Now that my boys are progressing into the preschooler stage of life (and what a big deal that is ;) ), I thought I would update with some of our favorite must-have products!
Here's the love/hate relationship I have with "stuff": I love to try it out, but then hate that hardly any of it lives up to my standards. I admit, I'm picky. After living in small apartments up until a year ago when we bought our house, I became extremely selective about what "stuff" was allowed to stick around and take up precious space!
So, without further ado, these are items that I highly recommend for 2-4(ish) year olds:
Monday, June 23, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
DIY Cloud Dough
As promised from yesterday eons ago, here is the recipe for homemade "cloud dough":
- 1 part shaving cream
- 1 part corn starch
- food coloring (optional- after making this several times I actually prefer to leave it uncolored)
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
DIY Finger Paint
I have had this recipe for homemade finger paint for a couple of years now, since Aldon was an itty bitty. What I love about it- it comes together in minutes, is super cheap to make, completely safe if he eats some of it (because let's face it, that always happens!), and clean up is a breeze- even dried on to the table, walls, and floor, warm water is all that I've ever needed to wipe it up. It's also gluten free- while we don't suffer gluten sensitivity in this house, I know some children cannot even handle touching gluten so this recipe is perfect for those in that boat!
Saturday, January 04, 2014
Weekly Meal Ideas + A Free Menu Planner Download!
I've been asked a lot by friends how I feed my kids, what we eat in a typical week, etc. So, I figured I would write a post about it!
My family doesn't follow any kind of special or fad "diet." We aren't Paleo, GAPS, and the like. I consider our diet to be "whole foods based" or "clean", and to me that means:
Friday, January 03, 2014
Life Lately: hello 2014!
Do you make New Year's Resolutions? I never have. Probably because let's face it, they never stick. I could make a resolution to actually make a resolution, and still probably fail.
However, something I am challenging myself with this month is The Orange Rhino Challenge. You can get the details here, but in a nutshell it is all about being aware of the voice we use with our children and in particular, to never yell. While I don't consider myself a "yeller," I am human, I get irritated and snap. I'm doing this with a local Natural Parenting group I am a part of, and so far it's been refreshing. Kind of starts the year off on a positive note.
Now, let's recap how the past few months have been for the Hartman's:
Thursday, October 31, 2013
November Already?!
Wait, wasn't it just September?
And now it's the last day of October?!
Happy Halloween, everyone!
October has been good to the Hartman clan. Because I am a bit of a sap, it's always my favorite month- Keegan and I started dating in October (many moons ago), both of my boys were born in October... It's a sentimental month.
Speaking of birthdays- This year we decided to throw the boys one joint first and third birthday party. With their birthdays two weeks apart, it made the most sense- although I stressed about it unnecessarily for quite some time. Poor Liam already has Second Child Syndrome, and he didn't even get his own first birthday party. Hopefully that therapy bill later in life won't be too massive ;)
And now it's the last day of October?!
Happy Halloween, everyone!
October has been good to the Hartman clan. Because I am a bit of a sap, it's always my favorite month- Keegan and I started dating in October (many moons ago), both of my boys were born in October... It's a sentimental month.
Speaking of birthdays- This year we decided to throw the boys one joint first and third birthday party. With their birthdays two weeks apart, it made the most sense- although I stressed about it unnecessarily for quite some time. Poor Liam already has Second Child Syndrome, and he didn't even get his own first birthday party. Hopefully that therapy bill later in life won't be too massive ;)
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Preschool!
Today, Aldon had his first day of preschool!
He loved it!!
As soon as we walked in the door, he threw off his coat and got to playing (it is serious business, after all). Hugs were given, and then we were on our way out the door.
So many people have asked if I had cried, or he did- and no, neither of us did. We both were happy! Sure, I'm nostalgic; the not-even six pound baby I delivered is now a preschooler and approaching his third birthday. It's always fun to look back on how he used to be as a baby, but it's even more exciting, to me, to see how far he has come and what's in store for him next.
In other news...
Life is busy, as always ;)
I am working on finishing up my nursing degree (7 classes left! whoop whoop!), and being a full-time mom during the day.
Liam is now 10 months old! He's super close to walking, and is starting to say a few words. I know parents aren't "supposed" to compare their children, but it's fun to see how alike and yet how different he and his big brother are.
Keegan has been loosely tossing around the idea of pursuing his master's degree, but that probably won't happen until I am done with mine. We shall see, though :)
Slooowly, we have been decorating and fixing up our house. Emphasis on the slowly ;) With two little helpers and life in general, the completion rate of our projects is pretty low.
