July 2010 Toddlers, Cruisers, +1 Crowd

[acginkc]

Will this week never end??? Matt is having a rough one. To go along with his giant wound on his forehead, we were waiting for a friend in front of a restaurant and Matt tripped and hit his face on an iron table leg. He has a giant bruise on his cheek and was hysterical. My poor little guy. I just hope this is the last of our injuries for a while.

So lets get this month started.

Me: Ashley 31
DH:32
DS: Matthew 16.5 months

Well despite our current lack of coordination Matt is doing well. He showed us this week that he knows how to throw away trash. He found a wrapper and walked it to our trash can lifted the lid and threw it away. Now anytime he finds trash he takes it there. Pretty funny. We were pretty impressed that he knew not to throw toys away in there. He also likes to push our mop around. Maybe he'll get that cleaning gene that DH and I seem to lack.

We have no plans for the 4th since I'm working every day. I was hoping to get at least one of the 3 days off, but that didn't work out for me. I think DH may take Matt to a few of the parties we were invited to.

He still loves to dance and will run to the stereo and ask us to dance until we turn it on.

This is such a fun age, now if we could just stop getting injured for a few days. :(:o

[tholbrook]

Ashley: Yikes, poor Matt - he really has had a bad week :( Sorry you have to work all weekend - that stinks. I hope that you have at least a little bit of time to relax and have fun.
Very cute about Matt "cleaning up" ... so far, all we have is a disaster-maker on our hands. Wish she would start putting stuff away instead of dumping it on the floor as fast as she can. :rolleyes:

I'll be back with our updates later ... need to get some sleep. This weekend is shaping up to be a busy one. We have our first playdate with a new Mom/Toddler group at a park tomorrow, complete with playing in the fountain and a picnic. So Maya will probably take a nice loooooong late afternoon nap when we get home - which works perfectly for a late evening out on Saturday. Crossing my fingers that she cooperates with this schedule I have worked out in my head ;)

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend, everyone!

[fancyn]

ME: Nancy, 31
DH: 37
DS: Nicholas, 5
DD: Natalie, 16 months
EDD: Baby N, 8/10/10


Ash, I would definitely say this month has been eventful and rough on Matt. Poor guy, he should have a head of steel soon enough! So funny, NJ has been doing the trash thing for the last several weeks too. We call her the trash lady with all her 'trashy' talk. ;)

NJ also loves to dance these days. I always 'lead' her to the song and then we dip. So as soon as music is on and I pick her up, she yells dip, throws herself backwards and cracks up. It's getting quite difficult to keep up with this for any period of time since I have a giant belly in the way. TG she's only 20 lbs!

Not much to report here - we ditched the bink too and it went fairly smoothly. She only took it at night so not really a big deal. The first night or two she'd wake up frantically patting for it but has since dropped that. Her teeth have been bugging the last several days so we were up at 5:20 today, which worked out fine since I had to be at the office by 6:30 but I'm ready for a nap.

We're headed to the lake tonight to visit my parents, and Nick went down with them early. This will be the first car ride longer than 30 mins in almost a year so I'm hoping it's fine. We got a new minivan that has the DVD/screens - she's not a big TV person at all but hopefully we can pop a movie in tonight and she'll be entertained until she nods off. I'm soooo ready for some R&R and also for the kids to have fun with something different.

Tami - how'd the new play group go? Ash and I did the picnic/fountain thing on maternity leave and I so miss those days. Hopefully her sleep schedy will cooperate this weekend!

[tholbrook]

Me (Tami): 35
DH: 38
DD (Maya): 22 months (8/25/08)

So ... for the first time in recent memory (other than when we were in CA, or when she was sick), Maya got up 3 hours early this morning, and wouldn't go back to sleep. I thought for sure that we'd have to cancel the playdate. No way could she go with 3 hours less sleep, then stay up for 5 more hours BEFORE we even get there. Serves me right for being so hopeful about sticking to a schedule! She ended up taking 2 naps today, both of them with me giving up on rocking her to sleep. I just put her in her crib, lay down on the sofa nearby, and listened to her sing herself to sleep, about 15 minutes each time. Maybe we're on to something - I'm hoping to get away from the BF to sleep for her nap. It's kind of limiting when I always have to be the one who puts her down for a nap.

