Liam finds his voice

2 nights ago as I was sitting in the bath with the kids, it happened.  (And while your mind just went there... No.  No one did a doody in the tub.)  Liam FINALLY said "Dada."  He was looking over at Patrick who was shaving his head and said it just like that.  Like he had always been saying Dada.  Previously the closest he had come to saying Dada was flapping his arms excitedly when he saw Toby (our dog) and saying "Da".  Patrick looked a little shocked as he finally got what he had been waiting for.  I felt a little vindicated since the situation was reversed when Laney was little and I had to endure weeks of Dada before being rewarded with a Mama.

Liam has been saying "mommom"  for about a month or so, and even started saying dog last week.  He also says "dat" while pointing at things, so Dada brings his list of words to a grand total of 4.  Until today, that is.  We were sitting at Chick's waiting for our order this morning when he pointed to the bottle in my diaper bag and said "aba."  Either he really likes Swedish pop music, or he was trying to say "baba" which is what we call bottles in our house.  (Coincidentally, Laney thinks it is hilarious that Uncle Sean called it a "babu.")

I'm amazed at Liam as I watch his mind expand to envelop the idea that making a certain sound or word will get you things.  He is really jazzed by this new idea and really seems to be trying to say other words like milk, drink, all done, bath, etc.  Things he really cares about.  I am also amazed that I am still amazed by this process, seeing as how I have already witnessed it firsthand with Laney.  What I find truly interesting is that humans evolve in their growth in predictable patterns, yet each pattern is like a snowflake:  never to be repeated.  Laney and Liam are technically hitting their benchmarks at the same time, but they have arrived at them in such different manners that it is hard to believe they are related at times.  For instance, you can show Liam how a toy works 2 or 3 times and then he picks it up and figures it out.  Laney had all the same toys and there are a few that had to be demonstrated hundreds of times before she would interact with it.  I'm not saying that Liam is smarter than Laney, just that they learn in drastically different ways and that is already very clear to me.  The one thing that remains the same developmentally for both of my kids is a love for books.  I have really made reading a part of Liam's nap and bedtime routine and he is showing a genuine interest in books.  He turns the page for me and likes to lift the flaps or touch the fuzzy animals in his baby board books.  Quite sophisticated for a 12 month old!  I know that all moms think that about their kids, but I truly am impressed.

Another thing that really impresses me is how much Liam loves to play with Laney.  She truly is his favorite toy.  Their new favorite game is to stand on opposite sides of a push toy or chair and do laps around the kitchen.  Liam walks forward and Laney walks backward.  This activity has generated some of the biggest smiles I have ever seen from both of them.   Today he began holding hands with Laney and she slowly walks backward, coaxing him to walk forward toward her.  Priceless, until he falls down because she goes to fast, but still, worth it for me.  Also a great outlet for Laney's inner bossiness.  I am so tired of her trying to tell P and I what to do all the time.  We have been having SO many drama queen moments and time outs lately, and I am really starting to understand why Pat Benetar thought that "love is a battlefield."  She is fiercely determined to be independent and doesn't like not being in charge.  Playing with Liam seems to remedy this emotion in her, except for when he doesn't follow directions and they end up hitting each other.   That reminds me of another song entirely.  One by LL Cool J entitled "Mama Said Knock You Out."  That's how I feel as I separate them and calm the dual screaming, forcing them to hug it out after the claws have been retracted.  No wonder I am so happy to see them go to bed on time!  Sibling rivalry sucks.

Well, I am off to sort through some toys since both of the kids have (blissfully) gone to bed.  Time to get rid of some of those baby toys and make room for Santa's swag.  I am looking forward to a little spring cleaning in the closets, but boxing up those little toys and rattles makes me feel nostalgic for their baby days in a small way.  Then I remember how little I enjoyed having newborn babies in the house and how much I am looking forward to having 2 full blown toddlers to play with.  Life is a journey, and I am totally digging mine.

TGFG

Thank God for grandmas!  Shesh took the kids off my hands at 11:21am today and I am not expecting to see them until 6pm.  The house is deliciously quiet and all I can say is:  I love days off from being a mom.  My couch and I had a lot of catching up to do!  6 uninterrupted hours of me time should get me through another 6 days of whiny child time.  Thanks mom.

