that I've heard a lot of different words from him over the past 3-4 months, but he seems to say them once and then he's done. Almost like he's tried it out, proved that he can do it, and he's holding out until he's got it all put together. Even so, he makes a lot of noise, and it's pretty clear that he is working on consonants. We will see soon.
He's taken a liking to riding on my shoulders. Of course, that means I can't see him when everyone else can. Everyone says that he's smiling and happy when he's up there, but I have little proof other than some photos. He might just be smiling for the photos.
His ability to move around has gotten a lot better. He now runs everywhere and can get away pretty easily. He pushes this boundary pretty well. When you are trying to block him, he scans back and forth knowing that you don't want to knock him over. Next thing you know, he's found a hole and he's off. These skills may prove valuable in soccer or hockey.
I know when we get back to KC, we are going to have to re-baby-proof the house. So much that he couldn't get to before, he's going to climb to. I may have to figure out a way to bolt down the TV.
More later...
Ed
One things for sure, Shelly & I have different parenting styles. The things that each of us will let him explore are different, and the things that we won't let him explore (danger!) are different. Sometimes the things that Shelly allows freak me out, and I'll admit, I am quick to admonish Shelly. I guess the shoes on the other fit, but enough about me....
Jonas is really developing well. He seems to have a new trick everyday now. Once a day, I find myself saying 'he wasn't doing that yesterday'. Between communication and motion he does quite well. He makes a lot of noise right now, but he isn't saying too much. The strange thing is that I've heard a lot of different words from him over the past 3-4 months, but he seems to say them once and then he's done. Almost like he's tried it out, proved that he can do it, and he's holding out until he's got it all put together. Even so, he makes a lot of noise, and it's pretty clear that he is working on consonants. We will see soon.
He's taken a liking to riding on my shoulders. Of course, that means I can't see him when everyone else can. Everyone says that he's smiling and happy when he's up there, but I have little proof other than some photos. He might just be smiling for the photos.
His ability to move around has gotten a lot better. He now runs everywhere and can get away pretty easily. He pushes this boundary pretty well. When you are trying to block him, he scans back and forth knowing that you don't want to knock him over. Next thing you know, he's found a hole and he's off. These skills may prove valuable in soccer or hockey.
I know when we get back to KC, we are going to have to re-baby-proof the house. So much that he couldn't get to before, he's going to climb to. I may have to figure out a way to bolt down the TV.
More later...
Ed
Developmental Leaps
I can't believe how Jonas has grown in the past two weeks. We've been in San Francisco with him, living in a hotel suite with my mom. Mother-in-law joined us halfway through, and he's been bathed in love and attention. I'm sure he will be a spoiled pain in the butt when we get home, but for now, we are enjoying him immensely.
All day long, I witness him doing something new or unique, and think to myself, "I can't wait to blog about that!" And when blog time finally rolls around (after mealtime, bath time, bedtime story, etc.), I'm mentally empty. But I'll try to remember something!
Tonight, as I was reading him a bedtime book, he identified the cat on the page, calling it "at" repeatedly. He also selects the books he wants me to read him, though he's done this for months. Tonight, he decided to read one on his own while I was in the middle of reading one to him. It was funny to see him pick it up, lean back on the pillow, and flip through it on his own.
He's also indicating that he really understands the world when we talk to him. When he hears "go bye bye," he heads to the door or gets in the stroller. He brings my mother her hat when we wants to go out. And he LOVES going out. Even though this is a 3-room suite, I think it must get to feel like prison to him, he is so eager to go out.
In our weeks here, we have developed some rituals. He sleeps with Noni, and when he wakes, she puts on the Zydeco CD, and they dance. Then, he runs into our room to wake us. We put on his shoes, and head down to breakfast. He runs around the lobby, checking everything out while we get coffee and food. Then, he sits and eats Fruit Loops, waffles, sausage, but not much else. He's still a picky eater. After about 10 minutes, he begins to buck the highchair, and screech. We capitulate, and let him loose. He runs for the stairs, and one of the grandmothers will monitor him going up and down. Then, he heads to the business center to watch a little pbskids.org, especially the Dinosaur Train trailer. It's hard to pull him away. He LOVES computers, and often climbs up on the desk to get at the keyboard.
Speaking of climbing, he's like a little monkey. And he loves to push buttons, including the ones on the TV and DVD players. His favorite toys right now are balls (any kind or size) and little cars. When we eat in restaurants, we break out a little dinosaur who likes to help him eat his food and drink his juice. He likes to mimic what we do with the dinosaur.
And he loves to drive the car. When let loose, he will rush the front seat, and dive into the driver's side to start turning the wheel. Again, he mimics what he's seen us do, so he turns up the radio (leaving it quite loud) and flips on the signal and wipers. I'm embarrassed to admit that I encouraged this as good entertainment during a particularly difficult day in Sonoma Wine Country (who thought that would be a toddler friendly activity?!!) He ended up pulling down the GPS and shattering its face on the gear shift. This was a rental (car and GPS) and we were 70 miles from our hotel with no idea how to get back home. Thanks Jonas! He also broke a few objects in the wine shops, some of which we had to pay for.
There have also been some interesting developments on the "potty" line. He seems to have become quite a little guerrilla pee-er. I used to take off his diaper without much worry of a surprise pee, but no longer. In the time we've been here, he's peed in or right outside the bathtub at least 3x, plus on bed dust ruffle (I hope they wash those!), his father's fleece pullover (during a trunk diaper change), his grandmother's hand-quilted, silk-lined jacket, and his father's ankle. He's also had some bathtub poopies, for which he seemed embarrassed. He goes behind a chair to do number 2, and seems to prefer a quick diaper change, and this wasn't an issue in the past. Maybe it's time to think about potty training? I know it's a long process. I'd better find a book, or some good advice, about where to begin.
He's also had his first official haircut; don't worry, we have video. It's a horrible cut - too short, and not even. But I can't blame the stylist. He just wouldn't stop moving. We should probably try to fix it while he's sleeping.
All day long, I witness him doing something new or unique, and think to myself, "I can't wait to blog about that!" And when blog time finally rolls around (after mealtime, bath time, bedtime story, etc.), I'm mentally empty. But I'll try to remember something!
Tonight, as I was reading him a bedtime book, he identified the cat on the page, calling it "at" repeatedly. He also selects the books he wants me to read him, though he's done this for months. Tonight, he decided to read one on his own while I was in the middle of reading one to him. It was funny to see him pick it up, lean back on the pillow, and flip through it on his own.
He's also indicating that he really understands the world when we talk to him. When he hears "go bye bye," he heads to the door or gets in the stroller. He brings my mother her hat when we wants to go out. And he LOVES going out. Even though this is a 3-room suite, I think it must get to feel like prison to him, he is so eager to go out.
In our weeks here, we have developed some rituals. He sleeps with Noni, and when he wakes, she puts on the Zydeco CD, and they dance. Then, he runs into our room to wake us. We put on his shoes, and head down to breakfast. He runs around the lobby, checking everything out while we get coffee and food. Then, he sits and eats Fruit Loops, waffles, sausage, but not much else. He's still a picky eater. After about 10 minutes, he begins to buck the highchair, and screech. We capitulate, and let him loose. He runs for the stairs, and one of the grandmothers will monitor him going up and down. Then, he heads to the business center to watch a little pbskids.org, especially the Dinosaur Train trailer. It's hard to pull him away. He LOVES computers, and often climbs up on the desk to get at the keyboard.
