1 + 1 + 1 + One More = 4

December 15, 2011

So... it appears as though there is a very good possibility that the story of you is to be divided in two. 12 weeks ago today a child latched onto me and hasn't let go yet. Which of course means that there is a strong possibility, if this child decides to stay, that you are going to be a big brother. Despite being excited there remains a part of me that is very sad for us. Us, being, you and I. You are going to have to sacrifice a lot of your time with me for your little brother or sister. I may not be able to cuddle you to sleep at night, or snuggle up on the couch with you and watch Elmo and Toy Story, carry you about the house when you are feeling sick or just grumpy. There are so many special moments that I cherish with you that I'm terrified to give up. Apparently this is a common fear mothers have. And then baby number two is born and you always find a way to find special moments with baby number one. I just don't want you to feel neglected, or sad, or second best. I'm also very excited for you! I little sibling! Someone to play castle with, build forts, hide and seek, a camping companion, a bath tub buddy, someone to hide under the covers with when it's storming outside, collect bugs in a jar with, bike rides, and god knows what else.

Naked and Loving It

Aug. 18 2011

We started potty training you at 8 months. It was nothing serious I just thought that the earlier I introduced it the easier it would be when you were ready. Turns out you loved the potty! You peed on it every single time I put you on. You would even do the sign language for it and giggle while you were on. But then the dreaded teeth started to come in at 10 months and you lost all interest in the potty.

Recently I noticed that you don't give any warning or sign like most toddlers would as to when you might be relieving yourself in your diaper. How was I supposed to stop you mid way and put you on the potty to teach you, if I had no way of knowing when you were going?! So off came the diaper. I couldn't mistake your actions now! There was a few times where I was walking from the living room to the kitchen that I would step in a warm puddle while on my way to check on dinner, but most of the time if you'd pee you stop to splash around in it. So most of the time I knew where the puddles were before the ghastly surprise of warm liquid soaking through my socks.

Eventually you started to understand the sensation of having to pee and that you shouldn't just let it go where ever you were. So as you were about to aim a stream of pee at one of the kitchen floor tiles you'd yell "pee pee!" and then let it rip. That kept me on my toes. I'd sprint over to you, cut you off mid stream and plop you on the potty. You didn't always like that but for the most part you were pretty accepting of it.

It didn't take long before you were grabbing my hand and dragging me to the bathroom while saying "pee pee?" When ever you did this your daddy would get overly excited and hoot and holler "YAY!!!!! PEE PEE JACKSON!! YAY PEE PEE!" I understand that he's trying to give you positive reinforcement but man is he loud. If ever you join a sport I already feel for you dude. Your daddy is going to be the loudest parent on the bleachers and I hope for your sake that you're not easily embarrassed although by then I'm sure you'll be used to his boisterousness. Be proud, he adores everything about you. He really is your biggest fan.

Anyways, back on the potty track! So basically we have you completely naked when you are at home. You like it best that way. Most of the time you know not to pee where ever, when ever. But you've recently rejected the potty and will only pee in the bath tub. It's a start though. Better the bath tub then my bed. Which has happened on occasion. I usually find out when you grab my hand and pull me toward daddy's and my bed room while saying "OH no!" and pointing at the large wet spot in the middle of my comforter.

Regardless I think you are doing pretty good. It's a long journey but we're patient and having fun with it. We just bought you a new potty, because you rejected the last one. The dog chewed up the seat of it and the new seat we bought never quite fit properly. You seem to like the new one. And we coax you with chips. You are a chip monkey. You'll do just about anything for a chip. I hid a bag of them in the bathroom cupboard and you managed to prop your potty up against the wall and open the cupboard, step up on the potty, tippy toes and all and grabbed the chip bag, dragged it out to the living room, sat down in front of the TV with it and watched cartoons. Your father didn't even notice. I just watched and laughed. You're so cute.

