Tomorrow we're heading out of town for a weekend wedding. Our friend, Francis, is getting hitched in Chattanooga, TN. The plan is to fly to Atlanta where we'll squeeze in an overnight visit with Anh's parents. This will be Baylor's first vacation, along with his first flight. I'm not too worried about drama though. We'll only be in the air for about an hour, and since he loves to eat, I plan to offer him milk during takeoff and landing to help with his ears popping. No matter what the flight can't go any worse than the one we took when Jax was cutting his molars. That was a nightmare! So barring a repeat of that experience, we'll consider it a success.
After a night with the in-laws, Anh and I will take off Friday morning on our drive north to Chattanooga. Originally, the kids were going to go with us to the wedding, but Ba Ba (Jax's name for Anh's mom) convinced us to leave them behind. She worked the "the baby is too little to be traveling so far" angle, but the truth is that she just wants to have as much time with the boys as possible. So we caved, and agreed to leave them behind with her. I'm sure it will work out for the best anyway. Even though I'll miss them, I'm secretly looking forward to uninterrupted sleep. Besides, they're in good hands.
We'll drive back to Atlanta on Sunday, and then all take a flight home on Monday. Hopefully, I'll have some cute pictures and tales to share. Until then, have a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
What is it with Florida?
I just heard that we are once again under a water boil notice. Evidently lightening struck our water treatment plant which caused the water pressure to drop, and that evidently can lead to unsafe drinking water. I don't know what it is about this state, but this is a regular occurance. Not lightening striking the water treatment plant, but water boil notices. Since moving down a year ago, this has to be at least the 15th time this has happened.
Before we were Floridians, I can only remember one time when we were under notice. Maybe I just missed the notice for all the other ones and was drinking the tainted water which could explain a lot! Okay, seriously, let's hope that wasn't the case. Anyway, so I had to bust open the hurricane kit that I put together last summer and use some of the bottled water because a certain little piggy couldn't wait for me to boil and cool safe, clean water. No, he just had to have a bottle right then, the very instant I was reading the notice. At least I had some bottled water on hand. Otherwise, we'd have been in a heap of trouble.
Before we were Floridians, I can only remember one time when we were under notice. Maybe I just missed the notice for all the other ones and was drinking the tainted water which could explain a lot! Okay, seriously, let's hope that wasn't the case. Anyway, so I had to bust open the hurricane kit that I put together last summer and use some of the bottled water because a certain little piggy couldn't wait for me to boil and cool safe, clean water. No, he just had to have a bottle right then, the very instant I was reading the notice. At least I had some bottled water on hand. Otherwise, we'd have been in a heap of trouble.
He's Legal
Baylor has a social security card! Of course, now-a-days that doesn't necessarily mean you're legal, but since his was issued by the Social Security Administration, I think he's probably legit.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Heroic Tale
Tonight we headed out to enjoy an evening with old and new friends. The plan was to meet up with Lou and Trish and their friends, Scott and Karen, at a restaurant where we could enjoy the sunset while watching the boats cruise by on the Intercoastal waterway. Scott and Karen also brought along their 7-year old, Summer. As we were enjoying our beverages on the deck, the guys decided to take the kids for a stroll along the dock. I was instantly nervous because there really wasn't much of railing, just a single rope strung from pillar to pillar. That wasn't going to do much to contain my active 3-year old.
Seeing Jax run up and swing from the measly rope didn't do much to calm my nerves either, but I decided to have faith in my husband's parenting abilities and kept my mouth shut. As the boys walked the dock, we enjoyed a little girl talk. A short time later, the guys wandered back up to the table. I was instantly relieved to see that everyone was dry. They had obviously kept a close eye on the kids. Good job, boys!
Towards the end of our meal, a lady and a 2-year old girl came up to Anh and thanked him. The talked for a few minutes, but I was confused as to how he knew them. After they walked away, Scott turned to me and said, "That's her." He could tell from the look on my face that I was confused, and he asked me, "Didn't Anh tell you what happened?" I turned to Anh for answers, and he told me, "Well, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to ban Jax from walking on the dock." So, of course, then I was really confused and kind of worried about what he was going to say.
Anh tells me that, while they were walking on the dock, they suddenly heard a splash and both Anh and Scott instantly knew that one of the kids had fallen in. Scott quickly asked, "Yours or mine?" They both looked around in a panic, but after realizing that Jax and Summer were safe on the dock next to them, they scanned the water looking to see what had happened. Anh saw something bobbing under the water, and then heard a female calling from a nearby table, "It's okay. She can swim!" Suddenly, a little girl popped to the surfaced. She was frantically dog-paddling, and Anh instantly dropped onto his stomach and reached down into the water to pull her to safety before the current pulled her out of reach. She was wet and scared, but okay.
If the mom and little girl hadn't come over to thank Anh again for helping, I would have probably never known about Anh's heroic moment. Sadly, as a side effect, Jax will no longer be able to walk on boat docks. Sorry, kid!
Seeing Jax run up and swing from the measly rope didn't do much to calm my nerves either, but I decided to have faith in my husband's parenting abilities and kept my mouth shut. As the boys walked the dock, we enjoyed a little girl talk. A short time later, the guys wandered back up to the table. I was instantly relieved to see that everyone was dry. They had obviously kept a close eye on the kids. Good job, boys!
