So I've been way behind on my blog posting lately.
That's probably because I am now keeping up with a bonafide, up-on-two-feet-can-get-into-anything-WALKING-toddler.
Yep. Scott gave up on the baby crawling thing this month, and is now getting around in the upright position like a big boy.
By my count, he took the first all-important tentative steps on October 16. Official baby age: 13 months, plus six days.
First day or so, he wouldn't go more than one or two steps and didn't relish the idea of letting go of either Mommy or Daddy's hands. But within the week, he had progressed to the drunken sailor/drunken baby walk.
We finally captured two videos of his fabulous balancing act while at Boo at the Zoo last weekend.
(I am particularly fond of the first video, where he checks his feet before taking off; Jim likes Mommy's random, nervous flitting hand that keeps appearing in the second one as Scott struggles to maintain his balance.)
It's been six days since those videos were taken, and Scott is already over the drunk "sailor" baby walking phase. He's getting very steady on his feet, and quicker than I'd like.
I fear he'll be jogging ahead of us to get to the next batch of candy on Halloween.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Meet Mr. Fussy Pants
Scott used to be a good eater. A really good eater. The kind of kid who pretty much ate whatever we put in front of him.
Oh sure, there were some initial rejects: lamb? Yucko. Pureed pees? Gross. Ranch dressing? Nasty.
But for the most part, he tried it, he ate it - or at least a few bites.
No more.
Scott's new favorite game is called, "let me turn my head away from that in disgust and when you still don't get the picture, I will spit it back out at you."
The number of rejected foods is growing daily, changes frequently, and currently includes pretty much all manner of protein, vegetables and fruits.
Current list of acceptable food items include:
1) Waffles, preferably with syrup
2) Pancakes. And ditto.
3) French fries
4) Cheese quesadillas, and occasionally he'll tolerate chicken in them
5) Yogurt
6) Pureed applesauce, and occasionally pears
6) Soup in pretty much any form - except tomato.
7) Oreos
8) Goldfish
9) Pringles Baked Stix - pizza or cheddar flavor, please
10) Paper products of any kind
I have no idea what's going on with that last one. But every time I turn around, Scott is eating a magazine or an envelope.
The rest of the food items pretty much all have two things in common: a) they are carbohydrates b) they are predominately snack foods.
The one saving grace is the soup. I've taken to hiding whatever Scott rejects in my first attempt at dinner -- usually little bits of chicken, turkey, corn, green beans and carrots -- in the broth, just so I can be sure that my son is getting some kind of vegetables every day.
Tomorrow, I think his chicken noodle soup is going to be pulsed and pureed with a little leftover steak and spinach. Sounds gross, but I can't really think of a better idea.
Please tell me this is just a phase and he'll get over it. And soon!
Oh sure, there were some initial rejects: lamb? Yucko. Pureed pees? Gross. Ranch dressing? Nasty.
But for the most part, he tried it, he ate it - or at least a few bites.
No more.
Scott's new favorite game is called, "let me turn my head away from that in disgust and when you still don't get the picture, I will spit it back out at you."
The number of rejected foods is growing daily, changes frequently, and currently includes pretty much all manner of protein, vegetables and fruits.
Current list of acceptable food items include:
1) Waffles, preferably with syrup
2) Pancakes. And ditto.
3) French fries
4) Cheese quesadillas, and occasionally he'll tolerate chicken in them
5) Yogurt
6) Pureed applesauce, and occasionally pears
6) Soup in pretty much any form - except tomato.
7) Oreos
8) Goldfish
9) Pringles Baked Stix - pizza or cheddar flavor, please
10) Paper products of any kind
I have no idea what's going on with that last one. But every time I turn around, Scott is eating a magazine or an envelope.
The rest of the food items pretty much all have two things in common: a) they are carbohydrates b) they are predominately snack foods.
The one saving grace is the soup. I've taken to hiding whatever Scott rejects in my first attempt at dinner -- usually little bits of chicken, turkey, corn, green beans and carrots -- in the broth, just so I can be sure that my son is getting some kind of vegetables every day.
Tomorrow, I think his chicken noodle soup is going to be pulsed and pureed with a little leftover steak and spinach. Sounds gross, but I can't really think of a better idea.
Please tell me this is just a phase and he'll get over it. And soon!
 |
| No mommy. No veggies. I want Oreos! |
Addendum: On Oct. 27, Scott added dog food to his list of approved menu items. Just thought I'd mention it.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
You can baby proof....but you can't Tank-proof
Jim and I are fairly smart people. So when Scott first started showing signs of crawling a few months back, we figured it might be a good idea to protect our little munchkin from himself.
At first we were going to go all out on the baby-proof front, but ultimately, we opted for just a few basics, deciding instead that we would monitor Tank closely and try to teach him what he could and could not touch.
Our biggest priority was cabinet locks. We wanted to keep Scott out of the kitchen cleansers, away from the glass pots and pans and free from the tempting allure of any and all sharp objects.
Friends and online reviews led us to choose magnetic locks - which are a total pain for us, but nice and strong. The plastic part adheres under the cabinet with adhesive, and the locks don't open unless you wave the special magnet "key" in front of them.
They worked like a charm. Until a few weeks went by, and I noticed that the cabinet lock under the kitchen sink was no longer functioning. (I discovered this, I might add, when I watched Tank toddle over, yank open the door and pull out the Comet.)