Growing Up

August 15, 2011

Almost a year has gone by and a million changes have happened while you've been busy growing. You started day care with a wonderful woman named Valentine Reid. Your grandma Jane used to know her through working at Sears. Turns out that Val is married to a long time friend of mine named Darren. Which I can't even begin to tell you how comforting that was to me. Sending you to day care while I went off to work was tearing me up inside. Since I was a small child my plan was always to stay home and raise my children. I strongly believe a lot of what is wrong with kids today and society as a whole is the fact that parents are not raising their kids. Day cares are raising children and then when parents get home, start dinner, eat dinner, clean up after dinner there isn't much time left before the kids have to go to bed. So out of guilt parents don't seem to be parents to their kids. They act more like buddies, and give them everything they want to keep them happy because they don't want the little amount of time they do have with them to be spent doing homework, or grounding them for misbehaving, they want to have fun with them. But instead, kids are growing up to be selfish, rude little punks. SO naturally I didn't want that for you, and was hell bent on staying home with you. But life gets in the way of the plans you make for yourself sometimes.

We want a better house for you, with more room to play, and maybe another room for a little brother or sister one day. A nice basement for slumber parties and a play room, A better back yard and a nicer area for schools and parks to play in. A better life in general. Which meant I had to go back to work and make more money. So off to day care you went.

You were a champ. And Val loved you in an instant. You had a hard time letting go of me when we got to her house and sometimes would cry for a short period of time. But Val wold cuddle you and talk softly and lovingly and soon enough you realized that you'd be safe with her and that she'd be able to comfort you like I do. Val has 2 little girls as well that you seem to really like. Rachelle is 7 and Ava is 4, and wow, do they adore you! She also takes care of 2 other little girls who are the same age as you, Jayden and . Apparently the 3 of you like to have afternoon dance parties to Michael Jackson or Justin Beiber.

You are quite the dance machine. You have the zaniest dance moves and I have NO idea where you get them from. You'll do a quick side shuffle, back and forth, back and forth then suddenly bend forward and STOP!, pause, turn your head slowly to glance over your shoulder to give us a dramatic look, then smile. All the while your arms are bent with your fists in your arm pits like you are doing the chicken dance and POP you're back doing the side shuffle. I love it. I could watch you dance for hours. I keep telling your daddy that I'm putting you in dance lessons. It'll pay off one day. Men who can dance are always popular with the ladies. And if you don't like ladies it works both ways. 

Catching Up

October 15, 2010

It's been so long since I've recorded anything about you here. So much got in the way. Lack of sleep for starters. And then there was that ridiculous competition that your father and I entered for a $100,000. wedding. Aunt Laura sent us an e-mail regarding a competition for a wedding that she suggested we give a spin to see what happens. So, we decided to give a shot and see how far we could go to win a popularity competition. Lets just say that out of 177 couples we remained number one in popularity. We managed to make the top 3 and once that occurred we were asked to come in and sign some papers that spelled out the winnings of the competition.

Basically after 2 months of insanity, hard work, sleep deprived nights and the constant harassment of everyone we know we finally found out what we were killing ourselves over. We were told it was a dream wedding. It wasn't. Not even close. There was no meal, no seating, no choice in decor or fashion, the dress was rented, the bar was cash, and most importantly we were told you were not allowed to be there. And that was when we signed off. There was no point what so ever to continue with a competition for a wedding that would not allow the very reason we wanted to marry. We want to be a complete family. One that shares the same last name, and a single moment in time where we swear before the world that we will cherish, love and protect each other come what may. If you couldn't be a part of it then what was the point? I know just as well as the next person that the ceremony of matrimony is just that, a sweet little ceremony, with a very romantic gesture of love. However the ceremony is not what makes a marriage. Two people who dedicate their lives to each other, to offer unconditional love, support, friendship and trust is what makes a marriage. Lets be honest, you don't need a ceremony for that or a certificate from the government stating that they recognize you as a married couple. 

The competition judging panel reassured us that they would do their best to accommodate you once they saw that we were about to walk away from it all but our bubble was already deflated by that point. We stopped campaigning to win after that. We took 3 steps back and let the couple who really wanted the wedding to win. But I lost 2 months of my life and yours for that competition. 

Something good did however come out of all the time I spent on the computer away from you, campaigning to win. You became very self sufficient. Where as before you were very clinging and stuck to my hip, you learned that you could trot about the house on your knees and palms, gabbing away to yourself and functioning just fine without me. 

Your favourite things are my paint brushes. Every day, several times a day, you find my jar of brushes, removed each one individually, test each one for a proper fit, pick out your favourite (it's always the same one, the red long stem fan brush) and you wobble about the house brushing, dusting or perhaps painting the walls, the floors, the furniture and the dog for several hours.

