Diapers, Wipes, and Sleepless Nights

Happy Half Birthday Molly Claire!

2011-09-06T11:07:00.005-04:00

Molly is 6 months today! We just got back from the dr. She is doing great!

She weighs 18lbs 2.5 oz (90%)
She is 27.25 inches tall (95%)
Her head is 44 cm (90%)

She is eating baby food and loves all her veggies, but hated rice cereal. We are starting fruits today. She is rolling all over and is really close to sitting unassisted. Her two bottom teeth just popped through.

I can't believe my sweet baby girl is half way to one!

Molly is 4 months!

2011-07-10T09:32:00.005-04:00

Molly is 4 months old already! She is now rolling belly to back and sleeping an 11 hour stretch at night!!! She is 13 pounds 5 ozs (50%), 25 inches long (95%) and her head is 41cm (50%). The doctor said she can start eating baby food at anytime now. I think we will hold off a bit longer and probably start around 5 months.

And just for good measure, here are some pictures of the boys on the rides at the Fire Department Carnival from last night.

Team in Training!

2011-07-06T08:22:00.003-04:00

I'm doing a triathlon in August with Team in Training to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. If you're interested in following my training, check out my fundraising page!

I'll be updating it frequently. Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated!

More birthday day pictures!

2011-05-31T16:50:00.001-04:00

Reid was terrified of the sprinkler and cried every time he got wet.

Happy 4th Birthday Cole!

2011-05-28T08:24:00.007-04:00

Friday was Cole's last day of school, so at the end of the year picnic he brought Toy Story Cupcakes.

We celebrated Cole's 4th birthday last night at Rolly Pollies. Lots of his friends from school and playgroup came to play. Cole wanted a Phineas and Ferb party, so that's what we went with!

Those pictures I promised!

2011-05-19T14:18:00.008-04:00

I tried really hard to get Molly smiling, but she's not very generous with them and apparently I'm not that funny!

Reid is 18 months and Molly is 2 months!

2011-05-09T14:19:00.002-04:00

That seems a bit crazy! But anyway, both babies had their well visits with the dr. and both are doing great!

Reid is 25 lbs. 6 oz (50%) and 33 inches tall (75%). His head is 49 cm (90%). The dr. wants us to have him tested for speech and language because he doesn't have many clear words. Of course, in true Reid fashion, the day after I called to schedule this appointment he starting saying all kinds of new things. So the speech pathologist will probably think I'm crazy.

Molly is 10lbs. 14oz (50%) and 23.25 inches tall (90%). Her head is 39cm (50%). She's doing well and just started smiling! I'll try to get a picture on here soon!

Picture with the Easter Bunny

2011-04-12T18:21:00.003-04:00

Cole and Reid both got very excited when they saw the Easter Bunny at the mall today. So even though we weren't dressed for the occasion, I decided to go ahead and get a picture. Reid was yelling, "hi" and waving frantically at the bunny until we got about 5 feet away. Then he refused to go any further. I picked him up and put him on the bench and the photographer snapped this picture. 3 seconds later he lost it and started screaming!

Things are a bit crazy around here!

2011-04-12T08:56:00.010-04:00

Juggling 3 kids hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected, but of course we have our moments. A few nights ago Brien went out for the evening, so I was left to put the trio to bed myself.

Molly making things easy on me

Most of the night went fine and then it was time for bath. I put Molly in her crib (cue the screaming) so I could bathe the boys. I turned on the bath, sent Cole into his room to undress and went with Reid to his room. I was pulling out pj's while Reid was looking at some books on the floor. I told Cole to go potty and headed to his room to get his pj's. He came running back into his bedroom laughing hysterically and saying, "Reid is in the bathroom." In a stern voice I told him to go potty and stop fooling around, it's fine if Reid is in there. I followed him back to the bathroom and find Reid sitting, fully clothed, in the filled bath tub. I burst out laughing, stripped his clothes and HUGE diaper off him and had a little talk with him about getting into the bath with his clothes on and without Mommy or Daddy. Of course he has no idea what I'm talking about!

One more quick picture of the boys cooperating while I typed this post:

Molly is 1 month old!

2011-04-12T08:42:00.005-04:00

She is such a sweet baby. She rarely cries and is sleeping so well. Most nights she gives us 6-7 hours stretches!

She had her 1 month well visit last week. We have been living at the pediatrician's office. Between her frequent weight checks and illnesses around here. Poor girl had a bad cold and an ear infection, but is mostly better now. She weighed in at 9lbs 10 oz (75%), 22.25 inches long (95%), and her head is 37 cm (50%).

Introducing Molly Claire

2011-03-07T14:38:00.001-05:00

Molly Claire
March 6, 2011
6:43am
8 pounds, 14 oz
20.5 inches

We are home and doing very well!

Molly Claire’s Room

2011-02-11T20:08:00.001-05:00

We have finished Molly’s nursery. Well, almost. I would like to get a chair for that empty corner and maybe a few little accessories for her dresser, but other than that, it’s done!

I had my 36 week appointment yesterday. Baby Molly is doing well. The dr. estimated that she is currently 7+ pounds and will likely be around 9 pounds when she is born. She is head down, which is great because two weeks ago she was transverse (lying sideways). We are getting nervous about her arrival and juggling 3 little ones, but are also very excited!

More ICE!

2011-01-15T14:59:00.002-05:00

This morning we decided to take the boys ice skating. Cole was super excited and a bit let down afterward, I believe. Reid only made it around the ice once. He had a pretty difficult time, as expected, and cried as soon as we started. Cole fell A LOT, but went around the rink a few times. He kept watching the other other kids skate and saying, “Let’s go away from the wall where it’s easy.” He seemed to think that since the other children we skating so well that it must have been easier out there.

Reid’s tiny skates!

Grinch ICE!

2011-01-15T14:53:00.001-05:00

Brien’s work party this year was at the National Harbor. We had dinner and then got to see Grinch ICE! It was very cold (9 degrees!) but we bundled up in the enormous blue parkas they gave us and we survived. Cole had a blast. Reid stayed home with Grammy. It was a bit too late for him.

A little late…again!

2011-01-15T14:46:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! I actually have a valid excuse this time. We left the camera at my grandparents and haven’t been able to upload the pictures. But, here they are!

Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa’s

Christmas Morning at Our House

Checking to see if Santa came!

Christmas Morning at Grammy & Pop’s

We also visited GiGi and Great Grandmother and Pop-Pop’s house on Christmas, but don’t have any pictures. It was a very long day for the boys, but they held up pretty well!

It's been a while!

2010-12-18T19:28:00.009-05:00

First, we are all moved in and settled at our new house and we LOVE it! We've been here about 3 weeks and the boys are adjusting just fine. The move went very smoothly thanks to the help from lots of great family!

We spent a very nice Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpas!