We are headed up north this weekend for the holiday- the first time in a year and half that we will be home! I. Cannot. Wait!!
That about sums up all that the Hartman's have been up to lately... here's to hoping I update this thing more than twice a year! :)
As soon as we walked in the door, he threw off his coat and got to playing (it is serious business, after all). Hugs were given, and then we were on our way out the door.
So many people have asked if I had cried, or he did- and no, neither of us did. We both were happy! Sure, I'm nostalgic; the not-even six pound baby I delivered is now a preschooler and approaching his third birthday. It's always fun to look back on how he used to be as a baby, but it's even more exciting, to me, to see how far he has come and what's in store for him next.
In other news...
Life is busy, as always ;)
I am working on finishing up my nursing degree (7 classes left! whoop whoop!), and being a full-time mom during the day.
Liam is now 10 months old! He's super close to walking, and is starting to say a few words. I know parents aren't "supposed" to compare their children, but it's fun to see how alike and yet how different he and his big brother are.
Keegan has been loosely tossing around the idea of pursuing his master's degree, but that probably won't happen until I am done with mine. We shall see, though :)
Slooowly, we have been decorating and fixing up our house. Emphasis on the slowly ;) With two little helpers and life in general, the completion rate of our projects is pretty low.
We are headed up north this weekend for the holiday- the first time in a year and half that we will be home! I. Cannot. Wait!!
That about sums up all that the Hartman's have been up to lately... here's to hoping I update this thing more than twice a year! :)
Monday, June 03, 2013
4 and a half months later...
Hi.
If you couldn't tell, the past 4 and a half months have been crazy. I can't even recap them, without writing a novel.
So, here's the paragraph, super- condensed, run-on-sentence, version of it:
If you couldn't tell, the past 4 and a half months have been crazy. I can't even recap them, without writing a novel.
So, here's the paragraph, super- condensed, run-on-sentence, version of it:
We bought a house and moved and are DIYing sooo much stuff that it sometimes makes my head spin; and the boys are growing like the dang weeds in our flower beds (true story) and Aldon is starting preschool in two months and Liam is crawling and has started solids and it's just craziness 'cause my babies aren't babies anymore; and Keegan finally got his dream dog, a german shepherd named Fritz, and that little thing has been oh-so-cutely terrorizing me and this house and holy crap bringing a dog home is just like bringing home a newborn x 1000- yea, 1000 newborns; and I'm still super busy with school and have the entrance exam for the nursing program in 2 weeks (eeeeeek!) and trying to stay on top of everything else and basically have been living on coffee alone.
Did you get all of that?
Basically, I'm not sure this bloggy-wog will get any attention (not like it really ever did before, haha).
Friday, January 18, 2013
{Month 3}
Sweet, chunky Liam is now t h r e e months old!
He weighs 15 pounds now, and is about 24" long- a big step up from 7 lb and 19 in at birth! The onesie he's wearing in the pictures? Size 6 month, and as you can see it's skin tight. It was only on for the five minutes it took to snap the picture lol.
He is still waking up at least twice in the night to nurse, and of course he's still sharing our bed with us. We also still cloth diaper him, our favorites for Liam are bumGenius Elementals (on the smallest rise setting, and hook and loop closure). He started fitting into these when he was about a month old, after he outgrew our bumGenius newborn stash.
He smiles and giggles and coos, chews on his fingers and flings slobber everywhere, and can't stand it when I walk out of his line of vision (can you blame him? ;) ) Basically, he's adorable and perfect, just like big brother.
Our Month 3 "Must-Haves" include:
-Soothing Motions Glider : he always falls asleep nursing, and this is the only place where I can put him down and he will stay sleeping. Plus, Aldon loves to turn it on for him and it makes him feel like the best big helper ;)
-Activity Gym:He absolutely despises using the tummy time pillow this set comes with, but when he's on his back he can't get enough of staring at himself in the apple mirror!
-plenty of arm strength (seriously! he may not look it, but he is just one solid chunk of cuteness) since he always wants to be held and carried around, and
-bibs! I never understood why parents would put bibs on their kids to catch drool... Aldon wasn't a "drooler", even while teething, so my thought was always "just wipe it off when it happens; no big deal." Then came Liam... it's gross. He soaks the front of his shirt multiple times a day. To save on outfit changes (and laundry!) I broke down and just put a bib on him when he's especially drooly. icky.
