I Need One of Those Drinks With a Tiny Umbrella

You know you don't get out much or get much R&R time when little things start adding up and ruining your every day existence.  Things that really shouldn't matter.  Things that make you consider murdering your husband, throwing the cats outside (as if), and burning your entire wardrobe.

Don't understand?  Lets see if this helps, if you're even still reading.

The following are things that pushed me to fits of shaking my pudgy fists at the sky and almost calling my husband at work to "properly express myself".  In reality very few of these couldn't be resolved with a simple 5 minute chore or a few deep breaths.

1.  While playing on the floor with Sam I keep finding toe nail clippings on the carpet.
2.  The ashtray was not put out the last time we had friends over and so our deck/yard has stray cigarette butts scattered about.
3.  I keep finding dirty socks tucked in between and underneath things because my husband is an animal.
4.  Is it really so hard to shut a kitchen drawer or a cabinet door once you have gotten what you needed?
5.  Does Weena have to pull down towels/coats/clothes from hampers to make nests?
6.  The high chair is not a good place to stack your folded laundry.  Upstairs is.
7.  Pick a designated place to put your shoes when you take them off.  Preferably not in my walking path.  Especially since I'm usually carrying a baby which even further limits my visibility.
8.  Belt buckles hurt when you step on them.
9.  Cufflinks ".
10.  Do I have to use a label maker to mark which one is my toothbrush?
11.  When having family time can I please walk away to use the bathroom without a panicked "What are you doing?  Where are you going?  You're coming back, right?"
12.  Watching the kid doesn't mean completely ignoring him while playing video games.  It also doesn't mean making a bed on the floor next to where he once was and falling asleep.
13.  If one has gross feet, one does not put said feet on couch/near my face/near baby's face.
14.  Is it normal for a baby to crap 5 times a day?  LORD.
15.  I might as well talk to myself even when hubby is home, cause he isn't listening.  Sometimes he doesn't even bother to smile and nod anymore.

I intended for that to be a short list.  I just couldn't stop myself.  And really, is any of that rage worthy?  Not really.  It's just annoying.  Proof that mommy needs a rub down, swaddle, and private nap in a dark & sound proof room.  A fruity, yet powerful, drink with a tiny umbrella would also help.

Wednesday of the No Words

Feel free to add your own captions.

Snow Angel

It snowed this weekend!  For many out there that's no big deal.  But here in Maryland we don't get snow very often.  In fact our winters are very odd.  Either we have snow maybe 4 times all winter with a maximum amount on the ground of 2 inches, or we have 3 feet of snow keeping us locked in our houses for days.  You just never know what you're gonna get.  This winter has been almost as mild as last year.

So even though it has snowed a couple times and we've taken Sam out on the deck for some quick snap shots, he hasn't had a real chance to play with it.  It's usually melted away by the time we go outside.  Until yesterday.

That's pretty much what we expected.  He doesn't like things that are cold.  Cold foods, cold lake water, cold wind, etc.  He's like his Momma in that cold makes him miserable.  But looky baby's first shoes!  

Of which we lost one in the yard.  Only outside for 10 minutes and we lost one of his shoes.  (We did find it)  So I guess snow, along with lots of other things, is just gonna be something he hopefully will enjoy next winter. 

Maybe next year.

11 Months Old

Sigh.

He's almost there.  I am now on official countdown to my precious pigeon pea turning one year old.  I've been feeling really sad lately.  He's just as wonderful and quirky as ever, but he's becoming a big boy.  His physical abilities have been quickly developing this past month.  He's so strong.  Opinionated.  And he just LOOKS like he's no longer a baby.  I'm just glad that I've literally taken photos of him almost every day of his life so when I'm 60 I can sit down with my oatmeal and my laptop and cry the happy cry.

Yeah, like I said.  Shits been gettin real lately.

My 11 Month Old is Amazing Because. . . 

~ He can army crawl.

~ He can sit up on his own.

~ He can tumble from one end of the room to the other in seconds flat.

~ He can clap his hands.

~ He can pull up (assisted) on things.

~ He can stand (assisted) for long periods of time.

~ He can squat from a standing position and push himself back up.

~ Has the use of many words.  Mama, Dada, Kitty, Bottle, Hi, and No. (in kid speak)

~ Is learning to eat table food with much more success.  Favorites of which are blueberry pancakes and scrambled egg yolks.

~ Understands and obeys the command "No".  Dude, he obeys it!

~ Likes to put things up on the table, or into a container.  

~ Initiates peek a boo play.

~ Sleeps 11 hours every night and never needs us to come to his aid till it's time to get up for the day.

~ Loves his shape sorter toy, even if it does bring on fits of rage because he can't get it right on the first try every time.

~ I just had to give him another haircut.  That's the 3rd one, y'all.

11 Months Owl!

Update:  A trip to the Dr due to diaper rash that won't go away has revealed our Pud to now weigh 22 pounds 5 ounces!

This

Nothing makes a Sam happier than watching the title sequence of Dr Who.  And he's been like that since he was just a few months old.  Yes, I gave birth to a Whovian.

Difficult Lessons

Sam has now mastered going from his hands and knees to sitting on his bottom.  He is so proud of himself, as he should be, that it's all he wants to do all day long.  He sits up like a big boy and immediately looks for his applause.  However. . .

*Thunk*  *Thunk*  *Thunk*

He still hasn't learned what to do if he happens to be under a table/chair when he decides he wants to sit up.  Lots of crying.  Lots of frustration.  Lots of me trying not to openly laugh at him.

"Is there a cat behind me?"

He'll get it.  Eventually.

Sunday Photo Catch Up

Lack of posting means things aren't too exciting over here.  Christmas is over.  New Years might as well not be a real holiday since it's just about always lame.  Our birthdays are right around the corner.  And I'm thinking about a small birthday party for the boy in February.  So lots of plans, nosing around the internet for easy/cheap ideas, and of course playing with my Pud.

Here's some highlights:

Crazy ballet legs says he's too big to bathe in the sink.

Cuddles with an honorary Aunt.  (You were right, he loved the muffins when I gave him some the next day)

That face.  That skin.  Those eyes.  I'm raising a heart breaker.

He adores this exersaucer so much!  This incredibly noisy exersaucer.

He also loves to play with MIL's walker.

Arrrgh!  Captain Sweatpants says "Gimmie all yur nilla wafers!"

"Told ya I was ready for a big boy bath!"

Every night this passed out, greasy with aquaphor, milk drunk face is the last thing I see before daddy takes him upstairs to bed.  I love it.

The Neighborhood Bully

Well, it happened.  The first toy or thing that Sam is afraid of!  Allow me to introduce his mortal enemy.

Things were looking good when we first introduced the penguin bobble toy.  He was smiling and grabbing at the penguin.

But then the very first time he gave it a good smack it fell back and sprang forward again to give Sam a good smack on his forehead.  He was shocked, confused, and then screaming.  We had to hide the penguin to get him to calm down.  Even then he still kept looking around and staring at the last spot he had seen the bully penguin.  

Since Christmas we have slowly been reintroducing penguin.  Gradually, we have come to this point.

Sitting side by side and no tears.  Even better, after I took this picture he reached out a curious finger and gave it a gentle poke.  Just one.  It's progress.