You have always refused to be rocked or cuddled to sleep, Abram. I cannot read a full page of a board book before you do a full body twist/Jackie Chan roll and dash down the hallway. At 17 months you have never listened to a full book. At this same age your sister was reading Dickens. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but seriously, ever since you figured out how to walk you are the craziest dude.
Well the other night we put you up in your crib with your paci and Blanky. You were happy to lie down with them like always, but after about 20 minutes I heard you screaming. I ran upstairs to find that you were having a Stage 5 meltdown. I grabbed you out of your crib and brought you to the glider chair. I wrapped you up tightly in Blanky like I used to do when you were a baby. I put your pacifier in your mouth and gave you an extra one to hold, because that's how you like it. I stuffed the little pacifier handle up and under your nose, because that's how you like it. You are a creature of habit, and I know you well.
I started singing to you, and instantly you stopped crying. I sang you a whole mess of songs. I sang and I sang and I sang until your breathing slowed from intense gasps to calm, steady draws. You smiled at me. I smiled at you. I asked, Are you ready to go night night? and I was floored when you responded with a giant grin and a No. I said, Do you want to rock with Mommy a little longer? You smiled and nodded your head Yes. I couldn't believe it. You understood what I said.
So I sat there talking to you all about your day at daycare and my day at work. I recalled our evening jumping on the trampoline, playing ninja, playing campfire. I reminded you of how we walked uptown to get real ice cream, and how you would have eaten an entire gallon had we let you. You have such a sweet tooth. I told you about the bath you desperately needed the minute we returned home. You smiled at me the whole time I spoke to you. When I was done I said, Now it's time to go night night. I brought you in your room, told you I loved you, and kissed my pointer and middle finger before touching them to your forehead - like I always do. I closed your door and you slept through the night.
I don't know what it was about that night, but I don't ever want to forget it. It was the first time we ever had a real conversation where I realized you might actually understand what I was saying. It was the first time you have ever let me rock you (even when you were a little baby). I just loved it, and I just love you.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
SING, SING, SING!!!
I stopped breastfeeding Chloe before bed at 13 months. In place of our sweet, cuddle time I started rocking her before she fell asleep, and - to my great surprise - I began singing her songs. I was really embarrassed when I first started singing to Chloe, partly because I couldn't believe I was just now starting to sing her songs after a whole year for crying out loud, and partly because I'm just a terrible singer. Honestly, even my humming voice is cracky and bad.
But there we were... just me and Chloe, and one day I just started singing. I couldn't even think of what to sing, but once I started I found it difficult to stop. All of these childhood songs came rushing back to me. I'm going to write down some of the songs I sing in case my kids are reading this some day trying to remember the songs Mommy used to sing.
1. How Much is that Doggy in the Window (for which I also made up a second verse for the kitty in the window)
2. Do Your Ears Hang Low
3. Down by the Bay
4. You are My Sunshine
5. The Wheels on the Bus
6. This Old Man (which is "Grammy's Song")
7. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
8. Away in a Manger
9. ABC's
10. Apples and Bananas
11. Old MacDonald
12. BINGO
13. Humpty Dumpty
14. Bimbo, Bimbo
15. I'm Not Perfect
And about a million other songs I just make up whenever Chloe asks me to. Like, Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog, Walking Down the Street RUFF! I just sing and sing and sing, and seriously, I find it hard to stop, because when we are singing my kids are SO happy. I'll sing all the way through Costco just to keep them entertained. I'll sing at the checkout, stop to pay, and proceed singing. When we get back to the car I blast "Toddler Radio" on Pandora through the speakers, and we just SING! Wiggles, Mickey Mouse, Berkner... baby, I know ALL the lyrics!!!
I seriously think back to that day I made the decision to start singing to Chloe. I remember when I was done singing to her that first night I sat there quietly for a moment just kind of blushing. I laughed a little, shook my head, and thought... holy shit, I'm a MOM. You bet your ass I am.
