So today we had a little mini blizzard. So we didn't get to go to the children's museum and hang out with our friend K. We did still hit up story time, where Peanut did a lot better than last week. And then we went to Grandma's house. He took a crib nap for the first time in what feels like forever... we'll see if we can get a repeat tomorrow. We also watched the Muppet Family Christmas Movie. He was kick ass with his Santa impersonation, and developed a love of snowmen. Then tonight, he was very wound up at bedtime, demanded 2 books, his robe, the Elf on the Shelf, underwear on his wrist and a hat in his crib with him. But you know, whatever, it's cool.
There's just something about this picture... Peanut hanging out with a group of kids that makes my heart all melty :) :) :) Even if it only lasted 2-3 minutes before he climbed on my lap!
The weather looks pretty sketchy for tomorrow, but if we get a break in the precip, we're going out to build a snowman! Coz it's going to get freaking cold after tomorrow. And if we can't... we'll make a craft snowman. He'll still like it! Heck, we'll likely do that regardless.
Yesterday was a festive day of me re-wiring the outside lights! We let daddy sleep in and headed for Grandma's house. We played with Uncle B for awhile, then had lunch and Peanut didn't nap until he was on the couch watching TV. That's his new thing, sighs... Oh, and Peanut drank a lot of chocolate milk at Grandma's.
Sorry about that, that's just my 'journaling' so I can make sure I don't forget for my scrapbook dealio, anywho...
Then we started to learn what Santa says, we stopped by Walgreens for some pictures, and we looked at a bunch of stuffed/pictures of santa. Peanut thinks at first it should be HA HA HA, but then I tell him no and he corrects himself to say Ho Ho Ho. And we got more of his scrapbook done with the said pictures
We played with daddy some this morning, and ate some yummy pumpkin bread. He fixed the dishwasher (we think) so I'll try running it tonight. We'll have a picnic tonight too!
He's napping on the couch again today, watching Rick Steve's with his eyes closed. It's the only way, aside from being in the car, we've gotten him to nap in the last week. Whatever, we all go through rough patches. We've got our Elf in the Shelf stealing the top of tree today too. So that's lots of fun. I really need to buckle down and clean tonight. That should be interesting with the kiddo. Adventures in paradise.
Nooooooot too much cleaning got done, but we did have a lot of fun with Stewart, our Elf. When Peanut would go downstairs, I hid him in a new spot, to get him used to 'looking for him.'
AND APPARENTLY HE'S NOW AFRAID OF THE SHOWER?! We went up for one, and I tried turning it on and he freaked out, so we peed in the potty, then the toilet, then the potty s'more, and in between he nervously peeked at the tub, so I tried just filling it up for a bath with bubbles, and he instantly calmed down and wanted in. So weird, showers were the only way he'd bathe for a super long time!
Good morning, and welcome to a day with Peanut! ;)
No time to chat mom, get me out of here!
Out of the crib, trying to figure out what's going on. We've got a lot to do today, from getting ready for the day, eating, feeding the cats, and starting out our fun day. Better catch your breath there kid.
He's been into reading us books lately. It's mainly just 'choo choo', but every now and again he'll throw a twist in, like 'Cow' and sometimes if we read a story in a sing song manner he'll mimic it while reading. However this is a library book, so I was a bit surprised to see him venture into reading it himself after only a few days with it.
Well, I guess the boy is ready for breakfast! I was planning on french toast, however I neglected to make bread last night, sooooo pancakes it is!
So this is how I may normally portray making pancakes. A picture with him with a spoon... or something... next to a bowl of ingredients, 'helping us.' Of course in reality, after 10 seconds he's bored and playing with his trains in the other room.
Like so :)
He doesn't even have a train here, he's just having fun running around and around the table going choo choo! He's great at having fun independently. So I can make the batter while waiting for daddy to come down.
