Joseph's Locomotion

Today Joseph refused to drink a bottle (not unusual), but when I set it on the floor in front of him he went after it. He is getting closer to crawling! Also, Ian opened and consumed no less than 4 packages of fruit snacks while I took this video. 

Next week Ian turns two, and Joseph will be 6 months old! Wow. More pictures coming soon!

5 M O N T H s O L D !!!

I'd like the record to reflect that I have survived 5 months of two children under 2. There were some moments (especially when Joseph had RSV or when Ian wouldn't quit stepping on Joseph's face) when I felt ready to put in my two-weeks notice. But there were also moments of great joy and satisfaction while spending the day with my sweet boys. They amaze me with their brightness, forgiveness, and cheery dispositions, and I love them. And thankfully, it has gotten so much easier in the last month.

Since Joseph will be 5 months old tomorrow, I decided it was high time to post stats from his 4 month appointment. (which was actually only two weeks ago)

Height: 25", 45%
Weight: 14. 65 lbs. , 50%
Head: 50%

He is a healthy, happy, sweet little boy. He loves to suck on fingers (especially Daddy's), chew on a sock over his hand, hang out on his tummy, roll around (last week he started rolling from his back to his stomach too, so now he rolls across the room!) When he is on his stomach he also likes to get his knees up under his tummy and stick his rear end in the air. While on his tummy he also enjoys pushing off my hand with his feet to propel himself forward. If Ian is in the room, Joseph will happily watch him from the floor, extending his arms to prop himself up for a good view.

He wakes up to eat a least twice a night, and several other times just because he feels like it. We are hoping solids will be the ticket to full night's sleep for all of us. But in the mean time, I love love love how he greets me with a smile and kicks those little legs when I go to him in his crib. Surely no other child has ever shown such enthusiasm as Joseph shows, especially at 3 a.m. If have to get up anyway, I am glad he makes an effort to make it pleasant for me.

So far Joseph eats rice cereal mixed with soy formula, 3 times a day. And today he had some apple juice in a sippy cup. He was delighted. I offered him a sippy cup last week with water and then formula in it. He left me with the impression that it was to difficult for him. But today when the same cup contained apple juice, he seemed much more up to the challenge.

Ian doesn't like to share this with Joseph.

Ian is quickly learning the rules of being a brother. You don't feed the baby brother anything, including fruit snacks. Things that have always been yours now belong to him. You must always walk around him, not over him. And if you want the toy he's got, you always trade it for something of your own.

Here Ian wanted Joseph's rattle, so he exchanged it for this impressive load. As you can see, Joseph was pleased with how he made out in this deal.

Despit his efforts to follow the big brother rules, sometimes Ian is still caught in the act of mischeif.

I asked Ian to stand by his vaccum for a picture, and this is how he posed. Back to back, like the vaccum was a human friend. He loves this car. I just washed him off after lunch and before I could catch him and re-dress him, he was out the door and in his car.

Scott was leaving for a scout campout and Ian loved carrying Daddy's water and wearing Daddy's hat.

More from Ian

Sitting in their Bumbo chairs.



On the way downstairs for breakfast:
Ian: "Have candy-cane a breakfast. Won't dat be fun?"
Me: "Nope. We're having oatmeal today." (as if we ever have candy canes for breakfast)
Ian: "Ummm... how about da pickle instead? Won't dat be fun?"


* * *
When Scott gets home from work Ian says "I need da keys. I need da badge. I need da belt. I need da watch." Once he has taken all of Scott's 'work equipment' Ian heads for the garage door and says "Bye bye! Goin' ta work!"

* * *

At bedtime all week Ian has declared "Going ta Target! I need da keys."

When I ask him what he is going to buy at Target he answers "Some playgroup."

* * *

Ian loved baby food. Sometimes he still requests squash, which = pureed baby food of all types. When he asked for baby food a few weeks ago I opened the cupboard and stood on my tiptoes to see if there was any more left on the high shelf where I kept it. I still couldn't actually see the shelf but I figured it would still satisfy Ian. But Ian didn't buy it and insturcted me to "stand up a chair" in order to really check it out.

