And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ~Dr. Seuss
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
At this time of year, we can't help but think of all of our loved ones and friends, near and far. We hope that this holiday finds you happy, healthy and in good spirits.
So from our family to yours, Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Surgical update and other odds and ends...
As some of you may (or may not) know, when Benjamin was born, neither of his testicles had descended. So back in April, he had surgery to bring the left one down. By all accounts, this one was successful.
Fast forward to this week. Thursday, Ben was scheduled to have surgery to bring down the right testicle. The thing was, we (well his urologist) wasn't sure where the testicle would be. Back in June, he had an ultrasound and they couldn't locate it. She's never been 100% sure that she could feel it anywhere in his groin. So it was basically going to be a fishing expedition! One of four things could happen: she could find it and move it down into the scrotum, she could find it and move it partway down and then move it all the way down at a later date (to give the blood supply time to grow and stretch), she could find a small testicle that wouldn't be worth moving (she'd take it out), or she wouldn't find one at all and Ben would have to have a laproscopic procedure later to try to locate it. It is very important to find it though, as his doctor needs to be able to check it (i.e. for cancer when he's older). Whether it stays in or is taken out, we needed to know where the heck it was.
On Thursday, our little boy was a real trooper. He wasn't really scared at all. I, on the other hand, was so anxious! I couldn't stop thinking about him being in pain, or scared, or both. The urologist was in and out in about an hour - she found a good-sized testicle in his groin! Gord and I were very pleasantly surprised - we had resigned ourselves to the thought that IF they found one, they'd just take it out; we didn't think that it would be a good testicle. I could tell that the doctor was also pleasantly surprised. She did say that the blood supply is under a bit of tension, but she didn't seem to be preparing us for the worst or anything. All in all, it was a successful day! Ben did take longer to come out from under the anesthetic, and we had to wait until he drank and peed and could walk around before we could come home, which took longer too. But we are relieved and happy that he won't have to go through this again.
The ultrasound for baby #2 is tomorrow...I can't wait to see him/her bouncing around! S/he is very active, giving me the ol' one-two every couple of hours, just to remind me that s/he is in there! Like I would forget!
We are r-e-a-d-y for Christmas! Gord is very excited to hang out with the family and enjoy some quality time together...and I agree! Our shopping is pretty much done and everything that we have is wrapped. I haven't put everything under the tree yet...we're not sure how well Ben will understand that not every present under the tree is for him and is therefore free game. We'll see...we're still working on tree issues...
I'm going to post a few cute pictures too...
Carrie
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
A mover and a shaker!
The boy loves to dance...if any music comes on the TV, he'll start dancing. Even the 'Jeopardy' Final Jeopardy song. BUT, if I tried to play Christmas music, he just stares at the cd changer. Until now...
I have this Christmas tree shaped door thingie - it has bells on it. Therefore, when you open and close the door, the bells jingle. Ben really likes it, and asks to play with it quite often. Last night, he was busy with it, and started shaking it. Gord started to sing "Jingle Bells" and Ben really got into it! He made us sing it at least a dozen times! It goes something like this (imagine Gord and/or I singing - or don't, we're horrible!) :
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!
Hey! - at which point Ben drops the bells, throws his hands up and says "HEY!", then has to pick the bells back up so we can continue with...
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!
Hey! - at which point Ben drops the bells again, throws his hands up and yells "HEY!"
My oh my, he's so sweet! This is going to be a fun Christmas!
I have this Christmas tree shaped door thingie - it has bells on it. Therefore, when you open and close the door, the bells jingle. Ben really likes it, and asks to play with it quite often. Last night, he was busy with it, and started shaking it. Gord started to sing "Jingle Bells" and Ben really got into it! He made us sing it at least a dozen times! It goes something like this (imagine Gord and/or I singing - or don't, we're horrible!) :
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!
Hey! - at which point Ben drops the bells, throws his hands up and says "HEY!", then has to pick the bells back up so we can continue with...
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride
in a one horse open sleigh!
Hey! - at which point Ben drops the bells again, throws his hands up and yells "HEY!"
My oh my, he's so sweet! This is going to be a fun Christmas!
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Gearing up for Christmas!
The tree is here (but still outside) and the gifts are bought - heck, they're almost all wrapped! We're all set to start enjoying the season!
Today was my company's children's Christmas party. It was pretty fun. I wasn't sure that Ben would get a lot out of it, but he surprised me! They have those huge air-filled jumping/climbing apparatuses (apparati?) for the kids to play in, along with Karaoke, arts & crafts, food, face-painting, and of course, Santa Claus! (They give you a pager and will page you or call your cell phone when it's your turn with the big guy!) Ben HAD to go in the Thomas the Tank Engine jumping thing, and Mommy had to go with him and sit on the side. He was a little leary at first, but it didn't take long before he was hopping all around! He face-planted a couple of times, but came up smiling, so obviously he didn't hurt himself! Mommy almost bit it getting out of the darn thing, but that's another story! I also took him down the (smelly) slide a couple of times - even I enjoyed it (not the smell, the slide). We ate our hot dogs and chips and then had some popcorn. Yep, Ben ate a great lunch!
