Dialectic Ruminations on "Advanced Maternal Age" (DRAMA)

Crib Notes: Words I Know

2011-12-20T21:49:00.003-05:00

Animals

Monkey

Dog

Puppy

Giraffe (Graf)

Bunny

Horse

Cat

Teddy Bear

Cow

Bird

Pig

Oink

Quack

Neigh

Baa

Ee Ee Ah (Monkey sounds)

Ruff Ruff

Meow

Moo

Names

Mama

Dada

Rahill

Parviz

Ce Ce

Nemo (Memo)

Elmo

George

Pooh

Barney

Food

Oatmeal

Banana (banya)

Cheerio (Cheeo)

Cracker (Cacker)

Soup

Juice (water)

Milk

Coke

Apple

Yogurt

Sandwich

Eggs

Water

Berry

Things

Seat

Phone (hone)

Pumpkin (punkeen)

KeyKey

Paci

Book

Swing (wing)

Hat

Clothes

Baby

Keys

Sock

Shoe

Shirt

Balloon

Ball

Umbrella (bre-a)

Cup

Spoon

Fork

Box

Blanket

Couch

Brush

Football

Bubbles

Body Parts

Arm

Knee

Hand

Back

Hair

Ear

Eye

Nose

Cheek

Chin

Foot

Toes

Fingers

Head

Leg

Bottom

Actions

Back

Get up

Get down

Have

Hop

Tickle

Poop

Bounce/Bouncy

Other

Uh-oh

Yeah

Bye Bye

Hello (ewo)

Mine

Oh No

Bless you (bess u)

Purple (pupel)

Blue

Thank you (tan u)

Yucky

Eew

Mess/Messy

Down

This

Beep Beep

Choo Choo

Bugabugaboo

Hot

Cold

Silly

Crib Notes: Santa Claus

2011-12-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

Here comes Santa Claus...

Santa Claus is a busy man this time of year, but Mommy got word that Santa (who I believe loves trains) was going to be at the National Trolley Museum on Saturday afternoon. We headed to the museom to meet Santa. The museum was great! They had a telephone right at my level and a huge train track that I tried to get to. They didn't have the barriers up for me, did they? We even got to go on a trolley ride, which was fun until they made me sit in my seat for safety reasons. I had exploring to do. The only glitch in the day was Santa Claus. I'm just not sure I like that guy...

Crib Notes: My First Birthday Party

2011-12-17T21:09:00.000-05:00

I was invited to my first birthday party! Mommy was ridiculously excited that I was old enough to be invited to a birthday party! My friend Adam, who lives behind us, turned one. He had his party at The Little Gym, which is the best place ever for a party. I told Mommy I want to have my second birthday there! Look at how much fun we had...

This is Adam. We were playing with balls.

Crib Notes: Zoo Animals

2011-12-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

Hi, Everyone! I had such a big December. As you know, the weekends around the holidays are packed with activities, and mine were no exception. We were so busy that I didn't even have time to post. Stay tuned. I'll update you on all my activities over the coming days.

First, Mommy discovered that I can identify lots of animals. I know cow, horse, dog, cat, duck, monkey, and rabbit to name a few. And, I know what sounds they all make. Well, no one has told me what a rabbit says...

Because I'm so into animals these days, Mommy and Daddy took me to the National Zoo! It was a little cold and windy, but there was so much to see! The gorillas were my favorite!

Punkeens

2011-12-09T20:30:00.001-05:00

Papa Carl made me punkeens!!! Can you believe it? When he heard about my dearest love, he decided I needed a punkeen to keep that wouldn't have to go bye bye and that wouldn't go splat on Mommy's floors. I LOVE my punkeens! I carried them around all night. They are the best punkeens ever! Don't you agree?

It helps to balance if you stick your belly out.

Curious George

2011-12-07T20:33:00.001-05:00

Just Wandering Around

2011-12-05T20:23:00.001-05:00

Crib Notes: Christmas Lights

2011-12-05T09:32:00.000-05:00

It is about to be Christmas time, and I love to go for a walk around the block with Nemo at night and see the lights. Mommy likes the lights, too. This weekend, we went to see lots and lots of lights at the Morman Tabernacle in Bethesda. I loved the lights, but I liked the nativity scene best of all. I got to ride the camel, and I even made a friend.

Pumpkin Tales

2011-12-03T15:50:00.001-05:00

Our son has developed a deep and lingering obsession for pumpkins. Punkeen, punkeen, punkeen is the conversation again and again when we try to take Nemo around the block. When he sees a pumpkin on someone’s porch, he nearly climbs out of his moving stroller to get to it. One afternoon, the pumpkins on a porch across the street where more compelling than the playground equipment. The second I get to Fran’s, he points out the door saying, “punkeen.” The only page I can read in his Curious George color book is the orange page. You guessed it, there is a pumpkin on the page.

Did you know that there was a shortage of pumpkins this year? Yes, that’s right. There weren’t enough pumpkins. When I finally decided that Austin needed his own pumpkin, I visited 4 grocery stores. No pumpkins. And yet, my son continued to go nuts at the mere thought of a pumpkin. Out of desperation, I posted a plea on my local listserve. Yes, that’s right. I asked about 1,000 moms if I could have their leftover pumpkins. I had several wonderful volunteers and picked up a bag of small, used gourds from a wonderful mom. The look on Austin’s face when we came downstairs and found a pumpkin on the coffee table was like a kid on Christmas morning. He must have shown me the pumpkin, or talked about it, one or twomillion times over the course of the weekend. We took the pumpkin to the park. We put the pumpkin in the carseat with him. He insisted the pumpkin stay on his highchair tray when he ate.

It is December 2, and Austin still points to the spot where the pumpkin once resided at Fran’s house whining for the punkeen. Try explaining to a 16 month old that the pumpkin went bye bye. He still points at our front door every time we walk down the stairs and tells me there is a punkeen out there. He still carries his small gourds (the ones still surviving) around the living room and kitchen. It is a cute and adorable phase, but I’m really hoping he can get excited about something a little more seasonal. Nutcrackers, Santa Claus, angels, anyone? So far, nothing can compare to the king of gourds.

Crib Notes - Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. In honor of the holiday, I said "thank you" to Mommy about everything today. I thanked her for my spoon. I thanked her for putting on my shoes. I thanked her for taking something from me. It was one of my favorite words today.

Mommy and I really missed Daddy today, but we tried to make the best of it. I really enjoyed the Thanksgiving Day Parade. So many colors and so much music. We saw the band from Fayetteveill High School and talked about how that is where Papa Carl and GiGi live. Mommy and I danced to the music.

I got pretty upset when one of my favorite punkeens had a blowout. It was just a small hole that I stuck half my hand into. I don't know why Mommy had to throw it away. I asked for that punkeen for the rest of the morning.

I took the longest nap I've taken in a long time. By the time I finally woke up, half the day was gone. Mommy asked me if I wanted to go on an adventure. Even though I told her no, we still went to Starbucks and got coffee and fruit. We sat outside to eat. It was yummy and fun. Maybe adventures aren't all that bad. I hope Mommy has an adventure planned for tomorrow.

We had black beans and yellow rice for dinner. I helped Mommy feed me by putting the food in her spoon to give to me. I'm sure she appreciated the help. Apparently, this was not a traditional Thanksgiving day meal, but I enjoyed it.

Mommy and I talked about how much we have to be thankful for this year. We are so blessed.

We had a great rest of the weekend, too. Mommy and I spent an hour and a half at the park. I asked to "wing". We winged in all 3 of the baby swings because as soon as Mommy took me out of one swing, I pointed to another and said, "Wing. Whee. Whee." Mommy learned that you have to be careful clapping at a baby in a swing. We can't resist the urge to clap back. I went down the really big slide all by myself, and I played ball with Kayla. I LOVE the park.

My favorite words this weekend are "thank you" and "yes." Mommy says that even though the concept is the same, a baby that answers yes to every question is much more cheerful sounding than one that answers no to everything.

I've started saying "bess you" when I sneeze, and I say "messy" when Mommy changes my diaper. Yesterday, I looked up at Mommy as I was making my diaper stinky and said, "I poop."

Today, I was helping Mommy put things away in the bathroom and knocked something over. She said, "Oh, Honey..." I toddled around the bathroom saying Oney, Oney, Oney. I also found some nail clippers in the bathroom drawer. I sat down with them, pulled off Mommy's house shoe and sock, grabbed her toe, and tried to clip her toenails just like she does to me.

I took my hone (phone) to bed with me last night. Records show I made a very important call at 3:02 AM. Mommy woke up and looked at the monitor. I was sitting up in bed quiet as a little church mouse texting away to all my friends. What did we do before we had hones?

Last weekend I was walking 8-10 steps pretty consistently. This weekend, I'm walking about 50-60% of the time. By next weekend, I may never crawl again!

