Days 147, 148, 149, and 150

Today started great: I remembered all of my supplies for the grocery store! We didn't need a lot there, but I was fully prepared. This is my first personal "little victory" in quite some time. Way to go, me!

We overslept for baby storytime yet again, so after the grocery store we stopped at the mall for lunch and a little shopping. I saw Gymboree was having (surprise, surprise) a sale, I figured I'd stop in and get some stuff that Mommy would approve of (forgetting that Mommy had just placed an online order with them the day prior!). Thankfully, I only purchased two items that were the same, and one of them was for our upcoming delivery. Bullet dodged!

When we got to Gymboree, my son walked right to the back of the store and set up shop in their small play/ TV area. He grabbed all of his stuff out of the stroller, spread it all around him, and sat down in one of the chairs. When I went back later after lunch (thinking that I had dropped a pack of wipes that turned out to be at home), I left him in the stroller while I searched the area. When I looked back at the stroller, I saw that my son had stood up and stolen my lemonade right out of the cupholder. I guess he figured I had had enough.

-----

Mommy had the day off yesterday so we could go to the doctor and check on The New Boy (TNB). Since we were both home at the same time for more than an hour, I finally got around to painting the ceiling in TNB's room. Give me a break- I worked hard to get that room empty.

There was a small turnout at music class today. My son and another boy spent a portion of class chasing each other around the classroom, and at one point they ended up in an adjacent stairway. I always close the door when we get there because my son isn't able to open doors just yet. This boy is. Before I knew it, they had gotten through and the other boy door slammed the door behind them. I got to my son rather quickly, but the other boy was up two flights of stairs by the time his mommy got there. For a moment I pondered my responsibility in this situation: should I chase/ grab the boy? Would I want a stranger putting his or her hands on my own son in a situation like this? Would I ever even be in a situation like this? No, because I know where he is at all times. You're on your own, lady.

Now that the painting has begun, I finally got some "me time" during my son's daily nap. It's been a long, long while, and it feels good. I knocked out last 5 or so episodes of Justified: The Complete Third Season over a couple of days as well as some other stuff I had been working on. I know time like this will be few and far between in about four weeks, so I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

-----

Our local minor league baseball team, the Reading Phillies, had an 11:35 game scheduled today, so I called up my dad (being at "the ballyard" is one of Pop Pop's favorite things) and we met him there. We found some empty seats along the right field line and he sat quite comfortably for a couple innings watching the game and enjoying his snack before losing interest and exploring the rest of the area. He really likes the "strongman" mallet game (that Mommy despises).

Pop Pop has made many friends in and around the stadium over the years, so he was able to finagle us some seats right by the screen behind home plate. This gave us a great (and safe) view of the game. One of the aforementioned friends even tossed my son his first* foul ball! My son and I split a couple slices of pizza and got through about 6 innings before he decided it was time for a nap. The team has a couple more early games between now and TNB's opening day, so hopefully we'll get to do this again.

(*While he was still in the womb, I got a foul ball hit by Chase Utley at a Spring Training game in Dunedin, Florida.)

-----

On days like today (cold and overcast), we have to find ways to keep ourselves active. Recently, my son has taken a liking to having dance parties with the "Top Lists" area of Spotify. Together, we've discovered some pretty darn awful pop music. OK, it's not all bad. I suppose I am the one hitting "play", after all! Some of his favorites are "We Are Young" by fun., "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen, and "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction. Good stuff. Much like Daddy, he doesn't get the Gotye hype and continues to mow the carpet, stairs, and window when "Somebody That I Used To Know" comes on. It's a good way to have some fun (and get him all tired out before nap time), and it's not at all embarrassing when neighbors walk by and see me jumping around like a fool.

Days 122, 123, 124, and 125

This past weekend was my annual sojourn to Clearwater, Florida for Phillies Spring Training. My initial plan this year was to take my son down with me and stay for as long as I liked, but my wife wasn't too thrilled about not having me around for an extended period of time (it may have had a little to do with missing our son, as well, but who can really say?), so I settled on just a couple of days away. It was a great trip with great weather, but ultimately I missed my son more than I could have imagined. I saw a lot of families complete with toddlers and infants when I was there, but they didn't look like they were having all that much fun. I can't wait until my boys (!) are old enough to enjoy it (and we are able to afford it!) so we can all head down together. Some day...

