For Kirin

These are our floors.  I think it's an oak/natural wood.  I thought I liked the really dark stains, and I do, but I think they are in themselves like a piece of furniture.  A natural color is sort of just a floor and won't dictate other design decisions.  And is way forgiving of sand and dirt and god knows what else.

or you could go with the blue paint!

I like this age

Terrible twos aren't really evident (yet?)  Bobby has quite the stubborn side and is prone to drama, but it's really fun watching him learn so fast.  He knows about 22 letters and counted to 10 (without 7) for the first time today. Granted I had to do pushups to get him to count, but he knows it more or less.

He also continues to pick up on everything I say and will repeat it.  I talk to myself/others in the car and he knows it.  He also says funny things like: perfect, better and easy.

He has been taking 3-4 hour naps recently, so I guess he's tuckered out well.  He is also barely eating though, so I don't know what he's running on.

I ate these when he wouldn't

Over 4th of July, Grammy put him on the potty and he went.  All weekend, lots and then we kept it up.  I had tried a few months before and while interested in the toilet, he didn't want to sit on it at that point. Well, then he did, but it turned into not wanting to go on it.  I'd sit him up there and he'd shake and say done without even trying.  But today was the best mail day of all.

First we got a big present from Grandma. A table and chair set.  I have been shopping for one forever and just couldn't decide. Pottery barn had cute chairs only that would match our coffee table and were small enough, but then I could do better pricewise and Ikea was out of red sets and whatever, I just never pulled the trigger.  This was great.  So far, just one chair together, but we're on it tomorrow.

Then we got a great book,  (from whom?)  It's really cute and funny about the alphabet.  

And Bobbys birth certificate came back and I got my new license (a day after I had to go to court and prove I changed my address) and Bobby got a package. It was underwear!!!  He loved it...

He insisted on putting all four pairs on at once. I don't think he gets it, but he kept saying Undies!  We then went for a run while he wore them. Later, it took some creative distracting by me to get him not to wear them to bed, over his diaper.  And to bring it back, he peed on the potty twice today.  He had been sitting facing the tank, but he asked to be flipped around and face out.  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to buy a little plastic potty, but don't know really.  He giggles when he toots though, I love it. 

This is not happening

Cleaning up pine needles

First Paid Haircut

And such an infomercial before and after.  Bright eyes and big grin in the after; like they do on diet ads and just happen to get tan, blonde and smile in the after shot.

Keeping it Exciting

AKA: He is proving to be his mothers son after all.  We were bored down on the beach, so decided last minute to come up to Greensboro to see Grammy and the Wilsons and hope to find some more adventure.  Since all the tubing places were booked and the Grasshoppers were out of town over the weekend, we didn't find much more to do at first.  But the shopping, food and company is way better here; plus a great babysitter so we had a great weekend full of lots of playing.  After a great morning and a long nap, we all headed to the Morgans next door to use their pool and enjoy their annual party and some really good hot dogs.  Then the Wilsons rolled into town so we got some more swimming done with them.  It was a really nice time and hard to wrap up, but it was bedtime so we packed up and headed out around 7.  (I know- I'm getting to it already! Just setting the scene)

Sitting on the bike for a close up

Well, Bobby adores Wiley and they started off out the side gate to Grammys with Rick.  They were racing and our normally very fleet footed, coordinated athletic two year old trips.  He goes down often, and we thought this was no big deal, but he was holding some toy in his hands, so didn't put them out to catch himself and ended up kissing the driveway.  It made a nice gash and a bit of blood.  It swelled up right away and scared Bobby a bit. It looked pretty gnarly, but we got some ice on it and he calmed down quickly.  I got on the phone and the pediatric nurse and doctor thought we should go to the hospital since the rule of thumb is that if it passes the pink of the lips, it needs a stitch or some glue.  So instead of bedtime, we went to the ER.  He was upset to have to leave Wiley and Archer and wanted to stay and play.  Luckily, we picked the second hospital in town and on a Sunday night full of at home fireworks, there was no wait.  We fast tracked right through and got seen and advised.