Reid is saying a few words here and there. His favorite is "no" of course. He can also say,
Mama, Dada, go, and bye-bye.

He got his first haircut and did REALLY well. He sat still the entire time!

He is quite the little dancer as well!

Cole is doing well too and enjoying school. Here he is "reading" Twas the Night Before Christmas. Enjoy!

Baby girl is doing well too. Her name will most likely be Molly Claire. She is growing just as she should be and is still expected in early March!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T13:21:00.001-04:00

Cole, the fireman, and Reid, the dalmatian, had a great time on Halloween. Cole went trick or treating with Daddy and came home with a bucket full of treats. Reid and I stayed home and handed out candy.

Happy 1st Birthday Reid!

2010-10-31T11:06:00.001-04:00

We’ve had a busy few days celebrating Reid’s 1st birthday! On Thursday (his actual birthday) we went to a Halloween playgroup.

We spent the afternoon at home.

And Reid got to try his first Oreo cookie after dinner.

On Friday, Reid had his 12 month well visit. He weighs 23.5 lbs (75%), is 30.5 inches tall (75%) and his head circumference is 47.5 cm (75%). He had to get 4 shots and cried quite a bit.

On Saturday we celebrated Reid’s birthday party! He had a great time!

Happy 1st Birthday Reid!

Baby #3

2010-10-21T14:49:00.004-04:00

Turns out the tech at 13 weeks was right and Baby #3 is indeed a GIRL!

Everything looked good. She currently weighs 11oz and is 8 inches long.

We are so excited to meet our little girl (and so excited to shop)!

Here she is:

Profile

Waving "Hi"

Girl Parts
(you are seeing two thighs and her bottom)

Under Contract!

2010-10-15T08:01:00.002-04:00

We are officially under contract on our current house! We are settling on both houses on Nov. 22 and should be moved by Nov. 26!

Great Day for Apple Picking!

2010-10-03T14:44:00.011-04:00

Look at this cute one!

Then Reid slipped and Cole tried to help him out...
by pulling him back up by his neck!

Reid was not a fan!

2 major milestones!

2010-09-22T15:58:00.009-04:00

Reid is walking!

This little boy is getting around and into EVERYTHING! This morning he crawled under the baby gate and up the stairs while I was taking Cole to the potty. This afternoon he moved the highchair all the way across the kitchen into the living room. He has also figured out how to get items out of cabinets with child locks on them. He keeps us on our toes.

Cole is pooping in the potty!!

After 8 long months of being pee trained and pooping his pants daily, Cole is consistently pooping on the potty! It's been several weeks since his last accident and he's been staying dry at naps and night time too.

All it took was the following:

A special activity book that is only for the potty
(I don't personally recommend this one. I've already had to contact customer service to get a new marker because ours dried out after 1 day)
A cushy potty seat that goes on the big toilet.

And some treats!

Really, I think he was just ready and the activity book was motivation to actually sit on the toilet. It is so nice to not have to change poop pants everyday (well unless you count diapers).

Cole's 1st Day of School!

2010-09-15T12:41:00.006-04:00

Cole started preschool today! He did a fantastic job today. No tears at drop off and his teacher said he was "great!" He said he had, "fun, fun, fun" and has been talking non-stop about the things he did.

* He didn't go to the time-out chair.
* He sat next to his friend, Joey, and listened to his teacher.
* He was snack holder, but he dropped the napkins.
* He went pee-pee twice and had to ask his teacher for help pulling his pants up only once.
* He ate goldfish and water for snack.
* He played with the phone.
* He rode bikes and scooters and didn't go outside the cones because his teacher said not to.
* He listened to a story about bears that forgot their manners.
* He made new friends, but can't remember their names.
* He played tag and tagged his teacher twice.
* He got a star for doing a good job cleaning up.

He asked on the way home in the car when he gets to go back! I'm so proud of my big boy!

Here he is all ready for school.

Baby #3 may be a....

2010-09-02T13:05:00.003-04:00

GIRL!

I had an ultrasound this morning and the tech GUESSED a girl. I mean it's more than a 50/50 guess, I assume she has some idea what she's talking about, but I'm not rushing out to buy a bunch of pink clothing at this point. My next ultrasound is October 21. We will find out for sure then.

And here she is:

Walking in no time!

2010-08-28T18:14:00.004-04:00

Reid is standing on his own and has even taken a few steps on his own.

Standing all alone:

Taking a few steps:

On a house note, we have a hole! We went earlier this week to pick out everything. The builder says he will have us in before Thanksgiving!

Those pictures I promised

2010-08-17T10:50:00.006-04:00

Only a few days late!

Cole's favorite toy lately is his train set. He spends tons of time arranging and rearranging the tracks and setting up all the people and buildings. I actually enjoy it quite a bit because organizing things and putting things where they belong is right up my alley. Reid however, greatly enjoys tearing the tracks apart and eating all the people and buildings.

Cole and I set up this track this morning while Reid took a nap.

Reid woke up and "played" trains too.

And a family picture that I forgot I had on the camera.

Reid's 9 month appointment

2010-08-11T14:30:00.003-04:00

This afternoon we had Reid's 9 month appointment. He weighed in at 21 pounds 9.5 oz. (75%), is 30.25 inches tall (95%) and his head is 46 cm (75%). At 6 months he was 50% in everything. Talk about a growth spurt!

He got one shot, hep b. We played peek-a-boo during shot time and he hardly even noticed that he'd gotten a shot at all.

I've been a major slacker with the camera lately, so I will take some pictures when the boys wake from their naps today and post them!

Lots of Important Updates!

2010-07-23T21:05:00.003-04:00

*Our house is currently on the market. It’s been listed for a little over two weeks. No offers yet, but we are hopeful.

*We are having a new house built in a fantastic school district! Our new house will look something like this and should be finished at the end of October.

It’s a good thing, because it turns out that we need a bit more space for this guy (or gal):

Baby #3 is on the way! We are expecting his/her arrival on or around March 10!

* And just for fun, some pictures of the big brothers!

Cole’s Gross Motor Evaluation

2010-06-22T21:31:00.003-04:00

We went this afternoon for Cole’s gross motor evaluation. We talked about it a lot beforehand and I explained that Ms. Murphy, the physical therapist, was going to ask him to show her all the things that he could do. I told him it was very important that he listened to her directions and tried everything she asked. He did a phenomenal job of following instructions. I was so proud!

Anyway, he successfully ran, walked on his tip-toes, walked backward, went up and down a curb without assistance, stood on one foot (right foot) and RODE A TRICYCLE (something he was unable to do prior to today).

He was unsuccessful with jumping with 2 feet, hopping forward, standing on his left foot, walking up and down stairs with alternating feet, walking on a wide balance beam without holding onto the wall, and taking off his shirt.

