Monkeys make a mess

Well I’ve been in lurker mode lately mostly because my cuddle bug is making things difficult. SO I did this offline in Word last night. Mostly because we’ve had no internet the last two days. They’re laying new cable, or finishing what they started in September, one or the other. Anyway this will be long.

Quin got really spoiled with all the family visits. The munchkin is more than happy to fall asleep on any warm shoulder presented too him. This makes trouble the next day when there is only me and Ken. Ken had been spending a lot of time in his workshop. He was trying to finish a project he was working on before going back to work on the 2nd (ended up being the 3rd) Quin wants to be held 24/7 I can do that. I have things to do as well. I know some stuff he can be in the carrier but when I’m cooking or folding laundry it’s not a good idea. I’m hoping by next week I get break him of this expectation. It’s killing me I can’t get any work done on the computer either because he doesn’t want to be held in my lap he wants to be held upright on my shoulder. The other reason this causes trouble is that I get what I call “touched out” I get to a point where I want everyone to give me ten foot radius of space and not touch me for and hour or so. I know this happened a little with Alex but honestly once he could hold himself up in a sitting position and definitely once he was crawling he didn’t want to be held. He had better things to see and do. Quin is looking to be the opposite.

That’s the other thing the boy loves to stand, hates tummy time but loves to stand. We may skip crawling this time and have to deal with a cruiser. I was pretty much done by the 22nd. I think I had to go out Saturday for groceries that was a huge fiasco. Ken also asked me to stop and get a certain size gift bag. There is a card store a few doors down from the grocery store. They of course were nearly cleaned out. He ended up going out himself in Sunday because he forgot something for his parents, and we’d be seeing them Christmas day.

This Christmas has had me thinking about family traditions. Neither Ken nor I really had any as kids. There are a couple; I think we’ll start next year just because I didn’t hear these ideas until after the fact. One lady I was talking with said the kids open one present on Christmas Eve. And it’s always new pajamas so that every one looks nice the next morning in picture. Then they watch a movie and read a book before everyone goes to bed. That just sound like a nice way to spend an evening with your family. Someone else has this little pickle ornament that she hides on the tree and whoever finds it gets a prize. I guess I’m just looking for fun little things that my kids will remember when they grow up.

I have to say I’m actually pretty grateful my in laws tend to mostly give clothes to the kids at Christmas. We weren’t inundated with toys. I put art supplies in Alex’s stocking; he got several books and a couple videos from us. The big his was the Cars bath set, he carries around the bubble bath because it’s shaped like Lightning McQueen. Once it’s empty he’ll probably keep it because it has working wheels. A couple of trains were the only real toys he got from us. My dad and step mom got him his own tool chest and set of tools. They’re toys but pretty realistic looking. I was able to hide the actual tools he’s been trying to carry around once he got this.

Like I said my in-laws got him mostly clothes, there was one car (it looks a bit like a PT Cruiser) a couple more Thomas the Train videos, each of those came with an engine. But I’m not really worried about him getting more of those they stay on the train table. Two more books one being the Polar Express. I’m so happy Su got him this. I was thinking about picking it up myself. Both boys got a couple more stuffed animals. I really wish people wouldn’t do that. Unless they become favorites these will eventually make it to the donation bag. My FIL always gets the boys savings bonds, which I prefer even more than cash. We just put those in the safety deposit box at the bank and let them mature. Cash sits in one of our accounts until we remember to write a check to put it in the college fund.

Christmas day this year went a bit smoother than last year, though it was hard getting Alex to open all his presents. He’d open one and then want to go off with it and play it o read it or whatever and we’d have to coax him back to open more. This is where another tradition might come in handy. My aunt started one this year at her house. The girls open about half their gifts then she makes waffles and everyone sits down for breakfast before going back and finishing the present opening. She said it helped Alena wind down a bit because she gets so excited. I can see how this might come in handy next year with Alex.