Speaking of climbing, he's like a little monkey. And he loves to push buttons, including the ones on the TV and DVD players. His favorite toys right now are balls (any kind or size) and little cars. When we eat in restaurants, we break out a little dinosaur who likes to help him eat his food and drink his juice. He likes to mimic what we do with the dinosaur.
And he loves to drive the car. When let loose, he will rush the front seat, and dive into the driver's side to start turning the wheel. Again, he mimics what he's seen us do, so he turns up the radio (leaving it quite loud) and flips on the signal and wipers. I'm embarrassed to admit that I encouraged this as good entertainment during a particularly difficult day in Sonoma Wine Country (who thought that would be a toddler friendly activity?!!) He ended up pulling down the GPS and shattering its face on the gear shift. This was a rental (car and GPS) and we were 70 miles from our hotel with no idea how to get back home. Thanks Jonas! He also broke a few objects in the wine shops, some of which we had to pay for.
There have also been some interesting developments on the "potty" line. He seems to have become quite a little guerrilla pee-er. I used to take off his diaper without much worry of a surprise pee, but no longer. In the time we've been here, he's peed in or right outside the bathtub at least 3x, plus on bed dust ruffle (I hope they wash those!), his father's fleece pullover (during a trunk diaper change), his grandmother's hand-quilted, silk-lined jacket, and his father's ankle. He's also had some bathtub poopies, for which he seemed embarrassed. He goes behind a chair to do number 2, and seems to prefer a quick diaper change, and this wasn't an issue in the past. Maybe it's time to think about potty training? I know it's a long process. I'd better find a book, or some good advice, about where to begin.
He's also had his first official haircut; don't worry, we have video. It's a horrible cut - too short, and not even. But I can't blame the stylist. He just wouldn't stop moving. We should probably try to fix it while he's sleeping.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Girl Next Door
Jonas has been doing some adorable things lately, and I just don't want to forget to share them. There is such wonder in seeing him learn the way of the world, and such joy in seeing him thrive.
At 16 months, he prefers to run, not walk. This can often cause a tumble, from which he no longer routinely cries. He remains a picky eater, avoiding most meats products, with the exception of crispy pepperoni from a fresh pizza. He turns his nose up at most proteins, including eggs. Like his mother, he could exist on carbs alone. But we experienced a significant breakthrough last week. Those "Lil Smokey Sausages" - remember those? My mother used to buy them directly from the butcher at Veron's in Lafayette. The butcher always gave her a few extra for us to eat right there in the store. As a kid, I rejected ground beef, tomatoes (including tomato sauce), sausages, and most veggies and fruit, but I ate these little sausages. So I thought, "What have you got to lose?" If he doesn't eat them, I will.
And he ate them! It's not like he's wolfing them down. He'll eat one, maybe two if I'm lucky. But it's a start.
He's getting more comfortable with his nightly bath, but can't stand to get his face wet. And he's fallen in love with our next door neighbor, Charlotte. Tall for her age (4), with pretty light brown hair parted on the side, peaches and cream skin, and a precious little girl voice, Charlotte is the epitome of feminine. I'm not sure why, but she loves being around Jonas. I think it might have something to do with a bill of goods I sold her one night while babysitting her. I told her that Jonas needed her to each him how to play. She took that bit of malarkey and has been running with it ever since. So, when they're together, Charlotte is very attentive to Jonas. And what boy wouldn't love that?
So, when Charlotte comes over to play, and Jonas sees her through the glass storm door, he begins to scream and hop around with excitement. Then she starts doing the same thing. It's a true joy to watch this. They play so well together, except for the fact that Jonas doesn't like to hold hands while dancing.
And speaking of dancing, my son is such a white boy. White and nerdy to be exact. How did Weird Al Yankovic's DNA get into my son? His first version of dancing was to stick out his right elbow and move it up and down like some kind of gimpy version of the chicken dance. It's downright hilarious. Unfortunately, my laughter makes him think he's really terrific at dancing. I dread the day when someone will burst that bubble for him.
He's also into mimicking things. When I cough or clear my throat, he does the same thing. Ed says that he is mocking me, but I disagree. I treasure these days of simple mimic; the mocking is teenage material, and I have a while yet before worrying about that.
The realm of reading has finally opened up for us. Jonas will pick up his favorite books and bring them to us for reading. I think I've read him "Brown Bear" about 200 times. I know the order and color of all of the animals. And we got the "Polar Bear" version. We are still on board books, as he likes to rip pages out of regular books. And crayons - he's just discovering those. They still get chewed a bit, but he knows he can write with them too. Chalk seems to be a preferred writing tool right now; he has a small chalk board in his playroom.
At the moment, his favorite toys are the musical ones - those to which he can dance that gimpy chicken dance. He has a "karaoke" Back Yardigans thingee, complete with microphone. It's such a cool toy; there are 5 types of music on it, including ska, zydeco, rock, disco, and salsa.
Since he imitates me talking on the phone, we got him a play cell phone, which he loves, especially since you can push the buttons on it. Personally, I think he likes it because the little girl who "answers" the phone sounds like Charlotte.
Some other mentionables - he can climb and descend the stairs, but this still makes me quite nervous. He is in love with his bottle (especially at bedtime) and I am horrified of the day we must confront this. He loves to go outside, and will bring me his shoes to let me know it's time to do so. He loves to watch other children, is not shy, but also is not overly aggressive. He jabbers quite a bit, but we still don't understand most of what he says. Charlotte, however, is quite confident that she does. Sometimes, she even tries to translate.
He's still throwing food off of his tray when he eats, and shakes his head "no" when he doesn't want something. We often hear shrieks of frustration when he can't get what we wants. I'm dreading the day when these become full-blown temper tantrums. Another precursor to those future days - he will occasionally try to buck himself out of the stroller or car seat.
Why didn't I realize that I had it so easy 6, 8, 10 months ago? Oh, but I still wouldn't trade anything for this phase of his development. We are exhausted, and sometimes frustrated, but it's still a great ride. And we are having so much fun with him. He is our little treasure. We still look at him with awe and adoration. We just can't let him know that - at least, not yet!
At 16 months, he prefers to run, not walk. This can often cause a tumble, from which he no longer routinely cries. He remains a picky eater, avoiding most meats products, with the exception of crispy pepperoni from a fresh pizza. He turns his nose up at most proteins, including eggs. Like his mother, he could exist on carbs alone. But we experienced a significant breakthrough last week. Those "Lil Smokey Sausages" - remember those? My mother used to buy them directly from the butcher at Veron's in Lafayette. The butcher always gave her a few extra for us to eat right there in the store. As a kid, I rejected ground beef, tomatoes (including tomato sauce), sausages, and most veggies and fruit, but I ate these little sausages. So I thought, "What have you got to lose?" If he doesn't eat them, I will.
And he ate them! It's not like he's wolfing them down. He'll eat one, maybe two if I'm lucky. But it's a start.
