June 2010 Toddlers, Cruisers, +1 Crowd

[tholbrook]

Wow, June’s already here --- figured I would get us started out this month, plus Maya is taking a nap for at least another 30 minutes…

Me (Tami): 35
DH: 38
DD (Maya): 21 months (8/25/08)

May was certainly a whirlwind of activity, so it’s nice to be home again, although we’ve been pretty busy since we got back from our trip. I am hereby changing my stance and saying that Maya is an excellent little traveler, and I’m no longer terrified to take her on longer trips (although trips 2+ hours in the car are still questionable). As you can see from the gazillion pictures I put up on Facebook, she had a great time in CA (and I haven’t even put up the zoo pics from our return home).

We’re all still on CA time, but since Maya seems to be sleeping well, I’m not in any hurry to return to our time zone – the later schedule works a little better for all of us anyway. She is going to bed at 9 – 9:30 pm, and getting up 11–12 hours later. So we might just go with it and see what happens. When we go back off of daylight saving time, her bedtime will be a little more reasonable. Other than having to adjust our meal schedule again, I can’t think of any cons to keeping her on the later schedule.

We’re having a lot of fun with Maya, and she is really picking up so many new words every day. She now calls DH “My Daddy!” --- in addition to calling him “Jeremy” :o which obviously she hears me calling him. I sometimes call him Jeremiah (not really his name) so the whole way home yesterday, she was singing “Jere-MIah! Jere-MIah!”. I almost had to stop the car because I was laughing so hard.

Okay, I hear the sound of a certain toddler singing to herself upstairs. Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend!
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/turtlehouse/Maya%202010/100527bColsZoo34.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/turtlehouse/Maya%202010/100530Playdate04.jpg

[acginkc]

Hi Moms.

Me: Ashley 31
DH 32
DS Matthew 15 months (2/20)

I'm glad your trip went well Tami. It looks like Maya had a great time and I'm glad she's become such a great traveler.

So Matt has been doing great. He is doing better with letting us know what he wants (his vocab is growing so fast). We still have a few meltdowns when we are to slow to catch on, but he's really getting back to his old happy self. He's a master at identifying body parts, nodding his head and spotting a dog everywhere we go.

Last weekend we tore out all of our landscaping and replanted. It was a ton of work but looks great. I'm sure it went a bit slower trying to entertain Matt while we worked but he loved the time outside. I swear we tried to stop him, but he ingested some dirt. It just kept appearing in his mouth though we were sure he hadn't had any. Oh well, I'm sure he'll live.

So I am really struggling at work lately and trying to figure out what I need to do. The stress level has increased greatly, I'm having to work more, we are in a fishbowl due to some changes our store is going through, and though they say my job is secure, they posted it online last week (not just mine, but everyones). I like what I do, but I'm not really willing to put work before my family and it is starting to feel that way. My boss told me today that our district manager is really impressed with my work lately and thinks I am perfect for the new concept store we are opening. Great news except he'd rather have me there than any other store so I'll not be considered for any promotions any time soon. Annoying.

Ok, vent over. I keep telling DH we just need to have another baby so I can stay home already (2 kids in daycare would basically be my whole paycheck). But alas, I will keep working a while longer.

Hope everyone is doing well and having a great summer.

[helios7]

We're quiet this month - everyone must be outside playing.

Not much new on our front. We took a little road trip to Richmond, VA to see an old friend over Memorial Day weekend. Overall, Quinn did great. We did have to do a little sleep training for almost all of the nights to persuade Quinn he was going to sleep in his pack and play. But he was in his own room (which was awesome) and once he went down, he stayed down for almost all the nights. So the half hour or so of persuading wasn't too terrible. I think it was Tami who mentioned the challenges of having a toddler in an unchildproofed home! One of us had to be on him the whole time - I missed the freedom of letting him go with a supervisory eye! But overall we had a great time, he had a blast doing various activities including going to a great children's museum and it was a much needed break for us all.

The stomach issues are still a nagging downer. The soy/dairy free diet has had some positive effects, but both his regular ped and the gastrenterologist (sp?) we saw today are worried he's not getting enough fat. And he's probably not - eliminating soy and dairy eliminates a lot of easy ways to boost fat intake (cheese, yogurt, etc). So we're starting pediasure - as he's now in the 25th percentile for weight. Considering he was at 80th at 12 months - that's a big drop. And I'm going to start oiling his veggies more, and we'll keep trying the butter/cheese. Apparently recovering from rotavirus can eliminate the ability to digest lactose for a while :confused::confused::confused:. I still don't feel like we've "nailed" the problem, but she wants to see Quinn in a month-6 weeks to check on how things are going. Quinn seemed to love the pediasure at lunch, so somehow I don't think getting him to drink it will be a problem! :D And hopefully we can get his weight up.

And that's all we've got going on. I'm starting to feel more tired (and more pregnant) and this baby is very active. She lets me know she's there often! But things continue to go well on that front, so we're just watching time fly by and starting to panic about all that we have to do before she arrives!

Ashley - so sorry to hear about the work struggles. Being frustrated at work is the worst! I hope you can find a solution that works for you soon. Isn't it fun watching the vocabulary grow? Quinn has over a hundred words now - he literally picks up new ones by the hour. It's dizzying!

