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It was a good night

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Okay – so after my slightly foul post, we actually had a nice evening, so I thought I would try and update with a little more positivity. Micah walked in from daycare screaming…because he was having so much fun on his new bike seat, and his Daddy made him get off the bike and take his new Mickey Mouse helmet off. After some tears (and a little music), Micah was all smiles again while he sat at the dinner table being entertained by Mommy and Daddy.

By 7:00, we were all finished with dinner. Micah played with his toys for a few minutes – he loves to sit on his riding toy and push himself around the room (and as he runs into toys in the way, he says “beep beep”). We decided it was time for our nightly walk (our recent tradition the past few weeks). I announced to Elliott hat Twoey wanted chocolate ice cream (ahhh…the best part of pregnancy – who can deny a baby anything?), so off to Ben & Jerry’s we walked. I decided to get a cup of 1/2 Chocolate Therapy and 1/2 Phish Food, and immediately Micah was whining and grabbing. He has only tried ice cream once or twice before, and he did not seem all that interested. Well, tonight he proved he is ABSOLUTELY and UNDENIABLY my son…he went to town on some serious chocolate ice cream! I had one of those little taster spoons for him, so I gave him a bit on the spoon. He scarfed it down immediately and said “MMMM.” He immediately reached out for more ice cream. Spoonful after spoonful, Micah kept eating the chocolate, and each and every bite was greeted with a resounding “MMMM.” I have to say, like his Mommy, he cried a bit when the ice cream was gone. He was very cute all covered in chocolate, and I’m certain I’ve got a chocoholic on my hands!

As we walked, I noticed that every time Micah saw a chair or a bench, he said “sit down.” I realized that while that is one of his favorite phrases recently, I think he is not just simply ordering everyone to sit, he actually thinks that chairs and benches are called “sit down.” We were laughing – it was just so cute! He also made sure to point out the trees, the birds (and tweet like birds), and all the different lights. His vocabulary is just growing exponentially every day!

On our way back, we were a little earlier than usual. I was just not feeling up to walking with all the contractions, and I really needed to head home. We arrived at the park around 7:45, and Elliot asked if I wanted to stop and sit on the bench and let Micah run around in the park for a little while. I said sure, but warned him we’d have trouble getting Micah to leave (and made him promise he’d deal with any tempertantrums) so off Micah ran to the slides. He was so cute as he climbed and laughed and yelled “sit down” at every bench and chair he saw. After 15-20 minutes, I told Elliot I needed to head back. We snagged Micah after one of his trips down the slide, and he was clearly not happy to be taken away from his fun. I got creative, and remembered that we passed by the basketball courts on the way in (and Micah loves basketball), so I asked Micah if he wanted to walk with me to the basketball. He clapped, grabbed my hand, and off we went to the basketball court. As we drew near, Micah spotted a basketball sitting on the grass…and off he ran to grab it. He walked with Elliot to the court, started bouncing the ball and trying to throw it in the basket. There were about 10-15 men shooting hoops on the court, and they were all so nice to clear out of the way and let him play for a few minutes. He was clapping and laughing and screaming “bah-ball” – I could see his grin from 30 feet away! A few of the guys were dribbling the ball and dunking it in the basket, and Micah was WOWED. He tried to dribble, too (well, he took the ball and banged it on the ground a few times) then did his imitation of a jump shot (lifting it over his head and picking up a leg while he dropped the ball and clapped for himself).

After another 5-7 minutes, we had to put an end to Micah’s basketball time and head home. Unfortunately, Micah was devastated…and had a complete and utter screaming meltdown. He would not let us put him in his stroller, and Elliot had to carry him home, shrieking and screaming. He was hysterical, and kept screaming “bah-ball.” Note to self…perhaps bed time is a bad time for basketball. He was just so devastated to be leaving, and we felt a little bad about the whole thing. We finally got home and he was still a mess when we walked through the door. We debated just bringing him upstairs for bath and bed kicking and screaming, but instead I thought that a quick tv program might be a better idea. I asked Micah if he’d like to watch tv, and he got quiet (well, those little hiccupy snivels were still left) and he looked at the tv. I told him he needed to stop crying, sit on the couch and say “please” and I’d put the tv on for him. He immediately ran over to the couch, climbed up and said “peez.” So, I put on an episode of Between the Lions and Micah was all cuddly, happy and content. Just after the episode, Micah happily went upstairs for bath time.

For the past few nights, after bath time, Micah loves to roll around in our bed, pull the covers and pillow around him as he snuggles in and declare “night-night.” I think he is starting to express his desire to sleep in a big bed! It isn’t going to happen any time soon, but it sure is cute.

So, while I’m still very uncomfortable and unhappy that Twoey has not yet declared her arrival…tonight was a wonderful night. I’m loving these last few precious moments as our family of three, with Micah as my only focus and attention. I will definitely miss this special time with him – and I’m so sad that my little boy is growing up so quickly before my eyes.

No, no, no…Part 2

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Thought I’d share the video I captured tonight (by the way, you’ll notice at the end that he says “more” when he is “all done”):

By the way, Micah has recently been obsessed with making Elliot put on his bike helmet in the house…he had to keep it on all night tonight. We had someone come to our door, and Elliot had a conversation with her…it wasn’t until she left that I realized he had been wearing the bike helmet the entire time!

No, no, no!

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I mentioned that on Sunday, we were at my parents’ house for a few hours, and Jen, Jeremy, Paige and Peyton were there. They were on their way back from vacation, and stopped by to check on my mom and pick up their dog, Demeter. We went over to meet up with them, and Micah spent a lot of time playing with D.

As is to be expected, gentle is not a skill Micah has exactly mastered yet. D is very sweet, but, unlike Nugget, she will bite/snap if prompted. Micah was rolling around on top of her, grabbing at her fur/skin, pinching her, and generally giving her reason to get nervous and snap. A number of times, I ran over to Micah, shook my finger at him and said “No” and told him to be gentle. I would demonstrate gentle…and usually he’d resume pinching and rough-housing with the dog.

Well, yesterday and today, Micah was sitting and reading his “Animals” book (it is the book he is playing with in the video with Bentley in my last post). The very first page is a picture of about 4 different dogs, with the word “DOG” printed at the top. As Micah reads the book, I ask him what the different animals are, and I ask him what sound they make. If he is able, he tells me, and if he doesn’t know the words, I tell him. There are other pictures on the pages (balls, bubbles, balloons), and he likes to point out the different items and tell me what they are. Dog is one of the words he knows well. For the past two days, he points at the dogs, I ask what it is, he says “doggy,” and then I ask him “What sound do doggies make?” As I prepare to tell him “Woof, woof,” Micah now takes his finger, shakes it at the picture and says “No, no, no!” Yup, apparently he now things that dogs say “No, no, no.” I’m guessing I must have inadvertently taught him that this weekend! In fact, tonight, as he was flipping through the book, all he needed to do was look at the picture of the dogs, and he started to shake his finger and say “No, no, no!” Up until now, he was only shaking his head “no” – not only does he think you have to say “No” to dogs, he now knows how to VOCALIZE the word no while he shakes his head (and his finger). This is going to be fun, isn’t it?