So there you have it! Liam Allen, big three month old boy, in a nutshell :)
He weighs 15 pounds now, and is about 24" long- a big step up from 7 lb and 19 in at birth! The onesie he's wearing in the pictures? Size 6 month, and as you can see it's skin tight. It was only on for the five minutes it took to snap the picture lol.
He is still waking up at least twice in the night to nurse, and of course he's still sharing our bed with us. We also still cloth diaper him, our favorites for Liam are bumGenius Elementals (on the smallest rise setting, and hook and loop closure). He started fitting into these when he was about a month old, after he outgrew our bumGenius newborn stash.
He smiles and giggles and coos, chews on his fingers and flings slobber everywhere, and can't stand it when I walk out of his line of vision (can you blame him? ;) ) Basically, he's adorable and perfect, just like big brother.
Our Month 3 "Must-Haves" include:
-Soothing Motions Glider : he always falls asleep nursing, and this is the only place where I can put him down and he will stay sleeping. Plus, Aldon loves to turn it on for him and it makes him feel like the best big helper ;)
-Activity Gym:He absolutely despises using the tummy time pillow this set comes with, but when he's on his back he can't get enough of staring at himself in the apple mirror!
-plenty of arm strength (seriously! he may not look it, but he is just one solid chunk of cuteness) since he always wants to be held and carried around, and
-bibs! I never understood why parents would put bibs on their kids to catch drool... Aldon wasn't a "drooler", even while teething, so my thought was always "just wipe it off when it happens; no big deal." Then came Liam... it's gross. He soaks the front of his shirt multiple times a day. To save on outfit changes (and laundry!) I broke down and just put a bib on him when he's especially drooly. icky.
So there you have it! Liam Allen, big three month old boy, in a nutshell :)
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Hello, 2013!
I can't believe how fast 2012 flew by!
I guess moving, having another baby, and keeping up with a two year old (!) and newborn does that.
So what's new?
Aldon celebrated his second birthday! We had a small get together at home since we brought Liam home from the hospital only days before. It was a jungle/safari theme, and he had a blast being the center of attention (as always ;) )
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| opening his gift from mommy & daddy- a new play kitchen! |
Liam is now 2 and a half months old! He is still nursing- about every 2.5-3 hours, including through the night. And he is gaining some serious weight! He weighs about 14 lb now, but is only about 20 or so inches in length.
I've already started planning his half birthday party (Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed), he's already halfway there!
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| newborn picture- 2 weeks old |
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| classic liam. |
We celebrated the holidays with just the four of us for the first time. Aldon was obsessed with "rearranging" the ornaments on the tree; I'm certain I'll be finding some that were hidden away by him in July. This was his first year actually being "aware" of what's going on, and it was so.awesome. to see his face light up on Christmas morning!
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| christmas eve 2012 |
Of course I took one semester off while I was pregnant with Liam, so I start back again at the end of January. Luckily the scheduling is flexible enough that we won't have to put the boys in daycare (after touring several in the area, nothing was really up to par with what we were used to at our old provider in MI).
I'm also already over the snow & cold, and eagerly awaiting Spring!
2013 doesn't have any major planned events like 2010, 2011, and 2012 did- so here's to a {hopefully} relaxing new year!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
He's Here!
Liam Allen has arrived!
He came via a planned cesarean on Monday, October 15 at 2:31 pm, weighing in at 7 lb 4 oz and 19 inches long :)
I had kept the fact that we knew all along when Liam would come (well, unless he decided to grace us with his presence early) a secret because of the significance of that date. You see, one of my truest & greatest friends was born on that day. Chelsea was there for me for some of the greatest moments in my life, and stuck by my side through the worst as well- everything and then some that you could ask for in a friend. In May of this year she passed away due to Cystic Fibrosis, just a few days shy of her first "birthday" (the anniversary of her double lung transplant). Throughout my pregnancy with Aldon, she kept willing me to go into labor and have him on her birthday (he came 2 weeks later), and then when she discovered I was due again on October 20 (side note- she was the first person I told that I was pregnant again, before our parents even!), she was placing bets again that baby would come on her day. Once I found out I could guarantee that she would get her wish and baby would arrive on her birthday, it was a no-brainer to do anything I could to make it happen.
So, Monday morning we found ourselves starving (ok, that was just me- I couldn't eat the entire day of the surgery, which is just cruel to do to a pregnant person), and heading to the birthing center to be prepped for surgery! (another torture- it took two nurses 5 tries to start an IV on me. 3 veins were blown in the process. My arms now look like a domestic violence poster with all this bruising).
