Success!

To catch you up (and then we'll cease with this topic unless something note-worthy occurs)...

On Saturday, LJ had a bit of a set-back...he tried to make it to the potty for "#2", but didn't make it and had messy underwear...twice. This was a set-back, but we did not make a big deal out of it...we just reiterated that we don't like messy pants anymore than we like wet pants, etc. In a day filled with playing outside with his cousins...he didn't have any other issues.

On Sunday, LJ went into the bathroom on his own accord and called out for me to tell me that he had gone "#2" in the potty...all self-initiated! We are very pleased! Also, during church, LJ told me he needed to use the potty, so I took him and all went well. Once again, we were very pleased. In fact, LJ went the whole day with dry pants and was very happy to take James (his new Thomas train and the reward for making it a whole day with dry pants) to bed with him!

We are going to give it a full-week to make the final analysis, but this method has yielded success in our book. This time last week, LJ didn't want anything to do with the potty and now he takes himself sometimes, but has no problems with going when we tell him to go. He is self-sufficient...he pulls his pants up and down, gets on the big potty, and flushes all by himself. He has done a very good job at learning a tough skill and we are super-proud of him!

The Day After T-Day

We consider yesterday a total potty success! LJ had 2 "accidents", but we wouldn't even call them that. Twice he bolted to the bathroom and pee-peed, but when told me that us underwear was wet and he needed new underwear. Well, his underwear was barely wet - so, we're pretty sure he started to pee-pee, stopped and ran to the bathroom to finish...pretty good, we think. We did have to tell him to go potty, so it still was not initiated by him - except those 2 times. He did wake up from his nap wet. RJ and I went to check on him before we went to bed - his underwear was wet, but not his sheet. He got up and went potty. Then, RJ had him get up at 1:00 (PJ is being a pill at night again...he's getting over a cold...so RJ was up anyway) - his pants were dry, but RJ had him go potty. Then, this morning - around 7:00, we heard LJ talking in his room, so RJ got up and had him go potty...his pants were dry!

Seriously, this potty training technique has been wildly successful for us and we cannot believe that LJ is in underwear 24/7 and really seeing so much success! Some of his cousins arrived for the Easter weekend - Uncle R was here when LJ woke up, then MawMaw came over, then his cousins came back from their shopping trip...with all of this excitement and distraction, LJ did not have one accident.

He did have one sad thing the first night in his new bed - remember we (RJ) took the front rail off of his crib. Around 1:30 in the morning, we hear LJ crying...we go in to find him in his bed, but he said he'd fallen out. He is about 1 foot above the floor, so no big deal, but he did have a little scratch on his leg confirming his story. I felt sad for him - but last night - he managed to stay in his bed!

T-Day, Part 2

LJ has been successful several more times!!! But, things have become a little more tense - not from the parents, but from LJ starting to say "no" more and not wanting to sit on the potty, but he does go get on the potty (rather easily), he just says "no, I don't like it" on the way. We think he's 1) getting bored with it and 2) getting tired.

As you may know, LJ is still in his crib. He actually really likes it and does not climb out, so up until now, we've left good enough alone. We've decided that he will not wear pull-ups - he's going to be in underwear from here on out. So, we took the front rail off the crib (it is not a convertible) and he is napping in his underwear. We've told him he can get up to go potty and nothing else until he sees the 4 on the digital clock (we have the minutes taped over) - if it is 4, he can get up and come find me. If he he has dry pants when he gets up at 4 - he gets a prize...if he needs to get up and go to the potty to keep his pants dry, he needs to do that.

I'm expecting to have to wash the sheets 2x a day for a while.

I think we are miles ahead of where we started this morning, but I think we have many "accidents" in our future...and I'm hoping I don't have to hear NOOOOOO too often! Only time will tell.

T-Day, Part 1

I fed the kids breakfast while RJ reviewed his procedures and got all of the supplies set up and then PJ and I left the house and RJ and LJ began to teach baby Joe how to use the potty.

PJ and I did some shopping - which resulted in some buying, so this toilet training cost us a little bit of money! LOL. We stopped to return some stuff to Bed, Bath and Beyond and then headed to Target. While in Target, I got a call from a very excited LJ telling me "MAMA - I PEE-PEED ON THE POTTY" - to which I replied with how happy and excited I am to hear that and how proud I am of him and how I'm sure Daddy must be so proud too! All in the most excited voice I have. I'm sure anyone who overheard me thinks I'm a total fake.

Then, PJ and I headed to Kohls. That store is evil and I cannot go in there very often. They have everything and it seems like the prices are so reasonable that I can easily rationalize buying. While in the shoe department, I got another call from a very excited LJ telling me "MAMA - I PEE-PEED ON THE POTTY" - once again, I was all EXCITEMENT! LJ then wanted to tell PJ, so I put the phone in PJs hand and he put it up to his ear (PJ pretends everything is a phone and babbles).

Alas, it was 10:15 and PJ was very sleepy for his nap, so we can home and I darted in to PJ's room to get him down for a nap. LJ was in the midst of wiping up an accident (his first). The book calls for having the trainee use a towel to blot up the accident as you want them to learn that 1) it is no big deal, but 2) you need to clean up after yourself (a great lesson for a boy to learn and I think many boys do not - judging from what I see sometimes). After the accident, LJ did his practice runs to the bathroom - from different parts of the house, he walks to the bathroom quickly, pulls down his underwear, sits on the potty, gets up, pulls up underwear and repeats from another location - 10x total.

LJ has now pee-peed on the potty about 7 times, has had dry pants and the "dry pants check" about 10 times, has had tons to drink, has had snacks, and has 3 matchbox cars for filling up parts of his potty chart. RJ is starting to phase out the "let's go sit on the potty" talk and is phasing in talk that isn't a command, but serves as a reminder - like "what do you do when you need to go potty?" The only real discouraging thing is that LJ just said, "if I pee-pee I can get another car" - which is showing a cause and effect, but one that we don't want dependence on. It was bound to happen, but I'm sure we can phase that out by the time he goes to college.

The Countdown Continues

I spent the "found" free time I had yesterday (due to not having a meeting, but having a Jfer here) gathering up the supplies we need for "T-Day". T-Day will be this Thursday. I don't have class and will take PJ out of the house until his morning nap time so that RJ and LJ will be able to focus total attention on the task at hand.

I like this method because it acknowledges that there are really many things for a toddler to learn in order to be self-sufficient at using the potty. He has to learn how to pull up and down his pants, how to get on the potty, how to know when to go, how to use TP when necessary, how to wash his hands...and this method teaches all of that.

Supply List:

Variety of drinks - the method calls for frequent drinking (so there is frequent need to go) and to encourage this - have a variety on hand. For LJ, who seriously only drinks milk and water, this means we have milk and water. I have some chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk - which is a treat LJ has rarely. I also bought some Capri Sun as LJ has had one before and he drank it. He thinks soda tastes "yucky" and he "does not drink juice".

Variety of snack rewards - Successfully teaching Joe how to potty gets a treat. Successfully pulling down his own pants gets a treat (in the beginning). Each time he has dry pants and the dry pants check (which come every 2 minutes at the beginning) he gets a treat. Each time he pee-pees in the potty, he gets a treat. Once he is successful with a step without needing help or prompting - you phase out the treats for that step. For LJ, we have snack packs of Skittles, snack size Twix, cheese/crackers, mini-chocolate donuts, and gummy bears.

Chart - I made a chart (on orange card stock because orange is his favorite color) and each time he 1) is dry at the dry pants check, 2) pee-pees on the potty, 3) poo-poos on the potty, or 4) went potty without help - he gets a sticker. 5 stickers in any of the above gets him a matchbox car.

Underwear - I bought tighty-whities in the size he might wear (but he's on the small end of the size spectrum) and one size bigger - which should be huge. The method says that when training, use underwear that is all but falling off so he can easily get them up and down.

Pants - I bought a few pairs of bigger pants (one is sweat shorts) so that he can get those up and down easily. It was a bit difficult to find pants that have an elastic waist in the bigger size. I think they think if you are wearing pants this big you can snap and zip.