He's getting more comfortable with his nightly bath, but can't stand to get his face wet. And he's fallen in love with our next door neighbor, Charlotte. Tall for her age (4), with pretty light brown hair parted on the side, peaches and cream skin, and a precious little girl voice, Charlotte is the epitome of feminine. I'm not sure why, but she loves being around Jonas. I think it might have something to do with a bill of goods I sold her one night while babysitting her. I told her that Jonas needed her to each him how to play. She took that bit of malarkey and has been running with it ever since. So, when they're together, Charlotte is very attentive to Jonas. And what boy wouldn't love that?
So, when Charlotte comes over to play, and Jonas sees her through the glass storm door, he begins to scream and hop around with excitement. Then she starts doing the same thing. It's a true joy to watch this. They play so well together, except for the fact that Jonas doesn't like to hold hands while dancing.
And speaking of dancing, my son is such a white boy. White and nerdy to be exact. How did Weird Al Yankovic's DNA get into my son? His first version of dancing was to stick out his right elbow and move it up and down like some kind of gimpy version of the chicken dance. It's downright hilarious. Unfortunately, my laughter makes him think he's really terrific at dancing. I dread the day when someone will burst that bubble for him.
He's also into mimicking things. When I cough or clear my throat, he does the same thing. Ed says that he is mocking me, but I disagree. I treasure these days of simple mimic; the mocking is teenage material, and I have a while yet before worrying about that.
The realm of reading has finally opened up for us. Jonas will pick up his favorite books and bring them to us for reading. I think I've read him "Brown Bear" about 200 times. I know the order and color of all of the animals. And we got the "Polar Bear" version. We are still on board books, as he likes to rip pages out of regular books. And crayons - he's just discovering those. They still get chewed a bit, but he knows he can write with them too. Chalk seems to be a preferred writing tool right now; he has a small chalk board in his playroom.
At the moment, his favorite toys are the musical ones - those to which he can dance that gimpy chicken dance. He has a "karaoke" Back Yardigans thingee, complete with microphone. It's such a cool toy; there are 5 types of music on it, including ska, zydeco, rock, disco, and salsa.
Since he imitates me talking on the phone, we got him a play cell phone, which he loves, especially since you can push the buttons on it. Personally, I think he likes it because the little girl who "answers" the phone sounds like Charlotte.
Some other mentionables - he can climb and descend the stairs, but this still makes me quite nervous. He is in love with his bottle (especially at bedtime) and I am horrified of the day we must confront this. He loves to go outside, and will bring me his shoes to let me know it's time to do so. He loves to watch other children, is not shy, but also is not overly aggressive. He jabbers quite a bit, but we still don't understand most of what he says. Charlotte, however, is quite confident that she does. Sometimes, she even tries to translate.
He's still throwing food off of his tray when he eats, and shakes his head "no" when he doesn't want something. We often hear shrieks of frustration when he can't get what we wants. I'm dreading the day when these become full-blown temper tantrums. Another precursor to those future days - he will occasionally try to buck himself out of the stroller or car seat.
Why didn't I realize that I had it so easy 6, 8, 10 months ago? Oh, but I still wouldn't trade anything for this phase of his development. We are exhausted, and sometimes frustrated, but it's still a great ride. And we are having so much fun with him. He is our little treasure. We still look at him with awe and adoration. We just can't let him know that - at least, not yet!
Monday, July 27, 2009
A brief update...
Jonas is sleeping right now, and he's due to wake-up any moment, so I hope to get everything down. Otherwise, this post will be in the "saved" rather than "published" column for weeks before anyone sees it!
A housekeeping note: I've begun to blog again at practicingpatience as we're going to try another round of IVF.
Back to the j-boy. He is so precious, and brings us so much joy. Although it sounds trite, I love to hear the pitter patter of his feet as he runs around the house. Yes, he's running now. And tripping. And falling. All of that good stuff that makes your heart hurt.
Lately, he's begun to dance, and boy it's funky. He is such a white boy. Basically, he bends his knees while simultaneously lifting one elbow up and down. I think he's trying to move his shoulders but hasn't quite figured out how yet. He has a few favorite toys, including two books, that play horrible sounding tinny music.
And speaking of books, he has several non-musical favorites, including Brown Bear, What Color is Your Underwear?, and Peekaboo Bath time. He especially loves any books with moving parts.
He is a picky eater, and will throw blueberries and other assorted rejected foods directly onto the floor. He does this with a great scream and decisive movements. Some of the food he does like - mashed banana with cinnamon sugar (Ed pointed out that this is basically a banana's foster, which is my favorite dessert) or almond butter, baked beans, guacamole, toast, and juice. He will snack on Annie's chocolate bunnies or gold fish, and also likes veggie straws, graham crackers, and all other junk food. Sometimes he likes to munch on apples. He'll occasionally eat beets, green beans, and apples. He is not fond of meat yet, except for pepperoni directly off of a pizza.
Yes, we are indulgent parents, but I'm sure that's already been apparent in our postings.
Looks like my time is up!!!
A housekeeping note: I've begun to blog again at practicingpatience as we're going to try another round of IVF.
Back to the j-boy. He is so precious, and brings us so much joy. Although it sounds trite, I love to hear the pitter patter of his feet as he runs around the house. Yes, he's running now. And tripping. And falling. All of that good stuff that makes your heart hurt.
Lately, he's begun to dance, and boy it's funky. He is such a white boy. Basically, he bends his knees while simultaneously lifting one elbow up and down. I think he's trying to move his shoulders but hasn't quite figured out how yet. He has a few favorite toys, including two books, that play horrible sounding tinny music.
And speaking of books, he has several non-musical favorites, including Brown Bear, What Color is Your Underwear?, and Peekaboo Bath time. He especially loves any books with moving parts.
He is a picky eater, and will throw blueberries and other assorted rejected foods directly onto the floor. He does this with a great scream and decisive movements. Some of the food he does like - mashed banana with cinnamon sugar (Ed pointed out that this is basically a banana's foster, which is my favorite dessert) or almond butter, baked beans, guacamole, toast, and juice. He will snack on Annie's chocolate bunnies or gold fish, and also likes veggie straws, graham crackers, and all other junk food. Sometimes he likes to munch on apples. He'll occasionally eat beets, green beans, and apples. He is not fond of meat yet, except for pepperoni directly off of a pizza.
Yes, we are indulgent parents, but I'm sure that's already been apparent in our postings.
Looks like my time is up!!!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
My thoughtful little helper
Jonas has become quite the asset here at home. Some of the helpful things he can now do.
He brings me the TV remote control. He throws it to me while I'm showering.
He helps me with the laundry by unfolding and throwing the folded clothes.
He helps me in the kitchen, by emptying the bottom two kitchen drawers onto the floor. He also loves to clean out the fridge by throwing items from the shelves to the floor.
He organizes clutter by moving things from room to room. I never thought about keeping maracas in the kitchen cabinet!
He helps me work out and burn calories by chasing him as he tries to climb the stairs. The panic that I feel when I find him halfway up is great for reaching my target heart rate.
I find myself thinking, "How did I ever manage without him?"
He brings me the TV remote control. He throws it to me while I'm showering.
He helps me with the laundry by unfolding and throwing the folded clothes.
He helps me in the kitchen, by emptying the bottom two kitchen drawers onto the floor. He also loves to clean out the fridge by throwing items from the shelves to the floor.
He organizes clutter by moving things from room to room. I never thought about keeping maracas in the kitchen cabinet!
