"boo-she"
Today is Tim and my 100-month-a-versary!
And it’s also the first day of spring.
I know. We so planned it to work out this way.
We’ve gone from this:
To this:
To this.
And it just keeps getting better.
And more delayed. Obviously that’s our Christmas picture and obviously we haven’t had another chance for a “we all showered and put on real clothes” photo op.
So…..my birthday is Saturday. Groundhog’s Day.
I’m going to be thirty.
3-0.
THIRTY.
It still hasn’t really sunk in, yet.
Once, a long time ago, I said I wanted to be finished having kids by now.
Obviously, that didn’t happen.
I did say that I would do a lot of things before 30.
And I have.
Marathons, traveling, getting married, moving across the country, having a kid, oh my!
But, being the list-type person that I am, I think I need to make another list…a before 40 list…
Suggestions?
Also? Please send everyone you know right to this spot to tell me thirty is the new awesome.
And I really would write more, but I’m currently off celebrating in style.
More on that later…
The key to nowhere happened…again.
Tim is convinced our post office dude dudette (as I learned from the post office) is smoking the Mary Jane. I’m inclined to agree.
We cannot even figure out how this happens. A mail person has a package for us. It’s too big to fit in the small, personal mailbox. So, instead, they place it in a larger mailbox. The larger mailbox has a key. The large box and the key have a matching number, say 2.
That key – the one that opens the larger box where our package is, is placed into our small, personal mailbox, so when we get our mail, we see the key, look at the number on the attached keychain, and then open the larger box matching that number.
Inside the larger box?
Our package?
Nope.
The key to nowhere.
Shouldn’t that be Mail Delivery 101?
PACKAGES ONLY IN THE GIANT BOX. NO KEYS. ALWAYS.
The next morning, I took the key up to the post office. I pressed for answers but the post office people couldn’t even explain it, other than to stare at me blankly, write my address on a post it, tell me they’d look for my package, and that they had “a lot of mail yesterday.“
Ok…ummm….that’s your…job?….
So, later that afternoon, I go and retrieve the mail, with a very low expectation as to what I would find.
And then this happened.
I had to take a picture because I couldn’t even believe it myself.
(And yes, my address is blurred out but that’s THE POST IT from earlier in this story.)
Does that look like #3 to you???
Me either.
Want to see what was in Box #3 – which was broken, by the way?
And to make it even more amusing?
That certainly does not look like the third box from the left.
I’M JUST SAYING.
Dear USPS: Your mail delivery people apparently never learned their numbers OR how to count. In other words, they need HALP.
******
Also? Before this key debacle, Kellan received this in the mail. I meant to share it earlier this week but I currently have a child who wants me to help him walk EVERYWHERE and that leaves little time for anything else, including eating. We got to the bathroom in pairs, now, in case you’re wondering how that all works out.
Anyhow…
To make a fairly long story short, I’ve been on the hunt for dragon baby stuff, since Kellan was born in the year of the dragon in Chinese culture. I know I talked about this a loooooong time ago – probably a year ago – on here.
Except, I’m just now realizing that I should have probably collected neat dragon things for Kellan’s box like, a year ago, but, that never happened and now, hello, baby requiring 110% of my time.
Anyway, so I come across this book all about the year of the dragon and decide that, like those Wolf Creek blocks (that I found and purchased, by the way), I must have it. The book is perfect. Kellan will love it (when he’s old enough to appreciate it)!
And, yooooou guessed it: CAN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE. The 2013 book? No problem. Same with every other year except 2012.
So, what’s a girl who can’t take a baby on a wild goose chase to do?
Email the author on a whim, hoping he can help.
And help he did – what a sweet and thoughtful gesture!! Not only does Kellan get to have this book as a keepsake, it is signed by the author and also contains a nice note to Kellan on a card.
I was truly blown away.
There are still amazing, kindhearted people in the world who will do something special for a complete stranger.
And I am so thankful that I have come across one those people.
This happened today.
Well, the actual mailing of these first birthday invitations to (mostly) fictional characters, anyway.