Prizes - once he goes a whole day without an accident - he gets James - from the Thomas trains. I went ahead and bought it because TRU was having a "buy one get one 1/2 off" sale yesterday. Once he goes a whole week with no accidents - we get to all go ride on this steam train that runs between some towns that are about 2 hours away - LJ is looking forward to this, so I hope he can make one week with no accidents rather quickly.

The training itself - which lasts as long as 5 hours, but ends when he goes pee-pee on the potty without being reminded or prompted - whichever comes first...is a bonanza of postive reinforcement...candy, drinks, prizes and praise. But, once he masters the individual tasks (ie does them by himself without being prompted) thus ends the candy and prizes...praise lasts forever! I think LJ is actually going to have a lot of fun. Hours with just daddy, prizes and happiness - I imagine him really having fun. We'll see...

The Day is Coming

LJ *MUST* pee-pee and poo-poo on the potty. Enough is enough. So far, we've been VERY relaxed and he has been able to "not want to use the potty", but no mas. The end. Many people have told me that "when they're ready, they'll do it and it'll be no problem"...well, *we're* ready and LJ seems no where near "wanting" to do it.

There are no more diapers, he's in pull-ups and that too is about to come to el fin. Every so often someone on my mommy message board will tentatively ask if she is the only one who has a child who is no where close to using the potty. Turns out, she is not the only one - not even close to the only one. While I don't usually participate in those threads, I do glean bits of information from them. One lady mentioned a book that she found helpful, so I checked into "Toilet Training in Less than a Day" - read the reviews on Amazon and went and bought it. It sounds very promising. With the kind of all-out blitz this book's method promotes - I do think it might work. Plus, it takes like 5 hours or less. Terrific. Even more terrific is that I work in the mornings, so this will really be up to RJ. Frankly, he is better suited to handle this training. He has the capacity to be much more patient than I am and I think LJ is interested in learning from Daddy. We (RJ and I) have settled on the bonanza of food, drink and prizes needed to accomplish this 5 hour blitz and then DH needs to drill a hole in Joe's (LJ's doll - we gave him to have when he learned PJ was coming) bottom and mouth - so LJ can teach Joe how to pee-pee on the potty and we are pretty close to good to go! I need to buy a few other supplies like a better toilet seat (the one we have makes the "hole" too small for comfort), a bigger stool for LJ to use to get onto the potty, bigger underwear and pants so LJ can get them up and down more easily...things like this.

We have Thursday slated as "T-day". I don't have class, so I'll take PJ out of the house so there are no distractions and we'll see if this "nothing (and I mean NOTHING) but potty for several hours and tons of positive reinforcement" works.

Surprise!

I'm kind of glad that Daylight Savings Time is ending (or beginning - whatever) this weekend. These kids are waking up 5 minutes earlier than the morning before each morning this week. On Sunday morning - that will be 7:35 - 7:30 - 7:25, etc. instead of 6:35 - 6:30 - 6:25... If it weren't for the beginning (or the end - whatever) of DST, I fear we'd be into the 5:xx's soon...not good. This morning it was "good" that LJ woke up early because it was SNOWING outside. Snow is unheard of here. I think it snowed in 1984, but not again since then. We get an ice storm every 3 years or so, but never snow. It did not accumulate, but we all got dressed and went outside. We took pictures, but I don't think you can see the snow falling in them. This was quite the treat for us!

On the cleaning campaign, RJ swept the living room, dining room, and kitchen and I mopped all of those areas. I cleaned the hot spots in the living room/front entry/dining room and I plan to clean the glass storm door. That is all that will happen - this week was kind of a light week...I'm finding that all of the weeks are kind of light as we're doing a good job of "keeping up" what we've already done. This is fantastic! I did 4 loads of wash yesterday and folded it and put it away. I need to bless the rest of the house - which really means I need to clean the bathroom - that doesn't take long.

Trees!!! and 1959

TREES!

The tree mover came yesterday and we now have 2 HUGE trees in the front of our house!!!! When I say huge, I don't know what you may be visualizing...but we are talking about trees that are moveable. The trunks are about 7 inches in diameter and the trees are about 24 feet tall - this makes a big impact in curb appeal. The truck and equipment that moved the trees is amazing. The spade digs a hole that is about 5 feet deep and about 70 inches wide - and it does it so quickly and effortlessly. Then, the driver lets go of that dirt and scoops the tree up and deposits it in the hole. Since the size of the spade is the size of the spade - what is moved from one hole fits perfectly into the other hole. This truck was the talk of the neighborhood. 3 different neighbors came over to watch the action and everyone who drove by slowed down to look. It is truly amazing to see.

1959

My mom brought me one of her "journals" - she's always kept a daily journal - really nothing more than what she did that day, what the weather was like, who was sick, what notable things occurred...no emotions - just a record. She brought me 1959 because she had a 3 year old and then had a baby in March, so she thought I could relate or would find it interesting. It is very interesting and I see things that are special to me since my Dad is no longer alive. Things like Dad taking my oldest brother for a walk or to play in the snow or making breakfast so mom could sleep in...

Well, my sister was born on March 24th - there was a piece of paper paper clipped to this day - where dad had timed mom's contractions. So fun to see. Dad wrote the entry that day because mom was in the hospital - my sister weighed 7 pounds and some odd ounces and was 20 inches long. Mom stayed in the hospital 4 days. My sister was "perfect" on the "perfect" 4 hour eating schedule, etc. etc. Flash forward to May 2...my sister had her check-up. She now weighed 10 pounds and was 23 inches - great, now she's as big as PJ was at birth. But, then I read, "Dr. says to start cereal and then vegetables in one week" - WOW! My sister is about 6 weeks old and starting solids. Then I read about how she likes green beans, but really likes peas. This made my jaw drop - my how times have changed!

Rain Rain Stay Away...

The tree mover is scheduled for Wednesday and as of now, no rain in sight. In fact, highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s are the forecast, so I'm soooo hoping it'll happen this week.

This is exciting news because it has rained every 5 days all winter long. Rain, in general does not depress me, but...we are running out of time and the ground has GOT to dry out enough to transplant some trees we have. We have zero trees in our front yard - there used to be tons there, but they were "water oaks" and they were native to the land - they lived their life and were cut down before we bought the house. So, we've never had trees in our front yard. There are 2 trees next to the garage RJ built that will have to be cut down, but we want to move them instead. This would be costly, but not as costly as buying trees of a much smaller size - and to have "instant tree" in our front yard would be terrific.

We FINALLY found someone with a tree spade - this was not easy to do. For those of you who aren't "in the know" regarding the world of tree moving, I present:

Tree Spade:

Graphic so you can see how it works:


The problem is - we have a winter weather pattern that equals 5 days of dry then 2 days of rain - then repeat. This truck is big and heavy and will sink into the ground and get stuck if the ground is too wet. The guy was supposed to come last Sunday...it POURED rain all day Saturday, so that was a no-go. Then, he was supposed to come Thursday afternoon, but it rained Wednesday night. Wednesday night's rain was not so bad, but the ground was already on the wet side from Saturday's down pour. So, Thursday was a no-go. To have any chance of the trees surviving and thriving, we need to move them while they are dormant - and that time is rapidly dwindling. AUGH!!!!!

This is why I'm particularly pleased by the weather forecast!

Rainy Saturday

Flying - this week I did clean the bathroom (it doesn't take too long, so there really is no excuse for not doing it more frequently) as this was the Zone of the Week. I decided to buy a new bathmat - ours is missing quite a few suction cups. I also bought one of those spout cover things - because now PJ is in the tub with LJ. PJ has completely outgrown his infant tub that goes in the sink. Plus, he LOVES the bathtub. Loves it. He'll go in the bathroom and beat on it with his hands and if I run the water - forget about it - he's trying to climb in. But, with both of them in there - and with PJ knowing no fear, he's destined to hit his head on the spout, so now we have a duck dressed like a fireman raining protection from our spout.