There's daddy! Now that I have an extra pair of hands, the fun can really begin! Starting with a diaper change. Hooray Superman!!! Then they can play while I make the pancakes, hopefully giving it a little bit of time to cool before he remembers that he was hungry and hears me cooking :)
Chowing down on his breakfast of pancakes with Daddy. We ended the gluten free experiment yesterday, and so far things seem fine. And hopefully they'll stay fine, though we'll keep an eye out today just in case. I was very worried that maybe he has an issue like me when things improved quickly after we started him on the diet, but perhaps it was just all coincidence.
Halfway through breakfast, Peanut ran out to the living room, pulled off his sock and started counting his toes. PRIORITIES!
Time to get dressed, it feels like a sweater kind of day, but for right now we'll stick with jeans and an undershirt. Blink!
I suppose it's high time the cats get fed too. Peanut is good at scooping out there food and delivering it haphazardly to the top of the dryer :) He gets upset if he finds out we've fed them without him, he likes to scoop it, put the back on, and shut the cabinet door back up. The cats like to sneak food out of the bin while they wait for him :)
A video compilation of putting up the tree! Lights are good fun, lots of weird stuff to look at and play with. Plus there's XMas music, because we're so festive! He was intrigued by everything, but he had no clue why all this stuff was happening. Which, I mean, yeah. He was 15 months last year, he'd have no memory. So I'm thinking we spend a few days talking about Santa Claus!
A giant box! With a cat in it! Quick, climb inside and play! He didn't know what to do when he got in, so he just stood there and looked at me for awhile, then demanded help getting out.
Checking out the XMas tree from a different angle.
So then I went downstairs and started uploading some vidoes and stuff, tasking Daddy with playing with Peanut for awhile. So a few minutes later, what do I hear? They're already outside shoveling. And I guess Peanut was being quasi helpful while I was still inside, but ah well, here we are as I get out there.
We've been working on identifying vehicle types (school bus, tractor, garbage truck) and lo and behold it was garbage day here! He was even nice enough to wave at us. Then we badgered the neighbor's family a little as they arrived to visit, and Peanut was very interested in what was in their vehicle. SMH.
We're back inside, time for a snack on some peanuts! Gasp! Canabalism! He will say 'nuts' but not 'peanuts' yet. Working on it!
Packed up tight in a light jacket and his Thomas train, we're going to the library! Unfortunately, even with two adults there, he was a bit too much to handle and I didn't get any pictures there. He likes to run from stack to stack playing peekaboo and laughing as loudly as he can as we desperately shush him and try to get him to read a book or play with a toy. Someday it will be easier and more enjoyable for us adults... someday.
Back home again, looking outside with the kitty, admiring the decor. We've got Santa Home, Rudolph and Snoopy on the front window, and on the sliding door we have a Penguin and the words Ho Ho Ho. Clearance from last year on those guys, woo hoo!
Our library loots! We returned Pinocchio, so we picked up Castle in the Sky for tonight (Friday night is Movie night), a Santa Claus book, a Sandra Boyton book, and a few books by an author that I love.
It seriously took me forever to find a book just about Santa. Not a mouse pretending to be Santa, not a book about other Christmasy stuff, just a book about Santa. I kind of found one, at least he was the main character. Maybe all the good Santa books are checked out :(
At the bottom of our XMas box I spied a wind up Santa. Sure enough, he loved it as much as he did last year! Santa eats your brains!!!
So then it was time for lunch. And me realizing that I planned on making lunch which meant I needed to start BEFORE lunchtime. So I scrapped my plans, and threw some Smilies in the oven and opened up some canned fruit. Sometimes simple is best, right? While I did that and it was cooking, Boi decided they would cap off their festive morning by watching the Grinch Stole Christmas. It looks like he enjoyed it.
We always try to have him help by getting his plate/bowl out and putting it on the table for us.
Smilies and a fruit cocktail side, he really didn't end up eating very much anyways though, he never has much of an appetite when he has pancakes for breakfast.
Brushing his teeth, he loves brushing those toofs.