Towards the end of our meal, a lady and a 2-year old girl came up to Anh and thanked him. The talked for a few minutes, but I was confused as to how he knew them. After they walked away, Scott turned to me and said, "That's her." He could tell from the look on my face that I was confused, and he asked me, "Didn't Anh tell you what happened?" I turned to Anh for answers, and he told me, "Well, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to ban Jax from walking on the dock." So, of course, then I was really confused and kind of worried about what he was going to say.
Anh tells me that, while they were walking on the dock, they suddenly heard a splash and both Anh and Scott instantly knew that one of the kids had fallen in. Scott quickly asked, "Yours or mine?" They both looked around in a panic, but after realizing that Jax and Summer were safe on the dock next to them, they scanned the water looking to see what had happened. Anh saw something bobbing under the water, and then heard a female calling from a nearby table, "It's okay. She can swim!" Suddenly, a little girl popped to the surfaced. She was frantically dog-paddling, and Anh instantly dropped onto his stomach and reached down into the water to pull her to safety before the current pulled her out of reach. She was wet and scared, but okay.
If the mom and little girl hadn't come over to thank Anh again for helping, I would have probably never known about Anh's heroic moment. Sadly, as a side effect, Jax will no longer be able to walk on boat docks. Sorry, kid!
Friday, June 20, 2008
1 Month
Today Baylor is 1 month old!So far, he can:
- Make and maintain eye contact
- Cry and make grunting noises
- Smile and stick out tongue
- Regularly drink 3 oz of milk per feeding, but occasionally down 6 oz
- Hold his head up & raise up on his forearms when laying on his tummy
- Roll from his tummy to his back.
His favorite activities are:
- Staring at the window blinds
- Eating.
9 Years
Anh and I went on our first "date" nine years ago today. I use the word "date" loosely because it really was just lunch in the dining hall at Philmont Scout Ranch, but in Middle-of-Nowhere, New Mexico that definitely qualifies as a date. Sad, huh?!
Anh and I were both working at the scout ranch for the summer. He was a 4th year medical student working as a medic in the Health Lodge, and I was there working as a manager in the Trading Post. That was not how I had planned to spend the summer of my senior year of college. I reluctantly agreed to travel to NM as a favor for my Dad who didn't want my younger brother, Travis, to travel from GA to NM alone. I was less than thrilled to spend the summer working around a bunch of boy scouts out in some remote part of the country.
I guess it was for the best though because here we are 9 years later - married with 2 kids. Crazy how life works out!
Anh and I were both working at the scout ranch for the summer. He was a 4th year medical student working as a medic in the Health Lodge, and I was there working as a manager in the Trading Post. That was not how I had planned to spend the summer of my senior year of college. I reluctantly agreed to travel to NM as a favor for my Dad who didn't want my younger brother, Travis, to travel from GA to NM alone. I was less than thrilled to spend the summer working around a bunch of boy scouts out in some remote part of the country.
I guess it was for the best though because here we are 9 years later - married with 2 kids. Crazy how life works out!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Summer School
Yesterday was the first day of Jax's summer school session. Instead of focusing on curriculum, they'll be doing more "fun" activities. There are even a few "water" days scheduled when he'll need to wear his swimsuit to school. Boy, his teachers are brave!
When I picked Jax up yesterday afternoon, he didn't spit out the typical report. You see, usually he tells me that he ate all of his lunch, played on the playground, and sang songs. I guess I asked the same boring questions too many days in a row at the beginning of the school year. So he just started spitting out the answers as soon as I see him so he won't have to suffer through the boring questions for a millionth time. But, not yesterday!
No, since yesterday all I've heard about is that Mrs. Howe, Michelle, Baylor, and Gonzi weren't there. Well, Mrs. Howe retired at the end of the regular school year. So that explains her absence. I think Michelle is the princess that once introduced herself to Grandfather, but she's not someone that Jax ever mentions. So, I'm not sure why he was so concerned that she wasn't there. Baylor and Gonzi's absence would understandably distress Jax though. These are his two best friends.
Oh and since I know you're wondering...No, we didn't name the baby after Jax's best friend. It's just a strange coincidence that Jax befriended a kid whose unusual name just happened to be the same as we chose for our next child. And, yes, there has been some name confusion. When I was pregnant and we talked about Baylor being in Mommy's tummy, Jax would tell me that he "had a Gonzi in his belly." So we started referring to the baby as Baby Baylor. Then after the baby arrived and Jax would talk about Baby Baylor at school, Baylor got upset thinking that Jax was calling him a baby. I think we've straightened out the confusion now, thank goodness.
Anyway, so now I've got to do some investigating into what happened to Baylor and Gonzi. I spoke with both of their moms at the end-of-the-year program, and both told me that they would be there for summer school. Hopefully, they just coincidentally were both out on Tuesday and didn't end up choosing different days to attend.
The one positive that Jax did report is that Sophie was there. Sophie is his first girl friend, a friend that is a girl. Jax told me that she does not try to kiss him. Good girl, Sophie. Keep your mitts off my son.
