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The last day of July, 2008. A day we shall remember and celebrate as the first time Adlai crawled on all fours from his bedroom, across the hallway, and into the bathroom (to be close to Simon). And, the day Simon spent all day in underpants (in school and out) without a single accident. (Our wake up call early this morning: "I have to PEEEEE!")
Simon went to the dentist for the first time this morning. We put off this adventure a long time for obvious reasons (most of them having to do with screaming and restraints). He was fine. He grinds his teeth (we knew this), he has some bunching and will probably need braces, and he has a slight overbite. He now asks if his snacks have sugar before making a selection - nothing like the fear of loud and scary dental equipment to make a kid eat healthier.
And today was Adlai's hundredth bath...
Ok, you've got me, I have no idea how many baths Adlai has had up to this point. He was just being particularly cute.
Simon made it through an entire day at school in underwear without a single accident. This was also his first day wearing underwear at school.
And now he will have cake.
And if he can continue this pattern at home, we're going to plan some exciting trips to Southern California theme parks.
Minor yet important events over the past week:
Adlai now crawls to the person he wants to be with and will go to great lengths to follow Simon. He started giving me boos/raspberries last week. He moved up to size 12 month clothes but all pants fall right off of his tiny hiney. He is very good at hugging. We expect a tooth to come in any time now since he isn't sleeping well but, hey, we've been thinking this for months. He has increased his milk intake over the past few days by 8 ounces a day but we're not holding out for pudge rather, he'll probably just be four feet tall by next week. He is very serious about swimming - is relaxed and seems to enjoy it but he rarely smiles while in the pool. The exception to this rule is when the teacher (a young woman) smiles at him and then he goes all ga ga. He likes to splash water a lot but is very unhappy about being splashed. He hasn't connected that he is constantly splashing himself. In fact, the best part of being in the pool with him is watching the splashing battle between Adlai the splasher and Adlai the splashee - happy! angry. happy! angry...
I finally feel comfortable spending the extra money for adorable clothes from more expensive kids stores. Simon wears out his cheap clothes in a half a season while his Gap and Gymboree items are in excellent shape even after they are outgrown. Shopping for boy clothes can be fun when you allow yourself to spend just a wee bit more!
Watch out Fall, Simon's going to look stunning (yet comfortable and age appropriate). And, a few years from now, Adlai will look just as stunning in the same attire.
It's been a busy weekend in Kagledom. Friday afternoon Adlai decided to crawl on all fours - at least four or five small knees forward - before he decided that that wasn't an efficient enough mode of transportation. He now crawls one or two knees forward and then pushes himself up on to his toes and holds himself there and tries to move forward before lowering himself down and army crawling across the room. He also has started sitting for a minute or so - until he turns and loses his balance. He even ate a few Cheerios this weekend after getting them into his mouth. Another small event was the move up to size 3 diapers - not because his bum has grown (it hasn't) but because, at any given time, he contains an unexpectedly large quantity of urine. I had to change his diaper, his outfit, and his bedding three times in the middle of a single night, which made it clear to us that more diaper is necessary even if he is swimming in the things because he is so thin.
This was also a big weekend for Simon. Saturday, he impressed his swim teacher with his willingness to emerge his face in the water while blowing bubbles after a jump into the pool. And today was "Potty Scotty Day" the long awaited "toilet training in one day" approach that I had read about. Since we waited for the doll, Scotty, to arrive for two weeks, Simon had plenty of time to be excited about the big event and, by the weekend, was wearing underwear and holding his urine for hours at a time. By this morning it was clear that all I was going to be able to use out of the book was the idea that he should practice running to the toilet to simulate what to do in the event of an emergency. I also learned a couple of things about his reluctance: 1. he hates the loud flush of toilets, and 2. he is really pleased with his new soft underwear and does not like the "character" underwear we had been purchasing (it itches).
