Eleven Months

One more month and I officially have a toddler on my hands.  Though I think Z's been toddling for at least two months already.  Today is the last of his "month" birthdays.  I want to remember that right now he is...

• funny.  He loves to smile at people, belly laugh when he's tickled, and squeal when he's chased.
• sneaky.  Quiet Z means trouble, and if I go investigating, he'll take off with whatever contraband he's found and squeal as I chase him.

caught in the act

trying to get away

• smart.  His only consistent word so far is "Da," but I can hold long conversations with him and have him follow my instructions (like playing ball, putting toys in/out of the basket, finding a toy across the room, etc.)  
• busy!  He knows how to open doors left unlatched, open cabinets, oven doors, go up the stairs, etc. He knows all the places that are off-limits and makes a bee-line for them if given the chance.  I think his bumper sticker would read, "Don't fence me in, buckle me up, or hold me down!"  (This explains the general lack of photos and the poor quality of any photos I do post.)

the one cabinet he's allowed to pillage

• badly in need of a hair cut.  I trimmed it once around Easter, just two little snips.  I'm trying to hold out for the one year birthday before his first full cut.  It either needs a good cut or some serious product.
• hot-tempered.  Boy, does he wail when he gets stuck behind a gate or has a door closed in his face, knowing something better is happening on the other side.
• pitiful.  That anger quickly turns to pitiful pouting. Good thing he's my third and those theatrics don't work on me any more (much).
• easy-going.  Keep him fed and rested, and he goes with the flow.  Thank you, God!  He's also very tolerant of his sisters' attempts to love and protect him.
• all boy.  The sound of a lawn mower, the vacuum, or any engine makes him stop in his tracks and listen.  Baby dolls are for gnawing on.  You and anything else in his path are tools to be used or climbed.  And he's already chewed more bugs than I care to admit.  Oh, and electronics?  He might have a little bit of a preference for any toy with batteries or buttons.  And daddy's already letting him play xbox.
• affectionate.  He's still a good snuggler, when you can get him to be still.
• big.  He weighed 21 lbs. at a doctor's visit this morning (no ear infection; so what's up with the broken sleep?!) and he's outgrowing his 12-month clothes.
• over-the-moon for his daddy.  This boy loves to wrestle with his dad!  And there's no better mountain to climb.  His face lights up when he hears "Da" come in the door and he hurries to get to him.
• a picky, but hearty eater.  Just because he liked it yesterday doesn't mean he'll eat it today.  But if today's the day he likes it, you better have a lot of it.
• all that I imagined a son would be so far, but so much better in person.

Train Ride

About a month ago, J suggested that he take the girls on a daddy-daughter date train ride.  The light rail commuter train runs a limited schedule on the weekends and he thought they could take it downtown, find dinner at a little restaurant, and ride home.  Sounds like fun.  Especially since kids under 6 ride free.

As the day approached, I told him I thought Z would be okay to take along.  We could make it a family event.  The stroller would fit on the train and he'd be fine if we took along enough snacks and toys to keep him busy.

This is how he spent most of the train ride...

We couldn't keep him in the stroller for the train ride because of the way the seats were arranged.  He ran out of care for snacks and toys before the train ever started moving.  He squealed/screamed most of the way, which was very embarrassing to us and irritating to fellow passengers.  And he would not be still for anything!  What was I thinking?!

He looks calm in the next photo, but notice how both my hands are engaged in keeping him from climbing over his sister's head?  And notice her displeasure at having to share her window seat with the baby who keeps kicking her?

We did survive the ride downtown and J led us to a little crepe cafe he had discovered.  We all love crepes!  What a treat!  You have to eat your savory crepe to earn a dessert crepe, which is really why we all love crepes.  Chocolate and whipped cream folded into so much carb yumminess.

C sampled her first Orangina soda, one of J's fond throwbacks to our days in France.  She told him, "Dad that orangina drink stings my tongue, but I'll still drink more for you."  He might have gotten half of it.

It was almost yummy enough to forget that mommy and daddy had to take turns eating so that one of us could pace the sidewalk with our howler monkey.  We were the poster child family for all the urbanites who needed a reason not to propagate.

The train ride back was very similar to the one going, except everyone was tired, it was close to bedtime, and mommy tried to savor the experience by forbidding iPhone play.  I changed my mind, though, after it got dark outside and I couldn't force them to watch the world whizzing by out the window.

Chalk another adventure up to "let's try that again in a year or two."

Quick Mash-Up

Sometimes when you haven't done something in a long time, it's really hard to get started again.  My apologies for falling out of the blogging habit.  Here's a quick mash-up of what's been going on at our house.

We have five days left in our school year!!  I think I'm way more excited than my children.

We leave for vacation on our last day of school!!  I also think I'm way more excited about this than my children are.

We have not all managed to stay well in April.  A and C both had ear infections and Z had a nasty cough.  As Z's cough tapered off, C had a 24-hour fever.  I'm really praying that we are all well for our vacation.

Z is into everything and has had to be contained to the living room for his own safety.  Baby gates abound at our house.

C and A run hot and cold with each other....playing nicely and enjoying each other in spades one moment, then bickering and yelling at each other the next.

We painted the dining room.  I don't like one of the colors we chose and we'll have to re-paint one wall.  Phooey.

J had a good birthday celebration over the course of multiple days.  I made cheesecake and carrot cake.  We got to spend the day with friends and family.  He played board games.  AND the kids slept over at my sister's house and we got to sleep in!!

My brother's family stayed with us for about a week while they waited to close on their new house.  We barely knew they were here.  The freedom and spontaneity they enjoy with older children gives me hope for our future.

We rode the light rail downtown as a family one Saturday.  That will earn it's own post.

The girls and I took a field trip to a local nature center.  Z stayed home with a sitter.  Best use of a field trip budget!  Pics to follow.

God is up to something interesting and unexpected over at Snoball.  I can't tell you what it is yet, because I don't know myself.  But I do know that we will look back on this spring and say, "Oh!  That's what You were doing!"

Hopefully I've overcome the inertia of not blogging for so long.  I have loads of news to share and it's been bouncing around in my brain.  I'm eager to get it all out and hope you're all still there listening.