Daddy's Little Helper

2011-11-20T20:20:00.000-05:00

It took all of us to get things packed up...

Walking with Daddy

2011-11-20T13:03:00.001-05:00

Maternal Musings

2011-11-17T20:22:00.001-05:00

My Dearest Little Austin,

I spend so much time on this blog trying to recount all the funny, adorable, amazing things you do. I want to capture these anecdotes so that our family can share in the miracle that you are. I want to capture every little memory, milestone, and moment so that I can always revisit every step you take.

However, I think I've gotten so wrapped up in telling your story that I've forgotten to tell you mine. At some point, you will read this blog and marvel at how silly and petty some of my posts are. That's okay. It's a mother's right to be amazed at every sound and motion that you make. It's okay that I don't always remember that there have been other kids that were cute, that learned to feed themselves, and to talk, and to walk. It's okay-and right- that I think you are the most perfect, amazing, wonderful child that God ever made.

However, what is most important is not what I think, but that you know that you are here for a purpose, a wonderful God ordained purpose. You are learning to talk so you can talk to Him. You are learning to walk so you can walk in the paths that He has chosen for you. I thank God for creating you just the way that you are. I wouldn't change one single thing about you. You are so quick to smile and laugh and enjoy the moment. You are so smart and obedient. You are physically perfect and healthy and strong. I pray every single day that God will protect you, and that you will love Him with all your heart and mind and soul. And I beg God to give me the wisdom to raise you to be the man He has created you to be.

There is not a night that passes when I don't pray that God will post his angels at the four corners of your crib to watch over you while you sleep, that He will let you rest in his Holy embrace, and that He will place His hand over your heart to protect it and to claim it as His own.

I love you, my sweet child, deeply, completely, and forever.

Mommy

Bubbles

2011-11-17T20:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight, I started blowing bubbles at Austin during his bath. I've done this before, and he laughs at the bubbles or tries to chew on the wand. Tonight, he got so excited. He said, "Bubbles!" Soon a big bubble landed on the side of the tub, and I said "pop" when he poked at it. That was great fun! He started saying, "Bubbles! Pop! Pop!" He pointed at the cabinet and asked for the bubbles when I tried to put them away. He then took the wand, dipped it in the bubbles, and put it up to his mouth trying to blow. He accidentally blew a few bubbles when he held the wand up to his mouth and laughed!

My First Color

2011-11-13T21:12:00.000-05:00

As I was giving Austin dinner tonight, he pointed at my shirt and very clearly said "puple." Thinking about food, I agreed with him that I had on a purple shirt. It wasn't until bathtime that it struck me that he identified the color purple out of the...well, blue. As if to prove his point, we were reading one of his color books before bed. I was on the left page, orange. Tigers are orange, you know. Ausin pointed to the right page and said, "puple." He was right. Butterflies are purple.

Mrs. Fran says Austin also says yellow, but I haven't coaxed that one out of him yet.

No, No. Don't Eat the Markers.

2011-11-13T20:08:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Austin was coloring. Actually, it is more fun to take the caps off and put them on the marker than it was to actually write on the paper. He got the cap off one of his markers and started sucking on it. I told him no and pulled it out of his mouth several times until he decided he had to obey. Of course, obeying made him mad so he threw the marker down.

Soon, he was playing with another marker. He took the cap off, put the marker up to within a centimeter of his mouth, cut his eyes at me, and when he saw me watching, gave an impish grin, shook his head emphatically, and said, "Noooooo!"

Austin's First Text

2011-11-06T09:47:00.002-05:00

(to Daddy)
LpiLL. DF

Crib Notes - Smart and Sweet

2011-11-05T19:57:00.000-04:00

I am so smart (and sweet). That's what Mrs. Fran told Daddy this week. I communicate better and better every day. I have started surprising Mommy with all the things I learn in day care.

These are some of my new words: poon (spoon), punkeen (pumpkin – carving that Jack-o-lantern at daycare made a definite impression on me) bloon (balloon – also a daycare thing), off (as in "I want my shoes off"), popi (paci), tan uu (thank you), done (as in all done, no more food needed), cacker (cracker), cheeo (Cheerios), maka (marker), mine (Mrs. Fran says that this is a 2 year old word). more, and milk. Oh, and my very, very, very favorite word of the month is NO.

Mommy and I were running errands last weekend, and I saw 4 Jack-o-lanterns on someone’s porch. I repeated punkeen over and over again until Mommy finally saw what I was talking about. I did the same thing with some balloons tied to our neighbor’s porch when we got home. Mommy didn’t know I could say those words, and honestly, she was pretty slow to catch on to what I was saying. The pointing helped.

I also started doing the sign for “more” last night at dinner. And then again after dinner to show off for Daddy. I can do the sign for “all done” as well, but sometimes it is easier to just push the plate off my tray.

I’m ready to walk and started taking several steps unassisted, but walking is so slow! Like they always say, why walk when you can crawl?

I Think I'm Cute...

2011-11-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T19:59:00.004-04:00

Milestones

2011-10-29T14:42:00.003-04:00

Ugh! We ordered off the kid's menu today! When, oh when, did he get so big?

Crib Notes - 15 mo well visit

2011-10-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

I went to the doctor this week for my 15 mo well visit. Mommy told the doctor I was perfect. After all her questions and exam, the doctor agreed. I am 24 lb 1 oz and 32 inches tall. That puts me in the 40^th percentile for weight and the 70^th percentile for height. Whee…I’m gonna be tall like Daddy.

I'm So Cute

2011-10-25T19:12:00.000-04:00

I have started trying to figure out what Mommy and Daddy are doing and trying to copy them. I just want to learn how to be a big boy, but Mommy and Daddy think it is super funny when I do this.

Cute things I’ve done this week:

· I watched Mommy blow her nose. I asked for a tissue, and when Mommy gave it to me, I put it up to my nose and made a blowing sound with my mouth.
· When Mommy gets my food out of the microwave, she often blows on it before she gives it to me. So, I often pick up my food and blow on it before I eat it.
· I try to put my socks and shoes on my feet.
· When Daddy put my on the bathroom counter, I grabbed his toothbrush and started brushing my teeth.

Climbing and Books and Thank You

2011-10-24T21:20:00.000-04:00

Austin LOVES his Kangaroo Climber. And his books. Listen for him to talk about his books and to say "thank you" after he got his book.

These Feet are Made for...

2011-10-24T19:26:00.000-04:00

Walkin'.

And Mrs. Fran said I took 3 whole steps today. Mommy asked, but Mrs. Fran didn't have the video camera out. I'm sure I'll show off for Mommy and Daddy soon, and they'll definitely have the camera ready.

Bumper Car

2011-10-22T21:03:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes- My Entourage

2011-10-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

Guess who came to visit me this week??? Papa Carl and GiGi! I've been practicing saying GiGi for a long time, and I finally got to use my new words for real! Papa Carl is harder to say, but I worked on it all weekend.

Daddy went to get them, and they came in while I was asleep. Personally, I didn't think that was fair, but you know Mommy and her rules. I had to go to Mrs. Fran's on Friday because everyone was so busy. But I got to leave early! Daddy and GiGi came to get me and brought me home to Papa Carl. We all played and had dinner together, and it seemed like no time until I had to get ready for bed.

I got up bright and early on Saturday to make certain I didn't miss any play time with Papa Carl and GiGi. We went for a stroller ride and took pictures and played all morning. I was so excited I just couldn't sit still for the pictures!

After all that moving and squirming, I was definitely ready for my morning nap. Imagine how excited I was when I got up and found that Mommy had gone shopping. I got to play all evening with GiGi! We had dinner and got a bath and read stories. Both Papa Carl and GiGi entertained me while I had my bath. I was one big bundle of show off with such a great audience.

Papa Carl was so impressed with what a good, happy boy I am. He was on the phone bragging to my great-aunt Neta about how I never cry. Well, you know timing is everything in comedy, right? I decided to cry for the first time in 3 days just as he finished saying that!

GiGi and Daddy came to music class with Mommy and me. GiGi danced and sang and played instruments with the rest of us. I was so distracted to have three adults with me that I gave hardly any attention to my favorite girls in the class. Just think, only 15 months old and I already have my own entourage!

Monday was great. I didn't have to go to daycare until late so I got to play with Papa Carl and GiGi and then go play with my friends at Mrs. Fran's. So much playing is hard for a little guy, but I'm up to the challenge. Now that I have an entourage, I have to keep up my image, you know.

Fixin' It

2011-10-07T21:28:00.000-04:00

After watching me use the screwdriver to screw the battery cover on his toy, Austin grabbed the screwdriver and tightened up the rest of the screws. He found the screws and twisted the screwdriver until things were just right...and until I took the screwdriver away.

