Zoo

We went to NC Zoo on Saturday.  It's fairly close and the it was supposed to be sunny, so what the heck.  Bobby really enjoyed running down the paths and climbing in the mulch and jumping on the rocks.  I don't know how he wasn't more worn out; we brought the stroller, but he only really rode in it between North America and Africa.

Seals

 It wasn't too crowded when we got there at 11.  They opened at 9, but we wanted to give it a chance to warm up to see more animals (and let Rick sleep in) Most of the animals were indeed out, the polar bears were closed, and otherwise the North America part is pretty unremarkable.  Just bears really.

"Look at the elephant Bobby"

 We hiked over to Africa and the elephants, zebra, giraffe, ostriches and all were out. The rhinos were pretty far away, but the chimpanzees were very playful and near the glass.  Bobby enjoyed reading the map, or hiding behind it, I wasn't sure.

When we realized we hadn't taken any photos

It was a nice day, we spent a long time eating lunch of course, but were still in the car by 3, with a little nap on the way home. The worst part was that the ice cream stands were closed. Such a travesty.

Ice Skating

After two days over 60 degrees, it only seemed natural to go skating... I wondered what was the right age for it, but we just had to try.

Pretty excited at the prospect

 We got suited up in the smallest skates they had, which seemed to be the right size, but they were wobbly and only got worse on land.  But like an adult, the more you go around, the better you get.  They both got very comfortable and got going pretty fast.  Bobby would hang down to get more sliding on.  He would also run and pick up his skates.

Still excited, just wobbly

 We took a little snack break and then he decided he was done.  I thought he'd go for another round, but he said no. In the meantime they had blown some snow/crushed ice down a tiny hill for some sledders.  I thought they would have a little extra bit for little kids or those without sleds, but no.  Just the pathetic hill and hundreds of kids in line to go down it.  Not sure how long the snow lasted, but we were home before 7 probably, so we missed out on disco skate too.

Underway and getting faster

A very fun excursion.  $8 per person.  I would recommend it, but unless they can give adults spikes or special ice shoes, the ratio of stable adults to kids needs to be high. Or they could build in a handle bar at 3 feet tall.  If you can find double blade skates, I think a 5 year old could handle it on his own.  I got chatted up by a 6 year old and he was hugging the wall at first, but was pretty confident by the end (his Grandma was on the bleachers)

Future obstetrician

Help the baby, on Flickr.

I'd say he's ready for a litte brother, no problem

15 Weeks

How Far Along: about 15 weeks.  Baby 2 is sooo different.  I hardly know how far I am instead of knowing week, day, hour and everything about that stage.

Size of baby: 4", about an apple

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 6 pounds - so 5 pounds of thanksgiving and Christmas cookies and 1 pound of baby weight.  I'm told my face is that not that fat in real life.  Right.

Maternity Clothes: not yet, but I don't know what I'm waiting for.  I don't need them really, mostly because I spend a lot of the time in yoga/workout clothes, but by the end of the day when I wear jeans sometime I wish I had them.

Gender: I don't know and you're not going to either!

Movement: not yet, I didn't feel Bobby until 21.5 weeks

What I miss: Turkey sandwiches a bit. Diet Coke. 

Sleep: absolutely terrible.  

Symptoms: Again, no morning sickness.  I feel quite great.  What I am dealing with is some pain in my pelvis/back at my SI joint.  Pretty sharp pain if I lean back, lay wrong or want to roll over.

Cravings:   nothing, everything.  I do want a margarita though.

Best Moment this week: ?

What we are looking forward to: getting back on a good schedule in Greensboro; going to the Science center and seeing Dinosaur bones.  Regarding #2 - Napping?

January 6

Yesterday was the first day Bobby didn't ask about presents or Santa.  Until then, he would ask us what we wanted for Christmas. Or comment that there were no presents in the dining room anymore.  Or for the first several days after Christmas, that Santa was coming!

He is super funny theses days and it is cool to watch his personality and vocabulary continue to develop.  He says things like, I have a question,  or Nice to meet you.  He also puts his hand on your shoulder and cocks his head in sympathy and listening sometimes.