When I told Simon he was toilet trained this evening he was very pleased. Tomorrow Matthew will take him to Ikea to play in the big kids area. We expect that there will be a number of frustrating accidents in the coming weeks/months but at least an end is in sight. He is looking forward to visiting Lego Land as soon as the accidents subside.
Late this afternoon Simon and I listened to "Ye Olde Time Band" play old tunes in the park. Simon has been wanting to play the trombone for a while now so he was very pleased to see the instruments. This band is apparently a big draw for the local seniors who came out in large numbers. One very fit ninety-plus year old man was dancing solo to the music using dance moves from before my time. Simon wanted to dance so I suggested lightheartedly that he dance with the man and (this is how I know that Simon is the greatest kid ever) he got up and walked over and danced with the man for thirty minutes - in front of all of the seniors and the band. The man taught Simon some moves and, when he wasn't moving enough, Simon danced in a circle around him. And while a lot of kids might have thought the man looked a little frail and scary, after we left Simon asked if we could invite the man over to play and to dance and maybe he'd like "to marry that man" for being so nice.
So I've read, one of the absolute worst things you can do to a child is compare him with his sibling. It is, however, helpful to take a look down memory lane to find out what to expect. Unfortunately, a look at Simon's seven month blog indicates that Simon and Adlai are on very different time tables. By the time he was Adlai's age, Simon was not only crawling on all fours but standing without support for a second or two, cruising, squatting from a stand, and sitting. He also had two teeth. And, instead of being worried, I think Adlai's more typical schedule for locomotion is probably a wonderful sign that he won't be quite as active.
Second time parenting is so much less worrisome than the first time around.
Last night...
Simon woke up from the heat at midnight. He was comforted and went back to sleep with the fan on.
Adlai woke up at 2 am. He had urinated through his diaper, PJs, and bedding and was hungry.
Adlai woke up at 4 am. He had urinated through his diaper, PJs, and bedding and was hungry.
Adlai wouldn't go back to sleep until 6:30 am at which time Simon woke up for the day.
This is just an example of why not much is being said here these days.
New for Adlai: he thinks drinking water out of a cup is fun and hilarious and he chases after Simon which looks fun and hilarious
Status Report for Adlai...
Teeth: no sign
Sitting: getting better but still not stable
Crawling: he will put one knee forward but seems afraid to move the second knee (when on all fours, he crawls fine on his stomach)
It was a very full weekend in Kagledom. It all started Saturday morning at our local coffee shop where we had breakfast with friends. Some other friends (from Chicago) joined in as well and we all came back to our place for an Eyeball Party to celebrate Matthew's new 20/15 20/30 vision. Once all of our kids tired of playing outside on the play set we took them to lunch and headed over to Rancho San Antonio for a hike and to learn about Letterboxing (a friend's hobby). The hike was actually planned for the morning but by the time we arrived it was probably 2 pm and hot. Luckily Simon was so pleased with the company of the other kids that he didn't seem to notice his discomfort - until we got him home and he was exhausted and difficult the rest of the evening.
the eyeball cake, also contacts and solution that were soon discarded
the kids and the eyeball cake
And then the boys woke up at the crack of dawn (as usual) so I decided to give Matthew and his eyes more rest by removing them from the house at 6:30 am (the boys not his eyes). We took a walk over to the bagel shop where Simon and I tried to entice Adlai to at least touch the bagel to his mouth, but no luck. He looked at us like we were crazy. And then we walked over to Cuesta park and spent an hour being the only three people in the world (or so it seemed). Later in the morning Matthew and I took the boys to Redwood City for a game of mini-golf with Cindi and Mike followed by a slow lunch. Simon was super tired again in the afternoon which led to his being annoying as heck in the car (where are we? are we there yet? are we going home? what street are we on? but where are we? are we there yet?) but ended the evening on a high note by using the toilet for *all* of his various toileting needs.