When we were finishing eating, Dr. Goodbear from the Children's Hospital Foundation came walking by. Ben was asking to get out of his stroller, so I let him go. He beelined it to Dr. Goodbear and kept smiling at him. Ben would turn around to me with a big smile on his face, so I went over to Ben and asked him if he would like to give Dr. Goodbear a hug. Well, Ben didn't just give the Doc a quick hug - he gave him a bear hug! And it lasted for almost a minute! It was so cute. And then Ben had to give him another one before he took off. I guess big stuffed life-size characters don't intimidate my kid! Disneyworld, here we come!
Carrie
Today was my company's children's Christmas party. It was pretty fun. I wasn't sure that Ben would get a lot out of it, but he surprised me! They have those huge air-filled jumping/climbing apparatuses (apparati?) for the kids to play in, along with Karaoke, arts & crafts, food, face-painting, and of course, Santa Claus! (They give you a pager and will page you or call your cell phone when it's your turn with the big guy!) Ben HAD to go in the Thomas the Tank Engine jumping thing, and Mommy had to go with him and sit on the side. He was a little leary at first, but it didn't take long before he was hopping all around! He face-planted a couple of times, but came up smiling, so obviously he didn't hurt himself! Mommy almost bit it getting out of the darn thing, but that's another story! I also took him down the (smelly) slide a couple of times - even I enjoyed it (not the smell, the slide). We ate our hot dogs and chips and then had some popcorn. Yep, Ben ate a great lunch!
When we were finishing eating, Dr. Goodbear from the Children's Hospital Foundation came walking by. Ben was asking to get out of his stroller, so I let him go. He beelined it to Dr. Goodbear and kept smiling at him. Ben would turn around to me with a big smile on his face, so I went over to Ben and asked him if he would like to give Dr. Goodbear a hug. Well, Ben didn't just give the Doc a quick hug - he gave him a bear hug! And it lasted for almost a minute! It was so cute. And then Ben had to give him another one before he took off. I guess big stuffed life-size characters don't intimidate my kid! Disneyworld, here we come!
Carrie
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Goodnight Moon, the remix
from my Feb playgroup message board (courtesy of babywaiting2003):
Goodnight, innocence
Louis Bayard
Special to The Washington Post
November 29, 2005
"Goodnight Moon," the children's classic by Margaret Wise Brown, has gone smoke-free. In a newly revised edition of the book, which has lulled children to sleep for nearly 60 years, the publisher, HarperCollins, has digitally altered the photograph of Clement Hurd, the illustrator, to remove a cigarette from his hand....
"It is potentially a harmful message to very young kids," (Kate) Jackson (editor in chief of HarperCollins Children's Books) said, "and it doesn't need to be there."
News item, The New York Times, Nov. 17, 2005
In the great green room there was ...
A cordless telephone
And a red balloon, non-helium and securely tethered out of toddler reach
And a picture of the cow jumping over the moon, with a warning label never to try this with cattle or indeed any animals without parental supervision
And there were three little bears, roaming freely in their native habitat, secure in their endangered-species status
And two little neutered kittens
And a pair of mittens, purchased from a Cambodian collective
And a little toyhouse with all potential choking hazards fastened in place by six-inch bolts
And a young and humanely captured mouse
Goodnight room, which is more than many Burkina Faso children have
Goodnight moon and all moon-related goddesses
A special shout-out to persons of color, the differently abled and victims of tobacco-company propaganda
Goodnight solar-powered clocks
And goodnight sustainably manufactured hemp socks
Goodnight synthetic tortoise shell comb and brush
Goodnight anybody who has ever been made to feel like a "nobody" by a rigidly patriarchal society
Goodnight organic whole-grain GMO-free oatmeal mush
And goodnight to the lady of mature years seeking an environment conducive to thought
Goodnight stars, which remind us that we are not alone in this cosmos and must henceforth redouble our stewardship efforts
Goodnight air, which we have done so much to pollute with our inhuman sport utility vehicles and our Weber grills
Goodnight all noises in the immediate vicinity ... .
... with the exception of the white-noise machine, the Haydn concerto loop, and the four-gallon cool-mist humidifier with the evaporative wick filter that was changed only last weekend
Goodnight to anybody whose feelings might have been injured by not being included above.
Goodnight, innocence
Louis Bayard
Special to The Washington Post
November 29, 2005
"Goodnight Moon," the children's classic by Margaret Wise Brown, has gone smoke-free. In a newly revised edition of the book, which has lulled children to sleep for nearly 60 years, the publisher, HarperCollins, has digitally altered the photograph of Clement Hurd, the illustrator, to remove a cigarette from his hand....
