I feel like after a winter of army crawling around our little home, Colton is blossoming along with the spring weather. He's been really full-on crawling for a while now, but I keep forgetting to mention it here. He crawls with an adorably proud strut that brings to mind a lion cub, lifting his hands high and deliberate in front of him. I love it. Every time I watch him, it makes me laugh.
And while I know I blogged about him standing for the first time right after his doctor's appointment, I need to also explain that it took him a few more weeks to figure out how to get down from standing. During those few weeks it just became habit to put him down for a nap, and then go back every ten minutes and keep laying him down until he finally fell asleep. It's nice not having to do that any more!
He's very good at climbing stairs and does it every chance he gets. And I finally got that other baby gate up, so I'm not going crazy trying to keep him away from the stairs. We still haven't tackled going back down again. I'm just not ready for that yet.
And then this last week, he has started standing without holding anything. Sometimes he'll let go of whatever he's standing against, and a few times he's even tried standing up with nothing to hold onto at all. These are, of course, big steps towards walking, and I'm excited for him to get to that stage. I know, I know-- it will mean chasing him down and worrying about him running into the street. But it will also mean taking him to the park (it's no fun trying to crawl through the bark there right now!) and outside in the grass (he's still afraid of the grass right now) and maybe even not having to carry him the entire time we're at the library and picking up the kids from school. So I feel the perks outweigh the difficulties here.
So let's hope for some walking-- they can't ALL wait until they're 16 months old, can they?
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Cutest Picture EVER
One of my self-imposed rules when I started this blog was that I wouldn't use it just to brag about how cute my kids are. Whether or not I've succeeded in that goal remains to be seen, but I NEVER said I wouldn't brag about how cute other people's kids are. So, I present the following cuteness for your viewing pleasure:
This is my little nephew Caleb (Natalie's second son), trying on his Grandpa Rex's glasses.
{Squeeeeee!!!!}
This is my little nephew Caleb (Natalie's second son), trying on his Grandpa Rex's glasses.
{Squeeeeee!!!!}
The Best Laid Plans...
It's spring break! And this year, unlike last year, we're actually having perfect, warm-but-not-humid spring weather for our spring break and we are loving it. Everything is blooming (even my reluctant cherry blossom tree!) and it feels like the Garden of Eden. So naturally, we're leaving town. This made me a teensy bit sad (even though I'm the one who planned this excursion). But the trip is to see most of my family, so I can't complain. But it did seem a shame to leave Virginia when it's so perfect like this.
The plan was to leave this morning as soon as possible. And we told some friends of ours (who used to live here and are coming back for a quick visit) that they could stay in our home tonight. Everything was set!
But when I got all the kids breakfast, Kendra mentioned that her throat hurt. And then she proceeded to curl up in a blanket and lay on the couch looking sad and dejected. Poor Kendra! When she's sick, it's like every part of her just droops. As we scurried around trying to gather everything and shove it into suitcases and leave the house clean for our guests, Kendra fell asleep on the couch. Not a good sign. I finally began to believe her claims that she had strep throat.
Just for the record, you need to understand there hat Kendra just HAD strep throat. In fact, she just finished her antibiotics 6 days ago. She had it, and so did Colton and Craig. So for her to think she had it again put me in a quandary: do I believe her, because she knows what she's talking about? Or do I not believe her cause who gets strep throat twice in one month?!
Oh, that's right. My best friend and her kids just had strep twice. That's who.
So I opted for believing Kendra. And rather than loading up the car and driving to New York, we loaded up the car and stopped at Tyson's Corner, where an Urgent Care center was located. And while Kendra was being tested and waiting to see a doctor, I got on the phone and managed to convince the Powers That Be to test the entire family. (They actually listened to me when I pointed out how much it would cost them if I saw a non-Kaiser doctor in Manhattan! Amazing!) By the time the doctor was done prescribing her antibiotics, our results were in and it turned out that ALL of the kids had strep. Only Craig and I had escaped unscathed (knocking on wood as I type this). So the doctor very nicely prescribed antibiotics for all the kids, and even gave them the same drug and the same time frame (different dosage, though), so it would be easier for me to keep it all straight. Four prescriptions for the price of one co-pay! Look at Craig and I working the system!