And then? I put Adlai down in his crib completely awake and he DID NOT CRY before passing out. To celebrate, Matthew went out to see the next movie playing at the theater. Maybe next weekend I'll see the same one and it will be sorta kinda like we had a date.
Matthew and Simon went out to see a play in the park last night which left Adlai and I enough time to do the seven month Boppy photo shoot before his bedtime. However, when it came time to take the photos, I realized the camera was tucked away in the diaper bag which was tucked away with Matthew. Adlai and I found ourselves in a very sticky situation: how could we NOT take Boppy photos on his monthaversary? Taking them a day late just wouldn't do. And what about the Boppy video? Luckily, Moto gave me a new RAZR2 (T-mobile - there are four versions, one for each carrier, and this one is my favorite) so Adlai and I gave the camera and video camera applications a go. The month was saved by Moto.
Here is this month's Boppy Photo collection and here is the video:
New things for Adlai:
He discovered how to use his tongue yesterday and has been sticking it out and licking his lips and laughing when we do the same. Also, we gave him some Cheerios and he had no clue what to do with them. Simon stuck one in Adlai's mouth when we weren't looking (to help!) but he didn't seem to enjoy the experience. He isn't interested in finger foods quite yet.
We've been a bit busy this past week putting together Adlai's music video or attempting to get Adlai to sleep so we can work on his music video. I'm starting to think he may not actually be a good sleeper - he's just a good sleeper by comparison to you know who. The problem is that Adlai sleeps in one big chunk at night and then wakes up around 4 am very tired but completely unwilling to return to sleep. He is also very happy and loud in the wee hours of the morning which tends to wake up Simon. It is maddening. What is worse is that his naps have started to last no longer than twenty minutes every several hours. Matthew starts to accomplish something and then Adlai wakes up.
The truth is, we've been a bit lax about making him put himself to sleep from a completely awake state and, we suspect, he wakes up for a minute and doesn't know how to get back to sleep without a boob or a bottle or a pacifier. So last night we started a new bedtime routine of waking him up after he nurses and then putting him to bed. Yesterday he cried for an hour and a half. Tonight he cried for an hour. Our evenings are spent taking turns away from the crying because it's really hard to hear for extended periods of time.
As I write this I hear ocean sounds from Adlai's room (to block the sound of Simon), ocean and buoy sounds from Simon's room (to block the sound of Adlai), and snoring from their father in our room. He had his vision corrected at Stanford late this afternoon and, to combat a bad case of the nerves, prepared a four course meal beforehand while taking care of Adlai. When Matthew wakes up tomorrow, he should be able to see the world without the aid of glasses or contacts for the first time in a very very long while. I'm pretty sure, now that his vision is better than mine, that he will need to take the 4 am shift from now on. There is logic there if you look hard enough...
1. He sleeps on his stomach and knees with his bum in the air.
2. We haven't found any food that he won't eat with gusto.
3. He likes to swing - a lot.
4. He will "army crawl" faster than a speeding bullet for objects he shouldn't have (like the baby monitor or the sound machine).
5. He will be crawling on all fours any day now.
6. When he yells "AAAAAAAA!" he likes it when you yell "AAAAAAA!" back.
7. Like Simon, Adlai will be crawling before he can sit unassisted (contrary to the advice in "What to Expect the First Year").
8. He's a REALLY happy baby.
9 When people gush over him he becomes bashful and hides his face.
10. He cracks up when Simon puts on a show which makes Simon laugh which makes Adlai laugh harder which makes Simon laugh harder. This usually happens in the car where the noise level becomes overwhelming. Even though we can't hear ourselves think, we don't ask them to stop because it is the best sound ever.
I'm almost afraid to blog it (for fear the luck will end) but since we've returned from vacation, Adlai has been sleeping in his crib for ten hours straight at night. We expected him to have problems adjusting to sleeping on his own after a week of cuddling up to me and waking me up every few hours with: "Mummy, may I have a glass of milk please?" (he speaks in a very distinguished British accent). I guess sleeping next to me was the problem (although we did try the pack-n-play and that only made him noisy which would have kept up Simon).