When I picked Jax up yesterday afternoon, he didn't spit out the typical report. You see, usually he tells me that he ate all of his lunch, played on the playground, and sang songs. I guess I asked the same boring questions too many days in a row at the beginning of the school year. So he just started spitting out the answers as soon as I see him so he won't have to suffer through the boring questions for a millionth time. But, not yesterday!
No, since yesterday all I've heard about is that Mrs. Howe, Michelle, Baylor, and Gonzi weren't there. Well, Mrs. Howe retired at the end of the regular school year. So that explains her absence. I think Michelle is the princess that once introduced herself to Grandfather, but she's not someone that Jax ever mentions. So, I'm not sure why he was so concerned that she wasn't there. Baylor and Gonzi's absence would understandably distress Jax though. These are his two best friends.
Oh and since I know you're wondering...No, we didn't name the baby after Jax's best friend. It's just a strange coincidence that Jax befriended a kid whose unusual name just happened to be the same as we chose for our next child. And, yes, there has been some name confusion. When I was pregnant and we talked about Baylor being in Mommy's tummy, Jax would tell me that he "had a Gonzi in his belly." So we started referring to the baby as Baby Baylor. Then after the baby arrived and Jax would talk about Baby Baylor at school, Baylor got upset thinking that Jax was calling him a baby. I think we've straightened out the confusion now, thank goodness.
Anyway, so now I've got to do some investigating into what happened to Baylor and Gonzi. I spoke with both of their moms at the end-of-the-year program, and both told me that they would be there for summer school. Hopefully, they just coincidentally were both out on Tuesday and didn't end up choosing different days to attend.
The one positive that Jax did report is that Sophie was there. Sophie is his first girl friend, a friend that is a girl. Jax told me that she does not try to kiss him. Good girl, Sophie. Keep your mitts off my son.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
4 Week Check-Up
When I say "all my kid does is eat," I mean ALL MY KID DOES IS EAT! At Baylor's 2 week check-up, he weighed in at exactly 9 lbs and was 20 3/4 inches long. This week, Baylor weighs an astonishing 11 lbs! He's gained 2 lbs which ain't normal, folks. I don't even know how long he was because I was just too in shock to pay attention after hearing he weighed 11 lbs. I actually suspected he was going to weigh at least a pound more because his 3 month clothes are already fitting tight. He looks like a little sausage in some of his onesies. I guess it's time to start packing away some things already.
Dr. N assures me that he's not destined to be a sumo wrestler nor is it likely that he'll even be overweight. She seems to believe that he's just going through an early growth spurt. Well, he's been in this "growth spurt" for 3 weeks now, practically since he was born. I don't ever remember Jax having a growth spurt that lasted this long, but then again, Jax really wasn't much of an eater to begin with. So his growth spurts probably weren't average either. I guess the boys just don't have much in common so far, except in the looks department. ; )
Dr. N assures me that he's not destined to be a sumo wrestler nor is it likely that he'll even be overweight. She seems to believe that he's just going through an early growth spurt. Well, he's been in this "growth spurt" for 3 weeks now, practically since he was born. I don't ever remember Jax having a growth spurt that lasted this long, but then again, Jax really wasn't much of an eater to begin with. So his growth spurts probably weren't average either. I guess the boys just don't have much in common so far, except in the looks department. ; )
Monday, June 16, 2008
Yuck
I was wondering how long it would take. Jax did it at the 6 week mark. Baylor couldn't be outdone by his big brother though. At exactly 4 weeks of age, Baylor has projectile vomited on his Mommy. Yes, it's a proud moment for me. We were just sitting on the couch. I was watching the sudden death round of the U.S. Open. He was staring at the window blinds, a favorite pastime of his, when all of a sudden he just threw up all over me with no warning. Yuck! It wasn't just a little bit either. He'd obviously been saving up a full day's worth of milk to fire at me. Not sure what I did to tick him off, but boy he got me good. Little stinker!
I hope this was a one time incident and not a sign that he's caught his first virus. Well, we're scheduled for another check-up tomorrow anyway. I guess we'll let Dr. N know about his latest milestone. Now, he's resting peacefully in his swing, but we'll be letting Daddy hold him for a bit after he gets home, at least until we rule out a repeat incident. We wouldn't want Daddy to miss out on all the fun!
I hope this was a one time incident and not a sign that he's caught his first virus. Well, we're scheduled for another check-up tomorrow anyway. I guess we'll let Dr. N know about his latest milestone. Now, he's resting peacefully in his swing, but we'll be letting Daddy hold him for a bit after he gets home, at least until we rule out a repeat incident. We wouldn't want Daddy to miss out on all the fun!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Fore!
A few months ago, I decided to take up golf. BUT, I haven't really done much to pursue my new interest. So far, the best I've managed is 2 rounds of mini golf, and I've spent the last 2 days watching the U.S. Open. I now remember why I decided to take up golf in the first place. It's completely fascinating! The scenery is beautiful, and while you have to be somewhat fit to walk the course while lugging a heavy bag of clubs (assuming you don't take the easy way out & use a golf cart - which I'm totally going to do, by the way), it really seems to be a game of strategy which I love. I really need to actually take some steps to playing or at least go to the driving range to practice my swing before I decide to take on an actual course. Okay, it's probably more realistic that I book a tee time for a 3rd round of Pirate golf. Baby steps, People!
