Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Dame un beso!
Friday, August 28, 2009
The verdict is in...
And, it's tapeworms.
Of all the worms to get, tapeworms is actually the best to get. Apparently. It's still disgusting if you ask me.
Our vet called me back yesterday to inform me of the news. As it turns out, tapeworms are much easier to treat (one single pill vs. weeks of treatment!) and kill off completely than the horrible roundworms that we were afraid the dogs may be infected with.
So, I gave both dogs a pill last night to kill off the tapeworms and then topped it off with a good flea treatment (dogs, and cats, tend to get tapeworms from eating an infected/carrying flea). I've treated two of the three cats with the flea medication, and will try to tackle Twyla sometime tomorrow, now that Jon is back home (yay!) to help me out. We'll also give the cats their tapeworm meds tomorrow too (theirs is a topical, rather than a pill, so I can't do the flea and tapeworm treatment on the same night).
We've washed all the bedding in the house and will be vacuuming the rugs and giving the dogs big baths just to be sure. But otherwise, another crisis deftly averted! WHEW.
Of all the worms to get, tapeworms is actually the best to get. Apparently. It's still disgusting if you ask me.
Our vet called me back yesterday to inform me of the news. As it turns out, tapeworms are much easier to treat (one single pill vs. weeks of treatment!) and kill off completely than the horrible roundworms that we were afraid the dogs may be infected with.
So, I gave both dogs a pill last night to kill off the tapeworms and then topped it off with a good flea treatment (dogs, and cats, tend to get tapeworms from eating an infected/carrying flea). I've treated two of the three cats with the flea medication, and will try to tackle Twyla sometime tomorrow, now that Jon is back home (yay!) to help me out. We'll also give the cats their tapeworm meds tomorrow too (theirs is a topical, rather than a pill, so I can't do the flea and tapeworm treatment on the same night).
We've washed all the bedding in the house and will be vacuuming the rugs and giving the dogs big baths just to be sure. But otherwise, another crisis deftly averted! WHEW.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tia Catarina
Aunt Catherine happened to be in town today (with her friend Nadia), so they picked Logan up from school early to see him and generally have a grand ol' time. Tonight, being Thursday, was swim class and because Catherine isn't normally in town, I asked if she'd like to take Logan into the pool instead of me which she said she'd love to try out!
Unfortunately, Logan wasn't as cooperative as usual, so poor Catherine had her hands full tonight. He wasn't happy about climbing in and out of the pool, jumping back into the water, or even lying on his back to get his ears wet! :( But even still, they ended up having a great time together and I'm so glad Logan had some extra time to spend together with his Aunt.
And, of course, Mr. Logan absolutely LOVED the extra attention he received all night long.
Speaking of extra attention, we have a family packed weekend ahead of us, as Jon's parents (and sister Sarah) will be getting into town tomorrow night to visit for the weekend.
Thanks again Catherine (and Nadia) for a great visit tonight!
Unfortunately, Logan wasn't as cooperative as usual, so poor Catherine had her hands full tonight. He wasn't happy about climbing in and out of the pool, jumping back into the water, or even lying on his back to get his ears wet! :( But even still, they ended up having a great time together and I'm so glad Logan had some extra time to spend together with his Aunt.
And, of course, Mr. Logan absolutely LOVED the extra attention he received all night long.
Speaking of extra attention, we have a family packed weekend ahead of us, as Jon's parents (and sister Sarah) will be getting into town tomorrow night to visit for the weekend.
Thanks again Catherine (and Nadia) for a great visit tonight!
What's under the bed?
Last night was a rough one for Logan and I. After getting him down for the night and doing a couple chores, catching up with Jon and icing my back, I decided to call it an early night and turned in myself. A little after midnight, however, Logan woke up crying. Normally if I let him cry for a bit he'll fall back asleep - but last night was different. He cried for a solid 20 minutes or so (I was half asleep so I didn't track it very well). Whatever it was, it was a long time.
So, I finally rolled out of bed, prepared a bottle, and went into his room to give him some more milk, rock him back to sleep and then get back to sleep myself.
HOWEVER.
Logan didn't want to go back to sleep. Well, he did. But he didn't want to sleep in his crib. He wanted to sleep on me.
On my chest, or my lap, or my shoulder. He would flop back and forth trying to find a comfortable spot on my lap (no longer big enough to hold a gangly growing toddler), like the dogs turn in circles 7 times before plopping their butts down for the night.
Once he fell asleep, I rocked him for a couple more minutes then walked over to lay him down in his crib. Only, he instantly woke up, sat up, arms raised toward me, crying that huge pathetic DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE MOMMY cry.
I was exhausted. Half awake and barely able to stand straight with a baby screaming in my face and no one else to tag "it" to take over.
What could I do?
I left him.
I put the unfinished bottle back in the fridge and let the dogs out to pee. I thought, "Ohhh, he's just tired. He'll lay back down on his own and fall asleep and then I can finally get back to bed myself...."
Hoooooo boy was I wrong. His crying escalated into screaming. He was upset, no doubt about it.
I went back in to console him. I calmed him down until he finally fell back asleep (on me) once again. I laid him down in his crib, and of course he woke up again. I decided to keep him there this time and hunched over the railing, I patted his back through 2 or 3 songs on the CD before finally giving up. I crept out as softly as I could. He woke up again and whimpered as I shut the door but thankfully, was too tired to stay up this time and finally went back to sleep.
I rolled back into bed. Checked the clock. 2:00am.
All I can say is, maaaaan, those better have been some scary ass monsters that kept us up Buddy.
In honor of the rough night,
I decided to dress Logan in his new "What's under the bed?" t-shirt this morning. :)
So, I finally rolled out of bed, prepared a bottle, and went into his room to give him some more milk, rock him back to sleep and then get back to sleep myself.
HOWEVER.
Logan didn't want to go back to sleep. Well, he did. But he didn't want to sleep in his crib. He wanted to sleep on me.