So we hung out the rest of the morning. Once the boys were down for naps, I made a sweet potato casserole to take with us to Dave and Carol’s. Then I took a shower. Around three we got the car loaded then the boys buckled in and headed out. We’re almost to Dave’s when Ken realizes he left the casserole on the stove. His plan is to drop us off and go back for it. Once we get in and tell carol what happened she said not to worry and just sent us downstairs. The guys were playing poker so Ken joined in. Carol had a box with a plastic train track that her boys used to play with out for Alex. Quin was unbuckled and so started the spoiling as he was held by one person after the other. When Su arrive with the parents everyone moved upstairs and the mah jong table was brought out. I eventually took over Alan’s spot after he lost everything. So the fact that I ended up with about 4 dollars is good since I really did start with nothing unlike everyone else.

Dinner was nice, everyone was asking me how I made our Christmas card this year as well as the photo stamps I put on the family cards. At the other end Dave was trying to explain Bush’s options for the war to Koon and not getting very far. The boys were talking about college, and Josh his job. After dinner poker was set up again, as was mah jong. I played until Quin needed to be fed again. Soon after dessert was laid, out then presents were opened before everyone had pie.

The next day was a lazy day. But as I mentioned Quin get real used to being held all the time so expected us to do that. Wednesday I took Quin and went out to Westminster for my cousin Kerrie’s baby shower. She’s only about 5 months along, but I think the reason they had it this early was because both families on her side are concentrated in Maryland, and they would be up here for her grandfather’s birthday. This way family could come, where as if they’d had it in either Louisiana, where her mom lives or Georgia where she lives, almost no family would have been there.

My other cousin Justin and his wife were there. They brought their little girl. Abby is 5 months old but Quin is nearly as big as she is. Of course he’s bigger than Alex was at that age too. Alex didn’t hit thirteen pounds until his 4 month appointment. So obviously the breastfeeding is going well. It’s funny he’s solid not pudgy. He does have the little fat rolls on his thighs but that’s about it. Anyway we received Justin and Denise’s wedding album in the week before Christmas. I talked to them and found out they were coming so I brought the album with me for them. They were really happy with it.

Thursday was playgroup and because it was such a nice day we took the opportunity to go to the park. The kids played for about an hour, it was still pretty cool. Then we headed over to a mall nearby for lunch. The restaurant is right by the train garden the mall has set up. All the kids had their noses pressed to the glass looking at the model trains going by. The place we had lunch is so popular it was hard for us to get a table big enough for all of us. Its funny you don’t really see Brooklyn style pizza much outside of NYC any more, but this place had it.

Friday I caught up on laundry because Saturday we were going up to Cumberland. My aunt and uncle hadn’t met Quin yet. So here was round three of him being spoiled. It was a nice day as well so Ken went with my aunts and uncle and the kids for a walk. I stayed at Patty’s and tried to get Quin to nap. We got home around 11 and right went to bed.

Sunday was my first day back to work. It was a short day which was probably a good thing. Quin still isn’t really taking a bottle. He’ll drink like half an ounce then start fussing, which then leads to screaming. I called around noon and he was screaming. When I got off an hour and a half later and called, he’d gotten him to sleep so I stopped at the grocery store for a few things. I was supposed to work New Years Day as well but they told me they’d call if they needed me. They didn’t call; it was a pretty yucky rainy day so I can see why they weren’t busy. I ran over to Target for diapers while the boys napped. I actually can’t wait until Quin gets to size three, then at least I can buy the big box at BJ’s. They don’t sell size two by itself. All the cases are 1-2 and even though they say up to 16 lbs they’re on the small size and I’d rather not deal with the blow outs. At least Target runs some pretty good specials and you can use coupons.

Tuesday was a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. I had to give Alex some rules before we went. He’s been really bad about answering when I ask him a question as well as listening when I ask him to do something. We’ve had to put him in time out a few times a week for both, lately. The other thing we’ve been doing to deal with it has been to take things away and put them in time out until he does as we request. I know all kids develop selective hearing, I know I had it. I just never realized it started this young.

