Every book is a children's book if the kid can read! - Mitch Hedberg


Monday, September 29, 2014

A Day in the Life of a 3 Year Old and an Almost 11 Month Old

I don't think I've ever kept track of a Saturday before and this one was extra special because it was the first time in over six months Jon hasn't had to go into the office. I wish our kids new the pleasure of sleeping in on the weekends but to them days that start with "S" are just another day so here is what ours looked like:

1:15 am Reed is crying. Jon gets up to check on him. More crying ensues. Jon comes in to tell me he's pretty upset and that he has compromised his breathing so he's getting his emergency inhaler. I tell him to tell Reed that if he does the inhaler and calms himself down I'll come in - trying not to reward hysterics and to get the boys to accept Jon in the middle of the night sometimes. He does the inhaler and gathers himself.

1:25 I go into Reed's room and ask what is wrong. He says he's upset because Kieran has on green striped monster pajamas and his don't match. He is obsessed with wearing matching pajamas lately and Mom was a little behind on the laundry last night! I tell him that he doesn't have monster pajamas but that he's getting so big he needs new pajamas so maybe we can find coordinating ones sometime soon. He thinks we should find some now. I offer up if he goes potty (since we are up I'm hoping that going potty now will mean he'll sleep in longer in the morning) we can look at some pajamas on my phone. He says he accepts the potty idea but that we should look at pajamas in the kitchen while he drinks ice water (the Priceline Negotiator song plays in my head). I agree and after some talking we decide on a nice pair of orange and black striped pajamas that feature a monster.
1:45 I say goodnight and Reed tells me that Soft Sheep is having trouble falling asleep. I suggest singing a lullaby and again say goodnight. I continue adding fall clothes for the boys to my online shopping cart, check Instagram and my email all while listening to Reed sing and talk.
2:30 Reed is finally asleep.
3:30 Kieran starts crying, I let him fuss hoping he'll put himself back to sleep, 15 minutes later he is still awake and crying more loudly. I go in and nurse him and lay him back down, he goes right to sleep.
6:25 Kieran has been fussing in his crib for 10 minutes. I had hoped he would go back to sleep but when I check the monitor he is sitting up in bed so I figure he's up for the day. I collect my things from our bedroom and head to the kitchen to drop everything on the counter. I check the monitor one more time before going to get him and see that he is back asleep (not sure whether to be happy or mad about this). I go back to bed.
6:40 Jon forgot to turn his Saturday alarm off and so his phone starts ringing.
7:10 Kieran is up, I go in and nurse him.
 
7:25 Reed is awake. K and I go in to say good morning and Kieran does his new favorite thing - peek a boo squatting up and down next to Reed's bed. I change Kieran's diaper on Reed's floor, then Reed insists on looking through all of his pajamas to figure out how many matching pairs he and Kieran have.
 
7:35 Kieran poops so I take him to his room to change him, I leave him to play with toys while I take Reed to the bathroom. Then Reed picks out his underwear for the day.
7:45 Jon is now up and comes in to say good morning. He checks his email and has to deal with a work problem.
7:55 Kieran is not content being put down so I put him in the carrier while I make pancakes. Jon continues working in the office and Reed "makes" pancakes in his room. He arrives just in time to mix the real batter. I cook pancakes while all three boys eat, also cleaning out the dishwasher, reloading it, and feeding Dodger. I sit down with everyone as they are finishing their leisurely breakfast to scarf my pancake down.





8:45 I finish cleaning up the kitchen while the guys play in the living room.
8:55 I take Kieran back to my room and change into running clothes while Reed sets up a game. I bring back clothes, toothbrushes, and Reed's inhaler. We play the game (throw cuddly guys at stuff) that R setup and I get them changed/brushed/etc. I ask Reed if he needs to go potty he says no. As I'm heading out Reed decides that he, Dad, and Pooh are going to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

 
9:30 I leave to go for a solo run and then grocery shopping.
9:35 Jon changes Kieran's diaper and then lays him down for a nap. He screams for 10 minutes and then Jon goes in and rocks him for a few minutes. He puts him down again and five minutes later he's asleep.
10:05 Jon takes Reed to the bathroom, he tries to go but doesn't succeed.
10:15 Reed insists on having a Birthday party for Pooh so he and Jon line up a bunch of stuffed animals on the couch and make a cake out of blocks.
 
10:30 Jon turns on the Arsenal (soccer) game and Reed plays with the face stickers he received for his Birthday.
11:00 I get home and unpack groceries while Reed continues to do faces.
11:15 I take R to the potty and he pees.
11:20 Reed wants to do more faces so I help him with a page.
 
11:40 Kieran wakes up. I nurse him and then change his diaper.
11:50 I bring Kieran out and Reed demands I put Kieran back down in his crib. I tell him that's not an option and ask what he wants for lunch. He sits with Jon and is grumpy while I make lunch and K plays on the floor.
 
12:00 I make lunch, which consists of heating up leftover beef stir-fry and rice.
 
12:30 While I do the dishes Dad watches the rest of the Arsenal game and plays with the boys.