Adjusting

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I’m having a difficult time adjusting to life without my dog. It probably sounds crazy to you…especially those of you who do not have pets. I find myself looking for Nugget – unconsciously. I wake up in the night and notice she isn’t on the bed, so I sit up and search the room for her…until I remember that she is gone. I find myself glancing around the room and searching for her throughout the day, or checking my path as I walk to the bathroom to be sure I avoid tripping over her. I pause to hold the gate open as I go up the stairs to make sure that she can get through and follow me…only to realize that she isn’t there to follow me. I wake up at a noise in the early morning, and I peer over the edge of the bed, expecting Nugget to be there pawing at the side of the bed to tell me she is ready to get up and start the day. I miss her crazy “burrowing” that she does every morning when we all wake up, and her digging on the bed covers at night to make a comfortable spot for herself. I notice the odd silence (lack of jingling from her tags) and wonder what she has gotten into, and then remember why it is so quiet in the house. I find myself doing the defensive moves to rescue fallen food from the floor and grabbing stray dishes so that Nugget doesn’t have a chance to get in there and steal it…and then realize the food is safe now. Out of habit, I gave Micah a cheese stick earlier today and immediately picked him up and put him on the couch and started to stand guard so Nugget didn’t steal it from him – and then realized he could walk freely around the house (and even put the stick down on the coffee table) without any worries right now.
I’ve also learned that Nugget might have been the best housekeeper in this family – in the 3 days since her passing, this house has become a complete and utter mess! There are trails of crumbs and food all over the place – my carpet has never looked so disgusting! After 12 years, I have apparently developed horrible habits as well – I noticed today as I was eating a graham cracker and leaving a trail behind me that I had grown to rely on my furry little hoover who always stood right beneath me to catch my crumb trail. We are going to have to re-learn new habits, and quickly!
I have to say, I thought Micah would show more visible signs of missing Nugget. He doesn’t really seem to look for her or call her at all. I think he has already moved on, but perhaps that is for the best. In the next few months, we will be turning his world upside down – first, his dog is gone, next, we will be bringing a baby home, and then we will be moving from the only house he has ever known. I hope he is able to easily adjust.
In slightly better news, my mom was released from the hospital on Friday afternoon. I’m being a bit cautious about writing this out because we still never seemed to get a firm diagnosis and she is still not feeling great. Since Friday, she has been extremely tired. I understand sickness can wipe you out, but I’m still a bit worried – I would like to see her regain her energy again. She has a bunch of doctors appointments to go to this week, so perhaps we will get some more definitive answers. All we know is that she has been dealing with nausea and stomach issues, that she can eat and function while she is on a ton of anti-nausea meds, and they found fluid in her lungs so they told her it was pneumonia and put her on two antibiotics. They have not yet confirmed by xray that the fluid in her lungs has cleared up (in fact, it had gotten worse on Thursday). I’m hoping at least we can get that cleared up this week.
Micah was a bear to put to bed tonight – he fought and cried for about 45 minutes. We had to go back in a few times, but he just did not want us to leave him alone tonight. I guess I can understand that – some nights, I hate to leave him, too. Micah has been talking more and more every day. He has been stringing two words together (sit down, get out) at times, and he is repeating a lot of words. He has been loving tennis, and he dutifully cheered with me for Rafael Nadal as he won his 5th French Open title today. Every time Rafa hit the ball, Micah would raise his arms and yell “Go!” He saw an apple on my shirt today (I got it at the grand opening of an Apple Store years ago) and he spent the night pointing at it and saying “apple.” He seems to be repeating letters of the alphabet when we show them in a book or on some of the TV shows like Sesame Street and Between the Lions. He also seems to be recognizing some numbers. We have been counting backwards from 20 or 10 every time we change his diaper (he seems to enjoy it and it keeps him still until we get to 1 – not sure why, but it works). The last few days, he tries to count with us – he repeats some of the numbers, and a few times I even *think* he might have said a number or two with me!
As for me – well, I’m shocked this baby hasn’t arrived yet, but a little relieved because I’m not sure how I could handle it. I’ve been contracting every 4-5 minutes for most of the past few days. I’ve had periods when the contractions are stronger, but they do not seem to be converting into full-blown labor yet. I am having a lot of pain/discomfort from the baby when I stand, so I keep thinking we are close. I just hope after all this pre-term labor nonsense I don’t end up going PAST my due date! I really thought she would arrive today. My next guess is June 15, since that is the date for everything else…my parents’ anniversary, my brother’s birthday, and every few years it is Father’s Day, too. I really hope I have the baby this week, though – I have a conference I am supposed to present at on June 26!
So…I’m hanging in there. I’m feeling pretty down a lot – still having some random crying fits here and there. I really hope all of this pre-baby stress doesn’t turn into post-partum depression for me. I’m just worn down right now, and definitely feeling a little blue from everything. I am trying my best to pick myself up by my boot straps, though, but right now it is feeling like a challenge.

It’s French Open Time!!

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I am an avid tennis fan…and I’m so excited to be watching the French Open again! Personally, I’m in love with Rafael Nadal, and I truly despise Roger Federer. I’m so glad to see Rafa back in top form and ready to reclaim his title (that Federer won last year by default). I also still love watching Andy Roddick…but clay just isn’t his surface. As for the women…I hate Justine Henin, and I’m definitely rooting for the Williams sisters.

This afternoon (after his nap), Micah came downstairs to hang out with me for a bit – he took one look at the tennis on the tv and broke out into a huge grin. He started pointed at the screen and clapping, and saying….”bah-ball.” Yes, according to Micah, all balls, and all games played with a ball, are, by definition, basketball. Okay, we’ll have to work on that part, but he did love watching tennis. He sat snuggled up with me and we watched Roddick play today. He screamed “Whoa” when they hit the ball, and “boom” when the ball hit the net. He clapped when they scored points, and he screamed with joy when the players got into nice long rallies. Yes, I think I’m grooming a tennis fan, much to his daddy’s chagrin. His daddy was so worried that he removed Micah from the tennis and took him grocery shopping.

