Sydney's person drawing_JAN2012

Need medicine, back hurts; thanks daddy

Tonight, at bedtime, Sydney announced "My back hurt. Need medicine."

"Go by Daddy, he'll give you a kiss and will make it all better." I suggested.

"No," he paused. "need MEDICINE!"

"Come here, I'll give you an adjustment." Daddy suggested. (He gave Sydney a BIG HUG.) "Better?"

"No, not better."

"OK, let me try again. Come back!" (This time, Mike had him cross his arms over his chest and Mike hugged him from behind.) "Better?"

They tried a few silly hugs to make his back better. (Little stinker knew that Mommy had complained about her back hurting this past week. The sponge just soaked all of that in!) Earlier in the day, we talked about Silas had some medicine (from the syringe on the counter) for his teeth and Sydney immediately announced "My ear hurts. Need medicine."

It's amazing what kind of ailments he can come up with... knowing that he wants medicine out of the cool syringe.

At bedtime, we discuss "What's the favorite part of your day today?" (Mike told me that giving Sydney his "chiropractic hug adjustment" was the favorite part of his day. It was pretty funny!)

Suddenly, the room is SCARY

At naptime today, Sydney called for us, claiming that his room was "(s)cary". Mike went in and snuggled with him.

At bedtime tonight, after he had been in bed quietly for a few minutes, he called out:

"Mommy!" (pause for 5 seconds) "Mommy!" (pause for 3 seconds)

"Mommy, need you, Mommy! My room is (s)cary!"

I went to his room, finding him clinging to his babygate. I pried his fingers off and led him to his bed, asking him to show me what is SCARY in his room.

"Dunno." he said. I covered him with his blanket and gave him a hug.

"This is the same room that it was last night and last night it wasn't scary. Was it?"

"Um... no."

"Tell you what.... how about I uncover this light on your radio so that you can see better. How does that sound?"

"Dat'd be good idea. Tank ewe."

He seemed satisfied with the blue glow of the clock lighting up his room. We'll hope for a good night of sleep now!

• • •

Did a little online research on the subject tonight afterwards. Turns out, this is common behavior for 3 year olds that have an active imagination. Research said that we need to validate his fears and avoid teasing him/talking him out of it. They suggested a night light and/or allowing one of his stuffed animals to be his "protector".

For not REALLY knowing what to do, I think I handled it reasonably well (even if I did think it was just another stall tactic on his part.)

FpoD_2012JAN19

What's the Favorite Part of your Day?

JANUARY 19, 2012

DADDY: Giving Sydney an "adjustment" when he said his back hurts and that he needs medicine. (Mike gave him glorified and goofy hugs, which Sydney said helped a little bit.)

MOMMY: Organizing the clothes in my closet; although, it did make me feel like a REALLY BORING person!

SYDNEY: Making (another) birthday card for Daddy - using Mommy's ink pads, stamps and paper.

Two more teeth for Silas, signing MILK, chewing

Within the past few days, Silas has popped TWO more teeth through! He's now the proud owner of his two front teeth (uppers). Well, at least, they have both poked through the gums...

Through the gums, he's now got 3 uppers and 2 lowers. He does NOT like to let us look in his mouth so, there MIGHT be more breaking through... hard to say.

Also, new... he started signing the word MILK yesterday. Today, at breastfeeding support group, he would sign it whenever he heard someone say MILK. The lactation consultants noticed him doing it and drew special attention to him. It was REALLY CUTE, especially with his BIG, PROUD GRIN that shows his two bottom chipmunk teeth.

With these new teeth, Silas has started to CHEW on Mommy while nursing. THAT has NOT been fun for mommy. Mommy will have to be firm so that he knows that it is NOT OK to do that. I'm told by lactation consultants that babies learn quickly NOT to do it, especially when Mommy takes it away. Fingers crossed.

(Sydney was never really a biter or a chewer from what I recall so, this is new territory for me.)

fpoD_2012JAN18

What's the Favorite Part of your Day?

JANUARY 18, 2012

DADDY: Giggling when Sydney asked "Mommy, why'd you yell OH, CRAP?"

MOMMY: When Silas signed the word MILK over-and-over-again at the breastfeeding support group whenever someone would say the word MILK. (He started signing it yesterday and proudly does it today - with a BIG, PROUD GRIN on his face.) Also, thought it was pretty cool (after I had asked Sydney to help me make lunch) when he excitedly asked if we needed to use the church-key to open our can of (tomato) soup. I was impressed that he remembered what it was called.

SYDNEY: Giving Silas HORSIE RIDES (with Daddy's help) AND making a birthday card for Daddy. (Now, however, Sydney thinks we need to give it to Daddy. He also thinks that everyone has a birthday in MAY, just like Silas, Uncle Mike, Mommy and himself. He does NOT understand months yet.)