My life is a comedy of errors

How could any SAHM (stay at home mom) be bored with a life like this?


1.  The Bathroom Incident

Michael and Brodie came over a few Sundays ago to watch football with us.  It was game time for the Chargers, and like all good fans/parents, we allowed Brodie and Laney to ride their scooters around the house so they could play and we could watch the game.  (What?!?  We made them wear helmets at least)  They were having a great time playing by themselves and we were having a great time enjoying the game, especially since Liam was napping.  Things got quiet in the playroom and the next thing I know Laney came running out of the bathroom crying hysterically, holding her hand in the air.  At first I thought there was something wrong with the helmet, or that her hand was stuck in the straps.  She ran right over to Patrick and wailed, "Brodie peed on my hand!"  All of the adults in the room burst out laughing and I ran into the bathroom to check out the situation.  There was poor Brodie standing in front of the toilet looking stunned, naked from the waist down.  His lower lip started quivering and he tearfully said, "Laney closed the seat!  She closed the seat and the pee went everywhere.  Now there's a big mess.  I said I was sorry!  I said I was sorry!"  Poor little Brodie.  I'm pretty sure no one covered this situation in his potty training lessons.  There was a pee flood all over the toilet seat and the floor, and I realized that Laney had put the seat down mid-stream.  I'm not sure she has ever seen a man pee standing up and was most likely confused by the fact that Brodie wasn't peeing the way I taught her.  I reassured Brodie that we were not mad at him and I quickly cleaned him and the mess up.  Then we informed the kids that they should only go to the bathroom one at a time from now on because everyone likes their privacy.  At least they aren't kissing cousins!

2.  The Grocery Store Incident
I took the kids to the grocery store this afternoon for a few incidentals and a flu shot for me at the pharmacy counter.  Liam got a little stir crazy in the shopping cart seat while we were waiting and decided that he would make it rain Goldfish crackers in an attempt to get the pharmacist moving faster.  When that didn't work he resorted to scratching me with his sharp little nails and pulling my hair.  I was a captive audience since I had to push the cart and he really made a mess of my bare arms.  Laney scored a lollipop from the pharmacist after he gave me my vaccination, and promptly dropped it on the floor one aisle later eliciting a loud shriek that could be heard all the way over in the meat department.  I got her a new lollipop on the way out and we loaded up the car.  Liam pulled my hair one more time for good measure as I strapped him in.  Then I went to help Laney strap in and got a well-timed kick to the face from her for my good intentions.  Apparently she wanted to do it herself.  To smooth over the situation she then told me "I like to eat poop and people."  Well, how do you not laugh at that?  She was proud of herself for "teasing" mommy and I was a little in awe over the fact that she was able to difuse what was going to result in a spank for her with not-so-subtle toddler humor. We made it home and I got kicked again 15 minutes later when I yelled at her for pushing her brother and put her in time out.  A few minutes after that I got walloped by Liam (again) and his hair brush wielding hands.  This marks the 4th or 5th time I have been smacked by his hair brush this week.  You would think I would learn that Liam likes to leave a mark.  Thank God Patrick stepped in for the next battle with Laney.  Any more abuse from the kids and I was likely to run screaming from the house.

3.  The Ice Capades/Disney on Ice Incident
I bought tickets for Laney and I to go to the Sports Arena for the ice capades.  I have to say that I was really dreading the event and the promise of buying a cool light up toy for her once we got there.  Laney talked me into buying her a $22 spinning Tinkerbell light wand, which I only later realized that she wanted for its abusive whipping properties.  She goes around the house with it whirling away letting it thwack into the furniture, walls, and her brother when I am not looking.  She got it tangled in her hair later and I actually was a teeny bit happy for that small amount of "that's what you get" she was offered.  Anyhow, on the way to the arena we were talking in the car about what it would be like inside.  I told her it would be dark, like the movies and that she would have her own seat right next to me.  She wanted to know what color her seat was and I replied that we would have to look when we got there.  Then I forgot about the conversation until we made it all the way down to our row.  "Here we are at our seats!" I chirped to Laney.  She turned and pointed at our row and proclaimed, "Look, they're black!"  I then looked past our 2 black seats to see 5 black faces staring at us.  Yes, we were sitting right next to a lovely black family who now thought that Laney was pointing at them.  I had to proclaim in a loud voice, "Yes, our seats are black.  Not red like we thought they would be."  The black family kept looking at me like I was nuts and I tried to explain, but I could tell they didn't really believe me.  So, we sat there next to them for the next 2 HOURS (how could the ice capades really last that long?)  I was so uncomfortable and couldn't wait for it to get dark in the arena as I sunk into my seat and waited out the performance.

