Monday Moody Mahem

hat!!

I am moody. He is moody. The sky turned cloudy and sunny all at once, and that too is moody. How many meltdowns this morning, let's see....
y'know...i'm too moody to list them. Let's just say, a bunch. And one was because I wouldn't let him pick up the dog poop. That one actually had tears involved. And him trying to run back into the house. yeah, that kind of day.

picking flowers in the yard, deep in thought.

sleeps with a fist.

remember

A week ago, J and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. We had a rare dinner out to celebrate. We brought the peanut because it feels right to, but also because babysitters are kind of hard to come by. and expensive. and well, again we miss peanut.

J started a paying baby-sitting gig which is awesome. It's just the miracle we needed to get the bills paid and not feel like we are drowning in bills. I feel so relaxed about it now. Chicago is expensive, but it's where we are now, and I like it here, but I also do think that it would be easier to do this if we lived somewhere cheaper. I have 3 jobs here though, and one of them, 2 of them actually, is pretty hard to come by. I am a service dog trainer. and that's not an easy job to get. I also hold a job in a university, and most unis have a firing freeze right now due to the economic crisis. a few months ago, or maybe even a year ago now (where does the time go?) we were considering moving to MN. Then the crisis broke and there was no hope for a job. I'm glad we didn't move. J and p have all kinds of friends and i have my dream job working with service dogs.

In baby news, little 18 month old had a rough night last night. J is trying to nurse him less at night, but sometimes he gets up and wants to nurse right away. Since he sleeps with us, and is very insistent, there is no sleeping when he wants to nurse and the answer is no. So last night, so J could sleep, I packed him up and we slept on the couch with some water. He resists transitional objects, so i brought his small red furry monster, but he wanted nothing to do with him. "No" he said. But he cried every time I tried to take away the sippy. So I ditched it after he fell asleep. For those of you reading and worrying about P's safety on a couch, please don't. He was safe, and had plenty of room, and we have done this before. He slept from 2 till 643. That's how long I slept too. Initially, he had slept from 9:30 till 1:30. Sleep is hard again. That's what I get for thinking it was easier.

I have an extra dog this weekend. A service dog I'm re-training. P loves dogs and couldn't be happier. Winnie, our dog, is also pretty happy.



Well, for a busy mom, I've certainly said more than I thought I would today.

One last thing, I clearly remember what 9/11 2001 was like, and I wish I could hug everyone who is saddened by the disaster. I guess I will just have to remember them and hope that helps a little somehow. I hope peanut never has to experience a day like that.
yesterday at the park, his friend showed up in the exact outfit pretty much. P is trying on his friends helmet.

Have a great weekend y'all and if you're reading, shout me out a hi, even if you usually lurk. I'm wondering who reads and I have no way of knowing unless you comment.

18

months, that is!

A year and a half (and a day) ago our little Peanut was born. It’s hard to believe because he’s such a big boy now. He’s as busy as his moms these days and keeps keeping them busy, too. He can run, climb any and every thing, jump, and throw just about everything he wants to. He also likes to help walk Winnie. He can take off his own diaper. He can use a spoon or a fork when he feels like it. And he can drink from a cup, if we feel like it.

He knows lots of words and says probably 40. His favorites are: Ball, dog, berry, bath, shoes, pants, yummy yummy, water, and doll. He uses Yummy Yummy when he sees something he wants to eat. Like a peach, which is another word he says. Every night before bed we talk about his day. I’ll ask, what did you do today? And he’ll say, “ball”…”George”….”Winnie”….”ball”. I know…very interesting collection, but ever since Georgie stayed with us, he mentions her in his nighttime recap every night. Yes, every night. It’s very cute. And I’ll say, Georgie is at her home, with cha cha (which is my mom). And he’ll say, “cha cha…house” He’s quite sleepy at these points in the day. And it’s pretty cute.

His favorite food right now is blueberries, or any berries, really. He likes berries so much, we can’t discuss them if we aren’t going to give him any because a tantrum will ensue, and those are ugly. One can only eat so many berries though. And so they are like Voldemort in our house.