You wonder... Why DID Mommy yell "Oh, CRAP!"

I was in the process of dumping out the potty chair's bowl of potty into the toilet and the lid started to slam down onto it, knocking it out of my hand and spilling urine all over the bathroom and toilet.

FpoD_2012JAN17

What's the Favorite Part of your Day?

JANUARY 17, 2012

DADDY: Naptime - when I got to snuggle in the chair with both of my boys.

MOMMY: Going out to enjoy a 45-minute massage.

SYDNEY: Playing baseball in the dining room with Daddy and Silas while wearing a baseball cap.... part of his baseball uniform.

FpoD_2012JAN16

What's the Favorite Part of your Day?

JANUARY 16, 2012

DADDY: Coming home from work to find the little boys with a babysitter; when I left the room, Silas howled, screamed and chased after me. It felt kind of nice. (He normally chases after mommy like that!)

MOMMY: Getting out of the house to go make cards!

SYDNEY: Eating salsa and chips at the restaurant.

FPOD_2012JAN15

What's the Favorite Part of your Day?

JANUARY 15, 2012

Went to the casino for a belated Christmas with Grandpa's family. While there, Sydney had declared RIDING THE ESCALATOR as his favorite part of today, but he changed his answer by bedtime. After each ride, he'd declare "Just one more time"... it was cute! As we were getting ready to leave, an old woman walked up to me and scolded me for letting Sydney ride on the escalator because "his shoe THINGS could get stuck in there and rip off his entire leg". I assured her that his shoes do not have laces and thanked her for her concern. She stormed off - still repeating her concern. Thankfully, all of Sydney's escalator rides (holding onto Mommy's, Daddy's or Grandpa's hand) were all SAFE and closely supervised.

DADDY: Watching Sydney smile while riding on the escalator.

MOMMY: A bedtime hug with Daddy that turned into a "Silas Sandwich".

SYDNEY: Reading books with Papa (Lowell).

EDITED: Mike had assured me that riding on the escalators is NOT a big deal and that there would not BE escalators if people are losing limbs from them. HOWEVER, turns out - there is some truth to the woman's accusations; children DO tend to get hurt more often when escalator injuries occur. (http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/escalator.asp)

We had SNOW MUCH FUN playing outside

We started our day with some laughs... as Sydney, wearing his overnight diaper, asked if we could open the closet door because he needed something. He announced "Need my work boots on." and was convinced that he was going to work. Mike asked "What are you... one of the Village People?" (I almost died laughing.)

Daddy did NOT want to go outside to play in the snow so, mommy took Sydney outside. It was a beautiful day... 10°F, but sunny and NO WIND. (After rolling in the snow, Mommy wished that she would have worn daddy's snow pants.)

Sydney thought that he was SAFE from snowballs by hiding behind this wrought iron fence. Silly boy!

LOVE THIS!

Super excited to find a stick! (We also found a good one... that we're saving in a special place... in case we ever get a chance to build a snowman.)

Nana Olson LOVES to shop and outfitted Sydney PERFECTLY for the snow! He's SO stinkin' cute! (Thank you Nana & Papa!) NOTE: He wore the snowpants from last year, but if we do it again, I'd put the new, big ones on him; Live and learn.

Our self-portrait.

Sydney was pretending to fall down after announcing that it is hard to walk in boots.

He thought it was funny when Mommy taught him how to throw snowballs.

Yelling "Whoa, hard to run in boots!"

Handed Sydney a snowball and asked him if he wanted to eat it.

Perplexed, he said HUH? Guess I should have taught him DON'T EAT YELLOW SNOW! For the record, he did NOT eat it; it was way more fun to throw it!

I also taught him how to roll like a log (down the steep hill in our backyard.) He announced "Dizzy! That's crazy!" (I only let him go a little way.) He liked to watch mommy do it, too. Then, we ventured into the bonus room and found the sled that Grandpa Lowell bought us last Christmas. Mommy tried it out first and it went really, really FAST down the hill. Sydney rode with on the second run; mommy had to dig her heels into the ground to slow us down because it went crazy-fast and we were getting a dusting of snow in our faces. Sydney LOVED IT! (Mommy was getting cold though... not wearing any snowpants.)

At the end of our day, at bedtime, we do our routine of "What's your favorite part of today?" For mommy, the answer was: Playing outside in the snow with Sydney; I haven't had a snowball fight or gone sledding in a long, long time and it was really fun! For Sydney, the answer was "Rolling down the hill. That was crazy!"

We had *SNOW* MUCH FUN!

P.S. Sorry, Sydney, that mommy (may have) taught you to throw like a girl! :)