Oh, but speaking of watching the U.S. Open. We were watching the finals today, and it came right down to the wire between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. Of course, everyone LOVES Tiger Woods (myself included), but I really found myself rooting for Rocco the big time underdog. So it comes down to one stroke. Tiger has to nail his putt to tie with Rocco to force a playoff round tomorrow. Tiger is Tiger. So, of course, he nails it. Well, like the rest of the U.S. Open crowd, Anh hollers with excitement, but unlike the crowd at the U.S. Open, we have a little baby that was sleeping peacefully in his swing. Poor Baylor startled and started flapping his little arms so violently I swore he was about to take off like a bird out of his swing. Then, he just passed back out without even opening his eyes. It was the funniest thing I've seen in a while. I so wish I could mount a video camera to my forehead for events just like this.
Oh, but speaking of watching the U.S. Open. We were watching the finals today, and it came right down to the wire between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. Of course, everyone LOVES Tiger Woods (myself included), but I really found myself rooting for Rocco the big time underdog. So it comes down to one stroke. Tiger has to nail his putt to tie with Rocco to force a playoff round tomorrow. Tiger is Tiger. So, of course, he nails it. Well, like the rest of the U.S. Open crowd, Anh hollers with excitement, but unlike the crowd at the U.S. Open, we have a little baby that was sleeping peacefully in his swing. Poor Baylor startled and started flapping his little arms so violently I swore he was about to take off like a bird out of his swing. Then, he just passed back out without even opening his eyes. It was the funniest thing I've seen in a while. I so wish I could mount a video camera to my forehead for events just like this.
Friday, June 13, 2008
It's Not Gas
Baylor smiles! He's actually been smiling for 2 weeks now, but I didn't want to announce it because I knew everyone would say, "He's not really smiling. It's gas." Well, it's definitely not gas now, and I really don't think it ever has been. I say this because Baylor would just randomly light up with a big smile usually after letting out what sounded like a giggle. It almost always happened while he was sleeping, but a few times he did while awake. I'm not the only one to witness this strange phenomenon either.
Now though, I can say with certainty Baylor is truly smiling. When you smile at him, he smiles back in response. I will try to capture it on film and share later. You know how kids are though. They never perform when you want them to.
Now though, I can say with certainty Baylor is truly smiling. When you smile at him, he smiles back in response. I will try to capture it on film and share later. You know how kids are though. They never perform when you want them to.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Ding Dong
By now, you all know that the sound of our doorbell usually results in presents or evacuations. Thank goodness, today it was presents! Jax raced to the door after hearing the bell and was SUPER excited to see a box with his name on it sitting on the doorstep. Jax easily recognizes his name now because he has recently become obsessed with signing his name. At least a couple of times a day, he'll walk up to me with a pen and say, "I want to sign my name." It doesn't usually stop at his name either. He wants to write EVERYONE'S name: Mommy, Daddy, Grandfather, Grandma, Ba Ba, Ong Noi, Uncle Al, Aunt Kelly, Aunt Nguyen, Aunt Emily, Uncle Kyle, Aunt Glenda, and most recently Baby Baylor. Sometimes he even wants to write the doggies' names! It really can get out of hand! But, I'm getting off topic.
With Mommy's help, Jax opened his package to discover all sorts of goodies from Grandfather and Grandma. He let out a big gasp when he saw Kung Fu Panda toys (his latest movie obsession) and paused momentarily to play with them until he realized there was more in the box. He also received a few more Cars characters to add to his ridiculously extensive collection, a new "Little Scout Buddy" baseball cap (the best his Grandfather could do to turn him into a Cub/Boy Scout since he's too little to officially join), and some other trinkets and snacks. Oh, and there were a few more BPA-free bottles for Baylor. Grandfather and Grandma would never forget the baby.
Grandfather had actually informed me about the package and most of it's contents a few days ago. Therefore, I knew about one particular item that he was going to include and was anxiously waiting to see what Jax's reaction would be. It's nothing grand. Grandfather had included a little metal tally counter. I have no idea if that's what it's really called, but I'm not really sure how else to describe it. Anyway, growing up, we had one, and it was always used as an alligator counter when we went out boating. When I explained to Jax that Grandfather had sent him an "alligator counter," wouldn't you know it...there were suddenly alligators EVERYWHERE, just like when Aunt Glenda sent the "bear whistle." At least this thing won't wear out Mommy's nerves quite so fast. Speaking of the bear whistle, I wonder whatever happened to that thing? Daddy must have "lost" it.
With Mommy's help, Jax opened his package to discover all sorts of goodies from Grandfather and Grandma. He let out a big gasp when he saw Kung Fu Panda toys (his latest movie obsession) and paused momentarily to play with them until he realized there was more in the box. He also received a few more Cars characters to add to his ridiculously extensive collection, a new "Little Scout Buddy" baseball cap (the best his Grandfather could do to turn him into a Cub/Boy Scout since he's too little to officially join), and some other trinkets and snacks. Oh, and there were a few more BPA-free bottles for Baylor. Grandfather and Grandma would never forget the baby.