So the long and short of it is that we are now planning to head out to New York tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Hopefully that will keep my kids from getting my sister and her family all sick. And I told my friend who was going to stay here that they were still welcome to come, but that if I were them I'd stay as far away from us as possible (she agreed that this might be more prudent). And while it's disappointing to not be in New York by now (or at least New Jersey, at this point?), and while I feel bad letting down my friend, I will say that I'm enjoying one more day of looking at all my flowers.
So I guess it could be worse...
The plan was to leave this morning as soon as possible. And we told some friends of ours (who used to live here and are coming back for a quick visit) that they could stay in our home tonight. Everything was set!
But when I got all the kids breakfast, Kendra mentioned that her throat hurt. And then she proceeded to curl up in a blanket and lay on the couch looking sad and dejected. Poor Kendra! When she's sick, it's like every part of her just droops. As we scurried around trying to gather everything and shove it into suitcases and leave the house clean for our guests, Kendra fell asleep on the couch. Not a good sign. I finally began to believe her claims that she had strep throat.
Just for the record, you need to understand there hat Kendra just HAD strep throat. In fact, she just finished her antibiotics 6 days ago. She had it, and so did Colton and Craig. So for her to think she had it again put me in a quandary: do I believe her, because she knows what she's talking about? Or do I not believe her cause who gets strep throat twice in one month?!
Oh, that's right. My best friend and her kids just had strep twice. That's who.
So I opted for believing Kendra. And rather than loading up the car and driving to New York, we loaded up the car and stopped at Tyson's Corner, where an Urgent Care center was located. And while Kendra was being tested and waiting to see a doctor, I got on the phone and managed to convince the Powers That Be to test the entire family. (They actually listened to me when I pointed out how much it would cost them if I saw a non-Kaiser doctor in Manhattan! Amazing!) By the time the doctor was done prescribing her antibiotics, our results were in and it turned out that ALL of the kids had strep. Only Craig and I had escaped unscathed (knocking on wood as I type this). So the doctor very nicely prescribed antibiotics for all the kids, and even gave them the same drug and the same time frame (different dosage, though), so it would be easier for me to keep it all straight. Four prescriptions for the price of one co-pay! Look at Craig and I working the system!
So the long and short of it is that we are now planning to head out to New York tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Hopefully that will keep my kids from getting my sister and her family all sick. And I told my friend who was going to stay here that they were still welcome to come, but that if I were them I'd stay as far away from us as possible (she agreed that this might be more prudent). And while it's disappointing to not be in New York by now (or at least New Jersey, at this point?), and while I feel bad letting down my friend, I will say that I'm enjoying one more day of looking at all my flowers.
So I guess it could be worse...
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
I Want to Break Free
In the last two days Colton has mastered the art of climbing stairs. Despite my best efforts to keep him from even trying.
And while he has been quite successful and seems to be very energized by this new endeavor, I am exhausted by my failures. Every thirty seconds, I have to jump up from whatever I'm doing to pull him off the stairs (or hover behind him while I allow him yet another summit attack). It's been awful. There is nowhere in my house that is safe.
The best I can do is to stick him in the crib or a high chair if I need to use the bathroom. Or occasionally I have been known to put him downstairs with lots of toys and then roll the love sack in front of the stairs. I using the piano bench to block the stairs once, but he just went right under that. It didn't even faze him a bit. But mostly I just drop what I'm doing and race to get him before he can fall. Once he's at the top, he crawls gleefully around the upstairs rooms for a few minutes exploring, and then is drawn-- almost magnetically-- back to the stairs to contemplate how to get down them. So far I have NOT allowed him to try this, although it's just a matter of time before I'm too slow and he tumbles. And our stairs are wooden, so it's going to be really awful when that happens.
He also has discovered the joys of opening and closing things, so I have to keep cupboards locked up and nothing fun in the lower drawers. Even my pantry turns into a war zone if I leave it open.
This is all fine and good and part of babies learning, and I get that, but here's what irks me: THIS KID WON'T WALK. AT ALL!!!!!
Why would you be more interesting in climbing up and down the stairs than in walking, for crying out loud???
Anyway, we've had one baby gate up for months now to keep him from falling down the stairs. But the gate that would keep him from climbing up the other half has been employed as a plant holder. The plants aren't really ready to move outside just yet, but I'm afraid they'll have to. Because I need that baby gate for its original purpose again.
I'm not sure I can take this any more...
