Big Boy’s Busy Month

This past month has been a whirlwind of fun and adventure! First, we had a visit from Toddler B’s cousins, my brother and his family from Virginia! We visited the zoo, children’s museum, playgrounds, and stayed busy doing laps around the kitchen. Maybe that last one was just the kids. It was great getting all of B’s cousins together. I love watching all of them play.

Next, we hopped on a plane and traveled to Florida for our friends’ wedding and some beach time! We had a blast spending time with our best friends and soaking up the sand and surf. (Arizona has enough sun, but we really missed the water!)

April wrapped up with my birthday as I turned the big 3-1. But, while I may be the one hitting a new year, B is the one taking major steps into “big boy” territory.

This week, he got rid of his pacifier. We told him he was a big boy and didn’t need it anymore, and he threw it in the garbage can himself, proudly saying, “Bye paci!” He seemed fine! And he was, until seconds before I put him in his crib that night when he asked, “can I have a different paci?”

For the next half hour over the baby monitor we heard him sadly talking to the darkness, saying, “I want another paci.” “Is there another paci I can use?” Holding back tears, I tucked him in again and again, telling him he didn’t need it. During the last tuck-in of the night, he looked up and said, “I don’t need my paci anymore.” That was Monday night, and he has gone to sleep just fine without it since.

As with all of his major transitions, I had prepared myself for several sleepless nights and endless crying. And, as with all of his major transitions, he took it in stride and adjusted quickly with very little protest. I only cried a little… when I tucked him in tonight without his paci and realized, he really is a big boy.

Red Apron

Anyone who has followed this blog from the beginning (hi mom!) knows how adventurous I am in the kitchen. They would also know how overly ambitious, experimental, and accident-prone I can be. Honestly, it’s a wonder I haven’t burned anything down (though there’s been no shortage of contained fires and the occasional burned hole in a pot) or chopped off a body part. I’m happy to say that’s still the case, but I did come close. It all started when Drew signed us up for Blue Apron.

Blue Apron is a service that sends you recipes and all of the measured, fresh ingredients to make them. We got three meals for our first week and after making some pretty excellent salmon, I was confident that the Saturday before Easter would yield an even better calzone. I love cooking because we’re all in the kitchen together working on little pieces that come together as a whole. We get B to assist in simple tasks like stirring or ripping lettuce. On this particular night, I chopped all of the produce (successfully!) and was opening a can of crushed tomatoes when my pinky got caught in the lid and sliced right open.

Now, I’ve also mentioned on this blog that I’m not a doctor. It’s not just because I can’t pass an advanced biology class and my eyes glaze over at the mention of any scientific name. I can’t stand blood. The second it happened, I ran over to the sink and it was just everywhere. Cringing, I asked Drew to look at it because I thought I needed to get to an Urgent Care. I was right.

One of the interesting things about being a parent is that we feel the need to look invincible in front of our children. Don’t let them see you worry, don’t let them see you sad or in pain. I’m not sure why, but it’s in the handbook, so what I did next came perfectly naturally. I slapped a smile on my face, turned to B and said, “Sweetie, mommy has an owie. We need to go to the doctor so they can fix it. Can you find your shoes?”

Minutes later, B was walking confidently into the Urgent Care with his shoes on the wrong feet, chatting about how mommy was going to get a bandage. During his most recent check-up he received the book, Doctor Dan the Bandage Man, so he knows all about putting on bandages. Drew filled out the paperwork and I scribbled some semblance of a signature with my left hand, my right pinky still wrapped tightly in a paper towel. I went in to see the doctor and got my first stitches. I’m not going to lie, it hurt and I was terrified. Luckily, I didn’t sever anything important so it will heal “better than new!” as Doctor Dan would say. When I walked back into the waiting room with my bandaged finger, B smiled and said, “Mommy, you’re all better?” “Yes! Look at my bandage! All better!” I said, gritting my teeth into a smile. We picked up a new can of crushed tomatoes on the way home and finished cooking our calzones. They were delicious.

This week our second Blue Apron box arrived and tonight we cooked enchiladas. I chopped the produce, Drew opened the can of tomato sauce, and we had a wonderfully uneventful dinner.