Saying goodnight to different things in his room, after reading Grandpa and Me and the Santa book. He wanted me to read, so no pictures there. Pictures always suck in the light of his room anyways, I'll try to grab the good camera for tonight, it's just a pain in the ass to try to keep it nearby right now and keep his tiny sticky hands off of it.
-------------------
Nap break over~! He didn't actually nap though, which has elevated his cranky level. So it took me a little bit longer to get back to you guys. But he's busy being productive with Daddy, so here we go!
This is what we walked into when we gave up on napping. Little stinker! Then we gathered up all our gutso and headed outside for the daunting task of finally hanging the lights. We've had bad luck this past month with it always been cold or snowy on Boi's days off, so today we just had to do it.
Look Daddy, I can hang the lights for you! You just hold me... and do all the work too? We went for a short walk after that, and played stop and go. Of course the one time he didn't want to stop was when a car was heading down the street... sighs.
We got the first string up and decided to contemplate the next one while watching Jeopardy, in the warmth. So we headed inside and started on dinner while it was on. Peanut, what's the answer???
No seriously Peanut, I don't know the answer! Boi got Final Jeopardy, but only because it was a sports question. Boo hoo :( At least I got Dinner prepped without being bugged too much! Except when I turned on the blender... but I was just asking for it then, Peanut loves loud noises.
Then Boi headed out to hang the second string. In the meantime Peanut and I feasted on potato pancakes and fruity jello. Deeeeeeelicious! I was going to make the cauliflower... but well that didn't happen. A lot of things not happening today! Tomorrow we'll make up on the lack of vegetables today.
We kind of had a vision for the lights... it turned out ok. It wasn't long enough for one idea, and two short for another, so we thought, what if the extra just hung in semi circles above the garage? Well it's a new string, so the end of it was all tightly wound up and didn't lay nicely. But we'll call it Art Inspired By Peanut.
Peanut wanted to run and play, but we just wanted to show him it. His response? 'Wow!'
Then of course when we took him inside and he THREW A FIT! He didn't want to come in that fast, and just be held out there. He cried and yelled and screamed, and it was all fine and dandy until he took it out on Kiara. She behaved beautifully, despite his yanking on her ear madly. Soooo we had a timeout to chill out and de-stress. And afterwards he very calmly laid around playing with his toys. So I guess it worked.
We had a bit of an interlude then doing a thing for Boi's family, drawing names out of a hat for gift giving. That took... a lot of takes. After 3 or 20 false starts though, and an intermission to snack on milk and peanuts, we got it done. It was clear though that he was completely wiped for the day.
So then we figured, it's movie night, let's put on Castle in the Sky...
That did not work out great. He sat for it great, but partially because he was falling asleep. So 15 minutes in we had to hit pause and find something loud and entertaining to do! He did watch the Grouch today anyways, so he's good on his movie technically. It's an hour before bedtime here, and with no nap, we're extra tired *yawn* me too!
Ho hum, what's left to do that fits our holiday themed day???
Why let's hang the stockings! Boi is missing his, as it managed to get dirty in storage, but we figured we could hang the other ones. Peanut had a blast helping with his blue hammer.
But fun times apparently can only last so long, and we opted to start bathtime. No girls allowed! He just actually likes shutting the door on me. It's so funny! I guess I can see that.
And have lots of bathtime fun. Right now he's been liking the showers more, so that's what we're doing here. Shower time!!
And wear our Thomas the Train robe as we brush our teeth. If we could get him to say 'Thomas' or 'Train' I'd be stoked. STOKED!
Read an extra fun Elmo book, the Freight Train book, then Happy Hippo Angry Duck, and then the Good Night Train. I really need to get a video of him reading Freight Train, he's starting to point out parts of the train on that one. 'bell' 'istle' 'light' and 'stack' :D
Plus look at those snazzy TMNT pajamas. No seriously, look at them, they're adorable.
Good night birds, Blue Jay, Torn House Finch and Cardinal. Good night letter L and baby Peanut. Good night Froggy, Dragon and Tree.
Look at your train blanket, let's pull that up over you as daddy refills your water.
