He thought it was funny when I vacuumed it off of him. We managed to finish the cookies and he got to snitch a little extra dough for all his troubles! :)
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Cookie Mishap
Ely and I have a tradition that every other Saturday morning we make chocolate chip cookies for Greg. Ely loves to help and is usually very neat and keeps everything in the bowl. He cracks the eggs, dumps in the sugar and flour, stirs, and finally, adds the chocolate chips. Today we were using a 1/2 cup to measure the flour so as not to dirty another cup. So we had to add a 1/2 cup 7 times, and for whatever reason, number 4 and number 7 are his favorite numbers. So we counted all the way up and when we got to 7, he got so excited, yelled "Numbah Teven!" and threw the cup full of flour up in the air while throwing his head back. This was the result...
He thought it was funny when I vacuumed it off of him. We managed to finish the cookies and he got to snitch a little extra dough for all his troubles! :)
He thought it was funny when I vacuumed it off of him. We managed to finish the cookies and he got to snitch a little extra dough for all his troubles! :)
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Christmas Letter: 2011 Edition
Some people have mastered the art of the annual Christmas letter. I can always count on the dedicated few each year who write a neatly composed volume enclosed with their Christmas card. A perfect balance of the personal and professional, written to a general audience, a little enclosed time capsule a year in the making. Never anything ground-breaking, save for the occasional birth of a grandchild, marriage of a sibling, a new job, or death of a loved one. And even those momentous occasions get merely a byline - after all, it was only one day in the 365 that have passed.
The Christmas letter is the art of summary - an art, like most, at which I fail miserably. Moreover, the tone is pleasantness. Nicety. Glossing over. Yet another art at which I fail. How can I summarize the beauty, the tragedy, the humor, the sadness, the complexity of a year? (Starting to sound a bit like the theme from Rent, right?!?) So much passes by. So many moments I wish I could hold in my head, but that get instantly replaced by new moments everyday. Which is probably why the typical Christmas letter is a factual, chronological account of what happened. On this day, we did this. In that month, we did that. Next year, we will do this. Is this what our lives look like laid bare? An endless continuum of seemingly meaningless, emotionless events?
I've always wanted to join the ranks of the Christmas letter-writers. In the days of e-mail and Facebook, and Snozberries (or whatever-they're-called), it feels like such a holidays-of-yore thing to do. And up until maybe this year, I've seen my life as this chronological series of events that have a clear beginning in January and can be concisely summarized by the beginning of December (in fact, I've done a whole decade like this here). But this year was different. After the tumultuous 2009 - losing job, new baby, new job, less money, near-failing relationship, another new job - I hardly think that 2010 went in a straight line. And besides the leaps-and-bounds-accomplishments of my beautiful boy, nothing is worth writing about.
So instead, I'm going to write my Christmas letter for next year. Call it a "wish list" if you will. I know not all of these wishes may come true, but putting them in writing couldn't hurt, right?!
Christmas Letter: 2011 Edition
"Hello Beloved Family and Friends,
2011 was a banner year for the Keilback family. This year we loved each other and our families, celebrated joys, and tried to forget about our faults. We smiled more, laughed more, and enjoyed each other more.
We celebrated most of January by playing in the snow and watching the birds at our feeders. Ely had his share of sicknesses, but he bore them bravely, including getting tubes in his ears. In February, we celebrated his 2nd birthday with our closest relatives. We were surprised again by a visit from Grandpa Steve from New Hampshire and Ely loved the chance to get to know him.
In February, I celebrated my first full year at Girl Scouts, a job which I have loved since the moment she walked in the door - and no, not because of the cookies! Although not without the trials of any new job, it was been a rewarding and fulfilling experience that makes me excited to come to work each day, something I had been searching for years to find. Greg also celebrated a year in his new position as Director of Land Stewardship at Natural Land Institute, where he has worked now for almost 4 years. He still gets "paid to play outside," as he loves to put it.
We also got a visit from my brother John, his girlfriend Mallory, and their daughter Elizabeth in the spring. Ely and Elizabeth had fun playing together, as they are only 1.5 years apart. I missed my brother terribly when he left, but I am so proud of him for striking out on his own and starting own family and career. I have to say, though, that watching my "little" brother grow up makes me feel old!
We spent the summer working on our house, birdwatching, hiking, swimming, and vacationing in the Black Hills in South Dakota. Ely survived the long drive and loved to see the wildlife and different scenery. Ely loves to be outdoors and follows in his daddy's footsteps with his love of nature. The three of us made many family memories outside, despite hoardes of mosquitoes, the burning sun, and stifling humidity!
Fall brought a momentous occasion - the marriage of Greg's sister Stephanie to her fiance Matt. They had a beautiful wedding and Stephanie was a beautiful bride. Ely is happy to have an Uncle Matt. The only sadness is that they now live a little farther away, so we may not see them as often. But we are counting on the fact that "Aunt Steph" just can't get enough of her little nephew! :)
Ely continues to grow and amaze us both. He is a "kid" now - no longer a baby, no longer a toddler. He is a sweet, affectionate, inquisitive child who observes the world around him with bright, open eyes - a view I often envy. At nearly 3-years-old, he knows all his letters, numbers, and colors, loves books and Thomas the Train, and talks like you would expect any kindergartner to talk. He is fully potty trained and will be starting some preschool classes this next year.
As we both look forward to entering our 30's (Greg is only a few days away from this milestone!) this year, we hope that this new decade of our lives will bring us more happiness, joy, peace, and stability than ever before. And we wish the same for you!"
The Christmas letter is the art of summary - an art, like most, at which I fail miserably. Moreover, the tone is pleasantness. Nicety. Glossing over. Yet another art at which I fail. How can I summarize the beauty, the tragedy, the humor, the sadness, the complexity of a year? (Starting to sound a bit like the theme from Rent, right?!?) So much passes by. So many moments I wish I could hold in my head, but that get instantly replaced by new moments everyday. Which is probably why the typical Christmas letter is a factual, chronological account of what happened. On this day, we did this. In that month, we did that. Next year, we will do this. Is this what our lives look like laid bare? An endless continuum of seemingly meaningless, emotionless events?
I've always wanted to join the ranks of the Christmas letter-writers. In the days of e-mail and Facebook, and Snozberries (or whatever-they're-called), it feels like such a holidays-of-yore thing to do. And up until maybe this year, I've seen my life as this chronological series of events that have a clear beginning in January and can be concisely summarized by the beginning of December (in fact, I've done a whole decade like this here). But this year was different. After the tumultuous 2009 - losing job, new baby, new job, less money, near-failing relationship, another new job - I hardly think that 2010 went in a straight line. And besides the leaps-and-bounds-accomplishments of my beautiful boy, nothing is worth writing about.
So instead, I'm going to write my Christmas letter for next year. Call it a "wish list" if you will. I know not all of these wishes may come true, but putting them in writing couldn't hurt, right?!
Christmas Letter: 2011 Edition
"Hello Beloved Family and Friends,
2011 was a banner year for the Keilback family. This year we loved each other and our families, celebrated joys, and tried to forget about our faults. We smiled more, laughed more, and enjoyed each other more.
We celebrated most of January by playing in the snow and watching the birds at our feeders. Ely had his share of sicknesses, but he bore them bravely, including getting tubes in his ears. In February, we celebrated his 2nd birthday with our closest relatives. We were surprised again by a visit from Grandpa Steve from New Hampshire and Ely loved the chance to get to know him.
In February, I celebrated my first full year at Girl Scouts, a job which I have loved since the moment she walked in the door - and no, not because of the cookies! Although not without the trials of any new job, it was been a rewarding and fulfilling experience that makes me excited to come to work each day, something I had been searching for years to find. Greg also celebrated a year in his new position as Director of Land Stewardship at Natural Land Institute, where he has worked now for almost 4 years. He still gets "paid to play outside," as he loves to put it.
We also got a visit from my brother John, his girlfriend Mallory, and their daughter Elizabeth in the spring. Ely and Elizabeth had fun playing together, as they are only 1.5 years apart. I missed my brother terribly when he left, but I am so proud of him for striking out on his own and starting own family and career. I have to say, though, that watching my "little" brother grow up makes me feel old!
We spent the summer working on our house, birdwatching, hiking, swimming, and vacationing in the Black Hills in South Dakota. Ely survived the long drive and loved to see the wildlife and different scenery. Ely loves to be outdoors and follows in his daddy's footsteps with his love of nature. The three of us made many family memories outside, despite hoardes of mosquitoes, the burning sun, and stifling humidity!
Fall brought a momentous occasion - the marriage of Greg's sister Stephanie to her fiance Matt. They had a beautiful wedding and Stephanie was a beautiful bride. Ely is happy to have an Uncle Matt. The only sadness is that they now live a little farther away, so we may not see them as often. But we are counting on the fact that "Aunt Steph" just can't get enough of her little nephew! :)
Ely continues to grow and amaze us both. He is a "kid" now - no longer a baby, no longer a toddler. He is a sweet, affectionate, inquisitive child who observes the world around him with bright, open eyes - a view I often envy. At nearly 3-years-old, he knows all his letters, numbers, and colors, loves books and Thomas the Train, and talks like you would expect any kindergartner to talk. He is fully potty trained and will be starting some preschool classes this next year.
As we both look forward to entering our 30's (Greg is only a few days away from this milestone!) this year, we hope that this new decade of our lives will bring us more happiness, joy, peace, and stability than ever before. And we wish the same for you!"