Spent the whole time avoiding eye contact

Spent the whole time avoiding eye contact, a photo by sld78 on Flickr.

But he did tell Santa that he was 2 and that he wanted "presents"

But while waiting in line, he told us he wanted balls and a fire truck. then he named all the reindeer.

But for Santa, he was near mute. But he did run up and sit on his lap promptly.

A few curiosities

• I literally have 2 diapers in my car.  We are going to have to risk it one of these overnights...
• Bobby had a night terror the other night.  I think it was b/c he didn't nap that day.  It pretty much sucked. He was wailing then would just flop back asleep, then wail again.  He was oblivious to me and didn't talk to me.  It didn't last long thankfully.
• Bobby has been talking about ghosts and monsters and such.  they hide under his bed, in his closet, are coming to get him and stuff like that.  he hides from them, and says 'protect me'.  not sure where this all came from.
• luckily, his defense to that, and a lot of other things is to shoot them with imaginary water. full of sound effects.  i think that came from a combination of playing with a toy gun and seeing a lot of firehoses.  
• he is also into wrestling and pushing me around.  i think i can attribute (not blame) that to his cousins.  And being a 2 year old boy.  

We are getting into Christmas.  I wasn't going to play it up b/c it just creates more hassle for the move, but I have a two year old, so sort of have to.  And Rick is into it too, so it's on.  My decoration stash is still paltry, but I can bake and craft with the best of them.

I am ridiculously proud of my advent calendar everytime I look at it.  Way more than last year for some reason.

We did Toys R Us and Michaels today. God help us, but there were good sales (that everyone knew about).  But Bobby really was a trooper (Rick too) and seemed to enjoy shopping a bit (in a toy store - you think?) Unfortunately, this was him during tree shopping...

But he did like the toy guitar, and the mini piano a lot at the store.  And naturally all cars and trucks, but we had to squash that quick.

Just wait until we get our inflatables blown up!  Now how to explain to him that we only pull one link off the chain a day, and only put up one ornament...

Wish lists continued

Bobby
- a starter lego set
- Cars 2 from Vietnam
- slippers he will actually wear
- Etch a Sketch

Me
- running sunglasses to replace the ones Bobby broke
- camera to replace the one Bobby broke (I did actually return it to Costco within 90 days, but I haven't replaced it b/c I didn't like their options)

Bobby counted to 15 yesterday.
But he also pooped on the floor, so he's no genius.
We have a 5 day underwear only challenge coming up. Cross your fingers for us.

BLACK FRIDAY IS COMING

ME

• lululemon jacket
• crock pot
• mad men season 1 dvd; season 2
• a nice ipad cover - to be found
• virginia sweatshirt
• real simple magazine
• iphone 4s
• shampoo/conditioner
• ONE nice ornament

RICK

• remote organizer
• a new job
• help packing boxes

BOBBY

• no train stuff
• no clothes
• his own chair
• ukulele (guitar)
• maybe Duplo set
• cool kids sheet for a full mattress
• race track for matchbox car stuff - i have to look more
• i dunno what else

Growing Up

• No one told me that getting the pee into the potty is the easy part.  We love the potty now and haven't had a wet diaper in days.  What is holding us back now is getting the undies and sometimes pants down and getting onto the seat or reaching over the rim.
• I feel like he is too young to be here already, but we can have a 3 hour nap and then a long bedtime before finally crashing at 9. Or no nap, a slightly short fused evening and bed at 7pm in 5 minutes.

Put it in the baby book

10/28/11 First poop on the potty.  Finally.  He was naked butt and wanted a diaper but I plopped him on the toilet and he had no choice.

Myrtle Beach

 We took a little trip down the coast to Myrtle Beach since it's only 1.5 hours away.  It was a gorgeous and warm weekend.  We got a hotel room on the beach.  A one bedroom too so we didn't all have to go to bed at 8pm. They have a nice 'newish' boardwalk and promenade there, but it's still basically grody drunk college kid town during the summers.  I did get to see more of it than the strip which was nice because they have a nice mall and a big outlet center.

I wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel

 There was a cold lazy river and warm kid pool and regular pool and a hot tub.  We went in all of them and Bobby didn't skip a beat picking up where he left off jumping into the pool and kicking and paddling.

So while we were there, I ran a little half marathon.  We then had a good walk, which included icing off in the ocean, and a nice lunch and called it a day.

Biggest fan

We love fall

It got really cold, like 60, all of a sudden and we headed to the pumpkin patch for a quick morning school field trip.

Can you see his expression?

He totally dressed the part.  Saving his orange for when we go as a family.

We owned this game, even when I made him back up

Running

Bubble catching

Such a flirt

Also dominated the relay race

 Of course, they didn't keep relay order, but Bobby was the one who at the end decided to carry three pumpkins at a time.  Cheater or clever?

This kid is in Bobbys class

More classmates

I can't get over it.  He's huge (Dec. birthday)

Warts

A few more errands, and wiped out

Nice weekend

We had a practice pumpkin carving here too.  I was glad I did, sort of.  For the first half, Bobby was totally uninterested in it, especially cleaning out the guts, but once he saw he could pop the eyes in and out, he loved the jack o lantern.  Still, I think that might be our only carving session.
 
Ricks work puts on these great events, like the one for Easter.  This was a fall fest/chili cookoff/ beer tent thing. But mostly, free inflatables, pony rides, petting zoo.  So we were sold.  Plus decorating a mini pumpkin.   There is a lot of stuff going on in the next couple weeks and we are just getting started!  Although, it's hard to beat the free one.  Thank you Marine services.

15K in 1:10, 3rd place 30 year old girl

Ran a little race, we all caught up on sleep today, baked some cookies and had a nice family day!

Not the intended place for pumpkins, but he calls them his pumpkins and so they are like a toy.

Needless to say, my mums have been 'pinched' a little earlier than necessary.

Sleeping is going poorly, but everything else is going great.  Going to sleep is the tough part - I have been laying down with him.  Takes about an hour.  I don't really mind, dinner is ready for Rick before (usually) and we can DVR the good tv, but it's still not something I want to be doing at all.  But I do get to hear him talk about the trains and sing songs to himself.  Adoroable.

He really likes school and talks about his buddies and teachers sometimes.  He runs into the classroom by himself.  Teacher says he has a lot of fun and is very smart.  BUT, there is a case of lice in the 3 year old class. Gross.

Kid is a North Carolinian now,  He loves some homemade chips.

He is slowly losing the third person dialect.  About 75% Bobby and 25% me, mine and I.

Halloweeen costume will again wait until the very last minute.  Choices are pirate, fireman, cowboy, spider, bee, and he mentioned rabbit this morning - not that he knows what halloween is, but he'll get several chances.

"Mommy, make a trade"  when he wants a toy (or ipod) that I have. Better than, Bobby want that.  Or just taking it.  Something he picked up from the cousins no doubt.

"Where's my bless you?"  he said after a sneeze that I failed to acknowledge.

So happy for little Jubilee to bring a female touch to the boys team. But I still think there could be a mistake.

First Day Preschool

Not into posing for me

Did get a smile though

He's too young :(

Drop off was almost too easy. No tears - from either of us.  Now the four longest hours of my life.  Wondering if he will poop, or eat anything, or play nicely. or miss me at all.

Sleeping, toddler style

i don't want to be one of those parents, but they're chainsawing a huge tree down right outside of bobbys window (in the vacant lot) while he naps.  i mean, come on.

After a week sleeping on a big bed at the beach, we had serious troubles putting Bobby back in the crib.  So we didn't.  After climbing out of his crib 4-5 times the night before,  one night we just thew the mattress on the floor and he stayed on it.  This worked well for a few more nights, but now he wants to sleep in the big bed.  So we did that too.  Put him in the queen in the guest room, and he whimpers a bit, but stays there too. He does cry for mommy to lay down with him, but I don't want to get into that routine, so we've resisted so far.  I want to get him his own (twin) bed, but don't want all that furniture and bedding that go with it.

he still won't nap in either place, so we take a little walk in the stroller, then i walk the stroller into his room.  not ideal at all.

