Smiling Spiders

Last week at school they had a ‘theme’ every day – Monday was PJ day, Tuesday was Favorite Sports Team Day, Wednesday as Wacky Tacky day – of course this was the day that Will went with me to get my flu shot and then had his doctors appointment – I took him out dressed like I was color blind and clueless. He was in striped pants and a dinocamo shirt (Chris did a great job picking out the tackiest combination ever!) – I caught a few people ‘admiring’ his outfit and I quickly explained to them that it was “Wacky Tacky day at his school” which immediately resulted in their face showing complete relief that I was not dressing him like that intentionally – or rather un-intentionally.



Friday he had his Halloween parade at school – they got him all dressed up and Chris got there just in time to see a bit of the festivities. He said Will was grinning from ear to ear –




So Will’s first Halloween was a blast. He seemed to like his costume - he would start smiling as soon as he got in it, and he could still crawl around so it didn’t seem to faze him when it was on. Personally, I think he smiled when he was in it because everyone who was looking at him was smiling and laughing because he was just too darn cute! He had to be the happiest spider I’ve ever seen! However, in all these pictures he just looks stunned...





He made it one full street (half in Chris’s arms, half in mine) before he started getting the glossy eyed look that means “I’m sleeping with my eyes open.”







We took him out of the spider suit and he snuggled into my arms as we proceeded to walk one more street with our friends. It was fun to watch all the parents getting dragged around by their kids - knowing that next year - that would be us. Chris made the comment after seeing some of the other parents dressed up that he wanted to dress up so stayed tuned to Halloween 2010 - I'm sure that one will be quite entertaining with both Will and Chris getting dressed up!

Will was amazed by all the kids (and by the few adults who were dressed up handing out candy) and overall seemed to have a blast. In an attempt to fight off the effects of DLST we kept him up about 45 minutes later and he did great - even humored me when we got home and got pictures in front of our pumpkins which meant he had to get back in his costume...he got a second wind and lost the glassy eyed look then went right to bed when we put him down.



Last but not least - his teeth - yeah! I got a picture of them - at least two of the four that are coming through - one has popped out - the other three are racing to do the same...thankfully he hasn't seemed to mind (knock on wood!)any of his teeth that have come in - he just likes to chew on EVERYTHING (blocks, burp rags, his thumb, Chris's sandles YUCK!)

The start of the Halloween pictures...

Here's one from the parade they are having at his school today...Chris managed to get down there for a few minutes!

He's such a happy spider!!

Monumental day

A monumental day in Will's life...this one is going in the baby book for sure! The first time he heard - THRILLER! Usually I subject him to fun "kids music" in the morning on our way to school...today however - I changed it up. Considering it's his first Halloween...and Halloween is not Halloween without that song. He seemed to like it - smiling and kicking his feet in his car seat! I think we'll wait to let him see the video...even though he might be able to master the dance - the costumes they are wearing might give him nightmares!

Fallin' into fall

Busy, busy, busy – seems that as we get closer to day light savings time we also get in fast forward mode – I know that has nothing to due with the fact that retailers would like to skip Thanksgiving all together and go straight to Christmas! Since I haven’t had a chance to post in a while…this one might end up being a bit long but I have so many great pictures to get in – hope you enjoy them!

We have been enjoying our first fall with Will – his school had their annual Fall Festival and after walking him around and watching him as he was amazed by all the bouncy houses and slides, we headed home to feed him dinner both in agreement that next year would be a lot more fun for sure! With that experience in mind and the fact that he turns into freak out baby when he’s not eating dinner promptly at 6:00 each night (right when we would head to the fair if we went), we skipped the NC State Fair – something we haven’t done in the eleven years that we have been together….no corn dipped in butter, no deep fried Oreo’s or Mt Olive pickles or fudge (last year being pregnant it was heaven!!!) and it dawned on me this morning – NO maple syrup cotton candy! I love that stuff – it’s even from the booth that has all VT products! UH!!! This year they were busy promoting the deep fried butter – yeah I can’t even imagine – and the chocolate covered bacon – I just can’t put the two things together no matter how hard I try…oh well…the fair has passed so I’m already looking forward to next fall when we can take Will and have a blast!





Meanwhile…we have at least two, possibly four new teeth coming in…the two front top ones and maybe even the two on either side of those…if Will even suspects you are trying to look, he clamps his mouth shut fast and freaks when you try and open it. Thus, we have no good pictures of the impending arrivals yet….soon hopefully! We have also discovered that he is VERY ticklish under his arms – I mean you get him so he’s laughing so hard he can barely breathe! I remember when I was little and adults used to torture me with tickles, I hated it! So I’m trying hard not to do it to him, but oh – it’s just so funny when he cracks up – he’s actually to the point that you don’t even have to tickle him and he looses it! He is also figuring out books – learning they are not just good as chew toys and will actually look through the pages when you read them to him…Chris is having fun with this – he tried to read through one of the ‘history’ books that we have – a cute story about where the state flag of SC came from…I know we live in NC – it was cute so I bought it! – Will wanted nothing to do with the story….I caught Chris later on that day quizzing Will about it all sad that he didn’t listen to the story! He had much better luck with Will’s farm book that he LOVES -




This past weekend marked another first (it feels like we have at least four firsts each week!) his first birthday party. He was almost the youngest there and had more fun just watching the kids than actually participating in any of the activities. The sack race – yep – he camped out in Chris’s arms and while the other kids were busy eating the cupcakes he decided to check out all the toys they had been playing with. There was one little boy there who was about 18 months and Will was in complete amazement – he just followed him everywhere!