4.  The F Word Incident
I was having a remarkably long day and feeling overtaxed as Liam's birthday party was just a few days away.  I had a long list of things to accomplish so I could pull off the event in true Tracy style.  It was one of those days that required careful planning of my errand schedule so I could get everything done and still have happy children.  Just as I reached my max stress level I heard my text message alert on my phone.  Patrick texted me asking me to pick up something for him at the store, as if I didn't already have enough to do.  I thought to myself, "Are you f***ing kidding me?"  Apparently I thought that one out loud because Laney then asked me if my phone was "f***ing kidding."  Perfect.  Hopefully she can pop that little phrase out at nursery school and I can get called in by the director next week.  I had to explain to her that I said a really, really bad word and she should never say it.  I'm sure she is just holding onto it waiting for the perfect time to F-bomb someone and embarrass the shit out of me.

Here's hoping that f**k isn't Liam's next word...

1 year and counting!

My big boy at his birthday party.  Happy birthday Chunk!

Whew!  We made it to 10/3/11.  Some days it didn't feel like we would ever get there, but the 4 of us made it and each in one piece.  Liam's first birthday was a several-day celebration of happiness, topped off by his first big boy haircut today.


Liam's birthday party was this past Saturday, with an M&Ms inspired dot theme.  I made garlands to festoon the house by machine-sewing strands of paper dots together.  I also hung some festively colored lanterns over the breakfast table as an impromptu chandelier.  I wrapped 1 gallon boxwood plants in polka-dot wrapping paper and made tiny paper garlands that said "happy birthday liam" to top those as well.  My favorite decoration was the timeline I made with photos of Liam from birth to 1st birthday, hung as a garland as well.  We served pizza, salad, and of course, cake!  White cake with butter cream frosting and Bavarian chocolate filling for the adult cake; white cake with frosting and M&Ms all over it for Liam's cake. Liam ate the cake in true Liam fashion:  taking handfuls of it and wiping them all over his face.

His gifts were very well received by him, and especially well received by Laney.  The two of them have really bonded over playing with the new toys this week.  They especially love the ride-on Lightning McQueen car and their stacking tower with a ball that rolls through it.  The new toys have taken center stage this week, and many a sibling rivalry/fight has ensued.  Laney swoops in any time Liam is playing and either takes his toy from him or "demonstrates" for him how to use it.  The jealousy factor was really amped up as attention was heaped on Liam this past week and I find myself telling Laney to leave her brother alone and to let him play with his toys constantly.  They do have their tender moments though.  Take tonight for example.  We got Liam to push Laney around on his new push toy tonight.  It was peaceful and cute...for about 1 minute.  Then she went too fast and he fell over and they started all over again with the fighting.  Maybe tomorrow will be better...I'm not getting my hopes up.

Liam had his well visit on Tuesday and measures up at the 75th percentile for height and the 84th for weight (26lbs!).  He is a growing and sturdy boy who is now moving onto one nap a day and sippy cups of 2% milk.  The doctor informed me that Liam should be eating only table foods and no more baby food.  I laughed because I can't even remember the last time that Liam ate baby food.  Having teeth early meant that Liam moved onto table food early, and that was just fine with us.  No more expensive jars of pureed grossness :)

Today I took the kids with me to my hair appointment and got Sonny to trim up Liam's hair in the front and around the ears.  I saved his first curl in a bag, and made sure to leave the rest of his gorgeous curly locks in place.  Amazing how much older he looks with just a few little snips.  Maybe it was just his new 24 month duds from GAP Kids, but today I felt like the mother of 2 toddlers for the first time. Make that 1 toddler and 1 preschooler.  Time is going too fast...except when they aren't sleeping through the night.  Then it can't go fast enough.  And I have the circles under my eyes to prove it!