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Christmas is here!
We're in full Christmas swing already - trees up, lights on, and I think every Christmas DVD we own has already been watched. Ely has learned to say "Merry Krit-mas" and "Krit-mas tree" and knows what Santa looks like. He sings "Din-gull Bulls" (Jingle Bells) with the animated stuffed dancing dog on our coffeetable. He still thinks Henry the Train (from Thomas of course) brings presents, since that's what happens in one of the episodes. :)
Here are some pictures from our decorating festivities!
Here are some pictures from our decorating festivities!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Alphabet City
I figured out that even on my very broken camera that will not take pictures because it can't focus, I could still take up to a 2 minute video (the limit of my internal memory since it won't read a memory card either). So I was able to catch Ely in the tub tonight doing his nightly letter routine! :)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
You Too Can Learn with Thomas!
Ely is crazy about...no that's not a strong enough word...beholden to...no that's not it either...OBSESSED with Thomas the Train. He can name all the trains and has chosen James and Toby as his favorites. He knows which train is in which episode within the first 5 seconds of each show. He can tell you which trains do which jobs - Percy gets the mail, Henry delivers presents, Stepney brings the dinosaur bones. He wakes up every morning and says "Morning dad, morning mom, take blankie, sit down couch, trains on, juice please" - it's his longest sentence of the day. He gets home from daycare each day and immediately finds all 7 of his toy trains and lines them up on the coffeetable. He asks me to read a Thomas book and sing him the theme song before bed.
But I've decided that as long as I have to memorize all these songs, he might as well be learning from this silly little show. He can tell me the colors of all the trains - James is red, Thomas is blue, Percy is green, Toby is brown, etc. He's also learned his letters by knowing which trains start with which letters - G is for Gordon, P is for Percy, H is for Henry, J is for James, O is for Oliver, and E is for Emily. He now knows about half of the alphabet and points out "wetears" (letters) everywhere we go - the handle of the shopping cart, a sign in a parking lot, on my sweatshirt. His favorite letter is W - a strange choice - but he loves it so much he carries around the little foam W from his bathtub set and sometimes takes it to bed with him, pronouncing it "dubeeyou". And he loves to "read" - he can tell me the whole Curious George and the Puppies book just by pictures.
And in non-Thomas related updates:
He's developed a completely irrational fear of sock fuzz. He hates having anything between his toes, but the worst is when sock fuzz makes its way into the bath water. Having lived all day in his little sticky toes, the fuzz finally finds freedom in the warm bubbly bath. It deliberately sneaks up on its unsuspecting host, lying just under the bubbles, ready for attack. The boy with the sticky toes notices its presence, and promptly FLIPS OUT. It is like no reaction or fear he has ever had for anything else. He screams. He stands up and shakes from head to toe. He claws at me, trying to get out of the tub. He panics and nearly hyperventilates, all while screaming "wuzz, wuzz, wuzz"! The poor kid is inconsolable for at least 10 minutes. And forget finishing his bath or even rinsing off. I've taken great pains to make sure that before every bath he toes are free of fuzz, and I've gotten rid of every pair of dark socks he owns. What a silly kid!
Ely's talking streak continues. The days of one word exclamations are over. Every utterance is at least 2 words, if not more. I cherish our little conversations as he tells me about the world around him. Although, he has a bossy streak (I wonder if the first born of two first borns is doomed to this fate?!). Mom, stand up. Dad, sit down, play blocks. Walk, coming? TV off. My pillow/toy/blanket, own! (as in, get your own). Mama, help me. Ely is so good at observing and putting concepts together. I now notice that he picks up on things that I never intended to teach, just by observing and listening. And it's given us all a little reminder to watch our language! :)
He also loves to help me cook. I've done more baking in the last few weeks than in years because I love to watch him help. After we're done with the cookies, pancakes, or bread, he can tell Greg exactly what we put in it, even if it's hours later. Eggs, brown sugar, milk, etc. He gets to dump everything in the big bowl, crack the eggs (whilst I pick out the eggshells!), stir with his own spoon, and help clean up his own mess!
I meant this to be a little update to serve as a reminder of all these little things that take place day to day, but it turned into quite a long post. I apologize for being a proud mom! :)
But I've decided that as long as I have to memorize all these songs, he might as well be learning from this silly little show. He can tell me the colors of all the trains - James is red, Thomas is blue, Percy is green, Toby is brown, etc. He's also learned his letters by knowing which trains start with which letters - G is for Gordon, P is for Percy, H is for Henry, J is for James, O is for Oliver, and E is for Emily. He now knows about half of the alphabet and points out "wetears" (letters) everywhere we go - the handle of the shopping cart, a sign in a parking lot, on my sweatshirt. His favorite letter is W - a strange choice - but he loves it so much he carries around the little foam W from his bathtub set and sometimes takes it to bed with him, pronouncing it "dubeeyou". And he loves to "read" - he can tell me the whole Curious George and the Puppies book just by pictures.
And in non-Thomas related updates:
He's developed a completely irrational fear of sock fuzz. He hates having anything between his toes, but the worst is when sock fuzz makes its way into the bath water. Having lived all day in his little sticky toes, the fuzz finally finds freedom in the warm bubbly bath. It deliberately sneaks up on its unsuspecting host, lying just under the bubbles, ready for attack. The boy with the sticky toes notices its presence, and promptly FLIPS OUT. It is like no reaction or fear he has ever had for anything else. He screams. He stands up and shakes from head to toe. He claws at me, trying to get out of the tub. He panics and nearly hyperventilates, all while screaming "wuzz, wuzz, wuzz"! The poor kid is inconsolable for at least 10 minutes. And forget finishing his bath or even rinsing off. I've taken great pains to make sure that before every bath he toes are free of fuzz, and I've gotten rid of every pair of dark socks he owns. What a silly kid!
Ely's talking streak continues. The days of one word exclamations are over. Every utterance is at least 2 words, if not more. I cherish our little conversations as he tells me about the world around him. Although, he has a bossy streak (I wonder if the first born of two first borns is doomed to this fate?!). Mom, stand up. Dad, sit down, play blocks. Walk, coming? TV off. My pillow/toy/blanket, own! (as in, get your own). Mama, help me. Ely is so good at observing and putting concepts together. I now notice that he picks up on things that I never intended to teach, just by observing and listening. And it's given us all a little reminder to watch our language! :)
He also loves to help me cook. I've done more baking in the last few weeks than in years because I love to watch him help. After we're done with the cookies, pancakes, or bread, he can tell Greg exactly what we put in it, even if it's hours later. Eggs, brown sugar, milk, etc. He gets to dump everything in the big bowl, crack the eggs (whilst I pick out the eggshells!), stir with his own spoon, and help clean up his own mess!
I meant this to be a little update to serve as a reminder of all these little things that take place day to day, but it turned into quite a long post. I apologize for being a proud mom! :)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Ely Update: 20 months
I realized I'd been too selfish with my blogging lately - there hasn't been an update on Ely in a while, and I know that's what most of my readers (what few they are) really want to hear about! Not only that, this blog is also like my expanded baby book; I know I may never have another child, so I'm trying my best to preserve all the memories with my boy as they happen. As for the stats, he hasn't been to the doctor since his 18-month check up almost 3 months ago (thank god!), so my best guess is that he's aroudn 27.5 pounds and probably 33 inches or so. He wears a 2T-4T shirt depending on the brand, 24 month pants, and size 6 shoes.
Ely continues to amaze me. I'm sure everything he does is completely normal and right on the average curve of development for a toddler his age, but nevertheless, he astounds me everyday with the things he learns and how he perceives the world. He talks so much now, so that I can actually have whole conversations with him. Granted, the conversations are simplistic and revolving around subjects he takes interest in, but it's a major step from blurting out single words in repetition! He tells me everything he did at daycare on the way home each night - who he played with, what they watched on tv, sometimes even what they ate for breakfast or lunch. He looks out the car windows and can tell me everything he sees and relates fairly complex concepts easily. He'll say "Clouds in sky - stars - dark", trying to tell me that the clouds are in the sky now, but when it's dark, the stars will come out. "Big tractor - green - corn - cows" to tell me that the big green tractor is getting corn, and that cows eat corn. Lots of two and three word sentences as well; every morning he tells me "Juice - trains on tv - couch - eat", letting me know that he wants his juice and to sit on the couch to watch Thomas the Train while he eats his Kix - in that order! His pronunciations have also gotten much better in the last two months or so, and some of the cute baby talk is disappearing. :(
He's also learning colors in the past few weeks. He easily recognizes orange, green, red, and sometimes white, and he's getting closer with blue and brown. I can even ask him "What color is [blank]?" when he's not looking at the object and he will remember 9 times out of 10. Numbers and letters are not coming as easy, however, I think mainly due to the fact that I can already tell he is a visual learner. He can look at pictures of almost 50 different animals and tell me their names and even what they say or what they eat, but he doesn't care about letters and numbers because they are not visually interesting. That being said, he can count "one two" and tell me when there's two of something. He also recognizes about 5 or 6 letters - B, W, Y, R, T, and sometimes A. I'm not rushing - I'd much rather talk about colors, animals, nature, concepts, etc. than letters and numbers!
