...You have half a laundry basket full of athletic socks.
It hit me today that Ollie has "upgraded" to big boy socks. He's no longer wearing the pastel-colored baby footies that he's been wearing since birth. Most of his socks now are all-cotton, white with a grey toe. Just like Merrit's socks. Only smaller.
So I was sorting socks. Pairing them up. Sorting into "big boy" and "little boy" piles. And it just kinda hit me. I'm a mom to two boys.
Of course in about eight to ten years, they'll be STINKY white cotton athletic socks.
But by then, these boys will be doing their own laundry. Mark my words! :-)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Drinking through a Straw
Ollie has been working on learning to drink through a straw. He's getting the hang of it!
"Well, Mom said there was milk in here..."
"Oh yeah, there's the good stuff!"
[Stage Whisper]: "Psst! Ollie! You've got a Cheerio stuck on your chin."
"Well, Mom said there was milk in here..."
"Oh yeah, there's the good stuff!"
[Stage Whisper]: "Psst! Ollie! You've got a Cheerio stuck on your chin."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
16, 16, 16...and Then 23!
Ollie has been doing SO well with his walking that I started counting the number of steps he takes. You know, keeping track of his personal best.
Today, three different times he took 16 steps and then fell. I figured 16 was some mental block that he couldn't push past. (You know how marathon runners talk about "the wall.") And then...
...23 steps! A personal best! One for the record books!
He's using his arms to balance himself a lot. And I have to say, he's falling with style.
Today he was running the loop over and over: Hallway, kitchen, living room, dining room. See for yourself:
Today, three different times he took 16 steps and then fell. I figured 16 was some mental block that he couldn't push past. (You know how marathon runners talk about "the wall.") And then...
...23 steps! A personal best! One for the record books!
He's using his arms to balance himself a lot. And I have to say, he's falling with style.
Today he was running the loop over and over: Hallway, kitchen, living room, dining room. See for yourself:
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"Ollie, Where's Your Shoe?"
This morning, one of Ollie's little cordueroy booties (they're so cute) came off as he was cruising around the ottoman in the living room.
Mike said, "Ollie, where's your shoe?"
Ollie stopped walking, looked around, spotted the bootie, dropped to a crawl, crawled over to it, and picked it up!
Mike said, "Ollie, where's your shoe?"
Ollie stopped walking, looked around, spotted the bootie, dropped to a crawl, crawled over to it, and picked it up!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sneaker Peeker; Spinach Surprise
"Sneaker Peeker" is the nickname that Merrit made up for Ollie. Not sure what it means but he uses it whenever Ollie is being mischievous.
I guess he started a trend because other nicknames have been bandied about:
Tickle Pickle
Walker Stalker
Chunky Monkey
And, on another note...
SURPRISE! Ollie likes spinach!
I guess he started a trend because other nicknames have been bandied about:
Tickle Pickle
Walker Stalker
Chunky Monkey
And, on another note...
SURPRISE! Ollie likes spinach!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Naptime/Bedtime Routines
Thought it might be good for posterity's sake to jot down what Ollie's naptime and bedtime routines are these days. He is 14 1/2 months old now and is still taking two naps a day.
WAKING UP
Ollie typically wakes up around 5:30 or 6:00am. I change his diaper, nurse him, and put him in his Johnny Jumper until Mike's out of the shower and Merrit wakes up, which is usually around 7:00.
FIRST NAP
I nurse Ollie and put him down for his first nap at about 8:30 or 9:00am. He usually sleeps until about 10:30 or 11:00am...about two hours in all. (This is when Merrit and I do the majority of our school work.)
SECOND NAP
I nurse Ollie and put him down for his second nap at about 1:30 or 2:00pm. He usually sleeps until about 3:30 or even as late as 5:00pm....typically, two-and-a-half to three hours. Sometimes when he wakes up, he's content to hang out in his crib for as much as 30 minutes. He'll talk to himself, bang his feet against the crib railings, throw his blankets over the edge and onto the floor, and do mischievious stuff like that. Just like his big brother: A little monkey!
BEDTIME
By 7:00pm, Ollie is already rubbing his eyes and leaning his head against stuff (your shoulder if you're holding him, his high chair tray, the side of the couch, etc.). I nurse him and tuck him into his crib. By 7:15 or so, he is in his room with the lights out and, unless Merrit is in there keeping him awake (which does happen as often as not...one of the drawbacks to room-sharing), he's fast asleep by 7:30.
