As I was typing up the blog about Josie on Thursday I heard a noise I have been dreading for a couple of months. It was the first time I heard it and it sent chills down my spine. It was the sound of Xander's door opening when he was supposed to be in his crib napping. I went over to discover Xander standing in his doorway (partially naked, but that's becoming a common thing when he is left alone and gets a dirty diaper) and I let out a blood curdling "Nooooooooooo!" If I hadn't been holding Josie, I would have dropped to my knees crying "Why, God, why?"
Instead, I gathered my wits, set Josie in her swing and headed upstairs to recloth Xander. I eyeballed the crib for any malformations that he had escaped through. Seeing none, I can only assume that by sheer determination and upper body strength Xander managed to climb out. Which is obviously a fluke incident and won't happen again for 6 more months. So I deposited Xander back in his crib, told him to take his nap and headed downstairs to finish Josie's blog.
Ten minutes later I heard a bump, a cry and then "Ok." Because Xander now says "Ok" if he falls down but isn't badly hurt. I retrieved the boy and gave up on naptime for the day.
That evening, Chris converted the bed to a toddler bed. Basically, one side comes off of the crib. Xander was very excited, you could tell because he kept jumping off of the bed. I was tempted to put the new sheets I bought him for Christmas on the bed (Toy Story!) but they'll wait until Christmas.
The first night was really rough. First, Chris had to warn Xander to go back to bed about three times. When we went to bed, Chris found him sleeping on the floor so he was quietly tucked into his bed.
The sky fell at about 1 am. Xander woke up crying. I went in and he was just sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching his pillow and sobbing. He wouldn't even lie back down for about ten minutes. Even then, he'd get upset if I tried to leave. So I brought in a pillow and blanket and tried sleeping on the floor for a while. However, I'm too old for that and everytime I tried to leave to go to my bed, Xander would start crying or race out after me.
So we put the safety handle on his doorknob so he couldn't get out. Wow, that made him so much more upset! He wailed for another half hour. We finally turned his bed around to face the wall, essentially making it a crib again. Xander cried for about ten more minutes and then passed out. It was then about 3:30 am. Chris was not happy.
The next day I turned the bed back to facing out and tried to get Xander to take a nap. He had three tries and then I turned the bed to the wall again. He was ticked! He fought me on it as I turned it and threw quite the tantrum. I put him in and he settled down and took a nap. When he woke up, he immediately tried tugging on the bed to turn it back out which I obliged him.
That night was so much better, he easily fell asleep in the bed. I heard him cry out a couple of times but he seemed to go back to sleep right away. There were two times towards morning that I heard a thump followed by a sleepy "Ok", which totally made me chuckle.
Last night was even easier. We did leave the safety handle on (because we forgot about it), but we'll see how things go from here.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Our Rolling Girl
Josie finally has the hang of rolling over! She's been trying since 3 months and it's now 4.5 months. There was one day that she had rolling from her belly to her back, but she promptly forgot that. Yesterday I left her laying on her back to change Xander. When I returned she was definitely on her belly.
I cheered for her and then scolded her for doing it when neither of her parents were watching. So I rolled her onto her back to see if she would repeat it. She did, but only while I was correcting Xander about playing in the pen drawer. So I rolled her onto her back again. Finally, I saw her roll over! And she hasn't stopped. The only predicament is that she gets frustrated after a few minutes on her belly and then she cries until she gets rolled onto her back.
Josie has been such a great baby, she's spoiled me a little. She doesn't sleep through the night every night, but it's a good long stretch most nights. We've started putting her to bed at 8, and that works pretty well for her.
She just loves her toys. She is always holding, grabbing and chewing. I can barely get her strapped into her swing/ bouncy seat/ high chair and she is leaning over trying to get a toy. Xander is always helpful, bringing toys over to her.
Nursing her is still going well, with the exception that she won't take a bottle. Oh, and she gets pretty easily distracted especially by her big brother. Or maybe it's me yelling at her big brother to stop trying to put in Toy Story. Xander is even helping out by walking over to Josie, trying to push her head towards me and telling her to 'Eat. Eat.' It's hilarious. Chris thought I taught Xander to do this, but I'm telling you he started it on his own.