I also "blessed" the house yesterday (this is how the FlyLady has you keep the rest of the house clean while focusing on one Zone a week) - some rooms got the "over the lips and past the gums..." blessing - crude, but got something done. Today, I need to do laundry and mop the kitchen floor. RJ has to work all day today, so it is me and the kids...all day. Then, he has to take this person out to dinner (he's in charge of a conference that is going on today and his dinner companion is a guest speaker at the conference) - so it is really me and the kids ALL day. PJ fell asleep for like 10 minutes on the way home from Target, so I'm trying to let him play until he gets a little tired again - then it'll be nap time for him. This means I won't have to hear "MOOOOM - PR is getting me - come get him away" for at least 45 minutes!

LJ spent the last of his Christmas Target giftcards this morning - he bought yet ANOTHER Matchbox car fold and go thing. They really are nice, cheap, and the pack away well, so I like them and he enjoys them a TON.

And then there was sleep...

I went out of town last Friday night, for an overnight trip...RJ was super-sweet not to freak out (it isn't his nature) when I told him about going away for Friday night on the Wednesday before...I got together with some ladies from my mommy messageboard and we had a great time - moms only.

The MOST exciting thing about the weekend is...while I was away Friday night - RJ did not feed PJ in the middle of the night. He said that PJ cried around 2:30, but fell back asleep (on his own) and RJ didn't hear from him again until 7:30. So...we decided to dispense with that one last night-time nursing session. Saturday night, PJ cried around 3:45 - and on and off until 4:00, but then we didn't hear from him again until 6:00. I fed him at that time because I want to feed him before I go to work (so I don't have to pump at work) - I leave for work around 7:15...so, anytime between 6 and 7 is fine with me. Sunday and Monday nights we heard him cry around 3:45, but each time - he's put himself back to sleep and we've not heard from him until 7:XX. THIS IS SPECTACULAR!!!! We are *finally* getting our sleep-life back to normal. It was ok getting up with him 1x and, truthfully, I'll miss it - it is the *one* nursing session that is calm. The other 3-4 are an exercise in acrobatics. It is amazing how contorted PJ can get his body and still hang on and nurse. Truly amazing.

PJ's 9 Month Stats

Weight - 25 pounds 10 ounces
(weight for age = >97th percentile)

Length - 30 1/2 inches
(length for age >97th percentile)

Head Circumference - 19 inches
(head circuference for age >97th percentile)

Weight for Length percentile = 75th - 90th

Once again - he is a big boy, but when you factor in his lenght and weight - he's pretty proportional. FYI - LJ was 21 pound 3 ounces at 9 months old.

He's been crawling for months, pulling up for months, cruising for months - but still no walking (thank goodness). He's eating just fine - prefers to have nothing to do with baby food, so he eats mostly table food. He nurses around 4-5 times in a 24 hour period. The Zantac seems to be working well, so our reflux issues are under control. He's more "vocal" than I remember LJ being - he screams a lot...which I do rememeber LJ going through a screaming stage. He's more agressive and adventursome than LJ is - LJ is very aware of his abilities and is cautious with physical things - PJ would crawl off the edge of a cliff without hesitation. PJ is napping 2x a day and usually the naps are an hour and a half each - sometimes only 45 minutes. He wakes up one time at night to eat. He usually wakes up 2 or so other times and fusses/cries, but puts himself back to sleep. All-in-all, happy, healthy and just doing fine.

3 Days and Nights is Enough!

I've started to make a dent in this house de-cluttering. I read much of the FlyLady website almost a year ago, so I'm kind of following her suggestions, but since RJ is gone today, I'm using this as a way to really get ahead. I de-cluttered our #1 hot spot - the dining room table. Put a fresh table cloth on and put RJ's random stuff in a box. I have the back porch - aka - kids' play area in an organized state of chaos and when PJ wakes up from his nap, we are going to Target to buy yet MORE storage containers. I already know we (LJ and I) are going to have to devote 15 minutes every night to this room alone...if I don't oversee the process - everything gets all out of whack.

We went to visit baby E yesterday. This is an hour long car ride there and back. PJ slept on the way there and LJ was, as usual, great in the car. That kid can sit there and look out the window and be perfectly happy. E is a cute cute cute little boy and when I picked him up, my arms floated up in the air - he is so light. Of course, at 8 weeks old, he weighs less than PJ did at birth. PJ was very interested in trying to kiss (?) or take a bite out of (?) E's face - we'll go with kiss!

RJ comes home today - he was helping my brother and one of my brothers-in-law rebuild the boat dock at MawMaw's house. 3 nights and days alone with the kids - well, I'm ready to have some "help" again! I cannot fathom how single moms do it. I suppose you do what you have to do, but whew - I'm so glad I'm not in that situation. I have enjoyed watching movies RJ would not want to watch - last night was The Devil Wears Prada - still not as good as the book, but better than the Nanny Diaries.

More Random Catch-up

PJ's Sleep Training:
He wakes up a couple of times a night and cries - it is rare is does so for 3 minutes solid, so he just toughs it out by himself. Since RJ is on duty unless it is 1:00 or 6:00 (the times he's allowed to eat), I just roll over and put the pillow over my ear...we are all sleeping much better.

PJ's Eating:
Pretty much all table food - with random baby food at breakfast (fruit) and dinner (meat/veggies). If there is regular food around - he's not interested in the baby food.

LJ's Potty Training:
I consider it major success that LJ has been willing to wear underwear first thing most morning and has been willing to sit on the potty. No fuss, no complaints - it has all been just fine.

Here is the problem...we get through all the underwear we own - 6 pairs. He pees very often...every 15 - 20 minutes. Not a lot, but enough. So, on the first day, I set my timer for 20 minutes, but we'd sit on the potty and nothing, but then about 5 minutes after getting off the potty - I notice he's got wet pants. Sometimes he tells me, sometimes I just notice. So...? He doesn't seem to mind being in wet underwear. He's not even trying to get to the bathroom...he just pees, like he always has. And, he obviously doesn't "hold" his urine for any amount of time. I read that others ask them to sit on the potty every hour or two - um...that is 4-5 urinations for us.

So - this is a slow process, but I suppose it'll all work out eventually. For those "old school" people out there - the current literature considers using the potty to be a developmental milestone like walking - they'll do it when they are ready and when they are ready, it'll be easy. Boys are typically ready around 3 and 1/2. Frankly, it is easier for him to be in diapers - but you didn't hear me say that.

LJ's Health:
LJ threw up yesterday morning - for the first time in his life...so, I shouldn't complain. Plus, he did it while I was at work, so RJ had to deal with it all - so, I REALLY shouldn't complain. I knew he wasn't feeling well because he asked to take a nap well before nap time - even though his blanket was in the dryer...poor kid. This morning, he's still not feeling well and has spent the morning on the couch. He hasn't thrown up again this morning - he apparently did last night, in bed, a little, but RJ took care of that this morning...LJ didn't seem to notice. This illness is likely going to put a kink in our Saturday plans...

Exciting Family News:
LJ and PJ have a new cousin!!! Aunt MJ and Uncle BJ *finally* made it through the whole adoption process and are now the proud parents of a very cute 6 week old baby EJ - who at 6 weeks is smaller than PJ was when he was born, but sleeps WAY better than PJ does now. I'm trying not to be jealous about that part! We were going to go see them tomorrow, but might postpone that a day or two depending on how LJ's health progresses. Don't want to take any chances...

Interesting (?) Family News:
We are all eating much more healthily as I have just completed Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. I decided to do it! I'm still nursing, so I've been hesitant to do any "diet", but - in researching SBD, it makes soooo much sense to me AND it has me eating a way more healthy diet than I have been. Day 1 I even went out to lunch - Chili's. So, I did some Internet research first and found that the Guiltless Salmon is Phase 1 friendly. Salmon, black beans, and broccoli...I didn't feel deprived in the least. I found the South Beach Diet Cookbook at the library and checked it out. I really like how portions are not limited - just the sugar/enriched flour - which makes so much sense to me. I've told so many people about the concept, so I can tell you if you are interested. Or, you can just search on the Internet and you'll find information about it...I checked out books at the library. We are eating lean meats, cheese, etc...*I'm* limiting my carbs, but the rest of the family is not, but they are eating whole grains - brown rice, whole-wheat bread/pasta, etc. RJ is pretty on board because the science behind it makes sense...he still drinks Coke though! I've been very successful so far and I'm happy with the nutritional changes we are making.