While at the party we really just let him roam where ever he wanted and when we got home, rather than play in the area we have set up with all his toys – we did the same – just let him go. He loved it! Got him a pot and a spoon and he and Chris played in the kitchen while I carved his pumpkins….then he managed to get to the back door and watch it rain for a while….here’s a few shots I got of him by the back door – the lighting was so great – his ‘fuzzy hair’ is really noticeable!










We have been lighting the pumpkins each night on the front porch - besides the fact that for some reason he loves when you open a door – he thinks it’s just hilarious for some reason we can’t figure out – he seems to be mesmerized by the pumpkins and loves going out each night and watching us light them.




Last week at school they moved this thing they have for them to pull up on into the center of the room and he was all over it – he loved it! Once he learned out how to get down after he pulled himself up – there was no stopping him! The biggest thing we have to watch for now is WHAT he is pulling up on – the laundry baskets flipped over (great new use for it!) – very sturdy and he has figured out it makes for a great walker – he pushes it and then takes a few steps to catch up.



The laundry baskets full of clothes – not so sturdy! He managed to get himself up and in and even sitting upright – but when he tried to get out – WHACK! Cheek meet hardwood floor! Very, very unhappy boy! The tears started flowing and all I could do was hold him because I knew it had to hurt – there was no talking him out of that one!











His pack-n-play he still loves – when you put him in it – when he’s not completely into his toys – he stands up at the edge and you just hear him giggling – he loves chewing on the edge – if you forget about it and touch it – YUCK! Slobber everywhere – as he is ‘climbing’ to get up to standing he slobbers all over the screen siding…some days it seems like we live with a St Bernard dog!





We tried some teething biscuits…he still has NO desire to try anything other than soft food – I tried puffs and he freaked! I even tried putting the puffs into some yogurt – BIG mistake!!! So…the teething biscuits – he slobbered till he got a chunk off and then when I fished it out of his mouth – he was none too thrilled! The frozen wheat bagel – good idea but when I put it in front of him – he looked at it like it was an alien! No desire to try gumming it.





His appetite is definitely back from when he had his ear infections – we have had to increase his morning cereal and his lunch yogurt and veggies and even his dinner portions. He loves to eat and eats just about everything – the green veggies I’ve figured out that if you mix in some summer squash – he’s loves it - he'll eat it without the squash - but with it - he inhales it!

So the plan is to go trick-or-treating with our friends who have a 2 year old and a 4 year old Saturday night…so far each time we have tested out his costume he has loved it – just sits there and giggles. I know we’ll get some great pictures and have at least one funny story! Stay tuned…..

What's in your freezer?

So I saw one of those stupid Capital One commercials last night and I've been joking for some time now that I need to post this picture...here's what our freezer looks like...frozen milk and cubed food - YUMMY!!...yet another part of the house that Will has taken over.

Now the question is...what's in your freezer?

I should have suspected something....

Sunday the 4th started as a normal day, Chris was going out of town for the night so Will and I got up, saw him off and started breakfast....about 10 minutes into breakfast Will fell asleep -



...looking back...I should have suspected SOMETHING - but no, we just went through our day. Grocery shopping, errands and lots and lots of playing and before long it was dinner time. He was a bit fussy getting in his high chair - after a few bites of food he gave me one of his non-commital head turns that usually means "I'm getting ready to burp but want more in a minute" - again, I should have suspected something but no...we continued on. He ate all his dinner - cereal, veggies, fruit and even some yogurt and about 30 seconds after his last bite, he looked at me for a long moment and then....as they say "wait for it"....all of it came back up. Oh joy!

Now mind you, he was a reflux baby so we are used to spit-up and would get asked by the doctors all the time "does he just burp a lot up or is it projectile puke?" we would always respond that it was just burps...nothing coming flying out of him...well hands down, everything we had seen up to this point was DEFINITELY just burps...Sunday night he showed me a text book projectile puke demonstration. No crying, no fussing - it just came up, and out, and then he just sat there. Thankfully he had great aim and all of it went on his high chair tray! After a bath and nurse - he zonked (is that a word?) out with a bit of a fever but went right to bed. Of course this would happen on Sunday night...when I'm by myself! Chris and I both agreed that it would be best to get him checked out in the morning - it would ease Chris's mind being out of town and he knew it would make me feel better...and after a reassuring phone call to one of my friends who not only has a three year old but a mother who is a nurse (so helpful!) I was calmed down - I think I was worse off than Will!! It took me till about one in the morning to fall asleep because I kept going in to check on him, but we made it through the night. So Monday the little man and I stayed home - went to the doctor first thing in the morning and got the response of "viral infection of some sort" - everything serious was ruled out - no ear infection, no flu basically he just got a full prescription of "snuggle time with mom and dad" from the doctor.