This morning, the babysitter came to help take care of Micah. She arrived at 9:00 this morning, but could only stay until 1:00. She fed him breakfast and got him dressed, took him to play at the park, fed him lunch then put him down for a nap. During that time, I managed to pack my hospital bag, shovel out the bedroom from a bunch of junk, and make Elliot clean up his junk, too. It feels so much better to have made a dent in the mess. I also got a bunch of work done. I really like having the extra help around right now!

I’m still having pretty constant contractions. The more I do, the worse they get. I’m very interested to find out whether I’ve made any progress since last week…but I doubt it. We shall see – my appointment is at 1:45 tomorrow.

Yesterday, I took my dog to the vet – her breathing was very labored again, and her hacking cough had returned. I was fairly certain that fluid was backing up in her lungs again. The doctor examined her and agreed. The good news was that there was only *some* fluid in her lungs. He decided to double her dosage of Lasix for the next two weeks. If she does well, then he will try to reduce the dosage again and see if she will maintain that way. I am supposed to take her back for another re-check either Wednesday or Friday.

Micah has been talking up a storm lately. He is starting to put words together (like “Hi there”). He knows a bunch of body parts (head, foot, belly, tongue, mouth, nose, eyes). He is saying the word “more” now (he used to just sign it), and he definitely says “hi” and “bye-bye” all the time. He is recognizing animals more and more, and he knows a bunch of the sounds animals make – his favorites are “quack” and “moo.” He loves to watch the birdies, and he is still a huge kissy-monster. He climbs all over the furniture and runs laps around the house.

I have to say, I am going to miss this time with Micah as my only child. I’m so excited to meet Twoey and get to know her, and I’m excited to see Micah become a big brother. But, at the same time, I sometimes wish I had more time with just Micah as my only focus. I love how we snuggle, and I love our time alone together in the mornings. I adore him – I truly think he is the cutest, sweetest thing that ever walked the earth, and I am just filled with love for him. I know I will love Twoey every bit as much as Micah, and I know there will be plenty of room in my life for both of them. But, this time with just Micah is special, and in a way, I know it will be a loss for both of us – it will never again be just the two of us, and I guess I’m sorry that I can’t give more of this special time to him.

I saw this posted online this week, and it really struck me…I think it articulates many of my fears about expanding our family, and perhaps my hope for how it will be:

Walk along holding your 4-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you’ve never shared me before.

I hear you telling me in your own way, “Please love only me.” And I hear myself telling you in mine, “I can’t,” knowing, in fact, that I never can again.

You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.

But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I’m afraid to let you see me enjoying him—as though I am betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.

More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.

But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times – only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.

I watch how he adores you — as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven’t taken something from you, I’ve given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you—only differently.

And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you’ll never share my love. There’s enough of that for both of you – you each have your own supply.

I love you—-both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.

Piano Man

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I think it has been a while since I’ve done a “substance” post, so here goes! When I last left you, Elliot was out of town. Things went much better than I expected, actually. Micah slept in late on Tuesday…but the dog was up at 5:30 am. Since her heart problems started, she has been having issues holding her bladder and she gets very anxious for her food/pills about 1-2 hours before it is time. I think she knows they make her feel better and they start to wear off around the 10 hour mark. I’m working on this, but there isn’t much I can do!

On Tuesday, I had hoped to take Micah to a free musical performance and story hour at White Flint Mall, followed by a train ride, but the cleaning lady showed up pretty late. Unfortunately, we missed the musical performance and the story hour, and the thought of heading to the mall just to take Micah to the train ride seemed…daunting. I was afraid he wouldn’t sit still and I’d be chasing him by myself around the mall and fighting him about leaving. So, I chickened out and decided to save that for another day…with help. Instead, I called up my parents and asked if they wanted to meet us for lunch! Micah and I drove over to pick up my mom up from the college and my Dad joined us a bit later. We just ate at noodles and company, and we had a good time. I have to say, it is so much easier on me now that Micah will eat pasta! After lunch, Micah took a nice nap. When he woke up, we watched an episode of Between the Lions, played a bit, and then I fed him dinner. Elliot surprised us by actually making it home before bedtime, so the day was a breeze.

On Wednesday, I spent the day downtown at a work meeting. It was actually good to “see and be seen” and I may have found a few additional jobs for the next year. We shall see how that pans out. I’d like to try and line everything up before Twoey arrives.

On Thursday morning, Elliot, Micah and I headed off to an ultrasound. We had a snafu with child care for Micah (honestly, I forgot to make arrangements in advance and our “go-to” babysitter was busy) so we brought him along. Twoey was great (and Micah behaved, too)! The appointment was quick, with very little news to report. She is still head down, and now turned in “birthing position” facing my back. That probably explains the back pain I’ve been experiencing, the change in my contractions, and all the extra pressure on my bladder. Her heart rate was perfect, and then we learned one other fun piece of information…she has hair! The ultrasound tech thought she had A LOT of hair, so Twoey may come out with as much hair as Micah. I’m going to be prepared – I’m going to buy one of those little clippy bows so we can take a picture of her with a bow clipped on her beautiful locks! Elliot made sure to ask the tech if she could tell the color of her hair (my mother is DYING to know if this baby will be a redhead), but the tech was decidedly uncooperative (ha!). Once she realized we were just teasing (we obviously know you cannot tell color from the ultrasound) she announced that it looked white on the screen (as hair always does). I said I knew premature grey hair ran on my mom’s side of the family – poor baby! So, hair color (and true quantity) will still be a surprise, but there is hope that Twoey will have luscious locks like Micah.

After the ultrasound, I hosted a mini “playgroup” at our house – I invited a few of the other parents who are normally in our Thursday class (we are on hiatus for another week). Only one was able to come over, but the boys played together for a few hours. Well, I should say they mostly played independently, but occasionally Micah was not so nice to Alex. He does not like to share his toys, and he can scream if others get too close and he will sometimes fight for toys. We’re working on it, but I feel like we are not making much progress. The good news is that by the end of the playdate, Micah was walking over to Alex and hugging and kissing him. It was adorable! Of course, Alex looked quite perturbed and a bit frightened – he had that “Weren’t you just beating me up and now you are kissing me?” look on his face.

Friday was another work day, but somehow things just seem so hectic right now. I’ve been working on getting a proposal done, and I’ve been trying to wrap up a bunch of deliverables before the baby arrives. In addition, we’ve been trying to figure out how to handle these renovations. We are currently over budget (not a shock, right)? I could post a whole separate post just about the renovations (and probably should) but the short version is we hired a builder to keep us on budget. We did expand our project, he told us dollar amounts for the things we were adding, we felt we could afford it, and then he came back with the final total cost and it was significantly higher than his numbers led us to believe it would be. Every time we try to cut things back out, the price doesn’t seem to drop. So, we are at an impasse right now. Because of the delays, we no longer think we can move back into my condo during the renovations. My condo really only has 2 bedrooms (3 if you count the downstairs room). We thought that would be fine while the baby was small, but now she might be 2 or 3 months old when we move, and we really feel she needs her own room upstairs now. So, we are in a mad dash to get my place on the market and hope it sells before we need to rent a place. What a mess! We are both pretty pissed we’ve held on to the condo all this time to not even live in it again, but what can we do now?

