Today was our first day of our second session of Kindermusik. As expected, he's far more "with it" this time around. There's only a couple of other kids from his old class that are also in this one. Yes, I am once again the only dad. There is one "Braden".
He walked (rather than climbed) up the entire set of steps outside of the church where we have class (with the aid of the railing). While carrying my (his) diaper bag. Motor skills are not, I repeat, not an issue.
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We met one of our new neighbors yesterday. She had their 9-week-old white German shepherd puppy out in their yard, so I figured that was a good as time as any to go and introduce ourselves. Unfortunately (and of no fault of the puppy's), my son tripped on their back porch and now has a nice big unicorn horn developing on his forehead. Poor guy. Like I said: motor skills- not an issue.
Tomorrow is Mommy's birthday, so right after breakfast we went and picked up flowers and lunch to surprise her at work. We had a nice visit, despite his disappointment at her classroom's super-stompable hardwood floor being replaced by quiet carpet.
Today's Stunning Feat of Amazement: pulling his socks off with his teeth.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Days 91, 92 and 93
I set the alarm today for a little after 8 so we could run some errands today. While I hit snooze enough times to wake up roughly 45 minutes later, I was still able to get most of my household chores done before my son finally woke up at 10:10.
The main thing I wanted to accomplish today was getting some jewelry cleaned. To my knowledge, my wedding ring has never been cleaned or polished in the ten and a half years (except while sleeping, in water, and at amusement parks) that I have been wearing it. In addition, my parents recently gave me one of my grandfather's prized rings that happens to be roughly 3 sizes too big for me and could also use a good cleaning. I figured those two factors were plenty of reason for a guy to go to a jewelry store.
We attempted to eat lunch at the food court and were relatively successful. This was much easier when he was a few months younger and wasn't feeding himself. By the time we were done, there was roughly as much soft taco on his stroller seat as there was in his belly. I may actually have to put a bib in my bag.
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Tomorrow is Gram's birthday, and once again I set the alarm so we would be able to get some shopping done before going over to see my parents later in the day. Again he woke up right around 10. We still managed a quick trip to Best Buy and Sublime Cupcakes before lunch.
We had our first band practice of 2012, so we headed to school as soon as we were able. Knowing that it would no longer hold him, I didn't bother to take his "cage" with me this time. He is certainly more interested in me playing the drums now, and he even came over and hit my snare drum with his own sticks a few times during practice. At one point he decided he needed the real thing, so he took away one of my sticks and I finished the song with just one. He hung nearby for most of our short rehearsal, and hardly put anything disgusting in his mouth.
I had dinner plans near school and my parents' house later that day, so it didn't make sense for me to drive all the way home only to come back shortly after. Thankfully, Gram and Pop Pop didn't mind spending the afternoon with us (him). I put him down for his nap shortly after we arrived, but I had to do it without his white noise machine. Luckily there's an app for that!
I must have made just a little too much noise as I attempted to retrieve my phone 20 minutes later because he woke up right as I opened the door. Even though he got over 13 hours of sleep the night before, this was still a little worrisome- especially since I would be leaving shortly. He seemed fine as soon as he got his afternoon bottle and snack, so I gave it a shot. According to my parents, he was normal and enjoyed his Chick-Fil-A dinner and cupcake frosting. Whew!
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The snow had started melting and the sun was out, so I decided it was time to get out again for another run. We all but skipped last week due to several factors, but I have no excuse when it's this nice outside. He spent most of it leaning his head up against the side of the stroller. I had to keep checking to make sure he was still awake because he was so still. Something weird happened with my GPS app because my first five minute interval added up to over a mile. Sometimes I'm fast, but I'm nowhere near that fast!
I also started the last class I ever have to take today. It's a weird feeling, but I know it won't actually be the last. Looking at the amount of work I will have to do each of the seven weeks of this one, I'm glad that I am only taking one. I managed to squeeze two classes into January, and that is going to make my life much easier over the next two months. Then I'll enjoy a little more "time off" before my life changes again... all over again.
He had his 18-month (it didn't really take that long; that would be tortuous) checkup today. Turns out he's doing pretty well. He's getting smaller against averages in just about everything but his head. The doctor says that's because he has such a big brain. I think he just wants to ruin more shirt necks, Costanza-style.