He is also going through quite a Thomas the Train phase, one I've heard can last for several years according to some moms I work with who have older boys. He watches every morning for about 10 minutes while I prepare his breakfast, and every night before story time for another 20 minutes or so. He knows the main characters by name and we're thinking a train set may be in the realm of possibilities for Christmas. :) He also watches alot of TV at daycare, since they have it on for background noise most of the day. I can't say I'm thrilled about him watching TV, but that's why I try as much as possible to get him outside playing before and sometimes after dinner every night, and why we still read stories before bed. I've thought about looking into other daycare situations, but he does like it there alot and I'm happy with how they care for the kids most of the time. Hopefully next fall or perhaps the following spring he will be in pre-school anyway - but I have yet to research the best options.
I've decided not to push potty training at this time. I know it is recommended to start after 18 months, and he does have a potty and has gone on it twice, but I think the process will be quicker and easier if I wait until he's a little older and understands the concept better. He seems pretty quick to grasp things now, so if I wait another 3.5 months until he's 2 (is it that soon already?!?!), or even until this next summer, it will be that much easier for him to understand what's going on. Plus, he's never been one to care if his diaper is dirty or not - I always have to drag him away from whatever he's doing to change him!
We're enjoying fall and have made many trips to the apple orchard already to pet goats, pick apples, and sit on big tractors. We also visited a small zoo in Belvidere, took some walks at Severson Dells, and went to the Pioneer Festival. Greg is building a brick patio and outdoor brick oven fireplace, so we have been playing in the yard alot and jumping in the leaves while he works. Greg and I also got away for two nights while Ely stayed with grandparents; it was our first time being away from him overnight, and I'm happy to report that all of us did ok!
That's all for now - I can't believe I'll have a 2 year old in a few months!
Ely continues to amaze me. I'm sure everything he does is completely normal and right on the average curve of development for a toddler his age, but nevertheless, he astounds me everyday with the things he learns and how he perceives the world. He talks so much now, so that I can actually have whole conversations with him. Granted, the conversations are simplistic and revolving around subjects he takes interest in, but it's a major step from blurting out single words in repetition! He tells me everything he did at daycare on the way home each night - who he played with, what they watched on tv, sometimes even what they ate for breakfast or lunch. He looks out the car windows and can tell me everything he sees and relates fairly complex concepts easily. He'll say "Clouds in sky - stars - dark", trying to tell me that the clouds are in the sky now, but when it's dark, the stars will come out. "Big tractor - green - corn - cows" to tell me that the big green tractor is getting corn, and that cows eat corn. Lots of two and three word sentences as well; every morning he tells me "Juice - trains on tv - couch - eat", letting me know that he wants his juice and to sit on the couch to watch Thomas the Train while he eats his Kix - in that order! His pronunciations have also gotten much better in the last two months or so, and some of the cute baby talk is disappearing. :(
He's also learning colors in the past few weeks. He easily recognizes orange, green, red, and sometimes white, and he's getting closer with blue and brown. I can even ask him "What color is [blank]?" when he's not looking at the object and he will remember 9 times out of 10. Numbers and letters are not coming as easy, however, I think mainly due to the fact that I can already tell he is a visual learner. He can look at pictures of almost 50 different animals and tell me their names and even what they say or what they eat, but he doesn't care about letters and numbers because they are not visually interesting. That being said, he can count "one two" and tell me when there's two of something. He also recognizes about 5 or 6 letters - B, W, Y, R, T, and sometimes A. I'm not rushing - I'd much rather talk about colors, animals, nature, concepts, etc. than letters and numbers!
He is also going through quite a Thomas the Train phase, one I've heard can last for several years according to some moms I work with who have older boys. He watches every morning for about 10 minutes while I prepare his breakfast, and every night before story time for another 20 minutes or so. He knows the main characters by name and we're thinking a train set may be in the realm of possibilities for Christmas. :) He also watches alot of TV at daycare, since they have it on for background noise most of the day. I can't say I'm thrilled about him watching TV, but that's why I try as much as possible to get him outside playing before and sometimes after dinner every night, and why we still read stories before bed. I've thought about looking into other daycare situations, but he does like it there alot and I'm happy with how they care for the kids most of the time. Hopefully next fall or perhaps the following spring he will be in pre-school anyway - but I have yet to research the best options.
I've decided not to push potty training at this time. I know it is recommended to start after 18 months, and he does have a potty and has gone on it twice, but I think the process will be quicker and easier if I wait until he's a little older and understands the concept better. He seems pretty quick to grasp things now, so if I wait another 3.5 months until he's 2 (is it that soon already?!?!), or even until this next summer, it will be that much easier for him to understand what's going on. Plus, he's never been one to care if his diaper is dirty or not - I always have to drag him away from whatever he's doing to change him!
We're enjoying fall and have made many trips to the apple orchard already to pet goats, pick apples, and sit on big tractors. We also visited a small zoo in Belvidere, took some walks at Severson Dells, and went to the Pioneer Festival. Greg is building a brick patio and outdoor brick oven fireplace, so we have been playing in the yard alot and jumping in the leaves while he works. Greg and I also got away for two nights while Ely stayed with grandparents; it was our first time being away from him overnight, and I'm happy to report that all of us did ok!
That's all for now - I can't believe I'll have a 2 year old in a few months!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Journey Toward Fabulousness #4
Although it's getting harder and harder to think of positive things to say about myself, I must continue the Journey I started here, and here, and here. One thing I'm trying to come to terms with lately is my reliance on my son for happiness. It's no accident that our favorite song to sing is "You Are My Sunshine" or that up until this past Friday night, I had not spent a single night away from him since he was born. Sure, I had come home late after he was in bed a few times, but I have always been there in the morning.
When I tell people this, they look at me like I'm crazy. I know moms who leave their kids at grandma and grandpa's when they are only a few months old, and other parents who go jet-setting off on vacations without their kids all the time. My own husband has absolutely no problem leaving Ely - often he is home after Ely goes to bed and gone again the next morning before he wakes up. I have a difficult time when I have to work a few hours late or have to work a half-day on Saturday - all time I don't get to spend with him. This could all stem from the guilt issues I have, or it could be my own insecurities thinking that he will love spending time with someone else more and forget about me. No amount of "he'll always know you're his mommy" or "you'll always be the most important person in his life" stops me from feeling this way. Or my husband's version - "Get used to the rejection, he's a boy, you're his mom." Thanks, honey.
It's taken a great deal of persuasion on Greg's part to get me to agree to take a mini-vacation with him this next weekend. Ely will be in capable hands between all of his grandparents, and it's only for 3-4 nights. Part of the problem may be that I'm not sure how the two of us will be alone, and taking me away from my "sunshine" will be difficult.
Update: We did go on a mini-version of vacation. We ended up only spending 2 nights away after Greg ran out of money when he found all the plants he wanted at one greenhouse. Ely did fine, and so did I. But it was great to have three extra days to spend with my little guy!
Three Fabulous Things:
1. I don't care what your definition is, but I'm a great mom. I never thought I would be, never thought I wanted to be. It's been the biggest and most pleasant surprise of my life.
2. I can do things other girls can't. I really am the grown-up Girl Scout. I can identify many birds just by the sound of their song, I can set up a tent quickly and can even fold it back up so that it still fits in the bag it came in. I can go on a long hike, I know the proper strokes to use to steer a canoe.
3. Whether my husband recognizes it or not, I am an encouraging mate. I have always allowed him to explore his own passions and taken a genuine interest in his interests. I support his decisions and activities in anyway that I can. Not to say I don't have my faults as a wife, but being loyal and supportive is not one of them.
When I tell people this, they look at me like I'm crazy. I know moms who leave their kids at grandma and grandpa's when they are only a few months old, and other parents who go jet-setting off on vacations without their kids all the time. My own husband has absolutely no problem leaving Ely - often he is home after Ely goes to bed and gone again the next morning before he wakes up. I have a difficult time when I have to work a few hours late or have to work a half-day on Saturday - all time I don't get to spend with him. This could all stem from the guilt issues I have, or it could be my own insecurities thinking that he will love spending time with someone else more and forget about me. No amount of "he'll always know you're his mommy" or "you'll always be the most important person in his life" stops me from feeling this way. Or my husband's version - "Get used to the rejection, he's a boy, you're his mom." Thanks, honey.
It's taken a great deal of persuasion on Greg's part to get me to agree to take a mini-vacation with him this next weekend. Ely will be in capable hands between all of his grandparents, and it's only for 3-4 nights. Part of the problem may be that I'm not sure how the two of us will be alone, and taking me away from my "sunshine" will be difficult.
Update: We did go on a mini-version of vacation. We ended up only spending 2 nights away after Greg ran out of money when he found all the plants he wanted at one greenhouse. Ely did fine, and so did I. But it was great to have three extra days to spend with my little guy!
Three Fabulous Things:
1. I don't care what your definition is, but I'm a great mom. I never thought I would be, never thought I wanted to be. It's been the biggest and most pleasant surprise of my life.
2. I can do things other girls can't. I really am the grown-up Girl Scout. I can identify many birds just by the sound of their song, I can set up a tent quickly and can even fold it back up so that it still fits in the bag it came in. I can go on a long hike, I know the proper strokes to use to steer a canoe.
