Weekend so far...

Jeff reading a book to Carson and Sofia

Carson and Sofia kissing

Carson giving ZiaNadia a kiss

Carson having fun with the screen and Sofia looking on...

Carson refusing to wear anything else but his rainboots

We saw the firetruck in the parking lot at the grocery store and they invited us in..

Sitting on the dock of the bay....

Swimming in the lake (see Grandma, babies don't mind cold water)

Such an exhausting day at the cottage, Carson fell asleep in the hammock...


So far, as you can see, we've had a great weekend. And tomorrow it's Canada Day!

Three cheers for good decisions

Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine about daycare. We struggled with the whole licensed vs non-licensed daycare (in a home setting) when we were decided where to send Carson.

This is how it happened...my mom (with her big mouth, which we kid her about but we love at the same time for reasons exactly like this) was chatting to her hairdresser one day about her daughter (me) living where I live, looking for a daycare. The woman cutting hair beside my mom's hairdresser overheard and said - my sister lives in that area and she loves the girl who looks after her little girl. So my mom asked for her name and number, came home, I called her and met with her that afternoon and we knew we had found the right person.

Last night I went to go pick Carson up and he was there, building a tower with "b-docks" (blocks) and trying to blow them over. After he did his little "Mommy's here dance", she picked him up and was bringing him towards me. She said "He's just so (struggling for the right word)... I just love him so much". To have a caregiver to say that she loves your child? It made me so happy and once again, reiterates the fact that we made the right decision.

One and two!

Again, I'm not saying he's brilliant, but..........

He's now putting two words together! All done pasta and byebye daddy were two examples last night.

If it makes me a bad parent that he ate pasta 4 nights in a row, then sue me. All he wants these days is pasta. It's my own homemade sauce that contains pureed zucchini, peppers, mushrooms and onions - so at least he's getting his veggies in.

He says no to everything else (and refuses to eat) and throws up his hands in the air and says yay when it's pasta time.

Snap

So very proud - about to go down the rest of the stairs

Concentrating... (with his tongue sticking out like daddy)

Loves his new sisers (stickers), he lines them up on the edge of the table and then blows on him (not sure why he does that?)

In his car, which he finally got out of 20 minutes later. He sits in it, says vroom vroom and onk onk.

Running away from Mommy

Carson has been getting eyedrops for a few days now, to get rid of the stupid eye infection that keeps coming back. Yesterday after work, I brought him upstairs and we were on the floor in my bedroom playing. I told him I had to put eyedrops in, and immediately he laid down on the floor and put his face into the ground so I couldn't get at him (he wasn't crying, just a straight face). Then he got up and went into my closet and turned his head the other way. I don't know why I think it's such a big deal, but it just goes to show how much he understands. I never really doubted he understood what I was saying, but still, to run away from me? It was cute. Well, until I had to put the drops in. Although Jeff and I talk it through with him and he knows he has to get them, he doesn't like them, but he's pretty darn brave!

Oh, and he also helps us read books. Like one of his favourites (Mama's Home), each page starts with Is that Mama? Then it says No, that's not mama, that's just a parade (depending on the page). Now he says the "no" part. But he totally imitates the way Jeff and I would always say it by saying Nooooooooooooooooo. And GoodNight Moon? He can help finish sentences like "And goodnight to the old lady whispering... and he'll say hush.

Like a weed

That's how fast he's growing. Now he has to go down the stairs like big people do, it takes alot longer but he's so determined to do it by himself. His shoes (size 5) are getting too small, and of course the only ones he wants to wear are the smallest size 5 we have. Those or his rainboots. Nothing else. Yesterday he followed Ethan and Isabelle around, saying their names (A-belle and Etin), and copying whatever they do. He gave everyone kisses before we left yesterday (first time he made "the rounds"). I certainly will not be one of those parents who force my kids to give people (except his parents of course) hugs or kisses, but I simply asked if he wanted to give kisses before we left and he went to Isabelle, Ethan, Auntie Carrie and then Uncle Rob.

Picture update

Check out Carson's expression, so proud of himself for building his tower

He's so very careful as he builds it

Carson and Justen (aka Bubby) at dinner

Jaeda, Bubby and Carson watching the storm

Up close for mommy to see

Happy Father's Day!

Carson is so lucky to have the best dad ever.

Jeff's patient with him (when I'm not)

He teaches him to use his words

He has snuggle time every day with him

He's taught him so much (his vocabulary is mainly due to Jeff and Grandma)

He loves him to death

He takes him places and shows him things

Happy Father's Day Jeff - we love you so much.

Entertaining mommy

This is the look I get when I say "smile for the camera"

I know at the very least

Carson's grandma and grammy would like a happy update.