The Opposite of Atkins

When it comes to food, Toddler B is as healthy and adventurous any toddler. Which means, I’m pretty sure he’s surviving on cheddar bunnies and food I tell him not to eat off the floor. I remember when he first started eating solid food and I started him on peas, moving on to squash, pureed kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots, sweet potato and more. It was my plan to make him fall in love with vegetables. What happened was a little bit different.

I guess it was inevitable. He discovered cookies. And chips. And crackers. And pasta. And bread. Basically, my toddler eats like he’s carb-loading for a marathon. Which I guess makes sense considering the fact that he spends most of his waking hours in motion, running, jumping, climbing and hurdling all over the place.

I did develop a few tricks to get the occasional green food into this rambunctious boy, like making home-made squeezers with some of his favorite fruits while sneaking in kale or spinach. I also found that he’s more likely to eat vegetables if he’s involved in the cooking process, like the night we made mashed cauliflower together and he cleaned his plate! This weekend at the grocery store, a genius idea came over me- why don’t I let him pick his own produce? We strolled through the vegetable section and he selected avocados and a green bell pepper. I don’t know who was more excited about that pepper, him or me!

During lunch the next day, I cut the pepper into “sticks” and arranged it carefully on his plate with a dipping cup full of hummus. He took one bite of the pepper and I heard him say under his breath, “…yuk.” He immediately gathered up all of the pepper slices and moved them off of his plate onto the table, saying, “Just chips please. Just chips.” I was actually too busy laughing at his meticulous and oddly polite request to be upset about it. I handed him some tortilla chips to go with his hummus instead. And a squeezer.

At two years and one month old, B is officially 35 inches tall and weighs in at nearly 30lbs. His new favorite toy (his own words) is his Blaze monster truck. He loves pretending, racing, playgrounds, playing with his cousins, and so much more. He dislikes bedtime, being interrupted, and of course, vegetables.

Terrific Two

Two years ago today, our lives changed for the better forever. It’s been filled with more love, learning, and above all, laughter. As we celebrated Toddler B’s second birthday this weekend, I couldn’t believe how quickly he’s become a running, jumping, problem-solving, chatting, joke-telling little boy. He understands so much about what’s going on around him and has a curiosity that just can’t be quenched. Occasionally, I’m taken aback by what he says or asks, or the way he raises an eyebrow while putting a puzzle piece in its place.

He’s observant and honest, and has the vocabulary to express it now, which can make for some interesting interactions. Last Friday, we were eating lunch at our usual pizza place when a man sat down at a nearby table and started eating. The next thing I know, B is pointing and telling me (with his usual lack of volume control,) “Wow, that guy is hungry!”

In another restaurant while eating dinner, B felt the need to inform our table that the lady walking by was “going to the potty!”

And, when we saw a mud-covered truck in a parking lot with the driver’s side window open, B loudly proclaimed, “That car needs a chug-wash!” I can only hope the driver wasn’t as familiar with the phrases coined by the show Chuggington as we are. Parents of preschoolers- you understand.

Other times, he surprises me for different reasons. This week we sat down at our kitchen table to eat dinner and before I could ask the same question I never realized I asked every night, B turned to me and said with my exact inflection, “How was your day?”

I paused for a second, and then smiled. “It was good. How was yours?”

“Good mommy.” Then, he started eating.

I’d just had a conversation with my baby boy. Of course, he’s not such a baby anymore.

Happy birthday to our terrific two-year-old!

Watch how he’s grown!

Planes, Trains, Cars and Christmas

We can’t believe 2015 has come to an end. It was a year of milestones, learning, playing, and fun family outings. The latest was a trip back East to spend Christmas with Toddler B’s grandmamma, abuelo, papa, nana, auntie, uncles, and three of his cousins.

We had so much fun enjoying the holidays in warm weather. Wait… what?

That’s right, it was warmer in Virginia than it was in Arizona the entire trip. So much for a white Christmas! Despite the unseasonably warm temps (and unseasonably cold back home) our holiday spirit stayed strong as B helped grandmama bake cookies to put out for Santa, enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner at Papa’s house, and opened presents enthusiastically Christmas morning. His excitement grew with every gift as he tore away paper to reveal matchbox cars, v-tech cars, a fire station, etc. One of the boxes was met with a little less enthusiasm as he threw off the wrapping paper, the tissue paper, and the clothes it contained and stared at the empty box inquisitively, saying, “cars missing. Where cars go?” I wish I’d gotten that on camera.