Fast forward to this week...Monday night he fell asleep on the car ride home from school...when we got him up to eat dinner he was not happy with us...he ate...but was not happy. Tuesday night....again, not happy - both days he was FINE all day at school - ate everything and was his usual loud self. The ONLY tell-tale-sign of anything wrong with him was his nose...it was POURING out liquid...all clear...but it was like a faucet!

Wednesday morning he had a bit of a funny cough but was acting normal...I brought him to school...yep by 11:00 I got the call - he was 'listless', just sitting there being so sad...no fussing, just sad...so Chris went and got him - brought him to the doctor's and sat through an exam which gave us the diagnosis of DOUBLE ear infection and thankfully NO FLU! By the time I got home after work he had one dose of medicine in him and was happy as he could be! Even practicing standing up in his pack-n-play~



Having to keep him home because he must be symptom free for 24 hours before he go back to school - I took the morning shift - Chris the afternoon....hopefully the little guy can recover quickly....it took almost 8 months to get his first ear infection...I was dreading it - but he has handled it like a champ! In the long run I know being exposed to everything under the sun from all his buddies at school is good for him...and now since he's on the move and everything is going in his mouth I'm ready for many "bugs" to come our way - both viral and the kind with legs!

The only donuts Will can "eat" right now

Check me out - I'm standing all on my own!

Will's newest trick...not only pulling up to his knees but pulling up onto his feet and standing! This freaked me out so much I went out and finished getting the door latches and cabinet locks on Saturday...I haven't broken down and gotten the gates for the stairs...those will come next weekend for sure!

Pumpkin patch here we come!

So we made it through the corn maze - we got lost a few times and with two little ones in strollers it made for quite a hot 'walk' through the corn! Here are some of our favorite shots from Will's first visit to the pumpkin patch.

Entering the maze...not sure what to expect..



Not only did you end up at a dead end when you went the wrong way but they gave you such great encouragement!



Not wanting to freak Will out - we started with the little pumpkins...he wasn't too sure what to make of them...



When we got to the big ones - he was more interested in using them to pull up on and play with the stems...and the grass....





We made the trip to the pumpkin patch with Will's buddy (and neighbor) Nathan and his mom Felicia - getting the two boys to both look at the camera and smile at the same time - DID NOT HAPPEN! They were more interested in the cars driving by, the grass, the insects...everything but looking at me!

Attempt #1 at self-feeding

So last night being a bath night I figured - what the heck? - I'll strip Will down to his diaper and just let him go at his food and see what happens. Considering all I'm going to do is dump in him the tub in a little while, what harm could squash, pears and avocado do?

Yeah - lets just say he LOVES food but has no desire to feed himself...it got everywhere but his mouth! He had a blast which was such a joy to watch - we might have a Picasso on our hands if his first session of finger painting is any indication! When I pulled the camera out he started making funny faces at the camera - every time I would laugh, he would giggle and then make some new face - it almost seemed like he knew what he was doing....for those of you that have seen the pictures of Chris from one of our trips to Pebble Beach and heard that story - good gosh I was laughing because he looked JUST LIKE CHRIS!









Not sure what made this face come about but it was a riot!



And of course he finished the meal HAPPY as always -




Bringing him to school this morning I got some great stories about his week from one of his teachers Miss Angela....

....seems that one of the other kids has the same food containers as Will and the other day when they were trying to feed this other child, Will got it in his mind that they were giving away his food - he freaked! I'm having flashes of this happening with toys...uh-oh!

...then, this morning I noticed his crib had changed positions...when asked why I got a laugh for a response....they told me that yesterday he and his buddy Nathan decided they didn't want to sleep but rather lay in their cribs looking at each other and talk....so they moved him....where they moved him to is more towards the center of the room so he proceeded to lay there and just watch everyone...I have a feeling he's going to end up in the corner just so he'll take a nap! Funny thing is - he loves to sleep - at school there is just so much excitement.

...last tidbit for the week...last night when I went to get him he was in Infant Room C - the "big infant room" (where he'll be moving in another month or so) anyway, I brought his car seat into the room and said hi to him, then went to his normal room to get his bag of stuff to go home - I guess as soon as he saw me leave he freaked! Barbara, the teacher that was in the room, held him up to the window so he could see that I was just next door....what's funny is he is SO FINE when I leave him the morning, I get that "OK Mom - just leave I'm having fun!" attitude and he waves and smiles at me as I walk out the door....however I guess he knows when it's time to go home and he was none to thrilled with the thought that I was leaving him there!

We are off to do a corn maze this weekend....I'll post pictures next week if we don't get lost!