The physical therapist thinks that Cole does NOT qualify for services. She is not worried about the things he could not do, because he just turned 3 (they are 3 year old milestones) and she implied that I help him too much and have created habits that are detrimental (like always taking off his clothes for him or helping him walk up stairs etc.) BAD MOMMY!

She said to keep an eye on him. Especially watching the preference for the right side. If I am concerned at all, I can call and have him reevaluated again. I am signing him up for another gymnastics class. He has agreed to do a drop off class that I don't have to stay for. It should be good prep for school in September.

Pretty much this is what I thought would happen. I really think he’s just a cautious kid. If he wants to hold on when walking on a balance beam so he doesn’t fall and bust his head open, so be it. I call it smart! Who needs to jump anyway?

Oh, and while I’m bragging about how smart he is, he can read too! He told me the other day in the car that O-S-O spells Oso (bear in Spanish and also a character on a show on Disney, albeit a terrible show). He asked this morning what the neighbors “no sign” said. It said “No Soliciting.” I asked him how he knew it was a “no sign” and he told me N-O spells no.

Crawling and Pulling-Up

2010-06-17T20:58:00.003-04:00

Reid is doing both. He is legitimately crawling up on all fours and is now pulling himself up to standing. The little stinker has been standing in his crib at naptime too. He is quite proud of himself.

He is getting a 2nd new tooth and has been pretty cranky about it. Also notice all his new injuries. He has no fear!

Cole’s 3 year appointment

2010-06-08T21:38:00.004-04:00

Cole had his 3 year well visit this morning. He is 39.2 pounds (90%) and 39 3/4 inches tall (95%).

He seems to be a bit behind with his gross motor skills. Mainly jumping up and down with two feet, jumping forward, and walking up stairs with alternating feet. We have a referral to “Child Find”, a program for children with developmental delays, so we can get him evaluated. If he qualifies for services, a physical therapist will come to our house to work with him. I have a feeling that he’s either not going to qualify or he will but will only need a few sessions to catch up.

Other than that, he is perfectly healthy. He had to get one shot today. He cried a little but got over it as soon as he found out that he got a band-aid.

Dr. Fitch asked Cole what he liked to drink and he told her, “milk, juice, and not wine.” We both cracked up and then he added that he doesn’t drink soda either and that he doesn’t like his water too cold.

Here is a cute video of his talking about his dog:

Reid got....

2010-06-08T08:06:00.003-04:00

a tooth and a huge gash in his eyebrow! He is moving around like crazy and pulling up to his knees. He is quite the daredevil. Here he is trying to climb the stairs (this is exactly how he hurt himself).

I'll try to get a picture of his new tooth soon!

Quick brag about myself

2010-06-07T22:10:00.002-04:00

My sister and I finished a half marathon today. We both ran the entire 13.1 miles with no walking. She finished in 2 hrs 18 mins and I finished in 2 hrs 24 mins. Cole did a Kid's Fun Run. He thought it was the greatest thing in the world and has been talking about it ever since. He insists that he was the winner, when in reality he finished 2nd to last (only beating a child who quit halfway).

And Reid snoozed!

Happy 3rd Birthday Cole!

2010-06-04T20:41:00.003-04:00

Cole's construction themed 3rd birthday party was great! Here are some pictures! Enjoy!

I know they look alike, but geez!

2010-05-05T08:56:00.002-04:00

We took the lenses out of Brien's old glasses, so Cole could play with them. As soon as he put them on, I was instantly sent back to 2002. He looks just like Brien did when I first meet him. See?

6 month stats

2010-05-04T14:41:00.009-04:00

Reid went to dr. this morning for his 6 month well visit. He is indeed doing very well. He weighed in at 17 lbs. 13ozs. (50%), is 26.5 inches tall (50%) and his head circumference is 44cm (50%). He's quite the average, proportionate boy.

Our dr. said he can now eat anything as long as it's not a choking hazard. She said we could throw our dinner in the food processor and feed it to him if we want. He can even have berries, eggs, peanuts, and shellfish. I know I said it before, but I can't believe how much these things have changed in just 3 years. We were told none of that for Cole until he was a year.

She also mentioned that we should start giving water in a sippy. So, as soon as we got home, I pulled out the soft spout sippies (washed them, of course) and tried it out. Here's how it went:

He couldn't quite get it, but he thought it was tons of fun. The end result was this:

Cole decided he needed to get on the pictures, so we changed Reid into dry clothes and took a few.

Happy 1/2 to Reid!

2010-04-27T19:42:00.006-04:00

Reid is 6 months old! I honestly can't believe it. It feels like we brought him home from the hospital yesterday. Here are some pictures from this morning:

Looks like we're in trouble

2010-04-27T14:15:00.004-04:00

Somebody has decided he is ready to start moving around. I'm giving him 2 weeks until he's full out crawling.

Go Diego Go!

2010-04-15T09:27:00.005-04:00

Cole has officially changed his name to Diego. He no longer responds to Cole and insists that Reid be called Baby Jaguar. Baby Jaguar is Diego's jaguar sidekick. He also has taken to calling me Alicia, Diego's sister. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you probably don't have a toddler. Go Diego Go is a cartoon on Nickelodeon. Diego and his friends save baby animals from various dangers (mostly they are cold or hungry) while teaching toddlers Spanish. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Last night Cole spotted a little girl playing at our neighbors house. He walked out and said, "Hi, I'm Diego. I'm an animal rescuer." :)

Baby Jaguar, Diego and Alicia
(They look just like us, don't you think?)

Let me catch you up!

2010-04-14T08:14:00.011-04:00

Once again life has gotten in the way of blogging, but I have had plans to blog and even taken some pictures to go along with the posts I never wrote, so let me catch you up.

For St. Patty's Day Cole and I made green cupcakes together. We burned them, but they looked pretty neat and he and his playgroup friends ate them anyway.

Reid is sleeping so much better, thanks once again to Ferber and our new "no less than an hour naps" rule. He is so much more pleasant when he's awake now that he's sleeping. Isn't this cute:

He also loves his jumperoo!
We had a nice Easter too. Here is Cole dying eggs, the boys getting their baskets and Cole finding the eggs that the Easter Bunny hid around the house:

Reid is rolling all over. His favorite toys are these wipes and a big cardboard box. He is also getting quite good at sitting, but needs a little more practice before he'll be able to do it on his own.

Cole is still working hard on potty training. He hasn't had a pee accident in a LONG time and we are still working on poop. Here he is making his classic "cheese" face.

Happy Bathroomtism to Reid!

2010-03-08T16:41:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Reid was baptized, or according to Cole, he had his bathroomtism. He was a very good boy and didn't cry at all!

