life with baby

Flirting

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Friends Carrie & Matt came over last week with their son Nicholas. We had pizza, and Nicholas was an adorable well-behaved little boy, as usual!

He’s starting to walk, but he still loves sitting to sort and stack. His good habits rubbed off a little on Jameson, and they sat together sorting for a solid five minutes.

It was plenty time to get about 20 shots of them together playing. Forgive me for the sharp, heavy-handed black edges in these photos. They aren’t perfect editing. I was tired last night when I did it, and I’ll update them later.

Jameson also spent quite a bit of time flirting with Ms Carrie! He never smiles this big for me now.

He’s an outrageous flirt. And check out that awesome food-filled hair that sticks out on end!

(Great shot of that tooth gap too, right? It still makes my heart hurt)

He would look at Carrie specifically to see if she thought he was funny. First with his little new toy vacuum (which he loves) and then with the pieces of plastic eggs (still out, yes)

In the end though, he couldn’t win her heart and Ms Carrie had to leave. And Matt and Nicholas, too. But we had a blast! They just bought a new house, so we are looking forward to visiting them again soon.

P.S. I made the switch over to manual mode on my camera yesterday evening! I read an article yesterday and it finally clicked! I have shot a regular SLR in highschool, I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to really click with the DSLR. I’m committed now though. I expect photos to dip a bit in quality for a little while though while I get the hang of things.

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general life, life with baby

Good Friday & The Wardrobe

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Good Friday, I had off work but Brian didn’t. That may have been a first, so I’ll mark that down in the history books blog. So I opted to send Jameson to daycare and spend the day on myself.

First, I changed into my jeans to drop Jameson off at daycare, and came home swapping them out for lounge pants. I bought a book and started reading. Next, I ate brunch. I had a leftover wrap from Thursday and a whole box of mac ‘n cheese at 10:30.

My friend Emma and fiance Joe stopped by at 11 on her way to Detroit visiting family. Then I read some more.

Then I went to go see Titanic in 3D with sister-in-law Melissa. I had a box of snow caps.

Then I sort of felt depressed (it’s a tough movie to watch after having children, I think), so I picked up Jameson right after it was over at 5:15 or so. I was catching a cold, so when Brian’s parents stopped over later to drop off some pre-Easter gifts, I napped on the couch.

What a fabulous day. šŸ™‚

But you’re probably not here to hear about me, right? I did take some photos sometime in between napping.

So, Jameson got some clothes from grandma and grandpa. Adorable, cute clothes. But Jameson was very interested in this other box from grandma and grandpa (Grandma said excuse the girl wrapping paper, haha. Oh well, I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it or you’d never have noticed) and it’s fabulous bow.

What could possible have this super fun pull on it?

Jameson’s first lawn mower!

I can’t wait to see Jameson walking his mower out in the grass this summer.

But, right now, it’s still inside because of the crazy weather we’ve been having.

(This is what I woke up to this morning)

Yep, straight out of the Wardrobe.

(The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe if you’re confused)

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Toddler Toy Taker

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Mr. Jameson is introducing us to toddlerhood by throwing small (short, for now, thank goodness) tantrums and taking toys.

Here he is giving Nicholas the stink eye… then he makes his move.

On Sunday, Nicholas and his parents Matt and Carrie came to visit us. Nicholas is turning the big O-N-E and we can’t make it to his party (due to another party for another special O-N-E year old), so we invited them over to hang out and play.

They were pretty cute together. Nicholas enjoyed sitting and playing with all Jameson’s new toys, while Jameson crawled around like a zoo monkey set free in the wild.

This was interspersed with more toy stealing.

They both enjoyed playing with blocks, and Nicholas showed off his skills stacking them (Jameson is pretty fixated on just knocking them down for the most part still)

They’re also both at the stage where they like to sort things. Jameson just learned how to put the “coins” in the bank this past week, and Nicholas wanted to too. So Jameson stole it back. And spat in it.

I’m sure it was completely accidental drool. Hopefully. (We are still working on those bottom molars, you know)

We might need to do something about that mullet growing there. Look how nice and neat Nicholas is in comparison! And here is my son again:

Occasionally Jameson was cute. He tried playing peek-a-boo. Sometimes he’ll do it without anything to cover his face, and his hands will go up and clap his ears or cheeks like the home alone kid. Too cute!

Finally it was time to open gifts! Jameson wanted to help, really bad. He got upset when we took the toys away. What a difference just two months makes. He knew exactly what we were doing (and thought it was for him).

