Almost One and summer stuff

So many things are happening for my kids this summer, and there is never time to blog about it. I'm getting lots of photos (thank you iPhone) and frequently posting to facebook, so the fam can stay up to speed. Although we haven't had much summer weather, we are still out and having fun whenever possible. So what if we have to wear long sleeves to the beach, less sunscreen used, and less chance of burning our alabaster skin- I say!

Indigo-she will turn one this month. The past year has been a whirlwind!

1. Almost walking. Will turn anything into her personal mode of transportation. Easel, trash cans, etc.

2. Has the cutest bent pointer finger thingy. Will try to photograph again tomorrow. Her finger is straight, the bend is at the wrist. She points at EVERYTHING!

3. Her loves: Birds, cats, babies, dolls, Nordy (a stuffed shoe horn toy from Nordstrom), giving kisses.

4. She enjoys finding her reflection in things: the trash can, the dishwasher, the mirror. Such a smiley happy girl most of the time.

Ryan

1. Transitioning to the big potty for poops. This has taken a lot of work on my part. He is not a fan of the noise it makes hitting the bottom of the pot.

2. Playing soccer. We had a major meltdown at one of the practices. But he came to enjoy his time running and playing with some new kids.

3. Creative play is starting to get interesting. He is making up stories about things, and is great at rhyming and making up songs. Gets that one from me. :)

Indigo's Affections

At 10 months, Indigo has developed a myriad of kissing techniques.

We have:

1) The nose kiss. She basically gives a raspberry using her nose. Sometimes there is an inhale with the nostrils attached to your cheek, and almost always, there is an exhale. With her current cold, I am enjoying this display of affection less and less. And my throat is starting to hurt. Darn petri dish children!

2) The real deal: This kiss is so sweet, she is trying to pucker her lips. So there is a suction sound as she makes an O shape with her mouth and touches it to my cheek.

3) The Lick: This kiss was an early form for her, and is becoming more rare as she gains skills. I'm starting to miss it. (weird I know)

4) The Head Butt. Just today I noticed her attempting to bonk people and things with her head. She mostly uses her forehead, but there was a reverse throwing-herself-backwards maneuver today that was a backwards head butt for sure.

Other milestone updates: She has FINALLY managed to say Mama. It's good to hear it. :) She is trying to walk. Using laundry baskets and toys for support, she is beginning the cruising stage. She will walk with me for a few steps with hands held.

Today also marks Ryan's Half Birthday. His big news is that the #2 training is going VERY WELL. It has been more than a week since his last party foul. He will be rewarded soon with a date to the new Cars 2 movie. My dad made him a fabulous potty chart to keep track of it all. We filled in spot 9 of 15 today!

Ryan's Questions

Let the Big Questions begin!

Ryan: Mommy, where was Indi when I was in your tummy?

Me: In heaven.

R: Was Daddy with her?

Me: No.

R: Who was with her?

Me: Angels.

R: Oh.

10 second pause.

Ryan: How do babies grow in your tummy?

Me: When I eat food, then they can grow bigger.

R: Oh.

No, there aren't any babies in my tummy. But Ryan has been expecting his baby to come ever since I announced my pregnancy with Indigo. When I ask him now about it, I getting varying answers such as "in 5 weeks" or "in 3 days". His labor is imminent. :)

Other cuteness from my oldest: "Mommy, I want Indi to enjoy us." (he meant join)

Today's Quote-Ryan Style

"Mommy, you got to get some more milk in your boobies 'cause it's almost all gone. You gotta use your milking machine to get some more milk in there." (referring to my breast pump, which also serves as a gas station for one indoor push car). As frustrating as this kid is for potty training, he sure is cute when developing his own ideas.

Our Halloween

Here we are: Baby Tiger/Pumpkin, Dragon, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Big Bad Wolf. Ryan dictated everyone's costumes this year. He likes to sing the Hey there little red riding hood song. We taught him this one as the "Nursery Rhyme" to go with a puzzle. His howl is quite cute.