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate! Here are a few quick pics:

Cole at the Dentist

2010-03-07T21:17:00.003-05:00

WOW! I am so shocked at how well he did. Brien, Cole and I all had appointments and Cole decided he wanted to go last. When I had to take him into Brien's exam area so they could do my x-rays, he started screaming, "Stop doing this to me." and I figured all bets were off for him actually cooperating with the dentist, but he did! He got to wear special sunglasses so the light wouldn't get in his eyes and he sat very still and let the dentist count and clean his teeth with that spinny brush (I hate that part). She said his teeth were very clean and that we are doing a great job with brushing. YAY Cole!

Look Alikes

2010-03-04T10:54:00.004-05:00

There has been a lot of talk lately about who Reid looks like. I think this will clear it up a bit:

Cole, 3 months:
Reid, 3 months:

Cole, 6 months:

Reid, today:

Reid is 4 months!

2010-03-03T21:33:00.009-05:00

I have been a very bad blogger. I apologize.

Reid is 4 months old. Can you believe it?

We went in for his 4 month appointment on Tuesday and he is doing well. He is 14 lbs 4 oz (25%), 25 inches long (50%), and his head is 42 cm (25%). I am a bit concerned about the percentile drop in weight, but the dr. is not. She also told us to go ahead and give veggies a try. Apparently they aren't recommending that you start with rice cereal anymore and want babies to start with vegetables to acquire a taste for them. It's amazing how things change so often. Just 2 years ago we started Cole at 6 month with rice cereal. Anyway, I stopped at the store on the way home and picked up some sweet peas. It did not go well.

It started like this:

Umm, what is this stuff?

Then he started gagging and his little eyes started watering.

I decided to put the peas away after just a few bites and Reid decided that he would eat his bib instead.

No long term damage done, but I think I will wait a few more weeks before trying again.

Cole is doing well too. We have officially made the switch to underwear and he's been keeping them dry. We do Pull-Ups for naps and bedtime and that is when he poops.

He is an extremely sweet big brother to "Reidie" (his pet name for Reid). Although at times he's a bit too helpful. I asked him the other day to bring Reid a toy while I was finishing up making dinner for him, and here is what I turned around to find:

He's not sleeping, just buried in toys.

And Cole, proud as ever of being so helpful:

Cole is going to his first real dentist appointment tomorrow. I will update soon on how that goes.

Quick Updates!

2010-01-25T15:10:00.003-05:00

*Potty training is still going well. Cole has remained dry for the past 2 weeks. However, we had a major setback with poop, so he is currently wearing a Pull-Up at all times. Brien and I got very sick of bathing him several times a day, so underpants went back in the dresser. He did poop in the potty today before his nap, so we may bring them out again soon.

*Reid is finally starting to nap in his crib. Although his naps in there are short, it beats holding him while he sleeps. The trick is the swaddle blanket. When he outgrows it, we'll have to reevaluate things.

*I signed Cole up for 3 year old preschool for the fall this morning. He will be attending Monsignor Slade, 3 half days days a week starting in September. He is very excited. I don't think he has any clue how far away September is.

*Reid is rolling over from belly to back! We have tried to catch it on video, but he is too quick!

Mr. MoodSwing

2010-01-10T20:38:00.001-05:00

As promised, here are some new pictures of Reid. They were taken all within 30 seconds of each other and in this order:

Tough Guy

So Sad

Everything is so funny!

Team Potty vs. Team Underpants

2010-01-10T15:57:00.005-05:00

VS.

Things aren't going too terribly with potty training. Saturday morning was really tough. Cole didn't go in the potty at all and had 4 accidents in his pants. He didn't seem to be upset about it at all, so I had a few brief moments where I thought maybe he wasn't ready. At one point I told him that if he soiled his pants again, he was going back into a diaper. While playing on the floor he yelled out, "POOPY PANTS!" so I swiftly took him upstairs and put a diaper on him. During nap time I realized that I had to stick to my guns and put him back in underwear when he woke up. This time we decided to set a kitchen timer and make him try when it went off. SUCCESS! He stayed dry all afternoon. Sunday he had only 2 accidents.

All in all, Team Potty was victorious in the pee-pee battle (10, 2). Ten pees in the potty and only 2 in his pants.

However Team Underpants is holding strong with the poop (4, 1). We are sticking with it and hope to have less and less accidents each day. I am a little worried about tomorrow and going out in public, but we will just take tons of extra clothes along.

Accidental Photography

2010-01-09T16:26:00.004-05:00

Cole got this new camera for Christmas:

It's digital and the pictures can be uploaded to the computer. Turns out Cole is quite the creative photographer. Check out some of his "masterpieces."

Reid's 2 month stats

2010-01-08T13:54:00.002-05:00

We visited the dr. today for Reid's 2 month well visit. He is doing great! He's 11lbs. 9 oz. (50th percentile), 23.5 inches long (75%), and his head measured 40cm. (50%). He got 2 shots and only cried a tiny bit. He's such a tough guy!

This weekend we are tackling potty training for Cole. The plan is to go cold turkey starting Saturday morning...no more diapers, with the exception of Pull-Ups for sleeping. I'll update soon and let you know how it goes! Wish us luck!

I don't have any new pictures to post, but I will take some soon!

Christmas Video

2009-12-30T19:32:00.005-05:00

Brien got a new video camera for Christmas. Enjoy!

Christmas Pictures!

2009-12-28T14:22:00.004-05:00

Coming down the stairs and seeing what Santa brought!

Checking to see if Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk

Christmas makes Reid sleepy!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

A Very Snowy Day (well 2 actually)

2009-12-20T10:11:00.006-05:00

We got A LOT of snow! I would guess around 2 feet, but it's hard to say with the drifts. Cole was very excited to go out and play, but Brien had to shovel a path first because the snow was up around his chest! Reid was not a big fan of his snow suit or the snow.

Making Christmas cookies with Daddy

Yes, we stayed in our pj's all day Saturday!

The view from inside the house. It snowed several hours past the time this picture was taken!

The neighborhood

Cole helps "shovel"

"Take me inside!!"

Diapers...check, Wipes...check, Sleepless Nights...not so much!

2009-12-05T11:16:00.003-05:00

I'm probably jinxing us by writing this, but little Reid is quite a sleeper! Last night he slept 8pm - 4am, ate then slept until 8am!!! We've had quite a few nights like this and some where he wakes around 1am also. Did I mention this was in his crib in his own room? I am amazed at this little one. If you recall Cole was just about the opposite on that, not sleeping through the night until he was 7 months and with lots of sleep training.

We also had Reid's 1 month appointment on Tuesday. He weighed in at 9 lbs 14.5 oz. and was 21.5 inches long. 50% for both.

And just for fun, a few pictures:

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T08:52:00.009-05:00

Cole paints his pumpkin

Helping Daddy carve a Jack-O-lantern

Mickey
As you can see he promptly smeared his black nose all over (including on my shirt - see below).

Baby Pumpkin

Having a treat after Trick-or-Treating!

