Sometimes A Boy's Just Gotta Play

Matthew is a good napper. He typically takes a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon. Today he had other things on his mind. He woke up about an hour after I put him down and was very noisy so I went to rescue him. We snuggled in his rocker for a few minutes but he was antsy to be done with that too. So downstairs we went.

And he started playing.



...and playing...



...and playing...



...and of course no playing would be complete without the super-fun game of peek-a-boo!





For an hour he kept himself occupied by going from toy to toy in the living room, paying no attention to me. I couldn't even get his attention with a rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"! It was so cute to watch him be so captivated by the most important job a little kid has. Playing.

The 100th post!

Here we are, post 100. There were times I wondered if I'd ever have a child to share stories about so this is a post I am very grateful for.

This weekend we had a lot of fun. Yesterday we went to the boardwalk with Sarah and Wayne for one last slice of Mack-n-Manco's pizza. We filled our bellies with yummy boardwalk fare before the winter winds start blowing.

Across from the bench we were sitting at was a shop that sold t-shirts. And Matthew became focused on a cookie monster shirt he could see. He squealed until we took him out of his stroller and then made a break for it.



We let him try out a couple little rides. But as you can see, he wasn't pleased.



He also loved standing on the bench and watching the water.


He even got his first taste of a funnel cake!


Today was fun, although not as fun as we had planned. We wanted to take him to an orchard and go pick apples. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side. The rain that was supposed to leave in the morning hung around all day so we never got to go. We did go pick out our pumpkins and mums, although it was raining through that too so we had to hurry.





"What do you say little pumpkin? You want to come home with me? Ok!"

Timeout

Matthew is quickly becoming a full time walker. It's a wonderful accomplishment and I am so proud. Matt likes to say he does an impression of Frankenstein when he walks as he holds his arms out for balance. He's pretty proud of himself too. We've cheered him on and sat for endless hours on the floor trying to get him to go between us to get him to start. And now he laps the living room, a toy in each hand.

Yesterday we went to Target. Matt carried Matthew in and walking next to us was a family with two little kids. One who was around five and one who was probably close to two. Seeing the two year old walking independently made me realize that soon that will be Matthew. He'll hold our hands as we walk into stores or walk to go get the mail. And sooner than I realized he won't even want to be carried anywhere anymore. He can already go up and down the stairs by himself. And while that's a wonderful thing that he's becoming independent and learning to get around on his own I want to take time to make a forever impression on my mind. Of a little boy who clutches your collar as you carry him. Of a little boy with tiny arms reaching up for a ride. Of a little boy who is growing up very quickly.

I need to make myself take a timeout. And remember there's no rush for anything in his life. He'll do everything in his own time, and I'm just a facilitator to encourage his growth and accomplishments. Days go by and with them push Matthew further and further into childhood. And I need to just take a minute and be thankful for today.

The Last Supper

Matt and I finally broke down and bought a new dining room table and chairs. Our old ones were...well... old. Matt's parents got them when they were married and they've been married a long time. It's served us well over the years but it was just time for us to get a new one.

Now I'm the first to admit I'm emotional. It's probably not even a stretch to say I'm a little too emotional. I have an empty bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo upstairs in my son's bathroom because it was the first bottle we bought for him. I just can't bring myself to throw it away. But this table I've been itching to get rid of. I couldn't wait to get a new one. Until this week when I realized in order to make room for the new, the old had to go. There's no where for us to put the old table and we just don't need it anymore so it has to go. And that hit me with a wave of memories. With the realization that this table was not going to be our table anymore came an overwhelming sadness. It is the table we ate dinner at for 10 years, it's the place Matthew had his first sponge bath at home on, and the place where our little baby kitties would sit on to look out the window at our first apartment.

We celebrated our last supper with this table last night. Had a nice dinner together and it was bittersweet for me. All those memories would leave with the table and it makes me pause. I know it's silly to attach such emotion to what is essentially wood. But it's a part of our family history.



Today the new table arrived. And with it the first supper and the promise of memories that will be made over the years. Eventually Matthew will move from his high chair and sit at this table. It will probably be the one he colors on with markers when I'm not looking, and possibly the place where a young lady will sit many many years from as he tells us that "she's the one." It may be the table that one day another baby has his or her first spongebath on. It may be the table Matthew and his little brother or sister turn into a tent.

I have a lot of hope and dreams for this new table. And I think I'm ready to let go of the old one.

An Apple a Day

One of the first purees we did with Matthew was apples. And it's safe to say he was not a fan. His little face would scrunch up and after the first bite his lips would be locked shut and mealtime was over. He's had a distaste for them ever since and only barely tolerates apple sauce and prefers the kind that has other fruit mixed in. Yesterday I bought some yummy apples at the grocery store and sliced a piece off, peeled it and offered it to him. I always offer him things he doesn't like to see if one day he'll decide it's good. So yesterday after putting his piece on the tray I sat down in front of him with the rest of the apple and began to eat it.

Matthew starting fussing and pointing towards my apple so I decided to just let him have it and see what he would do.

Well he did this



and this



and this



By the time he was done only a core was left. I don't know if he likes apples now or if it was the appeal of being a big boy. Either way, I'll take it!

Here Comes Trouble

When I was little I was a brat. Seriously, ask my Aunt Peg how mean I was to her. I got into everything and wanted it all my way. It appears as if Matthew, although he looks like daddy, definitely has my ornery side. Although Matt's parents say he was a little more ornery than he remembers being. Today my lovely son decided he was going to climb on daddy's lap desk for his laptop.



Then he decided that he couldn't quite reach the toy on the table good enough so in the time it took me to blink my eyeballs I found him here.



When I asked him how he planned on getting down he began to head back the way he came.



He quickly realized this wasn't a good plan and decided to settle in to play until I was done taking pictures and rescued him.

Leaps and Bounds...

Matthew learned to go down the stairs tonight!! Of course when I actually got the camera out to record it he tripped up on the last step. But it's adorable nonetheless.

Finally...

Matthew today decided crawling is for babies. He is a almost full time walker now! Which means I was finally able to capture it on video!!

Enjoy!


oh and as a bonus here he is from yesterday when he figured out how to climb down off of the couch!


by the way, the paci is to stop his other new skill...teeth grinding....

I Have Been Blessed

I was driving to Target today after our mommy and me swim class thinking about my life. How I'm living my dream. Every day I get to wake up and spend the day with my little boy. We eat breakfast together when we get up. We go to swim classes, and story times at the library and this week will start a tumble class. We go grocery shopping or Target and sometimes to the park. After running errands or going to classes we come home and I make him lunch. Today it was a bologna and cheese sandwich with fruit and mixed veggies. After lunch I put him to bed then work on laundry and get myself lunch. I straighten up and play online and watch tv and wait for Matthew to wake up. He has a snack when he wakes up and then we play until Matt gets home. While waiting for Matt we play outside, a lot of times with the little girls next door. Once Matt gets home it's dinner time then usually we go for a walk to get the mail. After that it's bathtime and bedtime. The next day it starts all over again.

For some people that may sound mundane, boring, mind-numbing. The same thing day after day after day. But for me it's my dream. It's what I've wanted to do my whole life. Take care of my family. One day I do plan on using my degree, not sure in what direction yet, but I will use it. But for now I can't imagine doing anything else. There is nothing more rewarding to me then at the end of the day I have been able to spend it helping Matthew navigate another 24 hours on this planet as he grows up. And he's growing up very quickly. The years will pass by and I don't want regrets or to wish I had spent more time with him. A bigger house can wait. A new car can wait. This...these days? They won't.