I'm a little late, as usual. We celebrated Halloween on the ACTUAL night, not anything fancy surrounding it. This year was Ryan's first Trick or Treating from door to door. We went with some friends up in Everett. Ryan and Hazel had trouble with the concept of knocking on a door but not going inside...a new idea for both of them. We only hit a few houses, so there isn't enough candy for Mom and Dad to yoink. That's ok, since I had to give up dairy for Indigo, chocolate included, this Halloween was a bit of a drag for me. Those of you that know me well understand the sacrifice I am making for this child by giving up chocolate. I will have to find some weirdo-hippie version without dairy to keep my wits about me!

Random Ryan

Yesterday Ryan and I were playing Birthday Party by making cakes out of legos and singing to each other. I asked him how old he would be for his next birthday. His response: "Becember". I think he means that his birthday is in December, which I have only told him a couple of times! He does not respond with a number to this question ever.

Today Ryan was playing with "Nugget" his baby doll. He was trying to nurse the baby, but said that his boobies were too small, and asked if I would feed the doll. I attempted a through the shirt fake out, but the little guy was on to me, and told me to lift my shirt. I said that he needed Ryan to feed him. We ended up getting the baby a bottle from my stash, and now Nugget is a strictly fake formula fed doll. I've got enough on my hands with little Miss Indi eating all the time, I don't need to pretend to nurse anybody else! Ryan is always very diligent about burping Nugget after each feeding, and replacing his binkie in his mouth. I love watching Ryan's creativity develop!

In Indigo news, she is getting chubby. Today while perched on a shopping cart, the roughness of the ride made her little cheeks jiggle like a basset hound. It was disturbing and cute all at once. Oh, and the mid-thigh roll has made it's appearance. Hooray for baby fat!

Swim Photo

I forgot to post this.

Chronicles of Ryan

Photo captions for above: crafts of the week, making a mockery of my body's condition 1 and 2, and 33 week photo (I'm at 34 weeks tomorrow, but this shows the hugeness of the situation well)

In these last few weeks of Ryan's fleeting only-childness, I need to document some of his sayings/doings so we don't lose it all in the fog of newborness that is about to descend. For the uber-pregnant me, the next six weeks will drag, but I know each moment alone with my little man must be cherished, even though some can border on the mind-numbingly repetitive.

• Quote of the week: "Mommy, did you SAW that?" (said after doing just about anything)
• There must have been some unseen growth spurt of 1/8 inch or something. Clothing still fits, but all of a sudden, Ryan can reach and use the pedals of the trike much better, and can reach the bathroom faucet with ease.
• Independent hand washing has ensued.
• Pulling down his own pants when time to change clothes. (assuming the Dictator has approved of the wardrobe selection and timing of change- translation- This has happened twice Ever).
• Previous two items are tell-tale signs of readiness to potty train!!!!
• Requested to "sit and make toots" last night before bed. Although this is just a new tactic in his repertoire of bedtime procrastination techniques, we are being indulgent, as maybe someday he might produce Something while on the potty. He sat for so long last night that the cushioned toilet seat was stuck to his bum when he arose.
• Bedtime is still a challenge, but got a little bit easier last night. Last parental entry into bedroom at 10:15 PM, and no one had to sleep over! (he's been having bad dreams, and wants someone to stay so he doesn't get scared). It's 8:20 AM, and he's still asleep. The only joy of a night-owl child is that he sleeps in. However, this puts a big damper on morning appointments, work schedule, etc.
• Ryan started swim lessons with Daddy last week. See photo. Gymnastics ended at the beginning of June, which I participated in, and I'm glad it ended when it did. Bending is not my current forte.
• Last weekend, Ryan pounced on his Dad post-Daddy nap and proclaimed, "Daddy, you're my Best Friend!". We both melted.
• Daddy worship is in full effect. Any exciting thing during the day is met with, "I'm gonna show My Daddy after-fore he gets home from work."
• We've become crafting fools, this week we produced two caterpillars, a snake, and a chicken. See photo.