"It is potentially a harmful message to very young kids," (Kate) Jackson (editor in chief of HarperCollins Children's Books) said, "and it doesn't need to be there."
News item, The New York Times, Nov. 17, 2005
In the great green room there was ...
A cordless telephone
And a red balloon, non-helium and securely tethered out of toddler reach
And a picture of the cow jumping over the moon, with a warning label never to try this with cattle or indeed any animals without parental supervision
And there were three little bears, roaming freely in their native habitat, secure in their endangered-species status
And two little neutered kittens
And a pair of mittens, purchased from a Cambodian collective
And a little toyhouse with all potential choking hazards fastened in place by six-inch bolts
And a young and humanely captured mouse
Goodnight room, which is more than many Burkina Faso children have
Goodnight moon and all moon-related goddesses
A special shout-out to persons of color, the differently abled and victims of tobacco-company propaganda
Goodnight solar-powered clocks
And goodnight sustainably manufactured hemp socks
Goodnight synthetic tortoise shell comb and brush
Goodnight anybody who has ever been made to feel like a "nobody" by a rigidly patriarchal society
Goodnight organic whole-grain GMO-free oatmeal mush
And goodnight to the lady of mature years seeking an environment conducive to thought
Goodnight stars, which remind us that we are not alone in this cosmos and must henceforth redouble our stewardship efforts
Goodnight air, which we have done so much to pollute with our inhuman sport utility vehicles and our Weber grills
Goodnight all noises in the immediate vicinity ... .
... with the exception of the white-noise machine, the Haydn concerto loop, and the four-gallon cool-mist humidifier with the evaporative wick filter that was changed only last weekend
Goodnight to anybody whose feelings might have been injured by not being included above.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Our little shadow
Ben has begun repeating everything we say. I believe I may have said something to the effect of, "we have to watch our language around him" a few blog posts ago. Well, the time has really come. A couple of weekends ago, he and I were painting on a lovely Sunday morning. He had a brush, and proceeded to paint something he wasn't supposed to. Here's the running commentary:
Mommy: "Ben, no! Don't paint the!"
Ben: "No!"
Mommy: "Oh shit!"
Ben: "ohshtttt. ohshhhtt."
I'm really trying here people. I'm also trying to keep Gord in line with his language as well - mostly when we are driving. His pottymouth is much worse than mine though!
Other than that, Ben is doing great. His new word tonight: penguin. His version: "penwin" We dug out a rarely viewed Baby Einstein video (Baby Noah) and he is completely enthralled with it when we put it on. That's why it's good to have a dozen or so of these videos lying around - it's easy to cycle them out. Maybe Baby DaVinci will be next...
And of course, Ben is still displaying devilish qualities as well. He absolutely hates his "biiiiiiiig jacket" and throws a big fit when we try to get him into his carseat. What a chore - I was almost in tears last night, as Gord insisted we trek out in the snowstorm to go to Home Depot, when Ben decided that he (like Mommy) did NOT want to go out. Oy vay.
Little Baby Sheppard is also doing just fine. We finally got to hear the heartbeat yesterday - our first prenatal visit, this baby decided to be elusive. I looked at Gord and said, "Oh great! He/she is already causing us worry!" But all (my) fears were put to rest yesterday when we heart that beautiful little sound! I never get tired of it!
We painted the kitchen last weekend - I'll post some pics of the (almost) finished product. And maybe a pic or two of Ben - we'll have to see what's on the camera!
Till next time,
Carrie
Mommy: "Ben, no! Don't paint the
Ben: "No!"
Mommy: "Oh shit!"
Ben: "ohshtttt. ohshhhtt."
I'm really trying here people. I'm also trying to keep Gord in line with his language as well - mostly when we are driving. His pottymouth is much worse than mine though!
Other than that, Ben is doing great. His new word tonight: penguin. His version: "penwin" We dug out a rarely viewed Baby Einstein video (Baby Noah) and he is completely enthralled with it when we put it on. That's why it's good to have a dozen or so of these videos lying around - it's easy to cycle them out. Maybe Baby DaVinci will be next...
And of course, Ben is still displaying devilish qualities as well. He absolutely hates his "biiiiiiiig jacket" and throws a big fit when we try to get him into his carseat. What a chore - I was almost in tears last night, as Gord insisted we trek out in the snowstorm to go to Home Depot, when Ben decided that he (like Mommy) did NOT want to go out. Oy vay.
Little Baby Sheppard is also doing just fine. We finally got to hear the heartbeat yesterday - our first prenatal visit, this baby decided to be elusive. I looked at Gord and said, "Oh great! He/she is already causing us worry!" But all (my) fears were put to rest yesterday when we heart that beautiful little sound! I never get tired of it!
We painted the kitchen last weekend - I'll post some pics of the (almost) finished product. And maybe a pic or two of Ben - we'll have to see what's on the camera!