A half hour into the procedure, at 2:31, Liam had arrived! This time around was a little different from my c section with Aldon- the nurses wheeled the scale around so I could watch him being weighed, and Keegan was even able to cut his cord. Dad & baby hung out for about an hour while the doctors were still working on me- since we know we are set with our two boys, I had a tubal ligation after the c section as well.
Recovery this time around has also been a little easier on me- I was able to get up and be walking around Monday night after getting out of the OR at about 3:30 that afternoon. We spent 3 nights in the hospital (they wanted me to stay an extra, but I was so sick of that place and just wanted to be home), and then got to bring our baby home!
Liam is a spunky, expressive little peanut. He nurses about every hour and a half- 2 hours, and sleeps much better than his big brother ever did! He will actually sleep alone in his bassinet between feedings- Aldon was a co sleeper since birth. Aldon is fascinated with his baby brother, and loves to make sure he always has the most important things in life- like slippers and toys ;)
Our little family is now complete & it's safe to say it's the best feeling in the world and we could not be happier :)
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| Our last picture as a family of 3! headed to the hospital :) |
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| One of Liam's first photos |
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| 6 days old & already has big brother wrapped around his finger ;) |
Thursday, September 27, 2012
{37 weeks!} + life lately
How far along? 37 weeks, full term!
How big is baby? on average, just over 6 pounds and 19 inches
Weight gain: 30 pounds
Maternity clothes? I live for elastic.
Stretch marks? Notta. whew.
Sleep: I now wake up every night from like 3 am to 5, unable to sleep. And then of course get about half an hour nap in before the alarm goes off and it's time to start the day! Preparation for a newborn?
Best moment this week: this week has been ucky. But it is pretty awesome to finally be full term, and know that baby could come at any time!
Miss anything? being able to reach across the counter, being able to bend down, getting off the couch without help, etc.
Movement: has slowed down quite a bit, poor guy has no room!
Food cravings: potatoes! of course. and oranges, carrots, celery... basically, any raw fruit or veg.
Anything making you queasy or sick? It's still difficult to eat meat.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: BH, moments of intense pressure, and the fact that baby has zero room in his waterbed anymore.
Symptoms: heartburn, mostly. and though it isn't quite a "symptom", I have completely lost all motivation to do, well, anything. And the latest development has been killer migraines every day, all day. just three more weeks...
Bellybutton in or out? It's officially out.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time? I can admit it, moody. And emotional.
Looking forward to...? baby being here!
Life has been crazy busy for the Ohio Hartman's lately! I feel like I just sat down for the first time in weeks... whew.
The past two weekends we had visitors (yay!)- my in laws first, and then my own parents just this past weekend. Aldon of course loved being the center of attention among his grandparents ;) Lots of fun was had both weekends at a nearby apple orchard picking apples & a few pumpkins!
How big is baby? on average, just over 6 pounds and 19 inches
Weight gain: 30 pounds
Maternity clothes? I live for elastic.
Stretch marks? Notta. whew.
Sleep: I now wake up every night from like 3 am to 5, unable to sleep. And then of course get about half an hour nap in before the alarm goes off and it's time to start the day! Preparation for a newborn?
Best moment this week: this week has been ucky. But it is pretty awesome to finally be full term, and know that baby could come at any time!
Miss anything? being able to reach across the counter, being able to bend down, getting off the couch without help, etc.
Movement: has slowed down quite a bit, poor guy has no room!
Food cravings: potatoes! of course. and oranges, carrots, celery... basically, any raw fruit or veg.
Anything making you queasy or sick? It's still difficult to eat meat.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: BH, moments of intense pressure, and the fact that baby has zero room in his waterbed anymore.
Symptoms: heartburn, mostly. and though it isn't quite a "symptom", I have completely lost all motivation to do, well, anything. And the latest development has been killer migraines every day, all day. just three more weeks...
Bellybutton in or out? It's officially out.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time? I can admit it, moody. And emotional.
Looking forward to...? baby being here!
Life has been crazy busy for the Ohio Hartman's lately! I feel like I just sat down for the first time in weeks... whew.
The past two weekends we had visitors (yay!)- my in laws first, and then my own parents just this past weekend. Aldon of course loved being the center of attention among his grandparents ;) Lots of fun was had both weekends at a nearby apple orchard picking apples & a few pumpkins!
