Saturday, January 31, 2009

Beginning of the End?

I went in Elliot's room this morning and what did I find?

Elliot standing in his crib with one leg propped up on the rail. OH CRAP. He was pushing up with his arms and had he moved his foot just the tiniest bit he would've had half his body hanging out of the crib.

Suppose we should be gearing up for a toddler bed soon...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Sides of Stories

There are at least 2 sides to every story. Every, single one.

Elliot's Side. I was sitting on the couch with daddy and realized I was sitting on my blanket. I grabbed it like I always do and pulled. Just as it was coming loose, the coffee table came up and punched me in the face. I was so mad at it! I cried a lot and then went to bed. Now I have a huge black eye.

Mom's Side. I was sitting in a chair watching the boys play when suddenly Elliot did a front flip, landing with his head bashing into the side of the coffee table. He immediately screamed and Fred snatched him up but just as in many other crisis situations, only mom will do. The cut was bleeding a lot but we were able to tape him up and get him into bed within an hour.

Dad's Side. We were playing then he was grabbing his blanket then he flipped right off the couch. Then I tried to pick him up but he was flailing for his mother. Maybe tomorrow I'll work with him on the proper dismount from the couch.

Sienna's Side. Meooow. Mew mew meoooow. Meow. (Translated that means 'That kid is a bull in a china shop. Maybe it's Karma, man, and this wouldn't happen if he wouldn't pull my whiskers or poke my eyes. Karma.')

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Happy Birthday, Elliot!

Today Elliot turns two. And what would a two-year birthday be without a huge, puffy black eye? Thankfully, he gave himself one last night so we wouldn't have to find out.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Look out Lincoln!

Here come the Seckman Scavengers!

I don't know much about the program yet, but I registered our family for the Lincoln Safari. From what I can tell, it's going to require a lot of visits in 2009 to parks, playgrounds and many other community hot spots to look for things.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Rhyme and Reason: Another '09 Apology

Whenever I blog about something, it typically takes a while to get to a point that I found it worthwhile to post.

In an earlier post about Fred running a magical (maniacal?) race in Disney World, I jokingly asked if anyone wanted to come along. I was not expecting the response I got. I am flattered that people want to vacation with us whether it be to watch Fred sweat to death or smother Elliot with love or maybe, just maybe, enjoy my company as well.

Although we’d been talking about that trip since November, I just formally entered Fred – making it time to post about it. What I didn't mention is that back in November, my sister and I planned, with approval from our hubbies (or “bosses” as we like to call them), that we’d make this a little 2-family getaway. Jen and I never get to have just our families together – we want the big boys to hang out, we want to hang out and we want the cousins to have a chance to get to know each other.

Somehow I managed to overlook that in recent talks about this upcoming big adventure. I think I opened my mouth a little too far (who, me?) when I should have kept it shut. I’m kind of like a preschooler on their birthday – jumpy and overly excited and I want to tell the world about my new Barbie Dream House.

Then I posted the blog and jokingly asked if anyone wanted to come along. My sister got angry. (She even went as far as accusing me of a mid-life crisis for forgetting our previous plans.)

So. Jennifer, I’m sorry. It was a bad sister thing of me to do.

And everyone else, you’re kind of uninvited. But not in a mean way – more in the way of me needing to stay true to my sister. I truly hope I didn’t hurt any feelings more than I already did.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

An Increasingly Typical Morning

Elliot singing to Pup-Pup in his crib. I walk in to get him up and going.
A: Hey, is someone awake in here?
E: Pup-Pup! (Throws puppy at me.)
A: Let's get the shades open and get a move on - sound good?
E: Noooooooooooo. (Smiling.)

I pick him up and head to the changing table.
E: No Mommy. Owie.
A: (Quizzical look.) You have an owie? Where?
E: No owie. Elmo.
A: You have Elmo?
E: Yeah.
A: Where?
E: (Grabs his bottom - his diapers have Elmo on them.)

Once the diaper is changed, I pick out clothes, giving him 2 shirt options.
A: Elliot, do you want to wear the shirt with an airplane or bulldozer?
E: No. Fie-twuck shert.
A: Firetruck shirt? Okay. (I dig out the two long sleeve shirts.)
E: Nooo. Fie-twuck shert.
A: These are firetrucks.
E: NO MOMMY! FIE-TWUCK! (Elliot pushes me out of the way and bends over his changing table to pull out a t-shirt from the BOTTOM of his drawer that has a flashing firetruck on it.)
A: Okay but we have to have another one under it.
E: NOOOOOOO!!! (Starting to cry.) NOOO Mommy! Fie-twuck!
A: Now, (struggling to get the shirt over his head) we have to wear this (struggling with an arm) because it's cold (other arm) outside.
E: (Full scale bawling.) Fie-twuck Mommy.
A: Yes, now we can put on the fie-twuck.
E: Okay! (Smiling)
A: (Chanting internally 'I love him. I love him.')

