Cute...Then Broken

Remotes and kids are like bees to honey. Normally it's pretty cute when X carries around the remote.

Look mommy -- I've got your remote.

Yum, tastes good. Don't I look cute eating this.

What followed next once I put the camera away is my remote going splat on the kitchen floor and the back flying off splitting into 2 pieces. So, we now have a lovely piece of tape holding the battery door on. Oh well.....

Not Me Monday

I found this on mckmama's blog and thought I'd participate. It's tagged as "being brutily honest and living to tell about it." So here goes...

• I did NOT completely forget a bag of groceries at the store the other day and then wonder as I was loading up the car why $45 had only gotten me 2 bags worth of stuff - NOT ME, I'm way smarter than that.



• After forgetting the bag I did NOT take X back to the store the next morning still in his feet pajamas in order to "re shop" my bag of items - NOT ME, I dress my child before leaving the house.



• I did NOT have to say to X 15 times this week, "Don't lick the floor vents, that's gross!" - NOT ME, my child is not one of those types of kids.



• After a particular challenging night with X when he ended up in our bed and still didn't sleep for 3 1/2 hours I did NOT sit up in bed, in the dark, and yell out "Stop pulling my hair or I'm going to go crazy" - NOT ME, I'm too calm, cool, and collected in dealing with my child for that.



• I am NOT addicted to reading blogs lately and spend a good majority of X's naps (OK, and some awake time too) reading about other's lives - NOT ME, my life is interesting enough on it's own.

Leave me a comment with a Not Me Monday of your own or join in on your blog if you have one.

Happy Monday!

Where I'm Supposed To Be

I'll be the first to admit that I often complain about the things that I miss out on or the things that are harder to do now that I have a child. But yesterday afternoon I got a little perspective. X was taking an afternoon nap when I heard him start crying on the monitor. He'd been asleep for a little over an hour and the cry was clearly an "I'm awake but I'm still tired" kind of cry. I went up to his room and found a sleepy eyed munchkin standing in his crib. Normally he stops crying when he sees me, but he just continued. I scooped him up and sat in the rocking chair to give him a few minutes to settle down with his binky. The little man snuggled up on me and fell back asleep. I knew he'd wake up in protest if I tried to put him back in the crib. So, I covered him up with a fleece blanket and just decided to sit there. Sure, I had several other things that I "needed" to be doing, but I realized that at 4pm on an overcast Thursday afternoon this is exactly where I was supposed to be. I was aware of how fortunate I was to be able to sit there in a quiet room with a warm baby in my arms who was smiling in his sleep behind the binky. I am so thankful to God for my son, and for my husband who works so hard for us making it possible for me to be home so I don't miss these kinds of moments.

Lazyboy

That's what Walter is calling Xavier's new (well, 2 months now) big boy carseat. Our chunker maxed out the weight limit on his infant seat at his 9 month appointment so we had to go and get the next carseat soon after. Gosh, there are about 60 billion to choose from, so it can be quite overwhelming. After testing out a few in the store we decided on the Evenflo Triumph. This thing is plush! I'd like to ride around in this sucker. It's like a little pod that just envelops the boy in comfort. X has already had a few good naps in it. Personally, I can't wait for him to turn 1 so we can ride him forward facing, but he seems pretty darn content rear facing for now. I snapped these this morning as we were headed out to "Tiny Toons", a music class for babies that was sponsored by the Parents as Teachers program. Doesn't my boy look adorable in a hood!!

Not interested in the photo shoot!

One Deer and Two Teeth

That sums up our weekend. Saturday was opening day for deer hunting so Walter was gone all weekend hoping to get a deer. He ended up getting a doe on the first day just before sundown. So, Xavier will get his first taste of deer meat this winter. I'll spare you the graphic pictures of a field dressed deer, but here's a cute one I snapped last night of Walter and X when he came home from the long weekend. Xavier was thrilled to have him back and practically jumped out of my lap to get to Walter when he saw him come in the door.

So while Walter was gone I was left with a snotty nose teething baby. Yes, everyone should feel sorry for me. I thought Xavier had a cold. He was up 5 times Friday night and I was really wishing I had Walter for help! Saturday night was better once I figured out what was going on -- TEETH. Xavier cut a top tooth that I noticed Saturday evening, and then Sunday morning a new bottom tooth had appeared. This brings the grand total to 4 now. He already had the bottom 2 center teeth. Interestingly enough the 2 he cut this weekend are not the top centers. He cut a top tooth that is next to where the centers would be and then the one directly below that on the bottom. I don't see any more teeth that look like they are ready to pop so hopefully we'll get a little reprieve (and some more sleep!) the next few nights.

