I went back to Independence over the weekend because my friend Amy had a baby shower on Sunday afternoon. My parents were also having a family get-together with my dad's siblings and their wives and they wanted to show off Ayden. I also got to see my cousin Kathy who is pregnant with her second and has a little boy named Wyatt who is almost 2 and about 4 months older than Ayden. It was interesting seeing the differences and similarities in the two boys. I think Ayden has a bit of social anxiety because he is pretty quiet, kind of clingy, and isn't his normal rambunctious self when he is around large groups of people he doesn't know. I don't blame him though. After everyone left and it was just grandma, grandpa, me, Aunt Angie and Uncle Jeff he was the Ayden I know and love:) My parents were nice enough to babysit Ayden while my sister and I went shopping and out to eat that evening. It was SO nice to be able to shop without the little guy in tow. Too bad I didn't find anything for me though, but a few things for Ayden for next fall. It was nice not having to rush though and to stop and look at the book aisle in Target for more than 1 quick minute.
Amy's shower was a lot of fun. It's her first baby and she's having a little boy. She is so excited and it made me remember how excited I was when pregnant with Ayden. She got so many nice gifts and watching her open all the cute tiny baby stuff made me anxious to have another little one. Too bad Ayden isn't anywhere near being potty-trained. That would seal the deal if that was the case.
I had a great time catching up with my girlfriends from high school. Even though a few of us got together at Christmas it seemed like it had been longer than that. I'm not usually much of a gossiper, but I think it's different when you are hanging out with friends you have known since elementary school and grown up with. We all know so many of the same people and catch each other up on what's going on with other people we went to school with or know by living in the same town. It's also so much fun now since a lot of us have little ones and there are always funny stories to share. Now the little ones can play together too. We all still live in Iowa with the exception of Jaci, but we are all kind of spread out so it's hard to get everyone together often. Getting together with them makes me SO happy I moved back to Iowa. I know I missed out on a lot of gatherings and weddings when I lived in Germany, and moving to DC was a little better, but still pretty far. I always feel that I can totally be myself around them and we have known each other for so long that we all have a history together that you don't have with other "newer" friends. I miss my girls and am glad for any opportunity to catch up. I also can't wait to meet Amy's little boy soon:)
I did see two movies this weekend. One was pretty good and one was not. The good one was called "Righteous Kill" with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. It's about two cops in the NYPD who are trying to solve a case about a serial killer who is killing criminals. The one that wasn't very good was called "My Best Friend's Girl." Maybe I wasn't in the right mood to watch it, but I wasn't impressed. It's about this guy who has a side-business: men whose women have dumped them hire Tank to take their ex-girlfriends out on the date from Hell, to drive the women back into their old boyfriends' arms. He does horrible things like takes them to restaurants where the food is so bad they get sick, says wildly inappropriate things, throws up on them, takes his date to a strip club and hits on the stripper, etc. There are some funny parts, but the things he did were pretty offensive.
Well, that is all for now. I'm off to bed!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Yummy....Ketchup?
I was reminded while shopping today how NOT fun it is to go with a toddler. Especially a boy. I am really hoping that little girls like to shop more than my little boy does? That would be something nice to look forward to in the future if we ever have a little girl. I heard more whining today than I have heard in a long time. Let's just say it was a fast trip to Hy-Vee and the mall. Ayden must take after his dad with the shopping gene. Ayden's almost as whiny as his dad is when it comes to shopping:)
It was nice and sunny out today and a balmy 35 degrees so I took Ayden outside to play in the snow. After putting all the snow gear on him he wouldn't leave the house without one of his tractors. While I was in the garage getting out the sled to take him for a ride he took off for the road because he loves to look at the trucks that are parked down the road. After seeing him try to get around last time in his bulky snowpants and coat I didn't think I had to worry that he could move very fast. Boy, was I wrong. I had to drop everything and chase him down, and when he saw me chasing him he ran even faster. I really think he is going to be a track star when he gets older. So we postponed the sled ride for awhile and visited daddy at work. There is lots of room for Ayden to run around and he likes to show off for me, daddy, and Uncle Brett. After playing with his tractors, running around, and playing ball, we finally went for a 3 minute sled ride. He was done after the 3 minutes and ready for something else. It was starting to get dark so we went inside.