Nicholas enjoyed the little drum we got him, and hopefully he’s enjoying the bead maze as well since he seemed fascinated with Jameson’s while he was over!

It was nice to see them again; we live a very short distance away but don’t get together often. It’s always fun watching the children interact, and in this case… learning more about my son as he is growing. We’re going to have to start teaching sharing a little more, I can see.

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general life, life with baby

Wednesday Night Babies

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Yesterday I got my hair cut after work. It’s always a bit of an event, since I only get my hair cut 2-3 times a year. Maybe 4, if I’m really on top of it. It’s a small splurge of mine, though considering that I go very infrequently, maybe not as much as a splurge as I think. I go to the fancy salon, I get my hair cut by my favorite curly hair cutter, Melanie, and then she straightens my hair. And I tip her like crazy, because no one has ever cut my hair like this lady. Love.

Since I only have straight hair a couple times a year (because I am way too lazy busy to do it outside of haircutting days), that means I extend my straight hair for 2-3 extra bonus days.

Today, at work:

Meanwhile, yesterday, Brian and our neighbors came over for what they are calling Babies and Beer night Wednesdays. Which doesn’t sound all that positive or responsible, though I assure you it is. Two men, watching their kids play and have a drink.

I came home shortly before bedtime and immediately asked: Did you take any PHOTOS?!

Of course not, so I had to take a few.

This is Surfin’ Elmo (who has the most annoying voice EVER). Jameson isn’t sure how to rock on him yet, but he likes to get on and off and sit up and down on him. It’s pretty cute. (Lily wasn’t too sure, and I don’t blame her, though she did climb on for a moment by the end of the evening)

We say this nearly every time they get together, but Jameson and Lily really are interacting a lot more. Yesterday, Brian said they waved at each other from across the room for about 5 minutes straight. Too cute! I’m sorry I missed it.

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Tunnel Play

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For Jameson’s birthday, Brian got him the Mega Land play set. For about a month, we’ve only had a tunnel portion set up, but last week we put up the playhouse portion.

Isn’t Brian cute? I love watching him play with Jameson. It’s so great to see him being such an involved and happy father.

Sasha wanted to play too. She was concerned when her favorite people disappeared!

Then, we put up the whole shebang and it overtook the living room for the weekend.

We had Miss Lily from next door come over to play.

She’s not a fan of confined spaces though, so she only wanted to play in the open portion of the set.

It was fun, and it easily folds up to a thin stack that we put in between the wall and the toy box. It came with a lot of balls too, which was fun for Jameson. He learned how to throw the little basketball and chase after it!

He also tried to crawl out of the tiny little holes for the balls at one end, getting one arm and half a face out. Too funny!

Then they got bored and decided to play with the subwoofer buttons.

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Saturday Morning

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Today Jameson turned 13 months old! I can’t wait to share the photos from our shoot this morning — that’s right, we’re continuing with the block photos this year. I am guessing that he will change even more in this year than the one prior. Starting with this weekend.

On Saturday, it was my turn to get up early with Jameson. First, he stacked rings back on the holder, 3 in a row!

They were on backward, but he made it work.

Then, he played in the corner for a little bit. Both Jameson and Sasha like to hang out in corners.

We played with a cup and put blocks in it for a little while.

Then, he recently started rolling around on the floor and putting his head on pillows when he is being silly on purpose.

He’s playing with his favorite stuffed animal in the whole world, his lovey, he little bear. Little Bear is usually a bed and naptime only, but since we instituted pacifiers only at bed and naptime this last week, I decided to let him enjoy some play time during the day.

Then we took a few self portraits. They were all out of focus. We’re both in our pjs.

Jameson learned how to make the music go on his “boom box” and it occupied him for a full 10 minutes.

During breakfast, Jameson started clicking his tongue. I spent the next hour trying to get video of it, but only got myself, acting like a crazy woman.

It was definitely a productive morning!

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Gifts for a 1 Year Old

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Yes, it’s true, babies don’t need a whole lot. They play with the things that aren’t toys the most anyway, right?

But Jameson is both our firstborn and first grandchild in our family. He has both a birthday and Christmas coming up. He’s bound to get a lot of new toys and clothes and necessities and a lot of un-necessities too. Here are a few things that we’ve gotten him, know that he is getting, and a few things we’ve gotten other babies around his age.*

Stride-Rite gift card |Ā Play tunnels | Kid-sized towels

Every new walker is a growing boy or girl who will need new shoes again and again sooner than their parents might want.