On Saturday, our friends Niki and Eric hosted a party at their house. It was a ton of fun – they have a fantastic back yard with swings and toys, and they put out sprinklers and baby pools for the kids. We snacked and socialized and played all afternoon, and it was really a fun day. I actually ran into an old co-worker there – her daughter and my friend Niki’s son are in preschool together. Micah loved the slide and playing basketball, and he loved the snack table..he personally ate all the goldfish, the animal crackers, and half the fruit platter! There was also a climb-in Thomas the Tank Engine that Micah loved riding. Eventually, we moved inside, and Micah spent about an hour playing on a piano! He has seen and used toy pianos before, but he had never had the opportunity to play on a real piano. He was sitting on the bench, banging away – and I have to say, it even sounded somewhat melodic! I think he might just have some musical talent in there. Time got away from us, and we had to do a mad dash home around 8:15 pm. We literally threw Micah into the tub for a quick rinsing (he was so dirty from being outside all day!) and then plopped him into bed.

Sunday was another crazy day for us. Micah woke up extra early, and it was a long morning. We were trying to get things in order and keep him entertained, but he was really cranky. We tried putting him down for a nap around 1, and the little bugger woke up screaming at 2! I think he has more teeth coming in (not that he lets me into his mouth to inspect). We had no luck getting him back to sleep, so Elliot decided to take him outside for a walk and to run errands. I guess I lost track of time while they were out (I was trying to get some work and cleaning done). They did not arrive home until almost 4, and I suddenly realized I still needed to shower and we were supposed to be at a picnic for Micah’s daycare already! We did not make it there until about 5, but we had a nice time. There was pizza, some activities, and good music. Micah was playing with a soccer ball most of the time, and he had fun wandering all over the field and getting into trouble.

Yesterday (Monday), Micah started off the morning in daycare, but we pulled him out early because we had his follow-up appointment with the ophthalmologist. One funny story – apparently, when they changed his diaper, he looked at the caretaker and said “stinky.” That is what we always say when he poops – I tend to say “stinky, stinky Mr. Micah.” Funny – it never dawned on me that he would pick it up! Anyway, Micah’s appointment went quite well, although we were waiting forever to be seen. Micah was excited about the Cars movie on the screen – he kept saying car and vroom vroom. He also grabbed a Thomas the Tank Engine book and wanted us to read that to him (we may have a new obsession we will have to “feed.”) The good news is his optic nerve still looks great, and there is no sign of any swelling or pressure in his brain. So, surgery for the craniosynostosis is still unnecessary. The other good news…Micah does not need glasses (for now). He definitely is far-sighted, but it is not outside the range of normal for children. The bigger concern is that there is at least a half diopter difference between his two eyes, which *could* be a sign that he is developing amblyopia (lazy eye) – which I have. For now, the doctor just wants to continue monitoring things. He feels that he can see well enough for walking and learning. We do not have to go back for another year! He would also suggest bringing the baby in when she is about a year old, so I’ll bring the two of them in together next year.

One new problem that has cropped up this week…I think Micah is a bit too attached to television. I usually only have him watch 30 minutes – 1 hour of educational television a day (all PBS shows). He usually does not ask for the tv, but if he sees the remote he sometimes climbs on the couch and fusses indicating he wants to watch tv. BUT, if we put on his show for 30 minutes, he gets VERY upset when it ends. Tempertantrum kind of upset. He kicks and screams and throws his head back and points and fusses. It is quite a sight! I try to distract him, and I do not give in and let him get more television as a reward for that behavior, but I really hate that he is starting to do this. I’m hoping it is a phase and that he will learn that when the show is over, tv is finished. I really only put it on at times when he is a bit cranky/clingy, or if I need to keep him busy while I prepare his food for dinner or before bed time. I also find that when he is getting really wild and destructive, the tv is a good way to get him to calm down and focus and relax. We sing songs with the tv, go over the letters and words, and I do think he is learning from these shows. The other time it comes up – in the mornings and evenings, Elliot likes to watch the news. If Micah sees the tv on and it isn’t his show, he has started getting mad and tries to force us to put on his show. My solution for that has been shutting the tv off. If we cannot have it on at all, then that is what we will have to do.

The times they are a-changin’….

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I know I always say this, but I’m constantly amazed by how much things change from week to week. It has been nearly 2 weeks since my last substantive post…and while not much has been going on, so much has changed. Funny how that is…I’ve had all these little nothings I’ve wanted to post, but nothing really interesting to write about, so I keep postponing the blog entries.

Overall, my last two weeks have been relatively uneventful…I’ve been cramming my work week into 3 full days plus afternoon nap time the other two days. I lost a lot of time while Micah was sick, and I do feel that I am quickly running out of time before Twoey arrives. We are desperately trying to wrap up the final plans for the renovation (I’ve been meaning to post a draft of the plans and talk about all that insanity) and file for our permits. Once again, we are already behind schedule and the budget keeps ballooning. We got a nasty bout of sticker shock at our last meeting, so we are now trying to figure out how to reduce the costs without scaling back the scope of the project.

Micah, however, is changing rapidly by the moment. His vocabulary seems to be increasing by leaps and bounds. He repeats words, says thank you, get down (to the dog), car, vroom, tree, doggy, milk and a few other things. He has been amazing us in other ways lately, too. After refusing to eat any pasta (or rice) for months and months…he started to eat spaghetti! They told us he ate 4 bowls at daycare, and we did not believe them. We took him out for dinner at a chili place, and we ordered a spaghetti chili for dinner that he scarfed down! This weekend, my nieces Paige and Peyton were in town and we served Macaroni and cheese for dinner…and Micah couldn’t gobble it down fast enough! So, apparently pasta is now an option again. I also made him rice to serve with dinner last night, and he ate that, too. I’m excited because it means we have more options for meals now, and it will be easier to stop for lunch and dinner in restaurants if we can serve him pasta. Here is a picture of Micah playing with Paige and Peyton at Bethesda’s Celebrate Mama event we took them to – they were dancing and playing while the Kidville Little Maestros performed:

Micah currently has a strawberry obsession. I think, if we let him, he’d eat strawberries until he exploded! We bought a huge flat of strawberries to make strawberry jam, and every time Micah saw it, he insisted on eating more strawberries. I think he ate several pounds of strawberries all on his own!