And in other fearful blogging things, Simon started to toilet train again a few weeks back and has had a good amount of success (relatively speaking). So he was in the bathroom doing his thing (near the toilet) yesterday when a gush of water came flowing out of the toilet and onto the floor and into the hall. He claims all that toilet paper and flushing was intended to "clean the pipes." That same day, Matthew took him to IKEA and he wanted very much to go into "Small Land" (the kids area) but since he isn't fully trained, he isn't allowed. So every thirty minutes Simon asked Matthew: "Am I toilet trained now? Am I toilet trained now???" Every time I think of that it sends me into a fit of giggles. This is the most challenging thing we've ever had to deal with as parents and we've been at it for TWO YEARS.
I have a very sexist but highly rated book from the library and I'm planning a full day toilet intervention in a couple of weeks - as soon as the anatomically correct boy doll that wets his pants arrives in the mail. If it works, Simon will be on his way to "Small Land" soon. If not... well...
Has his warranty run out?
We arrived home late last night (to our closed up home that was at LEAST 95 degrees in every room) after just over a week of action packed family fun in Cape Cod. We agree that the best way to view all vacations these days is through the eyes of Simon and, by that measure, this one was a resounding success. He spent time swimming in the bay, jumping waves in the ocean, and rowing on a lake. He played at the Cape House with the Feefadders and Grandma Whee and played his first game of mini-golf. We forced him into the movie theater to see Wall-E and he loved it - it isn't scary like all the other Disney films. He ate fried scallops and shrimp and pasta and chicken and CHEESE BURGERS and lots and lots of ice cream. He snuggled up with his family to watch fireworks on the beach in Provincetown for the Fourth while sampling chocolate fudge and a "peanut butter blast" bar purchased at a local dessert shop. He hiked through a marsh out-running mosquitoes at every turn and watched intently as a potter worked the wheel at Scargo Pottery while he sat and worked his own clay. He walked through the fields of lavender at the Cape Cod Lavender Farm and squished his feet in the sand at low tide at Campground Beach. He was terribly sad to leave.
From Adlai's perspective the vacation was about new things to see and touch and to stay awake as long as humanly possible at all hours. He perfected his army crawl while we were at the Cape and was able to move to and accost everything Simon left lying around. He had milk straight from the tap instead of in bottles for a week and a half and learned how to crawl over and demand milk by grabbing and saying "EH!" and he learned to bite the boobs while nursing (ouch) even though he has no teeth. He sat in restaurant high chairs for lunch and dinner making him feel very big and learned that if he makes sounds, people will copy him and then he can copy them which is SO COOL. Simon coughs. Adlai coughs. Simon coughs. Adlai coughs. Fun for hours. He touched his toes to the water but didn't get in past his knees. That's because he's not crazy like his big brother - cold water is... COLD even if it is a very hot day.
Matthew and I went through the vacation a bit cranky and feeling very zombie-rific. Don't get me wrong. We had fun: it was great to watch Simon have such a fabulous time and the Feefadders did an amazing job of managing his sleep deprived self while we dealt with our youngest sleep deprived child. But Matthew and I discussed at length on one of our child-free (!) walks to the beach how we are SO DONE with having babies (this time for real). Adlai is adorable and even, dare I say, "fun" and he makes our family feel complete. Also? A year or two from now we'd like to travel without the overwhelming desire to hire two night-nannies to manage the boys and sleep only in environmentally controlled sound proof and light resistant rooms.
Here are a few photo highlights. More pictures are available on Flickr.
Simon at low tide
Adlai with sandy toes
Simon on the Cedar Swamp Trail
Watching fireworks in Provincetown.
Simon on the beach and Feefadder in the raft on the pond.
Adlai and Matthew by the ocean
First game of mini-golf. LOVED IT.