A Boy and his Blankies

Now that we make Max put his paci back in the crib when he is done with naps, he usually throws his blankies back in the crib too. He doesn't carry them around like he used to. Except yesterday he decided to hold on to them for a while.

I grabbed the camera to snap some pictures because I want to remember how he looks post nap. Hair a little out of place, no pants so you can see his little skinny legs, and blankie. It's hard to catch him, though. He's always in motion.



Except when he needs a little blankie cuddle time.





It's very manly to have your bulldozer in one hand and your blankie in another.



Then I had a little fun with it.

Instagram

I take a lot of pictures with my phone these days. It's always with me. I downloaded Instagram a long time ago, but didn't really play with it until recently. I've become somewhat addicted. It's micro blogging for me. Just little tidbits of our days captured with my phone's camera and usually given a few word caption.

If you want to follow me, just search for my name: carrieedavis

For those of you that have iPhones or iPads and are slightly technically challenged (you know who you are) here are some simple steps:

1. Go to the app store on your phone and get Instagram - it's free.
2. Once in Instagram, you'll have to create a profile.
3. Once you have a profile, click on the icon all the way to the right, looks like a newspaper - it is your settings.
4. Click Search Instagram and find my name.
5. Now, when you go to your HOME screen, you'll see my pics in your feed.

Have a great weekend!!

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school for little 'ol Charlotte. I'm actually pretty happy school is out. It will be nice to enjoy our mornings without running around getting ready, keeping Max awake all morning until pick up time, then the whole crazy lunch & get ready for nap routine. I don't think Charlotte was too sad either, I think she's ready for a little break.

Yesterday she said she wanted to make an "I miss you" card for each of her classmates. She got to work early - like before 8AM we had the paint out - and she did a few at a time before school, after lunch, and before dinner. She got them all done and wrote each name on each card. She was super happy that she was finally able to write an "N" (I guess that had been bothering her or something.), and got some needed practice with her "S"s. I thought they turned out cute and she was SO proud of them.



She had a good time at her end of the year party.



so did Max. (hands just get in the way.)



We snapped a few pictures out front before school.



Here is picture from the first day of school:



She's changed just a little bit, huh?? Wow. She's so big.

Max needed to join the fun for a minute too.

I & J

I haven't forgotten about this...here is I & J. I actually have the pictures taken for K, L, & M - but I'm putting the computer down for tonight.





(I just love his "wings" above his ears)

Our little ballerina

Charlotte has been taking pre-ballet this year. She went every Wed after school. She would stay for lunch bunch and then the teachers would change them into their ballet clothes and send them to class. It is wonderful. Especially for moms of crazy toddler boys that would go crazy during sister's ballet classes. I just showed up at 2 to pick her up.

However, Charlotte wasn't that big on it. She would go without complaining, but when asked whether she liked it or not she would say, "It's just too long."

During tonight's performance at one point she said just looked bored and sighed. Even her performance was a little too long, I guess. She did great and looked beautiful. I even was able to get her short hair shoved back into a "bun".



Waiting to go on stage.





Yay! It's over.



After the show we went to the "ice cream store" for a little celebration.

Some shots I took of her at home before we left. (Ever want to know what the difference between good pictures and really good pictures are?? It's light. It doesn't matter what kind of camera or lens you have - if you get the light right - everything falls into place. The light in our bedroom - in the spring/summer - in the afternoon is so warm and wonderful.)

Better

This boy is a different boy. He has been a joy this week.

On Monday we went to the doctor for his 18 month appt (he'll be 19 months in a few days!). Charlotte came with us so she could have her hearing re-checked. (She failed the hearing test at her 4 year appt.) Turns out Max had an ear infection in one of his ears. It's amazing what a day or two of good antibiotics can do. It's like a magic potion.

He has been sleeping past 6AM each morning - one day it was after 7! He has been happy in the mornings, able to stay up and only take one nap a day. We went to Target yesterday and he actually sat happily in the cart as I shopped. No more screaming in the car. He is back to playing with toys - not just walking around whining.

We have had some tantrums, but I'm able to calm him down rather quickly - or get him distracted with something else. The screaming times have gone way, way down.

I think it is a combination of his ear feeling better and the fact that he is learning to cope without the pacifier. I think he had a hard time knowing how to calm himself down.

Now he spits the paci right out when we get him out of the crib - doesn't even give it a second thought. He is saying a new "word" every day.

Can you believe I forgot his stat sheet at the doctor's office?

I think he was around 25 pounds - 25.6 or something - he was in the 60th percent.
I'm not sure what his height was, I guess I could measure him - but he was in the 90th percent.
His head circumference was in the 90th percentile as well.

Poor Charlotte failed the hearing test again. So, we've made her an appointment at CHOA to have a specialist take a look. I'm not at all worried. Her speech is excellent and she seems to be able to hear everything going on at the house just fine. Her teachers also say that they would have never thought she was having problems hearing. It may just be that she has persistent fluid in her ears and may need tubes. We'll just have to see.

Lucky

I'm one lucky mom. Just look at these two:



Yesterday morning Charlotte came downstairs uncharacteristically early. I asked her why she was up so early. She looked at me a little confused and said, "Today is Mother's day and I have things to do to get ready." I told her that was awfully sweet, but Mother's Day was actually tomorrow. That exchange made the weekend for me.