 
12:45 Dad leaves to play tennis with Aunt C but is home a few minutes later because Tio isn't home yet to watch Lyla. K and I leave Reed and Dad alone when Reed starts getting carried away swinging his stick horse around. Instead we stick to the much safer bat and balls that are in the living room.
 
1:10 Kieran needs a diaper change, then we return to Reed's room.
1:25 Reed goes potty, tries to make a nude escape, then picks two books for us to read to him, we say goodnight.
 

1:40 Jon leaves to walk Dodger and K and I go play in his room and the hallway (he loves drumming on the hamper).


 
1:55 Reed is asleep. I change Kier's diaper, read him one book, and then rock with him while singing the Ants go Marching song. 
2:10 Jon is home and K is still not asleep, he goes in and rocks him some more, he is quickly asleep. I shower while Jon works on music. He leaves to play tennis with C and I do laundry, harvest some peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant out of the garden, try to start working on a few things for K's Birthday, and text some So. Cal. Friends about an upcoming visit.
3:45 Kieran is awake. I go in and nurse him and then we head to the kitchen to share an apple.
 
4:15 If Reed sleeps much past 4:00 it is really hard to get him to go to sleep at night so I reluctantly go in and wake him, take him to the potty, and then change Kieran's diaper.
4:40 Dad gets home and we play a few rounds of "hide the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle masks"
5:00 We all head into the kitchen to make dinner. The boys play on the floor, creating a huge mess and Kieran is just not happy so I keep picking him up, with my flour covered hands, and trying to get him interested in a different toy/book/etc. I make Naan and Jon slices and dices and creates some amazing Indian inspired dishes. It is absolute chaos to be honest.



 
6:15 We sit down to dinner. Kieran is still not thrilled about life but manages to shovel a few big handfuls into his mouth.
 
6:40 We take the boys back to the bathroom. Reed goes potty, we tag team baths, lotions, medications, diapers, and pajamas. While in the tub Reed spontaneously decides to give K kisses, then hugs. I ask him to pose with Kieran for some more pictures and don't get anything nearly as sincere.



 
7:00 Reed decides he wants to watch Winnie the Pooh tonight. Jon tries to keep Kieran happy while I do dishes. The two things that calm him down are being tossed in the air and smothering poor Reed.


 
7:35 Dad and Reed say goodnight to Kieran and I take him back to his room to nurse him and lay him down.
7:40 Dad takes Reed in to go pee, they pick out 3 books, and then R decides he needs milk/water. I go to the kitchen to get the baby monitor and the three of us head to Reed's room to read books.
8:05 We tuck Reed in and say goodnight. I check the monitor and Kieran is asleep.
8:35 Reed comes out of his room because some of his stuffed animals and books have fallen out of his bed and he needs help fixing his covers. I go to the rescue and once again tuck Reed in for the night.
9:10 Reed is finally asleep.










Friday, September 26, 2014

3 Years

Jon and I keep reminding ourselves that we now have a three year old. I feel like this year has gone by faster than the previous two and although he has changed significantly it just isn't registering. Reed is such a special kid. He's wise beyond his years, handles his allergy limitations so well, and communicates better than most his age. He has a hard time staying focused, but rarely does he actually need discipline (the threat of losing a toy and subsequent counting to 3 usually does the trick). He doesn't like to be caught off guard so we are very straight forward with him. Even if it's a hard situation we try to be as truthful as possible and he usually takes it in stride. He's not going to be our daredevil, he's definitely on the safe side and most of his injuries occur from getting too carried away dancing!!! He loves learning and oh, did I mention, we love this Little Monkey to pieces?

I've already done a recap of Reed's Birthday party and I will be doing a quick "Reed Says" so here are just a few statistics I thought we might want to look back on someday.





Interesting Facts

Weight: 32 lbs

Height: 38.25in

Clothing Size:  3T tops and pajamas, even though I'll still squeeze him into a few 2T things here and there. Pants are mainly 3T because of the length but he is easily thin enough to wear 2T, for that same reason most of his shorts are 2T.


Shoe Size: 8.5
 
Reed likes: Puzzles, books, and his nightly TV show (favorites are Super Why, Winnie the Pooh, Shaun the Sheep, and The Magic School Bus). He loves working on craft projects, playing with his "babies" (stuffed animals), and doing anything outside especially digging, raking, or anything with water. He is still obsessed with all things cowboy but also likes Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avengers even though he's never seen a movie/show with any of them. He loves playing with Mom and Dad's shoes, washing cars with Dad, and baking with Mom. He also likes teaching Kieran things and getting into mischief with his brother.
 
Reed dislikes: Being told to try to go potty, taking Dodger for walks most days, sharing attention with Kieran, and being told what to do.
 
Nicknames: Reedster, Reedcito, Buddy, Monkey, Reed-man,  Dingle Berry Jones/Dingle, Darlin', Reeder, and Baby Bear.

Food: His favorites remain the same - pasta, bagels, all kinds of meat and fish, and pretty much every fruit imaginable. He also loves when we make pizza, pancakes, or any dessert. He is picky about vegetables, but I continue to put them on his plate and now require him to take at least one bite before he leaves the table. He really dislikes beans as well. We have discovered he loves sea food (shrimp and lobster have been huge hits) but unfortunately we found out he has an almond allergy so at this point all tree nuts are also on our (very long) do not eat list.