I decided to have something quick and easy for supper so I made pigs in a blanket and fries. After loading Ayden's tray with all sorts of choices like toast, hot dog pieces, cheese, crackers, banana, fries and ham he pointed to the ketchup bottle after seeing me squirt some on my plate for my hot dog. He's had ketchup a few times, but seemed indifferent to it, so I squirted some on his tray. He stuck his fingers in it and put them in his mouth. He had the funniest look in his face like it was sour or something, but kept licking the ketchup off his fingers. After finishing what I put on his tray he signed for more and pointed at the bottle. I squirted more and he ate it all again. I was pretty grossed out that that is all he wanted to eat for supper. I knew toddler's went through weird eating phases, and have even witnessed it for myself, but this was one of the weirder/grosser things I have seen for Ayden. I was able to get him to eat some yogurt after all the ketchup. He has never turned down his yogurt, but maybe I should hide the ketchup bottle for awhile...
It was nice and sunny out today and a balmy 35 degrees so I took Ayden outside to play in the snow. After putting all the snow gear on him he wouldn't leave the house without one of his tractors. While I was in the garage getting out the sled to take him for a ride he took off for the road because he loves to look at the trucks that are parked down the road. After seeing him try to get around last time in his bulky snowpants and coat I didn't think I had to worry that he could move very fast. Boy, was I wrong. I had to drop everything and chase him down, and when he saw me chasing him he ran even faster. I really think he is going to be a track star when he gets older. So we postponed the sled ride for awhile and visited daddy at work. There is lots of room for Ayden to run around and he likes to show off for me, daddy, and Uncle Brett. After playing with his tractors, running around, and playing ball, we finally went for a 3 minute sled ride. He was done after the 3 minutes and ready for something else. It was starting to get dark so we went inside.
I decided to have something quick and easy for supper so I made pigs in a blanket and fries. After loading Ayden's tray with all sorts of choices like toast, hot dog pieces, cheese, crackers, banana, fries and ham he pointed to the ketchup bottle after seeing me squirt some on my plate for my hot dog. He's had ketchup a few times, but seemed indifferent to it, so I squirted some on his tray. He stuck his fingers in it and put them in his mouth. He had the funniest look in his face like it was sour or something, but kept licking the ketchup off his fingers. After finishing what I put on his tray he signed for more and pointed at the bottle. I squirted more and he ate it all again. I was pretty grossed out that that is all he wanted to eat for supper. I knew toddler's went through weird eating phases, and have even witnessed it for myself, but this was one of the weirder/grosser things I have seen for Ayden. I was able to get him to eat some yogurt after all the ketchup. He has never turned down his yogurt, but maybe I should hide the ketchup bottle for awhile...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Baby Song, Baby Sign, Baby SMART!
Ayden had his last Kindermusik class today in the Baby Sing, Baby Sign, Baby Smart! class (ages 0-18 months). Next week he moves up to the next age group (18 months - 3 1/2 yrs) which is called Kindermusik Our Time. Ayden loves going to Kindermusik. He has been in it since he was 6 months old, and it has been so much fun watching him change and gain confidence in himself. Ms. Judy is an excellent teacher and is always so happy and excited and just has a way with children. She always has a huge smile on her face, which sets the children at ease. Every Tuesday I take Ayden to class from 10:00-10:45. At the beginning of class there is usually something set out for the babies to explore or play with. Sometimes it is books, some type of instrument, a stuffed animal, or plastic cups, but today it was a little mat jungle gym for the babies to climb on and through. While the babies do this it gives the mommies time to chat with each other. Other things we do in class are different types of dances and songs, but Ayden especially loves the bouncing songs. It's even better if he gets to "fall over" or get tossed into the air. Today the babies got to play with little symbols, and an assortment of different musical instruments that Ms. Judy brought out in a big basket. Ms. Judy also let each baby take a turn hitting a big symbol with a mallot, and the babies loved the noise it made. Ayden did an especially good job hitting it multiple times. Relaxation time is a few minutes with the lights off listening to relaxing music. Ayden usually lays tummy down on me and is completely still the whole time while I rub his back. Yes, even I cannot believe he stays that still for a few minutes. I think it helps that I rock and sing to him for about 5-10 minutes before his nap and at bedtime. He is such a cuddle-bug!