One other super cute thing he’s doing is being very opinionated about his clothes. Twice this week he has insisted upon wearing his swim trunks. And yesterday, he would wear no other pants than his orange stripey ones from Halloween. LAST Halloween. They are too short but fit his waist. They are captured in the picture below. The first is how they fit about 13 months ago when we went to a pumpkin patch and apple orchard. The second is yesterday.

Peanut last october...about 7 or 8 months old.

Peanut 18 months old. Same pants. Note to self: put away pants.

In other news, the experience of having 3 jobs and being a mom has been really hard lately, especially when we struggle financially regardless of the 3 jobs. I have one full time job that gives us benefits. And I have 2 part time jobs...both working with dogs. I like all my jobs, but i miss my family and I miss having time to sew and knit. Yes...I miss being crafty. Oh well. That's life, right?

Since J. got laid off, it's been hard for her, and easy for me, to find work.

Well I could go on all day about him, but I should get back to work.

Wordless Wednesday

random summer thoughts

Hi everyone, we're back.



We were on vacation last week, and though i had a half day off to recover (from the vacation) i'm still beat and playing catch up. I am currently folding clothes, blogging, drinking a glass of wine searching for my social security card, and a dozen other things all at the same time...all the while hoping peanut, who took 2 hours to get to sleep, will stay asleep long enough for me to get mostly finished with most of these tasks

we think peanut is teething...and that's the reason for his moodiness and sleep wars. if he is...it's probably molars and they also make him into a crazy toddler who climbs everything and has no sense of danger...oh wait...i guess that's not teething. He just is such a daredevil right now. And he never stops moving.

He is also pretty talkie these days. On our vacation, we went to mn, on leech lake. one night we were on a walk and i had him in the ergo ( my favorite baby gear item, ever) and he was just taking in the scenery of the lake. It was a peaceful walk, and I was just being quiet, when he pointed to the lake and said "water." At first I thought he said wow...because he says that too...but then he pointed and said it again. I was so excited. It was a wow for me.
BLOG WRITING BREAK

Since that day he's also learned to say: house, turtle, bike, and stick
and he sings to bruce springsteen and also to any spanish language channel on the radio
He's sweet, and active and a heartbreaker. Why am I at work when i could be home with him?


ok, so it's the next day. Peanut woke up and was up most of the night...seemingly uncomfortable.
Teething, I'm sure. Got him to fall asleep at last on my chest while i sat on the couch. poor little dude.

I'm going to end this post for now. Tired. Hoping someone is reading. If you are, drop me a line. This momming thing is hard. I don't know they do it at KJ and the kids.

Peanut and me last year at the lake. He was 4 months old.

Peanut this year at the lake at 16 months. Such a different lake experience. So much fun.


peanut and his uncle M. driving a pontoon boat.

summer!

me and peanut. crappy cell phone picture.

Isn't he sweet? You should see him at 9PM. It has come the time in the peanut's life which sleep has become quite a challenge. Once asleep, he stays asleep. But getting there is a fight. No, a Fight. A big fight with a capital F. At naps, we wear him to sleep, and we do this for the night-time too, sometimes. But he wants to fight fight fight. Tear off my glasses, scream bloody murder, flail, cry. And this is with me singing him gentle lullabyes or to the gentle sounds of Baby Tad.

On the up side, he's proving to be a very physically active kid. He can climb most things in our house, and he knows how to use one thing (like a bucket) to boost himself up to climb on something else (a bookshelf). SO I guess that means he's smart and knows how things work.

he climbed up this slide about 45 times

He likes to stand on odd things, like a bucket or a laundry basket turned upside down. Also his potty.

Oh, speaking of the potty, and TMI moment...He actually did #2 in the potty last week. Kind of not on purpose...but still. It was awesome. Since we cloth diaper, I have lots of moments in which I feel completely grossed out by poop. I look forward to at least having the poop happen in the potty.