Grandfather had actually informed me about the package and most of it's contents a few days ago. Therefore, I knew about one particular item that he was going to include and was anxiously waiting to see what Jax's reaction would be. It's nothing grand. Grandfather had included a little metal tally counter. I have no idea if that's what it's really called, but I'm not really sure how else to describe it. Anyway, growing up, we had one, and it was always used as an alligator counter when we went out boating. When I explained to Jax that Grandfather had sent him an "alligator counter," wouldn't you know it...there were suddenly alligators EVERYWHERE, just like when Aunt Glenda sent the "bear whistle." At least this thing won't wear out Mommy's nerves quite so fast. Speaking of the bear whistle, I wonder whatever happened to that thing? Daddy must have "lost" it.
Party People
Tonight I attended my very first "retail" party. My friend, Trish, was the hostess. Never having been to one of these functions before, I was a little unsure what to expect. Since I knew she was pushing food products and there would be samples, I was all for trying something new. Anh and the boys went with me because the plan was for them to take off with Lou, Trish's fiancee, for some "guy fun." However, once we got there, and Anh realized there was food, he wasn't bolting out the door as planned, and since Jax has always loved a party, he was quite happy to see a room full of people and had no desire to leave. We all just ended up staying and hanging out.
Lou and Trish live in a large oceanfront condo, and it was really nice hanging out on their balcony enjoying the view, drinks, and snacks. There was a 7-year old girl at the party with her mom, and she helped entertain Jax for a while. He's a sucker for older women and blondes! Jax also got a kick out of Lou's saltwater fish tanks with sea horses, shrimp, and some crazy alien-looking crab. Thank God he didn't ask for one though. As Lou described how "easy" they were to care for, all I could think was "I don't need one more living thing to worry about right now." It didn't help that Lou and I also seem have quite a different definition of the word "easy." At least he'll be pleasantly surprised when he has a baby and discovers they aren't quite as complicated as seahorses. ; )
So it was a fun evening with friends that lightened our wallets just a little. We placed our order for some yummy cake, bread, and drink mixes. If you spend the 4th of July with us, you might even get to try some of the purchases. Anyone interested?
Lou and Trish live in a large oceanfront condo, and it was really nice hanging out on their balcony enjoying the view, drinks, and snacks. There was a 7-year old girl at the party with her mom, and she helped entertain Jax for a while. He's a sucker for older women and blondes! Jax also got a kick out of Lou's saltwater fish tanks with sea horses, shrimp, and some crazy alien-looking crab. Thank God he didn't ask for one though. As Lou described how "easy" they were to care for, all I could think was "I don't need one more living thing to worry about right now." It didn't help that Lou and I also seem have quite a different definition of the word "easy." At least he'll be pleasantly surprised when he has a baby and discovers they aren't quite as complicated as seahorses. ; )
So it was a fun evening with friends that lightened our wallets just a little. We placed our order for some yummy cake, bread, and drink mixes. If you spend the 4th of July with us, you might even get to try some of the purchases. Anyone interested?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
3 is the New 2
I'm thoroughly convinced that 3 is the new 2! This theory has been brewing in my head since January 10th (Jaxon's b-day), and today Jax assured me that the theory is now FACT. Here I was thinking, "Whew! We made it through the terrible two's without much to complain about. I really do have a good kid." But, now I realize that the nightmare was simply delayed. My kid was saving it up to torture me a year later.
He's still a good kid compared to some others that I've been around. He just knows how to push my buttons now. He's brilliant, really. He's clearly paid attention over the past 3 years and knows exactly what behaviors and attitudes will irritate me. Instead of using his powers for good, he uses them for evil. You'd think he'd avoid the "bad" behavior and earn brownie points with Mommy that would result in rewards. Oh no! He'll look straight at me when he's doing something that he knows is wrong waiting to see my reaction. He knows when my patience is limited and rather than laying low decides that is the perfect moment to act out.
I only wish I could blame it on the new baby. That would be the easy excuse. I just really don't think it has anything to do with Baylor though. I think Jax is just testing his boundaries, and at this point it's turned into a battle of wills. He obviously doesn't know that he inherited his stubbornness from his mother. I will win the battle and the war! So bring it on, kid!
He's still a good kid compared to some others that I've been around. He just knows how to push my buttons now. He's brilliant, really. He's clearly paid attention over the past 3 years and knows exactly what behaviors and attitudes will irritate me. Instead of using his powers for good, he uses them for evil. You'd think he'd avoid the "bad" behavior and earn brownie points with Mommy that would result in rewards. Oh no! He'll look straight at me when he's doing something that he knows is wrong waiting to see my reaction. He knows when my patience is limited and rather than laying low decides that is the perfect moment to act out.