Mama Bear Syndrome AKA Hormonal Overdrive?-32 weeks

I've reached a certain point in this pregnancy where I feel like an adult that has the ability (and uses it) to strike fear in the hearts of other people's children. I'm not doing it to be malicious, but being feared/respected?/and minded by other's is an empowering feeling, especially when my own offspring can be such a dictator. I call this feeling Mama Bear Syndrome. I've had two incidences in the last week, and am becoming fearful of waddling my wide load out into public, as I will act upon my thoughts immediately. Public be warned!

It first struck me at the Fourth of July celebration we attended, where children were playing on a huge playground waiting for darkness to fall and the sky to light up. Three girls, (ages 9-11?) were hanging out at the top of the tunnel slide and talking. One girl was hanging off of the outside of the slide and dangling her body dangerously over the ground. I heard another mother voice her concerns to her friends about the girl falling, but I'm the one who acted on it.

I'm sure the girl felt perfectly safe doing this and proud of her strength. However, I have a highly impressionable two-year old, (and there were MANY kids of ALL ages out there) who might think that he could do that move too. So, I approached the girl and asked her to please come down, as she was setting a bad example for the little kids on the playground. Her friends gave me a pre-teen sneer, but she came down. Triumph for Mama Bear!

The second occurred at my house at 11:30 last night. It has finally reached 90 degrees in Seattle, and most homes are not air-conditioned. Therefore, we were sleeping (not insomniac me) with our windows open to catch the night breeze. My neighbors (the good ones) have two kids: one boy age 10, and one girl age 17. These are good kids, we even hire the girl to watch our cat when we are out of town. Last night, the kids were playing basketball in the street at 11:30 PM. Mama Bear came out to tell them that it was time to put the ball away and go inside. I'm not sure if their parents were home or not, but they have air-conditioning, so I'm sure the repetitive sound of a basketball on asphalt was muffled by the closed windows and air compressor. I told the kids that I had a sleeping baby next door, and if he were to wake up from their antics, I would be VERY unhappy. I said that they could stay outside, but the ball needed to stop, and if they were setting off fireworks (someone in a mile vicinity was) that should stop too. I tried to be polite, but was up until 2 AM feeling like a mean old lady who yells at other people's children. I need some blogging love to know that my hormones have not driven me over the edge of socially acceptable behavior.

I am trying to raise my child(ren) to be respectful of others and conscious of their actions in public. So far, I hear that my little tyrant is very well behaved (for others) after two overnight visits with grandparents etc.

In other news, I've hit a milestone. With Ryan, I was in the hospital at this point, so I didn't have a chance to yell at other people's children! My biggest complaint is that in the photos, my body is growing and it seems that my head is shrinking! The bones in my feet hurt too, but since last pregnancy I was off of them at 28 weeks, it is a new feeling. I've only gained 20 pounds so far (with Ryan at 34 weeks, I hit 40- but water was to blame for the last 10).

Some Ryan updates:

Ryan had his first solo camping trip with his dad at the end of June. See photos. Very fun for both.

Yesterday, I took Ry to McDonald's for a "biggar" (hamburger) (very rare treat for him). He scooted into the booth after we had washed our hands. I said we needed to go order our food. He said, "No Mommy, the lady is coming." (the waitress?) I think we might take him out to eat a bit much if he is expecting a waitress to take his order at McDeath! So funny.

We've been crafting more. See the dinosaur to the top of this post. A fellow blogger suggested this website, which has been very helpful for finding age appropriate, learning type crafts. No Time for Flash Cards.

That's all for now, I'm off to take a nap! Only about 7 more weeks of baby cooking to go!