Till next time,
Carrie
Monday, October 31, 2005
Happy Blogoween!
Hello all! Happy Halloween!
Well, we had a great night going out trick or treating with our little chicken. Ben really enjoyed walking from house to house and examining what all the strange people were putting in his bag. At one point when we were walking up to a house he even said a very quiet and sweet "Tik-o-teet".
After the extensive candy hunt (up and down our street) and playing 'Daddy chased by the 2 foot bird flu', it was time to head back to the house to tally up the loot. Carrie and I verified that there were no razor blades in the treats (or at least none we could taste). Ben enjoyed a sucker and some smarties and then we had to hide the treats.
Enjoy the pics below - they are cute but they just don't do the little waddly chicken justice. Oh well! Remember - you can click on the pics to see a larger version.
BTW, Katherine Grace is the big winner of the prize for the Ben word contest. She wins our share of the 54 million bucks our friend in Alberta won. Bet you wished you had entered now, eh? For posterity's sake, the answers are:
1. Moom (a thing) - Moon
2. Bapa (a person/entity) - Grandpa
3. Jo-ja (a person/entity) - Georgia
4. Vee-vee-o (a thing) - Video (Baby Einstein)
5. Jew (something he would consume) - Juice
6. Doh (command) - Go
7. Ev-eee (an easy one!) (adjective) - Heavy!
8. Biiiiiiiiiiiiih (adjective) - Big
9. En-do (a thing) - Window
10. Ya-yeee (a person/entity) - Charlie
11. Dup (a thing) - Cup
12. Mewh (something he would consume) - Milk
13. New-noh (something he would consume) - Noodle
14. Piyoh (a thing) - Pillow
And the super bonus non-listed word was 'yogurt'. (Yo-yert)
Well, we had a great night going out trick or treating with our little chicken. Ben really enjoyed walking from house to house and examining what all the strange people were putting in his bag. At one point when we were walking up to a house he even said a very quiet and sweet "Tik-o-teet".
After the extensive candy hunt (up and down our street) and playing 'Daddy chased by the 2 foot bird flu', it was time to head back to the house to tally up the loot. Carrie and I verified that there were no razor blades in the treats (or at least none we could taste). Ben enjoyed a sucker and some smarties and then we had to hide the treats.
Enjoy the pics below - they are cute but they just don't do the little waddly chicken justice. Oh well! Remember - you can click on the pics to see a larger version.
BTW, Katherine Grace is the big winner of the prize for the Ben word contest. She wins our share of the 54 million bucks our friend in Alberta won. Bet you wished you had entered now, eh? For posterity's sake, the answers are:
1. Moom (a thing) - Moon
2. Bapa (a person/entity) - Grandpa
3. Jo-ja (a person/entity) - Georgia
4. Vee-vee-o (a thing) - Video (Baby Einstein)
5. Jew (something he would consume) - Juice
6. Doh (command) - Go
7. Ev-eee (an easy one!) (adjective) - Heavy!
8. Biiiiiiiiiiiiih (adjective) - Big
9. En-do (a thing) - Window
10. Ya-yeee (a person/entity) - Charlie
11. Dup (a thing) - Cup
12. Mewh (something he would consume) - Milk
13. New-noh (something he would consume) - Noodle
14. Piyoh (a thing) - Pillow
And the super bonus non-listed word was 'yogurt'. (Yo-yert)
Thursday, October 27, 2005
An idea...
I thought we'd all play a little game! Let's call it "Lost in Translation" (a very good movie, if you haven't seen it yet!). Here's how you play - I'm going to list a bunch of things that Ben says, and then all you fathful readers can post back with your guesses! I'll have to work on a prize though...correct answers will be posted IF we get a certain number of responses (say 5)...winner will be the person with the most number of correct answers. Gord, you can't play.
Here we go!
1. Moom (a thing)
2. Bapa (a person/entity)
3. Jo-ja (a person/entity)
4. Vee-vee-o (a thing)
5. Jew (something he would consume)
6. Doh (command)
7. Ev-eee (an easy one!) (adjective)
8. Biiiiiiiiiiiiih (adjective)
9. En-do (a thing)
10. Ya-yeee (a person/entity)
11. Dup (a thing)
12. Mewh (something he would consume)
13. New-noh (something he would consume)
14. Piyoh (a thing)
OK, this is going to be much harder than I thought, so I've added "categories", like on Wheel of Fortune.
Ready...set...post!
Carrie
Here we go!
1. Moom (a thing)
2. Bapa (a person/entity)
3. Jo-ja (a person/entity)
4. Vee-vee-o (a thing)
5. Jew (something he would consume)
6. Doh (command)
7. Ev-eee (an easy one!) (adjective)
8. Biiiiiiiiiiiiih (adjective)
9. En-do (a thing)
10. Ya-yeee (a person/entity)
11. Dup (a thing)
12. Mewh (something he would consume)
13. New-noh (something he would consume)
14. Piyoh (a thing)
OK, this is going to be much harder than I thought, so I've added "categories", like on Wheel of Fortune.