Being in a 2 mom household means that we split lots of chores. But being generally more butch than J and also being a different kind of worker than she is, I am in charge of all things gross. I do the diapers, I scoop the litter box. I train the dog. I walk the dog and pick up the poop. I clean up pewk from said dog, cat and baby (if I'm home when it happens). I do all the rodent, dead bird in the yard, spider killing duties. Some nights, I feel pretty grossed out. But I'm glad we cloth diaper. I'm glad we have pets (though i wish the cat would stop peeing on the darn floor.

Not sure where I'm going with this. Oh well. We've been pretty busy and are gearing up for vacation. I love vacation, but my mother who is generally unsupportive of my happiness doesn't and I anticipate some turmoil. This will be especially true since the vacation is with J's family. We go to a cabin on a lake in northern MN every year. I end up feeling a world of guilt for going every year, but enjoy myself while there. We're driving. It's about 10 hours. 8 to St Paul and another 2 the next day to the lake we stay on.

Last year my mom gave me a hard time about it and I just am not looking forward to that. This is one thing that I know peanut will look forward to and treasure as he gets older. a week of family time with many cousins and his grandpa and his moms.peanut at the lake last year with mommy

This post is all over the place. Anyone have any ideas about family balancing acts?

Finally, it's pride weekend here this weekend and I unfortunately have to work. But I'm proud of my life and I'm proud of my family that makes me a better person every single day! Speaking of pride...one thing I'm doing for pride is trying to discover new gay family blogs. I stumbled upon this one called It's Daddies Plural and found they are having a giveaway. Check it out! And I found them through John and Steve are having a Baby. They have a great post on a bunch of gay families in honor of pride. One of my favorite bloggers is there, which is how I found John and Steve. It really pays to surf surf surf!

mama, mommy and peanut summer 09

B

Well, it seems like forever since i logged in to blog in and that makes me feel a bit overwhelmed now. Catching up is hard to do. You can't catch up on sleep for instance, and if you miss a dose of meds, you should wait till the next one is due, and though you can make up time if you leave late by speeding, this is dangerous and unlawful :)

But as a mom reporting about my life with the baby, i suppose i can maybe so some catching up, if I can remember at all what has happened since my guy returned from his trip to MN with Mama. MN was fun for my peanut, he enjoyed seeing his grandma and grandpa, and his little cousin. But I guess he didn't sleep as well, and he nursed more, and as a result, we are still getting back into a sleep routine that works and he gets sad in the morning if he doesn't get to nurse (which is most mornings). He gets over it, but asks often even as we go about our morning, eating breakfast and taking care of the dog.


This is what a calm moment in our typical morning looks like. Notice Winnie waiting for yummy food to drop.So what's going on for the baby? He's running faster than ever, has dropped down to one nap a day. wants to be outside all the time, and calls almost everything that starts with the letter "b" (and even some tings that don't) "B?" or "B!"
For banana, he says "B!" and signs for banana....but for other words we have to interpret what he means. B is for baby, balloon, boob (though we don't call them that), belly (though lately, he's calling it a "bee be", um, what else, window, bird, book, bed, bath...you name it. it's um, a bit of a challenge. A good one that i love, but a challenge none-the-less. Especially since this guy is very active, spirited and busy. Oh, and most of you who read this know very little about me, but the truth of the matter is, I'm slow...I take my time. So he gets his speed from Mama and his donor. Not from me or my nurturing influence. He gets annoyed and screams sometimes if we don't know what "B???!!" he means.

on a side note, mamas, mommies, babas, memes, mimis, and dads out there, I recommend a great singer we recently discovered. Check out Justin Roberts. Man is he fun. As I've been blogging this, I've had his "everything else starts with e" song in my head.
Other language victories are his mastery of the word "no". He says it, and knows what we mean when we say it AND he knows that yes or "ya" is the opposite of "no". We've been trying to say no less, since he says it so very much now, but it's hard when he's getting into everything to remember how to talk in full sentences.

Well, I've taken up enough of your time.