Good Things Come in Small Packages

I have been anxiously awaiting Nolan's 15 month doctor appointment. The louder my groan when picking him up, the more excited I've become at the prospect of hearing the doctor tell me that Nolan has become a chunky monkey!! Even though he really doesn't eat (except for milk, sweets and cinnamon raisin bread), I still thought for sure he was hitting his growth stride. I mused about what percentage the doctor would attach to him....10% this time, dare I think 15%??

When his appointment day came, and I placed my big boy in the scale bucket (you moms know what I'm talking about), the nurse said, "20 pounds 8 ounces."

Whaaa???

Yep, still 5%. He would have to weigh 22.8 pounds just to make it up to 15%. He did grow 1 1/2 inches. He's a giant at 30 inches (25%). Smile.

You may wonder why this is a big deal to me. It really isn't in the grand scheme of things - I'm just dramatic. However, practically it is difficult to dress little Nolan because I either have to buy pants that fit in the waist and are too short OR his pants fit length-wise but then fall down to his ankles when he moves around to any degree. I think this is why most people don't think of him as that small since his baggy clothes add some bulk.

Moving on... Nolan is finally getting his 5th tooth and got the requisite cold and slight fever he's gotten with each and every tooth thus far. I don't know what it is with teeth that don't agree with Nolan. My friend Rachel says the same thing about her little Owen, so at least we're not the only ones so negatively affected by them. I actually think Nolan is about to sprout at least 2 more teeth, so we should be in for some fun times.

He is also starting to say more words, albeit sporadically. I remember this with Bailey, too....they say something and then you can't coax it out of them again for weeks. You start to doubt whether they really said the word, but then they start using it incessantly. Let's see, to his repertoire he's added: doggie, bye bye, more, and sock.

He cracked me up this morning when an ad for the Elmo show came on t.v. I said, "You wanna go see Elmo?" He immediately pushed down off my lap and ran into his bathroom and came out with a toy phone that we call the "Elmo phone" because it has his face on it and plays "Elmo's World" when you open it. So cute!!

Finally, he has been eating with a spoon/fork lately. He actually eats better if we just let him do it on his own. If we try to feed him, he'll purse his lips together and dinnertime is over. As you'll see in the pictures below, he does pretty well....for a one-year-old, that is!

Bailey has been cracking us up, as usual. Nothing too involved this time, but she has started telling me about her dreams each morning. Sometimes they are VERY involved (and take a long time to tell!) and other times she'll just ask me a strange question and I know she dreamed something that prompted it. A few mornings ago, she said, "What is a territory?" Seriously? Not sure where she heard/learned that word, but it popped up in her dream.

She also insisted one night that a ghost touched her in the night. I know I'm supposed to be the adult, but I just let her get in bed with us (until Jason got fed up and put her back to bed) because I was too scared myself to go in her room. I DON'T DO GHOSTS. Jason watches that stupid paranormal show sometimes and I have to leave the room because I simply can't handle that stuff. Smile.

Here are a few recent pictures. I'm sorry I don't have more!!

I forgot oatmeal on the list of Nolan-approved food items. He likes oatmeal....but not the baby kind. He has to eat the flavored kind.


Little Bailey looking cute.


These are of his new favorite bathtime activity!
Last but not least, what my kids like to do together....more dancing!! Clearly Nolan thinks the floor mat is a tiny stage, as he doesn't like to dance anywhere but right there! Conversely, life's a stage for Bailey!!

The Righteous Nest

Matthew 6:33

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you."

A little girl in a little town had big thoughts about Jesus. She was always asking questions, and regularly offered simple yet poignant interpretations of favorite Bible stories. The parents and grandparents of this little girl loved to engage her in deep conversation about any and all things as, if nothing else, her theories provided a new perspective on "old" ideas.

Out of the blue one day, the little girl approached her grandmother, asking, "What is a righteous nest?" While questions were not uncommon, even ones that required a good deal of head scratching before a response could be summoned, this particular question seemed quite odd to the grandmother.

"What do you mean, a righteous nest? Where did you hear it?"

The little girl, as she was known to do, sighed with exasperation.

"It's in that song. The one where God has a righteous nest."

It was then that the grandmother (with some help from the grandfather) realized that she was asking about the concept of righteousness. A few good laughs and an equal number of side consultations later, the little girl had her answer.

But the answer itself is not the point of the story.