Tami - So great to hear that Maya enjoyed her trip! I consider myself lucky Quinn is good in the car - he made it to Richmond and back with only a few hiccups (aka tears). But knowing you can take her on an airplane must be so freeing! Is she still on CA time? :D:D

[fancyn]

Happy June! May was a whirlwind and this month seems to be too.

Me: Nancy, 31
DH: 37
DS: Nick, 5
DD: Natalie, 15 months (2/17)
DD2: EDD 8/10

We’ve been absolutely slammed at work(s) with multiple projects and my evenings have been equally as crazy. What’s new with NJ…She’s doing great. As Ashley mentioned, her vocabulary is exploding and we’re getting new words all the time. Tantrums are much better, though she still thinks it’s always got to be her way. (just like her mama!) Other new ‘tricks’ is her new ability to tell us she has pooped or has to poop. I’m by no means going to start potty training but we sit on the toilet when asked. She’s so concerned when I go and then we have to have a going away party for the said pee/poop. She has yet to actually go when sitting there but I’ve only tried a couple of times at her demand. Teeth have also been a bear lately. She keeps drooling/chewing/biting but also messing with her ears. DH and I had the neighborhood garden tour on Saturday and were supposed to have a date night after but had to pick her up from the IL’s because of a crazy high fever. She ran it off and on yesterday as well but I sent her to daycare this morning, figuring I’d just get a call and take her to the doctor. But no call. Hopefully we can avoid an ear infection, since she’s had only one in her little life.

We had her 15 month appt. last month and she finally hit the 20 pound mark, woohoo! 25% in height, 10th in weight and deemed an ‘effective communicator’. To the moms of little girls, the doctor also touched base on her development of breast tissue. Anyone else’s DD had/have this? He said it will come and eventually go – my question was is there any correlation with hormones added to animals, either in milk or meat. He said no but I still wonder – I try to buy organic when possible but it’s sooooo expensive. Lord knows she doesn’t get her new boobs from her mother – I’m flat as a board. ;)

We also got the kids a kick@ss swingset that was installed Friday. Between that and the pool, they both are loving summer and loving the new house. I’m hoping we can actually get in some playdates soon. But I was voted the ‘best mom ever’, at least for the weekend. I’ll have to post some pics tonight if I get a chance.

Tami: So happy to hear that Maya did awesome on your trip to CA. I had wanted to suggest a MagniDoodle for the plane but never got around to posting. How has she been since returning?

Ashley: I am so sorry work has sucked lately. You’ve put lots of blood, sweat and tears into that place and I HOPE they realize what an asset you truly are. Matt and NJ need to see each other soon. It’s been way too long.

Heather: I’m so happy to see that Quinn’s diagnosis has helped understand what’s going on and hopefully the Pedisure does the trick. If it makes you feel any better, NJ still goes 3 to 4 times everyday. And I hear you on the pregnant thing. I’m soooo tired 99.9% of the time and I’m in panic mode b/c nothing is ready!

Hi to everyone else!!!!

[acginkc]

Reported... (the spammer, not Nancy)

[Beth G.]

Me: 40
DH: 41
Michael: 17 months

Hi from the land of total exhaustion. For about 2 months now Michael has been waking up before 6 am. We had been hoping it was a phase but it seems to be permanent. DH and I are both so tired and we get to bed as soon as we get all the chores done in the evening so not much time to post.

Michael is transitioning to Toddlers and that is going well so far.

We took a short road trip to Philly this weekend for a wedding, with my parents in tow to babysit. Michael came to the ceremony and cocktail hour and then I took him back to the hotel (next door) with my parents. I was hoping he'd go to sleep but he screamed when I tried putting him in the crib so I left him with them and went back to the reception. It's basically the first time we have left him so it was a little unsettling that it was an unchildproofed hotel room. He lasted another hour and then passed out. My dad was able to transfer him to the crib. Despite the late bedtime, he was awake and smiling at DH at 5:45 am. Did I mention we are exhausted. So I am off to bed!

[Beth H]

For about 2 months now Michael has been waking up before 6 am. We had been hoping it was a phase but it seems to be permanent.

We are in the same phase - about 5 am sharp every day. Did the change coincide with his move to the toddler room? My sister (whose younger boy did this too) is convinced that because they take a routine longer nap at school, they don't need quite as much sleep at night, hence the early wakeups.

Don't have tons of time - started a really busy new job; Will's definitely keeping us busy; and just normal life stuff too. Hope to post back later when I have more time.

Hope all the toddler moms are hanging in there!

[Beth G.]

Beth H. - hmm, yeah, it was around the same time as the nap schedule changed, a little before. He had already shortened his pm nap on his own. But also the clock change and the more morning sun change. I just don't believe that 9 ish hours of sleep a night is enough though, even with a 2 1/2 hour nap. And a power nap on the way to day care in the car. No matter what though, he is fixed on his early wakeup, even if his nap is shorter, like on the weekends he won't usually nap that long.

What makes us even more tired, is that he starts moaning very loudly anywhere from 1-2 hours before he wakes up. It's very hard to sleep through that, but I'm reluctant to turn off the monitor because he has a habit of doing that when he is running a high fever, which often presents at night and as the first symptom of anything being wrong. Argh. The doctor says he is dreaming.