But we had a nice time at the playgroup meetup ... a smaller and friendlier group than the one we tried previously. And surprisingly, Maya was not in the least bit shy with anyone in the group today! She had a blast running through the fountains, although the place was swarming with older kids since there were 2 day camps that picked today for a field trip.

So onto our updates:

I continue to be amazed at the improvement in her verbal skills. She has lots of phrases now, and is very interested in repeating short sentences (2-4 words) that she overhears from our conversations. It’s frequently difficult to understand what she is saying these days, so I have to really pay attention to my own words, so I can translate the “Maya version”. It was really interesting today to observe a 2 1/2 year old, and see what I have to look forward to in terms of conversing with a toddler. :)

Misc stuff - Maya knows all of her "big" letters (uppercase) and about half of the lowercase. She knows her colors and shapes, and she can count to 14 (haven't progressed any further in the past 6 weeks). She really gets excited about learning new things, so she picks it up like a sponge. Just like her language, it's very fascinating to watch her little mind at work.

Cleaning up skills? She has zero so far. :rolleyes: Our trash can is hidden in the walk-in pantry... maybe I need a small trashcan in the kitchen so Maya can learn the "throwing away" skills that Matt and Natalie have picked up! :D

Maya's current obsession is walking around in my shoes or slippers. Oh, and wearing my bra around her neck. :rolleyes:

I did an update close to the end of June, so not many other changes. Sleep - with the obvious exception of today - continues to be great. Food, not so much.

Nancy, Natalie's "dips" are hilarious! Hope you have a nice trip in the new minivan and a great time at the lake!

[Pony]

Michelle: 34
Carl: 34
Evelyn: 1 1/2 this month!

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a nice 4th of July. I actually got to meet Eva's little girl, Iris, yesterday. So cute and a happy baby! We also spent our 4th at Terri_A's mom's house. She lives just down the street from me. We didn't stay for the fireworks as Evelyn had to go to bed and I'm working today. Evelyn was fascinated by both little Iris and the big kids (Terri's daughter).

Evelyn is doing great. So adorable and fun. She loves loves loves her ABC's. She always asks us to sing them and will say, "A, B, C" all the time.

She is loving her gym class and learning how to straddle. She loves to do the trapeze still. It is so cute when she says it. Swimming is hit or miss. I think she does better w/ Carl in the pool. When I'm with her, she gets upset when the teacher has her and she just says, "momma, momma, momma" OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. Poor thing.

She has been sleeping in a bit...waking up around 7:15 these days. But, sleep is the same throughout the night. Although, I'm having a hard time sleeping b/c I still can't figure out what I'm doing with myself. There are days where I think, don't go to school..just be happy w/ what you have. Then there are other days I feel a strong desire to do it and get involved w/ mom/baby care. I've looked into lactation consulting, but still think having my RN would open up job opportunities that just having my RD would not allow. I just wish this wasn't such a struggle for me. I hate change and I think that is what is hard on me right now. The unknown. ahh! And I wish there were PT school options, but there aren't. I don't know. I can't figure this one out!

Ashley-sorry about all the bruises and bumps. When Evelyn got bit by Charlie, a bruised cheek and busted lip followed. So sad. It is so hard seeing them in pain :o:( Evelyn also loves to clean. She likes wiping things w/ whatever is around. She is pretty good about putting things
away if we ask her or help her.

Nancy-so glad ditching the binky went so well! Can't wait to see pictures of Baby #3. Did you all ever figure out a "N" name?

Tami-glad the playgroup went well even if she didn't nap well...that stinker! That is so cute that she has little phrases. Evelyn still has her one word style of communicating. I just love their voices! She is such a smart little girl!

[Beth G.]

Me: 40
DH: 41
Michael: 18 months today!

Hope everyone had a great holiday. Things have been so busy here. Michael is doing great in Toddlers. He is starting to get more comfortable with the sprinklers. I am not sure how much outside time there will be with the heat wave this week. I know he’ll be disappointed. He did manage to sleep through the local fireworks, which was a relief.

The big accomplishment here is we have chucked the bottle. Michael’s been doing well with an open cup at day care (even with cold milk in it) so between that and a huge increase in eating last week (18 month growth spurt I guess) I was able to get him to take his morning milk in his sippy cup for the last 4 days. Still warm, but that I’m not so concerned with. I know I should be trying more with the open cup, but I just can’t deal with that mess in the morning if I’m dressed for work, and I would miss how he relaxes and plays with his hair. Even the sippy isn’t that great for the hair playing. We are taking him to the pediatric dentist this weekend, so I’m happy to be only circling one “oral habit” (sippy cup) on the questionnaire. I am concerned with some build up on his two bottom front teeth and a dark spot on one of his new molars. It will be very interesting to see how they get in his mouth. DH asked when he made the appointment and they said they have their ways.