Many family members and friends were aware of the little girl's history with thought-provoking questions, and the grandmother was quick to share this new anecdote. The grandmother's sister (the little girl's great aunt) lived all the way in Washington D.C. and regularly shared the little girl's stories with her church friends. She often commented that the little girl's ministry spanned many states and communities. This time was no different and laughs were exchanged over such a funny comment.

Months later, however, one of the great aunt's long-time friends passed away. This passing was a great loss for many people, as passings tend to be. The great aunt prepared to travel a long distance for the friend's funeral. As she prepared for the comments she was asked to make at the service, she received a note from a friend. This note, surprisingly, referenced the little girl's long-ago words as inspiration for the great aunt's funeral task. In neat script, the note read:

"How wonderful and true it is for our friend. God DOES prepare a righteous nest for us in Heaven."

How often do we find that children teach us as much as we teach them? May your day, your week, your year, and your life be lived in God’s righteousness….aka his righteous nest.

Thank you, little Bailey, for being an inspiration to us all. I hope we all think of God's love in that way....as a righteous nest that cradles us in this life and the next. I am the president of your fan club.

My Little Valentines

Lots to report....where to start?

Valentine's Day Activities
Bailey was soooo excited to celebrate Valentine's Day at school. We made our little Valentines for the kids and, I have to admit, it took all I have to let her do them the way she wanted and not the way I wanted. She took control of the glitter glue, with Jason's help, and I came to peace with that. LOL!! Anyway, you can see her pride in the following picture. Also note her cute Valentine's dress Grandma Cox got her. She received some great jewelry from Aunt Susan, but we didn't get it until later that day, so sadly she's not wearing the necklace and bracelet here.

Vocabulary and Waxing Philosophic
Nolan is finally putting sounds together to make some "words." I use the quotations only because most of what he says doesn't really sound like the actual word. However, we know exactly what he's saying and he confirms his intent by going to the object or person he wants. I've provided an English-to-Nolan translation guide below:

Banana - na-na-na

Bailey - ay-ay

Grandma - ma-ma

Mama - ma-ma

Daddy - da-da

Bye Bye - da-da

Thank you - ya-ya

Hi - hi (we've only heard this once)

He's so funny these days because there are so many meanings to words, and yet everything is black and white to him. If you say, "Mama's gotta go bye bye" he runs to the door because he thinks he's going bye bye. If you use the word "chair" in any sentence, he thinks it's time for him to get into his high chair. It's fun to see all these connections, though. It's like he's a REAL BOY!!! LOL!

Bailey continues to crack us up with her insight and one-liners. Here area few of my recent favorites:

-I was saying a prayer one night and she let out a toot while I was talking. So, I immediately changed my course and said, "And, God, please forgive Bailey for disrupting this prayer with her toots." She got really upset and put her head in her hands and said (in her booming voice), "MAMA, I can't believe you told JESUS that I tooted. You can't do that!" I embarrassed her! Anyway, I told her that Jesus knows our actions even when we don't divulge them to him, which is why we should always act in such a way as to make Him proud. She's still mad at me for busting her.

-In a conversation with grandma about the weather, she noted "God is the sun." When Jeanne asked her why she would think that, she said, "Well, you say SON of God. And God makes the sun, so that means he IS the sun." She couldn't really argue with that! Bailey then asked why Jesus is invisible. Jeanne said we'd ask our pastor to explain it to her!! I think we're in for lots of difficult questions in years to come!

-She loves playing with a little neighborhood girl, Ella. Ella is 8, so they often clash just because of the age difference. Overall, though, they play together really well. Ella came over on Friday and ate dinner with us. Afterward, I heard them fighting in her room so I went to break it up. Bailey was very upset because Ella was holding Nolan. Bailey said, "I don't understand why everyone wants to try to be his sister when I'M his only sister." She loves him so much! And, he is starting to really want to be with her all the time. He goes into her room in the mornings when she's still asleep, yelling "Ay ay!" I love it.

As illustration of how close they are getting:

Haircut #57
While probably not actually his 57th haircut, Nolan did get his hair buzzed off again this weekend. I had a fleeting thought of taking him to a professional, but I decided that he probably wouldn't stay still enough for them at this age. So, Jason used his nifty clippers. While the top is always a little too short for my liking, I know it will grow quickly. But, we needed to do something as it was getting too shaggy. Now, I know some kids have way longer hair, but I've just never liked Nolan's long. I like to spike it up on top or do the mohawk thing, and it quickly gets too long for those styles.