Sleep Training for PJ

First - Happy New Year! We did stay up (RJ had to convince me - I wanted to go to bed) to ring in the New Year on the East Coast...and then we went to bed. On New Year's Day we drove to S&R's house with Jfer in tow and had a really nice visit. We enjoyed seeing their house and the delicious meals S cooked for us. We were so happy to see M&B and I think S&R survived LJ at their house...he decided to feed their frog - all of the food in the container. This resulted in syphoning and cleaning the tank - once again, we are sorry. This little 3 year old is tough to reign in. Seriously 3 is CRAZY.

We have been "sleep-training" PJ for 3 nights now - here is the little journal I've been keeping (thus far)"

Night 1 - Jan 3, 2008
PJ has survived (or should I say, we have survived) his first night of "sleep training" - it wasn't that bad. We did our normal routine, but added a story in his room before we put him down - awake - for bed. Previously, he was bounced to sleep in the bouncy seat. He feel asleep on his own - no crying. Then, when he cried in the night we did a 3 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting - then, 5 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting - then 10 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting...and 10 minutes every time after that. He never got past 3 minutes of crying. He cried once for 3 minutes, RJ went in, patted his back - left and PJ never cried for another 3 minutes. Later in the night, he cried for fewer than 3 minutes, so we never went in. Um...I'm not holding my breath that tonight will be as good, but the first night was sooo not bad I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner. Except that RJ's parents have spent 2 -3 nights with us mosts weeks for the past few weeks and I hesitate to subject anyone to what could be a long night of crying. I just put PJ down for his morning nap - no bouncing and no nursing to sleep and he fussed for a few minutes, but now it is quiet in there.

Night 2 - Jan 4, 2008
He cried out about 3 times, but never for long enough for RJ to go in there...um - this is either a fluke or WHY DID WE NOT DO THIS SOONER?! Do you have any idea how much my quality of life will improve if I can have some down time at night AND still get a good solid 6 - 7 hours of sleep. I'd prefer 8, but 6 straight hours is so foreign to me that I *know* that alone will be monumental.

Night 3 - Jan 5, 2008
Great! - he cried out 1x (when it was not ok to eat) and put himself back to sleep quickly. He went 6 1/2 hours without eating and then 3 1/2 hours, so I'm ready to take him down to eating 1x a night and then, eventually (within a few days) 0. LJ just did all of these things on his own, so it is foreign to me to have to "teach" PJto do them.

Last Blog of 2007

Happy New Year!

I doubt we'll make it until midnight - maybe for the East coast..., but I kind of doubt that too.

I'm stealing away a minute - LJ is upset that the show he was watching got cut off. Noggin is *supposed* to be on 24 hours now (this is commercial-free programming for pre-schoolers) - previously, it ended at 5:00 (and commercial-filled programming for "progressive" teenagers came on - this is a stark contrast). He was happily watching "Franklin and the Mystery of Turtle Lake" or something like that and 10 minutes in - it switched to the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" - he was mighty upset and wanted me to fix it. I called Dish, but it is Noggin's deal, so...

PJ is crawling around the house trying to find me, I'm surprised he hasn't looked here yet.

It Was a Very Merry Christmas

The Js had a great Christmas 2007 - it seemed to sneak up on us and then it was over in a flash, but we slowed it down and enjoyed it. Christmas Eve day is what really seemed to fly - we wrapped presents and tried to clean the house a bit, but going to Mass at 5:00 - which is 30 minutes after LJ's nap ends - that made things pick up quickly. LJ was a very good boy at church (we did not go to the church with the cry room) and PJ mostly was...he wanted to crawl around everywhere and he managed to bang his head a couple of times. The people behind us commented on how well-behaved they were as I think they rather enjoyed watching the show that is trying to keep everyone on their best behavior. One time, LJ told *ME* that if I tried to stop him from sitting on the floor, I'd have to sit in the naughty chair. One look and the words "you don't tell mommy to sit in the naughty chair" nipped that in the bud. Let's just say, LJ is testing the limits. Which reminds me - terrible twos??? Why have I heard nothing about age three? Two was nothing.

After church we went out to eat and that went pretty well - although we were pushing PJ's bedtime. He's not too into baby food if he sees that other food is available, so he's getting more table food and much sooner than LJ did. Once home, LJ put out the cookies (he and I made them together) and milk for Santa, we dressed the kids in their new, matching pajamas, and put them to bed. And then we wrapped presents, made one last batch of peanut brittle, finished the laundry, etc.

Christmas morning - LJ actually slept late?!? I couldn't believe it. I had a loose schedule planned as RJ's family would be arriving for brunch around 10:00 - the plan did not call for little boys sleeping in! He finally awoke to see that Santa had filled his stocking and left a note thanking LJ for the cookies. LJ had fun opening his presents and PJ's presents and PJ had fun playing in all the wrapping paper. We finished unwrapping, got dressed and got PJ down for a nap right before the first of RJ's family arrived. The rest of the day was spent eating, visiting, playing and napping - it was a really nice day!

Both the kids have colds = LJ seems to be tolerating his illness just fine while PJ seems bothered by his inability to breath. I think he knows we were about to let him fend for himself when he wakes at night, so he manufactured this virus to delay it - little does he know - it is inevitable.

200th Post

Have YOU read them all?

This will likely be short because I hear PJ playing in his crib. I'd prefer him to nap, but he seems bent on keeping those short today. Yesterday was almost 2 hours in the morning and almost 2 hours in the afternoon, but I guess they can't all be days like that.

Things are busy, yet slow, around the J house. RJ is working on the garage and this keeps him busy and keeps our house full as his parents have been very generous with their help. From what I can tell - they are almost to the point that the garage 'looks finished' from the outside - yet has no electricity or water, so it isn't really finished. Plus, there is the issue of the driveway and parking area to be finished. But, progress is definitely being made.

PJ says Mama and Dada - to the correct people...and some days - it is all MAMA MAMA MAMA all the time. I finally decided I'd had enough of this acid reflux business and took him to the doctor. He is now on 2ml of Zantac 2x a day - and we do think it is helping. He has had a much more pleasant disposition and has not been clinging to my leg, begging me to pick him up as much as he had been. He now eagerly opens his mouth for his food - he had been pinching his lips together. And, the best is - he is sleeping MUCH better at night. As I understand it, the Zantac doesn't keep him from spitting up, etc. - it just reduces the acid production, so the spit up, burping, etc. is not painful.

LJ is starting to do simple math. I'm not kidding - he'll be playing and I'll hear him say, "If I have 3 cars and I take one away, now I have 2 cars" - and stuff like this. So, he's not interested in using the potty, but he's adding and subtracting cars like a pro.

I'm busy making peanut brittle, mailing out Christmas cards, and hiding gifts from children and husbands.

The Christmas Tree

Good news - PJ isn't being too persistent so far as the Christmas tree and the train go. As usual, I thought it would be terrible and it hasn't been that bad. This is me...the pessimist (I choose to believe I'm a realist), RJ is the optimist (I choose to believe he's an idealist). I still say it is better to think the worst so you are pleasantly surprised when the worst doesn't happen...this is preferable to being disappointed, but RJ wouldn't be disappointed if he thought PJ wouldn't play with the tree and he did. The take home message here: PJ isn't bothering the tree and this is good.

The tree and the outside lights are all the decorations we have up right now. LJ "helped" with the tree and PJ clawed at my legs and wanted me to pick him up the whole time I tried to help. This means that RJ pretty much put the tree up by himself AND it took longer than usual due to the help. But, LJ was so proud of himself for helping. Today, he helped me dust the house...which he is pretty good at - for a 3 year old.

