I can be a good mom too!

I'm a big supporter of Pinterest. I truly enjoy finding new recipes to make for dinner, DIY crafts that I need someone else to do for me, tips on how to take good pictures of babies, Halloween ideas that I can't afford...etc. Seriously, I do love me some Pinterest and I have wasted spent many hours browsing.

Besides recipes, one of the things I search for are things to do with Danny. I want to do things that keep him busy so that he doesn't have time to eat dog food or sit on Brandie (which seems to be a new favorite thing. Ugh!). I have pinned many ideas and done...very few of them.

No really. I have started. I decided to go for sensory bins. When Danny was about 9 months old, I saw one that talked about letting babies play with the pom poms to help with fine motor skills. I borrowed a few random ones from my mom one Sunday. Danny loved them. He would pour them from one container to the other. Then they became a ball to carry around...and suddenly they were all gone.

A friend showed me some of the sensory bins she made for her son. She dyed rice different colors, filled a bin and gave her son some measuring cups, spoons, funnels...etc. She encouraged me to go to Dollar Tree-since everything really is a dollar. So I headed off and bought a ton of stuff!

Now, I didn't want to overwhelm Danny with tons of new sensory stuff (aka: I was lazy and didn't want to make everything at once!), so I started slowly. I bought a little storage bin (which I actually wouldn't recommend buying from Dollar Tree. While it's only a dollar...it's a little more flimsy and Danny can open it himself-which can be good and...not so good), two packs of colored pom poms, measuring cups, and a large spoon. $5.

And he has seriously had so much fun with this. He will play, then get bored and want his Legos. After awhile, he will see the container, and want to play again! I decided to give him a large spoon to help him learn to scoop and showed him to drop the pom poms into another container. Not many

make it in there, but he is trying very hard to do it. I decided to do the spoon transfer to help him learn to scoop food on a spoon into his mouth. Yes, I know I could just let him use food...However, it's a less of a mess to clean this up.

The next idea I had was to color some noodles and let him play with that. I found a recipe that said to pour a cup of noodles into a ziploc bag, add 1/4c of rubbing alcohol, and a few drops of food coloring. I didn't have any bags. So...I decided to

grab tupperware containers. They didn't stain! Yay!! So I dumped in the cup of elbow macaroni noodles, and pretended to measure the rubbing alcohol and the drops. Shook up the container! This is the first batch. Red, green, and blue (I added more drops of blue after I took the picture). I let them sit all day soaking up the color, then laid them out on newspapers to dry overnight.

The second batch is soaking as we speak I type. It's a lighter green (ran out of green food coloring), blue, and my attempt at orange. I'll let those dry over night as well and tomorrow we can play! I bought the noodles from Dollar Tree too. I'll add little cups and maybe a measuring cup. So $4 for more something that will keep Danny from enjoying a tasty bite of dog food. Score! :)

Months ago when I tried this, I became very discouraged. It bothered me that these blogs don't mention how long it held their child's attention. Not saying they need too, but I'm new to this toddlerhood stuff. Danny is my first baby. When I read blogs like those, I believe that their child spent hours working on the sensory bins. Then when I pull it out for Danny and he plays for ten minutes tops...I wonder what went wrong.

Truth be told,(if there's even anyone out there reading) it doesn't hold Danny's attention for very long. And while it's irritating to be helping him scoop pom poms into the back of his dump truck one second and then the next he is off doing other stuff, that's just how it is. I get Danny to help me clean it up, he pulls over his Legos, we play for about 15 minutes and then he is done. It keeps me on my toes that's for sure!

Please stop crying...

When I was pregnant with Danny, I cried constantly. The Thanksgiving Publix commercial with the Pilgrim salt and pepper shakers comes on and I'm bawling my eyes out. A fight with my sisters, my husband, my dog and I'm crying. I even burst into tears once because I was brushing my teeth, sneezed and spewed the mirror with toothpaste. Yea...

I called it 'being a hormone' because it made it a little more comical to me and didn't make me want to kill someone who called me hormonal.

Now baby number two is on the way. I am happy. I am sad. I am weepy. And I am tired. Seems so unfair!

To top it all off, Danny has reached what I can only assume is the terrible twos. Yes, I do know he isn't even 18 months old yet! So when he is screaming, stomping those little feet, and throwing his food off the high chair it takes EVERYTHING in my power not to burst into tears.

My 'power' is rarely strong enough.

We loaded up the car this morning to head to the doctor for a checkup on baby number two. The doctor's office is now located in a new building next to the new hospital (which looks amazing!). The office was clean, brand new, very modern looking room. There was tons of women in there. Only two dads and two babies. I checked in and then sat down. Danny was quietly playing peek-a-boo with me, popping out from behind the chair.

The receptionist loudly screams out "Lisa" and when no one else budged, I went up. She checked my address, phone number...etc then rudely told me that children are no longer welcome in the office and that Danny and Daniel had to leave.

Guess who cried?