30 weeks

I got my belly henna-ed at Father's Day beer festival yesterday. It should darken a bit more tomorrow, but I'm too excited to share it. It's the closest thing I'll likely ever have to a tattoo. I'm feeling big, getting up and down is harder, and I'm not sleeping very well. Jeff is going to have to take over the laundry next week. I washed a bunch of baby stuff tonight and could barely reach the back of the washer to get it all moved to the dryer. Luckily, Ryan is more into helping lately and enjoys moving the laundry along with me!

Some of Ryan's latest sayings:

"When I was a little boy...."

"Don't talk to me" (used to avoid direct questioning, such as did you poop in your diaper?)

"I don't want to"

"Don't talk at the table" (I think this is a morph of don't talk with food in your mouth, but am not sure)

We're still on yesterweek for things in the past, and he thinks that all the days of the week are Tuesday for some reason. I started talking to him about time on his digital clock, like that 8 is his bedtime, and 8 is when he can get up in the morning. Tonight he was jumping on the couch and reading the thermostat clock and told me it was 9 o'clock (at about 7), so something with that must be sticking-at least he was looking at a clock.

Ryan told me last night that his baby was kicking in his tummy, so I put my ear up to it like he does to mine. He said, "did you hear it?"

He has really taken to his doll, also named Nugget, and shushes him and pats his back. They

sleep together, and Nugget rides in his lap in the carseat.

Ryan hit the Terrible Twos last week. Getting dressed in the morning is a challenge, everything needs to be his idea, and he never likes the clothes I have picked out. Even today, as we were going to see Toy Story 3 for Father's Day, he fought us on leaving-even though he knew we would see a movie and have popcorn! Some days you just can't reason with The Dictator.

Happy New Year!

We've been too busy doing to get busy documenting. Ryan has been ice skating and downhill skiing in the past few weeks. He and Daddy are out playing in the mud now, so I have a chance to catch up on the blog.

I don't have any photos of the skiing, as it took both parents to hold him up. But he sure had fun. There were stuffed bunnies stationed down the bunny slope to give beginning skiiers targets. Ryan enjoyed touching each one.

We are getting sick of the rain. At least it isn't any colder than 40 at night, but that is making the mud all the more goopy. The landslides are starting around here. Luckily not in our neighborhood. Only 2 weeks and 6 days until we leave for our Hawaiian get away! I cannot wait.

Ryan's First Movie

Jeff has spent a LOT of time making this special movie about Ryan--from the VERY beginning through his first moments home from the hospital. I hope you enjoy it.

Apple Picking

We shot this back in October. I'm learning more advanced technological maneuvers with the computer. It's a longer clip, but quite funny.

Interview with Ryan

Tonight Ryan picked up his keys (the valet set to our car) and announced "go bye bye Mommy".

Me: Where are you going?

Ryan: Go uh store.

Me: What are you going to buy at the store?

Ryan: Snackies!!

Me: What kind of snackies are you going to get?

Ryan: (running toward door) Um Um Um.....

Favorite snacks: raisins, carrots, blueberries, bears (crunchy cereal) and graham crackers (cookies to him)

Injury Photos

For all you far away folks, here are the best shots I could get of the stitches. Look above his right eye. Ryan kept coming toward me when I had the camera out! The stitches are out now, and he's down to a small scratch on his forehead-like it never happened. I still think he should be a model. Just look at these photos!!

Favorite Commercial

Every time the new Prius commercial comes on TV, Ryan drops what he is doing to watch it. So I downloaded the song for him from the Toyota website, and he LOVES it! It is one of the coolest commercials I have ever seen.

Here's the link to it on You Tube if you haven't seen the commercial yet.

Adrenaline Junkie

I've had a heck of a week. Jeff's parents are visiting from Indiana, so we have spent lots of time with them, at our house and at a vacation rental on Whidbey Island. We're at the end of a record heat wave for western Washington, where homes do not typically have air-conditioning, as it is not NEEDED--except this week.
I scurried Ryan from place to place with A/C, we did the library, several trips to Baskin & Robbins, "shopping" in the toy aisle of Wal-Mart for an hour, etc. But I've had a big round of three bad things happen to cause my adrenaline to rush and stress me out for a bit.

