Santa Pic... who cried?

Ended up at the mall yesterday with LB and my mom and she asked me if she could pay for a Santa picture.  I had no idea how it would go.  LB did not cry.  He was totally amazed at Santa and stared him down, we couldn't even get him to look at the camera.  But my mother let the tears flow.  And Santa handed the baby over to me and hugged grandma, asked if it was her first, and told her everything was going to be okay.  It was a sight to behold!  (Wish I had gotten a pic of that!)   

Then they rode the mall train together and I could not tell who was happier. 

My mom had just turned 18 years old when I came along and she was single by 20.  We grew up together.   Our relationship has been less than ideal over the years, but I do love her.  She is on a mission to be the best grandma she can be and LB and I are both grateful for that.  I bite my tongue a lot (basically she allows him to do anything and everything) but there is no doubt that she loves her grandson.    

11 months

I quit doing monthly posts here because I created a blog with just monthly updates to share with grandparents.  They are so long and I don't want to bore anyone here with all of the things that we are "awww-ing" over.  However, I have not done the 11 month post (or finished the one for 10, 9, 8... sigh) and thought I would double dip this month.  Plus, it will be a good time to go along with our new blog look since we took family pics this month:]  

October 10- November 10 (not quite finished with monthly pic yet)
Weight- Guessing 18 1/2 lbs 
Height- Guessing around 28"

Clothing- started in 9 months and transitioned to 12 months

Diapers- size 3

Hair- Blonde

Eyes- Blue

Feeding- Between 25- 30 ounces of formula, combination of baby food and solids

Sleeping- 2-3 hour stretches, waking around 6 a.m. for the day, yep.  (I have high hopes of posting something different here next month!) 

Favorites- ball, z.any z.oo, any game of chase, music (listening, not dancing), T.homas the Train

Firsts- high school football game, pulling up and standing, steps, presidential election, Halloween

This month more than ever you were such a little boy rather than a baby.  It was really a month of big stuff!  Where do I begin?

Grandma taught you to stick your feet up during diaper changes when she says "let me smell your feet."  Of course, she says "shoo-wee" and you either think it's funny or crazy, not sure which.  I hate to say but they really can be smelly!  Speaking of your feet, they are really chunky!  We finally found a pair of shoes that you can't- or don't- pull off.  They are a 3 1/2 wide with latches from S.tride R.ite.  The sales lady took one look at your feet and said "he is going to always need a wide."  Lol.  I adore your smelly, fat feet!  

First real shoes! 

 Those fat feet have been busy taking first steps!  You did it once at granny's house and we pulled out the phone video and caught it the next time too.  Since then you have been pulling up everywhere and on (unfortunately) anything (this has led to several tumbles & even a bruise on your head) but you are so proud!  You will not take steps unless we are standing there with our hands outstretched and you just can't quite figure out how to slow down and take your time.  Instead, it's more of a run and fall into our arms right now.  Your balance is getting better every day so I don't think it will be too much longer!  You love for someone to hold each hand and let you guide them where you want to go.  (Note, if you watch the video turn down the volume because you would think the child just ran a marathon the way we all cheered!:)

Boy, you love a ball and always have.  So that's our first birthday theme, All Stars... a post for next month and I don't want to think about that yet. You will roll a ball all over the house and chase it as long as someone will follow you around.   

You have gotten better with eating solids but I can't say that you're a good eater when it comes to trying new things.  The foods you eat pretty consistently are avocados, sweet potatoes, green beans, grilled chicken, applesauce and (sometimes) bread.  We've tried lots of other things but you spit out and then toss in the floor what you don't like after one try.  Not so cute:[  You eat solids in small bites on your high chair tray or on a placemat at the table.  Plates and bowls are useless.  You pick them up and turn them over as fast as you can.  (You have always liked to look at the bottom of things, what is that about?!?)  And I know this is not a smart move, but you love a straw with some sweet tea or cherry coke zero every now and then.  I also found out that you get a teaspoon of coffee every Tuesday morning, compliments of a passed on tradition says your grandpa B. 

First Halloween- We only made it to grandparent's houses and you started out cranky but you ended up smiley and looked so cute as our little slugger!  

I could write so much about all of the things you are doing now but time is very limited so a list of other fun 11 month things is just going to have to do!

You are picking up your paci and putting it in your mouth, with attitude.
You love to play with the door stoppers!
Nothing makes you laugh out loud more than a game of chase with mom or dad and the word "boo!"
You LOVE hiking, thank you dad's back!

You love to copy our sounds and (attempt to copy) some words.  You have said three words consistently since you could put sounds together, in this order- hey, ma-ma, da-da and mmmm (when eating and you like something).  When we ask you "how do the doggies go"  you respond with heavy breathing and it is so funny. 
Six teeth, four on the top and two on the bottom!
You love to crawl over things and look back at us like "did you see that?"
You do great in stores and restaurants as long as it is short trips.  I don't think you could be a whole day shopper but you enjoy an evening trip out.
You turn the lights off from your diaper changing table and point to them when they come on.  You are mesmerized by lights.  I can't imagine how a Christmas tree is going to last long!
You are starting to get what "no" means and it sure does hurt your feelings.  It's for your own good, I promise!  