Getting his stats taken

Again, he was a trooper and very calm the whole time.  He never said it hurt and only played with it a bit with his tongue.  The doc said we could leave it alone if we didn't want to go through the stress of closing it, but we knew it would be better to get the stitch even if it would be rough in the meantime.

So, they papoosed him down with a sheet and laid on him and clenched his head down while they stuck a needle into the cut to numb it up.  This was tough because he obviously squirmed anyway.

Not sure if that was worse or the needle and suture going through.  I hope he was numb, because they were both very hard to watch as it took more than one try to get it through cleanly and then pull it out the other side.  I didn't want my baby to be hurting anymore and just wanted it to be over!!!  They got one stitch in and it was obvious it was the right thing to do as it closed up the big gap right away.  Of course, he wanted to put another in above it, but this one was cleaner and quicker.

Getting ready

He definitely cried and called Mommy the whole time, but sort of resigned to it too.  Maybe that was because he literally couldn't move.  It was over soon enough and then we headed out as quick as we came.  Thank god for Tricare, as we had no copay then and probably won't see a bill, or if we do, it's very cheap. 

watching tv afterwards

I think it looks quite good and only time will tell if there'll be a scar.  Maybe a little one, but he's so young and got so much growing to do still.  It has scabbed up a bit by now and he's got a nice bruise, but the swelling has gone down.  And his teeth are fine (phew!)

So the rest of the holiday went on as planned.  We headed downtown for the parade in the morning, along with the festival of bouncy houses and some arcade games and lots of vendors and crappy food.  It was very crowded and hot, but Mimi came down too and we got to play in the firetruck hose and had a pretty good time.  Rick and I got to go out Monday night to, thanks to a rain delay, a movie AND a baseball game and fireworks.  Today we are hitting up the barber and Ghassans before we head back home and have to find someone to take out stitches at the end of the week.

Happy Independence Day!

5 Day weekend

today feels like a Saturday, but it's not, so yay. Today is a travel day for the long weekend, for Rick since he works so hard the rest of the days... We headed down through Carolina Beach to Kure Beach, hit up the Aquarium, had lunch, then took the ferry from Fort Fisher to Southport. 

Fish from the Cape Fear River

Albino alligator, our claim to fame

Way more fun than looking at fish

Obligatory shark mouth photo to add to the collection

  Southport is an adorable little town which has the biggest 4th of July festival in the state - starting tomorrow.  No big deal to miss it though, it's all art and music and who knows what, but 3 long hot days ending in fireworks.  Needless to say there was A LOT of bunting up on the 1800s houses.  Cute town.

Just note his hair; Rick is gonna make me cut it soon

With Daddy

With Mommy, nice try

 We went for a monster long walk, and nobody fell asleep. Oh well,  He was down hard at 6:59pm.  He's been sleeping like a champ. (am i repeating myself?)  He has an off day once every 2-3 weeks, but recently has been having 3 hour naps and 11hour nights.

I thought the mini grocery buggy was the cutest thing ever, but then he put on the backpack. I think he got that for his first birthday, but I just got it out again and it's not as big as I thought it was (a good thing) He has taken to carrying (and sleeping with) so many things, that he and I can't hold them, so I grabbed that and it went to dinner with us full of toys/ipad/sippy cup etc. Then one of us put it on him and the rest was history. He didn't want to take it off to get in his car seat and when we got home he put it on again and ran full speed at me.  Video to follow on flickr.

 

Bobby is getting really good at identifying numbers and letters.  Counting however, goes like this: 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 16.  Seriously.

We spent a good 4 hours at the beach this morning.  Longest trip ever for us, but didn't feel like it and we got our holiday fill and can now avoid it this weekend.  We spent most of the time in the water.

Didn't bother with pics today

This is him pretending to sleep on the car washing sponge.  He says "sleeping" then throws his head back, "wake up"

We got a little plastic basketball hoop and it's a big hit of course. As is stuffing the ball up his shirt.

Having trouble getting up

We're going to the aquarium tomorrow and will probably find a way to take the ferry around down there too. I might have to go buy a camera on the way there.

Cutest thing ever, or cutest thing ever?

