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...

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.')

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.

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.

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.

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.