Happy Face
I cheered for her and then scolded her for doing it when neither of her parents were watching. So I rolled her onto her back to see if she would repeat it. She did, but only while I was correcting Xander about playing in the pen drawer. So I rolled her onto her back again. Finally, I saw her roll over! And she hasn't stopped. The only predicament is that she gets frustrated after a few minutes on her belly and then she cries until she gets rolled onto her back.
Josie has been such a great baby, she's spoiled me a little. She doesn't sleep through the night every night, but it's a good long stretch most nights. We've started putting her to bed at 8, and that works pretty well for her.
She just loves her toys. She is always holding, grabbing and chewing. I can barely get her strapped into her swing/ bouncy seat/ high chair and she is leaning over trying to get a toy. Xander is always helpful, bringing toys over to her.
Nursing her is still going well, with the exception that she won't take a bottle. Oh, and she gets pretty easily distracted especially by her big brother. Or maybe it's me yelling at her big brother to stop trying to put in Toy Story. Xander is even helping out by walking over to Josie, trying to push her head towards me and telling her to 'Eat. Eat.' It's hilarious. Chris thought I taught Xander to do this, but I'm telling you he started it on his own.
Serious Face
Happy Face
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Perfect Zoo Day
In case you don't live in central Ohio, it was absolutely gorgeous this weekend. Beautiful fall days with 70 degrees and blue skies. We enjoyed it by going to early mass on Sunday and taking the kids to the zoo.
Xander seems to remember the zoo now and kept repeating 'Zoo!' on the way there. We brought the single stroller for Xander, in case he couldn't keep up, and Josie enjoyed a ride in the baby backpack with Chris. You can tell she was excited (and maybe a little hungry)(or possibly teething, I really couldn't tell).
We were lucky enough to experience opposite day at the zoo. The tiger (or 'Cat!' as Xander says) usually hangs out, sleeping in the shade. Instead he (she?) was pacing by the window, looking at all of the children and thinking how tasty they look.
The lions also usually sleep when we visit, but one lion we saw was pacing and roaring. We made Xander practice roaring like the lions, oh-ohing like the monkeys and howling like the coyotes.
The kangaroos (or 'roos!' as Xander calls them) usually bounce around. I love seeing the kangaroos because you get to go in the pen and there is a foot-tall stick fence separating them from you. On opposite day the mob (a group of kangaroos is a mob, did you know) basked in the sun.
The koalas like to just hang out in the trees, getting up to 22 hours of sleep according to the sign. We were witness to some of the two hours of actual ground action.
I'd never been in to see the lorikeets before. They are like parakeets in a little aviary area. As we walked in Chris suggested I buy a cup of nectar to bring in. I think he means that he'll take the nectar. Well, as I walk in a zoo member asks me to step further inside so the birds don't get out and to hold up the cup. That was when I was mobbed. Not by kangaroos, but by birds. I seriously had a moment of blind panic where I froze because of all of the birds swishing down to land on me. I don't know why there are only like 5 birds on me in this picture because I was sure that there had to be at least a dozen on me.
Once the nectar was gone and most of the birds left, I tried to get Xander to take a closer look. I think he was actually a little scared because I really had to coax him to get closer.
After lunch we stopped at the aquarium, usually Xander's favorite spot. But it was also naptime and he was just trying to take off so we called it a day and headed home.
Xander seems to remember the zoo now and kept repeating 'Zoo!' on the way there. We brought the single stroller for Xander, in case he couldn't keep up, and Josie enjoyed a ride in the baby backpack with Chris. You can tell she was excited (and maybe a little hungry)(or possibly teething, I really couldn't tell).
We were lucky enough to experience opposite day at the zoo. The tiger (or 'Cat!' as Xander says) usually hangs out, sleeping in the shade. Instead he (she?) was pacing by the window, looking at all of the children and thinking how tasty they look.
The lions also usually sleep when we visit, but one lion we saw was pacing and roaring. We made Xander practice roaring like the lions, oh-ohing like the monkeys and howling like the coyotes.
The kangaroos (or 'roos!' as Xander calls them) usually bounce around. I love seeing the kangaroos because you get to go in the pen and there is a foot-tall stick fence separating them from you. On opposite day the mob (a group of kangaroos is a mob, did you know) basked in the sun.
The koalas like to just hang out in the trees, getting up to 22 hours of sleep according to the sign. We were witness to some of the two hours of actual ground action.