On my chest, or my lap, or my shoulder. He would flop back and forth trying to find a comfortable spot on my lap (no longer big enough to hold a gangly growing toddler), like the dogs turn in circles 7 times before plopping their butts down for the night.
Once he fell asleep, I rocked him for a couple more minutes then walked over to lay him down in his crib. Only, he instantly woke up, sat up, arms raised toward me, crying that huge pathetic DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE MOMMY cry.
I was exhausted. Half awake and barely able to stand straight with a baby screaming in my face and no one else to tag "it" to take over.
What could I do?
I left him.
I put the unfinished bottle back in the fridge and let the dogs out to pee. I thought, "Ohhh, he's just tired. He'll lay back down on his own and fall asleep and then I can finally get back to bed myself...."
Hoooooo boy was I wrong. His crying escalated into screaming. He was upset, no doubt about it.
I went back in to console him. I calmed him down until he finally fell back asleep (on me) once again. I laid him down in his crib, and of course he woke up again. I decided to keep him there this time and hunched over the railing, I patted his back through 2 or 3 songs on the CD before finally giving up. I crept out as softly as I could. He woke up again and whimpered as I shut the door but thankfully, was too tired to stay up this time and finally went back to sleep.
I rolled back into bed. Checked the clock. 2:00am.
All I can say is, maaaaan, those better have been some scary ass monsters that kept us up Buddy.
In honor of the rough night,I decided to dress Logan in his new "What's under the bed?" t-shirt this morning. :)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Loss of Appetite
This morning was like no other. Busy as usual, getting everyone in the house up and ready for another day.
Only, Jon wasn't here to lend a helpful hand like normal. And, my parents needed a ride to the airport. And today was trash and gardener day - which meant in addition to making sure the trash containers were set out at the curb, I was also running around like mad in the backyard collecting all the dog poop to throw away before our gardeners arrived.
And, because I guess I get a thrill out of doing several things at once, I had my phone up to my ear, chatting away with Jon, updating each other on all the latest as I was juggling several balls.
That is, until everything stopped in slow motion the minute I looked down to pick up another pile of poop, and saw a hundred squirmy white little worms wiggling about.
Ummmmmmm. GROSS.
Seriously - it was disgusting. I'll take vomit or diarrhea or pee-stained couches any day of the week over this.
The rest of my day I thought about nothing else but worms. Forget about my parent's flight and loading their luggage into my car and instructions on which plants to water when. Forget about chatting it up with Logan's teachers during drop off and wishing them all a great day. Forget about closing out another fire-drill at work and keeping the execs happy.
And forget about lunch.
I called the vet's office. From my description on the phone, they think one of the dogs has roundworms. But, just to be sure, I took a fecal sample in for them to analyze. We'll get the definitive results back sometime tomorrow and go from there. It's better to figure out which worm we're dealing with so they know which meds to treat with. I also called Lola's oncologist to make sure she has the all clear to take meds, even though I'm pretty sure it's Odin who's infected. They said it should be totally fine. And, because some types of worms can transmit between both dogs and cats, we will probably need to treat the cats too.
We also need to keep a close eye on Logan. Kids are at a greater risk for catching worms - mostly because they aren't as diligent as adults when it comes to washing their hands. They also don't pay attention to what they're touching! Luckily, I've been a drill sergeant about washing Logan's hands lately and, he doesn't play in the backyard (where the dogs poop). So the chances of him getting sick are pretty slim.
Once we figure out what we're dealing with, we'll have to administer several rounds of meds. And, because we don't have enough on our plate as is, we need to quarantine the dogs and convince them to poop on concrete, so that we can quickly clean it up and BLEACH the shit out of it afterward.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Only, Jon wasn't here to lend a helpful hand like normal. And, my parents needed a ride to the airport. And today was trash and gardener day - which meant in addition to making sure the trash containers were set out at the curb, I was also running around like mad in the backyard collecting all the dog poop to throw away before our gardeners arrived.
And, because I guess I get a thrill out of doing several things at once, I had my phone up to my ear, chatting away with Jon, updating each other on all the latest as I was juggling several balls.
That is, until everything stopped in slow motion the minute I looked down to pick up another pile of poop, and saw a hundred squirmy white little worms wiggling about.
Ummmmmmm. GROSS.
Seriously - it was disgusting. I'll take vomit or diarrhea or pee-stained couches any day of the week over this.
The rest of my day I thought about nothing else but worms. Forget about my parent's flight and loading their luggage into my car and instructions on which plants to water when. Forget about chatting it up with Logan's teachers during drop off and wishing them all a great day. Forget about closing out another fire-drill at work and keeping the execs happy.
And forget about lunch.
I called the vet's office. From my description on the phone, they think one of the dogs has roundworms. But, just to be sure, I took a fecal sample in for them to analyze. We'll get the definitive results back sometime tomorrow and go from there. It's better to figure out which worm we're dealing with so they know which meds to treat with. I also called Lola's oncologist to make sure she has the all clear to take meds, even though I'm pretty sure it's Odin who's infected. They said it should be totally fine. And, because some types of worms can transmit between both dogs and cats, we will probably need to treat the cats too.
We also need to keep a close eye on Logan. Kids are at a greater risk for catching worms - mostly because they aren't as diligent as adults when it comes to washing their hands. They also don't pay attention to what they're touching! Luckily, I've been a drill sergeant about washing Logan's hands lately and, he doesn't play in the backyard (where the dogs poop). So the chances of him getting sick are pretty slim.
Once we figure out what we're dealing with, we'll have to administer several rounds of meds. And, because we don't have enough on our plate as is, we need to quarantine the dogs and convince them to poop on concrete, so that we can quickly clean it up and BLEACH the shit out of it afterward.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
'Vu' (aka Fish)
For awhile, Logan was actually able to pronounce "fish" pretty well. Then just recently I noticed his word for "fish" switched to something that sounds more like "vu". Don't ask me why....
This summer Logan and I have been attending swim classes every Tuesday and Thursday nights. We did the first 8 sessions with Robert and his mommy Jenn back in June. We then took a month break and just recently started up another set of 8 sessions (Jenn and Robert decided not to join us this round).