So I'm happy to give it.

Yesterday I got the best email from my best friend saying - bring Carson over for dinner, if he's going to cry, he may as well cry with my kids (especially as our husbands were out golfing together). So I went home after work, got my bike out, biked to care and picked up the boog. He was super happy (have I mentioned how when I pick him up he always jumps up and runs towards me, stomping his legs saying ooohhhh the whole time? It's the best time of the day) but he's been that way the past week (until we get home) so I still didn't know what the night held in store for me.

Putting on his helmet never really goes well, so he screamed bloody murder until it was on and the bike was in motion. Then he just pointed out all the things he saw and heard and was happy for our bike around the neighbourhood. Then we went and picked up a few things at the grocery store and ended up at Kaethe's. He played well, ate well (well, at first he was trying to copy Justen and stand up on the chair, but then he wanted to sit down, he kept dropping food and the dogs would eat it, so he'd cry. I eventually got him to sit on my lap to eat, he didn't want to be the only one sitting in a highchair, so after some initial frusteration of wanting to do things his own way, we ate dinner! Only 6 or 7 bites, but it's better than the past couple nights). When it was time to leave we told him how excited Justen was that Carson would be putting on his helmet, and it worked, Carson happily put it on and showed it off to everyone. We biked home, had a little bit of a fit putting our jammies on, but hey toddlers have fits, and he was out cold for the night.

This morning - up at 5:30, but was happily playing in his crib until I heard up up at about 6:00. He ate breakfast, read a couple books on his own and waved through the window when I left.

It's SO much better leaving for work seeing a happy smiling little boy instead of a red faced snotty nose screaming boy :)

Day 5 - going strong!

How much longer can this last?

I know it's a phase (which doesn't necessarily make it easier). He's fine when he wakes up in the morning, and as soon as it's time to eat, he loses his junk. Then it's lost for the rest of the morning.

It's no secret he's never been a good eater, but breakfast was always a win-win situation. He was always happy in his highchair with his toast, or cereal, or fruit... whatever. Now he says he wants whatever we offer, we bring it over to him, he peers over the bowl or plate and then loses it. And screams. And cries. Big tears. Jeff tried everything. Gave him cereal in one bowl, with no milk. Added milk. Changed bowls. Changed colour of bowls. Gave him toast one one plate, on another plate, cut it... nothing would make him happy.

So he went to care without eating breakfast. And boy, is he a daddy suck this morning. I'm not used to that (it's normally the other way around) so it kind of stabs you in the heart a bit, but when he's screaming for him and not me I get a little smile on my face, the grass is always greener on the other side!

Make it stop!

The crying that is.

The poor little boog, he's just beside himself the majority of the time. He may be just playing with us, trying to see how far he can push us, he may be getting his last eyetooth (I think I see white under the skin but I may just be imagining it), he may be unhappy in the heat (even though our AC is turned on a bit) but once again this morning, we were more than happy to bring him to daycare and have 8 hours of no screaming.

Not much else to say other than he slept 12 hours, and when the screaming got to be too much, and I gave in and picked him up, his head went immediately down on my shoulder and stayed there for a few minutes.

I always thought

That the senseless screaming happened when they were babies - not toddlers! The past two days were, summed up in one word, brutal. Last night was ridiculous. Once again, I couldn't do anything right. I should mention that while at daycare - he was completely happy.

The only time he was happy when we were outside looking at my flowers. He even says flower now. Then seconds later he pointed inside and said oyoy (which either means outside or inside, whichever he's pointing to) so we went back inside where he proceeded to scream for hours on end. Ok, maybe not hours, seeing as he went to bed at 5:50 and woke up at 6:10 this morning.

When he woke up - he was a totally different person. Hopefully now that he's almost caught up on his sleep, he'll back to normal.

He's also had a really stubbon cough for the past couple weeks. It never really went away, and then the last few days it's back in action. He coughed for the first couple hours he was asleep (it even woke him up once) but this morning it's better. I've been to the doctor's twice for this cough and every time, everything comes up clean. If it was continuing until this morning I was going to take him back - but, it seems to have gone (except the accompanying runny nose is still hanging around) so we'll see how he is tonight.

Oh, another bit of bragging from a proud mom. On Saturday morning we headed out to an art display in one of the parks here in Ottawa. To get there, we take much teh same route as we would to go to my Mom's. So about 5 minutes away from my mom's house, we turn onto a fairly busy road (about 4 roads before her house) and Carson looked at me and said Ama, Nono? (Grandma, Nono which is Grandpa in Italian). So the little bugger KNEW where we were going (except it wasn't, but like I said, the same route). Not to say (again) that he's brilliant... but you can make your own conclusion.