Communication: First off the kid never stops talking!!! He has entered a big "why" stage so we are constantly being barraged with questions about everything. Reed also likes telling and making up jokes. He knows his ABCs and can usually identify what sound a letter makes or what letter a word starts with based on its sound. The Monkey is really good at rhyming and has been making up words as well which can be pretty entertaining.


Favorite Color(s): Blue and Green
 
How Reed is sleeping:  He goes to bed around 8:00pm and has been making it to around 6:00am most mornings. He sleeps in a twin bed, with a night light and sound machine as well as Pup, 2 Soft Sheeps, and 2 quilts. After we have read our 3 books for the evening and said goodnight he spends another 30 minutes or so "reading" books in bed before falling asleep. He still takes a nap in the afternoon, going down around 1:00/1:30 and sleeping for about 2.5 hours.
 
Milestones over the last six months:
He started making up his own words, songs, and jokes
Reed started sitting in a regular chair at the kitchen table
The Monkey uses a special kid friendly knife to help with kitchen prep
Reed-man can sometimes put clothes on by himself and can get most clothing off with out assistance if asked to
He is pretty close to being officially potty trained
 

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Party Just Keeps Going

You would think after three straight days of celebrations we would be partied out but Sunday was our good friends' daughter's first birthday. Laura did a great job and had a ball pit, bubble machine, and favors for all of the kids. She also told me ahead of time what food she was going to be serving so I could make something similar for Reed. When I told Reed we were going to a party for Eden he insisted on wearing a bow tie. He also was pretty excited that his swim teacher, Morgan, was going to be there. As we were getting ready to leave Eden crawled up to Kieran's car seat and they held hands for a while, it was adorable.

K and Mom selfie

Morgan and Reed doing bubbles

K and Eden saying goodbye
We left the party just in time for naps, but instead of heading home we made the hour long drive to Three Rivers where our friend Phil and his family are vacationing for the week. I had hoped that both kids would sleep the entire trip but Kieran took about 30 minutes to fall asleep and Reed only fell asleep for the last ten or so. Shannon, Kevin, and Clara did the exact same thing we did but their good little traveler slept the entire time. Right after we got there Reed managed to drop a croquet stick down a hole in the deck and was pretty upset over the loss. He calmed down when Shannon read him and Clara books in Spanish for a bit. Other highlights included all the kids acorn hunting, fishing in the ice chests for ice cubes, and skinny dipping. As for the adults, we enjoyed some delicious food, nice wine, and a few adult conversations sprinkled in the chaos. At the end of the night we walked down to the river. Kieran was pretty tired and a little fussy and Jon started pulling his leg up and down in the air. The Bug thought that was the funniest thing ever and would dissolve into laughter every time Dad did it to him.




 
If you look close enough you can see Clara and Kieran's new top tooth in the picture



Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Reed is Three!

I will do a post in a few days with some measurements, statistics, etc. for Reed at three years old. In the meantime here is a barrage of photos from his Birthday party. We kept it small this year with just his Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, and Aunt/Uncle/Cousin, that live locally. Since he is so into puzzles and games I used that as a theme and had a few puzzle piece garlands and signs, along with puzzles to do during dinner, a Where's Waldo book for everyone to sign (that I forgot to get everyone to sign), and a puzzle making station that meant everyone left behind a personalized puzzle just for the Monkey. The dinner menu was Reed's choice - Barbecued chicken, sausage, green beans, pasta with Pepe's marinara sauce, and a blueberry cake for dessert. He wasn't sure about all of the puzzle pieces hanging about and even asked me take them down at one point (so much for all my time spent crafting them).

Our family and friends definitely know him and a lot of his gifts were puzzles, books, and games. There were an absolute ton of presents and he took two breaks from opening them to 1) thumb through one of his new books and 2) try on his new cowboy boots. His favorite gifts were a plasma car from C, Tio, and Lyla and a book written by C and Tio (notice a theme?) a close third was the helmet that went with the balance bike that Jon and I got for him. He actually left it on the majority of the night and we had to convince him to take it off for bedtime. Kieran did loud happy screams throughout dinner, but Reed didn't seem bothered and even would try to get him to calm down from time to time by telling him everything was okay or by putting more pasta on his tray - such a good Big Brother!!! He didn't get to bed until almost 10:00pm partially because he was on a sugar high from his two pieces of cake and partially because we were having such a great time with him and didn't want the evening to end.





Reed overseeing everyone working on their puzzle "crafts"

Kieran and Great Papa Dean



Reed and Grandpa working on a puzzle Auntie M and Hunky Kevin crafted




Nonna, Gran, C, Papa, and Lyla







Giving Baby Bro a lift


Dinner is almost ready!


After dinner wrestling - a Birthday must







Grandma and Nonna helping with a six-sided puzzle

The best picture of the Birthday Boy and Cousin Lyla

Grandma reading his new favorite book from C and Tio

Nonna reading his new favorite book from C and Tio

I insisted on a picture with Reed at the end of the night


Then I made Jon take one too