March 2011

Hey Jess! I haven't updated the stories bast making my list of things we did in March. I'll fill them in ASAP. But here are some pictures for you to look at while you're in the hospital. I hope your birth went well and you have a healthy little angel in your arms. (I did update February, below...

Notes to self:

Pushing the stroller to Agnes' house

Toddle to Great Harvest with Lisa and Lucy

Bon Voyage to GRamme and Gramps

Walking under things

Where'd the noodles go? In your tummy...

Walk to Agnes' house to see Agnes? No. to see Grammee and Gramps? Yes. They are all gone. More. Tears.

February 2011

At the beginning of February Grammee and Gramps arrived for their month-long stay. It took a while to get into a routine, and they insisted that they didn't need to see us every day, but eventually we settled on a great one. Mikey and I would give Mike a ride to work or Mike would leave for work and then Mikey and I would go to visit Grammee and Gramps for the morning.

We were also able to share the fun things around town with Grammee and Gramps. We took walks on the river trail and took them to gymnastics. We also went to the museum with Gramps and Mikey made it all the way to the top of the "treehouse" for the first time while he was there...I think he was showing off for Gramps.

The walks on the river trail were oodles of fun. We had warm weather, puddles, and passed dogs to pet. We also ran into Cousin Nick and Mere! Mikey just loved it. He would run and run and run and pause at puddles to play and splash.

Mikey's New Skilz

- Mikey put his hat on himself, opening it like a book and then leaning into it.
- Mikey started to notice different things on other people's clothing. He first noticed Lightning McQueen on someone's shirt. From there, he got excited to see trucks, trains, and animals on clothes. My favorite instance of this new trick was when he started chasing a little boy around pointing at his shoes. The little boy's pants were long and hung over the sides of his shoes but on the toe of each shoe was the number 95 in a little red flame. For those of you who do not know this little symbol, it is Lightning McQueen's number from the movie Cars. Mikey was chasing that symbol around!

- He has learned to make friends when we are out. In fact, at the museum he played "with" some big boys (maybe 4 years old) all over the place. But when we were leaving the Dino Dig to go home the boys gave him hugs and kisses, which he reciprocated, before we left.

- The "play station" with extra large lego-style blocks got some interesting play. He was stacking the pieces and had put a "cat head" on top. When he wanted to make the stack higher he took the "head" off, put a new block on, and put the head on the new higher stack. I was amazed and so proud.

- He is starting to "safely" descend things (stairs, slide) by himself.

- Mikey has learned how to turn the music on on his musical toys. If we have forgotten to put some tunes on the radio, Mikey takes it upon himself to turn some music on and dance. His dance is a head bob from side to side that his body then follows with a face-paced high-step. (I have got to get this on video at some point.)

Us Too

Mike was approved for early promotion. Julie finished a manuscript for a children's book. (With luck, there will be more to come on this topic later.)

Wheels-Obsessed

I have heard that little boys like cars and trucks. Mikey is "all boy" in this sense. In February, his stroller reappeared from the shed and he was elated. He pushed it all over the neighborhood, with me steering. (See picture, above.)

I mentioned Lightning McQueen earlier and I have to take a minute to explain how Mikey knows him. Well, one of his favorite toys from Christmas is a Shake-n-go Lightning McQueen that we call "Speed." Mikey has adored this little toys and pushes it all over timbuktu. One day we ordered the movie Cars and showed it to Mikey. At first he was excited because he recognized Speed on TV. Then he was distressed when Speed was off camera but relieved that he came back if he watched long enough. So day after day Mikey started watching more and more of the movie Cars. He got to know the characters, choose favorites, and learn about racing.

Now Mikey's wheel obsession has evolved. He no longer pushes the toys. SOmetimes he revs the engine and gives them a push and lets them roll. We spent many hours in February racing cars with GRammee and Gramps and back and forth between Mama and Papa.

The Basement Playroom

Last fall I realized that I could repurpose the items in my basement and create a playroom. So I moved some furniture around and had a new space to take Mikey on winter mornings when we needed a change of scenery. Grammee and Gramps found us some new flooring, bought it, and helped us install it and now we have a fabulous playroom in the basement!

January 2011

Where's the Beach?

Soon after returning to Missoula Mikey was playing with me in the kitchen. I gave him a small container with salt in it so he could shake it and examine it. Instead of being a cool new thing, it made Mikey distressed. He started crying hysterically and making his sign for "where is___?" I guessed and guessed and then I said, "where is the beach?" and he nodded yes. He was SO sad that the beach was all gone. He then started to ask me to take him for a drive in the car to the airport.

Farewell Jenny and Thomas

The start of January brought with it the departure of one of my new and dearest friends - Jenny. I was happy and excited for her and her husband to have found opportunity in Vermont but terribly sad because I didn't want her to leave. We had Jenny, Phil, and their son Thomas over for a pancake farewell one afternoon. I surprised her with a mobile that I made for her. We then proceeded to have lots of farewell activities. Mikey and I joined Jenny and Thomas at their hotel for swimming in the pool. We went to the Children's Museum for a group gathering to say farewell with the other mamas and sons.