In the case of Merrit keeping him awake, Ollie does seem to get a second wind. He'll be up--again, contentedly playing all alone in his crib--well beyond the time that Merrit's gone to sleep. We'll even sometimes hear him in there as late as 9:30! So, we try to get Merrit's bedtime routine all squared away (put on PJs, brush teeth, pray, read a story, get a drink) immediately after dinner so that when I go to nurse Ollie and tuck him in, Merrit's pretty much ready to join him for sleepytime. It's a delicate balancing act!
WAKING UP
Ollie typically wakes up around 5:30 or 6:00am. I change his diaper, nurse him, and put him in his Johnny Jumper until Mike's out of the shower and Merrit wakes up, which is usually around 7:00.
FIRST NAP
I nurse Ollie and put him down for his first nap at about 8:30 or 9:00am. He usually sleeps until about 10:30 or 11:00am...about two hours in all. (This is when Merrit and I do the majority of our school work.)
SECOND NAP
I nurse Ollie and put him down for his second nap at about 1:30 or 2:00pm. He usually sleeps until about 3:30 or even as late as 5:00pm....typically, two-and-a-half to three hours. Sometimes when he wakes up, he's content to hang out in his crib for as much as 30 minutes. He'll talk to himself, bang his feet against the crib railings, throw his blankets over the edge and onto the floor, and do mischievious stuff like that. Just like his big brother: A little monkey!
BEDTIME
By 7:00pm, Ollie is already rubbing his eyes and leaning his head against stuff (your shoulder if you're holding him, his high chair tray, the side of the couch, etc.). I nurse him and tuck him into his crib. By 7:15 or so, he is in his room with the lights out and, unless Merrit is in there keeping him awake (which does happen as often as not...one of the drawbacks to room-sharing), he's fast asleep by 7:30.
In the case of Merrit keeping him awake, Ollie does seem to get a second wind. He'll be up--again, contentedly playing all alone in his crib--well beyond the time that Merrit's gone to sleep. We'll even sometimes hear him in there as late as 9:30! So, we try to get Merrit's bedtime routine all squared away (put on PJs, brush teeth, pray, read a story, get a drink) immediately after dinner so that when I go to nurse Ollie and tuck him in, Merrit's pretty much ready to join him for sleepytime. It's a delicate balancing act!
New Booster Seat; WHAT A MESS!
The new booster seat that we bought at the Kids Exchange is working out great! I attached it to the kitchen counter (so it hasn't really replaced the high chair, but at least now I'm not dragging the high chair back and forth between the dining room and kitchen all the time).
"Mommy, thanks for my new booster seat! I love it!"
It's a pretty cool design. It clips securely onto the countertop. It's nice because it doesn't take up floor space.
Since he's right at the countertop, Ollie can watch me do dishes, cook, and clean up. When I'm cooking, I can throw him some scraps! :-) Here, he "thumbs" a sauteed mushroom. (He's all about that thumb, you know!)
WHAT A MESS! Ollie, did you make that big mess all by yourself? Oh, yeah, you better believe it...in about 28.4 seconds, too!
"Mommy, thanks for my new booster seat! I love it!"
It's a pretty cool design. It clips securely onto the countertop. It's nice because it doesn't take up floor space.
Since he's right at the countertop, Ollie can watch me do dishes, cook, and clean up. When I'm cooking, I can throw him some scraps! :-) Here, he "thumbs" a sauteed mushroom. (He's all about that thumb, you know!)
WHAT A MESS! Ollie, did you make that big mess all by yourself? Oh, yeah, you better believe it...in about 28.4 seconds, too!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A Great Night's Sleep
Aaaaaahhhhh...
I fell asleep last night at 9:30 after reading in bed for about an hour. Woke up at 5:30 to nurse Ollie. We both went back to sleep until just now, almost 8:00! I probably would have slept longer, but Merrit came to say that he was ready for breakfast.
Add it all up: TEN HOURS of sleep.
Oh my gosh, I am positively giddy.
And now, the mad dash to get everyone fed, dressed, and out the door in time for church...
I fell asleep last night at 9:30 after reading in bed for about an hour. Woke up at 5:30 to nurse Ollie. We both went back to sleep until just now, almost 8:00! I probably would have slept longer, but Merrit came to say that he was ready for breakfast.
Add it all up: TEN HOURS of sleep.
Oh my gosh, I am positively giddy.