And I kid you not: After we got Ricks crackers, Bobby seriously grabbed a bag of mini Oreos off of the shelf and put them in the cart. This kid. He did perfectly maneuver it around corners and only ran into my heel once.

Bobby is talking more and more by the day.  A new favorite: my turn.  So I guess the idea of sharing is rubbing off.   We were walking into the grocery store the other day and there was a napkin in the parking lot, well, he had to pick it up and throw it away.  Ew, but how great of him too.  So sometimes when he doesn't have a diaper on, or has a swim diaper on,  and he pees, we'll wash it off with the pool water or hose, and then I caught him splashing his legs off with water and saying washing pee or something like that.

He's got a pretty good life:

 Learning to dress himself, he prefers his cowboy boots:

That's a pretty good nap based on his hair do:

Still obsessed with trains:

And here he is throwing a fit because he wanted a popsicle before dinner

And for his next trick

The headstand...

Life as a two year old

While I really do wish I had another child at this point, I am really enjoying this one grow up and become a little boy.  Few things make my heart beat stronger than seeing him open up a book and start to "read" it. 

 He is also getting really into colors and numbers. He knows all his colors (that is, the names of the colors) and it's cute to see him racking his brain to come up with the right word for the color.  He knows a few more letters now, in addition to the B and O that he always has and when we get near the car, he spells out R O V E R and a couple other letters.  Same if he sees letters on big signs somewhere. His favorite right now is T though.  Totally on his own, he made it out of blocks.  

See, T

If you get hurt, usually through some fault of his, he will "rub it" "kiss it" and make you do the same to his owies. There are a lot of flying and crashing cars and blocks in this house apparently.  Not sure if I already wrote this, but when he gets a dry diaper on, he says Better.  He picks up so much from us, and because he busts it out a few days later, I'm always amazed what he has held on to.

And this is our lizard, he's always on the deck, apparently he was thirsty or hot this day b/c he kept sticking his gross little neck thing out.

 This little f---er ate a bunch of one of my tomato plants - so much so I thought it was a deer. Can you even see him? They hide in in the leaves and come out when it's cooler.  I went to examine the carnage I had seen and found him.

Tomato Hornworm, sneaky little bastard

I would love to feed the rabbits that are in our yard without feeding the squirrels...
Since it was 99 yesterday, we filled up the kiddie pool ,but then it was actually freezing cold, but his new thing is to stand on the side (of the paper thin plastic pool) and jump in.  Oy.

But look how cute he is, so I let him get away with anything:

Two years old

Bobby can lay down in the bath on his back with both his ears underwater.  He says, aaaaahhhh, floating.  Very brave of him and very cute.

We got passport photos done just in case (of a vacation, not in case we need to leave the country in a hurry) Not sure if I will get Bobbys done yet ($$) but I need mine for a fall trip to Canada.  But you know how Bobby smiles,

 

She wouldn't really take it until I got him to open his eyes a bit, then his smile was sort of a smirk, but it's very respectable and will be good in 30 years to see how cute he was.  Now we gotta get him some stamps. (do they even do that anymore?)

We went to our two year well check today.  All is good, He is a whopping 27 pounds and almost 3 feet tall.  Gross motor skills are off the chart, fine motor good, and communication skill are sort of average - but that is to be expected with an only child who isn't at day care.  So, in order to socialize more, we're going to see Wiley and Archer tomorrow. YAY.

Bobby is quite the hanger.  Not climbing as much as just grabbing a hold of anything high and picking his feet up off the ground.  Including stair railings, the refrigerator door, our headboard somehow.

He is better at playing Memory than I am. thought it was luck at first, but he's really good, and fast.

When he finishes said game of Memory - up to 20 cards - he raises his fist in the air and says hooray.  I will admit to teaching him this, because 2 or 3 books we read have moments of hooray, but somehow (grandma) he translated this into self congratulations when he puts in a puzzle piece or accomplishes something.  Now you know me, you gotta earn your encouragement, but I guess I'll let this slide until it goes to his head.  You know he's gonna have an ego.

