Updates

So I'm getting some complaints from friends and family that I'm such a slacker and I haven't blogged in over a month. We are all still alive and well just busier than ever before.  I"m sure I could write about a hundred different things so instead I will just make a list (I'm good with lists) of what's new....

• William is officially walking - like finally officially walking.  It was about three weeks ago he one decided he liked walking more than crawling and he was off.
• I'm continuing to train for my first triathlon sprint.  To keep me motivated, I signed up and the race is in two months!  I've set the bar pretty low - finish and just don't die.....
• I am loving on American Idol this season and I have like five favorites and no idea who might win.
• Last weekend, I spent my first few nights in a row away from William.  It was definitely different and I missed him like crazy!  I loved walking in the house after three days away and seeing his face light up when he saw me!
• Diaper changes are kinda like torture because William doesn't want to lay down, then he doesn't want to sit still, then he wants to grab his privates (that are probably completely covered in poop), then he has had horrible diaper rash and he screams because he's in pain.  All around pretty sucky.
• Last night I took William to the indoor kiddie pool at our gym.  He absolutely loved it.  He squealed with delight at all the kids running around.  He splashed like mad (and for once our bathroom wasn't the wet disaster afterwards).  I bent over and tried to show him how to blow bubbles.  He bent over and stuck his face in the water and took a drink.  Hmm...we'll have to work on that.
• He's starting to "talk" more.  He babbles all the time.  He seems to be starting to repeat sounds we make - like words.  It's so much fun!
• He is definitely understanding things we say - I say, "Let's go to bed," and he'll walk to the steps and wait for me to open the gate.  Adam will say, "Do you want some food?"  He'll walk over to the highchair for lunch.  Beware...he's smarter than he appears! 
• We have an awesome bedtime routine.  One of my favorite parts is when I brush his teeth and then hand him the toothbrush and his face just lights up.  He takes to brushing his own teeth (or basically chewing on the toothbrush) and then he smiles and attempts to brush mine too.  It's adorable!
• Speaking of adorable, he kissed me on the lips the other day.  I asked for a kiss and puckered my lips and he leaned in to put his lips on mine.  Melt.my.heart....
• I'm like half the rest of the world - I'm obsessed with Pinterest.
• I'm ready for spring and for the time change and for summer and for leaves to come back and for the ability to enjoy outside without being frozen.  Someone remind me to appreciate the summer when it becomes 95 degrees outside....

I think that's enough for now.  Will do my best to keep up on things - if not for myself and a journal type thing for William, then to get Stefanie and my mom off my back.  hehe love you both

Wordless Wednesday - Baby's 1st Haircut

It was time...to get rid of baby mullet...

Nothing an orange sucker can't help with...

"Who is that?  Who cares...this is delicious!"

"Yup, I'm a stud."

My son's vocabulary

So I'm trying not to be offended by my son's growing vocabulary, but it is getting more and more difficult.  My son will tell you hi if you pass him in the supermarket.  My son will point out any children by saying "baby".  He has known "dada" for quite some time.  Some newer ones are "uh oh", "pees" (I'm guessing is please?) and something that sounds exactly like shit that we can't figure out what he means.

Every time he speaks, it is a reminder that he is a toddler that is continuing to grow and I'm so proud.  At the same time, it's kinda hard to not notice that he still hasn't said the name of the person who birthed him - his mama.  Maybe it wouldn't be as big of a deal if his beginner "dada" hadn't evolved into straight up "dad".  The garage door will open and Adam will walk in and it's "DAD!"  I get him up from his nap and we walk downstairs and it's "Hi, Dad!"  That little shithead cute frickin' brat still hasn't said mama.  What up with that? 

The rest of the time, he pretty much talks like the Ewoks from Star Wars but I'm pretty sure if he starts speaking in complete sentences before that word comes out of his cute mouth, I might have to make him get a job...just saying. 

"What can I say?  I love my dad!"

I'm an agent...

When you have a kid, you become that kid's agent, so to speak. You figure out what cool tricks and talents they have and then you don't hesitate to show...well....everyone. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, random guy in the cereal aisle at the grocery, nurses at the doctor office. Everyone needs to see the sweet shit your kid can do.

My kid is obviously the first kid of all time to be able to hold a cell phone up to his ear and mumble gibberish like he's talking on the phone. Or when he's in a particularly cute mood, he will hold up a hair brush or banana and pretend to talk on that. My kid is not only a genius but the cutest one ever. He's so into thinking outside the box.

Then it's his ability to say not only one, not two, but three whole words! I'm not entirely convinced he knows what any of the three mean, but he can repeat after me and appears to be the smartest baby on the planet. "William, wave to the nice lady and say 'Hi, baby', to her daughter. Go ahead, 'hi, baby.' Say it!" He obliges and I just glow that, yup, my kid....can talk! Like, with actual words!

Not only is he mentally sharp, but he physically has an advantage, I'm sure of it. He has been pulling himself up since seven months. Well, no, he doesn't walk yet, but I'm sure only because he wants to make sure he excels when he finally starts. However, my kid can climb stairs (cough, has since about nine months, cough cough). And...wait for it....he can go down stairs! [wait for applause] Go ahead, William, show them how it's done.