The class ends with the "Goodbye" song. I like that we do different things every week in class, but the songs are done often enough that they have become familiar enough to sing when we are at home. Other things we have done in class are play with the parachute which is still one of my favorites still. It reminds me of when we did that in gym class in elementary school. Everyone gets a turn to sit under it while the other half of the class lifts it up and down on the mommies and babies. You should see how wide their little eyes get when it gets lifted all the way up. There are just too many fun songs, dances, and activities to name them all. I also like that Ms. Judy uses baby sign in class. I started teaching it to Ayden when he was 6 months old, and finally when he was about 1 he took off with signs. Now he knows probably 20-30 signs. It really is amazing and I can't believe how fast he catches on now. It has made him able to communicate with us which makes him much less frustrated. Now if only we could get him to talk more...
One of the best things about class this semester though was the great friends we made in class. There is a group of about 6-7 of us that started getting together for playdates. Someone different hosts it each time at their house. We love it! I get to talk with the other moms for a few hours and Ayden gets to play with his Kindermusik friends. We have so much fun together and it's nice to have other stay-a-home-moms to talk to. There are a couple others moving up to the next class too, but we are all still all planning on having our playdates. It's so nice to be able to get out of the house a few days a week to hang out with our friends:) We will miss seeing them on Tuesdays though when we start going to the Friday evening class next week.
Well, I have more to write but will save that for another night! I think I will go read my book for a few minutes before I head off to bed.
The class ends with the "Goodbye" song. I like that we do different things every week in class, but the songs are done often enough that they have become familiar enough to sing when we are at home. Other things we have done in class are play with the parachute which is still one of my favorites still. It reminds me of when we did that in gym class in elementary school. Everyone gets a turn to sit under it while the other half of the class lifts it up and down on the mommies and babies. You should see how wide their little eyes get when it gets lifted all the way up. There are just too many fun songs, dances, and activities to name them all. I also like that Ms. Judy uses baby sign in class. I started teaching it to Ayden when he was 6 months old, and finally when he was about 1 he took off with signs. Now he knows probably 20-30 signs. It really is amazing and I can't believe how fast he catches on now. It has made him able to communicate with us which makes him much less frustrated. Now if only we could get him to talk more...
One of the best things about class this semester though was the great friends we made in class. There is a group of about 6-7 of us that started getting together for playdates. Someone different hosts it each time at their house. We love it! I get to talk with the other moms for a few hours and Ayden gets to play with his Kindermusik friends. We have so much fun together and it's nice to have other stay-a-home-moms to talk to. There are a couple others moving up to the next class too, but we are all still all planning on having our playdates. It's so nice to be able to get out of the house a few days a week to hang out with our friends:) We will miss seeing them on Tuesdays though when we start going to the Friday evening class next week.
Well, I have more to write but will save that for another night! I think I will go read my book for a few minutes before I head off to bed.
Monday, January 12, 2009
My New Blog!
So I decided awhile ago to start a blog. It's something I have been wanting to do for awhile, but like so many other things it has been put on the back burner. The main reason is to document things that happen with Ayden because I have been terrible lately about writing anything in his baby book. Since he turned 1 he has been doing so many new things and I haven't written down anything, I just have them in my head, but I want to be able to be able to remember everything. This will be a way to have a digital version and then I can look back and put them in his baby book and not have to remember the date in my head because it will be online. Also, I love to read when I have time and may be posting some book reviews or other random things that I find interesting so I can remember for a later time. It's really like an online diary that I can go back to and read. So here it goes....my first published post.....:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