Your love for brushes has since been replaced for your love of cars. You love cars. Daddy comes home from work every day, whisks you up in his arms and carries you away for some good 'ol daddy, son entertainment. You have a little fisher price toy barn that opens up much the same way a lunch box would, inside the barn is a cow, a sheep, a tractor, a farmer and some fencing. Every time your daddy would get the tractor he would drive it over the floor and make a rumbling sound by vibrating his lips together. It took you a day to learn that sound and since then you drive anything and everything around the house and up the walls as though it were a car, whilst making engine noises. It doesn't seem to matter if it's a vehicle or not. For example, you'll take my computer mouse around the house and drive it up and down the kitchen cabinets as though it were a Porsche. The only problem with that is that when ever I need my mouse I can't ever seem to find it.

Sleep or Lack There Of

8 months 4 weeks

You've changed so much in the past few weeks. You hair has gone from brown and wavy to blonde and straight. You're losing your chubby cheeks and getting the face of a little boy which is completely devastating to me! It's so tormenting to see your child grow so fast. It's exciting to see you learn and grow but then at the very same time it wreaks havoc on your heart to know that you will never be that little baby again. It's such an odd thing to process. To constantly be happy and sad all at the same time? No wonder parents go grey. 

So I don't mean to brag at all but I'm pretty sure you're the single most beautiful creature in existence. You are so calm and laid back. People comment all the time on what a good baby you are. I've had women at cash registers after I have paid for my items that they rang in for me, look at me with shock as I bend over and pick your carrier up off the ground, and say "You have a baby with you?! He didn't make a sound!" It's true, you are very well mannered. Just a sweet little boy, who's completely content on hanging out and taking in the scenery. 

There is one thing however about you that is less then perfect. You don't sleep well at night. It drives me nuts how many people ask me "Is he a good sleeper?" NO! No he's NOT a good sleeper, thank you for asking! Should he be a good sleeper?! He's a baby after all! Do babies sleep?! by the way, if they do it would be in your best interest at this moment to lie and tell me they don't! Grrrrrrr! No, you are not a good sleeper. There was a time you would get 5 - 6 hours straight then wake up to feed and sleep for another 2 or 3 hours. BUT now that you are learning more, and able to do more, I'm fairly certain you have a very difficult time shutting things out and relaxing long enough to sleep, because now you wake up ever 2 hours or less. Thank god for coffee is all I have to say. 

I've learned to trick you back into sleep though. As soon as you start to stir I run to the kitchen, grab the maple syrup, dab your soother in it and stuff it into your mouth. You're distracted by the yummyness long enough to get you to relax again and pass back out. I'm sure however, the sugar in the syrup is counter productive. But I'm yet to find an alternate solution that works as well. 

You've learned to crawl in the past two weeks. It's kind of a weird little crab crawl. You use a multitude of maneuvers to get yourself mobile which propel you forward but make you look a little like a crab. 

I started to put you on the potty to pee. Most people think I'm insane for trying so early to potty train you but I think you're smart enough to figure it out. The very first time I put you on you peed. And you've been peeing on it since. My mother told me that your uncle Steve and I were potty train by the time we were one and all she did was put us on the toilette every time we woke up or looked like we were relieving ourselves. So I decided to try it with you, and amazingly enough you are pretty good at it. If you don't have to pee you shake your head no and lean forward to wrap your arms around my neck to get down. And if you need to pee you sit there contently and pee. Your favourite part is flushing the toilette and shutting the toilette seat. Today you even mimicked me and grabbed the toilette paper out of my hands and pushed it over your peter to wipe your self dry. Hahahaha! I was so excited to see you do that! You are so smart! I had NO idea how intelligent babies could be. You blow my mind every day.

Today you learned how to wave bye bye and clap. It hardly takes you any time at all to do new things. We barely spent any time teaching you those two things. But today you hung out with Ryleigh who knows how to clap and wave and apparently you decided that if Ryleigh can do it then so can you. Auntie Megan said that today after seeing you, Ryleigh is now crawling like a crab too. Looks like the two of you learn a lot from each other. I'm already dreading the many things you'll be teaching each other that are better left untaught! Like shoving things down the toilette and watching them flush.