Today, Max gave me a most wonderful Mother's Day gift. He slept the entire night waking at 7:00 this morning!!! A solid 8 hours of sleep last night. Of course my first thought was, "Geez, the one morning Judd has to get up with him and he sleeps until 7!".

Around 7:30 I heard Judd load them in the car. At 8 my bedroom door opened and two sweet children and a sweet husband brought a yummy bagel, fruit, and coffee to me. I had some cards to open signed and decorated by Charlotte. Then Charlotte sang me a song because she wanted to, in her words, "Make music with her mouth."

We went to church and now everyone is settled in for a rest or nap on this very rainy Sunday.

I hope all of the moms out there have a lovely day filled with lots of hugs and kisses. I am especially thankful for all of the moms in my life, I have learned from each and every one of them. But, especially for my own mom, who I look up to very much. I know today is harder for her since this is the first Mother's Day without Grammie - but she is with my sister and I know they'll take good care of her today.

The Pacifier Chronicles: Part 1

On Monday we decided to allow Max to have his pacifier when he is in the crib, but that is all. No more walking around the house all day with the pacifier. No more having it at parks, in the store, in the car, etc. He pretty much had it with him all day long. To the point that some days it was with him when he ate and he would pop it in between bites. It was really getting ridiculous.

This week has been pretty darn challenging. I'm realizing how effective the pacifier was at keeping this kid calm. The screaming - oh the screaming - makes me crazy. He hits decibels that take over your brain and you can't even hear yourself think. Before, I would just pop the paci in his mouth and that would calm him down. As of today, he has screamed so much that he is hoarse.

Car rides on Monday were horrible. Since then, those have gone a little better. We try not to take too many.

Our walk on Monday only lasted about 15 minutes before he was screaming in the stroller. All of his cheerios had run out and he wasn't taking it anymore.

My trip to Target yesterday - forget about it. I realized that I have that kid. The one that is running through the store, collapsing on the floor. You ask, "Why not just put him in the cart?" Yeah right. If I can get him it in, that lasts for about 2 minutes before he is climbing out hurling himself towards the floor. I even attempt to hold him while I shop. He doesn't want that either. I've resigned myself to the fact that for the foreseeable future I'm not going to any type of store with him.

He makes me second guess every choice I make. Makes me feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know at times if I'm being too hard on him. If I'm not being hard enough. I haven't felt this feeling in a while. I really just don't know what to do other than just let this phase run it's course.

With the second child, I haven't felt that feeling of desperation too much. The desperate feeling you feel when you are in the throws of an unpleasant phase and you think it's never going to end. I felt that with Charlotte a lot. With Max, I knew that this too shall pass and I'll forget all about it. This one I'm not so sure.

One up side of this week has been hearing his little voice much more. He is actually saying more than we thought he was. We are hearing a lot of first syllables of words. He doesn't have too many full words, but there is a lot of things he knows that first syllable. I'm hoping that there is a big jump in his talking progression soon. I'm hoping that will calm all of us down. He'll be able to tell us what he wants and we'll finally know what all of this screaming is about.

Do you know what time it is??

Popsicle time!! Now that the days are getting longer and we are trying to keep Max up a little later in hopes that will eventually lead to later mornings (currently 5:30AM!) we will enjoy our nightly popsicles on the front steps. After you eat all of your vegetables, of course!

Skinny Dipping

He refused to put a swim diaper on. He had a wonderful time feeling free.

Strawberry Picking

We are down at the lake with Judd's parents this weekend. We did a little rogue strawberry picking this morning. The are sweet and so yummy. We were told the man that owns the patch abandoned it because the deer got to it. Turns out we were misinformed He showed up as we were leaving with a bag full of strawberries. He looked at us a little funny. He weighed them and we paid. I'm pretty sure they taste a little sweeter now that they are legal.

Max's first sentence

Now that I have finished all 3 books of the Hunger Games, I am able to get back to blogging. (I'm not sure the last time I completed 3 books in 3 weeks, but it was probably middle school.)



I predict that Max's first sentence will be, "Let's go, mama".

My mom gave Max the gift of music for Christmas - she gave me the money to enroll him in Music Class. Charlotte had such an awesome time doing Music class that I thought surely Max would too. Not so much.

We usually arrive and walk in without any tears - but about 10-15 minutes into it, he bolts for the door and cries. Then, I go over and coax him back to the group. He tolerates it for a few minutes, then bolts back to the door. This goes on for about 15 minutes until he just cries regardless of what we are doing. So, not wanting to get even more dirty looks from the other mothers with children that behave, we leave.

Music class isn't the only place he does this. This happens in story time at the library too. He plays, listens to books, but when he's ready, he's ready. He goes to the door and looks at me as if to say, "Let's go, mama".

I'm not used to having a child that doesn't like to do stuff like Music Class and story time. Charlotte can get excited about anything and loves to be involved. Max, I have yet to figure out what exactly he wants to be doing. But, I think it is wandering around outside - especially at a play ground. He's just happy being free to do what he wants - mostly keeping me on my toes. Little stinker.