Tommy's 15-Month Check-up

Oops, I completely forgot Tommy needed a 15 month appointment, so it turned out to be a 15 1/2 month check-up. 

He is not having any trouble sprouting up (from 32" at his 12 month check-up to 33 1/2 at this current one), but he is slower to gain weight since he is so active (only an 11 oz gain) and seems to be cutting some molars too.  He has not been eating his usual fill in the highchair these days and fusses after just a few bites at some meals.  A freezer pops seems to help, but I am ready for the drooling to stop already.

Poor Tommy had three more shots at this check-up, only to get more pretend shots from his brother at home, followed by a large bite mark (compliments of P) later that evening.   Not his best day.

His vocabulary is far broader compared to Patrick at this same age.  He initiates ball, Baba, cracker, cookie, waffle, all done, hi, ought-oh, and a few others on his own.  He still uses "Na Na"  to refer to his brother.  Tommy is appearing a little more attached to me than Patrick, but he doesn't want held very often, so that frees me up a lot around the house.  He has no fear of water, and sticks his head right into the water table or pool which makes me so very nervous.

He is my affectionate one and loves giving hugs and kisses - then he is off and running again.  We are trying to phase out morning naps, but I swear he still takes one at least half of the days of the week in addition to an afternoon nap that lasts generally 2 hours.  He NEVER falls asleep in the stroller or while we are out somewhere even if he is exhausted, with the exception of his car seat. If he is really tired, he will fall asleep there, but usually wakes when we arrive at home.

He still is obsessed with shoes- his, mine, Patrick's. He just started wearing a size 6 shoe these days.  He crawls up the stairs, but is just learning to back down them on his own.  He loves dogs, whereas his brother was terrified of them at that age. 
He is pretty easy, although his need to explore is exhausting most days.
  

How About a Little "Before/After"?

No, no, no, not the basement.  You see, it wasn't enough that our kids' toy clutter covered every surface inside our house. It had started to ooze its way outside onto our deck and patio.  Balls, buckets, shovels, water table toys, etc. 

I offer up Exhibit 1: 

We had been trying to keep them contained in this blue bin, but then it rains and the whole thing fills up with nasty dead-bug water.  Without fail, the next time the kids go outside to play, Tommy beelines for the bin, jams his little hands into the water, and splashes the dead bug juice all over himself.  That is when Tom suggested that we find something to hang on this wall that would also drain the toys:
 

Hmm, the wire container bins at TJ Maxx for $30 would be perfect except they would rust. UNLESS you gave it a good dousing of black Rustoleum spray paint.  In that case, you would have the perfect outdoor toy bin. 

Tom also hung the metal hose holder I purchased on clearance at Target last summer for $11, and we are now a clutter free deck. (mostly.)

Thought I would also throw in this photo of our driveway taken from the back deck. The stone is pretty, isn't it?  That was what we thought when we moved in too.  I still think it is pretty, but now when I am out pulling the infinity-plus-one number of weeds that grow between every stone, I think, "This driveway is pretty, and very, very, long. and wide. and fertile".  It takes at least 6 hours to weed the entire thing, so I have to do it in phases.  Usually by the time I finish the whole thing, the other side has started to grow again.  Trying not to use chemicals, but it is becoming a bear.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

...or  is it once shy, twice bitten?

Remember a few posts back when I mentioned that Tommy bit Patrick for the first time? Well tonight, Patrick and Tommy were wrestling on the couch together when Tommy started crying.  The kind of crying when you know something is wrong.

I looked at P.
"Did you bite your brother?", I demanded angrily.
"No", responded P.

A quick visual search of Tommy yielded one nasty blood-drawn bite site on his back-right, just above his diaper. 

The funny thing is, it was unprovoked.  They weren't fighting and there was no toy involved. 

Let's hope this is the last of the bite-themed posts for a while.

Weigh-In, Week 7

Starting Weight at the Beginning of the Week:
146

Current weight:
145

Weight Lost:
1

Total Lost Since Beginning WW:
6

Losing this pound has not been quite as satisfying since I feel like I already lost this particular one before.  Oh well.
I have had two, back-to-back 10 hour nights to try and battle this frump my body has been in, and I do feel better this evening. Would love to start jogging with the kids again. 

Also, now that I have been on WW for a while, I am going to switch to reporting my weight loss every two weeks. 

Happy weekend. 

"Maybe You're...

...pregnant".  (No, I am not)

I hate this pesky period of time when the one year milestone of your youngest child has passed and your friends know you may want to have more kids.  Because every comment and action is scrutinized and EVERYONE thinks you are with child.  All the time.

Hmmm.  Carol just turned down a glass of wine wine with dinner...(4 points on weight watchers). She is probably expecting already.

I mention how exhausted I have been these last two weeks despite getting 8+ hours of sleep a night. Hmmm.  "You could be pregnant!"  More likely my iron levels have tanked. 

Heaven forbid I get the stomach flu right now-everyone will think it is morning sickness :)

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

My mom turned...another year older on Friday.  Doesn't she look great?

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Is Anyone Keeping Track?

Is this project #41 since we moved in, or #61? I've lost count, but I wish I had started keeping a tally from the beginning.  Our entry hall was finally ready for a new light after our huge gaping hole was repaired and two new coats of paints.

Occasionally, Tom gets to put his architecture degree to good use.  Because he worked so hard, I won't say exactly how long it took him to install the light Saturday.  But it does work. 

 We like the new light-

But I wasn't expecting the Pink Floyd laser show spectacular.  Still, it will do.

And since it has been almost a whole week since I painted, I started going into withdrawal. 

A trip to Lowe's cured that.

NOW,
maybe we can get this basement wrapped up.

(Maybe)