He helps me work out and burn calories by chasing him as he tries to climb the stairs. The panic that I feel when I find him halfway up is great for reaching my target heart rate.
I find myself thinking, "How did I ever manage without him?"
Monday, May 25, 2009
1 year update
Wow - it's been over a month since my last post. Motherhood has been keeping me busy, but there are lots of fun new things that are a part of Jonas' life, so I must take time to report. Since it's so hard to get Jonas to entertain himself while I post, the info below rambles and is in no particular order. I'm lucky to spellcheck before posting!!!!
Shoes are his new plaything. He will go around the house picking up shoes and moving them. Sometimes just one; sometimes, it's the pair. It's funny enough when he has my shoes, but it's really a riot when he picks Ed's shoes. They are so big that they almost drag the floor. I can't imagine how he has the strength to carry those heavy size 12 loafers around. We went to 2 shoe stores today, and it was nirvana for him, especially the women's shoes. I'm proud to say that he picked out the sandals with the most bling - rinestones and all! Sadly, he was chewing on them.
Ed thinks that Jonas has begun to say "dad" whenever he picks him up. This is a big deal because it was one of those items on the developmental "test" that I fill out at the pediatrician's office. At the one-year well visit, the doc told me that most 12 month-olds can use the words "dada" and "mama" to refer to the parents. We are training Jonas to say "poppa" but this is much harder to pronounce.
He does this thing with his mouth - sucking on his top lip - unfortunate, since he barely has a top lip. He has the "Meyer" upper lip from his paternal grandmother's side of the family.
If I thought he was a loud child before, I've been corrected. He is NOW a loud child. When he's excited or frustrated by something, he screams a very high-pitched loud scream. When crawling under chairs or behind furniture, he will often get stuck. Watch out for those screams. He sounds enraged and fearful all at the same time. And he's just beginning to show a temper. When you take something away from him that had entranced him (but was maybe not something he should be chewing, like the old batteries I had just finished changing out of a toy), he will scream in outrage. As of now, these outbursts are short lived.
He can also scream when he wants something, like juice. We don't let him hang on to his cup while in the highchair because he will just use it to smear his food. It gets all greasy and food encrusted, and then he flings it onto the floor so that it spatters food particles on the wall and baseboards.
About eating - he's somewhat picky, but will usually try anything. Unless it's an ice cream bar or cake, he must put it in his own mouth. We've been giving him kiddie utensils, but these are still seen as toys and often end up on the floor. Some things that he's always happy to eat: olives, bread of any kind, french toast (no syrup yet), beans, cottage cheese, and anything sweet. He loves to suck on, and squeeze in his fists, tomatoes and orange slices.
His length is in the 50th percentile, but his weight is low, as is his head circumference. He's still breastfeeding, but I am trying to wean him. We have regressed with his nighttime sleeping habits - he is back in our bed. He loves to cuddle when he sleeps, and prefers to "snack" all night long. We are trying to re-orient him to sleeping in his room and crib slowly - for both naps and overnight. Everything we've heard about it getting harder as he ages is right. But I know it's still easier now than when he gets to be more independent and willful.
Shoes are his new plaything. He will go around the house picking up shoes and moving them. Sometimes just one; sometimes, it's the pair. It's funny enough when he has my shoes, but it's really a riot when he picks Ed's shoes. They are so big that they almost drag the floor. I can't imagine how he has the strength to carry those heavy size 12 loafers around. We went to 2 shoe stores today, and it was nirvana for him, especially the women's shoes. I'm proud to say that he picked out the sandals with the most bling - rinestones and all! Sadly, he was chewing on them.
Ed thinks that Jonas has begun to say "dad" whenever he picks him up. This is a big deal because it was one of those items on the developmental "test" that I fill out at the pediatrician's office. At the one-year well visit, the doc told me that most 12 month-olds can use the words "dada" and "mama" to refer to the parents. We are training Jonas to say "poppa" but this is much harder to pronounce.
He does this thing with his mouth - sucking on his top lip - unfortunate, since he barely has a top lip. He has the "Meyer" upper lip from his paternal grandmother's side of the family.
If I thought he was a loud child before, I've been corrected. He is NOW a loud child. When he's excited or frustrated by something, he screams a very high-pitched loud scream. When crawling under chairs or behind furniture, he will often get stuck. Watch out for those screams. He sounds enraged and fearful all at the same time. And he's just beginning to show a temper. When you take something away from him that had entranced him (but was maybe not something he should be chewing, like the old batteries I had just finished changing out of a toy), he will scream in outrage. As of now, these outbursts are short lived.
He can also scream when he wants something, like juice. We don't let him hang on to his cup while in the highchair because he will just use it to smear his food. It gets all greasy and food encrusted, and then he flings it onto the floor so that it spatters food particles on the wall and baseboards.
About eating - he's somewhat picky, but will usually try anything. Unless it's an ice cream bar or cake, he must put it in his own mouth. We've been giving him kiddie utensils, but these are still seen as toys and often end up on the floor. Some things that he's always happy to eat: olives, bread of any kind, french toast (no syrup yet), beans, cottage cheese, and anything sweet. He loves to suck on, and squeeze in his fists, tomatoes and orange slices.
His length is in the 50th percentile, but his weight is low, as is his head circumference. He's still breastfeeding, but I am trying to wean him. We have regressed with his nighttime sleeping habits - he is back in our bed. He loves to cuddle when he sleeps, and prefers to "snack" all night long. We are trying to re-orient him to sleeping in his room and crib slowly - for both naps and overnight. Everything we've heard about it getting harder as he ages is right. But I know it's still easier now than when he gets to be more independent and willful.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Almost walking!
Jonas can now walk up to 4 steps in a row. We're working on capturing this on video, but it hasn't happened yet. He seems to get more active each day, though he still naps in the morning and afternoon. He is such a happy child, and almost always wakes up smiling.
I've started to wean him, and this seems to have increased his appetite for table food. We don't buy or make baby food anymore. He eats whatever we eat. Tonight, he had polenta, cucumbers, mushrooms, and a chocolate covered strawberry. Boy does he love chocolate!
He's a superfast crawler, and constantly surprises me on how quickly he can make trouble. I've been moving a bit slowly since a laparoscopic surgery last Friday. It truly seems like he's realized this and taken advantage of the situation. For example: We were in the kitchen yesterday, and he was digging the fridge. I knew it, and was headed over to pull him out, when he dumped a full pitcher of juice. All over the inside of the fridge, under the fridge, in the door of the fridge, and on the floor. But none on him. Amazing. The floor is still a bit sticky in places.
Today, he managed to tumble into an empty bathtub so he could better reach his bath toys. While there, he sampled a bar of Dove soap, made a face, and kept playing. Later, he ate red chalk. I was relieved, because it first looked like he was bleeding. He has climbed halfway up the staircase at least 3 times in the past 2 days, and this really scares me, as they aren't carpeted, and are steep.
All of these things happened while my mom and I were watching him. She's here to help post surgery. He's too fast for the both of us.
A fun side benefit to having his Nani here (new spelling for Nonnie) is Scooter, her dog. The two of them play fast and furiously, battling over chew toys and Jonas' toothbrush (ew!). Even though Scooter weighs less than half of Jonas' bulk, he seems to win the tugging contests, pulling Jonas from a crawling position flat onto his stomach. It's fun to watch. They truly like each other, and we are pleased because they exhaust each other instead of exhausting us. Plus, Scooter likes to eat the food Jonas throws on the floor. In fact, Jonas seems to be feeding him at times. I'm just happy to have less mess at the end of the day.