It was only a month ago that I posted about how Micah would walk to the gate and climb upstairs at bedtime when we asked him if he wanted to go upstairs and go night-night. Now, Micah’s response to that question (and almost everything else) is to shake his head no. Do you want to go night-night? No. Do you want to go sit in your chair and eat dinner? No. Do you want to play outside? No. I think no is his default response to everything now. Sometimes, I admit I ask questions just because it makes me laugh when he shakes his head no!

Micah has found a new obsession…shoes and hats. He loves to put our shoes on and try to walk around the house. Sometimes, he brings his own shoes over to us (while we are sitting inside) and insists that we put his shoes on his feet, too. I can’t tell you how often he walks around in pajamas and shoes, or a diaper and shoes. He also LOVES his Daddy’s bike helmet, and is constantly trying to wear that, too.




On April 24, Elliot and I went to our friends Laurie and Jeff’s wedding. Actually, I set them up at our wedding! The wedding was just beautiful – I only wish I felt more up to dancing. I kept trying to get out there and enjoy myself, but the contractions would get a bit strong and make me nervous. Nevertheless, the wedding was beautiful and we had an amazing time. Luckily, Micah was able to spend the night with his Grammy and Grampy while we were at the wedding. They had tons of fun together, and Micah did really well sleeping at their house. They ate pancakes for breakfast, and we picked Micah up right around lunch time. We decided to run over to Heather’s house to visit her new puppy – only 9 weeks old! He is a cav-chon (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon mix). He was so cute and sweet – only 2.5 lbs! He was bouncing all over, and Micah was IN LOVE with him. He had no fear – he loved the dog jumping in his face and kissing him, and didn’t even worry about the little nipping.

Micah seems to have 2 new teeth…one on the bottom left, next to his bottom 2 teeth, and one on the top left…I think it is the bicuspid. He has at least another 4-6 teeth trying to break through. This has made for a few rough nights – teething definitely causes Micah to wake up and fuss. Friday night he was up from 1:15 until 4:00 am, but he has been better since then. Unfortunately, he woke up on Saturday morning with two spider bites – one on his cheek, and one on his arm. It looks like a spider walked across while he was sucking his thumb and bit him twice. It is kind of nasty and bubbled up, but so far, it appears infection-free. We have been wiping them down with hydrogen peroxide at night and dabbing them with neosporin. We’ve also given him benadryl at night to help with the itching and swelling, and it seems to be working.

We are having some issues with Micah and aggression lately. The good news is we had a playgroup here on Sunday with a whole bunch of women I met through the breastfeeding support group I attended after Micah was born, and it seems we are all struggling with the same issue. Micah has a tendency to get territorial around toys – he will scream loudly if others get too close and he thinks they will take them away, and he has even been known to push to protect his toys. We try our best to reprimand him and teach him to share, but I just don’t feel like he is learning yet. He usually does not walk over and steal something from other children…normally, he’ll watch and wait and grab it when they drop it or turn their backs. But, I do get embarassed when he yells at other children in class. Here is our little playgroup:

Micah has also become obsessed with climbing on the chairs and looking out the window. He can easily get himself on and off the couches and chairs in the living room, but we still worry that he likes to stand and jump on them (and does not listen when we tell him to sit). He loves to bounce on the chairs and bury himself in the pillows – I just wish he would develop safety awareness!

As the weather has gotten warmer, I’ve slowly been bringing out Micah’s summer clothes. I purchased everything for the summer in size 12-18 months, but the clothing is pretty large on him. Actually, in terms of length, the size isn’t bad, but he is just so skinny that all the bottoms fall off of him! We did recently discover that many of his shorts have tabs in the pants that allow us to cinch them in – this has been our saving grace!

Last week, I had another appointment with my midwife and the maternal fetal medicine specialist. I have to say, I’m feeling far more uncomfortable this pregnancy than I did with Micah. I just feel…stuffed all the time now, and Twoey is definitely sitting on my bladder these days. My belly was measuring perfectly – exactly 32 weeks – and her heart rate has been great. She is head down and starting to engage, so we are definitely on the right track. Twoey measured 32 weeks in size, and estimated her weight at 4 lbs 2 ounces (I found that shocking – that is 1/2 lb larger than Micah was at the same time!!). I think, however, their estimates may be off – her head has already dropped a bit, so the fluid levels were a lower around her head which can affect their measurements. They also seemed to think her head was measuring larger than the rest of her body, so it was most likely a bit inaccurate. Her arms/legs/belly were all measuring a week or two small…which seems a bit more normal to me (since I was a small baby and Micah was so small). I guess we’ll see what the next growth ultrasound says! My cervix seems to be holding steady…shocking, but true. The contractions are still there, but we seem to be keeping them under control. I lost 2 lbs since my 30 week appointments, so still no weight gain of any kind. Now that I’m planning for Twoey’s early arrival…I’ll probably end up 42 weeks pregnant and needing to be induced. I’m definitely feeling anxious about things…I have no idea when we are moving, and whether we will be here or in the condo when she is born. Because we do not have a final room together, my need to nest is being thwarted…I have nothing to get organized! So, instead I seem to be obsessing about furniture and paint colors for the finished house.

I guess my final update is about names for Twoey…no, we do not plan on sharing her name before she is born. Not that it matters…the only name we really have so far is Twoey! We are VERY stuck on names this time. Ironically, we just came up with a name we like for a boy…and we’re having a girl. We did this the last time, too. We just can’t seem to find that “perfect” name that resonates with us. I have a feeling this baby may be Twoey for the rest of her life!

Uh oh

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Tonight I was feeding my son dinner. He was covered from head to toe in food and making a huge mess, and then the most offensive, loud sound I think I’ve ever heard exploded from his behind. I swear it nearly sent him 2 feet up in the air! Just to give you a clue, it was like an explosion of gas and poop and who knows what else. Anyway, when it was all finished, I looked at him and said “what on earth was that?” and he promptly said “uh-oh.”

I about DIED…he is right – it really is an uh oh. Good thing we are headed to the bath tub in 5 minutes.

In other news – any tips for keeping a child out of the dog’s food bowl? I find him trying (and sometimes succeeding) to eat her food all the time. And he likes to play in her water (and sometimes try to stick his face in and drink it). I’m constantly telling him no and pulling him away!

Another cute development – Micah has started pointing at the different things in the pictures in the books we read (he’ll point to the bubbles and say “bubble” or he’ll point to different animals). He is definitely signing dog and duck and he says “quack quack” sometimes (okay…it actually sounds more like “cock” when he quacks, but he is definitely quacking).