And I cried when I complained to my doctor about it. I cried when I told my sisters. I even contemplated changing doctors! Most people work during the hours they are open. I can't ask people to take off work to watch Danny! And I think it is VERY wonderful (and extremely important!) that my husband wants to be there at every appointment! While I do understand that they can't make an exception to their stupid rule so that my husband and son can come, I think it's unfair.

The receptionist even told me "It's a good thing your husband is here because you would have had to reschedule your appointment". All I could think was "Nope... I wouldn't have come back."

She told me it's because mothers would come in with their kids and leave them in the waiting room during the appointments and then the kids would destroy the place. I am NOT that mother nor is Danny that kid! They have a sign that states "Childcare is no longer provided". That's fine. That's why I brought my husband!! You should have wrote "Children are no longer allowed!!"

Oh well. There's nothing I can do about it. I guess I must find a babysitter from now on. That won't be hard to do at all...

I need to find a funny show to watch so I can get my mind off this.

An Update!

Danny is 17 months old now.

He is a big fan of walking. He has begun to run a little. He loves to play with his two dogs. He thinks Dr. Seuss books are the best and asks to read them daily. He likes to dance to music. He is not a big talker, but that's ok. He has ten teeth now. He hates green beans but loves chicken. He loves to stack his blocks and Legos, but if someone else stacks them, it is fair game to knock them over. He is probably 3 feet tall now (we go to the doctor Sept 11th) and weights roughly 25lbs. He loves to "talk" on the phone. He has learned how to turn on the TV and somehow get a DVD to play (even though his parents aren't even sure how to do it...). He absolutely loves bath time, mostly because he gets to splash.

Last but not least...


He is going to be a big brother!!

15 Months

Dearest Danny,
You are growing up so quickly that I decided to write a post to capture who you are right now at 15 months old.

In public, you are an observer. You sit and watch people until you feel comfortable enough to go to them. You hate for people to pick you up before you are ready and you are seriously not afraid to tell them! Once you do feel comfortable, you love to show off. You will show them your walkin' skills or scream out 'Bye' in your little country accent. Your eyes twinkle with excitement when they praise you!

At home, you are an adventurer. Unless you are sick, you don't sit still! The house is always a mess about ten minutes after you come to play. Sometimes you will help me clean though. You love to dump your Legos on the floor. You like to try to stack them, but you love to watch your dad or me stack them...only so you can knock them back over! The DVDs are fun to look at but they usually end up on the floor as well. You've finally stopped knocking all the books down. Thank you for that!

You are a big fan of being upside down! With Daddy you are rough and tumbly. You have so much fun too. You can never get enough of the rough play.

You recently started taking steps on your own. You've been cruising since you were about nine months old. Your first step without holding on were at 13 months old. Now at 15 months, you can take off. It is both very exciting and very terrifying! On the one hand, I'm glad you are walking. You love to explore and take every opportunity to do so. However, it is scary! You are still at the wobble stage. You have already had your first skinned knee! I know there will be many more to come, and believe me, I will panic at every single one!

You love love love all dogs. You aren't afraid. No matter how big, if you see a doggie, you want to pet it. You love both Sky and Brandie. Sky tolerates you, but mostly stays away. Brandie lets you do whatever you want because she loves you too. I watched you SIT on her the other day! You also hit her-although I have to remind you to give her 'nice pets' and then you do. You like to give her things. Yesterday, you brought her food bowl over and put it in her kennel. You also gave her a DVD and one of your shirts.

You really are a wonderful little boy. You are sweet, caring, cuddly, adventurous, daring, and silly. You are perfect.

Love always,
Mommy

Time Flies

I cannot believe how fast time zooms by!! Danny is almost 15 months old now. It is absolutely crazy to think about. Some times I miss the days when I could just lay him on the couch and go to the bathroom knowing he was safe. Now, if I slip out of the room, I can hear little pounding footstomps and moments later he peeks around the wall and smiles at me. Danny loves his Lego's. We gave him some for his first birthday. At the time, we only pulled maybe ten out for him to play with. Now he plays with all of them and many times throughout the day. He doesn't stack them yet (not on purpose anyways!) but he loves pouring them out of the container and scattering them around the living room. He always puts them back though, which is great. He is upstairs now for his morning nap. I can hear him talking to himself. He loves saying 'Bye' and has a great country accent when saying it! He also loves pointing to the dogs and letting me know what they are. He can say 'Anna' although it turns into 'Nana' often. I was trying to get him to say his cousin's name a few weekends ago. I kept telling him to 'Say Asa' and finally he said 'Bob'! Close enough! He calls the Fish 'dog' too, but if I ask him where are the fish, he will point to them. If he gets his hands on a paper towel, he will wipe his mouth. He loves chicken, but isn't a big fan of beef yet. I think some of the best moments are when I pick him up after a nap and he immediately lays his head on my shoulder. It's the perfect snuggle. Sometimes, if he is having a hard day, he will come lay his head on my lap. He also always gets so excited when his Dada comes home. I try to get outside before Dada arrives so that we can wave as he is coming down the driveway. Sometimes Danny's little legs won't go fast enough, but Danny stands on tippy toes to look out the window as Dada walks across the yard. Recently we started playing a game where Danny will be in the kitchen with me and I'll sneak out. I quickly run through the dining room and living room til I'm standing behind him in the hall. He peers into the kitchen, then turns around and spots me. He comes running towards me, I squeal and run back around to the kitchen. After awhile, he starts to catch on and runs to the other side as fast as he can go. Then I spice things up and either don't go anywhere. It keeps him entertained for awhile (until I get tired of running!). Danny surprises me daily. He is amazing and so smart. On other news, at the end of May marked my ten years since I graduated from high school. I feel old! This October will be Daniel and my ten years together (six years of marriage). Like I said, time flies!