Admiring Sonny's handiwork with the scissors.  Liam held onto his comb for a good half hour styling his do in front of the mirror as Sandy highlighted my hair.  Such a good boy at the salon.

L.P. is turning one

Click on the photo for a much larger and readable image!

Time marches on...

Sometimes I think my iPod has a direct line to God.  I put it into shuffle mode and it truly seems to deliver a message to me via mp3.  Take tonight.  I am feeling a bit melancholy over the fact that I will wake up a year older tomorrow.  34 years old... Somehow it feels remarkably older than 33.

As I was driving my kids home tonight I plugged my iPod into the car stereo and the first song that blared out was "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" by the Dixie Chicks.  This is Liam's lullaby.  Each of my kids has their own special lullaby. Hearing this song took me back to the very first time I sang it to Liam in our hospital room on October 4, 2010.  I waited until it was just Liam and I and then I cuddled him up close and sang to him  "Godspeed, little man/ sweet dreams, little man/ oh my love will fly/ to you each night on angel wings/ Godspeed/ sweet dreams."  Then Laney's sleepy voice piped up from the backseat and she wanted to hear her special song.  Laney's song is "Lullaby" by the Dixie Chicks.  I skipped to "Lullaby" and remembered craddling her in the window seat in our hospital room on June 4, 2008, singing to her in the afternoon sunlight "how long do you want to be loved?/ is forever enough?/ is forever enough?/ how long do you want to be loved?/ is forever enough cuz I'm never ever giving you up."  These two songs combined with the bittersweetness of a looming birthday reduced me to tears by the time that I made it to our driveway.  

It is remarkable how long the days are when you have children, but how quickly the years pass.  How it seems that time can fade away when recalling the memory of singing those songs to each of my children for the first time, and how quickly it seems time has passed since then.  Just last Wednesday I witnessed Liam taking his first independent steps.  Still, the song can take me back in an instant to those first few precious hours when I was getting to know my little babies and singing them a love song that will remain with us always.  At times it seems that I was just introducing the melodies to them yesterday.  

I love that they each have their own song.  I sing them their songs as I put them to bed, or when they need comfort and I find myself wondering as I sing if it is them or I that needs the song.  How long will my babies let me sing their songs to them before they deem it too lame or babyish?  Until then I keep holding onto the precious moments that will fast forward me to 35.  Birthdays serve to remind us that time is precious and to make the most of it.  I am so thankful for all the times I have sung those songs to my kids.  I hope it never ends.

Happy birthday me.

School Daze

Laney goes to preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  This is her second week at school, and I have enjoyed each of those mornings because they offer me a precious 3 hours alone with Liam to play.  It is amazing how differently he plays when he is flying solo.  No older sister to tell him what to do, or to steal his toys.  Let's face it, watching Laney attempt to play with Liam is like watching a t-rex sneak up on a herbivore.  I don't know what is going to happen, but I do know that there will be carnage.

This morning he crawled around gleefully holding toys in the air as though he had just found precious gemstones lying in the sand.  He was thrilled to get the toys to himself and I swear he was playing with all of Laney's favorites just to spite her.  It was interesting to watch him decide what to do with the toys and how to interact with them, something that he doesn't get to do that often.  In fact most play sessions with L&L end with me slipping on my referee jersey and sending my two prize fighters back to their respective corners.  Sure they play together nicely a lot of the time, but mostly they seem to covet what the other has which has now led me to buy 2 of everything (including Rub-a-dub-dub Bathing Doll...it's a long story).

While I know that all kids fight, it sure would be nice to see them sitting side-by-side sharing nicely for once.  Oh well.  A mom can always dream.

Village Nursery School: first day of school 9/13

Heading to the Yellow Class for 3 year olds.  The Lady-Pack-Pack holds a change of clothes and Lovey!

A little shell-shocked over the whole thing, but by today (3rd day of class), school was proclaimed to be "fun" and she is looking forward to going back on Thursday :)

Playing by himself this morning.  If only I had a shot of him with his whole upper body in the cube...he was looking for toys in the bottom of it.  So precious!

Notice that he is wearing Laney's shirt since it was the only clean kid's shirt in the dryer this morning.