The main thing I wanted to accomplish today was getting some jewelry cleaned. To my knowledge, my wedding ring has never been cleaned or polished in the ten and a half years (except while sleeping, in water, and at amusement parks) that I have been wearing it. In addition, my parents recently gave me one of my grandfather's prized rings that happens to be roughly 3 sizes too big for me and could also use a good cleaning. I figured those two factors were plenty of reason for a guy to go to a jewelry store.
We attempted to eat lunch at the food court and were relatively successful. This was much easier when he was a few months younger and wasn't feeding himself. By the time we were done, there was roughly as much soft taco on his stroller seat as there was in his belly. I may actually have to put a bib in my bag.
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Tomorrow is Gram's birthday, and once again I set the alarm so we would be able to get some shopping done before going over to see my parents later in the day. Again he woke up right around 10. We still managed a quick trip to Best Buy and Sublime Cupcakes before lunch.
We had our first band practice of 2012, so we headed to school as soon as we were able. Knowing that it would no longer hold him, I didn't bother to take his "cage" with me this time. He is certainly more interested in me playing the drums now, and he even came over and hit my snare drum with his own sticks a few times during practice. At one point he decided he needed the real thing, so he took away one of my sticks and I finished the song with just one. He hung nearby for most of our short rehearsal, and hardly put anything disgusting in his mouth.
I had dinner plans near school and my parents' house later that day, so it didn't make sense for me to drive all the way home only to come back shortly after. Thankfully, Gram and Pop Pop didn't mind spending the afternoon with us (him). I put him down for his nap shortly after we arrived, but I had to do it without his white noise machine. Luckily there's an app for that!
I must have made just a little too much noise as I attempted to retrieve my phone 20 minutes later because he woke up right as I opened the door. Even though he got over 13 hours of sleep the night before, this was still a little worrisome- especially since I would be leaving shortly. He seemed fine as soon as he got his afternoon bottle and snack, so I gave it a shot. According to my parents, he was normal and enjoyed his Chick-Fil-A dinner and cupcake frosting. Whew!
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The snow had started melting and the sun was out, so I decided it was time to get out again for another run. We all but skipped last week due to several factors, but I have no excuse when it's this nice outside. He spent most of it leaning his head up against the side of the stroller. I had to keep checking to make sure he was still awake because he was so still. Something weird happened with my GPS app because my first five minute interval added up to over a mile. Sometimes I'm fast, but I'm nowhere near that fast!
I also started the last class I ever have to take today. It's a weird feeling, but I know it won't actually be the last. Looking at the amount of work I will have to do each of the seven weeks of this one, I'm glad that I am only taking one. I managed to squeeze two classes into January, and that is going to make my life much easier over the next two months. Then I'll enjoy a little more "time off" before my life changes again... all over again.
He had his 18-month (it didn't really take that long; that would be tortuous) checkup today. Turns out he's doing pretty well. He's getting smaller against averages in just about everything but his head. The doctor says that's because he has such a big brain. I think he just wants to ruin more shirt necks, Costanza-style.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Days 88, 89, and 90
We were forced inside today by some cold rain, so we did our best to stay entertained. For my son, that mostly consisted of tormenting the dogs. As we are all confined to the living room most of the day, there is only so much sitting space to go around. While he doesn't seem to have any malevolent intentions, his mere presence in their personal space is often enough to get them to jump up and run away. Couple that with the fact that he imitates the way I playfully pat the dogs on the torso with his own (much harder) version, many times on their heads and snouts, and you can understand their reasoning. He's also taken to sticking a toy right in Davi's face in an effort to get him to try and take it from him. More often than not this results in Davi running away in frustration.
It isn't always like that, though. I have always tried to keep Davi and Ellie involved in our playtime. If they look like they want to play, we play. Today I grabbed one of Davi's toys from him and threw it behind me. Due to his age and depending on the light, he may not always be able to see more than a few inches in front of him. When it became clear that Davi wasn't going to be able to find the ball, my son trotted over to it and brought it back for him! Though I knew it wouldn't be long before he would be smacking Davi in the face again, it was a sweet little moment while it lasted.
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It looks like his illness has finally subsided. Just in time for a week off from music class! Once again we stayed inside. He's been spending a lot of time with his shape sorting toys lately. He's also getting very good at figuring them out. He even rarely tries to put the wooden shapes in the plastic holes anymore! I still have to turn the toys on the right side for him, but I suspect it won't be long until he figures that out, too.