We started the day with a nice little run, but it was all wind in our faces on the way back. That slowed me down considerably and didn't make my son too comfortable, so we ended up walking the last half-mile or so. My GPS tracing app didn't get the memo that we had stopped, and somehow kept timing us which killed my splits. Oh well.

-----

The time change has really done a number on my son, as I had to go upstairs and wake him up in order to make it to music class on time today. As I expected, he was back on his game today after an off week last time. He's getting good at walking with (but not necessarily in) the class circles and stopping when we stop, but he still doesn't have any interest in holding hands.

We made a short stop at home to make lunch before heading to Red Bridge, a nearby park, to eat and enjoy the weather. Because the trail is so close to the water in many spots, he stayed in the stroller until it was time to go. He started protesting as I tried to put him in the car, so I let him run around a little bit. That little bit turned into a roughly 30 minute tour of the recreational area.

His favorite spot seemed to be the stone foundation of an old log house. I am pretty sure I was also partial to playing in there anytime I got to go there as a kid, so I wasn't surprised. A woman sitting nearby told me there used to be play equipment inside, but I don't remember that. I remember wanting to playing the dirt.

We stopped at Gram and Pop Pop's house before band practice. Pop Pop was very excited to see his grandson, as he hadn't been able to hang out with him recently. We hung around for a few minutes- long enough for my son to make a nice pile of picture frames and wooden boxes.

This was our final band practice before our big gig on the weekend, so it was very important that we made it. We were working without a nap, so it was a big risk. He was his normal self for all of the songs in the first set, but started getting a little sleepy in the second. I knew it was time to go when he walked over to me and stood on my right foot so I couldn't play the bass drum. Smart, smart kid.

-----

Today's adventure was a trip to the grocery store. I had my coupons, my list, and the reusable shopping bags. We got to the store, and I grabbed a cart. I immediately realized that I had left the cart cover in the car, so I dragged the cart back to the car and strapped it on. An older gentleman pulled up next to me and struck up a conversation about our cars (he also drives a Prius) as well as the cars of just about every member of his family. Throughout all of this, my son didn't make a single noise or attempt to get out of the cart.

I was able to find a suitable moment to cut off our conversation and head inside. We made our way up each and every aisle, picking up the necessities and a little extra. Everything was going great. I was singing songs about all the different things we were picking up. My son was laughing and pointing at the babies and dogs on the packages. If heaven was a grocery store, well, I don't know how to end that sentence. Anyway, it was good. Then, about halfway through the store- I realized I forgot my Bonus Card.

I decided to finish shopping and worry about it later. Surely I wasn't the first person to forget his card, but I didn't want to miss out on the immediate savings OR the gas points I would accumulate. When I was done, I parked the cart near the entrance, picked up my son, and jogged out to my car. In the process, I had to take away the many items he was holding for me- including, but not limited to: peanut butter, puffed grain snacks, goldfish, and yogurt. I knew this was risky and gave me a short window before a complete breakdown. I gritted my teeth, supported his head, and made a break for it. Just as we approached fullon meltdown mode, I placed a container of goldfish (the snack, not the aquatic animal) in his hands and all was once again back to normal. Save for a half-dozen issues at checkout, the rest of the trip was uneventful. Can't wait to do it again next week!  

My plan upon returning home was to put away the groceries. My son's plan was to take a walk around the block. As usual, his choice won. The great weather we've been having has really given him a chance to show off his wheels (read: feet). Unfortunately for him, he hasn't yet figured out how to fall gracefully. Just as his previous bump on the head had all but been forgotten, he tripped and was able to catch himself with his hands but was unable to control the velocity of his relatively gigantic head. Once again, in seemingly slow motion, he scraped his head on the sidewalk. This time there was no blood, but there was plenty of crying. I'm fairly certain the crying was more as a result of me picking him up and carrying him the rest of the way than any actual pain. Regardless, Daddy doesn't like to be the cause of his upsetedness.  

Despite the morning's tribulations, he got a good nap before we had to get up and go to a meeting at my school. I am part of the technology committee in my district, and because of the subject that I teach, I like to be aware of what it is both in the pipeline and coming down the pike. Since I've been out all year, I feel so out of touch with not only my job but also the the new technology with which I'm expected to work. The meeting ended up going much longer than I anticipated, but my son, ever the good little soldier, made exactly one peep. The rest of the time he sat on my lap and flirted with other committee members or stood under the table and organized the diaper bag. I felt awful putting him through that, but I think the seemingly endless supply of snacks helped him forgive me.

