The only time his legs will ever look long, I am afraid.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Catching up with the camera downloading...
Water and carrots for Santa's hardworking reindeer.
Making red and green playdoh.
Dada looks a little sleepy!
Going potty at Grammies. About a month ago, I was feeling tired of washing two sets of diapers, so I followed (most of the parts anyway...) the advice from a book called "potty training in less then a day. Initially I was fearful of the h.o.r.r.i.b.i.l.y...l.o.n.g...t.i.m.e... most potty training seems to demand from kids and their families. So I was attracted to this idea of potty training boot camp. Our day was pretty intense, but Reed played with Sky for most of the time so North and I were able to work together uninterrupted. North took to the idea of peeing in the potty really well. The most important advice I took in from the book was to stay positive and enthusiastic.
To begin the day, North helped me give a doll water to drink and we helped it pee in the potty. We checked the dolls "dry pants' and North ate the doll's reward (d0lls can't eat, you know!) Then after a few times of that, the doll had an accident so North and I changed the dolls "wet pants" ( "wet pants are ICKY!" North loved saying that) then we practiced taking the doll on practice runs around the house. "The doll has to go pee. Run to the potty!"
During all this, North was drinking copious amounts of Capri Sun drink pouches. (special treats) He managed to pee in the potty soon after practicing the whole routine with the doll. (child visualizes process, child completes process). Everytime we checked his underwear and it was dry, he received a treat. If he peed in the potty, he got two treats. Not only was the parent expected to maintain an enthusiastic, positive mood throughout the entire day, but the child was also expected to be independent with his clothing movement and toilet dumping.
But honestly, the potty training took us more then one day. North didn't poop for two days so I was on pins and needles waiting for that moment. When he finally pooped in the potty, we were so excited, we called Reed at work. Life as a mother has its thrills, I guess.
I was hoping to be confident about the potty training by the time the kids and I traveled to visit family. We were partway successful in that North never went back to diapers, but I still put North in pull ups for the traveling parts of our journey. He still has accidents at times, although he has also demonstrated strong bladder control when his little potty isn't available. At home, he sleeps in underwear, but here at my mom's I have him in "sleeping pants". He has been dry every single morning so I think I will stop with the extra absorption soon.
Potty training is much harder then using diapers. I think if I wasn't committed to the idea of not going back and forth from diapers and underwear, I would have given up for awhile longer. Knowing that I needed to stay positive and cheer North's successes also helped me not dwell of the frustrations of the messy pants too.
Great job North! You are a big kid now!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Development
While outside today, North discovered his pockets.
My laundry will never be the same again.
My laundry will never be the same again.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Sky 5 1/2 months
Sky is now 5 1/2 months old. He is so confident in both his presence and moods that he is a joy to be around everyday. This is a summary of a few things he has been doing lately.
For the past month or so, Sky has been waking up around 5 or 5:30 to sing. Loudly. One morning, I left the bed to get a fresh diaper thinking that it would encourage him to go back to sleep. Sky started to cry as I left, so North started to sing "Ba Ba Black Sheep" to comfort him. Reed and I don't need roosters or alarm clocks to wake us up anymore. (Sky also sings in the car. Loudly.)
Sky eats a banana mushed with breast milk or rice cereal with breast milk most mornings now. He decided about two weeks ago that he really wanted to eat with the rest of us. So now he does. After Reed leaves for the morning, Sky naps for about an hour (I think it would be later and longer if he didn't start singing so early!), then we all play or go out for the day.
Sky likes being on a blanket on the floor with a few toys. A few months ago, the floor time was very minimal as Sky would protest after a few minutes, but now North and I can play with him or read books for almost 20 or 30 minutes before Sky is ready to do something new.
While on the floor, Sky will raise up to his hands and knees or up to his hands and toes. He isn't rocking yet, so I am not seeing the crawling happening soon. I am certain that he needs to be more stable with the sitting first. He still topples over without support. He does scoot backwards though. Which I learned for the first time when he fell off North's bed during a nap. Oops.
Sky has a special sound that he only makes when he see Hacate the cat. I usually recognize his sound and then turn my head to see her for the first time since coming into a room. He lights up when he sees her. He also likes touching her, if she lets him.