[acginkc]

Well I think we've now kicked the habit. Thats right, we've kicked the paci habit in just 4 short days. Matt was only using it at nap and bedtime, but since he was starting to name it I figured it was time to kick it to the curb. The first night was rough, but last night DH said he only cried for less than 30 seconds when he laid him down. Now I just want our cuddly, snuggly bedtime routine back. We used to snuggle for a few minutes then into the crib. Now he's all business, no hugs.

So my Mama Bear tendencies are getting the best of me lately. There is one teacher at daycare that just rubs me the wrong way. She's rather condescending and can be a bit snotty. I'm sure she is great with the kids, but has not quite mastered the communication with parents thing. Today when I dropped Matt off I hear her tell one of the other kids "No, we don't want Matt to leave, we like Matthew." Uh, this is a bunch of 1-2 year olds. Didn't think they really expressed dislike of other kids quite yet. And none of them are quite that advanced with language to say that either. Just ruffled my feathers, but admittedly, I can tend to overreact in these situations.

Ok, so enough babbling. Hope all of you are doing well.

[Pony]

Me: (Michelle) 34
DH: 33
Evelyn: 17 months

Jumping in late, sorry.......miss you all.

Evelyn is in her 2nd week of swimming and gym classes. It is soooo fun. I was able to get afternoon appts. so I can make it! The swim class is for 30 min. and 12 weeks long. There are about 4 kids in her class. This past week was her 2nd class and they already put her under water!!! Luckily, Carl was in the pool w/ her that session as I would have been a bit freaked out and she would have seen it all over my face, ha! She did well, but got annoyed w/ it after the 5th time in 30 min! She would not let go of Carl at the end of the lesson. She loves it though. The gym class is cute. I love watching her take direction from someone else beside us. My favorite part is the trapeze. The instructor holds her hands and pushes her back and forth. Evelyn has no expression and hangs very stiffly. Sooo funny. When she walks back to us, she has her grin on.

The past 2 nights have been really weird with sleep. She has not gotten to sleep until after 10 pm and she isn't sleeping in. Her naps have been long, but she is still up around 2pm and bedtime is typically 7:30. Maybe the classes have actually gotten her worked up instead of worn out?? Crossing my fingers it goes smoother tonight, b/c I have a test tomorrow AM!!! She usually does not have a hard time going to sleep, but still has a hard time w/ wake-ups throughout the night.

Evelyn loves flies. Unfortunately, we have a few flying around our house. They usually land near a window close to her coloring table. She will chat with them for long periods of time. So funny. Carl painted our pantry door w/ chalkboard paint and she loves to have us "sit, sit, sit" down and watch her color.

We are heading to FL for a quick trip to visit the in-law's next month. We haven't been anywhere since xmas, so it will be a nice getaway.

Love all the pictures and glad everyone is doing well!!!

[heavy hedonist]

Okay, I hear the sound of a certain toddler singing to herself upstairs. Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend!


just popped in to remind everyone with young kids to keep your cell phones handy and know where the record button is: get a sample of that toddler talk, it is PRECIOUS and soon gone. very affecting to hear a spontaneous gabbled outburst of The Eensy Weensy Spider... twenty years later. my whole family still breaks into tears over the one tape we have of my 2 1/2 yr. old niece talking about when she will be going to school someday-- now that she is a stepmom of a teenager, it's more fun than ever!
i grab bits of my great-niece's lingo all the time when she's here (i watch her on tuesdays to help out).then i stick the blackberry on a cable and upload them to my computer.
back a few years ago, when i was a nanny all the time, i tried like crazy to get my bosses to record their kids' talk.
it really stands out in a way that video doesn't, because you always see the person, but the voice changes far more than the looks---

[tholbrook]

just popped in to remind everyone with young kids to keep your cell phones handy and know where the record button is: get a sample of that toddler talk, it is PRECIOUS and soon gone. very affecting to hear a spontaneous gabbled outburst of The Eensy Weensy Spider... twenty years later. my whole family still breaks into tears over the one tape we have of my 2 1/2 yr. old niece talking about when she will be going to school someday-- now that she is a stepmom of a teenager, it's more fun than ever!
i grab bits of my great-niece's lingo all the time when she's here (i watch her on tuesdays to help out).then i stick the blackberry on a cable and upload them to my computer.
back a few years ago, when i was a nanny all the time, i tried like crazy to get my bosses to record their kids' talk.
it really stands out in a way that video doesn't, because you always see the person, but the voice changes far more than the looks---
hh, you're so right! :) I'm listening to my daughter right now having a "serious" conversation with her toys upstairs in her crib and it's so funny. My cell phone doesn't have a "record" feature (that I know of), but I do use my video camera (lens still on! :D) to capture some of the babbling. The only problem is that no matter how quiet I am when opening the door to her room upstairs, she ALWAYS hears me and stops the chatter. It's just not the same when she knows I can hear her!

I wish I had recorded more of her "baby" sounds - first 6 months or so - because she has changed so much since then.

Hope everyone is well. I've been meaning to post an update / personals for the last week, but Maya had a nasty little virus... all better now, so I'll be back soon!

[Pony]

We have fallen off the front page!!! As Evelyn likes to say, "oh nooo".

So, Evelyn FREAKED out at her 3rd swim class. I think the going underwater was too much for her. She would not let go of me! Luckily, we took her to the pool and she loosened up after a while. Poor thing. She is loving the gym class. She always says, "trapeze" and tries to hang on our towel rack.