3. Whether my husband recognizes it or not, I am an encouraging mate. I have always allowed him to explore his own passions and taken a genuine interest in his interests. I support his decisions and activities in anyway that I can. Not to say I don't have my faults as a wife, but being loyal and supportive is not one of them.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Journey Toward Fabulousness #3
Anyone who knows me or has seen me at regular intervals throughout the years knows I struggle with my weight. My story is the same as so many overweight women. I was the fat girl in class at a young age. I grew taller and bigger faster than many of the boys, add to that glasses and intelligence, and clumsiness befitting my status as a non-athlete, and it was a recipe for being shunned my boys and girls alike.
Even at my thinnest during my senior year in high school and again before my wedding, it was still a struggle. In high school, I starved myself. In college, I ballooned up from cafeteria food, then lost it during a summer in which I banned carbs and spent hours a day in the gym.
Is that actually a midriff showing?
I gained it all back and then some working for the college newspaper 40 hours a week where many nights were spent pouring over page layouts with a jar of queso and an open bag of tortilla chips on the table beside me. At grad school, I was newly engaged and ready to reinvent myself. I spent 2 years working out religiously - weightlifting, running, elliptical machines, and a "clean diet". I even got close to thinking I might be an amateur bodybuilder.
At my shower before the wedding
But then the wedding came and went, and we made a move back to Illinois and away from my job on a college campus with all day, all-night free gym access. I started packing on the pounds, slowly but surely. I took up running, the only free exercise. Running made me gain weight because I was starving all the time, and runners "get" to eat plenty of carbs to fuel them, right? Wrong. I ran a half marathon at 190 pounds, 40 pounds heavier than I was at my wedding 2 years prior. But these were "happy" pounds. Pounds I gained from being comfortable and happy in my marriage. Happy pounds from being proud of my physical accomplishments, like running a half marathon. Happy pounds in a happy life.
Then. I. got. pregnant. And a fat girl will always look for an excuse to gain weight. Things at work hadn't been stellar. It was easy to hide the emotions in "baby weight". I gained the customary 40 pounds, on top of the extra 40 I was already carrying around.
30 weeks along
Enter a happy, healthy baby boy, and exit my job. I lost 20 pounds of water weight in the first few weeks after Ely's birth, but spent the next 4-6 months putting it back on. Being home all day is the ultimate temptation - cupboards full of food. And I would eat, even if it wasn't good food. Every pound is a sad pound. Every pound is a depressed pound. No pound is in celebration of my son, it was all in the loss of my livelihood.
And now I find myself, nearly 2 years after Ely was born, still carrying around at least 50 pounds of excess weight. (I know I won't get back down to pre-wedding weight 80 pounds ago, but even a loss of 50 would be tolerable).
Me, today
I'd be happy to keep the "happy" pounds, but the "sad" ones need to go away. Unlike college and pre-parenthood, I don't have time for hours in the gym. Or even money for a gym. I'm lucky to have a half hour at night to relax. So maybe changing my thinking about myself - hence the "Journey Toward Fabuluousness" that I'm on - will help me find time, will help me realize that I am worth it after all. I focus on the weight, on the mistakes, on the failure in this aspect of my life more than any.
Today's 3 Fabulous Things:
1. I have done incredible things with my body, including going on 12-hour hikes in the mountains, running half-marathons, and birthing a child with no drug interventions.
2. I eat healthy most of the time. Whole grains, fruit and vegetables, high fiber, lean protein are regular words in my "food vocabulary".
3. When I gain weight, I gain it all over. My fat does not collect itself into one unseemly area (i.e., hips or butt), so at least I'm proportioned!
Even at my thinnest during my senior year in high school and again before my wedding, it was still a struggle. In high school, I starved myself. In college, I ballooned up from cafeteria food, then lost it during a summer in which I banned carbs and spent hours a day in the gym.
Is that actually a midriff showing?
I gained it all back and then some working for the college newspaper 40 hours a week where many nights were spent pouring over page layouts with a jar of queso and an open bag of tortilla chips on the table beside me. At grad school, I was newly engaged and ready to reinvent myself. I spent 2 years working out religiously - weightlifting, running, elliptical machines, and a "clean diet". I even got close to thinking I might be an amateur bodybuilder.
At my shower before the wedding
But then the wedding came and went, and we made a move back to Illinois and away from my job on a college campus with all day, all-night free gym access. I started packing on the pounds, slowly but surely. I took up running, the only free exercise. Running made me gain weight because I was starving all the time, and runners "get" to eat plenty of carbs to fuel them, right? Wrong. I ran a half marathon at 190 pounds, 40 pounds heavier than I was at my wedding 2 years prior. But these were "happy" pounds. Pounds I gained from being comfortable and happy in my marriage. Happy pounds from being proud of my physical accomplishments, like running a half marathon. Happy pounds in a happy life.
Then. I. got. pregnant. And a fat girl will always look for an excuse to gain weight. Things at work hadn't been stellar. It was easy to hide the emotions in "baby weight". I gained the customary 40 pounds, on top of the extra 40 I was already carrying around.
30 weeks along
Enter a happy, healthy baby boy, and exit my job. I lost 20 pounds of water weight in the first few weeks after Ely's birth, but spent the next 4-6 months putting it back on. Being home all day is the ultimate temptation - cupboards full of food. And I would eat, even if it wasn't good food. Every pound is a sad pound. Every pound is a depressed pound. No pound is in celebration of my son, it was all in the loss of my livelihood.
And now I find myself, nearly 2 years after Ely was born, still carrying around at least 50 pounds of excess weight. (I know I won't get back down to pre-wedding weight 80 pounds ago, but even a loss of 50 would be tolerable).
Me, today
I'd be happy to keep the "happy" pounds, but the "sad" ones need to go away. Unlike college and pre-parenthood, I don't have time for hours in the gym. Or even money for a gym. I'm lucky to have a half hour at night to relax. So maybe changing my thinking about myself - hence the "Journey Toward Fabuluousness" that I'm on - will help me find time, will help me realize that I am worth it after all. I focus on the weight, on the mistakes, on the failure in this aspect of my life more than any.
Today's 3 Fabulous Things:
1. I have done incredible things with my body, including going on 12-hour hikes in the mountains, running half-marathons, and birthing a child with no drug interventions.
2. I eat healthy most of the time. Whole grains, fruit and vegetables, high fiber, lean protein are regular words in my "food vocabulary".
3. When I gain weight, I gain it all over. My fat does not collect itself into one unseemly area (i.e., hips or butt), so at least I'm proportioned!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Journey Toward Fabulousness #2
In keeping with the promise I made in my last post, I'm on a journey to reclaim my fabulousness. I realized after a long response from my mom (moms never stop taking on the pain of their children!) that really my issues have very little to do with being a parent. In fact, Ely's crazy, funny, inquisitive, talkative, sometimes tearful (but always fixed by a kiss from mom) antics are the things that bring me the most joy, and what I think brings me the most guilt when I close the door to daycare and hear him wailing "Moooooommmmmmmyyy" on the other side every morning.
I think my loss of "fabulousness" has much more to do with the strained relationship I have with my husband. I used to have a man who built me up everyday, made me a priority, listened when I spoke, and truly treated me like his best friend. But as I have paid him less and less attention (he's quite needy in that department) since I now have another little man who, at this stage in his life, requires most of my energy, my husband found a way to replace me. With work, with other women/friends in his life, with his own interests. I'm not sure if this is a healthy thing for couples to do, if it's an escape from his own reality, if he's just that selfish that he has to have someone pay undivided attention to him, if this is just a "guy thing" that happens when their wives are otherwise occupied, if it's my fault for not having enough time/energy/emotion to spare for both of them, or if it's a combination of all those things.
Regardless of the reasoning, this process has helped me realize that for the last 10 years, my husband has been the cheerleader for my fabulousness. He praised me, treated me kindly, admired me. But now I have to start being my own cheerleader, and hope that someday he remembers I am more than just the mother and caretaker of his child.
Three Fabulous things for today:
1. I have Nerd Pride. I am a nerd, I know it, and I love it. Nothing makes me quite so fulfilled at work than to delve into budget development or outcomes measurement.
2. I have successfully turned my love for singing into a lucrative career as a Professional Lullaby-ist.
3. I need to care for people. Other people's troubles weigh on me heavily, whether its family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers. I have an innate desire to bring them happiness.
I think my loss of "fabulousness" has much more to do with the strained relationship I have with my husband. I used to have a man who built me up everyday, made me a priority, listened when I spoke, and truly treated me like his best friend. But as I have paid him less and less attention (he's quite needy in that department) since I now have another little man who, at this stage in his life, requires most of my energy, my husband found a way to replace me. With work, with other women/friends in his life, with his own interests. I'm not sure if this is a healthy thing for couples to do, if it's an escape from his own reality, if he's just that selfish that he has to have someone pay undivided attention to him, if this is just a "guy thing" that happens when their wives are otherwise occupied, if it's my fault for not having enough time/energy/emotion to spare for both of them, or if it's a combination of all those things.
Regardless of the reasoning, this process has helped me realize that for the last 10 years, my husband has been the cheerleader for my fabulousness. He praised me, treated me kindly, admired me. But now I have to start being my own cheerleader, and hope that someday he remembers I am more than just the mother and caretaker of his child.
Three Fabulous things for today:
1. I have Nerd Pride. I am a nerd, I know it, and I love it. Nothing makes me quite so fulfilled at work than to delve into budget development or outcomes measurement.