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| 35 weeks in this picture! And at least there was one pumpkin there that my belly wasn't bigger than... |
This past week, though, I've been hit with serious migraines every day. Basically, it sucks. With Aldon I had high blood pressure towards the end of my pregnancy, so naturally I was prepared to hear that it was spiking again at my appt today- it's not! I guess they're just par for the course at this point.
However, baby Hartman has been much less active these past few days compared to his normal hyper self. So, I got to spend an hour hooked up to the monitors at the doctor's office having an NST to make sure everything is going ok with him. While he didn't meet the "10 kicks per hour" rule of thumb quota, he did move around 6 or 7 times in the hour I was there. We're on orders to count those kicks for the next few weeks to establish a norm for him so I {and the docs} can know better if he starts to really mellow out. {btw, the kid has a crazy rapid heart rate, jumping from mid150's to almost 170 bpm at times!}
Also, while on the monitors, I had several contractions/"tightenings" that my doctor pointed out to me {yes, I did notice them, they just didn't seem significant}, along with the speculation that maybe baby will come early... hmm?
At this point, I'm really, really, really ready for Liam to be here. I usually don't believe in worrying too much over things, but all I can think about is the problems I had while pregnant with Aldon & afterwards, and then the findings on baby's ultrasound {echogenic cardiac focus}, and now he's not moving around as much... plus throw in life with an almost 2 year old who tries to be more and more independent day by day, and those migraines kind of explain themselves.
For now, we're just taking it day by day, and counting down the few short weeks {or less?!} until he will be here! :)
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| The Hartman's :) {and yes, it is impossible to get the hubs to smile for any photo} |
Thursday, September 06, 2012
{34 weeks!}
How far along? 34 weeks!
How big is baby? on average, 4.75 pounds and about 18 inches long!
Weight gain: 21ish pounds.
Maternity clothes? I live for elastic.
Stretch marks? Notta. whew.
Sleep: actually hasn't been that hard to achieve {knock on wood}. I still get heartburn like crazy, but you get used to that.
Best moment this week: all of our moments spent in MI visiting family over the weekend!
Miss anything? I miss not bumping into everything. Not that I was the definition of grace before getting pregnant, but it's absurd now.
Movement: all of his movements are so painful now. He's running out of room! I'm constantly getting kicked, jabbed, and shoved in places that nobody wants to be kicked, jabbed, and shoved...
Food cravings: potatoes! and this week, cereal. I ate four bowls in one day, mmm.
Anything making you queasy or sick? It's still difficult to eat meat.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: BH, moments of intense pressure, and the fact that baby has zero room in his waterbed anymore.
Symptoms: heartburn, mostly. and though it isn't quite a "symptom", I have completely lost all motivation to do, well, anything.
Bellybutton in or out? It's so close to being out!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy, just emotional. I cried watching a c section reenactment on the show The Doctors today. Seriously.
Looking forward to...? Being full term in just three short weeks!
Baby Liam is so close to being here! yay! The timing was perfect for us to take one last trip over Labor Day weekend to MI to visit some family that we didn't get to see before we left, before I'm too far along to travel & baby comes. Aldon was such a trooper for the 6-7 hour car trips to Manistee {it helps that since he was three weeks old we have been traveling three hours once every other month or so to visit family, he's a seasoned veteran}. I now start seeing the doctor every two weeks, and I'm still toying with the ideas of VBAC vs planned C section.... so we'll see on that. For now, here's some pictures of my cutie at the beach in MI :)
How big is baby? on average, 4.75 pounds and about 18 inches long!
Weight gain: 21ish pounds.
Maternity clothes? I live for elastic.
Stretch marks? Notta. whew.
Sleep: actually hasn't been that hard to achieve {knock on wood}. I still get heartburn like crazy, but you get used to that.
Best moment this week: all of our moments spent in MI visiting family over the weekend!
Miss anything? I miss not bumping into everything. Not that I was the definition of grace before getting pregnant, but it's absurd now.
Movement: all of his movements are so painful now. He's running out of room! I'm constantly getting kicked, jabbed, and shoved in places that nobody wants to be kicked, jabbed, and shoved...
Food cravings: potatoes! and this week, cereal. I ate four bowls in one day, mmm.
Anything making you queasy or sick? It's still difficult to eat meat.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: BH, moments of intense pressure, and the fact that baby has zero room in his waterbed anymore.
Symptoms: heartburn, mostly. and though it isn't quite a "symptom", I have completely lost all motivation to do, well, anything.
Bellybutton in or out? It's so close to being out!
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy, just emotional. I cried watching a c section reenactment on the show The Doctors today. Seriously.