I'm not sure if Logan had a fairy-fish godmother visit him during that month break, or if he finally started connecting the dots on his last class, but the difference between the two sessions has been amazing.
In June, he was okay with the water, but not one with the water. He tolerated the class. He wasn't happy about getting his face wet and he certainly wasn't happy about laying on his back and getting his ears wet.
This time around is a completely different story. From day one, he's been swimming like crazy. When I tell him to kick, he pounds his feet up and down as fast as he can. When I tell him to use big arms, he reaches as far out in front of him as he can, doggy paddling to the nearest toy in front of him. When I say "1, 2, 3... Big breath! Eyes in!" he laughs, giggles, squeezes his eyes shut and LUNGES for the water in front of him (regardless of whether I'm there or not).
While I'm holding him and listening to instructions from the teacher, he is generally splashing in the water, or kicking his feet, or dunking his face head-on into the water, or tilting his head from side to side, getting his ears wet voluntarily. All the while laughing and giggling and having the time of his life.
I try my best to hold the squirming kid tight so he doesn't drown. Meanwhile, he's pushing off of me as hard as he can. Because apparently I'm holding him down.
WHO IS THIS KID??
Tonight was no different of course. We practiced "wall walks" - where the kids hang off the side like monkeys and hand-over-hand walk the length of the wall. Most of the kids were screaming and stopping mid-wall, scared they were going to fall. Logan, on the other hand, was crazy strong, holding his head high above water (unless he intentionally dropped low enough to take a SIP of the water, yes he does that too...) and moving way too fast for the line.
Several times I had to slow him down to pause and wait for the girl in front of him to catch her breath. He'd get impatient and push his feet against the wall to launch out at me (standing behind him) and I'd scramble to catch him before he took in too many gulps. What's amazing about all of this is just two months ago, in the June sessions, when we practiced "wall walks" - Logan didn't get it at all. Every time I'd try to get him to hold onto the side of the wall, he'd just LET GO.
I can't help but think that the (near) back-to-back classes have made a difference. And it's definitely convinced me to continue on. I don't think I'll keep up every single month, and thankfully, once we start the Fall sessions, it backs down to once a week (twice a week rushing out of work early is brutal!). But, I'm definitely going to keep him in the classes as long as I can keep up myself.
Speaking of keeping up, tonight I barely made it to the class at all. Since Jon isn't home this week, I had to run and pick up Lola from her checkup appointment (cancer is still in total remission and she is looking fabulous!) first, before going home to change Logan and I. Traffic was a pain since there was an accident on the way home, so we were running late. Still, I got us both changed and packed up the car to go. Once we got there, I grabbed Logan and our bags to rush to class, only to notice I had forgotten to bring towels.
Uhhhhh. We kinda need towels Bree.
Class was about to start in a minute or so. There was no way I could drive back home to get some towels and still make it back in time for even part of the class (the class is only 30 minutes long).
Luckily, I still had Logan's travel tent in the car, where I keep some spare (baby-sized receiving) blankets stuffed inside.
I thought OH WHAT THE HELL.
I grabbed the blankets (which barely cover my ass) and off we went. A sight to behold I'm sure.
This summer Logan and I have been attending swim classes every Tuesday and Thursday nights. We did the first 8 sessions with Robert and his mommy Jenn back in June. We then took a month break and just recently started up another set of 8 sessions (Jenn and Robert decided not to join us this round).
I'm not sure if Logan had a fairy-fish godmother visit him during that month break, or if he finally started connecting the dots on his last class, but the difference between the two sessions has been amazing.
In June, he was okay with the water, but not one with the water. He tolerated the class. He wasn't happy about getting his face wet and he certainly wasn't happy about laying on his back and getting his ears wet.
This time around is a completely different story. From day one, he's been swimming like crazy. When I tell him to kick, he pounds his feet up and down as fast as he can. When I tell him to use big arms, he reaches as far out in front of him as he can, doggy paddling to the nearest toy in front of him. When I say "1, 2, 3... Big breath! Eyes in!" he laughs, giggles, squeezes his eyes shut and LUNGES for the water in front of him (regardless of whether I'm there or not).
While I'm holding him and listening to instructions from the teacher, he is generally splashing in the water, or kicking his feet, or dunking his face head-on into the water, or tilting his head from side to side, getting his ears wet voluntarily. All the while laughing and giggling and having the time of his life.
I try my best to hold the squirming kid tight so he doesn't drown. Meanwhile, he's pushing off of me as hard as he can. Because apparently I'm holding him down.
WHO IS THIS KID??
Tonight was no different of course. We practiced "wall walks" - where the kids hang off the side like monkeys and hand-over-hand walk the length of the wall. Most of the kids were screaming and stopping mid-wall, scared they were going to fall. Logan, on the other hand, was crazy strong, holding his head high above water (unless he intentionally dropped low enough to take a SIP of the water, yes he does that too...) and moving way too fast for the line.
Several times I had to slow him down to pause and wait for the girl in front of him to catch her breath. He'd get impatient and push his feet against the wall to launch out at me (standing behind him) and I'd scramble to catch him before he took in too many gulps. What's amazing about all of this is just two months ago, in the June sessions, when we practiced "wall walks" - Logan didn't get it at all. Every time I'd try to get him to hold onto the side of the wall, he'd just LET GO.
I can't help but think that the (near) back-to-back classes have made a difference. And it's definitely convinced me to continue on. I don't think I'll keep up every single month, and thankfully, once we start the Fall sessions, it backs down to once a week (twice a week rushing out of work early is brutal!). But, I'm definitely going to keep him in the classes as long as I can keep up myself.
Speaking of keeping up, tonight I barely made it to the class at all. Since Jon isn't home this week, I had to run and pick up Lola from her checkup appointment (cancer is still in total remission and she is looking fabulous!) first, before going home to change Logan and I. Traffic was a pain since there was an accident on the way home, so we were running late. Still, I got us both changed and packed up the car to go. Once we got there, I grabbed Logan and our bags to rush to class, only to notice I had forgotten to bring towels.