We tried to get a video of him saying goodnight, but that just made him all sorts of upset. Took him 40 minutes to fall asleep even. Poor tuckered out kiddo :( But I think he's asleep now at least, a bit before normal bedtime. Obviously on no nap days bedtime gets bumped up to make up for the lost sleep. Now it's about 9:00, and I can finish this up, glare at Boi's cookies (not gluten free :( ) and we can get the house cleaned up and finish that movie. We start again tomorrow, of course just me and Peanut tomorrow after Boi goes into work. 4 days on until the next day off! You know we'll be counting down :)
We have a lot of excitement coming this week, we're going to go see Dinosaur Train Live! We've got his friend C coming along with us too. So it'll be twice the fun (or crazy headache!) But Boi got the day off, so we'll have one more adult than child, so hopefully that will give us the edge so that we can all enjoy the performance. As long as it has a fair amount of 'train,' we should be good.
I think he is officially napping. I always wait 30-45 minutes after laying him down to go check on him... and sure enough this time there was poop. A quick diaper change though and he was out 5 minutes later. I asked him before naptime if he had to, he said no, and we even used the potty. Sighs, some day... some day.
The kid has three toothbrushes, but he only likes the blue one. But it's getting really chewed up... it's only been in the last few weeks that he's consistently mimicked us brushing instead of just chewing on it and sucking out the water. We always brush all his teeth first then let him do what he wants with it. He always gets up on his stool, first grabs out my toothbrush (sometimes he tries to give me daddy's) then he grabs the blue one, then I have him turn on the water as I get his toothpaste. After I do his, I brush mine, and he giggles and tries to copy my motions.
Today's motto is, have fun and clean up! We won't do anything that feels like work, but we're cleaning as we think of lots of fun games. We looked for D words today, the Dinosaur Train episode (gearing up his excitement and understanding for it) the dishwasher, a toy dog, his baby doll. Then I just made sure I spent a few minutes after he'd lose interest to straighten up things wherever we were while he engrossed himself in pushing a train or a truck around. And now I get to play a little on the computer! Yay!
Hmmm, I need to start thinking about what we're doing for dinner. I may just play it easy, open up a can of peas and make him a grilled cheese. Then I won't make a real big mess in the kitchen. Of course, I have some canned pumpkin in the fridge I should finish up... hopefully it hasn't been in there too long, I doubt it. I could make some pumpkin bread with that. If he's getting pumpkin bread, should he have grilled cheese? Well, I guess he'd just get some of that as a snack. Ok, well, I guess I like that plan. I want to use up that pumpkin, and he'd still get some fruit to snack on later tonight as we watch wheel. Then with any luck Boi will be home shortly after 8!!! I won't have to do bedtime myself, doo dah, doo dah! I suppose I should go empty the dishwasher so that I'm primed to have that kitchen clean before he gets home!
Peanut is branching out!!!! We've got him adding 'All Aboard!!' into his mixture of vehicle sounds. Actually tonight he used every babbling tone he had while playing. All I could do was shake my head and wonder what the heck that train was up to :) Ugh, though to get the video I have up to youtube to post in here, I think I might have to cancel my stream, it gets a little touch and go sometimes the way it is. So I'll post this tomorrow.
Well, I survived like a 24 hour type stomach bug. Yay! Boi and Peanut seem fine, he spent some time with Grandma while I got all the way back on my feet. Boi... well, he worked. Still is, as I type, I'll check on him in 6 minutes. Hopefully he won't be much later, otherwise I get to go to bed alone. Peanut just let out a cry, a singular one though, but that means he's on edge for when I go check on him. I'm always so paranoid he's cold, not even having (the world's safest!) space heater in there to keep the draft at bay calms me down.
He's going to be a bit longer... but I'm listening to a Joe Hisaishi concert, it's making me not very sleepy. Only 12 minutes left on that though, and I'm going to bed at 1 one way or another.