Reid Steven Christesen

2009-10-30T10:16:00.002-04:00

He's here! Reid arrived on Wednesday, October 28th (Mommy and Pop's birthday) at 5:28pm. He weighed in at 9lbs 2oz. and measured 20.5 inches. He scored an 8 and 9 on his APGAR and is just perfect! We got home late last night and are all doing very well!

Pop - 10/28/56
Me - 10/28/81
Reid - 10/28/09

Another baby update!

2009-10-26T12:43:00.003-04:00

We've had a few false alarms over the past week. Well only Monday and Tuesday of last week. We made 3, yes 3, trips to the hospital and were sent home all 3 times. The first 2 times I was assured that I was in early labor and to come back in a few hours, (otherwise I probably wouldn't have kept going back) but the 3rd time they told me it was false labor. I essentially had contractions about 2 minutes apart for 26 straight hours. I've been having contractions ever since, just not time-able.

At the hospital for the 3rd time

I went in for my 39 week appointment this morning and am 3 cm. The dr. seems to think the baby will arrive in the next few days. I guess we'll wait and see!

*I was 3cm when I went into labor with Cole if that's a predictor of anything.

38 week appointment update

2009-10-16T15:07:00.002-04:00

Apparently little Reid is more cozy than I thought. He moved from a -2 station to a -3 (that's up further) and since he's so high now, I am only 1cm. I did however go from 50% effaced to 80%.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-10-14T16:42:00.006-04:00

We have been BUSY! Friday we went to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Cole was more interested in running as fast as he could through the zoo rather than looking at the animals, but he had a blast.

Monday we spent the morning at a Corn Maze. It's a good thing Daddy came along, because Cole and his friends (and their moms) would still be wandering through the corn.

On Tuesday we visited the Aquarium. Cole's favorites were the jellyfish. He was not, however, a huge fan of the dolphin show. He kept saying, "let's get out of here and walk somewhere else."

This morning we went to the pumpkin patch with our playgroup.

Another Appointment

2009-10-08T20:05:00.003-04:00

I had another appt. today. Still 2cm. My belly is measuring 40 weeks (I'm almost 37 weeks) and the nurse practitioner estimated his current weight as 7.5 pounds!!

Crafty Cole!

2009-10-02T17:19:00.011-04:00

One of Cole's favorite activities is making crafts. He loves googly eyes and Elmer's glue, so we have been trying to do a special craft at least once a week. Right now we are working our way through the alphabet.

Yes, I'm aware that I spelled caterpillar wrong

My favorite websites/blogs for toddler crafts are:

http://just4funwithsandy.blogspot.com/

http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/

http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/index.html

They have super cute and creative ideas that little ones can handle (with some help, of course). I will continue to add to my list as I come across other good craft sites!

*Update on Baby Reid:
I had my 36 week appt this afternoon. I am already 2cm and 50%. He is head down and ready to go. My dr. said she is certain that he will be larger than Cole's 8 pounds.

35 week belly picture

2009-09-29T10:12:00.002-04:00

Just 5 more weeks to go. No new updates, just a picture!

Computer Genius Cole

2009-09-17T20:20:00.003-04:00

Apparently is not normal for a 2 year old to be able to use a touch pad on a laptop (or a mouse at all for that matter). Check out this video of Cole playing his Winnie the Poo game on the computer. The game is like a paint by number. You click a honey pot with a number on it and then click the space on the picture that has the corresponding number. Here's the game.

Cole: I'm makin' beautiful now..not yet Daddy. Not yet.

Me: It's not beautiful yet?

Cole: No, I'm painting it more.

Me: Can you tell us what numbers those are?

Cole: I didn't do them all Mommy.

Me: You didn't do them all? Which ones do you have left?

Cole: Four and two

Me: That's right!!

Updates

2009-09-11T16:48:00.002-04:00

A few quick updates:

I passed my 3 hour gestational diabetes test. No giving up sugar and carbs for me!
Cole's potty training is going well. He is even wearing underpants around the house and putting all of his pee-pee in the potty (most of the time).
Baby Reid is no longer measuring ahead and is now head down!

Sesame Street Live!

2009-09-11T16:36:00.004-04:00

Lucky Grammy won us tickets to Sesame Street Live this morning! We had a great time and despite his grumpy face in the pictures, Cole really enjoyed himself too.

He spent a lot of time asking when Elmo was coming out and somehow got the idea that clapping his hands caused the curtains to open, so he clapped A LOT! Afterward we meet Aunt Rachel for lunch. Her office was just a few blocks away. The weather was icky and raining, but we had a good time anyway!

Check out our pictures!

The Boy's Rooms are Finished!

2009-09-08T08:43:00.003-04:00

Cole's big boy room and Reid's nursery are complete. Check them out by clicking around here:

Cole's Room

Reid's Nursery

Hint: Use the white arrows at the bottom of the screen to navigate around the rooms.

31 week belly!

2009-08-29T20:06:00.001-04:00

Getting there!

2009-08-28T15:58:00.006-04:00

Baby Reid's room is finally getting there. We finished clearing out the office/guest room to make him a brand new nursery. Pop (my dad) came over to put up a chair rail and help us paint. We still need to move the dresser/changing table from Cole's room, bring in the glider and hang the pictures and letters up. I will update when all of that is finished.

Letters for above the crib

Pictures for above the changing table

Everything is still going very well with the baby. I am measuring almost 3 weeks ahead and my dr. says I'm carrying very high. I will post a picture soon.

I unfortunately failed my 1st gestational diabetes test and will be redoing it next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I pass (I failed the 1st one with Cole too, and ended up passing the 2nd).

I start seeing the dr. every two weeks beginning next week. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by. We can't wait to meet our little guy!

More Beach Pictures!

2009-08-16T14:00:00.003-04:00

Cole had another great trip to GiGi's beach house last week. Check out the pictures!

Singing and Dancing

2009-08-16T13:43:00.007-04:00

Cole dancing in his diaper!

Cole singing "Twinkle, Twinkle," "Rock-a-bye Baby, " and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

In case you are wondering, the "AHH" at the end come from:

Row, Row, Row your boat,
gently down the stream.
If you see a crocodile,
don't forget to scream. AHHH!

Potty Training 101

2009-07-21T20:21:00.004-04:00

For a few months now Cole has been asking to sit on the potty. He sits and sits and then says, "I do it later" or "not today Mommy." We praised him every time he tried and reminded him every time we changed his diaper that he wouldn't have to have his diaper changed if he pee peed and pooped in the potty. Well tonight after his bath he finally PEED IN THE POTTY!! He immediately yelled out that he needed to wear his Handy Manny underpants (something we've been promising him) and that he was going to Target to get a new toy (something his friend in Stroller Strides tipped him off about). We did let him wear his underpants over his diaper to bed tonight.