The growth spurt has triggered eating we have never seen before. One morning I gave him three bowls of rice krispies and milk before he went to day care. When we got his sheet that night, it said he had cheerios and milk for breakfast there. There was one day that he had milk, apples and cottage cheese at home, yogurt at day care, lunch, at snack time ate 5 small pitas with hummus, and at home more yogurt, dinner like he never eats, and then 3 oz of milk before bed. Am curious to get the stats at his 18 month visit next week.

His big thing language wise is names. He does very well learning and saying the names of new people. Two Saturdays ago, we went to visit a friend with a two month old. She took her to the bedroom and Michael started saying Emma, Emma (the baby’s name) and ran to follow her. He really liked the baby. Yesterday we had friends over and headed to the pool with the dad’s trailing us. The entire walk to the pool I had to say yes, Ami is coming, because he kept asking for Ami, Ami. Phrase wise, he runs around saying Hello, Daddy all the time, and has finally added Hello, Mommy to his repertoire.

DH took Michael to the doctor this morning as his nose has been runny and he has been up 3 of the last 5 nights at precisely 12:30 am with a hacking cough. Fortunately last night it only took 15 minutes to get him back down but the other nights were not so good. The doctor thinks it’s teething – no fever, and chest, ears, throat are clear, but I don’t understand how teething causes boogers (I get the coughing is from all the drool he’s swallowing). However, he has always been right in the past, and he says there are two molars coming in.

Last week I went out after work for the first time since before Michael was born. I have been out at his bedtime a number of times, most recently a wedding when we left him with my parents, but I have never missed an entire day like that – just 10 minutes in the morning before I left. I called at his bedtime and he was happy to hear from me and kissing the phone, but when I told him I was going to say goodnight he completely freaked out and neither DH nor I could get him to stop crying. So I hung up and shortly thereafter he was fine (I was still crying) – am wondering if it was partly an act. He went to sleep no problem for DH.

We had a busy weekend and went to visit my parents in the mountains. Michael had a great time (he particularly enjoyed the ice cream they got him and was eyeing my mother’s ice cream lustily when he finished his cup) and didn’t want to leave. He refused to get in the car seat like he does sometimes when he doesn’t want to leave day care. He slept about half the ride home and screamed bloody murder the second half. He is usually very good in the car (and it is only a 90 minute ride, which we have done many times) so I spent the whole time trying to figure out if something was wrong, but he was just pissed at being taken from his fun visit with his grandparents and cooped up in his car seat, as evidenced by the immediate end to the screaming as soon as he got sprung from the car when we got home. Yesterday we had a play date with a 17 month old and he enjoyed that too. Our neighbors have a son born the same day as Michael and Michael had been asking for him all weekend, but they were away, so I was happy to have an alternative playmate (although despite asking constantly for his friend, if they were actually there he would be shy and cling to me for dear life). The boys played nicely and we spent some time in the pool. Michael was not thrilled but did splash a little. I’m hoping if we keep going he’ll start to enjoy it. With the heat here it was really crowded and that did not help. One of the other moms was there with a two year old and she had to ask these 4 very big kids to get out of the kiddy pool and go back to the big pool so the babies could play without getting knocked over. It would have been nice if the lifeguards or parents would have done anything about them. Four big kids really fill up a kiddy pool!

Not much change in the early wakeups. The last few days have been a little better, but he’s been up during the night. I did manage to sleep 6 straight hours one of the nights he slept through the night. I only slept that 6 hours all night, but it felt great. It was only the second time that has happened since Michael was born. He’s been sleeping through consistently except for this week, but I still wake about every 3 hours. Seems like I am sensitive to the slightest noise. I’m not sure if that’s just a permanent side effect of mothering a young child. Does anyone else have this problem?

Thought I would post a before and after from the pool. Seems not much has changed in a year (well, size has, but not the facial expression).

Last summer:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v5204/216/34/1374095276/n1374095276_519580_1739128.jpg

Yesterday:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs131.snc4/36897_1525861991198_1374095276_1377296_7833595_n.j pg

[Beth H]

Me: 39 (last time to post that :()
DH: 40
DS: (Will) 18 months old today!