Looking forward to...? Being full term in just three short weeks!
Baby Liam is so close to being here! yay! The timing was perfect for us to take one last trip over Labor Day weekend to MI to visit some family that we didn't get to see before we left, before I'm too far along to travel & baby comes. Aldon was such a trooper for the 6-7 hour car trips to Manistee {it helps that since he was three weeks old we have been traveling three hours once every other month or so to visit family, he's a seasoned veteran}. I now start seeing the doctor every two weeks, and I'm still toying with the ideas of VBAC vs planned C section.... so we'll see on that. For now, here's some pictures of my cutie at the beach in MI :)
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| and of course, my lovely shadow at almost 34 weeks pregnant ;) |
Thursday, August 30, 2012
{33 weeks!}
How far along? 33 Weeks!
How big is baby? On average, a little over 4 pounds and past the
17 inch mark {baby is back to measuring right on track!}
Weight gain: 21 pounds
Maternity clothes? I have my favorite maternity capris, I swear I
could live in them (size small). Other than that most of everything is just non
maternity styled a little loose.
Stretch marks? notta. whew.
Sleep: I'm an old lady and in bed every night at 9:30.
He still loves to push against the side of the bed I'm laying on, but by now
I'm so used to it, it doesn't even bother me {that much}.
Best moment this week: Aldon has been loving to "snuggle"
with Liam. It's the cutest thing ever. He'll basically use my belly as a pillow
and talk to Liam the whole time.
Miss anything? Being able to move with even the slightest
grace. At this point, I'm just so big & in the way of everything.
Movement: This week has been full of huge, belly-morphing
kicks and rolls. We've gotten pretty good at distinguishing between elbows and
knees lol
Food cravings: potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!
Anything making you
queasy or sick? The texture of meat,
especially red meat. It's not a flavor thing, or a smell thing, but actually
taking a bite of chicken or steak and chewing it is so repulsive to me.
Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: some BH now & again, he's sitting very low
to begin with, and lots of pressure at times.
Symptoms: heartburn, mostly.
Belly button in or out? it's so close to being out!
Wedding rings on or off? On, when I remember to wear them lol
Happy or Moody most of
the time? Happy, but super
emotional and could cry over literally nothing it seems.
Looking forward to: our Michigan trip tomorrow!! I'm also far enough along now that I go to the doctor's every two weeks, until I'm 36/37 weeks, which means baby is so close to being here!
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| 33 week belly! and tired mama. and dog that acts like my shadow. |
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| Macy couldn't figure out what the heck I was doing... |
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Aldon is 22 months!
...which means he's only two super short months away from being 2 years old!
...which also means I really, really, really need to get into gear and finish up the details for his birthday party, but more on that later.
One year ago today (on his 10 month birthday) he took his very first steps!
Twelve months later and Keegan and I are still trying to keep up.
It's funny how in some ways he's everything like he used to be a year ago, and in others it's like he's a different child.
For example- to this day he still hates peaches. He always forgets he doesn't like them, asks for one, bites into it and instantly spits it out {this happens frequently}. He could say "dada" a year ago, and "mama" if he was feeling in a very generous mood. Today? His vocabulary and grasp of language is out of this world. The latest word he stunned me with by learning was "tyrannosaurus" {thanks to his favorite dino pajama pants}, he speaks in three word sentences, and can understand & follow simple 3-part commands {such as, "put your cup on the table, your plate in the sink, and then come sit here"}.
His favorite foods this past month have been:
- spaghetti {sga-ghetti}
- pb & j
- cheese {no surprise there. as soon as the fridge opens he instantly lunges for the cheese drawer. oh, you don't have an entire drawer dedicated only to cheese in your refrigerator? weird.}
- broccoli
- granola
- pancakes {cake-cakes}
- yogurt
- and of course milk. it wasn't until recently that he even discovered juice, and even now he's only partial to it.
~ he's been in such a "food rut" this whole month. it's been driving me crazy. Basically, if it wasn't spaghetti for lunch or dinner, he wouldn't eat it. and only granola and pancakes for breakfast, please. I've tried every trick {cutting his food into silly shapes/characters, giving something plain like carrots a fun name to entice him, etc etc} and he still doesn't want to eat anything different. He really not a "picky" eater, because he will try a bunch of different things, he's just stubborn and decides he only wants his faves. So it's been a balancing act of "how much should we give in and let him eat what he wants, and where to draw the line so he's not 25 and still only eating spaghetti for dinner." {of course, there was much unsolicited advice on this topic}. Keegan & I are assuming it's just a phase, and he'll find new favorites eventually.