During our trip we even had the opportunity to go into DC for a day to check out a new section of the Museum of American History. We rode the Metro (or, “train!”) and B was over the moon. Though he loved the train ride and the museum, the highlight for me was taking him and the cousins with my brother to ride the carousel on the National Mall that we used to ride when we were little. B has always been a big fan of watching, never riding the carousel, but that day he changed his mind. He got on the horse by himself and smiled ear to ear the whole time. My big boy.

Overall, we had a wonderful vacation and B was a champ during the cross-country flights as usual. Our good little traveler will turn two next month.

As 23 months, B likes… trains, planes, cars, playing pretend, building blocks, playgrounds, playing with his cousins, singing the alphabet, running, jumping, and so much more.

He dislikes… nap time and bed time.

A Mind of his Own

Toddler B is growing more independent every day, and most of the time it feels wonderful to watch him make his own decisions, like choosing a story to read for bed time, or initiating a game of hide-and-seek, or even trying something new like going down the big slide at the playground all by himself. Nothing makes me happier than to see his face, beaming, as he says “I did it my-yelf!”

Sometimes, however, his clarity of intention and follow-through don’t align with my directions. That’s when parenting a toddler feels like, well, parenting a toddler. The best example was a recent trip to Lowe’s, shopping for some small tools and handles for a dresser.

As I pushed him in the awkwardly-large “racecart” or cart with a racecar seat that he supposedly loves to ride in, he expressed his desire to get down and walk. After my attempt to distract him and say no, he thought he’d just climb out by himself. While Drew was looking for a particular type of screw in the hardware aisle, I decided to pick up B and the half dozen small handles I’d already put in the cart, instead of juggling a toddler and an awkwardly-large racecart.

Still, he wanted to walk. “Ok, let’s go find the tape,” I said, putting him down and shifting half a dozen handles in my arms. “Help mommy find the tape.”

B followed close behind as we walked toward the other end of the store, until he turned and said, “outside.” Seeing the look on his face, I started to worry. “No, not right now, can you help me find the tape? It’s this way.”

“Go outside.” he said. “No,” I replied. “Follow me this way.” He must have sensed my fear because then, he smiled.

Without missing a beat, he bolted past the cashier and out the door as I sprinted after him, through the metal detector, juggling an armload of dresser handles, grabbing him by his hoodie as he stepped onto the sidewalk. I scooped him up, dropping half the merchandise I’d just unintentionally stolen from Lowe’s, in front of an audience of customers checking out on Black Friday weekend.

When I finally made it back to Drew, disheveled, frustrated, embarrassed, and frankly shocked at the boldness of B’s test of boundaries, all I had to do was hand him the toddler and head to the register by myself, while he headed to the car. In our house, we call this a “tag out,” and I’m convinced it’s why parents come in sets of two.

I’m sure it won’t be the last time a trip to the store is cut short, or B decides to go his own way instead of follow instructions. But, today as he sprinkled cheese on a tortilla, standing on a chair at the kitchen counter, B looked at me smiling and said, “I did it my-yelf!”

And I melted.

At 22 months, B likes… hide-and-seek, trains, sports class, painting, racing, playing cars, feeding ducks, cooking, bath time, and so much more!

He dislikes… bedtime, naps, and brushing his teeth.

Trick or Treat Please

This month, Baby B (now Toddler B) added some new words to his ever-growing vocabulary- “Trick or treat please!” His first experience with trick-or-treating actually came the weekend before Halloween, when we attended a “Howl-O-Ween” event with friends. A portion of the zoo path was set up with doors and volunteers passing out candy to costumed children. B wore his Robin costume (I wore my batman t-shirt and his daddy was Nightwing, a reference left to the most devout of comic nerds,) and B caught on right away. As soon as he realized that his request resulted in candy, he sprinted to each door, yelling “Trick or treat please!” I ran behind, a nervous wreck that his full speed sprint would wind up in a candy-flung splatter on the pavement. Which it did at least once. Luckily, he gave a resounding, “I’m o.k” and continued on.