Ready...set...post!
Carrie
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Evvv-eeeeeeeeee!
Last week, Ben and I were out playing at his sand table. We were happily shovelling sand into buckets, strainers and the like, having a grand 'ol time. I started lifting a whole bunch of sand (with my bigger shovel) and saying, "Heavy!" in a strained voice. Now, everything is heavy to Ben. Actually, it's "evvvv-eeeeeee". He even says it in his own strained voice. Ben was carrying a very bottom-heavy flashlight around the house last night, saying, "evvvvv-eeeee, evvvvv-eeeee". It was so funny.
What else is Ben doing? Glad you asked! He now signs and says "please" and "thank you". I gave him a drink of water in the middle of the night ('cause he was coughing up a storm) and he said (and signed) "thank you", which sounds more like "tey tey", but I know what he meant!
I was trying to get Charlie to sit in front of me, so I was patting my leg to get her to come closer. So what does Ben do? Says, "Ya-yeee" and pats his leg.
He is big into imitating everything you do lately...I guess we should stop the swearing and yelling at the dog! Otherwise, we'll have a potty-mouthed 2 year-old on our hands!
And at daycare yesterday, his babysitter (Cherise) traced their hands, she made the hands look like turkeys, and then they colored them! There's one for the fridge! I'm such a proud mommy!
Ben caught the cold that went around our house and the babysitter's, and now has given the cold back to me. So I've been sick for a week and a half. Stupid germs.
c
What else is Ben doing? Glad you asked! He now signs and says "please" and "thank you". I gave him a drink of water in the middle of the night ('cause he was coughing up a storm) and he said (and signed) "thank you", which sounds more like "tey tey", but I know what he meant!
I was trying to get Charlie to sit in front of me, so I was patting my leg to get her to come closer. So what does Ben do? Says, "Ya-yeee" and pats his leg.
He is big into imitating everything you do lately...I guess we should stop the swearing and yelling at the dog! Otherwise, we'll have a potty-mouthed 2 year-old on our hands!
And at daycare yesterday, his babysitter (Cherise) traced their hands, she made the hands look like turkeys, and then they colored them! There's one for the fridge! I'm such a proud mommy!
Ben caught the cold that went around our house and the babysitter's, and now has given the cold back to me. So I've been sick for a week and a half. Stupid germs.
c
Monday, October 03, 2005
Mommy is sick...sniff sniff.
I think my stupid brother gave me his cold. Jerk. After everything I've done for him and put up with over the years, and what do I get in return? A stupid head cold. I stayed home from work today (yay!) even though it's month end and not really a good time for me not to be there. But I just couldn't do it - get up and go to work and stare at a computer screen all day and deal with issues I'd rather not deal with on a good day! So I'm at home, doing laundry, resting, loading the dishwasher, resting, blogging, some more resting, etc. etc. etc.
We had a nice weekend though - went to the wedding of my brother's best friend from high school. We had a very good time, but Ben crashed pretty early - he started laying down in the middle of the dance floor. We thought he was just trying to look up the girls' dresses (Daddy was proud!), but I think at least part of it was fatigue. Gord took him home at 9 o'clock, which is WAY earlier than he went home from Chris and Sheri's wedding. But we figure that Ben had a good time anyways.
That's all I can muster the energy for. Sorry folks...
Carrie
We had a nice weekend though - went to the wedding of my brother's best friend from high school. We had a very good time, but Ben crashed pretty early - he started laying down in the middle of the dance floor. We thought he was just trying to look up the girls' dresses (Daddy was proud!), but I think at least part of it was fatigue. Gord took him home at 9 o'clock, which is WAY earlier than he went home from Chris and Sheri's wedding. But we figure that Ben had a good time anyways.
That's all I can muster the energy for. Sorry folks...
Carrie
Friday, September 30, 2005
Carbs continued...
What did Ben want for breakfast this morning? A piece of bread. At least it was whole wheat.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Oh look! A bear!
Ben had a bad weekend, which made Mommy and Daddy's weekend not much to sneeze at.
Ben has a nice new habit - I think some people may call it a "temper tantrum". He'll ask for something, so I'll get it/make it for him, hand it to him, and he FREAKS out. Seriously. He'll scrunch up his face and cry bloody murder. It's getting old really, really fast.
"Meeoooo?" (that's milk in Ben-talk) I hand him a sippy cup. "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" (cue tears)
30 seconds later..."Naa?" (snack) I offer him a banana. "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "How about a cereal bar?" "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "A yogurt?" "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "Crackers? How about some crackers?" "Yeah? Nnnooooooooooooooooo!"
Then he'll lay down on the floor, face first, crying into the carpet. What's a mommy to do? Give him Fudgee-o cookies? I think not!