I have got to get pictures uploaded...it has been soo long.

I'm still in classes, but in just one right now and I've been able to actually watch movies after Evelyn goes to sleep!

Ashley, congrats on getting Matt off the paci in such a short time! Anything new with work?

Tami, too funny about Maya saying Jeremy. Evelyn will say Carl after I have said it. The bedtime sounds great! If I wasn't in classes, I would try it too!! Evelyn has been getting up around 6 am and I'm not loving it. She climbs all over me until about 7 am when I finally decide to get out of bed!

Heather, glad you had a nice time in Richmond. Sounds like Quinn did great. Sorry about the stomach issues and I'm glad he is liking the supplement. You would never know that Evelyn snacks like a bird when you see how chunky she is, ha! I'm amazed that she is so big, b/c it seems she never eats more than 3 bites!!

Nancy, our ped didn't mention anything about breast tissue. She is super chunky though and she has a little. I agree with your concern about hormones in milk. I have been doing all organic dairy (except some cheese) for her. It really freaks me out. I hate the cost of it as well and Carl is a big milk drinker. So, Evelyn gets her own, ha!

Beth G, I hear you on the early wake-ups. Evelyn is restless from 5am on and is mobile usually around 6 am. grrr.

Beth H, I also wonder about the longer nap time. When she naps during the week, it is usually a super long nap with Carl. I keep encouraging him to try to wake up a little earlier.

Hope everyone is well.

[tholbrook]

We must be a busy group of moms this month! :)

Ashley: congrats on getting rid of the pacifier ... quite an achievement! And I'm glad you're seeing fewer tantrums from Matt... the increased communication skills have really helped Maya too - most of the time, anyway. Sorry work is tough right now, I hope it gets easier soon.

Heather: glad your trip went well - but yes, it is certainly challenging in a home that isn't childproofed :o. Any news with Quinn's digestive issues? I'm still giving Maya her "milkshake" every day (similar to Pediasure) because she lost weight on our CA trip and again while she was sick a couple weeks ago ... so she's probably back in the bottom percentile.

Nancy: wow, sounds like Natalie is "this close" to being ready to start potty-training. I'm getting that question a lot with Maya, but she doesn't really show any signs of being ready. And I'm not anxious to start, especially since we're running around so much with the warmer weather. I've never heard any mention of breast tissue from Maya's doctor(s)... interesting! I don't recall ever seeing it mentioned in any of my reading either. We stick to organic dairy (raw milk, actually) for the most part because of the hormones - and antibiotics and other drugs.

Oh, and Maya LOVES her Magnadoodle - we "upgraded" her from the tiny travel one to a nicer one with magnetic stamps... she plays with it all the time.

Beth G: is Michael's early waking any better this week? I'm sorry that you've been dealing with that for so long - I can certainly understand why you're exhausted. :( How is Michael doing in the toddler room?

Beth H: I guess I can ask you the same question :p - how is Will doing with his sleep /waking? And I've been wondering about his progress with the eating issues ... hope that has gotten better. Hope you are enjoying the new job, despite it being so busy!

Michelle: your post about Evelyn and the flies made me laugh! Funny girl! I'm so impressed that she has done so well with the swimming lessons, despite the recent meltdown. I hope sleep has returned to normal - the "good normal", not the "bad normal" :p;). I'm glad she is enjoying her activities - I should look into some gym classes for Maya. As active as she is, she would really enjoy them.



Well, this is going to be a quick update, as I've already typed this out twice, and lost it both times :(...

Sleep....
The Good: We're back in our own time zone, sleep is awesome (no throwing rotten vegetables, please! :p).
The Bad: Maya is in the process of dropping her nap entirely. Boo! More often than not, she falls asleep during our usual naptime routine within a few minutes, only to wake up 5 minutes after I put her into the crib.
The Not-so-Bad: she is fairly well-behaved, even with no nap, although a little more prone to acting out.
The Great: she goes to bed at 7:30 (no nap) or 8:30 (with a nap) and gets up at 9 the next morning.

Nap or not, I really like her sleep schedule right now!

I was going to ask a question about eating/self-feeding but I'll save that for next time...

I'll save the rest of our updates for next time as well ... but I will say that Maya is a crazy little ball of energy and never ceases to amaze me with her antics. I called home the other day when DH was watching her... he tells me "oh yeah, she jumped down the entire length of the hallway, singing at the top of her lungs, and now she is bouncing her way back". Or she'll dash madly around the kitchen table 15 times, but five minutes later, she'll be sitting quietly looking intently at her books. I just never know what she'll do from one minute to the next: I took her to the library today and she hid behind my legs. Then we went grocery shopping in the afternoon, and she was yelling "hi! hi! hi!" to everyone, as well as yelling out everything she could see (lady! cart! balloon! apples! etc). Ah well, she certainly keeps me on my toes.

Good night all!