Portraits

2011-10-06T21:12:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes - Jackson

2011-10-04T20:38:00.000-04:00

Birthdays are fun, even when they aren’t your own! Mommy and I went to Jackson because everyone was having a birthday – Aunt Shay, Carly, and Reed. Do I even need to tell you that I was a good boy on the airplane? I got a little tired of staying right in Mommy’s lap, but I didn’t fuss too much. Mommy kept telling me I was supposed to be taking a nap. As if! There was so much to see and do. I had to stay on the move to make sure everyone around me was properly entertained.

I got the best surprise when we got off the plane. Papa Mac and YaYa were right there waiting for me…I mean us…and we had so much fun eating at Noshville while Mommy got her hair cut. I wasn’t very hungry, so I only ate “everything off the table” according to YaYa.

It was so great to be back at Sassy’s except for Tebo. I can’t decide if he’s fun or obnoxious. Sometimes I thought he was really funny, especially when he licked my fingers, but then he would get right in my face when I had somewhere to go. I’ll show him. I’ll be walking around next time I’m at Sassy’s and Tebo won’t be able to get in my face so easily.

Everyone went to Poppie and Mama Shoe’s house so Poppie could bless Carly and Reed. It was a very serious occasion, and I was very good except for the constant talking while Poppie was talking. But, I’m just a little guy. If I don’t talk while someone is talking, I never get my opinion out there.

I’m such a big boy that I now have a pair of shoes! Papa Mac got them for me. I wasn’t sure about them for the first 90 seconds, but I LOVE my shoes. I don’t really care if I’m wearing them or holding them. Either way, I’m pretty happy about it. I even know that my shoes go on my feet. I try to put them on by myself sometimes. I don’t know how Mommy makes it look so easy. Putting on shoes is really, really hard. It is much harder to get shoes on feet than to get shoes in mouth. I know. I’ve tried both.

Sassy and I are buddies. I followed her all over the house trying to be her shadow. I helped her load the dishwasher, do laundry, and empty the trashcan. She helped me play toys, read books, and get my bath. I helped Mr. Jim play the piano and use the TV remote. His remote has lots of buttons!

Sassy took me to Reed’s soccer game. I loved the soccer game because there were kids everywhere. And because I could show off my new shoes. I practiced walking with Papa Mac, but I didn’t walk all by myself. We also went to Carly’s birthday party at the skating rink. I think they have more kids in Jackson than in DC. I’ve never seen so many kids in one day. Of course the best thing about the birthday party is CAKE and ice cream. YaYa gave me ice cream, and Aunt Shay gave me CAKE. Mommy gave me pears.

After the party, we all went back to Aunt Shay’s to open birthday presents. I nearly got buried in the mounds of pink and purple tissue paper and bags. I helped Carly play with the presents. Mommy and I also snuck out and played on the new trampoline. So fun!

Enjoying my Car Walker

2011-09-25T19:52:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes: Being One

2011-09-23T19:26:00.000-04:00

I have been working so hard to exceed the requirements ofbeing one year old. As you’ve seen, I’mreally starting to pull my weight around the house. I try to do the dishes every night afterdinner. Mommy usually makes me quit longbefore I’m ready.

I’m also getting so strong and balanced. Just this week Mommy caught me standingwithout holding onto anything. I hadsomething in both hands, and I just forgot! I remembered after a couple of seconds, but every second helps build myconfidence. Daddy wants me to startwalking, but Mommy says I can wait. Somethingabout nothing being safe…

I just learned to go down the stairs. I’ve been going up for ages, but getting downis a little harder. I made it all theway down this week. I didn’t even get distractedand start going back up!

I have an expansive vocabulary these days. Just wait until you hear me. I know the following words: hello, bye bye, doggy, KeyKey, dada (I’mreally good at this one), mama, book, ball, up. I probably know even more words than this, but that list is prettyimpressive, isn’t it?

I know so many other things, too. I know how to turn on the water, how to putmy bottle together, how to use Qtips, how to use the remote control, how toturn on the iPhones, how to buckle part of my carseat, how to turn on my musicplayer, how to open the baby gates, and so many other things. Mommy says it is a good thing that knowingisn’t always the same as being able to do something. Wonder what that means?

I’m getting very opinionated about lots of things, too. I know what I want to eat and what I don’twant to eat. I know when I want to bepicked up and when I don’t want to be put down. I know when I want something and what that something is. Daddy says my grunts all sound the same tohim, but he keeps trying to figure out what I want. I also know exactly how to get what I wantfrom Daddy. Mommy is a little tougher.

As you can tell, being one is a lot of work, but I’m up tothe task.

When I Grow Up

2011-09-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

Bird's Eye View

Chores

2011-09-19T21:26:00.000-04:00

There is so much to do around the house...especially in the kitchen. Mommy makes the messes in the kitchen, and I am such a big help with that job. Daddy cleans up the messes. With all the messes I can make, Daddy needs help. I do what I can. By the way, all the following jobs are pretty messy. They are best done in just your diaper for easy clean up.

First, you have to make the mess.

Then, you need to rinse things off in the sink.

Sometimes you have to get really close to the situation.

Then, you have to load the dishwasher.

Finally, you have to start the dishwasher. I had to explain to Daddy how to work the dishwasher.

Crib Notes - Labor Day

2011-09-05T22:07:00.002-04:00

I was very passionate about swimming!

We had a great weekend! We got to go visit Jonathon and Jacob (oh, and Mr. Scott and Mrs. Steph). They live a long way away, but it was so worth it! You wouldn't believe how many toys Jonathon and Jacob have! And they are great manly toys like cars, trucks, trains, planes, dinosaurs, and Mickey Mouse! They have a train track as big as my bedroom. I crawled right into the center of it. It was great!

Someone said pool, but no one seems to be driving. I'm ready to go...

The day was packed with fun. I didn't even get close to pulling out all the toys before it was time to go to the POOL! I loved the pool. The pool people had lots of rules and wouldn't let me use my float, but that was okay. I didn't really need it. Daddy worked just fine!

After we left the pool, Mommy made me take a nap. I tried hard to stay awake, but I must have dozed off. When I woke up, we had dinner. Then, we took a stroller ride to the biggest park I have ever seen. Daddy pushed me on the swing for a little bit, and then we played on the other toys. They had a giant slide. It was even taller than Daddy! I caused a bit of a stir when I climbed up the slide out of Daddy's reach onto the landing. Mommy tried to make it up the slide, and Mr. Scott had to squeeze through all the tiny openings and stairs to come get me. I don't know what they were worried about. I was doing fine up there, but Mommy and Daddy were really worked up.

That's my foot disappearing right before I climbed out of Daddy's reach.

Once we left the park, all the little boys got to take baths. All too soon after the bath, Mommy said we had to go home because it was past bedtime.

We were supposed to go to another party on Monday afternoon where there were even more kids, but I was so tired from being with Jonathan and Jacob. I woke up too late from my afternoon nap. Holidays are great. I can't wait until the next one. Mommy says I'll get to play with Carly and Reed soon. And, we may get to go to Jonathan's birthday party. He's going to have a Transformer cake!

Daddy's Hurricane Update

2011-08-27T19:28:00.000-04:00

We still have power. The rain has been steady but reasonably light. PEPCO is one of the worst utility conglomerates in the country. We routinely lose power after normal rainstorms, so I'm sure it's coming. We stayed home all day today, likely will tomorrow as well.

Austin is enjoying the full-time attention. We played a lot today. He likes to ride on my shoulders. Also when I put him on the bed, we play chase--he throws himself forward and crawls away from me, I run around to the other side of the bed (where he is heading), and he squeals and throws himself the other way.

He climbs the stairs like a little monkey, full speed. Today he took off from the living room, climbed to the 3rd floor, down the hall and up the stairs to the 4th. I had to move pretty fast to keep up.

Being a daddy is awesome.

Jail Break

2011-08-25T11:04:00.000-04:00

Nope. No one's watchin'.

First step.

Almost there...

Fun Food Facts

2011-08-18T21:28:00.004-04:00

Austin decided he likes pasta...at least he likes pasta tonight. He has never eaten any kind of pasta, so this was new. I'm fairly certain it had something to do with the fact that Daddy was eating a plate of spaghetti. Somehow, things taste better when they come off Daddy's plate.

Austin loves his food and really thinks it is a mistake if someone is eating and he isn't. Mrs. Fran told me today that when she eats her cereal and fruit, she has learned to fix two bowls so she has something to give Austin when he inevitably shows up wanting to join her.

Typical Night with a Busy Little Boy

2011-08-15T21:45:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the orientation on the second video. Just turn your head sideways to watch the first half of it. It's worth it!

In Other News

2011-08-04T12:56:00.000-04:00

I received an award at work. I'm sure you will all be very proud of me.