And now, the mad dash to get everyone fed, dressed, and out the door in time for church...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Kids Exchange
So, twice a year I shop for the boys at this amazing consignment sale that they hold at the NC Fairgrounds: The Kids Exchange. (No, they don't sell actual kids.) Think of a kids' consignment shop and then multiply whatever picture you have in your head times 100,000!!
It's totally insane. Very crowded. Takes forever. (I stood in line for 45 minutes just to check out!)
On the other hand, anything you need for your kid is there. For a fraction of the cost. All organized. And did I say cheap?
So, I left the house at 9:00am, stopped off at the Farmer's Market for produce, and got to the Kids Exchange at about 10:00 and shopped until 1:30.
I'm thrilled with the bargains that I got. (I always am.) So, what the heck, I'll share here. What else is this baby blog for except to divulge all the excrutiatingly boring details of our life?!
FOR MERRIT
3 pairs pants
5 pairs shorts
12 T-shirts
1 light cotton sweater
1 button-down dress shirt
3 short sleeve button-down shirts
1 pair sandals
1 pair sneakers
1 set of PJs
1 pair of swimming trunks
a kickboard for the pool
Spiderman puzzle
FOR OLLIE
2 pairs pants
5 pairs shorts
2 pairs overalls
5 rompers/sunsuits
4 short-sleeved onesies
2 long-sleeved onesies
5 T-shirts
2 short sleeve button-down shirts
1 pair sandals
1 pair sneakers
2 sets of PJs
1 pair of swimming trunks
infant flotation device for pool (I've seen moms using these at our pool before, very cool; it's a small innertube with a mesh seat built in; brand new, still in the box!)
a booster seat (also brand new!)
SPOILER ALERT: 1 fuzzy bumblebee Halloween costume
FOR HOMESCHOOLING
4 LeapPad books/cartridges
multiplication flashcards
addition/subtraction flashcards
famous inventions flashcards
Spanish/English vocabulary puzzle
2 books
8 cassette tapes (kids' audio books, music)
set of U.S. presidents flashcards
set of U.S. history flashcards
mini-loom with loops for making potholders (remember that craft?! I do!)
GRAND TOTAL
$287.00
So, I know that $287.00 is a lot of money, but consider that just one pair of jeans at Baby Gap (I know, because I just spent a gift card there) can run as much as $23.00. And I bought all those homeschooling supplies, too. So, it was a good day.
Of course, I spent all afternoon washing and folding stuff. And, before I put it away, I need to go through their closet and set aside all the items of clothing that are too small. Whew!
Even though it's only 8:15, I am so wiped, I am just going to take a shower and go straight to bed! Nighty-night, everyone...
It's totally insane. Very crowded. Takes forever. (I stood in line for 45 minutes just to check out!)
On the other hand, anything you need for your kid is there. For a fraction of the cost. All organized. And did I say cheap?
So, I left the house at 9:00am, stopped off at the Farmer's Market for produce, and got to the Kids Exchange at about 10:00 and shopped until 1:30.
I'm thrilled with the bargains that I got. (I always am.) So, what the heck, I'll share here. What else is this baby blog for except to divulge all the excrutiatingly boring details of our life?!
FOR MERRIT
3 pairs pants
5 pairs shorts
12 T-shirts
1 light cotton sweater
1 button-down dress shirt
3 short sleeve button-down shirts
1 pair sandals
1 pair sneakers
1 set of PJs
1 pair of swimming trunks
a kickboard for the pool
Spiderman puzzle
FOR OLLIE
2 pairs pants
5 pairs shorts
2 pairs overalls
5 rompers/sunsuits
4 short-sleeved onesies
2 long-sleeved onesies
5 T-shirts
2 short sleeve button-down shirts
1 pair sandals
1 pair sneakers
2 sets of PJs
1 pair of swimming trunks
infant flotation device for pool (I've seen moms using these at our pool before, very cool; it's a small innertube with a mesh seat built in; brand new, still in the box!)
a booster seat (also brand new!)
SPOILER ALERT: 1 fuzzy bumblebee Halloween costume
FOR HOMESCHOOLING
4 LeapPad books/cartridges
multiplication flashcards
addition/subtraction flashcards
famous inventions flashcards
Spanish/English vocabulary puzzle
2 books
8 cassette tapes (kids' audio books, music)
set of U.S. presidents flashcards
set of U.S. history flashcards
mini-loom with loops for making potholders (remember that craft?! I do!)
GRAND TOTAL
$287.00
So, I know that $287.00 is a lot of money, but consider that just one pair of jeans at Baby Gap (I know, because I just spent a gift card there) can run as much as $23.00. And I bought all those homeschooling supplies, too. So, it was a good day.