(and yes, those a receipts that Tim needs and a piece of our the trunk of our Christmas tree that, at some point, I plan to make an ornament out of, since it is Kellan’s first Christmas tree…all in my abundant spare time, obviously)
Can you believe that we are basically NINE WEEKS away from Kellan’s first birthday?
OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG.
I remember counting nine weeks last year. I remember Christmas last year. I remember thinking that Kellan would be here soon.
I remember looking like this (and this post was written almost exactly a year ago).
And now, he’s here.
And he’s almost one.
How did this year go by so quickly?
Have I started planning his party?
Um.
Yes?
Only…not really?
I’ve gotten as far as the guest list. Theme? Location? Time? Date?
NO CLUE.
I think I’ll start by ordering invitations because, honestly, the number of things I want to get done for his birthday?
Overwhelming.
Invitations are important, right?
The overachiever in me thinks I’ll get it ALL done but the realist knows it probably won’t ALL happen.
I still haven’t even finished Christmas stuff yet.
So, instead of freaking out, because I can feel it coming the more I think about everything I’m not doing, let’s just take a moment and look at this cute face, instead.
Is it bad that I judge people based on their cars?
Wait. It’s deeper than that (not really, but let’s pretend).
If you have a sketchy looking beater car with dents and rust and scratches?
I am afraid of you.
Well, maybe bot afraid, per se, but I definitely give you a leery eye all, “I’m onto you.”
Lucky for me? There are two of these particular kinds of cars in our neighborhood. One with rust, one without. Both fitting the sketchy, you belong on CSI and not in the crime fighter type way description.
Every time Kellan and I go on a run (which hasn’t happen in awhile…no judgement…I’m already judging myself for you), I am terrified someone is going to jump out with a shank and rob me. Or something. Kind of pointless to rob a runner (“Give me your….your….hmm….your….damn….YOUR SHOES!…?”).
But that’s beside the point.
I give both cars the Bold eye (I learned from Tim. Ask him to do it for you sometime. You’ll turn to stone. Immediately.) because *if* anyone *is* in there or behind it or watching me?
I want them to know I mean business and my kid looks weak but he’ll kick the crap out of your balls…just ask my husband…AND I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY! SEE! SEE IT?!
And these people who own these cars?
They play right into the sterotype and park the things ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET instead of in the garage or the driveway.
So you can see my fear is totally founded in facts. Solid. Facts.
****BACK STORY****
I feel obligated, now, to say something else. I never grew up with new cars. We had this blue Toyota van that had zero air conditioner (hello, blistering hot Georgia summers and eight hour drives to Florida) and is actually probably still running, somewhere. That car WILL. NOT. DIE. After my mom finally decided to part ways with it, it went to someone else…and then someone else after that…and now it’ll probably end up in our driveway one day soon…like a lost dog finds it’s way…anyhow. *I* never had a new car, either. I had old cars. Used cars. Cars with 100k plus mileage on them by the time they made their way to me. So, I have nothing against keeping a car or having an old car. I just have issues with scary looking cars because I actually had one follow me during a run once and the giant dudes – three of them – inside were up to no good and let’s just say had I not had the wherewithal to dive into and hide in the bushes while they drove past me, at a snails pace, I might not be here right now, writing this.
****END BACK STORY****
Then, one day not too long ago, on our way home from a run, we met the owner of the non-rusty beater car while he was standing in the driveway coming at me with a shank retrieving a ping pong ball.
His young son was waiting in the garage behind a ping pong table.
The dude smiled and said hello.
I froze.
Do I smile? You have a kid! You are normal! And you are not scary!
BUT YOU HAVE A SKETCHY CAR!
My brain still isn’t even sure what to think about this whole “situation.”
I’m going to wrap Christmas presents now. That seems like a safe plan.
So……I feel like I start a lot of posts like this…but…it’s like I’m sheepishly asking you a question that isn’t exactly the most comfortable to, um, discuss.
So……did you know that you can hire people to clean the dog poo out of your yard?
Yah.
Me either.
Until it had to happen and said person who decided that would be his business plan is out in the backyard as I write, cleaning up poo.
Maddie, our golden, is getting older and more crotchety and has the most finicky stomach in the history of ever. EVER.
