Wow, I'm the worst Mother ever - I just noticed I haven't updated this thing in over a month and a half. Tsk, tsk! And it's not like we haven't had plenty of things worthy of an update!
I don't even have enough excuses to use but the last few weeks have been very busy. Busy and I was sick and Julian had a cold which is now a permanent runny nose apparently. Bryan just caught it all today. But I should have a few minutes before Julian has his first night waking to get something out here, now where do I begin?
Before I forget I guess I should let everyone know that we're not sending Christmas cards this year. So don't wait by the mailbox and don't take it personally. Things have been stressful lately and I didn't want to kill myself trying to get cards in the mail. Hopefully you don't need a Christmas card to know we're thinking about you and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Our Cafepress store is doing awesome, Bryan gets all the credit. When we first started it we were hoping it'd make a few bucks that we could put away for vacations or special occassions but we've been very fortunate to have it bringing in enough to cover our mortgage. It's a very nice buffer since we still worry about being a one income family.
Our other baby shop:
www.urbanbabyrunway is also doing well - I get all the credit for this one! OK 99% of the credit. And the holiday business has really been keeping me busy which is good but can be stressful at the same time when I really only have a couple hours at night to pack up orders and respond to customers. But it's fun and we have many goals set for the store for 2007.
More importantly - we'll have a home to call our own very soon! We sold our city house and closed on that the end of November but also put a contract in on a single family. We wanted to move in as soon as possible but they needed more time. For some additional money off the price, we allowed them to pick the closing date since we could continue to stay with my parents. So we'll be closing on the new house 12/27. It would have been nice to be in our own home for Christmas but it'll be worth the wait. We're extremely excited. See, ain't it pretty?
Cedar shingles - which I like to call scales. Our house will be scaly - like a fish.
Our cool new bathroom sinks
The first room you see, the living room which flows nicely into the dining room.
It has 3 good sized bedrooms, a big attic and basement, plus a big den downstairs. We plan on updating the kitchen in the near future. Oh man I canNOT wait to have all this space to ourselves, with a yard even!
It's in a very family friendly area, I've already met a bunch of local moms. It's within walking distance of an awesome children's book store and cafe that has weekly singalongs and a little play area. I really feel the area is made for us. Now if 12/27 would just hurry up and get here! I think my excitement over moving is overshadowing my holiday excitment this year.
Julian has been awesome lately. There were a few weeks in a row when it was pretty nightmare-ish. Getting him dressed was torture and I would have to give up, going somewhere with him was iffy - you never knew when he would go from Angel to "
that kid" with the flip of a switch. He was cutting like 4 teeth at the same time but it made for very miserable days and being sick on top of that was just icing.
But it seems to be passing although he continues to test the limits and I have to work on consistency and being firm with him. Not an easy feat when he is so darn cute. Speaking of cute, he did some modeling for a local baby shoe company. You can check out his photos
here,
here and
here!
Julian had a well-baby last week - I don't even know what month we're supposed to be on but it fell on his 17 month birthday. It was the usual - you know trying to keep a naked baby still on the scale for weight and measurement checks, take the naked kid into the cold exam room, take him back out to get re-measured since he appears to be shrinking since there seems to be no accurate way of measuring a kid under the age of 4.
I'm so indifferent to these appointments. I think it just measures your level of comfort with being a parent. Julian's first one I went in with questions that I rattled off a scroll. Now I just nod my head, yeah yeah, blah blah..are we good? OK - see you next time. I just go for the free board books.
No vaccinations again and our doctor is surprisingly cool about it. Cool in the sense he doesn't push it at all even though I know he really wishes we would. We're waiting until he's older before making the final decision which I wish we did for all of them.
Everything is good and he's still in the 90% for height at 33 1/2" and 60% for weight at 25 lbs 13 oz but I'm happiest to report his head is finally catching up with the rest of his body now at 75%. I was also able to check off all the developments through 24 months, thank GOD because I'm hoping they will quit giving me the same darn thing to fill out every time. Although by his next appointment in 5 months or so I'm sure there will be a whole new one to deal with.
He loves helping us these days. I can say "bring this to Daddy" and he'll carefully carry it over with such pride. He also enjoys helping me bake:
Screw the pie, I just want an apple.His vocabulary has really increased lately too, it already surpasses mine which doesn't say a whole lot. Here's the latest:
Ball
Hot - complete with the fake touching of a hot item or blowing off imaginary food in his hands
Yellow - occasionally actually in reference to a yellow object
Doggie
Kitty
Yummmm
Turtle - the cutest version of turtle EVER.
Dolphin
Elephant - more like "el-lay" but it works
Bye
Pop pop - for my dad
Apple
Truck - which sounds remarkably similar to "owe" but it's clearly his word for truck.
Bird
Moon - "mooooooo-n" it took us awhile to get the "n" on the end. He finally realized there was no cow in the sky.
Wow - in whisper form because he's
that impressed.
Uh-oh
Down
Out
Hi
Thank you
Mommy - and the millions of variations: Mama, mom-meee, mah-may usually accompanied with running in circles as in "mommy, come chase me!"
Daddy
Donna - for Bryan's mom
Jojo - for our dog Jolie
Me me - whenever he wants anything
Sadie - for my parent's cat
awwww - usually when he's hugging (or headlocking?) the dogs or us
Bus
And most importantly...tattoo ("tah-toe")
Some brand new ones that are inconsistent:
Purple
boat
tiger
zebra
One hit wonders: or close to it
Water
Puzzle
Horse
Love you
Sounds the doctor refuses to acknowledge as words:Moooo - when seeing a picture of a cow or asked what a cow says
Baahhh - ditto for sheep
Oo-oo-ah-ah - ditto squared for monkey
Snorts - for piggy
Woof - when he hears a dog barking, or upon meeting other kids at the playground
Signs: He doesn't know many but the few he does know seem to really help us communicate with him
Ball
Water
Dog (uses for almost any animal he sees in person)
Music
More
Milky
Shoes
Tree
Change diaper - very rare
Do they ever stop impressing you? I've been catching him repeating a word to himself as he plays, I'm not sure what word it is but it sounds like a very define "what" but I don't think that is what he's trying to say. We'll find out soon! He's just very good right now about repeating a word almost perfectly when you tell him to say it. It usually takes him some time then to be able to use it in context or on his own but this is such an advancement from where we were a couple months ago.
Another milestone happened recently...Bryan and I stayed the night in Annapolis without Julian. Yes his first night away from us and very first night without nursing. He slept with my mom and it seemed to work out OK. It doesn't mean it'll happen again anytime soon though, once was enough for me! I thought this was the best time before we moved out. That way he could be in his own bed and my parents would be here like always. So it wasn't too different for him aside from both of his parents totally abandoning him. It was nice to have time alone but we sure did miss him! And I was pretty uncomfortable going that long without nursing. Not a good idea, another reason why it won't happen again before he's weaned! I think it had an effect on him though, I can't leave the room if we're not home alone because he assumes that means I'm leaving. If it's just he and I home, he's all over the house but as soon as my mom comes home he's glued to my leg.
Speaking of separation anxiety, I tried to get his picture taken with the white bearded man and he wasn't havin' it. He screamed so I couldn't torture him for the sake of getting a photo with a stranger in a mall. Maybe next year!
Well hopefully this caught you all up on the last month or so. Before I go, a few more photos - you really can never have enough, can you? Or is that just me?