Believe it or not, that was not the end of our day, oh no! I still had a drum lesson to give. Luckily my son still had some snacks left to keep him busy. When we got to my student's house, his mom gave my son a few toys to keep him busy during the lesson. He sat on the couch and played with them for approximately three minutes before grabbing his drumsticks and playing along. While this didn't help my student, it made me feel fantastic. I remember being so excited when he could simply hold the sticks. Now he's actually attempting to do something with them. It's not just random banging, ether. Something is definitely going on in his head. Watch this space...

-----

Pop Pop came over today to continue work on renovating our sun room. It's an interesting dynamic when we're working. My son more or less has free range of the lower level of the house and backyard. He's become quite fond of our side porch and adjacent step. At least four different times today, he moseyed over to that side of the house and waited for me to spot him. When I got near him, he let out an excited shriek and induced a toddler-speed chase around our patio furniture. It's a fun game, but I fear eventually it's going to end with another bump on the head.

We also had some swing time while we were in the backyard. I don't quite fit in his swing, so it was all him. When he's in a swing, he transforms into a character I like to call "Swing Bunny". He bends his hands downward (like any good anthropomorphic rabbit does) and sticks his upper teeth over his bottom lip. Swing Bunny. Anyway, it's cute. Really cute. He especially loves when I hold him for an extended moment in front of me at the apex of his swing and quickly let go. That causes Swing Bunny to let out a Swing Bunny Squeal. OK, I'm sickening myself with all this adorableness. Post over.

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.

-----

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.

-----

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.

Days 67 and 68

Apparently my son has learned to spin. Of course not the stationary bike kind- the kind where you just spin in circles until you fall down. Thankfully he's only mastered the first part. He started doing it at music class today when it was time to "spin/ wave/ clap/ dance hello to so-and-so" which is the way we great each other there. He's even done it when I've asked him to but never on camera. I'm convinced he just wants me to look ridiculous on camera since we spend so much time recording him doing such silly things.

-----

This week has been a whole lot of nothing. Not coincidentally, it's the final week of my last two classes of this semester. I stopped working out during naptimes so I can do my work, but that will all change next week. I can't believe I can't wait to see Tony Horton's face again.

We went to the grocery store tonight and ran into one of Mommy's coworkers... or ex-coworkers... tough to say because her building might be closing at the end of the year. Anyway, she got our Christmas card and told me how cute my son is and that he looks exactly like me. Lady, I'm clearly married. Geez. She and I took a class together what seems like a lifetime ago- my first Master's degree. Now she's taking a year at home just like me. I guess that's why we were both grocery shopping at 9 o'clock on a Thursday. Living the dream.

Days 62 and 63

We went grocery shopping together at night while Mommy went to a meeting. The first thing on my list was baby food, so that was our first stop. Not having any idea how well he would react to having to sit in the cart for so long, I made sure to give him a distraction right away. The best I could do was a box of oatmeal in one hand and a box of cereal bars in the other. He didn't make a sound or fidget.

That is, until it came time to check out. I left his two boxes for last, fearing the separation anxiety. Good choice. For the 15 seconds he and the boxes were apart, he screamed, cried, and otherwise showed complete disdain for the situation. I gave them back as soon as I could, and he went from 60 to 0 just as quickly. He was a little suspicious of the attendant as she put the "sold" stickers on the boxes, but there were no further incidents. Lesson learned.

-----

I got a free Schick Hydro razor last night with a coupon I got in the mail. I shaved with it for the first time today. It felt like cheating. I've been using the Gillette Mach 3 for as long as I can remember, but it may be time to move on. We had some good times, Mach 3.

Music class was very encouraging today. He did some spins when he was supposed to, marched when he was supposed to, and even stayed in the circle with the rest of the kids. It was great! I think the week off helped. Or maybe it's the fact that he's actually approaching the age he's supposed to start the class. One of the moms commented on how much my son has progressed in the past couple months. He ran away before she finished her sentence.

We went to visit PopPop after naptime today. The official reason was to return some of Gram's containers, but I think everybody was happy to see each other. Someone brought out my old Matchbox cars, and my son enjoyed taking them out of their carrier and back in. He did push around an AMC Eagle for a few seconds, but other than that he just wanted to organize them in a big mess of a pile. We've got plenty of time to figure out how they're supposed to work.