But there we were... just me and Chloe, and one day I just started singing. I couldn't even think of what to sing, but once I started I found it difficult to stop. All of these childhood songs came rushing back to me. I'm going to write down some of the songs I sing in case my kids are reading this some day trying to remember the songs Mommy used to sing.
1. How Much is that Doggy in the Window (for which I also made up a second verse for the kitty in the window)
2. Do Your Ears Hang Low
3. Down by the Bay
4. You are My Sunshine
5. The Wheels on the Bus
6. This Old Man (which is "Grammy's Song")
7. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
8. Away in a Manger
9. ABC's
10. Apples and Bananas
11. Old MacDonald
12. BINGO
13. Humpty Dumpty
14. Bimbo, Bimbo
15. I'm Not Perfect
And about a million other songs I just make up whenever Chloe asks me to. Like, Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog, Walking Down the Street RUFF! I just sing and sing and sing, and seriously, I find it hard to stop, because when we are singing my kids are SO happy. I'll sing all the way through Costco just to keep them entertained. I'll sing at the checkout, stop to pay, and proceed singing. When we get back to the car I blast "Toddler Radio" on Pandora through the speakers, and we just SING! Wiggles, Mickey Mouse, Berkner... baby, I know ALL the lyrics!!!
I seriously think back to that day I made the decision to start singing to Chloe. I remember when I was done singing to her that first night I sat there quietly for a moment just kind of blushing. I laughed a little, shook my head, and thought... holy shit, I'm a MOM. You bet your ass I am.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Chloe Notes
For a little while I was taking time to jot down a few stories about these crazy kids. These are all a little old now, but I figured I ought to post them anyway.
January 27, 2013 - Chloe is obessed with cats. Cats are probably her most favorite thing in the world right now. Maybe even higher on the list than Papa. We were visiting our friends who have a cat named Zoe. Chloe spent maybe 70% of her weekend chasing the cat around the house. She had a conversation with me that went something like this, "Mom. Mom. MOM. Cats have TAILS! Cats have buttholes under their tails. Cats have poop on their buttholes. I have a butthole, but I don't have poop on my butthole. Cats have FUR! Cats are soft and you have to pet them like this. Cats have up ears. I have side ears. I LOVE CATS!!"
February 3, 2013 - Chloe is obessed with informing me that girls have a penis and boys have a vagina. Except it sounds more like "boys hab a penis and girs hab a bagina." Somehow every conversation can be brought back to those two anatomical parts. Griffin hab a penis. Abram hab a penis. Daddy hab a penis.
February 10, 2013 - This morning Chloe and I were sitting on the couch. She was playing with a toy laptop, and I was talking to my friend, Lydia. I overheard the following:
Laptop: What do you like to play?
Chloe: Outside.
Laptop: Who is your best friend?
Chloe: My Mom.
Heart. Melt.
February 11, 2013 - This morning I was getting ready in the downstairs bathroom. I always pull Abram's high chair over to where I'm getting ready. I toss him scraps every now and then to keep him occupied. A raisin here, a blueberry there. Graham cracker. Banana. As long as I'm feeding him he is content. Well, for whatever reason this morning he was being a grump and was throwing everything on the floor. Chloe came over, threw her hand on her hip and said, "NO, NO ABRAM! Do not throw your food on the floor. You naughty, naughty boy. Now Mommy is going to have to clean all this up!!!"
February 12, 2013 - It was a rough morning, this one. For some reason Chloe peed the bed TWICE last night. She never pees the bed. She never has. She has been an expert at potty training since she started. She has never worn a pull up, wakes up in the middle of the night if she needs to go, and can hold her pee forever in the mornings. I'm not sure why she peed twice last night, but the second time was directly on the mattress, which was super awesome. It really got the day started off right.