Every now and then the dogs respond to his goading for playtime. Today he managed to get Davi to chase a few balls for him. He throws almost exclusively with his left arm. Sometimes the toys go a few feet; sometimes they land behind him. I've managed to "play catch" with him a few times, but he doesn't do much catching. He is good at keeping the ball in front of him, though. I guess as a lefty he won't be playing much infield. Perhaps its time to start teaching him a curveball.
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Our local Food Lion is closing. It's not even as old as my son. I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to build a tiny grocery store with very little local name recognition in the middle of a 5 mile radius that includes two Giants, two Weises, a Shur Fine, Redner's, and Target. Regardless, the decision was a poor one. It's the closest grocery store to me, and including today, I've been there a total of 4 times. We went there today solely because everything (not regulated by the government) is 25% off. While the important stuff like Diet Pepsi and Doritos are completely sold out, we did manage to find some baby food, Mommy food, and dog treats.
As we were pulling out of the parking lot, I noticed a very unique, yet familiar, car in front of Five Guys. I stopped the car and peeked in the window, but I didn't see who I was looking for. Just as I was about to get back in the car, Pop Pop G, who restores classic cars, walked out the door and invited us in for lunch. It was a nice surprise, and it gave us a chance to catch up on some recent happenings and further hash out our game plan for the sun room's conversion from tiki bar to sports bar. I also learned that Five Guys sells a grilled cheese sandwich. How about that? Because I wasn't planning on having lunch until we got home, I didn't have a sippy cup for my son. Pop Pop G got him a paper cup to drink out of, and he managed to only spill it on himself once. Not bad at all.
It isn't always like that, though. I have always tried to keep Davi and Ellie involved in our playtime. If they look like they want to play, we play. Today I grabbed one of Davi's toys from him and threw it behind me. Due to his age and depending on the light, he may not always be able to see more than a few inches in front of him. When it became clear that Davi wasn't going to be able to find the ball, my son trotted over to it and brought it back for him! Though I knew it wouldn't be long before he would be smacking Davi in the face again, it was a sweet little moment while it lasted.
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It looks like his illness has finally subsided. Just in time for a week off from music class! Once again we stayed inside. He's been spending a lot of time with his shape sorting toys lately. He's also getting very good at figuring them out. He even rarely tries to put the wooden shapes in the plastic holes anymore! I still have to turn the toys on the right side for him, but I suspect it won't be long until he figures that out, too.
Every now and then the dogs respond to his goading for playtime. Today he managed to get Davi to chase a few balls for him. He throws almost exclusively with his left arm. Sometimes the toys go a few feet; sometimes they land behind him. I've managed to "play catch" with him a few times, but he doesn't do much catching. He is good at keeping the ball in front of him, though. I guess as a lefty he won't be playing much infield. Perhaps its time to start teaching him a curveball.
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Our local Food Lion is closing. It's not even as old as my son. I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to build a tiny grocery store with very little local name recognition in the middle of a 5 mile radius that includes two Giants, two Weises, a Shur Fine, Redner's, and Target. Regardless, the decision was a poor one. It's the closest grocery store to me, and including today, I've been there a total of 4 times. We went there today solely because everything (not regulated by the government) is 25% off. While the important stuff like Diet Pepsi and Doritos are completely sold out, we did manage to find some baby food, Mommy food, and dog treats.
As we were pulling out of the parking lot, I noticed a very unique, yet familiar, car in front of Five Guys. I stopped the car and peeked in the window, but I didn't see who I was looking for. Just as I was about to get back in the car, Pop Pop G, who restores classic cars, walked out the door and invited us in for lunch. It was a nice surprise, and it gave us a chance to catch up on some recent happenings and further hash out our game plan for the sun room's conversion from tiki bar to sports bar. I also learned that Five Guys sells a grilled cheese sandwich. How about that? Because I wasn't planning on having lunch until we got home, I didn't have a sippy cup for my son. Pop Pop G got him a paper cup to drink out of, and he managed to only spill it on himself once. Not bad at all.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Days 86 and 87
Today was a gross and rainy day, so we stayed inside. A short nap gave me very little time to get stuff done around the house. He's still not feeling well, and that makes some activities not very much fun (for either of us). The worst part about it is not knowing exactly what's wrong with him and what I can do to help. Hopefully this will pass soon so he can be happy again.
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A 9 o'clock wakeup call gave me a chance to run a bunch of errands before I even had a chance to take a shower. We went to the bank to make an important deposit. We went to the grocery store to get some pellets for the water softener and some treats to help the dogs with their awful, awful breath. Finally, we returned to the Humane Society to pick up the dog licenses we should have had on Wednesday.