They’re also really into exploring, a perfect time to introduce these collapsible play centers (and keep them away from exploring other areas of the house like the toilet seats or trashcans). However, a lot of them say they have small parts and aren’t to be used by kids under 3, so use at your discretion!

And if your baby or your friend’s baby hasn’t already outgrown those small newborn baby towels, maybe now is the perfect time to give them a new kid-sized towel that will last longer than their newborn towels did.

Blocks | Giant stuffed animal | Sled

Blocks made for babies are great because they make them now with interactive elements, like mirrors, bells, and textures. Jameson is getting two different sets and the great thing about these is that they can be used for years to come as their block collection can grow.

I don’t know about other babies, but Jameson is loving pillows and soft items. So we thought it would be fun to get him a giant stuffed caterpillar for him to dive into.

And a sled? That timeless classic will never get old for winter birthdays. For the one year old though find one with sides, maybe even handles, and check to see if the little one already has one first.

Finger Paint | Walker & Riding Toy | Puzzles

It’s never too early for finger paint. With supervision, any baby can make masterpieces before they’re old enough to hold a crayon.

Or if you’re looking for something perfect for that age, a walking and riding toy would be ideal.

To develop coordination, puzzles with extra large knobs are also fun. I know Jameson has a lot of books, but no puzzles yet.

Clothes | Touch & Feel Books | $$

Even (maybe especially) the second baby in the family would benefit from new clothes, particularly those clothes that maybe mom and dad don’t spend the money on. You know, the nice sweaters that aren’t on sale yet or high quality pants from a store that penny-pinching parents wouldn’t typically shop from.

Jameson has a lot of books and they are like magic to him right now. I’m not opposed to any number of books if they capture his attention. Baby Touch and Feel books are his favorite right now.

Last, a parent may not say it but money for a big purchase might be the most appreciated, such as for car seats or a college fund.

Bath Toys | Bibs | Snack & Food Utensils for Toddlers

Bath time is really starting to get fun for the one year old. Stick on letters, paint or crayons for bath time (I’ve also seen water dyes), or this endless water spout would be great. Plus, they’re getting more baths now because they’re messier right? Or is that just us?

Likewise, Jameson needs some new bibs, a lot of the ones he has are the small cloth ones we got at our shower, and he’s ready for some big boy bibs. Plus, bibs get gross. You can never have enough of these, I think.

One-year-olds are also getting to the age of snacking, spoons and forks (well, not quite yet), plates and bowls. I like the juice drink holders for when he learns how to use the straw, and the snack catchers are perfect for keeping fist fulls of food in the container instead of on the floor.

Kid Chair | Toys with Wheels | Personalized Stools or Puzzles

I’ve heard it from several parents that their kids just love their own personal kid-sized chairs and sit in them all the time.

And personally, Jameson loves toys on wheels. He’s not coordinated yet, but he tries to roll his animals on wheels, so we’re giving him a big red car that will be easy for him to push around. Vehicles, the pull behind doggy, and plenty of other wheel-ed toys are great. The risk here is that if you are buying for a friend, they may already have a lot of vehicle toys as these are a staple for little boys!

This sign is great for kids any age, but 1 is a special year and parents will appreciate the extra time and thoughtfulness of a personalized stool or puzzle.

Soft Ornaments | Christmas Tree | Food

Instead of a fancy first Christmas ornament, why not a few that baby can hang (or play with) him or herself that are soft or made of felt? I have a lot of ornaments that Jameson can’t touch, but not a lot that he can play with for hanging low on the Christmas tree.

And I admit it, this Christmas Tree I just think is adorable. It can even be personalized!

And for a stocking? Every baby loves puffs, cheerios, and teething cookies to fill that space.

—–

What not to get (or at least consider carefully): Toys that take up a lot of space for babies that live in storage-limited homes and items without a gift receipt or way of returning. Let’s face it, even when you’re trying to find the perfect something, your perfect may not be their perfect. That’s okay, because your gift will still allow them to get something else they may really need.

*I have not used or experienced all these products, but I think they’re great ideas. As always, consider your purchases carefully and note any age specific warnings and details.

P.S. Looking for gifts for a 2 year old? Check out some of my suggestions.

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Delicious Morning

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It was a great morning today with everyone feeling better. It was delicious, not in the tasty food way, but in the have-time-to-cuddle and get-to-see-Jameson way. Jameson was up early this morning so I got to feed and dress him this morning, which is always fun. I came into work a little later but it was worth it.