Peanut is very very very into his fork. Grandma said he flat out refused to use his fingers at dinner. I'll admit, I know I should let him try and fail, but sometimes I'll help him with getting more food in his belly by feeding him because he gets a little frustrated and wants to stop. He's really gotten the stabbing thing down though. For the longest time he'd use his fork as a spoon, but we've gotten past that. Still working on everything we were working on before, like saying the number 1. Stubborn cutie :D Ooooh, and his Thomas the Train underwear came today! I'm still hopeful that this winter sometime we can get it down. I just need him to comunicate a bit better and we'll go at it hard.
-edit- I guess I never got back to it, so here it is... really really late.
This was taken a little while ago, but still in fall obviously. We're at a park that overlooks the train tracks, he likes it. He also likes the really old tall slide ><
He loves the park. We go for walks and he knows where they all are and doesn't like turning away when he's on the scent. Though we really only bike to the one above at the school. I mean, I've walked there with the stroller, but he and I never took a walk there. Maybe this spring we will.
And he loves to play in the lower floor (topless due to finger paints shown below!) Panoramic! I've cleaned since this one was taken. I may have cleaned just so future panoramics would look nicer, even ;)
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! He actually really got into the finger painting for once, so we'll have to try it more. I encouraged and help him get some of the more finger painty parts, but he was all about the smearing.
Right now he's yelling in his crib. Please go to sleep. Please go to sleep. Mama needs to work and she can't work if you're not sleeping!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah we're still not up for play doh. He liked it and all, but his favorite thing to do was to tear off tiny pieces and throw them behind him :/ However I made him a 'bat' and 'ball' with them (I guess more like golf club?) and he had fun hitting it around. He also found some leftover beans in the fridge and ran it to me saying 'beans!' which surprised me... as it's not really something we talk about. Beans are usually in stuff, I just had half a can left over from our Mexican eggs (which he refused to eat). I'm always pretty excited when I hear a new word! If you haven't figured that out yet ;)
Hey, it's a bunch of pictures of the back of his head! You can thank Boi for the post tonight, as he's staying at work tonight instead of coming home... yay... ah well, he has afforded me the ability to work at home for the last... almost three years now. That's pretty freaking awesome. The first year being pregnant (A WHOLE YEAR!!!) and taking care of him the last two years. I'm so grateful for that... but I wouldn't mind if he was home for a little more of Peanut's life. Aaaaaaaand the cat just set off the printer. Great. Half the ink that thing has gone through is thanks to her. Sorry no videos... I'll try to get on that soon... tired, it's midnight.
He's about to see a school bus
What else... we went for a walk today. He's not too happy about my "if it's under forty degrees we can't walk to the park" rule. But I distracted him with pine cones and got us to make the first turn away, and then the school bus (SCHOOL BUS!!!) came and he chased it towards home. I got him a new app on the iPad, the Wheels on the Bus or whatever. He's very into buses, and when I told him it was coming (it was down the hill so hard for him to see for him at half height) his eyes got all lit up and begged for me to pick him up. It was an experience.
We also got to work on feelings words. He didn't repeat any back, but he had quite the range of emotions today, and I tried to focus on telling him what (I thought) he was feeling. Hopefully someday soon he will yell 'MAD' at me (I figured that was easier to say then 'Angry' or 'Frustrated')
Well, I'm not sure what else, what happened yesterday... he hung out with Grandma for awhile. Boi was home in the evening and we all hung out. That was good. Yeah... the rest is a blank. Oh, he did wake up at a more normal time, perhaps the curse of day light savings is over. KMFX!
So today we had a little mini blizzard. So we didn't get to go to the children's museum and hang out with our friend K. We did still hit up story time, where Peanut did a lot better than last week. And then we went to Grandma's house. He took a crib nap for the first time in what feels like forever... we'll see if we can get a repeat tomorrow. We also watched the Muppet Family Christmas Movie. He was kick ass with his Santa impersonation, and developed a love of snowmen. Then tonight, he was very wound up at bedtime, demanded 2 books, his robe, the Elf on the Shelf, underwear on his wrist and a hat in his crib with him. But you know, whatever, it's cool.