The one snack he won't turn down right now is an apple - peeled, but not cut up or anything. He'll happily munch on that, sharing with Daddy, till the cows come home. Not that I'm complaining - an apple is a great snack. It's just that he knows where the bag is, so he's constantly rooting around in the drawer, saying "app-o? app-o?"
Feeding him sucks. He won't eat anything but muffins and apples. Maybe some pasta. Oh and Kraft dinner. Really, he won't eat anything but carbs.
Ben's rough weekend was exacerbated by crappy sleep. He was up until 10:30 on Friday night, up at 8 on Saturday morning. He was in a very bad mood until his marathon 4 1/2 hour nap. Then he was the happy-go-lucky munchkin he usually is. Sunday, he was pretty good all morning. We went to the zoo, so he had so much fun looking at all the animals and running around while we chased after him. He really didn't nap yesterday afternoon, so he was in a grumpy mood again last night. This morning didn't look good either. Hopefully we'll get through this rough patch soon. Early to bed tonight!
That's all folks...hopefully we'll start updating more often, but I'm not making any promises!
Carrie
Ben has a nice new habit - I think some people may call it a "temper tantrum".
"Meeoooo?" (that's milk in Ben-talk) I hand him a sippy cup. "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" (cue tears)
30 seconds later..."Naa?" (snack) I offer him a banana. "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "How about a cereal bar?" "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "A yogurt?" "Nnnooooooooooooooooo!" "Crackers? How about some crackers?" "Yeah? Nnnooooooooooooooooo!"
Then he'll lay down on the floor, face first, crying into the carpet. What's a mommy to do? Give him Fudgee-o cookies? I think not!
The one snack he won't turn down right now is an apple - peeled, but not cut up or anything. He'll happily munch on that, sharing with Daddy, till the cows come home. Not that I'm complaining - an apple is a great snack. It's just that he knows where the bag is, so he's constantly rooting around in the drawer, saying "app-o? app-o?"
Feeding him sucks. He won't eat anything but muffins and apples. Maybe some pasta. Oh and Kraft dinner. Really, he won't eat anything but carbs.
Ben's rough weekend was exacerbated by crappy sleep. He was up until 10:30 on Friday night, up at 8 on Saturday morning. He was in a very bad mood until his marathon 4 1/2 hour nap. Then he was the happy-go-lucky munchkin he usually is. Sunday, he was pretty good all morning. We went to the zoo, so he had so much fun looking at all the animals and running around while we chased after him. He really didn't nap yesterday afternoon, so he was in a grumpy mood again last night. This morning didn't look good either. Hopefully we'll get through this rough patch soon. Early to bed tonight!
That's all folks...hopefully we'll start updating more often, but I'm not making any promises!
Carrie
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
So much to blog about!
Where do I begin? I'll just skip to the best parts...
Chris (my brother) and Sheri got married on the 27th! It was the second best wedding we've ever been to ;) but of course, (almost) everyone thinks their wedding was the best! Ben was the ring bearer and he did a bang-up job! We were a little concerned at the rehearsal 'cause he would either run down the aisle (it sloped towards the front of the church) yelling "aaaaaaiiiiiiighhhhhh" or he would drop the ring bags halfway there or he would take off down one of the pews. But Saturday afternoon, with no nap under his belt, he strolled down the aisle, relaxed, as darling as ever, right to the front! The best man reached out to take the ring bags from Ben - but Ben thought he wanted a "five"! Then Chris bent down to get a "five" from Ben, who gladly gave his uncle a "five", went to Daddy and smelled his boutonniere! Classic!
He was pretty good throughout the ceremony and for the pictures beforehand, but he crashed for about 45 minutes on the way to the post-ceremony photo shoot. At the reception, he was a real trooper, lasting until 11 or so! We were so proud of him - well, Gord would have been proud if he wasn't so busy drinking and dancing!
Ben wore his tuxedo for almost the entire day - but it was too big on him. The suspenders had to be twisted six or so times at the back before they looked okay on him, but man can that kid wear a tux! Grandma Joan tied his balloon to his suspenders, so it was really easy keeping track of him in the crowd! And he insisted on carrying a daisy around all night, which was so sweet. I'm going to post some pictures...
Ben also danced up a storm - he's got rhythm, but it doesn't come from either of us! Especially not from Gord, from what we were subjected to at the party. Those of you who know him know what I'm talkin' 'bout...
It was a great weekend all in all. Chris looked charming, and Sheri was a real knockout! Sheri's brother and I were the emcees and that was fun - really off the cuff, but it all turned out fine! And I also gave the speech to the groom and I didn't even cry once! That was all shot to hell though when my mom surprised Chris with a mother-son dance, to a song called "Ordinary Miracles" by Amy Sky. I don't think there was a dry eye on any mother there! I still get weepy thinking about it!