Hi all. Can't believe it, but Will is 18 months old today. His checkup is tomorrow. Of course he is home with DH with another case of hand, foot, and mouth - thankfully not as bad as the last time. We'll see if the doctor clears him tomorrow to go back to daycare.

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend - the weather here was so nice. We went to a friend's for a cookout and enjoyed watching a bunch of toddlers splashing in baby pools. Will loves the water.

Other updates - like Michael, Will has started learning names and saying names (and remembering people). He loves to say the names of his "friends" at daycare. The eating front is still not going very well - I am going to bring it up again at the doctor's. Just from watching the other kids, all about the same age, at the cookout on Sunday - he just does not have the same interest in food. Not sure how to get him there. We've tried open cups a few times but it still is a big mess - we're sticking with the sippy for now, especially when he is roaming around the house.

Beth G. - even on the nights when DH and I have been away from Will, I still wake up a lot. I only have slept through the night 2 or 3 times since he has been born. He has slept a little later the last few days, happily.

Hope everyone else is well - will come back for personals another day (have to get back to work)

[Sarah45]

Hello Toddler Mommies! I think I skipped all of June, I can't believe it went by so fast!

Me & DH: 34
Jackson: 16.5 mo.

Things are going great around here, Jackson LOVES to be outside and we've been able to make a few trips to the splash pad as well as have lots of water (and other) play outside at home.

Jackson appears to have caught the climbing bug, I was really hoping he would wait a few more months before starting that. He's really trying to get his little knees up on the couch but he just can't make it - for now. We went ahead and moved our baby gate from the bottom of the stairs to the top of the landing so he now has four steps he can get up and down whenever he wants to. I really wanted him to get familiar with stairs so that we don't have accidents as he encounters ungated ones elsewhere. It's working well so far - he's kind of a pro at them.

Well, veggies seem to be off the table and he has embraced fruit - exactly the opposite of where we were two months ago. Other than the vegetable pickiness he's a good eater and is getting to be quite proficient at using the utensils.

A talker he is not :) Dada is currently Jackson's only word - with an occasional "hi" thrown in. But his language comprehension is really high, he understand most of what we say to him and he has certain sounds and gestures that he uses to communicate what he wants - lots of pointing going on here. I know he could say words if he wanted to but I guess he'll just decide one day that he wants and he'll probably start talking a mile a minute - just like he did with walking.

Ashley - Sorry about Matt's injuries - it's so tough on these guys when the coordination doesn't match their desire.

Tami - Glad your new playgroup went well. We have a group that's been meeting every other week and the kids aren't really playing together all that much but it's great to see the Moms consistently.

Nancy - So impressed with you guys and your pacifier ditching. I haven't even contemplated doing it yet :eek: Jackson only uses it while sleeping so I kind of feel like it's no big deal but at the same time I dread trying to get rid of it.

Michelle - So sorry that you are having such angst over what to do. I know that if I get pg again I will have huge questions like that keeping me up and I don't look forward to it. The gym classes sound really great, I need to jackson in to something similar around here. I keep thinking fall since we are having so much fun outside but fall isn't that far away!

Beth G. - Love the pictures! So far Jackson has only been in kiddie pool type situations - I wonder how he'll do in a big pool... I hope Michael's teething has gotten better I feel so bad about those huge molars coming it, the really look like they'd be painful.

Beth H. - I'm with you on the cups, Jackson loves to drink out of an open cup but it's sippy cups 90% of the time.

[tholbrook]

Michelle - sorry you are having such a difficult time deciding what path to take. It's a big decision - I hope that things start to point in a particular direction, so that your decision is easier. Glad Evelyn likes her gym class ... you have inspired me to find one for Maya, and we have our first class (Tumble Bunnies! :)) next week. I kind of hope they DON'T have a trampoline, or I'll be dealing with a really ticked-off toddler when it's time to go home. :rolleyes:

Beth G - I am very interested in hearing how Michael's dentist appointment goes... I can't imagine Maya ever being willing to open her mouth for anyone to check her teeth. Glad your trip went well, the car ride home not withstanding. Sounds like Michael is having a fun summer so far! I love the two pictures in the pool- just amazing how they change in one short year! :D (and :(!)

Beth H - Happy 18 months to Will! Sorry he is sick - hope he is better this week. I wish you were seeing improvement with his eating. Did his doctor say anything about it? I get so frustrated with Maya and her eating; I can't even imagine the stress this is causing you.