Umm. Not good.
A few days later, and the cabinet door next to it also malfunctioned. I gave a gentle tug on the door and the little adhesive thingy fell on the ground.
I was stumped -- until a couple of weeks later, when Scott was in the master bathroom with me, playing with a toy while I dried my hair. He got bored, and crawled over to the bathroom cabinets (which were also locked), stood up and yanked on the cabinets' handle. It didn't budge. So it became a game. He yanked again. And again, and again. Bit by bit, the lock started loosening.
I realize I should have stopped him, but I was really quite fascinated and entertained. After about five minutes of playing, Scott gave one more big pull, and fell backwards on his butt as the cabinet door swung wide open and the adhesive lock popped off the wood.
He clapped his hands and laughed. At me, I think.
At first we were going to go all out on the baby-proof front, but ultimately, we opted for just a few basics, deciding instead that we would monitor Tank closely and try to teach him what he could and could not touch.
Our biggest priority was cabinet locks. We wanted to keep Scott out of the kitchen cleansers, away from the glass pots and pans and free from the tempting allure of any and all sharp objects.
Friends and online reviews led us to choose magnetic locks - which are a total pain for us, but nice and strong. The plastic part adheres under the cabinet with adhesive, and the locks don't open unless you wave the special magnet "key" in front of them.
They worked like a charm. Until a few weeks went by, and I noticed that the cabinet lock under the kitchen sink was no longer functioning. (I discovered this, I might add, when I watched Tank toddle over, yank open the door and pull out the Comet.)
Umm. Not good.
A few days later, and the cabinet door next to it also malfunctioned. I gave a gentle tug on the door and the little adhesive thingy fell on the ground.
I was stumped -- until a couple of weeks later, when Scott was in the master bathroom with me, playing with a toy while I dried my hair. He got bored, and crawled over to the bathroom cabinets (which were also locked), stood up and yanked on the cabinets' handle. It didn't budge. So it became a game. He yanked again. And again, and again. Bit by bit, the lock started loosening.
I realize I should have stopped him, but I was really quite fascinated and entertained. After about five minutes of playing, Scott gave one more big pull, and fell backwards on his butt as the cabinet door swung wide open and the adhesive lock popped off the wood.
He clapped his hands and laughed. At me, I think.
 |
| You think these locks are going to stop me? Child's play, I tell you! |
Final score: Tank - 1, Babyproof locks - 0
Mommy and Daddy? Not even on the playing field.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Ring bearer of the year
Scott has done a lot in his short life - not the least of which is help two lovely people say their vows and pledge the rest of their lives to each other.
Okay, so Tank didn't actually have a big role in the wedding ceremony between my youngest cousin, Katie, and her new husband, Ethan. (Who is a lovely person despite his lousy taste in football teams, by the way.)
But Scott did totally up the "cute" factor at their September nuptials.
He was one of three kids in the wedding (and had serious competition for the "cute" award from his cousin, Peyton, aka, most adorable flower girl ever, and his second cousin, Logan, aka, super cute, suave, and -- not to mention -- much more mobile ring bearer.)
Together, the three little people prompted many oohs and aahs from the crowd, and also provided quite a bit of levity with their antics. You can read all about Peyton's flower girl escapades at my sister's blog, but suffice it to say between the tripping, the mid-ceremony snacking, the random shouts of "cheese!" whenever a photographer got close, Scott and his father playing "rawrrr" and Logan wandering the center aisle with a pillow in his face, it was quite the event.
Fortunately for all parties, the bride and groom took it all in stride, and looked gorgeous to boot.
Scott allowed his mommy to carry him up and then back down the aisle after the ceremony, with minimal fuss, and put on his best serious face.
After the vows, it was time to party. And for Scott, that meant rockin' a pair of blue and red fire engine jammies. He played with mommy, sat next to daddy at dinner, stayed up way past his bedtime, ate his weight in chicken fingers and french fries and had an altogether great time.
Okay, so Tank didn't actually have a big role in the wedding ceremony between my youngest cousin, Katie, and her new husband, Ethan. (Who is a lovely person despite his lousy taste in football teams, by the way.)
But Scott did totally up the "cute" factor at their September nuptials.
He was one of three kids in the wedding (and had serious competition for the "cute" award from his cousin, Peyton, aka, most adorable flower girl ever, and his second cousin, Logan, aka, super cute, suave, and -- not to mention -- much more mobile ring bearer.)
 |
| Scott, with mommy and daddy, before the ceremony. |
 |
| Peyton, getting some bear hug love from Logan. |
Together, the three little people prompted many oohs and aahs from the crowd, and also provided quite a bit of levity with their antics. You can read all about Peyton's flower girl escapades at my sister's blog, but suffice it to say between the tripping, the mid-ceremony snacking, the random shouts of "cheese!" whenever a photographer got close, Scott and his father playing "rawrrr" and Logan wandering the center aisle with a pillow in his face, it was quite the event.
 |
| Yes, Logan, I think now is the perfect time for a munchie break. |
 |
| Whee!! |
Scott allowed his mommy to carry him up and then back down the aisle after the ceremony, with minimal fuss, and put on his best serious face.
After the vows, it was time to party. And for Scott, that meant rockin' a pair of blue and red fire engine jammies. He played with mommy, sat next to daddy at dinner, stayed up way past his bedtime, ate his weight in chicken fingers and french fries and had an altogether great time.
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