It was very cold and windy today, so I had to hold my son very close to me as I hustled from the car to our destinations and back. He's much more accepting of having to wear a hood now; maybe he's starting to "get it". Of course I don't want this to become a habit, as I surely don't want to see him growing up to be one of those suburban pseudo-gangstas who always walks around with his hood up. Who am I kidding? This is my son we're talking about. Then again- I'm sure every dad says that.
We worked a lot on putting blocks in the right shaped holes of a few toys he got for Christmas. It's pretty funny when he loses interest, turns his head, but still keeps trying to shove a circle into a star. I just tap on his shoulder, refocus him, and walk him through it. Then he spills out the blocks and starts all over again. I know learning won't always be fun (that's the teacher in me), but I'm going to make the most of it while I can.
He's 18-months old today. I did a lot of reflecting throughout the day. His little brother will be here in a little over 4 months. Wow.
Mommy has a day off on Monday, so we get a long weekend together. I think she needs it.
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A 9 o'clock wakeup call gave me a chance to run a bunch of errands before I even had a chance to take a shower. We went to the bank to make an important deposit. We went to the grocery store to get some pellets for the water softener and some treats to help the dogs with their awful, awful breath. Finally, we returned to the Humane Society to pick up the dog licenses we should have had on Wednesday.
It was very cold and windy today, so I had to hold my son very close to me as I hustled from the car to our destinations and back. He's much more accepting of having to wear a hood now; maybe he's starting to "get it". Of course I don't want this to become a habit, as I surely don't want to see him growing up to be one of those suburban pseudo-gangstas who always walks around with his hood up. Who am I kidding? This is my son we're talking about. Then again- I'm sure every dad says that.
We worked a lot on putting blocks in the right shaped holes of a few toys he got for Christmas. It's pretty funny when he loses interest, turns his head, but still keeps trying to shove a circle into a star. I just tap on his shoulder, refocus him, and walk him through it. Then he spills out the blocks and starts all over again. I know learning won't always be fun (that's the teacher in me), but I'm going to make the most of it while I can.
He's 18-months old today. I did a lot of reflecting throughout the day. His little brother will be here in a little over 4 months. Wow.
Mommy has a day off on Monday, so we get a long weekend together. I think she needs it.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Days 83, 84 and 85
He was sick all weekend, so we really had to limit our activities today. The only thing I absolutely had to do was go to the post office. I put my textbooks from last semester up on half.com and managed to sell most of them. Unfortunately they sold a few days apart from each other, so that meant I had to go to the post office a couple different times. It's one of those slightly inconvenient trips because I know I'm only going to be in there for a few minutes, but I still have to unstrap my son from his carseat, hold him while we wait, and then strap him right back in the seat. I feel bad for him because he probably thinks we're going to be doing something fun or exciting (which couldn't be more wrong).
Mommy finally got to see him point to his toes. With no hesitation at all he alternated between toes and belly. We were probably way more excited than we should be. Nose is still a problem. Will he ever figure it out? Who nose? Ahem.
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It was a really early morning for us today. It was almost like going to work. Now I'm sick, too, so I really could have used the extra sleep. Oh well. I really don't like when he gets up early because then he has to watch Mommy leave. I try to distract him so he doesn't notice, and sometimes he doesn't figure it out.
He managed to get back to sleep after breakfast, so the dogs and I went back to bed, too. Thankfully we got a couple of hours of sleep before it was time for lunch.
I started training for the Garden Spot (Half) Marathon today, so I had to bundle up my son in an effort to combat the mid 40 degree temperatures and wind. He did NOT want me to put his left mitten on, as evident by his ceaseless screaming. However, he was very helpful when it came time to put on the right one, even going so far as to stretch out his fingers and thumb. Before he knew it, I had his coat zippered up and his gloves were "locked in" by the elastic bands in his sleeves. He's not much of a fan of hats, so I was a little concerned about the next step. Much to my surprise, he didn't fight it at all. He also managed to keep all of his accessories on throughout our three mile trek. All in all- not too bad. Only 47 more times to go!
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Today was our last music class of this session. We'll be repeating the same class starting in a couple weeks- only this time he'll actually be within the correct age range. Surprisingly, he didn't miss a step from his great improvement last week. While there was a little bit more wandering around, I'm going to blame that on the multitude of other children who were setting the example. Today was like a "greatest hits" of all the songs and motions we'd learned throughout the class, and he was right on with most of them. He even managed to hold my hand for a some of our circle time (he generally only holds hands when he needs help with something)! We've got a week off, and then we'll see how he reacts to taking a class he's actually supposed to be in!