Have Lunch, Will Travel

I'm always looking for fun things to do during the week that don't cost money. X and I have a lot of hours to log together while Walter is at work and staying at home all the time is not an option. I go stir crazy and X loves to go "bye bye". So the other day we decided to hit the mall...freestyle. I packed a lunch for both X and myself and we headed out after morning nap. First on the agenda was to take a few laps around the mall. X got to take in the sites and sounds and I got a little bit of a workout on a rainy day. Our next stop was the little kiddie play yard inside the mall. X enjoyed being released from the stroller and walked around and around inside there. Unfortunately there is no gate on the play yard area though and he kept just walking right out. There was a Christmas store that had some pretty snazzy window displays that caught his eye. After a quick stop at the family lounge for a diaper change we headed to the food court for lunch. I think it's pretty safe to say that X and I were the only ones who had brought their lunch to the mall! Oh well, we ate cheaper and healthier (not that some cheesy pizza on a table nearby didn't smell divine!) X made friends with an older lady sitting at a table near us and she was kind enough to tell me what a sweet little boy I had as she left. It's always fun when people think your kid is neat! So we left the mall on a full stomach, having both burnt off some energy, and not having spent a dime. I love it!

Despite the fact that the camera was in the diaper bag, I totally forgot to get any pictures of our outing so you'll have to take my word for it that we had fun.

PS -- I have no idea why blogger is underlining most of this post and can't figure out how to change it.

Gatekeeper

We've held off as long as we could. I've been dreading them. My only experience with them is that they are a big pain in the butt. What's that?? BABY GATES. We now have one at the top AND bottom of the stairs. Actually, I'm being dramatic because it hasn't been that bad having them.We had one close call with Xavier almost falling down the stairs. It was just a few days into his walking and I was on the phone while making the bed and I forgot to shut my bedroom door. Hot foot marched himself right out into the hallway and I caught him just as he was about 1 step from a tumble. Xavier isn't a real climber and has only shown interest in trying to go up the steps once or twice when someone is near them. But, we let him roam around the first floor pretty much so it just seemed sensible to admit our fate and put it up. Our gates are pretty easy to operate so if you're in the market for one I do recommend these from Evenflo.

Xavier looking down from the top gate....

at this -- my loving hubby installing the bottom gate.

Oh, and let us not forget that we have 2 banisters at the bottom that make it nearly impossible to put up a gate without rigging up a few 2x4s with zip ties for support. This look is definitely not in those fancy schmancy decorating magazines!!

Mom's Night Out

Friday night was a celebration dinner for a class I've been co-facilitating at church. As most of you know I don't get out much, so I was pretty excited to get dressed up, eat a meal with only adults, and hear a great speaker. This dinner gave me a chance to delve back into my "work" clothes. You know, those things that are basically not jeans and t-shirts! Walter thought we should commemorate the fact that I put on makeup AND jewelry with a photo before I left.



I guess the boys decided to play around a little with camera after I left because here is what I found when I downloaded my card today.......

And, I'm glad to report that Xavier went to bed very well even though mommy wasn't there to dress him in jammies like usual. Last time I went to this church dinner he cried for an hour! Thanks be to God for small miracles!!

Who Needs Toys

Why is it that kids have all these toys but yet seem to gravitate to "non-toy" stuff more than anything else? I decided to follow Xavier around this morning to see what he was playing with.....

I had given X a paper towel holder and he walked around with it for 15 minutes.

Then he went on to the dryer. I could see his mind processing......"I think these are dry Mommy -- you can fold them now."

Much to my dismay the trash can is a new found favorite for X. He can open it, but isn't tall enough to reach into it.

Then it's on to the laundry room door to swing it back and forth.

And what morning would be complete without playing in the dishwasher? X discovered that it's fun to pull the bin in and out. Now I need to figure out how to get him to unload it!!

First Halloween

Xavier celebrated his very first Halloween dressed as a froggy. Unfortunately it was about 60 degrees here so his velour costume didn't last long before he broke out in a sweat. Who knew? On the up side he did keep the hood on which is a major accomplishment these days. Lately he's had no interest in anything being on his head. The evening started out with a black and orange dinner (squash, black beans, and peaches!) then it was time to get dressed. Grandparents arrived to see our little froggy before he headed out trick or treating to a few houses.

The green family (this was a coincidence!)

It's not easy being GREEN!

Trick -or -Treatin in my stroller!

Mommy helped me get the good candy!

I love the pumpkin Daddy made for me!