Uhhhhh. We kinda need towels Bree.
Class was about to start in a minute or so. There was no way I could drive back home to get some towels and still make it back in time for even part of the class (the class is only 30 minutes long).
Luckily, I still had Logan's travel tent in the car, where I keep some spare (baby-sized receiving) blankets stuffed inside.
I thought OH WHAT THE HELL.
I grabbed the blankets (which barely cover my ass) and off we went. A sight to behold I'm sure.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Single Working Mom
At 5:45am this morning, Jon's car service arrived to take him to the airport. He had an early flight out to Miami, where he will be working all week.
At 5:47am this morning, Logan woke up and though still tired, was in a good mood to see Mommy and wanted to hang out in bed with me, Lola and his good friend Elmo, rather than fall back to sleep.
*sigh*
It's going to be a long week.
At 5:47am this morning, Logan woke up and though still tired, was in a good mood to see Mommy and wanted to hang out in bed with me, Lola and his good friend Elmo, rather than fall back to sleep.
*sigh*
It's going to be a long week.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Movie Reviews. Yes, plural.
Yesterday we woke up to the dogs barking like maniacs and discovered cars pulling up and parking in front of our house, and then leaving, and then new cars parking, and then leaving, every few minutes. Our next door neighbors were throwing a garage sale. So, we did like any good neighbor would and brought over a handful of items designated for the Goodwill, to sell instead.
We made out like bandits, with a total of $31.50 for the day. Wooo! The thrill of selling at a garage sale. ;-)
There have been a few movies out recently that Jon and I have wanted to see. So, my parents agreed to babysit Logan last night so that we could go to dinner (we tried out a restaurant in downtown Campbell that was pretty good!) and then catch a showing of District 9. We decided on District 9 over the others, mostly because we'd been hearing so many great reviews, it's a Peter Jackson movie (whom we like), and we were afraid someone would spoil it before we got to see it!
So, we saw it. And, it just blew my mind. It was really good. Intensely good. The background story built up in the beginning is very detailed but so interesting! The main actor (who's never acted before and who apparently improvised a lot of the lines while filming) was brilliant! It's unusually emotional, and you're trying to figure out who to root for more, the Aliens or the human? It's also extremely violent but, as I wrote to a friend of ours last night, it covered so many topics like prejudices, racism, loyalty and acts of loyalty, love, family and fear of the unknown....it's a movie for everyone. And everyone should see it! We can't wait for the prequel, or sequel (or please God, both!).
As we were walking out of the theatre, still talking about all the great themes and ground they covered in the movie, Jon saw a couple of guys sitting to the side waiting at the start of a line for another movie. It was late and we were curious what the movie was. We should have known, another movie we want to see, Inglourious Basterds!
So, what did we decide to do? We had a babysitter and could stay out late (and sleep in), so I took a place in line while Jon grabbed us another couple of tickets of course! :)
Inglourious Basterds was entertaining. It's also a violent and suspenseful movie (the opening scene keeps you gripping the edge of your seat!), but in the end (and mostly the end), we both felt like it was just another over-the-top overly indulgent Quentin Tarantino movie. Don't get me wrong, the soundtrack was awesome and the acting was top-notch. But, I guess we're just (finally?) getting a little tired of the Tarantino-esque movies. Can I say that? I think I just did.
We got home at a ridiculously late hour but it was so fun being able to cram two movies into one night and we actually stayed up a little longer talking about them both and reading reviews (which we had been avoiding 'til then) to see what others thought of the same movies. :) We passed out a bit later, but still woke up at dawn this morning because our bodies are conditioned to little Logan, I think.
Or else, we're officially old people now. :)
We made out like bandits, with a total of $31.50 for the day. Wooo! The thrill of selling at a garage sale. ;-)
There have been a few movies out recently that Jon and I have wanted to see. So, my parents agreed to babysit Logan last night so that we could go to dinner (we tried out a restaurant in downtown Campbell that was pretty good!) and then catch a showing of District 9. We decided on District 9 over the others, mostly because we'd been hearing so many great reviews, it's a Peter Jackson movie (whom we like), and we were afraid someone would spoil it before we got to see it!
So, we saw it. And, it just blew my mind. It was really good. Intensely good. The background story built up in the beginning is very detailed but so interesting! The main actor (who's never acted before and who apparently improvised a lot of the lines while filming) was brilliant! It's unusually emotional, and you're trying to figure out who to root for more, the Aliens or the human? It's also extremely violent but, as I wrote to a friend of ours last night, it covered so many topics like prejudices, racism, loyalty and acts of loyalty, love, family and fear of the unknown....it's a movie for everyone. And everyone should see it! We can't wait for the prequel, or sequel (or please God, both!).
As we were walking out of the theatre, still talking about all the great themes and ground they covered in the movie, Jon saw a couple of guys sitting to the side waiting at the start of a line for another movie. It was late and we were curious what the movie was. We should have known, another movie we want to see, Inglourious Basterds!
So, what did we decide to do? We had a babysitter and could stay out late (and sleep in), so I took a place in line while Jon grabbed us another couple of tickets of course! :)
Inglourious Basterds was entertaining. It's also a violent and suspenseful movie (the opening scene keeps you gripping the edge of your seat!), but in the end (and mostly the end), we both felt like it was just another over-the-top overly indulgent Quentin Tarantino movie. Don't get me wrong, the soundtrack was awesome and the acting was top-notch. But, I guess we're just (finally?) getting a little tired of the Tarantino-esque movies. Can I say that? I think I just did.
We got home at a ridiculously late hour but it was so fun being able to cram two movies into one night and we actually stayed up a little longer talking about them both and reading reviews (which we had been avoiding 'til then) to see what others thought of the same movies. :) We passed out a bit later, but still woke up at dawn this morning because our bodies are conditioned to little Logan, I think.