The boys have both been sick. PJ has had a fever since Sunday - with today being his first day without. LJ had a fever yesterday and the night before. Yesterday, he asked to go to bed at 10:30 in the morning and slept until 1:30. I had him go back to bed at 3:00 and got him up at 5:00. He slept well last night (PJ did not) and seems OK today. I think PJ is realizing he's hungry due to the lack of eating he's done over the past 3 days...that's what I'm going with anyway.

I'm off of work until January, so I am getting used to being home all day...let's say I'll likely get used to it just in time to go back to work.

While putting up the Christmas tree, LJ and PJ were playing in a box together. I asked LJ if he's happy to have a little brother to play with...he said, "oh yes!" Then I asked if he thought he'd like another little brother one day, he said "oh yes!...or...maybe a little girl!" I thought this was very funny. He is in a phase where he points out things that are for girls and things that are for boys. I think the defining characteristic of girl things is that they are pink.

Are My Cousins Coming Today?

LJ asks this almost everyday...and when the answer is, "No, not today" - sometimes he cries. He cried a lot these days...everything seems to be of utmost importance to him. He's also getting to be a bit devious, as in he'll tell anyone anything he thinks he needs to tell them to get what he wants. I'll go so far as to say he is "lying", but I'm not sure he realizes he is not telling the truth or if he thinks what he is saying *is* the truth. Example: He took the cushions off the new couch and started jumping on the couch (where did he get this idea?) and Grandma asked him if he's allowed to jump on the couch - apparently, LJ said yes...well, this is not the case. Actually, we've never experienced him trying to do this before said instance, so perhaps he thinks he is allowed to do this - he's never been told he can't...because it hasn't come up until now. I view it as a "please don't eat the daisies" kind of thing...do I really have to tell you that you can't take the cushions off the new couch and jump on it?!? It seems that with a 3 year old, I do.

PJ is doing lots of babbling and LJ and PJ are starting to "play with each other". LJ likes to get in the crib with PJ and look at books. It is pretty cute.

Thanksgiving and Other Musings...

We've been talking about Thanksgiving around the J house - my favorite holiday...all of the food and none of the gift buying. Plus, it involves planning - what to eat, recipes, who brings what, and what time everything needs to happen in order to all be ready at the same time...this is what my brain was made to do! I've been telling LJ who is coming over and what we're eating and he is very excited. In fact, he is so excited that yesterday he asked if it was Thanksgiving and when I said, "not today" - he cried. It was hard not to laugh, but he was truly sad that it wasn't Thanksgiving. I guess I've done a good job of describing it.

LJ had his 3 year check-up. He's perfectly healthy. He told the Dr., "I do NOT want a shot" - luckily, he did not need a shot. He is remaining true to his growth curve weighing in at 45 pounds (insane) and 41 inches tall. Thankfully, his height is as "above average" as his weight. He's a big 3 year old. I'm trying not to think about it.

PJ is totally into mama right now. He follows me around the house and paws at my legs until I pick him up. If he's the slightest bit tired, he will cry until *I* hold him. I'm sure this is a classic phase, but I don't remember LJ wanting my attention so much - I'm sure I've just forgotten. PJ is a super-proficient crawler and he's learning how to get down from pulling up - this is favored over his falling down! He's up to two meals of solid food a day, but NO peaches. They do not sit well with him.

I don't know what we're going to do about the Christmas tree this year - there is no way PJ will leave it alone. He'll try to pull up on it, he'll try to put the train in his mouth, he'll try to eat the tree...no doubt about it. LJ was an infant his first Christmas and by his 2nd he was old enough to obey "no no no", so this is new territory for us. I can't imagine not having the tree, so perhaps we'll get the baby gate out and sequester PJ to the back porch.

LJ's B-day Party

We celebrated LJ's 3rd birthday on Sunday with a lunchtime party (for family who were either in town because they live here or were in town helping with our "barn raising"). We decorated with Thomas the Tank Engine in mind - and *I* think it turned out very nice. For the craft, participants decorated a 9-piece blank puzzle for LJ, so he has several new puzzles to put together. I do have to say that you can tell who created each puzzle...and this is actually very interesting to me.


For lunch, we ate pizza from a new establishment...you take it and bake it at home. We discovered this place (which is right next to our grocery store) and have eaten this pizza once a week since. It is GOOD. For dessert, we feasted on a "cupcake" cake decorated in...a Thomas theme. When we put the cake in front of LJ, he commanded, "everybody sing to me" and when asked what his favorite part of his party was, he'll say, "when everybody sang to me." - so make of that what you will.

He does seem to know that tomorrow is his "real birthday" and not his "birthday party", but I think that is because we've been talking about how he'll use the potty when he is 3. I'm fairly certain he does not *want* to use the potty, so he'll take an "out" he can and this is why he's wrapped his brain around the fact that he is not yet 3. We'll have to see how this potty thing will go - with people in town to "build the barn" and then Thanksgiving AND the fact that he has 3 primary care givers....well, this all seems to make the command performance on the potty a bit difficult to manage. Perhaps the full-force push will come in a couple of weeks when I'm off work for a good while?

PJ has 2 teeth.

Fall Back

Whoever decided this was a good idea obviously did not have young children...they don't really care what time it is. They get tired at "bed time" and the wake up at "good morning time". Prior to "fall back" - PJ was in bed around 7:30 pm with LJ in bed around 8:00. They would both wake up around 7:00 am. Sure, sometimes they wake up around 6:30, but will usually entertain themselves until 7:00 - 7:30. Sunday, I got up at 5:50 am and PJ didn't make it past 6:30 pm for bed time. This morning - I heard children talking to themselves at 5:30 - and the "mama, I had a good nap" call came by 6:30. Remember when falling back meant YOU got an extra hour of sleep?

We all have colds - and I burned my fingers on a cookie sheet heated to 450, but that is a longer story than I want to type with burned fingers.

Progress on the garage is underway. Concrete slab is poured, building has been delivered, curb cut for the relocated driveway apron will be poured tomorrow. I believe I heard something about RJ's brother BJ coming tomorrow and this means some portion of the building will be erected. RJ is super-excited, but super-tired...being the director of all of this work is a big job.

PJ's 6 month Stats

PJ had his well-check today and the stats are:
Weight - 20 pounds 7.5 ounces (90th - 95th percentile)
Length - 28 1/2 inches (>97th percentile)
Weight for length percentile - 25th - 50th

For comparison - LJ's 6 month stats were:
Weight – 17 pounds 15.5 ounces (50th percentile)
Length– 26 ¾ inches (75th percentile)
Weight for length percentile - 50th - 75th

I'm sure this isn't so interesting for the average reader, but I find it fascinating!

PJ had is current on his immunizations and had 1/2 his flu shot today - he gets the other 1/2 in a month.

LJ, RJ, and I all had our flu shots today as well - and we all did just fine with it. LJ got a Blue's Clues sticker for his efforts.

The dr. was not impressed with my tale of reflux and took my recounting the events in stride. He suggested we feed him earlier at before bed so the food has time to digest...which we are already doing. I knew that would be the extent of it. You can't look at PJ and think he's suffering nutritionally - and if there is no nutritional deficit, they are want to do anything about reflux.

The Reflux

I have "The Reflex", by Duran Duran going through my mind, but alas - The Reflux is not nearly so nice...


I'm beginning to think that PJ might be suffering from acid reflux. He isn't much of a crank during the day, but he does spit up (usually more than once) every time after he eats - sometimes 2 or so hours later. As mentioned in the previous entry, he projectile vomited (2x) about 3 hours after having some applesauce and rice cereal...well, a few nights ago I tried some solids again...bananas and rice cereal. He threw that up too. He has eaten bananas previously and not thrown up. It really seems as though this reflux has gotten worse as he's gotten older. Looking back, I can see signs that he's always had it, but now it seems worse - with the vomit and all. There are other symptoms, like he is angry while nursing...he pulls off, not in a distracted way typical for his age, but he is crying and fussing. We are lucky if we nurse for 10 minutes a session. I thought he was fussy because he'd drained the breast, but when I pump I get 3-4 ounces out of each breast, and I doubt he's pulling 3-4 ounces in 3 minutes...right? Also, his voice is hoarse and raspy - which I read is another sign.