Nervous?
Diarrhea.
Eats anything other than her food and special treats?
Diarrhea.
Heartworm medicine?
Diarrhea.
Doggie daycare?
You guessed it.
Diarrhea.
The backyard is pretty much no man’s land because GROSS. What exactly are you supposed to do with that which cannot be scooped?
Answer?
Hire someone else to deal with it.
And you guys! The dude is super nice and was trying to help me with suggestions for Maddie and awwww man! Now he’s outside cleaning up her grossness.
Yes, I actually showed my face to the person who will be getting up close and personal with our yard poo. Shameful…on my part. Not his.
I mean, I know he’s getting paid and everything and it was his idea to start the business in the first place but…it’s poo.
In our next house, we are separating out part of the lawn for the dogs and the rest will be livable space. Thank you, invisible fence.
That’s my day, people. It’s crazy exciting over here, obviously.
Also?
Happy 12-12-12!
I’m so taking a Kellan picture to celebrate this date.
For anyone who is a parent…have you ever had a moment where you sat back and looked at your child like, “Wow. I MADE THAT.”
Especially us women.
Because, really, we actually made that.
I’ll never forget the first time I looked at Kellan and thought, “So that’s you.”
The you who kicked me at 3am or who stuck their little bum up in my ribs or who got the hiccups all the time and I’d put my hand on my belly, hoping to pacify you, if only just a little bit.
You.
It is kind of an otherworldly experience, really, because that tiny person started out as two cells – TWO CELLS – and now, look at him.
Mr. Personality.
Mind blowing.
This little person who I knew last year as – literally – a bump that moved and punched and hiccuped and gave me heartburn. One year later, he’s a lively baby boy who does all of that, still, minus the heartburn.
They are born…and then they grow…it’s a little person. A teeny, tiny human.
I made a teeny tiny human.
MADE ONE.
From basically nothing.
That’s like, crazy alien type stuff right there.
I legit grew another person.
Until this actually happens to you, you really have no idea how crazy weird that it all really is. I think seeing the end result – a la baby – is where it finally hits you like WHOA.
TEENY TINY PERSON.
I did that.
Obviously, I am failing miserably to find an eloquent way to say this. You know, I don’t think there is an eloquent way to explain the feeling and the reality behind tiny person creation. If you find any, it was probably written by a man who has no idea what he’s talking about.
Their “part” in the creation process is all of two seconds…or five seconds…minutes…whatever.
They don’t…they can’t know.
Well, until the baby is actually here, in the flesh, and then their eyes get all big and they’re like, WHOA.
YOU MADE THAT.
I’m currently living in the world of transitioning from three naps to two. If you have zero children, this period of time can basically be described like this:
HI, CRANKY PANTS.
We wear our rally caps daily, now. Last night’s five-hour (!!!!!!!) rally included a family dance party. It worked…for maybe three songs…then we had to give in and start bath time. There’s only so much you can do.
I guess that’s where I’ve been? Along with Christmas shopping. Just FYI – making an Amazon wish list is basically a gateway drug to full on whipping out the credit card and buying things. I’ve been getting shipping notifications for things I don’t even remember ordering. I’m not even sure what that says about me.
I’m struggling as to what I’m going to get Tim. He is the hardest person to buy for because he doesn’t want little things. He wants big things. Granted, there are only two “big” things he wants, but, still. Oh, wait. He wants “big” things and then stuff like a SHOP VAC.
Really?
Here. allow me to put that under the tree. I’ll un-box it and put it together and everything. How charming.
Buying a shop vac is zero percent fulfilling when it comes to Christmas shopping. I’m just saying.
We made an Amazon wish list that we both put stuff on so we would know what the other person wanted. Once we were mostly finished, I went to check the list and…um…
Me: Our budget is what, again? And you put a SIXTY INCH TELEVISION on it?! And a camera?
Tim: You said…
Me: ….and you said you didn’t want a new TV because of the reviews. YOU said.
Tim: Also? I go to check because you said you put stuff for you on the list and what do I see? Dog stuff. Kellan stuff. And ONE THING for you. ONE!