Or else, we're officially old people now. :)
Friday, August 21, 2009
Spread Eagle
I was just talking to my friend Amanda who has recently adopted two highly-in-need cats to join her home and I was describing how similar my cats are to the ones she now has (and used to have). At some level, I guess all cats are the same?
Anyway - as much as I bitch and moan aboutthe one who peed on our brand new leather couches Iz, I can't help but love him dearly. I mean, just look at him.
He's so completely black you can't make heads or tails right? But this is him, in all his glory, spread eagle on our bed. This is how he sleeps pretty much most of the time. Not curled up in a neat, cute little ball. No, spread out and taking up as much room as cat-ly possible.
He carries this sort of attitude with him everywhere he goes and I was trying to describe to Amanda just what I meant, but it's really hard to do. He requires constant love and attention - but only when you're sitting on the toilet and at his mercy. He wants in, then he wants out, then he wants in, then he wants out. When he's outside for the night and the sun is just starting to rise, he begins pacing the backyard length of the house, meowing loudly and as persistently as possible, through our open windows (and if we don't respond, he'll station himself underneath one of our bedroom windows for good measure) to be let back in.
His strides are long and slow, full of pomp, with his big fat furry tail held high, swishing ever so gently. He looks regal, and he knows it.
He's our Bruddah Iz.
Anyway - as much as I bitch and moan about
He's so completely black you can't make heads or tails right? But this is him, in all his glory, spread eagle on our bed. This is how he sleeps pretty much most of the time. Not curled up in a neat, cute little ball. No, spread out and taking up as much room as cat-ly possible.
He carries this sort of attitude with him everywhere he goes and I was trying to describe to Amanda just what I meant, but it's really hard to do. He requires constant love and attention - but only when you're sitting on the toilet and at his mercy. He wants in, then he wants out, then he wants in, then he wants out. When he's outside for the night and the sun is just starting to rise, he begins pacing the backyard length of the house, meowing loudly and as persistently as possible, through our open windows (and if we don't respond, he'll station himself underneath one of our bedroom windows for good measure) to be let back in.
His strides are long and slow, full of pomp, with his big fat furry tail held high, swishing ever so gently. He looks regal, and he knows it.
He's our Bruddah Iz.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Getting a boost
A month or so ago, when we were visiting our friends Karen and Joe, I noticed that they had a step stool in the kid's bathroom to help the kids wash their hands, brush their teeth, etc. Logan climbed right up to wash his hands and it was sooooo easy (esp. on my back!) that I decided we needed one for our own house.
You know, because Logan isn't getting into enough trouble on his own.
I searched high and low and never found the same one (her's was a natural wood stain, nothing fancy and no kid decorations). So, I went with the next best one out of the bunch.
I picked it up yesterday and put it together last night, after Logan was already in bed. But this morning he got to try it out for the first time and LOVED it! He went back and forth between sitting on the lower step (and opening up the lid on the top step where he's now storing his potty book) to climbing up to hang off the lip of the counter, willing the faucet to turn on.
Now of course, he's all about washing his hands, face and any other excuse he can use to play in the water.
In other news, Logan's bottom two canines broke through this past weekend! I don't yet have a good picture of them but trust me, they are there. ;-) Now we only have the four "2-year"molars left! Woohoo!
You know, because Logan isn't getting into enough trouble on his own.
I searched high and low and never found the same one (her's was a natural wood stain, nothing fancy and no kid decorations). So, I went with the next best one out of the bunch.
I picked it up yesterday and put it together last night, after Logan was already in bed. But this morning he got to try it out for the first time and LOVED it! He went back and forth between sitting on the lower step (and opening up the lid on the top step where he's now storing his potty book) to climbing up to hang off the lip of the counter, willing the faucet to turn on.
Now of course, he's all about washing his hands, face and any other excuse he can use to play in the water.
In other news, Logan's bottom two canines broke through this past weekend! I don't yet have a good picture of them but trust me, they are there. ;-) Now we only have the four "2-year"molars left! Woohoo!
ABCs
Lately Logan has really taken to his books. He loves them, and will sit calmly and quietly reading, pondering over life's esoteric questions. Or perhaps just studying the pictures and letters. It's really hard to say. But boy howdy do I love the silence!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Returning the Hand-Me-Downs
While baking some Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread, I decided to finally tackle the project that's been staring back at me from the couches in the living room. The challenge? To sort and organize Logan's clothes (from approx. 9 to 18 mths), so that I could return them back to the lovely Jodoins, who have so graciously let us use Robert's hand me downs for the last 2 yrs!! (and who need to start sorting through the clothes themselves, since they are expecting another boy in a couple of months!)
While going through some of the clothes, I came across one of Logan's first pair of shoes. They are so ridiculously small (size 0) that I had to put them up against his current shoes (size 7) just so you could see the difference (remember, his current shoes are also small!).
In case you weren't following my blog back in the good ol' days of '08, here's an old pic of him when he actually fit those size 0 shoes! (He's a little over 2 months old and in case you didn't believe me, there was actually a day when he didn't have so much friggin' hair....)
When I was finally finished, I had 3 bins of clothes, 1 bin of shoes/hats/socks, and rewarded with a house smelling of delicious freshly baked banana bread. Yummm!
While going through some of the clothes, I came across one of Logan's first pair of shoes. They are so ridiculously small (size 0) that I had to put them up against his current shoes (size 7) just so you could see the difference (remember, his current shoes are also small!).
In case you weren't following my blog back in the good ol' days of '08, here's an old pic of him when he actually fit those size 0 shoes! (He's a little over 2 months old and in case you didn't believe me, there was actually a day when he didn't have so much friggin' hair....)
When I was finally finished, I had 3 bins of clothes, 1 bin of shoes/hats/socks, and rewarded with a house smelling of delicious freshly baked banana bread. Yummm!
Messy Baby Face Picture Contest
For all of my anonymous, and not so anonymous, readers out there. It's time to:
Vote for Logan!!
I just entered his picture (from this post) into the Messy Baby Face Picture Contest, presented by Walgreens and Disney (sent to me by Abuelita Riedy - thank you!).