Oh lordy lordy

What a rough morning.

The trailer was fun - but it did not include a lot of sleep for the C-man. At 9:30 Saturday night (probably the latest he's ever been up) he was peeking his head underneath the blinds onto the porch and saying "hi". The playpen was pushed up against the window (for lack of anywhere else to put it, and he certainly wasn't going to fall asleep in a regular bed). Sunday morning he woke up cranky as heck, until I finally put him down at 9 for a 2.5 hour nap. No afternoon nap, a brief snooze in the car and happily to bed at 7 (only to stay awake playing for another half hour) - all that ended up with a big catastrophe this morning.

He wanted up, but he'd scream when you picked him up. He wanted milk, but yelled when you gave it to him. Wanted cereal, threw the bowl. Wanted Mom - cried when I got him. Wanted Dad -if mom was around, he'd scream. When I was out of sight, he was fine. A total mess.

But, happiest when we dropped him off at S'. So, he's there, I haven't gotten a call yet (we told her, he's a bear, so if you want us to get him - call us).

That quick almost-gone-before-you-even-think-it of life without children was a brief yet happy thought this morning.

Sunday, already?

Break my heart...

When I went to leave this morning, Carson got really sad. He had this quiet, blubbering kind of cry. It was so hard to leave him. He ran over to me and tried to take my purse off my shoulder. He kept touching my face and his bottom lip was stuck out about an inch. He was trying to talk but it just sounded like blubber. He had big crocodile tears.

Finally we convinced him to go with Daddy and watch mommy leave through the window (that's what happens every morning).

Poor little boog!

Update: apparently he had a hard time letting go of Jeff when he was dropped off at care too! Jeff thinks he may not be feeling well - I'll see when I pick him up tonight.

Just a few shots

One picture I found (from the ones that was deleted, long story) of him at the trailer. Obviously, post puddle fall (he's got his pj bottoms on)

Carson checking out his new coupe car from the garage sale.

Him in his one piece that I was saying he looked like a baby in...

Another one... they aren't great pictures, hope to get some better ones soon.

Scary report on co-sleeping

Carson slept for 20 minutes in the bed with Jeff, ONCE, about 2 days ago. So this wasn't something that we ever practiced (although some mornings I remember wishing that he would come sleep with me), and I'm not saying whether I approve or not, but I read this, this morning.

Funny how times change

When he was little, I remember putting two piece pyjamas on him and thinking he looked like a toddler. Last night we put a one piece sleeper on him and he looks like a baby - love it!

One point Five?

Where did the time go? All of a sudden I have a little guy who's a year and a half! I remember most of my friends saying that the 18 month + stage was their favourite. And were they ever right. He's freaking adorable. It was fun when he was a baby and completely dependant on me, but I love his little independant streak. "Do you want to go outside" "Otay" "Do you want to come inside now?" "No" "Do you want to put on your shoes?" "No" (then he gives me the pair of shoes he DOES want to put on). He knows what he wants and when he wants it. I'm sure the whole cuteness of it will eventually fade, especially when/if we are pressed for time, but I'm totally enjoying it now.

Saturday night he stayed at Carrie and Rob's and as I left him I felt this huge pang of guilt, knowing at some point he would realize we were gone and just lose it. But, he didn't. About an hour after Jeff and I left, Carrie said Carson started looking around, wandering around the house and looking out the door for us. She asked him if he wanted to go outside, he said yes, and never looked around for us again. He went to bed without a peep (well, he said bye bye as she put him down) and slept till 6 (with a brief waking at 4:45, but she just went in and whispered that it was time to put his head down and sleep and he was out). When he woke up, Carrie put some toys and books in his bed (he's quite adamant about who he wants to pick him up out of the crib, so she decided he may want to just play there for a bit). Then Ethan woke up and asked if he could go in and play with him, then Isabelle followed. God those kids all together are cute.

When I came to pick him up, Rob was just taking him outside for a walk and I went up to the door, and Carson pushed my leg away so he could get past me. Without so much as a hi, a kiss, or a smile. Which, makes me happy that he wasn't dying to get back with me, but part of me would have liked some sort of an acknowledgement.

At the last minute, we decided to head up to Grandma's trailer for the day. It was great. So relaxing. About 20 minutes after we got there, Carson decided to go walking in the puddles and seconds later, he was on his bum in the biggest puddle there. So - he wore his pyjamas for the rest of the day. Korkie and Allan came up to see the trailer too (Hi Auntie Korkie!) so we had a nice little visit and Carson loved the fresh homemade muffins.

He totally crashed on the way home and went to bed shortly after. What a long weekend for such a little boog.

(I had taken a bunch of really great pictures, but somehow they all got deleted... )