Friday, September 29, 2006

Birthdays

I started to write a post all about the drama and stress I felt in trying to plan Grant's first birthday party. But the problem is, it turns out it wasn't that dramatic, and now the stress is gone.

Long story short: October weekends are SO packed for my family, we just couldn't find a date when the family could all get together to celebrate. Or at least not one that was remotely close to his actual birthday. So. We are having it on a weeknight. And I feel bad that some family is inconvenienced to come after work, or leave work early, but I feel I had no choice.

In other news; Today Amalah made me cry. I only wish I could say the same things about my life, about my kids, about my husband... because I feel all the same things, I just can't write like that! WOW!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Halloween has been decided!

Halloween... the 2nd most important decision of my month, has been settled.

Luckily, I did not get the Dora dress I was bidding on. Sorry kids, Mommy was not willing to spend over $30 PLUS shipping to get ONE costume! It would have been at least another $30 for the other one.

Really though, it was a good thing. I went home Monday debating on paying too much for the princess Dora costume, or settling on the regular Dora costume. So I asked Brianna which one she wanted... to which she promptly answered... "I don't wanna be Dora anymore, I wanna be a princess! I wanna be Cinereya!" (That's Cinderella for all you people who don't speak three year old.)

SOOOOOOOOO, That actually made Brianna's costume really easy because we already have a Cinderella play dress. The only debate was what should Grant be....
Not Prince Charming, he's way to short!
Not a stepsister because, duh, he's a boy.
Maybe the dog... or the horse...
NO! WHAT WAS I THINKING... OF COURSE HE'LL BE A...... MOUSE!

Tuesday I won a very cute, and very reasonably priced mouse costume on e-bay. I will add a little t-shirt and some booties, and Voila! Cinderella's best friend, the mouse!

It's a little scary how thrilled I am!

Soon to come... the drama of planning Grant's first birthday party....

Monday, September 25, 2006

Stuff...

Halloween... I think we have decided on Dora and Boots. Brianna is almost out of this Dora phase and if we don't do it this year, it's never going to happen. Besides, I think I found the right costumes on E-bay and will be purchasing today to make sure I get them in plenty of time.

New Stuff... Did I mention that Grant can clap now? And that he loves music? Well, yesterday we were at my in-laws with all the 30 year old toys... I started playing on one of those little xylophone things and he stopped dead in his tracks, stared at me while I was playing, and then clapped for me when I was done. It was SO cute!
... Also... We have officially taken Grant off the bottle and put him on sippy cups cold turkey! I was so tired of washing the 4 cracking, leaky, bottles we own daily, I found a sippy he likes and today will buy a boat load of them... or atleast 12! (Why did we only own four crappy bottles... see January and February posts about discontinued bottles!)

Bad Mommy... Grant's dinner was all thrown off by a crazy schedule yesterday (he napped through lunch and didn't eat until 2:30!). It was made worse by dinner at the in-laws (7 adults and 4 kids in a room about 400 square feet). So, I did his dinner out of order; snacks, then veggies... then I should have done the bottle later. PEOPLE... I FORGOT TO GIVE HIM HIS BOTTLE! He didn't even mention it... until 2 am. Then he mentioned it, he mentioned it over and over for a half an hour until obtuse mommy figured out the problem! UGH, Sorry Grant!

And Bri- is fine. No real news. She's a stinker but I love her.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Halloween 04 and 05


Halloween Help Needed

Halloween is coming! Mothers everywhere are either working diligently to make their child the best costume ever, or scouring the stores to buy the one costume that will make their child have the perfect Halloween.

My mother made me Halloween costumes every year that I would let her. Some of my favorite costumes are still hanging in my closets in the hope that some year, they will fit my children just right. My mom spent hours and hours, late at night usually, sewing instead of sleeping.

2003-For Brianna's first Halloween, I made her a Tinkerbell costume. OK, honestly, it was just a green sleeper but I made a little tutu and wings.
2004-For her second Halloween, I made her a strawberry costume. Well, really, it was a red turtleneck and sweatpants but I hand sewed little black beads all over the shirt and made a collar out of felt that looked like leaves.
2005-Last Halloween, Brianna was a cowgirl. I bought a little denim dress and added fringe and bandana print detailing. That year was also Grant's first Halloween. He was a cow! I took a white sleeper and attached black felt spots.
2006-I don't know what to do! I love the idea of my kids having coordinated costumes, I think it's very cute and they are too young to protest. I think I will have to give up on making my kids costumes this year which makes me really sad. I just don't have the time and my skills are sorely lacking. My friend is having the same problem... Any ideas for us? Please help me decide:

Brianna- Princess; Grant- Frog... (not quite right because I really don't want the princess to kiss the frog).

Brianna- Dora the Explorer; Grant- Boots the Monkey... The Dora costume would be pretty easy but the monkey, not so much.

Any other ideas?

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Photos, finally, I hope



Too Little, Too Late

Grant can clap his hands! People, this is amazing!

Suddenly on Sunday he just started trying this, and on Tuesday he actually made noise. He was SO excited he kept doing it over and over again. I, ran for the camera!

Of course by the time I put the batteries in (they were charging), and put the memory card it (I'd taken it out to do some downloads), HE STOPPED.

I tried in vain to get him to do it again for the next 20 minutes! No dice. Maybe next weekend...

Trying to post pictures for the third day in a row!

This is what I get instead of pictures... not nearly as enjoyable!

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Monday, September 18, 2006

No time to write, will post newish pics instead

Can't even post pics as blogger is being snotty!

Will try again later.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Confirmation denied

Grant has not really been calling me mama like I thought. I am saddened to think that it may have been a coincidence that he was babbling that sound combination at that time.

He can however wave to me! This is new and exciting and just shut up if you don't think so!

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Worst mother in the world; part 35976

Today I sent Grant to school sick.

More specifically:
Grant woke up around two and had a fever. I did not actually take his temperature but people, a mom knows, he was hot, and not in the Paris Hilton way. I gave him Tylenol and we cuddled until I could feel that it was working. I tried putting him to sleep. For the next hour, we played the comfort the baby game. I comfort him for a few minutes and put him down. He sleeps for a few minutes, teasing mommy into thinking it worked, and then he screams until I come back again. Finally at around 3:30, I took him into bed with me. From there, we both slept in 30-45 minute stretches until whatever was wrong started bothering him again.

This morning, the fever was back, he was one hot little guy! However... I can't take off work today because I'm taking off (sort of) for a conference tomorrow and I can't stay on schedule if my students have 2 days of substitute instead of one... SO, I gave my little sicky more tylenol and hope that the 5-6 hours it buys me until daycare figures out that he's sick and shouldn't be there is enough.

That being said... what the heck am I doing writing on my blog when I should be working?

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Momentous Occasion

Grant's first word is Mama!

He has been babbling mama, dada, gaga, etc for quite some time now and I didn't think they really had any meaning to him. I still took every opportunity to point to myself and say mama, or call myself mama when talking to him. Still, it sounded like babble when he said it.

Well this weekend, he specifically used Mama to refer to me. How can I be so sure all of a sudden?

WELL, when I left the room to use the restroom, he crawled after me and proceeded to sit outside the door crying and saying "Mama" over and over until I came out! Not my favorite way of finding out, but still momentous!

Ways I would have preferred to hear his first word, for the first time...
- When I pick him up from his crib in the morning.
- picking him up from daycare, with a big smile!
- anytime other than in the JOHN!