[Pony]

Tami, oh my goodness. Did you think you would ever ever ever post that Maya was sleeping from 7-8pm until 9am!!!!!!!!!!!! ??????? That is awesome!!!! Yes, I am throwing tomatoes at you :D. Soooo jealous. Evelyn was doing so well with sleeping in until around 7:15-7:30am, not anymore!!! Her sleep is ok these days. She generally sleeps for longer stretches, but is super restless after 4:30am rolls around. Evelyn is like Maya w/ her energy and the way they act when she is out and about. She will typically just observe, but there are many times where she will chat it up with anything and anybody! She hugged some random man the other day. We were at an art opening and she just went up to him and hugged his legs. So funny. I got a picture of it, but it isn't uploaded yet. But here are a couple from last month.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0d803b3127ccefa39e3f2070e00000040O08AaOGzhy1aNQ e3nwc/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Not the best picture, but this is her talking to her fly friends.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0d803b3127ccefa391ae247fa00000040O08AaOGzhy1aNQ e3nwc/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

[Beth G.]

Hi everyone. Still tired from early wakings here. Monday and Tuesday we thought maybe the phase had ended, as Michael slept until 6:45 and 6:30. I was hopeful that today I would get to sleep that late too since I didn't have to go to the city. No such luck - he was up at 5:20. He sleeps usually from 8:30-5:30, then for 15-30 minutes in the car on the way to day care, then a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.

He's doing well in the toddler room although definitely has been a little off during the transition. Usually he's off and playing but the last week he didn't want DH to leave and was crying every day. This morning was the first day he waved goodbye and was totally fine. His favorite part of the toddler room is the bathroom with everything at his level - he loves washing his hands.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs130.snc4/36883_1509750948432_1374095276_1333934_177065_n.jp g

He is also showing some early signs of interest in potty training. Generally will answer correctly when I ask him if he pooped, and very interested in observing DH. He will say "pee, pee" so then I say, do you need to pee, and he will say yeah, so I will say, you want to go in the potty (not that we have one :o) and he will say yeah, and then I will take him in the bathroom and say, should I take off your shorts so you can pee in the toilet, and at that point he will say no and run off :).

According to Michael's sheet he had milk in a cup this afternoon! I can't wait to hear how that went. The teacher that wrote it up was gone when we picked up, so DH will ask her tomorrow.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying summer. Way past my bedtime but waiting for some cookies I made to cool. I'll be paying for this at 5:22 am tomorrow when Michael's internal alarm clock goes off.

[acginkc]

Well this month has flown by.

Work is crazy as ever. My job is at least secure now which takes some pressure off. However, I feel like I am working 2 full time jobs while I'm there (jammed into as close to 40 hours as I can possibly keep it). Add onto that motherhood and I am spent. On a good note, because my time with Matt and DH is more limited, we are doing much more fun activities. We've done farmer's markets and the local children's farm, and just had a good time together.

So Matt is doing great. New words everyday. He is repeating a ton and is just so fun. He's also getting more clear in the words he has been saying for a while. He loves reading, dancing and singing. He loves the action songs. We sing a lot of "pider" (itsy bitsy), "bumbee" (i'm bringing home a baby bumblebee), 5 little monkeys (he just shakes his finger on that one) and "hoppy hoppy" (Here come's Peter Cottontail). He just loves music.

Like Natalie, Matt is all about telling us when he is pooping. He'll let us know then a minute later we notice he's really concentrating :o. We haven't approached a toilet yet because frankly I'm not really ready to make that time commitment yet.

Sleep is good, though he's been testing us on naps lately. Bedtime is still not as cuddly as it was with a paci, but he seems to be getting used to putting himself down without the aid.

Matt has always been a great eater. He eats what we do without exception really and has never been picky...until the last week or so. On and off he'll get really picky and refuse to eat anything but his fruits and veggies. I guess I shouldn't complain, its just so unlike him.

Michelle- I love the new pics of E. She is such a doll. Love the story about her "fly friends". I'm sorry about the early morning wake-ups.

Tami- I will not throw tomatoes for the nighttime sleep, but I'm a little jealous that she remains so happy with no nap. Matt is definitely slowed without that midday recharge. Isn't it amazing how much energy they can have? I swear Matt doesn't stop when he's awake. And as always, she's such a cutie.

BethG- Matt LOVES washing his hands. Love the potty story. Matt doesn't get that far, but also insists on trying to go to the bathroom with us ALL.THE.TIME.

BethH- How is Will? Has your new job started settling down? Hope you are also having a good summer.

Heather- How are you doing? How have Quinn's tummy troubles been? Any relief?

Nancy- Hope work has let up a bit and you are managing to get some R&R in. I have no insight on the breast tissue, but Matt has had little baby man boobs even before he had ever had cows milk. Its just where he carries his weight right before a growth spurt.

He refuses to wear his own sunglasses, but mine are apparently super cool.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs488.ash1/26668_10150213676975571_503150570_13145397_7770587 _n.jpg

Matt went on a play date with a friend this week. It was super hot out so we took a very sweaty snack break in the shade.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs488.ash1/26668_10150213675840571_503150570_13145353_1177122 _n.jpg

[Beth G.]

I forgot to mention Michael's new word. He now says Mommy instead of Mama. I thought I'd be a little sad about the Mama days ending - he's growing up so fast. But I love hearing him say Mommy.

I wish I could do justice to the story of him standing behind DH at the toilet and then craning his neck around to the front and saying pee, pee! DH was cracking up seeing that little face there.

Will try to get to personals soon!