Well, you get the idea. I realize I'm being like all the other loon parents out there (yes, even you probably) who likes to show off all the cool things their kid can do....

"Hello?  Can you hear me now?"

Food from 'home'

Although I live in Illinois now, I was born and raised in Ohio.  Grew up near Cincinnati and went to The Ohio State University (yes, The).  Although I love where we are now, there is plenty I miss from home - family (most of my family is in Ohio), Ohio State, friends and then there's the food.  I guess when you grow up eating certain food regularly, when you can't have it anymore on a regular basis you CRAVE it! 

Even though I can get the sauce in jars to bring to Illinois, I miss LaRosa's pizza.  I miss Graeter's ice cream - seriously, can someone get me a turtle sundae, please.  And above all, I repeat, ABOVE ALL, I miss Skyline Chili.  It is my favorite food, hands down.  I worked at Skyline (can you say Skyline chili chick, Alisha?) for many years in high school and college and before I moved to Illinois had probably never gone more than a week without eating it.  I was one of the happiest ladies in the world when I discovered I could actually get it here at the grocery (although it's not the same).  Just the smell brings me back...yummy.

Well, I'm happy to now be able to share that with lil' man.  Over the weekend, he tried it and it's official, he's my son.  He LOVED it.  There's some hope that he may have a chance to be a Cincinnati boy after all. 

Baby's 1st Cincinnati chili 3-way:  spaghetti, chili, cheese

Lakehouse Fun (in pictures)

William's 1st  boat ride

Driving with Grandpa

Cuddles by the lake with Grandma

Loving with Aunt Melanie

Chillin' with Uncle Jordan

Fun on the dock with Abbie

Dippin' toes in the water

Mommy getting some giggles

My kid's got smarts

So several weeks ago, I wrote about how I was slightly skeptical that William was old enough to understand and use sign language.  [Skeptic vs. Believer]  He was only seven months old.  Do seven months old really do sign language? 

Now lil' man is eight, almost nine (holy crap, nine) months old.  I'm going to go ahead and say it's safe to say he is capable of using sign language.  I'm kind of still amazed but I'm a believer.  My kid?  The cute blondie with the bright blue eyes?  Yeah him - he's got some smarts.

William is Moving....

Gone are the days when lil' man gets put down, I run to the bathroom, grab a shower, cook dinner and return and he's still in the same spot.  Oh, how quickly those days came and went.  He has been scooting and rolling around for awhile now.  But slow enough that I could at least run to the bathroom before he could get far enough to get into anything.  Well now he is officially crawling and can get into things he shouldn't at medium speed.  While I'm cooking dinner or reading my book, I can generally gauge where he is on the living room floor based on the music that is coming from what toy.  "Oh, that song comes from the wobbly penguin and that is against the wall, next to the toy bin. He's at least five feet from anything he can destroy."  or "Oh no!  That music is from that singing helicopter and means he's next to the entertainment center and probably trying to stick his hand in the VCR!" (yeah, VCR...we have one, what of it?)  I guess this skilled hearing is something I developed after becoming a mom.

Not only is he getting around and potentially getting into things he shouldn't, I'm viewing the house with an entirely different set of eyes.  Everything is way sharper than it used to be.  There is way more lint and dirt on the carpet than ever before, I'm sure of it.  Everything is a potential paper cut, bruise, black eye or broken limb waiting to happen.  I remember watching Baby's Day Out when I was a kid.  It was so funny how that little baby got so far and got into so much trouble.  Now that I have a kid?  Umm...that's not funny at all.  This is serious shit, yo!  HA!  (OK, that baby is still kind of cute...)

So I guess now is the time to stop encouraging any walking or crawling because I'm sure that's when the fun really begins and we end up submitting pictures to Sh*t My Kid Ruined.....

William is eating!

I feel like my mother when I say, "My little baby is growing up so fast."  But seriously...he's growing up so fast.  So yes, I do realize I've become a mommy cliche.  What of it??

William is quickly approaching six months and we have decided to start him on food.  He still loves his mommy's milk, but it seems like he could be interested in something more - sounds familiar, I get it.  We started him on organic rice cereal Friday evening and I think we'll plan to try a new food each weekend (yes...because I'm selfish and want to be able to make it and be there when he tries it hehe).

Verdict on cereal?  He loves it.  Lately he has had this funky discovery of his tongue going on and at first he was content holding the cereal on his tongue and sticking it out.  Then he realized he liked it and was fussing for more.  He's my son for sure and loves food already. 

We will be making our own baby food and we still aren't sure what we will try this weekend - I think we'll see what is fresh in the store.  We don't generally use organic, but I think we are going to buy organic for the dirty dozen.  

Stay tuned....

William's Smiling!

Just like babies do, William has been smiling since he was born, just as a reflex.  He's finally smiling for real, at six weeks!!  It just brings joy to my heart!  I'm in love with this little guy!