I only wish I could blame it on the new baby. That would be the easy excuse. I just really don't think it has anything to do with Baylor though. I think Jax is just testing his boundaries, and at this point it's turned into a battle of wills. He obviously doesn't know that he inherited his stubbornness from his mother. I will win the battle and the war! So bring it on, kid!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Fro Yo
The Pinkberry-esque craze has finally made it to our area! Yesterday we had the brilliant idea to head out to do some shopping at our favorite outdoor mall when it was 100 degrees. Yep, brilliant plan we had there. At least we were able to cool off with a yummy frozen treat, even if they didn't have the mochi balls for Aunt Nguyen.
Jax got just a little carried away with the fro yo!Introducing Aunt Emily
Aunt Emily spent the last couple of days with us, and both boys seemed thrilled to have her around, especially since she arrived bearing gifts from her recent trip to Paris. Her visit was brief, but we all enjoyed spending time with her. We hope she'll make it back soon!Sunday, June 8, 2008
Relief
According to Dr. N, Baylor's pediatrician, a "baby's job is to breathe, eat, sleep, and poop." Well, Baylor temporarily stopped doing his job (the pooping part), and let's just say he was not happy. My "easy" baby has been anything but for the last 2 days thanks to the back-up. I don't really know what caused the problem. We haven't changed our routine or anything. Baylor was very regular until now. He'd eat and then immediately poop. Heck, sometimes he'd poop while eating which we've tried to explain really isn't appropriate, but he doesn't seem to care.
What complicated the situation was that Baylor can basically drink his own weight in fluids. One would think that he'd slow down the consumption given that he was backed-up, but oh no! This kid could not or would not lay off the milk which created some MAJOR discomfort that he was VERY vocal about. He didn't care that Mommy and Daddy were tired and wanted to sleep. Nope, he wanted the world to know that he was not happy. It really was pretty sad, actually. His whole body would tense up as he tried to push, and he'd turn bright red while whimpering and whining in pain.
Well just as we all began placing bets on when he'd drop the load, he finally let loose. I guess he didn't appreciate us making light of his situation. I can only imagine how uncomfortable the poor kid was after changing not 1, not 2, but 3 full diapers. He was seriously was full of _____. My poor baby! Obviously, he's feeling much better now.
Friday, June 6, 2008
My Son, The Class Clown
Yep, it's official. Jax is the class clown. There have been little things throughout the school year that made us suspect this, but yesterday we witnessed firsthand the behavior that makes our kid so popular among 3-year olds. He's a total goofball, and the kids seem to love him for it!
Yesterday Jax had an end-of-the-year performance at his school. We've had the event on our calendar for weeks. Anh made sure to keep his schedule clear so he could attend, and Aunt Nguyen even took off work for a couple of hours so she could make it. We knew the program would be centered around music because Jax has been singing the same 4 or 5 songs for weeks, and when I'd praise him for singing so well, he'd tell me that he was "practicing for my program." Clearly, the teachers had been working hard with all of the kids to insure a wonderful performance.
So, finally, the big day arrives. The program was scheduled to start at 11am, but the parents were told seating would begin at 10:15am. Being a rookie, this seemed insane to me. Jax attends a very small school. Why in the world would we need to be there 45 minutes early to get a seat? I was clueless, but thank God I followed the instructions and arrived early. You would have thought that we were fighting for the last seats on the Ark! Parents were cutting each other off and pushing to get to "the best seats." So much for setting a good example for the kids!
We took seats on the end of the 3rd row. It looked like we'd have a good view and be able to snap a few pictures and some video of the program. What we didn't account for was that the first 2 rows of parents would go into a frenzy when the kids came out. They were jumping up and down out of their seats. Lunging from side to side trying to shoot pictures and video around each other, completely clueless to the fact that there were rows of parents behind them that might actually want to see their kids. Oh, and they weren't inconsiderate for a few minutes. No, they acted this way throughout the program.
At first, I was beyond annoyed. Neither Nguyen nor I could get one decent picture of Jax. I didn't need to capture every second like the other parents, just a couple of decent pictures of my kid to share with the grandparents and post to the blog! My frustration level was rising and rising with each song, but then I realized something. My kid wasn't even singing, and it wasn't because he didn't know the songs. I had listened to him sing these songs perfectly for weeks. No, my kid wasn't singing because he was too busy dancing around and putting on his own little choreographed show. He definitely doesn't suffer from stage fright! Quite the opposite really. He seems to thrive on having an audience, but the audience also seems to bring on some form of ADD which made him incapable of following the rehearsed routine.
By this point, my growing fury had subsided. As Anh and I sat there observing the class clown, we were somewhat amused. I mean, he wasn't behaving like a brat or anything. He just seemed oblivious to the fact that he was supposed to be performing the program they had practiced for weeks. We decided Jax was just being 3. We noticed that most of the kids weren't singing. Some were standing there with glazed-over looks on their faces. One had thrown in the towel and was actually sitting on his mother's lap in the front row. Ultimately, we were just thankful that he wasn't the kid on the other end of the stage that cried throughout the entire show. Yeah, at least he wasn't the crybaby!
Yesterday Jax had an end-of-the-year performance at his school. We've had the event on our calendar for weeks. Anh made sure to keep his schedule clear so he could attend, and Aunt Nguyen even took off work for a couple of hours so she could make it. We knew the program would be centered around music because Jax has been singing the same 4 or 5 songs for weeks, and when I'd praise him for singing so well, he'd tell me that he was "practicing for my program." Clearly, the teachers had been working hard with all of the kids to insure a wonderful performance.