2 years old

Bobby is really cute. I wish I had more concrete things to say, but he is really fun, but also has his moments. I'll ask the pediatrician on Friday if he should be talking more. I know plenty of kids are (and have been for months) but we communicate just fine - especially with no day care or big siblings around.  Just me. But he does mumble and chatter to himself and it's really funny.  And if you get loud, so does he.  But he also does sometimes just for no reason. I wonder what it will be like when he does talk.  He is getting good at colors and numbers and letters, but not really altogether properly.  His athletic skills and coordination seem to be excellent, however, so we got that going for us if the brain part doesn't catch up. Exhibit A...(not sure what side this defends though)

He loves his trains and trucks and spends a lot of time in this position.

and not very much time wearing pants.  He can throw the biggest fit if you take his pants off and he doesn't want them off, or if you try to put a shirt on him and he doesn't want to.  Very particular that way.

Now I am going to start taking notes on the blog points I want to share b/c I can't remember any of them. He still carries his $2 birthday plane everywhere and sleeps with it.  He talks about how "Namaw" "dew" (flew) home.

Also, just had my first foray into Panko breadcrumbs and I must say it was excellent, although the house is a bit fishy now... My garden is coming along nicely.  I have a feeling the deer are just biding their time to screw me though.  My flickr account is expiring so get all your looks in so I can put off the renewal.

Dos!

Also to follow up on my not-really-crafty-but-I-could-be-if-I-wanted-to-be thing, I put together a little collage of Bobby at the last 24 months.  This is the picture generally on the 4th of each month.  Not exact, but close in most cases. I do wish I had taken pictures weekly and monthly in the same chair or outfit or something, but who are we kidding. We have lived in four places and the kid is way too busy for my picture taking.  enjoy.

0-24 Months

We go all out

Of course, those are finger swipes in the middle

It's Bobby's birthday today.  I'll say it because I have to: I can't believe it's been two years, Time goes so fast, blah blah blah.  I admire those who throw elaborate themed, coordinated parties for their young children - including first birthdays, but I am not one of them. I think I could be, goodness knows I cruise the internet enough and could copy those ideas just fine, but since there's only 2 people here (and he doesn't know what a birthday is!), we're taking it easy this year. We made a cake because that is what more fun for Bobby than me buying one and impressing our guests...The wheelbarrow was sitting on the floor unwrapped, but he loved that as is. We went to see the USS North Carolina battleship and had lunch out and now everyone else is napping. We'll eat cake and open the one matchbox car that i got him as well.  Sort of feeling like a bad mother, I don't even have any balloons, but I figure it will even out and if he gets some friends in preschool one year, I'll have a helluva party then.

Bobby is the best

He has finally started saying yes, instead of Da.  Well, des, at least.
He can sometimes feed himself, if he feels like it.  He will flip the sandwich around and eat the crust first though.
I only ever write about the times I'm frustrated, but Bobby has been sleeping really well and a ton lately.  Even better, he goes to sleep really well.  After we read our books, I get up to turn off the light and he instantly puts his head on my shoulder for a snuggle and song.
Speaking of that song, I thought we'd have a special thing where I'd sing You are My Sunshine to him before I put him in his crib.  Well I did for a long time, then I mixed it up with Christmas carols for a while, but now, whenever he hears that song, he says NO. Even in the car, if I try to sing it, he shuts it down.
He loves Toy Story.  He's never seen it, but he has the book on my ipad and now a cup and a placemat, and he is obsessed. Woody, Buzz, horsie.
Otherwise, he's just really busy and smart and active and busy.  He's really fun to be around right now.

He has been calling for Wiley and Archer today.
We missed a turtle release at the beach that I just found about. bummer.

Beach time

P5290265, a photo by Elizabeth and York on Flickr.

We had a great time with the Wilsons and once I get the cup of sand out of my washing machine and off of every other surface in my house, we'll be even better.

How does my baby only own one bathing suit?  Must remedy that soon.