Me: You said you already knew what you were getting me AND you said not to say things I wanted because then if you were already planning on getting them, it would seem like you only got them because I said I wanted them when you were already planning on it…your words, not mine.
Tim: True…
Me: So, really, what’s the budget?
Tim: ONE DOLLAR. For you. Because I’m already over.
Me: OMG.
And then? We learn that Christmas lights are full of lead. Which? Bad, bad, bad for babies. We found a website who sells lights that are supposed to be RoHS (Restrictive of Hazardous Materials) compliant, which means the lead levels are nowhere near as bad as the lights you pick up anywhere around here.
The lights we ordered came last night and they are WAY TOO YELLOW. So much so that we are going to have to return them.
Then Tim is like, “You realize that we have to pay to return them (WHAT?!) AND then pay for shipping on new lights (WHAT?!) if we want to order more.
WHAT?!
Dear Go Green LED Bulbs – that’s insane. It may be your policy but, still. IN.SANE. It will cost us almost $20 in shipping…or more. I don’t even know.
Also? Your picture of the “antique” lights is extremely misleading. This yellow you have on your website? MULTIPLY BY A HUNDRED SHADES OF YELLOW.
We haven’t re-ordered any lights from them, yet. I’m still debating because OMG. We have to pay to return them because they are WRONG. We also found a warning label inside the box, so now we aren’t even sure if they ARE RoHS compliant, even though their website says they are. We’ve already sent an email. Awaiting a response…
All this. For lights.
Last night, I was all, “Maybe we just won’t put lights on the tree because I’m not putting our old [lead filled] lights on.”
Tim: Then we aren’t getting a tree because I’m not putting up a tree without lights. That’s ridiculous.
Me: Might as well cancel Christmas, then.
Tim: Seriously? You’re going there? That’s a little over the top.
Me: And Christmas with no tree is better?!
[begin mutual silent treatment while we watch Homeland]
Christmas shouldn’t be so complicated, people. Yet, here we are. No decorations. No tree. No damn lights.
Do you ever have one of those days where everything just feels perfect? I mean, the day has had plenty of things that were not ideal – like Kellan deciding to start OUR DAY at 3:50 this morning, the headache I had (that is finally starting to subside)…but a day where you just feel…blessed. Loving everything about your life – perfect, not perfect, it doesn’t matter. You just have this bubble in your heart that is full of happiness and love and gratefulness.
That is today for me.
Just thought I’d share.
Anyway, how did our little five-day vacation with the whole fam-damily get even better?
When you get a delivery the day before Thanksgiving that looks something like this:
This child was ECSTATIC about all of the yogurt. Can’t you tell?
Awhile back, I posted a picture of Kellan going to town on a container of Chobani. He LOOOOOVES yogurt, especially when he is the one to control where it goes, how much makes it into his mouth versus squished in his fingers and toes and spread all over the place.
This kind of event requires a giant towel, a sponge at the ready (because dried yogurt on anything may as well be concrete), a good attitude coupled with a sense of humor and the knowledge that there will be a bath in the very near future.
One of my in real life friends was all, “I wanted to like that picture…I really did…but I just couldn’t. It hurt my soul!”
She’s trying to be more blasé about messes, like me, and allow her little one to play in the yogurt. Or mud. Or whatever. One day. Maybe. I don’t think it’s happened, yet.
Do I enjoy dealing with the yogurt aftermath?
I mean, there are worse things to have to clean up, amiright?
I just figure he’s learning and having fun and the mess is going to happen one way or another, so if we’re gonna do it, we may as well be all in. I’m not a messy person at all. I get really crazy when things are cluttery or messy or just. not. organized.
Except with Kellan. I don’t get crazy with his messes.
Anyhow, I posted that picture to Twitter with a note to Chobani, telling them how much he loved their yogurt. Because he does. Like, really. loves. it.
Their response?
A whole case of yogurt to keep Kellan happy.
Wait. What?
You’re sending me a case of yogurt just….because?
Who are you, Chobani?
I’ll tell you who.
Awesome is who.