I am the lucky one

Pale yellow glimpses of sky can be seen through the naked trees on this chilly morning. The hum of the washing machine reminds me that I've already been awake for almost two hours and it's barely 8am. I try to console my sweet baby as he once again stumbles and takes a dive head first into the floor. Oh the joys of a toddling babe.

A doodie diaper. Some baby tylenol to help with the teething. I can see the gentle head pat Danny does when he is ready for sleep. A kiss on the forehead and then I lay him down into the pack n play for his morning nap. Suddenly, he is alert. He quickly stands up and smiles at me from behind that blue and white pirate pacifier.

I pull down the shades to block out the bright sun that I'm not ready for in hopes that Danny will be tricked. He quietly roams the pack n play probably looking for his escape. He sits down and scrubs his fingers against the mesh side. I transfer the laundry to the dryer. I can hear Danny's soft hum luring him to sleep. I sip my coffee in peace.

Some days I feel like I do everything wrong. I feel like I can't get myself alert and ready enough in the morning before my "job" begins. I drag myself out of bed at his first wail, stumble up the stairs longing for a cup of coffee. I feel like I can't complain about my job because this is the career path I chose. Plus there are so many moms out there with a "second" job. I definitely can't complain to them about my frustrations. At least my boss naps during the day-no matter how infrequent those naps occur.

Some days I get extremely bummed like my life is just passing me by all too quickly. I don't get to go out with friends...not that I did that before Danny arrived either. I've always been a homebody and probably always will be. People keep telling me that I need a hobby and I would agree with them. But how do you find time to start a hobby when your boss won't allow for that? The only time I can relax is when he is napping but usually I'm trying to straighten up the house again for the next hurricane season, which will come once bossman wakes up.

I'm not complaining. I love this job. I really and truly do. When I think about where I was a year ago...counting down til the day I was about to quit, I am so thankful. I know we are struggling, but we are happy. I don't regret not returning to work at all. This is where I've always wanted to be and it's the perfect job for me.

So yes, those early mornings come way too fast, but when you look on the bright side, it's ok. Most people don't get to hang out in comfy clothes all day or gives kisses to their boss's chunky cheeks. Or listen to him talk about the most interesting stories. Or snuggle on the couch with their boss as he shares his cold, slobber covered teething ring by shoving it into their face.

I'm the lucky one.

The Silent Babbles

Sometime during the end of summer or beginning of fall Danny finally started babbling. It seemed to take him a while longer than other babes. Maybe not, but I felt like it did. Once the babbling had begun, he talked all the time. If I was talking, he would talk over me. If I got louder, he made sure his little babbles were heard. Finally I would stop talking just to listen; he had something he wanted to say and it was important.

I think around the time Danny's cousin, Asa, was born, he stopped babbling. He had started crawling around then and that seemed more important to focus on. I kept babbling at him, but he wasn't interested in that anymore. Besides crying, laughter, and squeals, he was quiet.

Of course, that caused a lot of panic in my worry-wart self. I know all babies are different and develop differently. I was told by other parents, my sister, online searches and books that he will talk when he is ready and not to worry or push him. However, I also read in those books, online searches, heard from other parents and my sister about babies his age (or younger!) who were already or still babbling up a storm...had maybe even said a few recognizable words. Don't worry? Yea right.

On Thursday, we set up the webcam so that Grandma could talk to Danny. He smiled when he saw her. Clapped his hands. Showed off how he can cruise the furniture and pull up on the couch. Even showed her how he could pick up his dropped book. He knows and loves his Grandmommy. Later, Aunt Anna got her webcam up and running as well. Danny was taking a bath but Daniel brought his laptop into the bathroom so Danny could see Aunt Anna. Danny smiled big at her and showed her how he could splash. Aunt Anna's voice didn't match up with her lip movements though. It bothered Daniel and me (me because it was annoying but Daniel because he wanted to fix it) but Danny didn't seem to mind a bit. Suddenly, Danny started "talking" back to Aunt Anna. Surprisingly, audible words weren't being heard from his mouth either.

Now Danny has started babbling again. Most of the time there aren't any sounds behind his babbles. But he is moving those lips just like everyone else. :)

It's crazy how I worry so much when Danny isn't doing what the book says he should be doing. When in reality, he can't read. He doesn't know (or care!) that he should be babbling right now. He doesn't know that other babies are babbling. It's not like he is falling far behind. I shouldn't measure him to other babies. He IS perfect just the way he is!