[tholbrook]

Michelle – I know!!! I’m happy – beyond happy – that Maya sleeps so well most nights. And we have a really fun (read: not relaxing at all :o - she’s bouncing off the walls) bedtime routine, and she is SO good, even when I put her in the crib. But way back when, it sure seemed like those awful nights with 5-6 wakings would never end.
I love the Evelyn pictures, and your story of her hugging a stranger’s legs is hilarious! Was she startled when she realized it was someone she didn’t know?

Beth G – I’m impressed that Michael is getting close to being ready for potty training … too funny about his “interest” in bathroom-related activities. I love the picture of Michael at the sink – he is such a big boy now! Is he pretty good about washing his hands thoroughly, or do the teachers still help the kids? I have to drag over a chair to the sink, then Maya has to lean way over to get her hands in the water. Thankfully, she usually cooperates, and not too much water ends up on the floor!
I wish I had made a note of when Maya started saying “Mommy” instead of Mama … maybe I posted it in our threads previously, so I’ll have to go back and look. She just started saying “love my Mommy!” which is so cute I want to cry! :)

Ashley – glad to hear your job is secure! Matt sounds like such a fun little guy, and you always capture the best expressions with your pictures. Is Matt starting to skip naps too? Maya does okay when she misses her nap: she doesn’t slow down, but she does get a little cranky (falling apart when she can’t get a puzzle piece to fit, for example). She usually gets a second wind and is fine until bedtime.
Does Matt usually eat with his hands? Spoon and fork? Do you cut up the food for him? I’m curious about life with a “good eater”! :p :D

Okay, I’ll try to finish up our update now…

Like Ashley’s Matt, Maya loves to sing and dance. Her absolute favorite is the Chicken Dance, thanks to DH and youtube. She has started to “read” along with us, and can complete almost every sentence in most of her books. We are also hearing some snippets of songs – and just like her stories, I’ll leave out random words, and she can almost always “fill in the blank”. She loves to sing the "Elmo's World" theme by herself (yes, I confess: she loves Elmo and we watch parts of Sesame Street when we're home).

Food … I need some advice here (again :rolleyes:). Maya eats a great variety of food, and for the most part, she eats whatever we do, although she still won’t eat most things unless they are bite-sized, and she has no interest in plain fruits and vegetables (peas, blueberries, and occasional mango chunks being the exceptions). BUT she is so busy playing – looking out the window and yelling out every object she sees, or just jabbering non-stop – that we can’t get her to focus. So we end up doing a combination of feeding her, and reminding her to scoop up some food with her spoon/fork and take a bite. Even then, every meal takes at least an hour. It’s not that she’s full because she is still willing to eat (and she definitely lets us know when she’s done) but I think she’s just too occupied with everything but her dinner. Anyone else have this problem? Suggestions? Please!!!!

Oh, and Maya has figured out how to take off her pajamas! :eek: Yes, the full-length footie ones with a snap across the top of the zipper, along with her diaper cover. Fortunately (so far), it has only been wet diapers, but it still results in stripping the sheets, crib bumpers and even her stuffed animals, and washing/drying/re-assembling everything before naptime. I caught her in the act yesterday – only because she got her leg caught in the crib slats before she finished undressing, and started yelling “help! help!”. Otherwise she was being quiet as a mouse. I'm pretty sure she thinks it is a super-fun game! :cool:

Okay, I’d better head to bed … I have to get up early tomorrow and get some stuff done before Maya gets up.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

[Pony]

Food … I need some advice here (again :rolleyes:). Maya eats a great variety of food, and for the most part, she eats whatever we do, although she still won’t eat most things unless they are bite-sized, and she has no interest in plain fruits and vegetables (peas, blueberries, and occasional mango chunks being the exceptions). BUT she is so busy playing – looking out the window and yelling out every object she sees, or just jabbering non-stop – that we can’t get her to focus. So we end up doing a combination of feeding her, and reminding her to scoop up some food with her spoon/fork and take a bite. Even then, every meal takes at least an hour. It’s not that she’s full because she is still willing to eat (and she definitely lets us know when she’s done) but I think she’s just too occupied with everything but her dinner. Anyone else have this problem? Suggestions? Please!!!!

can't really post right now, but just wanted to say we have the same distraction issue......and not really sure what to do. will write more later!

[acginkc]

Tami- We cut up Matt's food, but it is still big enough that he has to take bites from it. We offer silverware, but he is not great at using it. Not sure if Maya is still in a high chair, but we noticed Matt was better at dinner when we switched to a booster seat at the table. I was listening to a podcast the other day and they mentioned playing really hard right before dinner (like running or something to wear her out) so that the child would be better able to focus on eating. You may also look at when she is eating her last afternoon snack. It may be too close to dinner time. As for the fresh veggies and fruits I have no suggestions there since this week its all we can get him to eat. That and crackers. :rolleyes:

[Pony]

One thing we are trying is to keep some toys out of sight. This is very hard b/c our table is in the living room! She gets fixed on wanting my water bottle, so I have to remember to bring a glass of water to the table instead of my camelbak. Sometimes she wants the glass. She does so much better with eating when she is not in the highchair! However, I'm making sure we all sit for dinner. Carl has better luck w/ breakfast and lunch on the go. "Evelyn, want some cheese" as she is running to another toy. That is how she gets a lot of her meals!!! She is distracted w/ playing and will actually eat. Probably not a good thing, but I'm more interested in all of us sitting down for dinner then the other 2 meals. She is definitely picky these days. I typically feed her w/ a spoon or fork b/c she still hasn't gotten the hang of it. I guess we do a combo of both, letting her self feed and us feeding her.

