Mr. Christopher has company...a new little brother, Matthew Robert. So far they're getting on amazingly well. Christopher ignores Matthew 95 percent of the time, then dive-bombs him, kissing and cuddling him while cooing "Baby brother is so sweet...Mommy, come here! Isn't baby brother sweet? Awwww." Matthew usually tolerates it pretty well, as long as he's asleep.
I've been buffeted from the true difficulties of having two kids until yesterday, when Brian went back to work, leaving me alone with the two beasties for the first time. It was surprisingly calm. I just have to keep reminding myself that everything will be a mess and will be chaotic at some point...at least now I have an excuse.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Well, that was unexpected
Christopher got a big-boy bed today.
We had already moved him into the bigger room and put the stuff from there into the smaller room (sorry, visitors; you've been downgraded). He slept in his crib last night, but after he jumped out and hit his head on Saturday, we decided a change was needed. Hence the bed.
We went to Ikea and picked out a toddler bed. It has a cat and dog carved on the headboard; he loved it. We got the sheets and everything, and while they were being washed, he had a great time "sleeping" on the bed and playing on it. We had a lot of talks about how he was going to stay in his bed all night and sleep. He got more and more excited as bedtime got closer. We cuddled up together in his big boy bed to read books. But as I reached down to kiss him good night, he matter-of-factly said "I go in crib now."
That was that. He wouldn't hear of sleeping in the bed. He was going to sleep in the crib, and that was it. He climbed out of the bed and stood by his crib, waiting. Worried about him jumping out, we decided to lower the side, but he very firmly said "Side up."
Then, he went to sleep in his crib.
We had already moved him into the bigger room and put the stuff from there into the smaller room (sorry, visitors; you've been downgraded). He slept in his crib last night, but after he jumped out and hit his head on Saturday, we decided a change was needed. Hence the bed.
We went to Ikea and picked out a toddler bed. It has a cat and dog carved on the headboard; he loved it. We got the sheets and everything, and while they were being washed, he had a great time "sleeping" on the bed and playing on it. We had a lot of talks about how he was going to stay in his bed all night and sleep. He got more and more excited as bedtime got closer. We cuddled up together in his big boy bed to read books. But as I reached down to kiss him good night, he matter-of-factly said "I go in crib now."
That was that. He wouldn't hear of sleeping in the bed. He was going to sleep in the crib, and that was it. He climbed out of the bed and stood by his crib, waiting. Worried about him jumping out, we decided to lower the side, but he very firmly said "Side up."
Then, he went to sleep in his crib.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
What I've been dreading finally happened.
Last night Christopher woke up screaming around 3 a.m. Brian went in to see what was wrong, but Christopher just wanted to get down, so he came back to bed. I was laying there, about to go in myself, when I realized the screaming was getting louder and louder...I sat up and almost fell over when I saw a small screaming munchkin come running into our room. He climbed up on the bed, shouted "I sleep there" and threw himself down between Brian and I.
My sleepy brain could not process what had just happened. Why had Brian let him out of the crib? Why was he running around loose at night? What happened to the crib, the ultimate toddler containment system?
Brian summed it up in one terse sentence: "He climbed out."
The last vestiges of babyhood are gone.
My sleepy brain could not process what had just happened. Why had Brian let him out of the crib? Why was he running around loose at night? What happened to the crib, the ultimate toddler containment system?
Brian summed it up in one terse sentence: "He climbed out."
The last vestiges of babyhood are gone.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
We might be homeschooling
I tried taking Christopher to a class at the Community Center again today. After the Funfit debacle - he made it through just one class without running out, screaming - I had vowed never to go back. But this was an open class for people who were thinking of enrolling in the winter, and his friend Anna would be there, so I figured I would try it. Despite the fact that he is exhausted, still having not caught up on his sleep after the wedding.
It may have been a mistake. The class was about sports, and they were doing football today. Christopher did fine until about 20 minutes into the class, when he abruptly stopped throwing the football, curled up on the floor and refused to get up.
We ended up leaving early - I am trying to recover from a stomach bug, and not in the mood to convince a squirming toddler to throw things. And it wasn't early enough. He threw a major tantrum on the way out.
So, homeschooling tips would be much appreciated.
