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?"
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
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.
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