And tonight, he kissed the phone and waved at it when we were speaking to his Grampy. Usually, he waves or he just likes to push the buttons and make noise, but this is definite progress! I’d like him to be able to talk to ALL his family members – most of the time, he just gets shy. He has aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents who are all looking forward to hearing from him on the phone!

The ants are marching…again

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Once again, the week has just flown by! I originally planned on posting again last Wednesday night, but seem to have gotten waylaid by life. So, today’s post will be a nice “catch you up” post again.
Let’s start with last Wednesday night…when I discovered ants. Yes, ants. Everywhere in Micah’s bedroom. It was disgusting! They were swarming on the floor near his crib, and around the ottoman, and they even made it all the way up to Micah’s changing table. We took out the organic ant spray (made from mint oil) and we sprayed everything down. I was creeped out by the thought of Micah sleeping in a room with all those ants, but I hoped the spray would keep them at bay. I came downstairs after we put Micah to bed to do a complete survey of the house to search for more ants. I was relieved to see that there were no ants in any of the trouble spots from last year…however, the ants were swarming in the living room corner where we keep most of Micah’s toys. We took out the mint oil spray and gave the region a bath.
Thursday morning, we called Trey, the exterminator, bright and early. Lucky for us, he was able to come see us later that day. Micah and I left for class at noon and stayed away for a few hours while he set out to conquer our ants. He managed to treat the problem outside, and told us we should expect the problem to dissipate quickly.
Thursday night was date night. My mom arrived around 5:30, and Elliot and I decided we needed another practical errand-running night. We decided to go check out the Mazda car dealership to test drive the Mazda 5 and the CX9. I have to say, we really liked the CX9. It is loaded with features, very comfortable, and a smooth ride. Our only concerns, however, were the mileage (it has the lowest mpg of any 3 row SUV we have test driven so far), and like the other 3 row SUVs, we would not be able to access the third row with two car seats installed. Mazda also does not offer any decent lease deals on the CX9, so leasing the vehicle is expensive (although it is priced well for purchasing). We just do not think we want to commit to buying the CX9 with such low gas mileage – we feel confident there will be better options over the next few years, and do not want to be locked into this car long-term. We also test drove the Mazda 5. It is an interesting vehicle – it looks more like a mini minivan (kind of a cross between a minivan and a station wagon). Because the middle row only has two captains chairs (and a sliding door entry), there is access to the two rear seats even with two car seats. The gas mileage is great, but the car is fairly stripped down – no electric seats or any of the amenities I am looking for in a vehicle. The price was really good, so Elliot and I did discuss if it made sense to replace his Prius with the Mazda 5. For now, we think we are going to hold off on doing that, but we definitely think the Mazda 5 is an interesting option for a family vehicle.
After our car adventures, Elliot and I had a quick dinner at the Golden Bull. Nothing fancy, but they do have a great salad bar there. We were home by 10:30. I did a quick canvas for ants, and I mostly only saw dead ants (eww!). I cleaned up the carnage, but I was relieved that Trey managed to tackle our problem.
Friday was a busy work day for me. I think the day passed before I even had a chance to blink! Elliot picked Micah up from daycare around 5:30. We quickly fed him dinner and the two of them went off to services. They got home around 7:30 pm…just in time for us to give Micah his bath and put him to bed. After our long week, Elliot and I were exhausted, so we had a wild evening…we curled up on the couch to watch tv, and fell asleep ridiculously early!
I woke up early Saturday morning and had to scoot out early to help run a training session. Elliot kept Micah occupied for the day while I worked. I got home around 2:30 or so, and Micah was asleep. When he woke up after a nice LONG nap, we played together. The weather was so beautiful that when Elliot suggested that we all take a quick bike ride around the block, I instantly agreed! Elliot bought me a new bike for my birthday last summer. The original bike he purchased was a little too tall for me, so we ended up ordering a different bike. We did not pick that up until late October/early November. Since I had just found out I was pregnant and we were uncertain if the pregnancy was going to hold, I never got a chance to ride my new bike before the bad weather hit. So, around 4:30 pm, Elliot hooked the bike trailer up to his bike, we loaded Micah inside, and the three of us took off for a bit of an adventure.
I should have known that Elliot and I would not think of a “quick ride around the block” the same way. I expected to head over to the local bike path and do a quick loop and come back. Elliot thought we should head down to Bethesda and bike past the stores. I followed his lead…we went down the street, through the park, down by the restaurants and back out to the main road. I expected us to head up the road and back towards home, but Elliot had other plans in mind. We kept going…and going…and going. A number of times I reminded him that I was pregnant and not in the best of shape and suggested we should head back home. But, Elliot said it was just a short trip and we should keep going. We ended up biking over a mile to the Barnes and Noble, and we sat outside for a bit to catch our breath (okay, so I could catch my breath). We then started the long trek back home…uphill. I can only say that I definitely overdid it. By the time I got home, the contractions were going crazy. I know it was only a 2 or 2 1/2 mile bike ride, but that might not have been the smartest thing at 27 weeks pregnant when dealing with pre-term contractions.
I drank lots of water, lay down, and started popping the Indocin to control the contractions. I felt a little better after an hour or two, but the contractions continued strongly all night. Elliot decided to run to the store while I put Micah to bed – there was a huge sale at Toys R Us on Pampers (for every 2 packages we purchased, we got a $20 gift card, plus Elliot had $5 off coupons for each box of Pampers). I think Elliot might have bought out the store – he brought home 6 jumbo packages of diapers!! I crashed pretty early because I was so exhausted and uncomfortable.
I had no idea when I woke up on Sunday that it would be a completely packed day. My morning started off when Micah woke up at his usual time. I made him a yummy breakfast of pumpkin pancakes, and we spent some time playing and watching Sesame Street. My contractions were still going pretty strong, so I popped some more Indocin and tried to drink a lot of water. I got a call from my friend Heather, and we decided we would meet and catch up a bit. I put Micah down for his nap around 11:45, and Heather showed up at noon. We decided to walk into Bethesda for lunch. The weather was gorgeous, and we went to an organic salad place for lunch. We chatted, we caught up, and then we picked up a half dozen cupcakes to bring home. Yummy! I picked up a cookies and cream cupcake, and chocolate peanut butter and a triple chocolate cupcake. Heather got a chocolate peanut butter, a red velvet, and a cookies and cream cupcake. Unfortunately, the cupcakes melted a bit on the walk home. Once again, my contractions started to kick it into high gear – perhaps a 2+ mile walk on the heels of my bike ride was a bad idea?
Micah did not wake up until a little after I got home. He played and flirted with Heather a bit before she left, and we waited for our friends Jen and Max to arrive for our play date! They showed up around 5:00, and we walked over to the neighborhood park. The boys played on the swings and the slide and had a fantastic time. Micah was so funny – he loved the swings, he enjoyed eating some sticks and dirt, and then he figured out how the slide worked. I was so amazed by my little boy – he figured out how to climb the stairs, run over to the slide (where Daddy was waiting to reposition him to safely go down the slide on his belly) and I would catch him at the bottom (this slide is a “big kids” slide that ends a few feet above the ground – Micah was like a little torpedo hurtling down that slide!). What amazed me was that after the first time or two of trying to climb back up the slide, Micah knew to run around to the back of the jungle gym and climb the stairs to slide down again. Unfortunately, Micah was having so much fun that he threw a tempertantrum when we told him it was time to leave and bundled him back up into the stroller.
We got home in time for dinner and a little more playtime with Max. Shortly thereafter, we got Micah ready for bed. I think Elliot and I crashed on the couch early again. My contractions were pretty intense, so I tried to relax, hydrate, and take more medication.
Monday morning, we were back to the grind. Micah went to daycare bright and early (and tried to carry his own lunch bag to school):