And he got to put a sticker on his new potty chart. I never imagined, before I was a mom, that I'd have a sign on my bathroom wall that says "pee pee" and "poop."
I know we are nowhere near fully potty trained, but at least tonight was a step in the right direction!

A Twin Bed for Cole

2009-07-08T20:16:00.004-04:00

We switched Cole to his "big boy bed' today. Pop was nice enough to come over and lower the bed that he made for Rachel when she was a kid. We got it all set up with his new frog sheets and he was so excited. I'm working on finishing decorating the room and will definitely post more pictures when it's finished.

When I put him to bed tonight, he put his head on his pillow and said, "I like it!" then he said "Goodnight Mom (not Mommy)" and went right to sleep. He's such a big boy!

Happy 4th!

2009-07-05T20:32:00.002-04:00

Cole enjoyed his first 4th of July parade this year. He had a great time waving his flag and blowing his whistle. He also got to sit in a firetruck and wear the hat!!

The fireworks didn't start until 9:30 (a bit late for a boy whose bedtime is 7:45), so we didn't see them this year. He did catch sight of a few from the car on the way home though.

Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th!

Imaginary Play

2009-07-04T10:28:00.003-04:00

Not too long ago Cole's play consisted of biting and chewing on all his toys. Soon after that he started banging them on things to make noise, or mashing down all the buttons so they would play songs. He has definitely matured in his methods of playing. Now he builds things with blocks, drives his cars, fixes things with his tools, and cooks things in his kitchen. He's becoming quite good at doing puzzles and this morning built his train tracks for the trains to ride on all by himself (this is usually a job for Daddy). Just a few minutes ago I caught him doing this:

He's feeding his Mickey characters pizza! So cute!

Goodbye Dr. McDermott!

2009-06-29T16:54:00.003-04:00

Dr. McDermott is Cole's urologist. As many of you may know when he was born, the dr.'s suspected that he had a testicular hernia. That pretty much means that when he was developing some of his intestine managed to make its way down to his testicle. So we were seeing a urologist every 6 months to keep an eye on it. A few appointments ago Dr. McDermott decided that he thought it was actually a hydroseal and not a hernia. Rather than intestine in his testicle, he thought it was just fluid. His major concern was that the testicle wasn't closed off and that more and more fluid could potentially pass back and forth. If this were the case, Cole would have needed surgery.

This afternoon we had an appointment. Cole of course kicked and screamed during the entire examination. Dr. McDermott determined that no fluid is passing back and forth and everything looks great. We DON'T have to go back to Dr. McDermott anymore! YAY!!

Ran a 5k today!

2009-06-28T20:13:00.003-04:00

My Stroller Strides class has been training for a 5k over the past 6 weeks. This morning we ran the Baltimore Women's Classic 5k. My unofficial time was 34:58. I came in 731 out of 1800 women. Not the fastest ever, but not terrible for a 22 week pregnant lady. The official times should be up by tomorrow. I will post the link (and maybe some pictures) if anyone is interested!

Gymnastics Class

2009-06-23T17:59:00.003-04:00

Cole started gymnastics class this morning. I knew I was in for it when he refused to do the warm-up and sat on his carpet square and pouted. Honestly though, he didn't do so badly once we really got started. His gross motor skills are certainly a bit behind the other children in the class, but he did have a good time. He told me his favorite activities were the slide and the pit. Next week we will be working on actually doing what the instructor tells us, like doing a forward roll down the mat, not sliding down it like a sliding board.

He really has difficulties jumping, so that is keeping him from doing a lot of the activities. Hopefully by the end of the class he will have improved some of his motor skills.

20 Week Ultra Sound

2009-06-17T18:29:00.006-04:00

We went this morning for our 20 week Ultra Sound. Everything looks great! The baby is measuring 21 weeks and 14 oz. We got confirmation that he is indeed a baby boy! Looks like baby Reid Steven (subject to change) should be making his appearance in late October or early November!

Arms crossed in front of his chest

Foot

Face staring right at you (Brien thinks he looks like Cole)

Between his legs...showing off his boy parts

Back from the Beach!

2009-06-16T11:23:00.003-04:00

Cole had a fantastic week at GiGi's beach house. He loved the pool, he loved the sand and he loved the ocean, he loved the rides at the boardwalk, he loved his nightly ice cream treats. I could go on and on. He had a great time and keeps asking to do it again!

Here are some pictures of our trip.

One thing I agonized about was sleeping arrangements for him. He has outgrown the Pack N' Play. I thought about doing a sleeping bag, but was unsure if he would stay in it. I also considered letting him sleep in a twin bed with a rail, but decided to go with this kids Aerobed instead.
We put his special Mickey Mouse sheets on it and he was thrilled. It worked great and he only fell out once (without injury). I definitely recommend the Aerobed for kids!

Baby #2... 18 week belly picture

2009-06-03T14:25:00.001-04:00

If you're interested, here's the latest belly picture. It was taken yesterday at 18 weeks and 2 days. Our next ultrasound is on June 17. We should be able to get confirmation then that the baby is a boy. Cole is getting used to the idea of a brother. He has stopped, for the most part, insisting the baby is a girl. He is very sweet to his baby brother too. He asks to see him, pulls up my shirt, then sticks his finger in my belly button. He also gives my belly hugs and kisses!

Cole's Birthday Weekend!

2009-06-02T12:26:00.008-04:00

Cole had a really fun birthday weekend. Saturday we went to Down's Park and had a picnic lunch. We went to dinner with Grammy and Pop and then out for ice cream. On Sunday, we went to Aunt Ellen's house for a little party and then to the Herndon Festival! (you can click each picture to view it larger)

Eating his birthday breakfast...a plain waffle!

Daddy and Cole race on the seahorses

Yum, a picnic lunch!

Cole and Grammy at the park

Eating his blue ice cream

Blowing out the candles

Cole's new drill

Cole loves rides!

2 year Checkup

2009-06-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

Cole went to see Dr. Fitch today for his 2 year well visit. He is still deathly afraid of the dr. She is fantastic with him, but he still is very, very apprehensive. We took his dr. kit along and that seemed to help a bit.

I was looking forward to having some updated stats, but Cole REFUSED to stand on the scale. Everything time I tried to put him on it, he'd put his legs out completely straight. Eventually he stood on it with one foot, so the nurse was able to record something.

He weighed 32.6 pounds (90%). I’m a bit skeptical about that since he was 32 lbs at 18 months (and of course because he was standing on one foot).

He was 36 inches tall…3 feet! (also 90%). That means he can get on lots of rides!

Cole got his hepatitis b booster shot. He did surprisingly well and only let out a little scream when the needle went in. He did not want a band-aid and keep yelling “take it off, no like band-aids”, so I did and then he was fine.