I hope to put some new pictures up here, and on our flickr site, so stay tuned....
I've started to wean him, and this seems to have increased his appetite for table food. We don't buy or make baby food anymore. He eats whatever we eat. Tonight, he had polenta, cucumbers, mushrooms, and a chocolate covered strawberry. Boy does he love chocolate!
He's a superfast crawler, and constantly surprises me on how quickly he can make trouble. I've been moving a bit slowly since a laparoscopic surgery last Friday. It truly seems like he's realized this and taken advantage of the situation. For example: We were in the kitchen yesterday, and he was digging the fridge. I knew it, and was headed over to pull him out, when he dumped a full pitcher of juice. All over the inside of the fridge, under the fridge, in the door of the fridge, and on the floor. But none on him. Amazing. The floor is still a bit sticky in places.
Today, he managed to tumble into an empty bathtub so he could better reach his bath toys. While there, he sampled a bar of Dove soap, made a face, and kept playing. Later, he ate red chalk. I was relieved, because it first looked like he was bleeding. He has climbed halfway up the staircase at least 3 times in the past 2 days, and this really scares me, as they aren't carpeted, and are steep.
All of these things happened while my mom and I were watching him. She's here to help post surgery. He's too fast for the both of us.
A fun side benefit to having his Nani here (new spelling for Nonnie) is Scooter, her dog. The two of them play fast and furiously, battling over chew toys and Jonas' toothbrush (ew!). Even though Scooter weighs less than half of Jonas' bulk, he seems to win the tugging contests, pulling Jonas from a crawling position flat onto his stomach. It's fun to watch. They truly like each other, and we are pleased because they exhaust each other instead of exhausting us. Plus, Scooter likes to eat the food Jonas throws on the floor. In fact, Jonas seems to be feeding him at times. I'm just happy to have less mess at the end of the day.
I hope to put some new pictures up here, and on our flickr site, so stay tuned....
Monday, April 6, 2009
My little head banger
Jonas has learned a new movement: he jerks his head and upper body in a heavy metal head banger manner. It's a bit upsetting, as he looks like a special needs child, and my paranoid mother's mind thinks he becoming schizophrenic. How ridiculous, right? In any case, Ed thinks it's entertaining.
He loves to try new foods, but he wants to pick it up with his own fingers. He doesn't trust me to put something tasty in his mouth. He especially loves baked beans. They end up all over his face.
Even though he enjoys most food, he ends up spitting out things that won't dissolve in his mouth because he doesn't have molars yet.
Bath time is always fun for him, and he giggles when we squirt him with his new bath toys. He loves to chew on straws, and bang things together. He's become a bit apprehensive about the dog, but will chase the cat anywhere. This is a bit ironic, as the cat will swipe her paw at him, but the dog simply runs away.
His favorite activity is to dig - in drawers, cabinets, wherever he can fit his busy little hands. Even though he can't see into them, he will empty drawers onto the floor and play with the contents. In the kitchen, he pulls out pots and pot lids, as well as baking pans and mixing spoons. He can make quite a racket!
He's become more interesting in having books read to him. Before, he wouldn't sit still long enough. He's not really interested in television, although we occasionally put Sesame Street or Clifford on for him.
He still loves to flush any toilet within sight. He works madly at the handle until he can get it to flush, then looks back at me with an expression of part wonderment and part pride.
We enjoy him every minute of the day.
He loves to try new foods, but he wants to pick it up with his own fingers. He doesn't trust me to put something tasty in his mouth. He especially loves baked beans. They end up all over his face.
Even though he enjoys most food, he ends up spitting out things that won't dissolve in his mouth because he doesn't have molars yet.
Bath time is always fun for him, and he giggles when we squirt him with his new bath toys. He loves to chew on straws, and bang things together. He's become a bit apprehensive about the dog, but will chase the cat anywhere. This is a bit ironic, as the cat will swipe her paw at him, but the dog simply runs away.
His favorite activity is to dig - in drawers, cabinets, wherever he can fit his busy little hands. Even though he can't see into them, he will empty drawers onto the floor and play with the contents. In the kitchen, he pulls out pots and pot lids, as well as baking pans and mixing spoons. He can make quite a racket!
He's become more interesting in having books read to him. Before, he wouldn't sit still long enough. He's not really interested in television, although we occasionally put Sesame Street or Clifford on for him.
He still loves to flush any toilet within sight. He works madly at the handle until he can get it to flush, then looks back at me with an expression of part wonderment and part pride.
We enjoy him every minute of the day.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Baptism
Jonas was finally baptised this past weekend. Most of my family, who are all Catholic, would deem 10.5 months quite late for a baptism. As cousin Mia put it, "he's not baptised yet?" Jonas was the first child / grandchild too big to wear the christening gown my grandmother bought back in 1971. Instead, he wore blue & brown seersucker pants with a white polo shirt and blue sweater vest. Somehow, he made it through the service with only one shoe on. Fortunately, both socks remained in place.
We were blessed with the presence of his godparents, Angela and John. Angela's son, Mark, was there as well. He even got to attend Sunday school, which he seemed to enjoy. Neighbors Lisa and Charlotte joined in too.
As instructed by Pastor Scott, Ed carried Jonas up to the alter for children's sermon shortly before the baptism. He looked so proud up there holding his son (albeit with only one shoe!) Pastor Scott had taken extra time to decorate the alter with a special fountain and colored cloth to simulate a flowing river.
After the children's sermon, Pastor Scott took over, holding Jonas and reciting the words that joined our church and its congregation with Jonas' spiritual future. He dribbled the smallest amount of water (which he had warmed beforehand) on Jonas' forehead, and then anointed him with a nicely scented oil. He then carried Jonas around the congregation so that he could meet everyone.
Although he was "on stage" for about 15 minutes, Jonas behaved like the good natured child he is, expressing mild curiosity, smiles, and a general complacence.
We all celebrated with a brunch back home afterward. Yummies included strawberry cake, vanishing oatmeal cookies, bagels & lox, bacon, carriage bake egg casserole, fruit, milk, juice, and coffee. Pastor Scott joined us, and looked sharp (as usual) in his suit. The ceremony itself went off without a hitch - well, except for the weather. Kansas City received about 6 inches of wet, heavy snow Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, Ed made sure our walkway was clear. The attendance at church, however, was diminished because of the weather.
Jonas received some special mementos and gifts, including two special crosses (from Nonnie and the Balls) as well as a beautifully illustrated toddler bible (also from Nonnie). He also got some fun books from Nanna Angela.
Some pics of the event. John and Ed with the boys:
Me and Angela outside, also with the boys:
A photo my mom took of our church:
We were blessed with the presence of his godparents, Angela and John. Angela's son, Mark, was there as well. He even got to attend Sunday school, which he seemed to enjoy. Neighbors Lisa and Charlotte joined in too.
As instructed by Pastor Scott, Ed carried Jonas up to the alter for children's sermon shortly before the baptism. He looked so proud up there holding his son (albeit with only one shoe!) Pastor Scott had taken extra time to decorate the alter with a special fountain and colored cloth to simulate a flowing river.
