I don't care what anyone says about the negatives of having your child in a center daycare. It is doing wonders for Lucas. Yesterday when I picked him up, they were singing a song and he was so happy! He loves music and they incorporate song into each day. His lead teacher told me that he was very vocal actually said "all done" at snack time. He was apparently the last one eating and since the rest of the children were off playing, he wanted to get the teachers' attention. So he started to say "all done". And he said the name of one of the little girls in his class. I was amazed. Of course that was all Marc and I could talk about once I got home.
This morning when Marc dropped him off, his friend Brian came over to him, poked him and crawled away. When Lucas didn't follow, Brian came back over and poked him again. When Marc shared this story with me, I said that was Brian's way of telling Lucas he wanted him to play. Since Brian isn't very verbal yet, he has no way of saying, "Hey Lucas, come play with me over by the blocks." I thought it was a sweet story. I know Brian and Lucas have a good time together. Now if they can only get Solomon into their class (their other friend from the Infant room), it would be a good old time.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Heartbeats, corn dogs and standing
In all the pregnancy books I read, most talked about how your growing baby is very intuned to your heartbeat and once it is born, it will find comfort in hearing it. Since Lucas and I weren't able to bond in a normal manner when he was born, I didn't think anything of this bonding technique. But over the past few months, I wonder if he still finds comfort in listening to my heartbeat. He lays on me in a very different manner than he does Marc and it is like he is positioning himself to hear my heart. If he doesn't want to do that, he at least puts one hand on my neck as if to feel my pulse. When he is really upset, if I can get him on my chest, he calms right down. As he gets bigger, I am not sure how much I will be able to support him but it is nice to know that he finds comfort in just laying on me.
As for the corn dogs, we were out with Marc's parents this weekend and Marc thought it might be good to give Lucas something other than chicken. So we ordered him a corn dog. He ate most of it. It was surprising-he gets turkey dogs at the Carriage House for lunch but I have never tried to give him a hot dog at home. My in laws were quite surprised how much he liked it! It seems like he has now tried more foods than his older cousins. After he finished his corn dog, Lucas reached over to try and grab Marc's hamburger. He managed to get the bun but nothing else.
Lucas is a standing machine now. We have been working on this with him for about 2 weeks but he hasn't consistently pulled himself up. This weekend anytime he went into the playpen he would pull himself up. And this morning when Marc got him from the crib, he was standing in there-that is a first. After I left for work, Marc said he was pulling himself up on everything. So it will be a matter of time before he is walking-what will we do then?
As for the corn dogs, we were out with Marc's parents this weekend and Marc thought it might be good to give Lucas something other than chicken. So we ordered him a corn dog. He ate most of it. It was surprising-he gets turkey dogs at the Carriage House for lunch but I have never tried to give him a hot dog at home. My in laws were quite surprised how much he liked it! It seems like he has now tried more foods than his older cousins. After he finished his corn dog, Lucas reached over to try and grab Marc's hamburger. He managed to get the bun but nothing else.
Lucas is a standing machine now. We have been working on this with him for about 2 weeks but he hasn't consistently pulled himself up. This weekend anytime he went into the playpen he would pull himself up. And this morning when Marc got him from the crib, he was standing in there-that is a first. After I left for work, Marc said he was pulling himself up on everything. So it will be a matter of time before he is walking-what will we do then?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Elmo or Winnie
Marc got Lucas two costumes on Monday. He wasn't sure which one would fit better. So who did we end up with? Elmo and Winnie the Pooh. I am not overly excited about either but it is better then Marc's option-Lucas going as Naked Baby. Marc is concerned that if Lucas doesn't want to have Elmo's hood up, he will just look like a giant crawling orange ape-good point. I think he would be a great turtle-that way even if he didn't want to wear the turtle hat, people would still now what he was when he crawled.
I guess I didn't realize you need to shop for a halloween costume in August when they first come out. This is insane!
I guess I didn't realize you need to shop for a halloween costume in August when they first come out. This is insane!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Halloween Costumes
I am not a big fan of halloween. I love to decorate for it and love pumpkins but I am not into the whole trick or treating thing. But I know that Marc is and I want Lucas to enjoy it too. So we are having to look for a halloween costume for Lucas. It seems like you have to buy something before Labor Day to get anything good! We had thought about dressing Lucas as the Hulk because he is quite the strong guy but the online vendor we wanted to use is sold out of them. The other idea I had was to dress him as a rhino because all he does these days is ram into things with his head. So far we haven't been able to find anything. We went out yesterday to one of those halloween places but didn't find anything great. Marc liked a monkey costume but I don't like monkeys to begin with and wasn't thrilled to dress Lucas as one. Marc looked online last night and found a few things but again, nothing that jumped out at us. We did find a cute pig costume that might work. I also liked a turtle. So today, since the Carriage House is closed, Marc and Lucas are headed out to find something. I left it up to Marc. I gave him a few other places to try. I will be curious to see what they come home with tonight! Who knew it would be this hard! What happened to the days when kids were happy with just two eye holes cut out of a sheet!
The weekend update and welcome to Chuck!
Our weekend was chaotic at best. Marc's family broke the Yom Kippur fast Thursday night with dinner but we think the eggs were bad because I started getting sick about 11pm that night, soon followed by Marc. Nothing is more miserable than both of us being sick and having a somewhat sick child to take care of as well. We were literally handing Lucas back and forth between us while the other one got sick. It was a long night. Friday morning we found out that Marc's mom was also sick. Luckily Lucas was healthy enough to go to daycare so Marc's dad took him in for us. I don't ever remember a time when both Marc and I were so sick that we spend the whole day in bed. Saturday we were getting a little better but Marc ended up coming home early from work.