I had a full day of work (and attempted bedrest) ahead of me while I tried to get the contractions back under control. My home health nurse arrived in the afternoon to give me another shot. I really hate these shots, and my butt just hurts!! I wish I knew if they were helping at all. I then had to go see my cardiologist for my annual appointment. I got home in time to put in a few more hours of work before Micah came home.
I have to say, Micah has just been absolutely adorable lately. I mean, that kid is cute all the time, but sometimes he is just so beyond adorable I don’t even know what to say! Lately, after bath time when I comb out his hair, Micah has been stealing the comb from me…so he can comb my hair! He sits and laughs and smiles while he combs my hair, and I have to say, I love it! He has also adopted a new phrase…”Uh oh.” Micah LOVES to say “uh oh” now, and it just makes me laugh.
Tuesday was another good day. We woke up at our usual time, then quickly headed off to our music class. Micah seemed a bit out of sorts – a tad on the tired and shy side, and he really did not feel like participating in class (except for the bubbles segment). Micah loves to chase the bubbles and pop them (and he says “bubbles” over and over again). Right after class, we loaded into the car and headed north to visit Aunt Jen and cousins Paige and Peyton. It took us about an hour to get up there, and we decided to meet them at the Olive Garden. The kids were great. They ate bread sticks, we ordered the three kids pizza and chicken fingers to share, and we munched on soup and salad. Micah was not much in the mood to eat. He had a piece or two of pizza and a bit of chicken and a few beans from my soup. He mostly just threw the food on the floor. After lunch, we went back to their house. The kids played together in a toy house, and they played with bubbles (well, Micah mostly spilled the bubbles while he tried to make bubbles). We finally dragged them inside, and they spent the day playing together. Unfortunately, cousin Paige was not happy with Micah’s idea of sharing. She kept building a stack of blocks and he would knock them over, much to her annoyance. Peyton, on the other hand, enjoyed stacking the blocks for Micah to knock over. The kids ate snack food together, and around 3:30 we hopped in the car to head home.
Elliot gave me a bit of a break in the evening while he fed Micah dinner. We played for a while longer after dinner and before bed. Once again, Micah went to sleep quickly and easily. We, of course, fell asleep on the couch again.
Micah woke up right on time again this morning. We gave him some breakfast, got him dressed, and went to meet his daycare class for his first field trip! Now that they are older, they will be going on a field trip once each month. The first field trip was to the Playseum. I’ve been meaning to take Micah there for quite some time, but this was our first trip. It was actually a wonderful experience! It is a series of rooms with all interactive activities. There is a fire truck and a pickup truck for the kids to drive, and a grocery store complete with carts, fake food and a cash register, a dress up room, a beauty parlor, a sandbox area, an ice cream shop, an animal room (with birds and bunnies the kids can touch!) and so much more. Micah was not so sure about the bunnies – he seemed intrigued and even tried to touch them a few times, but he was kind of shy. It amazes me…he goes NUT for every kind of dog, regardless of size, but cute little bunnies make him a bit nervous? He seemed to smile at how soft they were, but he just did not know exactly what to make of them. There are a also a number of rooms with activities…art activities, baking activities, cupcake decorating, etc. Micah decorated a tree today, and then they went into the back “music stage” room for a story hour.
Well, Micah fell in love in the music room, and he became my little “rock star.” First, Micah saw a guitar. He walked over to the guitar, picked it up, and tried to play. Then, he noticed the strap and put the guitar around his neck. I think, if I had allowed it, he would STILL have the guitar around his body! He spent the next half an hour playing the guitar, and the drum set, and the piano. My little man is definitely a musician…and he has rock star hair to boot! We are definitely going to have to buy him a guitar. After several hours of fun at the Playseum (and a handful of tears because mommy ripped him away from his music stage and guitar), Micah headed off to daycare with his class and I came home to get some work finished. It was actually a fun morning, and I loved seeing Micah on a field trip. I have a feeling we’ll return to the Playseum again. Elliot and I were terrible parents and forgot to bring the camera. A few of the other parents took some photos – hopefully, they’ll send us copies soon and we can post them for you to see our little rock star!
Tonight, I took some video of Micah eating dinner. I always swore I would never post anything that included any hint of my awful singing voice, but I just had to show you how cute Micah is. He started to sign the Itsy Bitsy Spider tonight, so I quickly grabbed the camera and tried to tape him. Naturally, he started to smile for the camera and got a bit shy. But, he did a few of the signs, and he signed more, and then he finished off the video by saying “bye bye!”
In other news, Micah has also been a bit obsessed with books lately, which is a wonderful new development. He keeps bringing me books to read to him – particularly the ladybug book, and his all-time favorite, Dr. Seuss’ The Foot Book. I think I’ve read that book to him over a thousand times now, and I am certain I have it memorized. But, I love that HE loves the book and wants me to read to him. He has started pointing at things in the book, and I like that he picks out the books he wants to hear and comes over to me and climbs into my lap. How sweet is that?
Micah has been fixated on a few new toys (thanks to Aunt Jen and cousins Paige and Peyton for the hand-me-downs). He has one of those popper “lawnmowers” and he loves to push it all over the place. He also has a new cash register that he finally knows how to work. It is actually a fairly complicated toy. There are three different colored coins (yellow, orange and red), each marked a different denomination. The coins must be inserted into the corresponding color slots at the top of the register, and you have to pull the lever to drop the coins down. Then, you have to push a second lever to either send the engaged coins out the side of the register as change or into the drawer for a sale. If you want to open the drawer, you have to turn the handle on the side. Micah has consistently figured out how to insert the red coins and he knows how to push the sale and change levers. He still can get a bit frustrated when the yellow and orange coins do not fit into the red slot, but I think he’ll master the process in another few days.
We finally have weaned Micah from his bottles…and from the Zantac! He is now officially Zantac-free, and he seems to be handling it just fine. Tonight I managed to videotape Micah doing the motions to the Itsy Bitsy Spider (well, some of them…after doing 3 renditions before I turned on the video, he suddenly became more interested in eating dinner and smiling for the camera, but he did finish off the recording by saying “bye bye!”).
By the way, did any of you watch the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution special? It was pretty horrifying to see what all these people were eating there, and even worse to see how resistant they were to serving good food to the children. It got me questioning whether I’m serving Micah enough good foods. Micah gets a good assortment of healthy and organic fruits and vegetables. We try to only give him whole grain breads, but we do serve him some processed foods (crackers, luncheon meats, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, soy nuggets, veggie burgers). We do give him fresh-made food most of the time (and I make his hamburgers and turkey burgers from organic meats and veggies). I should be better about cooking full dinners – making more meals from chicken or beef, or even making and freezing my own chicken nuggets from scratch, or the fish sticks. I guess I am going to try and get motivated to make more good food for Micah – and try to only use frozen food that I make from scratch instead of the occasional pre-packaged (albeit organic) foods.
One last note…I’m officially in the third trimester! I can’t believe how fast this pregnancy is flying. I’m now 27 weeks pregnant, and hoping this last trimester goes well for us. I have my gestational diabetes test on Friday (I’m SOOO not looking forward to that) and I have another progesterone shot on Monday, an OB appointment next week, and a cervical length check and growth scan after that. Not to mention that it is Passover next week, so we have family coming in to celebrate. I’m still dealing with contractions and nausea, but hoping that we get good news at our next scan. Twoey is definitely getting bigger and stronger – she has been kicking and bouncing and rolling all over the place. I got a few belly shots this week – unfortunately, they are pretty dark.