Fun Food Facts

2011-08-02T21:19:00.016-04:00

Austin recently discovered peaches. They may actually rival CAKE in their popularity. It all started when Mrs. Fran put a peach on Austin's tray and turned around to take care of one of the other children before she cut the peach for him. When she turned back around, he was holding a fully cleaned peach pit. She saved it for me to see, and I wasn't sure I believed her. I've given him a peach, and I believe her now!

Here, Austin is trying to find the pit in a pear.

Crib Notes - Music Hour

2011-08-02T21:14:00.010-04:00

I think music hour should be every hour. You've seen how much rhythm I have. I tried to explain to Mrs. Fran that we should have music time all day, but she just didn't understand. I had to take matters into my own hands. I figured out how to turn on the CD player. Every time Mrs. Fran turned it off, I crawled over and turned it on. Then, Mrs. Fran moved the CD player. Hmmmm... I'm still trying to figure out how to overcome this obstacle.

This is my new music player from Papa Mac. I can turn this on whenever I want to.

Crib Notes - Bath Time

2011-07-31T21:09:00.005-04:00

Now that I'm a big boy, I get to take a bath in the big boy bathtub! No more baby tubs for me! I can have so many more toys in the big tub. I play so much, that sometimes I get thirsty. Lucky for me, it is easy to find water in the tub!

Because I'm One

2011-07-25T20:02:00.000-04:00

I’m one. I’m a big boy now. Do you know how I know that I’m a big boy?

Because I weigh 21 lb 3.5 oz and am 32 inches tall. Notice I’m not “long” anymore. I’m “tall” because I can stand up all on my own.

Because I have 7 teeth.

Because I can crawl super fast. I can even crawl straight up the stairs.

Because I can pull up on everything and cruise along the furniture.

Because I get to take baths in the big boy tub.

Because I can feed myself…sort of…well, I really like to have a spoon in my hand at dinner time. And most of the time I get the food to my mouth when Mommy loads the spoon for me.

Because I know how to use a sippy cup all by myself. And my bottle. And I can get Cheerios out of that non-spill bowl without help. Nemo likes when I do that because that bowl really will spill.
Because I can say "hello" and "uh oh." I can also say dada and mama. Mommy doesn't think I associate those sounds with meaning, but Daddy knows better. He knows I'm calling his name.

Because I know how to give big hugs and huge, wet kisses.

And because Mommy tells me I'm a big boy, and Mommy is always right. She wants to know when I learned to be so big and tells me to quit growing up so fast. Her eyes usually get really shiny when she says this.

Crib Notes: Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-07-25T10:18:00.043-04:00

I LOVE birthdays! Especially mine. Why? Because birthdays have CAKE! And friends! And Sassy! Mommy says birthdays also have presents, but I was really interested in the CAKE and the people.

I was worried that my birthday party would be cancelled. I woke up on July 23rd with a 103.5 fever. Daddy, Mommy, and I ended up in our favorite room in the ER. Apparently, I had a virus. Mommy said that just because we were in the hospital last year on July 23, it doesn’t mean we need to make a trip back every year on my birthday.

I woke up feeling a little better on Sunday, and Sassy helped me feel lots better. You have to have a lot of energy when Sassy is around because she really likes to play! I took a long nap in the afternoon. When I woke up, the house was full of people. It didn’t take me long to wake up. There were other kids there. Jonathon and Jacob brought cars! I helped myself to them and played vroom vroom with the big boys. Johnny is so big. He’s almost as big as Carly, but he still let me play Legos with him. And Stella was so pretty. I tried to play really close to her.

Aunt Kay made a CAKE that looked like KeyKey. How did she know that KeyKey is my favorite toy in the whole, wide world?

Aunt Liza and Uncle GB brought presents. They sure know what a little boy likes. I love playing with my puppets and still beg mommy to get them out of the closet every time she opens the doors.

All the ladies at the party thought I was cute! I made them laugh and laugh! It was so much fun. Mommy even let me stay up past my bedtime because I was having so much fun.

Sassy said she has never seen a 1 yo have so much fun at his birthday party. I don’t really have the time to do this parallel play that the experts talk about. I’m ready to get right in the middle of the action and interact with everyone. I mean, everyone says life is short. It really must be because this past year has just flown by!

One Year of Austin

2011-07-23T22:54:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes - Jackson, Cake

2011-07-15T15:49:00.037-04:00

Mommy and I spent the weekend in Jackson with Sassy, Mr. Jim, Aunt Shay, Mama Shoe, Poppie, and Aunt Phyllis. There is always so much going on when we go “home” as Mommy calls it.

The fun started as soon as we left the airport. I don’t have to ride by myself in the backseat because Sassy sits with me. Mommy could take a few tips from Sassy…hint, hint! I went to lunch with Sassy and Aunt Shay while Mommy got her hair cut. Lunch probably would have been more fun if I hadn’t slept through the whole thing. The trip to Jackson would also have been more fun if I hadn’t slept most of the drive. Granted, the drive was pretty quick because Aunt Shay was driving. Maybe next time I should take a nap on the plane so I can enjoy the company when we arrive. By the way, I was so super good on the plane. I played with my toys and flirted with the two blond little girls across the aisle from me. I did try to pat the man next to me on the arm or leg a few times just to say “hi,” but I never cried.

I don’t know why Mommy said we were going “home.” Sassy’s house doesn’t look like mine. I kept staring around wide-eyed trying to figure out where I was. It didn’t take me long to decide it was a pretty good place to be. Sassy has great toys. She has a great big Lego table, books, trucks, and even a rocking horse! She also has a dog, but her dog doesn’t look or act like Nemo. Her dog is little. And fast. And loud. And he is always trying to lick my face. Sometimes, I think he is cute. Other times…not so cute.

And Sassy has Carly and Reed. I LOVE Carly and Reed. I try to get right in the middle of the action. Reed doesn’t have an indoor voice, but it doesn’t bother me at all when he yells. I just ignore him and keep playing. He and Carly are really fast. I have to work so hard to keep up with them. Once, at Mama Shoe and Poppie’s house, I followed Reed all the way from the living room through the kitchen past the dining room and into Papa Shoe’s den. I was worn out, but I found him!

Cake. Cake! CAKE! The. Best. Thing. Ever. We had a birthday party for me! And we had CAKE. Reed was very excited about the presents. I don’t really know what presents are, but I now know what CAKE is. I have to find a way to get more. CAKE! I tried to skip walking and start levitating just to get more CAKE! Birthdays are great because there is CAKE!

One night it got too late for us to go to the pool because Mommy makes me go to bed while it is still daylight. So, we played in the sprinklers. It startled me every time the water hit me, but I thought it was funny once it was over. We saw a big rainbow in the sprinkler, just like in the book Mommy reads me about Noah.

I loved spending time talking to Poppie, and I finally got to cuddle with Mama Shoe. Mama Shoe has had a hard year, and we haven’t gotten to play very much. We made up for it this trip, though!

I Got Rhythm...

2011-07-10T22:22:00.000-04:00

Gimme 5

2011-07-05T22:17:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes - July 4th

2011-07-05T19:58:00.001-04:00

I celebrated July 4th by establishing my independence. It was hot enough to scald my milk outside. Since I am quite particular as to how I take my milk, we stayed inside. I worked on beating my own best speed in crawling. I tore down ever taller towers of Legos. And...I learned to climb the stairs. You don't get much more independent than that!

Crib Notes- All Work and No Play

2011-06-30T10:20:00.008-04:00

Wow! When is a baby supposed to get a break? I need to talk to the baby union about this nonstop working. There is so much to learn, so many toys to play with, and so many buttons to figure out that I never get a break! I have Lego Duplos in a few different sizes, and they have to be taken apart and put in the bucket. I have a bookshelf full of books that have to be pulled into the floor. I have blocks that have to be knocked over and examined and chewed. I can’t even just relax and read a book. Mommy wants me to turn all the pages.

And I really need to talk to Management about the Mommy and Daddy situation. They are out of control. I really can’t continue to work under these conditions. When I’m not eating or sleeping, I’m working to keep things organized. What does Mommy do? She puts my books back on the shelf when I’ve clearly demonstrated that they belong on the floor. She also stacks my blocks after I’ve worked so hard to knock them down. And Daddy keeps on building things with my Legos when the Legos shouldn’t be stuck together. It’s chaos.

Look at all the hard work I’ve been doing. I think the pictures speak for themselves!

Bye Bye, Daddy

2011-06-29T07:49:00.000-04:00

When Dallas was leaving Fran's this morning, he said good-bye to Austin as he does every morning. As usual, Austin was playing. Today, he was playing at the lego table. Today, Austin looked up from the lego table and waved bye bye to Daddy.

Splat!

2011-06-28T13:17:00.004-04:00

Have you ever seen a dog take off running around the coffee table at full speed over and over and over again? Or observed an insect trapped in a closed space? Then you have some idea of how Austin looked last night.