1. A nice old man scraped the bumper of my 2009 Forester while I was parked at Trader Joe's. An alert lady let me know what happened. I waited for the man in 98 degree heat, with frozen foods and milk and Ryan in the parking lot to discuss it (not fun). I also called the police to file an official report. Luckily, the man was honest, and my car will be repaired soon.

2. The next night, I was attempted to bed down in my 85 degree house at 11PM. Jeff was doing laundry (not a common occurrence) in the garage. All of a sudden, there was a POUNDING at the front door. My first thought was, "why did he go outside, and why is he pounding on the door? He knows that Ryan is asleep!" Then the door knocker yelled "Open the effing door! (he said the word though). I yelled back through the screen near the door--WHO ARE YOU? He replied "Jeff" and I said, "NO---you're not." (not MY Jeff anyway). I was dialing 911 during this exchange. I said, "Go away, I'm calling the police." He mumbled something about Christine, which I think is my trashy neighbor's name. He then started begging me to NOT contact the police. I told the would-be intruder to go away and the police would not come. He complied with my request, however; I was left with a serious case of the shakes, and it took me a good long while to fall asleep that night. We think he meant to go next door, but I haven't found out, and I'm not sure how to ask my trashy neighbor about it, since we have suspicions about activities at that house, and this theory would support it. Too bad you can't choose your neighbors.

3. Ryan spent a nice day at the Children's Museum with his Granna and Grampa on Thursday. It is just two blocks from my office, so I met them for lunch at a cafe. All was going well until I received a dreadful phone call at about 2:30 from my MIL saying that Ryan had hit his head and she thought he needed stitches. They came to my office, we loaded up and went to the doctor. My little guy now has 2 stitches in his forehead. No photos yet, it's under a bandaid until it can stop being all gross and weepy. In the course of this experience, I was asked by the nurse to pin my baby down in a sheet swaddle. Besides his writhing body and blood curdling screams (supposedly his wound was numbed, but I don't think the stuff worked) he stopped asking for me and started asking for his Grampa. I got woosy and had to lie down. Basically, the nurse pinned me on top of Ryan, which wasn't helping my woosyness. I eventually flipped over and laid him on my chest, making it MUCH easier to breathe. After 10 minutes of laying there, another nurse took my blood pressure, which was only 94/70. I felt like such a wuss, but I think the week's events culminated there on the treatment table. Seeing and feeling my baby hurt was the last straw.

You will be glad to know now, faithful blog followers (all 4 of you) that I am now home ALONE for the night. It is my first night away from Ryan, he and Jeff went back to Whidbey to stay with Granna and Grampa. I will join them tomorrow, but I'm taking tonight for ME. I don't have a car, so I'm not going anywhere. So far, I've laid in the hammock, while sipping a cocktail and reading a book, cleaned the kitchen uninterrupted, cooked zucchini bread from homegrown squash, and am now writing a very long blog post. Oh, I also did one load of laundry. So much for a glamorous evening alone! I plan to get a FULL NIGHT OF SLEEP for the first time in a LONG time. Woo-hoo!

From Baby to Little Boy

We finally did it. We had Ryan's first haircut last weekend. The curls had become too matted, and he had hair in his eyes at all times. Below is a before and after shot. We also have the BEST CURL PRODUCT EVER!! It's called Ring around the Curlies, and it is an all organic leave in conditioner/styling product and we LOVE it. No more matted back of the head baby. Just sweet, lovely locks of curls. Just because we got his hair cut, doesn't mean we went SHORT. He could still be considered a hippy baby when caught in his tie dye shirt. :) (for some reason blogger is putting his AFTER photo first, but you get the idea)