Sarah - enjoy the quiet while you can ;)! Once Jackson starts talking, you'll miss it! Glad Jackson is having fun outside, and enjoying the water. We've been going to splash pads too - and I didn't even know such a thing existed until this summer!

Nancy - How was your trip to the lake? Hope you were able to relax and enjoy your last few weeks as a family of 4!

Ashley - I know you had to work last weekend, but did you get to do anything fun despite that? I hope Matt hasn't had any more incidents!


And I'm very happy this week is over. Over 4th of July weekend, I managed to sprain my ankle - badly - and it is still quite puffy and very black & blue. I was carrying Maya and stepped on the side of my foot, and to keep from dropping her, I took about 4-5 more steps (still on the side of my foot) to regain my balance. I'm walking on it now, but keeping it iced and elevated at night.

And then I was driving down a rural road yesterday, and a car backed out of a driveway right into the front of my car - despite the fact I had stopped completely 25 feet before the driveway and was honking my horn. He had plenty of room to back up and go forward, but for some reason, he just kept backing up. It was literally a slow-motion accident (although it was maybe 5 seconds once he left his driveway), so the damage was minor, fortunately. Maya obviously loved the excitement because she was singing and talking at the top of her lungs.

Okay, enough venting/whining from me :p

Anyway ... we still had a good week. We had our second meeting with the playgroup, and it was fun. I wish there were some kids a little closer to Maya's age, but we still have a good time. We'll meet up with them again next week.

I don't think I've mentioned this, but we're near the end of the teething journey - for awhile anyway. Maya got 3 more teeth over the last week - so the count is now 15!!! I hope to get a nice long break before she gets her second set of molars.

Maya LOVED the fireworks. She was a little skittish at first just because of the sound, but we heard them doing "test runs" so by the time we got to the real thing, she was used to the noise, and completely in awe. She did great even though it was almost midnight by the time we got home.

Here are a few pictures from this past week...

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/turtlehouse/100703Imsofunny50.jpg

This is her new thing this week :rolleyes: - I think she's trying to give me a heart attack
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/turtlehouse/100710MoreStuntRiding0150.jpg

Fun in the water!
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee70/turtlehouse/100710Waterfun1050.jpg

[Beth G.]

Thought I would pop in with an update on the dentist. It went amazingly well. It is a very modern office, everything very child friendly. They had Michael sit on DH's lap, facing him, then lay his head back into the dentist's lap. He allowed the dentist in his mouth for 7-8 minutes (!!!) before he started crying. He counted and reviewed all his teeth and told us they are coming in an asymmetrical pattern that is only seen in about 1 of every 100 kids (not a problem, just different). Then he scraped the tartar off the bottom front teeth, right after which the crying started, but he cleaned them and applied a flouride treatment. His teeth look beautiful with the tartar gone! I asked DH if anyone at day care noticed/commented :). He also told us he has an issue with his frenum and may need a minor procedure when he is 5. DH has a gap between his front teeth from the same issue, so not surprised.

Tami, great picture on the horse. That would give me a heart attack too. I am impressed you got a picture. Michael has a small rocking chair that he stood up on yesterday and was grabbing onto the crib.

[tholbrook]

Tami, great picture on the horse. That would give me a heart attack too. I am impressed you got a picture. Michael has a small rocking chair that he stood up on yesterday and was grabbing onto the crib.

Oh, she was all too happy to demonstrate her new skill while I snapped pictures... and it was the first time she completely let go with her hands. Little show-off! :rolleyes::D

Beth, thanks for the dentist update! I am totally amazed that Michael was willing to open his mouth and have his teeth cleaned. I'm a total dentist-phobe myself, and I dread taking Maya for her first appointment ... but maybe it won't be as bad as I am anticipating!

Well, the tumbling class was a resounding success. Michelle, I'm curious what they do in Evelyn's class - ???. In Maya's class today, they did a little "stretching" routine, then turned them loose to play. Lots of fun stuff - balance beams, a pit with foam blocks, 2 trampolines (one regular and one built into the floor), and rings and bars to hang on. Maya had a blast, and the teacher commented that "she sure has the hang of jumping!" (she jumped her way from one activity to the next and back again). I put her in the class for 2-3 year olds because I figured she could easily keep up with the older kids, and she did just fine, even though she was the smallest one. Tonight when I was rocking her to sleep, she kept talking about "jumping! X!" (they had the kids jump on the pink X in the middle of the trampoline). :p So I think I'll be enrolling her in the class very soon (this was a "trial" class).