After the children's sermon, Pastor Scott took over, holding Jonas and reciting the words that joined our church and its congregation with Jonas' spiritual future. He dribbled the smallest amount of water (which he had warmed beforehand) on Jonas' forehead, and then anointed him with a nicely scented oil. He then carried Jonas around the congregation so that he could meet everyone.
Although he was "on stage" for about 15 minutes, Jonas behaved like the good natured child he is, expressing mild curiosity, smiles, and a general complacence.
We all celebrated with a brunch back home afterward. Yummies included strawberry cake, vanishing oatmeal cookies, bagels & lox, bacon, carriage bake egg casserole, fruit, milk, juice, and coffee. Pastor Scott joined us, and looked sharp (as usual) in his suit. The ceremony itself went off without a hitch - well, except for the weather. Kansas City received about 6 inches of wet, heavy snow Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, Ed made sure our walkway was clear. The attendance at church, however, was diminished because of the weather.
Jonas received some special mementos and gifts, including two special crosses (from Nonnie and the Balls) as well as a beautifully illustrated toddler bible (also from Nonnie). He also got some fun books from Nanna Angela.
Some pics of the event. John and Ed with the boys:
Me and Angela outside, also with the boys:
A photo my mom took of our church:
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Gateway Food
Know how pot is a "gateway" drug? Well, Jonas has introduced us to the gateway drug of junk food - cheese puffs. Gerber's "Graduate" brand actually sells these in tiny little tins for about $3. We bought some. He loved them. We then decided to economize by buying the regular Cheetohs brand, albeit the organic white cheddar variety. We like to think they're healthier. (Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, as the saying goes). So now Jonas has placed himself on a starch-only diet of cheesy poofs, graham crackers, and saltines (the low-salt variety). He is no longer interested in yummy full-fat yogurt (which tastes like heaven to me!) or the homemade goodies we provide: Louisiana sweet potatoes, pureed carrots, and mashed bananas. It's all junk food all the time. I hate this. At least we're insisting on the daily vitamin, which he continues to take like a champ despite its disgusting metallic taste.
Here's a pic of him intensely indulging in a cheesy poof moment:
Let's see....what else is he up to? Oh yes, planting seeds with Poppa:
I managed to hide the seeds from him:
He's crawling all over the place, and is super fast. His favorite past-time is to open drawers and explore the contents. It doesn't matter if the drawer is taller than him; that's just a special challenge.
In the kitchen, he races for the refrigerator whenever the door is opened. He loves to get in there and pull things off the shelf. Exhibit A:
He loves to dig dirt out of potted plants, swirl his fists in toilet water, and crawl into the wet shower. Oh, and I forgot to mention his love of trash cans. Those are even more exciting to discover than drawers.
As you might imagine, we have our hands full. Baby gates are up, plants have been moved, and bathroom doors stay closed. We also have locks on appropriate cabinets. But I'm still so scared to leave him along for more than 10 seconds. He's always into something. I think I use the word "no" about 50 times a day. When I say it (in my loudest authoritative voice), he stops what he's doing, looks at me and smiles the most angelic smile. Then, of course, he continues to do what I'm telling him not to do.
This weekend will be a busy one. His christening is scheduled for Sunday at 10:30. Godmother Angela is joining us from Houston with her son, Mark. Godfather, John, will drive in from Westwood, KS. Pastor Scott will officiate. And there will be a cake. You need a cake for a baptism, apparently. Why is this such a surprise to me?
Forgot to mention that there's a forecast for snow this weekend.
More updates and photos to follow soon.
Here's a pic of him intensely indulging in a cheesy poof moment:
Let's see....what else is he up to? Oh yes, planting seeds with Poppa:
I managed to hide the seeds from him:
He's crawling all over the place, and is super fast. His favorite past-time is to open drawers and explore the contents. It doesn't matter if the drawer is taller than him; that's just a special challenge.
In the kitchen, he races for the refrigerator whenever the door is opened. He loves to get in there and pull things off the shelf. Exhibit A:
He loves to dig dirt out of potted plants, swirl his fists in toilet water, and crawl into the wet shower. Oh, and I forgot to mention his love of trash cans. Those are even more exciting to discover than drawers.
As you might imagine, we have our hands full. Baby gates are up, plants have been moved, and bathroom doors stay closed. We also have locks on appropriate cabinets. But I'm still so scared to leave him along for more than 10 seconds. He's always into something. I think I use the word "no" about 50 times a day. When I say it (in my loudest authoritative voice), he stops what he's doing, looks at me and smiles the most angelic smile. Then, of course, he continues to do what I'm telling him not to do.
This weekend will be a busy one. His christening is scheduled for Sunday at 10:30. Godmother Angela is joining us from Houston with her son, Mark. Godfather, John, will drive in from Westwood, KS. Pastor Scott will officiate. And there will be a cake. You need a cake for a baptism, apparently. Why is this such a surprise to me?
Forgot to mention that there's a forecast for snow this weekend.
More updates and photos to follow soon.
Friday, March 6, 2009
"God made dirt,
and dirt don't hurt."
I hope that's true.
Yesterday at the park, Jonas discovered what sand tastes like. Today, he tried dirt and dog toys. Here are the highlights:
Dog toys!
And then he found the plant:
And the dirt:
My mother and godmother are probably horrified that I paused long enough to grab the camera and take these pictures. Ladies, I did make him wash his hands, and I checked his mouth.
You may have noticed the bling. Yes, he does resembles a "white and nerdy" version of a hip hopper, especially with the overalls undone. He actually put the beads on himself.
I hope that's true.
Yesterday at the park, Jonas discovered what sand tastes like. Today, he tried dirt and dog toys. Here are the highlights:
Dog toys!
And then he found the plant:
And the dirt:
My mother and godmother are probably horrified that I paused long enough to grab the camera and take these pictures. Ladies, I did make him wash his hands, and I checked his mouth.
You may have noticed the bling. Yes, he does resembles a "white and nerdy" version of a hip hopper, especially with the overalls undone. He actually put the beads on himself.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Cigars and such....
Brief update: Jonas ate soap yesterday while in the shower. His choice, not ours. That may change in the future if he inherits Mommy's potty mouth.
And today, he discovered toilet water, and I don't mean the old fashioned perfume.
For the first time last night, we didn't go to him when he cried. He woke up about 3 times, and cried for about 20 minutes each time. I felt so guilty. Each time he stopped crying, we would get up and check on him. It's so hard not to comfort him. Rather than learning to "sooth himself to sleep" like the books and experts say, he is just crying himself to exhaustion. He basically passes out and falls face forward. Here's what it looks like:
Some good news - the ear infections are gone! We are finishing up our last round of antibiotics (4th round!), and I honestly think Jonas will miss his meds. Here are some photos of how much he likes Augmentin:
Am I the only one who thinks he looks like he's smoking a cigar?
And today, he discovered toilet water, and I don't mean the old fashioned perfume.