This afternoon while North was sleeping and Sky was playing on a blanket, I left Sky to grab some clean diapers out of the dryer. Sky let out a yell as I was walking out of his eyesight; it was a very strong, not distressed, yet very clear "I am not done playing with you!" It is really fun to see his language awareness grow and develop.
I love playing with both of my boys. Their relationship is growing very strong with the new games and communication skills. North loves to make Sky laugh. Sometimes North tickles Sky's belly or gives him great big hugs. Sky adores his brother. I fall down to second place when North decides to play with his brother. I think Sky might even forget that I even exist! When North plays in the bathtub, Sky will lean against the outside rim to grab at North's toys or the bubbles. North is really growing in his understanding of how to play and share his ideas and toys with Sky.
After dinner, both kids go to bed for the night. Sky has been sleeping on his belly since he was about a month old. (he sleeps in a family bed- which I believe to be most important for preventing SIDS, he is a second child, and I know he is more comfortable as he sleeps.) He nurses until he is drowsy. When he reaches up and over his head, I answer his cue and roll him over onto his belly. He settles into sleep very easily. Sometimes when I am laying with Sky in the evening, I will curl my body around his and just breathe in his spirit. I love the way his little hands feel on my skin as he is drifting towards sleep. I love knowing that we have had a great day together and will be having another one tomorrow.
For the past month or so, Sky has been waking up around 5 or 5:30 to sing. Loudly. One morning, I left the bed to get a fresh diaper thinking that it would encourage him to go back to sleep. Sky started to cry as I left, so North started to sing "Ba Ba Black Sheep" to comfort him. Reed and I don't need roosters or alarm clocks to wake us up anymore. (Sky also sings in the car. Loudly.)
Sky eats a banana mushed with breast milk or rice cereal with breast milk most mornings now. He decided about two weeks ago that he really wanted to eat with the rest of us. So now he does. After Reed leaves for the morning, Sky naps for about an hour (I think it would be later and longer if he didn't start singing so early!), then we all play or go out for the day.
Sky likes being on a blanket on the floor with a few toys. A few months ago, the floor time was very minimal as Sky would protest after a few minutes, but now North and I can play with him or read books for almost 20 or 30 minutes before Sky is ready to do something new.
While on the floor, Sky will raise up to his hands and knees or up to his hands and toes. He isn't rocking yet, so I am not seeing the crawling happening soon. I am certain that he needs to be more stable with the sitting first. He still topples over without support. He does scoot backwards though. Which I learned for the first time when he fell off North's bed during a nap. Oops.
Sky has a special sound that he only makes when he see Hacate the cat. I usually recognize his sound and then turn my head to see her for the first time since coming into a room. He lights up when he sees her. He also likes touching her, if she lets him.
This afternoon while North was sleeping and Sky was playing on a blanket, I left Sky to grab some clean diapers out of the dryer. Sky let out a yell as I was walking out of his eyesight; it was a very strong, not distressed, yet very clear "I am not done playing with you!" It is really fun to see his language awareness grow and develop.
I love playing with both of my boys. Their relationship is growing very strong with the new games and communication skills. North loves to make Sky laugh. Sometimes North tickles Sky's belly or gives him great big hugs. Sky adores his brother. I fall down to second place when North decides to play with his brother. I think Sky might even forget that I even exist! When North plays in the bathtub, Sky will lean against the outside rim to grab at North's toys or the bubbles. North is really growing in his understanding of how to play and share his ideas and toys with Sky.
After dinner, both kids go to bed for the night. Sky has been sleeping on his belly since he was about a month old. (he sleeps in a family bed- which I believe to be most important for preventing SIDS, he is a second child, and I know he is more comfortable as he sleeps.) He nurses until he is drowsy. When he reaches up and over his head, I answer his cue and roll him over onto his belly. He settles into sleep very easily. Sometimes when I am laying with Sky in the evening, I will curl my body around his and just breathe in his spirit. I love the way his little hands feel on my skin as he is drifting towards sleep. I love knowing that we have had a great day together and will be having another one tomorrow.
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