Tell one, tell all! Facebook it, twitter it, blog it. We need at least 1700 votes (yowza!) to win! :)
Vote for Logan!!
I just entered his picture (from this post) into the Messy Baby Face Picture Contest, presented by Walgreens and Disney (sent to me by Abuelita Riedy - thank you!).
Tell one, tell all! Facebook it, twitter it, blog it. We need at least 1700 votes (yowza!) to win! :)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Steeellllllllla! Stella!
One more post before I take off and get some actual work done around the house tonight. ;-)
Yesterday was a big day for our family because another new cousin of Logan's, Stella, was born!! Stella is the little sister to Logan's cousin Luke and we couldn't be happier for Jon's brother Curtis, his wife Renee (and of course Mr. Luke).
She's absolutely precious; we can't wait to meet her in person! :) Congrats guys!!
Yesterday was a big day for our family because another new cousin of Logan's, Stella, was born!! Stella is the little sister to Logan's cousin Luke and we couldn't be happier for Jon's brother Curtis, his wife Renee (and of course Mr. Luke).
She's absolutely precious; we can't wait to meet her in person! :) Congrats guys!!
Marine World
Today we spent the day at Marine World Africa USA with the Jodoins, taking in three different shows before the boys tuckered out (which, in our book, was a BIG SUCCESS!). First off was Tava's Elephant show - Logan was really interested in the big lumbering giants just ~20 feet away from us. We went up to the stage afterward to touch the old gal's rough thick hairy skin ourselves! :)
After the elephants, we stopped by to see Odin's Temple of the Tiger show. Logan and Robert weren't as thrilled with this show - partly because we were farther away (and the tigers were behind cages) and partly, I think, because it was lunch time and they were getting hungry. The best part, for me anyway, was seeing the tigers dive underwater to grab their food. Cool!
After the tiger show we grabbed some lunch before heading to the Celebrate Shouka show. Even though the auditorium was enormous and we were sitting about midway up, I think Logan actually liked this show the best. Anything water related really catches his eye, and watching the big killer whale (and dolphin) splashing and jumping high out of the water was neat for him to see. I have to say, I enjoyed it too! :)
After Shouka's show, we started making our way out of the park; walking through a shark "tunnel" along the way which was pretty fun for the kids, and then stopping at the Thomas the Train station to watch the train ride by. They were interested, but pretty pooped by then (it was 2:30pm afterall!) and really in need of their naps.
Robert fell asleep on the walk back to the cars - Logan didn't fall asleep until about 30 minutes from home and unfortunately, woke up when we got home and didn't go back to sleep. So we popped in A Bug's Life to mellow out in front of and just relax on the couches (we all had too much sun and were exhausted).
Logan didn't have much of an appetite all day, but he was in a pretty good mood. So good, in fact, that toward the end of the evening as we were getting ready for bed, he was running laps around the house, rolling on the floor and actually SPINNING around in circles until he'd drop to all fours at my feet (this sort of delirium tends to hit him the more tired he gets). It was pretty funny and he was having a grand old time, until, that is, the spinning got to him. And suddenly he puked up a few times all over the floor. Luckily - nothing but the floor and his shorts, which I needed to change him out of anyway, got dirty. I did a quick cleaning of the floor and trotted him off for a bath before bedtime. He seemed to be relieved that it was finally time to hit the hay. ;-)
After the elephants, we stopped by to see Odin's Temple of the Tiger show. Logan and Robert weren't as thrilled with this show - partly because we were farther away (and the tigers were behind cages) and partly, I think, because it was lunch time and they were getting hungry. The best part, for me anyway, was seeing the tigers dive underwater to grab their food. Cool!
After the tiger show we grabbed some lunch before heading to the Celebrate Shouka show. Even though the auditorium was enormous and we were sitting about midway up, I think Logan actually liked this show the best. Anything water related really catches his eye, and watching the big killer whale (and dolphin) splashing and jumping high out of the water was neat for him to see. I have to say, I enjoyed it too! :)
After Shouka's show, we started making our way out of the park; walking through a shark "tunnel" along the way which was pretty fun for the kids, and then stopping at the Thomas the Train station to watch the train ride by. They were interested, but pretty pooped by then (it was 2:30pm afterall!) and really in need of their naps.
Robert fell asleep on the walk back to the cars - Logan didn't fall asleep until about 30 minutes from home and unfortunately, woke up when we got home and didn't go back to sleep. So we popped in A Bug's Life to mellow out in front of and just relax on the couches (we all had too much sun and were exhausted).
Logan didn't have much of an appetite all day, but he was in a pretty good mood. So good, in fact, that toward the end of the evening as we were getting ready for bed, he was running laps around the house, rolling on the floor and actually SPINNING around in circles until he'd drop to all fours at my feet (this sort of delirium tends to hit him the more tired he gets). It was pretty funny and he was having a grand old time, until, that is, the spinning got to him. And suddenly he puked up a few times all over the floor. Luckily - nothing but the floor and his shorts, which I needed to change him out of anyway, got dirty. I did a quick cleaning of the floor and trotted him off for a bath before bedtime. He seemed to be relieved that it was finally time to hit the hay. ;-)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Visiting the Cousins
This morning we went for a nice walk with Logan and the dogs. When we got home, Logan and I played a little basketball, but he quickly got distracted by seeing our bikes - and suddenly was pointing to my bike (which has his seat on the back) and saying "Bike!" and then trying to climb up on it. It was close to his naptime but I could tell I was going to have a tantrum on my hands if I didn't take him for a ride. So we got the bike and helmets out, set out for a ride, and within ten minutes TOPS, he was out like a light. I rode around for another 10 minutes or so and then had Jon help take him off the bike and put him to bed for his nap.
When he woke up, we headed for my Aunt and Uncle's house for a family get together. My cousin Ellen (their youngest) recently got engaged, so we were celebrating the news. Sophia (my cousin Tim's daughter) just turned 2 this past Monday and several others' birthdays were coming up. We also hadn't been together as a big family since last year (for Kai's graduation celebration dinner) so the visit was definitely overdue. And MY how both Logan and Sophia have grown since then!