2. I have successfully turned my love for singing into a lucrative career as a Professional Lullaby-ist.
3. I need to care for people. Other people's troubles weigh on me heavily, whether its family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers. I have an innate desire to bring them happiness.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Fabulous versus Failure.
I've spent a lot of time lately dwelling on failure. I fail to spend enough time with my kid. I fail to be the attentive, doting wife that I once was. I fail to retain meaningful friendships. I fail to exercise and eat healthfully, thus failing to lose weight and failing to be attractive to my husband. I fail to do volunteer work I once promised to do. I fail to "go the extra mile" at work because of family obligations. I fail to maintain even basic standards of cleanliness at home, never having enough hours in the day.
But I'm really tired of feeling like I have to be Supermom and Superwife, and the accompanying shroud of guilt when I just can't be. I went from a happy, active, interesting, motivated, energetic, strong, financially stable, independent woman to an overwhelmed, overworked, exhausted, put-upon, worrysome, unattractive, weepy shell of a human. I've lost my Fabulousness. And I desperately need to find it.
So maybe once a week, I will use this blog as a way to remind myself that I still have some Fabulousness left. Maybe it will start seeping into my consciousness when failure surrounds me.
This week I am fabulous because:
1. I am really thrifty - I found a beautiful new winter coat for myself at a thrift store for $7.
2. I have good taste in music, and I don't care if you disagree. My i-Pod shuffles between Amos Lee, Patty Griffin, Bob Dylan, Hem, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, Cat Stevens, John Mayer...
3. My good memory genes manifested - Ely is so smart and remembers things so easily.
But I'm really tired of feeling like I have to be Supermom and Superwife, and the accompanying shroud of guilt when I just can't be. I went from a happy, active, interesting, motivated, energetic, strong, financially stable, independent woman to an overwhelmed, overworked, exhausted, put-upon, worrysome, unattractive, weepy shell of a human. I've lost my Fabulousness. And I desperately need to find it.
So maybe once a week, I will use this blog as a way to remind myself that I still have some Fabulousness left. Maybe it will start seeping into my consciousness when failure surrounds me.
This week I am fabulous because:
1. I am really thrifty - I found a beautiful new winter coat for myself at a thrift store for $7.
2. I have good taste in music, and I don't care if you disagree. My i-Pod shuffles between Amos Lee, Patty Griffin, Bob Dylan, Hem, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, Cat Stevens, John Mayer...
3. My good memory genes manifested - Ely is so smart and remembers things so easily.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Much-Needed Getaway
Greg, Ely, my mom and I took a much-needed getaway to Baraboo, Wisconsin, August 5-8. Even though this wasn't Ely's first camping trip, I can definitely say it was much more enjoyable than the trip we took last September when he was only 8 months old.
We left on a Thursday morning and arrived at Nordic Pines Campground around noon that day. It was a typical Wisconsin campground, complete with both cabins and tent sites. Greg had booked one of the cabins, knowing this would be much easier to contain our always-on-the-go 18 month old!
It had a bedroom with a bed and a couch for our sleeping, plus we brought a pack and play for Ely's bed. It also had a kitchen with a mid-size refrigerator, a tiny gas stove, sink, as well as a bathroom with a stand-up shower. This was NOT camping (which usually involves trapsing to a public shower house in squeaky, wet flip-flops, or not taking a shower at all), but we were all glad for a little bit of "luxury" on this trip! They even had a set of dishes and silverware, and a toaster and a coffeemaker in each room. Again, NOT camping! :) We spent the majority of the first day checking out the surrounding area. We went to Devil's Lake and spent more than an hour watching Ely throw rocks into the water and play on the playground in the state park.
We also ate lunch at a wonderful place called the Farm Kitchen, and enjoyed s'mores by the fire that night. The only "hitch" was that Ely did NOT like his bath in the tiny kitchen sink!
The next day, Friday, we went to visit the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Aldo Leopold's shack. For those of you who are not familiar, Leopold is considered the father of the conservation, rather than preservation, movement. He was a professor at the University of Madison in the 1930s and 1940s and wrote such works as A Sand County Almanac, Game Management, and his essays on "Land Ethic" and "Thinking Like a Mountain" have become the marching orders for conservationists of today.
Leopold's family "shack" - their weekend getaway where Leopold drew most of his inspiration and began his own ecological restoration project - is located just outside Baraboo on the Wisconsin River. It is a sacred place for people like us, especially Greg, who marked his third visit to the shack. It was profound to watch my husband, who has the same passion for his work as Leopold once did, stand in this place with his own son.
Unfortunately, the spirital moment was brought to a quick close, as we had to retreat to the car to escape the hordes of mosquitoes in the woods. It felt like a horror movie - running, screaming, smeared blood, and the deep breath of relief when you realize the killer can't get to you in the car!
We spent the rest of Friday afternoon at Devil's Lake again, soaking up the beautiful sun and watching Ely play in the water. He loved to go out deep in the water and have Daddy throw him up and catch him - he played until his lips were purple and then warmed himself by burying acorns in the sand! Our little squirrel!
We again made a fire after Ely went to bed that night and Greg and my mom learned about the delectable "Thanks S'More" - a s'more made with two Girl Scout "Thanks A-Lot" cookies (a shortbread cookie with chocolate coating).
We woke up early Saturday morning to enjoy a time-honored Brigham-Dobbs-now Keilback tradition - if you're part of anyone of those bloodlines, you can't be that close to Wisconsin Dells and not go Paul Bunyan's for breakfast! I remember as a little girl sitting at what appeared to be huge mess hall-type tables and getting endless bowls of eggs, sausage, and potatoes, and of course, heaping stacks of flapjacks. It has become commercialized over the years (as has everything north of Madison, it seems), but the food was still good, and the memories it stirred up for my mom and I, even better. We took a picture, but Ely was mad because we had to leave all the toys in the gift shop!
Later that day, we visited a small zoo that is operated by the Baraboo Park District. It only had 10 or so exhibits, but it had goats, and that was enough for Ely! (and me, quite frankly!). He was ecstatic and told everyone that walked through the front gates that there were GOATS! and that goats go BAAAA! He even did a little happy dance right in front of their fence that I tried to capture on video. I can't even explain how happy it makes me that he loves animals so much.
We went again that afternoon to Devil's Lake, only we went to the less-crowded South Shore this time. It was chillier that day, so we didn't get in the water as much, but Ely still enjoyed hours of playing in the water and the sand. We had to move to a new cabin that night since the cabin we had been in was booked up. The new cabin was actually bigger and had more of a separation between the rooms, so Greg, my mom, and I were able to stay up after Ely went to bed and didn't have to brave the mosquitoes by the fire outside. Greg read aloud from a collection of Aldo Leopold's essays, Round River, by the lamplight.
We awoke Sunday morning to a thunderstorm - not the scary kind - the kind that makes you want to lie in bed all day and listen to the rain. It was a beautiful way to end the vacation. We packed up and scampered down the grassy hill to our car to load everything in. On the way home we stopped at Rutabagas (a canoe store) in Madison for a little shopping, and then headed home. All in all, a wonderful, pretty relaxing trip!
We left on a Thursday morning and arrived at Nordic Pines Campground around noon that day. It was a typical Wisconsin campground, complete with both cabins and tent sites. Greg had booked one of the cabins, knowing this would be much easier to contain our always-on-the-go 18 month old!
It had a bedroom with a bed and a couch for our sleeping, plus we brought a pack and play for Ely's bed. It also had a kitchen with a mid-size refrigerator, a tiny gas stove, sink, as well as a bathroom with a stand-up shower. This was NOT camping (which usually involves trapsing to a public shower house in squeaky, wet flip-flops, or not taking a shower at all), but we were all glad for a little bit of "luxury" on this trip! They even had a set of dishes and silverware, and a toaster and a coffeemaker in each room. Again, NOT camping! :) We spent the majority of the first day checking out the surrounding area. We went to Devil's Lake and spent more than an hour watching Ely throw rocks into the water and play on the playground in the state park.
We also ate lunch at a wonderful place called the Farm Kitchen, and enjoyed s'mores by the fire that night. The only "hitch" was that Ely did NOT like his bath in the tiny kitchen sink!
The next day, Friday, we went to visit the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Aldo Leopold's shack. For those of you who are not familiar, Leopold is considered the father of the conservation, rather than preservation, movement. He was a professor at the University of Madison in the 1930s and 1940s and wrote such works as A Sand County Almanac, Game Management, and his essays on "Land Ethic" and "Thinking Like a Mountain" have become the marching orders for conservationists of today.
Leopold's family "shack" - their weekend getaway where Leopold drew most of his inspiration and began his own ecological restoration project - is located just outside Baraboo on the Wisconsin River. It is a sacred place for people like us, especially Greg, who marked his third visit to the shack. It was profound to watch my husband, who has the same passion for his work as Leopold once did, stand in this place with his own son.
Unfortunately, the spirital moment was brought to a quick close, as we had to retreat to the car to escape the hordes of mosquitoes in the woods. It felt like a horror movie - running, screaming, smeared blood, and the deep breath of relief when you realize the killer can't get to you in the car!
We spent the rest of Friday afternoon at Devil's Lake again, soaking up the beautiful sun and watching Ely play in the water. He loved to go out deep in the water and have Daddy throw him up and catch him - he played until his lips were purple and then warmed himself by burying acorns in the sand! Our little squirrel!