We stopped by the Humane Society to drop off our dog license applications (albeit a tad late) and take a quick walkthrough. He really liked the big fat bunnies that were hanging out in a couple of the small dog kennels. That was pretty much all he could see, as the kennels there have glass doors with translucent bottoms that keep him from being able to see the dogs clearly. On a positive note, there were several empty kennels today. We did see at least one unleashed dog wandering through the city on our way there, but I'm still going to think positively.
Soon after we left, my phone rang. It was someone from the Humane Society letting me know that my tags were ready! Oops. I didn't realize I was supposed to stick around for them. Oh well, that gives us an excuse to go back sometime soon.
Mommy finally got to see him point to his toes. With no hesitation at all he alternated between toes and belly. We were probably way more excited than we should be. Nose is still a problem. Will he ever figure it out? Who nose? Ahem.
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It was a really early morning for us today. It was almost like going to work. Now I'm sick, too, so I really could have used the extra sleep. Oh well. I really don't like when he gets up early because then he has to watch Mommy leave. I try to distract him so he doesn't notice, and sometimes he doesn't figure it out.
He managed to get back to sleep after breakfast, so the dogs and I went back to bed, too. Thankfully we got a couple of hours of sleep before it was time for lunch.
I started training for the Garden Spot (Half) Marathon today, so I had to bundle up my son in an effort to combat the mid 40 degree temperatures and wind. He did NOT want me to put his left mitten on, as evident by his ceaseless screaming. However, he was very helpful when it came time to put on the right one, even going so far as to stretch out his fingers and thumb. Before he knew it, I had his coat zippered up and his gloves were "locked in" by the elastic bands in his sleeves. He's not much of a fan of hats, so I was a little concerned about the next step. Much to my surprise, he didn't fight it at all. He also managed to keep all of his accessories on throughout our three mile trek. All in all- not too bad. Only 47 more times to go!
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Today was our last music class of this session. We'll be repeating the same class starting in a couple weeks- only this time he'll actually be within the correct age range. Surprisingly, he didn't miss a step from his great improvement last week. While there was a little bit more wandering around, I'm going to blame that on the multitude of other children who were setting the example. Today was like a "greatest hits" of all the songs and motions we'd learned throughout the class, and he was right on with most of them. He even managed to hold my hand for a some of our circle time (he generally only holds hands when he needs help with something)! We've got a week off, and then we'll see how he reacts to taking a class he's actually supposed to be in!
We stopped by the Humane Society to drop off our dog license applications (albeit a tad late) and take a quick walkthrough. He really liked the big fat bunnies that were hanging out in a couple of the small dog kennels. That was pretty much all he could see, as the kennels there have glass doors with translucent bottoms that keep him from being able to see the dogs clearly. On a positive note, there were several empty kennels today. We did see at least one unleashed dog wandering through the city on our way there, but I'm still going to think positively.
Soon after we left, my phone rang. It was someone from the Humane Society letting me know that my tags were ready! Oops. I didn't realize I was supposed to stick around for them. Oh well, that gives us an excuse to go back sometime soon.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Days 80, 81, and 82
Once again it appears that some time off from music class was good for my son. For the first time since we started, he was marching when he was supposed to march, spinning when he was supposed to spin, and jumping when he was supposed to jump. While none of the mommies actually said anything to me about it, I could tell by their looks that they were proud/ happy/ surprised to see his progress. Next month he'll actually be the minimum age for the group that he's in, so maybe we're just right on schedule.
We made a few stops after music class, the final one being the mall. I needed some oil for our snowblower, and my son needed to see some puppies. I haven't had a stroller in my car for a while because of hauling Christmas presents, so I either had to carry him or let him walk on his own. Being that he still doesn't take direction very well, we walked over the "Sears Bridge" nearly 8 times. After he finally tired of the bridge, we headed to the pet store.
He wasn't as excited to see the puppies as he usually is. Instead he chose to wander around the store, picking up random bags of sand, feed, and bedding along the way. When he was carrying around one of the bags with two hands, I noticed that no longer had his water. I found where the bag belonged, and sure enough, there was his water.