Great day

Had a little realization this afternoon that we were having a really nice day, so here's why.  We got organized and headed down to Costco/Target/Petsmart. They are all next door to each other; and while some people think all we do is shop, we were only there 2 hours max, including an early lunch and home by noon.  We might do this once a week, or less.  But now I want to go to Target again and get more $3.50 knit shorts for Bobby since they are great for throwing on after he trashes his first outfit or two. And no one told me target has great underwear and I found workout tops I like there too until I can justify Nike big bucks.

After his nap, we washed the car (like 3 times) then watered the sidewalk and washed out the trash can. Fascinating stuff, huh? We took a watermelon break, then went to the now-even-hotter kiddie pool. We blew bubbles forever and then continued to play and hit balls.  We were in the playroom and he jumped to a new toy, so I said, are you done with these blocks? we need to put them away before we play with something else - and then I shoved the bucket towards the pile of blocks - thinking I/we'd do it later, but HE DID IT.  on his own, put the blocks away.  Amen for progress!  He also makes me lie on the floor in the playroom, and then he says, ahhhhhhh.

So with all the swimming and sprinkling, and me being lazy, he's spent a lot of time out of a diaper. And he holds it.  No accidents at all.  And I know he has to go, but won't on the potty.  So when I put a diaper on him, he saturates it so fast.  We're quite far from potty training still.

I sort of love that our house is turning into a beachy/outdoorsy one.  Or maybe this is normal toddler house, but our back door has sandy sun hats and shoes and sunscreen by it.  We have towels on the kitchen chairs and run around in tank tops (me) and shirtless (him) all the time.  It's going to be a fun summer and we are so pumped for this long weekend. Rick has lots of time off and Elizabeth is coming, then it's Ricks birthday so we'll probably pilgrimage to Outback, unless I can talk him into Fondue.

Flickr doesn't like ipod videos

Nuggets

Our kiddie pool is about 85 degrees. it's gross.  and i don't want to dump it out without being able to get that water onto my dried out grass.  Also, when I turn on my hose, I have to wait a LONG time for scalding hot water to turn into cold.  Can I make sun tea with that?

We went to the beach yesterday, It was great, sort of.  Bobby went straight for the water and had a great time frolicing.  I even took him out deeper and he loved getting crashed into by the waves.  Of course, one wave hit him hard and knocked him on his ass; and I just waited to see what would happen. It was about nose high when he was sitting, but sloshy and receded fast, but I had to swoop in b/c I think it was a bit scary for a bit.  Then he got sort of pissy and annoyed when he had sand on his hands.  He had to get over that.

We got this book that was Ricks growing up, The Monster at the End of this Book, 39 cents.  Not my favorite, but glad to have it since a lot of people like it and I didn't have to buy it to see what it was all about.  Well, it also comes in free iPad form, where Grover actually talks and such and Bobby LOVES it.  Like, giggles out loud.  It's really freakin cute.

Whenever Bobby had a scrape or little strawberry or cut, (i.e often) I am nutso about putting neosporin on his head.  When I, however, have a deep, inch long gap in my very visible forehead, it doesn't even cross my mind until today - 10 days later.

I refuse to label and get into talk of Terrible Twos, but my god, if he doesn't get his way or you try to help him with something, watch out.

Looking forward to a long weekend and playing lots, hopefully with some visitors.

So proud

I went out of town this weekend to visit some girlfriends in Virginia.  Rick and Bobby are both alive, well rested and well fed.  Yay.  Except for Bobby getting up at 5:30am, there were no problems at all.  First time alone with Daddy - piece of cake!

So I probably should work on teaching/helping Bobby learn how to talk properly, but we've got it for now.  His one sentence is "hold that" - refering to many things, but often to the plastic tarp that goes over the sandbox.  He has also added, "better" to his vocabulary.  He closes the doors to the playroom - better.  He takes our shoes off outside - better.  He will throw nouns at you like nobodies business.  Farmer, tractor, drive, horse, hay. And that's his dialogue on farms. the end.

We were sitting on the front steps chalking tonight, and a car flew by in the 35mph zone, going about 60. And I said, damn.  Guess who else did too?

Sleep begets sleep.  Got him back on track, for 2 nights last week he woke up randomly and was up from10:30-11pm and then started sleeping close to 12 hours again and today he took a 3.5 hour nap in his crib.  I was getting worried.