We again made a fire after Ely went to bed that night and Greg and my mom learned about the delectable "Thanks S'More" - a s'more made with two Girl Scout "Thanks A-Lot" cookies (a shortbread cookie with chocolate coating).
We woke up early Saturday morning to enjoy a time-honored Brigham-Dobbs-now Keilback tradition - if you're part of anyone of those bloodlines, you can't be that close to Wisconsin Dells and not go Paul Bunyan's for breakfast! I remember as a little girl sitting at what appeared to be huge mess hall-type tables and getting endless bowls of eggs, sausage, and potatoes, and of course, heaping stacks of flapjacks. It has become commercialized over the years (as has everything north of Madison, it seems), but the food was still good, and the memories it stirred up for my mom and I, even better. We took a picture, but Ely was mad because we had to leave all the toys in the gift shop!
Later that day, we visited a small zoo that is operated by the Baraboo Park District. It only had 10 or so exhibits, but it had goats, and that was enough for Ely! (and me, quite frankly!). He was ecstatic and told everyone that walked through the front gates that there were GOATS! and that goats go BAAAA! He even did a little happy dance right in front of their fence that I tried to capture on video. I can't even explain how happy it makes me that he loves animals so much.
We went again that afternoon to Devil's Lake, only we went to the less-crowded South Shore this time. It was chillier that day, so we didn't get in the water as much, but Ely still enjoyed hours of playing in the water and the sand. We had to move to a new cabin that night since the cabin we had been in was booked up. The new cabin was actually bigger and had more of a separation between the rooms, so Greg, my mom, and I were able to stay up after Ely went to bed and didn't have to brave the mosquitoes by the fire outside. Greg read aloud from a collection of Aldo Leopold's essays, Round River, by the lamplight.
We awoke Sunday morning to a thunderstorm - not the scary kind - the kind that makes you want to lie in bed all day and listen to the rain. It was a beautiful way to end the vacation. We packed up and scampered down the grassy hill to our car to load everything in. On the way home we stopped at Rutabagas (a canoe store) in Madison for a little shopping, and then headed home. All in all, a wonderful, pretty relaxing trip!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
A year and a half?!?!
Where did the time go with this little man? It's hard to believe that Ely is almost 18 months old. I remember receiving some 18-month clothes for my baby shower and looking at them compared to the newborn outfits, thinking "My little boy will never be that big!". And of course, at 18 months, he's already wearing a 2T!
Ely's personality continues to emerge, especially with as much as he can talk. He probably has about 75+ words now, and his annunciation is getting better and better everyday (including his s's as in "shoes," "horse," and "juice"). I'll save you the length of my previous posts by just listing a few of his newest and cutest words: boat, nut (as in acorn), train, tree, banana, grapes, carrot, eye, glasses, cheese, "chip" (for chipmunk), robin and grackle (which he can identify correctly along with blue jay and cardinal), star, "pop" for Grandpa Terry (which is probably the cutest), Cindy (his daycare provider), water, hot, cold, potty, kitty, and the list goes on. He has a huge interest in animals (and who says we don't push our own interests off on our kids?), and can identify and name about 25-30 different animals in his books. His favorites are "gunk" for skunk, owl, moose, cow, goat, giraffe, and zebra. He can also make the noise for a monkey, cow, sheep, horse, dinosaur, and owl. We have buckets of Little People animals that he loves to line up on our coffeetable. He's got a bit of his mom's personality in that he likes to organize - the cows must all be together in the line, and all facing forward, and then once that's accomplished, he likes to help me count them. He can now count to 2 and can tell me when there's 2 of something, which I consider pretty good for someone who's not even 2 himself!
But Greg's personality shines through most of the time. He's full of energy, always wiggling, and LOVES outside. In fact, when I lift him out of his crib in the morning he wants his juice, but then promptly yells "SHOES, OOOOOUUUUUT!, BALL!" Greg has taught him to do push-ups, complete with grunting and counting (Ely says "Two" for every one). He runs, not walks, everywhere he goes and has extremely good dexterity and fine motor skills. We think he will be left-handed, as he seems to prefer that most of the time and is definitely more coordinated with his left hand.
We are just beginning the potty training process. He doesn't show real readiness yet, but he is able to tell me when he has gone in his diaper and is extremely eager to please both Greg and I. He has his own potty, so we are just beginning to talk about those sorts of things. I can't say that I'm very ready to go down the diaper-less road yet - he's already growing up fast enough as it is!
Here are a few recent pictures:
On a recent wildflower walk at Beach Cemetery Prairie:
Favorite game to play AND watch on TV - basketball!
Blowing a dandelion
Best thing about summer!
My little ham!
Ely's personality continues to emerge, especially with as much as he can talk. He probably has about 75+ words now, and his annunciation is getting better and better everyday (including his s's as in "shoes," "horse," and "juice"). I'll save you the length of my previous posts by just listing a few of his newest and cutest words: boat, nut (as in acorn), train, tree, banana, grapes, carrot, eye, glasses, cheese, "chip" (for chipmunk), robin and grackle (which he can identify correctly along with blue jay and cardinal), star, "pop" for Grandpa Terry (which is probably the cutest), Cindy (his daycare provider), water, hot, cold, potty, kitty, and the list goes on. He has a huge interest in animals (and who says we don't push our own interests off on our kids?), and can identify and name about 25-30 different animals in his books. His favorites are "gunk" for skunk, owl, moose, cow, goat, giraffe, and zebra. He can also make the noise for a monkey, cow, sheep, horse, dinosaur, and owl. We have buckets of Little People animals that he loves to line up on our coffeetable. He's got a bit of his mom's personality in that he likes to organize - the cows must all be together in the line, and all facing forward, and then once that's accomplished, he likes to help me count them. He can now count to 2 and can tell me when there's 2 of something, which I consider pretty good for someone who's not even 2 himself!
But Greg's personality shines through most of the time. He's full of energy, always wiggling, and LOVES outside. In fact, when I lift him out of his crib in the morning he wants his juice, but then promptly yells "SHOES, OOOOOUUUUUT!, BALL!" Greg has taught him to do push-ups, complete with grunting and counting (Ely says "Two" for every one). He runs, not walks, everywhere he goes and has extremely good dexterity and fine motor skills. We think he will be left-handed, as he seems to prefer that most of the time and is definitely more coordinated with his left hand.
We are just beginning the potty training process. He doesn't show real readiness yet, but he is able to tell me when he has gone in his diaper and is extremely eager to please both Greg and I. He has his own potty, so we are just beginning to talk about those sorts of things. I can't say that I'm very ready to go down the diaper-less road yet - he's already growing up fast enough as it is!
Here are a few recent pictures:
On a recent wildflower walk at Beach Cemetery Prairie:
Favorite game to play AND watch on TV - basketball!
Blowing a dandelion
Best thing about summer!
My little ham!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Summertime!
Here are a few pictures of Ely's summer so far. He likes his wading pool once he realizes it's not his bath and he's not going to bed afterwards. And we also went to the Memorial day parade in Pecatonica, which is the 2nd largest Memorial Day celebration in the state. Enjoy!
Friday, June 4, 2010
It'll Grow Back.
I'm debating whether or not to cut off all my hair. Well, 10 inches of it for Locks of Love. Which might as well be all of it, as far as I'm concerned. I don't know why I have such a hang up about my hair. I always have.
I used to do everything and anything to my poor hair. Dyed it black. Cut it to within an inch of it's life (literally). Dyed it fire-engine red. Became a vegetarian and made it all fall out. Put it in dreadlocks. Dyed it dark brown with big blonde chunks. Put it in pin curls. Dyed it purple. Grew it out. Dyed it auburn with highlights. Hot rollers, blow dryers, bobby pins, foam curlers, metal wave clips from the 40s, curling irons, styling wax, flat irons, curling mousse and gel, anti-frizz serum....you name it, it's been in my bathroom cabinets, and probably still is.
But for the last 10 or so years of my life, I've been paralyzed with fear of doing anything to it. It's been it's natural color (fairly boring brown), straight, and longer than shoulder length for a decade. The most drastic thing I've done is get a trim now and then (usually only once a year) and I got a few highlights for my wedding 4 years ago. I wrestle with the decision to do something new. I have an appointment today at 1:30. We'll see what happens.
I used to do everything and anything to my poor hair. Dyed it black. Cut it to within an inch of it's life (literally). Dyed it fire-engine red. Became a vegetarian and made it all fall out. Put it in dreadlocks. Dyed it dark brown with big blonde chunks. Put it in pin curls. Dyed it purple. Grew it out. Dyed it auburn with highlights. Hot rollers, blow dryers, bobby pins, foam curlers, metal wave clips from the 40s, curling irons, styling wax, flat irons, curling mousse and gel, anti-frizz serum....you name it, it's been in my bathroom cabinets, and probably still is.
But for the last 10 or so years of my life, I've been paralyzed with fear of doing anything to it. It's been it's natural color (fairly boring brown), straight, and longer than shoulder length for a decade. The most drastic thing I've done is get a trim now and then (usually only once a year) and I got a few highlights for my wedding 4 years ago. I wrestle with the decision to do something new. I have an appointment today at 1:30. We'll see what happens.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Belated 15-month update
Time continues to fly by with this little guy! His 15-months came and went almost 3 weeks ago, so this post is a little outdated even as I type it. At his check-up a few days ago, he was 25.4 pounds (60th percentile) and 31.75 inches in length (65th percentile), right above average for growth. He continues to meet all of his cognitive and physical milestones well ahead of schedule; as we say around our house, he's one "fart little smella" (smart little fella). Must be his big brain in his big head – his head is 50cm, which is off the charts at 110th percentile!