His dislikes this past month have been:
- clothing {it varies between whether or not he wants to wear just pants, just a shirt, or just a diaper. or just nothing at all...}
- diaper changes {I bribe with cookies, good mom stuff}
- my biggest pet peeve: holding hands when we are walking somewhere. He thinks he's a big boy in all areas now and idk it's not cool or something to be seen holding hands with your parents. I've totally contemplated a backpack leash.
- the second before he's about to be laid down for bed. He doesn't have a problem with bed/nap time routines- in fact, he jumps at the chance to take part in them {bath, pajamas, read a book or twelve hundred, pick up toys, brush teeth}, but it's the second he's done brushing his teeth and the kisses goodnight start, that he freaks. He still sleeps in his crib, because if he were able to get out of bed and fight sleep all night he totally would.
His favorite toys/games/activities/etc:
- ELMO. he's familiar with Sesame Street thanks to a set of books he has, and by far Elmo is his favorite character {Abby is a close second}. I scored some mega Best Mom Ever points by turning on Sesame Street on TV one day for him. He was through the roof excited and amazed because "Melmo" was on TV!!!
- dinosaurs. His dino pj's get worn just about every other night, and all night long he says hi to the tyrannosaurus on them. And if any dino resembles a tyrannosaurus, it's a tyrannosaurus.
- he loves playing with his play food sets {we have these, these, these, these, and this}. again, you'll score more cool points in his eyes if you let him use real kitchen utensils, bakeware, mixing bowls, etc with his food sets. However, each night you then have to wash about every dish you own in the house...
- he absolutely loves to be a "helper" Which of course we may or may not exploit a time or two. He loves to do the laundry, clean the floors, and start the dishwasher every night. Hey, if he enjoys doing it, it would be rude of me to not let him... ;)
- he still really, really loves reading. This month, his favorite book has been his Baby Einstein 101 First Words book {and let me just say, we've read that thing so many times that there's not 101 different words in there. there's repeats.}
- boy loves to move. He'll bust out in a dance over just about anything, music or not. And he has his own "Smarty Pants Dance" he does when we tell him he's so smart {cutest/funniest thing ever}
- he loves to look at photo books, albums and pictures on our phones, especially of himself {he refers to himself as "cutie" whenever he sees his picture. because he's modest}. I think we spent about two hours today watching all of his videos and the whole time he was amazed at the "cutie baby" on mommom's phone. {oh, did I mention that? Keegan is daddy/dada, and I'm "mommom", never mama/mommy/mom, etc. Not sure where he got it from...}
Big/New Developments this month have been:
- he has said buhbye to the high chair, and won't even use a booster seat. He has to sit at the table just like mommy & daddy do.
- he recently starting picking out his own outfits every morning, and with the exception of a little help, gets himself dressed. So far we haven't had any "going to the grocery store in your Halloween costume" moments, but he's picked out some real doozies. Yesterday it was shark pajama pants, one puppy dog slipper, one monster slipper, and a t shirt worn like a scarf, until he abandoned a shirt all together. And he rocked it.
Life with Aldon these days is anything but ordinary. There's always at least a dozen things he does daily that crack me up, and equal amounts that drive me crazy.
We've been planning his birthday party for a few weeks now, and it's so crazy to think that he will be two soon! And then after that he will have to start looking at preschool options for him... and then kindergarten... oy.
But, for now, we're just going to enjoy the good {& the bad} moments we have with him, because he's only 22 months for so long ;)
...which also means I really, really, really need to get into gear and finish up the details for his birthday party, but more on that later.
One year ago today (on his 10 month birthday) he took his very first steps!
Twelve months later and Keegan and I are still trying to keep up.
It's funny how in some ways he's everything like he used to be a year ago, and in others it's like he's a different child.
For example- to this day he still hates peaches. He always forgets he doesn't like them, asks for one, bites into it and instantly spits it out {this happens frequently}. He could say "dada" a year ago, and "mama" if he was feeling in a very generous mood. Today? His vocabulary and grasp of language is out of this world. The latest word he stunned me with by learning was "tyrannosaurus" {thanks to his favorite dino pajama pants}, he speaks in three word sentences, and can understand & follow simple 3-part commands {such as, "put your cup on the table, your plate in the sink, and then come sit here"}.