After dinner, I took him to his room where he would normally play with his toys while I prepare his bath. Last night, I put him in the floor where he proceeded to launch himself into a full on belly flop right into the middle of the room! Splat! He was doing his best Superman imitation. Then, in an unusually coordinated movement, he pulled his knees up under him and crawled to the other side of the room where he did another belly flop, pop up, turn around, and off to the other side of the room. Dallas got in one corner of the room, and I got in the other. Over and over again, Austin raced across the room, belly flopped right as he got to us, pulled himself up, and was off again. Dallas got KeyKey out, and Austin put it in overdrive. New routine. Belly flop, grab KeyKey, sit up, giggle, hug KeyKey, race to the other side of the room where KeyKey magically appeared (after being tossed by Mommy or Daddy). Giggle. Laugh. Splat. Squeal. Splat.

Crib Notes - Liberty Dance

2011-06-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

Daddy and Mommy took me to my first ever dance competition this weekend. We went to Liberty Swing in New Brunswick, NJ. I was so popular! EVERYONE wanted some of my attention. It is really tough being so popular. The first thing I did when I arrived (after being held by Aunt Melissa and Aunt Liza) was to check out the ballroom. I crawled all the way across the lobby, took up the door stop and closed one door into the ballroom and then crawled halfway across the gigantic room. I was on a mission, but Daddy picked me up because he saw broken glass. Bummer.

At dinner, I got my first taste of lemon (ewwwwww!) and orange (yummmmmm!) I got the lemon out of Mommy's water glass and tasted it before she could stop me. Even though it made my face wrinkle up, I kept eating it. When I was done, I dumped it back in Mommy's water for her. I think she appreciated it, but she kept drinking Daddy's water after that. Later, I got to crawl around the lobby and everyone stopped to talk to me. Abigail is here. She's only 9 mo, but she crawls as well as I do. I immediately fell in love and started acting silly. First, I crawled over to her and sat staring at her with a stupid grin on my face. Then, instead of saying something clever, I tried to poke her in the eye and pull her hair. When she crawled away, I followed...of course. What else could I do? I couldn't let her get away. And then, she pulled up on a chair. Instead of acting like a gentleman, I tried to use her to pull up. Not my finest moment. When Abigail left for bed, I met Alexis. She smiled at me, and I immediately fell in love. She said I was cute and took me from Mommy. All I could think to do was to lean over and try to kiss her...several times. I told you dance events were great!

I got a great night's sleep and got Mommy up bright and early. She didn't seem to get such a good night's sleep. She was very tired...and so was Daddy. He was still in bed, so Mommy and I went exploring. We went to Starbucks for coffee. Mommy made some oatmeal for me. I got tired of using the spoon and just grabbed a handful (I'm getting really quick!). It is hard to get a handful of oatmeal to your mouth successfully. Cheerios are much easier.

Saturday afternoon was sooo fun. I got my first apple. Apples are really delicious when you get to eat the whole thing!

There were all these big kids running around. I got right in the middle of them. They could move fast, but I did my best to keep up. Alexis was right there with me making sure I didn't get hurt. Look how dirty my left foot is from crawling all over the place. My right foot was dirty on the bottom! Daddy and I were supposed to be watching Mommy dance, but everyone got to dance before Mommy. And that was great because I got to play longer! I was so tired by dinner time that I could hardly eat for whining, and it took me a long time to relax and go to sleep.

When I Grow Up

2011-06-27T08:44:00.000-04:00

Batters Up!

When I Grow Up

2011-06-19T20:45:00.000-04:00

Saving My Princess

Crib Notes - June 10

2011-06-10T08:48:00.000-04:00

Have you missed me? I have been soooo busy that I just haven’t had time to post. You may not remember being 10 months old, but trust me, it is a really busy time.

I finally figured it out! Daddy kept telling me to use both my knees to crawl. I don’t know how they did it back when Daddy learned to crawl, but I can tell you that today you don’t use both knees. You use one knee (the left) and one foot (the right). Once I figured that out, life got so much better. I don’t have to worry about Mommy moving a few inches away because I can follow her! I don’t have to just sit and listen if Mommy picks the wrong book to read. I can crawl to the bookshelf and pull all the books down. And when I need help standing up, I can crawl over to Daddy’s leg and pull myself up. Daddy is really, really good for climbing on.

Mommy and Mrs. Fran both say I’m not as cranky since I learned to crawl. I don’t know what cranky means, but I don’t have to whine to get my way anymore. And there is so much to explore. I really love the cords Mommy and Daddy have plugged into the wall. I don’t know why Mommy keeps telling me no touch for the electric cords. Where’s the fun in that? I also can open my dresser drawer, but Daddy says I can’t do that because I’ll pinch my fingers. He was right. I did pinch my fingers. And it hurt. I’m apparently not supposed to eat Nemo’s food. I don’t understand why. He eats my food. There are a lot of rules for this crawling stuff. I’m doing my best to ignore every last one of the rules!

I’ve also gotten really good with buttons. I showed Mommy how to turn on the night light built into the diaper wipes warmer. She didn’t even know there was a night light. I always put down the garage door when we come in from Nemo’s walks. I can make all the buttons on my toys work. I bet I could work the computer if Daddy would just let me near it. How hard can it be to push those little buttons?

You are going to have to enjoy the videos of me crawling because Mommy has been so busy chasing me that she hasn’t taken any pictures. I’ll talk to her about that.

Remember: Left knee, right foot, left knee, right foot. Moving is fun!

On The Move

2011-06-07T21:18:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a picture (or a video) really is worth 1000 words:

May 30 - Not moving

June 3 - Making a move

June 5 - On the move

Heart Moments

2011-05-30T21:24:00.000-04:00

I know my baby is growing up. He is much closer to a year than to 6 months. We have been expecting him to crawl for weeks now. And he finally did. He crawled toward a desired toy yesterday morning and again this evening. I was excited. I grabbed the camera to shoot a video. I shared that video with everyone that would watch. I accepted the fact that he was crawling.

But this morning, he did something different. He crawled to me. With an impish grin on his face. With lights dancing in his eyes. With an uncoordinated, unpracticed gait. He crawled to me.

My world stopped for those few seconds. My heart exploded into a million sweet fragments. I thanked God for this precious, amazing gift.

Then, I scooped up Austin for a big hug and asked him when he learned to be so big. And the spell was broken because he had other places to go.

Wake Up, Sleepy Head

2011-05-26T20:55:00.001-04:00

Crib Notes - May 23

2011-05-23T07:52:00.013-04:00

Even though Daddy was out of town, everything was going along just fine until Wednesday night this week. On Wednesday night I got croup and my 4th tooth. Overall, not my best week.

I woke up about 10:00 and tried to call for Mommy, but I sounded really funny. I sounded like a baby seal crying. Mommy was really worried and called Aunt Shay. Aunt Shay tried to help, but she started laughing too hard. She said I sounded like Tank. I couldn’t help it. I was so, so miserable. Mommy sat with me in a steamy bathroom and then (on the advice of the pediatrician) took me outside. That helped me calm down. It was a long night and my fever spiked in the morning, so we went to the ER at 6:00. While we were at the hospital, I managed to pull all the tissues out of the box and shred them. They gave me a steroid and a breathing treatment and sent us home with yet another bottle of Tylenol. I’m glad because I LOVE Tylenol! I get really excited when Mommy gives it to me.

Mommy and I stayed home on Thursday, and I went to Mrs. Fran’s for a little while on Friday so Mommy could attend a meeting.

I like to share. It’s fun. I share my toys with Mommy and Daddy. I’ve started trying to share my paci. I don’t share KeyKey. And, unfortunately, I shared my croup virus with Mommy. Good for us, Sassy and Mr. Jim came to help out. It was great! Mr. Jim and I hung out on the couch together, and Sassy and I played and played and played! Carly and Reed sure did a good job teaching Sassy how to play. We have FUN! Sassy is good at everything. She makes good food, fun playtime, and she is even good at putting me to bed. What more could a boy want?

New Toys

2011-05-22T20:59:00.000-04:00

Look how coordinated I am! I figured this out all by myself! Okay...Sassy helped a little bit.

Raise the Roof

2011-05-21T20:43:00.000-04:00

When Mr. Jim was here, I learned all sorts of fun things. We love to "raise the roof" and sing. I think I'm pretty good at it. What do you think?

World's Two Cutest Babies Playing

2011-05-20T16:44:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-13T19:31:00.000-04:00

Austin celebrated Mother’s Day by refusing to take a nap. I’m sure he wanted to spend as much time as possible with me on that special day. And while I appreciated the gesture, I think next year I’d prefer to spend quality time with a happy, well rested baby part of the day instead of time with a fussy, cranky, miserable baby all day. Just a thought.