So, finally, the big day arrives. The program was scheduled to start at 11am, but the parents were told seating would begin at 10:15am. Being a rookie, this seemed insane to me. Jax attends a very small school. Why in the world would we need to be there 45 minutes early to get a seat? I was clueless, but thank God I followed the instructions and arrived early. You would have thought that we were fighting for the last seats on the Ark! Parents were cutting each other off and pushing to get to "the best seats." So much for setting a good example for the kids!
We took seats on the end of the 3rd row. It looked like we'd have a good view and be able to snap a few pictures and some video of the program. What we didn't account for was that the first 2 rows of parents would go into a frenzy when the kids came out. They were jumping up and down out of their seats. Lunging from side to side trying to shoot pictures and video around each other, completely clueless to the fact that there were rows of parents behind them that might actually want to see their kids. Oh, and they weren't inconsiderate for a few minutes. No, they acted this way throughout the program.
At first, I was beyond annoyed. Neither Nguyen nor I could get one decent picture of Jax. I didn't need to capture every second like the other parents, just a couple of decent pictures of my kid to share with the grandparents and post to the blog! My frustration level was rising and rising with each song, but then I realized something. My kid wasn't even singing, and it wasn't because he didn't know the songs. I had listened to him sing these songs perfectly for weeks. No, my kid wasn't singing because he was too busy dancing around and putting on his own little choreographed show. He definitely doesn't suffer from stage fright! Quite the opposite really. He seems to thrive on having an audience, but the audience also seems to bring on some form of ADD which made him incapable of following the rehearsed routine.
By this point, my growing fury had subsided. As Anh and I sat there observing the class clown, we were somewhat amused. I mean, he wasn't behaving like a brat or anything. He just seemed oblivious to the fact that he was supposed to be performing the program they had practiced for weeks. We decided Jax was just being 3. We noticed that most of the kids weren't singing. Some were standing there with glazed-over looks on their faces. One had thrown in the towel and was actually sitting on his mother's lap in the front row. Ultimately, we were just thankful that he wasn't the kid on the other end of the stage that cried throughout the entire show. Yeah, at least he wasn't the crybaby!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Exception to the Rule
I've always heard that the more kids you have the more money you'll spend. Well, I guess I am the exception. Today was my first outing alone with the kids. Okay, technically it was my second because I was alone yesterday when I took both kids to Baylor's pediatrician. I don't count yesterday's outing though because we just went from point A to point B and didn't really have to deal with being in a crowd or anything.
Today I was bold and made a trip to Target ALONE with a 2 week old and a 3 year old! I was just a tad nervous about how things would go. I just knew today Jax would act like a complete brat, and Baylor would have one of his "I have to eat right now" squealing fits even though I fueled him up right before leaving the house. The kid can't seem to go an hour without eating. So, I was brainstorming how I would feed him in the middle of Target while somehow keeping Jax under control.
I completely lucked out though, absolutely no drama. Baylor slept the whole time, and Jax was surprisingly well behaved. There were no tantrums or battles over whether it was better to walk or ride in the cart. He didn't try to run away when I stupidly let him out of the cart in the toy section. Really, the trip was rather uneventful. So, of course, my next outing will be a complete nightmare. That's how my life works! ; )
Anyway, getting back to the original point of my post, I was expecting to spend a small fortune. This is what happens every time I go to Target. Items scream at me from the shelves begging for a new home, and then they just leap into my basket. Seriously, it's not because I have no control over my spending. Target is just an evil store with supernatural powers.
This trip, however, it was nearly impossible for me to spend too much because there was simply no room in my cart for anything, but the essentials which now equates to diapers, wipes, and household cleaning supplies. Why was there no room you might ask? Well, because once I put Jax in the child seat and mounted Baylor's car seat to the front of the cart, there was about an 8 inch opening to squeeze items into the cart's cargo area which only had a limited amount of space thanks to my purse and the diaper bag. So even after utilizing the shelf on the bottom of the cart, i still wasn't able to buy that much.
As a result, I'm quite sure Anh is jumping for joy as he reads this post. But, don't celebrate too much, Dear. You'll now be required to accompany me on all Target trips because we'll need one cart for the kids and a second cart for the stuff. Aren't you thrilled?!
Today I was bold and made a trip to Target ALONE with a 2 week old and a 3 year old! I was just a tad nervous about how things would go. I just knew today Jax would act like a complete brat, and Baylor would have one of his "I have to eat right now" squealing fits even though I fueled him up right before leaving the house. The kid can't seem to go an hour without eating. So, I was brainstorming how I would feed him in the middle of Target while somehow keeping Jax under control.
I completely lucked out though, absolutely no drama. Baylor slept the whole time, and Jax was surprisingly well behaved. There were no tantrums or battles over whether it was better to walk or ride in the cart. He didn't try to run away when I stupidly let him out of the cart in the toy section. Really, the trip was rather uneventful. So, of course, my next outing will be a complete nightmare. That's how my life works! ; )
Anyway, getting back to the original point of my post, I was expecting to spend a small fortune. This is what happens every time I go to Target. Items scream at me from the shelves begging for a new home, and then they just leap into my basket. Seriously, it's not because I have no control over my spending. Target is just an evil store with supernatural powers.