His speech is also continuing to boom – he now has mastered 40+ words. The most recent additions to his ever-burgeoning vocabulary are “mine” and “no” – neither of which I particularly enjoy. The “mine” is an addition thanks to daycare, and “no” can sometimes be useful since he is able to communicate what he wants and what he doesn’t. And he can also say “yeah”, which is much cuter than “no”! Obviously he can’t make quite all the consonant sounds yet, but other recent words are:
Night-night
Dog
Cow (and knows that a cow says “moo”)
Blue jay and Cardinal (and yes, he can identify the difference, everything else is still a bird-a-bird-a-bird)
Hungry
Diaper
Grammy (for my mom)
Joe (one of his daycare providers)
Tickle-Tickle
Battle Cat (Bah-Bah-Daa)
Mouse (our other cat, but he doesn’t always call them by their right names!)
Big ball
Bye-bye
Coffee (Not a great word to know this early, but I always walk out the door in the morning with him on one arm and coffee in the other hand!)
Goat
Brush (as in toothbrush, and he can brush his teeth)
Garbage (and he also knows how to throw something away when I ask him to and close the garbage drawer)
Spoon
Book
“Ah Yah” which means Love You!
“A-mah” which means horse. We’re not quite sure why, but he consistently calls our horse and all other pictures of horses this name.
Jump
Wagon
“Dino” for dinosaur
His ability to communicate more has made things so much fun for me as I see his little personality coming to life right before my eyes. Even when he is sick (which seems to happen too often), he is such a happy kid, loves to play rough, gives affection easily and often, is extremely curious and unafraid of almost anything, and is very social most of the time. He has learned to run, jump, climb, and stomp his feet, and rarely quits moving these days. Outside is his favorite place – so much like his daddy!
Here are a few more recent pictures, but I'm sorry they aren't the greatest quality. They are from my phone since I have been bad about using our camera lately!
His speech is also continuing to boom – he now has mastered 40+ words. The most recent additions to his ever-burgeoning vocabulary are “mine” and “no” – neither of which I particularly enjoy. The “mine” is an addition thanks to daycare, and “no” can sometimes be useful since he is able to communicate what he wants and what he doesn’t. And he can also say “yeah”, which is much cuter than “no”! Obviously he can’t make quite all the consonant sounds yet, but other recent words are:
Night-night
Dog
Cow (and knows that a cow says “moo”)
Blue jay and Cardinal (and yes, he can identify the difference, everything else is still a bird-a-bird-a-bird)
Hungry
Diaper
Grammy (for my mom)
Joe (one of his daycare providers)
Tickle-Tickle
Battle Cat (Bah-Bah-Daa)
Mouse (our other cat, but he doesn’t always call them by their right names!)
Big ball
Bye-bye
Coffee (Not a great word to know this early, but I always walk out the door in the morning with him on one arm and coffee in the other hand!)
Goat
Brush (as in toothbrush, and he can brush his teeth)
Garbage (and he also knows how to throw something away when I ask him to and close the garbage drawer)
Spoon
Book
“Ah Yah” which means Love You!
“A-mah” which means horse. We’re not quite sure why, but he consistently calls our horse and all other pictures of horses this name.
Jump
Wagon
“Dino” for dinosaur
His ability to communicate more has made things so much fun for me as I see his little personality coming to life right before my eyes. Even when he is sick (which seems to happen too often), he is such a happy kid, loves to play rough, gives affection easily and often, is extremely curious and unafraid of almost anything, and is very social most of the time. He has learned to run, jump, climb, and stomp his feet, and rarely quits moving these days. Outside is his favorite place – so much like his daddy!
Here are a few more recent pictures, but I'm sorry they aren't the greatest quality. They are from my phone since I have been bad about using our camera lately!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Mothering.
I've been away from this blog for almost 6 weeks, but truth be told, I've actually authored several blogs that I haven't posted. But this topic seems timely with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, so maybe this post will actually make it out there to cyberspace.
Lately the discussions/fights/tears in our house have to do with mothering. My husband and I were raised very differently, but regardless of those differences, we each have very strong feelings, both positive and sometimes negative, about our mothers. Mothers shape our self-worth, our ability to make decisions about our own lives, our self-confidence, our values, our relationships with others, our likes and dislikes, our independence, our ability to love and care for others, and our outlook on the world - all in a way that a father or any other close relative or friend never could. A mother is someone who teaches you to be who you are; no, this isn't a nature versus nuture debate, because even those who believe that nature determines one's personality will admit that nuturing, or lack thereof, will play a role.
A mother can either build you up or cut you down, teach you to follow the "rules" or teach you to make your own decisions, let you be your own person or encourage you to "fit in", do things for you or allow you to learn for yourself, show you what it means to love unconditionally or show you that love comes with a price. Both types of mothers will raise a child to an adult who is capable of existing in the world, but these two adults will have entirely different worldviews and ways of relating to others. And when these two adults meet, get married, and have children - you have all the emotional baggage our mothers sent us packing with the day we left their households. Not to say that our mothers left us any more than any other kid - we all have baggage, it's finding the matching luggage set in another person that counts. :)
Perhaps most importantly, it's your mother that teaches you how to BE a mother (and profoundly impacts the parenting style of her male son as well). The two of us, learning how to parents ourselves, have realized that it's ok to learn from our mothers, and sometimes it's learning what NOT to do that is the most important lesson. In keeping with the clever baggage theme, there are some things in both of our suitcases that I am willing to throw out, and there are certain items I will keep. My son will grow up knowing he's loved, no matter what he looks like when he leaves the house, no matter what activities he chooses to enjoy, no matter what person he decides to be. He will have the freedom to make his own choices, learn from his mistakes, and throughout his life, develop his own values set based in his own moral standards. And thanks mostly to his father, he will know how to have fun, know how to break the rules when he should, and know how to be a man. Hopefully when he packs his bags from our house, they will be at least partially empty so he can begin filling them with his own things.
It all boils down to one personal revelation: Every choice I make as a mother in the raising of my son will impact him more than I could ever imagine. Something I say to him when he is 10 years old could travel with him into his 20s and 30s. I have to expect that for a time he will want to copy everything I do, and then he will want to do the exact opposite of everything I do. He will learn some of life's most difficult lessons from me, and the coping strategies he will use to get through them. He will subconsciously measure every woman he meets against me - what kind of woman am I? And my simple task as his mother: I must be careful with his heart. I must be careful with his mind.
Lately the discussions/fights/tears in our house have to do with mothering. My husband and I were raised very differently, but regardless of those differences, we each have very strong feelings, both positive and sometimes negative, about our mothers. Mothers shape our self-worth, our ability to make decisions about our own lives, our self-confidence, our values, our relationships with others, our likes and dislikes, our independence, our ability to love and care for others, and our outlook on the world - all in a way that a father or any other close relative or friend never could. A mother is someone who teaches you to be who you are; no, this isn't a nature versus nuture debate, because even those who believe that nature determines one's personality will admit that nuturing, or lack thereof, will play a role.
A mother can either build you up or cut you down, teach you to follow the "rules" or teach you to make your own decisions, let you be your own person or encourage you to "fit in", do things for you or allow you to learn for yourself, show you what it means to love unconditionally or show you that love comes with a price. Both types of mothers will raise a child to an adult who is capable of existing in the world, but these two adults will have entirely different worldviews and ways of relating to others. And when these two adults meet, get married, and have children - you have all the emotional baggage our mothers sent us packing with the day we left their households. Not to say that our mothers left us any more than any other kid - we all have baggage, it's finding the matching luggage set in another person that counts. :)
Perhaps most importantly, it's your mother that teaches you how to BE a mother (and profoundly impacts the parenting style of her male son as well). The two of us, learning how to parents ourselves, have realized that it's ok to learn from our mothers, and sometimes it's learning what NOT to do that is the most important lesson. In keeping with the clever baggage theme, there are some things in both of our suitcases that I am willing to throw out, and there are certain items I will keep. My son will grow up knowing he's loved, no matter what he looks like when he leaves the house, no matter what activities he chooses to enjoy, no matter what person he decides to be. He will have the freedom to make his own choices, learn from his mistakes, and throughout his life, develop his own values set based in his own moral standards. And thanks mostly to his father, he will know how to have fun, know how to break the rules when he should, and know how to be a man. Hopefully when he packs his bags from our house, they will be at least partially empty so he can begin filling them with his own things.
It all boils down to one personal revelation: Every choice I make as a mother in the raising of my son will impact him more than I could ever imagine. Something I say to him when he is 10 years old could travel with him into his 20s and 30s. I have to expect that for a time he will want to copy everything I do, and then he will want to do the exact opposite of everything I do. He will learn some of life's most difficult lessons from me, and the coping strategies he will use to get through them. He will subconsciously measure every woman he meets against me - what kind of woman am I? And my simple task as his mother: I must be careful with his heart. I must be careful with his mind.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Talk it up
Ely has grown cognitively and emotionally so much lately that I'm having to convince myself that I am now the mother of a boy, not a baby. And he is all boy - wrestling, fort-building, violent, rock-hucking, dirty fingernails, sly smiling, trick-riding-on-his-rocking-horse BOY!