I didn’t realize companies like this still existed…I mean, I’m sure they do but this is the first time anything like this has ever happened to us. Granted, we are CHO fans for life, now. Tim was all, “we’re never buying any other kind of yogurt EVER. AGAIN. How nice! I can’t believe they did that….did I tell you I better only see Chobani in our refrigerator, woman who buys the groceries?”
Yes, dear, who makes the money I love to spend.
Forever.
PS: Seriously, Chobani. If you happen to actually read this…THANK YOU. Kellan loves it and your gesture was beyond kind. Love, CHO Lifers.
PPS: You all should convert strictly to Chobani.
PPPS: They didn’t ask me to write this or link to them every single time I wrote their name. They didn’t ask for anything. That’s the beauty of it. It was a gift, pure and simple.
Mister Kellan…nine months old!
It probably wasn’t very nice of us to schedule your well baby check up today, on your nine month birthday, but there it is…and the crazy part? Your next pediatrician appointment we made for you was for your one year check up. Wow!
You are growing up so quickly. You cannot get enough of being outside. It has been your favorite place to be pretty much since birth. You are also beginning to really enjoy slides (on mommy’s lap) and swings. It is probably good I’m always rightthere, since you have gotten a bit clingy. You will grab onto my legs when you are sitting on the ground or will bury your head into my shoulder if you don’t want to go to another person you do not know well. Separation anxiety at its best. It’s ok, though. Totally normal and expected. It is also kind of nice and sweet sometimes. It feels like you’re saying, “No! I only want my mommy!”
I know it won’t always be like that, so I’m trying to cherish this time while it lasts.
You’ve decided to work on everything except crawling or pulling up or going from a sitting position to your belly. Granted, you did do the sitting-to-belly a few times early on this month, but then, after a couple of awkward falls forward with your leg getting pinned underneath you, you seemed to say, “I’m done with that for now” and you haven’t attempted it again. I think you want to figure it out, though, because you’ll sit with your legs in a “V” shape and lean all the way forward until your belly is on the ground. Your daddy is amazed at your flexibility. So, for now, you aren’t crawling, though you do this plank-type maneuver where you’ll get up on your toes and your belly will be off the ground. You are also juuuust starting to try and get on your knees while on your belly. You aren’t quite there, yet. At your doctor’s appointment today, Dr. P said you probably wouldn’t be walking until 13 or 14 months. Ah! You’re already 25 pounds!! Hopefully you start crawling soon so you can get to all the things you currently want your daddy or I to take you to – like lamp shades (your favorite) or mirrors or the security system panel on the wall…
So, the things you are working on?
Talking.
I’m not even sure how you have such an extensive vocabulary already. When you want to see something while we’re holding you, you’ll say “DAT!” and hold your arm out towards it while opening and closing your hand (Case in point – note from 11/13: No question on Kellan’s use of “DAT.” This morning he almost leapt out of my arms while yelling daaaaat!!!!!!!!!!!!! and wildly bouncing/motioning/staring at the security system). I think that is your version of pointing. You also say “touch” when you want to touch something and “cat” to Chloe and “dada” to daddy. You also sometimes, in frustration, usually, will yell what sounds like, “I DO IT!” When daddy was playing with you on the floor one afternoon (10/22), you were reaching for something and he was trying to help you while I was making dinner. All of a sudden, you yelled out, clear as a bell, “I. DO. IT!!” It stopped us both in our tracks like, “Wow, kiddo. Yes, you do it!” You also had one day, in your high chair, when you tooted and daddy and I were like, “Phew! Kellan! Did you toot?”
You looked at us so matter of factly and said, “I toot.”
Well, ok then. Yes, you sure did.
You also had a moment in the grocery store (11/2) where I was pushing you in the cart and you decided NOW was the time to start a very loud conversation. We do this back and forth thing where I will mimic what you say, which you love, but the more I do it the louder you get. That particular day in the grocery store, you were at level ten – almost screaming status. People were staring at us and I was cracking up because you were having a blast and had the biggest smile on your face. What else could I do but laugh? It was quite funny.
Other mommies who we have play dates with have also commented on how communicative you are, so I’m pretty sure it isn’t just mommy and daddy who think you’re a talker.