When Abram woke up he woke up screaming his balls off. He would not stop screaming. Crying, screaming, sobbing. Nothing I could do could stop him, so finally I just let him sit there crying. I asked Chloe if she could figure out what was wrong with him. He followed her into the kitchen and she poured a bag of raisins out on the floor. I nearly yelled at her, but I realized that he had stopped crying for the first time in 45 minutes. She emptied the rest of the cherries out on the floor. I told her that was enough. He was laughing. She said, "There, Mom. Now he is happy!" Damn. She's right.
I ran upstairs quickly to grab our clothes and shuttered when I heard what sounded like chip bags. Sure enough, when I came downstairs I found a pile of pita chips, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, and Cheerios added to the raisin/cherry mix. Nice.
January 27, 2013 - Chloe is obessed with cats. Cats are probably her most favorite thing in the world right now. Maybe even higher on the list than Papa. We were visiting our friends who have a cat named Zoe. Chloe spent maybe 70% of her weekend chasing the cat around the house. She had a conversation with me that went something like this, "Mom. Mom. MOM. Cats have TAILS! Cats have buttholes under their tails. Cats have poop on their buttholes. I have a butthole, but I don't have poop on my butthole. Cats have FUR! Cats are soft and you have to pet them like this. Cats have up ears. I have side ears. I LOVE CATS!!"
February 3, 2013 - Chloe is obessed with informing me that girls have a penis and boys have a vagina. Except it sounds more like "boys hab a penis and girs hab a bagina." Somehow every conversation can be brought back to those two anatomical parts. Griffin hab a penis. Abram hab a penis. Daddy hab a penis.
February 10, 2013 - This morning Chloe and I were sitting on the couch. She was playing with a toy laptop, and I was talking to my friend, Lydia. I overheard the following:
Laptop: What do you like to play?
Chloe: Outside.
Laptop: Who is your best friend?
Chloe: My Mom.
Heart. Melt.
February 11, 2013 - This morning I was getting ready in the downstairs bathroom. I always pull Abram's high chair over to where I'm getting ready. I toss him scraps every now and then to keep him occupied. A raisin here, a blueberry there. Graham cracker. Banana. As long as I'm feeding him he is content. Well, for whatever reason this morning he was being a grump and was throwing everything on the floor. Chloe came over, threw her hand on her hip and said, "NO, NO ABRAM! Do not throw your food on the floor. You naughty, naughty boy. Now Mommy is going to have to clean all this up!!!"
February 12, 2013 - It was a rough morning, this one. For some reason Chloe peed the bed TWICE last night. She never pees the bed. She never has. She has been an expert at potty training since she started. She has never worn a pull up, wakes up in the middle of the night if she needs to go, and can hold her pee forever in the mornings. I'm not sure why she peed twice last night, but the second time was directly on the mattress, which was super awesome. It really got the day started off right.
When Abram woke up he woke up screaming his balls off. He would not stop screaming. Crying, screaming, sobbing. Nothing I could do could stop him, so finally I just let him sit there crying. I asked Chloe if she could figure out what was wrong with him. He followed her into the kitchen and she poured a bag of raisins out on the floor. I nearly yelled at her, but I realized that he had stopped crying for the first time in 45 minutes. She emptied the rest of the cherries out on the floor. I told her that was enough. He was laughing. She said, "There, Mom. Now he is happy!" Damn. She's right.
I ran upstairs quickly to grab our clothes and shuttered when I heard what sounded like chip bags. Sure enough, when I came downstairs I found a pile of pita chips, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, and Cheerios added to the raisin/cherry mix. Nice.
Abram - 15/16 Months
Hey bud. You are already 16 months old (actually, I wrote this at 14/15 months, updated it to include 16 months, but now you are nearly 17 months... eek!). I missed the last many months of updates, and for that I am sorry. Lately, it seems I don't have a single spare moment left in my life to update this darn blog. Ever since your first birthday I have been spending my mornings working out or cleaning the house before you kids wake up. I'm writing this now while you nap. Chloe is by my side "helping" me with my paper notebook, which I have been using to jot down tidbits about you kids. What she is actually doing is kicking me and trying to touch the buttons with her toes. And she is saying "say, 'you don't know how to open that notebook. You are only three.'," which is her "thing" right now, because she does know how to open the notebook, and the joke's always on me.