We stayed in Brandon for an extra day (until Monday), just to relax and come down from the weekend. On Sunday, we went over to my cousin's house to have a birthday party for my uncle - he turned 60 in August. My cousin's dog, a chocolate lab named Katie, had puppies about 5 weeks earlier - 9 of the cutest little animals I've ever seen! We almost came home with 3 - one for each of us. They were so sweet, grunting if you stopped scratching them, falling asleep in your arms. OMG!
Kitchen update: things are s-l-o-w-l-y happening. We have countertop (awesome, gorgeous!) and all but one cabinet installed. Next are the doors - we've got to finish those up. Our microwave is in too, and I sure like it!
Ben is doing so many new things. He loves to give kisses, but now he likes to kiss your cheek, and only after he asks your permission ("Unh?", touching your cheek). He also likes to give zrbbbts (a.k.a. strawberries) on your stomach, back, etc. Sunday morning, he and I were playing in his room and he saw Sammy, his Cabbage Patch Kid. So I pulled Sammy out of the toybox and started quizzing Ben on body parts - where are Sammy's ears? Where is Sammy's hair? What about his feet? etc. etc. I asked where Sammy's belly was, so Ben pulls up Sammy's shirt, points to his belly button, and then proceeds to give Sammy a zrbbbt on his tummy! I could barely control my laughter! He cracks me up all the time...so funny.
That's all I can think to write about...till next time!
Carrie
Chris (my brother) and Sheri got married on the 27th! It was the second best wedding we've ever been to ;) but of course, (almost) everyone thinks their wedding was the best! Ben was the ring bearer and he did a bang-up job! We were a little concerned at the rehearsal 'cause he would either run down the aisle (it sloped towards the front of the church) yelling "aaaaaaiiiiiiighhhhhh" or he would drop the ring bags halfway there or he would take off down one of the pews. But Saturday afternoon, with no nap under his belt, he strolled down the aisle, relaxed, as darling as ever, right to the front! The best man reached out to take the ring bags from Ben - but Ben thought he wanted a "five"! Then Chris bent down to get a "five" from Ben, who gladly gave his uncle a "five", went to Daddy and smelled his boutonniere! Classic!
He was pretty good throughout the ceremony and for the pictures beforehand, but he crashed for about 45 minutes on the way to the post-ceremony photo shoot. At the reception, he was a real trooper, lasting until 11 or so! We were so proud of him - well, Gord would have been proud if he wasn't so busy drinking and dancing!
Ben wore his tuxedo for almost the entire day - but it was too big on him. The suspenders had to be twisted six or so times at the back before they looked okay on him, but man can that kid wear a tux! Grandma Joan tied his balloon to his suspenders, so it was really easy keeping track of him in the crowd! And he insisted on carrying a daisy around all night, which was so sweet. I'm going to post some pictures...
Ben also danced up a storm - he's got rhythm, but it doesn't come from either of us! Especially not from Gord, from what we were subjected to at the party. Those of you who know him know what I'm talkin' 'bout...
It was a great weekend all in all. Chris looked charming, and Sheri was a real knockout! Sheri's brother and I were the emcees and that was fun - really off the cuff, but it all turned out fine! And I also gave the speech to the groom and I didn't even cry once! That was all shot to hell though when my mom surprised Chris with a mother-son dance, to a song called "Ordinary Miracles" by Amy Sky. I don't think there was a dry eye on any mother there! I still get weepy thinking about it!
We stayed in Brandon for an extra day (until Monday), just to relax and come down from the weekend. On Sunday, we went over to my cousin's house to have a birthday party for my uncle - he turned 60 in August. My cousin's dog, a chocolate lab named Katie, had puppies about 5 weeks earlier - 9 of the cutest little animals I've ever seen! We almost came home with 3 - one for each of us. They were so sweet, grunting if you stopped scratching them, falling asleep in your arms. OMG!
Kitchen update: things are s-l-o-w-l-y happening. We have countertop (awesome, gorgeous!) and all but one cabinet installed. Next are the doors - we've got to finish those up. Our microwave is in too, and I sure like it!
Ben is doing so many new things. He loves to give kisses, but now he likes to kiss your cheek, and only after he asks your permission ("Unh?", touching your cheek). He also likes to give zrbbbts (a.k.a. strawberries) on your stomach, back, etc. Sunday morning, he and I were playing in his room and he saw Sammy, his Cabbage Patch Kid. So I pulled Sammy out of the toybox and started quizzing Ben on body parts - where are Sammy's ears? Where is Sammy's hair? What about his feet? etc. etc. I asked where Sammy's belly was, so Ben pulls up Sammy's shirt, points to his belly button, and then proceeds to give Sammy a zrbbbt on his tummy! I could barely control my laughter! He cracks me up all the time...so funny.
That's all I can think to write about...till next time!
Carrie
Friday, August 19, 2005
Bupper...hot!