All of this to say - I'm beginning to think this is at least part of his problem at night. He arches his back, turns himself over on his tummy, but doesn't sleep that way...he starts crying - ALL THE TIME. Sometimes, he goes right back to sleep - other times (more often) he cries and arches his back while we're trying to comfort him. If/when we pick him up, he typically has a juicy burp or two. So, perhaps he's waking up and crying because he's in pain from acid reflux? I don't know that there is much to do other than ride it out and adjust his eating habits. He has his well-visit on Friday, but I'm pretty sure the Dr. will not be impressed (the American meaning, not the Canadian meaning - which I've come to know means "angry"). PJ is growing just fine and he's pretty content during the day (with some research, I've come to know he is a 'happy spitter' (he's got juicy burps, spitting up a lot, etc., but isn't cranky about it) and does not suffer from GERD (these babies are cranks) - it is just the night time that is driving us batty!

So far, we have taken the course of action which includes- smaller, more frequent meals and upright for about 30 minutes after. This has caused us to re-do his night routine...from bath, nurse, bed to nurse, upright for a bit, bath, bed. No big deal, but a change due to the reflux. I've read that 4-5 months is the peak and we did start to notice the signs around 4 months. As with all things baby-related, it seems we can always look at it as "things are only going to get better" - of course, different things pop up all the time...!

Oh, and let me add - PJ is pulling himself up to a standing position when he is near something that is head-height for him as he crawls around the house. Um...he'll be 6 months old tomorrow - this seems rather early for so much mobility...yikes!

Random Catch-up Entries...

PJ has cleared: rice cereal, sweet potato, squash, carrots, pears, and bananas. He's tried peaches, but that night he slept HORRIBLY, so I didn't give him peaches a second day. Instead, I gave him apple sauce yesterday. Later that evening, he projectile vomited 2x within a 20 minute period of time...right before bedtime...and RJ was not home. LJ has never vomited (knocking on wood), so I've made it almost 3 years having to deal with nobody's vomit but my own. It is truly pathetic to watch a 6 month old (almost) be so sick. Of course, there is no warning as to when this will occur, so I immediately have visions of cleaning this up all over the house. Luckily, (knocking on wood) PJ did not vomit again and seems to be fine...RJ is having gastro-intestinal woes today, so perhaps there is a "touch of something" in the air. Or, perhaps PJ's system did not care for rice cereal and apple sauce, but those are so bland I have a hard time thinking he's allergic. I will say there was an aroma of baby-food peaches after the expulsions, but he ate those over 24 hours earlier, so is it possible he would wait that long to react? I have no solid food planned for today...I'm sure you can understand.

PJ is crawling. Full-on crawling. He's been mobile for about 4 weeks, but now he's got coordinated arm/leg movement.

LJ is a singing fool. He knows several songs and, while not in great tune, sings them well (thanks to Jfer and to PJ's delight).

LJ has hit the terrible-twos - with less than 1 month to go. He just isn't listening and isn't as compliant, so he's spent some time in the naughty chair. Once, the naughty chair wasn't doing the trick (he seemed to be enjoying himself too much), so I made him stand with his nose on the wall.

LJ is, for the most part, a very happy, loving, sweet boy - this is why we know he *can* be such a good boy!

LJ is excited that Uncle B's tractor is in our driveway! RJ is starting to get the site ready for the delivery of his garage (steel building) on November 2nd. Then - construction begins...I've been told that, with the help of the male J's (brothers and father), it'll take 2-3 weeks. I remain hopeful this is true because I know how thrilled RJ is to finally have his garage - I'll let you know.

MJ is not getting on the computer as much because it seems that LJ and PJ have less and less time where they are simultaneously occupied...one or the other always seems to need my attention.

MJ realizes how much she took for granted how easy it used to be to jump out of the car and run in to get something. Now, she wishes there was a drive-thru grocery store.

I (I’ll cease with the MJ) enjoyed two weekends of “me” activities. One – some girlfriends from college came to town and we partook in college activities. Very much fun – although, I stayed up way too late! The other – I went on an overnight “mom’s only” trip with some of the ladies from my mommy message board. It was nice to be able to visit with them without having to keep 95% of my attention on my children! I think we decided to make it a 3x a year occurrence.

RJ's B-Day

RJ celebrated his #&th birthday over the weekend...and what a celebration it was. You all know how much I enjoy planning events such as this - and we had some family coming into town for another event anyway, so...I took this excuse to plan a shin-dig and ran with it.

The theme was "cars" - and not the Disney movie. Guests included MawMaw, my brother and his family and my niece ES (her first time to come to our house and our first time to see her in a L O N G time) and her boyfriend B. These people were all going to be in town anyway, so don't feel slighted if you weren't invited...no one was really "invited", they just showed up! We hope that ES will feel as though she can just show up anytime she so desires.

Ok, back to the party - I went all out with the theme...the table:

The craft table - where people made their own license plate:

The menu was hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, chip, veggies, dip, baked beans, cake, ice cream, candy, candy, candy, and candy. LJ was in little boy heaven. The games included: A "road rally" to find the cake, Red Light/Green Light, Marshmallow races, "RJ Says", Pin the Balloon on the Firetruck, and Musical Chairs. Every time a person/team won a game, they got a prize and RJ got a Matchbox car...which, of course, LJ has inherited. Many guests were so generous as to bring gifts, so RJ has worn a new t-shirt, bought a weed-eater, and run his remote-control cars all over the house (with LJ laughing and chasing after them). It was BIG fun and we had a great time.

(LJ is having trouble limiting his candy intake, so we are having to intervene in a big way.)

PJ Update

This entry is dedicated solely to PJ - who, as #2, has very little dedicated solely to him.

Tuesday marked PJ's 5th month, if we are going strictly by date...April 25 - Sept 25. But, if we are marking time by weeks - Wednesday marked PJ's 22nd week. If we consider a month to be 4 weeks, as it generally is, then PJ is 5 months, 2 weeks. I suppose it doesn't matter all that much...unless you are a parent who is waiting until PJ is 6 months old to start solid food. (I know I *can* feed him solids whenever *I* want, but all research indicates that it is not necessary, potentially causes/intensifies allergies, won't make them sleep any longer, etc.) With LJ (I promise not to mention him too much in this post dedicated solely to PJ), I counted down the time until I could give him solid food because feeding an infant solid food was such a novelty. With PJ, I counted down the time until I could give him solid food because he seems to want it so desperately. He intently watches every morsel of food go into people's mouths, he grabs at anything he can on my plate and tries to shove it in his mouth, he'll claw his way across the floor if LJ has something PJ deems to be food and at a level which he can feasibly army crawl his way toward...this kid just seems to be ready to eat. So, we did it - we gave him his first solid food - Sweet Potato. He opened his mouth and swallowed it down as though he's been doing this for months. In fact, RJ was feeding him sweet potatoes while he (RJ) was eating chocolate cake. RJ turned his attention toward LJ for a split second and PJ went after that cake. We have it on video - it is hilarious - you must ask to see it when you are at our house. So, PJ is on his way to a diet that includes more solids. Sweet potato passed the 3 day allergic reaction test, now he's on day three of rice cereal, and then we'll try squash.

PJ is going to crawl any day now. I know it seems early and we can't believe it ourselves, but he's going to do it. He's been flipping from back to front for a good long while now. Once on his front, he's pretty good at manipulating himself around and he shows zero desire to flip from front to back. He can do it, but I don't think he sees any point in it...I mean, no one ever got anywhere (ie - toward any food) by lying on their back! In the past couple of days, PJ has pushed himself up on his hands and feet - aka bear crawl position - and then he lowers himself to his knees and rocks back and forth. I suppose he could maintain this for quite a while without any forward movement, but I think he is ready to get around and he seems to be a very physically determined child.