This trip, however, it was nearly impossible for me to spend too much because there was simply no room in my cart for anything, but the essentials which now equates to diapers, wipes, and household cleaning supplies. Why was there no room you might ask? Well, because once I put Jax in the child seat and mounted Baylor's car seat to the front of the cart, there was about an 8 inch opening to squeeze items into the cart's cargo area which only had a limited amount of space thanks to my purse and the diaper bag. So even after utilizing the shelf on the bottom of the cart, i still wasn't able to buy that much.
As a result, I'm quite sure Anh is jumping for joy as he reads this post. But, don't celebrate too much, Dear. You'll now be required to accompany me on all Target trips because we'll need one cart for the kids and a second cart for the stuff. Aren't you thrilled?!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
2 Week Check-Up
Baylor went in for another follow-up appointment today. He weighed in at an impressive 9 lbs even and measured 20 3/4 inches long. The nurse seemed surprised when she read the figures. I thought maybe she was waiting for him to poop on the scale again. Luckily, we did not repeat that little performance.
When Dr. N calculated out the amount of weight he gained each day since his last visit, she was astonished to discover that Baylor is gaining double the amount that he needs. I'm not sure whether he's just going through a growth spurt or whether he's going to be a giant. Either way, all he does is eat! We're so proud! You better be nice to your little brother, Jax. At this rate, he'll be able to beat you up by the time he's 6 months old!
Dr. N still detected the slightest heart murmur, but again stated it was nothing she was concerned about. She said that it is somewhat common to be able to detect slight murmurs until 8 months of age. Surprisingly, I'm not worried about the issue at all. Dr. N is very reassuring. We'll go back in 2 weeks for another follow-up, but for now all looks good!
When Dr. N calculated out the amount of weight he gained each day since his last visit, she was astonished to discover that Baylor is gaining double the amount that he needs. I'm not sure whether he's just going through a growth spurt or whether he's going to be a giant. Either way, all he does is eat! We're so proud! You better be nice to your little brother, Jax. At this rate, he'll be able to beat you up by the time he's 6 months old!
Dr. N still detected the slightest heart murmur, but again stated it was nothing she was concerned about. She said that it is somewhat common to be able to detect slight murmurs until 8 months of age. Surprisingly, I'm not worried about the issue at all. Dr. N is very reassuring. We'll go back in 2 weeks for another follow-up, but for now all looks good!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Rub a Dub Dub
There were no ducks in the tub because we were expecting a repeat of Jax's 1st bath (blood-curdling screams so loud that we feared the neighbors would call the police and report us for child abuse), but Baylor got his first "real" bath tonight. Since the stump fell off last night, we knew it was time to move past the sponge bath.I wouldn't say he loved it, but he didn't have the extreme reaction Jax did either. He fussed in the beginning. Then he calmed down and seemed to actually enjoy it until we washed his head and face. That worked him up into a frenzy, but he calmed down instantly when we wrapped him his towel. Now that the ordeal is over, he's quite relaxed and seems happy to be squeaky clean.
Of course, that fresh feeling didn't last too long. He pooped within a matter of minutes and started working on accumulating the baby funk again. Oh well, that's life!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Beppo
"You might not know what beppo means or maybe you've forgotten. It's just the tiny hippo way of saying BELLY BUTTON!" If you haven't read the Belly Button Book, then you really must check it out. It's a super cute children's book that we read many, many, many times to Jaxon.
Tonight Baylor heard it for the first time to celebrate his new cute beppo. Check it out! Not sure yet whether it will turn out to be an innie or an outie, but either way it's better looking than before. I thought that nasty stump would never fall off!
Let's Go Racing
Speaking of bragging rights...Grandfather, Anh, and Jax were all inhaling my exhaust Saturday night!*
*Anh wanted it noted that he disputes my victory. He feels he and Jax were the true winners, and I only lapped them because they slowed down to wave to Mommy. Either way, I lapped them & all's fair when it comes to racing!
*Anh wanted it noted that he disputes my victory. He feels he and Jax were the true winners, and I only lapped them because they slowed down to wave to Mommy. Either way, I lapped them & all's fair when it comes to racing!Another Round of Pirate Golf
Our family tends to be a tad competitive. If you've ever spent a Christmas or Thanksgiving with us, then you know how intense games can become with everyone fighting for victory to maintain their bragging rights from the previous holiday get-together. So, it should come as no surprise that in our family a friendly game of miniture golf can take on the competitive spirit of, oh let's say...the Masters! That's exactly what happened Friday night when we decided to challenge Grandfather to a round of Pirate Golf.
Grandfather walked away victorious with a score of +2. Technically, Anh and I tied at +9, an improvement over our first round scores a few weeks ago. BUT, I must point out that while Anh bogied 3 holes, Jax and I both managed to pull off a hole-in-one! Yep, as amazed as I was by mine, everyone was stunned when Jax nailed his perfect putt. Maybe he will be the next Tiger!
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