[applecrisp]

Tholbrook --

Total lurker here. The pic on her toy horse was too much. I can see how it would cause you some angst. It's like she is a jockey in training -- that seems super close to the stance they take when waiting for the race to start.... well almost.

Love the pics everyone posts. Best to all of you and your kids.

Procrastination break over...

[tholbrook]

Tholbrook --

Total lurker here. The pic on her toy horse was too much. I can see how it would cause you some angst. It's like she is a jockey in training -- that seems super close to the stance they take when waiting for the race to start.... well almost.


Yeah, I think to myself at least twice a day "this kid is TOO MUCH!!!" :D
She was trying to jump on top of her horse tonight :rolleyes:. Each day is an adventure...

[helios7]

Hello mommy friends,

I just don't know where time is going. Days fly by, and I have time to read but never seem to have time to post. :(

We're doing a bit better over here. Quinn is tolerating soy again, so life is a little easier on that front. He's also enjoying the occasional Lara bar (thanks so much for the suggestion Michelle!). And I think Ashley asked if he's vegetarian, he's not. In fact I think one silver lining of this whole ordeal is that he's eating a lot of meat (as it's something we can give him) and he's no longer anemic. So that's good news!

He's talking up a storm, counts to 10 (with a little creativity occasionally) and is beginning to work on his letters. It's just amazing to see how he (and i'm sure they all) are starting to soak up the world and absorb so much. Sleeping was a bit rocky last week (there was a night he was up every 2 hours which brought back flashbacks!!!) but since Friday he's been sleeping through the night unassisted which I'm thrilled about.

Tami - The tumbling class sounds great! I'd love to find something like that for Quinn, maybe next spring. I enrolled him in a summer session of Music Together, but I'm not sure it's a slam dunk. This week the instruments kept him going but otherwise he kept going to the door saying "all done!" :confused: So glad the mom's group is working out, and I also hope your ankle is almost mended. I can't imagine keeping up after Maya on crutches!!

Beth G - Love the dentist story. I so need to make appointments for all of us, but I don't think Quinn will be a fan. Sounds like Michael did really well though! I hope the early wakeups resolve soon. Quinn's pushed back a bit to 7 these days, I know I can't complain but I'd be hurting if it were 5:30 or 6:00. Yikes!

Sarah - Great to hear from you! We're in the "not ready to ditch the paci" club too. I'm hoping he'll grow out of it on his own and maybe the new baby will help emphasize it's something babies use. In the meantime, he only has it at nap and bedtime so I feel like it's worth it to have those go smoothly! It's great to hear that Jackson's receptive language is so strong, but definitely keep an eye on his expressive. Hopefully the "switch" will click one day and he'll be chattering a mile a minute but I would definitely mention it to your ped at his 18 month appt.

Beth H - great to hear from you. So sorry to hear that Will is still having those food issues. And I totally agree about the sippy cup. I "TRY" to inspire myself to work on the open cup outside while it's hot, but it's hard. Quinn has learned to use a straw though, so that helps. And i'm finding the sippy cups with the straws to be a big help as they're more portable (have a little cap that closes off the straw) and are a nice in between.

Michelle - I'm so sorry that you've got so much on your mind lately. I can only imagine how tough that is. I hope you can find a path that you'll be happy with... hugs! Glad to hear sleep is going pretty well, and that Evelyn's having such a fun summer. :)

Nancy - How's it going? Are you ready for wee one #3? Time is just chugging along, and sometimes I forget there will be a demanding newborn at the end of the line! :) Sounds like Natalie is doing well, and I'm envious of how smooth the paci dumping went. As I said to Sarah, I'm just not ready to go there yet. Hope all's well!

Ashley - Yikes! What a week Matt had. I hope he's feeling better now. Quinn STILL has a visible mark from falling and hitting his head on the open dresser drawer in February. I fear it's a scar, right between his eyes too! Ugh, I keep hoping it'll fade but no luck so far. We're big "trash" throwers here too. I love it! I'm starting to work on "cleaning up" in general. Not having as much luck as throwing away trash, but I figure baby steps!

I hope I got to everyone!