His favorite foods this past month have been:
- spaghetti {sga-ghetti}
- pb & j
- cheese {no surprise there. as soon as the fridge opens he instantly lunges for the cheese drawer. oh, you don't have an entire drawer dedicated only to cheese in your refrigerator? weird.}
- broccoli
- granola
- pancakes {cake-cakes}
- yogurt
- and of course milk. it wasn't until recently that he even discovered juice, and even now he's only partial to it.
~ he's been in such a "food rut" this whole month. it's been driving me crazy. Basically, if it wasn't spaghetti for lunch or dinner, he wouldn't eat it. and only granola and pancakes for breakfast, please. I've tried every trick {cutting his food into silly shapes/characters, giving something plain like carrots a fun name to entice him, etc etc} and he still doesn't want to eat anything different. He really not a "picky" eater, because he will try a bunch of different things, he's just stubborn and decides he only wants his faves. So it's been a balancing act of "how much should we give in and let him eat what he wants, and where to draw the line so he's not 25 and still only eating spaghetti for dinner." {of course, there was much unsolicited advice on this topic}. Keegan & I are assuming it's just a phase, and he'll find new favorites eventually.
His dislikes this past month have been:
- clothing {it varies between whether or not he wants to wear just pants, just a shirt, or just a diaper. or just nothing at all...}
- diaper changes {I bribe with cookies, good mom stuff}
- my biggest pet peeve: holding hands when we are walking somewhere. He thinks he's a big boy in all areas now and idk it's not cool or something to be seen holding hands with your parents. I've totally contemplated a backpack leash.
- the second before he's about to be laid down for bed. He doesn't have a problem with bed/nap time routines- in fact, he jumps at the chance to take part in them {bath, pajamas, read a book or twelve hundred, pick up toys, brush teeth}, but it's the second he's done brushing his teeth and the kisses goodnight start, that he freaks. He still sleeps in his crib, because if he were able to get out of bed and fight sleep all night he totally would.
His favorite toys/games/activities/etc:
- ELMO. he's familiar with Sesame Street thanks to a set of books he has, and by far Elmo is his favorite character {Abby is a close second}. I scored some mega Best Mom Ever points by turning on Sesame Street on TV one day for him. He was through the roof excited and amazed because "Melmo" was on TV!!!
- dinosaurs. His dino pj's get worn just about every other night, and all night long he says hi to the tyrannosaurus on them. And if any dino resembles a tyrannosaurus, it's a tyrannosaurus.
- he loves playing with his play food sets {we have these, these, these, these, and this}. again, you'll score more cool points in his eyes if you let him use real kitchen utensils, bakeware, mixing bowls, etc with his food sets. However, each night you then have to wash about every dish you own in the house...
- he absolutely loves to be a "helper" Which of course we may or may not exploit a time or two. He loves to do the laundry, clean the floors, and start the dishwasher every night. Hey, if he enjoys doing it, it would be rude of me to not let him... ;)
- he still really, really loves reading. This month, his favorite book has been his Baby Einstein 101 First Words book {and let me just say, we've read that thing so many times that there's not 101 different words in there. there's repeats.}
- boy loves to move. He'll bust out in a dance over just about anything, music or not. And he has his own "Smarty Pants Dance" he does when we tell him he's so smart {cutest/funniest thing ever}
- he loves to look at photo books, albums and pictures on our phones, especially of himself {he refers to himself as "cutie" whenever he sees his picture. because he's modest}. I think we spent about two hours today watching all of his videos and the whole time he was amazed at the "cutie baby" on mommom's phone. {oh, did I mention that? Keegan is daddy/dada, and I'm "mommom", never mama/mommy/mom, etc. Not sure where he got it from...}
Big/New Developments this month have been:
- he has said buhbye to the high chair, and won't even use a booster seat. He has to sit at the table just like mommy & daddy do.
- he recently starting picking out his own outfits every morning, and with the exception of a little help, gets himself dressed. So far we haven't had any "going to the grocery store in your Halloween costume" moments, but he's picked out some real doozies. Yesterday it was shark pajama pants, one puppy dog slipper, one monster slipper, and a t shirt worn like a scarf, until he abandoned a shirt all together. And he rocked it.
Life with Aldon these days is anything but ordinary. There's always at least a dozen things he does daily that crack me up, and equal amounts that drive me crazy.
We've been planning his birthday party for a few weeks now, and it's so crazy to think that he will be two soon! And then after that he will have to start looking at preschool options for him... and then kindergarten... oy.
But, for now, we're just going to enjoy the good {& the bad} moments we have with him, because he's only 22 months for so long ;)
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