It may have been a mistake. The class was about sports, and they were doing football today. Christopher did fine until about 20 minutes into the class, when he abruptly stopped throwing the football, curled up on the floor and refused to get up.
We ended up leaving early - I am trying to recover from a stomach bug, and not in the mood to convince a squirming toddler to throw things. And it wasn't early enough. He threw a major tantrum on the way out.
So, homeschooling tips would be much appreciated.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
I'm training a ringer!
I have gotten a little obsessed with Christmas cookies.
Every year, I hassle people - Brian, my mother, my grandmother, friends - to make Christmas cookies. Typically people are not exactly brimming with enthusiasm. Something about calories, or fat, or having delicious things that have a lot of calories and fat hanging around the house during the bleakest, most housebound time of the year.
But I'm still obsessed. And this year, three things are coinciding to make it the best Christmas cookie year ever.
1. I'm pregnant. Fat? Calories? Hahahahaha. Already there.
2. My mom's group is going to have a Christmas cookie exchange. Excuse to bake!
3. I'm training a ringer.
Christopher has discovered a new love - baking. It allows him to sit on the counter (under close supervision, of course) and "help" me measure ingredients, pour them into the bowl, spill things all over the place. He loves it. I can tell myself I'm introducing him to reading, following instructions, and math (he looked at me blankly today when I asked him to add 1/3 and 2/3, but he'll catch on soon). He was grouchy this morning, until we started to make muffins. By 8 a.m., we had a batch in the oven and he was happy as a clam.
I think it will be pretty easy to transition him to cookies, especially since he's become obsessed with the subject (thanks, Cookie Monster). So, I'll be able to set up a sweatshop and feed my obsession - literally. Let the countdown to Christmas season begin.
Every year, I hassle people - Brian, my mother, my grandmother, friends - to make Christmas cookies. Typically people are not exactly brimming with enthusiasm. Something about calories, or fat, or having delicious things that have a lot of calories and fat hanging around the house during the bleakest, most housebound time of the year.
But I'm still obsessed. And this year, three things are coinciding to make it the best Christmas cookie year ever.
1. I'm pregnant. Fat? Calories? Hahahahaha. Already there.
2. My mom's group is going to have a Christmas cookie exchange. Excuse to bake!
3. I'm training a ringer.
Christopher has discovered a new love - baking. It allows him to sit on the counter (under close supervision, of course) and "help" me measure ingredients, pour them into the bowl, spill things all over the place. He loves it. I can tell myself I'm introducing him to reading, following instructions, and math (he looked at me blankly today when I asked him to add 1/3 and 2/3, but he'll catch on soon). He was grouchy this morning, until we started to make muffins. By 8 a.m., we had a batch in the oven and he was happy as a clam.
I think it will be pretty easy to transition him to cookies, especially since he's become obsessed with the subject (thanks, Cookie Monster). So, I'll be able to set up a sweatshop and feed my obsession - literally. Let the countdown to Christmas season begin.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
They let young'uns vote here
Christopher, Daddy and I went to the polls at 7:15 a.m. today - and walked out with our precious "I voted" stickers at 9 a.m. Yes, Christopher got one too - make of that what you will.
Christopher did fairly well with the long wait. Lots of books and goldfish crackers, and riding on daddy's shoulders. Afterward, we celebrated his coming of age at Borders, then let Jack loose in the woods while we played outside. Alas, he always comes back. (Jack, I mean. Not the kid. I don't let the kid go anywhere in the first place. I don't want to know if he would come back.)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Naptime is now helltime
Christopher has decided he doesn't like naps. He still needs them - gets grouchy, falls asleep in the car without them - but he certainly doesn't like them.
We have had every kind of disruption possible. He has taken off his diaper, peed in his crib, taken the sheets off of his crib. And the throwing the stuff out of the crib every day is pretty much routine.
Today, he emptied his water on the floor. And the crib.
Tomorrow, I'm going to put him into the dog crate for his nap. (Kidding, I kid. Probably.)
We have had every kind of disruption possible. He has taken off his diaper, peed in his crib, taken the sheets off of his crib. And the throwing the stuff out of the crib every day is pretty much routine.
Today, he emptied his water on the floor. And the crib.
Tomorrow, I'm going to put him into the dog crate for his nap. (Kidding, I kid. Probably.)
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