Squeaks Eats!

Squeaks ate rice cereal for the first time today! I made sure it was very thick and sticky so it wouldn't run everywhere. She gobbled it up and ate like a pro! She devoured every bite and wanted more.

Ear Piercing

Today we had a girls' day out. While out we stopped and got Squeak's ears pierced. She was very patient while the lady marked her ears. Once her ears were actually pierced, though, she turned beet red and cried bloody murder. It was a terrible ninety seconds. That is, until she got her bottle popped into her mouth and instantly forgot all about getting her ears pierced! She looks adorable with her baby bling.

Big Ultrasound

I had my anatomy scan today and got to see more of the baby. The bad news is that I'll have to wait for a radiologist and my OB to know if anything is amiss, but the tech seemed unconcerned, so I think all is well.

The good news is that she is still a girl. I'm happy that her plumbing hasn't changed. I actually went out this morning and started buying cute, teeny tiny baby clothes. Awesome!

Whatta face!


Still a girl:

Incentives...and name writing

The wutz finally wrote his name without any help. He'd been long reluctant to do so because he's a lazy sort of kid and said it was too much hard work! Finally, after an agreement made a week ago that he'd get a toy he wanted once he did the work, he began practicing. This morning he sat down and spent time focusing on his c's and e's, which were both the hardest part of his name for him.

After some more hard work and frustration and then finally lots of concentration, he wrote his name all by himself. First the C, then he'd look at me for approval, next the o, again looking at me, he got the l easily and moved on to the t. Once he got to the e he said, "This part is tricky!" and began work on the letter. As he finished he looked to me and I clapped for him. Lastly was his r, which again he had no trouble finishing. He was so excited to have accomplished it all by himself!

But mainly he was excited because he gets to go get Captain's Boathouse to add to his Thomas collection.

He did it! ~ZZZZzzzz~

The wutz finally FINALLY slept the night in his own bedroom. In his own bed. Alone! I am so proud of my big boy. All this time he's slept in our bedroom. First he was in his crib, then eventually he migrated into our bed, and finally we got him to sleep in a Lightning McQueen toddler bed we bought for him and kept in our room. It was better, but since we are now expecting a new addition to the family, we have known that we'll need to migrate the wutz into his own room.

Well, last night he decided that he'd sleep in his big boy bed. And he did. All. Night. Long.

He woke up at 5:20am and came into our bedroom and asked for help finding a tissue to blow his nose, because he caught the cold I had. I got him a tissue and then fully expected him to climb in bed with us. When I turned around he'd already left the room and closed the door. He went back to his bedroom and slept for another hour until it was time to get up for school.

Awesome!

I'm so proud of my big boy.

Christmas Program

For weeks now, the wutz's school has been practicing for the Christmas program. Over and over. Bless them, they have worked so hard for this program. The wutz has been singing the songs nonstop. He'll be playing, then suddenly he'll burst out in song - a Christmas song, of course. You likely saw the video I posted of him singing "The Chubby Little Snowman" which is one of the songs they have been practicing.

During practice, my dear child was the loudest and the most boisterous of the entire school, according to the teachers. So that's why I was so surprised when Friday, after waiting for over an hour to make sure I had a good seat, as the Christmas program began, my child came down the aisle with his face as bright as his red pajamas he was wearing. Tears of pure terror streaked his cherub cheeks.

Ut oh.

As soon as he saw me, he ran up to me and I kissed his cheek and whispered he'd be okay. I gave him a loving shove down the aisle, then he suddenly collapsed to the ground. Face first. So there my crying child was. In the aisle as if he'd been struck down and laid out in the Spirit or something, until the teacher ran and picked him up and carried to his seat, where I could hear him crying that he wanted his Mommy.

Awwwwww.

Finally it was his class' turn for their two songs. I waited eagerly to see if he had calmed. But, alas, I did not see my dear child. I looked over each child standing there on the risers. No wutz. Then I leaaaaannnnned over in the pew so I could see down the aisle to the front of the church and what I saw, I shall never forget:

My child, my dear, darling child... was army crawling down the center aisle searching desperately for me. He would raise up at each pew looking for me. Then he finally found me and he scrambled on my lap. Where he proceeded to whisper/sing each and every song in my ear as we watched the rest of the Christmas program from the pew.

*sigh*

Gone away...

Yesterday, we took the wutz to Granny and PopPop's house so we could sneak off and make our annual Christmas toy run. The wutz, as always, was delighted to be able to spend some time with my parents. He adores them, of course, as they do him. So while he got to eat way too much sugar, we trekked to Tallahassee to enter the bowels of hell, otherwise known as Toys R Us.

On approach to the parking lot there were cars lined up waiting for vacant parking spots. Not a good sign. We bypassed as much of the traffic as possible by veering straight to the back of the parking lot because it is easier to hoof it than wait for some idiot to back up and depart.

Upon entrance to purgatory, we were greeted by a line of customers that literally wound around the inside of the store. Damn. After a few moments' panic, we realized that said crazies were in line for Zhu Zhu pets. Hahaha! I already have three of those suckers! So we marched into the frey and began our shopping. We impatiently waited for people blocking us left and right to decide on their purchases and continue on so we could get the things we needed and get the hell outta there. Finally we did. But not before I passed an employee clutching extra Zhu Zhu pet tickets. So I asked him for one, he handed it to me, and I purchased it for $9. No waiting in line required. Take that, suckers!

After we left purgatory, we drove to the outskirts of the city to a restaurant I'd been dying to try. Once we arrived at Z Bardhi's, we realized they didn't open until 5pm. It was 4. But the owner saw us approaching and he quickly unlocked the door and ushered us inside. The waiter asked if we minded waiting about 10 minutes over drinks while they got everything fired up so they could serve us. Of course we didn't mind a bit. We didn't even have to wait that long and we had the entire place to ourselves. The house salad was delicious and the lasagna was even better. But the bread was the best ever, soft and crispy all at the same time. Heaven. I can't speak highly enough of the place and I cannot wait to dine there again.

After leaving a substantial tip, we departed and made our way back to the parents' house to pick up the wutz. But once we got there he refused to leave. R e f u s e d. Why? Because his cousin Michael was there! He wanted to stay and play with his cool cousin. After trying for way too long to persuade him to come home with us, we finally caved and told him he could stay. It was to be his first night away and I was fully prepared for a 3am phone call from a crying kiddo to come pick him up. I am happy to report the call never came! He finally called at 8:30am to tell me he was ready to come home. And by the time we arrived, he'd changed his mind!

So, we all survived not only a harrowing shopping experience, but also the wutz's first night away from home!

Go Fly a Kite!

The wutz flew is first kite this evening. The sun was beginning to set and there was a little breeze, therefore he decided that he must fly his new kite. Because there was so little breeze, getting the kite off the ground required effort and lots of running. So I ran and he jogged after me holding the plastic spool with yards and yards of white string wound around it. As the kite flew higher and higher he struggled to get it unwound but he managed after a little practice. He ran and ran and ran to keep that kite afloat. Finally he looked at me mid-stride and said, "I'm tired." Which was enough to make me put the brakes on (gratefully, I might add) and reel in the rainbow colored kite.

It was exhausting. And awesome.

Happy Birthday, Mr. C!

Best Friend

Today the wutz nestled in beside me on the couch and gave me a squeeze. Then he told me I was his best friend.

Merry Christmas to me! I think that was the best gift ever.

Love you

Tonight the wutz climbed up onto my lap, threw his arms around my neck, leaned in close and said "Wub you, Mommy!" then gave me a big smooch!

It was the first time he's ever said that to me without being prompted. I melted like butter!