The next weekend was Halloween. With a dress rehearsal under his utility belt, B was set to go with his cousins, our dog, and a wagon in tow as we traveled the block going door-to-door. It was like three adults trying to herd cats… and a dog. B had a great time sprinting from one house to another, occasionally spilling his entire bucket of candy all over strangers’ yards, one cousin running ahead while Elsa climbed into the wagon, and Super Max staking claim over all of the bushes and fire hydrants in the neighborhood. At one point, I turned around to see B holding a lollipop wrapper with the biggest smile on his face. By the end of the night he was deliriously tired, sticky, and full of sugar. The traveling circus returned home with a pretty good haul.

At 21 months old, B likes: “trick or treats” which he uses to refer to any kind of candy, running, dump trucks, riding in daddy’s car, sports class, play dough, play dates, playgrounds, and any other kind of playing.

He dislikes: being told no, naps, having to share, and diaper changes.

The "Grand" Tour

I pride myself on being an excellent tour guide to family and friends who come to visit. Most of the time they’re traveling 2,000 miles to check out the amazing sights and fun-loving people here in Arizona. This past weekend we were lucky enough to host my BFF, Baby B’s “Auntie Heather.”

We’ve known each other since the 6th grade, we graduated high school together, lived together in Florida, and she stood by me when I got married. In her wedding toast, she joked about the driver’s ed class we took together and how I lack any sense of direction, getting lost during the lesson on the way to her house which I’d been to countless times. So, when I accidentally drove an hour out of our way on the way to the Grand Canyon, she should’ve seen it coming. It wasn’t my best tour guide moment. It wasn’t the worst tour guide moment of the trip either. I later backed into a prickly pear cactus while hiking. Every time we get together, it’s an adventure!

We made it to the canyon to tour and watch the sunset, spent a drizzly day hiking in Sedona, and best of all, spent lots of quality time with Baby B.

At 20 months, B loves: music, dancing, water play, slides, trains, chasing birds, talking, eating, and so much more!

B dislikes: naps, diaper changes, and being interrupted.

Road Trip!

Labor Day Weekend is a tradition in our household. My husband and I officially became “boyfriend and girlfriend” 8 years ago during a weekend road trip, and since then have taken a trip every Labor Day with the exception of last year, when we moved into our first home. (which was an adventure in itself.)

This past weekend, we took our first family road trip- to San Diego! Baby B was a trooper during the 6-hour drive. We arrived in time to spend the day at the San Diego Zoo, see the koalas, (my favorite!) get up close and personal with an orangutan, watch a gorilla carry her baby on her back as I carried mine in the same way, (for his nap) and on our way out we let B choose his own souvenir. Despite our endorsements for the stuffed koalas, B chose a large, stuffed hippo. After exclaiming, “hippo!” he gave it kisses and proceeded to play with it the rest of the trip, snuggling it that night and feeding it some of his breakfast pancake the next morning.

The next day we headed to Sea World where the main attraction wasn’t necessarily Shamu. Within the park there is a Sesame Street section, and it was there that we learned B isn’t as shy with certain strangers as many would imagine. Usually in a new place, he takes a while to warm up and clings to me around people he has just met. Turns out, Muppets are an exception. He ran right up to Elmo and gave him a hug. He even took a photo sitting between Elmo and Cookie Monster by himself. It’s one of my favorite photos from our trip, second only to this one of three toddlers completely ignoring the incredibly rare and beautiful creature right behind them, because the little girl had potato chips.

In addition to potato chips and Muppets, at 19 months old, B likes… running, cars, trucks, trains, planes, boats, motorcycles, animals (or as he says it, “aminals”) chasing birds, snacks, talking, puzzles, and so much more.

He dislikes… naps, being interrupted, and brushing his teeth.

Top 10 Things You Know When You’re a Mom in AZ

It takes a special kind of mom to raise children in Arizona, especially with this summer’s record-setting heat! Here are some of the things only us AZ moms can understand:

1. Skinned knees year-round because your kid wears shorts every day.