Special love and thanks to the amazing moms in our family. I'm only beginning to appreciate the sacrifice, the selflessness, the fatigue, the worry, the prayer, and the joy that you have so willingly poured out into our lives. We are the children, the spouses, the friends, the Christians we are because of your unfailing commitment. I love you.

How was Austin...

2011-05-09T07:28:00.001-04:00

When you dropped him off at Fran's after being gone for a week?

Response:

He lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw Fran, couldn't stop smiling. Made me jealous.

dB

Fun Day at Sea, May 7

2011-05-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

It's our last day on the ship. With Austin being so young, we didn't take advantage of many (or any) of the ship activities except for a few trivia games, and of course, the food! I thought perhaps we would put him to sleep in his stroller and go to the shows in the evenings, but the show times didn't really work out for that. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful week. I'm glad we took the vacation, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Since tomorrow is my first mother's day, Dallas and Austin sent me to the Spa Carnival for a much needed massage. After lugging my 20 pound son around for a week, I needed it. The poor little masseuse kept commenting on how tight my back and shoulders were. She never really did work all the knots out, but it was a wonderful massage using hot stones.

Did I mention that Austin had his own little spa on the verandah? We had a room with only a shower, so I brought a little blowup swimming pool for his baths. He has thoroughly enjoyed taking his baths on the verandah with the sun shining, the wind blowing, and the sea spread out before him.

Dallas and I did stealth packing while Austin took his nap. We have to leave our bags outside the room before going to bed tonight.

It is cold! The closer we get to Baltimore, the colder it gets. We won't be sitting on the verandah enjoying the breeze tonight. There is a storm brewing, and the seas are a little rougher than they have been this entire trip.

Tomorrow we disembark and head back to reality. We're already talking about where we want to sail next time!

Day Five, Freeport, May 6

2011-05-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

We had a short day in Freeport. We arrived in the morning and had to be back on board by 1:00. We also got a late start. The boys both decided to nap after breakfast. Once we got started, we had to take a taxi ride 12 miles to the downtown shopping area. It was another beautiful day, but Freeport was a little disappointing. The downtown area was built specifically to target people coming from the cruise ships with lots of jewelry stores, t-shirt shops, and restaurants. We browsed for a bit, had lunch, and headed back to the ship.

We had a nice afternoon on the ship. Austin took a nap, Dallas won a few more trivia contests, and we had our second formal dining night. We dined separately thanks to Austin being a wee bit cranky. Dallas had to take him to bed while I finished eating.

It's hard to believe that we have already been on board almost a week. If we had a grandmother traveling with us to help babysit, a week wouldn't be nearly long enough!

Teethies!

2011-05-06T07:30:00.001-04:00

I have 3! I got my front left tooth today at 9 1/2 months old. Lots of babies don't get their teeth until they are older than I am. A lady on the cruise knowingly asked mom if I was crawling yet. She said that babies that get their teeth young start crawling late. Well, of course! We are too busy growing important things like teeth to worry about balancing and moving all at the same time. Heads with teeth in them are heavy!

Day Four, Nassau, Bahamas, May 5

2011-05-04T10:49:00.001-04:00

We cruised into Nassau around 1:00 today. Nassau is home to the famous Atlantis hotel, where at least one of the premier suites rents for $25,000 per night and where they have a big water park that Dallas wanted to check out. We headed over to see what all the fuss was about. Wow. Just, wow!

The hotel is like a small city, and the grounds are beautiful. I lost count of how many pools and beaches they have, including a lazy river. There are pools and tanks and underground viewing rooms for the massive aquarium all throughout the grounds. They have manna pools, shark pools, turtle pools, fish tanks. Just beautiful. And of course there is the water park, complete with the water slide that goes through the tank of sharks.

The weather was a perfect, balmy, breezy, sunny 75 degrees.

After a short tour through a tiny section of the aquarium, Dallas headed to the water park. I got Austin to sleep and successfully put him in the stroller still asleep. Austin has never slept in his stroller, so this was a good thing. While he slept, I strolled through the hotel buildings, around the aquariums, and over the grounds. He slept for over two hours. Once he awoke, I took him to see some of the fishies, and then he had lunch at an outdoor patio. This was probably the highlight of Austin's day. There were BIRDS! Now, you may not understand just how cool these birds were. One minute they were walking around cawing, and the next minute, they got really big and started to FLY! It was fascinating. Austin got off balance in his high chair a few times trying to see where the birds were going. I kept having to chase his mouth around to feed him because he was so intrigued by the birds.

Austin and I met Dallas back in town and made it to the Harley Davidson shop for T-shirts before they closed. Then, we headed back to the ship to get a very fussy little boy to bed. This took quite a bit of doing since Austin was in the process of getting his 3rd tooth!

Day Three, Port Canaveral, May 4

2011-05-03T10:39:00.002-04:00

Austin got us up bright and early for our day in Orlando. After a quick breakfast, we got a rental car and headed to Universal Studios and the new Harry Potter exhibits. Too bad neither of the Florida grandparents could meet us in Orlando. Some excuse about working on a Wednesday. It was nice having our own car and not taking a bus. Austin was able to crash in his familiar carseat on the drive.

It was a really beautiful day in Orlando. A little bit warm when the sun came out and the wind died down, but not Florida summer hot. Overall, the park was not very crowded, but everyone who was there also wanted to visit Hogsmeade and Harry Potter. Dallas went on a roller coaster with only about a 5 minute wait, while Austin proceeded to have something of a meltdown. We got him in the shade and got him cooled down. There was a 30 minute wait to go on the ride through the Hogwarts castle, but that was a must do ride. We learned that some of the rides have child share options. We were able to wait in line together. Then, one parent waits in a room with the child while the other parent rides. Then, you switch up. It isn’t quite as much fun as riding together, but it sure beats spending an hour at a time waiting at the exit to a ride with a hot, fussy baby. It especially helped on the Harry Potter ride because they kept having technical difficulties, and we waited in line nearly an hour. I slipped out of line and waited by an emergency exit in a nice cool shady spot with Austin sound asleep in my arms. The little nap helped his spirits for the rest of the day while Daddy rode on all the scary roller coasters. And he crashed as we drove back to Port Canaveral to board the ship for the Bahamas.

Day Two, Fun Day at Sea, May 2

2011-05-02T21:31:00.001-04:00

Happy Anniversary! Can you believe Dallas and I have been married EIGHT years? And moreover, can you believe we have been blessed with the most precious, wonderful, amazing child?

As we slowly cruise down the East Coast today, it is beautiful, sunny, mild. Really perfect, perfect weather.

Right on time, Austin woke us up at 6:30. Doesn’t vacation mean anything to him? After breakfast, where Austin decided to spit out anything that wasn’t a Cheerio, we toured the ship a little before putting him down for a nap.

Austin is teaching us the meaning of baby proof. Dallas put his earplugs on the table this morning. As I pushed the stroller into the room, Austin somehow swiped them in under a second. He got one of them to his mouth. Dallas had to turn him over, force his little mouth open, and swipe the earplug out. It was scary for us and maddening for Austin, but we have all recovered. And Mommy and Daddy learned a very important lesson. NOTHING at his height is safe! We all slept a little, then back out for more touring. We strolled around the outside decks, and Austin LOVED the wind in his face. He squealed and laughed. Austin seems to have taken it upon himself to charm every person on this ship. So far, he is doing a great job!

Good news. The maitre’d promised to have pureed steamed veggies for us every night at dinner. And they found us a table for 2, so we don’t have to worry about Austin ruining other’s dining experiences. Last night, we were at a table with two other families. Austin made conversation a little difficult by trying to talk over all of us!

Right now, I’m sitting in a hallway called the Sunset Garden. It is a hallway designed to look like an arboretum with lighted arches, terra cotta tiles with suns on them, fake trees, and lemon vines painted on the ceiling. There are cute little tables and chairs set up next to huge port holes all the way down the hall. The blue ocean is stretching endlessly outside the window. The Captain says we are sailing along the coast of North Carolina, but I can’t see it. Every time I get out here in the ocean like this, I feel so small and am reminded of God’s bigness and greatness. There is an entire world living below this ship that we can’t see that God created. I am humbled and grateful and so very blessed.

The boys are napping. Tonight is our first formal night. It is fitting for our anniversary that we get to dress up and go to dinner. Of course, I’ll probably end up with pureed veggies or soggy Cheeries on me before dinner is finished! Not that I mind a bit.

After naps, Dallas began his habit of beating everyone in trivia. They have three or four trivia games a day – sports, music, general – and Dallas won 3 of the 4 today. He only lost the last game because someone cheated and wrote all the answers in at the end. Good news: he gets bragging rights. Bad news: that is all he gets. They don’t give out T-shirts, hats, fleeces, water bottles on Carnival. They give out “ships on a stick,” a super cheap little trophy (think little league).

