Incognito

I am really alive. But there hasn't been much to report around here. I was waiting to get Teague's 18 month pictures back so I would have the "professional" pics to post - if you can even call JCP professional. Honestly I sometimes wonder where they get these gals who take the pictures. For example - you want to give my 18 month old a fake rock to sit on and really you expect that he will sit and not CLIMB on it?? Or a chair. He is not going to sit in it. He will stand. And then the gal puts the camera off to the side and makes all these silly sounds at my kid and then when he smiles without saying "NO!" she grabs the camera and expects that the moment is still existent. Wow-zer. He's not 3 months or even 3 years. He moves, shakes and doesn't hold a smile for long. So it was interesting. Most of the pictures we had to chose from consisted of a baseball glove on his head, a picture of him holding the letter "T" and saying NO!, one of him standing on the rock, and another of him waving his hands in disgust over this picture taking episode. But here are the good ones (and you will need to guess which ones he is saying NO! or just finished saying NO!) Can you tell that by outfit #2 things really went downhill since there wasn't much to choose from with that outfit??

Teague had his 18 month appt. last week and is staying right on track with all his other stats. 95th - off the charts for growth on everything. I think we are prepping ourselves for a tall boy. I think I need to start a savings account specifically for groceries. I can only imagine what that will be like in 13 years.

Our daycare has been closed for a week and a half. It's been crazy trying to line up other sitters, but we managed. And I have to say there have been zero timeouts, hitting and very few NO's since he hasn't had daycare. I mean literally for the past 10 days my good boy is back. So I can assume once Monday comes and he is back there to defend himself from the toddler elements, there will be more issues. Like my friend Beth says, going to daycare for a toddler is like being in "cell block C". You stand there with your arms up in defense wondering who is going to bite you, who is going to steal your toy, who is going to push you, who will hit you next and so on. I can only imagine the stress the toddlers must feel without having some personal space! Now don't get me wrong, we love Tina and think she is awesome, but we also know that it is impossible to stop the madness of toddler 'tudes with so many to watch. The past 10 days he has still been with kids - like the VanBeck's (thanks again Amy!), but with fewer kids I think you can stop something before it gets out of control, therefore the kid isn't worried all day. Whoa, enough of my psycho-babble.

FINALLY! February is approaching. Maybe this is the start to light at the end of the tunnel and we will get some warmer weather.

Have a great weekend.

Can you see it?

Well as guilty as it makes me feel, I can bribe my kid with "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Noggin anytime I need to get something done. I have to admit I am not proud of my kid already having a favorite show, but on the other hand it sure makes life easier when I am virtually a single mom this time of year and things like making dinner have to go on. Here he is watching his show. Do you think he can see it?!

Ryan is the best hubby ever. He sent me flowers at school last week, just because. He never sends flowers at birthdays or anniversaries or even V-day (my insistence on that day though - too expensive!) because when he does send them I won't be expecting them. What a guy! Here's Teague and I "posing" with the flowers. Teague was not happy that Ryan took this picture while he was trying to eat his snack, he objected after the photo session with a big ol' bold "NO!", imagine that.

This week seems like it will be warmer. I am so happy about that. Though Ryan and I are looking forward to Mexico and TROPICAL weather!

Have a great week.

Half way to 3!

Can you believe it? Teague is half way to 3. Awwwww. As you can see from the video he still says No! a lot. He says or mimics a new word daily and some friends say that we could start potty training already. Really?? I think we will have to wait until summer when we can devote more time/days to it. We'll see.

Ryan and I just booked a spring break trip for the two of us to Mexico. 8 days and 7 nights! That's the longest we have been away from Teague, but it will no doubt be an awesome trip.

Regardless we are just trying to keep warm and hoping for a warm up soon!

A Preview of "NO!" (Courtesy of Teague)

NO! (Word of the New Year)

The word of the year is "NO!" And it's a forceful NO! at that. Teague loves to say it, even when it doesn't pertain to what we are talking to him about. Here are the last 3 pictures I have taken of him over the last week. In every one he is yelling "NO!" at me.
Yesterday it was back to the grind. Now don't get me wrong, playing with Teague would be 100 times more fun (for me) than being back at work. It was becoming quite obvious after 2 weeks away from daycare that Teague was ready to return to structure and seeing his friends. And I think I was ready for it too. However Sunday night (the night before returning to our routines) he refused to sleep in his crib. Believe it or not but one year ago at this exact same time - the night before starting daycare for the first time ever (and it was after Christmas break) he refused to sleep in his crib. What a stinker. So Sunday night he laid with us for a while, which he assumed was party time since I had my eyes shut and he would say "Maaaaaaaa-meeeeee?" and I would open my eyes and he would say "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii". And back and forth. Pretty soon he was picking my nose and laughing hysterically. So 3 hours past his normal bedtime (10:30) I put him in his crib prepared to listen to him scream. And he screamed like a hyena in heat and would yawn through his screams and finally fell off to sleep at 11. Of course I couldn't sleep at that point because I was feeling so bad for him (lame, I know - but I am a mom with feelings nonetheless)! And then it was party time again at 2:30 a.m.! We are talking about a kid who sleeps 12-13 hours at night at a crack and then a good nap during the day. But now we are 100% back to normal and all feeling a bit more rested. There is something to be said for toddlers and their normal routine!

Other happenings: Teague talks soooo much now. It's amazing. He calls his blanket a "me me" and his paci a "gu gu" but we have always called his paci a guk, so he got that from us. So usually he tells us he is ready for bed by saying "me me gu gu"?! He calls most family members by correct name now, just uses so many words (bye, socks, coat, hat, toes, eyes, nose, etc. etc.). It's great.

We had a good New Year's celebrating with the VanBeck's and others. Teague loved playing with all the kids too.

A co-worker and friend of mine had an emergency C-section on Saturday to deliver her baby at 25 weeks. He only weighs 12.5 oz. and is 10" long. Please keep her and the baby in your prayers. They both need strength as Jenny's life was in danger as well. Her baby, Brycen, is doing phenomenally well all things considered.

Keep warm!