Sophia is a beautiful dainty little girl - actually smaller than Logan even though he's 4 months younger - but so darling and cute I couldn't get enough of her! She and Logan got along great and played together all day long! The minute we arrived the two of them were playing with the living room toys making a ton of noise and generally having a ball. Jordan (Sophia's older brother) asked them several times to "Please don't make so much noise; I can't hear the movie" as he turned the TV up louder and louder. Yeah, good luck with that kid. I keep asking Logan the same thing. Jordan also really really REALLY wanted Logan to play with him, something "just for boys". But unfortunately Logan didn't quite get that concept and continued to splash and throw balls and generally act like a 20 mth old. Oh well - next time. :)
As always, Aunt Pammie hosts a wonderful party. There was a scrumptious spread to choose from for dinner and a decadent, rich chocolate cake for dessert. She also had a plethora of activities for the kids - which really kept Logan busy. From toys inside the house, to splashing in the kiddy pool, to croquet on the lawn, basketball, tricycles, play-doh and painting arts and crafts. Logan probably did more in the couple of hours we were there than he does all day at school! ;-)
(Click on any of the pics above for more of the day!)
When he woke up, we headed for my Aunt and Uncle's house for a family get together. My cousin Ellen (their youngest) recently got engaged, so we were celebrating the news. Sophia (my cousin Tim's daughter) just turned 2 this past Monday and several others' birthdays were coming up. We also hadn't been together as a big family since last year (for Kai's graduation celebration dinner) so the visit was definitely overdue. And MY how both Logan and Sophia have grown since then!
Sophia is a beautiful dainty little girl - actually smaller than Logan even though he's 4 months younger - but so darling and cute I couldn't get enough of her! She and Logan got along great and played together all day long! The minute we arrived the two of them were playing with the living room toys making a ton of noise and generally having a ball. Jordan (Sophia's older brother) asked them several times to "Please don't make so much noise; I can't hear the movie" as he turned the TV up louder and louder. Yeah, good luck with that kid. I keep asking Logan the same thing. Jordan also really really REALLY wanted Logan to play with him, something "just for boys". But unfortunately Logan didn't quite get that concept and continued to splash and throw balls and generally act like a 20 mth old. Oh well - next time. :)
As always, Aunt Pammie hosts a wonderful party. There was a scrumptious spread to choose from for dinner and a decadent, rich chocolate cake for dessert. She also had a plethora of activities for the kids - which really kept Logan busy. From toys inside the house, to splashing in the kiddy pool, to croquet on the lawn, basketball, tricycles, play-doh and painting arts and crafts. Logan probably did more in the couple of hours we were there than he does all day at school! ;-)
Once it was nearing Logan's bedtime, we decided to head home. We were hoping he'd fall asleep on the ride home but no such luck. He wasn't unhappy though - just wide awake and watching the cars drive by. I'm sure he was still processing everything he had experienced at Aunt Pam's house. ;-) We got home and I worked on putting him to bed while Jon tidied up the house since we were expecting some of the guys to come over for poker night. I gabbed on the phone and did a few chores. Jon lost a couple bucks but nothing too bad. Overall a jam packed day as usual!
(Click on any of the pics above for more of the day!)Friday, August 14, 2009
Shoes!
Jon has been nagging me forEVER about getting rid of some. The majority, like these probably, I pick up when walking through Nordys. But I have a hard time letting go to some that have great memories attached. There's the pair I bought when I learned to tango in Argentina or the time I found a steal (or two) when living in D.C. (and on the lonely rebound after breaking up with my boyfriend). Or a pair made of soft Italian leathers bought in, where else? Italy. Because of my back, I've stopped wearing most of them but I still look at them longingly, remembering the good ol' days.
All that said, I was pretty proud of myself this morning, putting aside about 10 pairs that I'm finally willing to say goodbye to. Which is a good thing, since I need some room as I say hello to three new 'friends', just ordered today. ;-)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Indy 500 Eat Your Heart Out
It all started one day when Logan decided to leap out of his car seat onto the other side of the car so I couldn't reach him. Rather than fight it, I left him to drop everything off inside the house and let the dogs out.
I came back and didn't see Logan in the back seat which freaked me out for a split second. Then all of a sudden I see a patch of brown hair poking up from the window of the driver's seat. I peer inside and sure enough, Logan is all smiles - waving to me through the window, steering the wheel, pushing every button and flipping every switch in sight.
He absolutely loves it, and could probably spend hours in there. :) In fact, he throws a bucking fit when I finally need to tear him away. *sigh*
We're doing a "double date" with my parents tonight and getting a "real" (aka paid) sitter. Chinese takeout for dinner and Julie & Julia the movie. Should be fun! :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
20 months old
Logan celebrated his 20 month birthday by sleeping in this morning, taking in a whopping 12 hours last night, which is amazing and unheard of in our household. Generally, Logan's a 9-10 hour kind of guy.
The full night's rest must have done his body, and mind, some good. Since, he hardly batted an eyelash when I dropped him off at school and said my goodbyes. He was way too interested in his morning snack, saying hi to his classmates, and flashing a glowing smile to all of thewomen teachers standing around.
Logan standing on his new bench, because he can.
(a present from Zafu and Zabuton)
The full night's rest must have done his body, and mind, some good. Since, he hardly batted an eyelash when I dropped him off at school and said my goodbyes. He was way too interested in his morning snack, saying hi to his classmates, and flashing a glowing smile to all of the
Logan is continuing to develop his own little personality. He's demanding and impatient and his emotions flip on a dime. He'll be charming and gorgeously happy one minute and then sulky and moody the next. He wants nothing to do with you, insists on doing things by himself (like drinking out of a big cup or cutting his food with a knife and fork) and then 4 seconds later he screams out your name and comes running up, THROWING his arms around your legs asking to be picked up.
When do we get to the stage where they stop being so fickle and start making up their damn minds?