Austin got his first experience in a swimming pool. He really wasn’t sure why Daddy would put him in a bath with cold water, but he got used to it after a bit. He enjoyed watching the other kids play. He did not enjoy wearing a hat.

Dinner was very good , and Austin enjoyed his pureed veggies. We took a few “elegant photos” since we were dressed and it is our anniversary. Unfortunately, there is no one close to Rita on the ship taking pictures.

Bon Voyage: May 1

2011-05-01T21:56:00.000-04:00

Yay! We're finally on the boat!

As we set sail from Baltimore, it was a dreary, rainy, cool day. We knew we were sailing for sunny waters, so it didn’t bother us one bit. We arrived at Port Baltimore after a relatively stress-free morning (no plane rides, no deadlines) with a truck FULL of stuff. Just a little over a year ago, we set sail with one suitcase and a carry-on each. What a difference a year makes! We have 3 suitcases, 1 huge duffle, a carry-on, diaper bag, carseat, two strollers (yes, that’s right). How can one little guy need so much stuff?

I love the bedding in our cabin!

Our room was ready soon after boarding, and Austin was ready for a nap. While he slept, we unpacked, and unpacked, and unpacked. He only took a short nap, but we’ll take what we can get. We headed to dinner specifically because we need to get some double steamed veggies to mash up for Austin. Apparently, the baby food maker is a danger because it has a blade. We weren’t allowed to bring it on. No worries, I came armed with a potato ricer (ever heard of one of those?) and a potato masher. Unfortunately, the veggies were only about half steamed instead of double steamed, and there was no way they were getting mashed up. Fortunately, I brought dinner from home. If the little stinker would only eat canned food…

We were all tired, so we called it a night after I got Austin to sleep at 8:30. Yes, for all of you fans out there keeping score, that is 90 minutes past his bedtime.

Crib Notes: Week 40

2011-04-30T21:46:00.000-04:00

We are packed and ready! Fun Ship here I come!

I helped Mommy pack. Why does she need so many shoes, anyway?

Everything was going great with the packing until I noticed something missing...


Where's KeyKey?????

In other news, I had a pretty full social calendar last weekend. We tried out a new restaurant on Saturday. I really liked my food!

We went to church on Sunday, and I sang along with everyone! Mommy wasn't sure the lady in front of us liked me singing after the songs ended, so we visited the nursery. Afterwards, we went to lunch. I was missing my nap, so I was a little cranky. Mommy let me play with anything that kept me entertained, although she really didn't think the silverware wrap with the big knife was the best idea. Mommy said it's amazing how much she's relaxed. She also says dining with me should be considered an Olympic sport. I don't understand what's wrong with dropping everything I touch on the floor. Mommy always makes it reappear.

Finally, I'm getting really, really mobile. OK, so I can't actually move anywhere, but I'm working on it. Hey, did you know there is a silver, shiny thing in the bottom of the bathtub? Just a little farther, and I'll have it!

Crib Notes: Week 39

2011-04-24T20:03:00.012-04:00

New things I ate this week: roast beef, asparagus, blueberries, raspberries, pizza crust, lentil soup

Fun things I did this week: splashed in my bathtub, sat all by myself and played with the big kids in circle time, sang with with the big kids, played outside, started feeding myself lots of great things, worked on pre-crawling and standing techniques,finger-painted, got my very first Easter basket from Mrs. Fran

Sounds I made this week: gurgling in my throat, clicking (Daddy called it my dolphin impression), smacking my lips

What you need to know: I'm 18 lb 2 oz, 29" long, and my head circumference is 18". My growth is right on target, and the doctor said I was doing great. She was impressed with my posture. Mommy told her I'm a dancer-in-training. No shots this time! I finished my antibiotics, and my lymph node is getting back to normal. Also, my baby blues are turning brown.

My favorite thing: KeyKey, my new best friend. KeyKey sleeps with me and keeps me company when I wake up in the middle of the night. We talk and talk. He lets me chew on him, play with his tags, use him as a pillow, and cuddle him. KeyKey makes me happy!

What I look forward to: going on my very first cruise in a week!!!! My swim trunks are packed, and I'm ready to go. Maybe I'll even gain a few pounds!

When I Grow Up

2011-04-23T21:13:00.000-04:00

Easter Egg Hunt

Mama

2011-04-23T19:20:00.000-04:00

Austin started saying "MaMaMaMam" today.

Ga, Ga, Gramps...

2011-04-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

Austin has started saying Ga Ga Ga on a regular basis. I think he's asking for Gramps to come visit. He also pops out with the occasional Da Da Da Da, which makes Dallas very proud.

When he starts the Aeegooiiiaaehh, I tell him, "Quit talking like a baby. Use your consonants!"

When I Grow Up

2011-04-19T21:33:00.000-04:00

Fighting Fires

Diaper Cream...

2011-04-18T20:28:00.000-04:00

Austin, I'm very sorry and I know you love it, but the diaper rash cream (which we handle in the middle of diaper changes with dirty hands) is not an appropriate teething toy. While we are on the subject, neither are our house shoes.

Crib Notes: Week 38

2011-04-16T17:40:00.003-04:00

Are you sitting down? Cause this might just change your world. I'm not certain, but I think when things fall out of your hands, they don't go away forever! I'm SERIOUS! I keep dropping things, like my mango or my spoon, in my high chair. Sometimes, I can reach down into my lap and find it! I figured out a long time ago that Mommy and Daddy are magic. They make things reappear that I'm sure are gone forever. I may have caught that magic bug from them! Can you imagine the possibilities? I could make my pacifier appear whenever I need it!

You’ve all heard about the big adventure we had this week. I have a sore spot that Mommy found on Monday night. Instead of going to bed as usual, we took a family trip to the ER. If I had known that everyone in the ER wanted to poke at my sore spot, I would have opted for bed. I mean, come on, that hurts! Mommy tried to look out for me. She wouldn’t let the interns examine me. She made them wait until the doctor was there. I was a really good boy the whole time (7 hours) we were at the hospital. I cried when someone poked at me, and I really, really cried when they put in the IV. I cried so hard that I wore myself out and fell asleep right there with everyone staring at me. But other than that, I talked to Mommy, played with the tongue depressors, napped, and read books. After all that, we got good news. I only have an infected lymph node, not an incarcerated hernia. Whew! I sure hope my lymph node behaves from here on out.

We went back to the doctor for a check up on Friday. They said I was doing great, and guess what? I got a TONGUE DEPRESSOR! They even let me take it with me! I love tongue depressors!

Mommy has these funny looking things that she uses to cover her eyes. She calls them sunglasses. I think they look funny on her, and they make me laugh! It is my new favorite game to try to get her sunglasses off and into my mouth. Mommy loves the game and tries to play keep away, but I'm good and persistent! If I wait until she's not paying attention, I can grab them right off her face! I heard her tell Daddy that she had to get some glass cleaner to clean them off after our games. I'm not sure why Mommy cleans her glasses after she gets them back from me. She usually cleans things before I chew on them. Hmmmm...

I have a new bathtub for big boys. I can sit up straight and play with my toys. And I can SPLASH! Baths are so much fun now.

I'm eating all sorts of new things. I can feed myself so many things. Black beans, lima beans, pita, Mum Mums, Cheerios.

I talk all the time. I have started using consonants. Daddy is proud that I'm saying da da da da.

Splish, Splash...I'm Taking a Bath

2011-04-14T22:12:00.000-04:00

Crib Notes - Week 37

2011-04-12T13:09:00.001-04:00

Yea! I got to go to Jackson this week. I got to see Sassy, Mr. Jim, Poppie, Mama Shoe, Aunt Phyllis, Aunt Shay, Carly, and Reed! They couldn't believe how big I've gotten since Christmas especially when I showed off all my new talents.

I've got to get focused on learning a lot of new things, though, if I'm going to keep up with Carly and Reed. You wouldn't believe some of the things they can do. They can build big block towers, but I can knock them down! Carly can read and work the computer. Reed can use a fork and make his cars go zooming across the floor. They both run, jump, climb, and play. This whole "look at me I'm sitting up" thing isn't quite as impressive when I'm around really big kids like Carly and Reed. Focus. Must. Focus.

Look at the camera, Austin!

Sassy may just be the best cook on the planet. Her sweet potatoes are so much better than Mommy's! Sassy says it has something to do with brown sugar, which Mommy says I'm not supposed to have. Sassy says I can have it at her house. Aren't grandmothers the best?

Speaking of great things, have you met Aunt Shay? She makes me laugh and laugh. I got to eat lima beans and baked beans when Aunt Shay gave me dinner. Yum!

Mr. Jim acts all tough. At first, I thought he was pretty cranky, but I learned he is just a big teddy bear. He let me play his piano again!

Carly helped Mommy watch me. She is a really good babysitter. She played with me and held my hand so I wouldn't cry. I bet she would have read me a book if we had had more time. Speaking of books, I got to borrow some of Carly's and Reed's books. They have the best stuff!