PJ now has a crib in his room. We had to go buy one as LJ still loves sleeping in his - and we are in no hurry to have him out of it. It was a hand-me down from my sister, so we have only had to purchase one crib over the course of two children. This crib is a "convertible", so we'll have to figure out what to do when LJ is in a bed...do we convert this crib to a toddler bed and put PJ is LJ's crib or what? But, we'll make that decision when we have to! PJ's "theme" is jungle animals - very cute sheet, bumper, and blanket. The greens coordinate well with my super awesome green rocker/recliner in his room. The whole set-up looks really cozy and I wish I could curl up in there and sleep. We're hopeful that it will be a soothing sanctuary for PJ and that he'll love his crib as much as LJ loves his!

As LJ Says...

There are several noteworthy things that LJ has said of late. I submit the following for your reading pleasure:

After dinner last night, RJ said, "It is time to clean up" - meaning, it is time to clean up the dinner dishes. To this, LJ replied, "Why? Who is coming over?"

See how he is already trained in the art of our cleaning habits...we just have people over often enough to keep our house from getting really out of hand as that is the only motivation strong enough to encourage us to use our "free" time cleaning.

In the car a couple of evenings ago, LJ took a toy away from PJ. I told LJ that was not nice and to give the toy back to PJ. To this, LJ said, "I want you to go away PR. Go back to the doctor where you belong."

I struggled very hard not to laugh out loud while RJ explained that we are all a family and we belong together - not with the doctor. Very funny stuff.

And, just now - as I'm typing this, LJ came over, patted my wet, freshly-washed hair and said, "your hair looks pretty nice Mama"

- and we'll just leave it at that for now.

Impulse Control?

Where to begin? I'm going to try to create a picture for you - but I doubt you will truly grasp what I'm going to tell you...since many of you haven't seen LJ's room.

1:00 - nap time. All goes normally. When LJ goes down for a nap, he usually plays for a bit (sometimes up to an hour) in his crib, but he eventually falls asleep.

Around 1:45, PJ wakes from his nap and I start feeding him.

2:00 - I hear a thump and then LJ crying. I put PJ in his bouncy seat - (he was none too happy about being cut-off mid-meal) and go to LJ's room.

I open the door and the first thing I see it a puddle on the floor and a tipped over bottle of rubbing alcohol. This had previously been on the chest of drawers next to LJ's crib. This is a tall chest of drawers and everything has been put out of his reach...thanks to the "band-aid" incident a few weeks ago. My eye goes from the puddle to see that LJ is standing in his crib with the front of his shirt pulled over and behind his head, but his arms are still in it. He has taken off his pants and his diaper, so he is void of clothes...except on his arms. The clock radio, lamp, piggy bank, and various pictures and frames (notice I list them separately - they were separated...and one, ripped in half) in his crib. And, remember LJ is crying...he is upset because his pacifier is on the floor - As if I'm going to come in, see this sight, pick up his pacifier, hand it to him and walk away.

I scolded him pretty harshly as I cleaned up the mess and re-clothed him...telling him that the lamp is dangerous, I'm really sad that he ripped the picture, etc. and he cried and cried all the while telling me that he doesn't know why he did it. Finally, he yawned as he said he was sorry. I took all fun things out of his crib (toy and book) and told him he'd be wise to just go to sleep.

PJ finished eating while I called RJ to tell him about "his son". We laughed about it and concluded that LJ just couldn't help himself. He likely got one thing off the chest of drawers and then kept going...I guess he must have hoisted himself up onto it a bit - that's the only way he could have reached everything. I guess we should be thankful that he didn't hurt himself or drink the rubbing alcohol - (there, I said the required things, so don't chastise us :-) )

I had to go wake LJ up from this nap - I think he figured he'd better wait until I came to get him. I asked him to tell me what we talked about before his nap and he pointed to the chest and said, "those things do not belong in my crib" - then I asked about his diaper and he said, "it does not belong in my crib either." (we told him last week that he cannot take his diaper off in his crib, so I was glad he repeated it - we'll give the potty training update later) I was satisfied, but I bet RJ will have a few words to say when he gets home.

WHAAA!

This is me crying - something has possessed PJ and it is not something good. We've had major sleeping issues for the past 5 days and I'm so sleep deprived I fear there will be ramifications in other areas of my life. I'm sure RJ feels the same way, but he's generally more optimistic (we won't go into the pros/cons of such an approach in this post) than I am. PJ, not being our first child, has the benefit of our wisdom, but - PJ, not being our first child, does not respond to our wisdom in the same manner as our first child did. This is monumentally frustrating.

Let's see, where to begin? Wednesday night was a horror show as PJ woke (no joke) every hour. See, up until now - he'd been going from 8:00ish to 4:00ish without waking, so this was our routine. When he wakes up every hour - this deviates from the routine in a rather significant manner. RJ is "on duty" until 3:00, but I think (my brain is foggy) that we relented and I fed him around 2:00. So, all was well until 3:30 when I took him out to the couch and we slept (fitfully) until 6:00 when I relented and fed him again. Thursday was not much better, but I managed to get PJ to take an hour-long nap while I slept next to him on our bed. Thursday night was a tad better, but still - he was up several times and I think I fed him 2x that night. At this point, I'm hoping he's just going through a growth spurt and if he gets enough to eat, he'll pipe down. This suspicion seems to be confirmed as Jfer had a rather sleepy time with him on Friday (Jfer, correct me if I have Wednesday and Friday confused because I'm seriously brain dead). This follows the growth spurt formula. A day or two of inconsolable fussiness and wanting to eat all the time followed by a day or two of "unwakable" sleep. Terrrific! Problem solved. And, Friday night was rather normal - original normal, not most recent normal.

Saturday, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom Mom (great grandma), and great aunt and uncle came for a visit and that all went well and was a nice time. LJ managed to get a shortened nap time in, but PJ's nap time was shortened as well and we were already working on a sleep deficit...not good for Saturday night...back to horror show. Sunday was a busy day of finishing up laundry and going to the grocery store all before 3:30 when Jfer arrives for 3 hours of sitting while RJ and I go to work (this is an every Sunday thing and, while it sounds no fun (well, it isn't that pleasant), it is a great help to the regular work week). PJ had napped in a normal way on Sunday, but I think he needs a late afternoon nap and sometimes he doesn't get it/allow himself to go down for it. So, he was ready for bed when bedtime came...until 11:30 when he'd have no part of laying down. I believe I fed him and he was ok, after MANY attempts to put him down, until 4:00, when I fed him again.

Look, he's basically crying every hour or two at night...for the past several nights. Sometimes, he passes some gas and then settles down...sometimes, he's just not happy and we can't tell why. Maybe he has an ear infection? Growth spurt? WHAT???? Remember how PJ was "the happiest baby"? WELL??????

Latest Stats...

PJ visited the dr. today...

At 4 months of age:
Weight - 18 pounds, 12 ounces
Length - 27 1/4 inches

What does this mean? Intersting you should ask!
His weight percentile is >97th
His length percentile is >97th

However, his "weight for length" percentile is 50th - 75th

So...he weighs more than 97% of 4 month olds and he is longer than 97% of 4 month olds, but when you consider his weight for how long he is - he isn't as "big" as you might suspect from his stats...or something like that.

Rolling...

PJ is officially a rolling-fool. While LJ first rolled from front to back, PJ first rolled from back to front. Anytime we put him down on his back, in short order, he flips to his tummy....where he is much more happy than LJ ever was.

Additionally, RJ and I have decided that PJ is a survivor - he is a very determined little boy. He is the type of baby you could plop down in the forest and he'd scootch to things and pull them into his mouth. So, provided he didn't ingest something poisonous and/or didn't choke - he'd live through the isolation. Not that we would plop a baby down in the forest and just leave or anything.

This is What Happens When...

You leave a box of band-aids within reach of a certain toddler who is supposed to be napping...

PJ's Baptism

Last Saturday, August 11th, PJ we celebrated PJ's baptism...and what a celebration it was. We enjoyed the company of many family members and a few friends as a grand total of 32 people were in attendance! His Godmother, KK and his Godfather, MJ did a wonderful job in helping us introduce PJ as the newest member of the Christian community.