Testing Us

Bobby has been naked the whole weekend.  If we get clothes on him, it is only with a battle and they don't stay on.  He knows how to take off shirts now, as well as his diaper.  This pleases him a lot.  Then, he gets really panicky and asks for a diaper when he has to pee and will not be put on the potty.  Then he'll fill it up and take it off after a bit.  And we are basically down to about 3 diapers somehow.

"Buzz comes in peace, Mommy"

"turn on bubble maker" (hottub jets) - while in the bathtub at home today

he started calling loudly for "auntie sarah"

bobby broke my camera. so no new photos for a while and i will not be replacing it with anything over 80 bucks.

i feel like he may never sleep again.  put him down for a nap fairly easily. but then i heard some clanking and a door shut and i knew - he always closes doors behind him.  he walks into my room, where i was almost into bed and told me happily, that he climbed out of bed.

it is nice to sleep in a bed that isn't full of sand though.

That took long enough to happen

Bobby got up in the middle of the night (teething? or just too much to think about? trains you know) So I tried to put him in my bed, even though I know so much better - he doesn't cuddle and go back to sleep. So he hit me with his trains a few times (while I was trying to sleep still),  I threatened and eventually put him back in his crib crying and screaming planning to give it 10 minutes.  I went to brush my teeth and give him a minute to think about his actions.

And guess who toddles into the bedroom.

Thunderstorms

"Man angry turn on thunder"

I might have said something like that once a long long time ago, but I hardly even remember it and he pulled it out of thin air.

And when we come inside from the heat, he goes, "aah, cooler, better"

and..

see, reaching to turn it off the camera

Naturally, those are my shorts

and he can count.  sort of.  1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  how he knows numbers above 10, i haven't a clue. seriously. didn't get it from me.  knows all his letters without confusing E/F, P/R anymore.  won't say the alphabet in order really, but will label things.

Hoarding, and counting, balls

Potty training isn't happening.  He's only 26 months, so it's not that big of a deal.  He does like wearing his undies and won't have any accidents, but he will also not go on the potty.  He was commando for 2 hours today, then started getting panicky and asking for a diaper.  He knows when he has to go, at least, which I think is progress.

Catching up

we are having a good summer and there's some fun stuff to share, but i'm so tired, i never feel like it, but here goes.  He's really funny and silly and talking up a storm.  Seriously, he never shuts up. He narrates every situation and thing he sees.  He doesn't say me or I yet. Just Bobby. He's very goofy and I like that and go with it.

how many times do you think he slipped on the floor in fleece socks?

His idea of recycling

New favorite post bath pose, that or naked

 He put on that brown croc and said, "I'm going to work" I said, okay, get your other shoe. And he came out with the red one.  Then grabbed his boogy board and tried to make me stand on it.  And those are stickers on his shirt, not a cool pattern.  Better there than my walls.

 He is also a total ham for the camera.  that or completely gets mad and turns it off.

cheese

 Such a big helper.  Went and got the gloves himself.

better that tree than my veg

"Bobby under pile"

 Ready for the beach! Very much likes to pull anything with a handle

Frat boy Bobster

And see those flip flops above?  I don't care for them, they rub his foot a bit and I try to put 2 or 3 pairs on him before them, but he asks for them. then one day in the car randomly, he says "bobby shoes like mommy shoes"  so now, I see.

And we are still obsessed with Thomas the train, and now Toy Story.  We have a billion other books, but I hate them all, I've read them so much - every time I would reach for the shelf, it would be, oh not this one, or this one.  But now, we're down to Thomas, and Woody and  Buzz books.  And I have to get some video up, or show you in person, but a lot of the books are the level 1 and 2 readers that have about 50 unique words in the books and he has it completely memorized. Sound effects and all.  It's great, but creepy. It only takes about 2 readings before he starts reading it to me.

Still loving the bike

Bet you thought I was being a good safety parent

But no, the helmet came first

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!