Spinach Patties

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I thought I’d kick off this post with a discussion about food. I’ve been finding feeding Micah a challenge lately. He is becoming quite picky, and it is always either feast or famine with him. He is currently eating a diet of 100% table food (no more baby food for us!), but I am often unsure whether he is eating enough or eating healthy.

I think we have the best handle on breakfast. Micah wakes up in the morning and he will drink some milk – anywhere from 1-5 ounces. We usually sit and snuggle a bit on the couch while he is drinking his milk, and then he likes to go play with his toys and chase the dog. While he is playing, I prepare his breakfast (well, sometimes his Daddy does the cooking, too). We seem to have a “rotation” of breakfast foods – we either give Micah waffles, pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs or cereal. I prefer to give him french toast over regular toast because he gets some protein that way, too (since we use the bread to soak up an entire egg). I usually put a bit of cinnamon and vanilla in with his french toast, we try to vary the waffle and pancake flavors (blueberry, pumpkin, plain, etc.). We always give him fruit with breakfast – sometimes we put applesauce or homemade jam and/or yogurt ontop of the waffles/pancakes/french toast. With the eggs, sometimes we mix in veggies or melt cheese on top. He will usually eat a pretty hearty breakfast…except when he doesn’t. At the very least, I can usually get him to eat 1/2 a banana.

Sometimes, Micah likes to drink more milk later in the morning. I think on daycare days, they give him a morning snack of breakfast foods (although I am never sure how much he eats there). Around 10:30, we put him down for his nap, and he likes to sleep until at least 12. When he gets up from his nap, he usually drinks a few more ounces of milk and we start preparing lunch. I am beginning to find lunches a bit more difficult and boring. He will usually eat a melted cheese sandwich, but how many days in a row should he really be eating that? Micah also loves pizza – but isn’t that just a fancy melted cheese sandwich? We are able to sneak some pureed veggies in with the tomato sauce when we make pizza. He will eat hummus and chips as well for lunch. He does not seem to be particularly fond of eating meat/chicken for lunch – that is pretty much always a bust. We have very little luck getting him to eat pasta, although occasionally he’ll eat some tortellini or some lasagna. Micah loves veggie burgers – we usually alternate that with dinner a few times each week. I’m thinking of testing the waters with peanut butter soon to expand our lunch options. We’ve tried a number of other options – spinach patties (see the recipe below), and I make these delicious veggie/cheese/bisquick squares that he seems to like as well. Once again, we’ll top off the lunch meal with either some crackers, bread, and/or fruit – if all else fails, Micah will load up on fruit. Currently, he is having a love affair with Clementines – I think he would eat a dozen a day if I let him. Does anyone else have some good lunch suggestions for a picky 1 year old with only 4 teeth?

Naptime hits anywhere from 2:30-3:30. When he wakes up, I offer him milk and an afternoon snack. Afternoon snacks are the easiest – fruit is always a safe bet, but veggies are almost always a no-go. I buy him these sippy pouches of organic baby food that mixes fruit and veggies together – he loves to feed himself the sippy pouches and it is the best way to sneak in some veggies. Sometimes, Micah eats cheese for a snack, or crackers, or fruit, or cereal, or mum mums, or dried fruits (we are currently loving freeze-dried strawberries – the freeze dried fruits are wonderful because they sort of crumble and melt in Micah’s mouth). Pretty much any basic “snack” food is a hit with my little man.

Dinner time falls around 6 or 6:30. Once again, I find dinner challenging, and I am feeling starved for new ideas. Some nights (like tonight) a veggie burger is a hit. He particularly enjoys eating it with a touch of marinara sauce and a fork. I give Micah turkey burgers and hamburgers (with veggies mixed in), and we’ll try tortellini, lasagna, and pizza, but other nights there seems to be no winning. Some nights, everything I hand him ends up on the floor. At least the dog is always up for some dinner! On those nights, I try to get Micah to eat some crackers or cheese or fruit and call it a night.

We round out the day with some milk before bed. The last few nights, Micah says “night night” to me when he goes upstairs to sleep. It is just SOOO cute! I love watching how he communicates now – he knows the signs for “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” he tells me when he wants more food and when he is all done eating. He is using words more and more often, and just turning into a little boy before my eyes.

As promised, here is the recipe for my spinach patties:

1 pkg. chopped spinach—thawed and drained
½ cup bread crumbs
1 onion sautéed
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
½ cup egg beaters (or 2 eggs)
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Seasonings (I usually add garlic and a touch of salt)

Mix all ingredients together and make into patties. Bake at 350o – 45 minutes to 1 hour. Can be made into a loaf.
Optional: shredded carrots, either cooked or sautéed, can be added.

Micah loved these! I used organic frozen spinach, an organic vidalia onion and organic cheese and eggs.