And while he has been quite successful and seems to be very energized by this new endeavor, I am exhausted by my failures. Every thirty seconds, I have to jump up from whatever I'm doing to pull him off the stairs (or hover behind him while I allow him yet another summit attack). It's been awful. There is nowhere in my house that is safe.
The best I can do is to stick him in the crib or a high chair if I need to use the bathroom. Or occasionally I have been known to put him downstairs with lots of toys and then roll the love sack in front of the stairs. I using the piano bench to block the stairs once, but he just went right under that. It didn't even faze him a bit. But mostly I just drop what I'm doing and race to get him before he can fall. Once he's at the top, he crawls gleefully around the upstairs rooms for a few minutes exploring, and then is drawn-- almost magnetically-- back to the stairs to contemplate how to get down them. So far I have NOT allowed him to try this, although it's just a matter of time before I'm too slow and he tumbles. And our stairs are wooden, so it's going to be really awful when that happens.
He also has discovered the joys of opening and closing things, so I have to keep cupboards locked up and nothing fun in the lower drawers. Even my pantry turns into a war zone if I leave it open.
This is all fine and good and part of babies learning, and I get that, but here's what irks me: THIS KID WON'T WALK. AT ALL!!!!!
Why would you be more interesting in climbing up and down the stairs than in walking, for crying out loud???
Anyway, we've had one baby gate up for months now to keep him from falling down the stairs. But the gate that would keep him from climbing up the other half has been employed as a plant holder. The plants aren't really ready to move outside just yet, but I'm afraid they'll have to. Because I need that baby gate for its original purpose again.
I'm not sure I can take this any more...
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Photo Dynamic
So here are some of the random pictures that have been skipped over recently as this blog has focused on birthdays and chickens! Um, but there might still be some chicken pictures mixed in here, too...
 |
| Panorama of one of our more recent snow storms. This winter has been horrid. |
 |
| Ryder inspecting the chicken coop and pretending to be a chicken |
 |
| Coop in the works (it's closer to being done now-- this was a few weeks ago) |
 |
| Love those eyes |
 |
| Kendra wearing her ballerina costume |
 |
| Colton planking |
 |
| And getting into my pantry |
 |
| Ryder doing his best Salvador Dali impression |
 |
| Playing with Colton while Craig cooks up some burgers and s'mores (and takes my picture, apparently) |
 |
| Ryder's craziness seems to be bothering everyone... |
 |
| Ryder, post-s'mores... |
 |
| I love this picture of Kendra |
 |
| Baby asleep with his butt in the air. Classic. |
 |
| Sleepy morning snuggle time. At least, I'm still sleepy... |
 |
| Colton trying to join his siblings downstairs... |
 |
| Daddy is very nice about painting Kendra's nails for her |
 |
| Bentley engrossed in Harry Potter |
 |
| Colton laying on the couch reading. He fits right in around here! |
 |
| Colton devours a slice of bread |
 |
| And then, a few days later, decides he doesn't like bread any more. |
 |
| Sporting one of his new birthday outfits |
 |
| Just woken up and hungry |
 | |
| A newly minted bottle officianado |
 |
| Hot Chicks! |
 |
| Colton has questions |
 |
| When I first picked up Emma |
 |
| Walking to school on a beautiful spring morning |
 |
| I love Kendra holding Ryder's hand! |
 |
| Colton grabs a quick car nap |
 |
| And then smiles sleepily when my camera wakes him up |
I'm exhausted from all that uploading. Peace out, readers!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
More Chick Pics
And you thought you were done looking at pictures of my chicks. Ha! HA, I say! They only stay little for a couple weeks, so we've been trying to document them and play with them as much as possible.
Also, we managed to get Emma on Monday, as planned, so naturally we need to show you pictures of our little lady. Here she is:
This is not the last of the chicken pictures. Consider yourself warned!
Also, we managed to get Emma on Monday, as planned, so naturally we need to show you pictures of our little lady. Here she is:
 |
| She is the tiniest chick by far. I was glad we were able to get her pretty freshly hatched. |
 |
| And here are all three of them being held by various children (one of whom is not mine) |
 |
| Our little flock! |
 |
| Sophronia takes a closer look at the camera |
 |
| Lucy Mack manages to look incredibly goofy |
 |
| Huddled together, with Sophronia trying to get some shuteye |
This is not the last of the chicken pictures. Consider yourself warned!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)