Of course, I spent all afternoon washing and folding stuff. And, before I put it away, I need to go through their closet and set aside all the items of clothing that are too small. Whew!
Even though it's only 8:15, I am so wiped, I am just going to take a shower and go straight to bed! Nighty-night, everyone...
Quality Time with Merrit
Merrit is reading well enough now that he can manage his way through baby board books (it's part reading and part figuring it out based on the pictures). But is this the cutest big-brother-little-brother moment you've ever seen, or what?
Ollie is also figuring out how books work--at his own level. He knows to turn the pages from front to back and to point at the pictures.
Three cheers for Merrit!
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Day in the Diet
Just thought I'd write about Ollie's meals and snacks today, to give you an idea of what he's eating these days. He's got QUITE the appetite and is not picky whatsoever. Atta boy!
PRE-DAWN
Breastmilk
BREAKFAST
About 1 1/2 cups of a mixture I made up last night: leftover lentil soup, pureed cauliflower, and whole wheat cous cous
PRE-NAP
Breastmilk
SNACK
A couple handfuls "O's" type cereal
LUNCH
About 1 1/2 cups of crustless quiche (quickly pureed with my immersion blender and a little water): spinach, sauteed mushrooms, eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese
PRE-NAP
Breastmilk
SNACK
4 homemade zucchini mini-muffins
DINNER
About 1 cup homemade applesauce, about 1/2 cup pureed macaroni-and-cheese, and about 1/2 cup pureed steamed spinach
BEDTIME
Breastmilk
PRE-DAWN
Breastmilk
BREAKFAST
About 1 1/2 cups of a mixture I made up last night: leftover lentil soup, pureed cauliflower, and whole wheat cous cous
PRE-NAP
Breastmilk
SNACK
A couple handfuls "O's" type cereal
LUNCH
About 1 1/2 cups of crustless quiche (quickly pureed with my immersion blender and a little water): spinach, sauteed mushrooms, eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese
PRE-NAP
Breastmilk
SNACK
4 homemade zucchini mini-muffins
DINNER
About 1 cup homemade applesauce, about 1/2 cup pureed macaroni-and-cheese, and about 1/2 cup pureed steamed spinach
BEDTIME
Breastmilk
Circling the Ottoman
We've modified our living room a little bit to protect Ollie from spills and tumbles. We've draped the ottoman with a comforter to protect him from the wooden corners and legs. As you can see from these pictures, one of his favorite pastimes is circling the ottoman over and over and over...
Here, he gets a little "encouragement" to circle quickly:
And now Ollie circles around, eyes fixed on peacefully resting Skippy, who's found a warm little spot to sun herself in--but not for long! (Really, as a senior citizen, Skippy gets no respect!):
After finishing a lap, Ollie decides to walk to Daddy's arms...and then thinks better of it. (What a little stinker!) But Daddy gets the last laugh:
Here, he gets a little "encouragement" to circle quickly:
And now Ollie circles around, eyes fixed on peacefully resting Skippy, who's found a warm little spot to sun herself in--but not for long! (Really, as a senior citizen, Skippy gets no respect!):
After finishing a lap, Ollie decides to walk to Daddy's arms...and then thinks better of it. (What a little stinker!) But Daddy gets the last laugh:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Eight Ticklish Spots
So I guess this is just a day of Crazy Eights. Eight mini-muffins, eight teeth, and now...
Eight ticklish spots. Here they are:
1. The MOST ticklish spot: Under the chin.
2. Sides of the neck.
3. In the armpits.
4. The ribs, on both sides.
5. Hips.
6. Thighs.
7. Just above the kneecaps.
8. Bottoms of the feet.
Well, heck, I guess that just about covers it. The verdict: He's pretty much ticklish all over!
Eight ticklish spots. Here they are:
1. The MOST ticklish spot: Under the chin.
2. Sides of the neck.
3. In the armpits.
4. The ribs, on both sides.
5. Hips.
6. Thighs.
7. Just above the kneecaps.
8. Bottoms of the feet.
Well, heck, I guess that just about covers it. The verdict: He's pretty much ticklish all over!
8 Mini-Muffins = 1 Muffin?
Ollie mowed through eight (!) mini-muffins today. I'm thinking that's not a mini-sized snack after all!
Ollie signs "More."
And: The Payoff!
Ollie signs "More."