You have come so far over the past few months. You started walking between 13 and 14 months, and while you still look a little drunk while you walk, you are getting so much faster - like, almost running. You are surprisingly clumsy, but that is just me comparing you to your sister at your same age. You are probably just normal. Regardless, you are always bumping your head on things. Right now you have a scratch across your forehead and a bruise on your cheek. Add that to the eczema below your eyes and your adorable face is pretty banged up. It doesn't matter, though, because everywhere we go people always comment on how cute you are. You are such a cheeseball, smiling at everyone. Here is a video from when you first started walking.
Now that you can walk you are so busy! You remind me of a pinball machine, always bouncing around the room from one toy to the next. Your daddy taught you how to go up and down the stairs, and even though Chloe is always reminding you to "turn around" when you go down the stairs, you still insist on trying to go down the stairs face first. You try to go down on your butt and flash your little shit grin.
Your favorite thing in the entire world is your pacifier, and like any true addict, I'm convinced you would choose that pacifier over your family, food, water, or shelter. My rule is to keep the pacifier in the crib, but in the mornings you have started throwing massive tantrums when I take it from you. We let you have it in the grocery store or car, because you would seriously just sit there for an entire lifetime being a perfect angel as long as you had that thing in your mouth. You also love the crooked, blue and white, polka dot blanky Grammy made for you. She hates that crooked blanky, but you don't see a single flaw in it when you snuggle up to it.
Other toys/things you love right now are super random, and it makes me laugh when I think of you always carrying them around. They are as follows:
1. The doll house toilet
2. The Christmas snow globe
3. The stethoscope
4. The stuffed dog
5. These shoes (which at 16 months you would wear 24/7 if given the choice)
You love sitting in kid chairs. You love playing in your sister's room, because she has a Pottery Barn chair, a rocking chair, and two pink princess folding chairs. With the stethoscope around your neck and the doll house toilet in hand, you go from chair to chair, stopping only to dance to the beat of the snow globe music. You love to dance, but your only move is to walk in a circle while waving your arms and clapping your hands. It's super cute, though!
You are such a good eater. Your all time favorite food right now is a pile of shredded cheese. You go to the fridge and point at the cheese drawer. You also love Greek yogurt. In March, your Papa let you feed yourself Greek yogurt, and ever since then you insist on doing it yourself. Things get pretty messy, but you are so proud of yourself!
You also love pancakes and berries. You have such a sweet tooth. On Easter Sunday you refused to eat anything that wasn't candy or chocolate. You were just completely out of control. The next day I found all kinds of tin foil in your poop, because you were trying to eat milk chocolate eggs with the foil on and everything. You crazy baby!
Your favorite person is easily Chloe. You think she is so funny. She will pretend to hiccup and you will laugh so hard you actually get the hiccups. She can get you to stop crying by just making a funny face at you.
You used to be a total Daddy's boy, because Chloe was a total Mama's girl. She never let me hold you or play with you, because she was so demanding of my time. When we got back from vacation she took her anger out on me and became a Daddy's girl. As a result, you and I have gotten loads of snuggle time, and most of the time you chase me around the house wanting to be picked up and snuggled. Something cute you do is walk over to me when I'm sitting Indian style on the floor and just plop your little butt down in my legs. Then you just sit there, like that was a seat made just for you. I love to kiss you on your neck behind your ear. You have these wild curls on the back of your head, and you are just irresistibly cute.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Abram - 12 Months
At your 12 month well-baby visit you weighed 22 lbs, 10 oz. (47th percentile), you were 31 inches long (83rd percentile) and had a head circumference of 18.75 inches (82nd percentile). You have always been pretty consistent. Long, skinny body with a large noggin' on top.