Yes, I know his pants don't fit...this is our constant struggle. I either put him in 12 mos. and they sag down to the middle of his butt and, thus, drag the floor....or I put him in 9 mos. which fit his waist but then they are highwaters. So, he's sporting the gangsta look!

I think that's all I have to report right now. I hope everyone is doing well!!

K

Snow and Super Bowl

Before I share the pictures of our fun time in the snow and the Steelers glorious SB triumph over the Cardinals, I have to post a video. One of my favorite memories of Bailey as a little tot is of her great desire to jump long before she had any ability to do so. She would try so hard, and was so proud of herself, and yet her little feet never left the ground. These memories came flooding back this week as Nolan decided that he really wants to catch some air.



How cute is that?? I love me some baby jumpin'. We ventured outside for a short while last week during "ICE EMERGENCY 99" or whatever the media dubbed our few days of ice. I'm not saying it wasn't bad out, or that I'm not grateful for the ability to work from home on Tuesday due to the driving conditions. I'm just saying it's a little cheesy. But, that's their job, I suppose (by "that" I mean create mass hysteria).

But, I digress. Here are some pictures of Jason playing with the kids. Nolan only looks angry because he desperately wanted to go outside and the time it took us all to get bundled up was too much for him. He kept running to the back door and putting his head in his hands. Patience, little guy, patience. Despite the mad face, doesn't he look like a cute little E.T. in his big coat?!

Anyway, Bailey wanted to come in after 10 minutes or so, but Nolan insisted on going up and down the driveway in his little car about 500 times. He was NOT happy when we went inside. Kids are somehow immune to cold. Parents, not so much. Finally, while I've never considered myself a sports fanatic - or even all that warm to the concept, even (smile) - I honestly had a great time watching the Steelers win the Super Bowl. This has been Jason's team for as long as I can remember, and I've now been experienced 2 Steelers SBs with him. This one was amazing in every way, and I watched from start to finish. Bailey cheered. Nolan....well, he danced during Bruce Springsteen's performance. Here are a few pictures of our pre-game warm-up.



I hope everyone has a great week! K

If you didn't come to dance, then you don't want the funk....

Nolan has been a dancing machine lately. He's progressed from his stomping dance, which I have demonstrated on this blog, to in-place bouncing, which is what you will see today. However, what I haven't yet captured are his killer ballet moves. My parents visited yesterday and got to see him do his thing....and he seriously looks like he's gonna pull out a grand jete any minute. (Jason was running an errand while this went down, so he hasn't yet seen it. I have a feeling his reaction will be more of the "hey, let's play catch now!" variety!)

Yes, we had a morning o' video on Saturday. First, here is Bailey's rendition of "Silent Night" along with a lyrical dance she choreographed herself. The ending is pretty great - she's a professional who knows how to turn any mistake into a statement.

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Next, we have Nolan's little be-bop.

I hope everyone stays warm during this ice storm!

Kendy

New Year, New Stages

I'm not feeling particularly inspired today, but I'm aware of how long its been since I've posted here so I'm going to push on through. I'm selfless like that. :-)

Jason and I had a new experience this morning.....a parent/teacher conference. As if I don't already think Bailey is growing up way too fast, her school had to add this to my plate full of things to worry about. In all seriousness, I was excited to learn firsthand how Bailey is doing in school. She is such a - let's see - vocal child, that I am always worried about whether she's the holy terror of the group. My fears were assuaged, however. Her teachers think she's delightful and are humored by her more than anything. They did say every now and then she exerts her control a little forcefully, but they can easily correct her.

I'm starting to worry about next year. The problem is that her birthday is in late August, missing the deadline for kindergarten at her current private school and BARELY making the deadline for public school. Do I keep her where she is - where she'll have to go to Pre-K 4 days a week - or send her on to kindergarten. I think she's ready, but she'll be the absolute youngest kid in her class. But, she'd be withe friends she's made for another year if she stays put. And, of course, there's the $ factor. Private school = 2nd mortgage. Public school = yea, new clothes! Sigh.

Nolan is finally chubbin' up, we think. Of course, we've thought that quite a bit through his short life, only to be told the opposite by his doctor. But, I really think he is this time. He's been eating really, really well. I don't have a picture showing his little frog belly, so I'll have to take one for next time.