We watched his new favorite show, Jack's Big Music Show, after a late lunch, and then it was time for his nap. Nick Jr. always has some sort of educational lesson after each show as well as a music video from one of their other shows. Just as we were making our way up the steps, his Gabba friends came on the screen and got him all riled up. Though I was still able to get him to go upstairs, he refused to go to sleep on his own. Luckily I haven't forgotten how to rock him to sleep. I guess I will have to start that up again soon enough! I was surprised that he was able to fall asleep so easily because his head was hanging off of my shoulder and falling fast. It surely wasn't the most comfortable sleeping position, but we made it work.
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After a stop at Goodwill to drop off some old clothes, we went to the Animal Rescue League to donate some old towels and visit the animals. My son was surprisingly unfazed by the multitude of dogs barking loudly at him as we walked through the kennels. He thinks they are so funny. He shared a few cute moments with a poodle mix that reached out to him from its cage, but we are hardly in the market for another pet. I always look forward to going to places like that, but actually being there always makes me so sad.
After checking out the dogs and mostly ignoring the cats, our last stop was the small animal room. We spent a good deal of time talking about bunnies, hamsters, and chinchillas with the nice old lady volunteer that seemingly runs that part of the shelter. She was so sweet, and it was comforting to see someone who clearly cares so much about the animals. It's tough to tell, but I think my son will share Mommy's and my love for animals. I look forward to giving him "his" first pet!
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Uh oh. "Toes" and "nose" seem to be very confusing to my almost 18-month old son. I know we'll figure it out, but it certainly could result in some interesting situations in the future if he never learns the difference!
It looks like it's going to be warming up a little bit this weekend. It's a good thing, too, because we have to start training next week for a half marathon at the end of March. I can't wait to get back outside with my little training partner. It's going to get a lot tougher when I have to run with one of those ridiculous double strollers later this year!
We made a few stops after music class, the final one being the mall. I needed some oil for our snowblower, and my son needed to see some puppies. I haven't had a stroller in my car for a while because of hauling Christmas presents, so I either had to carry him or let him walk on his own. Being that he still doesn't take direction very well, we walked over the "Sears Bridge" nearly 8 times. After he finally tired of the bridge, we headed to the pet store.
He wasn't as excited to see the puppies as he usually is. Instead he chose to wander around the store, picking up random bags of sand, feed, and bedding along the way. When he was carrying around one of the bags with two hands, I noticed that no longer had his water. I found where the bag belonged, and sure enough, there was his water.
We watched his new favorite show, Jack's Big Music Show, after a late lunch, and then it was time for his nap. Nick Jr. always has some sort of educational lesson after each show as well as a music video from one of their other shows. Just as we were making our way up the steps, his Gabba friends came on the screen and got him all riled up. Though I was still able to get him to go upstairs, he refused to go to sleep on his own. Luckily I haven't forgotten how to rock him to sleep. I guess I will have to start that up again soon enough! I was surprised that he was able to fall asleep so easily because his head was hanging off of my shoulder and falling fast. It surely wasn't the most comfortable sleeping position, but we made it work.
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After a stop at Goodwill to drop off some old clothes, we went to the Animal Rescue League to donate some old towels and visit the animals. My son was surprisingly unfazed by the multitude of dogs barking loudly at him as we walked through the kennels. He thinks they are so funny. He shared a few cute moments with a poodle mix that reached out to him from its cage, but we are hardly in the market for another pet. I always look forward to going to places like that, but actually being there always makes me so sad.
After checking out the dogs and mostly ignoring the cats, our last stop was the small animal room. We spent a good deal of time talking about bunnies, hamsters, and chinchillas with the nice old lady volunteer that seemingly runs that part of the shelter. She was so sweet, and it was comforting to see someone who clearly cares so much about the animals. It's tough to tell, but I think my son will share Mommy's and my love for animals. I look forward to giving him "his" first pet!
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Uh oh. "Toes" and "nose" seem to be very confusing to my almost 18-month old son. I know we'll figure it out, but it certainly could result in some interesting situations in the future if he never learns the difference!
It looks like it's going to be warming up a little bit this weekend. It's a good thing, too, because we have to start training next week for a half marathon at the end of March. I can't wait to get back outside with my little training partner. It's going to get a lot tougher when I have to run with one of those ridiculous double strollers later this year!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
(Half-)Day 78, Christmas vacation, and Day 79
Mommy's school had an early dismissal today, and I didn't want to be out when she got home, so we really didn't a chance to do much. It was probably best to stay in anyway, as we will be needing all the energy we can muster for the next few days.
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Christmas vacation: the highlights...