Mama Shoe finally got to hold me, and we had so much fun. I don't think I'm the first baby Mama Shoe has held because she is really good at it. I wonder what other babies she held before me... I didn't get to visit with Mama Shoe and Poppie very long because there were tornadoes. We had to get back to Sassy's before the storms hit. I was so worried about the storms that I took a really long nap.

When I Grow Up

2011-04-08T22:14:00.000-04:00

Laundry Day

Crib Notes - Week 36

2011-04-03T11:11:00.002-04:00

There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in my entire life that prepared me for dried mango. This, my friends, is ambrosia. Pure and simple. I put as much of the mango in my mouth as possible just in case someone wanted to take it away from me. It gets pretty slippery, but I improvised. When it slipped out of my fingers onto my bib, I just crammed the whole thing - bib and all- right back into my mouth. And when Mommy took it away so she could feed me dinner, I let her know that I was less than pleased with that decision.

Sneak Preview: My "Sitting Up" Photos

2011-03-29T07:52:00.001-04:00

Once again, Rita Lawrence of Bitsy Baby Photography captured gorgeous pics of Austin. Austin was teething and very cranky on picture day. In spite of that, Rita worked her magic. We are so appreciative of Rita's talent, and so blessed that she shares it with us. Enjoy this sneak preview. The gallery of photos will be available in another week.

When I Grow Up

2011-03-28T21:52:00.000-04:00

The Open Road

Crib Notes - Week 35

2011-03-26T20:54:00.002-04:00

I got to spend Saturday with Daddy while Mommy went to her photography class. Daddy and I had a great guys day out. Daddy gets a little more stressed than Mommy when I'm fussy, so I made sure to be really, really good for him. I took really good naps and ate really well. He took me on a stroller ride so we could pick up his drycleaning. We played the "thank you" game where I had Daddy things over and over and over. I was glad to spend time with Daddy because once Mommy got home, we took Daddy to the airport.

Daddy had to go to Brussels this week for a NATO conference. I love spending time with Mommy, but we sure do miss Daddy. Mommy doesn't have any work for me to play with in the mornings.

I started eating my spinach so I can be strong like Daddy. Daddy is the strongest person I know. I like my spinach...at least when it's mixed with pears and peas! I don't like the spinach Mommy bought that is just mixed with potatoes. Yuck. And I don't like that canned chicken and sweet potatoes either!

I got to go to Uncle Don's birthday party this week. Mommy let me stay up past my bedtime so I could entertain Don, Faith, and Melissa, but she made me go to sleep before everyone else arrived. I didn't mean to go to sleep. I wanted to stay up so everyone else could dote on me, but I guess I must have gone to sleep. I remember Mommy rocking me in the bedroom with the party sounds in the next room, and then I woke up in my own bed. I'm not sure how that happened!

I just realized last week how exciting it is when Mommy picks me up from daycare! I was always glad to see her, but it's different now that I'm older. Mommy came in last week, and I was sitting up in my highchair. I can sit there all by myself now that I'm so big and strong. She didn't see me, but I saw her. I threw my arms out and squealed. I was so happy! And this week, I was hiding in the corner (Mrs. Fran sits me up surrounded by pillows so I don't hurt myself) when I saw Mommy come in. I screamed and giggled and talked to her. I got so excited I nearly fell over. She scooped me up and then sat me back down while she was talking to Mrs. Fran. I didn't get nearly enough Mommy hugs, so I grabbed her sleeve and pulled until she put me in her lap. Ahhhh, much better.

Crib Notes - Week 34

2011-03-25T16:07:00.000-04:00

Wow. For some reason, it is still light when I go to bed this week. Daddy said we had a time change, but that's kinda silly. Time always changes. Time is different every minute. I've tried to stay up until it's dark, but I play too hard at Mrs. Fran's.

It is getting warm! I love warm weather. Mommy and I get to go out in the stroller and take Nemo for walks. We walked for nearly an hour this weekend, and I loved it. I talked to Mommy about all the things we were seeing and helped her keep an eye on Nemo. While Mommy and I were taking a walk, Daddy got to take a ride on his vroom vroom.

I love sitting up in my stroller because I can see everything! Do you know how much there is to see at the mall? I helped Daddy shop for ties. When Daddy wasn't looking, I tried to pull all the ties I could reach into the stroller. When Mommy came to find us, I was happily munching on a tie clip that I pilfered from one of the ties. Apparently, chewing on pilfered tie clips is frowned upon in this establishment. Mommy has a lot of rules.

Mommy fixed me up my very own place to play so I didn't fall over and didn't need her sitting right beside me. It worked really great until Daddy needed to do laundry!

Mommy gets to go see Mrs. Rita this weekend to learn how to take better pictures. Hopefully, Mrs. Rita will teach her how to take fewer pictures! I can't believe Mommy is going to see Mrs. Rita without me, but she says I get to go see her in another week to get more pictures made!

Maternal Musings

2011-03-24T22:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Mom,

I wanted to send you a very belated apology for falling and cutting my chin open at the pool when I was a toddler. I can only now begin to understand how your heart must have shattered into a thousand tiny shards, and I'm so sorry for causing you that pain. I haven't yet figured out how to protect Austin from ever getting hurt, but I'm working on it. I'm not sure I could handle it.

I love you,

Whitney

When I Grow Up

2011-03-21T12:25:00.000-04:00

Super Austin!

Crib Notes - Week 33

2011-03-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a cookie that was so good that it melted in your hand? No, not in your mouth, in your hand and on your face and on your bib and on your lap and... If not, you are missing out! Go to the store right now and get a box of teething biscuits!

I'm working on getting strong. Daddy keeps encouraging me to stand up, and I can do it, too. It's just not easy to predict when I'll choose to sit down. Or which direction I'll fall when I start to sit down. Daddy says I have to keep up with Kayla. She was born a few days before me and has been standing up for a month or so. Show off!

I love playing with my blocks. Now that I can sit up like a big boy, I can have so much fun sitting in the floor with Mommy. We play blocks. Mommy tries to read while I try to chew on the book. I play with my puppy - the stuffed one. When I'm on the changing table, I play with Mr. Giggles and my soft gorilla. If Mommy sits me up, I love to grab for the bottle of lotion. And I love to play with my hangers!

I'm starting to help out around here. Daddy goes to work every day, and I always help him. Daddy keeps his work in his front shirt pocket. He says he needs his work to get into the building and get on the metro. I don't know what that means, but every morning when he picks me up, I get his work out. I know he appreciates the help. I LOVE Daddy's work. Daddy's work is fun. I hope he enjoys it half as much as I do!

I also help Mommy out. Mommy has this plant with way too many leaves on it. I work very hard to help de-leaf that plant. Every time we go by the plant, I try to grab a leaf. Mommy really appreciates it, I'm sure.

I also helped Daddy to take a nap one afternoon. He thought he was doing it for me, but I knew he needed some rest. All I had to do was lay really still and pretend to be asleep.

Night Night, Mommy

2011-03-19T20:13:00.000-04:00

Austin had one of those no-thanks-I'll-do-it-myself-Mommy kind of nights. He just wouldn't fall asleep while I was rocking him. He was very calm and content...but awake. I put him in the crib. He looked at me and sighed. A few minutes later I watched him (on the monitor) roll over onto his left side and go to sleep. I'm so thankful that he can put himself to sleep, but I treasure those quiet moments at night watching him sleep in my arms. And I find it bittersweet that my little boy is big and coordinated enough to sleep on his side.

Maternal Musings

2011-03-19T06:58:00.000-04:00

The top 3 topics of conversation for new parents in no particular order are sleeping, eating, and pooping,

Over Rover

2011-03-17T14:26:00.000-04:00

Playing with my Blocks

2011-03-17T14:22:00.000-04:00

I think Daddy has been feeding him nails!

When I Grow Up

2011-03-15T21:51:00.000-04:00

Office Hours

I Love Being Your Mom

2011-03-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

Dear Austin,

As you grow up and start questioning things, I expect you will ask if I like being your mom. Most kids wonder about that at some point. The answer, my dearest son, is a resounding, heart stopping, earth shaking YES. More than anything I've ever done, more than any role I've ever played, more than any job I've ever had, I love being your mom. God created me to be your mom, and he created you to be my son. I won't be perfect, and I'll make mistakes. However, I will always love you more than words can ever describe. And if I had the choice to make again, I would choose to be your mom a thousand times over.

Love always,

Mommy

Maternal Musings

2011-03-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

Why, with all the bright, colorful, fully researched, interactive toys within reach, does a baby always want the one thing they can't have? And how do they know what the one thing they can't have is?

Blocks

2011-03-09T22:05:00.000-05:00

Check out my cool hair!

Ohhhh....puppy!

Better than carrots!