Ashley, ooohhh, do tell about the podcast!!! Would love to listen to some!

[tholbrook]

Thanks for the replies! Ashley, I sure wish Maya would eat as well as Matt does. She does eat a LOT of food at dinner without protesting, so I don't think the snack is too late ... but she just is too distracted to eat by herself.

I hope Matt drops the "picky phase" soon! And I meant to ask you this earlier (from the May thread): how is Matt doing with his biting at daycare? I haven't seen any mention of it this month, so I'm hoping that it's no longer an issue. :)

And Michelle, I'm relieved that someone else is still spoon-feeding their toddler :rolleyes:;) ... although Maya is 6+ months older than Evelyn :eek:. I can't bear to spend an extra hour at the table for breakfast most days, so Maya eats on the run too - we buy fruit-filled cereal bars from Trader Joe's and I manage to give her bites as she runs by me. Not the most ideal breakfast, but ... oh well, it seems to work for us. She also gets a sippy cup with her "milk shake" so she gets some protein and other good stuff.


With 4th of July coming up soon, is anyone taking the kids to see the fireworks? Any concern about reaction to the loud noise? We're thinking about taking Maya to a hot air balloon show, and then staying for the fireworks, but I don't want to deal with her falling apart at the seams. I think she'll enjoy it, but between the noise and the extra-late bedtime, I'm having second thoughts.

[helios7]

Hi ladies....

This thread is starting to move fast again. I love it, but have just never had time to post. Time is flying, and there never seem to be enough (free) hours in the day.

We're doing well, minus Quinn's stomach. I'm so stressed and worried about him, but I'm trying NOT to stress and worry, if that makes sense. The reintegration of butter/cheese didn't go well, and reverting to the dairy-free/soy hasn't had an effect 8 days in. I just wish we could figure something out, because he's still not gaining weight. We had to revert to buying him 12-18 month clothes because the 18 month ones are hanging off him. :( Aside from all that, we're having fun. I took him to our county pool this week, and he was initially cautious but then warmed right up! He especially loved being swirled around in the big pool. We finally got a railing installed on our deck (don't ask why one was missing - we really don't know!) so we're enjoying letting him play and run around on that space now there's not a four foot drop. He's still a happy go lucky guy, although I've found sleep to be an issue lately. Not in getting him to sleep (short of a brief stubborn streak a few weeks back where he would insist on wanting to be "out" and "all done!") but he's been waking in the night more and sometimes waking early. He just seems more tired lately. But overall, I'm not going to complain. :D

Regarding eating - Quinn seems to be all over the map. Like Matt, generally he eats well in his high chair, and he actually loves using forks/spoons. I generally have two available, one for him to use and one for me to "supplement". He isn't so skilled at spearing, and continually asks for "help" but he generally enjoys trying so I won't complain. My struggle is with his iffy appetite. Sometimes he simply refuses to eat, and given his weight it's so frustrating! I often bribe him with fruit. A few blueberries on his plate will get him eating, and then I can stick a few bites in. Or after a refused meal he'll be hungry, and while I try to limit the snacks it's hard not to feed him when hungry. And then he won't be as hungry at the next meal. A vicious cycle.

I also feel like he's bored by our dairy free/soy free menus, and that's a factor too. I'm trying to get creative, but so wish I could give him cheese. Cheese would solve so many of my problems!

Tami - I haven't thought about fireworks, but I feel like Quinn would be scared. But it's an interesting thought, I should think about it more. And that is hilarious about the pjs. Except not really, I would think it would get old fast!

Michelle - Sounds like all is going well in Evelyn's world! I love the pictures - she's such a happy little girl. And I agree about the distraction. Luckily there's not too much in sight where Quinn eats, but sometimes something wanders in.... and the result can be disastrous.

Ashley - sounds like Matt is doing so well. Quinn is also starting to be more aware as well. He is starting to talk about his "diaper" although usually more after the fact. His stomach issues don't help though - we've had a few bath accidents lately. Poor guy!! Quinn's vocab is also growing exponentially. It's so fun, isn't it!

Beth- Sorry to hear about the early wakeups. Quinn's woken in the 6 hour the past few days which is super early for him, however he doesn't seem rested so I can't figure out why. In fact yesterday i had to give him an early "power nap" as he was just a mess from fatigue. I love the school pictures! Michael looks so big! Amazing.


Well, my boys are on their way back from their father-son Lowe's outing. So my stretch of free time is coming to an end. Bummer. :D At least I caught up a bit!

[Pony]

Heather, I'm sure you have told us this already, but have you been to a gastroenterologist and/or an allergist? I can't remember if you are just working w/ your ped? Has he been tested for Chrons, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD, etc?? I just wish you had some answers!!!! Poor Quinn!!!!! I can only imagine how worrisome it is. We stocked up on Lara bars b/c they were on sale for $1 and was wondering if you have given any to Quinn. The coconut one was so good and high in calories/fat. Thinking of you!