For the first time last night, we didn't go to him when he cried. He woke up about 3 times, and cried for about 20 minutes each time. I felt so guilty. Each time he stopped crying, we would get up and check on him. It's so hard not to comfort him. Rather than learning to "sooth himself to sleep" like the books and experts say, he is just crying himself to exhaustion. He basically passes out and falls face forward. Here's what it looks like:
Some good news - the ear infections are gone! We are finishing up our last round of antibiotics (4th round!), and I honestly think Jonas will miss his meds. Here are some photos of how much he likes Augmentin:
Am I the only one who thinks he looks like he's smoking a cigar?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Chew
Each day brings us new adventures in parenting Jonas. Although it sounds nauseating, we enjoy each new lesson and chapter more and more.
For the past month, Jonas has been fighting a double ear infection. This week, it appears that the many antibiotics we've been shoveling down his gullet might be taking effect. He's finally eating like a pig, and pooping like a bird. He's also conquering some chunkier foods. Remember the raisin debacle? Well, he downs them like a pro now. Strike that. I learned today that he actually warehouses them in the corners of his mouth, like a squirrel. Sometimes they will even accidentally fall out as surprising little partially masticated morsels. I swear that he looks like a toddler with Skoal; the raisins are even the same color as "chew."
Today, Jonas was in full business mode, modeling his special "tie t-shirt," a gift from his Aunt Desi.
Some of his new "hobbies / achievements" include:
For the past month, Jonas has been fighting a double ear infection. This week, it appears that the many antibiotics we've been shoveling down his gullet might be taking effect. He's finally eating like a pig, and pooping like a bird. He's also conquering some chunkier foods. Remember the raisin debacle? Well, he downs them like a pro now. Strike that. I learned today that he actually warehouses them in the corners of his mouth, like a squirrel. Sometimes they will even accidentally fall out as surprising little partially masticated morsels. I swear that he looks like a toddler with Skoal; the raisins are even the same color as "chew."
Today, Jonas was in full business mode, modeling his special "tie t-shirt," a gift from his Aunt Desi.
Some of his new "hobbies / achievements" include:
- crawling into the wet shower to play with soap. He's not eating it yet, and this fun activity usually necessitates an outfit change because he gets quite wet;
- beating his wooden puzzle pieces on the wood floor, which makes a racket that scares the cat and worries the dog;
- waving his arms in the air;
- chewing, gumming, drooling on everything;
- ripping eyeglasses off of adults who get too near his quick little hands;
- sticking his fingers in your mouth to explore;
- banging things together (see number 2 above);
- uttering lots of verbal noises, including a few consonants;
- screaming bloody murder when I leave the room;
- Ed's favorite - climbing over people (usually their legs) like they're an obstacle course;
- pulling himself up on furniture using his teeth.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Snot, and other things...
Yes, like most kids right now, Jonas has a runny nose. We are learning how to help keep his face clean without smearing the snot up his cheek and into his eyebrows. Mostly, he loves to use your shoulder to wipe his nose, which makes for lots more laundry. We think his runny nose comes from the one day he spends at daycare. He really seems to like it there, as he never cries when we leave him, and seems to enjoy interacting with the other kids and toys.
Right now, the little guy is playing with his Fisher Price activity center. It's this thing four legs that has a kid version of laptop, piano, book, and phone. He love love loves it! Except for when he traps his little finger under the laptop.
He's starting to jabber a bit, and we can make out the beginnings of "da da" which really sounds more like "dja dja." He crawls everywhere now, pulls himself up, and is cruising the furniture. His other favorite toys are the Melissa & Doug frog pull toy, Leap Frog "spin a letter", and cheap plastic phone with rotary dial. And he loves to watch the cat, and follow her around. She's not as excited, as you might imagine.
Jonas is more interested in reading time, and we are really starting to play his CDs. He has about 15, if you can imagine. His Aunt Desi gave him 6 Putumaya CDs for xmas, and they're really quite good!
At our 9 mos doctor visit, Jonas weighed in at 18 pounds and was 28.5 inches in length. He remains in the 50th percentile for head circumference and length, but is quite low on weight. I think that's odd, because he seems fine to me. He's not a linebacker, but his legs still have creases so I'm not worried.
Can you believe our little boy received 5 valentines? His first one was from Caroline, who you may recall is his girlfriend. He got two from daycare, one from neighbor Charlotte, and one from Gramma Helen. What a lucky guy! They are all going in his baby book. Caroline was the only one who sent her photo. I think it may have been perfumed too.
Right now, the little guy is playing with his Fisher Price activity center. It's this thing four legs that has a kid version of laptop, piano, book, and phone. He love love loves it! Except for when he traps his little finger under the laptop.
He's starting to jabber a bit, and we can make out the beginnings of "da da" which really sounds more like "dja dja." He crawls everywhere now, pulls himself up, and is cruising the furniture. His other favorite toys are the Melissa & Doug frog pull toy, Leap Frog "spin a letter", and cheap plastic phone with rotary dial. And he loves to watch the cat, and follow her around. She's not as excited, as you might imagine.
Jonas is more interested in reading time, and we are really starting to play his CDs. He has about 15, if you can imagine. His Aunt Desi gave him 6 Putumaya CDs for xmas, and they're really quite good!
At our 9 mos doctor visit, Jonas weighed in at 18 pounds and was 28.5 inches in length. He remains in the 50th percentile for head circumference and length, but is quite low on weight. I think that's odd, because he seems fine to me. He's not a linebacker, but his legs still have creases so I'm not worried.
Can you believe our little boy received 5 valentines? His first one was from Caroline, who you may recall is his girlfriend. He got two from daycare, one from neighbor Charlotte, and one from Gramma Helen. What a lucky guy! They are all going in his baby book. Caroline was the only one who sent her photo. I think it may have been perfumed too.
Monday, February 2, 2009
One F*cking Raisin
DISCLAIMER: this post may contain unnecessarily gross detail and/or profanity.
**********************************************************************
Jonas has RSV. This seems to be a new childhood disease. Or rather, it is an old childhood disease with a new name. Or an old childhood disease that is now routinely diagnosed due to a consistent lab testing mechanism. I don't know why, at age 37, I'm just now learning what the hell it is. It's a fancy name for a respiratory virus that is highly contagious (but only to other children) and can be serious for preemies and infants. Breathing treatments with a nebulizer are routine, and ear infections occur with 75% of cases. Jonas scored a deuce on the ear infections, and is now on antibiotics along with ibuprofen and the nebulizer.
Because he's been a bit of a picky eater while living and feeling the RSV crud, I took time in between all of the other care taking inherent with the needs of a sick 9 month old to make him some tasty carrots blended with yogurt. I cooked the carrots, pureed them in the clunky, cumbersome food processor, and lovingly doled them into individual BPA free glass jars.
This morning, I warmed a jar of the homemade carrots and spent 20 minutes cajoling Jonas to polish it off ; he ate the whole thing. What an accomplishment! I felt pleased and satisfied to have nourished my child in such a complete way. In my slightly irrational mother's mind, he was on the mend, on his way to health, and all because of my efforts. I was so pleased, in fact, that I thought Jonas should be allowed to celebrate with a reward. Although not an accomplished solid food eater, he has enjoyed raisins in the past without mishap. So I gave him a few today as a special dessert. Within minutes, he lodged one of those seemingly innocuous shriveled little masses in the back of his throat, stimulating his gag reflex. Though I hovered with the sippee cup, hoping to help him wash it down before the hurl, it was not to be. Up came the carrots, through his mouth, and through his nose. They just oozed down his poor little face like fast moving lava. I felt terrible. He felt terrible. We both took a moment to whine. Then I mopped up the mess, and he sneezed out most of the rest of the carrots that had gotten lodged in his nostrils. And we left breakfast behind to head upstairs for a wardrobe change.
"Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."
**********************************************************************
Jonas has RSV. This seems to be a new childhood disease. Or rather, it is an old childhood disease with a new name. Or an old childhood disease that is now routinely diagnosed due to a consistent lab testing mechanism. I don't know why, at age 37, I'm just now learning what the hell it is. It's a fancy name for a respiratory virus that is highly contagious (but only to other children) and can be serious for preemies and infants. Breathing treatments with a nebulizer are routine, and ear infections occur with 75% of cases. Jonas scored a deuce on the ear infections, and is now on antibiotics along with ibuprofen and the nebulizer.
Because he's been a bit of a picky eater while living and feeling the RSV crud, I took time in between all of the other care taking inherent with the needs of a sick 9 month old to make him some tasty carrots blended with yogurt. I cooked the carrots, pureed them in the clunky, cumbersome food processor, and lovingly doled them into individual BPA free glass jars.
This morning, I warmed a jar of the homemade carrots and spent 20 minutes cajoling Jonas to polish it off ; he ate the whole thing. What an accomplishment! I felt pleased and satisfied to have nourished my child in such a complete way. In my slightly irrational mother's mind, he was on the mend, on his way to health, and all because of my efforts. I was so pleased, in fact, that I thought Jonas should be allowed to celebrate with a reward. Although not an accomplished solid food eater, he has enjoyed raisins in the past without mishap. So I gave him a few today as a special dessert. Within minutes, he lodged one of those seemingly innocuous shriveled little masses in the back of his throat, stimulating his gag reflex. Though I hovered with the sippee cup, hoping to help him wash it down before the hurl, it was not to be. Up came the carrots, through his mouth, and through his nose. They just oozed down his poor little face like fast moving lava. I felt terrible. He felt terrible. We both took a moment to whine. Then I mopped up the mess, and he sneezed out most of the rest of the carrots that had gotten lodged in his nostrils. And we left breakfast behind to head upstairs for a wardrobe change.
"Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Missing in Perpetual Action
I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I last blogged. Oops. But there are reasons...
Basically, I'm a one-blog kind of gal. And last November, my friend Judy got very sick. She lived in Charlotte, NC and had spent a lifetime collecting friends from all over the place. And now she was sick. And the last thing you want to do when you are sick and feel sick is talk about being sick. Over and over again. Repeatedly, as you call each friend in your address book.
So, instead of cooking soup, or sending flowers, I offered to start a carepage for her. And I did. And it was a very different type of writing experience. One in which you had to spin everything to the positive when it was really so very negative. It surprises and shocks me still how short lived that blog was, and how abruptly ended.
Judy died on January 4th, and I miss her. Part of my absence from blogging has been from distraction in writing for her, and part has been from the grief of missing her. And I won't deny a little procrastination mixed in.
But this is a life blog. The chronicle of my first child. I'm pleased to share that his life managed to intersect with hers, despite the fact that they only shared this world for 8 months. We traveled to Charlotte in December for 5 days. All she had to say was, "You'd better come now." My mother, saint that she is, tagged along to care for Jonas while I cared for Judy. The sweetest moment was one in which Judy gifted Jonas with a knitted sweater and hat. She'd started the sweater before Jonas was born. Then she broke her right arm, then her left arm. It seemed that the chemo had made her bones so fragile and brittle. Everyone knows you just can't knit with one arm. So she asked her wonderful friend Barb to finish the project for her. And here we all are, with Jonas modeling his new digs.
Judy is in the center and Barb is on the left.
While in Charlotte, Jonas got to spend some time with his Aunt Desi (who drove up from Atlanta) and his Nonnie. He also visited the Briggemans: Erin, Todd, and Putter. I think they should send out this photo as their 2009 xmas card, just to see what kind of phone calls it would generate....
After spending Thanksgiving in Kansas City with Ed's mom, brother and family (why don't I have any pictures of that?), we traveled to Louisiana for Christmas at Nonnie's place. Here are some photos of the trip, including a visit with the Scotts, a bath in the sink, and Jonas' first Santa suit, a gift from Nonnie.
Since Christmas, Jonas has had two sets of visitors: friends Brian, Lauren, and Ainsley drove in from Cincinnati. And then he spent the weekend with his two aunts, Desi and Tara. We are waiting on photos from Brian, but here's one with his two aunts:
That's Tante Desi on the left and Tante Tara on the right.
Whew! Now that I look back at the past two months, I understand why I'm just now getting around to blogging!
Maybe tomorrow I'll get a few minutes to get online and share about daycare, playgroups, and RSV! But for now, I hear the boy crying and need to see to him.
Basically, I'm a one-blog kind of gal. And last November, my friend Judy got very sick. She lived in Charlotte, NC and had spent a lifetime collecting friends from all over the place. And now she was sick. And the last thing you want to do when you are sick and feel sick is talk about being sick. Over and over again. Repeatedly, as you call each friend in your address book.
So, instead of cooking soup, or sending flowers, I offered to start a carepage for her. And I did. And it was a very different type of writing experience. One in which you had to spin everything to the positive when it was really so very negative. It surprises and shocks me still how short lived that blog was, and how abruptly ended.
Judy died on January 4th, and I miss her. Part of my absence from blogging has been from distraction in writing for her, and part has been from the grief of missing her. And I won't deny a little procrastination mixed in.
But this is a life blog. The chronicle of my first child. I'm pleased to share that his life managed to intersect with hers, despite the fact that they only shared this world for 8 months. We traveled to Charlotte in December for 5 days. All she had to say was, "You'd better come now." My mother, saint that she is, tagged along to care for Jonas while I cared for Judy. The sweetest moment was one in which Judy gifted Jonas with a knitted sweater and hat. She'd started the sweater before Jonas was born. Then she broke her right arm, then her left arm. It seemed that the chemo had made her bones so fragile and brittle. Everyone knows you just can't knit with one arm. So she asked her wonderful friend Barb to finish the project for her. And here we all are, with Jonas modeling his new digs.
Judy is in the center and Barb is on the left.
While in Charlotte, Jonas got to spend some time with his Aunt Desi (who drove up from Atlanta) and his Nonnie. He also visited the Briggemans: Erin, Todd, and Putter. I think they should send out this photo as their 2009 xmas card, just to see what kind of phone calls it would generate....
After spending Thanksgiving in Kansas City with Ed's mom, brother and family (why don't I have any pictures of that?), we traveled to Louisiana for Christmas at Nonnie's place. Here are some photos of the trip, including a visit with the Scotts, a bath in the sink, and Jonas' first Santa suit, a gift from Nonnie.
Since Christmas, Jonas has had two sets of visitors: friends Brian, Lauren, and Ainsley drove in from Cincinnati. And then he spent the weekend with his two aunts, Desi and Tara. We are waiting on photos from Brian, but here's one with his two aunts:
That's Tante Desi on the left and Tante Tara on the right.Whew! Now that I look back at the past two months, I understand why I'm just now getting around to blogging!
Maybe tomorrow I'll get a few minutes to get online and share about daycare, playgroups, and RSV! But for now, I hear the boy crying and need to see to him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)