Our first day off, we had to leave our son with Gram for a short time so we could go to the doctor about a serious medical issue: WE'RE PREGNANT!!! We told our families and select few others back in October, but we didn't want to tell the world until we knew everything was going OK. Almost as soon as the ultrasound technician put the wand on my wife's belly, I knew what we were having. You know what that means: it's a BOY! He asked us anyway and typed the same words on the screen. Everything looked good (according to the mumbling and bedside mannerly-challenged doctor), so we figured it was time to let the rest of the world know. After sharing with our families, we took it one step further: Facebook Official!
We visited Grandmom K later that day for Christmas #1. Her big present to our son was a model train set. While there was no way I would be able to set it up in time for Christmas this year, I look forward to seeing his reaction next year. While we had a nice and relatively quiet visit, today began an unsettling trend of inconsistent naps that would continue through the next week.
We drove down to my sister's house in Virginia the next day for Christmas #2. He slept a little bit on the way down but was more interested in his afternoon milk and snack than opening presents. We didn't have a lot of time at my sister's, so her young daughters understandably wanted to get right to the presents. He did his best, but he just wasn't himself and clearly is still too young to "get it". We left after dinner and hoped that he would sleep a little on the way back, but not too much so we could still get him a full night of sleep before Christmas.
My wife and I woke up before my son on Christmas morning, so we had a chance to exchange our gifts. We both took it pretty easy this year (she plans on taking a full year of maternity leave next year), and my big gift to her was of the homemade variety. I compiled many of the videos of him into a music video and gave it to her after we got home on Christmas Eve. After spending so much time on it and getting it just right, I couldn't wait. I didn't think it was possible, but she may actually like it more than I do.
My son's second Christmas (and our third so far this year) saw him actually being able to open presents. Just because he was able doesn't mean he wanted to. Eventually he got through most of them, but luckily Santa had preassembled a couple of gifts that he seemed to enjoy.
Later that day we had Christmas #4 with Pop Pop G. It began with a combination of too much eating and moving and a result of puke on his nice Christmas outfit. He was then relegated to spending the rest of the evening in one of his cousin's old t-shirts. Best laid plains...
Christmas #5 came a couple days later when Gram and Pop Pop returned from Virginia. We asked them to come over to our house (mainly because we had a Christmas tree and they did not) and then spent almost no time at the tree. Whoops. They had plenty of playtime with my son in our living room, and I don't think anyone was really thinking missing the tree.
We spent New Year's Eve at the home of our friends who have twins. Our New Year's countdown was for 8 o'clock, so we could get all the children in bed at a decent hour. None of us had a problem with that. We swapped the champagne for ginger ale and discovered that our son seems to love ginger ale. It's either that or he just really enjoys drinking out of a real cup.
We finally had a chance to check out the Kids Court play area at our local YMCA. It's a pretty impressive indoor playground with a rock wall and a bunch of other cool stuff. Though our son is still too little to appreciate most of the obstacles, he did have fun going up and down some puffy steps and running around in the day care area. He was also quite fond of playing with their toys that we have at home. Toward the end of the day, he started trying to climb up a small slide. This being the first time he had shown interest in a slide, I helped him climb up the steps on the back of the slide. I was very proud of him as he walked right up to the slide and sat down all by himself. I called Mommy over as he was about to do it again, and he didn't disappoint!
My son, being a small child and all, has a fascination with lights. We took our first family trip to Christmas Village, an unexpectedly and immensely popular nearby attraction on its final day of seasonal operation. As expected, he was amazed by the trains, lights, and kitsch that surrounded him. Never mind that Christmas was a week earlier and it started to rain when we were there- nothing could wash away the joy in his face. That is, until we realized we had to get him home before bedtime.
-----
There were some odd bed- nap- and wakeup times over the break, so I was a little worried about what time he would get me up this morning. He must have realized we had nothing that needed to be done today, so he didn't get up until 9. A dusting of snow, extremely cold temperatures, and a slight case of extreme laziness kept us inside today. This gave us a chance to work on a little bit of learning.
He knows the names or relationships of most of his relatives and pets as well as some other essential words. However, a couple recent encounters made me realize that we never taught him very basic parts of his body. He knows his legs and arms because we call them out when he is getting dressed, but today I was determined to teach him toes, ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Everything was going great until I tried to show Mommy when she got home. By that point all he wanted to do was hug and spend time with her. After the day that she had, I figured that was OK, too. We can always try again tomorrow!
----
Christmas vacation: the highlights...