(He did this himself, proceeded to stand all the way up, balance holding onto nothing, and laugh hysterically!)
I know no one out there probably cares even a little about how many words my kid can say, or how cute it is when he says them, or all the things he can understand, but this is all extremely interesting to me. Some of my favorite classes in college were Voice and Diction, Linguistics, Rhetoric, and origins of the English language (thank you, George Killough, for teaching me to sing in Middle English!), so his little brain learning to speak is fascinating to me. Besides, this blog is technically my journal, my baby book, and my outlet all at once, since it's the only thing I can seem to squeeze in and I need some way to record all these milestones for perpetuity!
Ely is talking much more now and starting to copy more words every day. He has only mastered a few consonants - D, M, B, N - and a few vowels - O, A, AH, UH - so everything is a variation on just a few sounds, but we know what it means!
Ely says:
DaDa (still his favorite word)
Mama
Squirrel (gwah!)
Uh-oh
Bird (guh or boyd-a-boyd-a-boyd - sounds like he has a New Jersey accent!)
Bubble
Nummy-Nummy-Num = Hungry (one we hear alot!)
So Big! (Doe deh) with arms in the air, of course!
Shakes head "no"
"That?" (dah) when he wants to know what something is
Car (gah)
Bug (buh) we have a lot of ladybugs in the house!
Ball (bah)
Shoe (Doo)
Tractor (Taa-Doe)
Door (Doe)
Duck (Duh)
Ya-ya-ya-ya - what he does when I ask him to sing or when I am singing!
Plus lots of extraneous "jargoning" (to use the correct term) that we don't know what it means!
His comprehension has also exploded, and he seems to pick up "cognitive language" faster and faster, learning the meanings of new words all the time. He responds to simple commands extremely well - he can sing, splash, clap, wave, shake, dance, kiss, hug, bring [object] to mama/dada, go find [object], throw a ball/rock/stick/toy, point to [object] in a book, and lots of other things when asked.
However, with new found ways of communicating, he's also learned how to throw temper tantrums and whine when he doesn't get what he wants, but I'm always trying (even when exasperated) to get him to tell me what he wants even in primitive language. He's also transitioning to one nap a day instead of two, which contributes to the crankiness from time to time. Thankfully, a quick trip outside cures all ills, except when he throws a fit when we have to come back inside!
We've also developed a new bedtime routine since he hasn't had a bottle at night for a few weeks now. I have to admit, I was sad when I no longer got to cradle him and give him a bottle, but I am thrilled with his new routine and realize how lucky I am that I've had a child who's always slept well, never had a pacifier, weaned easily with not even a whine or a tear, and goes to bed without protest. We now have a glass of milk and some graham crackers while Greg or I read 2-3 books to him, brush his teeth, get in the tub for 15 minutes, put on jammies while I sing a song, lie down in his crib with a blanket and chipmunk and owl (his favorite stuffed animals) and he goes right to sleep after a kiss on the forehead. I hope I won't pay later for having such an angel-child now.
(He did this himself, proceeded to stand all the way up, balance holding onto nothing, and laugh hysterically!)
I know no one out there probably cares even a little about how many words my kid can say, or how cute it is when he says them, or all the things he can understand, but this is all extremely interesting to me. Some of my favorite classes in college were Voice and Diction, Linguistics, Rhetoric, and origins of the English language (thank you, George Killough, for teaching me to sing in Middle English!), so his little brain learning to speak is fascinating to me. Besides, this blog is technically my journal, my baby book, and my outlet all at once, since it's the only thing I can seem to squeeze in and I need some way to record all these milestones for perpetuity!
Ely is talking much more now and starting to copy more words every day. He has only mastered a few consonants - D, M, B, N - and a few vowels - O, A, AH, UH - so everything is a variation on just a few sounds, but we know what it means!
Ely says:
DaDa (still his favorite word)
Mama
Squirrel (gwah!)
Uh-oh
Bird (guh or boyd-a-boyd-a-boyd - sounds like he has a New Jersey accent!)
Bubble
Nummy-Nummy-Num = Hungry (one we hear alot!)
So Big! (Doe deh) with arms in the air, of course!
Shakes head "no"
"That?" (dah) when he wants to know what something is
Car (gah)
Bug (buh) we have a lot of ladybugs in the house!
Ball (bah)
Shoe (Doo)
Tractor (Taa-Doe)
Door (Doe)
Duck (Duh)
Ya-ya-ya-ya - what he does when I ask him to sing or when I am singing!
Plus lots of extraneous "jargoning" (to use the correct term) that we don't know what it means!
His comprehension has also exploded, and he seems to pick up "cognitive language" faster and faster, learning the meanings of new words all the time. He responds to simple commands extremely well - he can sing, splash, clap, wave, shake, dance, kiss, hug, bring [object] to mama/dada, go find [object], throw a ball/rock/stick/toy, point to [object] in a book, and lots of other things when asked.
However, with new found ways of communicating, he's also learned how to throw temper tantrums and whine when he doesn't get what he wants, but I'm always trying (even when exasperated) to get him to tell me what he wants even in primitive language. He's also transitioning to one nap a day instead of two, which contributes to the crankiness from time to time. Thankfully, a quick trip outside cures all ills, except when he throws a fit when we have to come back inside!
We've also developed a new bedtime routine since he hasn't had a bottle at night for a few weeks now. I have to admit, I was sad when I no longer got to cradle him and give him a bottle, but I am thrilled with his new routine and realize how lucky I am that I've had a child who's always slept well, never had a pacifier, weaned easily with not even a whine or a tear, and goes to bed without protest. We now have a glass of milk and some graham crackers while Greg or I read 2-3 books to him, brush his teeth, get in the tub for 15 minutes, put on jammies while I sing a song, lie down in his crib with a blanket and chipmunk and owl (his favorite stuffed animals) and he goes right to sleep after a kiss on the forehead. I hope I won't pay later for having such an angel-child now.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Little Red Wagon Days
It's been a while since I've last updated, but we've been very busy! So busy, in fact, that Ely is already almost 13 months and I haven't gotten his 1-year pictures done yet! (which is on the to-do list for this weekend). Here's what we've been up to:
February 3 - I quit my job with On the Waterfront, which was both stressful and liberating all at once.
February 5- I took Ely to a myriad of appointments for his one-year check ups. He was 30 inches and 24.5 pounds and all checked out well except his teeth. He has inherited my thin enamel and has to have flouride fillings to slow decay. I would say "Poor Kid", but the process is painless for him. It's more like "Poor Mom" for the hefty bill that accompanies all his dental work.
February 6 - Ely turned 1!
February 7 - We welcomed over 40 people to our house for Ely's birthday party. My dad surprised us with a quick trip in from New Hampshire, and we loved hanging out with Grandpa Steve!
February 8 - I started my new job as a grant writer for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. I feel like I've finally found where I'm supposed to be in my career. It is a wonderful organization with an awesome staff, and, as nerdy as it is, I love grant writing! I've literally been looking for a job like this for 3 years - even before the whole United Way fiasco.
February 12 - We got all wrapped up in the Olympics for the next week and a half. I don't know why, but we got really into it!
February 17 - Took Ely to immediate care for ear infection #4. I know this kid is going to need tubes. :(
February 18 - Greg and I volunteered at the annual Pheasants Forever banquet. It was a fun time, but a rough year because the auctions and fundraising were considerably down with the economy.
February 25 - My brother, his girlfriend, and her 2.5 year-old daughter came to visit us from Georgia for five days. We hadn't seen them since September (and I was working Waterfront that weekend), so it was nice to get to know Mallory and Elizabeth a little more this time. We had fun shopping, going on nature walks, and watching the kids play.
March 3 - It was finally warm enough to get outside...and here is what it looked like!
February 3 - I quit my job with On the Waterfront, which was both stressful and liberating all at once.
February 5- I took Ely to a myriad of appointments for his one-year check ups. He was 30 inches and 24.5 pounds and all checked out well except his teeth. He has inherited my thin enamel and has to have flouride fillings to slow decay. I would say "Poor Kid", but the process is painless for him. It's more like "Poor Mom" for the hefty bill that accompanies all his dental work.
February 6 - Ely turned 1!
February 7 - We welcomed over 40 people to our house for Ely's birthday party. My dad surprised us with a quick trip in from New Hampshire, and we loved hanging out with Grandpa Steve!
February 8 - I started my new job as a grant writer for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. I feel like I've finally found where I'm supposed to be in my career. It is a wonderful organization with an awesome staff, and, as nerdy as it is, I love grant writing! I've literally been looking for a job like this for 3 years - even before the whole United Way fiasco.
February 12 - We got all wrapped up in the Olympics for the next week and a half. I don't know why, but we got really into it!
February 17 - Took Ely to immediate care for ear infection #4. I know this kid is going to need tubes. :(
February 18 - Greg and I volunteered at the annual Pheasants Forever banquet. It was a fun time, but a rough year because the auctions and fundraising were considerably down with the economy.
February 25 - My brother, his girlfriend, and her 2.5 year-old daughter came to visit us from Georgia for five days. We hadn't seen them since September (and I was working Waterfront that weekend), so it was nice to get to know Mallory and Elizabeth a little more this time. We had fun shopping, going on nature walks, and watching the kids play.
March 3 - It was finally warm enough to get outside...and here is what it looked like!
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