Dr. Fitch suggested that we start a vitamin (like Flintstones) and she said we can try some Children’s Benadryl for Cole’s sneezing and watery eyes. She also recommended the book “Hello Baby” for big brothers and she suggested the following sunscreens:

Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby

California Baby

Blue Lizard

We don’t have to go back until Cole is 3, but we will be going back for flu shots in October before Cole’s baby brother arrives. He got two sticker crafts and a lollipop, so he was thrilled when we left.

I know I’ve said this before, but I just LOVE Cole’s pediatrician. She is just the sweetest lady. She takes her time and sits down with you to chat and answer your questions. She is so good with Cole and always tries to make him feel comfortable. She is also a mom of small children around Cole’s age, so I feel like she can really relate. If you are looking for a pediatrician, I highly recommend Arundel Pediatrics!

*Brag about myself: While I was checking us in, Cole was climbing on the benches in the waiting area. (It’s like a three tiered play area) He started slipping and I was able to run from the check in desk and catch him before he fell. The receptionist kept going on and on about how impressed she was that I was able to do that. :)

Bragging about my genius son!

2009-05-26T14:08:00.006-04:00

At his birthday party yesterday he got a new book about Thomas the Train. We read it last night before bed and he took it into bed with him to look at before he fell asleep. This morning when I went go get him (side note: he has figured out how to climb out of his bed, but we told him he's not allowed to unless Mommy or Daddy are in his room... it's actually working) he picked up his book and was paging through it. I sat in his glider and waited until he was ready to get out of bed. He then decided to tell me about the book (remember this story has been read to him ONCE).

Cole: Mommy, Thomas is sad.

Me: Why is Thomas sad?

Cole: Scared to cross the bridge. It's windy.

Me: That's right!

Cole: Oh no! Thomas' wheels went off the track.

Me: You're right. Who helped Thomas?

Cole: Harold the helicopter. Percy was scared too.

Me: Scared of what?

Cole: The windy bridge.

Can I just say that I taught 4th graders that could not identify the conflict and solution in a story. It wasn't a short simple story either, it was like a 30 page picture book.

WOW!

Cole's 2nd Birthday Party!

2009-05-25T21:29:00.016-04:00

We had Cole's 2nd birthday party today. Lots of his friends were able to come. They swam and ran through the sprinkler and had a great time! Here are some pictures of the fun:

Playing in the pool with Brady

"Bucket Head"

Running through the sprinkler

Playing with his new tunnel toy

The cake..I swear it was cute before it got lop-sided and the M&M's ran from the heat

Shoveling it in

Opening presents

Playing with his new mini golf

Playing with his new dr. kit

A few hours later

Happy 2nd Birthday Cole!

March for Babies

2009-05-11T15:46:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday, Cole and I went out and did The March of Dimes, March for Babies. It was a 4 mile walk in Baltimore and we did it with some of the other moms in our Stroller Strides class. Unfortunately it poured the entire time! Cole enjoyed riding in the stroller and holding his umbrella for the first two miles, but then didn't want to hold it anymore. He also didn't want the canopy on the stroller up or his hood or hat on. If you are planning on taking long walks in the rain, I recommend one of these:
Some of the other moms had them and they seemed to work great!

We were both soaked but we survived. The only casualties were Cole's baseball hat and his snack bowl. Both were dropped somewhere along the route and there wasn't a chance that I was going back to look for them.

I planned on taking some pictures, but didn't want to pull the camera out in the rain.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored our walk! We certainly appreciate your support!

Maryland Day '09

2009-04-25T21:22:00.010-04:00

We took Cole to Maryland day at University of Maryland again this year. We told him this morning that we were going to see Testudo and he was so excited. The whole time we were there, he kept saying "Where Two-so go?". We never did find "the real Testudo," but we did see a few of his statues.

He was able to participate in so much more than he was able to last year. He had a good time throwing the football (and soccer ball) and shooting hoops in Cole Field House. He also was able to make lots of different crafts. He had tons of fun and was exhausted afterward. He feel asleep after being in the the car for about 30 seconds!

Baby #2 Update

2009-04-24T13:08:00.009-04:00

We had an u/s this morning and everything is looking great. Baby is measuring right on track for a due date of November 3. (sorry for the pics of the pics, my scanner is acting up)

Baby waving "hi"!

The ultrasound tech was able to give a "guess"at the gender. She said she is 98% sure it's another boy!! We are so excited for Cole to have a brother so close in age!

Little white arrow is pointing between his legs

My belly last night (12 weeks 3 days)

Happy Late Easter!

2009-04-24T12:51:00.009-04:00

Ok, I have a valid excuse this time. My laptop is down and I haven't been able to figure out how to upload the pictures onto Brien's.

Anyway, we had a very nice Easter weekend. We dyed eggs on Friday. Saturday we spent at Gam's house and Sunday we went down to Mary Kay's in VA. Cole LOVED hunting for eggs and had a great time going through his basket from the Easter bunny.

Pouting because Mommy said he couldn't pick up the eggs while they were wet.

No Easter Bunny pic this year

2009-03-31T08:32:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I attempted to take Cole to get his picture with the Easter Bunny. I dressed him up in his adorable Easter outfit and off we went. It was early in the morning on a weekday, so no one was in line and the bunny was just hanging out. A few our friend's little ones went up the Easter Bunny and were chatting with him. Cole was very interested and even walked close to him. When the bunny extended his hand to Cole, he turned away and refused to look at him. I asked him if he wanted his picture taken with the bunny and he said "nooo, nope, uhhh-aaaa." We shopped at the mall for a while and every time we walked by the Easter Bunny Cole would say "hi bunny and wave". Then I'd ask him if he wanted a picture and he'd say "nooo, nope, uhhh-aaa."

I'm not really concerned that he will sit on the bunny's lap and cry. My concern is that he will fight the bunny to get down and end up hurting the Easter Bunny.

When we got home we had a little chat about the bunny and Cole said he did want to sit on his lap and have a picture. So, we will see. Maybe well try again next week.

Just the two of us

2009-03-28T13:14:00.002-04:00

Brien left this morning for a 12 day business trip to Seattle. I think the longest I've been without him since Cole was born is one night. I'm a little anxious about what the next 12 days will bring. Cole and I plan to keep busy with errands and playgroups and hopefully the next two weeks will fly by.

Must See Video of Cole!

2009-03-26T19:28:00.003-04:00

Cole has a special message for everyone. Check out the video below.

We are very excited to be expecting Cole's baby brother or sister sometime around November 3rd!

"I Dizz"

2009-02-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Check out Cole getting dizzy and showing off his letter skills!

Picasso on our hands?

2009-02-02T10:37:00.001-05:00

Cole really loves to draw, so we spent a large part of the day with the crayons out. He had been doing so well only coloring on paper, and I really thought he understood.

Our window seat

Apparently not! The crayons are now under lock and key

When I showed the window seat to Cole and asked him if he did that, he buried his head in my shoulder and said "sarney".