Ok, I’ll move on, enough with how much you talk, even though I could go on and on….like how you bless yourself? After you sneeze you will say “bless you” – the words you say don’t sound exactly the same, but they have the same intonation…ok…moving on….
We had to take you for a CT scan (10/23) at the behest of Dr. P. Your head keeps growing and growing (it is currently 20 inches in circumference…mommy’s is 21.5 inches…), so he wanted to make sure nothing more serious was going on. Fortunately, you are perfect and your head is fine. Just giant. And you did a great job at the Children’s Hospital during the scan. I laid on you on the scanning table and we sung “Old MacDonald” so you would stay still for the scan. It worked, though you were a little scared. The scan only took a few minutes, though, because you stayed so perfectly still.
Once we had that monkey off of our back, we all felt much better. We figured you just had a big head, but it was nice to have that verified as fact.
Other really awesome things you’ve done this month? Let’s break them down, list style:
You push your arms through your sleeves. You were so proud of yourself when you first started doing and thought it was a game. You would smile and laugh when I would say, “Where are your arms?? There they are!!” Now…it’s just kind of ho-hum. The newness has worn off.
We have come to a happy place with the bath! Yay!! You finally started playing (10/23) in the water instead of just sitting there, getting bathed. You now love to splash and play with toys and try to reach the faucet. I cannot believe we are finally here! To this happy place!
You are getting better at putting yourself to sleep (11/5: almost fell asleep initially without nursing – you were laying with feet to my belly and I patted you for awhile and thought you were asleep but weren’t…but you were close!)
Along with that, your sleep has been up and down. Some nights you sleep six hours straight (YAY!!) and others you are up every few hours. Some nights you are very fussy…I think it is because of your teeth that are still not in but are soooo close! I’m sure that is painful. And I hate that it is painful for you.
You’ve started “sharing” your toys (11/14). And by sharing I mean you kind of hand them/drop them to mommy and daddy. You will also do the same thing if we ask if we can have/see whatever you happen to be playing with.
Good thing we are baby proofing cabinets because you have figured out how to open any and all drawers with knobs after us showing you one time. It started with the kitchen cabinets (we say “open” when you open them and “close” when you let go and they shut by themselves. You love it )
You started a game of peek-a-boo with mommy after a nursing session one afternoon (11/16). You pulled the covers over your head and I’d say, “Where’s Kellan?” and then you would pull the covers down and I’d say, “There he is!” And then we’d do it again. And again. And again….you loved it.
Your pincher grip is getting really, really good. I mean, you practice on me all the time when you’re nursing. My chest has tiny little bruises to prove it! It’s ok, though. You don’t pinch as hard anymore, more like a light pinch to practice versus a “WOW! I can do this cool thing!” pinch. I think it is paying off, though, because you pick pieces of food off of your high chair and feed yourself like you’ve been doing it all your life. Once morning I just stared at you like, “Wow. When did you grow up?” And let me mention food here, for a second. You only want to eat what mommy and daddy are eating. I don’t even make you your own food anymore. I just give you whatever we are eating because, really, that’s all you want. You’ve tried all kinds of food, though you aren’t into eating huge amounts at one sitting, yet.
Lastly? My little monkey. Your feet are like a second set of hands. One night (11/4) while we had friends over for dinner, you were handed a toy and instead of dropping the one you had in your hands, you lifted your feet up, put the toy (a pedometer) you had in your hands in between the soles of your feet and held it there and then grabbed the toy being offered (bath starfish) and just kept on playing like it was no big thing. We all just stopped at laughed because really kiddo? Really? So funny.
I’m still blown away that this is the last single digit “month” before we’re in double digits. I still remember when I had my 10th birthday and I was out of the single digit years – I know. That was so long ago and now, here we are, one month away from celebrating your ten month birthday! Dr. P says you should be pulling up by then…I guess we’ll see what happens.
I love you so, so much! You teach me more and more every day and you are such a joy to be around. Your daddy and I feel so blessed. You are happy and inquisitive and always patient when we have to run lots of errands. We are constantly amazed by you. Because of you, our life has been forever changed in the absolute best way possible. You are our little man and we love you more than you will ever know.
Mommy