Two overnights this month at grandma's.  The plan is for you to spend the night there once a month on Sunday night when I am out of work on Monday so I can pick you up after your morning nap.  I make big plans to get stuff done during this time while she spoils you rotten.  You get to sleep in her comfy bed and evidently she spends most of the night watching you sleep and feeling your diaper ready to change it if you wet.  The first night, she forgot to take her cell to bed so I spent about 45 minutes trying to get an update and I was MAD when I finally got a response.  Oh, gosh I was at the point of panic and had sent her a text of every letter of the alphabet trying to get her to respond.  She was genuinely sorry and (I think) learned... if you want the baby back again, you will keep your phone close by! 

We took family pictures this month.  During your nap time and I forgot your afternoon feeding.  Um, how does one forget to feed their child?  Nevertheless, you held out pretty good and she got one shot that totally melts my heart.  I have ordered it in a large print for the living room. I will finish this post with that print.  We love you so very much sweet boy!!!  

 

10 Thoughts, One Post

Lots of thoughts that I would like to put in ten different posts but I struggle to get one in these days, so... in no particular order:

1.  Debt Diet- both words should make the "four letter" word list!  Ugh!  PC and I have both determined we must buckle down and get our debt down to our mortgage and my college loans--- fast.  That means paying off a couple of small loans and two credit cards--- fast.  We both have jobs- good news these days, but we have both taken pay cuts- not so good.    

2.  The ALI group that met IRL- so cool.  I got teary eyed looking at all those little miracles together and thinking about how everyone in that group just "gets it."  When is the party moving way down South?  :] 

3.  Ordered some invitations for LB's first birthday.  omg.  Even though it's going to be a small family deal, I can't believe that it's so close and it's for our baby!!!  Pinch me because it doesn't seem real!

4. Halloween

5.  It's really okay with me that I have a mini-PC in every way except I was so hoping LB would not get the picky eater habits.  I know it's still early in the solids-introducing phase but it is not looking good.  PC could eat goldfish crackers for every meal and it looks like the same is true for LB and puffs.  Sigh.

6.  Sleep- I don't know where to even begin so this just needs to be a post in the near future.     

7.  Even though I've had this blog for years, I don't think I've kept up with how to improve it's functionality (is that a word?) so I'm asking for any tips to make it easier to read and comment to your blogs.  As it is now, I read blogs from links on my sidebar or links from comments.  Is there a better way?  Blog reader?  And is there an easier way to add blogs?  I have to copy/paste the link to my sidebar from my settings.  Why when I click on "follow" does it just not add that blog?  Sorry, virtually challenged.

8-10.  I've ran out of time for more thoughts and that is typical these days.  I feel like I am always running without any "me" time.  I'm not talking about a bath with a book, I'm talking about a shower with enough time to shave!  I'm adding this to the #6 post- to be continued! 

Alligator Roll Advice

I sincerely appreciate the advice for how to handle the diaper/clothes changing "alligator roll" (very fitting description 3B, 2B, 1B) but this is how the something to hold strategy goes over in our house.  Lol 

The Fun and the Not So Fun

I took great measures to make sure the grocery store balloon was secure onto the cart but didn't think about it coming loose from the balloon end!  PC and I were too busy choosing bagels and yogurt to see it happen or the look on LB's face, which I'm sure would have been pretty funny.   

This pulling up business has me stressed out!  LB has had some rough tumbles lately.  He has started pulling up on lots of things that do not support his weight and, if we're not within arm's reach, down he goes.  I try to act calm and cool with each fall but I am not cut out to be an actress!  There is a reason it's called hard wood floors, my poor baby's head:[   

 

Diapering and changing clothes has become quite the challenge these days.  LB flip flops around all over the place and sometimes I give up and off goes a (happy) little naked LB.  I asked my sitter and MIL about this behavior and they have told him a stern "no" and the little stinker is an angel for them.  So, I tried that.  Evidently I don't speak the right kind of "no" language.  Whew!

Am I the only one in blog land with a 10 1/2 month old who has never slept through the night?  We keep waiting... and waiting...

Lately I have been trying to organize LB's pictures from his first year to give them to a high school student who is interested in video to turn them into a DVD/slideshow for Christmas.  I am so excited about it but going back through the maternity pics to the birth to these precious past months has been emotional to say the least.  Especially when I found songs I wanted to go with each category... Mi.racle by C.eline D.ion and The D.ay B.efore Y.ou by Rascal Flatts... gah, instead of a box of popcorn I will need a box of Kleenex to actually watch the thing when it's done!

Then I start thinking about Thanksgiving and a ONE year old and Christmas... Blessed and I've said it here time and time again but I mean it... beyond grateful!  Even with the lack of sleep:]