"Sarney" is becoming a frequently used word around here. About a week ago, he stuffed a roll of toilet paper in the toilet. FYI: The best thing to do in that situation is NOT to flush. I got a big "sarney" and a hug after that incident too.

Playing in the Snow

2009-02-01T10:19:00.010-05:00

On Tuesday we got about an inch or so of snow, so Cole and I bundled up and headed outside to play.

At first he was a little apprehensive. He really did not like that the snow was on his shoes and kept trying to brush it off.

As a result, his mitten were covered in snow as well. Cole was not a fan!

After a while he started to enjoy it more. He was especially excited when I told him he could taste it. He kept saying "tastes ice". Which I assume meant "This tastes like ice."

Then we went inside to warm up!

*Tuesday night Cole got a nasty stomach bug, that is coming and going intermittently. (I got it too, but not as bad). We are hoping he will be 100% recovered soon.

My baby is growing up!

2009-01-19T12:41:00.004-05:00

Cole has been having a really hard time with nap time and bedtime lately. So this weekend, we decided to make a change.
We converted his crib to a toddler bed. He LOVES it! He was so excited to go to bed last night and slept all the way until 7:15 this morning. He stayed in his bed and read some books until I came and got him. He didn't even try to get down.

Our fingers are crossed that he keeps this up and that naps go just as smoothly.

*Yes, that is "The Night Before Christmas", Cole insists that we read the "Ho book" every night.

ABCD...

2009-01-11T17:25:00.004-05:00

Recently Cole's favorite activity have been taking the huge container of these magnetic letters and shapes and dumping them all over the floor. For quite some time he called every letter "C". A few days ago he started recognizing the letter "O" on Brien's shirt.

Today he had a sudden break through. The letters were, as usual, all over the living room floor. He picked up the letter "S" and said "shhhh". Hmmm, maybe he knows more than we think. I sat down on the floor with him and he was able to put all the "O's" in one bowl and the "S's" in another and call them by name. As the day went on, we discovered that he also knew C, Y, B, and Q by name and could find them in a pile of letters on the floor.

His language is exploding. He can say the name of most animals, and can say a few phrases like "I did it" and "Mama sit". He also responds with "I'm fine" if you ask him how he's doing. Brien and I are totally amazed at how much he knows and now how much he can say!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T21:18:00.003-05:00

I am far too lazy to upload all the Christmas pictures here. To see pictures from Christmas Eve at Grandma Laurie's, Christmas morning at home, Christmas morning at Grammy's, Christmas afternoon at GiGi's, Christmas evening at Grandma Doyle's, and the 2 day after Christmas gathering at the Christesen's in VA (yes, we were quite busy)...CLICK HERE!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!

Carsick...ick!

2008-12-27T22:20:00.003-05:00

*WARNING: This post is not for those with weak stomachs!*

Have you ever tried googling "how to clean vomit off an Evenflo Triumph DLX"? If not, consider yourself lucky.

On the way to Aunt Karen and Uncle Rich's house in Northern VA, Cole got carsick. He was so quiet and well behaved on the way there, through the horrible traffic (stupid mixing bowl) and the long drive. About a mile away from our destination Brien and I started discussing the weird smell in the car. At first we thought it could be a dirty diaper, but then decided probably not. I had it pegged as an old napkin covered in milk that was sitting my cup holder. (It wasn't actually covered in milk, just an old napkin) While we were having this discussion, Cole was making his classic 'sniff, sniff' noise and we were giggling about his listening to our conversation.

As soon as we arrived, I went to get him from his car seat and discovered that he was covered, and I mean strip down naked, covered in vomit. His car seat was also covered (and so was his hat????). Also did I mention that I wore a cashmere sweater (dumb mommy move). Anyway, Cole was pretty easy to clean up. His car seat, which is an Evenflo Triumph DLX (if you were wondering), is another story entirely. The cover is micro suede and leather. The instruction booklet, says not to put it in the washer because of the leather...great. So we wiped it off with soapy water and left it outside for about 5 or so hours. It still smells HORRIBLE! I'm really at a loss for what to do. I've been googling for a few hours and have found pretty much nothing. This helpful blogger suggests that I throw away the car seat and buy a new one. Many others claim that the cover cleans so easily, but never actually tell me how they cleaned it. If you have any fantastic ideas please leave me a comment. Otherwise we will be disregarding the instructions, putting it in the washer, and buying a new cover if it gets ruined.

He did not get sick on the way home. I am crossing my fingers that it was a one time thing.

Sorry if you were hoping for a Merry Christmas post and got this lovely vomit filled post instead. Christmas pictures will be up in a few days.

Not a fan of Santa

2008-12-12T14:08:00.004-05:00

Well, that's not 100% true. If Santa is on TV or in a book, Cole loves him. He yells out "HO" and get very excited. Real life Santa is a whole different story.

I had my first inkling that Cole may not be a Santa fan at Stroller Strides. We had just arrived and we getting ready to start exercising when the mall Santa walked through the doors. He came over and was chatting with the kids. He put his hand out to shake Cole's hand. Cole turned a full 180 degrees and buried his face in my legs. Uh Oh!

A few days later the same Santa arrived as we were warming up. The Santa was exercising with us and all the kids were getting a kick out of it. Except Cole. He refused to even look at Santa. When Santa moved into his line of sight, he flung his head around, so he didn't have to see him. Poor Santa!

On Wednesday, we went to sit on Santa's lap. I tried to hype up the event and get him excited. It seemed to be working, and Cole walked right up to Santa when it was his turn. I lifted him onto Santa's lap and he lost it. We got a quick picture and got down right away.

Brien told Cole last night if he wasn't a good boy during dinner (we were at the mall) he would have to go see Santa again! :)

Just to show that he wasn't permanently traumatized, this picture was taken a few minutes later.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-02T17:08:00.006-05:00

We had a very nice Thanksgiving with Brien's family in VA. Cole refused to try any of the food, but enjoyed a roll and a 2 glasses of milk for his Thanksgiving dinner. Here are some Thanksgiving pictures:

"Cheese!"

18 months old!

2008-12-02T15:39:00.002-05:00

Today we had Cole's 18 month appointment. He is 30.4 pounds (90%), 34.5 inches tall (95%) and his head is 49.75 cm (95%). He's such a proportionate boy!

Cole was a bit afraid of the dr's. office today. He did just fine in the waiting area, but as soon as we went back to the exam room, he got very upset. He wouldn't let me put him down to undress him or let the nurse measure him. Our pediatrician is fantastic and got him feeling comfortable enough so she could examine him. She let him play with her stethoscope and gave him a special magic wand to hold. She said he looked great and was very impressed when we were discussing a flu shot and Cole said "I no want it!"

He did get a flu shot(despite his protests) and a hepatitis A vaccine. He cried from the moment the nurse walked in with the shot until she left the room and then he was fine.