Ken made a comment the other day how our kids reminded him of My name is Earl.
The older brother Earl is always getting into trouble, instigating stuff. The younger, bigger brother kind of tags along and gets caught up in it. Alex is going to be Earl, Quin of course the younger brother (the name escapes me). It’s funny I never fully realized how high maintenance Alex was until Quin came along, because as long as he’s fed and held he’s pretty easy going. I think he’s going to be my video gamer. This from watching his concentration while he’s in the bouncy seat. It’s the Oceans of Wonder one we got Alex when he was a baby. I’ve been putting it on the baby setting, so that if he kicks the toys either the bubbles go off or the music does. For a good fifteen minutes he’s there trying to get the thing to make noise. I hear these little gurgles and squeaks when he gets a good kick in, and it does what he wants. Alex never really cared, he’d listen to the music but pretty much ignored the toys hanging from the bottom.

Now one of the videos Alex got was Cars. We’ve now watched this at least 4-5 times a day since he opened it. Everyone in the house except Quin can quote sections of dialog now. I’ve been reading the Cars book he got as well, nearly every single night before bed. Though the last few days I lucked out and get to read the Thomas book Su got him instead. (It’s much shorter)

Wednesday night was playgroup mommies’ night. It was also a goodbye dinner for one of the moms. Jamie’s husband found a new job and they’re moving to Michigan. This is actually good for Jamie since she has family there. She’s the one that came and hung out with me for the afternoon I was laboring and Ken was shooting a wedding. I’m really going miss her. She’s one of those people who if you ever need help all you have to do is call and she’ll be there. It could be something as little as just needing a sounding board or something as big as watch your kids during an emergency. I also learned how good I have it with Ken. He helps out a lot more than some of the other dads. I also don’t have to remind him to do things. He pretty much knows Alex’s schedule, can put him to bed when I work at night. And doesn’t forget things like changing diapers when he takes Alex with him on errands. I guess I trained him well early on. Or it could be he really wanted to help out and listened when I asked. I also let him do things his way.

We’re getting closer to success with Alex and potty training. He’s been telling us “diaper change” when he hasn’t gone yet. The only problem is he has gone by the time we’ve gotten him to the potty. The other day when we were on our way to Cumberland, he was getting really frantic and we were trying to get to a gas station as fast as we could. I thought he’d pooped, I know he hates sitting in it. I get him to a bathroom and his diaper has nothing in it but he’s still frantic. As I’m trying to get him over to the toilet he pees. He was so upset; I comforted him and told him what a good job he was doing. And I apologized for not getting him to a bathroom faster. I guess from now on we’ll have to travel with his potty.

Monday he starts school three mornings a week. I’m kind of sad but I’m looking forward to the break. I’m hoping to work out a schedule for Quin. I’ve been complaining to Ken about him taking such short naps lately. A couple weeks a go he was taking longer ones, I figured it was the holidays that messed him up. Then I read somewhere babies his age sleep about 14 hours. He’s doing about 11-12 hours at night with feedings. So I guess expecting more than an hour nap at a time is much. He goes to bed around 9:30-10:00, wakes between 3:00 and 4:00 for a feeding, again between 5:30 and 6:00. I’ve been feeding him again after I get Alex settled downstairs at 7:00 and he’ll sleep until 9:00.
He takes a 45 minute nap late morning and a half hour one after dinner. Most days I can get him to take a long nap in the afternoon while Alex is napping. This is the one that hasn’t really been happening lately and frustrating me. I got used to taking a break from both kids at this point. You know getting some lunch, doing laundry, reading my e-mail.
Ah well no kid stays on any sleep schedule for too long until they get school age.

So my dad sent me a GC for Amazon to split between Ken, Quin and I. We ended up ordering Alex a booster seat. He’s getting too tall for his current seat and I thing we’ve got maybe a month left with Quin in the infant carrier. We got a snuggle nest for Quin. He sleeps really well either in the carrier or between us in bed. I think he like things close. So we’re going to try this in his crib and start getting him in his room all the time instead of just that first long stretch at night. We had a bout $20 left so I got Pirates of the Caribbean- Dead Man’s Chest.

The community college is now offering an online intermediate Photoshop class. I think I’m going to take that in March. I think that pretty much has me caught up. And if you read through this whole thing I applaud you.