Purees, Vaccinations and Execersausers!

7 Months

It drives me nuts that I'm missing so many things that I should be writing down but I just don't have the time!, that or, I forget to. I shouldn't admit that to you! But sometimes sleep is more alluring then my garish computer screen. Let's see.... Well you've been sitting up on your own for over a month now. You saw Ryleigh do it one day and decided that you could do it too. Within 2 days of seeing her sit on her own you were also sitting on your own. Of course you couldn't sit up for longer then 2 seconds before flopping over on your side, but it didn't take you long to master it. 

You love to eat Avocados, Bananas, Sweet potatoes, Parsnips, Carrots and Banana Rice cereal. You however hate pretty much everything else. But I just can bring myself to believe that you don't like fruit. Especially apple sauce! So I keep trying and you very calmly refusing to eat it. I'll manage to get the first spoon full in. That's when you give me a look of disappointment mixed with mild disgust, and after that your lips are sealed. There is no way you will let another spoon full past your lips. In a desperate attempt to immaturely show you how very wrong you are I take your spoon and I eat the entire contents in front of you while Mmmmmming and Yummmming in your face. You however don't seem to care that I'm enjoying your food. 

I took you last Wednesday to get your second set of vaccinations. This time I was much braver then last and went with out the aid of your father. The Dr. was so impressed with your mild mannerisms and contentment. But you were naked and in a new room. That's all it really takes to keep you happy. Hopefully by the time you are 10 you'll have grown out of that. I'd hate for the neighbors to call me one afternoon to tell me that my son is lounging in their computer room nude with a giant grin of contentment on his face. Your grin turned to disappointment when the Dr. and nurse inserted their needles in your upper thighs though. You looked calmly at one, then turned your head calmly to the other and within seconds of your accusing glare your entire head turned red and you let out a scream of rage. But I was prepared. I took your soother, dipped it in maple syrup, and inserted it rapidly into your mouth causing instant relief. You love maple syrup. I wonder if when you are older and your back hurts from working hard in the yard you'll have a sudden craving for maple syrup? I give it to you when ever you are so upset that I can't calm you.  

After your Dr.s appointment I took you to Toys R Us to buy you and excersaucer for being such a good boy. It took me 2 hours to put it together. You sat next to me on the floor while handling the pieces and smashing them on the floor. It is now your favourite toy. And really how could it not be? It's a circle of crazy flashing, noisy jungle fun!

There is so much more but I'm too tired to remember any of it so I'm going to go to bed. When I see you in the morning I"m sure I'll remember the rest and I'll be back to write it down for you. 

xo

Toxic Baby Products

I'm hoping that by the time you grow up and have your own children that the products available to you far surpass the products on the shelves today. As it stands now the main focus on products sold to consumers today is based on making money and not so much on the safety of our health and/or our environment. I found out today that the Huggies diaper wipes I have been using faithfully on your tooshie, have cancer causing toxins, gender bending toxins, and immunotoxic chemicals and have a health hazard rating of 8 out of 10. I'm livid. Those wipes are being trashed and from today on I will be making my own products for you. I have an unrelenting need to give you the best life you can have and that starts with your health. SO, I found myself some great do it yourself recipes for baby products.

All Natural Baby Wipes
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Juice
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Calendula Oil
• 1 teaspoon grated, unscented vegetable glycerine soap
• 2 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 2 drops Tea Tree Oil

Mix together and pour over paper towels. Place in a sealable container.

Baby Powder
½ cup corn starch
½ cup Arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon dried ground chamomile
1 tablespoon dried ground lavender
¼ cup finely ground oats
Blend well and put in a shaker style bottle.

Baby Bath Milk
1 cup milk
¼ cup corn starch
¼ cup finely ground oats
2-3 drops lavender, rose, or chamomile essential oils

Mix ingredients together and put in a shaker style bottle. To use, sprinkle a small amount in warm bath water.

Baby Oil

1 cup Grapeseed or Apricot Kernel oil
4-6 drops lavender or chamomile essential oils
1-2 vitamin E capsules (optional)

Squeeze the vitamin E capsules into the oils and mix together. Store in a dark colored bottle and use as a bath or massage oil.