And: The Payoff!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Snow Pictures; Homemade Maple Candy
It snowed until about 7:00pm last night! All told, we ended up with about five or six inches of the white stuff.
Much to Merrit's disappointment, it wasn't good "packing" snow for snowball-shaping or snowman-making. He was ready, too; he already had his carrot picked out for his snowman's nose! It was a very fine, powdery, dry snow. Great for playing in, but it didn't hold any shape real well.
We also tried some sledding down the front yard and the slightly sloped driveway...no luck. Of course, the fact that we were trying it on, first, a cardboard box and, later, a cookie sheet could have something to do with it! We just don't get snow around here often enough to warrant the purchase of a real sled.
Well, anyway, here are some photos of the "blizzard of '09!"
Dressed warmly and ready for wintertime fun.
"Bye, Big Bro! Have fun! And stay warm!"
My little snow angel.
Waiting for Dad to tear up a cardboard box for our "sled."
In theory, this should work!
But Mike ended up pushing Merrit most of the way down the hill.
Moving on, Merrit decides he wants to have a snowball fight. Since the snow wouldn't stick, it was more like a snow-flinging fight. Here, he's trying to hit me with snow...but first he has to catch me!
Ollie watches it all from the back door.
We decided to get Ollie bundled up so he could feel the flakes on his eyelashes, the wind on his cheeks, and the chill in the air.
You could definitely tell that he was pretty confused by how different our back yard looked! I wonder what must have been running through that brain of his.
Mommy and her little snowbirds.
Big brother Merrit helps Ollie stand up in the white stuff.
But down with a thud went Baby Roo.
Actually he kinda liked sitting in the snow. He would probably have been content to sit there studying it all afternoon. But eventually we decided he'd had enough and we all headed back inside to warm up.
...with some yummy hot cocoa!
Just before bedtime, we decided to make some homemade maple candy. Both boys looked on while we got our ingredients ready...
"Can I pour the maple syrup, please?"
RECIPE FOR MAPLE CANDY
1 cup real maple syrup
1/8 cup salted butter
Fresh snow
1. Heat the syrup and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to avoid a boilover.
2. The mixture is ready 6 to 7 minutes after it boils (220 to 234 degrees on a candy thermometer). It should stiffen when dripped onto a plate.
3. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.
4. Pour or drizzle over fresh snow. It cools so quickly that kids can taste it right away.
Much to Merrit's disappointment, it wasn't good "packing" snow for snowball-shaping or snowman-making. He was ready, too; he already had his carrot picked out for his snowman's nose! It was a very fine, powdery, dry snow. Great for playing in, but it didn't hold any shape real well.
We also tried some sledding down the front yard and the slightly sloped driveway...no luck. Of course, the fact that we were trying it on, first, a cardboard box and, later, a cookie sheet could have something to do with it! We just don't get snow around here often enough to warrant the purchase of a real sled.
Well, anyway, here are some photos of the "blizzard of '09!"
Dressed warmly and ready for wintertime fun.
"Bye, Big Bro! Have fun! And stay warm!"
My little snow angel.
Waiting for Dad to tear up a cardboard box for our "sled."
In theory, this should work!
But Mike ended up pushing Merrit most of the way down the hill.
Moving on, Merrit decides he wants to have a snowball fight. Since the snow wouldn't stick, it was more like a snow-flinging fight. Here, he's trying to hit me with snow...but first he has to catch me!
Ollie watches it all from the back door.
We decided to get Ollie bundled up so he could feel the flakes on his eyelashes, the wind on his cheeks, and the chill in the air.
You could definitely tell that he was pretty confused by how different our back yard looked! I wonder what must have been running through that brain of his.
Mommy and her little snowbirds.
Big brother Merrit helps Ollie stand up in the white stuff.
But down with a thud went Baby Roo.
Actually he kinda liked sitting in the snow. He would probably have been content to sit there studying it all afternoon. But eventually we decided he'd had enough and we all headed back inside to warm up.
...with some yummy hot cocoa!
Just before bedtime, we decided to make some homemade maple candy. Both boys looked on while we got our ingredients ready...
"Can I pour the maple syrup, please?"
RECIPE FOR MAPLE CANDY
1 cup real maple syrup
1/8 cup salted butter
Fresh snow
1. Heat the syrup and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to avoid a boilover.
2. The mixture is ready 6 to 7 minutes after it boils (220 to 234 degrees on a candy thermometer). It should stiffen when dripped onto a plate.
3. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.
4. Pour or drizzle over fresh snow. It cools so quickly that kids can taste it right away.
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