Normally, when we put Logan down for the night, we rock him while he drinks a bottle of milk. He doesn't fall asleep in our laps anymore, but definitely calms down and begins to relax. Once he's done with his bottle, he'll sit up, point to his crib, and say "Night night" which is his way of asking us to lay him down for the night.
Tonight (and the last couple of nights) however, he's been the exact opposite. He'll finish his bottle and instead of asking to be laid down, he'll nestle his face into my chest. All four limbs splayed out in every which direction, turning his head from side to side trying to find a comfortable spot, no more room for a growing toddler to curl up in my arms. I'm not sure why we've been getting the extra cuddle time lately. But I know it's not going to be this way forever so I'm trying to drink in every memory he allows, one precious moment at a time.
When he's not cuddling with Mommy and Daddy, he's on the move. And I mean, he's ON THE MOVE. You know how I haven't been blogging as much as usual lately? That would be because of the 20 month old ON. THE. MOVE.
He runs, for no reason but to run. He chases the cats, the dogs, butterflies, house flies, us (or begs us to chase him). He's even been known to gallop!! (where he learned how to do that, I have no clue). I know, I know, it only gets worse from here.
And, he continues to develop his throwing arm. We should start placing bets on whether he becomes a pitcher, point guard or quarterback. He's learning how to catch a (foot)ball, in addition to throwing it to you, which delights him (and us, quite frankly) to no end.
Jon is counting down the days (only 1451 days left! no really.) when he can enroll Logan into football. Logan and his favorite Daddy, both get down on their hands and knees, forehead to forehead, nose to nose, counting off random colors and numbers (Blue-52! Blue-52!), before one of them decides enough is enough. And tackles the other in a rolling somersault, filled with laughter, to the floor.
It's adorable to watch, and I'm not sure which I love more; Jon playing the father, or Logan playing the son.
Jon, the baby amongst his brothers, at ~20 months old.
When do we get to the stage where they stop being so fickle and start making up their damn minds?
Normally, when we put Logan down for the night, we rock him while he drinks a bottle of milk. He doesn't fall asleep in our laps anymore, but definitely calms down and begins to relax. Once he's done with his bottle, he'll sit up, point to his crib, and say "Night night" which is his way of asking us to lay him down for the night.
Tonight (and the last couple of nights) however, he's been the exact opposite. He'll finish his bottle and instead of asking to be laid down, he'll nestle his face into my chest. All four limbs splayed out in every which direction, turning his head from side to side trying to find a comfortable spot, no more room for a growing toddler to curl up in my arms. I'm not sure why we've been getting the extra cuddle time lately. But I know it's not going to be this way forever so I'm trying to drink in every memory he allows, one precious moment at a time.
When he's not cuddling with Mommy and Daddy, he's on the move. And I mean, he's ON THE MOVE. You know how I haven't been blogging as much as usual lately? That would be because of the 20 month old ON. THE. MOVE.
He runs, for no reason but to run. He chases the cats, the dogs, butterflies, house flies, us (or begs us to chase him). He's even been known to gallop!! (where he learned how to do that, I have no clue). I know, I know, it only gets worse from here.
And, he continues to develop his throwing arm. We should start placing bets on whether he becomes a pitcher, point guard or quarterback. He's learning how to catch a (foot)ball, in addition to throwing it to you, which delights him (and us, quite frankly) to no end.
Jon is counting down the days (only 1451 days left! no really.) when he can enroll Logan into football. Logan and his favorite Daddy, both get down on their hands and knees, forehead to forehead, nose to nose, counting off random colors and numbers (Blue-52! Blue-52!), before one of them decides enough is enough. And tackles the other in a rolling somersault, filled with laughter, to the floor.
It's adorable to watch, and I'm not sure which I love more; Jon playing the father, or Logan playing the son.
Jon, the baby amongst his brothers, at ~20 months old.
Logan standing on his new bench, because he can.(a present from Zafu and Zabuton)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Robert turns 2!
Yesterday we spent the majority of the day at the Jodoins, celebrating Robert's 2nd Birthday! (he turns 2 on Tuesday) The first hour of the party, Logan was passed out in Robert's crib (he fell asleep on the ride home after being picked up from my parents, who had babysat Friday night to give Jon and I a free night out).
We had an excellent time - plenty of food, company, games and toys to go around for all. We even took the kids in the pool for a little bit (unfortunately, Logan didn't have as great a time as usual in the water, I think because the water was too cold for him), which was perfect since it was pretty warm outside.
Two highlights of the day (for me anyway) were when Logan tried eating with a fork and knife, something he's been all about these days. I’m assuming it’s because he sees us doing it and wants to do it himself. But still amazing to watch him try (sometimes successfully!) cut up his food and eat it. Just one more thing to remind us of how much our little guy is growing up!
Logan was also fascinated by Robert's new wooden train set - and it was wonderful to see him work out how to fit the tracks together on his own, and get a kick out of the train cars sticking together (via magnets). Jon and I have been thinking about getting him a train set sometime soon (if we can find the room!), so it was really fun to see him take to it so quickly!
Once cake and presents were done, most of the family and friends took off - and only the die-hards (the Hicksons and ourselves), stayed until the bitter end. ;-) We had about an hour break where the three kids were all napping, so we started a game of Settlers of Catan, but didn't get to finish before the kids woke up. I believe Jon, Nathan and Jarrod all declared themselves winners, but little did they know I had several points hiding in my hand. So, Internets, I think I was actually the real winner in that game. ;-)
We finally headed home after the kids started winding down, over stimulated from the day's events, I'm sure. Still, we had a blast and were so glad we could make Robert's big day. Happy Birthday again, Mr. Robert! :)
Today, Jon spent another handful of hours lying on his belly at the mercy of his tattoo artist while Logan and I did a little shopping and then lunched at The Counter with my parents before heading home to nap and do chores. With the wonderful summer weather, I've been trying to take advantage of our weekends as much as possible. The only downside is I'm totally whipped and need another two days to recuperate before work begins. Funny how that is.
(Click on any of the pics above for more from Robert's birthday!)
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