[Sarah45]

I spoke too soon in my last post – Jackson is now climbing up on the couch by himself, and boy is he proud of himself :-D

Tami – Oh man, you are having a rough week!! I really hope this one is about a million times better :) That’s great that Maya loved the fireworks! Our little town has a “Corn Days” festival every year and sets off the BEST fireworks show. It’s a good display but what makes it even better is that we have the perfect view off of our front porch so we don’t even have to leave the house! I can’t wait for Jackson to see these, he stayed awake last year, until 5 minutes before the show and then fell asleep – and stayed that way through all the booming! Love the horse picture, that’s totally something Jackson would do – the kid has no fear. Gym class sounds awesome – I really need to remember the name of the place I found.

Beth G. – Glad everything went so well at the dentist. I can’t even imagine Jackson being that good but he completely shocked me when he sat perfectly still for his entire first haircut – just when you think you’ve got them figured out ;) I think Jackson also has the frenum issue – I had the procedure when I was a bit older – grade school – so it’s not surprising here either.

Heather – Great news about Quinn and soy, I’ so glad that it’s making your life a little less hectic. Glad that I am not the only pacifier hold out :D Jackson’s delay with talking is definitely something that we are keeping a close eye on. At the 15 mo. Appt the dr. wasn’t concerned at all but to his Dad and I it is a constant back and forth of “Is there something wrong?” and “He’ll talk when he’s ready”. He sure is a constant jabberer though, always "talking" and "singing" to himself as he falls asleep, plays, etc.

[acginkc]

Tami - I'm so sorry about your ankle. That is the worst and I'm sure makes it tough to keep up with Maya. I love the pics and her total lack of fear.

BethG - Way to go Michael at the dentist!! Glad he did so well. And I always hate when they scrape my teeth so I feel his pain. I love the pool pictures. Matt used to always cling to me like I was about to drop him in a ravine, until today.

Sarah - We only got rid of the paci because Matt was starting to name it, would go seek it out and really try to use it other than sleep times so I knew I had to ditch it. And every night I curse getting rid of it because bedtime is not as smooth as it once was. Hopefully Jackson's language will just click. Matt went from babbling nonsense to using more and more words.

BethH - I'm so sorry Will's eating has not improved. I'm only brave enough to try an open cup in the bathtub :o. I fill it in the sink then when he inevitably dumps it everywhere it goes in the water. He'll do great for like 1 or 2 drinks then be soaked when I swear I only put 2 sips in there.

Michelle - I'm sorry that you are struggling with these decisions. I understand in that I would love a career change, but can't figure out a way to make it happen for our family right now. It's hard to weigh the immediate negatives against the future rewards when kids are involved. Good thoughts coming your way.

Nancy - I can't believe Baby #3 is going to be here in a month. Its great that NJ is such an independent girl. Might make it an iota smoother for you.

Heather- Yay for soy. That opens up a ton of options for you. Glad you and Quinn are having such a fun summer. I can't believe Quinn can count to 10. That's awesome. Matt will say 2 or Go (from 1,2,3 Go!!):rolleyes:.

Matt is officially over his apprehension around water. We went to the pool today and after the 30 minute wait to swim (there was poop in the pool, ewww :eek:) he was unstoppable. I spent the entire time trying to keep his head above water. He wanted nothing to do with me and let everyone there know. He would try to dive out of my hands in the deeper water. In the zero entry pool he'd crawl to deeper water. He was constantly wanting to be going underwater. It was an exhausting visit for me. So I got the information about swim lessons and we'll be starting those as soon as possible.

I apparently only thought Matt's tantrums were over. They have been horrible lately with ear splitting shrieks and "extra gravity" flops. And he just never stops moving. I want my immobile newborn back ;).

For several months we've been struggling with Eczema. We've done just about every imaginable topical cream you can imagine and are now onto a prescription grade cortisone cream. We soak every night in the bathtub, we use fragrance-free everything, tonight I lubed him up head to toe with Aquaphor. I'm just at a loss for how to help him with this problem. If any of you have heard of any other remedies or treatments I'd love some ideas. I just feel so bad for him as he scratches these spots raw.

[Pony]

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to post a quick thank you for all your thoughts. I appreciate it. We are headed to the in-laws for a few days. Carl's family hasn't seen Evelyn since the holidays (she wasn't even walking then)!!! Can't wait for some "off" time.

[acginkc]

This month is flying by. I can't believe this month is almost over. Since we've had not action on this thread in about a week thought I'd bump it up.