Sunday it seemed like we were finally on the mend so we ventured out. Lucas loves the fish they have in his room at the Carriage House and we had been talking about getting him one. Of course with Jeff the carnivore cat, we have to be careful where we put it and we weren't looking for anything too complicated. We went to the local fish store, picked out a gallon bubble tank, gravel and wanted our turn to pick out the fish. We had initially wanted two gold fish-easy right? Well as soon as Doc, our fish consultant saw us and found out what we were looking for, it was like we were suddenly buying a used car and he was going to try and take us for all we were worth! Doc said we didn't want gold fish with the tank we picked because they are "poop machines" and we would need to be cleaning the tank every three days. OK, that wasn't going to happen. So he points out a nice tank for $30 that had a filter and other accessories. We said we were really looking for something low maintenance that we could keep on top of the entertainment system that would be out of Jeff's reach. So Doc said that a beta would be our best bet. I had beta's in college and I think they are pretty so that sounded good to me. Well then came the ph solution for the water, the special food. At one point Lucas was pointing at something and Doc said, "I think he is looking at the plants, which you could always add to the tank. It would create a stimulating environment for the fish." Thanks but I think we had enough stuff. So now we have Chuck the beta who is yellow with black stripes on his fins. He survived his first night with us. Lucas is more interested in the pumpkin shaped candles than the fish but they live for two years so he will have plenty of time to get to know Chuck:)
Sunday it seemed like we were finally on the mend so we ventured out. Lucas loves the fish they have in his room at the Carriage House and we had been talking about getting him one. Of course with Jeff the carnivore cat, we have to be careful where we put it and we weren't looking for anything too complicated. We went to the local fish store, picked out a gallon bubble tank, gravel and wanted our turn to pick out the fish. We had initially wanted two gold fish-easy right? Well as soon as Doc, our fish consultant saw us and found out what we were looking for, it was like we were suddenly buying a used car and he was going to try and take us for all we were worth! Doc said we didn't want gold fish with the tank we picked because they are "poop machines" and we would need to be cleaning the tank every three days. OK, that wasn't going to happen. So he points out a nice tank for $30 that had a filter and other accessories. We said we were really looking for something low maintenance that we could keep on top of the entertainment system that would be out of Jeff's reach. So Doc said that a beta would be our best bet. I had beta's in college and I think they are pretty so that sounded good to me. Well then came the ph solution for the water, the special food. At one point Lucas was pointing at something and Doc said, "I think he is looking at the plants, which you could always add to the tank. It would create a stimulating environment for the fish." Thanks but I think we had enough stuff. So now we have Chuck the beta who is yellow with black stripes on his fins. He survived his first night with us. Lucas is more interested in the pumpkin shaped candles than the fish but they live for two years so he will have plenty of time to get to know Chuck:)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Standing
Lucas has been pulling himself up to a standing position since last week. He just shoots right up. One night he was in the pack and play when he did it and he started to shake it so hard the pack and play was bouncing! Not sure if he was mad or just excited because we were cheering him on. After a few rough days, it seems like our Lucas is back. He played a lot last night before dinner and even this morning he was in a pretty good mood. And he slept through the night-he woke up once but put himself back to sleep. Since I needed to get up early for PT this morning, he woke up once he heard me in the shower.
I need stuff like this to happen because I have such a lack of confidence in my mothering skills. A dear friend told me never to doubt them but I do-the minute something goes wrong I panic.
But on a really exciting note, Lucas and I get to travel to Buffalo at the end of October! I have been asked to serve on the conference planning committee for a regional organization. Actually I got suckered into it-that is what happens when you know too many people at other schools in higher education! But the conference in is Buffalo in June and our planning meetings will be there over the next few months. I can't wait to be with my family and spend some quality time with them. Lucas will get to do some early Trick or Treating with his cousins and my sister is already planning a trip to the zoo's Howl-O-ween event. Now the pressure is on to find a costume for Lucas!
I need stuff like this to happen because I have such a lack of confidence in my mothering skills. A dear friend told me never to doubt them but I do-the minute something goes wrong I panic.
But on a really exciting note, Lucas and I get to travel to Buffalo at the end of October! I have been asked to serve on the conference planning committee for a regional organization. Actually I got suckered into it-that is what happens when you know too many people at other schools in higher education! But the conference in is Buffalo in June and our planning meetings will be there over the next few months. I can't wait to be with my family and spend some quality time with them. Lucas will get to do some early Trick or Treating with his cousins and my sister is already planning a trip to the zoo's Howl-O-ween event. Now the pressure is on to find a costume for Lucas!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Missing something
I read a number of other blogs-most of them about moms dealing with very sick children. The one thing they blog freely about is their faith and how this is the rock they lean upon during their challenging times. While in high school and college I was definitely more spiritual, somewhat religious. But I haven't been active in this part of my life for a while. I have indeed become a twice a year catholic. And I have been feeling as if my life is missing something. I have questioned if going to church will help fill the void. I don't know if I will ever have the strength of faith that these women do but maybe it will help put things into perspective. Marc seems to think my unhappiness comes from our lack of sleep. Perhaps but my misery seems to be deeper than something sleep can fix. There are lots of things I am unhappy with right now: Lucas' sleep schedule, Marc and I fighting non stop, my job. Maybe I am just having my mid life crisis and don't realize it. Whatever it is, I am desperate for some relief.
A friend of mine was helping me work through somethings and she said never doubt my abilities, as it relates to being a mom. I just feel so inadequate. I wish I had her confidence.
A friend of mine was helping me work through somethings and she said never doubt my abilities, as it relates to being a mom. I just feel so inadequate. I wish I had her confidence.
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