Today as Ben and Daddy were hanging out, a Denny's ad came on the TV. There were eggs and such on the plate, and Ben looks at the TV and says, "Bupper. Hot." He gets very excited at mealtimes nowadays, saying "Bupper, bupper, bupper" and running to his high chair. He can even climb into his high chair, Baby Shmear-esque style! It's scary and funny at the same time!
Ben has the Baby Wordsworth video (thank you Julie Aigner-Clark!) and in it, there are people who do the signs for words around the house. Ben will now do bowl, chair, table, tree, computer, ball, flower, and a couple others that aren't really different (puzzle, blocks). It is really amazing to watch him learn and mimic.
Only one week to go until Ben gets to wear a little tuxedo and walk his uncle and soon-to-be-aunt's rings down the aisle! He is going to steal the show!
That's all I can think of to write about...later gators...Carrie
Ben has the Baby Wordsworth video (thank you Julie Aigner-Clark!) and in it, there are people who do the signs for words around the house. Ben will now do bowl, chair, table, tree, computer, ball, flower, and a couple others that aren't really different (puzzle, blocks). It is really amazing to watch him learn and mimic.
Only one week to go until Ben gets to wear a little tuxedo and walk his uncle and soon-to-be-aunt's rings down the aisle! He is going to steal the show!
That's all I can think of to write about...later gators...Carrie
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
A budding "Bob the Builder"
We've definitely got a mini "Bob the Builder" on our hands! Ben loves tools (I know, he's a guy, but he's only 18 months)...and I mean loves! Every time a power tool was fired up on the weekend, he would look at you and say, "Ooooooooooh!" Every time. And his new best friend is a hammer, or "hammy" as he calls it. He walks around the house, picking up anything that can be used as a hammer and bonking it on things saying, over and over, "hammy...hammy...hammy".
This, of course, just cements the fact that he is my son. As a child, I could not say my "-ers" very well...I would say "buttywhy" for butterfly, and call myself "Carrie Potty". Who knew that something like this was hereditary?
(Eric, I didn't think that there would be any confusion as to who wrote this post, so I haven't signed my name. I think you'll figure it out!)
This, of course, just cements the fact that he is my son. As a child, I could not say my "-ers" very well...I would say "buttywhy" for butterfly, and call myself "Carrie Potty". Who knew that something like this was hereditary?
(Eric, I didn't think that there would be any confusion as to who wrote this post, so I haven't signed my name. I think you'll figure it out!)
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
This kitchen is becoming a blog of a job.
Well, weekend 1 down. Yikes. I can't even begin to gather the energy needed to write a full blog, so let me give you a statistical run-down of the weekend:
Number of hours working: 41 (minus breaks for food)
Number of inches the cabinets overshot the doorway in the kitchen due to 'technical measurement difficulties': 6.5
Number of work hours required to move said doorway left 6.5 inches: 3 (and counting)
Number of tiles installed: about 120
Bags of thinset: 4
Number of cat prints in the thinset before all cats locked in laundry room: 8
Number of beers drunk: 6
Number of attempted beers drunk with serious 'cap still on' failure: 1
Number of trips to Home Depot: 11 (yes, I'm serious)
Number of water leaks: 2 (1 major, 1 minor)
Number of times somebody touched a hot copper pipe and said 'ow': about 150
Number of times Gord almost soldered his eyeball by standing directly under the joint he was soldering: 5
Number of calls to Ikea: 2
Number of damaged cabinets: 1
Number of incorrect colour cabinets: 1
Number of people at Ikea who seem to care about this: 0
To sum up, we did not get finished this weekend - but not for lack of trying. (Again, a HUGE thank-you to Bill for his Herculean efforts over the weekend.) Tune in next weekend for the thrilling conclusion (we hope). Same blog time, same blog channel.
(And check out the pics below)
Number of hours working: 41 (minus breaks for food)
Number of inches the cabinets overshot the doorway in the kitchen due to 'technical measurement difficulties': 6.5
Number of work hours required to move said doorway left 6.5 inches: 3 (and counting)
Number of tiles installed: about 120
Bags of thinset: 4
Number of cat prints in the thinset before all cats locked in laundry room: 8
Number of beers drunk: 6
Number of attempted beers drunk with serious 'cap still on' failure: 1
Number of trips to Home Depot: 11 (yes, I'm serious)
Number of water leaks: 2 (1 major, 1 minor)
Number of times somebody touched a hot copper pipe and said 'ow': about 150
Number of times Gord almost soldered his eyeball by standing directly under the joint he was soldering: 5
Number of calls to Ikea: 2
Number of damaged cabinets: 1
Number of incorrect colour cabinets: 1
Number of people at Ikea who seem to care about this: 0
To sum up, we did not get finished this weekend - but not for lack of trying. (Again, a HUGE thank-you to Bill for his Herculean efforts over the weekend.) Tune in next weekend for the thrilling conclusion (we hope). Same blog time, same blog channel.
(And check out the pics below)
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