Matt is sick and it sucks. No fever and no major snot, just coughing, fussy and not sleeping well. He'll do fine till about 5am and then be so upset. We ended up sleeping in the chair with him this morning from about 5-7 this morning. He has the biggest bags under his eyes and he just looks miserable.

I think we may head to the Omaha Zoo this weekend. I finally have a whole weekend off and no other obligations so we thought it could make for a fun way to spend a day. Lets just hope Matt is better by then or we may be stuck at home.

Have a great week all and hope you are all doing well.

[tholbrook]

Thanks for bumping us up, Ashley. I think that's the first time we've fallen completely off the board! :eek:

So sorry to hear that Matt is sick ... poor guy, he's had such a rough month. I hope he is better in time for your trip to the zoo. Sorry, I have no idea about the Eczema - hopefully someone will chime in with something that works.

Michelle, how was your trip to the in-laws? I bet they really got a kick out of Evelyn and how much she's grown.

Heather, glad to hear that Quinn is doing somewhat better now. Any diagnosis yet or progress with the weight gain? The counting/ABC's are so much fun, aren't they? It's just amazing that a few short months ago, they were just starting to talk.

Sarah, Jackson sounds like a wild one (just like Maya! :D) - I'm sure he would really have a great time in a gym/tumbling class.

Our update ...

I'm happy to say that we haven't had any more rotten weeks like the beginning of the month. My darn foot is still swollen and sore (although not nearly as bad as several weeks ago) but I guess that's to be expected with a severe sprain. But Maya and I are still having a good time ... more playdates and tumbling classes.

Sleep has been good with a couple of exceptions: like Heather, I was having flashbacks to when Maya never slept :o. One night, she was up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and then up every 2 hours all night long. And a few nights ago, she woke up at 11:30, and didn't go back to sleep until 4:30 (which might be a new record for her). It was really out of the norm for her because she was hungry (ate some graham crackers, and kept asking for more) and then screamed hysterically every time we tried to put her back in the crib. I thought maybe she was getting sick, but it never happened, thank goodness. Of course, we were supposed to go to the zoo the next day, which I had to cancel. :( But she's done great since then - nearly perfect, actually.

Maya is starting to sing entire songs (like Quinn, with some creativity :p) and it's so funny to hear her version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Shoo Fly" over the baby monitor in the morning. She loves to dance and sobs when it's time to do something else (dinner, nap, etc) - dancing? dancing? <sniff, hiccup> Again? Dancing? She's so pitiful, I can barely keep from laughing.

Maya made the official transition to a booster seat tonight, and did great - one of the few meals where we haven't had to keep reminding her to chew her food, so hopefully the booster seat helps with the whole "focus" thing. She certainly has her good days, but it sure seems like most days are a challenge to get her to eat enough to stay ahead of her non-stop activity. On that note, Maya finally hit 24 pounds a couple weeks ago, after hovering around 23 pounds for over 2 months (maybe longer).

That's about all I can think of ... hope everyone is quiet this month because of all the fun things to do in the summer!

[Beth G.]

Hi Moms! We have been keeping a super busy summer schedule, so I haven't had much time to post. I am on vacation next week so maybe I can get to proper personals then, but our wedding album (yes, still not done:o) is the priority.

Michael's 18 month visit went great although I wasn't thrilled that after a seemingly huge growth spurt he gained 8 oz in 3 months. At least he grew 1.75". He's very active, so I guess he just burns the calories. He is talking a lot, even seemingly 4 word sentences, like, I want that one, but usually 2 words like open door.

He is just loving summer and being outside a lot at day care. We have been doing play dates and family get togethers all weekends. There have been some episodes if we don't time the driving right and he is awake for too long trapped in his seat, but usually I can hold up a video of him from my phone and keep him from screaming the entire time.

The pool is a little better but now he wants only to go in the big pool so basically I just hold him and he watches the other kids. I wish he would go in the little pool and walk around, but not interested.

Heather - hope Quinn's tummy is improved. I had a few snack ideas, two of Michael's favorites. Hard boiled egg slices (he can eat 2 eggs sometimes) and hummus with pita. He licks the plate at school. At home, he looks at us like he is being served poison, but that is a different issue. I need to taste their hummus and see if the one we make is too garlicky. He also adores his rice krispies, so if Quinn can do soy milk now that would be a good one too, although messy as snacks go. Who knew that rice krispies in milk would be finger food?