Lunch at a local bar-b-que restaurant allowed for conversation and continued celebration...and, much to LJ's satisfaction there was cake - 3 kinds! Oh, and many people were kind enough to bring him presents. I think we are going to have to get a house...just for LJ - so we can store all of the gifts that people bring. He loves every one of them!

This past week, I've been back at work and the Js are finally having to confront the real schedule. It has been great to be able to be off of work for so long, but the time has come to go back...for good. So far, so good with the transition, but he real test will be in about a week when school starts and we add Jfer's new babysitting schedule to the mix. I think it'll work out perfectly and LJ will certainly be happy to have Jfer here (as she plays with him more than I do...maybe more than daddy does(?))!

This is Delicious!

LJ is cracking us up on a daily basis - the things he says and where he gets them (well, some of them we can tell where he get them) are beyond us, but they are funny to hear a 2-almost-3-year-old say.

At dinner the other night, he took a bite, closed his eyes and said, "ummm, this is delicious".

When we tell him what we are going to do (like, "put on yours shoes, go to the bank, and go get your cookie"), he sometimes says, "oh my - that will be so much fun".

Sometimes, things get more than one "so" - like if we tell him someone is coming to visit, that might get a "that will be so, so, so much fun".

He has one picture book of food and he always calls the butter - peanut butter. The other day, he said, "peanut butter, no actually - it is just butter" - hilarious...although that is what we've said to him...we've discovered that we say "actually" quite a bit...a lot, actually.

Aside from these funnies, LJ has an amazing sense of direction. I first noticed this LAST summer when we moved office buildings. I remember telling LJ that we were going to see daddy at work, which I'm sure was going to be so, so, so much fun. When we passed our original building, LJ screamed, "NOOOOOOO" and pointed at our old building. I tried to explain to him that daddy and mommy where in a new building, but he didn't really calm down until we saw daddy. Since then, he never ceases to amaze me with his keen observations. We almost always tell him where we are going and he'll tell us if we go a different way. When we turn on a street, he'll say - "this is how we go to get doughnuts" or "we are almost to the bank" or something like that. We stayed in a certain chain of hotel once this summer...when he saw that hotel here (I didn't even know we had one), he said "oh, there's our's new place" - and sure enough, it was the same chain. RJ explained that it wasn't ours, it was "a match" (which he is very into matching things and noticing matches) and he said "oh, is a match". I'm fairly certain I was not this observant at his age.

PJ rolled over (front to back) once over the weekend. He hasn't done it since, but in all honesty, we aren't that diligent with tummy time. I'm making more of an effort this week though. I wouldn't have thought this possible, but I think PJ is *more* laid back and *more* happy than LJ was...this kid smiles ALL THE TIME. In fact, he'll cry to get our attention, but as soon as we walk into his line of sight - he starts smiling and kicking his feet. He is a little Houdini though - we've had to invent Swaddle System 3 for him...more on that later, perhaps.

The New Rules

We instituted the "no eating before 2:30 am" rule and PJ has been quite cooperative. He's only woken before 2:30 2x in the past week and RJ has gotten him to go back to sleep easily. After eating sometime after 2:30, he's gone back to sleep until 6:xx - so, we're happy. LJ didn't sleep all the way through the night until he was 8 months old, so I have no delusions that PJ will be different.

LJ has been "back talking" lately. Saying, "no" when I tell him to do something or just arguing with me in general. I really think he is too young to understand fully what he is doing, but he sits in the naughty chair sometimes anyway. When I ask him why he's in the naughty chair, he says, "because I say no" - so...he does know not to say "no", but I'm not sure he gets when it is OK to say no (do you want a cookie? no. vs. pick up your puzzle. no.) and when it isn't. It is all a work in progress I suppose.

I so enjoyed discovering what 80s toy you are, that I'd now like to know if you are a Yankee or a Rebel...

Time to Obsess (and) Take a Quiz

You have the rare treat of 2 topics in 1 blog entry!

First, I guess I have finally hit the "time to obsess" so far as PJ's sleep habits are concerned. I say this as I have What to Expect the First Year, Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, and Baby wise sitting in front of me. Let me start off by saying, things are really not all that bad. While PJ is not sleeping as well as LJ was at this point, I seem to have plenty of energy and I'm not walking around like a zombie. I'm not even tired enough to take a nap most days. However, even when I don't feel tired, if I lay down - I'm out in fewer than 5 minutes.

Here is a typical day for PJ:

Wake up and nurse between 6:00 and 7:00
Awake time for 45 minutes or so
Nap for about an hour
Nurse around 9:00 or 10:00
Awake time for about 45 minutes
Nap for 1-2 hours
Nurse around 11:30 or 12:30
Awake time for about an hour
Nap for 3-4 hours
Nurse around 4:00 or 5:00
Awake until next feeding - maybe a catnap
Nurse around 6:30 or 7:30
Awake time
Nurse and down for the night around 8:30
Nurse anytime between 12:30 and 3:30 and back to sleep

Sounds ok, right? Well, what I didn't tell you is that after his middle of the night nursing, he sleeps for an hour or so and then he wakes up. He'll invariably burp and have gas, so the only way I can continue to get any sleep is to go lay on the couch with him. He'll sleep, wake up with gas, sleep, wake up with gas, sleep...until it is 6:00ish when I'll go ahead and feed him and start the day. We are making progress - he no longer has a dirty diaper in the middle of the night! But, LJ was going all night by this point. I'm thinking that LONG afternoon nap might be the problem - since he's sleeping so long at that nap, he's missing a feeding. So, perhaps he hasn't banked enough calories to go all night long?! Of course, I'm probably not going to do anything about it because 1) I relish the 1:00 - 4:00 afternoon nap time...both PJ and LJ are napping at this time and 2) the situation isn't unpleasant enough for me to sustain any action I take.

Now, onto the fun part...What 80's Toy are You??? Take this quiz and post your results! I'll tell you what *I* got later.

Whew! July is BUSY!

July has been a very busy month so far, but I think it is all about to slow down. I finished up work the 1st week of July and now I'm off until mid-August. So, what have the Js been doing?

July 4th - we did stay up late enough to see the fireworks. It was raining and they started early, so RJ was still parking the car as LJ, PJ, and I were huddled under an overhang. Then, I heard the tell-tale whistle followed by a boom. LJ, PJ, and I ventured into the rain so we could see the burst of color in the sky. It wasn't raining too hard, but it was difficult to hold PJ AND hold LJ's ears because he didn't like the sound. We weren't that close, so the sound wasn't that bad. I wanted to tell him that this was nothing compared to the sound I endured as a child. The fireworks were the capstone of the local baseball farm team (mostly the Cubs) game - they were shot from behind the centerfield wall, so I couldn't have been sitting more than 500 yards away...and they were LOUD! But, I don't think LJ is old enough to appreciate how "bad" I had it compared to his complaints. As a side note, he's been getting into his car seat and telling me "it is too hot". Whatever. The car is parked under a carport and his seat is made of cloth. Try sitting on the vinyl seat of a car that has been sitting in 100 degree summer sun - then we can talk about "too hot".

The weekend following the 4th, we went to a play date with the mommies and kids from my message board and hung around that town for the whole weekend. We got to see some of "mommy's and daddy's friends" and had a great time. We stayed in a hotel and LJ got to swim in the pool and sleep in a "new" crib (the hotel's crib) - these things make him very happy.

And yesterday, we returned from visiting Mawmaw's house. It was a special treat as LJ got to play with his cousin J and go on a boat ride. This year, he liked the boat ride. Last year, he wasn't too thrilled.

Other than traveling, we've been enjoying going to the library and checking out books. Next week, we are going to attempt to go to the "kid's movie camp" at a local movie theater. They show movies for kids at 9:30 am and charge $1.00. There are only 2 movies I've decided LJ can see (after reading movie reviews and determining how much rude talk and insolent behavior is shown...) - this week is Curious George - I doubt LJ will sit still for 2 hours.