At your visit we received some disappointing news that the vaccines you received at your 2 month visit were stored at 31 degrees instead of the recommended 35-46 degree range. The vaccines were stored at that temperature for several days, and, as a result, were deemed ineffective. After spending an entire day on the Internet looking for a solution that wasn't to revaccinate, I had the nurse send me her research. All of the vaccine manufacturers recommended revaccination based on studies that showed the vaccines to be ineffective. We decided to go ahead and revaccinate on two of the shots during Chloe's 3 year check-up, and you should be all caught up by your 18 month visit. I can't believe that this happened to you. I'm so sorry.
We had your first birthday party at your Grammy & Papa's house. Your Daddy picked a football theme. I wanted to do a little decorating, but didn't want to get caught up in the details. Luckily, your Aunty Kelly recently held a big tailgate birthday bash for Matt, and she was thoughtful enough to let us borrow her awesome decorations! Grammy made you two cakes: a football and a helmet. She also made you cupcakes. I decorated about six of them, which was the extent of my contribution. I was very busy cooking and decorating. In an unfortunate twist of events, your sister came down with her second strain of influenza of the season. Daddy volunteered to stay home with her. They watched every movie under the sun while I frantically attempted to cook a meal for 50+ people. Thankfully, we had planned a menu that was crock pot friendly. With Papa's help we managed to serve pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, Italian beef sandwiches, taco salad, and all the fixins. The party went off without a hitch, but everyone was missing Daddy and Chloe. We checked in with them throughout the night using Facetime, but nothing could replace the other half of our family. It seemed like you were looking for Chloe everywhere you went, and I didn't notice you acting like yourself until little Gwen came over to play with you. She must have reminded you of your big sister, because you took off after her and attempted to hang with the girls for the rest of the night.
At 12 months you still refuse to walk!! It is amazing, because you can crawl to the middle of the room and stand up without holding on to anything. We have seen you take a few steps before, so we KNOW that you can do it. It is amazing to me that you refuse to walk. You know what you want? You want someone to hold you so that you are facing out, then you point to where you want to go. You get so pissed if we set you down when you expect to be escorted somewhere. You just want someone to sit on the floor with you and not move. Come on kid, JUST WALK ALREADY!!!
We decided to start you on Vitamin D (whole) milk and to gradually phase out your bottle, leaving the night time bottle for last. You are obsessed with your pacifier, so I think that will be a tough one to cut. We are doing our best to keep your pacifier only in your crib, but gee sometimes it sure is nice to cork you with it in a store, restaurant, or vehicle. For the record, you literally have six different kinds of pacifiers. You will use any pacifier brand of any size/shape/color. You do not pacriminate.
You aren't really saying anything. The only person you really make an effort to call to is your Grammy. You basically just call her Mamama, which is super annoying and strikes me right to the core with guilt. You are completely obsessed with her, which works out well because Chloe has already placed her claim to Papa. You give her kiss after kiss and would go to her over anyone else in the room. I love her lots, too, so I can't blame you.
You can climb up and down the stairs, but we don't trust you on them alone. You don't seem to be as coordinated as your sister was at your age. You refuse to watch television or sit for a book. I forgot how long those months are between 12 months and 18 months, when kids get into everything, and nothing - not even Elmo - can stop them. I remember praying that your sister would just please, please start watching television. Just 20 minutes, please. One episode of Dora. Pretty please? I don't even remember when she started watching television. I'll have to go back and look. All I know is that you are a super busy guy who doesn't even notice the television, so I'm guessing its going to be a while for you.
You've got two new teeth coming in on the bottom. That will make eight. Your plugged tear ducts seemed to clear up for a few months, but all of a sudden they seem to be back in full force. You always have what looks like eczema under your eyes. They are always red and puffy and I think everyone thinks you have pink eye. I hope they clear up for you soon!