[helios7]

Heather, I'm sure you have told us this already, but have you been to a gastroenterologist and/or an allergist? I can't remember if you are just working w/ your ped? Has he been tested for Chrons, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD, etc?? I just wish you had some answers!!!! Poor Quinn!!!!! I can only imagine how worrisome it is. We stocked up on Lara bars b/c they were on sale for $1 and was wondering if you have given any to Quinn. The coconut one was so good and high in calories/fat. Thinking of you!

Thanks Michelle. We did see a pediatric gastroenterologist in mid-June, and she wants to see him again mid-July. Which reminds me, I should make that appointment. She was concerned about his weight, but thinks he has "toddler's diarrhea" which from what i read (online) doesn't sound right. Mostly because toddler's diarrhea doesn't cause weight loss. And we're in a grey area - loose but not all the way, if you know what I mean. We just did an a series of blood tests (through the ped) to see if there was an allergic reaction (or to see if his levels would indicate an allergic reaction) but they came back normal. Your other suggestions are good ones, I'll bring them up when we meet with the ped. gastro again.

And thanks for the Lara bar suggestion - are they dairy/soy free? If so, I'll definitely get some!

[Pony]

Thanks Michelle. We did see a pediatric gastroenterologist in mid-June, and she wants to see him again mid-July. Which reminds me, I should make that appointment. She was concerned about his weight, but thinks he has "toddler's diarrhea" which from what i read (online) doesn't sound right. Mostly because toddler's diarrhea doesn't cause weight loss. And we're in a grey area - loose but not all the way, if you know what I mean. We just did an a series of blood tests (through the ped) to see if there was an allergic reaction (or to see if his levels would indicate an allergic reaction) but they came back normal. Your other suggestions are good ones, I'll bring them up when we meet with the ped. gastro again.

And thanks for the Lara bar suggestion - are they dairy/soy free? If so, I'll definitely get some!

Heather, I think all lara bars are both dairy and soy free. If not all, then a lot of the flavors. Most of them only have 4 ingredients. I remember seeing someone on the boards make there own. I sure hope you all find an answer soon!!! I will be thinking about you.

[Pony]

Heather, some other things I was thinking about, but you probably already know this stuff since you are a cook! Have you tried any coconut based yogurts or ice creams? I typically would say no to increased amounts of ice cream at this age, but at this point it is about fat and calories and limiting sugar doesn't need to be a focus unless it is making him sick. I remember Carl getting me this awesome coconut based ice cream when I couldn't have dairy. I do not remember if there was soy or not. You could also mix it with fruit or his supplement and make a smoothie if he tires of his supplement. I would also drizzle olive oil over all of his food as long as he still continues to eat it. Beans and avocado are also nutrient dense and I would drizzle the oil on these as well. He is doing nuts, right? I would try to spread peanut butter on fruits and crackers to add calories. You could even do more peanut/coconut sauces on pasta instead of just a red sauce to pack in more calories or do red sauce but add extra oil. Coconut based soups as well.....ok, I will continue thinking.... :)

[acginkc]

Michelle- The podcast is Manic Mommies. They both have 2 kids and work full time. Some funny stories, and interesting topics, though I don't always agree with their take on things, it's been interesting listening on my way to work.

Heather- I'm sorry Quinn's eating has been such a challenge. I wish I had some good ideas, but dairy and soy are big parts of Matt's diet so I would have a hard time trying to feed him without those groups as well. I'll keep a list of what food Matt isn't just throwing on the floor to see if we can help you come up with some other options. I know you are vegetarian, but are you feeding Quinn veggie too or does he eat some meat (or eggs).

[acginkc]

We've had our first official injury. DH called me at work today to tell me that he was taking a bleeding child to the doctor. Matt apparently ran into a wall at daycare and busted open his head. The gash was over 3cm long and though I won't share the before pictures, it was pretty bad. I would not be surprised if we didn't end up with a bit of a scar. It is only appropriate as I have a scar on my cheek from a childhood collision and DH has one on his forehead.

Matt seems to be doing well. If he bumps it he'll whine and grab his head. They glued it closed rather than stitches (and from DH's description, sounds like they hadn't used it too often).

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs488.snc3/26690_10150218759615571_503150570_13301133_3463933 _n.jpg

[tholbrook]

:( Oh no, poor Matt! He must have been running at top speed to cut open his head like that - looks like he has a nice goose egg on his forehead too. From the picture, seems like he is handling it pretty well overall ... Ashley, I'm sure it freaked you out, so I hope things are a little calmer now at your house tonight. :o

We had a cooking club get-together at our house Saturday night, and expanded our table to fit everyone... Maya isn't used to the larger version - she was very careful at first, but forgot after awhile, so of course she caught the side of her head on the metal corner. A small goose egg (her first, I think), a good amount of crying and some Motrin to keep the headache at bay - she did great the rest of the evening, although she was a bit more timid when running around the table. Nothing close to what Matt experienced, I know - but it makes you feel bad to see your kid get hurt :(.

Hey Ashley --- does Matt have all his teeth now? Sure looks like it in the picture!

Heather, I think I mentioned it before, but re: diaper issues, Maya is also in the "grey area" and sometimes has 3 dirty diapers a day (but sometimes 1 or 2 ... and occasionally zero). I'm sorry that you and Quinn are still going through this without a diagnosis ... I hope the doctor comes up with the solution at Quinn's July appointment.