I have just over a week to prepare for his 1st birthday party! I can hardly believe the time that’s gone by. Recently, he has started waving at us with his whole arm, he is so excited. It’s the best feeling to come into a room and have him wave at you like he just saw you for the first time in a while. (It’s not unlike Sasha’s excitement whenever we leave and come back; dogs are so similar to babies)

Whenever he falls, I says “boom!” to make it funny and distract him from what otherwise might be an unhappy moment. I’ll also say boom when toys drop to the ground loud. The other night, I was almost certain he was trying to say Boom too with a “buh buh”. He has also finally discovered his “d’s” so we’re waiting for a “da da da” to come out.

Jameson likes to spin around in circles on his butt, just moving his legs to get around in a circle. It’s adorable, and I’d love to get it on camera (I did get one haphazard one at the end of this video), but recently he has been less easy to photograph. The other night I was trying to get him to “drink” from the bucket (there wasn’t any water in it) like he does at play and bath time, but he didn’t want to do it for the camera again. He either gets distracted when I get the camera out, or he comes running crawling really fast toward me to get at it. Or to be held, he really likes to be held a lot recently.

I’m thinking that this is just a phase (and really, no adults are trying to jump in their parents arms like that), so I am not too worried about this. In fact, I kind of enjoy it, especially when he’ll lay his head against me for a moment (just a moment). The only other time he is still like that is when he is sitting looking at books with us. He loves the baby touch and feel books, but all books must seem like magic to him when he flips the page and a new picture appears.

I think he just wants to see things from a new vantage point when he wants to be held, but I don’t think he’ll be walking by next week. He is really good with his walk behind toy, much better than when we try to walk with him with our hands. He really does like to do things himself. But as yet, he’s not standing on his own beyond a moment or two when he lets go of whatever furniture he’s holding onto.

Speaking of furniture, he is really loving cabinets, so we finally purchased some locks that Brian will be putting on this weekend on a few cabinets. I don’t really mind him getting into the pots and pans, or the towels, so those will probably stay unlocked. In some ways, since I don’t see him as often because I work, it’s actually made life really easy and less stressful. If he wants to bang on some pans while I’m home, that’s fine. Hopefully I’ll be able to turn around the relaxed attitude a little and give it some boundaries as he gets older.

For now, I am really enjoying him as a baby, and while I love that he is getting bigger and I’m happy he’s moving into the new room at daycare with other 12-18 month olds (particularly because he gets to move up with his friend), I am also wishing I could just pause him right here for a little bit.

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Birthday Boy

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I know, I know. It’s a little early to be celebrating Jameson’s birthday. We have a couple more weeks to go (Gosh, only a couple?! I am way behind on making those garlands)

But, he seemed to enjoy the walk behind/ride on toy at his friend Mark‘s so much that we asked nicely and Jameson’s grandparents were willing to go ahead and give him one of his gifts early last night.

Sasha wanted to help. That right there, that’s “9 years of teaching her to open her own gifts” Brian said. Yep, this puppy gets wrapped gifts too.

What is it!? Why, it’s …. wrapping paper! Yay!

Meanwhile, some assembly is required.

[10 Minutes Later…]

Grandma and grandpa (who took off work early for this special occasion) are thrilled. Jameson took to it right away, both forward and backward as you can see in this cute video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDVy5zfr5Ew]

I can tell that he’s going to be chasing after the puppy even more now…

I am not sure who had more fun, us or Jameson.

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Toy Talk

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I am nearly one month out from Jameson’s birthday, and one-ish short week from that until Christmas. What in the world am I doing buying Jameson more toys right now?

So far for his birthday and Christmas, I have planned mostly practical items, so he I deserve a little treat, right?

  • Winter snow suit
  • Winter boots (haven’t found those yet)
  • Sled? (unless we get Brian’s from his parents)
  • Some new pajamas and a cute t-shirt
  • Toothbrush sanitizer (I know, I know)
  • HABA discovery blocks
  • A couple books
  • A custom made board book (from here, I haven’t started this yet)

I just feel like he is developing so quickly I want him to get the most out of his toys. If that means a play table now instead of later, so be it .

If that means some balls to chase after (so fun to watch!), so be it.

Jameson is actually really playing with his toys recently too. He still enjoys banging the coasters, hitting door stoppers, eating the handles on the freezer and pulling up on the most inconvenient of places. But he is also spending a lot more time with his toys, which is so much fun to watch.

I am still excited for Christmas and his birthday. I don’t plan on jumping the gun on anything else, but these were definitely worth it. Jameson agrees.

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