Our first day off, we had to leave our son with Gram for a short time so we could go to the doctor about a serious medical issue: WE'RE PREGNANT!!! We told our families and select few others back in October, but we didn't want to tell the world until we knew everything was going OK. Almost as soon as the ultrasound technician put the wand on my wife's belly, I knew what we were having. You know what that means: it's a BOY! He asked us anyway and typed the same words on the screen. Everything looked good (according to the mumbling and bedside mannerly-challenged doctor), so we figured it was time to let the rest of the world know. After sharing with our families, we took it one step further: Facebook Official!
We visited Grandmom K later that day for Christmas #1. Her big present to our son was a model train set. While there was no way I would be able to set it up in time for Christmas this year, I look forward to seeing his reaction next year. While we had a nice and relatively quiet visit, today began an unsettling trend of inconsistent naps that would continue through the next week.
We drove down to my sister's house in Virginia the next day for Christmas #2. He slept a little bit on the way down but was more interested in his afternoon milk and snack than opening presents. We didn't have a lot of time at my sister's, so her young daughters understandably wanted to get right to the presents. He did his best, but he just wasn't himself and clearly is still too young to "get it". We left after dinner and hoped that he would sleep a little on the way back, but not too much so we could still get him a full night of sleep before Christmas.
My wife and I woke up before my son on Christmas morning, so we had a chance to exchange our gifts. We both took it pretty easy this year (she plans on taking a full year of maternity leave next year), and my big gift to her was of the homemade variety. I compiled many of the videos of him into a music video and gave it to her after we got home on Christmas Eve. After spending so much time on it and getting it just right, I couldn't wait. I didn't think it was possible, but she may actually like it more than I do.
My son's second Christmas (and our third so far this year) saw him actually being able to open presents. Just because he was able doesn't mean he wanted to. Eventually he got through most of them, but luckily Santa had preassembled a couple of gifts that he seemed to enjoy.
Later that day we had Christmas #4 with Pop Pop G. It began with a combination of too much eating and moving and a result of puke on his nice Christmas outfit. He was then relegated to spending the rest of the evening in one of his cousin's old t-shirts. Best laid plains...
Christmas #5 came a couple days later when Gram and Pop Pop returned from Virginia. We asked them to come over to our house (mainly because we had a Christmas tree and they did not) and then spent almost no time at the tree. Whoops. They had plenty of playtime with my son in our living room, and I don't think anyone was really thinking missing the tree.
We spent New Year's Eve at the home of our friends who have twins. Our New Year's countdown was for 8 o'clock, so we could get all the children in bed at a decent hour. None of us had a problem with that. We swapped the champagne for ginger ale and discovered that our son seems to love ginger ale. It's either that or he just really enjoys drinking out of a real cup.
We finally had a chance to check out the Kids Court play area at our local YMCA. It's a pretty impressive indoor playground with a rock wall and a bunch of other cool stuff. Though our son is still too little to appreciate most of the obstacles, he did have fun going up and down some puffy steps and running around in the day care area. He was also quite fond of playing with their toys that we have at home. Toward the end of the day, he started trying to climb up a small slide. This being the first time he had shown interest in a slide, I helped him climb up the steps on the back of the slide. I was very proud of him as he walked right up to the slide and sat down all by himself. I called Mommy over as he was about to do it again, and he didn't disappoint!
My son, being a small child and all, has a fascination with lights. We took our first family trip to Christmas Village, an unexpectedly and immensely popular nearby attraction on its final day of seasonal operation. As expected, he was amazed by the trains, lights, and kitsch that surrounded him. Never mind that Christmas was a week earlier and it started to rain when we were there- nothing could wash away the joy in his face. That is, until we realized we had to get him home before bedtime.
-----
There were some odd bed- nap- and wakeup times over the break, so I was a little worried about what time he would get me up this morning. He must have realized we had nothing that needed to be done today, so he didn't get up until 9. A dusting of snow, extremely cold temperatures, and a slight case of extreme laziness kept us inside today. This gave us a chance to work on a little bit of learning.
He knows the names or relationships of most of his relatives and pets as well as some other essential words. However, a couple recent encounters made me realize that we never taught him very basic parts of his body. He knows his legs and arms because we call them out when he is getting dressed, but today I was determined to teach him toes, ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Everything was going great until I tried to show Mommy when she got home. By that point all he wanted to do was hug and spend time with her. After the day that she had, I figured that was OK, too. We can always try again tomorrow!
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