On the flipside, he's been behaving quite badly....or as badly as he can at his age. He continues to want me to hold him 24 hours a day, and gets rather bent out of shape if I don't comply with his demands. He's started hitting me (better than biting, I suppose) and has developed the "mean face" when he either doesn't get what he wants or is testing us when he's ABOUT to do something he thinks we don't like. Here is my best try at capturing the mean face. It's not exactly right, but you get the picture. To truly be the mean face, he needs a bit more crease between the eyes. I think this was just him being irritated by the camera.

His favorite activity these days is looking at the pictures on the walls. He LOVES to go from frame to frame looking at them. Most of them are of Bailey....hey, I'll get around to displaying his image one of these days!! But, he always says some unintelligible word when he looks at the pictures (which I keep hoping turns into BAILEY, but sounds absolutely nothing like that). I still can't get him to say a single word other than momma and dadda. At this stage - where everything makes him mad - I'd really like him to be able to tell me what would make things better!! Oh, well. I guess the hitting will toughen me up.

Here are a couple of random pictures for your enjoyment. Bailey made me a smashing hair-do last night!

And I made her some art for her wall.

2 Twinkies, a Gallon of Ice Cream and Poop for $600

Bzzzzzzz

What are all things that Nolan ate over Christmas vacation, Alex?

And, you are $600 richer.


So, I'm sure the twinkies and ice cream were long forgotten when you read the word poop, so I'll save everyone the build-up and just start there....even though that is getting a little ahead of myself.

Nolan has a wonderful new obsession with the bathroom...toilet paper, throwing clothes in the bathtub, pulling out all the drawer and cabinet contents, etc. And, yes, he likes the toilet. And four-year-olds sometimes don't see the need to flush said toilet. It only took a couple of episodes of Nolan digging out soggy toilet paper FROM the toilet for us to institute a mandatory flushing, closing the toilet lid and closing the bathroom door rule in our house. However, we neglected to remember this issue when spending time at Jason's parents house when his brother's family was in town. Their 3-year-old must have the same anti-flush problem, as the girls apparently had a "poop party" in the bathroom (this is what I call Bailey's strange desire to accompany others to the bathroom while they do their business...and have people join her when she does hers) one night and then went off to play. Nolan was in the bedroom playing with the girls. Or so we thought. Here he came around the corner into the living room holding something that I thought, for a brief moment, looked a little like one of those wax molds you get made at the zoo of, say, a giraffe. As I was then thinking about where he would have gotten one of those since we haven't been to the zoo in awhile, I realized that his possession was poop. I immediately grabbed him up, he dropped the offensive item, and we ran to the bathroom to disinfect. Only then did I see the faint smudge of brown on the skin below his bottom lip. I really can't be sure he ate any, but if you're gonna grab poop out of the toilet I don't think there's anything stopping you from seeing what it tastes like.

And, that concludes the nasty mcnasty part of this post. FLUSH, PEOPLE, FLUSH.

As for the other food items mentioned in the post title, I think Nolan may have overcome his food aversions this holiday season. He has eaten so well, and then some. Grandma and Grandpa Cruson fed him a few twinkies behind my back (and in front of it - I have no authority around my dad!) and he consumed A LOT of ice cream. The kid couldn't get enough of it. I think we're going to have to avoid eating it in front of him in the future, as he went a little psycho. Once one person was done with their bowl, he'd just beg for more at the next person's bowl. He may get some meat on those bones yet!!

Here are a few pictures from the various holiday activities. NOTE: The brown all over Nolan's face in pics below is NOT poop.....I was a little preoccupied cleaning him up to even think about capturing the "memory." No, the brown is chocolate fed to him, yes, by my dad.

Fun With The Cox Clan

He's laughing at cousin Lauren and the Curious George monkey.

This was our New Year's Eve.....watching the kids attempt to play games.

Lauren and Bailey on their sleepover

Fun With The Crusons

Cooking with Grandma

I like chocolate...and world peace.

Grandma got a new car!

Christmas Eve Party

The kids - all raising their hand when I asked them who heard Santa's sleigh land on our roof.

Excited to see Santa!

Anticipation (and a little fear) as he knocked on the door.

When he walked THROUGH the door.

Christmas Eve/Morning

Cookie for Santa

The loot

This is pretty much what Nolan thought of Christmas.

And, finally, here is Nolan trying out his new (to him) car seat pre-installation. I'm not sure he's quite 20 lbs., so don't tell anyone. Smile.