We have this train puzzle that when all the pieces are together, it makes a train choo choo sound.  Well this thing goes off, with the pieces all over the floor, BY ITSELF. It scares the crap out of me every time. It also doesn't help it's always at night.

And b/c I have to brag, he can put it together by himself - which is an upgrade from one piece into one hole puzzle that we had been doing.

Headbut

Headbut, a photo by sld78 on Flickr.

(typing a second time...)
So we were jumping around on the couch and somehow we conked heads. Hard. I was sure Bobby would come up screaming and have bitten his tongue or lip. But nothing. I said, show me your owie and he pushed me away. Then I touched my head, saw a little pink on my fingers, thought nothing of it, until it dripped on my hand!

It's not that big of a deal and I'm sure not getting any sympathy around here, but right after it happened every step I took made my head throb so hard. So no run tonight, but it was a moot point since Rick didn't get home until 7. Tomorrow is another day!

Another sleep post

We are having a real aversion to sleep here.  Yes again.  He's been fairly good for several months with a few hiccups here and there, but in the last week he has not wanted to go to bed easily.  And then Thursday and Friday, he didn't take a nap, Saturdays was in the stroller and Sundays was in the car at Ricks game. He is really fighting sleep and no tricks work.  There are a lot of tears, not mine - yet.  He won't cry himself to sleep, he is just too stubborn.

He was sitting playing and I kept trying to get him in his room to read just now, but he kept screaming so I let him play and went to put on my running clothes. In that time, he climbed upstairs and is now hitting baseballs to himself. I'm tempted to let him go and do my thing (which today is probably lay down too) but I know he needs sleep.  We're also failing at bedtime because Rick gets home late and I don't enforce 7 or 7:30 bedtime anymore and we all play and are happy. But then does he sleep in if he goes to bed at 8? no. of course not.

I think I can

Bobby must forgot the word for caboose sometimes, so he just says moose when he points to his train.  Then i correct him so he says, boose.  no Cs here.

He loves to sing too, nunny days (sweeping the clouds away) which is weird b/c he doesn't watch the Sesame Street credits with me at all.  I always fast forward. guess not though.

The best thing he'll do is sit down with his Little Engine that Could book at read it to himself.  "Pease, pease" "hepa, hepa"  Help us, help us - then the other trains say no, so he says "Byee" to them, then the little blue engine says yes and it goes "up, up, up"  over the hill, to which he then proclaims "hooray"

Another train-ism

In one book and one of his toys, the steam engine is followed by a coal car.  So ask Bobby what that is and he'll hug himself and say Brrrr.  Cold Car.

Not quite cute enough for facebook

I tried to post this to flickr but failed twice. Enjoy.

note to self

• wheelbarrow
• chairs/table  (like this or ikea or kid kraft) chairs really, since we use our coffeetable
• chair (like this)
• water table (he would love, i dunno though)

i have to go to Toys R Us to see what they have, although I have to go alone.  Even then, I buy too much unneeded stuff.  I wonder if he'd like a slip and slide.  who wouldn't!

Bobby is so funny and fun to be around these days.  I can't believe he's almost 2.  so bizarre. he is a constant blabber mouth, but still won't string words together, but will totally communicate whatever he wants/sees.

May 1

Bobbys cough is back; don't know how or why.  it's just a day old, but it was bad falling asleep - which thank god he did w/o getting up and slept until 7 this morning, but as soon as we went into his room for his nap it started up again.  Is he just too busy playing to cough? Or, is his room toxic!

I had wanted to do this for a while, but finally got around to stealing the idea from Carolyn and setting up a sandbox.  He loves it, for now.  Thankfully, we had a lot of beach toys to put in it and only some of the cars got in it.

There is a dead deer in my neighbors front yard, I think from a car crash, but it's gross.  And has drawn a lot of hawks or vultures- whatever they are, they're HUGE.

He's not sleeping

I really want to get a sewing machine to make a proper table tent for Bobby.  I could do this. Thank goodness, I have many many tablecloths. 

And finally, how the hell is it May already?