Happy first birthday to my little guy. I can't believe it's been a year. I was feeling very nostalgic on the day of your first birthday. All throughout the day I thought about what I was doing exactly a year ago. I love recalling your birth - such a special day. I always look at your sister and think that I can't imagine you being that big. Now I look at you and I think I can hardly remember you being that small. Thank you for being such a sweet boy. I love watching you grow. Being your Mommy is such a blessing.
At your visit we received some disappointing news that the vaccines you received at your 2 month visit were stored at 31 degrees instead of the recommended 35-46 degree range. The vaccines were stored at that temperature for several days, and, as a result, were deemed ineffective. After spending an entire day on the Internet looking for a solution that wasn't to revaccinate, I had the nurse send me her research. All of the vaccine manufacturers recommended revaccination based on studies that showed the vaccines to be ineffective. We decided to go ahead and revaccinate on two of the shots during Chloe's 3 year check-up, and you should be all caught up by your 18 month visit. I can't believe that this happened to you. I'm so sorry.
We had your first birthday party at your Grammy & Papa's house. Your Daddy picked a football theme. I wanted to do a little decorating, but didn't want to get caught up in the details. Luckily, your Aunty Kelly recently held a big tailgate birthday bash for Matt, and she was thoughtful enough to let us borrow her awesome decorations! Grammy made you two cakes: a football and a helmet. She also made you cupcakes. I decorated about six of them, which was the extent of my contribution. I was very busy cooking and decorating. In an unfortunate twist of events, your sister came down with her second strain of influenza of the season. Daddy volunteered to stay home with her. They watched every movie under the sun while I frantically attempted to cook a meal for 50+ people. Thankfully, we had planned a menu that was crock pot friendly. With Papa's help we managed to serve pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, Italian beef sandwiches, taco salad, and all the fixins. The party went off without a hitch, but everyone was missing Daddy and Chloe. We checked in with them throughout the night using Facetime, but nothing could replace the other half of our family. It seemed like you were looking for Chloe everywhere you went, and I didn't notice you acting like yourself until little Gwen came over to play with you. She must have reminded you of your big sister, because you took off after her and attempted to hang with the girls for the rest of the night.
We decided to start you on Vitamin D (whole) milk and to gradually phase out your bottle, leaving the night time bottle for last. You are obsessed with your pacifier, so I think that will be a tough one to cut. We are doing our best to keep your pacifier only in your crib, but gee sometimes it sure is nice to cork you with it in a store, restaurant, or vehicle. For the record, you literally have six different kinds of pacifiers. You will use any pacifier brand of any size/shape/color. You do not pacriminate.
You aren't really saying anything. The only person you really make an effort to call to is your Grammy. You basically just call her Mamama, which is super annoying and strikes me right to the core with guilt. You are completely obsessed with her, which works out well because Chloe has already placed her claim to Papa. You give her kiss after kiss and would go to her over anyone else in the room. I love her lots, too, so I can't blame you.
You can climb up and down the stairs, but we don't trust you on them alone. You don't seem to be as coordinated as your sister was at your age. You refuse to watch television or sit for a book. I forgot how long those months are between 12 months and 18 months, when kids get into everything, and nothing - not even Elmo - can stop them. I remember praying that your sister would just please, please start watching television. Just 20 minutes, please. One episode of Dora. Pretty please? I don't even remember when she started watching television. I'll have to go back and look. All I know is that you are a super busy guy who doesn't even notice the television, so I'm guessing its going to be a while for you.
You've got two new teeth coming in on the bottom. That will make eight. Your plugged tear ducts seemed to clear up for a few months, but all of a sudden they seem to be back in full force. You always have what looks like eczema under your eyes. They are always red and puffy and I think everyone thinks you have pink eye. I hope they clear up for you soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