I'd never been in to see the lorikeets before. They are like parakeets in a little aviary area. As we walked in Chris suggested I buy a cup of nectar to bring in. I think he means that he'll take the nectar. Well, as I walk in a zoo member asks me to step further inside so the birds don't get out and to hold up the cup. That was when I was mobbed. Not by kangaroos, but by birds. I seriously had a moment of blind panic where I froze because of all of the birds swishing down to land on me. I don't know why there are only like 5 birds on me in this picture because I was sure that there had to be at least a dozen on me.
Once the nectar was gone and most of the birds left, I tried to get Xander to take a closer look. I think he was actually a little scared because I really had to coax him to get closer.
After lunch we stopped at the aquarium, usually Xander's favorite spot. But it was also naptime and he was just trying to take off so we called it a day and headed home.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
4 month and 2 year Appointments
I was extra brave last week and brought both Xander and Josie in for their regular check ups at the same time. I've had to do this before with mixed results. Josie might sleep and Xander might quietly play with his LeapFrog or Josie might scream and Xander might repeatedly open the door and run or play in the biohazard trash. Fun times.
The appointment was well timed due to Xander and Josie both getting over colds (?). I was reassured that there was no fluid in their lungs and they seemed to be on the mend.
Xander measured in on the big boy scale at 28 lbs, which is just under the 50th percentile. Since he was 30 lbs the week before, I think the cold and refusing some dinners played into the weight. He measured 31 inches tall, again being a big boy and standing next to the growth chart. The doctor hemmed and hawwed at this and remeasured Xander to be 35 inches, just over the 50th percentile. Guess there was a typo. Xander had to be coaxed over to have his height remeasured and then the doctor asked about his general routines, eating and sleeping and such. Then he turned to Xander to check him over and realized he was still plastered to the door where he was measured and had a deer in head lights look. He then had to be coaxed away from the door.
Josie was next and was also cooperative. Her head is now 16 inches. Her height is 23 inches, which is between the 25th and 30th percentiles. Her weight was a whopping 14 lbs and 2.5 oz, up at the 75th percentile.
The doctor seemed pretty impressed that both kids sleep through the night and said we had a couple of happy, healthy kids. It made me feel like I must be doing something right!
Finally the doctor asked if Chris was in the lobby so Xander could go wait with him. No....why? The doctor thought it might be too stressful for Xander to be in the room while Josie received her shots (Xander didn't need any this visit). I just said Xander would have to wait in the room but I thought 'he doesn't care if Josie screams and cries but he might jump up to protect her.' So I set him on a chair and distracted him with the LeapFrog and then helped with Josie's shots. She didn't even yell as shrilly as last time (which I teased her about) and it was over quickly.
And we headed home for some naps.
The appointment was well timed due to Xander and Josie both getting over colds (?). I was reassured that there was no fluid in their lungs and they seemed to be on the mend.
Xander measured in on the big boy scale at 28 lbs, which is just under the 50th percentile. Since he was 30 lbs the week before, I think the cold and refusing some dinners played into the weight. He measured 31 inches tall, again being a big boy and standing next to the growth chart. The doctor hemmed and hawwed at this and remeasured Xander to be 35 inches, just over the 50th percentile. Guess there was a typo. Xander had to be coaxed over to have his height remeasured and then the doctor asked about his general routines, eating and sleeping and such. Then he turned to Xander to check him over and realized he was still plastered to the door where he was measured and had a deer in head lights look. He then had to be coaxed away from the door.
Josie was next and was also cooperative. Her head is now 16 inches. Her height is 23 inches, which is between the 25th and 30th percentiles. Her weight was a whopping 14 lbs and 2.5 oz, up at the 75th percentile.
The doctor seemed pretty impressed that both kids sleep through the night and said we had a couple of happy, healthy kids. It made me feel like I must be doing something right!
Finally the doctor asked if Chris was in the lobby so Xander could go wait with him. No....why? The doctor thought it might be too stressful for Xander to be in the room while Josie received her shots (Xander didn't need any this visit). I just said Xander would have to wait in the room but I thought 'he doesn't care if Josie screams and cries but he might jump up to protect her.' So I set him on a chair and distracted him with the LeapFrog and then helped with Josie's shots. She didn't even yell as shrilly as last time (which I teased her about) and it was over quickly.
And we headed home for some naps.
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