The Schneiders Visit
The second week into the new year we got to have Grandma and Grandpa Schneider as houseguests for a week. Mikey was happy for the distraction from missing the beach. There were a few quick memories from the week.

Our First Date

First, Mike and I had our first date since Mikey was born. We dropped him off at the Museum with Grandma and Grandpa and went for a hot chocolate and a walk around downtown. It was lovely and made possible by Megan, the main front desk person at the Museum. (Evidently, we get special treatment and Mikey is allowed to be accompanied by any two adults. Normally, only two adults identified on the membership are allowed.)

Mikey's Turf

In addition to the museum, we took Grandma and Grandpa around town so they could see what we like to do. They came to Bitterroot gymnastics with us. Grandma came to Tiny Tales with us. They stayed at home with us when Lucy came to visit.

Quiet Toys

Grandma was pleased with herself for only buying quiet toys. However, what she didn't expect was that Mikey had a new favorite thing to do - dumping. Duplos make a fabulous "CRASH" when Mikey dumps them on the floor.

Where's the Train?

We read the "Freight Train" book several times and were all very amused when we got to the end when the train "disappears" and Mikey made his sign for "where is it?"

Video Chatting

Before Mikey was born we asked the grandparents what they would like to be called. We had heard that our friends asked the same question and it worked wonderfully. Of course, the grandparents said, "he can call me whatever he wants." They didn't realize that he will call them whatever we call them! So we just called them all Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma and Grandpa. While the Schneiders were here, we video chatting with the Uzelacs and it became clear to them (finally) that they should pick names. Yay! Now we have the Schneiders, Nana and Grandpa, and the Uzelacs, Grammee and Gramps.

New Stuff

Jumping

Mikey is working on jumping - jumping on the trampoline at gymnastics, jumping on the couch, jumping in the Johnny Jump-up, jumping on the floor.

First Fossil

Mikey found his first fossil in Dino Dig at the museum. He went into the exhibit and it was totally empty. There were no other children and all the fossils were buried. Mikey found a spot and sat down and started digging. When he uncovered a fossil, he looked up at me, pointed at the fossil, and said, "oh!" Then, excitedly, he started digging and asking for my help. He pulled it from the heap of fake sand and was absolutely tickled, so pleased with himself. It made me feel proud and happy.

Somersault

One day at the museum, Mikey and I were in the toddler play area at the museum. In the past, I had put him on his belly on a cylinder and rolling him forward and backward. On that day, Mikey ran at the cylinder and flew over it doing a somersault - landing on his hands and flipping over. The parents of the other toddler in the area about had a heart attack, as did I. But then Mikey just kept running and somersaulting over and over again and I realized that he wouldn't hurt himself.

Trucks on Reserve

REI is a favorite place to take Mikey. This is important because the museum isn't open on Mondays. So we ran around REI for a while on Monday. Then we went and had a snack in the car. THEN, Mikey looked across the parking lot and saw cars and trucks going on Reserve St. So after our snack, Mikey and I walked carefully through the parking lot to the sidewalk along Reserve Street and walked up and down looking at all the cars and trucks and freight trucks that went by. He was thrilled.

Pancakes

On some tired mornings I become desparate to entertain Mikey with something new. One morning I decided that we could make pancakes together. Mikey really wanted to stir. So, after I got the batter ready I made Mikey a little bowl of flour and gave him one of the measuring spoons. He was adorable and loved to stir the flour. After playing with me a little on the counter, I put Mikey in his high chair to stir. Of course, he dumped the flour onto the tray and started examining it there. When he became tired of that I poured some water on it and added some food coloring and let him play with the goop. What fun!

More Yoga for Me

Sylvia started teaching Kundalini Yoga on Wednesday evenings. Mike even said that he was ready to let me go. But the first night, Mikey wasn't ready. In fact, he threw up when I was gone and he was ready for bed! Mike reported that it was terrible but that he was committed to helping me get more yoga and that he believed it would just get better and better. What a man!

Waving

Mikey now likes to stand and look out the window so he can wave hello or goodbye as people approach. When I came home from yoga and he smiled and waved at me it melted me heart.

Naps

Something was up with Mikey in January. He seemed to be wanting something new with his sleep routine...something other than nursing. He, of course, was afraid of doing something else but I had to try anyways. We started a new nap routine and it involve letting him cry. Listening to him cry was terrible but I had lots of support from other mamas on Facebook and on the phone. And after three days, Mikey just played with his red car and whimpered a little before finally falling asleep.

Knobs and Buttons

Like many kiddos Mikey's age, he is very interested in pressin gbuttons and turning knobs. He likes to play with the laundry. He also likes to turn the water heater knob. We didn't realize this until one day when there was no hot water for showers! Mikey had turned the water heater down without us realizing it!