* * *

I've yet to get a picture of it, but frequently I get Ian up in the morning to find him sitting happily in his crib with his zip-front footy PJ's unzipped, and da bunny against his tummy 'nursing'.

* * *
BunnyBiiiiiinkie is short for "I want my bunny and my binkie. Now."

* * *
When not in use, we keep Ian's bunny and several binkies on a shelf in Ian's room. When putting him to bed last night he refused the binkie I handed him and pointed to another one and said "I want da dark blue binkie instead." Funny how he can be so specific sometimes, and yet call blue pink the rest of the time. I guess we don't mess around when da binkie is concerned.

* * *
Throughout the day Ian will declare that Daddy is at one of the places that Daddy frequently goes: work/scouts/football/church. Ian also likes me to ask him where Daddy went and where he works. He enthusiastically responds "Daddy at work. Daddy at ExxonMobil. (He always bounces while he says ExxonMobil.)

* * *
He's got most of the ABC song down, with just a few (less important) letters missing. He always adds something weird after X though. Until recently we thought he was saying "W, X, Bumbo, Z" which sort of made sense because he likes to stand in Joseph's Bumbo chair when he recites the song. But yesterday I finally figured it out. He is saying "W, ExxonMobil, Z".

* * *

Ian fell off the couch and hurt his hand.
Me: "Did you hurt your finger Ian?"
Ian: "No, I do not hurt da finger. I hurt da fumb."
Me: "Poor Ian. Is your thumb going to be okay?"
Ian: "No. It's not okay. It ouchie."

* * *

When I ask Ian what Daddy does at work he always responds:

"Da chainsaw. Da weef blower. Eat da cookies."

* * *
While in the bath tub Ian held his hand up to his ear pretending to talk on the phone. "Hello? Who dis? How's it going over dere? Dis is Scott. Dis is Scott. Going to play football on Sunday. Make da kissy noise. Bye."

Make da kissing noise? Is he reading a script? He repeated this 'conversation' several times.

* * *

Ian used to be so reliable when I asked him if his diaper was messy. But since he hasn't been as truthful latley, a nasty diaper rash has errupted. Today I smelled something stinky and told Ian to come sit on the changing pad. He responded by throwing the truck he was playing with at the changing pad, saying "No! Da blue truck stinky! Change a diaper a blue truck instead!"

* * *

Ian is interested in Joseph's rice cereal so I though giving him some may end his curiosity. I gave him a heaping spoonful and said "See? It tastes kinda yucky, huh?"

Ian: "No, it tastes good. I laaahhhhve it. I eat it all gone!"

Now he wants some every time I feed Joseph.

* * *
And my personal favorite:

Ian climbed up on the couch next to me, put his arm around my shoulder and said:

"How's your day going, Mommy?"

Valentine 2009

I'd say that Scott and I have had some pretty good Valentines Day's in our 5 years together, but I think this one has been my favorite so far.

We both got to do something very fun Saturday morning: Scott played basketball at 6:45 am and flag football after that. What more could a guy ask for?

Then I put a brave face on and went to get my hair cut! Anyone who has heard me lament every haircut I have ever received will be surprised to hear that I really really love this haircut. Zero mourning and complaining over here. It made the holiday seem even more festive because I had time away from my boys spent getting dolled up.

Front Before

Front After (stay tuned for a better picture of the new side-sweep bangs and layers... a Texas-sized rainstorm got to my newly coiffed hair before the camera could.)


Back Before
Back After

In my absence, Mr. Larson had done laundry, dishes, floors and lots of diapers (He says one can accomplish anything with the help of the baby carrier.) And I came home to find my guys busy making Valentine sugar cookies.

Ian decided he could really get into this holiday tradition.

Though decorating is nothing compared to devouring. "One for the cookie, two for me...."After the boys went to bed we stayed in for a delightful dinner for two. Followed by a luxurious pedicure by Scott. Men don't come any better than this one.

And don't forget the Triple Chocolate Fudge Fantasy Cake. And it was. How (and where!) Scott hid this gigantic cake is a mystery.