We then head to the kitchen to get a snack.
A: Look, Mommy made you a waffle!
E: Mmm, waffle.
A: Here you go!
E: NO MOMMY NO WAFFLE. Wan pangake!
A: But you asked for a waffle?!!
E: NOOOOO!
A: (Pause. I take a deep breath.) Now you listen here, son. (Pointing at him and then at the waffle.) You asked for a waffle and I made you a waffle so you are going to eat your waffle. I will not throw this waffle away because now you want a pancake. If you are hungry you will eat it. That's enough. I'm finished negotiating with you.
E: Mmmm (eating waffle).

Mommy 1, Elliot 0.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

It's Time.

Change is so close, I can smell it.

In honor of today, I did some changing today as well:
I changed Elliot's diaper.
I changed from my original brown shoes to my sassy red ones.
I changed my breakfast from cereal to oatmeal.
I almost hit a pedestrian; that would've changed my day.
I changed the password on my pc.

I have so much patriotism in my today it's oozing out of my ears.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

At the Ripe Old Age of 30...

There's an annual marathon at Walt Disney World in January and for as long as he's been running, Fred has wanted to complete it. A few years ago they split the race into two days so the half-marathon folks run Saturday and the full marathon folks run Sunday.

Then some genius came along and said "What about the people that want to run both?" Instead of smacking him upside the head the people at Disney decided to name it Goofy's Race and a Half. Personally, they should name it Race for People that are Gluttons for Punishment and ooh- how fancy you get a medal with Goofy on it.

You are correct (and if you're shaking your head because you know where this is going, I'm with you) - you get up and run 13.1 miles on Saturday then turn around and run 26.2 miles on Sunday so that over the course of two days you have nearly run 40 miles.

This time next year, Fred will be able say he's done it. Not exactly my idea of how to spend my 30th birthday - but hey, to each their own, right?

Elliot and I are going along for the ride. Want to join us?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

He's Got Mad Skillz

Most 2 year olds (geez, he's almost 2!!) are building their vocabulary by repeating everything they hear and see. Elliot's more interested in grouping like objects.

For example, the word apple (ah-ohl) is for any type of fruit.

E: Wan ah-ohl.
A: What? There is no apple. You mean banana? Do you want a banana?
E: Noooooooooooo. Ah-ohl! Peeees?

You can imagine what we hear when we go through the fruit page of his 100 Words book. Ah-ohl, ah-ohl, ah-ohl.

This also is the case for trucks. Any and all trucks from pickups to semi trucks and anything in between - you are now known as firetrucks (fie-twukk), wee-oo wee-oo.

E: fie-twukk!
A: Actually, that's a garbage truck.
E: Yep. Fie-twukk! wee-oo wee-oo.

I'm not sure, but I think he's a genius.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Creating New Traditions

As 2009 rolls in, so begins a couple new things we're starting to do.

1. Weekends in Tecumseh. It's great for them, it's great for us and it's a lot of fun for Elliot. Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Jim get to pick a weekend every few months to have Elliot all to themselves.

This was the first one. So what big plans did Fred and I have? To folks w/o kids it may sound lame, but we have been having fun without a little one in tow. Yesterday we went to the NU/Mizzou basketball game (Go 'skers!) and then out to dinner with Mike and Kelly. This morning I got to sleep in until 9... I can't remember the last time that happened. And - I've never been so excited to put laundry away without someone throwing undies and socks all over the house!

2. Date nights. Over dinner last night we finalized our date night plan for 2009. First Friday of each month Mike and Kelly get to go out and the third Friday we get to go out. Lucky for us that Nate and Elliot get along splendidly so they'll also benefit from this arrangement.

Kind of boring post, I know. Sorry about that.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Best. Breakfast. Ever.

I never thought anything would top a heaping bowl of Life Cereal drenched in cold milk. I'm sorry Life, it's time to move into 2nd place.

My new favorite breakfast is: Quaker Simple Harvest oatmeal with a chopped up banana in it. So simple yet so truly delicious.

Despite what you might be thinking, I did not get paid for that plug.
I love it THAT much.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Resolution Schmesolution

I'm not big on making resolutions - just ask my sister about the talk we had earlier this week. I just abhor the idea of making some promise to myself that I will inevitably break. Then feel bad about only to try the same thing the next year.

It's a perpetual set up for disappointment.

In light of recent conversations I did think of something that will simply begin in 2009. Not a goal or a promise, just something I'm going to do.

Apologizing. Righting the wrongs.

It started with squirting mustard in Dan's mouth. I'm pretty sure I never apologized. Then Jen reminded me of scribbling "Jenny is dumb" all over her sandals with ink pen. I KNOW I never apologized for that. I'm pretty sure that getting the neighbor kid to leave us alone by saying his mom had a popsicle for him was wrong too.

I'm not going to make all of my apologies public but I'll be working on it. Whenever I remember something I'll commit to making the apology. And then, because we moved like gypsies for most of my life, I'll spend a week or two finding that person and set it right.

Starting now.

Mom and Jen - Remember that time I got the curling iron stuck in Jen's hair and then left her there alone because I knew if I got caught I'd be in trouble? And then - I came back inside and you were pulling her hair to pieces getting it out? Well, I'm sorry to both of you for lying about it and for not getting Mom right when it happened.

I feel better.